“Well, well, well, look what we have here,” Easton said, his voice dripping with mockery. “Never thought following a wimp like you would lead me somewhere interesting. Weird-ass token, but whatever.”

He strolled past Jason, barely even acknowledging him as a threat. The fact that the token was glowing didn’t sit well with Easton, but he wasn’t about to risk it himself. Why bother, when he had someone like Jason to do the dirty work for him?

“Go on, take the token,” he ordered, casual as ever, like he was asking Jason to pass the salt.

Jason’s heart raced. He knew Easton was trouble, had been warned about the Twins, but he couldn’t exactly refuse without risking getting his ass kicked. Trying to keep some shred of dignity, he walked up to the pedestal, his legs feeling like jelly. The moment his fingers closed around the token, the pedestal crumbled into dust, swirling into the air before forming a stone construct—faceless, towering, and holding a sword that looked way too sharp for comfort.

“Fuck!” Jason yelped, stumbling back and landing flat on his ass. “Hell no!”

Before he could even think about getting up, Easton’s boot connected with his face, sending him sprawling. The token flew from his hand, and Easton snatched it out of the air like it was the easiest thing in the world. He pocketed it, but didn’t leave. Which was…weird. Jason figured anyone with half a brain would be out of here the second they got what they came for, but not Easton. No, he stuck around, and Jason had no time to dwell on that weirdness because the construct’s sword came down right where he’d been lying a second ago. The thing sliced through the stone floor like it was butter.

“The room’s sealed. Figures,” Easton muttered, almost bored.

Jason looked over to see the corridor they came through was now closed off, the door fused into the wall. Great. He was trapped in here with a murderous rock monster, and Easton was just standing there watching like it was some kind of show.

He barely had time to think before the construct took another swing, the blade narrowly missing his chest. The next swipe, though, clipped his arm, and Jason gasped in pain, stumbling backward. Blood dripped down his sleeve, but at least his arm was still attached. Small victories, right?

Meanwhile, Easton just grinned, leaning against the wall like he had all the time in the world. “Nice moves, Heartwood. Really giving it your all,” he said, clearly amused by the whole situation.

“How the hell you know my name?!”

Jason gritted his teeth. What the hell was this guy's deal? Didn’t he realize that if Jason bit it, he’d be next on the chopping block? Or maybe Easton just didn’t care. Either way, Jason had to think fast, because this thing wasn’t slowing down.

“I have my sources.”, He said as the Construct swung again.

He dodged another swing, this time feeling the wind from the blade as it passed dangerously close to his head. Panic surged through him. There had to be a way to beat this thing, but he didn’t have a weapon. He had…nothing. Absolutely nothing. And Easton? Easton wasn’t going to lift a finger to help.

“Any chance you wanna stop standing there like an idiot and help out?!” Jason yelled, ducking another strike.

Easton just laughed, arms crossed over his chest. “Nah, I’m good. You’re doing fine on your own.”

“The hell is that supposed to mean?! Woah!!!”, Jason managed to duck a swing before it hit his neck.

“See? Just fine.”, He pointed at the fight like that proved a point.

Jason gritted his teeth, scrambling to his feet again. “Just fine?! Are you out of your mind? I’m one swing away from getting my head taken off!”

Easton shrugged, his grin widening. “Well, you haven’t lost your head yet, have you? Besides, I figured you’d be better at this, considering all the running and hiding you’re so good at.”

Jason glared at him, but didn’t have time for a comeback. The stone construct was relentless, its faceless form eerily silent as it swung its massive sword again. Jason rolled out of the way, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of his chest.

He needed a plan—any plan. But what could he do? He had no weapons, no backup, and the only person who could help was a smug asshole enjoying the show. The construct came at him again, its sword smashing into the ground, sending shards of stone flying. Jason barely avoided the debris, a few chunks grazing his arm.

"Okay, think, think," he muttered to himself, dodging another swing. "There's gotta be a weak spot, right? These things always have a weak spot."

He glanced around the room, desperate for anything that could give him an edge. His eyes locked onto the pedestal where the token had been. The dust from it was still swirling around, almost like... like it was connected to the construct somehow.

“Easton!” Jason shouted, panting as he sidestepped another attack. “The dust—it's from the pedestal! I think it’s controlling the thing!”

Easton raised an eyebrow, looking genuinely curious for the first time. “Huh. Maybe you’re not as dumb as you look.”

Jason rolled his eyes. “Yeah, thanks for the compliment, now how about some help?!”

With a sigh, Easton finally stepped forward, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small dagger. He tossed it at Jason’s feet, the blade clattering on the stone floor. “Here. Don’t say I never did anything for you.”

Jason stared at the dagger, disbelief all over his face. “A dagger?! Against that thing?!”

“Better than nothing,” Easton replied, shrugging again. "Good luck, champ."

Jason didn’t have time to argue. The construct was already charging at him again, and if he didn’t do something soon, he wouldn’t need to worry about the dagger—because he’d be dead.

Grabbing the blade, Jason sprinted toward the swirling dust. If he could just destroy whatever was left of the pedestal, maybe—just maybe—the construct would fall apart. He lunged forward, stabbing the dagger into the center of the swirling dust cloud.

Just as the sword was about to connect with his flesh, it turned back to dust, leaving him completely dirty.

But alive!

Jason stumbled back, it actually worked!

“Well, look at that,” Easton said, clapping slowly. “Guess you’re not completely useless after all.”

The Jqorn shot him a withering glare. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

The twin shrugged, unfazed by Jason's glare. “Don't act tough just because you solved a puzzle. I can still kick your ass, and I won't miss my swings like that sorry excuse of a fighter.”

Jason gulped, knowing full well that wasn’t an empty threat. Easton was dangerous, and Jason had seen firsthand what happened to people who crossed him.

“Oh, and by the way,” Easton continued, holding out his hand, “my dagger.”

Jason hesitated for a second. It wasn’t like the dagger had been super useful, but it was the only weapon he had. Still, he wasn’t exactly in a position to refuse. Not if he wanted to avoid getting his face smashed in by Easton. With a sigh, he handed the dagger back.

“Good boy,” Easton said, pocketing the blade. “Now, you’ve got two choices. You can either stay here and clean up the rest of this mess,” he motioned to the pile of rubble, “or you can come with me and hope you don’t slow me down. I’ll even let you keep your little token—for now.”

Jason knew he didn’t really have a choice. Going solo in this death trap would almost certainly get him killed. And as much as he hated Easton, at least sticking with him for a bit gave him a better chance of survival. Barely.

“Yeah, sure. I’ll tag along,” Jason muttered, trying to sound like he wasn’t absolutely terrified of the guy.

Easton smirked. “Good choice. Try not to die, alright? I’d hate to have wasted my time watching you scramble around like a rat in a maze for nothing.”

With that, the twin turned and started walking, clearly expecting Jason to follow. Jason shot one last glance at the pile of rubble before reluctantly falling in step behind him.

This was going to suck. But it was better than being dead.

Probably.

Jason felt his life was too dependent of that word nowadays.

----------------------------------------

Choi-Hwang whistled as she saw some fights from the crystals. Some of them were really good, others were a mess that wasn't even worth watching because they were total amateurs, at least in her eyes, others were actually competent but didn't stand out, and the last ones were just psychos who found an excuse to murder everything that dared to breath at their sights. She sighed at the last one, can't really blame the competitors since a lot of them are criminals or slaves. Kind of expected to be honest.

The last one however was actually really clever. A puzzle that was solved not by targeting necessarily the fight itself, but going around to destroy a phylactery of a Construct.

“That one was good, although only one of them actually worked to solve the problem.”, Choi-Hwang commented wryly.

“Please, don't try comedy. It doesn't suit you.”, The military woman deadpanned.

“Veland, I can be humorous when I want.”, She replied in the same tone.

“No, you can't.”

They glared at each other before refocusing on the different crystals showing different fights and puzzles. Veland pointed with her only arm at one that seemed interesting.

"What about that one?”

Choi-Hwang leaned forward, narrowing her eyes as she focused on the crystal Veland had pointed out. The scene showed two contestants trapped in a narrow corridor, the walls shifting slowly, inching closer with each passing second. Both of them seemed frantic, but only one was trying to figure out the pattern of the moving stones, while the other simply banged on the walls in desperation.

“Hm,” Choi-Hwang mused, “a classic crush trap. Brutal, but effective.”

Veland grunted. “The one on the left looks like he’s got it figured out. The other one? Dead weight.”

“I give him ten minutes, max,” Choi-Hwang said, crossing her arms. “No way that guy’s getting out of there unless he gets some serious help.”

The two women continued to watch as the more focused contestant started making his way along the walls, carefully avoiding the pressure points that triggered the movement. The other guy? Still slamming his fists against the stone like that would somehow stop the walls from closing in.

“Well, at least one of them is competent,” Choi-Hwang remarked. “Think he’ll let the other one die?”

Veland shrugged. “Would you save someone slowing you down?”

Choi-Hwang snorted. “Hell no. Especially not in this place.”

Just as they expected, the competent contestant reached the exit, triggering a mechanism that stopped the walls from moving. The other guy collapsed to the floor, gasping for air, completely oblivious to how close he’d come to being squashed.

“Lucky bastard,” Veland muttered. “He has no idea.”

Choi-Hwang smiled, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Luck runs out eventually.” She shifted her gaze to another crystal, catching sight of a group battling a giant construct. “Now this looks fun. Think any of them are actually going to survive?”

Veland raised an eyebrow. “Not a chance. Look at their formation. That thing's gonna pick them apart.”

“Five minutes then?” Choi-Hwang asked with side glance, a small bet that was going to quickly be forgotten later in the day.

“Five minutes,” Veland agreed.

“You two are really into it.”, Elisha commented as she chucked, “Never seen someone analyze so accurately the psych and technique of the contestants.”

Choi-Hwang sighed, not taking her eyes off the crystal. “Well, when you’ve been in enough fights, you start to recognize the patterns. It’s all about survival, really. Some people have it, others… well, let’s just say they’re entertaining to watch.”

Veland nodded in agreement. “Experience teaches you what to look for. You can tell who’s going to crack under pressure within the first minutes. That’s the real part—seeing who holds up and who falls.”

Elisha chuckled softly. “I suppose you two have seen your fair share of broken warriors then?”

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

She said that looking at the missing arm of the military woman, but she seemed unperturbed.

“More than we can count,” Veland said, her tone matter-of-fact. “But you don’t get this far without breaking a few people yourself.”

Choi-Hwang glanced at Elisha, her smile widening. “I’m surprised you don’t get more involved. You seem like the type who’d enjoy seeing things up close.”

Elisha tilted her head thoughtfully, her smile never fading. “Oh, I enjoy it plenty from here. Besides, watching the pieces fall into place is far more satisfying than getting my hands dirty. I have other ways of influencing the outcome.”

Choi-Hwang raised an eyebrow. “Is that so? I’d love to see how you play your hand in all this.”

Elisha gave a mysterious smile. “In due time. For now, let’s just say the real game has yet to begin.”

Veland snorted. “Typical noble response. Always keeping things close to the chest.”

Elisha shrugged gracefully. “We all have our roles to play, don’t we?”

Choi-Hwang and Veland exchanged a glance before returning their attention to the unfolding battles. Despite the casual conversation, there was a shared understanding between them—everyone in the Colosseum had their own game to play.

“Now now,” Bhagavad interrupted, “let's not miss the Games, shall we?”

Bhagavad’s voice cut through the tension, his tone light but commanding. He leaned back in his seat, eyes gleaming with amusement as he gestured toward the crystals displaying the various battles.

“After all, the real fun is watching the unexpected,” he continued, a sly grin forming on his lips. “Contestants can be unpredictable, and that’s where things get… interesting.”

Elisha glanced at Bhagavad, her smile sharpening. “Of course. The unpredictability is what makes it worthwhile. But it’s also satisfying to see when things go exactly as planned.”

Choi-Hwang gave a little snort, crossing her arms. “Planned or not, most of these contestants are going to fall apart the moment things get messy. It’s almost too easy to predict who’ll break first.”

Veland nodded in agreement, her gaze still focused on one of the crystals showing a particularly brutal fight. “The real question isn’t who survives. It’s who adapts. Most of these people won’t even see the second game.”

“Survival is only one part of the equation,” Bhagavad said, his voice almost philosophical. “It’s not just about strength or skill—it’s about who can keep their head in the chaos, who can see beyond the fight.”

“And who can be used,” Elisha added, her eyes twinkling with hidden meaning. “Everyone is a piece on the board. Some just don’t know it yet.”

Bhagavad chuckled softly. “Spoken like a true strategist.”

Veland and Choi-Hwang shared another glance, this time more curious. They knew Elisha was a schemer, but the depth of her involvement, her control over the Games, was still a mystery. Bhagavad, for his part, seemed to revel in the chaos more than anything else, his role as creator of the labyrinth giving him a different perspective.

Elisha leaned back, her eyes scanning the crystals with a quiet intensity. "I do wonder," she mused, "how many of them realize the game isn’t just in the arena, but in every choice they make, every alliance they forge."

“And how many have already sealed their fates without knowing it,” Bhagavad added, his grin widening.

The more they spoke, the less Choi-Hwang liked it.

----------------------------------------

Jason stuck close to Easton, keeping a cautious distance but appreciating how the guy seemed to know his way around this insane labyrinth. Every time they came across a fight or heard something suspicious in the distance, Easton would motion for Jason to stay low, and they’d watch from the shadows as the chaos unfolded.

Despite his usual paranoia, Jason couldn’t help but feel a small sense of relief. As much of a jerk as Easton was, he was keeping him alive—for now, at least. The guy clearly had a plan, even if Jason couldn’t figure out what it was yet. Maybe he was just waiting for the right moment to stab him in the back, but until then, this "alliance" was better than going solo and getting ripped apart by someone—or something—else.

“Looks like they’re too busy killing each other to notice us,” Easton whispered as they peered around a corner at two contestants locked in a brutal fight. One of them had a makeshift spear; the other was swinging a heavy club, both completely focused on each other.

Jason swallowed hard. "What if they see us?"

“They won’t,” Easton said flatly, eyes scanning for any sign of traps or sudden movement. “We just need to let them take each other out. No point jumping into a fight we don’t need to.”

Jason nodded, trying to calm his nerves. This place was messing with his head, making him feel like every shadow was out to get him. But Easton? He was calm, like he had done this a hundred times before. It was unnerving how detached he seemed from the violence.

The two contestants fighting nearby finally came to a bloody end when the one with the club knocked the spear-wielder to the ground, finishing them off with a sickening blow to the head. Jason winced at the sight.

“Come on,” Easton whispered, tugging at Jason’s sleeve before creeping forward. They slunk around the edge of the room, careful to avoid making any noise. Jason couldn’t believe they were just walking away from that, but then again, there was no way he could handle a fight like that. Not yet.

As they moved through another corridor, Easton finally broke the silence. “You’ve got potential, kid. You’re not as dumb as you look.”

Jason blinked, unsure if that was supposed to be a compliment. “Uh, thanks? I guess?”

“Careful now.” Easton said with a smirk. “You’re only useful to me as long as you don’t screw up.”

Jason gulped. Great. Just when he thought things were going smoothly.

But before he could respond, Easton’s eyes narrowed, his hand shooting up to signal Jason to stop. Jason froze, barely breathing as he followed Easton’s gaze. There, further down the corridor, was another contestant—this one armed and looking desperate.

“Looks like we’ve got company,” Easton whispered, his tone shifting to something more dangerous.

They were spotted, so Easton quickly got up, unsheathing his dagger, prompting Jason to do the same. The contestant approached with his spear in hand, already desperate and in a rush, probably due to the adrenaline that this place gave, but to be so unhinged like that, meant that something else happened.

And the next words confirmed Jason's suspicions.

“Give me your tokens and I will let you live!”, He demanded as he faked a swing of his spear.

The thing was barely keeping it up together, but somehow the idiot thought it was still funcional.

“No can do.”, Easton said with a bored and irritated tone, like a wasp refusing to leave his ear, “If you lost yours you will need to take it by force.”

The Jqorn was nervous at the exchange, since he didn't really have a way to defend himself. A weapon would make him way more confident even if he didn't know how to use it, because as Easton put it before, better than nothing. Regardless of his needs, he is a complete bystander and the only thing he can do is follow Easton's orders… right?

“Fuck it!”, The man said as he leapt forward in an attempt to attack the twin.

Who easily dodged out of the way, slashing his dagger on the back of his shoulder, followed by a punch to the face that made the guy drop his spear on the ground. He stumbled to the ground, but rolled using his momentum to quickly get up. Jason grabbed the spear from the ground and breaked it, using the small blade ir had as a makeshift knife. Good, a small blade will make him feel more safe.

“Nice moves, Heartwood.”, Easton said with a grin.

Before he could say anything else, an arrow hit the man's head, killing him instantly, making the two of them duck in case an arrow was being sent to them as well, a good thing since the arrows got stuck in the walls right after they got down. The group of two criminals and one slave got closer to them, and a face that Jason immediately recognized stepped forward, much to his increasing panic.

“Zarek?!”, He yelped, “Are you serious?!”

“You know him?”, Easton asked as the group were now with weapons in hand instead of bows.

“He was a general of one of the Vyzerian countries, but he became a criminal after retiring, probably to continue with his glory or something.”, Jason muttered as the man himself stepped forward.

“I guess my reputation precedes me.”, He said in a proud smile.

“So you are using your knowledge to survive the Games, am I right?”, The twin said in a mocking tone, “Maybe to clean up your name or something?”

“Oh, I wouldn't want to leave this place even if I wanted, but I do help others if they want to have their freedom.”, Zarek shook his head, his eyes closed as he smiled, “The Colosseum is way better than any war I've fought. Why would I want to leave?”

“Fucking psycho.”, Jason whispered. Of course there would be people like that here.

Easton smirked, clearly amused by the whole situation. "Well, I've heard of some people enjoying the fight, but that's a whole new level of crazy."

Jason gripped his makeshift blade tighter, his heart pounding. He had heard about Zarek's reputation, and the fact that he was now standing right in front of him, treating the Games like some kind of twisted hobby, didn't make him feel any better.

Zarek's group fanned out, circling Jason and Easton. It was clear they weren't planning on letting them walk away without a fight. "So," Zarek began, cracking his neck like he was warming up for a workout, "why don't you two just hand over your tokens and save yourselves the trouble? I've got no problem killing you if it comes to that, but it'd be much easier if you just cooperated."

Easton scoffed, completely unfazed. "You know, for a supposed former general, you sure don't have much of a strategic mind. We both know how this ends.”

Jason, on the other hand, wasn't so sure how this would end. He was still terrified, but at least now he had a weapon, no matter how small. The real problem was that Zarek had a group behind him, and even if Easton was good, they were seriously outnumbered.

"Jason," Easton whispered without turning his head, "you take the one on the left. I'll deal with the big guy."

Jason blinked, his throat dry. "Wait, what? You want me to-?"

"Now," Easton hissed, cutting him off.

Before Jason could argue, Easton sprang into action, launching himself at Zarek with a speed that caught even the seasoned ex-general off guard. Their weapons clashed, the sound of steel ringing through the corridor as Zarek's group immediately surged forward, intent on overwhelming them.

Jason's mind raced as one of Zarek's lackeys came at him with a sword. His instincts screamed at him to run, but there was no escape. With a shaky breath, he raised his makeshift knife, blocking the first strike awkwardly, the impact jarring his arm.

"Shit, shit, shit!", Jason cursed under his breath, barely managing to hold his ground.

The guy attacking him snarled and swung again, this time aiming for Jason's midsection. Jason dodged to the side, the blade missing him by inches. Without thinking, he jabbed forward with his small blade, catching the attacker in the side. The man gasped, stumbling backward, giving Jason just enough time to pull the blade out and reposition himself.

Easton, meanwhile, was locked in a fierce duel with Zarek, both of them moving with deadly precision. Easton's dagger was fast, darting in and out as he looked for an opening, while Zarek's larger sword kept him at bay, forcing Easton to stay on the defensive.

"You're not bad," Zarek grinned as he swung his sword in a wide arc. "But you're not good enough."

Easton deflected the blow with his dagger, his expression never changing. "We'll see about that."

Just as Easton was about to strike again, another one of Zarek's men lunged at Jason, forcing him to focus all his attention on surviving. His heart pounded in his chest, and he realized in that moment that he didn't want to die —not here, certainly not like this.

Summoning whatever courage he had left, Jason dodged another swing and kicked the guy in the knee, causing him to stumble. Taking advantage of the opening, Jason slashed at his attacker's throat, his makeshift blade cutting deep enough to take the man down.

Panting, Jason looked up just in time to see Zarek's group closing in on Easton, intent on overwhelming him. The slave beside him attacked Easton, only to have an elbow meet his face sending him backwards, making Zarek use the chance to strike with his sword, the blade grazing his chest, a reminder that if it hit its target, it was game over.

Easton grimaced as Zarek's sword grazed his side, a thin line of blood staining his clothes. He barely reacted, though, his eyes still locked on Zarek with an intense focus. The attack had been close-too close-but Easton wasn't the type to back down just because of a near miss.

"Lucky shot," Easton muttered, wiping some blood from his side, "but you'll have to do better than that if you want to finish me."

Zarek grinned, his sword steady in his hand. "Oh, don't worry. I'll get there. It's just a matter of time.”

Jason, still catching his breath from his own skirmish, watched as the now Zarek's duo seemed to recover and move in on Easton. His pulse raced, knowing that if Easton went down, he wouldn't stand a chance on his own. And yet, running wasn't an option. Not this time.

The slave who had taken an elbow to the face earlier stumbled back into the fray, lunging at Easton once again with a dagger of his own. Easton barely turned in time to block it, their blades clashing as Zarek stepped in for another strike, his sword aiming to finish the job.

"Easton, watch out!" Jason shouted instinctively, rushing forward with his makeshift weapon raised.

Without thinking, Jason slammed into the slave attacking Easton, throwing the man off balance and knocking him to the ground. The force of the impact surprised Jason as much as it did his target, but it gave Easton just enough time to dodge Zarek's killing blow, the blade missing him by inches again.

"Heartwood!" Easton barked, but there was a sharpness in his voice that almost sounded like approval. "Keep that up!"

Jason's heart raced. He didn't know how long he could "keep that up," but at least now, he wasn't just standing on the sidelines. Another one of the attacks of the slave met him, but Jason managed to duck under the swing and jab his broken spear into the man's side, knocking him off his feet.

Zarek growled in frustration, his eyes narrowing as he realized his men were dropping too quickly. "You little rats... Fine, I'll deal with you both myself."

Easton grinned, blood still dripping from his side. "Oh, I've been waiting for this."

Zarek came at them with a fury, swinging his sword with brutal precision, but Easton was quick, darting in and out of his reach, each movement calculated to avoid a killing blow. Jason, on the other hand, tried to circle around, hoping to distract Zarek just enough to give Easton an opening.

Finally, after what felt like hours of dodging and blocking, Easton found his moment. As Zarek swung wide, Jason ducked low and the twin slashed his dagger across Zarek's arm, cutting deep. The former general roared in pain, stumbling back as blood poured from the wound. Jason didn't waste any time. With Zarek distracted, he lunged forward, driving his broken spear into Zarek's leg, forcing him to his knees.

"You... bastards..." Zarek gasped, his eyes wide with shock as he clutched his wounds.

Easton loomed over him, his dagger gleaming in the dim light of the labyrinth. "Told you. This is how it ends."

With a swift motion, Easton plunged his dagger into Zarek's chest, ending the fight. Jason stood there, panting, his heart still racing as the adrenaline slowly began to fade. He couldn't believe they had actually survived.

"Not bad, Heartwood," Easton said, wiping his dagger on Zarek's clothes before standing up. "Not bad at all.”

“Sure.”, The Jqorn said as he dropped the broken-broken-spear, that now was just a piece of wood no bigger than a tooth stick. Jason tossed the splintered remains of his spear aside, feeling the tension in his muscles begin to ease—just slightly. "I guess we’re alive, so that’s something."

Easton gave him a sideways glance, a smirk playing on his lips. "Barely. You looked like you were gonna piss yourself back there."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence," Jason muttered, trying to catch his breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, still feeling the pounding of his heart. "Next time, how about a little heads-up before you start playing hero?"

Easton shrugged, casually looting Zarek’s body like it was just another day. "You're still breathing, aren't you? That's what matters." He pocketed a few of the tokens and stood up, giving Jason a look. "Keep with me, and you might make it through this thing."

Jason shook his head, half annoyed, half relieved. "Yeah, if I don’t die of a heart attack first."

Easton chuckled and started walking again, motioning for Jason to follow. "C'mon, there’s bound to be more idiots like him out there. Let’s make sure we’re ready when they come."

Jason hesitated for a moment, glancing back at Zarek’s lifeless body. This place was insane. But he didn’t have much of a choice. Gritting his teeth, he hurried to catch up with Easton.

"Just… let me know if you see another spear," Jason said, trying to lighten the mood as they disappeared deeper into the labyrinth.

Easton snorted. "You will have to content yourself with the weapons those bozos have.”

Jason looked at the scattered weapons and sighed.

“An unusually big sword it is.”

“Ha! That's what she said.”