The crash jolted the blood mage from the embrace of blissful oblivion. She snapped her eyes open and leaped to her feet, gripping the dagger she had clutched to her chest all night. It didn’t take long for her to locate the source of the noise.

The Judge swung a metal rod, striking it against the wall. The rod bent as it scraped across the stone, and the sound of metal on rock echoed through the cave. Without hesitation, the Judge discarded the broken tool. His actions seemed purposeless, yet he repeated the same motion with unwavering determination.

“He’s searching for something…” Suri thought, unable to tear her eyes away from him. Her hands began to tremble as she recalled the power he had revealed the day before. The Judge, however, seemed indifferent to whether the girl had woken up or not, and she didn’t dare start a conversation.

“I never imagined suppression could take physical form, but that flame… Could he be a blood mage too? If so, how vast is the difference between us? And if he is, what good would my concern even do?”

Sighing, Suri took a sip from the water flask, shivering as the cold seeped into her. She set about organizing the little gear she had left. Despite everything, she felt noticeably better after the brief rest.

“Incredible… How did I manage to fall asleep at a time like this?” she wondered, clenching her swollen hands into fists. Her inner energy flowed through her body, dulling the painful spasms of exhaustion.

The last time, girl’s mind had been fogged by physical and mental exhaustion. But now, she was resolved to try again.

“There must be something else here.” With a travel crystal in hand, Suri sifted through the debris, oblivious to the sudden silence in the cave.

Her persistence soon paid off.

“Why didn’t I think of this sooner? Father was right. In the dark, even the sighted are blind,” girl’s clear voice echoed through the cave. In her current situation, every discovery felt like a breath of fresh air. The core’s nest had been cut off from the main circuit, which had led to its deactivation.

“A defect? A malfunction? No. Someone intentionally disabled it.” Her slender fingers rose to her face, rubbing the crease between her brows. “When the Judge pried open the panel, the outer casing’s fasteners were still intact. After activation, the only way to access it safely is from the inside.” Suri’s hand dropped as the realization struck her.

“It was me,” she whispered. Why would she do something so reckless? Who knows when the capsule would have shut down without its main control element? She could have remained in stasis for the rest of her life. A wave of confusion and frustration surged through her, and she slammed her fist against the capsule. The panel, as if mocking her, cracked and shattered at her feet.

“What did you find?” the Judge asked.

Suri answered without thinking. “These discoveries only raise more questions. And I don’t know what to do next.”

The Judge nodded, gripping the steel rod firmly. He drove it into the wall with a sharp thrust, sinking it halfway into the stone. A hollow sound echoed in response. There was an empty space behind the wall. An exit.

“We go down,” the Judge said, levering the rod back and forth. A crackling noise filled the air as the stone-like material crumbled away. The gap widened before their eyes. A few more strikes, and with a cloud of earthy dust, a passageway opened.

“I barely escaped death, and now you want us to go even deeper?” Suri gasped, staring wide-eyed at the opening. “There’s bound to be something worse down there than needles and carnivorous plants! Maybe you’re the Judge, but there are only two of us. What if we stumble into another lair? Why take that risk?” Her breath came in short, sharp bursts as the oppressive weight of the cave’s ceiling seemed to close in on her, as if it could collapse at any moment and bury her alive in this unforgiving underground. She was terrified—terrified of not discovering what had happened to her. And at the same time, she feared the answers waiting for her down there, at the bottom of the Labyrinth.

“There is no other way,” was all the Judge said.

Suri clenched her jaw. “He’s right. We can’t turn back now. There’s no exit in the lair.” There was only one path left to take.

Grabbing her share of the divided gear, the blood mage stepped toward the passage. “It doesn’t matter if you’re here by order or for some other reason—thank you,” she muttered, her eyes fixed on the ground. “Even though I can’t help you.”

She could almost feel the weight of his gaze on her, but she didn’t dare look up. Was she afraid of seeing his eyes change color again? She didn’t even know the answer herself. All she knew was that the Judge was the most terrifying being in the entire Labyrinth. And yet, with him, she no longer had to fear anyone else. She waited anxiously for his reaction. What would happen if he turned away? Would she be left alone? She was taking a huge risk, but she couldn’t betray someone’s hopes—not when those hopes meant so much.

“I’m not mistaken.” His hoarse voice came from right beside her, the warmth of his breath brushing her ear, making her cheeks flush. Her body felt lighter, and she realized what this feeling was—relief.

As long as the Judge believed she held some clue to his past, she wouldn’t have to face the unknown alone.

***

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

The travelers descended deeper into the Labyrinth. Suri rubbed her hands together frequently, trying to ward off the cold that seemed to seep into her bones. The temperature kept dropping. She followed the Judge closely, matching his steps, but his pace was too fast for her. Soon, her breathing grew labored. At one point, she stumbled, slamming her shoulder into the rough wall. She was incredibly thirsty, but the thought of lingering in this gloomy underground, risking being left behind, was unbearable.

Suri noticed how much noise she was making with her clumsy movements. Unlike her, the Judge, though significantly larger and fully armored, moved with eerie silence.

Suddenly, the Judge halted and raised a clenched fist. Suri hesitated, taking a few more steps before she realized he had stopped. A sense of dread formed within her. From behind the Judge’s broad back, she strained to see what lay ahead, but the darkness obscured everything. She listened intently but heard nothing. Had the more experienced warrior sensed something she couldn’t?

He turned and approached her, leaning in close. “There’s a cave ahead. There are people there,” he whispered.

“What makes you think that?” Suri almost blurted out, but then she heard it—a distant scream, abruptly cut off. Her vision sharpened as adrenaline surged through her.

The Judge waited, not rushing to reveal their presence. If they were careful, they might find another passage and avoid an encounter with whoever was ahead.

He wasn’t wrong. Suri’s initial excitement drained away as if it had never existed. She bit her lip—a habit she had when she was uncertain.

“Who’s there… A large group?” she whispered.

The Judge gave a short nod.

“Is it the first rank?” Her voice wavered with anxiety. She knew she needed to calm down, or the hunters would detect their presence.

The Judge tilted his head, listening carefully. After a moment, he nodded again.

“Ti… Tilek?” Suri’s voice faltered. The Judge glanced at her trembling hands.

Why had she asked about that particular blood mage? Why not about the people she had spent the most time with in Azur?

The Judge nodded once more, and a sigh escaped Suri’s lips.

“We’re lucky to have found hunters. How far could we have gotten on our own?” she murmured, trying to convince herself. But her self-assurances rang hollow; her legs refused to move. No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t imagine facing Tilek. “I can’t avoid it. And this time, I’ll be ready.”

Finally, she forced herself forward, and soon a light appeared ahead.

As Suri stepped into the light, she was met with the glint of drawn blades. The sentries quickly surrounded her.

There were eighteen hunters in the cave. Fifteen of them were well-known to Suri—the first rank. Among the remaining three, she recognized only one woman: blood mage Ide. The strong smell of blood filled the cave, a sign that many were wounded.

“Well, well! Look who it is—our dear little sister. I must admit, I didn’t expect to see you again,” Maxat sneered, snapping his fingers for the hunters to lower their weapons.

A small, nimble figure darted through the sentries and grabbed Suri’s elbow.

“I knew it. I knew blood mages couldn’t just die,” Cassia’s voice trembled, her bright chestnut eyes filled with barely hidden emotions.

Suri couldn’t help but place her hand on her friend’s head. The familiar, sweet scent hit her senses, bringing with it a wave of calm.

Her lips trembled.

“Don’t waste your strength on such nonsense. I’m fine.” Despite her words, Suri’s voice was warm, filled with gratitude.

“What happened? Are you injured?” Imber asked, stepping closer. His light-brown eyes narrowed as he grabbed Suri’s hand from Cassia’s grip, frowning at the fresh scratches. “Why did you separate from the group? How did you manage to bypass the lair?” His questions came in a relentless stream, but they didn’t stop him from pulling out a jar of thick, smelly ointment from his inner pocket and applying it to the most severe wounds on Suri’s exposed skin.

“I…” Suri began to reply, but Imber squeezed her hand so tightly that she winced. His attention had shifted to the figure who had appeared behind her.

The hunters collectively exhaled in shock at the sight of the man. They tensed. Even Suri had to admit that the Judge’s presence had a stronger impact on these experienced hunters than any Needle ever could.

Imber yanked Suri’s hand, pushing her protectively behind him.

“What is the Judge doing in the Labyrinth?” Suri had never heard Imber’s voice so cold.

It almost seemed as if the Judge smirked when Cassia moved to stand beside her brother, sharing his wariness.

“This isn’t my first descent,” the Judge replied, to everyone’s surprise. But his seemingly insignificant and meaningless statement had a profound effect on Imber. The former captain of the hunters drew his blade—a move that seemed like pure suicide in the eyes of the others—and pointed it directly at the Judge.

“The Council can’t just demand her life, not now that she’s one of us,” Imber shouted. “She’s a blood mage. The Heart has accepted her. I will no longer obey that order.”

The Judge’s gaze darkened, and the air around him seemed to grow colder.

“Did I hear that right?” Maxat chuckled. “Where did you find such courage, third rank? Besides, she’s lucky. If she were an ordinary wanderer, she would have long since become food for Azur.”

Suri felt as if she’d been punched in the stomach.

“What else are they hiding from me?” she wondered. She knew Imber was holding something back about her awakening. Too many things didn’t add up. And most importantly, why had he kept the Judge’s involvement a secret?

Cassia stared at her brother with wide eyes. “No, she doesn’t know the right answer,” Suri was sure of it, and turned to the one who was enjoying the situation more than anyone else.

“What’s going on, Maxat?” Surprisingly, her voice was calm and steady.

“Oh, just discussing the fate of the last wanderers. You know, there’s hardly any loot from the Needles.” Maxat shrugged, a faint smile playing on his lips. What was he trying to achieve by provoking everyone? Were all blood mages like this—prisoners of their own desires?

“So? No one planned to save me?” Suri asked.

Maxat’s grin widened, revealing his teeth.

Imber could no longer stay silent. “Enough. This time, the situation is different. She’s not an outsider.” With lightning speed, he pulled a dagger from his bosom.

“He’s serious.” Suri had trained with Imber long enough to recognize his intentions. The tension in the cave was mounting, and to her dismay, none of the hunters were willing to step in as peacemakers. Even more concerning was the Judge’s reaction—he didn’t deny Imber’s words, nor did he seem to have heard most of the conversation. A drop of sweat glistened on Imber’s temple, tracing a wet line on his dusty, dark skin before falling.

“He’s going to attack,” Suri realized in despair and stepped between Imber and the Judge.

“Move away from him,” Imber ordered.

Instead, Suri grabbed the Judge’s cloak, looking up into his face. He must have seen something in her eyes because he responded.

“Not afraid?” he asked.

“I’m not. You’ve already broken the order once.”

“In that case, you know what you owe me.”

The Judge turned his gaze to Tilek, who was sitting silently on the ground, observing the scene from a distance. The hood of his cloak hid his expression.

“I’m not concerned with the affairs of blood mages. Except for one,” the Judge’s calm, deep voice echoed through the cave. The Judge had never taken sides before. He had always represented the Council’s interests. But something had changed.