Chapter 20: No Bargaining.

Taking the pelt proved to be the right choice soon thereafter. Displeased as Buddy was, it had become clear that extra warmth was necessary around these parts. In fact, I might just risk another fight with a shrew if it meant getting my hands on another one.

The puddles that used to plague the cavern floors were frozen solid more often than not, with each floor showing more and more signs of intolerable cold.

All the mushrooms were gone as well, meaning the passages were even darker than those on the lower levels. Up here, the only reliable source of illumination were frost-covered vines wrapped around icy stalactites and those were far and few between. The colours changed with every corner, sometimes white, sometimes pinkish-grey.

It gave the tunnels an ambiance of serene tranquility. Like that of an oil painting created by someone who’d heard of icy caves, but never actually glimpsed one.

There were other factors to consider as well. Centipedes, which used to be the most commonplace of pests were hardly seen anymore. In their place were blue-shelled snails, bigger and meaner than their golden counterparts, sporting twisting horns in their frame. They were preyed upon by rugged, six-limbed toads that inflated their tongues to resemble morning stars. Both ran away from the grey-green pumas that sometimes phased through the ceilings to pounce on the unwary and all avoided the moving chunks of ice that my fog picked up now and then.

Those were, strange. Well, stranger than anything else at least.

They had thoughts but different from the rest. More persistent and real? As if they were self-sustaining Telepathic illusions. Each notion re-asserting their time on the maze.

The only problems with that idea were the very real heaps of corpses left behind whenever something was unlucky or unwise enough to linger in their presence.

So, definitely not illusions. More like, an elemental or robot carved out of living tissue and ice?

Doesn’t matter. My abilities worked on them just fine, so they were treated like the rest.

More difficult to deal with were the penguins.

On the one hand, they appeared to be no different from actual, real-life penguins. All cute and cuddly, with that adorable waddle that made my heart ache.

On the other hand, I couldn’t read their minds and the few messages carved on the walls were saying things like:

“Don’t trust the penguins.”

“The penguins are evil.”

“Don’t bargain with the penguins.”

“Boss penguin wants your soul.”

That last one had been so colourful I’d actually considered turning back down and improving my powers a bit more.

I mean, what?

Were the penguins in some cult? That didn’t make sense.

Then again, when had this hole ever made any sense.

‘Better to avoid them for now.’

‘Don’t be like that. Come play with us.’

“GAAH! Jeez Buddy! Don’t do that to me! I’m already on edge as it is! I almost… I almost had an accident!”

‘I didn’t do anything Sully. That was someone else speaking.’

Oh.

Oh no.

‘What…uh…do you mean?’

‘I mean there was someone else speaking. Or thinking? I get confused. Its all the same to me but you’re different since you use your mouth to make sounds.’

My heart caught in my throat. Goosebumps were breaking out all over my skin as I managed to gulp and gathered the courage to answer.

“Is anybody there?”

‘On your right.’

I looked right. Big mistake.

There, on the wall, was an eye. An eye twice as big as I was, with seven pupils of varying colours spinning lazily in place.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”

‘AAAAAAAA!!!’ Buddy agreed.

‘Have no fear. I will take all your pain away. In return I only ask one thing.’

It kept sending messages into my brain. All the while, me and Buddy hadn’t stopped screaming. Seeing my chance, I bolted the way I’d come before, relying on my map to navigate through the shadows.

‘FEEEEEDDD MEEE!’ It finished, not caring that I was sprinting away.

A penguin was waddling happily around the corner. Having been previously spared since I didn’t want to hurt something so cute. Another eye appeared in its stomach now and the voice came into the physical world through its open beak.

“FEEEEEDDD MEEEE!”

I slipped on an icy puddle and fell forward, barreling into it. My right arm struck its beak. My left struck its belly, hitting the milky white sections of the orb.

The thing howled in pain and rage.

“I WILL EAT YOUR SOUL!”

I scrambled to my feet, landing one more kick on the stomach before dashing away.

‘Sully! Don’t stop! I…I can’t see. Its all around us! Its everywhere! Its in the walls and the air! Its under my skin! Its under your skin!’

“Holy cow Buddy! Stop talking!”

The last thing I needed right now was more reasons to crap myself. Run first, ask questions later.

My fog begins picking up signals within a few seconds; impressions and emotions being carried to me from all directions. All the usual sensations are present, but in far greater quantities.

I can feel life across the roof and below the floors, as well as to our sides. Critters moving about far beyond the boundaries of the thick staircase walls. Far more than ever before. All were singing in unison.

‘I WILL EAT YOUR SOUL!’

It should have been overwhelming, at least, that’s what I expected when I braced myself. This time was different simply by virtue of scale.

The resonance was akin to a wave sweeping me up. Drowning me on the plane of unreality I’d become so familiar with since awakening to telepathy. First, I was slowing. Faltering ever so slightly. The next moment, I was stumbling through a forest. Gasping from the cutting winter winds despite having Buddy with me. Every tree and every shadow were long a dizzying. A barricade of unfeeling darkness surrounding me from every direction.

I picked a random direction and ran.

It didn’t work.

Every step made me feel more sluggish. As if I was wading through a tide of molasses.

“I…I’m back here?”

‘Where is here? I don’t know Sully! I don’t like this! I don’t like this! I don’t like this!’

“Hang on Buddy! I…I’ll figure something out!”

The trees were around me again. Without any visible changes. Their leaves rustled in a queer way when the wind passed through them. Repeating themselves over and over.

“Feed me!”

“Feeeeeed Meee!”

“FEEEED MEEE!”

I was breathing hard. Struggling to keep myself from panicking. Until I saw the things leaving the treeline.

They were smoky, insubstantial things. Having solid legs one moment and gaseous forms the next. Moonglow glittered in their many, many eyes and the same light shone off their long claws.

Their bloody claws.

Though they did not approach, I knew them at once.

“No. This isn’t real. This is a trap.”

I stepped back, my mouth having gone as dry as a dessert. Trembling as the new voice came.

“Solomon! Why weren’t you there!? Sully! Why didn’t you help me!? Why did you leave me!?”

The blood crawled and slithered into a puddle. Until a wailing face rose from the heap.

The torn and reeking visage…

Of Doris.

Begging for help.

I threw a [Mental Bolt] and a dose of empowered [Fever]. When that didn’t work, I activated [Precognition]. There was a ripple then. Paint washing off canvas. The setting twisted and appeared anew. Reality and the possibilities therein superimposed on the nightmare.

I…

Began to struggle. To think. To remember. To resist.

I was…

I was…

I was back. In my bed. With Doris at my side.

Her breaths were slow and calm and precious. Her warmth made me feel safe. Happy.

Her cheeks were flushed and rosy, her lips an enticing red. Her hair was a tangle of knots wrapped around my shoulders, going this way and that.

Daylight streamed in through the curtains, illuminating the dorm room. The golden rays added an indescribable beauty to the scene and for half a heartbeat, I tried telling myself that this was real.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

The lie came easy. So very easy. I could close my eyes and savor the moment. The labyrinth would be a distant memory then. No different than my recollections of the mother crab and the tall man. Of the offal and the dread.

I sobbed, despite myself. Doris woke up.

“Jeez Sully. What is it now?” She complained while pouting. “It’s a weekend. I want to sleep in. Just be quiet and cuddle.”

“I…I…”

I was weeping then. Forcing myself deeper into the delusion. Praying that it would last another few seconds. Wishing that it became real.

[Precognition] was still working however. The golden strings betrayed me. Refusing to alter the course.

They said that I was leaning against a wall, with two penguins closing in. One would bite my right arm. Another, my left leg. Their teeth would tear chunks of flesh away. I chose what my real body would do. Moving in spite of the spell placed on me. Dodging by a hair’s breath and kicking one of them.

The thing pretending to be Doris shrieked in rage. Her mouth opening to reveal too many needle-like teeth and too many eyes.

Her fingers turned to knives, raking me and leaving bloody ribbons through my torso.

I shoved her, it, off me and bolted for the door. I was running through the dormitory, past the laughing wallpaper. I was losing speed, both in the dream and the tunnel. The golden strings were working overtime, acting as my only source of information.

Then I was jogging and walking.

Walking through a parking lot into a camping supply store. I’d…

Escaped? What did I escape? There was a monster…

I think?

Yes. That was it. I had escaped from a centipede. Or was it a crab? I can’t recall. There was a voice.

‘Oh my goodness! You almost broke out Sully! Keep fighting! The walking birds are trying to eat you!’

Yes. Buddy. I was wearing Buddy. He was so nice to stay by me. I needed to buy more things. I needed weapons.

“Guns. I need big freaking guns. Explosive ammo, dragons breath rounds, armor piercing rounds. Big rifles and big shotguns. A flamethrower and a rocket launcher.”

The store rippled again when I tried to focus, but the desired items did not manifest.

It turns out that guns are very regulated right now.

I mean, I kind of saw it coming.

Getting my hands on one would mean filling out a small mountain of paperwork, going through some very expensive courses and getting a license I’d have to renew each year. Besides that, was the 3-month waiting period and the ludicrous price of each individual rifle.

All in all, not very helpful for my current predicament.

‘Sully! What are you doing! You have to wake up! The small one tried to bite between your legs!’

Not to say there wasn’t any progress. I did purchase some bear spray and some insect repellent, hoping that one or both of them would do something. I knew it was a long-shot from the get go, but I couldn’t really clarify the efficacy on giant mutant insects with the employee at the register.

Aside from that, there were two items that caught my attention. Bows and crossbows.

I had no idea they sold these. I hadn’t even thought of them as options. I mean, what was a crossbow bolt or an arrow going to do against a robot or a snail as big as house. But then I considered the possibilities.

The most numerous enemies down there were the centipedes.

They simply outnumbered all the others by a massive margin, to the point where there seemed to be hundreds of them versus everything else.

If, for whatever reason, I found myself surrounded without being able to use Psy, then I’d be able to thin their numbers before having to pull out the spear. It was a pretty decent idea to be honest. There was only one small hiccup.

I had no idea how to use either. Like, no clue whatsoever.

‘Sully! One of them ripped a chunk off me! Oh, its eating the pelt. Never mind. We’re good.’

On the one hand, I looked through my phone and found lessons online. Yay!

On the other hand, they were $40 per hour. Boo!

That and the weapons themselves were on the pricier side. As in, I’d be eating cup noodles for a while. Even then, I’d have to buy the cheapest ones and eat them in moderation.

My whole financial situation was bit of mess overall.

While I hadn’t lost my part-time job yet, missing those weeks without notice had taken a toll on my boss’ opinion of me. Little did he know, I’d be missing every other day from now on for personal reasons. That meant every penny was precious.

Still, I did end up buying the crossbow and some ammo for it. Couldn’t enjoy decent food if I was dead after all.

‘Wow! One of the pumas is eating the penguins! Go puma go!’

Speaking of money, there’s this question that’s been bothering me ever since I tried to leave with my recently-purchased goods.

What kind of person robs a hunting supply store?

No, really.

I want to know.

This is extremely relevant information right now.

“Nobody move! Keep your heads down and this’ll all be over!”

‘Yeah buddy, that’s all nice and good, but I can still read your mind. I know you’re planning to rob the customers too.’

‘Sully? Were you talking to me? Oh, you’re still asleep. Good news though! The penguins are running and…oh. No. They screamed and the puma exploded.’

I don’t actually vocalize those thoughts of course. The very last thing the twitchy loser needed to hear was that there was a Telepath in the room with him.

That might lead to all sorts of awkward situations. Like me getting my face blasted off.

An entirely possible scenario given the trigger discipline shown so far.

He’s already waving the gun around like a drunken teenager playing laser tag.

Although, if we’re being fair, the makeshift mask probably doesn’t help much either.

You’d think people would know better than to cut holes in pillow cases, but I guess that’s where we are as a society.

Seriously man, if you’re not going to put in the proper effort just save us all the trouble and hand yourself in.

‘Also, how did he get a shotgun? I couldn’t get a shotgun. Even though I really needed one. Where did he get it from? Are there secret gun stores that exclusively market to idiots? If so, where could an enterprising Labyrinth explorer find one of these establishments? Asking for a friend.’

‘Sully? I think you’re not alone here. There’s this green bug guy with big legs and four scythe arms. He’s screaming. There’s a woman next to him.’

My thoughts continue to race as the thief starts to take money from the register. He stops rather quickly and resumes their screeching.

“Why is there so little money here! You! Get up! Are you telling me that all you have on this register is $53 and 7 cents?”

“Yes!” Answers the cashier, a thin young man in a green shirt and brown pants, emblazoned with the logo of a smiling beaver pitching a tent. Sweat flows freely from his too-large forehead and makes it so that his matted brown hair sticks to his face. He looks like he’s about to evacuate his bowels all over the floor. His eyes are large and compounded, like those of a mantis. His hands are human one second and scythes the next. His mind is an even bigger mess.

The perfect picture of pessimism.

A repeating loop of apologies to his cats and his girlfriend. Begging their forgiveness for not being able to return alive. Imaginary deaths play out in his head, multiple ways this day could end with his life cut short, just as he was finally staring to find happiness.

‘Chill out man.’ I think to myself. ‘This will pass. Its not like you’re trapped below ground in a hole filled with giant killer mutants. This is just a hiccup. All he wants is money. Give the imbecile some cash and let him be on his way. The cops can take it from there.’

In an ideal world, that where it all ends. The burglar doesn’t get much for his efforts but he decides to cut his losses. Sadly, our captor does not find himself in a particularly accommodating mood.

“Everything you’re selling here is worth an arm and a leg! The cheapest tent you’ve got is $200! Do not! I repeat, do not! Lie! To! Me! Again! Where is the rest of it?”

“Come on man. Everybody pays with cards! You know that! What kind of person walks around with hundreds of dollars in cash?”

‘Wow, pretty judgemental there Mr. clerk. Especially for someone being held at gun point. Plenty of people carry emergency cash around.’

‘Furthermore, while I do hate to admit it, the crook does have a point. Everything here has a huge markup. Those tents can’t possibly be worth that much. I mean $120 for a climbing pick? $180 for hiking pants? More for boots or a sweater? Listen guys, the beaver is cute and all, but the carboard displays don’t call for those kinds of prices.’

‘Yeah. Now that I think about it, maybe you guys had it coming a little bit.’

In any case, this whole situation is an exercise in futility.

The police are already on their way, so all I need to do is keep my head down and keep [Hide] activated. Looks like it does have its uses after all. Specifically, it seems to make people that know where I am lose track of me for a moment. Couple that with [Faint Presence] and this is a pretty decent hidey-hole. None of the people in here so much as look in my direction and I don’t appear in any of their thoughts. Even if someone does try to find me, I have a pretty sweet backup plan involving [Static Illusion] and the store mascot.

‘Nice job Sully! You completely disappeared! The penguins are being killed by the bug guy. Oh and the woman is saying something. I think she’s scared. Of you. She’s pale and panting.’

As for how I know the police are on their way?

I called them.

Obviously.

Not with my phone or my voice, heavens no.

That would probably irritate the man wielding the gun and I liked my intestines lead-free.

I sent a message to the other store employee in the break room.

From there, it was actually fairly easy to trigger an alarm.

Something the teller was supposed to do with that shiny red button under his desk, but whatever.

No one knows how they’ll perform under pressure.

Sure enough, a cop car pulls in moments later and two officers file out with their weapons drawn.

The would-be criminal also notices.

His voice has left him and his mind goes blank.

I’m not actually doing anything to him, that’s just how surprised he is.

I expect him to turn to the poor employee at any moment now, screaming about how he shouldn’t have done that or how mad he was or whatever.

That doesn’t happen.

Instead, the thug punches the teller in the stomach and moves to choke him from behind.

There is now a hostage in the equation.

To make matter worse, the fool opens fire on the officers, aiming his weapon with one hand.

It doesn’t go well.

‘Sully, the lady is really freaked out. She’s crying. The bug guy wants to run away. They’re afraid you might come back. They still can’t see you.’

Recoil makes the weapon swing wildly in the air, slugs embedding themselves on wooden walls and shattering windows.

Worse, firing so close to his victim’s ear stuns him, making him spasm and reel with pain.

The sudden motion coupled with the shotgun’s kick make the thief stumble backwards, releasing the cashier momentarily.

He tries to recover, intent on getting back his meat shield.

That’s when I activate [Fear], making sure to isolate its range so that only one target is affected, out of all the people surrounding me.

To put extra icing on this cake, I conjure some illusions.

Two static images on the ceiling.

A single, waiting centipede, curled up next to Gappy, the big-headed, gap-toothed beaver. He smiles as his dead-glossy eyes stare unblinkingly at nothing. Neither of the images move, but a voice can be heard within the shooter’s brain. A whisper made of darkness that seems to come from the gaping mouth of his hallucination.

‘Ha ha! Wanna help me pitch my tent?!’

The fool screams hysterically and discharges a second shot wildly into the air.

Slugs pass through my false creatures and I dispel them, scrapping both from the world.

It did its job beautifully.

Yet the bullets are still flying. I activate [Precognition] to dodge the reaming hail.

The store shivered. Colours washing into each other. Until they held still and cracked like stained glass.

Level Gained: +5 Maximum Psy. +3 Ability Points.

Ability Gained: [Block Mental Attack] 1 has been added to the Status.

Ability Gained: [Block Mental Detection] 1 has been added to the Status.

System Notice:

Student has made a breakthrough with an ability.

Level Gained: +5 Maximum Psy. +3 Ability Points.

Ability Evolving: [Block Mental Attack] 1 has grown to [Block Mental Attack] 2

Ability Evolving: [Block Mental Detection] 1 has grown to [Block Mental Detection] 2

Name:

Solomon Carter

Psy:

127/195

Type:

Telepath Level 29

Abilities:

[Sense Thoughts] 3 / [Message] 4 / [Mental Bolt] 4 / [Fever] 4 / [Fear] 3 / [Static Illusion] 4 / [Hide] 3 / [Faint Presence] 2 / [Mental Map] 2 / [Precognition] 4 / [Friendship] 1 / [Meditation] 3 / [Block Mental Attack] 2 / [Block Mental Detection] 2

Ability Points:

0

I returned to the frozen landscape bereft of supplies.

Feeling blood trickling down my arms and legs.

A familiar, sticky wetness that clung to me.

“He’s gone! He’s gone! He’ll kill us all!”

“Calm down! He’s not here Helga!”

“He was here! I saw it! He was fighting the thing between the spaces!”

“Isn’t that a good thing? It might’ve killed him. Those birds are nasty.”

“No! No! No! He’s alive! That’s too weak! It’s too weak to kill him! To kill it! It scares and traps people and leaves them helpless but does little more! He’s more dangerous! The Tyrant! The Judge! The Despot! The Hanged! He’s the end of day! The liar and deceiver! We have to kill him! We have to kill it! While its asleep!”

I had no idea what these two were talking about and didn’t care to find out. Instead, I reached out through my fog and attacked a passing shrew. Waiting with bated breath until it came to fight the two would be killers.

Scenes of the forest and the store clashed against what Buddy was telling me, but I had no time to make sense of anything.

As soon as the shrew appeared, shrieking and salivating, I unleashed a charged [Fever] into the fray, using the distraction to rush out a side passage. Pumping more and more Psy into [Hide] and allowing Buddy to bandage my wounds after a fashion.

‘At least he can stem the bleeding. There’s that silver lining. I should not be ungrateful.’

Yet I seethed. At the penguins. At the mastermind who put them there. At the thing howling between the walls.

Bitter in the knowledge that hunting them down would be the height of stupidity.

‘Escaping come first.’ I repeated over and over again.

As I vanished into the darkness.