“Life is not always smooth”

The way ahead seemed to slope downwards the further we moved down the passage, while I could see the way ahead because of the light from the torches I was slightly startled and my breathing became shallower, the path leading ahead appeared to lead deeper and deeper into the cave.

Walking some time I became slightly tired and at this point I was ready to stop, carrying Big Nose pointing ahead all this time had worn down my stamina. Turning around I could see the others a few feet behind me, with Baihe in front, it seemed like she was trying to communicate something to me with her eyes. Contemplating it slightly I could only keep it to myself. “Anton can we take a break, we’ve been walking for a long time now”. Examining my own status screen although I could tell not much time had passed, the way the passage had sloped it did not seem like it would stop any time soon. ‘Growl’ I could hear the sound of stomachs making small sounds behind me, it seemed the group were in need of a break too. Strangely I did not feel hungry, maybe this had something to do with my ability but I still did not understand it, similarly I wasn’t dumb enough to start asking the others.

“Okay lets stop”, moving closer to the group, I stood a bit closer to Baihe, I could feel the heat radiating from her body. After all we had been walking for some time, considering her size I was surprised she could still stand, with a stature similar to a kid, her face shined under the light. Taking a light breather, we soon set forward again after a small respite, I could not help but think Baihe had wanted to pass along some sort of a message. Unlike the others she was the only one who had not spoken at this point. While keeping these thoughts in my mind, I was wondering if it was feasible to summon Jaws in the distance and get it to hide ahead of the group. Better to keep this a secret for now, I quickly decided against it. Continuing down the passage with the light from behind I could now see a few more details of what I hadn’t noticed before such as the smooth texture of this cave as we headed deeper in.

The sound of rumbling started to approach from the distance, seeing a chance and the boulder which was quickly approaching I stored Big Nose and approached a small incline on the side of one of the walls pressing myself hard against it. I could hear cursing behind me as the others began to run but before the light began to dim I saw another figure rush towards my way. Baihe! I could feel the warmth of something pressing near me and as it soon began to become even smaller, with no time think I could only try to make myself smaller in this small incline and turn my head to the side.

The sound of thunder approached from the side and an excruciating pain clipped the side of my head. I could feel blood pouring as one of my ears seemed to have almost been pulled off by the friction of the boulder passing through here. A small voice approached me but all I could hear was ringing in my head. Quickly summoning out Jaws I could feel my senses sharpening as I could make out parts of my surrounding.

Slowly steadying myself I could only clinch my teeth and bear the pain, luckily I was slim. “I can help” I could feel the pain of the wound soothing as if it was wrapped in a feeling like a cold mixture, the bleeding began to stop. “Let’s get out of here first” regaining some of my awareness I could only propose to move further ahead at this point urging Jaws to move ahead of us in case we sprung another trap. Luckily with Jaws summoned I had a way of moving down this passage in the dark otherwise I shuddered to think what I would do. Looking at Baihe I suddenly gasped as she seemed to have got much smaller, was this one of her abilities. Not dwelling too much on it I could only motion her to remain still, touching my ear I could feel where my right ear should have been this place seemed now to be empty. Dazed, I could not even begin tears for my ear which had now disappeared.

However I knew now was not the time nor place, we needed to move ahead first, silencing her as she seemed to about to say something I quickly grasped one of her tiny hands, her body seemed a bit reluctant but after a short moment she moved towards me, she seemed awfully light, putting her on my back was like carrying a small back pack, I could only quickly run at this time.

Time seemed to pass faster, I could feel a soft body pressed against me heating up as I sped forward navigating the dangerous passage with the help of Jaws. Not long after this and we came into another section with several passages, this time there were four roads ahead of us. Without much thought I ran into the second passage as if a fire was chasing my tail. At this time I seemed more and more tired and not a moment longer my link with Jaws seemed to waver. I stumbled as my connection with Jaws was cut off. Stopping I could only take deep breaths as I let down Baihe from my back. “Tell me what you know”, my mind was racing.

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After a slight pause, I could hear a strange sound, it seemed Baihe must had have transformed back to her original size. “Actually what Anton and the others explained earlier is not far from the truth, but seriously you don’t remember?” Seeing me shake my head she could only continue “the ‘summoning’ that Anton mentioned before is true, for whatever reason we’ve been chosen to participate in this dungeon but actually it’s not all a coincidence, in fact while I didn’t know many of the people who had been summoned this time, I do recognise a few faces”. I felt myself spin, my head was repeating the lines Baihe had just said, “so you mean to say…” I didn’t know how to carry on. From the words I had just heard I could indeed make out some facts: the summoning was premediated, the people who had been summoned in fact must belong to one group or one place but why could I not remember any of this.

“Actually… its not unheard of but I have heard from others that sometimes during the ‘summoning’ that “players” can be brought in from other world outside the one I have come from, I’m not suspecting you but its weird that you can’t remember even key points like this.” “…” At this point my face was slowly losing its composure and my hands started to tighten on Big Nose.

“What I am saying is that its strange that the summoning could induce amnesia but… hey, hey! Relax I am not here to investigate you, whether you are from the same place as us, to me it makes no difference, as far as I can see you look like a normal person, at least I know your heart is not black. Why do you think I took a risk and ran away with you?! There is a reason I can’t stay with that group no more.”

Taking in all this new information I could only question myself, a ‘player’, was that what I was. I couldn’t help but think back to me when I spoke to the group and the excuse I had used as someone who basically loved game novels, and how I was able to find out that our weapons could be stored and whether it was this point which had given me away. In the end I could not help but ask about some of the questions in my mind. “I think we should find a safer place ahead instead of standing here” I could only first suggest that we moved, she’d mentioned that there was a reason why it was not good to stay with Anton and the others, it wouldn’t do if we were caught after running away.

As we stumbled along at a slow pace I eventually could not stop myself and began to question Baihe about the many things which had been growing in my mind. The further we moved, the closer we seemed, after many questions and answers I realised that I could indeed be a ‘player’. It seemed there were many differences between what she knew and what I’d taken granted before, how could it be that they didn’t even have a microwave oven!

I finally realised, I’ve been summoned to a different world. According to Baihe the Labyrinth was a training ground, it was an opportunity to gain powers. In fact the biggest discovery was that the first instance dungeon was what I would call a ‘guide level’ by developing yourself there and exploring the random setting there was a chance to get a power. Similar to Baihe’s power, Faery Synchronisation, which allowed her to reduce her size and have a minor healing skill.

Thinking of my own ability I could not help but frown, in comparison my own ability did not stand out, ‘slow metabolism’, if I had to give it an category I would say it was a passive ability. However I am certain that I’ve had this ability ever since I had been summoned, it was not an ability that I was given or obtained in the guide level. At this point I could only think back about the wasted time I had spent in the desert, would this not mean players were equal to bugged existences who could have more than one ability. It was not long till my worries were confirmed after asking Baihe what I had thought, indeed abilities were set, through the guide level, unless through some fortuitous opportunity or clan legacy, participants like her would only have one ability in their lifetime if they had good fortune. Stifling the tears in my heart, I could only curse my wasted time and more importantly, what does ‘slow metabolism’ even do!