[Alisha’s PoV]
“Well, fuck”
Falling, I smile at Sally who was screaming my name as I fall into the hole behind me. Taking in her face as best as I can, she is looking at me in horror, but it’s not your fault Sally. I messed up, my reactions were too slow because of that smell. Closing my eyes as I continue to fall backwards and Sally disappears from my view, I grab the sack from my shoulder and bring it close to my chest, wrapping my arms around it, I can feel the egg inside. I hope that even if this ends in my death, the little one that hatches from this will survive, and I cling it harder to my chest. As I continue falling for who knows how long, the last thing I remember is the sound of water splashing, and an extreme pain flooding my body as before I lose consciousness.
Waking up, I gasp for air, I can’t breathe. I feel blocked, something is stopping me breathing. Feeling around, I turn on my side and start vomiting. The smell of bile, water and meat enters my nose, such a strong smell overwhelms me, making me light headed. I keep vomiting and coughing up everything, the feeling of being blocked up fades and I gasp sharply for air. Taking sharp quick breaths, my body hurts, my head is fuzzy and light, I can barely move. Rolling onto my stomach very slowly, I use both my arms to try and lift myself. I feel a searing pain from my left arm and buckle, the pain causing me to scream. Looking down to my left, I see my arm angled weirdly…it’s broken. I used that arm in front to block the blow from that Tarantula, it must’ve broken at that time. Slowly moving my head I look to my right, I see it’s straight and not broken. I just want to lay here, the pain is too strong, I know I have more broken bones, even the enhanced healing we hybrids get from our monster side will take a while to heal these bones. Knowing I can’t possibly lay here forever, I push up with my right arm, struggling while I do so, and manage to sit up. Taking another deep breath, I can feel pain on both sides of my chest, broken ribs are added on top of my existing injuries.
Looking around, I’m sitting at the edge of a pond. A dim light comes from the pond, lighting up some of the surroundings. I spot my sack a few metres from me, with the egg still inside. I needed to get it. Getting to my feet proved to be a fruitless effort, I dragged myself over to the sack with my right arm while dragging my left. Gritting my teeth in pain, I get to the sack and pick it up, placing it gently on my lap. I carefully open it and check on the egg. Lifting it with one hand carefully, I check it all over, and thankfully find no cracks or anything broken. Sighing in relief, I gently clutch it to my chest. After a while, I place the egg back on my lap, search through the sack and find a healing potion and a bandage. Using my teeth to pull out the cork, I drain the contents in one go, choking slightly from my haste and raw throat. Tossing the empty bottle aside, I take the bandage and some sticks from my sack, and with some difficulty and pain, I bandage my arm with the sticks keeping it straight. Sitting back, I wonder what to do now.
Seeing nothing but darkness above me, I knew that I wasn’t getting out of whatever I felt. Finding peace in knowing that I’ll live a bit longer, and that Sally and Gray might’ve survived, I think about what to do now. Checking my System, I’m surprised by what it brings up.
[You have entered Level 25 External Labyrinth, Depths of Crater Hell]
“Well, fuck.“
Sighing, I considered myself lucky. For a start I wasn’t dead, there were no monsters nearby since I haven’t been eaten just yet. Checking my status, I see nothing has changed. Since I’m alive, I should look around, maybe there is an exit out of here somewhere. Regaining some feeling back to my body thanks to the healing potion, I place the egg into my sack, slowly stand up and check both my legs. Finding that I can stand with a bit of pain, I grab my sack with my right hand, clutch it to my chest under my left arm and look around. Seeing a path out further in, I slowly stumble towards it and reach the wall, leaning on it with my shoulder. Moving slowly one foot at a time, I follow the narrow hallway.
There are strange gems that give off light embedded into the walls, like a guiding light, I continue stumbling forward, stopping every few metres to catch my breath. Hating this feeling, I keep moving forward until I reach a large room. In the middle of the room sits a strange throne, with multiple pathways leading out on each wall from where I was. Sniffing, I can smell that amazing smell from before I dropped into this hole coming from a pathway from the right wall. Feeling a blush come up on my face while my body starts to feel warm and comfortable, and I start getting a bit light headed and groggy. Wanting to know what this smell is, I follow it slowly.
“H-hic, this smells realllly goood.”
The smell was getting stronger and my desire for it started to overtake all other thoughts. Reining in the last of my rational thoughts, I stumble and hit my left shoulder on the wall. Pain shot throughout my entire body, freeing my mind from that desire that was taking hold on me. Realising that I was following a very dangerous smell, I considered my options. If some pain could wipe out those desires that quickly, I should be fine. It’s not like I have any other route. Getting off the wall, I move a bit more and soon arrive in another room, but this time it was small.
Looking around the small room, I see a pillar of sorts in the middle, the source of the amazing smell. It’s much stronger in here, but I squeeze the broken area of my arm lightly and the pain slightly helps. Approaching this pillar like this, I look at it and see more detail. At the top sits a sculpture of a man with a cup pouring some kind of liquid into his mouth, with some of it flowing from his mouth and down onto the pillar, where it turns into 3 streams that wrap around the pillar. Decorated around the pillar from top to bottom were various designs of cups, there were some inscriptions of a featureless person in stances, and also weirdly enough there were images of fists.
“What's wuth this, iy's rwalky weird, hic”
Hiccuping up, my face has become really warm and my mind is foggy. Wanting to speed things up to get out of here quickly, I look at the pillar in its entirety and finally notice the System has had a prompt for me this entire time.
“System, open message.”
[Shrine of the Drunken Fist Weaver.
You may ask for guidance.]
Ask for guidance? Maybe I can ask how to get out of this place and back to Sally and Gray! Sitting down and squeezing my left arm again, I think of how I should ask for guidance. Slowly opening my mouth, I mutter a simple sentence. “Please, guide me.” Closing my eyes and bowing slightly, I see a flash of light that is blinding even with my eyes closed. After the flash disappeared, I slowly opened my eyes and before I could look around I heard a booming voice.
“Oh, little one! It’s been some time since someone came to visit this old man and ask for his guidance! Hahaha! Come come, tell this old man about what I can guide you with!”
[Level ???, ???, Drunken Fist Weaver]
Looking up, I see a big man, very big. Standing at nearly 3 metres tall, he nearly matches the figure on top of that pillar. Sitting on a chair, he was wearing a brown coat with a white shirt underneath, a white beard that covered his neck and long white hair tied up behind him. Taking a drink from the big mug he was holding, he also patted a chair that was nearby. Looking around confused, I sniffed and found that the smell was even stronger here. Covering my nose quickly, I feel my head become even more groggier, eyes started watering and my body was really warm now.
“Oh, little one, is the smell of my alcohol too strong for you? You seem to have become drunk on the smell alone!”
‘Alcohol?’ Unfamiliar with the word, I point at his mug, the source of the smell and nod. Laughing, he quickly drinks the rest and puts the mug away, then pulls out some strange sticks and lights one with the help of the lantern and sticks it into the table. After a few seconds he looks at me and says “It should be okay now little one, you can uncover that nose of yours. Your sense of smell must be very sensitive!”
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Slowly uncovering my nose, I sniffed and found that while the smell was still there, it wasn’t as strong. Slowly standing on my feet, I stumble over to the seat he had offered to me and sit down. The table in front of me was too big, the edge coming to my eye level. With a clap from the unknown man, my seat adjusts itself to my size and moves up so the edge is at my chest.
“So little one, may I ask your name?”
“I-I’m Alisha, a Demonic Fox and Human hybrid s-sir.”
“Hahaha! No need for formalities, you’re sitting with me willingly. I am Sir Lee the Drunken Fist Weaver, let us drink to celebrate our meeting! I have something a bit weaker for you, so the smell and taste won’t overwhelm you too much!”
Handing me a mug, he pours a strange amber liquid into it. Sniffing it, I found the smell to be great, not as strong as before, enjoyable even. Looking at him, he nods and drinks and I do the same. The strange liquid goes down smoothly, making me feel warm inside, and with some pain I can feel my broken arm again. Looking at it in confusion, Sir Lee nods and says “It’s okay little one, the alcohol has great healing properties, that arm of yours should be all good after you finish a few drinks.”
Nodding, I take another sip. “T-thank you sir..I mean, Mr. Lee” Seeing him smile and nod, I sit up a bit more and ponder what to say next. Like he knew what I was thinking he asked me a question.
“Little one named Alisha, tell me your story. I have never heard of or met one who was born of a monster and human. You must have some fascinating stories to tell!”
Taking a liking to Sir Lee, and feeling comfortable and warm, I asked him a question that I had on my mind.
“Where are we Mr. Lee, are you a human? What was that strange liquid? How do I get out of hole I fell into?”
Smiling and nodding, Sir Lee looked happy, and started answering my questions.
“We’re in a special place reserved for those who have died and are preserved for their knowledge by the System. In a way, we are like the Gods people spoke about in legend, we guide those who ask for guidance. I was once a human, maybe I still am, when I was alive, but now I’m nothing more than a spectre of my former self. That strange liquid is a type of alcohol, a favourite of mine called bourbon. It was something made back in my day, we drank it to celebrate our victories in wars while also healing our wounds. The System is kind enough to produce it for me in exchange for passing on my knowledge and guidance. As for the hole you fell into, I can not answer that, I do not know what is past this room. Now little one named Alisha, tell me your story.”
Nodding and taking another sip, I feel a bit strange but still in a good mood. I then start telling him everything, maybe he can help guide me in something else, so I tell him everything from the moment I was born, the fate that we hybrids had shared, everything until I fell into the hole, including our meeting with Cerberus. Stroking his beard and drinking while listening to me, Sir Lee doesn’t interrupt me and lets me continue the entire time. After a few hours, and four more mugs of this strange liquid called bourbon that made my head spin and sleepy, I finally finished my story. Caressing the egg in my lap carefully while waiting for a response, I sip once more on my cup. My left arm has healed completely and my body feels new and refreshed. The healing from this alcohol was amazingly fast, but I don’t like this state where my mind feels groggy, spinning and it’s hard to talk clearly. Sir Lee seems to have no complaints though, so maybe it’s just me.
“Little one name Alisha, it seems like this life of yours has been cruel to you. Hearing that you have managed to escape such a fate is a deed worthy of celebration! Do not worry for your friends, while the Tarantula is a strong being it won’t leave its home, as long as your friends leave that cave, they won’t be chased. However, to think you’d be trapped in Crater Hell…”
Hearing the last sentence from him, I tilt my head and frown, he was right, even if I have this reprise, I was still stuck in this Labyrinth. Hearing a tapping, I see Sir Lee tapping the table and looking at me, or rather my hands.
“Those gauntlets and the feeling you mentioned when fighting with your fists, did the System give you a message when you had that feeling?”
“Mm, it said I discovered an affinity, Mr. Lee.”
“Is that so little one named Alisha? Well, perhaps you can demonstrate for me.”
Clapping his hands once, I see a wooden humanoid figure appear. “Defeat this using your fists only, you’ll need to take off your gauntlets first.”
Nodding, I take off the gauntlets and carefully place my egg on the table. Jumping from the chair, I move towards the wooden dummy and take up my stance. Shaking my head to clear it, I squinted and tried to get rid of the blurred vision I was seeing.
“Little one, I recommend ignoring the feeling of being drunk. Rather, you should embrace it. Get used to the feeling. Don’t think about how you should hit, just move to attack.”
Listening to his advice, I stopped resisting the strange feeling. Wobbling, I approach the target and stumble forward quickly. The figure springs to life and throws out its arm to attack me. Stumbling, I dodge to the right and swing my leg up and kick at its side. Hitting it, I also tumble onto the ground and roll ungracefully and spring up then throw out another right fist at the wooden figure. Hitting it, I throw punches wildly, without thinking of how to strike it. I just keep hitting and kicking the target over and over. Stumbling over my feet, I throw one more punch at the place where its head should be and fall on the ground. Groaning, I roll to the right and push myself off the ground in one go. I don’t know why, but I like this feeling from drinking that alcohol and fighting. Lashing out another kick, I focus on putting more energy into it and feel my leg start getting hot. Ignoring it, and ignoring the whistle from Sir Lee, I kick the wooden figure and fall over onto my butt.
“Well done! You can stop there, I’ve seen enough to know you’re very suited to learn from me!”
Getting up slowly, I make my way to the chair again, nearly tripping over my feet, and sit down again. The seat adjusts back to the same height and without putting on my gauntlets, I caress the egg while putting it on my lap. Grabbing the cup, I drink more of this alcohol.
“Little one named Alisha, what did you feel on that last kick?”
Recalling, I tell him about my thoughts on putting more energy in the kick and feeling the heat on my leg. Nodding, he shows me the wooden figure and points to where I kicked. Squinting the blur away, I see a scorch mark as thin as my leg. Tiling my head, I look at Sir Lee.
“You have a natural talent towards punches and kicks Little One. That last move is a special skill called Lashing Fire Kick, it expends a lot of energy to set your leg on fire. Don’t worry, it does not harm you, but it’ll give your enemy a nice big surprise!”
Looking at my right leg, I don’t see any burns or fire. Frowning, I ask “Did the System grant me this skill?” Shaking his head, Sir Lee responds “The System does not grant things like skills easily, it is good that you are heeding the advice of not relying on the System, but don’t reject what it does give. It does not care for you, it will not help you, but if you earn something, the System will help provide it to you. Quest rewards, knowledge, skills, you need to put in the effort to obtain it, the System will only provide it to you as long as you can comprehend it. Do not rely on it to give you strength, seek it out yourself.”
Nodding in understanding, I also connect what Sir Lee says to what Cerberus said. The System wouldn’t just grant us strength, levelling up would only go so far. We should seek strength out, but how do we do that? Asking this question to Sir Lee, he only responds by saying I will understand in due time. Meaning it’s something that can’t be taught but something we need to learn ourselves. With more of an understanding, I see my System update me.
[Skill learnt: Lashing Fire Kick.
Kick out with a flaming leg, you might set your opponent on fire.]
“Now little one, I will offer you a chance. I will teach you my martial arts, and from that you will be able to learn a Class. I have two martial arts I can pass onto you, it is up to you whether you wish to learn. Do not worry about the outside world, time moves faster here, I will spend two weeks teaching you the basics of both, after which our time will be finished and you will have to go back. Only two days will have passed in your world, so free yourself of worries.”
Determined, I look at Sir Lee and nod. If it can help me survive and escape from my trapped labyrinth, I was willing to do it. And if what he said was true, his style of fighting would very well fit with me and could be a strong asset.
“Little One, prepare yourself. You will not be sleeping, and your body and fists will be torn apart and rebuilt by the time we finish, prepare yourself! Drink this, it will get rid of the drunk feeling.” Gulping down the contents of the bottle he gave me, I felt my head clear nearly instantly. Nodding, he stands, places his hands on his hips and loudly states “Get ready!”