"Challenges? You speak of challenges at a time like this!? Put me down already before I tie your ears in a knot, I am not some damsel in distress to be manhandled!" Evileye couldn't even comprehend this man's strength, she couldn't even budge from his grasp as his arms shifted over her lower and upper back to bring her closer.

A soft grin remained on his face as she could still hear her friend's muffled giggles. "You wouldn't dare," Fenrir jeered as he knew she couldn't do any real lasting damage to him at her level.

Wrapped snug in his arms, Evileye reached forward and grabbed at his face, pulling at his cheeks. "Release me!" She turned her head to face the others, "Don't just sit there and laugh! Help me out here!" Part of her was all too clearly having fun with the situation, pulling at his cheeks that reacted elastically, but at the same time, her tone had some sort of urgency. She didn't want to get used to the feeling of being held this way.

"Heh, If we do anything, he might make us do more than just kneel..." Lakyus uttered as she watched her friend being hugged unto. "And I can't unleash Kilineiram's cursed full potential in such a small room, even if I am the only one who can control it."

"Is it that hard to control?" Fenrir's gaze rested on the leader of the Blue Roses who had said this and raised a brow as she was claiming to be powerful enough to control a cursed blade. His eyes hovered over the hand of hers which was resting on the hilt of the weapon.

"God doubts my word?" Lakyus seemed to grow a smug look across her lips as she drew the mighty Dark Sword from her back and held it out towards him blade first. The point hovered in the direction of his left shoulder.

"I thought you weren't going to use it!" Evileye shuttered in Fenrir's arms as she knew what that weapon was capable of, considering the owner of the weapon had been one of the Thirteen Heroes.

"Oh? Perhaps I'll try it out before sending you all off on your challenges..." His eyes drifted over towards the blonde-haired vampire in his arms. His attention focused on those crimson eyes of hers. He felt like his heart was going to be sucked into them, even if she wasn't centering her gaze on him as she had her head turned to the side. The Wolf didn't seem at all bothered by the girl's hands still on his cheeks, continuingly to harmless pinch and pull at them.

There was no getting him to let go, and she was beginning to find that out the hard way. She would only be free from this man should he so choose to let her be. Her hands fell to his shoulders and she glared up at him.

"Now, don't look at me like that," Fenrir's odd-eyes remained on those crimson orbs of hers as the command spell used on Gagaran wore off. He hardly registered her snickering at the sight, before he leaned forward bringing his face close to Evileye's neck.

Evileye tensed slightly, hearing him take small little sniffs as if trying to take her scent. She could feel his heartbeat drumming through his chest as her arm resting on it. The beat got even heavier as his closeness to her neck pushed down her hood, her golden locks in her face.

"W-what are you doing getting even more excited over this!?" She snapped at him trying to get him to back his face away, but that was when she felt something warm and slippery quickly rush across her skin.

Goosebumps ran through her entire body along with a strange tingling sensation. It hadn't felt bad, but it didn't feel good either, it was just gross.

Chuckling nervously and a bit out of character, Fenrir slowly withdrew from her neck, his face being grazed by her hair on his way back. "Uh-oh, my Wolf instincts got the better of me due to my excitement."

Quickly after recollecting herself, she shouted, "EEEH?! THAT'S ALL YOU'RE GOING TO SAY AFTER YOU JUST LICKED ME OUT OF NOWHERE!? Aaah! That's so freakin' gross!" She reached up to wipe it away with one hand, while the other balled up on his armored shoulder before she hissed, "Put me down!"

Gagaran pointed upon hearing this, "Hah! Shorty just got licked by a wolfman!"

"...Evileye got licked by the wolf~!" The twins both burst out into laughter after a brief pause.

"Was that supposed to be some sort of kiss, where you come from? Or were you just grooming her neck with your tongue...?" Lakyus asked as she lowered her weapon, a sweatdrop forming on the side of her face as she sounded her second question that seemed a bit concerned in tone.

"Uh, hm..." Fenrir looked down at Evileye whose eyes were looking up at him with this glossy look of embarrassment embedded within them. He then glanced back towards Laykus, "The majority do not kiss like this where I come from, no."

"Pffffff!" Lucifael was standing there with a cheeky grin across her face, her middle and index fingers over her lower lips, "Father... Did you just mark a Vampire as your potential mate?"

Though this was the first time of Fenrir hearing of this, he was instantly intrigued.

"DON'T I GET A SAY IN THIS!? What in the seven hells is wrong with you!?" Evileye nearly blew a gasket, her face burning with anger, embarrassment and a hidden glint of flattery.

The room went silent, all of their eyes were on the 'God' which was holding the vampiress in his arms. Even though she was undead, the small being in his arms was turning as red as a cherry tomato.

Gagaran exploded into a howling laughter and broke the silence near immediately, holding her stomach with both hands as she could hardly stand straight. "Ahahaa! This is too much! Shorty... Our Shorty is finally being picked up by a man!"

"Shut up!" Evileye threw her hands in the air as she growled, wanting her friend to silence herself and partially wishing Fenrir's spell hadn't worn off. "Shut up, before I cast you into oblivion, you big nonsensical Mass of Muscle! Stop laughing at me!"

Fenrir was sure that Gagaran was going to pull hernia from going far too hard with that laughing fit of hers.

Neia, on the other hand, was blinking several times at the scene that had unfolded.

"I thought you were into your lovely little squire girl," laughed Lucifael before looking to Neia who was also flushing red in the face. She then paused for a few seconds, only to peer towards her creator with a brow raised as she kept her grin across her lips. "What's this?"

"I told her I intend to drown her in my affections," Fenrir pursed his lips slightly as he finally let Evileye down unto her feet before letting go. He then corrected his posture, "though since I'm at it..." In a single glorious stride, he approached Neia.

"Uh..." Nearly able to take a step back, Neia wasn't quick enough as she felt his hands clamp down on her shoulders and his massive shadow engulfed her. Within seconds, almost like a predator coming in for a bite, his upper body was leaning forward and his tongue grazing across the side of her right cheek. "F-Fenrir-sama..." Her hands tried moving out in front of herself, her mind flustered and confused.

"Oooooh! Evileye has competition!" Gagaran wiped her eyes as she stood up straight, a snicker leaving her lips as she did so.

"HE CAN HAVE HER!" Evileye flipped the nearest chair.

"Oh really? Guess I'll have two potential graceful spitfires as my future wives, then. So glad you agree to this, Evileye." Fenrir snickered to himself as he watched her.

Tina and Tia both sweatdropped looking at their shorter friend, before glancing over to Gagaran who seemed to be having too much of a good time with this. "Evil Boss," they spoke in sync as they pointed to Evileye, "Should we do something...?"

"Ah..." As she went to speak, her eyes flickered over to Fenrir who was now standing in front of her. Immediately she moved her blade to fit between them, her green eyes glaring at him now. "Fenrir-sama, you may be a god, but I only serve the Four Great Gods. Should you try and lick me, I will remove that soft slimy bit myself!"

"While your beauty is surely impressive and attractive, for a heavenly mortal," Fenrir stated as he implied the Squire was no longer a normal human, "I can only see us as mutual friends..." His finger trailed along the flat face of the dark blade, "But the future holds many secrets."

"Oh. Evil Boss was rejected," Tia covered her mouth.

"She was, she was..." Tina acknowledged as she scratched the side of her head.

"...Am I not your type?" The leader of the Blue Roses, Lakyus Alvein Dale Aindra, blinked up at him in a confused manner.

"I did say that the future holds many secrets, didn't I?"

Tina raised her hand slightly and said, "I'm a wicked Lesbian," as if it were some form of deterrent.

Lucifael grinned even wider hearing this as she cocked her head to the side, training her gaze upon the Ninja. "Oooh?"

Tina blinked in a stoic manner at the Angel who was ogling her.

"Just because you're the Angel of Sin, does not mean you can commit it whenever you want..." Fenrir snickered lightly as he looked to his daughter from the side of his lips. "There is a time and a place."

"Fatheeer~!" Lucifael cried out as if he had ruined her fun before it could even begin.

"Now that this has been over and done with," He lightly tugged the weapon from her hold with minimal effort and took a step back. Fenrir tossed the blade into the air, allowing it to just barely reach the high standing ceiling.

Lakyus's eyes had grown as wide as grapefruit as she watched her weapon go airborne, reaching out for it as to not let it clamber upon the ground.

Yet just as the young adventurer was about to successfully catch her weapon, Fenrir snatched it, gluing his grasp around the weapon by the hilt.

The instance in which he grasped the grip of her hilt, his eyes widened. "Uwaaah! I can feel it! This cursed weapon threatens to trample over even the mind of a God such as I! I commend you, young mortal... For having the Mental Constitution to resist such a Dark Relic..."

Starry-eyed, the barer of the Virgin Snow exclaimed, "A God outside of the Pantheon Recognizes the power of a Priestess such as me?! This only solidifies my righteous claim that only a woman who serves the Gods like myself can hold back its full power..."

"The Evil Bosses are multiplying~!" Tina and Tia both echoed one another.

"I suppose I do, don't I?" Fenrir offered a friendly chuckle especially to that of the twin's reactions. His gaze then moved to Evileye who had calmed down now and was standing over the fireplace. Shifting the weapon between his fingers, he held the grip out towards the Priestess to take her weapon back. "Since that is all said and done, it is time to issue the challenges."

"What kind of challenges are you putting us through...?" Evileye set her eyes on him after turning away from the fireplace, letting her locks of blonde hair glimmered like gold as the light of flames shown through them.

"Four of you will pull straws in order to determine the maze or Labyrinth you'll be undertaking," Fenrir informed as he walked over to the table by the window, where he had sat with Neia days earlier. Plucking the cup found in the center the table up into his hand, he peered over the three sticks within it, before turning his gaze to the four other members of the Blue Rose. "And the strongest Sorcerer within the group will face me in a spar..."

Evileye blinked several times hearing the words that spouted out of his mouth. He wanted to fight her? Though he knew that she was probably beneath him in power, he was likely wanting to see what she could do. How much interest would he get out of seeing this? It could only make her wonder.

"Pulling straws?" Lakyus asked as she looked down at the sticks. There were only three of them, "Aren't there four of us taking these Challenges?" She asked as she raised a brow.

"The Ninjas will be taking whichever Maze they get together," Fenrir informed as he held the cup out for her to take a stick. "Once you take a stick, you will be brought to the designated Arena. In order to make sure nothing lethal happens, the two of the angels will be watching over the main Floor."

"Spar?" The Vampiress asked as she walked between him and her friends, unable to block her friend's hand from curiously taking a stick. "Lakyus, wait!"

At the very second Lakyus grasped her stick, and gave it a glance, she vanished into a blur of light as she was teleported to the lower floor and into the Forest Labyrinth that surrounded the level.

"Where did she go?!" Evileye shot her gaze up at him.

"To the Forest Labyrinth on the first floor, near the entrance. Her primary opponents will be Werewolves that dwell within." Fenrir informed as he tilted his head to the side as Gagaran walked over to him, scrutinizing the simple-looking green cup and the marked sticks within.

"Hm. Two choices remain," Gagaran scoffed to herself as she raised her large muscular arm, outstretching her forefinger and thumb to grasp one of the sticks. As she lifted it from the cup, both Evileye and Fenrir peered at her curiously before she vanished in a similar fashion to their Leader.

"And... Where did she go?" Evileye asked as she crossed her arms lightly.

"Gagaran was sent to the Desert Labyrinth, the second ring of the First Floor, after the Forest. Her primary opponent is Blazvataan, a Primal Sand Elemental." Fenrir huffed lightly at the question as the two twins walked over to the tall man, looking him over then to the last stick available in the cup.

"Where will this take us?" The Twins asked as she looked up at him, then back to the cup.

"A generic stone dungeon-themed maze, your primary opponents will be twin shapeshifting Catfolk. They're stronger than Gagaran's opponent and typically use deadly illusions..." His eyes trailed over the twins as he was still curious as to what use the fishnet had, or what its appeal was.

After the two took the stick after hearing the brief and vague information he had to give, the twins vanished from sight as the other two humans had done just moments ago.

"All alone~" Lucifael drew out her voice as she grinned looking over the small Vampiress whose friends went off to take on potentially painful challenges separate from one another.

"Uh-huh," Evileye huffed quietly as she took a handful of paces away from Fenrir as she peered over the Cabin. It was a pretty sturdy looking place despite the simple almost romantic interior. Her gaze then matched his as he was watching her from where he stood, "Do you have any rules for this spar?"

"First, I would like to know about you, your real name, and your life before the thirteen Heroes." Fenrir found it hard to believe that 'Evileye' was her actual name, let alone the Vampire Lord 'Landfall' either from the Legend of the Thirteen Heroes.

She had not expected him to ask for or of this information, or at least say he was interested in knowing it. Most people who hear that she had been a companion or within the group of thirteen heroes, often wanted to hear the true exploits of the group through her. Hardly anyone was interested in her life prior to the hunt for the Evil Deities, of which she was one.

Though if he had indeed 'marked' her to be his mate, she could only assume it was natural to want to know about her, right? She bit her lower lip as she thought about how she didn't have the ability to even deliver babies, she was undead. How she wasn't well-developed physically and had the uncanny smooth body.

"If you really must know, my name is Keno Fasris Invern... I was the Princess of the country once known as Inveria that fell two centuries ago. As the sole survivor, I was blamed for that and thus named the Vampire Lord Landfall..." She took in a sharp inhale as she found her eyes trailing back over to the fireplace she had stood in front of not too long ago. The crackling of the flames kept her entertained, and for the most part calm as she revisited the past once more.

Fenrir said nothing, as pity usually didn't sit well with people who weren't looking for it. However, his brows still raised in a sympathetic manner.

"I couldn't find out what caused it," she felt the side of her face with her gloved hand, "But because of my talent, I am forevermore a Vampire until I release the spell that was used."

Pursing his lips hearing this last bit, he nodded as if he understood this. "You captured a spell with your Talent? That's an impressive feat," he said as he was truly impressed by the fact that she had such a power.

"If I release this spell, however, I will become a mindless undead, a zombie." Taking a sharp breath at this she looked to her hands as she lowered them in front of herself. She didn't want to picture herself as something so disgraceful and trapped.

Hearing these words resonated in his mind, the sympathy on his face never leaving and instead intensifying. It allowed him to even consider using super-tier magic Cash Items in order to attempt and cure her. The only problem that went along with that is either it would cure her, or it wouldn't and there was truly only one try if she were to actually release the spell.

"And you're saying that your entire nation was taken out in a single swoop?" Fenrir asked curiously as he looked over her petite form.

"Yes... That's exactly what I am saying," the girl now known as Keno now realized what he was looking at in her shortened tale of life before adventuring with the Heroes.

As it all aligned in her mind just because he pointed something so simple out, she bit her lower lip. "Super mass-scale magics that could destroy an entire Kingdom, only Players could be capable of..." she paled at the thought that she hadn't even had two hundred years ago. "Though there is also the case of a True Dragon Lord using Wild Magic, but that's also not for certain."

...

The sound of singing birds greeted her ears, the warmth of a sun raining down upon her face. Lakyus opened her eyes and stared forward at the sudden change of scenery. The last thing she remembered was picking a stick from that green cup Fenrir had held out to her. "So this is teleportation?" She softly chuckled to herself as she looked around smugly, taking in the trees which seemed to be very much alive. Subtly noises of the trees rearranging themselves in timed synchronized sequences caused her to raise her brow. "So the Labyrinth moves on its own?" A frown formed over her once smug looking grin.

Without fear, she looked to the sky. While it was indeed convincing and very similar to the sky outside of the tower, it was far different in color than theirs. It was a different shade of blue, and the sun was going in a different direction.

Folding her arms over her chest, Lakyus turned her attention forward after inspecting her floating swords that hovered just behind her back. Without worry, she began walking in the direction she could only perceive as north. There was little to no wind, it was hard to tell where she was going. However, what she could see off in the distance through the treetops that loomed overhead, was the massive tower that leads into the sky.

"This place... Is abnormal," Lakyus couldn't help but state aloud as she could hardly believe where she was standing. A forest inside of the tower. It looked so much bigger on the inside than the outside gave credit for. "Potential my foot, only a being on the same scale of a God could create this place..."

Her gaze now on the trees, she traced her sight along the ground, and even the areas between the trees. She was quick to notice the undergrowth and shallow patterns. Narrowly avoiding what appeared to be a drop trap, she stared at a green hand that traveled beneath the fungal growth at her feet. It nearly brushed passed the tips of her boots, before sinking into the dirt.

For sure she felt as if she could have died should that thing had touched her. And as she looked to the side, her thought hadn't been all too far wrong. Setting her eyes upon what appeared to be a giant tree trunk patterned set of spikes pointing out at her, she nearly turned blue in the face.

Without a second thought, she picked up the pace whilst scanning the ground and her surroundings for suspicious or maybe even elaborate traps designed to mislead those who were paying a little bit too much attention to the bigger things.

It was as if something had been running around through here. Creatures of varying sizes, but all similar to a pack of wolves. It was clear she was not alone, she knew that much. As she stepped over oversized roots, she could hear the trees behind her beginning to shift aside.

Where she had come from was no longer a viable option to retreat to and moving forward was the only option. She mentally cursed at this, but even then remained calm and collected. "A holy woman such as I should not fear such a puzzle!" She huffed to herself, "For I am the only one who can wield this cursed sword." Her arms left her chest as she reached back and drew her weapon at the sound of paws scurrying some distance away.

The area smelled like a wet dog, and the scent alone was as potent as could be, it was a clear sign she was being stalked. Yet no matter where she took her gaze, she saw no sign of wolves, only small hints of their presence with her other senses.

That pungent smell of wet fur was becoming even stronger the farther she went.

"Jeez... How many of them are there?" She asked herself as she narrowed her green hues on the nearby trees, briefly coming to a stop. "Based on the tracks there has to be about thirty of them, are they beast-men or something else entirely?" Her mind went back to the report about the massive wolf that was twice or three times the size of a horse. The very idea of a pack of those things chasing her sent shivers down her spine. "Not happening..." She uttered to herself before hurrying along the set course, her weapon held idly against her shoulder now as to keep it drawn and at the ready to swing.

A monstrous howl called out to the sky as what appeared to be day was fading into a sunset, as it seemed that time here was suddenly far quicker than the outside world. One by one, blood-curdling howls sounded from all directions as if someone was calling for a hunt.

"You have got to be kidding me!" Lakyus immediately picked up the pace, her feet hardly touching the ground before she was lunging forward in long strides.

Each time she gained a meter, her heart felt like it was going to skip a beat. She didn't look behind her, only kept her eyes up ahead. As she rounded a corner, she could see from the side of her eye several abnormally sized black wolves giving chase behind her.

"They aren't as big as the one described, that is for sure!" She laughed nervously with an upbeat tone, drawing in and releasing her breath at a steady rhythm as she kept herself paced. The last thing she wanted was to be overrun by these creatures. Even if Fenrir wasn't going to let them outright die during these challenges, she was sure he had no problem letting them get hurt in the process.

Kicking up dirt as she moved, dropped and slid across the ground, narrowly evading a broad-sized stick that came out to hit her. Jumping back up to her feet, she glanced behind her as she was picking up her speed without stopping. It seemed not only did the trees move on their own, but they also attacked people.

"This just isn't fair!" Lakyus huffed before she peered forward to see a lighter brown patch of dirt than the rest of the trail. It felt like a trap, but she had no idea what it was. Pursing her lips, the girl decided to jump over the patch as she refused to halt.

In that very moment, thick wooden spike-like branches protruded from the dirt ground of the patch. These sharpened edges of the branch arms scratched against the bottoms of her boots.

Rolling upon the ground as she landed, she moved onto one knee with one hand on the ground and the other on her thigh. Her green hues narrowed upon the spikes that animately began to swivel right back into the patch of dirt, kicking up dust. When they were fully retracted, there was no evidence that they had ever been there.

"If I hadn't jumped at exactly the right time... I would've been seriously hurt! This God is not playing around, is he? Or is he some sort of Sadist?" Lakyus looked to the sky and noticed there was one of the angels she had seen earlier. It was the giant floating orb-thing with hundreds if not thousands of eyes. Though its main eye wasn't looking down at her, she could most definitely feel its gaze.

No longer reserved, she began to run once more as one of the werewolves skidded around the corner. It had glowing amber eyes and fierce-looking fangs dripping with murky fluids.

"Nope!" Lakyus sneered at herself, listening as the creature was catching up at a high rate of speed. Any time now she knew the wolf's goal was to catch her, or at least subdue her in some fashion. They seemed to be the only real living obstacle!

She didn't even think twice as she ducked, letting the monster pass over her and land on all fours several meters ahead. "Aaaaaaaaaaah!" As the werewolf turned to face her, she screamed whilst charging it, her weapon held high with both hands on the hilt's grip.

The werewolf didn't just sit there as she charged him, instead it charged her in return.

All four of its sharpened claws digging into the dirt, it was much faster than she was. Each muscle on its back twitched under the fur. It was as if she was charging at a massive wall of muscle!

Just before she was about to swing, and just before it was about to jump, she threw herself to the side and rolled passed the Werewolf before it could swat her with its clawed hand.

Bringing her weapon out to the side, she swung the weapon at an angle directly towards the being who attempted to turn around once more. Just as she thought her weapon was about to make contact, its right clawed hand reached out and grasped the flat sides of the weapon with its fingers.

"Eh!?" At this point, she was now able to tell that this creature was physically superior to her in physical aptitude. It was also far superior to any beast-man she had fought prior. "What is this...?" And not only that, it was not a normal wolf, not having noticed the humanoid arms before engaging it.

Snarling, the wolf growled at her before bashing the dark blade aside and out of her hands. "Lowly little human! Don't even bother trying to fight back!"

Dodging a swipe from its left arm, the Adventurer took several bounds backward. "You can talk!?" She laughed excitedly as she glimpsed to her armament which was now laying on the ground.

"Don't try it!" The Werewolf charged forward before leaping int the air, raising a clawed hand to bring down upon her as he came in for a landing.

Just as the werewolf was about to land on top of her, the girl just lept to the side, pushing herself off the trees before stumbling toward her weapon. As she fell to her knees, having twisted her ankle from the sudden movement, she winced and her eyes became wide as she could hear the rest of the pack. Dragging herself over to the weapon, "Kilineiram! Give me your demonic power!" She shouted as she grasped the hilt and pulled herself to her feet, a grin widely forming over her lips.

"You're mine, you crazy little witch!" The creature spouted after hearing the girl shout to her weapon.

Just as she was about to turn around to face the werewolf, the cursed blade began to emit a dark misty aura. With a singular swing of the weapon, she intercepted the airborne werewolf, smashing the flat face of the blade into his snout.

The air was dry, arid and the path in front of Gagaran was much hotter than the floor she had just been on. A soft chuckle left her lips as the majestic giant of a woman stepped forward.

"This should be a piece of cake," her blue eyes scanned the passageway in front of her as she moved forward as her armor was shimmering from the sunlight above.

Drawing her war pickaxe known as Fel Iron from her back, the woman looked over the sandstone walls of the labyrinth. Then her gaze moved up to the massive tower that leads into the sky that was far off into the center of the floor.

With one hand at the neck of the weapon and the other on the lower grip, she continued to grin to herself. It looked like the labyrinth was inhabited. Patterns that looked akin to slithering trails could be seen to have been left behind by large snakes were present here.

"Large serpents? Perhaps they're Nagas... Those can be rather tricky to deal with," huffed the warrior sarcastically as she noted the stone floor the farther she wandered in. Keeping her movements animate compared to her still surroundings, it was like she was flaunting herself like a target. She was confident since she could take on a Basilisk in a solo-match should she be rightfully equipped against petrification effects and enough healing potions. If there was anything more powerful than that here, she knew though, that she wouldn't be able to handle them.

She wanted to see who her enemies were and be able to run if that was at all possible.

Just like in the forests that Lakyus was in, these walls could also be heard moving about at random intervals and different areas. "I could only imagine living in such a place as this," as her eyes drifted to the sky she could see the decrepit looking angel they first met in the polar floor. It was just hovering there, staring down at her. "I have to say, that is one creepy being of Divinity..."

Pelleon either didn't hear or care about the words she was using. There was little to no reaction from him at all as she was moving through the area unopposed by very much.

After an hour of following the first path she had started on, she stopped and peered behind herself. The walls had completely changed the way she had come as if the whole place was alive.

"That is unsettling," she observed as she then looked to the sky above. She was unsure whether or not that creature watching her was controlling the maze or not. However, the idea was rather unappealing, meaning it could change the maze so much that she'd be wandering around for days.

Was that what Fenrir wanted?

Gagaran shook her head, "not going to beat me with such menial tricks." Now then as she turned around, she came to notice that the area ahead of her had also changed. The passage ahead of her had been split in half, revealing a ravine with toxic goop at the bottom of it. It smelled like sulfur farts, especially whenever a bubble exploded. "By the Gods!" The hand holding the neck of her weapon released it and went up to fan her nose, "What is that smell?!"

"It surely wasn't me..." An ancient scratchy growl emitted from above as a shadow overtook her, sand-like drool coming down upon her shoulder.

"..." Lulling her head back, Gagaran narrowed her eyes on the living ochre yellow construct above her. Its mouth was guarded by six dark grey stone-like tusks that appeared to act as teeth. Massive horns decorated its crown, and it had a very turtle-like form, aside for the lack of shell.

It was surely not a Basilisk, but it was much larger than one, and that was for sure. Basilisk didn't talk, at least the last time she checked!

"Now who might you be!?" She shouted enthusiastically, drawing one foot backward as she was getting ready to run while holding her pick readily in both hands once more.

"Blazvatan!" As its mouth opened agape, she could see its glowing purple interior filled with elemental energies. "Guardian of the Lamia and their Labyrinth! Now prepare yourself, Adventurer, for this may be your last breath!"

With those last words, Gagaran was already on the run with one foot in front of the other as she ran along the side of the ravine. A powerful gust of wind rushed passed her, whipping her short hair that framed her face around wickedly.

The massive being had turned into a sandstorm!

Up ahead she could just make out someone peering around a corner. They looked human, at least a first. White hair, Miko-like robes, violet-red eyes, and pale peach-toned skin. Even for a woman such as Gagaran, she was magnetized by the otherworldly beauty of the being.

When they abruptly darted across the intersection, however, that bridged over the ravine below, Gagaran could clearly see their lower half was that of a snake! Then following behind her were about a dozen smaller snake-human people.

They were different from Nagas, as their upper halves were completely humanlike! They even wore fashionable clothes. This was the first time she had ever seen Lamias, distant cousins of the Nagas.

"This wasn't really what I was expecting," Tina said as she stood beside her twin sister Tia, her eyes settling on two passageways laid out in front of them.

They were standing in a lobby of sorts, their hands by their hips. The room was dimly lit, orange flames on torches lighting the way. This place, the way the walls looked, seemed like someone had painted the surface with a brush. Intricate designs of moss and what appeared to be dampness and mold lined the corners and the surrounding alabaster grey colored brick walls.

"How do you think Evil Boss is doing with her challenge?" Tia asked as she looked to her twin blankly, giving her a few blinks of curiosity.

"...We can't underestimate her, she is more wicked than we are." Tina responded with a slight nod before the two of them crossed their gazes over one another, resting on the opposite archways.

The entrances into the maze from the lobby seemed to be very narrow so that only one person can take the lead and anyone who follows behind them would be at a disadvantage. However, based on what they could see from where they stood, the corridors seemed to spread out like funnels, eventually widening enough till the point that they conjoin. Then there was enough room for at least four people to walk down the center without even getting close to the walls.

Looking at each other for a few seconds, they nodded and approached the two passageways.

Stopping in sync the twins crouched and examined the entrances.

"If you're looking for traps..." One voice started up and faded out.

"... You'll have to try better than that," had faded in from another similar voice, but was distinctively different. Their presence though was entirely anonymous and unfelt.

"They're here..." Tia uttered before both of the twins shot onto their feet and rushed silently into the maze in front of them. There was only one direction they could take as shadows of cat-like creatures ran along the walls, following right behind them!