And as Deckard said, it wasn’t long before, in a flash of white light, Squad Four and the city guard, the master guard actually, under whose command and supervision they were, appeared not far from us.

“How did things go?” the man asked as we reached them. 

[Guardsman: lvl ??]

He was proof that even with that class, you could get far. One did not need to be a warrior or a mage to be able to near the Deckard’s levels. Sure, if you were one, it was easier.

Raimo Pinescar, that’s how he introduced himself to Idleaf earlier in the morning. Not that his name matters that much. I was not going to call the tall man with a scar under his eye by it. Rayden made it clear that while I was part of Squad Four and took part in exercises with them, I was to act like a member of the Castiana City Guards, which meant respecting the ranks. However, that was easier said than done. I was never in the army nor got any training to be a proper guard.

“Sir,” I straightened up, wondering where to start. “We...” As soon as I opened my mouth again, I stopped. “Sorry, but what should I call you?”

He smirked slightly, amused by my question. “Sir is just fine. If you must, then Sergeant Pinescar will do.”

“Oh, got it, sir.”

“So?” He looked at Deckard, sizing him up. His previous question was forgotten, as if it was merely a polite greeting. “You’re coming down with us? I only got word that you’re all back, and Grey here is waiting for us.”

Deckard nodded, hands in his pockets, a carefree look plastered on his face. “Don’t worry. I don’t give a shit how you handle them.”

“Even her?” he glanced at me.

“She’s your problem down there. I just want to see how my apprentice will do in a fight. A lot of shit has happened since she fought the horned rabbits.”

“Okay. How good is she, actually? Reports are one thing, but you know how things are...”

Deckard smirked, knowing full well what the master guard meant. “That’s what I want to find out. Nevertheless, she had no trouble fighting the beasts on the third floor. Lacks experience, though.”

“Hmm, I see. Not so different from the rest of her squad, then.”

“Sir, are we finally gonna fight the beasts?” Harper ventured to ask, her eyes shining with excitement. All three had been unusually quiet so far, but now I saw it was just so they could get back to the Labyrinth as soon as possible.

Her question left me wondering, though. They were down there for over two hours. Didn’t they fight any horned rabbits in all that time? Then what were they doing? Questions I, unlike her, dared not ask, if only for the simple reason that it might make me look dumb. When I gave it a thought, I was most likely the weird one who recklessly entered Fallen’s Cry utterly unprepared and jumped right into a fight with the beasts occupying floor one.

So, yeah, I kept my mouth shut.

“You will, Breadbaker,” the sergeant barked back at Harper, displeased, tired perhaps. Knowing her, it wasn’t hard to imagine that this wasn’t the first time she’d asked him that. “But you damn well shouldn’t underestimate the beasts.”

“What beasts?” doubted Idleaf, as she took her mind off the platform and the seeker using it. Her eyes, full of questions and suspicions, were on the Guardsman now. “The horned rabbits? I think it’s a lie. We were on the tenth floor, and I didn’t see any.”

The man froze for a moment, puzzled over how to respond to the spirit of the young World Tree’s query before he remembered what he was briefed on and got his bearings back. “I assure you they are there. Deckard and the others just scared them off with their presence. It’s a standard thing to do when you don’t want to engage them in combat.”

“True.”

Yet, despite my mentor’s nod, Idleaf remained in doubt. Frowning, she leaned toward me. “You saw any beasts there, Korra’leigh?”

“Not today, Idleaf,” I replied and smiled slightly over her honest doubts. “It’s as Sergant Pinescar says; they did it so we could pass in peace.”

“That’s enough!” boomed the Guardsman so loud I twitched at the pain in my ears. “Since we’re all, let’s go back down there. But first, I assume it’s safe?”

“As far as we could tell,” Deckard replied, giving him no further detail.

The Guardsman didn’t seem to ought to hear it, though, and just nodded. “I guess that’s good enough. Okay, gather around me.”

No one said anything, and even Deckard did as the master guard said. Only Idleaf grunted in displeasure, as she knew she would have to form her spirit yet again.

 

***

 

“See, I told you, no beasts,” she sang, dancing around us, pleased that she was right. No one had the heart to tell her that they were hardly ever any at the entrance platform.

For that matter, neither was Traiana. Despite previous attempts that came to naught, I was on edge, for some reason expecting that she might reappear this time. She didn’t, though.

“Okay, Grey. Let’s make it quick and see where you stand,” the master guard said, his loud voice ringing in my ears again. “I went over the basics with the rest of Squad Four, introducing them to the Labyrinth, and how to move through it. As I understand it, you’re more than familiar with that, correct?”

Was I? I guess so. “Yes, sir.”

“Good. So tell me, what essentials does one need to survive down here.”

Shit! A leaflet in my ring storage had that written on it. I read it. Well, I more like skimmed through it because of the prices listed on it. And that was a mistake I was more than aware of now. Deckard may have taught me a few things, but I felt it was a far cry from what Sergeant Pinescar expected as my answer. 

Where the hell was Idleaf when I needed her? Didn’t she enjoy making a smartass of herself? Glimpsing around, I found her staring at me, curious to hear what those essentials might have been. Damn! She was useless.

Think Korra! Think!

“T-the thread, sir. It’s important to activate the tool whenever you enter the labyrinth. Best done by a mage in a group, a unit, a squad...”

“Are you going to name me all the kinds of groups there are, Grey?”

“No, sir. I-I wasn’t sure what term is most commonly used.” Stalling. I know, too obvious. It’s just that I simply needed more time to think.

“It depends on who you’re with. The seekers most often used parties. You’re a squad.”

“Got it, sir.”

“Otherwise correct, Grey. What next?”

Cursing Deckard, I tried to think of what else might be needed. “Water and food.” I was right, wasn’t I?

“That is without saying. For how long?”

A day, two days, whatever I would say would be a guess. “I’m sorry, sir. I don’t know.”

“Welkes,” the master guard prompted Freyde to give me the correct answer without batting an eye at my lack of knowledge, almost as if he expected it.

“At least for a week. If you can, for two. But ideally for a whole month, sir.”

“That’s a lot of food,” Idleaf gushed, sizing up the man. “Are your pockets that big?” Yeah, I kind of forgot to tell her about spatial tools. Not really my fault. The one I had wasn’t worth mentioning, and so it slipped my mind.

After a brief hesitation, he pointed to the earring, one of many on his ears. “Spatial storage. You can store a lot in there. And it’s not that much food if one is frugal.”

“Really?” She quipped while inspecting the earring, obviously too close for Sergeant Pinescra’s comfort. “Korra’leigh eats a lot.”

Damn her big mouth. They didn’t need to know how much a girl ate. Though, I did eat a lot. Compared to how much food I’ve stuffed myself with on Earth, that is. To my relief, the master guard passed over her remark and refocused back on me and my lack of knowledge. “Welkes said it right. A month of supplies is ideal. How much that is, is up to you, Grey.”

“Understood, sir.”

“Good. So, what else?”

That was a good question. What could be the other essentials? “I know how to navigate to the exit teleportation platform based on the runes on the pillars and labyrinth blocks.”

“Good for you, not what I asked.”

Shit! It most definitely was not, but it was all I knew. “Equipment?”

“Is that an answer? Either way, no. It’s good to have backup equipment, but it’s something you can do without. You’re a good example, Grey.”

“T-then I don’t know, sir.” It was better to admit my lack of knowledge than to continue to embarrass myself any further.

“Ironhoof!”

“Potions, sir. It’s good to have potions with you.”

“That’s right. If anything, they can save your life when you’re in a tight spot. Health potion literally, mana potion I don’t need to explain, but know that it’s not just useful for mages. Basic antidotes can be very useful as well. Hexes are unfortunately something only healers can deal with, but even if you have one in your unit, potions are a good backup.”

Hexes. Would my regeneration be able to deal with that? It wasn’t something I was willing to volunteer to try. Meneur talked about taurus warriors returning from Fallen’s Cry, their bodies twisted by hexes, curses, and such. They must have had a decent regeneration too.

“Is there no defense against them? I mean cur-hexes, sir?”

Sergeant Pinescar grinned. “That’s not what I said. There just aren’t potions that remove them, in general. It’s possible, but the potion has to be tailor-made, so... I think you see the problem. You’d have to have an alchemist down here with his entire workshop. The simplest defense is to avoid being hexed, to not let it land on you. Shield skills like yours are also a good option, then high-quality enchanted armor. Not that you will face such a hurdle anytime soon.”

True. From what I saw, at least up to the tenth floor, the Labyrinth was occupied only by horned rabbits. They weren’t exactly beasts that used magic to attack, let alone hexes.

“That’s all the essentials. Do you have them?” Sergeant Pinescar asked me, and I froze.

I didn’t. When I went alone to Fallen’s Cry, Deckard lent me his thread, but that was about it. No food, no potions. “No, sir. My storage isn’t big enough to...”

“Zip it! I don’t give a shit. As far as I’m concerned, so long as you attend training as a member of Squad Four, you’ll be adequately prepared. When we get back to the barracks, you’ll get yourself the equipment you need. That goes for all of you.”

“”Yes, sir."" Harper, Freyde, and Meneur replied. Hearing them gave me some peace of mind, as I wasn’t the only one so ill-prepared. However, I could blame it on Deckard. Who could they blame? Themselves? Did they forget to ask? One would think that the officers at the barracks would assign them what they needed before sending them here. But apparently not, and they sent them here no better prepared than I was.

That wasn’t the impression I got that Rayden ran things, so I found it more likely that Sergeant Pinescar wanted to make a point about the importance of essentials.

Anyway, whatever the case was, he was pleased with the response the Squad Four gave him. Shifting his weight, he ran his gaze over the four of us while trying to ignore Idleaf, who was busy inspecting all the magical tools she could find on him. 

“You’ll be given the necessities at the barracks, but! If you still have space and coins, there are things that can make diving into the depths of the labyrinths more enjoyable and easier. Such as, Breadbaker?”

“Depends on what you intend to do down here. It could be mining tools, gathering tools, butchery tools, spare equipment in general. Weapons, armor, clothing, underwear, sir.”

“Go on.”

“Then there are many magical tools to help navigate the labyrinth, in addition to the thread. One such is a surveyor.”

The master guard nodded, gesturing she was right and to keep going.

“For longer stays, it’s camping gear, from flint and steel, to cooking utensils, a sleeping bag, a tent, an mbath, and a mwipe.”

“I would add the more basic the equipment, the better. In many parts of the labyrinths, magical tools don’t work or are dangerous to use. Nevertheless, well summed up, Breadbaker. Of course, there are other things specific to each class, and no one can stop you from taking whatever you want. It’s ultimately up to you. However, if you’re not a complete asshole, you should keep in mind that if you’re not prepared, you could become a liability to your unit. Are we clear on that, Grey?”

Oh, we were. It certainly wasn’t my intention to be a burden, and if it meant accepting help from the Castiana City Guards, essentially getting a spatial tool and gear, I was willing to swallow my pride. “Yes, sir. O-only...”

“What?”

“I’m not quite clear on what the mbath, and mwipe are, sir.” Magical tools, that was for sure. But Deckard never mentioned them to me before. Now the bastard was chuckling. That and the master guard’s baffled expression told me those were the tools I should know, something really basic that was considered common knowledge. Not to an Earthling like me, though.

The rest of Squad Four was no better off, their faces bearing varying degrees of bewilderment. The only one clueless like me was Idleaf.

Luckily, Sergeant Pinescar quickly got his bearings back, throwing a scowl at Deckard before barking at Freyde: “Welkes, tell her.”

“S-sir, why me?”

“Do I have to repeat myself?”

Obviously embarrassed, Freyde looked at me, not knowing where to start. “The magic bath, mbath for short is a tool that will rid you of grime. It’s not as pleasant as a real bath, won’t leave you scented like soap, but it will do the job.”

“Okay,” I said, trying to convey how grateful I was that he told me. It didn’t help him much, though. If anything, his pointy ears turned even redder.

“And, w-well, as you probably guessed, mwipe is short for magic wipe. It is a tool for...ehm wiping your bottom after...you know...” Yeah, sure, he didn’t have to say more. 

“It’s also called an asswiper,” Harper added, giving me a weird look. “Seriously, Grey, what were you using up until now? Don’t tell me your spatial tool is full of straw?”

Now I was the one embarrassed. “Grass, there’s plenty of it around.”

“Usable solution here, not so much on the floors where there’s nothing but rocks. It’s not something issued by the city guards, but if you’re not proficient in the magic in question, I recommend you get one. You’ll find it useful outside Fallen’s Cry, too,” Sergeant Pinescar advised, and cleared his throat. “If that’s all, Grey, we can move on to the more practical part of this training. The purpose of which is not only to introduce you to the local beasts but also to teach you how to semi-cooperate with each other, to make you a real squad. The key to that is knowing your role in the squad, what your mates are capable of and what you can rely on them for. That little fight a few days back was supposed to serve that purpose. However, Grey here didn’t show you all her tricks back there. Am I saying that right?”

He did. I held back because Deckard and Rayden told me so. Then when I went full-beast in the fight with Clay, it pissed the rest of the Squad Four off. No wonder there. I would have been pissed, too. But even in that fight, I didn’t use all my arsenal at my disposal. Namely, as the antidotes mentioned before reminded me, the poison Sage, my tail, abounded with, and my freakishly strong presence.

“Yes, sir. You’re right.”

When I said that, a trio of my squadmates perked up. Harper and Freyde, in particular, looked like they were going to go full feral on me and barrage me with questions.

“Then, if it’s okay with you, it’s time to show your cards, Grey,” Sergeant Pinescar said, gesturing to me that I was clear to go ahead. He, as well as the other master guards, had to know about me, read the reports, and quite possibly witnessed some of my exploits. There simply was no need to hide stuff from him, at least as far as my presence and poison were concerned. After all, I wasn’t going to reveal the details of my skills. But where to start, the poison or the presence?

I went with Sage.

“So...” I said as I looked at the trio of my squadmates. Wondering what to say, I swung my tail into my arms, comforting myself by holding that soft, fluffy miracle. “Guess you all noticed my tail?”

Stupid question. Of course, they did.

“Well, I can release poison from him...it, my tail. In fact, it releases it in small amounts all the time.”

“What!” snapped Harper, her eyes cautiously watching my tail. “Traiana’s tits, why didn’t you tell us something like that sooner.”

Freyde nodded vigorously. “Maybe it will come out wrong, but I really wanted to stroke your tail. Now I’m glad I didn’t. Is it even safe for you to do that?”

“It is not dangerous to the touch, only if inhaled. It smells of apples.”

“Really?” squeaked Idleaf, sidling up to me, burying her nose in Sage’s soft fur. “Hmm...is that what apples smell like? It’s nice.”

“Aren’t you poisoned, Idleaf?” Meneur asked the question on everyone’s mind.

She giggled in response, almost as if she found it silly. “No, I am not.”

Deckard and Sergeant Pinescard exchanged glances. This little demonstration confirmed their assumptions about Idleaf.

“Forgive my rudeness,” the master guard said with a slight bow of his head to her before looking back at us, Squad Four. “What you see before you is a spirit of a World Tree, not the tree itself. It is inherently a magical construct, and as such, little ever affected by mundane things. The poison would have to corrode the mana to hurt her. The same goes for weapons. If you want to fight creatures created by magic, you need enchanted weapons capable of affecting mana. Or leave it to a skilled mage.”

Listening to his explanation, our eyes, the eyes of all the members of Squad Four, were darting between him and Idleaf, who was merely nodding, completely unfazed by the fact he was de facto explaining how to get rid of her.

“Glad you didn’t use that on us,” Freyde remarked, his thoughts returning to our fight in the barracks’ training grounds. “Wait! How strong is this poison of yours?”

“Well...”

“Have you poisoned anyone with it yet? I mean, killed?” Harper asked bluntly.

Did I kill someone with it? Yes, I did. Was it something I wanted to talk about? Not really. “My skill is too weak. Most beasts just brush it off, or they’re so big it takes a long time to take effect.” 

“Not what I asked!” she growled, not giving me a chance to talk my way out of it. 

“I know, Harper. Okay, yes, I’ve poisoned people with it. Killed two slave traders. Is that what you wanted to hear?”

She took a step back as a growl followed my last sentence. It came off a lot more aggressive than I wanted to. “Sorry, Harper. It wasn’t easy for me.”

She waved me off. “My bad. As I said, I can be a bit bitchy at times. But...damn, girl. That’s badass. Could it kill us?”

“If you don’t have good regeneration or resistance, and you inhale a whole lot of it, then yes.”

Freyde and Meneur weren’t as enthusiastic about it as she was. However, the fact that they didn’t show obvious disgust and fear of me was a great relief.

“What about you?” our squad mage asked me. “Have you ever been poisoned by it?”

“Many times, Meneur.” Too many times.

“So, you have a resistance skill? That would be a reasonable thing to have?”

“She doesn’t,” Deckard chuckled.

“My regeneration is good, and the poison isn’t that strong,” I said, frowning at my mentor. He didn’t say anything I wouldn’t have said, but...he made it sound like I was insane.

“Look,” I said, in an effort to undo the damage, wondering whether to reveal more. “The poison really isn’t that strong, at least not for me.”

“If you say so,” Harper said, her look the same as everyone else’s, saying it all. They thought I was nuts.

“It really isn’t. I usually poison myself in my sleep, and I’m fine.”

That did it, though. Deckard burst out laughing.