We did our best to keep exploring the labyrinth as a trio, but time was running out and we hadn't heard any singing. We spotted some people in the distance, but we had no interest in attacking them.
However, an announcement made us realize that time was truly pressing: team 20 had been eliminated while team 8 had won. That meant only 6 teams remained, and only one seed was left to claim. The noose was tightening fast.
"We're not losing hope," Relatio told me. I guess she saw from my face that I wasn't feeling very hopeful. We had a one-in-six chance of winning, and we were down to just three people. I only hoped there weren't any teams left with all five members still in play.
"It's going to be tough, but I'm not giving up hope yet."
I gripped my sword tightly. Then we heard an announcement from Daïs.
"Congratulations to the teams who brought back the first nine seeds. Since there's only one left, I'm going to reveal its location… But be prepared, it won't be as easy to grab as the others."
Suddenly, we heard it: the song of a seed. The sound was very faint, and I was the only one who could pick it up thanks to my sharp hearing. I silently thanked my ears and started walking, showing Aristeus and Relatio the way.
"This way… I can hear it singing."
Relatio looked impressed and smiled. "Wow, you've got really good hearing. Honestly, I don't hear a thing."
"Me neither. Then again, Ankari aren't exactly known for their hearing," Aristeus commented.
We kept walking, and eventually I could tell we were getting closer—the singing grew stronger. But as we moved forward, a sharp pain cut across my arm. Someone had just slashed me.
It was a frail-looking boy with short gray hair and piercing blue eyes. He looked lost, completely alone. I saw his name: Ewald, heir of 95… the deadhorse just under mine. He had attacked me with his sword, but I countered quickly. His strikes felt weak, probably from exhaustion and the wounds I could see across his body.
Relatio and Aristeus drew their weapons. The fight wouldn't last long. I kicked Ewald in the stomach, stunning him long enough for me to drive my sword into his belly. He collapsed to the ground and slowly dissolved. Then came the announcement: team 12 had been eliminated.
The last survivor of his team. No wonder he seemed so lost and desperate. Being alone in the dark—even for a short while—is terrifying. Once again, I felt regret for killing, but I had no choice. It was self-defense. I couldn't afford to lose. Dena was counting on me.
"You really didn't spare that guy," Aristeus said.
I turned to him, my tone distant. "It was him or me… If he didn't want to die, he should've just stayed put."
Both Aristeus and Relatio looked at me strangely. I hated that look, like they were judging me. In this game, it's eat or be eaten. Curro had already taught me that in the last fight.
Finally, we reached the end of one of the labyrinth's corridors, opening into a huge central chamber. There was some sort of portal—and behind it, the seed. We had found it.
But we weren't expecting what stood before us.
A three-headed dog. Massive, shaggy, black as night. Its glowing red eyes were the only reason I could even make it out. I thought I recognized it from a Greek tale. I remembered reading it was a kind of guardian of the underworld. But here, it was guarding a seed.
For now, we weren't its targets. I saw a duo already fighting against the raging beast: a man and a woman. The man had an authoritative look, like a member of a disciplinary council. His name was Subramanian. The woman, Lidka, had black hair and tattoos all over her body. He fought with a saber, she wielded a small mace. They carried the numbers 76 and 99.
Lidka bore the same deadhorse as Pendo. She had to be strong—or so I thought, until I saw the dog clamp its jaws around her stomach after she tried to strike one of its legs. Her body began to disintegrate. Subramanian's face went pale. He decided to run.
The dog turned back toward the gate. It hadn't noticed us—or maybe it had and simply didn't care. We were thinking of a plan when suddenly, a man's voice rang out behind us.
"That's one hell of a beast, I doubt we can fight it without sticking together."
I turned around right after Aristeus and Relatio, and behind us stood another team—a trio like us, team number 5, made up of two guys and a woman. The man who had just spoken was imposing and muscular, wearing a white tank top and blue sweatpants. For a moment, I thought I was seeing Miodrag, but no—despite the resemblance, it clearly wasn't him. He was an Ocelari, a jaguar-man, known for being fast and strong, extremely dangerous. But he didn't seem like he wanted to attack us.
"I'm Sang, heir of the 20th Deadhorse, from the family… We don't want to fight you now, that thing is far too powerful."
I stayed on guard, but he was right about one thing: the three of us couldn't possibly take on the dog. Maybe five people could do it, but not a trio—that much was certain. Sang's two teammates seemed calmer than him, though he carried himself with a lot of energy. He wielded a massive axe with blades jutting out from both its left and right sides.
"These are my two allies… Natalja and Amr."
An Ovinar and an Ankari. The first, Natalja, was a 23-year-old woman with ram's horns, long brown hair, and eyes of the same shade. She wore a black crop top and black pants, wielding a sword. The second, Amr, the Ankari, was a boy much younger than Aristeus—14 at most. His skin was dark, his hair black, with a small yellow flower tucked into it. His eyes looked weary, bored almost. He carried a sword as well.
I introduced what was left of my team.
"I'm a descendant of Abundance. I can copy certain objects infinitely…"
Our eyes then turned to Amr, who looked hesitant to reveal his power.
"I'm a descendant of the 81st, Memory. I can make someone forget an event… or their memories. But it requires concentration."
So the 81st was Memory. I remembered Cal, whom I'd fought earlier, had also carried the number 81.
"Do you have a plan to take down the dog?"
Relatio asked Sang, who nodded.
"It's got three heads. We're six. I suggest we team up… each pair takes a head and tries to smash it."
Aristeus nodded and stepped closer to Amr.
"I'll team up with my fellow Ankari. Ducks gotta stick together, right?"
Amr sighed, but eventually agreed. "Do you mind if we team up, Roxy?"
Sang asked me. I shook my head. He looked strong—so I didn't mind.
"We'll take the middle head. The Ankaris can handle the left, and the girls the right. Let's bring the beast down."
I gave Sang a wary look.
"And once it's dead, we'll fight it out fair and square…"
At least he was honest. Once the dog was dead, it'd come down to a brawl. But I also noted that Subramanian was still out there somewhere, as well as team 16 we hadn't encountered, and the trio from team 15 we had fought earlier.
We paired off. If we kept the three heads occupied, we had a chance. Once ready, we drew the three-headed dog's attention. Sang and I charged at the middle head. The beast lowered its head, jaws snapping at us, but Sang planted his feet, leapt up with his axe, and hacked into it, almost cleaving part of the skull. The head was solid, though, and Sang landed back down with his weapon. The central head struck again, but we dodged, countered, and together slashed deep into its neck—almost severing it in unison. Sang looked at me afterward, strangely proud, though I didn't know why.
We glanced at the others—they weren't doing as well. Suddenly, I saw Aristeus take a crushing blow to the stomach and get flung several meters away. He wasn't eliminated yet, according to the interface, but he was badly hurt. On the other side, Natalja and Relatio were struggling. Natalja wasn't much of a fighter, I realized, while Relatio held her own better but was still taking multiple claw strikes. I turned to Sang.
"Go help the right head—I'll cover the left."
He nodded, and I rushed toward Natalja and Relatio. We tried repeating the same maneuver Sang and I had used earlier, but the dog was smarter this time. It pulled back its neck, then lunged at Relatio and Natalja instead. Tragically, Natalja became its meal. Her body disintegrated while Relatio barely escaped by sheer luck. If we didn't act fast, she'd be next.
Relatio shouted as we fought: "I'll copy the water heir's power!"
She conjured water from her hands, forming a massive sphere. I guessed it was up to me to defend her until the summoning was ready, even if I had no idea what she planned. The dog lunged again, but I distracted it by hurling a rock.
"Come here, mutt!"
Its head swung toward me, jaws snapping, but by then Relatio had finished. She hurled the water sphere right into the beast's face, startling it. We seized the moment, leaping at the head together and driving our swords into its skull. At that exact instant, a cannon blast rang out—the elimination of team 10, Subramanian's group, who had earlier fled from the dog. A bad feeling twisted my stomach.
But I had to focus. Relatio and I turned toward the last fight. Amr was nowhere to be seen—dead, I assumed. Sang was still battling the dog, while Aristeus was barely getting back on his feet, weak and battered.
Relatio summoned another small bubble of water to distract the final head. With only one left, the dog's entire body was now against us. We attacked alongside Sang, but the fight was brutal. Relatio was swatted aside by one of its massive paws, while Sang took a bite to his right arm, forcing him back. Suddenly, it was just me against the monster.
I dodged desperately, but it was too fast. My eyes widened in terror as its head lunged toward me, jaws gaping, ready to devour me whole.
Suddenly, I was shoved aside. Sang had pushed me out of the way—only to be devoured himself. Another person sacrificing themselves for me. What did they expect? That I'd owe them something? That wasn't how I operated. Still… I couldn't help but feel grateful for their sacrifice, even if I didn't understand their reason.
Moments later, as Sang's body vanished, the voice announced that team 5 had been eliminated.
I move back slightly, we managed to hurt it badly enough that Relatio, Aristeus, and I could finish it off. But as I turn to regroup with them, I see Aristeus, a sword stuck in his stomach. Another team had arrived, a team almost entirely female. The one who had just killed Aristeus was called Dolgoon, a Gypsari like Pendo, but with black wings. She wore a white school uniform with a red ribbon, a black jacket, and black tights. She bore the number 44, the same as Seera, the squirrel we had encountered earlier.
However, Dolgoon wasn't alone. Three others were with her: two humans—one with blue eyes and short gray hair, wearing a black and white striped shirt and a black skirt, named Xochitl, holding a hatchet; the other, Shazi, with red hair tied into two ponytails with blue ribbons, wearing a green crop top and ripped jeans. The last was a priest, a Felvry—a lynx—with no weapon. I didn't recognize any of their numbers.
"Damn it!"
I yelled when I saw Aristeus disintegrate. I looked behind me and ran toward Relatio, who was a bit farther back. She was in bad shape, though. We retreated to try to come up with a plan. Team 16 took advantage of the weakened three-headed dog and finished it off. The beast disintegrated like a participant, and I saw the priest pick up the seed.
I looked at Relatio with determination. I refused to have victory stolen from me like this. No, I wouldn't let them win. But with two against four, the fight was going to be tight.
"Let's go," Relatio said, getting up despite the pain.
I still felt strong despite my wounds, probably adrenaline keeping me going. I ran toward the group, Relatio close behind. She used her water power to push back Bohuslav, the priest, along with Shazi, the red-haired girl. That left only Xochitl and Dolgoon.
Xochitl wasn't expecting my attack, and I managed to wound her. But while I was crossing blades with Xochitl, Dolgoon sliced Relatio's arm. I heard her scream in pain, a sound that pierced my ears and made me panic. Dolgoon then plunged her sword into my ally's heart, leaving me alone against the two women. Bohuslav and Shazi were already coming back for another assault.
I stepped back, clashing blades multiple times with Xochitl. Her strikes were fast but light. Dolgoon also tried to attack me, and I struggled to defend myself against both. I couldn't focus on two at once. Suddenly, an arrow struck Dolgoon in the forehead. The Gypsari fell, the arrow between her eyes, her body slowly disintegrating.
Could it be Seera? My theory was confirmed when I saw the squirrel arrive with the rodent Illija. Nero, the Ovinar, wasn't with them anymore—he must have been killed.
I backed away, seizing the chance given by Seera and Illija. I saw Illija rush at Xochitl with her axe. I also took a moment to check what the priest and the red-haired girl were doing—they were fleeing with the seed. I wasn't going to let them escape. I ran after them.
I was behind at first but slowly caught up. The seed seemed heavy to carry, slowing Bohuslav down.
"Bohu! Use your power!"
Suddenly, Shazi threw seeds at me, and then Bohuslav activated his power. The seeds instantly sprouted into giant trees, one nearly hitting me in the head. The trees slowed me down a lot, but I dodged them. I lost time while Bohuslav kept growing trees in my path. Don't tell me his number, 73, was fertility or some nonsense like that.
What saved me was that we arrived in a large hall, no longer in narrow corridors, so I had more space to dodge the trees. I closed the distance, got to Bohuslav's left, and cut off his arm, making him drop the seed. Then I finished him off with a slash to the neck. Strangely, I was starting to get used to killing, feeling no remorse anymore. Was it because this was a video game, or was I turning into a serial killer? I didn't know. What I did know was that the seed was on the ground, and Shazi had stopped. She had a sword like mine. I felt this was the final showdown between us.
We exchanged several blows, but she managed to wound my arm. Just a cut, but my arm burned—not literally, but the pain was like fire. I fell to one knee.
"Poison… You'll be dead in a few minutes. Victory is mine."
She stabbed a dagger into my hand, pinning me to the ground. The pain was too great to pull it out right away, especially since she had stabbed the hand that wasn't already suffering from the poison's effects. I watched Shazi pick up the fallen seed. But the fight wasn't over. An arrow struck Shazi in the arm. I turned and saw Seera. She looked wounded too, with a sword cut across her stomach. Illija was nowhere to be seen—probably killed by Xochitl.
So now it was a one-on-one-on-one. Well, more like a duel, since I was writhing on the ground, my poisoned arm clouding my thoughts. Still, I couldn't let myself die and make my team lose. Lesky had saved my life. Aristeus, Pendo, and Relatio had all given everything to win this trial. I couldn't abandon them. I refused!
I bit down hard, forced control over my poisoned arm, grabbed the dagger, and pulled it out of my hand. The pain was overwhelming, but my determination was stronger. I took the dagger between my teeth and looked at the fight between Shazi and Seera. Seera was skilled in close combat, but bare fists against a sword—it was the sword that won. Seera disintegrated after a slash to her neck.
I crept up behind Shazi, imagining she was savoring her victory. Once I was close enough, I raised the dagger and stabbed her from behind. She collapsed, her body slowly disintegrating.
"Teams 15 and 16 eliminated. Victory to Team 7 by default."
I then collapsed to the ground
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Lore informations
Ewald : A 18 year old boy from the 15th council, he is part of a fisher familiy and his father is preparing him to take the family business. He is a heir of the 95th Deadhorse : Gluttony (Killed by Roxy)
Subramanian : a 16 year old student, he is the leader of the comitee of discipline in his school, he is a prodigy in the Liddel Republic? He is a heir of the 76th Deadhorse : Misfortune (Killed off screen)
Lidka : A 23 year old girl from the Union Herzeg, she is a tattoo artist in one of the Union's big city. She is a heir of the 99th Deadhorse : Daïs (Killed by the three headed dog)
Ocelari : Also called jaguars, they are naturally muscular and athletic and they can reach a height of 2 meters and can live up to 110 years. Their skins can be golden bronze, they have long muscular tail and claws. They have catlikes eyes and their movements are fluid and silents. They are organized into hunting clans in dense tropical jungles, they carry strong identites for their cultures. Their honor are based on their prowess. They can works as hunters, mercenary or in the military
Sang : A 20 year old from the military of Rose Gold, a small island nation near Okamoto Island. He is pretty strong physicly thanks to an intense training. He is a heir of the 20th Deadhorse : Family (Killed by the three headed dog)
Natalja : A 23 year old girl living in the realm of Davidova, she is a stand up artist making scenes all around the realm of Davidova, however she is a pretty shy girl when she doesn't act. She is not the best at fighting. She is a heir of the 25th Deadhorse : Abundance (Killed by the three headed dog)
Amr : is a 14 year old ankari boy who lives in the caliphate of Afnan. He is pretty stoïc most of the time. He loves flowers and secretly cultivate them in his garden. He is a heir of the 81th Deadhorse : Memory. (Killed by the three headed dog)
Dolgoon :A 16 year old Gypsari student in Verumore, she has a passion for fashion. She is a heir of the 44th Deadhorse : Tempest. (Killed by Seera)
Xochitl : A 20 year old girl from Isla Sorna, she is an architect student with a passion for art. She is a heir of the 53th Deadhorse : Diplomaty (Killed offscreen)
Felvyr : They are slender but can be muscular, they have sharp pointed ears, yellow or green eyes and they can see through the dark more easily. Their walks are pretty silent. They lives in forest clans and they lives in small units, they are pretty protectiveabout their friends but they often don't show them affections directly. They are used to boreal forest or tundras environnement .They have a very good night vision, can move silently and have pretty good reflexes. Their work areas are around spying, tailor or clothes maker
Bohuslav : A 19 year old man of faith in the Sovereignty of Ludovic. He is part of the carmenism church and he is the priest the local church of his town. He is a heir of the 73th Deadhorse (Fertility) (Killed by Roxy)
Shazi : a 16 year old orphan who grew up in an orphenage in the Caliphate of Afnan, she is a pretty rebellious person, comitting multiples small criminal offenses. She is a heir of the 84th Deadhorse : Poison. (Killed by Roxy)
Frucht (73) : The Deadhorse of Fertility. He seeks a heir who will be able to bring fertility over the lands. Their heirs can make pretty much everything grows pretty rapidly, doesn't work on living creatures
Geft (84) : The Deadhorse of Poison, he seeks a heir that can kills from the shadows by mastering the alchemies tricks. Once they wounds someone, they can poison them. They also have easier to create potions