[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

The bat and Noemi shifted their legs to a wider angle and leaned slightly. This time, Noemi fought without a shield. She moved her left foot forward and extended the spear's point towards the enemy's face. The mayor assumed a very low ward and readied his short-sword to parry.

Noemi's spear thrust forward, but the bat dodged to his right and quickly struck the head of a spear with a sword, pushing it lower, then propelled onward with his poisoned blade extended towards the defending girl.

Noemi leaped away to her left and repositioned her spear, aimed at bat's left arm, made a light swipe, and barely scratched him. At the same time, the bat activated a dart gun in his armguard and targeted Noemi's neck. Projectiles struck the girl's cuirass, so she ignored the attack and continued the offensive with a triple thrust at the bat's skull, but no hit would connect.

The first two strikes were easily evaded and the bat deflected the third, forcing a spear to go half a circle, then hit the ground. The hero of darkest night exploited his advantage, his short sword made an arc next to Noemi's neck, wounding the girl lightly.

Noemi made an uppercut to fend off the bat and moved a step back.

Both warriors took a short pause as If to take a breath, but Noemi was far more exhausted. The bat didn't give her time to rest and re-engaged, blade clanged against a spear. Blow after blow, Noemi was pushed harder behind, with most of her attacks being reduced to hitting vacuum.

Noemi's back suddenly hit the wall and she had nowhere to move. The blade was coming at her head with tremendous speed, but she ducked at the last moment and it struck the helmet, leaving a small dent, and bounced off.

For a second, Noemi's sight turned dim, but she still blindly swiped at the enemy's feet. Her target jumped over the shaft and flew, so Noemi raised her spear to prevent an attack from above. Bat backed away a few feet, then landed on solid ground. Noemi charged, giving a spear momentum, and aimed at the middle of the opponent's torso. Bat hastily stepped aside and grabbed Noemi's weapon.

Noemi freed one of her hands, then pulled the spear towards her, dragging the bat, who shifted his leg and weight in the girl's direction, which gave him enough speed to perform a flash strike. Although the Blade crushed Noemi's scales and slashed her outer thigh, she didn't even flinch and used her free arm to grab the foe and headbutt him.

The bat let go of a spear in concussion and Noemi instantly pushed it straight under the enemy's throat, stopping it right before a killing blow.

“I won.” - She declared.

Bat didn't respond, he only looked at the tip of a spear, with hateful eyes.

[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

Noemi, Arath, and his mysterious small cloaked companion moved to the sewers under the town, then traveled through its labyrinthine pathways, until they found themselves in a maze created from closed gratings and levers that opened related passages.

West, twice south, thrice west, twice north, east, quarce north, thrice east, twice north, twice east, quarce south... Noemi remembered the route quite well, from one of her previous tasks.

“Unghh.” - She lifted a heavy stone, then pressed a hidden button. Nearby wall retracted, revealing a small room. That's where Arath was supposed to hide.

“Okay, you wait here, I'll speak to Augmi and fix everything.” - Noemi spoke.

“That's a bad idea.” - Arath commented.

Noemi turned, with an asking expression.

“You can't be sure that the mayor keeps his word.” - Arath added.

“It would be an act of the greatest disgrace for a warrior to not keep his promise after an honorary duel.”

“There exist people who don't care about honor.”

“What do you suggest?”

“Send a letter and wait here.”

[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

Noemi did as was suggested. The letter was sent by the cloaked rogue, but the girl had to pay extra in silver. She waited until morning, when the rogue returned, with bad news. Augmi's house was ruined by militants, who searched it thoroughly for escapees. Arath appeared to be correct, but he didn't comment on that.

“They're looking for us three in the entire town.” - The rogue added. - “You're done for. Pay me half of my reward and let our deal be over.”

“You know it's not what we have agreed upon. I don't have the coin, I can only pay you the full price.” - Arath stated dispassionately.

Rogue's tongue clicked. - “When do you plan to leave the town then?”

“We don't!” - Noemi interrupted. - “Not until it's all solved!”

“Whoa, whoa, there! I escort the boy to the boss gate, his pernach is mine. That was the deal.” - The rogue was indignant at being at loss.

“Arath!” - Noemi was a bit angry. - “Since it's your fault, just give him the pernach.”

Arath removed the mace from a backpack, then tossed it to a rogue, albeit slightly reluctantly. He responded. - “It's yours, but I still would like you to finish the last part of a deal.”

“I always keep my word, but don't leave me hanging forever.” - Rogue responded.

“Noemi.” - Arath turned to the girl. - “He knows how to leave the town safely. There's nothing that can be done anymore.”

“Don't lecture me!” - Noemi shouted. - “There always has to be a way to put things to rights!”

“I'm afraid there is none. This noon, your faces are going to appear on a quest board.” - Rogue warned. - “Dead or alive. You won't have time to explain yourself.”

“I'm not giving up!” - Noemi was stubborn to a fault.

“Isn't it better If we just leave?” - Arath asked. - “We keep our lives, the town stays as it always was.”

“No! We can't let the wrongdoers roam with no punishment!” - Noemi argued.

Arath didn't try to debate any longer.

“Your decision...” - Rogue replied. - “...It's not my problem and I highly doubt you can conquer labyrinth either way...”

“Don't you ever doubt me!” - Noemi interrupted, proud, crossing her arms and staring directly at the rogue.

“Whoa, whoa! Okay! But what I wanted to say is, If you want to chase the bad guys, you will never leave Zurno.”

“...” - Noemi became uncertain.

“You see, I know the upper echelons of society. You think that guilds don't conquer the dungeon because it's too hard? No, those people benefit from that.”

“What's your point?” - The lizard girl asked.

“You know what happens when the dungeon isn't conquered for a long time? Stronger creatures start to appear. It means better loot, and at the same time, more deaths. Guilds don't care, they just want to have resources to better equip their members and maintain supremacy. They'll only allow a competent group to move on, when the losses start outweighing benefits.”

“...that's ...” - Noemi despised it, but wasn't sure what to say, her taboo codex didn't cover cases as complex.

“...genocide.” - Arath finished for her.

“Genocide?” - Noemi asked.

“Type of mass murder.” - Arath replied, then added. - “Zurno is overpopulated anyway, they kill two birds with one stone.”

Noemi understood the meaning of mass murder, but she never considered such a situation before. She had no way of knowing how to punish people in the described situation.

“People are not a cattle.” - Noemi clutched her spear. - “We can't allow it. We can rebel.”

“Do you think that citizens don't know!? Everyone knows!” - The rogue exclaimed. - “Nothing will be and ever was done.”

Noemi gritted her teeth. She was finally breaking. - “How weak are you!?” - She protested. - “How can the entire village forget about their dying brothers and sisters and continue existing?” - Noemi bit her trembling lip and was silent for a dozen seconds until she exhaled. - “I'm done here.”

Arath and rogue just looked, waiting.

“I detest what this tribe stands for...” - Noemi recalled all the people at the gallows. - “...but my codex is full of mercy, because of their blindness and weakness. So be it. We will vanquish the guardian of this layer to halt the dying... and one day, I promise to return here and restore justice. ”

[ ––––––––– ֎ ––––––––– ]

The rogue was paid whatever silver Noemi had left to stealthily inform Augmi that Noemi wants to say the last goodbye.

Instead of just the mouse, three people met with Noemi at the flooded tunnels. Slain leeches were lying all around, staining dirty waters in a deep shade of crimson. The three people were Tador, Tikan, and Augmi.

Augmi hugged the lizard. - “We're going with you.”

“It's dangerous.” - Noemi replied, slightly worried. Augmi wasn't a warrior.

“You would have to see my wrecked shop. It's less dangerous than there.”

“I'm sorry, it's my fault.”

“No, don't be. It's these wicked, militant scoundrels, they will do anything for money.”

Noemi hugged Augmi tighter. - “I'm so glad to see you.”

“Me too.”

Two girls finally ended their greetings and introduced Tador and Tikan to Arath and the rogue. It turned out that Tikan's curse got progressively worse, so Tador and him decided to give themselves the last chance to rescue the young rat.

“I know that times are desperate, but do you have any plan?” - Tador asked.

“No... but... Arath!” - Noemi called and the boy approached. - “You wanted to solo the boss, what did you have in mind?”

“I will show you once we are in tunnels.” - Arath replied mysteriously.

“No, you should elaborate now.” - Noemi insisted. - “We have to adjust strategy If anything goes south.”

“Fine.” - Arath shrugged nonchalantly and moved hands in his pockets. - “I have studied the results of all the recorded parties. Blunt weapons and explosives have the highest success rate, so we are going to build a huge bomb.”

Augmi began to understand what the boy's intentions could be. - “Have you also studied glowworms? If it was your main idea, then you're mistaken about the amount of effort it takes to safely gather a single vial of their vital fluids.”

Arath shrugged again. - “That's why I told you that I need to show it.”

“So, we'll know If your plan works after we find the glowworms.” - Noemi deduced.

“Yup.” - Arath kicked a stone out of boredom.

“In case it doesn't work, I've taken all my best potions.” - Augmi responded. - “We should be well prepared.”

“Good to hear that!” - Noemi smiled. - “Then, let's get going!”