Chapter 3

Encounter

And so, time passed by...

...Was what I would like to say, but there’s really no way to tell time here. Personally, I’d say we’ve been travelling for a few days and have covered a fair distance during that period. Hadda didn’t agree, though.

「 So weak, 」 was what came out of his beaks when I asked for a break.

According to him, we’ve only covered hours’ worth of distance because of how many rests I needed. And no, I’m not weak like Hadda said I am…

…Am I? I feel like I’ve walked a fair amount before tiring myself out. And that block from the first puzzle, I couldn’t lift it not because I’m weak, but because it was freaking heavy.

…Hadda could lift it, though. Quite easily as well. Is he perhaps freakishly strong? Or am I just that weak?

「 Yes, you are that weak, 」 he replied as if reading my mind.

「 I didn’t read your mind. You thought that out loud. 」

Eh? Did I?

Sometimes it’s hard to know which thoughts are “broadcasted”, and which are my own. How embarrassing.

Anyway, we encountered more puzzles since that first one. Each of them were unique and difficult in their own ways, and somewhat provided entertainment for us in this dark, bland world. We’d then play games to see who gets it solved first, and the bird always won because I… ahem, I was never really into it. I just don’t get it, you know. We could’ve solved them much faster if we’d worked together, but Hadda can’t live without his stupid games.

Those are the times with the puzzles, but when we’re not doing those, there’s just walking and walking, the boring, tedious work of putting your foot in front of the other. The boredom was killing us, so we chat it away.

So, this dark mist is actually the field?

「 More accurately, the mist is how it’s projected onto our senses. The field itself is intangible because it occupies a space beyond what we can perceive. We can’t “observe” it, but we can “feel” it in how it gives us everything we need to live. Weird, right? 」

He earlier mentioned about how the aether field provided “mana” for the plants, which in turn provides air. But that doesn’t nearly qualify as “everything we need”, does it?

What about food?

「 What about it? 」

...Come to think of it, when was the last time I ate?

I mentally slap myself for being so slow.

Do we even need to eat or drink?

「 No, not here, at least. 」

Putting that mind-blowing fact aside, we then moved on to the topic I was most curious about; the other tenants.

Lifers, as he had told me before, are prisoners that were “sentenced” for life. He said that these lifers like to fight it out with other prisoners, even taking on the “jailers”. Hadda said that there’s only one sole lifer here, and that he hadn’t seen it for a long time, only on some occasions that we hear the roaring of a mighty beast.

Other than that, there’re also prisoners who are to be released after some conditions are met. Hadda is one of this type and apparently, there are others too. 

Then, there are the “jailers”, as I took to calling them. I’ve never seen one, but Hadda said that unlike the lifer, these guards move in a coordinated pattern, patrolling the maze systematically. These would engage the lifer and crooks alike, keeping them running for their life inside the maze. Basically, they’re a danger for everyone… except for Hadda, which they avoid for some reason.

「 Well, the “jailers” - snort - are smart enough to leave me alone. I don’t bother myself with the lifer. He can’t catch up to my speed. 」

Right…

Basically, he’s saying that he ran away. And he said that so proudly, too.

What about the lifer? What do I do if I meet it?

「 Just run. But you’re so weak you’d probably be invisible to him. He tends to like the ones who fight, and you… 」

…I honestly don’t know whether that’s a good thing or not, but please stop with that pitiful gaze.

As he told me, from time to time, a creature would appear here in the same manner as I did, creatures categorized as the regular prisoners, but they eventually fall prey to the survivalist lifer. Hadda described the lone lifer as a bipedal beast with two horns on its head. The image that comes to my mind is… too scary to describe. Perhaps it was because of those bone-chilling roaring that I hear now and then. 

After spending so much time in darkness, I began to long for sunlight. It really drives you, you know—not being able to bask in the sun, or see the wide horizon in front of you, those small things really take their toll. Moreover, I want to see other people, and by other people, I mean humans.

So far, I’ve only met a talking bird and apparently there’s also some kind of beast somewhere. I wonder if there are other humans here? If not, then there’s even more reason to go outside.

And so I started asking Hadda about the outside world.

「 There’s nothing good about it. People fighting everywhere, lots dead and lots, lots more starving. The weak are always used and abused, and the rulers had no care for any glint of morals. No shame at all, the lot of them, people and gods alike, turning a blind eye and went about their own business. Kingdoms are terrorized by plagues. Men tyrannized by their kings and wives abused by their husbands. Sons sent to die, and daughters soiled for some extra slices of bread, until all but one is left of the family, powerless and left starving on the roads. 」 

...Well, that certainly got me by surprise. He seems to have some bad memories from the outside world. Maybe it has something to do with him being here? If it was me, I would certainly resent whoever put me here, but Hadda sounded like he doesn’t even want to go out.

「 I‒it’s not always like that, though! Before then, it was really nice and peaceful, you know? They got this nice balance going, and we never needed to intervene! Besides, it’s a long time ago, so things have probably changed, you know! 」

Wait, what? So, which is it? Does he want to go out or not?

No, more importantly...

Hey, Hadda…

「 What? 」

What do you mean by “we”?

He froze. His beak opens to say something, but he apparently chose not to as it closes again, looking away from me.

A clear sign of rejection.

- sigh -

He can’t be budged when he’s like this. He makes it so clear when there’s stuff he doesn’t want to talk about, and I guess it’s because it has something to do with why he’s here. I don’t think I want to hear about it either if it turned out that he did something indescribably bad, like if he ate a baby or something...

Nonetheless, I use the chance to keep probing.

You said it was a long time ago, so how long exactly have you been here?

「 ...For a while now. Quite a while, actually. 」

Oh? I didn’t expect that. This was another topic he would turn his head away from. Is he starting to open up? 

「 What’s with that look, brat? 」

I quickly closed my mouth that was grinning all on its own.

It’s nothing.

I better not push my luck, lest he’ll close o me again. Sensing that the topic is uncomfortable for him, I change it,

So, how long until we get to the exit?

「 Hmm? Exit? 」

Yeah. Isn’t that where we’re headed?

「 .... 」

... Hadda, do you even know where the exit is?

「 .... 」

I stop walking. Now we’re just staring at each other; me and the raven, in the middle of a dark hallway, surrounded by tall walls of the maze.

Again, I was too slow to realize that the bird’s position was no more than another prisoner, thus it would be illogical if he knew where the exit was.

But then… where had he been leading me to this whole time?

…Or rather, is he helping me in the first place?

But you ‘are’ helping find a way out… right? I asked again.

「 Yes, of course I am! 」

So where are we heading now?

「 A way out… 」

He sounded uncertain, yet I don’t think he’s lying.

...Ahh, I feel so stupid.

I guess it’s really my fault for being dependent on him when there was really no reason to believe that he knew the way out. Still, I need to know where we’re going, if not the exit.

Hadda, please tell me where we’re headed.

Silence. He just stares at the ground for some time before finally raising his gaze to meet mine.

「 Someone... 」

Someone?

「 I’m taking you to someone that knows‒ 」

He stops as if interrupted by something. His head darts left and right, then back at me. 

「 Brat, let’s play a game. 」

Eh?

「 It’s a game where you run. You keep running until I tell you to stop. Can you play? 」

Yes?

「 Can. You. Play? 」

Y─Yes, I’ll play.

「 Do it. Now. 」

Right! 

And so, I start running. Because I have next to no stamina, I’ll have to carefully pace myself. I’m running at a fast pace; almost sprinting, but not quite as fast to allow me to at hold on for at least a minute or two.

With a flap of his wings, Hadda now flies beside me.

Hadda‒

「 The next part of the game is to go where I tell you to go. 」

Hadda, what’s…─

「 Go left. 」

So I did. I also stop asking questions because I have a gist of what’s going on, but even then, I’m already running out of breath. Hadda looks at me, but says nothing. He knows that I don’t have what it takes to finish his “game.”

During that exchange, I hear a growl and now... footsteps? It’s coming from the wall on the right. Does that mean...

I thought it’s behind us, but I was wrong. It’s on another path parallel to ours, and on this rate, it’s going to cut us off at the next intersection. Isn’t it better to turn around?! I don’t know how it will cut us off exactly, or how it even knows our position, but seeing that it’s heading at the same direction as us...

Hadda!

「 Keep going. 」

He’s so calm. Why is he so calm? Doesn’t he know what the lifer is planning? 

No, I’m sure he knows. He always knows, whether if it’s about the maze or the lifer’s position. He was always three steps ahead right from the start, so… why? The next intersection is just ahead…

...Agh, to hell with it! I’ll trust you, Hadda, but if you get us killed, I’m going to make sure you go first! 

As we run into the fated intersected, a loud sound comes from the right path, like something large crashing into the wall. I glance at that direction and… see nothing but a faint silhouette.

「 Don’t stop! 」

I keep going straight, and some distance ahead, there’s clearly a wall in the way. Oh, boy..., please let it be a turn or a fork. Please let it not be a dead end, anything but that.

............

...Alright, it’s a dead end.

Hadda!

「 Keep going! 」

But it’s a─

「 Just trust me, brat! 」

Damn it, bird! I know I said I’ll trust you, but this is just too much! It’s not like there’s some sort of hidden passage─

…wait, a hidden passage? Here? But where, and how to open it? I don’t see a lever or anything here. Not even a puzzle.

Umm... Hadda?

The bird in question stands silent, his back against mine, facing towards the corridor behind us. I follow where his gaze is fixed on, and there it is...

A bipedal creature with two horns on its head…

…was what Hadda described it as. But that description doesn’t nearly come close to the beastly terror that attributes to the lifer’s appearance. 

Its form, while it has a tinge of human, is nothing of the sort. Its body is large and muscled to the point that it seems unnatural, making its form look short and stumpy, yet it’s easily twice my own height, having me look up even at a distance. Its large hands look like it can break my back with just a flick.... 

- shivers -

Why did I even thought of that?

It has little to no clothing, with only little fabric wrapped around its waist to cover its front as if to mock the concept of decency. The creature has a deformed head, more animal than human and adorned by two grotesque horns that curves upwards. His legs are bent unlike my own, like a bovine standing unnaturally with hooves on the end.

It’s slowly hunching its way towards us, as if taking joy in the fear of its trapped meal. I can see a grin on the distorted head as it walks over, one that sent shivers down my spine. And its eyes.... eerily white as is his hide, glaring at us like a predator does a prey. 

Hadda...

I called out weakly, my legs morphing into jelly.

「 Behind us. Get ready to run. 」

- Clunk -

Huh? This sound… the hidden passage? 

「 Go, NOW! 」

Right at that moment, the horned beast let out a piercing roar, and I...

...I... I can’t. Why can’t I look away from that thing...? Those eyes are looking at me as if I’m some kind of... meal?

My body won’t listen. This is bad, I got to move. I got to... that thing’s coming closer. Move, damnit, move!

Shite... why am I on the floor? Did I fall? I can’t feel any strength in my legs. It’s already reaching out for me... 

What is it going to do, eat me? But Hadda said we don’t need food or…

...Hadda.

Hadda is here.

He plants his claws between me and the lifer, his large, jet black wings spread to all its might. The lifer, which had its attention fixed on me, snorted at the sudden annoyance. It moves as if to sweep the bird away, but then the roar came.

A roar with the might of a great beast, a roar that shook the grounds and the walls of the maze.

A roar that you wouldn’t believe coming from a bird.

The lifer steps back, now taking a defensive stance against the puny bird in front of it as it throws back a vengeful cry. Meanwhile my eyes freeze on the raven that just unleashed a dragon’s roar, his wings still spread wide as he glances behind to meet my eyes.

「 What are you doing, brat?! RUN! 」

I start running then…. or I tried to, but I just fell instead. It’s like my legs had been paralyzed and now I can’t even stand up.

Suddenly, I feel familiar claws clawing my shoulder as my body is suddenly lifted up, and then thrown at the recently opened passage. I look behind to see Hadda croaking at me,

「 Start running or I’ll prick you to death! 」

His voice shocks me back from that state, bringing life back to my feet as I stand and start running like my life depends on it. However, fear struck me and I glance back to see Hadda still where he was, standing off against the lifer. 

He’s just a bird and yet, he… I can’t leave him. I have to go back!

I stop and twist my body, but before I run back, another thought rises.

…I can’t go back. Hadda told me to run, and so I should. I’ve trusted him so far, and I know he’s always, always three steps ahead.

I trusted Hadda all this time, and I’ll trust him now. And so, I start running again with a new resolve.

「 Go left! 」

I can hear Hadda’s instruction from far behind, which I follow without hesitation, turning left on the fork.

「 THE OTHER LEFT, BRAT! 」

EH!? 

I spin my body, ignoring my strained muscles screaming at me as I turn and run into the opposite passage. 

A few steps in, I suddenly hear a familiar sound from the walls. Sure enough, I look back and see the passage behind me closing. 

Hadda, it’s closing! 

I call out, broadcasting my thoughts as loud as I can. 

Come on… where are you, stupid bird!

Hadda!!

There’s no response while the passage closes, now leaving only a small gap.

Then, I see the raven appearing from the corner, and following behind him, the beastly lifer, reaching out at him with bloodshot eyes. I instinctively step back as soon as I see it, despite it still being far away. It keeps swinging its hands, but the bird easily dodges, whipping in the air with abnormal agility.

Hadda, over here!

Hearing my call, Hadda positions his wings and then, defying the law of physics, launches himself towards the gap as if sprung by an invisible spring. He dives through the gap, and the wall closes behind him.

--- --- ---

「 You’re.., too loud, brat… 」 the bird said between shallow breaths. 「 Oy, what’s wrong with you? He didn’t get you, did he? Why are you squirming in pain? 」

Unable to speak, I only answer with a teary gaze. Note to self; never stand in the bird’s way when he’s launching himself.

Uuu…. Hadda…

「 Hmph, I see. You’re overwhelmed by the feeling of gratitude for me, right? ‘Tis okay, brat, for that lowly savage is nothing compared to my might. 」

…Can I this return this bird, please? And maybe have something more fierce in return, like a wolf or something?

「 What is it? Is your chest hurting or something? 」

Yes...

Because you used it as a safety bag. What would you do if there’s permanent damage, you damned bird? I’ll definitely hold you responsible if they grew up flat!

Hadda…

「 Speak up, brat. Which part hurts? 」

Left…

「 The left part? 」

Other left…

「 Other left? What are you talking about─… oh. 」

I knowingly smile at him. He snorts at me, clearly annoyed by my lovely smile.

「 I was facing the other way, so… 」

So…?

「 Technically, it was my left. 」

Pfft, hahaha! I can’t… ouch, “other left”… haha, ugh…

My chest and stomach are hurting, but I can’t stop laughing…

「 U─Ungrateful brat! 」 he cried out before unleashing a flurry of pricks on me. 「 This is what you get! This is what you get! 」

Ow, ow, ow! You’re hurting me!

「 Your fault! Did you not see my might earlier! I saved you and you treat me like this, as if you didn’t see my might earlier! Your fault! 」

But all you did was run away, though. What might?

「 Croaaak! You insolent─ 」

 Hadda?

「 Ah? 」

I give him a warm smile as I stroke beneath his beak.

I’m glad you’re here.

He becomes stone for a moment, as if not knowing what to say before returning to his haughty tone,「 Hmph. As you should be. 」

I’m sorry for thinking of exchanging you with a wolf earlier…

「 Wolf? 」

Before, there was still doubt in my heart, doubt about if this bird really was helping me, but it’s clear now. I can trust Hadda, for he will keep me safe, just like he did before.

「 The wolf is no good. 」

Eh?

「 …Let’s go, brat. We shouldn’t linger. 」

Ah, right.

Having rested a bit, we depart once more.

…I wonder, what was that thing with a wolf? I only said that on a whim, but Hadda’s reaction isn’t something I expected at all, and now I have a premonition…

…Nah, it’s probably just my feeling.