The Splinter of Delusion; Part-3

"Huh?" Zero's eyes fluttered open. His surroundings were... soft? His head rested against something that felt like the fluffiest pillow ever. The air was tinged with a sweet fragrance, and something... someone's long hair brushed against his cheek.

"Wha—?!" Zero shot up, his face instantly blazing red. His head had been resting on Thalia's lap. His heart was pounding like a war drum. (How did that happen?!)

Thalia sighed, her face softening but with a hint of concern. "You're awake," she said, her voice low and slightly relieved. "You didn't get hurt, did you?"

Zero's heart was still trying to break free from his chest. "I-I..." He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. This wasn't exactly the situation he had in mind for waking up. "Thanks for saving me back there. I'm not sure why I passed out, but... I'll figure it out," he added, rubbing his head and trying to jog his memory.

Thalia quickly looked away, a bead of sweat trickling down her face. (Thank goodness he doesn't remember...) She silently recalled the chaotic moment: when Kaia had called out, she'd yanked Zero behind her and jumped, but the wall had obstructed her grip. Zero had crashed straight into the opposite wall before collapsing.

(I can't believe he doesn't remember.)

Zero stood up, his expression turning serious as he surveyed their surroundings. "What is this place?" His eyes widened. It was no longer the cozy apartment they had been in. The room had morphed into something... bizarre. A twisted, colourful labyrinth stretched out before him.

(B-level monster? But this... this feels off.)

Thalia blinked, looking just as confused but somehow surprisingly calm, considering the situation. "I have no idea," she said, her voice steady despite the disorienting scenery. "This doesn't look like anything I've ever seen before. But... it doesn't feel totally foreign."

Zero raised an eyebrow. "Have you encountered something like this before?"

"No, never," Thalia said, then her lips tightened into a thin line as something darker flashed across her face. "But Kaia... she was on the other side of that wall." Her hands trembled slightly.

Zero placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, his voice firm. "Calm down, Thalia. I won't let anything happen to her."

She winced but nodded, though the panic didn't fully leave her eyes. "I'm just... confused." She crouched down, her hands clutching her temples. "This has to be a dream. We need to find Kaia, now."

"Get up," Zero said, his tone unyielding. "Worrying won't get us anywhere." He held out his hand, and she took it, standing up again. Zero's eyes flickered for a moment, his expression hardening. (Once we find Kaia, I'll clear her memories. And that faceless kid... he won't be a problem either.)

***

"Yuck!" Kiaan cried, shaking his boot furiously as some disgusting slime stuck to it. "I swear, I wouldn't have stepped foot in this place if it weren't for Kaia." His voice was a mix of frustration and grossed-out disbelief.

Suddenly, his eyes caught a flash of light ahead. He rushed forward, kicking the slime off as he moved. "Ah, solid ground!" He sighed in relief as the slimy grip on his boots vanished, replaced by solid earth.

The labyrinth sprawled out in front of him, its colours gleaming in vibrant hues, like some kind of psychedelic dreamscape. "Wait... this is a whole realm?" Kiaan's pupils flickered, turning into glowing gold, his senses sharpening. (That's a human scent I smell...)

Without wasting a second, he rushed toward a grand door at the heart of the labyrinth. But just as he stepped forward, the ground twisted beneath him. The path morphed into a staircase—no, wait—it flipped! The entire labyrinth turned upside down, displacing the ceiling with the floor.

Kiaan fell, rolling smoothly, landing on his feet in a perfect superhero pose. "Nailed it!" He smirked, but when he looked up, the door had vanished.

"Seriously?" Kiaan groaned, glancing around at the now flipped maze. "This place is like a cursed carnival ride…"

His eyes narrowed. "B-level monster? No... there's something else going on here."

Suddenly, the ground began to bubble. Kiaan's attention snapped to the floor as colourful slime creatures began to emerge, rising like grotesque, squishy puppets with humanoid shapes.

"What in the world..." He watched as dozens of the slimy monstrosities oozed to life. They all stood on two legs, and with uncoordinated movements, they charged straight at him.

Kiaan smirked. "Great, slime monsters. My favourite."

Without missing a beat, he clapped his hands together. Slowly, he pulled them apart, and a glowing blue sword materialized in his grip. The blade flickered to life, flames licking the steel with a fierce blue glow.

"This should be fun."

The creatures were still a good distance away, but Kiaan didn't wait for them to close in. With a single swing, he cut the air, sending a shockwave of blue flame that streaked forward like a comet.

The fire snaked through the air, cutting down the slime creatures in a flash. One by one, they evaporated into puddles of goo, no match for Kiaan's blaze.

"Pathetic," he muttered, wiping a bit of slime off his sword as the last creature splattered into the ground. (I expected more. But something's not right... This labyrinth doesn't feel like the work of some random monster.)

"Hey!" Kiaan yelled, spinning around to face the maze. "Come out bastard! How long will you hide?"

Silence.

"Nothing? C'mon, show yourself!" He kicked a chunk of the wall with a grunt, shattering it to reveal something… darker.

A shadowy, fog-like aura seeped from the breach in the wall. It was cold, suffocating, and full of malice—an unsettling contrast to the vibrant labyrinth around him.

(Dark magic... Why here? Did he escape?) Kiaan thought, his brow furrowing as he stepped forward. His left hand glowed with radiant white light, the energy pulsating as he extended his palm toward the shadow. With a flick of his wrist, the white light surged forward, attempting to purify the dark magic.

(Is this after The Chameleon? Or is it something worse?)

Suddenly, the ground trembled beneath him, the labyrinth shaking violently.

Kiaan stumbled, trying to keep his balance. "What now?"

***

"The ground's shaking?" Kaia blinked, squinting at the stairs that seemed to be defying all logic, her eyes red and her expression grim.

"Yeah, I noticed..." The faceless kid gulped, sweat dripping down his pale face. "But, uh, wasn't I supposed to wait back there? Why are you dragging me up these—insane—stairs?"

Kaia didn't even flinch, gripping him under one arm like he was a sack of potatoes. She scaled the stairs with ease, the whole thing wobbling beneath her like it might collapse at any moment. The kid's eyes widened as the height hit him.

"Please," he squeaked, voice cracking. "Don't drop me. I'm begging you!"

Kaia glanced over at him as she continued to ascend, her brow furrowing. "Huh. These stairs weren't here before. The apartment must've expanded... but if we're going up, shouldn't we have hit the roof by now? How long is this going to take?"

The kid winced at the question, shifting uncomfortably. "Well, if you think I'm in charge of these crazy stairs, you've got another thing coming." His breath hitched. "I just want to make it through without... you know, falling."

Kaia paused, her grip loosening for a split second, and his entire face turned pale. "I swear, if you drop me..."

"Okay, okay!" The kid scrambled to get the words out before his life flashed before his eyes. "I-I know a shortcut, alright? But you cannot tell Mom and Dad about this—please."

Without missing a beat, a hidden path in the wall slid open with a soft, ominous whoosh. Kaia shot him a look, her eyebrow raised like she wasn't convinced this wasn't a trap.

With a shrug, she stepped through the opening, the kid still hanging limply under her arm like an unwilling backpack. "Lead the way, shortie."