Chapter 10: Deadman's Reward

The feeling of waking up in an unfamiliar location is not going to get any easier. The first thing I notice is the stiffness in my back. I assume we were only out for an hour or so, but it feels so much worse as I steady myself off the floor. The ground feels hollow under my hands, and a slight queasiness passes through my gut. Rin is already up, her black boots tapping on the floor as she seems to be gauging her surroundings. Rin didn't sleep and honestly looks just as alert as she did earlier. There's an air of confidence about her that she didn't have before the trial. I want to ask her how her trial was, but I have a feeling that can wait.

Almost as if responding to my idle thoughts, the now-familiar AI voice resonates through the room with an unsettling calm: "Vital signs detected. Pacts confirmed. Sacrifices may leave the containment area. Participation reward awaits at the exit. Congratulations, hosts."

I snort. "Oh, we even get a little participation trophy from this Last Valley Corporation. How wonderful."

Rin adds, "Wonder if we can tell them to shove it up their ass."

We notice that the wall on the far western side is now open, so we make our way to the hallway. This place is almost endless, and I can't help but imagine how many demons are silently cursing us for not picking them. The long hallway is bathed in green pulsing lights, guiding us toward the end.

The air is thick, as if the walls themselves are breathing, a soft hum vibrating through the soles of our boots. I can't help but feel the weight of every step, like the hallway is a living thing, judging our every movement. Rin doesn't seem bothered, her pace steady and confident, her boots clicking against the floor with an almost rhythmic precision. It's like she's been here before, or maybe it's just the change in her demeanor since the trial. Either way, she's no longer the same person I met in that other world.

At the end of the hallway, a door suddenly materializes, its surface smooth and unyielding—the kind of door you expect to find in a dream, or a nightmare. The pulsing lights slow as we approach, almost as if giving us a moment to brace ourselves. Rin doesn't hesitate. She steps forward, her hand outstretched, and I follow her, my heartbeat matching the growing rhythm of the lights.

We pass through the door without a word, and instantly, the temperature shifts. The air is cooler here, crisp and sterile, like a hospital room or a research facility. The space opens up, revealing what looks like a massive control room, but everything inside seems... off. Machines hum and buzz in the background, but there's no one in sight. It feels like we've walked into a forgotten place—something abandoned, or worse, something being watched. I try to activate some of the consoles, but after a bit of meddling, it proves pointless. They are password-protected. Some part of me wishes Finn could be here to help us, but I know that life is behind us. The room itself seems ransacked—drawers are open, and there is smoke on the white floors. The room isn't very big, but I can tell it's been a long time since anyone's been here.

I discover some supplies by a small soot-covered wooden door. Most of the stuff is expired, but a few things are salvageable. Thankfully, there's water preserved in small thermoses. My fingers graze something stiff and papery, and I pull it free: a folded map, smudged and brittle, its edges fraying.

Unfolding it, I find a series of hand-drawn lines and symbols scattered across a grid-like layout. The words "Path to the Keys" are printed at the top corner in sharp, mechanical font. The map is recognizable—it shows the entire country of Lana. Locations are marked, each indicated by different colors. A note is tucked alongside it, the handwriting clinical, almost cold.

"Found something," I say, holding them up. Rin strides over, frowning as she takes the map from my hands. I take a look at the note the words are printed, and the note itself looks unaged, and fresh. She scans the map with a scowl while I open the note and read it aloud:

To the Hosts,

On behalf of everyone at the Last Valley Corporation, allow us to extend our congratulations. You are our shining achievement. Most other hosts have perished or failed, and the number who have emerged from containment successfully can be counted on two hands. You are not expendable.

The map in your possession is of monumental significance. It reveals the locations of the remaining keys—artifacts critical to unlocking the full potential of the labyrinth and the unimaginable rewards it guards. These keys are the gateways to ancient powers, some of which remain shrouded in mystery, even to us.

The map is both a prize and a responsibility, a token of your survival and the invaluable data you've provided. However, it also brands you as targets. Relic hunters, rogue factions, rival hosts, and others across Lana are already aware of its existence. This map has long been the subject of whispers and leaks, its value known to those who would stop at nothing to possess it.

Abandoning the map will not spare you. Those who seek its secrets will assume you still carry it, and they will hunt you regardless. The map you hold is one fragment of a greater whole, each piece containing knowledge about keys scattered across different regions. Your map focuses on the keys hidden within Lana, though the ultimate prize lies beyond.

Among these, the Black Key stands as the cornerstone—the origin and foundation of every hunt. It is no ordinary artifact; it is alive, imbued with an ancient and malevolent consciousness. The Black Key does not merely exist—it chooses. It seeks out its own hosts, binding itself to those it deems worthy—or perhaps, those it can most easily manipulate. As sacrifices, you are unique; you have been granted access to the labyrinth without requiring the Black Key. This distinction makes you especially valuable, and your role as explorers is both coveted and dangerous.

The Black Key, while immensely powerful, is a double-edged sword. Its corruptive influence erodes the mind and warps the soul of its wielder. While it possesses the unparalleled ability to serve as a master key, capable of unlocking any of the colored labyrinth doors and granting its host the means to bypass countless challenges within the labyrinth, the peril it brings far eclipses its rewards. If you should encounter the Black Key, we urge you to destroy it. Leaving it intact—whether for your use or another's—could have catastrophic consequences.

It is worth noting that of the ten sacrifices, including yourselves, none have taken the Black Key's bargain. Whether by refusal or hesitation, those who do not align themselves with a key's pact inevitably become sacrifices. This cruel reality ensures that the labyrinth always extracts its due, one way or another.

As for the labyrinth's doors, their locations remain veiled in secrecy. Each key you retrieve will offer cryptic hints to guide you. These puzzles are as much a test of your ingenuity as they are of your resolve. Use the map and keys together wisely, for every step forward will bring new challenges—and new threats.

Remember this: the labyrinth is not merely a test of survival. It is a crucible, designed to reveal your worth and determination. The map makes you both hunters and hunted, and the choices you make will shape not only your fate but the destiny of all who dare to seek the labyrinth's secrets. Should you take that map, you will be the first among the few hosts who escaped this place to take such a risk. For that, we offer you the best of luck.

– The Last Valley Corporation

I lower the letter, its weight far heavier than the paper it's written on. My grip tightens, crumpling the edges as my mind races to process everything. The words swirl in my head: hunters and hunted, ancient powers, Black Key. It's hard to tell whether they're congratulating us or issuing a death sentence wrapped in corporate doublespeak.

I glance over at Rin. She's leaning against the wall, arms crossed, staring at the map. Her expression is unreadable, but there's a flicker of something in her eyes—defiance, maybe, or dread.

"Well," I finally say, trying to inject some levity into the suffocating tension, "that's a hell of a pep talk. They sure know how to inspire confidence."

Rin doesn't laugh. Doesn't even smirk. Her gaze sharpens as she looks at me, the map still clutched in her hand. "We don't have a choice, do we?" she asks, though it sounds more like a statement than a question.

I shake my head. "Doesn't look like it. Whether we keep the map or not, someone's going to come after us. And if this 'Black Key' is as bad as they're making it out to be..." I trail off, the thought of something alive choosing its hosts gnawing at the edges of my sanity.

Rin exhales sharply, finally pushing off the wall. "So what? We destroy the key, play their little game, and hope we're not dead by the end of it?"

"Sounds like the gist of it. Which means we also need to take on Finn," I reply, though my voice lacks conviction.

Rin steps closer, holding the map out between us. "If this thing really leads to the keys, we'll need to move fast. The longer we stay here, the more time we give those relic hunters to close in."

I nod reluctantly. She's right, but the idea of charging headfirst into this shit storm, into a hunt that's potentially killed countless others, makes my stomach churn. "And what about the Black Key?"

Her lips press into a thin line. "We destroy it. Like they said. No one—us included—should have that kind of power. Which, yes, if that means we fight Finn, so be it."

I look at her, studying the resolve etched into her features. Rin's tougher than I thought. Stronger. Maybe that trial changed her, or maybe this was always there, waiting for the right moment to surface.

"Alright," I say, forcing a smirk I don't feel. "Guess we're treasure hunters now. Or sacrifices. Maybe both."

She snorts softly, finally showing a hint of amusement. "Either way, let's make sure we're not on the losing side of this."

I have to wonder why this map was never taken by other hosts. Did they not have confidence? Either way, they would have to fight, right? Did they think they could run? Or maybe Finn set something in motion when he took that key. Maybe we aren't privy to the same information as the other hosts. Despite those nagging thoughts, we're moving. With our new partnership in place Rin and I decide ulimately to take the map. The labyrinth waits, its secrets and horrors pressing against the edges of our thoughts. There's no turning back now. I open the wooden door that leads back to the wasteland and step out into the sun.