Rain 2

Standing before the entrance of the Shia Kalt Great Labyrinth, our shadows stretched out long in the fading light.

The signs of battle were clear.

The icy rocks were shattered, and deep gashes marked the surface everywhere.

And on the snow…

“This is…”

Hawin crouched down to examine the bloodstains on the snow.

His sharp eyes scanned the surroundings.

“It seems someone was carried this way. There are two sets of footprints, and it looks like… they were moving something-or someone-into the labyrinth.”

Hawin’s words made Klaus’s face pale.

His clothes still clung to him, stiff with frost.

“Sir Edgar…”

His voice trembled.

Adrian stepped forward and grasped his shoulder.

“Pull yourself together. You need to go to the temple now.”

“But…”

“My potion was just a temporary fix. Your wounds are critical. You need proper treatment.”

Adrian’s tone was firm.

His words carried the weight of an alchemist’s experience.

I agreed with him.

Klaus’s condition was far more dangerous than it appeared.

Without Adrian’s potion, he wouldn’t have made it this far.

“And we’re planning to enter the labyrinth. We came for the flower, but we’ll look for Sir Edgar too.”

“Bu, the King of Insects…” Klaus hesitated but soon nodded.

“No… thank you… thank you so much.”

He limped away, his figure growing smaller as he descended the mountain.

The sunlight reflected off his footprints, glinting faintly.

Silence fell.

The cold air pierced deep into our lungs.

It felt like swallowing a blade.

Hawin broke the silence.

“This seems… more dangerous than I thought.”

His voice lacked its usual playfulness.

Hawin, who always joked around, was rarely this serious.

“Thinking of turning back now?”

I gazed at the labyrinth’s entrance, lost in thought.

A story my grandmother used to tell came to mind.

Legends about the Shia Kalt Great Labyrinth, one of the Eight Great Labyrinths, which was barely known.

They said intruders would turn into ice statues, their souls trapped forever in the ice walls.

Yet, a strange pull in my chest persisted.

It felt like when I first became an adventurer in the village.

Scared and anxious, but certain that something precious awaited.

I shook my head.

“When have we ever taken the safe path?”

A smile tugged at my lips.

“I’ve never been here before, but somehow, I’m not afraid. It feels… like I was meant to come here.”

When I first decided to become an adventurer, the villagers called me crazy.

They said it was foolish to choose that path at such a young age.

But here we were.

A flame burned deep in my chest.

The real reason I became an adventurer.

A longing to see a bigger world.

That flame seemed to grow stronger here.

“I… just have a feeling. The flower is probably a good being.”

Hawin looked at me quizzically.

“What evidence do you have?”

“No evidence, just a gut feeling.”

“Idiots,” Adrian sighed, shaking his head.

“Actually… I couldn’t say this in front of Klaus, but the knights seem more suspicious.”

“According to Oldin, the flower was a being that granted holy power. And the Hero and Saintess became stronger after meeting it.”

True.

Klaus’s story had made us anxious, but the rumors about the flower were all positive.

Adrian thought for a moment, then continued.

“If the flower were truly dangerous, the Hero and Saintess wouldn’t have let it be. So why were the knights so aggressive?”

“Maybe… they had another purpose.”

“Hmm, that makes sense.”

Hawin said, impressed.

I silently agreed.

Of course, having a smart person in the party was essential.

“Let’s approach them peacefully.”

They nodded in agreement.

We stepped slowly into the labyrinth.

The ice cave was much deeper than expected.

While the entrance was bright, the inner depths grew darker.

Yet, strangely, the ice walls emitted a faint blue glow.

As if they stored light and released it gradually.

Each step echoed softly against the ice floor.

It felt as though the labyrinth itself was alive, sensing our presence.

The ice crystals on the walls were mesmerizing.

They seemed to hold another world within them.

At times, blue, then purple hues shimmered faintly.

Droplets fell from the ceiling.

They froze before hitting the ground, sparkling like small crystals.

The floor was already covered in such formations.

And over the bloodstains, new footprints led deeper in.

Clearly, someone had supported Sir Edgar this far.

“Do you think they’re here for the flower too?”

Hawin muttered.

“Probably. Since the flower is a holy being acknowledged by the Saintess.”

Adrian’s words made Hawin tilt his head.

“But… would it heal someone who attacked it?”

“I don’t know, but those people ahead seem to reverence the flower.”

They must.

Dragging a critically injured knight this deep requires conviction.

“Looks like our judgment was right.”

…

“Why aren’t there any monsters?”

“Did the knights or the two ahead wipe them out?”

“But there’s no sign of battle.”

It was suspiciously quiet, with only the trail of blood and footprints.

“Shh!”

Hawin raised a hand suddenly.

“There’s someone ahead.”

Instantly, the three of us formed a defensive formation, honed by our teamwork.

If our guess was right, it would be Sir Edgar and his group.

But we had to be prepared for anything.

Hawin hid in the shadows, bow at the ready, while Adrian gripped his potion pouch and dagger.

I drew my sword, but not fully, and moved forward quietly.

Tension filled the air.

Then, a figure emerged from the darkness.

A man supported an injured knight, while a female warrior stood guard.

Her gaze was sharp.

Her hand rested on the hilt of her greatsword.

Her presence was intimidating, far beyond an ordinary adventurer.

When she spotted us, she immediately assumed a fighting stance.

Adrian quickly pulled out a high-grade life recovery potion.

The red glow of the potion flickered in the dark.

It was as if the light signaled a truce.

The warrior’s sharp eyes wavered for a moment.

“Who…?”

She asked cautiously, but upon seeing the potion, her expression softened.

The tension in the air eased.

The man sighed in relief.

The knight he supported was pale, with multiple severe injuries.

Notably, ice crystals had formed around his wounds.

Signs of severe frostbite.

Adrian quickly approached and administered the potion.

His movements were precise, those of a seasoned alchemist.

“Thank… thank you so much.”

“I’m Brian. This is Haffel, and my brother Edgar.”

So, the injured knight was Edgar.

And Haffel… I think I’ve heard that name before.

“From the inn, Oldin of the Unyielding Will group.”

Hawin whispered.

A memory from the inn’s story surfaced.

“Are you here for the flower?”

Haffel looked slightly surprised.

“Yes. You?”

We introduced ourselves in turn.

As we talked, it turned out Brian was also an adventurer who had met the flower with the Unyielding Will party.

She was named Lycoris, a flower with immense power and various abilities.

Naturally, they were here to heal the knight.

“Let’s go together.”

I suggested first.

Haffel and Brian nodded immediately.

“I’ll carry my brother.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Thanks to Adrian, Edgar’s condition has stabilized.”

Haffel thought for a moment, then said.

“I’ll lead. I’ve dealt with Lycoris and the insects before.”

Naturally, our roles were set.

Adrian would periodically check Edgar’s condition, and I would guard the rear.

The five of us moved like a well-trained party, each fulfilling our roles.

Hawin and Haffel led, occasionally stopping to scout ahead, while Haffel prepared his greatsword.

Brian carefully carried his brother, following Haffel.

Adrian checked the potions and monitored Edgar’s state.

I protected the rear, occasionally exchanging glances with Hawin.

Surprisingly, we communicated well without many words.

Our movements were in perfect sync, like old comrades.

As we ventured deeper, the blue glow of the walls intensified.

Occasional drips and distant sounds echoed, but no monsters appeared.

“Still no monsters.”

Hawin said quietly.

Brian nodded.

“My guess is it’s Lycoris’s influence. This labyrinth is her domain now.”

His words widened Hawin’s eyes.

“She? The flower is female?”

“Of course,” Haffel smiled.

“You’ll see when you meet her.”

My heart raced at the moment.

It felt like we were truly about to meet an extraordinary being.