Reconciliation

The sheer amount of fire that propelled from my hands was immense. It engulfed the entire path that was in front of me. Though I couldn’t see the lizard as it was lost in my flames, its painful screeching told me my fire was doing its job.

After its cries slowed and, eventually, stopped completely, I let down my hands. Luckily the flames had not caught onto the surrounding bushes, and so I peacefully awaited the site of the lizard as the smoke began to separate.

As the smoke subsided, I could see the lizard as it lay on its side, tongue sticking open. Its whole body was charred, parts of its black skin now disconnected and on the floor as its flesh was exposed to the open air.

I celebrated lightly, pumping my fist as it rested to my side.

My celebrations couldn’t last long, however, because the smell was becoming too great to bear. My nostrils and stomach began to twist as it felt as though I would collapse as a result of the raging fumes at any second.

That wasn’t the only reason. I still had a timer to beat. Celebrations could begin once I had found my way out of this place.

I soon realised that, earlier, I wasn’t thinking properly. I constantly returned to the same place in the maze because I wasn’t taking notice of a pretty simple pattern.

Each time I had managed to find myself back at the same place which presented me with four different pathways, I had been ignorant; I had panicked and not considered what I was actually supposed to do.

Puzzles like this were not really a matter or test of intelligence. They were more a test of patience and trial by error. Memory was also part of it. It became clear that only one of these passages took you further along within the maze. However, if you chose the wrong path at any stage, it meant you returned back right at the beginning of it all. Therefore, I made sure to memorise the correct passages I had taken, so, upon failing, I could easily make it back to where I went wrong and could subsequently rectify my mistake.

After a tense period of repetition, I found myself at the exit of the maze. I couldn’t tell how long I had been in there. It could’ve been forty minutes, sixty minutes, even one hundred minutes. I hadn’t a clue.

After all, I wasn’t exactly sure how this game worked. I wasn’t sure what would happen to me if the timer ran out, or whether I purposefully wasn't going to be told in order for the Being to make the revelation a spectacle for himself to enjoy.

With hope burning inside, my right foot stepped over the exit line. The other followed, and I was met by a quiet, warm area home to a twisting tree that wrapped around itself in ways I had never seen before. Its sparkling leaves almost distracted me from remembering what I needed to do.

I had to check if I had made it out in time. Better that, I had to know if Ren and Izumi had made it out safely too.

I looked around, but my eyes were met with nothing other than the peaceful lights from the winding tree. However, as I looked further down the edge of the maze, I could see two more exit areas, both which branded flickering lights to the side.

I frantically approached them, muttering to myself that we were all going to be okay. As I reached them, I realised they were not flickering lights at all. They were, in fact, times that displayed how much time they had left to escape.

37:32

That number was displayed on both timers.

37:25

The timer…it was going down. Did that mean I had completed the maze that quickly? I was sure I was lost within that place for much longer. Not only that, but I remember running away from the lizard for quite some time.

I couldn’t quite believe it, but then again, my perception of time recently was terribly scarred. The passage of time in real life really does feel very different from the time that seems to pass when you’re lost in your thoughts.

“Sabar! You made it out!”

Izumi blipped into existence just in front of one of the two entrances. She smiled brightly and appeared exuberant. Thank god she was safe.

“Sabar! You made it out!” She repeated with another gleeful smile.

She was running towards me, eyes directly pointing toward mine. The sparkling of the lights from the twisting tree reflected in her eyes, making me think that she couldn’t be happier to see anyone else.

I took the opportunity and ran towards her, my arms out, ready for our first hug. My heart began to pound as we approached each other. With each second, my anticipation grew stronger. For the first time, I was going to hug a girl.

She ran straight past me.

She positioned herself under the tree, standing completely still and not looking my way. I guess that’s where she’s supposed to stand while waiting for us to get out of the maze.

As embarrassment took over my entire body, I readjusted my glasses, unsure of what to do after that experience. Even so, at least Ren wasn’t there to witness it.

Even if he did, I’d try to playfully mock him that I made it out before both him and Izumi.

“Ahem.” Something cleared its voice from in front of me. It had come from the other exit of the maze.

I looked up and saw Ren squirting harshly at me. The look on his face wasn’t anger. I could tell. He must’ve seen what just happened. I had never seen someone’s face so deeply mixed with cringe and embarrassment before.

He began pacing towards me, the same expression branded on his face.

I panicked, and was quick to defend myself. “Ren, please don’t tell me you just saw that. I—I was just happy she—”

Ren hugged me.

My eyes widened out of shock as he rested his chin on my shoulder, and began whispering gently in my ear. “I didn’t see anything, Taro. I’m glad you’re already here. And—And I’m sorry.”

I was grateful that he didn’t let go, because I don’t think I could’ve continued the conversation while looking at him.

“Come on, Ren. Sorry about what? There’s nothing you need to apologise about. If anything, it’s I who should—”

“No, Taro. Stop playing the nice guy. All that I’ve said to you…I’m sorry for saying it. And when we were in that cave, I should’ve protected you. You could’ve died from that surprise attack.”

I tried to get a word in, but he squeezed me harder, indicating that he hadn’t finished talking.

“I knew you weren’t aware of my plan when the flying creature charged at you. I put your life at risk without even telling you what I was thinking. It was reckless and ignorant. I’m sorry.”

He continued. “And here…I could’ve told you how to get out, and you wouldn’t have had to worry about finding your way through.”

“Seriously, Ren. It wasn’t that hard. I’m actually glad you didn’t tell me. It helped me learn something about myself. I should really be thanking you. And about the cave, I didn’t thank you enough for saving me. I—”

“You don’t have to thank me, Taro. It was my obligation to save you. I put you in that position, and so I had to get you out of it.”

A little silence hit. Then he released me, but still holding onto my shoulders and looking me warmly in the eye.

“Taro. I promise we’ll get through this together. I won’t act like the fool I have been again.”

I struggled to cope with this moment full of feelings. He knew how much I appreciated what he had said, and so I joked to extract the awkwardness I was feeling. “By fool do you mean because you made it out after me?”

Ren smiled, and his face brimmed with what I knew was a comeback he had already thought of before making it out of the maze. “Oh come on, Taro. Don’t for one second think you actually made it out quicker than I did. I was busy slaughtering some creatures for extra XP and besides, Izumi never comes out before both players.”

We laughed together as he ruffled my hair and walked with me to bring Izumi out of her estranged trance.

It seemed as though things were all finally shaping up nicely for us. Since rejecting the Being’s offer, what he had used as a vehicle for his lies was turning on its head. Ren was coming back around, and we seemed like the unstoppable and unified team I once perceived us as.

If this was a glimpse of what life could be like after we had brought Junpei back…maybe I’d begin to consider dropping my whole 'taking life too seriously’ thing.

I thought that perhaps trading it for moments like this could be worth it.