Chapter 10 - Betrayal

Audience chamber, Duke Thorval’s Mansion, Floor Twenty.

“The team that followed them to Floor Fifteen has not reported back. It’s been almost a week,” Duke Thorval said, rubbing his temples with two fingers.
“We’ll need to take more aggressive measures, it seems,” he continued.

“Forget capture,” Vaerina said as she circled behind the Duke’s chair. “Dispose of both of them—discreetly and quickly. Assign a mage to every search party.” She rested a hand on his shoulder, and the Duke’s fingers brushed hers in an absent but familiar gesture.

A third voice joined the conversation. The speaker wore a hooded cloak, his face hidden in shadow.
“I have a way to locate them,” he said. “But I want something in return.”

“I know what you’re going to ask for,” the Duke replied. “Fine. You have one chance to do it your way.”

“Lady Vaerina,” the cloaked man said, “may I request your assistance in this matter?” His tone made it sound less like a request and more like a demand.

“Very well,” she replied smoothly. “Excuse us, my lord.” She slipped from the chamber alongside the man.

They walked down a quiet corridor, their footsteps echoing softly.
“I don’t like the way he acts around you,” the cloaked man muttered.

A sly smile tugged at her lips. “I was trying to make you jealous. Did it work?”

His hand shot out, gripping her shoulder and shoving her against the wall.

Instead of resisting, she slid her hands around his lower back, pulling him closer until his chest pressed into hers.
“My, such passionate anger…” she whispered, her voice low and dangerous. Their lips hovered a breath apart, her eyes locked on his.

Slowly, she lifted her thigh between his legs, the movement deliberate, calculated.

The man broke away suddenly, shoving himself back and storming off without another word.

Vaerina let out a soft, satisfied laugh that lingered in the empty corridor.

***

Two days later – Durren, Floor Fifteen

Alina and Renji were in the middle of their usual language lesson when a soft, repeated knock came at the door.

They exchanged a look. Renji stood and drew his combat knife in a reverse grip.
“What is it?” he asked in a low voice, positioned right behind the door.

“It’s me, Rovan,” came a voice from the other side.

“Master Rovan?” Alina blinked in surprise.

Renji sheathed his knife and opened the door.
“You two weren’t easy to find,” Rovan said as he stepped inside.

“We were planning to head down to Twenty tomorrow,” Alina said. “Did Elith have more information or ideas?”

“I told her everything we know. She didn’t reveal much, but she did ask to meet you, Renji.”

“Me?” Renji raised an eyebrow.

“Did she say why?” Alina asked.

Rovan shook his head. “Also… it’s getting too dangerous for you to return to Floor Twenty. The Duke’s men are growing more aggressive.”

Renji frowned. “Then what’s our next step?”

“We can’t use the portal gate on Twenty—it’s being closely watched. You’ll need to make your way through the dungeon floors to reach Floor Twenty-Five. From there, you can portal-travel to Thirty, then Thirty-Five.”

“That’ll take a week,” Alina muttered. “Assuming we survive. And from Thirty-Five, it’s monster floors until Forty.”

“We can’t use the portal from Thirty-Five to Forty?” Renji asked.

“Forty’s the Elven floor, and they like their privacy,” Rovan explained. “They sealed off their portal and modified the one on Thirty-Five to skip ahead to Forty-Five. The Elves have their own method of teleporting to Forty. We’ll have to fight our way through the dungeon floors from Thirty-Six to Forty.”

“I’ll gather more supplies,” he added. “We leave tomorrow.”

***

The next morning.

The trio began their descent to Floor Sixteen. Rovan and Alina used water magic to dispatch enemies while Renji focused on sword combat—saving his limited ammunition for when it really mattered.

The monster floors were different from the safe zones: tighter, darker, and devoid of simulated daylight. Alina and Rovan took turns maintaining a light spell to guide their path. It was how Renji had always imagined a dungeon would be.

It’s like the labyrinth itself is telling people to stay on the safe floors. Could there be some kind of intelligence behind its creation…?

They kept descending, fending off monsters like giant lizards, enormous frogs, and the occasional massive crab. After two days, they arrived on Floor Nineteen.

“You’ve gotten good with that sword,” Alina said approvingly. “All that daily practice is paying off.”

“Thanks,” Renji replied. “I figured I’d better learn to hold my own.”

He yanked his blade free from the carcass of a fallen direwolf. Seconds later, the body disintegrated into ash, leaving behind a yellow crystal and a fang, which Renji pocketed.

“The monsters get tougher the deeper we go?” he asked.

“Yes—generally,” Alina replied, “though there are exceptions.”

“And we’ll need to defeat the Floor Overlord to reach the Floor Twenty safe zone. That’ll bring us to the entrance to Twenty and the path to Twenty-One,” Rovan added.

“Either of you fought it before, the Floor Lord?” Renji asked.

Alina shook her head.
“Once,” Rovan said. “It’s a hellhound. This way.”

***

Floor Nineteen, Great Labyrinth.

As they approached the hellhound’s den, the narrow corridor gave way to a vast cavern, twice the size of a basketball court. Renji spotted a massive shape curled at the rear of the chamber.

“We’ll try to get the jump on it,” Rovan whispered. “Stay quiet.”

Renji and Alina nodded and crept forward, Rovan bringing up the rear. As they drew closer, the size of the beast became apparent. Its head was tucked into its limbs, dark grey fur glinting in the glow of their light spell.

“That’s huge,” Alina whispered.

It’s the size of a truck—and it’s not even standing yet, Renji thought, raising his carbine.
This one’s bad news. Not taking chances.

Suddenly, Rovan grabbed Alina’s arm.
“Master?” she asked, confused.

Renji turned—and caught the expression in Rovan’s eyes.
He’s not looking at the hellhound. He’s looking at me.

Instinct—honed by years of combat and training—kicked in. Renji dove behind a rock just as a massive ice spear shot out from Rovan’s staff, narrowly missing him and slamming into the cavern wall.

“Master?! Why?” Alina cried, stunned.

“He can’t be allowed to live,” Rovan muttered. “He’ll disrupt our plans.”

“Our plans?”

“Yes. Our plans.” A new voice echoed across the chamber.

They turned.
Vaerina—the Duke’s head mage—stood with five other mages and several armed guards.

“What’s she doing here?” Alina muttered, eyes wide.

The hellhound stirred. The ground vibrated—just slightly. One massive paw scraped against the floor. Then the other.

The monster rose, slow and deliberate. Over three metres tall at the shoulder, its two heads snarled in unison. It let out a low, threatening growl that built into a menacing roar, revealing ivory fangs, each the length of a forearm.

Renji froze.
Two heads? Orthrus? I remember reading about it but… no way…

The beast charged. At the same time, a translucent green barrier shimmered into place—blocking its path.

The mages behind Vaerina were holding it back, for now.

“You’re working with the Duke?” Alina asked, her voice hollow.

“How do you think Vaerina knew to approach you for her team?” Rovan replied.

“That’s why you encouraged me to help the summoning mages? You wanted the ritual to succeed?”

“We need to unite all floors under one rule—and return to the surface. The labyrinth is dying, Alina. You must have seen the signs.”

Alina clenched her fists.
“All those years… all those lessons. I trusted you, Master. You said justice meant protecting the helpless… was that all a lie?”

“Have you no heart?” Alina spat. “What about all the people the Duke’s tortured? The executions? The slavery? You’re siding with that?”

“At least he’s trying to change our fate.” Rovan stepped closer. “Please… come with me. They promised not to harm you.”

He still held her arm.

Renji kept his carbine trained on Vaerina.
That’s the one who struck Alina and hit me with that lightning spell.

The five mages behind Vaerina were focused on maintaining the barrier.

“Alina, please,” Rovan pleaded again.

“Let go of me!” she snapped, wrenching free.

“So that was the plan… leave Renji here to die?”

“Yes. You’ve only known him for a week, and you’d choose to side with him?”

“I won’t side with the Duke. He’s evil—and Vaerina’s no better!”

Vaerina turned away. “My dear Rovan, leave them. Our time is better spent elsewhere.”

She began walking off. Rovan hesitated, then followed.

Renji squeezed the trigger.
Thunk!

The bullet struck an invisible shield and fell to the ground.

“We know how your weapon functions now,” Vaerina said without looking back. “There’s nothing you can do. Just die here like you’re supposed to.”

“Alina, please…” Rovan tried one last time.

She didn’t answer. Her face was twisted in anguish and fury.

One of the mages began chanting.

Walls of stone surged up from the ground, sealing both exits—just as the magic barrier holding back the hellhound dropped.