Chapter 57: Worse Than You
Labyrinthology 101
——
"I had said in the last class that today, we are going to delve deeper into Labyrinths as a fractured whole."
There was a round crystalline globe on the podium which projected a holographic screen for everyone to see. On the screen were images of different locations. Some were of forests with red and white leaves, while others were of damp caverns and what looked like submerged ruins.
"I want us to think of Labyrinths as realms for a moment."
The person who was speaking was a professor who looked to be in his twenties, but from what Dante had heard, he was in his early thirties. He had short dark hair and golden eyes, and he was dressed in black clerical robes with a silver stola hanging over his shoulders.
"What I mean when I say that all Labyrinths are a fractured whole is that despite there being a lot of Labyrinths scattered across our world, we believe that each floor might be the same ’realm.’ From what we have learned over the years, the environment of the first floor in all Labyrinths is drawn from the same foundational template. It is the same with the other floors down to the tenth. The only major difference besides the different spatial layouts, of course, is the power level of the creatures inhabiting them."
The professor tapped the crystal, shifting the projection to display a series of color-coded threat charts.
"Speaking of power levels, let me use a Blighted creature that you all must have heard of: the Harpies. On the first floor of many Labyrinths, we have these creatures called Harpies. However, their behavior, intelligence, and power vary based on the grade of that Labyrinth. A Harpy in, say, a Green Labyrinth would pose a mild threat to some of you, especially those of you who are Apostles. However, if you are not careful, you can die to a Harpy before you even know what hit you in a Red, Gold, or even Black Labyrinth. The higher they evolve in grade, the stronger that creature becomes.
"Also, the idea that only a Green-Graded creature will be found in a Green-Graded Labyrinth isn’t entirely correct. Most times, it is possible to encounter a creature of a grade above. So the Holy See advises all who venture in to prepare for at least a one-grade variance before descending.
"At the same time, higher-graded Labyrinths aren’t strictly populated by high-grade threats. In fact, if you enter a Red Labyrinth, you will find far more Purple and Blue Blighted creatures than you will find Red."
The professor’s class went on for more than an hour, with the man delving into some of the different creatures on the first floor and some of the different locations on that floor.
At the end of the class, Dante had dark bags under his eyes. He reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette pack. Then, he pulled one out, but he didn’t light it and just took a sniff.
Although smoking was allowed in the academy, it wasn’t allowed in places like the lecture halls or the Outer Library.
After a sniff, he stuck out his tongue and dabbed it on the unlit tip, letting the faint bitterness settle on his palate before leaning back with an exhale.
’I think I’m an addict. I can feel my body shaking.’
Just then, his eyes shifted and landed on a girl who sat not too far from him. She had just woken up from sleep and seemed to be listening intently to the noise around her.
It was none other than Annabella, who had a blindfold over her eyes.
After a few seconds, she picked up the cane beside her and turned to the boy who sat next to her, then she muttered something to him.
Dante did not need to hear what she was saying to know that she was likely asking for help. Based on the boy’s reaction, Dante was right.
The blonde boy stood up, held her hand, and began guiding her down the steps toward the exit.
Dante was still observing them with a blank expression when a different girl cleared her throat beside him to the right, drawing his attention.
When he turned and saw Gia Visconti with her usual resting angry face, Dante frowned deeply, closed his eyes, and exhaled a breath of pure irritation.
"If you want to smoke, we can head out," she said in an aloof manner.
’Wow, no way. I think I feel my addiction disappearing,’ Dante deadpanned in his mind before he stood up with a sigh.
As he fell into step beside her, Gia asked, "I didn’t know you took this course."
Without looking at her, Dante replied, "I enrolled recently."
"Ah..." Gia nodded to herself a few times, before tugging her hair behind her ear. Then she looked at him. "So you want to be venturing into the Labyrinths too?"
"I will be venturing whether I want to or not," Dante replied with a somewhat resigned expression.
In this world, all Apostles had to go on expeditions into the Labyrinths whether they liked it or not. One of the reasons being that even the Test of Faith was now held there.
After a few seconds, he added, "I’m sure you already know that I am an Apostle and would have to go, so why ask me that?"
Dante already knew that there was no way she had not peered and scanned him to check. Granted, the divine power she probably felt was the divine power of the Moon.
Gia looked away. After a few seconds, she tugged her black hair behind her ear once again. "I’m... a bit awkward at holding conversations and don’t always know what to say. So I end up saying awkward stuff."
As they walked out of the hall and down the hallway, Dante’s eyes lingered on her for a moment before turning away. Then he offered, "You don’t always have to force a conversation, you know. If you stress over finding the right things to say, and always stumble when trying to start conversations, then you can just not do it. You seem to be the type to just get straight to the point, so you can just stick to that."
Gia looked at him for a moment, before looking away. Then, she nodded to herself and mumbled, "I see."
Dante arched a brow but didn’t say anything.
After a few seconds more, Gia turned to him and went straight to the point. "You said you were going to invite me out this week."
Dante, who had taken out his flip-top lighter, lit the cigarette now in his mouth and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke. "The week isn’t over yet. I was actually planning on inviting you tomorrow."
Gia stared at him for a few seconds before looking away again. "Okay."
Dante took another drag, then exhaled slowly. "Let’s meet up at a room in the Scholar’s Wing by 3p.m tomorrow."
A few seconds passed before Gia nodded. "Okay."
They continued walking for a few minutes, and even when Dante turned down a couple of corridors, she was still right beside him. He frowned and glanced over at her. "Why are you still following me?"
Gia turned to him with a flat expression, then said after five seconds. "I’m not following you." She looked away briefly before adding, "I’m going to the Crimson Gallery."
’Oh...’
Dante looked away and didn’t say anything, because apparently, he too was heading to the exact same place.
So they just walked on in silence.
***
Bang!
For most High Priests, guns were their go-to weapons of choice.
And for someone who had begun training with guns long before he even touched other weapons, Dante wasn’t that bad with them.
He lowered his hand and narrowed his eyes to check his target.
Three hits on the torso, and two on the outer rings. However, none hit the bullseye. That caused him to frown.
He turned to look at the target next to his, hearing that the shooter had just finished firing. However, when he saw that the shooter hadn’t even managed to land a single shot on the target paper, he smiled.
’Knowing there’s someone worse than you out there sure has a way of lifting one’s mood,’ he thought.
He was about to return to his business of loading another cylinder when he suddenly heard a familiar voice curse.
He halted, taking a few steps out of his booth to peer into the next.
It was none other than a frustrated Annabella.
Seeing her aggressively wrestling with her revolver to load the next rounds, Dante couldn’t help but smile.
"I thought all rogues were very adept at long-ranged weapons," he teased as he leaned against the partition.
Annabella flinched and turned around to face him. She didn’t have her blindfold on, which meant she was actively using her powers at the moment. She frowned before pursing her lips.
"All rogues have the potential. However, we still need to train to actually be good at it." She sighed, then breathed out before a small smile touched her face.
"So it hasn’t been long then since you first held a gun," Dante noted.
"This week, actually," Annabella admitted. "Unlike others, I didn’t even touch a weapon until a month before my seventeenth birthday. That’s when I became an Apostle and could first see. Ever since then, I’ve been training on using daggers and rapiers, which suit me much better. Which is why I’m only just picking up ranged weapons now."
As she spoke, she subconsciously gestured with the gun, ending up pointing the barrel directly at his chest without realizing it.
That caused him to tense up, and he quickly stepped forward to gently tilt her wrist away.
"Careful with that."
"Oh..." She chuckled nervously, lowering the weapon.
He smiled, then after a beat, he said, "Try again."
"Huh?" She arched a brow questioningly.
Dante gestured with his head toward the target line.
Annabella caught his meaning. She swallowed before turning back to face the stall, then she raised the revolver once more. But then, to her surprise, Dante walked up right behind her. Slowly, he reached around her and his arms framed her body as his fingers closed over her hands on the wooden grip of the gun.
Her eyes widened slightly at how close he was.
"Let me guide you," he said softly, adjusting her grip on the frame.
Annabella looked away slowly, fixing her gaze back on the distant target.
After helping her adjust her shoulders and stance, Dante murmured. "Take the shot."
Bang!
Annabella pulled the trigger five times in rapid succession, after which she lowered the gun and narrowed her eyes to inspect the damage. A small smile tugged at her lips when she saw that three rounds had struck the torso, with the other two falling close to the bullseye.
"You don’t seem so bad yourself," she said, turning back to face Dante, who had already stepped back and returned to leaning against the wooden partition.
He smiled softly, letting the silence hang between them for a few seconds before speaking. "Let’s make a deal. I’ll help you with long-ranged weapons. You, on the other hand, will help me with short-ranged weapons like daggers and rapiers."
Annabella arched a brow. "Short-ranged weapons? Are you not a High Priest?"
Dante shrugged a shoulder with a small frown. "So?"
Annabella was quiet for three seconds before smiling. "Deal."