Chapter 4: Preparing For The Labyrinth
### **A New Day Dawns**
The sun rose over the horizon, casting its warm golden light across the landscape. The sky was a brilliant blue, with wisps of white clouds stretching endlessly across it. Birds chirped and flitted between the trees, filling the morning with a lively melody. The cabin on the outskirts of the city, where the four adventurers called home, was bathed in the gentle glow of the new day.
Inside the cabin, Alex Johnson stirred awake, a cheerful grin spreading across his face as he threw off his blankets. "Time to get this day started!" he declared, his voice full of enthusiasm. He bounded out of bed, his mind still foggy with sleep, and made his way to the lounge, already imagining the comforting warmth of a morning coffee.
But as he reached the lounge, his excitement faltered. He remembered, with a sinking feeling, that in this world, there was no coffee or caffeine. A pang of disappointment hit him, and he sighed deeply. He missed the little things from his old world—the bitter taste of coffee, the buzz it gave him, the routine of it all.
Alex sat down on the worn, comfortable couch, staring wistfully at the empty space where a coffee table might have been in his old life. As he put his feet up, another realization struck him—there was no phone to check, no social media to scroll through. It was a strange, almost disorienting feeling, to wake up and not reach for something that had been such a constant in his life.
"Shit, there's no TV either," he muttered under his breath, feeling a sharp pang of longing for the comforts of his old world. He could almost hear the hum of a television in the background, the static before a program started, the way it had filled the silence when he was alone.
But as he looked around the cozy cabin, taking in the morning light filtering through the windows, he realized something important. Despite missing his old world's conveniences, he wouldn't trade this new life for anything. The adventures, the friendships, the sense of purpose—these were things that no amount of technology could replace. With a deep breath, Alex let go of the small sadness and allowed himself to appreciate the present.
Lyra shuffled into the room, rubbing her eyes, her red hair tousled from sleep. She was still in her nightclothes, looking a little groggy as she adjusted to the morning light. "Alex, what are you doing up this early?" she mumbled, then added, with a puzzled frown, "And what's a TV?"
Alex couldn't help but smile at her curiosity. "Oh, it's just something from my old world that I miss sometimes," he said, his tone light but tinged with a bit of nostalgia.
Lyra perked up at his response, her curiosity fully awakened now. She plopped down beside him on the couch, her eyes wide with interest. "What is a TV? What does it do?"
"It's just a screen that shows stuff that's been recorded," Alex explained, trying to find a simple way to describe something so common yet so foreign to this world.
Lyra tilted her head, her expression one of genuine confusion. "What's a recording?"
Alex scratched the back of his head, realizing how difficult it was to explain technology to someone who had never even seen a lightbulb. "It's... well, it's complicated. Let's talk about it another time," he said, chuckling at the absurdity of the conversation.
Just then, Elandor strolled into the room, his long, silver hair loose over his shoulders, and his pointed ears twitching slightly as he stretched his arms. "Morning, everyone," he said with a yawn. "I'm going to get ready and prepare for the mission. Can someone wake up that grumpy old fool?"
Alex laughed, knowing exactly who Elandor was referring to. "I guess I'll handle that," he volunteered. He got up from the couch and headed to Thrain's room. The old wizard was notorious for sleeping like the dead, and waking him up was never an easy task.
Alex knocked on the door, his fist rapping sharply against the wood. "Thrain, wake up. Hello?" he called, but there was no response, just the sound of heavy snoring from within.
Growing impatient, Alex banged on the door more insistently. "Old man, wake up!" he shouted.
Thrain jolted awake with a start, his eyes snapping open in alarm. "Who's there? I know 500 different spells, you bottom feeders!" he blustered, sitting up in bed, his long white beard tangled from sleep.
Alex couldn't help but chuckle. "It's just me, Thrain. Time to get up. We need to prepare for the mission today and get some training in before we head out to the labyrinth."
Thrain groaned, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hand. "Well, alright, alright. I'm getting up," he grumbled, swinging his legs over the side of the bed.
Satisfied, Alex returned downstairs, where the group was starting to gather and prepare for the day. Lyra, now more awake, was organizing their gear, her movements still a bit slow as she shook off the last remnants of sleep. She glanced up at Alex and gave him a half-smile. "Alex, can you head to town? We forgot to stock up on some food and camping equipment for the trip."
Alex sighed good-naturedly. "Alright, but I hope we have a carriage because this is you guys making me walk even longer," he joked, though he knew the walk to the city wasn't far.
As he stepped out of the cabin and made his way towards the city market, Alex couldn't help but marvel at the beautiful scenery that surrounded him. The path wound through fields of wildflowers that swayed gently in the breeze, their colors vibrant against the green grass. The morning air was fresh and crisp, filled with the scent of blooming flowers and earth. Birds chirped from the trees, their songs mingling with the distant sounds of the bustling city.
The market was already alive with activity by the time Alex arrived. Dwarven merchants, with their stout figures and bushy beards, were hawking their wares from wooden stalls overflowing with exotic goods. The air was filled with the enticing aromas of freshly baked bread, roasted meats, and spices from distant lands. Craftsmen displayed their finely wrought jewelry, weapons, and tools, while vendors shouted out deals to passersby, their voices competing to be heard over the din.
Alex made his way to the general goods shop, where he began to gather the supplies they needed—dried meats, fresh bread, vegetables, and various camping equipment. He carried everything to the counter, expecting a reasonable price for the essentials.
"How much for all of this?" Alex asked, setting the items down.
The seller, a tall, lanky man with a grizzled beard, glanced over the goods and replied flatly, "That'll be 400 coins."
Alex's eyes widened in shock. "What? How is it that much?" he exclaimed, incredulous at the steep price.
The seller shrugged nonchalantly. "It's the inflation. Don't talk to me about it, talk to the king. Prices have been going up all over the kingdom."
As Alex stood there, stunned by the cost, a woman with short golden hair approached him. She had an air of confidence about her, her eyes sharp and her movements quick, like a thief who knew how to blend into a crowd. She was undeniably beautiful, with a mischievous smile playing on her lips as she looked at him.
"If you need extra coin, I got you," she said, her voice smooth and enticing.
Alex was momentarily taken aback by her beauty, but he quickly regained his composure. "Oh, thanks," he replied, trying not to sound too flustered. "Me and my party need this to go to a labyrinth."
The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "A labyrinth? You and your party must be pretty strong if you're going to a labyrinth," she remarked, her gaze lingering on him with curiosity.
"Yeah," Alex said, handing over the coins to the seller, who pocketed them with a smirk.
The seller glanced at the woman, then back at Alex. "Are you buying or not?" he asked, his tone impatient.
"Yeah, she is," Alex replied quickly, grabbing the supplies and hoisting them over his shoulder. The weight of the load was substantial, but he managed to carry it without too much trouble. "Ah, this is heavy," he muttered, adjusting his grip.
The woman gave him a small, knowing smile. "Well, I'll be seeing you around then," she said, her voice laced with a hint of something Alex couldn't quite place.
"Yeah, see you," Alex replied, watching her as she walked away, disappearing into the throngs of people in the market.
He carried the heavy load back to the cabin, his muscles straining under the weight but his mind still occupied with thoughts of the mysterious woman. When he finally reached home, he was greeted by his friends, who were waiting outside the cabin, ready to start the day.
"Guys, I'm back and got the equipment," Alex announced, setting the supplies down with a relieved sigh.
"Well done, Alex," Lyra said, her spirits visibly lifted. "We've got everything we need now. Let's get on the road."
As they began packing up the last of their gear and loading it into the carriage, Alex took one last look back at the cabin. It had been their refuge, a place of rest and recovery, but now it was time to move on to the next challenge. The journey ahead would be long and dangerous, but he felt a thrill of excitement at the thought of what they might discover.
"Well, here we go onto another adventure," Alex said, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he climbed into the carriage. The sun was high in the sky now, bathing the world in light and warmth, as the four friends set off on yet another grand quest, ready to face whatever challenges awaited them in the Great Labyrinth of Hell.