Taunted

Blood stumbled out of the labyrinth's gates, ragged and scorched. His already black attire managed to grow darker as a significant portion of soot layered over his clothes.

Bloodshot eyes and wet, sticky skin, Blood collapsed two steps after exiting. He crumbled onto his knees and bent over, supporting himself with his single arm that looked broken and tattered.

Meanwhile, the trio patiently observed the broken boy; Willow even smirked. As blood dripped down his chin, Emile finally stood up and tended Blood's wounds.

As the soothing sensation rushed through Blood's body he released the tension in his muscles and laid on the floor, completely and utterly spent.

Roy entered next in typical fashion: without saying a word and forty-seven minutes later he was spit back out covered in the same soot that painted Blood. Wearing an unamused expression, Roy joined them on the wall and sat down.

"How'd you get past the bombs?" Roy suddenly asked.

"I didn't," Blood replied brusquely.

"Oh."

"…"

"…"

"What bombs?" Emile spoke up.

"They're talking about Bomber, they summon explosives," Willow answered.

"Bomber?"

"Our nickname for them."

Emile stood up and approached the gates once again:

"Tell me more about it when I come back, okay?"

"You're the boss," Willow waved as the gates closed behind Emile.

He didn't waste any time on his second attempt. He ran straight to the crack in the hallway, traversed the tightly constructed tunnel, and dropped onto the stone island.

He obliterated the slime, crushed the lizard, and pierced the python. In less than twenty minutes, Emile was already caught up to his first attempt which spanned hours.

The stone samurai pulled themselves from the scorching abyss and readied their arrows. They lined up their target and released.

Emile ducked beneath the first wave of arrows and immediately poured essence into his charm. Light erupted and Emile soared across the air, landing on a nearby island.

He did it again and again until he glided across one of the occupied islands, barreling straight towards one of the samurai. Catching them mid-draw, Emile didn't stop.

He rushed forward, arms pulled back and sword drawn. He slashed down, aiming for the exposed neck of the gray monstrosity.

The warrior didn't have time to draw his katana, so he dropped the arrow woven between his fingers and spun his bow around.

Emile's scimitar crashed into the bow's bowstring as a smile spread across his lips, but before he could celebrate, the bowman spun his bow again, wrapping the string around Emile's sword.

With a single pull, Emile's sword was ripped from his fingers and launched into the air high above them. Somehow, the bow's string didn't break.

Emile quickly sent his sword back to his core, but it wasn't fast enough. The bowman reeled his arm back and swung.

The bow slammed into the side of Emile's head, shattering from the impact. Emile's knees buckled and he placed his palm on his knee, catching himself from falling over.

Disorientated, Emile held his other arm in front of him in the hopes it blocked the follow up attack, but nothing of the sort arrived.

As his head settled, Emile looked up at the opponent a few feet away from him. Motionless, like a statue, the samurai hadn't moved at all.

A deep breath fell from Emile's lips, only for him to suck it back in right as an arrow struck the back of his knee. Immediately, his knee failed and he dropped to the ground.

Then, another arrow slammed into his back. All of a sudden, Emile found himself in the exact position he failed prior.

Looking up for a second time, the bowman before him finally decided to move. Taking an arrow from his quiver, the samurai held it in his hand like a dagger and pointed its tip towards Emile.

Getting the message, Emile bit his lip and sighed in frustration:

"I forfeit," his voice echoed in the wide open space.

"That's alright!" Pyra immediately appeared to soften the blow, "There's always next time!" And then the light faded and Emile returned to the labyrinth's gates.

"That was quick," Blood's voice narrowly traveled through the opening doors.

Still on the ground, Emile faced away from the entrance. Unexpectedly, the arrow in his back was instantly ripped out sending a wave of pain through Emile's nerves.

"Stand up. I can't get the other one," Willow ordered.

Emile complied and lifted his faulty knee off the ground, only for Willow to push his head down and grab his ankle, pulling it back and fully extending his leg. With a now clear and unobstructed angle, Willow gripped the center of the arrow and pulled.

"What happened this time?" She asked.

"I was taunted—" Emile replied, deepening his voice just enough to sound annoyed, but not angry, "the prick taunted me."

"It's possible Pyra summons the same undefeated monster, but I'm not entirely sure," Willow consoled Emile as they walked towards the wall.

At the same time, Blood passed them and entered the labyrinth. Leaning against the wall, with his knee recuperating, Emile stared at the high ceilings of the cavern.

'Emile zero, scumbag rocks… two'