Heroes of the Confederation. (Part 4)

As the blue scarfs sway, the unknown winds intertwine and the room fills with a cold atmosphere. He turns his face on us still having my cheeks pulled.

The person then murmurs, "So you two can see ....murmur... Interesting ...murmur... How nice, young love I ...murmur" with a low voice making hard to define his/her gender. As he/she continues to murmur and enters. May finally lets go of my cheeks. As the door closes, still feeling the burning pain.

I rub my cheeks and said to her, "Ow ow ow, Sorry if I said something wrong to make you mad," I said sounding sorry.

May reply, "Geez, where did you learn how to speak like that," Sounded pleased, before smiling and continuing saying, "At least I'm happy to know that all those time I teach you is not in vain, and used for something. Besides... ( I did it because I want to)," saying in low volume and continue saying, "And I'm not sacrificing anything, nevertheless being with you is pretty much fun and great for me. I have good friends, whom I trust and understands me, and I choose my friends carefully too just so you know. So don't you worry about anything, instead, I'm worried about you. You almost have no friends, and when I introduce one, you practically don't even care, and a Hunter afraid of heights. What kind of stupid reason is that!"

Ignoring what she said, I smiled back, asking, "So you want to go to the Empires Academy then?"

May regaining her composure then answers full of confidence saying, "Of course, ( I can't say no when you just said all those things to me)," again in a low voice, "Besides now were heading below...." As she looks behind me I turned back to see the masked person again,

May then ask, "Excuse me, sir, are you heading down to the first floor?" the person then face May replies:

"My how polite of you, but yes I'm heading to the first floor," revealing a kinda deep young males voice.

May then starts to ponder, when I look at her I ask, "What's wrong?"

She then says in a low voice muttering, "Down, down, under, underground. Oh yeah, that's rights, I'm about to explain to you about this city's structure."

She then asks the man, "Excuse me again, sir?"

The man replies, "Yes, how may I help?"

"If I may ask, how many levels do you think this city have?" The man flinches, then answers:

"2 ... But, I guess I could tell you, lovers, some secrets, think of it as thanks, for reminding me something bittersweet and precious," when I heard that, I was surprised. He then folds his arms to lean against the mirror and continues to say, "This city actually has 5 levels."

5 seriously that is more than twice the levels the public knows you know. What are the people in the top trying to keep that much secrets from us? I look at May to see her looking at the man as if waiting for him to explain. Then he looks at May and continues :

"From your reactions, I guess you already knew this and about to tell your boyfriend. But since you know this is a secret, you can't just tell it to him when there's somebody you don't know here right?" May's face then begins to get more serious, As the man continues:

"Don't worry, You don't need to be so cautious I have no reason to lie... Not anymore. So let me explain it to him instead no? That way you know which is a lie and not, "May still looking at him full of doubt, maybe it's because he's wearing a mask she can't trust him enough?

He then continues to say, "In fact, it would be better if you just keep quiet until you go to a private place and never ask me in the first place, you better learn from this mistake. You're lucky that I'm the one you ask if it's other people, they would probably drag you two on the spot or worse case scenario,"He faces me with his arms still folded and says, "Turn you and your cute girlfriend into a mindless night prisoners with jobs, so lets make each other acquaintances, My name is Rana Song a Special Rank Operative, pretty please to meet you two," he bows as he greets himself.

I swear, I could see him smile behind that face covered by the hair and mask. And What is a night prisoner? Do prisoners even work? When I look at May she is full of killing intent, her face and her aura feels murderous, clutching to her breastplate handle, taking a striking pose as if ready to Attack at any moment. Confused by the situation at hand.

I look at her and ask, "May, what's going on why are you so serious?" as she shivers in an uncontrollable manner.

"Can't you see? I just accidentally dug our own grave, thanks to my stupidity and carelessness," looking sad she continuous to say, "Not only that, after what you said to me too."

Her face still full of worry and grieve, May and I standing only a meter and half away from the man. Confuse by the situation I decided to trust May, starting to prepare my self-remembering sis Rubeca's training and cover my self with a familiar feeling, then make an attack stance clenching my fists, raising my right arm forward and bending my left hand inwards and move my right leg forward, the basic stance sis taught me.

Then as I realize something, this man when I look in the mirror, there's no reflection of him there, looking around I don't see his reflection anywhere, neither did I sense anything except May here... Wait, sense nothing? looking down on his boots he doesn't have a shadow either. What the heck is he... Don't tell me his a... Oh boy, with no weapon or equipment I'm feeling totally screwed here. And makes me question how long does this elevator take to transport people up and down here?

The man then releases his folded arms and turn his back at us, then raise his arms above to say:

"No no no no please wait. I'm seriously not here to fight, nor cause trouble. You guys might just misunderstand something here,"

Only to be replied with, "Like hell we are! You're filled to the brim with dark and ominous aura," May screams in panic and anger.

"You can sense me? Interesting. Okay okay, what about this since it's probably gonna take another 10 minutes from what I count until we arrive at the first floor why not I explain it to him while looking this way, seeing your boyfriends face I guess his probably already wondering when will we arrive. Did you not see the sign beside the elevator. Either way, you can keep a watch on me and no harm is done while he learns new things. It's a win-win no?"

May still taking a stance holding her heart guard handle even tighter than ever. As if she would release an attack at any second, I look at as closely as ever still in my stance as he then continues to begin:

"So let me begin, and there is no better way to start than the very bottom. To make the explanation less long, first we have:

- Underground level: This level is pretty much a kept secret from the higher-ups, and there are multiple ways to enter it. One of them is those doors you can find in the corners of the city and near the central walls that says, "DANGER! Only authorized personnel only" signs. Well, that door is one of the passageway to the Reliquary (that I will explain later), that will then lead Underground. The next is the southern gates. Where we citizens of the Confederation call it the Gate of Judgment, that gate leads to the ladders of hell, that connects to the Underground level. Well, the Underground is basically a place where condemned Criminals and Exiles go and survive the ladders trial, then you will be given another chance of redemption to live down there. This place is actually the biggest part of the city covering more than a quarter of it. Oh and a fun fact, it is said that the first emperor of the Rucina Dynasty is actually buried in there. Don't know why they send criminals and exiles in the place where the Emperor is having his eternal rest... But whatever. Next is ... I'm kinda getting tired explaining all of this:

- Ground level: Well judging by your clothes, you kids probably live there and pretty much know this already, so I'm just gonna skim over it and say, this is the place where people publicly go and visit yadda yadda yadda end. Next is:

- The Reliquary: This is gonna be tricky. This place is... The moment this city becomes full blown you gotta be kidding me unending, ever-changing labyrinth. Never to be able to document and mapped. Consisting of multiple passageways that lead to everywhere in this city and the countless passageway that leads to nowhere, accompanied by unknown horrors haunting that place, which could destroy your human psyche in a matter of seconds. Buuuut this place is not called a labyrinth for no reason after all this place is where the Emperor keeps his treasures before his entombment. Survive and pass to live through this unimaginable nightmare. You will be rewarded with oh so vast riches nobody could help but drool and turn blind by the mountains and heaps of gold it can offer. In the recorded history of thousand years this Confederation has only a handful of people that I can count with one hand, no pun intended. Finally, 2 more left Next is:

- The Central Level: well this is the place where we are standing right now, not gonna explain much most rich people like high-rank nobles, Influential rich merchants, High Rank, and Special Rank Hunters ends up and live here."

When a ting sound ring across the room. And the elevator doors slide open, I look outside, to show the same lavish like atmosphere, wall decorations, floors like the third floor but with no doors. I look at him again when he says:

"We-he-hell, Since the doors opened, I'll be taking my leave dear acquaintances. Please excuse me."

As he puts his hand down to bow and starts walking outside. May still in full caution, looking at him full of murderous intent. Before finally, he leaves the Elevator and then phasing out of existence from my eyes. With no one left, only me and May. I finally relax and stop taking my stance, then May looking around the elevator and took a step outside looking around, finally breath a sigh to relax her stance and stand straight, standing outside signaling me to follow. As I went out, the door of the elevators closes.

"I didn't know you could make that kind of expression May, so are you okay now?" Holding her left shoulder I continue to say, "Relax I know It'll be okay now," I say too calm her down and cheer her up.

"Yeah I think I'm okay now, Sorry for not thinking enough, I even forget what sis told me not to trust anyone in Central, Sova, I'm sorry, I-I-I-" As her eyes become water like, she begins to tear up, holding the end of her clothes tight as her body shakes. May immediately hugs me, closing the distances between us, since we are the same height our head pass each other, she digs her face to my right shoulder making a muffling cry.

"May?!" I said sounded surprised.

"I- I was scared, you dense idiot, I-I thought that is gonna be the end of us," she cries more loudly and hugs me tighter.

"I... May I..." unable to answer I hug her back and let her cry. As she looks at me face to face and said:

"S-Sova I really don't want to lose you. I want to be with you longer, I-I. Y-you're very precious to me y-yet I-I put you in that dangerous situation. I-I thought you and I will... It's all my fault I... I..." she tries her best to speak while sniffling.

"May I love you, and you are very precious to me too. So please know that if there's anything I'll be there for you no matter what, if I die with you then I'm fine with that," I say to calm her down. she then digs her head on my shoulder again.

"No you dumb idiot, that's not what I want to hear you.. you...." she replies angrily hitting my chest while still sniffling.

I hug her tighter and let her cry, she muffles on my shoulder until she finally calms down. Still, in my arms, she says:

"You will not tell this to anyone right?" she says softly while sniffling.

"Yea, I won't," I said still hugging her.

She let's go of me, then starts to wipe her face with her sleeves and arms. Before she finally looks at me with her face looking like a mess, she raises her arm and pinky finger to say:

"Promise?" she asks, sniffling while looking at me seriously. I hold her pinky with mine while May still close to me and said:

"Yea I promise..." I say. She then nods slowly and said:

"Yes, I'm quite okay now. Can we stay like this longer?" she asks while laying her head on my shoulder and hugging me again.

"Um... Okay as long as you want I guess," I reply to her while looking away.

She then burrows her head and hugs me again. I can't see her face anymore but she has now stop sniffling... Instead, I could kinda hear the sound of joy...

Standing in the lavish luxurious like hallway. Still hugging May, I thought to my self so many things happened today. I wonder why sis never took us to Central? I mean she took us outside the city main walls I think? I mean there's another wall as we pass one.

We went to a place with crystal clear water, so clear that you can see below the water and the glass below to see the orange liquid and fish swimming around the water. And to a place with giant grass like balloons that are filled with air and could explode if it grows too inflated, well we see it from afar anyway. Nevertheless Central is also amazing and crazy in its own right. So why does sis never take us here I mean it's in the same city. Maybe I should ask when I see her again. And what's the last level Rana was about to tell me? I'm gonna see this city in a new light from now on... And I have a weird feeling things are just gonna get crazier from now on.