Bargain

The Players were running into many dead ends.

"You're not very good at this are you?" Maya laughed

Ivan smiled, "Experienced?"

The old lady laughed heartily as she remembered a bitter-sweet memory. The Game Guides looked at her with warmth in their eyes.

"It's been a while since The Head dumped us in a maze." she smiled

Yara grinned, "We want to keep it that way so you should stop provoking them during meetings."

"It's not our fault you enjoy boring stuff." Luck grinned "Right, Lady Maya?"

"Yes indeed, Luck my boy." She agreed

"You know each other?" Xayn wondered

Snow grinned, "I know we look like this but we are actually humans."

"Shocker." Ivan smiled in a flat tone

Blood laughed, "They knew that already, right?"

Kali coughed, "Of course."

Jaxon stopped and held up his arm. Everyone looked ahead at the path in confusion.

"What's up?" Reese asked

Jaxon frowned, "I...I don't know. But something's there."

"How're ya doing Zaiden....or part of you," Maya called

"You're no fun."

The hydra removed its camouflage. Its heads gave them toothy grins and everyone saw the red stains over its body. Its eyes glinted menacingly, its laughter echoed through the room, and its grin grew wider.

"Didn't I send you off to some tiny dimension?" A head frowned

Maya laughed, "Efficient me, as always."

The Zaiden fragment and the Game Guide let out loud sighs exaggeratedly escape their mouth.

"Are you helping them?" a head snarled

Maya smirked, "Nope. They're interesting and I was curious about them."

Zaiden nodded in understanding.

Another head smiled, "I suppose but playtime is over."

His voice deepened and the air became cold. His upper body dropped lower indicating his intention to pounce forward and the players prepared themselves. The smile on Maya's face vanished and she walked in front of the Players.

"You know they'll die, right?" Maya asked

A head smiled, "Do you care?"

Sparks erupted between Maya and the Zaiden fragment. The Hydra turned into his human form and sat in the air like a king. Maya's gaze intensified, and Zaiden's smile only widened as silence came over them for a moment

"We invested quite a large amount of money in this batch, Zaiden." Maya frowned breaking the quiet atmosphere

Zaiden shrugged, "We can make more. I know it and so do you."

"Give my investment...no, our investment a fighting chance." Maya said, "You hate easy wins don't you?"

Zaiden smiled widely, "I didn't think you'd cry over the money we spent?"

"Then spend it more wisely next time." Maya snapped "Back off, Zaiden."

"You guys have Maya to thank." Zaiden grinned "You're lucky I have a soft spot for all my people."

Maya and Zaiden looked at each other for a moment. He sighed and snapped his fingers.

Zaiden frowned, "Next time you won't be so lucky."

He vanished and Maya clicked her tongue as she mumbled something to herself.

"Investment?" Vance frowned

Maya laughed, "You thought you were what?"

"That was Zaiden?" Caesar asked

"No. Just a fragment of him within the Dream Realm." Neko answered

Maya sighed "A more reasonable fragment. We're lucky."

"If he's a fragment, more fragments are moving around this maze." Ivan frowned

Maya snapped her fingers and the system window appeared in front of them.

[ External interference...You have been allowed the use of one active skill, choose wisely.]

"Thank you." Yasmin smiled

Maya sighed, "Just don't die."

"Cause we'll be a waste of cash." Ivan grinned "Right?"

Maya gave them a pained expression.

"You don't know....do you?" she smiled

Yasmin responded, "No, ma'am. Everyone expects us to know something but....."

"Then find out." Maya answered "Reality plays a part in making dreams. So your answer is somewhere out there."

"If we find nothing?" Urvi frowned

Maya laughed, "That's always the worry.....You remind me of us...."

They were taken aback by the sudden statement. She smiled bitterly in the direction Zaiden went in and her face softened.

"The Dream Realm brings back memories doesn't it?" Beauty laughed

Maya smiled and the surroundings started to change. They saw people with younger-looking Maya.

"I'VE HAD IT!!!" The young Zaiden yelled, " This is the fifty-fifth dead end!"

A gloomy man in full black frowned, "The fact that you're counting is more depressing."

"I'm the old one shouldn't I complain?" Young Maya frowned

"She's already at death's door, so jealous." everyone sighed

Young Maya roared, "I bet you'll all dance on my grave!!!"

"She became a mind reader, everyone be careful." a slender woman whispered loudly

Maya looked at the players, "Go. Let this old woman walk down memory lane for a while."

A door appeared and they looked at the scene again.

A young Zander stood up with a pumped-up chest, "Don't worry. Unlike Zai, I know the way out."

"That's what you said last time." an angry-looking man groaned "Who's idea was it to enter a maze?"

The door fell open and sucked the challengers into it. The last thing they saw was a bashful Zaiden trying to shift the blame off himself.

They were in a new trail in front of a door with a sigh: Do Not Disturb. Yasmin smiled to herself.

A strong scent of blood and they all looked at the source. A hydra grinned down at them and some heads were drooling at them.

"Not every day that dinner comes to me." a head grinned

"MAYA....OPEN UP!!!" Kali yelled

Maya ignored the banging at the door with a grin.

"An eye for an eye and favor for a favor. Right, Zaiden?" Maya grinned

A Zaiden fragment behind her was seated comfortably watching the memory.

He responded happily, "I suppose. And in this scene....until today, I don't think it was my fault."

"I'll tell the others your concerns." Maya grinned

She started to walk

"Wait, Maya. Let's talk about this before we do anything rash." Zaiden said hastily

Maya smiled as if she couldn't hear her friend's voice and looked at the memory one last time.