The First Legendary Beast Master novel Chapter 28

Chapter 28: The Maze

Studying monsters was fun, but between the smell of lilacs and whatever shampoo Dana had used, Karl was finding it difficult to focus. Hawk didn't care at all, as he found his nest more comfortable than the lilac bushes were likely to be, but Dana smelled wonderful, and her presence in this private gazebo had Karl more flustered than he would care to admit.

But, he did his best not to be a creep and work on his studies, carefully making notes about each of the monsters in the area that might be somewhat worthwhile, while memorizing the others, in case he ran into them in the future.

The more that he knew, the more likely that the Sergeant was to relent on her stance of keeping him here for training instead of letting him go outside.

Not that the Academy wasn't beautiful or well-equipped, but Karl had rarely been outside the mining town while he was growing up, and he had seen many kilometres of wilderness on their way here. Just getting to see it with a group would be an adventure, like the camping trip that his father promised on that mythical 'day off' that he never got.

The two studied silently for hours, until the sky started to change colours as sunset approached.

"Well, that's our cue to go back inside. If we don't get going soon, it will be dark before we get to dinner, and they don't light any of the academy grounds except the paths between buildings." Dana sighed, annoyed to have to stop her work.

"You seemed really into your studies." Karl noted.

"Yeah, the other two are good combat partners, but lousy study partners. They don't take anything seriously, and they never stop talking. Just being able to sit and study is a pleasant change." She agreed.

As soon as they packed their things and stood, the bush around the gazebo opened again, allowing them access to the maze, but the moment that they stepped out, the world got incredibly dark, as if the sun had already set an hour ago, and the gazebo had been providing its own light.

"Crap, I can't see anything." Dana muttered.

"I think it's just because we're behind the bushes and in a cloud's shadow, once we're back outside it should be better. But I can see just fine, so if you take my hand, we should be able to make it out." Karl suggested.

Dana's hand bumped his arm, then slid down to clutch at his fingers, and Karl realized just how dark it probably was to anyone else. None of the colours that he could see were ones he had names for, but the light was coming from the grass under their feet. It must be a form of bioluminescence that was outside the normal human range of sight, which meant that the darkness here was likely unnatural.

They hadn't mistaken the time, someone had cast a darkness spell on the maze.

Dana's hand was surprisingly soft and warm in his as Karl led the way back down the path, and her breathing was becoming more frantic as she nearly stumbled in the grass.