Tipha's eyes narrowed as she took a step forward, Arianna stood beside her, the soft light of her magic swirling gently around her staff, ready to cast a protective barrier at any moment. Both of them stood on high alert, staring down the little wolf girl. Lima growled low, her tail up, and body emanating with an icy aura.
"Come to us seventh prince!" Tipha called out, her voice sharp. "Unhand him…you beast."
"That creature is dangerous, Clive. Get behind us!" Arianna called out.
Clive quickly sprang to his feet and studio between the elves and the wolf girl. He had to stop this before things spiraled out of control. "WAIT!" Clive shouted, his voice louder than he expected. "She's a friend! Don't hurt her!" Both Tipha and Arianna glanced at him in surprise, but their spells remained charged. Clive stepped forward with his arms stretched out. "She's never hurt me…"
"That thing is not native to the labyrinth," Tipha frowned but didn't lower her hand, "Step back—"
"She saved my life!" Clive interrupted, turning his head to look at Lima, who had stopped growling but remained alert. "She's not a threat. She's... she's my companion. She's been protecting me." He then eyed the corpse of the giant salamander, frozen in ice.
Arianna hesitated, her magic flickering softly as she glanced from Clive to the massive wolf, then back to Clive. "Are you sure?" she asked softly, concerned in her voice.
Clive nodded firmly. "I'm sure. She's not going to hurt us. Just... trust me." He knelt down to Lima, giving her a little head pat. "Lima, these elves won't hurt you or me. They've been protecting me…and they know how to get out of the labyrinth!"
"...out of labyrinth?" Lima said confused, "Lima can go outside of labyrinth?!"
"Yes! They're my friends, ok? They're very strong too!"
"O-ok…" Lima pouted, "Lima believes in you."
For a long moment, the air remained thick with tension. Tipha's eyes flicked back and forth between Clive and the silver wolf, still unsure. But slowly, she let her magic die down, the fire dissipating from her hands. Arianna followed suit, the light around her staff fading until the cavern was left with only the soft glow of the moss and stone.
"Alright," Tipha said slowly, lowering her arms. "But if she tries anything—"
"She won't," Clive said quickly, turning to face Lima. Her icy gaze softened as she nuzzled his leg gently, as if to reassure him that everything was alright now. As the tension eased, Tipha and Arianna approached Lima cautiously. The little fox girl looked nervously, standing close to Clive with her large, bushy tail swaying behind her.
Arianna, with her nurturing smile, knelt down in front of Lima. "Hey there," she said softly, reaching out to pet her head. Lima blinked up at her with those wide, innocent eyes, allowing Arianna's hand to rest gently atop her silver locks. Arianna's fingers moved soothingly, and Lima let out a small, satisfied purr. "You're very strong aren't you?" Arianna said warmly. "Thank you for keeping Clive safe."
Lima smiled shyly, leaning into Arianna's touch. "Lima protect master!"
"M-master?" Arianna said, shocked. She turned to look at Clive, who simply giggled with an arm behind his head. It was a long story.
Tipha, meanwhile, stood a little further back, her arms crossed over her chest, trying to maintain her stoic appearance. Her sharp eyes remained on Lima, but there was something else beneath that composed exterior. She glanced down at the little girl, the corner of her mouth twitching as if she were fighting back a smile. It was obvious that she was trying to hide the fact that she found Lima adorable.
"Elf with a funny hat!" Lima called out to her, "Are you scared of Lima?"
Tipha huffed, looking away as if she were uninterested. "Hmph, I'm not scared." she scoffed. "I'm impressed that the 7th prince managed to make someone as strong as you as his subordinate."
"Master feels warm…so that's why Lima likes him!" Lima cheered.
"Is that so?" Tipha said, raising an eyebrow. Seeing this exchange, Arianna couldn't help but laugh. She then pointed her staff at the door, telling the group to move on.
"If I remember correctly, there should be a staircase here that takes us up to the fifth floor." she said, "Shall we go?"
"O-Oh, of course Miss Arianna." Clive said, following her. Tipha and Lima followed behind, both sizing each other up just in case any one of them does anything funny.
***
Clive, Tipha, Arianna, and Lima ascended the winding stone staircase, their footsteps echoing softly in the dim light as they pressed onward into the fifth floor of the labyrinth. The shift in atmosphere was immediate as they stepped through the ornate archway—the cold stone of the lower levels gave way to polished marble floors and grandiose hallways.
The fake sunlight pouring through the high, arched windows bathed everything in a golden glow, though outside, the world remained an illusion. It felt almost surreal, this contrast between the grim underground and the pristine opulence surrounding them. Clive couldn't believe
Tipha led the way, with the rest following behind her. Whenever a straggling monster appeared, she and Lima would spring into action, seeing whoever could take down the most. Lima would launch herself into the fray, tearing through enemies with claws sharp as razors, while Tipha's [IGNIS CORONA] flared brilliantly, reducing anything in her path to ash. Clive and Arianna simply watched them go at it, and were tasked with keeping track of the score. They would forget after the first few kills.
After a series of battles and traps, they finally reached the end of the hall. Massive doors opened before them, leading into an impressive throne room. Marble pillars stretched toward the high ceiling, their surfaces adorned with intricate carvings. Blue curtains lined the walls, flowing down from lofty windows that cast the room in a serene, cold light. The room exuded an air of authority and grandeur, but also held an ominous presence—as though something powerful lurked just beyond sight.
"We're here." Tipha said. "The final room before the exit." Both her and Arianna then readied their grimoire and staff respectively. Clive noticed that Lima was also ready to attack, almost about to transform into her beast form, growling as she sensed imminent danger.He was confused. The throne room looked rather empty...until he noticed that the throne itself was rumbling.
Suddenly, the carved stone at the base of the seat splintered and cracked, pieces breaking away as if something immense was forcing its way out.. Marble shards flew in all directions. From the wreckage, a massive figure emerged—a towering golem of pure marble, easily quadruple the height of any man. Its body was made of intricately fitted stone slabs, each one etched with ancient runes. Its thick, powerful arms looked like they could smash through steel without effort. The golem straightened, standing tall in the center of the room, the faint glow of the castle's false sunlight glinting off its polished surface. Without a second to spare, the blue glow on its jagged head turned to face the party. "Oh no…" Clive said, carefully taking out his tiny knife.