As he got the message they entered a sort of canyon. He had learned about this place in the Morality, he learned all about the Beasts here and how low the survival rate was for people unlike them. A slave at the Morality could easily take down a 3rd-stage Origami Beast. So there's little to scare them. But that was not of utmost concern.
Genesis tried to access his Fold again but there was only one message.
[Borrowed Time left: 2 days. Kill an Origami Beast of equal rank to your Fold to make yourself worthy of your soul.]
Panic flashed across Genesis's eyes it was noticeable to all the rest of his comrades.
"Genesis, what's wrong. Not happy with your Fold?"
Lautaro asked semi-teasingly.
"Lautaro how many folds does your Fold have?"
"Never reveal your Fold not even to your allies. It was one of the lessons that kept us alive."
Genesis repeated himself with more command in his voice.
"Lautaro how many folds does your Fold have?!"
Lautaro was taken aback. His loud voice echoed in the cavern they had just entered. Genesis could see the crows and vultures fly away. There was a high chance that he had alerted a nearby Origami Beast but that didn't matter now.
The canyon's rocks shifted to a pattern so familiar yet never seen before. The pattern of the rocks was like that of sedimentary ones. This place was what they had drilled into their brains. This place was what they had spent their whole lives learning.
He could see sand shifting below his feet. The rocks on the dunes of sand shivered. There was something big coming.
"Since it was so important to know, I have 7 folds. Are you happy? Why not be even happier when whatever you gave our location to eat us?"
"Lautaro come with me. Hana, Sephina, Noel and Jae go someplace else. There's a plan I have in mind. Don't hesitate just listen."
They did not just listen. Genesis wanted him and Lautaro to find a specific type of Origami Beast in this area.
"Genesis, have you finally gone mad? I knew there was something wrong with your brain after being born in a Free Zone, but I never knew it made you lose all sensibility."
Jae scoffed out with claims that were probably true.
"I think he's right..."
Lautaro kept speaking but Genesis wasn't focused on his voice. He looked up at Noel and she looked back at him. Eyes matching in every rhythm, they saw the shaking sand.
Only they knew what was coming. Mounds formed in the sands of the canyon. The canyon itself was changing. It was called the Canyon's Labyrinth for a reason. Quickly Noel moved to Genesis's side and pushed Lautaro over to Jae, Sephina and Hana.
Lautaro spoke but Genesis could not hear him. Sand parted as it made way for the King of the Labyrinth. A gigantic sand worm leapt from the ground beneath them. It just barely missed them.
As it kept stretching into the air. Genesis heard a sound that he had dreaded even though he had never heard of it before. Saws spun in the creature's mouth, that was its signature. That was its primal roar.
Noel grabbed onto Genesis's hand as they made their way through the Labyrinth. Genesis screamed out for Lautaro but it was of no use. This maze was the only thing that Noel and Genesis learnt.
Jae, Lautaro, Hana and Sephina had to find their way through the maze with no knowledge. Genesis looked back at the sky and saw the King of the Labyrinth spraying sand. The wind quickly swept the sand through the air, creating a storm of sand.
Genesis blocked his hand as he let go of Noel and they both attempted to climb the Canyon's Labyrinth. Genesis fell many times before finally climbing up the canyon. If they never touched the sand or never made too much noise they would be fine. He just hoped that his comrades on the other side would be as well.
"Why did you take me and nobody else?"
Genesis asked Noel with a bit of anger in his voice.
"Because you were in the advanced classes. So was I. We don't need them we can make our way out of the Labyrinth ourselves."
"Are you trying to tempt me?"
"No. I'm trying to tell you that you should abandon your comrades and just leave the canyon. Let them figure it out."
"Why can't I just leave you and join them?"
"Because that would take too much time. Wouldn't it Genesis?"
Genesis was stunned. How did she know about his Borrowed Time? He opened his mouth to speak but Noel cut him off.
"You joined advanced classes a month after me. One of the very first lessons we learnt was the phenomenon of what happens to someone in a Free Zone. You need to kill an Origami Beast of a high stage. By the way you acted, it looked like killing the King of the Labyrinth is too little of a feat to make your soul know you."
Genesis was speechless.
"You really thought Head Master tortured you more than the rest just because he wanted to? It was because he saw potential in you."
Genesis grinder his teeth together. He looked at Noel with a glimmer of hate.
"How much time do you have left?"
"2 days."
"Very short. What stage do you have to kill?"
"8th."
"Wow."
Genesis nodded. An 8th-stage Origami Beast would be impossible to slay. When Origami Beasts reach that stage they can start to manipulate reality.
"You and I only know there's only one way to keep you alive."
"Yes. There is only one way."
"We have to find the Scarlet Sand."
Noel spoke what they were both thinking. They didn't know exactly what the Scarlet Sand was but they knew it was dangerous. So dangerous that the Morality declared it a certified death zone.
Genesis sat up with his chipped sword in hand he looked to the vast expanse of the Canyon's Labyrinth. Sand flew in his eyes but he was used to that by now. He saw Noel, and she looked like an angel in comparison to him.
She was given special privileges for reasons Genesis did not know. She was allowed to change of clothes and she had her own bathroom. Genesis looked at his blade and saw himself. Dirt covered areas of his face as well as scars above his eye and all over his hands.
You could not see Noel's cuts underneath her premium leather but they were there. He felt sand enter through the pores in his shoes. The desert ground was so hot that if you stayed in one place for too long your shoes would start to melt. It wasn't much different for the air.
Panting, Genesis asked.
"How are you able to wear that when it's so hot?"
"I'm not taking this off if my life depended on it."
Genesis quickly tore off his clothes. His bare chest was revealed. In peripheral view, he could see Noel glance at his chest. She seemed sort of repulsed yet amused. There was nothing to be amused about but one could not say the same for the former.
He had scabs and whip lines all over his body. His most disgusting one was a dirty bandage covering a scar he had received in the war. Noel was still staring at his chest, then Genesis thought. Using the little empathy he had he came to a conclusion using a question.
"Is my chest attractive?"
Noel stayed silent.
"I know that female gorillas are attracted to the male who has the most strength but I didn't take you to be that type."
"I'm nothing like a gorilla and I'm not attracted. I'm confused and disgusted."
They both walked on the walls of Canyon's Labyrinth.
"What are you confused about?"
Noel leaped over one wall to another. Both of them were heading towards the middle since that is where the Scarlet Sand would be. There was also a high chance that this was what the rest of their cohort was doing.
"How are you still alive?"
Genesis also made the jump but missed. He clung to the walls and dragged himself up.
"Why wouldn't I be alive?"
Before Noel could answer, sand was spraying everywhere. Too much for Genesis to ignore he shielded his eyes. The sand passed them by as Genesis looked back. The King of the Labyrinth was using his normal tactics.
The Labyrinth was meant to be a hunting ground for the King. Those who climbed the Canyon's walls would be free from the sand and thus free from the King. To combat this the King devised the strategy of creating sandstorms.
With the way its mouth worked the blades would shoot out sand in an attempt to knock the cowards off the walls. It worked exceptionally against normal people but they were above that. Their bodies were trained to withstand measly sand.
Once the storm stopped Noel gave an answer.
"You have so many scars, too many. Your wounds are littered with infections. So how are you still alive?"
"I guess I never thought about that. There is one reason but that is too personal to share with anybody else."
"I see."
It seemed Noel was not as annoying and persistent as Lautaro.
In the distance, Genesis saw a view that brought joy to him. Scarlet Sand. Genesis pointed to the sand and almost jumped off before Noel pulled him by his hair.
"You don't care about your life do you?"
Genesis looked down at his locks of hair that Noel pulled out. All the time to grow his dreadlocks for nothing. He had plenty of others so he just moved on.
Whilst making their way towards the Scarlet Sand. Genesis asked Noel a few questions.
"What did you have to do to get special treatment from the Morality?"
"Nothing. I was just born being treated better than you. They said that my hair and eyes were a gift."
"I see. Is that why you have a superiority complex?"
Noel almost laughed.
"Superiority complex? I am more superior than you but I'm not that infatuated with myself."
Genesis looked confused. Had he made a mistake? He had never made a mistake before. But this time he had although it was a helpful mistake it was one nonetheless.
"If you try to get to know someone better then you won't mischaracterise them like that. If I truly had a superiority complex then you'd be dead by now."
"If you truly had a superiority complex I'd have killed you by now."
There was silence for a second. Noel sighed.
"That's what I get for trying to make a joke with the guy that was born in a Free Zone."
Jumping across the Canyon's Labyrinth, Genesis saw figures in the distance. At the same time, the Scarlet Sand had changed into a maroon sand. Squinting he could see Lautaro waving at him. He waved back.
Noel just passed him by and went to reunite with the rest of them. Eventually, Genesis made his way to Lautaro, Jae, Sephina and Hana.
They had weapons and armour that weren't from the Morality.
"How did you get those?"
Lautaro had an obsidian katana that had cracks. Jae wore gauntlets which made him look intimidating. Sephina had a white fur cloak with a wolf's head. Hana was by far the most surprising of all of them.
She had properly crafted clothes for an environment like this. With a bandana, good shoes, and white clothing.
Lautaro interrupted Jae before he could speak.
"We found some rando Origami Beasts that the worm thing didn't eat. So we killed them and they dropped items. My sword is a perfect fit for me. It uses magic which I have."
Lautaro said his final sentence with his usual cockiness. Jae wanted to speak again but Lautaro interrupted.
"Jae's fists are pretty basic. He can just smash things better. Sephina's wolf thing lets her control her body temperature so it's pretty useful. I don't know how Hana got all of her stuff but I don't care. How about you? You look like you've been struggling."
"I guess we have. But Lautaro did you say you have magic?"
He performed his signature. He pointed his thumb to his chest while showing the world his smile. Although, his breath was rancid he didn't care. He smiled anyway.
"What type of magic do you have Lautaro?"
Magic was a gift even in the decades that Folds have existed magic users were revered as great. But having a weapon that also helps with magic was a blessing.
"Oh, it doesn't really have a category but I have to chant it using a command and I chose..."
Lautaro trailed off his eyes grew serious. Lautaro's eyes never grew serious. Genesis couldn't even ask why before hearing something massive come out from before him, he barely looked back before he heard Lautaro's voice.
"Heterochromia."