***
By the time Xenos reached the maze, the red sky had dimmed into some kind of bruised dusk that didn't belong to any hour of the day.
Ahead, the ground rose into what looked like a wall of stone veins.
It was the Maze, and outside it were people.
A lot of them.
Groups huddled in clusters, whispering amongst themselves, waiting for their turn to go in.
Xenos blinked, half surprised.
'Oh... it's surprisingly organized.'
He scanned their faces, searching for anyone interesting, before his brows suddenly lifted.
There they were—Arc, Aspen, Deianira, Gaia, and Ariadne, all alive.
Passing the rest, Xenos casually walked up to them.
"Hey, you guys were waiting for me?"
Arc's face showed relief, though only for a moment, his typical scowl flashing right after.
"Of course you'd show up late."
"Late?"
Stopping next to them, Xenos pointed at a distance with his thumb.
"I was sightseeing. Blood lakes and screaming monsters are good company."
Aspen gave a low chuckle.
