They were still in the tree chamber. The agreement was simple: Reralt, Narro, and the cat would help them progress; in return, Leo’s team would draw a map showing where the Hat was.
“So, we’re decided then,” Leo said, nodding. “We wait for the next reset, rendezvous at this spot”—he tapped their crude sketch—“and do a proper Maze run.”
“In the meantime…” Narro glanced toward the two trees. “How exactly is this puzzle solved?”
Leo pointed upward. “See the mirrors?”
Narro looked up. Six large mirrors hung from the ceiling, scattering pale light across the room. Three were aimed at the green tree, the rest at the wall.
“Ah,” Narro said, already theorizing. “So you redirect the light to balance the growth. You managed once?”
Bert snorted, still nursing his broken thumb. “Please. We couldn’t hit a mirror if it was standing on the ground.”
Reralt nodded solemnly—then immediately hurled his sword skyward. A perfect hit. The mirror shifted, light flooding the dead tree. A few tentative leaves sprouted.
Bert and Harlada turned slowly toward Leo.
“Yes, well,” Leo muttered, “apparently you can… add Strength to your to-hit roll.”
Reralt grinned. “Shall I throw you next?”
Leo went pale.
“No throwing people,” Narro warned quickly.
Reralt looked disappointed.
Bert sighed, handed over his own sword. “Might as well see what happens.”
Reralt threw again. Then again. Both hits—dead center.
“Just luck,” Leo mumbled, as the last mirror clicked into place.
The dead tree shimmered with color. The hidden door at the far end creaked open.
***
They stepped into a circular chamber built of great grey bricks. Every few steps, a torch burned steadily along the wall, and above them a massive candelabrum flooded the room with warm light.
Four treasure chests sat neatly in the center.
Treasure Room Unlocked.
Achievement: Tree Growth Solvers.
Reward: Treasure.
“Hmm. They’re locked,” Narro observed, eyeing the thick padlocks. “Bert, you’re the rogue, right?”
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
All eyes turned to Bert.
“Yes, well, the thing is…” He looked down and began tracing tiny circles on the floor with his boot.
Narro and Reralt exchanged glances, matching raised eyebrows.
“Like I said,” Leo muttered, “we had some attribute issues.”
Harlada, who had been thoroughly occupied rubbing the Void’s belly and dangling her last bit of string, finally looked up. “I can zap them open,” she offered, “but only one. Then I’m out of mana.”
The Void padded into the room, stopped beside a chest, and meowed insistently.
“Ah,” Narro said. “That one’s trapped.”
The three Maze Runners went very still—a shared look of painful self-awareness passing between them. Narro decided not to comment further.
“Everybody out,” Reralt said, smiling.
Narro sighed but gave the signal.
Reralt stepped forward, cracked his knuckles, and smashed every chest in succession. Wood splintered, metal screeched, and one chest released a puff of acid gas that filled the air.
Reralt didn’t even flinch. He coughed once, squinted through the haze, and grinned. “See? Easy.”
***
The treasure was laid out neatly outside the room.
“So,” Leo said, counting carefully, “the total amount of money…” He sniffed. “Eight gold coins, three silver, and six bronze.” A single tear rolled down his cheek. “That makes it eight hundred and thirty-six coins.”
Bert and Harlada fell silent in awe. Reralt, who was accustomed to wealth and had seen far bigger treasures, didn’t seem to care.
“One cape, one pair of boots, a big axe, and two scrolls of identification,” Leo continued.
“Shall we divide?” Narro suggested. “We won’t be in the Maze long anyway. You keep the coins; we’ll take the gear. We’ll hand it over when we reach the middle.”
The proposal was met with nods all around.
“But only two identification scrolls and three items,” Harlada pointed out. “We’ve had cursed loot before.”
“These boots make you go really fast!” Bert announced—already sprinting in circles.
Narro smiled faintly. “You know,” he said to Leo and Harlada, “I tend to just go with the crazy.”
They both nodded knowingly.
“What do you mean?” Reralt asked, genuinely curious.
“The cape wards you against poison,” Harlada said, finishing her spell. “And the axe returns when you throw it.”
“Wait—couldn’t you just spend one scroll to learn the spell?” Narro asked, frowning.
“Can you do that?” Harlada turned to Leo, who was already rifling through the Maze manual like a man searching for lost dignity.
After a few tense seconds, he looked up, stunned. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
Narro’s jaw dropped. “Read the manual,” he said, finger pointed to Leo as a warning. He added an exasperated. “All of it.”
Harlada gave a sheepish shrug.
Narro slipped on the cape while Reralt hurled the axe at the nearby tree. It vanished mid-air and reappeared neatly in his hand.
“This is so cool,” Reralt said to Bert, eyes wide with childlike wonder.
Bert nodded, equally impressed. “Think it works on people?”
Narro sighed. The Void meowed in warning.
***
MAZE RUN #70843 COMPLETE
PROGRESSION REWARDED
RESET IN 5… 4… 3… 2…
The air shimmered, walls beginning to unweave.
“See you at the rendezvous,” Narro and Leo said in perfect sync, fading at the same instant.
Reralt opened his mouth to ask what a rendezvous was—
—but the Maze didn’t wait for questions.
Everything folded in on itself.
Light, noise, and one triumphant meow.
Then nothing.
