Mirage - Shall We Date Wizardess Heart' Fic

Chapter 13 (3/3): A Deceitful Labyrinth

It took about fifteen minutes to reach the Botanical Garden. 

Several tiny fireflies were scattered throughout the place, shining brightly and blinking in sync with the grasshoppers' own melody. It lit the gardens beautifully, making a very romantic setting. Such a lovely scene couldn't be more perfect and, Aurora couldn't stop her own feet from moving and leading her in the most melodic dance. As she spun and swirled by herself, her dress billowed and rippled accordingly. A slow smile worked its way across her face and into her eyes. Despite being alone, she was having the most fun than she'd had in years, and secretly hoped it would never end.

Then, by the last twirl, she spotted a glimpse of a person's silhouette near the Queen of Hearts Labyrinth. She hurriedly steadied her feet on the ground and scanned the entrance for further suspicious activity."Hello?"

No answer. Only silence preceded her voice.

She counted the seconds in the tense muteness. Somehow, something in her gut warned her for the fact that someone was out there, stealthily observing from the shadows. Unable to keep her silence any longer, she asked."Is-Is... Is someone there?"

No matter how often she asked that question, the answer remained elusive.

She kept glaring at it when, finally, a gentle swishing sound like a ruffling of leaves made her jump in her skin."W-What was that?" She whispered to herself, afraid to trust her voice.

A few minutes later, the same sound from before, disturbed the peace once again.

"T-There it goes again..!" Every single hair on her neck stood up and goosebumps covered her entire body. She gulped down her nervousness and slowly drew out her wand from the leather buckle on her right thigh, readying it for whatever the case might be."I-I-I have a weapon and I'm not afraid of using it...!" She shouted, making whoever was out there aware that she wasn't defenseless and, hesitantly approached the tall, glorious maze. Mustering all the courage, very slowly she peeked out her head and looked in both sides; she was surprised to see a flutter of raven hair by the end of the right path."Hmph..." She withdrew and, for a moment, considered what her next course of action would be. Reluctantly, she agreed that pursuing that mysterious person was needed and fiercely stepped in. On one last attempt from her mind to tell her to 'turn back', she looked over her shoulder and behold the Botanical Gardens disappearing from sight as she continued. She shook her head, pushing the thought away and pinning her gaze straight ahead, erasing any inclination of opposed feelings. The decision was already made, even tho harm might come her way. The light in the maze faded faster than the day in a wintry forest."Lumos!" She cried out and her wand gave off a white, almost blinding light; she pointed the tip ahead, pitch-black darkness greeted her eyes. She clenched her jaws together and set off deeper with her lit-wand in one hand and the other supported on the wall, but with her eyes wide open. The walls were thick and completely impenetrable by physical force, the leaves felt cold and moist against the palm of her hand, and the temperature in the air plummeted, hence sending a dreadful shiver up and down her spine."Geez, what's this feeling?" She hugged herself reflexively."L-Let's just continue..." The path went on for miles before finally popping up a turning point or place to make a choice. When she stumbled upon the center of the maze she wasn't expecting to be blown off, right of the chart. The back wall trimmed her fall like a soft pillow and apparently did no further damage to the already done; she was lucky enough to maintain her consciousness throughout the incident."Ngh-- ahh--" She tried to rise up to her feet but, her body felt exorbitantly heavy as if an unknown force was keeping her body glued to the ground. She somehow managed to roll in her back but, every step felt like a colossal task. Even breathing was a cruel curse."It-It hurts..." Her face closed in a grimace while her hand pressed down on the spot where she had been hit. The pain throbbed in her guts, it was deep and warm, but not in a nice way. She crossed her eyes with her hand; it felt strangely dampen, and that piqued her interest. Her gaze dropped down to find an extensive second-degree burn wound on her stomach."Ugh-- that looks bad..." She said through clenched teeth. On a closer look, parts of the fabric from her dress were still attached to it. Wincing in pain, she threw her head back, her wide mouth opening in a shallow scream as she removed the small pieces from the burn. Slowly, it was cleared out of all and any alien objects to the human body. With a heavy sigh of relief, her arm fell to the side. The struggle was a sore one and so, she allowed herself a minute. She softly closed her eyes and tried to ostracize the intense ache in both her arms and legs. Every muscle in her body was numb and strengthless."W-Where is my wand...? Ngh-- I need my wand..." Then, stretched her arm and start to search in the near landscape.

"Au... ro... ra..." She could hear a faint voice calling in the distance. Her head leisurely fell to the side, instantly meeting a silhouette of a woman. She was a stunning woman with such red hair that almost seemed as if it was on fire as the moonlight bathed her in its rays through the glass dome. Not only was her beauty was remarkable, but she also had a mature, feminine charm and gorgeous body. She wore a purple warrior-like outfit with large shoulder-patches, matching wristbands, and a bulletproof corset. Such armor couldn't fully provide her with the protection needed, there were way too many open spots."Aurora! What are you doing here? Are you hurt anywhere?" The lady looked surprised for a moment and then, her lips clamped together firmly.

"I--" As she was about to answer, her eyes caught up with a figure of a man lying motionless on the other end of the labyrinth's center. Her hands began to tremble as the realization of the situation kicked in."Is he... dead? W-what did you do to that man?" She was frightened and ready to cry.

"You shouldn't worry too much about things that don't concern you." She said sharply."Now, let me see it."

"No--! Don't touch me!" She yanked the lady's hand away from her stomach and screamed from the top of her lungs out."Help! Help! Anyone... help me!"

She rolled her eyes in annoyance."Are you done?" 

Surreptitiously, Aurora looked around. "I guess no one is coming, so yes." She shrugged with lightness.

"That's what I thought. Now, Aurora, let me help you..." She kindly pleaded with her to change her mind, but she refused to listen. 

"Firstly, how do you know my name? Secondly, what the frick happened? Who is he? Who are you? And, thirdly, I don't know you so, why should I let you help me? For all I know, you could be a murderer! How can I trust that easily??" She was like a violent hurricane, spitting questions after questions as if it were hot, boiling lava.

"This isn't a time to be proud. Just tell me where it hurts...!" Her voice assumed a sharp demanding tone. Despite that, Aurora caught a quick frown, perhaps of concern. Why did that expression seem so familiar to her?

"I--" She trailed off; her lips slightly parted and pain washed over her expression again."Ah..." Her hands clawed over the burn's edges and her eyes lingered there for a moment.

"You need to tend to that wound."

"I-I just need my wand" With some effort, she was able to change positions and sat down. At last, she leaned back her torso against the labyrinth's wall and fought to steadfast her breathing."--I'll use healing magic..."

"It won't work. Injuries caused by primitive thrived magic won't heal that way." She calmly explained the contours of the situation to Aurora.

"What?! That's troublesome..." Aurora bit her lower lip at the same time she averted her gaze, falling deep in thought."Wait... Did you say... Primitive thrived magic!? I don't understand... Who on earth would release such unpredictable magic on purpose? It could have destroyed miles and miles of land!" She squinted her eyes at the lady mistrustingly. The unfinished subject lingered in the silence between them."Care to elaborate more?"

She listened and nodded, but when Aurora pressed her to elaborate, she shook her head."No."

"What?! Why?!" 

"There are things you don't need to know just yet." She replied in a tight voice.

"Somehow, you speak like you know me... Why?" Aurora couldn't wrap her finger on to why she felt that to be true and, it surely made her curious.

"Oh for crying out loud... You ask to many questions." Then, without a proper warning, the woman leaned in and directly held out her hand towards Aurora's face, which in turn, made her deflect it on instinct."Somnum Nox." After merely touching her forehead with her index finger, she instantly fell forward unconscious. She sucked in her breath quickly and then let it escape in a relieved sigh while supporting the dead weight of the girl's body in her arms. That spell surely made things easier.

**