【ＥＲＩＫＡ】
Erika waved goodbye to Menchi as the blimp propellers activated.
It steadily took off and slowly proceeded into the scenery. After a couple of minutes the blimp was no more than a dot in the distance.
Gazing over her shoulder Erika examined the large, tall tower she was standing on. It was made of very sturdy concrete, most likely hard to break.
Her companions, too, were examining the stone structure and looking for an entrance. One man had already been attack by monsters attempting to climb down the cracked walls.
【ＦＬＡＳＨＢＡＣＫ】
Erika waited with, Gon and Kurapika at her sides, on the grassy earth below her shoes. Three men stood in front of her and the participants. One had a purple mohawk and glasses. He stood in the middle of the three and wore a white jacket.
She couldn't exactly make out the faces of the other two because she was more focused on the man before her.
"Hello, I am the third examiner. In front of you is a tower. It's called Trick Tower and its purpose is to test you. This will be the Third Phase, you must complete obstacle after obstacle until you make it to the bottom. You have 70 hours to complete this task."
Tension built up as the participants stared at the large, tall, pillar-like tower.
〜
Erika stared at her watch which had the timer set to 70 hours. The blimp was getting ready to take off as the last couple of people got off the ramp.
【ＰＲＥＳＥＴ】
The timer had already started and 11 minutes passed since getting on the tower.
It was quite clear to Erika and the participants that climbing down was not an option and neither was jumping.
There must be a way in.
Walking around carefully on the smooth stone she found a dent. Stepping a bit rougher on the slab it gave.
Erika jolted as she realized she was falling. It wouldn't take much to get back on the stone but this must've been the way in.
She let out a quick fake shout to hint the others that she found a way in.
Dropping hard on the ground, she looked around keenly. There was a narrow hallway lined with unlit torches.
How ironic.
Using her Nen, Erika continued forward, each nearby torch lighting up with exquisite purple, nonlethal flames.
The purple flames gave off a warm glow, as if acknowledging the presence that stood before them.
Getting deeper into the narrow hallways the air grew thinner, disappearing more with every step.
Erika turned a sharp left instead of straight and went onward. The paths became jumbled up and after a few more turns at corners she had concluded that this was a sort of labyrinth or maze.
How a-MAZE-ing. Oh gosh, puns.
〜
Erika glanced down at her timer/watch. It indicated 7 hours had passed which meant she had 63 more hours to make it to the finish line.
She passed down another corridor, the air was very scarce. Taking tiny breaths she turned right.
Before her stood 5 doors. Gazing at each of them Erika smirked and went for the far left.
She turned the knob then opened the door. It lead to another corridor but sounds could be heard.
Speed walking through the pathway she stood before another door. Again, Erika turned the knob and a pathway appeared. It lead to.......
A platform with.....
Gon, Killua, Leorio, Kurapika, and Tonpa?!?
• @ •
【ＫＵＲＡＰＩＫＡ】
Turning his head to the sudden sound Kurapika found himself looking at Erika.
She was also gaping at the sight before her as if she was questioning her eyes.
Currently Gon was in a candle duel with a cloaked figure and Tonpa had lost his match making it 0-1.
Leorio and Killua had also turned to see her. She waved and walked over to us.
Across the room, a stone door slowly and noisily slid open to reveal another prisoner.
Also cloaked, she looked at Erika like a predator assessing its prey. Erika did the same.
She observed the room, people, and situation. Kurapika was amazed at her intelligence and thinking.
He also wondered what happened in that mind of hers.
Kurapika gazed at her a minute longer, she had noticed. A warm smile appeared on her face. It seemed rare.
He looked away, cheeks pink, his heart beating slightly faster. He glanced back quickly to find her back to her calm and collective self.
Did he just imagine it?
• @ •
【ＥＲＩＫＡ】
Erika had concluded that she had miraculously, somehow, encountered her friends, yes friends, and they were in some sort of battle.
The woman that had appeared when she arrived stared at her confidently. Erika tried her best to look weaker to throw that criminal off balance.
Heh, I'll hold back. Such a lucky girl.
Gon had won his match apparently by blowing his opponents candle out. The score was now 1-1, Kurapika informed her.
"Good job Gon."
They all congratulated, except Tonpa, who stood their devilishly.
Erika tensed a bit, she sideway glanced at the cloaked woman who stared at her before turning back to Gon.
Oh she's going down.
• @ •
【ＧＯＮ】
Gon had noticed it. The sideway glance, the skilled observation, the sudden warm smile, but he didn't exactly know, who exactly is Erika?
He looked at her but found her staring at him with a knowing gaze. It said 'Don't worry,' and 'It's nothing,'.
Gon tried to believe it, he really did. But he knew better, she was something different. Special.
Sort of like Hisoka..
he thought.
〜
【ＥＲＩＫＡ】
Crap. He's more observant than he seems. I see what Hisoka means now.
Erika sighed, she was now standing face to with that woman. She had taken off her cloak to reveal short crimson hair.
"My name is Ekli, I propose we do a death match."
Said the woman.
"That's fine with me."
Erika replied.
The ramp that had connected to the separate platform where her friends , and Tonpa, were waiting had retracted. The gap between them was wide but possible to jump to.
Don't over do it. They'll get suspicious.
"Today is the day you shall die."
Ekli said, overly confident.
Erika's aura was tempted to come out, she was trying so hard not to smirk or grin. It was so, very hard, but...
Let the game
B e g i n.
Thank you for 100 reads! I really hope you enjoy. I'll get right to the next chapter,
'A False Spider'
-Exotic