Tobi had been walking through the maze for days, maybe longer. Fatigue had weighed on him at this point, and his steps were slower than before. He had reached the fifteenth floor by now, and exhaustion was taking its toll. Hallucinations crept at the edges of his vision, and disorientation clouded his thoughts. He swayed at every step until finally he stopped.
Further ahead, a strange statue, a knight, carved from the same pristine wood as this maze. It stood at seven feet tall, its helmet elongated with a T-shaped helmet. A single wooden horn protruded from its forehead, and in its hands, it held a sword of the same material. As Tobi examined it, the statue turned its head toward him.
He was already gone.
I'll find another way.
Fighting was unnecessary for his goal was to leave the maze, not waste energy on battles that served no purpose. Besides, the wood of this place was resistant to the flames he could currently make so there was no advantage to be had. He had no desire to test his luck against something like that.
But luck was rarely on his side. As he turned, he encountered another, and just like that, he was trapped between two of them.
Very well.
He prepared to fight but no attack came. The statues moved past him without a single hint of hostility, continuing on their predetermined paths. Tobi observed them closely, noting their odd behaviour. They were not mindless constructs. They had behaviours like being annoyed whenever they stepped in water and whenever he got in the way but regardless followed routines and perimeters they followed, and they only attacked non-human entities. At least that much seemed clear.
A thought formed: if they did not perceive him as a threat, then perhaps he could use that. They could be his best chance at finally getting some rest.
When night fell, the guardians ceased their movement, standing idle. Taking the risk, Tobi allowed himself to rest.
He woke to find himself bound. He glanced around in mild confusion, sighing as he leaned back against the wooden floor. A dream? No. His body ached. His mind was sluggish. He had been taken somewhere, but as long as he wasn't dead, he supposed it didn't really matter as he closed his eyes again.
When he awoke again, his vision swam for a moment before stabilizing. What happened? He was still in the maze, still wearing his cloak and mask, but now his arms were tied with rope. A quick scan of the area revealed more figures nearby: three elves. Two were arguing, their voices hushed but tense, while a third attempted to play peacekeeper. The wooden soldiers remained, unmoving as ever.
Tobi exhaled slowly. The elves were speaking in a language he recognized, at least in part. He pieced together what he could from what he recalled. He knew the language but he did not remember how he knew it. They were accusing him of murder. The elf he had slain, the undead soldier, had been one of theirs.
He remained still, listening.
The male elf with brown hair and grey eyes Vaerion was furious, his voice laced with grief. His sister had been the one Tobi had fought and killed. Of course she was already dead. Opposing him was Vaenara, a black-haired elf with brown eyes, who argued that Tobi should be taken to the elven court instead of being dealt with here. The third, Alariel, a freckled redhead with green eyes, attempted to keep the peace between them. Unlike the one he had fought before, these three were not trained or hardened warriors. They were young, likely in the maze as some part of some coming-of-age ritual. He guessed that the leader was the undead he happened to kill.
Tobi remained silent as long as he could, listening and gathering whatever information he could get. When he finally spoke, it was in broken Elvish from the scraps he could remember when he spoke it.
"This is a misunderstanding."
The argument halted. Vaerion's glare burned into him, Vaenara's expression hardened, and Alariel simply watched, cautious of him.
The boy moved first, reaching for Tobi's throat in anger. Tobi shifted effortlessly, avoiding the clumsy attempt before igniting a small flame and burning through his restraints easily. He stood, moving calmly to retrieve his sword.
"If you fight here, they will hear you," he stated, nodding toward the wooden guardians.
The three hesitated, their hostility tempered by the warning, unsure if the statues were a threat. He took the moment of quiet to explain himself.
"The girl was already dead. I put her to rest," he said simply, his Elvish still broken but understandable. The girls faltered slightly, but Vaerion continued to glare.
"How do you know our language?" Vaenara asked, still wary.
"I remembered it just a few moments ago," Tobi replied honestly.
"Why are you dressed so weirdly?" Vaerion spat.
"I'm not an elf," he answered simply.
"Why are you here? Do you have magic?" Alariel asked more calmly.
"I'm looking for someone and I don't have magic."
Vaenara narrowed her eyes. "Then how did you produce fire?"
"I was burned by a god."
Vaerion scoffed. "As if you could survive that."
Tobi said nothing. He simply lifted his charred arm, letting the burned, blackened skin speak for itself. The elves fell silent.
Alariel finally broke the quiet. "A god, really?" she asked, not believing him
Tobi shrugged. "It doesn't matter. What happened to your mentor?" he asked seriously.
"A-An orc attacked us," Vaenara admitted reluctantly, trying to keep her composure. "She told us to run while she dealt with it."
Tobi nodded in understanding. Their mentor had died, and these three were left to fend for themselves and then their mentor was somehow resurrected.
Alariel studied him carefully before asking, "Are you a good person?" she asked hopefully.
Tobi shook his head. "That's up to you to decide," he replied honestly.
She nodded, seeming to accept his answer.