Prologue
LINDEN
Mazeabyssoria, an enchanting and enormous labyrinth, even infinite, full of mysteries that most would wish to wander through and explore. Its fantastic fauna, nature, hidden treasures, and bestiary are worth entering for. However, there were many risks, and many others chose to have just a bit of elemental magic and decided not to explore further. Personally, I liked investigating the labyrinth, but I was content to stay on the first floors. It was a way of “ensuring survival” in general. However, it had been a while since anyone from our team had the courage to enter again, and we were also busy with jobs that took too much time to then try to be adventurers.
After reminiscing a bit about the marvel of this city, like the labyrinth, I activated Chronholovinc. It’s an app where you can chat with your friends, and yes, if the possibility was there, we could all talk at once in hologram form. I was eager to do something with my group of friends. Everyone activated their hologram, and I was glad to see their faces.
Linden: Hey, who’s up for tonight?
Magius: I’m in, no question.
Víctor: Me too, me too 😊.
Eliane: Not feeling it, guys. See you another day.
Magius: Come on, don’t be like that. A few hours of rest won’t hurt anyone. We can pick you up when you get off work.
Eliane: Sorry, guys, have fun.
I was waiting for Víctor and Magius, eager to celebrate with them that we’d been given a week off from work. Every now and then, you have to enjoy life, especially when we all knew it could be lost so easily.
–It’s about time, you’re so slow– Víctor teased while giving me a high five.
–But, I got here first – Magius laughed.
We went to the basement we had rented together and spent time playing cards, a Parcheesi game with hidden tricks, and a miniature version of the labyrinth with its first five levels. Deep down, we loved playing that one, and every now and then, we felt nostalgic about going back. But we knew that would bother Eliane too much, and she wouldn’t participate.
After several long hours of playing, we decided to go straight to Eliane’s workplace. If she turned us down, at least we wouldn’t let her walk home alone. A bit ironic, knowing she was one of the best at defending herself.
When we realized it, we were still halfway there. If we didn’t hurry, there wouldn’t be any surprise left. We sped up as fast as we could, and Víctor bumped into a man. The man fell directly to the ground and started bleeding from his chest. What the hell?
–Sir! I’ll call an ambulance right now…– Víctor said, distressed.
–No need to waste your time– Magius assured him, and the three of us stood there, frozen–. He’s completely bled out.
–WHAT?! – we both exclaimed, not understanding what had just happened–. But he didn’t have anything sharp to stab him with.
–Officer, there they are, the killers of Mr. Bouzas! – we heard a voice shouting, pointing at us while taking a photo.
–You are under arrest in the name of the law – pronounced a national police officer.
–Wait! You can search me if you want, I don’t have anything sharp that could have killed him, I swear– Víctor tried to defend himself.
–You are under arrest –the officer repeated.
–Well… My innocence will be proven sooner or later…– Víctor tried to comply.
The officer cuffed him, and we couldn’t believe what was happening. It was even more surprising when another officer appeared as Víctor was being taken away in a rough manner.
–Didn’t you hear my partner? You’re both going to jail as accomplices– he hurried to try to cuff us, but we both stepped back hesitantly.
–Hold on, we should be going as witnesses at most –I started to suspect.
–Yeah… And, how is it possible that police showed up within minutes to arrest us? Too convenient –Magius began to consider as well.
The officer and the mysterious man exchanged complicit glances, and it was at that very moment that we started running, realizing that they were not, in fact, police officers who had just arrested Víctor.
