"Would you like some coffee, Peter?" Helena walked towards the kitchen.

  "No thanks, this shouldn't take long," the man from the Guild replied, turning his attention to Hera, who was sitting in front of him.

  "I'll take one, please." Hera said to Helena with a smile. It's been two days since she returned, but seeing her friend still calmed her heart. For a moment, Hera honestly thought she would never see anyone else again.

  "Ms. Kingsley, can I proceed?" Peter placed a small recording device on the table.

  "Hera is fine," she waved him off, "And yeah, you can."

  The man nodded, his perfectly combed dark hair barely moving with the motion, "Very well. First, I would like to thank you for your discovery once again. If we didn't have the information that Wendigos could appear in any layer, I'm afraid many people would die."

  "You are accepting this rather quickly, aren't you?" Helena frowned while making two cups of coffee.

  "Yes, while this is the first confirmation we were able to acquire, there have been reports of monsters that share similarities with wendigos. Blood red fangs and claws, sudden spikes in their power. With the addition of being able to use abilities of monsters in the surrounding area. The corpse that Ms. King… - Hera brought us, is all the proof we need to confirm those reports," Peter's voice was cold and mechanical.

  Despite everything, it was something that really fit the man. He wore a black suit and tie with a white shirt, and shoes that were perfectly well kept. There was not a single person in the entire world who would look at him and not think, 'this is a businessman.' It was to the point of almost being unnerving.

  At the same time, Hera couldn't help but notice that the usually calm and caring Helena was giving off a menacing aura every time she looked at him.

  "I'm glad I was able to help. Fighting one of those things is not easy," the Explorer attempted to break the tension.

  "Nor should it be done on your own. The main reason for our problems on the 25th layer is for Wendigos that devoured explorers and now possess their skills. You should not have fought this creature but run away from it. If you had perished, others would have paid the price," Peter's eyes shimmered with a cold, pale light before he looked down at his tablet.

  "And I'm sure she could have just run away. Oh, wait, she did! Hera spent three days running from the creature before being cornered. Or didn't you even read the report?" Helena slammed her cup on the table and scoffed.

  "I am aware of the circumstances that led to the fight, yes. This is simply a conjecture about what could have happened in case her plan wasn't successful," Peter's eyes meet Hera's once more. They were a dark brown that made the Explorer remember the dirt in the Carpon Caverns "However, I do hope you consider this possibility if you find another of those creatures in the future."

  Hera chuckled, "You don't even have to ask. Fighting another one of those things is not on my to-do list."

  Peter nodded, his stern expression breaking for a split second as a smirk flashed across his face, "Very well. The Guild would also like to reward you for your service. Aside from the payment for the creature's corpse, which will be substantial, the Guild would like to offer you an upgrade. You will no longer have a bronze card, but a silver one instead, as long as you are willing to participate in a small ceremony."

  "Why does she need to participate in anything? Since when is that a requirement for a silver card?" Helena walked over with two cups of coffee in her hands, giving one to her assistant.

  "Helena, I understand that she is your protégé, but she is a grown woman who can take care of herself. She doesn't need you to be a helicopter guardian. If you are going to keep interrupting me like that, it would be better if you waited in another room." Peter stared daggers at Helena, who replied in kind.

  Hera smiled at her friend, "That's ok, Lena. I got this," Helena nodded and headed back to the kitchen. Without missing a beat Hera turned back towards Peter, "Right, now. Why do I need to participate in anything? Since when is that a requirement for a silver card?"

  Hera could hear Helena laughing in the kitchen after her question. While Peter just stared at her for a moment.

  "I'm afraid I don't know. I'm just the messenger here. Your rewards were decided by the people above me. They want to set up an award ceremony and an interview with you."

  Hera considered for a moment. A silver card was a sign of trust from the Guild. With it, she could take some quests that were only available to silver explorers and higher. But aside from that, she didn't know if there were any benefits for her. Even if there was a large part of her who wanted to accept.

  Not because of the prestige, or anything of that sort. Getting the silver card would be proof. Proof that she was meant to be here. Proof that the Guild made a mistake by not letting her join. A definitive and final proof that she was meant to be an explorer.

  Yet, she had to keep a clear head right now and not let her emotions guide her actions.

  "I'm not very interested in doing the interview, or the award ceremony for that matter. I fought to stay alive, not to help anyone else. The only reason I dragged the corpse was in hopes that studying it could lead to a way of curing Helena."

  Peter nodded, "I understand. You never asked for any of this, but the fact of the matter is that now you are here, and as a result of your actions, the Guild feels the need to award you accordingly. From what I understand, the interview is a way to reassure other explorers that these monsters are not invincible. Showing that even an Explorer with less than two months of experience can defeat them will solidify that statement."

  Hera took a sip of her coffee and crossed her legs, placing both hands over each other. Thanks to Helena's contacts in the Guild they were loosely aware of what the reward was going to be. The pair even spent some time rehearsing the questions they should ask about this.

  "How is that supposed to help? If the Guild tries to say this is not a big deal, then it will just be asking other people to go after the Wendigos. Which might get them killed and make the monster stronger in the process. And if they say I was just a dumb Explorer who got lucky, then my reputation will be tarnished. I don't see any benefit in me doing that interview either way," Hera calmly said, remembering the lines she had prepared with Helena.

  Peter nodded, "While I don't know much about the ceremony. I can explain this point. The guild does not intend to throw you under the bus. Or to pretend this was a regular occurrence. Instead, the idea is to show that you found the monster by accident and struggled to survive. That you are someone who will do great things in the future and this is just the first step on your journey. I believe some will even use you as an example as to why we should forgo the attribute restriction for the first level up. Even if this involves having the Guild admit the restriction is a mistake."

  "What?" Both Hera and Helena gasped. They never considered the Guild would be willing to say they were in the wrong. Even if they were an organization focused on the MAZE, and far from one of those corrupt companies, they still had some of that pride that stopped them from admitting mistakes.

  Peter glanced at Helena before continuing, "Yes. Not all members of the board like that restriction. They might use this example as a reason to abolish it. You can also use that opportunity to talk about Helena and how you fought to assist her. And if you are still suspicious, understand this. The Guild has already failed Helena once, and has no intention of doing so again. That's why we are doing everything in our power to give you the best treatment possible."

  Hera looked towards the kitchen, somewhat bothered by the man's comment, "I need some time to think about that. I never wanted to be famous, just to live my own life and waste my time doing random things," the words came sharp out of her mouth.

  "Very well, but we need a reply by the end of the day in order to organize everything quickly," Peter reached for the pocket inside his suit, "You are also receiving this. It's a voucher worth a tailor-made 20,000 gold worth set of armor. You can make the request at the Guild and talk to a skilled crafter for the specifics of your request. If, by any chance, what your request goes over that value, you can call me. As long as it's nothing too unreasonable, we can cover the expense."

  Peter gave the small card to Hera. It looked like a regular gift card from any random store. As a matter of fact, it was the gift cards that the guild sold in the gift shop. The fact that something like that had 20,000 gold inside sent little shiver through her spine.

  "Now the value of the corpse. I ask you to be patient while we are evaluating the actual worth of the materials, be it for crafting or as a research subject," Peter explained.

  "Wouldn't it be the same price as one from the 25th layer?" Hera asked.

  "Nope, the ones there are much stronger. Your weapons wouldn't even make a dent in their hide. Also, if they gave someone on the first layer the amount of gold that people in the Qeeroni Wilds make, it would break the economy and send everyone in a mad search for the Wendigos," Helena yelled from the kitchen.

  "But that's not necessarily a bad thing right? As long as people are careful. And if more people are after it, they won't have the chance to grow too much," Hera turned to the kitchen door. Helena was nowhere to be seen as the mage was hiding in the pantry.

  "The Guild is already setting up a quest for tracking down the Wendigos and another to kill them, just as they did in the Qeeroni Wilds. But if people think they can become rich in one go, they might try to hunt them on their own and die in the process," Helena continued her explanation while eating a cookie.

  "If you are going to keep listening in to the conversation, you might as well stay in the room," Peter rubbed his temples.

  "Not at all. You asked her to leave. It would be impolite to disrespect your wishes like that," Hera said with a cold smile. Simply paying back the man for the way he was treating Helena.

  "Very well. Do you have any more questions?" Peter was seemingly completely unbothered by the response.

  "No, I don't."

  Peter took a business card from his pocket, "If you do, feel free to contact me through this number. I'll message later about the interview. The Guild wishes to have it ready before the announcement of the Wendigos. Let me remind you. We need your answer by the end of the day. This is a time-sensitive issue, as I'm sure you understand."

  As Hera nodded, Peter got up and headed for the door. Helena rushed right behind him to see him out. But Hera didn't get up as legs were still aching.

  After she reached the settlement, she got into a truck heading to the barge and only arrived back in Hazelpond in the evening. The first aid she received back there helped a lot, but even the Guild's dedicated healers could do so much.

  Her legs were in bad shape not just because of the amount of gashes on her tights, but also the constant use of her muscles as they were bleeding. Now, to heal them properly, she was supposed to avoid moving too much.

  They even gave her a cane. Not that it would help that much, since both her arms were also injured. The wound on her back was the worst one. It was too large, it started healing wrong, and was showing early stages of infection. Funny enough, inside the MAZE that was the easier problem to solve. There were spells to kill the bacteria even inside one's body.

  However, to make the wound heal properly, they had to reopen the gash and guide it so the skin wouldn't be connected at odd angles. Even then, it would still leave a scar. Which, considering that Hera still had a large burn mark across her back, wasn't really an issue.

  Yet, what was bothering Hera the most was her ear. Very few healers had the ability to regenerate a lost limb. Healing spells used the body's natural recovery as a blueprint to fix wounds, but growing an appendage back was completely different. The Guild didn't have anyone on call for it, and the price just to get her ear back would be over 100 thousand gold.

  "At least it's just the tip. The rest is still there," Hera mumbled while rubbing her ear.

  Helena sat on the couch by Hera and hugged her, "I'm so sorry, sweetie. This is all my fault."

  "Why? Did you put Wendigo bait in my bag?" Hera chuckled.

  "If I hadn't sent you there, nothing would've happened. Hell, if I didn't help to break the wall, all the Wendigos could still be in stasis," Helena shook her head while still holding Hera in her arms.

  The Explorer hugged her friend back, "Lena. This is not your fault, none of this is. The wall would eventually go down. If not that day, then later. You may be amazing. But I highly doubt that your support would make or break the assault."

  "You are terrible at cheering people up. You know that?" Helena smiled, but still carried a sad expression.

  "Sorry, what was that? I couldn't hear it," Hera turned her head, making her wounded ear face Helena.

  "HERA!" the mage cried.

  The duo laughed and stayed in each other's arms for a while. As much as Hera was trying to play it cool, her wounds were still a problem. Luckily, the Guild had also sent a healer to take care of her. He was coming from the 13th layer and would only arrive in the evening.

  But he would be making some house calls for a couple of days in order to heal all her wounds. Or at least that's what Peter had told her through text.

  "Did something happen between you and that guy?" Hera asked, letting go of the hug.

  "Not really. He's just an ass. We worked together a while back. He basically thinks that other people are beneath him and treats everyone as being too dumb to know all the information. They offered me his job before he got it and I think he still resents me for that," Helena replied as she moved a bit away on the couch to give Hera some space.

  Not long after, Helena went back to her lab, asking Hera to call her if she needed anything. Thanks to the information and materials that Hera acquired during her journey, Helena felt close to a breakthrough in her research.

  Not only that, but she had been studying and developing new theories during the time she was working as a Guild clerk. Hera understood her excitement, and it was nice being left alone. The last thing she wanted was to be treated as a sick patient.

  The Explorer was safe in the city and could rest for a while, even if it was incredibly boring. Watching TV, reading, listening to music, everything felt dull and mundane.

  While a random movie was playing on the TV, Hera decided to look through everything the guild health plan would offer. Since she was already resting, she might as well check if she was healthy.

  Even so, in the back of the Explorer's mind there was a feeling that kept gnawing on her. Boredom. She had almost died. Fought for her life while being chased by a creature that didn't even let her sleep, yet all she wanted was to go out hunting.

  Hera felt glad when she heard the doorbell ring, at least that was something to distract her. She was about to get up, but a yell came from the basement, "Don't you dare get up! I'm coming."

  Helena quickly scrambled up the stairs and headed for the door. The healers who treated Hera all said that she should be off her feet, or her wounds could reopen. The Explorer had been scolded so many times by Helena that not moving after someone yelled was becoming second nature.

  "Hera, you have visitors," Helena said as she walked back to the living room with Blue, Alex, Bonnie, and Mark following her.

  Hera rolled her eyes, "Can you not phrase like I'm in the hospital?"

  "I'll do that when you can raise your arms above your head," Helena replied with a playful smile.

  Hera squinted and attempted to raise her arms, but a sharp pain in her back stopped her from completing the motion. Blue rushed towards her, "Hera! Stop, are you ok?"

  "I'm fine," the Explorer chuckled.

  "No offense, but I've seen zombies that looked less like they just left a grave," Mark said as he sat on the couch to her left.

  "You can't talk to a girl like this and then complain you're single," Hera gave him a death stare. Which wasn't hard to do, but for the wrong reasons.

  "It's a free MAZE, of course, I can," he shrugged while looking around. It was the first time any of them had seen the house.

  "That is really not the point," Alex shook her head and gestured to Helena, asking if the mage needed help.

  She nodded, and the two went to the kitchen to get everyone something to drink.

  "It doesn't matter. What happened?" Bonnie sat beside Hera.

  The explorer recounted the tale of her adventure to her friends. Talking about the pangolins, the Carbuncle and the one with a crystal scale. She moved on, talking about the three-day fight with the panther.

  Hera avoided commenting on her feelings of boredom, not to seem weird to her friends. Before sharing that kind of thing, she wanted to understand it properly.

  "Wait, so you leveled up?" Alex asked as she arrived with a tray of snacks. Helena was right behind her carrying some soda and several cups.

  "Yep, I'm level five now," Hera nodded as she opened her status screen.

  "I kind of want to be angry since you didn't wait for me," Blue pouted.

  "Did you get anything special for the level up? I mean, five is a milestone, right?" Mark asked.

  "Not really, just my regular stat up. My mana got a big boost since I kept cycling it to stay awake after the fight."

  "Really? What is it now?" Bonnie asked.

  Hera opened her status.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  Hera Kingsley -- Role: Explorer Level: 5

  Stats:

  Strength: 21 Endurance: 21

  Agility: 21 Charisma: 21

  Intelligence: 21 Luck: 21

  Mana: 311/311

  Remaining attribute points: 1

  Skills:

  Passive:

  Exponential Growth

  Observe 2

  Treasure Map

  Handaxe Combat 1, Chakram Combat 1, Wire Trap Style (+1)

  Dodge 1, Run 1, Improved Stamina 1

  Mana Recovery (+1)

  Active:

  All in 1

  Inspect 1

  Hide 3

  Weapon Maintenance 1

  Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

  Etching

  Role Skills:

  Local Guide

  Explorer's Assassinate 1

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  "It's at 311," Hera replied with a smile which caused Bonnie to frown. Yet that only lasted a moment before the Researcher started asking how to increase her mana so much.

  They continued talking, eventually giving the floor to Blue who shared the details of her vacation. Including a romantic getaway with a Brazilian model who was doing a bikini photoshoot on the beach near the hotel.

  A few days later, Hera and Helena were walking towards the Doorway in Brinefront.

  "Sweetie. Are you sure you want to do this?" Helena asked as they got in line to transfer back to Earth.

  "Not really. But Peter had a point. If I talk about what happened to you, maybe someone will have an idea. That's why I set up the email," Hera replied. She was still injured, but after the treatment she received from Cameron, the high-level healer, she felt much better.

  Even so, the wound on her back and her right leg were still a problem. She also had a couple of small cuts on her face and the missing part of her ear. Something that, according to all the staff who took care of her, wasn't worth fixing now. Instead, they should focus on the more significant wounds.

  "If you get too nervous, focus on us, ok? That is a trick that my dad taught me. Focus on a single person in the audience," Blue said.

  The entire group was moving together. Helena had invited them to stay at their house, living with them. All but Mark had accepted the offer. The crafter worked in a workshop in Brinefront, and the commute would be too much.

  Bonnie, on the other hand, got very excited by the idea of helping Helena with her research, but to her dismay, the Mage only allowed Hera inside her lab.

  Hera spent a lot of time thinking if she would accept the card. Silver cardholders were the majority among the Guild. Most people who went past the 5th layer would eventually get it.

  Helena explained that she would also get a few perks. Discounted services from the Guild, priority crossing on any doorway that had a checkpoint set up. And she would even have priorities if she wanted to rent an ATR.

  Lower layers didn't have ?training rooms exclusive to silver or gold members, but if she was waiting for a reservation and someone canceled theirs. The Guild would let her know about it. There were also more crucial quests that would be available to her, but then again, those were rare to come by on lower layers.

  The main reason she agreed to the ceremony was so that she could talk about Helena's situation. The Mage agreed to talk about it. That way, they could have a more extensive network of people with potential leads.

  No one was expecting much on the subject of actual treatments. But people might have clues about items or skills that could help. Not to mention the possibility of getting information about legacies that could help, but that was very unlikely. No one was willing to give up the chance of getting one of those skills.

  As they entered the Guild, the group was led to the terrace where their graduation party took place. They were received by a woman with a light tan, long chestnut hair, and thick glasses, wearing a salmon-colored skirt going to her ankles and a flower stamp t-shirt.

  "Oh, hi! Wow, that's a big group," she looked around the new arrivals, "Hera must be... you right? I mean, the bruises give it away a bit."

  Hera nodded, "Yeah, that's me. Sorry for this. I'm not much of a fan of makeup."

  "What? Oh no! No, no, no, I didn't mean it like that. You look great. It's just. You are the only one that seems to have been fighting to the death recently," the woman tried to explain.

  "Don't worry. I get what you mean... Sorry, I didn't catch your name," Hera said, turning on her customer service switch.

  When she worked in the bookstore, a few shoppers had similar reactions when talking to new people. Because of that, Hera was their regular attendant.

  "Oh, I didn't say it. My fault, not yours. I'm Livia, Livia Erhis. Nice to meet you," Hera shook Livia's hand, "Ok, so we were supposed to do the ceremony and then the interview. But there was a small change, and we are going to swap that. Is that ok?" Livia asked.

  "Sure. I'm not exactly excited about either. We can do it in any order," Hera said, ?causing Helena to sigh.

  "I know, right? These things are so stuffy. I just want to get it over quickly. Having to dress up is really annoying. I wish I could go like this. But you look great!" despite Hera's reaction, Livia seemed to be completely unbothered and continued the conversation.

  Hera was wearing a long gray coat and a purple shirt with jeans and boots. Helena and Blue tried to convince her to use the dress she wore to their graduation, but she refused. The Explorer was already doing something that made her uncomfortable. The last thing she needed was an outfit that made it worse.

  "Thanks. So, are we ready, or do we have to wait?" Hera looked around, trying to see where she was going to be interviewed.

  "We are all ready. Let me introduce you to the interviewer," she led Hera to the back of the patio. Just before the stage, there was a setup with a few cameras and two chairs. There was a woman with pale blue hair and large white rings tattooed around her eyes that she recognized in one of them, "Hera, this is Becca Swan."

  "Hi, I recognize you from the assault. Did you manage to save your crew?" Hera smiled while greeting Becca.

  "Well... save is a strong word. I helped them run away and held back one of the creatures before the cavalry arrived. It was mostly due to luck that we all got back."

  Hera nodded, "I can relate."

  Becca smiled, "I'm sure you do. Are you ready to start?"

  "Not really, but let's go."

  Becca chuckled, "I said the same thing during my first broadcast. Now we are just gonna give you some basic makeup for the camera."

  Hera sat on the chair across from Becca, and the makeup artist came along. A few minutes later, the interview started. Most of the questions were very basic. What was the creature? Where did she find it? How was the fight?

  Things that Hera had answered more than a few times over the last few days. Then, Becca asked about her origins, where she came from, and how she became an Explorer. This was the only question that Hera already knew about. It was also her cue to talk about Helena and the email address.

  "I know she will say I'm wrong. But I do feel like I owe everything to Helena. Without her, I wouldn't be here, and the Guild might not have this information. That's why I set up that email, and I hope anyone who has any clues could reach out," Hera turned to the camera when asking for help and said the email address, following Becca's directions.

  "That is a very noble thing you are doing. I hope you know that. Not only are you willing to risk your life for your friend, but you are also even reaching out. I think we can all take some inspiration from your selflessness," Becca shifted on the chair, "But now, you brought up an interesting point. Do you believe that the Guild should remove the stat restriction for new recruits? You said it yourself if it wasn't for Helena and some luck, you wouldn't be here. Some people could have died if it wasn't for you."

  The question surprised Hera. She wasn't expecting something so political to be brought up. At least not directly. According to Peter, this would focus on the fight against the Wendigo. Still, removing the restriction was something that she never really thought about.

  If the question was asked before getting her level up, she would've said yes in a heartbeat. But now, after that fight and knowing how dangerous the MAZE could be, she wasn't sure. Hera started mumbling something in a low voice while trying to think.

  "It's ok. Take your time. This is not live. We can cut to your answer," Becca smiled.

  Hera took a deep breath and organized her thoughts. Once she felt ready, she started speaking, "I don't know. I don't believe I'm experienced enough to give my opinion on the matter. It's been less than three months since I started my life as an explorer. On one hand, I can understand why the restriction is there, but I also know what it is like to be rejected by the Guild. Yet, now I can't say if they are right or wrong."

  Becca nodded, "Even high-level explorers would have trouble to give such a level-headed answer. Thank you for that. Now, let's change the topic for a moment. What is it like to be the fastest silver card holder that the Guild ever had?"

  It was hard to get used to Becca's way of interviewing. She would ask simple questions and follow it up with more heavy and complex topics only to jump back on something lighter right away. Hera wondered if that was a trick to make people drop their guard or let something slip.

  "Honestly, I'm not sure. By all accounts, it doesn't make any sense. I didn't hunt down the wendigo or went after a rumor. Finding it was a coincidence, and it was just a fight for survival. I still don't know if it was worth the silver card. Honestly, it kind of feels like they are just throwing that out there to make people forget about other things," Hera replied honestly.

  Becca turned to her crew and made a motion for them to cut the cameras, "I'm going to say this off the record because I hate when people are used without realizing. I think this is all a publicity stunt. The public's view of the Guild plummeted after the attack on the wall. Very few people actually trust the leadership now."

  The reporter looked Hera deep in her eyes, "I believe they want to use you for a few things. First, to show that Wendigos are not boogeymen, since even someone who barely started could beat them. Second, to have something to celebrate. The best way to make people forget a bad thing is to flood the news with other things. Third, they still need to show that Wendigos are not to be toyed with. I say that is even the reason for not healing you fully before the interview and why they specifically asked to film your right side. That way, your wounded ear is on camera."

  "But it's the wrong side. The camera is only getting my left ear," Hera said.

  "Oops, I must have forgotten about their request. Oh, well. We have too much footage to redo the interview. They are going to have to deal with it," Becca winked at the Explorer.

  Hera chuckled, "Thanks. For the advice, too. But is it ok for you to say this here? And how can you be so sure they are doing that?"

  "Let me give you a tip as an interviewer. Avoid asking more than one question at once. It's easier for them to focus on part of the answer and ignore the rest. Now, to actually answer you, don't worry. I trust my crew, and I'm guessing you trust your friends too. Even if someone here reports to a big shot. I'll be fine. Now, you can keep that reply, and maybe the Guild will give you some trouble in the future. Or you can rephrase it and ask the questions without appearing so... aggressive."

  Hera considered her options for a moment but suddenly came to a realization, "You didn't say why you are so sure the guild is using me as a publicity stunt."

  Becca smiled, "Good catch. Even if it was a gimme. I can't say I'm sure, but I've been working with the Guild long enough to understand how they think. While I am a reporter, I'm also part of their PR team. I know their pattern. Liking it or not they are a public facing company, and they are under a lot of scrutiny all the time. You won't be the first person who had five minutes in the spotlight thanks to a problem they had to solve. Even if, in your case, things are happening in a bigger scale than usual."

  Hera looked at her friends and nodded. Helena already had enough problems. She didn't need to add the Guild's wrath to the list.

  "Let me try answering the question again," Hera said after putting some thought into the matter.

  Becca nodded and made a motion for the crew and spoke as if the interview had never stopped, "Even high-level explorers would have trouble to give such a level-headed answer. Thank you for that. Now, let's change the topic for a moment. What is it like to be the fastest silver card holder that the Guild ever had?"

  "I'm not sure that it sank in yet. I mean, it's a great honor, but am I worthy of it? Strictly speaking, I didn't do anything for the Guild. My only intention when fighting the Wendigo was to survive. Still, I can only hope to prove that I truly deserve the silver card in the future."

  Becca smiled and asked a few more questions, mostly about her skills and dreams. Hera was focused on helping Helena, and she admitted that in the interview, however she also talked about her desire to explore and see the MAZE as a whole.

  Having enough content, Becca thanked her for her time and reassured Hera that her first answer wouldn't be a part of the broadcast. After that, Livia returned wearing a black fitted suit with a white shirt and a black tie. She was like looking at someone else entirely. They set up for the ceremony, and as it was about to start, Livia took the podium.

  "Today, we are here to honor a member of our Guild for her exemplary effort to help us all. As the Guild Master of the branch responsible for her training, it's hard to put into words how proud I am of our graduate. She fought and defeated a Wendigo on her own. The creature was found in the first layer, and its body recovered, confirming reports that those monsters are not exclusive to the 25th layer. Yet, we must not forget the sacrifice that was made when these creatures first surfaced, and we must remain steadfast against their attacks...."

  Her speech lasted another half an hour. She was mostly talking about what the Guild was doing to protect people against the Wendigos. All the while Hera was flabbergasted. She never expected that the person who greeted them was actually the branch Guild Master.

  At the end of it of the speech, Hera received her silver Guild card. It had the same design and engravings, but now her name was glowing. Even with all the weirdness of it all, Hera couldn't help but feel emotional. Six months ago, her life was awful, and she could only pray for things to get better. Now, less three months after her level up. She was recognized as an honored explorer. Someone who earned the respect of the same people who rejected her years ago.

  After the long ceremony, Hera went back to her friends. Helena was sitting on a chair with a satisfied expression. Alex and Bonnie listened to the speech in silence, but Mark was doing something on his tablet while Blue had dozed off and was now sleeping on Alex's shoulders. Hera chuckled at the sight and woke her friend up.

  "Blue, Bluuuee, time to wake up," she said in a soft voice.

  "But I'm already in makeup," Blue mumbled as she awoke, "What happened? Is it starting?"

  "It just ended. We were lucky you didn't start snoring," Bonnie rolled her eyes.

  "I don't snore!" Blue turned around to face the Researcher.

  "Yeah, you do. But only when you drink," Hera, being the one who shared a room with the controller for a while, knew her sleeping habits.

  "So, what now? Can the real party get started?" Mark asked, putting away his tablet.

  "What party?" Hera looked at him with a puzzled expression.

  The group smiled, "You just got a silver card, sweetie. You think we are going to let that pass by?" Helena said.

  They dragged Hera downstairs and left the Guild. In front of the building, waiting for them, was a black limo. Quinn was leaning against it, wearing an open back, light blue dress. She rushed towards Hera as soon as the group arrived and gave her a big hug.

  "Congratulations! And I'm so glad you're ok," tears were forming in Quinn's eyes.

  "Thanks, Quinn. I'm fine," Hera let go of the hug after a moment and saw Quinn's mascara starting to run, "What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

  "Of course not. I was just terrified. Lena told me how banged up you were. You guys might be used to this, but I'm not," her voice was trembling.

  Helena walked towards Quinn and gave her a hug, pulling Hera to join her, "I'm sorry. Sometimes I forget how hard that can be for civilians. I'll be more careful when talking about these things next time."

  Quinn shoved her head between the two, "You better. Or I'm posting all the pictures I have of you."

  Helena chuckled, "Deal."

  Bonnie and the rest were watching the scene. It felt like an intimate moment, and they still had no idea who the woman in the blue dress was. The Researcher turned to the side and saw Blue's and Mark's expressions.

  "Do you two need help to close your jaws?" Bonnie stared at them.

  "I'm about to turn into a wolf cartoon, gimme a minute," Mark replied.

  Blue didn't even acknowledge the commentary. She was just staring at Quinn with wide eyes of someone who was quickly falling in love.

  "I think we lost her," Alex said while looking at her friend.

  A few moments later, Hera turned around and introduced Quinn to the group," These are Alex, Mark, Blue, and Bonnie. They are part of my class and my current party."

  "It's a pleasure to meet you all. Sorry for this scene. These two made me very worried the past few weeks," Quinn greeted the group while trying to fix up her running makeup.

  "Don't worry, we understand. Hera had a similar reaction when Helena went missing," Alex said.

  "Hey! I wasn't crying," Hera protested.

  "Yes, you were," Blue and Bonnie replied together.

  Hera tried to come up with a reply, but her mind was blank. Instead, she turned to Quinn, "Anyway, where are we going?" looking at the limo, Hera started to turn pale, "Oh no. Please don't tell me we have to change?"

  "Don't worry. I'm the only one who dressed up. After all, I'm the only civilian in the group. I need to work more to stand out," Quinn replied while playing with her dress.

  "Oh, please. Like you need an excuse to dress up," Helena rolled her eyes.

  "Shush, this is not about me," Quinn grabbed Hera's hand, pulling her to the limo, "Now let's go."

  "Go where?" Hera's question was left unanswered as they all entered the car.

  "Man, I forgot how funny that movie was," Alex said as they left the theater a few hours later.

  "Me too, 'Just a flesh wound,' must be the best line in cinema history," Bonnie laughed.

  "I had no idea you could rent an entire movie theater. This was awesome, thanks everyone," Hera tripped and having to catch herself against the wall.

  "I had no idea Mai Tais were so gooood. I had like twelve," Mark's voice was slurred, albeit no one was much better.

  "I forgot how much I liked popcorn. We need to get some when we are back home," Helena she stuffed herself with the leftovers.

  "Yeah, Let's get a popcorn machine! What do you think, Blue?" Alex cheered and turned around, "Blue?"

  "Where is she?" Hera frowned.

  "And where is Quinn?" Mark started looking around.

  Alex walked back towards the movie theater and suddenly stopped before a small alley. She turned to the group and made a motion for them to stay quiet. They all gathered behind Alex and looked at where she was pointing.

  Quinn was pressing Blue against the wall in the alley while the two were in a heavy make-out session. Quinn, who was at least 20 centimeters shorter than Blue, and much less muscular, seemed to be taking the reins, picking the Controller on her lap making her almost look like a toy

  "Oh, no. Not again," Helena sighed, "Sorry, guys. I need to stop this, or we are taking a trip to the police station."

  Helena walked towards the couple who didn't notice her presence. Using her cellphone flashlight, she flashed both her eyes and made her voice a couple of levels lower. "Stop doing that in the middle of the street, or I'm taking you in."

  Quinn quickly let Blue go, "Sorry, officer. We got a bit heated up. It won't happen again."

  "Sorry, miss, but you are coming with me. A night in a cell will put out your fire," Helena continued.

  Blue didn't understand what was going on. The person holding the light was clearly Helena. She looked back and saw the rest of the group calling her and holding back their laughter. Carefully sneaking out, she joined her friends.

  "Please office. It won't happen again, I swear," Quinn begged.

  "That's what you said during Mardi gras, New year's eve, and during your teacher's farewell party," Helena broke character in the middle of the sentence, letting a small chuckle escape.

  "How do you..." Quinn blocked the light with her hand, "LENA!"

  The group started laughing, watching the scene. Even Blue, who was a bit lost, joined in. The two in the alley went back to the group as they walked through the night. After a few moments, Helena and Quinn talked behind the group while Hera pulled Blue to the front.

  "Hey, are you sure about this? I mean, you are not too drunk to make decisions are you?" Hera asked.

  "Nah, I'm good. I'm more worried about Mark. He's a step away from a blackout."

  "Don't change the subject. Are you sure? She is much older than you. You know that?" Hera pressed on the matter.

  "I know. And relax, we talked about this. It's going to be just a casual thing."

  Alex, who was walking just a few steps behind them, jumped towards and placed one arm around each of them, "Be honest. Is this just because of the Brazilian chick who gave you blue balls?"

  Blue let out a sigh, "It's not. But you know what. I deserve to let out some steam. Being this pent up is probably bad for my health."

  Hera laughed, "Fine, you are both adults. Just don't hurt her or I'll beat you up."

  "Hey! What's with that? I met you first, and you are defending her? I'm a catch! I'm the one you should be worried about! Go tell her you will beat her up if she breaks my heart," Blue pushed her friend away, laughing.

  "I very much intend to do so. Just not the part about beating her up. She's a civilian, I can't be making threats like that, or I might lose my silver card," Hera chuckled while getting some jeers from the group.

  While they were all happy for the Explorer, she had been insufferable. Everything was about her silver card. Then again, no one was going to complain. Today was her day, and she deserved all the praise.

  ——————————————————————————

  A man in a suit opened the door to a large office on the top floor of the building. In the middle of the office, there was a single desk with a stack of paper on one side and a bald man with ebony skin sitting on the other side, rubbing his eyes. The vast skyline of the country's biggest city could be seen behind him through a glass wall.

  "Excuse me, sir. The latest report just arrived," the man said while walking towards the desk.

  "Have you read it?"

  The man stopped walking. He knew his boss enough to recognize his annoyed voice. "Yes, I have, sir."

  "Summarize it for me, please. I'm tired of translating that scientist's jargon."

  The man gulped. His words might seem polite, but he knew that it wasn't a request. Yet, he barely understood what the report said. The language was complicated, and most of it talked about things that were sent, or received without giving any additional context about what those things were.

  "Yes, of course. The report said that..." he started fumbling through the pages, "after extensive testing, they increased the control group as presented by team A. The results from lab 4 were underwhelming, but they led to a breakthrough in lab 2. Team F reports that the first batch shows promising results, and in the coming months, they will be able to confirm if using the oranges will work as intended," the man explained while looking at the file, trying to make sense of all the data. As he raised his eyes, he was met with the cold stare of his boss.

  "Is that all?"

  He flipped through the pages, making sure he didn't forget anything, "Team F also requested an increase of 15% on their emergency fund. There were more complications than expected with the development."

  "Very well, leave the report. And you can go."

  "Yes, sir," he placed the report on the side of the desk, not to disturb the rest of the paperwork, and headed for the door.

  "Turner," the bald man's voice made the assistant freeze.

  He turned around slowly, unsure what to expect. His boss was staring at the paperwork in front of him.

  "I hope you can improve your presentation skills. If not, we might need to discuss a change in your career at this company."

  Turner felt his palms sweating. He could only pray that the rest of the documents on his hands didn't get wet, "I'm sorry, sir. I will do better next time."

  "Very well. There won't be a third."

  The bald man waited for his assistant to leave before pressing a button under his desk. It locked the doors and triggered a soundproof barrier around the room. He got up from his chair and looked at the view. There was a number already dialed on his phone. All it needed was for him to press a button. Staring out of the window, he enjoyed the skyline for a moment before completing the call.

  "Isn't it a bit late for a call, Morgan?" the voice on the other side asked.

  "Not for this. The project seems to be going well. I need you to speed things up on your end. It needs to be done by the end of the month."

  "Ah, sure. Do you want some coffee while I'm at it? Or maybe I should go to your office and give you a lap dance. Better yet, I can bring some vaseline and you can shove your fist up my…"

  There was a moment of silence. Morgan watched a plane that was taking off from the airport. Maybe he should pay his associate a visit. Some people needed to be reminded of those responsible for their success.

  "I'm sorry, Morgan. That crossed a line."

  "At least you still admit your mistakes, Romeo."

  "But still, Morgan.."

  Morgan cut him off before the voice on the phone could finish his sentence, "Romeo, I called you as a friend, but after that lack of respect, I would rather continue this discussion as a business partner. Please refrain from addressing me so casually."

  There was another pause, "I'm sorry, Mr. Waaberi."

  "Now, I will say this only once. We need to change our timeline. We will already have results next month. Results that need to be followed up. I expect that you will be there to protect our interests."

  "But sir..." Romeo wanted to protest but stopped mid sentence. He had already angered Morgan too much.

  "If you have a valid concern, speak your mind. This is a partnership. Your thoughts on the matter must be considered," Morgan said.

  Romeo knew that those were just empty words. The only thoughts that matter were Morgan's, still. It wasn't the right time, "Mr. Waaberi, sir. This is too soon. We were lucky with the Wall Attack going south. Thanks to that the misplacement from the labs are barely being discussed and there was no need to use what we prepared. If we add something else it might dillute the news cycle too much.. If we put add something else it might dillute the news cycle too much. People could start connecting the dots.

  "That's why we need you in a position where you can scramble the lines that connect to me."

  "Mr. Waaberi that is not..."

  The voice was cut off once more, "Romeo, this is not a request."

  There was another moment of silence before the reply came, "I'll get it done, sir."

  Without saying another word, Morgan hung up the phone. He walked back to his desk and opened the last drawer. Removing the fake bottom, there were a dozen brand new cellphones, all made by his company. He picked one of them and placed it in the charger.

  Raising the other hand, the phone that he just used to make a call started to float, and then it got crushed by its own gravity, turning into a perfectly smooth and round ball, about the size of a bottle cap. He placed the marble on top of a small pyramid made of similar looking balls that decorated his desk and went back to his paperwork.

  #############################################

  And that is book 2 done! We end with a bang and an ominous piano key.

  How are you liking the new version so far?

  Only 3$ a month!

  Thanks for supporting my writing. And check you my other story,

  Want more? Next chapter is already available for Patreons!

  Tiers:

  $3 Explorer: Advanced chapter + Side Stories

  $5 Gold Card Explorer: Everything Above + Book 1 rewrite early access

  $10 Legacy Holder: Everything Above + create your own MAZE/ Energy Eater character

  $35 Guide: Everything Above + create your room, guide, and 4 chapter story arc

  or buy me a Ko-fi

  Join our Discord!

  Massive thanks to our amazing Patreons:

  Guide Tier: Lemon Ghost, Dr Dankness, Personssess

  Legacy Holders: Lillith Ophidia, NessaroseDyer

  Gold Card Explorers: Faeolin the Wild Elf, Jinx, laciw, Eric M, A.b, Kaouenn, Someone

  Explorers: Giuseppe, Theredescare77, Matt, Will C, Pltergeist, Nix, Frightful6_7, Cog, Maren, Tomas, Pletter, Kensyi, Daniel, ShadowedForest, Rosy, Lara, Kitzuna, Kakaae, Alex, Psyren G, Baseplate36, Scott, Tierhon, Gabriel