Kaden Nadire flexed his muscles and stretched his limbs. He was feeling a lot better since he ate the last of the snow ligar Rygilya brought him.

His heart sank when he thought of his rival. Those monsters had taken him. He didn't know what they were but he knew they wouldn't be treating Rygilya to the finer things in life.

The Knight wrapped a cowl he made using the ligar's hide around himself. If not for his rival, Kaden would've already been dead. He didn't owe Rygilya a thing but Kaden had to rescue his former best friend. He still shared a bond with Rygilya. A bond he wasn't ready to sever. He put out the fire and turned to leave.

He trudged through the snowy blizzard. If not for his high amounts of life force, Kaden would freeze to death. He was glad for the long hours of training. It also helped that he had Nadire blood running through his veins.

He thought about Kariah-Belle. When he last saw his sister, she was still recovering from being kidnapped by Dracula. Kaden wondered how she was handling his disappearance. They had just been reunited when Kaden took off. Kaden had to uphold his side of the bargain with Darqus.

He'd told the dark being that he'd surrender to the Darkness but Kaden hadn't been ready to die.

Kaden was surprised the dark entity wasn't screaming in his mind. He guessed his father put some sort of block in place to hold the dark god at bay.

Some time passed when Kaden found a small cave. He could just make out the footprints in the snow. The prints belong to four-toed creatures.

Kaden willed mana to form a small flame in his hand as he walked. He was led underground and could see the footprints more clearly. As he walked he was sure to be on guard.

Eventually, Kaden came to a large room of sorts. The room had crates and boxes scattered about. He ducked behind the crates when he saw light from the other end of the room. Something was coming.

He peaked his head from around the corner and saw a young man. He was thin and pale with brownish-black hair. He looked as if he was barely eating. He searched one of the boxes for something.

Just as Kaden was about to make his presence known, he heard a low growl and he stopped himself.

"I'm searching as fast as I can." the young man said frantically.

"Found it," he said soon after.

Kaden peaked once more and saw a big nasty looking creature.

The hell is that? He asked himself.

Kaden could hear their footsteps as they walked back the way they had come.

He moved from his hiding spot and checked the crates. They were filled with plants and minerals. It looked like they were making drugs but what use would drugs be to these creatures?

Kaden took a deep breathe to steel his nerves before following the duo.

Eventually, he came to a crossroads. He saw the prints in the dirt go right so he decided to go left just in case there would be more of those things.

After going down a flight of stairs he came to another large room. This one looked like a prison block. Rows of cells lined both sides of the room.

What have I walked into?

Prisoners were chained to the walls. Some had limbs missing. Some looked to be dead.

"Rygilya." Kaden whispered rushing over to one of the cells.

His rival had a missing arm and was beat up. His armor was gone. How could that have happened? A Darkness Tamer had to willingly deactivate their armor and Kaden knew Rygilya never would.

A prisoner noticed him and began begging to be let free. More prisoners gather around.

"Be quiet." Kaden whispered. "Before those things come. I'll get all of you out of here."

Kaden quickly made a sword of lightning and cut through the bars. He ran to his rival's side and checked his pulse. He was alive. He cut his chains and the chains of the prisoners in the cell. He lifted his rival on his shoulder.

"Up you go, big fella."

Rygilya groaned. "K-Kaden? What are you doing here?"

"Don't worry about that. Let's get out of here. Take this."

Kaden reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of the snow ligar Rygilya hunted for him earlier.

"It's no use. They blocked my ability to use mana."

"What? How?"

"Anti mana formula."

Kaden gasp. He'd heard of the toxin. It stopped one from creating mana. How did those creatures stumble upon something like that?

Then he remembered the young man he'd seen earlier. He must be making it for them. Kaden had to get these people out of here fast.

Kaden hurried to free the other captives but stopped when he heard footsteps. 

He placed Rygilya on the ground and got ready to fight.

The young man from before rounded the corner. He turned to run but Kaden was upon him in an instant thanks to his mana hull. He tackled him to the ground.

"Why the hell are you helping those things!?" he accidentally shouted.

"Please! Don't hurt him!" shouted a young woman.

"I have no choice!" the man said. "If I don't they'll eat my sister."

Kaden looked back at the woman still in chains.

"So what? You feed them innocent people!?"

The man looked away in guilt.

"I should kill you here for the torment you've caused but I won't."

He may have done the same for Kariah-Belle or Aya.

Kaden moved to pick up Rygilya who looked like he was in a lot of pain.

"Don't worry. I'll kill him whenever the chance pops up again." Rygilya said through labored breaths.

"Follow me," The young man said. "I can get you out of here."

"And why should we trust you?" Kaden questioned.

"Because I'm your best bet to escape alive."

"Ian!" the young woman from before called. She was unharmed.

"I know." Ian nodded to her.

Ian walked across the room and hit a hidden button on the wall. The rock split open revealing a pathway.

"This leads into a labyrinth." he said. "Its dangerous in there but it's your only chance to escape.

"What about us!?" one of the prisoners called. He was missing a leg.

"Yeah." Kaden whispered. "Why haven't you tried to free them?"

"I only recently found the schematics of this old place. Now please, you must hurry."

"I'll come back for you." Kaden told them all.

"But-"

He was cut off by a loud roar.

"Hurry." Ian whispered urgently.

Kaden hurried with Rygilya in tow. The freed prisoners followed. The rocky walls closed behind them.

The Labyrinth was dimly lit. Kaden carried Rygilya into the unknown.

"Why'd you come for me, idiot?" Rygilya asked.

Kaden stayed silent.

"You didn't owe me anything. We were even."

"Its not about owing you or you owing me, dummy. I want to beat you. Plain and simple."

It was more than that though. Deep in his heart, Kaden was willing to risk his own life to save his friend from the dark path he'd chosen.