★ YOU BELONG WITH ME ★
DEATH ZONE

he hadn't kissed her because of the Eremites. Well, yes, he had said that and it was partly true, but most of all he had kissed her because he wanted to. Cyno wanted to be honest with himself. He was attracted to her. It had been quite a long time and using the Eremites as an excuse had just been the perfect opportunity.

What was just as perfect was her reaction. She had returned his kiss. Not right away, which he couldn't blame her for, but after she had calmed down, she had even buried her hands in his hair and damn he had liked that. Cyno also would have liked to continue kissing her. But they were still on a mission and even though the wall he had built up had long since collapsed, he should still hold back. At least a little.

But Maliah had been angry too. Maybe even a little disappointed and that could only mean that she didn't want him to just kiss her to silence her, right? That he only kissed her because of the Eremites, right? She had wanted him to kiss her because he wanted to, right?

She couldn't hate him, not really. If she hated him, she definitely wouldn't have reacted like that. So he just had to make it clear to her that he definitely didn't hate her, because for whatever reason, her pretty little head was thinking that. And it didn't seem like she was going to throw those thoughts away quickly.

»Nonono!« Her voice interrupted his thoughts and he quickened his pace. Maliah had arrived at the upper part of the temple. She stood right in the middle and looked around confused. »Seven corridors!«

Now that she said it, Cyno noticed it too. Seven corridors that probably all led somewhere else. And some were certainly dangerous.

»How are we supposed to know where they went and how are we supposed to know which one leads outside?« She sounded upset. »My sister isn't here, we have to get out of here!«

»Hey, calm down.« He walked towards her and really had the urge to grab her hand. But he did not do it. She had told him not to touch her anymore and for now, for today, he should listen to that. »We don't know for sure if your sister isn't here. She could be in one of the hallways.«

Maliah crossed her arms and snorted. »I don't feel like finding her anymore anyway, it's all unnecessary.«

To be honest, Cyno had been wondering the whole time why Maliah should go on this mission. Sure, Mailin was her sister and maybe Maliah would be able to talk some sense into her, but that wouldn't stop the war. He knew that Tighnari had a penchant for resolving family conflicts and he knew Maliah's family. Maybe Tighnari really just wanted to help Maliah.

»I mean, it's not my job to stop the Eremites and it's not up to me to stop the war between scholars and sand people.« She crouched on the sandy ground. »I can't talk to the Sand People, I know I have their blood too, but I have nothing in common with them. They don't like me, they hate me because I'm a forest watcher.«

»The Sand People don't hate you. Candace adores you.«

»That's only one person.«

»And I like you.« He crouched down in front of her. Maliah looked at him with her green fairytale eyes. »Actually, nobody that ever talked to you hated you.«

»And you know that why?«

»Oh well, a long time ago i tried not liking you and I failed masterfully.« Well, he had tried not to fall in love with her and failed, but that wasn't the right time to say it so he changed it a little bit. »If I fail at this, everyone else fails too.«

A adorable smile appeared on Maliah's lips. It was really cute, he liked it. »Maybe you're right, maybe you're not. The point is I can't persuade my sister because I think she's right.«

»You think she's right?«

»I don't think it's good that they want to wage war and reject our Dendro Archon, but the way the scholars treat the Sand People is anything but acceptable.«

Cyno nodded. »I agree with you.«

»And what do we do now? Should I just lie to Tighnari, tell him that I haven't found my sister? Or should I continue looking for her?« Maliah covered her face with her hands. »I don't know what to do,« she mumbled, shaking her head. He couldn't see her face anymore, but from her voice he was pretty sure she was fighting back tears.

»We should try to get out of here first and then.«

»How?«, she interrupted him. »That's seven hallways.«

»And then,« Cyno continued. »Then we'll do whatever you want. If you want to lie to Tighnari, I'll help you. If you want to continue looking for your sister, I'll help you as well.« He knew he shouldn't, but he reached for her hands anyway and pulled them away from her pretty face. »Understood?«

Maliah nodded. She actually had tears in her eyes. Cyno didn't like that. He didn't like that at all. »Don't cry.« He also knew he shouldn't do that, but he stroked her cheek anyway. »We'll make it out of here, but this time do me a favor and actually stay behind me.«

Not because he thought she couldn't defend herself. Oh, she could do that. She had even helped him fight. She was certainly really good in the forest, between the trees and plants with her bow and arrows. But here. She didn't know her way around here very well. And he himself didn't know his way around this temple very well, meaning he didn't know what could happen.

»Some passages are definitely dangerous and I would prefer if you don't get impaled. After all, you didn't even see the tripping hazard and.«

»You don't have to try to persuade me,« Maliah interrupted him. »I promise I'll stay behind you.«

»Good girl.« Cyno stood up from his crouch and pulled her up to her feet. She looked at him, like she looked at him when she saw him without his helmet. Yeah, he definitely wanted to kiss her again. »So, should we take the rear right or front left aisle?«

»Why not the one on the front right?«

»Did you hear about the Chef who died?«

She looked at him confused. »What?«

»So you haven't?«

»No.«

»He pasta-way.« Maliah still looked at him confused. Somehow that made him smirk even more. »Got it? past away sounds like pasta-way.« In fact, the corners of her mouth twitched a little. She couldn't help but smile, but she tried hard to suppress it. Sweet. What was also sweet! Or rather grandiose, was that she was the first person who had to smile the least because of his jokes.

»Anyways, what I wanted to say is, if you walk down this aisle, you will pasta-way too,« Cyno explained. »Everything about this passage points to danger.«

»Well if you say so than i believe it.« She turned to the other two aisles. »The one on the left.«

Cyno nodded and moved forward, but he still held her hand tightly. He was really worried about what might be in the corridors of the temple and he liked holding her hand. It didn't seem to bother her either; she didn't fight back. Well, or she just endured it because she knew if something happened it would be smart to be with him. Of course Cyno would prefer the former.

The corridor was very narrow. And dark. And Cyno didn't even see a tiny light at the end. In fact, he didn't even see an end. He didn't even know if the corridor had an end. It was pitch black and smelled pretty musty.

»Another reason to hate the desert. You know, if you are in the forest at night or even in a cave, the probability of finding a glowing plant or stone is pretty high. Oh or little bugs flying around!«

»I'm sorry to tell you this, but we won't find anything like that here.«

»I thought you would say something like that.« She stopped and he stopped abruptly as well. He couldn't see what she was doing, but based on the noises he was pretty sure she was rummaging around in her backpack. »I think I found it!«

»And that would be?«

»Well I don't think being able to see in darkness is one of your abilities.« And suddenly there was light. She held a small glass jar in her hand and shook it. »Here, this will help.«

»Are those fireflies? Did you take fireflies with you?«

»Yeah.. don't tell Tighnari! Otherwise I'll have to listen to another speech about how valuable all the creatures in the forest are and yes, he's right, but I'll let them go free again.«

He shook his head in amusement. »I won't tell him.«

And then they kept walking. The little fireflies didn't light up the entire hallway, but at least Cyno could now see where he was stepping. For the next few kilometers, however, absolutely nothing got in their way. There was just sand and an endlessly long corridor.

»Just a hypothetical question. When you're on a mission and walk through a hallway like this, what do you usually end up with?«

»Maybe we should go back.«

»Huh, so bad?«

Cyno nodded and then there was a junction. Two corridors opened up on the left and right. Normally Cyno would have suggested that his partner split up, but he definitely wouldn't let Maliah go alone.

»Now if you're going to suggest we split up, you can forget it. I only have one jar of fireflies and to be honest I feel pretty uncomfortable going on alone.«

And luckily she saw it the same way. He didn't have to argue with her.

»Don't worry, I don't plan on letting go of your hand today,« Cyno said. »But to be honest that's the only plan i have at the moment so.«

»You don't know where we should go?«

»Exactly.«

Maliah snorted in amusement. »Let's go back and try one of the other courses. At least there are still six left.«

He had to listen to her. Really! He was just a little distracted. Cyno looked into the right hallway and saw a bright light coming towards them. The same from the left aisle. And he heard it crackling, it smelled burning. Fire!

»Good idea, run!«

»W-what, why?«

He turned to her and turned her around by her shoulders. He placed his left hand on her back and gently pushed her in the direction they had come from. »Maliah, just run.« She listened to him. She ran off. And Cyno, he stayed behind her, ran after her.

He didn't had a good feeling about letting her walk in front of him. But he also didn't had a good feeling about letting her walk after him because of the fire. He would have liked to just take her in his arms and carry her. But what bad could they expect in the main hall, right? They came out of this hall and there was nothing and no one there. That was exactly why Cyno had always behaved like that! His feelings clouded his judgment.

His feelings for her clouded his judgment. He worried about every little thing and before he thought logically, he always thought about whether she was okay. Whether she was really safe and whether she could really make this journey. This drove him crazy!

»There your both! I thought I would have to wait years.«

Cyno didn't recognize that voice. At least not really. It was similar to Maliah's but at the same time completely different. Maliah's voice was bright, happy, almost melodic, but this one had something cold about it. And as soon as Cyno came to a stop behind Maliah, she flew to her knees.

»Cyno, you should have stayed in front of her like you said.« She started laughing and put her right hand over her heart. »Oh, and how did you say 'Don't worry, I don't plan on letting go of your hand today', well you should have stuck to that too. That was so sweet, really touching!«

»That's my sister,« Maliah mumbled.

Mailin curtsied. »It's a pleasure to meet the guy I constantly see in my visions next to my sister.«

Cyno ignored her. He decided that would be best. He wasn't interested in her games and he was worried about Maliah anyway. He knelt next to her and saw the arrow stuck deep in her leg. Oh, he hated Mailin. He hadn't said a word to her, but he still hated her. And he hated himself. He should have let her run after him. Then the arrow would stick in his leg.

»Don't worry, it'll be fine. My dear sister knows all about injuries like this, you know?«

Yes, he knew that too. Still, he didn't like seeing her hurt. And he could see that she was in pain. Maliah tried not to show it, but she was shaking and her beautiful eyes were filling with tears.

»I didn't want to hurt her, promise! But I learned one thing from my visions, If I want the attention of the great General Mahamatra, but have to distract him a little so that he doesn't attack me, well then I have to hurt his sweetheart.«

Cyno would have liked to murder her. Really. Because she was right. He wouldn't leave Maliah's side now and he would have listen to her stupid ramblings.

»I'm fine.« Maliah reached for his hand and squeezed it lightly. »So if you wanna kill her, feel free to go.«

Oh, damn he was so into her. He had to smile a little. »The look on your face says something else.«

»Yeah, well it burns a little.«

Mailin started clapping and laughed again. »I could watch you two lovebirds for hours, but I still have a lot to do. So let's get to the point. All the corridors lead back into this room, it's a small labyrinth and I personally improved it a little.«

Maliah tried to push herself up. But failed. Cyno held onto her arm. »You built your own trap for us.«

»Well, my dear sister, I personally call it the death zone, but sure your right.« She grinned. She had a completely different grin than Maliah. Honest. Cyno couldn't see any similarities. »Anyway, you two will die here together. Isn't that romantic? You finally start talking to each other and as soon as you confess your feelings your die.«

She turned away from them and headed towards one of the hallways. When she stood in front of it, she turned back to them. »And through my visions I can see you doing all this, isn't that funny? In return, while you're still breathing, you can tell Cyno about how I going to storm the wall.«

She was completely crazy. Cyno had no other word for her. Mailin shot one of her fiery arrows into the air and then disappeared down the hallway. The large rocks that rained down closed the entrance.