The trek back to Katalin's house was awkward.
Neither Zara nor Vaylan spoke much, though Zara occasionally muttered curses under her breath, shooting glares at the clueless boy trailing after her.
The sandy streets of Edgaris were almost empty now, the market stalls shuttered, the oil lamps moving weakly in the warm night breeze. Only the creaking sound of the old wooden door as Zara shoved it open broke the silence.
Inside, Katalin sat at the dining table, sipping from a chipped mug. She glanced up, relief washing over her face when she saw Zara alive and mostly intact.
"Welcome back," she said dryly, setting her mug down. Her eyes moved over to Vaylan. "I see you brought the blue-eyed boy back with you too."
Lato was sprawled lazily on a worn-out sofa, his tail twitching. He lifted his head, his golden eyes narrowing at Zara.
Zara fidgeted awkwardly. "Sorry... for earlier. I said a lot of stupid stuff."
Katalin stood, walking over to ruffle Zara's hair. "You're always saying stupid stuff. But you're home safe, that's what matters."
Zara scowled, swatting her hand away, but her lips twitched, betraying the faintest smile.
"Make yourselves at home," Katalin added, grabbing her coat from the hook by the door. "I have to get to work. It's close to Midnight. Try not to burn the house down while I'm gone."
She stepped into the night, pulling the door shut behind her.
For a few moments, the small house was quiet, save for the creaking of the wind outside.
Vaylan grabbed an apple from the bowl resting on the dining table before plopping down on the floor next to the small table, stretching his arms above his head with a groan.
"Wow, you're quite shameless," Zara groaned.
"I can't help it. I've been craving these apples since I first walked in here," Vaylan said before taking a bite.
"Soooo..." he said, grinning. "What's next? Do we climb tomorrow?"
Zara perked up, her earlier irritation forgotten. "We train."
Lato immediately sat up, ears twitching. "Wait. Hold on. What? Train? With you? What for?"
"Yes, with me, furball," Zara snapped back. "I'm strong too, I'll have you know."
Lato rolled his eyes. "You were pinned to the ground when we met. But enough of that, why train? What have you two been scheming?"
Zara flushed. "That was different! I was caught off-guard!"
"By a bunch of thugs," Lato said pointedly.
"Listen here, you overgrown rat…"
"Cat!"
Vaylan laughed, waving his hands. "Okay, okay! Let's not start another war in here. I agreed to help Zara climb the tree. It aligns with my goal of learning more about it anyway."
Zara huffed, crossing her arms. "Tch. Anyway, there's a reason I'm asking."
She leaned forward, lowering her voice like she was sharing a sacred secret.
"There's a place, a labyrinth, outside the Tree. Here on Floor 0."
Lato's eyes narrowed. "Labyrinth?"
Zara nodded. "Yup. Floor 0's so corrupted that monsters appear outside the tree too. Nowhere else has that."
She glanced at Vaylan, gauging his reaction. He was listening, blue eyes wide with curiosity.
"The Labyrinth of Darkness," she said dramatically. "Supposedly filled with monsters guarding treasure, real treasure."
"Treasure?" Vaylan asked, perking up.
"Treasure," Zara confirmed. "Weapons, mana crystals, gold, things that could help me pay the Hound and start climbing the Tree."
Lato frowned, his tail swishing aggressively. "And let me guess. You want us to dive into this death trap with you?"
Zara shrugged. "You're strong. That magic he did?" She jerked a thumb at Vaylan. "Easily stronger than what most people on Floor 0 can do. I've never even met a proper mage on this floor!"
"We just met you," Lato muttered.
"And you wouldn't have met me if you hadn't butt in, so I'm your problem now!" Zara shot back.
"How the hell does that make any sense?" Lato replied with an angry manner.
Vaylan scratched his head. "Relax Lato. Maybe we should help."
"I'm not asking you to be heroes," Zara said. "Just... help me. Just a little. We'll even split the loot. 50-50. 50 percent to me, 50 percent to the both of you."
"How is that fair?" Lato retorted.
"How do you suppose we divide things equally between 3?" Zara replied.
Lato opened his mouth to argue, but Vaylan cut in.
"I'm in," he said brightly.
Zara blinked. "Huh? That easy?"
Vaylan grinned. "Sounds fun!" He turned to Lato. "C'mon. It'll be an adventure!"
Lato groaned dramatically, covering his face with a paw. "Why are you like this?"
Zara smirked triumphantly.
"Such a pushover," she silently uttered to herself.
"Besides," Vaylan added, his manner softening slightly. "It's the whole point we travelled here. To learn about the tree and see if the rumours are true. I'd like to get stronger if it means it will help the journey."
The room fell silent.
Lato peeked between his paws, studying Vaylan's face.
Zara swallowed, her earlier bravado fading for a moment. There was something raw and real in Vaylan's voice that made her chest tighten.
"Fine," Lato muttered, hopping down from the sofa. "We'll check out your labyrinth. But if you get us killed, I'll kill you."
Zara laughed, an unguarded, honest sound.
Vaylan beamed.
For the first time in a long while, Zara didn't feel so alone.
"Deal," she said, sticking out her hand.
Vaylan shook it without hesitation, his grip firm and warm.
Lato sighed again, louder this time, but there was a soft gleam of amusement in his eyes as he watched the two.
The first step toward the Tree, toward destiny, had just begun.
***
The sun was merciless that morning, baking the sand-colored walls of Edgaris and making the air shimmer. But despite the heat, the town bustled with life. Merchants shouted prices, children ran barefoot between stalls, and the smell of grilled meat and stale sweat mixed into something strangely tolerable.
Vaylan shaded his eyes, blinking at the overwhelming chaos.
"So... this is the market? Hope they have some apples, that apple I had yesterday was delicious," he remarked.
Zara strode ahead without looking back. "Yup. Edgaris Market. Best place to get ripped off or stabbed. Sometimes both. Let's focus on important supplies over some dumb apples."
Lato yawned on Vaylan's shoulder. "Smells like something rotten."
Zara shot a glare over her shoulder. "Say that out loud again and I guarantee you'll wake up skinned."
They moved through the tight rows of stalls, and immediately, Vaylan noticed something odd.
People stared.
Specifically, they stared at Zara.
Cold, hateful stares. Tight jaws. Wrinkled noses. One woman even spat on the ground as they passed.
Zara noticed too. But she didn't flinch. "Ignore them," she said flatly.
Vaylan slowed his step. "Why are they all...?"
Zara didn't stop walking. "Because they hate me."
He blinked. "Why?"
She looked over her shoulder and grinned. "Because I stole from half of them."
Vaylan nearly tripped. "Wait—what?!"
"Yup," she said cheerfully. "Not my proudest moments, but hey. You either eat or get eaten on Floor 0."
Vaylan's face paled. He suddenly remembered the first time he saw her, running for her life. "Ohhhh," he muttered, the realization dawning. "That's why those guys were chasing you back then..."
Zara gave a mock bow. "Ding ding ding. The boy finally gets it."
Vaylan started sweating. "So... are you like... actually evil?"
Lato snorted. "You're asking that now?"
"I just thought she was being assaulted!"
"I was," Zara said with a shrug. "Just... maybe they weren't completely in the wrong."
Vaylan looked conflicted, like a puppy realizing its owner might kick squirrels for fun. "But... but stealing is bad!"
"Oh, spare me," Zara rolled her eyes. "You high-floor types think you can just lecture us all. Look around. These people would slit your throat for a loaf of bread."
"I wouldn't," Vaylan mumbled.
"You're not from here," she said. "You were born somewhere nice. Somewhere warm. High floor dwellers like you don't get it."
Vaylan looked genuinely confused. "High floor dwellers?"
She gave him a curious look but didn't press. "Whatever. We're here."
They stopped at a rusty metal stall stacked with daggers, short swords, and tools with dull edges and chipped hilts. A beady-eyed old man sat cross-legged behind the counter, chewing something that stained his teeth black.
Zara folded her arms. "Give me my dagger back, you wrinkled shit."
The man raised an eyebrow. "What dagger?"
"The one I dropped last week when those goons chased me through the alleys."
He smirked. "Finders keepers."
"Say that again and I'll put a hole in your eye."
The old man slammed a hand down. "Try it, you rat, and I'll bury you in the gutter."
The two locked eyes like rabid dogs, snarling without growling.
"Uhhh..." Vaylan stepped in between them. "Hi! We'd like to... um... buy the dagger?"
The merchant's eyes moved to him. Then to the cat. Then back. "Eighty-five copper," he said.
Zara looked like she might explode. "That's robbery! It's mine!"
"It's mine now."
"You asshole—"
"Zara," Vaylan cut in, holding his hands up. "It's fine. Let's just pay for it."
"I don't have copper on me," he added, patting his robe awkwardly.
The merchant snorted. "Figures. Pretty boy is broke."
Zara blinked. "Wait... you don't have copper?"
Vaylan shook his head. "What even is a copper? I'm not from here."
The merchant cackled. "So… Prince charming was gonna whisk you away with empty pockets?"
Zara turned red. "Shut up!"
"Do you at least take marbles?" Vaylan asked, reaching into his pouch. He pulled out a shimmering green orb and held it out. "Like this?"
Both Zara and the merchant froze.
The marble gleamed unnaturally. Its surface was smooth and cold, with a translucent core that glowed faintly.
Zara lunged. "Put that away, idiot!"
Vaylan jumped. "What? Why?!"
"That's jade! Pure jade! That's worth a gold coin!"
The merchant's eyes gleamed. "I'll take it."
Zara slapped his reaching hand away. "Like hell you will! That dagger's not even worth five copper, and you want this?!"
Vaylan blinked. "I was gonna pay forty-five of these...?"
Zara looked like she might faint. "You... you were gonna pay how many?!"
The merchant whistled. "Where'd a dumbass like you get jade like that?"
"Beyond the Veil," Lato said dryly.
The merchant blinked. "You what now?"
"Doesn't matter!" Zara snapped. "We want two new daggers, a new saber for this guy, four waterskins, and two backpacks. Throw in an enchanted ring as well. And you still owe us change!"
"Pfft. That's—"
"Do you want the jade or not?" Zara hissed.
A beat of silence.
"Fine," the merchant grunted.
They walked away ten minutes later, the sun now higher in the sky. Vaylan had a new blade sheathed at his side: slightly curved, with a sloped edge that gleamed dark silver. Its hilt was wrapped in worn leather, and the crossguard resembled fanged wings.
Zara now wore a golden ring on her index finger and twin daggers on her hips, both sleek and sharp. The trio also had fresh packs and full waterskins.
Zara still fumed.
"I'm just saying," she grumbled, "even with all that, that jade was worth more."
"You said we got more than we should've," Vaylan pointed out.
"Still a ripoff."
"Then don't let me handle negotiations next time."
"No shit."
Lato yawned, his tail moving. "This is gonna be a long journey."
As they crossed the final stretch of the market, several hooded figures stood in silence, eyes locked on the trio's backs.
The leader had wavy golden hair and a devious smirk.
None of them spoke.
None of them moved.
But they followed.
And on Floor 0, that rarely meant anything good.