Chapter 58

Chapter Prologue A Sudden Homecoming Gods’ Games We Play “You cannot leave this divine dungeon until you clear it. Incidentally, the number of people who have completed this dungeon in the past is…zero.” Suppose a game matching that description actually existed. Who would want to play it? Nobody, that’s who! Wandering lost through a labyrinth for our entire lives, unable to get out? Respawning endlessly, no matter how many traps we fall into or how many monsters attack us? That sounds like a game specifically designed to crush the human spirit. But believe it or not… …people from all over the world were being forced to participate in such a game. “Ugh. I feel sick…” Scene: an office in the Ruin branch office of the Arcane Court. Chief Secretary Miranda lay sprawled on a couch, staring vacantly at the ceiling. She had heartburn. That meant her stomach was producing too much acid—a stress response. She lay down and tried to rest, but she couldn’t turn off her brain, and she didn’t sleep a wink. “Eighteen cities in total. Two hundred and nine stranded apostles. And it’s been three whole days since the first rescue team went in. More than eighty hours in elapsed time…” The rescue team was made up of hand-picked apostles, the best of the best. Each was an elite agent representing their home city. And yet, despite all that talent… “………” …the rescue team had gone incommunicado, just like everyone else. Apostles diving into the gods’ games were equipped with a special device called a Godeye lens, which allowed them to broadcast video of the game from the Elements, the superior spiritual realm, once they got there. This time, though, every group’s lens had been destroyed by a monster attack, usually not long after they’d arrived. “We don’t have eyes on anything that’s going on in that Elements. We have no idea what’s happening in there!” Miranda groaned. And it had been eighty hours. Eighty hours, and Miranda was still waiting for the lost apostles to come home. “Fay… I believed in you, you know. I sent you in there because I had faith you’d get the job done.” The Ruin branch office was home to a young man named Fay. He was considered one of the greatest rookies in history, undefeated as of yet in the gods’ games. “You and Lady Leoleshea both. Don’t tell me there’s a game even the two of you can’t finish! Humanity would have to wave the white flag!” The rescue team members were the most talented apostles the Arcane Court could get its hands on. If even they couldn’t help those people get home, it would tank the credibility of the Court. The gods’ games would be as good as over. “How many more hundreds of hours should we wait? A few dozen hours, I could take that—but what if it turns into thousands? That would be agonizing! Or tens of thousands! Would even I still be beautiful when you finally—” Knock. Miranda was interrupted by a rapping at the door from the hallway. “What do you want? I thought I said to let the Vice-Secretary handle everything until three o’clock. I’m trying to nap!” “It’s me,” said a familiar voice. “It’s Fay. They told me you were here sleeping, Chief Secretary.” “Oh, Fay, it’s just you? Sorry, but I’m waiting for Fay and the others to get home, and I’m exhausted. Come back after my nap.” “But we are home.” “I’m sorry, but I’m very busy and very tired. And all because Fay hasn’t come home and—wait, Fay?!” She jumped to her feet. Forcing her mind, hazy from consecutive all-nighters, to work, she ran to the door. She pulled it open to find a young man with dark hair. “Hey, Chief Secretary Miranda,” he said. “Just a second,” she replied. Then she rubbed her eyes. This wasn’t a hallucination or an illusion. It was definitely Fay. The very young man who had gone into that maze to bring back the lost apostles was standing there in front of her. “You’re…you’re back?” Miranda asked. “Sure am. Captain Ashlan and his team are here, too. Everyone’s in the Dive Center in the first basement. I thought I’d come report in before we did anything.” “You—You got them out!” Miranda looked to the heavens and heaved a sigh. What a relief! She felt the tension drain from her body; she nearly fell to her knees. “Oh, thank goodness! I’ve got a few choice words for you, but the first ones are…welcome home.” “Sure. Thanks. Okay, I’ve got stuff to do. See you!” “Stuff to do? What stuff?” “Another dive, of course.” Fay turned smartly around. “I’m going back to that maze. I might be out of touch for a while.” “Whoa, wait! Hold it right there!” Miranda lunged after Fay and pinned him. “Maybe you could explain what’s going on before you disappear again!”