It had not been long since our “Truth Judgement Battle” had come to a conclusion, and with it, my claims for having killed Crimson’s name appeared to fortunately be accepted by the wolves in satisfying their sacred traditions of Veritas. While life had almost been needlessly lost in our battle to the death, my quick thinking had somehow thankfully managed to salvage my party’s situation, where we were now peacefully being escorted through the progenitor wolves’ territory. Presently, Inari, Raya, and myself, were being led by a pair of wolves named Lavender and Fern, towards one of the empty dens used by the wolves on the floor, as per Crimson’s wishes, while she finished sorting out her remaining affairs as the former pack leader.

  Following closely behind the black horned wolves with purple and green weaved throughout their fur, I was happily taking in the sights of our surroundings. Looking around, more and more wolves of various vibrant colours appeared to be peeking their heads out from beyond cliffs and dens, while other smaller pups gruffed and howled at the abnormal beings passing them by. As my eyes continued to drift, I could see Inari’s tail happily swooshing about, while her eyes darted around, and her paws energetically scribbling away within her well-worn leather journal. Raya appeared to be just as amused at our situation, and I even caught a brief smile across her face when she observed some younger wolves playing amongst themselves chasing their tails.

  To my left, over near the base of another cliff, some progenitor wolves appeared to be manipulating the earth with magic, carving, and hollowing out new dwellings to live in, while others levitated larger boulders to create impressive covered structures for shelter. Further beyond, near the edge of my vision, I could see some open rivers, with what looked like well-maintained fields for presumably farming of some sort. In a sense, it felt like we were visiting a civilization from another time all together, and was how I often imagined early societal progress developed for sentient species across history.

  Eventually, after walking up a winding rocky road for several more minutes, we finally arrived at a well-established den that appeared to be lightly used, yet diligently maintained. [“This will be your lodgings while Crimson sorts out her remaining affairs with Cyan. The silk torches inside may be lit to provide lighting should you wish.”] Spoke the purple wolf to us in a polite and light tone while gently bowing towards us. “Thank you, Lavender.” I responded in kind, to which both Lavender and Fern nodded, before leaving us alone to enter the dwelling.

  Stepping inside, my eyes were quick to adjust to the darkened surroundings thanks to Coileene’s magic, to which I quickly located some of the torches the wolves appeared to be referencing. They were neatly placed along key sections of the cavern walls, but I decided to ignore them, instead casting a luminous spell to brighten the den. Inari and Raya did the same, as we all infused light particles into the silk to produce a radiant glow that wouldn’t extinguish. However, while the fact the wolves not only possessed the apparent ability to create torches and simple lodgings, I was truthfully more impressed at what was clearly present along the walls themselves.

  Art.

  All along the den’s walls, spread throughout various sections, was what appeared to be paintings of wolves and their depictions of the various monsters found within the labyrinth. While how exactly they made the pigment for painting was a mystery, the clear artistic expression was more than apparent from a simple cursory glance. Representing the progenitor wolves were crudely drawn canines, reminding me much of my own artistic prowess when it came to painting, placing the quality at what I would consider at most to be a child’s level of masterpiece. Each depicted wolf was a pure black, with a simple vibrant colour near the neckline to identify them, and the drawings appeared to be recreations of battles against powerful foes. Most of the drawn wolves had a deep or darker red throughout, while others contained deeper shades of blue, yellow, or green.

  Following the drawings, a wolf which had heavier brownish-red markings appeared prominent across all of their battle depictions. In the scenes containing this wolf, they were shown defeating a powerful flying beast with rainbow feathers, a colossal golem, and even an army of goblins underneath their paws. Curiously, there was even a drawing showing the wolves breaking some brightly marked pink disks near a stone alter, which I imagined to be the teleportation chambers we had seen earlier. Additional further scenes of this wolf showcased them standing atop a cliff with a sea of neon streaks below, followed by a tender depiction of the wolf nuzzling another, with a smaller pup between them coloured in the brightest red. After, in what appeared to be the final and last drawing across the walls, was the brownish-red wolf leaving with a smaller pack towards some stairs, with the bright red wolf left behind, painfully watching them depart.

  All of us were amazed looking at the drawings, with Inari even adding some of the sketches to her own journal as well. Then, after admiring some of the artwork for a little longer, I summoned Coileene to begin debriefing my party members as to what exactly happened, but, first things first...

  “Coileene, would it be possible for you to allow Inari and Raya to understand the wolves’ spoken language? Could you also allow them to speak it as well? You’ve already given them the ability to read the runic writing within the labyrinth, so would it be possible for other languages as well?”

  “Humph! While that is an easily accomplishable task, I have yet to hear you offer even the slightest bit of gratitude in the hopes I would potentially grant your existence such a privilege.” Snorted the demi-human goddess, as she materialized before us leaning against one of the cavern walls, while examining her excessively long nails. “Fine then, could you please grant Inari and Raya the ability to understand and speak to the wolves, Coileene?” I scoffed while rolling my eyes, to which the serpent simply grinned in delight before lightly snickering at my apparent attitude.

  “Thank you, Coileene. Your blessing is much appreciated!” Chimed Inari, while Raya simply sighed at the whole ordeal, shaking her head.

  Next, beaming with delight, Coileene glanced my direction and surprised me with an apparent compliment about my capabilities. “But I must admit, even I was impressed you managed to end this conflict without death, Ko. This future we are currently treading, is something that managed to escape my perfect foresight as a divine being. Do tell, why exactly did you believe your illogical words would work?”

  “That’s... Actually something I would like to discuss with everyone here, along with clarifying what happened in the duel to Inari and Raya, since they couldn’t understand me talking to the wolves.” I responded in an encouraging tone, before erecting some earthen pillars for all of us to sit on while gesturing towards them. “I feel like this is going to be a long explanation, so we should get comfortable.”

  “To start with, addressing Coileene’s comments, this world, or rather, Terra, appears to be following what I would consider “clichéd scenarios” from stories and isekai novels. I had already mentioned earlier that demons, along with being banished to the depths of a labyrinth, were fairly common tropes. However, meeting sentient species within those labyrinths is another common trend that tends to follow such occurrences as well. Other themes, are the banished party gets absurdly powerful due to some “cheat-like” mechanic, which is probably you Coileene, and there will probably be some kind of trial or boss at the end of this thing as well, which we’ve already been extrapolating to begin with. That said, I had other similar reasons for believing my idea would work during the duel.”

  Then, after pausing slightly to collect my thoughts, I withdrew my sword to begin crudely “sketching” into the dirt how the battle played out to help guide my thoughts before continuing.

  “While we were battling, towards the end, I could tell the wolves didn’t want Crimson to die, an understandable position considering the stakes, but, when she was dying, I couldn’t help but feel empathy for them. Crimson was clearly someone important to them, and, while they would uphold their traditions, would be distraught over her death, leading me to believe they might accept my plea to spare her life. Additionally, Crimson’s appearance, capabilities, and willingness to engage in dialog with us, are what I would call “important character” traits. Maybe I’m getting ahead of myself here, but... If you’ve ever looked into a crowd of people and thought “this looks generic”, and then see someone with weirdly styled hair that is also an unnaturally vibrant colour against the sea of normal—”

  “Ko... What the heck are you talking abou—”

  “Look, I know it sounds weird, and I’m probably rambling at this point, but my gut was telling me that if lots of generic events appear to be happening to us, then perhaps an even more generic trend for problem resolution would work as well.

  ...

  Hope, and the power of friendship.

  ...

  I wanted to believe in the countless clichés I’ve read about. That an equally cheesy belief in friendship and hope, would potentially help resolve our conflict.”

  Finishing my words, while doing my best to maintain my composure, my comments were met with the empty, blank stares of my comrades, along with an unsettling silence. Honestly, I couldn’t blame them for their reaction, as even I was having a hard time believing the words I was saying. Perhaps I should have refined my thoughts a bit more, but it really was true. Typical events were happening to us, and as much as I personally hated the “being good always wins!” copout, it worked.

  “Are... You alright... Ko?” Inari softly said with her ears pinned back, while her tail lightly flicked along the dirt. “You... You usually prefer to solve conflicts through logic and calculable risks, but what you’ve just described only seems like a recklessly half-baked plan to me. I... I know stories often talk about such fairy tale endings, but... This isn’t a story Ko.”

  I paused after listening to my friend’s words, choosing to simply stare at the dirt I had poorly scribbled the battle’s outcome in. I... I think Inari’s right. No, I know Inari’s right. It doesn’t feel like I’ve been myself lately, and yet...

  *Sigh*

  “You’re right Inari, it’s... Not exactly like me to do that, is it? Maybe it’s some kind of coping mechanism to deal with the stress from our situation, but I really wanted to believe I was right. Perhaps... I was only lucky it worked out this time...”

  “Luck or not, your plan worked.” Raya chipped in, while loosening some of her worn armor to relax more in our retreat. “If anything, your observance about the wolves’ feelings is probably the correct reasoning for why they believed you in the end. That said... How exactly did you convince them to end their “battle to the death” without the “death” part?”

  “Right, so... Uh... If both of you already didn’t like my earlier reasoning, then you definitely won’t appreciate this one.” I said while scratching the back of my head, hesitant to admit I decided to lie in order to convince the wolves. “I... May have... Twisted the truth, so to speak about my capabilities, and... “Made up” something to do with death for the wolves’ criteria.”

  My wavering words caused an expected response of raised eye brows, followed by a face palm from Raya. Well, no sense in holding back now.

  “To end the duel, just before placing the bandage on Crimson, I severed some of the red fur across her mane. Then I... May have claimed that by doing so, I actually killed her name, which would erase her achievements as a warrior. I then went on to exaggerate that this was a fate far worse than death, and that this is something often observed on the surface, and that we also “technically” never clarified which death was required for their duel. I obviously didn’t kill her name, but I made a whole spectacle over it, and they thankfully bought my lies. As a result, I ended up stating she could take on the name “Crimson Yamata” in an act of mercy, so she could at least build a warrior’s legacy again...

  On that note, I intend to apologise to Crimson when she eventually arrives and tell her the truth. I feel bad about lying, but it was the only way I could think at the time to lower the tensions between the progenitor wolves and ourselves. Now, since things have calmed a bit, I believe civil discussion can clear up any misunderstandings that may still remain between us... Do you guys agree?”

  I could see both Inari and Raya were thinking about my proposal, as each of them brought their hands to rest underneath their chins, while Coileene simply continued examining her nails in peace. Eventually, Inari was the first to respond to my request with a thankfully positive outlook. “I have no problems with telling Crimson the truth Ko, but still, that was kind of clever, utilizing a potential difference in cultures to bolster your claim. I’m sure Crimson will understand once she learns more about what’s happened to us.”

  “Thanks Inari, that’s what I’m hoping for as well.” I replied with a heavy breath, at least somewhat relieved my idea seemed acceptable. “Though, I’m not too sure what will happen. I have a feeling the wolves know a lot about this labyrinth, and, if Crimson is willing, would appreciate her telling us more about some of the deeper levels if possible.”

  Thus, with all of us now somewhat on the same page again, we simply chatted amongst ourselves while waiting for Crimson to join us in the den. It was no exaggeration we had hundreds of questions to ask her, since discovering a whole sentient species and culture within the dungeon was truly a phenomenal find. I was personally interested in learning how the wolves managed to form a society, while Inari and Raya seemed more focused on how they utilized magic and fighting techniques. Fortunately, after what I imagined was close to an hour, we eventually heard a timid bark from outside the cavern. “Gr-Greetings, Kotato Yamata. I... I am ready to join you for the night. I hope I’m not intruding on...”

  “Sure! Come on in Crimson! We were just talking about some of the things we wanted to ask you about.” I happily called out to her. Then, seemingly picking up on my words, I heard gravel carefully crunching underneath her paws, as she slowly entered the main area we were resting in. However, while I was initially surprised at her now careful nature, I, along with my companions, were completely caught off guard by her stunning choice of attire.

  Standing before us, wearing what I could only describe as some type of fancy ceremonial garb, was Crimson. Lightly draped and weaved around her neck, was a series of claws, horns, teeth, and feathers, meticulously layered around the red fur in her mane to accent their importance. Looking at her red eyes, the curled horns above appeared to have some new simple metal bands, and underneath the powerful pupils, were neon red brush strokes, reminding me of thickly drawn eyeliner from my world to compliment the eyes. Overall, her appearance was reminiscent of some type of tribal attire, which was neatly complete with what appeared to be a simple silken dress or cape along her back. “You look amazing Crimson!” I found myself uttering, to which she briefly looked towards the ground while lightly brushing her paw through the dirt. “Th-thank you, Ko-Kotato Yamata.”

  “I agree Crimson!” Happily chirped Inari, causing Crimson’s tail to wag ever so slightly from the positive comments she was receiving. “Those feathers look like they belonged to the desmovyern, and those teeth from kobolds! They look really pretty across your fur!”

  “Th— Thank you... Inari. These are the trophies proving my worth... Or rather... The Lucendi’s, worth.” Crimson quietly responded while also trying to avoid eye contact. However, she quickly snapped her gaze back towards us after realizing something seemed off about the fox’s comments. “Wait— I... Can understand you, and... You speak my tongue?”

  “Yes Crimson.” I quickly added to her confusion while gesturing towards the goddess standing along the wall behind our group. “We can all understand you now thanks to Coileene’s... Generosity.”

  Crimson’s eyes followed my motion, before letting out a long-drawn sigh, where I heard her faintly utter “More females...” before shaking her head to recompose herself. “Re— Regardless, I have something I wish to say to all of you.”

  Straightening myself within my chair, I locked eyes with the wolf, where I noticed her legs appeared to be shaking slightly before me, with her tail only lightly wagging compared to earlier. Then, taking in a deep breath to recompose herself, Crimson began speaking to us in a soft but wavering tone.

  “First, I would like to formally apologise to you and your group for initially doubting your claims of wanting to pass through our territory in peace. While the outcome of Veritas proves as much, I still feel it is important I admit my wrongs in person, as I have been graciously given this opportunity to still physically live. On that note, I would also like to thank you, Kotato Yamata, for giving me the chance to build another warrior’s legacy, something I’ve always held dear to my family... And, while I still have not forgiven you for killing my name, I truly hope that I will come to forgive you with time, like you said.

  ...

  And... While it is... Selfish of me to request of such treatment, I ask that you be gentle with me tonight, as this will be my first time lying with another. And... while I’m not sure how things will work between me and the other mistresses, I sincerely hope that we will all be able to get along in serving Kotato. S-s-since I am... Un— Unfamiliar with his pre... Preferred... Breeding order, I ask that you will be kind and—"

  “WHAT?!?!” I exclaimed from my chair, completely losing my balance before falling onto the ground in shock, while scrambling to get to my feet over the words the majestic wolf was spouting off towards me. “Br-br-br-breeding order?!?!” clamored Raya in an equally concerned voice, with her eyes quickly glancing away after looking at me, while her face gradually became filled with a similarly uncomfortable red tone at the thought of... “Time out!” I barely managed to say, still not fully aligned in my thoughts as I realized Crimson was still apparently rambling on about her “inexperience”, yet adamant desire to serve.

  “Crimson! That’s, that’s not something that I, or any of us do together! Wh-Where the heck did you get that idea from!” I quickly managed to blurt out in a sharper tone, startling her slightly.

  This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “That’s... It’s... I... But you said that you would take me as your own... With your name, and to serve you...”

  “That’s, that’s not what I meant! I was just trying to—"

  And, while I was still in the midst of trying to clear up the unfortunate misunderstanding Crimson seemed to have about me, Coileene decided to teleport beside her and whisper something into her ear while snickering towards my direction. To which, if a wolf could ever blush after hearing any kind of comment, was happening right now before me, as her gaze briefly drifted towards Inari, before ultimately settling on the ground.

  “Crimson, I have no intentions of doing anything like that with you... Ever. In fact, I actually wanted to apologise to you abou—”

  “You... You mean... You would not only deny me of my family’s name, but to even become a woman as well? And, after you said you liked my trophies... My worth... You... *Sniff* You really are a horrible husband.” She quickly barked back, as tears began to form within her eyes. Then, overcome with a round of torrential waterworks, the wolf collapsed on the ground and began sobbing into their paws while whimpering “I tried to be strong... But to be taken by another and ignored, even after erasing my family name. The... The only thing I had left to remind me of my father... I... I just...”

  Pausing, I looked around to the saddened expressions of my companions, as we all just silently watched Crimson, unsure exactly what we could say in this situation. This isn’t how I wanted our conversation to go, and, I really didn’t know if I should say anything either. It appeared that her name was really important to her, as it had some kind of memory to her father I was unaware of, which had only made my earlier words that much crueler about erasing it. Ultimately, I decided to remain silent until her whimpering and sniffling started to calm, figuring that any more unexpected news would only make things worse. Eventually, I found what I hoped was the right time to speak from the bottom of my heart to her, in an effort to clear up this unfortunate misunderstanding.

  “Crimson I’m... I’m sorry. There’s something important I have to tell you, and I honestly expect you to hate me afterwards once you hear it. But, it’s only right, as this entire misunderstanding is my fault to begin with.

  I... Didn’t actually kill your name, Crimson. I lied. It’s... Impossible for anyone to kill another’s name, and I took advantage of the progenitor wolves’ ignorance on the matter to end our duel peacefully. I didn’t know what else I could do at the time, but I truthfully never wanted any of us to die, and it seemed like a sensible option at the time.

  I wasn’t clear during our initial meeting, and, while I think we were all on edge, I could have handled the situation better. I could speak your language because that woman over there, Coileene, is actually a goddess. And, due to some circumstances, is currently living inside me. A portion of her powers allow me to automatically speak and comprehend any languages I may hear, which is why I could understand and converse with you verbally.”

  Listening to my words, I could see Crimson’s ears twitching ever so slightly as I continued to retell all of the things that had happened to us. In a sense, I unconsciously found myself starting from the beginning, talking about all of the events that had transpired since I was summoned to Terra. I explained that I wasn’t from this world, and that after being an adventurer in the kingdom for a while, was teleported deep into the labyrinth along with Inari and Raya, when we exposed the princess’s advisor to be a demon. I then went on to explain that we are trying to reach the bottom of the labyrinth to recover Coileene’s powers, since they appear to be trapped down here as well, and that once we recovered them, might finally be able to reach the surface again.

  I continued with my story, talking about how we had been struggling to survive in the labyrinth, and how we’ve never come across another sentient species this entire time. And, after meeting the progenitor wolves, my honest desire to learn more about them and their culture. Eventually, after I finished my recollection and heartfelt apology, Crimson finally brought her eyes up to gaze into mine. There was still a sparkling sheen glistening throughout the reddened pupils, and, while most of her bright eyeliner had already lost its precise strokes from the cruel water’s antics, she appeared to be doing better. Finally, after a few more sniffs into her paws while wiping her tear-stained eyes, completely destroying her once beautiful accented eyeliner, she responded in kind.

  *Sniff* “I... I see”. She quietly managed to muffle, while still wiping some of the salty water clinging to her fur. “So I still have my family name... I’m still, Lucendi.”

  “Yes Crimson, and, while I understand I don’t deserve it, want to apologise again to you, and the progenitor wolves as well for my deceit. And, if it’s possible, I would like to clear up this misunderstanding with the others as well. I honestly don’t deserve your forgiveness, but this was something I felt I needed to say.”

  Then, after recollecting her thoughts, Crimson sat up from the ground, looking around the den to observe us, with her tail lightly sweeping the dust in turn. Her ears were twitching, and, after finishing the brief glancing around the room, locked her eyes with mine, while a soft smile formed along her lips. “That said, Kotato Yamata, while I understand your words, and the suffering your party has gone through, a mere apology does not resolve you of the harm your actions have caused not only to me, but to the progenitor wolves as a whole.”

  Standing up, while looking at and gently walking towards the wall which contained the drawing of the two wolves tenderly caring for a younger pup in red, Crimson lightly placed her paw across the painting, before continuing her response to me.

  “Words and actions, have consequences, Kotato, and, after you technically claimed the strongest warrior as your wife in front of all the progenitor wolves during our duel, bestowing onto me your family name... It is foolish to think that mere words can simply reverse this misunderstanding.”

  Then, turning around to face me, I could see a smile growing across Crimson’s face, as she happily declared her next set of words in a cheerful array of barks and howls.

  “I intend to hold you accountable for your actions, Kotato. You claimed me as your own, and as such, I will have you take responsibility for this... Though, while I’m sure Cyan and the others would readily accept your words and plea to restore me as the pack’s leader, I believe this misunderstanding may eventually work to both of our benefits.

  This painting, as you’ve probably inferred, is one depicting me with my father and mother, Carmine and Sapphire. I was the only pup to be born between them, after countless tries for a litter, or so I was told. My fur was of the brightest red, and embodied the very meaning of the name Lucendi, to shine with all the brightness in the darkest of depths. I was the shining light that filled their hearts, after failing so many times before in trying to create a family.

  That said, I know painfully little about my parents. This final drawing, shows them departing on an expedition deeper into the labyrinth’s depths, answering the whispering calls of the great darkness beyond the stairs. It has been many cycles since they left, and, while they had always returned home before...

  ...

  Carmine, he had always wanted to conquer the labyrinth. He was the first of the wolves to slay the winged terror below us, and the first to arrive at the great stone doors above. Under his rule, the progenitor wolves thrived, where we were finally able to transform our world, into something we could truly call our home.

  When my father and mother left, I was given the role of pack leader in their absence. The role had always been given to the strongest of our warriors, and, despite my young age at the time, none of the others contending for the role could best me in battle. Over time, the name “Lucendi” became the only thing connecting me to my parents. And, when you claimed to have destroyed it during our battle...

  Regardless, some part of me has always wanted to search for them, and yet, I could never find the courage to leave my people behind. While it is wishful thinking, some part of me still holds onto a sliver of hope that they are still alive and well below us. If anything, I would like to bring closure to this wound that has followed me my entire existence, and your actions today, have provided me with just the opportunity to make that possible.”

  Then, after pausing slightly, Crimson’s expression hardened as she tensed her claws, while what I could only imagine was powerful flames burning behind her eyes with resolve, for her next set of words.

  “Kotato, if you truly intend to reach the deepest depths of this labyrinth, then I will be joining you. While my reasons may be different from yours, you cannot deny our goals align in this purpose. I wish to discover what happened to my parents, and you, wish to obtain freedom from this hell. As such, I will only accept your plea for forgiveness, if you agree to take me with you.”

  Taking the time to process everything the black and red wolf before me was saying, I was in awe at their apparent motives for making the best of this unfortunate situation. My actions had been incredibly cruel due to my ignorance, and, it was only fair if I wanted to seek their forgiveness, that I honor Crimson’s wishes to the best of my capabilities. Thus, after glancing at Inari and Raya, I met Crimson’s gaze, giving her my sincere response.

  “It would be an honor to have you join us, Crimson. You are a powerful and capable warrior, and your help would be most appreciated as we continue our journey deeper into the labyrinth.”

  After hearing my words, Crimson’s fur appeared to glow an even brighter shade of its already incredible red, while her tail began to uncontrollably wag about. Inari’s tail was also swooshing around, and Raya was simply smiling at the scene before her. It felt like we had not only just made a new and powerful ally, but honest friend as well.

  Pleased at our acceptance for her, we eventually found ourselves talking and listening to Crimson, as she happily told us more about the progenitor wolves, and their history on this floor of the labyrinth. While the wolves do not have a formal way to communicate the passage of time, they can “feel” what they call cycles, which Coileene clarified translates into roughly a year’s journey through space for Terra.

  Additionally, the early history surrounding the progenitor wolves has been lost to them, meaning they do not remember when they gained their sentience. But, they do know it happened hundreds of thousands of cycles ago, when the first chromatic wolf, Vermillion, gained the desire to explore and move between the levels. It was said that during this time period, there were two types of wolves living on this level. The first, came to be known as “The Floor Born” and came into existence when another passed away naturally, while the second, those born from Vermillion, would eventually become known as the progenitor wolves. The floor born had three distinct characteristics separating them from the progenitor wolves, which were they held no desires to procreate or bond with others, a “buzzing” noise was the only sound present within their minds during telepathic communication, and they were unable to travel between the floors.

  How Vermillion initially gained the ability to think and move between the levels is a mystery to the wolves, but over time, their numbers eventually began to overtake those of the floor born, who would continue to die from hunger. Vermillion, had learned to hunt, seeking out the floor above to kill kobolds for sustenance. Each trip was a harrowing experience, with each step further away from the floor, tugging at them to unconsciously turn back. However, he, along with the other progenitor wolves learned, that the mysterious voice calling us back to the floor, could be ignored. Eventually, there came a time when the floor born stopped appearing when another perished from a lack of food, leaving only the progenitor wolves. However, food was still scarce, and while the kobolds above were able to provide some level of sustainability to their numbers, many of the progenitor wolves chose to venture towards other levels in search of their own sources of food. The progenitors which traveled deeper were unable to find success, often dying in battle to the ogres present along the floor, but could still potentially return, whereas those who traveled higher, never returned at all.

  Eventually, Vermillion, along with several of his strongest warriors, set out with the intention of finding out why they could not progress higher. Knowing he might not return from his journey, Vermillion placed his son, Ruby, in charge of the wolves during his absence. That same day, the labyrinth underwent a traumatic “shaking of the earth”. Thus, fearing something had happened to his father, Ruby eventually gathered more of their warriors to seek them out. However, once they arrived on the floor, Vermillion’s party was no where to be found, and instead, the wolves found what appeared to be a large stone alter, with signs of a ferocious battle having recently taken place. No bodies were found during their investigation, but, when one of the warriors went to examine the pink disks floating above the monument, they were suddenly whisked away in a blinding ball of light, disappearing all together.

  Ruby, noticing the danger these disks presented, managed to destroy them with his magic. He assumed that these disks were responsible for the deaths of Vermillion and his warriors, but, while this was an unfortunate tragedy, the wolves fortunately discovered something they had been seeking out all this time during their expeditions.

  Food.

  As the light from the final disk left its confines, a brilliant flash of blue startled the wolves, as another creature suddenly appeared to spawn before their very eyes. Then, once the light had begun to settle, standing before them, was a being they had never seen before, yet they instinctively knew, was something they could hunt. These beings, became known as the providers, and became the source of food for all of the progenitor wolves back home.

  Thousands of years then passed, where eventually, Carmine was born. During this time, the wolves had attempted to traverse other deeper and higher layers of the labyrinth, but were largely unsuccessful in their expeditions. Despite this, Carmine continued to train as a warrior, where he eventually managed to reach the highest floor above us, the impassable great stone doors. Unable to travel any higher, he then resolved himself to traverse deeper, where the monsters were more powerful and dangerous.

  The deepest floor explored by the wolves at this point, was the one which contained “golems built from the dead”, with the one beyond, proving to be the next impossible challenge. Scouts would descend to this lower level, and, after entering the room, be unable to retreat, being sealed off all together from the wolves. Knowing this, Carmine continued training until eventually they felt confident, they could take on any monsters which would stand in their way. This being, eventually became known as the winged terror, and we only learned about it when Carmine just barely returned alive with some of his warriors.

  After slaying the beast covered in brilliant and vibrant feathers, the labyrinth underwent another great shaking of the earth. The home of the winged terror suddenly began to shift and transform into that of a stone alter with floating pink disks. Recognizing the harm these shapes had caused the wolves in the past; Carmine was quick to destroy them before they could vanish more of our members. Since then, only primitive winged terrors have spawn on the floor. This achievement, helped Carmine gain recognition as the greatest warrior amongst the wolves, where he was eventually made pack leader for his accomplishments. However, even though he had now become the wolves’ strongest warrior, fate still left him unable to conceive and leave behind a legacy of his own.

  Eventually, after many cycles, Crimson was finally born between Carmine and Sapphire, which brought us up to speed with what she had currently told us about the progenitor wolves. Overall, it was an interesting history to learn about, taking many hours for Crimson to tell us, yet it was worth it. Finally, after wrapping up our thoughts, all of us agreed it was time to retire for the night as we were all exhausted from the events of the day.

  Dimming the lights, and, after setting up my sleeping cot, Crimson decided to join beside me, curling up nearby. I didn’t mind, but, just before I could finally get some much-needed rest, heard her call out to me within my mind.

  [“Kotato... If it’s alright, there is something I still wish to discuss with you.”] Hummed her voice in a calm and light tone.

  Sure, what is it, Crimson? I simply thought back towards her, curious as to what she was still thinking about.

  [“You see, while I’m glad we’ve finally come to an understanding, I’m still saddened that you’re reluctant to take me as your own... As your mate... Do you... Really hold no desire to become one with me? You did make quite the spectacle of it after all, so am I really someone you don’t like?”]

  ...

  I’m sorry Crimson, but there are just some things I will never do.

  Saddened by my response, I felt Crimson let out a quiet sigh, leaving me wondering about my own convictions about her feelings. I know this is another world, and while the morals here may be different, I didn’t want to lose the things which made me human. I wanted to retain who I was, and not fall prey to the notion that just because I’m not on Earth anymore, I can suddenly do things that would have never crossed my mind to begin with. Other characters in the stories I’ve read, would seemingly forget what being a human was like the moment they were isekaied to another world. They would murder others without hesitation, partake in outlawed acts such as slavery, and even abandon their own morals as a human all together since it was a different world. This notion bugged me to no end, yet, having now experienced it myself, could understand why they would do it. However, just because others could easily abandon what made them human, didn’t mean I should as well. In a sense, I felt that if I gave into these desires under the pretense this was another world, then I would truly start to lose what made me... Me.

  That said, a thought did enter my mind which I decided would be ideal to share with the wolf beside me, spurring me to roll over and gently pet Crimson’s head for comfort. Her fluffy ears twitched ever so slightly from my fingers, as I continued to selfishly pull and scratch them for a bit. Eventually, looking towards her, I tried my best to project my thoughts so she could hear them.

  Crimson, you, remember how I said I was from another world, right? Well, back there, on Earth, wolves and humans did exist together, but never in the capacity which you’ve asked about. In a sense, I feel doing anything like that with you, would change who I am as a person, the humanity I resolved to keep despite being in another world. That said, there is something I would like to build with you, should you find the commitment to accept me.

  Slightly confused at my words, I saw Crimson open her eyes to stare at me, to which I eventually heard her say [“I’m listening.”] in a curious tone within my mind, prompting me to continue.

  On Earth, while humans and wolves existed together, they never “mated” in the traditional sense, but they did form powerful bonds between one another. Humans and wolves, couldn’t communicate like we currently are now. Spoken language was impossible between our species, yet, despite this, we still managed to learn and trust one another with our actions. Over time, our species would come to develop an inseparable bond, with the phrase “Man’s best friend” summarizing the powerful connection developed between us. We could simply look into one another’s eyes, and understand what the other was feeling, making for some of the most memorable and powerful friendships to have ever existed in my world.

  ...

  Crimson, if you would allow it, this is the type of relationship I would like to build with you, one in which we can truly understand one another on a fundamental level. True friends, with an unbreakable bond despite the differences between our species.

  ...

  There was a rather long pause after the last bit of my thoughts, causing me to wonder what Crimson was thinking about my words. I felt I had managed to communicate them well, but was starting to get slightly nervous from the silence and lack of a response.

  [“Hmm. True friends.”] She finally replied in a soft yet comforting tone.

  [“I...

  ...

  Friends. It’s a word I have often heard, yet never understood the meaning behind it. In the village, many of the wolves would come to call one another friends or comrades, yet I’ve never had that same luxury due to my position as their leader.

  I’ve always been the strongest, for as long as I can remember, making it difficult to form these connections you speak of. Even though I was well respected, there were often times I felt alienated amongst my kind, as none of the others would dare speak to me as an equal. I had always assumed this was the cost of power, but, somehow, I’m finding a strange comfort in your words for kinship.

  I think, in a sense, I was always waiting for one of the wolves to take me as their mate, to show me they could find the resolve to earn the strength I had worked towards as well, to rise against any challenge, and to meet me head on, yet that never happened... I had always told them, I would give myself to the warrior that could best me in battle, and yet... Thinking about your words, I don’t think that’s really what I wanted either.

  ...

  Kotato, if humans and wolves can truly develop these bonds with one another, a connection so powerful, so fundamental, that even the universe itself cannot shatter its tether, then I would be more than honored to build this “true friendship” together with you.”]

  Pausing, I felt a sense of relief wash over my body after hearing her response for accepting my proposal of friendship. It felt like my words finally had some meaning behind them, and was truly glad Crimson seemed to grasp the type of connection I was describing.

  Thank you, Crimson. I thought back to her, hoping the sense of joy I was experiencing also managed to get transmitted as well with my response.

  Oh, and, by the way, feel free to simply call me Ko. It’s, how I prefer being referred to amongst friends.

  [“Hmm, alright then, Ko.”] She happily hummed back before closing her eyes to drift off towards the world of dreams. [“Thank you... And, good night.”]

  Likewise Crimson, good night.

  ...

  Thus, tidying up the last bit of my thoughts, I also managed to close my eyes in an effort to enter the world of dreams as well. My body was aching, my eyelids felt like anvils, and with each and every breath I took, felt nothing but relaxation as my mind gradually began to calm from the stressful series of today’s events. Somehow, we had managed to not only learn more about this labyrinth along our journey, but also, in my heart, felt like we had gained more than just a powerful ally. A true friend, and someone I could come to count on, in the future.