My heart dropped. That sound...

  Bang!

  A bullet flew past us, just grazing my cheek. I immediately pulled the little girl behind me.

  "Kyahh!!" she screamed, trembling. "What's that?"

  I scanned the shadows. "A monster?"

  "Nope. Try again." An unfamiliar voice rang. We jerked to the source.

  A girl stepped out of the shadow, gun in hand, a twisted smirk on her face. Behind her limped a bloodied boy, eyes vacant.

  "Pfft… Looks like there are idiots without weapons," the girl laughed, spinning her gun with practiced ease.

  So there really are weapons here...but where? No, let's focus on now. I eyed the gun warily.

  "You scared?" she taunted. "Too late for that." She aimed her gun at us.

  I took a few glances at the girl. Her grip on the gun is too tight. Shoulders too tense. Weight on her back foot. The barrel wavered when she shifted. She stood like she was posing for a threat poster instead of bracing to shoot. Heh. Amateur.

  I motioned my hands towards the back. "Can I borrow your needle?"

  She nodded wordlessly and handed over the giant metal needle.

  My eyes were still fixed on the gun girl, and I said, "Who'd be scared of an ugly monster like you?"

  Her smile twitched. Just for a second. Then it cracked. Her jaw tightened. A vein pulsed at her temple. "What did you say?"

  Hah! A smirk tugged at my lips. Bait caught!

  "You heard me. You may look pretty on the outside, but you're rotten inside. Not a monster, not even a human. Not when you use your own kind as bait." My eyes drifted from the top to the bottom of her body. The edge of my mouth moved upwards. "Makes me wonder… what breed are you?"

  Her finger wrapped around the gun more tightly. "How dare you!"

  She pulled the trigger. The gun jerked in her hand. The recoil surprised her. The bullet went completely off target.

  I sprinted forward. She continued to shoot at me. I weaved between her bullets with ease. One shaved past my ear. Another grazed my arm. Heat rushed over the wound. Focus... she's no sniper. She blinks every time she pulls the trigger.

  Before she could react and reload, I was already there. She tried to grab the boy as a shield, but...

  Too slow.

  I raised the needle to her throat. "Let the boy go. Or I pierce your neck."

  Her hands trembled. Her grip loosened. The boy dropped from her hold as the gun clattered to the floor.

  I snatched the gun, handed the needle back, and turned away.

  "What about the boy?" the little girl asked, her eyes were fixed on me.

  I pushed her toward the ladder. "He can decide for himself. We can barely protect ourselves, let alone them."

  She took a glance, nodded silently, and started climbing. I hesitated, then looked back. They were staring at us. My throat tightened. I swallowed, saliva stuck halfway. I whacked my chest a few times, eyes drifting back at them.

  My vision blurred for a second. Ma, slippers in hand, "caressing" my back while lecturing me about helping the poor and the needy.

  Why did I look back? Why?! Now I need to help them, or else Ma's evi- cough! I mean angelic soul will come and turn me into a material for her curse recipe.

  I sighed and walked towards them. "Hey. It's dangerous here. Go up. Keep going forward."

  They stared blankly at me. I stared back. What? Do they want me to carry them or something? Na ah. Babysitting that lunatic up there is more than enough. Still...

  "Tsk! I hate being soft-hearted." I muttered. I grabbed their arms and dragged them to the ladder. "Come on. We don't have all day."

  They stood there and refused to move. I raised my hands, ready to strike them. They panicked and scrambled up. I followed behind, rubbing my neck.

  "They're still kids," I muttered. "She used him, yeah... but maybe she's realized it now."

  If she doesn't, I'm going to punch her till she does. I spat and continued to climb. When I reached the top, the little girl was waiting, giggling softly.

  I rubbed her head. "Alright, alright. I get it."

  We stepped into the next part of the maze. A jolt of cold wind welcomed us, carrying a sinister laughter. The light reflected off the mirrors grew glarer.

  Oh great. Another level. Another threat that could blast in our face at any moment. I glanced at the little girl. She seemed oblivious to the incoming threat. But at least… We were still together. Right?

  [3rd Level Maze]

  "…"

  I walked quietly behind the little girl, my eyes flickering between her and the mirrors lining the endless path. Black smoke, faint but persistent, curled around her. I'd seen it from the moment we met. A warning. A curse. A kill mark.

  Why do I keep getting bad vibes from her? Is she planning to kill me? Oui...

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  My gaze shifted. There, a chest, half-hidden between shattered tiles and a fractured mirror wall.

  Nice! Hopefully, I'll get a weapon to defend myself.

  I stole a glance at the mirror. In the mirror, she was still walking forward.

  Let's do this before she notices I'm gone.

  I dashed toward the chest and cracked it open.

  Creak.

  Inside was a simple, pitch-black cloak. No glow. No text. No clues.

  Hmm? A cloak? What does it do? Raise defense? Shouldn't there be some kind of info?

  I flipped it over. Nothing.

  No stats? No tooltips? What kind of cheap system is this?

  I eyed the cloak for a few seconds, then threw it on.

  I felt no difference under the cloak. "Does it increase defense only?" I turned and looked at the mirror.

  I blinked and blinked again. There was no reflection. No shadow. Nothing.

  Huh? I'm gone?... Wait. Is this an invisibility cloak? I raised both my arms in the air. "Cool! I've-" Then I cupped my mouth. Oh no. I cautiously looked around me. She might hear that. I'd better go back.

  I quickly folded the cloak and stuffed it under my shirt. By the time I returned, the little girl was pacing anxiously, eyes darting between mirrors.

  I waved my hands lazily. "Yo."

  Her head snapped toward me. Her expression twisted into a glare. "Where the hell were you? Where did you go?"

  I stiffened at the sudden switch. Uh-oh. The other personality took over this time.

  I shuffled near her and wrapped my arms around her shoulder. "Sorry, the mirrors here confused me. I thought you went the other way and followed you, but it turned out I was wrong." Threw a little wink to cheer the mood. Unfortunately, didn't work with this personality.

  In fact, she didn't speak. Just stared.

  Is she checking if I'm lying? Sorry, kiddo, but when it comes to lying... I'm unbeatable. I grinned. "What's wrong?"

  She sighed and turned away. "Don't leave my sight. Now come along, you meathead."

  I placed both my arms behind my head and walked behind her. Oui... Just pick one personality already.

  Swish. Whoosh. Splat.

  She tore through the slime monsters with her giant needle like a seamstress gone mad. Efficient, precise, brutal. Slime guts splashed across the floor. I shook my head. Poor slime. Wrong day to meet that psycho seamstress.

  I wiped some slime goo on my finger, sniffed it, and instantly regretted it. I shook it off and coughed. "Ugh! What stench! I thought slimes don't smell. But that... that...! Oh my nose!"

  "Hurry up!" The little girl screamed. I quickly got up and rolled my eyes. "Yes, your highness."

  I quickly stepped over the remains and caught up to her.

  As I watched her fight solo, while I enjoyed my beauty with the reflection, I couldn't help but note. She's good with that needle. But her monster sense is trash. If I weren't here, she'd have been one-shot five times over by now.

  Once she was done with the section, she wiped her face with a handkerchief like a noble finishing tea. "What are you staring at? Move it."

  I grumbled and caught up. "Hey…" I hesitated. "I've been meaning to ask—"

  "What!" she barked.

  Boy, is she mad...

  I pushed forward anyway. "You aren't a contestant, are you?"

  She stopped walking. Silence stretched.

  Then her foot slammed down. The air felt colder all of a sudden. My body jerked. She ain't going berserk just from a joke, right?

  I moved closer, waving my hands in front of her. "Err… Hey, you oka—"

  SHING!

  She swung.

  "Wh-What?!" I jerked to the side just in time. The glint of her needle slicing an inch away from my neck.

  "Whoa, what are you doing?! I know you've got a temper, but this is way too much!"

  She grinned. No. She bared her teeth, ready to murder someone. "What am I doing? Killing you, of course. Oh… I've been itching to kill you since the start of this maze."

  You're not the first. Get in line.

  I stumbled back, creating some distance. "Well, yeah, I figured. You suck at hiding your murderous intent."

  She twirled her needle. "Oh, really? Why didn't you say so earlier? I could've given you an early death."

  I laughed nervously, sweat forming on my neck. "Thanks, but no thanks. If I wanted to die early, I would've let the mirror monsters chew on me."

  She started walking forward. One step. Then another. Each step unmasked her murderous expression.

  "Well, that would be boring, wouldn't it? I'd miss out on the joy of killing you myself."

  I mirrored her pace, backward.

  "That's true, that's true. Hahahaha…"

  Clink. Clink.

  My foot hit something.

  Clink? Ah!

  I raised my hand, yelling, "Wait!"

  She paused. Her smile didn't falter, but her eyes flickered with annoyance.

  "What's the matter? If you're going to beg, it's too late now." Her needle spun in her hand. Slowly. Just like how fast my brain worked.

  I hunched my back slightly, arms stretched out in front of her. "Let's talk a bit before you kill me."

  "…Talk?" she echoed, mockingly.

  I nodded frantically. "Yeah. The three of us. You, me, and Mr. Bear."

  She fell silent, pressing two fingers to her lips. Her eyes drifted off like she was listening to someone beside her. Someone who wasn't there.

  I glanced toward the mirror.

  Why the hell is it taking so long? Hurry up! Don't tell me you're-

  Her voice cut my thoughts. "Sorry, but that won't be necessary." She raised her weapon. "You fooled Master last time. But you won't fool me."

  "Master? Who-"

  Ah! It's here!

  I crouched and stuck out my tongue at her. Her face grimaced. She was ready to throw her needle when suddenly...

  CRACK—!

  The mirror beside her exploded as a hulking beast emerged.

  WHAM!

  The creature's fist hit her. She flew. The wall broke before she did.

  Bones shattered. Blood sprayed. Her limbs twisted the wrong way, her body unmoving.

  She twitched once. Twice. Then went still. Her blazing eyes were wide open towards me. "Y-You—" Her words died on her tongue. So did she.

  I stood, frozen, staring at what was left of her.

  I didn't know something could die that fast.

  RAWRRR—!!

  The beast turned toward me.

  Bull's head. Bull's tail. A gladiator's body pumped with something that shouldn't exist. Veins bulged across its muscles. Its eyes burned red.

  My mind, traitor that it is, dragged up the time Ma forced me to read that mystical creature book. An image of the creature appeared.

  A Minotaur?

  I stepped back instinctively and accidentally crushed a stone under my foot.

  Crack.

  I looked down at the little stone I'd stepped on, then the surroundings. No stone in sight.

  I hate my luck.

  The Minotaur snapped its head toward the sound.

  "Oh shit."

  It charged. Swinging its axe above its head. I whipped out the cloak, flung it over myself just as its axe came down.

  BOOM!

  The ground shattered where I'd been standing. No blood. No broken bones. Just a hole and stones jutting out. The Minotaur looked around, confused. Seeing it missed its target, it stomped, snorted, and swung wildly.

  I watched from less than a meter away, hardly breathing. The thing didn't rage. It obliterated.

  My eyes landed on the little girl's dead body. A few steps away, but behind the minotaur. Oh, the risk. My gaze fell on the needles in her hands. Well, what's life without risk? I held my breath and slipped behind the monster, barely dodging its axe arcs.

  I peeked up as I dodged its attack. Its red eyes snapped toward me. My lungs locked. No. It can't see me. It can't— The next swing carved empty air. Good. Still blind.

  I slipped toward the girl's body and squatted. My eyes twitched, body moved slightly back as I saw her dead body.

  Her spine bent at an angle spines weren't meant to bend. One arm lay behind her. Glass glittered in her hair. Blood crept slowly through the cracks in the tiles.

  I covered my mouth, fighting the urge to vomit.

  Clink.

  A shard of glass kissed the floor beside my shoe. The Minotaur froze. Slowly, it turned. One heavy step. Another.

  It crouched in front of me. Sniffed. Hot breath washed over my face.

  Fsshh…

  The cloak rustled. My pulse slammed against my skull. No. Don't you dare. I grabbed the cloak and held it down.

  I lost my balance, arms shooting out just in time to keep my face from kissing that hoof. The Minotaur's hoof hovered an inch from my nose.

  I swallowed. My throat barely worked.

  It huffed once, rose, and stepped back into the mirror. I threw the cloak away, and my body gave out. My face mashed into the ground.

  "Yep. That thing definitely needs therapy."

  I turned my body, back facing the ground. "OH MY GOD. That was so scary. I was so close to dying. Oui. My head hurts…"

  A shadow covered my entire body. My hands immediately flew to the needles. Ready to strike.