Dark Horse: Chapter Seven .:Keefe:.

Getting through Dark Horse’s so called “maze” was simple, even with Ahri tagging along Keefe figured it out in seconds. Go straight. That was pretty much all there was to it. And so far, they’d been lucky enough and hadn’t rammed into anyone yet.

After making it through the “maze” and the no-man’s land zone after it, all they had to do was climb up the stairs, grab the prism and find a way to deliver it to Dark Horse. “C’mon.” Keefe ran a hand over the pocket where he kept the knife. It was quiet. Too quiet.

Ahri actually seemed happy for once, which seemed like another sign something was bound to go wrong. She was always afraid and on the edge, probably because he hadn’t seen any magic, sure he hadn’t used an either, but he knew he oozed confidence, Ahri, not so much.

“I called it.” He murmured, as the other teams filtered out of no-man’s land, the Mortals first; surprising, and the Elves with Clide limping against Kelsey. So the Mortals had dealt damage to the Elves? Interesting, he’d have to file that away with the rest of his mental information and stats.

Sofie broke into a sprint, Will several long strides was steps behind her, as they took the steps two at a time with matching frowns.

“Go, go!” Keefe pushed Ahri into a run, a faltering stumbling run that is. She fell behind as Keefe started leaping three steps at a time, preparing himself for when Sofie and Will caught up. Ahri tripped, her green locks flying out behind her and her eyes growing huge. “KEEFE!” She yelled, busting a knee, her lip trembling as she watched Will come up behind her.

Keefe sighed, *What a weakling, where as she been her whole life?*, and turned, casting a distance spell on Will and Sofie. The two stopped, looking confused. The spell was supposed to target whoever it hit into believing they were further away than they were, but it wasn’t supposed to last long.

Keefe swiftly turned, grabbed Ahri’s hand and pulled her up onto the last step, swiped the crystal, replacing it with a pile of pocket trash. Casting a second distance spell on Will and Sofie, rushing past them and back towards no-man’s land. Kelsey and Clide ran to the stairs, apparently they hadn’t been watching until now. “What happened? Why did you come back down?” Clide questioned.

Keefe shrugged. “Ahri busted her knee, we can’t go on.”

“You are that weak?”

Keefe snorted, “Stronger than you. You’re leaning on a girl, and she’s obviously weaker than Sofie. Way to man up bro.” He clapped Clide on the back, and rushed Ahri back into the “maze”.

Dark Horse awaited them on  her throne, the servants gone unlike the time before. She gracefully held a hand out, and Keefe reluctantly pulled the prism out and rested it in her palm.

“Unexpected.” Dark Horse nodded.

The purple haired girl from before stood behind Dark Horse, so silent he hadn’t noticed her. She smiled, “I’m Thalia.”

“Keefe.”

“So…” She brushed a lock of hair back. “You won? You must be really strong to have beaten the Mortals.”

Keefe shrugged, feeling uncomfortable. “Yeah.. something like that.”

“Could you-”

“Nah. I’ve got to take Ahri here to her room. Sorry, I need to go.” Keefe grabbed Ahri by the arm, pulling her down the hall.

“Thanks for helping.” Ahri sighed once they were gone. “I didn’t help at all.”

“I know.” Keefe rolled his eyes. “You were probably only Chosen because she needed a loser. Besides the Elves I mean.”

“Don’t be so rude when you talk about them,” Ahri chided in her own quiet way.

Keefe snorted. “They’re Elves. What do you expect?”

She looked fidgety. “Um.. never mind.”

They were silent until she reached her room, opened the door and slipped in, leaving Keefe alone in the hallway. He shrugged and whistled his way back to his room.