Garden Of The Abyss

Stopping for a moment, he looked at a row of books as the rest of the group halted as well.

"Ren?" Iris looked at him.

"Do you see a book that interests you, Sir? You're free to bring it along with you to your room, but just remember to return it before leaving," Gerund offered.

A question infiltrated his mind as the topic of "lost text" was brought into the air, running his fingertips along the tough leather of one of the books.

"Does that mean you have books on Belmon then?"

Ren's question left his lips with an air that brought silence, causing the ever-cheerful smile belonging to Gerun's lips to droop for a moment.

"Yeah, I'm wondering that too," Jae-Seong added, losing his lackadaisical expression.

"...I'm afraid we do not, Sir. Apologies," Gerund bowed slightly.

As the small-in-height keeper rose back up, his smile had returned. Turning himself back around with a swift pivot, Gerund briefly looked back at the group, "Shall we continue?"

Moving along through the vast library, silence mainly existed between Gerund and the Weltwanderers as they began to ascend another layer of spiraling stairs. Unlike the previous set, there were no walls to safeguard the steps; even worse, there were large gaps of empty space between each marble foothold. Those unnecessary gaps allowed the taunting winds to slither by, sinking a fear of heights into him.

"I've trained for this…!" Ren told himself in a whisper.

Iris smiled, "Climbing the Grandfather tree...I remember that day. It's how we met."

As he heard the words laced with lavender tranquility reach his ears from the girl, he smiled and nodded his head.

"I guess I can thank Tristan for my abnormal ability to climb a lot of stairs...is that really a useful ability?" Ren muttered.

As leisurely as could be--with his hands situated in his pockets--Jae-Seong marched up the stairs, with Macheo keeping up behind him sorely out of some sort of one-sided contest. Aiko was forced to keep up with the prince's unusual pace to stay at his side.

I'm rooting for you, Aiko, Ren thought.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, Hongse was clinging to each step as if he was a baby holding onto its mother.

"Hurry up, would you?!" Valerie called back.

The crimson panda was a dozen steps behind the rest of the group, slowly but surely ascending with a quivering body.

"...Don't rush me! I'll fall! I'll really fall! Then it'll be your fault!" Hongse barked with closed eyes.

I can't really blame him...Ren looked down at what laid beneath the stairs.

There was no ground to catch any who would fall from the stairs, and by the midway point that they were at, it was high enough for the howling, passing winds to churn his stomach.

Valerie held an almost pitiful expression, "What a baby."

"That's the warrior who almost defeated me?...I must train harder," Mencius whispered.

That's harsh, dude, Ren thought.

It was an arduous wait, but eventually the red-furred panda managed to surmount the lengthy staircase as the others waited at the beginning of the third layer of the Tower of Balam.

Much more confined than the previous floors, it was a long, but lavish set of hallways that were accompanied by plentiful doors.

"This is where the chambers designated for you are," Gerund introduced, "it'll be where you stay in your time resting here."

Excited by the prospect of some rest, they all followed close to Gerund--though there was one condition set by the man.

"It is very rare for a group as large as yours to exist within Purgatory. It's not a bad thing, but our rooms aren't made to accommodate such large numbers. You'll have to split into groups of two-to-three for each room," Gerund explained.

One last thing was noted by Gerund before he left, "The usage of magic is prohibited within the tower. Please make sure to follow that rule."

It's not like any of them were in the mood to use magic after having to use it practically every minute of the day lately, but he found it slightly odd.

Whatever, he shrugged.

Quickly, most of the groups were decided: Aiko quickly placed herself at Macheo's side, though he shyly hid his joy. Valerie and Hongse naturally, as they were long time companions beforehand.

Neither directly said anything, but Iris and Ren found themselves together, holding a slight pink to each of their cheeks.

"I guess I'm bunking with Fedrin and that green-haired fella," Jae-Seong smiled.

"We can fit a third in our room," Ren offered.

Though this offer was promptly rejected as Jae-Seong waved his hand with a sly smile, making an O-K sign with his hand as he began to leave to his designated room, which sat directly across from Ren and Iris' own.

"I'd rather not be a third-wheel!" Jae-Seong joked before disappearing behind his door.

Ren sighed, "What the hell does that even mean?"

Looking to his side, the azure-haired girl was blushing deeply as they were the only two left standing in the hall now.

"Urr...want to check out our room?" Ren offered.

"S-sure!"

Opening the oak door accented with gilded, wavy steel, the fragrance of flowers greeted him as he revealed the chamber designated for the two of them. Differing from the wooden floorboards that made up the corridors, the room was mostly covered by a silken, tiger-pattern rug.

The source of the flowery aroma originated from a lavish, olive-tinted vase that sat on the stand beside the bed.

Immediately, something wasn't quite right.

There's only one bed?! He said it was two-to-three per room! This isn't even the bare minimum of what he said! What is this?! Am I being set-up?! Ren thought.

"Iris, ur, I…"

Ren stuttered as he tried to find some sort of resolution for this very spicy problem set in front of them.

"I'll...sleep on the floor," he sighed.

As much as the prospect of sleeping in not just a bed, but a bed as heavenly as the ones before his eyes, covered with half a dozen pillows, and a velvety, silken blanket--he'd rather not lose whatever respect he'd garnered.

Goodbye, sweet bed, he thought.

It wasn't all bad; the rug below looked more comfortable than anything he'd slept on in recent times, and the room was kept running with a cozy warmth--supplied by the orange runes embedded in each wall.

"No…"

Iris spoke almost in a whisper as if pushing her words through a shy veil, gripping onto the back of his cloak before he could lay down on the rug.

"Iris?"

"...We can share," Iris spoke quietly.

Though she averted her gaze, he could still see the cherry-pink tinge that inhabited her cheeks.

"Oh...alright, then," Ren answered blankly.

It was difficult to process the very concept of sharing a bed with a girl that wasn't his own mother.

Not that I've done that since I was a little kid! He thought, still...isn't this kind of dangerous? What kind of situation have I gotten myself into…

He sat down on the edge of the bed, taking the side closest to the door. Feeling a weight come down on the opposite side of the silken-covered mattress made him almost jump as he began to sweat, knowing full well that presence signified that he was now--technically--in bed with a girl.

I can do this, I can! I won't freak out--Ren Nakamura, can you do this? Are you going to do this?! Yes! He pumped himself up.

"Ren?"

"Y-yes!" He jumped as he heard his name.

What is she going to ask me? Do I turn around and look at her?...No, no, no! What kind of thoughts are you having right now?! He thought.

"Looks like there's a bath behind that door...do you want to go first?"

Iris' words calmed him from whatever odd thoughts flowed through his mind, but immediately started sweating again at what type of revelation was just made.

...Bath? Wait, this is bad. I'm going to be in the same room while she's bathing--while she's na--stop it! You're a grown man now, you can't think like a middle schooler! He thought.

"It's fine, I'll go after you," He replied with a nervous smile.

Turning to look back at her, his blush intensified as he saw her unlace her boots, removing them slowly as she moved to her silver legging, sliding them down her legs.

He had never turned his head quicker than when she looked up at him as if feeling his degenerate gaze.

Crap! Too close! Too close! He thought.

He placed his hand over his chest, feeling his heart thump rapidly as he sucked in air to his lungs--keeping his gaze away as he only listened to Iris' movements.

After removing her boots and leggings, she grabbed one of the pale, white towels set neatly on the umber stand across from the foot of the bed before entering the door leading to the personal bath.

As soon as it closed, he released the breath he fervently held in his lungs with a relieving sigh.

"...Why the hell am I such a virgin?!" He whispered to himself in a hiss.

...Wait, was it a test? Was she hoping I'd offer to join her? "We can save some time and water if we go at the same time," wait, wait, wait--I'm not nearly charismatic or handsome enough to say daring crap like that.

There's no way. She's too innocent; too pure! And besides...I think Beatrice would have a few words to speak with me if I did anything, he thought.

"Becoming stronger doesn't make me any better socially, does it?"

He smiled as he looked down at his hands, sliding the dark, leather gloves as he pulled them off from the fingertips.

It's a good thing. This is great, Ren, he thought, I got stronger--I got stronger, and I didn't lose myself! He thought.

Clenching his fists shut, he smiled warmly before moving on to removing the rest of the unnecessary equipment he traveled with; unbuckling his sheathed blade from his belt and setting it beside the scarlet-draped bed.