Dungeon Raider System

Medusa slammed the door open as she was in a race against time, but she was only able to take a few steps inside the abandoned factory before Nika appeared wielding a broomstick as a weapon and blocked her way. She raised a brow as the girl in front of her seemed familiar, but her clothes were different and far too expensive.

Medusa looked so different it made her doubt herself, at least until she looked at her characteristic crimson red eyes.

"You?" Said Nika, still somewhat jumpy.

"Miss Nika, I need your help." Medusa said.

"What do you need and how much am I going to get paid?"

"I need you to act as my bodyguard and take me to the Mapple corp. headquarters, please, it's a life or death situation."

"Are you deaf or something? If I'm not getting paid, I'm not lifting a finger. Besides, the Mapple corp. Headquarters is the last place on earth I want to go right now." Nika replied, though she was actually lying. There was one place she feared even more, but she really wanted to forget about it and leave everything related to Chichén Itzá in the past.

"What if I told you I could get you back on Mapple's good books?"

"Cut to the chase, what is this about?" Nika asked with suspicion. She didn't know Medusa that well, but the last time she saw her she looked and acted completely different.

"I am Winona Works, heir to the Mapple corporation."

"You are the lost child of the Works family!? But... why? What are you even doing in a place like this?" Nika asked with a dumbfounded expression on her face.

"That's a long story, but I'm afraid there's no time to explain much. All I can tell you by the time being is that I ran away from home, signed up for college with a fake name, changed my style and I've been staying out of my family's radar for a while." Medusa replied.

Nika wasn't as naive as to believe the first person who claimed to be a runaway from the Works family, but at the same time, not just anyone would even know about that. Even Nika knew little about it, but if Medusa was truly from the Works family a lot of things would make sense.

Back when the zeppelin arrived at the city and rescued the first years students from an incursion that went wrong, they were looking for a certain VIP that couldn't be named, moreover, they weren't even provided with a picture, but only a physical description.

Unfortunately for them, the mission failed, most likely because Medusa went through some physical changes after acquiring a trait, being the most noticeable her growth in stature, but she also looked more 'developed' and mature. Still, the age and gender was correct, and also, Nika didn't miss how Medusa reacted anytime the Mapple corporation was even mentioned.

"How may I help you, Miss Winona?" Nika asked politely. Even if she was close enough with her grandfather to call him on a first name basis, she knew not everyone in the Works family was as lenient as the old man.

"Uriel is going to get arrested and if we don't do something quick, he might get killed." Medusa said with a straight face, making sure Nika would understand the situation.

"Killed? That's a bit too much, don't you think? Don't get me wrong, I know how shady the corp. can be. Heck! I, myself, am hiding right now to avoid being a statistic on the power struggle going on, but Uriel is just a kid from nowhere.

Why would they want to get him killed?" Nika had a point. She had worked for the Mapple corporation for a long time, but even if the combat division performed assassinations from time to time it was far from being a common occurrence.

"It's because I'm in love with him." Medusa said trying not to blush, but even though she always acted in a very straightforward manner she was actually a very shy girl who never even had a boyfriend.

"Why are you saying it like it's a secret or something? Everyone knows about it." Nika cackled. "I still don't think that's reason enough to get killed."

Medusa sighed in exasperation. She really didn't want to vent out the political movements of her family, but she needed Nika to take matters as seriously as possible.

"The reason I ran away from my family is because... I wanted to escape from an arranged marriage with someone I don't even know from a family that used to be our rival. Mapple ended up destroying their company years ago, but now they became important figures on the government. That makes this alliance very important for father.

I don't know why do they want to capture Uriel, but If he tells them he knows me, he's as good as dead."

Sufficed to say, Nika was ecstatic with the opportunity of being the one responsible for bringing her back to the Works family as both factions would be grateful. She wasn't nearly as interested in the reward as she was in being able to stop hiding, but actually, as soon as Medusa mentioned Uriel's life was at risk she already decided on helping her.

She was indebted to Uriel for more than one reason and she wanted to pay him back. Even if he didn't forgive her, she would never abandon him again. Find more chapters on empire

"I'll do as you command." Nika bowed down, while trying to hide a huge grin.

****

As they entered the Mapple corporation headquarters Nika detected a small wave of flux energy in the cafeteria. Both of them were desperate to rescue Uriel and yet, they couldn't afford to rush over there. The main reason why they needed to act as though they weren't interested on him was because Medusa begged Nika not to tell Uriel anything, especially about her arranged marriage.

From as far as Medusa could remember people would always try to befriend her with the sole intention of getting closer to the Mapple corporation. and Uriel was one of the very few people she considered as friends. Of course she didn't think he would try to take advantage from her position, but the same couldn't be said of her family.

If they found out that she was interested on Uriel, her family wouldn't even think twice before issuing an order to kill him if that meant bringing her back. Family matters were complicated, but even more so for the Works family as every little event could have great political repercussions.

"Medusa?" Uriel muttered. His hand was caught by a handsome man dressed like an explorer, but other than that he seemed fine which alleviated some of her worries.

'I'm sorry, I can't let you reveal we're friends. Please forgive me.' Medusa silently thought as she used her petrifying glare on Uriel.