He just kept crying. You felt more and more tired but at your self instead of him.

"Why do you think I'm your best friend? You said it yourself; the others are nice to you. =3"

He spent a few moments drying his tears before speaking again. He seemed to have calmed down, though slightly.

"Well you're nice to me too. >=3"
"No, I'm not. =3"
"But..you have been. >=3"
"I think you got tossed around too much. I'm still not over you killing my best friend. =3"
"I'm sorry about that..... >=3"
"You can be sorry, but that won't change things. =3"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. You saved me E-2732. I don't know what would have happened if you didn't save me. >=3"
"Get over it. =3"
"Why are you so mean E-2732! >=3"

This is maybe the first time he has ever raised his voice at you. It snaps you back into reality, and you search your mind for what you want to say before you finally decide to tell the truth.

"It's because I keep losing everything and you're doing just fine! =3"
"You....would prefer if I was doing worse? >=3"
"Yes. =3"

Now that you said that out loud, you realized how silly it sounded. It was stupid and greedy, but it's what you wanted. Everyone around you seems so much happier than you, or at least far better than you at pretending they aren't upset!

"I'll help you. >=3"
"What? =3"
"I'll help you feel better than me, so you won't have to be mad all the time. >=3"
"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. =3"
"But it'll work. >=3"

===========================

After that day, Tiger kid became impenetrable to your attempts at tossing him the cold shoulder or pushing him away. He was both [clingy] and a [softie]. A deadly and annoying combo. His understanding of your issue and his newfound confidence caused him to ignore your more biting comments.

By the time summer ended it was back to traveling, he still hadn't given up. Following you specifically and helping you without you even asking. He attempted to drag you into every conversation possible to get you to socialize, but you refused to.

He reminded you of same face.

Would same face still be in the woods right now, or would he had moved on into the real life beyond it by now?

These are the questions you asked yourself as your 13th year of life started.

The rest of the year had passed in a flash, and you found yourself back at the temple where you attempted and failed to catch a capture creature. E-4 stood on top of the stairs to one of the entrances to the temple and made an announcement to everyone.

"Ok everyone, we'll be splitting up for a little bit. I'm going to take a team with me into the temple. The rest of you can travel around as you wish. Just make sure to meet me at the forest center to the north before summer starts, ok? <:)"

Everyone either nodded their head or proudly stated that they understood. Everyone started breaking up into groups and speaking about where they were going to go. None of the other E-class invited you into their circle to talk an only Tiger kid stood close by you, waiting for your next move.

This was fine. You didn't need any of them anyway.

You took out our map and compass. You wanted to check out the other four towers, and luckily for you, all four of them were reasonably within reach for the time allotted.

You just had to pick which one you wanted to go to......

"Oh, E-2732. You don't get to decide where you're going. You'll be coming with me. I need you. <:)"

The short notail pulled at the back of your shirt and pointed at a haul of supplies they wanted you to take into the temple.

"You too F-1947! Come along. We have vital business to attend to. <:)"

You wanted to go to the towers, but you couldn't ignore E-4's orders. They could kick you out whenever they wanted to. You begrudgingly abandoned your plans and started hauling supplies with Slithers and Tiger kid.

Every day for at least two weeks you had to pick up all of the supplies and inch them deeper and deeper into the temple. You didn't know what E-4 was up to until finally, one day all the supplies were hoarding in one room, the "final room" of the temple, the stopping point for any traveling groups. A strange low sound filled this room.

When you all placed the last bit of supplies down E-4 walked to a large round slab.

The slab almost seemed, mystical in a sense. The carving on it had been scrapped away in most places by claws, and all you really could make out was some bird was being offered something by, well, you have no idea. You believe the bird was an eyegert, a capture creature some M-classes get that has a bunch of babies and needs the M-class to take care of it.

But this one was either far too big, or the people giving offerings were far too small.

It seems whoever, or whatever clawed the slab made sure the heads and the offerings were unrecognizable. You came to a realization that the odd sound you were hearing was wind. Could it be that this slab was blocking another way out?

E-4 turned around, immediately pointing at you.

"Ok E-2732, you, your big capture creature, and F-1947 need to push this slab, so it rolls over and we can go deeper into the temple. <:)"
"But, the sign there says this is the last room. >=3"
"Oh, but it's not. It's clear to me by the markings on the floor that this slab is meant to roll. It's an ancient door. <:)"
"Why do you want to go deeper though? >=3"
"F-1947, I know you don't understand because you weren't born an E-class, but us E-classes desire to go where no one else has ever gone. If we're exploring parts of temples that most of our peers haven't even pondered checking before, we all will surely be considered better than all the other E-classes in our year. I want to make sure our group has the best start in life. It might seem like I'm preparing far too earlier for this, but preparation is what separates those who lead....."

E-4 peers over at you.

"...to those who carry the bags. <:)"

They just had to go there. They noticed that yo-

"I know that you don't like to carry the bags E-2732, but it is what you're best at, being strong. <:)"
"But I am a notail of understanding! I want to make sure you're not the one who has to carry the bags for the rest of your life. In fact, everyone in this room is what I feel is the best of the best of our current swarm. Else I would not have brought you here! <:)"
"Wow! >=3"
"Except you F-1947. You're an F-class, so I only brought you along because I didn't want you to die outside, and because you're E-2732 friend. <:)"
"Aww... >=3"

"Now, you may have noticed, I have yet to pick a second in command yet, that's because I refuse to make any mistakes. I'm hoping that for the next few weeks, as we travel deeper into this temple that one of you will show me you have the stuff to be considered second in command. <:)"

E-4 holds one of their hands out as if to display the temple door once again. They look towards you once more.

"Now if you don't mind, please, push open the door so that we can get started. <:)"

You do as you're told, and command Slithers to help you and Tiger kid push open the door.

The area beyond it is different. Unlike the part of the ruins, you've been in for the last two weeks which the adult had equipped dimly lit trails of lights, this part of it lacked any lights at all. The other E-classes are forced to turn on their flashlights on to pierce the darkness. As you lacked any light source, you let the other E-classes go first and follow closely behind.

Skeletons.

There had to be at least a hundred of them in that one room alone, and it wasn't a big room at all. At least, not for a hundred people.

"Wow, this is freaky. Are you seeing what I'm seeing? <:)"
"All the dead people? =3"
"Well, yes, of course, that, no one could miss that, but what I'm talking about is-"

E-4 points their light at one of the skeleton's head.

Or, in better words, lack of a head.

All of the skeletons in the room had their neck seemingly snapped, and no heads were to be seen anywhere.

"Death by decapitation. That's rather strange. <:)"
"T-Those aren't notails right? Maybe we should get out of here. >=3"
"Can't be notails, the feet are all wrong. <:)"

E-4 bends down to grab the foot of one of the deceased only for it to crumble in their hand.

"These bone are truly old. Whatever killed all of them must be long gone. If I had to guess something chased them all down and they attempted to escape by using the exit, but it was closed off and they couldn't get it opened. <:)"
"It must have not been really fun to be the person closest to the doors. Trying really hard to get the doors opened while hearing everyone else die behind you. =3"
"That's extremely morbid E-2732. <:)"

Everyone walked in fully. Some of the bones that were stepped on crumbled easily, while some seem as hard as a rock. Those that were reasonably intact laid next to puddles of green liquid that slightly glowed. Tiger kid kneels next to the fluid, seemingly transfixed on it.

"It's such a nice color! >=3"
"I wouldn't think about touching the strange green liquid in a room of dead people even if something about it is......oddly pretty....but that's just me. <:)"

Your antenna's twitched just gazing at the liquid.

It felt like there was a small voice in your head begging you to take a sip of it. The others seemed equally won over by the liquid, but had the sense to not buy into it.

You all took a quick survey of the place before E-4 stopped to declare that it would be best for the group to split up for a few hours and come back here. The new area was likely just as big, if not more prominent than the unrestricted half of the temple. E-4 made it very clear not to wander off too far and to run back at the first sight of danger, or a rare artifact.

E-4 also stated not to touch the green liquid. They don't know what it is, but it looks far too good to be true.

With that everyone but you, Tiger kid, and Slithers had gone in their own directions.

While most of the pathways were extremely large, to the point you could fit three slithers on top of each other and still have room, you did not have a light, and as such your choices were limited.

E-4 decided to head down a small pathway.
Three E-classes decided to head down a long pathway that had a few bones littered about.
One E-class went down a large path that went downwards and had an increased about of the green liquid.
The rest of the E-classes, three more in total went up a flight of stairs.

If you tagged along with any of them, you would have ample lighting for sure. There were at least three other paths you couldn't take because of your lack of light, but there were two different directions you could go.

There was a large pathway that seemed to have a light at the end of it and a large gust of hot wind drifting in. It had to be a path to outside.

There was also, of course, just going back to the room of bones and pushing the door open more so the light from the other room could light up the place of death just enough for you to get a closer look around.