The Strength of a Shortcoming

Year 5: Eight-year-old Katasha was the best for her age. Spry and nimble and silent, she crept down corridors of the labyrinth and even with grit on the walls and pebble-covered floors, the initiates hadn't found her. She carefully snuck up on one student after the other, leaving a knife prick in their backs. The dim area was excellent for her ability to see in near darkness. She had already tagged five others and that left two of the younger boys. The exercise was to find her first and stick her lightly with a knife before she tagged you. She had always excelled at this game, and would finish incredibly fast, even against the older students. The crowd had thinned fast, she noticed. Someone else must be very good. She risked jumping up on the dividing walls. The little blind boy was still in the maze and had just tapped the second to last. He made no attempt really at stealth, from what she could see. He would often just wander about and hope not to blunder into anyone. She watched him hit a wall and upset the hanging ash bowl that radiated a small amont of glowing light. Its contents extinguished as he noisily knocked it to the floor. She suppressed a snicker. How had that bungling, sightless little fool lasted this long? He retraced his way back to the other end of the maze. She heard anther bowl upset. Gently, she moved her way in the darkened area until she heard another one crash. What? He's awfully clumsy for a trained monk. And careless for one entering the dark profession. She realigned herself to the last heard crash. And continued to ease her way forward. Then, another muffled crash. Katasha suddenly realized this end of the maze was now entirely enveloped in darkness. It wasn't hard to see; it was impossible. Her heart suddenly started beating more rapidly. It's okay, same as before. Just be quiet and don't tip him off by sound. She moved forward again cautiously. She found herself reaching ahead blindly for the walls so she wouldn't bump into them. She tried to listen for him, but her increased heartbeat muffled her hearing. How did he find his away around here? She thought she heard something behind and uselessly turned to look. As she did, she blindly bumped against an outside wall. She made a small squeak as her head hit it. A dagger point bit her shoulder.