《Wayfarer》 The Wilds Part 1: Enter the Valley ¡°Child, your life will begin anew.¡± Consciousness swam in and out, slipping between nothing and¡­ something. ¡°You are a special one indeed, for I have chosen you as my herald.¡± How was it that the thing could hear without hearing? It could not see nor feel for that matter, just a swimming consciousness. ¡°This was not my desire. What was created is something that cannot be accepted by this world.¡± ¡°Child, when you are ready, come find me. You must prepare yourself, and the world, for The Severance.¡± Enix awoke with a start, sitting up. Ingot perked up, its large round eyes staring at the boy. ¡°Sorry buddy, didn¡¯t mean to wake you.¡± The boy patted the metallic creature¡¯s head as it softly bumped him back. ¡°Come on. It¡¯s a new day, that means a new place to explore.¡± Enix sat up, stretching while examining the valley before him. A lush forest layered the valley in a thick green, the walls surrounding it coated in moss and ivy. A waterfall lined the corner of the valley, expanding into a lake at the bottom. The valley was generally small, but what stood out the most were the stone ruins smack in the center. ¡°Time to go little guy.¡± Enix grabbed his stone shortsword, tying it around his waist and began the descent. Ingot followed closely behind, its tiny stubs for legs making it difficult for him to cross the dense undergrowth without leaping over the roots jutting from the ground. As they reached the cliff¡¯s edge, Enix scanned for a way down. He noticed the roots that spread throughout the rock wall, and the narrow pathways that offered a way down. ¡°Better hurry, Ingot. We have no idea when it¡¯ll come back.¡± Enix kept his eye on the sky as he took a carefree step over the cliff, stopping as he grasped one of the roots. ¡°Think you can climb down?¡± The metal beast eyed him before carefully stepping onto the inclined pathway. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Good. Don¡¯t worry, I''ll keep an eye out.¡± Enix began to climb down with his friend at a brisk, but careful pace. They were about halfway down when Enix felt a prickling on the back of his neck. Then a shadow passed over him. He whipped his head to the sky, spotting the massive creature circling above them. From it¡¯s distance it looked like a regular bird, but Enix wasn¡¯t fooled. The Roc had found him. A massive vulture-like creature, with a plumage of dusty red. It¡¯s wings and tail black, and a bristling black visage around its face. It¡¯s wicked beak curved to a sharp point briskly, and its wicked talons outstretched. ¡°Ingot, go!¡± He barked at his metal friend, who leapt from the cliff to cling onto his friend. Enix gritted his teeth at the sudden weight, nearly losing his grip. He felt the pressure in the air changed, and knew the Roc was coming. ¡°Hold on!¡± He yelled as Ingot clambered it into his bag for safety as Enix let go of the roots, dropping as he fell, feeling the air on his head from the beast¡¯s momentum. How is it that this thing can chase me to the ends of the earth?! Enix wondered as he sparsely grabbed roots to slow his descent, practically falling only to catch himself again. He got near the tree line before another cry from the Roc sounded. As it circled back for another dive, Enix got an idea. He waited for the massive bird to draw closer before he leapt upwards with as much strength as he could muster, launching himself just over the outstretched beak until he grabbed a hold of the back of the massive bird¡¯s head. Enix could barely wrap his arms around the thing¡¯s neck, and he nearly lost his hold as the vulture crashed into the rock wall, slapping its wings against it, dazed. Enix felt a tingling in his stomach as it began to fall. He held onto its neck tightly as it flailed its wings to regain control, the leafage below gaining distance. It was only until he could see the details of the leaves that the Roc finally corrected itself, and in doing so threw Enix off. He scrambled to catch himself on the branches as Ingot¡¯s bag was unceremoniously torn off Enix¡¯s back and the metal thing plummeted to the floor below. Enix landed roughly, thankfully not as hard had he not scrambled to catch himself. A distant shriek alerted him to the Roc flying away, and he lay there gasping for breath. The Wilds part 2: Standing Stone You will be brought forth to this world. You may find yourself overwhelmed in this, but be steadfast. Grow forever, never yield. There will be times where you will become unfocused, lost. Simply stop, and listen. When you open your eyes your path will be clear. Grow forever, never yield. Congratulations! Through repeated action, you have unlocked a new skill: ¡®Acrobatics¡¯. Acrobatics (Active) lvl 1: 0.00% The ability to maneuver yourself with agility and precision in the space around you. This skill allows you to dodge, climb, jump around your environment, as well as cling to any holds you can find. SP Cost: 15 Duration: 1 minute 10% Bonus to Dexterity. The Observation skill has increased by 1. Your Endurance has increased by 1. He sighed, waving a hand as the screens dissipated. Ever since he could remember, he had been seeing these screens appear. From what he could understand, they simply served to represent his own abilities in a quantifiable manner. He never considered why this was the case, or even bothered to question this ability of his. He knew of no one else with this ability. For he knew no one else at all. Enix wondered if he would ever encounter anyone again. His only memories were of wandering the forest, and anything before that was¡­ foggy. His thoughts were interrupted by Ingot, who had trotted up and peered down at Enix. The boy sat up and his friend leaned its head on his lap. ¡°Glad you¡¯re okay little guy. Had me worried at first, but you can take a hit huh?¡± Enix tapped the domed head before standing up and observing his surroundings. The trees seemed to be a whole different shade compared to the trees above, more vibrant in their color and poses. He walked over small streams crossing around, heading towards the looming ruins in the distance. By the time the trees had cleared and he had reached the first of the pillars the sun had already reached its zenith in its path. The ruins were of a hexagonal design, the once sanctuary now ancient, moss and vine ridden. Before it lay a run down path of columns and statues. The columns were cracked, broken and leaning from the pressure of time. The statues themselves appeared to be of various warriors, clerics and rogues. As he walked past the gates another screen appeared before him. You have been afflicted with the ¡®Forced Duel¡¯ effect. You cannot leave the combat zone. Enix froze, eyes darting around him, but he saw nothing wrong. Not a single creature moved in this place. Then he heard a strange sound. A deep, grating, reverberating through the clearing. He looked- The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. -and saw the statues beginning to mov ¡°Uhh Ingot?¡± The small thing moved close to him as the statues seemed to come alive. Though slow moving, they were massive, hulking and intimidating. Enix used his observation skill to see if he could gain anything. Unwilling Protectors LVL: 20 Guardian Statues HP: 248 STR: 26 DEX: 6 END: 28 VIT: 18 WIS: 9 INT: 6 CHA: 0 Weaknesses: ??? And here will be placed the Unwilling Protectors, the Guardian Statues that serve to keep away the unworthy, and to test those who so wish. Enix moved to his stone shortsword, but thought against it. These things appeared dangerous, but only if he got into their range. He would have to be smart. ¡°Ingot, stay close.¡± Enix tried backing away, but found the last step needed to pass underneath the stone pillars marking the entrance impossible, like a barrier trapping him in. As the statues began to move in closer, two of them wound up, preparing an attack. Enix jumped to the side, dodging one, but unable to prevent the other, seeing a stone hammer fall, only to be blocked by Ingot¡¯s body as it stepped forward to block the hit. Enix observed the little thing, but found the attack had barely affected it. Enix dashed forward, smacking the statue, but as he expected, it didn¡¯t appear to be affected. Congratulations! Through repeated action, you have unlocked a new skill: ¡®Strike¡¯. ¡°Really?!¡± Enix cried out in exasperation. Well, it didn¡¯t hurt it but it certainly got his attention. It stopped for a second, lowering its arms and tilting its head at him. ¡°Sorry.¡± Enix said, backing up. He failed to see a statue rear a stone ax, knocking him away as the dulled blade knocked the wind from his breath. The world blurred, and when his eyesight recovered, he found himself a few feet away. As he moved to get up, he noticed something odd about the mossy ground below him. It felt¡­ odd. He was going to investigate more but he heard the sound of moving stone approaching. Springing back up he backed away from another attack Warning, excessive damage has been taken. ¡®Pain Nullification¡¯ has been activated. Your Endurance has increased by 1. Sure enough, Enix was on the ground in an instant, two thirds of his health gone. As he moved to get up, he noticed something odd about the mossy ground below him. It felt¡­ odd. He was going to investigate more but he heard the sound of moving stone approaching. Springing back up he backed away from another attack Enix sidestepped the statues, Ingot right behind him as the rest of the statues moved in. Enix paused, noticing something strange, and observed another statue: Unwilling Protectors LVL: 20 Guardian Statues HP: 248 STR: 26 DEX: 6 END: 28 VIT: 18 WIS: 16 INT: 20 CHA: 0 This one seemed to have increased stats different to the others. It¡¯s appearance was that of a robed priest, with a wicked looking stone mace raised over its head. They all moved slowly, as if their very material made it difficult to move. One statue, resembling an armored woman, seemed to have its hand outstretched towards him. It was only then Enix realized a vital detail. He was being surrounded. As he turned, he saw them all in a circle, slowly approaching him. One particularly massive one hunched itself over, before launching itself into the air. Thankfully Enix rolled away just in time as it landed just where he had been- -only for the floor beneath him to groan and dip. Enix paused, along with the statues, only having time to turn to his metal friend. Before he could even act, the floor gave way, moss and rotten wood falling with Enix and Ingot. Without thinking, the boy reached out and grabbed his small metallic friend, aiming to shelter him from the fall, not knowing whether Ingot could have taken such a fall. However, before he could alter his descent, he met with the ground below. The Wilds part 3: Arrival ¡°Head first to the Foundry child, and there you will begin to understand. But be warned, for the Foundry does not take to strangers lightly. The inhabitants may direct their malice to you, and not see what you truly are. Stand with the inhabitants of this world, and guide them to the end.¡± Enix¡¯s form changed as he hit the ground, morphing into a blue gelatinous figure bouncing back upwards and clearing nearly a meter off the ground. As he landed, his form protected Ingot. What was once a small humanoid figure was replaced with a round bulbous shape, with Ingot flailing its small limbs within. The hole they had fallen through seemed to be the size of the Roc they had encountered, and almost three times its length, nothing but broken wooden planks and mossy stone around him. That was close. Enix thought, releasing his friend before assuming his humanoid form again, using ¡®Change Form¡¯. He leapt upwards, sprouting limbs and clothing, and after that his head, with a pair of emerald green eyes and long pale hair that fell back his shoulders as he practically fell on his rear, keeping an eye upward for any falling statues. When none came, he called forth a screen, reading it over and giving silent thanks. Slime Physiology (Passive) Lvl: MAX Your physiology is primordial, amorphous, adaptable, and most importantly gelatinous! Made of a strange and ancient fluid, you are highly specialized to light, electricity and water!! Just stay away from necrosis or high frequencies of sound and you should be fine! 10% Resistance to Bludgeoning, Fire and Acid damage. 20% Vulnerability to Necrotis and Thunder 30% Bonus to Water, Lightning and Radiance. Immune to stun, poison, paralysis, fall damage and sleep. Ingot walked up to him, butting against the boy¡¯s leg softly in concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I''m alright. You seem okay yourself, thankfully.¡± Enix sighed, lying down and allowing himself rest. It would take him until the next sun phase to fully recuperate, but he felt safe down here, and didn¡¯t think- The sound of moving stone interrupted his thoughts. He looked to see the larger statue had fallen with him. It¡¯s legs gone, it crawled towards him, seemingly unwavering. Enix stood up, approaching the statue cautiously. It had the resemblance of a large man with markings over a bare chest and arms. It¡¯s forearms were covered in wrappings. What was left of its waist and legs were crumbled pieces strewn around where it had fallen. More so, it was nearly twice the size of any of the statues Enix had seen, which were already three times his size. It¡¯s chest was bare, save for an ornate Japamala that seemed to hang around its neck, had the man not been made of stone. Enix made sure to keep his distance as he recovered, walking around the hole as the statue feebly dragged itself after him. Enix pondered on what he should do, how he could escape, or even survive. Climbing up presented an issue, as the statues were still above. He searched for a way out in the hole, but found the circular stone walls sound and without any other entrances. Eventually, Enix simply sat down, contemplating. ¡°What should I do Ingot? I don¡¯t think we can safely climb our way past those things.¡± The boy absent-mindedly put his hand on the metallic creature¡¯s head. It hummed, practically purring and closing its eyes. Enix couldn¡¯t figure out an escape. But escape wasn¡¯t his only option. He usually hesitated with this, knowing of his own vulnerability. Yet if it didn¡¯t yield an escape, perhaps it would yield other roads he could take. Enix sighed, a screen appearing. Devour (Active) Lvl: MAX With your physiology, you are able to envelop other creatures and absorb their essence to your own. You gain their skills, but it comes with a cost. You are incapacitated for the duration, slowly ebbing their lives away, and are thus vulnerable to attack. MP cost: 20 per minute Deal 2 damage per second. HP regen: 2 per second. MP regen: 2 per second. SP regen: 2 per second. Enix walked toward the statue. He had done this before, but that didn¡¯t make this any easier. When he used this ability, it was as if he fell asleep. He was vulnerable to outside influences, and now was as good a time as any. The boy whispered an apology before his form began melting away, his blue hued ooze-like body stretched and spread over the statue, wrapping around it despite its efforts of throwing him off. Within seconds he had enveloped the torso and head, and within minutes the arms. Time seemed to slow, and his senses faded away. He still felt the statue thrash and resist, but as it stilled, so did the world around him. Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Through the absorption of your prey, you gained the ability ¡®Stoneskin¡¯. Through the absorption of your prey, you gained the ability ¡®Eleventh Breathing Art: physical energy control¡¯. By the time Enix had woken up, two sun phases had passed. He sensed Ingot curled up at his side asleep, hearing its soft metallic snoring. Enix simply sat, bringing up the screens to see his new status: Wayfarer Enix Class: Wanderer Level 10: 42.35% HP: 180 MP: 130 SP: 155 STR: 10 DEX: 10END: 10 VIT: 10 WIS: 10 INT: 10 CHA: 10 LUC: 10 POINTS: 45 MONEY: Satisfied with the results, he turned to his newly acquired abilities. and odd images flashed through his mind. Images of strangely dressed people training at the summits of a mountain, of techniques taught. Stoneskin (Active) This ability strengthens your body to a near rock-like state, increasing your durability and might, but reducing your mobility. MP Cost: 25 Duration: 1 minute 20% bonus to Endurance. 20% bonus to Vitality. 10% bonus to Strength. 30% penalty to Dexterity. Xi¡¯s Eleventh Breathing Art: physical energy control (Passive) Lvl 1: 0.00 % Basic control of one¡¯s bodily energy, developed by Tormac Xi the Half-Giant, a powerful man despite his seeming deformation, renown for his ferocity against any opponent, no matter how powerful they were. This breathing technique helps center one¡¯s body, allowing for a better burst of offensive power or a sturdier defensive technique. It is activated through the keeping of steady breath and the maintaining of one¡¯s center. Strength increases by 10% Dexterity increases by 10% Endurance increases by 10% Vitality increases by 10% Enix read over them carefully, before assuming his human form, and inhaled deeply, activating the breathing art first. Instantly he felt his body improve, if only so slightly. It was the former ability that provided a challenge. With his newly acquired stats, he could apparently hold Stoneskin active for roughly three minutes before having his mana completely depleted. Enix wondered whether these two skills would suffice in helping him and his partner escape the ruins. He unconsciously put a hand to Ingot¡¯s head, contemplating and scrolling through his list of skills, before reading over one he had always had. The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings. Meditation (Active) Lvl 3: 2.65% With focus comes results. When meeting at the crossroad, with no idea as to direction, simply pause to reflect, contemplate. Reach out with your soul to the world around you, and once communed, thrive. With enough meditation, even the faintest of lights will become a beacon. HP regen increases by 40% while meditating. MP regen increases by 40% while meditating. SP regen increases by 40% while meditating. Awakening can be achieved through meditation. These had been one of the few abilities he had had ever since he began wandering the ancient woods far above him. He had used it sparingly to regenerate his stamina, but that was all. Perhaps¡­ Now was a good enough time. If he couldn¡¯t figure out a way out of this situation now, perhaps meditating would help him at least clear his mind. And perhaps¡­. Enix pulled up his stats once more, looking to the points. From what he understood, he gained 5 every level he earned. If he was right, then maybe¡­ He tapped the screen, putting twenty points to his Wisdom and twenty more to his Intelligence, leaving 5 points left. So he sat down once again, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. He concentrated on keeping a slow but steady breathing. Slowly, he felt his consciousness reach out, sensing everything nearby. Similar to his original senses, he saw without necessarily using his eyes, as if his very being had reached out to explore the environment. He noticed in detail the rotted wooden planks that he had fallen through, jutting upwards in a broken pile. The pieces of stone that remained from the statue he had devoured. Even Ingot, still asleep. Enix fell into its breathing rhythm as his attention drifted to the walls. Stone, perfectly circular and smooth. Almost no perceptible indentations or flaws on the walls, which only brought Enix more questions. Once he had sunken deep enough, drifted into focus, he pondered his situation. His weapon was made of stone, barely useful in any situation. His friend was sturdy, defensive. He was not. I could try to sneak away - no, that wouldn¡¯t work, I couldn¡¯t escape before. Stoneskin could give me better defense if I have to deal with the statues again, but I would rather not have to deal with them. Something about them¡­ They can¡¯t be just statues, not with their variation in stats. The way they moved seemed odd as well - I mean, obviously. Statues don¡¯t just move, but they also aren¡¯t supposed to have a high intelligence either. More so, they moved with purpose, they weren¡¯t just chaotic and random. It¡¯s a safe bet they even corralled me over the old wood, trapping me in here intentionally. The skill ¡®Meditation¡¯ has increased by one. As he mused for a sun phase, he once again found his thoughts drifting towards his friend. Perhaps he could aid in some way. Enix observed his friend once more. The Iron Pup Ingot Level 4: 68.72% An infant of a rare group of metal-eating beasts, they are known for their incredible armor. Though rarely aggressive, it¡¯s species tend to be territorial with their food. Their only means of combat before their horns grow in are to repetitively charge and tackle, or simply curl into a ball for shelter. However, some have been known to launch chunks of iron as a form of offense. HP: 145 SP: 104 STR: 14 DEX: 7END: 18 VIT: 15 WIS: 3 INT: 2 CHA: 13 It¡¯s small body, large head and legs were covered in metal, its underbelly and eyes being the only things exposed. A small fan-like piece of iron stuck out from its rear, acting as a cover for the base of its tail.. Two small holes sat under the larger holes for its eyes. It reminded the boy of a cross between a turtle and an armadillo, with short legs and small claws. Small folds in the sides of its round face plate allowed for its ears to move, and they flicked back and forth as it lifted itself onto its hind legs. ¡°Stick close little guy. No way of knowing if those statues will drop down on us.¡± Enix stood to walk around, running a hand over the walls as he circled his new prison. As he neared the pile of wood, he paused, hearing an odd noise. The faintest of noises, like something scraping against wood. Without thinking, Enix drew his shortsword, using Observe to find whatever it was that was hiding. Devious Trap Mimic Level 10: 00.00% Beware of this treacherous thing. A slime variant, it specializes in the mimicking of objects to lay traps for an unsuspecting passerby. It is quick, deadly, and efficient, but easily vulnerable when discovered. It is often believed that mimics survive by devouring any object, or creature. HP: 67/100 SP: 75 STR: 7 DEX: 16END: 13 VIT: 16 WIS: 1 INT: 16 CHA: 13 Enix tilted his head, observing the small thing underneath the pile. A black pile of what looked like wet clay. It wasn¡¯t mimicking any object, which was strange on its own, and it moved oddly, frantically. It seemed injured, pained, but it was also erratic for another reason, at least to Enix. ¡°Guess we should at least help it huh?¡± Enix said to Ingot as he walked over cautiously, keeping an eye on the mimic as it stilled, waves rippling through it as it seemed to have sensed him. He felt Ingot at his side, eyes boring into the pile the mimic was hidden in. ¡°Hey, easy there. Let¡¯s just try to help it first.¡± Enix scratched a finger under his friend¡¯s chin, and it closed its eyes, humming and tilting its head to give the boy better access. If there was any way to get Ingot to listen, it was chin and belly scratches. Enix paused, thinking. Perhaps there would be a better way of helping it then approaching a dangerous and amorphous injured creature. He backed up, this time picking up Ingot with a grunt. He sat down, cradling the metallic friend in his crossed legs as he began to meditate again. He felt slipping into his meditations easier, albeit slightly, yet this time he focused his whole mind to Ingot, reaching out. It took a while, and Enix frequently had to stop and start again, but eventually, he felt a solid connection form with Ingot¡¯s mind and his own, and suddenly felt its consciousness brush his own. Enix couldn¡¯t help but smile, and tried communicating a thought, only for Ingot to tilt its head at him. He paused, frowning. Perhaps trying to convey thoughts wasn¡¯t the way to go? Enix pushed again, this time keeping it simple. Colors, emotions only. He started with conveying an inquisitive sense, simple at first, and felt Ingot sit up, looking up at him before tilting its head. Through performing a special action, you have gained the skill ¡®Communion¡¯. Connect your consciousness to those of others, and bridge the gaps between those that language can¡¯t reach. Through conveying basic thoughts and emotions, you are able to communicate with any sentient or emotional life. Enix smiled in triumph, sending his feelings of excitement to Ingot, who in turn chirruped, flicking its tail. In return Enix felt the same excitement, but something more than that. Ingot was eager, responding to the feelings conveyed. ¡°This¡¯ll do.¡¯ He stood up and approached the now quiet mimic, who practically rumbled to life as the boy drew near. Enix reached over with his mind, concentrating hard on thoughts of peace, thoughts of concern. In return Enix received thoughts of danger, pure instinct alone. Enix goaded the mimic carefully, approaching slowly and keeping an eye on it in case it attacked. It rumbled and ripples, but Enix continued until he gently lifted a pile of wood. Then another, and another, all the while sending messages of assistance and reassurance to the creature. Let¡¯s hope it knows what I¡¯m trying to do, Enix thought, though to be fair, I don¡¯t see how moving the planks away would help, but¡­ Instead, Enix had another idea. He withdrew his stone shortsword, gently placing it on the same plank the mimic was atop. He conveyed his goal while backing up, and sure enough- The mimic stilled, beginning to inch ever so slowly towards the sword. As it grew closer it suddenly sprang forward, enveloping the stone weapon and devouring it. The vague shape of the blade remained until the mimic began to shrink itself, and the blade disappeared as the mimic seemed to bubble in what Enix received as relief. Enix walked closer, this time kneeling and extending a hand to the mimic. He kept his communion with the mimic active, and the mimic moved slowly, extending a pseudopod to prod his hand before another appeared, and another and another until it began to cling to his hand. It made no motion to attack, and seemed to go out of its way to ensure Enix would not feel pain. Eventually it seemed to settle onto his wrist, wrapping itself around it like a moving, near liquid band. Enix sat up, careful not to disturb the mimic. ¡°Alright, I guess we have another friend.¡± The boy showed Ingot the mimic, who sniffed it before a pseudopod formed and tapped it¡¯s shielded head like a cat whacks at a toy, or a nuisance. In return, Ingot winced and retreated its head. ¡°I guess I¡¯ll have to give you a name, huh?¡± The mimic was still around his wrist, reminding Enix of a snake he had seen wrap around its prey. ¡°How does Vice sound?¡± The boy seemed content with the name despite the lack of response. ¡°Yeah, I think that¡¯s a good name for you.¡± ¡°Any way you can help us out little guy?¡± Enix conveyed their situation to the mimic, who in turn sprung as if startled, launched a sizable portion of itself into the wall, dragging Enix towards it as it formed itself around his hand. It then let go, transforming into a strange tool wrapped around his hand. It felt solid, like holding a real metal tool, yet it moved like fluid, like a slippery eel in the boy¡¯s hand Suddenly Enix realized its intentions, and smiled. It seemed for now, at the very least, he had made a new friend. Enix spent the next few sun phases preparing as much as he could. Since he recovered at a quite fast rate, he decided to begin a basic form of training. Simply, he began using his Strike skill on the wooden planks while simultaneously activating his newly found Stoneskin ability. He controlled his breathing to maintain his passive skill and found he cut through the wooden plank with surprising speed and efficiency. Activating Strike again, he punched through a somewhat long plank, and then brought his food down on another. Throughout this the mimic had wrapped itself around his wrist again, keeping still as he destroyed plank after plank, resting for a sun phase before beginning again, until the pieces of wood were too small and scattered to effectively hit. Eventually he moved on to striking the wall, but found that his skills wouldn¡¯t develop as quickly. Was it because he wasn¡¯t capable of damaging the wall, and therefore he couldn¡¯t gain experience with the skill? Despite that, he would continue, continually keeping as many skills activated as he could, watching them gradually improve. Overall, he gained at least 2 levels on Strike, 3 on his breathing technique, and only 1 on his stoneskin. While he rested, he played with Ingot, as the small creature curled into a ball and rolled to him, only for Enix to catch him and roll him away. Ingot spun around and rolled to him again. Enix noticed that Ingot felt heavier than he had early this morning, if only by a small amount. At the same time the small creature seemed just as large, so Enix waved the thought away as Ingot growing. Enix sat down as the day¡¯s light ebbed, Ingot curing up at his side. The boy was still worried of what awaited him, of whether those stone warriors would come down, or whether he could even manage to escape.What awaited him in the stone dungeon that called to him so? What horrors did the statues guard? Enix sat up suddenly, blinking as an idea formed. Of course. Why would they move as soon as I got close, and yet stay away for so long? Maybe they don¡¯t see me as a threat, now that I¡¯m down here. They had set a trap. The Foundry part 1: Beyond the Garden The grey mountains loomed below me, the clouds just underneath their peaks. The night sky blossomed above me, the stars forming pathways through the sky. Before me stood my master, and my current opponent. With short bursts of power I launched myself, weaving under her massive swing and delivering several blows, My opponent staggered backwards at my onslaught as my jabs pummeled them into the mountainside. We both gasped for air, the high altitude dizzying our minds. My opponent stood twice as tall as me, and with a single swing of the arm sent me skidding back, but I held my ground, reaching down an arm to help stop my momentum, before I was grabbed by my shirt collar and dangled over the cliff¡¯s edge. ¡°Good form, but still slow. Better recovery, but you still need to trust your own body.¡± ¡°Are you going to-¡± ¡°Yes.¡± And with that, my master let go of my shirt, and I plummeted to the ground below. Suddenly, the scenery changed. I was no longer in a mountain range, and instead inside a stone ruin. Moss lined the wall, covering murals and markings, symmetrical and strange. The walls seemed to resonate with an energy I couldn¡¯t name, but felt in my very core. Whatever this place was, it was calling to me. The Foundry beckoned. Enix woke with a start, his consciousness swirling around him as his gelatinous body shuddered. He sighed, realizing the dream was only that, and wondered for the upteenth time whether the dream he had was just that, or perhaps a memory of another time. His thoughts were silenced by a sharp cry from above, the light that seeped into the hole dimmed for a second, the shadow of the Roc casting him in temporary darkness as he saw it blot out the sun as it flew away, growing smaller and smaller. ¡°Well, now or never Ingot. You ready?¡± The creature in question yawned, stretching like a cat before waddling to the boy¡¯s side to be picked up. As Enix bent to scoop his friend up, he nearly fell over. Ingot had definitely gotten heavier, and perhaps a bit larger? ¡°How? You haven¡¯t eaten anything!¡± The boy braced his arms as he held the creature to his face, Ingot only responding with a lick. Enix sighed, clutching him against his shoulder as a mother would an infant as he held his hand out for Vice as it reached for the wall, securing a good enough hold for Enix to grab. He planted his feet against the wall, and hoisted himself up. He let go of Ingot as the creature clung to him, allowing him to use his free hand to strike the wall above him several times, and eventually he managed to form a small crack just wide enough to act as a hold for his hand. With his other hand, he guided Vice and hoisted himself further as it latched itself higher on the wall. It took time, between resting for his stamina and then striking the wall to gain a hold. A few sun phases later and he had reached the top. You have been afflicted with the ¡®Forced Duel¡¯ effect. You cannot leave the combat zone. Enix grinned, hoisting himself up over the damaged wood as he finally met the open air again. Ingot dropped, rolling to the ground and perking up as the statues began to move. Enix stood calmly, activating his new skills as he took in his surroundings. The ruins lay as various square structures circling a small collapsed tower. It¡¯s structures had a strange order to them, if one looked closely enough. It was as if the architects built the ruins for a strange abnormal purpose, not to shelter, but neither to imprison. Around it lay an old and unkempt garden, populated with statues and empty pedestals. As the statues began to move, Vice began to hum, forming itself into his hand, extending and expanding outwards until Enix held a rectangular club-like weapon, small bits of teeth-like points from the sides of the club. Enix tested out the club with a few swings as the statues approached, before activating his Acrobatic skill and beginning to run, dodging swings from weapons and other statues reaching out towards him. As he ran, he swung the club, using Strike to glance off the blows he couldn¡¯t dodge. Congratulations! Through a special action, you have unlocked a new skill: ¡®Deflect¡¯. Ignoring the screen, he leapt over the low swing of a statue¡¯s attack, finally able to slow down and take a breather, noticing how low his mana and stamina were. At his feet was a small stream, a large wood plank carving the stream in two, the water trickling around and continuing its path away. In that moment he was finally able to wonder about the true reason he was here, why he was risking his life for this forgotten place. Why he nearly died to enter the equivalent of a pile of stones. For a second he pondered retreating, climbing back out and just¡­ moving on. Continue his short life of scavenging around an endless forest, fighting the creatures who threatened his survival. But the tug in the pit of his soul was strong. The drive he felt when his eyes laid upon the valley was more intense, it fueled his body to move. More than instinctual survival, it was something more. More than an impulse, he was driven by a need. This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. Whatever this place is, or whatever it once was, Enix was drawn to it. He would find out why, or die trying. Speaking of ¡®die trying¡¯. Enix ducked past a swing, the doors in sight as he hopped onto the statue¡¯s face and kicked off, vaulting over another, landing roughly and failing to recover. As the boy hit the ground, Ingot rolled up to him, uncurling and sniffing as Enix struggled to get up. Hearing heavy footfalls behind him, he rolled to the side, a stone hammer smashing into the ground where he just was. ¡°Can¡¯t you just give up?!¡± He kicked out with his legs, skidding a few feet to dodge the hammer again as he got to his feet. He whacked a statue with Vice, barely making a scratch. ¡°Okay now this is just rude!¡± Enix¡¯s body stretched and shrunk until he took the form of a slime again, Vice sticking to his side as he stretched his body in one direction, flattening himself against the face of a statue before flinging himself away as another slammed a stone club into the former¡¯s face. It shattered into sizable chunks, the statue barely hesitating to continue to chase the slime, even without a functioning head. Enix chuckled, and the statue seemed offended at the boy¡¯s humor in its predicament. Enix turned, finally noticing the door. Two pillars stood before it on a stone platform, with steps leading up to it. Turning back, he counted seven statues surging towards him. He racked his mind for an idea, an answer, some semblance of a way out of the situation. He couldn¡¯t fight, they not only outnumbered him but easily overpowered him. He couldn¡¯t flee, he was bound by rules the boy wouldn¡¯t even consider breaking. It was then Enix noticed the pillars, or rather the inscriptions that read on the stone roof that connected them. It was written in an odd style of writing. Circles and semicircles with straight lines and odd slants, with a strange symbol in the middle, like a multi-horned helm. While Enix was incapable of interpreting the ideography, he seemed to understand its message in his core, as if an unseen hand opened his eyes and directed to him the meaning of the symbols. The Test of Passage. A Quest has been received! Passage and Progress Survive and succeed the trial, enter the Foundry. Completion reward: 50,000 XP, ¡®Progress¡¯ skill, Entrance to the Foundry. Enix breathed. A test was all that it was. But of passage? Was he meant to combat these statues? Was the goal to win the fight? Something about the wording caught Enix, and drew him away from that thought. It was a test of ¡®passage¡¯, not one of combat, might or battle. Maybe the idea isn¡¯t to fight them, but just¡­ persevere through them? The only option, then, was to head into the ruins. He accepted the quest. In the time it took the boy to think of this however, a barbaric looking statue had approached him and swung with an axe, hitting Enix hard enough to knock the boy to the ground, the axe cleaved into his torso. The statue raised the axe, bringing the boy with him, and flung the boy away from the door. Warning, excessive damage has been taken. ¡®Pain Nullification¡¯ has been activated. Yeah, I noticed. Enix groaned as his body slowly reconnected, the gel-like substance he consisted of simply reforming. The damage was still there, Enix could feel it, but with the amorphous body he had, the damage wouldn¡¯t manifest. Enix stood, then halted, staring as his torso came back together. His health was frighteningly low, his stamina and mana slowly regenerating. His mind went back to the stream. How, despite an obstacle, it was able to flow around it. And when faced with stone warriors, I don¡¯t have to go through them. If I can¡¯t break through them, I can go around! With that Enix used the last of his stamina to activate acrobatics and broke into a run. The boy leapt upwards, planted his feet onto the shoulders of one priestly looking statue and held on. Enix saw the barbarian statue move in, taking a swing with its stone axe. Enix held tight before jumping at the last possible second. The sound that followed rang throughout the valley, and as Enix landed he turned to see the stone head and torso crumpled into pieces. The stone barbarian paused for a split second, as if contemplating its actions before it turned to pursue the boy. Enix breathed, his legs shaking underneath him as the statues stopped, still and quiet. ¡°Yeah, how¡¯s that? Wanna try that again?!¡± Enix egged them on, panting hard. The statues responded by moving again, this time with surprising speed. ¡°I was kidding!¡± Enix dropped to a crouch, moving to try to find the best routes through the horde of stone. He saw a statue lunge towards him, arms outstretched. Enix jumped over it, planting his feet on its back and jumping again over the remaining statues before finally reaching the door. Two more statues stood in his way, each holding a stone mace and club, and reared to swing them. As they did, Enix noticed the angles of the swing, and as his Acrobatics finally ended, he jumped one last time, lifting his legs to one side as he tilted his body to the other. As the statue on the right swung low, the other swung high, and Enix felt them brush against his thighs as they swung by, barely missing him. Enix landed roughly, attempting to steady himself but falling on his rear. He crossed his arms across his face, bracing himself for another hit- -but none came. He held his breath for one moment. Two. After a third, he lowered his arms, looking up at the statues as they stood still, their weapons lowered. Enix turned and saw that the rest of the statues had also frozen. The statue that had been broken apart suddenly reformed, standing as the pieces dragged towards the larger chunk. As one, they turned to return to their original positions, the valley silent once more. Quest ¡°Passage and Progress¡± Complete! Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Your level has increased by one! Enix looked at the screen, sending it away as he stood and approached the doorway. This was it. He took one last look at the valley behind him as Ingot joined his side, and moved to open the door. The Foundry part 2: Silent Secretary When you reach the Foundry, be wary. Those presiding over the domain will recognize you as an ally, but those they preside over will not. Seek Enlightened Ankh, and he will be able to answer your questions. At first they refused to budge, and for a moment Enix panicked before he felt something click, and the doors swung steadily open. Enix stepped in, and turned to close the door, but paused at what he saw. The statues had moved once more, this time surrounding the doorway, as if watching him. The doors moved on their own, closing shut. ¡°That wasn¡¯t so bad.¡± Enix said to his companions, sitting down against the doorway. Vice slowly dripped to the ground, exhausted and Ingot lay on its back, panting. Enix took the time resting to examine the interior. He inhaled, smelling the damp and musty air. He felt the cold stone on his back and hands. Looking around, Enix absorbed as much detail as he could. The main building was a large square room, with symmetrical and block-like designs on the walls depicting various images alongside odd doors. Three sides of the room were elevated, with three steps leading to the center of the room. On the fourth side, furthest from Enix was what appeared to be a shrine, an elevated pedestal with a strange small tree atop it. The ceiling had four square holes that allowed light to flood in and bathed the room in small rays, as the ivy had covered large segments of the roof. Enix felt strange simply being here. There was a stillness in the air completely unlike the outside, as if he had stumbled upon a new world. The very air felt different, and as Enix began to stand, he noticed the lights that filtered down seemed to come not from the sun, as when the boy looked up, he found the light came from no single direction, but instead hung like a cloud over the spaces in the ceiling. Enix walked around, observing the markings on the walls, and the strange architecture around him. It had a strange order to it all, one he couldn¡¯t put a finger on. As the boy turned back towards the center of the room, he noticed something had appeared. Or rather, someone. A faceless, four-armed figure of silvery skin stood before the altar with the tree, staring at the boy, or at least giving an impression of staring. Enix froze, eyeing the figure up and down. The figure held in its hand a mortar and pestle, as well as a strange stone figure in the other. It inclined its head at Enix, placing the objects it held back onto the altar ¡°Uhm¡­ Hi.¡± The figure tilted its head, extending a hand towards him, palm up. Strange symbols formed on the figure¡¯s featureless face. Enix realized those symbols were similar to those outside, yet he was failing to comprehend them. The boy simply shrugged, at which the figure¡¯s face became still. Then it held out its hand once more, this time holding another hand to its temple. Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t understand¡­¡± Enix felt Vice tighten at his confusion, while Ingot simply stared at something far away. The figure simply shook its head and approached. It slowly put two fingers to the boys temple, and a screen appeared before him Congratulations! Through a gift, you have unlocked a new skill: ¡®Telepathy¡¯. Telepathy (Active) Lvl 30: 0.00% Through extending one¡¯s thoughts, unite the mind beyond physical limits. Connect with another¡¯s mind and speak without sound, and listen without hearing. MP Cost: 10 Duration: 1 minute Telepathy up to 30 feet Just as Enix finished reading the screen, he felt a new pressure within his mind, and felt words form. Welcome Precursor, I am Ghiri, a model thirty Servitor. May you state your identification? I am able to recognize your signature but cannot properly identify it. Enix shuddered at the sensation. It was as if he felt, not heard, a voiceless, soundless sentence. ¡°How are you doing that?¡± If you are referring to my telepathy, that is due to update 740, as requested by the Makers. ¡°I¡­ see. And what are you doing here?¡± Overseeing the Foundry, as per my orders. Might you be a Chronicler, come to take my performance into account? ¡°Uhh, no?¡± I see. That is a shame. I quite enjoyed watching Chroniclers work. Are you perhaps here to inspect the progress of the Foundry? ¡°Uhm, not that either?¡± I find your answers vague and infuriating. Look, I came here for.. Ankh?¡± At that the figure froze. I do not-ah! I see. That will be through the doorway on your left. ¡°What?¡± Yes, well you are somewhat late. ¡°Yeah, how kind of him to wait.¡± Enix scoffed sarcastically. ¡°And how late is that?¡± Why, by my estimate, 42.34 millennia. Enix blinked slowly, unbelieving. ¡°Right, well, I guess he¡¯s waiting for me huh?¡± Promptness is appreciated. Enix started as a portion to the wall on his left began to rumble and lower, revealing a doorway. Your companions will have to wait here, however. ¡°What? Why?¡± Per my master¡¯s requests. Lesser beings are not welcomed in his presence. Enix frowned, touching Vice as Ingot simply looked up at him. I assure you, they will be well treated. No harm will come to them under my care. ¡°¡­ Fine. Stay here you two.¡± The boy scratched Ingot¡¯s head as Vice fluidly wrapped itself around the metallic creature¡¯s body. It took a heavy seat, its eyes never leaving its humanoid companion as the boy made his way to the door. As he made his way through, Ingot lay down, turning its head to stare at the strange humanoid. Best of luck. ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡± The Isle Above part 1: Descent Mum and Dad, It had been a long while since I had written to you. I miss you both dearly. Daltwin¡¯s his usual self. The other day he managed to finally get back at that old goat. Turns out buckets of ink are pretty easy to come by here. Mr. Olstern¡¯s clothes will be dyed for the next few moons. I can¡¯t believe that I get to tell you this, but I finally graduated! I¡¯m a member of the survey corps like you now. Actually, I¡¯m starting tonight. I¡¯ll be off on a three moon assignment. I hope I make the both of you proud. I can¡¯t wait to see you guys again, Lyra. The bag was thrown roughly onto the bed, followed by a mountain of objects that cluttered into a pile. Lyra fumbled through her quarters, gathering her writing utensils and other instruments she had acquired through her time in the academy. The room was small, allowing only for a cabinet, desk and small bed, but for her it had been home for nearly a decade. Branwelds Academy sat perched at the pinnacle of the city, and Lyra¡¯s room held a view she had grown fond of in her time here. She looked down at her bed, and organized her items. Her writing utensils, journals and journey pack were tightly packed together. Her meager possessions had never bothered her, for she found little she needed. She unconsciously tapped a finger to the pendant she wore around her neck, her mind occupied on retracing everything that had led her here. Her thoughts raced at the recent events that had allowed her graduation, and the acceptance of her requested assignment. Her thoughts raced far and wide at what will be her most exciting year, far away from the present where she accidentally ran into someone on her way outside her quarters. ¡°Float back down here Lyra, you¡¯re getting lost again.¡± hands grabbed her shoulders, and a boy, Daltwin, shook the girl from her thoughts. ¡°Are you sure you got everything packed?¡± At first glance, anyone looking at the two would think them siblings. Similar dark brown hair and height. Though Lyra was scrawnier and wore lenses, they shared similar colored eyes. Lyra nodded with a sly grin. ¡°I can¡¯t really think of anything I won¡¯t need. Actually, I can¡¯t stop thinking about the assignment.¡± She bounced up and down slightly on her heels as she turned to re-examine her growing pile. Spare clothing, as well as the explorer¡¯s pack given to her. ¡°More importantly,¡± She heard her good friend say in a softer tone, ¡°are you so sure this is a good decision? Lye, you¡¯re leaving the Conservatory. For Ault¡¯s sake, you¡¯re leaving the Isle.¡± She paused to turn to him. ¡°Dal, what are we going to learn just from being kept here? There¡¯s so much we can learn just by taking the step outside this place. Look, it¡¯s a quick survey trip, below and back! I doubt you¡¯ll miss me too much.¡± She turned to look at him. ¡°I don¡¯t want you down there Lyra. It¡¯s not safe, for any one of us. You¡¯ll be down there alone and-¡± ¡°And I¡¯m well prepared for that. Also, alone? The survey trip has plenty of established safety zones, being operated by Scouts who already survived. If people can thrive down there, is it really that dangerous?¡± ¡°Yes! There wouldn¡¯t be a need for safe zones if the place wasn¡¯t dangerous!¡± If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°And that¡¯s why we need the survey corp, to better establish these locations.¡± ¡°But why does it have to be you?¡± ¡°Are you volunteering?¡± She remarked, and he looked away in defeat. Thus the argument circled around as it had since Lyra joined the academy. They had danced around this circle so many times Lyra had her lines practically memorized. She just sighed, stowing the last few of her things away before brushing past him. ¡°Dal, please. Look, you know why I have to go, and I understand why you won¡¯t, so why can¡¯t you just let it go?¡± ¡°I swore an oath to your parents, Lyra.¡± Daltwin¡¯s tone changed from stressed to practically begging. ¡°I swore I¡¯d keep you safe. Joining the survey corps is a noble endeavor, yes, but you know why I can¡¯t go with you, and I can¡¯t keep you safe with you down there.¡± ¡°And I can¡¯t rest knowing that there¡¯s a chance we could save people Dal. I¡¯m not asking you to come with me, and I don¡¯t need you doting on me anymore.¡± The hallway was quiet this late at night, and the director had requested she begin her assignment despite the strict curfew. She looked to her friend, who again refused to make eye contact. ¡°Do you want to walk me to the dock?¡± The boy shook his head helplessly, but walked her outside the dormitory hall of Brandwelds Academy. The academy was one of the largest buildings of the Conservatory, and due to their significance to the city, had its own docks. It was a short walk through the more scenic areas of the academy, past the dormitories through the main archway of the class halls. The biggest building belonged to those classrooms, the massive H shaped structure led from student rooms to the docks that bordered the cliff¡¯s edge. The stars were plentiful this night, and while Daltwin held his head down in thought, Lyra looked to the stars. ¡°Aren¡¯t you the least bit curious about what¡¯s out there? Don¡¯t you ever get tired of how closed off we are?¡± ¡°Abbot Teleo always said that it is safest for us.¡± ¡°Abbot Teleo hasn¡¯t left his monastery since before we could walk Dal.¡± The boy snorted softly. As the cliff side docks came into view, the boy slowed. ¡°Lyra, you won¡¯t find your parents down there.¡± She stopped at that, and turned to him. ¡°¡­ Who knows. But I¡¯ve already made up my mind. Besides,¡± she turned to smile at him, ¡°I¡¯ll be back in 3 moons.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go on this mission.¡± He sighed, rubbing his eyes, and Lyria noticed just how tired he seemed. ¡°I¡¯m not saying you aren¡¯t capable, nor do I mean to keep you where you do not want to be. But¡­ I need you. I don¡¯t like the idea of us being separated.¡± ¡°I know Dal. I don¡¯t either.¡± The rest of the walk was quiet as they reached the docks, and they both stopped before the stone beneath their feet became the wood of the skydeck. ¡°Do you really think this is what they¡¯d want?¡± There was no malice in the boy¡¯s voice, only a soft tone. ¡°¡­ No, it wouldn¡¯t be. But it is something I need to do, no matter how much you hate the idea of me diving into danger.¡± ¡°Oh please, we both know you¡¯re the most capable of us.¡± He flicked her forehead playfully. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to use that tool between your eyes.¡± ¡°It is the most effective and long lasting tool one will ever have.¡± The new voice interrupted, and Director Gehrlen approached them. ¡°Welcome Lyra. Forgive the abrupt summons, the newest team had already departed before your assignment was issued. Daltwin.¡± The man nodded to the other student. ¡°How do you feel, child?¡± Lyra took a deep breath of the cold air, a cheeky smile on her lips. ¡°Like I was supposed to do this sooner.¡± ¡°Yes, well, detentions and near suspensions will hinder the process.¡± The director responded with a smile, before responding in a more sympathetic tone. ¡°I¡¯ll allow you a moment for goodbyes.¡± They stood there for a few quiet moments, neither meeting each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll miss you.¡± The sudden sincerity in his voice was not lost on Lyra, and without responding she embraced her good friend tightly. ¡°I¡¯ll come back. I promise.¡± ¡°I know you will. If anyone can, it¡¯s you.¡± They stayed there, Daltwin wanting to stay like this forever. Eventually, Lyra separated with a sniff, before walking to the dock. Before her sat a sky glider, sleek in design with it¡¯s sails already billowing with the breeze. ¡°Lyra!¡± Daltwin called out suddenly, as she took her first step on the glider. She turned to see his smiling face, eyes wet. ¡°I¡¯ll be here when you come back! Be sure to write all about it, I want to read and hear everything when you return!¡± Lyra returned the smile, her own eyes watering, before she turned and took a seat on the glider. And with that, she departed her little island in the sky, to the unventured world below. The Isle Above part 2: Recruitment Mom and Dad, You told me many stories about what it was like down here. You told me about the strange creatures that lived down there, showing me the drawings. You even told me about the green and blue that colored the surface. Yet being able to see it myself as I came down upon it. Seeing the first of the survey camps, meeting everyone there was like a dream come true. Goldry told me about some of the stories you didn¡¯t, about your time down here. He still laughs about the incident with the berries (he blames Dad). I begin my assignment tomorrow. I only hope that with each accomplishment I make you more proud, wherever you have gone. Wish me luck, Lyra. ¡°Thank you for flying me personally, director. I hope it wasn¡¯t too much of a burden to leave your office so suddenly.¡± ¡°Nonsense dear girl. It behooved me to take this trip regardless.¡± He paused as he tested the levers. ¡°Besides, I was quite fond of your parents. I hope to witness some of them in you while in the field.¡± He untied the mooring as the glider lurched forward. The director himself was an average sized man, boasting a large mustache and an athletic frame for one as aged as him. The glider bounced as the weight contrasted against the two sails on each side, and they began a descent, growing in rapidity. ¡°Have you flown gliders often?¡± Lyra said over the wind and the shaking of their vehicle. ¡°Not at all, it is a first time for both of us!¡± He said matter-of-factly, Lyra¡¯s head whipping around to face him. ¡°Oh¡­ Really?¡± ¡°I jest.¡± Lyra was unprepared as the sky glider dropped suddenly, its two sails collapsed inward and the front end of the hull dipped forward. She couldn¡¯t help but yelp in glee as she felt a fluttering in her stomach. The world tilted as the glider pitched downwards, and the wind began to whip at her hair, stealing the tears from her eyes as the white layer below suddenly grew closer. ¡°Get ready child!¡± The director¡¯s mustache flapped wildly in the wind as he manned the strange craft until it pierced through the clouds. Lyra suddenly felt intense cold and moisture for barely a moment, as suddenly, the world below her materialized. The clouds gave way for the moons to illuminate the verdant forests and brilliant seas below. Massive mountains loomed to her left, and below her a speck of gray and red surrounded by the forest. Lyra looked at the scene before her through tear-stained eyes and beyond, at the curvature of the horizon. They continued to fall for a few more breadths before Gehrlan pulled on the levers, and the sails unfurled, jolting the two passengers as the craft slowed its descent, slowly circling its destination. Lyra got a good look at the structures made by the other member of her new corp. The camp was surrounded by a stone wall, Lyra noting it to be cobblestone as she neared. The smaller buildings were made of wood, with the larger structures being made of clay and tiled. The largest building was the business center, and directly in front of it was the Canteen, a place of rest for the members of the corp. Behind the main building sat the granary and supply depots, and barracks and the smaller latrines lined the main building. The north facing side was a courtyard with stables and some farmland, where other members of the core seemed to be spending their off time. Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. The section we were aiming for, however, seemed to be atop the main building, a landing zone built atop. The small craft rattled as Gehrlan oriented the craft to decelerate in a quick incline, expertly maneuvering between the two wooden sections of walkway. Two corp members were already there to moor the glider to the dock. A third person stood at the edge of the dock, and the badges on the uniform indicated to Lyra that this was indeed the commander. ¡°Commander Dao! Thank you for the smooth landing as usual.¡± The director said, standing as the tall woman approached, clasping their hands together in greeting. ¡°Thank you for the heart palpitations, as usual. Any chance you can slow down your descent on your next trip here?¡± ¡°Unlikely.¡± His expressionless reply hid his humor to the rest as the Commander turned to the young girl, her amber eyes piercing through Lyra. ¡°Miss Bellaquis I presume? Good of you to join us in haste. I¡¯ve heard promising results from your academic pursuits.¡± She shook Lyra¡¯s hand, the two corp members assisting with her bags. ¡°Thank you commander. It¡¯s an honor to be a part of the team.¡± Lyra beamed up at the woman. ¡°I¡¯ll have Proclus give you a tour of our camp after he delivers your belongings to the barracks. For now, I would like to have a private discussion with you and the director in my office.¡± ¡°Of course ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°I believe I am in trouble.¡± The director whispered to the girl as he walked past, followed by the commander. They walked inside the stairway of the three story building down to the first floor. Commander Dao¡¯s office was the first room facing the large set of double doors, a sizable room with desks and multiple stacks of papers. Boards with writing scrawled on them line the walls around the desk. ¡°I appreciate the last minute change Dao. This was a¡­ special case. Am sure she-¡± He said as the Commander took a seat behind her desk. ¡°I will only say this once.¡± The commander interrupted, eyeing the director, but glaring at Lyra. ¡°I only accepted this case because of the respect I have for you, Gehrlan. But make no mistake. Just as I have read about her academics, so too have I read about her disciplinary record and athletic performance. I can readily acknowledge the talent in studies, but were she not recommended by you, I wouldn¡¯t have even considered accepting her into the team.¡± There it is, Lyra thought. She knew that there would have been conflict from the director¡¯s reconsideration of the application. ¡°I understand your position Dao. But I hope you also understand that I place full confidence in her.¡± Director Gehrlan said, dropping the formalities of their titles. ¡°I am not questioning your decision Gehrlan. I merely wish to make it known that she will not be deriving special treatment.¡± ¡°Commander,¡± Lyra said, ¡°With all due respect, I have no intention of being a hindrance to your operation here.¡± The commander snapped her gaze back to the girl. ¡°You might have been given special treatment due to certain circumstances during your time in the academy, but here, you will be treated just as every survey member. You will earn your meal and your rest with the work you provide to my operation. I intend to make full use of your academic abilities, is that understood?¡± Lyra exhaled slowly before flashing her a smile, to the commander¡¯s surprise. ¡°I¡¯ll earn the director¡¯s recommendations, and do my best. I swear to you.¡± The commander paused before replying. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll hold you to that. Now go, in the morning you¡¯ll be starting your first assignment.¡± ¡°Already? Seems pretty soon.¡± The director piped in. ¡°A team has made a remarkable discovery, and I would like it analyzed and recorded for closer study.¡± ¡°Oh, what is it? Flora? Fauna?¡± Lyra couldn¡¯t help but ask, the excitement already pounding in her chest. The commander met her gaze once more, her expression neutral. ¡°The team discovered a set of stone ruins.¡± The Isle Above part 3: initialization Mom and Dad, I thought I had learned everything I needed to, to prepare myself for whatever trials I might face. I read of the various creatures we had studied, the various species of plants and herbs and their amazing intricacies and uses. I read as much as I could of the sparse few articles on the structures we might find on the surface world. Proclus and Goldry helped me as much as they can with the physicalities of your professions. In time I even learned to call them close friends, Yet despite my efforts to prepare myself for whatever I might face down here, I was embarrassingly outmatched by the reality. ¡°Miss Bellaquis?¡±A corp member approached her as she left the main building. He was similar in size to her, with brown hair tied back. ¡°The name¡¯s Proclus. I was told you needed a tour?¡± ¡°I think it¡¯ll have to wait. The commander gave me my first assignment in the morning.¡± Proclus blinked in surprise. ¡°Really, so soon? That¡¯s weird.¡± ¡°Is it?¡± ¡°Newer recruits spend a couple days working inside the walls. Better we get to know the place before we head outside.¡± ¡°How long were you kept inside?¡± ¡°Four days. They had me cleaning the rookery for three of them.¡± ¡°We have a rookery?¡± Lyra¡¯s excitement showed through her loud whisper. ¡°See, that¡¯s why we need the tour. Look, let''s just take a walk in the morning, I''ll show you where everything is.¡± They continued to walk towards the barracks, long rectangular buildings divided into two rows of square rooms. One room held uniforms and cubbies for corp member bags, one such space had her own packs. The adjacent room held cots, bunk beds capable of housing 8 to a room. In their particular room sat 4 other corp members with two empty cots, the room lit with a few lanterns. Two of them seemed similar in their physical appearance, brown hair and eyes, tall and fit, their only difference being one was male and the other female. On another bunk sat a large well toned man, head shaven save for a length of hair that he had tied. Above him sat an older and stout man with a thick pair of spectacles. His age was by far the most notable feature, his facial hair gray and wiry. Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°Lyra, I want you to meet your new squad.¡± Proclus went on. ¡°We have Wallace, Hota, and the Direnzi siblings. Gang, this is Lyra Bellaquis, our latest recruit.¡± Four pairs of eyes landed on her, and the siblings stood up to introduce themselves, the boy being Caleb and the girl Cassie. The older man also hopped down to introduce himself, leaving only Hota laying on his bed, paying no heed. ¡°Good to meet ya. May I ask, what profession did you graduate into?¡± Wallace inquired, grasping her shoulders ¡°Uh, Scout, but with a primarity in Scribe.¡± ¡°Ah, so we finally have our own! I¡¯m the squad¡¯s crafter, Proclus our Investigator. The Direnzi siblings are the cartographers and navigators, and Hota here is our muscle.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you all!¡± ¡°So did you bring your own gear?¡± Caleb asked. ¡°When did you graduate?¡± Cassie probed. ¡°Uhh guys-¡± Proclus tried to interrupt, to no avail. ¡°How fast can you write?¡± ¡°Did you get any weapon training up there?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think she-¡± ¡°Do ya feel prepared for your first mission?¡± ¡°Did they teach you how to use a medicinal kit?¡± ¡°Hey!¡± Proclus exclaimed, waving his arms to give Lyra space. ¡°Look guys, this can wait until tomorrow. We need our rest, and she has a lot on her plate for the next few days. You want to ask her questions, wait until she has more time.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright Proclus.¡± Lyra took a deep inhale.¡± So, to answer: I brought my own gear, graduated just two days ago, fairly fast, I really only have proficiency with a crossbow, I¡¯m not too sure but i¡¯m excited, and yes!¡± The siblings laughed excitedly and Wallace clapped his hands together. ¡°Alright, seriously though. We need our sleep for tomorrow. Lights out gang.¡± Lyra prepped her cot as the others lied down again. She took her own top bunk, Proclus sleeping in the bottom of the other empty bunk. ¡°So what exactly will we be looking at tomorrow?¡± ¡°It¡¯s quite the ghost story.¡± Cassie grinned. ¡°A previous squad was studying local fauna close to the mountains, and we saw a distress flare a few days ago.¡± ¡°So what did they find?¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know.¡± Wallace grunted as the lanterns were snuffed out. ¡°What do you mean? How do we know there were ruins then?¡± ¡°That¡¯s what a second party found.¡± Proclus sighed, a frown on his face as the last of the light went out. ¡°The first squad that was sent completely disappeared.¡± Answers Unaimed part 1: disagreements. Life is a difficult endeavor. You will find yourself aimless at many points, lost and confused. But you will overcome. You will wander alone for many years of your life, and it is in these times you will realize the true weight that your own fate has in your hands. Prepare yourself, for soon the day will come when your mettle will be tested. Enix was taken aback as he entered a pitch black space. What he thought had been a room was an endless expanse of stars. Above, below, and around him. The boy lost all sense of distance, acknowledging only strange geometric shapes and patterns that floated around him. He looked to his feet to find he was standing on nothing, yet he felt his weight firmly on them. What Enix could only guess to be the horizon was a line of soft light, with glowing wisps and trails of cosmic dust flowing from it. The boy took a few steps forward, before light suddenly appeared all around the line, a green glowing searing light. The geometric shapes changed to match their hue, and began spinning more rapidly, moving together and interconnecting until they formed a strange amalgamation of shapes, and within them a figure appeared. A multi-armed crystalline figure appeared, sitting cross-legged. Its figure was frail, its thin three fingered hands laying flat against its lap. Its head was a helm, a single horn protruding from the top. At the sides of the visor were two horizontal slits, with a gaping hole in between. ¡°I am glad you have arrived unharmed, Wanderer.¡± Its voice echoed out, sounding both male and female, like two voices speaking in harmony. ¡°I have long awaited your coming.¡± ¡°I can see that. I¡¯m guessing you¡¯re Ankh?¡± ¡°I am. I am The One With Unified Mind. I have waited many moons and seasons to see someone before me. Few have rarely entered the Foundry, and none have succeeded.¡± ¡°I can tell. Your friends outside are pretty persistent.¡± ¡°You have traveled far, I am sure.¡± ¡°I have. I keep having these dreams. In them, people keep calling to me, trying to talk to me. Warn me.¡± ¡°Warn you?¡± ¡°Every dream I have ends the same. The voices stop, and i''m at the foot of a massive mountain, completely alone as the sky darkens. I¡¯ve had the same dream ever since I can remember, and I need answers as to what it means.¡± ¡°Then you are truly a capable individual to have made it here.¡± the entity named Ankh raised its arms, gesturing around it.. ¡°The Foundry is a place that beckons many to its walls. The guardian of this sanctuary ensures only the worthy may pass.¡± Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. ¡°The guardian? You mean that giant bird?¡± ¡°I do.¡± ¡°Yeah, not a fan.¡± Enix frowned. ¡°I am aware. Regardless, we are not here to discuss avians.¡± ¡°My dreams told me to seek you out by name.¡± ¡°Oh? Hmm, yes, I believe I understand now. If so, you are fairly late-¡± ¡°So I¡¯ve heard!¡± ¡°-but here you are. So, allow me to make our meeting more comfortable.¡± With that, he waved a hand as more geometric shapes formed, cubes and pyramids revolving around each other, forming a strange pedestal around him. Just as it finished forming, the space around him began to change. Stars moved past them, large round objects hurtled past as the scenery changed to familiar greenery and stone buildings. It took a brief moment for Enix to recognize what it was. ¡°Oh, this is-¡± ¡°A view of outside the Foundry, yes. Sit, child. I would like to hear your story.¡± A single hand gestured at the boy. ¡°What?¡± ¡°I would like to hear how you arrived. Where you¡¯ve come from.¡± Enix cocked his head. He had come here seeking answers to his dreams, and despite the normal request, it felt odd to him. ¡°I didn¡¯t come here to exchange stories.¡± ¡°You came here for answers.¡± The entity said, expression unwavering. ¡°You came to me because we called to you. Whatever answers you seek lie within your past.¡± ¡°What does that even mean?¡± Enix¡¯s face scrunched at the figure ¡°The dreams you have witnessed were indeed messages. Yet the truth behind them cannot be given to any creature lightly. Only those worthy can be allowed to know the truth, so if you desire answers, you must demonstrate your worth.¡± ¡°Well I¡¯m here, aren¡¯t I? Isn¡¯t that good enough?¡± ¡°It speaks volumes, yes. Yet there is always more to learn of someone through their stories, as well as their deeds.¡± Enix hesitated still, looking away in thought. ¡°Child,¡± the entity¡¯s voice softened in a strange display of sympathy, ¡°my pantheon has existed for millennia, and for all our time in existence, I spent observing. There exists an eventuality in the natural course of this world, an inevitability. Thus, the Foundry. We call out to the world, inviting champions to challenge, in the hopes of finding those who can prepare for the inevitable catastrophe. You are one of these champions.¡± The entity emphasized with slow gestures, punctuating his last statement. ¡°So it was a warning.¡± Enix muttered. ¡°Does that answer satisfy you? Will you now enlighten me?¡± Enix sighed, his mind already running to remember his past trials. ¡°Take a seat. It¡¯s a bit of a long story.¡± Answers Unaimed part 2: reflecting Anyone can reach for the stars when the skies are clear. It is those who are obscured by clouds yet still rise that are truly worthy.¡± -Words of the Shattered Sage. ¡°I don¡¯t remember much of my first few days. I just remember a blank haze, no sights or sounds. I only ever remembered my basic instincts. Eat, hide, keep moving. I have the faintest memory of a weird sensation, of eating. I¡¯m not sure how much time I spent in this state.¡± ¡°This was your state as the ooze creature, yes?¡± ¡°How¡¯d you know?¡± ¡°I do not just see what is in front of me, young one. Continue.¡± ¡°The days began to separate themselves. I found myself scavenging for food, and drinking from the creeks. Each passing day I seemed to learn more and more. How to avoid dangerous animals, how to make a proper shelter. I survived like this for many moons, as the forest around me changed from green, to orange. Until the cold came and left as the green returned. At some point, something changed. The world became so much more¡­ Vibrant. And vivid. Then one day I saw the screen. Your Intelligence has increased by 1. ¡°Your ability.¡± ¡°...Yes. I remember seeing it appear, and afterwards everything became much more clear. I used my ability to switch between this form and my older one. Seventeen moons I just walked around, observing the world around me. I learned to interact with instead of run away from the many animals.¡± ¡°They were not aggressive towards you?¡± ¡°At first they were hesitant. But I guess they saw me as harmless.¡± ¡°Mayhaps it has something to do with you being a child?¡± Ankh responded dryly. ¡°Want me to keep talking, or do you wish to sprinkle some more sarcasm over it?¡± ¡°Continue.¡± ¡°I grew to learn more and more, what berries and plants were safe to eat, what weren¡¯t. I learned from the animals how to find safe water to drink, how to find appropriate shelters.¡± ¡°You seem fond of them.¡± ¡°I never got too close with them. I stayed a night in their dens sometimes, but I always left.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°I had more to learn. More to see. One day I began to hear some noises, sharp clanging and growling, followed by screams. ¡°A fight?¡± The boy nodded. ¡°I went to see what it was. A creature, Bigger than any bear I''ve seen, armored with wicked claws. And surrounded by it, a group of¡­¡± ¡°Hominids.¡± ¡°Is that what you call them?¡± ¡°That is what they are.¡± ¡°Well, I stayed away from the hominids until the screaming stopped, hiding in an empty burrow. It lasted a while, but eventually things began to quiet down. I waited a few moments before I poked my head out. It was huge. Easily three times my size. The earth around it was gouged out, trees tilted with their roots poking out. There were weapons laying about, most broken. There were¡­ some limbs caught in the creature¡¯s mouth. Blood everywhere.¡± Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. ¡°You seem affected by it.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t the gore. I mean, I''ve never seen so much blood or severed limbs before, but it was the creature. Throat torn open, heaving on its side. Its underside was nearly gouged out. Its insides were still steaming on the forest floor. Yet instead of keen or writhe around like a dying animal, its arms were cradles around something.¡± ¡°Something?¡± ¡°Its infant. Still alive, just shaking.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°My first instinct was to run.¡± The boy ruefully admitted, face burning red at the admittance. ¡°I just wanted to leave, to run and hide from whatever could have killed this, but¡­¡± ¡°But?¡± ¡°Its eyes.¡± Enix said simply, his voice barely above a whisper. ¡°I looked into this creature''s eyes.¡± ¡°And what did you see?¡± The question was soft, almost expecting. ¡°The same thing I had felt for a long time. It was afraid of leaving its infant alone. It knew it was dying, and yet it still sheltered its infant, and it cradled the small thing as close to its chest as it could. The poor little thing sat shaking.¡± ¡°In the end, there was nothing I could have done. So I sat there, and waited.¡± ¡°You comforted it.¡± ¡°I tried to.¡± ¡°And when it finally passed?¡± ¡°I did my best to bury it. It took a while.¡± ¡°You are quite small for someone who can boast of that strength.¡± ¡°I dug around it.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°I sat there for a while, just watching its young. It was distressed for a while. After a bit I realized it was hungry, but it wouldn¡¯t leave the grave. It wouldn¡¯t stop shaking until I placed my hand on it. When I did it seemed to calm down a little, so I decided to hold it. I tried feeding it berries but it didn¡¯t like them. I only realized it ate metal after it started chomping on one of the broken weapons that lay about.¡± ¡°So you decided to adopt it?¡± ¡°In a sense. We stayed there through the night, and when I left it just followed me. I kept some of the weapons, and I decided to name it.¡± ¡°Ingot.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. We started learning how to survive together. He digs really well.¡± The boy took a breath, a half smile forming. ¡°After that things started to change. Other animals tended to avoid us. I guess it was because they were scared of Ingot but things began to change.¡± ¡°How so?¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t just me surviving day to day. I wasn¡¯t alone. I began planning ahead, I kept food for both of us. We ended up helping each other, learning off each other. He had a great sense of smell, and could find shelter and dig burrows. I scavenged for our food, and led us through a safe enough path. We started thriving instead of just surviving. ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°...It was a few nights after that I started having the dreams. Disembodied voices screaming warning, sometimes for help. I¡¯m standing in a field of tall grass, at the foot of a mountain as the sky begins to blacken. The sun disappears, and four blue orbs appear on the horizon. The wind begins to whip up as a form appears in front of me. It looks like you, but with two horns. It always says the same. That I need to prepare-¡± ¡°For when the sun fades and the wind cries. When mountains crumble and the Allmark flies.¡± ¡°...Yeah.¡± The entity named Ankh nodded its head, seemingly satisfied. It waved its hand, and light began to show behind the boy. He turned to see a doorway open, Ghiri appeared, with a small silhouette of Ingot. If you will come this way, I will happily accompany you to our arena. ¡°The arena?¡± ¡°Yes. I have made my decision.¡± The being known as Ankh extended from his seating position, standing tall. ¡°You have come far, guided by a message implanted by my kin. Your story is an oddity, but I am glad to see you have made it this far on your own. I will bestow upon you a gift. I will prepare you for that day as best I can. And when that day comes,¡± the being turned its head as if to regard Enix, ¡°We will see if you are enough. Now go with the Servitor, and heed his guidance.¡± The light began to envelope his surroundings, shrouding the being as it turned to walk away ¡°Hey, wait! What is so special about that day?¡± ¡°I will leave you with this,¡± Ankh turned to face the boy one last time as he faded away. ¡°We have dubbed that as the Day of Blackened Sky.¡± Answers Unaimed part 3: instruction Ghiri walked with purpose back into the room Enix had originally burst into, the boy following in tow. His metallic friends scuttled to him as he returned, bumping against his leg as Ingot looked up to him. He leaned down to rustle the small creature as it hummed, Vice wrapping itself around the boy¡¯s arm. ¡°Okay what did he mean by that?¡± I am sure my master will inform you when the time comes. ¡°But I need to know now!¡± My master did not deem it so. ¡°Then why did he just give me the name?!¡± The boy groaned in frustration. Perhaps he believes you are ready only to hear the cause, not understand it. He wishes for you to be aware but likely felt you unprepared to grasp the full situation. Enix was quiet at that, but still sulked. His journey had a purpose that continued to be obscured to him. While you were with my maker, he ordered me to analyze your capabilities in order to procure a plan for your training. Tell me, are you accustomed to armed combat? ¡°Uhm, not really? I tend to avoid conflict in general.¡± While a safe measure, it is wise to prepare yourself, and be able to defend yourself at the very least. From what I have observed, you utilize your environment to your advantage. A good strategy, but one born from your lack of abilities. Tell me, have you explored your ability at all? ¡°My ability?¡± The screens you have noted, how the skills you have gathered are displayed to you, and your statistics. You have quite a unique ability. We will explore its lengths and limitations throughout your stay here. For now, however¡­ They were back in the main room, standing before the altar as the multi-limbed humanoid waved his hands around it, forming strange symbols and tracing them in the air. Almost instantly, the wall behind the altar began to tremble. The thick layer of ivy that had covered the wall retracted, and behind it sat a massive mural depicting three individuals mid-air, embracing the rays of a light beaming from above. Below sat several strange structures of various sizes, one similar in geometric shape to the Foundry in the bottom center. As the ivy began to move away a trail of dust fell from the top of the mural, forming a line down the middle as the two halves slid away from each other, revealing a massive chamber within. The ceiling of the chamber was open in a kite shape, offering sunlight to the grass floor below it. Pillars followed the shape of the ceiling along the walls, with steps leading to higher elevated passageways. A small stone pedestal, in the same shape as the open ceiling, sat in the center of the grass floor. The boy¡¯s eyes were immediately drawn to the far end, a massive statue poised kneeling at the end, an impressively long weapon in one thick hand, ending with two pronged semicircular heads. The statue was that of some armored figure, with tower-like structures for shoulders and forearms. Two curved structures rose from its back, similar in sight to the top of its weapon, like pieces of a half circle that did not meet. It was a hulking figure that stood out, as its sheen appeared metallic instead of stone. This is where your training will take place. We will analyze your capabilities here, and hone your skills until my master deems you fit and proper. Now, have you had any experience with weaponry? ¡°Well, I¡¯m used to shortswords, I guess I don¡¯t really have a preference.¡± Then you will be made accustomed to blades. I see you can recover rather quickly, so we will be splitting your time between honing your physical as well as your mental capabilities. Tell me of your abilities. ¡°Hmm. I can meditate, it helps me recover better. I can sort of attack, but it didn¡¯t do much against those statues outside.¡± Likely due to the material you were using. ¡°Uhh I was using Vice over there.¡± Ah, the Aberration. An odd case to be sure. ¡°What do you mean?¡± This specific species excel at mimicking objects, and waiting in ambush. However this one seems to not just mimic the appearance, but the very material. It can be as sturdy as stone or rigid as iron, and manipulate its own biological body to fit a suitable shape. At the very least, from what I have seen of your display.¡± The boy looked to Ingot¡¯s neck to see the still moving metallic shape of Vice. ¡°So I could use him as a weapon?¡± If that is your decision. It could offer you versatility in how you fight, should you choose to. Enix thought about it. He wasn¡¯t sure whether he could even fight without a weapon, but he wasn¡¯t sure he could place that role on such a creature, to be a weapon he would wield against whatever threat he would have to face in this dangerous endeavor he had fallen into. ¡°I think¡­ I want to try without a weapon.¡± Ghiri¡¯s head tilted at that. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. Interesting. Very well, we will begin without weapons. Are you ready to begin? ¡°I guess? Which of those statues am I fighting?¡± He said while gesturing to the entrance. Statues? You think you will fight the guardians? ¡°Well I mean, I don¡¯t think I¡¯m ready to tackle that monstrosity.¡± Enix pointed to the massive statue towards the back of the space. ¡°It might be for decoration now that I think about it, but considering the record of statues that move here I-¡° Ah, you are misguided. You see, your only opponent at this moment will be me. The faceless figure moved one foot behind the other, taking a relaxed pose, three of his arms tucked behind his back, a single arm held loosely outward. ¡°Are you sure?¡± Positive. Without another warning, Ghiri was on the boy in the blink of an eye. With a single hand they shoved the boy back. Enix lost his footing, falling backwards. He barely had time to roll away before Ghiri brought a fist down onto the ground, just where Enix had been. The boy sat up in a crouch. You cannot win by just avoiding me. ¡°Will you please slo-'''' Enix was interrupted as a single fist collided to his face, and he saw stars before he saw the open sky above him. At least the grass is sof-how did I end up on the ground? Your Endurance has increased by 1. Duly noted, Enix thought as he groaned Too slow a reaction. You need to stay vigilant, keep on your toes. Shall we start again? Enix stood up as Ghiri turned around, taking a few steps away from the boy. Ingot tapped at the boy¡¯s leg, and Enix noticed that his health had drained by a quarter. Enix exhaled slowly, concentrating as he activated his Agility. This time, he was ready when Ghiri came again. He deftly dodged a hook, keeping his knees bent and his footing loose. This time he struck, managing to land a fist against Ghiri¡¯s cold shoulder. It felt rough as stone, yet still shone like metal. Ghiri did not react, in fact Enix was sure he had done no damage whatsoever. It was in that split second of observation that he saw the blur that was Ghiri¡¯s arm swat his head, and the world spun until he was face down onto the ground. To properly disable an opponent, you should aim for the face, stomach or ears. Targeting anyplace else will only injure them slightly. Again. ¡°Alright, fine!¡± Enix rolled back onto his feet, taking another ready stance. Ghiri looked over the stance, at the stiff footing and simply tripped the boy. Your footing should be steadier. Maintain a light yet balanced footing. Again. So it went on for several hours. Enix was knocked down as soon as they began, and each time Ghiri pointed out a flaw. The boy sat on the grass panting, glaring at his now depleted stamina. He stood back up, faced Ghiri and took a ready stance. Enough. The boy looked up, surprised. You need rest. Recuperate, and we will commence once more. Enix frowned, swaying on his feet as if caught in a decision before he plopped onto the ground. He let himself catch his breath before he crossed his legs, laying one hand over the other. He steadied his breathing and closed his eyes, his surroundings fading away from his perception. He breathed, held his breath and then slowly exhaled. The wind that had been blowing through the ruins stopped, and Ingots clanking footsteps eventually faded out. With enough time the boy felt himself in a vacant space, before a strange echo began to prod into his mind. Ghiri, though normally unquestioning in his actions, observed the boy. He had no experience in training such a young creature, in training anything at all for that matter. Yet this child held back in his one attack, and it didn¡¯t seem capable of even taking a life, if the need arose. Tell me, child. Have you ever taken a life? Enix started at the question, flinching at the sudden intrusion. He scowled at Ghiri. ¡°What?¡± Have you ever killed? Hunted prey, defended yourself by any means? ¡°I¡¯ve hunted before, yes.¡± Enix tried to meditate while speaking, but found he could not. ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± You seem to lack the drive needed to fight, so I wondered whether you had the drive to even survive. ¡°I do. Despite what you¡¯ve seen, I can fight.¡± Perhaps.Ghiri looked away, staring at the statue. While I will continue to train you in hand-to-hand, I will have you learn with a weapon regardless. Enix thought for a second, scratching Ingot behind its armored head as the creature hummed happily. ¡°Why?¡± Using a weapon grants you- ¡°No, I get needing a weapon,¡± Enix interrupted, ¡°I mean why are you and Ankh making such an effort for me? I¡¯m just here because I dreamed of some disaster that hasn¡¯t happened yet.¡± Ghiri was silent for some time. The dreams you have had were a test engineered by my master. A test designed to seek only those who are worthy, those who have not just talent, but the merit to rise and meet the Day of Blackened Sky. The more intense, the more present the visions within your mind, the more eligible one would be. ¡°Then that means there are others who will come?¡± Enix sat up, chewing the thought. ¡°Others that I¡¯ll meet, maybe even work alongside?¡± Child, many have answered the call. Many have come. Many have fallen. ¡°... Oh.¡± You have promise. For that, we will do whatever is necessary to ensure you grow into what this world needs. Enix felt his chest tighten, an ever growing weight pressing down on him. He closed his eyes, wishing the thoughts away But more importantly, Enix felt a hand on his shoulder, I would hate for you to fail. I trust my master and his decisions, and I trust that you will need this training no matter what comes next. You have potential boy, and I would hate to see it wasted. Despite Ghiri¡¯s cool skin, the boy felt a warmth he had not known before. ¡°Thank you Ghiri. I hope you¡¯re right.¡± This is why I must do this. Enix was about to question what he meant before he saw a hand cover his vision, and his consciousness fell away. Survey Mission 12 part 1: mission prep There is no other place as dangerous as the land below us. Monsters we couldn¡¯t conceive of in our most vivid dreams, and a variety of environments with their own dangers. Forests one could wander in for days and find themselves walking in circles, plains so vast you can see the curvature of our planet when not impeded by hills, and mountains that stab into the sky so deeply it only speaks to the altitude we had resided in. Even the atmosphere down here boasts of bountiful air, enough to feel as if we are walking onto a different planet altogether. I only wish that my dearest Aneyra could have lived to witness this world''s terrible beauty. -Excerpt from a recovered journal of Varus the Explorer, of the First Decent Lyra was awoken by multiple sensations. First the chill morning air hit her skin as the roosters began crowing and the watchmen announced the hour and weather, the blue hour. When her consciousness finally focused she smelled something freshly baked, and she felt her stomach growl. She inhaled a deep breath, filling her lungs with air as she¡¯d never felt before. She sat up, wiping the drool from her cheek and nearly falling off her bunk. Proclus snorted at her, trying to look away. ¡°What?¡± Lyra croaked. ¡°Your cowlick, it¡¯s as long as an arrow¡± Lyra felt her hair and sure enough, a lock was standing at attention, curving upward like a single horn she had seen on some of the oxen in the pens. ¡°Lucky to be a heavy sleeper, but a trait you¡¯ll have to lose down here.¡± Wallace stretched and popping several joints. ¡°Ain¡¯t that right Cass?¡± ¡°Weh?¡± The girl below Lyra sputtered incoherently. ¡°Just a little longer, few more minutes ma.¡± ¡°Wallace make sure Caleb wakes up.¡± Proclus was wrapping various tools into a small leather bundle, and stuffing them away in a coat pocket. ¡°Hah, gladly.¡± Wallace grinned almost gleefully as he grabbed a whistle from a pouch next to his cot and leaned in right next to the boy''s ear. The shrill sound made him shriek and roll away, only to fall on the ground completely wrapped up in his blanket. Cassie covered her ears tightly and Lyra winced, before noticing that one of the beds had already been made. ¡°Hey, where¡¯s Hota?¡± ¡°He gets up earlier than the rest of us. We¡¯ll meet in the pavilion for some breakfast, then we¡¯re all to meet the Commander at the square. Lyra, I want you to come with me to the armory.¡± Lyra nodded, and went to wash her face under the quarter pump and went to relieve herself. ¡°I¡¯ll follow ye if that¡¯s alright. Got a couple words to trade with Goldry, the old coot.¡± ¡°Wallace, you are literally the same age as him.¡± Cassie stared at him. ¡°Aye but I ain¡¯t crazy.¡± ¡°Debatable.¡± Caleb mumbled under his breath, still rubbing his ears. ¡°Alright guys, get a move on. Remember we have an assignment today. Come on Wallace¡± Lyra moved to catch up, Procus smiling at her, his eyes directly on the strand of hair she had smoothed down. She rolled her eyes, smiling as they made their way to the other side of the compound. Lyra was starving, and nearly walked to the pavilion to eat without meaning to, but was stopped when she heard metal ringing on metal. The survey corp focused on the exploration of the ground world, utilizing various tools and domesticated species of birds, hounds and rodents. A survey member was more likely to carry an ax or hammer as a tool instead of a weapon, though certain team members were required to carry some form of defense. When it came to weapons corp members traditionally utilized range weaponry such as the hand crossbows, but were known to keep spathas or pilum, but they were considered a last resort should any creature interfere with their survey work. As such, metal working was more often used for tools and wear instead of weaponry. This resulted in Lyra¡¯s confusion when they walked into an active forge, a working water wheel connected to a water system that she had not seen before, and a burly wrinkled man crouched over a glowing piece of hooked iron. Lyra had learned in her training that metallic ores were rare, and she wondered how someone was able to come across enough to forge. The hot metal was definitely a blade, with a sharp bend in one direction halfway up. It was a wide blade with what looked to be a shorter handle. Her curiosity was set aside however the moment Wallace walked in, hands on his hips. ¡°How many times do I have to say it won¡¯t work like ye intend.¡± The man didn¡¯t stop hammering, barely even acknowledging Wallace. ¡°Next time I want advice about smithing from a tinkerer with half his tools and less of a brain, I¡¯ll let you know.¡± ¡°Okay guys, let¡¯s not do this so early in the morning.¡± Proclus interrupted, holding a hand up to stop Wallace from responding. ¡°I want you to meet a new member of the team. This is Lyra-¡± ¡°Pleased to make your acquaintance, now leave me be. I¡¯m busy.¡± ¡°She nee-¡± ¡°I know what she needs.¡± The man gestured vaguely to a workbench along a small wall of the room. ¡°Now go, I need focus.¡± ¡°Pleased to meet you.¡± Lyra responded dryly as she made her way over to the bench. On it was a crossbow with bolts wrapped in a leather strapped for her belt, a clip with parchment scrolls, a bottle of ink, and a quill. Next to those were a scope, a knife, hand ax, and machete. Lastly was a roll of red ribbon, and she assumed it was for marking certain trails to be mapped. ¡°Normally scouts pull double duty, navigating and map making, but the Commander wants us to narrow our focuses, thinks that will help get the job done safer. Anyways, pack up what you have and meet us in the pavilion. I had an idea I wanted to talk about with Wallace.¡± ¡°Sure, thanks.¡± Lyra grabbed her things, clutching them like the greedy goblins she heard about in folk tales and ran off. ¡°Make sure your items are secure Miss Bellaquis!¡± This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. On her way back to her quarters she saw Hota walking in from the gates, carrying a bow and quiver strung on his back and dragging a quarry of prey behind him. One was a strange horse-like animal with a large set of horn-like structures protruding from its head. There were also a few hares, all tied together and hanging behind the man¡¯s back. He looked straight on as he walked, as if the rest of the world simply didn¡¯t exist until he accomplished his task. Lyra followed his style, rushing to pack everything into her bag and ensured the items were secure. She strapped the knife and pack of bolts to her belt and pocketed the scope before she headed out. The whole survey corp was present, minus a few on watch and who worked early. The pavilion was a large open area, with a stone roof and pillars instead of walls. Long tables were set in rows, with one set to the side to lay out the food. The space was built for a large gathering of people, roughly four hundred, but the corps was currently only composed of half that amount. From Lyra¡¯s understanding, the mix of danger and lack of applicants had played a hefty role in that. Yet, despite the few members, there was a strange feeling Lyra could not shake as she met with Cassie and Caleb. She spent the next hour being introduced to other members of the corp, from Tybris the Falconer, who looked akin to Hota, to Gallus the medic and his assistant Vitellia, both of whom she recognized had graduated with honors from the academy. Cassie then pointed out the weapons master Jiya, the apothecarist Ulissa, and of course the commander of the whole operation who Lyra had already met, Dao. ¡°They run most everything out here, alongside craftmaster Goldry, Jiya, and Dao are from Isle Saiga, and they plan on bridging both groups together more moving forward.¡± Lyra had heard of their sister Isle, but had yet to meet anyone from there. She began to notice other Saigan peoples around the camp, observing them. These were a group that her own Isle had recently made contact with roughly a decade ago. Their differences were apparent, as they held themselves with a sense of regality and decorum that Lyra thought stemmed from more than just their positions in the corps. Looking closely, she noticed general shared features, such as most of them having pronounced cheekbones, giving their faces a much sleeker shape compared to the more rounder cheekbones of Aeolonians. The Saigans also shared thinner lips than Aeolons, and while Aeolons had a pronounced bridge on their nose, Saigans¡¯ were less so. Lyra noted Dao¡¯s expression as cool and calm, yet held a sense of power behind her eyes. Lyra had only ever noticed the difference in tools and weaponry, as well as their martial styles and material they used to craft. While the Aeolon Isle had little natural metallic resources outside of copper (those were discovered during the First Decent), they had used wood, clay, and plant fibers. Isle Saiga, on the other hand, had a strange wooden material that remained strong yet much more flexible. Their tools were different in design but similar in use to ours, so Branwelds academy had managed to bring some tools and began implementing new classes based on Saigan craftsmanship. ¡°So did they also help with training the animals?¡± Lyra asked as Proclus and Wallace joined the table with their plates full of foraged fruits, bread and Saigan rice porridge. ¡°We had managed to train them ourselves to work as messengers for the most part. It was Hota and his companions that had helped us learn what to hunt, what to keep as livestock and what to train as companions.¡± Proclus stated before beginning to inhale his breakfast. ¡°Wow, so the Saigans were already here long before us? Do you think Hota can tell us about the bamboo they use?¡± Her new team looked at her strangely before Wallace spoke up. ¡°Hota ain¡¯t Saigan.¡± ¡°Oh, really? Was he one of the first Aeolons to descend?¡± ¡°He isn¡¯t Aeolon either.¡± this time Caleb pitched in. ¡°Oh right!¡± Cassie jumped, remembering something. ¡°They haven¡¯t spread the word about it yet?¡± ¡°Word about what?¡± ¡°Hota belongs to a tribe of people native to this land.¡± This time Proclus spoke up again. ¡°During the First Decent some scouting groups had discovered his tribe, living and thriving in this land and had quickly formed an alliance.¡± Lyra had suddenly forgotten about her food. Throughout her time in the academy, she had been taught humans were clustered together on the Isles. ¡°So this whole time there¡¯s just been a tribe of people down here?¡± ¡°Tribes, plural. And yeah. Hota works as an ambassador. He even helps us by bringing in fresh food every morning on his hunts.¡± ¡°This one time he managed to drag in this massive creature on a sled. Looked like some of the horses we use but bigger, with a mean set of antlers on it. Tasted great.¡± Caleb showed her a sketch of the animal he had made. It did look similar to their horses, but it had a bump over its shoulders and legs thinner than any horse she had seen. Its head was shaped much more strangely, the antlers appearing as hands outstretched towards the sky. ¡°Wait but how are they able to survive so long down here, what else did they teach us?¡± ¡°Calm down Lyra, they¡¯re pretty hesitant on teaching us many things. They taught us the basics of herbalism, the various resources down here and the threats we might face, but they aren¡¯t exactly welcoming of us.¡± ¡°What''s that mean?¡± ¡°Means they don¡¯t want us trespassin¡¯ within their territories.¡± Wallace said through a beard full of crumbs, ¡°They will respect our missions so long as they grant us permission to go traipsin¡¯ through their grounds.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ Have they been hostile?¡± ¡°A few times,¡± Cassie mumbled, ¡°But thankfully they weren¡¯t anything fatal. Just a few arrows, a couple poison darts that caused quite the stomach aches.¡± Proclus cleaned his plate, ¡°Our objective for the next few days is within Hota¡¯s tribe. He gave us permission from his chieftains, but we are to avoid certain hunting grounds they consider sacred to their animals, and we are also to avoid places marked with this symbol. According to them, it''s for our own safety.¡± He held out a parchment with a strange square shaped spiral symbol. Lyra studied it closely before handing it back to him, nodding. By the time they had finished their meals, Hota had arrived. Lyra noted now how his appearance differed even to the Saigan. While he shared their straight black hair, higher cheekbones and eyes shaped in a similar yet slightly different direction, his face was rounder. It gave him a more solemn and expressionless disposition. He wore an amalgamation of different clothing, from the general uniform that those of the corps typically wore, but also had an armband with red, brown, green and blue triangular patterns, as well as a piece of cloth wrapped around his shoulders like a half cloak. He nodded to Proclus, who told everyone that their transport was ready. The transport was a simple wagon, with room for three in the front and a bigger space underneath the cover. Two of the bulkiest horses Lyra had ever seen (though admittedly, she had seen very little) were tied to the wagon yoke. Inside the wagon bed were neatly organized bundles of rations and blankets. ¡°Cassie, you have those newer maps of the Iquitli territory?¡± She nodded to their leader. ¡°Good, I want you up front with me until we need Caleb for the newer maps. Hota, you and Wallace can take the rear, keep an eye out for us. Caleb and Lyra, I want you guys to be ready when I call for you. Pack your bags over what''s already inside, we''ll need room to maneuver inside if weather doesn¡¯t permit. Speaking of, do you-¡± ¡°Clear. Will stay like that, but there will be a thick fog come next morning.¡± Hota interrupted without looking up from the weapons bundle he was setting down on the back of the wagon. ¡°Got it. Everyone get ready to head out, last thing we¡¯re waiting for is Commander Dao.¡± The team set to their tasks, preparing the wagon. Lyra chose the seat in the bed closest to the front, so she could have a view. By the time the Commander had come to see them off, everyone had their equipment stored and had lined up in front of her. The Commander looked at each one of them before speaking. ¡°You have an important task ahead of you. The ruins you¡¯ll explore will help deepen our understanding of the new world. More importantly, you will be traveling through the Iquitli tribe¡¯s territory. I expect you to uphold our values and code. You are representing the entire corps, so I hope you leave the Iquitli people with a good image of us.¡± ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± Everyone barked, except for Hota who simply nodded. ¡°Very well. Your expedition starts now. Come back to us alive and smarter. Good luck. Good learning.¡± Survey Mission 12 part 2: lunch time Mum and Dad, Is this what it was like for you? Being part of a team, learning to build off each other is strange. Caleb and Cassie run around with papers everywhere, and Cassie usually ends up covered in ink everytime she tries to draw her maps. Wallace showed me how to find notable ingredients he prefers. Mostly the kind of trees that provided good building and crafting material. Each of us bring something to the team, but I only ever thought that was regarding our different proficiencies. Proclus is smart, and a good leader, but he¡¯s quick to rely on others, especially Hota or Wallace for advice. Cassie and Caleb are good friends, especially when you let them ramble on about their respective studies. Wallace is quick to help you find a tool to make your work easier. Hota is¡­ distant. He¡¯s proven himself incredibly reliable, but tends to avoid talking. He tends to teach me in his own ways though, walking over to point out a mistake I might have made. This one time during a hike, he stopped to point out safer areas, and pointed out if we were being watched by an animal. Lyra Riding through a forest in a wagon was bumpier than Lyra had imagined. She wasn¡¯t sure what she had imagined exactly, but it never occurred to her how uneven unpaved roads were, especially in the wilds. The wagon was relatively smooth over the cobblestone roads, but here there were only natural paths set in between the trees, carved out by whatever strange animals lived nearby. The morning fog chilled them, but it lay at a thin enough layer to not obscure their vision as they rode through. Lyra had decided to catch up on her reading of the Corps¡¯ bestiary, leaning her upper half out of the front of the wagon with Proclus and Cassie, absentmindedly kicking her legs up and down. Caleb was cleaning some brushes and Wallace was tinkering in the bag, mumbling about the bumpy road. ¡°So wait, wulves are how big?¡± Lyra was looking at a drawing of a shaggy haired four legged creature. ¡°They come up to our horse¡¯s bellies. Last one I saw was about four feet. They like to hunt in groups so we should watch for those. The wagons and horses make it easier to fend them off if they get too brave.¡± ¡°And what about the Ursa?¡± Lyra had flipped the page, landing on a creature with thick and stocky hind legs and long forearms. Its face was drawn in a way that Lyra found cute, except for the long claws ¡°Too big, too fast. Best to avoid their territories.¡¯ Hota called out from the back. Lyra turned to see him eyeing her from the corner of his eye. ¡°Really? They can¡¯t be that dangerous, they look so cute here.¡± ¡°Well they¡¯re as deadly as they are cute, especially when there are cubs around.¡± ¡°So these things hunt people?¡± ¡°Rare. Attacks are more often a result of defending their territory or young.¡± Hota spoke up again. ¡°Don¡¯t mean we should walk up to one regardless.¡± Wallace added. Lyra kept flipping through pages as they gave her basic information. The Felinus, large yet sleek creatures that, according to Hota, were so stealthy that one wouldn¡¯t notice it until its jaws were sinking into one¡¯s throat. The Mustell, various rodent-like animals that displayed more aggression than their bigger counterparts. Lyra moved on to the text on Herbalism, scanning through the various plants and herbs, trying to connect what was drawn or described with what was around her. She began to notice a change in the trees, from oaks and various other similar trees to massive trees with brownish red wood. They were taller than Lyra could possibly understand, and so thick that the natural path carved by the forest¡¯s ancient wandering beasts curved around them. "All these creatures are incredible." Lyra said as she looked through page after page of illustrations and details of creatures. As a scout Lyra was able to study these creatures, but only behavior wise, as well as studying the natural weapons they possessed. Scouts served as fledgling Rangers in the corps, as they were simply designed to gather information and materials if need be. It was in trips such as this where one would typically be paired with a Ranger, in a simpler form of apprenticeship. However, Lyra''s situation had been a unique one, as due to her excellent performance in her academics in this field, she had been given express permission to skip ahead to the apprenticeships. Lyra had made the correct assumption Hota was a substitute for the team''s Ranger, but only after she had inquired of the team''s previous one. "Took a bad fall, hurt her leg. She''s keeping charge of the bird cage with Tybris while she recovers." Wallace had said. Now she wasn''t sure what she should do. Hota didn''t seem inclined to teach her, and Lyra wondered if he had been informed of this role, or if it was even his role to begin with. But as she flipped through page after page Hota would pipe up with information, explaining to her in a few short words how to avoid them, and what aggressive or passive signs to look for. ¡°Remember Lyra, we are here to learn and observe, granted permission by those who already live here. These animals, we do our best to avoid them and their territories.¡± ¡°You are here to learn, not take.¡± Hota confirmed. ¡°I understand. Will we be meeting with them on this trip?¡± Before Proclus could respond, Hota turned to face them. ¡°We have arrived.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll deal with this later.¡± Proclus said to Lyra as he turned and pulled on the reins, stopping the horses. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Before them sat an open area, in the middle a tarp held up by wooden poles. Around the tent were various people attending to tasks and stands that formed a semicircle. From piling animal hides atop a bundle to tending to a few dogs wearing harnesses. Others were setting various crafts on tables and blankets, from tools and baskets to clothing. An older man was overlooking the various stands, and while he wore no shirt, an intricately designed armband. He faced away from the wagon, but turned when the creaking wheels stopped a few feet from the circle. Proclus dropped from the wagon, holding a hand out in greeting. The old man as well as a younger man and woman walked to greet the group. Hota stepped next to Proclus, and spoke in a tongue Lyra could not recognize. ¡°This is the chieftain of the Itzo tribe, it was Hota and his children that we first made contact with.¡± Proclus whispered to Lyra. ¡°How did that go about?¡± ¡°Well, they met with Commander Dao and Director Gehrlan, and no one was capable of communicating with the other. They presented us with a few members, like Tybris and Hota, who spent time with us, learned our language while some corps members did the same with the tribe.¡± ¡°Must have been some first conversation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the funny part,¡± Proclus smiled at her, ¡°It started with trade. We showed them some tools, they showed us theirs. It¡¯s how we approach diplomacy now. They need something, they give something to us of equal value, and vice versa.¡± ¡°So what did we give to them?¡± ¡°You rode in it.¡± Lyra watched as Hota handed them some scrolls and they walked over to the wagon, looking in particular to the wheels. Lyra noted that some boats were around the clearing, tied like sleds. ¡°You¡¯re trading them schematics and the wagon?¡± ¡°We are. Get your equipment ready, we¡¯re leaving the wagon here.¡± Cassie, Caleb, Wallace and Lyra all turned to grab their packs. When they came back, Hota had turned to all of them. ¡°Chieftain Atohi welcomes us and our trade. He says we can eat with the tribe here before we depart. I informed him that a translator will arrive soon to help with deciphering the papers.¡± ¡°Understood, what can we do to help set things up?¡± Hota walked the group to the center of the clearing and began guiding them. Lyra was tasked with helping Wallace guide the tribe¡¯s boats into a rough circle, keeping them upside down to sit on. Cassie and Caleb helped two young individuals with striking similarity carry food as Proclus and Hota dug a fire pit. Chief Atohi placed charcoal inside, setting it ablaze. The food composed of foraged nuts, roots, and a recent hunt. The meat appeared to be some sort of rabbit, and Hota set to skinning and cleaning it as the two younger tribe members set to grinding the foraged nuts and mixing them into a large bowl. They waited for the charcoal to sufficiently warm, and then Hota lay the meat over the charcoal. "We value cooking food well, so we all work to make it so." Hota said to Lyra. "Make yourself useful." Proclus arranged them to lay one of their blankets on the ground, mixing in with the others. Cassie and Caleb helped the two tribe members, who Lyra assumed were siblings. Wallace and Proclus removed their own food from the wagon, heating up the porridge over the fire and sharing bread. Lyra made herself useful to Hota by helping him with cleaning the meat. The food was made ready by noon. Lyra watched as they cut and split the food between a total of fourteen people. Hota''s people used bowls carved from wood. The bowls themselves were carved smooth and light, and Lyra couldn''t help but run her hands over them. They passed around waterskins as they ate the meat and nuts. It was a light meal but Lyra was satisfied with it. Proclus and the Chief spoke to each other through Hota''s translation. They discussed their style of cooking, the Chief taking note of their recipe for bread and Proclus asking on where to find their foraged foods. Lyra felt a hand on her shoulder, a woman who pointed to Lyra''s book. Lyra opened it and handed it over, watching as she flipped through the pages. Lyra then noted her weapon tied to her side, a handle of wood with a triangular stone set at one end. It was an ax, small and lighter than Lyra had ever seen. Lyra pointed to it, and the woman smiled and untied it from her own bad. They sat and observed each others'' tools, Lyra running a hand over the stone blade. It was crafted finely, and she confirmed that it felt lighter than she thought an ax should be. The woman held the book to her, open to a page of an illustration Lyra had made of a dog she had played with up in her Isle. It was much thinner than the dogs here, with much less fur and a longer snout. The woman said something to Hota. ¡°She is asking if your dogs are normally this thin, or if it is starved.¡± ¡°No, they are this thin. We train them to catch small things, and race each other.¡± After Hota translated, the woman nodded in understanding. ¡°We use ours to protect us and help us track.¡± Hota explained before the Chief spoke to him again. ¡°Chieftain Atohi says we are free to explore the structures, so long as you respect our territory.¡± Proclus turned to the chief, nodding. The chief in turn held out a hand, palm forward and spoke something. Hota informed the team that it was something akin to a blessing. Proclus ordered them to reorganize as the woman handed Lyra back her book, and she the woman¡¯s small ax. As they did, members of the tribe handed them bundles of animal furs and smoked meats. As they set off, the members of the tribe stayed behind. Hota explained that other tribe members would meet here to trade and stay together as they migrated back towards the sea. Lyra asked him about the sea, having only read about it. He described it briefly, an expanse of water, high waves, and fish the size of boats. The forest came alive with birdsong as they walked further in, crunching over fallen dried leaves and soft dirt, kicking up dust as they walked. Hota made sure to guide us away from clawed trees and foul smelling areas. The further the group walked into the forest the bigger the trees became, the reddish brown behemoths taller than Lyra could see and wider than two wagons put one in front of the other. The trees grew closer and closer together , until they had to walk single file. Hota pointed out a herd of massive creatures grazing between the trees, with massive hand shaped antlers atop their heads. Lyra recognized them as described by Caleb before their trip. The terrain had mostly been uphill, until they reached the edge of the hill and the structure came into view. It was massive, oval like an egg. Lyra had thought the trees were the tallest things she had ever seen, and the ruins rose twice as high. The gray stone was a stark contrast to the reddish brown and green, save for the flakes of moss that grew on its side. ¡°Mighty impressive.¡± Wallace muttered, taking out a spy glass to peer through it at the structure. Proclus set his bag down, turning to them. ¡°Let¡¯s rest for now, we got a lot of work to do.¡± Survey Mission 12 part 3: discovery Mum and Dad, Every day I learn more about how dangerous this world really is. I nearly killed my team on my first mission because of my own foolishness. I¡¯m eager to learn, and I put that against the team. I wonder what mistakes you guys made starting out, what you¡¯ve learned from them. I wish I could hear about them. Lyra The group had eaten some of the rations, mixing them with the food they had traded before carefully walking down the hill to the structure. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be possible,¡± Lyra muttered, ¡°How is it that we couldn¡¯t see this on the way here?¡± Caleb looked up at it, covering his eyes against the sunlight. ¡°The trees could have been blocking the view?¡± ¡°The trees are pretty tall, but they¡¯re not that big.¡± Proclus said. ¡°We should have had a better view of it at some point.¡± They walked in silent thought until they reached the base of the structure. Massive stone steps curved around the egg in a circle, overgrown with moss and small plants. While the steps themselves showed their age with the green growth, scratches and cracks, the structure itself appeared to be completely clean, untouched by the surrounding wilderness. As the group made their way closer, Hota, who had been walking next to Proclus, held out his hand to the group. ¡°What is it?¡± Cassie murmured. ¡°Listen.¡± He turned his head side to side, scanning everything. ¡°I don¡¯t hear anything.¡± Lyra protested. ¡°I think that¡¯s his point.¡± Wallace unfurled a bag, pulling a sling from it and picking up a stone from the ground. Caleb and Cassie also took theirs out while Proclus drew a shortsword. Hota pulled an ax similar to what the tribe woman had while Lyra hefted a crossbow, loading it unsteadily. Moving closer to the structure revealed it was more than simply oval. It had ridges and intricate designs that yielded to an impressive ancient culture. While oval from a distance, it was more with lines that ran around it, making impressive curves and shapes. While they were rigid and straight in most places, the carvings that curved displayed strange images and symbols in intricate patterns. It was then that Lyra stopped. Something felt off, and it wasn''t the lack of animal sounds in the area. Lyra kept her awareness around her, but couldn''t see anything, until she felt it again. A tremor in the ground lasted only a moment, not noticeable as they traipsed towards the structure, but now that she was standing still, she felt it easily. So did Hota, who stopped walking and met her eye. It was then that they heard a sharp crack, and saw in the distance a tree fall. Proclus made a hand sign to get his team to move, and they sought cover behind trees and large stones that littered the area. Lyra stuck close to Hota, keeping her eyes towards the fallen trees as the ground shook more, the tremors growing in force until something came into view from the trees. "What in the Mother''s name is that?" Caleb whispered harshly. It was absolutely massive, a gray humanoid that looked to be made of similar material to the structure, and had a larger upper body with longer arms and two curved structures that rose from its back and over its head. It had a round and featureless head that swung back and forth, back and forth, as if searching for something. As it moved closer Lyra heard the sound of stone scraping on stone. In one of its hands it carried a massive staff with a crescent shape at the end, a nearly full circle. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. The group watched as it moved into the clearing, where they had just been and stopped. "Hota, what is that?" Proclus was making a notable effort to keep his voice level and quiet. "Something we should avoid." Hota said, loosing his grip on his weapon and keeping still. "You see this often?" Proclus asked. "No. I did not even know this was here. We have kept our distance from this place, this is the closest anyone has been." "So this is new territory for you too. Great to have the expertise." Caleb said sarcastically, which earned him a slap on the arm from his sister. "That thing can''t be real." Wallace muttered. "Well it''s real and it''s searching for something. Let''s just focus on staying out of its sight." Proclus said. "Can it even see?" Cassie asked. "It doesn''t even have eyes!" "Maybe it heard us?" Caleb prompted. "We can test out our theories once we''re safe, and with that thing lurking around carrying something like that I don''t feel too safe, let''s move." Proclus stood up partially to sneak away, only to be stopped by Hota forcing him down by pulling at his tunic. Lyra was just about to cry out but felt a hand force her down, immediately followed by something massive swinging right over them. Lyra looked up to see the massive stone humanoid raising its weapon into the air, and stopping just as it finished its ark. Its head began swinging side to side once more, the rest of its body frozen. Lyra sat up, and realized the earth was still shaking. No, not the earth. She was the one shaking. "It saw me?" Proclus said. "And it isn''t attacking." Wallace noted. Without thinking, Lyra picked up a sizable rock from the ground and hurled it in an arc just as Proclus snapped at her to stop. It sailed in the air, and the thing reacted immediately, swinging its weapon at an angle. As the rock fell to the ground at the end of its arc, the massive thing''s weapon crushed the ground where the rock had landed. "Are you insane?!" Caleb hissed at her. "It can only see movement!" Lyra whispered back. The team glared at her. She had wanted to test a theory that could have gotten them all killed if she was wrong. She realized what she had nearly done. "I''m sorry," She stammered, "I-I didn''t think-" "There''s the issue." Wallace interrupted. "You didn''t think that you were in the field, or at least ye forgot. Perhaps you should do well to learn from this one instance, before you get us crushed by a walking pile of stone?" Lyra apologized again, softly. She should have known better. Would she have, if she had not been given this early graduation to descend from the academy? "Alright, everyone stay down. Hota, your bola." Without looking, Hota reached back and handed Proclus two stones roughly the size of Lyra''s palms tied together by a rope. Proclus held it in two fingers at the mid section of the rope and began twirling it, faster and faster until the moving stone turned its head to him, and moved to swipe with its weapon. Proclus released the stones, sending them spinning in a twirl far past the moving stone, which turned to follow it. "Now, move!" The team stood and took off towards the tower, Proclus and Hota taking the lead while Lyra and Wallace made up the rear. She had hated the physical training of the academy, and now she regretted never having taken it seriously. She kept an ear out for the moving stone, but heard nothing as they kept running. As they ran Lyra made sure to note their surroundings. They reached the stone steps that reached up to Lyra''s knees and began climbing it. Lyra was last to take the step but stopped as she felt another tremor on the ground, soon followed by another, and another. "Stop!" Lyra called to the team, who seemed not to feel the tremors. They turned around too late, as Lyra saw the shadow of the moving stone behind them. It was then that Lyra noted that she felt no tremor from her foot that touched the stone steps. Then she saw on her team''s faces a look of horror that made her turn- -And her world faded to black as she saw the moving stone''s weapon come crashing down. Survey Mission 12 part 4: Contact Mum and Dad, I don''t think I was prepared for what was down there. I wish I could say I handled my first mission well, but I didn''t. Everyone says I shouldn''t hold myself to that big of a standard, that of course I would be making mistakes. I don''t believe that. I nearly got them killed. I discovered something terrible, something that should have stayed buried. But now the only thing I can do is take responsibility for it, and make sure no one else suffers from my mistake. Lyra inhaled sharply as consciousness returned, feeling the stuffy air catch in her mouth and coughing. Her whole body ached, and she worried for a minute she was dead. Don''t be stupid Lyra, the dead don''t hurt. She sat up tentatively, remembering her training and checking herself. She counted bruise after bruise, and while she felt nothing broken, her tailbone ached tremendously. She began to stand slowly, taking it step by step as she rose to her knees. Bruises on her elbows and knees, some on her shoulders and only a few dotting her back, chest and stomach. Then there were the scrapes to her limbs and face, as well as some tears in her clothing. As she had sat up, memories began to flood back in. The monster, the stone crumbling beneath her, and her hitting some slanted piece of stone and rolling down. She only survived because the stone she fell onto had a sharp curve. She looked up to see how high the hole was but found only inky blackness above her. That darkness was everywhere, save for the stone beneath her feet. It was similar to the stone outside, cut smoothly into a narrow pathway that extended far away into the darkness. It was to her left, and as she put her feet under her and stood, she was met with a strange sensation. She was used to being in the dark, of staying up late past curfew at the academy, waiting to light a candle so she could continue to read. But while she was in darkness, she knew what it felt like to be closed in by walls. Here, the darkness did not box her in. It felt massive and open. She reached for her bag, rummaging through it to find the emergency flash sticks that they brought with them. They were made of a type of wood that burned brightly and slowly but were notorious for their difficulty to light. As her hand touched her bag, however, she felt a hole in the side. Removing it quickly she looked over it and sure enough, some of her things had fallen out. The only things that she still had inside were her parchments and quill, which she had kept tied to the parchments. She looked around, her mind racing to gather the details. She was hurt but ok, her supplies limited, and she did not know how long she had been unconscious for. For all she knew, she was alone right now. Hurt and stuck. Lyra sighed, hoping her new team wouldn''t report this to Dao. What a perfect way to start your life on the surface, she thought to herself. Gingerly, she took a few steps forward, and felt chills down her spine as the darkness seemed to follow her. She couldn''t navigate like this. With the way she fell, she couldn''t be sure whether she''d fall into another hole. She desperately wished for something to guide her way. Suddenly, a noise pierced the space. Lyra wasn''t sure what it was or where it had come from, and for a moment could not decipher its location as echoes sounded, only serving to open the chamber further in her mind. What felt like a small cavern to her had changed as she realized how far the echoes bounced to. Her legs shook, and she let herself kneel down, just as her foot scraped something on the ground. She reached down, and felt something solid and cool to the touch. It was circular and fit in her hand. She picked it up, and as she did, faint silver light reached out from it. The light seemed to bend around the object, luminating an intricate design filled with various rings and needle-like pieces, bordered by a single intricate loop. It was cool to the touch, and the rings and needles twirled faster and faster, creaking and ticking as it rose and fell in pitch. Lyra nearly threw the strange object away, but realized it was her only light source. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. "Hello Lyr-" Without thinking she threw the device, yelping. The voice ended abruptly as the device clattered and began rolling away from her, towards the edge. Lyra caught it just in time, her head swiveling back and forth searching for the owner of the voice. "Remain calm. I am here to assist." Lyra felt the hum from the device, and realized the voice had come from it. "What in the Mother?" "I am no mother, merely a tool. You have asked for aid, and I come bearing it." Lyra shook her head, frozen and not comprehending. She was stuck in a massive structure, with no visible way out, and now she was hearing voices from shiny objects. "Nisi, if you would?" Suddenly, lights began to appear on the sides of the pathway she was on, illuminating it slightly through the darkness. It was a short distance to what looked like a round set of lights, a half sphere jutting from a circular foundation in the ground. However, it was not something Lyra was preoccupied with, as something even more otherworldly caught her eye. Standing behind the sphere sat a strange, faceless creature, resembling a human form, save for the extra pair of limbs beneath its arms. Its skin was silvery and tight, the creature seeming to be starved thin. Lyra couldn''t take her eyes off it. It seemed to be an object, like a statue, yet moved as if it were flesh. "Please, do not be afraid.¡± ¡°Afraid? Oh, why would I be afraid?¡± Some sarcasm leaked out of Lyra as she stared. ¡°I just ended up in a dark hole, probably concussed! After all, why else would I hear voices from statues and ¡°I understand you are scared, but I mean you no harm." The figure, named Nisi by the device in Lyra''s hands, held out an open hand to her. As Lyra approached, the device''s glow softened, and Lyra stood cautiously to approach. "What are you?" Lyra whispered, and flinched inwardly when she heard the figure respond. "I am the Custodian of this facility. Welcome," She said as she raised her arms, "To the Preservatory." The last word echoed out into the vast chamber, causing Lyra to shudder. "This is a sacred place, one you and your kind have been prevented from seeing. As Custodian, I was to follow this rule for the millennia that have passed. Yet there are forces at play that lead me to believe such laws must be ignored if we have any hope of success in the future. You are still a primitive species, I cannot imagine you are able to face what comes alone." ¡°A threat?¡± Lyra''s stomach tied in a knot. Had she gone insane? Hit her head as she fell? Or was she dead and this was the afterlife? ¡°Yes. You are from one of our shelter outposts. Your floating island?¡± Lyra gulped and nodded, afraid of where Nisi was heading towards. ¡°Child, your island, and many other like it, will soon fall.¡± The full extent of the implications didn¡¯t hit Lyra at first. Her first thought was---------------- wondering about what ¡°other¡± islands there would be, and what they must be like. It was only when she considered what Nisi actually said. ¡°Wait. Do you mean actually fall? Like from the sky?¡± ¡°Yes. There is not enough time to fully explain. I am aware the situation is outlandish, but I need you to trust me, so I will show you some good faith. I will also ask you to forgive the Guardian for its onslaught. It is damaged, and only seeks to fulfill a shell of its old purpose. I have managed to deactivate it, but only temporarily." "The Guardian? Oh, the giant monster." "Merely a construct, a tool for my creators'' use. But what''s important now is in your hand." Lyra realized she had been clutching the object. She looked at it only to find a different tool in her hand, this time a rod of the same silver sheen. "I am sure you are quite confused. I wish I could answer your questions but we do not have the time. I seek your aid." "My aid?" "Yes. Take this tool, and let it serve you. There is one you must meet and help if you and your kind are to survive.¡± "Who? "Someone who has just been found of great importance. I believe he will need you to help him in his journey.¡± "But wait, why would-¡° ¡°And in turn, I will take you to your parents.¡± That stunned Lyra, and she stared at the creature, her hands beginning to tremble. ¡°You know where they are?¡± "My time has run out. This must be quite a shock, and though you do not know me I am asking you to trust me. For now use this instrument, it will tell you all you need to know. Hurry, for the Guardian is awakening. Go now, or everything you and your kind have built will fall into ruin." The darkness around them both seemed to grow, and Lyra felt her body weaken as she fell asleep. Lyra was unsure, but she thought she could hear Nisi say something, as if to someone else who had been in the chamber with them. Interlude 1 The morning fog brought with it the safety of the sun. The boy poked his head out of the burrow he had found the night before, brushing away the loose, wet soil. The hill he had rested in was in the middle of a grove, with massive trees surrounding it. The boy smelled the cold air and kept his eye out, noticing nothing outside. He crawled out of the burrow slowly, setting out. How long had he been walking through these woods? He didn¡¯t know. All he knew was that sensation of hollowness in his stomach. He needed food. How long had it been since he¡¯d last eaten? The boy kept walking, trying to ignore his desire to stop moving. He needed to move. Moving meant he was alive. As the sun rose higher and the fog lifted, the boy came across a hut. He had seen this hut before, but he wasn¡¯t sure when. He looked around and, seeing no one, approached it carefully. He crept around the outside of it, peering inside through the open entry but avoiding walking in. Various objects scattered around the interior, but something told him he shouldn¡¯t be looking for food there. Something about this place caused a chill to run down his spine. He caught a glimpse of white stone on the ground as he rounded the corner of the hut. He knelt to inspect it, a sword made roughly out of stone. It was short, and the boy hefted it in his hands. It would do. He left hurriedly and found a herd of large animals. With long legs and heavy bodies, they were nearly twice the size of the boy, with massive antlers spread from their heads like giant hands. He observed as they roamed between bushes, sniffing and picking at them. They were covered in brown fur and had drooping snouts. A hump rested on their shoulders and flexed as they walked about. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. The boy instantly moved to one of the bushes further from the animals, careful not to let the herd notice him. He saw berries around the bush, but some looked different than others. He stopped. One of these had thorns, while the others were larger. Both were a deep shade of purple. He looked at the animals, observing closely. He saw them picking at the bushes selectively, ignoring the larger berries. He noticed that when an older one did pull the larger berry, it quickly snorted and spat it out. It spent a few minutes retching before continuing to eat the thorned berries. That was it! These beasts avoided the giant berry, and it must have been for a reason. So the boy avoided them, picking a handful to eat. It tasted bitter. A blue light appeared as before for the boy, but he ignored it. It blinked in front of him but vanished quickly; he grabbed as much as he could carry in both hands with his newfound tool tucked under his arm. He walked away from the herd, who had their heads lifted, looking every which way. He sat down on a fallen log, eating as fast as he could before remembering what happened the last time he did so. He ate one piece at a time, watching the forest around him. The area was quiet; no bird sang, and no small creature scampered up a tree. The silence felt odd to the boy, and he froze. The last time something was this silent was- His thoughts were interrupted by something barreling into him, and he felt a searing sensation across his back, lines drawn from his shoulder to hip as he crashed forward, landing on the ground as he felt a mass of weight bearing down on him, as sharp points latched, jabbed and tore at him. He did not scream, for he had no air in his lungs, but he willed his body to shrink into his original form. Still, the attack persisted, and he took damage, but the pain lessened. His senses opened, and he finally gained a good image. A creature with a beak, talons, and claws. Its body resembled other creatures he¡¯d seen, save for the forelegs and head, which resembled some kind of bird. It was throwing itself at him despite his attempts to flee. He saw chunks of his body strewn around as it raked claws and beak, beating a massive pair of wings and hopping after him. The boy fell, rolling into his newer form to run as the creature hunted him down. He didn¡¯t look back but could hear its wings and claws as it gained altitude, hopping from tree to tree. He reached a pond and slipped in, shifting into his other form, but tripped over a root that jutted from the ground. As he stumbled halfway through his transformation, the creature was atop him, pinning him down and rearing its head to attack his throat. The boy didn¡¯t want to do this. He tried to run. As the creature brought its beak down, he lunged. His amorphous form grew to wrap itself around the beast. First, he covered the face, then the limbs. It tried to wrestle away, but resistance was futile once the boy had a firm grip on its head. He devoured the creature slowly and stayed there long after its thrashing ceased. He returned to his new form, curling his arms around himself, shivering despite feeling no cold. The Trials part 1: Adversity Do you remember the day you awoke? Not just from slumber, mind you. Can you remember the first time you felt your own presence in the world? I did. It was long ago. Before any river you drank from, before any mountain stood. My, even before the sun danced across the sky. I was staring at nebulas and quasars around me, watching as they swirled, forming and reforming, ejecting mass and creating stars from the pressurized clouds¡ªall stemming from the first Quarks. Creation was loud and busy, hard at work. Usually, I just watched, but eventually I had ideas for what could be. So, I looked at past events and helped shape future ones. I always looked at things behind me and far in front of me. But it was when I saw a little building block, something small and fragile yet unimaginably powerful, that something changed. For the first time, I stopped looking outward. Instead, I turned my gaze to myself, and I recognized the thought that intruded on my functions: ¡°I am here now.¡± A powerful phrase, don¡¯t you think? It contains presence. I remember it vividly. Do you remember yours? -Unknown. Enix landed hard, rolling to a stop and spitting out mouthfuls of grass. Ingot trotted up, and Enix used his head to hold himself up. The creature barely moved, instead chirping as its backside wagged happily. Enix struggled to his feet, his limbs shaking and his breath hitching. The open field outside the Foundry had been gouged of its grass, with patches of disturbed dirt and soil strewn everywhere. Ghiri stepped closer, two arms crossed, the other two at his hips. It is time for rest. You are improving slightly, if not steadily. Yesterday, you could only last half as long. You still hesitate, however. What clouds your mind so that you still struggle to take action? Enix shrugged. ¡°I can never figure out what the best move is. I don¡¯t want to keep failing. It hurts.¡± Yes, failure hurts, Ghiri nodded, but while it hurts, it is nowhere near as grave as failure out there. He pointed a finger up to the natural walls that surrounded the Foundry. You need to learn to fail. To fail continuously, strenuously, and, more importantly, experientially. Hesitation will not give you any answer you seek. Only action will. Enix grumbled, letting himself collapse and slipping into a meditative state. Through sheer repetition, he could easily slip into a trance-like state. As he felt himself leaving the focused state, he looked down to see a screen before him. Meditation (Active) Lvl 15: 32.04% With focus comes results. When meeting at the crossroads, with no idea of direction, simply pause to reflect, to contemplate. Reach out with your soul to the world around you, and once communed, thrive. With enough meditation, even the faintest of lights will become a beacon. HP regen increases by 58% while meditating. MP regen increases by 58% while meditating. SP regen increases by 58% while meditating. Awakening can be achieved through meditation. Enix pushed the screen away with a hand and stood. His other abilities have also increased, but less than his meditation ability. He rolled his shoulders, feeling any damage done to him disappear. He got in a ready stance, and before Ghiri could say he was ready, the boy launched himself, activating his acrobatic ability, and struck at Ghiri with a swipe of his hand. Sloppy. Ghiri shoved the hand away with one of his own, holding one out to grab Enix¡¯s face as the boy fell forward, catching it and pulling him off balance. Enix grabbed the hand but couldn¡¯t pull free, striking it instead. Ghiri flipped the boy over and kicked him away. Enix recovered quickly, sliding on the ground before racing back in, sliding on his knees to get a low hold on Ghiri. He wrapped his arms around one leg, only to feel Ghiri yank him away by his hair. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Good plan, poor execution. Enix growled in frustration, reaching a hand out as Vice turned into a blade. Enix threw it at Ghiri, who simply moved aside from the faulty throw. He then rushed forward, grabbing and holding down Enix¡¯s arms. He raised a foot and drove it into Enix¡¯s chest, holding his arms to keep him in place. The boy gasped, the air leaving his lungs. Lashing out in anger only leaves you more open to injury. Ghiri released the boy, who sank to all fours, trying to recover. You are impatient. Do you have somewhere to be? ¡°You know I don¡¯t.¡± Enix croaked. Ah, then perhaps you are trying to tire me out? ¡°I¡¯m just trying to win one.¡± What will that give you? ¡°What?¡± What will one victory against me do for you? Will it give you power you don¡¯t already have? Does a victory against me mean so much to you that you aim to win instead of learning from your mistakes? What does this victory offer you? Ghiri walked away from the boy. You will get up. We will train no longer. Enix looked up to Ghiri, confused, but obeyed regardless. He knew that what Ghiri said was true. But the boy had grown tired of getting thrown around. He was sick of running, of fleeing. He felt utterly powerless, and every time Ghiri knocked him down was another loss, another failure. I have misjudged you, Ghiri said, looking away from Enix. I took my master¡¯s choice as absolute. I assumed he had chosen a fine warrior. I now realize he searched for someone to mold into what we need. But I can only mold something if it is sufficiently prepared. Ghiri pointed a finger at the boy. To do that, you need to understand what is at stake. ¡°You already said what''s at stake, and I¡¯m well aware.¡± No. You had to fight for your life just to arrive here. You knew the stakes then, but now? Ghiri shook his head, bending his legs and assuming a strange stance. You will not be training. You will be fighting for your life. Without warning, Ghiri launched himself with lightning speed. Enix barely had time to move out of the way before letting his legs go, bending to roll backward as Ghiri¡¯s two arms sailed over him. With his Acrobatics ability activated, it was easier to react so quickly, and when he was on his back he activated his Stoneskin ability. I hope this works. Enix thought to himself. For the first time Enix had seen, Ghiri was unprepared, and tripped. He fell forward but recovered with a roll before jumping back up. With a single step forward, Ghiri had dashed to grab at Enix again, this time grabbing a leg and yanking it. However, Ghiri was moving faster than Enix could have thought possible because he delivered one, two, and three consecutive blows into his chest before hitting the ground. Enix rolled onto his knees, attempting to Meditate. No rest. Ghiri grabbed the boy by his arm and yanked him roughly. In a fight for your life, you do not get to rest. Ghiri dealt a blow to the side of Enix¡¯s head. He retaliated with a Strike from his foot, lashing out to kick at Ghiri¡¯s legs. He connected, but Ghiri seemingly ignored the pain, choosing to grab the boy with all four arms by the torso and beginning to squeeze. Enix kept Striking at Ghiri with his feet, harder and harder each time, but Ghiri did not relent, pressing until Enix¡¯s lungs emptied. Enix felt his vision blur, the world slipping from his senses until he sensed that he was on the ground. He tried to get up, but Ghiri stomped down on his chest. A blue screen appeared in his vision: Warning: excessive damage has been taken. ¡®Pain Nullification¡¯ has been activated. Enix used Stoneskin and forced himself up, pushing against Ghiri¡¯s weight as he tried to keep the boy down. When Ghiri realized he could not keep the boy down despite his effort, he moved to change his stance, but Enix grabbed his ankle, holding him as he slowly rose. He held Ghiri¡¯s foot up high before pushing it higher, using another hand to Deflect the few blows from Ghiri he could see. When Ghiri was sufficiently off-balance, he delivered a single strike, punching him in his mid-section. He struck repeatedly, and while Ghiri dealt his own blows to the boy, Enix did not let up. His Stoneskin helped minimize the damage, and Ghiri could not hit hard due to his poor balance. When Ghiri grabbed at him to try to grapple, he Deflected any that came near. He kept at it until he aimed a shot straight to his chest, watching as Ghiri finally fell backward, landing on his rear. Enix stood there, unsure of what to do. Even Ghiri, for a split second, was frozen before he stood back up. Well done. You put your opponent off balance and landed a solid blow. Good. Enix¡¯s heart swelled as his Stoneskin disappeared. He stood there, noticing he only had a quarter of his health left and none of his Mp. But not good enough. Ghiri stood, straightening to his perfectly rigid posture. Perhaps it is not your life I should threaten, but theirs? His head tilted towards Ingot and Vice. The Trials part 2: Fortitude Do you have what it takes to protect what matters to you? To handle the adversities that life will throw at you? I have seen life break the greatest of souls. -excerpt from Iadaelus¡¯ Journals. ¡°Don¡¯t you-¡± Enix stopped his sentence short as Ghiri walked towards Ingot, choosing instead to put himself between Ghiri and his friends as the four-armed creature turned towards them. Ghiri swiped him to the side. If you wish to stop me, stop me with your hands. Ghiri said as he grabbed Ingot and pressed hard. Enix heard the sound of crushing metal, and Ingot squealed in pain. ¡°You¡¯re hurting him!¡± Enix yelled, rushing forward to pull at Ghiri¡¯s arms. Yes, and it will continue to hurt unless you stop me. Ghiri wrenched Enix¡¯s arm to the side and slapped him across the face. Vice lashed out, managing to clasp Ghiri¡¯s hands in an attempt to wrench Ingot free. Enix was frozen, a million thoughts racing through his head. He didn¡¯t have the energy to fight Ghiri again or any more tricks he could pull. What could he do? Could he maybe grab Ingot and run? Had the creature gotten heavier and therefore harder to move? Enix thought to his Devour ability but shook the thought aside. Ghiri could overpower or outlast him. He had to keep trying. Ingot needed him. He called Vice to his hand, formed a blade again, and arced it towards Ghiri¡¯s elbows. Ghiri used Ingot¡¯s iron skin to block it. Good! You swing with the intent to sever. Ghiri grabbed Enix''s face with a free hand and shoved the boy back roughly. As Enix tried to recover Ghiri kicked him to the side, knocking the wind out of Enix¡¯s lungs. He collapsed, trying to maintain his breathing. ¡°Please,¡± he gasped, ¡°I need to rest, I can¡¯t-¡± Would you rest while your companion suffers? ¡°No! But I can¡¯t do anything until-¡± The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Can¡¯t do anything? You have breath in your lungs and a weapon in your hand. Seems to me like those two can give you plenty of options. Ghiri threw Ingot to the ground and stomped on it. Ingot was able to guard himself but stayed pinned beneath Ghiri. Enix charged, only to be knocked back again. So it went until a screen appeared before him: Warning: Excessive damage has been taken. ¡®Pain Nullification¡¯ has been activated. Sure enough, Enix only had a sliver of health left. He could only watch as Ghiri grabbed Ingot¡¯s shelled head, positioning his fingers to tear out his armor. Enix grit his teeth and breathed. Despite the nullified pain, he still felt every injury. He had to recover and figure out a way to help Ingot before he passed out. His breath came in short bursts. Ghiri held Ingot in the air despite the creature¡¯s surprising heft. What matters to you at this moment? Enix¡¯s body was shaking, but he stopped and went still. Nothing matters right now more than saving Ingot. He got up again, taking one step forward. He ignored the pain and the fatigue. They stayed like chains around him, but he pushed through and took another step. His mind zeroed in on a single objective: to get Ghiri away from Ingot. Congratulations! Through tribulation, you have unlocked the ability ¡°Focus¡±. Focus (Active) Lvl 1: 0.00% One can push past fatigue and injury when purpose carries one''s actions. The body will accomplish wonders when the spirit is driven, and the mind is aimed. Allow one¡¯s objective to become centralized in one''s being. 20% boost to all stats. Skill cost decreases by 20% while maintaining Focus. Spell cost decreases by 20% while maintaining Focus. Receive 20% of benefits granted by Meditation while Focused. Cost: Concentration ¡°Let my friend go, Ghiri. Now.¡± Ghiri noted that the boy had undergone some change. There was something different about Enix that he couldn¡¯t quite place. As Enix approached, Ghiri held Ingot to his side as Enix rushed him. With renewed focus, Enix could see things in a different light. He felt the power surge within him as he struck Ghiri with Vice. This time, to Enix¡¯s astonishment, Ghiri flinched at the contact. Enix dodged Ghiri¡¯s strikes and whacked Ghiri on his head with a carefully timed Strike. Ghiri reeled, temporarily stunned, as he latched Vice onto the arm that held Ingot. Vice squeezed Ghiri¡¯s arm enough for Enix to remove Ingot, who dropped to the ground with a squeak. Enix breathed in and used the last of his MP to cast Stoneskin again, this time kicking Ghiri¡¯s knee. He crumpled as Enix grabbed him by the shoulder and readied a fist for another Strike. Enix moved his face close to Ghiri¡¯s as he let his Stoneskin fall off after a minute. ¡°Never do that again.¡± Enix released Ghiri, stepping back. The trial of Adversity has been completed! Your level has increased by one! The Trials part 3: determination Often times, our own perception seeks to fool us. One might see an animal and give it emotions, when instead that animal wishes only to survive. We have grown comfortable with our friends, and thus they live alongside us. They share our hunts, they share our victories. They protect us as we protect them. We rely on them as they rely on us. Yet still their fangs can rend us apart. We are but one mistake away from falling by their hands. ¡°A trial? Wait.¡± Enix lost focus and felt his exhaustion catch up to him. ¡°This was a test?¡± Yes. I wished to see how driven you were and what I could bring out of you if you weren''t. Ghiri tilted his head to avoid Vice, whom Enix had thrown. ¡°And you couldn¡¯t have just said it?!¡± I needed you to believe it was real, so I made it so. Enix shook his head. ¡°You would have killed me and Ingot so I would believe it was real?¡± Killed you? No. The Foundry does not kill its visitors; it only tests them. Changes them. Come. Ghiri led Enix away from the main room back outside. He stood at the entrance of a hexagonal building, noting the change once again. The hexagonal structure of the ruins and the box-like buildings shifted before Enix¡¯s eyes. What were squared buildings were now intricately designed. They followed a hexagonal shape altogether but now followed more details. Now Enix could see an order to the ruins, with the main building having hallways and different floors. The boy looked down at the area full of statues, was deathly quiet, and Enix kept waiting for them to move again. Ghiri stopped walking and turned back to him. They will not move. He communicated to Enix¡¯s mind as he continued to walk. Enix followed him after waiting for a few moments. ¡°So, what comes next? That disaster you keep telling me about?¡± No, that is not for some time. You will face our other trials. If you pass them all, you will be sent into the world stronger than when you came. ¡°What if I fail?¡± Then you weren¡¯t who we thought you were. Enix walked a few paces behind Ghiri as he strolled. When they came across a statue, Ghiri would stop and stand before it, almost in reverence. After a while, Enix did the same, admiring the level of detail on the statues. This occurred for a few sun phases until Ghiri led Enix back into the Foundry proper. Doors opened and closed at Ghiri¡¯s whim as he walked through, and they ended in the same room with the tree Enix had first encountered Ghiri in. This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. The next trial starts now. Ghiri waved a hand towards Enix as his vision went black. He felt the sensation of falling despite his feet remaining planted, and the wind whistling through the trees was replaced with the dripping of water on rock. Instead of feeling moist grass and dry air, he was now on cold, wet stone. Make your way out. ¡°Out of what?¡± Enix called out, but there was no reply. The darkness remained, making his vision useless. ¡°Ghiri? Vice?¡± He felt around, only to find a wall to his right, which he leaned against. ¡°Ingot?¡± Enix heard nothing and felt only the cold, damp stone around him. He was alone again. The last time he had been alone was before he had found Ingot. A familiar feeling crept over him, a need to move. The air was silent, save for the echoing of the droplets as they hit stone. Enix wished he could feel Ingot¡¯s cool head bump into his shins or Vice wrapped around his wrist again. Enix waved his arms and began walking, keeping a hand on the wall on his left. He felt the wall end abruptly and continued more to the left, following the turn. He kept his other senses open as he walked but felt something was off. He kept following his sense of touch. He didn¡¯t know how much time passed, all he could count was the amount of turns. He eventually lost count once he reached the hundreds. Still he continued, the sounds of the surface reaching his ears, but never his touch. After a hundred turns, still he felt the touch of damp stone. Enix wasn¡¯t quite accustomed to being in closed spaces outside of small dens he and Ingot had found empty or chased other creatures out of. Having arrived at the Foundry was Enix¡¯s first time experiencing a fully enclosed space, and with it, there was a sensation of vastness in large rooms, where Enix¡¯s voice seemed to bounce around and back to him. In smaller rooms, however, there was no such thing. He sensed that very thing now as he tapped the wall. It was a small room, yet as he continued walking, it seemed to never end. He felt one turn towards his right, then once more, then one to his left. So it went left, right, right, left, left, left, and right again. As time passed and he continued to walk, he began to feel a pounding ring in his ears, matching a growing pounding from his chest. He stopped to breathe but found that he couldn¡¯t catch his breath like he normally could, no matter how Enix tried. He sunk onto the floor, leaning against the wall as he began to breathe faster. The dampness felt increasingly uncomfortable to him as his breathing refused to settle, and the ringing stayed. Enix sat there until he felt he could no longer stay still. As if the ringing was growing louder just from him sitting there. And yet, as he tried to get up, a tingling sensation began to radiate from his feet up. It felt as if Enix was under attack, but he felt no claws, no teeth, no damage. He sat upright and attempted to meditate, but the tingling remained, and his breathing stayed uneven. ¡°Ingot?¡± he called out, his voice sounding foreign and weak. He knew he wouldn¡¯t get a response. Instinctually, Enix pulled his legs closer to him, hugging them. He felt a sensation overwhelm him, like when he drank cold water. It had stung his throat and left a feeling of ice freezing his chest. Enix¡¯s throat clamped down, so powerful only a squeak could escape. For the first time, Enix was experiencing dread. He was alone again. Interlude 2 The boy spat out dirt as he came out of the burrow. Wiping the cold soil from his face, he saw the sun setting as he sat down. The burrow spewed some dirt as a small silvery figure crawled out, joining him as it shook excess dirt from its shell. It plopped a root down on the boy¡¯s lap. The boy held out a bulb he had plucked out of the ground nearby, which his companion turned away from. He broke both foods with his stone tool, handing half the pieces back to his friend. In the short time they had known each other, both had learned how to forage for food. Since then, they have worked together, the creature favoring earthy foods it dug for and nuts and seeds the boy had managed to find. The boy ate everything they came across, provided he was able to see other animals eating them with no harm befalling them. Eventually, he discovered a strange bulb, slightly bitter, round, and white with purple at its top. He had learned to pluck this plant from the ground, recognizing it from its leaves. He took a liking to it, but his companion would often retreat from him when he offered it. The small thing apparently preferred finding food underground, mainly small insects. It was excellent at digging, preferring to keep to one place and dig multiple paths through the dirt. The boy had mimicked it and made a large enough burrow for them to comfortably sit and hide food in. While the creature brought food, the boy would jab at anything that wandered too near to the entry. The boy pulled a few more bulbs from the ground before retreating back into their burrow. It was a small opening on which the boy had to arch his back, clawing at the ground with his hands to pull himself through. It was cramped inside with the pile of food they had brought together. His companion nestled down and began rolling back and forth, coating his body in the cool dirt and scratching himself on rocks at the same time. The boy reached over and scratched at its belly, receiving a happy squeak in response. The boy lay back, resting in the small hole they had dug. He contemplated going back to sleep, but thought against it. The same dream would crop up again. Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. As he watched the sun¡¯s rays dance on the ground from the entrance, he heard it again. That low humming started in his bones and rose to a wail. The monster was back. The wails had happened every night since he had survived that winged animal¡¯s attack. It howled as it always did, an awful sound, something that drove those who heard it wild. When the morning came, the ground would be gouged, trees fallen and broken apart. The boy wrapped his arms around his companion as they both flinched, doing their best to cover their ears and move away from the sound. But it was useless. Eventually, the boy¡¯s companion wriggled free from his grasp and began to dig furiously down and away from the entrance. Every night, they were assaulted by wails. The boy hoped that whatever beast cried so would die soon, for it could only make those noises if it were dying in excruciating pain. He also prayed it didn¡¯t stray close to the burrow. The boy felt the dirt underneath him shift, and sure enough he looked down to see insects, little dark brown and red bodied creatures emerging from the walls in droves. His companion nowhere to be found as they began to run aimlessly around the burrow. He felt some reach at his legs, and he kicked out to get rid of them, retreating them immediately when he only felt more latch themselves onto his legs. It was when he felt them begin to crawl up his arms and back that he began to thrash. He kept his eyes and mouth closed as they crawled into his hair, and he covered his ears with his hands. It was then the biting came. Thousands of little bites began to sting like they were injecting fire into him. He continued to thrash when the pain climbed up his legs and down his arms onto his torso, and soon enough, he was reeling in pain from the burning that covered his body. As his consciousness began to fade, the last thing he remembered was his body shrinking into its other form, the pain subsiding. The Trials part 4: determination Denizens of the dirt thrive in the dark. Thrive in the damp. -Excerpt from a recovered journal of Varus the Explorer, of the First Decent Time felt slowed as Enix finally began to move, and a roar in his ears finally subsided. A numbness surrounded him as the sensations he had experienced subsided, and he could walk again. His mouth was dry, and his limbs sore. The memory of what happened had resurfaced like that swarm. Maybe Ghiri would eventually let him out? That could be the test to see how long he would willingly stay down here alone. Enix shook that thought from his head. It took him no time to call for his friends and give up. No, the point of the test was something else. What had Ghiri said? There had to be a way out. Enix breathed deeply, for once feeling air return to him. He had to be clever enough to succeed. He crawled around at first, keeping any part of his body he could touch a wall. He tried to backtrack, trying to recall the layout he had taken. When he arrived where he had first fallen by his best estimates, he began walking backward from his starting point. Focusing on keeping one hand on the wall, he traced going right four times, then stopped. That couldn¡¯t be. He would be back where he was initially, but how was that possible? Enix thought back to his past experiences in the wilds. Often times, he had Then a thought occurred, and Enix kept his ears open, studying the strange closed-ness he felt around him. One of his senses had to be lying to him. It didn¡¯t make sense that he felt expansive passageways yet heard a small room. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. Enix breathed in, deciding to try something. He positioned himself to move along the wall and lowered his hand. He couldn¡¯t stop his twitching hand, nearly grabbing the wall again. But he stopped himself, stepped away, and walked forward with only the stone beneath his feet. Enix exhaled. I need to trust my own senses. One lies and one tells the truth. Which do I trust? He took step after careful step, hands outward to catch himself if he bumped into anything or fell. Five steps, six, then his foot caught on something, and he fell forward, catching himself with his hands on an elevated stone. He moved his hands further and found another slightly elevated stone slab. The hardest one to follow along. The hardest to commit. He followed it. Stairs, steps that led upward. Then he heard it. The trickling of water, the sound of air. As Enix finally felt wet grass on his hands, he clambered out of the cellar Ghiri had thrown him into The trial of Determination has been completed! Your level has increased by one! Enix rolled over onto the ground, enjoying the feeling of grass beneath him. He felt something cold butt against his collar and heard Ingot yipping excitedly. ¡°Hey, bud.¡± Enix breathed, sitting up and scratching Ingot behind its armored head. He felt his vision begin to return as a bright red glow pierced it. He blinked a few times, seeing he was outside again. It must have been sunset, for the sky was a deep shade of orange. ¡°Ghiri, if you ever do that again, I-¡± Enix stopped short; as he looked around, he saw no sign of Ghiri. In fact, the entirety of the Foundry was gone. Enix was standing in a field of weapons, scattered and stabbed into the ground. There was no statue, no building, save for a floating island high in the sky. Then Enix noticed the thing that towered above the island¡ªa shape in the setting sky, growing darker and darker, larger and larger. Its sheer mass caused the ground to quake, and winds began to pick up. The last thing Enix saw were four eyes, staring right at him as the massive beast bore down on the world. Omens part 1 I used to look at all the monsters like they were the scourge of our world, vile filth. I never thought to question the monster inside, who told me such things. -excerpt from Iadaelus¡¯ Journals. Enix landed hard onto the body of the monster, another Gryphon. It cried out as he grabbed onto the base of its wings and stretched his legs. In his stone body, Enix had enough strength to tear them off. He finished it quickly with a single stop into the neck. He tossed the wings aside and limped away, his stone skin turning back. How long had it been since he had left the Foundry? He didn¡¯t know. All that he knew was that the fight never ended. Sure enough, he heard another screech. He rolled as a flurry of feathers and talons swooped past him, cutting open his shoulder. He winced but shook it off as he heard more wingbeats. Enix ran as shadows raced across the ground. Enix pumped his legs as best he could, feeling a shiver run down his spine as he heard the monsters approach. He morphed quickly into his gelatinous form and rolled a few feet as talons stabbed into him and began to lift him off the ground. He felt two different monster¡¯s talons stab into his body as they fought over him, but he felt little pain. He couldn¡¯t sense how high he had gotten, but he turned back into his humanoid form, grabbing at the legs that had lifted him. The Gryphon he was clinging to squealed in surprise. As the other one, slightly smaller, grabbed his legs, Enix concentrated and felt his body grow heavier. He felt the tug on his limbs as the Gryphons struggled to hold him. As the smaller one began to let go of his legs, Enix moved, wrapping his legs around the monster¡¯s neck and turned to stone. Unfortunately, the Gryphon he had a hold of had managed to gouge its claws into his left shoulder. Enix felt a white-hot pain, followed by excruciating pain that spread over his arm. He turned to stone before he could adequately assess what had happened and squeezed his legs together as hard as he could, holding them around the creature¡¯s neck long after the snap and it''s going limp. As he held it and the other Gryphon¡¯s talons, the weight became too much for it as it tried its best to pump its wings. It began to descend rapidly and suddenly at an alarming velocity. Enix looked up to see its wings tucked in and acted quickly. He let go of the dead one and heaved with his arms, realising that he couldn¡¯t feel his left arm through the pain, nor the flexing of it. He saw it dangling, still gripping the Gryphon¡¯s arm, torn out of its socket. ¡°Oh, you¡ª¡° Enix was interrupted as the Gryphon¡¯s wings suddenly expanded outward and caught the wind. Enix plummeted and screeched in pain. The dirt erupted as he landed hard. Enix gasped. The stoneskin helped block some of the impact, but he still had the wind knocked out of him. He shook his head as he tried to push himself up, using his right arm. His shoulder was a gaping wound of mimicked boy parts. Any muscle and tendon was instead a tight coil of blue. Enix felt himself shudder at the sensation as the pain quickly left him. He realised he still held something in his right arm and looked down. He had ripped the Gryphon¡¯s arm apart and held its talons and wrist. Standing took a lot of effort, but he managed to do so. On leaden legs, he stepped away, hearing the creature wail in pain above him. He fell against a tree to sit and rest, trying to meditate through the pain. He wondered if Ingot was alright. Enix gave up on his meditation, instead choosing to focus on his surroundings. Maybe if he recognised where he was, he could backtrack- A loud and shrill screech pierced the sky. It was followed by another, and another, and two more, and finally, a last call. Enix pulled himself up off the ground as the sound of wing beats drew closer. He looked to the tree behind him, at the roots, for any potential hiding place. When he didn¡¯t find any, he resolved to run, stopping after a few paces when he saw the blood stains on his arm. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. He couldn¡¯t run. He couldn¡¯t hide. He balled his hand into a fist as he readied for another fight, one in a long, long line of battles. The flock of Gryphons circled above him. In the time he had fought, evaded and even killed them, he had learned of their behaviours. They favoured diving to catch their prey in their paws. If the prey survived, they would be lifted up and either mauled by their back legs and beak in the air or dropped from a high point. Often, both were done, the first to tire and bleed out the prey and the second to finish killing or breaking the prey apart. Enix looked down at his missing arm, then to the arm of the Gryphon, he still held. He waved it around like a club, yelling incoherently at his stalkers. In response, they screeched back. As if they cried out at the loss of a group member. Enix pushed the thought away. He couldn¡¯t think like that anymore. He rolled suddenly, avoiding a diving Gryphon and putting his back to another tree. He eyes the biggest one, easily a head taller than the rest, with a larger wingspan and thicker limbs. He watched as, instead of diving like the others, it landed gracefully on the ground before him, opening wide its beak and clicking. This one didn¡¯t want to hunt him; it wanted to kill him. ¡±Come on then.¡± Enix rolled, his skin turning to stone. It lept at him as he drove his hand forward, jamming the torn Gryphon limb into its open beak. It retched in surprise as its momentum talked the boy into the tree, pinning him as the Gryphon growled and choked, its massive talons trying to bore through his skin and dig into the open wound. Thankfully, his new activation of the stoneskin had sealed over the wound. Eni roared, kicking t the beast as it held him up. It twisted its head, spitting out the limb and turned to stab at Enix¡¯s face with its beak and disorient him by flapping its wings wildly. Enix was dazed but held on, getting rocked back and forth. With effort, he tried to find his footing. When he couldn¡¯t, he instead let himself drop. The Gryphon pounded on him as he planted his feet and pushed it back. If Enix could time it right- There. The Gryphon moved back, intending to come at Enix with its claws. Instead, Enix Struck as the Gryphon rose, kicking out at its chest. Enix felt a satisfying crunch as the creature wheezed, retreating a few paces. Enix dropped his stoneskin, standing back up. The boy stood panting as the creature circled him, coughing and wheezing. The large Gryphon was determined to see this through to the end. With a choked cry, it leapt at him, and Enix Ares backed in response, winding his arm back and Striking when the typhoon sped at him in a blur. He wasn¡¯t sure if he connected, as he was tackled back onto the tree by its sheer mass, and he blacked out. When Enix came to, he found himself in his gelatinous form. He spread out his consciousness, utilising his ability to perceive without sight. A perceptual awareness created by sound instead of light. He was seeing the body of the massive Gryphon before him. Behind it were the bodies of the other Gryphons, with weapons sticking out of them. Two figures move around, removing the weapons stuck to the bodies. He felt them shuffle around. He counted six Gryphon bodies. Enix began to plan his escape, checking to see if he had enough energy. ¡±So, is it¡­ He still alive?¡± He heard a voice ask as the figures moved closer to him. They were humanoid, one female, the other male. ¡±I doubt it. You saw that fight. I don¡¯t think it could survive.¡± ¡±So, should we take it back with us? Hota might-¡° ¡±Sure, but we need to watch our energy. I don¡¯t want us to fatigue too much with the amount of rations we have left. Let¡¯s just hope Hota got us more food; I don¡¯t want to send-¡° ¡±You have food?¡± Enix interrupted, morphing into his human form. The male turned around as he spoke but didn¡¯t notice until Enix spoke. When he did, he whirled around, brandishing a spear as the female stared. Enix kept his eye on the spear. He would have kept quiet, but at the thought of them having more food, he couldn¡¯t resist asking. ¡±It¡¯s alive?¡± ¡±He is.¡± The female breathed out. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡±Enix.¡± Enix looked at her before turning back to look at the spear. ¡±You¡¯re not human, are you?¡± The male asked. He shrugged, still guarded. ¡°You¡¯re not going to attack us, are you?¡± the female asked, her voice soft. Enix found himself oddly drawn to her voice. He looked to her, then back to the spear, not answering. She blinked, understanding, and held a hand to the spear, lowering it. The male allowed her. ¡±We saw your fight. You handled yourself pretty well.¡± Enix kept silent again, only staring. They looked at each other, an unspoken conversation passing between them. ¡°Would you care to join us?¡± Omens part 2 What does it take for man to see others? What releases one from their narrow path, and onto the long and infinite tangle that is kinship? What drives them to broaden their horizon, to open their arms and hearts to the world? -excerpt from Iadaelus¡¯ Journals. ¡°So why put it on a stick?¡± Enix asked. He sat next to >&@#$%<, who was testing a strange weapon. It was a spear but with a triangular sharp piece of iron. He had called it a pilum. ¡°The stick gives me a range I am much more comfortable with. Plus, I can throw it. It¡¯s designed to pierce better through armor. Nothing of those stone creatures you talked about, but it''s what I¡¯m comfortable with.¡± &#+$ rolled her eyes, having sat before them, tying her bowstring. Over the past few days, they have taught him many things. They have shared their basic education with him, teaching him things such as their increments of time. Sun cycles were days, they told Enix. He has learned about hours, days, weeks, months, and years. He has learned how to use and fill out their maps and properly navigate using stars. Now, he was learning about their weapons. ¡°If you ask me, I still prefer these. Or,¡± She pulled out what she had called a plembata, a small iron-weighted dart, ¡°these. They do a better job at a distance.¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t seen the bigger things around.¡± >&@#$%< said before turning to Enix. ¡°How about you? Which do you prefer?¡± Enix thought about it for a moment. ¡°I think I prefer my hands. I used a stone weapon for a while, but it wasn¡¯t effective against anything I''ve had to deal with. Ended up breaking after a bit.¡± It was quiet for longer than Enix was comfortable, and he looked up to see them both staring at him. ¡°What?¡± If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. ¡°Enix, who were you with?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°None of our people recognize you; you have these weird abilities. Where did you come from? Are there more people like you?¡± ¡°No,¡± Enix answered. ¡°It¡¯s just me.¡± ¡°Then how were you able to survive so long?¡± Enix hesitated to answer. ¡°Well¡­ I had some help.¡± Enix stepped outside their tent, crouching down and digging a bit before rhythmically thumping his fist into the ground. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m not sure that¡¯s-¡± Enix shushed &#+$ from talking as he felt the ground tremble slightly. Ingot was timid and did not show itself entirely, but it poked his head out, moving Enix¡¯s fist up as the boy rubbed his companion¡¯s head. ¡°Time to go, bud. Don¡¯t want the others to get nervous around you.¡± Enix knocked on Ingot¡¯s face plate, which retreated into the ground. Enix turned to look at &#+$ and >&@#$%<, who both stared while holding each other. They stood silent until >&@#$%< huffed out a laugh. ¡°You continue to amaze me.¡± >&@#$%< slapped a hand on Enix¡¯s shoulder. Enix only shrugged, feeling the heat rising to his face. ¡°You must have been pretty lonely,¡± &#+$ said. ¡°Well, Ingot was good company.¡± ¡°He does seem like a good conversationalist. Are you hungry?¡± ¡°Starving!¡± ¡°Good.¡± They led Enix to a different hut, introduced him to the rest of their squad, and gave him some food. They then took him outside, sitting down as they shared their plates, conversing about the food and laughing at Enix¡¯s reactions. ¡°-And it wasn¡¯t that bad, surviving with just him. But then I landed in the Foundry and met Vice-¡± Enix showed his metallic wristband, ¡°-and I was stuck there for a while. Someone named Ghiri began to test me. He fought me and won. Then he put me somewhere dark for a while, trying to get me to escape.¡± Enix watched their faces. >&@#$%< was quiet, looking at &#+$, who herself looked ill before she spoke up. ¡°... I saw something like that. I fell into a strange place. It was dark, and I was separated from our group. I saw someone, kind of like who you described, but she just told me to help someone.¡± &#+$¡¯s eyes were unfocused as she went quiet. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about something else.¡± >&@#$%< chimed in as her face grew paler, leaning forward, stopping her from continuing. Enix had a flash of clarity then. They had saved him from the Gryphons; he had only seen them as one thing since then. They were older than him, by how much he didn¡¯t know. To Enix, these were warriors, fighters, and adventurers. Yet, at this moment, with &#+$ sitting there and sharing an experience that shook her very foundations, Enix voiced his realization. ¡°You¡¯re like me,¡± he whispered as &#+$ and >&@#$%< looked at him. ¡°You went through a lot. You¡¯re¡­¡± Enix didn¡¯t finish, but the word lingered in his mind. Kids. ¡°We¡¯re angry.¡± >&@#$%< kept his gaze down. ¡°We lost a lot of people, and we need to fight back. We need to gain as much strength as we can.¡± >&@#$%< stood, hefting his now-finished spear and leaving their tent. &#+$ followed him after giving Enix an uneasy smile. Enix stayed for a bit, watching the two walk away. Now, you have mine. Omens part 3 The friends you make along the way will become your greatest strength. And your furthest fall. -excerpt from Iadaelus¡¯ Journals. Ingot sprouted from the ground, its claws pushing dirt aside as its entire body came out into the open. It shook the dirt from its metallic hide, its long tail smacking the ground. It carried a dead creature in its mouth, serpentine and blue, with several limbs running down its body. It crackled with bursts of electricity, but a crunch from Ingot¡¯s jaw stopped that. ¡°Good boy.¡± Enix limped up to his companion, patting his head. His arm had returned after fighting the Gryphons, an ability he learned he had from changing into his gelatinous form and back again. He had grown much taller, and his hair reached down to his waste despite it being tied back. He held a similar serpent-like creature, slick with blood in one hand. He tossed in unceremoniously down and looked at his companion. Its grey armor was more robust than before and, with its massive jaws, claws, and thick tail, had turned it into quite a deadly companion. ¡°How many?¡± &#+$ came over to them, a bow in her hand and a quiver of arrows strapped to her leg. Enix blinked. He was unsure as to why. Perhaps he had gotten hit too hard in the head, but while he was capable of hearing and saying his companion¡¯s names, he was incapable of remembering them. ¡±Seven.¡± Enix wiped the blood off his hands on the grass, standing back up to look around. His hand fell on his bracelet. ¡°How many more until we get the big one?¡± ¡±Not sure yet. Did you catch any?¡± ¡±They¡¯re not exactly out in the open. Hard to shoot at when they¡¯re underground.¡± Enix observed the creatures: Voltaic Viper Beithir Level 7 While young, these creatures cling to the soil, sending out shocks to draw out worms to eat. Their electricity, a defense mechanism, helps them quickly escape predators. Beware the older variants, however, as they are more predatory, able to constrict prey and swallow creatures of similar size to themselves. HP: 62 SP: 44 STR: 10 DEX: 14 END: 8 VIT: 11 WIS: 3 INT: 8 CHA: 13 ¡°Heads up!¡± Enix ducked as another body was flung over his head, joining the one Enix had dropped to the ground. Enix turned to see >&@#$%< jogging to meet them. ¡°How many?¡± &#+$ asked. Enix sighed. ¡°Four. I managed to catch them as they were escaping, but I can¡¯t be sure if I caught all of them.¡± He held up his spear, covered in the Beithir¡¯s blood. ¡°There¡¯s probably more. We just need to hunt a few more to draw out¡ª" Enix stopped, feeling the ground tremble. Ingot groaned, and without thinking, Enix shoved &#+$ away as the ground erupted below him. A blur of blue scales encircled Enix and began to constrict around him. He felt the air begin to escape his lungs, concentrating as his skin turned stone gray. He still couldn¡¯t breathe, but the Beithir couldn¡¯t constrict his body further. He tried to call out to his companions but couldn¡¯t make a sound. This was a limitation, he learned, of his advancing ability. His body was able to solidify further, at the cost of his speech and mobility. ¡±Hold on!¡± A moment passed, and the creature hissed angrily, writhing around him. Enix¡¯s bracelet writhed, and Vice sprung out, multiple spikes piercing into the blue hide. A buzzing noise came from around him as the creature used its natural electricity to no avail. Yet the Beithir still held on. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. Enix thought it was lucky he had found this ability. Instead of dying from the creature¡¯s electricity, perhaps he would die from his body collapsing. Enix began to change, his gray skin morphing into a gelatinous blue. The Beithir closed around him as his amorphous body was squeezed, and Enix slipped through the spaces between its writing body, leaving Vice to stick to multiple parts of the monster¡¯s body. As Enix rolled away and regained his human body, leg now recovered, he saw that out of the four eyes the Beithir had, two of them on one side had arrows stabbed into them. Enix snapped his fingers, and Ingot launched himself, barreling into the Beithir and sinking its jaws into it. At the same time, >&@#$%< managed a couple thrusts of his spear into the creature¡¯s hide, moving back as both monsters clashed together, the Beithir letting out a horrible sound, a combination of a hiss and bellow, something that Enix felt in his bones. ¡°Now?¡± ¡±Not yet.¡± &#+$ said, notching another arrow. ¡°Remember what we planned.¡± Enix frowned. His adjustment to a team had been rough so far. ¡°Right. Well >&@#$%<, ready to get in there?¡± >&@#$%< gave him a startled look before rolling his eyes. ¡°Get in there, your statue.¡± Enix Focused and moved in as the monster wriggled free of Vice, who became liquid and rolled back to Enix, who picked him up. It formed over his hand, and he struck as Beithir¡¯s head reared to bite at him. Three times, he struck at its body as it reared to strike again. He moved then, clambering up the beast as it pulled various parts of its body free from Vice. He wrapped his arms around the creature, just below its head, and grabbed at his own elbow with his other hand, flexing. Its bellow sputtered out as it dropped to the ground and began to roll. He locked his legs around its body as it writhed, trying to escape. Enix held tight as the beast attempted to reach a burrow, only to be yanked back. Ingot held onto its tail, using its weight to keep the Beithir still as it did its best to wriggle free. It began to wrap itself around Enix, trying to find some hold on his body, but Enix did his best to hold tight to it, refusing any opening. The Beithir clambered up before slamming back down, twisting around to slam Enix into the ground. The boy resisted, hearing more thunks as >&@#$%< and &#+$ did their best to wound and distract the creature. It failed, and instead, it was focusing entirely on Enix. So instead, >&@#$%< and &#+$ chose to target its face when they could, >&@#$%< tossing his spear when it opened its maw wide enough, managing to lodge it inside the creature¡¯s mouth. Ingot clambered up the creature''s length, attempting to gouge its claws into its hide. It struggled, as the Beithir¡¯s scales and constant writhing made it difficult to latch on properly. Eventually, it began to wrap around Ingot, but it remained unfazed. Enix squeezed as hard as he could, grunting with effort until he heard a muffled snap. The creature was silenced, and it writhed around in its death throes. When it stopped, Enix let go, standing back up and walking to &#+$ as his stone skin returned to normal. Together, they stared at it for what seemed like ages. A few minutes passed, and >&@#$%< eventually grabbed his spear, removing it from the creature and walking away. ¡°Okay, this is too gross to watch; I will check our perimeter again.¡± >&@#$%< said. ¡°Wait, no, I wanna-¡± &#+$ tried to protest, but he was already gone. ¡°Damn. I don¡¯t like watching this either. ¡°You don¡¯t have to.¡± ¡°What, I¡¯m just supposed to turn around?¡± &#+$ saw Enix¡¯s blank expression. ¡°Fine then.¡± She turned around as Enix continued to watch. ¡°How can you look at that? Does it not bother you?¡± ¡°You found me with my arm torn off. I¡¯d say I¡¯ve developed a tolerance.¡± &#+$ didn¡¯t respond; instead, she took inventory of her arrows. Enix looked her over while she wasn¡¯t looking. Her dark brown hair was tied back, and she had gained impressive muscles on her arms from using her bow, though now she preferred to use her crossbow. He looked back to the corpse, something gnawing at him. ¡°This seems too easy. This can¡¯t be what we¡¯re looking for.¡± Enix kicked at the body. ¡°Right?¡± ¡°You saw the scars on the bodies. It had to have come from these, right?¡± Enix looked at his friend. Her expression was cold and analytical, different from when he had first met her. Before her people, the last of the Aeolonians had been hunted. Enix crossed his arms, unconvinced. ¡°You said your people had lightning scars on them. That might match, but why are they grouped here, so far away from a food source?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t call my people food.¡± ¡°I¡¯m only saying that I don¡¯t think these were the creatures that attacked your group. &#+$ began gathering the smaller Beithir into a pile, glaring at Enix as he stood there. ¡°Do you plan on helping me?¡± Enix was about to respond when he saw >&@#$%< running at them, screaming something he couldn¡¯t make out. Enix blinked, suddenly aware of where he was standing. ¡±A thought occurred.¡± ¡±Oh please, do tell while you help.¡± ¡±&#+$ why are all these creatures here?¡± She stopped what she was doing. ¡±These are infants, &#+$. I¡¯m not an expert on these things, but look at the size difference.¡± &#+$¡¯s eyes went wide. ¡°You think it''s a nest?¡± ¡±Either that,¡± Enix said, looking back at the holes he and Ingot had dug, ¡°Or a feeding ground.¡± >&@#$%< screamed again, &#+$ noticing him as they made out what he was saying.¡± ¡°Run!¡± Around them, the hill came alive. Omens part 4 They will curse you with power, hope, and love. They will bestow you with fragility, despair and loathing. -excerpt from Iadaelus¡¯ Journals. Enix and &#+$ panted, carrying >&@#$%< in between them. Enix tried not to look at his friend''s wounds and tried to ignore his friend''s blood that stained his clothing. Tried to ignore &#+$¡¯s broken arm. They needed shelter He had come too close to losing. He wasn¡¯t strong enough, and because of that, he had almost lost everyone. He might still lose >&@#$%<. Enix shook his head. He couldn¡¯t afford to think like that now. Now, he had to focus on keeping them alive. ¡±&#+$, stop.¡± Enix said. They had stopped at a small grove with an outcropping of rocks that Enix thought he could turn into an appropriate shelter. He turned to his metallic companion. ¡°Dig.¡± Enix carefully extracted >&@#$%< from &#+$¡¯s hold, and she collapsed, cradling her arm. Enix himself used Vice to cut down branches from nearby trees. It was dusk by the time he and Ingot finished making the pile of rocks into an adequate shelter, with the rocks as a roof above them. Ingot had dug a deep hole inside, mounting the dirt on the entrance, making it narrow enough for two of them to squeeze through. In the meantime, Enix tore pieces of his clothing, separating the wood into two piles, one of which consisted of relatively straight sticks and wood. He carried them inside the small shelter, then stepped out to drag >&@#$%< as carefully as he could while &#+$ maneuvered on her side on one arm, still cradling the other to her chest. Inside, it was wide enough for them all to fit comfortably but stout enough to where Enix was hunched over, with his shoulders touching the rocks. He moved the rocks with his Stoneskin and made a few strikes to allow a hole at the top. With that, he dug a dip in the center of the shelter and organized the wood from one pile to be lit. He made a makeshift but rigid splint with the straight stick and the torn clothing strips. He helped &#+$ put it on her arm and tightened it gingerly. ¡±Nice work. You learn fast.¡± &#+$ grunted, looking over his work. ¡±What can I do for him?¡± Enix looked at >&@#$%<, at the blood that ran from his head and his twitching. After the hill had disappeared from beneath them, a much larger Beithir had sprung out. It had taken all three of them to fight it off, with Ingot helping to get the monster¡¯s attention away from them. However, it had launched bolts of electricity out, and while Enix was in front of &#+$ and able to withstand it, >&@#$%< had been hit, launched, and landed headfirst. Enix shuddered at the memory, the sound of >&@#$%<¡¯ head cracking. Enix wasn¡¯t entirely sure what happened after, only that he had struggled to escape inside the Beithir. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Hey.¡± &#+$¡¯s voice snapped Enix back to the present, and he met her eyes. Despite the pain, her eyes were set on his. ¡°He¡¯ll pull through; we all will.¡± ¡±Can we do something to help?¡± ¡±No. Not right now. We just have to ensure he can rest. If it''s something he can pull back from, it¡¯ll be with time and rest. Make sure his body isn¡¯t disturbed by anything.¡± Enix nodded.¡± Ingot.¡± He called his large companion, lying down, nestled close to >&@#$%<. ¡°Guard him.¡± Ingot didn¡¯t move but rumbled a response and moved its heavy tail, curving it around >&@#$%<¡¯ legs. ¡±You know we wouldn¡¯t have gotten out of it if it weren¡¯t for you.¡± Enix whipped around to look at &#+$. ¡±Did you hit your head, too?¡± ¡±I mean it.¡± She breathed out a soft laugh. She was about to say more when they both heard a groan from >&@#$%<, and Enix rushed over as &#+$ sat up. >&@#$%< was trying to wipe the blood from his forehead, succeeding only in lifting his arm just for it to fall onto his face with a smack. ¡±Hey, stop.¡± Enix said, wiping at >&@#$%<¡¯s forehead with his sleeve. He was surprised when >&@#$%< did his best to push him off, nearly succeeding. He said nothing, only grunting, but Enix saw his eyes on &#+$. ¡±Stop!¡± Enix said louder, holding >&@#$%< down with his body weight. ¡°She¡¯s fine, you¡¯re not. You need to rest, and so help me. I will tie you up to ensure that happens!¡± >&@#$%<¡¯s eyes finally landed on Enix as if he had snapped out of something. He relaxed, and Enix let him go. ¡±Now, if you¡¯re done wasting time, we need food, and I know what we can and can¡¯t eat around here. I¡¯m going to leave. Are you going to move?¡± Enix glared at the injured boy, who shook his head feebly. ¡°Good. If I return and you¡¯ve moved, I¡¯ll have Ingot sit on you.¡± Enix left quickly, trying not to laugh at the indignant expression on the boy¡¯s face. He nodded to &#+$, who nodded back as she leaned against the rocks of the shelter. Enix didn¡¯t take long to forage for food, and an idea had occurred to him. He dropped off the food at the shelter and lit the sticks in the center as night fell, keeping them warm. The smoke left through the hole in the rocks above them. As he left, the same thought kept nagging at him. I must focus on keeping them alive; I know someone who might have an answer. It had been years since he had visited, but Enix could still navigate back to the horrible place. He went through the forest, down the cliff, and past the statues. By the time he arrived, it was nearly dawn. Enix walked straight through the massive stone doors to the foot of the tree. There, lying at its roots with its six limbs torn off, was Enix¡¯s old mentor. His old tormentor, Ghiri. Welcome, young one. Welcome back to the Foundry. Omens part 5 They will become your world, and it will be yours to protect. You will see it grow, crack, reform. You might even see it crumble. -excerpt from Iadaelus¡¯ Journals. ¡°Ghiri. You¡¯re looking¡­¡± Like I lost weight? ¡°Like you fought well,¡± Enix said. Ghiri didn¡¯t seem to feel pain, but Enix felt strange looking at what used to be such a formidable force brought low. Half of a torso and a head were all that was left of Ghiri, and a crack had formed on his head. Enix unconsciously grabbed at his chest as a pang of pity arose. Ghiri likewise did not respond immediately, surprised at the boy¡¯s sincerity. I hope I did. But alas, it was a losing battle. The rest of the world will face similar odds. Ghiri¡¯s head tilted toward the sky. Above them, the sky was still fractured open. No monster came through anymore, only during the first few years. Now they remained open, unreachable, as if a storm had stopped moving but stayed overhead, thunder rumbling as if it were waiting. ¡±You warned me about this.¡± I did. ¡±Tell me what you know.¡± I won¡¯t. Enix blinked, waiting for Ghiri to explain, but none came. You have grown much since I last saw you. You¡¯ve grown into the ferocity I sense in you. ¡°Uh, thanks?¡± I am happy to see that my efforts were worthwhile. It is¡­ good. To see you alive. ¡°Wow, you must have been hit hard.¡± The damage was quite severe, yes. It has blocked my reconstitution. ¡°Look, I¡¯m not here to see how proud you are of me. I don¡¯t care for that-¡° That is evident. Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°What I came here for,¡± Enix emphasized, ¡°Is for information.¡± Oh? ¡°You knew this would happen. You prepared me for this.¡± Enix walked forward and knelt until he was level with Ghiri¡¯s head. ¡°I know you didn¡¯t do this just to save me.¡± Ghiri was silent for a long time. You were meant to be this world¡¯s shield and sword. Much of this is beyond even me. I was able to predict the cataclysm would arrive, but not precisely when. I theorized for a long time what such a cataclysm would be, and my master and I devised many potential scenarios and responses. The Foundry was one of those responses. A place to test the inhabitants of this world. Contingencies ¡°You have more of these¡­ contingencies?¡± Of course. We have over seven hundred. Most lost, some inactive. Only a few remain. Enix kneeled to the ground. ¡°Tell me about them.¡± Ghiri was silent for a while. Why? ¡±What?¡± Why do you wish to know? I already taught you all I could. And you have demonstrated quite the capability. Enix stopped to consider his words. Maybe this is a test? ¡±Because I need to do something about this. Because you said, it was up to me. I¡¯m ready now.¡± ¡­I do not think you are. ¡°What?¡± You did not come here to accept this responsibility. At least you did not come here on the pretense of accepting it as your duty. You are here, trying to take up the mantle you were so hesitant to take up for a different matter altogether. What is it? What I know is quite dangerous. My master tasked me with testing those who come to these grounds. Only those who succeed may know. You have succeeded in some trials, and you have demonstrated your determination and your ability to surpass adversity, yes, but there is one last component. ¡°A test? Now?¡± Enix couldn¡¯t help but laugh a little. He must be insane. Maybe that crack on his head damaged something. You do not need the information if you do not wish to participate. If you think it is not worth your time, why pursue it? At that, Ghiri leaned forward, tilting his head slightly. Leave then. Enix blinked. Ghiri, a complete mystery to the boy, who kept him stuck to test and teach him things, was just letting him leave? ¡°No.¡± No? ¡°I didn¡¯t come here, to this evil place, just to be told no.¡± At this, Enix stood, turning his body to stone. He jabbed his hand into Ghiri¡¯s torso through one of the wider cracks. He lifted what was left of Ghiri up until he stood straight. What made you think you would be told anything else? ¡°I have people to protect Ghiri. Friends. I won¡¯t just sit around knowing I could protect them. I need to know.¡± Ghiri was silent for a long time. Enix¡¯s free hand balled into a fist as the time dragged on, and Ghiri spoke just as he was about to raise his fist to strike him. Very well. Release me, and let us begin instruction. Omens part 6 Mount Gigas was another place my creators inhabited. This facility was designed as a control point for the epicenter of this event. Many tools were designed there, but only a few remain. The one you are looking for is a prototype. Scale the mountain. Reach the facility. Once you have a chance to end this, -Ghiri ¡°No.¡± ¡±But-¡° ¡±Absolutely not.¡± ¡±Why no-¡° ¡±Because I said so.¡± ¡±And who said we have to listen to you?¡± Enix turned to look at &#+$. While he and >&@#$%< were arguing, &#+$ had packed three bags of food and tools. ¡±The weird four-armed magical metal thing that told me to go alone.¡± ¡±Right, and why¡¯s that?¡± ¡±I have to scale Mount Gigas.¡± ¡±The mountain? The tall, jagged, and desolate place? The one underneath the hole in the sky?¡± >&@#$%< scoffed. ¡±That¡¯s the one.¡± Enix ignored >&@#$%<¡¯s attitude. ¡°There¡¯s a tool there that can help stop those monsters from flooding into this land.¡± ¡°And you trust the person who told you this?¡± &#+$ asked. ¡±I do.¡± ¡°Sorry, the same one who beat you?¡± >&@#$%< was growing more frustrated. ¡°Did he hit you in the head especially hard this time? How can you trust him?¡± ¡±Do we have any other choice?¡± ¡±Yes, stay here and fortify what we have.¡± ¡°>&@#$%<, you and I both know that won¡¯t last. We need a solution, not a bandage.¡±If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡±What makes you think you are the only one who has to go and get that solution?¡± ¡±You¡¯ve seen what I can handle!¡± ¡±I¡¯ve seen you get your arm ripped off, get nearly cut in half, and then buried alive, and that¡¯s not counting the time you tripped-¡° >&@#$%< jabbed at Enix¡¯s chest roughly ¡°and fell off a cliff! By accident!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Enix brushed >&@#$%<¡¯s hand away. ¡°And I¡¯ve survived those! How many arms have you regrown? Can you walk away from a high fall?¡± ¡±He¡¯s got us there.¡± &#+$ murmured, but >&@#$%< just glared at her. ¡°So you¡¯re fine with letting him go alone?¡± ¡±First, we couldn¡¯t force him to do anything he doesn¡¯t want to. Second, we shouldn¡¯t force him to do anything he doesn¡¯t want to. Third, he¡¯s the best person to find this weapon he¡¯s talking about. It is a weapon, right?¡± Enix nodded. ¡°Something like that. It can help close the portals that these creatures are coming through.¡± ¡±All the more reason it shouldn¡¯t be left to just one person, let alone a kid.¡± ¡°Look, I get that you think it''s important. It is, which is why I need to go alone.¡± ¡±That doesn¡¯t make sense.¡± ¡±It does when I have to worry about keeping two other people alive.¡± Enix snapped, trying not to wince as he said those words. ¡°Hey!¡± &#+$ slapped Enix¡¯s arm, glaring at him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but that¡¯s the truth. You two are brilliant fighters. You can outplay me in seven out of ten sparring matches. But this isn¡¯t just a fight. It¡¯s a dangerous road filled with dangerous fights and monsters.¡± Enix looked down, ashamed to meet their eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t even know if I¡¯ll be coming back.¡± Enix wasn¡¯t expecting the blow, despite him seeing the butt of the spear rise and shoot forward, smacking him in the center of his forehead. He yelped, grabbing at the spear only for it to be wrenched away. >&@#$%< swung his spear around and down low, attempting to trip Enix. The boy backstepped but >&@#$%< pushed harder, jabbing at Enix¡¯s gut this time. Enix fell on his rear and before he could react >&@#$%< twirled the spear until the tip aimed at Enix¡¯s face. ¡°Want to try ten more matches, or is this enough?¡± >&@#$%<¡¯s face was stony. ¡°You¡¯re not listening to me.¡± ¡°Neither are you. You need our help.¡± Enix didn¡¯t respond, instead grabbing the spear tip. >&@#$%< tried to yank it out of the boy¡¯s grasp, but Enix¡¯s skin was already stone. He stood back up and twisted his hand, breaking the spear point off. ¡°Do I?¡± Enix tossed the point away, leaning down to grab one of the bags and walk off. >&@#$%< shouted at him, intending to say something, but &#+$ stopped him, whispering something to >&@#$%< that Enix couldn¡¯t hear. As he walked he kicked at the ground. Ingot rose from its tunneling and trotted alongside the boy as he began his journey. Enix tried to ignore the pang in his chest as he walked away. He had to convince them they couldn¡¯t help. Ghiri had warned him that should anyone else take this journey, they wouldn¡¯t survive. He wished they could help. He knew they could. The risk, however, made it too great. Omens part 7 The wind whipped at Enix¡¯s hair as he lay on the cliff¡¯s edge. Around him lay scattered monsters, winged monstrosities as tall as he was, with beaks like fat spearheads and long legs with deadly talons at the end. One had died with Enix¡¯s severed arm still trapped between its legs, but Enix had already regrown the limb. Enix focused on his breathing. At such a high altitude, it was difficult to breathe. He had an easier time than his two companions in that he could rest more efficiently, and while he wasn¡¯t as dizzy, it caused a physical change. His stamina took longer and longer to recover, and he couldn¡¯t imagine what it was like for the others. ¡±Enix?¡± >&@#$%< called out. ¡±Yeah?¡± ¡±Any chance that guy told you it''s only halfway up the mountain?¡± ¡±No.¡± ¡±You sure?¡± ¡±¡­Yeah.¡± >&@#$%< cursed, and Enix saw him walking over, reaching out to Enix to help him up. They had avoided the giants on the way up, but once they reached a certain altitude, they found they were being hunted. First, it had been the worms, large creatures that moved faster than Ingot ever had under the ground, popping out to latch onto the trio and bite chunks out of it. It was then that the birds had begun to track them. &#+$ had made the connection that maybe the birds were pursuing the worms before they decided to take the bigger prey. Enix blinked, remembering something. >&@#$%< seemed to remember then, too. ¡°Where¡¯s &#+$?¡± ¡±I saw her get lifted but drop around the bend. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s fine.¡± The boy responded. He felt Vice around his wrist, who had gone oddly still ever since Ingot was killed. It no longer formed a weapon but would still help with stretching out to grab things for Enix. The tiny thing was hurting. As was the boy. ¡°Come on. We have to keep moving.¡± >&@#$%< panted. ¡°Let¡¯s go get her.¡± It was a short walk but took longer due to their superficial injuries and lack of air. Enix was the first to round the corner, recovering faster as he walked, but stopped. He was standing at just the right angle to see &#+$, and he put out a hand to stop >&@#$%< from moving further forward, but his friend¡¯s view was still blocked.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡±Enix, what-¡° ¡±Don¡¯t. Don¡¯t look.¡± ¡°Stop kidding.¡± ¡±Please.¡± >&@#$%< didn¡¯t listen, instead pushing Enix aside to look. Enix himself looked down, leaning against the rock wall. He didn¡¯t need to see the body stabbed against the rocks. He didn¡¯t need to see her face. The fear on it. He kept his eye on the sky as >&@#$%< wailed. His companion fell to his knees. Enix kept track of time as hours passed in silence. He made sure to rest and let his stamina recover. They were quiet for those few hours, Enix watching the skies for any birds. ¡±¡­You knew about this, didn¡¯t you?¡± >&@#$%< asked quietly. Enix didn¡¯t respond. ¡±You had to.¡± He blinked, his thoughts racing behind his eyes as he turned to look at Enix. They suddenly stilled, boring through Enix¡¯s own eyes ¡°Only reason you were so adamant that she and I stayed. And then your pet died, and something changed with you, didn¡¯t it?¡± The silence was deafening to Enix. ¡±You were holding something back when you laid me out at camp. You were going to say something when we were in that hole, weren¡¯t you? You had that look in your eye before that thing came back.¡± ¡°>&@#$%<¡­¡± ¡°Tell me I¡¯m wrong.¡± Enix said nothing. ¡±Tell me I''m an idiot for thinking this way. That you didn¡¯t know she was going to die.¡± Enix, still, kept quiet. ¡±Say something.¡± >&@#$%< got up, picking up his spear, now broken into a shorter shaft. Still Enix stood frozen. ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡± >&@#$%< saw Enix¡¯s face and already knew. ¡±Say it.¡± Enix tried, but his throat closed on him. Only a pathetic squeak came out. ¡°Say it damn you!¡± ¡°I can¡¯t!¡± >&@#$%< flinched as if Enix had physically struck him. He just stared at Enix, his expression cold and fury behind his eyes. He walked to Enix, and the boy expected to be hit, maybe even stabbed through. Instead, >&@#$%< handed Enix his weapon. ¡±We¡¯re going up this mountain and getting that damn weapon.¡° >&@#$%< held onto the weapon as Enix tried to take it. ¡±Her death is on you, and when this is over, I¡¯m coming for you.¡± >&@#$%< shouldered past Enix roughly. ¡°Killer.¡± >&@#$%< walked away without another word. Enix stared at the weapon in his hand and followed. Omens part 8 They will be your doom. Your hubris, your folly. And you will think them worth it. -excerpt from Iadaelus¡¯ Journals. No monsters were up this high. Enix had been sure that anything that needed to breathe would die out an hour back down. >&@#$%< himself had been abandoned. He had fainted from the lack of air and woke up further below than he remembered he had been. Enix had left behind the broken spear to him. >&@#$%< could only whisper a curse as he tried to breathe. ¡±I¡¯m back.¡± Came the boy''s voice. >&@#$%< forced himself up, looking at the bright sky as Enix blotted out the sun. ¡±Did you¡­ find it?¡± Something clanged at his feet. He looked down to see a gleaming sword made of a strange material. Like iron, but gleaming closer to white. It was a smaller and thinner blade than he had seen, yet it looked much deadlier than anything Goldry could have made. Yet >&@#$%< looked around, expecting something more. ¡±That¡¯s¡­. it?¡± That¡¯s all?¡± ¡±It¡¯s enough.¡± Enix kneeled, and the sword rose as if pulled by an invisible string to meet his hand. He didn¡¯t grab it yet, but it began to spin on its own. ¡°With this, I can close the rift. Eventually, those creatures will starve out. We can hunt down the rest that manages to survive.¡± ¡±It¡¯s a sword.¡± >&@#$%< coughed, something caught in his throat. ¡±It¡¯s a solution, >&@#$%<.¡± ¡±It¡¯s a glorified knife¡­ against an assortment of monsters from a rift in the sky.¡± >&@#$%< retched. ¡°How¡®ll you even reach that rift?¡± Enix didn¡¯t know the answer ¡±&#+$¡­ died¡­ for this?¡± A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation. ¡°She died to give us a chance at survival!¡± ¡±She died because you were too callous with our lives!¡± Spots swam in his vision. ¡°She died because you were angry that your little pet got crushed.¡± ¡±Watch your mouth.¡± Enix¡¯s tone was cold and dangerous. ¡°I tried to keep you away. You wouldn¡¯t listen. If you had, neither of you would be here.¡± ¡±And if you had bothered, maybe they would still be alive!¡± Enix froze. ¡±What?¡± ¡±Admit it, killer.¡± ¡±No.¡± ¡±Admit that you let them die!¡± ¡±I won¡¯t.¡± They stared at each other, >&@#$%< breathing hard. Enix knew from his posture he was ready to attack him. ¡°Then die alongside them.¡± >&@#$%< jabbed at Enix with the broken spear, and Enix dodged reflexively. >&@#$%< approached him aggressively and quickly before he tired from lack of air. Enix himself was off balance, his newfound weapon heavier than anticipated. The weight only grew when he thought of what he would have to do to his friend to stop him. >&@#$%< pushed Enix back and back, Enix refusing to do anything but defend. His skin turned to stone; he decided to wait out >&@#$%<¡¯s rage. Yet Enix saw that despite the journey, despite his exhaustion, and despite his breath failing him, >&@#$%< was lasting far longer than Enix had anticipated. Before he knew it, he felt the last of his energy begin to fade. Just as his skin began to return to its normal hue, he saw >&@#$%< rear back to stab at him. >&@#$%< hadn¡¯t noticed this. He had given in to his anger, his frustration. He saw that Enix easily withstood every blow he didn¡¯t block and attacked madly. Enix moved on reflex, his exhaustion from the journey getting to him. He moved to attack as well to push him off. His weapon was angled at just the right moment, and as >&@#$%<¡¯s broken spear stabbed through Enix¡¯s inhuman body, Enix¡¯s newfound weapon stabbed through >&@#$%<. ¡°No¡­¡± >&@#$%< let out a choked gasp. His hand let go of his weapon and grabbed the blade that had impaled him through the chest. Enix saw the fear in his eyes. The fear of death he had seen in countless animals¡¯ eyes before. Those same eyes met his. ¡°See?¡± P??????????????????????r????????????o??????????????????????????c???????????????l???????????????????u???????????????????s????????????????????? coughed, a cruel smile painting his face. ¡°You really are a killer.¡± [simulation t?????????????????????????e????????????????????r?????????????????????????m??????????????????????????????i?????????????????n???????????????????a???????????????????????t?????????e???????????????d????????.]