《Crystal Gamble》


 1: Neutral Nexus

    Calamity (Noun)


    Meaning:


    1) An unforeseeable event that brings great loss.


    2) Dire distress caused by a great reckoning.


    In the heat of August of 2023, amid lightning storms and unnatural draughts, The Calamity happened.


    After several years that could have been considered chock-full of calamities, Earth was changed forever with the sudden appearance of fantastical wonders and dangers.


    Later, the world would learn that another universe had merged with our own, displacing magic and mystery into the empty spaces of Earth.


    One such empty space was in the middle of the ocean, where an archipelago of islands charged with elemental energy appeared. At the core of those islands was a storm, and in that storm, was the Odyssey Vault.


    <hr>


    On a stormy sea, an old fishing boat rocked from side to side with each wave. A minimal crew ran across the deck, pulling rope and trimming sails. In the belly of the old fishing boat, an electric light hummed and crackled to cast light on a dozen full bunks.


    An old television played a video on repeat. On the half-warped screen, a man dressed in a fanciful suit delivered a speech from behind a podium. The blocky logo of EA sprawled behind him. The words rang out from a tin-can loudspeaker a half second after the fuzzy video feed of the too-well-dressed man spoke.


    He said, "The challenges you are about to face will not only test your physicality, but also your spirit. There is no guide, no path previously walked that can help you. Your creativity, your cunning, and your strength are the only tools that you can truly rely on. Are you going to be the one to reach the Odyssey Vault?"


    Half-accurate captions closed out the bottom of the screen. Most of the passengers on the old fishing boat had stopped paying attention. The video was on a loop. This was the tenth time that it had played since Parker woke up from a nap.


    If it had been storming, they would have left the belly of the ship to look out over the horizon. Parker was closest to the television and had the hardest time ignoring it. Some of the others had gone back to sleep despite the noise and the rocking of the storm. Others had found a way to ignore it by reading a book or double-checking their packs.


    Parker looked past the television to the porthole window where the deep water of the ocean splashed up every few seconds to wash away the dark horizon. They almost caught a glimpse of a giant metal building on a rocky island but then it was lost to another ocean wave.


    The storm would soon clear and the passengers would make their way to the deck to look out over the water as the clouds broke. For now, they hunched in the belly of the old fishing boat waiting for their chance to Gamble for greatness. The Elemental Archipelago had promised them fame, fortune, and magic.


    <hr>


    "The challenges you are about to face will not only test your spirit but also your luck."


    The words were eerily close to the president''s speech in the video that played during the voyage. Parker now sat at the back of an auditorium with nearly a hundred other Gamblers ahead of them. At the front, where everyone''s eyes were fixed, was the president of EA.


    He looked older than he did in the video but only in a way that distinguished him more. On the fuzzy screen, the president had looked too well dressed. Now, with a pair of horn-rimmed glasses and graying hair, he looked more like the business magnate that he was. When he spoke now, unlike in the video, everyone listened.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.


    "Some of you have been here for mere moments. You were shuffled into this auditorium as soon as you arrived. The adventure and the adrenaline still fresh in your blood. Others have been waiting for much longer, waiting for this ceremony, waiting for the doors before you to open. We, at EA... I understand that desire and the patience that you have shown. I, too, have a desire. I, too, have been patient. Are one of you going to fulfill my dream? Will you achieve your goal? Will you die along the path or turn back when it gets too dangerous?"


    The President of EA paused at that and let the murmurs grow among the Gamblers gathered in the auditorium. They were adventurers, mercenaries, and soldiers who had left behind their normal lives to risk everything on this gamble.


    As the President talked, a digital screen behind them showed off the goal of the Gamble. A set of stone circles set into a rough cave wall. There were several elemental symbols and various basketball-sized gems set into the stone. It was the Odyssey Vault.


    "The Odyssey Vault has tempted more Gamblers than just you all gathered here. Thousands have walked through the halls of this nexus. Hundreds have come back with heads hung in defeat. Some showed real promise, going so far as to tame the powers of these islands. Yet none have reached the end, none have found the key, none have cracked the Odyssey Vault."


    A cloud of dread seemed to hang over the auditorium. Parker had been expecting some grand commencement speech. They expected honeyed words but the President only offered harsh realities. Going even further as he continued...


    "The Gamble of the Elemental Archipelago is greatly stacked against you. My company has been studying it since the calamity and even with all of our advancements, we have not cracked the Odyssey Vault. The difficulty does not lie only in the size of the archipelago, or the multitudes of monsters that you will face, but also in the unknown."


    The digital screen had started to show off some of the simpler dangers of the Elemental Archipelago. There was a quick drone-captured video fly-over of a jungle. The view dipped down between the trees and showed off a pair of mercenaries with longswords facing off against some kind of acid-breathing horse-sized lizard.


    As a splash of acid caught the drone, the view shifted to a vast desert where a single traveler started to stumble amid the nothing and fall to the sand. As soon as the traveler fell, the sands shifted and large scorpions started to descend on them. Then the view shifted again to a satellite view of the archipelago.


    At the core there was some kind of chaotic storm, at the top was the nexus island where they all sat watching now. A red line connected the neutral island to the next few like a shipping lane. As it wrapped around the islands, a blue line and a green line also appeared before merging back into a single purple line that went from the last of the islands back to the nexus at the top.


    "The mapped ring that weaves the core of the islands, the ones that seem the most connected to the Odyssey Vault, only represent a quarter of the land out there. The rest of it is uncharted. Like the maps explorers of old traded, here there be dragons, but also things worse than dragons. Death will be your constant companion through these waters. It comes from monsters, storms, and..."


    The President paused and looked over the large group of Gamblers. Parker wondered what exactly he was looking for. Parker tried to follow the President''s gaze, but it seemed to just sweep the room in general. After a moment, the President cleared his throat and continued.


    "And even your fellow Gamblers. While the archipelago is not lawless, it is a set of wild lands. Several groups have formed to target successful Gamblers and steal rather than earn their way to the Odyssey Vault."


    Parker had read the advisory, but hearing it from the President of EA was different. It was a direct acknowledgment of the chaos that lay before. Then the mood shifted from doom to clerical.


    "Due to these dangers, EA has implemented several changes to the commencement process. Rather than allowing any willing Gambler, all will be subjected to several evaluations. These evaluations are designed to increase the survival ratio and hopefully increase the chance of success. They will be physical, mental, and material. Only after receiving a passing evaluation from an assigned auditor will anyone be allowed into the archipelago."


    Parker could see that some of the Gamblers who had been waiting for weeks for this started to shift toward anger. After all this time, EA was going to gatekeep. The President seemed to notice the shift and, with one soft raised hand, quieted it.


    "It would be in my financial interest to allow all in since you already paid to be here. If you forget, these lands were granted by the United Nations to my company for research into the calamity. There is no law making us implement these requirements, no fines that we must pay if you die, and no external body is forcing me to implement this safety mechanism. This is not about finances, it is about your safety."


    The President paused to see if any of the anger returned. When it didn''t, he continued his explanation. At that, the digital screen snapped from the view of the archipelago to the giant block logo of EA.


    "Any who do not pass will be well compensated and advised on how to pass the evaluations next time. One last note about safety before you are all assigned to the auditors... EA has contracted several teams of professional adventurers from all over the world to help keep peace in the archipelago. This includes both mercenaries and some of the largest guilds. So anyone coming here for malicious or nefarious purposes should book their ticket home now."

 2: Sorted for Evaluation

    The Gamblers were dismissed from the auditorium. Parker tried to hold back from rushing to the front. The desire to get out before there was any congestion was strong. However, holding back served them well. Everyone had the same urge. A massive cluster of Gamblers formed at the exit from the auditorium, and Parker would have been trapped in the throng of bodies. Instead, they were able to hang back and not feel trapped, but it still took nearly an hour to make it out of the auditorium.


    While they waited near the back of the group, they thought about the steps that brought them here. It had taken nearly a year of careful planning and subtle preparation. Parker had to skirt through family meetings without drawing too much attention. Then when the day finally came, it had all happened so fast. It was a plane to Amsterdam to pick up their gear and a fake ID, an uncomfortable trip in the bottom of a freighter to get closer to the archipelago, and then the final ride on the rocky fishing boat... but now Parker was here. It seemed surreal, they had expected each step to fail.


    Even if their family was constantly disappointed in them, Parker knew that they would not have been able to come here if someone had picked up on the intention. Even after they left the family grounds, Parker expected some strange power to pull them back. That was how ingrained the Apis family''s reach was. After all, the Apis family helped build the modern world. Elemental Arts, or EA as it was more often called, was one of the largest companies in the magically-charged new world. After the Calamity, they had grown from a simple conglomerate to a global syndicate of businesses. EA was famous for buying up smaller, successful endeavors, and distilling the products down to nothing but the base profit that could be pulled. There were a lot of moving parts to EA, but there were only a few main pillars that kept it running. One of those main pillars that helped EA grow, from research projects to testing magical products, to lobbying for weaker laws regarding magic, and even to logistical oversight, was the Apis family... Parker''s family.


    Eventually, the throng of bodies at the exit to the auditorium shrank enough that Parker and the other holdouts did not feel overwhelmed. Parker joined the group that made up the last of the exodus and waited patiently in what was barely more than a slow march.


    Parker only understood why it took so long to leave once they were out of the auditorium. At the exit, each Gambler was being carefully sorted out. Three lines had formed just outside. When Parker took a step through the door, they were shuffled into the middle line by a seemingly unseen force. There was an EA attendant in a brightly colored smock that appeared for only a second to show them where to wait before moving on to the next Gambler.


    At the front of each line, another attendant stood handing something to each Gambler before shuffling them along. Finally, Parker made it to the front of the line. The attendant looked more annoyed than disgruntled, and their posture made it clear that Parker shouldn''t ask any questions. Instead, Parker just did what the last few Gamblers had done and accepted what was given to them before moving on.


    As Parker made their way away from the auditorium, walking down a dull gray hallway with no real destination in mind, they inspected what they''d been handed. At first, they thought it was some kind of folder of necessary information. Instead, it was a cheap silver tablet. It was more of an e-reader from the early 21<sup>st</sup> century than a portable supercomputer¡­ but for EA''s purposes, it was enough.


    Before even turning it on, Parker looked the tablet over. It was simple in design. A small home button was set into the bottom of the front, on the edge below the button was a small port that Parker figured was for charging, and that was it. The only other distinctive marks were on the back, a printed label that identified it as their tablet with the code: PA427B2.


    It took turning on the tablet to figure out what the rest of the code meant. The tablet powered on with a dull hum and revealed an extremely minimal interface. There were no applications, just a few saved files. One of which was named: welcome.


    When Parker opened the welcome file, they were greeted by a honeyed version of the President''s speech. Perhaps this was what the script had been, and the President had just improvised the grave markers in that auditorium. Either way, the welcome file explained what Parker''s code meant.


    PA was for Parker Apis, their initials that they tried to hide when coming here. The 427 referred to the room that they would be staying in for the duration of the evaluations. Finally, B2 was a reference to Parker''s group and position. The only other files on the tablet outlined the basic use of the EA facilities as well as where to report for evaluations. Group B, Parker''s group, was sent to the North Evaluation room and Parker''s position meant that they were needed now.Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    With no time to unpack or prepare, Parker hurried to the evaluation spot. Even if they were in second position, they might be able to catch a glimpse of the first evaluation. That would at least set Parker''s nerves at ease. Unfortunately, the evaluations were private, and the lobby of the room felt so clinical that it made Parker gag. It reminded them of Doctor''s offices best left behind or forgotten. To make it worse, they had to check in similarly.


    An attendant in an orange smock stood behind a desk near a door at the far side from where Parker entered. While moving to check in, Parker tried to distract themselves from the memories by looking over the other Gamblers. There were three in the lobby already: two were huddled in a far corner and Parker''s eyes had to fight to not linger on the third. Sitting confidently next to the door was a knight outfitted from a fairy tale.


    As Parker checked in and received a digital form to fill out on their tablet, their eyes kept going back to the knight. Clad in heavy metal armor, complete with sword and shield, Parker wondered how long the knight had been waiting for the evaluations to start. Parker knew that the knight had not been on their boat, the last one to arrive, but had they been on the one before that? Had they been waiting for weeks in that heavy set of armor?


    While Parker was tapping at their tablet to enter basic information like name, address, and health status, the fairytale knight was polishing their shield. Unlike the gear Parker had stowed away in their pack, the knight''s gear was well used and built for function, not presentation.


    As Parker checked boxes for family relations, medical history, and mental illnesses, the knight tucked away their shield. Parker listened in as the knight said a quick prayer just before the evaluation door opened. A second attendant in a bright orange smock appeared in the open door.


    The attendant leaned slightly out of the doorway, just enough to grab everyone''s attention. Then the attendant gestured silently for the knight to follow. The pair disappeared through the door and everyone in the lobby seemed to hold their breath for the next forty-five minutes. That was when the door opened again. The attendant in the orange smock appeared again. There was no sign of the fairy tale knight that had gone first.


    Instead, the attendant made eye contact with Parker as they barely leaned out of the doorway. Then, in almost a robotic mirror of what had happened before, the attendant gestured for Parker to follow. With a tablet in one hand and their pack held like a duffel in the other, Parker followed the attendant through the door while their nerves soared.


    The wondering of what happened to the knight only lasted for so long. On the other side of the door, Parker was led down a narrow hall with too many doors on both sides until the attendant shuffled them into the third door on the left. The room was just as narrow as the hallway but just deep enough for a table and two chairs. Sitting opposite the door, staring at Parker, was an evaluator that Parker could only describe as antiseptic.


    In contrast to the finely dressed president or the brightly colored attendant, the evaluator before Parker was colored like medical-grade titanium. There was a pristine shine to his otherwise bland smock. His hair was a powdery gray and his eyes were faded too much to notice the blue they had once been. No name tag, no paperwork, and the evaluator was just sitting and waiting for Parker.


    The attendant stepped passed Parker and stood in the far corner behind the evaluator. Only then did the evaluator rise from his seat. He was too tall. His frame towered over the table as he gestured for Parker to sit down. He spoke in a voice just as disinfected as his appearance.


    "Have a seat, Mr. Apis. My name is Benson, and I will be evaluating your readiness to proceed for the duration of your time inside these facilities. Now, may I see your tablet?"


    Parker handed their tablet over and set their pack down on the ground before sitting down across from Benson. The evaluator had already tapped through several screens on Parker''s tablet and was humming like a depressed generator. Besides the hum, the room was so silent Parker could hear the attendant''s shoe squeak softly as weight shifted from one foot to the other. Benson must have heard it as well because he dismissed the attendant with a hand wave.


    The attendant faltered for a second. "Are you sure?"


    Benson nodded, "Yes, this one will take some time."


    With that, the attendant left Parker alone with Benson. As soon as it was just the two of them, Benson set Parker''s tablet down on the table and rubbed at the temple on the left side of his head. He let out the deepest sigh Parker had heard in a long time.


    Parker could not help but ask. "Is everything alright, sir?"


    Benson shook his head and found a resolve that returned his face to an emotionless mask. Then he said, "There are several things that don''t add up with you. Under normal circumstances, I would fail your evaluation outright. Instead, I would like to hear from you before failing you. Just know that even if you pass this general evaluation, your admittance to the archipelago will rely on the physical, mental, and material evaluations that the President implemented. Do you understand?"


    Parker nodded slowly. They had not even started yet but there was something or some things that could keep them from going on. All they could do was explain themselves to the best of their ability. After a moment of silence and a deep breath, Parker said, "I understand."


    Benson returned Parker''s tablet. Showing on the screen was Parker''s original application to EA. The name on the applicant line read: Parker Collins.


    "Why did you apply using a false identity?"

 3: Assigned Reading

    Several uncomfortable questions later, Parker was released from the evaluation with a provisional pass and a bundle of documents to read over. It was not as good as a pass, but it was better than an outright failure. It helped Parker''s nerves that Benson had at least understood their reasons even if he disapproved of them.


    The physical evaluation was scheduled for the next morning, so Parker had the evening to explore the facilities or meet with the other Gamblers. Neither of which sounded enjoyable. However, they could only stay cooped up in their room for so long. In the end, Parker decided to at least find the cafeteria that was mentioned in the tablet''s welcome document.


    After that, Parker could settle in on the couch in their room with some food and read over their assigned homework. Benson had loaded several documents onto Parker''s tablet before ending the evaluation.


    It felt like a syllabus of required reading for a class that Parker had not intended to take: Markov''s Advanced Primer on Elemental Affinities, the U.N. Treatise for the Elemental Archipelago, EA Field Reports from the Archipelago, and several other long documents full of scientific or legal words Parker wasn''t comfortable pronouncing.


    The one document that Parker was most interested in seemed to be some Explorer''s Log. It was from the early days of the Gamble before any real rules or structure had been established, and it was titled "Crystal Gamble".


    Parker could not wait to start reading it, but first, they had to brave the cafeteria to get food. The cafeteria was more of a food court than what Parker had expected.


    Even with it all being run by the same corporation there were stalls to sell common favorites from cheap burgers to greasy pizzas, to oversized burritos. In the end, Parker settled for a salad that they ordered to go. With the boxed-up salad in hand, Parker weaved through throngs of Gamblers that had appeared after they did.


    The groups were trying to decide where to eat, where to sit, and who would do the best in the evaluations. Even as they left, Parker kept an eye out for the fairy tale knight. They had not seen the knight since that first evaluation, but Parker could not help but think of them. The two of them were opposites: most qualified and least prepared.


    None of the Gamblers paid much mind to Parker as they made their way out of the cafeteria. They were smaller than the average Gambler, not quite the youngest, not close to the oldest, and devoid of any particularly enrapturing qualities. With a tablet in one hand and a salad in the other, Parker looked more like an intern than a Gambler.


    There was no sign of the fairy tale knight and Parker didn''t see any real benefit in actively searching. As large as the facility was, it was mostly the same dull gray and off-white without any definitive design. Everything was a little too stretched out to feel natural.


    If Parker turned down one way, it would be easy to barely miss the knight they were looking for just by chance and the design of the facilities. It was almost as if the nexus was designed to bring Gamblers together but store them in a way that they were never too clustered together except in areas like the cafeteria.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on the original website.


    Overall, It felt like the nexus was designed to provide as many amenities as possible while keeping the individual Gamblers as separate as possible. Other than the cafeteria, the welcome document mentioned two other facilities that might draw Gamblers together: the gym and the clinic.


    While Parker had to go to the cafeteria at least occasionally to get food, they planned to do their best to avoid the clinic at any rate and the gym sounded even worse. Parker went back to their room on the fourth floor by way of an elevator and settled in to read while picking at the overwhelmingly mediocre salad.


    Fortunately, in contrast to the salad, Parker was immediately drawn into the Explorer''s log. The pages had been digitized from paper instead of being retyped. The formatting was odd, the test was barely legible, and there were stains blotting out entire paragraphs.


    Those qualities annoyed Parker, but with each page, it only added to the charm. Parker was drawn to a section of the reading that was less of a chapter and more of a loose collection of days in a journal. The author outlined how they crashed into a smaller island that EA had yet to chart.


    Instantly, Parker thought of the ring of mapped islands from the President''s digital screen. The author was describing the unknown danger outside of that ring. Despite that, the author also explained how strange it was that the island had no elemental charge or affinity to it. The charted islands were all known by their elemental affinity: Air, Fire, Water, or some combination.


    The island that the author of the logs described lacked any elemental charge. Some explanations went over Parker''s head, so they skipped the portions where the author talked about the lack of an altar or crystal. Parker assumed they had something to do with the elements, but they were not sure enough to understand it.


    However, the pages flipped by quickly as Parker ingested the story much easier than they ingested the salad. Parker needed to know if the author survived or if someone found the log on a corpse.


    Once it was clear that nothing truly traumatic befell the author, Parker went back and studied. There were survival tips hidden in the journal. The tips were nothing but the basics that others might have scoffed at, but it was all new to Parker.


    There were some instructions on how to forge small amounts of metal in the wild. Those sections showed Parker how out of their depth they were even with the portable crucible they had bought. There were some instructions on how to track creatures in various ways, including how to tell the difference between carnivore and herbivore territory. It all came down to markings and droppings. There were even tips on how to refine or purify seawater and river water.


    Parker gained tips and insights from the reading; things that would help them survive. More than that though, it was calming to just read the accounts of someone from the archipelago that didn''t end in death, betrayal, or general failure.


    While it was true that the author did not yet unlock the Odyssey Vault, their words made it seem like they were still out there trying. The author had at least successfully moved around the archipelago with more ease than anyone else reported.


    The shocking part of that was, as Parker learned through reading, that the author was not some stalwart adventurer or brave explorer. They had been a tenured professor of mythology. It was unclear what drew them to the Gamble, but it was clear they were looking for something.


    Parker had settled in for the long haul of reading but at some point, the need for sleep took over. An alarm rang out from the tablet hours later, rousing Parker from where they had fallen asleep.


    With the natural light shining in through a window, the room felt less like the cave it appeared to be the night before. The first thing Parked did was silence the vibrating and pinging alarm. Then they sat up on the edge of the couch that they had fallen asleep on.


    After pushing a cushioned coffee table away from the couch, Parker got up with a stretch. Parker could barely see the outline of the next island, the next challenge, out the window, where the sun was steadily climbing. First, they needed to get past this one.

 4: Physically Unfit

    Today was the start of Parker''s physical evaluation.


    Despite the discomfort the term brought, Parker had learned that an attendant would not physically evaluate their body or person. Instead, Benson made it sound more like a fitness exam from middle school. Essentially, Parker would be subjected to a rigorous PE class.


    That was almost as discomforting as the idea of a physical because Parker had never done well in those types of classes. They did their best to prepare: a light breakfast, and some dynamic stretches, and then they only took the necessities along to the evaluation.


    With their tablet in hand and wearing a rough gray tracksuit that EA had provided, Parker made their way to face the first real challenge of the Gamble. Rather than heading to the gym or the North Evaluation room, that they had gone to the day before, the instructions on Parker''s tablet led them further into the EA facilities.


    The dull gray and off-white halls seemed to stretch on impossibly still, so it was hard for Parker to gauge how much further they''d gone into the facilities. There were a few more auditoriums, according to the door placards, and then finally they reached the room they were looking for: Health Examination Room Four.


    A feeling of dread settled over Parker as they entered the room. It was like every fiber of their being was warning them that things were about to get worse. The feeling was well-founded. The evaluation was truly terrible.


    The room reminded Parker of a dance studio, with a giant mirror on the far wall. As soon as they stepped into the room, the mirror reflected an incredibly underwhelming image of Parker. They looked miniature next to the door that they had just walked through. The floor was a rubberized soft shell that absorbed Parker''s steps as they walked into the room. Various dumbbells, barbells, and resistance bars set about the room waiting to be used.


    In the center was Parker''s evaluator. Much like Benson, the evaluator was wearing a dull gray smock. However, unlike Benson, this one was waiting impatiently with a flaccid look. Parker thought it was an expression at first, but it turned out to just be the way the evaluator''s face settled.


    Instead of a conversation or an explanation, Parker was immediately subjected to a barking set of orders to follow. From stretching their limbs to the max to lifting as much as they possibly could, to various body motion exercises, it was all Parker could do to keep moving. While Parker had never been one to truly push themselves during exercise, they had kept up on what they thought were the basics. They often went through the paces of controlled breathing. Parker was well-versed in stretching, both static and dynamic. Walking, jogging, and even lifting small weights had never been outside of Parker''s reach. However, the physical evaluation showed just how lacking Parker''s efforts had been.


    In the end, Parker collapsed on the soft-shell floor of the examination room. Completely drenched in sweat, Parker could only look up to see the flaccid-faced evaluator''s jaw set firmly, eyes hardened in disgust. Parker had not even gotten his name, just the general idea that the evaluator disapproved of Parker.


    The only consolation was that they were alone, save for the evaluator. Parker could not imagine struggling so absolutely in front of other Gamblers. Especially when Parker was supposed to be considered a peer.


    Eventually, the disgust on the evaluator''s face shifted to pity. He spoke in an almost chilled voice, "Substandard, by all physical accounts. Strength, abysmal. Stamina, shallow. Agility, nearly passable. Constitution, low."


    After a moment, Parker recovered from the score. Then the evaluator added more, as if to reassure them. "Thought, not the worst scores we have seen lately. Performance in other areas might carry you through."This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    The evaluator clicked a button on his lapel. It was a barely distinguishable circle of a darker shade of gray. Then he spoke into the attached radio, "Parker Apis, provisional pass in the physical evaluation."


    It was just enough to keep going, but it was also the best that Parker could do. The physical evaluation had pushed and fully shattered their limits... revealing that those limits were not very high at all.


    Just like with Benson''s initial evaluation, Parker was moved onto the next stage, but the anxiety started to rise. It had formed with Benson''s accounting of their flaws and lack of talent, now it grew like a weed in Parker''s chest when the physical evaluation crushed their hopes of proving Benson completely wrong.


    It seemed to Parker that the evaluators expected them to be good at something, anything. They expected some skill or unknown talent to surface that would make up for all of Parker''s shortcomings. Parker had been waiting for a similar revelation most of their life.


    Part of Parker knew that there was a surefire way to get through this, it went back to the first question that Benson had asked. Why had they applied with a fake identity?


    Parker wanted to get through this Gamble on their own merits, no matter how little they were. They did not want to rely on the merits of a family that had never accepted them. A family that had left them out in the cold, so Parker had left them behind.


    The fake identity had been well crafted. Parker had spent a modest fortune to get it from a friend of a friend of a drug dealer that Parker bribed for the introduction. It had been enough for Parker to fly halfway across the world, charter passage on a boat to get closer to the Elemental Archipelago, and then get on that final fishing boat, but it had not been perfect. Someone at EA had seen through it and now, regardless of Parker''s intention, the Apis'' name would haunt them at least in EA''s records.


    When Parker returned to their room, all feeling drained from their body. There was no energy left, not for sleep, reading, or preparing. Parker crumpled into an awkward pile on the couch and did their best to lounge. It was an awkward contortion of muscles, but as the stiffening pain settled in, it was the only comfortable position.


    The rising anxiety was the only thing that kept Parker from passing out entirely. It was a voice coming from the base of their neck that told them they were unfit for this Gamble, not just physically. The voice said that they should''ve just died on the way and not bothered to waste anyone else''s time.


    It took all they had left to ignore the voice and slide off the couch. On the ground, Parker was able to get into a makeshift meditative stance. Their back propped up against the couch and knees bent barely pushing up against the cushioned coffee table.


    Parker steepled their fingers and sought after a quiet corner of their mind. Fighting the anxiety. Ignoring the voice chattering behind their ear.


    After a minute of deep inhales and shallow exhales, a minute of measured inhales, holds, exhales, and patient thoughts, Parker was finally able to focus on a solution. The material evaluation was in two days. That would be their chance to truly succeed.


    Parker was aiming for exemplary, rather than just passing. They needed something to overshadow the provisional pass that they had gotten so far. If Parker couldn''t rely on the revelation of a skill that they didn''t know they had, they would just manufacture the success before the evaluation.


    The reading had already inspired Parker to change up their gear. Now it took precedence over everything else. Even without relying on their family, Parker spent their life savings to chase this Gamble. However, much like most first-time long-distance hikers, Parker had perfectly prepared a lot of the wrong stuff. They had novelties, comforts, and at least twenty pounds of gear that would not serve them personally at all.


    After upturning their pack in the middle of the room''s floor, Parker started to sort the gear into three piles: keep, trade, and recycle.


    Unfortunately, the keep pile was small. Of all the gear, Parker could only outright use a dagger, a poncho, an emergency tent, a first aid kit, and spare clothes.


    The recycle pile was not much larger. It consisted of several pairs of extra clothes that would weigh Parker down and wouldn''t be necessary for months if at all. They kept a few staples: long-sleeved shirts, durable pants, two jackets, and a vest but everything else would be turned into reusable cloth or scrap.


    According to their tablet, there was a facility in the building where Parker could either do the recycling themselves or let someone else handle it for a fee. Parker had been hoping for a third option: helping them learn how to do it.


    The hardest part of the recycle pile was severing the emotional connection. Those items were most of Parker''s old life and they would soon be destroyed. It felt like they were stacking up the final kindling on the last bridge they had left to burn.

 5: Art of Bartering

    The pile of gear that Parker had labeled "trade" was by far the largest. It also contained items that Parker felt stupid for packing.


    Sure, some of it might have been useful eventually, but most of it they didn''t have the skill to get any benefit out of. The crucible was the best example of that. Parker had already been feeling that way about it since reading the Explorer''s Log. Now, seeing it set out in front of them, Parker was certain that someone should have stopped them from buying it.


    Parker felt a pit in their stomach form when they thought about how much money they spent on the thermos-sized, super-heated, materials processor. It could refine gems, form ingots out of ore, and even cast small items like rings or arrowheads. It was truly a marvel from which someone could get great benefits. Parker just wasn''t that someone. In total, the trade pile represented items of great value, advantage, or convenience that a skilled Gambler would want but would weigh Parker down.


    For all the facilities that EA offered up to Gamblers on the nexus, there was not a lot of equipment for sale. Partly because they were supposed to be ready. Parker had to think that it was partly also because no one had thought of it yet.


    According to the President''s speech, this evaluation process was new. It had the side effect of turning the facilities into something like an airport terminal or a train station''s pavilion. The only difference was that there were no buskers, hucksters, or duty-free shopping.


    As Parker bundled up some of the items from the trade pile, they aimed to change that. For good measure, they had figured out how to create a document on the tablet so they could carry a complete list of the trade pile just in case someone wanted to know what else Parker could offer. With their tablet, the bundle of choice goods, and a renewed spirit, Parker left their room. Their destination was the place they had least looked forward to going: the gym.


    Unfortunately, Parker knew that was where the best customers would be. Those who felt ready for the challenge wouldn''t be spending their spare time in the gym working out or training. The Gamblers in the gym were either those who were predisposed to exercise or those who were looking to get just a little more ahead before going to the islands.


    The gym was the lowest publicly accessible facility. It was located on a floor titled B3. Parker had avoided it mostly out of fear. Fear of not being enough, of not fitting in, but also a more general fear of others.


    As the elevator doors opened and Parker lugged their bundled goods toward the gym, some of that fear dissipated. Unlike the physical evaluation, this was a public space of sorts.


    A big, open one it turned out. The doors opened to a gymnasium that rivaled Olympic settings. It stretched so far into the distance that Parker wasn''t sure if they could see the other side or just parallel walls looking like they touched due to a trick of the distance.


    There were no attendants, no evaluators, and no barriers. It was an expansive training facility with all feasible and some improbable exercise equipment broken up into clearly labeled zones. There were even placard maps like it was a nature trail. Parker walked over to the closest placard map and found that it outlined the rules of the gym as well.


    First, if an area was occupied, no one was allowed to enter without permission even if it was only being used by a single person. Second, individuals could hold or use an area for thirty minutes at a time before moving on. Groups of three or more were allowed to hold a space for an hour. Parker absently wondered where duos fell in that, not that it applied to them.


    The third rule was respect for the space. The fourth rule was respect for each other. The final rule was that attendants, evaluators, and officials would only intervene by explicit request or if there was potential mortal harm.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    Parker wondered if that meant everything was allowed outside of those rules. On the other hand, it could have been just the "top five" rules, and a secret second list of rules outlined every possible infraction. Fortunately, there was no posted rule for what they were about to do.


    The bundle unfolded like a swap meet rug to display Parker''s chosen goods. There was no guide to this, so they chose a spot near the placard map but not in the way. They also decided to follow the third and fourth rules, respectfully. They wouldn''t initiate conversations or push for a sale. When asked, though, Parker was ready to explain their aim.


    At first, the gym seemed decently empty. The Gamblers there were staying mostly to themselves and most of them were in the distance. More slowly trickled in from the elevator and a door labeled: Stairs/Fire.


    Parker was surprised and a little disappointed when an hour passed without anyone asking what they were doing. Some came dangerously close to walking over the rug before they realized that it was there and sidestepped. However, Parker realized it wasn''t due to interest but a lack of attention to the Gamblers'' surroundings. A few looked over the items, but they didn''t say anything or get close enough to show real interest.


    Just before Parker worked up the nerve to try and respectfully bother someone, a Gambler finally approached in earnest. He looked like an old-timey gunslinger, with vest and mustache, and his voice even carried the American Southern drawl.


    He said, "Mind if I take a moment of your attention, friend?"


    Parker nodded and quickly, the gunslinger continued. "My folks were wondering what you''re doing here. You don''t have the look of a crafter, and you don''t seem interested in these facilities."


    Parker took a breath before answering. The goal was not to sell this stuff off to just anyone. It was to end up in a place where they could pass the material evaluation without error. To do that, Parker had to connect with a specific type of Gambler.


    Finally, they said, "I realized that I packed too much of some things and not enough of others. I''m not here for money or to donate but I think that a little cooperative redistribution could serve well."


    The pitch had taken everything out of Parker, but the gunslinger whistled delightfully and that was a good sign. Then he said, "Cooperative redistribution, eh? Fancy words. Let me check with the folks and see what''s what."


    The gunslinger walked away at that, and part of Parker''s mind thought that he wouldn''t return. Parker was essentially trying to flip fancy paperclips for a useful house. It wouldn''t be shocking to find that the viral trend from years ago did not work in such a different climate.


    When the gunslinger returned, because he did return but only after Parker had started to worry, there was a curious trio with him. The three folks, as the gunslinger had called them, could only be described as a noir detective, a templar knight, and an actual wizard. Parker had to wonder what the crossover from cosplay to Gambler was.


    They regretted not getting the gunslinger''s name earlier but now it was too late. The conversation flowed so quickly between the four of them who knew each other very well. It seemed like they closed ranks, with Parker being the outsider, as they looked over the goods.


    After a minute, several quick trades happened so smoothly that Parker barely noticed the actual bartering. The gunslinger traded a scaled arm guard for the crucible, presumably for bullet craft. The noir detective picked up a small kit of tools meant for geological surveying and left behind a vial of silver shavings.


    The templar knight didn''t seem interested in anything at first. Then they quickly traded a physical book on monsters for an old lock that Parker had bought secondhand. Something about an insignia on the back drew the templar knight''s attention.


    Finally, the wizard took everything that Parker had left on the rug and in exchange gave over a set of three wands in an ornate oak box. The wands, the wizard explained, were single-use but held powerful magic. One could mend anything but mortal wounds. One could create a barrier around a twenty-foot area that would create a safe zone for six hours. The last one would unleash a lightning bolt, which sounded vague but extremely destructive.


    Parker had no real experience with magic, but they had heard of similar items in the past. Every time they had heard of those kinds of things, they had price tags that rivaled houses. They decided to trust the wizard in the end instead of doubting.


    At the very least, the wands were giving off the same feeling as standing in front of a microwave that was running on high. It was clear they did something, they practically radiated power. Rather than disappear it all into a pocket reality like Parker had assumed the wizard would, the wizard also took the bundle that Parker had brought the goods in and lugged it away manually.


    All in all, it had taken less than two hours to clean out that portion of the trade pile from their inventory. Parker spent a few minutes noting on their tablet what they had traded and what they had gotten in return. Parker then left the gym for a quick lunch and to resupply.

 6: Cautious Warning

    Another mediocre salad for lunch. This time the hunger made it easier to ingest. Parker used the comforter from their bed to bundle up the rest of their trade pile and headed back down to the gym to set up again.


    For the rest of the day, Parker did their best, but that initial success was hard to match. Parker had hoped that the wizard would show up and barter for everything they had, but that didn''t happen. There was interest but nothing that seemed truly serious. Gamblers would stop to peruse, offer comments about the gear to no one in particular, and then leave after a few minutes. The one benefit that Parker got this time though, was that they did a better job of introducing themselves.


    Even though it felt awkward, they also asked for names from everyone that seemed interested even if they wouldn''t be able to remember all of them. It seemed like the courteous thing to do.


    In the end, a few memorable names and faces stuck out. There was an archer named Gere with narrow shoulders and a broad smile. Gere took interest in Parker''s idea but chastised that the only weapon they had was a dagger. Gere took a box of water purification tablets and left Parker with a solidly crafted short sword.


    Despite Gere''s chastising and the deal that leaned heavily in Parker''s favor, they had no idea how to wield a short sword except to treat it like a bigger knife.


    There was a blur of traffic after Gere. Someone had traded for Parker''s portable heater with a pair of small camping axes. Another person had traded for Parker''s solar-powered battery pack with a set of five canvas pouches. Then there was a lull in traffic at the gym.


    Eventually, a scholarly woman introduced herself as Everly. She showed interest in a few of Parker''s items, but not with any real conviction. As Everly was looking over a campfire orb, Parker tried to ask if there was anything she was looking for. Everly looked at them like they had sinned by talking. It struck Parker''s core but then she left without another word. It was only later that Parker realized she had taken the campfire orb and left behind a set of charcoal filters.


    After Everly came Parker''s last customer of the day, it took Parker a moment to recognize him. Dressed in casual jeans and a light jacket, Benson had lost nearly all of the antiseptic look he had when evaluating Parker.


    Benson picked up a pair of binoculars and said, "If only the President had chosen to grade you all on creativity. It is a useful skill that should serve you well if you end up passing."


    Parker frowned but didn''t know what to say. They settled for, "Thank you?"


    Benson nodded and held up the binoculars to Parker, "I''ll take these for a hint."


    Parker agreed and Benson continued.


    "Tomorrow''s evaluation should not be overlooked. From what I''ve heard from the attendants on duty, your material evaluation should be successful but if you fail the mental evaluation first... that leaves you back at a pair of provisional passes... which would be left up to the President''s judgment... and he has been out of sorts lately."Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.


    Parker nodded thoughtfully and tried to keep the worries to themselves. They said, "Thank you. Will I have another evaluation with you at the end?"


    Benson frowned at that. "Not if everything goes well. Be sure to spend the night getting in your right mind."


    Benson left shortly after that, and Parker followed behind. There were still a few things from the trade pile that had not been bartered off, but Parker could make do with what they had.


    The few items left could easily be carried in their lighter pack. There was another box of purification tablets, a giant blank compressed into a small tube, and a few other oddities. Each item was odd on its own, but Parker could figure out a purpose for them later. For now, there was more important information to digest.


    So far, no one shed any light on what the mental evaluation would be. The consensus, as far as Parker could pick up, was that it would be more of an exam or a test than an interview. More likely, one focused on either survival knowledge or knowledge of the archipelago.


    As they made their way back up the elevator, Parker considered the idea to be a general success. They spent the first hour back in their room reorganizing the gear into their pack. Even if the evaluators wouldn''t measure the creativity, Parker had turned a full pack that was uselessly weighed down into a light pack full of utility and function.


    After that, Parker the only thing they could think to get into their right mind for the mental evaluation: read.


    They had been solely focused on the Explorer''s Log before, but now Parker skimmed all the documents that Benson had shared. Even though a lot of the verbiage and explanations went over their head, Parker picked up some knowledge.


    Between the digital books on the tablet and the physical book that the templar knight had left with Parker, there was a lot of information about monsters and elemental energy.


    It seemed that, unlike humans, the monsters that lived in the Elemental Archipelago had a natural affinity with the island. Those with a powerful connection could call on the powers of the elemental energy. This was referred to as a blessing. While some Gamblers had found a way to earn a blessing, it was much more common that monsters exhibited the affinity.


    There were even some creatures on the islands that weren¡¯t monsters. At first, Parker considered that strange, but then they realized it would have been stranger if the islands had only been occupied by Gamblers and monsters. There were animals that lived on the islands and some references to non-monsters that followed the Archipelago from wherever it appeared. Those beings were referred to as Locals, but Parker could not find much out about them.


    Most of the entries in both sets of documents were tame and from an encyclopedic perspective. They all seemed to be a version from closer to the Calamity before a lot of the modern research had been done. It was still a good refresher for someone in Parker''s position though.


    One passage stood out to Parker from the reading, and it felt like something that Benson must have hoped that Parker would read. It came from the Advanced Primer on Elemental Affinities.


    The author Markov had written:


    "In the end, elemental affinity is not determined by birth or by skill. Instead, the base capability for growing an affinity is measured by force of will, and the elemental charge to that affinity is either impacted by temperament or circumstance. A goblin born with weak horns could still earn the Blessing of Fire if they persist despite the clear disability."


    Parker had to cross-reference the Book of Monsters on that one. Apparently, goblins had horns or at least some variations of the species did. The Book of Monsters was not the clearest on why or when they had horns. However, it was observed in both the book and the Field Reports that young goblins would use their horns in the same way that button bucks would try to lock antlers. A goblin with weak horns... Parker put the books away at that since it felt too familiar. Maybe the goblin''s parents had also tried to sell them off to business or marketing schools.

 7: Mental Evaluation

    In the morning, Parker felt woefully unprepared. It was just a general sense of dread that seemed to radiate from their bones. Benson''s words echoed in the tense stillness; Parker was definitely not in their right mind.


    Stretching seemed to still the dread in their bones. Deep breaths started to quiet the spiraling thoughts. Hydrating didn''t feel necessary, but Parker had learned that it was. Everything seemed to rest on this next evaluation, but that was how each of the previous ones had felt.


    What should have come across as reassuring that there was always another chance only came across as damning. As the sun rose and Parker got ready for the day, they felt like they would never escape this cycle of hope, despair, and evaluation.


    It was a familiar cycle for Parker, but EA had instilled it into the daily events of the nexus. They had thought the Gamble would be their escape from the chaotic cycle that had plagued their life. The only difference now was that it was a major corporation evaluating their performance, not a disapproving family member. Parker could barely force deep breaths and ground themselves to the physical realm.


    This was all an evaluation, a test for Parker to prove themselves. On the other side was the Gamble, the adventure, the grand quest that EA had issued to the world: a corporate blank check for whoever opened the Odyssey Vault.


    As Parker approached the next evaluation, that thought steeled their mind. With everything they had been through, with every one of their hopes riding on this, Parker would not fail at an evaluation of their knowledge.


    Perhaps this was what Benson meant: in their right mind. As Parker opened the door and stepped into a doctor''s examination room, not even that shook them. Instead, Parker calmly walked into the room and sat on the edge of the awkwardly raised bed. They waited, not knowing what would come next, but knowing that it wouldn''t be anything worse than their past.


    In fact, it almost made Parker laugh at how ordinary it was. The examination room had no fancy technology or arcane machinery. There was just the usual raised bed, the uncomfortable chairs in one corner, the doctor''s chair in the other, and various jars full of cotton or sticks.


    That was when the impossible happened. Just as the room was feeling too ordinary, a familiar face walked in through the opposite door. Parker felt a stone sink in their heart.


    He wasn''t as old as he should have been, Dr. Rath was nearing sixty now, but he appeared before Parker without any of the reassuring laugh lines or the gray hairs Parker joked about during their last check-up.


    The stone sinking in their heart grew larger as the too young doctor greeted Parker. His voice was normally the most reassuring, but now it haunted through the room. He said, "Sorry for making you wait, Parker. There was an issue with some of the tests."


    Parker''s voice caught in their throat. This was the doctor that they had gone to for as long as they could remember. Dr. Rath set down a too-blank medical chart on the counter. That was when the doctor spoke words that had cut Parker''s soul so deep that the wounds hadn''t healed even though a decade had passed. Words that had been aimed at reassurance but had ignited a lifelong struggle of anxiety and fear.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    With a nearly worried look, Dr. Rath looked down at Parker and said, "I made sure to re-run the tests that were inconclusive first, but it''s all clean. There is nothing wrong with you."


    "What?" Parker felt the word escape their slack jaw. In the past, they had asked it indignantly but now they asked it as if they failed to process what was happening. Parker now felt how they had in that moment. Alien, chaotic, and gross.


    The bones inside their skin felt wrong. Each breath that Parker drew felt like it went into someone else¡¯s lungs. Even their thoughts seemed to go from their brain to someone else¡¯s body.


    Now they knew better, but then it had been different. The calamity was still fresh, Parker had been convinced that something was wrong with them. Something had infected them. Something had changed them into something "other".


    Parker was different than the rest of their family. It took years to accept, but it wasn''t something that made them "other". A kind-eyed doctor had explained it that Parker was born with more possibilities than their family knew how to accept. Since it was in a way that society couldn''t capitalize on, Parker would often feel left out in the hum of daily life.


    They had mostly accepted it now, but then Dr. Rather had seemed so able to fix anything that worried Parker. A broken arm, an infected wound, and all the mild illnesses. An internal wrongness should''ve been just as easily righted. Instead, this was the first time Dr. Rath had been unable to help Parker. It had felt like losing an anchor alongside a rocky coast.


    Parker was now buffeted by waves of emotion that threatened to crash them into the coast of their past. Dr. Rath looked at them with practitioner''s pity. He said, "I know that Mr. Apis is usually busy, but if you''re really concerned there is some more work we could do with his approval. Do you want me to set up an appointment with the three of us?"


    That was all Parker could take. They felt a deep fear crack from the stone in their heart and seize up their chest. A phantom of their father loomed over from behind, a callous hand settled on their shoulder. Parker felt their heart giving out.


    A flash of light halted everything. A system they weren''t aware of shutdown. The scene disappeared immediately. Parker was left standing in an oblong glass room. Small black boxes dotted the glass: projectors. Vents on the floor and the ceiling hissed with a bitter gas. It had been some kind of induced hallucination. A simulation that left Parker feeling stupid and hollow.


    A mechanical voice echoed off the glass. "Evaluation ended prematurely due to cardiac stress on the subject. Results inconclusive, evaluator insight needed."


    Silence filled the glass. Parker couldn''t move so they stood still except for the barely managed panic breathing. Every inch of their skin felt pricked by needles.


    The mechanical voice came back eventually. "Evaluation null due to out-of-scope experiences. Parker Apis has been given a full pass in place of a re-evaluation. Meeting with the on-staff counseling doctor is recommended. All meetings with on-staff doctors are kept separate from evaluations. Would you like to schedule that now?"


    A counselor? Parker didn¡¯t want that. They just wanted to escape.


    They said, "No."


    A section of the glass room clicked, air hissed, and an escape formed behind Parker. They didn''t wait for permission to leave. They left with the hurried, uneven steps of a wild animal cautiously leaving a cage.


    Outside of that strange glass room, even the dull gray lobby felt reassuring. Somewhere in their mind, Parker realized that they weren''t alone in that feeling. Nearly a dozen Gamblers were strung around the lobby that Parker exited into. Every single one either had their head hung in their hands as they recovered from mental trauma, or they were staring at the ceiling trying to blink away some kind of terror.


    Parker paid them no attention though. They just hurried through the lobby, waved off a conversation from the orange-smocked attendant, and looked for somewhere to decompress.

 8: Social Remedy

    Time flowed strangely after the mental evaluation. Parker couldn''t tell if their thoughts were still affected by the hallucination machine or if they were just reeling in trauma. It quickly turned into a blur that Parker couldn''t control.


    To sit and exist with what had just happened was too much. To fix their mind to a task was too hard and caused a type of mental strain they couldn''t handle. Instead of going back to their room, Parker ended up in the swirling noise of the cafeteria.


    One more mediocre salad in front of them and a cacophony of shaken Gamblers around. It seemed like Parker was not the only one shaken by the recent evaluation. However, as they listened in to the tales of the others, Parker began to piece together what was supposed to happen.


    Their experience had been unpredictable and mostly unique. Two nearby Gamblers were arguing over their experiences. The first looked like an off-duty cop. He led with fiery tones. He said, "It was horrible! All my gear was gone! I was face-to-face with an ogre!"


    The other Gambler was a woman dressed like an 80''s combat medic; she was nodded casually in the spittling fire of the other Gambler''s story.


    The off-duty cop continued. "It grabbed me by the face. We wrestled and it nearly tore my arm from its socket as I tried to get away!"


    Now the 80''s combat medic soothed the conversation with a sarcastic hum. She then spoke with a cool indifference. "You had it so rough. I was bleeding to death at the bottom of an amber mine... but please, continue about how a brute like yourself couldn''t handle a single ogre."


    The off-duty cop scoffed at that and tried to backpedal to save face. "It wasn''t just the ogre! It was everything! It all felt wrong. I don''t know how they did it, but my body didn''t want to react right!"


    The 80''s combat medic just chuckled at that. A new stir of rage swelled up in the off-duty cop. Before either of them could escalate things further, a voice with a familiar drawl cut them off. "Come now, friends. In your shoes, I would focus more on passing the next evaluation after that spectacular failure instead of cutting at each other''s rope."


    In no kind words, both Gamblers told the gunslinger to leave, and he did. He walked right over to the seat across from Parker. With a comforting whistle, he sat down and then smiled at Parker.


    He said, "Some folks are talking about ghosts and ghouls, but if you ask me... you''re the only one with the look of having truly seen them. I take it you failed like the rest of us?"


    Parker shook their head. There was more to it than that but in the end, Parker had passed the evaluation. That brought a solemn nod from the gunslinger. "Couldn''t have a complete failing class, I guess."


    This time, Parker found some words and the ability to add to the conversation. It was what they missed last time. They said, "I''m Parker, can I ask your name?"


    "Devon," the gunslinger answered. "It''s nice to meet you officially, Parker. So¡­ do you think you''ll pass the final evaluation? You were looking frantic yesterday and now you''re looking fairly shattered. My friends didn''t seem too hopeful after running into your little swap shop."This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.


    Parker took a second to respond. Devon took that as an answer in and of itself. The gunslinger hooked his thumbs into his holsters and let out a slower whistle. After that, he said, "I don''t think anyone actually knows what it takes to win, let alone pass. We''re all risking everything against a Gamble no one has completed. No matter how you pass their tests, if you pass, you deserve to be here."


    "What do you think?" The question left Parker''s lips before they even properly thought it.


    Devon smiled as he stood up. It seemed like he wouldn''t answer for a second, but just before leaving he did. Devon said, "I think I''ll get a lot of use out of that crucible. See you on the islands."


    Just like that, the gunslinger left. Parker felt a little better.


    There was still the overwhelming nausea of anxiety, but it wasn''t a fathomless well Parker was falling into anymore. It was unlikely that they would run into each other again, but Parker silently thanked their new friend. They still felt like they couldn''t sit alone with their thoughts, but now they felt the capacity to work through a task return to their mind. Parker quickly finished their wilting salad and hurried back up to their room.


    The instructions for the material evaluation were to bring everything in their possession with them. That meant that Parker needed to take care of the pile of gear they wanted to recycle before tomorrow morning.


    It was a relatively simple process. Parker brought a bundle of clothes and items to a strange room that looked like a reverse dry cleaner. There was an attendant in a neon green smock waiting at the side of a conveyor belt with a floating rack overhead. There were bins for things that could not be hung and hangers for things that could.


    The attendant asked a simple question when Parker entered. They said, "Are you here to drop off or to process materials?"


    Parker hefted the bundle and said, "Just to drop off."


    The attendant gestured to the conveyor belt. "Go ahead and sort everything. Once you''re ready, I''ll run diagnostics and see what your totals are."


    It was a fairly simple process and after a few minutes, Parker had filled two bins with shoes, belts, and accessories. There were also almost two dozen garments hung up on the rack. It felt like so much more gear once it was deconstructed from the pack and the bundle. To see it all spread out reassured Parker that they needed to do this. That was the last thread on the emotional connection to the items.


    As it severed, the attendant asked, "Is that everything?"


    Parker nodded. The attendant disappeared through a door and after a few moments, the conveyor started up. All of Parker''s things slipped around the curve and behind a break in the wall.


    While Parker was waiting, another Gambler came in with a bundle of gear. Instead of the conveyor, the Gambler went to a side door that Parker had not noticed. As it closed behind the newcomer, Parker read the sign: manual processing.


    A minute later, the attendant returned with a tablet in hand. They read off an itemized list of all the things that Parker had sent over the conveyor belt. To hear all the items read out loud was a little more overwhelming than Parker expected. Once the list was over, Parker was reeling from how many resources they had wasted in compiling all those useless objects.


    Then the attendant cleared their throat and read off the tablet again, "The following conditions cannot be modified. There is a twenty percent processing fee. You are not given the direct materials from the items that are being processed. If any issues are found with your items during processing, the total will be subtracted from your estimated returns. Do you accept these conditions?¡±


    Parker nodded. Then they realized the attendant had never looked up from the tablet. With an embarrassed tone, Parker added, ¡°I accept.¡±


    The attendant tapped at the tablet. A whirr of light and energy came from somewhere just beyond Parker¡¯s perception. The attendant continued after a few seconds, ¡°After diagnostics and processing fee, your returns will be a bolt of five yards of canvas, a bolt of five yards of cloth, and a box of brass finishing. Remember that these numbers are subject to change if any issues are found in the materials. Does that work for you?"


    This time the attendant looked up for Parker¡¯s response. Parker nodded.


    The attendant clicked on their tablet. "Thank you for using the service. Your materials will be delivered to your room by end of day tomorrow."

 9: Material Subterfuge

    The next day, the material evaluation went off without remark. Parker was joined in a dull gray office-like room by two EA employees. One was a bland looking evaluator that reminded Parker of a younger but less interesting Benson. The other was a shallow-nosed appraiser wearing a cheap suit and a pair of thin glasses. They introduced themselves as Evaluator Rick and Appraiser Lolth.


    Parker followed instructions to set their pack down on a wide metal table and then step away. The appraiser was then given free reign by the evaluator to start.


    The shallow-nosed appraiser picked through Parker''s gear without much more than a few satisfied hums as they autopsied Parker''s pack. Each item was extracted carefully, turned over twice to look for issues, and then set on the wide table.


    At the end, Appraiser Lolth turned to the evaluator that had been silently waiting. Their nasally voice filled the room. "All essentials are covered with backups of important items as well as some arcane reserves to handle dire circumstance. It lacks flair, luxury, and personality but is replete with function. This pack is the most effective we have seen so far and seems perfectly suited for its carrier."


    Evaluator Rick nodded and then pressed the gray radio button on his lapel. "Parker Apis has received high marks from Appraiser Lolth. Parker Apis, exemplary pass in the material evaluation. Requesting preliminary final evaluation for him."


    "Them." Parker tried to correct but something must''ve come through the evaluator''s headset as he just held a hand up in response.


    The appraiser started reconstructing Parker''s pack with nearly mirrored moves to how it was taken apart. Parker just waited. The evaluator was clearly still listening to something on the other end of the radio.


    Just as the waiting was getting too awkward, Evaluator Rick lowered his hand and turned to Appraiser Lolth. "On Bishop''s orders, remove the wands from his pack and then you are free to move on to the next evaluation room."


    The appraiser did as instructed. They removed the boxed up wands and then left Parker alone in the room with Evaluator Rick.


    Once they were alone, Parker spoke up. They asked, "Why did the wands need to be removed?"


    When the evaluator offered no answer, Parker felt a snake constrict around their intestines. They watched as the evaluator opened the box, removed the cloth bundle inside, and set out each of the three wands in front of Parker.


    Only then did Evaluator Rick speak, but not to Parker. He clicked at his label radio and said, "Confirmed, sir. These are the ones. What would you order?"


    A moment later, the evaluator finally addressed Parker. "EA is confiscating these three wands and their packaging on the order of Regulus Commander Bishop. This does not affect your evaluation, but Commander Bishop will want to speak with you."The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    Panic flashed through Parker''s core. "You can just take them? I traded so much for those."


    "Where? These weren''t listed in your declarations and they are black marker prototypes of EA proprietary artifice."


    Parker felt themselves close off before they even knew how they were going to answer. They said, "if it doesn''t affect my evaluation, do I need to answer you or speak with the Commander?"


    Parker had recognized the name of the company but also the Commander. Parker had no intention of turning on their new friend''s friend to a group of mercenary enforcers like Regulus.


    The evaluator thought calmly for a moment, or maybe he was listening to orders through his radio. Either way, he eventually said, "If you can tell me where you acquired those wands, you do not have to do anything else. The President of EA has already signed off on your preliminary final evaluation, so you will be allowed to proceed to the archipelago."


    Parker prodded the space between the question they asked and the evaluator''s answer. "If I don''t share that, what will happen?"


    Evaluator Rick let out a tired sigh at that. "Due to the nature of your background, Regulus cannot directly enforce any restrictions on you. Regulus also does not have the authority to detain anyone associated with the EA Gamble. However, Regulus can enforce a total travel restriction for the remainder of the investigation. Even with the President approving your pass, you won''t be able to leave."


    Parker answered vaguely but immediately.


    "Two days ago, I set up down in the gym and bartered most of my extra gear for things I was missing. A wizard took all of what I had at the time for those three wands. Evaluator Benson made it sound like the attendants were aware of what I was doing so they should have more information than I do."


    A grim look came over Evaluator Rick''s face as he listened to Parker''s answer as well as something through the radio. He asked, "What does the name Malcolm Tynne or Caliburn mean to you?"


    Parker shook their head and answered honestly. "Nothing. I''ve never heard of either of those names before now."


    Then Parker followed up with a question of their own. "Is Regulus one of the groups that the President mentioned in his speech about hunting malicious Gamblers?"


    The evaluator snorted a laugh at that. He said, "The President''s speech was to dispel doubts about the evaluations. While there have been numerous rumors and unconfirmed reports, there have not been any serious incidents that would require a group like Regulus to leave the nexus."


    Parker asked the next obvious question. "Then what is the U.N.''s adventuring guild doing here? They weren''t mentioned in the U.N. treatise about this place."


    The evaluator nodded, finally understanding. "That''s where I''ve seen your family name. Your father was on the level with Regular for years. What is an heir doing here?"


    Parker deflected as hard as they could. "Do you need anything else from me? I don''t even know the wizard''s name."


    "That much is apparent. No, you are cleared for passage. Tomorrow your tablet should download an itinerary but be ready to leave by the end of the week at the earliest."


    Parker nodded and picked up their pack. Despite the light weight of the wand box that was missing, the pack felt too light without it. That was when the evaluator added two pieces of advice.


    "Your account shows a recommended counseling session as well as a lack of physical training. A week isn''t long, but I would use it well if I were you, Mr. Apis."

 10: Natural Distraction

    Parker wasn''t sure what to say to Evaluator Rick.


    They knew that the evaluator was right. Parker needed more counseling and exercise, but it didn''t seem like any amount would help starting now. It was an insurmountable climb before them, rather than trying to get better, Parker felt like they needed to find a lift to the top of the climb. An easier route than manual and mental labor.


    In the end, they just nodded and left with a head swimming through doubts. The evaluation had started so cleanly, progressed so neatly, and ended with the exemplary pass that Parker was aiming for. It was what came after that that caused such a mess in Parker''s mind.


    Maybe counseling was a good idea. Maybe it wasn''t too late to get started. Even with the adventure looming on the horizon, Parker did have a week. They would have preferred to see Dr. Rath, the real Dr. Rath, but that wasn''t possible anymore.


    Parker walked in circles around the nexus. Or at least that is what it felt like. With the uniform, sporadic halls that all settled in the same dull gray manner, Parker was not really sure where they had ended up.


    At some point they had gone back to their room and dropped off their pack, only keeping their tablet with them. Then they had wandered down a flight of stairs, avoiding the confines of the elevator. Parker thought they were back on the main floor of the facilities, but it was hard to tell. It would have been easier if the tablet had a map application, but it was still only usable for documents.


    Eventually, Parker ended up in a wing that they had never been in before. Unlike the dull gray halls, this area opened with a giant glass wall on one side that let in natural light. The off-white tile floor was replaced by long runs of faux-wood planks.


    As the warmth of the sun came in through the glass wall, it fell on raised garden beds. Bees and butterflies flowed from flower to brush as they did their work. Parker marveled at the nature nursery but then stopped when they saw someone standing at one of the flower beds. It was the Gambler that they had traded purification tablets for a short sword: Gere.


    For the first time, Parker truly took in the archer''s appearance. They looked past the gear to see the person. While dressed like a stereotypical archer, there was more to Gere than that. He had a slim frame that held more in common with a bean pole than an oak tree. His wide smile still set a little too broad, as if containing comical levels of excitement. Orangish brown curls peered out from under a cap. A butterfly rested on an outstretched finger.


    Parker cleared their throat. "Excuse me."


    Gere looked over and smiled as a butterfly left his finger. "No excuses needed, Parker, what brings you to the herbarium?"


    Parker shook their head. "How was your evaluation?"


    Gere''s smile nearly faded. "I just finished the mental evaluation. I''m one of the few that passed but I hate to say it... it was a technicality, I didn''t earn the success. They shut down the evaluation because it brought up the wrong trauma apparently."


    Parker blinked in surprise that Gere misunderstood. Gere added, "Unlike everyone else who saw a traumatic end to a fairy tale adventure, I was some of my own real trauma from before a few surgeries."


    Parker blurted out words as soon as Gere stopped. "I saw my old doctor. From what others said, I should''ve just seen a monster or a dungeon, but I just saw a painful memory."If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    Gere offered a sad smile at that. Then added, "The counselor said they''ve had issues with the system identifying real trauma instead of inducing a fictional one in that trance. Would it be strange to restart our introductions? I feel like I mostly critiqued you instead of conversing with you the other day."


    Parker offered a nod.


    "My name is Gere Hawthorne and I use he-him pronouns. How about you?"


    Parker had to take a second to answer. It was the first time on the adventure that they felt like they could answer openly about themselves.


    "My name is Parker A-¡­ I don¡¯t claim my last name anymore and I prefer they-them pronouns."


    Gere let out a light laugh at that and offered up a peaceful smile. He then said, "It''s nice to meet you, Parker, and if you ever want a family name you can be proud of let me know. Hawthorne is an encompassing and accepting house."


    "Thank you. I think I''m going to focus on this problem before trying to solve that one though."


    Gere nodded in time with Parker''s words. Then he asked, "What is the current problem you''ve got?"


    Parker did their best to fill Gere in as they walked around the garden beds of the herbarium. Occasionally, Gere would interrupt Parker''s story to get their help with weeding or pruning the plants. Parker didn''t mind the interruptions because, in those moments, Gere took over the conversation and taught them about all the strange plants in the herbarium.


    The plants were all pulled from the archipelago. Each individual raised bed represented the flora of a different island. They all gave off a vague charge of energy that Gere described as the individual plant''s affinity. Parker remembered the term from their reading but failed to see how it applied exactly.


    Even without experience, Gere''s guidance made it so Parker felt helpful. All the while, they took turns driving the conversation. Gere explained the importance of the plants and how to care for them. Parker shared their story of getting to the nexus, nearly failing all the evaluations, and then the parts about trading for the wands only to have them confiscated.


    While Parker shied away from some of their feelings in the telling of the story, Gere''s face made it clear that it still came through. Parker was partially worried that they''d given up an important item, partially worried that they''d given up one of their only friends to Regulus, and mostly worried about what it all meant for the social economy of the archipelago.


    It had been sold to the rest of the world that EA was in complete control of the archipelago. Despite the dangers, despite the mystery, the corporation made it seem like it was all going as intended. Now, EA did not seem as in control of the islands as the adverts, op-eds, and interviews back in society made them seem.


    As Gere led Parker around the last garden bed, he asked as question pointed at the heart of the issue. "Are you worried because you''re alone or because there''s no going back for you?"


    Parker spent a few moments thinking about that while Gere pruned the seedpods out of something he called a tuftbulb. The flower looked like a mixture between a lily bell and a snake''s shed skin. Gere''s fingers dipped into the flower, a knife from their other hand followed, and a second later, a seedpod came out. Like the flowers, Parker could feel the charge of energy coming from the seedpod.


    That was when Parker found their answer. "I''m not worried about being alone... but I don''t know if it''s about going back either. I feel like I''m staring into an abyss that is looking for someone more than me. What do you think it''s going to be like out there?"


    Gere shook his head. "I''m not sure about that. From what I''ve heard from my guild master..."


    Gere''s voice trailed off as he stowed the seedpod in a pouch at his hip. Parker asked, "You''re in a guild?"


    Gere nodded. He said, "Yeah, just a small one though. We''re an adventuring guild based out of Norway and we mostly focused on Towers until this Gamble."


    Parker nodded. It made sense that Gere was from something more official than just a random background.


    Gere continued, "From what my guild master said, it''s a perfect place for growth. Wild, untamed islands with only the vestiges of civilization... but he left out all information about the challenges or the dangers so I don''t know what to expect."


    They were standing at the end of the last garden bed now. The sun was setting outside the giant glass wall. Parker thought about asking Gere to travel with them for a while. Maybe they were worried about going alone. That brought a new swell of anxiety, both about asking and about going alone.


    It seemed like, unlike Parker, Gere had someone waiting on him. Instead of asking, Parker said goodnight and returned to their room.

 11: The Calm (End of Part One)

    Parker''s tablet chirped before sunrise as it downloaded a new document. It woke Parker up and they couldn''t get back to sleep after that, even if they tried. Instead, they read the new download. It was their itinerary.


    Despite the sense of urgency, it would be a full week before they set out for the first actual island of the challenge. Apparently, more Gamblers than EA anticipated passed the evaluations and so the boats from the nexus to the first island needed to be staggered to not crowd either location.


    The week did pass quickly enough but it felt like the calm before a brewing storm. Parker took the evaluator''s last advice by signing up for a counseling session, which turned into three spread out over the week, and started going to the gym to do some basic exercises.


    While Parker did fine in normal counseling, these sessions focused more on accepting the changing circumstances, modifying their breathing techniques to correct bad habits, and identifying new stressors that had come up. Parker tried to take it all in step, but the new counselor was not the reassuring kind. They wanted to make sure that Parker was mentally ready for the next week and that was a little uncomfortable.


    The gym, on the other hand, was terrible. Parker felt leagues behind the other Gamblers as just a light job and some resistance training was enough to floor them. Meanwhile, other Gamblers were swinging steel beams and lifting concrete boulders as a warm up. It was hard to not compare.


    In the afternoons, Parker looked for their friends. First, they went back to the herbarium to look for Gere but never ran into him again. Instead, Parker wandered the raised garden beds and did their best to remember what he had said about each plant. They looked for issues of weeding, crowing, and rot that Gere had talked about. There was little to find and little to fix but by the end of the week, Parker felt better.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.


    In the evenings, Parker would go to the cafeteria and sit there to eat instead of retreating to their room. The salads got better with time, or Parker lowered their standards. The crowds were still overbearing but now that the evaluations were done, the conversations were much quieter. Those who passed and those who failed both knew where they stood. Parker kept an eye out for Devon''s group but never saw the gunslinger or any of the other strangers in his group.


    At the end of the week, Parker felt as ready as he could. The counseling had been validating, if a little uncomfortable at first. The exercise had been awful but eye opening and now Parker felt like they at least had a better idea of their physical limits. They truly weren''t the worst, they just weren''t impressive in any way.


    As for the herbarium visits, Parker felt that just with a glance they could tell more about plants than they could before. Instead of just an admiration for nature, when Parker looked at a plant they could see the natural flow. It was like they imitated Gere. They saw the parts of the whole, the supply and demand of floral life, or even a general sense of health from the plant. It felt like their mother had described in years long gone: like connecting with something.


    A slightly biased view was that Parker felt like a better version of the same person. It wasn''t monumental, but it was hopeful. They had their gear ready and an adventure stretched out before them. The arm guard felt heavy on their wrist. The shortsword was alien on their hip. The breeze as they made their way down to the dock at the back of the nexus facilities felt fantastic.


    Parker was one of ten getting on the boat. They weren''t friendly or familiar with any of the others, but everyone on that dock had the same thought. It was finally time. To each of them, the Odyssey Vault meant something different but in that moment each of them believed that they would be the one to open it. It was a child-like fantasy shared by the reckless Gamblers who were called to this place. For the first time, Parker truly felt it.

 12: A Boat Captains Warning (Beginning of Part Two: Air Island)

    Unlike the Neutral Nexus that EA built their facilities on, the next island had a palpable aura. As the boat sailed into its sight, there was a sudden pressure. It rose like invisible boiling water, popped in one large bubble burst, and left behind the feeling of freshly laundered linens.


    Parker had been in one of the boat''s cabins when it happened. Without a reference, it felt like a sudden altitude change. It left a rough fuzzy feeling in their ear drums, but after a moment it ended. The feeling became a pleasant aura that permeated everything. Even the gentlest breeze seemed to carry a shimmer like it had picked a wave of salt off the water''s surface. The boat slowed as they got closer and Parker found themselves standing on deck, ready to depart.


    From a distance, through the cabin window, the island had not looked like much. A basic tuft of green that peeked out over the water was then capped by a rocky outcropping. The rocks were too tall to be a hill but not tall enough to be a mountain.


    However, as the boat grew closer, Parker could see that the rush of green was a shallow set of rolling hills with clusters of dark forest filling their valleys. What had looked like a simple rocky outcropping was a complex series of windswept cliffs that seemed to one-up each other as they led to higher grasslands and sparse woods.


    Instead of a direct approach, Parker felt the boat veer to the side as it kept a safe distance from the shore and started to circle around the island. There didn''t appear to be anywhere to dock, as Parker scanned across the shore. It also seemed like, even though it was the first island, it was completely vacant.


    The rolling hills had patches of vibrant color and flowers grew around the clusters of tall grass. Something must have lived in those valleys with their dark forests. However, Parker could not see a single living, moving thing on the island from where they stood on the boat.


    Then the boat sailed around to the Northeastern side of the island. It had only seemed vacant from a distance. As the ship slowed to a lull on the water, a bay opened before them.


    Just wide enough for a boat to safely sail in, the bay looked like a crater set into the edge of the island that had then filled with seawater. That was when Parker saw what they were waiting for.


    The boat had slowed because another boat was exiting the bay. Instead of a sailing boat like the one that Parker stood on, the exiting boat was metallic and looked out of place.


    It was more like a ferry than a boat. Wide metal panels ran across the front and sides, and there were a few viewing decks on top, but most of the passengers were hidden behind the tinted glass windows.


    Another difference between the ferry and the boat that Parker stood on was that the ferry seemed to slide across the water like it was pulled by rails whereas Parker''s boat was buffeted by waves or wind. While Parker was trying to notice all the differences between the two vessels and pick out their function, motion caught their eye.


    On the upper side desk of the ferry, a figure was practically hanging off the edge. Devon, the gunslinger, waved to Parker enthusiastically. Devon''s party stood calmly nearby as Parker''s friend looked unhinged trying to wave and capture Parker''s attention.


    When Parker waved back, Devon settled down a bit. The gunslinger then pointed at Parker and gave a solid thumbs up. It was a silent message but a strong reassurance. Parker felt like Devon was saying, "If we can do this, you can do this!"


    Parker expressed their gratitude as much as they could while the vessels passed each other. Parker might not have been as skilled as Devon, or as well-equipped as his party, but Parker did belong here nonetheless. After all, they had passed the evaluations just like everyone else on their boat.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    After checking the straps on their pack and adjusting the sword sheath on their hip, Parker was finally feeling ready to start the adventure. The boat picked up speed again and started to sail into the bay. The rest of the Gamblers joined Parker on the deck.


    As they sailed through the island''s mouth and into the bay, it was breathtaking. The ambient sway of energy in the air rose as if the oxygen was suddenly purer. The wisps of energy passing on the winds were now joined by husk-like petals of a strange flower that fell from the sky. The windswept cliffs came together in spirals trailing the edges of a labyrinth. A faint glow of silver came from atop those cliffs like sunlight reflecting off water.


    Closer to the bay, tucked up against the closest rolling hill was the strangest vestige of civilization. A full bayside town stretched out before the boat. There were four large buildings spread out around the town with dozens of smaller buildings spread out between them. There was a pier large enough for the boat to dock at and spread out over the shore of the bay were several small fishing stands.


    As the boat pulled up to the dock, they looked for any sign of where to go next. Parker was not the only one to do so. The other Gamblers had assumed that someone would explain. It was starting to look like that would not be the case. The Gamblers tried to find something in the scene to guide them.


    Of the larger buildings, one was clearly an EA facility. It was built in the same dull gray modern design that the nexus facilities were. It looked the most promising out of the buildings because the others gave off the appearance of housing, storage, and laboratory, respectively.


    The smaller buildings were more varied but less immediately helpful. Parker could see signs for a smithy, a few other businesses further in, and a tavern pressed right up against the pier. There were also smaller buildings that looked like houses or offices but as far as direction went, all ten Gamblers waiting to disembark seemed to focus on the EA building.


    As if sensing their collective intent, the boat''s captain left the helm to a helper and addressed them for the first time since telling the Gamblers to board.


    In a gruff voice as salty as the sea air, the boat captain said, "I wouldn''t bother them. If you haven''t taken the hint yet, EA has a strict policy. To keep the integrity of the challenge, those employed by EA cannot show favoritism to any Gambler.


    One of the more aggressive of the group heated at that. He said, "So they won''t help us?!"


    The boat captain nodded, "Tis easier to equally help no one than it is to equally help everyone."


    The aggressive Gambler picked up again. "Where should we go then? Are you just going to abandon us on the pier?"


    The boat captain shook his head and tapped at an EA pin on his coat''s lapel. Even though it was implied, he still said it. "The rules apply to support staff as well, not just the EA drones milling about."


    "You would leave us with nothing?"


    Parker caught a smile in the corner of the boat captain''s eye. "I''ll leave you at the pier, which is all I''m allowed to do. Where you go, what you do, and who you decide to help from there is your choice to make.


    Then the boat clanked onto the pier, signifying departure time. The boat captain led the way while avoiding any comments or remarks from the Gamblers. Then he bid the ten newest Gamblers luck as they started to walk down the pier.


    Parker hung back for a moment, close to the boat captain. The others seemed listless. It was as if the captain''s words had torn the wind from their sails. Some still headed for the EA building, ignoring the warning, but the rest dispersed toward the other three large buildings.


    Parker thought of Devon, the gunslinger who had already cleared the challenge. Then they turned to the boat captain with a question in mind.


    "Excuse me, captain, I understand if you can''t answer but I was curious about something."


    The boat captain nodded approval.


    Parker continued. "When you say that those employed by EA can''t show favoritism, do you mean that we''re on our own or that we''ve already gotten all of the help that we need?"


    The boat captain smiled at the question. Unfortunately, Parker was right about the captain not being able to answer. Instead, he turned back to the boat and called out to the crew.


    "Departure is scheduled for three hours from now. The quicker the goods are gone, the more shore we get!"


    That seemed to galvanize the crew. Deckhands and sailors appeared from nooks and crannies all over the ship. They started to heft barrels and boxes down the plank to the pier. Parker quickly got out of their way.

 13: Cabana Tavern

    Before wandering off into the bayside town, Parker needed to figure out what that meant. According to the boat captain, EA would not be helping anymore. Other Gamblers might be willing to share knowledge. Parker knew that if that knowledge was helpful, it wouldn''t be free.


    The Gamblers had been forced to turn in their tablets before departing the nexus. Parker had done their best to memorize at least the highlights of the reading material. In the end, it all came down to the elements. The economy, the challenges, and even the creatures that roamed the wilds of each island were tied to the island¡¯s elements.


    The first stop would be the first building ahead of them. There was no sense in wandering further without clear direction. Even if they weren''t a heavy drinker, Parker was socially aware enough to know that bars, taverns, and similar establishments let rumors flow just like alcohol. Nothing was ever truly free, but in this case, Parker was just trying to figure out the cost.


    To fit the general feel of the island so far, the tavern was not some dimly lit drinking well. Instead, awnings hung just enough over open walls to block the wind and the sea rain while letting the natural light in. Tall tables spread out like flowers in bloom and a waiter dressed for a sunny day at the beach carried drinks around on a tray.


    It was still early in the afternoon, but a few Gamblers were taking a quick rest with a drink. While Parker didn''t recognize any of them, they did notice a visible difference between these Gamblers and the ones at the nexus. Instead of hopeful, they seemed tired.


    The Gamblers in the tavern carried a weight to their actions. Gear that was more worn than fresh. Attitudes more curt than friendly. Parker couldn''t help but think that maybe they had come to the wrong place for information.


    Rather than bothering anyone, Parker sat down at one of the open tall tables near the edge of the tavern. Within a few seconds, the waiter arrived with a welcoming smile that fit the airy atmosphere much more than the tired Gamblers. He said, "Welcome to the Beach, my name is Aaron. How can we help you today?"


    Parker tried to pick up on clues from what the others were doing. They said, "I''m not sure... a snack and a light drink would be nice."


    Aaron nodded. "We''ve got a few appetizers you could try. Roasted tree nuts, seafoam crisps, or pretzel bites. As far as light drinks go, the folks headed on to the next island nearly cleared us out. I''ve got a few bottles of wine, or I could brew a coffee."


    Parker thought it over for a second. "I''m okay with just a coffee for now then."


    "Great! It''ll take a minute but then I''ll bring it back over. How will you be paying today?"


    Parker did their best to hide a swell of anxiety. For some reason, they had thought that conversational clues would let them know how to pay but that did not happen. They asked, "Do you have a preference?"


    Aaron caught on immediately. He looked past Parker to the boat that was nearly unloaded now. Aaron said, "It seems you''re new. Did you just arrive from the nexus?"


    Parker nodded.


    Aaron continued, "First drink is always on the house, but for anything else, you''ll need to figure out payment. I''d recommend checking the bulletin board to see if anyone posted anything."


    It was a helpful non-answer. Parker wondered if Aaron was employed by EA or if he wasn''t able to help for some other reason. When Aaron had mentioned the bulletin board, he had gestured toward one of the walls. While Parker looked at the wall, Aaron went to go start the coffee.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    There was a cork and plaster community bulletin board nailed to one of the few proper walls in the tavern. At the top, it said: Gambler Requests. There were a few scraps of paper tacked to the board and Parker half expected to see something about a missing cat.


    While Aaron tended to the other Gamblers and Parker''s coffee brewed behind the bar, Parker made their way over to the bulletin board. Most of the posts had nothing for Parker. They were party requests looking for Gamblers to fulfill specific roles. Parker vaguely remembered reading about roles like Guardian or Support, but only in the sense of knowing that they could not fill those roles.


    Two pieces of paper caught Parker''s attention though. The first was a map of the island. It was crudely drawn and oriented as if the bay was on the South end of the island instead of the Northeastern side. Even still, it did show off important areas.


    The bayside town was clearly marked and there were a few paths marked from the town leading into the island. One path led up to the windswept cliffs where a diamond marker was labeled: Air Altar. Another went to a red-circled forest labeled: Goblin Hunting Grounds.


    Parker had never seen a goblin in person, but the image from the book of monsters stuck in their head. The monster wasn''t something they wanted to run into. The average goblin was just smaller than Parker but with more natural ferocity. They had oversized knife-shaped ears and a pumpkin-shaped head with knotted horns growing out the top instead of a stem.


    Beyond that, goblins were known to work in packs to single out weaker targets and wear them down. Parker was not sure exactly how strong a goblin was, but something nagged at Parker''s neck to say that they were exactly the type of prey a goblin hunting party would try to wear down.


    The second paper was more immediately helpful. It was a request for ingredients. According to the author of the request, the seeds of a local flower could be used to brew a resistance potion. Parker had little to no experience crafting of any kind, let alone alchemy, but the paper did hold a familiar sketch. Parker recognized the flower drawn even if the author didn''t add a name.


    Gere had called them tuftbulbs and Parker recalled exactly how Gere had extracted the seedpod. Gere had even softly pointed out that the seedpod was at the base of the bulb, not centered in the flower''s petals.


    The request mentioned a point on the map where they could be found. Most importantly, at the bottom of the page, the pay for the collection was outlined: a vial of copper shavings for a dozen seedpods.


    On its own, it didn''t seem like much but tucked away in their pack, Parker had a vial of silver shavings. They hadn''t been sure of the bartering value but if a gathering request paid in copper, silver had to be worth more.


    When Aaron set down a mug of coffee and a saucer of cream at the nearest open table, Parker had two questions. First, they asked, "Is it alright if I take this?"


    Parker was gesturing to the gathering request for tuftbulb seedpods. Aaron nodded. "That seems to be the system y''all Gamblers have set up. Just only take what you can complete. Unless you want to anger the others."


    Then it was time for Parker''s second question. "Where can I find a place to stay for a vial of silver?"


    Aaron''s quick responses faltered at that. Then he checked to make sure none of the nearby patrons were looking for service. Then he finally said, "If you don''t need much comfort, the Alta building at the South end of town is the best deal. You could probably stay there for a few weeks with that much... if you can get it."


    Parker shook their head in slight confusion. "Do you mean if I can get a room? Are they busy?"


    Aaron clarified the point. "No, if you can get the silver. I don''t know the state of other islands, but we barely even see full vials of copper being used here."


    As they thanked Aaron for the information as well as the coffee, Parker settled onto a seat to think. That was when Parker started to reframe their mental checklist. Some things could be studied or understood with time, but there were others that needed to be solved as soon as possible.


    First was the barter system and the economy, specifically of this island. Second was a safe place to sleep at night, which they had a decent lead on. The last item on the checklist loomed like a threat in the distance. How were they supposed to complete the island''s challenge?


    For now, Parker did their best to relax and drink the free coffee. Their sights were set on the fourth of the larger buildings. Now that Parker had acclimated to the view of the town, they could see the word "ALTA" set into the side of that building. It was also further South, in the direction that Aaron had implied, and it looked like a tenement building of sorts.


    Once they secured a room to sleep in and store their things, Parker would head out of the town. They double-checked the map one more time before leaving the tavern, just to make sure they knew which path to take to get to the tuftbulb patch that the request mentioned.

 14: Room and Reading

    The streets of the bayside town were not necessarily empty, but there was not much life to them. Parker saw a few Gamblers bartering at the smithy they had seen earlier. Then there were some regular-looking people carrying crates from one building to another. However, there was not enough activity to make the streets feel lived in. It felt like everyone was somewhere else, doing something that Parker should have been a part of.


    Eventually, Parker made it to the Alta building. It was several stories taller than the nearby houses and it was a dull earthy tan that begged for personality but received none. There were some rooms that had balconies overlooking the street below but the higher up the building Parker looked, the less balconies they saw.


    At the base of the building was an office of sorts that felt more industrial era than the rest of the bayside town. It was like the entire tenement building had been added as an afterthought with whatever materials could be sourced.


    Inside, dull lights flickered but didn''t fully light up the office. Parker found themselves standing across from a squat old man with a furious brow and a sour mustache. The old man''s name tag said: Erickson Alta.


    Parker cleared their throat, "Excuse me, Mr. Atla. I was told that I could come here to get a room for a few weeks."


    "A few weeks?" The old man scoffed. "You''re already planning on failing the challenge for that long?"


    Parker shook their head, "I just like to be prepared and have a place to do that preparation."


    Mr. Alta gruffled at that. "Well, there isn''t a refund policy if you don''t use the room for the full time."


    Parker might have been frowning pitifully at that, but they weren''t sure.


    Mr. Alta must''ve picked up on something because he added. "For a kid like you, though, if you end up leaving early... let me know and I''ll see what I can do. As long as you keep the place clean."


    Parker nodded with a smile. "I''ll do my best to keep the space tidy."


    Mr. Alta sighed. "Now, how are you going to pay for your stay?"


    Parker retrieved the vial of silver shavings from their pack. At first, Mr. Alta seemed to be overjoyed by the sight. It was like Parker had pulled out a blank check. However, that joy faded slightly, as Mr. Alta''s eyes hardened a bit.


    He said, "Would you mind if I inspect that?"


    Parker handed the vial over. Mr. Alta opened the cap on the vial and took a deep breath. Parker could smell something like a stagnant wind. Mr. Alta nodded and capped the vial again.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.


    "I can offer you a room for two weeks for this. Normally, I''d say four, but these are pretty old."


    Parker had no idea what Mr. Alta meant by that, but they also didn''t feel like they could ask. However, two weeks was better than no weeks. Parker nodded in agreement and Mr. Alta gave Parker a key as well as directions on how to get to their room.


    Less than an hour later, with the sun slowly setting, Parker did their best to decompress in their room. Parker wished that EA had let them keep the tablet they had been using. Even printed versions of the materials would have been appreciated. At least Parker had bartered for the book of monsters.


    While getting used to their new room, Parker sat in the corner and did some light reading. The room was small. It was just barely more than a kitchenette, a writing desk, a dresser, a chair with a small table in the corner, and a futon for a bed. Still, it was more than enough for Parker. More space might have made them feel too comfortable.


    They used the rest of their day to refresh their thoughts on goblins. There was not much to read that they hadn''t already thought about. According to the book, goblins were just another primitive monster left over after the calamity struck and fantastical things were displaced into the mundane world. Parker remembered that the Field Reports had more modern knowledge about goblins, but they no longer had access to those.


    The book of monsters reported that goblins had mastered the use of simple tools quickly. It went into detail about how goblins were known for their keen senses of smell and hearing. Those attempting to study the goblins would have to stay still for hours and let the goblins pass them by just for the chance to study.


    Immediate studying found that goblins had an astounding tolerance for pain, but Parker wondered how much of that mirrored human science from the early modern age. The first few attempts to capture a goblin had led to many injuries and a few deaths. Even when hooked with a net or caught in a trap, the goblin would keep fighting. It was as if the goblin knew all they had to do to escape was to kill the person trying to capture them.


    Truly, goblins were hard to deal with as a single person or solo adventurer. Parties could split their focus and negate the goblin''s natural advantages, but just like Parker had remembered the pack or tribe mentality would prove dangerous. One helpful note Parker found was that goblins were notoriously selfish and easily distracted.


    Even if they hunted in effective small groups, they were prone to self-sabotage, kill-stealing, and jealous outbursts. More remembering from the Field Reports than reading from the book of monsters, Parker knew that goblin economies focused on a few central rules.


    First among them was that the strongest ruled. The rest were treated as equally important and overruled by the first, in general. However, they were simple but effective rules that Parker could understand. The spoils of a hunt belonged to the one who dealt the killing blow, which inspired the kill-stealing. Gathering was just as important as hunting, which struck Parker as odd. Finally, all non-goblins were fair targets.


    Parker had to wonder if there was more to goblins than the book outlined and what they could remember from the Field Reports. They were almost described as humanoid wolves with a basic societal structure. If there was a goblin tribe on the island, Parker wondered what the interactions between Gamblers and goblins were like.


    It was added to their mental checklist of things to learn, but it was less important than the looming challenge and the gathering request. Parker shifted from their seat in the corner to the cushions of the futon and fell into a deep sleep almost immediately.

 15: Day One, Properly

    When morning came over the island, Parker had all intentions of tracking down the tuftbulbs to fulfill the Gambler Request they had picked up shortly after arriving. However, from the third-floor balcony of their room at the Alta building, Parker saw something curious enough to derail their plans. A party of three Gamblers was walking down the main street of the bayside town, drawing the attention of everyone they passed due to the strange totem they carried with them.


    It was less of a totem and more of a heavy beam with five small corpses strapped to it like war trophies. It took Parker a few minutes of watching the Gamblers march down the street to realize what it was. The small corpses were a strange white-green color and knife-shaped ears protruded from pumpkin-shaped heads.


    Goblins.


    That answered Parker''s question about Gambler-goblin relations. The curious part was that they were headed out of town. Parker watched as the party of Gamblers left the bayside town and started to head for the windswept cliffs.


    Parker wasn''t the only one watching. More than just a few onlookers, a crowd had formed along the road as the party trekked on. No one seemed to follow them, but Parker couldn''t help themselves.


    Watching for as long as they could from the balcony, Parker tracked the party''s moves. It was enough that when Parker descended from the Alta building and exited to the streets, they were able to follow with their pack strapped tight.


    Even without any real training in tracking, Parker was able to recreate the party''s path. Three sets of heavy footprints left quite a mark on the soft dirt path. Outside of the town, the path led up a rolling hill and into a chasm between two windswept cliffs. Just before going into the chasm, Parker looked down the grassy hillside to see a cluster of tuftbulbs. They would be back for those next.


    As Parker walked between the two cliffs, they realized it was less of a chasm and more of a cliff-bordered ramp. With each step, the incline grew a little steeper until Parker was doing a considerable lift to follow the path. The air grew heavier as they went but instead of finding it hard to breathe, Parker felt invigorated with each breath.


    It was nearly tangible elemental magic. This was the strongest that Parker had ever felt. Moreso than the faint sense that encompassed the island or the few bursts they had been exposed to before chasing this Gamble. It wasn''t even actually magic, just hyper-condensed energy but it felt like magic.


    With each step, Parker could feel more in tune with the island. In the distance, the path grew tall enough to match the clifftops. Before then, a ring of flowers along the cliffside caught Parker''s eye. They were growing like trail markers.


    Parker thought they looked placed at first, but when they inspected the stalks and stems of the flowers, they realized that wasn''t accurate. The roots were desperately dug into the side of the cliff. Parker knew that they had taken hold there somehow.


    Closer to the top, there were even more flower rings. They blended colors of amber, red, and gold. Parker couldn''t help but take the flowers as some message or warning. They had no idea what the message was though, so they kept walking.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    At the very top, Parker remembered something from the day before as they stepped out onto the flower covered plateau. They were just about where the map had labeled something called the "Air Altar".


    While climbing the ramp-like path, Parker had been sure that there were higher cliffs and that they had not hiked so high. Yet, standing on the plateau all Parker could see was clear skies stretching from horizon to horizon overhead.


    What had at first seemed like a chaotic, rampant growth of flowers turned out to be neatly packed rings of alternating blooms. The colors blended from ring to ring and Parker couldn''t discern the pattern or the species but there was something to it. A sense of power radiated from the rings as if it were feeding back toward something in the center of the plateau.


    The path continued forward, a lone soft dirt trail through the rings of flowers. At the center, where the energy seemed to radiate like the tides, was a mess of figures. The three Gamblers from earlier, their pillar of goblin corpses, and a golden altar. From the distance, obscured by the other figures, Parker could not make out the entirely of the altar. One thing was clear though: a silver-colored crystal floated over the altar at eye level.


    While it hovered at eye level, it was still clear to see as it also loomed over the Gamblers at the altar. The silver crystal was easily twice Parker''s size. It rivaled the beam with the five goblins on it and was probably just barely bigger.


    Parker felt like they were intruding on something intimate as they watched from a distance. Two of the Gamblers hefted the beam so that it was balanced on the altar. As soon as the beam was placed, the Gamblers backed away.


    A thrum of power struck like a chord from the altar across the plateau. The power reverberated outward, quickly bending the stalks of flowers toward distant horizons. When it hit Parker like a rush of wind, they closed their eyes for just a moment.


    When they opened them again, the air had settled back down. The three Gamblers were heading away from the altar seemingly empty-handed. As they grew closer, Parker realized that they hadn''t left the beam and the goblin corpses behind. Those had simply vanished.


    The Gamblers noticed Parker and the leader of the trio shook her head in disdain. She said, "If you''re hoping to poach some secrets, you''re out of luck. Even with that haul, all we got was copper."


    Before Parker could ask what she meant, one of the others chimed in. "Excuse us. It has been a long hunt and we were hoping that would be our silver ticket off this island."


    Then the third Gambler jumped in as well. "Don''t bother with this onlooker. Can''t you see they''re completely lost and helpless?"


    That last comment was directed at Parker in a pitying way as the trio passed by. Parker didn''t bother replying or questioning them. Instead, as soon as Parker was alone on the plateau, they headed for the altar.


    The strange sensation grew that Parker was not alone the closer they got to the altar. Looking from horizon to horizon, Parker could tell no one else was there but they still felt accompanied.


    While the crystal loomed overhead, silver and rippling in the wind, the altar itself was exactly what it had appeared from the distance¡­ pure gold. The design was simplistic, consisting of two golden slabs. One slab was slightly raised and that was where the crystal floated.


    The second slab stood between Parker and the crystal. This was where the Gamblers had hefted their haul of goblins. Parker assumed it had been a sort of offering. Even though the haul was gone, the altar was not empty.


    Golden tools of ritualistic purposes were laid out on the slab and at the center was a deep golden bowl. Engraved around the inside of the bowl, in dozens of languages, were fine printed characters. It took Parker a few moments to find a language they could read. It said: The pure Blessing of Wind can only be granted to a pure offering.


    The Gamblers had offered up a haul of goblins as their sacrifice, but they hadn''t been happy with the outcome. The leader had mentioned a silver ticket, and the bowl referenced the Blessing of Wind. Even if Parker did not know the solution, they had at least found the riddle at the heart of the island''s challenge.


    A pure offering was needed.


    Five dead goblins wasn''t the answer.

 16: Seedpods and Elemental Energy

    It seemed barbaric. Parker wondered how many goblins had been offered up so far and if any of it had counted. Unfortunately, Parker had nothing to try and offer up at the altar, so they left the plateau behind. On the way back to the bayside town, Parker kept an eye out for goblins as they stopped to harvest the seedpods from the patch of flowers they had seen on the way in.


    Even with Gere''s words echoing in their head, Parker''s hands were not steady enough. As they knelt down in the dirt, dagger in hand, the wispy petals of the tuftbulb swayed in the breeze just enough to cause Parker to slip.


    The dagger blade cut into the seedpod instead of cutting it away from the flower. A wisp of elemental energy escaped from the cut, startling Parker and causing them to accidentally cut into the flower itself. Another wisp of energy escaped and this time Parker felt it deeply.


    The energy from the seedpod had a faint potential. The energy from the flower had been the plant''s life. It escaped up into the sky and dissipated on a breeze. Even if it had just been a plant, Parker had killed it and the feeling was strange.


    For one, Parker did not like it. For another reason, Parker wondered how linked the island''s nature, energy, and crystal were. The energy that dissipated on the breeze had felt similar to the energy radiating from the crystal on the plateau.


    With growing anxiety and a forced stillness, Parker tried a second flower. This time the flower survived but the seedpod cracked in their hand. There was a gentleness needed in the collection.


    It took until the afternoon, and several seedpods were strewn about the hillside after cracking, but Parker was able to gather what they needed without killing another flower.


    It felt good but Parker''s mind raced at the thought of other Gambler''s knowing how Parker felt as that first flower died. Would they call Parker soft? Unsuited to this Gamble? Parker had already heard those words and this felt good.


    With the tuftbulb seedpods gathered in a canvas pouch, Parker thought back to the altar. There was a decent breeze of elemental energy coming from the pouch. Would this be a pure offering?


    Even if it was, Parker felt dishonest in that thought. They had gathered these seedpods for someone else. To use it for themselves instead, after taking the Gambler Request, seemed malicious.


    Following the path back to the bayside town, Parker then followed directions on the back of the Gambler Request. At the end, they found a witchy cottage tucked between two boring stone houses. The cottage was made up of ruddy orange bricks, trellises of vines grew over the walls, and the door was an inviting dark oak archway.


    When Parker knocked, they weren''t sure what to expect. They didn''t expect someone younger then them though and that is what answered the door. A teenager in a long gray robe with a tangled mat of hair the same ruddy orange as the bricks answered the door with a yawn. Parker wondered if they had been sleeping.


    Parker asked, "Excuse me, are you Balan?"


    The teenager nodded and suppressed a second yawn. "Yep. What do you need? Crafting hours aren''t for another two."


    Parker held up the Gambler Request. "I took this from the tavern. I was wondering if you still needed the seedpods."


    Balan took the paper and hummed over it for a second. Then they added, "Oh, I remember this one! Posted it so long ago, I didn''t think I''d ever get them. Yes, if you can harvest them, I do need the seeds. It''s a tricky plant though, so don''t feel too bad if you can''t do it, get frustrated, and give up... that''s what I did anyway."


    Then Parker offered up the canvas pouch. "Actually, I-"


    Parker was cut off as Balan snatched the pouch from their hands and disappeared into the witchy cottage. Parker stood awkwardly at the door looking down at their now-empty hands.


    After a few seconds, Balan must have realized that Parker hadn''t followed behind. The teenager called out from somewhere in the cottage. Their words seemed to echo out of the cracks in the brick.


    "Come in, come in! Straight back and to the left!"


    Once urged, Parker stepped inside. The interior matched the feel that the exterior gave off. It wasn''t bright but it wasn''t dark. Charms hung on the walls like art, crystals were arranged on shelves to display their brilliance or their power, and jars of what could only be described as monster parts suspended in oil dotted the overfilled bookshelves.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    An arch to the right opened up to a library, but Parker followed the directions Balan had shouted. Back and to the left, there was another arch. Rather than a library, this was a workroom of sorts.


    Benches, desks, and drawers lined the walls and all were covered with half finished projects. In the center of the workroom, Parker expected to see a bubbling cauldron. Instead, there was a circular table covered in vials, beakers, and decanters filled with liquids of all colors.


    Balan was clearing off one of the desks, close to Parker''s left when they entered. Parker walked in right as something like a mechanical spider got shoved into a drawer. Then Balan carefully rolled out a foam mat and picked the tuftbulb seedpods from the canvas pouch one by one.


    Closely inspecting the seedpods and measuring them with a scale, Balan only paused once or twice. Then, one all of them were weighed and lined up, the teenager pulled a headband covered in magnifying glasses down over their eyes for a closer look.


    Moments later, Balan looked up at Parker with bug-like magnified eyes. "You collected these all yourself? How long did it take you?"


    "Most of the morning, I think."


    Balan gasped at that and pulled the lens-laden band off. "A few hours? These are all perfect and intact. I was expecting to lose about half to sloppy gathering techniques. How many did you have to cut to get these?"


    Parker took a second to remember and then explained. "Around twenty. The first one I cut the flower as well, so I took my time on the rest, but I still ended up losing too many seedpods."


    Balan''s head tilted to the side like a confused cat as they peered closer to Parker. "Are you a botanist or something?"


    Parker shook their head and recounted what Gere told them. "Just beneath the petals, the seedpod is attached by a few fibrous strands."


    Now it was Balan''s turn to shake their head. "I have to pay you more for this. A vial isn''t enough."


    Parker interjected as Balan started to pick through drawers for payment. They said, "I''ll take the vial and some knowledge if that''s okay."


    Balan stopped. They looked down at the single vial of bronze-colored shavings in hand. Finally, Balan agreed. "That''s fair, knowledge for knowledge after all. What do you want to know?"


    Parker pointed at the vial. "What is that?"


    Balan let out a loud laugh. "You''re new, aren''t you?"


    "It''s my second day... first full day I mean."


    Balan composed themselves and took a deep breath. "Alright, in that case, I''ll give you as complete a breakdown as I can. This vial contains the leftover energy from an elemental coin after it was carved down to make an enchantment. These shavings are pretty common on Air Island because they come from impure elemental coins. I''m not sure why but impure coins are copper and the pure ones are silver."


    That mostly made sense to Parker. There was only one hole in the logic. "What can you do with the shavings? Why does everyone accept them as payment?"


    Balan grew slightly serious at that question. "Look, it''s probably none of my business but are you sure you should be here? This is the easiest of the islands and it doesn''t seem like you know any of the basics. Who was your sponsor?"


    Parker didn''t understand the question. "Do you mean my evaluator at the nexus?"


    "What? No! Oh-" Balan cut off for a second and then took another overtly deep breath. "Unlike you, almost every other Gambler here has a sponsor. It could be a family member, a boss, a raid leader, or a guild master."


    Parker thought of Gere''s comment about communicating with their guild master. Maybe this was what he had meant.


    Balan continued, "The role of a sponsor is to bring in Gamblers, teach them the bare minimum, and if that Gambler goes all the way, they get a portion of the reward. Sponsors are like Gamblers who got caught up in multi-level marketing. They recruit their friends and family to the Gamble and EA gives them a bonus for each Gambler they sponsor."


    It was the first time anyone had brought it up to Parker. On the entrance forms and applications, there had been a space for a sponsor to be listed but Parker thought it meant an endorsement from a company, so they left it blank. Benson, the evaluator, hadn''t even brought it up.


    Feeling off from the revelation, Parker deflected. "Who was your sponsor?"


    Balan answered without hesitation. "My gran. She ran this place for a few years before wanting to move on to a better island. She sponsored my dad first, but when he decided to adventure instead of keep shop, she sponsored me as well."


    Parker turned the attention back to the tuftbulb seedpods as a larger deflection when the first didn''t work. "The request mentioned a potion but are you going to use those as an offering?"


    Balan frowned at that. "No? Everyone knows you-"


    Balan stopped and remembered that Parker was unsponsored. "One of the first things a sponsor teaches you is that to gain a pure elemental coin, you have to sacrifice a creature from that island on the altar. The stronger, the better."


    "That can''t be it. I just saw three Gamblers offer up five goblins and they didn''t get their ''silver ticket'' as they called it."


    Balan nodded. "That''s the puzzle. Just yesterday, some newcomers passed almost immediately by offering up a single goblin. Four silver coins for one goblin, but no silver coins for five goblins... Those four weren''t even here for a full week."


    Parker remembered Devon''s inspirational thumbs-up. Now it felt hollow. What had they done? What was special about that one goblin that the other five today didn''t have? Instead of spiraling, Parker latched on to the one thread they had to pull.


    "Is there anything I can help you with to trade for more information?"


    It turned out that Balan needed plenty of help but not in any way that Parker could offer. Distilling, synthesizing, and extracting were the teenager''s focus for the next few days. Balan did say that Parker could check back in then to see if that changed. Balan even went so far as to promise any requests to Parker before posting them at the tavern.


    Most of their first full day was gone now, so Parker took their payment from Balan and set out to solve a problem that was growing by the hour: hunger.


    There was a market near the Alta building where Parker was staying. It reminded them of a convenience store with mostly over-preserved and dried goods. At least there was some fresh produce. The single vial was just enough to get food for the next few days, but it was also the only bit of currency Parker had.

 17: Glow of the Bay at Night

    The room at the Alta building truly was not much. When Parker arrived with a heavy sack of groceries from the market, they did their best to use the small kitchenette. The stove sat on the counter directly over the undercounter refrigerator and a sink took up most of the rest of the space. There was only a thin strip of usable counter between the stove and the sink.


    It was Parker''s for two weeks though, so they intended to make the most of it while also keeping their promise to Mr. Alta to be tidy. Parker unloaded the groceries onto the small strip of counterspace. Most of the weight in the grocery sack had come from a canvas bag of rice and cans of vegetables. Parker did their best to avoid preservatives, but the cans were the only options for beans, corn, and peas.


    The lighter fare that Parker picked up included fresh fruit and vegetables. Parker was surprised by the abundance of berries, a head of lettuce, a head of cabbage, and some carrots that they had been able to pick up. While all of the produce was slightly off from what it should look like, it was still edible.


    The lettuce spiraled into long leaves that were somewhere between iceberg and romaine. The cabbage had golden veins that Parker had at first thought were rot or decay on the shell. The carrots were normal except that they were nearly hollow and crunched more like celery. All the produce had been labelled as the thing it looked like, but the local variation was a little jarring to Parker. In the end, it was exactly what they needed though.


    The dry groceries were stored in an overhead cabinet, near the few plates and dishes that came with the room. The produce was washed, patted dry, and then stored in the small fridge. Parker had wished they had money for something to drink other than water.


    At least there was power and clean water in the Alta building, even if that was almost all there was. Parker had noticed that some of the buildings in the bayside town had oil lamps outside instead of modern lights. Parker wasn''t sure how some buildings had power while others didn''t but the fact that there weren''t powerlines or a visible grid was enough to warn Parker not to take it for granted.


    After washing a cup of rice, Parker started the slow process of cooking it on the stove. They picked through the book of monsters for a few minutes, waiting for the rice, but then decided to cut up some of the produce for a salad instead.


    The rice didn''t take much longer than it took for Parker to prepare a salad. The carrots crunched when cut and that took some getting used to but everything else seemed mostly normal. With the addition of the salad, Parker stored half the cooked rice in the fridge and took their meal over to eat.


    The corner that they had been reading in the night before was a good place to eat as well. The chairside table made a nice dinner-for-one table. The day''s fading light filtered in through the window. Parker was tempted to eat out on the balcony due to the nice weather. They were stopped though because the third floor wasn''t high enough to really hide from passer-byers.


    The almost-strange produce made a better salad than any of the food Parker had eaten on the Nexus and the rice turned it into a nice hearty meal. The only downside was that despite how filling it was, it was just salad and rice without any frills. Maybe Parker would stop by the market to pick up some kind of dressing, oil, or sauce when they earned more currency.


    After eating, Parker picked up the book of monsters and settled onto the futon to read. The book was not the best read, but it gave them a momentary reprieve from the growing list of problems they had to solve and questions they couldn''t answer. Parker refrained from kicking themselves over the idea of being unsponsored. It was not something they could change.


    While Balan hadn''t directly urged Parker to give up, the teenager made sure to hint at it once more before they parted ways. It was obvious Parker needed more information and if they couldn''t trade for it right now, they could at least learn more about the island.


    Between a sense of restlessness spurned by anxiety and a thirst for knowledge, Parker found themselves closing the book of monsters around dusk without every actually reading it. The bayside town had to have some kind of night life that Parker could learn from. That was their intention as they wrapped a jacket around their body and left the Alta building.


    In the fading light of the day, Parker expected the half-busy streets to fully die down. They expected they would need to seek out the receding life of the town. Instead, the opposite happened. As the sunset, business owners lit their oil lamps and a new wave of light rushed across the streets of the town.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Gamblers that had been waiting took to the streets. A night market that Parker had somehow missed until now sprang to life. Some shopkeepers opened just their doors, inviting Gamblers in, but others wheeled carts of goods out to the street to sell under the warm light of a couple hundred lamps.


    Aaron from the tavern was leading a mobile drink cart toward a vacant lot closer to the bayside town''s gate. Balan was setting up a stand on a patch of grass alongside the street and was covering it in strange pseudo-scientific gear. It reminded Parker that they weren''t exactly clear on what the teenager did on the island.


    The noise of the night market exploded faster and faster. It kept Parker from making any sudden moves. Instead, they just watched from the front of the Alta building as the life of the town continued to grow. From where Parker stood, they could see nearly a dozen shops selling everything from weapons, to clothes, to food and furniture. Why Gamblers would buy furniture was beyond Parker but that didn''t stop anyone from looking.


    It turned out that Parker had been underestimating the life and society of the island. While they were looking to move on as quickly as possible, to reach the end and open the Odyssey Vault, that wasn''t the case for everyone. Balan had hinted at it, but to see it was different. There were people who lived here on this island and it wasn''t clear to Parker if they were Gamblers, EA employees, or just regular people.


    There was a strange natural chaos to the night market. Parker felt it in their core as they started to walk through the streets. During the day, everything in the bayside town had felt so fabricated, so controlled. Now, it felt alive. It felt like a thing that had carved space for itself out of a manufactured hole.


    Slowly Parker made their way to the pier where lights shone even brighter. It was a carnival of sorts. Booths of games and entertainment and art had been constructed out of nowhere.


    Parker would learn later that this was not a nightly market, but a weekly night market. In that moment, though, it was magical enough that they were swept up in the lights and motion. Unlike normal, Parker did not even try to grasp the logistics of it all. There was no desire to understand, just to experience.


    In the blur of the night, Parker lost track of everything they did and why they did it. At one point, they bet their dagger against a vial of copper shavings and a bracelet at a ring toss game. Parker had spent plenty of time on these games over the years, so they won handedly.


    The bracelet was a simple cord made of reeds with a wooden charm that displayed the wispy sigil of the air element. Instead of keeping it, Parker traded it to another Gambler for a grilled mushroom skewer.


    As midnight came around, the lights of the night market faded, and Parker found themselves sitting on the sandy beach next to the pier. They had completely lost track of time. They had also spent the vial of copper shavings that they won on four more skewers that were devoured almost as quickly as they were in hand.


    Now the restlessness they felt earlier was replaced by a lulling that came with the tide and threatened to pull Parker into a deep sleep right on the side of the bay. The moon reflected on the water, pristine waves gently pulsed, and the salty mist felt wonderful.


    Parker dozed off for at least a few moments. If it wasn''t for a splash that startled them, they might have slept until morning right there. Someone had knocked something or thrown something off the pier and into the bay. Parker woke up just enough to make sure it wasn''t a person that needed help.


    With sleep escaping from their mind, Parker saw the surface of the water starting to bristle and bubble with movement. Then a line was cast and a fisher that Parker couldn''t see pulled in a glistening, glowing, four-foot eel from the water.


    Parker had seen fishers pull in eels during the day, but never one that glowed and never one that large. Eels were the primary protein of the island because they packed in the bay for reasons Parker didn''t understand. That glowing eel seemed special, and Parker wanted to get a closer look.


    Pushing the rest of the sleep from their bones, Parker hurried up to the pier. They wanted to ask the fisher for a favor but when they got there, it was empty. No fisher, no gear, and no glowing eel. Parker looked over the edge of the pier down at the bay.


    In the moonlight, dozens of eels were swarming around whatever the fisher had knocked in. Among their numbers that nearly blocked out the moonlight, Parker could see that a few of them were almost glowing. Not as brightly as the one that the fisher had reeled in, but there was a definitive glow to some of them.


    Parker turned back toward the bayside town, wondering where the fisher had gone.


    In the morning, word spread that someone had made an offering the night before and received a silver coin, a pure Blessing of Wind. No one came forward and no one commissioned a silver enchantment for their gear from any of the smiths or metalworkers, so no one knew who or what had gone to the altar.


    When Parker overheard the rumor at the tavern, while checking the Gambler Requests, they remembered that glowing eel. They knew that something had to be special about it. They planned to ask about it at the night market, so Parker did not do much other than wander around the town and read during the day.


    When the sunset and the streets quieted down, that was when Parker learned that the market only happened once a week. Their second full day on the island passed too quickly and without anything accomplished.

 18: The Third Day

    Parker had high hopes for their third day. Waking up before sunrise, they made their way to a community gym that they''d seen during the night market. It was free to use if they didn''t bother anyone or need help.


    The gym itself was nothing impressive and it was nothing like the EA facilities on the nexus. There were only a few pieces of actual equipment: a pair of bench presses, some kind of weighted pull bars attached to an overhang, and a vertical lift. Other than that, there were three racks of free weights, resistance bands of various bright colors, and a few softshell mats.


    After stretching and warming up their arms, Parker did what seemed like a light, easy workout compared to the physical evaluation. They didn''t even attempt the workout equipment. Instead, just used the free weights and the resistance bands.


    Still, Parker overestimated themselves. When they were wrapping up their early morning workout, other Gamblers had started to arrive. Parker shuffled back to the Alta building to get out of their way. With each step toward their room, Parker felt a growing discomfort.


    It settled into their bones and became a dull ache in their arms and legs. All movements down to a crawl and it took twice as long as it should''ve to get back to the Alta building and four times as long to climb the stairs to the third floor where Parker stayed. Even though they had gotten an early start, the morning was completely lost.


    Laying on the futon back in their room, Parker rearranged their high hopes for the day into modest, achievable hopes. Rather than exploring and investigating the island for clues about the challenge, Parker settled on something more tangible. They would try out the one offering they knew they could get their hands on: the seedpods.


    Even if Balan had seemed so sure that the seedpods wouldn''t work, Parker was not convinced. There were whispers of the island''s energy in those small, rough balls full of tightly packed seedlings.


    After a light lunch, Parker left most of their gear behind. They made sure to take the short sword and arm guard in case trouble came up. They had the dagger to harvest the seedpods and two canvas pouches to store them. Everything else was left behind and locked in the room.


    It was just a quick hike to the hill, a bit of careful gathering, and then another hike up to the Air Altar. It wouldn''t take more than a few hours and then Parker would be back in town. Hopefully with at least a single copper coin.


    Since Parker had cleared the tuftbulb patch the other day, they had to hike closer to the trees at the side of the rolling hill to find a new patch. Birds cawed unseen inside the dark woods and something scurried through the underbrush.


    The sounds kept Parker on their toes as they delicately severed the threads holding the seedpod to the flower. Even with the soreness aching their limbs, Parker took the time to make sure none of the plants were harmed. The first few seedpods nearly slipped from their fingers, but eventually, Parker had six of the seedpods successfully gathered into a canvas pouch.


    The whole time, Parker was expecting a goblin to burst out of the nearby tree line and attack. Even though it was midday, the canopy of the trees was thick enough that Parker''s sun-adjusted eyes couldn''t see more than a few paces in.


    For all Parker knew, a goblin hunting party was preparing to ambush them as soon as they turned their back on the tree line. Distracted by the thought, Parker''s dagger slipped and cut open the seventh seedpod. It was their first harvesting blunder of the day.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Parker frowned as they felt the energy leaking out of the seedpod. The frown shifted to curiosity as the energy wafted toward the woods instead of the sky. It was a gradual waft, the energy seemed to hang in the air waiting for them to follow. Parker sheathed the dagger next to the short sword and followed the flow of energy toward the tree line. All the while, telling themselves they wouldn''t go too far. They just wanted to know where the energy was going.


    At the tree line, Parker stopped. Not to go back or to second guess the decision, but to let their eyes adjust to the dim light of the woods. When Parker stopped, they could feel that the energy wasn''t just leaking into the woods like it had leaked to the sky from the other seedpods they had damaged. Now, it was being pulled like metal filings toward a magnet. The energy lightly pulsed from the seedpod started to drift upward... Parker''s eyes followed the pulse but lost it for a moment as it shifted direction. The energy was suddenly yanked deeper into the woods.


    Waiting did not help much, but at least Parker could see the difference between trees, underbrush, and some kind of game trail. As the last of the energy leaked out of the seedpod, Parker tried to track where it was leading. A little off-center from the game trail, Parker could see a flicker of blueish-white light.


    That had to be it, Parker told themselves as they followed the trail toward the light. After a few dozen steps, the light wasn''t getting any closer. Parker drew a seedpod from the canvas pouch on their belt and offered a silent apology as they squeezed on the shell.


    The seedpod cracked in their palm and Parker released the pressure. The energy started to leak out. It was still leading toward the blueish-silver light, but now it was moving faster.


    With each step, Parker tried to figure out if they were getting closer or if the light was moving away. It seemed to be a bit of both. From a distance, the light had seemed steady. Now it bobbed and weaved as if it was alive. The light grew and faded in soft pulses like a warning beacon.


    As the second seedpod''s energy dried out, the light stopped moving. Parker had planned on sacrificing a third seedpod to this mystery. The energy flow had let them follow the path safely. Now, the light''s change in motion made them reconsider.


    When the light started to move again, Parker felt an intense pressure as something focused on them. Something felt terribly wrong in that moment, like Parker''s own energy was being pulled in by a magnet.


    It reminded Parker of when an uncle had tried to teach them to hunt. Parker had been obscured by the soft flow of energy from the seedpod, but now it was like they were upwind from a predator.


    The light pulsed brighter as the core grew larger. It illuminated the woods around it. Parker scurried a few steps backward so that they were far enough from the core that they stayed in the dark. The light displacement revealed what was at the core of the blueish-white light.


    A series of pebble-sized silver crystals floated around a footlong column of blue-white crystal that hovered above the underbrush. Unlike the seedpod or the tuftbulbs that released energy, that crystal was absorbing it from everything inside its light.


    The trees grew pale, brush withered, and the dirt dried out. It was leaving a void of energy behind in its wake. Parker continued to back away carefully, but the crystal was following them now. Parker thought of how the other Gamblers would deal with it. With fire, arrows, or blades, but Parker couldn''t bring themselves to draw a weapon. Instead, they cracked another seedpod and threw it to the brush as they ran.


    Parker assumed the crystal would be more interested in the seedpod than them, but they did not look back to confirm that. They ran the game trail as fast as they could. Heart beating against their ribcage like it was trying to break free. The low light of the woods was a blur as Parker focused only on the distant light of the tree line. It grew closer with each panicked step.


    As they broke clear of the tree line, Parker collapsed into the side of the hill and finally looked back. Expecting to see the crystal descend on them, their breath caught mid-throat. Only the dark of the woods stretched out before them.


    Finally, a soft breath filled their lungs. Parker would need more information before trying to go into the woods again. When Parker thought about collecting more seedpods for the offering, their hands could not stop shaking. Four would have to be enough for today. Even if it wasn''t enough for the pure Blessing of Wind.

 19: Partial Success (or Success with Failure)

    The day''s light was fading when Parker finally made it to the Air Altar. The rings of flowers were lit underneath the endless purple sunset that stretched overhead. It almost looked like an entirely different scene. The only part that looked identical was the golden altar and the silver crystal that hovered over it.


    Parker hesitated, remembering the crystal-thing that had chased them through the woods. The column of crystal at the core had been a different color than the crystal hovering over the altar. The column of crystal had absorbed energy from the surroundings where the crystal over the altar radiated it out. Even reminding themselves of those facts, Parker still approached slowly.


    When they were closer, it looked like the sunset was reflected off the silver crystal. It took on a fiery orange and purple that mimicked the day''s dying light. Parker opened the canvas pouch and carefully placed the four seedpods into the golden bowl.


    Nothing happened.


    Parker wondered if they had missed some vital instruction. They reached for the bowl again, to look for another readable phrase hidden in the finer text. Just before their fingers touched the bowl, a weak thrum of power radiated from the crystal.


    It was nothing like the chord that was struck when the other Gamblers offered up their goblins. Since the pressure was weaker, Parker was able to see what happened. The seedpods evaporated into wisps of silver energy that floated up into the air to the crystal.


    A soft clink filled the plateau as a single, faded copper coin fell into the golden bowl. Parker smiled as they picked it up. The overwhelming presence that someone was watching them came back. Parker knew there were no other Gamblers nearby watching. The feeling was arcane and it felt like something was wondering why they were pleased.


    Parker didn''t respond but they did bow in gratitude to the crystal above the altar before leaving. It wasn''t much of an elemental coin. The copper was tarnished, the symbol of air on the coin''s face was incomplete, and it felt half-hollow. Still, it was enough for Parker. More importantly, it was proof.


    Following that success, Parker made a grave mistake. When they returned to the bayside town, their encounter in the woods came back to mind. Parker tried to find any information they could about the crystal-thing that had haunted their energy. In the process, they tipped their hand too far.


    Balan''s house was closed, lights out and no one answered when Parker knocked. That led Parker down toward the pier, where they stopped in to talk with Aaron at the tavern.


    Aaron was happy to share information, and coffee, with Parker. The tavern was bustling with activity and Parker had to wait patiently to get enough information to actually learn anything. Each tidbit was shared in turn as Aaron helped nearby patrons and had a chance to stop for a few seconds to talk with Parker.


    Parker was able to learn about a smith nearby who could do something with the elemental coin that Parker had earned. Aaron did mention that it seemed off from the usual coins, but nothing on these islands was truly unusual anymore.


    Aaron was also able to shed light on the crystal-thing that Parker had encountered. It was called a Sprite and it was the weakest pure elemental being in the archipelago. Gamblers hunted them for offerings and they were considered a rare but surefire way to get a pure elemental coin.


    That was when Parker had tipped their hand. A nearby Gambler overheard where Parker had seen the Sprite and before midnight, that Gambler had successfully hunted it down. While Parker was still chatting with Aaron at the bar and coming up with a way to pay for the information as well as the coffee, the Gambler offered up the Sprite at the Air Altar.


    Aaron had agreed to let Parker help around the tavern as payment, but he made sure that Parker knew it was a one-time deal. While Parker was clearing tables and cleaning dishes, the Gambler made their way to an office by the pier and bought passage to the next island with the silver coin they got from offering the Sprite.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.


    Finally, as Parker was leaving the tavern to look for the smith that Aaron had mentioned, the Gambler started to feel guilty about what they had done.


    At the smithy, Parker learned that the copper coin was far weaker than usual and couldn''t make any sort of helpful enchantment. Still, they were able to trade it for several vials of copper shavings. That was fine for Parker for now. They were almost out of food and needed the vials as currency to get more.


    It wasn''t until the next morning when Parker was headed to the gym to do an even lighter workout that they learned about their mistake.


    The other Gambler had been looking for Parker nearly all night. They blocked Parker''s path with a sullen, tired glare. Parker did not recognize them and tried to go around. The Gambler adjusted the heavy pack on their back and said, "Excuse me, are you Parker?"


    Parker nodded.


    "My name is Leon¡­ I was in the tavern last night."


    Parker nodded again, trying to think of why the Gambler approached them. "Did you forget something there? I don''t actually work there. I was just helping a friend."


    Leon shook his head. "No, no, I was there when you were talking about the Sprite."


    Parker''s heart sunk a few inches and was prodded by their ribs.


    Leon continued, "I''ve been on this island for a few months now and I hadn''t had any luck hunting goblins... When I heard about the Sprite, I left without thinking. I found it pretty quick and it was a pure offering. I couldn''t help but feel like I poached your link through."


    Parker shook their head. The dull prodding at their heart solidified into slight despair. "That''s okay. It''s okay. I wasn''t able to hunt it anyway. I had it right there and I just ran."


    Leon frowned. "If you say so..."


    That was when Parker asked a question that seemed to break the awkwardness between them. "You said that you were stuck here for months. Are you able to move on now that you got the pure Blessing of Wind?"


    Leon nodded with a slight smile. "My ticket is for later this morning. That''s why I wanted to find you. Even if you said it was okay, I still feel awful about it. Not awful enough to give up my ticket, you understand?"


    Parker nodded. "Of course."


    Leon smiled, "Right. I can''t give you any gear or vials to repay my poaching but I can give you some advice."


    Parker nodded slowly. Advice was exactly what they needed.


    Leon said, "to me, it seems like you''re avoiding something. From what the others were talking about, you''ve only been here for a little bit, but you haven''t really tried anything yet. You won''t get anywhere staying here. Find one of the camps in the woods. The Gamblers there are more willing to share as long as you help out."


    Parker had a hundred questions but, in the distance, they saw that same metallic ferry from their first day on this island. That was Leon''s ride to the next island. Instead of holding him up, Parker thanked him, and they parted ways.


    With a new slew of worries in their mind, Parker went into the community gym and was glad that no one else was up this early. This workout was barely more than stretching and warming up, but Parker didn''t want to overdo it and lose the morning like yesterday.


    The rest of the morning was spent studying the flowers of the hillside. At first, they had been solely concerned with the tuftbulbs but now they noticed others. There were buttercups, nettles, and dandelions of windswept varieties dotting the hillside in tight clusters. Parker also found some natural growths of the lettuce and cabbage that they had been eating.


    With each cluster, Parker could tell the difference between normal plants and the odd ones. Dandelions didn''t hold the energy of the island in the way that the tuftbulbs did. Most of the lettuce did not hold any of the energy either, but Parker was able to find a few growths that did. They harvested one carefully, but as soon as it was removed from the ground, the energy leaked up to the sky.


    Parker was partially disappointed but also relieved that it didn''t get immediately pulled in by a Sprite. Even if a Sprite was supposed to be an easy ticket, Parker had no idea how to deal with them. At least the lettuce seemed healthy enough to eat, so even without the energy, Parker still stowed it in a pouch for later.


    While there was no great revelation, Parker did learn that the island had two categories of plants. Some plants fed off the island''s energy, using it as a food source, like the tuftbulbs. Then some plants fed off more natural resources like the soil and the sun. These were the dandelions and lettuces. While they pulled energy from the island, it was more like a contaminant, not their primary food source. It wasn''t earth-shattering but it was a difference. It seemed that some of nature drew on the island''s energy as if it were a Blessing itself. Parker wondered if that was what made an offering valuable to the altar.