The Rarity rankings are as follows: (Common), (Uncommon), (Unusual), (Scarce), (Rare), (Epic), (Mythic), (Legendary), (Relic), (Ancient). Understand that each rank can hint to a variety of information, but can never confirm them. Rarity rankings are based on a number of factors. These can include natural occurrence, existing amount, the interest of said thing, value, quality, uniqueness, the danger of something, it's associated reward or a number of other additional factors.

It is important to understand which of these factors might highly contribute to whatever it is that your Rarity is attached to.

- Primer on the World's Template, The Untethered Tomes

Encountering the [Whitecrest Gatherblossom] and collecting its dripping sap had rightly warranted a prize remarkable enough to match the elevated levels of danger he had braved in doing so. He had squeezed his life into that window of time that the flower was exposed and unclaimed, taking a ridiculous risk for whatever coveted resource that glittering blue liquid was. He had been able to collect a generous amount of it. He was thankful he found it pertinent to barter for another of his drinking flasks in Nublium before he set out otherwise he wouldn't have been able to collect as much as he had.

When he entered his [Safehaven] and finally checked the two larger-on-the-inside flasks he had, they began to glow softly.

The flasks were suffused with subtle power and unstoppered themselves. The glittering blue sap flowed out of each like a gentle stream. Each flask drained of the sap rapidly joining together into a liquid ball. Then it condensed, whirling and rotating and becoming smaller and smaller.

Reward: Item: [Decoction of the Mammoth] (Epic)

A liquid that constitutes the purest form of a Mammoth Tree's sugary sap. Within the vastness of a Mammoth Tree, gargantuan natural processes take place which rival the motions of entire river currents. Undeterred, these processes concentrate the energy absorbed by the tree into sugary sap to be sent throughout its entirety. However, in the largeness of the tree, there are many organisms that tap into this process, diluting the natural purity of the liquid. Through the maginatural processes of a [Whitecrest Gatherblossom], this decoction is of the utmost purity. Imbibing this decoction grants upon the user a massive boost to health and constitution.

All of that liquid had coalesced into a vial the size of his palm. It didn't glow, or shine, or glitter. The vial was clean and shaped ornately, but the liquid itself was a regular blue. The glass vial rested neatly on his desk. Unassuming.

And Jayke got the sense he suddenly possessed something of immense value. He stared at it. "Woah, Epic Rarity." Came the awed whisper.

The System had not only rewarded him for the exceptional danger inherent in risking his life in the face of that [Giant Tree Scyther] but also combined that reward with the actual sap which he had gathered from the pool. It was reminiscent of how his [Fire Feather] had formed. The combination of all his spoils had compacted into a single vial of blue sap. The vial could've hidden inconspicuously among regular alchemical equipment.

Jayke tapped the desk indecisive, regarding the vial with a thoughtful expression. He ran his hand through his hair and stared at the little tempting vial, adjusting himself as he found his hand rubbing his chin. "What to do with you?"

Eventually, the fact that the vial was completely secure in his [Safehaven] allowed him to put off deciding whether to drink it or not.

He was sure that this was enough to pass the trial. It was an Epic Item, after all. And after all of his readings, he didn't feel so naive about the world anymore. He knew what the Item meant. Despite its size, Jayke was suddenly in the possession of a small fortune.

Holding onto an Item of such extreme value was usually accompanied by some negative implications. The truth of that statement he presumed to permeate this world as well. Items of value, regular items, attracted only better thieves. He didn't suspect any difference with System-recognized ones. The cons were out the window though. His treasure couldn't be stolen in his [Safehaven] so there were no consequences from holding on to it as long as he wanted. Not many people could boast the kind of security that Jayke had. It was the only reason he could afford to delay the decision of imbibing.

The Item's existence was still a conundrum though. If he had this as his 'trophy', it meant there was nothing really keeping him here. The vial was proof enough. He could leave the Dungeon and be off if he could find another runic circle.

He hummed.

It was only his second day in [Runic Skies], or thereabouts. It was hard to keep track. But he'd already been witness to a myriad of ways to die should he ever feel so inclined. There hadn't been a single encounter with the local wildlife Jayke had deemed relatively 'safe'. Logically, the correct move would probably have been to cut his losses and leave - try to find a runic circle and skedaddle.

Initially, he had planned to explore for a couple of days. The [Decoction of the Mammoth] wasn't the main reason this plan was thrown into uncertainty. No. Ever since he got blasted off that branch, he'd lost access to his one and only known location of an exit. Whether or not he planned to leave was irrelevant, at this current time the question was whether he could.

He imagined someone might've been panicking at this point.

But... somehow despite the close encounters with death, he felt alive. And, in a bittersweet way, surrounding himself with dangers and strange creatures was an all too familiar feeling. Many might've been tense their entire stay, mentally harried by the creatures which lurked in the dark. Not Jayke. He felt too at home, too nostalgic for him to panic or make mistakes. At least, mistakes within reason.

Maybe the whole Mammoth Tree environment was new, but the circumstances? The danger? Jayke was probably one of the few [Mages] in the testing group more than capable of keeping his head on his shoulders, both literally and otherwise.

"Well, I have my fallback trophy in case all else fails. So priority number one is finding any clues on how to leave." He thought aloud. "I'd rather present something a little less showy than an Epic Item. Probably something better than the [Fire Feather] though. Or perhaps a combination of lesser Items. Which means..."

The deaths of countless lives, though bitter, had ironically taught him a valued lesson in life. Simply, to live. There was a distinction between living and being. And you truly couldn't do that without coming close to dying. Sometimes that just meant doing what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it barring any real logic or reason. Jayke had indulged the urge many times, and this was only another to add to the list.

He grinned to himself, resolved. "I need to do some scouting and it can't hurt to do some extra hunting on the way."

Jayke crouched high in the branches, looking down. He was an observant watcher, countless hours spent curiously examining nightmarish horrors had honed the skill. The animals here stayed away from the higher 'canopy' so to speak. Further from the center entanglement of branches and overhead cover thinned, exposing all to the raptors above which ruled the skies unquestionably. Even now, their battles above were a constant background noise no different than the buzzing of summer bugs or the whistling winds.

He centered his attention on the creature below him. It was about his size, so significantly larger than those four-armed creatures prior. The animal had bristly fur. It was among the most cautious creatures he'd so far seen here. That was understandable given the fact it moved alone without a pack. Even as it drank from a leafy water basin, it was looking around in a way Jayke imagined he had when collecting sap from the gatherblossom.

It was much like Jayke in that sense.

Jayke conjured a shieldbolt.

His vision quietly indicated his target. He'd locked onto the creature's data and in his vision, it appeared outlined in a vibrant red. Without his staff, there was more effort required but he'd prepared for such an occasion and had practiced without it.

The shield-sphere rocketed downward and slammed into the creature's head, cracking its skull hard on the branch. It had gone from peacefully drinking to immediate stillness. Jayke squatted and watched, knowing the sound would attract curious scavengers. He'd done his fair share of observing the locals before striking.

He'd been constantly adding input data to his detection program as he came across anything that might warrant it. The spell's mana cost was still entirely manageable if slightly draining. Either way, it was a necessity. It helped him spot the leaf basins for water, the four-armed pack animals, the gatherblossom flowers so he could steer clear from them, the giant fruits, and a number of other things.

Thanks to the added functionality of his program and his earlier upgrades, he was able to color code most things. Adding new inputs was easier than ever and was possible during its runtime. He imagined he might extend it further once he got comfortable with the interleaving of his magics.

But all of that was beside the point. He stared through the branches as the scavengers came. Big birds that were much smaller than the raptors but would've rivaled a regular bird of prey from home. They moved in flocks about the branches and Jayke had found their nest earlier but he didn't dare approach. The birds were vulture-like and their feathers were sharp like steel, catching the light just as metal. This particular group consisted of only five of them.

The descended in a flurry of feathers and began picking at the corpse. Jayke took notice of the fact they carefully avoided the dead carcass's bristly fur. "Poison or venom?" Jayke wondered, catching the detail immediately.

He conjured another sphere after he determined no other entities were near. His control of the shieldbolt was still a manual effort so he took careful aim. The shieldbolt rocketed downward and struck the first target. Four seconds later Jayke managed to kill the second one.

Then the other three flapped about enraged until they spotted him above. Their angry cries were as keen as their feathers. They sliced through the air like spears, wings cutting straight through hindering branches. Jayke scrambled backward, throwing up a hand as they dived and swooped below and above his perch. The first two crumpled against a flat barrier and fell to his feet as their momentum was instantly killed. With a double stomp of an armored foot, so too were they. The third whirled around the shield and sliced for Jayke's throat.

Not risking anything, he yelled. "[Reinforce]!" And met the oncoming vulture with a magically gauntletted fist.

The bird died on impact.

Its feathers still carried momentum and slashed at his armor. Jayke judged that using his Skill had been a good call. The feathers would've pierced his regular shield by just enough, and given that it had targeted his neck he might've dodged something fatal.

He left the bristly furred creature and other two vultures below since it was in an area too open for Jayke's comfort. Instead, he focused on the three dead vultures before him. Picking at their feathers, he realized that each one of them was a blade in and of itself. Luckily, his armored hands meant that plucking the creatures was only a matter of tedium. He came away with a large number of lightweight, edged feathers.

Pausing for a moment, he realized the System hadn't been forthcoming with any rewards. But then he became aware of something he had felt during the encounter. The rush of EXP. He regarded himself. Normally, the feeling was one he attributed to the conclusion of Quests but that wasn't necessarily true. Especially not here. He had missed it, but it must've happened right at the conclusion of the encounter.

He hummed, thinking. "It's usually drowned out by the rush of adrenaline in combat. Or the elation at getting my magic to work. But, no doubt it's always been there when I've made gains or fought." He said. "It makes sense, I've leveled outside of Quests before which means EXP can be gained through other methods."

That was all that was forthcoming and he felt some progress being made to the next level. There were no Items forming or anything that began glowing or shifting. He was somewhat disappointed and it registered to him he had no real understanding of what an Item was. He'd been taking them as they came and had been referring to their Rarity but the truth of the matter was that he still wasn't entirely certain what the Item keyword conveyed.

The [Sand Rabbit's Foot], [Gnarled Rootstaff], and [Fire Feather] all had some useful effect. Not to mention the promised effects of the [Decoction of the Mammoth]. Beyond that, Jayke wasn't really sure. He stowed the question and resolved to do more reading once he had time.

Harvesting vultures didn't take long. Jayke only wanted the feathers. Most of the time he spent traversing the Mammoth Tree was spent in waiting. He didn't make any movements unless he was aware of everything around him. On two separate occasions, it might have saved his life. A Giant Tree Scyther passed under him, the only time he'd ever seen another one. It chittered, searching, but eventually, it moved on to pursue something else. The second time that his caution saved him was when a considerably large pack of four-armed creatures were descended upon by an Elemental Raptor, crossing the very branch Jayke had been considering taking himself.

He detoured around instead and climbed through a smattering of branches that only a creature of his size or less could've fit into. His eyes fell upon the curiosity that he had spotted earlier, hoping it was some clue to the whereabouts of an exit. None of the wildlife seemed interested in it, or rather, it didn't garner any of their attention.

If it were anywhere else besides miles above the ground and in a Mammoth Tree, Jayke would've overlooked the cairn. A circular pattern of stones. The grey rock stood out from the brown of everything else. It was a remarkably immaculate circle, set right into a handful of divots in the branch. Jayke approached unconcerned, the entire area was covered in branches such that nothing had easy access to it if they were even curious in the first place.

He walked forward. It was a wonder he even noticed the rocks.

Jayke blinked and looked around as a feeling washed over him. He felt safe here. It was an unmistakable truth that destroyed any doubts Jayke had of it by its own nature. Someone had been here before. Jayke had forgotten the possibility others may have passed here. It was a certainty. One verified by the writing carved into the wood framed by the stones.

It read:

Hello, fellow delver! Consider this a kindness paid forward. My [Safe Zone] calls to those who need it. I insist you enjoy its effects. I am unsure how long my Skill will last here, but you should be able to determine that much yourself. The magic runes governing [Runic Skies] have odd reactions with long-term effects. I have a set up a number of these [Safe Zones] in an attempt to navigate this Mammoth Tree, you may expect to sense a handful more should you rise further. I aim for the top, friend. Nothing less!

That was it. Just the passing mark of another person who had braved the very same dangers Jayke was. Oddly, Jayke couldn't help but smile at whoever wrote this, however long ago it was. If it even still mattered, he wished the fellow his luck.

Examining the carvings in the wood, he realized they'd long healed. For the depth of the marks, it must have been long ago for the bark to have already recovered. He touched the carvings, oddly tracing the feeling of safety from the words as much as the cairn.

Not one to squander goodwill Jayke rested in the [Safe Zone] and began to notice that no creatures ever neared. It was a very good vantage point with a handful of paths Jayke could take to leave the area. All only just big enough for someone his size. It was some small insight into his benefactor.

There hadn't been many people back home like Jayke's fellow delver. Those truly kindhearted individuals that made efforts to help others. They were a different breed, driven by something greater than greed and self-preservation. Sometimes the biggest hearts shone in the small acts a person did regardless of personal sacrifice, simply the fact that time was taken to do so.

Jayke had helped other people as much as he dared to. But in his cowardice, when any sacrifice was demanded of him he had never risked himself for others. In that, he had failed himself as much as those who needed him. That was a mistake he would never repeat. The delver was a reminder to Jayke. One he appreciated, both for what he reminded of and the [Safe Zone] he was generous enough to provide.

Jayke wasn't one to give in so easily but he was keen enough to realize what an area like this might mean for someone less equipped, physically, mentally, and magically. It was a much-needed reprieve. A safe haven not unlike Jayke's own.

The Skill was a useful one and if it was enough to repel those creatures outside then Jayke judged it powerful too. This [Safe Zone] seemed to be an area effect. It was a nod to the plethora of different Skills that existed and made him wonder what type of Class accompanied such a Skill.

Eventually, after resting adequately Jayke was on the move again.

Navigating the convergence of branches was dangerous, but having learned from the other creatures here he realized it was a necessity. Where the two Mammoth Trees met, their branches intertwined and resulted in many connections between the different levels of altitude. The shade generated by these connections gave rise to many blooming plants rooted between close branches.

He spent the rest of the day mapping out the areas which he could afford to without outright exposing himself to the Elemental Raptors or other lurking predators. He'd refilled his flasks with regular clear water from the leaf basins. He was working up a sweat climbing and vaulting over the terrain. The giant leaves were also a problem since he'd always end up needing to push them out of the way.

Deeper within the convergent branches an entirely new biome became apparent. Jayke had to cautiously make his way past a few creatures, but when he squeezed through some branches he was in awe.

Above everything, there were openings which sunlight poured into from. It was the only source of light in the cave. For that was what Jayke beheld. A cave. Formed of wood. Blotting out any spaces in which sunlight would normally filter through.

The ground became smooth, not the uneven footing of a gnarled branch. He stepped onto the unbroken ground. Without gaps between steps or giant leaves in the way. "Weird." He said.

Then he found small bugs running across the floor. They were chewing away at the wood. Jayke followed the marching line and found that they were sealing gaps in the walls. They were working on the area Jayke had just entered from.

On edge, Jayke wandered the perimeter of the cave.

It wasn't a natural formation. Those bugs were eating away at everything and forming the cave with the materials. The individuality of singular branches were lost, there were only masses of wood. The insects hadn't been bigger than his finger but in number, they could be a problem. They didn't react to his presence at all though. He'd seen them before actually. They've been all over the Mammoth Tree.

Jayke jerked to a stop as he came into view of the center of the cave.

A writhing mass of bugs. A giant brown ball of living insect. The constant buzzing had been at the back of his head this entire time but now it rushed to the forefront as he realized how filled the background had been. A veritable sea of insects surrounded the ball.

The ball hadn't reacted. Did he dare hope it was the first non-hostile thing he'd encounter? The little bugs hadn't ever disturbed him before. But then he paused as something fell from the sunlight above. It fell through the hole above in a spray of the bugs that carried it. A flash of unmoving red. Feathers.

Jayke gulped, carefully stepping away. The ball broke apart and began to slowly consume the corpse. Then more bodies began to fall from above. Feeling far enough, Jayke started sprinting back to the place he entered. When he got there he slowed to a stop and his hand searched the wall.

"Sealed? So fast?" He whirled around finding some bugs crawling towards him. He did everything in his power to avoid them. They didn't take up the whole cave so portions of it were completely void of them.

The next few minutes were spent checking those other areas in hopes there was a way out.

He cursed when it became obvious there wasn't. He had managed to slip in right in during construction. It wasn't a cave he had found himself in.

It was a nest.

He coated himself in magical armor as the bugs slowly but surely overtook him. There were too many of them present in the cave for him to run around forever. The tide of brown insects collided at his ankles, swarming and feeling. Only the biggest of them managed to skitter up his armor.

Jayke cursed and formed a flat plane horizontal with the bugs. Then he brought it down as fast as he could. The generated momentum wasn't enough to crush the bugs under it all at once. So Jayke jumped on the plane, causing a sickening squelch.

He repeated this process as he moved around the nest, concluding once again that there was no exit. Something leaped at his face and rebounded off his facial armor. He tracked the flying body and spotted a large insect with wings chittering loudly. A bigger winged version of the regular ones.

The buzzing became louder and suddenly Jayke was punching at a horde of flying bodies. Two flew at his face with mandibles spread open. He swatted them out of the air, avoiding their mouths. His fist splattered another one of the creatures as he felt a weight settle against his back.

A terrible crushing feeling targeted his neck. "[Reinforce]!"

Immediately, it subsided. Jayke's flexibility had left him but he still swung wide arcs knocking most of the flying bugs out of the way. On the retreat, he noticed with some unease that he was being herded toward the ball. He ripped the hanging bug off his neck and threw it at the rest. They chittered and buzzed viciously.

He crushed another large section of the swarm with his flat plane technique eliciting another sickening squelch. He combined the technique with barriers he'd leave around his feet to redirect the swarm. The flying bugs were the only problem but with the combination of his magical armor and vertical shields, he was able to ward them off.

His situation stabilized, it was like crushing grapes. The nest ran strongly with ichor and bug parts. A gory slush. Suddenly, the brown tide of insects broke apart and retreated to the center of the nest.

He blinked as the ground cleared of writhing insects and left only the gory pulp of twitching body parts. The swarm dissipated in moments, subdued by some unseen force. Or were they commanded? If it was the latter, that was hands-down the fasted communication he'd ever witnessed from anything hive-like. Was their communication of a magical sort, had the runes of islands affected even these?

Jayke breathed a sigh of relief. He wouldn't have been able to combat them indefinitely, but apparently he wasn't worth his trouble. Unfortunately, that still left him stuck in their nest though. Multiple times thereafter he noticed a handful of the larger flying insects observing him. Rather than having to navigate to the empty parts of the cave, he noticed that the inhabited parts emptied for him.

The bugs were avoiding him. Watching him. In a way that hinted at a greater intelligence than each of them individually. The notion of a greater mind behind their movements gave Jayke a slight shiver. He looked at the writhing mass of insects at the center of the nest again, eyeing the brown ball.

On the far side of the cavern, he spotted a tide of the insects eating away at the wall. The moment the breach was eaten through a tide of the swarm appeared behind him, imposing but making no outward moves. They twitched and fell over each other in skittering steps as they kept to a uniform distance.

Jayke hesitated. "They're letting me out?" Then his eyes swung back to the brown ball, staring intently.

It parted and Jayke found the largest bug of them all staring at him with multifaceted eyes and giant antennae. It was as large as a cow and sported giant wings. The smaller insects crawled over every inch of it. It stared back at Jayke with an unwavering stillness that was made only more unnerving by the motion of its crawling children.

"A queen." Jayke jerked to stillness, despite the pressure of the bugs behind him.

Creature: [Giant Silvanid Queen] (Rare)

The mind behind the complex hive of a silvanid colony. Silvanids are woodworking crafters that create defensible nests from the wood of nearby trees. Their structures are often buildings in and of themselves and have been the inspiration of many [Architects] and [Builders]. In number, a silvanid colony can flourish anywhere with wood or similar material as they are highly adaptable to their environments. This [Giant Silvanid Queen] has brought its small hive great success in an environment that favors the biggest predators.

The screen alone did nothing to give him pause. After all, the [Giant Silvanid Queen] was an intelligent being. It was allowing him to leave. What truly made him stop dead was what he saw when the ball had opened.

The [Giant Silvanid Queen] was resting on a glowing circle of runes.