– Era of the Wastes, Cycle 215, Season of the Setting Sun, Day 21 –

“What’s the idea?” asked Mia. She caught Brynn’s raised eyebrow. “Don’t get me wrong. Today, you are generously paying for my time and I am not exactly complaining, but I also don’t like peddling in false hope.”

“No need to call it false,” grumbled Bjorln.

“I sympathize with your feelings, but we have examined everything several times without any leads. Besides today, you have already paid everyone to share their tests and findings – findings that boil down to nothing. Our techniques have yielded no lead whatsoever. I fail to see how an approach that failed us could possibly help you. You have already paid a considerable sum for nonexistent results. I don’t want to scam a grieving family out of their savings.”

They reached the room inhabited by the purplemist lynx and the shrub raccoons.

“Your approaches have helped me come up with a list of underlying assumptions,” said Samuel. He flicked his hand and the shrub racoons disintegrated.

Khaled stepped out of the shadows behind the purplemist lynx and with a touch of his fingers, the corrupted creature decomposed. Only a monster core was left behind.

Verecund threw a small ball towards the ceiling in the middle of the room. The ball sizzled and several thin lightning bolts were discharged. Each one of them hit and disabled a spike creeper construct. Afterwards, the ball returned to Verecund’s hand.

“Assumptions?” prompted Mia.

“I suspect one of them to be wrong.”

“Which one?”

“I don’t know yet.” Samuel looked around with mana sight. “There are a number of different things that don’t add up. That gives us several suspects. The prime suspect is our assumption that no dimensional mage was involved.”

Mia frowned. “That’s not an assumption. That’s a conclusion based on the stability of surrounding space after the fact. I know that Academy mages are prone to arrogance, but—”

“As are Guild mages,” interrupted Samuel. “I should know, I am one. I am not questioning your experience in dimensional travel nor your accomplishments in space magic. I am not qualified to question your conclusions. You and your Guild partner are the most qualified when it comes to assessing the space. That is precisely why we invited one of you here.”

“I like to be complimented as much as the next elf, but I am afraid I don’t follow. If you are not questioning my conclusions, then what are you talking about?”

“On the day of Whaka Terry’s disappearance, we cast a wide net for the investigation.”

“All the way to the F-zone,” interjected Khaled. “Dimensional gates up to the G-zone.”

“Some of the Guild members expanded the search even further,” continued Samuel. “That William in particular.”

Samuel examined the core of the purplemist lynx. “No trace whatsoever. None of the techniques yielded anything and some of the things that were tried seem way too obscure for there to be an intentional effort to defend against them.”

“If the kid died in the dungeon, then—” started Verecund.

“I am working under the assumption that Terry is not dead,” interrupted Samuel.

“Maybe that is the assumption you ought to question,” said Mia.

Bjorln clenched his fists.

Samuel stared into Mia’s eyes. “I will, but only after I have ruled out everything else.” Samuel slowly enunciated the last two words.

Brynn smiled warmly at Samuel.

“I will change my mind if – and only if – I find conclusive evidence. So far, there is none.”

Samuel looked around the room. “Continuing with the assumption that Terry is alive, then how is it possible that the search yielded nothing? The distance searched is far vaster than anything that could be covered by any means other than…”

“Space magic.” Mia finished the thought. “Doesn’t change the fact that the space was too stable.”

“Too stable for unanchored dimensional travel and no signs of anchored space magic,” recapped Samuel. “However, you and Roy excluded the magic sovereigns.”

Mia looked at Brynn. “Is he serious?”

“Always, I’m afraid,” replied Brynn. “Now, more than ever.”

Mia turned back to Samuel. “You believe the kid was abducted by a magic sovereign? I thought the kid held no relevance for the Antelius family.”

“He doesn’t. I am not trying to draw conclusions now. I only try to identify assumptions. The assumption here is not about a magic sovereign in particular, but about an extremely skilled dimensional mage.”

“Alright, granted. If there was an extremely skilled dimensional mage, they could have found a way. However, I fail to see what could be the motivation for this hypothetical mage.”

“Same here,” said Samuel unperturbed.

“Then, I don’t see how that helps you. It’s not an actionable theory. It does not yield any leads.”

“Not yet, no. Not on its own. Nevertheless, it can be a starting point. If we increase the distance for considered locations, then that may yield new theories.”

“Or it may lead you down a perpetual labyrinth. If there is no distance limit, then you can’t ever falsify the theory. That is nothing but wishful thinking.”

“A valid objection and one I will keep in mind,” replied Samuel in a calm voice.

“So what does any of this have to do with us being here again?” asked Khaled. “Here inside the dungeon. The last known location was outside the dungeon, wasn’t it?”

“Yes it was,” replied Mia.

“I am still trying to collect information,” said Samuel. “Making the assumptions explicit and filling in the gaps. We are here to fill one of the gaps. We have investigated the dungeon several times, yes. However, we have never encountered a similar scenario as the children described. No spatial anomalies, no bell sounds, no inscribed earth giants…”

“Special encounters can’t be summoned on command,” interjected Verecund. “I know that you are aware of that.”

“Dungeons can be willful, yes. Nevertheless, frequently, there is indeed a deterministic trigger. A sequence of events that leads to certain dungeon behavior. In any case, we can’t rule it out until we have actually tested it.”

“Is that why you had us all set up Mark-and-Recall spells?” asked Mia.

“No in that this is a general habit of mine, but yes in that I want to verify the dungeon behavior if one of us escapes by relying on this particular spell. Next, by relying on a scroll. Then, by relying on a scroll from the same vendor that Alrik bought from. I have a few more tests after that – mostly related to the mana and mana-aspect ratio in the room.”

Mia looked from face to face. “Seriously?”

***

Think this will hold?

“I don’t know.”

Terry was standing – or hanging – topsy-turvy on the ceiling. He pulled on a metal staff that he had inserted through the opening of a screw hook. The turn of the screw drove the hook further into the ceiling.

Why didn’t you buy wall plugs when you prepared the boulder for the wiremoss tarantula hunt?

“Because I did not think of it and it wasn’t necessary back then. I’m already happy that I had some spare screw hooks.”

I’m not sure this will hold.

“Neither am I.” Terry threaded the rope through the hook and tied a secure knot. The screw hook was located in the center of the room.

Remember the required length?

“Yes.” Terry walked through the air.

Here, right? Right?

“Yes.” Terry retrieved a tertium slab from his storage bracelet and cast the Immovable Object spell to transfix the slab in the air. Next, he summoned the prepared boulder from his crafter’s pendant and threaded the rope through the screw hook on top.

The boulder had undergone some new changes. Terry had inserted two smaller screw hooks on opposite sides. The area around these screw hooks glowed brightly – courtesy of the light-aspected rings that Terry had secured there with cut-resistant rope.

After Terry had secured the boulder to his satisfaction, he glanced down one more time.

Are you sure that you remembered the required length?

“Yes, I have written it down.”

Think it will hold?

Terry glanced at the bigger screw hook on the ceiling. “We’ll see. Idea 27, let’s see.”

He air-stepped away and disrupted the active spell in the tertium slab. Terry had to quickly pull the slab out of the way so that it would not fall together with the boulder.

The boulder swung down and Terry watched with bated breath.

“““Hisss!”””

*SPLAT!*

The ghouls were charging full speed into the path of the boulder pendulum. The boulder won the collision. A few of the ghouls were vanishing.

Terry grinned.

The collision had caused the boulder to rotate. The moving lights turned the remaining ghouls even more frenzied.

The boulder ascended to its equilibrium position on the opposite side of the room. Terry paid close attention to how high it was ascending.

“I’ll have to periodically add some force to make up for the force lost in the collision.”

Stupid chubby ghouls.

Next, Terry examined the screw hook in the ceiling.

“It held.”

Careful about the rotation, though. Would be a shame if it loosened the screw.

Terry nodded to himself. Then, he went back to watch the swinging boulder pendulum. After three full swings, Terry was grinning ear to ear.

Look at them all vanish! Congratulations, Terry! You failed at failing! That’s how much of a failure you are!

Terry snorted, sighed, and eventually chuckled.

He walked over to the next equilibrium position. When the boulder came close to him, Terry gave it a push.

Eww.

There was an unpleasant sensation on Terry’s fingers.

Eww. There’s pus.

Terry examined his fingers.

I wonder what it tastes like.

“Eww, gross!” Terry grimaced.

You say that now, but what are you going to do about it? Use coldfire on your hands and precious gloves? Yeah, you really didn’t think that one through, did you? You could have wrapped your hands in something. But noo. You could have used your feet and kicked the boulder—

“Kicking would probably be easier, too.”

Don’t interrupt me when I’m reprimanding you! Ma Isille isn’t here. Someone has to do it!

“I really need to get out of here. You are starting to worry me.”

Meanie.

“Anyway, workable.”

Except the other areas are not as spacious. What are you going to do about the ghouls there?

“Help them move.”

You’re such a nice neighbor. Oh oh, are we going to use the fishing rod with the glowing ring again? That was fun. All the chubby Alricks were so excited.

Terry kicked at the boulder.

*SPLAT!*

I love that sound. Do you think there is a spell imprint or enchantment for replaying that sound?

“Ask Instructor Brynn.”

I prefer it when I give the snarky retorts.

Terry continued until all nearby ghouls had either vanished or were too immobilized to charge into the path of the boulder pendulum.

What are we going to do about the maimed Alricks that are still alive-dead? They won’t vanish on their own. Lori would get mad at us if we leave Alricks lying around.

“I’ll clean them up later. First, I’ll have to get the boulder into the net.”

Right. Don’t want to get the icky boulder near the food. Better if it stays up there before we pick it up again. Think it’ll hold?

“Stop that.”

***

You know…

“Don’t.” Terry was lying on the floor in his cavern. His feet were dangling down the wall. There were no ghouls below anymore.

You know…

“Please. Just. Don’t.”

You know, I won’t go away, right?

Terry clenched his teeth.

Shouldn’t you be grateful? All the Alricks are gone. I’m still here with you. Even the slime does not visit anymore. But you still have me! The ungrateful blob is probably all fat and squishy and happy somewhere outside. It could have at least left a note telling us where the exit is.

“Slimes don’t go to the surface.”

Hey, maybe the Antelius people were slimes in disguise. A conspiratorial plot to infiltrate the Arcana government! If you were descended from slimes, then that would explain why you, too, don’t go to the—

“Stop it.”

You have cleared the area. All the Alricks have vanished. Even though you’re still not sure why some of the alive-dead Alricks turned dead-dead when you weren’t looking. All the Alricks are gone, but you—

“Stop it,” growled Terry.

You’re not seriously missing the hissing noises, are you? The newfound silence makes me sound that much louder. That doesn’t bother you, does it?

Terry scowled.

There is no exit.

“There has to be.”

But there is none. You looked. Twice.

“I’m missing something.”

Marbles.

Terry sat up and sighed loudly. He could hear the echo. He sighed again.

“Puh-blblbl…” Terry forced air through his closed lips and summoned a shard of the inscribed earth giant’s core. He placed it on the floor.

You know you held that core back for a reason.

Terry did not retrieve the shard again.

If the ungrateful blob starts taking hostages, I’ll blame you.

Terry stared at the shard.

“Something. Missing something. Something.”

Like what?

“...”

Would it cheer you up if I imitate voices again?

“Please don’t.”

I could show you the wiremoss tarantula dance again. That cracked you up for minutes! Or hours. I don’t know. Hard to tell in here. You sounded so happy! Mad bonkers, obviously, but happy nonetheless!

Terry stared emptily at the darkness below. He whipped his head from side to side.

Are you playing metronome? YES! That’s how you can keep track of time in here! Why did I not think of that?

“When lost, start at the beginning.”

Not that again. Are we going back to circles? Eighth? Nineth?

“Beginning.” Terry activated the imprints in his boots and absentmindedly walked towards the first cavern he woke up in. Terry had always kept the marker in his ring with the five-point inscription. However, Terry did not really need the marker anymore. He knew the area by heart.

Seriously? Again?

***

I hate this notebook.

Terry erased a line and drew a new one. He examined the result and compared his sketch to the real room.

You’re no good at this.

“It’s only the first area. I’ll get better with practice.”

I don’t think your food supply will last long enough for you to get sufficient practice.

Terry shrugged. He walked around the room – step by step. He added the measurements to his sketch.

Perhaps you can put the big armchair into that corner? Over there will be the dining area? Not that you have much food left to dine on…

“Beginning. Beginning.”

End. I think you’re closer to your end.

“Beginning.” Terry furrowed his brows.

What?

Terry returned his notebook and pen to his dimensional bag. Then, he clapped loudly once.

Applause! That’s what you were missing! Thundering applause!

*Clap…* *Clap…* *Clap…*

What are you clapping for?

“Not sure.” Terry closed his eyes. *Clap…* *Clap…* He walked towards a corner of the room.

Ouch. Terry stubbed his foot. Great idea.

Terry opened his eyes again.

Yup. Those are stalagmites. I believe we have seen those before.

Terry narrowed his eyes. “What’s that behind there?”

A marble?

Terry climbed and made his way to the suspicious spot.

That’s a hole alright. Going down. D-o-w-n. You want to go up. Remember? Surface? Up?

Terry kneeled. “I could squeeze through.”

Then, you can get stuck and finally starve in peace. Or maybe the hole gets narrower and narrower and you can turn yourself into Terry paste!

Terry retrieved a light-aspected metal rod from his storage bracelet. He held the light into the hole. The light did not reach the bottom.

Jump.

Jump jump jump.

Paste~

Terry let go of the glowing rod and observed the fall.

No paste?

Terry gritted his teeth. He secured a rope on the stalagmites. Then, he retrieved another glowing ring and put it on his right hand. Terry slowly made his way down the hole. After he had reached the end of the rope, Terry relied on his imprinted boots to continue.

Eventually, Terry arrived at the bottom. He saw a narrow tunnel. There was only one direction to follow. At the end of the tunnel, Terry reached a dead end.

Terry looked up and it turned out that the end was not so dead after all. Up above, there was a narrow passage similar to the hole Terry used before. Terry air-stepped up.

After he had finally pulled himself up, Terry stared at the next area.

“This…”

This dungeon is an ARSEHOLE!

In front of Terry was an exit. A proper looking, upwards going exit. Terry looked nervously from side to side.

Don’t say that out loud. Don’t tell the dungeon I called it that. I know you’re a tattletale. I’ll tell Lori!

Terry sat down and held his face in both hands. He took some deep breaths.

Come on. Go. Go go go! Up. UP!

“I thought you wanted to lie down and die.”

That was then. This is now. I’ve changed my mind. You are supposed to do that on occasion. Up up up.

“Good to know. Now, you know why I should not listen to you.”

Yeah yeah. Shut up. Up. Up up up.

“Yeah right, until next time you pus weasel.”

Up.

***

What the—

“What the—” Terry froze.

He had not encountered any enemies since finding the proper exit. He had not even sensed any mana signatures. Until now.

That can’t be right. Can it? Terry gulped.

His mana sense had picked up the most intense signature he had ever sensed. It was not large. It was not even that much mana. However, it somehow burned itself into his mana sight.

Like a candle with the intensity of a sun. A very strange sun with a uniform brightness everywhere. As far as mana signatures went, this was as abnormal as it would be for a sun. Mana users consume, absorb or regenerate mana all the time. This was the same for folk, constructs, or creatures. Terry had never heard of a perfectly uniform mana signature, nor of one with this intensity.

To make it worse, the signature was definitely multi-aspected and extraordinarily abnormal. Terry could sense five distinct – and extremely pronounced – aspects. He only recognized three of them, but they were already sufficient to make anyone uncomfortable.

Life – That one’s alright. Upper system. Sometimes a bit wonky, but alright.

Blood – Lower system. Potentially troublesome, but I won’t judge. Elena would get sad.

Death – Lower system again. Death. Like the ghouly Alricks. Death.

Death. Time to panic. I’ll go first. You join whenever.

The signature had popped into existence from one moment to the other. No bells. No quake. Nothing. It was still in the distance, but it was definitely in the way.

Dun dun dun.

Terry stood frozen with mouth agape.

Ha Ha ha HAHAHAha! Want to lie down now? HAHAHA. And you thought you were getting out of here! Go ahead. This is going to be fun. Oh your forehead is getting all sweaty.

“SERIOUSLY?!” A voice reverberated through the dungeon. “AGAIN?!”

Uhm. Did you say anything? It sounded deeper than usual.

“I— What?”

“STUPID DUNGEON FAIRY!”

Are you making voices? You told me not to make voices. I am sensing a double standard here.

Terry shook his head and dazedly started running. Running towards the voice – faster and faster. Running towards the abnormal mana signature.

“WHY?! WHY IS IT ALWAYS—?”

***