Day 72

Phelian Starr

The heat of the eighth floor was unbearable. Coming from above and below to cook him within his own armor. Blinding too, the harsh sunstones reflected off the packed crystalline pebbles in a combined glare of ethereal light. Haze from the all-consuming heat reduced visibility further. Despite a flat plane, he could only see clearly around about fifty feet.

Not that there was much to see beyond a few boulders and scattered stones. The only variation to the terrain.

His party had already been exploring for a few hours and everyone was miserable. There was not a lot to distract them from the baking heat. Blinding light kept sightlines overly intimate and the roving monsters had so far proved to be short diversions at best.

Several species of giant scorpions could be found on this floor. Wicked creatures that came in all sizes, from big as a foot to some rivaling cattle. None were particularly difficult to defeat regardless of the mass. Even the type that could split in two and combine at will. That surprise added time to the fight but nothing more. He knew Soren’s party wasn’t having any issues with the wildlife either.

It was the environment that was proving to be the greatest challenge of floor eight.

So far at least.

The heat was enough to drive a person insane. Constant sweat left him feeling perpetually damp and thirst had them running through their water supply faster than ever before. There was a real possibility that they would have to abandon the floor and return tomorrow. Silently the arisen warrior was tracking the turn around point with each gulp.

“Ugh this is the worst,” groused Phelian. Taking another sip of water for the brief sensation of coolness traveling down his throat. “I’m starting to regret letting my pride convince me to try this “one floor in one day” challenge.”

“Well, I guess there is a first time for everything,” laughed Hector.

“Huh? I’ve had regrets before… Wait, is this another swing at my “reckless” behavior? ‘Cause I told you, I always have a plan! Anyways, this heat is just bizarre! We’re cooking and haven’t even found the first clue yet!”

“All we can do is look around. Something will stand out at some point.”

Phelian grimaced. “But this floor is so hard to navigate. I worry it's going to keep us from solving this in one day.”

“I thought you were second-guessing doing that challenge?”

“Only a little bit, I don’t want to fall behind the other Council members. That would suck! Not that I would risk all of you getting heat exhaustion. Eventually, we’re going to have to turn back because of water. There certainly isn’t any to find here.”

“At least your priorities are in order…”

“Of course!” grinned Phelian. He turned to the rest of the party. “Hey, any ideas on how to beat the heat? Allen, Analia, any magic solutions?”

The fire mage looked unbothered by the heat, even with his daunting beard. There was nothing sweaty about his appearance.

“Unfortunately, I’m unsure how to share my immunity to the temperature,” apologized Allen. “Everything I tried with Kai made it worse. Warmth is a side effect of all my beneficial spells. Sorry about that.”

He nodded at that and turned to the dark mage wrapped in living shadows. “Could you, like wrap us up in darkness?”

“That wouldn’t really help with the heat. Darkness isn’t inherently cold… what I summon is more void-aspected. Like Allen I am unable to remove certain elements from my spells, there would be hostile effects.”

“I see, but could you block out what’s coming down from the sunstones? Like an umbrella!”

She blinked and thought about it. A hand rose into the air to summon a ball of darkness. It flattened and then spread outwards into a disc large enough to cover them.

Suddenly there was shade in the desert.

The party cheered as the heat was cut in half. It made a surprising difference to no longer have the rays raining down on them and what baked off the searing ground was now bearable. Under that cover, the party began moving faster.

Something strange began to happen as they traveled. It seemed only an illusion or the mind playing tricks in the desolation of sensation that was the desert. The sounds of scraping and shifting were easy to dismiss. Rocks in new positions explained away by accidental kicks. Nothing that seemed important until it began to add up with dreadful pressure.

Phelian was about to risk embarrassment when the reality of his suspicion was made starkly apparent to everyone. He saw the same mix of relief and shock on their faces that must be molding his own.

A boulder was chasing their pool of shadows.

Pebbles skittered aside as the big rock moved after them. Slow, subtle at first before giving up as they outpaced it. The rock lifted up on insectile legs that sprouted from its bottom. Hurrying to be under their mobile shade as more legs, longer ones, molded from the sides. Once it was able to keep pace with them under the cover, eyes open all across the surface.

Wary, but curious, Phelian called for a halt. Wanting to allow the monster the comfort of their shade and see what would happen next. Once stopped, the boulder creatures stopped too. Thumping to the ground as the legs pulled back inside or molded back into stone. Rocking to settle into position.

No mouths appeared, but it began to sing. A humming harmony that was lovely to behold. The eyes became heavy-lidded with pleasure. Nothing was threatening about the monster, it minded them not all as it sang in the shade. Flowers budded and unfolded in the spaces between eyes. Green pollen wafted silently into the air.

He feared for a moment that the pollen was poisonous, but the stream was too thin to reach them. Too heavy to fly far either. The powder ringed the rock monster thicker and thicker as the song went on.

They were all entranced by the tune’s beauty. When it stopped, the party woke slowly from a trance of pleasant thoughts and stared about in drowsy wonder.

“Wow, something beautiful for once,” whispered Vivian with awe. “With so many things trying to eat us, you kind of forget that with a world of Mana that friendly magical creatures can exist as well.”

Kai kissed her, and said, “Yes, a nice reminder of the beauty that we can witness.”

Phelian smiled at the thought. It’s always good to see other people enjoying our new lives. They too often see grimness when they should be celebrating the wonders of our luck. A whole new world full of the extraordinary, all for us. We need only prove ourselves worthy.

There was a frown on Hector’s face unlike everyone else who was enjoying the afterglow of the song. “What is the purpose of this monster?” The warrior kneeled down for a closer look, but dared not to touch the pollen or cross it. “Why is it on this floor at all?”

“Not the first creature we’ve come across that is neutral to us,” pointed out the arisen warrior. “Like the goats on the last floor or those wooden deer on the third.”

“I suppose it could be that simple. Those, though, seemed more additional or supporting. Moving rock creatures in a desert, well that guy makes me think they are the reason for this floor.”

“What do you mean, Hector?”

“It goes back to what Xavier said The Pit was originally a research facility. Specifically, I mean the floors before their current use as trials were simply monster habits. For study, and maybe parts? So we’ve come across different biomes with matching ecosystems that revolve around certain monsters. With the third floor as an example, the death birds and the metal monkeys were clearly the reason for that floor. The wooden deer were an afterthought, a monster that fit there and was worth studying.”

“And, with this rock here, you want to know why they built a habit to study them? Couldn’t this floor be for the scorpions or something we haven’t met?”

“Maybe. I guess this is all idle thinking for now. Just wondered if it was a clue of sorts.” Hector shrugged.

Allen leaned into the conversation. “We could kill it and see what parts the core offers.”

All three looked back at the rock monster and then shook their heads. Mystery or not, killing anything that sang that beautifully was a crime.

“So what's the clue this guy is supposed to inspire?” asked the fire mage.

“Assuming I’m right about that… I have no idea,” admitted Hector. “Just another mystery that bothers me.”

Phelian shrugged, “We’ll keep them in mind, but better that the party gets moving again. There’ll be an obvious clue sooner or later.”

“Sure, what about that rock and the others that might follow us?”

The arisen warrior waved it off. “This one looks pretty satisfied and…”

“Looks spent I’d say,” joked Allen with a cheesy smile and dancing eyebrows.

“Hah, yeah and we can avoid the big ones easily to prevent any more distractions.”

The party set out again under the umbrella of darkness. Their straight-line gained a couple of curves as they now shifted to walk around the boulders. As before, the smaller rocks couldn’t keep up with them and gave up before really trying.

Time passed and the uniformity of the floor was starting to get to them again. A creeping sense of being lost despite having a marker of their direction. Even the new method was unable to stave off the growing dread of disorientation. After the last floor’s maze of spires, Molly designed and Valerie created a new device. An artificial north poles and compasses to go along with them. It was a literal pole that had been colored like a candy cane for some reason. Once erected at the entrance, the compass would always allow you to know the way back and the distance between.

Going back for it after completing the floor was a small chore when weighed against the certainty gained.

The coolness of the shade stretched the water supply, but the turnback point was still inevitable as Phelian’s first canteen became alarmingly light. A long pull and a couple of sips would kill it very soon.

He looked around him to the far reaches of the heat haze while shaking the remaining water thoughtfully. It was a hopeful gesture before draining the last bit.

We’ll need to come back with a couple more canteens per person next time. Even having the shade the whole time wouldn’t cut the use enough to stick with only two. Wonder how Soren’s party is handling the heat?

Eyes searching, the last tilt as the warm reminder passed down his throat. Phelian switched canteens and was about to call to turn back when something interesting showed itself. Interesting in the terms of a flat featureless desert. There was a hole ahead to the left. A crescent mound of loose dirt breaking the flatness of the desert.

“Neat thing ho!” declared Phelian and angled them for a straight shot to investigate.

The closer they got the more apparent the hole was a burrow of some sort. Something had dug past the pebble layer to a white ashy clay beneath. Crumbling and dry. The sides hadn’t been shored up, but rawly dug up recently.

Creeping up with his shield ready, the risen warrior peeked over the edge. A gentle slope led down to a partially shaded cave. Light illuminated everything clearly, but it was no doubt cooler down there. Not that the giant frog squeezed into the space looked comfortable. There was a hint of dragonic features to the monster, horns, scales, and vertical slits for eyes. Dangling growths simulated a wise man’s beard.

He threw a rock to see the reaction, but the monster only sighed. Standing up got its attention though. Instead of attacking, the frog whimpered, “It's too hot…” With a croaking, monotone voice.

Phelian tilted his head, “What?”

“It’s too hot…” Said in a perfect recreation of the previous pitch and rhythm.

“Ok… so it’s hot,” frowned Hector. “That’s new.”

Amiyah took a look and said, “We should help it.” When they looked at her for more, the ranger shrugged. “It is new. Obvious.”

“Alright, maybe it's like a quest or something like that. Analia, would you please give the frog some shade?” requested Phelian.

The shadow mage looked a little put out, but didn’t hesitate. Quickly a new orb spread out to block the sunstones from shining onto the hole. As the shade deepened the frog gave them a goofy smile and sighed with relief.

“I’m hungry!”

“And, there’s a new request,” sighed Hector. “Is this really worth our time?”

Phelian smirked, “I don’t know, but let’s see what happens.” He pulled out a ration from his pack and walked down the slope to a spot with a large rock poking free. Not an altar by any means, but flat enough to hold up an offering of a little white circle of food.

Once he backed away a gray tongue cracked the air, eclipsing the ration and snapping back into the mouth. Another goofy smile and new request.

“I need a new rock! But these are too dry! I’ll choke on the dust.”

Hector growled, “Ok, this is just going to go on with Mr. Gimmie here. We can’t give it our water.”

“Nah dearest, we need to play this out. I’ll use my own water so no worries.”

“Why are you just doing what this monster says?”

“Because it's out of place? Clearly, something is up, part of the puzzle no doubt. We’ll get a reward or something.”

“That makes no sense to me… this seems so silly or at least you shouldn’t be trusting a monster.”

Phelian laughed and shook his head. “You’re getting worried for nothing. Have a little faith! I might be the madman you see, but don’t I make it work?”

“I, I don’t think you’re a madman…” fumbled Hector.

“Feels like it sometimes…”

“I’m sorry, you’re right. I should have more faith. Especially in the man… I love…”

“Sounds about right!” cheered the arisen warrior. “Come on, help me find some good rocks.”

The party sorted through the rocks scattered about the hole and buried in the digging debris. Like the ration, they were piled on the crude altar. It amazed Phelian how dry everything was in the hole and the center of the mounds. Not a drop of moisture to be found.

He opened the canteen to pour about a third of the magically enlarged reservoir. The dust on the pile of rocks turned into a thin layer of mud that clung to the rocks. Which didn’t bother the giant frog any. As soon as the arisen warrior backed away, the gray tongue rabid fired to pick off each one like popcorn.

It didn’t say anything. The mouth and stomach pulsed with lumpy movements. Like someone tumbling candy in their mouth and trying to swallow something too large at the same time.

They watched, they waited.

Eventually, the needy monster grew still and then let rip a quaking ribbit. As the sound faded in the silent desert, it spat out a rock that gleamed with mucus. There was written on it.

“Thank you!” said the frog as it turned to stone. One moment breathing and the next a statue. Nicely posed too.

“That makes absolutely, one hundred percent no sense!” grumped Hector.

Allen wiggled his fingers in the air, “Magic!”

“Let’s not pretend like that's an actual answer! Then we might as well use that for all the bullshit that crosses our path.”

The fire mage replied very seriously, “Then, in that case, the best explanation is “forty-two.””

“Asshole,” muttered Hector.

“Boys,” growled Vivian. “Enough playing, let’s read the damn rock.”

Phelian laughed and shifted the words into a readable position. Mildly successful in avoiding the mucus slowly drying in the heat.

Blinding sky, shining ground

Rays to blister, heat to wither

A desert is an enemy

Secret life, heavenly song

Nothing that purifies, silence that comforts

The desert is a friend

Thoughts circular, reflection regular

Arrive as one, leave as another

A desert is a mirror

To leave one must face themselves

“So it wouldn’t be as simple as looking in a mirror, right?” asked Phelian absently.

Kai rolled his eyes, “Doubtful. Some spiritual nonsense no doubt.”

“What, like we have to understand ourselves before passing through some barrier?”

“How would that even be judged?” asked Hector. “Sounds like a magical mirror to me.”

“Calling that rather than being a hint, this is a warning,” bet Allen.

Phelian pursued the idea, “A warning? What makes you say that? “Face” rather than “see” being used?”

“That and my guts says that it ain’t really a phrase for a clue. More a statement than a hint.”

“I agree,” nodded Amiyah. “Deserts are for trial, not for puzzles.”

“Whatever it is, we haven’t found the main event yet,” said the arisen warrior.

“Hopefully crossing the desert is considered enough of a challenge that this “facing ourselves” isn’t too difficult,” grumbled Vivian. “Our lives are being risked enough by this heat.”

“I’ll make sure to bring that up with management,” teased the prideful priest. He sidestepped the wrathful healer’s swing.

“You make fun, but I’m with her, Kai,” grinned Phelian. “This heat is the worst! I hope it's not too active.”

“Be prepared to be disappointed,” replied Kai mildly.

The party wrote down the words of the stone and moved out. Something of the floor’s solution had been found, but the water supply was unchanged. Phelian aimed for a return journey, taking a safe risk of arcing their journey into unexplored territory.

As he was about to use the speaking stone to update Soren, a realization sourly occurred to him. “Shit, you know what I just realized! Soren’s party has god damn Carlos with them. That dude is basically a walking, talking AC! I bet the desert really is a breeze for them!”

“At least we have shade…” whispered Analia.

“And I'm thankful for that, totally and completely, but damn the luck of getting a desert floor when you have an ice mage with you!”