The next portal gate brought them to the entrance of a large building. The sky was covered, so Jazmel had no true idea of what time it was. But his body clock told him he was well due a rest of some sort. The building looked like a three-story pagoda and when he tried to look in, he could tell that it was covered in wards.

  “It is a bathhouse.” Chae said, and he could smell the sweet scents that were coming from the house.

  They moved forward and he could smell the aroma’s and fragrances that moved him emotively. The double doored entrance opened as they moved towards it and three women stepped forward and beckoned them in, smiling and offering entrance.

  They were beautiful, timeless creatures. they did not look like they aged, but he could tell that they were peaceful and harboured no ill will towards them.

  “Welcome to the Royal Vanaheim bathhouse. We welcome you weary travellers and offer you respite within.” The lead one offered.

  They followed them in and to tell the truth, Jazmel was feeling weary from the endless tension he felt when he was travelling within the labyrinth. The entrance to the bathhouse was unguarded and without any sign of it. the three beauties that were leading them, moved slowly and with poise. Jazmel couldn’t believe just how graceful they all looked.

  “We three are the nymphs of the bathhouse. We provide rest and respite for all who garner the chance to come before us within the spirit tree.” The first one said, she wore pale blue, and her hair matched it as such.

  “We bear no ill will to any who reach our doors. All we ask is select payment.” The one on the right asked, she was dressed in green, and she reminded Jazmel of coral and reef plants.

  “We accept cores, for it is with those that we are able to keep the waters here flowing.” The one of the left explained, she wore pale red, and she looked the youngest of them all.

  “What is the cost?” Chae Namgoong asked and the nymph in red responded.

  “A pure tier IV core. It will heat and purify the waters.” She explained, bowing low before them.

  “I say we do it, a bit of respite before we reach the lower levels tells me the system or the spirit tree thinks we are not yet ready for the battle below.” Gadlin expressed and in truth, Jazmel agreed with him.

  “I will pay, but I only have a tier V core that I can offer.” Jazmel said, pulling from his ring the spirit advent core and placing it in the waiting hand of the lead nymph. She peered down at the core and smiled pleasantly.

  “Yes, this will pave the way to purify the waters. Please head that way.” She offered the corridor to the left and Jazmel began to walk that way. He heard the others paying and being directed their ways too.

  When he had passed two doors, a sliding door opened and a young nymph with lowered gaze beckoned him in. she wore white robes and looked to be only a teen.

  “Please use this room to disrobe and get comfortable. When you are ready, strike the gong and another attendant will come for you.” She said, before bowing and leaving him in the room alone. He was alone after a moment, and he used his eyes but could see no Mana about him. he stripped down, putting all his items into his ring not wanting to lose anything he may leave in the room.

  There was a full body mirror to one side and when he stripped down, taking only a thin white robe that he tied around his front. He could see that he had developed into a fully grown man in the space of mere months. He knew that mentally he was still aware that he was young. But he also knew now that the system was changing him and making him mentally prepare for whatever he would face within the labyrinth.

  He knew he was still sixteen. But he felt like he had aged a great deal and even now, he had almost missed his birthday. It was a mere month away and yet here he was acting like it was no big deal.

  His chest was sculpted and muscular. His arms were thick with the strain of exercise and battle. Though he had a few scars here and there, the potions he had taken usually healed him and knitted his flesh back together. He was a man of strength now and he indeed looked the part.

  He knocked the small gong beside the door gently and waited for someone to come and get him. Within moments another young nymph appeared sliding his door open and silently beckoning for him to follow her.

  They walked on, in silence and through the maze of sliding doors and quiet corridors. He found himself lost until she brought him before a door which was barring an extremely hot bath, he could see the ambient Mana enriched bath beyond the door.

  “Bathe here for as long as you like and when you are done, knock the gong and we will bring you to the outer baths where other guests sometimes choose to reside.” She explained before turning and leaving, not waiting for him to ask her anything.

  “Goodbye then.” He muttered to himself. He stepped in and closed the sliding door. The bath was literally imbedded in the floor, a fee steps let him step down into it. not wanting to get his robe wet, Paldane crawled from his ring and dived into the bath and under the water. Jazmel laughed, surprised to see Paldane appear like that.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “This is a good bath; it will do you good. Get in.” Paldane said before diving under the water again in his small form.

  Jazmel stepped down into the bath and sat on a seat erected from the stone for himself.

  DING!

  THE ROYAL BATHS OF VANAHEIM WASH YOUR SPIRIT AND FRESHEN YOUR SOUL!

  …

  …

  A TIER V SPIRIT ADVENT CORE HAS BEEN USED TO FUEL THESE WATERS!

  THE WATERS WILL STRENGTHEN YOU AND REVITALISE YOUR BODY!

  …

  The system sung into his mind and the words fluttered across his system screen. But his body was soaking the water in and using it to strengthen himself. It was beyond anything he had felt before, it felt like a tempering and a tier tribulation at the same time. Jazmel let himself sink beneath the surface and he began to meditate beneath the waters.

  Jazmel meditated like that for almost an hour, the water stayed piping hot all during this time and when he came up finally, he was surprised by the changes.

  DING!

  +10 VIT

  +10 END

  …

  The system chimed and the notification flashed onto his screen. He had gained so much just from the water?

  But he took his time, taking up the sleeping Paldane who had begun to float around the bath on the surface. He put on a dried robe and conked the gong to announce his departure. Again in a few moments a new nymph appeared, one he hadn't seen before, and she bowed before him and then led him to another part of the pagoda.

  The bathhouse had clearly been created like a domain; it was much larger inside than the simple three-story building he had seen outside. It didn’t really matter to him, but it was always interesting to him to see how it looked on the inside. His eyes were able to perceive warding and array sigils here and there. But he didn’t understand them enough to actively realise how they worked. He considered studying some more when he got home, to his stronghold.

  Sadé who are you doing? How are your travels or did you return home yet??

  He sent a swan to Sadé, he hadn't heard from her yet and now he was growing worried.

  Mary keep me updated on the stronghold, I am travelling some more and will not return home for some time.

  He sent another to Mary; he hadn't had a chance to reach out to her during his other travels. But here he was in a restoration bathhouse and under respite, he was thinking about everyone else.

  Katie how are the others? Have you left the settlement yet?

  Though it had only been a day for him, since he had left Katie, Myn and Bannerman. time moved differently in every single gate, so it could have been weeks for them, while it had been only a few hours since he had left them. In the beginning it had been a strange phenomenon, but now. Now he was adjusted and used to it.

  The group baths were just many pools with a small coal brazier in the centre of the room that flowed beneath the baths and were used to warm all the baths. Jazmel could see coal as well as cores in the centre. It was a fascinating creation, there were a few strangers in the baths. Sitting in pools alone and some grouped together, he noticed a hand waving and looking over he saw Chae, Baek and Gadlin sitting in an alcove behind the brazier. He made his way around to them and sat beside Chae.

  “That might have been the best bath I have ever had; I must really recreate that when we set up a place.” Chae said, as she nestled into the crook of Gadlin’s arm.

  “Yes, I will make sure to ask them for a schema and or figure one out for ourselves.” He said, smelling her hair and smiling at the peace. It made Jazmel think of Sadé, and he wondered how she was doing.

  “When you are ready to move on young master, we may.” Baek said and Jazmel nodded letting him know he had heard him.

  “What are you planning to do?” Gadlin asked and Jazmel shrugged.

  “We are still aiming for the roots, I will finish the quest, I don’t know how powerful the rot is, but if the spirit tree is like this with some rot. Just imagine what it would be once healed.” Jazmel said with a smile, Gadlin and Chae were looking at him with strange faces and he suddenly felt confused. But Chae shook her head and turned to Baek.

  “Is he always like this?” as to which, Baek smiled and nodded with pride.

  “I know right, it is so interesting to see. He truly cares about making things right in the labyrinth and is willing to go to any length to make it happen.” He responded and Jazmel looked at them all equally confused.

  “It is more than likely that whatever is causing the rot down there is going to be higher than a tier V monster. Are you prepared?” Gadlin asked and Jazmel admittedly hadn't thought of that, but he wasn’t shocked by that either.

  “I will do my best; it doesn’t matter what is down there. The quest is the quest.” Jazmel responded and Gadlin nodded with a serious look.

  “I will join you; I respect that part of you. You’ve kindled something in me myself, it has been a long time since I believe I could change things within the labyrinth on my own.” Gadlin said offering his hand to shake, which Jazmel shook.

  “We just need to do our best, if it is a tier VI or VII we protect each other and attack with our strongest. So take the time while we are here to rest and prepare. When everyone is ready to move on, we will.” Jazmel said.

  “Spoken like a true leader.” Chae Namgoong said with a beautiful smile, she really was pretty and Jazmel couldn’t help but notice. But while he was looking at her face, he noticed her forehead tattoo was brimming with Mana again, but now there were two lines on either side that looked like they were collecting Mana too.

  “What is that?” he said, motioning to her mark which she smiled at.

  “Oh you can see the flow of Mana, how rare.”

  “It is a Mana mark, sort of like a store or bank. If I run out of Mana, I can take from the mark and refill my stores with it quicker than drinking multiple potions.” She explained.

  “How did you make it?” he asked suddenly curious.

  “I found a skill scroll which had it, I thought it would be a good idea for me especially with how hard things become as a master tier. But it isn’t a miracle gift, the mark can only be filled by my own Mana. I cannot refill it with potions, I have to siphon off of my own store to replenish it.” she explained.

  “That does sound interesting.” Jazmel said and she smiled, he looked away suddenly shy and she giggled at him.

  She poured herself some wine, he could smell the fresh grapes from the flagon. It would seem they were to rest some more; it was good to have some respite like this within the labyrinth. Jazmel sat back and got comfortable.