"Once we're on the third floor, we'll be able to use our pathfinder spell to locate the closest Labyrinth Cores, right?" Jade asked, stepping into the gloom at the base of the cliff. This quadrant, a rocky scrubland, was filled with crab-like monsters that preferred to disguise themselves as stones, ready to ambush anyone who wandered too close. Fortunately, there didn't seem to be any near the stairway itself.
"That's how it's supposed to work." Tara confirmed, following her towards the portal. "Of course, the pathfinder spells Fenrin and I have will only point us inward, no matter what floor we're on. Our marks aren't linked to the cores attached to your world."
"Aren't the cores in some other dimension?" Naomi asked, echoing something Aylin had told them about how the core zones worked. "You'll be able to come with us if we go inside, right?"
"As long as you open the portal with your mark, anyone can go in." Fenrin reassured them. Mimi, who had just returned from a regular scouting flight, chirped in agreement. The bird tilted her head at Jade and clacked her beak twice, as if telling her to get a move on.
"There is a limit to the number of outsiders who can enter a core space." Tara corrected, holding up a finger. "The academy library has extensive documentation on how wayfarer trials work. All outside wayfarers have to be in a party with eligible wayfarers to enter a core space, and more than half of that party must be native to the proper world. Since the number of parties themselves are limited, you can't bring many outsiders in."
"You know a lot about this, amiga." Luis said, looking impressed. "Was all this taught in that academy of yours? Do they prep new wayfarers, or something?"
"They do!" Tara beamed, pleased with herself. "It's a prestigious institution among my people, even outside of the Elorinth enclave. But, no, most of the lessons there are more practical than trivia about Labyrinth mechanisms we're unlikely to encounter."
"Then how did you learn it?" Siora asked, cocking her head curiously.
"I…" Tara's enthusiasm deflated slightly. "I spent a lot of time in the library. Not many of my classmates wanted to spend time with a dedicated mage."
Privately, Jade thought that Tara's isolation might have had more to do with the blunt way with which she approached conversations rather than her chosen specialty, but she held her tongue. After all, she could hardly condemn the tek'kalla for a habit that she shared.
"Their loss is our gain." She said, instead, giving Tara a tight smile.
"Now, let's get this door open." Luis said, striding forward towards the portal. "I want to see what's on the third floor."
Everything was going exactly how Jade expected it to right up until the moment she inserted the key into the stairway door. The key disappeared in a familiar flash of light just as it had on the first floor. This time, though, that flash was accompanied by a quite unfamiliar jolt of painful energy that ran up Jade's arm. She cursed, stepping back in surprise as dark, shimmering chains wrapped themselves around the portal, holding the door closed.
"What?" Fenrin asked, the others making similar exclamations as the arcane bindings continued to slither around the portal, entwining it like some dark serpent.
Before they could do anything more than exchange concerned looks a pillar of dark smoke rose from the ground directly in front of the door, and right in front of Jade. She took another step back, hands going to the hilts of her daggers. The smoke only lasted a few moments before it fell away to reveal a hooded figure in dark robes. The features Jade could see suggested he was human, but enough of his pale face was shadowed that it was hard to tell at a glance. The aged man was skinny, almost frail, and clutched a gnarled wooden staff in one hand. His eyes glowed with a soft yellow light, shining from within his dark hood.
"The way forward…" He began, words slow and steady, as if each one were carefully considered. "Is closed."
The man gestured with his staff and the chains ceased swirling around the door. They halted with a heavy 'clink', settling into place. A notification popped into her view a moment later.
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New Quest: The Gatekeeper
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Your path has been blocked by a mysterious figure! Can you best him?
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Objective: Complete the gatekeeper's challenge.
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Reward: Medium experience gain.
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Reward: Varies depending on how the quest is completed.
This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.
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Accept? (Y/N)
"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me." Jade groaned, giving Fenrin and Siora a look filled with frustration. She minimized the quest prompt, setting it aside for the moment. "I thought stairways didn't have guardians."
"They usually don't." Siora said, staring back at her with wide eyes.
"There are no absolutes in the Labyrinth." Fenrin sighed. He turned his attention on the mysterious man, setting his jaw. "Who are you?"
Part of Jade, mostly the demonic aspect, wanted to stab this man before he could do anything to them, and then beat down the door until it fell open. The more rational part of her mind warned her that blatant hostility would probably have consequences, so she allowed the stranger to live. For the moment.
We really can't afford a delay. She thought, not taking her hands from her daggers.
"I" The figure drew himself up to his full height, raising his staff. Despite his elderly frame, the fluttering robes and glowing eyes made for an intimidating visage. "Am The Gatekeeper. I appear before groups such as yours on the threshold of advancing towards your goals. I bar the way, and offer a challenge. To accept and succeed is to gain power. Power that may help you on your quest."
"That sounds pretty good." Luis commented.
"What if we fail?" Jade asked, more skeptical.
The figure's mouth was the only part of its face not obscured by the dark hood. His lips drew up in a smile.
"Those who prove both ambitious and unworthy are cursed to live in darkness, afflicted with magic that steals their ability to see the goal they crave. If your mind cannot see the proper way, than neither shall your eyes."
"So, this challenge of yours. It's a test of the mind?"
"Indeed. A riddle. Should you succeed at answering it correctly, the door shall be opened. Yet should you choose to continue the challenge, you may earn a greater reward. But, if you believe yourselves unable to best me in a game of wits, you may leave to find another way."
"Um…" Naomi began tentatively. She swallowed. "Do we get our key back if we leave?"
The Gatekeeper's smile broadened.
"Typical." Jade groaned.
"I don't suppose blowing you up opens the door." Tara asked. The tek'kalla was holding her wand, twirling it around her fingers. Jade had been wondering the same thing, and the demonic hunger within urged her to do just that. With focus she was able to ignore it, a task made easier when she noticed how concerned Fenrin and Naomi looked at the very idea.
"I'm afraid not." The gatekeeper chuckled. "That would be the same as walking away, so long as you have not yet accepted my challenge."
"Siora." Jade moved beside the elf, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Can you brew a potion that removes a blindness curse."
The elf took an uncharacteristically long amount of time to answer Jade's question, which didn't fill her with confidence.
"Yes…" Siora nodded slowly. "I'm pretty sure."
"How sure?"
"Nearly positive." The elf bobbed her head confidently. "But… Not with anything I have here. I'd need ingredients from back home. Or another city."
Take a chance now and risk a major setback, or guarantee a smaller setback? It was a difficult decision. While Jade was considering their options, Naomi asked a brilliant question that she'd completely missed.
"Riddles often rely on wordplay." The bard narrowed her eyes at the gatekeeper. "In our experience, the Labyrinth's translation powers don't handle that well."
"An astute observation." Jade thought she saw the figure's head nod slightly in Naomi's direction. "If whoever accepts the challenge wishes it, the riddles will be given in their native language."
"We don't all have to accept?"
"No. This trial is attempted alone."
Was that some sort of challenge before the challenge? Jade thought, a shudder of anxiety washing through her. You can't ever let your guard down here.
A lesson that had been pounded into her again and again. The tip of her tail swished back and forth as she contemplated their next step. They couldn't afford to let the demons get any further ahead of them. Losing their key and having to fight multiple floor two bosses just to forge another one would take far too long. For all they knew Malice was already at the core, doing who knew what to a powerful magical artifact that was linked to Earth.
Jade's mind drifted to stories and myths she'd read as a child, or more recently in the books and games Alan had shared with her. Adventuring heroes of stories often faced riddles and tests like this on their journeys. Challenges that they usually overcame by tricking their opponent. If only she had a way to…
Jade blinked, and then a grin spread across her face.
"What do you think?" Naomi was asking the group quietly.
"We should just blast him." Tara muttered, eyeing the gatekeeper.
Jade was hardly listening, focusing on pulling up his stats.
Gatekeeper
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Level: 35
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Creature Type: Labyrinth Spirit
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Origin: Labyrinth-born
Level 35. Jade thought, mind racing through several quick calculations. That's still in 'C' Rank…
"Don't kill him, Tara!" Naomi hissed. "He said that'd be the same as walking away!"
"If we're going to leave anyway, we may as well kill him. He might drop something valuable."
"Tara!" Naomi looked at the tek'kalla aghast.
"What? He's a Labyrinth spirit, he'll just reform somewhere else." She shot him a simmering glare. "And he's pissing me off."
"If we work together, maybe we can do it." Fenrin cut in. "There aren't any rules against discussing the riddle with each other."
"If we get it wrong, one of us would still get cursed." Luis shook his head. "That would suck."
"I could fix it." Siora chimed in helpfully, then hesitated. "…Probably."
"What do you think, Jade? You're being- uh-oh…" Naomi paused, looking intently at Jade. "You've got that look in your eyes again…"
"Trust me." Jade said to her, doing her best to project confidence. She stepped away from the group and faced The Gatekeeper head on. "I accept your challenge. If I answer your riddle, you'll open the door?"
"That is correct." The man's creepy smile was back on his face, and his eyes flashed gold. Jade felt a spike of uncertainty. Was this the right thing to do?
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Quest accepted!
The notification came and went in the blink of an eye. No going back now.
"One riddle will open the door and grant you a minor boon." The Gatekeeper explained, pacing back and forth in front of the door. "Two riddles defeated will grant you a larger reward and three… Three will see you given a substantial gift indeed."
"Just to be clear, these gifts will benefit us, right?" Jade asked, suddenly wary of being tricked. Naomi's question about languages earlier had her feeling paranoid.
"That's right. You have nothing to fear from the rewards bestowed by the Labyrinth, wayfarer."
"Great. In that case." The grin was back on her face. Jade couldn't resist spreading her wings dramatically as she continued. "Give me all three."
"Jade!" Naomi hissed. "What are you doing?"
In lieu of replying Jade knelt, brushing the ground with her fingers and whispering an incantation. She gave Naomi a quick wink and, before anyone could say anything else, promptly stepped into her own rune trap.