-
System Notice:
-
You have consumed 'Astral Fruit of Growth'. Please select one of your spells or talents to imbue with growth. This spell or talent will accumulate experience at an accelerated rate.
The warm feeling that spread through Jade's body as she ate the fruit reminded her of the radiance that had washed over her at the shrine in Lysara. That glade had been dedicated to a goddess of growth. Did that mean… Did this fruit contain the power of that deity? The effect was different, but the feeling was the same. It evoked memories that she didn't want to recall but could no longer ignore.
Still, Jade didn't allow herself to get lost in thought. She had a decision to make. After tabbing through her list of spells and talents she eventually decided to assign the growth boost to what was likely her most powerful spell: Allure. With her ability to boost its power, the faster she could get it to B rank the better off she'd be.
As much as she wanted to stay and take in the breathtaking view, they didn't have time to linger. As soon as the portal on the far side of the pavilion opened Jade pushed herself away from the railing, bidding her companions to follow as she passed through the gateway. There was the familiar rushing sensation that accompanied dimensional travel, and then Jade found herself blinking in the bright light of a blazing sun. Her boots scuffed against soft sand, and a wave of oppressive heat made her immediately remove her cloak.
"I thought you said this stairway took us near Illysport." Jade said to Fenrin as he emerged behind her. "We're in the middle of a desert."
According to her interface, this quadrant was called the 'Sunswept Wastes', which fit the surrounding landscape more accurately than Jade would've liked.
"It is." The half-elf reassured her, shading his eyes against the light. "We're near the edge of the quadrant. There should be a road a short hike spinward from here. That'll lead right to the city."
"Should be?"
"I've only been up here once or twice, with my father." Fenrin admitted, using the Pathfinder spell to get his bearings. "But I think it's that way."
Though his face didn't betray it, Jade tasted a sense of pain when Fenrin mentioned his father. She knew from earlier conversations that he was missing, but the half-elf rarely spoke of the matter. If they weren't so pressed for time, Jade might've asked if he wanted to share the whole story. As it was, she couldn't afford to lose focus.
"Yeah, there we go."
Fenrin gestured to Jade's left, using the arcane arrow of his Pathfinder spell to orient himself. Seeing that magic reminded her that here on the third floor, her version of the spell had an additional use. Not only could it show her what direction was inward, but it would also indicate where the closest Labyrinth Core was. She immediately tested it, conjuring the same arrow above her wayfarer mark as the rest of her companions gathered around.
"There." Jade turned to face the direction her spell revealed, a bearing about thirty degrees clockwise from where Fenrin claimed Illysport was. "That's where the core is."
Luis immediately followed suit, casting the spell as well. His indicator matched Jade's, pointing towards a nearby sand dune that obscured their view of the distance.
"So, that's where the demons are?" Naomi asked.
Jade thought she could hear a hint of anxiety in her friend's voice, but when she glanced at her, there was no trace of it in her determined expression.
"Unless their plans changed." Jade nodded. The contents of the documents she'd stolen from Malice had been light on details, but there'd been enough to make it clear that the core the demons were interested in was close to Illysport. Cores weren't supposed to be near each other, so there was a high chance that this was the right one.
"Only one way to find out." Luis said, flashing them his characteristic smile. "Let's go crash the party."
Tara'lynn did not like the heat. She burned easily, sweated profusely, and hated the way it made her combat suit grow sticky and gross. Up until the moment she crossed the threshold onto the third floor she had been all fired up to go fight some demons. And then she'd emerged into what she could only think of as a blast furnace. As ridiculous as Jade's armor was, in this moment Tara was more than a little envious of its lack of coverage. That, and the way the woman had been able to give herself a dark tan with a few moments of concentration.
Who knew succubi had such practical abilities…
Despite Luis's enthusiasm, they weren't heading straight to the core. Not quite. First, they had to make sure Siora arrived safely at the city. Although the elf protested that she could find her way to Illysport without help, the entire party refused to allow her to wander off into the desert alone.
"Are you crazy?" Tara asked in disbelief. "Even if it's a low monster region, no one should be on their own up here."
"Didn't you travel on your own from the fourth floor to the second?" Fenrin asked, raising an amused eyebrow.
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
"Y-yeah, well, I never said that was a good idea."
"Of course it was a good idea." Luis said, throwing his arm around her and slapping her shoulder. "It led you to us!"
Tara squeaked in surprise, flinching at the unfamiliar contact.
"I suppose…" She replied, distracted by suddenly being so close to someone.
"Luis, you're bothering her." Naomi said with a sigh, pulling him away by the arm. "You shouldn't just grab people out of nowhere."
"Huh? But you just grabbed me."
"No, it's okay!" Tara interjected, hoping that she didn't look as flustered as she felt. "It's not that I have a problem with it, I'm just not used to being touched a lot."
"Do your people not show much physical affection?" Fenrin asked. "Hugging friends, pats on the back? Things like that?"
"Yeah! Or wrestling, or that thing where you sneak up behind your buddies and tackle them."
"Are you sure those are friends, Luis?" Jade asked with a soft snort.
"Ahh it's just a guy thing." He waved away her concern. "You don't do that, Tara? Sorry."
Luis finished, rubbing the back of his head. It was a gesture he did fairly often, and she was still trying to figure out exactly what it meant. Human body language was strange.
"No… that isn't unusual with my people either. I just…" Tara hesitated, unsure of what to say. This was something she'd never given much thought to. Or… It was something that she'd made sure she didn't think about. "I didn't have the chance to do much of it myself."
She said it neutrally, trying to think of a natural way to change the subject. Before she could, Naomi spoke up.
"I feel like you just said something really sad."
A spike of annoyance shot through Tara and she turned a glare on Naomi… Only to find her extending an open hand. Her smile was bright enough to banish those feelings, replacing them with something warmer. Cautiously, Tara took her hand in her own.
"Let's get you caught up on it."
She gave Tara's hand a soft squeeze, stoking the embers of that inner warmth. Behind Naomi, Luis was grinning. The rest of them nodded, and Mimi flapped over from Fenrin's shoulder to land on her own with a soft thump. Tara felt herself smile. It was a self-conscious expression, but it didn't feel bad.
"That… would be nice."
After that, she found that the heat didn't feel quite so oppressive anymore.
True to Fenrin's word, it only took an hour and a half to reach the edge of the desert quadrant and find the road that led to Illysport. From what the half-elf remembered, it was another three hours to the city from this area. Jade was concerned about Siora's safety and offered to accompany her all the way to the gates, but the elf declined with one of her airy smiles.
"You have an important job to do, and so do I." The elf said, taking one of Jade's hands in both of hers. "You're the one I'm worried about."
"We'll be okay." Jade promised. "We aren't going to fight if we don't have to. There's a good chance that we'll be back here in the city in a day or two to get some help once we figure out what's really going on."
"Yeah, I'm sure it'll work out that way." Naomi didn't roll her eyes, but the obvious effort that took had the same effect.
"These Core Zones are supposed to have powerful guardians, right?" Luis asked. "If the demons find a way inside, maybe it'll kick their asses for us."
Now it was Jade's turn to give Luis a skeptical look.
"We're never that lucky."
"A guy can dream, yeah?"
"Anyway, Siora." she said, turning back to her friend. "Be safe, okay? We'll find you as soon as we can."
"You too. And when you do, I'll have some leads on that cure for your brother."
"Thanks." Jade hesitated for a moment and then pulled her into a hug. It was a little awkward, she'd never been much of a hugger, but this time it was right. "Thank you."
All the feelings that she had such a hard time putting into words were infused within that contact. The worry, the hope, the gratitude, the desire for this all to be over. It only lasted for a few moments, but it was enough. When they pulled apart, the elf was smiling. Then she jumped, reaching into her satchel.
"Oh! I nearly forgot, I made this for you."
A small bottle of sky-blue liquid lay in her palm, glinting in the evening sunlight. Curious, Jade examined it.
-
Potion of Flying
-
Rating: C level potion
-
Crafted by: Siora Windsong
-
Effect: Grants flight for one minute.
"Sorry I couldn't make it last longer, I only have my travel kit with me."
"It's amazing." Jade breathed, gently picking up the vial and inspecting it. "I just wish I had more."
Realizing how ungrateful that must've sounded, she shook herself out of her reverie.
"Really, thanks. I'm sure that'll come in handy."
She shared its effects with the rest of the group. They were all impressed, but none so much as Tara.
"You made this on the road? With just those travel tools?" The tek'kalla asked, amazed.
"It took a few tries…" The elf admitted, shuffling her feet. "I wasted a lot of ingredients getting it right."
"Even still…"
They finished their goodbyes under the light of the slowly setting sun before setting off in different directions: Siora along the road towards Illysport, and Jade and her companions across the open flatlands that bordered the desert. They pushed on through twilight, pulling out lanterns to light the way as Jade shifted into an elven form to give herself better night vision. The transformations were second nature to her now, effortless adjustments to give herself whatever tools she needed at the time.
She had grown to appreciate more the benefits of her new nature, even if the unsettling cravings that accompanied it still disturbed her. They were always there in the back of her mind. A hunger that slowly grew with each passing day since she last fed. It was starting to come back again, manifesting as urges to linger near her companions, breathing in their emotions like smelling a meal before taking a bite. Worse was how sweet the anxiety of her companions tasted to her mind. Only the importance of their current mission could keep Jade focused on the task at hand.
To distract herself as they travelled, Jade looked through her most recent notifications. She had completed a couple of quests, Ascension Part 2 for reaching the third floor as well as The Gatekeeper, both of which granted a hefty amount of experience and crescent coins. The experience was enough to push her up to level 19 as well as a good portion of the way to 20. She assigned her stat points and then reviewed the most important notice: The reward for defeating The Gatekeeper.
-
System Notice
-
You have conquered the Trial of the Gatekeeper and earned a boon! Normally, cheating your way through Labyrinth quests is frowned upon. However, considering the enemies you're about to go up against, it's probably for the best that you're getting in some practice. I'll let it slide. This time.
-
Reward: You have been granted the racial trait 'Magic Resistance'.
The Voice of the Labyrinth sounded a little amused to Jade's ear. And… was this the first time she'd heard it refer to itself in the first person? Before she could ponder the implications of that, another box appeared.
-
Magic Resistance
-
Your resistance against spell and magical effects is increased by 50%. Damage is not an effect.
"Score…" Jade breathed, heart pumping in excitement. A 50% boost was enormous. If what Tara said were true, the enemies on this floor would start having more magical abilities, so it was a timely upgrade. And that wasn't even considering the demons they were about to face, all of whom Jade assumed could use some type of magic.
"Please don't use this as a reason to take more crazy risks in the future." Was Naomi's response after Jade told the group about her new ability. "But… it is pretty badass."
"That's a crazy boon." Fenrin added, his eyes wide. "I've heard of people getting it, but it's usually only given out on the higher floors. I guess the Voice likes you."
"If it does, it has a funny way of showing it." Jade muttered, thinking about the options the system presented to her for her succubus features. In her opinion, she was owed a good turn or two at this point.
One thing she did know was that the next time she and Malice met, one of them was going to get an unpleasant surprise.