Elijah Merrows paused, hand still on his spectral bow. He took a moment to scan the corridor, heart pounding from excitement and lingering apprehension. This was the second major transition they had made since the tutorial began—first the coliseum to the caverns, now the caverns to an area that felt… indoors yet strangely open.
Behind him, Nora Reyes stepped through, blade gripped in one hand. Her eyes flicked around the corridor as she exhaled slowly. “At least it’s not boiling hot this time,” she murmured, remembering the lava drake’s domain.
Vince Anders, still sporting a bandage around his temple from the drake’s last tail swipe, let out a soft whistle. “Feels almost like… I don’t know, some ancient temple?”
Gideon Pierce, leaning on his spear and favoring his bad leg, nodded grimly. “We’ll find out soon enough. Stay alert. The System rarely gives us a break without a catch.”
Just behind them, Sandra Lewis ushered the main group forward, ensuring stragglers and the injured kept up. Lauren and Harold hovered near the wounded, while Brittany hummed a gentle chord of her Fortifying Song, a subtle support to keep everyone’s nerves steady. Though battered, the survivors carried themselves with a new sense of unity and purpose.
Progress through the corridor proved uneventful at first. The wide passage echoed with the shuffle of many footsteps, its walls lined with what appeared to be small alcoves. Some contained relic-like objects—weathered statues, bits of broken pottery, or shards of crystal. Others were empty, their surfaces carved with swirling patterns reminiscent of puzzle runes but lacking any obvious puzzle component.
“I see no immediate threats,” Sandra said softly, scanning each alcove. “No beasts, no humanoid monsters. Could be a lull before another trial.”
Gideon agreed with a grunt, glancing back at Elijah. “We should confirm how everyone’s doing. That drake fight took a lot out of us.”
Elijah nodded, turning to look over the group. They were around seventy in number now—despite losing some people in the coliseum’s first waves and a few more in the cavern’s hazards, most had pulled through so far. Some of those who battled the mother drake nursed bruises or burns, but thanks to Lauren’s Recovery Sigil and Harold’s Purification Light, no one hovered near death.
He also recalled how many had leveled up from the drake’s defeat, particularly the front-liners: Gideon, Sandra, Nora, Vince, Patrice, Misha, and a handful of others. Elijah himself was now Level 3, with fresh attribute points waiting to be allocated—though he hadn’t found a quiet moment to do so yet. He grinned a little at the memory: how the mother drake’s final death throes had triggered a wave of System prompts, confirming the enormous EXP reward.
“All right,” he said quietly, stepping to the side of the corridor. “Let’s hold here for a moment, check in. We don’t want to blunder into something bigger without a plan.”
Gideon gestured for everyone to stop. The survivors formed a loose huddle near the middle of the corridor, setting down supplies or shifting weapons to more comfortable grips. Brittany ceased her song, her voice replaced by hushed murmurs and the crackling of conjured lights.
Sandra spoke up, tone calm but firm. “We have no map, no clue how big this place is or what’s ahead. Let’s set a few ground rules. We’ll move in small scouting teams while the main group waits here. Then we rotate, pushing deeper step by step.”
A murmur of agreement spread. Vince raised a hand, electricity dancing over his fingers. “I’ll go with a scout team. If we run into a locked door or weird runes, maybe my sparks can do something. Or blow us up—who knows?”
Some laughed quietly, a sign that tension was easing—just a bit.
Lauren cleared her throat. “Before that, I should check any lingering injuries. At least do a quick pass with Harold’s help.”
Gideon nodded. “Let’s get that done. Ten minutes, then we scout.”
While Lauren and Harold moved through the group, offering minor healing, Elijah finally took the chance to open his status interface:
Name: Elijah Merrows
Race: [Human]
Level: 3 (5%)
Class: Strider (Basic)
Free Attribute Points: 5 (unassigned)
Bow Sigil: Upgraded to (Common)
He inhaled, thinking over how best to spend his new points. So far, he had emphasized Agility and Perception, with moderate investments in Endurance and Vitality. That approach had served him well, letting him move swiftly and land precise shots. The mother drake’s ferocity underscored the need for staying alive, too.
After a brief internal debate, he assigned:
- +2 to Agility
- +1 to Perception
- +1 to Vitality
- +1 to Endurance
A subdued warmth coursed through his muscles, confirming the point allocation. He couldn’t help the faint smile that tugged at his lips—each bit of progress felt like a hard-won victory.
Nearby, Nora checked her own interface. Glancing at him, she asked, “That Sigil upgrade you got… it feels a lot stronger, right?”
He nodded. “Yeah, my bow attacks feel more cohesive. Like it responds to me more fluidly. And there’s some synergy note—I imagine if you coordinate with other Sigil holders, it gets even better.”
“Mine, too,” she said, lifting her wind-laced blade. “Feels like I can guide gusts more precisely. Might be huge in a real fight.”
About ten minutes later, once the immediate healing was done, Sandra and Gideon organized a scouting effort. Elijah, Nora, and Vince would join Patrice and Thomas to probe further down the corridor. Another smaller team—led by Misha—would explore an adjoining side passage they’d discovered branching off behind a stone partition. The rest stayed put, defending the main group.
They advanced cautiously. The corridor stretched on for a dozen more meters before opening into a broad hall. Pillars lined the sides, each carved with stylized images: beasts, strange runes, and robed figures that resembled humanoids from some forgotten civilization.
“It’s like stepping into a museum exhibit,” Vince murmured, stepping closer to one pillar. He ran a hand over the carvings. “The detail is insane.”
Patrice, using her Shadowslip, darted around to check behind each pillar for hidden threats. She reemerged, whispering, “Clear so far.” Her expression, however, remained tense.
Elijah moved to the center of the hall, scanning the floor. It featured an inlaid mosaic, though parts were faded or chipped away. He crouched down. “Hey, I see repeated patterns here—like swirling lines leading to a circle?”
Nora joined him, eyebrows drawing together. “Could be another puzzle platform. Doesn’t look exactly like the one in the coliseum, though.”
At the far end of the hall, a large archway led into darkness. The faint glow from the corridor didn’t reach that far, leaving a yawning black space. Thomas set a conjured torch near the threshold, illuminating dust motes swirling in the stale air.
From behind them, Gideon and Sandra arrived, leading a second wave of the group. “No trouble so far?” Sandra asked.
Patrice shook her head. “Nothing yet. It’s eerily empty.”
Gideon’s gaze swept the hall. “Could be the System’s letting us catch our breath—or we’re about to trigger some event.”
As more survivors trickled in, they fanned out to examine the mosaic, pillars, and walls. Brittany started a soft hum of her Fortifying Song, helping keep spirits calm. Meanwhile, Harold and Lauren lingered near the corridor entrance, watchful for anything sneaking up behind them.
Vince knelt by an especially ornate section of the mosaic, brushing away centuries of dust. A stylized symbol of a hand clutching a sphere glimmered faintly. “Elijah,” he called, “try that Identify skill here.”
Elijah complied, focusing on the symbol. Identify (Inferior) rarely gave full answers, but sometimes triggered partial hints:
“Mosaic of the Ascendant Path – Inactive”
(Insufficient Rank to Unseal Additional Info)
“That’s all I get,” he muttered. “Inactive. So, some sort of puzzle or device?”
Nora traced an arc with her blade’s tip against the lines. “Maybe we need to power it, like the puzzle guardians. The question is, how?”
Before anyone could theorize further, a dull tremor rumbled through the hall. The mosaic’s central circle flared with pale light, causing gasps. Then it faded again, leaving behind only a faint afterglow.
Gideon’s knuckles whitened on his spear. “Something’s definitely stirring.”
Sandra motioned for the group to pull back from the mosaic, just in case. “Everyone, form up. We don’t want to stand on a trap.”
Gradually, they realized no immediate threat emerged. The mosaic’s glow subsided, returning the hall to uneasy stillness. For a minute, the group hovered in tense anticipation.
“All right,” Elijah said. “Let’s keep searching. Maybe that archway leads to a mechanism or puzzle control.”
Sandra and Gideon exchanged a look. “Let’s do this carefully,” Gideon said. “Elijah, Nora, Vince—front with me. The rest, keep a perimeter.”
They lit torches and conjured a few orbs of electricity to pierce the darkness beyond the arch. The passage was narrower, reminiscent of catacombs, with alcoves built into the walls. Some contained broken urns or decaying cloth, possibly remnants of an ancient burial site. The air felt colder and carried a tang of old stone.
After a dozen yards, they came upon a stout wooden door, bound by tarnished metal. Vince stepped forward, sparks in his palm. “No sign of a lock. Might be stuck.”
Together with Thomas, he pressed a shoulder to the door. Wood groaned, then snapped as the hinges gave way, sending the door toppling into the next chamber in a cloud of dust. The group choked back coughs, waving away debris.
“Elijah, watch that corner,” Gideon muttered, spear at the ready. Nora took position on the opposite side.
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As the dust settled, a modestly sized room came into view. Rows of stone shelves lined the walls, stacked with scroll-like cylinders, small clay boxes, and lumps of corroded metal. It looked like a storage area. Fragments of whatever culture once thrived here lay scattered about.
“Treasure room?” Vince wondered aloud, stepping gingerly inside. “Or archives?”
Patrice, reverting from stealth, peered over some cylindrical containers. “These look too delicate to be weapons. More like records.”
Elijah inched closer. He noticed faint script etched into the clay boxes. “Hey, can you check if the writing triggers Identify?”
Vince nodded, swirling a spark near one container. The script glowed faintly, but the skill returned only:
“Ancient Record of ??? – Language Barrier/Decryption Needed”
Nora frowned. “So we have no direct translator.”
Then a soft chime interrupted them—faint but distinct, like a note from the System. Everyone froze. Another voice, monotone and androgynous, echoed in their minds:
“Records Annex Accessed. Translation Sigils available for Qualified Initiates.”
A hush settled as the survivors exchanged startled looks. Translation Sigils? Could that mean…
At once, a swirl of ghostly shapes materialized around the stone shelves. Four ephemeral orbs, each tinted a different hue, floated in the stale air. Elijah felt a tingle of recognition—similar to the Sigil orbs encountered after major fights. But these felt smaller, subdued.
Harold stepped in from the corridor, having heard the voice. “Translation Sigils?” he echoed. “That might let us read these records… or talk with other races, if we meet them.”
Lauren nodded, eyes alight with curiosity. “This could be huge for understanding the System’s deeper rules or other worlds’ knowledge.”
Gideon kept watch by the room’s entrance, half-expecting a guardian to appear. “All right. We take them carefully. Probably only a few of us need them at first, so we can read these records. We can’t know if they’ll conflict with our existing Sigils.”
Sandra agreed. “Who’s our best bet to interpret or glean useful info?”
All eyes slid to Vince—despite his comedic attitude, he was a programmer with a knack for problem-solving. Others considered Elijah, who’d proven thoughtful and quick to pick up System messages, or Lauren, who was highly organized.
Eventually, they decided that Vince, Elijah, and Harold would take the orbs. Vince, for analyzing complex script; Elijah for cross-referencing puzzle runes; Harold for knowledge that might enhance healing or magical synergy.
Steeling themselves, the three approached the floating orbs. Vince reached out first. The orb sank into his hands, swirling around his arms in motes of faint silver. Elijah followed suit, feeling a slight chill at contact. Harold did the same.
The System’s monotone voice resonated again:
“You have obtained: [Basic Translation Sigil]. Rank: Minor.”
“Allows partial comprehension of Ancient Archives. Further synergy requires additional upgrades.”
Elijah blinked, scanning a few lines from his interface:
[Basic Translation Sigil (Minor)]
- Enables partial reading of certain archaic scripts
- Expands synergy with existing Sigils at higher ranks
A swirl of mild dizziness passed, then cleared. He glanced at Vince and Harold. Each wore a bemused expression.
“All right,” Gideon said. “Try reading something.”
Vince nodded. He picked up the nearest scroll tube. The cylinder’s surface bore a swirl of etched symbols. As he stared, the lines seemed to shift, forming half-decipherable words in his mind.
“‘Archivum… Rite of Ascension…’” Vince mumbled. “It’s… I can only see some words. The rest is still fuzzy.”
Elijah tried a second container. “Something like ‘Test of Dominion… conduit… merges…’” He trailed off. “Parts are blank. Looks like we’re missing context or higher rank.”
Harold set down a clay box after scanning the script. “Well, it’s a start. Might confirm we’re dealing with some lost civilization that discovered or harnessed the System. They mention ascension, dominion. Could be puzzle references.”
Nora arched an eyebrow. “So we’ll need to upgrade these Sigils eventually if we want the full story?”
Sandra shrugged. “Likely. But for now, any clue helps.”
They took a few minutes to store the more intact scroll tubes, hoping to decipher them later. Then, continuing deeper into the room, they noticed an opening at the far corner—a low passage leading further down. Patrice tested it, slipping through stealthily. She returned moments later, whispering tensely: “A set of stairs going downward. Feels… musty. I heard some movement.”
Gideon exchanged a glance with Sandra. “We check it out carefully. Could be a hidden puzzle or a locked path—like the Sigil Node in the drake’s lair.”
They reorganized the group. Many were tired, but curiosity and necessity drove them onward. If the next part of the tutorial required deciphering these archives, they might not have a choice but to keep exploring.
Stepping into the low passage, they descended a short flight of worn stone steps. The air turned cooler, carrying a faint earthy smell. A second door—this one cracked and half-rotten—stood at the base, letting out a soft whistling sound. Could that be wind?
Gently pushing it open, they emerged onto a stone balcony overlooking a vast underground chasm. A series of broken bridges spanned the darkness, some collapsed into rubble far below. The faint glimmer of a subterranean river or lake reflected from the chasm’s depths. Beyond, ancient stone structures jutted from the walls, like a once-grand city built into the cavern.
A hushed awe gripped the group. It was a testament to how extensive this “tutorial” or pocket dimension truly was. Endless labyrinths, abandoned cities… The System’s scope boggled the mind.
“Welcome to the next challenge,” Gideon said quietly. “Seems we have to cross that chasm somehow.”
Sandra’s gaze traced the broken bridges. “We might have to fix them or find an alternate route.”
Nora, eyes shining, whispered, “It’s incredible. A whole ruin down there.”
Elijah felt the hair on his neck prickle. As they crowded onto the balcony for a better view, he saw motion across the gap—a cluster of small, skittering shapes along a distant ledge. Not cave crawlers this time. These moved on two legs, more upright, perhaps the size of large dogs. Their silhouettes vanished into a ruined archway.
Before he could identify them, a low tremor shook the balcony. The group staggered, a chunk of stone crumbling from the edge. “Everyone back!” Gideon barked.
They scrambled away, hearts pounding. The quaking subsided in seconds, leaving them to wonder if the structure might collapse at any moment.
“We’ll have to be cautious,” Sandra said, voice clipped. “One misstep, we fall to the bottom of that chasm.”
Elijah blew out a breath, turning over the possibilities in his mind. “We might not have the tools to repair the bridges. Maybe we’ll find a path around the perimeter. Or see if the System opens another route if we do something in that hall behind us.”
Vince eyed the partially collapsed spans. “Or we build some rope or net contraption. We still have leftover gnoll or drake hide, plus that tar might be used as adhesive… but it won’t be easy.”
They retreated to the hallway beyond the balcony, setting up a temporary vantage point. Gideon and Sandra consulted with the others, including a few who had mechanical or engineering backgrounds from their old jobs. None had direct experience with bridging a collapsed chasm, but they began brainstorming.
Nora leaned against the wall, scanning the gloom. “We’ll need to pick our next move carefully. We just overcame a mother drake. The System’s not likely to let us breeze through.”
Elijah nodded, recalling the mosaic in the other hall. “We should definitely test that floor or see if it triggers a bridging mechanism. Maybe there’s a puzzle that extends a walkway.”
Within the hour, the group reconvened in the mosaic hall. They decided the best approach was to further investigate the swirling runes, suspecting it was a puzzle related to crossing the chasm. Misha’s scouting group returned from the side corridor, reporting only minor storage alcoves and empty cells—no significant threats or solutions.
Standing around the mosaic’s center, Vince and Elijah shared a look. With their brand-new Translation Sigils, maybe they could interpret more of the designs. Vince squatted down, placing a palm against a carved swirl in the floor. His expression contorted as if listening to a distant echo.
“It’s faint, but I sense… instructions?” he said uncertainly. “Something about synergy or alignment.”
Elijah tried the same approach, running a hand over the central circle. A swirl of text teased his mind, partially glimpsed:
“When the Four Paths Converge, the Way Shall Open…”
He relayed it, prompting Gideon to ask, “Four paths? Four Sigils?”
Patrice, carefully scanning the mosaic, noticed four distinct spirals leading to the circle. “They might correspond to the elements or the classes we have. Or the Sigils we got—bow, spear, wind, lightning. But some of us have different ones.”
Sandra frowned. “We also have a few others with the healing or holy type Sigil. Could those factor in?”
Quiet debate ensued. Eventually, the group decided on a test: place four Sigil holders—like Elijah, Nora, Vince, and Sandra—at the mosaic’s spiral endpoints.
They took positions. Elijah stood on one swirl, bow in hand, feeling his Bow Sigil tingle. Nora occupied another swirl, blade humming with wind. Vince took a third, sparks dancing. Sandra moved onto the fourth, her newly acquired spear Sigil resonating faintly.
“Ready?” Elijah asked, voice hushed. The others formed a ring around them, weapons at the ready in case the puzzle spawned guardians.
Nora nodded. “Let’s do it.”
Vince closed his eyes, focusing. Sparks intensified around him. Sandra exhaled, knuckles tense on her sword’s hilt. Elijah steadied his breathing, trying to tune into the Sigil’s subtle presence.
At first, nothing happened. Then the mosaic glowed, the lines of each swirl lighting up like molten metal. A low hum vibrated through the floor. Elijah felt a gentle pull, as if urging him to aim his bow at the center. Nora raised her blade, wind swirling. Sandra and Vince mirrored the motion, each pointing their weapon or power toward the circle.
The center flared with brilliance, forming a single rosette of energy. In Elijah’s peripheral vision, System text scrolled:
“Sigil Alignment Initiated.”
“Puzzle Link: 25%… 50%… 75%…”
The floor trembled. Everyone not standing on a swirl took a few steps back, fear writ across their faces. Elijah’s heart raced. If guardians sprang out, they’d be in trouble, but he held his position.
Finally:
“Puzzle Link: 100%. Pathway Activated.”
A beam of light shot from the center circle, arcing up to the ceiling, then snaking outward in four channels that connected with symbols overhead. The entire hall glowed with shifting lines, each swirling around pillars and vanishing into the corridor that led to the chasm balcony.
When the glow subsided, the mosaic darkened to an inert state. Sandra lowered her blade. Vince staggered, nearly falling to his knees from the exertion. Nora’s eyes glimmered with curiosity, while Elijah let out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
“That must have done something,” Gideon said, stepping into the circle. “Let’s go check the balcony.”
They rushed back through the corridor, ignoring the raised tensions. At the balcony overlooking the chasm, it was immediately evident something had changed: shimmering runes crisscrossed the remains of the collapsed bridge, forming a tenuous, translucent path of pale blue light. Portions of rubble hovered in place as though partially reconstructed by magical means.
“Woah,” Vince breathed, peering at the intangible bridge. “Is it stable?”
Nora carefully knelt at the edge, testing it with a hand. The surface felt solid, albeit with a faint energy hum. “Seems like we can walk on it, but I wouldn’t jump too hard.”
Elijah eased forward, heart pounding. He set one foot on the glowing step. It held. With each cautious step, the faintly glowing runes brightened underfoot. He made it a few meters out, gazing down at the dark pit below. A tremor of nerves fluttered in his stomach.
“It’s stable enough,” he called back, “but we should cross one or two at a time.”
A wave of exhilaration rippled through the group. They had found a path forward—another portion of the tutorial overcame. Cheers mingled with cautious laughter, overshadowed by the looming question: What waits on the other side?
Gideon nodded sharply, a rare grin tugging at his face. “All right. Let’s do it carefully. Strong fighters first, help secure a perimeter if anything’s over there. Then we guide the rest.”
The crossing was tense but uneventful. With the group’s best fighters spaced out, they led the way across the glowing walkway, forming a line of flickering torches and conjured lights. A subtle wind howled through the cavern, occasionally rattling the stone ledges. Yet the magical bridge held firm.
On the far side, they stepped onto a broad ledge carved with more runes. An ancient archway opened into a labyrinth of stone buildings, reminiscent of a half-buried city. Faint lights glimmered in windows or doorways, as though some power source still flickered within.
Elijah gazed in quiet awe. “An entire lost city… Are we still underground?”
Nora brushed dust off a half-collapsed wall. “The System might have created this place, or it’s a real ruin from some other realm. Either way, it’s massive.”
Vince exhaled, electricity crackling lightly. “One challenge down, a million to go.”
Sandra and Gideon formed the group up, ensuring none wandered too far. “We’ll find a defensible spot, set up a camp,” Gideon said. “Then we’ll explore. We can’t risk stumbling blindly into another boss-level threat like the mother drake.”
A chorus of agreement followed. Though exhausted, the group rallied behind the notion of pressing forward into these sprawling ruins. Another trial, another puzzle, or maybe even other survivors—nobody truly knew what lay ahead.
Elijah, scanning the shadowy streets, felt both fear and excitement. They had come a long way from that ordinary Monday morning. The Path of Unification door was behind them, and some new stage of the tutorial beckoned in front. Each victory only led to deeper mysteries, but they were stronger now—armed with Sigils, synergy, and a sense of camaraderie forged in battle.
Turning to Nora, Vince, and the rest, he whispered, “Let’s stick together.”
Nora’s eyes shone in the gloom. “Always.”
And so, as the ragtag band of Earthly coworkers and newfound warriors ventured into the quiet streets of a forgotten city, their footsteps echoing on ancient stone, they carried with them the hope that unity—and a steadfast resolve—might see them through whatever the System had in store next.