The Ruby Magician

The instant Wyn stepped into the tunnel to find the source of the light he regretted it. He didn’t walk twenty feet further before the light became too bright, shining big and bold like the sun, forcing him to cover his eyes with a hand and then close them when it was still too much.

It was an odd feeling as his mind wasn’t thinking clearly. Deep down in the back of his mind he knew he shouldn’t be going anywhere without his teammates, let alone towards a mysterious bright light. Still, his legs were seemingly moving on their own as the light drew him in.

He could see the light through his eyelids for only a second, an afterimage of the blinding light. Before long he noticed it was thankfully starting to fade. He gingerly opened his eyes and saw the light was now gone, but his vision was clouded from the experience. His eyes needed to readjust. It took him almost a minute of hard blinking and nervously looking around in fear before he could make out any details.

He now realized, to his horror, that he was no longer in the cave tunnel. Instead, he seemed to be in a small cabin.

Wooden walls surrounded him, simple and plain. Bookshelves lined the walls to his right and a small countertop with a wash basin sat on the left wall. There was a square, wooden table in the middle of the room, two chairs sitting on either side of it. It was empty. Hanging on wood columns that accented the space were lanterns that offered light so Wyn could see. The light was soft yellow - the same yellow that beckoned him in the first place.

There was a single door to his back and no windows, and he was alone.

As Wyn looked around he noticed it wasn’t as simple or boring as he first thought. He walked over to the bookshelves and saw not books, but jars of liquids set all across it, murky colors of green, brown, and yellow clouding the insides. They looked old and dirty, like someone from decades ago filled them from a swamp or some similarly disgusting water.

He picked one up and shook it a bit, the brown water swirling inside. A rattle echoed off the glass. He couldn’t make out exactly what was inside, but it looked almost like small bones.

“Welcome, Ardwyn,” a voice said, scaring Wyn. The words were drawn out, the voice hoarse and old. He jumped back, startled, and dropped the jar onto the ground. It shattered, and the liquid spewed all over Wyn’s robes and boots, the bone-like objects scattering on the wooden floor. Wyn looked around the room to find who spoke to him and said his name.

“Hello? Who’s there?” He stepped over the glass and walked to the table. He narrowly avoided stepping on the small bones from the jar, and didn’t realize they were inching towards his boots like worms on the floor.

It didn’t seem anyone else was in the room. Not that he could see, at least. The space appeared empty and eerily silent but he had no idea about what magic resided in this place. The sound of the glass jar shattering still echoed in his ears.

“Please sit down,” the voice said again, and Wyn jerked his head around. There was now a woman sitting in one of chairs in the middle of the room, her fingers steepled together as her arms rested on the table. She had a sly smile on her face, and her grey hair was wiry. Her skin was wrinkled and grey, like she was wearing makeup made of dust.

Wyn cautiously stepped over to the table but didn’t sit down. “Where am I? And who are you?”

The woman chuckled. “Always so many questions. You’re in the same place you’ve been. And I am an Avatar of Alistair. Won’t you please sit down?”

Wyn felt like he was in a dream. For all he knew he was - maybe the mushrooms in the cave put him in a sort of hallucinogenic trance? Were Cedric and Marcy in similar situations?

Wyn grabbed the chair. It felt real. The grains of the wood were splintered and rough, and when he pulled it out to sit it was heavy. He sat down opposite the older woman.

“Thank you,” she said. She gave that sly smile again. It felt… odd.

“Avatar of Alistair. What does that mean?”

She laughed this time. It was more of a cackle, really, and Wyn’s hair stood on end hearing it. “No one seems to know anymore. It means that I am a part of the Great One. I was created to carry out whatever is needed, and have been granted the magic and means to do so.”

Wyn made it a point to remain as calm as possible. He didn’t want to seem antagonistic or threatening, and right now it felt as though she only wanted to share information. But he felt very strong and very serious power from her deep inside him. “The Great One. You mean the tower?”

“Not THE tower, the Great One! And you will refer to her as such!” She raised her voice at Wyn, sending spittle across the table with her words. She pounded her palms on the wood when she spoke, and Wyn jumped in his chair. He could’ve sworn her eyes were glowing yellow when she lashed out.

It struck him that she referred to the tower in another name he hadn’t heard, not to mention calling it ‘her’. He’d need to tread very lightly and carefully choose his words.

“I’m sorry,” Wyn said. “The Great One. You’re… her… Avatar, then.”

“Yes,” she replied, her demeanor calming down and her sly smile returning. “I change with the seasons. Currently I reside on a higher floor but she wanted me to see you.”

Wyn’s heart raced. There were several points in that sentence that he picked up on immediately. This Avatar was a higher floor creation - definitely a strong enemy, maybe a boss. If the tower sent her, that pointed to it being potentially sentient.

But, above all, why was he so special?

Wyn took a deep breath. “She… wanted you to meet me. Why? I’m a nobody. A rookie. I just came here today, after all.”

“The Great One sees all and is a part of all beings and things here. Your class, magic, and abilities come from her. Items, currency, even some foods are born here, their magic stemming from the Great One and being sent out into the world. She knows much more than anyone gives her credit for.”

Wyn didn’t know what to say. How could he? Was this normal? He didn’t even know what normal meant in the tower, if there even was a normal. Was this supposed to happen to Climbers and be kept a secret? His mind was racing and he was having difficulty focusing.

The old woman smiled. “I know what you’re thinking. So many questions running through your mind. But it’s okay, child, you don’t need them all answered. And some will be answered soon.”

Wyn just stared at her. He didn’t know if he should speak or just listen at this point.

She stared back at him for a minute. They were both locked in, her mysterious and vague and him nervous and confused. A bead of sweat ran down his forehead. He knew deep down he wouldn’t have the ability to fight her. If she truly was a being from the higher floors, she could kill him with relative ease. It wouldn’t even be a fight. It would be a slaughter.

“The Great One wanted me to meet you for encouragement. What happened today wasn’t exactly… typical within her walls. It was unexpected, even for us. But there are forces at play here outside your understanding. It would be wise to not interfere.”

Wyn perked up. “So it’s a warning, then? Steer clear of this since I’m too weak to do anything?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “In a way.”

Wyn quickly switched from being nervous to being frustrated. He did his best to keep his expression subtle.

“Now, now, don’t be offended,” she added. “You still have much to learn and much room to grow. And The Great One sees that you will grow very well.”

Wyn obviously didn’t do well with subtlety. The Avatar’s words were unexpectedly encouraging, and he honestly didn’t know how to respond.

“Be patient. Do what you came here to do. Grow, acquire magic and wealth, and then…” her sly smile grew wider and more menacing. “And then, we will meet again.”

Wyn’s heart skipped a beat. “Why are you telling me this? Even if it is a warning. And it sounds like you’re encouraging me to defeat… The Great One. And you.”

She cackled, and the sound made Wyn’s skin crawl. The noise was piercing and harsh. “Don’t forget your true purpose. You aren’t here to defeat The Great One. That’s impossible. You are simply here to pass her tests and take what she offers you.”

“What do you mean? I thought the purpose was to conquer… her. Climb to the top and… well, I don’t know. Win?” Wyn felt ridiculous the instant it came out of his mouth. He honestly didn’t know what happened when Climbers reached and finished the 20th floor. So few of them actually made it.

The old woman tilted her head to the side and furrowed her eyebrows. “You must not know much about The Great One and her magic. How she came to be. How her brothers and sisters are?”

“No. I don’t know.”

The old woman let out a sigh. “Always so naive and uninformed, these children. I’ll make it brief since I don’t have much time. The noble and wonderful Alistair was the name given to this Great Tower by Aliyar, one of the gods who brought magic to the world by means of a special space…”

For a second Wyn was distracted hearing the name Aliyar again. Apparently they’re a god, and he made a point to look more into them.

“…He wanted to test the citizens of the world by trials to determine their worth. Even I don’t know exactly why but we were created to push people and advance them. And advance them we have.”

“Through magic?”

“Of course.”

“So that still doesn’t answer me. It sounds like I’m still trying to defeat the tower since it’s a trial.”

The woman jerked her head slightly from Wyn’s words. “Have you studied in an apprenticeship or undergone training in your life?”

“Yes. I was in the military. They exposed us to general educational classes and combat training.” Wyn was honest. No sense trying to lie.

“That explains your resourcefulness and confidence for your first day.” She smiled again. Wyn shivered.

“So,” she continued, “think about it like this - when you had a test in your education or training you were graded in some way about your performance, no?”

“Yes.”

“So you weren’t trying to defeat the actual test. You can’t. There’s nothing to beat or kill. You were only displaying a performance about your abilities. And then others did the same with the same material.”

Wyn thought on that. She was right, after all, as he processed it. It was a strange way to consider it but it made sense.

“This trial you are experiencing is similar. You can not defeat the Great One. You can pass her trials or die trying, and you are only here to determine your worth. From Aliyar’s perspective.”

“This is a lot,” Wyn said. He rubbed his temples. He was getting a headache with everything piling on from the course of the day topped with this new information.

The old woman sighed. “You are right. Which is why I shouldn’t reveal more. You will find out more in your time here and continue to face challenges. However, don’t forget - stay the course and don’t interfere.”

Wyn felt a heavy pressure from her when she finished. The room grew dark as the various sources of light flickered and dimmed. She smiled and they returned to normal.

He was frozen, afraid to move. This felt even more surreal - just how powerful was she?

“Oh,” she said. “One last thing. She wants you to have a reward. For the trouble caused.”

Wyn perked up. “Yes?”

She waved her hand, and he felt a strange force in his pocket. It seemed to come from his parchment.

“The Great One wanted you to have a new skill. Exclusive to you.”

Wyn could hardly believe it. A new skill exclusive for him? Was it normal to obtain skills easily like spells? He pulled out his parchment labeled CLASS and looked at it. There, under Lucidity and Dyadcast was a new entry - Tower’s Blessing.

Tower’s Blessing: A gift from the Avatar of Alistair. Provides one additional spell slot that may be used from any class at your tier that uses spells.

“That will make your arduous journey slightly easier,” the woman added. “Not by much, but it will grow in time.”

He couldn’t believe it. He felt exactly what she offered - blessed. One, for not attacking him and simply talking, and two, because he was getting a boon that he imagined no other rookie Climber possessed.

“Wyn,” she continued, “one more thing.” She walked over to the bookshelf and grabbed a small jar that she easily palmed in her hand. Or rather Wyn thought she walked, because it was hard to truly tell. She was fluid with her gait, and her long, ragged grey robe covered her legs, masking the truth. It looked as though she was gliding on air. Regardless, she came over to Wyn and showed him the jar.

There were small mushrooms inside the glass jar and a small chain on top of the lid. The mushrooms resembled the ones he'd seen so far in the cave, only tiny. She shook the jar and the mushrooms bounced around, releasing their spores that lit up the area around him in an orange glow. It wasn't as bright as a torch but the effect strangely carried further around the room. The mushrooms in the jar settled down but the spores swirled around like falling snow caught in the wind. The light was impressive for the size of the magical object.

“The blessing was from the Great One and this is from me. Shake this jar and you’ll have light for a few hours. You can use the chain to secure it to yourself similar to a chained lantern.”

Wyn took the jar and attached it to the front of his pants. “But won’t it break? It’s glass. It looks fragile.” He played with it while it hung around his waist, giving it a brief tug to test the chain. Only now did he realize there was a faint blue glow to the item.

The old woman laughed again. “Silly child. It’s a magically reinforced object! If you manage to break it you’d be the first.”

Wyn blinked hard. It felt strange being called a child. Was he not the first owner of the jar?

She rapped her knuckles on the wooden table. “But our time is up. Remember my words, Ruby Magician. Take care.”

Wyn saw the same light as before behind him. It was alluring, drawing him in again. He began to walk towards the light nearly subconsciously, his legs carrying him without him controlling them. Before he completely reached the light he heard her speak one last time behind him, almost as an afterthought.

"And Wyn, mind the colors. You won't make it out whole, I'm afraid."

Wyn turned back, unsure at her words. His legs carried him forward, though, and before he could reply he was engulfed in the light. The cabin and the old woman disappeared as the light overtook him once more.

******

Wyn felt the room spinning. He looked around, startled that he was back in the cave tunnel. His head throbbed and he felt disoriented. The cave provided some support as he reached out to steady himself, but his knees buckled slightly, wobbling uncontrollably. He decided to give in and sat down on the cave floor as softly as he could, resting himself. The cold floor helped ground him to reality, and he closed his eyes to refocus.

His eyes shot open. Marcy and Cedric. Where were they? His head wasn’t throbbing as much, thankfully, and he noticed there was a path leading left. Maybe it was the beginning of the two tunnels that forked, where he started walking when following the light? He stood up and walked over to it.

Sure enough, he was right. It was the start of the fork, the final decision that either led to the final room or a wrong path. He didn’t find Marcy and Cedric, though. They were just here, he remembered, resting to recover some mana.

It didn’t make sense. Nothing made sense.

He heard footsteps, shoes stomping on the ground loudly. Someone was here and they were running. He wondered if it was his teammates, or maybe some straggling group that stayed late to tackle this floor?

Cedric and Marcy suddenly appeared from the tunnel from the previous fork, the last area they overcame. They were sweating and running.

“Marcy, Cedric -” Wyn started but was cut off from Marcy tackling him and pushing him against the wall.

“What in the hells did you do?!” She yelled. She seemed frantic. Here eyes were wide and she was breathing hard, likely from running. Or so Wyn thought.

“What do you mean?” Wyn asked. He held his hands up pleadingly. The cave wall was digging into his back and Marcy was holding his lapel, keeping him pinned. He tried to shift his torso for comfort but she held him firmly.

“You’ve been gone nearly an hour,” Cedric said. He was breathing hard.

Wyn’s heart dropped. An hour? He was talking to that old woman for barely fifteen minutes! There’s no way that was right.

“We’ve been running up and down these tunnels looking for you,” Marcy said. She let go of Wyn a bit but still held onto him. “We didn’t want to chance going down one of the final tunnels but we retraced our steps. It was like you disappeared!”

“I’m so sorry,” Wyn said. “I saw a light down the left tunnel while both of you were meditating. I went towards it to get a better look before I was suddenly gone! Both of you disappeared. It was like I was teleported somewhere else.”

Marcy let go of him. She waved him off and turned away. Cedric was still recovering, doubled over with a hand on one knee, though Marcy had basically recovered.

“That was incredibly dumb,” Cedric said, taking another drawn out breath to help settle himself. “You shouldn’t have taken even one step… towards either tunnel without us.” He was leaning on his staff for support. He looked worn down.

Wyn nodded. “I didn’t think I stepped into it at all. I was about to warn both of you before it happened. But I was only gone for a few minutes, then I came back.”

Cedric took one more deep breath. “Even if it felt like a few minutes it was much longer here. It’s 11 o’clock.”

“That doesn’t make sense. Though I’m realizing it’s a ridiculous effort to try to make any sense of this place.”

“Not true either,” the Wizard replied. “There are some rules.”

“But there are also some things we don’t fully understand,” Marcy added. “Are you alright? What happened in those few minutes?”

Wyn thought about it for a second. Should he tell them? Would they think he was crazy? It seemed crazy even by this tower’s standards. He flinched, expecting a scolding for not thinking to call it ‘the Great One’ or ‘her.’

He laughed. He trusted them. Of course he would share it.

But not yet.

“You won’t believe me, but now might not be the best time for it. I’d rather get out of here first.”

“At least tell us something,” Cedric said. “And what is that on your belt?”

“It’s a magical jar like a lantern. It was given to me.”

Marcy and Cedric looked at each other. “Maybe it would be best to wait to tell us when we get out,” Marcy said.

Wyn laughed. It felt good to laugh.