The Ruby Magician

Wyn saw Daniel eating by himself in the busy guild hall. Climbers were everywhere, tables full of groups readying themselves before they entered Alistair and the difficulties it would present to them. Wendy walked over and brought him a new pitcher, taking his old one off on her tray.

“May I join you?” Wyn asked his mentor, walking around him so he wouldn’t startle the middle-aged man.

His face soured for a brief second then softened. “Of course, of course. Wendy will bring something out for you shortly.” He took the pitcher and poured it into his mug. It was dark and hot and smelled earthy.

“Thank you, Daniel. How are you? It’s been a couple of days since we’ve spoke.” He grabbed a mug and poured himself some coffee, too. He decided to wait to let it cool as it warmed the mug almost instantly, content with his hands absorbing the heat and smelling the fragrant aroma.

Daniel grabbed a piece of bacon and ripped into it, void of manners. “I’ve been well, thank you! But I’m glad I saw you. I’ve been wanting to talk to you about what you saw in the tower.”

Wyn sat his mug down on the table, wishing he had some food to eat so he could stall. Blowing on his hot cup would only get him so far. He knew Daniel would ask about it at some point, but he had other things on his mind for the morning. There were moments when he completely forgot about it and other times when it was the only thing that occupied his mind. Daniel probably felt the same way, though for likely different reasons.

As if on cue, Wendy appeared with a plate of breakfast. “Here’s some food for you, dear! If you want something different let me know, okay?”

Wyn graciously grabbed the plate of food and set it on the table. “This is great, Wendy, thanks.”

“Wendy! Refill, please!” A voice yelled across the hall. Wendy seemingly flew between the tables to the customer, nimble as could be.

Wyn began to coat a piece of bread with jam from a jar. He smirked, thinking about how lavish the food here is compared to the slop he ate in the service. If someone needed to prepare themselves for a day of training or climbing, this was certainly the type of food to keep the body going.

“I know it’s a sensitive topic…” Daniel started, toying with more bacon.

“It’s alright. We need to talk about it. Maybe another time, though, when I have more time and my head is a bit clearer?”

Daniel’s eyes went wide and he laughed once, obnoxious and loud like a chirp. “Oh of course, of course! You’re climbing today! Yes, I’m sure you want to eat and meet your group. Silly me. Another time, then.” He put the bacon down and grabbed a slice of bread, eating it in large chunks.

Wyn felt a pang of guilt. He didn’t want to avoid the topic, he just didn’t want to dwell on it now before climbing the tower. “I do need to meet them soon, but maybe we could have dinner to talk about it?”

Daniel swallowed his large bite of bread hard. “I’d like that. How about tomorrow night? I was going to go to the archives to research what you told the guild master. It would be good to have a better idea of what’s going on, after all.”

“That’s a great idea. I was wondering if something like that was here in Alestead. I guess it’s at the library?”

“Oh, yes! The archives are full of history around the tower and surrounding region, as well as uncovered magic, environments, and past seasons in the tower. It’s not as vast as the mage college, mind you, but it’s worth looking into since it’s here. Some people swear there are patterns to how Alistair presents the new seasons and challenges, but nothing’s been substantiated.”

Wyn nodded along, not really caring about theories or research. Daniel obviously enjoyed it, though, so there was no sense in being rude. “I think it’s absolutely worth looking into, too. Would you want me to come along?”

Daniel smiled. “No, no, you have other things to do. I’m here to be your mentor and I believe this is how I can best serve at the moment. Let me worry about the boring research!” He took a long drink from his coffee.

“Why do I have the feeling it’s not quite boring to you?”

Daniel barked a laugh again causing a Climber at the neighboring table to jump. “But I see you’re not wearing your Ruby Magician cloak. Is it because of the new season?”

Wyn finished his jam covered bread and moved on to the sliced sausage on his plate. It was absolutely delicious, but he knew he needed to be careful to avoid eating too much and throwing it all up like John did yesterday. “Yes, it’s jungle themed. Humid, sticky air, and I just took it off right away. Too warm.”

“Hmm.” Daniel took another sip from his mug before he set it down on the table. “I was hearing rumors yesterday that that was the first tier. I believe it gets better in the second and third tiers, but you’re not quite there yet, I’m afraid. Some Climbers are having problems with their heavy armor, having to rethink their strategy. It might end up being too late, but maybe you should have your cloak enchanted to be weather resistant? It’s fairly common, you know. Unless you’re looking for other magical items first, which is more than reasonable.”

Wyn blinked and stopped just before taking a bite of sausage. “Huh. I didn’t even think you could enchant items. I thought they had to be found in the tower.”

“Oh no, my boy! You can use magical essence to magically enhance a mundane item. There are several steps and factors involved, but if you find some items in the tower you don’t want or need you can have them broken down into essence. There are classes out there that specialize in it as well, mostly Magicians or Sorcerers who leaned away from the perils of climbing and towards more mercantile professions.”

“That’s great information. Thank you again, Daniel. I’ll be sure to think twice before I quickly get rid of them.”

“It’s what I’m here for - to help you grow and learn!” Daniel plucked a few grapes from his own platter and popped them into his mouth. “I’ll grab a book or two for your shelf so you can read about the different properties and outcomes, too.”

Wyn smiled awkwardly, grateful for his gesture, but thinking about the tedious act of reading textbooks. He made a mental note to ask Benedict about it when he would visit the market on their rest day. Surely he could help him, or point him in the right direction. Maybe the shopkeeper was a former Climber, too?

“Daniel, I keep hearing about more classes. I thought there were only five classes?”

“Ahh, that’s a more advanced topic. When you clear the fourth floor of each tier, the fifth tier is a sort of rest and advancement floor. You’ll get to choose an upgrade for your class that is presented by the tower. It’s the only way Climbers could manage the third and fourth tiers, for example. They’re far too dangerous to manage with only base classes.”

“That makes sense. How far did you advance?”

Daniel stopped mid bite of a grape. He swallowed it thoughtfully before answering. “I made it to the third tier and chose not to proceed any further. I still call myself a Ruby Magician because I chose an upgraded path that expands on the core of the base class, like an enhanced version. Climbers who want to be mentors or guides often go that route. Be cautious, though, Wyn, when those options are presented to you. Please consult me before you make a decision. As Ruby Magicians, there are far more potential options of upgrades than other classes. There’s no telling what classes you’ll be presented, and there are numerous books about class upgrade paths to be found.”

Wyn rubbed his temples. There was a lot of information to still be learned about being a Climber, and he felt a headache coming on from Daniel. He knew there was magic and that it would be complicated when he came, but he started to doubt if he made the right decision jumping into climbing so quickly. Maybe taking his time to learn some of this would’ve been a better option.

No. That wasn’t Wyn’s style. Plus, he couldn’t afford to wait weeks before making more coin. He made the right call. Learning on the fly was just going to have to be part of his experience these first few months.

“I appreciate you sharing that. It’s a lot to think about, and we can definitely talk about it more tomorrow night.”

Daniel smiled softly and nodded, taking another sip of his coffee.

Wyn finished his bite of sausage and reached into his pockets for some coin. He placed some cloaks and one crown on the table, then stood to leave for the tower. Daniel stood up to politely dismiss him and the two Ruby Magicians exchanged their goodbyes before parting.

*****

Wyn felt his stomach turn when he was pulled through the portal, his breakfast churning inside him. He willed it to stay down, trying to not emulate John’s situation yesterday.

When the group emerged back into the jungle they all took a second to compose themselves except for Marcy, who walked towards the jungle and began to orient herself. Her leather armor set was less bulky than her previous fur armor but covered a similar amount, and she moved gracefully and with purpose in the lighter set. There were likely other benefits to it, both magical and mundane, and Wyn was envious of her setup. Her leather headband held her auburn hair off her face, giving her more ability to see in her periphery as well as keep her head cool.

John coughed a few times and spat on the ground before breathing a sigh of relief. “Thank the gods breakfast stayed down this time.” He shook his head and rubbed his stomach, patting it for thanks that it agreed with him.

Tasha walked over beside Marcy and stared into the thick jungle. “Woah. This feels incredibly strange.”

Marcy withdrew her kukri and nodded in agreement. “It definitely is. It’s disorienting seeing the similar terrain and having memories of a specific path, but then it’s laid out completely different. Like a foggy memory that feels both right and wrong at the same time.”

“That’s exactly how I’m feeling. It’s a wonder people don’t get lost.”

“Oh, they do. You just have to approach it like it’s brand new, because that’s exactly what it is. And tell yourself that it’s not the same path as before. Over and over. It’ll get easier the more you climb.”

Wyn and John joined the women at the edge of the jungle. Wyn looked around now and tried to orient himself though found it hard. The leaves and thick brush looked the exact same, but the trees and layout itself were just… different. He couldn’t wrap his head around it but trusted it would get better. It’d be easy to get lost, though, as his instincts told him to follow one path that wasn’t the right way anymore.

John took a deep breath and drew his sword. “I’m just going to cut down whatever path you say. This is… strange.”

Marcy smiled. “We’ve all been there. Try to see it as a new day, a new journey.”

John walked up and slashed a tall, thin tree from the bottom. “Like a new jungle ready to be explored!”

“That’s the spirit,” Wyn said. He patted Tasha on the shoulder. “We’ll be fine. It’s the same challenge as yesterday, and we did great!”

Tasha sighed and used her staff as a walking stick to follow Marcy and John. “I know, I know. Let’s just make it through.”

“Find the river and make it past,” John said. He looked back at Wyn, pausing from cutting through the thicket. “That’s what Wyn is looking forward to most, after all!”

Wyn blanched, nearly forgetting about the river. He hated the thought of traversing it again in the canoes and instantly dreaded the experience.

It was necessary, though. He’d overcome his fear one way or another.

In what felt like half the time as before, they heard the sound of running water and made their way straight to it. Unfortunately they didn’t find any canoes, but they knew they only had to walk the bank until they did find them.

John started humming a tune while they walked, thankful that he didn’t have to clear brush on the riverbank. It was jolly and upbeat, and he whistled in certain parts when he didn’t hum. Wyn recognized it right away. It was a common song bards would sing about merry times and adventuring guilds seeking fame and fortune. It was a popular song in the barracks and out in the field at war, a song to remind young soldiers out of their depth of far away happiness and hope in the midst of strife and stress.

During John’s third iteration of the song, Wyn spotted something strange out of the corner of his eye. He stopped walking and looked back towards the jungle. It was a plant, much smaller than the foliage around it but still an impressive size, though what stood out most was that it was colored yellow and bloomed in a vertical spiral. He had never seen anything remotely similar to it.

“Wyn?” Tasha asked. “What is it?”

Wyn walked over to the plant and looked at it closer, bending down to inspect it. It had a faint magic shimmer to it. He couldn’t believe it. It was magical.

Tasha snuck up beside him and put her face right beside his. “Woah! That’s beautiful!”

“And magical. I didn’t know if we would find anything like this here, but here it is right in front of my eyes!”

“A plant? That’s it?” John said, standing with his sword resting on his shoulder. “Boring!”

“Plants like that can be useful,” Tasha said. “Alchemists or Herbalists can use them, you know. You could sell it for coin at least!”

Wyn reached low to the base of the stem and plucked it, trying to preserve as much of the entire flower as possible. “Thanks, Tasha. I’ll find a use for it somehow, I’m sure.”

“I wonder what it’s called?” The Diamond Magician asked.

“I’m not sure. Maybe Marcy knows?”

“We always ask her everything. I’d like to figure things out on my own for once.” Tasha walked back to the river’s edge, following behind John.

Wyn understood her point and felt the same way. He appreciated Marcy’s experience and expertise but didn’t want to keep annoying her by asking questions all the time. He wanted to explore and learn the ins and outs of the tower on his own to the best of his ability.

He stopped again, struck with an idea. He pulled out the parchments from his pocket. Shuffling through the papers he pulled out the one labeled ITEMS. He saw his dagger, his spear and description, leather armor, helmet, backpack and supplies, and now the flower.

Sun Spiral: a flower that grows in a spiral towards the sun. It gives off magical heat when in full bloom, deterring potential predators from eating it. It continues to grow throughout its life and the heat is more intense the larger the flower.

Wyn smiled. “Huh. It’s called a Sun Spiral, Tasha.” He shuffled the papers again but noticed something different. There was more text on the main page. He looked at it and saw a new paragraph under the Quest description.

Secondary Quest: Sun Spirals are uncommon but not unheard of in the jungle. The magic society finds them very valuable, though they have been mysteriously disappearing in this area before being harvested. There have also been reports of an increase of weird sightings around patches of flowers, such as glowing eyes in the dark and large, reptilian footprints.

1/8 Sun Spirals

“Woah,” Wyn said. “That’s new.”

“What is it?” Tasha asked.

“I have a secondary quest. I didn’t even know that was possible.”

Tasha excitedly skipped over to Wyn to see his parchment. “I didn’t either! Can I read it?”

“Sure. But I wonder if it applies to all of us or just me?”

Tasha’s eyes grew wider as she read the description. She promptly pulled out her own parchment and gasped. “I have it, too! I can’t believe it!”

Marcy stopped walking and wiped her brow, slinging sweat away from her onto the jungle floor. “What are you two going on about?”

“Marcy, did you know about secondary quests?” Tasha asked.

“I haven’t heard of them before. What is it?”

“Look at your parchment!”

Marcy looked over at John, who already had his sword sheathed and parchment open. He was intently reading it and he scrunched his face while trying to piece together the new information.

Wyn scanned the area to make sure no enemies were around but then thought that Marcy would’ve alerted them if there were. That was an old habit that wouldn’t go away anytime soon. “So it’s another quest within our main objective. My parchment says I have one out of eight, probably to finish the quest. Do you all have that, too?”

John nodded and folded his parchment before placing it back into a pouch at his side. “Yea, it was the same for me. So we could find more flowers and finish another quest? But it doesn’t help towards getting to the next floor.”

“No,” Wyn replied, “but it might offer the chance at getting more rewards.”

“Which means more coin,” Tasha added. “I wonder how hard it would be to find more?”

John sighed. “I don’t know, but I’d rather keep pushing our main quest. Since we’re deciding to go through this floor several more times I’d like to keep practicing at it. I still feel turned around.”

“I’m with John,” Marcy said. “No offense, but slogging through the first few floors sounds more like a chore than anything. The quicker we get to the next tier the better. And we’ll get better gear and items as we climb.”

Tasha looked at Wyn, who shook his head and put his parchment away. She slumped her shoulders. “Alright, alright. Then we keep going. But this is definitely something to look into further, especially since you aren’t familiar with it, Marcy.”

“I’m with Tasha on this,” Wyn said. “If we find some flowers along the way then we’ll grab them. Maybe we can finish it by the time we complete the floor. Otherwise, we can look at it more when we get back. Deal?”

John and Marcy relented before turning back to the brush ahead of them to continue their clearing.

“Deal,” Tasha said. She picked up her staff and walked with a smile, more intrigued than before and curious about their new revelation. Wyn felt the same way. This new discovery could be an incredible resource for him. There could potentially be a lucrative opportunity in whatever these secondary quests held, and the more chances he had at making coin the better.