The Ruby Magician

The members of the party all exited the portal one by one, being spit out around the starting area randomly. Tasha and John ended up next to each other looking ahead into more dense jungle. After a few seconds to allow their heads to stop spinning, they both looked at each other in confusion.

“I imagined being out of the jungle, at least,” John said, scratching his chin. “I guess we have to slog through it some more.”

Tasha turned around, her eyes widening and jaw opening. She tugged at John’s arm without a word.

“What?” The Fighter asked, before turning around to see what she was gawking at. His face quickly matched hers. “Woah.”

The rest of the group had already been enamored by the second floor’s environment. Jungle brush still coated the edge of the initial starting area, but it was obvious they would leave the dense foliage behind for the entirety of the second floor. This was obvious due to the fact that an incredibly large ancient temple stood in the not so distant background, and ruins covered the path from the jungle to the steps that made up the bottom portion of the temple.

Cracked arches and broken sandstone littered the area separating their small grove and the temple that looked eerie. It was a literal maze before the cult-like building, though. Wyn assumed the floor would be a trial of puzzles similar to the cave system of mushrooms during the last season, and it looked like he was right at first glance. So far, the second floor seemed to have a goal of completing a puzzle to advance rather than just kill the monsters on the path.

They all had their hands on their forehead, covering their eyes to be able to see the path past the bright sun. It rested high in the sky, no clouds in sight to offer any form of reprieve from the light and heat.

“The path looks dense,” Devon said. He pointed with his sword to the forrest of sandstone and rock. “Tight corridors, small pathways are likely. Though the sky looks to be open the whole way to the temple, so we won’t feel too claustrophobic without a roof.”

“And that means the temple is the third floor,” John said. “That’s not terrifying at all.”

“One floor at a time, please,” Tasha said. She gripped her staff tight and held it close. “My Torchlight spell won’t be too useful right now. It’s so bright.”

“When we get into the temple, though,” Wyn said, “ I have a feeling we’ll be glad you have it.”

William and Devon stepped forward out of the safety of the grove. The Mage turned towards them and smiled. “One floor at a time, right? I have a feeling we’ll be lucky to make it to the temple this season at all.”

Devon laughed. “Don’t count us out yet. There’s an entire month left. This is only the first week!”

The group slowly made their way towards a large sandstone arch signaling the entrance to the ruins. It was nearly as massive as the entrance into Alestead, and resembled it, too, with pillars bordering the open path. Here they were in tatters while the ones in Alestead were pristine. The ground beneath their feet abruptly shifted from grass to sandstone, small rocks and dust coating the area like a blanket. Behind the arch was a small sandy courtyard, a desolate entry into the maze that called them further.

“How far are we wanting to go?” Maven asked. She was standing close to Devon, whipping her head back and forth to survey the area. “I feel like I’ve seen enough.”

William laughed. “We just stepped into the ruins, Maven! It wouldn’t be a bad idea to know if more lizard-things were here or something else, too.”

Devon threw his hand out to the side, forcing the group to stop. He bent down to the ground and ran his hand over it gingerly, as though he was trying to feel energy radiating from the sandy floor. His hand suddenly stopped and he felt the stone with his palm. A sigh escaped his lips, and he grabbed a larger rock, inspecting it closer.

“I’m not worried about the enemies at the moment. Traps line the path. I’m sure of it.” He tossed the rock about ten feet ahead of them, and an arrow flew across the courtyard from left to right.

Maven yelped, jumping back. The group all readied their weapons, unsure of what to expect next. Devon stood up and wiped his hands together, a small plume of dust rising above him.

Wyn couldn’t make out exactly where the arrow came from but spotted multiple holes between stones on either side of their immediate path. There were likely more areas of the path that would cause additional arrows to be shot, but whether it was from a specific spot or just general movement he wasn’t sure. Nothing else in the courtyard gave any indication of being triggered.

“This will make it more challenging,” Wyn said. “But nothing we can’t handle. You spotted it almost right away, Devon. Is it certain spots on the stones or something else?”

Devon carefully stepped forward. “I believe it’s just as we move forward. I’ll stay to the front.” He kicked another rock forward and another arrow flew across them in a similar manner, also from the left.

Wyn looked at John, who nodded back at him with a smirk. The Fighter was serious but confident, and Wyn had a rising feeling inside him that warmed him. It was unusually calming.

He didn’t know how, but he knew they could do this. They could make it through the floor with their group as Marcy had a higher degree of perception than Devon and they could take their time to map it out.

Wyn kept repeating that in his mind over and over. They could do this. They could continue climbing the tower.

The memory of colored mushrooms flooded his mind along with Cedric mapping out their path. He hoped the Wizard was recovering well and vowed to ask Marcy right away when he could see him next.

In minutes they were across the small courtyard, carefully advancing while Devon made sure they were safe. It took several agonizing minutes and they only crossed about fifty feet, but thankfully no traps were set off by the group following Devon. It was as though once the traps were sprung they were done, much to the group’s relief. The area ahead was more narrow and covered, and multiple paths branched away to lead them further.

They all stood there, anxiously waiting, checking each path to see if there was a difference.

“Which looks less menacing?” John said.

“That might be the most dangerous,” Wyn responded. “But we aren’t looking to complete the floor. Let’s just pick the middle path and see what we find. Any signs of too much trouble and I’ll activate the portal to get us back.”

The group nodded and let Devon lead them slowly, carefully checking for traps along the ground. It was a laborious process and incredibly time consuming. It took them the better part of an hour to just go a small distance further from the time they entered the ruins, taking a few turns here and there with no signs of enemies or more traps.

Everyone was becoming more impatient with each step. Devon was being less careful with his approach, the heat causing him to sweat more and groan with each new open hallway they entered.

“This is getting frustrating,” the Rogue said. “If the whole floor is like this it’ll take ages!” He kicked a rock forward, hoping to set off a trap - anything to break the monotony.

Nothing happened.

John joined him in an exaggerated groan. He wiped more sweat off his forehead and slung the moisture onto the ground. Their morale was waning, and the weather only contributed to the lethargy of the lengthy maze.

Wyn couldn’t help but laugh to himself. They had barely entered the second floor and everyone was already hot, tired, and complaining. They certainly weren’t soldiers, otherwise they’d have kept their feelings to themselves and pressed on, following orders as given. They were Climbers. Barely even adults and definitely not trained to withstand such discomforts. Not yet, at least.

Devon began to walk with a tired gait, flailing his arms and torso to the end of the short path before it turned again. He suddenly straightened and whipped his hand to the pommel of his sheathed sword.

The group stopped walking, unsure of why the Rogue was alerted but readying themselves for a fight.

“I hear something,” Devon said, his voice short and hushed. “A group moving ahead.”

Wyn tried to silently tiptoe on the other side of the pathway beside Devon, his spear ready to strike.

A group of monsters appeared at the end of their path from the left-hand turn, walking in a structured marching formation. They were Lacerts though much more well equipped than the ones on the first floor. The first two wore heavier armor and chain mail with helmets, along with halberds that were double their height. Behind them was a new creature. It looked like a hybrid between a giant snake and a human, with a long, muscular tail beginning at the hip and recognizable features from the head to navel. Well, recognizable except for the slitted nose and snake-like head and scaled skin. It stood heads taller than the Lacerts and taller than any man Wyn had seen, likely seven or eight feet. There were two swords strapped to the snake-man’s back in a cross formation, and it slithered along between the two Lacerts in an undulating motion.

Wyn’s heart raced. He knew there’d be all sorts of monsters in the tower but this was definitely frightening. It was much more humanoid and looked fierce. Even though there were only three enemies they seemed to be much more capable than the previous Lacerts, likely even the floor bosses. Walking in a formation showed both intellect and teamwork, and the weapons and armor they wielded were intimidating.

Devon took a nervous step backwards. Wyn saw his hand quiver above his sword, hesitation evident in his posture.

Hesitation could be the difference between life and death, and it was crucial to act when necessary. Wyn knew this all too well, though was afraid his teammates wouldn’t be as prudent with their decisions.

“William, fire!” Wyn said curtly but quietly. He trotted forward, trying to close some distance between the enemies. He didn’t want to be caught off guard and was afraid the snake monster would be fast.

There was a pause. The enemies turned towards them and yelled something, the Lacerts pointing with their giant weapons. A rough snarl left the snake-man’s mouth, and he drew his swords from his back in a rush.

William still hadn’t attacked. Wyn stole a look back and saw the Mage was frozen in place, Tasha shaking his shoulders to stir him to action.

John appeared beside Wyn, his sword glowing from the gemstone and shield raised in a defensive position.

Wyn immediately sliced his spear horizontally to cast Wingbeat, trying to hit all three monsters. The spell flashed through the air, catching the hybrid snake monster off guard. It recoiled for a moment, trying to block the spell with its sword. To Wyn's surprise, the swords actually deflected the strike, though not entirely. Two large cuts formed on the outer edges of the creature's torso from the magical slice of air.

The Lacerts also fared surprisingly well. They braced themselves from the spell, the air cutting across their armor and forearms. Their chainmail took the majority of the attack, and though they were knocked back several feet and arms slashed, they remained standing.

Wyn's heart sank. These enemies were even stronger than the champions from the first floor. The difference in power was startling, and he knew they would be in trouble if they couldn't handle them quickly. Half of their group was more of a liability than help.

"William, fire!" Wyn repeated, a slight hint of desperation in his voice. "Hold those two back!"

He stayed focused on the immediate threat, not risking a glance back at his teammates to see if they were coming around or still wrestling with inaction. If he was distracted for even a second, he climbing career would be over here and now.

The half-snake monster whirled its two swords around like a dancer, graceful and with ease. The blades were wide and curved, a far cry to the standard longsword so common to soldiers and Climbers alike. Bright flashes glinted off the metal, reflecting the sun’s rays in a dizzying display when the angle hit Wyn’s eyes just right.

In seconds the creature slithered towards him, its body writhing side to side as the large tail guided it along the ground. It was hard to predict where it would stop and attack. It wasn’t like a usual person or Lacert attacking straight on, and its movements were smooth and fluid, unusual for fighting.

“Arcane Aura!” Wyn yelled, wanting to desperately protect himself as he was unsure whether he would be able to defend with only his spear. A white flash of magical armor enveloped him. He took a few steps backwards and stabbed out with his weapon, hoping the extra reach he possessed would be enough to counter the monster’s height and movement.

When Wyn would stab in one area, the monster simply twisted its body to avoid the spear tip, and appeared to do so easily. He jabbed at it several times in various areas, but each strike hit only air as the monster utilized its snake half well to slither out of harm’s reach. John similarly tried to swipe and stab at the monster but it deflected each hit with one of its swords.

A sudden loud pop interrupted their fight. The creature looked back to its allies, and Wyn couldn’t help but see what caused the noise, too. Small fires were scattered around the two Lacert soldiers, and they were both rolling on the ground trying to put out the flames that now covered them.

William had finally cast his spell, and it worked beautifully.

The snake monster roared in anger and its voice was piercing in the noiseless ruins. Wyn recoiled, wincing at the sound. He recovered quickly, however, hoping to utilize the brief window of time that the creature wasn’t focused.

Wyn swept in an arc with his spear, aiming for the lower, scaly half of the monster. It hadn’t dodged or deflected the blow, currently focused on fighting John, and the spear cut a large gash across its reptilian body. Blue blood poured from the wound and the snake-man writhed in pain.

The movement only caused the wound to seep more blood, though it quickly attacked with a fury. Wyn was able to block one sword strike with the shaft of his spear, but he helplessly stared as the other was coming down on top of him. He couldn’t maneuver his spear to block the next attack as well and hoped his Arcane Aura spell would protect him.

A clang rang out as a shield blocked the sword from Wyn’s shoulder. John was beside him and absorbed the blow with his magical, runed shield. A red glow surrounded his body as he was empowered with his Fighter skill, activated at some point during the fight. He sidestepped around the monster and began to attack it from the side. The snake-man was unable to completely keep up with both warriors, and in the span of several more exchange of blows was cut down from magical spear and sword alike, but not without landing a few hits of its own.

John and Wyn looked at each other over the lifeless body, both panting, mostly from fear. John’s armor was cut up from the creature’s swords and Wyn’s spell was nearly spent. It alone had landed more attacks than any creature they’d faced so far. It was quick and deadly, and Wyn knew they’d be in far worse shape if they had to fight it alone. The thought of fighting more than one at a time made Wyn shudder.

Tasha rushed over and inspected them quickly. She had a frantic look in her eyes, her pupils darting over them as her head turned on a swivel. “You both seem okay,” she said finally, taking a deep breath. “The difference between them and the monsters on the first floor…”

“Is scary,” John finished. “Thankfully there were only three of them.”

“One, you mean,” Wyn said. He looked over at Devon and William, who were both standing over the Lacert’s charred corpses. Devon pulled his sword out of one of the bodies. He had finished them off while they burned on the ground, William’s spell doing most of the damage. “They took care of the others.”

“Imagine if there were more,” John said. He tightened his grip on his sword, steadying his shaking arm. “If I didn’t have this skill I wouldn’t have been able to keep up. I can’t use it every fight, though.”

“I know,” Wyn said. “We need a different strategy for this floor. These fights won’t be easy.”

"It should be easier with Marcy," Tasha said. "She can help with traps and help take down anything like that." She pointed with her staff to the lifeless corpse of the snake-man hybrid.

John and Wyn looked at each other. Wyn knew what the Fighter was thinking - Marcy would be incredibly helpful, but they were still limited with the four of them. This floor wouldn't be easy, and it only spelled increased difficulties further into the tower, too.

They desperately needed to fill their group to six members, and fast. He wondered about the three currently joining them. They seemed to have a good rapport and had improved quickly with proper guidance.

"I'm sorry about that," William said. Using his staff as a walking stick, he walked over to the rest of the party along with Devon. "I... froze. Again." He fiddled with his robes, his eyes darting between the other Climbers.

"Me, too," Devon said. He scratched the back of his head and stared at the ground.

"It's alright," Maven said. "We'll do better next time. Don't be hard on yourselves." She smiled awkwardly, holding her staff close.

Wyn looked at all three of them. Devon and William had shameful looks plastered on their faces, and Maven seemed more fearful than ever. And yet, despite that, they were still here. The three of them didn't run or hide and eventually acted to help the group. It was better than when he first saw them, and he knew they'd improve in time as long as they were smart and stayed alive.

However, they still didn't act right away, and those precious seconds were costly. They'd be fine Climbers eventually, but for now - they weren't the party members his current group needed.

"Wyn, what did you think?" John asked.

Wyn shook his head, lost in his thoughts again. Everyone was staring at him. "Hmm?" He asked, unsure of what he was being asked.

Tasha sighed. "Here we go again, lost in thought! We asked, do you think we should keep going?"

Wyn nodded slowly. "Ahh... well, no."

The others seemed to give out a sigh of relief. John and Tasha simply nodded their heads in understanding.

"I think we saw what we needed to see," Wyn continued. "No sense in chancing anything further. We can collect our rewards and call it a day."

"Exactly what I was hoping," William said. "Time for supper and a good book!"

Devon and Maven chuckled, though Wyn only smiled awkwardly. It felt like they didn't respect the tower, not fully realizing the danger present. They wanted to leave as quickly as they wanted to climb. If anything, it only solidified Wyn's thoughts about the contrast between them and his own team.

"And we should be going, too," John said, sheathing his sword. "But, thank you all for joining us. I'm glad it worked out."

"Us, too," Devon said. He put out his hand in respect, and they all exchanged final pleasantries and handshakes.

Wyn took the portal key out from his pocket. It felt silly using it, pretending like he was placing it inside of a keyhole and opening the lock. When he pushed it forward in the air, however, he felt resistance. It startled him, but he continued the process. He turned it and again felt a slight difficulty as magic poured from the key to perform its duty. A familiar portal suddenly opened in the air directly in front of him once it had turned ninety degrees.

They each entered the portal to return to Alestead, though Wyn stole one last look at the second floor. In just two days they'd push to return here, attempting to accomplish the floor and proceed to the third.

Their goal was to finish the first tier by the month’s end. Five floors. Five weeks. It seemed easy when laid out simply but safely climbing the tower was another story. Their first week had just begun, though Wyn felt as though they had a mountain to overcome. They'd need more resources both in Climbers and items to succeed, and they'd barely scratched the surface.

Still, it was necessary. Wyn needed as much gold as he could get to pay off his father’s debts. Climbing higher and often was the only solution. He just didn’t want to sacrifice his or any of his friend’s safety to obtain that goal.