The Ruby Magician

The stone wall felt cool against Wyn’s back despite his coat and armor keeping him insulated and comfortable. His torso was protected from his items, but his legs were cut up and bruised from the onslaught of monsters. He cast Regen on himself while knowing he’d recover a large portion of his mana over the hour they agreed to rest before the final room. It was an easy decision to feel comfortable and be healed.

Similarly, the others had Tasha heal their wounds that were more serious than an annoyance, and John had to use a potion at the end of the last fire puzzle. He misjudged the distance between the flaming statue and the Lamiert he fought, and took both a deep cut and burn on his leg. The potion healed it, but he was more frustrated than anything about his mistake.

“I hate wasting a potion like that,” John said. He sat down beside Wyn and drank some water after.

“It’s not a waste if it does its job,” Wyn said. “You’re alive and physically healed! Can’t complain about that.”

“But it’s the cost. They aren’t that cheap, you know! And they aren’t so common on the lower floors. It was a costly mistake, at least.”

“Then use some of the funds you’ve made to buy some more,” Marcy said. She held a pile of arrows in her lap that she was inspecting, bending them, turning them, and flipping them around in her hands. “You’ve made several hundred crowns so far, at least. That’s more than most see in a month and we still have half the month to go!” She placed the arrow she held into her quiver before picking up a new one from her pile.

“The reward is higher but so is the cost,” Cedric said. “Equipment, items, lodging, food. It’s expensive here.”

“I’m starting to see that,” John said. “I knew it wasn’t cheap to be a Climber but damn. It’s like the cost of a noble’s arrangement with the quality of the working class.” John took a deep breath. “But, you’re right. I’m alive and well and can afford more potions. Repeating the third floor over and over this week has paid off, but I’m itching for more.”

“Always wanting more,” Tasha said. “We’ve really done well here. And like Marcy said, we still have two and a half more weeks before the season change! Why rush it?”

Wyn stood up, his Regen spell starting to wear off. “I can understand where you’re coming from, John. I’ve been wanting to be cautious to be safe but I really do think we should press further. This isn’t quite netting me the coin I need.”

“That’s the spirit!” John said. “More items, more coin, and our class advancement! We just need to finish the fourth floor. I know we can do it!”

“The final floor for this tier,” Tasha said. “It makes me nervous.”

“Since Cal has joined us we’ve had relatively no issues,” Cedric said. “Our group consists of three veterans who’ve finished this tier already, and three rookies who are more than capable. I really do think we’d be fine to press forward.”

“Those monsters we fought in the secret room were stronger than the monsters we’d face on the next floor,” Marcy said. She threw an arrow down on the ground with a scowl. “We’d just have to manage the environment, and that shouldn’t be a major issue.”

“That’d give you time to test out your new classes, too,” Cal said. “A week or longer on a familiar floor is a luxury for testing a class upgrade. You’d go into next season with more confidence.”

“And items,” Cedric added. “That’s hard to pass up.”

Wyn reached into his pocket and pulled out a portal key. He stared at it for a few seconds before looking at his group. “Alright. I’m good to advance today and see what’s on the fourth floor before using this to go back to Alestead. Then we can regroup tonight and plan to finish it tomorrow.”

“Why not just talk to a Floor Broker?” Marcy asked. “Information on the fourth floor would cost a bit less than a key and tells you more than just a quick glance. Plus you don’t have to risk going in.”

“What’s that?” Tasha asked.

“They sell information about floors for a price,” Cedric said. “Most guilds have them to sell to the public after they’ve gathered enough information to help the newer or slower Climbers. It’s popular among people who only climb the first tier because the price goes up an exorbitant amount per tier and floor.”

“We should’ve used that at the beginning,” Wyn said. “It would’ve saved us planning and time!”

“Not really,” Marcy said. “They don’t release the info until the third week. We’d need to wait a few days but could just run the third floor a few more times making more coin. Small tradeoff.”

“There’s no need for all that, though,” Cal said. “I already know what’s on the fourth floor.”

The rookies simultaneously turned to Cal, shocked.

“And you’re just telling us this now?“ John said. “Just how far have you climbed this season?”

Cal’s face went red. “Just this tier, and then it was only once. Right before I decided to join all of you.”

Wyn pocketed the key. “So you can tell us what’s on the floor! That’s much better than my plan!”

“We can review it tonight,” Cal said. “Mappers aren’t supposed to share the information before Floor Brokers have a chance to release it, and even then typically charge more for it. It’s a pretty strict rule for us and have consequences if we break it.”

“You aren’t afraid of that by telling us?” Wyn asked.

Cal shrugged. “The Floor Brokers will start charging for floor information in just a few days. Plus, I’m not a Mapper anymore. I’m a Climber just like you all.”

John slowly shook his head with a sly smile. “Chef and a sneak! Are you sure your first class wasn’t a Rogue?”

Cal chuckled. “No. But for the floor, I feel good about it. We should be able to handle it.”

Wyn glanced over at Tasha who was nervously tapping her staff with a finger. He knew she was hesitant about progressing but it was important for them to keep climbing higher. The challenge of the third floor was losing its edge, as the more they solved the puzzles and handled the monsters the quicker they were finishing it. Of course situations came up like John getting hurt, but it wasn't anything they couldn't handle.

And, of course, climbing higher meant more rewards, which meant being able to pay off his family's debt faster. He didn’t want to have near death experiences here, but wanted a balanced floor of good return of coins and ability to clear quickly.

"We absolutely can," Wyn said, looking at Tasha. "We've done well to make it here, and we're only getting better. I believe in us."

Tasha met his gaze and nodded her head, though stayed silent.

"Then let's finish here," John said. He stood and adjusted his gear. "I have a bone to pick with these damned snakes."

*****

Wyn was surprised at how crowded the training hall was at this time in the evening. He assumed most Climbers would either be finishing up their climb or taking the evening off, but was obviously wrong.

"I haven't seen it this busy at night all season," Wyn said. "What gives?"

"It could be a variety of reasons," Cal said, walking beside him. "Some want to finish the season strong and come here to tighten up their group's abilities. Some would rather practice in the training hall than in the tower itself, being a little more cautious, and realize their time for the familiarity of the current season is running out towards the end of the month."

"I think I'd rather repeat the lower floors so I could at least make some coin. And fighting actual enemies is better than dummies."

"Boots are better than nothing," Cal said. “Not everyone can get crowns or cloaks all day.”

Wyn nodded. "Same with actual experience."

"Don't you come in here to train, though? You said on Solday you were training before our picnic."

"It's my typical workout. If we aren't climbing I still like to exercise, and I don't think climbing by myself or with an unfamiliar team is the smartest move right now."

Cal laughed. "That makes sense. If you'd like a partner sometime, I could join you."

"Really? No offense, but I didn't take you for the exercise type!"

Cal blushed. "Well, my brother liked it. I just helped him along. I think it'd be good to get back at it.” His face dimmed a bit, morphing into a grimace.

Wyn tried to read Cal but couldn’t place him. Something had happened with his brother, he was sure of it. But it wasn’t the right time to start probing questions. "I appreciate that. Yea, I would love the company."

Cal smiled and stopped at the door to one of the war rooms. “We can talk about it another time. It might be good to review the class you get, anyway.”

Wyn nodded and stepped into the room while Cal held the door for him. The others were already inside. John and Marcy were working through the bowls and platters of food seated at the large table in the middle of the room, while Cedric and Tasha were gathering books and papers for preparations.

“How are you eating?” Cal asked. “We just had supper!”

Marcy shrugged while chewing a piece of bread. “There’s food. Might as well eat some of it.”

John nodded quickly while gulping down a mug of something. He wiped away some froth from his lip after.

Wyn sat down at the table. “I know we don’t need to take long, so let’s get right to it. What can we expect on the fourth floor?”

Cal shifted on his stool in several ways, fidgeting with his coat button and straightening wrinkles on his pants. He cleared his throat and took a deep breath. “Okay. The tower is pretty straightforward with the floor progression. It’s not completely random, and tends to make sense as you climb.”

“We know that much,” John said.

“Let him set it up,” Tasha said. “Don’t interrupt him!”

Cal straightened up with his posture. “Right. Sorry. Of course you know that. Well, the current season is based on a temple hidden in the jungle, then exploring that temple and what lies inside it. You already know what the first three floors are, but the fourth is the first barrier until the relieving oasis on the fifth floor.”

“Relieving oasis? That sounds nice!” Tasha said.

“Every fifth floor is a break, right?” Wyn asked.

“Yes,” Marcy said. “It’s a place to reflect on the tier you just finished and a place to relax before progressing to the next. And a very popular social spot for Climbers.”

“But what bridges the gap between the ridiculous third floor and a fifth floor oasis?” John asked. “We need to know that first.”

“The temple guardian,” Cal said. “After the temple’s entrance and warning not to continue, the guardian awaits as another means of defense from outsiders.”

“You say that as though there’s a design to all of this,” Wyn said. “That’s an interesting perspective when you phrase it that way.”

“There absolutely is a design,” Cedric said. “Remember what the tower actually is. It transports us to a magical place designed to test us. There has to have meaning. Each season consists of a rising challenge of 20 floors, and they’re all connected.”

“Alright, point taken,” Wyn said. He thought about the many strategical sessions he listened to when deployed, about how the colonels and advisors would try to predict the enemy’s plan and movements. Cal seemed to be doing something similar, and when thinking about it in the context of war, it made sense.

Cedric scribbled some notes on a piece of paper. “I’m assuming that’s what the parchment says on the fourth floor? About the guardian and defending the temple?”

Cal nodded. “Yes. It’s a fairly straightforward floor with no traps or puzzles, only wave after wave of monsters.”

John laughed. “That actually sounds less intimidating than I thought! We cleared the secret room of monsters that were far harder than what this guardian should be. It sounds like an easy win for us!”

“Not so much,” Cal said. “There’s still a strategical component you need to consider. Each wave is a bit harder than the next, and has the potential to become harder than monsters on the second tier. The waves only stop when the guardian is defeated, and it controls the monsters as well as helps them.”

“So clear it too fast, and more waves will come by the end of the floor,” Cedric said. “It’ll be harder in the end.”

“Exactly. I’ve heard it’s actually posed a bit of a problem for some guilds who tend to fly through the first tier, and rewarded some of the newer Climbers who aren’t as effective or strong. Until the guilds found out that delaying killing some enemies in a wave will delay the start of the next wave, making it an easier clear.”

“Smart,” Cedric said. “That’s our strategy, then.”

“I wonder what that means, though,” Wyn said. “Maybe the tower is trying to even the odds and boost newer Climbers a bit? Or, make the population of Climbers stronger on average?”

The others looked at him with varied expressions.

“What?” Wyn asked. “You reminded me about looking at a battle from the other side. This is a strategy meeting, after all. I’m just thinking out loud.”

“You make it sound like the tower is constructing this on purpose,” Marcy said.

“Isn’t it, though? Cedric, you said the tower has meaning when it presents a season and about how the floors are connected. Maybe after the events of last month with Lionel and the witch it formed a series of floors that would help us, and helping us involves getting more newer Climbers stronger faster.”

John shook his head. “You’re getting too far out of my league, here. Musings are nice and all, but at the end of the day all we’re doing is climbing. There’s no reason to put that much thought into it.”

Wyn smiled. Spoken like a true soldier, but not an officer. Maybe one day John would broaden his strategical acuity. It was one thing to fight a battle, but fighting a war was entirely different. Wyn knew that if they were going to climb for an extended period of time over several seasons, he’d need to dig a bit deeper into the subject. Daniel would be a good resource there.

“So it’s a similar set of monsters, though?” Tasha asked. “I agree with John. It doesn’t sound too challenging, all things considered.”

John choked on his ale. “I never thought I’d see the day! St. Clair agrees with me!”

“It is,” Cal said, continuing. “One additional type of monster could show up. It’s a flying snake. It’s a bit smaller than the Lacerts but casts magic; initially they’re only a nuisance, but left to their own devices they can be very problematic.”

“Good thing we have two excellent ranged attackers,” John said, putting an arm around Marcy. “This is sounding easier and easier!”

“Is there anything else?” Wyn asked.

Cal sighed. “Just the guardian itself. It’s a large Lamiert that wields magic it can spread to the monsters in the wave, strengthening them and healing them.”

Marcy whistled. “That’s a powerful enemy. I’m surprised it’s on the first tier, honestly.”

“That’s not all,” Cal said. “It’s element isn’t Earth. It’s Ice. But the other monsters are still Earth.”

“Better for me,” Cedric said. “We’ve been lucky so far that our enemies have been relatively weak and can still be hurt from my Lightning spells. A different element will make it easier to take it down.”

“Worse for me, though,” Wyn said. “My spear is Wind. I’ll hardly be effective at all.”

Now he saw why the guardian was the tier’s boss. Going in with the advantageous element, Wind, would be utterly useless and detrimental. It was a test, both for an elemental education and to creatively think of a solution to overcome it. One that Wyn hoped to overcome.

“Then try to focus on other things,” John said. “Let us take it down and keep the other enemies off our back. Or something like that.”

Wyn scrunched his face together. He didn’t like that his sole weapon would be nearly useless against the floor boss, but he had no other choice. Trading his weapon for another one at this point wasn’t ideal, and it was still useful against most other enemies. He still had a couple of magic items that he could trade, but it was late in the day and they were planning to climb tomorrow morning. Plus, completely changing his weapon for one enemy didn’t feel right.

John was right. Wyn’s best contribution would be to manage the battle itself, not necessarily help with the direct fight against the guardian. He could help make sure his group succeeded without getting hurt, and that would be enough. The other monsters still needed to be handled and he could be useful there.

“Alright,” Wyn said. “You make a good point. You all are more than capable of taking it down, and I can do my part to make sure it goes smoothly.”

“It’s a plan, then,” Marcy said. “First thing in the morning again?”

Wyn nodded. “Yes. I have a portal key with me but stock up on whatever else you all need. We’ll go straight through with a break when we first enter the fourth floor.”

“I’ll bring some extra potions in my bag,” Tasha said. “I’ve been stocking some up!”

“And I’ll bring some food,” Cal said. “It’ll help during the break.”

John raised a cup, looking at everyone for a moment. “And that’s all I needed to hear!”

Wyn raised a cup of water, prompting the others to follow. “Here’s to finishing the first tier! May we be safe, swift, and strong.”

They toasted their drinks, laughing when John spilled his. The rest of their time together was more relaxed and enjoyable, though an underlying sense of anxiety filled Wyn as they parted to rest for the day ahead. He knew it wouldn’t be an easy climb, but it was an important one. And he would do everything in his power to ensure his friend’s survival, no matter the cost.