The Ruby Magician

The pull of the portal tugged at him, though Wyn felt the familiar stone floor under his feet quickly. After weeks of traveling through portals, often more than once a day, he finally felt more at ease.

Still, he needed a couple of seconds to orient himself. No matter how many times he was magically transported it was still jarring to suddenly appear in a new location, sometimes facing a different direction.

At least his stomach was settled and head calm.

John’s body still glowed from Wyn’s Regen spell, though it was nearly finished. Thankfully the worst of his injuries had healed. He took a few nasty bites and one bad gash at the last room, though his armor took the brunt of it. Wyn told him he was being more reckless than usual, that the young Climber’s excitement was interfering with his usually more sound judgment.

John rotated his shoulder and leg a few times, testing the joints. “Sorry, again. I’ll be more careful this time.”

“Good,” Tasha said. “Wyn’s nicer than me. I wasn’t going to heal you to teach you a lesson.”

“Really? I was bleeding pretty bad, you know.”

Tasha huffed. “No, not really. Though I really didn’t want to get blood on my clothes again.”

“It’s easier for me anyway,” Wyn said. “My mana naturally recovers, and a short rest will give me that much more.“

John sat against the closest stone wall and rested his head against it. He exhaled a long sigh, closing his eyes and lowering his gear to the ground in a thud. “Wake me up when it’s time to eat.”

Cedric folded his enchanted parchment away. “It’s about 9:30 right now. We made good time through the third floor.” He sat down on the ground beside John, crossing his legs but not attempting to sleep.

Wyn rested his spear against the wall and looked around their immediate area. It was the same exact environment - cold stone everywhere, moss here and there, and a few torches on the wall that were lit to offer some meager light. Unlike the beginning of the third floor that opened up into a large open space, the start here had one spacious hallway ahead of them. A torch on either side of the hallway lit the path, and Wyn could easily see that it opened to a larger room further down the hallway.

No enemies were anywhere to be seen, but that didn’t mean that traps weren’t waiting for them.

“Cal, do you remember if there were any traps along the way?“ Wyn sad.

Marcy clicked her tongue at Wyn. “Uh-uh, hold the strategizing until after we rest. We should get a solid hour in before we keep going.”

Cal sheepishly looked at Wyn. Wyn shook his head but reluctantly agreed. He felt fortunate that he was able to recover his mana naturally and quicker than normal, but also thought his time was going to be wasted. Sure, he was going to fully recover during that time while the others won’t even receive half back, but they made it a point to limit their spells on the third floor for a reason. Now, he had only had his thoughts to bide his time while the others relaxed.

He pulled out his parchment and reviewed them. Cycling through the papers, he nearly forgot about the update for the new floor.

FLOOR 4

Party: 6/6

Quest: The temple is not a friendly place to find yourself. Why do you continue searching deep inside? Danger and trials have reared their heads rather than treasure or knowledge. This place isn’t for the weak. If you continue on, however, you’ll find the answers you seek. Trespassers always do, whether for better or worse.

Goosebumps ran across Wyn’s arms. The previous descriptions weren’t as ominous, and somehow the text felt personal as though it was intended for him. Granted, the idea of exploring a long deserted temple was already dangerous, and Climbers are expected to face challenges.

Wyn sighed. Maybe this was another part of being a Climber that he’d have to get used to in time. He really hadn’t been climbing long at all, and possibly this was just another part to the process.

He folded his parchments up and put them back in his pocket. Smiling to himself, he internally laughed at the thought that crossed his mind - he could really use a book to read right now. Daniel would have a laugh if he knew.

Before long, the hour had passed. Cedric stirred, standing and stretching while waking the others. Wyn decided to do the same to prepare himself.

“Now we can strategize,” Marcy said, carefully picking an arrow to hold at the ready.

Cal chuckled. “To answer your previous question, no. I don’t recall any traps along the way. But once we enter that room ahead it’ll be a constant source of fighting until we make it to the final chamber.”

John strapped his shield to his arm and patted his sheathed sword. “Nothing we can’t handle! My mana is back and I feel ready to go!”

Cal held out something small. “Even without a snack?”

John gasped. “I almost forgot! What is that?”

Cal handed it to him, and John took a large, satisfying sniff. The food was like a piece of bread folded over itself, baked and bulbous. There was likely something else inside. His face fell into a smile and he looked as though he had just laid down to rest in a comfortable bed after a hard day’s work.

Cal smiled as John expertly looked over the food. “That is appropriately named a Meat Pouch.”

Tasha gagged. “Meat Pouch? That’s not appropriate, that’s disgusting!”

“I agree, but it’s what my brother called it, so I’m sticking with it.”

“Then your brother needs to call it something else. The name needs to make people want to eat it, not throw up.”

Cal’s expression softened. “I told him the same thing. But what’s done is done.”

Wyn noticed Cal’s mood change. He’d seen it before, and wondered what happened between him and his brother. Was his brother even still alive? If Cal wanted to share, though, he would. Wyn respected that and didn’t want to pry.

John licked his fingers then wiped them on his pants. “I think it was delicious, and that’s all that matters. Call it whatever you want, I don’t care if it’s that good!”

“I think we should move on, then,” Wyn said. “Now that your stomach is fuller, of course.”

“Of course!” John said. “So is our plan to push through now that we have most, if not all of our mana back?”

“Not exactly,” Wyn said. “Use what’s necessary but keep however much you need in order to fill yourself out with a potion just before facing the boss. That way we go in ready just like now.”

The others agreed and walked down the stone hallway. Anxiety filled the stale air as they walked, no one wanting to take their mind off of the task at hand.

Before long they made it just before the entrance to the chamber and stopped.

“Are we ready?” Wyn asked.

The group nodded.

“Remember, only priority looting for the rest of the floor. Potions, blue rarity or unique items only - leave the rest.”

“Come on, Wyn, we remember,” John said. He wasn’t smiling, but rather presented a serious expression.

They were focused. This was the last obstacle of the tier, the final push before the fifth floor and their class upgrade.

Wyn stepped forward, lightly jogging into the open room. The others followed him in their practiced formation – John and Marcy led at the front, Tasha stayed in the middle, and Cedric and Cal held their ground at the back. They spread out so they wouldn’t interfere with each other and in order to spot enemies easier. Once fighting started, Wyn would either stay up front or fall back with Tasha depending on the enemy’s presentation. Marcy needed to be up front in order to spot traps or enemies, and Cal was in the back in case they were ambushed. They moved around frequently depending on what they faced, though this was their preferred formation of advancing.

As though on cue, a black hole of magic appeared on the ground further into the room. It was large and empty, like a noble’s rug adorning a space for socializing in their grand hall. Runes lit up throughout the space in swirling patterns and formations.

The Climbers stopped. Cal began muttering something, clutching his hand to his chest. Wyn couldn’t make it out as his attention was on the hole about thirty feet in front of them.

“…resolve to withstand this trial. I will possesses courage to fight when necessary in order to protect my allies.”

A wave of euphoria washed over Wyn. He felt the magical energy invigorate his body, Cal’s oath strengthening him. The aura surrounding him was more intense than his own, and rivaled the multiple auras John stacked from the secret room. Was this the power of a third tier class? Only one ability was used that now enveloped the three men, and Wyn knew it was powerful.

Lacerts began crawling and scrambling out of the hole like insects, knocking each other to the side in order to try and reach the Climbers first. It reminded Wyn of the previous hordes they’d faced, and at first glance they didn’t seem any different.

John stepped forward on the left and met the first monster, slashing at it with his purple hued sword. He kept the amethyst gem set inside it to imbue it with the Wind element, and the strike cleaved the creature in half. Its body dissolved before it even hit the ground in a less gruesome sight than blood or screams filling the air.

Wyn fanned to the right while Cal stood directly in the middle of the room. Wyn stabbed out with his spear in a surprisingly strong but agile form, completely stabbing through the first Lacert’s chest. He withdrew his spear and readied himself for the next enemy in a second.

Cal swung his hammer in a fury, crushing or knocking enemies away that dared to challenge him. The occasional swing would reach multiple monsters, keeping them at bay and preventing their advancement past the Climber’s line. His shield took the brunt of more than one attack, absorbing multiple Lacerts at once. While John and Wyn took on two or three Lacerts at once, Cal managed six or seven alone.

Together the three warriors held the onslaught back, all clashing and killing the Lacerts in their own ways. Line after line of enemies poured from the dark portal like a geyser from the hells, hellbent on consuming anything in their path. Unluckily for them, the three men stood in their way, a deadly line of defense preventing further passage.

Their defensive slaughter lasted several minutes, though it felt hours. Wyn could already feel sweat pooling under his clothes, but his endurance held strong. He’d trained for years - it would take more than a few minutes of continuous fighting to slow him down. The wave of enemies was the first to give, though, and their numbers drastically slowed. It was also apparent they were nearing the end of this round of enemies as the previously large black hole full of glowing runes was now dull and small.

“Keep some alive,” Cal said, kicking a Lacert away from him. “Let the stragglers live a bit longer!”

Wyn understood. They needed to slow their progress a bit so they wouldn’t face as many enemies along the path to the guardian. He swatted the Lacert he was fighting with the shaft of his spear, knocking it back several feet.

“Everyone, move forward!” Wyn said. “John, take the lead! Marcy, stay with me!”

The others moved without hesitation. John and Cedric led Tasha past the hole, easily stepping to the side to pass, while Cal followed them. Marcy ran beside Wyn and fired an arrow at a Lacert, hitting it in the hip. It was a smart placement as it only slowed the creature but delivered no fatal wound. As Wyn looked around their area, he saw only three enemies still alive, and all had an arrow sticking out of them in various spots.

“Let them get a bit ahead,” Wyn said. He slowly inched further down the path as the remaining enemies hobbled towards them. “We’ll kill them at the last second.”

“This isn’t my first climb, Wyn,” Marcy said. She held an arrow nocked and pulled halfway back. “I understand the strategy.”

Wyn felt his heart rate spike but kept his composure. This wasn’t the time to be smart. “Right, but we still need to communicate our intentions.”

Marcy glanced at him but didn’t respond.

“Marcy,” Wyn said, his voice more forceful.

Marcy slightly lowered her bow and glanced back at him again. “Alright. I’m sorry.”

Wyn accepted the apology and decided to revisit that situation if needed.

While waiting for the signal to the next wave, Wyn checked to see if any of the horde dropped something valuable. He saw three glowing green piles but nothing else. There might be a potion or two in them but it would take precious seconds and effort to check. He’d need to set down his spear, take off his pack, and put whatever items found inside without really inspecting them. Part of him wanted to, but another part of him knew it was more dangerous.

He decided it wasn’t worth it. He was the one who established the rules for looting on this floor, and he definitely didn’t want to be the one to break them. No matter how enticing they may be. This was a one time occurrence to complete the tier. He’d loot to his heart’s content for the rest of month’s climbs.

Marcy arrowed another creature in the leg, causing it to howl in pain. It tripped and fell from its momentum and new injury.

“The next portal is opening!” Cal yelled from further down the enclosed path.

That was their signal. Both Marcy and Wyn quickly disposed of the lagging Lacerts and sprinted to catch up. The sound of clanging metal, growls, and screeches urged both of the Climbers to pick up their pace.

As they rounded a corner, they met the rest of their party and enemies they were fighting. Wyn immediately rushed to the front, while Marcy released an arrow beside him. He didn’t bother to see what or if the projectile hit - he trusted her abilities enough to know she chose and succeeded to hit her targets well.

Cal and John were fighting off a group of Lacerts mixed with Lamierts, though the enemy numbers weren’t nearly as bad as the first wave. They were obviously much stronger, though, as Wyn could see the lizard and snake-like creatures wearing armor and wielding weapons. Their equipment was crude compared to the Climber’s magical items, but it slowed down the two direct fighters considerably as they weren’t able to fell each opponent in one hit. Cal’s aura coated John in a colorful light on top of his own red Fighter aura, but they were still challenged more than before.

A small tornado formed to the side, whirling up dust and small debris from the stone floor. The enemies shrieked and yelped, losing their focus on the two Climbers while they tried to escape the small but swirling gust of wind. Cedric pointed his scepter forward, a large rune formed in the air in front of him. As he swept it across his body, the tornado similarly moved laterally across the floor, sweeping the smaller Lacerts inside it and slicing the larger Lamierts where their armor left them open with small, wind-like blades.

The scales of the battle tipped heavily towards the Climbers with Cedric’s wind attack. Cal and John began to cut or beat down stray creatures, and Marcy picked off any opponent they didn’t see first with arrow after arrow.

Wyn stopped beside Tasha, admiring his teammates around him. “I feel like I’m not even needed right now,” the Ruby Magician said. “Look at them go.”

Tasha nudged Wyn’s arm. “That’s what I’ve been saying! It’s not easy watching all of you all the time. I’m only needed after the fact.”

“Not necessarily. Your Arcane Aura spell is helpful for more protection!”

“I guess. I just want to do more.”

Wyn idly watched the others finish clearing the wave. He understood Tasha’s sentiment - everyone had a specific role and hers was healing, but that didn’t mean it was easier to watch your teammates and friends do the work to clear the floor. His role changed often, but he never felt left out quite like Tasha.

“Maybe your class upgrade will afford you some flexibility,” Wyn said. “Granted, that’s usually the opposite of what people recommend. At least that’s what I’ve been told.”

Tasha moved forward as John waved them on to continue along the path. “I know. I’m not a fan of being typecast. It’s the whole reason I’m here! But it feels like being a Climber means placing yourself in a box.”

Wyn stepped forward with Cal this time, Marcy walking beside Tasha in the middle of the group. John and Cedric stayed behind to clear the last few enemies once the next wave started.

“Maybe we can change that,” Wyn said, talking over his shoulder. “Let’s get past this floor and see our options for our class.”

Cal and Wyn continued down the long hallway, the torches on the wall still being an accessory source of light to Tasha’s Torchlight spell from her staff. They lightly jogged to keep a good pace while not completely separating themselves from the group.

“There should only be one more wave,” Cal said. “We’re nearing the end.”

“Really?” Wyn asked. “This was pretty short, then.”

“It seems like this path to the end was shorter than most. I heard some groups faced up to six waves, but the average seems to be about four. We got lucky.”

Their path ahead ended with a stone wall with a corner appearing to the left. When they rounded it, the hall opened into a large chamber similar to ones they’ve met in the temple so far. It seemed to be a combination of them, though, as multiple pillars spanning the entire height of the massive room were scattered evenly about the space, and it was much brighter than the hallways. Four large braziers were roaring with tall bonfires in each corner of the room, flooding it with light. At the far side of the chamber were two more braziers, though smaller and unlit. They surrounded a large throne where a Lamiert casually rested, leaning its head on its right hand as though it was bored. In its left hand was a tall staff adorned with a large sapphire as big as a man’s fist.

It was alone, but that didn’t affect the chill that ran along Wyn’s body. The creature had a bluish coloring to its scales, different from the green ones seen so far. It also possessed legs where the Lamierts had snake-like tails.

The other Climbers caught up and they all stopped in the middle of the room.

“It looks like trouble,” John said.

Marcy nocked and released an arrow, aiming directly at the sitting figure.

The Lamiert didn’t bother to move. The staff it held in its left hand glowed a bright white rune in the air, multiple circles and symbols creating the magical script. It was the most intricate spell Wyn had seen so far, and it was cast from a monster.

The arrow bounced off a luminescent surface that refracted multiple colors of light, like the surface of an incredibly clear surface of water. The air rippled from the arrow’s impact, then settled into a large bubble around the guardian and its braziers.

“That was a second level water spell,” Cedric said.

The figure stood and stretched as though it was readying itself for a nap rather than a fight. That was before it locked eyes on the group, and huffed, ramming its staff into the ground.

The braziers roared to life with a green flame, causing another black portal to appear outside the guardian’s protective bubble. Lacerts and Lamierts crawled out of it, just as fearsome as the last wave and with more numbers. Along with them came smaller flying creatures that resembled a sort of flying snake and lizard hybrid with two stubby clawed legs, wings for arms, and a long tail that whipped the air around it. The creatures screeched and flew above its brethren, emanating a faint magical aura. There were nearly two dozen monsters that now stood protecting the guardian, growling and snapping with impatience.

“Here’s our last fight,” Wyn said. “We can do this! I’ll focus on keeping the strays off us and call out changes along with Tasha!”

John’s red aura flared as Cal began another chant, coating each Climber close to him in a thick layer of magic. Cedric raised his staff with a twinkle in his eye while Marcy prepared another arrow, one that had a green sheen and hummed with magic.

“I’ve never been more ready,” the Wizard said. Electricity seemed to jump around his body like static, eager to find a target.

The guardian raised its staff again and slammed it into the ground, harder than before. More runes appeared at the edge of the sapphire gem, and the braziers suddenly changed color from green to red.

Every creature jerked and twisted as their scales and hides changed from a green to red hue, like they had been dipped in a fire and their hides burned. One of the flying monsters yelled towards the ceiling, spitting a small but long jet of flame reminiscent of the statues on the previous floor.

The Climbers all froze.

“Oh Gods,” Cal said. “That’s new.”

“Well, shit,” Marcy said. “The guardian changed their element.”