Chapter 14 – I Don’t Trust You

  Bryant was being led through the jungle for several days now by an invisible creature. It was disconcerting following something he couldn’t see, but it had saved him from that monster. Still, he wasn’t sure if he should trust it just because it had mentioned Jack. It clearly heard him yell the guy’s name right before, and this could all be some elaborate trap.

  But the alternative was trying to run from whatever this thing was, and risk running into that monster. At least Zephyr could speak. But then again, the most cunning monsters were said to mimic human speech.

  Bryant hated this. Why couldn’t Jack start in a town or city like you were supposed to when going to a new world. Now he was surrounded by invisible creatures and monsters and if that wasn’t enough, the plants were constantly scraping him as he made his way through the jungle. He itched like crazy right now. Not to mention how hungry and thirsty he was getting.

  “Can we take a break,” Bryant asked. “We been walking for hours today. I need water.”

  “Can it wait?” Zephyr’s voice came again, this time to his right. It always spoke from a direction he wasn’t expecting. It had surprised him the first few times, but now he was getting used to it. Zephyr liked to talk. “I need to get back to the others. I been gone a while already.”

  “How much longer will it take?” Bryant asked.

  “Not sure,” Zephyr said, once again from a different direction. He was starting to get annoyed by this thing. “I know the general direction, but distance is a little difficult right now. It would be faster if you could fly.”

  “Well, I can’t fly,” Bryant complained. “And this jungle isn’t great to run in either.”

  “Sounds like an excuse,” Zephyr said. How did it get below him without him noticing. “It doesn’t stop the Wenduags. Have you tried?”

  “If Wenduag is the name of that monster then that explains that,” Bryant said. “It’s a monster. I’m not. Case closed. I can try picking up the pace, but I still need some water or else I’m not going to last much longer.”

  “Fine,” Zephyr tsked. “You know, I don’t think I met any human that complains as much as you.”

  “Hey,” Bryant retorted. “It’s not like I planned on appearing in the middle of a jungle. Not sure why you are bothering to help me. That is even if you really know Jack at all.”

  “I know Jack,” Zephyr said. “And I’m not helping you.”

  “Wait, what?” Bryant asked, coming to a stop. “You’re not leading me to Jack?”

  “Oh, I am doing that,” Zephyr said. “But I don’t trust you. Jack never mentioned any other human in the jungle. Luckily, you are weak, so I don’t think you will be much of a threat. Still, I’m only leading you part of the way. I’ll find somewhere safe for you to wait while I get the others. They can come get you if they want.”

  He didn’t like the sound of that.

  “So, what? I’m just supposed to sit around and wait to see if some people, I’ve never met, want to come and get me?” Bryant asked.

  “I thought you knew Jack,” Zephyr said. “Was that a lie? Daniel said lying is common among humans. Why would you lie?”

  “I’m not lying,” Bryant said. “I know Jack. Only Jack. So long as it is the same Jack. But what if something else finds me first?”

  “Hmm,” Zephyr hummed near his ear causing him to swipe at the empty air. He heard the creature give a soft giggle as he did. “I don’t know. Run? Hide?”

  “Dude,” Bryant said. “What difference would that make?”

  “I’m not a dude!” Zephyr exclaimed.

  “What?” Bryant said. “I didn’t mean it like that. Look, I don’t even know what you are.”

  “I’m a Sylph,” Zephyr said. She said it like he knew what that was. “And I’m not sure. If you like, I could leave you here. Probably make it back to the others faster if I did that.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

  “No! No!” Bryant said quickly. “I’d prefer you didn’t. I don’t really like the idea of being alone in this place anymore. Can’t you just take me to them directly?”

  “Hmm… Nope, sorry,” Zephyr said.

  Bryant sighed. After that, they traveled in silence for a while, except for when Zephyr made small gasps at different things. She did that at a lot of things: a flower opening, a strong breeze, a shiny pebble. Bryant didn’t get it, but it could have been worse. They managed to pass a small stream as they continued, and Bryant was able to get some much-needed water.

  It wasn’t until late in the night that they finally came to a stop. They had managed to find a small glade in the jungle. After trekking the rest of the day. Bryant was glad for any excuse to finally stop. He crashed on a nearby rock, feeling all his muscles ache.

  “Okay,” Zephyr said to him. “I think this is close enough, and it looks safe. I’ll leave you here. Be back in a day or week or something.”

  “Wait!” Bryant sat back up, calling after the strange creature. But it was pointless. He already knew that she was gone. Bryant sighed. “This is like the start of a Grimm’s fairytale. I really don’t want to be a character in one of those.”

  *~*

  Sylvian cautiously entered the chamber. She didn’t want to be here. She wasn’t much of a combatant. She had talent in scouting and archery, but her path was one of growth and life. Not one of fighting. A Trial like this. Where you had to be alone, and focused on one’s fighting capabilities, was not something that interested her. She wasn’t even sure if she could benefit from something like this.

  At least she assumed as much. The only people to attempt the challenge were those that cared for such things. Even if the benefits were worth it, there was still the chance that she could fail, and from what she had seen so far there was nothing preventing the challenger from dying in here.

  Still, Zajowle wasn’t much of a combatant either and he appeared to have no issues with the Trial, and Jack said he managed to overcome it at a low level, so maybe the Trial was only meant for the inexperienced to attempt. But even if that was the case, Sylvian was still worried. If not for her life, then for her path. There was always the chance that this Trial could be designed to influence the trial taker’s path to align with something this ancient order preferred. She already chose her path and had no intention of changing it.

  But then there was that look Zajowle gave Jack as they discussed it. It was a small motion between the two, easily missed, but she saw it. On the surface, their argument felt logical. Of the ones that have not taken the trial, she was the best choice for undergoing it. Right now, knowing what they knew, the rest were better fighters than her, and Elizabeth was not in a state to attempt it yet. If something happened while she was in here, then the others would be best outside the Trial, handling it.

  This place was ill suited for her to make use of most of her skills, but Sylvian believed that Zajowle had a different reason for choosing her. She couldn’t imagine what that would be, but there was nothing else to do but to complete the Trial now. If there was another reason for her being here, then she was certain to find out soon enough.

  Not forgetting the real reason she was here, Sylvian called out to the mostly empty chamber. Whatever this Moderator was, she should be able to talk with it now that she was within the Trial, but no response came.

  She let out a small sigh. Instead of calling out again, she started examining the room. Five dead bodies and a script on the door. The position of the bodies didn’t give off any obvious sign or patterns, but the fact that they were here at all was concerning.

  The first thought Sylvian had was that they were the people who failed before, but that didn’t quite fit. The designs of the armor were all similar and unknown to any organization she had ever seen before. What caught her eyes the most was the emblem on each of the armors. It had a tree as the focus of the symbol on it. But if this was the Akashic Order as she suspected, then why would their symbol be a tree?

  She examined the bodies a little bit more, but she was unable to discover any more information about them. Approaching the door, Sylvian read the script that was glowing across the surface in her head. Truest aspect of fear? What did that mean? At once, a mist filled the room, and at the same time, several System Messages started to appear.

  Sylvian watched as the five skeletal bodies rose from the floor. The five undead coming to life didn’t bother her as much as the idea that the Order dabbled in Necromancy. What kind of Order dealt with the dead? She didn’t trust this, and it was starting to make her distrust everything they had seen in the city below.

  The Skeletons started to move after her, and Sylvian moved in response. Staying out of their range was a simple thing and forcing them to disassemble proved just as easy. Once they were all scattered across the floor, she was able to solve the puzzle without too much effort. It was a simple puzzle, but she was glad that she had solved it on the first attempt.

  The reward for the passing was interesting, but she cared little for it at this moment. She needed a vision upgrade, and True Sight was an interesting one, but not one that she saw helping her or her path.

  Once the door opened, Sylvian stepped through, glad to be away from the dead bodies again. The other side of the door found her in another corridor leading to, what she could only assume, was the next Trial, but there was still no sign of this Moderator. But that was one Trial done, and she could only hope the remaining Trials would be as simple and quick.

  Sylvian stepped into the second chamber and froze.

  “Welcome,” came the most perfect Elvish voice she ever heard, but it barely even registered as she stood transfixed by what was before her.