Chapter 10: Chapter 10
From afar, the entrance didn't look that big.
In retrospect, that was just a testament to the sheer size of the pyramid.
Standing beneath the arched doorway, I looked upwards. The sandstone ceiling stood over 100 feet above me, lit by the fading light of the desert sun.
I felt a tap on my back.
Oh right, time to start walking.
-
Our party was split into three groups.
The first of which consisted of Lail, the lanky archer with exceptionally long and unkempt black hair, Hallia, the rogue who was still almost entirely covered in makeshift cloth, and myself. We strode about 25 meters ahead of the party, on the lookout for any issues.
The two of them were meant to support me and warn me of any dangers they noticed. Yet, my job was still that of bait, and there was a good couple of feet maintained between them and myself at all times.
The center envoy consisted of Fie and Tarkas. Being the only two members of the party with any sort of healing or magic, they were considered the top priority. They hobbled along as Fie jotted down notes on her map, conveniently floating directly in front of her.
I chuckled inwardly when I saw them together. Fie, the quite young-looking short white-haired elf, and Tarkas, the quite dwarven looking scruffy brown-haired unknown, made an impossibly short duo.
Shortly behind them were Bern and Dulmir. The two of them were charged with bringing up the flank and keeping watch over the rest of the party. They also were the ones carrying the majority of the provisions.
It was comforting to know the two large bald men would be holding our back.
It was incredible how the two of them shifted the moment we entered. The two men who couldn't keep themselves from laughing earlier became hardened vets the moment the job started.
Compared to what I was expecting, this grouping was incredibly favorable for me. Having the two most observant members watching my back at all times made it a bit easier to step forward with confidence.
Just a little bit.
I was conflicted. The entryway was one of grandeur, with sky-high ceilings carved with intricate patterns and monolithic columns scattered throughout the hall. With the magic torchlight that Fia provided, it felt as though I was walking through the set of an Indiana Jones movie.
This beauty was wasted on me.
I couldn't rip my eyes from the floor. My vision darted back and forth, looking for any sign of a potential life-ending trap. As we had set out, Bern reassured me that Hallia and Lail would be able to catch almost anything in our way, but it wasn't enough to ease my fears.
My eyes stayed locked to the floor.
-
We reached the end of the entryway in about 20 minutes. Ahead of us lay a large yellow door, it looked to be wooden but felt as hard as steel.
This is where it really begins, huh?
I looked back towards the party, "Is everyone ready?"
One nod from Bern, it was time to enter.
I approached the door, standing at about twice my height. The frame was hard, but the door opened rather easily.
Directly ahead was a tunnel that looked so generic I almost laughed. Sandy brick walls, burnt-out torches, and a whole lot of stairs.
The entire passage was quite wide, enough that our party could easily traverse it side by side.
Nothing special, no packs of enemies, no hidden puzzles, just stairs.
Without looking back, I started up the stairs-
"Stop." Hallia's quiet voice sliced through the air, freezing me mid-step.
She slid up to me and knelt down to look at the steps.
She pulls out a small clear crystal from a pouch on her waist and places it right on the spot my foot would have stepped, before whispering something under her breath. I can barely hear her voice, but can't make heads or tails of the meaning.
The crystal glows white for a moment before crumbling to dust.
"Continue."
What?
What did she just do?
My eyes widened in realization. I turned to Hallia, "What was that?"
"A teleport trap."
Oh. I almost just died without even noticing. Huh.
I looked down at the spot that she disarmed. I couldn't spot a trace out of the ordinary, not a single bit.
"How do you spot those?" I asked, "So I don't step on one accidentally."
"You can't," Hallia replied, eyes frustrated.
What do you mean yo-I can't.
It's not that it's impossible, it's just impossible for me.
Ha.
Hahahahahaha.
It's just too funny, I started giggling to myself. I caught a few weird looks from the team, but I couldn't stop myself. Wow, I was so in over my head. Invisible teleport traps that you couldn't even see?
There was no point for trepidation or caution, it's not like it would change anything.
Somehow, this morbid realization lightened the load weighing on me. It was the understanding that I was so far out of my realm, that it didn't matter what I did, the outcome was out of my hands.
I recomposed myself from what I'm sure looked like a mini-breakdown to the rest of the party.
"Ha... Thanks, Hallia. It looks like my life is in your all's hands."
I set off leading our way up the staircase.
-
Somehow, letting go of all the pressure that was building up made me realize how much pressure was actually being exerted on me.
Not social or mental pressure. Actual pressure.
I think I had attributed it to nerves before, but ever since stepping into the pyramid, it felt as though the air was getting thicker like I was slowly diving deeper and deeper underwater.
For a while, I tried to ignore it, but it quickly got to the point of discomfort and even strain.
Without turning to stop, I quietly asked, "does it feel like something is like pushing down on you?"
A moment of silence aired in our group.
"No?" said Lain, breaking the quiet.
I waited for some sort of follow-up, but neither of them said a word, making me feel a bit silly for asking.
-
15 more minutes had passed. It was most definitely getting stronger, I wasn't imagining it.
I stopped and turned around, "there is most definitely something in the air, I feel like I'm walking through a swamp."
Again, I was just met with two raised eyebrows.
I exhaled and closed my eyes, taking a moment to feel my surroundings and make sure I wasn't going crazy.
"What's the hol-up?" Tarkas hollered up to us as the center group approached.
Lain looked back, "Hale said he feels like there's something in the air."
"Huh, whaddya mean? I don't feel a thing."
I looked up at the group and frustratedly stammered, "I don't know what I mean. I feel like the air in here is thick as honey. It's like we're 5 feet underwater!"
"Do you think it could be Tal?"
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
stone