Capítulo 23: The Trial of Elements

As we stepped out of the Maze of Illusions, the weight of exhaustion settled on my shoulders like a heavy cloak. My mind still reeled from the complex illusions we had encountered, and I could feel the mental strain tugging at my consciousness.

"Huff, huff... I think we all should take a break here..." I worded between puffy breaths, chugging at my water pouch right after.

"I think so too, all those swirling, turning, shifting, stuff really made me motion sick too." Evie also drank from her own water bottles.

Smool, now a female, raised her voice to interject, "Though I'd also love it if we had a break, it seems time isn't promising."

"What do you mean?" I raised my brows in confusion.

"Check the damned system window!" She cursed.

With a flick of my wrist, the blue system window came to life.

[Time Limit: 3 Days, 14 Hours, 22 Minutes, 59 Seconds]

"Huh?!" A stunned breath escaped my lips, "How the fuck has it been three days already when we were there for about an hour?" I questioned towards the air rather than my party members.

"Ah, it's true..." Cleare trailed off as her emerald eyes shone from the white light raised by the ground since we cleared the Maze of Illusions, making her look even more beautiful.

Some other gasps entered my ears as I quickly took hold of an MP potion to recover some of my lost mana that was spent sharing my attribute with the others.

There is no time to rest; we have to press on.

The Trials of Elements awaits us, and failure is not an option. We dare lose, and we're damned to live here for eternity in torture.

The door leading to the next challenge swung open, revealing a vast expanse that resembled a deserted savanna.

The golden sun beat down on the dry ground, and the distant horizon shimmered with the promise of the trials to come.

However, there was an eerie silence that hung in the air, broken only by the occasional rustle of tall grass.

"We must be cautious," Evie warned, her caramel hair fluttering as she scanned our surroundings. "This place may appear deserted, but the trials here are known to take unexpected forms based on the previous challenges, and, a fantasy system has taken over the world, after all."

Smool, my first party member, fiddled with his hand on the empty air and initiated his hacked system. It granted us a slight advantage compared to the other members.

He nodded, feeling confident in our preparation.

As we advanced cautiously, the ground beneath our feet began to shift.

Elemental runes glowed into existence, forming four distinct paths that led deeper into the savanna. Each path represented an elemental challenge, and we knew we had to tackle them together.

"The Trial of Earth should be our first test," I suggested, trying to focus my tired mind on the task at hand. "We'll have to find a balance between our strengths and weaknesses related to earth, or so I think. My assumptions aren't always correct."

Maya spoke this time, "I think so too, considering that this place is called the Trial of Elements by the Enigmatic Labyrinth itself. I take it that different magic elements will test us or something akin to that."

Bash nodded, surprisingly, his presence was felt a bit strongly compared to the past few days.

The four paths that were constructed by the elemental runes each had a characteristic glow to them to specify which were for what element.

The Trial of Earth was before us, and the ground shook as towering stone guardians emerged.

They seemed to be made of the very earth beneath our feet, with mossy beards and glowing eyes. The earth was strong, unyielding, and required us to find that same resilience within ourselves.

Marcus, the military captain, stepped forward, his connection to the earth undeniable. He whispered ancient words from the system's spells, and vines sprouted from the ground, entwining the stone guardians and restraining them.

But there was more to the trial than just overpowering the earth.

Bash, our agile rogue, leaped forward with grace, his feet barely touching the ground as he dodged the stone guardians' attacks. He found the balance between strength and flexibility, demonstrating that earth's strength could be defeated with quick and precise movements.

"Woohoo, off you go boys!" I celebrated while resting on the backlines, staring at the spectacle in front of me.

I do think I should be more careful with the guys who are finally getting action, since Marcus is older, after all.

With the Trial of Earth behind us, we moved on to the Trial of Water.

This time, a shimmering pool of water lay before us after we talked through the blue-glowing path, and it seemed almost sentient, reacting to our movements.

Water was fluid and ever-changing, and so was this challenge.

Alaric, the alchemist, stepped up with his spellbook, using some type of hydrokinesis to shape the water into defensive barriers and powerful attacks.

But he, too, had to learn that water could be both gentle and destructive.

Maya, our healer, channeled her powers and showed us that water could also mend wounds and provide solace much quicker with the system's grace.

As the Trials of Fire and Air unfolded, we faced more challenges that required us to find harmony between these opposing elements.

Alaric, who seemed to be more versatile with magic, had to temper the destructive force of fire with control, while X, who seemed to exceed with wind magic, had to embrace the freedom of air without losing his focus.

Marcus, our seasoned warrior, and Cleare, our strategic genius, proved their worth in every trial, supporting and guiding us through each elemental challenge.

Balance between us party members was the key to controlling how well we would take the damned quests offered in front of us.

Finally, as the last elemental guardian fell by my and Smool's hands, the ground stopped shaking, and the savanna around us transformed into a serene landscape.

The Trials of Elements were complete, and we had emerged victorious.

Exhausted but triumphant, we gathered in a circle, knowing that our journey within this Enigmatic Dungeon was nearing its end.

"Isn't this looking kind of like your happy-go-lucky story or something?" I questioned, feeling dread seeping into me as I gazed at the time limit.

As the door to the next challenge opened, I looked back at my party members, somehow feeling an unspoken bond.

And that bond was broken to dust in the next and final quest that the Enigmatic Dungeon had provided us.

[The Ciphered Library]

REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES
ItsHashi

Sigh, these last few chapters have been a pain to plan and wreck my head on what to do for each quest, and for that, MAKE SURE TO SHOW YOUR SUPPORT YA HEAR ME!

Most importantly, though, enjoy!

comentario 1 comentario

Votar

ENVIAR REGALO

Load failed, please RETRY