Gladwyn continued to look at Adam and Elia with a barely-suppressed grin on his face, while Beck remained blissfully ignorant to the fact that they were in the sa dinsion.
“I think it’s ti,” Adam started dramatically, “to figure out who won!”
Beck grinned. “This ti I won’t be last place,” he said confidently.
“None of you have
beat,” Elia told them.
“What did you get?” Gladwyn asked. “Three thousand points?”
“4,308,” she answered, leaning back in her chair with a smug look on her face and a french fry hanging from the corner of her mouth. While Adam was seated on his barrier, she sat on a stool that’d been sculpted to look like a padded recliner.
Damn, I really should’ve done the hardmode, Adam thought to himself for a second ti.
Beck’s grin faltered. “Ti-loopers don’t count. Obviously.”
Elia nudged Adam’s arm, but Beck didn’t notice. Gladwyn laughed.
“What did you get?” Gladwyn asked him.
“You two first,” Beck replied, clearly hiding the answer.
Adam could already kind of guess what they had gotten, based on the lights from his earlier query that was still running. It was a bit of an eyesore though.
Change the pillars of lights to coloured spheres above everyone’s heads, he told the tavern, restructuring the command. It imdiately obeyed.
Both of them had three coloured spheres above their heads, but they were not the sa. Neither of them had unlocked Sylvia, which was a sha.
“I got 2,406 points,” Adam said. “I didn’t get the flawless bonus, but I got the bonuses for speedrun, all secrets, and the secret boss.”
“I got flawless but not the secret boss,” Gladwyn said. “I ended up with 2,200 points exactly.”
“You got the speedrun?” Adam asked him, surprised.
“I learnt a thing or two from Elia’s advice last night,” he replied. “Besides, I can’t let Beck be the only one who kills things quickly.”
Beck grinned victoriously. “That makes
the winner,” he said. His tone was so smug that Gladwyn and Adam both looked like they wanted to slap him.
“How much?” they asked.
“I didn’t get the secret relic from the boss, so I missed out on that bonus, but I did get the secret boss and flawless, and of course speedrun.”
It was clear that Elia’s words had made him less reckless in his approach to stages, but Adam knew he still had to have gone pretty fast in order to unlock the nightwing.
Wait, I’m the only one amongst us who took damage…?
Goddamn.
“How many points??” Gladwyn asked, clearly worried about losing to him.
“2,690,” Beck answered.
The number hung in the air above them like a guillotine.
Adam saluted Gladwyn. “It was good knowing you.”
He sighed loudly. “Just get it over with.”
Beck looked positively villainous as he gave his friend his new nickna. “From now on you will be known as ‘Princess Buttercup’.”
Elia laughed and Adam shook his head with a smile.
“I’ll get you back for this,” Gladwyn threatened him. “Just you wait.”
Beck turned to look at Elia. “You didn’t ntion that the secret boss had a special collectable,” he then said.
“I forgot,” she replied.
Beck suddenly pulled a massive bloodied organ out of nowhere, and placed it on the table in front of him.
“No, you can’t eat it,” he said to soone off to the side that the others couldn’t see. Adam knew it had to be Belamouranthe he was talking to. “This description,” he then started, “it’s a reference to the Black Mass from Castlevania, right? It’s used in a ritual to awaken sothing, isn’t it?”
Elia shrugged. “I have no idea if it’s a reference to sothing, but yes, it is used in a ritual during a later stage to ‘awaken’ a secret boss. I’ll tell you how to do it when we get closer to the stage, but you should keep it in your player house until then.”
“Does it awaken a Dracula-type enemy?” Gladwyn asked.
“Again, I’ll tell you later,” Elia repeated. “It’s a bad idea to focus on what lies far in the future, since you’ll end up neglecting the preparations for the challenge right around the corner. Stage four is quite tough after all.”
Just then food arrived in front of Beck and Gladwyn, and while they were looking away, Adam reached over and stole one of the mussels from Elia’s moules-frites. At the exact mont that Beck turned back to face them, Adam tossed the empty shell back into Elia’s pan. He didn’t even notice, since his eyes were locked on the double-decker cheeseburger in front of him. He’d also ordered a beer like Adam. Gladwyn had a plate of fish and chips in front of him, along with a red margarita-looking cocktail.
After everyone had eaten a bit of their food, Elia started telling them about the next stage. She started by described the locations for the termite nest and two relic chests. Adam had only found one during his last loop and it had been rather easy to spot. The other was apparently atop one of the tower-like buildings. Elia said that the easiest way to get it was to go inside and crawl out of a window to the roof. Gladwyn asked if knocking the building down would work, but she said no. She also told them about the rotmaker idol but made it very clear that it was dangerous to use, since the monster it summoned would attack everyone, themselves included, and would also make the elphin hostile to them.
“You especially can’t use it,” she said to Adam. “Since you’ve got things that boost summoning, like your crown relic, the rotmaker would beco way stronger than normal.”
She then went on to describe the enemies and how destroying their heads was the best way to kill them. For the mini bosses she recomnded incapacitating or snaring them before striking their helts repeatedly to break through.
Beck said that he had quite a few force upgrades and Elia told him that they would help a lot. Adam ntioned he had a crush upgrade, but apparently that was more useful against living opponents, since it could cause internal bleeding which didn’t affect the forlorn unless he was able to strike their heads hard enough.
She also explained that the forlorn were weak to fire and that burning them would make them more susceptible to damage. Adam added that corrosive sli would also work and she nodded along. Neither Beck nor Gladwyn questioned how he knew this.
Adam turned and asked, “What about the conflagrate spell scroll that Sylvia sells?”
Elia nodded. “It would work, but you should save it for the secret boss.”
She then talked about the forlorn aristocrat and his moves but urged them to avoid fighting him unless they were absolutely sure. Additionally, she explained the main things to look out for during the stage, such as the crossbow knight, plus the areas of the city that would be hit and in which order.
Elia also ntioned that the All-Mother’s wrath, the necklace they had all looted from stage three, should be given to Belamouranthe before looting the final chest after defeating the forlorn captain. When Beck and Gladwyn had learnt that the girl would die without their intervention, they both beca eager to learn how to save her. Even though he’d heard it once already, Adam listened closely to make sure he didn’t forget how to do it. Aside from keeping Bel alive, the biggest impact from saving her was that stage six would change sohow.
Lastly Elia said, “There is a hidden weapon in the stage, but I don’t know where. If you sohow find it, please let
know, but don’t take any unnecessary risks to try and locate it.”
With the explanation done, Elia moved on to helping other players by using Adam’s dinsional tavern.
Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.
Adam finally asked the cube how many had survived stage three, and the answer surprised him a lot. 285 million players had survived. In his previous loop it had been 173 million. It was impossible to tell if the difference was entirely thanks to Elia’s efforts or not, but he was sure she played a significant role.
However, if Arturo had looped countless tis before her, then he was sure to have managed sothing similar if not more impressive, and yet it apparently hadn’t mattered. Elia had said he’d given up looping to go through the ‘Gate of Nihility’. Adam didn’t know if that was the way forward or not, but it sounded ominous.
If it was the way forward and he successfully beat the Trials, then why is everyone still here? Or did Elia accepting the self-devouring eye reset this universe before the Trials could be cleared?
Maybe taking the divine relic sent her back to a new version of the universe, blocking her from escaping if Arturo beat the Trials, and making a new dinsional copy of all the players. After all, she said that Arturo is still here, but that he doesn’t rember anything.
Adam tried to not dwell too much on such worries, but he feared that the Trials were designed to be an endless loop with the divine relic being a test. The na of the relic certainly seed to hint at that, since it invoked in his mind the idea of the ouroboros that represented eternity.
Perhaps the System asked the players remaining at the end to pick between the chance to do everything all over again or risk it all to beat the Trials. Anyone who had fought to reach that point would no doubt have a lot of things they wanted to change, people they hoped to save, and wrongs they wished to right.
He shook his head. Elia had the right idea. Focusing on the future was dangerous when the present posed a huge threat. She could afford to plan ahead since she had overco these challenges before, but Adam had barely survived stage four last ti and stage five had killed him.
“I’m going to find Sylvia,” he told Elia.
She nodded to show she’d heard him, before continuing with her explanation to the twenty-plus players she was currently connected with. She’d set up the conversation in a way that none of the people there could see Adam. He wasn’t quite sure how that worked, but guessed it was similar to how she’d hid her weapons and relics from him before they’d t in person.
Sylvia had left with Migraine at so point and Adam exited the tavern to track her down.
With the cube’s help, he managed to locate them in the garden next to Alivida’s tent. They were having a picnic in the silvery moonlight, and it looked like they’d raided Charlie’s kitchen given the amount of food they’d brought.
“Sylvia,” Adam said.
The blood mage’s apprentice looked up at him. “Have you co to purchase spell scrolls?”
“I have,” he told her.
Without even standing, she unfurled her travel cloak and revealed her wares.
Spell Scrolls For Sale
Frost — Your next attack inflicts Frostbite, halting all of the target’s regeneration — 200 Points
Conflagrate — Your next attack inflicts Conflagration, dealing periodic burn damage to the target — 200 Points
Zap — Your next attack inflicts Electrification, periodically draining the target’s Mana — 200 Points
Desiccate — Your next attack inflicts Wither, increasing damage inflicted to the target by 50% — 200 Points
Tangle — Snare indicated target — 500 Points
Blink — Teleport to target location within your line-of-sight — 750 Points
Shade Barrier — Negate the next attack that would deal damage to you — 2,000 Points
“I’ll buy a conflagrate scroll,” he said.
“Good choice,” she replied.
Spell Scroll Purchased
Conflagrate
101 Points Remaining
Sylvia pulled a scroll free from its straps on the inside of her cloak and handed it to him. She refused to stand up, which made the whole transaction feel extrely weird.
“Thanks…” he said and returned to the tavern.
“I should go back to my own dinsion,” Elia said, pulling out the visiting stone. She paused without actually activating it, and gave Adam a strange look.
The tavern had closed and they were standing outside the building. Adam was carrying a sleeping Belamouranthe on his back.
He t her purple spiralling eyes and did not look away.
“Thank you for today,” he told her.
Elia lowered her head slightly. It was probably not the response she’d expected.
“Can I co back tomorrow?” she asked.
Adam paused. It was clear she had just used the kindling fla as a pretence for coming here, and he knew what her ulterior motive was.
Even though my initial encounter with her left a bad taste, she does seem to be trying her best to help people.
Although I don’t think I can reciprocate her feelings.
But if I outright reject her advances, will she stop talking to ?
He didn’t want that, since he felt that they could still be friends. But perhaps that was just wishful thinking.
It was an awkward situation to be in, and it didn’t help that she knew so much about him and he knew basically nothing about her. Maybe if they had t under different circumstances he would’ve felt otherwise, but it was hard to form a relationship when she was projecting her past experiences onto him. She was expecting him to act like the Adam she’d known and it caused a disconnect every ti he didn’t live up to that.
It was a difficult thing to reconcile.
Elia looked up at him, eting his eyes again. Adam swallowed hard.
“Sure,” he told her. “You can visit
again.”
He didn’t move any closer to her, and she remained where she stood. A few awkward monts passed in silence like that.
Then she said, “When I co back tomorrow, I have sothing I want to give you.”
Without any further explanation, she pressed her hand against the flat stone and vanished.
Visiting Stone Deactivated
Player Elia has left your Dinsion
Adam let out a deep sigh.
Alivida said it could only be used once per day between the stages, so she won’t be able to return. I don’t think my poor heart can handle more surprises for today.
He had so many complicated feelings inside of him and it was hard to figure out how he was supposed to feel. He felt guilty for overwriting the past version of himself, and his relationship with Elia, but at the sa ti it felt so one-sided and unfair. She had all the power, all the cards, and if he didn’t react like she expected she got upset.
This must be how Willow felt during my last loop, he realised, feeling shaful.
I just co barging into her life, telling her that I already know her even though we’ve never t from her perspective. Then when I did it this loop and she rightfully assud I was so kind of creep, I still had the audacity to get upset about her blocking !?
He shook his head.
I thought it would take longer for the ti-looping to ss up who I am, but it’s already done a lot of damage without
realising. I could easily have ended up like Elia if I hadn’t t her and experienced the other side of this kind of lopsided relationship…
He pushed his inner turmoil aside.
Now’s not the ti to worry about this. I have to be prepared for stage four.
Hefting Belamouranthe slightly, Adam set off towards his house.
After walking through the moonlit town for a bit, Adam reached the player house. Outside stood Yenna.
“I thought we agreed that I’d visit you in the market,” he told her.
“This is easier, isn’t it?” she replied.
“Are you allowed to leave the market like this?”
“I am not bound to my place by the fountain. My duty is to play music for the player residing on Interim Island. It does not matter where I play it,” she explained. “It is the All-Seeing System’s benevolence that allows
such freedom. Compared to the other denizens in the market, I alone received a special instrunt and knowledge of your culture.”
Maybe the System is a fan of music? Kind of odd for a God defined by eyes and not ears.
Adam smiled at the thought. Then he went through the garden gate and opened the door to the player house. “Co on in.”
Last night he’d tucked Belamouranthe to sleep in the bed that appeared at the foot of his own bed inside the house, and then he’d gone to the market to see the wasp and have her sing him to sleep. He’d been worried about leaving the elphin girl alone, but the cube had assured him no harm would befall her. Still, this was a much better alternative, since he would not feel guilty for leaving Bel to sleep alone.
He carefully lifted the girl from his shoulders and down onto the bed.
Then he noticed sothing new in the player house.
I forgot about this.
Next to the shelves and mannequin was an obsidian chest. To the right of that was his wooden storage chest, which had appeared when he’d dropped off the cracked sli core after stage one. For so reason, the relics he stored were actually just displayed on the racks and mannequin next to the trophy shelves, while the wooden chest seed to hold stuff that couldn’t fit on the available space or was sohow different.
He opened the wooden lid and a small nu appeared.
Player Storage
1 item
Cracked Sli Core (Common)
Adam pulled the core out and the chest vanished, which was odd.
He looked to the cube floating nearby. “Can you bring the storage chest back?”
[It will return when you have sothing to store within.]
That’s a strange way to do it, but I suppose it eliminates clutter.
He moved over to the new chest. It was a cube-shaped thing with a flat lid. There were no obvious seams or clasps to show where the top opened, so he just kind of fumbled with it until he managed to push the lid up.
Inside the relic saving chest was a swirling violet vortex. He dropped the cracked sli core into it and the core imdiately vanished. Then the lid snapped shut and another nu appeared.
Relic Saving Activated
1 item
Cracked Sli Core (Common)
Adam took off his cruel summoner’s gauntlets and opened the chest back up. Then he dropped them inside. They were imdiately spat back out, landing on the floor with a clunk.
Relic Saving
Unable to store Relic
Yenna watched him as he picked the gauntlets up and placed them next to his bed. Then he started undressing while looking over his trophies. He had all the available ones for the last three stages, and they were on separate shelves.
Before the end of the Trials, this whole wall is just gonna be trophies…
He was looking forward to getting so for stage four, since he currently had none.
There was one trophy for stage two that he hadn’t noticed before, it was obsidian black like the new chest and read, in gold letters, ‘Goblin Village Hardmode’.
I wonder if sothing happens if I collect a lot of these hardmode trophies?
After he’d undressed, taking off all but his shirt and underwear and placing it on the floor next to the bed, he lay down and had Yenna sit next to him. Without needing to ask, she started singing.
He was surprised by the fact that he could look at her wasp body and not be freaked out anymore. In fact, he felt that her presence was comforting sohow, even though it was very transactional in a way.
The lights in the room dimd until there was only darkness.
With a contented sigh, he sunk deeper into his bed.
Within monts, Adam fell asleep to the sound of Yenna’s lullaby.
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