Soti before sundown, the group finally arrived at their destination. However, they still had to do a full lap around the oasis that they weren't able to see. The mirage would make that area look like just another part of the dunes, and if anyone tried to walk towards it, they would unconsciously walk around the area. Even worse, the illusion would make it seem as if their tracks were still heading straight, even if they were moving to the sides.
During this loop, a Sand Hydra appeared from the side, roaring and snapping at the group. However, the mont it appeared, everyone threw so spells at it. Bonnie used large elental fists to slam its body, Helena used the shadows to grab it from inside and rip the monster apart, and Shane fired two projectiles that exploded in ice and fire. Blue called down so lightning from a cloud she made in the sky, hoping to give them so shade, but the room didn't seem to mind. It didn't matter how high or how large the cloud was. The sun's scorching heat would still pierce through it as if it was nothing. Hera sent a poison needle that didn't do anything. After all, she couldn't actually poison sand. It didn't matter how strong her poison was. Mylo pulled his staff in a quick motion, but as he saw everyone attacking, he just waved his hand and put it back on his back.
After the initial flurry of attacks, Alex and Adriel manage to see the monster's core and send out attacks that imdiately destroyed the being.
"We are getting there, aren't we?" Blue asked.
"This ti, we are," Hera nodded and pulled her tablet to show the map. They were very close to the end, and they should be able to see the oasis in the next few minutes.
Just like she said, it took them just 5 minutes to finish the full loop, and the mont they did so, a new place ca into view. Surrounded by the red sands, a large clear water lake almost glowed as the sun reflected on the surface. Large date palms with pink leaves towered over the dunes. There was so smaller vegetation in different shades of green, yellow, and red, as well as a gravel outline separating the entire oasis from the rest of the desert. In the center of the lake was a glowing white doorway, which was their destination.
The mont they saw the water, everyone started running. Nimbus, who was carrying Blue this ti, flew towards it and dropped off his rider before coming back to help the Empress, but he didn't have to do that. When the oasis ca into view, Hera glanced around and noticed that there were no marks of monsters anywhere, and she had an urge to just dive into the water. She was already on the edge of the water when she fell to her knees and dunked her entire head inside the lake. Even if she wasn't feeling all that hot anymore, thanks to the new rank of her Naga Poison skill, the stickiness was still there. Not to ntion that it was one thing to be sowhat comfortable and another to feel refreshed.
"Man, this really hits the spot," Hera said as she lifted her head from the water.
"This could've been dangerous," Helena frowned while still touching the water lightly with her fingers to ensure nothing would happen to them.
"I looked around. There was nothing here. I an, look, no markings, no tracks, no nothing that could signal the existence of a monster or anything," Hera pointed to a few areas while speaking.
"That doesn't an this is a safe place."
"But it is safe. I'm 100% positive."
"How are you so sure of that?" Helena asked.
"I… I'm not sure," Hera looked around. Even if there was nothing around, she couldn't be sure that this was really the case. There was a chance that the water was toxic or that the plants would attack them or cause a reaction. Yet she was completely sure that there was no danger around.
"It's the curse," Alex said as she took off her shoes and walked inside the lake, "Ah, that's the stuff."
"The curse?" Hera asked.
"Yeah. I an, you are the one who was the weakest version of it right now. I think. Maybe Bonnie is in the sa boat. Either way, at first, when the Curse can't talk, it will just give feelings. Like making a place look safer if there are no enemies around or making it so that the weak spot of a target seems more obvious in your eyes. Honestly, it's a great tool, and you get used to it fast," Alex continued.
'If this makes you less weary, I also have the feeling that this place is safe,' Lurize added.
"Do you? Or is sothing telling you that you do?" Nimbus asked as he approached the Empress.
'What do you… Oh… yes, it's the second option,' Lurize sounded defeated.
"Is it affecting you guys too?" Hera asked. The question made both Helena and Alex look at Nimbus with worried expressions.
"I believe so. The idea of placing markers on the ground to help make a spell circle was not exactly my own. Even if I thought it was mine at first," Nimbus explained.
"Well, shit," Hera looked down, thinking about ways to stop that, "Ok. Everyone co here," when she said that, Shane and the other party mbers also got closer, "Oh no. I ant my blades. I an, you all can still be here but this is about them."
"Oh, sorry," Shane replied and walked away. With the exception of Helena and Blue, the rest of the party did the sa.
"Don't worry. Now to you guys," Hera turned to the blades, "You all know how much I hate this, but I have to do it. You are all not allowed to think or interact with the Curse in any way. This is an order."
"Yes, Empress," they all replied at once.
"Right then. Let's eat sothing, and then you can go to your test," Helena said, and they started preparing so of the at they still had left from the Belly of the Beast. They also had so fish, that they got from the previous room, but that was easier to prepare while walking and they were sick of it.
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A couple of hours passed, and the area around the water was much much more comfortable than the rest of the room. When they were done eating and Hera had rested for a while under the shade of the trees, she gave her bottled creek to Helena and walked to the doorway.
"I'll be right back, guys. I'll try not to take too long."
"Focus on the test. Try to get the most out of it," Adriel suggested.
"But don't take too long," Blue added, getting so angry stares from Shane and the elf, "What? I don't like this room. I want to leave already."
"I'll do my best," Hera replied and touched the doorway.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Role quest identified.
Select the role test you wish to challenge
[Crafter]
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The feeling of warm water covered her body, and her eyes were covered in that white light that would happen as she changed rooms. Soon she was in a reception with a couch on the left, the desk on the right, a couple of tv screens around the area, and two doors in front of her, one to the right that should lead to the bathroom and the kitchen, and the other set of double doors in front of her leading to what should be the test area. However, the most important part was missing. There was no talking green apple on top of the desk as she was used to.
"Peaches?" she asked.
"Just a minute, kid," a voice ca from the door leading to the kitchen and the bathroom.
Hera didn't say anything, just nodded, understanding that he might need so ti, and sat on the bench. But she couldn't help but wonder. Did Peaches had to go to the bathroom? She knew the guides could get drunk, but they never asked to use her bathroom, even when they drank a lot of water.
Five minutes went by before the guide opened the door and walked, or hopped, out.
"Sorry about that, kid. This is a weird one."
"No worries, but what is weird? The test?" Hera asked.
"Not exactly… I an, you got another notification, didn't you?"
"Yeah, one about being an inheritor and ascending, whatever that ans. Do you know what that is about?"
Peaches nodded, "I kind of do… but I'm not the one who is going to tell you about it," he looked back at the now-opened door."
Hera waited for a mont since it seed like Peaches was waiting for soone to co in. It took a few monts, but she suddenly saw a small witch hat slowly approaching. Only when it got closer that she notice a small purple tail moving behind it, and when it finally stopped, a soft, timid voice started speaking.
"He-Hello. Ms. Hera Kingsley. I am here to explain to you the details of the notification."
"Stop," Peaches said, "First, introduce yourself. They know we know their nas, but they don't know ours, and it's polite to do that. Also, look her in the eyes while speaking. Don't just hide under your hat. You need to make a smaller one."
"O-Ok, Mr. Peaches," the voice replied, and the blue velvet hat beca smaller and smaller until it was resting on top of a purple snake with a lavender belly that had a few rings and necklaces with stars and moons around her body.
"Nice to et you. I'm Taralandra, but my friends call Tara. You can call that too," the small snake started speaking, her beady black eyes fixated on Hera. She suddenly jolted up and pulled the hat to hide her face again, "Oh, no! I'm not saying that we are friends already. You don't have to be my friend if you don't want to. But you can still call Tara, it's easier I know," she turned to Peaches, "Did I ss up already?"
Peaches scoffed, "Considering this one. I doubt it. If anything, you just won over her soft heart."
"Hey!" Hera protested but just got a side glance from the apple guide.
"Am I wrong?"
"No! But you don't have to rub it in," Hera huffed and sat on the ground, "Hello, Tara. It's nice to et you. I'm Hera Kingsley, and I would love to be your friend."
"Oh, kid. Do you mind calling the rest of the crew? I think it's a good thing for her to understand sothing. Even if it's not that common," Peaches asked.
"Sure," Hera straightened her back, "I am never alone," she said, calling her entire court out. Nimbus and Lurize were already in their humanoid forms, while Daskka ford from the mist around her neck.
"Eeeeek!" Tara yelled and jumped behind Peaches, "There are a bunch of them! Wasn't it supposed to be just one?"
"Who is that? Are you getting a new pet, mum?" Daskka asked.
"I an, I'm sure Hera would take care of you well," Peaches glanced at Tara with a smirk which only made her panic even more. With that reaction, the veteran guide started laughing, "Relax. I'm just ssing with you. Look at them, and I an really look. What do you see?"
Tara glanced at Hera, then Peaches, and started looking at Nimbus, Lurize, and the blades. It took her just 20 seconds to say, "They are part of her…. A legacy?"
"Correct. It's a weird one too, but because of that, we can interact with a group without a problem," Peaches continued.
"I see… I'm sorry for fleeing," Tara said as she turned to Hera, but she still was holding the hat to hide her face while hiding her body behind Peaches.
"You don't have to apologize. Really. Now, if you don't mind. Can I ask who exactly you are, and what do you know about that new quest?" Hera got up and sat on the couch, telling her blades to do the sa.
"I'll answer the first part. Tara, here is soone new. A new type of being that was created by the MAZE when you got that quest. She is, from your point of view, just a few hours old, but to her, she is a few hundred years old. It's kind of what happens when you can have multiple copies of yourself existing at the sa ti. Most of those copies were studying and learning about her role in all of this, but there were a few expanding her social skills as well."
Hera nodded, "I'm sorry I made you go through all that."
"No! It was fine, really. If you didn't get the quest, I wouldn't even be here, so thank you."
"Exactly. You see, this quest, the one you got, was a MAZE first. It is the first ti the MAZE and the system offer to change soone into a different species."
"Wait, what?" Hera asked.
"Yeah, kid. This is what the quest is about. Turning you into a new version of the Naga. But since it's a first and it's sothing that would require so help, the MAZE also made Tara here. The first Ancestor."
"I'm the Naga Ancestor, to be more precise," Tara added.
"That is… a lot…" Hera replied. She never imagined that she would beco a different being. She thought that, at most, she would get so extra skill, not change completely.
"I know, kid. But it's not sothing you have to do right away, or even at all. But, one way or another, Tara here can help you with things related to the Naga skills, and I think she can explain a bit more about the whole idea. Are you ready for that?" Peaches turned to Tara, but it was Hera who replied.
"Yeah. I need to understand this to know how I feel."
"Oh... Sorry, I wasn't talking to you," Peaches felt a bit embarrassed. He turned to Tara, who pulled her hat, covering even more of her face before raising it and moving out of her hiding spot. This was her first day of work, and she had to prove she had what it takes to be a good Ancestor, not to the system or anyone, but to herself.
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