Time Since Reckless Self-Endangerment: 4 Days 13 Hours

Goal: Save Tarquin

Nic filled a trio of flasks with water from the fountain before he left. He doubted it would have the same strength as a full dip, but it might be able to help him against lesser curses.

The skull hung from his hip, secured with a bit of rope threaded through its eye sockets.

Fully equipped, Nic began the long trek up the valley path - beginning with an encounter he’d rather have put off a little longer. The first of the seven bridges he’d need to cross was guarded by Levanth, the hungry giant…

Nic could’ve easily wall-crawled around the cell to get to the bridge, circumventing another stand off with Levanth.

But the giant had told him how to open the secret doors with a song, and hinted he knew much more about the valley and this ancient dungeon. Nic’s curiosity was driving him to another confrontation, just to see what scraps of knowledge he could shake out of the giant.

And besides…

He’d brought a secret weapon.

As he stepped inside the cave Nic braced for an instant attack. He rotated his cultivation through his feet, preparing to shoot away if a giant hand burst from the dark to seize him.

Instead Levanth laughed.

“You’re back. I would’ve thought you had more common sense than that, boy.”

“Funny. People always seem to be on me having more of that stuff than I really do. Ends pretty bad for them, sometimes.” In his right hand he gripped a bag of folded palm leaves. He knew Levanth would be watching that hand like a hawk. The last time, he’d used crabmeat as a distraction…

So what treats had he brought this time?

He could see the giant’s eyes in the dark. Drool dripped into Levanth’s wild beard from his open mouth.

“What do you want to know boy? What secret are you hoping to pry from me?”

Nic was slowly edging towards the exit. Ready to make a dash for it. “Did you know Anet-Mu?”

“Yes. I was his brother in battle, once. But he was selected for the final trial and I was left here to rot for an eternity.” Anger flashed in the giant’s voice. His chains clanked as he shifted. “The cost of annoying your precious System.”

“I’m looking for a weapon. Something your old friend left behind. Any clues for me?” Nic raised the bag up, ready for the attack.

Again, Levanth laughed. “It won’t be here. Too many eyes here. Let me see. You’ve found the three goddesses of this valley, haven’t you? I’ll tell you this. They’re the goddesses of the north, the west, and the south. There is a fourth who doesn’t live here...”

He shifted forward, and Nic flung the bag down. Golden beetles shot out in all directions. Their bodies were rich with Essence, and a half-dozen of them buzzed through the air. Instantly Levanth’s hands began to shoot out, grasping, grabbing as many of them as he could-

While Nic took the moment to advance into the doorway. Turning back, he asked a final question. “Why does the System keep you alive, if you really ate a god?”

Beetle-wings fluttered in the steel trap of Levanth’s mouth. He grinned widely, showing mashed bug-guts in his teeth. “Because I kept a secret even the System wants to squeeze out before it kills me. Keep bringing me food, and maybe you’ll be the one to hear it…”

Now it was Nic’s turn to laugh.

There wasn’t a chance- not in a million years- that Levanth would tell his secret while he drew breath. “We’ll see.” With that, Nic slid through the door and out onto the first bridge.

---

The way up the valley walls was littered with traps and secret dangers. Every bridge connected to a series of red-rock caves, which extended like honeycomb into the stone and earth of the walls. Ghouls lurked in the dark, waiting for him to be wounded enough to pick off. Whenever he looked their way they hissed and retreated into tiny tunnels carved into the stone.

Statues spat poison darts. Runes hidden in the earth made spikes erupt from the ground. Carved walls covered in hieroglyphs would burst open as hidden blades swung on pendulum-arms through secret gaps.

Without his Eight-Eyed Mantle the only way through would have been a slow and laborious slog. Checking every step for traps. Watching the ghouls shadow him in the dark.

But Nic was stronger than this place expected. He knew instantly which statues would reach for him with stone hands and try to drag him into a crushing, spiked embrace. He could spot at a glance which walls were illusions concealing boulders ready to drop.

Bridge by bridge, he made his way up. In no time he’d crossed the first three, his night-adapted eyes sweeping through dark caves where the hissing of ghouls echoed back and forth. Numerous small tombs were carved into the rock, guarded by the twin statues, and Nic had to stop himself from venturing inside to see what treasures might be waiting for him.

Letting himself steal a peek was the first step towards losing self-control. Even though he could use the fountain to purge two more treasures, that would mean climbing back down and losing more daylight. He intended to wait until he returned to the valley to claim his remaining prizes.

It was when he crossed the fourth bridge that the skull strapped to his hip began to shake. A thin, wailing sound like a child’s cry began to pour forth as a cloud swept over the sun and the valley’s light dimmed. Croaking bird-cries filled the air.

The Guardian had arrived.

It appeared at the far edge of the bridge, holding its scythe. Its eye had grown back and Nic doubted the poison he’d filled its veins with would still be slowing it down.

But he had a plan. Reaching into his bag of tricks, he went for another package he’d prepared. Instead of Essence-rich snacks this one was loaded up with explosive crystals from Sunfire, with a Lakash rune attached as a detonator to the tightly-bundled wrappings of palm leaf.

It was a primitive explosive; but Nic figured ‘crude’ wasn’t a bad thing when it came to blowing shit up.

The Guardian flickered forward, and Nic began the fight by opening his mouth and unleashing a spray of Poison Mist. This time, it wasn’t a small, tight cone of black vapor - the entire bridge was caught as roiling black clouds exploded from his mouth with massive pressure.

The ring had truly amplified his capacity. The only problem was it ate through his aura even faster, and that single breath exhausted half of his capacity.

But in return, he’d coated one half of the bridge with poison. The ground on which the Guardian could stand was effectively halved.

It leapt, huge black wings carrying it over the clouds to swing downwards at Nic in a clumsy overhand. Nic slipped backwards, and instantly the Guardian followed him, slashing left and right in a blinding flurry of blows that turned the scythe-blade to a blur of silver.

But Nic had the rhythm now. He was stronger and faster, lighter on his feet, and while his short reach prevented him from counter-attacking-

He’d planned for this.

He flung the explosive package into the scythe’s path, coated in sticky adhesive aura. It stuck fast and Nic kicked himself back into the air, retreating as he unleashed a pulse of power to trigger the rune.

The Guardian never saw it coming.

The explosion ripped across the bridge and threw chips of stone and dust into the air. The Guardian was flung backwards, rolling, its wings burning up with orange embers eating their way into the black feathers. It croaked in misery, flesh scarred up with blackened burns.

Before Nic could close and capitalize, it vanished into thin air.

The scythe was unharmed, but the force of the blast flung it into the air. Nic watched as it tumbled through the open sky beneath the bridge. He raised his hatchet-

The Guardian reappeared, reaching for the falling scythe as its wings caught the air. Nic flung the axe overhand the moment he saw his enemy blink into place, and before it could vanish, the centipede-tooth blade had sunk into its back. The air filled with a cawing scream of pain as the Guardian flickered back to the bridge, blood dripping down its scorched wings.

This was a very different fight.

The Guardian raised its scythe, but Nic conjured Centurion forth. The centipede-echo erupted from the axe imbedded in the beast’s back and wrapped around its skinny limbs, briefly holding it fast. As the Guardian struggled and kicked to free itself, Nic launched forward.

His feet darted across the ground like lightning, barely seeming to touch the earth. His scarf reached out and slammed down, lifting him up, sending Nic into a pole-vault that flung him feet first at the Guardian.

With adhesive wrapped around each limb, he slapped into place like a sticky booger of death. As the Guardian thrashed he clung on, seizing the axe and ripping it free. The beast’s head reared back, spear-like beak about to stab, and Nic met it head-on with a brutal overhand sweep that knocked the blow aside and sank the axeblade deep into the Guardian’s skull.

It screamed, and Nic dropped loose as the enormous wings kicked outwards and flung Centurion away.

He was ready for this. Ready to face the poisoned, bleeding, burnt enemy head on. With so many wounds, he doubted it could keep up with him. Not on the narrow space of the bridge where his ability to close off areas with poison and his small size were his advantage.

It croaked in anger and vanished.

A second later Nic realized why, as the cloud covering the sun drifted past and rays of bright gold descended into the valley. The beast could only attack him in brief windows the System’s quest allowed.

And this time, he’d come out ahead.

He grabbed onto the walls and began to climb. With the sun being his best protection, he didn’t fancy finding out if the Guardian could attack him within the dark of the caves. Extending his senses he tried to avoid the worst of the traps on the walls as he climbed towards the next bridge.

And the next.

And then the next.

His entire body felt sore from climbing as he reached the final stretch, the seventh bridge connecting to a tall spiral staircase within a tower that led to the top of the valley’s walls.

As he stepped onto the bridge the same shadow cast itself over the sun. In the fading light the Guardian appeared before him, crooked, and covered head to toe in vicious burn wounds. Its battle cry was more of a hiss as it advanced, ready to fight until the bitter end.

Nic could respect that. But he’d sure as hell make the beast pay for the last time.

He shot forward, circulating power through the tiger-claw to summon forth Regent in a burst of flame. The echo slammed into the Guardian from behind, staggering it, and in the brief moment before it slashed the tiger-spirit to shreds Nic had closed the gap.

Even as the Guardian turned to swipe at him, he flung a bottle of fountain water into its face. The glass shattered and the liquid within hissed like acid as it made contact.

The Guardian stumbled.

Nic’s axe bit into the back of its leg, bringing it to the ground.

He ripped the blade free and shouted a savage warcry as he grasped it in both hands and swung down, chopping straight through the beast’s neck with a furious strike that turned the axeblade to a red blur.

In the end, the Guardian dissolved into black smoke, scythe and all. Nic was left gasping and panting, soaked through with slimy sweat.

He grinned and wiped it away from his eyes.

“Ah-fucking-ha.” He gasped out.

And started up the stairway to leave this valley behind. As he reached the top step and entered into the sunlight of the desert beyond, the skull of the thief dissolved into dust. Two small spheres of light drifted out.

As he touched the first it unfolded into a small reed pot of medicinal, bitter-smelling balm.

As he touched the second it unfolded into a puff of cosmic mist and a blue teardrop of crystal, shining like an ocean contained within a single gem.

Ankh-River Balm. F-Class // Medicine. Made from the flesh of those purified for years within the depths of the river, this gravedirt mixed with sacred water can heal flesh and expunge poison up to the F-Class with ease.

Purewater Tear. F-Class (Peak) // Medicine. From the eyes of a minor goddess, this simple tear has crystallized and become a precious treasure meant for purging curses. One who crushes it to dust and mixes it with water can drink the resulting mixture to receive the goddess’ blessing and be free of all evil energies.

“Ohhh.” Nic grinned. He’d been planning to gift the Lady Nylea one of his flasks, but this… this was much better… “She’s going to love you.”