Denizens of the Labyrinth

Jazmel returned to the group and found that he had only been gone for a few moments. Time clearly moved different within those trials, as he had Managed to complete it which felt like days, but it had been barely an hour outside of it.

Patton and Sadé were awake, the others were resting. Patton welcomed him and passed him some fruit before sitting down on the ground.

“I have something for you.” Jazmel said and going into his storage he pulled out the sword he had been rewarded. The sword was a knight’s longsword, not his own style but he had imagined it would work well with Patton.

“This… this is a quality item.” Patton uttered, shocked at the gift from Jazmel. At this moment he told them both about the trial he had just completed and handed over the fruit to Sadé.

“This?! This is a Sirius citrus fruit!” she exclaimed and Patton and Jazmel both looked at her, waiting for her continuation.

“Named after the star, Sirius? This fruit is an ingredient for an elixir. It will permanently increase one stat at random. They can only be found or bought on the tenth floor. My mother was gifted one of these by my father when she was pregnant with me.” She said and a wry, yet shy smile formed on her lips.

“Can you make it?” Patton asked.

“I cannot, I do not have the alchemist skill. Sorry I can only forage right now.” She told them both.

“I am sure we can get it made in an apothecary or alchemy store.” Patton offered and she nodded.

“Well, I gifted them to you both, use them.” Jazmel shared with them, and both smiled affectionately at him.

“While clearing floors and passing through the different trials and quests. It is equally important to collect rare items. It makes it all better for you and us when it concerns your tiering up. The rare the materials the rarer or better the tribulation.” Patton explained and Jazmel nodded, keeping the Nemean Lion bone to himself was something of which he had thought.

“Wait, if you cleared a Seeker trial gate on your own. What level are you now?” Patton asked him.

“21.” Jazmel winced and Sadé gasped, a hand over her mouth.

“Bloody hell, I could do with a level up like that!” Patton shouted and this stirred both Bannerman and Katie. It took a few moments, but Jazmel caught them up and they both congratulated him too.

“While you were gone, we found the gate. It is not far from here. If we are all ready, we can go now.” Katie offered and the group quickly broke camp and headed off.

Within the slopes of the hills there was a larger inlet, not a cave or a cavern but a yawning awning still. It was a simple gate, no maelstrom to greet them, this time. But a blinding white light that Jazmel had to shield his eyes from.

They were all about to enter the gate when the system sung into life.

DING

SEEKERS ARE ALL WELCOME

WILL YOU CONTRIBUTE?

He looked around and for the first time, nobody knew.

Jazmel placed his hand tenderly on the white portal and the system beckoned.

MANA

MANA OFFERED?

Yes. Jazmel thought.

MANA ACCEPTED

DO YOU WISH TO ENTER THE XUANHUAN REALM

Jazmel looked back and they all shrugged.

“No wait! I know what this is.” Katie said and they all turned back to look at her.

“Sometimes the labyrinth will open dungeons that are open at certain parts. There will be many other Seekers in that realm, around our level. There will be great loot, many things to gain.” She explained and Jazmel thought on her words.

“Why did it need Mana from me?” Jazmel asked.

“I think Mana contributions from Seekers every so often is how it keeps thriving. Once we all exit, it will renew itself and go on.” Katie wondered.

“Well, you did say you needed to grind out your levels. Use this opportunity to level up and prepare for an oncoming tribulation. As you said Patton, the rarer the items, the better the tribulations.” Jazmel told them all.

“We have a chance to better prepare ourselves, better prepare for the labyrinth.” Jazmel offered and they all nodded.

“There is no guarantee that we will all enter the gate together.” Sadé said, and this rocked them all.

“Well, whatever the gate asks of us. Let us all agree to aim for it. That way we will all meet somehow.” Patton urged and they all nodded in agreement.

“Well let’s go then!” Bannerman growled and walked through the gate first. They went in after him, one by one and literally one step was through the gateway and then the second step was into this dungeon.

The Xuanhuan dungeon realm.