CHAPTER 14: LIFE IS UNFAIR SOMETIMES
Jenna considered how to answer that. “I asked the Pyramid how to find people I’d talked to,” while accurate, seemed like it might send the wrong impression. Then again, it was true.
Jenna’s time in the Pyramid had definitely shifted how she spoke. More and more, she understood and appreciated the value of clarity while speaking. There were certainly times for subtle meaning and word play, sure, but they should be the exception, not the rule.
Rita looked at her questioningly, and Jenna realized that she had been deliberating for too long. “Sorry,” she said sheepishly, “I’m still not used to interacting with people again.” Before Rita could say anything, she continued, “I’ve always been really bad with names, so I asked the Pyramid if it was able to give me a way to remember names. Apparently it took that to mean that everyone I’ve spoken to has a name hanging above their heads. It made it easy to find you, since you’re the only one I’ve spoken to in here.”
“That’s really cool! I wonder if I can get one,” Rita said. She went suddenly quiet and still, and it took Jenna a moment to realize what was happening.
When she realized that Rita was seeing the Pyramid’s offer to her, she considered how strange she must have looked to all of the other climbers when she had asked questions while asking. Then again, a glance at the crowd around her showed more people obviously consulting the Pyramid than not.
When Rita had finished muttering intermittently, she looked back at Jenna. “How did you afford the naming console?” she asked.
“What do you mean?”
“The Pyramid told me that it cost 3000 points. I’ve barely been able to earn enough points to delve the rift. How have you earned thirty times that much?”
“The Pyramid just told me that I would need to build it two naming consoles when I reached Fifth Tier,” Jenna explained.
“Oh, that’s interesting. Do you think that something similar would happen in reverse if we asked about an expensive Illusion?” Before Jenna had a chance to respond, Rita continued, “ask it how much an Aura Clone would cost.”
Humoring her conversation partner, Jenna asked.
Aura Clone. Sixth Tier Spell. Cost: 5000 points.
“It said 5000 points for me,” Jenna said.
“It said that I could buy it, but I would have to repay its value either in points or the Spell before I would be allowed to buy another Illusion Spell,” Rita replied. “That’s interesting. I wonder why the same isn’t true for the naming module.”
“Maybe ask if you have options other than purchasing it with points?” Jenna suggested.
After a few moments, Rita looked excited. “It told me that if I can find an Enchanter willing to take on the Bargain, I can also get it now.” As soon as she said it, she seemed to realize how absurd the unasked question would be.
“I’m not going to answer the implied question right now,” Jenna said, “because I just met you.”
The two sat in silence for a few minutes, both eating their daily food. “So,” Jenna said, trying to break the silence before it got too awkward, “are you planning to delve the rift tomorrow?”
“I am,” Rita replied, “are you looking for a delving group?”
“I was planning on delving alone,” Jenna replied honestly, “but I’m not sold on the idea. What’s your fighting style like?”
“I’ve mostly been working on using Illusion Magic to hide myself and dispatch the goblins without being noticed. Yourself?”
“I um,” Jenna blushed, “started using a mace at the Pyramid’s recommendation.”
To her relief, Rita didn’t start laughing or mocking her. “Well, if you’re looking to become a delving group, it seems like we’d be compatible. Sneaking around goblins is easier if someone else is playing the role of distraction.”
Jenna wasn’t sure how she felt about being a human shield. Then again, it wasn’t like that was any different than her plan had been before. It would just mean that someone else would also be killing the goblins.
“Is there some difference in the rewards we get depending on if we delve alone or with a group?” she asked. Rita started to respond when the Pyramid did.
Rewards differ based on party composition.
“Sorry, what did you say?” she asked once she had dismissed the table.
“Oh, did the Pyramid respond to your question too? I said that I’m a little surprised you don’t already know, but the rewards are slightly worse on each floor, even before you account for sharing.”
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“So then why would anyone delve with a group?”
Rita cocked her head. “Because if you have a good party, you can go far deeper than you could alone. The rewards become significantly better with each floor you delve. Even split five ways, the benefit you get from going an extra floor down is almost always worth the loss in resources.”
“Do you already have a group formed?” Jenna asked. While she was getting along with Rita well, she wasn’t sure if joining an already existing group would be a good choice.
“Well that depends,” Rita replied, “on whether or not we decide to delve together.”
It took Jenna a moment to understand that. “So not yet, but we’ll be a party if we decide to delve?” she asked just to confirm.
At Rita’s nod, she continued, “I’m tentatively open to the idea. Do you think that we could go into a combat training to see how well we work together, though?”
Yes.
“Never mind,” Jenna said quickly, “the Pyramid said that we can.”
“Do you want to fill out our party more, or would you rather delve as a pair?”
Jenna considered that, “it seems like you know more about this than I do,” she admitted, “what do you think?”
“If we can find a healer of any sort, that would be incredible. The odds that any aren’t already taken in a party are next to zero, though. That, and I have no way how to find one.”
Jenna had an idea. “Can you display anyone who is able to heal others?” she asked the Pyramid.
Query imprecise. Best guess one: Are you willing and able to modify the Enchantment to mark out the climbers who already know at least a single Spell capable of healing other First Tier students. Accept guess?
“Yes,” she responded, to Rita’s plain confusion.
Yes.
The world flashed again. This time, she saw a few figures glowing a slight green color. Jenna felt a slight headache, her first since entering the Pyramid.
“Well,” Jenna addressed Rita, “I can at least see who the healers are. Do you want to take the lead on talking to them, though?”
Rita rolled her eyes, “you’re not that antisocial, are you?”
Jenna just looked at her pleadingly.
“Fine, but only because you can identify them.”
Jenna led her new delving partner over to the closest healer.
“I already heard you two talking. Not interested,” he replied, not even looking up from his Grimoire.
Though ruder than Jenna thought he needed to be, every healer that they talked to had a similar sentiment. They were either avoiding the rift for some reason, already had a party, or didn’t want to join up with the two of them.
“Do you think I’m the problem?” Jenna asked after their tenth rejection.
“Why would you be the problem?” Rita asked, confused.
“I’ve been trying to remember the brief lesson I went to on party delving,” she said, “and I’m taking the role of tank in the party. From what I remember, tanks tend to be the largest and most physically intimidating members of a party. That’s true right now,” she said, pointedly looking down at her partner, “but neither of us is particularly large.”
Rita seemed to consider that. “I doubt that it’s that,” she finally said, “but it probably isn’t helping that neither of us is a legacy.”
“A what now?”
Rita cocked her head again, “do you not see how most of the people here already seem to know each other?”
Jenna hadn’t noticed, but as she looked more closely, she saw that most of the people around her seemed to already be familiar with each other. She’d just assumed they were all more social and said as much to Rita.
“It’s possible, but they’re also all the children of people who climbed to at least the Eighth Floor.”
“How do you know?” Jenna asked, incredibly curious. It wasn’t like they had badges or anything.
“One of the first people I talked to explained it in great detail when I went to introduce myself. Apparently people who climb to high Floors tend to keep in touch with each other after leaving the Pyramid. Then, when they have children, they introduce them to each other so that they can start developing potential parties before entering.”
“That seems horribly unfair.”
“It gets worse, but I don’t disagree.”
“How could it be worse than that?”
“Hmm? Oh, well if the jerk I talked to wasn’t lying, they also teach their children Magic before they enter.”
“I thought you couldn’t enter the Pyramid if you already had your Magic unlocked,” Jenna said, feeling cheated.
“I still don’t think you can, but if your child is going to be an Enchanter, you can teach them exactly how to carve a Spell,” Rita said, “they have to learn how to add Magic to it, sure, but that’s still a massive leg up.”
“So why doesn’t everyone teach their children Spells?” Jenna wondered aloud.
“I have no clue at the global level, but why didn’t your parents teach you their Spells?” Rita asked. “Mine didn’t seem to think it was an option.”
“Same here,” Jenna said. She hoped that it was just a coincidence, but there was a voice in her head screaming that elites would hoard power however they could. If that included convincing others that they weren’t allowed to teach their children Magic, then of course they would.
“So not only do we need to find a healer, and not only do we need to find one not already in a party, but we also have to find one who isn’t a legacy?” Jenna asked, just to clarify.
“More or less. Can the Pyramid modify your Enchantment to do that?”
Jenna started to ask, but before she could even form the first word of her question, the Pyramid replied.
No.
It felt more final than the messages generally did, which was a little concerning. Jenna really hoped that she hadn’t somehow gotten on its bad side. As Jenna and Rita commiserated over their disadvantage here, they missed someone coming up to talk.
“You said you were looking for a healer?”
Jenna’s Status:
Jenna Fredrickson First Year Spells Known: First Tier: Hardened Glass Expected Years Completed: 7 Prediction Confidence: 40% Points: 40 Qualified to Ascend to Next Year? Yes