(Indeed, a Gate, that’s what Mardukryon friends call it. Our herd does not care for stones so ancient that time forgot. However, Mardukryon friends dearly want to regain control of it. Their escape, they say.)

“Yep, that’s a Warp Gate alright,” I muttered, stroking my tusk as if it were my chin. “Our ticket out of this icy prison.” Like many other players, I had assumed we needed to hike all the way down the side of the mountain through some obscure path, bypassing the Mountain Guardian’s exhalations and strong-as-hell monsters. I was wrong.

Our situation was similar to the Aviarii, harpy-like creatures stuck atop the giant trees of Gogmagog. They were prevented from flying far or down by magical environmental hazards and crowds of boss monsters. The Expeditionary Legion found the trees and sent their members to become Aviarii. Together with other guilds, players above and below the ‘border’ worked together to get through it. Last I heard, they were nearly finished with the final quest.

It turned out that the solution to the Mardukryon problem was far simpler than what the Aviarii were doing—just find and activate the Gate. No need for outsiders to find our mountain and make a concerted effort to bust out. Again, wrong assumptions were at play. I was trapped in boxlike thinking.

How shameful.

More than likely, the Aviarii were doing it wrong but were brute-forcing it anyway. The escape should be something not-so-high-level players could achieve. There must be a Gate inside the Gogmagog trees; the Aviarii just haven’t found it yet.

I now knew where to find our Gate. Getting there was another question.

(Memories past, the first Mardukryons on this mountain found the Gate and built a small village around it,) continued Mr. Inuus. (That village blossomed into the great Mezhu Nue, and yet no progress they’ve attained unlocking its secrets. Many gave up. Centuries passed and more gave up. Eventually, all forgot what it was. Time at work.)

“That’s why I haven’t heard the NPCs talk about any Gate.” One mention of it and players would immediately know it was the objective. “I’m assuming someone sort of rediscovered what the Gate was? And now Mardukryons want it back.”

(Fifty years ago, a well-respected scholar of your people, Faalmod, touted this long-forgotten escape from the mountain discovered from his research. Mardukryon friends, fearful of another Immense Heave, flocked to his cause to reclaim Mezhu Nue. Their destiny was not to live in the cold, they said. Our herd need not escape for this is our home. We did not join their battles.)

“I understand that, Mr. Inuus. But this place is dangerous because of the Mountain Guardian. Many musical goats also died during the Great—I mean, Immense Heave. If we can find another cold place for you to live peacefully and safely, will you come with us?”

(We only see what is between our horns,) were Mr. Inuus’s words before resuming our journey. (However, if such a place exists, then perhaps…)

“When we reactivate the Gate and connect it to the outside world, I promise I’ll find you a new home.”

We reached a dead-end, a collapsed part of the tunnel. Mr. Inuus brought out cymbals. Their clangs shrieked in my ears. Was this a song spell? More like just noise.

(The path continues on the other side,) Mr. Inuus said.

“Did you use sound waves to see through the rocks? Ultrasonic whatever, I have no idea what I’m talking about. How do we get through?”

The cymbals disappeared, replaced by trumpets. They triumphantly tooted, conjuring spectral hands wider than my shield. The hands effortlessly moved the rocks aside as if the objects weighing tons were made of cardboard. Part of the wall collapsed again. I flinched, about to raise my shields. No need to worry, it turned out. The hands caught the falling ceiling like ghostly umbrellas. Closing into fists, they crumble the rocks into pebbles and dust.

“Holy cow… goat.” My mind reeled from the possibilities of those hands. I didn’t need to move or stop playing an instrument while controlling those. “You’re like a one-man army. One-goat army. Is there anything you can’t do with music magic?”

(Music magic is endless. It can be molded to accomplish anything. However, I have many limitations because I am but a novice in its arts. The learning is also endless.)

“If you’re a novice, what am I supposed to be? A potato? Looks like I have a long way to go in my musical education.”

(Where did you learn music magic, musical friend?) Mr. Inuus asked while the excavation continued.

“The lone musical goat in Kurghal Village taught me,” I said. “It's the sole survivor of their group during the Greatly Immense Heaving Quake. I don’t know its—sorry, his name. He never told me. I don’t think he ever told anyone.” I should treat the Kurghal Village goat as an equal since Mardukryons and musical goats were bros. We were musical bros too, and yet I never asked his name. The floating thing above his head only stated ‘Crimson Goat,’ and so, that was what people called him.

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(Shedding his identity… A sign of mourning among our kind for one lost and alone until he is reunited with the herd. Then he’ll take up his name again, an individual among many. I should meet him and bring the good news he is no longer alone.)

“Next time!” I hastily said. “We’ll meet him next time. We find the way back to your herd first. Then all of you can come and greet my village’s resident musical goat. Doesn’t that idea sound awesome?”

Mr. Inuus was a cow I hadn’t even begun to milk. Well, he was a goat. And a guy goat, a ram that didn’t have milk. Point was, no one was seeing Mr. Inuus until I got lots and lots of benefits first. That was only fair since I found him; this wasn’t being selfish.

I checked the [Tattered Map]. We were near the secret workshop of Elder Pabilsag’s family. I got excited for a moment before reality came crashing down. That was a different quest. This tunnel we were in wouldn’t lead there. The way could be a completely different tunnel and we’d never reach it no matter how far we traveled in this one.

The last boulder blocking our path was pushed out of the way.

We entered a massive cavern with four tunnels leading out of it, including the one we exited. In the middle was a large hole with a faint blue glow. Cold winds whooshed up and out of it, howling like a banshee as it rolled into the other tunnels. The force of the winds slightly pushed me. Though Mardukryons were quite resistant to cold, I felt the chill.

I neared the edge to peer down. Far below was a powerful river of a shimmering liquid crackling with electricity.

Mr. Inuus trotted to my side. (Careful. The Mountain Guardian’s breath can seep through the earth when you least expect it. We tread prudently lest we make our last step.)

“That’s the Mountain Guardian’s breath? First time seeing it. Makes me want to jump down to test it. But we’ll part ways if I do that, unfortunately. Where do we go next?”

(The path we should choose, I do not know. Do your ancestors whisper guidance?)

“My ancestors? Hang on, I’m the one deciding?” I expected Mr. Inuus to lead me to the next important thing since that was normal for NPCs to do. “I have no idea, Mr. Inuus. Like you, I haven’t been here before. Anything we should look out for?” Come on, give me a hint.

(The winds guide us. They should flow where there is a way.)

I checked the three other tunnels. I could feel the winds blowing through two of them. “This here and that over there. Two choices. I don’t know which—wait a minute. I know where we should go!” I pointed to the middle windless tunnel.

(I trust your choice.) Mr. Inuus led the way, beckoning me to follow with a wave of his horns.

Plenty of things could be at the dead-end. Piles of rocks. Could be any other enclosed space that wasn’t necessarily a dead end. Maybe a room. Could even be a cave. A cave with lots of secrets…?

Mr. Inuus did give me a hint. Was it for finding the way out or discovering Elder Pabilsag’s cave? These two quests could be connected. If not, well, we could just go back.

“Uh, Mr. Inuus, do you know a Mardukryon named Pabilsag from before the Immense Heave? He was young back then.”

(I’m afraid I don’t, musical friend. Too many Mardukryons friends for me to know each of them.)

“You might know his family,” I said. “I’m not sure of their names, but they’re wardcrafters. I heard they were making the barriers of Mezhu Nue but couldn’t finish it when the earthquakes happened.”

(The great barrier was indeed uncompleted when the earth overturned, but it protected large swathes of the city, nonetheless, saving thousands of lives. I do know the wardcrafters of Mezhu Nue. Bangta, Furcianon, Mel’ahzad, and many more. Heroes all.)

“Are they still alive?”

(Some. Many passed away maintaining the barrier during the Immense Heave, their lives their final and greatest gift to those living. They’d be happy to know their relative, this Pabilsag friend, is still alive. A great—)

“No, he’s not alive,” I cut in. “Uh, a monster killed him some years ago. So, yeah…”

Mr. Inuus let out mournful bleatings. (Such a sad news. Oh, what a joyful meeting it could’ve been.)

“But the wardcrafters will be happy to know that Pabilsag left behind a student—me!” If I managed to find the hidden wardcrafter workshop and get Skill Shards, or even meld with an Ocadule, I could approach the actual wardcrafters and easily make a connection. More doors would open. More birds hit with a Stone.

(You are a wardcrafter as well? Most impressive, musical friend. You take your education seriously.)

“I’m just a novice in all fields, you know. Dabbling here and there.” Please don’t ask me to demonstrate wardcrafting skills, I prayed.

The new tunnel we traversed was wide enough to fit the standard Mardukryon house. We were barely five minutes down when the floor quaked and dust fell on us. I tensed, wary that the cracks would spew death.

(An enemy approaches!) Mr. Inuus stopped walking. Magic circles appeared beneath his hooves as various instruments appeared, more than I’d seen him use before.

“An enemy?” I began buffing up. “Where?”

The ceiling about ten meters from us collapsed. Dust filled the tunnel. Through the clouds, two glowing eyes appeared. Mr. Inuus used some spell to shoot a wave of wind, clearing the dust and revealing the giant head of our new enemy poking through the ceiling—[Lvl 77 Guardian Serpent: Karnon].