They say that beyond what we know, further than the world, there lie places of beauty so ecstatic and wonderful that the eye strains to perceive their magnificence. By chance and random happenstance, the whimsy of faerie creature, I found myself in one of them, the [Pools of Diversity].
A Location. One not plundered by the hands of the civilized and instead ripe and natural. I will not say what I found there but know that I've never seen water as clear and blue. One day, I'll return as a man worthy to behold it.
- Accounts of my Travels, Coby Tuuli
The day passed by in a lethargic blur. In an eerie way, it almost felt like he was hiking during a time before he'd been subject to all this chaos. For the most part, that dream was only interrupted by only a few points of stark clarity.
Jayke's eyes took in everything. "Left and right." He threw his hands in those directions and formed shields pushing his maximum range.
The spray of venom wasn't meant as a physical one. To Jayke's distant shields, they might've been boulders. He strained magical muscles he didn't even know he had. The viscous venom slid down his left shield, revealing a semi-focused Oz. Sterext stood motionless and observing in the other.
Sterext spoke cheerily. "Impressive range, Mr. Cipher."
Two hissing - what Jayke could only describe as dinosaurs - padded back and forth, opening and closing frills that lined their necks and heads. Their heads bobbed in a figure-eight, their pacing oddly harmonic. Jayke focused through it. He released his shields like one might drop a weight, feeling lightheaded from the effort.
Two slimes wibbled and wobbled towards the dinosaur-like creatures. They bounced like frogs might, quivering like mesmerizing gelatin. The two plain grey slimes launched themselves at the assaulting dinosaurs, effectively backhanding their faces in tandem. Their frills retracted and they hissed with curved teeth, running away. The slimes disappeared after them.
"Conservative approach, Mr. Ozlipp," Sterext remarked. His face was expressionless, despite the small emotions he displayed in his voice. In fact, Jayke found his eyebrow among his most recognizable emotional indicators. "Consider yourselves passing, barely."
"We fended them off didn't we?" Jayke said once he caught his breath, picking up his sword and shield.
"You've an impressive ability to split your mind, Mr. Cipher. Not many would be able to cast simultaneous magic at your level." He turned. "And you Mr. Ozlipp have quite a range of summons at your disposal, I'd fathom you had one for every occasion."
"Thank you. " Oz said.
"Do not presume I give compliments," Sterext said with a shake of his head. "Decent. That is what you both are. Decent. To become exceptional, to become worthy of joining the Practitioner's Coterie, we expect more than this. I admit you may not have demonstrated your full abilities, but understand we seek the truly talented."
He looked at both of them. "I do not doubt that you can both prove yourselves." Then he turned and his long gait lengthened the distance between with every passing moment. Jayke watched him go, eventually moving to follow.
They were in a non-glowing, non-blue forest now. They had curved off the border of forest and desert once Blueglow Forest subsided in its glow. Now, they were beelining to a village of myconids. The forest was awash with creatures, not all inherently hostile. He swore he saw completely regular deer prance across his peripheral.
They had come off of sand and so his [Sand Rabbit's Foot] was ineffective, but Jayke had a spring in his step that was completely unrelated. A heavy weight had been partially lifted from his chest, if only for a while. He felt good. And he hadn't been able to say that in the emotional sense in some time. He'd forgotten what venting could do.
Ercur had been a quiet listener. Something about the stars of the night, the smoke of the fire, or the loneliness of the dark brooked no response. She was a [Gambler] and Jayke couldn't blame her for collecting her pay. He had left out the details of where and how but the trauma was communicated in a way Jayke hadn't the opportunity to do. He didn't particularly feel less for it, or vulnerable or exposed, he felt more. Invigorated came to mind.
Idly, he wondered if she'd mention anything about it. He glanced at Oz. For that matter, he wondered if Oz would either, right when he'd started storytime he realized Oz had been awake for a while, though unmoving.
His foot crunched against mulch, finding purchase. He supported himself against a tree with his shoulder, not wanting to risk bruised arms further. He glanced at Ercur who moved with ease across the forest terrain. Oz handled the terrain with as much ease if not more. Real travelers.
Then they crested the small hill.
"Hmm, perhaps I should've seen that coming." Oz paused only a moment before following the other people down.
Jayke, likewise, followed him down. He took a moment to feel amused though. Mushroom houses.
Stone structures lay strewn about, overtaken with moss and vines. As part of the land as the houses were. The village was shaded by tall trees with heavy branches, giving the entire place a very close feel. At the crest of the hill, they could only just make out the village in its entirety.
The trail down was an easy one, somewhat carved into the forest by constant use. Jayke took in the village.
Descending into it, the forest pressed down on the settlement and contributed to a muffled sound. The forest was as much village as the village was forest. Old trees interspersed the overtaken ruins, between those the myconid people made their homes - the source of Jayke's amusement.
The houses were huge mushrooms, as many shapes and sizes as one could imagine. They were carved out, and admittedly, there was some amount of architectural beauty to their natural designs. Myconid men, women, and children stared at their crowd with healthy caution.
The shade of the forest was pleasant. The trees' heavy branches were laden with leaves that seemed to hover over the settlement with a pronounced weight. In some of the larger trunks, myconid people made their homes or their business.
Ercur's voice was light. "Nice place they got here."
"Right in the middle of the forest." Jayke added blandly. They didn't even have walls. Not to mention any apparent defenses. What if they were attacked?
Oz trailed ahead but allowed them both to catch up. "I'm sure they have a [Village Elder] of the requisite level to survive out here." He said, then gestured. "Not to mention the [Guards]."
Large myconids stood with spears crossed. The same gnarled wood the race seemed to favor. And weapon, for that matter. This was their wall, Jayke supposed. He spotted Hucobb in the distance speaking to them, along with a few other proctors and people.
The [Guards] uncrossed their spears, allowing passage with a mild stare.
Shortly thereafter, they were walking through the village. Jayke spotted mushrooms growing in wonderful colors sprouting around the place. Slowly, the mute nature of the outskirts of the village became livelihood. Myconid families walked around freely, kids pointing at them. The everyday bustle of movement became apparent, myconid people moved about their business. Jayke was surprised to find other races not part of their little parade.
At this point, the proctors split up, most roaming freely.
Sterext led them in front of a building - a large three-story mushroom. "Accommodations for the next few days. Feel free to roam and explore until tonight, you've earned the rest. I'll have your tests prepared by then so return here before dusk falls." He turned to Ercur. "Miss Tychus, so long as you're still here once we depart in two days you'll have your escort. Do not expect us to wait." He nodded and turned away, the bowman guard accompanying him wordlessly.
The mushroom house was actually empty. Three empty rooms. The first story was what looked like a living room and kitchen. Up the stairs, the second floor contained the three rooms for them. And the final floor was just an empty open room, reminiscent of a dojo.
"I wonder how the Coterie gets these houses," Oz said curiously, peeking over Jayke's shoulders.
"Big organizations have to have some connections right?" Jayke shrugged, moving back down to the second floor. "If anyone would have known how, I'd have guessed you would."
He pressed the door to his room open, shrugging his backpack off. "I don't know everything about the Coterie." He said easily. "My dad was the [Mage]. He left me with magic before he could teach it to me. That's why I'm here."
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"Wish my dad taught me magic when I was younger." Jayke joked, leaning against the open door to his own room.
He wondered what kind of life that was, learning magic as a child when your dreams were centered on it. Would it live up to the imagination, or color it all the more grey?
Oz looked at him. "Jayke, about my name," The blue man began hesitantly.
Jayke put up his hands gently interrupting him. "It's none of my business."
Ercur's yell found its way to them even through the walls. "Gods this place is huge!" She called at them down the hallway. "Hurry up over there mage boys! We've got a whole village to explore!"
Oz laughed at the noise but addressed Jayke with earnest. "Thanks." Then turned around and began unpacking.
Jayke shook his head and began unpacking too. Really, that meant closing the door and quickly depositing both sword and shield into his [Safehaven]. The metal door appeared in place of the one to his room. He dropped his backpack off while he was at it.
He thought better of it and kept his sword on him.
Once he exited, he was greeted with a furious knocking. Ercur was pounding at his door.
"Hey! Let me in!" Ercur yelled through the door.
Jayke swung the door open. "What? What!" He matched her.
"We're going to explore." She responded helpfully.
"What do you mean we?" Jayke looked at her skeptically. "I never said I'd be coming."
"Oz and I, plus you." She explained. "Call it extra payment from our last [Wager]. You didn't give me the full story and you know it."
Jayke looked over her shoulder to Oz, just to confirm. "Really?"
The blue man was standing in his door frame with a rueful smile. "We have until tonight, that's at least a few hours." Oz must've noticed his skepticism. Jayke didn't think the blue man sounded convincing at all. "I should not have bet against a [Gambler]." He sighed.
That made more sense. Jayke laughed and stepped through his door.
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The stone ruins hinted at a more permanent settlement prior to the current myconid one. In a way, like the moss and vines covering the stone remnants, the myconid village was the same as them. Growing from the foundation of those before.
The large smooth rocks were starkly in contrast to the rest of the ruins. They looked weathered and ancient, free of plant matter, and almost eternal. Crouching, he ran a hand across the surface of one, tracing strange symbols. They were many lines of each, different sets of markings each time.
These particular stones were almost perfectly centered in the village.
"Thank you," Ercur said, speaking to a passing myconid.
There were a number of mushroom buildings surrounding the smooth rocks. They almost acted as some kind of plaza. Fittingly, Jayke found most people dealing with organic matter, selling herbs or spices, fresh harvests, spinning cloth. Jayke watched the myconid Ercur was speaking to, he'd been peddling pretty flowers. They stood out to his eye more than they should. The myconid peddler directed his focus to Jayke once he saw him staring but Ercur blocked his view.
Ercur twirled around. "Looks like we've found ourselves a tavern!" She smiled. "And you know what that means, they might have some games going on."
Oz spoke. "Drinks are good. All that casting earlier has got my head feeling slower." Oz held a hand to his eye briefly.
Jayke's knees cracked as he stood, sparing the smooth stones a last glance. "Mana fatigue's a real pain." He agreed.
Upon exerting one's magic power, or mana as some books referred to it, the mind would be stretched. The strain from pushing past your magical limits could cause your mana pool to snap, causing crippling pain in the mind. Using your mana pool to its limit has temporary but immediate repercussions. The slowness of the thought being one.
Ercur blinked at the two. "That why Sterext is pushing your testing to tonight?" She half-turned while walking. "So you can recover your magical powers." She wiggled what Jayke assumed was an imaginary wand.
Jayke and Oz shared a thoughtful glance. "Actually, maybe."
Five minutes later the door opened to the tavern with a ring. The creak of the wood drew the brief stares of a handful of regular patrons, not all were myconid. The green-haired woman moved before either Jayke or Oz could make it through the doorway.
Ercur rubbed her hands together, sat at an ephemeral table that wasn't there moments ago, and her voice was challenging, taunting, and alluring. "I've got a game going, lads! Put your money and I'll have it!"
Jayke broke from his frozen stance and almost made for the table. His empty pockets coughed at him and the urge disappeared. Oz was searching his pockets when Jayke caught Ercur's waggling eyebrows through the patrons scrambling for a chair.
Jayke nudged Oz. "Come on, let's find ourselves a table." He snapped him out of it. "I think that's a Skill she's using."
Oz furrowed his brow, narrowing his eyes. "What am I-" He looked sharply at her. "Right, let's get those drinks."
The tavernkeeper came around personally, as they were the only customers unserved that weren't gathered at the gambling table. He was a caven individual, hunched and agile. Though this man looked to be very old. "Your friend's rather boisterous isn't she?" He eyed Ercur who'd taken the attention of nearly half the tavern. "Was half-ready to sit down at her table."
"Traveling companions." Oz remedied the statement. "Though I suppose we'll have to reign her in if need be. She's quite the gambler, however."
"She's not bothering one customer." The caven tavernkeeper waved. "She can't do nothing in my tavern anyway. With my [Tavern Rules] she won't be cheating anyone or causing no violence." He caught Jayke's stare. "Sorry, I'm a [Tavernkeeper], and those are my rules. Lots more benefits for coming here too. Specially since I own the place."
The choice for food or drink wasn't really a choice. Food was already decided, some kind of meat and vegetable stew, which for Jayke still sounded fairly appetizing. And Jayke had subconsciously been expecting alcohol. He wasn't far from the mark.
"I feel the magic of you twos." His whiskers twitched. "[Better Filling] and [Double Spoonfuls] on the meal. That don't mean we skimp on portions here though." He defended. "Them mage people are paying for all your kind who show up. It's on the house." Jayke blinked, he hadn't been expecting that. He had a few simple metal trinkets in his pocket but he wasn't sure if money was a thing yet.
The drinks came first. Jayke and Oz chatted idly in the meantime. Apparently, the [Tavernkeeper's] Skills weren't anything Oz had heard of either, neither Jayke or Oz had ever the need to visit a tavern. The drinks came in short order.
Jayke rolled the bottom edge of his glass across the table, swirling the liquid. He sipped at it experimentally finding the taste much closer to the earth than he was used to, though it detracted little from the experience.
"Seems kind of hard to design a test around something so freeform." He said, just as another waiter slid the steaming bowls of stew in front of them.
"Nervous?" Oz looked at him. He tasted his stew then raised his eyebrows.
"Just curious," Jayke answered, enjoying the steamy heat. He wiped beads of moisture from his face.
"Let the proctors do their jobs," Oz said busily. "It's their job to test us, and ours to pass them."
They spent a fair amount of time like that. Oz was good company and together they speculated on the weeding process. Unlike Jayke, Oz had done a fair amount of research. Testing could take up to a year, or no time at all. The results varied but there were only ever so many spots available in the Practitioner's Coterie.
"Speaking of that, did you really decide to test for the Coterie the very moment I spoke to you?" Oz adjusted himself, leaning forward on the table with his arms. "I thought you were in over your head but you've made it this far. On a whim, if you're to be believed."
Jayke chuckled. "It can't be that odd." He leaned back with his stomach full, finding Ercur raking in glinting pieces of metal. "The Coterie seems like it might answer some of my questions. Why wouldn't I join? It seemed like an opportunity to take."
"Unbelievable." Oz shook his head with a soft chuckle. In small disbelief, "I can't imagine someone making such a big decision on such a small whim."
Jayke propped himself up, watching the lively tavern. "It's jumping on that whim or sitting on your ass to waste away."
"I doubt jumping on every whim is so imperative," Oz replied amusedly.
"It's gotten me through more than you know, Oz." He shot back with honest truth.
"That how you can best a wartorn in a fight?" The slime mage peered at him.
Jayke rose an eyebrow at the man. "I have years of practice fighting people with two legs and two arms. I don't think the same was true for her." He frowned. "Besides, she was going easy on me. I could tell that much."
Ercur sidled into the chair between them, breaking into the conversation. "Just about doubled my money boys." She smiled, self-satisfied. "Let's get me some of that stew and drink then we'll head off."
At her words, a crowd's worth of grumbles and curses reached them. "And that is the wonderful sound that announces the passing of the greatest [Gambler] this side of the Uncharted." She leaned back with an even more self-satisfied smile.
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Sterext was sitting on a bench outside the mushroom house when they arrived. Dusk had yet to fall.
At their approach, his eyes opened. When Ercur wished them luck and passed the man he addressed Jayke and Oz. "This village lies above an ancient hollow cave system. In the past, it was part of the settlement that existed here. Since the coming of the forest, and especially the myconid homes, that cave system has been overtaken with roots."
He continued, gazing straight through the ground at something Jayke couldn't see. "You can imagine all manner of creatures have taken refuge there. The Practitioner's Coterie agrees to exterminate these creatures biannually before they ruin the foundations of the settlement. We offer this as a courtesy for using the village as a checkpoint."
"For you two, this is your test. You're to descend below the village and cull the creatures that damage the root systems holding up the settlement."
Jayke paused a moment, nearly expecting a Quest to show up.
When it didn't, he looked at Sterext. "You're going to test us without overseeing any of it?"
"I recall you mentioning these tests would suit our magic. Isn't this just a debt the Coterie owes this village?"
Sterext looked up from the floor. "I see more than you know, Mr. Cipher. Know that I will be watching your progress, judging how you handle yourselves. " He looked at Oz. "And Mr. Ozlipp this may be a service the Coterie owes, but you two are the only ones among the testers to descend. The only two, in fact. In time, you'll understand why your magics were chosen. Should you fail, the proctors will take responsibility."
Jayke glanced at Oz, the blue man had a curious look on his face.
"And passing?" Jayke followed up.
"The requirement to pass is simple. Cull the population of those that lie below to sufficiency and survive until this time tomorrow." Sterex stood up from the bench. "Now, come and we shall your start your test."