Luis reached high into the air and stretched, releasing some of the tension that had been building up for the past couple of days. It felt good. For the first time since he'd arrived in this bizarre place, he felt like he could relax a little.
"You look like a cat." Naomi commented, smiling.
Luis responded by yawning, leaning his back against a tree and resting his head against the trunk. Naomi was about to say something else but was interrupted by a yawn of her own. She sighed, settling down onto the forest floor and looking up at the tall tree before them.
"Do you think she'll be alright?" She asked.
"Jade? Pshhh." Luis said, waving a hand dismissively. "Think she's more at home up there than down here."
He peered up at the towering tree, following Jade's progress as she climbed her way closer towards the mysterious glinting object at the top of it. The woman moved with incredible grace, lithely lifting herself from branch to branch in a series of movements so fluid that it almost looked rehearsed. If Luis hadn't known better, he would have thought that she had practiced this climb several times before.
"Is it just me, or is she really good at this?" He asked.
Naomi shaded her eyes against the fading light of the setting sun, watching Jade's progress.
"No.… She really is." She confirmed. "But does she have to go so fast? I hope she doesn't fall…"
"She'll be fine." Luis assured her.
"How do you know? We barely know her."
"Just got a good feeling about her." He said, sliding down the tree he was resting against to sit with his back against it.
"I wish I had your optimism." Naomi said. "I'm a little worried about the fact that she's… You know…"
"That she's what?" Luis asked, though he thought he knew where this was going.
"A demon." Naomi said. "A succubus. Isn't that a little… worrying? You saw that charm power she has…"
"She's just a person." Luis said, shrugging. "Sure, she's a little intense, but I think that's just who she is. We all got thrown into this mess together. What she turned in to isn't her fault. Now, mi abuela? That's a woman you have to watch out for."
The thought of family made him smile. He could almost smell the scent of his mother's cooking wafting in from the kitchen, hear the sounds of his little sisters playing in the yard outside.
"It doesn't bother you?"
"Not really." He shook his head. "And even if it did, what else can we do? Would it be better to abandon her here? That's not my style. She helped us. She didn't have to, but she did. To me? That makes her a good person. And a friend."
"…You're right." Naomi said, nodding. "Sorry… I… I was just raised in a pretty religious house."
"Don't sweat it amiga, we're going through some crazy shit." Luis said with a laugh. "I'm pretty sure a lot of those religions are about to start gettin' pretty revised, though."
"Oh God, don't tell that to my mother." Naomi said, covering her face with her hands. "She doesn't even like different translations of the bible."
"Sounds like some of my cousins. I stay away from that lot." Luis laughed. Then he raised his voice, calling up the tree. "Yo Jade! You doin' ok up there?"
"Yeah!" Her faint voice echoed down from above. "Almost there! It's some sort of crystal ball thing! I'm going to try and touch it!"
Luis and Naomi exchanged a look.
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Naomi called up. "Maybe we shouldn't mess with it!"
"I didn't climb all the way up here just to look at it!" Jade called back. "Besides, I just got a notification! I think this is one of those Labyrinth Nodes!"
"Just be careful!" Naomi shouted. Then, at a more normal volume. "I wish I was as brave as her."
"Hey, someone has to be the cautious one. Our voice of reason! You can keep us out of trouble." Luis said, patting her on the shoulder.
Before she could respond, a notification popped up in Luis's vision.
* Party Notification
* You have discovered a Labyrinth Node. The surrounding area has been revealed on your map. Nearby points of interest have been added to your map. The 'Lush Valley' quadrant node of the 'Verdant Jungle' zone has been added to your Node Directory.
"Now that's what I'm talking about." Luis said, pulling up his map. Indeed, a large swath of the surrounding valley had been revealed on it. The jungle stretched on to the north and south, covering both the valley floor and the towering ridge looming over it. The uncovered area was greyed out in the same way as places he had visited but wasn't currently in, but now there was a collection of icons labelling various parts of the area. Right next to where he stood was the symbol of an orb, which apparently represented the node Jade had just activated. A little ways down the valley was a '?' symbol and, in the other direction, was an icon of a hearth. A map key populated in the corner of the window identifying the latter symbol to be a Sanctuary, and the former a more generic 'point of interest'.
"This'll make things a lot easier." Luis said, closing the map. As he did, another notification appeared to replace it. The feminine voice that narrated the prompts sounded more triumphant than usual as the text was read aloud.
* Quest Complete: Lay of the Land
* Objective: Find and activate a Labyrinth Node. This quest cannot be failed or refused.
* You've taken your first step towards exploring the Labyrinth!
* Reward: Low experience gain.
* Reward: Nearby points of interest will be added to your map.
* Reward: 100 Crescent coins.
"And that got us another quest too, damn. I've gotta step up my game, can't let Jade do all the work." He said, collecting the pile of coins that appeared in front of him and Naomi. He peered back up the tree at Jade's distant form, calling up to her. "Nice going! How'd you know that was a node?"
"I didn't!" She called back down, starting to descend.
"Then why'd you insist on going up there?" Naomi asked, raising her voice so she could hear.
"'Cause I wanted to climb this tree!"
Luis took another look at the tree that held the node. It was tall, easily over a hundred feet in height. It had plenty of branches but, towards the top where the node was, they started to get pretty flimsy. A climb that high would be harrowing by itself, even with stable footing. Luis wasn't sure he could have made it to the top, and he was a pretty athletic guy.
"I don't know if she's badass or crazy." He said to Naomi. "But I'm glad we've got her."
"I'd say both." Naomi said, waving away her own notifications. "But that's probably what you need to be like to make it here. Unlike me."
"Hey, don't say that!" Luis chided, giving her a friendly slap on the back. "Voice of reason, remember?"
She cracked a rare smile. "That's right. I'll do my best to talk you two out of anything too crazy."
"And we'll try to talk you into it. It'll be great."
Naomi rolled her eyes, then paused. "Didn't Jade have that quest, too?"
"I think so, why?"
"Then where-?"
"No! Damn it!" Jade's voice came down from high above, followed by dozens of metallic clinking noises as a rain of crescent coins cascaded down from the top of the tree, bouncing from branch to branch and scattering themselves all across the jungle floor. Luis ducked, covering his head as stray coins thudded into the ground around them. One landed point first in the soft ground between his feet. He sighed, bending over to pick it up.
"We really need that bag of holding…"
----------------------------------------
By the time Jade descended to the bottom of the tree, Naomi and Luis had gathered up the scattered coins. She swung herself down to the lowest branch, then hopped to the ground. Jade landed with a roll, absorbing the force of the short fall with an ease born from years of constant practice. Her heart sang with the joy of movement, of climbing and jumping. It had been so long since she'd been able to move like this. Her foot didn't hurt at all, even after the extreme strain she'd been forced to put her body through over the past couple of days. The lingering resentment she had over losing her humanity, and transforming into a succubus, was starting to fade. Jade wasn't exactly thrilled by the changes her body had undergone, and she had some serious reservations about the nature of her new powers, but it was worth it. By God, it was all worth it. She was free again.
"You've got some moves, Jade." Luis said admiringly. "Where'd you learn to climb like that?"
"A lifetime of gymnastics." Jade said, uncharacteristically exuberant. She was practically buzzing with energy, and part of her longed to spend the rest of the day reveling in the freedom of movement. But she knew it wasn't the time for that. There was so much to do.
"Gymnastics? I can see that." Naomi said. "Is that a hobby?"
"I competed." Jade said, brushing a few leaves out of her hair. "College level, I was on the team at University. Got in on scholarship."
Luis whistled appreciatively. "You two are makin' me look bad. You were a college athlete, and Naomi was about to audition for that pop group." He said it in good humor, running a hand through his short hair. "When we get back, I need to get my shit straight."
"You did compete? You don't anymore?" Naomi asked.
"I… got injured. Injured myself, more like." Jade felt her smile slip off her face. "Wasn't until I chose a new race here that I could move normally again. It healed me, somehow."
She flexed her ankle as she spoke, rolling it. The motion was smooth and painless. That still surprised her.
"Oh…" Naomi said, looking away awkwardly. "I'm sorry… That must've been hard."
Jade felt a twinge of annoyance. This was why she hated talking about her accident. She didn't want pity, she didn't want anyone to feel bad for her. It always felt like they were looking down on her.
"It was fine." She said curtly, turning away.
Get over it. She told herself. You're better now anyway. It doesn't matter.
It especially didn't, now that they were in the labyrinth. Her old concerns seemed so trivial compared to everything here. Or rather, that's how she should have felt. But the bitterness was still there, as irrational as it was. Naomi had been preparing for a life changing audition. Jade knew exactly what that had felt like, considering the circumstances of her career ending injury. Images flashed through her mind. A huge, cheering crowd. Countless reporters all with flashing cameras. The sweet, intoxicating rush of adrenaline as she began her run towards the vault. And then, in one instant, everything changed.
"Well, at least something good came of all of this!" Luis said, rescuing them from the suddenly gloomy mood. "Now all we have to do is get out of here. And with this map, maybe we can actually make some progress towards that, yeah?"
The two women voiced their agreement, and Jade returned her attention to the present. She consulted her map, newly populated with helpful icons. There were a handful of icons, including one labeled 'boss' at the far end of the valley. That was one she definitely wanted to avoid, at least until she learned more about what it meant. There were only two map icons that were relatively near their position, a '?' and the hearth that represented another Sanctuary.
"We still have a little light left." Jade said, glancing up through the canopy. "Assuming this place has normal days and nights. Before we go to the Sanctuary, we should check out that mystery point."
This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.
"What if it's dangerous?" Naomi asked, sounding worried.
"Then we'll run to the sanctuary." Luis said. "But we're right next to it, we can't just walk away."
"Yeah, we need to start getting a handle on how all of this works." Jade agreed.
"Can't we just ask the sanctuary attendants about that?"
"We can, and we should." Jade said. "But we also need to find things out for ourselves. It doesn't seem like the attendants are always around."
Naomi looked a little unsure, but she gave her a nod. Luis made an enthusiastic thumbs up.
"Maybe it'll be treasure." He suggested, starting to lead the way in the general direction the map indicated the mystery point was.
"I don't think we'll get that lucky." Jade said.
"Maybe it's another quest?" Naomi suggested. "The more we get, the faster we can get out of here, right?"
"As long as they're doable." Jade said. Then, realizing she was putting a damper on things, she added. "But that would be helpful."
"How many do you have right now?" Luis asked from the front of the group. "Quests, I mean."
Jade pulled up her menu to check. She had received 'Lay of the Land, Part 2' after completing 'Lay of the Land'. It was another quest to discover and activate Labyrinth nodes, but now it required her to do so with 5 different ones. Fortunately, the one she had just activated counted for this one too, which left only another 4.
"Just two." Jade said. "One to defeat 5 monsters, one to find more nodes."
"Me too." Luis said. "Does everyone get the same ones, you think?"
"I have the node one, but not the monster one." Naomi said. "My second quest is to cast my spells on 20 creatures."
"So we can get different ones, huh."
"Do you think that means something?"
Jade took the lead as her companions conversed, keeping an eye out for any signs of danger. The jungle was vibrant and colorful, dominated by large trees and thick undergrowth that made traversing the environment a challenge. Other than a handful of tropical looking birds Jade had yet to see any animals, let alone monsters. Still, she wasn't going to let her guard down, not after all the conflict she'd endured in the industrial zone. There were dangers out there somewhere, she was sure of it.
A soft squelching sound coming from the far side of a nearby tree caught her attention, and Jade slowed to a stop. Cautiously, she stepped away from the direction they were travelling to investigate.
"Jade?" Naomi asked.
Jade held up a hand. Another, louder squelch emanated from right behind the tree in front of her. Moving carefully, she stepped around it, readying herself to jump back if whatever was making the sound turned out to be dangerous. Fortunately, it wasn't. Jade blinked, looking down at the enormous snail that had attached itself to the back of the tree. It was easily two feet tall, its fleshy body protected by a mottled green shell that blended in well with the jungle foliage. The jumbo snail rotated its spindly eye stalks to look back at her, bulbous eyes wide. For a moment, the two of them just stared at each other. Then, without warning, the snail gave a panicked warbling 'Waaaaaaaaah' sound and began to flee, oozing its way down the tree and away from Jade.
"Ok." Jade laughed, beckoning towards Luis and Naomi. "You two have to see this."
Her companions joined her in short order, the three of them watching together as the snail continued to make its protracted escape. At the rate it was travelling, it wasn't going to get away from them anytime soon.
"Wow." Luis said, looking simultaneously disgusted and fascinated. "I think we found the mother of all snails."
"That is something I could've gone through my life without knowing existed…" Naomi said, wrinkling her nose and taking a step back. The snail was leaving a trail of greenish slime on the ground behind it, and it didn't have the most pleasant of odors.
"What are you talking about?" Jade asked. "It's adorable!"
Luis and Naomi stared at her.
"What?" She said, defensively. "Look at its little eye stalks, they're so cute!"
The snail thing continued to undulate away from them, its eye stalks waving about from side to side in what looked to be a state of mild panic.
"Jade…" Naomi said slowly. "Are you one of those people who think spiders and snakes are cute?"
"Of course." She said, crossing her arms. "Spiders are the absolute cutest animal on the planet."
Naomi shuddered, turning away from the snail. "Yeah. That… That tracks."
"One of my uncles has a bunch of pet spiders." Luis said, taking a drink of water from a bottle they'd taken from the Sanctuary. He was watching the snail disappear into the undergrowth with a look of morbid curiosity. "At least 10 of them, I think…"
"Were they the big fuzzy kind?" Jade asked, curious. "Those are my favorite."
"O-k!" Naomi said, clapping her hands once and turning away. "That's enough spider talk. Don't we have somewhere to be?"
By that point the snail had vanished from sight, leaving behind a trail of green goop that bubbled and sizzled on the ground. Naomi got the group turned back in the right direction, taking the lead for the first time as they made their way towards the unknown point of interest.
"Do you think that counts as a monster?" Luis asked Jade. "For our quest, I mean."
"I don't know. But we are not killing it to find out." Jade said. "I like it."
"Whatever you say, amiga." Luis shook his head, amused. "We'll find something else."
----------------------------------------
Although, according to the map, they were only a few hundred yards away from their destination, it still took Jade, Luis, and Naomi almost half an hour to traverse the distance. Thick jungle undergrowth, broken ground, and steep gullies were constant impediments, making every step of the journey a chore. Jade was seriously considering suggesting they turn back and just head to the sanctuary after all when, finally, the ground in front of her began to open up. There was a clearing ahead, a shaft of evening light filtering in through a small gap in the canopy high above.
"Almost there…" Jade grunted, slipping between a bundle of twisting vines and hopping to a rock to avoid an ankle deep pool of murky water. Luis followed close behind, splashing through the shallow bog and simply shouldering aside obstacles as he went. Naomi brought up the rear, panting, her pants spattered with mud up to her knees.
"Thank God." She said, shifting her guitar from one shoulder to the other. "You know? I'm starting to think maybe hiking isn't my thing. I prefer stages. Nice, flat stages."
"Anything is better than that junkyard." Luis said, reaching out a hand to help her through the vines. Jade held a cluster of the plants apart to help them through, then resumed her position at the head of the group.
"Actually, I can think of some worse environments than this." Jade said, contemplating it. "Like, an arctic one would be bad. Oh, and a volcanic one would be pretty terrible too. Pools of lava, ash, toxic gasses… Really, it would-."
She stopped talking, noticing the looks Naomi and Luis were giving her.
"You crazy, Jade?" Luis asked, aghast. "You never tempt fate like that."
Naomi nodded in emphatic agreement. "On second thought, maybe we should just stay here." She said with a shudder.
"Sorry." Jade said. She help up her hands. "Just thinking out loud."
"The universe hears that sort of thing, Jade." Luis said. "Now we've gotta watch out."
Jade reflected that here in the Labyrinth, Luis actually might have a solid point. Someone or something was generating their prompts and quests, which were certainly reacting to what they were doing. Would speculating on what they would encounter next influence their future here? That seemed ridiculous in the context of normal life, but so did everything else here.
One step at a time. Jade thought. I can worry about that later.
She was putting a lot of things on the 'later' list, but it couldn't be helped. Jade stepped between one last group of closely grown trees, emerging into a serene clearing. Unlike the rest of the jungle floor, the ground here was covered with smooth dark stone. A broad crack towards the center of the area was filled with water, forming a natural pool. The water was crystal clear, steam wafting into the air above it. As Jade approached, ever cautious for signs of danger, she could feel warmth emanating from it.
Some sort of hot spring? Jade wondered, peering into the pool.
A rustle of movement caught her eye at the far end of the clearing. Jade stopped, motioning for the others to do so as well. There was a bed of soft, mossy vines nestled against the base of a tree towards the far edge of the clearing. A woman was lying on it, her olive garb and copper skin making her hard to pick out against the background of the jungle. She stirred, sitting up and looking at the three newcomers in apparent surprise. At first, Jade thought she was human, but then she picked out the subtle differences in her appearance. The angular features, slanted eyes, and…
Pointed ears? She thought, staring at the woman, more surprised than alarmed. Is she…?
"Hello?" The woman spoke cautiously. Her voice was melodious, like a light autumn breeze. Soft, but crisp. She sounded worried, and Jade noted that her eyes flicked to their weapons.
"Um… Hello." Said Jade, a little taken aback. A part of her found it oddly convenient that everyone she had encountered in the Labyrinth so far spoke English. Was that the work of another form of magic? Or was this woman another Wayfarer from Earth? She concentrated, pulling up her information.
* Name: Siora Windsong
* Level: 4
* Race: Elf
* Class: None
* Origin: Labyrinth-immigrant.
So she wasn't from Earth. Also, she was indeed an elf. Jade wasn't sure why she was so surprised. She had already encountered goblins here, and had literally transformed into a succubus. Was elves being real as well really that unusual? Jade kept her hands away from her weapons, not wanting to alarm the stranger. What was she doing here? Where had she come from? Before Jade could speak, Luis beat her to the punch.
"Hey! We found someone!" He said, stepping into the clearing behind Jade. He gave the elven woman a smile. "I'm Luis, good to meet you."
Siora looked taken aback by Luis's amiable attitude, but it did seem to put her at ease.
"I'm Siora." She replied, standing up from the bed of vines. Her hair was medium length and brown, so dark that it was almost black. It looked messy and unkempt, like she had been travelling for days. Or maybe the jungle just did that to hair, Jade knew she looked like a mess as well. Siora swept her gaze across the three of them, then brightened. "You're wayfarers."
It wasn't a question. Had she pulled up their own status windows? Jade was suddenly struck by the wish that she'd always had that ability in her life. How many times had she embarassed herself by forgetting someone's name? Being able to remind yourself at a glance was so convenient. Weird, but convenient.
"We are." Jade said. "We're… ah… New, to the Labyrinth. What about you?"
"I've lived here my whole life." Siora said, cocking her head curiously. "Well, not here." She gestured to the ground at her feet. "In the Labyrinth, I mean. My home is one level higher, on the second floor."
"You came down here from a higher floor?" Jade asked. "How?"
"Unintentionally…" Siora said, chagrined. "A few days ago I stepped on a trap that dropped me down here…"
"Oh." Naomi muttered. "There are traps. Great."
"You really are new." Siora said, giving her a curious look. "How long ago did you enter? Where did you come from? Grasha, Emeris?"
"No, we're from Earth." Luis said. Then, apparently deciding that needed more explanation, he added. "That's a planet."
"We just got here a couple of days ago." Jade added, giving Luis a side eye. "'It's a planet'? What else would it be?"
"I dunno." He shrugged. "This place doesn't seem like a planet. Maybe there are other kinds of worlds."
"Earth…? And only a few days ago…?" Siora asked, looking confused. "I-"
A warm breeze blew through the clearing, carrying with it a cluster of swirling, multicolored leaves. The collection of leaves coalesced beside Siora, blossoming into a feminine form. They melded together, transforming into a tall, slender woman with dark green skin and deep blue eyes. Her hair was a tangle of thorny vines that stretched down her back, spotted with budding flowers that contrasted sharply against her dark body. She glanced at the three wayfarers, who were all staring at her in amazement, then turned to the elf.
"The Labyrinth has connected to a new world, Siora." The newcomer said. Her voice was soft and light, like a rustling of branches. She shifted her attention back to Jade and her companions. "They are new to our home, and know little about it."
"Is that true?" Siora asked, looking at Jade.
"It… It is." She said, nodding. The strange woman's sudden manifestation had caught her off guard, and she couldn't stop looking at her. "Who are you?" She asked.
The mysterious woman resembled no creature she was familiar with and almost looked to be more plant than person. Again, she pulled up her status window.
* Name: Juniper
* Level: 11
* Race: Dryad
* Class: None
* Origin: Labyrinth-immigrant
A dryad? Isn't that a nature spirit? Jade wasn't sure whether she should be alarmed or not. She settled for the happy middle ground of general wariness, which was well within her comfort zone of emotions.
"My name is Juniper." The dryad said, smiling at Jade as she watched her pull up her information. "I am the protector of this jungle, and this grove is home to my birth tree." She lay a hand on the massive tree that she and Siora stood at the base of. It was a true giant of the jungle, sturdy and strong.
"Um… Sorry for bothering you." Naomi was the first to reply. She, too, looked unsure of how to react to Juniper. "We were just exploring…"
"There is no need to apologize." Juniper said, waving a hand dismissively. "You have been respectful to the forest and its inhabitants. If you had not, we would be having a different encounter."
That sounded more than a little ominous. Jade made a mental note to be quite respectful to nature while she was here. Not that she had any desire to vandalize the jungle but, despite Juniper's calm and kind demeanor, there was a power behind her eyes. One Jade did not want to tangle with.
"You are journeying to the upper floors?" Juniper asked.
Jade, Naomi, and Luis looked at each other. Naomi shrugged, and this time it was Luis that spoke up.
"I guess so, yeah? We're looking for a way back home."
"You'll have to complete your Wayfarer Trial before you'll be able to do so." Juniper said. "And that trial will take you deeper within the Labyrinth than this. At least, that is my understanding."
"If that is true, then yes." Jade said. "We will be ascending, once we find out how."
"Then I have a request for you, Wayfarers." Juniper said, laying a hand on Siora's shoulder. "This one was brought to my jungle against her will. She is far from home, separated from her kin. Would you take her with you on your journey, and help her find her way?"
Siora blinked, looking between Juniper and Jade. "Miss Juniper, I don't want to impose on anyone." She started, looking embarassed. "I've been preparing for the journey home myself, I'm sure I can make it."
"Of course we will." Luis said, before Jade could say anything. "Siora, right? This isn't the kind of place anyone should go through alone." He stepped forward, holding out his hand. "I'm Luis."
"I… Well…" Siora said. She was clearly surprised by his enthusiasm, but didn't look displeased. "Thank you…" She finished, finally, shaking his hand.
Jade wasn't too thrilled with the idea, but she didn't speak out against it. It wasn't that she didn't want to be helpful, but this Labyrinth was a dangerous place. Siora didn't look like she was much of a fighter, and they didn't even know how far her home was from here. She didn’t want to get someone hurt, nor did she want to get sidetracked from completing their trials.
Then again, she's from here. Jade thought. She can probably tell us a lot about this world.
That thought helped ease her concerns, and Jade stepped forward to introduce herself after Luis and Naomi.
"Why do you want us to help her?" Jade asked Juniper, shaking Siora's hand.
"Because I cannot." Juniper says, simply. "I cannot travel far from my birth tree. I am this jungle's protector, and it is my world."
"That's so sad." Naomi said. Jade gave her a look, thinking that might be a little insensitive to say to such a being, but the dryad just gave her a wan smile.
"It is my nature." She said. "When Siora first arrived, she helped me find a cure for a sickness that had been afflicting some of the creatures who dwell here. I wish to return the favor."
The dryad then looked towards the sky, and Jade followed her gaze. It was getting dark already. Their journey here had taken longer than Jade thought it would. It would soon be too dark to travel through the thick jungle to the Sanctuary.
"You may stay the night here, if you wish. You will be safe here." Juniper offered.
Jade looked at Luis and Naomi, who both gave her a nod.
"Thanks." Jade said. "I think we'll do that."
Juniper didn’t seem dangerous, at least not to them. Jade was wary about camping in an unfamiliar area, but the alternative was hiking through the nighttime jungle. That seemed even less appealing. As she voiced her agreement, a message popped up in her vision.
* New Quest: Far From Home
* The elf Siora is trying to find her way home, but it's dangerous to travel the Labyrinth alone. You've promised to escort her back to her home. This quest has already been accepted.
* Objective: Help Siora reach her home on the second level of the Labyrinth.
* Reward: Medium experience gain.
* Reward: 200 Crescent Coins.
Well, I guess we're along for the ride now. Jade thought. She closed the window, then glanced at the elf.
"Welcome aboard, Siora. Just so we know, how far is home?"
"About that…" Siora gave a nervous laugh and scratched the back of her head with one hand. "I've never been to the first level before so… No idea." She said, apologetically.
Wonderful.