Conscious that time was against him, the unnamed didn’t want to waste time celebrating clearing his first chamber. Unfortunately, the bizarre announcements function in his training collar had other ideas.
** CONGRATULATIONS! **
You’ve just received the Baby’s First Step achievement for clearing a dungeon style room for the first time!
Achievement Bonus: +0 to Basic Competence
You want a reward for doing your job? Come on man!
** CONGRATULATIONS! **
You’ve just received the Solo Champ achievement for clearing the room on your lonesome.
Achievement Bonus: +1 Gloating
Having cleared a dungeon or maze room solo, you’ll now be able to gloat to your friends a little harder.
Then again, who needs friends when you’re capably of clearing rooms with only half a dozen deaths and no loot, and the stench of victory clinging to your clothes?!
He walked on, ignoring the message and refocusing on the task ahead. The corridor he walked through was fashioned from the same dull stone blocks as the rest of the maze but it was narrower than the previous tunnel. The floor continued to slope down at a slight angle and amber stones sitting in niches within the walls lit the area with a subtle orange glow.
The unnamed slowed his pace checking for traps and crouching down low to inspect anything that looked even a little out of the ordinary among the large stone blocks that featured on the floors and walls. Here and there, he noticed strange markings cut into the top right corner of several of the floor stones. Wherever he saw the markings he made a point of duplicating them in the simple journal, which was accessible through his collar HUD, just in case they became significant later on.
It was a simple enough process to open up a new record and use his finger to sketch out the symbol. There was even a way to add notes beneath each of the markings he sketched although he had no idea what to write. If there was a pattern to the strange symbols he couldn't work it out. They all looked like stick figures that were stretched to unrecognizable proportions.
A man with a hat and one arm that stretched three times the length of his body. A squat stick figure with four legs and two heads. A character standing on its side with a hand coming out of its head at an odd angle. Perhaps they weren’t meant to resemble stick figures at all, but that was the only thing the unnamed had to compare with them.
At first, he thought perhaps they were warnings that corresponded to various physical dangers. Maybe, by stepping on the wrong stone, a spear would shoot out from the wall aimed at his head? Perhaps the four-legged figure was supposed to represent spikes hidden in a pit trap hidden somewhere nearby? Their meaning wasn't immediately clear, so the unnamed kept moving further down the corridor as it sloped downwards.
Eventually, the markings stopped, and the corridor opened out into a slightly wider tunnel where the floor leveled out and black marks ran directly from where he stood down out of sight. The marks were perfectly straight. Some were spaced evenly apart and others close together. There were three dark lines on the floor ahead of him and four or five in the walls on either side. They all ran perfectly straight towards whatever lay at the end of the corridor.
The unnamed squinted but couldn't make out anything other than darkness at the furthest end of the tunnel. He bent down in front of one of the dark lines on the floor and found that it was not drawn onto the stone but was actually a deep groove cut into the floor itself. That was immediately suspicious, but he couldn't see any way of heading down the tunnel without crossing over at least two or three of those lines. Further up the corridor they also appeared to shift like train tracks, swapping places here and there and continuing on the trajectory once the swap had been made.
There were no grooves on the ceiling that he could see, but that didn't help him at all. In the end, he decided to toss the shield on ahead, sliding it across the floor and stepping back to see what happened.
Nothing.
There was no movement, no suspicious noise or poisonous darts firing from hidden holes in the walls. The corridor looked exactly as it had moments before, and the shield sat perfectly still a few paces ahead of where the unnamed stood.
“Well, that’s not helpful.”
He considered throwing the sword next but reasoned instead that it would be better to hold on to the weapon in case some enemy approached. Perhaps the grooves would release noxious gases or acid? Or perhaps they were simply there to fool initiates into thinking there was imminent danger? Maybe they were simply there to throw him off and the real danger was in the ceiling?
Given the choice between running or taking his time and slowly working his way forward, he opted for the latter. Perception. That was the second highest skill points would be allocated for, he reminded himself, and patience was a large part of perception. Better to approach these chambers cautiously and learn as much as possible. That was the point of this, after all.
The moment he put his foot forward, landing next to one of the long grooves, the corridor shook, and the sound of large machinery drifted up from somewhere below. He moved a step back but found a wall of stone slamming into the floor only inches from his body, locking him into the corridor and providing no option other than to move forward.
He began walking, finding that the sound of whirring machinery had grown louder. A large circular saw blade appeared to his right, spinning with terrible speed as it whirred forwards, jutting up through the floor.
A second saw blade appeared, protruding out of the wall just in front of him and running in a horizontal line at waist height. It was joined a moment later by a second blade on the opposite side of the corridor running in the same direction but at a lower height. A third saw blade appeared in the distance, heading toward the unnamed at pace, it's oversized blade almost up to his armpits as it ran in a direct line toward him.
Standing with his back against the newly formed wall, the unnamed was safe from the cutting blades. He stood for a few minutes attempting to memorize the path they were taking but finding that the complex configuration of blades was difficult to pin down. Each of the blades moved at a slightly different speed, entering and exiting the grooves in the walls and floor at different times. The length of each groove seemed to be slightly different as well, meaning that each blade finished its run at a different time. Then there were the height differences and the fact that there were three different vertical blades coming up from the floor all spaced apart but for a central section where two of the blades swapped over, switching into one another's grooves.
“This is not gonna be fun,” he mused, rubbing his chin as he considered the path forward.
Three times he tried to make a start, running forward a few paces, before backtracking and rethinking his approach. He stopped and started the dozen times more before eventually making a decision and heading towards the most viable path he could see through the blades.
It was only after he'd run six or seven paces into the corridor that he realized his error. He calculated the right approach based on the shifting patterns of the soul blades, but the speed of the blades wasn't constant. The second he began running through the corridor some of those circular blades sped up while others slowed down. It was impossible to go back without getting sliced to pieces, so he continued on, ducking beneath the blade jutting out of the wall on the right side and shifting to the left only to find another blade moving through the floor and only inches from his body.
He sidestepped the blade, tripping right into the path of another saw blade coming back from the entry point of the corridor. The pain was vicious and instant, a searing heat that tore through his torso as the blade bit into his flesh as easily as the proverbial hot knife through butter. Bleeding out, his body cut into uneven pieces, he lay in a heap on the ground, his eyes staring ahead as another of the saw blades ran in a direct line towards his head.
The pain was so intense it had become meaningless, as though his body simply wasn’t able to process it and had given up the attempt. His vision was beginning to blur as the saw glade drew closer and he found himself willing the cutting edge of the saw closer as it seemed to slow its pace, unwilling to end his suffering.
He tried to curse but no words would come out. Instead, he lay there waiting for the blade that wouldn't come, bleeding out onto the cold stone, the sound of angry sawblades all around. He couldn't be sure but, when the end finally came, it seemed to arrive at an odd angle, from behind where he was looking.
He blinked.
The unnamed was back at the beginning of the Rat Run, fully whole again and somewhat baffled by what had just happened. He couldn't be sure, but it seemed like that last blade had come out of the wall at a ninety-degree angle. If that was true then the complexity of that chamber had just increased tenfold. With enough practice he could work out a way to move through the corridor without being cut in two. But if blades were going to spontaneously appear from the walls and run across the middle of the tunnel seemingly at random, finding a viable path through it would be almost impossible.
The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.
Unlike the spider chamber, he could at least see that the exit to the blade room was clear enough. All he had to do was reach that exit, but that meant making his way through a baffling array of oddly spaced, differently timed saw blades.
Before entering the Rat Run again the unnamed waited for a few moments to see if any other announcements would be made. Thankfully, his collar was silent on the subject. Being sawn in half mustn’t have been an achievement, which surprised him given some of the other achievements on offer.
Wanting to record his experiences for his team, the unnamed tapped on the journal section of his collar HUD and made a few simple notes.
Spider Fountain: Run fast to fountain and drink the white liquid.
Blade Saw Section: …
He paused, unsure of exactly what to say and deciding to leave the blade saw section blank until he could figure out a viable way through. The unnamed also decided to start taking photos of each chamber and making more drawings when appropriate. The stick figure images he’d recorded hadn’t proven helpful in any way yet, but he reasoned that having some imagery to accompany his notes would make it easier when it came time to head into the Rat Run for real.
He took a deep breath, prepared himself, and then stepped through the door again, charging into the Rat Run, eager to get back to the saws so he could puzzle a way through.
He ran directly for the fountain as fast as he could manage, somehow avoiding the worst of the spiders and reaching the arachnid statue in record time. He cupped his hands, scooping up the noxious milk and drinking. As before, it burned on the way down his throat but quickly became tolerable. The spiders ignored him, and he was able to return to the start of the chamber and take a few still shots with his collar interface, quickly dropping them below the note he’d made on the spider room.
The unnamed made his way to the blade chamber and began analyzing the sequence of worrying blades once more. The variation in speed was his biggest problem. It meant that this couldn't be solved by a simple memorization of a pattern. To some extent, he had to adapt as he was moving through, at least while he was learning to navigate the puzzle. He also had to pick precisely the right moment to enter the blade chamber. Consistency was the key. If he was going to have any hope of solving this he needed to make sure that he was entering at exactly the same time and place with every attempt. Or, at least, he needed to clearly document each attempt so that he could begin mapping out a viable path through. That could mean dozens of attempts.
What proved most problematic was determining a repeating sequence to the blades. He looked for patterns in their movement but found that, after two or three minutes, they still hadn't repeated in exactly the same way. He didn't doubt that there was a sequence to be unlocked here but it could be that that sequence only repeated once every five minutes or so, or perhaps it would take even longer.
The unnamed force himself to be patient, tried to think through different options as he observed the apparently random sequence. Once he found what seemed like the most viable path forward, at least to the midpoint of the tunnel, he memorized the sequence of blade movements before and after, opening up his journal and noting down a few points.
It was early then that he realized the journal could be much more useful than simply recording words and images. While he waited for the sequence to repeat and the most opportune moment to present itself again, he explored further into the collar’s digital functionality and found that it was possible to record video as well as still imagery.
When the most opportune moment presented itself, he hit record pointing with one hand in the direction he planned to run and letting the recording go on for a few seconds. He then added notes to the video record, highlighting where he planned to run and at what speed.
In the end, he worked out that it was roughly seven minutes between repeating sequences. The time stamp on his earlier journal record was what helped him identify that fact, and he waited for three more cycles before confirming that the sequence was consistent.
Picking his moment, he ran, recording video during the process as he moved straight ahead and then shifted sharply to the right once a blade appeared directly in front of him. The noise of the whirring blades increased, and the floor shook as he slowed his pace and followed at the back of a second blade along the right side of the corridor. The blade that came at him from behind emerged from the wall and moved so quickly that his head was taken off before he knew what had happened.
The unnamed blinked, once more standing at the entrance to the maze, feeling a little discombobulated given what had just happened.
** CONGRATULATIONS! **
You’ve just received the Guillotine Guy achievement for, you guessed it, losing your head! This is just a suggestion, but maybe next time…DUCK!
Achievement Bonus: +1 Duck
GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF THE WAY!
He ignored the message and opened up his journal, confirming that the recording he had made had run right up until his death. He played it back over again, saw the edge of the blade that hit him from behind, and made another note in the record.
Three further times he attempted to make it all the way through the blade chamber, failing each time, but learning a little more about the sequencing of the blades and a possible path ahead. He recorded video each time and, after the last attempt, had managed to spy a possible path through to the end of the chamber.
The midpoint of the tunnel was where two of the grooves in the floor switched places and the circular saw blades crossed paths. The unnamed realized that this was perhaps the safest section in the blade chamber, because the horizontal blades to either side stopped before reaching this point and it was easy enough to sidestep the vertical blades that ran along the floor when they reached the junction point.
Continuing on into the second section of the blade chamber proved much more difficult, however. The speed of the blades increased in this area and an additional two grooves were cut into the floor, giving way to a pair of smaller blades just large enough to cut through his shoes and ankles, sending him toppling to the floor in agony after which the larger blades could finish him off. He discovered those smaller blades after only having moved a few paces into the second section of the corridor and his final run for the morning ended moments later.
The unnamed found himself once more at the entrance to the Rat Run, entering more information into the journal.
Blade Chamber:
* Left fast
* Sharp Right
* Right Medium Squat
* Stop at Junction (watch for smaller vertical blades)
It was while he was writing the journal note that the unnamed found something else of interest in his collar interface. There was a small symbol on the top right of his screen, only faintly illuminated, but visible enough to catch his attention. The symbol showed what looked like a ring with a bunch of keys hanging off it. He stared at the symbol for a while, then realization dawned.
A set of keys, like a custodian might have hanging from their belt.
“Well, hello there friend,” he chirped.
The unnamed clicked the symbol which led in turn to a new screen with a series of small doors that looked like lockers. There was also a small book symbol off to the left side of the display. He clicked on the symbol and found that the book was similar to the journal he had been using, but that it allowed much more scope for different types of notes with timestamps, sketches, and a way to connect different pieces of content together. The layout of the custodial journal was also easier to read, and the unnamed found that, rather than having all the information within a single document, he could assign a different chapter for each room and organize them via an easy to navigate contents page at the front of the book.
It was a simple enough matter to transfer the existing information he’d recorded to the new custodial journal and then arrange the notes according to different rooms. He also noticed that it was possible to easily sketch out a top-down view of each room using a whiteboard and marker function that was built into the custodial journal.
As much as he hated to admit it, this was actually incredibly useful. If none of the other initiates had access to this advanced journal function, then the custodian class might actually be worth something. That thought was tempered somewhat as he looked over the newly rearranged pages in his custodial journal and noted that automatic suggestions had emerged on several of the pages.
The suggestions were noted in bright orange and highlighted the various ways in which each room could be most effectively cleaned. There were tips on what types of cleaning solvents to use, what kind of mop would be most effective, and how to get rid of the tougher stains.
There was a selection of icons next to each suggestion which showed various brooms and mops, scouring brushes, and the like. When he selected any of these, the journal provided a detailed description of options available, outlining the construction of the item, the most effective way to use each, and providing several examples on cleaning techniques.
The level of detail provided was baffling and, when the unnamed tried to remove the cleaning tips, they would immediately come back. Each new chapter provided not only the valuable notes, sketches, maps, videos and images he was beginning to gather, but also a ridiculously detailed set of custodial notes on how to thoroughly clean and preserve each room.
He sighed, giving up on his quest to remove the cleaning tips and heading back to the main menu. He checked out several of the lockers and found that each one corresponded to a different initiate. By opening locker doors, the unnamed apparently had access to detailed stats for every one of the other initiates which related to the Rat Run contest and their current training program. The locker setup also included a mini map which showed the current location of each initiate.
He could see their current stats, the total score for each candidate, where they were currently located, and even which chores and duties had been assigned by Leo. The further he dug into the information, the more it revealed, showing intricate connections between individuals, various flags and notes about personality and cleaning habits. It was a treasure trove of information that seemed to be updated live and, while knowing what strength of bristle an initiate preferred on their toothbrush wasn’t strictly helpful, a lot of the information might prove valuable in the future.
An hour passed with the unnamed sifting through the information he had found, sitting cross-legged with his back against the door to the Rat Run. Much of the information he wasn’t able to utilize, but some of it he could. The data also extended beyond the induction group as well, reaching out into the broader guild cohort, though with only limited access to information regarding fully-fledged guild members.
While he hadn’t been formally trained in computer programing or anything like that, REDACTED had always been able to find connections between different ideas and complex concepts. When faced with complex problems or obstacles, he had a knack for finding an unconventional path through, a hack that would allow him to fast track a solution.
If he was going to have any hope of surviving the Rat Run and making it into the guild, he was going to need to lean on every gift that he had. The unnamed couldn’t say whether the dream he’d had the night before had spoken truth, but he had to believe that there was a chance he would be able to find out about the magic he had employed if he could just lock in his place in the Brawler’s Guild.
The unnamed was mulling over precisely that notion when he noticed that several of the initiates had finished their chores and were heading to the hall to eat breakfast. Fast on the heels of that fact was the realization that he hadn’t eaten yet. His stomach gurgled, a pang of hunger rising as he stood and stretched his arms out to the side.
He had twenty minutes, maybe a little longer before the initiates would begin their training for the day and he’d have to end his little side project.
Twenty minutes.
Ample time to head to the dining hall and grab some food in preparation for the grueling day of training ahead.
Twenty minutes.
“Time for one more run,” he said with a grin.