Scott emerged once more in the abyss; the portal sealing shut behind him. As before, he clutched his chest, his right eye obscured by his hand. A pulsating ache reverberated through the mind of the eldritch spawn, soft groans escaping his lips.
It seems five minutes is the limit, Scott mused inwardly, glancing towards Orion and the asura, both motionless as before.
He averted his gaze, scanning the unfathomable darkness surrounding them. How are we supposed to escape this place? he pondered silently. The thought of utilizing the portal crossed his mind once more, but he dismissed it as impossible, having been forcibly expelled from Llorva's grasp earlier.
What vexed the eldritch knight most, however, was the disappearance of the exit he had glimpsed while atop the well. It vanished as if someone or something had intentionally misled him.
The Mask of the Eldritch Spawn is devouring the surrounding madness! Two beings with your imprint of madness are resisting the corroding madness!
Scott turned his attention toward Orion and the asura. Their faces contorted, as if battling an unseen force. Amidst the struggle, a system notification emerged in the darkness. Before Scott could read it, an explosion ruptured the abyss. He instinctively turned, and space warped violently before reconnecting.
His eyes sparked with realization as he spotted a verdant patch amidst the shattered space. Seizing his companions' arms, the eldritch knight propelled them forward with chaos missiles. Explosions intensified as they neared the peculiar area, and Orion and the asura stirred.
“Wake up, you lazy bums!” Scott roared, but his voice was lost in the chaos. Undeterred, he guided the awakening champions toward the turmoil. With each explosion the crack grew smaller, adding urgency to their journey. Scott detonated chaos missiles repeatedly, unsure of where or when the next fissure would appear if they missed the current on.
“Come on, wake the fuck up!” Scott yelled again, barely audible over the explosions. This time, Orion and the asura roused slowly, confusion evident on their faces. Orion's eyes lit up as he surveyed their surroundings. He signaled to Scott before summoning his staff, attempting to create a protective bubble. It shattered almost instantly, leaving the mage astonished.
Scott gestured towards the chaos missiles, urging Orion to follow his lead. With a shared understanding, they unleashed a barrage of attacks, propelling themselves towards the closing portal. The asura summoned its halberd, spinning rapidly and releasing bursts of hot air. Another halberd emerged from its back, spewing blue flames that combined with the air in an explosion, propelling them forward.
In a flash, they crashed onto freshly trimmed grass. Scott surveyed their new surroundings, noting the absence of other champions. The square patch of land measured twenty feet on each side, surrounded by fluffy clouds amidst turbulent winds.
“Where are we?” Scott wondered aloud, approaching the edge of the grass field. Orion and the asura joined him, gazing at the clouds above. Despite their scrutiny, no other islands were visible.
“Have we left the eleventh floor?” the leftmost head mumbled.
“I'm not sure, but it doesn't seem like we're in the valley anymore,” the rightmost head replied.
“On the contrary, I believe this is the final island,” Orion interjected, wearing his usual smile.
Scott and the asura turned toward the mage, awaiting his explanation. Orion wasted no time and continued, gesturing towards a particular area. “Do you guys see that?” he inquired.
“What are we looking for?” the leftmost head asked, squinting as it scanned the area, finding nothing remarkable.
“The wind. Pay attention to how it affects that spot,” Orion explained. Without further ado, he produced a coin from his inventory and tossed it towards the designated area. Scott and the asura observed as the coin arched through the air, buffeted by strong winds attempting to alter its trajectory, yet it landed with a muffled clank exactly where Orion had indicated.
“Am I hallucinating or is that coin hovering?” the rightmost head murmured incredulously.
Scott, too, gazed at the spot in confusion. While his eyes could penetrate illusions, he was baffled by this anomaly.
Orion chuckled softly as he continued, “What a clever trick,” the mage muttered. “They deliberately positioned the mirrors to avoid reflecting sunlight while creating the illusion of suspended animation. Most people wouldn't dare to venture recklessly, fearing the consequences, knowing that death would return them to the starting island,” Orion echoed, chuckling.
“What's your point?” Scott inquired.
Orion turned to Scott and wordlessly stepped forward. Instead of plummeting, he remained suspended in midair as if levitating.
Scott's eyebrows shot up, and he tentatively followed suit. Like Orion, his feet found purchase on an invisible surface, with gentle winds tousling his clothes. However, despite scrutinizing the unseen ground, he perceived nothing. The asura also joined them, and the trio stood together on the invisible platform.
“After confronting numerous cunning challenges on the previous island, only a few people would be this audacious; and even if they were, it's hard to shake off the expectation of impending disaster,” Scott muttered after a brief pause.
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“Exactly,” Orion affirmed with a laugh. “And rightfully so,” the mage added, drawing Scott and the asura's attention.
Pointing to where he had dropped the coin, Orion declared, “We need to reach that spot quickly,” before darting off with all his might.
Without hesitation, Scott and the asura followed suit, sprinting alongside the mage. In a blink, they reached the base of an invisible staircase. Following Orion's lead, they cautiously climbed, halting only when the mage did, precisely at the spot where the coin lay.
“Why have we stopped?” the leftmost head inquired.
Orion tossed the coin onto the invisible surface, and Scott and the asura watched as it fell. This time, however, there was no distinct clank or any sound at all. The coin vanished as if swallowed by a cloud, never to be seen again.
“It's gone?” the leftmost head murmured in disbelief. “How?” it added.
Barely two minutes had passed since they ascended the stairs, yet the ground had vanished as if it had never existed.
“I suspect this is why most will fail,” Orion chuckled. “Discovering the invisible support is one thing, but finding the correct path is an entirely different challenge. I'm almost tempted to see what happens if someone attempts flight. I'm certain they've prepared something special for such individuals.” The mage sighed, lamenting the absence of anyone besides Scott and the asura in the vicinity.
Meanwhile, Scott resisted the urge to ask the mage how he knew the steps were there. They were completely invisible, shrouded by the clouds. That Orion could still discern their presence merely from the sensation of wind baffled him.
Maybe I have sorely underestimated him, Scott mused, his gaze fixed on the mage's back. Calling someone like this a genius might actually be an insult to him.
Had it not been for Orion's swift instincts and analytical mind, they might have spent hours, if not days, scouring for a means to depart the area. By then, the ground could have vanished, sending them plummeting into the unknown.
Following Orion's lead, the trio continued their ascent in silence, the gentle winds tousling their garments. With each step, the space around them expanded infinitely. However, the stairway didn't ascend indefinitely. Orion navigated different turns, carefully guiding Scott and the asura.
Another hour passed before Orion halted abruptly. “There are no more steps,” he announced without turning around.
Scott surveyed their surroundings, but nothing appeared out of the ordinary. He opened his mouth to speak, but a system notification materialized in front of the champions.
Congratulations! You have reached the end of the shifting steps valley!
Above the champions, a crack formed, revealing the outline of another island in what had been empty space.
“There it is,” Orion giggled. “But who would've thought all that climbing would lead us back to the starting island? How ironic,” he added.
Scott and the asura exchanged blank stares as they gazed at the island, unable to conceal their surprise. They hadn't considered how Orion could discern it was the starting island. After all, the depths of the mage's mind were beyond their comprehension.
Three locations have been added to your void bank!
Scott's right eye stung the moment the message appeared, eliciting a whimper from him. He leaned forward, his hand instinctively reaching for his eye as he read the system message. Without much deliberation, he deduced that the term "void bank" referred to the ability to transfer to other locations.
If it copied Llorva and Fi-Fi’s locations, which was the third? he pondered, realizing he had only used the ability twice.
“Are you okay?” Orion called out, noticing Scott's labored breathing as he covered his eyes.
“It's nothing. Don't worry about me,” Scott replied, forcing himself to an upright position. Then he continued, “How do we get to the island?”
Orion studied the eldritch knight for a moment, his gaze lingering on Scott's covered eye. He nodded to himself, murmuring inaudibly, then pointed toward the island. “A path will surely present itself, or we might be sent there directly,” he said.
Barely seconds after the mage spoke, a silver beam descended from the island, enveloping the trio in its radiance. In a flash, they vanished, accompanied by the sound of breaking glass. Anyone witnessing the scene would notice that all the stairs had shattered, replaced by a new set formed from the wreckage and in a different location.
Meanwhile, Scott, Orion, and the asura reappeared on the lush field of the starting island. Mr. Fishido hovered above them, his gentle eyes shifting between the trio.
“Welcome, and congratulations on completing the game,” the fish declared, smiling warmly. “I'll be the first to admit it, I didn't think it was possible for you three to survive the formless region, but you've surprised me. For that, you've earned my respect.”
Descending slightly, Mr. Fishido vomited several luminous pearls. “As promised, each of you will receive ten core elemental shards.”
The multicolored pearls dropped randomly in front of the champions as Mr. Fishido ascended once more. “You can choose to remain here and observe the others participating in the game, or you can return to your respective areas. To do so, simply throw yourselves over the edge. Yes, I know, it's a bit dramatic, but that's the only way,” the fish explained. “So, what will it be?”
Orion turned to Scott with a bright smile. “Allow me to formally join your alliance.”
Scott and the asura exchanged glances and nodded, a silent understanding passing between them.
“Sure. Welcome to the team,” Scott said before turning to the fish. “Excuse me, may I ask a question?”
“Sadly, no,” the fish replied matter-of-factly. “Nex will handle all inquiries and complaints. You only need to inform us if you wish to continue observing the game.”
Scott sighed, averting his gaze. He swung his arm and with a thought, his core elemental shards disappeared into his inventory. Orion and the asura mimicked his actions, and without further ado, Scott approached the cliff's edge with slow steps. However, Orion quickly blocked his path.
“Come on, let's observe for a while. There's much to learn from just a few hours or days of watching. Don't tell me you'd rather return to that dull room,” Orion urged.
“He never said we could leave whenever we wanted, did he?” Scott countered.
Orion cocked his head backward, realization dawning on him. He turned sharply to the fish. “Could you please repeat what you said earlier?”
“I said you can choose to remain here and observe the others participating in the game, or you can return to your—"
“Wait a minute,” Orion interjected. “We can stop observing whenever we want, right?”
“I wonder,” Mr. Fishido teased. “Would you like to test it out?”
Orion chuckled dryly, then turned to Scott. “We should leave. It seems there's nothing left for us here.”
Silently, the trio approached the cliff's edge, throwing themselves into the unknown below.
Rank 1, 8, and 40 are recognized to be on the same path! You will be returned to your area!