Far from their initial point, in an area reminiscent of the vast desert, three figures encased in cyan mana barriers collided with one of many sand dunes, the impact muted by the softness of the grains beneath.
“Motherfucker,” Slim cursed, wrestling to extract his bony physique from the scorching sands. Scott wasn't any luckier, landing face-first into the loose earth, though the mana barrier absorbed the brunt of the impact. Zara, the newest addition to the group, gracefully touched down after the fall, yet her delicate legs trembled ever so slightly.
Rushing towards Slim, the closest figure, she assisted him in freeing himself from the sandy prison. Scott, on the other hand, gradually extricated himself from the earth, his only grievances being sand-filled shoes, hair, and clothes—his mask having shielded him from the fall.
“It seems everyone is okay,” Scott muttered to himself, brushing off the remaining sand from his clothes. He narrowed his gaze, surveying the vast expanse of emptiness. That vindictive asshole definitely sent us here for a reason, he pondered. But this place looks too quiet. Even Hastur’s Gaze couldn’t discern anything extraordinary about the barren land.
Zara's gentle voice reached Scott's ears. “Are you alright?”
Scott turned to find the brawler and necromancer approaching briskly. “I'm good. How about you guys?”
Slim grimaced, twisting the air as if throttling an imp's neck. “I hate that little pipsqueak. Who does he think he is to say I have no taste? Is he blind or something?” The infuriated skeleton pulled a magazine from his inventory, flipping to the twenty-first page and pointing to an article just below a seductively posed beauty. “I was ranked the best-dressed artist, even beating Kristen Konelenko. Does that little jerk know how significant that is?”
“Wait, that's what's bothering you?” Scott asked, exerting every ounce of willpower and composure to stifle his laughter at the irate skeleton.
“What else could I possibly be angry about?” Slim retorted, sensing that his friend didn't grasp the gravity of the situation.
Zara and Scott exchanged glances, and the cat girl managed a wry smile. How were they supposed to convey to the necromancer that there were more significant issues than just being referred to as a tasteless skeleton?
Slim took several deep breaths, his loafers kicking up loose earth and sending bleached sand bouncing around him. “You know what?” he said, fixing his gaze on his companions.
The duo looked at each other before shaking their heads, curious about what was going on in the skeleton's mind this time. The necromancer didn't keep them in suspense for too long as he continued, “I believe this is the little guy's way of asking for help.”
“What?” Zara blurted out, while Scott simply lowered his head into his hands.
“Hear me out,” Slim grinned at the cat girl. “That little guy was clearly envious of my dashing looks, to the extent that the only way he could cope with the vast difference between us was to slander me. Just think about it.”
“I don’t think…” Zara paused as Scott’s hand rested on her shoulder. She turned to the masked man, and he simply shook his head. “Let him believe whatever he wants, please,” Scott whispered.
Zara nodded before turning back to Slim. The skeleton continued to nod while laughing, convinced his conjecture was correct.
Slim then faced his companions, who shared the same ill-fated mark of death. “You guys think so too, right?”
Scott and Zara nodded, giving the self-confident skeleton a thumbs-up as if they had coordinated their response beforehand.
Slim laughed again, returning the magazine to his inventory. Meanwhile, Zara and Scott exchanged whispers, wearing only dry smiles.
“Is it okay to lie to him like that?” the cat girl asked. Uncertain about the dynamics between the two, she believed that explaining the imp's actions was the right thing to do.
“He's not dumb; he's far more intelligent than you might think. That's just his way of coping with the situation,” Scott said, chuckling as he observed the animated necromancer.
Zara's gaze shifted between the masked man and the laughing skeleton. She couldn't help but wonder how the duo had met. “Did you both come from the same starter city?”
Scott nodded.
“I thought as much. How long have you known each other?” Zara's brows shot up as she watched Scott raise his index finger.
“Oh, a year. That's nice.”
Scott shook his head, interjecting, "We've known each other for less than a day."
Zara's petite mouth fell open, her widened eyes darting between the laughing skeleton and the masked man. Is he joking? Less than a day? He must be lying.
Despite the apparent lack of overt friendliness between them, there was an unspoken connection that belied the claim of being strangers for less than twenty-four hours.
Scott chuckled at the cat girl's reaction. He also found his connection with Slim rather peculiar.
Slim approached the duo with light steps, breaking the silence that hung over them. Sand cascaded with each crack of his neck as he settled between the eldritch knight and brawler, placing a large hand on each of their shoulders.
“I'm glad to see you guys aren't letting our situation bring you down,” Slim remarked with a beaming smile. “So, what's our strategy going to be, buddies?”
Zara's cheeks flushed pink as she attempted to wriggle free from the necromancer's touch, but Slim's hand was too substantial, his grip firm. She lowered her head, managing to mumble, “I appreciate what you guys did for me. I'll find a way to repay you in the future.”
Slim chuckled, patting the back of the cat girl. “Why the sudden shyness? We didn't help expecting a grand reward, right, buddy?” He glanced at Scott.
Scott nodded, his eyes darting across the desert. “Yeah, no need to repay us. Surviving in this place should be our main priority. We can worry about other things later.”
Slim leaned in closer to the cat girl, adding to the brawler's fluster. “Don’t mind him. He’s trying to act cool, but he can be shy too.”
Scott feigned ignorance of the Skeleton's whisper; his thoughts consumed by the ongoing trial. It was impossible to gauge the desert's size accurately, but given the vindictive nature of their guide, it seemed unlikely that it could conceal all the trialists for an entire day. Moreover, his earlier revelation about them not being the sole occupants heightened the mystery. What did that imply?
While Scott mulled over their predicament, Zara chimed in, her demeanor noticeably more composed. “I have a suggestion if you guys don’t mind.”
Both Scott and Slim turned their attention to the brawler, awaiting her input.
“I think our best approach would be to hide and avoid any conflict unless our lives are on the line. We’re already at a huge disadvantage compared to the others; we shouldn’t make things any easier for them,” Zara proposed with a reassuring smile.
“That seems like a viable plan,” Slim muttered as he freed his companions from his clutches, though he loathed the idea of hiding from what he considered weaklings. “It will become a problem if many of them start chasing us.”
“I agree,” Scott added, before voicing his concern. “The only issue with the plan is that there’s literally nowhere to hide in this place. It’s more like we'll need to run each time someone finds us.”
“You're right,” Zara chimed in, momentarily forgetting they were in the middle of a desert.
“Alright then, since that’s the plan, we should do our best,” Slim declared with a grin. “I might not look like it, but I’m quite the runner. You guys should be prepared to eat my dust whenever they find us.”
The skeleton flexed his nonexistent muscles, showcasing his bony legs. Scott shook his head, walking toward the area he had fallen in earlier. Meanwhile, Zara covered her mouth, laughing at Slim’s antics.
Scott’s gaze lingered on the mana residue from the shattered mana barrier. He crouched, fiddling with the hardened crystal. Hmm… why didn’t they disintegrate like the last time?
He raised the small fragment, staring at the miniscule glyphs on its surface. What sort of technique did they use in creating this thing? He picked up a slightly larger fragment, comparing the two pieces in his hand. How much mana do you need to even create this barrier for over a thousand people. I hate to admit it, but that little shrimp isn’t someone we can mess with.
Scott tossed the fragments into the air, catching them as they fell. I don’t know what restrictions are holding him back, but we’re lucky he hasn’t killed us off yet. Hopefully, we pass this trial without any difficulties.
Scott threw the rocks aside as he rose to his feet, then pivoted towards Slim and Zara, closing the distance in brisk strides. On his third step, he halted abruptly, pivoting back. What was that? A frown etched across his face, hidden behind his mask, as he scrutinized the ground. The sand quivered subtly, unaffected by the ceaseless winds. Lifting his head, he narrowed his gaze, peering into the distance. A colossal beige mass, distorted by the searing heat haze, materialized – a mountain? Since when did a mountain stand there?
Scott gasped, inhaling a mouthful of air as he staggered backward. His eyes, filled with trepidation, fixed on the looming mountains in the distance. This isn't a mountain. It's a colossal sand wall.
Wheeling around, he urgently addressed Slim and Zara, who remained oblivious to the impending catastrophe. “Run!” he bellowed, charging toward them.
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“Huh? What's going on, buddy? What’s gotten into…” Slim paused, detecting the colossal wall in the distance. “Where the hell did that thing come from?” he questioned, picking up his pace.
Zara, catching just a glimpse of the approaching disaster, burst into a sprint. Her lithe legs carried her swiftly over a considerable distance in mere seconds, leaving Scott and Slim wide-eyed at her feline agility. In the blink of an eye, she had created a two-hundred-foot gap.
Scott pivoted toward Slim, who lagged. “Weren't you supposed to be quite the runner? There's no saving you if you get buried behind that thing.”
Slim cursed under his breath. “Damn it. I didn't anticipate having to sprint this soon. Why are you guys so damn fast anyway?” He panted, channeling more energy into his legs as he sprinted across the loose earth. Yet, despite his efforts, he found himself unable to close the gap with Scott, let alone Zara, who had widened the distance between her and Scott by over three hundred meters. To make matters worse, a foreboding shadow loomed over the group, stretching ominously into the distance. The necromancer sensed that the impending disaster would soon overtake them.
“Keep running, Slim! Remember your promise to Mia! Are you going to kick the bucket in the first trial?” Scott's voice urged the exhausted skeleton. Despite his best efforts, running wasn't exactly Slim's forte.
Slim roared, raising his right hand, and his watch vanished into his inventory. With his left hand raised, his suit and shoes followed suit, disappearing into the mystical storage. The ghoulish mist in the necromancer's eyes shrouded its bones, and it surged forward in a terrifying burst of speed, catching up to Scott in a flash. “Like hell, I'm dying in a place like this. And don't you dare check out my booty, buddy.”
Slim charged forward, and Scott could only perceive a crimson blur as the skeleton closed the gap with Zara.
“Holy shit. Now, I'm dead last,” Scott muttered, his eyes involuntarily darting towards the approaching wall. A chill ran down his spine. “Fuck that little imp. That sicko surely has a hand in this.”
As Scott fixated on the approaching sand wall, Zara's voice cut through the tension. “There's a sinkhole in the front.”
The cat girl and the naked skeleton abruptly halted; their attention drawn to the bubbling earth that deepened with each passing second. The new obstacle made it impossible for them to run around or leap over it, heightening their anxiety.
“What are those?” Slim mumbled, pointing at dozens of squirming creatures in the loose sand.
Zara's expression darkened; another problem had surfaced. Simultaneously, Scott's voice reached them. “Guys, we have a huge problem.”
Zara and Slim instinctively turned toward the masked man, their expressions contorting further as a horde of massive scorpions and snakes hurriedly slithered in the same direction. A colossal sand wall, capable of burying everything in a span of over a thousand kilometers, loomed from one side, while a sinkhole obstructed their sole path of retreat. To compound their predicament, creatures driven by an insatiable will to survive closed in on their location, and an undulating mass of unidentified entities lurked within the sinkhole.
“I despise that little pipsqueak,” Slim growled through gritted teeth.
“What do we do now?” Zara muttered, her voice tinged with guilt and regret.
“You two, jump as high as you can!” Scott's urgent shout reached them from a distance as he continued his frantic escape from both the encroaching disaster and the approaching creatures.
Slim and Zara exchanged bewildered glances, struggling to comprehend how jumping would be of any assistance.
“Hurry! Use every ounce of strength you've got. Trust me!” Scott implored, desperation evident in his voice.
The duo exchanged a nod, each summoning every last bit of energy within them to launch into the air. Meanwhile, Scott inhaled deeply, channeling mana to his feet.
Mana Missile activated! Mana Points has decreased by 10!
A muffled explosion detonated under Scott’s feet, propelling him toward the falling duo. God, please let this work.
Levitate activated! Mana Points has decreased by 30!
Scott seized the two by their wrists, straining every aching muscle to ensure he didn't drop them.
“Buddy, you can fly?” Slim asked, dazed, witnessing as they soared above the approaching creatures.
Zara, too frightened to speak, had her stunned eyes shifting between Scott, Slim, and the escaping creatures.
“We only have one minute,” Scott ground out through gritted teeth. It wasn't enough time to cross the sinkhole or evade the encroaching sandstorm, but it was the best chance for survival now.
“Look, they're fighting,” Zara said, pointing at the creatures clashing against the sand lurkers, who revealed themselves to be massive worms.
“This might work to our advantage,” Scott remarked, a thought crossing his mind.
“What do you mean? You aren't giving up, right?” Slim panicked, fearing Scott might contemplate something reckless.
“No, I don't have any intention of dying. The worms are spread across the sinkhole—”
Zara interjected, her voice trembling, “Wait, are you suggesting we use the worms as a means to cross to the other side?”
“Exactly,” Scott asserted, his gaze fixed on the path beyond the sinkhole. “It's our only chance of surviving this disaster. The creatures will be too engrossed in their own conflicts to take notice of us. We must act now.”
He paid no heed to the mayhem resulting from the creatures' clash; his singular focus was on escaping the calamity.
“I swear,” Slim bellowed, frustration unrestrained, “I'm going to fry and eat that little devil the next time our paths cross. He better pray we don't meet again.”
“Ten seconds left. Brace yourselves,” Scott advised, his descent gradual.
In Zara’s free hand, six brown bars materialized. “You all need to replenish your stamina. Please consume these.”
Slim swiftly took two, tossing them into his mouth. The mist transformed the stamina bars into a paste that seeped into the skeleton’s bones. Zara, too, ingested two bars while delicately shifting Scott’s mask to the side, and then feeding the stamina bars into his open mouth. However, she couldn’t stop her arms from shaking non-stop, the memory of swirling darkness flashing across her mind.
You have eaten a Stamina Bar x2 Mask of the Eldritch Spawn has devoured 1 madness point! Abnormal Stat: Madness has increased by 1! Warning! The user will succumb to their insanity if Madness exceeds Composure by 10 points!
Slim and Zara took deep breaths; unlike Scott, they had been watching the fight between the creatures, and where they would land wasn’t far from the combat zone.
“We are landing now! Run!” Scott let go of their wrists, and the duo exploded in a frightening burst of speed, their feet pressing against the fleshy exterior of the massive worms.
Quick Step activated! Mana Points has decreased by 5!
The combined force of the magic missile and levitate propelled them over slightly more than half of the sinkhole, leaving a significant distance yet to cover. The trio sprinted in silence, indifferent to the piercing screams and hisses emanating from the intense battle raging behind them. Despite the nauseating stench that hung in the air, their focus remained fixed on the path ahead. Despite activating quick step, Scott struggled to match the speed Zara and Slim’s speed. Nevertheless, he remained unperturbed, knowing they were just a few meters away from reaching the other side.
The ominous shadow of the storm cloud loomed over the sinkhole, instilling fear in the battling creatures.
“Damn it,” Scott muttered, his expression darkening as the once docile worms thrashed about. “Keep going; we're almost there!” he yelled, urging them to increase their pace.
Zara managed to escape the sinkhole first, but she hesitated near the edge, keeping an eye out for her companions. Slim stumbled in next, gasping for breath as he collapsed onto his knees, utterly drained of energy. The two of them fixed their gaze on Scott, who was still a mere hundred meters away. Just then, a monstrous worm lifted its head, hurtling itself towards the half-human.
“Watch out!” Zara and Slim shouted simultaneously.
Scott locked eyes with the approaching creature, his hand instinctively reaching for his mask. A darkened handle emerged, and with determination, the eldritch knight summoned forth the war hammer of the mad god.
Warning! Your Madness stat is being devoured by the Warhammer of the Mad God!
Scott bellowed, “Take as much as you need!” Another surge of magic propelled him into the air as he swung the madness-devouring hammer, obliterating the massive worm's head. Several others raised their heads, fixating on the man wielding the ominous weapon of death.
“Buddy, keep running. I've got your back,” Slim urged, pushing himself to his feet. Both hands raised, a ghoulish mantra escaped from his mouth. The crimson mist confined within his bones poured out, swirling above his head like a baleful deluge.
The deluge split into five, and the necromancer pointed towards the worms. “I'll grant you death since that's what you seek.”
The swirling mass of darkness raced towards the unsuspecting creatures, obliterating their heads in a flash. Simultaneously, Scott swung his hammer in quick succession, shattering the heads of four more worms. Yet, the mist veiling the war hammer gradually encroached on his fingers. Zara sprinted towards the masked man, swiftly and decisively dispatching the worms that blocked his path.
“Hurry. The wall is coming,” Zara shouted.
Four potions appeared from Scott’s inventory, and he tossed two over to the feline. “Give them to Slim. You guys continue running. I’ll be there shortly. Please, go.”
Scott consumed the potions in one gulp, smacking the head of a worm with the empty vials.
You have ingested a rare mana recovery potion x2 Mana Points has increased by 80!
Zara hesitated momentarily before hurrying back to the feeble skeleton. She desperately clung to the hope that Scott could navigate the perilous situation unaided. The presence of more worms, accompanied by the encroaching snakes and scorpions, had significantly reduced the remaining distance. Adding to the urgency, the sinkhole was steadily deepening as the sand walls closed in.
I can't afford to linger any longer. I must leave now, Zara thought.
Scott swiftly consumed another mana recovery potion, replenishing his mana points to the maximum. However, an unnerving development unfolded as a murky, greenish mist suddenly emanated from his skin, spreading across the sinkhole.
Poisonous Cloud activated! Mana Points has decreased by 80!
Scott sprinted toward the opposite end, hammer in tow, a billowing mist emanating from his body. He deftly dodged the slow yet persistent attacks of the worms. Zara and Slim, already at a safe distance from the edge, observed Scott's approach.
They witnessed him hurling several jars filled with an unknown liquid at the worms. A crimson flame erupted on his fingers as he landed on solid ground. Two fireballs shot towards unsuspecting worms, igniting a blazing inferno. Fueled by the highly flammable gruff wines, the fire consumed the massive creatures within seconds, spreading to nearby worms, snakes, and scorpions.
A disastrous combination of strong winds, a raging inferno, a poisonous cloud, a sinkhole, and sand walls unfolded, leaving the desperate creatures with no escape. Scott pressed on, only halting when he reached Slim and Zara. He turned to witness the culmination of chaos: the sand wall finally reaching the sinkhole, morphing into a massive, bottomless pit that devoured the creatures and the giant wall of sand in one gulp.
Amid the chaos, a hand, unnoticed by Slim or Zara, emerged from the mask's depths and stealthily pulled the war hammer into the shadows. Meanwhile, the ethereal remnants on Scott's fingers transformed into a mesmerizing array of intricate tattoos, exuding a disconcerting aura.
A peculiar protrusion manifested in front of the trio as a figure catapulted from the earth with a snarky laughter that resonated through the air. The imp's mischievous smile widened as it shook its behind, adding a touch of unsettling playfulness to the situation. “How delightful. I can’t believe you guys survived that,” the imp remarked, its eyes gleaming with mischief. “Now, I want to witness how you'll endure another one.”