Scott and Slim took in their new surroundings, their attention regularly drawn to Zara reclining on a luxurious purple sofa. Behind an exquisite, well-polished desk, Vaeril observed them, encouraging the two to sit in the aesthetically pleasing office.
“I understand if you have your preferences, but this might take a while. Are you certain you'd rather remain standing?” the elf asked with a smile, gesturing toward two padded seats. However, the duo, who were engrossed in the rare plants and paintings decorating the office, paid him little mind.
“Don’t worry about us,” Slim replied, glancing at the elf. “You can start. We’ll sit whenever we feel like it.”
Vaeril sighed, shaking his head. “If you say so, I won’t dissuade you any further.” The elf cleared his throat, fingers drumming slowly on the table's polished surface. “First things first, Togan comprises four major districts: Enchanted Heights, Drowsy Plateau, Misty Woods, and Eva Springs. There's supposedly a fifth district, but we'll discuss that later.”
Suddenly, Vaeril stood up, his gaze fixed on the beautiful garden through the window. He sighed. “Before I continue, may I ask a question?”
Slim and Scott exchanged glances, their curiosity evident.
“Sure,” Scott said, leaning against a chair. “As long as it's something we can answer.”
“I know you haven’t been here for more than an hour, but what’s your opinion of the city so far?” Vaeril asked, his soft gaze still focused on the exotic flowers below.
Scott frowned behind his mask. Why is he asking that? Is it a trick question? Could he have been alerted by our previous discussion?
Various thoughts raced through Scott’s mind, but he couldn't discern the elf's intent. The silence lingered before Slim spoke up. “At a glance, one can tell a great deal of collective effort went into bringing such a magnificent city to life. It’s unheard of for so many races with diverging ethos and ethics to live together in harmony. Which raises the question, who, or what, is keeping everyone in check?”
Vaeril turned around, a smile blooming on his face. He regarded Slim approvingly before shifting his attention to Scott. “And you? What are your honest thoughts?”
“Excluding what my companion said, I sensed a collective undercurrent of anxiety, or should I say fear, from the residents,” Scott replied.
“Oh?” Vaeril's brows shot up. “What brings you to that conclusion?”
Scott pointed toward Zara as he continued, “There was no mistaking the look in their eyes when the beam descended. It required considerable effort for them to maintain composure after the voice too.” Scott paused, locking gazes with Vaeril, whose smile had grown brighter. “Now, I'm curious about the owner of that voice, why they're observing us, and the sudden restrictions.”
Vaeril clapped slowly, grinning from ear to ear. “Wonderful,” he said. “Absolutely wonderful,” he remarked as he strolled toward his seat. “Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts. Now, it's my turn to acquaint you with our lovely city.” Vaeril paused, opening the first drawer to his right. He retrieved three crystal glass cups and a ceremonial jar filled with a fiery liquid. Uncorking the jar released a thick fruity aroma with a hint of caramel into the air. Vaeril meticulously filled each cup halfway and continued, “Please, have a drink. This is the specialty of Enchanted Heights, the dream liquor.”
Scott and Slim eyed the bubbling liquor but made no attempt to reach for the glass cups. Vaeril, on the other hand, took three quick sips, a faint crimson shade tinting his ears and cheeks.
“I feel much better,” he said, cracking his knuckles. “To be honest, both of you are somewhat correct in your assessment. There's more to the city than meets the eye.” Vaeril took another sip, his expression turning serious. “Everything you see here is the result of over a decade's worth of hard work and sacrifices. For most champions, who harbor lofty dreams of becoming a force to be reckoned with, they experience their first reality check upon arriving in Togan's districts.”
Vaeril paused, taking another sip from his cup. “The restrictions you've faced are merely the beginning. Soon, you won't even be able to summon your status screen, let alone use any of your abilities.”
“What?!” Slim blurted out. “Are you joking right now?”
Vaeril cocked his head backward, laughing with reckless abandon. “I sincerely wish I was,” he said before downing the contents of his cup in one gulp. He then stood up, leaning against his desk. “System, show me my status window,” he declared.
However, nothing happened. The elf giggled as he repeated the same statement, and once again, silence greeted his words.
“You see?” Vaeril chuckled once more before taking his seat. “Give it a week or two, and yours will be gone too.”
“Why would we wait? I don’t plan on sticking around that long,” Slim declared.
The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.
“Oh?” Vaeril’s drunken eyes cleared for a moment, suppressing his rising urge to laugh. “What are you going to do about it? Let me guess, you’ll leave, right?” The elf suddenly burst out laughing, tears streaking down his face.
Scott and Slim exchanged glances, unable to discern what made the elf laugh so hysterically.
“Forgive me,” Vaeril struggled to regain his composure. “I’m only laughing because I, too, at some point had such lofty ideas. But look at me,” the elf sighed softly while shaking his head. “The next full moon will mark seven years since I’ve been stuck here. Don’t underestimate Togan; it isn’t called the dream-ender without cause.”
Scott’s eyes widened for a moment. He’s been stuck here for seven years? Wow! Those guys weren’t kidding when they said we’d be lucky to get out of here in six months. But then again, I can totally understand, especially with those things roaming around unchecked, Scott thought to himself, his gaze lingering on the view beyond the window.
“W-W-Wait, is the trial that difficult?” Slim blurted out. “Why would you remain here for seven years?”
Vaeril chuckled once again. “Some people have been here since the start of the competition. Like I said, don’t underestimate Togan.” Vaeril stood up, pointing toward the beautiful scenery beyond the window. “You will soon come to understand the reason why we have been stuck here for several years. But before I continue, do you remember receiving a map at the judgment gate?”
“Yeah, what about it?” Scott replied before Slim could.
Vaeril turned towards the duo. “Did you study it? Can you recall anything about it?” The elf's eyes lit up expectantly as he silently observed Scott and Slim.
“We took a quick look, but we didn't pay much attention to it,” Scott admitted without hesitation. “Is there anything special about the map?”
The expectations in the elf's eyes instantly disappeared, replaced by a somewhat pitiful gaze that only lasted a second. Vaeril turned around again, sighing as he rearranged his loose hair strands.
“It seems you are destined to suffer the same fate as us,” the elf whispered, his voice audible enough for both champions to hear. “That map is one of the keys to leaving this place. But as you know, you no longer have access to your inventory.”
“One of the keys?” Slim repeated. “What else do you need?”
Vaeril turned toward the duo, a dry smile on his face. “Luck, and a lot of it.”
Both Scott and Slim frowned. The elf's words were too vague and mysterious.
“Before traversing the sea, you participated in the forest maze, right?” Vaeril suddenly asked.
“Yeah,” Slim replied. “Is the same thing going to happen here?”
“We wouldn't be stuck here if that were the case,” Vaeril chuckled softly. “Remember those abominations acting as guardians?”
Slim and Scott nodded simultaneously.
“Well, I can confidently tell you those creatures are like innocent babies compared to what you'll see on a full moon.”
“You keep mentioning that. What happens on a full moon?” Scott interjected.
“That's when all hell breaks loose,” Vaeril said with a wry smile. “These beautiful streets before you will be drenched in the blood of the courageous, and those foolish enough to challenge the maze. It's also the only night you regain access to the full benefits of your status screen.”
“Wait, if you can access your inventory during a full moon, wouldn't most of you have pulled out your maps?” Slim asked, an ominous sense of foreboding filling the mind of the necromancer.
Vaeril sighed, shaking his head, and took his seat again, pouring another glass of wine. “It's useless,” he said before taking a sip. Then, he pointed towards the shelf at the far corner of the spacious office. “All those books you see there. Those are the maps we've gathered over the years. Every one of them is blank. We researched various methods to reactivate them, but it's impossible. So, we concluded; anyone who hasn't memorized the map before starting the third trial is fated to die or remain in Togan until the end.”
Vaeril sighed deeply, swallowing another mouthful of wine.
“On the bright side, you can live peacefully here without fearing you'd be killed or plotted against. There's a continuous supply of food, water, and all other basic amenities. The rest we can make on our own. Which brings me to the second major point of discussion.”
Vaeril emptied his cup a second time while opening the drawer once more. This time, he retrieved three books, placing them gently on the table.
“These will help you get familiar with the rules. So, I'll be skipping that part,” Vaeril said, sliding the books over to the duo. “I'm sure you must have noticed that we all wear different brooches.”
Scott and Slim nodded as they reached for the rulebook.
“Good, that will make this easier to explain. In simple terms, each one represents a faction within the city. You're advised to visit the headquarters of each faction and consider if their principles align with yours before deciding to join them. Mind you, it's not compulsory one must choose a faction; however, I wouldn't advise you to remain without one. As someone who will probably spend the rest of my life here, I can guarantee that you won't survive your first full moon if you do something as asinine as that.”
Vaeril poured himself another glass while Scott and Slim silently perused the thick paperback. “So, any questions? By the way, aren't you guys going to drink your wine? You're missing out,” Vaeril smiled, savoring another mouthful of wine.
Scott raised his head to meet Vaeril. Since arriving in the third district, Hastur's gaze had ceased revealing the status screens of those he encountered. “You still haven’t said anything about the rulers of this place. Should I assume you’re intentionally avoiding the topic?”
“There really isn’t much to say. I’m not ashamed to admit it, but I have no idea who controls Togan,” Vaeril took another sip before continuing. “No one has seen them, or even wants to meet them. If you don’t break any rules, you won’t have any business with them either. They're more interested in maintaining peace in the city than anything else. Any more questions?”
“When is the next full moon?” Scott asked.
A smile bloomed on Vaeril’s face as he regarded the eldritch knight. “The night of the full moon only happens once a month. The next one is in thirty days.”
Vaeril emptied his cup once more before standing. “Take your time to digest the contents of our discussion. I’ll be attending to the other newcomers. Please, don’t hesitate to call the attention of my colleagues should you need anything. Once again, welcome to Enchanted Heights. I hope you have a long and pleasant stay.”
The elf left the wine jar on the table before strolling out of the office in slow steps, gently closing the door as he departed.
“Buddy, how fucked are we?” Slim suddenly asked.
Scott glanced at the skeleton before sighing. “If it’s on a scale of one to ten, then it’s a solid nine.”
“Fuck!”