Zeke looked at the figure in the center of the room. It was roughly proportioned like a human, but clearly it was not. Zeke was pretty sure the thing in front of them was not even a living being. To make sure his assumptions were correct, he asked the figure in front of them, "Who are you?" The figure didn't even move a millimeter and for a moment, it seemed like there would be no response at all. But then, it answered in the same language as before, "Lingua ignota detecta. Hoc unitate non possumus respondere ad quaesitum tuum."
"What did it say?" Viola asked, curious.
"Hmm," Zeke mused, "something like: 'Unknown language found. This device is unable to provide a result to your search.' I don't know all the words it used, but that seems to be the core message. But don't worry, my ability to translate will get better the longer I can keep it talking." And with that, he turned back to the figure and began speaking to it in the same language it had just used. At first, it was halting and broken, but as the minutes passed, his proficiency grew.
Zeke struggled to keep his improved version of the [language comprehension] spell going for as long as he could, as he asked the figure all kinds of questions, determined to learn as much of the language as possible. As a result, he grew increasingly fluent in the language, which was apparently called 'Buée,' and learned some information about the nature of this place. But eventually, he could not sustain the spell any longer and collapsed forward, only to be caught by Viola. She asked him if he was okay, to which he replied that it was just the effect of using his magic and that he was fine. He then proceeded to share with her the information he had learned during his inquiry.
The room they were in was apparently one of the entrances to the city at the center of the Baumgarten underground empire. However, in Zeke's opinion, the title of "empire" was misleading, as they only had the one giant city and miles upon miles of tunnels surrounding it, hardly what he would call an empire. But he was beginning to suspect that the people who built this place were a little strange. He further explained to Viola that in order to enter the city, every person needed to complete a test. Viola then asked him what happened if they didn't pass the test.
As Zeke and Viola stood before the imposing figure, known now as Guardian 543, Zeke couldn't shake the feeling of unease. He had a sneaking suspicion that the test they needed to pass in order to enter the city, at the center of the Baumgarten underground empire, may not be as simple as it seemed. But he hadn't bothered to ask the Guardian what would happen if they failed.
The Guardian, true to form, took its time before answering Zeke's question. When it finally spoke, its words were nothing but gibberish to Viola. "Si non possis experimentum transire, nemo supervivet" it said.
Zeke cursed under his breath, the weight of the Guardian's words hitting him hard. "Well, at least we know where all those missing adventurers ended up now," he said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
Viola, however, who had no idea what the Guardian had said, wasn't following Zeke's logic. She asked, "Care to enlighten me?"
Zeke was a little embarrassed that he had forgotten to translate again, and he told her that the Guardian had said, "All that fail the test will be killed." The gravity of the situation was clear to them both, and they knew they needed to be thoroughly prepared if they wanted to pass the test and survive.
Viola then asked Zeke if he knew what the test would be like. Zeke nodded and told her that the Guardian would test if they would be able to withstand the mind magic of "the heart." Apparently, the heart was in the center of the city and will mind control people who are not strong enough to withstand it.
Zeke looked at Viola with worry in his eyes. He was not worried about himself, as a mind mage, he had a strong natural defense against all mind magic. But Viola did not, and that was what had him concerned. He knew that she would have to be extra careful during the test if she wanted to pass and survive. But the girl just smirked back at him. "What, you think I won't make it? My grandpa trained me to resist mind magic since I was a little kid. Don't worry, this test will be a breeze!" Despite her boisterous facade, Zeke could tell that she was a little worried, but he also knew that she would not back down from the challenge. So, he took her hand in his, and with a deep breath, he told the Guardian they were ready.
The moment the test began, Zeke felt a strange sensation wash over him. It was as if a million whispers were coming from every direction, yet he couldn't see where they were coming from. He looked around, trying to pinpoint the source of the voices, but it was as if they were coming from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. Despite the strange feeling, Zeke found that he was able to withstand the mental pressure of the voices. It was just a little bit annoying, if anything.
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But as he looked over at Viola, he could see that she was having a much harder time. Her hand was clenched tightly in his, and he could feel her tensing up the moment the test began. Sweat was beading on her forehead, and her face was etched with a look of utter concentration. He knew that this test was harder on her than it was on him, and he couldn't help but feel a pang of concern for her.
The minutes ticked by, and Zeke could feel the pressure building. It was as if the voices were getting louder and more insistent. He could see the strain on Viola's face, and he knew that she was struggling to keep up. The voices stopped, and there was a moment of silence before the Guardian spoke.
"Congratulations, on passing the test. You may enter the city now," it said in Buée.
Zeke let out a sigh of relief and looked over at Viola. She was still sweating and looked tired, but there was a sense of triumph in her eyes. Together, they turned and walked into the city, ready to uncover its secrets and explore the Baumgarten underground empire.
As Zeke and Viola walked deeper into the city, they were both taken aback by what they saw. They found themselves in a ruined wasteland of crumbling buildings and debris. The houses were carved out of the stone, and they all seemed to be facing inward, for some reason. Most of the buildings were severely damaged, and it was clear that the city had been abandoned for millenia.
But what truly surprised them was the presence of humans, they noticed that there were other people moving around the city. They were clearly adventurers, dressed in gear and weapons, searching through the houses and ruins. Zeke and Viola exchanged a confused look, wondering why they had not heard anything about this place in the guild if there were so many people already here.
As they continued to explore the ruins, they couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. This was not the grand underground empire they had imagined, but a forgotten and abandoned city, plundered by the adventurers that came before them. They couldn't help but wonder what had happened to the people who once lived here, and what had caused the city to fall into such a state of disrepair.
Despite the disappointment, Zeke and Viola exchanged a glance before they walked over to the group of adventurers that was closest to them. As they approached, the two men who were keeping guard outside tensed for a moment, but when they realized that it was only two kids coming over, they relaxed again.
"What's going on here?" Viola asked, her curiosity getting the best of her.
The man smirked, his gaze scanning the two youths. "Are you here for the first time?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice.
"This place, little miss, is known as the outer district of the city. You cannot enter this place unless you pass what we call 'the first test'. You two should be aware of that fact already," he continued, his tone becoming serious. "And let me tell you, all those who have passed the first test have agreed to keep quiet about this place, to avoid the competition that would come with the knowledge of its existence. Especially for when we all pass 'the second test'," he added, a hint of mystery in his voice.
Zeke and Viola looked at each other, both taken aback by this revelation. Zeke knew that 'the first test' must refer to the test against mind magic that they had just passed, but what was the second test then? He couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as he thought about the potential dangers that lay ahead. They couldn't help but wonder what the test entailed and how they could possibly pass it.
The man, sensing their confusion, offered to explain more about the test and how to pass it. "The test is a combination of physical, mental, and magical combat. Only the strongest and most skilled adventurers shall pass. Mark my words, this test is extremely dangerous and many have lost their lives trying to pass it," he warned, his eyes scanning Zeke and Viola.
"And I must make a request of the both of you. Promise me, that you shall not speak of this place once you have left. Agreed?" The two of them nodded, promising to keep the secret of this place.
"You may search all the houses here, but be warned, most of them have been picked clean by years of adventurers searching for treasures," the man added.
Zeke and Viola thanked the man for the information and began to explore the outer district of the city. As they walked through the streets, they couldn't help but feel a sense of awe at the ancient architecture and the intricate carvings that adorned the houses. They could see that the houses had once been grand and beautiful, but now they were nothing but ruins, their beauty long-lost to the ravages of time and human greed.
As they explored the houses, they found that the men had been right, most of the houses had already been picked clean. However, they did manage to find a few small trinkets and relics that had been overlooked by previous adventurers. They were excited by their finds, but they knew that they were insignificant compared to the treasures that they were sure lay hidden in the inner districts of the city.
As they explored the outer district, they couldn't help but think about the test that lay ahead of them. They knew that it would not be easy, but they were determined to pass it and uncover the secrets of the Baumgarten underground empire. They spent the rest of the day exploring the outer district and making preparations for the test, knowing that their journey to uncover the secrets of the city had only just begun.