"...Yea. Tastes like shit too." Cliff thought aloud before going for another handful. He drank the shit-tasting water until he felt it swirl around in his stomach. Forgetting to breathe for the past minute or so, Cliff fell on his ass and grasped for air. Although he was thirsty as hell, the water didn't feel nearly as refreshing as he thought it would. Even if he did drink more than his fill he felt slightly unsatisfied. Now that he was no longer thirsty though, his hunger was taking higher precedence in his mind.

'I feel a lot less fatigued now, I want to search around this opening more.' As Cliff was thinking this he was simultaneously attempting to get up. Now that he had water in him he felt a little stronger... yet much heavier. It took him a long moment to get up. Once he was, he walked around the pond and mentally noted that the majority of the opening was circular. There was a small opening to the left of were he entered, and a larger opening directly straight ahead from where he came. He also noticed that the further away from the tree he got, the colder it felt. 'This whole scene is still so surreal...' It took quite a bit of determination to focus on the task at hand rather than observe the hypnotically beautiful features of the landscape before him.

As Cliff approached one edge of the cave he saw something that resembled moss. It was too high up for him to see too clearly but as he saw it he remembered seeing something about some moss being safe to eat. He already too the risk with the water, so why not take a similar risk now? With the amount of hunger he felt there was no way that he wouldn't eat that moss if he could.

'Hmm, now how do I get up there? I could try to pile some dirt up until I reach... nah. It looks like it's at least 10 to 15 feet up...' Starting to think that he would have to search somewhere else he glanced back at the tree. The semi-transparent fish were still slinking around the tree in inconsistent forms and caught Cliff's passing glance. He observed the tree from afar seemingly in a trance. When he snapped out of it he felt as if he had been standing there for a really long time... because he now had to piss like hell.

Having stared at the tree for a while Cliff noticed that there were limbs and branches scattered around the rocks around the base of it. 'If I can get a long enough one maybe I can score some of the moss.' Cliff shortly pondered on this before getting to the edge of the pond to look and see underneath the water. He saw that it was probably 3 feet(~1 meter) deep. He then went over to one of the lily pads to inspect it, with everything else he didn't expect it to be normal. But, contrary to his expectations it was fairly mundane. It was definitely large, but other than that it seemed like a normal lily pad. Cliff had liked to ride paddleboats and canoes when he was younger and one of the lakes he had frequented had a load of lily pads and he vividly remembered how they looked and felt. 'The flower is much larger in comparison so it must be very light... or maybe the stem is a lot stronger...' Cliff thought this as he lifted the edge of one of the pads with a lotus on it. He was shocked when it didn't budge and saw that the stem was very thick, about 1/2 a foot(~0.15 meters), but had large holes dispersed throughout. 'I guess it makes sense if it has to support this huge flower, but what's up with the holes? Does it need ventilation or something? Whatever, it looks like it should be safe to swim, and it feels pretty warm.' As Cliff felt the water he felt the anticipation to get in the water.

Cliff took off his cloak and the rest of the gauze wrapped around his body, resting the book under his cloak. He noticed that there were wrinkles and sort-of stretch marks that lightly resembled burns around his legs and torso. He felt around them and nothing seemed to hurt but it was jarring to see himself like this. Nonetheless, the task at hand and his determination distracted him from wondering about this for now, and he dipped his toe in the water. The bottom felt like a gritty and slimy mud. 'Ugh, feels like a bog. At least I'm not falling through or anything.' Cliff started to trudge through the water until he reached the base of the tree. As he got there the fish seemed to have noticed him and swiftly approached him. Around half-a-dozen smaller ones started to swim in the air around him, some catching his hands and even passing through parts of his body. It surprised him initially but when they went through his body he felt slightly warm where it entered and left. With the comforting atmosphere taking control, Cliff started to sit down on a higher-placed rock and wash himself off, the light fish never leaving him alone. 'You guys are really pretty, huh. I'm not doing anything wrong am I?' Cliff nervously thought as he finished washing off. After getting a sturdy looking limb in the water that was reminiscent of a walking stick, we slowly walked back over to the land and sat on the edge with his feet in the water until the rest of his body was dry.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

After wrapping the gauze around his feet in makeshift socks/shoes and around his legs and crotch, Cliff put his cloak back on. He noticed that he could see bizarrely well now, even part-way down the nearest opening. 'That's very weird... after staring at a computer for ages my eyes definitely don't adjust well to light changes... I'll get some of that moss first and foremost.' He walked over to the wall where he saw the moss and scraped the stick against it until a couple handfuls were on the ground. Cliff grabbed the scraps of moss and brought it to the pond to wash it off and inspect it.

He saw that it was mostly green with small specks of purple and black that reminded him of the starshade flowers. Cliff bent his head down to smell it when he noticed one of the incorporeal fish sheepishly swim over to the moss in his hands. It floated around and through his hands before something evaporated out of the moss, leaving a strong smell of burnt grass or leaves. Cliff winced a bit at the sudden and strong scent but quickly went to inspect it once again,. Revealing that there were no longer any black specks, rather there were now only small yellow and purple ones.

Cliff mind was spinning at the possibilities of what just happened, but hunger overtook and he started to chow down on the moss in his hands with abandon. It tasted terrible, about how one would expect, but he was so starved that he scarfed the whole handful down in under a minute. Cliff wanted to throw up the entire time because of the foul taste, but his desire to not feel this extreme hunger any longer gave him the perseverance to get it all down... albeit he did gag quite a few times.

Sitting down and feeling the desire to throw up subside, his mind started to wander. 'What are these fish? I thought that they were just a hunger-induced hallucination or an effect of the light of the rocks reflecting off of the water, but they seem to have an... instinct? Will? Sentience? I'm not sure, but they don't seem harmful or to mind me all that much...' As Cliff's mind started to drift off while gazing at the fish, his eyes slowly closed as he fell asleep.

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Day 2.

Dear Diary,

I had a pity party yesterday, but I recovered quickly and had an eventful day today! (✿◠‿◠)

I was able to wander around 'The Cave of Hidden Ordeals' a bit more today and stumbled into something quite amazing!! |･ω･｀)

I found a tree! And not just any tree, a variant of a 'Marine Tree of Foreboding Light,' a tree that was modified by germinating a seed from

an 'Underwater Tree of Light' from the submerged forests surrounding Merfolk villages, with the blood of a strong Tree-kin light mage. (⌐▀͡ ̯ʖ▀)\

Something that could have only come into creation form the Bark-and-Water Treaty that was formed between the two races over 200 years ago.

I found a branch from the marine tree of foreboding light! This wood is extremely sturdy and light, even completely resistant to water damage.

I should definitely hold onto this! (♥ω♥*)

"Item Get! Branch from the Marine Tree of Foreboding Light from The Cave of Hidden Ordeals."

I drank some of the ancient water and it was terrible! (ノ_<、) I also ate some of the 'Spiked Moss' that I found, after it was purified by one of the wisps of light luckily.

If I had eaten it beforehand I would have been super sick... ( - _-)

When I was taking a bath, one of the wisps sensed by anxiety and gave me it's blessing! (◯Δ ◯ ∥) Luck truly is on my side!

"Empty Blessing Get! Eyes of Adaptation (1/8); Requirement of use: Good Personal Hygiene and Water"

My lonesome cave life is starting to look up hehe~ ଘ(੭ˊᵕˋ)੭* ੈ✩‧˚

Important Items: Blessings: 1. Diary Empty: Eyes of Adaptation (1/8) (Rq. Good Personal Hygiene and Water)

2. Branch from a Marine Tree of Foreboding Light

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