Aporeu chronicles Issue 65: Gold Tier Ceremony 2
Stories from the adventurers
This week
Another group of adventurers became gold, You've all seen the manticore fight, here is the rest of the story.
Gold Tier Ceremony 2 by Ulfgar
(Editor’s note: This story was handed in on a pile of crumpled parchment, a lot very difficult to read. I would not know where to start correcting the main author. Forget it, I am leaving it as it is.) Last night ‘t was that time: tha ceremony to become a gold tier adv’nterer. At tha guild hall I met wi’ Cahir, Elena, Svæin an’Thamior, all destined ta become tha next batch o’ golds. We were led down ta tha basement or something beneat the guild hall, where we were met by a dwarf who could really stand ta see tha sun, named Ruzak Rumblebringer. Gloomy fellow by tha looks of him, but he seemed cheery enough. He welcomes us, and then fer each o’ us our name appeared above a door.. At least I think so, mine appeared in dwarfish, I saw oth’r scripts. (Editor’s note: The following pieces, like last time, seem to have been written by the other adventurers partaking in the ceremony.) Elena They say the ceremony is different for everyone. I do not know what the others encountered, but I can tell what I did. There is one thing more important to me than anything: protect those I care for, and those who cannot protect themselves. There is one thing I am scared of the most: failing to protect them. That, and my signature move of course. I walked into the doorway with my name written over it. In gnomish - I always liked that language, it has something sprightly and sturdy in it, and somehow the cave knew. I seemed to walk into the monastery where I grew up. It was a happy enough place, a place where I found people who cared and who saw me, even when my parents just ditched me there. But here in the cave, it was different. The people praying in the temple there didn’t look, didn’t see me and the little girl standing there. She was … vague, then looking like a strange child, then like my dear Janet, and then like a girl I helped rescuing. She was scared, because ‘he was coming to get her’. To make a long story short, ‘he’ was a black knight-like figure. He told he was failure personified, and he was pretty hard to beat. After some failed attempts to stop him (see? Failure can be just part of the job!) I convinced the girl not to be scared of him, because failure is part of life. It helps us to grow and become better at what we do. She managed to wriggle free, and changed into my dear friend Jaykath, who pointed out he should have a weak spot in his armor. And lo and behold, I found it! I just had to … yes, you guessed it, I had to kick him in the balls! When I did so, he dissolved. Failure overcome. The girl, now looking like Janet again, walked to the altar with me, where a beam of light changed my dear old quarterstaff into one of light. Cahir Part of our ceremony was to prove ourselves. So prove we did. I entered the hallway with my name on it. For some reason it was written in elvish. I wonder why. Entering the pathway I went through a spiral staircase with steps made out of marble, a red carpet draped over top. It feels like ages pass by while descending the steps. Finally I managed to reach the bottom of the steps. I had arrived in a foyer of a lavish, but poorly maintained mansion. The paint was chipped, tapestries threadbare, and the woodwork was rotten. My eyes moved toward the center of the entrance hall. Oh Mergen, how wonderful! I was delighted to see a large black tree covered with small white flowers growing from its twisted branches. My benefactor, my saviour, my love… It was standing right in front of me, albeit not as large and magnificent as the one I saw in my dreams. I was entranced by, as I walked closer to it and put my hands on it I could see it growing through the flagstones of the floor. It warmed my heart to know that she is watching over me anywhere and anytime. Upon looking around I noticed a portrait of a man and wife and beyond it several doors. Beneath the portrait I saw a nameplate with the names Bertha and Luther on them, they appeared to be some kind of nobility. After investigating most of the doors they appeared to be mostly empty. Only the office was of interest. A glass display caught my eye and in it a severed head. It was Bertha’s head to be precise. How ironic, it reminds me of my shrunken head of Leoni. Oh Leoni, you… you are special. Recently I had decided to let only her accompany me. I want to understand how she felt slaughtering the innocent. The feelings, the emotions, the rush, the ecstasy that she felt. I WANT TO KNOW. She… She is the closest one resembling them. I want to understand… Suddenly Bertha’s head began to talk, but she would not say more until I transformed into Luther. Yes she was talking with me. I also talk to my Leoni, but she mostly stays silent. This one however spoke non stop. She asked for me to remove the black tree growing in the house. Why would I? She spoke of corruption, of evil coming from the tree. Was this a test from my benefactor, is she testing my faithfulness? I could not sense any deceit or malice from the head. When I got back to the tree I could not sense anything from it. I wondered why I should destroy it, it can not be that such a beautiful object could be the cause of corruption. Bertha began to scream and ramble about shattering the tree, destroying it and stopping the corruption. If that is what you want from me my love, then I will do so! I summoned forth loud thunderous noises and caused the thick and hard skin of the tree to shatter. And then I went in to finish the deal with my sword. As I hacked in the exposed tree I saw it bleeding from the gashes I left behind. And then I felt it. I sensed the tree in pain, in agony. How? Why? I immediately stopped hurting the tree any more than I already did. I glared at Bertha’s severed head, was it even talking to me? Did I really have that conversation? Impossible… I was deceived! I hurt her, I felt it the pain of the everlasting tree within my heart. In my anger I smashed down the severed head as I yelled “You demon” and stabbed it with my gifted rapier, in order to show my faith. Please Mergen forgive me for I have sinned yet again… Suddenly the broken and shattered bark of the tree twisted and turned and it seemed to heal itself while also opening up a pathway leading down. I caressed the bark of the tree while shedding some tears. Tears of joy, tears of repentance. She had not forsaken me… When I reached the bottom of the stairs I entered a pitch black room. Why is it always the darkness? I hate it, I resent it… I… fear it. I immediately grabbed a torch from my bag of holding and lit it up. The only thing in this place was a large mirror. In it I saw myself but my reflection was wearing a cloak. A beautiful black cloak, decorated with patterns of roots and silvery flowers. So beautiful and elegant, almost unbefitting to see it on me. I went closer and closer. Reaching the mirror I put my hand on it. It felt weird, as if I pressed on a thick wet substance. I felt my hand push through a bit, as did my reflection wearing the cape. I could see my face, it was looking at me in a condescending way. Did I also look that way? How strange… I could also see the shameful scar on the left side of my face. Ignoring everything I pressed on. I felt it. I needed to reach the other side. It was beckoning to me. First my fingers, then my hand, my forearm and suddenly I felt entirely through. I stumbled forth and checked myself. I was me but I was wearing that cloak now. What about the person on the other side? I peered into the reflection and saw the thing that was supposed to be me grinning at me, it’s lips almost a slit from ear to ear. Still feeling a bit disoriented, I touched the left side of my face. It was gone! The thing again copied me. But it was touching the wrong side. Being confused I touched the right side of my face. My scar was… mirrored. No, my entire body was mirrored. And then it left, I could not go back anymore. So I pushed on and exited through the wooden door behind me and arrived at the place where I started with the rest of the ceremony participants waiting for me. Still a bit dazed and wondering what happened I joined the next stage. Was I still me? What about that thing in the mirror? Am I still in the same place? Are the people around me the same? Svæin Me go down tunnel, me find boat, me sail to Thors cave, me swim a bit, me find Island, me find cave, need to prove myself, me smash rock, me proved myself, me earn arrow holder. Thamior When i stepped through my door, I found myself in a hallway which soon changed into a forest full of smells and sounds of a real forest. I thought of Alyr when stepping into the forest because of the flowers and for a moment I forgot I was in a building. When investigating the flowers growing in the forest, Burell, the bear who saved me all those years ago, came to me. At that moment I remembered my quest and the test I had to face. I bowed to him in respect and acknowledgement and Burell bowed back to me. He mentioned me to follow him through the forest and without specifically waiting for me, he started walking. I immediately decided to follow; he never led me astray.
For a small time we walked and we came to the edge of the forest. In the distance I saw a city and Burell motioned for me to go there, so I went, unknown of what I would find there. The journey there didn’t take long. It seemed my steps were the size of a hundred steps at once and soon after leaving the forest, I found myself at the gates of the city. It was full of people and the further I walked in, the harder it became to walk normally through the streets, until my eye fell on a known face.
Further in the crowd Ilyrana was standing, as beautiful as ever and still as young as when I left her. I wanted to get to her whatever it took and I started shoving my way through the crowd, but the closer I got, the more people were pressing together and there was no way I could reach her, so I called out for her and ask her to come to me, but she did not move. The sounds on the street were also very loud and I could not hear what she was saying to me, but I could see her mouth moving and I read the words from her lips. She wanted me to go back, to where my future lay. I could not.
I turned around in the crowd, looking for a way to get to her, by circling around the crowd and trying to get to her by another side, but it had the same effect. The closer I got to her, the denser the people were walking until I could not get any further towards Ilyrana. So I decided to make myself as small as I could and changed into a mouse, scurrying over feet, behind legs and getting to Ilyrana as fast as I could. I am glad I did not get stepped on, seeing the amount of legs I had to pass, before getting to her.
When I got close, she put her hands to the ground, so I could get on them and she lifted me to her face, again telling me to go back to the forest, because that was where my life was. Her words did hurt a little, but deep inside I knew she wasn’t real and I couldn’t stay with her. So when she put me down, I immediately changed back into myself and gave her a hug before leaving her on the streets, in the middle of the crowd, which pushed me away again.
I went back to the forest directly and again found Burell waiting for me at the edge of the forest. He took me in and led me to a great oaken tree. It was beautiful and I touched it, got to feel its memories, make a connection. Burell pressed his front paw on the bottom of the bark and when it left the tree, there was a paw print visible. Burell motioned for me to put my hand on it and so I did. The tree responded to my touch and something was pushed into the palm of my hand, causing my hand to close. When I pulled back, there was a wooden insignia in my hand with the paw print of Burell. The Oaktree pulled back further, showing a wooden door in its core. I opened it, stepped through and found myself again in another room,large and rectangular, with huge double doors.
(Editor’s note: The main author’s story continues from here.)
I rushed through tha door through a long straight hallway, carved with geometric shapes and sharp angles. Prop’r dwarven halls there are beneath the guild hall and I ne’er realised. Tha hall ended in a small square room, tha walls carved wi’ reliefs of anvils, forges, and tha stern disapprovin’ looks o’ ma ancesters, an’ tha otha dwarfs back home. In tha middle was a platform hanging from tha ceiling by chains, a level on top o’ it. Tha’ looked familiar, like in that necropolis, so I just got on, and pulled tha lever.
Goin’ doon I found mahsel’ in tha comf’rtable heat of a good forge, and by the fire I saw a curious being; A Dwarven smith made of bronze, hair an’ beard formed by fire shootin’ outta him. I greeted ‘im in Dwarfish as is proper. He turned ta me and we spoke, he told me his name was Keldrin, an’ tha I was in ‘is forge. He asked ‘bout mah weapons, I had ta admit only mah warhammer ‘Words’ was made by me. He took it, and admired it, tellin’ me it was almost tha pinnacle of wha’ mankind can do. Almost.. Pah, but I remained calm, thanking him for that insult.
‘owever he also told me he could help improve it further, but for that ‘e needed mah help. I was ta go through a door an’ collect vigilite, but he did warn me that ‘they would try tae stop me’.
After goin’ through tha door I soon found mahsel’ in a dank swamp, surrounded by some gnarled trees. Off in tha distance I saw tha pale blue glow that Keldrin had told mah ta find so off I went. Walkin’ was hard tae do, tha tar like sludge sucking at mah boots, but eventually I got close tae tha glow, only tae hae mah path blocked by the sludge growin’ up in pillars in front o’ me.
After a bit, the shapeless pillars shifted to look like people I know and call friends. Orla, Q, Rurik, Dr. Vasilievski, Jade and Alyr were all lookin’ at me, an’ all blocking mah passage. Hesitant tae harm them even knowing they were nae real I first tried tae run around them, but they kept shiftin’ an’ blockin’ mah passage.
Eventually I had tae find a way through, so I decided tae try fightin’ ‘m. Seein’ I had seen ‘m form from mud I was sure they were nae really mah friends. First I attacked the image of Jade, as the Jade I know ne’er shuts up, so I knew verrrah sure that this wasnae her! As I struck her I got wrecked with doubt n pain, but tha form did vanish. I ended up strikin’ at tha others, each vanishin’ without a sound but wreckin’ mah brain, untill only Alyr an’ Orla were left over.
When I next struck out, I hit tha image of Alyr, which.. was diff’rent. She screamed out in pain an’ tha image of Orla looked… disapproving at me. I told her I knew they were nae really mah friends, but tha’ I was still sorry, as I retried tha ore and headed back tae tha smith.
Back at tha smithy Keldrin took tha ore an’ crush it o’ er tha flames, then took mah warhammer, and using his ancient, mysterious techniques he reforged ‘er an’ improved ‘er. But she was still mine, including mah master mark! He told me she will watch o’er me like I watch o’er what I make.
Aft’r thanking him I made my way on, and found mahsel’ back wi’ mah fellow adventurers in a room with large, double doors, where we were greeted by Ruzak again. We had anoth’r test tae go, an’ we heard a crowd assembled outside tha doors allready.
Before we managed tae go oot, Thamior mentioned something about Dr. Vasilievski an’ Phaedra having passed awa’. I didnae know wha’ tae say, ta be honest.. Bu’ they will be missed.
As we walked out inta tha big octagonal arena I saw 4 towers, 2 left an’ 2 right, each set with a bridge between ‘m. Thamior warned us o’ some shifty lookin’ sand ahead as tha doors opposite opened up an’ a big beasty came oot, a body like a lion, but wi’ dragon’s wings and lookin’ a bit human in the head. I hear ‘t was called a mant’core.
As Elena rushed inta battle she ran forward, so did Svæin, when suddenly skeletons started risin’ from tha ground at tha spots Thamior had indicated. Good eye that man. I slammed tha skeleton behind mah, watchin’ it crumple to tha floor even as I rushed the other, next ta Thamior, feeling tha red haze fill mah heed and slamming that one ta bits a’well.
Tha manticore flew up o’course, afraid o’us, an’ it then sent spikes from it’s tail ta some of the others. Elena did something tha’ caused a flash from ‘er staff and tha beasty missed, no’ seeming to really know where they were anymore.
As skeletal archers appeared inside tha towers and two other beasties I know from Jurassea came runnin’ oot tha fight got real innerestin’. Elena vaporised a few o’ tha archers wi’ her holy magic, I saw Svæin kill one of th’ other skeletal soldiers on tha’ ground but I kindda lost sight o’ tha fight as I went off to greet one of them new beasties. After I hit it a few times it tried tae run awa’ but I wouldnae let it, trippin’ it up efore it could even rightly turn aroond. O’ course it then ‘it me, but couldnt manage ta get ta me.
Aftah I killed tha beasty (I think tha announcer guy called ‘m Rhenoplause or summthin’) I rushed up ta help Thamior with tha Manticore, killin’ it after having a few Words wi’ it. Aft’r tha’ it was moppin’ up time, clearin’ out tha rest o’ tha skeletons, and some surprise beasts Surron conjured up, a big wolfy and a lion. I act’ally had tae run through a ball o’ fire tae get tae tha lion, strikin it doon.
Than all there was was one more archer, on a tower all tha wa’ on tha other side o’ tha arena. While I have gotten faster I couldnae reach it, though I did shoot it a couple o’ times wi’ mah fancy repeatin’ crossbow.
Finally, tha fight was o’er and we ‘ad proven our worth. We were assembled down in tha middle, and each given our gold tier badges, and allowed to say a few words. However Ruzak did dampen tha mood a bit by announcin’ tha deaths o’ Doctor V. and Phaedra, so when mah turn came I had tae promise a party at tha Hog’s Head, tae celebrate and remember their lives, and get tha mood back up.
O’ course, afterwards there was also a party at tha guild hall, but that was a it of a subdued affair.
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