Legacy of the M'Zee Chapter 20

*** AUTHOR'S NOTE ***

I would love to be able to keep doing this, 3 chapters a week. Unfortunately, still got a day job, at least for now! Y'all's support here and in giving reviews on my books helps make the day I can write full time approach ever faster. 

A wild Tower of Trials has appeared! 

*** AUTHOR'S NOTE ***

A tower stretched into the sky in the center of the divine territory. Just last night, the shimmering barrier allowed us to vaguely see that the forest continued into the distance. Now, though, there was a massive clearing, easily a kilometer in diameter, with a hundred-meter wide tower poking upward from the center. I couldn’t see the top, as it disappeared into a haze.

“Pack up,” I said, rolling my bedroll up.

“That was not there yesterday,” Jon said.

“Nope,” Bridget exclaimed, laughing. “Are you surprised?”

“Not really. Was kind of hoping for a more normal hike through the woods to find a small tower. Not, that,” he gestured at the structure that was taller than any other he’d ever seen. It was comparable with many of the skyscrapers in Denver.

It only took everyone five minutes to get fully packed, and we all snacked on food cooked last night. A bedraggled group of excited teenagers from four different races slung our packs on and marched out, excited babble filling the air.

The ground between the forest and the tower was perfectly smooth, a lush carpet of grass cushioning our steps, even Prince Gunther’s stomping boots almost perfectly muffled. The grass was the deepest green of Wood Aether, but to my sight was almost entirely empty of Aether. The Aether in the air swirled around, forming a whirlpool that dwarfed anything I’d ever seen before, with the sole exception of the Jellyfish of Doom.

As we got closer, everyone else began to feel the massive quantities of Aether that the tower was absorbing. What had started as an excited march quickly turned into a wary advance. No one had drawn weapons, yet, but various techniques were charged and ready to be launched. I warily looked around, but didn’t see anything threatening.

When we were fifty meters from the tower, it flared white. After a second, black swallowed the light, and then a pale grey person appeared floating in front of us. They were clothed with a fancy robe and a crown. Their androgynous face was elfin, with high cheekbones and wide eyes, and their long hair hung freely behind them. A few blasts from those around me met the person, and went through them like they weren’t there.

“Welcome to the Tower of Trials,” they said, their voice melodious, completely ignoring the attack. “Here you will be tested for your suitability for my people’s Inheritances.” I could hear the capital letter on that last wor. Unfortunately, they were speaking in a language I was quite sure no one else spoke anymore.

“Uh, forgive my interruption, senior,” I said, making sure to engage the ability that Darkness had given me so long ago. I stepped ahead of everyone else. “But I am the only person here who can speak the language we speak now.”

The apparition twitched, and I saw a large flow of Aether move from the tower to it. “The language of the M’Zee has been forgotten? But it was the main language spoken by every civilized race,” the figure said while drifting closer to me.

“I am sorry, senior,” I said softly. “Before today, I had never heard the name of the M’Zee, and knew of them only as people who left ruins for mine to explore. I only speak this tongue due to a blessing from a deity.”

“A deity? Was it Knowledge or Trickery?” The Aether ghost sneered.

“Uh, Darkness, senior,” I said nervously.

The apparition recoiled, “I am sorry, blessed child, I did not know.”

“I didn't even know there were deities named Knowledge or Trickery,” I said. “We only know of the Elemental Deities, with all but Darkness and Light lost to protect the world from a catastrophe.”

More Aether flowed, and the elf dropped to the ground in front of me. Their face moved from concern to deep sorrow. “I remember now. The younger deities died to stop the incursion of Chaos, but another was opened by the harpies.” It seemed to take a deep breath, though no air moved as a result. “That makes the successful transfer of our Inheritances more important than ever. Godblessed, may I take the knowledge of languages from you, to better conduct these trials? You will be rewarded after your trial if you agree.”

“Sure,” I said.

The elf nodded, then held out their hands. I reached out as well, and when our hands touched the ghost vanished into me. I felt a pressure in my head, and worked to not fight it. I remembered learning to speak Craesti, the many discussions with Ma and Pa as I fought to not use the translation ability. Halting speech, misused words, accidental insults, and all the other hijinks of learning a new language while in your teens.

Over and over, I reviewed speeches and writing, before finally the ghost flowed out of me again. “Thank you,” they said, this time in perfect Craesti.

I nodded shakily, my mind exhausted. I noticed after a few seconds that my Aether had dropped precipitously. I took a few steps back when the elf floated back into the air. Vaya and Jamila grabbed my arms, and I felt two waves of Aether shoot into me from them. “I’m fine, just tired. They needed to learn to speak Craesti.”

“Do not worry us like that,” Jamila said.

The elf repeated their first announcement, this time in Craesti so everyone would understand. I only then realized that everyone was able to speak our language. I’ll ask Aleks later why the Volk, Topraki, and Ashkhas use our language as the common one.

“Each of you will be tested in many ways,” the apparition continued. “Your ability to solve puzzles, your values and quick judgements, as well as your combat capability. You will have the option to complete crafting trials as well.” They gestured, and the closest side of the tower morphed to have a large, ornate gateway. “Enter once you are ready.”

“Uh, senior,” Ming asked, defaulting to a gender neutral honorific. “What is the penalty for failing?”

“Most trials within the tower have no penalty,” they answered. “They simply mark the end of your journey in one realm of the tests. Some, though, can result in significant injury or death. This is especially true the higher you go. It is believed that only with your life on the line will you truly reach your truest potential.”

The elf drifted to the side after that pronouncement and gestured at the entryway. “Please, enter if you wish to partake in the trials. May Light guide your path.” They stopped moving, not responding to the light wind or any questions from then on.

“Promise me you’ll stop or forfeit if you get close to your limits,” I said suddenly.

“Why?” Vaya asked.

“I know you will be able to go far, and that is where the danger lies, according to them,” I pointed. “So, please drop out when things get too much, okay?”

“Only if you do the same,” Jamila said. “I know you. You are going to target the very top. You have to be willing to drop out if we are.”

I laughed, a mirth-less bitter laugh, “I know. All I can do I guess is wish you luck, and rest knowing that you are all amazing. Please, be safe.” I gave them both hugs, then walked over to Aleks. “While I didn’t press it with Vaya and Jamila, I would like a promise from you to drop out of the trials when they get dangerous.”

“Oh, am I more important than they are?” Aleks asked, turning away from Milenna, who shook her head knowingly at me.

“Yes, in an objective sense,” I said. “To me, no, you are all equal, but I don’t think Craesti would do well if you died.”

“I know, but I need to be strong enough to protect my kingdom too,” she said, “and your own death would be just as devastating.”

“Craesti did just fine without me,” I said.

“Yes, but Darkness, one of our two gods, chose you to save our world. That includes my kingdom,” Aleks said. “Not to mention what it would do to my heart. If you failed to come back, it would deeply disappoint and hurt your princess.”

“I will endeavor to come back, putting my all into every trial to ensure positive results,” I said.

No one had entered yet, everyone dithering as they watched the others. The stalemate was broken when Prince Gunther, Sezhade (name), and Princess Aleksandra stepped forward together. The Topraki heir was watching and evaluating, unwilling to risk themselves first.

The heirs paused, and I just shook my head. “Fine, follow me,” I yelled out, leaping over Aleks’s head and sprinting into the entrance. Shouts followed me, but I just laughed and waved.

The entrance engulfed me, and a film of Aether that I could barely perceive, even with my Aether Sight, engulfed me. Five steps later, I was in a small atrium that had four hallways leading out of it. There was a wall behind me, not the entrance I’d walked through, or thought I did anyway. “What in Light happened?” I asked out loud, looking around.

The first hallway to my left had a placard with a cauldron bubbling on it. To its right the hallway had a pen and quill. Straight ahead was a sign with a sword being hammered, while to the right was a plant growing from soil. “I guess the first test is about crafting,” I said. “Though maybe the plant is Herbology?”

I glanced back and forth between the hallways, then shrugged and walked down the cauldron one. “Alchemy is my strong suit, even if I’d do okay at Herbology and Inscription.”

After only three steps down the hallway, my surroundings warped and I was suddenly standing in a small room. On the wall were four shelves. On them were dozens of bottles full of various plants. To the right hand side of the room was a closed door, and next to it was a small Alchemy set, including a burner, a cauldron, and a mortar and pestle set.

A small desk set on the left wall held an unrolled scroll. I walked over to it, partially expecting gibberish. It read:

Read and comprehend the recipe. Prove your comprehension by creating a single serving. You have two turns of the glass.

An hourglass appeared and started to slowly drain. I watched for a few seconds, then nodded. “About two hours. Doable, I hope.” I thought for a second. “Spirit of the M’Zee, uh, senior, can I speak with you?”

“Yes,” they said, appearing in front of me.

“Um, first, may I ask your name? I am Kupiec Aiden, from the Craesti Kingdom,” I said, bowing deeply.

“Spirit is an appropriate mode of address in this language,” Spirit responded.

“Yes, Spirit,” I nodded. “You might want to get more languages from the Topraki, Ashkhas, and the Volk peoples. I’m not sure if they read my language as well as speak it.”

“Already accomplished, but thank you for speaking for your companions,” they responded.

“Additionally, what is approximately the time to complete the Tower? My master limited us to one month in the Divine Territory, of which we’ve used two weeks, because they cannot support the portal much longer than that,” I asked.

“The longest recorded attempt was three weeks, but why would your master have to hold open the portal?” Spirit asked.

“Should it be open anyway?” I asked.

“Hold,” it said and froze. The utter stillness of the apparition was unnatural and creepy. After a minute, they shimmered and dimmed. Another minute passed before they opened their eyes again, turning to look at me. “I did not ask before, but what are you?”

“Uh,” I looked at the androgynous being’s ears and eyes, so vastly different from my own, then said, “I am human.” I frowned, then continued, “We do not know of your people, other than as the source of some ruins. Until I entered the trial ground that showed your history, I had never heard of the harpies being real, and we only encountered a lamia for the first time a few months ago.”

“How long?” Spirit asked, grief and pain blending into their voice, the first emotion they’d shown.

“At least five hundred years,” I said. “The history that I learned did not mention your people, and mine arrived five hundred years ago or so.” I thought back to the murals, “Probably more than a thousand years.”

Spirit nodded. “That makes it more important that the Legacy of the M’Zee continue. I will not fail my people. Here, your reward for your assistance, and a plea for more.” Another scroll appeared on the edge of the table. Spirit gestured to it.

I reached over and picked it up, noticing that the hourglass had stopped and all of the sand had moved to the top again. I smiled, then opened the scroll. It was larger than I expected, opening to more than cover the entire table if I’d let it. Drawings of Inscriptions, stone blocks, and alloys of metal described in excruciating detail covered the paper.

“My plea, fix the portals, allow more people to journey here and seek my people’s Legacy, that we may live on in your own memories,” Spirit said.

“This is worth so much more than what I gave you,” I said, gulping. “I don’t recognize any of those Inscriptions. This will expand our knowledge of Aether and space manipulation immensely. Thank you. I will see the portals fixed.”

“Good. Now, continue your trial,” Spirit said, then vanished.

I bowed to where they had been, then put away the portal scroll and opened the trial one. “Four portions of Sunny Dandelion, mixed with two of Scarlet Rosemallow and two of Swamp Rosemallow. Finely diced, then ground together. Take the mixture and add…” I read aloud. The end result was a powder, called the Meridian Fortification Mixture.

I had never heard of most of the ingredients, but when I moved to look at the shelves, the bottles were clearly labeled. “Huh, I guess this is easy mode,” I laughed, then quickly collected the ingredients. I found a set of knives underneath the table, and, after checking their sharpness, selected one.

Five minutes of chopping, my motions quicker and surer than any master chef from Earth, left me with a finely cut, almost powder to start with. I mixed it with three different liquids, stirring quickly in a metal bowl before dumping the mixture into the cauldron. A flare of Fire Aether heated it up, and I quickly brought it to a boil.

Tendrils of Water and Earth Aether were used to stir the mixture, with a specific method described in the scroll. It was very similar to what Librarian Narwan had taught me, with only minor differences in the Aether structure, so I picked it up quickly.

The liquid in the cauldron quickly vanished, leaving a dry residue behind. I hurriedly cooled the concoction, coating the cauldron with Ice Aether to draw the heat out of it. The resulting mixture was then ground in the mortar and set aside. Another three herbs were ground together and added to it. The resultant mixture was then singed over a flame, more drops of a honey-like substance, and then left to evaporate over five minutes.

Finally, the powder was done, and I scraped it out of the bowl into a few provided jars. A glowing circle appeared on the table next to the hourglass, which still had two-thirds of the sand in the top. I put one of the jars into the circle, and a beam of Aether dropped onto it from the ceiling. There were too many Elements closely intermingled for me to really perceive what was happening, with only the vaguest perception of a Lightning-Wood pairing being the main portion sticking with me.

The glowing circle turned blue, and the door opened. The jar in the circle was still there, so I quickly packed it and the other two up, then grabbed the recipe too. “Can I take this?” I asked. “I’ll take no answer as a yes.”

Spirit didn’t respond, and I grinned. The scroll went into my bag, and the powder jars were carefully packaged as well. I looked around, then quickly grabbed everything from the shelves as well. Don’t leave treasures behind, I thought. If they didn’t want the resources taken, they should have prevented me from doing so. I laughed softly to myself, then walked into the open door.