"Deep forest, not easy. Stay close, I lead."
That was what I said to them right before we began our trek.
We walked fast.
No dilly-dallying.
The things I taught, like stepping softly, reading the terrain and checking the vicinity, were as natural as breathing to them now.
I didn't need to badger them about it now.
We went past the lighter forest and into the twisted chasm.
The air got heavier, but they didn't complain like rookies.
That's because they're not rookies anymore.
They're my little death squad now.
Of course, at the sight of the eeriness, they made comments of their own, but they never once stopped moving with me or hesitating.
We hid, crouched, crawled, sprinted, walked, and ran when necessary.
Avoiding any and all things that I spotted that were dangerous to me.
No, not just dangerous to me, but to them.
It seemed my previous theory about Survivalist's Instinct being able to detect danger for others was true.
Maybe it's because I saw them as allies?
Whatever it is, it's a good feature to have and know about.
We searched and searched, but we didn't find any 'artifact' or even just plain material exclusive to this part of Quietus that we could take back.
It was all either too dangerous or too unknown to be taken.
It was at that point that I remembered a location that might have something good for us prepared; the ruins.
Maybe that puzzle thing could be moved and brought along, or even the mere information that ruins existed here was good enough.
Either way, the ruins were the only option I could think of, and so I led them there.
I led them straight to the archway of the ruins, but I stopped right before we entered.
I looked at the spot where I killed the Void-Stag.
The ground was just dirt, but I remembered the shadow-dust mixing with the gravel right there.
I nodded towards its direction, a stoic look on my face.
We meet again, Steremy.
I'm still alive, assh—jerk.
"Grul, what's over there? Did you notice one of those…things again?"
Oop, got caught.
"No. Dead now. Let's move on."
I didn't tell him about my revenge trip from before.
My business is my business, after all.
We went under the archway, and the adventurers gasped.
Melophone, especially.
"What in the…?"
Melophone whispered, her eyes widened as she observed the very dull hallway.
Could she be seeing something that I'm not?
I'll ask her.
"Mel. You see strange?"
"N-no—I mean, yes? This entire area is strange. But to have a neat, pristine temple-like building in the middle is the strangest thing I've ever seen."
"Seen this before?"
"No. That's why I'm so shocked."
She went on to mumbling to herself, talking about 'making a paper' on this or something but then being dismayed as she quietly whispered 'no one would believe me…'
She's a weird girl, but I guess you have to be in order to be a wizard—those damn freaks.
"It feels like something else influenced this forest."
Ayleen said under her breath, her bow at the ready.
She was acting like a cat that was put into a new environment.
Tyler simply stood straighter and walked gravely, being the second-in-line after me.
And Bundo…was eyeing everything with a glare.
"Susssss…pi…cious…."
Sus—
Among—
*AHEM*
Anyway, I led them deeper until we got to the single big room—the room where I blacked out and then proceeded to waste my life away trying to solve a puzzle.
It had changed again, just like I thought it would.
The ceiling wasn't the otherworldly sky, and the room wasn't showing the illusion that it had from before.
Now it was stone, dark and ancient stone that had rune like inscriptions on every part.
And in the very center of the room, on a pedestal, was the prize.
A music box.
Small, wooden, and covered in intricate carvings of…the world?
It glowed with a soft, warm light.
It looked unique, perfect for the party's quest of finding something vaguely valuable in this deeper forest or whatever.
"That must be it. This should be what the Duke wants."
Tyler took a step towards it, but then a shimmer of blue light flickered into existence around the pedestal.
He tried to reach out his hand, but the light stopped him.
Barrier, I presume.
"Stop. It's barrier magic."
Got it first try.
Mel pulled out her book or journal of arcane knowledge and started examining the barrier from all angles.
"It seems to be an energy field, perhaps connected to the runes of these ruins? I've never seen or heard these kinds of carvings before…"
Then, as Mel meticulously consulted with her Big Book of Conjurations, Bundo did a Bundo thing and charged straight at the barrier.
The barrier, of course, held, and Bundo was pushed back.
"Oof! Hard!"
Bundo groaned while rubbing his head.
I don't know what he's rubbing his head for; there's nothing inside of it.
"Of course it's hard, didn't I already say that there's a barrier there?"
"Don't see it! So, it doesn't exist!"
"That's not how it works!"
"It is how it works!"
"That's not how it works at all…"
"Bundo says it is!"
While the adventurer party was busy running around, poking the barrier with sticks or trying to find the necessary incantations to dispel the barrier or finding hidden levers and whatnot, I stood back.
This was a puzzle, and I was terrible at puzzles.
I was about to tell them to stop what they were doing and start digging to see if that'd work, when a system window popped up right in front of my face.
+====================================+
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION: DO YOU REQUIRE ASSISTANCE?
+====================================+
|- YES
|- NO
+====================================+
I, seeing an easy way out of this situation, immediately chose yes.
+====================================+
VOICE MODULE: ON
+====================================+
Only to realize immediately the error of my ways.
I tried to turn it off repeatedly, but it was no use.
The system only returned with a 'recently changed, please try again later!'
[ Heyyyy~ ]
[ ᗜˬᗜ ]
Damn it.
Damn it.
DAMN IT!
[Calm down, green egghead. Your face is starting to look like a ripe tomato.]
[ ( =‿= ) ]
I would be calm if it weren't for your existence!
[ D'aww, you don't mean that~ Look, I'll help you out once you calm down, okay? Until then, you can watch them trying to solve a puzzle that they'll never be able to, because you're too prideful to ask for help in their stead. ]
[ >.> ]
This damn system…
Hoo…
Alright, alright, even if I don't want to, I have to calm myself.
I'll get nowhere being mad at an inconvenience.
Do you hear me, system?
I AM CALM NOW.
YOU CAN SHOW ME THE SOLUTION TO THE PUZZLE NOW.
[ Hmm…Try that again, but with a 'please' and 'thank you'. ]
[ ᗜˬᗜ ]
That's not part of the…—
Fine.
Could you please show me the solution to the puzzle?
[ Okay, I'll do it. Just for you <3 ]
[ (˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶) ]
Thank…
Haaa…
Thank.
You.
[ <3 ]
With that embarrassing, humiliating stunt done, my vision around the room had changed.
In the four corners of the room, the voice module highlighted four almost-invisible stone tiles with a faint, pulsing blue glow.
They were almost in-line with the rest of the floor; nearly impossible to spot without the system pointing them out.
[ Ta-da! Pressure plates! One person stands on each plate, and the puzzle's solved! It's an easy-peasy lemon-squeezy cooperative puzzle. Designed for teams, not solo meathead 'lone wolves' like you. Get your little buddies to stand on them, and the barrier should drop. You're welcome! ]
[ -⎚˕⎚- ]
Yeah, yeah, whatever.
I turned to the team, ignoring the smug giggling 'ihihihi's and 'ohohoho's coming from the system.
"Stop poking."
I ordered, pointing at the four plates.
"Four tiles. Corners. Stand on them. One person each. Now."
The party stopped what they were doing and carefully looked at the corners.
Ayleen was the first to realize, her eyes widening with amazement.
"Pressure plates! Good eye, Grul!"
They didn't hesitate, running and planting their feet on the plates.
As the last person touched the plate, the blue barrier around the music box shimmered, then vanished completely.
"It worked!"
Bundo shouted, amazed.
"Grul, how did you even see those?"
Mel asked, stepping off her plate.
I just grunted, walking straight past them.
[ He asked me, his dearest system. Did you really think he could do that by himself? XD ]
[ :3 ]
Stop acting like they can hear you.
They can't, and I envy them for that.
[ Speaking of that, when are you going to introduce me to anyone? I can't bear being with you only. Or do you want to keep me all to yourself? Keeping 'us' a secret from everyone else? How possessive! ]
[ ( ˶•̀ ᎑ - ˶ ) ]
Why are you being so flirty all of a sudden?
Stop it.
It's creepy and weird.
[ I do it exactly because it unnerves you. Your misery is my pleasure. ]
[ (ᵔ ᵕ ᵔ) ]
Ugh…
What did I do to deserve this…
[ Hey, look on the bright side: I might Pavlov—that is, to condition—myself into actually liking you~ ]
[ ( ͡º ꒳ ͡º) ]
That's even worse!
Shaking my head to ignore the voice from my head, I picked up the music box.
It was cold, smooth, and light.
I turned and chucked it to Tyler.
He caught it with a clumsy grasp.
"I didn't think we could actually do it…"
He looked at me, his face filled with emotions.
"Thank you, Grul. We really wouldn't have done it without you."
"Hrm."
I looked at the party, all tired from everything we've done, but proud.
They were capable now.
They had earned the right to be called strong.
[ All that just for a music box that I doubt has anything of actual value to it. Find a better quest next time for me. This one was boring. Also— ]
[VOICE MODULE TURNED OFF]
Thankfully, the mute button was accessible again.
I slammed it back on before I heard anymore of that damn system's voice.
"We go home now."
And with that, I led my now-useful adventuring party out of the ruins, leaving the chasm behind for the long, glorious walk back to the settlement.
Soon as I get back, I'm taking a nap.