41 • Labyrinth Snare

Spheris Arnadel had never been more surprised to be alive as he was that morning. The cold was no longer, the cave was still dark, safe for the line of light that poured from the opening above. But one thing that still remained was his hunger.

Talon was already up and about, perching on the rocks and searching for things to eat. At the back of his mind, Spheris hoped that he found something. He couldn't bear to worry about his hunger and his companion's at the same time. 

He rose to his feet raggedly and wore his scarf around his neck, then sighed bearishly. What was he to do today? That was when Spheris realized that he had not tried something.

[Leaping Shadow]! Of course. A wave of hopeful excitement reverberated through him. Had his fear of death somehow clouded his mind and led him to forget that he had such an actionable Influence? 

Didn't matter, he was leaving this wretched pit. 

Ardently, he picked up Talon and got ready to [Leap]. He took account to the fact that he most likely was going to [Leap] out of somewhere unbeknownst, but anywhere was preferable compared to the dark recess.

And with a deep breath of hope, Spheris activated [Leaping Shadow]. 

He opened his eyes to see himself in another cave... wait. No. It was the exact same one. Just another section, in one of the passageways. "No, no, no," Spheris muttered in heartbreaking pain. He activated [Leaping Shadow] once more, and was transported to another part of the hollow. He tried one more time, and yet again, he was still in the hollow.

Spheris's hopes shattered, and he fell to his knees, fighting tears.

☯

[The Mystiqarium is an umbrella term for the magic and power distribution all over the Continent. The term was created by Lord Obadiel, the historical second Duke of The First Wing]

Spheris swiped away from that interface, and then he arrived at the projection of his soul. Few minutes ago, he had realised that the entire information on The Mystiqarium was stored inside the Glyph — another thing Meister Grengo had failed to bring up. And so he decided to spend his time understanding this strange world of powers and magic, maybe there was something in there about escaping trap caves.

The projection of his soul was quite interesting to look at. It looked like a red crystal rock and at its core, was a radiant golden light, pulsing with a steady rhythm. 

[Essence]. The glyph spoke. [The Essence is the bedrock of a Bearer's power, the source from which their abilities flow. As the Essence strengthens, so too does the Bearer's might, unfolding like the mythical roots of an ancient tree].

Spheris examined the projection more closely, his attention was drawn to a specific section that seemed to stand out from the rest. It was a cluster of smaller crystals, each one pulsing with its own unique energy. They were five of them.

These, he realized, were five of his unlocked Influences. [Shaded Blasts], [Embrace Of The Dark], [Nocturnal Perception], [Umbric Intuition], and [Leaping Shadow].

Intrigued, Spheris tapped on the cluster of crystals, causing the projection of his soul to shift and transform once again. A new interface materialized before him, and the projection showed a human like figure, shooting energy blasts from its hands.

[Shaded Blasts.] The glyph spoke once again. [The Bearer channels the shadows, weaving them into potent beams that can bewilder foes and inflict considerable harm].

He swiped that crystal and another projected, showing the same humanoid figure, this time controlling tendrils. 

[Embrace Of The Dark] The glyph announced. [The Bearer wields the shadow, crafting it into sinuous tendrils that can ensnare or entangle adversaries].

It was all just basic explanations of his already unlocked Influences. Spheris wished that he could find information on possible Influences that he could unlock, but there was nothing on that end.

He continued to explore the glyph, spending his time studying and gaining as much information that he could grasp. Night came with the cold, and the morning arrived as well. And he continued with his exploration of the Mystiqarium.

Six days had past since he fell into cave, and Spheris was almost like a ghost. Yet somehow he was still alive.

He had learnt a few things, such as how to make fire with the jagged stones and how to feast on tiny insects. The latter he had learnt from Talon, and it was anything but a feast. Still, it helped him survive.

That night, Spheris was clashing the stone together to make fire, while Talon perched beside him, watching with intrigue.

"You want to listen to what I learned today?" he asked the bird, as he clashed the stones together repeatedly. "Apparently, the Celestials are sons of an Old God, Oldmother. She was at war with her brothers, Sungod and uh... what was his name? Hailfire, yes. Oldmother had the power to create, a power that surpassed both Sungod's and Hailfire's powers. And so she created her sons, the Celestials." 

The fire finally came, puffing out a soft smoke. Spheris let out a satisfied sigh, and sat back to manage the warmth. "She won the Celestial War without even having to fight at all. Her sons defeated the Old Gods and gave her the Continent. In return, she let them rule over The Five Wings as gods." Spheris scoffed painfully. "Such a miserable joke. They wage a war that destroyed the Earth and then use us as trophies for their victories." 

Talon cawed gently, then laid its head on top his lap.

"At least not all of us." Spheris sighed. "Some of us were abandoned to survive in a wretched wasteland that their War created."

As the flames crackled and danced, a chill lingered in Spheris's heart — despite its warmth. His eyes were filled with anguish and some very faint defiance, speaking volumes of the pain he carried. The life he was forced to live... the life he was living.

With a heavy sigh, he resigned himself to sleep, but not before harboring a final wish deep within his soul—to endure, to survive, and one day, to defy the Celestials who had forsaken him.

☯

"Argh!" Spheris screamed out in pain. The cry echoed in the cave as he jumped to his feet, sending Talon fluttering away from his lap in alarm. "What was that!?" he cried.

A stinging pain panged in his right thigh, burning with venomous ardency. His eyes darted around the floor, frantically searching for what had bitten him, or stung him.

Then, the flickering light of the fire illuminated the ground, affirming what his [Nocturnal Perception] was telling him. The grotesque shapes of the creatures were skittering towards him. Dozens of them, resembling scorpions but twisted by some sort of Abyssal malevolent force. Their hollow eyes glinted in the firelight, and their pincers dripped with molten magma.

'What are these things!?' Questions raced in Spheris's mind. 'What had drawn them to this place?'

One jumped at him, threatening to sink its pedipalps into his face, but Spheris quickly averted the attack, befuddlement painted on his expression.

With that, Spheris refused to hesitate. He sprung into action, unleashing bursts of his [Shaded Blasts] at the swarm of magma-scorpions. The creatures hissed and scuttled, but Spheris fought with fierce determination, driving them back one by one.

They all died as quickly as they had arrived. Yet, as Spheris knelt panting amidst the defeated horde, and grasping his poisoned thigh, a chill gripped his spine. His [Umbric Intuition] flared, ringing louder than it ever had at the back of his head.

Spheris gazed into the darkness, and this time it wasn't the darkness that gazed back. But a large pair of red hollow eyes. 

Activating [Nocturnal Perception], Spheris could feel what it was as he remained on his knees. It had a similar body structure as the magma-scorpions, but they were only as large as a baby wolf. This snaring danger was much larger, more menacing. 

Slowly it came into the light, and there was no more questions to be asked. It was the Queen Scorpion, and it had just watched Spheris kill all of its children.