Ojtejk La’Buq ab Jujnis, 2997
Had our first simulation as a group today. It was a rather gory endeavour. Ahmiaus had informed me that the afternoon would be spent with my companions as we went through a trial that had us work together. It seemed smart, other than we weren’t really instructed on how to work together. It was just thrown upon us.
We gathered in front of room one, where the tests are held on Halejk. It turned out to be just me, Destiny, and Daevri at first. Bordel was in with the Founder and Zaren was detained by some other task. I furrowed my brow and thought it strange that were assigned to do a group assessment only for two of the five to be exempt because of other obligations, but I didn’t question. I was more eager to prove myself to the others.
The three of us were instructed to locate the Chalice of Healing (trapped away in a tower), Destiny giggling. “We’re being trained to find a cup,” she whispered. I did find that mildly humoring considering that is the pressing matter we’re responsible for. Although... to be honest, I have to wonder if we really need to bother with it. Seriously. We were collecting them to prevent the Order to ever find all ten and use their combined power to make a wish. WIth two already secured, they’ll never be able to accomplish their task. I haven’t told anyone that thought yet, but nevertheless it is something I’ve pondered about.
So with the task in mind, Destiny, Daevri, and myself walked into the room and waited for the simulation to present itself. Trees formed, the kind you’d see in a jungle. Then the rain began to fall. It was thick and warm and blurred my vision. It was blood. I went to grab a large leaf from a nearby tree and believe it or not, the darn thing bit me! And worse, it was trying to suck the blood. It dawned on me quickly that the forest was vampiric, but only as Bordel showed up.
His meeting with the Founder was less than formidable. Basically the simulation we were in, if we failed it would mean our death. I mentioned then that I was likely a lost cause as I felt the effects of the vampire bite taking hold. Goodness, the look in Bordel’s eyes as I showed him the bite on my left arm, and the great ax that Daevri drew high, had me certain I was about to loose my arm to save me. I made to jerk my arm away, but Bordel held strong and simply placed his other hand over the bite mark. I then felt his warm magics collect and create a kind of seal. He told me he had placed a protection spell from the evil magics to stay the effects of the vampirism while we remained in the simulation.
The Cleric had summoned a dragon to provide cover from the blood rain and soon we were on our way to find the chalice, keeping a safe distance from the trees. Bubblesnort went and surveyed the path ahead for any signs of a tower. Upon his return he mentioned that the tower was just a few more minutes ahead and protected by many ghouls.
Sure enough when our destination came into view, a sea of ghouls stretched out before us. Bordel sent the dragon into the midst of the creatures, I summoning a barrier overhead to avoid the falling blood.
The summoned creature walked out amidst the ghouls and soon was swarmed by them. As they clung to the illusion, Bordel uttered a few words before the dragon burst into rays of light, killing all of the undead creatures. The wave of energy that came from it knocked me down onto the blood soaked ground.
Once I regained my footing, we quickly hurried over to the door of the tower. It was unlocked, but inside Daevri and Destiny determined that we needed to pay attention to the pattern of falling items. It was oddly rhythmic, and I was ready to follow up the stairs, careful to move once I saw the item fall. However Daevri thought otherwise and called out to me a warning, to which I hesitated and got hit by a brick. I gritted my teeth and looked at the mechanical boy and resumed my focus.
At the top of the tower, there was a single room with a pile of wealth. All sorts of gems, weapons, armor, and finery littered about the place. But then they moved! The items literally made up the creature that began to attack us. I furrowed my brow unsure if my magics would work on such a creature. I instructed Bubbles to turn into some kind of earth elemental and the faerie dragon happily obliged. He joined Destiny’s and Daevri’s forces as they proceeded to tear apart the creature item by item.
I worked a spell to make the creature hesitant about attacking us, but can’t say if it really did much. Items were flying about the room, and I had only a moment to look at the creature in his jeweled eyes when a sword came right at me. I flew my hands up instinctively in anticipation for contact, but a dull thud, like an arrow hitting it’s target, rang loud. I opened my eyes and found a shield impaled by the blade. Bordel had summoned it just in time and I quickly thanked him.
We all worked together to tear the creature apart. The more disassembled the creature became, the more the tower began to crumble. I knew we were fighting against time. My mind wondered if we’d find the cup first or fall to our deaths in the midst of the tower. It was Destiny who answered that question as she held up the cup stating, “I got it!” but as soon as those words escaped her, she began to vomit. She threw the cup toward me and Bordel. The Cleric reached down and took it, but I insisted that I hold onto it for he was showing signs of illness.
I used my magics to hold the object, the tower continuing to crumble. “We need to leave now,” Bordel instructed and jumped out the window.
“How are we to get out?” I questioned. The Cleric had a way of manipulating rock and so I wasn’t too worried about how he was getting down, but the rest of us...
“Bubbles, can you turn into something big enough to catch us?” I asked. The creature nodded and hopped out the window. “Jump Miss Malaney!” he called back to me. I looked out the window at faerie dragon disguised in rock and earth. The idea of stone catching me sounded about as pleasant as hitting the ground itself. Daevri came up next to me, took a peek, then tried to push me out the window. I elbowed him away.
“Com’on, you got wings now,” he said as he jumped out, creating an illusion of wings to tease me.
“Yeah, but the feathers are still growing,” I muttered. It then came to me. I looked at the cup in the translucent hand then to Destiny.
“Wasn’t the simulation to end once we found the cup?”
Destiny shrugged. I then got my waterskin into hand and poured a little water into the cup. I dribbled the water from the cup onto my bitten arm and watched to see if it would cure the wound. I was appalled to find the wound to fester and become infected. Confused, I shrug, maintained the cup and jumped out the window. I figured if I was going to die, what was jumping all that bad?
Lucky us, the simulation was over. I had closed my eyes, waiting for my back to hit the ground. Instead my feet felt something firm beneath them and my center of gravity shifted to orient me in a vertical fashion. My lungs huffed in the cool air as a light pierced the dark room we stood in.
“The cup?” they asked. Quickly I handed the thing to them, partly annoyed on their timing. Ahmiaus walked over to me, holding a hand out. “May I see your arm?” he asked. I placed my left hand into his so he could examine the bite. Interestingly enough, my arm was whole, but I could feel the ickiness of the vampire venom faintly.
“So why didn’t you jump?” he asked. I narrowed my eyes.
“Because I would have been hurt or dead.”
“Did you not trust you dragon friend to catch you?”
“I imagined there wouldn't have been much of a difference beween him or the ground.”
“Bordel seemed to have no problems-”’
“Because he can manipulate rock! I have not learned that.”
“But you have wings whereas the others do not.”
“Really? Might I point out that you are scolding me for not jumping when in fact I accomplished the task you sent us in there for? What was jumping from a tower to prove?” I replied vehemently. Ahmiaus smiled gently and simply said, “Trust.”
The monks who took the chalice returned and in the cup was more water. Ahmiaus took the object and held it to me. “You should drink this. You’ll feel better.” I refused, telling him what it did to my arm. My teacher informed me that the cup had been corrupted and has been disenchanted of the evil magics.
“You first then,” I said. I didn’t care if it was another trust game he was trying to play with me. My annoyance was peaked and I wasn’t about to drink from something that could very well kill me.
Ahmiaus took a small sip, wiped his lip and stood patiently. I eventually took the cup and drank. Sure enough it worked. The venom that lingered disappeared. I quickly humbled myself and thanked my teacher before hurrying off for dinner.
I’ve relayed the day's event to Kimaris who just chuckled along saying that the monks can be a bit sadistic at times, but to take heart that it’s all for the best and preparing us to think on our toes when the unexpected comes up.
Kimaris still hasn’t told me when he’ll return, but one can hope it’ll be soon. Until then, I need to rest for tomorrow is my second test. I can only hope I will fair it far better than the first.
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