We continue to walk and hold hands as we search for the number 10. Every twenty minutes or so, one of us would spot one. Then we'd take the new route. I keep wondering when we're going to encounter another treasure chest, but we just keep finding new hallways to follow. We haven't been attacked by STRING THEORY at all since our last battle. It currently just feels like we're navigating a maze. A maze with randomly placed paths, each with gravity pulling in different directions.
Tiss gives a suggestion after our twelfth new route.
[Tiss] "Let's find a high number and rest for the night. Neither of us have had a break for a long time."
[Wade?] "Good idea. I haven't gone over my level ups yet either.
[Tiss] "You went all that time without checking out your level ups?"
[Wade?] "Didn't want to be rude to the pretty lady."
Tiss blushes with an embarrassed expression as she turns her head away from me. Hey, those are your words. Not mine.
[Tiss] "There's a 9 coming up. We can stop there."
We each take a seat on the hard stone floor. Exhaustion hits us both immediately.
[Wade?] "Fuck… It both feels like we've been trapped here for a few hours and a couple weeks."
I can't understand this place at all. We've learned a lot and Harold's hint about the dimensions really saved us too. There's still a ton of unknowns, though.
No matter, I have a lot of stats to work through. I open my Stats menu and take a look at my growth.
[HP: 470/470 | MP: 1,220/1,220
[Stat Points: 57]
[STR: 1]
[DEX: 1]
[VIT: 10]
[INT: 54]
[RES: 1]
[LUC: 66 (x4)]
Holy shit! I gained quite a bit since gaining my first Job. First of all, my LUC stat is growing at such a rapid rate. If I don't put any points into the stat, it should still reach 135 just from the increases that Fatemance gives me. Then that doubles.
But... What's this? (x4)?
I navigate to my Skills Menu and look around for something that's giving me a modifier. Then I find it.
[Description: The influence a Fatemancer has over fate itself influences their overall LUC stat, doubling the total.]
A short and sweet description. However, combined with my System, my LUC stat is now quadrupled. So that means my current value is... 264!? That's insane! And if I leave it alone, it'll eventually reach a height of 540!
I can ogle my giant LUC stat later. Right now, I should distribute my stats. After taking a look at the various low values, I decide it would be best if this time I focus on raising things besides INT and LUC. I put 19 points in STR and DEX, bringing them to 20. Then 10 points to VIT, giving me another 300 HP, which raises my total to 770. My last 9 points to RES just to bring it a clean 10. I don't really know how I use that stat yet, but I'll figure it out another time.
That's all my points! And now my Stats look a lot nicer.
[HP: 770/470 | MP: 1,220/1,220
[Stat Points: 0]
[STR: 20]
[DEX: 20]
[VIT: 20]
[INT: 54]
[RES: 10]
[LUC: 66 (x4)]
Yes! I'm very happy with this. I close my menu and lay down on the floor.
Suddenly, a loud groan rumbles out from both of our bellies.
[Wade?] "Guess we should eat something… But I don't have anything with me."
[Tiss] "I have some field rations in my Item Box. Not much though."
Tiss holds out her hands and then summons two small packages from her Item Box. They're wrapped in paper and secured with twine. Tiss hands me one and we both open them.
Inside is a piece of bread. Reminds me of naan from my world. It's dry and denser than what I know. There's also some dried meats, dried fruits, and a crumbly cheese. All of it is well-aged to make it last through a long journey.
I don't know how many of these ration packs that Tiss has stored, so I'll take care not to get greedy for food. Time to enjoy this first meal of our harrowing journey through the labyrinth.
The meat is tough. It's gamey and not at all seasoned other than the salt that was used to cure it. It's pretty bad, but it's still better than my garbage cooking. The fruits and the cheese both are immediate highlights to the meal. I find myself eating the cheese along with the meat to help with the flavor. I eat the fruits in between bites of bread. The small loaf is dry and tough to chew. With the fruits, it's not so bad, though.
Tiss and I both finish our ration packs around the same time. Both of us were famished so we could think of nothing but eating. With a small burp, I lean back against the wall and let out a relieved sigh.
[Wade?] "You totally saved the day with that one."
[Tiss] "Thanks. I try to be well-prepared. Also, here. Have a drink."
Tiss summons a metal flask and passes it over. I take it gladly and remove the top. Inside is perfectly crisp and wonderful water.
Aaaaaah... So refreshing...
After just a couple gulps, I pass it back. Just like the food, it's best to conserve water.
But Tiss pushes it back.
[Tiss] "No, have more. It's a Magic Flask. We can have as much as we want and it'll refill when the cap is on."
[Wade?] "For real?"
[Tiss] "For real."
I receive the Magic Flask and drink my fill. With every drink, I feel more and more refreshed. I couldn't tell how parched I was until now, but I desperately needed this. I finish the whole thing, then pass the flask back.
[Tiss] "Hope that helped. My turn."
Tiss takes back the flask and puts the cap back on. It starts to charge with a small amount of mana and then shakes lightly as it's filled with water. When it stops filling, it stops shaking, then the mana stops as well. Tiss takes the cap off and drinks her fill of water.
She gulps down the drink with urgency. With haste. I watch as a trickle of water falls out of the corner of her mouth. It dribbles down her chin and onto her neck. It rails down to... OH! WAIT! Can't stare there. Almost forgot that we're in danger at all times. No horny!
I turn my head to the side to make it look like I'm on lookout for a wandering STRING THEORY.
...
Okay, maybe a little peak? I look over to the side. I see that little trickle of water on her breast. It runs down into the neckline of her dress. I swear that there's a faint glint of light refracting off the tiny pool.
Oh! A glorious view! A miracle to see! Thank you Harold for giving me this life!
Then a dainty, yet beautiful hand blocks the view, while providing a unique sighting all on its own! Oh how lovely it is to be deprived of one beautiful thing only to receive another gift to the eyes!
[Tiss] "What are you...? Huh? Ueh!?"
Tiss covers her chest with her arms and then turns away from me.
[Tiss] "YOU FUCKING PERV!!!"
[Wade?] "Ah! No! Wait! I'm sorry!"
I reach out towards her, but my hand stops. I didn't control myself. Self-control has always been an issue for me. I'm definitely a bit of a perv, though I always tell myself and others that I'm not. It's... gotten me in trouble before.
Tiss sighs and then turns her head back to look at me. She looks mad. I plant my forehead to the ground and clap my hands above my head.
[Wade?] "Please forgive me!"
[Tiss] "Get any weird ideas and I'll kill you."
[Wade?] "I would deserve nothing less!"
[Tiss] "... As long as you understand."
I lift my head but hold my hands like in prayer.
[Wade?] "Thank you for you grace, Lady von Claus!"
[Tiss] "Do you want to die?"
-------
After a decent rest, Tiss and I decided on exploring a while longer. Before we get some sleep, we agreed that we should maybe find the next branch of the route and then return to the 9 to sleep and take watches.
Together, we hold hands and walk through the hall. It's dark in this one. Neither of us can see very far and the numbers are difficult to see. We walk slowly and remain alert while we look around for the numbers of each cube. There aren't any STRING THEORIES to be found.
It takes us thirty minutes of walking slowly to find a 10 on the wall to our left..
[Tiss] "Should we head back now?"
[Wade?] "Probably. But I feel like we should also take a look into this route. I don't what it is, but I feel like there's something important through this one."
[Tiss] "So you just have a hunch?"
[Wade?] "Pretty much."
[Tiss] "I don't see the harm in it. We know how to fight those things. If we can lure them into the right cube, we'll win. Just... don't get too far away from me."
I squeeze Tiss' hand tight.
[Wade?] "I'll stay by your side, Tiss."
[Tiss] "Good."
While still holding hands, Tiss approaches the wall and presses her other hand to the wall. Her Superluminal Ring shines and the wall glows with blue mana. After it vanishes, the path beyond is pure darkness.
Both of us turn to look at each other and nod in agreement to proceed. We breach the barrier of the darkness together. After we walk a few feet, I turn my head to look behind me. I can see the exit. It's fine if we have to run.
Only a few more steps, the the cube we're standing in is suddenly lit up with bright light. The change blinds us both, but it's still something we're able to adjust to. A few seconds later, we open our eyes to see each cube lighting up, one at a time, starting from where we're standing.
[Wade?] "That important feeling... It's starting to feel more ominous."
[Tiss] "Remind me not to trust your hunches anymore."
A cube lights up. Another cube. Then another, followed by more and more. Eventually, I can see a small speck appear in one of the lit up cubes. Gold feathers, blue tips on the wings, a plump body, but twiggy little legs.
[???] "Bawk bawk bawk bawk!"
A sound can be heard. Those twiggy little legs seem to be carrying the thing quickly across the ground as the 'Bawk' sounds come with every single step. Maybe two of them every second.
[Wade?] "No... It can't be."
[Tiss] "What is it?"
Tiss squeezes my hand, worried. I look into her eyes and I can see it.
[Wade?] "If I'm right, this is a friend. Come on, let's go meet them."
[Tiss] "Wait, what?"
All worry leaves Tiss' face and is replaced with confusion. I run forward and almost drag Tiss along at first before she starts running alongside me. With every cube we pass, we get closer to the thing in the distance. I can see it more clearly with every few feet.
[Wade?] "Chicken!"
[Tiss] "Are you insane!?"
[Wade?] "Don't worry, Tiss! Chicken is awesome! They saved me when first ended up in that forest!"
[Tiss] "You never mentioned a chicken before. And how did a chicken a save you? How is it here?"
[Wade?] "I'll ask it!"
[Tiss] "You can speak chicken?"
We get closer with every step. But then we can see something crawl out of the darkness far behind the chicken. STRING THEORY. Not just one, but maybe ten or more of the things are scrambling in our directions. They trample over each other, moving like rabid animals. A garbles mess of words starts to ring through the hall. At first, it's just gibberish to me, but it becomes something more clear after a few second.
[STRING THEORIES] "~tHe ///!1$~^~ CATalySt~"
Their voices are even more distorted when they echo off of each other. It becomes a disgusting, discordant sound.
[Wade?] "We have to save Chicken!"
[Tiss] "Are you mad!?"