Lorial

The tunnel that he saw the runes over wasn't changing in anyway, so Arino sat down against the wall and begin to try various mental commands like how he summoned the runes in the first place.

Trying 'Inspect Attributes', he finally saw some change in his view.

[Wanderer] Attribute Description: Long have you left behind home and safety, your journey may only end when you perish. The strings of fate will drag you towards your end aimlessly.

'Perhaps it will bless me with a way out of this damned mine'

Next in his attribute list seemed much more promising,

[Blessed of Stone] Attribute Description: The stone beneath you holds wisdom, and as long as you touch it, it will guide you and your sorcery. The more ancient the stone, the more it will empower you.

Almost jumping back to his feet, Arino came to understand why the rune on his dagger wasn't known to him, it was Runic Sorcery! This meant that he had some sort of magical effect in his arsenal, waiting to be tested.

He didn't know if he would be able to use it whilst unable to guide his own essence, but maybe he'd be able to inscribe the rune on something else outside of this 'Trial'. Until he had a reason or a way to test it, he had one more attribute to check out.

The best and the most fearsome has been saved for last.

[Vile Spawn] Attribute Description: One who has consumed the false ichor of the Vile Thieving Bird, she has left a vile will to survive within you, your instincts will sometimes offer a premonition of incoming danger.

Happy to have a satisfactory explanation for that pull on his subconscious earlier, he moved on to thinking about the Memory thing he had "received". Immediately, another much shorter set of runes appeared

[Silver Guard]: Silver stands between you and them, why fear? This armor protects your soul as well.

Wondering how much help the soul protection would be useful down here, Arino manifested the armor from a whirl of sparks. Silver wrapped around his torso and arms, with several small leather bags sewn into the bindings of the chest plate.

It was pleasant to him, to be wrapped in armor once again, even if it was an unwieldy material like the silver the bug was made from. With his renewed confidence, Arino stood back up and resumed his wandering of the tunnel.

---

After what must have been a day or so of walking and trying to stay standing despite the hunger and thirst, it hit him. A beam of light came from his front, blinding him.

He took a step back guarding his eyes and as he tried to listen for what otherworldly threat must be bearing down on him, a firm voice called out from ahead, "What are you doing this deep in the mines? Where are your supplies?"

"I am wandering, my bag was torn and my rations eaten by one of the bugs. Please, help a friend."

After a moment of silence, the light cut off and as his vision returned he heard the voice once more, "I'm yet to decide if we're friends, Wanderer, but I can help you. I am sure you're confident in your skills, but the path onwards from here is strange. You must not see nor hear what lies beyond."

Arino tried to look around for his supposed savior, but his eyes saw nothing. He tried to ask them what horrors were near, but heard no answer. Not even his own voice resounded, but he did not panic. Arino chose to trust this strange person, as if it wanted him dead, he would be dead due to his lack of senses.

Instead of seeking an answer, Arino walked. After a dozen or so minutes of walking in sensory deprivation, he felt a nudge on his back correct his path. Every so often, for several hours, he would feel those nudges.

In what felt like the first time ever, Arino saw light. Huge vines wreathed a wide cavern, and he saw his savior in all his glory. In front of him, a horribly mutilated miner with a cracked lantern in one hand stood surprisingly tall for his condition. More vines, these of a bloodstained variety, flowed through the gaps in his muscles and a beautiful white flower bloomed from a shattered eye socket.

The vines shivered, and a voice came from his partially torn throat, "I know I don't seem human anymore, but I assure you I am. I didn't mean to hide my appearance, but the vines we passed by on the way here were still hunting."

"Water?"

From behind The miner's back came a vine holding a cup filled with a mostly clean looking liquid.

"Drink fast Wanderer. It will bloom soon."

With that ominous offer, he handed the glass to him with his vine and Arino drank it greedily. He was lucky to have a moderately sized glass or he would have drank himself into sickness.

'What could he be referring to by bloom? Whatever those vines are coming from?' Whatever it was, Arino wasn't very fond of the idea of these "hunting" vines blossoming into something.

"I understand you're in quite the physical predicament friend, what is your name?

The white flower looked towards Arino, and spoke solemnly, " I am the Silver Lotus. I was Lorial, one of Destiny's subjects, however the Tyrant has chosen me as it's blossom of choice, and my predicament is easily solved."

Arino looked inquisitively into the non-flowering eye, and Lorial continued.

"You have to kill me."