2. If at first you don't succeed...

Jess 17:15:22(EST): So what do you want out of this? Whatever we're doing.

Matt 17:19:02(EST): I don't know. I don't really have any expectations. Let's just get together and see how we vibe.

Jess 17:19:44(EST): Yeah! Okay. That sounds chill. :)

One loading screen later I had spawned again along the bridge overlooking the vast swirling wastes. I quickly dispatched the wretched beggars that writhed along the brick path and entered the great sanctuary.

This time I knew that the boss lurked within. I did my best to creep past him, but still the lunar beast barreled out of the darkness towards me from across the length of the temple, and a long HP bar invaded the top of my screen.

I didn't bother pretending to put up a fight. I scrambled away from the lunar rak, running around the room in circles and panicking like an idiot! I rushed across the columned hall, the wild-cat's snarls short on my tail, when I noticed a particularly wide shaft of shining daylight peeking in from one of the cracked walls.

Then the lunar beast again wrent the flesh from my skinless hide, sinking into my back and tearing out a devastating chunk of -350 dmg.

I staggered forward, barely eluding the predator baying behind me, and stumbled towards the hole in the wall. The flayed man shuffled into the crevice, struggling to side-step through the temple wall and out into the sunlight beyond the reach of my ferocious pursuer.

Now, outside and on the other end of the temple, I could still hear the wild jaguar behind the walls, hissing its fury at my unpunished trespass.

A new text flashed across the screen -

Location Discovered: Path of the Serene Stony Ones

Looking out over the same desolate horizon, the path which led from out of the temple now sloped down the length of an enormous curving dune, flanked to its left by a long row of gleaming white skeletons dressed in black ponchos, who rested in lotus position, drooping in the sun. Some sat devoid of skulls or limbs. Some even sat collapsing in on themselves, their faces planted into the sand in a pose that resembled a priest's most fanatical supplication.

Snaking my way down the sandy ramp, up ahead in the sky I saw a ring of vultures circling around one of the far off seated bodies that lay along the path. On its limestone platform, the mummy sat out, exposed to dry and erode in the sun, yet its headless sillohette, suspended in a straight-shouldered meditative poise, seemed to impart a sense of peace that defies our impermanence.

Within this relic of tranquility something glimmered. Embedded in the body's spine, cradled in its arms, and still shimmering gold beneath the cloud darkened sky, rested a substantial round buckler shield. Its isignia was a criss-cross of sharp spears, maces, and arrows laid beneath a circle shield bearing a wheel of flower petals at its center.

With a disgraceful clamor and enthusiasm, like a kid tearing open his presents on Christmas morning, the flayed man wrenched the shield out from the mummy's ribcage, shattering the skeleton and sending bones flying.

Sorry dude.

+ Item Gained - Venator's Shield

LVL 1

SHIELD

WEIGHT - 2.0

DURABILITY - 40

PHS ATK - 40

MAG ATK - 0

FIR ATK - 0

LIG ATK - 0

STR BON - D

DEX BON - NA

INT BON - NA

FAI BON -NA

PHS DEF - 75

MAG DEF - 55

FIR DEF - 10

LIG DEF 40

The item description read - 'The one who bares the weight of such a shield, no matter how lowly or cast down, has risen as a hunter-of-men. Rise or fall, they have joined the College of Predators.'

The Flayed Man strapped the shield to his weak wrist and continued down the row of the dead.

The path across the spine of the great dune curved into a shaft, jutting down into the foundation of the great temple. The shaft seemed to lead towards a burrow, out from the mouth of which gleamed the twinkle of another item.

To either side of the hole leading deeper into the structure sat two more mummies, dressed in rusted bronze armor, armed with long bronze war-clubs, and wooden buckler shields that bore the same weapon insignia as mine. Atop their helms were ornamental crescents that reminded me of the horns of stag beetles.

I made the mistake of assuming they were set pieces, like the ones outside, and I strolled straight into their aggro range, compelling the undead sentries to their feet and to arms.

Before I even knew what I was doing, I had jerked the light attack button and knicked the right one in his side with the broken crescent dagger.

And it did -1 damage.

"Fuck."

The mummified guard to the left took up his club and wound up to strike me. I was quick to tap the left trigger and block him with my shield, but now the one I had struck approached me, striding forward to punish my impudence.

Before he could strike at me I dodged, somersaulting straight past the two warriors and bolted towards the shaft entrance. I was clearly not going to win this fight with what little I had on me.

Once I had passed through the narrow shaft and emerged onto the threshold into the sanctuary's basement, the skeletal guards paused in their pursuit and quickly faded from view.

I wasn't going to get anywhere without a weapon that could at least take on these grunts.

Location Discovered: Cella of the Oracle

Looming over me, in the center of the tall subterranean room around which spiraled a stone staircase, stood a throne hewn from basalt and adorned in a totem-pole of stacked skulls.

On the seat was a little woven sack of olive-green wool with a wide-eyed and circle-mouthed face in pink and yellow that stared out at me in a kind of... vacant alarm. Leaning cradled by the little bundle's side was a long item that I picked up when I approached the central platform.

+ Item Gained - Puku-Man's Cane

LVL 1

STAFF

WEIGHT - 3.0

DURABILITY - 30

PHS ATK - 65

MAG ATK - 0

FIR ATK - 0

LIG ATK - 0

STR BON - C

DEX BON - NA

INT BON - NA

FAI BON -NA

PHS DEF - 45

MAG DEF - 10

FIR DEF - 30

LIG DEF - 30

The item description read: 'A trusty palm-wood cane for wily old tricksters and precocious little cubs, but, in matters war, only a plaything at best.'

I equipped the weapon. Hey, weak as the stats looked, I figured the reach of a walking stick beats a chipped nub of stone.

From the oracle's throne I descended the staircase leading below.

As I strolled down the steps I broke some handled vases littering the stairs which contained...

+ Item gained - Koka Leaves X2

The effects of the Koka leaves read: "Adds +1 buffs to STR and END. Increases CRIT chance by 3%."

I read the item description: "The sacred leaf chewed by the bulging cheeks of tireless warriors. Lifts the mind, strengthens the body, and numbs pain."

+ Item gained - Pebble

The item description of the pebble read: "On the other side of the world this pebble might make you a king! Too bad you're stuck in this dump."

At the shadowy bottom of the staircase was a very unusual dead end. Before me stood a pitch black wall that was covered in wide yellow eyes. Some blinked at me in surprise, while others narrowed upon me with incredulity. I withdrew my newly acquired club and struck the wall. My controller shook.

'Maybe this is some kind of secret door I need to open...'

*Hoo Hoo... Hoo Hooooo...* the owl-wall chanted in indifference.