Once More Climbing Down

As Devotion climbed down the shaft, the fog gradually grew thinner and thinner, until it was completely gone. It seemed that whatever was producing that fog was on the surface, and he was escaping its boundaries.

"I swear, Ysmir, I really hope you know what you're doing right now." Devotion muttered after climbing that ladder for some time. He really didn't want to have to climb back up this ladder without having gained anything. Ysmir could only nod along assuredly. It had such an intense feeling this was the right way, there was no way it was wrong. It briefly crossed Ysmir's mind that it could be a trap, but quickly pushed that thought out. Ysmir didn't fall for tricks.

There was something strange that Devotion noticed as he climbed. The temperature never changed, and it never got dark. He was still able to see nearly perfectly. As he continued to climb, he suddenly stopped. He could hear something. Voices. Too distant to make out what they were saying, but there was someone talking below.

"Is this another illusion, Ysmir?" Devotion asked. It seemed to know when things were real or not. Ysmir shook its head no. This was real.

"Well, what do we do? We could just turn around and leave. I don't want to risk it if I don't have to." Devotion suggested. Ysmir responded by biting him. There was no way it would let Devotion turn around and leave, especially now that they were this far in. Ysmir had to know what was down here, and it had to have it.

"Alright, you're the boss today, I guess. Let's just hope they aren't other sect's disciples. I don't think I could take them, since I'm still not even Second Rank." Ysmir rolled its eyes. Devotion really still hadn't figured it out or even taken the time to examine his own cultivation base.

Devotion continued down the ladder, until he was within a close enough distance hear what those voices were saying.

"What do you mean you can't find your way out? Where's the entrance we came in from?" One voice yelled.

Another, quieter voice, responded. "The entrance is gone! I can't just make it reappear. As far as I know, we're stuck here until we finish the trials, and as much as I hate to admit it, that's looking pretty unlikely right now."

"Goddamn it, you're worthless." The first voice said. Devotion heard the sound of metal unsheathing, a slice, and a body collapse to the ground.

"Did he really just kill his own associate?" Devotion thought to himself. That seemed really foolish and stupid. At least let him be a human shield if you're trying to get rid of him. What a waste. At least there was one less person that Devotion had to deal with.

"Does anyone else want to volunteer themselves to getting us out of here? A position just opened up." That person talked again. Great. That meant there were more of them.

A different, gruffer voice spoke up. "Well, I guess we should just go attempt the trials, right? Doesn't look like we have much choice."

"Very good, Guff. You're promoted already. Why don't you pick someone here to try first?" The assumed leader of this group spoke.

Devotion started to head down the ladder a bit more. If they couldn't find an exit to this place, that must mean that the bottom of the ladder was protected, or at least not visible to them.

Devotion heard that new fellow, the one called Guff, think. "Uhhhhhhhhhh... How about you?" He finally made his decision. Devotion got the sense that this Guff character was not the smartest one in this group. If only he could tell how many there were.

He heard shuffling as the person Guff selected walked forward. The leader began to speak again. "Right this way, through those doors! Tell us how the trial goes, if you survive! But take this with you. That way, if you are so unfortunate, we'll at least be able to tell what happened."

The person that was selected was too nervous to even say anything. Devotion heard the creak of an old door opening, then the sound of it shutting, and then just a few moments later, screaming. Then it was silent.

"His contribution will be remembered forever, yadda yadda, let's just see what got him." The leader spoke up. Devotion had to know what was on that photographic jade. If there was a trial here, then the reward for it must be unimaginable. Devotion felt an itch for that treasure. Ysmir had to have known about this.

"You've got a good nose for this, I admit it." Devotion whispered to Ysmir.

Devotion continued climbing down, finding himself in a small room. Actually, it would be more appropriate to call this a crawl space. In front of him was what looked to be some form of secret door, considering the hinges. There were two holes in this door, almost like eyeholes. Devotion took this opportunity to look in them. Maybe he could gather answers.

Peering through those holes, Devotion found that the other side was a very cozy looking front room. There was a blazing fireplace in one corner, multiple couches, a fancy looking red fur rug, and a drink cabinet loaded with bottles of expensive liquors. Strange, that this group of people hadn't taken any of that yet. Devotion took a good look at the other group of people. There were four of them in total, plus the body of the one that had been stabbed. They wore unfamiliar robes to Devotion, but seemed to be about his age. He did not recognize any of them.

They were all currently huddled together, looking at something that one of them was clutching in his hands. A photographic jade. Devotion had to figure out how to get that. He didn't want to enter a trial without knowing what was behind the doors.

"That is a lot more brutal than I expected it to be." The one holding the jade spoke after a few moments of stunned silence in that group. Devotion recognized his voice to be the leader of that group. The leader was a little taller than the other three. He had very sharp, angled eyebrows, and his face was comically square. He really had an unfortunate appearance. Devotion wondered how he could have become the leader of this group, looking like that. He had to be a formidable fighter or something. That was the only explanation.

Continuing to survey the group, Devotion noticed a short, round man. He assumed this was Guff, as his voice seemed to match his appearance. He was not certain who these other people could be. Clearly, they were all working together to find treasures in the Secret Realm.

"Well, we all saw the jade. Anyone have any bright ideas on how to survive that death trap?" The leader spoke up. "How about you, Edwin? Anything?" He asked, pointing to one of those that Devotion hadn't learned about yet.

That person blinked a few times, wracking his brain.

"Really? Nothing? Do you want to end up like your old friend on the ground here?" The leader asked when there was no answer. "I'm going to give you two options: Either get an idea and go attempt it, or I kill you now. Which will it be?"

Devotion sucked in a cold breath. This guy was beyond ruthless. He had to have some form of trump card to control these people this much.

That man, Edwin, stepped forward. "I'll attempt it." He said, heading to the doors and pulling it open.

"Take this. Maybe you'll save all our asses." The leader tossed him that photographic jade.

Unfortunately for Edwin, things didn't go much better for him. It was a very similar result of open the door, close it, screaming, then silence. What was this trial?

The leader said a few words of power, and the photographic jade returned to his hand. He had to have some enchantment on it to reclaim it.

The remaining three of this group huddled over the jade, watching the recording.

"No fucking way." The leader muttered under his breath.