Ms. Wynter rose gracefully from her chaise chair and gestured for Fenix to follow her. "Come," she said.
"Where are we going?" Fenix asked, puzzled.
"To my office," Ms. Wynter replied.
Fenix trailed behind her as they made their way through the expansive library, passing rows upon rows of bookcases. They climbed a set of spiraling staircases until they reached a secluded corner of the library that seemed older and more elegant than the downstairs section.
Finally, they came to a stop in front of a lone bookcase in the middle of a wall. Fenix was a little confused as to why the woman stopped here. Wasn’t she taking him to her office?
Just as he opened his mouth to ask her what was going on Ms. Wynter reached out and grabbed a golden-bound book from the shelf. With a click and a soft rumble, the bookcase slid open to reveal a hidden door.
Fenix's eyes widened in surprise at the sight. It was like something out of a fantasy novel. Then again, considering this whole pce consists of nothing but fantasy, this shouldn’t have been unexpected.
However, unexpected or not, it still didn’t make it any less cool. If things go well for him in this game, money-wise, he will make it his priority to buy a house just to have someone build one of these doors for him.
As they entered her office, Fenix took in the small but organized space. Books were neatly stacked on shelves and a cork board was covered with notes about Shilvak. His curiosity piqued. He circled around the room and saw that everything in her office seemed to revolve around the legendary figure.
“As you can see, I did a lot of research on Shilvak and his apprentice,” Ms. Wynter stated, gesturing to the cluttered room.
Fenix knew that Shilvak was Ms. Wynter's hero and that she aspired to become a combat potion maker like him. But from what he could see, it seemed more like an obsession. Still, he could understand her passion, even if she was just an NPC programmed with it.
“Yes, I can definitely say that you did,” he agreed.
"Alright, enough chit-chatting. Let's get down to business," Ms. Wynter said, pulling out a map covered in notes from her desk. "The location you'll be heading to is called Krimplot, an isnd surrounded by water just a few miles from Bellport."
"How am I supposed to get there if it's surrounded by water?" Fenix asked, examining the map closely.
"I have a teleportation scroll that will take you straight there. But figuring out how to return will be up to you," Ms. Wynter expined.
Fenix nodded in understanding. "Can you tell me more about the dungeon itself?"
Ms. Wynter's face grew serious. "It won't be your typical hack-and-ssh adventure. The first half involves tests of knowledge - though I'm not sure what kind yet. Failure means certain death. And in the second half, you'll face a monstrous creature born from discarded potions. So tread carefully."
“I will,” Fenix promised.
They continued discussing the potential tests that Fenix might face inside the dungeon, with Ms. Wynter offering helpful suggestions on how to handle them.
Despite only having a vague idea of what kind of monster he would face, Ms. Wynter's insights were still valuable. Knowing the creature was made of discarded potions gave Fenix some clues about its attacks. He suspected it would have deadly ranged abilities.
"I think it will have powerful ranged attacks," Fenix shared.
Ms. Wynter nodded. "Your best bet is to find a way to fight it up close," she advised.
Even though he had already considered this, Fenix smiled in acknowledgment.
When their discussion ended, Ms. Wynter sent him on his way, making him promise to bring back the book.
After leaving the room, Fenix put the teleportation scroll into his inventory before making his way back downstairs to the entrance where he and ChibiScker had first arrived. As he descended the stairs, he spotted ChibiScker at the front desk with three books in his arms. Their eyes met and ChibiScker called out to him.
“Hey man, where have you been?” ChibiScker excimed. “I've been waiting here for over an hour.”
Confused, Fenix asked, “Why didn't you just send me a message?”
ChibiScker gnced nervously at the NPC behind the desk before speaking in hushed tones. “Well, Ms. Mable was being so helpful and I didn't want to interrupt. I figured you were busy too.”
“Right…” Fenix replied, noticing a blush spreading across ChibiScker's face. A pretty girl and a young boy—he knew ChibiScker wouldn’t have minded if he had taken longer.
“Anyway, I learned a great deal from these books. I now know exactly what monster I want to tame,” ChibiScker said excitedly.
“Oh?” Fenix asked curiously. “Which one?”
"A Leopade!" ChibiScker excimed, grinning from ear to ear.
Fenix couldn't hide his surprise. "But that's a level 50 monster."
ChibiScker's enthusiasm only grew. "I know, but it's my goal. For now, I'm aiming for either a Hellvine or Fre Dog."
Images of the monsters fshed through Fenix's mind. The Hellvine, a monstrous pnt with thorny tendrils and glowing red flowers, lurked in dark forests, ensnaring unsuspecting prey. The Fre Dog, a fiery canine with a coat that flickered like fmes, roamed volcanic terrains with fierce loyalty to its master.
"They sound like good options," Fenix said, thinking they were more suitable for ChibiScker's current level.
"What about you? Did you make any progress with your skills?" ChibiScker asked.
Fenix nodded, a glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "Actually, I did. But the book I need is located somewhere else. I could use your help. Are you up for another adventure?"
Smiling, ChibiScker asked, “Are we going on another adventure and will it be dangerous?”
“To answer both of your questions, yes, if you want to, and perhaps,” Fenix said.
“What do you mean by 'if I want to’ of course I want to. I always have the most fun when I'm pulled into your activities,” ChibiScker excimed, grinning from ear to ear.
“Then, let's go,” Fenix said, as he walked out of the library.
AN: ? It’s my birthday week Nov 25- 29, so you’re getting a special treat! I’ll be uploading a chapter every day this week. ?
