Chapter Thirty-Two – Extra Credit Is for Overachievers
Garath woke early the next morning, a pre-dawn blush lighting the world within the Dungeon around him. He got up, wondering if he could figure out some way to get the fire going without having to wake Daisy, but he was confused to see that what they had been using as a firepit the night before had been replaced with something else while they’d been sleeping.
Another cursed chest.
Garath rubbed the sleep from his eyes, looking again at the chest. How long has it been here? He needed to find somebody to ask that exact question.
Auto had taken the final watch. The Chimerist sat in the form of what Garath assumed to be a dog and bear hybrid with the Fel Hound, Bill, at his side per Garath’s instructions. With a mental show of praise and appreciation, Garath dismissed the diligent demon-pup back to the confines of his mind. The Fel Hound’s sudden disappearance startled Auto. In his strange hybrid form, the Chimerist jumped, looking around hurriedly. When he saw Garath slowly, sleepily approaching, Auto shifted back into his natural form.
“How’s the morning been?” Garath asked.
“Really quiet,” Auto told him. “I’m surprised that nothing happened all night.”
Garath nodded. “I’ll take it you didn’t see the new chest sitting where our fire used to be, then?”
Auto looked confused, mind still muddled in the early hours of the day. He seemed to understand what Garath had said, but it took a few seconds before the Chimerist turned to look for himself. The confusion on his face intensified when he saw the chest. Garath was hoping Auto had seen exactly how or when the chest had appeared, but he guessed it didn’t really matter. In fact, not having to look around, wondering what they were supposed to do next was a blessing.
“How long has that been there?” Auto asked.
“Wish I could tell you,” Garath said with a shrug.
Over the following hour, the rest of the group rolled out of their makeshift beds. Garath and Auto made a new fire pit and were preparing Crystillium-Infused Coffee. Obawon provided each Raid Group member with an energy bar for breakfast.
There was little conversation around the morning fire as the group of adventurers drank their coffee and ate their breakfast. Once the sweet brown liquid started doing its job, the group began to discuss next steps.
"It won't do us any good waiting around," Obawon was saying. "We may as well activate it and see what happens next. Right?"
"I tend to agree," Alice said.
Garath noticed that everyone had turned to look at him. "Let's rock and roll then," he said.
The group took a moment to prepare and get into formation before Auto, now in his tanking Rhino-Bear form, approached the chest. He reached out to place one clawed grey hand on its top, but retracted it just short of making contact.
*You guys,* Auto said over the Raid communication channel, *there's something scratched into the chest.*
"What's it say?" Daisy asked, poking her head out from behind Athios.
*It's another poem,* Auto said.
"Well read it to us then," Athios said.
Auto cleared his throat.
Within the tree intentions gaged
Your fate met only mirrored rage
Worth appraised, but no journey's end
Unless my purpose you comprehend
Until you do, path won't be clear
Forever you will fight in here
"Okay," Atlas said, folding his arms and looking pensive. "This one makes even less sense than the last one."
Garath wasn't so sure. He thought back to the conversation around the campfire the night before. Alice had said that the previous group she accompanied on their ultimately fatal Dungeon attempt had gone on for several days, dwindling their numbers until only one remained. She'd been the most powerful of them all by the time the Dungeon finally defeated her. Garath wondered what the poem had meant by the words 'my purpose'.
"Alice," Garath said, "when you were here before, were there more poems like this?"
"Negative," she replied.
Garath looked disappointed. "Any idea what The Tower's purpose might be?"
"I have been considering it," she said. "I cannot be certain, but I have a working theory."
"Mind sharing with the class?" Athios asked.
"I do not," Alice told her, expression unreadable. "Life. I believe its purpose is to create and preserve life."
Garath found merit in her theory. They'd spent the vast majority of the day before directing salmon toward the dead mountain, after all. There really wasn't even much fighting involved. That bear was a bit of a dick, though. But then, they did charge the thing, weapons raised. Could Garath really blame the creature for defending itself? Would it have attacked them at all, had they not charged in, ready for battle?
"I have a thought," Garath said. "Activate the chest, Auto."
Auto waited for the inevitable objection from another member of the group, but none came. The Chimerist reached out again, this time contacting the wooden chest in front of him. The Dungeon provided direction in the form of a system prompt.
The mountain is barren, but life is returning.
Travel inland and collect 30 species of plants to assist the mountain in its recovery.
Once complete, return to this chest for your reward.
Another quest to support Alice's theory about the Dungeon's 'purpose', Garath thought. At least this one didn't sound particularly dangerous. It made the most sense to Garath for the Raid Group to take the forms of flight-capable beasts, then head inland to find some plants to bring back to the chest.
They'd have to carry whatever they found, so he suggested that each Party member transform into their largest flying form. While it was true that they could always shift back into human forms to access their Items panels and store them that way, Garath was always looking for ways to avoid wasting a shift toward
