novelraw Chapter 172: Simulated Event 6
Chapter 172: Simulated Event 6
"You have no way of knowing this, because Remi's brother never noticed," Tesla explained. "Both entering and leaving the ruins, he just happened to stumble upon the right path. The words send a ringing through your ears, and a wave of panic washes over you. Your quest progress updates to 110/100, but it comes with a slight decrease in your Mind Level. You can hear whispers, though you can't tell where they're coming from. It could be a creature lurking in the ruins, or it could be the insidious hallucinations brought on by your falling Mind Level. With great effort, you force yourself to remain calm. What do you do next?"
"I'll turn left, keep to the right wall, drop half of my stones here, and then continue following the right wall," Lu Li answered.
If you're disoriented, following a wall is meaningless. You could just be walking in a circle.
Lu Li was leaving the stones to ensure he wasn't walking in circles.
But it was still no guarantee of safety. As Remi said, the passages in the ruins could shift and rearrange themselves. In a few moments, he might find the same stones in front of him again, or a sudden light could reveal the exit.
Everything depended on what Tesla had in mind.
"You drop the stones at your feet and resume your slow progress along the wall. You know it's not very effective, but you have no other choice. The whispers in your mind are making you dizzy, but the soft sound of Remi's breathing against your back is a constant reminder that you are not alone."
"Are we going to make it out of here?... I'm so tired..." Remi whispered. Her consciousness was fading. You feel her head slump against your shoulder. She seemed on the verge of passing out, just when a glimmer of hope had appeared.
"I'll ask if she's feeling unwell or just hungry," Lu Li said.
"'I just want to eat...' Remi murmured weakly, 'I'm so hungry I can hardly feel anything. If only burlap weren't so indigestible...' She trailed off, a sudden realization dawning on her.""'You have food...?' A note of desperation entered her faint voice. You feel her arms, wrapped around you, tighten slightly. 'Could you spare some? I know it's a lot to ask, but I'm just so hungry... Please...'"
"I'll stop, get out the rest of the food and water, and give Remi no more than half," Lu Li said.
"Remi waits tensely. You stop, lower her to the ground, and hand her the food. 'Eat,' you say quietly into the darkness."
"'Thank you, thank you so much...' You feel the bread snatched from your hand, followed by the sound of ravenous eating in the darkness. You offer her the flask, reminding her not to drink it all."
"'I almost forgot what food tastes like,' Remi mumbled, her mouth full. You can picture her cheeks puffed out, making it difficult to speak. She devours the food. Bashfully, she asks if you have more, admitting she's still starving. What do you do?"
"I'll tell her, 'We need to save the rest in case it takes us a while to get out. Besides, you shouldn't eat too much all at once,'" Lu Li answered.
"'Okay, I understand... Thank you.' Remi returns the flask to you. You put it back in your pack, check that the piece of meat is securely wrapped, and lift Remi onto your back again. Feeling your way along the wall, you continue forward. Remi lies silently on your back. Maybe the food restored her strength, or perhaps she senses a new closeness between you, but she begins to speak more freely. 'Can you tell me your name?' she asks."
"Lu Li," he answered.
"'Lu Li... Thank you for helping me and my brother. If we get out of here, you'll be our best friend forever,' Remi said, her voice a constant murmur in your ear. You feel a sense of calm settle over you, and the whispers fade away."
"When she finishes, Remi falls silent. You find yourself already missing the sound of her voice when a soft melody reaches your ears. Remi is humming something, and her voice echoes through the passage. The tune is calming, yet you can't help but worry it might attract unwanted attention from whatever else dwells in these ruins. What do you do?"
"Let her sing," Lu Li replied.
It was part of the narrative Tesla was weaving; it had to have a purpose. He wouldn't have included it otherwise.
"'Remi survived in these ruins for days,' you reason, calming yourself. 'A little singing can't be that dangerous.' You listen to the soft melody, and a sense of peace settles over you. You feel your Mind Level recover slightly."
"'Thank you...' Remi says after she finishes singing. You continue walking, your hand trailing along the cold wall. After a while, the anxiety and panic return, and you hear the strange whispers again. But each time they begin, Remi's song drives the unsettling thoughts away."
"The more time you spend in the ruins, the harder it is to tell how much time has passed. An hour? Two? You've lost track of how long you've been walking. Your legs ache. You haven't come across the stones you left behind, but the accursed exit is nowhere in sight. Fortunately, you are not alone. Remi's singing, and the sparse words you exchange, keep you anchored."
"You round a corner and continue along the wall. Suddenly, you feel the girl on your back tense up, her breathing becoming rapid. You don't understand what's happening and are about to ask when she suddenly cries out, 'Stop! There's danger ahead!'"
"You freeze, instinct taking over. You feel nothing but empty air beneath your forward foot. Is there no path ahead? The thought flashes through your mind. You cautiously probe forward with your foot and confirm that the floor simply ends."
"Remi saved you. You feel a profound sense of relief and, at the same time, bewilderment. How could Remi have known about the danger? There isn't a shred of light in these ruins... What do you do?"
"I'll toss a stone. If it's deep, I'll back away and ask how she knew about the trap," Lu Li replied.
"'How did you know?' you ask, taking a stone from your pocket and tossing it forward. Seconds pass, but you hear no sound of it landing. You begin to back away."
"'I... I can sense danger. I don't know why, maybe it's somehow connected to the call,' Remi answers uncertainly. It sounds plausible, but you still feel that something is off. What do you do?"
"I'll ask her to help me avoid the dangers," Lu Li answered.
"You didn't press for a reason, instead asking Remi to help you navigate the dangers. You've decided to trust her; after all, you only have each other in these strange ruins. Remi seems pleased by your trust and readily agrees to help you avoid the invisible traps."