Chương 23: Runic Puzzles

Post-Construct engagement, WARHOL brought down Frank as well as several of the researchers.

"I apologize for not leaving more of the creature, but it's survival, even partial, would have put you all in grave danger."

"A level on thousand Construct?" Frank repeated.

"I know that sort of thing is hardly a problem for you, Warhol, but I wouldn't say it is insignificant. Anyone else would've had dickens of a time trying to fight that and survive." Warhol shrugged.

"Sure. I just figured a complex of this size would've had a stronger guardian. I'm not sure it makes sense." Noir spoke up, her black hair was tied up in several impressive sized buns.

"I think the answer is obvious. Warhol, you said the passages you traveled along descended into the earth. Do you think it is possible that the complex descends all the way to the core of the planet? If so, then this guardian you fought would only be one among thousands, right? If that's the case, then I would expect the final guardians to be a lot stronger than what you fought. Surely, that would fit your criteria for what you expect from this complex, yes?

As something capable of defending against a Cosmic Horror." He appreciated Noir all the more in that moment.

"That is... an astute observation. That would mean the map you found was not to scale." He looked to Frank.

"If this complex does descend to the planet's interior, and if the complex really does worm its way throughout the entire planet, that means this is firmly within the Planetary Defense Council's territory. Thoughts?" Frank groaned, then sighed.

"I don't know what to tell you, Warhol. A complex of this size is practically a whole new world. I know for a fact certain members on the council are going to want to claim the complex under their nations as 'part' of their nation. Even station troops, no doubt. You and I should discuss what this means. If there are tens-of-thousands of those and stronger Constructs left, no individual nation is going to be able to handle a level one thousand Construct. You would need to intervene.

So, the question is, then, would you want to intervene and help these countries despite their attempt to claim part of the complex?" His one-time friend made a solvent point.

"I can't just ignore a threat to the world. I also cannot raise myself in violence against those who wish to claim what is beneath their feet. If we want cooperation with these entities, cooperation to oppose our common threat, then we must be willing to work together. That means, a willingness for 'giving,' which implies 'taking.' But I do think that negotiation is key. We should not stop a territory if they wish to send forces inside the complex and yet we must lay some ground rules.

What do you think these 'ground rules' should be?" A ruffled brow was all he got from Frank.

"Heck if I know, Warhol. This is a lot and very suddenly. We are going to need to think this through. I mean like really think this through." Now Warhol sighed.

"We'll have time for this latter. Academics, please feel free to explore the sections I have spent the day unlocking, including the battle arena where I fought the Construct. Frank. Shall we go deeper into the complex so you can see with your own eyes what we're dealing with?" Frank perked up at a field assignment.

"Yes! I've spent too long rubbing elbows with diplomats. Catch me up to speed on everything." And so, Warhol did. Not that there was much for him to be caught up on, not when most of his time was spent charging up power crystals or unlatching mana locks. He did tell Frank all he knew about the Construct, the way it looked, its non-verbal nature, its aggression. Frank took in the description like a child in a sweet shop.

"From what you've told me," Frank said after he had heard what Warhol said to him.

"It sounds like the Construct was based on the Draconic People. I know you think the Sea Folk built this place, but I am not sure. Your description was a shoo-in for the Draconic people." Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

"Come on, Frank! The Draconic Folk are just myth. I've never heard of any historical site which even hinted at Draconic Folk existing. And I know, I know. You're going to say, 'but oh, the Sea Folk are so much realer?' And I would say, yes, barely, but we have at least some evidence, that maybe, they existed," Warhol countered.

"And that evidence is growing by the day. Although, I will admit, the thing I fought was awfully draconic."

"I'm not saying anything one way or another, Warhol," Frank said in a definitive way.

"All's I'm saying is that the Construct looked an awful lot like how I imagined a Draconic Folk would be — that's it. I also think it is likely that, as you said, it was a fusion of multiple creatures. We don't have enough evidence to say one way or another. Now, what is that?!" Warhol looked to what Frank pointed to: strange symbols. Deeper inside the complex, beyond the gateway of where he had fought the Construct, there were glowing sigils. Runes?

"Oh, I don't know. Let's see..." Warhol incanted [Inspect]. A flurry of nonsensical information returned to him.

"The System can't make heads or tails of it... interesting." Upon closer inspection of the symbols, they did appear rune-like.

"This is clearly a moon, that's a star. This other thing, a castle?" Frank walked deeper into the passage as he remained looking at the many symbols. They appeared all over the tunnel. On the ceiling, on the floor, on the walls. They didn't cover the passage in totality, but they did take up a lot more space than Warhol imagined. It was only when he floated up real close to the symbols so he could examine them closer did he notice that some had a red tint come from them.

"Huh. Curious color for a rune..." It was when he thought too deeply about the rune's colors when he heard the clash of swords. His attention snapped to Frank. He incanted [Search] almost subliminally and saw Frank fighting a number of necro-beasts. [Skeletons: Lv. 25]. He breathed relief. For a warrior like Frank, such petty foes wouldn't stand a chance. He returned his attention to the Maybe-Runes.

"Hmmmm," he hummed.

"Maybe if I touch them?" Warhol placed his finger against the symbol, and it reacted to his touch by letting out a small spark. A slight drag of his finger while it was still on the image revealed an afterimage.

"No, it couldn't be, a Symbol Game?" He again touched his finger to the rune, an image of a knight, and dragged it over to the tile opposite it, a castle. The two images fused together and each's red coloration faded and replaced with yellow. The rest of the images quivered; some runes turned red, others yellow.

"Ah, I see how this is — Frank! It's a puzzle! Frank?" Warhol turned his head to see Frank fighting for his life against a small army of reanimated Skeletons and some Zombies. He incanted [Barrier] and shot it off toward Frank in the nick of time. The half-second after his barrier took hold on Frank, a Skeleton's blade bounced off the barrier.

Realizing his life had just been saved, Frank got serious, channeled some mana into a Skill, and swung his great sword around, fire dancing off it and latching onto the undead enemies. Brought back to life by arcane energies, fire reduced the ancient bones to ash, ending the engagement. Warhol blinked down to his Maybe-Friend.

"Damn, man. That was close! Why didn't you shout for help?"

"I DID shout for help, you lout!" Frank shouted.

"But you were too engrossed in your pretty little pictures!"

"Oh... I guess I didn't hear you. I apologize! Truly!" Warhol was ashamed. Frank could've died. Had he been a second later, it might have been a very different outcome. Grumbling came from Frank, but they did not berate him as expected.

"Just keep a better eye on me, alright? I can handle myself against many a threat. But I can only do so much when I am surrounded on all sides!"

"Yes! I will keep a closer eye on you, promise! I've incanted barrier. And there, I just infused ten-thousand mana into it! That should keep you safe for a while! Do you think you can keep guard while I finish this puzzle?" Frank sighed by shook his head 'yes.' Warhol returned to his labors. Knowing what the idea behind the puzzle was — matching relevant symbols together — he began matching pair after pair. With each matched pair, so many undead creatures came from the earth or between the tiles in the tunnel.

This time, Frank was ready for them; he and Frank worked side-by-side, just like the olden days, and after so many minutes, the whole puzzle was solved and the door at the end of the passage opened.

"What a team we make!" Warhol beamed.

"How fun, too! whoever designed this complex had a sense of them, yeah?" Frank glared at him, covered in bone dust and rotted flesh.

"Yeah, a 'sense of them'..."

"Well, onwards?"