"That was too close," I muttered.
Emilia sheathed her sword, her expression grim. "They'll find a way to follow us. We need to keep moving."
Jose helped me to my feet, his usual smirk replaced with a look of concern. "You okay?"
"Yeah," I said, straightening up. "Let's find that hilt."
The ruins stretched before us, a labyrinth of possibilities and dangers. But for now, we had survived. And the true challenge was just beginning.
The interior of the ruins was a labyrinth of corridors, chambers, and towering columns etched with glowing runes. The air hummed faintly, charged with a mystical energy that made every hair on my body stand on end. The walls seemed to pulse, their intricate carvings shifting subtly whenever we looked away.
"This place is like a maze," Emilia muttered, her voice echoing faintly in the vast, eerie space. She kept her sword drawn, her sharp eyes scanning every shadow.
Jose trailed his fingers along the wall, studying the carvings. "These symbols… they're guiding us somewhere, but I can't make sense of them. It's like they're written in some forgotten language."
I wasn't paying attention to their conversation. My forehead throbbed with a dull, persistent ache, the sensation growing stronger with every step we took. It wasn't just pain, it was like a tug, an invisible thread pulling me toward something deeper within the ruins.
"Jiro, are you okay?" Emilia asked, glancing back at me.
"I'm fine," I lied, pressing a hand to my head. The warmth emanating from my forehead felt almost alive, as if something beneath my skin was trying to break free. "Let's just keep moving."
The corridors twisted and turned in seemingly endless loops. No matter which direction we chose, we always seemed to end up in a familiar chamber or cross paths with the same glowing mural. The frustration was palpable.
"This is pointless!" Jose snapped, slamming his fist against the wall. "We're going in circles."
"There has to be a way forward," Emilia said, her tone calm but strained. She crouched to examine the floor, her fingers tracing faint grooves that formed an intricate pattern.
The pain in my forehead flared suddenly, sharp and insistent. I stumbled, clutching at the wall for support.
"Jiro!" Emilia rushed to my side, steadying me.
"It's… it's like something is pulling me," I managed to say through gritted teeth. I pointed down a narrow corridor, its entrance partially obscured by hanging vines. "That way. I can feel it."
Jose raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? It looks like a dead end."
"I'm sure," I said firmly.
Emilia hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Let's trust him. We don't have a better lead."
We followed the corridor, the air growing colder with every step. The walls here were smoother, their glowing runes forming patterns that seemed almost deliberate, like a map. The pain in my forehead eased as we moved deeper, replaced by a sense of clarity.
Finally, we emerged into a circular chamber. At its center stood a small, gnarled figure no taller than my knee. It had a bulbous nose, pointed ears, and a mischievous glint in its beady eyes. A dwende.
Jose tensed, stepping forward with his fists raised. "Another one of Clint's minions?"
The dwende raised a tiny hand, and a shimmering shield of light sprang up around it. Before Jose could react, the shield expanded outward, slamming into him with enough force to send him sprawling across the chamber.
"Jose!" Emilia exclaimed, rushing to help him up.
The dwende tilted its head, its expression one of mild amusement. "Violence will not aid you here, travelers," it said in a high-pitched voice. "Only wit and wisdom will suffice."
I stepped forward cautiously, keeping my hands raised to show I meant no harm. "What do you want from us?"
The dwende smiled, revealing a row of tiny, sharp teeth. "A trial of riddles awaits. Answer correctly, and you may pass. Fail, and… well, let us not dwell on unpleasant outcomes."
The air in the chamber grew heavy, the runes on the walls dimming as the dwende spoke. It gestured with its tiny hand, and a clay jug filled with a shimmering white liquid appeared on a pedestal beside it.
"This is what you seek," the dwende said, its tone almost teasing. "Solve the bugtong to claim it."
It cleared its throat and began:
"Bugtong, bugtong, itinanim ko dito, tumubo doon."
The riddle hung in the air like a challenge, the weight of its meaning pressing down on us.
Jose, still shaken from the shield's attack, groaned as he sat up. "A riddle? Seriously?"
Emilia frowned, deep in thought. "It's a metaphor," she said slowly, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "But it could mean anything."
I stared at the dwende, my forehead throbbing again as if urging me to focus. The sensation wasn't painful this time; it was almost… guiding. "There's something more to this," I said quietly. "We're not just answering a riddle. We're proving something."
The dwende smiled, its eyes glinting with amusement. "Take your time, travelers. But not too much time. The ruins are alive, and they do not wait for anyone."
The sound of distant rumbling echoed through the chamber, as if the ruins themselves were shifting. Time was running out.
The room was tense with the weight of the riddle, the glow from the runes flickering dimly as though the ruins themselves were waiting for our response. The dwende, perched on its small pedestal with a mischievous smirk, seemed to take great pleasure in our hesitation.
Jose stood up, brushing himself off, and glared at the dwende. "Why don't you just let us take that thing and move on? A riddle's just wasting time."
The dwende tilted its head, its sharp teeth flashing in another smile. "Ah, impatience. It is a common flaw in mortals. But no, child of the tempering arts, the rules here are immutable. Solve the bugtong, and you will be rewarded. Fail, and..." It let the sentence hang ominously in the air.
"Okay, let's try a different approach," Emilia said, stepping forward cautiously. "What happens if we don't answer? Do we just stay here forever?"
The dwende chuckled, the sound like leaves rustling in the wind. "No, my dear. If you leave, you lose your chance at the white liquid. And trust me, you will need it for what lies ahead."
"That's not really reassuring," I muttered, rubbing my throbbing forehead.
"Could you give us more clues?" Emilia tried, her tone hopeful.
The dwende tapped its chin theatrically, pretending to ponder the request. "Hmm, no. That would defeat the purpose of the trial. However," it said, raising a tiny finger, "I can offer a... privilege, let us say. A glimpse of the others who wander these halls. Perhaps their struggles will inspire you."
Before we could answer, the dwende waved its hand, and the air shimmered like a heatwave. Suddenly, we saw moving images floating before us, like a window into the trials of the other participants.
The first image was of Clint, the aswang of noble blood. He moved like a shadow through the maze, his minions spreading out to obstruct others. He stopped briefly before a glowing pedestal similar to ours, his sharp eyes narrowing as he examined a strange device before swiftly solving whatever challenge it presented.
"Great," Jose muttered. "Clint's probably miles ahead of us already."
The scene shifted to a group of beastmen. One, a hulking figure with fur streaked with scars, was furiously attacking a swarm of Tiyanak minions. He fought valiantly, his claws and teeth tearing through the creatures, but the sheer numbers overwhelmed him. Blood spattered the walls as he fell, his comrades retreating in horror.
"That's brutal," Emilia whispered, her hand tightening around her sword.
Another image appeared this time, it was the foreigners we had seen earlier. They were gathered in a large chamber, their leader holding a glowing orb that seemed to grant them insight into their surroundings. One of them muttered something in a language I didn't recognize, and their group split into two, moving with military precision through the ruins.
"Why do they seem so coordinated?" I asked, frowning.
"They're experienced," Jose said grimly. "Not like us."
The dwende clapped its hands, and the images disappeared. "There. A taste of the chaos unfolding in these halls. Do you feel the urgency now?"
The three of us exchanged uneasy glances. The dwende wasn't just testing us, it was toying with us, reminding us of the stakes.
"Do you enjoy this?" I asked, my voice sharper than I intended. "Watching people fight and struggle just for a chance to survive?"
The dwende shrugged, its grin never fading. "I exist to guard these trials, mortal. What you see as struggle, I see as purpose. And remember, this is not a place for the faint of heart. If you lack the strength to continue, the exit is always open."
Jose stepped forward, glaring at the creature. "We're not leaving. We'll solve your stupid riddle and move on."
"I admire your determination," the dwende said, clapping its tiny hands mockingly. "But determination alone will not suffice. Think carefully, children of fate. The answer is simpler than you think."
We huddled together, whispering urgently as the weight of the trial pressed down on us.
"It planted here but grows somewhere else," Emilia repeated, her brow furrowed. "What could that mean? A seed? A tree?"
"It could be symbolic," I said, my voice strained. "Something that starts in one place but has an effect somewhere else."
Jose sighed, running a hand through his hair. "It's too vague. And what if it's some kind of cultural thing? A riddle meant for someone familiar with this place's traditions?"
"That's possible," Emilia admitted. "But riddles usually have logical answers, even if they're phrased poetically."
The throbbing in my forehead returned, sharper this time, as if urging me to speak. I pressed my palm against it, trying to concentrate. "What if…" I started, hesitating.
"What if what?" Emilia prompted.
"What if it's something connected to this place?" I said slowly. "Something the ruins themselves are trying to tell us?"
The dwende chuckled softly, clearly enjoying our struggle. "Time is ticking, little travelers. The ruins grow restless."
The sound of distant rumbling returned, this time louder, as if the maze itself was shifting again. Whatever we were going to do, we had to act fast.