In the late afternoon, the sun hung directly overhead, bathing everything in a brilliant, bright glow. To our astonishment, after hours of searching, we uncovered only two scrolls - one is the green that was found by Gina's team, and the other, the white was found by us.
Naera and I sat together on a bench beneath the shade of a massive tree, seeking respite from the scorching sun.
"Could it be that there are no scrolls left for us?" Naera voiced her disappointment with a heavy sigh.
"It's possible," I replied nonchalantly.
It's quite peculiar. The previous scroll we had found held the same answer as the other, with only the riddle being different. I reflected on the oddity of the situation.
Come to think of it, it occurred to me that both parties had initially received a white scroll and a yellow scroll. In essence, this meant that 27 white scrolls and 27 yellow scrolls had already been discovered, leaving only 46 scrolls concealed.
If this holds true, there's a distinct possibility that all the scrolls have been found by now. Considering that we had a location clue, it's likely the other party possessed the same information, suggesting that someone may have secured the scroll ahead of us.
I was taken aback by a sudden, icy sensation on my right cheek. Out of curiosity, I glanced upward, using my peripheral vision, only to find Leno placing a small cold water bottle against my skin.
Simultaneously, Naera let out a startled scream as a similar chilling sensation enveloped her left cheek, courtesy of the water bottle that had been stealthily applied.
Leno, leaping from behind the bench and landing between us, declared with determination, "It's far too early to give up now. If the scrolls had already been found, those guild members must have contacted us by now."
He's got a point, I thought to myself, nodding mentally as I unscrewed the cap of the water bottle.
I took a sip of the water, and as it smoothly flowed down my throat, a refreshing, icy sensation enveloped me. It was the perfect moment to quench my thirst with the coolness of the drink, especially with the scorching sun directly overhead.
A contented sigh escaped my lips as I finished the cold water. Leno chimed in, his voice lighthearted, "We should get moving, kid, before my lazy ass starts to take over."
"Sure," I responded, crushing my empty water bottle and tossing it into the nearby trash bin. Naera, having also finished her water, followed suit, disposing of her bottle in the same manner.
"So, what's the plan?" Naera inquired.
Leno proposed, "How about we head to Cleru's Bridge, where the shallow stream flows?" With unanimous agreement, we set off in that direction.
Upon our arrival at the bridge, we meticulously combed the entire area, but our search yielded nothing. We stood at the bridge's edge, Leno arms resting on the railings while Naera and I put our hands in between the fence, gazing out at the gently flowing stream below, lost in contemplation.
"It seems there's nothing here," Leno remarked.
"I'm feeling hungry," Naera chimed in.
My gaze remained locked on the flowing water. In a distant memory from a previous life, I often found solace in places like this, where water flowed, simply standing there, entranced by the soothing sounds of nature.
"Raul, don't you feel the sa–"
Lost in my profound thoughts, I unwittingly let a gentle smile grace my face. Then, in an instant, my eyes spotted movement in the stream—an all-too-familiar shape.
"Isn't that..." I began, my voice trailing off.
Without hesitation, I swiftly climbed the rail and leaped into the stream, leaving Leno and Naera stunned by my sudden and unexpected action.
"Hey, what are you doing, kid?" Leno exclaimed.
"I saw the scroll," I replied confidently.
Just before I landed in the stream, I summoned a gust of wind to cushion my descent. When my feet touched the water, it was only up to my knees, allowing me to wade through comfortably.
I extended my right hand into the water, attempting to grasp the scroll that was drifting with the current. However, my small and inexperienced body couldn't quite catch it, and the scroll slipped through my fingers as the stream carried it away.
"Ah, I let it slip," I lamented.
Determined not to lose the scroll, I channeled my water magic and crafted a small barrier that allowed only water to pass through, trapping the scroll within it. With the scroll now halted by the barrier, I waded over to retrieve it.
[ You have found a scroll ]
[ You have earned +1 Essence Point ]
[ You have found (6/10) scrolls ]
"You found a scroll?" Naera inquired eagerly as she also jumped into the stream.
"Yup," I replied with a triumphant smile, "It was drifting along with the stream." It was a green scroll.
"Sharp eyes, kid," Leno complimented, giving me an encouraging pat on the back.
Suddenly, we noticed a girl who appeared on the other side of the stream, beyond the fences. Our heads turned in her direction.
The girl possessed an ethereal beauty with her long, silky silver hair that flowed like a cascade down her back.
Her striking silver eyes held an intense, almost otherworldly quality, capturing my attention with her piercing gaze.
Her complexion was fair, and her features were delicate, framed by the soft strands of silver hair that framed her face.
Despite her seemingly calm expression, the intensity in her gaze hinted at a depth of emotion hidden beneath the surface. As she caught her breath, her slender figure became more apparent, adding an air of elegance to her presence.
The mysterious girl then averted her gaze from us and swiftly departed from the scene.
"Ah, she must be chasing after the scroll," Naera speculated, offering a possible explanation for the girl's sudden appearance and departure.
"HAHA!!," Leno chimed in with a triumphant grin, "Too bad for her, we got our hands on it first!"
"Raul?" Naera called out to me, breaking my momentary trance.
"Oh, sorry," I replied, tearing my gaze away from where the girl had been. A peculiar feeling nagged at me—had I seen her somewhere before? I couldn't help but wonder.
"Let's focus on the riddle for now," Leno instructed.
I opened the scroll and read its contents aloud. After a few minutes of contemplation, I confidently responded, "A tower," as the answer to the riddle.
[ You have solve a scrolls ]
[ You have earned +1 Essence Point ]
[ You have solved (5/5) scrolls ]
Oh, alright. One task down.
[ You have completed one of the task ]
[ You have gained +1 intelligence ]
"It's already 1:00 PM. Let's regroup with the others," Leno suggested, checking his watch for the time.
…
Gina, eager to know, inquired, "Any luck with more scrolls, anyone?"
Leno, displaying his usual indifference, replied, "Just one, a green one."
Vanessa chimed in, "We're in the same boat, but ours is white. Gina, did you have any success?"
Gina sighed, disappointment evident, "No luck here, couldn't find any."
With the city plaza's towering clock reminding us of time slipping away, I said, "There are still two hours left."
Leno sought clarification, "Are we still planning to search for more scrolls?"
Before we could decide, a deep, commanding voice interrupted us abruptly. "The Challenge has concluded. All the scrolls have been discovered. Meet at the guild hall. We will be waiting for you, party number 11." The man, as imposing as Leno but more robust, announced before departing.
Leno celebrated, exclaiming, "It's finally done!" He raised both arms in triumph. "Let's hurry over there. They usually offer free snacks and drinks before the challenge summary."
Gina agreed, "Leno's got a point. I'm sure everyone's starving. Can't believe all the scrolls were already found. Well then, guild it is."
Vanessa turned to me with curiosity, asking, "So, how many marbles did you manage to gather, kid?"
I grinned and replied, "Only 6, not much, I know. How about you?"
Vanessa playfully scolded, "You call 6 'not much'? Boy! I only managed to collect 3. Well, it looks like you've won this time." She pinched my cheeks affectionately.
[ You have collected more marbles than Vanessa ]
[ You have earned +25 Essence Points ]
[ You have failed to complete one of the task ]
It's a bit disappointing that I couldn't complete one of the tasks, but I'm okay with it.
Sarla, curiously inquired, "So, what's going to happen next?"
Gina responded, "They'll provide us with a report on each party's achievements in this challenge. This might include individual performances and our current party standing in the rankings."
As we reached the guild, attendants stationed along the pathway to the Third Guild Hall checked our Identity Cards before handing out packages. I expressed my gratitude as I received mine, which held a delightful combination of a cream-filled bread, a ripe banana, and a refreshing water bottle.
Following our routine from previous gatherings, we settled into the middle section, enjoying our food as we waited for the remaining seats to be occupied.
Once the hall had filled to capacity, the host began to address the eager audience.
The host began, "First of all, I'd like to offer my congratulations to everyone for participating in today's challenge!" He spoke with evident excitement, taking a moment to reflect on the day's events.
A wave of applause rippled through the hall as everyone showed their appreciation for the host's congratulatory words.
The host grinned and continued, "Well, well, well. Let's skip the formalities and get right to what you've all been waiting for. For your information, there were a total of 100 scrolls hidden throughout The Ruonar City. Here's the breakdown: 40 White scrolls, 30 Yellow scrolls, 15 Green Scrolls, 10 Blue Scrolls, and 5 Red Scrolls." The crowd listened attentively, eager to hear the results.
The host continued, emphasizing the point values, "Finding a Red scroll grants you 5 points, Blue is worth 4 points, Green is 3 points, Yellow earns you 2 points, and finally, White scrolls are worth 1 point each." He used his fingers to emphasize each point value, ensuring everyone understood the scoring system.
The host added, "Additionally, solving the scrolls will earn you 3 points, regardless of the color of the scrolls." He made sure to clarify this scoring rule for all the participants.
The host continued, "Furthermore, as a reminder, we had assigned our people to closely follow each of the ascendants to track their individual performances. Now that you all understand how the points work, we will proceed to announce the results and standings of each party in today's challenge." The anticipation in the hall was palpable as everyone awaited the outcome.