Chereads / Rise Of The Legendary Wizard / Chapter 16 - The First Puzzle

Chapter 16 - The First Puzzle

They followed the Webtrail, the handheld light revealing the fine thread as it leapt from one branch to another, winding through boughs of leaves and trunks of giant trees. The wind whispered through the dense canopy above, making the Webtrail dance to a hidden rhythm. Every so often, the light hit just right, and the Webtrail reflected a myriad of colors.

[You have successfully located the end of the Webtrail]

[Quest Completed!]

[You have been rewarded: 100 Destiny Exp, 2500 [Shields], Health Potions [Medium] x 5, Energy Fruit x 5 & [Old Staff] (Normal) x1]

The chase led them into a clearing where patches of bushes dotted the landscape, each adorned with flowers of varying colors. Four towering pillars stood equidistant from one another, forming a perfect square. At the base of each pillar rested a cauldron. It reminded him of an incense holder. In the center of this square lay a heap of square blocks.

"What is this place?" one of the Peacekeepers asked, his voice tinged with awe.

[Main Scenario Quests: Sinners of the Past]

[Quest VI: All Lights Lead to a Lair]

[You found a clearing with mysterious pillars. Find out about the truth behind it by solving the puzzle.]

[Solve the Puzzle 0/3 to find the hidden lair of the spider.]

[Reward: 120 Destiny Exp, 2500 [Shields], Health Potions [Medium] x 5, Energy Fruit x 5 & [Old Gloves] (Normal) x1]

The group entered the square cautiously. Silas surveyed his surroundings, noting how lichens and mosses had taken over half of the pillars, signs of long abandonment. He turned wide-eyed towards the towering gray rocks, tracing the intricate lines sculpted into their surfaces.

Several pillars had only one side adorned with delicate carvings, leaving the other sides bare and stark, as if the architecture itself was left unfinished. The wizard withdrew his hand, feeling the rough texture of the stone.

"I think it's a puzzle," he said, his voice filled with curiosity.

The Peacekeepers glanced at one another, their expressions wary and distrustful.

"Or it could be a trap… I think it's better if we leave these things alone. Let's just continue following the thread you found earlier," one of them suggested, anxiety evident in his tone.

"But the trail ends here," Silas insisted, his voice edged with determination. "As if they intend for us to find it."

He scanned the crowd, met by a sea of silent, questioning gazes. One of the Peacekeepers stared at him longer than the others before shaking his head, skepticism clear.

"Do you know how to solve it?" Danavar asked, his tone a mix of challenge and curiosity.

Silas shook his head. "No, but I'd like to try."

"I'll give you twenty minutes," Danavar said. "Then we will continue our search."

Silas nodded, feeling the weight of the moment. One of the many features of Heroes of Destiny was puzzles like this one. Each solved puzzle could lead to a dungeon, the next quest, or sometimes hidden treasure. In this case, the [Questbook] indicated that solving three puzzles would reveal the lair's direction.

'Twenty minutes it is,' he thought.

Silas first inspected the cauldrons, massive, blackened iron pots with intricate patterns on their bodies. Each cauldron bore identical interweaving leaves, resembling a forest canopy. Inside the pot, he found a hole.

'Perhaps the key is in the cauldron's body,' he mused, tracing the patterns with his fingers.

Silas inspected each of the intricate drawings, but each was identical. Interweaving leaves resembling a canopy of a forest. Inside the pot, he found a hole.

He then touched the pillars, hoping to find the solution in its body. He didn't find any. Unlike the first one, this pillar had two sides sculpted with intricate lines.

He moved to the next pillar. This one had all of its sides sculpted.

Next, he examined the pillars. The first pillar had two sides sculpted with intricate lines. He moved to the next, which had all sides adorned with designs. Stepping back, he nearly stumbled over the heaps of rocks in the center. Diagonally to his lower right, he noticed a pillar with only one side sculpted. Opposite it stood a pillar completely covered in intricate designs.

"Captain, do you have a flint?" Silas asked, feeling both elated and anxious as he sensed he was close to solving the puzzle.

"I have," the captain said, pulling a flint from his pocket.

Silas walked towards the first pillar, the one with only one side adorned with designs. His fingers tingled with anticipation as he approached, ready to test his theory.

He positioned the flint close to the opening in the cauldron, striking it sharply. A small green flame flickered to life, casting an eerie glow that danced across the intricate patterns.

Silas dashed to the next stone pillar; this one adorned with carvings on only two sides. He struck the flint, and another green flame sparked to life. Simultaneously, the fire in the first cauldron flared brighter.

Heart pounding, he moved swiftly from one cauldron to the next, igniting each with the flint until he reached the final pillar, fully decorated with intricate drawings. As he struck the flint, a burst of green fire erupted, and the ground trembled beneath him. The air was thick with tension as the sound of grinding rocks filled the clearing.

The guards exchanged worried glances; their unease palpable.

'I did it,' Silas thought, a mix of triumph and anxiety coursing through him.