Chapter 93 – Heading to the Fort
"Didn't see any enemies," Luke said as he returned to the girls.
"Hmm... you know, you didn't have to explore everything on your own. We just needed confirmation," Alice replied.
"I was already down there, Alice. But what I noticed is that this place has a vast network of corridors. I believe one of them might lead to the fort."
"Do we have a safe place to stay, though?" Anna asked.
Alice thought for a moment and then glanced around the beach. "You're right. We could use it to spend the night before moving further. We could destroy that gate and find a room that's easy to guard in shifts."
Luke agreed with Alice's reasoning. "Let's make the most of the daylight and explore the area. We can head inside once it gets dark," Alice suggested.
Now I've got a new problem to deal with, or perhaps something new to learn. I need to understand more about this 'Skill Tree' and what these 'Soul Vestiges' are.
If my soul is already integrated, what does that mean exactly?
Should I check the Skill Tree? It might make the Scarf of the Void stronger, but I'm not even sure if I should do that.
Luke paused, looking at the scarf around his neck.
You can read my thoughts... shouldn't you, like, give your opinion?
The scarf remained silent, doing nothing.
I guess this decision is mine alone...
Luke continued walking, following the girls.
If I open the Scarf of the Void's ethereal screen, will they be able to see it? I want to mess with it again at some point, but I'm not sure I'll get another chance to be alone.
As they moved toward the fort, they entered the forest. The vegetation was similar to the previous island, yet Luke could see the differences in the colors of the plants. The path was rocky, and the soil was hard, unlike the fertile ground of the previous island.
Maybe that explains the strange appearance of these trees.
After trekking through the forest for a few hours, they reached the fort. The place seemed abandoned, and they couldn't see much beyond the walls. But there was one problem…
"Who builds a fort in the middle of a creepy lake?" Luke wondered.
"I agree, Little Anna," Luke teased.
Anna had given up complaining about the nickname Luke sometimes called her.
So, the corridor structure goes under this lake? I doubt a structure like that wouldn't connect to the fort, so that seems like the only option.
"What do you think?" Alice asked as she stared at the lake, keeping her distance.
"I have a feeling swimming in this lake isn't a good idea…" Luke said.
"Agreed," Anna nodded while studying the surroundings.
The lake was murky and overgrown with plants, its water dark and surrounding the fortress. It was a massive lake that could easily hold another fort within it. There was a mountain behind the fortress, but the group encountered another problem. They saw a large stone bridge extending over the lake in another area, but it was broken, with the second half submerged in the lake.
Damn... the bridge is gone.
"Should we try to go around to the other side of the fort?" Luke suggested.
"We're already here, but it might take us hours," Alice noted.
The trio continued, scanning the area for any monsters or animals to hunt.
Even the animals here are monstrous, but the difference is that only their minds have been corrupted. These animals don't fall into the monster power rankings—they're just corrupted animals.
"Let me ask you something: the creatures from the Campaign Map can't go to the Oblique World, right?"
Alice paused, deep in thought. Luke suspected that when she did this, she was choosing which information to share. It seemed like she feared revealing certain things to them. Luke knew that experienced Deviants, especially those who lived in the Oblique World, often kept their discoveries to themselves—it was an unwritten rule among them.
"That's right," Anna answered. "Only we can enter. Not even the humans from the Campaign Map can leave. That also includes anything we carry—if it's not a card, it won't make it through the portal."
"Even clothes?" Luke asked.
"If they're from here, no. Only clothes that come from a card can pass through."
So if I put something in my pocket, it disappears? That's pretty restrictive. Good thing I have my cloak... Anna has her pirate outfit... wait, what about Alice?
"Alice, you don't have a card outfit and you're wearing clothes from here. What's going to happen to you?"
Alice froze and blushed.
"W-what are you trying to say?"
"Nothing, I was just thinking... so if I lose my cloak, I'm in trouble? Good to know."
"I do have a card outfit, it's just... not very... appropriate. But I'll get a proper card outfit or armor before then."
Appropriate? What does that mean?
"When a human comes to a Campaign Map, they don't arrive without clothes, right?"
"No, Luke. They come with armor and a whole arsenal of cards, from outfits to other things. Our special situation threw us here without resources..."
"And there are also the shops!" Anna chimed in.
"Shops?"
"Oh, we didn't find anything like that on that island... but they say you can find card shops in the cities of a Campaign Map, just like in our world. The card shops are themed according to the culture of the place. Deviants who enter a Campaign Map might also have the option to buy outfits and customize their look."
"Anna's right. For example, if we had been brought to the place Captain Flyn came from, we would've found a normal civilization where we could buy all kinds of cards. Campaign Maps are valuable for that reason too. And there are also cards that an NPC might give you for completing a mission."
Hearing that from Alice, a thought occurred to Luke.
What exactly was an NPC and a mission in this world?
"Alice, is Captain Flyn an NPC? Because to me, he seems very much alive."
"He is alive, Luke. 'NPC' is just the term we use for the people of this place. They even have a name for us: they call us 'outsiders.' To them, we can do things in exchange for money, cards, or information. We're as much NPCs to them as they are to us. It's not a derogatory term; it's just a title. The Campaign Map usually places people in crucial locations. Do you think it was a coincidence that we landed on an island and found the only survivor who knew the location of a ship that could get us out of here? There are mysterious forces at work in these worlds. Flyn spent years searching for someone to help him reunite with his beloved, and something greater led us to him."
Luke pondered this. It made sense that Alice would have accepted the captain's mission. She wasn't a fool; she had been suspicious of Luke when they first met.
Parts of her decisions here are based on her knowledge. But the question is... what is this greater force that put us in front of the only human in this place? A god? But I thought the gods were inside people... was it the Campaign Map itself? Did it create a path for its explorers, the Deviants? While at the same time, it uses the existence of these outsiders to solve problems in its world that others couldn't? The more I try to answer these questions... the more questions arise.