The silence at the foot of the majestic staircase was suddenly broken by a loud gurgle. Qiris roused from his deep sleep, slowly opened his eyes, an amused smile forming on his tired face. Beside him, Little Idiot was still fast asleep, his small green belly rising and falling gently with each breath.
"Even in your sleep, you only think about eating" Qiris whispered fondly, observing the little frog.
He sat up slowly, his sore muscles protesting with every movement. His eyes scanned the vast hall, stopping at the crystal staircase that rose majestically towards the heights. A laugh of relief escaped his lips.
"We did it, Little Idiot" he said softly. "We got out of that hell."
His gaze then fell on his bag, bulging with the numerous rank 1 beginner Astral Cores they had collected. Although still unaware of their exact use, Qiris knew that these objects obtained in the Tower sold for a high price outside. This thought gave rise to a feeling of pride and accomplishment in him.
Deciding it was time to wake his companion, Qiris grabbed his staff. Blue mana began to flow along his forearms, concentrating on the tip of the staff. In a calm and steady voice, he pronounced.
"[Soothing Drop]"
An azure blue drop, larger than a normal drop and softly shimmering, formed at the end of the staff. It oscillated for a moment before falling onto Little Idiot's forehead with a light "plop".
The frog startled, its large eyes opening suddenly. It looked around with an expression of total confusion, while the small cuts on its body visibly closed.
Little Idiot stared at Qiris, eyes narrowed, before noticing the immense staircase behind him. Its eyes widened in awe at this magnificent construction.
Qiris, amused by his companion's reaction, took out the last of their rations from their bag and laid them out between them. As he began to eat, he addressed Little Idiot.
"Come eat, my little friend. With luck, we'll find food on the second floor. Otherwise, we'll have to cross it as quickly as possible, or risk dying of hunger and being expelled from the Tower."
As Little Idiot enthusiastically dove into the food, Qiris lost himself in thought. He thought of Bolin, the beautiful young woman he had glimpsed, and even Zephyr. They must all be well advanced in their ascent by now.
Shaking his head, he remembered his mother's words "The world of summoning is not a race, but a marathon." He shouldn't compare himself to others but move forward at his own pace.
Reflecting on their gains since the beginning of this adventure, Qiris couldn't help but smile. Little Idiot's progression from rank 1 beginner to rank 1 medium, the treasures to sell, the two inheritances, the multitude of astral stones, and above all, a part of a cultivation art. All these accomplishments were not negligible for a first floor.
"We don't have to be ashamed of our performance, do we, Little Idiot?" he said, gently patting the frog's head as it finished licking the crumbs of their meager meal.
Little Idiot looked up at him, emitting a "ribbit" that seemed full of pride and determination.
Qiris stood up, stretching his sore muscles. "Come on, it's time to face what awaits us up there. Ready for a new adventure?"
The little frog jumped onto his shoulder, its eyes shining with excitement. Together, they turned towards the crystal staircase, ready to take on the challenges of the second floor of the Astral Tower.
But before taking a step, Qiris noticed a last piece of dried meat on the ground. His stomach growled, reminding him that this meager meal had not been enough to quell his hunger. He reached out to grab it, but at the same moment, a pink and sticky tongue wrapped around the piece.
"Hey!" exclaimed Qiris, grasping the other end of the meat. "That was mine!"
Little Idiot, its tongue firmly attached to the food, pulled with all its might. Its eyes, usually large and innocent, now shone with fierce determination.
"Let go of that, you gluttonous frog!" Qiris growled, pulling on his side.
What followed was a surreal scene, at the foot of the majestic stairs of the first floor, alone in this vast hall, a half-elf and a small green frog were fighting over a miserable piece of dried meat as if their lives depended on it.
Qiris pulled on one side, his feet sliding on the smooth floor, while Little Idiot, anchored on his shoulder, pulled on the other, its tongue stretched to the extreme.
"You... already... ate... your... share!" Qiris panted between pulls.
"Ribbit! Ribbit!" Little Idiot replied, which in frog language must have meant something like "Never enough food!"
Their fierce struggle made them spin in place, creating a spectacle both comical and pathetic.
In the shadows, not far away, a pair of red eyes observed the scene. The owner of these eyes, who had followed with interest the journey of this unlikely duo through the labyrinth, couldn't help but shake its head in exasperation.
Finally, in one last effort, Qiris and Little Idiot pulled so hard that the piece of meat tore in two, sending them both rolling to the ground.
Panting, they looked at each other for a moment before bursting into laughter (or "ribbit" in Little Idiot's case).
"Okay, okay" Qiris conceded as he got up. "We'll share. But next time, ask nicely, you voracious amphibian."
Little Idiot, looking not at all repentant, happily swallowed half of the meat before resuming its place on Qiris's shoulder.
Shaking his head with a mixture of amusement and resignation, Qiris turned again to the staircase. "Come on, off to new adventures... and hopefully, better meals."
With these words, the unlikely duo began their ascent, unaware of the red eyes following them, mixing curiosity and a hint of amusement with their usual calculating coldness.