563 The Spinning Urn
Chapter 563 The Spinning Urn
Ren and Elena stood in awe before the grandeur of the White Queen's territory. The air was filled with an aura of mystique and power as if the very walls held ancient secrets and untold stories.
Towering before them were the magnificent white walls that stretched far into the distance, seemingly reaching toward the heavens themselves. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and engravings depicting scenes of traps and puzzles.
Directly in front of Ren and Elena, a massive double metal door stood as a formidable barrier. The doors were solid and imposing as if designed to ward off any unwelcome intruders. Their metallic surface gleamed in the sunlight, reflecting the brilliance of the surrounding landscape. Etched upon the doors were intricate patterns and symbols, their meaning known only to those who held the key to unlock them.
As Ren and Elena approached the doors, they could feel the weight of the White Queen's presence, her dominion palpable even from afar. The air seemed to hold a hushed anticipation as if the very surroundings acknowledged the significance of their arrival.
Elena's gaze flickered to Ren. "We've come so far. Beyond these doors lies the realm of the White Queen. Are you ready, Ren?"
Ren nodded and didn't say anything.
Before they stood at the door, its surface gleaming with enchantments that rendered it impervious to conventional means of entry. No handles, hinges, or visible mechanisms adorned its surface, leaving no clue as to how it could be opened.
Adjacent to the mysterious door, a small wooden table stood, measuring three feet in height. Upon the table, a delicate sight met their eyes — a hovering urn, its size reaching two feet in height.
This urn possessed an air of mystique, adorned with six identical holes, each measuring six inches in diameter. Positioned around the center of the urn, these openings emanated a magical darkness that defied any attempts to dispel it. Curiously, no hole existed at the top of the urn, leaving an enigmatic void in its design.
Elena approached the mysterious urn beside the locked door while Ren watched with curiosity, uncertain of the Princess's intentions.
Suddenly, to his astonishment, an ethereal figure of an ancient and weathered-robed man materialized before them. In a voice filled with foreboding, the apparition began to speak, its words a mixture of cryptic riddles and warnings.
"Greetings, travelers," the spectral figure addressed them, its presence sending a shiver down Ren's spine. "Only the brave may pass this threshold. One hole will lead you to progress, while two holes will unleash pain upon you. Three holes shall yield no path at all. Are you prepared to test your luck?"
The figure was an illusion, and Ren used [Probe] just to make sure.
[The wizard, bound by the limitations imposed by the puzzle, possessed only a restricted ability to offer truthful answers concerning the workings of the urn and its connection to the door.
Any inquiries directly related to these enigmatic elements would be met with responses that danced around the truth, never revealing the precise location of the correct hole.
Yet, the wizard's silence or curt replies made it abundantly clear that venturing beyond the scope of the urn, the door, and their interplay was the only path not met with resistance. A simple reminder echoed in their ears: "Only the brave may pass."]
With an eerie gesture, the apparition extended its hands, and from within its spectral robes emerged two phantasmic scorpions, their forms pulsating with otherworldly energy.
The creatures leaped into two separate holes located on the side of the urn. The apparition shook its spectral head in disappointment and then pointed towards a third hole, nodding as if affirming its significance. The urn began to spin vigorously before abruptly coming to a halt as if awaiting Elena's choice.
Elena, displaying her trademark eccentric mannerisms, set aside her long bow and brushed a hair from her face.
"The White Queen's lair is in another dimension. Even if we passed this gate, we wouldn't be able to see her. Our only chance is to solve numerous puzzles and riddles along the way until she notices us," she said, smiling and worrying at the same time. "Are you ready?"
Ren nodded.
"Alright." Elena rubbed her hands together. "I'll go first since I believe that I'm always lucky to this kind of things."
Ren gestured with his hand. "Go right ahead."
Elena twirled her hair, contemplating before making her selection from the six available holes.
"Wait," Ren said, stopping the Princess.
"What?"
"Have your pets checked the holes first," said Ren. "It would up our chances to find the right hole."
Elena looked at him dully. "You want to make my pets as cannon fodders?"
"They won't die," Ren said matter of factly.
"Then why don't you make Pii do it?"
"You said that you would do it."
Elena's determination wavered as Ren expressed his doubts, his words casting a shadow over her confidence. Her eyes narrowed, and a hint of frustration crept into her voice.
"I won't need to rely on my pets for something like this. I can handle it myself."
Ren's nonchalant response didn't sit well with her, intensifying the internal battle of doubt within her.
"As you say. But remember, if you fail . . ."
The weight of Ren's unfinished sentence hung in the air, unsettling Elena further. Her once unwavering confidence now gave way to a growing uncertainty as his words gnawed at her resolve.
Elena hesitated for a moment, her inner conflict evident on her face. Finally, she relented and allowed Tiki, her loyal companion, to take the first attempt. She knelt down, petting Tiki gently and whispering words of encouragement.
"Alright, Tiki. Show them what you're made of. Make us proud."
Tiki, sensing his owner's trust and desire to please, bravely approached the mystical urn. With unwavering determination, he dived headfirst into the spinning hole.
The atmosphere grew tense as everyone held their breath, their eyes fixed on the urn.
However, fate dealt a cruel hand to poor Tiki. As he bravely plunged into the chosen hole, a phantasmic scorpion struck with deadly precision. Its venomous barbed tail pierced Tiki's small body, injecting a potent toxin into his system.
The sheer volume of venom that coursed through his veins was overwhelming. With a swift retreat from the urn, Tiki's form trembled, and Ren and Elena watched in despair as the venom spilled from his wound with alarming intensity.
Tragically, Tiki's valiant spirit faded before his lifeless body could find solace in Elena's outstretched hands.
Tiki wasn't dead, though. It went back to Elena's storage after she healed it. It was still unconscious, so that was one pet and one spinning hole down.