“This wall is closed”

Session 15 September 2024

I return to the small room where we had set up the tiny hut, my body still aching and wings heavy from the previous battle. Malik accompanies me as we settle in to rest while Jaf’ar and Farryn handle the remaining rune-doors and their challenges. I lie down, curling into a fetal position, and use my bedroll as a pillow, hoping for some relief. The ground feels cool against my battered skin, and I close my eyes, trying to find some peace.

Moments later, Jaf’ar joins us. He looks a little rattled but mostly composed. “I cracked the safe,” he says casually, like it was no big deal. But then, his voice drops a little, and he adds, “I only had a minute to do it. If I was even six seconds too late, an army would have descended on me.” He shakes his head, half-amused, half-relieved. I can’t even imagine the pressure he was under, but that’s Jaf’ar—cool under fire.

As we wait for Farryn, Malik gets an idea. “Let’s mess with him,” he says with a grin. I raise an eyebrow, curious but also exhausted. Malik, though, seems energized by the idea. He casts Silence, and the room falls eerily quiet. We all pretend to be dead, lying motionless on the floor. Malik’s magic is powerful, but I notice something strange—it’s like the spell drains him, taking something from him that shouldn’t be taken.

Our little performance of being dead is… well, not the best. I can barely keep a straight face, and Jaf’ar looks more bored than lifeless. Still, we give it a shot.

Five minutes pass, and we’re still lying there, waiting. Eventually, Jaf’ar stands up, clearly done with the game. The silence spell fades, and I roll over, interrupting my attempt at resting. But then, something strange happens.

A wall appears—solid, impenetrable, cutting us off from the place Farryn is at. “We can’t reach him!” I shout, scrambling to my feet. Jaf’ar starts yelling through the wall, calling for Farryn. There’s no response. He tries again, this time calling for Hallaster in a more… familiar tone, like they’re old friends. “Hally!” he shouts. “Get over here!”

A head phases halfway through the wall, and it’s Hallaster, grinning like this is all some kind of game. “This wall is closed,” he says in a tone that’s almost sing-song.

“No kidding!” Jaf’ar snaps, “Can you open it?”

Hallaster’s grin widens. “Nope. This wall is closed.”

Jaf’ar groans, clearly frustrated. “What do we have to do to get through?”

Hallaster looks delighted at the question, like he’s been waiting for it. “Oh, you can wait! And then, you can take on eight new challenges.”

Jaf’ar rubs his temples, exasperated. “Eight? Really?”

With that, Hallaster disappears, and Jaf’ar decides to take action. He grabs Mimi and just walks through the wall, like it’s nothing. Malik looks at me, and without a word, he grabs my hand, pulling me forward. I don’t know what he’s planning, but I trust him. He starts drawing a door on the wall with his finger. The moment he touches the stone, though, blood starts dripping from his hand, the wall reacting violently to his touch. My stomach twists in worry.

Then, Hallaster returns, laughing hysterically. He gives us a thumbs-up, clearly entertained by Malik’s efforts. Jaf’ar tries touching the door, but nothing happens. Farryn is still inside, unreachable.

We wait.

For an hour, we sit in uncertainty. I manage to complete my short rest, and thankfully, I feel a lot better. My energy is restored, and the pounding in my head has eased. But I’m anxious, wondering what’s happened to Farryn on the other side of that cursed wall.

Suddenly, a white ray of light shoots out from the door Farryn had disappeared through. It pulsates and connects with the central pillar in the room, causing it to melt away slowly. Where the pillar once stood, a single, enormous rune now gleams—a rune bearing Hallaster’s unmistakable mark. It looms in the center of the room, like a challenge that demands to be met.

Finally, the door opens, and Farryn steps through. My breath catches as I see him. He’s shirtless, and emblazoned across his chest is a massive tattoo. The ink glows faintly, intricate designs snaking across his skin, marking him in some way we don’t yet understand.

“What the hell happened in there?” I murmur, my eyes locked on the tattoo.

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