Magic Girls of Multiverse Inn 4: A Reverse Portal Fantasy, page 21
My eyebrows furrowed as I tried to follow the gaze of all three skulls, and I realized they were staring at the small wooden chests within the puzzle cube.
“No… wait,” I whispered to myself, and I sidestepped to the other end of the stage.
The skulls’ red gemstone eyes weren’t just staring at both chests, they were staring at the one on the left.
Holy shit. Could it be that straightforward?
The eyes of Death gaze upon the path.
Skulls were a pretty universal symbol for death, and the eyes very literally stared at the one box that would kill us.
“Sam?” Kaz asked. “What is it?”
My three lovers circled around me, and I pressed my lips together as I considered what I thought I’d figured out.
“I’m not sure…” I mumbled, and I quietly explained my theory to my lovers. “What do you think?”
“I think that’s incredibly clever,” Izzie said with a smirk.
“But do you think it’s correct?” Prinna asked.
“It makes sense to me,” Kaz said.
“Hang on,” I said, and the corner of my mouth turned up with a spark of cockiness at my next thought. I looked at Adisa directly. “Am I allowed to pick up the boxes to have a closer look?”
“You may,” Adisa said with a stiff nod. “But be careful not to touch the seeds, for the moment you do, your choice has been made.”
“I understand,” I said.
I angled my fingers so I picked up the tiny chest on the right by the bottom, and I made sure not to touch the opening or anything inside. Then I turned my eyes to the red-eyed skull on Adisa’s collar, and I walked two steps to my right.
The eyes didn’t move at all, and I checked on Driah and Tally’s skull pins, too. All six red eyes remained locked on the little chest I’d left behind.
But now it was time for the real test.
I replaced the chest on the right and picked up the one on the left with just as much precision. My feet carried me two steps to the right, and I stared hard and unblinking at the skulls on their collars.
Holy fucking shit.
The red gemstone eyes shifted as I moved, and they continued to stare directly at the little box in my hands.
Kaz gasped softly, and Prinna’s eyes went wide. Izzie’s expression turned to one of confidence, and I felt almost lightheaded.
“Do you think it’s that easy?” I asked.
“That wasn’t easy, Sam,” Prinna said with love in her hazel eyes. “You’re just brilliant.”
“Thanks,” I chuckled softly, and I put the box back on the left.
“This one?” Kaz pointed at the box on the right.
“I think so.” I nodded and picked up the first box again.
The skulls’ red eyes remained on the other small chest.
“Everybody good with this choice?” I presented the chest to my three lovers.
“Yes.” Kaz nodded.
“I agree,” Prinna said.
“Let’s do it,” Izzie agreed.
I opened the little chest, and the crowd took a collective breath. Izzie picked a seed first, then Kaz, next Prinna, and finally, I selected one from the bundle. I replaced the chest beside its deadly mate, and I nodded to the crones that we’d made our choice.
“You must eat at the same time,” Adisa repeated.
The crowd became eerily silent as I stared at my magical lovers, and we popped the pomegranate seeds onto our tongues.
Chapter 14
The fruity meat around the hard pomegranate seed was plump and juicy, and the flavor was delightful as I waited to see if I’d been right.
The drummer had ramped up the tempo to an excruciating pace as we’d moved the seeds to our mouths, and now it was pounding through the floorboards of the stage and inside my ears.
Part of me wanted to look at the crones, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from my lovers. If I’d been wrong, I wanted to die looking at their beautiful faces, and then I saw the look of relief in Prinna’s hazel eyes as she stared at Adisa.
My head whipped around fast to look at the crones, and I could see a spark of admiration mixed with irritation on the old woman’s face. Adisa glared at us for a long moment before she nodded slowly.
“They have chosen wisely,” Adisa announced, and a rueful grin pulled at her lips. “Congratulations, Victors of Wisdom!”
Relief nearly took my knees out from under me as my eardrums were assaulted by the shouts, cheers, laughter, and applause of the crowd. The drummer shifted into a quick and forceful pattern that sounded like a grand finale, and then, mercifully, he went silent.
My lovers swarmed around me with relief and excitement. Kaz had unshed tears in her violet eyes, and Izzie’s smile was almost cocky with its confidence. Prinna smiled widely, and she shouted over the crowd.
“I felt their admiration!” Prinna grinned. “Adisa was impressed we figured it out!”
“As she should be!” Kaz laughed.
“Sam is brilliant!” Izzie screamed.
“It wasn’t just me,” I gasped with laughter and relief.
We collided in a hug of pure joy, relief, and thrill. There was a heavy feeling of victory in the air around the four of us, and it wasn’t until I felt a hand on my shoulder that I realized the three wizards had joined us on stage.
Hool stood at the front with his hands in the air, and he tried to gain the crowd’s attention. His crow let out a loud cawing scream, and a group of children in the crowd laughed and pointed at the black bird. Obin smiled proudly at us, and Potorn stood nearby with excitement on his face. The three crones hadn’t moved from their spots, and they stared at us with admiration and a much lower level of excitement than their male counterparts.
“What an excellent Test of Wisdom, Adisa,” Potorn praised the crones. “It will be interesting to see your new challenge for future Trials.”
“It will be amusing to concoct something new,” Driah said.
“Congratulations, Victors of Wisdom!” Hool called loudly.
Eventually, the crowd started to quiet down enough that Hool could continue.
“No one has come this far since our previous champion,” Hool reminded the crowd. “This is an exciting day in Maardox!”
“What happens next?” I asked.
I was feeling almost dizzy from the rush of relief, and the much-needed absence of the booming bass drum.
“We shall break for our midday meal,” Hool announced as he answered my question. “Then… the Test of Excellence will begin!”
“Come,” Obin said with an optimistic energy. “We will return to the place of Atruuxo for our midday meal.”
“Thanks,” I said.
The crowd started to head in that direction, and Potorn, Obin, and Hool waited a moment to let it thin out first. Then the three bearded wizards guided us back through the oasis. Dozens of people had paused along the way to the large tent to clap and wave at us as we passed by. Spectators lined up along the way and many of them reached out to brush their fingertips on my sleeves as I walked past.
I thought this must be what huge boy bands felt when they had to be out in public. Even if we failed to complete the final test, I knew our names would be spoken with reverence for decades to come. We’d gotten further than anyone since Wersnop had competed, and I was feeling more confident now that we’d made it through the first two tests.
“I’m not sure if I can even eat right now,” Kaz sighed and put her hand in mine as we walked.
“I’m hungry,” Prinna said.
“Me, too,” Izzie agreed. “Besides, we fucking won! We should celebrate the victory, right?”
“I think so,” I said.
“I don’t know why,” Izzie mused. “But I feel like the last test will be easy compared to the first two.”
“I feel like that’s a foolish mindset to go into it with,” Kaz said with a little grimace.
“We should definitely anticipate it being really hard,” I said. “But we’ve gotten really far.”
“But we don’t even know what a Test of Excellence could be,” Kaz pointed out.
“That’s true,” Prinna said. “What does that even mean? Strength and wisdom, those made sense.”
“But we are excellent!” Izzie said boldly. “How could we possibly fail?”
“Let’s focus on getting something to eat,” I said in a reassuring tone. “I think we shouldn’t get ahead of ourselves.”
My ladies nodded in agreement as the wizards led us back to the raised platform under the big tent. The cushions had been rearranged into a pleasant collection of places to sit, and fresh pitchers of leeberry juice and red wine were on the table.
“Thanks,” I said.
Kaz, Prinna, Izzie, and I settled down onto the cushions as the crowd filled into the space of the tent. I set my rucksack on the ground beside me, and a few minutes later, Hool addressed the crowd.
“Welcome, travelers,” Hool spoke in a clear voice. “We have not had two Atruuxo this close together in many years. Let us enjoy this celebration of our Victors of both Strength and Wisdom!”
The crowd clapped excitedly as the last of them entered the tent and found spots to sit down.
“The Test of Excellence will come soon,” Hool said. “It will test our Victors’ every ability, and either they will falter to death, or their excellence will prevail!”
The crowd cheered, and I leaned toward Obin as Hool continued to speak about the importance of the Trial.
“Any chance you can tell us more about what the Test of Excellence will involve?” I asked.
“Many apologies, Victor of Strength and Wisdom,” Obin said, and he looked genuinely upset by his answer. “I am not permitted to divulge any details of the final test.”
“Yeah,” I sighed and nodded. “I figured.”
Obin gave me an encouraging smile. “I have faith in your excellence.”
“Thanks.” I forced a smile for the kind wizard.
A moment later, two dozen serving women in their Princess Jasmine cosplays strolled into the tent with large bowls, trays, and pitchers. A lot of the kinds of food that had been presented to us yesterday came around, but there were new offerings, too.
I was surprised by the number of things that looked like seafood. There were small squishy creatures that had five long tentacles and no visible eyes. There was some kind of creature that had a hard exterior shell and four thick legs. It looked almost like a crab but its proportions weren’t right.
The woman who offered the hard-shelled dishes was quickly followed by another woman with metal nutcrackers on a huge tray. She smiled as she offered us the tools to access whatever meat was inside the crustaceans.
Hool must have noticed my questioning glances at the items because he came over and asked if there was a problem.
“Are these ocean animals?” I asked.
“Yes.” Hool grinned proudly. “I believe your victories have bestowed luck upon us all. A merchant arrived from Roovan just this morning.”
“Is that a city near the ocean?” Prinna asked.
“Well, yes,” Hool said, as if he couldn’t understand our confusion. “Ah, forgive me. I forgot you are so new to this realm. Roovan is along the shores where the fishing is most abundant.”
“How long is the journey?” Kaz wondered. “This tastes so fresh.”
“It is four days from Roovan,” Hool answered.
“Four days?” I asked as my stomach turned at the four-day-old seafood I’d just consumed.
“Yes,” Hool said easily. “He has an innovative way of preserving the food during the journey, that is how it remains so fresh.”
I sighed with relief, and then I felt amazed at the variety of ways magic could be used. There was no other explanation for the innovative preservation method this merchant used. He had to suspend them in some sort of magical device. Or maybe he was a traveler from another scientific realm like Earth and he had some sort of portable and solar-powered refrigerator with him.
I chuckled at the idea and thanked Hool for the explanation.
“Enjoy.” Hool smiled and walked away.
Everyone enjoyed the excellent, if very weird, food for a while, and my ladies and I settled into some easy theorizing about what the last challenge would be.
“So what do you think ‘excellence’ means?” Kaz asked.
“I’m not sure,” Prinna said.
“I think it will be a bigger challenge than either of the previous ones,” Izzie said.
“I feel that way, too,” I said. “I think we’ll probably have to fight some and use our brains some.”
“So we should be prepared to fight,” Kaz hummed.
“Definitely,” Izzie said.
“Yeah,” I agreed. “Maybe it will be a monster this time.”
“Maybe it will be divided into stages again,” Prinna pondered. “Like how the Test of Wisdom was three stages.”
“Good point.” I nodded and cracked open one of the four-legged crab things.
The meat was tender and just a little salty. I liked it quite a bit, and it mixed really well with the red wine. I made sure not to overindulge in the alcohol, and I reminded my lovers to keep their wits about them, too.
“I feel like they’ll test more than one thing in this last test,” Kaz said. “Excellence, it’s so vague, right?”
“It is,” I agreed.
“It worries me,” Prinna admitted. “How are we supposed to prepare when we have no idea what we’re being tested on?”
“Well…” Izzie mused. “Lucky for us, we’re amazing in a lot of different ways. I think we’re going to be excellent in whatever way they want us to be.”
“That’s a good mindset to have,” Kaz said.
“You’re right,” Prinna sighed. “Okay… so what do we think the ultimate prize will be, then?”
“Gold?” I suggested. “Jewels?”
“That’s so standard,” Izzie scoffed lightly. “An ultimate prize will be more exotic than just jewels.”
“What about magical artifacts?” Kaz suggested.
“They don’t seem to have any real magic items here, though,” Prinna pointed out. “Not anything powerful at least.”
“Maybe it’ll be like a gift basket,” I said.
“A basket?” Kaz asked with confusion. “How would a basket be any kind of prize?”
“No, sorry,” I chuckled. “A gift basket is another Earth thing. It’s like a variety of cool things all together in a basket. It’s a fairly common type of prize for contests or trivia challenges…”
I realized my three lovers weren’t following by the baffled looks in their eyes, and I tried a different tactic.
“I think it might be a collection of different things,” I explained. “Like maybe there will be some gold, some gems, some magical items… and things like food or wine, also.”
“What if it’s just a big jug of water?” Kaz slapped her palm dramatically on her forehead.
“Well, that would be fitting for a desert realm!” Prinna giggled.
“I’m sure water is very valuable here.” Izzie smirked.
“I actually haven’t seen any,” I laughed. “I wonder if the people use water to grow the leeberries and to sustain those animals we saw near the watering hole? Then they just drink the juice and wine to conserve what little water they do have.”
“Ugh, maybe it is water!” Izzie grumbled playfully. “How disappointing would that be?”
“Very!” Prinna laughed.
“What if it’s some kind of animal?” Kaz asked suddenly. “Like one of the desert pack creatures?”
“Yeah,” I chuckled. “I thought of that. They could very well see anything that would aid in crossing the desert here as the ultimate prize.”
“What do we do if it is an animal?” Prinna worried. “We couldn’t exactly bring it with us…”
“I guess we could refuse it?” Izzie’s expression was uncertain. “We could slaughter it for meat?”
“Ugh,” Kaz grumbled softly.
“I think that would make them very angry,” Prinna said in a cautious tone.
“Maybe we could sell it to someone,” I suggested. “Or if worse comes to worst, we could set it free.”
“Hmmm…” Kaz caressed one fingertip over her lips thoughtfully. “Maybe it will be gold and jewels.”
“Let us hope,” Izzie sighed.
Potorn, Obin, and Hool made their rounds through the crowded tent. They chatted with people all through the midday meal, and I casually watched them as they worked through the groups like respectful hosts. Eventually, they made their way up to us.
“How is everything, Victors?” Obin asked.
“It’s really good,” I said, and I gestured at the crab-like creatures’ cracked shells on the table. “Those are delicious.”
“Ah, lovely,” Hool said, and he clasped his hands together. “I shall pass on your compliments to the merchant.”
“Yes, please do,” I said.
“We were wondering if there was anything more you could tell us about the Trial?” Prinna asked.
I looked at my white-blonde witch, and I suspected there was more to her question than what was at face value. She was probably trying to pry any kind of intentions from the three wizards under the guise of casual conversation.
“Yes,” Izzie chimed in. “How long has the Trial been going on?”
“Hmm,” Hool hummed for a second. “This is the one hundred and twelfth year, is that right Obin?”
“Yes, it is.” Obin nodded.
“One hundred and twelve years,” Prinna repeated in an awed voice. “And only five champions in all that time?”
“It is a very challenging Trial,” Potorn said in almost a defensive voice. “It is designed to allow only the best to reach victory.”
“And no one has won since Wer– Arthur?” I asked.
“Correct,” Obin said. “In fact, none of them have even made it past the puzzle cube.”
