B3 Chapter 371: Fog, Pt. 2

The fog was heavy, hiding all in its swirling depths. Even sound was eaten whole: though the grass rustled in a gentle breeze, it was muted and dull. Like he’d plugged his ears with wax.

It made the trial feel timeless — endless, like reality itself simply stopped outside the bounds of Kaius’s senses.

Despite that, he was having the time of his life. Porkchop was here. They were on the path to discovering their final aspect, together. The trial itself had said the secret lay in their bond, and to have their unity of purpose enshrined in something so integral felt right.

He did wonder when their first challenge or obstacle would arise. They’d left the circle of standing stones an hour ago, wandering along the path. Absolutely nothing of interest had happened since then. A simple dirt track, winding over gentle hills as they crossed a grassland that was dotted with stone.

Mostly, they spent that time plastered as close to one another as they could manage. It was partly simple sentimentality, but also a reality of the fog that surrounded them. There was no way that it was natural. Porkchop had said that he could only see a bare twenty strides or so in any direction, and even with Truesight he couldn’t see much further than a hundred longstrides himself. A poor showing, for someone who could count the leaves on a tree from a league and a half away.

Walking side by side, with his arm on Porkchop’s shoulder, Kaius couldn’t help but feel that his brother would vanish if he lost track of him in the fog. It was one thing to deal with the blocking of their bond when they were apart from each other, but to not feel Porkchop’s mind when right next to him? It grated. Made it feel like he was an apparition — a mirage that was liable to burst.

No amount of checking with Truesight ever quite managed to shake it.

The worst bit was not knowing if Porkchop felt the same. Logically, he knew his brother would. They’d been attached at the hip for nearly two years, he knew Porkchop almost better than he knew himself. He could feel it in the tension of the muscles in Porkchop’s back, see it in the way one ear stayed swivelled — pointing directly at him at all times.

But to not experience it? It rubbed at him like a hangnail — left him stiff and tense as his eyes roved the fog for threats.

Kaius wasn’t an idiot. Sure, he was a flagrant risk-taker, but he could connect the dots as well as any other. It seemed obvious to him that the tension he felt, the lack of easy reliance on his bond, was a part of this trial. Some test of unity, as it related to Animus, perhaps?

It was hard to say — hells, the whole thing could have just been his nerves making him overly suspicious. Still, it didn’t make it easier, nor did it stop him from keeping Porkchop in his sight.

“Bloody fog is doing my head in,” Kaius muttered, tapping Porkchop on the shoulder for what had to be the thousandth time.

“At least you can see somewhat. I hope this trial isn’t about overcoming boredom, because I’m about ready to claw my eyes out. We better run into something to do soon.”

Kaius snorted and shook his head. At least Porkchop was as dramatic as always — the sliver of normalcy helped.

Refocusing on the path ahead of them, Kaius came to a dead stop a few steps later as they were faced with change. Porkchop bristled at his sudden halt, claws digging into the dirt as he readied himself for a threat.

“Danger?”

“No,” Kaius replied. “At least, not yet. It looks like you’ll be getting your wish, though.”

Right at the edge of what was visible through the fog, their path split into three. Two routes peeled off to the left and right, while another continued on. Since leaving the standing stones, it was the first bit of variation from their endless trail through the grasslands.

If it wasn’t an obstacle for them to overcome, Kaius would eat his boot.

“Come on, let’s check it out. The path splits up ahead.” Kaius took the lead, drawing the comforting weight of his blade as he waved for Porkchop to follow.

After a dozen or so strides, they crossed a threshold. The fog retreated — pushed back by an invisible force to create a dome of clear space.

“Fog’s gone for you too?” Kaius asked, his eyes staying locked on the now revealed obstacles ahead.

“Yeah, thank the Matriarchs; I’m not particularly a fan of being blind. It’s not quite what I expected, though.”

Kaius nodded in full agreement. From the crossroads, each path split to run to a unique challenge.

On their right, two boulders that would have come up to Kaius’s stomach lay at either side of the path — right before it cut straight up the side of a hill. A tall one — taller than anything they’d walked over so far, at least.

Each boulder had a chain sunk deep into its face, hooked up to what looked like…harneses? If it was to pull the boulders, then lady luck had taken an issue with him. Both looked almost identical in size, and far too large for him to haul. Porkchop would be able to handle it, but him? He’d be more liable to break his damn legs than anything else.

For a first look at what this trial had to offer, it wasn’t exactly what he would call promising.

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The middle path wasn’t much better. It led straight to a sheer cliff face set into the same hill. Plenty of handholds — an easy climb for him, even without Expedient Shunt. Even Porkchop could handle it, if it was made of simple non-magical stone. He’d be able to make his own climbing-holds with his claws.

Somehow Kaius doubted it would be that easy.

His frown deepened further as he switched to the last path. A shimmering field cut directly through the middle of the path, baring the route up the hill. Beyond it, two dozen bloody archery targets of all things — scattered throughout the long grass, half on each side of the path. A test of ranged ability, perhaps? If so, he’d be able to finish it with his damned eyes closed — none of the shots were particularly challenging. Porkchop, on the other hand, was utterly out of luck. The targets were too far for his Prismatic Shardwall — if the trial would even treat it as a valid hit.

Judging by Porkchop’s huff of distaste, he wasn’t the only one who was suspicious of this challenge.

Three paths, each with an obstacle only one of them would be able to pass. If the Trial split them up so quickly, he’d have words for Xenanra. Unsaid words, because only someone suicidal would get in a god’s face. Still, it was the principle of the matter — even if it was the quickest and best way to ignite his aspect, it was still cruel.

He banished the thought. There had to be a way — the bloody system itself said that they had to understand their bond. How could they do that if they split up when their connection had been blocked?