[May 23, 4023]
It has been two days since Derrick revived from the fatal encounter with Callos. Within this time, Derrick spent his time honing his new abilities as a Rank 6 Soldier He could feel his spirituality growing strong, like a dipping tap evolving into a steady stream.
I can sense that my spiritual control and output have increased, but honestly, it's not too much of a difference... Derrick sighed disappointingly. Though he knew the gap between ranks 7 and 6 was not very big, he didn't expect such a mediocre result. At least a spirit gun would have sufficed...
Oh well, it's fine. Right now I need to focus on reaching the hidden meeting location given to me by that Naoto Gan guy. The note shouldn't be too hard to decipher.
He took out the folded letter from his pocket and read the encrypted note.
[Once upon a time, a frail man lived in the Twelve Peaks.]
[Upon such peaks were the golden statues]
[Prostrating in Prayer]
[They await the arrival]
Derrick looked at the puzzle in a momentary state of shock, but quickly regained his wits and opened a large map of Area 6. At moments like this, he was reminded of his time with Elizabeth Abraham. She was a connoisseur of all things historical and or quizzical, so puzzles like these were her favorite toys to analyze.
Okay...let's think through this problem. What would Elizabeth do?
First, he broken down the prompt by sections and analyzed the meaning individually.
"Twelve peaks" is the first clue, but what could it possibly mean? If you convert the official names of the six areas of The Hole from simplified Trifal characters to traditional Trifal characters, you get the following names; Light Pillar, Steep Hill, Eternal Engine, Depths, Source, and Twelve Peaks. The last name refers to Area Six, thus, the meeting place must be within that section of the city.
"Upon such peaks were the golden statues" is even easier to decipher. Area Six is home to a particular landmark called the Glowing Men, a group of statues made from a particular ore that glows Golden at exactly mid-day. This not only implies that the meeting location is near the Glowing Men statues, but it also implies a time of 12:00PM.
A vivid memory played in Derrick's head upon analyzing the last two lines of the riddle. "Not everything is as it seems, Derrick. It's very common for false or irrelevant information to misdirect you in the case of investigations, so be sure to focus on the key points and discard the unnecessary."
Derrick, with this advice in mind, disregarded the last two lines.
"Prostrating in Prayer" can either refer to a variety of things, but it is likely a red-haring. I don't see any possible relevance that this could have to a specific location. All of the Glowing men are prostrating, so it's best to ignore it. The same logic applies to "Awaiting the arrival."
Alright. I've got all of the information I need. I'll head to the Glowing Men in Area 6 as soon as possible.
___
Upon arriving at the famous landmark of the 6th Area, he saw the distant figure of a young man with green eyes, slightly long hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a thick trench coat. That man was Naoto Gan, the strange detective of Mr.R's mansion. Beside him was the portly, pompous Flavio McLoren with a lit cigar in his mouth.
"Good afternoon," Naoto cordially greeting the young Derrick with a smile.
"Good evening, boy," McLoren said with a snobbish tone.
"Yes, good evening everyone. For what purpose did you make this, of all places, the meeting place? Isn't this a bit too public?"
Naoto smirked, "That was simply a countermeasure to any potential traitors among us. Information leaks are quite common in this line of work, so I tend to obscure my messages with poetry or riddles. This is just the initial stage."
"Hm. Quite a waste of time..." McLoren scoffed at such a childish method of communication. Being from the communications capital of the world, the Medora Nation, he wasn't exactly keen on wasting such time. His methodology was efficient and clear-cut, perhaps to a brutal extent. "Now that this farce is over, let us move to the actual location of the operation. It shouldn't be too far from here."
___
The group made their way past the commercial area of Area 6 and arrived at an innocuous parking lot. Despite the seemingly ordinary appearance, They approached a nondescript section of the lot with keen eyes, scanning for something hidden in plain sight.
McLoren whispered, "I can see why you didn't want us to meet here...this place is armed to the T." The parking lot was filled with a dozen armed men standing guard in front of a warehouse. "How are we getting past them?"
Derrick spoke up and provided a solution to their predicament, "there is a sister technique of the Wraith Tribe called 'Liar Mask' that allows me to change my physical shape at will. If I expand my technique using an Authority, I'll be able to apply that ability to all three of us. It will only last around 3 minutes, so we need to make this quick."
Naoto turned to Derrick, a glint of approval in his eyes. "Good thinking, Derrick. This could be our key to moving undetected within the cult's inner sanctum. Let's not waste any time. Activate the 'Liar Mask' and lead the way."
Derrick closed his eyes, focusing his energy on the intricate technique. A subtle ripple passed through the air as the mystical transformation took effect. In a matter of moments, the appearance of the entire team shifted, adopting the guise of cult members.
McLoren, now wearing the deceptive façade, raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. Let's hope this illusion holds up under scrutiny."
With their newfound disguises, the group ventured further into the inner sanctum, blending seamlessly with the cultists who roamed the shadowy corridors. The 'Liar Mask' concealed their true identities, allowing them to move undetected as they sought out the captive person.
The cult's activities intensified as they neared the central chamber, the echoes of chanting reverberating through the vast underground space. Naoto and the team moved with purpose, navigating the complex web of chambers and corridors.
As they approached their destination, Derrick's 'Liar Mask' began to flicker, a subtle indication that their time was running out. Naoto signaled for the team to stay close, emphasizing the need for speed and precision.
He paused, surveying the area with a thoughtful expression. His gaze fixated on a seemingly ordinary wooden crate tucked away in the corner. The crate, marked with unremarkable symbols, bore no distinct features that would draw attention.
Naoto approached it, his fingers grazing the rough surface. He detected a subtle irregularity—a barely noticeable seam that suggested the crate was more than it appeared. His smirk widened as he deciphered the hidden puzzle.
"This is it," he declared, drawing the attention of the group.
McLoren, ever the pragmatist, crossed his arms. "Enlighten us, Naoto. What's so special about a crate?"
Naoto tapped a specific pattern on the crate, activating a mechanism within. Slowly, the seemingly solid surface shifted, revealing a concealed entrance beneath. The group exchanged impressed glances as the tunnel expanded before them.
"A crate? Clever," McLoren admitted, a grudging acknowledgment in his voice.
Naoto gestured for the group to follow as they descended further into the depths of the secret passage. The tunnel led them through a series of winding corridors, each step taking them closer to the heart of the cult's lair.
As they moved, Derrick couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The oppressive atmosphere intensified, and the distant echoes of chanting became more pronounced. They were approaching the epicenter of the Alchemic Order's activities.
Finally, the tunnel opened into a cavernous chamber adorned with ancient symbols and flickering torches. In the center of the room stood an ornate door, adorned with intricate alchemic engravings.
Naoto eyed the door, a mixture of anticipation and caution in his expression. "Behind this door lies the Alchemic Order's inner sanctum. Our objective is within reach, but the real challenge awaits us inside."
[May 23, 4023]
It has been two days since Derrick revived from the fatal encounter with Callos. Within this time, Derrick spent his time honing his new abilities as a Rank 6 Soldier He could feel his spirituality growing strong, like a dipping tap evolving into a steady stream.
I can sense that my spiritual control and output have increased, but honestly, it's not too much of a difference... Derrick sighed disappointingly. Though he knew the gap between ranks 7 and 6 was not very big, he didn't expect such a mediocre result. At least a spirit gun would have sufficed...
Oh well, it's fine. Right now I need to focus on reaching the hidden meeting location given to me by that Naoto Gan guy. The note shouldn't be too hard to decipher.
He took out the folded letter from his pocket and read the encrypted note.
[Once upon a time, a frail man lived in the Twelve Peaks.]
[Upon such peaks were the golden statues]
[Prostrating in Prayer]
[They await the arrival]
Derrick looked at the puzzle in a momentary state of shock, but quickly regained his wits and opened a large map of Area 6. At moments like this, he was reminded of his time with Elizabeth Abraham. She was a connoisseur of all things historical and or quizzical, so puzzles like these were her favorite toys to analyze.
Okay...let's think through this problem. What would Elizabeth do?
First, he broken down the prompt by sections and analyzed the meaning individually.
"Twelve peaks" is the first clue, but what could it possibly mean? If you convert the official names of the six areas of The Hole from simplified Trifal characters to traditional Trifal characters, you get the following names; Light Pillar, Steep Hill, Eternal Engine, Depths, Source, and Twelve Peaks. The last name refers to Area Six, thus, the meeting place must be within that section of the city.
"Upon such peaks were the golden statues" is even easier to decipher. Area Six is home to a particular landmark called the Glowing Men, a group of statues made from a particular ore that glows Golden at exactly mid-day. This not only implies that the meeting location is near the Glowing Men statues, but it also implies a time of 12:00PM.
A vivid memory played in Derrick's head upon analyzing the last two lines of the riddle. "Not everything is as it seems, Derrick. It's very common for false or irrelevant information to misdirect you in the case of investigations, so be sure to focus on the key points and discard the unnecessary."
Derrick, with this advice in mind, disregarded the last two lines.
"Prostrating in Prayer" can either refer to a variety of things, but it is likely a red-haring. I don't see any possible relevance that this could have to a specific location. All of the Glowing men are prostrating, so it's best to ignore it. The same logic applies to "Awaiting the arrival."
Alright. I've got all of the information I need. I'll head to the Glowing Men in Area 6 as soon as possible.
___
Upon arriving at the famous landmark of the 6th Area, he saw the distant figure of a young man with green eyes, slightly long hair, black-rimmed glasses, and a thick trench coat. That man was Naoto Gan, the strange detective of Mr.R's mansion. Beside him was the portly, pompous Flavio McLoren with a lit cigar in his mouth.
"Good afternoon," Naoto cordially greeting the young Derrick with a smile.
"Good evening, boy," McLoren said with a snobbish tone.
"Yes, good evening everyone. For what purpose did you make this, of all places, the meeting place? Isn't this a bit too public?"
Naoto smirked, "That was simply a countermeasure to any potential traitors among us. Information leaks are quite common in this line of work, so I tend to obscure my messages with poetry or riddles. This is just the initial stage."
"Hm. Quite a waste of time..." McLoren scoffed at such a childish method of communication. Being from the communications capital of the world, the Medora Nation, he wasn't exactly keen on wasting such time. His methodology was efficient and clear-cut, perhaps to a brutal extent. "Now that this farce is over, let us move to the actual location of the operation. It shouldn't be too far from here."
___
The group made their way past the commercial area of Area 6 and arrived at an innocuous parking lot. Despite the seemingly ordinary appearance, They approached a nondescript section of the lot with keen eyes, scanning for something hidden in plain sight.
McLoren whispered, "I can see why you didn't want us to meet here...this place is armed to the T." The parking lot was filled with a dozen armed men standing guard in front of a warehouse. "How are we getting past them?"
Derrick spoke up and provided a solution to their predicament, "there is a sister technique of the Wraith Tribe called 'Liar Mask' that allows me to change my physical shape at will. If I expand my technique using an Authority, I'll be able to apply that ability to all three of us. It will only last around 3 minutes, so we need to make this quick."
Naoto turned to Derrick, a glint of approval in his eyes. "Good thinking, Derrick. This could be our key to moving undetected within the cult's inner sanctum. Let's not waste any time. Activate the 'Liar Mask' and lead the way."
Derrick closed his eyes, focusing his energy on the intricate technique. A subtle ripple passed through the air as the mystical transformation took effect. In a matter of moments, the appearance of the entire team shifted, adopting the guise of cult members.
McLoren, now wearing the deceptive façade, raised an eyebrow. "Impressive. Let's hope this illusion holds up under scrutiny."
With their newfound disguises, the group ventured further into the inner sanctum, blending seamlessly with the cultists who roamed the shadowy corridors. The 'Liar Mask' concealed their true identities, allowing them to move undetected as they sought out the captive person.
The cult's activities intensified as they neared the central chamber, the echoes of chanting reverberating through the vast underground space. Naoto and the team moved with purpose, navigating the complex web of chambers and corridors.
As they approached their destination, Derrick's 'Liar Mask' began to flicker, a subtle indication that their time was running out. Naoto signaled for the team to stay close, emphasizing the need for speed and precision.
He paused, surveying the area with a thoughtful expression. His gaze fixated on a seemingly ordinary wooden crate tucked away in the corner. The crate, marked with unremarkable symbols, bore no distinct features that would draw attention.
Naoto approached it, his fingers grazing the rough surface. He detected a subtle irregularity—a barely noticeable seam that suggested the crate was more than it appeared. His smirk widened as he deciphered the hidden puzzle.
"This is it," he declared, drawing the attention of the group.
McLoren, ever the pragmatist, crossed his arms. "Enlighten us, Naoto. What's so special about a crate?"
Naoto tapped a specific pattern on the crate, activating a mechanism within. Slowly, the seemingly solid surface shifted, revealing a concealed entrance beneath. The group exchanged impressed glances as the tunnel expanded before them.
"A crate? Clever," McLoren admitted, a grudging acknowledgment in his voice.
Naoto gestured for the group to follow as they descended further into the depths of the secret passage. The tunnel led them through a series of winding corridors, each step taking them closer to the heart of the cult's lair.
As they moved, Derrick couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. The oppressive atmosphere intensified, and the distant echoes of chanting became more pronounced. They were approaching the epicenter of the Alchemic Order's activities.
Finally, the tunnel opened into a cavernous chamber adorned with ancient symbols and flickering torches. In the center of the room stood an ornate door, adorned with intricate alchemic engravings.
Naoto eyed the door, a mixture of anticipation and caution in his expression. "Behind this door lies the Alchemic Order's inner sanctum. Our objective is within reach, but the real challenge awaits us inside."
