Our heroes returned to Valley. The rain still poured, a relentless curtain against the deep of night. They sought refuge in an inn, purchasing two rooms. One, costing 300 monolite, would house Shimmon, Saland, and Haytham. The other, a modest 200 monolite, was for Christa and Marty. Within their shared space, Haytham, alongside his two companions, immediately delved into the enigma of the keycard, their brows furrowed in concentration.
Saland, ever the mage, attempted to channel arcane energies into the device, his hands glowing faintly, but the keycard remained stubbornly inert. Shimmon, with a flamboyant flourish, declared, "Observe, my friends, how a true man woos such a trinket with the sheer force of his allure!" He then proceeded to hold the keycard before his chiseled features, striking a series of aggressively masculine poses. A blinding light, born of his own perceived magnificence, emanated from him, yet the keycard remained stubbornly dark.
Frustration etched on his face, Haytham snatched the keycard. "Allow me to demonstrate," he grunted. "I shall employ the most time-honored of methods." He stalked towards the sturdy wooden table, keycard clutched in his hand, and began to slam it against the surface with increasing force. Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Finally, with a sudden flicker, the keycard sprang to life, projecting a shimmering hologram into the dimly lit room. Haytham recoiled in surprise, dropping the now-active device as if it were a venomous serpent.
Saland, his curiosity piqued, hurried to rouse Marty and Christa. They appeared moments later, bleary-eyed and clad in their sleepwear, Marty still clinging to the remnants of slumber. Christa, her voice laced with annoyance, demanded, "What in the world possesses you to wake us at this ungodly hour? It's the dead of night!"
Saland, his voice hushed with urgency, replied, "There's something incredibly important you must witness. Come, quickly, to our room." Marty and Christa, their initial irritation giving way to intrigue, followed him. They gasped in unison at the sight of the ethereal hologram dancing in the air. As all five of them stood within the room's confines, a sudden, silent directive imprinted itself upon their minds – the coordinates of the enemy forest. Abruptly, the hologram flickered and died, and the keycard itself seemed to dissolve into nothingness, leaving them staring at empty air.
The first rays of dawn painted the sky as the group prepared for their journey. Their destination: a rugged, rocky expanse where, nestled within its jagged heart, lay the formidable fortress of the Glitch. No sooner had they stepped out of the relative safety of Valley than two figures approached them. They were Ken and Rick, their faces etched with worry.
"We can't find Sting anymore," Ken explained, his voice tight with concern. "Last night, he went alone into the mushroom forest. He said he'd sensed some kind of disturbance, a fight. All we know from the admins is that a Glitch killed a player, but… but Sting isn't a woman. We have no idea where he is now. That's why we're asking… can we follow you?"
Shimmon, ever the charmer, puffed out his chest. "Two such magnificent specimens of beauty will certainly prove… advantageous," he declared, striking yet another flamboyant pose. Christa and Marty exchanged bewildered glances.
Their journey led them to a sprawling, rocky valley, a natural gauntlet they had to traverse. Angry mountain goats, their horns sharp and menacing, and colossal bears, their roars echoing through the crags, presented potential threats. However, they found their passage surprisingly unhindered. Shimmon's unintentionally potent aura, a byproduct of his unwavering self-admiration, seemed to emanate a force that kept the wild beasts at bay.
Finally, they stood before their objective: an immense, black pyramidal structure that loomed against the horizon, its three distinct tiers radiating an oppressive aura. Thanks to the now-vanished keycard, Saland and his companions (excluding the bewildered Ken and Rick) knew of a secret entrance. They located a narrow, dark fissure in the pyramid's base and squeezed through.
Saland, with a silent exertion of his will, conjured a soft, glowing orb, illuminating the cramped passage. Strange, pallid creatures, disturbingly similar in form to the Glitch, clung to the damp walls. Christa's voice rose in alarm, "Those are incomplete Glitches! They're weak, but remain vigilant!"
The first level of the pyramid teemed with these nascent Glitches, their movements jerky and their attacks clumsy. For our heroes, hardened by countless encounters, they proved to be little more than fodder, swiftly dispatched with practiced ease. With the last of the incomplete Glitches vanquished, a section of the floor rumbled open, revealing a descending staircase leading to the next level.
Ascending the stone steps, they found themselves in an enormous, pitch-black chamber. Here, the air thrummed with a palpable menace. Scores of mid-level Glitches, their forms more defined and their movements more coordinated than their predecessors, swarmed within the darkness. Defeating them demanded the full cooperation of the group. Saland and Haytham, their agility unmatched, darted through the throng, drawing the Glitches' attention and disrupting their formations. Shimmon, Ken, and Rick, fighting side-by-side, unleashed a barrage of attacks, weakening the monstrous figures. Finally, Christa and Marty, their bodies merging in a flash of light to form the formidable Christy, unleashed their signature technique. With twin sweeps of her glowing fans, imbued with the power of Quantum Unlock, she delivered the decisive blows. It took them a grueling hour, a symphony of clashing steel and arcane energies, to finally clear the chamber. As the last Glitch dissolved into digital dust, another staircase materialized, spiraling upwards towards the third and final level.
The climb ended before two imposing figures. These were high-level Glitches, their forms radiating a palpable power, standing sentinel before an enormous, obsidian gate. Ken and Rick visibly trembled, overwhelmed by the sheer intensity of the aura emanating from the two guardians. Each wielded a massive axe, its edges glinting ominously in the dim light.
Saland and his companions instinctively formed a battle line. With a nod, Saland and Haytham blurred into motion, each targeting a different guardian, their attacks aimed to flank the powerful foes. Shimmon and Rick charged head-on, their combined assault meant to keep the behemoths occupied. These guardians were undeniably strong, their blows capable of crushing bone and steel, but they lacked the cunning and strategic prowess of foes like Null or Bruhsuperdoom. Christy, her movements fluid and deadly, struck both guardians simultaneously with a devastating Quantum Unlock, her energy-laced fans tearing through their defenses. And then, with a final, decisive strike, Ken lunged forward, his weapon piercing the glowing core of each Glitch, shattering them into inert fragments. With their formidable protectors vanquished, the enormous black gate creaked open, revealing the mysteries that lay beyond.