Chapter 14

The trio falls to the ground in a small chamber with oddly smooth stones and blue light coming from the walls. Liana is the first to stand examining the area as she rubs her fingers against the stones.

“So, where are we?” Bonny asks.

“Inside of the Dungeon, but where exactly is a mystery to me,” Liana says.

Elinore shoots up and stares at the walls. “These walls, they have symbols on them.” She says touching the walls.

“They’re more like little bumps than symbols,” Bonny says.

“I see. Wasser is considered more of a test of intellect than most dungeons.” Liana says.

“So how do we bust out of this box?” Bonny asks.

“Hey Elinore, let me see the wall more,” Kaito says.

“Huh?”

“It’s just that these symbols look familiar to me.”

Elinore holds her arm closer to the wall. “What is it?” She asks.

“These etchings. Their braille, it’s a kind of written language for people who have trouble seeing things.”

“So, can you read it?”

“Well, yes and no. You need to touch them to read them, but considering I’m an armlet I can’t do that.”

Elinore scratches her head. “Then how do we solve this? What even is the question we’re supposed to be solving?”

“A touch language,” Bonny says rubbing her fingers across the wall. “Well, what is it trying to say, anyway?”

Elinore rubs her fingers feeling the bumps on the wall as she walks along with her foot sinking into the floor. “Huh?”

“Is that a switch?” Liana asks.

“I think so. Is that a critical thing?”

“Get off of it you dummy!” Bonny yells out.

She lifts her foot and the tile rise back into place. “No harm no foul!” She says only for the tile to rise higher and a burst of water to spurt out. “Um...”

“Great now we’ve sprung a leak. Wait are we underwater!?” Bonny yells out.

“I don’t think that’s it. But it’s a possibility.” Liana says. “Anyway, we have to hurry before we drown.”

“Aren’t you a Mermaid, you’ll be fine even if Bonny and I drown right?” Elinore asks.

“Not really. If this is saltwater, then it’ll be worse for me than drowning.” She says.

Bonny walks around before stepping on another tile that slides down. “Ah.”

“With that, we can assume that multiple tiles are traps. The more we trigger the more spouts of water will pop up.” Liana says staring ahead. “Also, I’d like to note I’ve also triggered a trap.”

“What good are you for then!” Bonny yells out.

Elinore rubs her fingers across the braille hoping for some kind of clue. “There has to be something here some kind of clue.” She says staring at the wall.

“Well, it looks like we will die,” Bonny says.

“No, we won’t!” Elinore turns to face the others. “Everyone, we need to press the rest of the tiles and open the box!”

“What?”

“We’re in a box submerged in water. We need to open the box and swim to the next layer of the Dungeon.”

Liana moves and rubs her foot along the ground. “Alright, I’ll trust you on this.”

“Are you sure?” Bonny asks.

“I’m certain.”

Bonny sighs and moves her foot and stares at Elinore. “You better be right.”

The three rush around the room tapping against every piece of paneling they can along the way. The more tiles they press on the more the water rises until filling the box. Holding their breath and wading in the water the group watches as the floor breaks open and the bottom falls out.

Elinore signals down as Bonny nods and the group swims down through the water seeing the water’s edge. They swim for it falling through before crashing down onto the ground with a large thud.