For the Stone Ring of Destiny

Kairo fretted as Genie led them further from a jungle, and deeper into the wilder growing and misty rainforest. They were able to fend off a lot of lower level monsters, but the fights were harder as they went on.

"This is it." Genie stopped near the edge of a steep cliff edge. He showed off the densely populated rainforest valley that lay beyond.

Kairo gingerly approached the edge to look down and yelped when he was pushed over, falling with wind roaring past his ears to eventually land on soft ground with his hockey stick jabbing at his back.

He sat up and rubbed his sore head and rear-end, seeing a silver crossbow and a small pocket watch on the ground beside him.

"Navigator and crossbow. I suggest you learn them quickly. You're on your own from here on in."

Genie's voice rebounded within Kairo's mind.

"Genie?"

"Yes, Genie who is more than a name. A piece of my spiritual consciousness is lounging in your grimoire. Through it, our minds are linked."

"You can read my thoughts?"

"Can I or can't I? Anyway, I suggest you reach the library auditorium before nightfall. There's a side diversion you must do. No time to waste."

"What happens after nightfall?"

"Monsters snack on Kairo. Do your best to learn all there is to know about magic along the way."

"Isn't there a safer way to learn magic?"

"There is, but watching your will to survive makes great entertainment."

"Wait! Are people going to watch me again?!"

"Only until you decide your path at the side diversion. Lucky Dork is packed with people wanting a good show on the view screen! "

Genie's laughter rang loudly in Kairo's eardrums, who shoved fingers into them to stop the vibrations.

Try not to die please.

Kairo sighed when Genie's presence was gone.

"Can't be helped. Guess I better find this diversion and auditorium before nightfall."

He hooked his crossbow next to the hockey stick on his back, then picked up the navigator to check his location. The crystal base lit up with a map of the valley. His first stop was through dense clumps of forest across a river. If he kept trekking north, he should reach it in time.

"I feel like some badass monster hunter called Gerald." He chuckled as he closed the navigator. He even had potions to boost his magic. Yet, he wondered about their long term side effects. Having one head was more than enough. Still, there was no time to worry about trivial things.

"I am a wizard for the demon prince of this other world. But, I'm starting to wonder if I actually signed up for a reality TV show."

Regardless, he started running.

The rainforest felt familiar as he ran through it. Although, the plant monsters trying to eat him were not. Remembering how Genie fought a snakevine came in handy. But he was a rookie with a crossbow and had to use his hockey stick to cut himself down from vine holds most of the time. After some trial and error, he was able to master ground shots: continuing to counter-attack with his stick.

Eventually he could rest at a safe spot on boulders beneath a rock canopy. Earlier, Genie had hooked a small pouch to his belt that stored his lunch. He pulled out a wrapped sandwich and looked up to the sky to see misty impressions of two blaring suns. Two... suns? This world's difference made him wonder how the planet wasn't a burnt crisp by now.

"Maybe it's proximity and rotation?"

Or maybe they're not suns but one moon and one nexus-satellite reflecting our star.

Kairo dropped his sandwich.

"How long have you been lingering?"

Genie's laughter made his ears ring again. I never left. I told you others are watching. Don't worry, you'll be rid of us once you choose your path. Hurry along with snack time if you want to reach the Stone Ring of Destiny and the Library Auditorium.

"Stone Ring of... what?"

It's the diversion I mentioned. The mark on your navigator. Hurry along now, Gerald.

Kairo groaned. He briskly ate his sandwich then checked the navigator for the Stone Ring of Destiny's location. It was 200 meters across a river, not far from him.

He resumed his trek down a gradual unkempt path, guided by the stench of sickly sweet-musk, wet soil and moss.

The air was chillier and moist as his way became darker.

A hiss and cackle rushed at him from one of the trees. He yelped with fright when a silverish centipede lashed at him from a tree. It was big like a python.

Thrawk! Bang! It came crashing down for him.

Kairo sprinted for his life as the python-centipede slithered swiftly on the ground to catch him. Its front antennas cast an air wave spell to disrupt his senses and mind. But he vigorously shook his head clear, narrowly missing the creature's whack for him.

"Centipedes are, they are, oh crap, what are their weaknesses?!" He tried to think, but was too panicked. The aches in his chest and temples were making it hard to focus.

He accidentally slipped on moss stone and saw his pendant glowing with a blueish light when he got up. Instinctively, he grabbed a vial and swallowed a blue pill.

"Screw long term effects if I'm about to die anyway!"

His pendant and aura swelled with increased spiritual energy to empower his magic and sprints. He recalled memories of documentaries that noted wood rot spores could trigger borax powder, which Centipedes were allergic to.

"Pray it's the same on Lux."

He scrambled to his feet and followed the strong stench of mildew, hoping it would lead him to his ultimate weapon.

The python-centipede slithered after him, crashing and knocking down trees. It was enraged he was putting up a fight.

"Faster—faster!" He panted, nearly choking on his breath, but he kept pushing his sprints with the burning ache in his legs.

The creature caught up to him. It raised its slimy body, revealing hundreds of tiny sharp feet ready to rip him to shreds.

He ducked a low-pass attack: dropped and rolled to evade another. Sprung up and pushed through foliage ignoring the stings from branch cuts. Slipped and skidded along muddy ground to avoid attacks, and eventually came upon a clump of stinking, rotting logs.

"Let's make it rip!"

He cast a spell on his hockey stick to make it spin madly in midair. It stirred a gusty breeze on the dead wood. Wood rot stench and nasty spores were lifted into misty clouds.

He covered his mouth and nose with his mage cloak; moved aside to let the centipede take the brunt of the spore attack. It writhed and cackled with horror as the spores ate its body away.

Kairo scrambled into a sprint toward a safer area. His breath burned at his chest, and muscles were locking up, but he pushed on toward the sounds of running water.

He navigated through wild grass and bush to reach the riverbank that had been marked on his map. And grimaced when he saw the river was a rushing torrent at least 50 yards wide and at a length he couldn't determine.

"Right." He heaved for breath and shoved a healing pill in his mouth as he dumped himself on the damp ground.

He checked the navigator and saw his destination was on the opposite bank.

"There is a way to cross from where you are." Genie suggested in his mind.

Kairo looked at the dark, spitting, waters. "I'd rather not be shrieker food."

Look for two pillars of moonstone on the banks along your right: should be a bridge there you can cross.

"Well, it's better than my current solution."

Eventually, he rose and followed the riverbank trail on his right and eventually found the pillars he was after. Between them was a beast.