The Achievement Junkie 285 Things Just Fall into Place

'New skills? Like what?'

'Well, I have more to learn now, but I only got one new spell,' replied Jack. 'But this one spell is about to make our job a lot easier. First, let's reach the canyon wall.'

The duo trekked to the canyon, reaching it before noon.

Once there, Jack smiled and his eyes turned bright white while emitting an ethereal cloudiness. Bowzer was confused, unsure of what kind of skill Jack had picked up or what it did exactly. The fox didn't feel any kind of power coming from Jack's eyes, so they didn't feel as strong as the appeared.

Jack was too busy enjoying his new skill to see the strange look that Bowzer was giving him.

With God's Eye active, Jack was able to search the entire canyon bit by bit. It was as if his eyes were connected to satellite zooming in on the earth below, only God's Eye was crystal clear no matter how far or near his perspective was. And the low mana consumption was perfect, so long as Jack used the spell in short bursts and an intended purpose.

The glow in Jack's eyes vanished as he dashed toward the south side of the canyon.

'Jack? Aren't we going the other way?' asked Bowzer.

'Nope, I was wrong,' Jack responded as he hopped on Bowzer's back 'This is definitely the way to go. Take us to the very end of the canyon.'

'Okay, if you say so.'

Bowzer sped up and breezed along the canyon walls until. They spent about half an hour at that speed until Bowzer came to a gradual halt at the end of the canyon. 'Now what?'

'Follow me.' Jack hopped off, immediately running into the canyon. 'It shouldn't be too much further… There it is!'

Pointing at one of the tallest rock formations jutting from the center of the canyon, Jack sped up and started to climb the rockface.

Following along, Bowzer did whatever Jack did. His sharp claw and high speed allowed the fox to climb the formation before Jack reached the top. 'Now what?' Confused, Bowzer looked around to only see small rock formations scattered around him and a few taller ones in the center.

'Now, we can get in,' chuckled Jack as he reached the top.

He said nothing more to Bowzer as Jack walked up to one of the smaller rock formations and picked up the large, square-like boulder. Then, Jack took his time and carried it toward the center formations.

What surprised Bowzer was what happened next when Jack threw the boulder on top of the center formations. Jack also climbed up those and placed the boulder from earlier inside the center formations, causing it to disappear from Bowzer's sight.

'Bowzer, bring that broken boulder over there, but just the largest piece.'

Acting without a word, Bowzer did as Jack told him. That broken boulder was carefully picked up in Bowzer's jaws.

'Make sure not to break it anymore, okay?' warned Jack.

Bowzer made sure to be extra careful, taking his time to bring it to Jack. And yet again, Jack took it and placed it inside a different portion of the center formations.

That happened three more times with Bowzer obediently fetching the boulder that Jack requested and Jack somehow making the boulder fit within the larger formations. However, the sixth and final boulder that was passed to Jack made a sound as it fell into place among the other boulders.

"Gong…"

The sound was quiet but loud enough for Jack and Bowzer to hear.

As the sound faded, the center formations started to shake. Cracks appeared on the sides and the giant rock formation they had climbed was rocking back and forth.

'What's going on?!'

Jack jumped down and ran his hands through Bowzer's fur. 'Calm down. I thought something like this would happen.'

'What?!'

The rock formations at the center, those that Jack was on top of a moment ago, suddenly shattered. A chain reaction had begun as more and more cracks spread across the giant rock formation. Any and all nearby visitors at the canyon would be able to hear quaking happening within the canyon.

'Stay calm Bowzer.'

'Jack, what if we fall and die?!' Bowzer focused on the cracks now running under his feet, proving his worst thought may not be wrong.

'Just stay--'

"CRACK!"

Before Jack could stop Bowzer from worrying, the giant rock formation beneath their feet crumbled and began a long fall to the ground below. But Jack and Bowzer also noticed that the very ground they were standing on suddenly became brittle as they fell into the new cavity of the rock.

That massive rock formation had fallen apart, never to stand again. All people there hurried to see what had happened and what had caused the ancient formation to suddenly break apart.

During their search of the rubble, they found nothing. Not a single hint of a cause existed and there was no sign of any living thing trapped inside the wreckage.

*****

"Uhhh…" Holding his head, Jack felt himself lying on the ground in pitch-black darkness. 'Bowzer?'

'Jack?'

A flame appeared as it surrounded Bowzer's fur coat, but only enough to light up the dark world around them. 'Jack, we're alive?'

'I told you to stay calm, didn't I?' laughed Jack. 'I was ninety percent certain that we wouldn't die.'

'Only ninety percent?! And the other ten?'

'Where are we, anyway?' Jack ignored Bowzer's worried question, focusing on the dark cave in which they found themselves.

Taking a quick look at his map, Jack determined that they were still at the southern end of Churstin Canyon.

With a quick laugh, Jack started to walk northward. 'I guess we're under the canyon. If so, then Choron's shrine should be this way.'

'But Jack, we just…' Bowzer sighed, accepting Jack's strange way of making things somehow work in the end. He quickened his pace to catch up with Jack, making sure to keep the path lit.

'Check that out!' Jack smiled as they found some ancient Kartonian hieroglyphs etched into the walls, along with some imagery of war carved into the stone walls. 'Does this remind you of something?'

'It's like… Lunara's temple, right?'

'Exactly. We're definitely on the right path,' Jack stated, taking in the beautiful carvings surrounding them.

Eventually, they came to a larger room before reaching the end of the path. Inside the room were dozens of old cots and some ancient furniture. Along the walls were depictions of armies of ninjas and their travels across the land.

'Some old barracks of sorts?' Jack tried to figure out the use of such a room. He then noticed that a single cot near the back wasn't caked in dust and there was a mattress along with a set of sheets. 'Hmmm… Did Trax stay here before?'

'Oh, that ninja?' Bowzer overheard Jack's thoughts. 'He's been here too. Why didn't we have him show us the way?'

'Where's the fun in that?' Jack joked. 'According to Choron, Trax can only enter here with Choron's help. He would only slow us down since we found the entrance by ourselves.'

'True, true.' Bowzer nodded, feeling proud to have successfully entered the hidden tomb of a god.

'Let's move on.'

The duo returned to the hallway, enjoying the art on the walls and the many stories the pictures told. It kept their minds occupied as they wandered deeper and deeper into the cave.

When Jack double-checked their location on his map, he became certain that they were about to meet the god who had summoned them.

Like Jack had predicted, he led Bowzer into a vast open area at the end of the passage. They noticed that the art there was even more intricate and this was the first room that was well lit without any need of Bowzer's fire.

"You…"

That voice crept into Jack's and Bowzer's ears, alerting them of the blades already pressed against their necks.

"You really are Jack_J."

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Chapter end