Trial 4 – The Sense of Smell

The further they descended the staircase, the more a growing discomfort began to creep over Alynia. Her nostrils twitched, and a look of disgust appeared on her face.

Her ears gradually lowered, a clear sign of unease, while she brought a hand up to her nose as if to block out the smell.

"What's wrong, Alynia?" Veil asked, concerned as he watched her behavior.

She turned her head slightly toward him, her features tense.

"A smell… It's foul. It's getting stronger," she replied, her voice muffled.

Veil frowned, but he still couldn't smell anything yet.

"Nothing at all… Are her senses more sensitive to this odor?" he wondered, perplexed.

However, as they reached the base of the staircase, a faint unpleasant smell began to reach him.

"There it is. I smell it now too. Not pleasant," he added, wrinkling his nose.

Alynia, on the other hand, seemed far more affected. Her ears were now flat against her head, and she was pinching her nose in an attempt to filter the air she breathed.

They reached the door at the bottom of the stairs, and after glancing at Alynia, Veil cautiously opened it.

A rush of air, thick with an even more nauseating stench, washed over them instantly. Veil stepped back slightly, instinctively raising a hand to his nose, while Alynia staggered under the impact.

"I… I'm going to faint…" Alynia whispered weakly.

She leaned on Veil, her voice barely audible through the haze.

"Little Wolf… You'll have to handle this," she managed in a faint breath.

Veil supported her weight, his thoughts spinning.

She's in critical shape. If she can't focus, I'm on my own to figure this out… But what is that smell? Veil thought, worried.

"What exactly is this?" he asked aloud, hesitant.

"A mix… sulfur, flowers… and other things. Together, it's unbearable," Alynia explained, still faint.

They cautiously moved forward into the room that stretched out before them. Alynia struggled to walk, and Veil had to support her even more.

The room was large, but strangely empty. Its smooth floor held no decorations, and its walls were simply marked with rectangular cutouts, each accompanied by a small square hole next to it.

In the center of the room stood a large receptacle—imposing and enigmatic. It resembled a massive basin, as if meant to receive or contain something.

"This makes no sense… No carvings, no instructions. What are we even supposed to do here?" Veil said, scanning the walls thoughtfully.

They slowly approached the receptacle. As they neared it, a new scent emerged, entirely different from the one saturating the room.

This time, it was a sweet, comforting fragrance—reminiscent of caramelized vanilla.

"That… That smells better," Alynia murmured, relieved but still weakened.

She seemed to relax slightly, though the sweet scent was still strong for her.

They looked into the receptacle. A yellowish liquid floated inside, releasing that pleasant fragrance.

"What is this? Why is the smell so different here?" Veil wondered, intrigued.

"Are you holding up okay?" he asked cautiously, turning to her.

Alynia, her eyes glistening with tears, gave a weak nod.

"Yes… But we have to hurry, Little Wolf. I won't last much longer," Alynia whispered with difficulty.

Veil examined the area around the receptacle, searching for a clue as to what they were supposed to do. But the room remained silent, its mysteries intact.

"There has to be a connection between this scent and the holes in the walls. But what?" Veil muttered, frustrated.

Alynia, who seemed slightly better despite the oppressive atmosphere, studied the receptacle at the center of the room. Her gaze then drifted toward the opposite walls, where she noticed a series of aligned doors, each with a strange frame.

She took a few steps in their direction, but the nauseating smell intensified, forcing her to back off. Her thoughts grew muddled from the discomfort, and a frustrated sigh escaped her lips.

"How am I supposed to do anything if I can't even get close?" Alynia growled, irritated.

She turned her gaze to Veil, who was still inspecting the room with a focused look.

"Little Wolf, go check what's inside the holes near the frames," she asked weakly.

Veil nodded without protest. He understood she wasn't in any condition to get closer—and that the smell might be even worse nearby.

He approached the first hole, holding his breath as the odor reached him.

"Sulfur and… charcoal? Smells like a forge gone wrong," Veil noted, disgusted.

Pinching his nose, he bent down to look inside. A small basin filled with thick, bubbling black liquid sat within, heated by a flickering flame below.

He quickly straightened, the stench clinging unpleasantly to his nose, and moved to the next hole.

There, the scent of heated pine filled the air—more tolerable than the last. He peeked inside briefly, spotting a thick, sap-like substance warming over a similar flame.

"Each hole has a different liquid… But why?" he said under his breath.

He continued, checking the other holes. One gave off a sweet vanilla aroma, another a floral lilac scent, while the last exhaled a sharp, metallic tang—almost aggressive.

He turned to Alynia, who was watching him from near the receptacle.

"Each hole contains a small cup heating a different liquid, each with its own scent. But I still don't know what we're supposed to do," he said as he stood back up.

Alynia gave a small nod before gesturing for him to return.

As he walked back, she rummaged through her pouch and pulled out a small glass vial. Veil, drawing closer, noticed she seemed slightly more stable now—though clearly still affected by the smell.

"Are you okay?" he asked, worried, eyes fixed on her.

"Better. But the sooner we get out of here, the better," Alynia replied—weak, but determined.

Without another word, she carefully dipped her vial into the yellowish liquid in the central receptacle. The moment the vial touched the surface, a low, dull noise echoed through the room.

One of the framed sections in the wall suddenly opened, revealing a gaping black opening.

"I'm betting that's not the exit. Nothing's ever that simple here," Veil muttered with a hint of irony.

A rush of air blew from the opening, carrying a harsh smell of sulfur and charcoal. Veil recognized it instantly—it was the same scent he'd smelled from that frame earlier.

He drew his dagger, senses on high alert. The odor was so intense it overwhelmed even the sweet vanilla scent coming from the receptacle.

A harsh roar shattered the silence, echoing through the room. It was a guttural, feline cry—like a cat's, but amplified with a savage, monstrous tone.

Two piercing red eyes appeared in the darkness of the opening. A massive figure slowly emerged.

It looked like a cat, but distorted and terrifying. Ten times the size of a normal feline, its slick black skin seemed to ooze with thick fluid. Black veins, gleaming like liquid metal, ran along its body and connected to blades protruding from its joints and back.

"What the hell is that thing?" Veil whispered, tense.

Alynia, though still weakened, lifted her gaze toward the creature, her eyes hardening despite the pain.

"Little Wolf… this one's on you. I can't fight like this," Alynia said weakly.

Veil tightened his grip on his dagger, eyes locked on the creature, ready to act.

"We're getting out of this, Alynia. I promise," Veil murmured, resolute.

Despite his words, a silent unease tugged at him. The reassurance he offered sounded almost hollow in his own ears.

How am I supposed to keep that promise? I have to fight this monster and solve the puzzle at the same time… he thought, troubled.

He glanced at Alynia, who was still struggling to stay on her feet, the oppressive stench of sulfur and charcoal clearly affecting her. But to his surprise, the smell began to fade slightly, the sweet scent of vanilla gradually taking over again. Alynia raised her head, her gaze meeting Veil's.

"Little Wolf… That monster is a Cataxys. It's fast and agile. Be careful," she explained in a weak but steady voice.

Veil tightened his grip on his dagger, his thoughts racing.

"Fast and agile… I have to slow it down or find a way to hit it effectively. Otherwise, I won't stand a chance," Veil said, analyzing the situation.

As he thought, Alynia gently placed a hand on his shoulder, catching his attention.

"I'll try to figure out how to open the door. You keep it busy as long as you can. I trust you," Alynia said—calm, but determined.

Alynia's words, though soft, carried a strength he couldn't ignore.

She's counting on me… I can't let her down, he thought, motivated.

He nodded, his gaze hardening. The Cataxys was slowly approaching, its claws scraping against the floor with a metallic sound. The oppressive stench intensified again as it got closer, making the air nearly unbreathable.

"Hey! Over here, you bastard!" Veil shouted, trying to draw the monster's attention.

Veil took off running, pulling away from Alynia to lure the beast away from her and her investigation. The Cataxys reacted instantly, its massive body moving with an almost unreal fluidity.

"Hold on, Little Wolf… I'll find a way," Alynia said, worried.

She turned her focus to the receptacle and the doors, searching for a logical connection between the heated liquids in the wall insets and the vanilla-scented liquid in the center.

Meanwhile, Veil kept running, his feet pounding the floor. The creature chased him, moving so fast he struggled to keep any distance between them.

"It's way too fast… I have to find a way to slow it down," Veil growled, tense.

He cast a quick glance around, searching for an opening. An idea struck him—use the terrain. He spotted the holes near the walls, the ones where he'd seen the basins heating various liquids.

He moved toward the hole that reeked of sulfur, hoping the Cataxys would follow. The smell was so strong it made him nauseous, but he held his position.

The creature slowly turned its head toward him, its piercing red eyes locking onto him with cold, calculating intent. It paused for a second, its body dripping with viscous fluid, then crouched low—ready to pounce.

"I just need to keep it distracted. Long enough for Alynia to find the solution," he muttered, shifting his stance.

A low growl rumbled from the Cataxys as it dug its claws into the floor, its muscles tightening before the imminent strike.