Leaving the ruined watchtower behind, Drake continued his northward trek through the Stonetalon Foothills, the [Torn Map Fragment] heavy in his inventory – both literally (as a virtual item) and metaphorically. The strange Alvari-like symbols and partial route depicted on it presented an intriguing puzzle, a diversion from the straightforward path to Silverhaven. His primary goal remained Elder Jian, but the potential reward from following this ancient map, discovered purely through his own skills, was too tempting to ignore completely.
He kept [Relic Hunter] active as much as possible, its faint Stamina drain a constant companion, while frequently pulling up the fragment's image from his inventory via the interface. He compared the faded ink drawings of rock formations and stream beds to the actual landscape unfolding before him, hoping for a match. His [Perfect Recall] held the fragment's details perfectly, allowing instant comparison.
For several hours, the journey was uneventful beyond dispatching local wildlife. Level 13 Rock Lizards and Level 14 Crag Stalkers fell swiftly to his perfected 100% SCR [Basic Slash], often critically hitting thanks to his gear and stats. The combat was routine, serving mainly as a source of steady EXP.
He kept scanning, comparing the map fragment to the terrain. Then, cresting a ridge, he saw it – a distinctive formation of three pointed rocks, heavily weathered but undeniably matching a prominent sketch on the upper corner of his fragment.
"The 'Three Sisters' formation... that matches the map exactly. Which means..." His eyes immediately scanned the area around the formation, enhanced by [Relic Hunter]. The skill didn't highlight anything obvious on the rocks themselves, but on a smaller, flat-topped boulder nestled near the base of the largest 'sister', it picked up something: faint, almost invisible etchings, glowing softly in his augmented vision.
He scrambled down the ridge and approached the boulder. The etchings were Alvari in style, forming a specific symbol: a circle with a single dot in the center (☉). It matched one of the symbols marked on his map fragment, placed right next to the drawing of the Three Sisters formation.
"There it is. The first marker. But what does it mean?" He focused, accessing [Perfect Recall], searching his memory archive for this specific symbol. It wasn't from NPC dialogue, nor the Hilt or Tuning Stone. Then, a match flickered – the memory of the illustration in the 'Basics of Alvari Artifice' tome he'd skimmed in the Oakhaven library (Chapter 29). That book detailed various symbols used in Alvari engineering and navigation. Recall: Illustration showing Alvari navigational markers – the circle-dot symbol (☉) labeled 'Waypoint Confirmed / Proceed True North'.
"Waypoint marker! Proceed True North from here... The fragment shows the path heading roughly north-northeast, with another symbol – a triangle – marked after a winding path through that narrow canyon ahead."
He had cracked the first part of the code. The map used Alvari navigational symbols as trail markers placed near corresponding landmarks. His direction was clear. He oriented himself using the interface compass and headed north-northeast from the Three Sisters formation, leaving the more established game path behind entirely.
The terrain immediately became more difficult. He entered a narrow, winding canyon, its floor littered with loose rocks and thorny bushes. [Relic Hunter] proved invaluable here, not just for potentially spotting the next marker, but for survival. It highlighted sections of loose scree prone to sliding << Hazard Detected: Unstable Slope >>, pointed out hidden crevices masked by shadows << Hazard Detected: Pitfall >>, and even gave warning of a nest of Cliff Vipers (Level 14) hidden among the rocks before he stumbled right into them << Hostiles Detected! >>. He dealt with the vipers quickly, their venomous bites easily negated by Perfect Defends.
He pressed on, scanning constantly for the next Alvari marker – the triangle symbol (△) shown on his fragment. After navigating the treacherous canyon floor for twenty minutes, [Relic Hunter] highlighted it – a small, faded triangle etched onto the canyon wall, partially obscured by a hardy mountain shrub.
Recall: Alvari Artifice tome illustration – Triangle symbol (△) labeled 'Obstruction Ahead / Seek Alternate Route (Ascend)'."Triangle... Obstruction, ascend? Makes sense, the main canyon path looks blocked by a rockfall just ahead."
He looked up. [Relic Hunter] highlighted faint, almost invisible handholds and ledges leading up the steep canyon wall near the triangle marker. It was a difficult climb, requiring careful footing, but far safer than trying to clear the massive rockfall blocking the main path. He began the ascent, his Warrior stats providing enough strength to make the climb manageable, though slow.
Partway up, he encountered another hazard – a nesting Crag Screecher (Level 15), a large bird of prey that dived at him with sharp talons. Fighting on the narrow ledge was precarious. He relied on Perfect Defends with his shield and quick, powerful slashes, defeating the creature before it could knock him off balance.
Reaching the top of the canyon rim, he paused, checking his map fragment again. It showed the path continuing along the rim for a short distance before ending abruptly at the torn edge. The last symbol marked on his piece was a simple wavy line (≈).
He followed the rim path. Sure enough, after a hundred yards, [Relic Hunter] spotted the wavy line symbol carved into a flat rock overlooking the terrain ahead. Recall: Alvari Artifice tome illustration – Wavy line symbol (≈) labeled 'Follow Watercourse / Descend Safely'."Follow watercourse... descend. Looks like there's a small stream originating from a spring further along this rim, leading back down into another valley system."
He located the stream easily and began following its path downwards. This was where his map fragment ended. The physical parchment offered no more guidance.
"Okay, map fragment used up. From here on, I'm relying purely on finding the next Alvari marker with Relic Hunter. The cartographer clearly expected users of this map to have similar perception skills or knowledge of these symbols."
He continued descending along the stream, moving deeper into a hidden valley system not marked on the standard regional maps. The terrain was lush here, sheltered, but also felt wilder, more untouched. His focus narrowed, [Relic Hunter] straining to pick up the next faint, ancient symbol against the natural backdrop, the thrill of following this secret path mixing with the tension of the unknown destination. The cartographer's trail continued, waiting to be rediscovered.