I re-wrapped my portion of the foodbar in case I got hungry later and stuck it back in my pack. "This puzzle isn't going to get any more solved unless we think really hard," I addressed the group. I went on, "What do we have? Rooms with crystals, whenever we take something we end up getting stabbed. Well, I do, anyway." I didn't usually like taking command of situations, but I seemed to be the only one willing to try anything dangerous.
"I could summon the War Acupuncturist to h3lp with healing," Leetzan proposed. It sounded like a fair enough idea.
"Do that," I commanded, "also, I've been thinking about the inscription on the wall. The part about forms could refer to the forms of the crystals, and the 'point is to face left' could mean we're supposed to turn all the crystals so they point left. It's not much, but it's a start."
"How do you make a pyramid point left?" Faw asked. I didn't know the answer, so I decided to look like I was doing something important. I knelt down next to the fountain and held the irregular crystal I had found underneath the falling water. The water bounced off and flowed over the crystal's surface, but, much to my disappointment, nothing beyond that happened.
Araches watched my actions with an eyebrow raised. "Hon, what are you tr-"
"More than you're trying," I interrupted, frustrated with the sorceress' criticism and lack of assistance. "Look, we don't know what we're supposed to do, if anything. The fountain might do something special. Speaking of that, Fooruman, try dispelling the water."
Fooruman glanced down at the rippling water of the fountain. "As you wish, sir," he said. The wizard began chanting slowly as he hoisted his canoe paddle off the icy ground. His eyes glowed and a mighty roar of wind rushed through the room. He dramatically brought his paddle down on the surface of the water with a crack noise. The paddle snapped in half and thunder (indoors thunder, I guess) cracked in the background. The water rose from the fountain and let out a demonic scream. Then, everything was silent.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Kin, but this is just ordinary water," the old man explained.
"What about the screaming and the lightning and stuff?" Faw asked, "That wasn't there the last time you dispelled something."
"It was probably just smaller," Fooruman said, providing no further explanation.
By now Leetzan had completed her summoning, and an old man in Arabian attire stepped forward, holding two needles in each of his long-fingered hands. "Whehr ehs my ahssistence neeted, mastehr?" he asked me.
"Nowhere, yet. Probably soon, though," I responded, waiting for another bad idea to hit me.



I wish Dev would come back soon. I can't do dialogue as fluidly as he can D=. I keep feeling like you guys are going to forget who's in the party if I don't have someone talk for too long. For reference, it's Shuri, Uberbob, Araches, Faw, L33tz4n, Fooruman, and the Acupuncturist.