The common room of Henrik's tavern buzzed with morning activity as James and Astor descended the stairs, the successful completion of the Riddle Void still fresh in their minds. Merchants discussed trade routes over steaming bowls of porridge, while craftsmen planned their daily work. The normalcy of it all continued to strike James as surreal after the twisted geometries and philosophical puzzles they'd just navigated.
"Henrik," Astor called out as they approached the bar. "We'd like to order breakfast, and maybe pick your brain about a few things."
The portly innkeeper looked up from polishing mugs, his graying beard catching the morning light streaming through the windows. "Course, lads. Successful morning from the looks of you. Eggs, bacon, fresh bread?"
"Perfect," James said, settling onto a bar stool. "And we were hoping you could tell us more about this place. The town, the currency, how things work around here."
Henrik's eyes lit up with the enthusiasm of someone who enjoyed sharing local knowledge. "Ah, you're new to Cerethean then? Should've guessed from how you handled that essence crystal last night." He set down his cloth and leaned against the bar. "What specifically do you want to know?"
"Everything," Astor said with a grin. "We're travelers, obviously, but we don't want to make fools of ourselves not knowing basic customs."
"Fair enough." Henrik began preparing their breakfast while he talked. "Cerethean's what we call both the town and the general region. Been here near twenty years myself, came from the outer territories when trade was better."
He cracked eggs into a pan, the sizzle adding a homey backdrop to his words. "Currency's straightforward enough. Copper coins for daily needs, silver for larger purchases, gold for major transactions. That essence shard you traded? Worth about forty silver to the right buyer, so you did well for yourselves."
James made mental notes. Their remaining twenty-three silver represented decent local wealth, enough to last weeks if they were careful. "What about the people who live here? Anyone else like us, travelers or... participants?"
"Participants?" Henrik raised an eyebrow. "In what?"
Astor covered smoothly. "Competitions, trials, that sort of thing. We heard rumors about challenges or tests in the region."
Henrik's expression grew more serious as he flipped their eggs. "Ah, you mean the Floor Clearing. Yes, we get those types through here regular-like. Folks trying to advance through the Domain's trials." He lowered his voice. "Word of advice - don't advertise that too loudly. Most locals prefer to pretend those challenges don't exist."
"Floor Clearing?" James leaned forward, interested. This sounded like new information about the Domain's structure.
"Monthly requirement for anyone of age," Henrik explained, plating their breakfast. "You attempt to clear a floor of the Domain at least once every thirty days, or..." He shrugged. "Well, the penalties ain't pleasant. Most folks manage the lower floors just fine, but the higher you go, the nastier it gets."
"Anyone of age?" Astor asked. "What's the cutoff?"
"Twelve years old. Children younger than that are exempt, thank the gods." Henrik's expression softened. "Can't imagine subjecting kids to those horrors."
James felt a chill run down his spine. Twelve years old. The same number that kept appearing throughout their experience. Twelve participants originally, twelve masters in the Riddle Void's puzzle, twelve classes, and now twelve as the age requirement for Domain participation.
"That's very specific," he said carefully. "Why twelve?"
Henrik shrugged. "Domain's rules, not mine. Been that way since before I arrived. Some say it's when kids develop enough cognitive ability to handle the challenges, others think it's just an arbitrary number the system picked." He leaned closer, conspiratorial. "Between you and me, I think there's more to it. Twelve's got significance in too many things around here to be coincidence."
They ate their breakfast while Henrik continued sharing local knowledge. The town of Cerethean, he explained, was unusual in several ways beyond its connection to the Domain trials. Its geography defied normal logic.
"Roughly one hundred square miles in total," he said, sketching a rough circle on the bar with spilled water. "But here's the strange bit - it's perfectly circular, and if you keep walking in any direction, you'll eventually end up back where you started. Like the whole place is curved in on itself."
"Curved how?" James asked, fascinated despite himself.
"Nobody rightly knows. Could be magic, could be something to do with the Domain's influence. Point is, there ain't really an 'edge' to Cerethean. You walk far enough in any direction, you'll find yourself approaching the central fountain from the opposite side."
Astor exchanged a look with James. Spatial manipulation on that scale suggested the Domain's influence was far more extensive than they'd realized. This wasn't just a town where Domain participants happened to gather; it was fundamentally altered by proximity to whatever power controlled the trials.
"Population?" James asked.
"Hard to say exactly. People come and go, especially the trial runners like yourselves. Permanent residents, maybe three thousand. But on any given day, you might have another thousand visitors, traders, participants, and such from other mazes. There's a town after every ten mazes, and you can always travel back. Most never do."
Henrik went on to describe the town's layout. The central fountain they'd seen marked the exact middle, with districts radiating outward in concentric circles. The inner ring held essential services - taverns, basic shops, the local governance building. The middle ring contained residential areas and specialized crafters. The outer ring housed everything else - warehouses, training facilities, and what Henrik cryptically referred to as "places trial runners find useful."
"Training facilities?" Astor asked.
"Combat practice, skill development, places to test your abilities safely. Domain trials are dangerous enough without going in unprepared." Henrik's tone grew more serious. "You boys planning to tackle the higher floors?"
"Possibly," James said vaguely. "We're still learning about our options."
"Smart approach. My advice? Visit the equipment district first. Basic gear, information brokers, maybe pick up some protective items. The trials don't care if you're prepared, but being prepared sure helps your chances."
They finished breakfast while Henrik provided more practical details about Cerethean's economy and customs. The town operated on a surprisingly sophisticated level, with guilds for different crafts, a local governance council that managed disputes, and even a primitive banking system for longer-term residents.
"Information brokers?" James asked as they prepared to leave.
"Folks who specialize in knowing things about the trials, the floors, strategies for specific challenges. Cost you, but good information's worth more than gold when you're facing the unknown."
They paid for their meal and thanked Henrik for his insights. As they stepped out into the morning sunshine, James felt simultaneously more informed and more confused about their situation. Cerethean wasn't just a staging area for Domain trials; it was a complete society built around them, with its own customs and economy.
"Information brokers sound useful," Astor said as they walked toward what Henrik had described as the equipment district. "And I want to know more about these floors. Sounds like the Domain's structure is more complex than we realized."
James nodded, but his mind was stuck on the number twelve. Twelve-year-old participation threshold, twelve original participants in their trial, twelve keyholes in the Riddle Void. Was it coincidence, or was there something significant about that specific number in the Domain's design?
The equipment district turned out to be a bustling marketplace filled with everything from basic weapons and armor to more exotic items that hummed with magical energy. Vendors called out their wares, while potential customers examined gear with the critical eye of people whose lives might depend on their purchases.
"Where do we start?" Astor asked, surveying the overwhelming array of options.
"Information first," James decided. "Then gear. We need to understand what we're dealing with before we can prepare properly."
They set off into the crowd, ready to learn more about the strange town of Cerethean and its connection to the Domain's trials. The timer in James's vision continued its countdown.
[Time until Maze 1 Challenge]: 4:17:43 hours