Chapter 119: Wellspring Phantasia (Patreon)

Was this what running a catering truck was like? Melia stood on a stool in the Y family kitchen cranking out batches of [Tortilla Soup]. She wasn’t sure what to make for so many people all at once, but since the common fare in U’lindala was a hybrid of Indian, Mexican, and possibly ancient Mayan or Aztec, Melia had a hunch something with corn would go over well. While the concept of a deep-fried tortilla chip was mostly unknown, Melia was delighted to find that frying itself was not.

She’d heard it said before that every iteration of civilization across the ages had 1 thing in common: every single one of them had their own variation of fried bread. While she didn’t know (and couldn’t confirm) the accuracy of that rumor, Melia was pleased to find that [Churros] were an U’lindalian treat. After making approximately 200 gallons of [Tortilla Soup], Melia turned into a [Churro] factory. Some were plain, some had a gooey, caramel-injected center, some were soft, some were crispy, but all of them were absolutely coated in cinnamon sugar.

And they all met Melia’s 5-star guarantee.

Parents and adults had…mixed reactions to Melia providing an endless supply of sugary treats to their kids. But even the staunchest resistance crumbled the moment Melia shoved more soup and churros at them, literally silencing them by stuffing their faces. And for those who were truly looking to avoid a [Churro], which sounded blasphemous to Melia, she handed out [Mangos]. Because why not? She had them in her inventory and she might as well use them.

The Y house at 245 Palm Street grew increasingly quiet as the lunch hour drew on. At first, it was a very loud, boisterous occasion, so much so that the neighbors poked their heads inside to snoop around.

They were not spared the lunch-pocolypse.

Because, yes, Melia fed them too.

Everyone in Y’cennia’s family deserved a good meal, and Melia made sure to deliver. By the time she was satisfied with her handiwork (and no more kids were trying to beg for [Churros]), the house was in ruinous affairs. One might mistakenly think it had turned into a graveyard, with the moaning, groaning, and otherwise incapacitated catkins strewn about the house and flipped limply over furniture like bodies collapsing during a plague.

“My work here is done,” Melia smiled, though her companions were hardly any better off.

“Melia,” Brandy said regretfully, “Why do you have to be so good at cooking? I’m never going to be able to eat again.”

Though similarly encumbered, [Sunrise] was not quite as incapacitated as everyone else, though they needed some time to digest before being able to move on. In a stroke of genius and compassion, Melia then demonstrated her own [Alchemy] skills by creating several hundred bubblegum-pink colored [Digestion Potions]. She handed one to Y’cennia’s mom, who said something memorable like, “OoooOOoooOoOoOo,” chuckled, patted her on the elbow, and marched outside.

​

The ride across town was deceptively long. The Wellspring Phantasia was at the edge of town (or perhaps more accurately, Oasis was at the edge of it), always looming, always in sight. Unlike Horizon, where things could be easily seen but not always easily reached, the Phantasia had a different problem. No matter how fast or far the group traveled, it never seemed to get any closer. It wasn’t because of twisting alleyways or bridges snaking between inaccessible cliffs. No; because it was a casino, the main highway drove straight up to the Phantasia’s front door. The building was just so big, so massive that Melia felt like an ant trundling resolutely toward a freshly baked loaf of bread.

…similar goods may also apply.

And the highway really did play up the casino's grandness and its importance to Oasis. Only the finest shops lined this strip, and the city had spared no expense decorating the entire road with ironwork magitec lamps. They reminded Melia of gas lights famous in old paintings of London or other such places, but there wasn’t a trace of smog to be seen. The sky was perfectly blue, the sun perhaps a touch too bright, and, of course, special signs pointing toward the Phantasia sparkled like gold. It could have been her imagination, but even the temperature on the street felt more bearable the closer they got to the Phantasia. Melia was willing to chalk that one up to hype and an active imagination.

What wasn’t part of her imagination were the enchantments. When the group was closing in on the entrance, maybe a block or two away and the Wellspring filled up their entire vision, Melia could see the intricate spellwork slaving away behind the scenes. More so than anything else she’d seen in this life, the Phantasia’s enchantments took her breath away. Colors shifted like the northern lights weaving through multiple spectrums of impossible wavelengths, feelings, and tastes.

​Melia would almost feel bad for normal people who couldn’t see magic as she could. But the disorientation and distraction from the mesmerizing effect, and subsequently needing to hide it away consciously, made her reconsider. It was beautiful to look at every once in a while, but so was the mundane architecture of the grand palace.

Entering through the massive, arching doors of the Phantasia had a similar effect, but for Melia’s different senses.

First, she understood what many of those external enchantments were for. The temperature inside the resort wasn’t just regulated; it was curated. As if the concept of a desert was foreign, let alone building a magical wonderland inside of one. There were no obvious air conditioners or humidity controls, and even the lighting felt natural compared to the artificial state of being indoors. It was as if the Wellspring was a biome of its own.

“Ahhhh.”

A collective sigh arose from everyone passing through the threshold. Not just [Sunrise], but every traveler, regardless of their station in life. Visitor or worker, desperate hopefuls down on their luck, or a common community member spending some of their carefully saved coin for a well-deserved rest. Not even the rich or elite were spared: haughty nobles with their exquisitely embroidered clothing waved lavish decorative fans in front of their faces, wearing an expression of pure bliss. Of course, [Sunrise] was more than happy to let their relief show readily on their faces.

“I think I could live here forever,” Jessica said, eyes closed and her hair tilted slightly into the air as if ready to inhale even more of the cool, crisp air. According to Melia’s acute senses, the entryway was a crisp 68 degrees. But the fascinating part wasn’t how the lobby instantly cooled compared to the outside world…because it didn’t. The owners of Phantasia didn’t want their guests to experience temperature shock (or so Melia assumed), going from the high 90s or even 100s at some points all the way down to sub-70. It was a subtle, gradual shift that dropped the temperature so that the farther a person traveled down the entry hall, the cooler it got. Melia figured it was one of many reasons the hallway was incredibly long before it led to any reception counters…that, and to fill any guests with an overwhelming sense of awe.

“You wouldn’t be able to afford it,” Y’cennia said bluntly, mirroring the gesture. “Not that I’d blame you for trying.”

“I know nobles who do,” Ellesea chimed in. “Not personally, mind you. It’s something of a status symbol to have one of the apartment suites. Certainly many take yearly vacations here during the winter.”

“You realize this is just the entry hall?” Alastair said with an amused expression. Compared to the others, he was much more composed, but the rosy tint of his cheeks betrayed how relieved he was to get out of the oppressive desert heat.

It was easy to forget they were indoors. For an entry hall, it didn’t feel like a hall. The room was probably close to 30 feet wide with an equally tall ceiling. It featured lavish carpets and rich mahogany paneling reaching partway up the walls. Murals above the paneling gave the illusion of an outdoor vista: the vibrant blue of a midday sky, with enchanted silver puffs of cloud floating along, actually moving across the wall if anybody cared to pay attention. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, but most of the light came from a recessed alcove running along the top of the walls, blending in perfectly with the skyline.

[Sunrise] continued down the entrance hall for all 100 feet it extended before taking a sharp right turn. Some might initially wonder why the casino chose a simple (if gorgeous) hallway that seemed to dead-end as its entry, but Melia understood. It helped visitors acclimate to the casino in more ways than one, offering cooling while raising guests’ expectations for the real first view.

As soon as they rounded the corner, Melia heard Jessica gasp. She couldn’t blame the girl, even if this were technically Melia’s first time visiting the Phantasia in person, too.

If the hallway had been large, the lobby was gargantuan. It was a massive dome, though not the one people saw from outside that made up the gilded center of the complex. The room was a vast circle, stretching at least 500 feet across and rising at least that high. In the middle was a massive circular desk built around an entire spire of glittering blue crystals. Wellspring had its own [Aetherstone Crystal], despite there being one outside in Oasis, and on top of being able to warp to it once attuned, this crystal also featured a whole host of connected [Miniature Aetherstones]. Free of charge, whether visiting the casino normally or staying in a room as a guest, these smaller, Melia-sized stones (though they floated above a plinth and, as such, were taller) gave anyone quick access to many convenient points throughout Phantasia. Of course, people still needed to attune to them, and half the fun was running around touching them all like a bizarre collection spree. The casino actually made a game of it, incentivizing guests to travel around the resort activating all of them, handing out a punch card that could be verified by local staff and then turned in at the [Concierge] for a bonus welcome gift. If Melia remembered correctly, it included a not-insignificant number of casino coins which could be traded for goodies at the counter…or sunk back into the casino through the games.

Melia’s smile was plastered across her entire face as she bounded up the small steps leading toward the circular reception.

“Hello!” She cheered, coming to a stop in front of a low portion of the desk. Yet another thing the Phantasia did to make its guests feel at home: the reception circle wasn't a single, fixed elevation. It was taller and shorter at varying points so that no matter who was visiting, from tall elves to tiny gnomes, they felt comfortable and welcome…thus, more inclined to be loose with their wallets. But of course, it would not do to have a member of staff look down upon the Little People as they visited, so the flooring behind was lowered so that everyone was on even footing. In the game, there were representatives of each race manning a section of the counter, but Melia didn’t see any gnomes. Perhaps they were simply not on duty at the moment? Or, more likely, they were just that rare in this corner of the world as well.

“Welcome,” a tall bullkin in a black tuxedo answered in a deep voice. The man had a set of impressive cattle horns, and they looked like the prongs of a forklift as he dipped his head low…not that Melia would tell him that. “How may I serve?”

Melia nearly lost herself, staring around the room, but the man didn’t seem bothered. It was probably a common reaction for many guests. Eventually she shook her head and smiled back at him, slightly amused at only having to look up slightly to see his face.

“I believe we have a reservation. Is this where we check in?”

“Indeed!” The man smiled. He adjusted his bowtie and accessed a clear tablet built into the desk. It was mounted on a swivel-like device that kept guests from seeing the other side at first, but it could be tilted if they needed access. “What name is the reservation under?”

Hmm. Melia put a hand to her cheek. That was a good question, seeing as she didn’t think far enough ahead to give Lethia precise instructions or make sure they were on the same page. But her [Retainers] were more competent than she was, and if Melia had to guess, they’d use her proper name.

“Perhaps Obsidianheart?”

The man smiled pleasantly and began tapping away. Melia wondered if these slates were similar to the ones used in Horizon’s bank. After several moments, the man’s eyes widened.

“Meliastraza Obsidianheart?” He asked in a surprised voice. Melia didn’t recognize the man or his name, so she assumed he wasn’t a character back in the game.

“Yes?” She said curiously. “I mean, yes! That’s me!”

“If you could, please place your hand on the tablet here.”

He turned the slate around and Melia was happy to oblige. She watched it scan her hand, lighting up green as it did so. The man turned the screen back to him, and Melia didn’t think it would be possible for his eyes to get any bigger.

“My lady, on behalf of the entire staff of Wellspring Phantasia, please allow me to extend our warmest, most heartfelt greetings.”

Melia would have been confused, but she was too busy being amused as the man bent his entire torso forward, forming a perfect 90 degrees at the waist. Or he would have, if he were standing on normal ground that didn’t make it so he was about to smack his face right into the counter. He didn’t, though, and Melia wasn’t sure why she found that to be disappointing. Instead, she decided to take the welcome as it was.

“Thank you!” She chirped back. “I take it my [Retainer] successfully reserved a room. I’ll be honest…I wasn’t sure if I’d actually be in your books already. I sent her this morning on a whim and I didn’t know how fast your system acts or if she even made it yet.”

“On a whim?” The man muttered, then shook his head, making Melia giggle. “My lady, we are honored to host a dragon such as yourself. Your [Retainer] made it abundantly clear that only the finest suites would suffice, and she demanded the penthouse of the Solarium Hotel. That’s…the southeast wing, if you are unfamiliar. You have the entire floor.”

“She really did it?” Jessica muttered from behind. “No freakin’ way.”

“Oh, snap!” Melia cheered. That sounded exciting! “Do we pick up our keys here?”

“No, my lady. Your [Retainer] is preparing your chambers…whatever that means,” he added under his breath. “She is awaiting your arrival upstairs.”

“Okay, thanks! Thank you very much!”

Melia waved energetically at him and bounced away. She could hear the man sigh as she did so, muttering once again under his breath.

“As if our staff isn’t good enough for a dragon,” he scoffed. “Though, from what I heard about that [Retainer] when she reserved those rooms, this wasn’t the type of dragon I expected….”

“You and everyone else in the world,” Brandy sighed to herself, having picked up on the conversation. Melia laughed and Brandy blushed; apparently nobody’s whispers were private.

“So, that’s a thing,” Jessica said casually, nodding along like she understood perfectly and wasn’t the least bit overwhelmed. “We just scored a penthouse. I think. That’s dope.”

“You know what isn’t?” Ellesea grumbled. “Climbing up to one. I’ve been here before, but I’ve never visited the penthouse in the Solarium. We need to attune to the stones as soon as possible; I don’t want to climb any more stairs than necessary.”

“You don’t want to climb any stairs at all,” Y’cennia teased, earning a shameless shrug from the [Arcanist].

“I suppose I could ride my [Carpet] instead. Leave the walking to the peasants!”

“You would call my mistress a peasant?” Layalee said in a faux-dangerous voice. Ellesea paled, but the huge woman only giggled in her high, bubbly voice.

“Speaking of mounts,” Alastair said, “I know L’menia took them to the stables, but what about Midna?”

The group looked down at Melia’s waist where the miniaturized [Pet Carrier] hung.

“Oh, she’s fine,” Melia answered smoothly. “I heard her purring earlier.”

“The suite allows pets,” Layalee supplied helpfully. “Midna is very well trained.”

“That’s some definition of pet,” Jessica muttered.

​

Layalee led the group through the lobby, exiting through the northwest corridor. Like the entry hall, each corridor felt like it could host a parade. But, strangely, it didn’t make the building feel empty. Maybe it was a testament to the casino's popularity, but Phantasia had a steady stream of guests and visitors at all times. The passages were never crowded, but it felt livelier than it had as a game when there were only a few occasional NPCs wandering about. The group pressed on, passing various halls and parlors, each with its own theme. The first was, perhaps fittingly, the “Oasis” theme, where the hall felt much like walking back out the front doors into town…only without the extreme heat. The walls were painted a sandy color to match the buildings and homes outside, and real, live palm trees were cared for in large pots. Melia could hear Jessica and Y’cennia plotting which areas to visit first, while Ellesea expressed a deep desire to flop onto a bed and sleep for a week.

Melia didn’t know how long they planned to stay, but if need be, they could probably arrange it.

At every entrance to each new hall sat a [Miniature Aetherstone], and the group did not miss an opportunity to attune themselves. By the time they reached the elevator for the Solarium wing- because there wasn’t a world in which everybody could be convinced to take 40 flights of stairs -the group had accumulated about a dozen.

“Hoh,” Jessica crooned, comparing her visitor’s sheet with Brandy's. “Four more punches and we get a free trip to the buffet.”

“Heck yes,” Brandy agreed enthusiastically. Melia shook her head…who knew Brandy and Jessica would bond over punch cards? They’d make a real mean duo for coffee-shop loyalty rewards. Did those two even know where the buffet was? Oh, who was Melia kidding? She was most likely going to be the one hunting it down in a few hours, and that meant dragging Jessica with her. The girl knew her job well.

An attendant greeted them respectfully as they entered the elevator. Unlike the elevators from her past life, these weren't small, enclosed boxes. It felt more like a broad viewing platform on a mountain vista, with a detailed metal grate running along the perimeter. No obvious barrier stopped anyone from…stepping over, or worse, during transit, which made the group anxious.

“Is this safe?” Jessica asked. Fall damage wasn’t something Al could tank for her, and she jostled the rail with one hand, testing its stability.

“Perfectly,” the attendant replied. “The lift is enchanted. An invisible barrier surrounds the platform on activation and it’s impossible to break through.”

Melia was mildly interested in testing that theory, but she didn’t want to break a fancy elevator, so she didn’t say anything. They rode upward, getting a view of the central hall.

The middle of Wellspring Phantasia was where all the magic happened. Besides being a central hub connecting the four hotels at the corners, each with an elevator like this one, it was home to the massive central stage. Calling it a mere “stage” was a great disservice, as the raised platform was larger than some small villages. Right now, it was a blank, flat plateau, but the surface could change depending on the casino's whims and whatever event they were running. Through magic Melia could somehow understand, despite no branch of magic in the game ever getting close to touching it, the staff of Phantasia could teleport entire existing structures in to use as sets.

And not small ones, either, if the events in the game were anything to go by.

Melia remembered some of the jumping puzzles fondly, where players had to scale a jagged cliffside on a mountain, navigate across branches of a giant world tree, and hop from one colossal mushroom top to the next in an “enchanted forest”.

A mountain. The casino put in all that time and effort to prepare a movable mountain. It boggled even Melia’s mind.

That didn’t mean she wasn’t looking forward to seeing it happen with her own eyes, and then subsequently conquering it.

But, sadly, there weren’t any events running right now, so the giant stage was empty (save for some children running around on it). But that didn’t mean there weren’t other attractions available in the casino. If Melia remembered correctly, there was a mini-rollercoaster in the northwest wing, a pet-battling arena that blatantly ripped off a very popular creature collector game in the northeast, a dubious card game corner in the southeast that Melia was as equally obsessed with as she was bad at it, and “the arcade” in the southwest. This was where all those “games of ‘skill’” were, like the shoot-the-ball-into-the-hoop totally-not-basketball, the rigged AF crane games, and the punching targets that could somehow stand up to a rank 10 smashing it with all their might.

Then again, things like [Target Dummies] existed, so Melia shouldn’t have been surprised.

It took a full 2 minutes for the elevator to climb fully, which in the grand scheme of things wasn’t all that much, but compared to instant translocation, it might as well be an eternity. Thankfully, the view was to die for (though nobody died and the invisible barrier did its job), and before she knew it, Melia was at the top. There, as if summoned by Melia’s thoughts, stood Lethia.

“Mistress,” Lethia bowed regally, spooking the nearby lift attendant, making Melia wonder if the elf had been [Stealthed].

“Lethia!” Melia cheered, jumping into the woman’s arms. “Thank you so much! You got us rooms!”

“Indeed,” the elf smiled suavely. “I have ensured they meet your standards.”

“Oh, I’m sure I could’ve been satisfied with anything,” Melia waved her hand. “But why don’t you show us?”

“Very well. Starting here…is the lift,” she said, earning a flat stare from everybody else. Lethia let her words hang momentarily before continuing. “Since we have reserved the entire floor, it will be for your exclusive use. If you should need it when it isn’t docked here, use the bell to summon the lift.”

Melia nodded; that sounded like a standard elevator button.

“Here we have the [Aetherstone],” she continued, moving slightly to the left. The group all instinctively attuned themselves (and punched their cards).

“And then we have…your rooms.”

Lethia turned around and motioned to the hall. There were a dozen doors on each side, stretching all the way to the end of the hotel.

“Which ones?” Melia asked before her brain could catch up.

“Yes,” Lethia smiled.

“Oh,” Melia laughed sheepishly. She had just said the entire floor, didn’t she?

Lethia carried Melia to the first door, opened it up, and set the gnome down. Melia bounced her way inside, gasping theatrically at everything she saw.

She’d stayed in budget motel rooms before, but never a genuine hotel room in a luxury resort. Everything was pristine, spotless, and the highest quality. The massive, extra-huge bed had incredibly soft silken sheets; there were full-sized lounges and chaises, a full kitchen (let alone a cooking nook), and, of course, a walk-in bath.

As in, an entire bath room.

The thing was modeled, much like the entire feel of the Solarium, to look like an oasis. It had a literal waterfall shower set in a soaking pool, a hot spring, and what looked like a massage table filled with oils. Melia would definitely see about spending time in there, and judging from the looks on her party’s faces, so would they.

Especially Al, for some reason.

But hey? Who was Melia to judge? If the man wanted a good back-rub, why not? [Paladins] probably suffered from very stiff shoulders, so he might need it more than, say, Jessica or Ellesea.

The group took several minutes to explore Melia’s room before moving on to explore the other rooms. Most were nearly identical, with slight variations in furniture layout and styles, and colors and patterns unique to each piece. Even with every member of the party, including the [Retainers], everyone had their own room. Perhaps it might have been a bit wasteful, booking up rooms that nobody was going to use…but Melia could afford it.

Especially after pulling Lethia aside and worriedly asking how much this was going to cost…and the giggling elf responding with a number that Melia could easily pay out of pocket.

With the last of her worries eased, nothing was going to stand in Melia’s way of having a great time!