Lost Gold Marius Investigation 03-02
Overview
- "What's so funny? This God of Death is way too short."
- Stage Cost: None
- First Clear Rewards:
Astral Memory x20
- Unlock Condition:
Emergency Medicine x180, 
Lumber x270, 
MRE x90, 
Drinking Water x360, 
Survival Shovel - Note - During its initial limited run, this stage's first clear reward was:
Hunter's Badge x50 - Note - During its initial limited run, this stage's unlock condition was: Emergency Medicine x190, Lumber x285, MRE x95, Drinking Water x380, Survival Shovel
Guide
- Hover to view spoiler content.
Script
Ancient Ruins
???: If I don't get the treasure, it means nothing to me whether you find that thing or not!
Marius: It's Bryce. Let's hide.
The temple is completely empty. There's nowhere to hide.
The only possibility is the life-size statue of the God of Death in the middle of the north side.
With his long legs, Marius easily scales the base of the statue. He spins around and extends a hand.
Marius: Give me your hand. Step on that altar and I'll pull you up.
Following Marius's instructions, you quickly climb up to the base while holding his hand.
Looking at Marius crouching behind the statue, you cover your mouth, trying very hard not to laugh.
Marius: What's so funny? This God of Death is way too short.
Marius: If I stand up straight, Bryce might think that this God of Death has hair.
You: I'm not laughing at you. I'm just relieved that the God of Death has a pair of wings.
You: Otherwise, we'd definitely be spotted if we both hid here.
Marius: Shhh, quiet. He's coming.
Through the gaps in the wing, you see Bryce walking into the temple whilst talking on the phone.
Bryce Thatcher: Joshua, I'm telling you, the immortal ritual can only be performed with both the incantation and the artifact.
Bryce Thatcher: The God of Death's scepter has long been lost, but the golden mask in your hands might still work.
Bryce Thatcher: As long as you can get the golden mask, money isn't an issue.
Bryce Thatcher: But if the mask ends up in someone else's hands...
Bryce Thatcher: Heh, then your diary of sadistic hobbies will show up on the police's desk.
Having finished speaking, Bryce hangs up.
You: (Diary? Did Bryce have something on Joshua?)
Having heard Bryce call Joshua, you open the tracking app to check Joshua's location. He's quite far away.
Exhausted from the hike, Bryce takes off his backpack and takes a rest on the floor, his chest heaving for breath.
He seems extremely impatient and restless, and keeps looking between his watch and the outside.
You: (Is he waiting for the sunrise?)
You tap on Marius' shoulder to ask him when sunrise is, but you find...
You: (Is there something wrong with me? Why do you keep ducking and evading me...)
You tap Marius again. Your hand accidentally brushes against his ear, which is burning up.
You: ...?
After a moment of confusion, you finally realize what's going on.
When Marius crouches down, his head is right at your chest...
To avoid exposing your presences, you two stay very close to one other. If he moves just a little bit, he'd be touching your...
You: !!!
You suddenly feel very embarrassed after realizing this. You were just laughing at Marius for being too tall. Now you feel...
You: (I really shouldn't have these kinds of thoughts inside a temple. This is karma...)
While your head is full of nonsense, Marius suddenly grabs your hand.
He writes on your palm with his long finger in slow but clear strokes.
You: (Sun... rise... 10... minutes...)
Your palm itches, but you receive his message loud and clear.
Even though you didn't ask and you two never made eye contact, he knows what's on your mind.
You: (I don't know what'll happen in 10 minutes...)
You: (If a miracle really does happen, could it be caused by some sort of mechanism inside the temple?)
You suddenly feel nervous. If there really is a mechanism, it's very likely to be near the statue.
Is it going to be dangerous for the two of you hiding here?
You quickly scan your surroundings, trying to figure out the possible location of the mechanism.
However, the temple is too dark. Without a flashlight, it's difficult to discern any interior structures.
What to do... 10 minutes... There isn't enough time...
You: ...!
Someone suddenly pinches your hand. It's Marius...
His finger gently points to your palm, then he starts writing again.
You: (Abu...Simbel?)
The Abu Simbel temples? Built by the Egyptian pharaoh, Ramesses II?
You: (Why did Marius mention that? Did I guess wrong...?)
You: (Oh, I get it. Is he talking about how the miracle will appear?)
During the Abu Simbel Sun Festival, sunlight enters the temple via the door and illuminates the statue of the pharaoh. This only happens on February 22 and October 22.
It is a miracle constructed by ancient peoples with accurate calculations and knowledge of astronomy and physics.
This Temple of Death is very similar to the Abu Simbel. It may have adopted similar designs.
You: (So, there is no mechanism...)
But... How does he know that you're worried...?
You squeeze Marius' hand as a reply.
He then covers your hand with his other hand, dispelling the cold on your fingertips with his warmth.
Ten minutes pass in the blink of an eye.
Suddenly, the rising sun condenses into a beam and shines into the dusty temple, awakening the sleeping deity.
Inside the concealed temple, there is no light anywhere.
Only the statue of the God of Death is bathed in sunlight, its metallic body shining.
Seeing the rays of the sun, Bryce stands up excitedly.
He seems determined to embrace the statue, but he suddenly grabs his chest and falls down in pain.
Marius: Uncle Bryce!
Nothing else matters in this moment. Marius jumps off the statue and rushes over to Bryce.
You follow him and rummage in your backpack for the medicine that Bryce had dropped earlier.
You: Which of these drugs are for an emergency? Are these imported medicines!?
Marius: He has a history of heart disease. See if he has...
You: This, nitroglycerin!
Together with Marius, you try to help Bryce lie down and place the nitroglycerin under his tongue, but he doesn't cooperate.
He eagerly stretches out his hands towards the statue of the God of Death, desperate and insistent.
The statue, with its wings wide open, solemnly looks over all living beings.
Between it and Bryce, there is a gap between the ancient and the modern, between death and life.
