When It was my turn, the ostrich asked. "Your fee?" It presented a glowing crystal ball.
I did not know what to do, but Chronovore guided .
I raised a hand, and placed it on the ball.
"Think of a na in your ho town."
I did. Thomas the mailman. A short man with an aggressive stare—I think— that made my boys fear taking the mail.
But in reality, was actually a chill guy that enjoyed the reactions of the kids.
I rember he tried to....
Ah... of course, I can’t rember—not anymore.
The mont i thought of him placing my hand on that crystal ball, the strongest emotion I had—defining the relationship we had, went with him.
Even the na Thomas, I simply made up in this journal.
Just so—that short figure of a good man could have so rembrance in this otherwise terrible world.
So that sowhere in the Stream of Lost souls of equivalent exchange, if Hold of Knowledge visits him, he might know... I tried.
(Soren paused here. ’Stream of Lost souls of equivalent exchange,’ ’Hold of Knowledge’ these were not terms he was familiar with. He threw it to the back of his mind. He would have to address them later)
I stepped forward after paying the toll. But even as I did, the Ostrich’s eyes did not leave , nose flairing once, twice—
But matters on hand pulled its attention from .
"Next." I heard it scream as i strolled into the town.
This town was opened—aning without walls, but no one tried to enter from any other ans aside the toll gate.
No doubt sothing was at play here.
However Chronovore explained that going through any other route into the town was a foolish decision.
It explained no further.
This place was relatively peaceful. Kids of different forms running around, playing living their lives.
Adults sat around one another chuckling at jokes, or passing a blue crystal ball around.
It kind of reminded of n having beer while talking about sports in our own world.
For all the claim of the Eldritch horror situation in this world, it seed their lives were moving just fine.
A bluby jelly object rolled to my feet.
It was from the playing kids. They gestured for to return it.
It reminded of funds mory. A painful one, but still fond.
So I picked it up, and...
I felt sothing leave . Shaking my head to drive away the weird feeling, I threw the blub back to them.
But I just could not shake the feeling that I had lost sothing.
All I got was Chronovore’s low nearly concealed chuckle.
The kids smiled back and I continued on my way.
I ca here for information. I needed to know what was happening, and how I could find the Eldritch that took my beloveds warmth from my embrace.
Just then, a call. I instinctively turned.
It was the adults, they were inviting to join them.
I wanted to refuse—very low on trust since my last invite from a soul.
Still, I stepped forward. ’I need information,’ I told myself.
Their laughter was too relaxed, too ordinary, as though this place was nothing more than a town square in so forgotten countryside.
Closer, their forms made more sense.
But still not easy on the eyes.
In fact, Chronovore was probably the only soul I had t that made more sense in its form, and it had twelve eyes.
(Soren paused here. "12?" The Chronovore he knew had six. Was this a mistake? He thought. Or maybe sothing else. Thought for another ti.)
One of them patted the space beside him and raised the blue crystal bottle in invitation, and though every instinct told to keep walking, I forced myself to step closer.
I needed answers more than I needed comfort.
"You look troubled," the first soul, looking like a centipede, shifting slightly to make room for . His voice was warm and familiar.
"I’m looking for sothing," I said carefully. "An Eldritch."
A few of them chuckled at that.
"An Eldritch?" another repeated, amusent glinting in his eyes. "Are we not all angry at an Eldritch?"
Their laughter rolled softly between them, like old friends sharing a private joke. It unsettled .
"please," I continued. "it took sothing from ."
That quieted them. "Hmmm, they have taken from us all. Its their nature you know." Another like duck with a twisted neck replied.
"What did it look like?" the centipede asked.
So I described it.
As I spoke, I noticed the change. It was subtle at first — a slight tightening of their smiles, a narrowing of their eyes — but it was there.
Recognition.
The bottle they passed around was pressed into my hand.
"Drink," one of them said gently. "It helps."
Chronovore did not protest.
That should have been warning enough.
Then again, I did not want to offend. Also, it was not like this was so Soul’s body.
Especially because this town looked more...prosperous.
Such a fool I was.
I raised the bottle, paused a bit.
Sharing drink with friends, just like ho with the boys, I thought.
Another foolish mistake.
I took a cautious sip. The liquid was cool and strangely soothing, like water after a long walk beneath a brutal sun.
I felt good. Truly like when i drank with...
Sothing slipped.
More nas were gone...
Simply vanished.
I blinked.
"What were you saying?" one of them prompted.
I opened my mouth and realized I could not rember the last sentence I had spoken.
A faint ripple of unease passed through .
"I was describing it," I said slowly. "The Eldritch."
"Yes," another encouraged. "Go on."
I continued, though my voice felt slightly detached from now. One of them murmured sothing as he took the bottle from my hand.
A na.
He said a na softly, almost absentmindedly.
Domanoo
And when the sound brushed against , sothing inside my chest tightened violently.
My wife’s face flickered in my mind.
Only for a second.
But it was wrong.
The edges of her smile blurred, like ink bleeding into water. Her eyes seed slightly out of focus, as if I were trying to rember her through fog.
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