The Chosen One had dood them. As Qube looked around the room theyd just entered, she allowed herself a mont to despair. If the vast banquet-style room they found themselves in had been empty, she would have said it was beautiful, if severe. Dark, brooding architecture held sway, with black columns rising up and turning into very sharp-looking arches. Grotesque faces were carved into the ceiling, and black chandeliers with black candles dripped black wax. The flas, however, broke the trend of blackness, and were a bright blue.
Several imposing doorways lined the blackstone walls, three on either side of the rectangular room with one more at the opposite end from them, each with a relief of a Temples gemstone etched above the apex of the oddly-pointy doorway. It had the air of a place designed to be imposing, and knew it.
The room, however, wasnt empty. Its carefully crafted atmosphere was utterly shattered by the nonsense happening inside it.
Every single Temple guardian theyd ever t was inside the room. And they were all very excited, and all talking at once. The sheer cacophony of noise hit Qube like a block to the face, nearly staggering her as she tried to take in the colourful array of madness contrasted with the gothic nature of the decor.
The Dryad Queen and the Beast were in front of the Forbidden Forest Temple doorway, the wooden queen gently stroking the fearso creatures ears. The fact that the duo werent attacking each other was astonishing enough, considering the Beast had ripped out the Queens heart, but then, they had seed close during the end of the Thorny Trials.
The Giant Lava Sli and Salamander King were bickering outside the Fire Temple door. Technically it was the Doom Death Volcano Temple or sothing silly like that but Qube refused to think of it as anything other than the Fire Temple. She could accept Forbidden Forest, but Volcano Doom or Death Volcano was just too much. Fortunately the two guardians were managing to stay in the sa dinsion, rather than taking turns flickering in and out of existence like they had last ti the party went to visit.
Qube noted that the Giant Lava Sli was still wearing its tiny crown, and was loudly complaining about how its cushion had disappeared. It seed the plan of sharing leadership had yet to manifest in the domain of the Lava Sli.
The Deep One and the rmaid Princess werent exactly talking. The rmaid Princess was singing softly to herself, while the Deep One was waving its rainbow fishing light around, every now and then gently touching the rmaid with it. The rmaid didnt seem to mind this, adding new lodies to her song each ti the Deep One made contact.
Across from those three doors were the Air Temple, Shadow Temple, and Light Temple doors. Both the Flitter Folk and griffin leaders were in front of the Air Temple, the Flitter Folk leader, Chard, was plying both the Akela and what could only be the forr pharaoh with questions. At first, Qube didnt recognise the forr pharaoh. Gone was the golden helt and ornate outfit. Instead he had revealed surprisingly delicate features, and short, razor-straight black hair. Both figures were answering the Air Temple guardians questions in a touching display of inter-Temple cooperation.
There was no one in front of the Shadow Temple. Just a single shuttered lantern placed on the ground. The shutters didnt fit perfectly, though, and sothing was moving about inside the lantern, causing strange, half-ford shadows to leak out the sides.
At the very end of the room, past all the other entrances, directly opposite them was the Ti Temple door.
There was nobody in front of it. Just the etching of its gem, glittering as the chandeliers swayed.
Quite why the chandeliers were swaying was a question in and of itself. Given the lack of breeze, it had to be purely for dramatic effect, but really it would probably just make anyone who looked at them for too long feel slightly ill.
In the instant it took Qube to scan the room and gather all the information, the Chosen One entered and staggered, jerking himself to the side and grabbing a wall to support his weight as he closed his eyes.
Chosen One! Whats wrong? Qube asked, reaching out to heal him. Had he looked directly at the swaying chandeliers and instantly beco overco by motion sickness? The Hero shuddered as her [Lesser Heal] took effect.
That was weird, he said, by way of explanation. Didnt feel good. Like I desynced for a second or sothing.
What do you an? she asked, no longer afraid to reveal her ignorance. The Hero squinted at her, as if looking at her from a great distance, before refocusing.
Uh, it has to do with how I travel from the Devs realm to here, he replied, with all the natural awkwardness that always ca up when he discussed the nitty gritty of puppeting her friends corpse. Basically, while I get all the information from this world, like sight, sll, and taste, my bodys still in the Devs realm. Thats how I inhabit this one, right?
Qube was very proud of herself. She felt only a manageable amount of pain while dancing around the topic of Felix nowadays. Ti really did heal all wounds! Not as well as actual healing, but still. It was sothing to note.
Hey, focus, the Chosen One, in a surprising display of perceptiveness, noticed her attention wandering.
Sorry, Chosen One!
Its hard to focus with whats happening before us, Sencha Bard admitted. But please, finish your explanation.
The Chosen One turned his head slightly and looked at the ss of Temple guardians. He winced, and looked away again.
Ah, its dropping serious fras, he muttered. He shook his head. Anyway, basically, its sort of like possession, I guess, but sotis the information gets kinda interrupted? Like if you blinked a whole bunch while spinning in a circle. So it can be jumbled up. Or sound will co in before sight, so Ill hear soone talking before I physically see their mouth move. Its not normally an issue here, but I think the gauh, realm, being so very, very busted is having an effect.
Does that an the mana that runs the world is running low? Qube asked, instantly on high alert. What did he an by ga?
I dunno. The Hero of the world was, as ever, not very helpful on matters involving the survival of the world. They did get moreuh mana pools, so it shouldnt be an issue. I think its just so many Temple guardians being together at once thats causing trouble.
Qube nodded. The Temple guardians are extrely powerful, she explained to the Hero, even though she knew he knew this. They wield trendous amounts of mana, and many of them have influence over entire kingdoms. It makes sense that their collective auras would work to disrupt whatever spell binds you to your form.
Which was the most tactful way she could think of to refer to the whole matter.
Exactly! the Chosen One said, pleased at her quick understanding. Or, well, not exactly, but really close!
Qube bead in pride at his praise, and turned to look at the rest of the group, to see if they had followed along with their conversation, and were also impressed. Not that she needed them to be impressed by her. It just felt nice to be impressive.
But aside from Sencha Bard they all seed much more interested in the room full of Temple guardians, rather than why a room full of Temple guardians had made the Chosen One feel temporarily woozy.
Co to think of it, she was rather surprised that Sencha Bard had stuck around to listen and contribute to their conversation. Not that she didnt think he was highly intelligent and curious about why things were the way they were! After all, Definitely Bad Guy was a genius and he was currently attempting to talk to the Beast from the Forbidden Forest Temple. But the Bard loved lore, and talking to important people, and he was missing out on a whole room full of important people just to make sure he understood why the Chosen One had felt sick.
Qube smiled at the Bard, touched by his obvious concern for the Hero. For all they had little tiffs, at the end of the day they were clearly good friends.
Sencha Bard imdiately returned her smile with his own, dazzling one, before sweeping his gaze over the chaos heaving before them.
Will you be able to make it through here? he asked the Chosen One as he continued to look at the guardians. After a beat, he added very casually: Just so we know what to do, what would happen if their mana was to completely interrupt your connection to our realm? And would the sa fate affect any Devs attempting to exist here?
The Hero, breaking away from Qubes gentle hand on his arm, carefully stepped over to a Save Point and waved a hand through it. Unlike Sencha Bard, the Chosen One wasnt looking out into the room at all. In fact, he was making a concentrated effort to keep his back to the guardians.
Then my [Save Scum Attack] should automatically kick in, and wed be returned to this point in ti, the Hero said, risking a sideways glance at Sencha Bard. What Im probably gonna have to do is close my eyes, so the lag doesnt give another migraine like last ti.
You had a migraine last ti? Qube asked, aghast. When was last ti?
Eh, back when everything was crazy and then we had to talk to that Ian guy, the Chosen One waved away her question. It ssed up for like nearly a week. Then Alex wouldnt let log back on until I got checked out.
The disruption to your connection caused you to have a migraine for nearly a week? Qube was furious. Shed never had a migraine before, but shed heard of them, and she had enough experience with the headaches the Golden Prophecy (and sotis her fellow party mbers) gave her to be horrified at this information, and angry that the Chosen One had suffered so badly without telling her.
Now you sound like Bee the Chosen One muttered. No, it only knocked about for a day or two but the aftereffects ant I was tired for a week. Look. Why am I explaining this to you? The point is, its not fun, so Im gonna close my eyes and you guys are gonna have to guide through the room. Which ans Im trusting you, he said pointedly to his second oldest companion.
Sencha Bard struggled with himself for a mont, before turning back to face the Hero and sweeping him a deep bow.
You honour with your trust, he said. Still bowing, he continued: Your dedication to your promise to help us if nothing else, you are a loyal friend. As such, I would have to forfeit all personal honour forever, were I to betray the trust of a man so loyal that he returns to help us at such great personal cost to himself.
I more ant dont make run into people or trip over chairs, the Chosen One said, looking uncomfortable at the Bards sudden sincerity. Before anyone (Qube) could point out that there wasnt any furniture in the room, he coughed. But, yknow, that stuff you said was nice too. I told you Id help, and I like you guys, so he shrugged, his lack of eloquence starkly contrasting the other mans. Anyway, youll have to narrate all the stuff you see to , okay? All the weirdness must be shared!
Without waiting for a reply, the Hero closed his eyes and swung around to face the room, holding his arms out in front of him like Squiggles asking to be picked up.
Give the tour! he ordered. But hed only managed one (unguided, because he hadnt been bothered to wait for his companions to get into position) step, when the Dryad Queen spoke out.
My chosen Wood Warrior. Youve arrived. It is ti for war.
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