main
parent
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commit
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@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ src/epistolary/00065.md
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src/epistolary/00066.md
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src/epistolary/00067.md
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src/epistolary/00068.md
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src/epistolary/00069.md
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src/notes.md
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src/acknowledgements.md
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src/afterword.md
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@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
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---
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title: 00069
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created: Thu, 02 Mar 2023 07:16:46 -0700
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updated: Thu, 02 Mar 2023 07:16:46 -0700
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public: yes
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syndicated: yes
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---
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### 00069 {#00069}
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> Inky offers the cat person a bemused half-smile, then turns to the
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> sysorcerer. "We hope you are well. Young Master Alex has been
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> searching for you. He had planned on coming, but had to attend to an
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> urgent matter on short notice."
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>
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> A pause, then Inky slides an open envelope — a plain affair with a
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> grid of tiny blue dots, and a single sheet of a similar pattern
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> inside — across the table towards the wizard. They continue, "If
|
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> there is anything you wish to tell him, you can write it in a
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> language only you two understand and seal the envelope. This one will
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> do their best to pass on the message." They wave another identical
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> envelope, indicating the message will be copied once sealed before
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> pocketing it again.
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>
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> "If you do decide to write, please do it promptly. This one will be
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> departing shortly, and the envelope in front of you will disappear,"
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> they inform the sysorcerer with an apologetic look and a tinge of
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> sadness.
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>
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> To the self-proclaimed double agent, Inky replies, "Thanks for the
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> information. Master Alex will be positively ecstatic with the news."
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> They send the hobbit a lopsided smile. "Nevertheless, you will
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> understand if the party would like to consider your proposal further
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> before providing an answer. Haste makes waste, as proverbs say.
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> Perhaps your pirate captain would agree. My condolences."
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>
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> Ignoring the proffered dice, Inky bids the group at the table good
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> evening and exits the club by the same route with which they had
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> entered, trying to stave off the growing unease at the back of their
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> mind.
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>
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> ~
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>
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> Three corridors later, one with a high vaulted ceiling away from the
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> din of the gambling club, Inky slows their brisk trot and hands Fuko
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> the envelope. The owl grips the item, dives down and drops it onto
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> the thick carpet. She places the back of one feet lightly over a
|
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> corner of the envelope, deftly slicing open the top layer along one
|
||||
> edge with a claw. Working quickly, she pulls out the contents with
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> her beak, smoothing out the sheet with a brush of her wings. Next,
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> she flies in a slow circle above the papers a few times before
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> descending again upon the papers and dragging them into a cake tin.
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> Finally, the bird pops the lid over the container, where the paper
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> within turns into dry compost.
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>
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> "It's confidential. Please do not decode." Inky says as a reminder
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> from their spot near the end of the corridor.
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>
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> Fuko levels an unimpressed look at her companion, as if to say, *Yes,
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> for the twenty-fourth time.* Inky smiles back at her and asks, "Is
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> your *boss* satisfied now?" The smile widens briefly at the indignant
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> screech and clicks in response, then vanish as the events of the past
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> few moments caught up to them again. Here in a hallway brightly lit
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> by glow lamps away from any windows, the howling winds are a distant
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> echo, but it did not stop Inky from wondering.
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>
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> It had been a risk, dallying around longer to give the elder wizard
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> time to say his piece in writing. No one could have missed the
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> disappointment written clearly on his face when he realised his
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> nephew hadn't come. Now, from Fuko's sparse recount of what their
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> tails had found, the candle had burned down, releasing something
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> somewhere, yet none of the others had woken up. It would appear that
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> Master Alex had not left the Dreaming at all, but was in another area
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> doing Neddas-only-knows-what.
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>
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> They stare up at the large central chandelier in the next room with
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> thousands of crystal beads that gleam like tiny droplets suspended in
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> the air. Orange shirt and blue shorts have since been replaced with a
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> red brimmed hat and blue duffel coat, the drawstring pouch tied below
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> the collar, and running shoes with red rain boots. The mess of ginger
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> hair is trimmed to a caramel crop.
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>
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> When the owl settles again on their shoulder, stirring Inky from
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> their thoughts, they collect the cake tin, remove the lid and look
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> inside. From a pocket of their coat, they pull out three seeds and
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> nudge them with two fingers into the soil. Descending a flight of
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> stairs, Inky sets the dousojin, grown to the size of a boulder, and
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> the tin on a side table. They pour seaweed tea into the tin from a
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> glass bottle, then refill the bottle with small fish-shaped crackers,
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> corking and placing it beside the tin.
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>
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> "Thank you, Great Spirit. This useless one will take their leave now,
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> and apologises if they have accidentally 'left the door open' for
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> something to blow in that should not be here." Inky says.
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>
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> They turn to the great horned owl. "Impeccable as ever, both of you.
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> Thanks for coming along tonight. You may go, Fuko. When you wake
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> yourself or with Futa's help, please get into the carrier as quickly
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> as you can, activate the connection and leave immediately. Sever it
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> as soon as you arrive safely. Forget about pulling off the patch
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> under my forearm, it can be delivered later, or he can have the body
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> sent over eventually. Leave and don't look back." Then, more airily,
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> "Should we meet again, Inky the Insolent shall bring you a large 'rat
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> at two eels'. How's that for a handsome reward?"
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~
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> Alex takes the amulet solemnly "Alright, now that's something I can
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> believe in." he says as he turns the locket over in his hand. The
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> golden veins shimmer and pulse inside of the pale blue. Alex dons the
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> necklace, noting that the stone is warm, almost exactly body
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> temperature. "Alright Neddas, you've got yourself a deal. I'll finish
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> assembling the crystals, we'll haul you back out to Basementaria. And
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> it sounds like we're cracking a few eggs along the way thanks to
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> this".
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>
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> The howling interrupts, growing louder, becoming a cacaphony of
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> tormented banshee wails. The gray expanse of sand fills with a vile
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> wind, a thick almost physical wall of dark black smog closes in.
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> Neddas, is nowhere to be found.
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>
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> Alex dips down and scoops up the little Katsuva, tucking him into the
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> ruck sack at his side. "Hang tight little guy, I think the ride out
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> of here's going to get bumpy.."
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>
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> In a single swift motion Alex pulls back the bolt on his AK74u and
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> levels it at the smog, letting loose a sustained volley of gunfire.
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> Bullets whiz with a defeaning RATATATAT. While laying down
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> suppressing fire, he pulls the little console back up to his side
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> with a short wave of the hand. A single command is all he needs here.
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When Alex pulls up his terminal he sees a notification blinking in
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the corner of the screen. A message from Corraidhín?
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The howling wind abruptly stops and the smog quickly dissipates.
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~
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In the fish market, Alex and Inky both wake with a start, gasping for
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breath as though drowning.
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It is dark. The lights are all out but it looks as through Marvelo
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has dropped some flairs on the ground. They fill the room with an
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eerie, crackling red glow.
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It is not quiet. The antiques dealer / spymaster has a couple of
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cords of rope and a couple loose blankets coiled around his arms and
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legs. He is shaking them off while screaming obscenities and
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repeatedly firing a blaster pistol at a large, roaring abomination
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standing in the center of the room.
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The nightmare has an almost fetal-looking head with a long, bulbous
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skull that looks far too large for its body. A single eye glares
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malevolently from the center of its small face. Oily feathers drip
|
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from a thin, sagging membrane that runs from wrist to ankle. Its
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leathery skin cracks and oozes from repeated shots to the torso from
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Marvelo's blaster, but it seems unbothered by the attack.
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It screeches and lunges forward and swings one massive arm at
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Marvelo. Its leathery, feathery wing slices through the air like a
|
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billowing cape behind its claws. Marvelo jumps to the side at the
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last moment, firing another shot right into the creature's chest
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while in midair, and lands on the ground.
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Now prone and helpless on the floor, he looks up as the beast looms
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over him. It screeches and falls on top of him, shoving its slender
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hands into his mouth. Marvelo's muffled screams become pitiful
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whimpers as the creature pulls out teeth by the handful and crams
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them into its own mouth.
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WHAT DO YOU DO?
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144
www/index.html
144
www/index.html
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@ -259,6 +259,10 @@
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summary p {
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display: inline;
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}
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li:has(> input[checked]) {
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text-decoration: line-through;
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color: lightgray;
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}
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</style>
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<!--[if lt IE 9]>
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<script src="//cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/html5shiv/3.7.3/html5shiv-printshiv.min.js"></script>
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@ -292,6 +296,7 @@
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<li><a href="#00066" id="toc-00066">00066</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00067" id="toc-00067">00067</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00068" id="toc-00068">00068</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00069" id="toc-00069">00069</a></li>
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</ul></li>
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<li><a href="#afterword" id="toc-afterword">Afterword</a></li>
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<li><a href="#appendix-a-dramatis-personae"
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@ -365,10 +370,10 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
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you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
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the rss feed</a>.</p>
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<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
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<p>Total length: 87969 words / 375 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
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<p>Total length: 89395 words / 382 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
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length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
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just the story.)</p>
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<p>There have been 236 messages posted over 231 days since the first
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<p>There have been 238 messages posted over 233 days since the first
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post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
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<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
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<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
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@ -7392,6 +7397,141 @@ red standard has been</code></pre>
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<p>You can suddenly hear an ominous wind whistling outside the club and
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battering at the windows.</p>
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<p>“Well?” Balvin prompts. “What do you do?”</p>
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<h3 id="00069">00069</h3>
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<blockquote>
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<p>Inky offers the cat person a bemused half-smile, then turns to the
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sysorcerer. “We hope you are well. Young Master Alex has been searching
|
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for you. He had planned on coming, but had to attend to an urgent matter
|
||||
on short notice.”</p>
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||||
<p>A pause, then Inky slides an open envelope — a plain affair with a
|
||||
grid of tiny blue dots, and a single sheet of a similar pattern inside —
|
||||
across the table towards the wizard. They continue, “If there is
|
||||
anything you wish to tell him, you can write it in a language only you
|
||||
two understand and seal the envelope. This one will do their best to
|
||||
pass on the message.” They wave another identical envelope, indicating
|
||||
the message will be copied once sealed before pocketing it again.</p>
|
||||
<p>“If you do decide to write, please do it promptly. This one will be
|
||||
departing shortly, and the envelope in front of you will disappear,”
|
||||
they inform the sysorcerer with an apologetic look and a tinge of
|
||||
sadness.</p>
|
||||
<p>To the self-proclaimed double agent, Inky replies, “Thanks for the
|
||||
information. Master Alex will be positively ecstatic with the news.”
|
||||
They send the hobbit a lopsided smile. “Nevertheless, you will
|
||||
understand if the party would like to consider your proposal further
|
||||
before providing an answer. Haste makes waste, as proverbs say. Perhaps
|
||||
your pirate captain would agree. My condolences.”</p>
|
||||
<p>Ignoring the proffered dice, Inky bids the group at the table good
|
||||
evening and exits the club by the same route with which they had
|
||||
entered, trying to stave off the growing unease at the back of their
|
||||
mind.</p>
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<p>~</p>
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||||
<p>Three corridors later, one with a high vaulted ceiling away from the
|
||||
din of the gambling club, Inky slows their brisk trot and hands Fuko the
|
||||
envelope. The owl grips the item, dives down and drops it onto the thick
|
||||
carpet. She places the back of one feet lightly over a corner of the
|
||||
envelope, deftly slicing open the top layer along one edge with a claw.
|
||||
Working quickly, she pulls out the contents with her beak, smoothing out
|
||||
the sheet with a brush of her wings. Next, she flies in a slow circle
|
||||
above the papers a few times before descending again upon the papers and
|
||||
dragging them into a cake tin. Finally, the bird pops the lid over the
|
||||
container, where the paper within turns into dry compost.</p>
|
||||
<p>“It’s confidential. Please do not decode.” Inky says as a reminder
|
||||
from their spot near the end of the corridor.</p>
|
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<p>Fuko levels an unimpressed look at her companion, as if to say,
|
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<em>Yes, for the twenty-fourth time.</em> Inky smiles back at her and
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asks, “Is your <em>boss</em> satisfied now?” The smile widens briefly at
|
||||
the indignant screech and clicks in response, then vanish as the events
|
||||
of the past few moments caught up to them again. Here in a hallway
|
||||
brightly lit by glow lamps away from any windows, the howling winds are
|
||||
a distant echo, but it did not stop Inky from wondering.</p>
|
||||
<p>It had been a risk, dallying around longer to give the elder wizard
|
||||
time to say his piece in writing. No one could have missed the
|
||||
disappointment written clearly on his face when he realised his nephew
|
||||
hadn’t come. Now, from Fuko’s sparse recount of what their tails had
|
||||
found, the candle had burned down, releasing something somewhere, yet
|
||||
none of the others had woken up. It would appear that Master Alex had
|
||||
not left the Dreaming at all, but was in another area doing
|
||||
Neddas-only-knows-what.</p>
|
||||
<p>They stare up at the large central chandelier in the next room with
|
||||
thousands of crystal beads that gleam like tiny droplets suspended in
|
||||
the air. Orange shirt and blue shorts have since been replaced with a
|
||||
red brimmed hat and blue duffel coat, the drawstring pouch tied below
|
||||
the collar, and running shoes with red rain boots. The mess of ginger
|
||||
hair is trimmed to a caramel crop.</p>
|
||||
<p>When the owl settles again on their shoulder, stirring Inky from
|
||||
their thoughts, they collect the cake tin, remove the lid and look
|
||||
inside. From a pocket of their coat, they pull out three seeds and nudge
|
||||
them with two fingers into the soil. Descending a flight of stairs, Inky
|
||||
sets the dousojin, grown to the size of a boulder, and the tin on a side
|
||||
table. They pour seaweed tea into the tin from a glass bottle, then
|
||||
refill the bottle with small fish-shaped crackers, corking and placing
|
||||
it beside the tin.</p>
|
||||
<p>“Thank you, Great Spirit. This useless one will take their leave now,
|
||||
and apologises if they have accidentally ‘left the door open’ for
|
||||
something to blow in that should not be here.” Inky says.</p>
|
||||
<p>They turn to the great horned owl. “Impeccable as ever, both of you.
|
||||
Thanks for coming along tonight. You may go, Fuko. When you wake
|
||||
yourself or with Futa’s help, please get into the carrier as quickly as
|
||||
you can, activate the connection and leave immediately. Sever it as soon
|
||||
as you arrive safely. Forget about pulling off the patch under my
|
||||
forearm, it can be delivered later, or he can have the body sent over
|
||||
eventually. Leave and don’t look back.” Then, more airily, “Should we
|
||||
meet again, Inky the Insolent shall bring you a large ‘rat at two eels’.
|
||||
How’s that for a handsome reward?”</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>~</p>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Alex takes the amulet solemnly “Alright, now that’s something I can
|
||||
believe in.” he says as he turns the locket over in his hand. The golden
|
||||
veins shimmer and pulse inside of the pale blue. Alex dons the necklace,
|
||||
noting that the stone is warm, almost exactly body temperature. “Alright
|
||||
Neddas, you’ve got yourself a deal. I’ll finish assembling the crystals,
|
||||
we’ll haul you back out to Basementaria. And it sounds like we’re
|
||||
cracking a few eggs along the way thanks to this”.</p>
|
||||
<p>The howling interrupts, growing louder, becoming a cacaphony of
|
||||
tormented banshee wails. The gray expanse of sand fills with a vile
|
||||
wind, a thick almost physical wall of dark black smog closes in. Neddas,
|
||||
is nowhere to be found.</p>
|
||||
<p>Alex dips down and scoops up the little Katsuva, tucking him into the
|
||||
ruck sack at his side. “Hang tight little guy, I think the ride out of
|
||||
here’s going to get bumpy..”</p>
|
||||
<p>In a single swift motion Alex pulls back the bolt on his AK74u and
|
||||
levels it at the smog, letting loose a sustained volley of gunfire.
|
||||
Bullets whiz with a defeaning RATATATAT. While laying down suppressing
|
||||
fire, he pulls the little console back up to his side with a short wave
|
||||
of the hand. A single command is all he needs here.</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>When Alex pulls up his terminal he sees a notification blinking in
|
||||
the corner of the screen. A message from Corraidhín?</p>
|
||||
<p>The howling wind abruptly stops and the smog quickly dissipates.</p>
|
||||
<p>~</p>
|
||||
<p>In the fish market, Alex and Inky both wake with a start, gasping for
|
||||
breath as though drowning.</p>
|
||||
<p>It is dark. The lights are all out but it looks as through Marvelo
|
||||
has dropped some flairs on the ground. They fill the room with an eerie,
|
||||
crackling red glow.</p>
|
||||
<p>It is not quiet. The antiques dealer / spymaster has a couple of
|
||||
cords of rope and a couple loose blankets coiled around his arms and
|
||||
legs. He is shaking them off while screaming obscenities and repeatedly
|
||||
firing a blaster pistol at a large, roaring abomination standing in the
|
||||
center of the room.</p>
|
||||
<p>The nightmare has an almost fetal-looking head with a long, bulbous
|
||||
skull that looks far too large for its body. A single eye glares
|
||||
malevolently from the center of its small face. Oily feathers drip from
|
||||
a thin, sagging membrane that runs from wrist to ankle. Its leathery
|
||||
skin cracks and oozes from repeated shots to the torso from Marvelo’s
|
||||
blaster, but it seems unbothered by the attack.</p>
|
||||
<p>It screeches and lunges forward and swings one massive arm at
|
||||
Marvelo. Its leathery, feathery wing slices through the air like a
|
||||
billowing cape behind its claws. Marvelo jumps to the side at the last
|
||||
moment, firing another shot right into the creature’s chest while in
|
||||
midair, and lands on the ground.</p>
|
||||
<p>Now prone and helpless on the floor, he looks up as the beast looms
|
||||
over him. It screeches and falls on top of him, shoving its slender
|
||||
hands into his mouth. Marvelo’s muffled screams become pitiful whimpers
|
||||
as the creature pulls out teeth by the handful and crams them into its
|
||||
own mouth.</p>
|
||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
|
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<h2 id="afterword">Afterword</h2>
|
||||
<p>I don’t know what I’m going to put here, but I didn’t want this
|
||||
document to just abruptly end. So here you go: a kind farewell and a
|
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|
|
1476
www/rss.xml
1476
www/rss.xml
File diff suppressed because it is too large
Load Diff
|
@ -296,6 +296,7 @@
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|||
<li><a href="#00066" id="toc-00066">00066</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#00067" id="toc-00067">00067</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#00068" id="toc-00068">00068</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#00069" id="toc-00069">00069</a></li>
|
||||
</ul></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#spoilers" id="toc-spoilers">Spoilers</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#acknowledgements"
|
||||
|
@ -372,10 +373,10 @@ into the <a href="#current-story">current story arc</a>.</p>
|
|||
you can <a href="https://tilde.town/~dozens/quest/rss.xml">subscribe to
|
||||
the rss feed</a>.</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="stats">Stats</h2>
|
||||
<p>Total length: 87972 words / 375 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
||||
<p>Total length: 89395 words / 382 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
||||
length of this entire page, including all the extra bits and bobs. Not
|
||||
just the story.)</p>
|
||||
<p>There have been 236 messages posted over 231 days since the first
|
||||
<p>There have been 238 messages posted over 233 days since the first
|
||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
|
||||
<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
|
||||
|
@ -7399,6 +7400,141 @@ red standard has been</code></pre>
|
|||
<p>You can suddenly hear an ominous wind whistling outside the club and
|
||||
battering at the windows.</p>
|
||||
<p>“Well?” Balvin prompts. “What do you do?”</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="00069">00069</h3>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Inky offers the cat person a bemused half-smile, then turns to the
|
||||
sysorcerer. “We hope you are well. Young Master Alex has been searching
|
||||
for you. He had planned on coming, but had to attend to an urgent matter
|
||||
on short notice.”</p>
|
||||
<p>A pause, then Inky slides an open envelope — a plain affair with a
|
||||
grid of tiny blue dots, and a single sheet of a similar pattern inside —
|
||||
across the table towards the wizard. They continue, “If there is
|
||||
anything you wish to tell him, you can write it in a language only you
|
||||
two understand and seal the envelope. This one will do their best to
|
||||
pass on the message.” They wave another identical envelope, indicating
|
||||
the message will be copied once sealed before pocketing it again.</p>
|
||||
<p>“If you do decide to write, please do it promptly. This one will be
|
||||
departing shortly, and the envelope in front of you will disappear,”
|
||||
they inform the sysorcerer with an apologetic look and a tinge of
|
||||
sadness.</p>
|
||||
<p>To the self-proclaimed double agent, Inky replies, “Thanks for the
|
||||
information. Master Alex will be positively ecstatic with the news.”
|
||||
They send the hobbit a lopsided smile. “Nevertheless, you will
|
||||
understand if the party would like to consider your proposal further
|
||||
before providing an answer. Haste makes waste, as proverbs say. Perhaps
|
||||
your pirate captain would agree. My condolences.”</p>
|
||||
<p>Ignoring the proffered dice, Inky bids the group at the table good
|
||||
evening and exits the club by the same route with which they had
|
||||
entered, trying to stave off the growing unease at the back of their
|
||||
mind.</p>
|
||||
<p>~</p>
|
||||
<p>Three corridors later, one with a high vaulted ceiling away from the
|
||||
din of the gambling club, Inky slows their brisk trot and hands Fuko the
|
||||
envelope. The owl grips the item, dives down and drops it onto the thick
|
||||
carpet. She places the back of one feet lightly over a corner of the
|
||||
envelope, deftly slicing open the top layer along one edge with a claw.
|
||||
Working quickly, she pulls out the contents with her beak, smoothing out
|
||||
the sheet with a brush of her wings. Next, she flies in a slow circle
|
||||
above the papers a few times before descending again upon the papers and
|
||||
dragging them into a cake tin. Finally, the bird pops the lid over the
|
||||
container, where the paper within turns into dry compost.</p>
|
||||
<p>“It’s confidential. Please do not decode.” Inky says as a reminder
|
||||
from their spot near the end of the corridor.</p>
|
||||
<p>Fuko levels an unimpressed look at her companion, as if to say,
|
||||
<em>Yes, for the twenty-fourth time.</em> Inky smiles back at her and
|
||||
asks, “Is your <em>boss</em> satisfied now?” The smile widens briefly at
|
||||
the indignant screech and clicks in response, then vanish as the events
|
||||
of the past few moments caught up to them again. Here in a hallway
|
||||
brightly lit by glow lamps away from any windows, the howling winds are
|
||||
a distant echo, but it did not stop Inky from wondering.</p>
|
||||
<p>It had been a risk, dallying around longer to give the elder wizard
|
||||
time to say his piece in writing. No one could have missed the
|
||||
disappointment written clearly on his face when he realised his nephew
|
||||
hadn’t come. Now, from Fuko’s sparse recount of what their tails had
|
||||
found, the candle had burned down, releasing something somewhere, yet
|
||||
none of the others had woken up. It would appear that Master Alex had
|
||||
not left the Dreaming at all, but was in another area doing
|
||||
Neddas-only-knows-what.</p>
|
||||
<p>They stare up at the large central chandelier in the next room with
|
||||
thousands of crystal beads that gleam like tiny droplets suspended in
|
||||
the air. Orange shirt and blue shorts have since been replaced with a
|
||||
red brimmed hat and blue duffel coat, the drawstring pouch tied below
|
||||
the collar, and running shoes with red rain boots. The mess of ginger
|
||||
hair is trimmed to a caramel crop.</p>
|
||||
<p>When the owl settles again on their shoulder, stirring Inky from
|
||||
their thoughts, they collect the cake tin, remove the lid and look
|
||||
inside. From a pocket of their coat, they pull out three seeds and nudge
|
||||
them with two fingers into the soil. Descending a flight of stairs, Inky
|
||||
sets the dousojin, grown to the size of a boulder, and the tin on a side
|
||||
table. They pour seaweed tea into the tin from a glass bottle, then
|
||||
refill the bottle with small fish-shaped crackers, corking and placing
|
||||
it beside the tin.</p>
|
||||
<p>“Thank you, Great Spirit. This useless one will take their leave now,
|
||||
and apologises if they have accidentally ‘left the door open’ for
|
||||
something to blow in that should not be here.” Inky says.</p>
|
||||
<p>They turn to the great horned owl. “Impeccable as ever, both of you.
|
||||
Thanks for coming along tonight. You may go, Fuko. When you wake
|
||||
yourself or with Futa’s help, please get into the carrier as quickly as
|
||||
you can, activate the connection and leave immediately. Sever it as soon
|
||||
as you arrive safely. Forget about pulling off the patch under my
|
||||
forearm, it can be delivered later, or he can have the body sent over
|
||||
eventually. Leave and don’t look back.” Then, more airily, “Should we
|
||||
meet again, Inky the Insolent shall bring you a large ‘rat at two eels’.
|
||||
How’s that for a handsome reward?”</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>~</p>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Alex takes the amulet solemnly “Alright, now that’s something I can
|
||||
believe in.” he says as he turns the locket over in his hand. The golden
|
||||
veins shimmer and pulse inside of the pale blue. Alex dons the necklace,
|
||||
noting that the stone is warm, almost exactly body temperature. “Alright
|
||||
Neddas, you’ve got yourself a deal. I’ll finish assembling the crystals,
|
||||
we’ll haul you back out to Basementaria. And it sounds like we’re
|
||||
cracking a few eggs along the way thanks to this”.</p>
|
||||
<p>The howling interrupts, growing louder, becoming a cacaphony of
|
||||
tormented banshee wails. The gray expanse of sand fills with a vile
|
||||
wind, a thick almost physical wall of dark black smog closes in. Neddas,
|
||||
is nowhere to be found.</p>
|
||||
<p>Alex dips down and scoops up the little Katsuva, tucking him into the
|
||||
ruck sack at his side. “Hang tight little guy, I think the ride out of
|
||||
here’s going to get bumpy..”</p>
|
||||
<p>In a single swift motion Alex pulls back the bolt on his AK74u and
|
||||
levels it at the smog, letting loose a sustained volley of gunfire.
|
||||
Bullets whiz with a defeaning RATATATAT. While laying down suppressing
|
||||
fire, he pulls the little console back up to his side with a short wave
|
||||
of the hand. A single command is all he needs here.</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>When Alex pulls up his terminal he sees a notification blinking in
|
||||
the corner of the screen. A message from Corraidhín?</p>
|
||||
<p>The howling wind abruptly stops and the smog quickly dissipates.</p>
|
||||
<p>~</p>
|
||||
<p>In the fish market, Alex and Inky both wake with a start, gasping for
|
||||
breath as though drowning.</p>
|
||||
<p>It is dark. The lights are all out but it looks as through Marvelo
|
||||
has dropped some flairs on the ground. They fill the room with an eerie,
|
||||
crackling red glow.</p>
|
||||
<p>It is not quiet. The antiques dealer / spymaster has a couple of
|
||||
cords of rope and a couple loose blankets coiled around his arms and
|
||||
legs. He is shaking them off while screaming obscenities and repeatedly
|
||||
firing a blaster pistol at a large, roaring abomination standing in the
|
||||
center of the room.</p>
|
||||
<p>The nightmare has an almost fetal-looking head with a long, bulbous
|
||||
skull that looks far too large for its body. A single eye glares
|
||||
malevolently from the center of its small face. Oily feathers drip from
|
||||
a thin, sagging membrane that runs from wrist to ankle. Its leathery
|
||||
skin cracks and oozes from repeated shots to the torso from Marvelo’s
|
||||
blaster, but it seems unbothered by the attack.</p>
|
||||
<p>It screeches and lunges forward and swings one massive arm at
|
||||
Marvelo. Its leathery, feathery wing slices through the air like a
|
||||
billowing cape behind its claws. Marvelo jumps to the side at the last
|
||||
moment, firing another shot right into the creature’s chest while in
|
||||
midair, and lands on the ground.</p>
|
||||
<p>Now prone and helpless on the floor, he looks up as the beast looms
|
||||
over him. It screeches and falls on top of him, shoving its slender
|
||||
hands into his mouth. Marvelo’s muffled screams become pitiful whimpers
|
||||
as the creature pulls out teeth by the handful and crams them into its
|
||||
own mouth.</p>
|
||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="spoilers">Spoilers</h2>
|
||||
<details>
|
||||
<summary>
|
||||
|
@ -7526,14 +7662,14 @@ blood, demon</li>
|
|||
<li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" />palindromes: taco cat, reward
|
||||
drawer, tin unit, lap pal, evil olive</li>
|
||||
<li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" />The Benefactor is Nullar</li>
|
||||
<li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" />Blavin is a secret agent,
|
||||
working for the Golden Iris, a secret society that wants to ‘create
|
||||
balance’ by creating a fourth god</li>
|
||||
<li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" />Nullar got tired of being a god
|
||||
and wanted to die, and Neddas agreed to help him. Shit went bad and
|
||||
turned Liandt to stone, and Nullar’s leg to stone. Now Nullar is trying
|
||||
to gather the Ginnarak crystals to assemble the <em>God Slayer</em> to
|
||||
attempt once more to end his own life.</li>
|
||||
<li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" checked="" />Blavin is a secret
|
||||
agent, working for the Golden Iris, a secret society that wants to
|
||||
‘create balance’ by creating a fourth god</li>
|
||||
<li><input type="checkbox" disabled="" checked="" />the BAND (Birds Are
|
||||
Not Dinosaurs) and the BATT (Birds Are Time Travelers) conspiracy</li>
|
||||
<li><input type="checkbox" disabled=""
|
||||
|
|
Loading…
Reference in New Issue