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src/epistolary/00069.md
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src/epistolary/00070.md
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src/epistolary/00071.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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src/epistolary/00071.md
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---
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title: 00071
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created: Thu, 09 Mar 2023 21:05:50 -0700
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updated: Thu, 09 Mar 2023 21:05:50 -0700
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public: yes
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syndicated: yes
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---
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### 00071 {#00071}
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Neddas loves mortals. Possibly more than they love themself. It's why
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they've diminished their own divinity over the eons by freely giving
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parts of themself away---gifting tiny aspects of themself to the
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mortals. Part of their constant delight in doing so is that even with
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their divine wisdom they can never quite be sure what any mortal or
|
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mortals will actually do with a sliver of godhood, with a divine
|
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spark. Consequently they have a lot of experience with giving what
|
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they thought is a perfect gift only for it to be misused, or for it
|
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to backfire in some unexpected way.
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|
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The Sword of Y'aml is a prime example. Justice without Wisom turned
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out to be a cruel weapon, seeing evil everywhere and smiting it on
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sight. And Wisdom itself proved as impotent as Justice was
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overzealous: it became as cold and as cruel in its own way, locked
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away in ivory towers, refusing to intervene, made lame by theory and
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academia.
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So now, in this moment, Neddas watches closely to see if they finally
|
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got it right. Does this mortal have not only the Wisdom to know what
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to do, but also the Courage to do it in the name of Justice?
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> Alex rushes to Marvelo's side and quickly begins to administer
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> medicine to him. "Sorry old friend, it's not much considering the
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> wound, but it should help you at least stay lucid" Alex says as he
|
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> administers the medicine Inky gave him. He takes quick stock of
|
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> Marvelo's wound, most of his teeth are gone, his jaw is horribly
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> disfigured, it's doubtful if it'll heal properly. At best he'll need
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> prostethics, potentially a full mechanical jaw. It is essentially a
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> death knell in this kind of work, the perfect normality Marvelo had
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> always strove for would be forever marred by his sudden abnormality.
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> Alex shakes his head, "It's fine Marv, I'm positive we can get this
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> fixed, no worse than at wound Agent 3 took in Cosovo, remember that
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> one? Hell of a thing that" Alex grins grimly, casting a glance over
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> his shoulder. "Alright, you should be set old friend, best I can do
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> for now." Alex hands him back his blaster and sits him up against the
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> wall, the bleeding staunched, but the magled jaw not much better.
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>
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> Alex stands, reloads his pistol, and turns to face the malevolent
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> apparition.
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>
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> "I don't know who the fuck you think you are, or what the fuck you
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> think you're doing. But nobody, and I mean nobody, messes with my
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> agents, my friends." Alex approaches the apparition, pistol gripped
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> in one hand, and the crystal pendant Neddas gave him held tight in
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> the other. "Alright Neddas, you said you'd give me something I could
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> protect my friends with. Don't think I believe in it much, but I'd of
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> said until about 15 minutes ago that candles don't produce macabre
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> dentists either." Alex stands before the apparition, daring it to
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> move, come and try me if you dare.
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Alex faces down the howling apparition---pistol in one hand, amulet
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in the other---daring and defiant.
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The wind engulfs him, swirls around him, wraps him in its embrace,
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and presses him to its bosom.
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|
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> While Master Alex faces the screaming presence overhead, Inky steps
|
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> over to where Marvelo is slumped against the wall. Working quickly,
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> they wipe the blood on the agent's face with a clean kerchief and
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> antiseptic, then gently realign the shattered jaw, wrapping bandages
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> around his head to hold it in place. They pull a blanket laying on
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> the ground nearby over his body before getting to their feet again.
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>
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> At the mention of Neddas, they tense minutely before turning away to
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> stand in a corner, gloved hands in their coat pockets, a quiet
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> witness to the ensuing confrontation.
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|
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Inky continues to patch up Marvelo and watches as the nightmare
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chooses its new vessel.
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|
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Flesh and bone start to materialize around Alex as the Nyxmaer tries
|
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to encase him in its ribcage and grow a new body.
|
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|
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The creature starts to take shape, but falters at the threshold of
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creation. It appears to you as though through a smoky haze, or from
|
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the bottom of a murky well. Something is holding it back from
|
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materializing.
|
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|
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It thrashes and redoubles its efforts, desperate to be born. Alex
|
||||
stands still in the eye of its storm. You see the Nyxmaer's tiny face
|
||||
take shape in the small cyclone. It roars as Alex lifts the amulet,
|
||||
and fires his pistol.
|
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|
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The demon's pinched face wails as the wind no longer presses in on
|
||||
Alex from all sides but is suddenly *yanked* toward him. The
|
||||
struggling body collapses and folds in on itself. The wind goes out
|
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of the room as the amulet inhales the Nyxmaer and all its fury.
|
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And then all is quiet.
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Marvelo looks up at Inky and whimpers.
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A heavy paper envelope, disturbed by the wind, settles to the ground.
|
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It was torn open in the commotion, and two tickets spill out: "The
|
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bearer of this ticket is entitled to an all expenses paid trip to the
|
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moon." It is signed by Blavin Blandfoot and bears the seal of the
|
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Benefactor.
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|
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WHAT DO YOU DO
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@ -298,6 +298,7 @@
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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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||||
<li><a href="#00070" id="toc-00070">00070</a></li>
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<li><a href="#00071" id="toc-00071">00071</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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@ -371,11 +372,11 @@ 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: 90664 words / 387 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
||||
<p>Total length: 91533 words / 391 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 243 messages posted over 238 days since the first
|
||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
|
||||
<p>There have been 247 messages posted over 239 days since the first
|
||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.03.</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
|
||||
<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
|
||||
<p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
|
||||
@ -7660,6 +7661,91 @@ the center of the circle.</p>
|
||||
<p>A malevolent force rides the still howling wind and hovers screaming
|
||||
up near the ceiling of the fish market.</p>
|
||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="00071">00071</h3>
|
||||
<p>Neddas loves mortals. Possibly more than they love themself. It’s why
|
||||
they’ve diminished their own divinity over the eons by freely giving
|
||||
parts of themself away—gifting tiny aspects of themself to the mortals.
|
||||
Part of their constant delight in doing so is that even with their
|
||||
divine wisdom they can never quite be sure what any mortal or mortals
|
||||
will actually do with a sliver of godhood, with a divine spark.
|
||||
Consequently they have a lot of experience with giving what they thought
|
||||
is a perfect gift only for it to be misused, or for it to backfire in
|
||||
some unexpected way.</p>
|
||||
<p>The Sword of Y’aml is a prime example. Justice without Wisom turned
|
||||
out to be a cruel weapon, seeing evil everywhere and smiting it on
|
||||
sight. And Wisdom itself proved as impotent as Justice was overzealous:
|
||||
it became as cold and as cruel in its own way, locked away in ivory
|
||||
towers, refusing to intervene, made lame by theory and academia.</p>
|
||||
<p>So now, in this moment, Neddas watches closely to see if they finally
|
||||
got it right. Does this mortal have not only the Wisdom to know what to
|
||||
do, but also the Courage to do it in the name of Justice?</p>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Alex rushes to Marvelo’s side and quickly begins to administer
|
||||
medicine to him. “Sorry old friend, it’s not much considering the wound,
|
||||
but it should help you at least stay lucid” Alex says as he administers
|
||||
the medicine Inky gave him. He takes quick stock of Marvelo’s wound,
|
||||
most of his teeth are gone, his jaw is horribly disfigured, it’s
|
||||
doubtful if it’ll heal properly. At best he’ll need prostethics,
|
||||
potentially a full mechanical jaw. It is essentially a death knell in
|
||||
this kind of work, the perfect normality Marvelo had always strove for
|
||||
would be forever marred by his sudden abnormality. Alex shakes his head,
|
||||
“It’s fine Marv, I’m positive we can get this fixed, no worse than at
|
||||
wound Agent 3 took in Cosovo, remember that one? Hell of a thing that”
|
||||
Alex grins grimly, casting a glance over his shoulder. “Alright, you
|
||||
should be set old friend, best I can do for now.” Alex hands him back
|
||||
his blaster and sits him up against the wall, the bleeding staunched,
|
||||
but the magled jaw not much better.</p>
|
||||
<p>Alex stands, reloads his pistol, and turns to face the malevolent
|
||||
apparition.</p>
|
||||
<p>“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, or what the fuck you
|
||||
think you’re doing. But nobody, and I mean nobody, messes with my
|
||||
agents, my friends.” Alex approaches the apparition, pistol gripped in
|
||||
one hand, and the crystal pendant Neddas gave him held tight in the
|
||||
other. “Alright Neddas, you said you’d give me something I could protect
|
||||
my friends with. Don’t think I believe in it much, but I’d of said until
|
||||
about 15 minutes ago that candles don’t produce macabre dentists
|
||||
either.” Alex stands before the apparition, daring it to move, come and
|
||||
try me if you dare.</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Alex faces down the howling apparition—pistol in one hand, amulet in
|
||||
the other—daring and defiant.</p>
|
||||
<p>The wind engulfs him, swirls around him, wraps him in its embrace,
|
||||
and presses him to its bosom.</p>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>While Master Alex faces the screaming presence overhead, Inky steps
|
||||
over to where Marvelo is slumped against the wall. Working quickly, they
|
||||
wipe the blood on the agent’s face with a clean kerchief and antiseptic,
|
||||
then gently realign the shattered jaw, wrapping bandages around his head
|
||||
to hold it in place. They pull a blanket laying on the ground nearby
|
||||
over his body before getting to their feet again.</p>
|
||||
<p>At the mention of Neddas, they tense minutely before turning away to
|
||||
stand in a corner, gloved hands in their coat pockets, a quiet witness
|
||||
to the ensuing confrontation.</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Inky continues to patch up Marvelo and watches as the nightmare
|
||||
chooses its new vessel.</p>
|
||||
<p>Flesh and bone start to materialize around Alex as the Nyxmaer tries
|
||||
to encase him in its ribcage and grow a new body.</p>
|
||||
<p>The creature starts to take shape, but falters at the threshold of
|
||||
creation. It appears to you as though through a smoky haze, or from the
|
||||
bottom of a murky well. Something is holding it back from
|
||||
materializing.</p>
|
||||
<p>It thrashes and redoubles its efforts, desperate to be born. Alex
|
||||
stands still in the eye of its storm. You see the Nyxmaer’s tiny face
|
||||
take shape in the small cyclone. It roars as Alex lifts the amulet, and
|
||||
fires his pistol.</p>
|
||||
<p>The demon’s pinched face wails as the wind no longer presses in on
|
||||
Alex from all sides but is suddenly <em>yanked</em> toward him. The
|
||||
struggling body collapses and folds in on itself. The wind goes out of
|
||||
the room as the amulet inhales the Nyxmaer and all its fury.</p>
|
||||
<p>And then all is quiet.</p>
|
||||
<p>Marvelo looks up at Inky and whimpers.</p>
|
||||
<p>A heavy paper envelope, disturbed by the wind, settles to the ground.
|
||||
It was torn open in the commotion, and two tickets spill out: “The
|
||||
bearer of this ticket is entitled to an all expenses paid trip to the
|
||||
moon.” It is signed by Blavin Blandfoot and bears the seal of the
|
||||
Benefactor.</p>
|
||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
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<h2 id="afterword">Afterword</h2>
|
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<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
|
||||
|
||||
1405
www/rss.xml
1405
www/rss.xml
File diff suppressed because it is too large
Load Diff
@ -298,6 +298,7 @@
|
||||
<li><a href="#00068" id="toc-00068">00068</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#00069" id="toc-00069">00069</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#00070" id="toc-00070">00070</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#00071" id="toc-00071">00071</a></li>
|
||||
</ul></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#spoilers" id="toc-spoilers">Spoilers</a></li>
|
||||
<li><a href="#acknowledgements"
|
||||
@ -374,11 +375,11 @@ 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: 90664 words / 387 minute read. (Mind you, that’s the
|
||||
<p>Total length: 91533 words / 391 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 243 messages posted over 238 days since the first
|
||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.02.</p>
|
||||
<p>There have been 247 messages posted over 239 days since the first
|
||||
post on July 13, 2022 for a daily post rate of 1.03.</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="chapter-1">Chapter 1</h2>
|
||||
<p>This is the first installment of BASEMENT QUEST.</p>
|
||||
<p>Jump to: <a href="#00001">1</a> <a href="#00002">2</a> <a
|
||||
@ -7663,6 +7664,91 @@ the center of the circle.</p>
|
||||
<p>A malevolent force rides the still howling wind and hovers screaming
|
||||
up near the ceiling of the fish market.</p>
|
||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO?</p>
|
||||
<h3 id="00071">00071</h3>
|
||||
<p>Neddas loves mortals. Possibly more than they love themself. It’s why
|
||||
they’ve diminished their own divinity over the eons by freely giving
|
||||
parts of themself away—gifting tiny aspects of themself to the mortals.
|
||||
Part of their constant delight in doing so is that even with their
|
||||
divine wisdom they can never quite be sure what any mortal or mortals
|
||||
will actually do with a sliver of godhood, with a divine spark.
|
||||
Consequently they have a lot of experience with giving what they thought
|
||||
is a perfect gift only for it to be misused, or for it to backfire in
|
||||
some unexpected way.</p>
|
||||
<p>The Sword of Y’aml is a prime example. Justice without Wisom turned
|
||||
out to be a cruel weapon, seeing evil everywhere and smiting it on
|
||||
sight. And Wisdom itself proved as impotent as Justice was overzealous:
|
||||
it became as cold and as cruel in its own way, locked away in ivory
|
||||
towers, refusing to intervene, made lame by theory and academia.</p>
|
||||
<p>So now, in this moment, Neddas watches closely to see if they finally
|
||||
got it right. Does this mortal have not only the Wisdom to know what to
|
||||
do, but also the Courage to do it in the name of Justice?</p>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Alex rushes to Marvelo’s side and quickly begins to administer
|
||||
medicine to him. “Sorry old friend, it’s not much considering the wound,
|
||||
but it should help you at least stay lucid” Alex says as he administers
|
||||
the medicine Inky gave him. He takes quick stock of Marvelo’s wound,
|
||||
most of his teeth are gone, his jaw is horribly disfigured, it’s
|
||||
doubtful if it’ll heal properly. At best he’ll need prostethics,
|
||||
potentially a full mechanical jaw. It is essentially a death knell in
|
||||
this kind of work, the perfect normality Marvelo had always strove for
|
||||
would be forever marred by his sudden abnormality. Alex shakes his head,
|
||||
“It’s fine Marv, I’m positive we can get this fixed, no worse than at
|
||||
wound Agent 3 took in Cosovo, remember that one? Hell of a thing that”
|
||||
Alex grins grimly, casting a glance over his shoulder. “Alright, you
|
||||
should be set old friend, best I can do for now.” Alex hands him back
|
||||
his blaster and sits him up against the wall, the bleeding staunched,
|
||||
but the magled jaw not much better.</p>
|
||||
<p>Alex stands, reloads his pistol, and turns to face the malevolent
|
||||
apparition.</p>
|
||||
<p>“I don’t know who the fuck you think you are, or what the fuck you
|
||||
think you’re doing. But nobody, and I mean nobody, messes with my
|
||||
agents, my friends.” Alex approaches the apparition, pistol gripped in
|
||||
one hand, and the crystal pendant Neddas gave him held tight in the
|
||||
other. “Alright Neddas, you said you’d give me something I could protect
|
||||
my friends with. Don’t think I believe in it much, but I’d of said until
|
||||
about 15 minutes ago that candles don’t produce macabre dentists
|
||||
either.” Alex stands before the apparition, daring it to move, come and
|
||||
try me if you dare.</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Alex faces down the howling apparition—pistol in one hand, amulet in
|
||||
the other—daring and defiant.</p>
|
||||
<p>The wind engulfs him, swirls around him, wraps him in its embrace,
|
||||
and presses him to its bosom.</p>
|
||||
<blockquote>
|
||||
<p>While Master Alex faces the screaming presence overhead, Inky steps
|
||||
over to where Marvelo is slumped against the wall. Working quickly, they
|
||||
wipe the blood on the agent’s face with a clean kerchief and antiseptic,
|
||||
then gently realign the shattered jaw, wrapping bandages around his head
|
||||
to hold it in place. They pull a blanket laying on the ground nearby
|
||||
over his body before getting to their feet again.</p>
|
||||
<p>At the mention of Neddas, they tense minutely before turning away to
|
||||
stand in a corner, gloved hands in their coat pockets, a quiet witness
|
||||
to the ensuing confrontation.</p>
|
||||
</blockquote>
|
||||
<p>Inky continues to patch up Marvelo and watches as the nightmare
|
||||
chooses its new vessel.</p>
|
||||
<p>Flesh and bone start to materialize around Alex as the Nyxmaer tries
|
||||
to encase him in its ribcage and grow a new body.</p>
|
||||
<p>The creature starts to take shape, but falters at the threshold of
|
||||
creation. It appears to you as though through a smoky haze, or from the
|
||||
bottom of a murky well. Something is holding it back from
|
||||
materializing.</p>
|
||||
<p>It thrashes and redoubles its efforts, desperate to be born. Alex
|
||||
stands still in the eye of its storm. You see the Nyxmaer’s tiny face
|
||||
take shape in the small cyclone. It roars as Alex lifts the amulet, and
|
||||
fires his pistol.</p>
|
||||
<p>The demon’s pinched face wails as the wind no longer presses in on
|
||||
Alex from all sides but is suddenly <em>yanked</em> toward him. The
|
||||
struggling body collapses and folds in on itself. The wind goes out of
|
||||
the room as the amulet inhales the Nyxmaer and all its fury.</p>
|
||||
<p>And then all is quiet.</p>
|
||||
<p>Marvelo looks up at Inky and whimpers.</p>
|
||||
<p>A heavy paper envelope, disturbed by the wind, settles to the ground.
|
||||
It was torn open in the commotion, and two tickets spill out: “The
|
||||
bearer of this ticket is entitled to an all expenses paid trip to the
|
||||
moon.” It is signed by Blavin Blandfoot and bears the seal of the
|
||||
Benefactor.</p>
|
||||
<p>WHAT DO YOU DO</p>
|
||||
<h2 id="spoilers">Spoilers</h2>
|
||||
<details>
|
||||
<summary>
|
||||
|
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Reference in New Issue
Block a user