It would always happen when you thought that all hope was lost.
In an instant came a bright spark, followed by a fiery explosion right from beneath the pit. The air turned warm and heavy, as large chunks of rock flew through the air, only for them to disintegrate the second they collided against the slimeâs protective wall.
From down below, came the eerie sound of a dark, bone-chilling growl echoing all the way up to the highest of the Castleâs floor. Suddenly, the ground begins to shake accompanied by the sounds of a large creature climbing and moving closer and closer. Â
âGet back, all of you, this instant!â
A large, scaly, and sharp clawed hand anchors itself onto the edge of the ground, followed by a set of wing spurs which dig further onto the floor. Then, another hand reaches closer to the group as a large monstrous dragon pulls itself up and lunges forward towards the group.
[Art by Wren]
The beast snarled, hissed, and growled barring its pointy teeth menacingly. Its long, spiky tail swayed and curled around it as the being stood tall above the group. One of his wings appeared to have been lightly damaged, and there was a cut on the side of his face, along with a few minor scratches here and there, as a burning, copper-colored substance oozed from its wounds. The creature had fissures between its scales, where burning lava could be seen flowing along. Itâs skin, a combination of red, brown, and black shimmering scales shone as it moved closer to the group. The creaturesâ many eyes glowed a bright golden hue, and smoke came out of his mouth, both which would be familiar to many, if not all present. Â
But that was not all that shouldâve been familiar to you all! Recovering from the pit along with him, would be a familiar Princess, carefully scruffed by the back of her top by the mighty being. Which held onto them with the protectiveness of a beast carrying its youth.
Then, without warning, the dragon lifted one of his spike-covered legs threateningly into the air, then slammed it directly in front of the slimeâs barrier! The dragon roared softly, then gently bowed his head until Princess Princess was able to reach the ground. He then carefully nudged them forward, being mindful not to hurt them with the many horns and spikes that protruded from his body.
Once his duty was fulfilled, the beast jumped up into the air and flew out from one of the Castleâs windows at full speed, all while stumbling against a few walls on his way out. There he went as far away from the Castleâs grounds as he was allowed to go.
â...Oh! That was quite eventful, was it not? Tâwould appear as though all is well!â
â...Weâll be off. Do watch yourselves around the castle from now on.â
The slimes poof away from view, leaving you all to ponder what just happened.
It took some time for the dust and smoke to clear out. For those that chose to come and witness the end of the two adventurers, be it out of concern, morbid curiosity, or for your own amusement, the scene that was set at the end of the pit was a grim one. There was a large hole from the highest floor all the way to the Castleâs basement, there, at the bottom of it all, was a large pile of all the debris caused by the wreckage with subtle hints of red and copper stains sprayed along the rocks. A lone, blood-stained purple ear could be seen laying just outside of the pile. There were also bits of brown fluff scattered on the ground, as a piece of a black copper-stained cloak peeked through one of the many boulders on that pile. Â
âYouâll do well to remember what youâre seeing here. This is exactly where folly and carelessness leads.â
âWhat a miserable fate!â
Should anyone try to get closer, the barrier the slimes warned you about will activate. Thereâs nothing to be done but watch and stare from the other side.
Unfortunately, against the will of the many, the slimes remained safe from the towerâs collapse. Perched on columns still standing tall, they peer into the chasm that claimed her.
âOh, to fall in such a manner as that!â
âConsidering that the castle was in shambles, it was only a matter of time that an accident would occur. Iâll put in the announcement.â
Itâs at this point that you, dear Champion, are more properly brought into this tale of friends. Wherever you are on the island, your mirror lights up with the visage of the Mage Slime. The Knight Slime peeks around them, clearly cowering.
Their background is a mess of sky poring through parts of the castle it shouldnât. A cascade of broken tiles hangs behind them; luck is all that keeps the wall from crumbling. The Mage Slime speaks in a whisper, as if aware that anything louder sound would dismantle the rest of their surroundings.
âBe mindful where you step in the castle from now on.â
âLet it be known that someone falling was not our doing! Two whole someones, at that! The responsibility lies solely with the castle itself!â
âWeâve put up a barrier to prevent further incidents⊠and to ensure that you all refrain from getting any bright ideas. Weâve already met our quota for failed heroic rescue attempts. We donât need another. Come if you wish, Champions, and see whatâs left. This is a lesson in safety that you should heed. Just donât touch the barrier.â
Your mirror blackens.
Perhaps driven by curiosity, a love for safety lessons, or a need to make sure that whoever theyâve alluded to is actually alright, you head to the castle.
"Doesn't Mothelot think there are secrets hiding within this place? She's sure this is the most important spot, on the entire isle! She's sure...there has to be something!"
âKhikhihihi~ Well said! Considering that any respectable castle will have at most one or two secret passages, Iâd consider this to be an important spot as well! Back in my day, when I was but a youngin, I ventured with my dear Master to inspect the ruins of an old abandoned castle, much like this one, and we stumbled on an underground passageway! A whole labyrinth! Hiding under our noses! All we had to do was step on one particular tile, and down we went!â
"Princess can't remember her youngest days! She knows she looked like a little plushy, though. Just like the rest!"
âA...Plushy?!â
Princess Princess and Sir Mothelot, an unlikely pair to some, but each having a similar drive for adventure and hopefulness, attributes that brought them together on this expedition. The hall that they'd chosen to take their time to explore was one of those in the castle that had seen the worst of its wear. Several stories up, near the top of the highest tower, its own practically crumbling floors and walls seemed to loudly advertise this was not an especially safe place, but it didn't seem as if that mattered to the pair of them. After all, they were brave warriors embarking on a mission to protect their friends! Princess took another jaunty step forward, as her mothkin companion followed behind her.Â
The pair appeared to be searching for something. This area of the castle wasnât especially well-traveled, and the danger that its ill-maintained halls contained, must have implied that there was a worthy reason for them to risk being here. The pair continued to chat, each wanting to make a difference, wishing to uncover enough secrets...sharing the sort of talks that all adventurers should have!
The princess jaunts ahead, as the shadows of the slimes followed shiftly behind them. Trailing rocks and dust followed from Princess's quick movements, much more so than the older knightâs. She grinned, with hope in her eyes.
"She has to do something. She has to make a difference. She's going to make one! She thinks...there are a lot of people who don't really understand. But..maybe that's her fault.â
âI share your sentiment. I too wish to do what I can to ensure the safety of our group! I personally believe that youâve been a valuable ally to us all! Iâm honored to work with a warrior such as yourself!...It is...Unfortunate that there are some who are unable to understand you, but thatâs on them, not on you milady!...Hmph! Perhaps they need a lesson on how to properly understand bears!â
"Heehee. Well, Princess thinks that t--."
Castle Floret had a long, long history behind it. It had seen much more than those who walked it could even know, and could even dream. And it had the potential to hold more tragedies, unrivaled, than could ever be feared, or worried of, for all time.Â
As Princess Princess was cut off, it was for good reason. The crumbling of Castle Floret's floors and walls had always been a warning, perhaps, but there were few more direct than this.Â
Faster than her only near companion could react, the floor opened up beneath the bite-iest balatron, as the tower's integrity above and beneath her, fell to pieces. In the middle of it all, Sir Mothelot dove right after his companion with the hope that heâd catch her, which he does, but the hands of fate werenât quite so kind this day. Just as the mothkin was able to take flight, a pair of boulders caught themselves in the fabric of both Princess Princessâ and Sir Mothelotâs cloaks pushing them down and preventing them from moving out of the way as the rest of the floor crumbled down on them.
In just mere seconds the pair was lost deep into the abyss.Â
The days come and go, as hard as it's been to keep track of passing time with the weather, among everything else. But as another sun rises, nothing in this new day seems as if it's been out of the ordinary. Not much has happened since you were released from house arrest, but you knew from experience how quickly things could change. And with the new locations that have been revealed once again, you've all been very busy. Perhaps, some more so than others.
One location in particular has seemed to have been a host of mystery and intrigue. The location in which you were first greeted upon your arrival here, the castle itself, held its own fair share of questions that had yet to be answered, including the lot of them which would only grow, and grow, after each trial, as it had just taken a new turn at doing, once more. It was a beautiful day, and perhaps that was a good omen.Â
Atop Castle Floret's highest towers, were the faint movements of two individuals, to anyone who happened to be passing by. There was nothing else going on today, leading to a lack of particular reasons to be investigating somewhere like this. The two silhouettes, both of similar heights but different shapes, seemed to be busy. There were discussions, there were quick movements, there was shuffling. Scampering and hobbling, the shadows moved through a particularly decrepit layer of the castle's interior, only seen by anyone passing, from an incredibly quick view.
And nearby, as there often was, was a pair of slimes, each with their own accessory, keeping careful, careful watch.
Whether this frigid weather would be a catalyst to draw people closer together for warmth, or a dawning of winter within everyoneâs hearts, remains to be seen. Perhaps this change of seasons will mark a change in you, as well. All you can do now is continue forward, onwards to whatever lurks around the corner.
(Welcome to Chapter 3! The season is now Winter. Good thing you already have your winter gear at the ready. Maybe weâll see the return of those snowball fight prizes...
See our Maps website (link on our server) for the newest areas.
Normdays will last 2 weeks, as usual. Our next House competition will be held on Saturday, November 20th. No guarantee that youâll be able to score another set of onesies. More information about that event to come.
See the main server for further updates. Thank you!
Romantic Slime has returned, and naturally, the bouquet chart returns with them, lighting up your mirrors!
[Alternate Link]
âEhe! Looks like youâve all made quite a bit of progress since I last checked in huh? I bet youâll only make more in this weather too! The coldâs perfect for a snuggle with potential loves or friends⊠Or a heated fight with potential enemies! The possibilities are endless! Hehe⊠But I'm just rambling on now⊠Hereâs the point totals youâve been waiting for!â
As they finish speaking, your mirrors light up once more to display each housesâ new bouquet point totals.
HOUSE HYACINTH: 46 - Wowie! Things sure are complicated here huh!
[ ROS: 6 | CHR: 16 | BEG: 16 | TAN: 6 | WOL: 2 ]
HOUSE ZANTHOS: 43 - What a friendly bunch!
[ ROS: 4 | CHR: 22 | BEG: 12 | TAN: 3 | WOL: 2 ]
HOUSE DAHLIA: 30 - Pretty evenly spread!
[ ROS: 3 | CHR: 13 | BEG: 5 | TAN: 4 | WOL: 5 ]
HOUSE MAGNOLIA: 40 - Wah! What an increase!
[ ROS: 2 | CHR: 29 | BEG: 2 | TAN: 2 | WOL: 5 ]
As they did last time, the point totals linger for a moment before Romantic Slime speaks up once more.
âHow wonderful to see such an increase in strong feelings!... Ah! But you wanna know the winner, of course! For the second time in a row, itâs House Hyacinth! Hooray!!! Youâll all be receiving a prize shortly!â
The slime seems to wobble with absolute joy.
âThatâs it for now, though! I look forward to seeing you all again soon!â
A soft chime signals your release from your House, and the end of what some would argue was a necessary breather...
...a short break to shake off the many surprises of the last trial, to recuperate after the latest round of deaths, and to spend time with the people you could very well end up sharing a wish with.
You say your goodbyes. You return to your sleeping quarters, still uncertain of what that wait had been for to begin with, and you awaken to a new day.
Those who breathe can now see it before their eyes. The temperatureâs fallen. This may warrant an extra layer or two.
Once youâre outside, you immediately notice that the volcano that stands like a beacon at the center of Floret has completely frozen over. The next âpetal,â once a dangerous rush of lava, has become encased in ice.
Now that thereâs safe passage to another side of the island, you find yourself compelled to see what may be waiting on the other side.
Yes- portals. Four of them, to be precise, color-coded to match your House. You barely have time to grab whatever things of yours you put down before you get sucked through and deposited in your House Base.
Oh. Great.
Just dandy.
Really? Theyâre locking you in here?
Fantastic.
Congratulations to everyone once more for solving our funny little CH2 case! A huge thank you to Ana, Finn and Saga for giving us a fantastic scenario- we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!
We will now be in a transition period of 48 hours. During this time, you will be locked in your House Base with your fellow House Members- you cannot leave. You are totally free and encouraged to do interstitial RP, but it must take place in your house server channel- no private threads.
You have all received three gacha tokens. Yes, even the dead.
CH3 will start in two dayâs time. If you are interested in casing CH3 feel free to put your hand up in your personal channels.
You donât... know what to say. Watching that... your chest aches in a way that you truly, truly... canât find the words for.
In the end, Carcaghira met her demise. In the end, her host- and those nobles heroes- earned their eternal slumber. Was this, too, the plan of the Divine? Was this, too, part of the script you all seem doomed to follow? You donât know. You donât know. (You feel like maybe it was. But, then again, itâs hard to tell if a Godâs will incorporates Honda Odysseys.)
âUuuu... I mean, good golly! W-what a magnificent sendoff!!
â...Spare me. The last thing I need from you is to get emotional.â
The Mage Slime hefts a sigh.
âExcellent work, competitors. Once again, you have triumphed over the puzzle set before you. As promised, everything will now return to normal. Your cohort has been restored. Although...â
...Although?
âWe canât let you go quite yet. Someone is just a bit irritated about Mirimelâs little stunt, you see, so weâre going to have to do some maintenance. Going to have to make sure we donât get another temporary guest in the world of the dead.â
The executioner slime, hood and all, comes to usher Carcaghira out to the templeâs courtyard. Although Carca could punt it away, an overwhelming feeling of helplessness descends on you all; given that the Knight and Mage have more than proved their lethal strength, it seems like it would be easier for everyone if Carca follows it. So she does. It is, at least, the quickest way to see Asmoday again.
The portal that Usalk was thrown into last time rises from the ground, gilded doors opening to reveal another yawning abyss. It beckons Carcaghira; with naught but an indignant huff, she steps through before its vacuum effect can topple her over.
And then it shuts, and disappears, and the pool of reflective water grows again on the temple table.
So you can witness the last stand of Carcaghira, the Dark Malfeasant.
âDid you want to...â with the reveal, Munna continues her question from earlier. Sheâs not having an easy time accepting the mercy kill, her so-called logic insisting that there had to be more to it.
âDid you want to join her? Join Asmoday in death?â Munna asks her question, back straight and expression inquisitive, tail swaying curiously. âOr kill her because she wanted it?â
Then she lowers herself. âOr really just to end suffering? Is what âmercy killâ is?â Munna pouts, âBut that is strange,â she mutters.
Itâs probably not that strange. Munna, learning a lot of her knowledge of romance from everyoneâs dreams and from the novels, mustâve been looking at better, lovelier emotions. And more ideal ends. Or maybe she just has too much faith in Carcaghiraâs romantic whims.
Is killing the other really something a person can do for love? Something that happens when pushed to the point that no hope is left? When there are no more dreams left to live.
Munna purses her lips and sits. âHmm...â Sheâs got a lot going on in that head.
A LONG FALL - CARCAGHIRA! - TRIAL 2 RESULTS - RE: MIRIMEL, ELLY
"Tch! Discovering you're no mortal is hardly a disappointment... I'm used to my slaughter not sticking. A life perched above the Primordial Cauldron has a way of doing that to you." Carca shoots Mirimel a smirk. "You wear that flesh well." Now that it's over and done with, she's finding it a little easier to be a good sport... at least, to the people she respects. Which are few and far between.
Eletheria's one of them, though. She offered the demon a fine last fight for this life. Of the swords that carved her last gambit to ribbons, Elly's was the most worthy.
"Hoh! Naturally, as long as Asmoday remains, so too will I. And you may rest assured that this death will be a spectacle! For I know no other way!"
Bitterness || Sir Mothelot || Trial 2 - Vote Reaction
Sir Mothelot stood from his seat as the vision unfolded before him, the knot on his throat growing bigger and bigger. Â He felt, cold, then angry, then...empty, trapped in some dark place deep in the confines of his mind.
He watched wide-eyed as the others reacted, he saw Ides lunge forward with malicious intent, he listened as reveals were made, bittersweet goodbyes were said, while others threw venom from their mouths. Â
Is this justice? Â Could he truly call any of this justice?
His heart ached. Â For those paying attention, they might even notice a small glow around his chest with was now partly covered by a pair of clenched fists. Then, as he spoke, small bits of sparks and smoke came from his mouth.
â... [*&^%$^&] your so-called-Divine, and [#$%^&$#] your so-called âjusticeâ. Â Thatâs not it....This... isnât it."
His voice quiet, a calm, bubbling rage that he was keeping controlled with a mighty grip. Â Though there were words that could not be heard, it was clear by his body language that he meant to curse and insult the ones organizing this trial and keeping them trapped. Â He didnât like Carcaghira, that much has been clear since the start, but heâs never hated her and this...? Â He couldnât call this fair. Â
The knight tensed up, swallowing hard as he glanced over to the demon and bowed. Â It had to be done, not out of malice but out of love. Â He shivered at the thought of what heâd have done in her place had he been in a similar situation. Â Would he have been able to control his anguish? Â Or would he have lost it and turn this wrecked land to cinders?
Right now, just like before, he felt alone. Â True justice will arise, theyâll find the light, the question is when? Â How long must they wait for it?
CATCH THE WHEEL THAT BREAKS THE BUTTERFLY | Birgitta React
It's horrifying, really. But Birgitta knows that to turn her eyes away would be wrong. She's come this far - to see the truth of the matter is the least she owes her cohort. So, Birgitta stares, unblinking, as the vision overtakes her.
She can't hide away as it fills her mind, but even if she could... she would not want to. She watches intently, taking in every detail, as Asmoday's body falls beneath the wheels of the roaring, terrifying vehicle. A sacrifice made from one who had seemingly always acted only in her own interests, only for herself.
"You'll probably get out of here unscathed. Just, y'know. Be smart. Don't be too trusting. And do some digging on the others so they can't catch you by surprise."
She watches as her body lays, broken, crushed, destroyed, among the grass.
"Mmm. I am... not... so sure. But... I shall try to... be as optimistic as you are. ... I hope you come out unscathed."
And Birgitta watches as the blade is raised to grant Asmoday a swift and painless end.
"What, me? Pssh. I'll be fine, don't you worry one hair on your tail about that."
She can't even blame Carcaghira. The grief, the rage, the anger, the burning feeling bursting from your heart and threatening to consume you and everyone around you - Birgitta knows it well. Seeing the cruelty and unfairness of the world, watching something you love and cherish be taken away from you with no way to stop it, and wanting to lash out violently against whatever dared to stand in your path.
Despite all of her anger at Carcaghira for being one of those same cruel and unfair acts of Fate, walking around in a stolen body with a stolen face, Birgitta's heart can't help but ache for her.
As the vision fades, as reality returns, Birgitta lets out a deep sigh of warm air. The warmth in her body, the warmth that will remain. Here she still stands, while those she cares for fall.
So, in the end, who had killed Asmoday? It was not Carcaghira - even less so than Birgitta had imagined. That is not how Fate works, not in the eyes of the Foreteller. No, rather-
Emil's voice catches her off guard.
Birgitta turns to look down at him, rising to all 9 feet of her height.
She stares, just for a moment, just grant them a single piercing glance.
There are no words left for him, at the moment.
She has lost friends to grieve.
For herself, she has a 'devil may care' attitude towards death. She will die when she dies, and that is that. For her enemies, she has a 'devil may care' attitude towards death. They will die if they come in her way, and that is that. For friends, for strangers-
death is such a sad thing.
Only a rare few truly want to die. Mortlise was dead for hours at most, yet she considers it such a bleak thing. Many living dead, even if bemoaning their fate in Estil, often do not wish to return to being dead.
To want to die by being killed by your loved one, to want to fall to the blade of someone you care for, to have to make that choice- oh, she knows why she doesn't love now. She knows now why her heart does not beat.Â
She is not made for tough choices. She is a very simple creature. A creature of baser urges than this.
Sure, the dead walk here. They rise again, they make merry, they forge bonds. And they might even be able to return to life proper as she and Mirimel have, should they choose to. But to be dead, to be the living dead, it is a terrible thing that one can only try and make the best out of.
She does not want to be here anymore. Not in this room. Lovers will reunite, a friend has returned, and someone shattered has been forged whole again.
And her emptiness grows as she ponders silently, eye locked on the surface of the table, and to where the gun she has given away was.
