The bright marbled cathedral stood out like a sore thumb. Not only for the radiance of it, which burned into Sally’s eyes, but also the construction of it was unlike anything she had seen in this world so far.
A temple of creation, she assumed. Given that Life had said his champions resided within, it was a reasonable guess. Probably nature and holy element System-created within. Her weakness, sure - but she never let a bad time stop her from having a good time.
That said, she didn’t want to get all her new pals nuked by some golden-hued spell. There wouldn’t be another chance to gather up an army of this size, not half because they were so slow in catching her up. She sighed and spun her [Skeleton Key] around in her hand.
“Cold feet, Mrs Danger?”
Sally turned her gaze back to the elf, who was standing a little further back with hands behind his back. “Just considering my options.”
Bernard had been rather suspicious from the start. Whether that was due to his odd existence as a core component of the System, or he just didn’t know how to interact with real people… she wasn’t sure. After spending too much time around Edward, she was used to odd characters sounding more sneaky and underhand than they truly were. She might be walking into a betrayal here, but she didn’t see the angle.
Unless he wanted the world to die off, but then doing nothing would be more effective than pushing her towards her demise.
She stepped over to the large doors of the building. All the windows were thin slits covered with silvered glass framing. Most likely there was something just on the other side of the door ready to clock her around the head. That was the assumption based on the weird feeling she had this close - although it could just be the aura of the building itself, which was an uncomfortable thought.
Without a word, she gestured for five of her undead companions to move over and stand by the front door, while she walked across and started to circle the side. Nothing of much interest here, but being in the shade of it was nice. Some slightly bigger windows higher up, but no real way of getting up there. Unless…
No, she wasn’t in the mood to attempt a tower of undead. How she missed her broken abilities from back home. She left five zombies on this side, too.
Bernard followed her around at a distance, and she left another handful of zombies at the back, before again repeating the same process at the side lit by the sun. Returning back to the front of the building, she crossed her arms and sighed.
“Everything okay?”
She shrugged and gave the elf a scowl. “This seems like a trap, and I’m not entirely convinced there is a special key we need to retrieve from there.”
“Oh? You’re basing this just on a gut feeling from a quick stroll of the perimeter?”
“Nah. If it’s some silly key that you need to save the world, then why don’t you go in there and grab it, since it’s your followers?” Sally raised an eyebrow.
“This was meant to be a test, I thought?”
“But why?”
“It’s a trial.”
“Why?”
Bernard sighed and gestured toward the building. “Alright, so it is not a literal key you have to retrieve, but something more… performative.”
“A key process, then?” She rolled her eyes. “Why can’t you just lead with that and quit with the goofy mixed messages? I’m here to help, right? Or are you planning to doublecross me?”
Life smiled and shook his head. “I dare not even single cross you, Sally. It is a lot to ask you to trust my word without any guarantees, but this is the path forward to the world being saved.”
While her eyes narrowed at him for a few seconds, she eventually gave up. “Fine. But if this is some alternate plan you’re tricking me into, I will find a way of eating you.”
Sally stepped up behind the group she had told to guard the door and put a hand on one before leaning forward.
Knock-knock.
She slunk back behind her pals to wait for any response, dagger up at the ready. A handful of quiet seconds passed before she guessed that nobody was going to come out.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
Shame, as getting an early [Chain] and pulling someone into her crowd sounded like the best way to use that skill yet. Now she wasn’t sure which to make permanent on her return - if that rigamarole was even necessary after Chuck fixed the System for her so that she could always win. She did like winning.
“Maybe they didn’t hear you,” Bernard added, in an attempt to appear helpful.
“Perhaps I should have tried my luck with the Players at the outpost,” she grumbled in return. At least then her stomach would be more full, even if she might have fewer limbs.
Not wanting to wait for his reply, she stepped forward and kicked out at the door with her boot.
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Theo furrowed his brow as he continued to bandage his knee. “So you’re saying I have to go into this temple thing to fight your champion for a key?”
“You’ll find it’s more of a figurative trial than a literal battle,” Bernice smiled as she confirmed.
[Poppy: Should we be worried Sally is doing the other trial alone??]
The vampire pulled a face, only gingerly putting weight on his right leg as he stood back up. Mostly his own mistake for forgetting he wasn’t as invincible as back at Sanctuary. Regardless of how dangerous the trial might be, without a coffin and suitable vessels to drink from, his time as a sane and rational person was limited.
“Is this a single person or group trial?” he asked.
The manticore looked around the gathered group. “Only one must compete. I would prefer you, blood-drinker.”
“Prefer me as in I have the most likely chance or success, or is your preference toward something you’re not telling me about?”
Death’s smile widened. “As much as I enjoy a sharp mind, you will have to trust that what I am getting you to do is the way to save the world and people on it.”
[Poppy: But CAN we trust her??]
[Poppy: She is DEATH after all - maybe she wants the end of the world?]
[Poppy: <<;]
Claude looked at the knight, who the manticore couldn’t hear, before sighing and rubbing at his head. “If this is a solo thing, it is up for the young Theo to decide for himself. At this stage I am just hopeful for any manner of resolution.”
Bernice nodded. “See, that’s the spirit.”
Crouching down, the vampire had a good look at the goblin. Despite the increase in attempts to speak, Cross’ eyes were still glazed over and often staring someplace else. Not exactly too useful to try to get his opinion on what he should do. Would the goblin even be trusted to do what was best as well?
He stood back up, wincing as he remembered he had just injured his knee. Best thing to do would be to mirror Sally’s choices. Having to fight champions to get a key to save the world definitely sounded like what she would be doing.
“What’s Life like? Your brother, I mean.” Theo hoisted the warhammer over his shoulder so they could start moving away from the Dungeon.
The manticore tilted her head before standing. “Bernard has a certain way with words that makes him sound as though he is untrustworthy.”
Just like Edward… but it was probably too late to switch now. Shame.
Claude allowed the bard to help him up some of the steep steps out. “But… is he trustworthy?”
“Only as much as I am,” she replied, a sharp-toothed grin illuminating her face.
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Sally flared out her nostrils and exhaled.
The doors had flung open, relenting to her kick - which was satisfying enough, considering she thought something like giant cathedral's doors would have a little more resistance to them. She wasn’t that strong here.
Instead of paladins of light or holy priests bursting forth - or even waves of radiant energy as a trap was sprung - she had been greeted by… nothing.
An empty room, barely lit by the ambient sunshine outside. Only a few beams of light showing off the patterned tiling on the floor, or the carvings along the interior pillars. Some manner of fountain or altar sat at the end of the chamber.
She sighed again, and glared at the elf - who had a neutral, if not pleased, expression on his face. “This isn’t exactly passing the smell check, bud.”
“The champion is inside.”
“I can see inside, and there’s nothing but my future regret in there.” Or maybe treasure. There was a non-zero chance that even something edible could be hiding in the shadows.
Unfortunately, her stomach had more sway than she would like to admit, so her feet took her forward.
She commanded her zombies to come back around and follow her inside. Her boot landed on the first shadowed tile beyond the threshold.
And she continued.
Darkness enveloped her as more details around the scenery came into shape with her eyes adjusting to the dimmer light. Some benches. Alcoves where books and statues were kept - some annoying latent hum of radiant energy coming from somewhere… but she couldn’t quite place it. Atmospheric, almost.
The center of the room, approaching the altar at the end, was indented and slightly lower that the rest of the tilted floor. She stepped down; her face wrinkling up at the expected trap that never came. Looking up at the peaked ceiling, there didn’t seem to be any monsters hiding away up there.
With another long, exasperated sigh, she stopped in place and let her horde of zombies clamber through and catch up. No point in them being far away from her - seeing as they were so slow they needed a bit more time. With a command, they started to filter out through the open space of the cathedral interior, roughly a dozen feet apart - or as close as the undead could approximate.
Sally started to hum, now just waiting for the supposed champion or key to show up.
And then the doors slammed shut, taking away with it some of the remaining light in the place.
Her red eyes, amongst the sea of bright yellow ones, turned to the altar. Almost too cliche.
Writhing tentacles began to crawl out from within. No, they were more like roots - barbed and dry. They continued to slither around the area as if in search of water. From the center, a wide blob of darkness emerged and slowly came into view on a thick stalk like a terrible sunflower.
Sharp petal-like hair of a dirty golden hue. Pointed ears and bright blue eyes sunken into dark recesses.
A wide grin of needle-sharp teeth emerged from the darkness.
“I did say that I was more grotesque, didn’t I, Mrs Danger?”