Tis a good thing she just learned how to maintain a fire like this, I don’t think I’d have much fun exploring with constant grenade flashbangs lighting the way.
I do feel kind of bad keeping her up, but it’s not like she doesn’t do it to herself. I mean, she was literally out for truffles around now in game time. Though, if I think about it, she did kind of only attack once during the night… hm.
Well, I’ll keep this little foray short. And it might be shorter than I expected. Haven’t quite found anything in this dusty old cave yet, but it does continue to stretch on. No monsters, no items, nada, zilch. Just more and more ground to cover. Actually, a thought occurs.
“Hey Screech?”
“...Yes?”
“Do you sense anything?”
“Uh, give me a moment.”
Definitely tired, what the heck is this, pausing mid sentence?
A moment later, the fire goes out, and I do Screech the helpful little service of [Fable Bearer]ing her stamina back up to full.
…
I’m not gonna keep walking forward without a light, and neither is Jasper given I can feel her tail swish against my leg a moment later. So, here we stand, waiting for Screech to do whatever it is she does.
I mean, I know she’s using her trait, apparently? But I’m not sure what exactly that entails… like, is it just a normal thing for her? Is she using a skill of some kind? Somewhere in between there? Or like-
“Actually, I think I do…”
Ooo! “Whaddya think it is?”
“Not sure, it’s not a very strong presence.”
“But you can feel it, right? Like, tell where it is?”
“Yeah-huh that I can. It’s not too far ahead actually. I think we could get there at this pace in another five or so minutes?”
“Hm… think you could lead us?”
“I suppose I could it really shouldn’t be that difficult. I just…”
“I know, I know, you don’t need to say it. I realize I should let you get some proper rest. I figured you’d be fine as long as your stamina was topped off, but I guess that’s not all there is to it. Once we’re done here I won’t wake you up again for at least a few hours. Er, unless shit’s hitting the fan.”
“...’Shit’s hitting the fan’?”
“Uhhh, it’s a saying for like, when a situation turns into a bad situation. You can think of it as a situation wherein I would get murdered without your help.”
“Oh. Okay! So erm, you wanted me to lead the way?”
“Yeah-huh, that I do. Lead away hun.”
She blinks at me slowly once, then twice, before slowly turning her head forward to the path ahead of us, conjuring the same fire she’s been using the trip so far.
“Just follow the flame and we should get to whatever it is soon enough.”
Right, right…
“Thanks Screech.”
Well, nothing to be gained by making this take any longer than it needs to, right?
“Jasper, let’s pick up the pace a bit shall we?”
“Mm.”
With a curt nod of agreement, that’s all I need to know to be off to the races! Hup two three four hup two three f-
8!
Ramming straight into a wall, I fall flat on my back and promptly regret my choices, especially because I just sent Screech sprawling across the floor by falling over, and the light spawned by her is next to go out.
Owie. There would’ve gone my nose if this was real life. Anyways, the hell was that?
Karst’s Causeway
Recommended LVL 11
Would you like to enter this dungeon?
Y/N
Ah, alright then. A dungeon! A dungeon? The actual hell? I mean I guess this place fits the asthetic of one, but doesn’t this feel like it’s just kinda come out of nowhere? I mean c’mon, aren’t “dungeons” supposed to be grand? Like an adventure standalone or a capping off a sick quest, not just something you find in the middle of a dank dark cave right?
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“What happened…?”
“Sorry, Screech, hit a wall of some sort.” I mentally mumble as I collect myself, sitting upright and [Recall]ing her a moment afterward. She kind of, er, took damage, so the first one doesn’t work, but a moment later another [Recall] safely stows her away.
Alrighty, up we go, upsy daisy, on your feet, now… what’s up with this wall?
I rap my knuckles against the barrier before me, once again resulting in the same text popping up in my UI.
Karst’s Causeway
Recommended LVL 11
Would you like to enter this dungeon?
Y/N
Hm, so since this barrier is here, does that mean if I go in, I can’t leave freely? Perhaps I should, perhaps, think this over before entering. Indeed, I should be a cautious little fellow and not follow a whim on this one, for that would be the optimal pl-
YES. LET ME IN, LET ME IIIIIIIII-
And… the barrier just dissipates, my hand phasing through where it was a moment earlier without any difficulty.
“Alright Screech, could you please keep lighting the way for a little bit?”
“I… guess so.”
Alrighty, pop another [Summon] and wallah!
Following suit shortly after her, the same fire as always flickers into existence, illuminating the vicinity of the cave. Nothing’s immediately changed after entering this supposed dungeon, but I figure it probably won’t stay that way.
Okay… step forward! Step right up!
Nothing changes. Step forward again… nada, no change in the air? Alrighty… Oh, where’s Jasper?
I turn around to see her eyeing up the rest of the cave with a suspicious glint in her eye, not having yet stepped over the place where the barrier previously stood.
“Hey Jasper? You coming?”
“...Mhm.”
And when she steps over that spot… nothing happens! Crazy!
“Alright everybody, I’d be on guard, I have a feeling we might run into a few monsters. And Screech… is that presence nearby yet?”
“Y-wait…”
“Hm, wazzup?”
She blinks a few times in surprise before saying anything, her previously sagging body straightening up at a moment’s notice. Where she’d priorly been struggling to keep her eyes open, now they slowly widen bit by bit.
“It’s a lot stronger now? Like it’s everywhere! Hey you said we walked into a wall of some kind right do you have any idea what that was? Maybe it had something to do with whatever is happening right now because what’s happening right now feels really really really weird-”
“Woah, woah, woah, woah, slow down for a second. Whaddya mean it’s everywhere?”
Tilting her head side to side, up and down back and forth, Screech finally ends the rapid series of movement, eyes now open, clearly wide awake.
“I mean it’s everywhere! That same presence I felt a moment ago is literally everywhere now! It’s not particularly oppressive or strong but it’s all over the place. I don’t have any idea what could’ve caused this. I know you said there was some kind of barrier but one that was able to block out this much presence wouldn’t have let any leak through to begin with!”
“So… do you think we should leave or like-”
“Mm.”
“I was asking the expert, Jasper.”
“I’m an expert?”
“Better than I am.”
“That’s true I guess! But no I’m really curious I wanna see what the heck is happening!!! Let’s go!!!”
“Mm…”
“I’m sure it’ll be alright. Reminder, I can’t die, and I definitely won’t let either of you go bang bang, don’t worry about it. Well, Screech? Just keep on lighting the way.”
“Gladly!”