RE: The Broken Prophecy (Walls O' Text)
07-10-2012, 06:09 AM
As Blackbird puzzled over their situation, Edwin suddenly shouted.
"We'd be a terrible meal for your children!" he screamed. "We're awfully fattening. And what sort of parenting is this? Don't you realize there's a camp filled with demons not a mile away from here? Your children won't be safe! Honestly, does your husband know you raise them like this?"
"HOW DARE YOU TELL ME HOW TO RAISE MY CHILDREN, VERMIN! AND MY MATE'S OPINIONS ARE UNIMPORTANT! I DEVOURED HIM WEEKS AGO!"
"Oh, well, that explains why you're so overweight!"
"DO NOT TEST MY PATIENCE, VERMIN!"
"...I hope Blackbird thinks of something soon," Edwin muttered. "I'm running out of distraction ideas."
"IT'S A GOOD THING YOU BROUGHT HIM TO ME WHEN YOU DID, I DOUBT HE'D SURVIVE THIS MUCH GAS AT ONCE."
"Well, you've got gas... wait, that voice sounds familiar!"
Slowly, Edwin's eyes came into focus and he saw Blackbird standing over him, as well as an elderly priest.
"Ah, good. When I struck that beast in the head, she went down right away and dropped you in the gas. I think your mask was already fading. I wasn't sure how to get you out, but then I tried to pull the crystal out of her brain. I think it struck a nerve and sent that leg sticking right up. You were delirious, but we made it to the gateway."
"Oh. Good," Edwin said awkwardly. "Er... that moth didn't talk, did she?"
Blackbird stared at him. "No."
"Just trying to sort my thoughts out." Edwin turned to the other man. "And, um... Father Lepid, what are you doing here? Am I still hallucinating?"
The old priest shook his head. "No, no. I fled here when the Grand Church fell. Before the cave was transformed. Unfortunately, that meant I was trapped in here when the transformation happened; luckily, Blackbird happened upon me before I starved."
"Unfortunately, the old man's not really in any shape to make it out of this cavern," Blackbird interjected. "So I've been stopping by regularly to bring him food and water. It's how I learned this cave so well."
"And in exchange, I provide him with medicine, for himself and for the poor souls caught out there," Lepid concluded. "Such as the remedy for the hallucinogens. I had to give you a stronger dose, you consumed quite a bit of gas."
"Ah... oh." Edwin rubbed his head. "That may be why I still feel dizzy."
"I do apologize. I only had a chance to study the natural form of the hallucinogen back at home. Do you recall my silkworms?"
Edwin nodded. "Yes. I recall that some of your parishioners were, ah, concerned about them."
Lepid sighed. "Well, perhaps I was a bit obsessed. Brought some with me when I fled, and, er, dropped them on the way here. The dark magic flowing through this cavern transformed them into the creatures you saw. So I feel a particular responsibility to keep them from harming anyone."
Edwin paused. "Wait. Why is this place safe, then?"
"The gateway radiates holy energy," Blackbird explained. "It's enough to keep the cave from messing around here."
"Sadly, it means I don't see much scenery," Lepid sighed. "I can't use the gateway myself; it seems to be for return trips only."
"And speaking of that, it's about time for you to head home," Blackbird said with a smile. "Although, you might have some more questions for your old friend here first; he may just know something that could help you out."
"We'd be a terrible meal for your children!" he screamed. "We're awfully fattening. And what sort of parenting is this? Don't you realize there's a camp filled with demons not a mile away from here? Your children won't be safe! Honestly, does your husband know you raise them like this?"
"HOW DARE YOU TELL ME HOW TO RAISE MY CHILDREN, VERMIN! AND MY MATE'S OPINIONS ARE UNIMPORTANT! I DEVOURED HIM WEEKS AGO!"
"Oh, well, that explains why you're so overweight!"
"DO NOT TEST MY PATIENCE, VERMIN!"
"...I hope Blackbird thinks of something soon," Edwin muttered. "I'm running out of distraction ideas."
"IT'S A GOOD THING YOU BROUGHT HIM TO ME WHEN YOU DID, I DOUBT HE'D SURVIVE THIS MUCH GAS AT ONCE."
"Well, you've got gas... wait, that voice sounds familiar!"
Slowly, Edwin's eyes came into focus and he saw Blackbird standing over him, as well as an elderly priest.
"Ah, good. When I struck that beast in the head, she went down right away and dropped you in the gas. I think your mask was already fading. I wasn't sure how to get you out, but then I tried to pull the crystal out of her brain. I think it struck a nerve and sent that leg sticking right up. You were delirious, but we made it to the gateway."
"Oh. Good," Edwin said awkwardly. "Er... that moth didn't talk, did she?"
Blackbird stared at him. "No."
"Just trying to sort my thoughts out." Edwin turned to the other man. "And, um... Father Lepid, what are you doing here? Am I still hallucinating?"
The old priest shook his head. "No, no. I fled here when the Grand Church fell. Before the cave was transformed. Unfortunately, that meant I was trapped in here when the transformation happened; luckily, Blackbird happened upon me before I starved."
"Unfortunately, the old man's not really in any shape to make it out of this cavern," Blackbird interjected. "So I've been stopping by regularly to bring him food and water. It's how I learned this cave so well."
"And in exchange, I provide him with medicine, for himself and for the poor souls caught out there," Lepid concluded. "Such as the remedy for the hallucinogens. I had to give you a stronger dose, you consumed quite a bit of gas."
"Ah... oh." Edwin rubbed his head. "That may be why I still feel dizzy."
"I do apologize. I only had a chance to study the natural form of the hallucinogen back at home. Do you recall my silkworms?"
Edwin nodded. "Yes. I recall that some of your parishioners were, ah, concerned about them."
Lepid sighed. "Well, perhaps I was a bit obsessed. Brought some with me when I fled, and, er, dropped them on the way here. The dark magic flowing through this cavern transformed them into the creatures you saw. So I feel a particular responsibility to keep them from harming anyone."
Edwin paused. "Wait. Why is this place safe, then?"
"The gateway radiates holy energy," Blackbird explained. "It's enough to keep the cave from messing around here."
"Sadly, it means I don't see much scenery," Lepid sighed. "I can't use the gateway myself; it seems to be for return trips only."
"And speaking of that, it's about time for you to head home," Blackbird said with a smile. "Although, you might have some more questions for your old friend here first; he may just know something that could help you out."
Spoiler