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Gimeurcookie · 03-23-2018, 03:46 AM

Z-3894 being so kind to you just made you want to help him and the group even more. You get up and nod to Z-3894.

"I want to go. We can meet up next year at the fields. I think that place will be good for setting up camp and trying to get settled! =3"
"Are you sure, E-2732? XwX"

You clench your fists and nod.

"I'm sure. =3"

For the next few days your group carefully packed all their supplies up while you and Z-3894 made plans. You decided to head west and fill out as much as possible by heading north afterwards before rounding your way back to the plains. You wanted to play it safe so you decided you'd take your capture creatures with you and only go 9 spots on the map in case of delays.

Z-3894 decided he wanted to check out the location to the east that you have yet to check out, then he wants to snake the group upwards, interacting and talking with everyone nearby, after all these guys could be their neighbors for the next 7 years. Better to get to know them now and hopefully set up friendly relations. Plus using the areas as landmarks would help them not get lost as they would not have a map unlike you.

Your group decided to leave before the end of the month to avoid the rush from groups who would be forced to head out into the less friendly part of the woods.

You headed northwest.
They headed east.

You never asked them what they were going to do if you didn't come back by the end of the year.

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 17 is rolled.

The first area you came across was a large and vast lake, much bigger than any of the other water masses you and your group have been using to collect water. There was plentiful food in the area and you greedily collected anything you could find to place in your bag for later.

One day while looting some more trees an H-class stopped you. You said sorry when the H-class asked you if you were eating fruits and picking plants to eat around here. From the way she looked it was clear that this place was where she was farming. You said sorry but she just shook her head slowly and hooked your arm with hers. You tried to ask where you were being dragged but she said "You'll see." You were worried you were going to have to toil in a field to make it up to the H-class but instead she seated you down next to her campfire and asked you to hand over some of the things you took.

A few other H-classes came out as the fire was started. She started cooking some of the items and showing you how to do so too.

"Eating stuff raw is ok in a pinch but you really shouldn't be doing that unless you have to, ok? I'm from Crane's Toll too so I can't believe they haven't been teaching you about how to cook there. =u="

You didn't tell her it was because you avoided your lessons.

The group of H-classes would bring things they have grown or trapped and cook it at the fire. They would freely share anything they cooked with the others. Some even brought food just to share, not to eat personally. The H-classes in the area were doing fairly well for themselves, and as they had so much extra they would share it with any hungry passersby and travelers in general. No use hoarding anything when someone else could use it. The only hoard they kept was a stock for winter, and they'd share that too if someone really needed it.

You ask why more people don't live around here, after all it seems like a good spot.

They tell you it's cause the anomaly to the west. They said that the wind you were hearing wasn't wind at all, but the anomaly. Every 2 weeks the anomaly moved to the lake area and scrambled all over the place making a deafening noise and hovering over people and while mumbling gibberish.

Understandably most people hate trying to sleep with some monster screaming every night, and if that doesn't run them out of the spot waking up to a monster hovering above them sure will.

"By the way-" she says as she hands you a blindfold and two carefully made earplugs, "-you're going to need these tonight. It's been two weeks since last time it passed by. =u="

That night you woke up to some odd muffled mumbling but the blindfold prevented you from seeing what it was and the earplugs prevented you from hearing it at full force. You closed your eyes tightly and went back to sleep.

Had you not been helped by the H-classes you would have woke up to some terrifying anomaly and ran off in a random direction, possibly without your supplies.

=

In the morning you thank the H-classes for being so nice to you but they tell you that making sure no one goes hungry is their job so no need to thank them. They ask you where you were going, and you realize you're heading to the west, where that anomaly would be.

"Maybe I should change my route, it wouldn't cost me too much time to take a path around the area. =3"
"Nah it's ok, just go through it, even though the anomaly sure is creepy it doesn't harm anyone. Just remember to never make deals or listen to blessed creatures. Next time when I go down there to pick mushrooms I better not see you hanging out with those other kids in that area you understand? =u="
The H-class states, with a sudden serious tone in her voice.

"I won't make deals with blessed creatures, I promise. =3"
"Hey how are they going to even travel in that anomalous area? The whole place is just water. 0o^"

She points at Slithers.

"Look at that big fella, those things float so I'm sure they'll be alright. Just gotta ride that thing for a few days. =u="
She says as she finishes packing your bag with a few meals that could last a week or two before spoiling. She pulls up the bag with a struggle, brings it over and helps you put it on.

"Pheeew. You gotta be strong to be carrying that thing around all day. Now remember what I said, no making deals with blessed creatures. =u="
"No making deals with blessed creatures. =3"

She brings you to the lake and points out which way you need to go. She reminds you that the area you're heading to is blessed land so things won't work like they normally do. She says to keep a leveled head and a firm grip on reality.

You say thank you again and waves goodbye as you and midnight get on Slithers. Slithers takes to the water easily and swims out.

To the west. To the anomalous land.

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 7 is rolled.

The lake turns to river, and river dips down at a steady pace. From the top of the river you could see that it just kept going down until you could see no farther due to a thick fog that covered the whole area. The place looked like what you expected being in the clouds was like. Slithers went under this fog, and when you were out and under the fog, you were greeted to darkness. The underside of the thick fog was somehow solid rock. You brain tried to work out how the underside of a fog could be such a thing before coming up with a simple answer.

You had entered the blessed domain.

While dark there was some light provided by star-like bits of crystal above. Another likely impossible feature. Had you not known this place was being provided by a blessed creature you would have appreciated its beauty a bit more. You found yourself looking for reasons to hate the area, as is the correct thing to do in blessed land. Appreciation for the things the gods willingly created was forbidden, least you be dragged into their will and become a vessel for them. You already were blessed, something you had no control of because you must have been a baby when it happened, you would not allow them to bless you even more thus giving them more power.

=

A whole day you drifted. You and Midnight were getting a little restless due to being confined to Slither's body which had little space to play on, never mind that there was nothing to do down here. Sure the strange rocks you would see were interesting, but you refused yet again to touch or admire them. The only capture creatures down here were lilybuds. You had to have seen at least a 1000 of them by this point. You would capture one but you were likely to rarely travel by water so it would be a waste of a capture cage.

The rate of lilybuds drifting in the waters got higher and until the river emptied into a giant underground lake. It felt like you were outside on a dark night with not one cloud in the way. The top of cave felt like it went upwards endlessly and showed the stars above. As you lowered your eyes there were suddenly other kids on the lilybuds. They all allowed the flow of the water lead them to wherever it wanted them to go.

But something was wrong. They all appeared to be murky shadows.

All of this was a lie. A lie created by the giant anomaly before you.

You scan it.

All the children before you were kids who didn't want to be taken out of the woods and thus made a deal with a blessed creature.

Now they would be here in this underground world, invisible to adults who might want to take them away.

Forever.

The anomaly lifted a tendril and it slithered your way. You had a brief moment of panic before you remembered that the H-class said it doesn't hurt anyone. A kind voice filled the area, appearing to come from every angle.

"It's so tough out there, and it'll be even tougher once you have to leave the woods. Aren't you scared? You can stay with me. I will protect you from the world out there. I protected my child and I will protect any child who needs it. The world is so cruel."
"No, thank you. =3"

The tendril gets closer. You watch Slithers start to eye it aggressively. You attempt to calm down Slithers with pets and gentle shushes.

"It's so calm in here. You can float forever in peace and never have to worry about survival. You don't have to worry about your future. It's so unfair. So unfair. Children shouldn't have to go through so much pain."

You agreed internally with the blessed creature. Not having to worry about the future, one that was decided for you the moment you were created, was a nice thought.

It wouldn't be so bad.
To float in peace forever.

But your group was depending on you.
You promised same face you'd see him again.
And you wanted to meet the aliens in the stars.

These fake stars would not do.

The beast called Life may have tossed endless amounts of bad luck your way and attempted to drown you in her swamp but being with your friends made it worth it.

"No. I would like you to leave me alone, please. =3" You stated calmly.

The anomaly's tendril tried to get even closer when it touched Slithers lightly.

Slithers erupted into a blind rage, hissing and snapping at the tendril. You and Midnight hanged on for dear life but as the tendril started to pull away from Slithers they suddenly started flinging their head back and forth in an attempt to rip it off.

You and Midnight fall off Slithers and into the water below.

You can't tell if it was the shock of the fall or your overfilled bag, but you found yourself unable to swim. You rose your head above the water for a split second before sinking downwards again. You felt like you were fighting the water to rise your head above it just for one breath of air. Over and over.

And then you were lifted above the water. Below you was Midnight who fought to get his own breath of air but wanted to make sure you would be safe first. Knowing that time was limited you looked around for a platform you could get on. Slithers was in full force trashing around, the waves they made hitting you and Midnight, stealing another breath from the struggling creature.

The lilybuds with their inky shadow children on them littered the water, and one was only a few feet away. With a calmer head on you push yourself off Midnight and start swimming to one. You toss your bag on it before climbing up. You take a few much needed breaths before you spin around in a panic.

"Midnight! =3"

You didn't see Midnight.

Slithers ripped off the tendril that had touched them before hissing at the anomaly and starting to swim away.

Then something rose from the water. Midnight. He clung to the lilybud cause he saw you swim towards it. You ran and started to pull him up while yelling to your other capture creature.

"SLITHERS! SLITHERS THIS WAY! SLITHERS WE'RE OVER HERE!!!!"

Fortuna rolls a 20 sided die. A 2 is rolled.

You felt like you were screaming as loud as possible but the words coming out of your mouth were meek and low.

You haven't read the limbo book in ages, but you know that one of the themes of the Singer, the god of Sound and Silence, was that if he couldn't have you, no one could.

The anomaly didn't bother you for the rest of your time in the underground lake. You bet it was proud of itself for taking something away from you when you refused to come with it.

You replayed the event over and over in your head. When Slithers left Slithers had lowered his top petals slightly. Something they did to protect you from the rain and sun.

Slithers still thought you were on them.

=

The lilybud seemed to refuse to sting you even though you were not the owner of it, and when it drifted out of the lake area the kid who was on it faded away.

After coughing up far too much water to be healthy Midnight dragged himself over to you and plopped himself down, both for pets and also to keep you warm. Too exhausted from the event you fell asleep as you petted Midnight.

=

By the time you woke up you saw the path ahead split into two. One that headed in a direction that made you believe that it was looping to the entrance so it could go around the cave once more. Looping over and over endlessly. The other showed a deep fog, just like the one you entered into. Every single lilybud ahead of you naturally drifted back into the loop. To make sure that didn't happen to you, you got out and pushed the lilybud towards the path to the exit. As it got closer and closer to the fog it went faster and faster. You hopped on as it hit the fog.

As the lilybud passed the fog you watched the bright green lilypad turn into a dead unhealthy brown. That solved the non-stinging question at least. If some anomalies are powerful enough to cause a whole area to become blessed, for a fog to turn into a cave, and for it to trap those who are desperate to escape, you understand why people react so aggressively to anomalies.

You don't think it's ok for them to associate you with monsters like the one you met but you understand what goes through their heads a little better now. You would make sure to tell people you're not a monster like that thing in there.

=

Once the dead lilybud hit land you went to look for Slithers. You desperately hoped they didn't head back into the loop. They haven't eaten lately and if they had to go through that loop again you feared they would starve even if they knew to take the exit next time. You ran around the area over and over calling out to Slithers, this time your voice loud and clear.

There was no responses.

You desperately looked at trees hoping to find one covered in vines but you didn't find any. Just when you thought that Slithers had definitely went the wrong way, you saw on the shore, far from the exit, tracks. A large snake-like creature definitely was here recently, but the track disappeared as the sand turned into dirt, and the dirt into grass.

Slithers being gone was heartbreaking. You and the Z-classes worked so hard on taming them.

You may never see Slithers again but the fact that they had made it out as was alive made you happy. It was bittersweet, but it was better than Slithers dying a slow death alone and scared in the blessed land.

You took a quick rest and headed north.

While you were no longer calling out for Slithers you still flicked your head upwards time to time.

Looking for a tree covered in vines.

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