The Broken Prophecy (Walls O' Text)

No update just yet, but I just had an idea tonight that I felt was worth announcing.

Once this adventure is complete, I plan to rework the story into a novel. I don't feel I can do this properly right now, because so much of the plot comes from your suggestions; but once it's done, and I know what the major points end up being, I'll be able to rewrite things so that it all fits together better.

In addition, I've reopened the thread on MSPAFA. I'll take suggestions from both there and here, which may mean if you only check one thread you might be completely surprised by developments suggested in the other. Especially with the way I integrate suggestions without directly quoting them.

Thanks for reading, I really enjoy writing this adventure.

Alright, we should do this in some sort of order that makes sense. I'd imagine that finding the last warrior would be a bit more important than getting the ones we have an idea of the location of, so that should be a constant priority while we do the other stuff. First thing though, is the king. We need to get him and take him out, but keep in mind that after that we'll have A LOT of stuff on our tail. Gotta get his Crystal.

As for you silly little things, ransack the shack and try to find some help, no need to waste anything, this is some simple stuff, should be SOMEONE around, or else Blackbird wouldn't have anyone to do time things with.

As he pondered what to do, Edwin caught sight of something surprising; a trail of muddy footprints on the floor. Someone else was here. The footprints lead to a door off the side of the room; Edwin recalled that it was the door to a small pantry, empty save for a few rotted vegetables. It had been the high point of his youthful exploration.

The fact that it was in use again suggested that Edwin might be able to find food. And it was unlikely that any of the Church's enforcers would be using a run-down shack on the outskirts of a small village.

That said, there was the chance that the new resident would not take kindly to a stranger in their home. Just to be sure, Edwin held a hand to his sword as he opened the door.

The voice that greeted him hardly sounded surprised.

"Oh, you're here already. Well, be a little patient, I'll have a sandwich ready for you in a moment."

SpoilerShow

What sort of person has Edwin just met?
Also feel free to suggest what kind of sandwich he's getting, this will OBVIOUSLY be super-important to the plot.
On a more serious note, feel free to suggest general actions, as well as which of Edwin's various objectives to go after first; currently I have one suggestion in favor of checking out the castle and that's it.

EGG SALAD

which is totes important because eggs are hard come by!

Also obvs he has met someone precognitive; maybe ask them for advice as to what to do next!

(what to do next is to check out the castle)

Neutral person who is less keen on the whole 'timeline changing thing' and would want our Edwin to prove himself some, question him if he really is willing to mess with FATE ITSELF and what-have-you

Edwin can ask for any sandwich but he'll only get egg-salad. (not sure what kind of eggs were used in there either)

Next goal should be the demon village. What better way to learn about your enemies than to visit their home!

Also mystery voice is a woman (and old, wrinkly woman). She knows that the fourth hero is already dead, and has been for a long long time. She probably knows of a way to get to the past, but it will require something which tests your mettle and whatnot. Also she looks vaguely familiar, or maybe not, don't all old people look the same?

Edwin blinked. The old woman gave him a disapproving glance, then went back to preparing a sandwich. But after a moment, she turned back to him and called out.
"Something wrong, boy?"
"My apologies. For a moment, I thought... You look quite a bit like my dear departed grandmother."
"Don't be so shocked, Edwin. When you get to be this old, you look like a lot of people."
"How do you know my name?"
"I've known it since before you were born, boy. It's my power, or perhaps my curse. I've seen much of your life before you ever lived it."
"You... You can see the future? Without a Crystal of Truth?"
The old woman laughed.
"I can see a future. But it's a future that can't happen any more."
"I'm sorry, I'm not sure what you mean."
"My visions show a future that could have happened. Now it can't. That's simple enough, isn't it?"
Edwin shrugged.
"I suppose. What are these visions of, exactly?"
"I see a future where four heroes gain the magic of Truth, to destroy the demons and their sleeping king. But it went wrong somewhere. Not sure where, exactly; probably started years ago."
"And now that can't come to pass?"
The woman nodded, and slowly walked over towards Edwin.
"Why not?"
"Inquisitive, aren't you? Well, let me explain. The four heroes I see are a priest-turned-knight who's not much of a fighter..." She paused, and handed Edwin the sandwich. "And who could do with a good meal, I should think. The others are a brave young girl from a distant village on the border of the kingdom, a boy who looks like a demon... and a young woman named Alicia, the one destined to deliver the final blow."
Edwin's heart sank.
"I think I lost my appetite," he muttered, staring into the sandwich.
"Eat it anyhow. You'll need your strength."
He sighed. That was true enough. He bit into the sandwich, and frowned slightly.
"I'm sorry. It was very kind of you to offer me food, but I can't say I'm fond of the taste," he said apologetically.
"Hmmph. It's all you're getting, boy. If you expect to challenge fate itself, you'll have far worse to face than an egg salad sandwich."
"I suppose that's true," Edwin admitted resignedly. He took another bite. "Do you have any advice for me?"
"Ha!" she laughed. "My advice would be to forget the whole thing. Fate can be changed, boy, but not often. Your chance to affect it died with Alicia. It doesn't matter what you do now; the demons will win."
Edwin looked the woman right in the eye.
"I have quite a different opinion on the matter," he said simply.
"You and Blackbird both," she laughed. "You don't know fate like I do. It's been whispering in my ear since I was born, I know it better than anyone."
"Your visions didn't come true," Edwin replied.
"Almost did, until it couldn't. I know how close we were to it. It wasn't easy turning fate from that path, boy, and whoever did it started early. You're already out of time."
"Then I'd best move all the more quickly to make up for it," Edwin said. "Thank you for the sandwich, and the information. Do you know if my horse is still around?"
"Tied him up outside. He's all yours. You're doomed to fail, but it's not my place to stop you from trying."
"Thank you."
"When you see Blackbird, tell him I said he's still a fool," she replied curtly. "Enjoy whatever it is you're doing."
Edwin left the house, untied his horse, and rode towards the castle. He had an important task ahead of him.

SpoilerShow

Suggest things for Edwin to encounter at the castle, or on the way there! And as always, feel free to make general suggestions about what he can do.

MARAUDERS! KNIGHTS! CRAZY PEOPLE! CRIMINALS!
ALL THIS AND MORE ON... THE PATH TO THE CASTLE!

The old woman's words keep bothering Edwin.

But he's Edwin, not Edlose, so everything should be just fine.

And then, bandits.

Edwin may want to muse on exactly how he plans to storm this castle, what with being a single heretic now and all.

If Edwin is accosted by bandits (gypsies), they may have news of what other creatures have traveled the roads (and might not be too keen on aiding demons). It could be that the castle is already under siege, or that they are celebrating some minor victory against the demons (and against their better judgment). Either way, if bandits occur, they for sure will steal all of Edwin's crystals. He'll have to either pursue them or head to the castle without them.

Also his horse seems healthy and happy from whatever crazy adventure it managed to have while Edwin was away.

In truth, the old woman's words still weighed on Edwin's mind. Determined as he was, he couldn't help but worry; what if it was true? What if, no matter how hard he fought, there was no way to stop the demons without Alicia?

The thought haunted him constantly as he rode through the plains. He knew he had to fight, but what if it really was a lost cause? What was the purpose of it all?

After some time, he came to a mountain pass. The castle was not far from the other side. His horse galloped down the long path.

Some time later, he was forced to stop. There was an enormous boulder in the way. Edwin sighed; it would take too much time to turn around, but moving the boulder out of the way was hardly practical either.

He dismounted his horse and reached for a crystal shard. But before he could draw it out of his pouch, something large and heavy struck him on the back of the head. He was knocked to the ground, and the contents of his pouch spilled out. He was still conscious, but barely.

"Huh. What do you suppose these are?" he heard a gruff voice ask.
"Never seen anything like them," a woman's voice replied. "Could be worth quite a bit, or could be worth nothing. We'll take them just in case."
"Fair enough. How about the sword?"
"It's not especially valuable or useful - everyone who can actually use a blade already has one. Still, I can't argue with the price."
Edwin groaned weakly as he felt a heavy foot step on his back.
"Hmm, didn't hit him hard enough," the gruff voice said. "Still got a bit of energy left in him."
"Good. I don't like it when we have to deal with corpses. The stench lasts for days."
"I wouldn't hit him that hard, Min," he protested. "We're out for money, not blood. Some of the other boys may have trouble rememberin' that, but not me."
"Well, get your foot off him, Bert. He's unarmed now, and you still knocked the wind out of his sails. Just keep an eye on him while I grab the horse."
"Right, sorry."
Edwin felt the pressure on his back lift. Slowly, he started to lift himself up, and as his head started to clear, he saw a woman riding off on his horse and a large man with a club standing in front of him.
"Hello, friend," the man said, grinning. "Not the best of days for you, is it?"
Edwin sighed.
"You have no idea. And the enormous demonic fly behind you isn't making matters any better."
"Pah, you'll have to do better than that old trick to..."
"BERT! THERE'S A BLOODY DEMON IN MY WAY!"
Bert swore, turned around and ran. He quickly called back to Edwin.
"Never mind, seems I have to help out the boss. Look, just climb over the boulder and you can get to wherever you were going. We didn't mean any trouble, we're just looking out for ourselves."

Edwin was left dumbfounded as the bandit ran off. He was powerless now - no weapon, no crystals, no horse.

What could he do? No choice seemed appealing. He could press on to the castle on foot, leaving the bandits, and his stolen possessions, at the mercy of the demon. But Edwin had no desire to see people die, even criminals.
He could join the battle with the demon, but what could he even do without even a weapon? And would the bandits even welcome his aid?
And whether Edwin acted or not, if the bandits won, they would still have the crystals - a new horse and a new sword could be found if necessary, but the crystals would be far more difficult to replace. To say nothing of the careless use the bandits might put them to if they discovered their true power.

There was little time to consider the matter. Edwin made his choice.

SpoilerShow

Fight or flee? Or something else entirely? And, of course, specific actions to go with the basic choice would be helpful.

Fight! or attempt to, He gets knocked back easily and the bandits are too focused on the demon to notice.

However, laying on his back, he may happen to notice that a few boulders up on the cliff-side seem a little unstable...perhaps if he can climb up there? It would be a challenge, he hadn't really tried reckless climbing before. He had seen Blackbird do it though so maybe it's not all that tough...

oof!

The crystals are paramount! He has to fight, somehow, or tip the scales so that he can easily dispatch the winner!

It was a difficult choice, but ultimately Edwin knew what had to be done. What Alicia would have done.

Even unarmed, he could not abandon these bandits to the demon, whatever their crimes. He rushed down the path towards the battle, unsure what he would do when he arrived.

What he did not realize was that the demon had noticed him, and more than that, recognized him. By now, the demons knew Edwin had defeated the crimson knight and held the power of the crystal shards. He was a threat, and destroying him was a top priority.

The bandits were keeping the monster preoccupied, but it had limbs to spare. It grabbed a large rock with one of its six legs, and hurled it towards Edwin. The rock struck him in the chest, and knocked him down.

"Ha! Such terrible aim!" Min laughed. She hadn't noticed Edwin's plight, only the rock flying well over her head. And the demon had exposed its throwing leg in its gambit. She swiftly sliced it off with Edwin's blade.

"Give him some credit, Min. He had a pretty good idea there." Bert lifted up a rock and rushed at the demon, striking it in the head with the stone.

The beast howled with pain, but was still standing. It grabbed Min with another leg, and spit something towards Bert. He quickly leapt aside, and saw the strange fluid burning on the ground.

"Definitely don't want to get hit by that," he muttered.

"Bert, you idiot!" Min screamed. "I need help here!"

Edwin heard the screams, but could not see the battle. He was trapped under the rock; he might barely be able to lift it under better circumstances, but he was already short of breath and its weight on his chest only worsened the problem.

He felt helpless. He didn't even have the strength to call for help. If he had a crystal shard, perhaps he might be able to act, but he had lost those to the bandits.

Was there nothing he could do?

Nope.

Try to grab a shard from one of them?
Charge at the demon?
Yell at one of them to use the shard?
Get the eff up?

Edwin tried to stand, despite the heavy rock. But his strength was not enough. He tried to shout out to the bandits, to tell them of the shards if nothing else. But he could barely manage the slightest gasp of breath.

It was hopeless. He could do nothing. He felt his vision begin to fade.

Min was faring little better. As the demon had caught her, she had dropped the stolen sword; her best chance, aside from Bert's assistance, was the dagger in her belt.

But the demon's clawed limb had her pinned. It was a great struggle to move her arms at all, and merely touching the demon seemed to cause intense pain. She hoped Bert had come up with something, she couldn't even turn her head to see what he was doing.

As it turned out, Bert had settled on a wild charge, and rushed at the demon with his club raised overhead. He struck the limb with great force...

Only for the club to break off in his hands. The beast's legs were stronger than wood, it seemed.

"Damn!"

In a panic, Bert flung the broken club into the demon's face, and lunged for the dropped blade. It had worked for Min, he reasoned; it might well work for him.

But the demon, despite its anger and pain, grabbed the blade before he could. It then spat some of the strange fluid onto the sword, and Bert looked on in shock as the blade melted away.

The situation was dire. The demon had Min, and the anguished look on her face told Bert that he needed to free her, quickly. But his only weapons were his own considerable strength, and his less-than-considerable wits.

Yet he had to use them as best he could. Min was in danger. He had to save her.

SpoilerShow

Note that while the focus is on Bert right now, you can feel free to suggest things for Min or even Edwin to do.

Edwin> cry out, if only to gain the beast's attention

Burt> pick up the dropped sword. Swing it with enough force to lob off the creature's arm

Min > when free: dagger to the face

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You mean picked up the sword the demon just melted?

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Uh....Yes! Yes of course. The blade melted but no reason he can't fling some leftover acid-spit into the creature's eyes. *shiftylook*