The Shop

The only way that gatekeep isn't dead is if they managed, through sheer cunning and skill, to dominate the shadow beast and are now learning the ways of the Shadow-Riders.

We should probably enter town and caus a ruckus until someone offers to explain their convoluted address system.

Really hope that Lil's dude's name wasn't Marie.

let's keep mercing dudes

>go back and save that lil guy, he's super plus cute!

After much deliberation, you reluctantly backtrack into the Thick Thicket.

You expect to find a corpse, but instead...


Gatekeep:
"OmyOmyOmy-"

The Gatekeep, though shaken, appears unharmed.
It would seem there's a reason for their position after all.

That aside, it would seem a grave realization has just sunken in...



Gatekeep:
"THE GATE.
WE LEFT IT OPEN."

> SUPERSPEED. SPEEDRUN THE REST OF THE MISSION. GET STREET CRED FROM THE E-STREAMING COMMUNITY BY DOING SO

The Gatekeep hops onto you, and together you race back towards the villa...

>Be inconspicuous, check out the locals

Wheeling through the broken gates, you are greeted with the cacophony of screams and cries in the near distance.
Each voice does not last long however, quickly silenced as they are overtaken by a symphony of shrieks and howls.

Gatekeep:
"I'm... I'm going on ahead! Will you be fine on your own?"

........ here I thought our killcount would reset to 0
haha
ha
haaafuck

> Hop up and down instead of nodding, because you don't have a neck
> Let's... search the rubble... I guess...

>Just wheel on through like a boss. Shades and theme music, bro. Look at all these effs you give.

> Hop up and down instead of nodding, because you don't have a neck

> Deploy thumbs up.

deploy thumbs down, we don't know we'll be okay on our own. insist on tagging along, this guy knows what's up

SpoilerShow

I forget not all soul containers aren't weirdly indestructible

can we still re-add them to the party?

> Rate this adventure 0/5 stars, and leave a review saying "WORST. KILLCOUNT. EVER."

> Alternatively, open the Pause menu and restart the mission. Hit 'yes' to any prompts that come up.

>Look for useful things and salvage them

> Let's... search the rubble... I guess...

>Look for useful things and salvage them

A quick glance through the rubble finds you a dull gem.
Not wanting to be left behind by the Gatekeep however, you hastily put the item in your inventory and follow suit.

>Just wheel on through like a boss. Shades and theme music, bro. Look at all these effs you give.

You equip your shades and sax, following the Gatekeep into the Villa Square.


Gatekeep:
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?"

The Gatekeep prepares to scold you over being so reckless, but is interrupted as winged creatures descend around you.


Creatures appear!

> Alternatively, open the Pause menu and restart the mission. Hit 'yes' to any prompts that come up.

There is no restart button to be found.
The creatures begin to attack!

Can we give orders to the gatekeep, or do they act on their own? Regardless,

> equip SAXERANG

forget the sax, this is why we brought the garlic. so long as we have that they won't touch us

Use the sax and some good looks to harness the power of the dark creatures by playing some G R O O V Y T U N E S.

Put one inside the bucket - Gain some shadow wings, and a stomach ache.

>Continue playing your groovy tunes. Obviously the success with the last creature was due to your musical talent.

or

>The gatekeeper has this under control, wheel past him and his frustrated cries of outrage. You've got a job to do.

> Why didn't they just fly over the wall? Maybe you should close that gate to see if something happens

Use the sax and some good looks to harness the power of the dark creatures by playing some G R O O V Y T U N E S.

The creatures respond to the lull of your melody.
Sensing a kinship with your instrument, they fall under your command.


Lesser Wings of the Black Sun have joined your party.

Put one inside the bucket - Gain some shadow wings, and a stomach ache.

There is no room in your escort for anything else.

> Why didn't they just fly over the wall? Maybe you should close that gate to see if something happens

Having now formed a bond with these creatures, you sense that they are not capable of causing this scale of damage in such a short amount of time.

Something else is out there.

The Gatekeep stares at you with wary eyes, weapon ready.

Gatekeep:
"Wha... Who are you?"

i am here to broker peace between your worlds. mr. gorbachev tear down this wall

The mailman.

SpoilerShow

>"We are just the messenger."

>Roll away dramatically.

> Turn around, revealing sticker:

>Give him one of your many saxophones as a sigh of kinship. He is in your tribe now.

>We're the mailbot. And boy, did we screw up.

>"We are just the messenger."

>Roll away dramatically.

You give your vague response, leaving the Gatekeep with only more questions as you travel further into town.

Gatekeep:
"Wait, what? What does that even mean!?"

>Give him one of your many saxophones as a sigh of kinship. He is in your tribe now.

There is no room in Gatekeep's inventory for anything else.

Despite their confusion, the Gatekeep continues to follow behind you.
Overhead, your new winged companions circle about, waiting to be called.

Every house you pass is either empty or abandoned. The lack of any actual remains make you wonder if the residents had managed to successfully escape, or grimly if whatever tore through was simply just a very clean eater.

Gatekeep:
"Everyone should be fine... I think.
There's a shelter just under the castle for emergencies like this."

You see said castle in the horizon, surprisingly undamaged compared to everything else you've seen thus far.

And as you pull closer... the shelter comes into view...

Gatekeep:
"That creature isn't breaking through those wards anytime soon... I hope.
I should go anyway... Just in case."

"Whoever you're looking for should be inside too..."

They turn to face you once more, eyes stern.

Gatekeep:
"You're not going to try and hurt them are you?
I'm sorry, I know it's a bit late and all, but after everything just now...
Can I really trust you inside these walls?"

The path to the shelter is clear.
However, it would be just as easy to ignore the situation at hand and head for the castle just a bit further away...