Lazarrien: A Love Story

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[LAZARRIEN] (text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 0.8)[— A Love Story by DemonApologist —]</div> <div class="titlepassage">(either:"[[Start. ⇒->1.1 Church J]]","[[Start. ⇒->2.1 Church J]]","[[Start. ⇒->3.1 Church J]]","[[Start. ⇒->4.1 Church J]]","[[Start. ⇒->5.1 Church J]]","[[Start. ⇒->6.1 Church J]]","[[Start. ⇒->7.1 Church P]]","[[Start. ⇒->8.1 Church P]]","[[Start. ⇒->9.1 Church P]]","[[Start. ⇒->10.1 Church P]]","[[Start. ⇒->11.1 Church P]]","[[Start. ⇒->12.1 Church P]]","[[Start. ⇒->13.1 Church E]]","[[Start. ⇒->14.1 Church E]]","[[Start. ⇒->15.1 Church E]]","[[Start. ⇒->16.1 Church E]]","[[Start. ⇒->17.1 Church E]]","[[Start. ⇒->18.1 Church E]]","[[Start. ⇒->19.1 Church D]]","[[Start. ⇒->20.1 Church D]]","[[Start. ⇒->21.1 Church D]]","[[Start. ⇒->22.1 Church D]]","[[Start. ⇒->23.1 Church D]]","[[Start. ⇒->24.1 Church D]]") [[Color schemes. ⇒->Color Schemes]] [[Content notes. ⇒->Content Notes]] [[Acknowledgments. ⇒->Acknowledgments]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before the knight could investigate further, a new sound drew his attention. Someone was playing an instrument, its rapturous melody slithering through the broken windows. Cautiously, the man crept to the shrine’s open doorway. Swordless though he was, he gripped a hunk of fallen masonry, ready to bash a head in if he needed to. As he approached, the music grew louder, richer. He peered around the doorway. In the middle of the cobbled road stood a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She swayed in time to the melody on her flute, eyes closed, as the sound swelled. <div class="lazarrientext">*Not a threat.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight sheepishly set down the rock, stood properly, and walked out to greet her. She broke off the melody reluctantly as he approached, eyes opened. <div class="jozettatext">“Ah, Lazarrien. There you are.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="jozettatext">“Yeah, that’s you. In the flesh, or… what’s left of it.”</div> She flicked a bit of soot off the tip of her flute. <div class="lazarrientext">“Who are you? Where am I? What is—”</div> She held up a hand, fingertips calloused. <div class="jozettatext">“I’m Jozetta. As to where we are? Really, it’s *why* we are that matters.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I don’t follow.”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“Look around.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien—if that really was his name—took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="jozettatext">“Wretched, right? I mean, for you. I still get to have my music, so I’m set. You, though? With your quest and all? Not so much.”</div> The knight wracked his brain. <div class="lazarrientext">*Yes, I’m supposed to be doing something.*</div> “Climb to the fortress in the sky. Defeat your evil sorcerer paramour who cursed the land.” <div class="lazarrientext">“My *what*?”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“With that sword.”</div> She aimed her pinky at the ashy steel blade leaning unceremoniously against the stone. <div class="jozettatext">“You know, stab him.”</div> She gripped her flute, making a crude gesture with it. <div class="jozettatext">“Dance a little first, at least.”</div> Numbly, Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. <div class="jozettatext">“Go on then! I’ll see you off.”</div> Jozetta began a jaunty tune—some bawdy tavern fare ill-suited to the moment. He had about a million unanswered questions, but the musician seemed to have not a care in the world. So he moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->1.2 Bramble JP]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[LAZARRIEN] (text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 0.8)[— Color Schemes —]</div> <div class="titlepassage">(link-rerun: "Dark mode.")[ <script> change_theme("dark"); </script> ] (link-rerun: "Light mode.")[ <script> change_theme("light"); </script> ]</div> (link-style:(text-color:#8f867a)+(hover-style:(text-color:#63584a)))[[[⇐ Return to Title. ->Title]]]

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[LAZARRIEN] (text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 0.8)[— Content Notes —]</div> <div class="menupassage">If you would like more details about the content of this story prior to reading, you may click each topic to reveal more information. Please be advised that, as is their nature, such notes may spoil plot points. <div class="menuchoice">(link:"Violence. ⛯")[(text-color:#ec0028)[**Violence.**] Violence in this text is both implied and directly depicted, including the depiction of blood.] </div> <div class="menuchoice">(link:"Body Horror. ⛯")[(text-color:#ec0028)[**Body Horror.**] The reader may encounter descriptions of body horror, including coughing up a tar-like substance, becoming intertwined with thorny vines, sinking into wax, and/or becoming a wax monstrosity.] </div> <div class="menuchoice">(link:"Sexually Suggestive Content. ⛯")[(text-color:#ec0028)[**Sexually Suggestive Content.**] There are no explicit, directly described sex scenes in this text. It’s not erotica. But, there is a somewhat vague and abstract suggestion of a sexual scene accompanying sensual descriptions of physical closeness. The sexually suggestive content depicted in this text is consensual.] </div> <div class="menuchoice">(link:"Verbally Abusive Parent. ⛯")[(text-color:#ec0028)[**Verbally Abusive Parent.**] An adult character may encounter their father, who verbally berates and threatens them.] </div> <div class="menuchoice">(link:"Self-Sacrifice. ⛯")[(text-color:#ec0028)[**Self-Sacrifice.**] A character offers to sacrifice their life, in order to potentially benefit the aims of another character.] </div> <div class="menuchoice">(link:"Death. ⛯")[(text-color:#ec0028)[**Death.**] Major and minor characters can and will die, including as a direct result of a choice made by the reader.] </div></div> (link-style:(text-color:#8f867a)+(hover-style:(text-color:#63584a)))[[[⇐ Return to Title. ->Title]]]

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[LAZARRIEN] (text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 0.8)[— Acknowledgments —]</div> <div class="menupassage">I, DemonApologist—a real person fondly attached to a diabolical pseudonym—originally wrote, designed, and coded this interactive short story from August 10 to August 15, 2024, for Single Choice Jam 2024. After implementing a few minor edits for Short Games Showcase 2024 and Review-a-Thon 2025, I overhauled the visual presentation and randomization structure during October and November 2025, arriving at the current version. This project was built in Twine 2.9.2 using the story format Harlowe 3.3.9 by Leon Arnott. The cover art—which I also made—was drafted using charcoal on paper. I then scanned and digitally colorized it. I would like to especially thank and acknowledge: fen and vane for encouragement and moral support, and vane additionally for developing and sharing the Javascript code for the light-dark theme switcher; and everyone who played and reviewed this project for Single Choice Jam, Short Games Showcase, and/or Review-a-Thon. The current version of this project exists only because of the generosity and curiosity people showed toward this work.</div> (link-style:(text-color:#8f867a)+(hover-style:(text-color:#63584a)))[[[⇐ Return to Title. ->Title]]]

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there.* *Like Jozetta said.*</div> His heart swelled with purpose. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A small child stood there. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="lazarrientext">“You! Child!”</div> the knight said, voice hoarse. <div class="lazarrientext">“What are you doing out here? It’s not safe.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> they said. <div class="prenntext">“I’m looking for Mother. But... I don’t think she’s here.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon!”</div> Lazarrien snapped. <div class="lazarrientext">“It’ll find you. You need to run away from here.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Agramith?”</div> Prenn asked. <div class="prenntext">“He’s not looking for me. He’s looking for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“You know of this demon?”</div> the knight asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you know?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“That he’s not looking for me. He’s looking for you,”</div> the child repeated. <div class="prenntext">“And I’m looking for Mother. At this point… even Father would do.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I don’t have time to help you,”</div> Lazarrien said, heart aching at the thought. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. <div class="prenntext">“I’ll find her on my own, then,”</div> Prenn said. They paused, contemplating the knight, then pointed. <div class="prenntext">“Go that way, I think.”</div> And so the knight leapt in the direction the child had indicated, bravely leaving them to their fate. Sure enough, the burning smell lessened. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->1.3 Wax JPE]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. Before he could make sense of the device, he heard a voice nearby. <div class="ennestinetext">“Who’s there?”</div> Lazarrien turned. Through the bars, he saw something close to the ground, so he stepped back out. A woman, or more precisely, the torso of a woman, was sticking out of the greasy slick. Her blue robes and silver curls were coated with the tallowy substance. <div class="lazarrientext">“I am… Lazarrien,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">*That’s what I’ve been told.*</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Of course,”</div> the woman replied. <div class="ennestinetext">“You seek the true sky, yes?”</div> He wasn’t sure what she meant. But indeed, he wished to ascend. <div class="lazarrientext">“I want up this mountain; I wish to slay the sorcerer who has cursed this land.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Sorcerer?”</div> She sounded dubious. <div class="ennestinetext">“I was once a priestess. High Priestess Ennestine, they called me. Not so high anymore, these days.”</div> Sweat ran down the sides of her face, beading on the grease. <div class="ennestinetext">“Some thought me a witch, but I only ever sought the true sky. Alas, I never found the key to the lift.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What key?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="ennestinetext">“An offering—a single, unbroken candle. I never could find one.”</div> For the first time, the knight risked a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“They’re all broken,”</div> Ennestine said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Well... perhaps not all. There are so many. That’s what I thought—that I’d find one. I spent so long looking at the ground, I must have forgotten the true sky. That’s where I went wrong.”</div> She gave a bitter, choked laugh. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’d pray for you to find yours, but I can’t find my hands.”</div> Lazarrien lifted his foot, suddenly realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many candles had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. Triumphant, he returned to the lift, hoping to show Ennestine that her prayers had worked. But where her torso had once emerged from the wax, only a few strands of hair remained exposed. He hadn’t realized she was still sinking. It was too late now; the soft wax had closed over her head. If she’d called to him for help, he hadn’t heard it. <div class="lazarrientext">*And if I had heard it? Would I have answered?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien stepped into the cage. An ornate candlestick of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting his offering. He placed it gently. It fit perfectly, as he knew instinctively that it would. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->1.4 Cave JPE]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff0034)+(text-size: 3)[IV.]</div> <div class="cavepassage">At long last, the lift clattered to a stop on a rocky outcropping. Lazarrien had watched the demon’s progress climbing the chain behind him. But Agramith had kept a respectful distance. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Still, the knight didn’t wish to linger. The air here was thinner, and far, far colder. He wandered up the stony switchbacks, searching for relief from the piercing chill. Thunder cracked and wind howled as a furious storm descended upon the mountainside, pelting Lazarrien; first with rain that slicked his path, and then with jagged sleet that stung, bouncing loudly off his battered armor. His teeth chattered, each breath emerging as a ghastly puff of fog, frost scorching his lungs. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to find cover.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Out of desperation, he climbed into a nearby alcove, and was pleased to discover it led deeper. A cavern, cleft into the mountain. Just where he needed it. Respite from the hail, but not the cold. The knight pulled his knees to his chest and pressing himself into the furthest corner of the cave he could fit. Even there, it was barely warmer. He regretted ever complaining of the stifling heat of the lands below. He held like that for a while, before he heard footsteps over the din. <div class="lazarrientext">*No!*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Distracted by the storm, he’d forgotten Agramith’s pursuit. There was no running now. The demon was upon him at last. An eerie crimson glow preceded the entrance of Agramith himself. Moments later, the demon stood before him, filling the the narrow passageway with his lanky form. <div class="lazarrientext">*A handsome form. …Why did I think that?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The demon’s coal-bright eyes met the knight’s. In his claws, Agramith held a sphere of flame that crackled ominously. Lazarrien trembled from the cold, wondering what he should do. He tried to draw his sword, but lost his grip immediately, betrayed by stiff frozen fingers. The blade clattered uselessly next to the cavern floor. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“There you are,”</div> the demon said, voice mellow and resonant. His expression softened. Lazarrien watched as the demon flicked the burning orb toward a patch of stone nearby. The knight felt relief as the warmth flowed into him, bringing a rush of blood to his extremities. <div class="agramithtext">“I couldn’t bear to see you freeze to death.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You aren’t here… to kill me?”</div> <div class="agramithtext">“No.”</div> Agramith strode closer to him, then sat nearby, sprawling out over the stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“You’re beautiful,”</div> the knight blurted out. <div class="lazarrientext">*Why did I say that?*</div> The demon laughed. <div class="agramithtext">“I know,”</div> he said, preening a bit. <div class="agramithtext">“But I love to hear it.”</div> He slid closer. <div class="agramithtext">“Especially from you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien picked up his scent then—rose oil, cloying, and the acrid note of brimstone. He breathed it deeply, so warm and familiar that he wondered how he had ever been apart from it. <div class="lazarrientext">“Who knows when the storm will be over,”</div> the knight said, trying desperately to convince himself that only the heat of the fire burned his face. <div class="lazarrientext">“How shall we… occupy ourselves?”</div> Agramith’s face was now near enough that Lazarrien could see the softness of his lips as they parted into a grin. <div class="agramithtext">“How indeed?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[(either:"The knight took the lead, climbing atop the barely contained fires of hell, partaking deeply of the pleasures Agramith readily offered. It was as though they’d lain together a thousand times or more, each knowing instinctively knowing where to move next; a dance that they’d rehearsed, performed, and performed again, accompanied by the fevered rage of the ceaseless storm. Eventually, Lazarrien succumbed to sleep, dreaming of shadow, fire, and lust. Some time later, he woke again, wrapped around the comforting heat of the demon.","The knight let the barely contained fires of hell wash over, as Agramith climbed atop him. He welcomed the demon’s exploration, finding, finally, the only pleasure this miserable, cursed land could offer. It was as though they’d lain together a thousand times or more, each knowing instinctively knowing where to move next; a dance that they’d rehearsed, performed, and performed again, accompanied by the fevered rage of the ceaseless storm. Eventually, Lazarrien succumbed to sleep, dreaming of shadow, fire, and lust. Some time later, he woke again, with the comforting heat of the demon wrapped around him.") (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“The storm’s letting up,”</div> Agramith said, idly stroking the knight’s shoulder with a gentle claw. Lazarrien listened for himself. Sure enough, the howling wind had faded, the clatter of hail merely distant echoes. <div class="lazarrientext">“Then I must continue on my journey.”</div> <div class="agramithtext">“Stay with me,”</div> the demon insisted. <div class="agramithtext">“We could stay here. Together.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“And leave all the realm to the curse?”</div> Lazarrien said, quietly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Who would stop it, if not I?”</div> He pulled away from his lover, breaking the connection of their warmth. Agramith had an inscrutable expression. The coals behind his eyes seemed to have dimmed. <div class="agramithtext">“We could simply live with the curse. The curse is only as bad as we let it be.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“A demon *would* say that.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Said demon rose, in anger. <div class="agramithtext">“I have done *nothing* to hinder you.”</div> He stood near the mouth of the cave, once again filling the space with his fantastical, monstrous form. Lazarrien’s heart ached for this man. There was nothing he could do to stop it. <div class="agramithtext">“You were the one who brought me here in the first place. You always said we ought to fight to be free of what bound us. That we should embrace one another. Reject suffering. I did what no demon should—I let you sway me. I’ve tried to help you. But nothing I say makes a difference. You want to end the curse? Lazarrien—you are the curse. My beautiful, cursed thing.”</div> Agramith gazed upon the knight with reckless longing, then turned, and disappeared outside. <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, wait—I didn’t mean it!”</div> But the demon was gone. <div class="lazarrientext">“I didn’t.”</div> He could barely hear himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien looked to where the abandoned sword once gleamed red from Agramith’s warm glow. It sat, cold, upon the cavern floor. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I will bring an end to this.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->1.5 Summit JPED]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He was dressed in faded finery, crown crooked atop his straw-colored hair. The king. <div class="lazarrientext">*My father.*</div> A thin layer of hoarfrost encrusted him head to toe. He stared straight into Lazarrien’s eyes, cruel and judgmental. But, ultimately, seeing nothing. He had frozen solid. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ve faced worse than this to get here,”</div> the knight said, his voice straining to gain hold against the yawning void. He reached for the crown. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he did, the king shattered, crumbling to dust-fine snow. Crown and all. A pathetic pile of nothing. <div class="lazarrientext">*Nothing important, anyway.*</div> Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->1.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->1.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[VI.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">Lazarrien placed one hand on Agramith’s shoulder, for stability. With the other, he drew his sword, placing the tip directly over the demon’s heart. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He trembled for a moment. <div class="lazarrientext">*Can I really do this?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[And then he remembered his mission. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[His hand steadied, and then... (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He thrust forward with all his strength. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[(after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[Once it was over, he could not wipe the blood off the blade. (after:time+2.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[It remained resolutely stained black, sacrifice infused into its very metal. (after:time+3s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[Some sins are indelible. (after:time+4s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[(link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Though his tears flowed freely, he never looked back. He marched, steadily, across the bridge. The dark castle in the distance drew closer. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[And closer. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[And closer still. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[At long last, he arrived at its gate. He stepped forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I’m ready to fight.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->1.7A Castle]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[VI.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">Lazarrien offered his hand. Agramith looked up at him, puzzled. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Stand up.”</div> The demon stood with as much grace as he could muster. He leaned forward, the curves of his horns resting against the knight’s forehead. <div class="lazarrientext">“We’ll face it together, whatever it is.”</div> <div class="agramithtext">“Alright,”</div> Agramith said. He looked pensive. <div class="agramithtext">“I will… follow you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They walked along the crystalline bridge, moonlit void above, smoky hell below. The castle in the distance drew closer. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[And closer. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[And closer still. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[But alas... (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[Ice makes for treacherous terrain. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[When they slipped, Lazarrien had every intention of catching the demon’s arm, pulling him back to safety. (after:time+3s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[The instinct of a swordsman, however, was another matter. (after:time+3s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[He caught the blade instead. (after:time+2.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien was too numb with horror to feel anything but idle curiosity as he watched the dark figure shrink, and shrink, and finally disappear, into the miasma. (after:time+4s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[Agramith was gone. (after:time+2.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[(link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight walked forward with only a pit for a soul. He could still lift the curse. Perhaps. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*But for what, anymore?*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->1.7B Castle]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The child. The high priestess. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 1]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The child. The high priestess. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 1]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="prenntext">“Hello?”</div> came a tentative voice from behind him. The knight whipped around, tensing for a fight. But it was just a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="prenntext">“Are you… are you Lazarrien?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="lazarrientext">“I think so. Who are you?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child answered. They paused. <div class="prenntext">“Can you… help?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What is it that you need?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“It’s not me. It’s everyone.”</div> Prenn’s voice rose slightly. <div class="prenntext">“I can’t find Mother. She’s cursed. Everyone is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cursed?”</div> The child nodded, then turned to walk out the door. They looked back, beckoning the knight to follow. He did. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. Lazarrien—if that really was his name—took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I see,”</div> he said, at long last. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do I do? How can I help?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Up.”</div> The child pointed skyward. There was a faint outline of something, but it was hard to resolve the shape given the haze. <div class="prenntext">“That’s where the bad man is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What bad man? A demon, like the statue?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No!”</div> Prenn said, waving their arms madly. The knight stared at them. The child bit their lip. It looked like they had a lot they wanted to say. <div class="prenntext">“Please, go stop the bad man. Make it stop. Please.”</div> Hearing the child’s plea stirred something in his memory. Lazarrien didn’t enough know quite yet, but he knew that it was important that he helped Prenn. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll do it. I’ll break the curse.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Prenn gave the barest hint of a smile. <div class="prenntext">“Thank you. You’ll need that.”</div> They walked over to one of the shrine’s exterior walls. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the stone. <div class="prenntext">“Your sword.”</div> Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. Prenn looked him up and down, nodded, and then walked back into the shrine, leaving the knight to his quest. He had about a million unanswered questions, but he could hardly expect this child to answer everything for him. So he moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->7.2 Bramble PJ]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="prenntext">“Hello?”</div> came a tentative voice from behind him. The knight whipped around, tensing for a fight. But it was just a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="prenntext">“Are you… are you Lazarrien?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="lazarrientext">“I think so. Who are you?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child answered. They paused. <div class="prenntext">“Can you… help?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What is it that you need?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“It’s not me. It’s everyone.”</div> Prenn’s voice rose slightly. <div class="prenntext">“I can’t find Mother. She’s cursed. Everyone is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cursed?”</div> The child nodded, then turned to walk out the door. They looked back, beckoning the knight to follow. He did. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. Lazarrien—if that really was his name—took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I see,”</div> he said, at long last. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do I do? How can I help?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Up.”</div> The child pointed skyward. There was a faint outline of something, but it was hard to resolve the shape given the haze. <div class="prenntext">“That’s where the bad man is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What bad man? A demon, like the statue?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No!”</div> Prenn said, waving their arms madly. The knight stared at them. The child bit their lip. It looked like they had a lot they wanted to say. <div class="prenntext">“Please, go stop the bad man. Make it stop. Please.”</div> Hearing the child’s plea stirred something in his memory. Lazarrien didn’t enough know quite yet, but he knew that it was important that he helped Prenn. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll do it. I’ll break the curse.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Prenn gave the barest hint of a smile. <div class="prenntext">“Thank you. You’ll need that.”</div> They walked over to one of the shrine’s exterior walls. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the stone. <div class="prenntext">“Your sword.”</div> Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. Prenn looked him up and down, nodded, and then walked back into the shrine, leaving the knight to his quest. He had about a million unanswered questions, but he could hardly expect this child to answer everything for him. So he moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->8.2 Bramble PJ]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="prenntext">“Hello?”</div> came a tentative voice from behind him. The knight whipped around, tensing for a fight. But it was just a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="prenntext">“Are you… are you Lazarrien?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="lazarrientext">“I think so. Who are you?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child answered. They paused. <div class="prenntext">“Can you… help?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What is it that you need?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“It’s not me. It’s everyone.”</div> Prenn’s voice rose slightly. <div class="prenntext">“I can’t find Mother. She’s cursed. Everyone is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cursed?”</div> The child nodded, then turned to walk out the door. They looked back, beckoning the knight to follow. He did. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. Lazarrien—if that really was his name—took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I see,”</div> he said, at long last. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do I do? How can I help?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Up.”</div> The child pointed skyward. There was a faint outline of something, but it was hard to resolve the shape given the haze. <div class="prenntext">“That’s where the bad man is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What bad man? A demon, like the statue?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No!”</div> Prenn said, waving their arms madly. The knight stared at them. The child bit their lip. It looked like they had a lot they wanted to say. <div class="prenntext">“Please, go stop the bad man. Make it stop. Please.”</div> Hearing the child’s plea stirred something in his memory. Lazarrien didn’t enough know quite yet, but he knew that it was important that he helped Prenn. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll do it. I’ll break the curse.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Prenn gave the barest hint of a smile. <div class="prenntext">“Thank you. You’ll need that.”</div> They walked over to one of the shrine’s exterior walls. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the stone. <div class="prenntext">“Your sword.”</div> Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. Prenn looked him up and down, nodded, and then walked back into the shrine, leaving the knight to his quest. He had about a million unanswered questions, but he could hardly expect this child to answer everything for him. So he moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->9.2 Bramble PE]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="prenntext">“Hello?”</div> came a tentative voice from behind him. The knight whipped around, tensing for a fight. But it was just a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="prenntext">“Are you… are you Lazarrien?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="lazarrientext">“I think so. Who are you?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child answered. They paused. <div class="prenntext">“Can you… help?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What is it that you need?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“It’s not me. It’s everyone.”</div> Prenn’s voice rose slightly. <div class="prenntext">“I can’t find Mother. She’s cursed. Everyone is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cursed?”</div> The child nodded, then turned to walk out the door. They looked back, beckoning the knight to follow. He did. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. Lazarrien—if that really was his name—took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I see,”</div> he said, at long last. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do I do? How can I help?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Up.”</div> The child pointed skyward. There was a faint outline of something, but it was hard to resolve the shape given the haze. <div class="prenntext">“That’s where the bad man is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What bad man? A demon, like the statue?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No!”</div> Prenn said, waving their arms madly. The knight stared at them. The child bit their lip. It looked like they had a lot they wanted to say. <div class="prenntext">“Please, go stop the bad man. Make it stop. Please.”</div> Hearing the child’s plea stirred something in his memory. Lazarrien didn’t enough know quite yet, but he knew that it was important that he helped Prenn. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll do it. I’ll break the curse.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Prenn gave the barest hint of a smile. <div class="prenntext">“Thank you. You’ll need that.”</div> They walked over to one of the shrine’s exterior walls. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the stone. <div class="prenntext">“Your sword.”</div> Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. Prenn looked him up and down, nodded, and then walked back into the shrine, leaving the knight to his quest. He had about a million unanswered questions, but he could hardly expect this child to answer everything for him. So he moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->10.2 Bramble PE]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="prenntext">“Hello?”</div> came a tentative voice from behind him. The knight whipped around, tensing for a fight. But it was just a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="prenntext">“Are you… are you Lazarrien?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="lazarrientext">“I think so. Who are you?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child answered. They paused. <div class="prenntext">“Can you… help?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What is it that you need?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“It’s not me. It’s everyone.”</div> Prenn’s voice rose slightly. <div class="prenntext">“I can’t find Mother. She’s cursed. Everyone is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cursed?”</div> The child nodded, then turned to walk out the door. They looked back, beckoning the knight to follow. He did. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. Lazarrien—if that really was his name—took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I see,”</div> he said, at long last. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do I do? How can I help?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Up.”</div> The child pointed skyward. There was a faint outline of something, but it was hard to resolve the shape given the haze. <div class="prenntext">“That’s where the bad man is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What bad man? A demon, like the statue?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No!”</div> Prenn said, waving their arms madly. The knight stared at them. The child bit their lip. It looked like they had a lot they wanted to say. <div class="prenntext">“Please, go stop the bad man. Make it stop. Please.”</div> Hearing the child’s plea stirred something in his memory. Lazarrien didn’t enough know quite yet, but he knew that it was important that he helped Prenn. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll do it. I’ll break the curse.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Prenn gave the barest hint of a smile. <div class="prenntext">“Thank you. You’ll need that.”</div> They walked over to one of the shrine’s exterior walls. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the stone. <div class="prenntext">“Your sword.”</div> Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. Prenn looked him up and down, nodded, and then walked back into the shrine, leaving the knight to his quest. He had about a million unanswered questions, but he could hardly expect this child to answer everything for him. So he moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->11.2 Bramble PD]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="prenntext">“Hello?”</div> came a tentative voice from behind him. The knight whipped around, tensing for a fight. But it was just a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="prenntext">“Are you… are you Lazarrien?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="lazarrientext">“I think so. Who are you?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child answered. They paused. <div class="prenntext">“Can you… help?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What is it that you need?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“It’s not me. It’s everyone.”</div> Prenn’s voice rose slightly. <div class="prenntext">“I can’t find Mother. She’s cursed. Everyone is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cursed?”</div> The child nodded, then turned to walk out the door. They looked back, beckoning the knight to follow. He did. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. Lazarrien—if that really was his name—took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I see,”</div> he said, at long last. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do I do? How can I help?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Up.”</div> The child pointed skyward. There was a faint outline of something, but it was hard to resolve the shape given the haze. <div class="prenntext">“That’s where the bad man is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What bad man? A demon, like the statue?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No!”</div> Prenn said, waving their arms madly. The knight stared at them. The child bit their lip. It looked like they had a lot they wanted to say. <div class="prenntext">“Please, go stop the bad man. Make it stop. Please.”</div> Hearing the child’s plea stirred something in his memory. Lazarrien didn’t enough know quite yet, but he knew that it was important that he helped Prenn. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll do it. I’ll break the curse.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Prenn gave the barest hint of a smile. <div class="prenntext">“Thank you. You’ll need that.”</div> They walked over to one of the shrine’s exterior walls. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the stone. <div class="prenntext">“Your sword.”</div> Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. Prenn looked him up and down, nodded, and then walked back into the shrine, leaving the knight to his quest. He had about a million unanswered questions, but he could hardly expect this child to answer everything for him. So he moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->12.2 Bramble PD]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. To his surprise, a woman was watching him from a corner of the chamber. <div class="lazarrientext">*How long has she been there?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The woman was reclined in a dusty chair, draped in the pale blue robes of a priestess, curly hair pinned back into a bun. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is this your shrine?”</div> the knight asked. How strange to find a woman of the faith sharing space with such a fiendish sculpture. <div class="lazarrientext">“What exactly are you worshipping here?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“It doesn’t matter anymore,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’ll never again see the sky—the great blue firmament.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is this demon threatening you in some way?”</div> He paused, shaking his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Madness. It’s a statue. Just a statue. Who are you?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Ennestine. High priestess? No. Low priestess. The lowest priestess there ever will be. And the last.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is there something I can do?”</div> The priestess withdrew, knees to her chest, before sagging back to her original languished position. <div class="ennestinetext">“We’re cursed. You’re cursed. I’m cursed. My poor child… has forsaken me. Sin blackens the wind itself.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a priestess. It’s your duty to offer guidance.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky. Only there could blood and steel cleanse us. I must stay. Lazarrien, you must go.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="ennestinetext">“That’s my guidance,”</div> Ennestine said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien—if that really was his name—left the shrine quickly after that. He now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. He took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. The knight turned back, thinking of the priestess, perhaps hoping she might be watching him from behind the broken windows. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She wasn’t. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[But he noticed something else. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the shrine’s stone exterior. Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. If the faith had truly fallen, perhaps it was hopeless. But he had sought guidance, and received it. He would seek the true sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->14.2 Bramble EJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. To his surprise, a woman was watching him from a corner of the chamber. <div class="lazarrientext">*How long has she been there?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The woman was reclined in a dusty chair, draped in the pale blue robes of a priestess, curly hair pinned back into a bun. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is this your shrine?”</div> the knight asked. How strange to find a woman of the faith sharing space with such a fiendish sculpture. <div class="lazarrientext">“What exactly are you worshipping here?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“It doesn’t matter anymore,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’ll never again see the sky—the great blue firmament.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is this demon threatening you in some way?”</div> He paused, shaking his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Madness. It’s a statue. Just a statue. Who are you?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Ennestine. High priestess? No. Low priestess. The lowest priestess there ever will be. And the last.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is there something I can do?”</div> The priestess withdrew, knees to her chest, before sagging back to her original languished position. <div class="ennestinetext">“We’re cursed. You’re cursed. I’m cursed. My poor child… has forsaken me. Sin blackens the wind itself.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a priestess. It’s your duty to offer guidance.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky. Only there could blood and steel cleanse us. I must stay. Lazarrien, you must go.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="ennestinetext">“That’s my guidance,”</div> Ennestine said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien—if that really was his name—left the shrine quickly after that. He now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. He took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. The knight turned back, thinking of the priestess, perhaps hoping she might be watching him from behind the broken windows. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She wasn’t. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[But he noticed something else. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the shrine’s stone exterior. Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. If the faith had truly fallen, perhaps it was hopeless. But he had sought guidance, and received it. He would seek the true sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->13.2 Bramble EJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. To his surprise, a woman was watching him from a corner of the chamber. <div class="lazarrientext">*How long has she been there?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The woman was reclined in a dusty chair, draped in the pale blue robes of a priestess, curly hair pinned back into a bun. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is this your shrine?”</div> the knight asked. How strange to find a woman of the faith sharing space with such a fiendish sculpture. <div class="lazarrientext">“What exactly are you worshipping here?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“It doesn’t matter anymore,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’ll never again see the sky—the great blue firmament.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is this demon threatening you in some way?”</div> He paused, shaking his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Madness. It’s a statue. Just a statue. Who are you?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Ennestine. High priestess? No. Low priestess. The lowest priestess there ever will be. And the last.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is there something I can do?”</div> The priestess withdrew, knees to her chest, before sagging back to her original languished position. <div class="ennestinetext">“We’re cursed. You’re cursed. I’m cursed. My poor child… has forsaken me. Sin blackens the wind itself.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a priestess. It’s your duty to offer guidance.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky. Only there could blood and steel cleanse us. I must stay. Lazarrien, you must go.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="ennestinetext">“That’s my guidance,”</div> Ennestine said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien—if that really was his name—left the shrine quickly after that. He now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. He took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. The knight turned back, thinking of the priestess, perhaps hoping she might be watching him from behind the broken windows. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She wasn’t. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[But he noticed something else. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the shrine’s stone exterior. Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. If the faith had truly fallen, perhaps it was hopeless. But he had sought guidance, and received it. He would seek the true sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->15.2 Bramble EP]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. To his surprise, a woman was watching him from a corner of the chamber. <div class="lazarrientext">*How long has she been there?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The woman was reclined in a dusty chair, draped in the pale blue robes of a priestess, curly hair pinned back into a bun. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is this your shrine?”</div> the knight asked. How strange to find a woman of the faith sharing space with such a fiendish sculpture. <div class="lazarrientext">“What exactly are you worshipping here?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“It doesn’t matter anymore,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’ll never again see the sky—the great blue firmament.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is this demon threatening you in some way?”</div> He paused, shaking his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Madness. It’s a statue. Just a statue. Who are you?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Ennestine. High priestess? No. Low priestess. The lowest priestess there ever will be. And the last.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is there something I can do?”</div> The priestess withdrew, knees to her chest, before sagging back to her original languished position. <div class="ennestinetext">“We’re cursed. You’re cursed. I’m cursed. My poor child… has forsaken me. Sin blackens the wind itself.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a priestess. It’s your duty to offer guidance.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky. Only there could blood and steel cleanse us. I must stay. Lazarrien, you must go.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="ennestinetext">“That’s my guidance,”</div> Ennestine said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien—if that really was his name—left the shrine quickly after that. He now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. He took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. The knight turned back, thinking of the priestess, perhaps hoping she might be watching him from behind the broken windows. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She wasn’t. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[But he noticed something else. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the shrine’s stone exterior. Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. If the faith had truly fallen, perhaps it was hopeless. But he had sought guidance, and received it. He would seek the true sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->16.2 Bramble EP]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. To his surprise, a woman was watching him from a corner of the chamber. <div class="lazarrientext">*How long has she been there?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The woman was reclined in a dusty chair, draped in the pale blue robes of a priestess, curly hair pinned back into a bun. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is this your shrine?”</div> the knight asked. How strange to find a woman of the faith sharing space with such a fiendish sculpture. <div class="lazarrientext">“What exactly are you worshipping here?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“It doesn’t matter anymore,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’ll never again see the sky—the great blue firmament.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is this demon threatening you in some way?”</div> He paused, shaking his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Madness. It’s a statue. Just a statue. Who are you?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Ennestine. High priestess? No. Low priestess. The lowest priestess there ever will be. And the last.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is there something I can do?”</div> The priestess withdrew, knees to her chest, before sagging back to her original languished position. <div class="ennestinetext">“We’re cursed. You’re cursed. I’m cursed. My poor child… has forsaken me. Sin blackens the wind itself.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a priestess. It’s your duty to offer guidance.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky. Only there could blood and steel cleanse us. I must stay. Lazarrien, you must go.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="ennestinetext">“That’s my guidance,”</div> Ennestine said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien—if that really was his name—left the shrine quickly after that. He now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. He took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. The knight turned back, thinking of the priestess, perhaps hoping she might be watching him from behind the broken windows. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She wasn’t. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[But he noticed something else. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the shrine’s stone exterior. Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. If the faith had truly fallen, perhaps it was hopeless. But he had sought guidance, and received it. He would seek the true sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->17.2 Bramble ED]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. To his surprise, a woman was watching him from a corner of the chamber. <div class="lazarrientext">*How long has she been there?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The woman was reclined in a dusty chair, draped in the pale blue robes of a priestess, curly hair pinned back into a bun. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is this your shrine?”</div> the knight asked. How strange to find a woman of the faith sharing space with such a fiendish sculpture. <div class="lazarrientext">“What exactly are you worshipping here?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“It doesn’t matter anymore,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’ll never again see the sky—the great blue firmament.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is this demon threatening you in some way?”</div> He paused, shaking his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Madness. It’s a statue. Just a statue. Who are you?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Ennestine. High priestess? No. Low priestess. The lowest priestess there ever will be. And the last.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is there something I can do?”</div> The priestess withdrew, knees to her chest, before sagging back to her original languished position. <div class="ennestinetext">“We’re cursed. You’re cursed. I’m cursed. My poor child… has forsaken me. Sin blackens the wind itself.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a priestess. It’s your duty to offer guidance.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky. Only there could blood and steel cleanse us. I must stay. Lazarrien, you must go.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. <div class="ennestinetext">“That’s my guidance,”</div> Ennestine said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien—if that really was his name—left the shrine quickly after that. He now stood in the midst of an cobbled road filmed with dust. He took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. The knight turned back, thinking of the priestess, perhaps hoping she might be watching him from behind the broken windows. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She wasn’t. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[But he noticed something else. An ashy steel blade leaned unceremoniously against the shrine’s stone exterior. Lazarrien picked up the sword. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. If the faith had truly fallen, perhaps it was hopeless. But he had sought guidance, and received it. He would seek the true sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->18.2 Bramble ED]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. If this shrine had been abandoned, perhaps he ought to follow suit. The knight walked through the door, and then stopped. In the midst of a cobbled road filmed with dust stood a familiar man. He was dressed in faded finery, soot-stained crown atop his straw-colored hair, staring up into the sky. The king was supporting himself with an ashy steel blade. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> the knight asked, fixed upon the man’s face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king tore his gaze from the sky to fix him a cruel stare. <div class="dagforthtext">“Wastrel! Lazarrien, the wastrel! Lazarrien, the thief! Bringer of ruin! No son of King Dagforth. No son of mine.”</div> The old man spat, hurling a blood-tinged glob to the stone where it splattered. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. But not often with such malice. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, what has happened?”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Disgusting creature,”</div> King Dagforth said. <div class="dagforthtext">“A fourth son. Waste of my flesh. Fourth. Fourth! Bringing the curse upon my kingdom, for what? Look at what you have wrought.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king lunged forward, intent upon slaying Lazarrien with his blade. But without the sword’s support, the man toppled, crown rolling to a stop a few paces away. Lazarrien took the opportunity to seize the blade for himself, before the old man could threaten him again. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. <div class="dagforthtext">“Thief!”</div> Dagforth shrieked. He hardly looked like a king anymore, crumpled at the knight’s feet. <div class="dagforthtext">“Leave me at once, cursed thing. Begone!”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien had about a million unanswered questions, but he couldn’t bear to remain in the presence of his father, departing with haste. If he had really done this to the realm, he had no choice but to stop it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->20.2 Bramble DJ]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. If this shrine had been abandoned, perhaps he ought to follow suit. The knight walked through the door, and then stopped. In the midst of a cobbled road filmed with dust stood a familiar man. He was dressed in faded finery, soot-stained crown atop his straw-colored hair, staring up into the sky. The king was supporting himself with an ashy steel blade. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> the knight asked, fixed upon the man’s face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king tore his gaze from the sky to fix him a cruel stare. <div class="dagforthtext">“Wastrel! Lazarrien, the wastrel! Lazarrien, the thief! Bringer of ruin! No son of King Dagforth. No son of mine.”</div> The old man spat, hurling a blood-tinged glob to the stone where it splattered. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. But not often with such malice. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, what has happened?”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Disgusting creature,”</div> King Dagforth said. <div class="dagforthtext">“A fourth son. Waste of my flesh. Fourth. Fourth! Bringing the curse upon my kingdom, for what? Look at what you have wrought.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king lunged forward, intent upon slaying Lazarrien with his blade. But without the sword’s support, the man toppled, crown rolling to a stop a few paces away. Lazarrien took the opportunity to seize the blade for himself, before the old man could threaten him again. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. <div class="dagforthtext">“Thief!”</div> Dagforth shrieked. He hardly looked like a king anymore, crumpled at the knight’s feet. <div class="dagforthtext">“Leave me at once, cursed thing. Begone!”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien had about a million unanswered questions, but he couldn’t bear to remain in the presence of his father, departing with haste. If he had really done this to the realm, he had no choice but to stop it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->19.2 Bramble DJ]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. If this shrine had been abandoned, perhaps he ought to follow suit. The knight walked through the door, and then stopped. In the midst of a cobbled road filmed with dust stood a familiar man. He was dressed in faded finery, soot-stained crown atop his straw-colored hair, staring up into the sky. The king was supporting himself with an ashy steel blade. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> the knight asked, fixed upon the man’s face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king tore his gaze from the sky to fix him a cruel stare. <div class="dagforthtext">“Wastrel! Lazarrien, the wastrel! Lazarrien, the thief! Bringer of ruin! No son of King Dagforth. No son of mine.”</div> The old man spat, hurling a blood-tinged glob to the stone where it splattered. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. But not often with such malice. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, what has happened?”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Disgusting creature,”</div> King Dagforth said. <div class="dagforthtext">“A fourth son. Waste of my flesh. Fourth. Fourth! Bringing the curse upon my kingdom, for what? Look at what you have wrought.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king lunged forward, intent upon slaying Lazarrien with his blade. But without the sword’s support, the man toppled, crown rolling to a stop a few paces away. Lazarrien took the opportunity to seize the blade for himself, before the old man could threaten him again. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. <div class="dagforthtext">“Thief!”</div> Dagforth shrieked. He hardly looked like a king anymore, crumpled at the knight’s feet. <div class="dagforthtext">“Leave me at once, cursed thing. Begone!”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien had about a million unanswered questions, but he couldn’t bear to remain in the presence of his father, departing with haste. If he had really done this to the realm, he had no choice but to stop it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->21.2 Bramble DP]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. If this shrine had been abandoned, perhaps he ought to follow suit. The knight walked through the door, and then stopped. In the midst of a cobbled road filmed with dust stood a familiar man. He was dressed in faded finery, soot-stained crown atop his straw-colored hair, staring up into the sky. The king was supporting himself with an ashy steel blade. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> the knight asked, fixed upon the man’s face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king tore his gaze from the sky to fix him a cruel stare. <div class="dagforthtext">“Wastrel! Lazarrien, the wastrel! Lazarrien, the thief! Bringer of ruin! No son of King Dagforth. No son of mine.”</div> The old man spat, hurling a blood-tinged glob to the stone where it splattered. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. But not often with such malice. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, what has happened?”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Disgusting creature,”</div> King Dagforth said. <div class="dagforthtext">“A fourth son. Waste of my flesh. Fourth. Fourth! Bringing the curse upon my kingdom, for what? Look at what you have wrought.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king lunged forward, intent upon slaying Lazarrien with his blade. But without the sword’s support, the man toppled, crown rolling to a stop a few paces away. Lazarrien took the opportunity to seize the blade for himself, before the old man could threaten him again. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. <div class="dagforthtext">“Thief!”</div> Dagforth shrieked. He hardly looked like a king anymore, crumpled at the knight’s feet. <div class="dagforthtext">“Leave me at once, cursed thing. Begone!”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien had about a million unanswered questions, but he couldn’t bear to remain in the presence of his father, departing with haste. If he had really done this to the realm, he had no choice but to stop it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->22.2 Bramble DP]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. If this shrine had been abandoned, perhaps he ought to follow suit. The knight walked through the door, and then stopped. In the midst of a cobbled road filmed with dust stood a familiar man. He was dressed in faded finery, soot-stained crown atop his straw-colored hair, staring up into the sky. The king was supporting himself with an ashy steel blade. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> the knight asked, fixed upon the man’s face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king tore his gaze from the sky to fix him a cruel stare. <div class="dagforthtext">“Wastrel! Lazarrien, the wastrel! Lazarrien, the thief! Bringer of ruin! No son of King Dagforth. No son of mine.”</div> The old man spat, hurling a blood-tinged glob to the stone where it splattered. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. But not often with such malice. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, what has happened?”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Disgusting creature,”</div> King Dagforth said. <div class="dagforthtext">“A fourth son. Waste of my flesh. Fourth. Fourth! Bringing the curse upon my kingdom, for what? Look at what you have wrought.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king lunged forward, intent upon slaying Lazarrien with his blade. But without the sword’s support, the man toppled, crown rolling to a stop a few paces away. Lazarrien took the opportunity to seize the blade for himself, before the old man could threaten him again. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. <div class="dagforthtext">“Thief!”</div> Dagforth shrieked. He hardly looked like a king anymore, crumpled at the knight’s feet. <div class="dagforthtext">“Leave me at once, cursed thing. Begone!”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien had about a million unanswered questions, but he couldn’t bear to remain in the presence of his father, departing with haste. If he had really done this to the realm, he had no choice but to stop it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->23.2 Bramble DE]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#8f867a)+(text-size: 3)[I.]</div> <div class="churchpassage">The man coughed himself awake. His fingers glistened with clods of something tarry that stank of sulfur. <div class="lazarrientext">*That bodes ill.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Above, a jagged crevice tore across tarnished filigree. Light from the dull, brown sky filtered through the dust, so pale that it barely gave the man form. He glanced down at his scuffed breastplate; the crest had all but scratched away. <div class="lazarrientext">*I am a knight, still, crest or no.*</div> His sword was another matter. Gone. Only the scabbard remained. He sat up, climbing out of a nest of broken glass and crumbling stone. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He traced the contours of the dusty shrine, taking in details that seemed familiar in a way he couldn’t place. A painting of a storm-battered mountain. A vase of withered flowers. A blackened ring set with a raw, gnarled garnet. Across the room, a strange statue stood on a plinth. Carved with uncanny precision from dark stone, a fearsome horned man reaching, his claws outstretched. It was a marvel of craftsmanship: a cape that flowed in wind unseen; scars upon his exposed chest; lips that looked somehow soft to the touch. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He turned away from the statue, its gaze far too piercing. If this shrine had been abandoned, perhaps he ought to follow suit. The knight walked through the door, and then stopped. In the midst of a cobbled road filmed with dust stood a familiar man. He was dressed in faded finery, soot-stained crown atop his straw-colored hair, staring up into the sky. The king was supporting himself with an ashy steel blade. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> the knight asked, fixed upon the man’s face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king tore his gaze from the sky to fix him a cruel stare. <div class="dagforthtext">“Wastrel! Lazarrien, the wastrel! Lazarrien, the thief! Bringer of ruin! No son of King Dagforth. No son of mine.”</div> The old man spat, hurling a blood-tinged glob to the stone where it splattered. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lazarrien?”</div> he replied, turning it over on his tongue. The name tasted familiar enough. But not often with such malice. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, what has happened?”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Disgusting creature,”</div> King Dagforth said. <div class="dagforthtext">“A fourth son. Waste of my flesh. Fourth. Fourth! Bringing the curse upon my kingdom, for what? Look at what you have wrought.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien took note of a few things. The desolate, crumbling buildings. The tang of ash that soured the wind. A sky so sickly in pallor even the sun had been swallowed by haze. The great capital of the kingdom, shattered. The castle, gone. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king lunged forward, intent upon slaying Lazarrien with his blade. But without the sword’s support, the man toppled, crown rolling to a stop a few paces away. Lazarrien took the opportunity to seize the blade for himself, before the old man could threaten him again. It slid easily into the scabbard, as though it had always been there. <div class="dagforthtext">“Thief!”</div> Dagforth shrieked. He hardly looked like a king anymore, crumpled at the knight’s feet. <div class="dagforthtext">“Leave me at once, cursed thing. Begone!”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien had about a million unanswered questions, but he couldn’t bear to remain in the presence of his father, departing with haste. If he had really done this to the realm, he had no choice but to stop it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I am Lazarrien. I have a purpose. I will break the curse.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->24.2 Bramble DE]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there.* *Like Jozetta said.*</div> His heart swelled with purpose. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman lay on her back, silver curls spread out around her as she gazed up into the sky. Rose brambles wove in and out of her pale blue priestess robes. It was hardly possible to tell where the vines began and her body ended. <div class="lazarrientext">“Priestess?”</div> the knight asked, voice hoarse. She continued looking up at the sky. Perhaps she couldn’t move anymore. <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that you, Lazarrien? Sometimes I think I can see it... in my dreams. The true sky.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon behind me,”</div> Lazarrien said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a woman of faith. Can you stop it? What should I do?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Agramith can’t stop you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Jozetta told me—”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Jozetta?”</div> the priestess muttered. <div class="ennestinetext">“Did she play her melody so sweetly? For you, too?”</div> She wept bitterly. <div class="ennestinetext">“No, I’d not turn from the true sky again. Not even for her.”</div> Faith offered little respite for the knight. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer, he dared not meet it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien fled from the clearing, leaving the priestess to her fate. He wondered if the true sky was still blue in her dreams. Or had it clouded, even there? The burning smell lessened. He’d drawn away from the demon after all. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->3.3 Wax JEP]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there.* *Like Jozetta said.*</div> His heart swelled with purpose. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman lay on her back, silver curls spread out around her as she gazed up into the sky. Rose brambles wove in and out of her pale blue priestess robes. It was hardly possible to tell where the vines began and her body ended. <div class="lazarrientext">“Priestess?”</div> the knight asked, voice hoarse. She continued looking up at the sky. Perhaps she couldn’t move anymore. <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that you, Lazarrien? Sometimes I think I can see it... in my dreams. The true sky.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon behind me,”</div> Lazarrien said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a woman of faith. Can you stop it? What should I do?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Agramith can’t stop you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Jozetta told me—”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Jozetta?”</div> the priestess muttered. <div class="ennestinetext">“Did she play her melody so sweetly? For you, too?”</div> She wept bitterly. <div class="ennestinetext">“No, I’d not turn from the true sky again. Not even for her.”</div> Faith offered little respite for the knight. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer, he dared not meet it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien fled from the clearing, leaving the priestess to her fate. He wondered if the true sky was still blue in her dreams. Or had it clouded, even there? The burning smell lessened. He’d drawn away from the demon after all. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->4.3 Wax JED]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there.* *Like Jozetta said.*</div> His heart swelled with purpose. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man, dressed in faded finery, was engaged in a struggle against a rose bramble that had twisted a loop around his ankle. His hands were scratched and bleeding. A dusty crown sat askew atop his straw-colored hair. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father!”</div> the knight called out, his voice hoarse. The king turned his way, affixing him with an expression so venomous that even Lazarrien’s bones knew no demon could hope to match its cruelty. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the old man shrieked. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot of my flesh. Stain on my house. You dare to call me Father? You are nothing! I am your king!”</div> The threat of his fiendish pursuer paled in the face of his father. Lazarrien turned, looking for a break in the clearing to escape. <div class="dagforthtext">“I gave you no leave!”</div> the king shouted. <div class="dagforthtext">“Free me from this accursed vegetation, I command it!”</div> The knight’s blade weighed heavily at his side. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon on the way,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You oughtn’t threaten me.”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought this hell upon us,”</div> the king said. <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought Agramith into our midst. Damn you!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[His father continued. <div class="dagforthtext">“Even your name shall be destroyed—you stricken, from even memory. None will know of you except for how you’ve failed—for what you’ve ruined. Wretch! Traitor!”</div> The king spat, darkening a spot on the ground with something oily and black. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. Lazarrien dared not meet it. He fled the clearing, leaving the king to his fate. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Try as he might, he couldn’t forget his father’s cruel words, each taking root, bramble in his mind. Even so, the burning smell lessened as he left the demon and his father behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->5.3 Wax JDP]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there.* *Like Jozetta said.*</div> His heart swelled with purpose. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man, dressed in faded finery, was engaged in a struggle against a rose bramble that had twisted a loop around his ankle. His hands were scratched and bleeding. A dusty crown sat askew atop his straw-colored hair. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father!”</div> the knight called out, his voice hoarse. The king turned his way, affixing him with an expression so venomous that even Lazarrien’s bones knew no demon could hope to match its cruelty. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the old man shrieked. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot of my flesh. Stain on my house. You dare to call me Father? You are nothing! I am your king!”</div> The threat of his fiendish pursuer paled in the face of his father. Lazarrien turned, looking for a break in the clearing to escape. <div class="dagforthtext">“I gave you no leave!”</div> the king shouted. <div class="dagforthtext">“Free me from this accursed vegetation, I command it!”</div> The knight’s blade weighed heavily at his side. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon on the way,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You oughtn’t threaten me.”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought this hell upon us,”</div> the king said. <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought Agramith into our midst. Damn you!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[His father continued. <div class="dagforthtext">“Even your name shall be destroyed—you stricken, from even memory. None will know of you except for how you’ve failed—for what you’ve ruined. Wretch! Traitor!”</div> The king spat, darkening a spot on the ground with something oily and black. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. Lazarrien dared not meet it. He fled the clearing, leaving the king to his fate. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Try as he might, he couldn’t forget his father’s cruel words, each taking root, bramble in his mind. Even so, the burning smell lessened as he left the demon and his father behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->6.3 Wax JDE]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. Where the ‘bad man’ is… if Prenn is to be believed.*</div> Whoever it was that cursed this land, Lazarrien would put a stop to it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. Even if it wasn’t the ‘bad man’ he’d been told about. Perhaps especially so. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[At the center stood a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She seemed entirely focused on playing her flute, swaying to and fro in rhythm to music that only she could hear. In lieu of sound, a thin stream of smoke poured out from the tip of the instrument. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Hey!”</div> the knight said, voice hoarse. The stream of smoke severed abruptly as the woman stopped to appraise him. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien! Is it that time already? I lost track.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon approaching,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You should hide!”</div> She laughed, a rich, bright laugh that must have carried for miles. <div class="jozettatext">“And miss it? You and Agramith, dancing to bloody oblivion? Not for the world.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What about Prenn?”</div> he asked, hoping to strike a chord with this strange musician. <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re their mother, right?”</div> The woman laughed again, but this time, no smile reached her eyes. <div class="jozettatext">“Oh no. No no no. You really need to stop. I’m Jozetta. Jo-zet-ta. Yeah? You’re looking for Ennestine. Miserable lady in blue. Terrible layabout. Terrible lay. Couldn’t miss her.”</div> She resumed with her flute. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. Lazarrien dared not meet it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight left Jozetta to her mysterious ways. <div class="lazarrientext">*A woman in blue?*</div> The mysteries coiled upon themselves. But the burning smell, at least, lessened. Perhaps the demon had been drawn to her song, even if the knight couldn’t hear it. He continued onward. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->7.3 Wax PJE]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. Where the ‘bad man’ is… if Prenn is to be believed.*</div> Whoever it was that cursed this land, Lazarrien would put a stop to it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. Even if it wasn’t the ‘bad man’ he’d been told about. Perhaps especially so. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[At the center stood a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She seemed entirely focused on playing her flute, swaying to and fro in rhythm to music that only she could hear. In lieu of sound, a thin stream of smoke poured out from the tip of the instrument. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Hey!”</div> the knight said, voice hoarse. The stream of smoke severed abruptly as the woman stopped to appraise him. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien! Is it that time already? I lost track.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon approaching,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You should hide!”</div> She laughed, a rich, bright laugh that must have carried for miles. <div class="jozettatext">“And miss it? You and Agramith, dancing to bloody oblivion? Not for the world.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What about Prenn?”</div> he asked, hoping to strike a chord with this strange musician. <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re their mother, right?”</div> The woman laughed again, but this time, no smile reached her eyes. <div class="jozettatext">“Oh no. No no no. You really need to stop. I’m Jozetta. Jo-zet-ta. Yeah? You’re looking for Ennestine. Miserable lady in blue. Terrible layabout. Terrible lay. Couldn’t miss her.”</div> She resumed with her flute. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. Lazarrien dared not meet it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight left Jozetta to her mysterious ways. <div class="lazarrientext">*A woman in blue?*</div> The mysteries coiled upon themselves. But the burning smell, at least, lessened. Perhaps the demon had been drawn to her song, even if the knight couldn’t hear it. He continued onward. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->8.3 Wax PJD]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. Where the ‘bad man’ is… if Prenn is to be believed.*</div> Whoever it was that cursed this land, Lazarrien would put a stop to it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. Even if it wasn’t the ‘bad man’ he’d been told about. Perhaps especially so. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman lay on her back, silver curls spread out around her as she gazed up into the sky. Rose brambles wove in and out of her pale blue priestess robes. <div class="lazarrientext">“Priestess?”</div> the knight asked, voice hoarse. She continued looking up at the sky. <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that you, Lazarrien? Sometimes I think I can see it. The true sky.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon behind me,”</div> Lazarrien insisted. <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a woman of faith. Can you stop it? What should I do?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Agramith can’t stop you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Another thought occurred to him. <div class="lazarrientext">“I met a child—Prenn. Do you kn–”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Prenn?”</div> the priestess cried. <div class="ennestinetext">“My little Prenn? Where are they?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“The shrine,”</div> Lazarrien said. <div class="lazarrientext">“They told me to find you.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“I sought too long!”</div> She wept bitterly. <div class="ennestinetext">“I can’t move. Please—cut me free! I beg of you. If Prenn is still here… maybe we can seek the sky… together?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien drew his blade, hoping to hack away the brambles. But it was hardly possible to tell where the vines began and her body ended. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. <div class="lazarrientext">“There isn’t time,”</div> the knight said. He realized, dully, what he was about to do. <div class="ennestinetext">“Are you still there? Lazarrien?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[But Lazarrien fled from the clearing, bravely leaving the priestess to her fate. He hoped the poor child would never stumble upon their mother like this. Yet, his craven plan seemed to have worked. The burning smell lessened; he’d drawn away from the demon. Guilt rose in his gorge, but he tamped it down. He had a quest, after all. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->9.3 Wax PEJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. Where the ‘bad man’ is… if Prenn is to be believed.*</div> Whoever it was that cursed this land, Lazarrien would put a stop to it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. Even if it wasn’t the ‘bad man’ he’d been told about. Perhaps especially so. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman lay on her back, silver curls spread out around her as she gazed up into the sky. Rose brambles wove in and out of her pale blue priestess robes. <div class="lazarrientext">“Priestess?”</div> the knight asked, voice hoarse. She continued looking up at the sky. <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that you, Lazarrien? Sometimes I think I can see it. The true sky.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon behind me,”</div> Lazarrien insisted. <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a woman of faith. Can you stop it? What should I do?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Agramith can’t stop you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Another thought occurred to him. <div class="lazarrientext">“I met a child—Prenn. Do you kn–”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Prenn?”</div> the priestess cried. <div class="ennestinetext">“My little Prenn? Where are they?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“The shrine,”</div> Lazarrien said. <div class="lazarrientext">“They told me to find you.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“I sought too long!”</div> She wept bitterly. <div class="ennestinetext">“I can’t move. Please—cut me free! I beg of you. If Prenn is still here… maybe we can seek the sky… together?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien drew his blade, hoping to hack away the brambles. But it was hardly possible to tell where the vines began and her body ended. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. <div class="lazarrientext">“There isn’t time,”</div> the knight said. He realized, dully, what he was about to do. <div class="ennestinetext">“Are you still there? Lazarrien?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[But Lazarrien fled from the clearing, bravely leaving the priestess to her fate. He hoped the poor child would never stumble upon their mother like this. Yet, his craven plan seemed to have worked. The burning smell lessened; he’d drawn away from the demon. Guilt rose in his gorge, but he tamped it down. He had a quest, after all. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->10.3 Wax PED]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. Where the ‘bad man’ is… if Prenn is to be believed.*</div> Whoever it was that cursed this land, Lazarrien would put a stop to it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. Even if it wasn’t the ‘bad man’ he’d been told about. Perhaps especially so. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man, dressed in faded finery, was engaged in a struggle against a rose bramble that had twisted a loop around his ankle. His hands were scratched and bleeding. A dusty crown sat askew atop his straw-colored hair. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father!”</div> the knight called out, his voice hoarse. The king turned his way, affixing him with an expression so venomous that even Lazarrien’s bones knew no demon could hope to match its cruelty. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the old man shrieked. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot of my flesh. Stain on my house. You dare to call me Father? You are nothing! I am your king!”</div> Lazarrien was taken aback by his ferocity. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king took that as invitation to continue his diatribe. <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought this hell upon us,”</div> the king said. <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought Agramith into our midst. Damn you!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Looking him over again, Lazarrien had a mote of insight, eyes drawn not the the crown, but the locks beneath. <div class="lazarrientext">“Do you… know of a child named Prenn? May *they* call you father?”</div> The king’s eyes seemed to bulge in fury. And… something else. Fear? <div class="dagforthtext">“I know not of what you speak, you vile brute!”</div> The king spat, darkening a spot on the ground with something oily and black. <div class="lazarrientext">“You accuse me of staining your name, but... does Mother know about Prenn?”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Leave me!”</div> the king shouted. <div class="dagforthtext">“I command you. I cannot bear it!”</div> For the first and only time, Lazarrien wished to hear more from his father. Alas, the sickening howl of hellfire had drawn upon them. Lazarrien dared not meet it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He fled the clearing, leaving the king to his fate. <div class="lazarrientext">*It’s what he wanted, after all. Who am I to defy a command from my king?*</div> The burning smell lessened as he left the demon and his father behind. There were more important things to attend to. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->11.3 Wax PDJ]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. Where the ‘bad man’ is… if Prenn is to be believed.*</div> Whoever it was that cursed this land, Lazarrien would put a stop to it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! So it wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. Even if it wasn’t the ‘bad man’ he’d been told about. Perhaps especially so. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man, dressed in faded finery, was engaged in a struggle against a rose bramble that had twisted a loop around his ankle. His hands were scratched and bleeding. A dusty crown sat askew atop his straw-colored hair. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father!”</div> the knight called out, his voice hoarse. The king turned his way, affixing him with an expression so venomous that even Lazarrien’s bones knew no demon could hope to match its cruelty. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the old man shrieked. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot of my flesh. Stain on my house. You dare to call me Father? You are nothing! I am your king!”</div> Lazarrien was taken aback by his ferocity. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The king took that as invitation to continue his diatribe. <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought this hell upon us,”</div> the king said. <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought Agramith into our midst. Damn you!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Looking him over again, Lazarrien had a mote of insight, eyes drawn not the the crown, but the locks beneath. <div class="lazarrientext">“Do you… know of a child named Prenn? May *they* call you father?”</div> The king’s eyes seemed to bulge in fury. And… something else. Fear? <div class="dagforthtext">“I know not of what you speak, you vile brute!”</div> The king spat, darkening a spot on the ground with something oily and black. <div class="lazarrientext">“You accuse me of staining your name, but... does Mother know about Prenn?”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Leave me!”</div> the king shouted. <div class="dagforthtext">“I command you. I cannot bear it!”</div> For the first and only time, Lazarrien wished to hear more from his father. Alas, the sickening howl of hellfire had drawn upon them. Lazarrien dared not meet it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He fled the clearing, leaving the king to his fate. <div class="lazarrientext">*It’s what he wanted, after all. Who am I to defy a command from my king?*</div> The burning smell lessened as he left the demon and his father behind. There were more important things to attend to. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->12.3 Wax PDE]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the true sky? But, how am I to ever reach it from all the way down here?*</div> He had asked for guidance, and received it. But he wished she had guided him to do something easier. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It really wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[At the center stood a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She seemed entirely focused on playing her flute, swaying to and fro in rhythm to music that only she could hear. In lieu of sound, a thin stream of smoke poured out from the tip of the instrument. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Hey!”</div> the knight said, voice hoarse. The stream of smoke severed abruptly as the woman stopped to appraise him. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien! Is it that time already? I lost track.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon approaching,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You should hide!”</div> She laughed, a rich, bright laugh that must have carried for miles. <div class="jozettatext">“And miss it? You and Agramith, dancing to bloody oblivion? Not for the world.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The woman resumed with her flute, sinuous black haze curling once more from its tip. <div class="lazarrientext">“Sin blackens the wind itself,”</div> Lazarrien said, recalling Ennestine. Once again, the woman stopped her silent performance. <div class="jozettatext">“Is that so?”</div> She laughed, but no smile reached her eyes this time. <div class="jozettatext">“Sounds like what a sinner might say… were they to blame another for their transgressions.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight’s sword weighed heavily at his side. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is that the purpose of your music? To drown the heavens in smoke?”</div> he asked. <div class="jozettatext">“You don’t like the sky when it’s clear,”</div> she said. <div class="lazarrientext">“I doubt that. Perhaps you ought to stop.”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“Perhaps *you* ought to *run*.”</div> The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. Lazarrien cursed, knowing she was right. If he had time, later, he would return and put an end to her smokesong for good. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[For now, the knight left Jozetta to her tune, and hoped the sky wouldn’t darken even further. But the burning smell, at least, lessened. Perhaps the demon had been drawn to her song, even if the knight couldn’t hear it. He continued onward. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the true sky. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->13.3 Wax EJP]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the true sky? But, how am I to ever reach it from all the way down here?*</div> He had asked for guidance, and received it. But he wished she had guided him to do something easier. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It really wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[At the center stood a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She seemed entirely focused on playing her flute, swaying to and fro in rhythm to music that only she could hear. In lieu of sound, a thin stream of smoke poured out from the tip of the instrument. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Hey!”</div> the knight said, voice hoarse. The stream of smoke severed abruptly as the woman stopped to appraise him. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien! Is it that time already? I lost track.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon approaching,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You should hide!”</div> She laughed, a rich, bright laugh that must have carried for miles. <div class="jozettatext">“And miss it? You and Agramith, dancing to bloody oblivion? Not for the world.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The woman resumed with her flute, sinuous black haze curling once more from its tip. <div class="lazarrientext">“Sin blackens the wind itself,”</div> Lazarrien said, recalling Ennestine. Once again, the woman stopped her silent performance. <div class="jozettatext">“Is that so?”</div> She laughed, but no smile reached her eyes this time. <div class="jozettatext">“Sounds like what a sinner might say… were they to blame another for their transgressions.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight’s sword weighed heavily at his side. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is that the purpose of your music? To drown the heavens in smoke?”</div> he asked. <div class="jozettatext">“You don’t like the sky when it’s clear,”</div> she said. <div class="lazarrientext">“I doubt that. Perhaps you ought to stop.”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“Perhaps *you* ought to *run*.”</div> The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. Lazarrien cursed, knowing she was right. If he had time, later, he would return and put an end to her smokesong for good. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[For now, the knight left Jozetta to her tune, and hoped the sky wouldn’t darken even further. But the burning smell, at least, lessened. Perhaps the demon had been drawn to her song, even if the knight couldn’t hear it. He continued onward. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the true sky. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->14.3 Wax EJD]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the true sky? But, how am I to ever reach it from all the way down here?*</div> He had asked for guidance, and received it. But he wished she had guided him to do something easier. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It really wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A small child stood there. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="lazarrientext">“You! Child!”</div> the knight said, voice hoarse. <div class="lazarrientext">“What are you doing out here? It’s not safe.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="prenntext">“Shh!”</div> they said, motioning for him to quiet down. <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> they whispered. <div class="prenntext">“I’m hiding from Mother.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon,”</div> Lazarrien whispered back. <div class="lazarrientext">“It’ll find you. You need to run away from here.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Agramith?”</div> Prenn asked. <div class="prenntext">“He’s not looking for me. Mother is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“You know of this demon?”</div> the knight asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you know?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“That he’s not looking for me. He’s looking for you,”</div> the child said. <div class="prenntext">“Please, don’t tell Mother that I’m here.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What does she look like?”</div> Lazarrien asked. But he realized he had no time for this nonsense; the sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. <div class="prenntext">“She’s always wearing blue robes,”</div> Prenn said. <div class="prenntext">“I think it’s the only blue thing left. So don’t tell her where I am.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re Ennestine’s,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“But—”</div> The child motioned for him to be silent, bringing a small finger to their lips. Then they pointed toward a narrow gap in the bramble, as if to say, <div class="prenntext">“Go that way.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[And so the knight leapt in the direction the child had indicated, leaving them to their fate. Sure enough, the burning smell lessened. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the true sky. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->15.3 Wax EPJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the true sky? But, how am I to ever reach it from all the way down here?*</div> He had asked for guidance, and received it. But he wished she had guided him to do something easier. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It really wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A small child stood there. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="lazarrientext">“You! Child!”</div> the knight said, voice hoarse. <div class="lazarrientext">“What are you doing out here? It’s not safe.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="prenntext">“Shh!”</div> they said, motioning for him to quiet down. <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> they whispered. <div class="prenntext">“I’m hiding from Mother.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon,”</div> Lazarrien whispered back. <div class="lazarrientext">“It’ll find you. You need to run away from here.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Agramith?”</div> Prenn asked. <div class="prenntext">“He’s not looking for me. Mother is.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“You know of this demon?”</div> the knight asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you know?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“That he’s not looking for me. He’s looking for you,”</div> the child said. <div class="prenntext">“Please, don’t tell Mother that I’m here.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What does she look like?”</div> Lazarrien asked. But he realized he had no time for this nonsense; the sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. <div class="prenntext">“She’s always wearing blue robes,”</div> Prenn said. <div class="prenntext">“I think it’s the only blue thing left. So don’t tell her where I am.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re Ennestine’s,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“But—”</div> The child motioned for him to be silent, bringing a small finger to their lips. Then they pointed toward a narrow gap in the bramble, as if to say, <div class="prenntext">“Go that way.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[And so the knight leapt in the direction the child had indicated, leaving them to their fate. Sure enough, the burning smell lessened. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the true sky. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->16.3 Wax EPD]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the true sky? But, how am I to ever reach it from all the way down here?*</div> He had asked for guidance, and received it. But he wished she had guided him to do something easier. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It really wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man, dressed in faded finery, was engaged in a struggle against a rose bramble that had twisted a loop around his ankle. His hands were scratched and bleeding. A dusty crown sat askew atop his straw-colored hair. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father!”</div> the knight called out, voice hoarse. The king turned his way, affixing him with an expression so venomous that even Lazarrien’s bones knew no demon could hope to match its cruelty. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the old man shrieked. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot of my flesh. Stain on my house. You dare to call me Father? You are nothing! I am your king!”</div> His words stung, sure, but it was strange to see the man who had once threatened him far more than his fiendish pursuer ever could reduced to… this. An old man stuck in some vines. No more. No less. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien turned, searching for a gap in the thicket. <div class="dagforthtext">“I gave you no leave!”</div> the king shouted. <div class="dagforthtext">“Free me from this accursed vegetation, I command it!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I have sought and received divine guidance,”</div> the knight said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You weren’t mentioned.”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Divine? *Divine*? You know nothing of the divine! You brought this hell upon us,”</div> the king shouted. <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought Agramith into our midst. Damn you!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[His father continued. <div class="dagforthtext">“Your name shall be destroyed—stricken even from memory! None will know of you except for how you’ve failed—for what you’ve ruined. Wretch! Traitor!”</div> The king spat, darkening a spot on the ground with something oily and black. <div class="lazarrientext">“So be it.”</div> The knight had other matters to attend to. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien left the clearing, leaving the king to his fate. That old king had nothing to offer him, anyway. As he ran through the brambles, pulling further and further from the clearing, the burning smell lessened. He’d slipped away from the demon and his father alike. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the true sky. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->17.3 Wax EDJ]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the true sky? But, how am I to ever reach it from all the way down here?*</div> He had asked for guidance, and received it. But he wished she had guided him to do something easier. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It really wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man, dressed in faded finery, was engaged in a struggle against a rose bramble that had twisted a loop around his ankle. His hands were scratched and bleeding. A dusty crown sat askew atop his straw-colored hair. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father!”</div> the knight called out, voice hoarse. The king turned his way, affixing him with an expression so venomous that even Lazarrien’s bones knew no demon could hope to match its cruelty. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the old man shrieked. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot of my flesh. Stain on my house. You dare to call me Father? You are nothing! I am your king!”</div> His words stung, sure, but it was strange to see the man who had once threatened him far more than his fiendish pursuer ever could reduced to… this. An old man stuck in some vines. No more. No less. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien turned, searching for a gap in the thicket. <div class="dagforthtext">“I gave you no leave!”</div> the king shouted. <div class="dagforthtext">“Free me from this accursed vegetation, I command it!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I have sought and received divine guidance,”</div> the knight said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You weren’t mentioned.”</div> <div class="dagforthtext">“Divine? *Divine*? You know nothing of the divine! You brought this hell upon us,”</div> the king shouted. <div class="dagforthtext">“You brought Agramith into our midst. Damn you!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[His father continued. <div class="dagforthtext">“Your name shall be destroyed—stricken even from memory! None will know of you except for how you’ve failed—for what you’ve ruined. Wretch! Traitor!”</div> The king spat, darkening a spot on the ground with something oily and black. <div class="lazarrientext">“So be it.”</div> The knight had other matters to attend to. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien left the clearing, leaving the king to his fate. That old king had nothing to offer him, anyway. As he ran through the brambles, pulling further and further from the clearing, the burning smell lessened. He’d slipped away from the demon and his father alike. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the true sky. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->18.3 Wax EDP]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. My father’s castle. The source of the curse.*</div> He’d taken King Dagforth’s sword. Perhaps he could take his castle, too? Or… destroy it? <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the answer?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. And it wasn’t just his father’s cruel words in pursuit. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[At the center stood a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She seemed entirely focused on playing her flute, swaying to and fro in rhythm to music that only she could hear. In lieu of sound, a thin stream of smoke poured out from the tip of the instrument. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Hey!”</div> the knight said, his voice hoarse. The stream of smoke severed abruptly as the woman stopped to appraise him. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien! Is it that time already? I lost track.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon approaching,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You should hide!”</div> She laughed, a rich, bright laugh that must have carried for miles. <div class="jozettatext">“And miss it? You and Agramith, dancing to bloody oblivion? Not for the world.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I don’t follow,”</div> Lazarrien said. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is that part of… the curse? A dance?”</div> The woman laughed again, but this time, no smile reached her eyes. <div class="jozettatext">“You could say that. Try not to dance forever, okay? Or at least… try some different dances. I would hate for this all to grow as stale as the air around here. Speaking of which…”</div> She resumed with her flute, smoke coiling forth as she played in silence. Lazarrien hesitated. He wished to understand what she meant; it was the closest he had come to meeting someone helpful so far. Alas, the sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. He dared not meet it. And so, the knight left the strange musician to her mysterious ways. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*What does she mean by ‘dance’?*</div> In his courtly days, such that they were, the only steps he’d learned were fighting stances. Even then, he could hardly count himself among the masters, were he honest with himself. As he traveled, the burning smell, at least, lessened. Perhaps the demon had been drawn to her song, even if the knight couldn’t hear it. He continued onward. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->19.3 Wax DJP]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. My father’s castle. The source of the curse.*</div> He’d taken King Dagforth’s sword. Perhaps he could take his castle, too? Or… destroy it? <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the answer?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. And it wasn’t just his father’s cruel words in pursuit. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[At the center stood a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She seemed entirely focused on playing her flute, swaying to and fro in rhythm to music that only she could hear. In lieu of sound, a thin stream of smoke poured out from the tip of the instrument. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Hey!”</div> the knight said, his voice hoarse. The stream of smoke severed abruptly as the woman stopped to appraise him. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien! Is it that time already? I lost track.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon approaching,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You should hide!”</div> She laughed, a rich, bright laugh that must have carried for miles. <div class="jozettatext">“And miss it? You and Agramith, dancing to bloody oblivion? Not for the world.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I don’t follow,”</div> Lazarrien said. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is that part of… the curse? A dance?”</div> The woman laughed again, but this time, no smile reached her eyes. <div class="jozettatext">“You could say that. Try not to dance forever, okay? Or at least… try some different dances. I would hate for this all to grow as stale as the air around here. Speaking of which…”</div> She resumed with her flute, smoke coiling forth as she played in silence. Lazarrien hesitated. He wished to understand what she meant; it was the closest he had come to meeting someone helpful so far. Alas, the sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. He dared not meet it. And so, the knight left the strange musician to her mysterious ways. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*What does she mean by ‘dance’?*</div> In his courtly days, such that they were, the only steps he’d learned were fighting stances. Even then, he could hardly count himself among the masters, were he honest with himself. As he traveled, the burning smell, at least, lessened. Perhaps the demon had been drawn to her song, even if the knight couldn’t hear it. He continued onward. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->20.3 Wax DJE]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. My father’s castle. The source of the curse.*</div> He’d taken King Dagforth’s sword. Perhaps he could take his castle, too? Or… destroy it? <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the answer?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. And it wasn’t just his father’s cruel words in pursuit. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A small child stood there. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="lazarrientext">“You! Child!”</div> the knight said, voice hoarse. <div class="lazarrientext">“What are you doing out here? It’s not safe.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> they said. <div class="prenntext">“I’m looking for Mother. I don’t think she’s here.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon!”</div> Lazarrien snapped. <div class="lazarrientext">“It’ll find you. You need to run away from here.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Agramith?”</div> Prenn asked. <div class="prenntext">“He’s not looking for me. He’s looking for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“You know of this demon?”</div> the knight asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you know?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“That he’s not looking for me. He’s looking for you,”</div> the child repeated. <div class="prenntext">“And I’m looking for Mother. At this point… I’d even be willing to find Father.”</div> There was a long pause. <div class="prenntext">“You have his sword.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You are mistaken,”</div> Lazarrien said. <div class="lazarrientext">“I bear King Dagforth’s blade.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Where is he?”</div> Prenn asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“You oughtn’t approach the king,”</div> the knight advised. <div class="lazarrientext">“Best to leave the shrine to crumble, I think.”</div> Prenn stared at Lazarrien with soft, sad eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He felt something clench in his heart, but tamped it down. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. <div class="lazarrientext">“I must be on my way,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You should do the same.”</div> The child nodded, glum, as Lazarrien turned to fight his way through more of the bramble. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[His guilt abated, somewhat, as the burning smell lessened. It was far less cruel to leave the child to their fate, than risk them encountering that wretched king. Lazarrien would put a stop to this, one way or another. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->21.3 Wax DPJ]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. My father’s castle. The source of the curse.*</div> He’d taken King Dagforth’s sword. Perhaps he could take his castle, too? Or… destroy it? <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the answer?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. And it wasn’t just his father’s cruel words in pursuit. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A small child stood there. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. <div class="lazarrientext">“You! Child!”</div> the knight said, voice hoarse. <div class="lazarrientext">“What are you doing out here? It’s not safe.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> they said. <div class="prenntext">“I’m looking for Mother. I don’t think she’s here.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon!”</div> Lazarrien snapped. <div class="lazarrientext">“It’ll find you. You need to run away from here.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Agramith?”</div> Prenn asked. <div class="prenntext">“He’s not looking for me. He’s looking for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“You know of this demon?”</div> the knight asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you know?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“That he’s not looking for me. He’s looking for you,”</div> the child repeated. <div class="prenntext">“And I’m looking for Mother. At this point… I’d even be willing to find Father.”</div> There was a long pause. <div class="prenntext">“You have his sword.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You are mistaken,”</div> Lazarrien said. <div class="lazarrientext">“I bear King Dagforth’s blade.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Where is he?”</div> Prenn asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“You oughtn’t approach the king,”</div> the knight advised. <div class="lazarrientext">“Best to leave the shrine to crumble, I think.”</div> Prenn stared at Lazarrien with soft, sad eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He felt something clench in his heart, but tamped it down. The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. <div class="lazarrientext">“I must be on my way,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“You should do the same.”</div> The child nodded, glum, as Lazarrien turned to fight his way through more of the bramble. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[His guilt abated, somewhat, as the burning smell lessened. It was far less cruel to leave the child to their fate, than risk them encountering that wretched king. Lazarrien would put a stop to this, one way or another. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->22.3 Wax DPE]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. My father’s castle. The source of the curse.*</div> He’d taken King Dagforth’s sword. Perhaps he could take his castle, too? Or… destroy it? <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the answer?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. And it wasn’t just his father’s cruel words in pursuit. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman lay on her back, silver curls spread out around her as she gazed up into the sky. Rose brambles wove in and out of her pale blue priestess robes. It was hardly possible to tell where the vines began and her body ended. <div class="lazarrientext">“Priestess?”</div> the knight asked, voice hoarse. She continued looking up at the sky. Perhaps she couldn’t move anymore. <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that you, Lazarrien? Sometimes I think I can see it. The true sky.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon behind me,”</div> Lazarrien insisted. <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a woman of faith. Can you stop it? What should I do?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Agramith can’t stop you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Can you tell me what to do at the castle?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“I took King Dagforth’s blade from the shrine.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Dagforth?”</div> the priestess muttered. <div class="ennestinetext">“No, it is not *his* blade. He knows nothing of what we need.”</div> She continued staring upward. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight remembered what he had seen at the shrine. <div class="lazarrientext">“He, too, was watching the sky.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that so?”</div> She sighed. <div class="ennestinetext">“But he could not hope to bring this to an end. It was never for him.”</div> The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. Lazarrien dared not meet it, even to spare the woman in blue her suffering. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He fled from the clearing. If the priestess said more, he did not hear it. <div class="lazarrientext">*It was never for him? Then perhaps it truly is my curse. Was Father right? Did I cause this?*</div> The burning smell lessened. He’d drawn away from the demon after all. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->23.3 Wax DEJ]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#848f7a)+(text-size: 3)[II.]</div> <div class="bramblepassage">Ash had drifted into mounds across the labyrinthine alleys of the desecrated city. The grim knight trudged through it. Smoke hung over the land, smothering each and every scrap of civilized rubble. It wasn’t long before Lazarrien forgot the taste of anything but soot. Even so, every so often, he caught a glimpse of something sparkling in the otherwise featureless sky. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*It must be the castle up there. My father’s castle. The source of the curse.*</div> He’d taken King Dagforth’s sword. Perhaps he could take his castle, too? Or… destroy it? <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that the answer?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Close to the edge of the capital, he realized he was being followed. And it wasn’t just his father’s cruel words in pursuit. A shadow lingered behind him, a dark figure against the gray expanse. He caught a glimpse of fire flickering, as though its hair was ablaze. Ram-like horns that curled back behind its head. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon! It wasn’t just a statue…*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien quickened his pace, his resolve streaked with fear. It couldn’t be good to meet a devil in a cursed land. The city gave way to a field of bramble, scorched rose vines that wove a thicket higher than three men. Thorns scraped against his armor and flesh alike as he rushed past. Crisp gray blossoms crumbled to ash in his wake. Flames crackled at pace behind him, the smoky fragrance of torched rose rising. The knight stumbled into a small clearing. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman lay on her back, silver curls spread out around her as she gazed up into the sky. Rose brambles wove in and out of her pale blue priestess robes. It was hardly possible to tell where the vines began and her body ended. <div class="lazarrientext">“Priestess?”</div> the knight asked, voice hoarse. She continued looking up at the sky. Perhaps she couldn’t move anymore. <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that you, Lazarrien? Sometimes I think I can see it. The true sky.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“There’s a demon behind me,”</div> Lazarrien insisted. <div class="lazarrientext">“You’re a woman of faith. Can you stop it? What should I do?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Seek the true sky,”</div> she said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Agramith can’t stop you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith. I’ve heard it before. When?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Can you tell me what to do at the castle?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“I took King Dagforth’s blade from the shrine.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Dagforth?”</div> the priestess muttered. <div class="ennestinetext">“No, it is not *his* blade. He knows nothing of what we need.”</div> She continued staring upward. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight remembered what he had seen at the shrine. <div class="lazarrientext">“He, too, was watching the sky.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that so?”</div> She sighed. <div class="ennestinetext">“But he could not hope to bring this to an end. It was never for him.”</div> The sickening howl of hellfire had drawn nearer. Lazarrien dared not meet it, even to spare the woman in blue her suffering. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He fled from the clearing. If the priestess said more, he did not hear it. <div class="lazarrientext">*It was never for him? Then perhaps it truly is my curse. Was Father right? Did I cause this?*</div> The burning smell lessened. He’d drawn away from the demon after all. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*I must reach the castle. I must break the curse. I must not stop.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->24.3 Wax DEP]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. His path seemed clear, when a terrible squelching sound reverberated through the tallowed valley. Lazarrien turned in time to see a fountain of liquid grease erupt from the hillside, taking humanoid form. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon?*</div> Alas, it was something far worse. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man bearing a tarnished crown hobbled toward him at an alarming rate, shedding half-formed candles as straw-colored wax poured from the back of his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> Lazarrien asked, transfixed by the nightmarish sight. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the waxen king roared, face cruel and sharp. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot! Shame of my flesh! You shall smother, as you ought’ve long ago!”</div> The spell broke—if his sword could cleave his father in this state, the knight dared not find out. He grasped the candle, running back to the lift. He felt the heaving heat of the monstrous king as it screamed showers of hot oil with each obscenity. Though he slid and zagged on the greasy slick, Lazarrien reached the lift first. He jammed the dark candle into its pedestal, willing it to save him despite his lack of decorum. <div class="dagforthtext">“LAZARRIEN!”</div> the king screeched, voice thick with fluid, splattering patches of wax in every direction. <div class="lazarrientext">“Please,”</div> Lazarrien begged the candlestick, gripping it with trembling hands. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lift me! I swear I will break the curse if you just—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Orange fire burst into being, lighting the tip of the wick. With a triumphant creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. <div class="dagforthtext">“No!”</div> the king shouted, grasping for the bottom of the cage. <div class="dagforthtext">“I shall have my revenge, I shall feast on your sin and destroy it!”</div> Lazarrien stomped on his father’s fingers. <div class="lazarrientext">“If you hunger for sin, feast upon yourself!”</div> Greased as they were, the king’s hands couldn’t hope to grip the chain. He slid down, down, and further, screaming as he went, and then went silent. Lazarrien’s heart raced, even as the waxen foothills melted away, merging indistinguishably into the rest of the ground. Only then did he find a mote of peace. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[All that existed now were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. The steady progress of the melting candle marked meaningless time. As he rose, the air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain. His heart skittered as he whipped his head to find the threat, preparing to fight once again. Below, a familiar shadow burned, climbing steadily beneath the cage. To his astonishment, Lazarrien felt relief. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*At least it’s not Father.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->2.4 Cave JPD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched, fruitlessly. For each half-melted stub a wickless wonder; and countless more that looked firm, only to melt at his touch, staining his gauntlets with tallow that seeped through the gaps to grease his fingers. <div class="prenntext">“Lazarrien?”</div> came a small voice from behind him. The knight turned. Before him stood a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. Wax crusted their clothes. In their hand, they held what Lazarrien sought. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is that for me?”</div> the knight asked. They frowned. <div class="prenntext">“There’s no one else out here.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I suppose not. Who are you? How did you find that?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child said. They bit their lip. <div class="prenntext">“But I don’t want to say.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*What a suspicious answer.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Shall we return to the lift?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No. That’s not for me. I have to go back for Mother.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Suit yourself.”</div> Lazarrien accepted the gift of the candle. But, the child was still staring at him. It was unnerving. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is it?”</div> the knight asked. He looked into the child’s eyes, but didn’t find any answers. Prenn sighed, and turned away. <div class="prenntext">“There’s gonna be a big storm.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll keep that in mind, little Prenn.”</div> Lazarrien was quickly realizing he had no idea how to talk to children. <div class="lazarrientext">*‘Little Prenn’?*</div> He cleared his throat, awkwardly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Good luck out there.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Thank you, Lazarrien.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight returned to the lift, stepping into the cage. He placed Prenn’s offering. It fit perfectly. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the progress of the melting candle marked the passage of time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->3.4 Cave JEP]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. His path seemed clear, when a terrible squelching sound reverberated through the tallowed valley. Lazarrien turned in time to see a fountain of liquid grease erupt from the hillside, taking humanoid form. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon?*</div> Alas, it was something far worse. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man bearing a tarnished crown hobbled toward him at an alarming rate, shedding half-formed candles as straw-colored wax poured from the back of his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> Lazarrien asked, transfixed by the nightmarish sight. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the waxen king roared, face cruel and sharp. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot! Shame of my flesh! You shall smother, as you ought’ve long ago!”</div> The spell broke—if his sword could cleave his father in this state, the knight dared not find out. He grasped the candle, running back to the lift. He felt the heaving heat of the monstrous king as it screamed showers of hot oil with each obscenity. Though he slid and zagged on the greasy slick, Lazarrien reached the lift first. He jammed the dark candle into its pedestal, willing it to save him despite his lack of decorum. <div class="dagforthtext">“LAZARRIEN!”</div> the king screeched, voice thick with fluid, splattering patches of wax in every direction. <div class="lazarrientext">“Please,”</div> Lazarrien begged the candlestick, gripping it with trembling hands. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lift me! I swear I will break the curse if you just—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Orange fire burst into being, lighting the tip of the wick. With a triumphant creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. <div class="dagforthtext">“No!”</div> the king shouted, grasping for the bottom of the cage. <div class="dagforthtext">“I shall have my revenge, I shall feast on your sin and destroy it!”</div> Lazarrien stomped on his father’s fingers. <div class="lazarrientext">“If you hunger for sin, feast upon yourself!”</div> Greased as they were, the king’s hands couldn’t hope to grip the chain. He slid down, down, and further, screaming as he went, and then went silent. Lazarrien’s heart raced, even as the waxen foothills melted away, merging indistinguishably into the rest of the ground. Only then did he find a mote of peace. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[All that existed now were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. The steady progress of the melting candle marked meaningless time. As he rose, the air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain. His heart skittered as he whipped his head to find the threat, preparing to fight once again. Below, a familiar shadow burned, climbing steadily beneath the cage. To his astonishment, Lazarrien felt relief. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*At least it’s not Father.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->4.4 Cave JED]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched, fruitlessly. For each half-melted stub a wickless wonder; and countless more that looked firm, only to melt at his touch, staining his gauntlets with tallow that seeped through the gaps to grease his fingers. <div class="prenntext">“Lazarrien?”</div> came a small voice from behind him. The knight turned. Before him stood a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. Wax crusted their clothes. In their hand, they held what Lazarrien sought. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is that for me?”</div> the knight asked. They frowned. <div class="prenntext">“There’s no one else out here.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I suppose not. Who are you? How did you find that?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child said. They bit their lip. <div class="prenntext">“But I don’t want to say.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*What a suspicious answer.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Shall we return to the lift?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No. Mother left me behind again. So I don’t want to see her.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Suit yourself.”</div> Lazarrien accepted the gift of the candle. But, the child was still staring at him. It was unnerving. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is it?”</div> the knight asked. He looked into the child’s eyes, but didn’t find any answers. Prenn sighed, and turned away. <div class="prenntext">“There’s gonna be a big storm.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll keep that in mind, little Prenn.”</div> Lazarrien was quickly realizing he had no idea how to talk to children. <div class="lazarrientext">*‘Little Prenn’?*</div> He cleared his throat, awkwardly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Good luck out there.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Thank you, Lazarrien.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight returned to the lift, stepping into the cage. He placed Prenn’s offering. It fit perfectly. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the progress of the melting candle marked the passage of time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->5.4 Cave JDP]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. Before he could make sense of the device, he heard a voice nearby. <div class="ennestinetext">“Who’s there?”</div> Lazarrien turned. Through the bars, he saw something close to the ground, so he stepped back out. A woman, or more precisely, the torso of a woman, was sticking out of the greasy slick. Her blue robes and silver curls were coated with the tallowy substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*This must be who Jozetta spoke of.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I am Lazarrien,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">“Are you Prenn’s mother? Ennestine?”</div> Sadness creased the woman’s face. She tried to turn away, as best as she could given her predicament. <div class="lazarrientext">“Prenn was looking for you at the shrine.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Of course,”</div> she said, voice solemn. <div class="ennestinetext">“I never told them I was leaving. My poor, dear, child. I only sought the true sky. To see the blue firmament stretching above me, as of old.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is that why you’re here?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“Would this lift take me there? I wish to end the curse.”</div> He doubted his own resolve. <div class="lazarrientext">“No—I *must* end the curse.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Promise me,”</div> Ennestine said, sweat running down the sides of her face, beading on the grease. <div class="ennestinetext">“Please—should you find Prenn again, don’t tell them what became of me. Don’t tell them how weak I was, how pathetic. Let them remember me as the high priestess I should have been.”</div> She was tearing up now. <div class="ennestinetext">“You have to. You have to promise me.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“I promise,”</div> the knight said. In truth, he would have promised anything to learn the way forward. This hardly felt like a sacrifice. To him, it meant little. <div class="lazarrientext">“Prenn will never know of this.”</div> Relief spread across her face. She sank further, until only her head remained exposed. <div class="ennestinetext">“Then do as I say—you must place an offering. A single, unbroken candle. I never could find one. But you shall, I know it.”</div> For the first time, the knight risked a closer look at what he’d been standing on. It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The sunken priestess gave a bitter, choked laugh. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’d pray for you to find yours, but I can’t feel my hands anymore.”</div> Lazarrien lifted his foot, suddenly realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many candles had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. Triumphant, he returned to the lift, hoping to show Ennestine that her prayers had worked. But where her torso had once emerged from the wax, only a few strands of hair remained exposed. The soft wax had closed over her head. <div class="lazarrientext">*Prenn will never find her. They must find something else to seek.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien stepped into the cage. An ornate candlestick of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting his offering. He placed it gently. It fit perfectly, as he knew instinctively that it would. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->7.4 Cave PJE]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. His path seemed clear, when a terrible squelching sound reverberated through the tallowed valley. Lazarrien turned in time to see a fountain of liquid grease erupt from the hillside, taking humanoid form. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon?*</div> Alas, it was something far worse. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man bearing a tarnished crown hobbled toward him at an alarming rate, shedding half-formed candles as straw-colored wax poured from the back of his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> Lazarrien asked, transfixed by the nightmarish sight. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the waxen king roared, face cruel and sharp. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot! Shame of my flesh! You shall smother, as you ought’ve long ago!”</div> The spell broke—if his sword could cleave his father in this state, the knight dared not find out. He grasped the candle, running back to the lift. He felt the heaving heat of the monstrous king as it screamed showers of hot oil with each obscenity. Though he slid and zagged on the greasy slick, Lazarrien reached the lift first. He jammed the dark candle into its pedestal, willing it to save him despite his lack of decorum. <div class="dagforthtext">“LAZARRIEN!”</div> the king screeched, voice thick with fluid, splattering patches of wax in every direction. <div class="lazarrientext">“Please,”</div> Lazarrien begged the candlestick, gripping it with trembling hands. <div class="lazarrientext">[“Lift me! I swear I will break the curse if you just—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Orange fire burst into being, lighting the tip of the wick. With a triumphant creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. <div class="dagforthtext">“No!”</div> the king shouted, grasping for the bottom of the cage. <div class="dagforthtext">“I shall have my revenge, I shall feast on your sin and destroy it!”</div> Lazarrien stomped on his father’s fingers. <div class="lazarrientext">“If you hunger for sin, feast upon yourself!”</div> Greased as they were, the king’s hands couldn’t hope to grip the chain. He slid down, down, and further, screaming as he went, and then went silent. Lazarrien’s heart raced, even as the waxen foothills melted away, merging indistinguishably into the rest of the ground. Only then did he find a mote of peace. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[All that existed now were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. The steady progress of the melting candle marked meaningless time. As he rose, the air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain. His heart skittered as he whipped his head to find the threat, preparing to fight once again. Below, a familiar shadow burned, climbing steadily beneath the cage. To his astonishment, Lazarrien felt relief. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*At least it’s not Father.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->8.4 Cave PJD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A strain of music, wafting through the smoke, drew Lazarrien’s attention. A strident, urgent melody called for him. <div class="lazarrientext">*What is that?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Letting the song guide him, he next saw a long black chain that reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. That’s where the sound was coming from. The knight approached the device, suddenly cautious. There was someone moving inside. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Through the bars, Lazarrien could see a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She was playing a flute, swaying back and forth within the cage to the rhythm of her frenetic tune. <div class="lazarrientext">“Hello there!”</div> the knight called, wary of getting too close. The music cut off abruptly. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien!”</div> the woman said, voice crackling with delight. <div class="jozettatext">“I was afraid you wouldn’t find me. Get me out of this thing!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’m not sure we’ve met,”</div> he replied stiffly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Who are you?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="jozettatext">“We’ve met. But sure, let’s prattle. It is always such a time, when we speak at length.”</div> She gave a brittle laugh. <div class="jozettatext">“I’m Jozetta. Resident musician… of this cage, at least until you free me. You’ll let me out, right?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How’d you get stuck in the first place?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="jozettatext">“That vile, wretched, ill-tempered, odious king locked me in here,”</div> she said, then waited for him to catch up. <div class="jozettatext">“Your father.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Oh.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, a mass of despair settling in his gut. <div class="lazarrientext">“He’s not… *around*… is he?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Jozetta cocked her head, as though weighing what exactly to divulge. <div class="jozettatext">“He was screeching about betrayal, revenge, his particular… loathing… for this state of affairs that he’s convinced you brought about.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Oh,”</div> Lazarrien said once more. <div class="jozettatext">“Honestly, I played the flute just to drown it out. He didn’t like that. And here I am.”</div> The knight was sure there was more to the tale than that, but he found he didn’t care. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Without hesitation, he assisted the odd musician, detangling her from the cage. Jozetta stretched, cracking her shoulders and patting off some of the ash that had fouled her bright clothing. <div class="jozettatext">“That was dreadful. So dull! So dreary! Never again.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What even is this thing?”</div> Lazarrien asked, examining it more closely now that Jozetta had been released. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor. At the top, there was a slim black candle with a crisp white wick. <div class="jozettatext">“Why, it’s the lift, of course. What else would it be?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“And it’ll take me…”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“Where you need to go. Probably!”</div> She laughed, more richly this time. <div class="jozettatext">“But who really knows. Ready?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before the knight could answer, Jozetta snapped her fingers. The candlewick lit, a small orange flame bursting into existence. Lazarrien stumbled as the cage lurched, beginning its ascent. <div class="lazarrientext">“Wait a minute!”</div> he cried, but Jozetta was growing smaller by the second as he rose skyward. She waved furiously to him, with a malevolent grin on her face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, all distinguishing detail on the ground had smoothed to nothing. He was stuck in the lift, until it arrived wherever it was headed. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. A sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering his moment of peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->9.4 Cave PEJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. His path seemed clear, when a terrible squelching sound reverberated through the tallowed valley. Lazarrien turned in time to see a fountain of liquid grease erupt from the hillside, taking humanoid form. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon?*</div> Alas, it was something far worse. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man bearing a tarnished crown hobbled toward him at an alarming rate, shedding half-formed candles as straw-colored wax poured from the back of his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> Lazarrien asked, transfixed by the nightmarish sight. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the waxen king roared, face cruel and sharp. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot! Shame of my flesh! You shall smother, as you ought’ve long ago!”</div> The spell broke—if his sword could cleave his father in this state, the knight dared not find out. He grasped the candle, running back to the lift. He felt the heaving heat of the monstrous king as it screamed showers of hot oil with each obscenity. Though he slid and zagged on the greasy slick, Lazarrien reached the lift first. He jammed the dark candle into its pedestal, willing it to save him despite his lack of decorum. <div class="dagforthtext">“LAZARRIEN!”</div> the king screeched, voice thick with fluid, splattering patches of wax in every direction. <div class="lazarrientext">“Please,”</div> Lazarrien begged the candlestick, gripping it with trembling hands. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lift me! I swear I will break the curse if you just—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Orange fire burst into being, lighting the tip of the wick. With a triumphant creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. <div class="dagforthtext">“No!”</div> the king shouted, grasping for the bottom of the cage. <div class="dagforthtext">“I shall have my revenge, I shall feast on your sin and destroy it!”</div> Lazarrien stomped on his father’s fingers. <div class="lazarrientext">“If you hunger for sin, feast upon yourself!”</div> Greased as they were, the king’s hands couldn’t hope to grip the chain. He slid down, down, and further, screaming as he went, and then went silent. Lazarrien’s heart raced, even as the waxen foothills melted away, merging indistinguishably into the rest of the ground. Only then did he find a mote of peace. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[All that existed now were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. The steady progress of the melting candle marked meaningless time. As he rose, the air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain. His heart skittered as he whipped his head to find the threat, preparing to fight once again. Below, a familiar shadow burned, climbing steadily beneath the cage. To his astonishment, Lazarrien felt relief. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*At least it’s not Father.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->10.4 Cave PED]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A strain of music, wafting through the smoke, drew Lazarrien’s attention. A strident, urgent melody called for him. <div class="lazarrientext">*What is that?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Letting the song guide him, he next saw a long black chain that reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. That’s where the sound was coming from. The knight approached the device, suddenly cautious. There was someone moving inside. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Through the bars, Lazarrien could see a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She was playing a flute, swaying back and forth within the cage to the rhythm of her frenetic tune. <div class="lazarrientext">“Hello there!”</div> the knight called, wary of getting too close. The music cut off abruptly. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien!”</div> the woman said, voice crackling with delight. <div class="jozettatext">“I was afraid you wouldn’t find me. Get me out of this thing!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’m not sure we’ve met,”</div> he replied stiffly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Who are you?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="jozettatext">“We’ve met. But sure, let’s prattle. It is always such a time, when we speak at length.”</div> She gave a brittle laugh. <div class="jozettatext">“I’m Jozetta. Resident musician… of this cage, at least until you free me. You’ll let me out, right?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How’d you get stuck in the first place?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="jozettatext">“That absolute *witch*, Ennestine!”</div> Jozetta spat, with particular venom. <div class="jozettatext">“The high priestess! What kind of woman of faith leads a poor, sweet artist to a nasty little trap like this?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What, are you some kind of… demon?”</div> The more she spoke, the more suspicious the knight became. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The musician cackled. <div class="jozettatext">“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I don’t know what you mean.”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“You will!”</div> Jozetta said, cheerfully. <div class="jozettatext">“Look, I might seem a little shifty. I get it. Not everyone has the strength of character to stay positive in a place like this. But picture this—a woman in dusty blue robes, droning on and on about ‘true sky’ this and ‘true sky’ that. Aren’t you exhausted even listening to it secondhand? I played my flute just to drown her out. She didn’t like that. And here I am. Honest!”</div> The knight was sure there was more to the tale than that, but he found he didn’t care. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Without hesitation, he assisted the odd musician, detangling her from the cage. Jozetta stretched, cracking her shoulders and patting off some of the ash that had fouled her bright clothing. <div class="jozettatext">“That was dreadful. So dull! So dreary! Never again.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What even is this thing?”</div> Lazarrien asked, examining it more closely now that Jozetta had been released. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor. At the top, there was a slim black candle with a crisp white wick. <div class="jozettatext">“Why, it’s the lift, of course. What else would it be?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“And it’ll take me…”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“Where you need to go. Probably!”</div> She laughed, more richly this time. <div class="jozettatext">“But who really knows. Ready?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before the knight could answer, Jozetta snapped her fingers. The candlewick lit, a small orange flame bursting into existence. Lazarrien stumbled as the cage lurched, beginning its ascent. <div class="lazarrientext">“Wait a minute!”</div> he cried, but Jozetta was growing smaller by the second as he rose skyward. She waved furiously to him, with a malevolent grin on her face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, all distinguishing detail on the ground had smoothed to nothing. He was stuck in the lift, until it arrived wherever it was headed. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. A sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering his moment of peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->11.4 Cave PDJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. Before he could make sense of the device, he heard a voice nearby. <div class="ennestinetext">“Who’s there?”</div> Lazarrien turned. Through the bars, he saw something close to the ground, so he stepped back out. A woman, or more precisely, the torso of a woman, was sticking out of the greasy slick. Her blue robes and silver curls were coated with the tallowy substance. <div class="lazarrientext">“I am Lazarrien,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">*I’ve been called worse.*</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Of course, Lazarrien…”</div> the woman said. <div class="ennestinetext">“You seek the true sky, yes?”</div> He wasn’t sure what she meant. But indeed, he wished to ascend. <div class="lazarrientext">“I want up this mountain. I woke up at the shrine to this… curse. A child told me there was a ‘bad man’ I might slay to end it.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“A child?”</div> She sounded wistful. <div class="ennestinetext">“My dear Prenn?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Wait,”</div> the knight said. <div class="lazarrientext">“It was *you*? You and the king?”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Aye,”</div> the woman admitted, pride in her voice. <div class="ennestinetext">“I was once a high priestess. Some thought me a witch; King Dagforth never did. He wouldn’t be seen with us, but he doted upon Prenn.”</div> A foul heat sizzled across Lazarrien’s heart. <div class="lazarrientext">“Why Prenn? What is so special about *them*? Oughtn’t he have offered me the same succor?”</div> The sunken woman appraised him for a few moments. <div class="ennestinetext">“I pity you, small one,”</div> she said, finally. His envy roiled, threatening to bubble over further. He tried to excise thoughts of his father, and remember instead how the child had asked for his help. <div class="lazarrientext">“So the child—Prenn—is my kin? Truly?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“Aye,”</div> she said again. <div class="ennestinetext">“Truly.”</div> She sank further, until only her head remained exposed. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’m afraid I haven’t much longer. Listen well, Knight. Prince. Lazarrien. However you style yourself. You must place an offering. A single, unbroken candle. Only then shall the lift ascend.”</div> For the first time, the knight risked a closer look at what he’d been standing on. It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, suddenly realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many candles had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. He returned to the lift. The high priestess had sunken completely into the soft wax. Lazarrien knelt for a moment, touching the place where he thought she had been. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’m sorry, Prenn,”</div> Lazarrien said. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’m sorry, Priestess. My hatred oughtn’t fall upon you.”</div> Yet, the hour for apology had passed. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien stepped into the cage. An ornate candlestick of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting his offering. He placed it gently. It fit perfectly, as he knew instinctively that it would. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->12.4 Cave PDE]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way to the heavens?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched, fruitlessly. For each half-melted stub a wickless wonder; and countless more that looked firm, only to melt at his touch, staining his gauntlets with tallow that seeped through the gaps to grease his fingers. <div class="prenntext">“Lazarrien?”</div> came a small voice from behind him. The knight turned. Before him stood a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. Wax crusted their clothes. In their hand, they held what Lazarrien sought. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is that for me?”</div> the knight asked. They frowned. <div class="prenntext">“There’s no one else out here.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I suppose not. Who are you? How did you find that?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child said. They bit their lip. <div class="prenntext">“But I don’t want to say.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*What a suspicious answer.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Shall we return to the lift?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No. That’s not for me. I have to go back for Mother.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Suit yourself.”</div> Lazarrien accepted the gift of the candle. But, the child was still staring at him. It was unnerving. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is it?”</div> the knight asked. He looked into the child’s eyes, but didn’t find any answers. Prenn sighed, and turned away. <div class="prenntext">“There’s gonna be a big storm.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll keep that in mind, little Prenn.”</div> Lazarrien was quickly realizing he had no idea how to talk to children. <div class="lazarrientext">*‘Little Prenn’?*</div> He cleared his throat, awkwardly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Good luck out there.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Thank you, Lazarrien.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight returned to the lift, stepping into the cage. He placed Prenn’s offering. It fit perfectly. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the progress of the melting candle marked the passage of time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->13.4 Cave EJP]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way to the heavens?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. His path seemed clear, when a terrible squelching sound reverberated through the tallowed valley. Lazarrien turned in time to see a fountain of liquid grease erupt from the hillside, taking humanoid form. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon?*</div> Alas, it was something far worse. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man bearing a tarnished crown hobbled toward him at an alarming rate, shedding half-formed candles as straw-colored wax poured from the back of his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> Lazarrien asked, transfixed by the nightmarish sight. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the waxen king roared, face cruel and sharp. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot! Shame of my flesh! You shall smother, as you ought’ve long ago!”</div> The spell broke—if his sword could cleave his father in this state, the knight dared not find out. He grasped the candle, running back to the lift. He felt the heaving heat of the monstrous king as it screamed showers of hot oil with each obscenity. Though he slid and zagged on the greasy slick, Lazarrien reached the lift first. He jammed the dark candle into its pedestal, willing it to save him despite his lack of decorum. <div class="dagforthtext">“LAZARRIEN!”</div> the king screeched, voice thick with fluid, splattering patches of wax in every direction. <div class="lazarrientext">“Please,”</div> Lazarrien begged the candlestick, gripping it with trembling hands. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lift me! I swear I will break the curse if you just—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Orange fire burst into being, lighting the tip of the wick. With a triumphant creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. <div class="dagforthtext">“No!”</div> the king shouted, grasping for the bottom of the cage. <div class="dagforthtext">“I shall have my revenge, I shall feast on your sin and destroy it!”</div> Lazarrien stomped on his father’s fingers. <div class="lazarrientext">“If you hunger for sin, feast upon yourself!”</div> Greased as they were, the king’s hands couldn’t hope to grip the chain. He slid down, down, and further, screaming as he went, and then went silent. Lazarrien’s heart raced, even as the waxen foothills melted away, merging indistinguishably into the rest of the ground. Only then did he find a mote of peace. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[All that existed now were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. The steady progress of the melting candle marked meaningless time. As he rose, the air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain. His heart skittered as he whipped his head to find the threat, preparing to fight once again. Below, a familiar shadow burned, climbing steadily beneath the cage. To his astonishment, Lazarrien felt relief. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*At least it’s not Father.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->14.4 Cave EJD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A strain of music, wafting through the smoke, drew Lazarrien’s attention. A strident, urgent melody called for him. <div class="lazarrientext">*What is that?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Letting the song guide him, he next saw a long black chain that reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. That’s where the sound was coming from. The knight approached the device, suddenly cautious. There was someone moving inside. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Through the bars, Lazarrien could see a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She was playing a flute, swaying back and forth within the cage to the rhythm of her frenetic tune. <div class="lazarrientext">“Hello there!”</div> the knight called, wary of getting too close. The music cut off abruptly. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien!”</div> the woman said, voice crackling with delight. <div class="jozettatext">“I was afraid you wouldn’t find me. Get me out of this thing!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’m not sure we’ve met,”</div> he replied stiffly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Who are you?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="jozettatext">“We’ve met. But sure, let’s prattle. It is always such a time, when we speak at length.”</div> She gave a brittle laugh. <div class="jozettatext">“I’m Jozetta. Resident musician… of this cage, at least until you free me. You’ll let me out, right?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How’d you get stuck in the first place?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="jozettatext">“That vile, wretched, ill-tempered, odious king locked me in here,”</div> she said, then waited for him to catch up. <div class="jozettatext">“Your father.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Oh.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, a mass of despair settling in his gut. <div class="lazarrientext">“He’s not… *around*… is he?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Jozetta cocked her head, as though weighing what exactly to divulge. <div class="jozettatext">“He was screeching about betrayal, revenge, his particular… loathing… for this state of affairs that he’s convinced you brought about.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Oh,”</div> Lazarrien said once more. <div class="jozettatext">“Honestly, I played the flute just to drown it out. He didn’t like that. And here I am.”</div> The knight was sure there was more to the tale than that, but he found he didn’t care. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Without hesitation, he assisted the odd musician, detangling her from the cage. Jozetta stretched, cracking her shoulders and patting off some of the ash that had fouled her bright clothing. <div class="jozettatext">“That was dreadful. So dull! So dreary! Never again.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What even is this thing?”</div> Lazarrien asked, examining it more closely now that Jozetta had been released. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor. At the top, there was a slim black candle with a crisp white wick. <div class="jozettatext">“Why, it’s the lift, of course. What else would it be?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“And it’ll take me…”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“Where you need to go. Probably!”</div> She laughed, more richly this time. <div class="jozettatext">“But who really knows. Ready?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before the knight could answer, Jozetta snapped her fingers. The candlewick lit, a small orange flame bursting into existence. Lazarrien stumbled as the cage lurched, beginning its ascent. <div class="lazarrientext">“Wait a minute!”</div> he cried, but Jozetta was growing smaller by the second as he rose skyward. She waved furiously to him, with a malevolent grin on her face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, all distinguishing detail on the ground had smoothed to nothing. He was stuck in the lift, until it arrived wherever it was headed. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. A sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering his moment of peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->15.4 Cave EPJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way to the heavens?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. His path seemed clear, when a terrible squelching sound reverberated through the tallowed valley. Lazarrien turned in time to see a fountain of liquid grease erupt from the hillside, taking humanoid form. <div class="lazarrientext">*The demon?*</div> Alas, it was something far worse. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[An older man bearing a tarnished crown hobbled toward him at an alarming rate, shedding half-formed candles as straw-colored wax poured from the back of his head. <div class="lazarrientext">“Father?”</div> Lazarrien asked, transfixed by the nightmarish sight. <div class="dagforthtext">“Filth!”</div> the waxen king roared, face cruel and sharp. <div class="dagforthtext">“Rot! Shame of my flesh! You shall smother, as you ought’ve long ago!”</div> The spell broke—if his sword could cleave his father in this state, the knight dared not find out. He grasped the candle, running back to the lift. He felt the heaving heat of the monstrous king as it screamed showers of hot oil with each obscenity. Though he slid and zagged on the greasy slick, Lazarrien reached the lift first. He jammed the dark candle into its pedestal, willing it to save him despite his lack of decorum. <div class="dagforthtext">“LAZARRIEN!”</div> the king screeched, voice thick with fluid, splattering patches of wax in every direction. <div class="lazarrientext">“Please,”</div> Lazarrien begged the candlestick, gripping it with trembling hands. <div class="lazarrientext">“Lift me! I swear I will break the curse if you just—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Orange fire burst into being, lighting the tip of the wick. With a triumphant creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. <div class="dagforthtext">“No!”</div> the king shouted, grasping for the bottom of the cage. <div class="dagforthtext">“I shall have my revenge, I shall feast on your sin and destroy it!”</div> Lazarrien stomped on his father’s fingers. <div class="lazarrientext">“If you hunger for sin, feast upon yourself!”</div> Greased as they were, the king’s hands couldn’t hope to grip the chain. He slid down, down, and further, screaming as he went, and then went silent. Lazarrien’s heart raced, even as the waxen foothills melted away, merging indistinguishably into the rest of the ground. Only then did he find a mote of peace. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[All that existed now were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. The steady progress of the melting candle marked meaningless time. As he rose, the air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain. His heart skittered as he whipped his head to find the threat, preparing to fight once again. Below, a familiar shadow burned, climbing steadily beneath the cage. To his astonishment, Lazarrien felt relief. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*At least it’s not Father.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->16.4 Cave EPD]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A strain of music, wafting through the smoke, drew Lazarrien’s attention. A strident, urgent melody called for him. <div class="lazarrientext">*What is that?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Letting the song guide him, he next saw a long black chain that reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. That’s where the sound was coming from. The knight approached the device, suddenly cautious. There was someone moving inside. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Through the bars, Lazarrien could see a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She was playing a flute, swaying back and forth within the cage to the rhythm of her frenetic tune. <div class="lazarrientext">“Hello there!”</div> the knight called, wary of getting too close. The music cut off abruptly. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien!”</div> the woman said, voice crackling with delight. <div class="jozettatext">“I was afraid you wouldn’t find me. Get me out of this thing!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’m not sure we’ve met,”</div> he replied stiffly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Who are you?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="jozettatext">“We’ve met. But sure, let’s prattle. It is always such a time, when we speak at length.”</div> She gave a brittle laugh. <div class="jozettatext">“I’m Jozetta. Resident musician… of this cage, at least until you free me. You’ll let me out, right?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How’d you get stuck in the first place?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="jozettatext">“That whiny brat! Always with the sad eyes, asking where their parents are. As if that’s somehow *my* responsibility.”</div> Jozetta shuddered. <div class="jozettatext">“You’d think I killed them or something. I want nothing to do with either of them!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You got trapped in this cage by a *child*?”</div> The knight was incredulous. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="jozettatext">“Oh, very funny. So, so amusing,”</div> Jozetta said, her voice suddenly menacing. <div class="jozettatext">“Laugh at the poor woman who got tricked by—yes, a child. It’s embarrassing enough without you, of all people, poking fun.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I meant no offense,”</div> Lazarrien said, sensing the conversation had taken a dangerous turn. <div class="jozettatext">“Look, that child was wandering around all sad, and I thought I’d cheer them up with a jaunty tune. It also doubled to drown out their moaning. They didn’t like that. And here I am. Honest!”</div> The knight was sure there was more to the tale than that, but he found he didn’t care. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Without hesitation, he assisted the odd musician, detangling her from the cage. Jozetta stretched, cracking her shoulders and patting off some of the ash that had fouled her bright clothing. <div class="jozettatext">“That was dreadful. So dull! So dreary! Never again.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What even is this thing?”</div> Lazarrien asked, examining it more closely now that Jozetta had been released. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor. At the top, there was a slim black candle with a crisp white wick. <div class="jozettatext">“Why, it’s the lift, of course. What else would it be?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“And it’ll take me…”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“Where you need to go. Probably!”</div> She laughed, more richly this time. <div class="jozettatext">“But who really knows. Ready?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before the knight could answer, Jozetta snapped her fingers. The candlewick lit, a small orange flame bursting into existence. Lazarrien stumbled as the cage lurched, beginning its ascent. <div class="lazarrientext">“Wait a minute!”</div> he cried, but Jozetta was growing smaller by the second as he rose skyward. She waved furiously to him, with a malevolent grin on her face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, all distinguishing detail on the ground had smoothed to nothing. He was stuck in the lift, until it arrived wherever it was headed. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. A sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering his moment of peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->17.4 Cave EDJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way to the heavens?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched, fruitlessly. For each half-melted stub a wickless wonder; and countless more that looked firm, only to melt at his touch, staining his gauntlets with tallow that seeped through the gaps to grease his fingers. <div class="prenntext">“Lazarrien?”</div> came a small voice from behind him. The knight turned. Before him stood a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. Wax crusted their clothes. In their hand, they held what Lazarrien sought. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is that for me?”</div> the knight asked. They frowned. <div class="prenntext">“There’s no one else out here.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I suppose not. Who are you? How did you find that?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child said. They bit their lip. <div class="prenntext">“But I don’t want to say.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*What a suspicious answer.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Shall we return to the lift?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No. That’s not for me. I have to go back for Mother.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Suit yourself.”</div> Lazarrien accepted the gift of the candle. But, the child was still staring at him. It was unnerving. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is it?”</div> the knight asked. He looked into the child’s eyes, but didn’t find any answers. Prenn sighed, and turned away. <div class="prenntext">“There’s gonna be a big storm.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll keep that in mind, little Prenn.”</div> Lazarrien was quickly realizing he had no idea how to talk to children. <div class="lazarrientext">*‘Little Prenn’?*</div> He cleared his throat, awkwardly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Good luck out there.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Thank you, Lazarrien.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight returned to the lift, stepping into the cage. He placed Prenn’s offering. It fit perfectly. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the progress of the melting candle marked the passage of time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->18.4 Cave EDP]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched, fruitlessly. For each half-melted stub a wickless wonder; and countless more that looked firm, only to melt at his touch, staining his gauntlets with tallow that seeped through the gaps to grease his fingers. <div class="prenntext">“Lazarrien?”</div> came a small voice from behind him. The knight turned. Before him stood a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. Wax crusted their clothes. In their hand, they held what Lazarrien sought. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is that for me?”</div> the knight asked. They frowned. <div class="prenntext">“There’s no one else out here.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I suppose not. Who are you? How did you find that?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child said. They bit their lip. <div class="prenntext">“But I don’t want to say.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*What a suspicious answer.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Shall we return to the lift?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No. Mother left me behind again. So I don’t want to see her.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Suit yourself.”</div> Lazarrien accepted the gift of the candle. But, the child was still staring at him. It was unnerving. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is it?”</div> the knight asked. He looked into the child’s eyes, but didn’t find any answers. Prenn sighed, and turned away. <div class="prenntext">“There’s gonna be a big storm.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll keep that in mind, little Prenn.”</div> Lazarrien was quickly realizing he had no idea how to talk to children. <div class="lazarrientext">*‘Little Prenn’?*</div> He cleared his throat, awkwardly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Good luck out there.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Thank you, Lazarrien.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight returned to the lift, stepping into the cage. He placed Prenn’s offering. It fit perfectly. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the progress of the melting candle marked the passage of time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->19.4 Cave DJP]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. Before he could make sense of the device, he heard a voice nearby. <div class="ennestinetext">“Who’s there?”</div> Lazarrien turned. Through the bars, he saw something close to the ground, so he stepped back out. A woman, or more precisely, the torso of a woman, was sticking out of the greasy slick. Her blue robes and silver curls were coated with the tallowy substance. <div class="lazarrientext">“I am… Lazarrien,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">*That’s what I’ve been told.*</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Of course,”</div> the woman replied. <div class="ennestinetext">“You seek the true sky, yes?”</div> He wasn’t sure what she meant. But indeed, he wished to ascend. <div class="lazarrientext">“I want up this mountain; I wish to end the curse upon this land.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that so?”</div> She sounded dubious. <div class="ennestinetext">“I once thought so, too. I was a priestess. High Priestess Ennestine, they called me. Not so high anymore, these days.”</div> Sweat ran down the sides of her face, beading on the grease. <div class="ennestinetext">“I only ever sought the true sky. Alas, I never found the key to the lift.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What key?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="ennestinetext">“An offering—a single, unbroken candle. I never could find one.”</div> For the first time, the knight risked a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“They’re all broken,”</div> Ennestine said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Well... perhaps not all. There are so many. That’s what I thought—that I’d find one. I spent so long looking at the ground, I must have forgotten the true sky. That’s where I went wrong.”</div> She gave a bitter, choked laugh. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’d pray for you to find yours, but I can’t feel my hands.”</div> Lazarrien lifted his foot, suddenly realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many candles had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. Triumphant, he returned to the lift, hoping to show Ennestine that her prayers had worked. But where her torso had once emerged from the wax, only a few strands of hair remained exposed. He hadn’t realized she was still sinking. It was too late now; the soft wax had closed over her head. If she’d called to him for help, he hadn’t heard it. <div class="lazarrientext">*And if I had heard it? Would I have answered?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien stepped into the cage. An ornate candlestick of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting his offering. He placed it gently. It fit perfectly, as he knew instinctively that it would. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->20.4 Cave DJE]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A strain of music, wafting through the smoke, drew Lazarrien’s attention. A strident, urgent melody called for him. <div class="lazarrientext">*What is that?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Letting the song guide him, he next saw a long black chain that reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. That’s where the sound was coming from. The knight approached the device, suddenly cautious. There was someone moving inside. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Through the bars, Lazarrien could see a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She was playing a flute, swaying back and forth within the cage to the rhythm of her frenetic tune. <div class="lazarrientext">“Hello there!”</div> the knight called, wary of getting too close. The music cut off abruptly. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien!”</div> the woman said, voice crackling with delight. <div class="jozettatext">“I was afraid you wouldn’t find me. Get me out of this thing!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’m not sure we’ve met,”</div> he replied stiffly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Who are you?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="jozettatext">“We’ve met. But sure, let’s prattle. It is always such a time, when we speak at length.”</div> She gave a brittle laugh. <div class="jozettatext">“I’m Jozetta. Resident musician… of this cage, at least until you free me. You’ll let me out, right?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How’d you get stuck in the first place?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="jozettatext">“That absolute *witch*, Ennestine!”</div> Jozetta spat, with particular venom. <div class="jozettatext">“The high priestess! What kind of woman of faith leads a poor, sweet artist to a nasty little trap like this?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What, are you some kind of… demon?”</div> The more she spoke, the more suspicious the knight became. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The musician cackled. <div class="jozettatext">“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I don’t know what you mean.”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“You will!”</div> Jozetta said, cheerfully. <div class="jozettatext">“Look, I might seem a little shifty. I get it. Not everyone has the strength of character to stay positive in a place like this. But picture this—a woman in dusty blue robes, droning on and on about ‘true sky’ this and ‘true sky’ that. Aren’t you exhausted even listening to it secondhand? I played my flute just to drown her out. She didn’t like that. And here I am. Honest!”</div> The knight was sure there was more to the tale than that, but he found he didn’t care. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Without hesitation, he assisted the odd musician, detangling her from the cage. Jozetta stretched, cracking her shoulders and patting off some of the ash that had fouled her bright clothing. <div class="jozettatext">“That was dreadful. So dull! So dreary! Never again.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What even is this thing?”</div> Lazarrien asked, examining it more closely now that Jozetta had been released. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor. At the top, there was a slim black candle with a crisp white wick. <div class="jozettatext">“Why, it’s the lift, of course. What else would it be?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“And it’ll take me…”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“Where you need to go. Probably!”</div> She laughed, more richly this time. <div class="jozettatext">“But who really knows. Ready?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before the knight could answer, Jozetta snapped her fingers. The candlewick lit, a small orange flame bursting into existence. Lazarrien stumbled as the cage lurched, beginning its ascent. <div class="lazarrientext">“Wait a minute!”</div> he cried, but Jozetta was growing smaller by the second as he rose skyward. She waved furiously to him, with a malevolent grin on her face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, all distinguishing detail on the ground had smoothed to nothing. He was stuck in the lift, until it arrived wherever it was headed. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. A sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering his moment of peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->21.4 Cave DPJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. Before he could make sense of the device, he heard a voice nearby. <div class="ennestinetext">“Who’s there?”</div> Lazarrien turned. Through the bars, he saw something close to the ground, so he stepped back out. A woman, or more precisely, the torso of a woman, was sticking out of the greasy slick. Her blue robes and silver curls were coated with the tallowy substance. <div class="lazarrientext">“I am… Lazarrien,”</div> he said. <div class="lazarrientext">*That’s what I’ve been told.*</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Of course,”</div> the woman replied. <div class="ennestinetext">“You seek the true sky, yes?”</div> He wasn’t sure what she meant. But indeed, he wished to ascend. <div class="lazarrientext">“I want up this mountain; I wish to end the curse upon this land.”</div> <div class="ennestinetext">“Is that so?”</div> She sounded dubious. <div class="ennestinetext">“I once thought so, too. I was a priestess. High Priestess Ennestine, they called me. Not so high anymore, these days.”</div> Sweat ran down the sides of her face, beading on the grease. <div class="ennestinetext">“I only ever sought the true sky. Alas, I never found the key to the lift.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“What key?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="ennestinetext">“An offering—a single, unbroken candle. I never could find one.”</div> For the first time, the knight risked a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="ennestinetext">“They’re all broken,”</div> Ennestine said. <div class="ennestinetext">“Well... perhaps not all. There are so many. That’s what I thought—that I’d find one. I spent so long looking at the ground, I must have forgotten the true sky. That’s where I went wrong.”</div> She gave a bitter, choked laugh. <div class="ennestinetext">“I’d pray for you to find yours, but I can’t feel my hands.”</div> Lazarrien lifted his foot, suddenly realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many candles had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched—how many half-melted stubs and wickless wonders he sorted through—until he saw it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight trembled as he reached for it, fearing it might melt. But it was cool to the touch. Solid. He held it aloft, appreciating its form. Triumphant, he returned to the lift, hoping to show Ennestine that her prayers had worked. But where her torso had once emerged from the wax, only a few strands of hair remained exposed. He hadn’t realized she was still sinking. It was too late now; the soft wax had closed over her head. If she’d called to him for help, he hadn’t heard it. <div class="lazarrientext">*And if I had heard it? Would I have answered?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien stepped into the cage. An ornate candlestick of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting his offering. He placed it gently. It fit perfectly, as he knew instinctively that it would. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->22.4 Cave DPE]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A strain of music, wafting through the smoke, drew Lazarrien’s attention. A strident, urgent melody called for him. <div class="lazarrientext">*What is that?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Letting the song guide him, he next saw a long black chain that reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. That’s where the sound was coming from. The knight approached the device, suddenly cautious. There was someone moving inside. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Through the bars, Lazarrien could see a short woman dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the bleakness of its sky. She was playing a flute, swaying back and forth within the cage to the rhythm of her frenetic tune. <div class="lazarrientext">“Hello there!”</div> the knight called, wary of getting too close. The music cut off abruptly. <div class="jozettatext">“Lazarrien!”</div> the woman said, voice crackling with delight. <div class="jozettatext">“I was afraid you wouldn’t find me. Get me out of this thing!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’m not sure we’ve met,”</div> he replied stiffly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Who are you?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="jozettatext">“We’ve met. But sure, let’s prattle. It is always such a time, when we speak at length.”</div> She gave a brittle laugh. <div class="jozettatext">“I’m Jozetta. Resident musician… of this cage, at least until you free me. You’ll let me out, right?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How’d you get stuck in the first place?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="jozettatext">“That whiny brat! Always with the sad eyes, asking where their parents are. As if that’s somehow *my* responsibility.”</div> Jozetta shuddered. <div class="jozettatext">“You’d think I killed them or something. I want nothing to do with either of them!”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“You got trapped in this cage by a *child*?”</div> The knight was incredulous. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="jozettatext">“Oh, very funny. So, so amusing,”</div> Jozetta said, her voice suddenly menacing. <div class="jozettatext">“Laugh at the poor woman who got tricked by—yes, a child. It’s embarrassing enough without you, of all people, poking fun.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I meant no offense,”</div> Lazarrien said, sensing the conversation had taken a dangerous turn. <div class="jozettatext">“Look, that child was wandering around all sad, and I thought I’d cheer them up with a jaunty tune. It also doubled to drown out their moaning. They didn’t like that. And here I am. Honest!”</div> The knight was sure there was more to the tale than that, but he found he didn’t care. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Without hesitation, he assisted the odd musician, detangling her from the cage. Jozetta stretched, cracking her shoulders and patting off some of the ash that had fouled her bright clothing. <div class="jozettatext">“That was dreadful. So dull! So dreary! Never again.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What even is this thing?”</div> Lazarrien asked, examining it more closely now that Jozetta had been released. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor. At the top, there was a slim black candle with a crisp white wick. <div class="jozettatext">“Why, it’s the lift, of course. What else would it be?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“And it’ll take me…”</div> <div class="jozettatext">“Where you need to go. Probably!”</div> She laughed, more richly this time. <div class="jozettatext">“But who really knows. Ready?”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before the knight could answer, Jozetta snapped her fingers. The candlewick lit, a small orange flame bursting into existence. Lazarrien stumbled as the cage lurched, beginning its ascent. <div class="lazarrientext">“Wait a minute!”</div> he cried, but Jozetta was growing smaller by the second as he rose skyward. She waved furiously to him, with a malevolent grin on her face. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, all distinguishing detail on the ground had smoothed to nothing. He was stuck in the lift, until it arrived wherever it was headed. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, rising through a featureless smoky void. Only the steady progress of the melting candle marked time. A sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering his moment of peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->23.4 Cave DEJ]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#959548)+(text-size: 3)[III.]</div> <div class="waxpassage">Lazarrien noticed the bramble thinning when he stepped upon something strangely soft and slick. He continued forward, his pace slowed by the way his feet sank into the mass of this alien substance. Sickly heat reached up through his boots. Gray vines had given way to broad, rolling hills of an unnerving fleshy color, bare of plants or even rocks. A smooth expanse with a yellow cast, like fat sloughed off of a roast. The knight was disgusted… but curious. He fought the urge to take a closer look at what he treaded upon. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Cresting the next hill, he could see that the brambles had guided him on a hook-shaped path toward the base of a mountain. The inescapable haze grew thick, obscuring the peak. A long black chain reached through the haze down toward the foothills. Link after link of blackened metal, stretching from the mountainside far, far above. At its end, a strange contraption that resembled an iron cage. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is that a lift? My way up to the castle?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He stepped into the cage for a closer look. An ornate pedestal of twisted metal stuck out of the floor, awaiting some kind of offering. A closer look revealed the key—the burnt out stub of a black candle. Wax had dribbled down the candlestick onto the floor of the cage. The knight ducked back out onto the greasy expanse, chancing a closer look at what he’d been standing on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[It was not the patchwork of living flesh that he feared, but wax. A thousand thousand candles, melted together into a single mass. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien lifted his foot, realizing his folly in treading so recklessly across the hillside. How many potential offerings had he crushed while fixated on the path ahead? He could not say how long he searched, fruitlessly. For each half-melted stub a wickless wonder; and countless more that looked firm, only to melt at his touch, staining his gauntlets with tallow that seeped through the gaps to grease his fingers. <div class="prenntext">“Lazarrien?”</div> came a small voice from behind him. The knight turned. Before him stood a child. They looked up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. Wax crusted their clothes. In their hand, they held what Lazarrien sought. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A single slim black candle. Whole and perfect. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Is that for me?”</div> the knight asked. They frowned. <div class="prenntext">“There’s no one else out here.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I suppose not. Who are you? How did you find that?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="prenntext">“I’m Prenn,”</div> the child said. They bit their lip. <div class="prenntext">“But I don’t want to say.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*What a suspicious answer.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“Shall we return to the lift?”</div> <div class="prenntext">“No. That’s not for me. I have to go back for Mother.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Suit yourself.”</div> Lazarrien accepted the gift of the candle. But, the child was still staring at him. It was unnerving. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is it?”</div> the knight asked. He looked into the child’s eyes, but didn’t find any answers. Prenn sighed, and turned away. <div class="prenntext">“There’s gonna be a big storm.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ll keep that in mind, little Prenn.”</div> Lazarrien was quickly realizing he had no idea how to talk to children. <div class="lazarrientext">*‘Little Prenn’?*</div> He cleared his throat, awkwardly. <div class="lazarrientext">“Good luck out there.”</div> <div class="prenntext">“Thank you, Lazarrien.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight returned to the lift, stepping into the cage. He placed Prenn’s offering. It fit perfectly. The wick lit itself, a small orange flame providing a welcome pop of color. With a resigned creak of metal, the cage began its ascent. Lazarrien was eager to leave the waxen foothills behind. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Before long, they merged, indistinguishable from the rest of the ground. All that existed were the cage, the chain, and the knight, lifting through a featureless smoky void. Only the progress of the melting candle marked the passage of time. The air grew colder and colder. Before too long, the knight longed for the false heat of the ground he’d abandoned. In his moment of longing, a sudden vibration sent the cage swaying on the chain, shattering the peace. Lazarrien looked down, seeing a familiar burning shadow on the chain far beneath the cage. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Not far enough.*</div> (align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->24.4 Cave DEP]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman in pale blue robes, staring moonward. Light danced across her ice-crusted robe, hoarfrost fractals reaching even her silver curls. <div class="lazarrientext">*The high priestess.*</div> Whatever she had seen in the sky, she saw no longer. She had frozen solid. As a testament to the wonder of the heavens, perhaps she had triumphed. As a guard, she most certainly had not. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight stepped around her. She could do nothing to stop him. Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->2.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->2.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He was dressed in faded finery, crown crooked atop his straw-colored hair. The king. <div class="lazarrientext">*My father.*</div> A thin layer of hoarfrost encrusted him head to toe. He stared straight into Lazarrien’s eyes, cruel and judgmental. But, ultimately, seeing nothing. He had frozen solid. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ve faced worse than this to get here,”</div> the knight said, his voice straining to gain hold against the yawning void. He reached for the crown. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he did, the king shattered, crumbling to dust-fine snow. Crown and all. A pathetic pile of nothing. <div class="lazarrientext">*Nothing important, anyway.*</div> Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->3.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->3.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A child. They gazed up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. It looked like they were about to say something important. But whatever it was, Lazarrien would never hear it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They had frozen solid. The knight couldn’t fathom how the child had possibly wandered this far alone, but he’d long since accepted that the curse’s tenacity was boundless. He reached out to pat the child on an ice-crusted shoulder, as if to comfort them. But, he hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*It won’t matter to them, only to me. And I don’t deserve to feel better.*</div> So he withdrew his hand, and moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->4.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->4.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman in pale blue robes, staring moonward. Light danced across her ice-crusted robe, hoarfrost fractals reaching even her silver curls. <div class="lazarrientext">*The high priestess.*</div> Whatever she had seen in the sky, she saw no longer. She had frozen solid. As a testament to the wonder of the heavens, perhaps she had triumphed. As a guard, she most certainly had not. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight stepped around her. She could do nothing to stop him. Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->5.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->5.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A child. They gazed up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. It looked like they were about to say something important. But whatever it was, Lazarrien would never hear it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They had frozen solid. The knight couldn’t fathom how the child had possibly wandered this far alone, but he’d long since accepted that the curse’s tenacity was boundless. He reached out to pat the child on an ice-crusted shoulder, as if to comfort them. But, he hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*It won’t matter to them, only to me. And I don’t deserve to feel better.*</div> So he withdrew his hand, and moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->6.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->6.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He was dressed in faded finery, crown crooked atop his straw-colored hair. The king. <div class="lazarrientext">*My father.*</div> A thin layer of hoarfrost encrusted him head to toe. He stared straight into Lazarrien’s eyes, cruel and judgmental. But, ultimately, seeing nothing. He had frozen solid. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ve faced worse than this to get here,”</div> the knight said, his voice straining to gain hold against the yawning void. He reached for the crown. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he did, the king shattered, crumbling to dust-fine snow. Crown and all. A pathetic pile of nothing. <div class="lazarrientext">*Nothing important, anyway.*</div> Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->7.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->7.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman in pale blue robes, staring moonward. Light danced across her ice-crusted robe, hoarfrost fractals reaching even her silver curls. <div class="lazarrientext">*The high priestess.*</div> Whatever she had seen in the sky, she saw no longer. She had frozen solid. As a testament to the wonder of the heavens, perhaps she had triumphed. As a guard, she most certainly had not. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight stepped around her. She could do nothing to stop him. Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->8.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->8.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He was dressed in faded finery, crown crooked atop his straw-colored hair. The king. <div class="lazarrientext">*My father.*</div> A thin layer of hoarfrost encrusted him head to toe. He stared straight into Lazarrien’s eyes, cruel and judgmental. But, ultimately, seeing nothing. He had frozen solid. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ve faced worse than this to get here,”</div> the knight said, his voice straining to gain hold against the yawning void. He reached for the crown. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he did, the king shattered, crumbling to dust-fine snow. Crown and all. A pathetic pile of nothing. <div class="lazarrientext">*Nothing important, anyway.*</div> Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->9.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->9.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A short woman, dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the endless yawning void above. Thin hoarfrost covered her entire body, fractal patterns tracing each bit of fabric with uncanny precision. She held a flute to her lips, but never again would she play it. She had frozen solid. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight tried to think of something to sing, to honor the erstwhile musician. But not a single note rose in his throat. <div class="lazarrientext">*In a cursed land, even music meets its end.*</div> So he stepped past. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->10.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->10.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman in pale blue robes, staring moonward. Light danced across her ice-crusted robe, hoarfrost fractals reaching even her silver curls. <div class="lazarrientext">*The high priestess.*</div> Whatever she had seen in the sky, she saw no longer. She had frozen solid. As a testament to the wonder of the heavens, perhaps she had triumphed. As a guard, she most certainly had not. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight stepped around her. She could do nothing to stop him. Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->11.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->11.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A short woman, dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the endless yawning void above. Thin hoarfrost covered her entire body, fractal patterns tracing each bit of fabric with uncanny precision. She held a flute to her lips, but never again would she play it. She had frozen solid. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight tried to think of something to sing, to honor the erstwhile musician. But not a single note rose in his throat. <div class="lazarrientext">*In a cursed land, even music meets its end.*</div> So he stepped past. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->12.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->12.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He was dressed in faded finery, crown crooked atop his straw-colored hair. The king. <div class="lazarrientext">*My father.*</div> A thin layer of hoarfrost encrusted him head to toe. He stared straight into Lazarrien’s eyes, cruel and judgmental. But, ultimately, seeing nothing. He had frozen solid. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ve faced worse than this to get here,”</div> the knight said, his voice straining to gain hold against the yawning void. He reached for the crown. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he did, the king shattered, crumbling to dust-fine snow. Crown and all. A pathetic pile of nothing. <div class="lazarrientext">*Nothing important, anyway.*</div> Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->13.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->13.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A child. They gazed up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. It looked like they were about to say something important. But whatever it was, Lazarrien would never hear it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They had frozen solid. The knight couldn’t fathom how the child had possibly wandered this far alone, but he’d long since accepted that the curse’s tenacity was boundless. He reached out to pat the child on an ice-crusted shoulder, as if to comfort them. But, he hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*It won’t matter to them, only to me. And I don’t deserve to feel better.*</div> So he withdrew his hand, and moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->14.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->14.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[He was dressed in faded finery, crown crooked atop his straw-colored hair. The king. <div class="lazarrientext">*My father.*</div> A thin layer of hoarfrost encrusted him head to toe. He stared straight into Lazarrien’s eyes, cruel and judgmental. But, ultimately, seeing nothing. He had frozen solid. <div class="lazarrientext">“I’ve faced worse than this to get here,”</div> the knight said, his voice straining to gain hold against the yawning void. He reached for the crown. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he did, the king shattered, crumbling to dust-fine snow. Crown and all. A pathetic pile of nothing. <div class="lazarrientext">*Nothing important, anyway.*</div> Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->15.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->15.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A short woman, dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the endless yawning void above. Thin hoarfrost covered her entire body, fractal patterns tracing each bit of fabric with uncanny precision. She held a flute to her lips, but never again would she play it. She had frozen solid. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight tried to think of something to sing, to honor the erstwhile musician. But not a single note rose in his throat. <div class="lazarrientext">*In a cursed land, even music meets its end.*</div> So he stepped past. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->16.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->16.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A child. They gazed up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. It looked like they were about to say something important. But whatever it was, Lazarrien would never hear it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They had frozen solid. The knight couldn’t fathom how the child had possibly wandered this far alone, but he’d long since accepted that the curse’s tenacity was boundless. He reached out to pat the child on an ice-crusted shoulder, as if to comfort them. But, he hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*It won’t matter to them, only to me. And I don’t deserve to feel better.*</div> So he withdrew his hand, and moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->17.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->17.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A short woman, dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the endless yawning void above. Thin hoarfrost covered her entire body, fractal patterns tracing each bit of fabric with uncanny precision. She held a flute to her lips, but never again would she play it. She had frozen solid. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight tried to think of something to sing, to honor the erstwhile musician. But not a single note rose in his throat. <div class="lazarrientext">*In a cursed land, even music meets its end.*</div> So he stepped past. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->18.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->18.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman in pale blue robes, staring moonward. Light danced across her ice-crusted robe, hoarfrost fractals reaching even her silver curls. <div class="lazarrientext">*The high priestess.*</div> Whatever she had seen in the sky, she saw no longer. She had frozen solid. As a testament to the wonder of the heavens, perhaps she had triumphed. As a guard, she most certainly had not. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight stepped around her. She could do nothing to stop him. Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->19.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->19.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A child. They gazed up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. It looked like they were about to say something important. But whatever it was, Lazarrien would never hear it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They had frozen solid. The knight couldn’t fathom how the child had possibly wandered this far alone, but he’d long since accepted that the curse’s tenacity was boundless. He reached out to pat the child on an ice-crusted shoulder, as if to comfort them. But, he hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*It won’t matter to them, only to me. And I don’t deserve to feel better.*</div> So he withdrew his hand, and moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->20.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->20.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A woman in pale blue robes, staring moonward. Light danced across her ice-crusted robe, hoarfrost fractals reaching even her silver curls. <div class="lazarrientext">*The high priestess.*</div> Whatever she had seen in the sky, she saw no longer. She had frozen solid. As a testament to the wonder of the heavens, perhaps she had triumphed. As a guard, she most certainly had not. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight stepped around her. She could do nothing to stop him. Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->21.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->21.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A short woman, dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the endless yawning void above. Thin hoarfrost covered her entire body, fractal patterns tracing each bit of fabric with uncanny precision. She held a flute to her lips, but never again would she play it. She had frozen solid. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight tried to think of something to sing, to honor the erstwhile musician. But not a single note rose in his throat. <div class="lazarrientext">*In a cursed land, even music meets its end.*</div> So he stepped past. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->22.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->22.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A child. They gazed up at him with curious eyes that peered out from under messy straw-colored curls. It looked like they were about to say something important. But whatever it was, Lazarrien would never hear it. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[They had frozen solid. The knight couldn’t fathom how the child had possibly wandered this far alone, but he’d long since accepted that the curse’s tenacity was boundless. He reached out to pat the child on an ice-crusted shoulder, as if to comfort them. But, he hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*It won’t matter to them, only to me. And I don’t deserve to feel better.*</div> So he withdrew his hand, and moved on. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->23.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->23.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#b3b9bd)+(text-size: 3)[V.]</div> <div class="summitpassage">The cold of the storm and heat of the cave faded to a dull ache. What remained was a grim climb to the summit. Step after step after step, Lazarrien trudged onward. Only the faint sparkle of firmament drew him forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I have to end the curse. It must be done.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight broke through the smoke layer, revealing a new sky. Inky black and starless, save for the vigil of a bright, frozen moon. What pitiful air survived the ascent with him at least didn’t stink of hellfire. It was pure, cold, and lifeless. At the gateway to the summit, a lone figure blocked Lazarrien’s path. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A short woman, dressed in an impossibly vibrant array of quilted patchwork, frayed paisley that defied the endless yawning void above. Thin hoarfrost covered her entire body, fractal patterns tracing each bit of fabric with uncanny precision. She held a flute to her lips, but never again would she play it. She had frozen solid. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight tried to think of something to sing, to honor the erstwhile musician. But not a single note rose in his throat. <div class="lazarrientext">*In a cursed land, even music meets its end.*</div> So he stepped past. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Lazarrien reached the true summit, finally learning what had gleamed from below the haze. A bridge of ice, arched over the lands below, leading to the castle in the distance. He walked right up to the edge of it. <div class="agramithtext">“Wait.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight turned. Agramith stood behind him. <div class="lazarrientext">“What do you want?”</div> Lazarrien asked, voice hollow. The demon walked forward. <div class="lazarrientext">*I can’t bear even to look at him.*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="agramithtext">“I’m sorry for my wrath. I... regret it. But you need to know, you cannot enter the castle. Not unless you make a sacrifice. It will take at least that to break the curse.”</div> Agramith knelt before Lazarrien. <div class="agramithtext">“You brought that blade all this way. Sacrifice me. That might be enough.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Agramith, my... love?”</div> He wasn’t sure. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Whatever part of the curse made him forget, clouded what was most important. <div class="agramithtext">“I hope that to be true.”</div> The demon closed his eyes. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*He’s waiting for my decision.*</div> (transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")+(after:time+2s)[<div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SACRIFICE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->24.6A Bridge]]]</div> <div class="summitchoice">(text-size:1.3)[**SPARE**] (t8n: "dissolve")+(text-size: 2.5)+(transition-time: 2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->24.6B Bridge]]]</div>]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The child. The king. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 2]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The high priestess. The child. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 3]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The high priestess. The king. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 4]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The king. The child. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 5]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The king. The high priestess. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 6]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The musician. The high priestess. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 7]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The musician. The king. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 8]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The high priestess. The musician. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 9]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The high priestess. The king. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 10]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The king. The musician. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 11]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The king. The high priestess. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 12]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The musician. The child. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 13]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The musician. The king. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 14]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The child. The musician. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 15]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The child. The king. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 16]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The king. The musician. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 17]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The king. The child. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 18]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The musician. The child. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 19]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The musician. The high priestess. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 20]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The child. The musician. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 21]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The child. The high priestess. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 22]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The high priestess. The musician. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 23]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He hadn’t even *tried* to do that. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> Numbly, the knight drew his blade. The dark bloodstain was evidence enough of what happened. She winced, perhaps at the sight of the pain of her kin. Or perhaps out of secondhand embarrassment. <div class="overseertext">“That’s *rough*. What happened out there? Scratch that—not important. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The high priestess. The child. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with Agramith’s sacrifice. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 24]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The child. The king. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 2]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The high priestess. The child. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 3]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The high priestess. The king. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 4]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The king. The child. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 5]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The musician. The king. The high priestess. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 6]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The musician. The high priestess. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 7]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The musician. The king. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 8]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The high priestess. The musician. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 9]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The high priestess. The king. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 10]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The king. The musician. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 11]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The child. The king. The high priestess. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 12]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The musician. The child. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 13]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The musician. The king. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 14]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The child. The musician. And, of course, the king. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 15]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The child. The king. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 16]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The king. The musician. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 17]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The high priestess. The king. The child. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 18]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The musician. The child. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 19]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The musician. The high priestess. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 20]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The child. The musician. And, of course, the high priestess. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 21]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The child. The high priestess. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 22]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The high priestess. The musician. And, of course, the child. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 23]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>

(replace: ?Sidebar)[]<div class="shadowtext">(text-color:#ff6700)+(text-size: 3)[VII.]</div> <div class="castlepassage">In the castle’s antechamber, a demon lounged behind an ornate desk. She looked a bit like Agramith, though her horns were far more prominent, and her fire burned the hue of a ripe setting moon. As Lazarrien approached, she straightened up. He hesitated. <div class="lazarrientext">*Is she part of the curse? Must I slay her?*</div> He had no idea what to do with himself. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“Well?”</div> she asked. <div class="overseertext">“I know you have questions for me.”</div> She pulled out a yellowing parchment and barbed quill. <div class="lazarrientext">“Is… the curse?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“That’s your question? ‘Is the curse?’”</div> She thought about it. <div class="overseertext">“Yes, I suppose the curse *is*. You know, maybe I should lead this one. You needed to bring me three things. Let’s start with the obvious. Did you manage to get Agramith here?”</div> Lazarrien looked down. He had tried his best, but... he’d fallen just short. <div class="overseertext">“Bad start. Remember that for next time, okay? Handsome demon guy, arm in arm, right next to you. And the sword?”</div> The knight drew his blade, showing it off. It gleamed even in the dim light. She noted something down. <div class="overseertext">“Good on that front. Now this is a real longshot. The ring?”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Ring?”</div> Lazarrien asked. <div class="lazarrientext">“What ring? I don’t—there wasn’t a ring.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“There definitely was and you absolutely needed to bring it with you.”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">“What is this? Who *are* you?”</div> the knight was suddenly angry. Now that his sword was brandished, he was considering putting it to use. The demon looked affronted. <div class="overseertext">“Hey, that’s not on me. I’m just overseeing your trial. I don’t want to be here any more than you do.”</div> She tilted her head. <div class="overseertext">“I’ll cut right to it. You, Lazarrien, estranged fourth son of King Whoever. In your despair, you summoned a demon—Agramith—and fell in love. That doesn’t happen a lot. Hell was abuzz. Personally, I find it cute.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Cute.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Yeah. Cute. But summoning a demon to the mortal realm—it’s expensive, taxing, and most importantly, temporary. Your dear Agramith was bound to return. So you hatched a plan. You asked him to take you with, to face his father, and ask for his hand. His freedom. Do you know how expensive that is? Can you fathom even a fraction of a fraction of the cost to release, fully, a son of the Lord of Hell, to your plane? I was scared for you. I thought he might obliterate you on the spot.”</div> Lazarrien felt ill, sweat beading at his temples. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“But, I shouldn’t have doubted you. I think your hubris caught him off guard. So he devised this trial for you—to prove that you are worthy to liberate a demon from our ranks. To pass the trial, you must wake up at the shrine, traverse the cursed lands, and eventually arrive here. With Agramith, the sword, and the ring. You agreed to those terms. You have unlimited attempts, so long as you still wish to continue.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“How many times. How many times have I failed.”</div> <div class="overseertext">“Well, think of it this way. At least it’s evidence of your determination. But, well… you’ll get a sense of scale in a moment.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Is the trial… is it even *possible*?”</div> <div class="overseertext">“You have *some* agency here,”</div> she replied, deftly avoiding a direct answer. <div class="overseertext">“As part of the trial, I’m sure you’ve realized, your memory is wiped to the bare essentials at the start of the attempt. But, before you wake up, you can set the encounters.”</div> She gestured to an array of pedestals marked with four glyphs. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[A shrine. A rose. A candle. A mountain. Atop stood familiar figurines. The king. The high priestess. The child. And, of course, the musician. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“You have copious notes from your previous attempts available to you in the other room. The next attempt will be starting when the sun rises.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“When is that?”</div> Lazarrien asked, mouth dry. <div class="overseertext">“Better get reading, I think.”</div> She gave him a sympathetic smile. <div class="overseertext">“Oh, and you can drop that off with the others.”</div> She pointed to the sword. <div class="lazarrientext">“Others?”</div> The demon had returned to her parchment. In a daze, Lazarrien wandered into the other room. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[Dominating the space, to a comical degree, was a colossal pile of swords, stretching stories to the ceiling and perhaps beyond. About half were stained with a strange black substance. <div class="lazarrientext">*I wonder what that means?*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[The knight dropped the blade with the others. There was a great spat of clinking as the pile settled. He read as much as he could, but his notes led in circles. He wrote what happened this time, but couldn’t grasp how he could bend his future self to fix things. But it was true—he was determined. He wanted to solve it. Each time he glanced out a window, the moon, unfrozen, had sunk lower toward the horizon. The sky was brightening at the edges. A true sky was about to dawn. He willed himself to remember, this time. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and ring.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith, sword, and—*</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“It’s time, I think.”</div> His overseer stood by. <div class="overseertext">“Set your arrangement, and we’ll be off.”</div> Lazarrien barely paid attention to where he placed each figurine. That was a distraction. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> <div class="lazarrientext">*Ring.*</div> The demon brought him over to the castle balcony. (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="overseertext">“I can honestly say that I wish you luck. I want you to be happy. You won’t be, but I want that for you.”</div> <div class="lazarrientext">“Thanks, I—”</div> (link:"❖ ❖ ❖ ❖")+(t8n: "dissolve")[She pushed him off the edge. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[As he fell, mind growing numb, his last thoughts were… (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Agramith.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[<div class="lazarrientext">*Sword.*</div> (after:time+1.5s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There wasn’t time to remember the ring. (after:time+2s)+(t8n: "dissolve")[There never was. (after:time+3s)+(align:"=><=")[(text-size: 2.5)+(t8n: "dissolve")[[[❖->Title 24]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]</div>