You wake in the cell of the dungeon. It is darker than it was before.
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The contrasting smells of damp stone and sweat carry you up as you observe your prison.
You're alone, not even a bed to lie on.
At least you're not tied up like that boar-man was.
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You look at your palm and it is bruised and wet.
The dungeon is silent.
You sit there and think back.
You were so sure you could win.
The chimera wasn't as much of a threat as you wanted.
No obstacle is too difficult for your ingenuity.
The living caltrops in the tunnel? That was literally nothing
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But then you stepped into the dungeon.
The empty cells were strange, foreboding.
The cell with the bloody axe? The strangely docile dog, sprouting new heads?
They just made you curious.
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And then you heard the steps behind the door,
and Desperando, that idiot, could be heard fighting behind it.
And when that thing behind the door was done with him,
it crashed its sword through the door once, then again, then a splintering third time.
Claudiu and Camilo waited by the door prepared for battle.
Luci and Cristina, returning from above, shouted that we all must leave,
but the party stood their ground.
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As you unlocked the cell door and led the boar-man out...
A bang sounded as the massive sword met the stony floor.
Three hands grasped the door and began to rip it back.
Then everything just... went black.
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What was behind the door?
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It's not the first time you've felt fear. Far from it.
But sitting in this cell, your brain only tells you one thing:
You need to ...You need to fight.You need to run.
Whatever it is, this is the toughest thing you've come against...
But it isn't over yet.
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You've been awake long enough now to notice the horrible pain in your long neck.
Your back aches horribly, and your ankles have been sprained...
It'll be difficult to walk. But it's not as bad as it could be.
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You don't feel like you're remembering every reason you're scared.
You feel nauseous thinking about whatever was behind that door.
Something feels missing...
But with what you know, it makes sense why you're scared, right?
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You lost so totally, within a moment...
You should have won... You always do...
But it isn't as simple as ego.
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It's so difficult to think these things through...
Your mind feels foggier than before...
Could that mean... You've used more spells recently?
What spell did you use? When?
You haven't woken up since you saved that boar man, right?
While you think about this, you hear a soft footstep outside your cell.
Whatever it is, this is the toughest thing you've come against...
Luci was right. You need to leave now.
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You need to think up your gameplan.
You've been awake long enough now to notice the horrible pain in your long neck.
Your back aches horribly, and your ankles have been sprained...
It'll be difficult to run. But it's not as bad as it could be.
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You don't feel like you're remembering every reason you're scared.
You feel nauseous thinking about whatever was behind that door.
Something feels missing...
But with what you know, it makes sense why you're scared, right?
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You lost so totally, within a moment...
You knew you should have left sooner.
You can't expect to win every time, right?
But it isn't as simple as regret.
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It's so difficult to think these things through...
Your mind feels foggier than before...
Could that mean... You've used more spells recently?
What spell did you use? When?
You haven't woken up since you saved that boar man, right?
While you think about this, you hear a soft footstep outside your cell.
You slouch back down to how you were when you woke. "You can't trick me, Quast."
You don't know that voice.
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With hesitation, you look up.
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You see a cloaked stranger.
She wears a wood mask with dark eye slits completely covering her face.
Every inch of skin not already covered by the mask and robes is covered by gloves,
long boots, and a scarf wrapped tightly around her head.
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In the darkness you can barely make it out,
but it seems like there are dark feathers peaking out from the seams of her clothes.
One pokes out from the top of the mask, grazing the bridge of the nose.
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She has a long pole, perhaps a staff, which she is using to hold herself up while she slouches,
peering at you.
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She doesn't say anything for a while. Just stares.
"Who are you?""What are you doing here?""When are you letting me go?""Where am I?""Why can't I remember something important?""How long have I been here?"
She continues to stare for a moment. "I apologize, it's not time for that yet. But I will answer your questions soon."
She begins to pace by your cell.
She's taunting you.
If only you hadn't already used all your spells recently...
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But she can't keep you here forever.
Once you've rested, your mind will clear.
These stone floors can only hold you and your friends for so long.
She stops pacing. "It's a shame you can't remember, but you impressed me with your fighting."
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Can't remember? So you did fight. That explains the injuries and exhaustion.
"Why can't I remember?"
"As I said, save your questions for later. I hate to repeat myself."
She continues talking.
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You fought that thing.
You don't remember it, but something in your mind still holds onto the fear you felt.
You suddenly want to know where everyone else is.
| "He decided he wanted to spare you all.
He really values fighting prowess, and everyone showed plenty then.
Well, almost everyone. The boar was a small disappointment."
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A disappointment? What's going to happen to him?
the masked stranger stares,
waiting for you to answer.
the slits of her mask run
dark. deep. time slows.
you don't know if she will
allow more than one question.