Oduduwa found himself confined within a searing dunking booth, flames nipping at his feet. Maeve and Taharqa lay securely fastened to a stretcher, their limbs immobilized by ethereal bindings. Idris sat helplessly at a table, his legs and hands enchained, three ominous boxes placed before him. Zero hung suspended above a chasm of tormented souls whose cries reverberated, the chain supporting him gradually lowering him toward the yearning, spectral forms. The anguished pleas and outstretched apparitions of the souls grasped at his ankles.
"Ooooohhhhwwwaa GRRROOOOSSSS," Zero exclaimed, his voice layered with revulsion as he drew his legs closer to his body. "Maeve! Heeeelp!" He squirmed on his chain, desperately attempting to liberate himself.
Rada revived his spectacle, and as he reclaimed the stage, the arena seats, the colossal tent, and even the three prancing elephants materialized once more. Rada pivoted, adjusting his vest's collar, as the audience began to manifest. The familiar melody permeated the air, and a radiant smile illuminated his face.
"I said, hey hey," Rada's voice carried across the crowd. In response, the ghostly assembly retorted, "Hey! Hey!" Rada twirled in a circle, singling out members of the crowd, his voice gaining potency. "I said, HEY! HEY!" The audience burst forth anew, their voices merging into a chorus of exhilaration. Rada lifted both arms skyward, gazing upward, and belted out even more fervently. "I SAID HEY HEEEEYYYYYYYYYYY!"
As the melody transitioned, Rada's dance became the centerpiece. He moved with an infectious vitality, captivating the audience with each rhythmic motion. Maeve observed as Rada's performance unfurled before them.
"Oh, he's singing again," Maeve commented, a hint of exasperation in her tone. "Why is he singing again? Please, don’t sing again."
Rada swiftly directed his gaze toward Maeve, and with a skillful flick of his wrist, he triggered the device. Maeve and Taharqa were awkwardly stretched, their expressions contorted in agony. "Oh no no, my friend," Rada taunted with a gleeful tone, reveling in his sadistic amusement. "Don't tell me you've forgotten so soon." He moved away from Maeve, raising his hands in the air. "I sing, I dance, I’m the boogie man in town," he sang, tilting his head slightly. His neck elongated unnaturally, drawing his face closer to Maeve as he continued his eerie performance. "In this spectral spectacle, darling, I'm the one who wears the crown." His neck snapped back to its normal length, poised for the next verse, when a resounding voice shattered the stillness, tearing apart the tent and everything in its path. The sheer force of it sent everyone, including Menelik, who had been joyfully observing from the stands, sprawling to the ground.
"Radagast!" a woman's voice boomed, followed by another voice calling out, "Barthalamuel!" Then a third voice joined in, "Cromwell!" Three shadowy figures materialized before Rada, speaking in perfect unison, their voices commanding and authoritative. "The Fifth!" they declared.
Leaning in, their voices brimming with authority, the figures demanded, "What do you think you're doing?" Their attention shifted to Zero and the rest of the group. "Where's your brother?" they questioned, scanning the area. "Altarian Balthazar Cromwell THE THIRD!" Their words reverberated, charged with urgency and intensity. "Get in here, or you'll regret it." With synchronized movements, their focus returned to Rada, their ethereal forms swaying with unsettling grace.
"Your brother has three seconds to appear," they proclaimed, their voices tinged with escalating anger, their echo filled with foreboding. "One." Each figure raised a cloaked hand, bony fingers materializing. "Two." Another finger joined the first. "Three." As the final finger rose, Altar suddenly materialized before the three figures. His body fragmented into countless tiny cubes, each maintaining distinct separation while forming a coherent whole.
"Hi, Mom," Altar greeted casually, waving his misshapen hand. "How's it going?"
The three figures merged, transforming into a striking figure adorned in a flowing white gown. Her deep complexion radiated an otherworldly allure, her empty eye sockets gleaming with a fierce yellow light.
The room hushed in awe, captivated by her presence.
"Damn, she's qui—" Oduduwa's words were abruptly cut off as the woman appeared before him. Her aura deepened the room's shadows, intensifying its darkness. With a fluid gesture, she snapped her fingers, and blinding light flooded the space, revealing an expansive, empty void.
She leaned in toward Oduduwa, her tone laced with threat. "I'll remove your head and serve it to your children if you finish that sentence." Her growl resonated through the room, a potent blend of fury and caution.
In an instant, she vanished, only to reappear before Rada and Altar. Without hesitation, she delivered a forceful slap to both of them. Rada's cheek reddened instantly, and Altar's fragmented form reassembled.
"Which of you concocted this torture carnival?" she demanded, her voice pulsating with authority. Drawing closer to Altar, her gaze penetrated his very soul. "Don't you dare lie to me." Her head split into three shadows once again, their voices converging into a single command. "YOU NEVER LIE TO YOUR MOTHER!" Swiftly, they merged back, her tone resuming its singular grace. "Kindly inform your dear mother, won't you, my sons?" Her words carried both expectation and a subtle threat.
She turned back to the group, her gaze sweeping over them dismissively. "You all can depart now," she declared, waving her hand in a shooing motion. "Goodbye." With a final graceful wave, the group found themselves back at the table with TC.
TC rose, addressing their bewildered expressions. "By the looks—and the scent, you met Meira," he explained, his voice composed.
Idris turned to him, disbelief and frustration evident. "Are you saying you just sat here this whole time?" his voice filled with incredulity.
TC nodded calmly. "For what it’s worth, it's only been about a minute or two."
Idris glanced back at the group, his silence conveying a mixture of exasperation and confusion. Menelik, driven by his curiosity, finally shattered the silence to seek clarification. "So, who's Meira?"
However, before TC could respond, a distinct pattern of knocking at the door caught everyone's attention. “Oh, it’s that time already," he exclaimed, a tone of concern in his voice. All eyes turned toward him, awaiting an explanation.
TC rose from his seat and faced the group with a serious expression. "Every sixteen days, a clan of Goblins arrive and we trade goods."
The door swung open, revealing a group of Goblins entering the room. Unlike the Goblins encountered earlier with their green skin, these had soft red skin adorned with patches of green. They shared the same traits—small horns, beady eyes, jagged teeth—yet appeared more robust. The last Goblin carried a large tan sack made of leather, which they placed on the table, spilling out a mix of ancient-looking books and stone artifacts.
TC hurried over to the table, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. He began opening the books one by one, perusing the pages and murmuring to himself as he immersed in their contents. Time passed, and another Goblin in the group cleared its throat, breaking his focus.
"Oh, yes, yes," TC acknowledged, waving his hand dismissively. He motioned to the other end of the hall, and to everyone's astonishment, a portion of the wall swung open. Within moments, piles of books floated into the room, enveloped in his green levitation magic. Three jars containing chalked stones, reminiscent of the artifacts on the table, followed. The levitating objects lingered before the Goblins momentarily.
"Please, pick up your bag," TC instructed. The Goblins promptly retrieved their sack from the table, holding it open expectantly. The stacks of books and jars of chalked stone descended into the waiting bag, as if guided by an unseen force.
The Goblin grunted again, its reluctance to communicate more apparent. TC observed their response and turned to the group, contemplating something before finally speaking up. "Yes, indeed, just a moment." He gestured with his hand, and a door slowly manifested in front of him, enveloped in a misty haze.
The door, weathered and worn, stood in the room's center, layers of rust and peeling paint revealing the dark wood beneath. TC approached the door and swung it open, revealing an expansive area strewn with mummified bodies.
He waved his hand again, and the corpses levitated out of the room. The Goblin holding the sack expanded it, prepared to receive the bodies. One by one, the corpses dropped into the bag, yet its size remained unchanged.
"Where are you taking them?" Idris inquired, directing his question to the Goblins.
"GOB'LUN… CI'TEE," one of the Goblins chimed in, offering a concise response.
"Goblin City?" Zero sought clarification.
The Goblin responded with an affirmative nod of its head.
"Take me there," Zero declared, his curiosity piqued.
The Goblin City sprawled out before them, exceeding their wildest expectations in sheer magnitude. The buildings, while lacking architectural finesse, were constructed from a stone reminiscent of the maze walls' material. These structures were rough-hewn, with chiseled edges that were not finely polished. Layers upon layers melded together to form a complex and sprawling cityscape—a bustling metropolis inhabited by Goblins.
Goblins roamed freely through the city, undisturbed by the teeming crowds. Their numbers were astonishing. Alongside the familiar green-skinned Goblins, there were others they had never encountered before. Grey-skinned Goblins mingled with their dark and light blue-skinned counterparts.
Guided by the Goblins, the group entered the city, weaving through the streets until they arrived at the heart of the metropolis. There, an enormous tower loomed above the rest. In stark contrast to the city's other structures, this tower was crafted from gleaming white marble, its smooth surface unmarked by windows or exterior features. It stretched upward, seemingly without end, into the dark abyss above.
At the tower's base stood an oversized door, curved to match the tower's rounded shape. It was made from the same white marble and adorned with a golden line running down its center.
"Pohzung is here?" Zero asked, receiving a mere grunt in response from one of the Goblins.
Zero glanced back at the group and received a nod of approval from Maeve. He approached the towering entrance, and as he pressed the door, a cacophony of sound erupted from within. A violent gust of wind tore the door wide open, revealing the interior of the tower.
Inside, an expansive ocean stretched out before him, its crashing waves resonating throughout the chamber. The mummified bodies of the deceased were seated in what appeared to be canoes, each softly illuminated by lanterns emitting a warm yellow glow.
Zero stood at the edge, the wind buffeting him as the crashing waves created a symphony of sound. It was as though a perpetual storm raged within the confines of the tower. The atmosphere was heavy with ominous darkness, devoid of rain, lightning, or thunder, and the light that bathed the surroundings in an eerie glow had no discernible source.
Zero's gaze shifted to the Goblins, seeking guidance. "Do I just… Jump in, or are there invisible steps?"
The Goblins exchanged glances, and instead of answering, one of them stepped forward and pushed Zero off the ledge.
Upon hitting the ocean, Zero was immediately submerged, but he didn't get a chance to float back up. Instead, he continued downward, pulled by some unseen force, until he shot up into a scorching sky on the other side, landing on coarse white sand. The searing heat instantly dried him as he stood up, brushing the sand from his attire. He surveyed the surroundings, shielding his eyes from the intense sun. As he took his first step, the entire world around him began to tremble.
On the distant horizon, a colossal entity emerged, steadily rising to dominate the sky. As it ascended, Zero realized it was the head of a pale, bald, blue-skinned woman. Her lips were a striking dark blue, and her crystal-like eyes shimmered with the radiance of starlight. Horns extended from the sides of her head, curving upward in a U shape. As she tilted her head further, the sun positioned itself between her horns, causing it to be suspended between their tips.
The being blinked slowly, causing the sand to stir. Looking up at her, Zero felt each breath she took pulling in the sand. The towering being observed Zero for a moment before leaning back slightly, her voice calm and soothing as she spoke. "Xayddryrth, Son of Quetz… Son of Erza… The Dragon who shouldn't exist… What is it you desire with Pohzung?"
Zero hesitated before responding. "Uh… I wanted to know if he and his tribe are still okay in the maze."
The being's head drew closer again, her piercing gaze focused on Zero. "So you wish to know if Pohzung is still alive?"
"Yes," Zero replied.
The being leaned back again and tilted her head to the side. Long, thin black strings descended from the sky in front of Zero, swaying and dancing before materializing Pohzung, his body swaying in the faint breeze like a puppet.
"Young Pohzung was killed by a Minotaur just a few minutes after you and your group departed from the scene," the being said.
Zero's gaze shifted to her. "If I hadn't blacked out, would he still be alive?"
"Yes."
Oduduwa found himself confined within a searing dunking booth, flames nipping at his feet. Maeve and Taharqa lay securely fastened to a stretcher, their limbs immobilized by ethereal bindings. Idris sat helplessly at a table, his legs and hands enchained, three ominous boxes placed before him. Zero hung suspended above a chasm of tormented souls whose cries reverberated, the chain supporting him gradually lowering him toward the yearning, spectral forms. The anguished pleas and outstretched apparitions of the souls grasped at his ankles.
"Ooooohhhhwwwaa GRRROOOOSSSS," Zero exclaimed, his voice layered with revulsion as he drew his legs closer to his body. "Maeve! Heeeelp!" He squirmed on his chain, desperately attempting to liberate himself.
Rada revived his spectacle, and as he reclaimed the stage, the arena seats, the colossal tent, and even the three prancing elephants materialized once more. Rada pivoted, adjusting his vest's collar, as the audience began to manifest. The familiar melody permeated the air, and a radiant smile illuminated his face.
"I said, hey hey," Rada's voice carried across the crowd. In response, the ghostly assembly retorted, "Hey! Hey!" Rada twirled in a circle, singling out members of the crowd, his voice gaining potency. "I said, HEY! HEY!" The audience burst forth anew, their voices merging into a chorus of exhilaration. Rada lifted both arms skyward, gazing upward, and belted out even more fervently. "I SAID HEY HEEEEYYYYYYYYYYY!"
As the melody transitioned, Rada's dance became the centerpiece. He moved with an infectious vitality, captivating the audience with each rhythmic motion. Maeve observed as Rada's performance unfurled before them.
"Oh, he's singing again," Maeve commented, a hint of exasperation in her tone. "Why is he singing again? Please, don’t sing again."
Rada swiftly directed his gaze toward Maeve, and with a skillful flick of his wrist, he triggered the device. Maeve and Taharqa were awkwardly stretched, their expressions contorted in agony. "Oh no no, my friend," Rada taunted with a gleeful tone, reveling in his sadistic amusement. "Don't tell me you've forgotten so soon." He moved away from Maeve, raising his hands in the air. "I sing, I dance, I’m the boogie man in town," he sang, tilting his head slightly. His neck elongated unnaturally, drawing his face closer to Maeve as he continued his eerie performance. "In this spectral spectacle, darling, I'm the one who wears the crown." His neck snapped back to its normal length, poised for the next verse, when a resounding voice shattered the stillness, tearing apart the tent and everything in its path. The sheer force of it sent everyone, including Menelik, who had been joyfully observing from the stands, sprawling to the ground.
"Radagast!" a woman's voice boomed, followed by another voice calling out, "Barthalamuel!" Then a third voice joined in, "Cromwell!" Three shadowy figures materialized before Rada, speaking in perfect unison, their voices commanding and authoritative. "The Fifth!" they declared.
Leaning in, their voices brimming with authority, the figures demanded, "What do you think you're doing?" Their attention shifted to Zero and the rest of the group. "Where's your brother?" they questioned, scanning the area. "Altarian Balthazar Cromwell THE THIRD!" Their words reverberated, charged with urgency and intensity. "Get in here, or you'll regret it." With synchronized movements, their focus returned to Rada, their ethereal forms swaying with unsettling grace.
"Your brother has three seconds to appear," they proclaimed, their voices tinged with escalating anger, their echo filled with foreboding. "One." Each figure raised a cloaked hand, bony fingers materializing. "Two." Another finger joined the first. "Three." As the final finger rose, Altar suddenly materialized before the three figures. His body fragmented into countless tiny cubes, each maintaining distinct separation while forming a coherent whole.
"Hi, Mom," Altar greeted casually, waving his misshapen hand. "How's it going?"
The three figures merged, transforming into a striking figure adorned in a flowing white gown. Her deep complexion radiated an otherworldly allure, her empty eye sockets gleaming with a fierce yellow light.
The room hushed in awe, captivated by her presence.
"Damn, she's qui—" Oduduwa's words were abruptly cut off as the woman appeared before him. Her aura deepened the room's shadows, intensifying its darkness. With a fluid gesture, she snapped her fingers, and blinding light flooded the space, revealing an expansive, empty void.
She leaned in toward Oduduwa, her tone laced with threat. "I'll remove your head and serve it to your children if you finish that sentence." Her growl resonated through the room, a potent blend of fury and caution.
In an instant, she vanished, only to reappear before Rada and Altar. Without hesitation, she delivered a forceful slap to both of them. Rada's cheek reddened instantly, and Altar's fragmented form reassembled.
"Which of you concocted this torture carnival?" she demanded, her voice pulsating with authority. Drawing closer to Altar, her gaze penetrated his very soul. "Don't you dare lie to me." Her head split into three shadows once again, their voices converging into a single command. "YOU NEVER LIE TO YOUR MOTHER!" Swiftly, they merged back, her tone resuming its singular grace. "Kindly inform your dear mother, won't you, my sons?" Her words carried both expectation and a subtle threat.
She turned back to the group, her gaze sweeping over them dismissively. "You all can depart now," she declared, waving her hand in a shooing motion. "Goodbye." With a final graceful wave, the group found themselves back at the table with TC.
TC rose, addressing their bewildered expressions. "By the looks—and the scent, you met Meira," he explained, his voice composed.
Idris turned to him, disbelief and frustration evident. "Are you saying you just sat here this whole time?" his voice filled with incredulity.
TC nodded calmly. "For what it’s worth, it's only been about a minute or two."
Idris glanced back at the group, his silence conveying a mixture of exasperation and confusion. Menelik, driven by his curiosity, finally shattered the silence to seek clarification. "So, who's Meira?"
However, before TC could respond, a distinct pattern of knocking at the door caught everyone's attention. “Oh, it’s that time already," he exclaimed, a tone of concern in his voice. All eyes turned toward him, awaiting an explanation.
TC rose from his seat and faced the group with a serious expression. "Every sixteen days, a clan of Goblins arrive and we trade goods."
The door swung open, revealing a group of Goblins entering the room. Unlike the Goblins encountered earlier with their green skin, these had soft red skin adorned with patches of green. They shared the same traits—small horns, beady eyes, jagged teeth—yet appeared more robust. The last Goblin carried a large tan sack made of leather, which they placed on the table, spilling out a mix of ancient-looking books and stone artifacts.
TC hurried over to the table, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. He began opening the books one by one, perusing the pages and murmuring to himself as he immersed in their contents. Time passed, and another Goblin in the group cleared its throat, breaking his focus.
"Oh, yes, yes," TC acknowledged, waving his hand dismissively. He motioned to the other end of the hall, and to everyone's astonishment, a portion of the wall swung open. Within moments, piles of books floated into the room, enveloped in his green levitation magic. Three jars containing chalked stones, reminiscent of the artifacts on the table, followed. The levitating objects lingered before the Goblins momentarily.
"Please, pick up your bag," TC instructed. The Goblins promptly retrieved their sack from the table, holding it open expectantly. The stacks of books and jars of chalked stone descended into the waiting bag, as if guided by an unseen force.
The Goblin grunted again, its reluctance to communicate more apparent. TC observed their response and turned to the group, contemplating something before finally speaking up. "Yes, indeed, just a moment." He gestured with his hand, and a door slowly manifested in front of him, enveloped in a misty haze.
The door, weathered and worn, stood in the room's center, layers of rust and peeling paint revealing the dark wood beneath. TC approached the door and swung it open, revealing an expansive area strewn with mummified bodies.
He waved his hand again, and the corpses levitated out of the room. The Goblin holding the sack expanded it, prepared to receive the bodies. One by one, the corpses dropped into the bag, yet its size remained unchanged.
"Where are you taking them?" Idris inquired, directing his question to the Goblins.
"GOB'LUN… CI'TEE," one of the Goblins chimed in, offering a concise response.
"Goblin City?" Zero sought clarification.
The Goblin responded with an affirmative nod of its head.
"Take me there," Zero declared, his curiosity piqued.
The Goblin City sprawled out before them, exceeding their wildest expectations in sheer magnitude. The buildings, while lacking architectural finesse, were constructed from a stone reminiscent of the maze walls' material. These structures were rough-hewn, with chiseled edges that were not finely polished. Layers upon layers melded together to form a complex and sprawling cityscape—a bustling metropolis inhabited by Goblins.
Goblins roamed freely through the city, undisturbed by the teeming crowds. Their numbers were astonishing. Alongside the familiar green-skinned Goblins, there were others they had never encountered before. Grey-skinned Goblins mingled with their dark and light blue-skinned counterparts.
Guided by the Goblins, the group entered the city, weaving through the streets until they arrived at the heart of the metropolis. There, an enormous tower loomed above the rest. In stark contrast to the city's other structures, this tower was crafted from gleaming white marble, its smooth surface unmarked by windows or exterior features. It stretched upward, seemingly without end, into the dark abyss above.
At the tower's base stood an oversized door, curved to match the tower's rounded shape. It was made from the same white marble and adorned with a golden line running down its center.
"Pohzung is here?" Zero asked, receiving a mere grunt in response from one of the Goblins.
Zero glanced back at the group and received a nod of approval from Maeve. He approached the towering entrance, and as he pressed the door, a cacophony of sound erupted from within. A violent gust of wind tore the door wide open, revealing the interior of the tower.
Inside, an expansive ocean stretched out before him, its crashing waves resonating throughout the chamber. The mummified bodies of the deceased were seated in what appeared to be canoes, each softly illuminated by lanterns emitting a warm yellow glow.
Zero stood at the edge, the wind buffeting him as the crashing waves created a symphony of sound. It was as though a perpetual storm raged within the confines of the tower. The atmosphere was heavy with ominous darkness, devoid of rain, lightning, or thunder, and the light that bathed the surroundings in an eerie glow had no discernible source.
Zero's gaze shifted to the Goblins, seeking guidance. "Do I just… Jump in, or are there invisible steps?"
The Goblins exchanged glances, and instead of answering, one of them stepped forward and pushed Zero off the ledge.
Upon hitting the ocean, Zero was immediately submerged, but he didn't get a chance to float back up. Instead, he continued downward, pulled by some unseen force, until he shot up into a scorching sky on the other side, landing on coarse white sand. The searing heat instantly dried him as he stood up, brushing the sand from his attire. He surveyed the surroundings, shielding his eyes from the intense sun. As he took his first step, the entire world around him began to tremble.
On the distant horizon, a colossal entity emerged, steadily rising to dominate the sky. As it ascended, Zero realized it was the head of a pale, bald, blue-skinned woman. Her lips were a striking dark blue, and her crystal-like eyes shimmered with the radiance of starlight. Horns extended from the sides of her head, curving upward in a U shape. As she tilted her head further, the sun positioned itself between her horns, causing it to be suspended between their tips.
The being blinked slowly, causing the sand to stir. Looking up at her, Zero felt each breath she took pulling in the sand. The towering being observed Zero for a moment before leaning back slightly, her voice calm and soothing as she spoke. "Xayddryrth, Son of Quetz… Son of Erza… The Dragon who shouldn't exist… What is it you desire with Pohzung?"
Zero hesitated before responding. "Uh… I wanted to know if he and his tribe are still okay in the maze."
The being's head drew closer again, her piercing gaze focused on Zero. "So you wish to know if Pohzung is still alive?"
"Yes," Zero replied.
The being leaned back again and tilted her head to the side. Long, thin black strings descended from the sky in front of Zero, swaying and dancing before materializing Pohzung, his body swaying in the faint breeze like a puppet.
"Young Pohzung was killed by a Minotaur just a few minutes after you and your group departed from the scene," the being said.
Zero's gaze shifted to her. "If I hadn't blacked out, would he still be alive?"
"Yes."
