DEEP WOODS - PLAYER LVL 4
Finally. A rest area. This is the longest dungeon you've seen yet. You must have been in here for three hours, at the very least. Luckily the tree cover isn't so thick as to render the sky impossible to see. The spaces between the leaves glow golden as the sun begins to set. You can't stay here long. Who knows what might happen when the sun goes down. You take a moment, surveying your surroundings. That's when you see what appears to you to be a tent, with a tail sticking up from behind a large wooden crate. You approach. The tail notices your approach, and whips around revealing a dragon, clad in the iconic leathers of a drifter, with various gadgets and other oddities. Her fur is purple, her mane blue. She sticks her tongue out a bit and grins, before leaning over the crate in front of her, using it as a makeshift desk. "A traveller around these parts? Here I thought I was the only one to be insane enough to make my way in here after dark" She laughs, teasing you. "Well then, dear. What'll it be?"
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"Me? Oh, I'm not all that important. If you must know, I'm Hexaaelia, a humble mage and artificer stuck in her own little world. You can call me Hex for short, most of my friends do." She winks at you and sticks her tongue out once more. You should not feel this flustered about that. You do anyway. "Heh. You're cute. I'm here because I heard of some sort of artifact around here, reports are inconsistent. I'm not sure if it's a timey-thing or a spacey-deal, you know?" She bends down and reveals a notebook and begins flipping through it. Barely legible scrawl fills it. You get an uncomfortable deja-vu. After a moment, she remembers the traveller in front of her, and looks back up to you. "Anyway... How may I help thee, O fellow traveller?" she curtsies, then laughs at herself.
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
You explain your role, your name, and that you've been granted a quest by the goddesses. "Ah, a regular legendary hero born every hundred millenia, huh? Cute. I remember my days playing hero with minor deities." ... "...Not to say it wasn't fun, of course. I hope your adventure is all it's cracked up to be, and you can return to your little village and yadda yadda yadda hero's journey bullshit. Sorry, I'm pissing you off, aren't I?" "...not that sorry. You're gonna read all my dialogue anyway."
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"The shrine of light? Can't say I've seen anything like that around. Perhaps it only reveals itself to the 'worthy', though." At "worthy", she moves her paws about and shakes her voice, as if speaking about a ghost. "This is the farthest I've been, though. I imagine I'd at least catch hints of where it might be, even if I can't enter." She looks towards the trees, focusing on something for a moment. She turns back to you. "...I think it might be closer than you expect. I'd get ready while you can."
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"The artifact? Have you seen it?" She leans over the desk, muzzle inches from your face. Her eyes alight. "Tell me, tell me tell me tell me tell me!" You explain on your way through the earlier so ds you stumbled onto a side path, and at the end of that side path you saw something you weren't sure what to make of. Something that seems to be similar to what she's describing. You hear thumping from behind her desk. "YESSSYESYESYES THANK YOU OH MY GOD YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND I LOVE YOU" She picks you up for a moment, before thinking better of it and setting you back down. "Sorry, sorry. Habit."
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"Alright, look what I've got."
> Amulet of fire - 500 Ks "An amulet that emits a pleasant warmth. Will keep you cozy in cold places and Serves to protect you from flame. It'll get extinguished if you get it wet, though."
> Token of strength - 1100 Ks "This one's weird. Maybe it just doesn't work on me? Plenty of reason that could be. It's supposed to increase your strength and constitution."
> Scrap heap - 60 Ks "A pile of junk at the moment, I haven't had the time or kit to tinker with it yet. If you'd like to take it off my paws you're more than welcome, as long as you show it to me when you get it fixed."
> Bound Shadow - ~~600 Ks~~ 120 Ks "Discounted a bit because I have a feeling it may prove useful. Allows you to shift your form to and from the dark, lending you its power and formlessness."
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"..." She looks at you. "..." She gazes deep into your soul. Her fangs lending her a mischievous aura. "Mmm, nah." You ask her what "Nah" means. "It means nah! I'm busy, not really into the whole paperwork thing. Not my job." You raise an eyebrow "Sorry hun, I get to decide what services I do and don't provide, and right now saving ain't one of them."
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
She gives a gracious smile. "Be seeing you! Take care!" She quickly bundles her things together and takes off. It really should have taken her longer to do that, you think. As you turn to make your way towards where you've been directed, you notice how dark it's become during your conversation. Shit.
...
OUTSKIRTS OF STONE TEMPLE - PLAYER LVL 10
Nearly to the dungeon. It's been forever to get here. A long fetch quest that took you around the whole world you've seen so far, all for a singular map with the dungeon marked on it. You grumble to yourself as you wander into someone's camp. "It's you, hero! fancy meeting you here." Hexaaelia's usual warm greeting. You've met her a few times since your initial meeting in the forest. Every time she's been carrying some oddity and searching for more. She's smiling. her tail flicks behind her, interested. "Well then, dear. What'll it be?"
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"Well, let's see..." She puts a paw under her muzzle. leaning over her makeshift desk, hrming and hawing. "Well, I went home for a moment. Fixed some stuff up that I'll have to show you." She taps on her chin. "I finally cleaned up that thing I found in the forest. Shit was gummed up to hell. Old birds nests, vines, leaves... But I've got it all cleaned up. It still doesn't work, though. Not sure why." She taps the table under her. "Uuuh, I've been studying a bit more magic. Did you know there's a massive library over by Giant's Edge? Full'a tomes, that place. you should check it out if you have the time." She leans further into the desk, two paws now supporting her muzzle "So... yeah! What've you been up to?"
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"Mmhmm.. mmhmm... Oh my..." ... "To shreds you say? Goodness." ... "And the girl? No- no, what am I even asking? I know how these things play out." ... It seems like you've been explaining for hours You only realize how much you've been through in the recent past as you're explaining it to her. "That's quite a bit, hero. Boy, you've been through it, huh?" She begins to grin, then immediately drops it. Her face going sullen. "Sorry. ahm, I..." Her voice shifts. It's softer, quieter. Her movements more subdued. Her tail rests on the ground, no longer swaying to-and-fro as it usually does when you two meet. "I've been where you are, hun. You'll be okay. Thing's'll get better, they gotta. That's the hero's journey, right, hero?" She gives you an empathetic smile. Something deep in her has shifted. "...By the way, what's your name? I don't think I ever caught it." You give your name. "It's nice to meet you." "...but, I'm still gonna call you Hero, hero." She giggles. It's oddly comforting. "aaanything else, hun?" She asks, voice still subdued.
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"What do you mean?" She asks, slightly incredulous. "I flew? On my wings????" She points at her back, and turns away from you slightly, revealing four wings folded on her back as to not take up an incredible amount of space. "What do you mean?" You explain to her it took you hours to find this place. "...I followed the road." She points west. About two-hundred feet away, you see a large, well-trodden road. A villager passes on a carriage. "How'd you miss that???? I'm actually so curious." You flush red, ever so slightly.
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"Alright, look what I've got."
> Sky(e) Bomb - 100 Ks (5) "A little homebrew tool of mine. Bombs, but with the ability to quickly enchant them with elemental magic, if you know how to do it (...You do know how to do it, right?). Named for their ability to be easily used in flight, but you can also call them "Skye" bombs, if you are feeling extra kind to 'lil 'ol me."
> Knight's night (500 Ks) "Something I've been working on. Still a prototype, but should let you quickly summon the moon. Think about it like a quick way to pass time. You can't go back to day quickly, though. And no promises it doesn't break or send you to some hellish limbo where day, night, and time itself have no meaning and you exist in a thousand different equally likely possibilities at the same time."
> Drum of ??? (9999999999 Ks) (The final part is scratched out, impossible to read) "...NO. NO. NO." She quickly grabs the drum and puts it behind the desk. "ABSOLUTELY NOT." Her face goes tomato-red. "That's... Not finished yet. I'm still working through that." She squints at you. "And even if it was, Hero. I don't think we're close enough to let you carry that." She flashes her usual toothy grin. You can only barely hear the "whew..." that she emits after.
> Verdant Blessing ~~1130 Ks~~ 700 Ks "A sort of charm I found while travelling a forest, quite a ways away from here. Fills you with the essence of flora, or something along those lines. Might be useful if you're heading towards a 'stone temple'."
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"Hero, I don't understand why you ask to save every time you see me!" She laughs. "Sure, I know I give the option, but that's just because I haven't figured out how to change my shop UI yet! I swear to you. As soon as I figure that out, that option is going to be replaced by.... "Shove", as in I shove you into a locker!" She laughs at her own joke. Incredibly commonplace for her. You ask where she'll find a locker. "...I dunno, I'll summon one, how about that?!" She swats at you with a paw, in jest.
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
She again drops her cadence. Trying her best to make her form smaller. "Take care hun. I'll be seeing you, okay?" You turn to leave. As you do, you hear the swishing of air. You turn back around to see Hex waving her paw, commanding her various items to pack themselves. "...What? Oh, Oh." She stops. The items drop on the ground, making loud, expensive noises. The dragon grimaces. "...I'll stick around here for a bit more. I guess." She pats your head.
...
TOWN OF ATRENNE - PLAYER LEVEL 19
You've come a long way, and have found yourself at the other side of the world, in a small village populated primarily by dragons. It's been a long, long journey by airship, all that you want is to find the Inn, order the most expensive, worst-for-you thing on the menu and sleep for 20 hours. You're imagining what sort of food dragons prepare when you hear a familiar voice calling for you, by a familiar name.
"Hey! Hero!! Over here!" You turn. It's Hex! You wave, wearily. "Oh my god!! It's actually you, Hero! What in the world could you be in these parts for?! Nothing fuckin' happens in Atrenne you gotta tell me you gotta you gotta!" ... "Hero?" ... "Shit, wait, you have no clue how to interact with me outside the shop interface. I forgot it works like that here, ahaha..." She grabs you by the closest available extremity and pulls you into a house nearby. Inside is a mess, half-finished pieces of gear and spellbooks littered every which way. Stacks of various tomes taking up entire rooms. Various blades strewn about, as well as equipment you don't recognize. Rectangular green plates and strange, complex mechanisms. You've never seen anything like it. It's a wee bit unsettling. Hex clears some space on the floor off, then with a flick of her wrist, a glowing cube takes the floor, perfectly desk height for her to lean on, as per usual. "Well then, TELL ME!"
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"...Really?" Her eyes sparkle a bit as you finish your explanation. "You know, it does sort of make sense. This is the City of Dragons after all. Of course we'd be sitting on, or at least near, the hoard that includes the legendary blade." You tilt your head. "What? No, it's not stereotypical for dragons to have hoards." She pauses. "...Okay maybe it is. But it's also true so." She slams a paw on the desk. "You have to show me the sword, or whatever it is once you get it. You have to. Hell, show me the whole place, I wanna see what's in there! Genuinely, bring me, please. I beg of you!!"
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"Me? No, I wasn't born here. I moved in a few months ago, needed somewhere to stay." She scratches at the back of her neck. She seems a slight bit uncomfortable about discussing this. "Decided the town with all the dragons was the one for me. I like it a lot. Comfortable, everyone's super nice. Maybe one of these days you move in here, huh?" She drifts off in thought. "I could wake up, and wander over and knock on your door until you wake up... And then we could do inane bullshit all day.... Ah, Goals" You ask why she thinks you sleep late. "Because I'm friends with a lot of innkeepers." She grins at you.
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"Oh, that?" She looks behind her. The thing you found in the forest is lying on a table. It's much cleaner than it was when you last saw it, you can at least make out its actual shape. Part of it has been taken apart. Within are things you don't recognize. Sort of looking like veins. It makes you a bit uncomfortable. "Yeah, that's the thing we found in the forest. I'm still trying to make it work, but I figured out what it is. It's a Meka!" You tell her you don't know what that is. "...Huh. That. Makes sense actually. I'ts basically an artificial skeleton to enhance your abilities, that you enter like a vehicle." She wanders over to the meka, sticking a paw in it. "This one's real small. Seems to be only partial. I don't think there was ever a top half, i think it's just this." You take a closer look at the vehicle, with your new knowledge. You see it now. It has two legs, and two arm-like protrusions with what seems like weaponry. It's incredibly square, and almost entirely mudbrick-brown. The joints are the one exception, which reflect rainbow in the light. "I've seen these that are as big as continents, hell, as big as planets! There was this one time-" She wanders back over to the desk, and sighs "...I shouldn't be telling you any of this, I realize. Damn it."
> Talk > Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"..." "So. I didn't expect to run into you." She looks behind her, eyes darting from object to object, before turning back to you, head in her paws. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I don't have anything for you. Aaaaaa I'm so sorry, Hero. I'll bring extra next time to make up for it, I promise!" She thinks for a moment. "Let me try something."
> Talk > Talk > Talk > ~~Buy~~ Talk > Save > Bye
"Cool! It worked!" She turns around, her tail wiggling in your face, dangerously close to whacking you in the face. "So, I wanna show you this, I've been working on it. I think you'd find it cool, or at least useful." She grabs a roll of linen and turns to place it in front of you. Upon closer inspection, it seems to be the same material as the roof of her tent. She unravels it, revealing a symbol that's been painted on it. It's the visage of a dragon, inked in purple, surrounded by a gear, and a spark. It creates a circular, seal-like design. "Eeeeeeh? Whaddya think? I've been trying to put together something to be a bit more recognizable, so you can notice me from a bit further, and so if I ever set up a storefront... Do you like it? Do you?" Her tail is wagging. You say it's cool as fuck. Because of course it is, come on. She makes a trilling sort of noise. Her tail attempts to break the floor. "...Sorry, A-anyway!"
> Talk > Talk > Talk > ~~Buy~~ Talk > Save > Bye
"Hun, the inn is right across the street. If you wanna save, go there." She sticks her tongue out at you.
> Talk > Talk > Talk > ~~Buy~~ Talk > Save > Bye
"Hey, before you go." She grabs your shoulder, the magical desk dispelling so she can step closer. "...You haven't been here before, right? To Atrenne, I mean." You haven't. "..." A big grin appears on her face. You know that look. The look of Hex with a plan. "Alright. You're coming with me."
She pulls you out of your house and towards the town center. "You've had it bad recently. So let's spend a bit of time together, alright? It'll be fun. I have a plan."
You follow Hex (or rather, are pulled) towards the cartographer's. An image of a map hangs on a sign outside the building. You both enter, and are greeted by an orange dragon working behind the counter, wearing a set of very goofy looking magnifier glasses. They notice you both approach, and quickly remove them. "Trying to not be caught with your goofy glasses, Flor?" "Shut up, Hex. You wear glasses too!" "Yeah, well mine look cool." Florence's attention turns to you. "Hex! Who's your friend!" Florence pauses. "Friend? Intern? 'Kobold'? ...Something else? I can honestly never tell with you!" Hex growls. A sound you've never heard from her. "Friend. They're that hero you've probably heard about. ....From me." "Ah! Hero! It's nice to meet you, finally. Been a long time coming. She kept telling me she'd bring me out one of these days and we'd meet. Nice to finally meet you" Florence bows. You blush a little. Just how much has Hex been talking about you? "Well, what are you in town for?" You open your mouth. Before you can speak, you're interrupted: "Apparently Atrenne holds some sort of secret hold with a legendary sword?" Florence pauses. "Oh, You mean hero Hero." You and Hex nod. "Well, if you ever need maps, Hero, let me know. I'm happy to do so. Heck, you can bring me along for things if you'd like. At least then I'd actually be brought along" Florence shoots a glance at Hex. "Hey! Flor, I'm trying. Been busy." "Yes, Yes. Many hex needed, many hex exist, or whatever" "That is not what I say, and you know it." "Really? It's what you say now? Your thing?" "SHUT. UP." You start to feel like a child with their parent. You're half-paying attention as you're brought to a magic store, run by a draconic mage that you notice Hex seems to get incredibly quiet and a bit red-faced around. Then, a few more dragons, a fox, a cat, some humans, and various other critters. You feel incredibly tired by the end of it, yet somehow restored. Not magic, not HP, something else, something you can't see. You've been out for what must have been two or three hours when you finally find yourself taking a seat at the inn. Nearly half the town is at the table with you. Hex is beside you. She stands. "A toast, for Hero. Who's working their ass off for all of us." She speaks to the table, in her perpetual half-sarcastic tone. She turns to you. "and for you to always remember. You've got some sort of home here." That was genuine. Various "Hear hear"s, "true that!"s, and a "CAN I DRINK ALREADY?!" echo around the table. The table drinks. You drink.
"Be seeing you, Hero!" ...
FINAL DUNGEON - PLAYER LEVEL 31
It's horribly sweltering here. A stone castle, half-mechanical, deep in the earth. Even deep within the walls of the castle, lava pours from every orifice of. Gears turn, Rainbow wires run across the ceiling. The place reminds you of the Meka that Hex showed you. You think how nice it might be to run into her here, but she's probably on the other side of the world. You turn a corner. You guess not.
"Hero! Hey! Funny, uh... Seeing you here?" She pokes her claws together. Is she sweating? You're not sure she's capable of doing that. She grins sheepishly. "...So is it just now you're figuring out that I've been keeping an eye on you?" "Please tell me it is."
> Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"So... Uh... Hot here, huh?" She laughs. Unsure of what to say. "Find anything neat here? I mean besides the entire fucking place!" She gestures around, eyes keen on the wires above. "It looks like the Meka right? It looks like the Meka. What do you think that means for this place? For my Meka? Who built both of these?" You both look around at your surroundings. Imagining. "Rhetorical questions, of course. Hope I can check this place out after the fact. I think I'm gonna stick around for a bit, just so I see what I can pull from whatever this thing ends up as, at the end of the day."
> Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"What's your plan after this, then, Hero?" You shrug. "...Huh! Well remember my offer. You have a place in Atrenne. You'd be welcomed with open arms, and of course I'll be there, for a bit at least." She smiles at you. You smile back. You think that might be a really good idea. "...If you'd like a different form, we can also get that figured out for you." She bares a fang, side-eyeing you.
> Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
She looks through you for a moment. "...Good idea Hero. I think this might be the last chance you get." "Alright, look what I've got."
> Sky(e) Bomb Plus - 80 Ks (5) "Did you know if you put more sulfur in a bomb it explodes more?"
> Tail Turner (300 Ks) "Did you leave the oven on? Forget that you have a spoon to deliver? Wanna go kiss someone before putting your life on the line for your world? This'll let you get out."
> Vital Mana (500 Ks) "This stuff will make you feel brand new. It'll bring both your HP and MP back up. Sorry it's so expensive. It's... a lot. to produce." She rubs her arm.
> True Meka ~~84204 Ks~~ 1000 Ks "It works now, ain't that great? What better way to fight fire than with fire, huh? Let me know if you can't afford it, we can work something out."
> Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
She looks at you. Eyes momentarily weary. "Hero... Really?" She looks up, again surveying your surroundings. "..." She sighs. "Just this once. For you." [Game Saved.]
> Talk > Talk > Buy > Save > Bye
"Hero. Before you go." She grabs something from her pocket, and slips it into your palm. "It's not enchanted or anything, but I hope maybe it means something." She smiles, wearily. "Be seeing you." "...And, uh, sorry for stealing the show." She winks.
You look at the object in your palm. (You got Dragon's Trust. A pin variant of Hex's insignia. A symbol of the friendship between you two. It's mundane. But even still, something about it fills you with a certain power. +2 END)
...
EPILOGUE - PLAYER LEVEL ??
It's an early morning. Birds sing out of the window. The snow is slowly melting from the mountain spring air. The kettle whistles on the stove. Tea is ready.
It's been a long, long time since you slayed the Grand Meka and brought rest to the world again.
You stand. Slowly walking towards the kettle.
The entire dungeon was the Grand Meka. Not surprising. You assumed as much. Foreshadowing is a literary device in which...
You find your favorite mug, next to the tap, and pull it over to the stove.
The Meka collapsed after you destroyed it.
You find the looseleaf in the cabinet, and place it within a small piece of burlap, placing the whole affair in your mug.
Collapsed quickly, too.
You pour the boiling water in. It quickly darkens, the leaves expressing in the hot fluid.
Hex hasn't been heard from since.
You stare into the tea, watching it steep.
You're pretty sure she just left. She's somewhere else, a different continent, planet, dimension, reality, what-have-you.
You remove the tea bag from the liquid. A small amount of sediment remains. You add in a small glob of honey, and stir the whole affair, returning to your chair. The Dragon's Trust catching your eye as you pass it, placed within a glass case and sat on an end table, with your various tomes and old smaller equipment.
You think back on Atrenne. You still regret not moving in, but there was guilt in the air after the dust settled. You couldn't stay there.
You sit in your chair, sipping your tea. Watching the birds fly and reflecting on memories. Before you know it, the tea is gone. You look into the mug, assessing the tea leaves, a habit you picked up during a stint with catfolk somewhere a million miles away.
Clear as day, you see wings. Symbology for returns. Reunions, or the founding of something new. You wonder what it could mean. Atrenne, perhaps?
As if by magic. As clear as day you hear wings, not the beating of a bird's, no. Something much larger.
The wings of a dragon.
There's a knock at the door.
You stand, slowly making your way to answer it. Not looking out of the window. Somewhat excited by the surprise.
The door opens.
It's Hex. Her fur's a shade or two lighter, her muzzle a wee bit grayer, but the spark in the eyes is still there. Her tail wiggles behind her. Her wings folding upon her back.
"Hey." you stare at each other for a moment. "...May I come in?"