What do you even call the structures where the mini-bosses are. I gave up and chose 'gazebo' and I'm pretty sure that's not correct but we're stuck with it in here.
The Chief Consul's Diary
By Bilbo-sama
Entry 34 - Allegoria
LB_Moderator: According to reports, the collective armies of the Five Great Nations appear to be victorious. Unfortunately, there have been casualties.
Muriel: The Horned One has gone quiet for now. I think it got knocked out.
Fred: We've lost some comrades to its desperation attack. Who knows how many more will perish if it wakes up.
Merv: Some survivors in the first aid tents have lost limbs. What do you for those who have lost a tail?
Wen Ti: Balance retraining.
Di Di: Has anyone who fell into comas waken up yet?
Cassandra: My dear Eric hasn't. I'm worried...
Ratasha: Unfortunately, neither has former Chancellor Vermin.
Marlene: That bastard is still evading justice?!
Khunbish: Ah! King Evan just flew into the Horned One!
Wen Ti: I hope he succeeds in whatever he's about to do...
The inside of the Horned One resembled the land outside: Dark purple, rocky, and lifeless. There was strange light purple noodle shaped 'plants' that...wiggled. Everyone agreed to not touch those.
"Doloran is really in here?" said Tani.
"Indeed he is," confirmed Leander, "Somewhere in here Doloran is performing a ceremony that will result in unleashing the Horned One's true power. With this done, he can restore Allegoria to its original glory at the expense of the rest of the world."
"Then we'd best get in there and give that swab a clobberin' before he can finish it," growled Batu.
"If we see any monsters," Bracken spoke up, "Mornstar will most likely damage them like it did to the Horned One. You need to be ready to use it, Evan."
"Right," the young king nodded.
There wasn't any sign on Doloran or Allegoria. But they did find several treasure chests and the runes of an inactivated Trip Door. The Trip Door made more sense than the chests. Why would those be in the Horned One?
Meanwhile Roland was waiting for the other shoe to drop. It's been quiet in his head so far despite being inside the Horned One. His 'betrayal' may have lead it to believe he was 'unworthy' of an alliance. Roland was fine with that.
Eventually, the group's wandering brought them to a forked path. Roland pondered on where to go as the others choose the moment to rest.
turn right, said a woman's voice. Roland nearly jumped in surprise.
What? he thought back.
you must go this way. turn right. Strangely, the mental voice came from the same area of his mind as the Horned One. This voice, however, sounded weaker but was determined to be heard. She also sounded familiar...
please, she pleaded.
"This way," Roland confidently pointed to the path on the right.
"Ye sure, lad?" asked Batu as the others followed the Chief Consul.
"...Seventy percent sure," came Roland's reluctant answer, "Something told me to go this way."
"That's not very reassuring, you know," commented Bracken.
"What's the flippin' difference with this new voice in youer head?"
"She's got better volume control for one," admitted Roland before looking around a corner. There's a bright light...
"There's something up ahead," he called out before suddenly running off into that direction.
"Wait, Roland!" yelled Evan as he and the others followed after him, "it could be a trap!"
The path lead to a crumbling wall but no Roland. A boot print on one of the footholds was their only sign that he may have been there. They all carefully climbed up.
"Oh wow," gasped Tani as she viewed the scene before her.
Down the hill was a city built with Classical Nazcaan (or Greek-Roman according to Roland's point of reference) architecture in mind. White stone buildings designed to reflect summer heat had golden glass domes in the center of the rooftops to gather as much day light inside as they possibly can circled around an Obelisk enclosed by connected arched pillars. In the distance, islands with similar structures on top floated high in the sky in defiance of gravity.
Roland was putting away his phone into his arms band, having taking a picture of the city below. His expression was a mixture of awe and confusion.
"How could there be a city here?" he asked.
"Could this be Allegoria?" theorized Evan, "but wouldn't this mean we somehow ended up in the dimension where it was swallowed into...?"
Leander shook his head, "I believe this is Doloran's desire given form. What we're seeing is a memory of Allegoria as it once was."
"It sure does look familiar," said Roland quietly, "Like...I have been here before."
Leander blinked before pushing up his glasses, "...Fascinating."
"Hey look," Tani pointed up to a floating island that was connected to the city section below by a very long stair case, "is that a castle?"
"It's a King's Cradle," corrected Roland without thinking. He frowned as he registered what he just said. How...how did he know that?
"Oh, because of the dragon statue, yeah?" Bracken pointed to the glass-like statue that towered over the King's Cradle. The dragon had her (...wait, 'her?') wings spread out as her tri-horned head looked up to the sky. It looked as though the dragon had spotted something and was about to take off and investigate.
"Whatever it is," Lofty eyed the baffled Roland before hopping up and down, "that's where Doloran is doin' his funny business! I'd put my money on that, mun!"
"This way," said Roland as he found a steep stair case leading to the marketplace (how is that a marketplace?!) below. He carefully descended the stairs, as if he had done it before. He didn't notice Leander staring at him inquisitively.
turn back, warned the voice midway down the stairs, it's waking up again.
Well, shit.
I can't, Roland apologized, We've reached the city.
then please... the voice begged as it got quieter, don't...let it...win...
That...wasn't a good sign. But he has gotten this far and Doloran needed to be stopped. He can't lose his home again.
Roland was the last to reach the bottom of the steps and as he did, the Horned One made itself known once again with the subtlety of an explosion.
YOU HA͝VE ͡FI҉ŃA͞LLY ĄRR̴I̴V̴E͞D͠. ̷C̸OM̕E ̡F̷ORTH͡ ̴AND̕ ͟JOIN͝ US ̨AS AL̸LE͝GO͞RIA R̷I͞S͢ÉS FRO̶M̴ T̸HE͞ A͜SH͡ES.̷
The black aura emerged from his body again as he felt something urging his legs to go forward without his input. Pain erupted as his nerves decided to feel like he had been set aflame.
"Not again..." he groaned as he pressed a hand against his chest in an attempt to focus on dispelling the Horned One's presence.
"R-roland!" yelped Evan as he and the others spotted him.
You don't need to push me, Roland protested to the Horned One, I'm on my way already!
.͟.͘.̷VE͢R̷Y̡ ̕W͢E͝L͞L.͟ W̡E WÍLL B͝E͟ WAITI̴NG͢ IN ̶THE̶ CRA͘DLE.
The Horned One conceded and released him. As its presence and the aura faded away, Roland realized that the Horned One's voice sounded more feminine and 'clearer' this time. Huh.
"I'm...fine..." Roland reassured the others. Leander didn't look convinced and was about to say something when Doloran suddenly materialized a few feet away from the group.
"It's such a pleasure to welcome visitors to my realm," he said smugly. His triumphant smile seemed to become wider, "Though many souls have joined me here, you are the first to do so willingly."
"Doloran!" shouted Evan as he settled in a confrontational stance, "We wont let your plan succeed. We're going to stop you!"
Doloran tilted his head, as if amused. He gave off the impression that under the headdress, he was raising an eyebrow at this declaration.
"...Of course you are," he replied in a patronizing tone, "try as you might, boy, you cannot even hope to touch me. I look forward to seeing you suffer!"
"Why you...!"
Doloran ignored the frustrated boy king to look at Roland, "Ah, there you are. The Horned One has been excited about your arrival for a while now. Would you like to come join us?"
"No, thank you," growled Roland.
"Very well. I'll be waiting for the moment you change your mind." Doloran teleported away.
"Pah," grumbled Batu, "ol' snake-face may talk a good game but mark me words, he's all a-quiver at us makin' it this far!"
"Let's get going," decided Evan, "before more souls are stolen."
Remembering how the path to the King's Cradle was behind the obelisk, the group went around it only to find the gates leading to the stairs were shut and locked. There was four gems on the gates that seemed to be producing a familiar dark aura.
"Drat," sighed Tani.
"The swab wants us to work for it," huffed Batu as Roland carefully poked the gate. It didn't respond to his touch.
"Well," quipped Roland, "I guess we're taking the scenic route."
"If Doloran wants you to join him," said Bracken, "then why is the way to his clubhouse blocked?"
"It may be a test," said Leander, "A show of wits before he deems us worthy."
"But how are we supposed to solve it?" asked Evan.
"Oh, hang on!" Lofty suddenly piped up as he hopped up and down to get their attention, "I'm sensing some things! Closest one is over there!" He pointed to a left-handed path that Roland recognized, to his confusion, as leading to a couple of fruit and vegetable shops.
Behind the pillars holding up the awning for one shop was a ghost. She was dressed in clothing that resembled ancient Roman fashion.
"Good afternoon," she said, facing Roland, "Do you know when the owners will be back?"
"I'm not sure," Roland replied.
She sighed, "That's too bad. I was planning to make fruity fried rice and mush kebabs, my children's favorite snack. They've been doing so well in their studies..."
"Maybe the owners went out to stock up," Roland suggested.
"What the flip, mun?" came Lofty's voice. He turned and found his friends staring at him in confusion.
"What?"
"Since when are you able to speak Classical Allegorian?" asked Leander, fascinated.
Roland's eyebrows furrowed, "Evan didn't cast Spirit Medium yet?"
"I did," Evan shook his head, "But then you started talking to the spirit in another language. What were you saying?"
"She asked when the owner of this fruit shop will return to reopen the store," Roland recalled, "I told her I didn't know. She was going to reward her children for getting good grades in school..."
"We're in front of a fruit shop?" said Batu as he looked around, "It all looks the same to me. No signs or anythin'..."
"Ask her about Doloran!" suggested Tani.
Roland turned around and found the spot the ghost was occupying empty. "She's gone."
"If this is a memory of Allegoria, then the magic holding her together may have dissipated," suggested Leander, "Memories do fade after a while."
"Then we better get movin'," said Batu, "before the memory of the ground below us goes out."
"Luckily for us, I'm sensing something similar to the flippin' gate," announced Lofty, "this way!"
With no time to question Roland's increasing familiarity with their surroundings, they followed Lofty to a viewing area that revealed an endless horizon past a distant floating island.
In the center of the viewing station was a crystal that was covered in a tainted aura. Curious, Roland touched it and the group found themselves in another dimension reserved for Kingmakers.
Waiting for them was a creature that resembled an oversized Plesiosaur with draconic wings. It roared a challenge before attacking the group.
The battle was surprisingly easy. The creature stayed close to the ground and seemed to halfheartedly attack. When it finally collapsed, it did so with a sigh of relief.
And then they were suddenly brought back to Allegoria. The aura covering the crystal faded, revealing its original yellow surface. Lofty and Leander frowned in contemplation.
"There goes one," said Bracken, "with three more to go."
"The next one is this way," Lofty pointed to a path that lead beyond the forked path they had entered. Following it lead them to a similar area.
The tainted crystal this time revealed a monster that was a mix of a raccoon and a dog. It too barely attacked and seemed happy to be defeated. The crystal it was associated with was blue.
Noticing a pattern, the group returned to the gate to check on it. Two of the crystals on the gate were no longer obscured by shadow. The party then turned back to the obelisk and followed the right-side path to two more similar gazebos. Between them was a ghost dressed in priest-like garb. Roland waited until Evan finished casting Spirit Medium before speaking to it.
"Can you tell us about Doloran?" he asked.
"Doloran is a youthful king but his bond to his Kingmaker is strong and deep," said the ghost in accented Common Tongue.
"It's flippin' happenin' again," sighed Lofty.
"It is the strength of this bond," continued the ghost, "that ensures Allegoria remains peaceful even while war wages elsewhere."
"What's with the crystals in the gate?" asked Tani after Roland translated.
"I'm sorry?"
"She's asking about the crystals in the gate leading to the Cradle," repeated Roland.
The ghost looked confused, "What crystals?" He glanced at Tani with suspicion, "Are you sure that's what the little barbarian said?"
It then suddenly dissipated.
"Er," began Roland, "he didn't know, sorry."
"That's alright," reassured Tani, "he was getting snobby towards the end. He called me something, didn't he?"
"...A barbarian," Roland said eventually.
Batu and Tani snorted, "Lad, I've heard worse," Batu shook his head, "but what's really troublin' is how ye seem to know yer way around this place."
"I am very sure I've never been here before," refuted Roland. He would've remembered that - wait. He mentally 'poked' the link to the Horned One.
Is this your doing?
W̧OUL͘DN'̸T ỲOU͝ ͏LIK̴E̴ ͡TO͘ ́KNOW̶.͘
Yes, that's why I'm asking!
F͜I̡ǸIS̀Ḩ U͢NLO͟C̡KING ͠T͏HE͏ GAT҉E A͠ND͠ ̀THEN͠ MAY̧BE͜ ̷I̛'̀L͢L ͝TELL̀ ̀YO̵U.
Roland gave up and returned to reality. He was still standing and nothing seemed to hurt outside of scrapes from battle. His colleagues were about to leave him behind as they chose the gazebo on the left. It appears that not much time has passed during his brief conversation otherwise the others would've noticed. He quickly followed after them.
This time, however, the Horned One stuck around. Roland found that he preferred that it didn't. Especially while he was fighting for his life.
RE͡ĄLLÝ ̕N̛OW, AR͢Ȩ G͞RAV̷ITY S͏PELLS͘ A̧L̶L͜ ҉YOU KN͡OW?͢ HA̕V͡E Y̵ǪU CONSIDE͝RȨD̡ ̧ǪTHE̕R ȨL̛ÈME͝NTS̴?
This is not really the time for this, said Roland as he dodged a swipe from the third crystal's guardian, a great boar-like being covered in armor. Unlike Porcs, this one didn't stand up on its back legs nor was it armed with weapons. It was also weak to lightning and wind magic of all things.
̵T̶Ơ ͡TH̢E L͢E͏F̧T.
I know how to fight, please stop with the backseat driving! Roland complained as he dodged a swipe of the boar's armored hoof.
͢I̢T ͘WOUL̷D̴ BE̷ ̀V̕ER҉Y͘ ̀IN͝CÓNV͢E̛N̵IĘN̴T ̧IF ̛Y͠OU ̸P̷ER͢ÌSH̷ ÁT ͡T̕H̛IS ̸ṔO͘I̸NT IN͡ TI͏M͝E.̴ YOU͘ ̨A̢R̵È ST̷ILL̨ N͢E҉EDED.͘
By who? asked Roland as Tani fired a lightning spell at the boar, only to miss because it suddenly leaped over the party and landed behind them.
̛WHO D̸O Y͠OU ŢH͞I͢ŃK͡?
Roland glanced at Evan, who successfully managed to stab through the armor with Mornstar. The sword glowed as it responded to the darkness it was meant to exorcise. The sword's magic distracted their foe long enough for Leander to cast lightning magic.
The young king has grown under his tutelage. But eventually, Roland's services wont be needed. And...then what? He had nowhere else to go. He'll...find something to do, perhaps. Start a new family?
His heart seemed to squeeze at the thought. He was not ready to consider that yet.
W͟H͡Y N̕O̕T P̕LEDG̴E̷ YOU͞RS͘ELF́ ͝TO̷ ͝A͏L͝L̶E͢G̀O͜RIA?͏
'Because its ruler is a megalomaniac bent on either taking over the world or destroying it,' Roland wanted to say but didn't because he knew said megalomaniac's Kingmaker would be unhappy about that opinion. He'd rather not find out what it would do to him when angered.
The boar collapsing in defeat distracted him from the conversation. The group was teleported back to Allegoria where the darkness tainting the crystal faded away. Leander stared at the now purified crystal.
"That resembled the Kingmaker of Hamelin," he commented, "Boreas I believed it was named. It vanished along with Hamelin a few years before the volcano almost destroyed Hydropolis."
"So...the other two, were they Kingmakers too?" asked Bracken.
̧YE͢S.
Roland's sudden horrified expression did little to refute the idea.
"Well now, perhaps we'll be pickin' a fight with Al Mamoon's next," said Batu.
"Makes sense, considering there was a lot of wars after that for a while," commented Bracken as they headed to the final crystal.
Unfortunately, for Roland, the Horned One became more interested in the proceedings. Its heavier presence made it harder to focus as Moorrick voiced a challenge. Unlike the others, this one seemed more interested in fighting.
WHY ͟M͘US̀T͠ YOU͘ RE̵JE͘CT ME҉?
Because I really don't want a creepy voice in my head, thought Roland and got the impression of a scoff in response.
WE̷ ÁR͞E CO̧N͘ŃE̴C͟TE҉D.͡ ẂE̸'VE͘ A̛LW͠AYS B̛E͞EN.
Since when? Roland shuddered before shooting a bullet imbued with water at Moorrick. The Kingmaker took the form of a scaled ox, which made it look semi-reptilian in appearance. The horns on its head looked sharp and deadly.
It roared when the bullet cracked the horn on the left. It charged in retaliation but everyone quickly dived out of the way. Or rather, Roland teleported several feet away while the others dived. He sensed smugness from the Horned One. Of course it wouldn't let anything greatly harm him now.
I ̨CAŃ ̢ĢI͢V͘E ̸YOU̴ TH̕AT A͢ND͢ MO͢ŔE̴ IF Y̢O͘U ACC̵EP̛T͜ O͏UR OFF̶ÉR.
And what will he lose in return?
No thanks, and he gasped as the Horned One retaliated by squeezing...something. Whatever it was, it hurt enough for him to see stars.
I̵ C̵A͟N GÌVE ̴YOU̢ ̶W͏HAT͡ YO͡Ù ̴W̵AN͡T ̛DȨEP̷ ̴DÓW̴N̷.̴
It was really getting hard to focus on the fight now. Something tiny squeaked before healing him. One of the Higgledies that followed Evan into the Horned One's shell, most likely.
An image of a woman and a child appeared in his mind. That was...no. He will not have his family used against him!
FOOL. ̷DO ͏NO͡Ţ D̶EN̛Y Y͞OU͘R͜ T́R̡UE DȨSIRE.̢
Something very big collapsed. Roland assumed it was Moorrick. How long have they been fighting the Kingmaker? Time suddenly seemed nothing when a very loud and pushy voice is ringing through his being. He vaguely heard somebody ask him a question and he nodded in response. A small blob squeaked and a soothing light surrounded him, causing the ache in his head became slightly weaker.
He followed the blurs to a...structure. The gate. It makes a loud noise. It's opening.
ÌT̸'S TH̢E ̵BO͡Y͡,҉ ͢I̡SN'T ͜I̡T́?҉ HE͞'S ̸H̷O͡L͝DI͜N͡G ̨Y҉O͠U̸ BACK.
The Horned One sounded accusatory. He felt his arm reach for a short blob that was yellow on top. Who was that again?
ḐES͏TROY͏ ͞H̡I̧S ͏K͟I̷NGMAKE̷R. IT ̸IS͘ ͟A̵ MER҉E ͞C͠AN҉D͝L̶E T͜O͜ ͟MY̧ P͠O͜WE͢R͡.̶ ̷
"N-no," denied Roland, "I will not."
There was a gasp and he faintly saw a glimpse of black. Oh, he's doing the thing again.
"Roland?" somebody said.
DESTROY I̧T ̷AN͢D Y̛OU̶ ͏DESTR͟O̴Y͜ ̨M̀OR͏N͢SŢÀR͜ AS WELĹ. Y͝OUR̢ ̕S̢U͠R͡VIVA͠L D͜ÈPEN͝DS ON I͢T.
"Get...get back," he warned. It took all of his willpower to take a step back away from the group.
The Horned One 'frowned' before releasing him. The sudden telepathic 'lightness' was too much for his taxed body. Roland felt a rush of movement before suddenly hitting something smooth and solid. He faintly registered it as the ground before unconsciousness took over.
This took like four days and part of that reason was that this site kept breaking on me and guess who is the idiot relying on the file manager page instead of using offline programs like Word and Notepad? Me, that's who.
Yes, the Zalgo font does seem different this time. I'm using a lighter version to show the difference between the Horned One at a distance and more or less being inside its mind (?) .
I do have a reason for Roland experiencing deja vu but that wont be revealed until next chapter.
The four crystal bosses were originally random monsters but then I remembered that Doloran had been yoinking Kingsbonds whenever he could for about two thousand years so the four guardians became Kingmakers. Two of them are references to a Studio Ghibli movie and a Level 5 game. Can you guess what they are?
Part of next chapter has already been written so I have a bit of a head start. I want to say that it might come out between tomorrow night and Monday but knowing my luck, it'll be later than that. orz