Episode 1, Chapter 9: The Choice
They looked around, walking up the stairs that led to the runed wall. Sammy made her way up last, making herself known at the front of the group as they all looked at the runes.
"This is it." She whispered softly, touching the wall with a solemn reverence - It was as if they had begun to tread on holy ground, a timeless place imprisoned deep in the sea. The wall below her fingertips lit up, sending angular beams of light through the wall like cracks as the runes began to glow.
"What does the glowing mean?" Jess asked quietly, brow furrowing as Sammy stepped back.
⍑ᒷ∷ᒷ ∴ᒷ ⊣╎⍊ᒷ !¡∷ᔑ╎ᓭᒷ ℸ ̣ ? ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ╎リ⎓╎リ╎ℸ ̣ ᒷ ꖎ╎⊣⍑ℸ ̣
ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ʖ∷╎リ⊣ᒷ∷ ?￢ﾎﾓ ᒲ?￢ﾚﾍリℸ ̣ ᔑ╎リᓭ, ᓵ∷ᒷᔑℸ ̣ ?￢ﾈﾷ ?￢ﾎﾓ ∷╎⍊ᒷ∷ᓭ, ⎓ᔑℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ∷ ℸ ̣ ? ᒲ?ￊﾖ ᔑリ↸ ᒲᔑリ ᔑꖎ╎ꖌᒷ
!¡∷ᔑ╎ᓭᒷ! !¡∷ᔑ╎ᓭᒷ ℸ ̣ ⍑ᒷ ᔑ↸ᒲ╎リ!
"Here we give praise to the Infinite Light." She began, staring blankly. "The bringer of mountains, creator of rivers, father to man and mob alike… Praise! Praise the Admin!" Her arms stretched outwards, hands in the air as if she were giving a sermon. Jess found themself subconsciously mirroring her… and the gauntlet was beginning to glow.
"Woah- what?" Jack stared. "Never did that to me…"
"Maybe 'cause you guys never got this far." Petra reasoned, as Jess and Sammy both flatly spoke in front of them.
"He who built this world from nothing; who started with mere Bedrock and Void… We ask you for your blessing… open this door! Reveal to us your treasures!" Jess and Sammy said in unison. The door rumbled, exploding into shrapnel as Jack and Petra ducked.
"...Well, that was surprisingly easy!" Sammy chirped as Jess shook their head, looking around in confusion.
"The… wall exploded?" They asked, looking at the debris on the floor.
"Well duh, that's a very Admin way to make an entrance." She rolled her eyes, sprinting into the new room. The others followed behind, looking at the center.
There were two pillars; each holding a floating block. One was purple, with light purple energy coursing through it, lights on the side glowing softly. The other was black, with a glowing white circle on all sides; dotted in the center with another black circle.
"Two choices, each vastly different…" She said softly.
"Why don't you choose, Pets? You were the one the Admin - I guess - almost chose." They shivered. "Scary, knowing we're dealing with that kinda power…"
"I… hm." Petra put a hand on her chin. "We've dealt with worse, you know that; I say we should take that purple block."
"The purple one?" Jess questioned. "I dunno, it seems a little… Familiar."
"Oh, only barely. I think it'll be fine." She looked over at Sammy. "Hell, you're the loremaster here; what do you think would fit?"
"Oh, he wouldn't have a specific one to pick… the two choices - the Shield and the Weapon - they're just blocks. The Shield, a Structure Block able to create a wall stronger than bedrock. The Weapon… is very mysterious; all we know is the old legends - He, a cunning human, stole the plans for a 'self-generating vessel,' long before he became The Admin."
"He was a human before?" Jess asked, looking at her inquisitively. "Then how did he build the world 'from bedrock and void' if he was a human stealing from… some other higher power?"
"That's the other myth we know. It is said that, when the world was nothing, it was him and another power; he tricked the power, forcing it to bestow its powers onto him, and he created the world - tired of the mind games the power had played with him."
"So he made the world out of petty revenge?" Jack asked. "Explains this place's obsession with screwing me over…"
"Well, not just you, Jack - even before we set out the first time I warned you of the sheer amount of bodies this place had collected." She pointed out, as if it were a plain and obvious fact. Jack rolled his eyes. "Regardless - I think Petra might have the right eyes, gaunty; try that purple one."
Jess shrugged, shaking their head nervously as they plucked it from the pillar. Both pillars shot into the ground, the room rumbling.
You have chosen… the Weapon. My divine light, condensed in its purest form.
Would you believe it? Can you see it?
You hold the future. You hold my wrath, my blessings.
The four of them looked around the room, seeing one wall tear away and reveal the infinite ocean behind it… but the room wasn't flooding. Instead, there was a form visible in the water, made of bubbles - Flowing hair, a kind… almost parental smile, with bright eager eyes. Jess wondered how bubbles could be so expressive.
"Th-The Admin…" Jack took a step back, pupils tiny. Sammy began to kneel again, while Petra simply stared at Jess holding the purple block.
Alabaster. Goldenrod. Amber. Black.
You do not know me; you do not see me.
But I am among you. And you have my boon. My blessings.
You will have to return to the surface soon. But as you do… I have one final challenge. A test, to determine if you are worthy of progressing to the next stage.
An echoing laugh bounced off the walls as the bubbles dissipated, the water still not moving but something… definitely coming out of it.
"Is that… us?!" Petra asked, taking a step back in fear as four water giants entered the room, each modeled after a different person.
"Th-that's new!" Sammy squeaked. "Damnit, Jack, you had to kill those Colossi, didn't you?!"
"Oh don't blame ME for this, Sammy!" Jack drew his sword. "Had to save you and Vos somehow - and look how that turned out!"
"I mean, half credit is still credit!" She yelled, charging her own water clone - It charged back.
"So they mirror our movements." Jess said under their breath, pocketing the block and grinning. "Petra! I have an idea!"
Petra nodded, running over - which drew her water clone closer. Jess and their clone moved closer, Jess climbing onto the real Petra's shoulders. The water Jess tried to climb onto the water Petra's shoulders, burbling in surprise as its surface tension broke, splattering everywhere.
"Was that the idea?" Petra asked, wobbling slightly as Jess stood up on their shoulders.
"No, but that's good to know!" Jess pointed with their sword, and Petra ran forward, Jess leaping up to stab the water Petra - and ending up absorbed into its chest. They held their breath, looking at Petra in alarm.
"Get on my shoulders, Petra!" Jack called out. "If we can pop your water clone-!" He was cut off by his own water clone thrusting at him with his own liquid sword as Jack tried to stab it, being sucked into the tip.
Petra and Sammy looked at each other and nodded, running as Petra hopped onto Sammy's back and pulled her down. The water clones mirrored the action, the water Petra splashing everywhere as Jess spluttered, jumping to their feet.
"So! How are we getting Jack out?!" Jess asked. "Petra and I's water clones are currently soaking our shoes, and with Jack absorbed…"
"Then one of you has to pretend to be Jack!" Sammy looked up. "And we best hurry, he looks like he's about to poof."
The two shared a look of alarm, Sammy groaning before grabbing Jess by the hips. "AH- Hey!"
"Sorry about this, matey." She mumbled, looking up to see the water Sammy pick up the water Jack in the same way. "Hiii-YAH!"
Thunk. She flung herself backwards, slamming Jess' head into the floor as the water Sammy caused the water Jack to splatter, Jack washing up next to Petra's feet - Petra knelt down, rolling him over and pressing an ear to his chest, pressing her hands against it rhythmically.
Jess laid on the floor, out cold. Jack was barely breathing - Petra was working on that. It was just Sammy and… the water Sammy.
"Come and get it, you salty bitch." She grumbled, turning and sprinting towards the wall. Predictably, the water clone followed her movements - until they actually got to the wall. While Sammy kicked her foot up, backflipping off of the wall, the water clone ran smack into it, splattering as the room began to rumble again - this time from behind.
"Jack better not be inventory back there." Sammy warned. "We're about to have even bigger problems than the water clones."
He coughed loudly, turning onto his side while in Petra's arms and hacking up uncomfortable amounts of water. She patted his hair gently, helping him to his feet when the spewing stopped. Sammy and Petra shared a look, Sammy heaving Jess over her shoulder as they turned around - a huge torrent of water was barreling straight toward them.