Episode 2, Chapter 2: The Clock and the Sky
They rubbed the sleep from their eyes, walking back into the Order Hall. Pacing back and forth was Sammy, looking around. She looked over at Jess, silently motioning for them to follow her.
Jess nodded, following Sammy out of the Order Hall and down the street, to the city gate where the others were gathered. Stood there was a woman in a cloak, grey… scales, sparkling bright. Her eyes were a piercing green, looking directly at Jess, slitted pupils maintaining perfect stillness as she tilted her head.
"She said her name was A'zlia." Sammy mumbled, stepping away and slinking behind Jack.
"...Can I help you, Miss… A'zlia?" Jess asked quietly. She laughed.
"Oh, of course you can! You're a simple hu-Man!" She giggled, skipping around them. "A They! A They! And They will Play!" She stopped, holding her hand out in front of her and blowing into it.
"The skies are dark, I've made my mark, and now you play, until it's day!" She squealed as the group looked up. Sure enough, the sun was obscured by deep black clouds, rumbling with thunder. "Lightning strikes, and you get look-alikes!"
The group all looked at each other as she lifted them - and herself - into the air. They all looked down, seeing Beacontown disappear below them.
"I've made the switch, all with a twitch! Copies below, and only you know!" She sat in front of them as they all continued to float, now moving horizontally. A large clock appeared in her lap, clearly pointing to the moon - which was glitching, both in the sky and on the clock.
"You see this clock? It goes tick-tock! And you'll have to hunt it down, if you want to save the town!" She threw the clock into the air, the group watching it disappear into purple smoke. "Time to play, until the day! The sun will rise, when you open your eyes!"
With that, A'zlia vanished, the group landing on… the clouds, stood in front of a giant wall. It was made of quartz, prismarine and sea lanterns along the top and bottom.
"Second weirdest thing I've done in my life…" Petra mumbled, slowly walking on the soft clouds. They felt uncanny, as if they stood on gusts of wind, but were strong enough to support everyone.
"I didn't see, who all made it up?" Jess asked, turning around. They saw Jack, Sammy, Petra, Radar, Lukas, and Olivia… "Oh, fun, all of us?"
"Not willingly, I'll say that much." Lukas mumbled, trying to not look down. "Screw literally everything about heights."
"Could be worse." Jess mumbled, pointing at the gate that cut through the wall. "Come on, through there. I figure the clock's gonna be inside whatever this is…"
The seven of them entered the gates, Lukas immediately falling to his knees at the sight of the grass. "Thank the Dragon, some solid ground…"
"Stay on your feet, Lukas - We have no idea what'll be up here." Petra said, pulling Lukas back up to his feet.
They found themselves in an ornate courtyard, grass walkways walled by quartz pillars with obsidian bases. A'zlia sat in the center of the courtyard, whistling to herself. She was sat in a fountain, four pillars of water flowing into a square basin as she grinned.
"Welcome to the Tower, please don't cower! Heights might be scary, but the situation can't get much more hairy!" She giggled, floating into the air. "Clock's at the top, but you better not stop! It's a long way to go, but then you'll know!"
"Know… what?" Radar asked quietly, looking at her. "Do you always talk in rhymes?"
"Well why don't you? Feeling too blue?" She flipped onto her back, hair swirling around her as if she were underwater. "It's time to shine, I'm sure you'll do fine!"
Jess rolled their eyes, pointing ahead, at a large door, made of dark oak wood. The group marched ahead, the door creaking into the wall and opening the way into the tower.
"Don't mind the critters, please ignore their chitters. You'll have to shoot for the sky, but I think you know why." A'zlia called out from the courtyard as they entered the Tower. "Salvation awaits - the Light dictates."
"Huh?" Petra asked, turning around. "What did you say?"
"You heard me." She waved her arm, the door slamming shut. "I hear no pleas!"