ACT 2 - Into the Timeless Expanse -
Haha remember when I updated this thing. Man, it has been so long and things have been hectic and both of my fics have suffered because of it but I'm not dropping either of them.
So here we are, another chapter. If there is still someone invested in this story, I hope you enjoy.
Chapter 6: Medium
Years in the future...
Sand. Sand as far as the eye can see. It's all that exists and that has existed for who know for how long. As such, it isn't weird or unusual for the lone figure that trudges through the scorching surface that gives away with each step taken. The sun sears both the planet's surface and the lone figure's covered head, its heat unforgiving but its presence the only reliable companion on this figure's trek.
But then again, it's not like it's easy to find companions on this place, or anywhere really. Not after all life went extinct and civilization collapsed, the only vestiges and proof of it ever existing being the wrecked remains of proud skyscrapers and buildings, the ruins being the only testament to that civilization of yore.
The figure idly thinks about using those buildings as refuge from the heat, but thinks against it; the ruins are too far in the horizon and the trek would not be worth it... by the time the figure gets there it would be night and there would be little purpose to use them as cover from the sun by that point and the structure would be of little use for cover during the night anyway; the desert was extremely cold during the dark.
As such the WANDERING SOOTHSAYER, whose hair was an unruly point mess that shared its color with the golden sand under his feet, had no other choice but to continue moving. His destination was unknown even to himself, but he had a mission he had to see through. A mission he had been working on for far too long, a mission he had undertaken under the orders of his visions and superiors. A mission that consisted of oh what is this he had stepped on all of a sudden?
The Wandering Soothsayer stopped his trek as his foot sank under the sand and stopped on something definitely not sandy at all. If he had to venture a guess, he would say that it was... metal? The short and chubby figure scratched his covered his head as he mused what to do; it wasn't unnatural for things to be buried under the sand. After all, there used to be cities and other such things before the desert took over. And yet, he was intrigued... and curious and perhaps a little hopeful; maybe this time, he would find something that would further his mission. It would be nice if he could get some assurance through his VISIONS OF THE FUTURE, but alas those stopped being a thing when tragedy befell the house he used to serve.
Still, the Wandering Soothsayer had nothing to lose, he thought. With stubby arms, the figure went to work and though exhausting and a little painful, he managed to unearth something; a white metallic surface, pristine and quite unlike anything he had seen around here greeted him, and on it laid a hatch with a Spirograph etched on it, its green lines beckoning him to open it. Sweeping away the sweat with a pale arm covered in worn bandages, much like the rest of his body, the Soothsayer smiled. At last, he had found what he was looking for. Or so he hoped.
The Present...
Hiccup: Get Pestered by chums
The young Viking watched with a smile on his face as he saw Toothless play around with the fish's bones. Usually, the dragon gulped down the meal in one fell swoop but on occasions, the Night Fury would be waaay too filled with energy and he would then proceed to play with his food before finally consuming it. Hiccup really couldn't admonish the dragon for bad table manners and specially not now; after all, Toothless had given back the copy of the game to him without making the Viking jump through more hoops. These games of hide-and-go-teleport-seek usually were far more convoluted and if anything, Hiccup was grateful that the dragon hadn't decided to hide on Berk's mountains. The freckled boy would take the Frog Temple any day of the week.
Forest green eyes wandered around the poorly lit room and landed on the Lotus Capsule, its time still counting down. Curiosity ate at him as he wondered what would happen when the countdown reached zero, but he would have to wait quite a while to find out; the clock still 8 hours and so to go. Giving up on that prospect, the lithe teen stood up. He had a long way to get back home and install the game and he had a feeling Toothless wasn't going to give him a ride back this time; the dragon looked rather frisky and mischievous today and he didn't want another prank played on him today; he had Jack for that.
As he exited the Temple's Main Chamber, a notification reached the auburn-haired teen's phone. Wondering idly who was messaging him, Hiccup both smiled and grimaced at the names that were displayed: one of them was a dear friend he always enjoyed chatting with, and the other... well, there was a reason Hiccup had moved this jerk to the trollslum portion of his chumroll (or as its more colloquially known: blocked and contacts lists), he hated this guy a lot. The only reason he even entertained the idea of interacting with this person was because of... complicated reasons surrounding his family. A stubborn father. Phone privileges hanging on talking with an obnoxious and ornery cousin. Stuff like that.
Since his phone service hinged on talking with his cousin, Hiccup decided to check what this guy wanted and deal with him fast and snappy; he didn't want his birthday to be ruined like so. Slender fingers moved through the interface of the device as he typed out his message:
-tyrantAscended [TA] began pestering tinyGlaurung [TG] at 9:40 AM-
TA: BROTHER. HEEEEEY. BROOOOOO
TA: WHAT. ARE YOU. DOING. BRO?
TA: HEY I. SAID. PAY ATTENTION. TO ME. HICCUP! GOD DAMN. IT!
TG: Siiiiigh. What do you want, Dagur? I'm kind of busy at the moment and I don't want to talk to you, y'know?
TG: See, I even typed out a sigh for you like a tool to show how much I do not want to do this.
TA: BULLSHIT. YOU'RE. PROBABLY. JUST. PLAYING. AROUND. WITH. THAT. HELLBEAST. DRAGON. FREAK. OF YOURS.
TA: WHY DO. YOU EVEN. KEEP. THAT. THING. AROUND. YOU. DON'T. EVEN. KNOW. WHERE. IT. CAME. FROM.
TA: IT'S SPOOKY. AS SHIT.
TA: YOU SHOULD. TAKE. IT OUT. TO THE. BACK. OF YOUR. HOUSE. AND BLOW. ITS HEAD. OFF WITH. A SHOTGUN.
Hiccup was already trying to resist the urge to tell him off. An urge he failed to resist miserably.
TG: Hell no! Toothless is my best friend, and I would never harm him!
TA: PSH WHATEVER. ITS NOT. LIKE. YOU COULD. ACTUALLY. HARM. HIM OR. ANYTHING.
TA: FREAKING. EVIL. DEVILBEAST. POWERS.
Hiccup hated to admit it but Dagur had a point. Toothless was completely unique as a dragon. For once, he was among the very highest on the danger scale due to its cunning, strength and speed. Night Furies were feared in Berk to the point that they were hunted down to almost extinction by the earlier inhabitants of the island. But Toothless was different from normal Night Furies, according to local legend. The Night Fury had an uncanny mastery over space time, capable of teletransporting itself and others in the blink of an eye, effectively nullifying any kind of damage to itself, and its offensive capabilities had been boosted by some unknown source. On top of that, the dragon was old as time. It went through cycles of growing up, dying and reviving, but the dragon itself had been alive for far more than Berk's entire history. Some said he was around before humans even existed.
But of course, those were fairy tales for dumb baby vikings that still dirtied their diapers. There was no way anything about that legend was true anyways. The point, however, was that Toothless had a lot of unnatural abilities that made him near untouchable. But Hiccup liked his friend just the same, and he wouldn't EVER point a weapon at him, ability to harm him or not notwithstanding.
Dagur was just being his usual lousy self and Hiccup was getting tired of it already
TG: Ugh, just. What do you want, Dagur? I have stuff to do, unlike SOMEONE I know.
TG: That someone is you, in case the hint wasn't as obvious as I hoped it was.
There was a brief weird pause before the next message arrived.
TA: HONESTLY. HICCUP. I'M WOUNDED. YOU KNOW? TERRIBLY SO.
TA: I CANNOT. BELIEVE. YOU FORGOT. TO INVITE. ME TO. YOUR. BIRTHDAY. PARTY. AGAIN.
TA: NOT THAT. I WOULD. HAVE. MISSED. IT OR. ANYTHING. I HAVE. THE DATE. MEMORIZED.
TA: BECAUSE. THAT'S. WHAT. EXCELLENT. BROS DO. 8D
TG: Have you considered why I didn't invite you? Oh I dunno, it might have been the fact that I do not want you there?
Hiccup knew he was pushing his luck and that the consequences for this would be nerve-wracking and possibly painful, but that was always the case when Dagur was involved.
TA: THAT. IS A RIDICULOUS. NOTION. AND I. WILL. PRETEND. TO IGNORE IT.
TA: BECAUSE. PRETENDING. THAT. THINGS. DIDN'T. HAPPEN. IS THE. FIRST. STEP. TO MAKE. THINGS. LESS. REAL. 8]
TA: BESIDES. I KNOW. YOU LOVE. WHEN. I VISIT.
TA: YOU'RE. ALWAYS. SCREAMING. WITH. DELIGHT. DURING. MY WHOLE. TIME. THERE. BROTHER!
TG: No I'm not! Dagur, all you really do is torture and annoy me! If it was up to me you wouldn't even be talking to me right now!
TG: Gods, how can you be so dense? That's really the biggest mystery on this island! I just can't stand you!
That was putting it lightly. What Hiccup really felt towards his cousin, towards Dagur, was hate and honestly a smidgen of fear. But no one could blame him for that. Years of putting up with violent tendencies from the older teen had stunted Hiccup's drive to make friends permanently, and he was now terrified of sharp objects, no doubt because of the constant target practices he was forced to endure for Dagur's amusement. What Hiccup hated the most, though, was the fact that his Father didn't believe him. Stoick was so sure Dagur was going to be a good influence of his son that he allowed the abuse to continue until Hiccup was 12, when he got cut up pretty bad and earning himself a scar on his chin. That's where Valka drew the line and banned all of Dagur's constant visits to a minimum.
Still, he was family, and Stoick was pretty insistent on allowing the deranged teen to visit at least on special occasions. Which unfortunately means that he was coming over to the Haddock household for Hiccup's birthday.
TA: BULLSHIT. YOU LOVE. IT WHEN. I USE MY. KNIFE-THROWING. SKILLS. ON YOU.
TA: BUT DON'T. WORRY. BROTHER. TODAY. YOUR. BIRTHDAY. WILL. BE ONE. TO REMEMBER.
TA:I CAME. UP WITH. SOME. NEW SKILLS. THAT. I'M DYING. TO SHOW. YOU. SO LOOK. FORWARD. TO IT. 8D
-tyrantAscended [TA] ceased pestering tinyGlaurung [TG] at 9: 45 AM-
Hiccup sighed with relief. Usually, the chats with Dagur dragged in for far longer than he was willing to put up with. However, the contents of this particular conversation were putting the young man on edge again. If Hiro was right about this game being important, Hiccup hoped it would at least help him escape from this horrible situation.
Not that it was possible. After all, it was just a game.
Another sigh escaped the brunette's lips. There was no use in daydreaming or filling himself with dread with possible scenarios. First, he needed to get back to his house if he wanted to install this game. He had gone through so much to get it back, he might as well play it. Toothless seemed to sense the thin boy's anxiousness to play because the dragon stopped messing around with its food and then proceeded to lift the boy by the shirt and throwing him on its back for a ride, a yelp escaping Hiccup's mouth as he landed on the dragon's back and he held for dear life as the dragon started to move.
Fortunately, Toothless didn't seem to be in a hurry, because the dragon decided to walk instead of fly, much to Hiccup's relief. He hadn't brought his flying gear. Grateful with his bud's sensible choice, the green-eyed youth decided to check the other message he had received as the Night Fury idly strolled its way down the Frog Temple and into Berk's thick woods.
-uranianUmbra [UU] started pestering tinyGlaurung [TG] at 9:49 AM-
UU: Cheers, HiccUp! ^u^
UU: Happy birthday, love!
TG: Haha, hello there! Thank you!
UU: So, today is the big day, hUh? I bet yoU're excited for this momentoUs occasion!
TG: Ehh... not really. Birthday's aren't that much of a big deal.
UU: Nonsense! The day of one's birth is of tremendoUs importance!
UU: Why, it is the day yoU arrived into this world, and thUs gave Us all the privilege of getting to know you eventUally! ^u^
TG: Hahaha, if you say so. I... don't really think it's that important, but I know how you get about this subject so I will drop it.
UU: Sheesh! YoU seem crankier than UsUal! Is there something amiss, dear? :U
TG: Nothing really. Just more Dagur problems.
UU: Ah, that says it all. Speak no more.
UU: Will yoU be alright? The way yoU speak aboUt him greatly makes me worry aboUt yoUr well being u.u
TG: Don't worry about it. It will take more than Dagur to break through all this raw vikingness.
TG: Please pretend that I was flexing while I said that.
UU: Hee hee, dUly noted ^u^!
Hiccup smiled he read the positive messages, the trees above him shielding him from Berk's unusually hot Winter. This day had been weird and chaotic so far, but if anything, Jack's and his friends' birthday wishes made everything bearable. Especially the ones from UU.
She was... an oddity even among Hiccup's friends. One day, she just appeared in everyone's contact list and that set off quite a few alarms. Hiccup and the others didn't block her, however, on the account that she seemed to harbor no malicious intent. She only contacted them because she was quite lonely and had wanted to make friends and had heard things about all of them through the internet and was quite curious to meet them all.
The story reeked of course, because as far as Hiccup and the others were concerned they weren't exactly internet famous, but her personality did not, and in time she made friends with everyone. Despite how close and welcome she was in Hiccup's circle of friends, though, she still remained quite a mystery for two big reasons. One: though she had made it clear that she was a girl and she was apparently British due to her way of typing, she hadn't divulged her identity to anyone at all. Not her name nor her appearance.
And the second reason was directly tied to the first and it was perhaps the most mystifying of the two. After UU had grown accustomed to them, and them to her, she revealed to each one of them through private messages that she knew far more about them that she let on. If Hiro was weird about the fact that he could predict certain outcomes about their futures, UU was even more so. In fact, one time, UU let slip to Hiccup that she knew about the true nature of the game they were going to play. The brown haired teen caught this slip but UU wouldn't say any more, her lips sealed until "the appropriate time came", in her own words. Curiosity ate up Hiccup but he knew not to pry or force the issue; UU was delicate, far more so than the other girls in their party, so he decided to wait until the time was right.
Hiccup decided that right now was a good time to ask. Maybe he would get lucky this time...
TG: Say... changing topics slightly, but you said this day was special, right?
TG: Is that because... I dunno, we are going to play Sburb today? I mean, it has to be, right?
UU: Hmm... Yes! That woUld be a correct assUmption! :U
TG: Awesome. Now, I know what your policy about spoilers and all, and I respect that but..
TG: Could you tell me more about this game? Hiro keeps saying this is a big deal, and you seem to allude to that fact as well.
TG: So, would it be too much to ask for more info about it? If this is REALLY important, I want to know what to expect!
TG: I don't want to mess this up. So, please...?
Hiccup hated how that message came across. Man, talk about begging. But he really, really wanted to know. If he had to show off a desperate persona to get more info, that's what he was going to do. His heart skipped a bit when a long pause passed before UU replied, and his eyes scanned the screen of his phone intently when the message came.
UU: I gUess yoU do have a point, dear!
UU: Very well, I will break my no spoilers policy jUst for yoU, bUt only on certain topics!
TG: Thanks! I'm sorry for pressing you, but I'm just so curious...!
UU: Hee hee! I Understand the feeling! Very well, where do I begin ^u^?
Hiccup pondered the question a little as Toothless continued his leisurely pace through the woods. The freckled teen supposed he should start with the question in the forefront of his mind.
TG: OK... first of all, what is Sburb even about? I mean, all the game magazines I have with me keep hyping it up but no one actually talks about the game and how it plays or anything! There aren't even any screenshots of gameplay!
Another pause before the next message came.
UU: I'm not sUrprised to hear that! After all, the game's trUe natUre is kept a mystery to lUre in people to play it! :U
UU: This is not yoUr rUn of the mill beepy-boop game, love! Forgive me for waxing melodramatic, bUt this game is likely the only thing that can save yoU and yoUr friends!
UU: And I Understand yoUr skepticism of this fact! BUt I don't blame yoU for not believing these words, becaUse this is also the natUre of the game that yoU are aboUt to play. The natUre of the effects this game will have in yoUr lives and that of everyone far exceeds initial comprehension of those destined to play!
Hiccup's mind was reeling. UU was right, this was hard to believe and to take at face value. A game that would save his life and decide his future? If this was any other person but UU, he would take it as a joke and dismiss the entire notion as ridiculous. But this was UU, who never lied and never played pranks. So his suspension of disbelief hung on a thin thread as he proceeded to answer UU.
TG: I... don't really follow. Are you saying this game will really affect me and the real world? Is that more of your theatrics, UU?
UU: Hee hee! Afraid not, love!
UU: SbUrb is not jUst a simple game. In fact, the game itself is a proxy to a mUch bigger event of cosmic importance!
UU: A simple tool for forces that stand in opposition, a tool whose pUrpose is to facilitate the beginning of the end, and the start of a cascading series of events that will UnfUrl across all existence and beyond even that!
UU: It is a game that will begin the end of the world, and at the same time paradoxically not!
TG: What?
"What?" was an appropriate answer to this deluge of mind-numbing information. Suddenly, Hiccup's suspension of disbelief decided to pack up almost entirely, and yet Hiro's words rang on the back of his mind. Did Hiro know this? Was this what he was alluding to? Curiosity drove his will as he elaborated on his message.
TG: Wait, are you saying that this game will destroy the world?
TG: OK, suddenly I'm finding myself not wanting to play this game anymore.
TG: Who in their right mind would play this game, knowing this?
UU: Like I said, love, not playing the game will not prevent this!
UU: YoU don't know this yet, bUt this kind of oUtcome was inevitable! The workings of Paradox Space and their inflUence on all existence far exceed the comprehension of the individUals tangled Up in the threads of fate!
UU: Yes, playing the game will start the end of the world, bUt no playing it woUld not prevent the end from coming! It is an immUtable fact that I'm stating for the record! Later on yoU will Understand this!
UU: And besides, not playing woUld sUrely doom yoU all for good! Playing the game is the only way to escape certain destrUction! :U
UU: YoUr friend Hiro Understands this, and thUs, he has already started playing!
At that, Hiccup's mind blanched.
TG: Wait... Hiro is playing already?!
Sudden worry crept upon the freckled boy's heart.
TG: Is he OK?! Did he win?!
The next message couldn't come soon enough.
UU: Yes! He is OK, love!
UU: Hiro most certainly elUded obliteration and he has started the game for real, leaving behind the meteor-riddled remains of his neighborhood and this planted doomed for destrUction! ^U^
Hiccup sighed, and Toothless chirped at his friend, who reassured the dragon that everything was OK. Somehow, he had found himself already believing everything UU was saying; the relief he felt when he read that was proof of it. And yet, he was still confused.
TG: Wait, meteor? Oh gods, did a meteor strike his house?
UU: Yes... this is the destrUction that will rain Upon yoUr planet.
UU: They come from a place different from yoUr Earth, from within the game. From a realm that paradoxically exists becaUse of the game and yet also exists independently from it.
UU: They comes from a place known as the MediUm! And this is where the game will trUly take place!
Hiro: Go outside
The black-haired teen dared to open his eyes after making sure and convincing himself that he wasn't dead and that he hadn't been smooshed by a giant flaming space rock. When he opened his eyes, he saw everything as he had left it; his house was intact and certainly not on fire, and there he was, still laying on the Alchemiter, the flashing Kernelsprite still floating next to him, as if expecting something from the Japanese kid.
Relief washed all over Hiro; if this wasn't some sort of after-death dream, he had done it. He had survived the first task set by Sburb. He had escaped the fiery Armageddon. Hiro wanted to yell out of excitement but then a single question popped up in his mind.
Where was he? Where had he escaped to?
Hiro gingerly got up from the Alchemiter and walked towards the nearest window, on the second floor of his house. All he saw as he peered outside was darkness. Pure undiluted darkness.
TG: The Medium? What is that?
UU: It is a part of the realm where SbUrb takes place, a part of the Incipisphere! Upon entering the game, all players will be transported into the MediUm and that's where the game will trUly start!
TG: You keep throwing all these new terms at me and I don't think you realize I am not going to keep up with all of this if you don't explain it to me.
UU: BUt I jUst did, silly! :U
UU: MUch like yoUr Earth exists on a realm yoU refer to as the solar system, SbUrb exists on a realm called the Incipisphere, and the place yoU are transported to is called the MediUm, a part of it! That's all there is to say aboUt that matter ^u^!
Hiro cautiously stepped out of his home into the street that stretched in front of Aunt Cass' cafe. Or rather, the street that USED to stretch in front of the cafe. All that remained of Hiro's neighbor was a single circle of land where his house stood, and a little surrounding terrain. It looked as if his house had been literally uprooted from where it once was and had been transported to someplace else. Someplace weird.
No matter where he looked, there was nothing but darkness around him. The skies were devoid of any clouds or stars, just a void stretching endlessly in front of him. Unnerved, Hiro walked towards the edge of the piece of land his house was standing on and looked down.
His breath caught on his mouth as he peered down into the abyss. Nothing but clouds, thick and grey, could be seen below. Faint flickers of lights of various colors could be seen sporadically, but other than that, only clouds as far as the eye could see.
Hiro was so enthralled by the scenery in front of him he almost missed the erratic behavior of his Kernelsprite who had followed him outside. The orb started to flash frantically and give off sparks before a bright flash blinded Hiro momentarily. Trying to blink away the daze, the black-haired teen looked at the spot where the Kernelsprite had been, only to be met with a mystifying sight.
The Kernelsprite had changed shape. Once, it had been a simple orb, but now the Microbotsprite had become larger, growing a body and a tail, similar to a ghost, but made out of Microbots. It still was red in color and it still floated in midair effortlessly, but it had ceased flashing. From the Microbotsprite emerged two orb, one flashing white and one flashing dark. They hovered momentarily before Hiro before floating away rapidly, the dark one plummeting below the clouds into whatever laid beyond, and the white one rising high into the air, leaving behind a trail of seven Spirograph on its ascent before disappearing into the darkened skies.
Or so Hiro thought. As he saw the white orb rise high into the maw of darkness that hung above him, something changed. A faint light began to shine through the black, warm and inviting. Using a hand to stave off the rays, Hiro tried to look for the source of the light, and that's when he saw it.
TG: So, what are we supposed to do there when we arrive? Like... what is the goal of the game? In simple terms, please.
UU: Right! I do love to go on and on aboUt this, bUt I can't help bUt to get excited!
UU: I've perUsed the stories and legends aboUt the game yoU're all aboUt to play and it's fascinating!
UU: BUt enoUgh pUrple prose from me! I sUppose it's aboUt time I told yoU about the conflict that is cUrrently taking place in the Incipisphere.
TG: Conflict?
UU: Yes! In the middle of the Incipisphere lies a dormant crUcible of limitless creative potential. This celestial body is known as Skaia, and its the soUrce of the conflict and yet at the same time, yoUr goal for this game!
TG: Huh... what are we supposed to do with it? And how do we reach it?
UU: I.. am afraid answering the first one woUld violate my no spoilers policy! At least, for now!
TG: Darn it!
UU: Watch the langUage, darling! ^u^
UU: BUt as for the second one... to reach it, yoU mUst traverse the Seven Gates that will float above the player's starting point! And to reach those Gates, one mUst bUild and climb! And one mUst do it fast, for the players aren't the only ones vying for Skaia's potential!
TG: Huh? Are... we competing against other people? Other players?
UU: Not exactly! :U
UU: In the Incipisphere exist two warring kingdoms, one of light and one of shadow and they have dUeled for the ownership of Skaia in a perfect and eternal stalemate, the army of light seeking to protect it, and the army of shadow coveting it's destrUction!
TG: An eternal stalemate...? You mean they are at a war where no one wins or loses?
UU: YUp! In the center of Skaia lies a planet known as the Battlefield, and it is here where both armies do battle in a never-changing sitUation.
UU: Never-changing, that is, Until a player enters the game! And that's when the real war begins!
UU: A war that the kingdom of light is always fated to lose inevitably!
The Battlefield, a simple chessboard, small in size and measuring no more than three by three on all sides. On it, two chess pieces, two kings, move around in an eternal stalemate, neither losing nor winning for all eternity, unless a change takes place.
The dark orb plummets through the clouds and exits them, continuing its descent until reaches a set of obsidian spires, eight in total, on a dark planet floating far away from Skaia's guiding light. The dark orb takes its place on one of the spires, lighting it up once it enters it.
The white orb, meanwhile, proceeds in a similar fashion, but this one instead approaches a golden kingdom bathing on Skaia's benevolent light, the planet of light skirting the edges of white orb takes its place on one of the kingdom's eight spires.
The Battlefield, a simple chessboard, small in size. As both kingdoms receive their respective orbs, the planet inside Skaia changes. The chessboard has changed, expanded, and now each king has an army of its own as both warring royalties engage in battle on the now twelve by twelve board. The game is afoot.
TG: Wait, the good guys are fated to lose?
TG: That... doesn't sound very encouraging. Is there even any point to playing if the game is destined to be lost from the start?
UU: Yes! There IS a point! :U
TG: ...
TG: So,uh... what is it?
TG: (Please don't say "that would be spoilers that would be spoilers that would be spoilers")
UU: I mUst regretfully inform yoU that this particUlar topic is indeed breaching on my spoiler policy! :U
UU: BUt, HiccUp, believe me when I tell yoU that yoU folks playing this game will have a tremendoUs impact throUgh all reality. Participating in this game of Lands and Consorts and Denizens, of warring Royalties and Kingdoms, of Agents and Heroes of Breath, Mind, Time, Space, Heart, Light and Void is of the Utmost importance!
UU: YoU will jUst have to believe! ^u^ Hee hee.
Hiccup sighed as he read all of the things he had talked with his mysterious friend. In retrospect, it all sounded so silly and unbelievable, and the brunette found himself blushing out of embarrassment.
TG: You do realize all of this sounds incredibly silly, right?
TG: Like, this honestly feels like a prank, or a joke. Like, you made all of this to pull the wool over my eyes, so to speak!
Hiccup wanted to believe that all of the things he had heard from UU were real. For so long, he had dreamed about fantastic adventures and mystical quests, hoping that magic and legends were real. He wanted to explore the world, go on dangerous missions and become a hero, someone of importance. All those hopes had been dashed when his father mercilessly debunked all of those things as wasteful endeavors; magic wasn't real and it was fake as shit, apparently. But Hiccup still hoped, as he put on a front so that his father wouldn't lecture him again for being an airhead dreamer who has his head on the clouds.
And yet, despite wanting those things UU had told him to be real, he still hesitated; because what if all of it was a prank? That would be the worst possible outcome. That would mean his father had been telling the truth and he had been a foolish boy who dreamed too much. So he hesitated; afraid of this decisive moment. Would he take the risk and find out if he had been right or wrong once and for all? Hiccup wasn't sure.
A message interrupted his soliloquy.
UU: I assUre yoU, I don't play pranks! U.U
UU: BUt all yoU mUst do to confirm this is simply to play the game! There, yoU will find oUt whether I am a CoUrier of TrUth or a simple Prankster Master ^u^!
UU: Regardless of yoUr coUrse of action, Skaia has begUn to set its plans into motion.
UU: I cannot force yoUr hand, bUt I woUld prefer it very mUch if yoU played the game! I rather enjoy yoUr company, HiccUp, and I woUld serioUsly hate it if yoU got smUshed by a giant rock! uwu
UU: I'll see yoU again later, love. HopefUlly! I have... a sitUation to take care of. He is acting Up again so I mUst leave.
UU: Happy birthday, HiccUp! kisses!
- uranianUmbra [UU] ceased pestering tinyGlaurung [TG] at 9:59 AM -
Well, wasn't that ominous and worrying. Now he was suddenly compelled to play the game more than ever. Still, UU had been right. If Hiccup wanted to get answers, all he had to do was to play the game. Suspension of disbelief notwithstanding, it wasn't like he had any other plans for the day... or at least, better plans. His birthday party was going to be a stressful endeavor, and Dagur was going to come over to his house. If this game was going to teleport him to a dimension far away from home and this harrowing situation, well... it was worth a shot.
He was also worried about his friends. Now that he knew about the nature of the game, he found himself wondering if Hiro knew all of this. Had he told the others yet? If not, all of them were in danger. He had to warn them and make sure Hiro was safe.
And... he had to get himself to his house. If UU wasn't lying, then the prospect of having a looming space rock over his house was going to be very real pretty soon.
Once again, Hiccup cursed the hunch he had gotten earlier. Yes, today was going to be a long day.
Years in the Future...
Under the hatch, the Wandering Soothsayer found a set of stairs descending into an unknown darkness below the sands. Hesitation apprehended the heart of the Soothsayer; he hated darkness the most of all, as he hated the night and the nightmares that came with it. Still, he had to brave this if he wanted his mission to succeed. The promise he made was not going to be broken just because of a silly fear.
It took WS some time to descend fully, the darkness partially obscuring the reality of the structure he was going down into. After an excruciating amount of time, the Soothsayer reached the bottom of the shaft, grateful for the cool reprieve from the sun's relentless assault. He jumped a little when a door automatically opened behind him, but after collecting himself, the Soothsayer walked through it.
He found himself in a wide room, walls lined with metallic plates, and devoid of any life. He had expected as much, but he still found himself feeling lonely. He missed his comrades from long ago so much, but there wasn't any guarantee they had survived, so he dismissed the longing and instead focused on investigating the room.
It didn't take him long to find what he was looking for; by far the most interesting part of the room, the Wandering Soothsayer found himself standing in front of a large computer, with an imposing monitor in front of him. The monitor itself was of curious design; it was divided up into seven smaller screens, all arranged in a circle with six surrounding one in the center of them. And yet, the monitors were turned off. With a shaky pale hand, the Soothsayer pressed a key on the keyboard that was attached to the computer, and at once the whirring sound of the machine coming back to life from sleep mode assaulted his ears.
However, only one of the screens turned on, and what he saw on it sent him on a wave of confusion.
He was seeing a white-haired teen clad in a blue hoodie and some jeans as he traversed an unknown landscape that seemed to be on fire.
Who... was this young man?
The mystery deepens and the plot expands; hopefully the update rate will also expand!
Yaaaay for exposition!
I want to get to the hijack parts already but ~world building~
Until next time, see ya!