Chapter 4: Treeland Swamp
Rest was needed after the hectic trial that Koiyne put me through. I haven't even seen a single save point throughout this entire journey. Or maybe I just forgot to look for any. I probably should sometime soon. Regardless, I spent the night over in Koiynes' place and headed out in the morning. Skele had important things to take care of, and Koiyne had to prepare for Tonns' arrival and fill out the paperwork to ensure the escape rooms were approved for safety. Honestly safety protocols when I haven't even done Genocide yet seem very outlandish and ironic at the same time. Regardless, I had to make my way towards the next area. Skele told me it was an area called Treeland Swamp, meaning there'd be a lot of murky waters I would have to traverse, similar to how Waterfall worked. Land being in the name gave me the impression it was the replacement for Hotland. Tree meant it'd be green. I should probably mull over the areas I've been to so far. Let us see. There was the Red Temple, Falldin with an Orange scenery, and Sandfall, mostly Yellow. It makes sense the next area would be Green, but who knows? There's a pattern here, but I can't make it out.
Regardless, I must keep my mind in check. My battle with Koiyne made me lose some of my confidence for the future ahead. I was now dreadful about what kind of hell they'd put me through in Genocide. Best I do as much as possible before another fight so I don't have any more close calls like that again. But at least there are only four more areas left before the end, the swamp being the fourth one in my journey. After that who knows what's next? Given the theming, I can only assume that after the swamp is some sort of place that has some kind of reference to Core. Would the lab even be in the swamp? It doesn't seem like it to me. The way Skele, Tonn, and Koiyne have been talking, it sounds like Ding is possibly where New Home would be. The final area, and thus, the final obstacle. Throughout this whole story so far, everyone has been painting me as the one with true dedication. Heroism isn't my strong suit. Hell, I thought it an Honor to kill myself just to free monster-kind, but Asriel and I both miscalculated. The humans didn't show any Mercy. That's why when I finally managed to take Frisks' soul, I sought to unleash my rage for as long as I deemed it worthy. Which we both know would be never, right, reader?
Nevertheless, there's a new story and game to be told and played. And no Frisk to enjoy it. It almost makes me feel bad for them. They would love this. But that got me thinking. Would they be reincarnated as well? Would they re-appear after more humans fall? Or would I manage to break the new barrier and be able to find them somewhere on the surface? Questions like these kept bothering me as I advanced through Sandfall. They distracted me enough to be caught within a dead end, and trapped in a dune. Panicking, I flailed about in a desperate attempt to escape, but that only made me sink even deeper and deeper. Until I was fully immersed in the sand, continuously sinking further and further, darkness enveloping my vision until I passed out from the lack of oxygen...
What was most strange, however, was that I was not losing any HP as my consciousness was slowly being pulled into a dream-like state. I was now floating within an empty void. The empty void was almost recognizable. I was within the Save Screen. I thought I had done a Game Over and had to restart back to the Temple again, but no, that was not what had happened. In front of me was a new screen I had not seen before. The display of the screen showed an animated text, one that I barely understood at all...
[Loading...]
I sat as I watched the bar slowly fill white. I almost forgot what this was. After erasing a timeline, the game universe would have to load a new one for me to torment, which prevented me from just instantly going into another genocide. This was why it took 1000 years for that one achievement. I had to sit through this more times than I could count. The fact it popped up all of a sudden took me by surprise. But I don't understand why it was suddenly showing up. Maybe I haven't fully integrated within this new universe and it's just loading the next area for me? That would make sense, and also save me loads of time. Or maybe this is just the new Game Over screen, and it's only loading me back to the bed of silver flowers. If that was the case, I was not about to falter now. My best option was to just wait and see...
Soon, the screen vanished, and I was thrown back into the game. Instead of being back at the silver flowers though, I was now within a very damp tunnel filled with bright glowing green crystals, vine roots hanging on the edges of where each crystal was. The dune I thought was my death was a red herring in disguise. I had accidentally stumbled upon a secret entrance into Treeland Swamp... I raided through the tunnel as fast as I could to be able to see what the area was like. Upon exiting, I discovered the most serene view you could only hope to see in a fantasy novel(4th wall break moment lol)
It was the most beautiful swamp I have ever seen. Hell, it was the first swamp I've ever seen! But still, it was stunning. I almost considered not moving forward and just staying here due to the sheer beauty of it alone. Trees as far as the eye could see, with vines hanging down from their branches. The vines themselves gleamed with what seemed like a green shine that would be akin to glitter. There were even luscious flowers strewn around here and there, each sparkling a bristly cyan color akin to the echo flowers. Finally, to top it off, there were multitudes of rivers and cliffs, each having a sheen to them that amplified their beauty. This place almost seemed divine. But I have to remain focused!
If I am to get to Ding, I have to trudge through this swamp. Best not to dawdle on the environment. I have to remain focused on my main mission. Seeing what the swamp is like, I have to ponder a few things. Earlier within Mels Cafe, I didn't see any familiar monsters. There's barely been any resemblance of which monsters they've likely been before. The rest though... Valerie had the caring personality of Toriel. Ashton had the lax nature of Asgore. Asherie had the childish energy of Asriel. Skele had that themed Sans-like jacket. Tonn had Papyrus' scarf. Koiyne had Undynes' strength, if not more so. Who am I missing next? The more I think about it, the more I realize the two monsters I have yet to encounter a similar trait. One of which, I sort of hoped wouldn't be like the original...
That monster was none other than Mad Dummy...
The other was Napstablook, which I didn't have many worries about. But Mad Dummy was on another level. If it was the same incorporeal bullshit where I couldn't deal damage to them, then they'd likely be a massive thorn in my side. But the problem was that Mad Dummy was near the end of Waterfall. I'm already in the next area. Did I skip them? Or did they get moved to this swamp somewhere? Looking around, I see no signs of any monsters that live here. What does perplex me though, is that when diving deeper into the swamp, golden statues can be found in various places. The first I encountered was but a miniature statue of a sunflower. The second statue I encountered, which was deeper in the swamp, was a slightly bigger statue of a golden laurel. The third statue, which was even deeper in the swamp, was an even bigger golden oak tree. Then finally, when I arrived at what seemed to be the center of the swamp itself, the fourth statue came into view and was the biggest one yet...
It was a giant golden lily flower. But that's not what took my attention the most. At the base of the giant lily statue was a monster I had never seen before. It floated seamlessly off the ground as if it was hovering. It looked like a mini blimp of sorts with eyes darting in my direction, and a big toothy grin following underneath. The monster seemed to also have some clouds surrounding where its neck probably would be, alongside a tiny cloud that floated on top of where its head would be as well. On the sides of the monster were 2 propeller-like appendages, probably arms, but unlikely given its physique. But those appendages did have claw-like razors jutting out of them, so who's to know for sure? Lastly, at the back of it, I could see a diamond-shaped appendage. probably its tail, which resembled another propeller. None that I've ever seen before. The monster itself was small. Smaller than half my size even. But it also was long, almost like a worm of sorts. As the clouds moved around its body, I could also make out small little horns. Is this monster some sort of dragon-blimp hybrid? It didn't have any wings it seems, so it could probably be a sub-species. From my own knowledge, the only one that fits would be a Wyrm dragon.
So it's some sort of miniature, very angry-looking, blimp-shaped wyrm? Fantastic, as if monsters couldn't look any more weird... But they still looked a bit cool I guess.
The monster stared me down, but was mostly silent, as if observing me. Soon it spoke out.
"Oh! Oh! Human! Human! In My Land! In My Land! How Exciting! How Exciting! Must Play! Must Play! Play, You Will? Play, You Will?" it spoke out in a childish tone. The way it talked certainly reminded me of that dummy. But it didn't seem like a ghost, so I guess it was just a normal monster this time. Or maybe MD fused with their body in this reincarnation? Who knows. All I know is that it wants to... Play? That certainly wasn't like the dummy I knew.
"What do you mean by play? As in, a game?" I asked them. They did a little twirl before replying with "Yes! Yes! MAWB Play Game With Human! MAWB Play Game With Human! Human Want To Play? Human Want To Play?"
They seemed excited about it. I guess they're more like Undynes dummy in that way. All they wanted was to be beaten up by her. Is it the same with the reincarnation?
"What kind of game, per se?" I asked.
"Fun Question! Fun Question! Game Of Chance! Game Of Chance! MAWB Hide Boxes! MAWB Hide Boxes! One Box Has Truth! One Box Has Truth! Other Box Has Lie! Other Box Has Lie!" it said, creating two boxes from magic. One was green, while the other was red. It seemed I had to guess which box was the correct box. So this one is another puzzle meister, eh? I guess I'll play along. Common sense would say green is the truth, and red is the lie. But red could also be the truth, and green the lie. Or maybe...
"Neither are the correct box. The liar is you, isn't it?" I questioned. MAWB just smiled even more.
"Smart! Smart! Correct That Is! Correct That Is! Joy! Joy! Well Played! Well Played! Human Can Go now! Human Can Go Now!" they said, floating up past the giant statue, which began to glow as it vanished before my very eyes, revealing the path toward the next location. Huh. Guess it was just another obstacle... But at least I managed to spare them... I guess...
