User:HankGuideDude/The Planet's Shadow's Appendix

So I finally decided to publish and polish this up just in time for Chanukwanzaa/Chrimbus/X-mas/whatthefuckever. Note that it does NOT include the "past arc" of Hankvi as of yet, that will get written some time due to constraints in both life and story development.

Oh, and I KNOW this is very long and detailed - about 3 or 4 TPS reports chapters on average. If it's to be requested for abridging so it can be incorporated in the story where this rightfully belongs to (unless this IS to become a norm), then leave a message and I MAY do something about this.

There might also be some plot errors/improvements to further this out, as some were corrected from my Tipsy Timelines blog, so if you happen to stumble into one, leave your suggestions/complaints.



So without further ado, let's boogie for it is my first ever written stories in the ~5¾ years I'm here in total, besides, well, the plot of the pre-canon-order.... or read, that works too.

Chapter ??: Hankvi
Hankvi: Farewell....

I waved to my faithful Mer-Treant lusus and then walked out the door to another start of another of my adventures. My lusus packed me a backpack with sufficient supply of consumables to drive me onward - also included is a laptop and a hatchet, just in case.

As I exited, I was greeted by the sky as the sun had set a while ago. The surroundings of my not-so-lavish-for-my-blood house (or hive in Alternian-lingo) could be considered "breathtaking": The coast line that pointed to the sea painted the sky a brilliant gradient of purples, indigos and teals - such combination that would sometimes appear in early mornings and evenings of a dim season. The moons were mixed in with balanced intentions: The green moon is almost faded away from view, but the pink moon is nearly full along with the little moon right next to it. The clouds were dark purple, meaning it would start to get dark soon as the sun moves further away from the horizon.

The Alternian Sun is not something you'd want to be directly under; the intense rays of such a celestial object could leave some burns and blind you in nearly an instant, should it be looked with the naked eye....

I caught a glimpse of a falling star seconds after I left, and was amazed at the moment. Such things appear rarely and if you happen to be lucky, you can get a wish.... at least that's what my lusus told me. Many other trolls believe it's a bad omen of some sorts - either rumors or of experience, but I deny this. I closed my eyes and made a wish:

Hankvi: ((I wish my adventure will be a grand one.))

With that said, I turned away from the coast, into the mainland and away from my hive, so did my mind as I reflected on myself to the most possible extent:

My name is Hankvi Guidza. I am just about seven sweeps old (for reference, one Alternian sweep is 2 1/6 Ludusian years). Since grubhood, I always wanted to be an adventurer - explore Alternia for what it really is. I may not remember much from my past life, but I entrusted my lusus to give me the proper needs like any other lusus and wiggler. I'll come back with many stories to tell and experience the thrill outside my hive....

That's quite an unusual description about me - especially since my blood is of a purple-blooded caste, which according to the hemospectrum it places me above the blues but below the royal violets. That kind of blood would land one into the Subjugglators' business. I never found that to be interesting because I was more determined to find what is outside of my hive rather than sopor drinking or MiRaClEs which I didn't understand. Yet, my lusus was over-protective about me going outside despite the trainings I've had all my life. Perhaps there's a reason for that:

One sweep ago on one of my past adventures I had with my lusus, I was hit by a meteor dead-on. My lusus was far from where the meteor had struck, and to its horror it saw me in the newly-created crater with much of my blood spilled in it. Miraculously, I'm still alive and well, but my head tingles even to this day.

My lusus is a nurturing kind of giant - a hulking treant with clawed arms, legs with roots and a tree for a head as well a huge marine tail, which I've nicknamed it a Mer-Treant - Mermaid-Treant for short.

It is only today that I'm given my freedom, with my first proper adventure. I'm well determined yet I still feared to go out to where this adventure will take me. Determined because of my will to undertake this along with my lusus' trainings, yet feared not just because of the dangers but more so about social ineptitude. Purple bloods are primarily fearless - but myself I am a shy, timid and meek troll.... but I don't care about the differences of blood nor will such restrictions taunt me, so out I come!

Back to the present at hand, I walked for what appeared to be a few hours - occasionally nourishing myself with some grubloaf sandwiches as I passed from the coast to vast empty grasslands to an urban-like setting of a town.

As I made my way into this small town, there weren't many people. It was a gloomy town blended with dark grey buildings and orange highlights from the incandescent streetlights and windows.

Some people payed no mind to me, jonesing some spliffs while leaning into the buildings' walls. Others just looked at me weird as if they hold no tolerance towards strangers. I can't really tell what castes live here. At average, I would assume it's around indigo - not low enough like a village or a pasture, but not high like around the sea.

<font color=#609>Then as I made through near a sopor- ahem drugstore, someone just poked me at my shoulder.

<font color=#5B0088>???: Heyo.

<font color=#609>A masculine voice rang from behind made me jolt and suddenly felt uneasy. From the tone, he knows these streets.... I turned towards him and he did look like a hustler. He wore a dark purple jacket with color-matching pants. His haircut was tidy yet it showed some form of rebellion, and both of his horns were curly and pointed upwards. There's a symbol on his shirt about the same color as mine so his blood's the same as well, I thought. The most distinguishing feature about this young adult of a troll is the purple-tinted shades; his street credibility must be quite high with just these on.

<font color=#609>With the analyzation complete, I replied.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Y-yes?

<font color=#5B0088>???: Do you know which way leads to Los Diablos? [dreamlinger reference]

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Um.... uh.... n-no. No, I've never been here before.

<font color=#5B0088>???: Hmm, of course you haven't...

<font color=#609>Maybe he's lost, but I continued to walk by.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Er, it's been nice talking to you. H-have a nice ni-

<font color=#5B0088>???: Hold on, we're not done talking!

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Eh?!

<font color=#609>He yanked me by the same shoulder. After a quick yelp, this creep's continuing to ask questions as if interrogating me.

<font color=#5B0088>???: What are you doing here?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I'm just.... passing by.

<font color=#5B0088>???: All by yourself?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Yeah.

<font color=#5B0088>???: Any intent?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Um, n-no. Not really.

<font color=#5B0088>???: Ah. A wanderer, then?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: You could say that.

<font color=#5B0088>???: Hmhmhmhmhmhm.. I see... Hey what's your name, fella?

<font color=#609>I've started to sweat from all this nervousness, but why would he know my name for? We are just strangers.... unless it's for some intent like befriending, but something tells me that this is not how to befriend.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: M- my name is Hankvi Guidza.

<font color=#5B0088>???: ... huh. That's not what I'm told..

<font color=#609>Hankvi: What do you mean? That's what I have been called all my life.

<font color=#5B0088>???: Yeah my mistake. Well stay safe, Hank. Zekrys Adepri is my name if you're wondering.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Y-yes, you too, Zek-

<font color=#609>He interrupts me as I managed to call to him by his name and leaving.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: But before you go, can I ask you another question? Just this one tiny question before we part?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: S-sure, Zekrys.

<font color=#609>Out of his pants-pocket he revealed a folded piece of paper. He then unfolded and showed me a poster.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Do you recognize this dude?

<font color=#609>Upon glance, it looked like any other troll, but another glance made my blood ran cold and my face mortified....

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... Wait. He looks familiar.... is that me????

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Word is you're wanted by the Empress for rebelling.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Ah- What????

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: But you were gone for a sweep once they realized you ceased your activities due to being stricken by a lone meteor.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: A- a meteor?

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: So I kept this poster just in case you survived. And here you are, still alive and kicking.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: W-w-w-what are on about? Rebelling?? I did no such thing!!! I DID NOTHING WRONG!!!!

<font color=#609>As I shouted out, most of the people who weren't so busy slinging spliffs in the neighborhood had all looked at me with cold indifferent eyes, some came to see the commotion. Zekrys instead let out a laughter - he was mocking at my futile attempt in telling the truth. He stopped laughing and gave a serious look at me.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Hmhmhmhmhmhm. You make The Honorable Tyranny feel insulted, "Hank". Let's see what the Empress has to say about this after I send in your head.

<font color=#609>He reached out for something in his jacket-pocket. It was a knife. He held it intently to try and kill me.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Long I've waited for the day. This shank right here will do you good!

<font color=#609>And kill me he would. I wasn't about to let a hoodlum street-cred deceptive asshole to kill me over a lie of what I didn't do. If there was anything I did do, was train to be an adventurer and not a subjugglator.

<font color=#609>Against any better judgement, I had to reach for my hatchet that my lusus crafted out of reinforced mithril during my grubhood; I intended to craft things too, but didn't comply for some unknown reason. I opened my backpack just enough to get the mithril hatchet out and pointed at Zekrys. I don't know who's the insane one: The know-it-all knife carrier, or the axe-wielder who only started on his adventure yet blamed on to.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: You should know when your attempted reign over Alternia has ended. Now put that thing away; you'll hurt yourself from all this agro.

<font color=#609>It didn't intimidate him as I tried to plan my abscond, however I suddenly felt someone holding me.... holding both of my arms in place! Some other troll was holding me from behind, locking me in place. I had to react quickly, lest I be stabbed to death. Zekrys edged in closer, but I stayed in place.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Now stand still so no one else but you has to suffer, like a true man. Say your prayer, dick-eater!

<font color=#609>I gathered a bit of anger from his insult and began to headbump the troll behind me, freeing me from the grip. Moments later, I pushed the troll with my left hand, sending him to tumble back a distance and with the right hand I held my axe and swung it towards Zekrys.

*SLASH*

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: LIKE, OW!!!!!!

<font color=#609>He got close enough to reach arm's length, but not enough to kill him outright. He exclaimed while his knife-wielding arm had started to bleed.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: See ya!

<font color=#609>I broke into a sprint and ran away from Zekrys and any bystanders who happened to be slow enough to react.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: BRING ME HIS HEAD!!! THE EMPRESS WILL PAY US LIKE SEADWELLERS BY SELLING IT!!!

<font color=#609>As he shouted, more people had come to gather around and started to run after me - to hunt me down. I stopped at nothing to get out of this town and away from this angry mob of trolls.

<font color=#609>I had been running away from the town limits and they're still after me. What have I done to deserve such thing? Whatever I did do had even had the Empress after me. I had every right to be panicking, but to be culled from? I was too focused escaping that the thoughts of my possible past actions didn't get processed through.

<font color=#609>I passed through another pasture and they didn't even relent. I had to find a way to lose them from being viewed in their sights. Luckily there was a forest nearby and headed there. With the help of the woods' limited visibility, the thick trees allowed me a chance to lose the pursuers.

<font color=#609>The mob continued to search even after several minutes. I had to keep quiet in order to fully lose them, but stopped as I heard a few conversations being exchanged:

<font color=#440A7F>???: What if we lost him?

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: He couldn't have got away.

<font color=#440A7F>???: But why didn't he strife us instead?

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Maybe that's his new tactic to lure us into.

<font color=#440A7F>???: I've heard a few tricks from him, but such a card is new...

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: That was a sweep ago. Plans change, but the original objective doesn't.

<font color=#440A7F>???: But don't you think he changed a little bit much?

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Doesn't matter. As long as we collect our bounty from the Empress, we can get the top of a hivestem or even a penthive at Los Diablos.

<font color=#440A7F>???: I'm still confused as to what he did do.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: All I can say is that he rebelled against the whole of Alternia. The rest're sketches.

<font color=#609>Due to my curiosity, the voices got louder and I had to move away from being found.

*CRACK*

<font color=#609>Suddenly a stick had cracked under my shoe.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Did you hear that? Must be that-a-way.

<font color=#609>Blood started to run up to my head and I began to be paralyzed by the fear of the mob. I fought the urge to be stoned and started to wander away from this spot, making as little noise as possible and with much haste....

<font color=#609>About an hour later, I lost them again. Either that or I am the one who's lost....

<font color=#609>I got a few glances from the darkness all around me but all I could hear were the rustling leaves and almost no other lusus - or that mob, no less. I was a little scared but I pressed on.

<font color=#609>I took the moment to appreciate the scene. If there's a thing that I like about adventuring would be the sights and smells of nature. Such view can only be viewed from outside of your hive and experience it first-hand.

<font color=#609>I wandered around until I found an open space and stumbled upon a strange yet amazing discovery! It was a purple-brick tower - most likely a lookout tower, but strangely it was short for its height in the middle of the woods to be counted as one.

<font color=#609>What was stranger was the symbol of the flag on top of the tower. It was a black squared flag looking worn out from the weather, yet decipherable to know said symbol - a purple square with an arching arrow on one corner and a hexagonal-like tail on its opposite corner. I then looked into the insignia of my shirt, and I was struck by it; it was a replica of the flag's symbol! I could deduce that it was once the tower of one of my ancestors from sweeps past that stood well within the test of time.

<font color=#609>But the strangest thing about this tower is that it was rather featureless. There were no windows, doors, or even knocked out bricks. Even if it's shorter than it's supposed to be, I don't think I could've climb it either. However, there was a crack on the wall just in reach above me so I thought I could smash through - having held no regard to reserve its integrity.

<font color=#609>As I tried to get closer though, a strange cyan glow was formed out of the crack lines and shaped into some semicircles around the subtle little black hole. Surprised, I backed out on it the cyan energy dispersed and disappeared. I tried to get my hand closer again and the closer I got, its energy and radiance were more pronounceable. Curiously, I tried to touch it but there was a cyan flash and then darkness all around me.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: ((Wha-what happened????))

<font color=#609>It appeared to be a portal as when I looked around and saw the faint light of the crack lines - meaning I'm inside of the tower. This was so strange that I didn't want to stand around longer to find out what lied in the darkness inside. Powered by more curiosity as well as fear from the angry mob of trolls outside, I press forward away from the light cracks.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: AAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-

<font color=#609>I fell. I fell for about a few seconds and got hurt a little. I don't know whether I should scream for help or to keep quiet to avoid the mob that's probably still searching for me. I would then hope they didn't hear that scream. I got back up with little effort.

<font color=#609>The place reeked - either of the molds growing about or of decay. This makes me wonder what happened to whoever lived here. I had to let my eyes dilate for a few minutes to at least see where I was going, as I'm very well underground.

<font color=#609>Trying to get a grip of myself and treading through the near-complete darkness, I walked in small steps to check for any missing floors and put my arms forward to feel for any walls. After stepping on some small unidentifiable bumps on the floor, I eventually bumped myself in the foot but nothing with my arms - on something that appeared an immobile object. I tried to get the feel of said object in front of me but there was a little bump on the surface and a slight rustle - most likely pages of a book. What stood in front of me was most likely a desk, as a bit of light reflected the light-colored pages. Of course I couldn't read in the darkness so I turned away from the desk.

<font color=#609>Opposite the way, I also made the same cautious approach yet still stepped on more of those bumps on the floor in a randomly matter. I reached on to a wall and the same cyan portal thing appeared in front of me. It lit up part of the corridor I was in, but not enough to look at the other end with the desk and book. Taking a chance, I touched the center of the light with the hole and in a flash I got into another room.

<font color=#609>Without the cyan light of this portal, the room was just bathed in darkness - no light ever approached here to know where I was going. I got away from the portal and pressed on. As I continued...

<font color=#609>Hankvi: OUH!

<font color=#609>I slipped on my back. There was a reverberating echo to this yelp, as it's probably a small room. I picked myself up and slowed my pace down to be careful of the slippery floor. Turns out the majority of the floor is slippery and there lied some sort of tight-fit passageway.

<font color=#609>On the other side I saw a slit of light. Artificial light, not actual light from the outside. I squeezed through and noticed it was a chest. It was locked, however, but made quick work with my hatchet to bust down the lock. With the lock down the slit of light got slightly brighter as I opened the chest, and my reaction to what was inside had struck stars in my eyes.

<font color=#609>It was an axe, specifically used for combat. Half of the blade emitted light and another half did not emit light at all. I tried to grip it, but it was profoundly heavy. I lifted from its place in the chest and used it as a handful torch to explore the tower at ease. The first thing I noticed was the slippery floor is in fact a green slime - sopor slime. It's the same thing our caste uses to calm their violent tendencies. I never tried it and never will for I'm not a Subjugglator to try this out.

<font color=#609>I head out through the portal and as if the tower wasn't scary enough, that's the part where it got.... more horrifying.

<font color=#609>Corpses.

<font color=#609>Corpses strewn all across the corridor. There were about a dozen or two of them with different colored blood. Their bodies were mostly skeletal and have decayed, but all of them looked to be not of this world, as they were neither lusii nor trolls nor grubs. Some of their bodies were of different anatomy and different heads were of different shapes and sizes.

<font color=#609>I knew I had to get out of here but I wanted to take a look at the desk on the other end of the corridor before leaving. My assumption is correct, that was a desk with a very dusty book on it. I also noticed a chair that was knocked to the side; owner must've left in a hurry. I blew some air onto the dusty book and used the axe's illumination to read it. It was a journal written in purple Alternian text and it's open on page 623. I began to read: <font color=#609>.... and as much as I was intrigued about my ancestor's fate, there were no more pages after that - it looks like the journal ran out of space. Disappointed from the cliff-hanger, I looked over to the inner cover at the end and there was some form of a note: <font color=#609>To form a conclusion, my ancestor was also chased by his people, much like me right now. I don't know if the reasons for this were the same or not, but the whole Karma Arm thing sounded pretty big. I'd read the whole thing, but I kind of ran on a tight timeframe as I realized the mob would probably look here as a clue preceding all clues to find me.

<font color=#609>I closed the book and looked at the cover. The overall book is purple and my symbol appeared right in the front, accompanied with the words "Pensiver" below and "Axeswish" right above (for reference, Alternian text is read and written from right to left and is lined from bottom to top). I put the journal into my backpack and proceeded to make my escape.

<font color=#609>Ignoring about a hundred corpses of this tower, I went back to the corridor and with the light there hanged some sort of rope, along with the platform where I stood - some run down elevator, I assumed. Holstering away this chaotic axe next to my backpack, I proceeded to climb it. It wasn't easy, but the rope didn't break and managed to reach the top after some tries. Upon reaching the top, there was the crack line of light from the outside. I swung over to the ledge and cried victory as I was transported to the outside....

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Ah, there you are!

<font color=#609>.... but it didn't last long to take a breather. Zekrys and another dozen or so trolls have me pinned to the tower. Knowing that retreating back in is futile, I drew out the strapped axe and pointed it towards them.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: You really are compensating with this axe.

<font color=#609>After a snarky remark, I began to get to the bottom of this.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Explain to me now. What have I done to deserve this!?

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Like I said, you rebelled against the Alternian system by enacting a mass genocide and wanting for taking the throne. At least, I imagine those are your motives. I expect you to answer to your own question.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: All I ever wanted is to be an adventurer, man! I didn't even think to harm anything; my lusus taught me these.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: I think you're being lied to, dude. No lusus can ever do that... except for Her Imperious Condescension's.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Then maybe take me to The Empress and I'll explain.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Your chance is gone, fuckboy. You don't matter anymore, considering you don't want us dead and that she stated that you can be brought in culled OR resist.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: But, this doesn't make any sense!

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Oh, but where's the fun of making sense? Listen, even if you run away, the whole of Alternia will hunt your sorry ass! So save everyone the trouble by killing you now, and I can get my penthive sooner!

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Not my cup of tea.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: Very well, it's your choice after all. I will be shipping you in a corpse box then! En guarde, dick-eater!!!

<font color=#609>As the conversation ended, Zekrys then rushed towards me, brandishing his own blade. I was half-scared which again placed me in a state of paralysis. In a moment's notice, my axe began to power up - light and darkness began pouring out as I closed my eyes.

<font color=#5B0088>Zekrys: What the fUUUUUU-

<font color=#609>Blinding light and darkness have blinked interchangeably and when it was all over, I realized that they have simply disappeared and the trees that stood against me were all burned stumps.

<font color=#609>They have all been vaporized.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: WOW!!!!

<font color=#609>A single word escaped my mouth. I felt bad for them but seeing there was no other way out of this, I holstered back my axe and made my exit.

<font color=#609>Not long after I ran away from the tower and the torn-apart forest, I felt intense heat - The Alternian sun behind me has already risen. I would know that it shouldn't have risen in about a few more hours - being a dim season and all. Not only that, but it was moving faster than a normal sunrise. Something with this axe had disturbed the normalcy of Alternia and caused this to happen.

<font color=#609>With the sun already rising, I knew I had to run towards my hive or at least catch a shelter. Following my instinct, I began to run while having burns. I could not stop running from this chaotic sunrise.... until I tripped and fell.

<font color=#609>A cyan flash had then turned into darkness and I continued to fall. I felt weightless in some sort of a nexus made of rings and interlinking lines all glowing in cyan. So this is what it must be being inside a Karma portal, but this lasted substantially longer than back at the tower.

<font color=#609>As if things couldn't have gotten any worse, only one thought crossed my head: What have I got myself into? This question will be answered soon enough.

<font color=#609>Before I knew it, I had hit the ground with such force that I passed out....

<font color=#609> ....

<font color=#609>.... I opened my eyes in panic after a while. I must've dreamt while I was lying on the grass, but of what? I tried to pick myself up, but I received a great migraine that made me lose my progress of raising myself up and gripped my forehead in response to that migraine which made the pain worse.

<font color=#609>Eventually it subsided, where I slowly regathered my bearings. I looked around and fortunately nothing was out to get me. What I noticed is that where I am - wasn't Alternia anymore. For one, over the skies that were colored in gradients of indigo, pink, and yellow was the sun that had just got over the horizon. It wasn't as powerful as the harsh Alternian sun - even at sunrise. And finally, the sky above me only had one moon; a grey full moon with a strange symbol which resembled mine, but mirrored; I could not be more intrigued about that moon than where I am now.

<font color=#609>Regatheing my thoughts, I must've jumped through to another dimension, as this world looked very alien to me - a different, dormant and dubious dimension, it was. The portal that took me here was still there, but if I had to head back then I would fear that more trolls will continue to hunt me down beacuse like they said, I was never given a chance to explain and frankly they never will even if I garnered followers like that Sufferer in these myths - Alternians could be so aggressive and ruthless sometimes.

<font color=#609>If that was the case, then I knew I won't ever see my lusus again. I felt a deep sadness within me, but the sense of adventure is what raised my hopes. Sometimes there are points of no return and this is one of them, but that was no reason to give up.

<font color=#609>Out of my pocket, I took out a medallion - the Mertreant Trinket - and stared at the insignia of the great caretaker and weaponsmith who set me off on an adventure, inscribed as it was jumping out of the sea. I returned it back into my pocket after accepting the fact.

<font color=#609>I once more looked around to locate myself. Where I stood was barren and flat grasslands as far as the eye can see. I looked to the left - nothing. To the right of me was nothing also. I noticed something in front of me - some tall demolished structures, but it looked far away to notice any more details. My first instinct is to go there and at least find some clues as to what is this place.

<font color=#609>And so a grand adventure has called me forth. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.... or so I thought at first.

<font color=#609>As I got closer, I noticed that it was a city, or at least an outpost of some kind. Strange, tall, green buildings which were either half-demolished or almost no remnants left. It appeared to be abandoned, and judging from the state of it, it might be even ancient.

<font color=#609>Another thing I like about adventuring is to find remains of ancient sites - like the tower I discovered a while ago. You can learn so much of their culture, customs and maybe even groundbreaking records which might happen to lie around for their descendants to follow.

<font color=#090>???: *Bzzbzbzztbz*

<font color=#609>As I continued to sink my head at the seemingly lost city, a sound buzzed in my head. Such sound is something unheard of before - like a robotic creature almost.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Anybody here?

<font color=#609>I called out to what made the noise and followed to the source of the sound. I found in one of the alleys a strange creature. It looked bipedal - like all trolls - and was slumping against a wall. The creature in front of me is green in appearance and on its right eye had some yellow highlights as well as around it. What is it? A robot? A botanical golem? A robotic botanical golem? I couldn't discern what it wore, but it looked to be some dark armor plates with several holes punctured through. Strangely around it, there was no blood or anything that might look like blood stains - the walls instead looked musty and dusty.

<font color=#609>It emitted static noise followed by a few lines of what appeared to be protocol messages every few seconds.

<font color=#090>???: -azcan colony drone nr. 623 status critical

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: toning down processes to conserve energy

<font color=#609>The injured creature called "Colony Drone Nr. 623" then began to speak in a coarse yet monotonous tone. In-between sentences and some words it struggled to speak, as if it's trying to save its breath.

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: whole team annihilated

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: attempt to send distress signal

<font color=#609>Clearly it required help. I carefully approached and tried to communicate with this drone-like creature.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Hello? Are you okay?

<font color=#609>As it was facing down, it then shifted its head to look at me as if surprised.

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: unidentified lifeform detected

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: build type: Gridmask-oid

<font color=#609>It seems it acknowledged to my presence, but a Gridmask? What a strange word. Is that what the common species of this place called? I then tried to ask some questions to further locate myself of where I stood....

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Where am I? What is this place? What happened here?

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: hostility level undefined

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: backup plan by- lord... zazca.. execute

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: commencing project nu attempt two

<font color=#609>.... but it ignored my questions and immediately assumed I'm hostile to some (if of any) capacity. Then it spewed out incoherent ramblings; Lord Zazca? Project Nu? From the way it was wording out these sentences, it looks like it was ready to retaliate. Something wasn't right, this isn't something to carry out when establishing a peace negotiation of any kind. I played as the pacifist to reconcile his thought process.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I'm not supposed or even meant to bring you harm. So just answer please.

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: process error - peace attempt rejected

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: burn in... oc.. topus

<font color=#609>"Burn in octopus"? I couldn't deduce the seriousness of this threat - whether it's because of malfunction or some euphemism involving a kinky sort of doom, but I assume that the tone showed some levels of harshness and it looked like its blood started to boil. Getting weary of asking it to lighten up, I've talked it down once more....

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Look, I'm not an enemy, I seem to be some kind of newcomer to this place. Give me a chance and I'll do the same to you.

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: die.

<font color=#609>.... but to no avail - leaving it on such remark. It then whipped out some sort of a handheld device. A "gun" of some sorts. I knew these also existed in Alternia as a choice for your Strife Specibus, but not anything like this. It was green like the drone's skin with intricate markings. Preparing for the worst, I backed off.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Huh?!

<font color=#609>A lime-colored light lit up from the nozzle of the gun. The drone was charging its shot.

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: ATTACK! ATTACK!!

<font color=#609>And then shot me with a blast of energy to my chest. I was backed up from the force this packed.

<font color=#609>Hankvi:

<font color=#609>Reacting to the pain, I clutched to where the beam hit me. It didn't hurt so bad, but it was not pleasant at all. As I have risen from the ground I lied down on, the fully-activated drone had stood up by then - still holding the gun in my direction. It then placed some kind of needle into a syringe and slid into the gun - an injection, equally.

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: STAND STILL.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I think not!

<font color=#609>I proceeded to run towards it and all the while the drone was preparing for the shot. I successfully kicked the arm holding the gun and instead of shooting at me, the drone shot the needle into the air above him and hitting an adjacent wall - missing me completely. The gun was then dropped to the ground behind the drone into the alley.

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: Oi. I thought I would've fooled you, erratic alien?

<font color=#609>The drone spoke to me in the same monotonous voice, although its tone got "normal" and sounded rather menacing. Meanwhile, I pulled out the Axe of Chaos towards my second victim ever.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: So what's your end goal with this trap? World domination with me as a host?

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: You could say that, but that's another mission for another day. I thought I would've taken you in by a paralysis beam, but you're uncalculated risk.

<font color=#609>Come to think of it I did feel slightly weak and it subsided as if nothing happened, but the drone didn't expect for me to withstand that - it thought I was helpless so now it thinks I'm tenacious enough to "join" them.

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: You're a competent fighter and full of will. Join us for the rebellion.

<font color=#609>Through the thin disguise of an offer, I declined.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: My sole goal is to adventure. I'm not going destroy innocent lives because of some world domination.

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: That's a shame. You think I may be the last, but as long as our Lord Nazca thrives, my current mission will be carried to its success.

<font color=#609>So the drone's lord's name is Lord Nazca. For a drone it appears intelligent being faced at axe-point. Knowing this wouldn't work, I tried to ask about his "current mission".

<font color=#609>Hankvi: And your mission is...?

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: You expect me to tell it to a non-rebel such as yourself? Even if you kill me, you get nothing from me.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I think you posed enough of a threat for me to consider that.

<font color=#609>I then greeted Nr. 623 with the swing of the axe.

*SWISH*

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: OPPONENT FORCE IS OVERWHELMING. CODE RED.

<font color=#609>With a wound to the torso, it attempted to fight back now talking like a true killer robot. I didn't relent and continued to attack him anyway. This time to the head.

*HACK*

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: HEALTH IS NOW IN TRUE CRITICAL STATE. RETREAT! RETREAT!!

<font color=#609>As the last of his dice are being rolled, it then pleaded to run away like a helpless grub. But instead of crawling away it just lied on the ground, shaking around his body as it tired it's hardest to retreat. But before that coward ever had the chance to get away from me-

*SLASH*

<font color=#090>Nr. 623: OW DEAD i aM DEad that IS the END OF Six TWEnty thrEEeee ...... .. ...

<font color=#609>I cleaved the drone right through its head. As its green-ish blood gushed out, it let loose with a death rattle and stopped shaking violently.

<font color=#609>I just stared at the dead drone - not out of guilt, but of the strange aura it emitted along with this town being an outpost of these supposed un-harmonized creatures known as the Nazcans. Besides, I would've already expected for something strange to happen like with the troll mob and the Alternian sun. Without further ado, I exited the trance and moved away from the corpse - Axe of Chaos in both hands.

<font color=#609>After walking and looking into every nook and cranny of this town, I realized that it was truly abandoned....

<font color=#800000>???: Hey!

<font color=#609>.... or so I thought. Being cautious of myself, I gripped the axe tightly and moved to where that voice origniated from.

<font color=#609>I looked around what supposedly is a town square with a statue in the middle of it - presumably of Lord Nazca. Behind it was a giant clocktower. It was about the height of the purple tower back on Alternia - had it not been buried. The hands showed the time - approximately 6:23 on the square face of it. As I started to see the pattern of events up until now, something red had caught my eye. Beside the face of the clocktower, it appeared to be another person on one of the clock's hands hanging for dear life.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: H-HOLD ON!

<font color=#609>I shouted in peril as I prepared myself to catch the scarlet person.

<font color=#800000>???: Help me! I-I'm slipp-AAAAAA-

<font color=#609>But their grip had failed earlier than expected. I immediately reacted by dropping the axe and ran towards the falling person - caution thrown to the cliff.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Gotcha!

<font color=#609>And in the nick of time, I've caught them before any injury was made. The way I caught them made me embrace and spun around for a good while until I simply held them close to me as if to protect them from any more harm.

<font color=#800000>???: Sigh. Thank you, kind person.

<font color=#609>I also let out a sigh, but I felt as time stood still and I continued to hug them without realizing as they pointed out.

<font color=#800000>???: Uh, I don't mean to interrupt but can you please let me down?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: O-oh! S-s-sorry, dear lady!!

<font color=#609>As I freed them from my awkward hug rescue and affirmed my pose towards them, the person had paused and blushed a bit from this apology.

<font color=#800000>???: Lady? Oh it's because of this dress, isn't it? I don't mean for you to not be polite, but I'm not a lady... or a "dude" for that matter but certainly not a lady. I'm an agendered Fairy!

<font color=#609>For a fairy, they were simply pink-skinned. What the red-decorated fairy wore were two red cogwheel headpieces of different sizes on their maroon-colored shoulder-length hair, pink-tinted goggles, a pink-grey-striped scarf and a red dress. Overall they looked shorter than me by half a head or so.

<font color=#609>Upon focus on them made my blood run faster and my heart started pounding off of my chest. My thought process was also invaded by their looks as it had me barely able to converse. There was a long pause until both of us started to speak.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: So.... <font color=#800000>???: So...

<font color=#609>Saying simultaneously made both of us cover our mouths. They then proceeded to giggle a little before continuing at the rather half-assed attempt to continue this conversation.

<font color=#800000>???: So, I'm sure you have many questions.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Um, yes I have many que-

<font color=#800000>???: I haven't seen someone like you before. You're new here?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Yes I don't even know where I am-

<font color=#800000>???: And to top it all that, I can tell you're looking for an adventure.

<font color=#609>I began to cower a bit in fear. This person just couldn't let me talk a full sentence. They then apologized in advance.

<font color=#800000>???: Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to intrude your words! How rude of me. Let's rewind and play again, shall we?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: P-play again?

<font color=#800000>???: Don't be so shy, stranger from another world. Please tell me your name.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... H-Hank. Hankvi Guidza.

<font color=#800000>???: Hmmm... That name. It reminds me of someone with a name similar to yours, but I might just be wrong.

<font color=#609>A name that is similar? I began to think back on what happened back on Alternia, but quickly dismissed it since they tried sounding genuine.

<font color=#800000>???: I asked my question, so now it's you who should ask. Go ahead, ask me something.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Alright. Erm, what is your name?

<font color=#800000>???: Glad you asked! I'm the Muse Witch of Redglare!

<font color=#609>I was fumbled by their supposed name and fell silent for a bit.

<font color=#800000>???: ... Oh my name, not the title! Silly me, I'm Issus of Redglare. Just Issus will be fine, too.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: H-hello, Issus.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Hello, Hankie- I mean Hankvi!

<font color=#609>Although it looked to be just a simple slip of their tongue, I blushed slightly by that pet name. Such a silly little fairy....

<font color=#800000>Issus: I just get overexcited about newcomers so quick. Heh, sorry. Ahem, okay where are you from?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: "Trollplanet", or Alternia.

<font color=#800000>Issus: I don't think such a planet exists in The Prism, except for that gogbeaverdamn of a country like Trolland with their memetic bul- I mean, therefore you must be from another dimension!

<font color=#609>What did Issus meant by Trolland? That would be disastorus to have the Alternian Trolls be here too....

<font color=#609>Hankvi: You can say that. I kind of wondered what were you doing up there?

<font color=#800000>Issus: Erm... since you were wondering, it was another day trying to fix this clock in the lost city... but more importantly, it was also to meet you, fair adventurer.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Wait, you knew-

<font color=#800000>Issus: I'm a prowess in time travel so I was into adventures too, but enough about me. I'll have to pass on my turn because I don't really have a question, so it's your turn again!

<font color=#609>I'm at least getting fun of playing this question-answer game with an overhyped creature I barely even know - even on Alternia there weren't any fairies, at least not to my knowledge. They're playful and cryptic to the point that that must be their modus operandi to let strangers open themselves up. Nevertheless, we continued to "play".

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Where am I?

<font color=#800000>Issus: Since you're new here, let me introduce you to this place: Welcome to Ludus, friend! At least, it was fine before I ever arrived...

<font color=#609>Hearing this name of a place directly from my newfound journal, I then interrupted their supposed internal monologue.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Wait a minute, did you just say Ludus????

<font color=#800000>Issus: Yeah! Heard of this place and someone sent you on some mission? Or is it something of utmost importance to do here, I assume?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... My supposed ancestor "sent" me here.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Oh?

<font color=#609>As Issus became intrigued, I then told them about the whole chain of events that I transpired up until I met them, despite being a stranger. From my hive for adventure, to this town being chased, to the tower in a forest where I found the journal and axe - leaving me details about his own events being chased by trolls with his Karma Arm, away from the tower after using my axe and the rising sun, through a portal to this "Ludus" planet and finally to the Nazcan city where I killed this one drone and where we met shortly afterwards.

<font color=#609>When I finished, Issus then started to giggle for a bit and suddenly stopped.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Aheh... oh. My apologies for laughing at your story. I only found it amusing that such events are linked in an almost perfect fashion, as if carefully crafted to its foundations like a great tapestry. Then when you told about the chase is when my heart sank. More so; to think that a Nazcan drone could survive the war. It probably was expected, though.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Did the Nazcans wanted to take over Ludus?

<font color=#800000>Issus: You said that this drone guised as a fake casualty and attempted to attack you, right?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: It did attempt to put some kind of injection when I was down, but I swiftly avoided it.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Then it's just as I feared...

<font color=#609>The subject was then dropped for some reason.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Either way, I was going to say that such as a fate that brought you here, but-

<font color=#609>Hankvi: You were going to say that it was Chance?

<font color=#800000>Issus: ... exactly. I also found that your connection of the supposed interests of Chance on top of adventure to be more amusing than usual, and did not mean to insult you in such a way.

<font color=#609>I reached for Issus' shoulder and held it with my hand to console them.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Don't be so hard on yourself, Issus. I'd like to know your story if mine somehow hurt you.

<font color=#609>Issus smiled at my comforting attempt and query.

<font color=#800000>Issus: ... Thank you, Hank. This might mean nothing to me, but as a witch it means a lot. Here's my condensed story to which the whole case began:

<font color=#609>Issus then told me about their chain of events; From the Nazcan wars that happened a Ludusian century-and-a-half ago (which was about 66 sweeps or so if we were to talk about the Alternian metric), to the witch hunts a little while after they and eleven other witches successfully saved Ludus from the Nazcan grip. They were blamed for bringing monsters from another dimension called the "Separ" to the Wonder Jungle to the rest of Ludus after gridmasks decimated their witch population with the help of a demi-dude named "Sanford DeCurro", when these witches had done no such thing.

<font color=#609>From hearing this, I did not feel the need to laugh or even chuckle, but felt pity upon this fairy and became familiar with Issus due to their interest in adventure, even if we met for only several minutes. Added up with those experiences, I looked onto them as a potential yet unexpected "Matesprit" (Meaning Crush/Lover in Alternian slang), but did not hasten to bring that up yet. Instead, I concluded Issus' somberness since they brought up the name of this place.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: So that's why you sounded less than happy about greeting me to Ludus - the monsters attacked the Ludusians for a quite a while it seems.

<font color=#800000>Issus: I didn't think you observed from my emotions to deduce this, to which I commend your skills. By the way, I told you before that you were looking for an adventure, am I wrong?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Now that you mention it, you did. And that would be to take Ludus back from those monstrous creatures?

<font color=#800000>Issus: Heh. When you put it what way, it sounds a bit difficult to take a whole planet back by killing all of them, no?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Unlike that drone, I would much more prefer a way to spare them.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Actually, there is a way! Let me teach you... the Call of Wonder!

<font color=#609>From those words, I became starry-eyed.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Please teach me!

<font color=#800000>Issus: I knew you wouldn't refuse!

<font color=#609>Issus signaled with their hands to get closer and lowered my head so they could approach my ear. They then whispered the following phrase:

As customary, this important piece of plot will not be revealed at the moment.

<font color=#609>After that, I assumed my normal pose.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: So if I say this right in front of the monster, will it then obey me?

<font color=#800000>Issus: That's right!

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Okay, that's quite interesting and much easier said than done in that other way....

<font color=#800000>Issus: I wouldn't believe it, but it sure does wonders!

<font color=#609>I had to giggle from that pun.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Thank you very much, Issus! But what do I do with these monsters?

<font color=#800000>Issus: There's a group of individuals who learned this call from the other witches and have opened a corporation dedicated to make use of these monsters as household pets.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: No way....

<font color=#609>They then pointed at a direction where there appeared to be a city in a distance.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Your destination is the city of Steckenburg. Best of luck to you, Hank!

<font color=#609>As I was about to leave and head there, I stopped on my tracks and faced back to Issus.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Um, hey Issus!

<font color=#800000>Issus: What's the matter, Hank? Forgot something? Or the fear got into you?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Heh, but what about you? What will you do?

<font color=#800000>Issus: Me? My work here is done. You're practically on your own now.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Does this mean I won't see you again?

<font color=#800000>Issus: ... I'm afraid so.

<font color=#609>It was then that I attempted to side Issus with me as a potential partner for life, to which I will regret for sure.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Why not join me, then? I mean, we have many common interests and similar backstories and I'm sure the witch hunts have died out during all this time. You and I could be partners or something.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Hank, I understand that you think we're like a match, but you don't even know why you were being chased by your fellow Alternian Trolls! I at least do.

<font color=#609>Issus then paused and let out a sigh.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Let me ask you something: Are you in love with me?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... love?

<font color=#609>Issus got to the subject I've been meaning to talk about before we parted ways. This "love" word, although foreign in Alternia, did mean one thing and only one: The Flushed quadrant in the Troll Romance chart. Wanting to let those words out of my mouth, I tried not to scare Issus with bringing this up after only a few minutes of interaction.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Issus.... I'm willing to confess that I am flushed for you.

<font color=#800000>Issus: ... flushed?

<font color=#609>They then got into a realization.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Then you are in love with me!

<font color=#609>Both of us began to blush furiously, with me being embarrassed for even thinking of this.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I am so sorry for ever bringing this up, I didn't know what I tho-

<font color=#800000>Issus: No, no! It's perfectly okay to express love, don't get the wrong impression. But to think that a witch could be loved in tandem with the witch hunts, this came to me as a genuine surprise.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I was a little reckless about this, you being shy and all.

<font color=#800000>Issus: It's not really the matter of being shy. Witches were rarely approached to be befriended - let alone fairies to gridmasks. To be honest, I was never loved - I only worked with my witch friends to keep Ludus safe. You have no idea how much this means to me and I'm very flattered about it. But...

<font color=#609>Hankvi: But what? You can come join me if you want. If people want you dead, they'll have to deal with me.

<font color=#609>I have no idea what was going on in my head, but I sounded incredibly desperate just to not be alone. It's as the common phrase goes; it was like "Love at first sight".

<font color=#800000>Issus: Well, listen, I just travelled to the future away from all this so I may need some time to warm up to this- ah!

<font color=#609>I then proceeded to grab both Issus' hands and held them in front of me.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: When you're a time traveler, you don't need to wait. I promise to keep you safe, Issus. I shall be your Page, and I'll be your second chance while I'm at it.

<font color=#609>Issus then stared at me in amazement and resulted in them saying my petname with possible intention.

<font color=#800000>Issus: ... Hankie...

<font color=#609>Without a single word and caution thrown completely off the cliff again, I leaned closer to Issus. Following my rhythm, Issus also leaned closer and had to tiptoe to adjust their height to me. As we got closer, our eyes began to close and our mouths opened up instead. We were about to kiss each other, as time seemed to stop completely around us. My heart as well as theirs began to pound as if either encouraging us to get even closer, or trying to pull us away due to it being a bad idea, but as we were only within reach for our lips to touch....

<font color=#19B319>???: There they are!

<font color=#609>Several steps were heard in the background and like a stampede they got louder by the second. Both of us were interrupted that we looked at where the noise originated from. It was a crowd - an angry crowd - of those supposed Gridmasks. We continued to hold hands against each other.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: What's going on? Are we trespassing?

<font color=#609>While I had no idea what's going on, Issus got frightened by who was that crowd.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Oh no...

<font color=#19B319>???: Stop where you are, you two!

<font color=#609>The crowd was big enough that it surrounded us completely. All of them had square-shaped heads and skins that appeared like tanned - supposedly the norm around here. Much to Issus' dismay as well as mine, there was only one thing to say of what this reminded me of:

<font color=#609>Hankvi: ((Not this again.))

<font color=#19B319>???: You! Demon-boy!

<font color=#609>One of the Gridmasks called out to me in a derogatory fashion.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... Me?

<font color=#19B319>???: Yea, you! What the hell were you doing with this witch?!

<font color=#609>I have let go of Issus's hands and raised mine into the air as some were holding guns - same one that the drone had held out. I had an idea of who they were working with, but I had no chance to ever think about that beforehand.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I- I'm no demon! I'm but a simple Alternian Troll and I just got here.

<font color=#19B319>???: You don't look or sound like those memetic maniacs then, Mr. Alternian. Alright, I'll give you the benefit of a doubt. Were you aware that this witch along with their buddies have polluted the planet with monsters?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Now wait just a second....

<font color=#19B319>???: Don't tell me you were brainwashed.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Just listen to me for a sec-

<font color=#19B319>???: No, you listen, and listen well! They are a threat to this place and had been like this for a century and a half now!

<font color=#609>Hankvi: It wasn't them. They did nothing wrong, and they saved Ludus! Sanford even redeemed himself after killing countless witches to keep the planet safe.

<font color=#19B319>???: We follow the steps of our one and only poster leader Sanford DeCurro. He himself was killed by a witch. Right now, we only see you as a supporter for witches and magics and therefore your death shall be made swift.

<font color=#609>I tried every which way to try and force them the truth but they simply couldn't be talked through. I was nowhere near the Axe of Chaos but I could reach for my hatchet in my backpack. However, being held at gunpoint made the whole idea to be suicidal and reckless. Just then, Issus began to speak:

<font color=#800000>Issus: You are all right. It was my fault I wanted to make him believe all of my words and therefore, I should take the blame.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Issus????!!!!

<font color=#800000>Issus: I'm so sorry for dragging you in. You were the innocent one, so I want you to do what is right.

<font color=#609>As Issus had spoken in a matter of placing justice upon themselves, what they said had made the air surrounding me grow cold.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Please punish me.

<font color=#609>I was speechless that Issus would just take the punishment all to make a clearing for me to escape. Then the same gridmask spoke in a demanding demeanor.

<font color=#19B319>???: You heard the Fairy, Demon. Do it and we'll let you go. It's either you or none of you.

<font color=#609>I had no choice but to follow the crowd's order.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... fine. I just need to retrieve my axe.

<font color=#609>Then just as I spoke, there was a bit of shuffling coming from the crowd to my side.

<font color=#0F0>???: Excuse me. Pardon me. Coming through. Step aside. Moving Serrangio here. Come on now. Gogbeaverdamnit, move! Ah, here you go!

<font color=#609>A creature with a gentle male voice appeared from the crowd holding my Axe of Chaos that I dropped. Unlike the others, he wasn't a square head and is pale-colored with wings sprouting from his head and the back, complete with a halo and an eye-patch over a scar where his eye have been - an angelic creature of some kind called a Serrangio.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Thanks.

<font color=#609>Taking the Axe of Chaos, I turned over to face Issus. Between the two of us was a harsh air that replaced the gentle air. There was no way I could bring death to this poor fairy witch but I made the initiative anyway by speaking to Issus in the most cold and menacing way possible while also being hushed of my voice.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Get down on your knees.

<font color=#800000>Issus: ... Huh?

<font color=#609>Issus was already scared of my almost alien tone - having never heard of me angry. Issus just stood still, as if paralyzed by fear. It made me feel that Issus regrets of handing their life to me and not wanting both of us to die. I ramped up my voice slightly and repeated my query in a colder manner.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I order you to kneel.

<font color=#800000>Issus: W-what?

<font color=#609>Issus then began to shake, but doesn't obey the body to kneel down and submit to my query a second time. Finally, I shouted and resorted to kick Issus.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I SAID KNEEL!!!!

<font color=#800000>Issus: Ouh!!!

<font color=#609>The kick hit them in the crotch and they have gotten down on their knees after letting out a cry. The crowd had grown excited by what they've just witnessed, but Issus wasn't the only one who's hurt. It hurt me too for having to bring pain to what used to be my friend - to think that a potential Matesprit could turn to a temporary Kismesis in such a swift notice.

Like Gridmasks, Trolls are also able to express their romance with both Matespritship and Kismessitude as discussed earlier. In fact, these are required in a troll's younger sweeps, lest the Alternian Imperial Drone comes knocking at said troll's door along with their sorry head off for not providing the necessary requirements of the concupiscent ("sensual") quadrants to its right pa-[the topic of troll reproduction will be redacted for your convenience and sanity].

In addition to those two, there also exist two more kinds of romance, but to be blunt they're cosmetic and will not be further discussed into the story, of which are conciliatory ("platonic"). One is the Moirallegiance ("friendship") and Auspisticism (a 3-way being the mediator to avoid any sort of hate being developed).

Troll romance sure is weird isn't it? Anyway, bck2str-

<font color=#609>Silence as well as some whimpering from the now-hurt Issus had dominated this trial. At that point, I've seen light red liquid flowing down on Issus' cheeks.

<font color=#609>Tears.

<font color=#609>Watching them cry made me reconsider to end their life quicker but I was faced with resistance to do this, for I was not His Honorable Tyranny - the face of the Alternian justice system - who could never show mercy. I had one job, and should I fail will also end my life and letting Issus' words of hope to be all in vain. But regardless of my discretion, I raised my axe to the side, aiming for their neck.

<font color=#609>The main event had just begun. My mind couldn't focus on the execution, and had me drifted away to thoughts about preventing things that have happened. In mind, I began to reconsider the whole thing. Issus is a time traveler and could help stop or rewind these events so this wouldn't happen. I was then left with a choice:

<font color=#609>A. Ludus' hope lies in your hands to save it by killing Issus and listening to their plea for death. You'll get more friends along the way.

<font color=#609>Or

<font color=#609>B. This is your potential life partner. Fuck all of these gridmasks and everyone else that stand between you both to tear you apart. You made a promise.

<font color=#609>....

<font color=#609>Having made my choice, I continued the trial, or so I thought.

<font color=#609>As time didn't stop, my hands and my head started to sweat as I mustered through the pressure this had me in. More so that the crowd began picking on me, not just Issus who had their eyes closed - waiting for my swing.

<font color=#19B319>Crowd: KILL THE WITCH! KILL THE WITCH! KILL THE WITCH!...

<font color=#800000>Issus: Come on, get this over with!

<font color=#609>The mantra had gone for long until-

*THUD*

<font color=#609>.... I dropped my axe. The crowd was in awe and silence had dominated again for a time. I slowly began to cry as well and laid down on my knees facing the ground - not being able to do this to such a friend whom I expressed what I felt for not long.

<font color=#609>I had failed in the one job I was given. It looked like all hope was lost for me, but then Issus attempted to console me to continue the trial, but I couldn't reply back or even let them all see my pale purple tears.

<font color=#800000>Issus: ... Hank... Why didn't you kill me?... Can't you see I'm a threat??

<font color=#609>I could tell that Issus had approached the edge. Their breathing along with the growling of the crowd had me wishing the nightmare to be over.

<font color=#609>But I was wrong. Dead wrong.

<font color=#800000>Issus: You're such a wimp of a grub!

<font color=#609>Issus have toughened up to speak in an alien tone that I didn't recognize from them before.

<font color=#800000>Issus: You had one job, and you can't keep it up? Just what kind of adventurer are you, oh meek one?!

<font color=#609>Issus tried to drive me over the edge to get their death wish. I, however, remained silent and incapable of returning fire.

<font color=#800000>Issus: I don't want them to kill me, I assigned that job to you. Now get up and kill me.

<font color=#609>And just when I began to reply....

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... *sob*.... I can't do it....

<font color=#800000>Issus: ...

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... *whimper*.... I can't do it, Issie.

<font color=#800000>Issus: Do you realize that you'll be the one who will die along with me? While my life is worthless, yours isn't! Now stop sobbing and kill me. I beg of you, my so-called "Page of Chance"..

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... No. You can't make me-

<font color=#800000>Issus: OH I CAN! BELIEVE ME I CAN MAKE YOU!! IF I COULD MAKE YOU MY FRIEND, I'LL MAKE YOU MY FOE THE SAME WAY!!! JUST. FUCKING. KILL ME!!!!

*SLAP*

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Ah-

<font color=#609>Issus had backhanded me across the forehead.... right where it hurts the most. I couldn't react to anything, as I lied on the ground feeling the migraines attacking my head and simply taking them.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Mmh- m-m-my head- helpme

<font color=#609>My senses started to dim out as incoherent shouting is heard in the background, before finally giving in to unconsciousness....

<font color=#800000>Issus: Oh no, Hank! Please rise up! I didn't mean to- <font color=#19B319>???: Is that how you treat a new guy to Ludus?! YOU'RE DEAD- ???: Brainwash AND manipulation! Bluh bluh huge witch- ???: Get 'em- <font color=#0F0>???: That guy's a dibadib-

<font color=#609>....

<font color=#609> ....

<font color=#609>.... An indeterminate amount of time has passed as I woke up from slumber again. The headaches were still there even before and plagued my thinking process as I tried to piece together about what just happened.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: ((Where's Issus...? Where's everybody?))

<font color=#609>I realized that neither Issus nor the angry crowd were around me. I continued to struggle by trying to stand up until I heard what sounded to be an angry shout.

<font color=#F00>???: You! Stop right there!

<font color=#609>I tried to look over the surroundings but I managed to only flip over and lie on my back with my head pounding with pain. The source of that shout had arrived before long and there were three creatures right in front of me - aliens of which I've never seen before, save for one - as I helplessly continued to lie down on the grass.

<font color=#3505AA>???: Are you sure this is the one?

<font color=#609>A male Dragonkin with indigo clothing, black hair and white wings just questioned about me.

<font color=#0F0>???: Yes, I am certain of it!

<font color=#609>A familiar Serrangio also with wings on his body but with added headwings, a yellow halo, wearing grey clothing and an eyepatch behind a scarred eye then affirmed his suspicion.

<font color=#F00>???: I see. Let me talk to this thing.

<font color=#609>And last but not least, a tall and frightening figure wearing a grey cloak with red and yellow highlights, a visor just below his skin-matching dark purple hair - or at least a substitute for this form of hair and a red veil right below the visor, known as a Dark Matter.

<font color=#609>It wasn't enough that I was first chased by trolls, nearly been poisoned by that Nazcan drone and then these gridmasks which forced me to execute but now there's these three. Just why does everyone want me dead? I couldn't find an answer to this question no matter where I looked.

<font color=#F00>???: You.

<font color=#609>A deep voice started to haunt my ears and cut me loose from my calculating self. Only my sanity and courage were used to endure what the dark matter had to say.

<font color=#F00>???: Look at me.

<font color=#609>A cyan orb behind the visor that was his eye then looked at me with hostile intent. It was not just the judgmental eye, but his whole aura was heavy to bear this fear.

<font color=#F00>???: Do you recognize this guy?

<font color=#609>He referred to the Serrangio standing beside him. I was barely capable of speaking, but I was coherent.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... I've seen him before....

<font color=#F00>???: Did you intend to kill him?

<font color=#609>My head's pain felt like it got multiplied. I tried as hard as I could to reply to this question.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: K-kill him??

<font color=#F00>???: That's right. Kill.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: What do you mean? I only remember seeing him - I was meant to-

<font color=#F00>???: That ain't gonna cut it. I want you to FULLY remember what actually happened.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I'm trying my hardest, but my head is hurting terribly.

<font color=#F00>???: I don't need you to spout no fucking excuses.

<font color=#609>The dark matter then held a very wieldy broadsword and pointed it at me. As my mind began running on fear, I had greater difficulty with remembering what happened. Like a helpless grub, I stared at the blade and felt it gave me pain even without touching me. The headaches appeared to have gotten progressively worse by the second.

<font color=#F00>???: So? Why did you went silent on me? Afraid that I'll kill you? Good, because I will if you don't speak up.

<font color=#609>Just then, the dragonkin had intervened.

<font color=#3505AA>???: Put down the sword, Revelian. He'll cooperate better if you're not pressuring him.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Can it, Zachary. He was the one who nearly killed Ludicrine. You are in no position to tell me otherwise.

<font color=#609>So the name of the Serrangio is Ludicrine.... He too also tried calming him down.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: He looks very badly hurt. He wouldn't try to attack even in this state.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Not only you are a witness to this execution thing, but you're also defending this piece of shit who was bat-crazy enough to attempt to murder you. You are in no position either. I don't need to remind you both of what happened 30 years ago.

<font color=#609>Execution.... that was a word that jogged my memory a bit in the midst of all this pain and pressure. Aside from the 30 year comment, following that word had me muttering out the next word that came out of my mind.... a name....

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... Issus.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: What?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Where is.... Issus?

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Who is this "Issus" you speak of? This is about Ludicrine.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: A red fairy witch.... friend, I was forced to.... execute.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: ... Issus is dead, Hank.

<font color=#609>Hearing this fact out made me jolt out as if it was a rude awakening - more so because he knew my name from the scene.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... dead?

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Yes, dead. The execution was carried out to its completion.

<font color=#609>I could tell that in its form it would be a lie, but the voice and its emotion that carried through told me a different story. I suddenly felt like I could stand up and so I did, disregarding the painful state I was in. All of them appeared to be surprised, except for the deadpan dark matter named Revelian. A desperate tone had left when I repeated my question about Issus' whereabouts.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... Where is Issus????

<font color=#609>Ludicrine simply pointed out to a direction and I followed through. My mind got attracted by the distant red patch of grass. I sped up as I ran away from these three.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Where do you think you're going? We're not done discussing!

<font color=#609>Anxiety took me over, ignoring the words from the swordsman and would be lifted off of me by the time I reached....

<font color=#609>The naked, bruised and decapitated corpse of the fairy witch used to be known as Redglare.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: No....

<font color=#609>Tragedy befell me. The sights of such a murder scene was horrific beyond comprehension. The once serene green grass was painted scarlet from their blood, Issus themselves was in two parts; their head which had one of its eyes caved in and their tears that had run down their cheeks. The naked body of Issus - once a delicate skin - was now riddled with deep cuts and bruises just about everywhere.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Issus....

<font color=#609>It was obvious that Issus - what I could've considered them to be my only friend for only a couple of minutes - was indeed dead. I was at denial for a few moments, to which I broke down in tears, got down to my knees and shouted their name.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: ISSUS!!!!

<font color=#609>As expected, there was no reply for their life functions have ceased a while ago. Revelian, Ludicrine and Zachary all followed me where they saw me crying at the pool of red blood.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: How pathetic...

<font color=#609>He said that under his breath while I still tended to Issus' body now turned cold to the touch. The nightmare didn't seem to end anytime soon; I was at the verge of death once more because of this Ludicrine guy and I had to think of a way to be spared but no matter what I wanted to say, my thoughts were all clouded with tragedy, pain, and Revelian.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Who could've done this to you...?

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: You did! You killed them!

<font color=#609>Ludicrine answered in an inquisitive manner. In contempt, I regarded his words to have no bearing on the truth, since I tried to prevent myself from executing Issus but now it seems that I was labeled a criminal for wanting to kill this Serrangio. Fueled by blind rage, I attempted to lash out but it only lasted for a moment. Revelian still had the sword while Ludicrine backed off.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: LIES! ALL LIES! I didn't want to kill Issus-

<font color=#F00>Revelian: But you did.

<font color=#609>I stared at the dark matter with a similar hostile intent he put up earlier.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Hm... I see. So you think that I killed your Issus, am I not mistaken? I know you have problems with thinking right now, but if you thought that I could just cut the head off of this puny little fairy without a possible reason other than shows and shits, then you're dead wrong. Besides, even if I killed them, I wouldn't bother washing all this worthless blood off of my clothing, let alone my Muramasa.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: So you-

<font color=#F00>Revelian: No, I didn't kill Issus. Yes, my sword's called the Muramasa, laugh all you want.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: But let's get back to the topic at hand, since this is not about Issus - gog rest their soul, but about Ludicrine...

<font color=#609>With the topic changed, my mind began to clear up and calmed down, although the headaches still remained.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Like I said, I can't even remember this part. All I remember is getting whacked by Issus and waking up a distance away from this massacre.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: I may be half-blind, but I say what I see. You don't have to trust me on everything, but just know this: You. Killed. Issus. And then you went ahead and rammed at me with your axe, leaving me to throw a stick aimed at your head in retaliation. And just like that, you dropped dead to the ground and I called my co-employees to come check you out in case you were still alive.

<font color=#609>Hearing these words still didn't make me grasp the story as true. I looked to my surroundings trying to look for something, but I noticed something else that didn't seem to add up. Just near Issus' corpse, there appeared to be some set craters.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I have but two questions. One, where's my axe - the Chaotic one? And two, did I somehow caused these holes in the ground to appear like that?

<font color=#609>The Dragonkin named Zachary is then seen holding that axe in custody.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: I have it, but you'll be given it back when we find you didn't really mean to kill him.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: And to answer your second question, then after you put up a fight with Issus and emerged a victor, you used some type of magic to open up portals and sent the gridmasks hurling toward said portals. It had a peculiar cyan hue.

<font color=#609>Portals? Cyan hue? Ludicrine seems to refer to The Karma Arm my ancestor had and its occurrence back on Alternia.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... Karma.

<font color=#609>A word had escaped my mouth.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: If you want to call it that then sure. Then you powered yourself up with said Karma energy and attacked me, but not with the Axe of Chaos, mind you...

<font color=#609>Revelian showed me the other weapon I had in my possession - The Mithril Hatchet, now stained with scarlet blood - Issus' indubitably. Revelian handed it over to Ludicrine and the latter held the hatchet to the side.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: ... Rather, you dropped and ditched the Axe of Chaos from the execution and suddenly "woke up" when Issus approached you to continue the trial. The crowd and I backed off as soon the fight started and you were seen holding this particular weapon.

<font color=#609>Ludicrine then held the hatchet up at front with its side facing me.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: If you still regard my words as untrue, then see for yourself.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Um, Ludi, you DO realize that you're handing-

<font color=#609>Ludicrine simply raised a finger with his other free hand to silence Revelian, the latter thinking that I could take the chance to retaliate and the former simply going with some obscure idea. I approached cautiously and grabbed the hatchet to inspect in up close. It was indeed Issus' blood as the scarlet color had matched.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... what.

<font color=#609>My mind since holding the hatchet, however, became unstable with his story becoming much clearer. I peered into the unstained parts of the hatchet to see my reflection, but all I could see were visions that flashed for a split second, of supposed hallucinations as I thought the scarlet blood changed colors from yellow to blue to purple and back to red. These visions - although short-lived - burned into my eyes as each and one of them consisted of the following:


 * <font color=#609>Two figures, <font color=#C1B800>one yellow and one purple with a grey metallic object nearby.


 * <font color=#609>A <font color=#0000AC>blue figure getting crushed by some sort of white claw.


 * <font color=#609>A <font color=#800000>red figure falling back and got their head separated from their body.


 * <font color=#609>And finally, a <font color=#0F0>lime-green figure who just avoided from a swinging blade cutting through.

<font color=#609>In reflex, I dropped the hatchet and broke down into a cry again. I was speechless that I could remember something like this, even without intention from before on top of those visions. It looked to be that he was telling the truth all along. I could only mutter these words as a surrender.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... I'm.... sorry....

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: So you admit it. You admit that you tried to kill Ludicrine, right?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I can't even remember myself doing such action, but for some reason I do. I'm so sorry, Ludicrine, Revelian and Zachary.

<font color=#609>I was at tears and on my knees, for I knew that no amount of forgiveness will change the outcome for my favor. How could I bring such havoc, really? Was I really not in the right mindset that I attempted to attack Ludicrine? Are some of those visions the reason why the trolls and even The Empress were after my blood?! Did I have a dark past during all those adventures?!?! None of these question laid out the true answer for me, but either way I would deserve some sort punishment.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I guess I should be killed for.... an untrusted outsider who can't even think straight.

<font color=#609>I then received a reply from someone who is most unexpected to hear from.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Not necessarily. You are reprimanded for making such mistake. You're even aware of the fact that you expect to be punished for attempting to kill an important co-founder for a company that captures and sells monsters as pets.

<font color=#609>Selling monsters as pets.... That's something Issus had told me. I remained silent and he continued.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Yet, you are right about the untrusted part. We have a bit of a trusting issue at hand and because you did attempt to kill a close friend of mine, it doesn't look bright at all. Just be lucky it wasn't me who was in Ludicrine's place, otherwise you'd be long dead.

<font color=#609>Upon fear of being denied, I have realized something after killing Issus. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have been dragged to join these guys. They gave me an adventure I couldn't have refused - to save Ludus from being a Separ monster playground. Their death shall not be without a purpose, and if I can't be trusted, then so be it. Whether they'll like it or not, I will serve for them until the day I die.

<font color=#609>With that thought in motion. I stiffened and stood up with demand held out in my hand.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Before their execution, Issus told me that I should look for such company to save Ludus. Their death may be inevitable, but I can't die without fulfilling their purpose.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: But it's just like you said before, you can't be trusted. How do you expect to join us, then?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: What Ludicrine told me gave me the key, I don't expect to be trusted on everything - or even be judged and set my reputation in stone for a single mistake like this, but I shall swear to Issus' lingering words of fate that I'll help all of you out - and next thing you know, you'll cry before me.

<font color=#609>All three were surprised at my saying - even me for thinking like this. Revelian chortled for a bit.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: I cannot tell whether you're ambitious or just a plain fool... I think I'll talk to Zach and Ludi about this. Wait here.

<font color=#609>They turned away from me and whispered words I couldn't hear. They were consulting about me, that's for sure. I waited until the three turned around and faced me - sweating bullets at their final answer. Ludicrine was the first to open his mouth.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Okay, so here's some good and bad news. Which you'd like to hear?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... The good news, please.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: The good news is that you can be applied for work at our own LDZX Corporations!

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Really!?

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: The bad news... is that... well, like Demmes said, there is a trusting issue that needs to be ironed out, and you acting desperate will only serve to throw more irons into the fire.

<font color=#609>I was silent for I did sound desperate. If I wanted respect, I had to work for it. To take the Alternian way of stating this out: Start out like a rustblood and rise through the ranks to become more appreciated among my peers. Zachary then delivered his part of the inquiry.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: That isn't to say that you can't join us. As a co-CEO of LDZX Corps., I'm going to give you the benefit of a doubt.

<font color=#609>Revelian then suddenly interrupted and filled his part.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: BUT, on one condition... You come near Ludicrine or any of the other associates with anything that can be considered a weapon - be it an axe or whatever, and I will crush you. Is that understood?

<font color=#609>I would have a choice, but ultimately I did not hesitate.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... Yes, Revelian. I will work for LDZX until the day I die. Ludus may depend on it.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Then it's decided. On the matter of such humble beginnings, leave the rest to us, alright? In the meantime, why don't we lead you to the LDZX Headquarters and check out what we got so far?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Okay!

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: That's the spirit, Mr...

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Hankvi Guidza.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: Okay then, Mr. Guidza. So you ready to go?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Sure thing but before we go, I'll have to attend to say this one last goodbye.

<font color=#609>I directed my attention to the still corpse of Issus. I picked up the head and conversed with it. I didn't expect Issus to hear or talk, but subconciously I did talk to a disembodied head.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I may have failed to kill you, but I won't let you down with this.

<font color=#609>I proceeded to pucker mine and their lips and proceeded to kiss the disembodied head, a gesture which might sound blasphemous and incomprehensible to anybody involved.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: ... Wow.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: I think I'm gonna throw up.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: OH GOG WHY.

<font color=#609>At least I completed our kiss for us - the kiss we were never meant to have. I did not feel any regret but it was awkward of me to express love after their death. On top of their reactions, the blood that ran down Issus' mouth tasted strange; I thought it was sweet, but my tongue interpreted that otherwise.

<font color=#609>Without getting more awkward than it is already, I proceeded to give a proper burial near the clocktower, whom they would fall to their death had I not been there to catch them. From what I can tell, this was far beyond unorthodox in Alternian society to hold a funeral, but I did so anyway and paid my respects.

<font color=#609>I dug out a hole right beside the clocktower with my bare fingers, put Issus' head into the hole followed by their corpse next and used their striped scarf - now soaked with much of their blood - to wrap around their torn-off neck so at least they will rest with their head in its rightful place. I sealed it back up afterwards by putting the dirt back. With the mithril hatchet, I carved to the side of the clocktower the following:

H + I  /\ /\ <-\-v-/-< \ /    v   R.I.P

<font color=#609>It was a crude heart and arrow to symbolize our (rather unrequited) love, as well as a marker to denote Issus' resting place. It was even cruder to carve with a hatchet, but it worked.

<font color=#609>Maybe things would've worked out better.... in another time. But like I stated, thinking about changing the past will not change anything. I said departing words of goodbye to Issus' newly-formed grave.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: And I'll remember you, always.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Are you done? Let's go already.

<font color=#609>After dedicating these last words and a moment of silence, I left along with the three towards my next destination - The LDZX Headquarters at Steckenberg.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Okay. Coming.

<font color=#609>We walked a short distance before we reached an obstacle. In a beaming flash of light, a gigantic construct-like monster had caught us by surprise.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: OH SH/T!

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: Quick, let's use the Call of Wonder!

<font color=#F00>Revelian: No wait, don't.

<font color=#609>Revelian then pushed me out in front of the monster.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: Let Hank do it.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Me????

<font color=#F00>Revelian: You learned the Call of Wonder, right? So prove to us your worth by doing the honors.

<font color=#609>I was hesitant, but obeyed and confronted it. I then shouted at what appeared to be its face the following phrase that Issus had delivered me:

Said phrase will not be recited here until later.

<font color=#609>It was about to lash at me, but then stopped at its tracks. Indeed under my command, it then shrunk down in size to match my height.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: Well I'll be damned! Good job, Hank!

<font color=#609>Afterwards, we all approached at what appeared to be a vehicle. It was large yet short in height, windows all around it, four wheels arranged in pairs and an interior to sit down.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: This is our business automotive. Hop in!

<font color=#609>An automotive, a piece of technology that allowed faster transportation of four passengers optimally. True to its words being business, it was colored in Zach's signature indigo and had Ludi's signature limegreen highlights along the sides.

<font color=#609>Despite us being one more than allowed, all five of us entered it with the doors. I sat in the back row along with said monster and Revelian while Ludicrine and Zachary sat in the front, with the latter holding the wheel to control the automotive.

<font color=#609>Several minutes later, we reached what would be the set place for LDZX Corps.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Well, here we be!

<font color=#609>We all got out to see the place up close. So far it was just a giant tent with a simple scrap wooden sign that read their namesake company in the same lime and indigo. It was situated on the Steckenberg western city limits, in a little forest. Inside the tent were a few cages, some empty and some monsters already in, all staring at me with indifference. They were of many colors, many head shapes and many sizes that conform to their species.

<font color=#609>After handing out my resume, I was then given a list of tasks to be done and I've been busy doing all kinds of chores around all day. Taking care of adoption requests, pet maintenance, helping on building a more permanent place for those pets to stay - essentially a building, and advising more efficient ways on business management were prime examples.

<font color=#609>What used to be around noon has then turned into dusk as time passed without notice, and I have completed the tasks I was given and then some - such as capturing nine more monsters and naming them Nature, Rune, and a set of seven monsters that were colored after the rainbow, each with the names of Boomer, Struder, Orlando, Nimbser, Jacob, Rosa and Mimi.

<font color=#609>I have shown my efforts, making Ludicrine and Zachary look in awe of what I achieved. All LDZX problems appeared to have been solved - even at day one. They were all praising me, including Revelian.... which was odd, considering his unexpressive nature. I myself was under a cynic's mentality to take these compliments positively.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Hankquill, you've done an amazing job! That would've took us upwards of a few weeks work to achieve today's workflow.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Aw, that was nothing. I just did my job like everyone else.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: You did 4 jobs at once! If that's not fucking amazing, I don't know what is.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Well, since you put it that way.... I'm just the humble type of dude, I guess....

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Snap out out it, Humble-Grand-Dude! As a reward, how about I give you the first monster YOU captured as your own pet?

<font color=#609>I've thought about this construct of a monster for a moment, but what I was about to say would have them all taken aback at my response.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: As much as I want it.... I will have to decline.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: But, why?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I believe it is better in the hands of a less melancholic being like me. I know you all would want me to keep this thing, but for a thankful one like me it's hard to resist. Consider it as an apology.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: ... okay, I guess we'll put it up for adoption, but that's your decision and I respect that. Seriously, you're missing out!

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I know, but I'm really sorry again about earlier today.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Apology accepted, I guess...

<font color=#609>Ludicrine then changed the subject.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Well, as much as I'd like for you to stay and maybe sleep here, how about I rent you an apartment for you to live in? Don't worry, I'll pay the fees.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Like, a hive?

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: I don't know Alternian customs very much, but I guess so.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Okay sure. But where?

<font color=#609>Ludicrine then told me of three possible places in the western main landmass of Ludus:


 * <font color=#609>The bustling and massive metropolitan city of Steckenberg,


 * <font color=#609>The commune and noisy streets of Greytown,


 * <font color=#609>And the modest yet somewhat dangerous town of Silverwood - Home of "The Thief of Silverwood" which has disappeared mysteriously.

<font color=#609>None of these really spoke out to me in a special way.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I don't know, I used to live close to the sea - me being a highblood back in Alternia.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Why didn't you say so? I've got a perfect place for you: Vestri Bay. It's a bit far from here and the rent is not that too gogbeaverDAMN high, but it's manageable.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Thank you so much. That would be most gracious.

<font color=#609>Then Ludicrine had just remembered something.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Oh, good timing too. I planned to celebrate our would-be best employee LDZX has ever known by going to a place I know. Let's go, everybody!

<font color=#609>Zachary then remembered something too.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: And before I forget, here are your belongings. Don't worry, I didn't take anything from there. Just try not to be enraged.

<font color=#609>Zachary handed over my bag with the laptop and hatchet. The Axe of Chaos was also handed over to me. But, enraged? Me?

<font color=#F00>Revelian: I won't be coming. So y'all have fun.

<font color=#609>As we - sans Revelian - all went, Revelian stopped me in my tracks.

<font color=#F00>Revelian: And Hank?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Y-Yes?

<font color=#F00>Revelian: As much as I appreciate your efforts and keep up the good work... I need you to remember: I'm always watching you.

<font color=#609>He then warped off and sent me chills down my spinal cord. Watch me? What a vindictive dark matter....

<font color=#609>As we all got in the automotive, we drove off to Vestri Bay. In the meantime, I spent some time thinking about Revelian and what he just said.

<font color=#609>Now Revelian.... he was kind of a mixed bag for me. Although he knew I wasn't lying about my devotion, something told me this was not the case. If he is protective of his friends like that, that's a given. But if I indeed tried to kill Ludicrine, was not aware of it at all in the first place and only waiting for me to "turn again", then that's taking me for granted. I would try not thinking about it too much, but enraging him would be the least of my worries; losing face and this job is my deepest fear.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: You seem a little quiet, Hank. Something bothering you?

<font color=#609>Zach broke the silence as we chatted a little on the way to Vestri Bay.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I'm fine, it's just that Revelian....

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: He always looks down on newcomers. Don't worry too much about it.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Well it's just that I almost-

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: All is forgiven, Honkwe Dude! Besides, you were amazing. No lies or modesty about it, no siree.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: I really appreciate it that I'm an official member of the LDZX crew.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: That's just the beginning! We always look to hire more people to - as you say, "Save Ludus", but surpassing you would be quite the challenge.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Gee, um, I'm very flattered about it but-

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Don't think about it. Right now we will all drown our sorrows. Okay Zosh, take a left.

<font color=#609>I wasn't really sure what to "drown our sorrows" for or what it really meant but after a while of driving, we passed a gate that read:

AHOY MATEY! 'TIS BE VESTRI BAY! -  BAR BE AT 'BOUT 1/3 NAUTICAL MILE

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Alright, this is Vestri Bay! It's populated mostly by sailors, pirates or would-be pirates. It may take you some time to understand what they're saying most of the time - especially if they're drunk. But if it makes you feel like you're at home then I'm all for it for you to live here!

<font color=#609>Hankvi: What does "drunk" mean? And this BAR place?

<font color=#609>Ludicrine simply ignored and before long we have arrived.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Oh, speaking of BARs, this here is the place to be!

<font color=#609>Eventually, we all reached into the aforementioned "BAR" place. Neither I nor Zach knew what it really meant. Ludicrine knew a lot about Ludus, the locals and customs and such. Myself I wasn't a local, and Zach himself had travelled in time from seven centuries prior.

<font color=#609>After we got out of the automotive and entered the BAR, the insides of the place was.... less friendly than I imagined. There were some fights with broken bottles, hairy men shouting out incoherent ramblings with a notable accent - something about wives or hitting ladies, and the hygiene was sub-par, to say the least.

<font color=#609>Both I and Zach were less optimistic about what would follow. Ludicrine on the other hand was excited.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: So this place is where they serve this "alcoholic beverage". That's a rather pricey way to drink, but it makes you "feel better" about yourselves. All in all, it's like a legal drug or something like that.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Like a legal.... what?

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: What's a drug?

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Aw, haven't I explained enough already?

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: We... Ah, whatever, I guess I'll try it out. How about you, Hank?

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... Sure. This wouldn't hurt.... too much.

<font color=#609>The bartender greeted us with a thick pirate accent.

<font color=#F2BD6B>Bartender: Ahoy, 'ya three from 'nother worlds! Welcome to tha Vestri Boozelounge BAR!

<font color=#609>We all greeted and Ludicrine got straight to the point.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Give us three bottles of the "good stuff"!

<font color=#F2BD6B>Bartender: Comin' right up!

<font color=#609>We all took a seat on the tall stools and the bartender returned with three large mugs with golden liquid and a frothy head after a short wait. This 'good stuff' reminded me of the same thing pictured on a sign near the entrance.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: So this is the 'good stuff', then....

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: I guess it is.

<font color=#609>Ludicrine then proclaimed and shouted out in a festive mood.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Let's lift our glasses and have a toast for our newest and best employee that LDZX had ever seen - Hankvi Guidza!

<font color=#609>Everyone was wild and lifted their mugs shouting this word in response:

<font color=#F2BD6B>"CHEERS!"

<font color=#609>And a lot of clinking soon followed as the people clinked their glasses and drank their drinks. Zachary followed their actions too.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: Cheers!

<font color=#609>The spirit of celebration suddenly took over and I too shouted out a toast. A toast to myself - a moment I would cherish dearly.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: .... cheers!!!!

<font color=#609>We clinked our mugs together and downed our drinks.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: Geez, this taste is bad.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Yeah, kinda.... *hic*

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: You're just not doing it right! Maybe drink a couple more in order for it to taste better.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: More? Of that horrible stuff?!

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Ah, quit complaining, bor. Couple more of the good stuff, please.

<font color=#609>Initially it tasted awful, but like Ludi said, it got better the more drinks I downed.... At least that's what I'd think.

<font color=#609>An unknown number of mugs later, my mind didn't cooperate to produce the proper thought process - I was in a state of drunkenness. My head was spinning but I didn't feel any pain. I was constantly moving my body in place trying to maintain balance. I also seemed to have developed a less civil vocabulary during my drunk stupor.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Ugh.... this is far out gnarly-grubs....

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: *hic* Whka-what is this stuff, anya-anyway...??

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: I told you, the 'good stuff'. Although, if you think about it, it's kinda an ironic name...

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Woah, you kiddin' me? I never tried tha-*hic* sopor stuff, but THIS is the shizzard, man.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Hrm, if you could've drank any of the Genoskayan spirits, you two would be on the floor by now.

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: What th-*hic*e hell doh-do you think, aein-zuera?? *hic*

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Yeah, yeah, I get it... Alright, I'll help you guys get the helc out of this dump!

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Nah, Ludicrous! This IS better in quan....*hic* titty. Wan moar muhg?

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Candleja, Honkwe.

<font color=#609>Ludicrine, being the only sane and non-intoxicated here was struggling to pick me up.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Now-- WOAH MAN WE'RE GOING EVERYWHERE

<font color=#609>And struggling he was. Trying to maintain balance for him to retain his own had turned to me putting both of us off-balanced. I was wasted but unlike Zach, I was COMPLETELY wasted - having likely drunk more than these two combined.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Gotta catch the wave *hic* forget being chased. Like, ALL the time.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: AW JEEZ ZOSHERS HELP WE'RE GOING DOWN

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: A-er you go.

<font color=#609>Zach had caught us both before we fell down on the floor. We walked carefully to the exit where we were greeted by the moonlight.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: Whoof- that took a while. Alright, this time I'll drive, or else Stickman will spank our /sses with his golden jewel-encrusted stick.

<font color=#0F0>''Sorry for breaking the fourth wall or interrupting, but remember, kids! Don't drive under the influence and always let someone who didn't drink (or in this case, "immune" to the drunken effect but again just to be safe, NEVER EVER EVER EVER DRINK) drive you home. Always drink responsibly. Anyway, bck2str-''

<font color=#609>Ludicrine seems to be immune to the effects of the 'good stuff' the whole time, whereas me and Zach are challenged with the alcohol in our blood systems - more so about myself. Ludicrine then drove us over to the rented apartment, having put up with mine and Zach's drunken ramblings.

<font color=#609>I sobered up a little on the way there. We got out of the automotive and entered the building. We had to climb up a few stairs being careful not to fall down. After constantly being warned about the stairs, we reached the door to my apartment.

<font color=#0f0>Ludicrine: Here's your room, Hankquill-io. The view of the sea will hopefully calm and sooth your drunken mind. Right next to it is the bed, where you can sleep on it if that's also in Alternian customs or not. Enjoy!

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Than-tHank ye, Lidocaine.

<font color=#0f0>Ludicrine: Don't mention it. Let's go, Zex!

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: Awlrighty co-ARGH ARGLENARGLE HOOOOOOOOTH

<font color=#0f0>Ludicrine: I WARNED YOU ABOUT STAIRS, BROSEPH. I TOLD YOU DAWG!

<font color=#3505AA>Zachary: it keeps hapening

<font color=#609>After marveling down on those two, I was left alone in my apartment. As Ludicrine said, there was a window to stare out into the moon from it and right next to it was the bed.

<font color=#609>This bed is apparently where you go to sleep by lying down on it, consisting of a mattress, purple sheets that matches my color, and a cyan pillow. This was unusual for me, since the normal Alternian Troll's bed is a recuperacoon - a container filled with sopor slime to sedate the sleeping troll.

<font color=#609>Before I could go to sleep, I unpacked my minimal set of belongings: The laptop sat on the table to charge, mounting the Axe of Chaos on the wall as if it was a trophy and putting the.... cleaned up Mithril Hatchet into a display case.

<font color=#609>Around the apartment were multiple paintings and little arts and crafts of sea-related voyages like ships, treasure chests - pirate stuff. One thing meant to me as I looked all over the place.

<font color=#609>Adventure....

<font color=#609>But looking back at the events of today - Getting out of the hive, being chased down, discovering the tower, falling into another world, being attacked by a Nazcan and killing it, meeting my first love Issus, pinned by those gridmasks and forced to execute said love, almost killing Ludicrine, pleading for forgiveness, working for LDZX and finally celebrating with a drink - it didn't seem that adventure was my top thing anymore.

<font color=#609>Besides drinking, work crawled up to my list and stole its first place trophy. I felt as though those were an important part of my destiny - working and drinking. Although I wouldn't experience almost anything outside of these two things, it was of sufficient interest.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: ((Oh man, what a day.))

<font color=#609>I sure have achieved a lot of fun (and the opposite of it) today and it was time to sleep it off, needing to adjust my daytime cycle as well since I'm here in Ludus. I turned off the lights, got undressed and crawled onto my bed under the bedsheets. Lying on the bed proved to be a bit difficult as I could either sleep on my back or burying my face into the pillow due to the structure of my horns.

<font color=#609>It took me a while for me to fall asleep, but it worked.

<font color=#609>''As I slept, I had a dream, a strangely lucid dream but a dream nonetheless. Darkness dominated, but I heard a voice speaking out in the void.''

<font color=#6C00FF>''???: so.. you have finally arrived..''

<font color=#609>''Hankvi: Huh? Who are you?''

<font color=#6C00FF>???: i could very well be your ancestor..

<font color=#609>''Hankvi: .... Pensiver??''

<font color=#6C00FF>''???: no, an ancestor of choice not of line.. after all,, it is by chance that i know you, hankvi guidza..''

<font color=#609>I was surprised that the voice knew my name.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: How did you know my name????

<font color=#6C00FF>''???: i seem to just know a lot about you.. you will refer to me as hankvl guldza..''

<font color=#609>''Hankvi: But.... that almost sounds like my own name!''

<font color=#6C00FF>''Hankvl: you may be right.. that seems like it was made by chance as well..''

<font color=#609>Hankvi: What is this about this "Chance" thing?

<font color=#6C00FF>''Hankvl: you do not get to ask anymore questions.. now let me carefully explain where you are at.. this is the void.. there is nothing at all that could save you.. your screams,, your shouts,, and even your hopes -- all will be absorbed by the darkness..''

<font color=#609>I was silent, but inside I felt as rationality was depleting within me.

<font color=#6C00FF>''Hankvl: you killed issus,, you gave away my gift to you -- the honor g..o..d.. ...... i see more in you,, and wonder not for why everyone -- even your friends -- seem to want you dead..''

<font color=#609>I continued to be silent, but began to have tears running down.

<font color=#6C00FF>Hankvl: you lead many genocides back at your home,, played a game trying to rule it and escape your superior  s punishment,, but the former was backfired and the latter died down but not completely..''

<font color=#609>Not wanting to hear anymore of what supposedly were lies, I shouted.

<font color=#609>''Hankvi:. those are.. all lies.... I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING WRONG!!!!''

<font color=#609>''Having ignored my shouting, Hankvl continued on talking. I still felt as though I wasn't calm, but calmed myself down after Hankvl said these words....''

<font color=#6C00FF>''Hankvl: but you made me genuinely surprised.. about you giving said gift away,, about you that would stay loyal to your company until you die.. i can sense you have a lot of will,, ripe for the taking......''

<font color=#609>''Will that is ripe for the taking...? What is Hankvl going on about?''

<font color=#6C00FF>''Hankvl: that would take a lot of effort to atone for,, but maybe...... just maybe...... you can get behind the whole meaning of your life.. over time,, i have come to know the truth behind my existence.. but my knowledge is not the limit of my powers..''

<font color=#609>Hankvi: ....

<font color=#6C00FF>Hankvl: i know you have a passion to create and not to destroy,, maybe you would like to create things like the moon??

<font color=#609>''I was indifferent to whatever Hankvl was offering. I could not ask, so I remained silent.''

<font color=#6C00FF>''Hankvl: but i know what you are thinking.. ""i do not want this power,, i could do with what i have""..''

<font color=#609>Hankvi: ....

<font color=#6C00FF>''Hankvl: yet for sure,, i know that one day...... you could attain the respect that you deserve.. in the meantime,, why not take a look at your messages?? i am certain that someone wants to talk to you..''

<font color=#609>''A message? Perhaps Hankvl meant by my laptop?''

<font color=#6C00FF>''Hankvl: i have delivered everything i needed for now,, the dream is over.. it is time for you to wake up.. we will meet again at an unknown future..''

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Wait, Hankvl!!!!

<font color=#609>All of a sudden, a burst of purple had filled the entire void and everything was shaking violently before a beam of light tore everything - including me.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: *GASP*

<font color=#609>I woke up in a panic and saw a light on my window - sunlight. What a freaky dream, what was it all about? Something about my past, that's for sure. But this Hankvl being didn't sounded superficial or even believable for that matter. Maybe it was a bad dream influenced by more of the horrible events from yesterday, but I'd never know for certain.

<font color=#609>After the wake-up trance, I followed Hankvl's advice by opening up my laptop and running Trollian - my rather abandoned chatting client. What I saw was indeed true, I have a message and yet my client (or "chumproll" as said on-screen) list is empty.

<font color=#609>This one came from someone named "bombasticDeranging" what seemed like a while ago:

HS D00000 (bombasticDeranging [BD])HS FFF (began rapping with)HS 609 (hecticDemise [HD])HS FFF (623 hours ago) HS D00000 (BD: Y/, WHAT UP?) HS D00000 (BD: CHECKIN' IF Y/U'RE AWAKE /R S/METHIN') HS D00000 (BD: LEAVE ME A MESSAGE...) HS D00000 (BD: IF Y/U SEE THIS, THAT IS) HS D00000 (BD: AND Y/U'RE N/T DEAD LIKE THIS YELL/W GIRL TRYIN' T/ PR/VE ME THAT Y/U ARE.) HS D00000 (bombasticDeranging [BD])HS FFF (has finished his rap with)HS 609 (hecticDemise [HD])

<font color=#609>"hecticDemise" is supposedly my handle. Why would I name it something like that was beyond my understanding. Come to think of it, I never remember using - let alone creating an account to use since I didn't speak or even befriended anyone. <font color=#609>Hankvi: ((A complete stranger.... Awake? Dead? This guy must be trying to be some creep.))

<font color=#609>However, by instinct I replied, thinking to myself "What could arise from this?":

HS 609 (hecticDemise [HD])HS FFF (began trolling with)HS D00000 (bombasticDeranging [BD])HS FFF (@ 11:11 AM) HS 609 (HD: Who's this?) HS D00000 (BD: !!!!!!!!!!!) HS D00000 (BD: N/ WAY. THAT Y/U?) HS 609 (HD: That me, what?) HS D00000 (BD: THIS FEARS/ME /NE-MAN-ARMY-DICTAT/R WH/ HAS N/ NAME.) HS 609 (HD: Dictator!?!?!?!? What are you blabbing your mouth about????) HS 609 (HD: And I have a name - Hankvi Guidza.) HS D00000 (BD: WHAT IS MY IGN/RANCE TUNNEL'S TELLIN' YA?!) HS D00000 (BD: HANKVI GUIDZA...........) HS D00000 (BD: NEVER TH/UGHT 'YA HAD SUCH A GIRLY NAME.) HS 609 (HD: Look, can you explain what you said a while ago?) HS D00000 (BD: THIS AB/UT THE YELL/W GIRL, I GETCHA?) HS 609 (HD: Well I guess, who is she?) HS D00000 (BD: S/ME/NE WH/ KNEW Y/U T// D- WELL.) HS D00000 (BD: AND BEF/RE YA ASK, I'M N/T GIVING Y/U THE NAME. GUESS WH/ SHE IS AND WIN A PRIZE.) HS 609 (HD: Name?) HS 609 (HD: Guess!? I don't even know her! Is this some joke?) HS D00000 (BD: IF SHE WERE T/ TALK T/ Y/U, SHE'D A T/SS YA FR/M THE HELL Y/U REIGN'D AND INT/) HS D00000 (AN/THER Y/U W/N'T A-N/TICED IT EVEN RAINED.) HS 609 (HD: Then you are some fucking joker.) HS 609 (HD: Maybe if you'd give me some backstory, I would know not to take you for granted.) HS D00000 (BD: ...Y/U D/N'T REMEMBER?) HS 609 (HD: NO!!!!) HS D00000 (BD: HEHEHEH!!) HS D00000 (BD: YA KN/W, F/R A TW/-FACED BARREL - Y/U AIN'T HALF BAD.) HS 609 (HD: I still can't take you seriously.) HS D00000 (BD: YEAH?! WELL I'D LIKE T/ RAP S'M/RE BUT TIME'S A TICKIN'.) HS D00000 (BD: SMELL YA LATER, "BR/".) HS D00000 (bombasticDeranging [BD])HS FFF (ceased trolling with)HS 609 (hecticDemise [HD])HS FFF (@ 11:16 AM) HS D00000 (bombasticDeranging [BD])HS FFF (began rapping with)HS 609 (hecticDemise [HD])HS FFF (@ 11:16 AM) HS D00000 (BD: ALM/ST F/RG/T, THE LADY IN YELL/W SENDS HER "REGARDS".) HS D00000 (bombasticDeranging [BD])HS FFF (finished his rap with)HS 609 (hecticDemise [HD])HS FFF (@ 11:17 AM)

<font color=#609>.... Well like Ludicrine had said yesterday, this has gotten everywhere. I could not even deduce what this "bro" even wanted, but something tells me that either some of my past is indeed in the dark, or a deliberate setup to stall me for time and sanity.

<font color=#609>Yet the lady in yellow.... I had a brief vision just after the execution yesterday, so maybe not all of those were lies. But being a dictator? I call horseshit, or "hoofbeastmanure" if you want the Alternian term.

<font color=#609>Not wanting to think about this any further, I dressed up and gone away to work. I saw the LDZX business automotive parked up with Ludicrine in the driver's seat.

<font color=#0F0>Ludicrine: There you are! You took your sweet time sleeping off. Why don't I jump you to work? It's about half-hour by automotive, and an hour by bus.

<font color=#609>Hankvi: Okay, sure.

<font color=#609>And so he drove me over to the LDZX HQ. My days would be like this; Get up, drive over to work, return home with maybe a monster or two adopted, sleep, rinse and repeat. As dull as it sounded, I was enticed by this chain of events and would not ask for a better grand adventure like this - especially not with such awesome friends like these.

<font color=#609>I just happened to adopt my very first adoptable on the second day of my job, an ancient-looking rusty "tree". He had a head which resembled a castle complete with a flag on it. On the "stem" carved out the word "Forelly" which appears to be his name.

<font color=#609>By building an LDZX building, maybe I'll build myself a huge tower somewhere on Ludus to house in more of these pets I'll adopt in the future.... And most important of all is to not let these threats get me down....

ENDCHAPTER.

Stutid Statistics
Production times:
 * 11xx-14 - (Wiki) Ideas - Mainly the "Issus should be dead" but that was offsite according to *TheExecuti[]ner.txt
 * 328-15 / Late March - (Google Drive) Started writing segments of own TPS chapter
 * 420-15 - Around that time when Hankvi article got overhauled
 * 511-15 - Hankvi's events revealed to the public, including Issus' ultimate fate
 * 627-15 - (Evernote) Writing got either more ideas or rebooted
 * 927-15 - Writing got rebooted with each set of events in separate files
 * Around the latter half of November to present time - Finished writing along with minor fixes

Time range of thinking/writing: 11xx-14/3xx-15 ~ 11/1225-15

Overall time spent writing: Approx. 7/9 months - At most a year

Actual time spent writing: At most a month or two