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>>2927237

You strap your knife to your waist. You grab the hem of your cloak, the other Wands jingling lightly against each other, and tie the new one to the inside with the others. You stand, brushing your long, light gray hair back behind you.

You have carved in this icy passage for a long time. From Wisdom that isn’t yours, you think it is part of a ‘Train Station’.

You listen, and feel. There is nothing here. It is silent again.

There is no need to hurry.


> What do you seek?

[ ] You were searching for food. Maybe you should find a lot, to take with you.
[ ] You should look around. Maybe there’s something useful to scavenge.
[ ] You should keep moving. For more bones.

>>2927239
>You should look around. Maybe there’s something useful to scavenge.

>>2927239
>You should look around. Maybe there’s something useful to scavenge.

>>2927239
>[ ] You should look around. Maybe there’s something useful to scavenge.

>>2927239
>[ ] You were searching for food. Maybe you should find a lot, to take with you.

Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp10J4gYspc

Clip, clip, is the sound of your steps. Other than your hornpieces and horns, everything you have is borrowed. Your shirt, your trousers and shoes, your cloak: from some time long, long ago. Your wands, from the stars that came before.

You need them to keep going, and their owners don’t.

You look around. It is darker under the earth than under the moon, but safer. You have been here long enough to see.

You need food, or you will die. You need water, or you will die.

Some of the ‘Stores’ along the passage can be entered. Others are shut and frozen closed. Enter. Look.

Some things you recognise, from Wisdom that isn’t yours. Other things escape you, but you don’t mind.

You pick out a ‘Loaf of Bread’. It is almost big enough to need two hands. Like everything else, it is frozen. You don’t need to change that though, so you take it, open your mouth wide, and bite.

Crunch. Crunch. Munch munch much.

You will not die from starvation. Onwards.

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>>2927387

You continue through the passage, carrying your newfound ‘Bread’. You do not have a particular direction - just to go where you weren’t before. To keep seeking.

Clip, clip. Munch munch.

You stop. Through the frozen glass of one ‘Store’, you find something you want.

Clonk, is the sound of your ‘Bread’ dropping on the frozen floor. You remember, so you can take it with you later.

You reach into your cloak, wands clinking, and find what was once your right horn.

It was a part of you, not just a piece, so it is special. You carved it into something long, thin, and hollow. From Wisdom that isn’t yours, it would have once been called a ‘Flute’.

You approach the entrance to the ‘Store’, shut closed and frozen like many others. You close your eyes, pursing your lips as you bring your horn close, and blow.

Silence gives way to serene melody, an ethereal tune through the frozen land. Quiet, nameless.

Through it, you weave magic.

The entrance is no longer frozen.

You stop playing, and return your horn to its place in your cloak. You push the door, and it creaks open.

>>2927403

Inside you find what you saw. A bag, with a strap that hangs from your shoulder. You have tied your wands, hornpieces, and horns to your cloak, but otherwise haven’t carried things with you. Now you can.

Happy.

You turn to exit the ‘Store’, but something catches your eye.

You went straight for the bag by the window when you entered, not seeing it. In one corner of the ‘Store’ there is a big opening. An unnatural crevice in the wall. There is a creature there.

From Wisdom that isn’t yours, it could be called a ‘Silkworm’. But you don’t think a ‘Silkworm’ should be that big, big enough to touch your knees. Or moving in this frozen place.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Examine the creature.
[ ] Poke the creature.
[ ] Examine the crevice in the wall.
[ ] Ignore.
[ ] Reacquire your ‘Bread’.
[ ] Throw ‘Bread’ at ‘Silkworm’.
[ ] (Write-in?)

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(Turns out my posting speed is really slow

Deja vu

Well, let's take it easy.)

>>2927410
>Examine the creature.

>>2927410
>[ ] Poke the creature.

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There is little that can move through the cold. Lost stars like you or those that come from the moon are all you have seen, but it hasn’t been long since you fell here. Maybe there are things that live in the cold.

From Wisdom that isn’t yours, you can’t imagine anything that can.

You approach the creature in the corner of the store. It’s curled itself around an also-quite-large object on the floor, something you don’t recognise. It’s a crystal of some kind. Blue, clear. Seemingly carrying a dim, barely noticeable glow.

The ‘Silkworm’ shifts, wrapping closer around the object. It really does seem to be a big ‘Silkworm’, and not much else. You don’t think it has noticed you, though you are only a few steps from being able to touch it.

Then you touch it. Holding out a hand, with the tip if your index finger.

The ‘Silkworm’ shivers, but does not leave the object - the crystal.

...

Poke, poke.

Shiver shiver shiver.

You feel like you are doing something mean.

>>2927660

You temporarily stop poking the ‘Silkworm’. It continues to shiver for a while, but stays with the object on the floor. You don’t know why.

You consider your belongings. You have wands, a hornpiece-knife, your former horns, and your newly acquired bag. You don’t think anything would help.

Maybe you should poke it some more.

Maybe you should take the crystal object, and see what happens.

...

This is something distinctly different. You knew of other stars. Of those from the moon. And you have Wisdom of this place. For the creature in front of you, you don’t know anything.

Would knowing help you find what you seek?

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>>2927666

Your thoughts are interrupted. There is a suffocating change in the air. A feeling, something that creeps and shivers down your spine.

You tense, looking back to the entrance of the ‘Store’. There is nothing, but somewhere above, somewhere out there-

Thankfully not close, but fearfully not far. Your enemy. Your predator.

Something has come down. A Light-Eater has come down.

>

[ ] Escape. It is far enough for you to run.
[ ] Encounter. Prepare your wands.
[ ] Hide. The ‘Silkworm’ wriggles away - Follow.

>>2927684
>Hide. The ‘Silkworm’ wriggles away - Follow.
Last time it was a zombie, and now it's going to be a silkworm. Either way we need more cute bullying.

>>2927684
>[ ] Hide. The ‘Silkworm’ wriggles away - Follow.

The ‘Silkworm’ shakes, then unfurls itself from the crystal and begins crawling away.

Its reaction is fear. Does it feel the unnatural weight in the air? Does it sense the thing that came down from the moon?

You glance at the entrance of the ‘Store’, though there is nothing to see. It is not close yet. You could run.

You look at the creature wriggling away. It is moving to that crevice, a large hole in the wall. There is only dark.

You follow.

The ‘Silkworm’ moves slowly, so you poke it with your foot. It shivers and wriggles faster, crawling up and through the hole in the wall.

You step through carefully. You are small enough.

Past the broken wall is a thin corridor. Walls of dull gray. Metal pipes near the ceiling. Objects scattered, broken - you recognize a ‘Broom’, a ‘Chair’, and-

Objects like the crystal from before. These without dim light.

To your left the ‘Silkworm’ wriggled. Stairs to more hallways and paths, leading further down into the earth.

The unnatural feeling has grown stronger. You poke the ‘Silkworm’ again.

…

Strange.

There is light.

You reach into your cloak, fingers brushing against a wand. The only light you have seen is from the moon.

You are under the earth. Further now from following the wriggling creature. Why is there light here?

The Silkworm turns to a wall and begins climbing. There is a hole near the ceiling, too small for you to use. It wants to hide.

You have not found a place to hide, or a path to escape. You followed the creature hoping to do so. And hoping to learn something new. Because it is unknown to you.

It is unknown. Can you find what you seek in the unknown?

You look around. The Silkworm makes little progress against the frozen wall. It almost seems to slip.

You see an open door to the end of this corridor. Through it, you see light.

The unnatural feeling grows stronger.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Investigate the light.
[ ] Stay, and face the dark.
[ ] Look for somewhere to hide.
[ ] Help the Silkworm to its hiding place.
[ ] Grab Silkworm, and take it with you.

(Writing on a phone is harder than expected)

>>2927716
(Its always really surprising when someone recognises me. I mean, I keep disappearing for so long.

Ha ha ha

It's a good surprise.)

>>2927988
[X] Help the Silkworm to its hiding place.
Must. Protect.

>>2927988
>Help the Silkworm to its hiding place.

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>>2927999
You should run something longer again

>>2928044
ditto these quests have a real good post apocalyptic comfiness to them

You will help the Silkworm.

Other than stars like yourself, it is the first creature that you have seen live. You do not want it to die. It holds unknowns that you want so you consider taking it with you, but you decide not to.

That might be dangerous. Also, how would you carry the Silkworm? Would you stuff it in your new bag?

You look at the bag, then back at the Silkworm.

That might work.

With half of it hanging out, but that might work.

Distractions.

You shake your head and brush your long hair back, then approach the frantically wriggling Silkworm. You hold some of its body from below, pushing upwards and bearing its weight with your hands and forearms - you are not tall, and cannot reach the hole near the ceiling. There is fear, panic. You feel it push against you.

The weight lifts off. It has reached its hiding place. After a long few seconds of more wriggling, the creature disappears into the hole.

Goodbye, creature. Be safe.

Maybe we will meet again.

Now, the problem: you have not run away.

You are plunged into nothingness.

You cannot see the dark.

You cannot hear the silence.


Everything


is
gone

...

..


.
You bring your horn to your lips, and blow.

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Oblivion recedes.

The dull corridor comes back. You can feel the chilling air of the frozen land. You keep playing, your horn-flute humming a high, almost energetic tune. You can hear your heart beating again, rising with the melody.

You open your eyes. Before you looms the Light-Eater.

A shapeless thing of void. Lifeless, substanceless; an embodiment of nothing that you can only visualise as a huge blot of black. Something akin to smoke, mist, ink, tar.

Your enemy. Your predator.

You have Called it, so it is here.

You lower your horn, reaching to your cloak, to your wands. The nothingness begins to seep in.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Fight. Attack, before the nothingness comes back.
[ ] Defend, observe. Find an opening to play your horn.
[ ] You are too close. This place is too narrow. You should be elsewhere.

>>2928486
>Fight. Attack, before the nothingness comes back.

>>2928486
>[ ] Fight. Attack, before the nothingness comes back.

>>2928486
>Fight. Attack, before the nothingness comes back.

Before it takes hold, you strike.

The bone of one who fell, seeking his wish.

You brandish the wand and with a deafening CRACK a wave of force explodes outward. You can’t tell by sight whether there was any effect, but for a moment the overwhelming wave of nothingness seems to slow.

The bone of one who fell, seeking her wish.

You swing the second wand without hesitation, sending a brilliant bolt of power crashing into the Light-Eater.

You had Called it close enough to cause damage. Of this you are certain. But your attacks don’t stop the unnatural void seeping into the world, and slowly, slowly everything sinks again.

Like drowning in a pool of tar, the nothingness starts to take hold.

A ringing in your ears, until even silence cannot be heard-
A blurring in your sight, until even the dark cannot be seen-

You have to have hurt it. You have to have. If you Call it, close enough to take form, you can put it to sleep. This you have to believe-

You find your horn again, bringing it up to your lips-


But then it leaves.

No, no. It moves past you. A feeling, a chill different from the freezing air, rushes through like a gust of wind. You spin around.

That end of the corridor. An open metal door, through which you see an unknown light.

Your enemy. Your predator.

You can’t run from here. You can’t let it run from here.

You stuff your horn into your cloak, and pursue.

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>>2928905

Light-Eater. Things that descend from the moon, feasting on the last pieces of this land of cold, unending night.

You do not know what would make one ignore a fallen star. It is not fleeing. Even if you had damaged it, a Light-Eater cannot flee. It does not have that instinct.

The only thing it should have is to eat.

You follow the sense of unnatural weight. Down, down.

An open platform. Here and there you see those unknown crystal objects, shining dimly, filling the wide space with a strange blue glow.

Your steps echo. Clip, clip, clip.

‘Railway tracks’. But the feeling does not lead you along it.

A huge section of destroyed stone. Through it the blue glow spills out.

Your pursuit continues through there, bathed in dim, haunting light.

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Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Q4QT2ybM8U

The walls become crystal. The frozen air is somehow colder, but not unpleasant.

It is like a cave, or tunnel. Uneven. Only one way forward.

An opening.

You find yourself in a place almost as wide and as tall as the platform you had just left. Crystalline formations, similar to but not quite like ice, jut out from the walls, some towering in jagged, solid shapes far larger than you. Everything shimmers with a mystical light.

You are somewhere that doesn’t belong. Unnatural, yet not in a bad way. Otherworldly.

And at one end of the cave you see the Light-Eater, along with, as if encased in the translucent wall of crystal, something you definitely did not expect.


> What do you seek?

[ ] A human. A young girl, smaller than you, with blonde hair.
[ ] A human. A man, larger than you, in a white coat that reaches his ankles.
[ ] A creature. A small bird, with red-gold feathers.
[ ] A creature of some sort. Something... alien, that you do not know.

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(Sorry folks, I fell asleep.

On that note that'll be today's last update. I'll be continuing tomorrow. I figure the 'schedule' will be similar to today's.

My posting probably seems pretty random. That's because it is. We'll figure it out.

Thanks for joining up!)

>>2928044
(I'd like to, really. Having work makes it sorta hard, but still.

The biggest block is just me. I can never sort out my thoughts in a way that doesn't make me want to smack my head against the wall.

One day. One day.)

>>2928059
(Post apocalyptic... comfiness. I don't know why that fits together.)

>>2928915
>[ ] A creature. A small bird, with red-gold feathers.

>>2928925
you have an interesting and unique writing style

>>2928915
>A creature of some sort. Something... alien, that you do not know.

>>2928915
>[ ] A creature. A small bird, with red-gold feathers.

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Through the translucent crystal, in stark contrast with the rest of the cave, you see a brilliant shock of red and gold. Feathers, crest, beak, talons - an avian body, wings spread outward in flight.

It isn’t particularly big, but it holds a captivating, majestic presence. A living, burning flame, made eternal in ice.

Crrrrk-

There is a crack in the crystalline wall. Near the ground, stretching upwards. A painful sound rings out, and the crack grows larger.

The Light-Eater has vanished from sight. It is nothingness again, but you know it is there.

You have to call it close. Close enough to force it to form.

A high tune resounds. Frail, yet almost bright. You play, and soon you can see the blot in reality. Slowly, slowly, the nothingness condenses.

An impossibly black shape. Similar to an animal - round body, large hind legs, long, tall pair of ears - but subtly different. Warped.

Crrrrrk-

It presses against the crystalline wall, and the crack grows larger. The cave is darker than it was, moments ago.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Safety. It doesn’t want you. Let it do what it’s doing. Play your Lullaby.
[ ] Curiosity. The creature in the crystal is unknown to you. Does it hold a hint to what you seek?
[ ] Light. The creature in the crystal lives. So you will keep the dark at bay.

>>2930947
>Light. The creature in the crystal lives. So you will keep the dark at bay.

The Light-Eater hasn’t reacted to you. It doesn’t see you, doesn’t want you, even as it hears your flute. You could let it be, continue playing, and slowly put it to sleep. You don’t.

> The creature in the crystal lives. So you will keep the dark at bay.

You brandish a wand once, twice, thrice. Three bolts of power, each greater than the last, sizzle through the air, striking the monster in black and blasting chunks of nothing away.

-------------!

A soundless roar. Sharp pain rings through your skull. The Light-Eater shifts, reshapes- a roiling void rushes towards you.

Your ears ring. Your vision darkens. You cannot breathe.

You didn’t act unprepared.

Wands are your weapons, made from the bones of fallen stars. You use them to wield magic; a power for fighting the dark.

A wand is not forever. Yet with every swing, with every step, the brighter they shine.

And this one is at its end.

The bone of one who fell, seeking her wish.

You brandish the wand one last time, filling the cave with starlight.

...

...

...

A stream of white powder falls through your fingers.

The unnatural weight in the air is lifted. You take a deep breath, feeling renewed.

Under the mystical glow of the crystal cave, only serene silence is left.

Clip, clip, clip.

You approach the translucent wall, craning your neck up. The creature, the bird of red-gold feathers, is alive. You draw close, pressing a palm against the chilling crystal.


> What do you seek?

[ ] You’ve guarded a life. Should you be joyful?
[ ] You’ve fought back the dark. Should you be proud?
[ ] You’ve lost a wand. Should you feel sorrow?

>

[ ] Try to free the creature.
[ ] Leave it, away from the frozen land. Take with you a piece of crystal from the cave.

>>2931182
>You’ve fought back the dark. Should you be proud?
>Try to free the creature.

(Mmm... This just isn't coming together

Well I'll keep trying, but I'm getting the feeling that I should go back to the drawing board)

>>2931182
>[ ] You’ve lost a wand. Should you feel sorrow?
>[ ] Leave it, away from the frozen land. Take with you a piece of crystal from the cave.

Though you lost a wand in exchange, you managed to beat the dark. The peace here is something you earned.

Should you feel pride, you wonder.

You look up at the creature in the crystal.

... To fight isn't the wish you seek. But you don't regret doing so.

You take your horn-flute, bringing it to your lips. A quiet, nameless melody drifts through the cave.

Through it, you weave magic. You make warmth.

[i]Crr- Crack.[/i]

Drifting, shimmering shards fill the air. For an instant the light of the cave grows intense, and with the sound of rushing wind, disappears.

You lower your horn and look around. You’re greeted by darkness, and-

“Cheep.”

This thing.

“Cheep cheep.”

A little orange ball, far smaller than the bird in the crystal and totally devoid of majesty, hops by your feet, repeating that high pitched noise. You flinch as it jumps and somehow manages to find footing on your trousers, flapping tiny little wings as it climbs.

“Cheep cheep cheep.”

It reaches your hand, staring up with innocent black eyes. You stare back, mind blanking.

... It hops and hops, jumping at you again-

“Cheep-cheep! Cheep-”

[i]BOP![/i]

And you slap it away, sending the tiny little ball flying across the room.

“Cheeeeeeeeeeeeep-”

... Oops.

You aren't accustomed to living things. Even other stars you have only watched from afar. Silence is what you are familiar with, and prefer.

Which is why your reaction was very reasonable. Expected. Faultless, even.

... Is it okay?

“Cheep-cheep-cheep!”

You should have hit harder.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Poke the bird. What secrets do you hold.
[ ] Noisy. Stuff bird in bag.
[ ] You don't like it. Time to leave.

>>2931526
>[ ] Noisy. Stuff bird in bag.

>>2931526
>[ ] Noisy. Stuff bird in bag.
this quest is cute and nice

The creature runs back in your direction, unfazed. You take a step back as it gets close, and it follows.

This can’t be it, you think as you stare at the thing hopping up and down by your feet. This incessant thing can’t hold a hint to your wish.

You bend down and scoop it up in your hands. It’s warm, its tiny feathers incredibly soft to the touch-

“Cheep-cheep-cheep-cheep!”

You stuff it in the depths of your newfound bag and close it tight. Time to move on.

You turn back and walk out of the now-lightless cave, with naught but echoing footsteps and muffled chirping to break the silence.

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There is little left to the frozen world, in this age after the devouring of the sun. Ones like you fall to the earth, burning in their search, leaving bones and starlight behind for others to come.

You do not have a direction. Only to go where you haven’t been.

You walk, and walk, and walk.

You remain underground, away from the gaze of the moon. You don’t know where you are, because you haven’t looked around. It changes little. You keep wandering, stopping only for bones.

Poke. Poke. Shiver shiver shiver.

And for Silkworms, it seems.


>

[ ] You’re wondering about these crystals. You’ve seen more of them, in places far from the sky.
[ ] You’ve come here to watch the night. Can you see the moon?
[ ] ... You should probably give the bird something to eat. Also oxygen.
[ ] Continue poking the Silkworm. For no reason.

>>2931945
>[ ] ... You should probably give the bird something to eat. Also oxygen.
>[ ] Continue poking the Silkworm. For no reason.

>>2931945
>[ ] ... You should probably give the bird something to eat. Also oxygen.
>[ ] Continue poking the Silkworm. For no reason.

(One last update for now. That actually took forever.
Intend to continue tomorrow, again with a similar pace.
All hail long weekends.

Thanks for showin' up guys)

There was nothing special about how you found it. The Silkworm was in your path, wriggling along. You drew close, and began poking it.

Why are you poking the Silkworm? You do not know.

Poke. Poke. Shiver shiver shiver.

You feel certain that this is not a different Silkworm. It seems you did meet again. You are not particularly happy, but also not displeased. You wonder how the Silkworm feels.

... Poke. Shiver shiver.

You did not find bones along the way. You did find crystals, scattered here and there, glowing dim blue. Fewer here. Many, in places far from the sky.

You take a break from poking the Silkworm, absently watching it wriggle away. You decide to address something that you have ignored.

Living things need to eat. You stuffed that little orange ball into your bag quite a while ago.

Living things need to breathe. Your bag is zipped up rather tightly.

... There is no problem. You still hear muffled chirping.

Still. You have not thought about it before, but you consider yourself not unkind.

You poke the Silkworm one more time- it freezes up before wriggling away quicker- then begin looking around.

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>>2932456

The underground is mostly tunnels. A wide, complicated network of tunnels. Mostly for ‘Railway Tracks’. Other than tunnels are ‘Train Stations’, which often connect to places with many ‘Stores’.

You are not in a tunnel. Finding a ‘Store’ is not difficult.

Everything is frozen, but a star always has their horn.

“Cheep, cheep.”

You are holding a ‘Carrot’, unfrozen by a short melody. The orange ball is sitting on your palm, and you are prodding its beak with the Carrot.

“Cheep.”

It seems displeased. Does it not need to eat?

You look at the Carrot, then at the ball. The former is bigger than the latter.

Hmm.

>>2932461

You place the unfrozen bag of Carrots in your bag and begin chewing the one in your hand.

Crunch crunch.

Despite not eating, and perhaps not breathing, for a while, the orange ball has lost none of its energy. But you don’t think it will continue like that. Even stars lose their light.

Ah. You found the Silkworm again.

You wandered while thinking, and came across the creature again not far from where you left it. There’s a glowing crystal here, a jagged block just lying about as if dropped from somewhere. That seems to be its objective.

You think you’re close to the surface. There doesn’t seem to be many crystal objects here.

“Cheep!”

The orange ball suddenly separates from you, hopping to the crystal and jumping onto it.

Nothing happens.

Hmm.

The Silkworm reaches the crystal.

“Cheep cheep!”

The orange ball jumps on the Silkworm. The latter shakes and shivers, but despite the thing hopping on it the Silkworm moves to wrap itself around the crystal.

You have no idea what you are seeing.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Leave them alone. Consume Carrot.
[ ] Retrieve ball. Stuff in bag.
[ ] Poke Silkworm with Carrot.
[ ] Steal crystal.
[ ] (Write-in?)

>>2932463
>Just watch and intervene if something drastic happens Consume carrot

>>2932569
Support

>>2932463
>[ ] Poke Silkworm with Carrot.

[x]poke silkworm with carrot

>>2932463
>[ ] Poke Silkworm with Carrot.

Hiya Mitty.

>>2932463
>Poke Silkworm with Carrot.

>>2932463
>[]chew and spit carrot for the ball

You crouch down in front of the two, wrapping a hand around your knees. The ball hops and hops until it manages to lose its balance, falling off the Silkworm and rolling away across the frozen floor.

Cheeeeeep...

...

You look at the Silkworm. It seems to relax.

You take your half-eaten carrot and poke the Silkworm. It seems to tense.

Not that you can read a Silkworm’s expressions.

Crunch crunch, munch.

Time passes. The ball hops back onto the crystal, chirping defiantly. You throw the remaining bit of carrot in your mouth.

Munch munch munch.

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... ... ... ?

You tilt your head.

... ... ...-

You try to focus, ignoring the two creatures and their mysterious ritual. There is something nearby, but you aren’t sure what.

Harsh, uneven steps. A sound like wind being cut in two. An unidentifiable discomfort, like a low humming in your skull that won’t go away.

You get up, and walk towards the disturbance.

It takes very little time for the scene to come into view.

A figure, slim, garbed thinly in red, with brown hair tied back into twintails. Two sharp horns grow tall from her forehead. A star. She wields a weapon underhand, a former horn shaped into a long dagger.

She is surrounded. Entities of void leap about, baring hostility and hunger as they burst from the dark. Teeth, fragments of a Light-Eater, each with the shape of a multi-legged beast large enough to reach your chest.

The star moves with fierce grace, flitting back and slashing forth. Her weapon tears a Tooth in half, banishing it to mist and smoke. More take its place.

But the star is not overwhelmed.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Do not interfere. The star has their wish, and you have yours.
[ ] Assist. Take your horn in hand, as two bearers of light.
[ ] Attack. Wield your wands. You stand before the dark.

>>2934914
>Assist. Take your horn in hand, as two bearers of light.

>>2934914
>[ ] Assist. Take your horn in hand, as two bearers of light.

>>2934914
>Assist. Take your horn in hand, as two bearers of light.

>>2934914
>[x] Assist. Take your horn in hand, as two bearers of light.

She has her method, we have ours

Also, its good to see you again. Your quests are so comfy, even in bleak worlds

>>2932826
(Hi hi)

>>2935052
(And thanks for reading again.
Good to be back. Stressful as it is, I always have a lot of fun with quests.)

You watch the dance between black and deep scarlet. The star evades and counters with each Tooth’s relentless strike, long hair flowing like ribbons behind her. The weapon in her hand is all she uses. You can’t imagine where one could keep a wand anyway, in that sort of thin clothing-

Ah.

...

A star cannot find what another seeks. But you are kin, in a sense.

You take your horn and step into the fray.

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyKIkIIHWjY)

A solemn song sounds through the wide shadowed square. Calmly, gently, softly it drifts. Everything seems to slow, turning quiet.

One step at a time, you approach. Clip. Clip. Clip.

The Teeth grow sluggish. Their jumps lose speed, their strikes lose force. The star does not turn to you though her movements do change. Her horn slashes cleanly through the air, banishing the dark without ceremony.

Some of the Teeth turn to you as their numbers dwindle. One manages a leap, its hunger rearing against your song, but a horn pierces through as it gets close.

Your lullaby ends, and the place is silent.

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You lower your horn-flute and meet the star’s eyes.

She is taller than you. Her green eyes hold strength, her sharp features hold pride. A flower decoration adorns her hair, sitting at the base of tall, narrow, curving red horns.

Her crimson garments reveal a slender figure. Reveal is a keyword: she isn’t wearing very much. You think that is silly considering the world is completely frozen. Even though stars do not easily grow cold.

They are oddly decorative too. Frilly. Yours are plain in comparison, in part because they were practical. Your cloak in particular is where you’ve tied your wands.

Hers have nowhere to hold a wand. She doesn’t have one, and will not have one. She has too little starlight left.

You look at each other.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Stare.
[ ] Wave.
[ ] Offer carrot.
[ ] Ignore.

>>2935215
>Offer carrot.

>>2935215
>[x] Offer carrot.

Do Stars like snacks?

>>2935215
>Stare.

Maybe we'll meet someone with goat horns.

Aw crud. Mitts runs another comfy quest, I get caught up and I have to leave.

I'll catch up later.

Thanks for running, boss.

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You stare at the star. She stares at you.

Calmly, you reach into your bag. Her gaze does not waver.

You withdraw a Carrot, and offer it to the star. She takes it without looking at it.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Munch munch.

You take another Carrot and bite into it.

Crunch, crunch. Munch, munch.

Crunch. Crunch. Munch.

You have bonded with this star.

...

You know she is Aries. She knows you are Aquarius.

You leave the square and return the way you came, and she follows. You have no opinion on how another seeks.

The distinctive chirping sound of a tiny hopping orange ball greets you. You do not see the Silkworm anymore. Curiously, the crystal it and the ball were on is no longer glowing.

Ignoring the noisy ball, you approach the crystal, crouch down, and poke it. It is cold and hard.

You look up at Aries, and she tilts her head.

You gain nothing of value.

You snatch the orange ball out of the air before it collides with you and stuff it into your bag, then stand and brush your hair to the side.

You continue to wander.

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>>2935517

You wanted to watch the night. That is why you came close to the surface. Considering the set of Teeth that were just banished, you should be able to do so without trouble.

You remember when you fell, so you know there is little time.

Stairs lead up. You climb until you reach the surface, and look to your former home.

The moon remembers the sun, so it shines, bathing the night. For the first time in a long while you feel the breeze, hear the wind. The chilling cold is the same.

The moon has taken the shape of a crescent. It will be a new moon, soon.

Maybe you should prepare.

You don’t stay long before Aries places her hands on your shoulders and drags you back down. There are no Teeth nearby, and you do not feel the unnatural weight of a Light-Eater, but you don’t resist. You saw what you came for.


>

[ ] You should gather food. Enough for a moon phase.
[ ] You should look for bones. More wands, more light from those before.
[ ] The crystals are curious. See if you can find one. Glowing. Shiny.
[ ] You should head down. Find a good place, far, far from the sky.
[ ] (Write-in? Is there something to do, something to look for or gather?)

>>2935544
>[ ] The crystals are curious. See if you can find one. Glowing. Shiny.

>>2935544
>[ ] You should look for bones. More wands, more light from those before.

>>2935544
>[X] The crystals are curious. See if you can find one. Glowing. Shiny.

The silkworm likes them. I wonder if they are a last source of light and comfort for it

>>2935544
>[ ] The crystals are curious. See if you can find one. Glowing. Shiny.

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You return to the underground. The moonlight quickly disappears.

You walk through featureless halls, untouched by time. Metal railings, screens, windows. Things you may recognise from Wisdom that is not yours. They are not relevant to you, so you keep walking.

Tak, tak, tak, is the sound the red star’s steps make.

You think about wandering around here. You spent a wand recently, and have not carved another. Now there is four hidden in your cloak.

How long will their light last.

You stop, because you spot a crystal on the ground.

This one is small and does not glow. You crouch down and poke it, and learn nothing.

Hmm.

You continue onwards. The hall widens, the ceiling rises. You find yourself among ‘Stores’ again.

There’s a crystal. That one glows. You feel sure now that the closer you are to the surface, the fewer there are. Maybe you should head down again. Though you would like to carve another wand first.

You are just curious, anyway.

Tap tap.

You look behind you and see Aries presenting a squarish object. Frozen like everything else, so you make a short tune with your flute.

It is a shopping bag. Fairly big, deep red, decorated with a white heart. Cute.

Satisfied, Aries turns away to approach a Store.

You pick up the crystal you spotted. Small enough for you to hold in one hand. The glow is dim. Can you classify this as shiny?

Not important. Or very important. You are unsure.

You remember the Silkworm’s attachment to the crystals. You don’t understand, and have no idea how to begin to understand.

...?

It’s... not very cold.

Strange.

You throw the crystal into your bag, closing it up before the unmuffled chirping damages your brain. Continuing to wander, you soon come across another crystal.

This one is like more than one stuck together, and is too big to take. You would definitely classify this one as shiny.

------!

You jerk back, reaching into your cloak. The darkness shudders.

This happens often too, so close to the surface.

A set of Teeth. No, just one Tooth.

That gives you no relief- the hungering thing is very, very big for a Tooth. From your Wisdom you might compare its shape to that of a ‘Gorilla’, but with no head and almost comically large forelimbs.

The things from the moon are never quite close to what they mimic.

It lumbers forward quicker than you would expect, soundless impact shaking the air with each bulky footfall.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Horn-flute. See if you can slow it down.
[ ] Flee. Find Aries.
[ ] Wand:
-[ ] Force (3/5)
-[ ] Haste (3/3)
-[ ] Shield (3/4)
-[ ] Flame (2/5)

>>2935925
>[x] Horn-flute. See if you can slow it down.

Save the wands for desperate times

>>2935925
>[ ] Horn-flute. See if you can slow it down.

There’s still some distance. Even if only for a bit, you could slow it with a song.

You have your flute in hand. Your song fills the space.

Shake. Shake. Shake.

You need to move.

A pillar of black smashes down, crating the ancient flooring. You’ve run to the side, closer to the Stores that line the place, keeping eyes on your foe.

Did your flute take effect? You think so, but the Tooth is far from disabled. You see the void-thing shift, reshaping, facing you.

Are its hind limbs longer, thicker than before?

Your instincts scream, and you listen by diving to the ground.

CRASH

Something huge flies over you. The front of one Store shatters, raining frozen glass. You scramble away, wincing when a shard stabs into the side of your hand. You get up, raising your flute, playing your song again.

The sound lasts only for a few seconds before something rushes out of the darkness, striking you on the side of the head.

You can’t focus. You can’t keep balance. Through blurred vision you see a long shaft of void draw back, changing into one of the two thick pillars that its forelimbs as the Tooth emerges from the wreckage.

That isn’t fair.

>>2936048

It seems you are not good at fighting.

Is it because you are a new star? Or are you just not suited to it somehow? Your view feels narrow in a fight, like you miss important details, or don’t react and adapt well.

You weren’t hit straight on. You can keep your eyes open, you can pull yourself to unsteady feet. You watch the Tooth approach, a hand grasping a wand.

If you use one here, what will happen the next time?

Something red appears.

One of the Tooths limbs disintegrates into nothing. It thrashes, shifting, reshaping, sweeping around to the new arrival.

Aries, long dagger in hand, meets your gaze.

You raise your horn to your lips, and play.

You try to offer the red star a Carrot. She refuses, grabbing your hand and sitting you down on the floor.

Please be gentle. You are dizzy.

You were taken into a Store after banishing the Tooth. There’s a cut on your hand and on your forehead - for a while you had forgotten that your body bleeds. You tried to wipe it on your sleeve, but Aries stopped you and dragged you here.

Cheep cheep.

The ball is oddly muffled. It escaped from your bag to be caught by Aries, and was immediately mummified.

Your hand has been mummified too. She’s wrapping a cloth bandage, one that she made you unfreeze, around your head now.

She’s doing a very poor job - you’re sure covering your face is not necessary also how do you breathe - but you can’t bring yourself to complain.

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>

And that'll be all for now. Thanks for showin' up!

I'll have work for the week. I miiiiiight update on a weekday, but probably not. There's lots of crap I need to nail down for the plot(lol) anyway. I have basically no idea where I'm going. Situation normal.

I'll certainly be continuing next weekend.

I sorta use twitter to announce stuff: https://twitter.com/boxofmithril
How do you folks keep up with a quest? If folks don't use twitter but stare at qtg or something I figure I should post there as well.

And as always, any thoughts or feedback would be very welcome.

Thanks again for reading!

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>>2936060
Thanks for running! The atmosphere and everything is great, so I'm happy to hear there's more.

>>2936060
Thanks for the comfy fun, boss.

I follow through twitter. Its gotten to the point that I may need an account just for QMs so they don't get drowned out by the rest of my feed

>>2936060
I'm glad I caught this in its early stages. It's adorable and the prose is fun.

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You didn’t need the help.

With a thrust of your horn-blade the last Tooth disperses into the dark. The sombre melody draws to a close, the sudden calm that comes after the battle settling in. You tie your horn at its place behind your hip, then face the star in front of you.

You could sum up your impression with the word ‘weak’. The star is a little shorter than you, with light gray hair that reaches down to her ankles. The black cloak over her shoulders hides a thin, slender, fragile form. Her eyes, similar colour to her hair, are half-closed, and remain unfocused even as she lowers her flute to meet yours.

You are stronger than this star. Lots of things would be. You didn’t need her help.

After a few moments glaring at her, the star suddenly reaches into her bag. With the same detached look on her face, she takes out a carrot and holds it out to you.

You haven’t made a habit of continuing to eat. You’re used to the hunger.

.... But you’ll allow it. You have no reason to refuse an offering.

You take the carrot and bite. It doesn’t taste like anything.

You know she is Aquarius, and she knows you are Aries. You believe you are stronger than her, but you won’t insist without proving it. So you decide to follow her. You’ve nothing to seek, anyway.

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That proof comes very quickly.

It’s while you’re looking through the Store that you hear it. A short run afterwards and the scene is in view.

The Tooth’s forelimb reshapes, taking a long pole-like shape and shooting out at the gray star. She reacts a little too slowly and the strike sends her tumbling back, collapsing on the frozen floor.

You can’t imagine how she can use that horn in a fight. Did she have to use her wands, her starlight, every time she met a set of Teeth?

Aquarius is weak.

You drop your bag and draw your blade.

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Sit still. You’re trying to concentrate.

A few more layers here, and maybe there. Here as well, just in case. You don’t want any more blood to come out, after all.

There. You cut off the bandage and tie a little bow on the side of the gray star’s head with the end. When you let go of her she quivers, reaching to her face with her hands. She turns and stares at you, one eye peeking out of the gap between your bandages.

You see protest, but taking it off is a no. You’ll allow the eye, however.

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You catch the nearby orange ball creature and toss it into her bag, which is apparently where it belongs, then find your own red bag that you had her unfreeze. You take out one of the packets you gathered and show it to her.

The gray star tilts her head. A moment, then she raises her flute and plays.

Mm. Acceptable.

You open the unfrozen packet and look inside. It’s been a long time, but if you’re eating again...

You take out the satchel and rip it open, sprinkling powdery stuff into the packet before shaking it. Then you break off a piece and throw it into your mouth.

The taste is just as you remember. ‘One-Minute Ramen’ is truly the food of Kings.

You finish the packet’s contents quickly, but there’s plenty left. You take another out of your red shopping bag and hold it out to the gray star.

She’s staring at it, curious.


> What did you seek?

[ ] I shall grant you a boon. Be thankful.
[ ] Does she want some? Well, she’s the one unfreezing them.
[ ] You’re not letting her go hungry. She’s your younger, so you’ll take care of her.
[ ] These are mine. The food of Kings is not for the likes of you.

Fucker I need sleep. Not adorable dumb goat girls in a apocalyptic wasteland.

>>2945192
[X] Does she want some? Well, she’s the one unfreezing them.
Effort should beget reward. Attacking a Tooth should kill the Tooth. Unfreezing something should get you an unfrozen thing. That is the way the world work? Maybe. What's a world?

>>2945268
(FuhahahahahahahahAHAHAHAHAHAHAAH

I mean- feel free to head to bed friend. I hear this timing is real bad for running quests so I'll probably be going slowly anyway. Might keep waiting until at least 2-3 votes before writing.)

>>2945192
>[ ] Does she want some? Well, she’s the one unfreezing them.

Is she interested? You don’t blame her. This curious shape, this golden colour, this satisfying snapping with every break and bite; of course she is interested, of course she is.

These are yours though. You collected them.

... But she is the one unfreezing them for you. You believe in fairness, so you’ll allow it.

You take another packet out of your shopping bag and the gray star unfreezes them with her flute. She takes one, closely mimicking your motions as you open, prepare, and break off a piece, and bite.

She seems briefly started, then looks at you. You chew through your piece and break off another. She does the same.

For a while the two of you just sit on the frozen floor, between shelves and surrounded by stray lengths of unrolled Bandages, crunching away.

...

Aquarius is weak. She can’t use her horn when she’s in danger, and without her wands she can’t protect herself. She’s also too careless - she didn’t seem to notice or think about treating the wound on her head at all. Plus, the way she seeks and wanders is so directionless. She looks lost.

It annoys you just watching her. How has she even kept her light all this time? If you walked off now, how long would it be until she loses it?

She’s useless. So you’ll stick around and be the responsible one. You’re having her unfreeze things for you anyway.

Your packets empty at the same time. You take two more out of your bag.

You don’t know if you’re imagining it with how detached she normally is, but Aquarius seems just a little more energetic.

File: common shopping locations.jpg (70 KB, 1280x850)

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Crackle crunch crunch crackle crackle.

Salty. Too salty. You take another piece.

The mysterious packet interests you. You haven’t tried much unfrozen food, because you’ve managed to bite through anyway. You like the carrots you have, but the mysterious packet is different.

Salty. Strong. Tasty.

Crunch crackle crunch.

Your packet is empty. You look at Aries, but she doesn’t take another one out.

You still feel curious. But you also feel tired, and hazy. You think being hit on the head does something like that.

Those feelings roll around each other. You stay, seated, waiting for your thoughts to catch up.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Look for more interesting things to unfreeze.
[ ] Find a place to rest. Your body needs sleep, probably.
[ ] Look around again for those crystal things.

>>2945505
>[x] Find a place to rest. Your body needs sleep, probably.

Even heliotropic masses need rest when conked on the noggin

>>2945505
>[ ] Look for more interesting things to unfreeze.

>>2945505
>[ ] Look for more interesting things to unfreeze.

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Curiosity wins. You get up and head out, navigating with one not-covered eye. Aries has her mysterious packets, but maybe there are other interesting things to unfreeze.

You pick the place that the Tooth had crashed through, because it is already open. Sifting through Wisdom that isn’t yours, you decide you have found a big ‘Convenience Store’. Satisfied with your choice, raise your flute and play.

Something floaty, sleepy entwines with your warm melody. Your song is slower, and you feel clinging comfort behind your closed eyes.

Maybe you are tired after all. But you have important things to do first.

You stop. The frost has receded around you. You don’t know what to look for, so you start taking whatever catches your eye.

You discover ‘Candy’. It is hard, soft, squishy, stringy, elastic, brittle - but it is always sweet.

You discover ‘Ice Cream’. It is cold, smooth, soft, gentle, tangy, light, strong - and also sweet.

You share your findings with Aries, who was watching with a frown nearby. The red star stops frowning when she tries ‘Fried Potato Chips’, and begins placing their containing cylinders into her bag.

The two of you discover things until you become too full.

You are sluggish.

The ‘Bandages’ are loose. Still covering your forehead and one eye, but now mostly looped around your neck. A hanging end sways about as you stagger.

Aries is also sluggish. She looks uncomfortable. Her steps sound heavier.

You are tired, so you look for a place to rest.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Here is fine. Wherever is fine.
[ ] Somewhere hidden. Some corner, some covered place.
[ ] Somewhere nice. With soft things.

>>2945989
>Somewhere nice. With soft things.

>>2945989
>[ ] Somewhere nice. With soft things.

>>2945989
>[ ] Somewhere nice. With soft things.

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You glance through nearby Stores. Some of them you recognise the purpose of, others you don’t. Soon, you find a place similar to where you had found the clothes you wear. You think it is a good place to rest.

You are accustomed to the cold, but tonight you look for something else.

Aries continues to follow. You wonder how long has it been since she rested?

The orange ball has escaped your bag, and found its way on top of your head. It cheeps, and you ignore it.

You walk inside. In between the aisles, you play your song. The frost recedes again, once more for the night.

You take clothing from nearby. A ‘Jacket’, it is called. Thick and fluffy. You place it on Aries.

You take clothing from nearby. A ‘Scarf’, striped with dull red and gray. You hang it around your shoulders, and find a second, similar one.

You take the similar one to Aries. She is removed the ‘Jacket’ you put on her and returned it to where it was. You place the ‘Scarf’ on her.

She looks down at the Scarf. She takes an end and pulls it over her shoulder, so that it stays on. She then reaches out to you, taking the ends of yours, wrapping it closely around your neck, pulling up the edges so that the Scarf almost covers your nose.

You are now snug.

You pick a bundle of unfrozen clothing, dragging it to the ground, spreading it out to make a soft place.

Aries looks around. Thinking, it seems. Then she turns away.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Stop her. You think she should rest too
[ ] Stop her. You don’t want her to be somewhere else.
[ ] Let the red star go. How one seeks is their choice.

>>2946164
>[ ] Stop her. You think she should rest too

>>2946164
>[ ] Stop her. You don’t want her to be somewhere else.

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(Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VyKIkIIHWjY)

You take her hand before she goes.

Aries stops. You meet her sharp green eyes with yours.

She’s tired too. You can’t really tell, but you think so.

...

She should rest too. That’s part of being alive.

...

Also, you don’t want her to go.

...

She relents, a bit exasperated, a bit resigned. You don’t let go of her hand.

You go to sleep for the first time in a long while. On something a little different from cold stone, with a strange comfort you don’t have a word for.

Here, in a dark place under the frozen land, you find a tiny bit of warmth.

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>

That'll be all for now!

I'll be trying another session tomorrow, similar timing. I feel like earlier would be better but that depends on if I'm awake. I'm generally not awake.

I experimented a bit with this session: went in and decided that we will have basically no plot progression today. That's something that I'm usually very very against and very bad at. How do you write a story where nothing happens?

Along with that, this is one of the few (maybe the only?) time I've written actively aiming for comfy. I've never started a quest with the intention of writing cute or comfy, even though lots of my quests get described like that for some reason.

Lots of things feel weird, and I really want to go back and redo a lot of parts, but well, here we are. Hope you guys enjoyed it either way!

Or rather, tell me what you thought of it. I don't think I'll write like this very much at all, but if I ever do I could definitely use some thoughts.

Anyway. Thanks for showing up!

>>2946434
What were your previous quests anyway?

>>2946684
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Awesome%20Lizard%20Thing%20Quest
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Snow%20and%20Ash
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/archive.html?tags=Black%20Hoods%20Operative%20Quest
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=LQAMG
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=swordexile
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=autisticzombiegirls
http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=GFQ
(I haven't read the last one)

>>2946772
wow holy fuck

>>2946775
all of them except GFQ are very short

>>2946772
Can't wait to read them.

Though there's a lot of cute autistic (gote) yuri in those quests though.

Does Mitty have a type?

>>2946772

Sweet flying mother of christ on a cracker mate how long ago was lizard thing.

Uh, yeah. That seems about right. Most of them are basically one-shots though. But hell I had no idea someone here's read so much of my nonsense. I'm touched.

>>2946775 Also I found this reaction really funny for some reason.

>>2946876
My type is cute autistic goat girls, obviously

Anyway, update up very very soon.

Shiny.

You pick up the glowing crystal thing and place it in your bag. This is the third one you picked up, though you’ve found more that you couldn’t carry.

You had just started to head further underground, and already the crystal things have become more common. You still don’t know what they are but some of them are small enough to take, so you do.

From the cheeping coming from inside your bag, you think the orange ball is happy. Maybe it likes shiny things.

Aries doesn’t look interested. Maybe she doesn’t like shiny things. The red star glances around as the two of you move, though you’re not sure at what.

She’s still wearing her striped Scarf. So are you.

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>>2947965

You pick up your fourth crystal thing. This one has a nice spiky shape. Cool. You think Aries would like this one, even if she doesn’t like shiny.

There’s something here.

There’s a small hole in the wall to your right, starting from the ground. Unusual. Was it like that before it froze?

A black body, segmented into three. Antenna, six legs. A small crystal grasped in mandible things. You watch it emerge from the hole, slowly and quietly crawling across your view.

It disappears into another hole, in the wall to your left. Was that like that before it froze, too?

Another one appears. Also holding a crystal thing. It too pays you no attention, and crawls across.

You recognise them in Wisdom that isn’t yours. They are ‘Ants’. But as big as your feet.

Your feet are fairly small, you think, but that’s still big for an ‘Ant’.


> What do you seek?

[ ] Watch them for a while.
[ ] See if you can follow them. Not that you can get through that little hole.
[ ] Take crystal thing from one. Observe.
[ ] Poke an ‘Ant’.

>>2947976
>[ ] See if you can follow them. Not that you can get through that little hole.

>>2947976
[ ] Take crystal thing from one. Observe.

'This is called bullying.'

>>2947976
>[ ] Take crystal thing from one. Observe.

One disappears, another appears. Each carrying a very small piece of glowy crystal. It’s sort of fun watching them, following their not-too-fast crawl across the hall.

But you are curious. You crouch down at the side of their path. One of the Ants crawls close, also paying you no attention.

You take the crystal from its mandibles.

Clack.

The Ant follows your hand. It isn’t quick, but it reacts without delay. Like it’s glued to the crystal it was carrying. You lift it high so that it can’t reach, and the Ant clacks its mandibles.

You return the crystal to the Ant and it crawls back to the path like nothing happened.

Hmm.

You wait for another Ant to come close and take its crystal and it reacts, moving towards your hand. This time you get up and start walking away, keeping the crystal close to the ground.

The Ant follows you.

Crawl crawl. Crawl crawl.

From Wisdom that isn’t yours, you recognise this as ‘Bullying’.

However, you are a kind star. A light in the dark. You decide, from Wisdom that isn’t yours, that this is ‘Science’.

Because you don’t do mean things.

... You stop and let the Ant get close. Just as its mandibles close on the crystal, you yank it up too high for it to reach.

Heh.

Clack clack.

You return the crystal to the Ant, and it clamps on it carefully before returning to its path.

Aries is looking at you funny. Why?

...

You decide to continue following your curiosity, and try to find out where the Ants are going. You can’t get through the hole in the wall, but you can remember the direction.

Through the hall, a door unfrozen, into a tunnel. You see Railway Tracks again. You don’t know if there are paths that lead deeper.

Little specks, dim glows stark against the dark, move in the distance.

You found the trail. You see Ants, each carrying small crystal things of all shapes and sizes.

You also see something else being carried. A big white thing being held by three Ants. Every now and then it seems to shiver fearfully.

Oh. It’s a Silkworm. The same one you’ve seen before, you think.


>

[ ] Poke Silkworm.
[ ] Attempt to free Silkworm. Though you wouldn’t want them to bite down harder.
[ ] Follow Ants carrying Silkworm. They’re too big to go through holes.

>>2948079
>[ ] Poke Silkworm.
Aquarius is the world's leading scientist, even if that's by virtue of pretty much the entire planet being a dead frozen wasteland!

>>2948079
>[ ] Poke Silkworm.

You walk by the path. As the trio of Ants come close, you reach out and poke their cargo.

The Silkworm shakes fearfully. Shiver shiver.

You move alongside the strange group, their pace slow enough for you to walk, wondering what you want to do. You are curious about the crystals, about the Ants.

Before you found the Silkworm you didn’t know anything still lived through the cold. Though even if you are curious, you don’t know what to look for.

You poke the Silkworm again.

Poke poke. Shiver shiver shiver.

The Ants pause briefly. You see their mandibles move, adjusting. The Silkworm visibly freezes. The Ants continue on.

Aries is giving you that look again. Why?

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At some point the Railway Tracks disappeared, and now you’re on uneven ground. There isn’t that much space, and you have to bend your head down a bit. Aries’ horns are tall, so she has to almost crouch.

It seems you’ve traveled a decent distance. You weren’t really paying attention.

The trio of Ants, and other trails of Ants from what you can see, join up with one big trail. Like a stream of Ants. You haven’t seen this much movement before, ever.

Crawl crawl crawl, crawl crawl crawl.
Crawl crawl crawl, crawl crawl crawl.
Crawl crawl crawl, crawl crawl crawl.

You feel dizzy.

There’s a stronger glow in the distance. Where the Ants are going. A fairly big tunnel, tall enough for you to stand.

What is beyond, you wonder.

You watch the trail of ants. It’s still disorienting, but the scene is hard to look away from. Each of them carry crystals. Each of them glow, just a little bit.

In the dark, they look like a river of stars.


>

[ ] Follow the trail to their destination. You wanna know what’s there.
[ ] Follow the Silkworm. You wonder what they’re doing with it.
[ ] Take a crystal out of your bag and hold it up. You come bearing gifts!
[ ] Take the orange ball out of your bag and hold it up. You come bearing gifts!
[ ] (Write-in?)

>>2948228
>Follow the Silkworm. You wonder what they’re doing with it.

>>2948228
[ ] Follow the Silkworm. You wonder what they’re doing with it.
[ ] Take a crystal out of your bag and hold it up. You come bearing gifts!

>>2948228
>[x] Follow the trail to their destination. You wanna know what’s there.

Save the gift bearing for when you get there

To their destination, joining the trail. You place your hand on the tunnel’s wall, keeping balance in the narrower spaces. The Ants shift away from your feet when you near. Sometimes, some of them have to stop.

Maybe you should apologise for being in the way.

You keep close to the trio holding the Silkworm, and eventually the tunnel widens.

And widens.

And widens.

Space stretches out before you. Before you are hundreds of blue glows moving along, crawling along little pathways on the sides of a huge cavernous place. They all go down, a spiral of little lights coming together deep below the land.

Are you still a fallen star, you wonder. You follow the Ants on the thin path, taking in the scene.

It takes a long while to reach the bottom. You are filled with wonder the entire way.

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This is their home.

The trail splits off, the Ants carrying their crystals in various directions. The cavern continues on further than you can see - you hear a trickle of water in the distance - but the trio of Ants carrying the Silkworms stop soon after reaching their home.

The trio of Ants let go of the Silkworm and it drops on the ground. The creature struggles, rolling off its back and onto its weird stubby legs. It’s surrounded.

Clack clack, clack clack, clack clack.

A circle of ... a lot of Ants. They look angry, judging from how they snap their mandibles together. You don’t really how to understand an Ant.

Can Ants be understood?

Shiver shiver shiver.

You are starting to think that fear is the Silkworm’s default state.

Aries is next to you, disinterested. You feel like you should do something though.

A thought occurs.

You take a crystal from your bag, ignoring the cheep that occurs, and hold it up.

The Ants continue clacking at the Silkworm. They don’t pay any attention to you.

You feel lonely.

>>2948470

You carefully nudge the Ants to the side and enter the circle, undeterred. Then you place your crystal on the ground.

The clacking stops.

The Silkworm continues shivering.

...

You take out another crystal, and place that on the ground next to the first.

...

After another pause, the Ants approach the two crystals. Their mandibles snap together, breaking off small pieces of the already small objects before carrying their fragments off.

Soon, the circle disperses.

The Silkworm continues shivering.

...

That happened.

Now what?


>

[ ] Poke the Silkworm.
[ ] Explore the Ant’s home.
[ ] Wander through the cavern. How deep does it go?
[ ] Attempt communication with Ants. Antunication.
[ ] Your job is done here. Go back up, and look for bones.

>>2948478
>[x] Wander through the cavern. How deep does it go?

>>2948478
>Wander through the cavern. How deep does it go?

>>2948478
>[ ] Your job is done here. Go back up, and look for bones.

(Theme: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zl4EGLoiI8)

The Silkworm eventually seems to realise something’s happened, then starts to wriggle back to the entry cavern. Bye bye Silkworm.

You’re heading the other way. Into the home of the Ants, proper.

A great crystal-lit cavern. Formations of the stuff jut out from the ground and the walls of rock, around which Ants seem to congregate.

The place feels busy, with the creatures carrying crystal fragments in and out of different sections of the cave. There’s so much movement, so much...

It’s strange to see. To know that there is still light and life here, struggling against the cold.

You notice Aries is already here. She’s surrounded by a ring of Ants, in some sort of fight with a particularly big one. She doesn’t seem to in danger - she isn’t using her horn - so you decide to not bother her.

You continue through the cavern, wondering how deep it goes.

There are branching paths, dead ends, but you don’t feel rushed. You travel down, and down, and down, lead by the dim blue glow.

The Ants are everywhere. They mind their own business, moving around you as you wander about.

Light, and life.

The orange ball is out. It seems more lively than usual, though thankfully not noisier. It hops about, dodging the path of the Ants passing by, staying close to you.

You find a cave that is almost bright with crystals. In the middle is a very, very, very big Ant, surrounded by small crystal pieces and many other Ants. The ones closest to you clack their mandibles as you pass, and you leave them alone.

Down, and down, and down.

The cavern grows dimmer. There still crystal formations in the ground, in the walls, but some do not glow.

A group of Ants scurry by. They do not carry anything.

You keep going. Down, and down, and down.

Clip. Clip. Clip.

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595 B PNG

A hand grasps your wrist. Aries.

You turn to the red star. When did she come here? Her breathing is a little rushed. You feel like you’ve traveled a long way.

She pulls on your arm, half-dragging you back the way you came. What is happening-

A soundless rumble.

A ringing in your ears.

An unnatural weight in the air.

Light vanishes. The dark takes hold.

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>

That's all for Long Lost Stars for now! I intend to continue and see how long it takes for my head to run out of ideas. Or till I run out of readers. Probably next week in a new thread.

Announcements for stuff like that happen over twitter: http://twitter.com/boxofmithril
Also in the general thread. So whatever works.

I went ahead and archived this under http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive.html?tags=autistichornedgirls
Though Aquarius is pretty normal, I reckon.

Thanks to whoever threw their idea at me. Did this turn out the way you thought it would?

I feel like this went in a direction that I didn't intend. Though I've no idea what you guys expected from this anyway. As usual, I do want any impressions or feedback you've got, so throw whatever you think my way. It always helps out, at the very least as motivation to keep going.

I think that applies to all QMs. The next time you visit a quest, pat your QM on the head for me. Writing is hard.

Anyway. See you all, and thanks for reading!

>>2948726
Thanks for running mitts.

>I feel like this went in a direction that I didn't intend
player agency is fun

>Though I've no idea what you guys
expected from this
cute and comfiness and bulling

>impressions or feedback
The detached and vague(?) writing style is refreshing and fits imo, really well with these settings. The music was surprisingly fitting, you did a good job on that front. The characters are cute, and i hope they get fleshed out some more.

>>2948726
Thanks for running! I'm happy you're back.

>Thanks to whoever threw their idea at me. Did this turn out the way you thought it would?
Nope! I planned for some semblance of civilization and a bunch of other complicated stuff. I like where you're taking this though, as there's a lot more mystery and questions to be answered.

I like the funky magic/dark/frost interplay you have going on too. It's good.

Gote!

>>2948726
Thanks for the comfy, boss.

>Though I've no idea what you guys expected from this anyway

Comfy, warm, cute times. Dream-like writing. Unusual and interesting concepts that last as long as they last.

You do good quests and you write well. Don't let anyone tell you different. Not even yourself

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>>2949562
Coats?

>>2948814
>>2949072
>>2951011
Thanks for the kind words fellas

We're always our own worst critics. I'll figure out how to like my work someday.

Should we let this thread die, or would you prefer it bumped?

>>2961122
It's all kinds of saging isn't it? I'll just make a new one.