Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

"Pretty much, yeah. Let me get out of there, so it wasn't all that bad."

 

"It just creeps me out a bit. Seeing myself turned to stone."

 

"What's this?" Shadow Stephanie asks, taking the key piece.


Xlentia eventually reaches the small village, humans occasionally seen heading out of their homes.


"I'm ready." I say, nodding.

 

“Only you?”

Eight of hearts is placed down on the table.

”It’s a cast replica, not really you.”

The rat squeaks a bit in response.


She checks for anyone below her, and if there’s nobody, she lays down. Regardless, she looks towards the village.
“Hello?”


You blank out, then find yourself in the arena, facing a draconian wearing a dress made out of magenta flower petals, wearing a mask that resembles a laughing coyote.
She holds a purple coin, ready to flip it.
“Heads, or tails?” A childish voice asks from behind the mask.

 

"Possibly. The humans died, but I didn't find all of the robots' bodies."

 

He nods.
“Anyone beat a full house?” Al asks.
The other two shake their heads.

 

"Nope."
I shake my head.

 

The three throw down their cards, Al gathering them.

 

I follow suit.

 

Al pauses before sighing.
“You forgot to split the decks, stupid.” He mumbles as he elbows Percy.
“Again? Okay, hold on...” He grumbles, opening the other three decks.

 

I wait for him to deal again, relaxing and silent.

 

Mitch shows up before then.
“Already introduced yours- oh, come on, you said you already split them!”
“Yeah, yeah, shut up.”

 

I crack a grin, eyeing the menu in the meantime.

 

"Oh well. I still think it looks creepy, in a way. But let's just stop arguing about it."

 

Shadow Stephanie looks at the key piece carefully.


The humans appear to be rather intimidated by Xlentia, hiding in their homes and taking anyone else in.


"Neither." I say, seemingly disappearing.

 

It's the teeth of a key, broken off a handle. How it got into such an obscure place is beyond her, but videogames have had more bizarre items in more bizarre locations.


"I'm not going to hurt anyone, I promise. I'm just visiting a friend for a bit." She says, a bit downtrodden.


"Good, good!" She giggles, flipping the coin anyways. "Now, at the end of this, there are three outcomes; you will emerge victorious and worthy, you will die and know who I am, or you will be spared the pain of a thousand deaths and leave with a mystery to ponder." She says, clasping her hands and bowing towards exactly where you are.

"Good. I doubt either of us will change the other's mind, anyways."

There seems to be no menu, and the four are silent as Percy sorts the cards back into individual decks... which takes longer than you'd think.

 

Shadow Stephanie pockets the key piece, glancing at the rat.


The humans still appear terrified, hiding.


I suddenly appear behind my foe, readying Shadow Katana to stab her in the back.

 

It just sniffs at her.


Xlentia sighs.
“Okay, I’m sorry for scaring you all...” She says, carefully treading on.


You see she has a sheathed katana that resembles Shadow Katana.
“Wielder of Shadow Katana, prove yourself worthy of wielding a relic borne of a paradox.” She says, one claw resting on the hilt of her blade. “Your first test begins...”
Pause.

“...now.”
Suddenly, everything seems darker than normal, and holding Shadow Katana leaves a slight burning sensation in your hand... which is now made of light.
Your entire body is made of light, in fact. She’s turned you into a creature of light...?

 

Shadow Stephanie looks at possible paths she can take.


Xlentia eventually reaches a lake, people in boats sailing on it with water guardians.


I hastily reach into my pockets and take out a pair of gold rings, slipping them on. The light emitted from me seems to increase twofold, and I appear to have control over my body.

"Big mistake." I say, smirking as a hundred clones of me seem to appear around the arena; some with Shadow Katana, some with other weapons.

 

There’s a corridor up, then a cross intersection a short crawl ahead.


Xlentia stops to watch the boats, entranced due to not knowing how they’re moving.


She nods.
“We both know you struggle to control more than one body. You’re welcome to try and intimidate me more, though. I suppose you’re ready for the next test, then? Only seven more after this.”