Just Shapes and Beats: Restart

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The darkness in the cave surrounded Cube like a blanket, his senses smothered. He felt disoriented, unsure of where he was going, and even with his eyes adjusting, he could barely make out what was around him even with a slight source of light coming from somewhere further forward; it blinked in and out. His heart pounded as he continued to cautiously step forward with his hands moving about to feel for some sort of guide.

The air was thick with an earthy scent, damp and oppressive, making it difficult to breathe. As Cube stumbled forward, he heard a sound—a low, guttural moan that resounded through the cave.

Cube winced. Dusting some fallen dirt from his cloak, he drew nearer to the source. His fingers eventually brushed against something soft. Squinting and looking closer, he could smell moss. The smell wasn't foreign, he would often come across moss when he walked through the denser parts of the forest.

Dim, green light began to appear around him. Surprised, Cube backed up swiftly and ran behind a boulder he could now see.

"It's safe."

Inhaling before peaking around, Cube saw a bright, glowing green eye fixated on him. He felt intimidated.

"Who... who are you?" Cube stammered. He then looked below the eye to observe the figure.

It was stuck to a giant boulder, but it made no attempt to move. Moss covered its body in various places, with mushrooms growing all along. The triangles, though one broken, at its face would glow and fade.

Glancing back to its face, Cube saw what looked to be a piece of a broken horn piercing through the right shoulder. The other horn was falling apart and the inside was visible, and there was a massive, open split running down its forehead. Cube suppressed the urge to vomit at the sight.

"I am Winslow," it said, tone becoming softer and less intense. "Like you, I once guarded a Celestial Tree."

"How do you know-"

"I know about all past guardians connected to the trees," it said. "Even though they're not my own."

Cube looked them up and down. "What... happened?"

"I once lived with a group that planted these trees." Their eye moved to where the one at their head sat. Cube could now see a cluster of something where its other eye would be. "I've been long forgotten for centuries. I was trapped here due to a cave-in underneath my tree. They presumed me dead from how far the fall was."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" Cube asked.

Winslow lowered its eye. "No. But I brought you here for a reason."

Brought? he thought. Was I teleported to it?

"I am here to deliver a warning. I am aware of what will take place tomorrow; I always am aware of the inevitable events to happen to any tree nearby. You must know that someone will be in trouble. You can't stop it. Do not attempt to."

"Who? Who's going to be in trouble?"

Winslow said nothing more, its eye closing. Cube was plunged into darkness again. He attempted to get another response but with no luck. He stood for what felt like eternity before finally turning heel to walk away

With a start, Cube sat up without realizing the heroes were trying to wake him. Gold, who was right in front on his chest, got smacked in the face and flew backwards. Orange flew over to them, helping them up while asking if they were okay.

"Crap- Gold, I'm so sorry," Cube cried, distraught. "Are you okay?!"

Gold flapped a hand with a nod, standing back up. They moved to sit at his right with Cyan. Green began signing questions.