The sun had only just begun to rise when Salem woke up, her eyelids still heavy. Slowly she picked her head up from the table, yawning quietly.
Pop, po-pop.
Relief washed over her back as her joints popped back into place, a hefty sigh escaping from her lips. The Ragna Adventure's Guild was quiet, with only a handful of adventurers. Across from her, Yin's head was leaned back, the blonde snoring in his sleep. The princess felt her lips curl into a small smile as she rose to her feet and stepped quietly to his side. Her fingers extended and grazed his cheek, like a mother would to her child.
She was happy he was still alive. When he wasn't spouting off cruel remarks, he looked just like he did in the First Timeline before he grew up to be a bitter, abusive smoker. In need of fresh air, she pulled away and moved to the exit.
The mornings weren't as busy as the middle of the day, she quickly noticed. There was the sound of dwarves performing labor, of course, but not to the extent of yesterday when they first arrived. The cool mountain air was chilled, sending a shiver down her spine as she took a deep breath in.
A part of her was relieved. Aside from the rampant racism that was embedded in the society of Twist, it wasn't nearly as bad as she had thought. And yet, that was what worried her the most. The Gods of Light and Darkness were cruel and twisted; she was growing increasingly paranoid, the feeling that something bad was going to happen eating away at her: slowly, but surely.
"Good morning, Princess."
The odd accent broke her from her thoughts. She looked to see Vao approaching, his shoulders slumped forward. He had dark rings under his eyes; he didn't look like he slept well - or at all.
"Oh. Good morning, Vao. You look tired. Is something wrong?" She asked kindly. The femboy sighed.
"Verde is... Well, a mess right now," he admitted. "I think something happened between her and Yin, but she won't talk to me about it..."
He didn't tell her everything, and Salem knew it. And she knew better than to leave it alone - leaving things alone had not blown over well in the previous Timelines. Before he could walk inside the Guild, she stepped in his way. "Wait. Let's chat, shall we?" She offered. Vao looked annoyed.
"I'm not really in the mood, mate. I just need a drink." He tried to step around her, but Salem just blocked his path again. "It isn't good to bottle your thoughts," she replied.
"Will you just move? I already told you that I'm not interested in having a conversation right now, I just want to be left alone!"
Salem thought back to the Second Timeline, where the truth of Vao's alcoholism had come to light. She gently pushed him away from the door, stooping down so she was eye level with him. "Vao... Drinking is only going to make you feel worse about yourself," she whispered softly. Vao did a full stop, locking eyes with her.
"... Excuse me, wot?"
"I know you don't feel very great about yourself," Salem continued. "Alcohol will only make it wors-"
"I'd shut my gob if I were you."
Salem felt her blood run cold. Vao was furious. She stood back up straight, her eyes wide. She didn't mean to set him off, and she was quickly realizing that she should've known that from the start. Of course Vao wouldn't want to talk about himself like that, especially with someone he didn't know that well. The thief began to push past her, but stopped in the doorway.
"... Wait a minute," he mumbled. He turned back to her, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "How did you... I never even told my mum..."
Salem found herself fighting for an excuse. Vao was staring at her, his eyes cloudy with thought. Until finally, he just gave a small shake of his head. "... Stay away from me for a little bit. You make me uneasy."
Without another word, he disappeared inside the Adventurer's Guild, not bothering to even look back. Sweat dripped from Salem's chin. She had messed up, she realized. If Vao wasn't willing to talk about his inner thoughts, then he really wouldn't tell her now. The princess sighed, turning back to the city.
A new atmosphere had washed over the buildings, one filled with a crippling sense of dread. Of course, no one but Salem was affected by this atmosphere. Only ten minutes had passed before someone else approached, this time Oswald. The knight scoffed when he saw her.
"And what are you doing? Getting fresh air?"
Salem just stared at him blankly. Her brain struggled to match his voice to a face, her memories hazy after thousands of years, after seeing the world be reset twice, and erased on the second time. Oswald stared back before shaking his head, walking past her.
"Stupid bitch," he mumbled. And once again, Salem was alone. The princess took a moment to still her nerves, the only sound she could hear being her own breath as she breathed in, and then breathed out. After several repetitions, she turned her head to the sky, staring into the cloudy abyss above.
...
Yin was shaken awake, the cleric groggily opening his eyes. Rubbing the last of sleep away with the palm of his hand, he yawned and looked up to meet the scarlet eyes of his feminine brother.
"Hey."
Yin nodded his head slowly. "... Mornin', Vao..." He mumbled.
Vao jabbed his thumb towards the quest board. "Oswald's picking a quest. You want to go shopping for supplies?"
Yin stood up and stretched his arms, twisting his back. He felt more awake now. "Since when do you actually pay for anything?" He growled.
"I never do. You'll be buying, I'll be stealing."
"Brother, why?"
Vao shrugged. "I dunno, I can't help it. Whenever I see something that isn't mine, I get this huge urge to take it. Sometimes it doesn't even have any use to me, but I want to take it."
"That's kleptomania, Vao! It's a mental illness!"
"Wotever," Vao muttered. "You coming or not?"
Yin sighed. He knew there was no helping Vao. "Go by yourself. I don't feel right about watching my older brother steal. You're supposed to be a role model for your younger siblings. You know that, right?"
Vao scoffed, a small smirk crossing his lips. "Nah, I'd rather be myself."
Yin could respect that. Vao wasn't the type to pretend he was someone he wasn't. The cleric waved him off. "Alright, alright. Just go get some supplies. We're out of mana potions, we're low on health potions, and Princess Salem used all her arrows yesterday. Get some water too; I didn't see any horses outside the gate, so we're probably going to end up walking for a few days."
"Okay," Vao complied. He put his hands on his pockets and began trotting towards the door, stopping half way and turning back to Yin. "Oi."
The cleric looked back up from his pouch. "What is it?"
Vao grinned softly. "Love you, mate."
Yin chuckled. "Love you too, Vao. Don't get arrested."
With a wave goodbye, Vao left the Guild. Yin finished checking his equipment before tying his pouch back to his hip, walking across the nearly empty Guild to where Oswald and Sasha stood in front of the quest board. The cleric let out a groan of disgust when he saw the giant.
"... Elf."
Sasha looked down at him, a small smirk crossing her lips when she turned back to the board. "Your stocking is untied."
Yin immediately looked down before the pieces clicked together, his glare immediately snapping back up to her. "Y-you!"
"Fucking idiot," Sasha laughed.
"Stop fighting, you two," Oswald said distantly, lost in thought as his finger traced one of the quests. "Why don't you say something nice about each other? Yin, you can go first."
"Why me!?"
"Because you're always so mean," Oswald pointed out matter-of-factly. "So say something nice about Sasha. It can be anything; about her personality, her appearance, anything at all."
Yin grumbled under his breath, looking up at Sasha. The tall, muscular elf was smirking down at him. "Well? I'm waiting," she snickered. Yin gritted his teeth into a forced grin.
"I liked it when your ancestors were slaves," he hissed. "You should be there to- guh!"
He was cut off when Oswald smacked him on the back of the head, still not turning from the quest board. "Try again, Yin."
The cleric rubbed the sore spot with a wince, turning back to Sasha. She wasn't smirking, anymore. She looked like she wanted to beat the hell out of him. "F-fine," he growled through his teeth. He eyed her up and down, trying to think of something that would sound nice, yet make Sasha feel like crap. "... I like your muscles," he finally said. "You're built like a brick wall."
Sasha blinker, a small smirk crossing her lips again. "Hey... Thanks, actually. I'm proud of my body, you know?"
Yin wished Sasha wasn't a tomboy. Oswald nodded. "Very good, Yin. Now it's your turn, Sasha."
The giant hummed, her hands on her hips. Her smile fell, her lips pursing together and her eyebrows furrowing. Yin was getting angry. "Is there seriously nothing nice you can say to me!?"
"Not really," Sasha admitted. "You're kind of a dick. But I guess I like your family. They're cool. Wonder where you went wrong."
Yin looked up at Oswald, hoping he'd reprimand her like he did to him. The knight finally looked away from the quest board, shaking his head. "I'm not hitting Sasha. That's a death sentence."
Yin wanted to argue with Oswald, but knew he was right. Sasha was ripped. Oswald turned back to the quest board, finally taking one into his hand and reading it silently. With a gentle shake, he held it up. "This one... It's curious, isn't it?"
"What about it?" Sasha asked inquisitively.
"Your names are on it."
"Let me see that!" Yin snapped. He snatched the parchment from Oswald's hand rather rudely, glaring at the words as if they owed him a great sum of money. Sure enough, five names were listed.
'Yin Rose, Vao Branwen, Sasha Steel, Verde Forest, and Salem.'
"... What the hell is this?" He grumbled. He continued reading. It didn't seem to be any sort of quest he was familiar with. Instead, it was more of an invitation to a settlement. Where was this settlement?
Yin pushed it back into Oswald's hand. "No, we aren't taking it."
"Why not?"
"There aren't any settlements in the Sea of Sand."
The Sea of Sand was a huge desert just past the mountain range in the far east of the kingdom. In fact, it wasn't even in the kingdom's territory; it wasn't anyone's territory. The desert was scorching hot during the day, and below freezing at night. It was inhospitable, with any attempts to build a settlement met with the deaths of the people trying to build it, and then all their progress being swallowed whole by the desert.
"But it's addressed to you," Oswald countered. "Aren't you at least curious?"
Yin groaned, rubbing his temples. "I don't really care. The desert can't sustain the lives of people. If the climate doesn't kill you, the lack of food and water will - if the monsters don't get to you first," he replied in frustration. "And besides, we don't have any maps on it. No one has ever been able to map out the Sea of Sand, so we'd never even get one."
Oswald nodded, stroking the bottom of his helmet's visor. "... I suppose you're right. Perhaps another one-"
"What's this about a desert?"
They turned to see Salem approaching quietly, Verde following behind her. The poor witch looked bothered, and wouldn't look Yin in the eye. He didn't care; in his opinion, a witch didn't deserve to look at anyone from the Church. Oswald seemed annoyed by Salem's presence, but answered anyway. "... We've gotten a quest from a stranger who supposedly lives in the desert just east of the mountains. It's addressed to the five of you."
Salem shrugged. "Why don't we go, then?"
"P-Princess! We'll die!" Yin protested.
"D-die?"
Sasha nodded. "The Sea of Sands isn't... The best place to be, to say the least. But I say it's worth a look."
Yin glared at her, nearly frothing at the mouth with hatred. "Shut up, you just want us to die!" Verde was staring at the parchment in Oswald's hand, the gears in her head turning.
"... Can I see it?"
"Huh? Okay," Oswald replied. He passed the paper to the witch, watching her rub her fingers across it.
"... This is made of papla," she said after a while.
"What?" Salem said curiously.
"Papla is a type of tree that grows in the Sea of Sand," Verde explained. "In fact, it's the only tree that grows there. It's a very rare resource on this side of the mountains... Which means that this letter really did come from the Sea of Sand."
"Aren't you supposed to be smart?" Yin hissed. "Get your head right, you retard. No one can survive the Sea of Sand. It's unlivable."
Verde still didn't look him in the eye. "... Actually, several thousand years ago the ancient dwarves went to war with a civilization somewhere in the Sea of Sand. It was before their history was properly recorded though, so the civilization was lost to time. We only know a war happened, and the dwarves lost."
Yin laughed sarcastically. "Oh yeah, where'd you hear that? You lived in a swamp before we met you, you hick."
"Be nice," Oswald tried to say. But Yin ignored him entirely. Verde continued.
"I read it in a history book at Vao's house, she explained. "It was in Yang's room. Ruby apparently left it after visiting one time."
Salem nodded. "Well, why don't we go then? If it gets to be too much, we can always turn back."
"You can't be serious," Yin hissed. But to his fury, Sasha and Oswald seemed to be on board.
"I could go for an adventure," the giant agreed. "We'll just need supplies-"
"Got you covered," came another voice. They turned to see Vao approaching with a backpack on his back, the sound of various tools and bottles rattling about inside. "I went shopping."
When he passed by Verde, Salem and Yin noticed they didn't say anything. They didn't even look at each other - in fact, they looked away. Salem was worried. Weren't Vao and Verde best friends?
"So... Deserts," Vao muttered. "Any wome- OW!"
He was cut off when Yin smashed his staff against the top of his head. "Vao, you simpleton!"
"And you wonder why I'm stupid! You're always hitting me with that blasted stick!"
"It's a holy staff! Don't degrade it to a stick!"
Oswald sighed, smacking both of them against the back of their heads. "That's enough..."
"... So, are we doing this?" Sasha said, changing the subject. Yin was the only one who didn't agree. The cleric gritted his teeth, finally caving in to peer pressure. "... Fine. Don't expect me to heal you when you get hurt," he growled sourly.
...
The world around them trembled again, causing Yin to gasp. Vao looked up at him worriedly. "... It's happening again," he murmured. Yin gritted his teeth, clenching his prosthetic fist.
"Dammit... Dammit, dammit... Just want a break..."
"Tell me about it," Sasha muttered. "We haven't even been able to get in contact with Salem since that night. Think she'll be able to figure out what the Collapse is?"
Verde shook her head. "There is approximately a zero point one chance she'll figure it out before it occurs," she muttered. "At this rate, the Collapse is going to happen, and she won't even know what's going on..."
"Thanks, Love. You're like a walking computer," Vao snickered. Verde looked up at him.
"... You're not funny."
"But you still like me somehow."
"... I do."
Yin gagged. "Save the lovey-dovey talk for later. We have bigger issues," he grimaced.
"Bigger issues indeed."
The voice was bitter, but familiar. They turned to see Weiss walking towards them, her arms folded across her chest. "W... Weiss!" Yin gasped. "You're here too?"
The heiress nodded curtly. "Of course I am. Anyway, I could have sworn I just ran into you and Vao, but..." She trailed off.
"... But wot?"
Weiss was silent for a moment, suddenly interested in her nails. When she finally did look up, her eyes were filled with worry. "... You two looked... Older. Honestly, I thought Vao was Raven for a second, but he didn't have a chest or... A-an eye..."
Everyone looked confused. Everyone but Yin. The blonde katana-wielder gritted his teeth. "The First Timeline..."
"The what?" Sasha asked.
Yin sighed. It was time he explained it. "Back before the Gods stabbed me in the back, I had a... Vision, I guess you could call it. That this has all happened before. In my vision, Vao was missing his left eye. That's why it always felt weird when he talked about Salem."
"... I had theories about that, too," Verde admitted. "Doubtlessly, you read about it when you read my notebooks."
"We did," Weiss confirmed. "But to think it was true..."
"Um... Wot am I missing here?" Vao asked curiously.
"Oh, right... You, er... Weren't around," Sasha said carefully. No matter how she chose her words, they all knew what she meant: Vao was dead by that point.
"So, uh..." Yin struggled to explain it. It was very complicated. "So there was a time the Gods reset the world, and it ended up with our Timeline."
"I don't really get it, bruv."
"Yeah... I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around it too," Yin admitted sheepishly. "Basically... What the Gods did to our world, they did before. Our memories were wiped clean, just like what happened with the new us. Do you get it now?"
Vao looked lost. Weiss let out a cry of frustration. "Gods ruin your life! Gods restart world! You're born again, you lose your leg! Gods restart the world again!"
"Oh..."
Vao looked like he was sort of understanding, at least. Sasha turned back to Weiss. "So, the original Yin and Vao... Did you interact with them?"
Weiss nodded. "Yeah... Like I said earlier, I thought it was our Yin and Vao. The only way I could tell that they weren't was... Um... Vao, well..."
"He tried to eat you, but the First Timeline me stopped him," Yin finished.
"Y-yeah..."
"WOT!?"
"Uh... Yeah... You were a cannibal in the First Timeline," Yin muttered. "You were filled with Salem's Blood to the point it replaced your own..."
Vao looked like he was having an existential crisis. It was an understandable reaction. Verde looked back to Weiss. "... If you ran into the First Timeline, then the Collapse can't be too far away," she mumbled. She looked dazed. "Then how much longer until...?"
Yin gritted his teeth, his prosthetics creaking as he tensed. "... We need to keep going. We have to figure out how to reach Salem and warn her properly."
The others followed him as he began to walk into the void, the scenery shifting until it resembled the halls of Beacon. Sasha piped up. "You think the Gods are going to allow us that? We're lucky we even got in contact with her at all. If she didn't have her memories, we'd never have even seen her."
"I know!" Yin snapped. When his friends flinched, he sighed guiltily. "... I'm sorry, guys... I'm just really stressed..."
"It's okay," Weiss said comfortingly. "We understand. Just remember we're right behind you. We're all trying to avoid the possibility of a Fourth Timeline."
"Fourth... Will one of you cunts explain this to me?" Vao muttered. "I'm more confused than Cardin was that one time he thought I was a girl in elementary school..."
...
There are two gates that lead into the city of Ragna. The large golden ones to the west that faced the plains, and one in the east of the city that led into the mountains, where the dwarves had more mines. Currently, the adventurers were standing at the east gate. King Port hadn't been able to see them off, but Roman had come. He was helping secure the supplies Vao had brought to Sasha's back, giving her a pat when he finished. The giant elf stood up, towering over him.
"Well," he started. "I wish you the best of luck when you reach the Sea of Sand."
"Thanks," Sasha grinned. "Good luck with your mining."
Roman smirked. "Appreciate it."
"So it's just straight through the mountains?" Verde asked inquisitively. Roman nodded.
"Yeah. Just follow the path, and you'll get there. Sometimes we send dwarves to collect sand, so the path is well-worn and easily noticeable. You shouldn't get lost. Except your navigator is that idiot, so I'd be careful."
Vao snickered, nudging Yin. "He called you an idiot."
"Vao, you're the navigator," Yin whispered back. The femboy paused for a moment, visibly confused. "Wait, I am... Oh, you twat..."
Roman turned back to the gates, puffing from his cigar and blowing the smoke into the air. He stopped just inside the city, turning back to them with a small smile. "... I hope to see you guys again. I don't know why, but it feels like... I met you before. Especially you, Yin and Vao."
"Fat barrel-belly!" Yin screamed angrily. Salem slapped him on the back of the head for throwing racist remarks, and then slapped Vao for laughing when he saw Yin get hit.
But Roman just chuckled. "Alright, Blondie." He gave a wave as the gates began to close. "Good luck out there. Really, do come back some time!"
"Perhaps we will," Oswald called back. "We had a wonderful time."
The gates finally closed, leaving a small cloud of dust behind. As the adventurers began making their way down the trail and to the east, they could see the dwarven guards on top of the wall waving goodbye. Salem waved back, a smile crossing her lips. Seeing a city that wasn't affected by the Church had been a relief. While it wasn't as fun as the Goblin City, it was still a breath of fresh air. It also helped that dwarves had more rights than most other races, which was the only thing that stopped the Church from doing anything. Yin, on the other hand, looked miserable.
"U-ugh... I'm going to have to buy new robes... These ones smell like dwarf..."
"You're fine," Oswald sighed. He straightened out his back, taking charge. "Vao, you go on ahead. You'll be reading the map and guiding us."
"Okay!"
Without being told twice Vao ran off and around the bend, disappearing from view. Oswald turned to Verde. "You're the weakest in terms of physical state, right?"
"That is correct."
"Then you'll stay in the middle with Yin and Salem. Sasha, you'll take the back and defend our rear."
"Sure," Sasha agreed. She slowed her pace, trailing behind them. Verde made sure to position herself on Salem's right, opposite of Yin.
It had been just above an hour when Vao came sprinting back, his eyes the size of dinner plates. Oswald was immediately alert. "Vao, what's going on?"
"B-big grey guy!" The thief panted breathlessly. "Big sword!"
Yin looked up from the ground, his brow furrowing thoughtfully. "... How many eyes?"
Vao counted his fingers before holding up three. "This many!"
"What is it?" Salem asked worriedly.
Verde was already getting her staff ready. "Troll," she answered stoically.
Trolls were once thought to share a relation with goblins and ogres, but were formally classified as their own species one hundred years ago. All species of troll live in the mountains, and are very hostile. Their defining feature is their rock-hard skin made from stone and an extra eye on their chest. While trolls are dumb when compared to the civilized races, they're still smarter when compared to other monsters. One such example is the bladed weapons they forge in their caves. As with most other mountain monsters, they are resistant to magic and arrows, as well as thrusting attacks from weapons such as Salem's rapier or Oswald's straight sword.
"Can we go around it?" Yin asked. Vao looked at the sheer cliffs around them, sarcasm taking over his expression.
"Oh wow, look! A bloody cliff! Yeah, let's climb them, Yin!"
"There's no need for sarcasm," Oswald said before Yin could flip out. "But he is right. He's our only rogue type, and the only one able to scale that. You aren't used to climbing on rough terrain, mine and Sasha's armor is heavy, Verde is too weak to climb that high, and Salem... What even is your class?"
Salem jumped in surprise. "C-class?"
Oswald stared at her for a moment before burying his visor into his hands. "Oh my..."
"You didn't pick one?" Verde asked curiously. "They had a list of options when I was registering for my adventurer's card."
"P-pick what?"
"There was a list of classes when you were registering," Sasha explained. "There's no way you couldn't have seen it."
Salem looked down at the ground. Did she even register? She looked back up, a small, embarrassed smile on her lips. "I-I, um... May not have an adventurer's card..."
Oswald groaned miserably. "You have got to be kidding me..." With a huff he clapped his hands together. "Looks like Princess Salem is sitting this one out, because I am not being responsible for the death of a royal. Anyone have any ideas?"
"We run at it!"
"Vao, that is a terrible idea. What kind of thief charges head-on at the enemy?" Yin asked. His brother looked like he hadn't thought that far.
"What if Oswald and I take the front?" Sasha suggested. The knight nodded.
"That is what I was thinking as well. With our armor, we can take the most punishment. Yin, you'll stay in the back with Verde and focus on healing when necessary - do not use more mana than necessary. We need to save as much as we can for the Sea of Sand. Vao, you'll be attacking it's back for critical damage."
"Hold on," Yin interrupted. "That would be a better strategy for a dagger. Vao doesn't have a dagger."
"... You're a rogue-type and you don't own a dagger or a bow?" Verde asked in confusion.
"I never had a reason."
"You're literally a freaking thief," Yin hissed. "A dagger is supposed to be your signature weapon, not a freaking axe!"
Oswald sighed. "Alright, fine. Vao will be using his axe. If there is a civilization out in the Sea of Sand, you are getting a dagger. Whether you buy it or steal it, I don't care. Just get a dagger."
"Okay."
Oswald looked among them. "Any more questions?" He was met with silence. "Very well. Let's get to it, then."
They peered around the corner, their eyes scanning the environment. Sure enough, a hulking figure was squatted down, picking at what looked like a goat. Yin snickered. "Oh, look. He's by himself. Hey Verde, you're a whore right? Why don't you make yourself useful for once?"
Verde didn't grace that with a response. Vao, who was crouched underneath Yin, looked at his brother's crotch. "Hey, if I punch you here as hard as I can, do you think it would hurt?"
"Please don't."
Verde looked at Vao gratefully, but the thief turned his head away. The witch sighed quietly. Oswald hummed, looking around for anything they could use to their advantage. But aside from the sides of the cliffs, he couldn't think of anything. "Alright. Move for an attack!"
The adventurers stepped from their hiding spot, catching the troll's attention. It stared at them for a moment before standing up and grabbing its machete.
"Uruk, gaah baag las..."
"Sorry about that, mate," Vao called out. "But you're kind of in our way, so you can eat later if you're still alive."
"I find it... Unsettling that even he doesn't know how he speaks several languages," Sasha muttered.
"Think about it later. Sasha, with me! Keep it distracted! Yin, Verde! Stay behind and focus on support! Vao, sneak around!"
The adventurers dove forward, weapons in hand. Sasha deflected the troll's weapon, driving the side of her great sword into its hip. It scratched the troll's skin, but didn't do anything else. No major damage. Not even Vao's axe was very effective, and Verde's spells did miniscule damage. Yin was working up a sweat just trying to energize everyone with his miracles.
Salem watched in silence, her mind turning like clockwork. It wasn't looking good. They weren't doing enough damage, instead they were exhausting themselves trying to kill it. The princess needed to do something. She looked around the cliffs, an idea beginning to form in her mind. Without a second thought, she ran to the cliff face and grasped it with her hands, giving an experimental tug. It was strong enough to support her weight. Clenching her teeth, she began her ascent. Sasha had been the only one to notice, her eyes widening with realization.
The troll, annoyed with constantly being slammed in the back, whipped around and seized Vao in its huge hand, lifting the thief off the ground like he weighed nothing.
"Vao!" Yin screamed. He didn't have a chance to react - the troll had thrown Vao into the cleric, sending them both tumbling to the ground. The troll turned and socked Sasha in the head, knocking her helmet off and leaving the dented metal to fly down the mountain. Sasha touched her nose and looked down at her fingers. She was bleeding. She looked back at the troll, her eyes blazing with fury.
"Cocky little..."
Oswald took a step back when Sasha buried her great sword into the ground, popping her knuckles. "Sasha, what are you doing!?"
Sasha chuckled, shifting her foot back. "When my helmet got dented, I had an idea. Blades don't work, right?"
"... You're... Sasha, no."
Sasha glared back at Yin, her lips curling into a smirk. "Watch this, Church-boy. Because this might be you next - that's not a threat."
The troll grumbled curiously, watching as Sasha raised her hands. With a rumbling hum, it held its machete into the air, brandishing it as a weapon. Sasha pressed a finger to one nostril and blew, a glob of blood spattering against the ground.
Salem huffed and puffed as she pulled herself on top of the cliff, looking back down to see Sasha charging at the troll. With a loud pop she decked it square in the nose, angering the monster. She needed to move fast.
"Where... Where..." Salem looked around frantically, her desperation growing. And finally, her eyes stopped on what she was searching for. Running behind the massive stone, she took a deep breath, and began pushing.
Thwack! Thwack!
The troll stumbled back with Sasha's blows, clutching its bloodied nose tightly. The tall elf jumped up and down in place, her adrenaline pumping through her veins. With a swift kick, she sent the machete flying from the troll's grasp, the blade clattering to the ground noisily. With a sucker punch, Sasha sent the monster doubling over.
With Salem, the gravel began to shift as she pushed, sweat rolling off her skin like a waterfall. And then it happened. The world seemed to flicker before her. Her heart stopped.
"N-no... Not now...!"
She saw the flash of white in her peripherals, her head turning to meet Yin's knuckles burying into her chin. The noble tripped over her own feet, hitting the ground with a heavy thud. Yin sighed as he drew Crescent Rose, his opposite hand scratching at his chin hair.
"Finally found you. You ain't getting away this time, bitch. Stand up and fight."
Salem looked around. Vao was nowhere in sight, which either meant he wasn't there, or he was hiding. And knowing how he was in the First Timeline, he would have made himself known by now. Which meant she was only dealing with Yin. Still unfavourable odds, but it could have been worse. Shakily she stood to her feet, holding out her hands. "Stop! I'm not fighting!"
Yin chuckled. "That's too bad. 'Cause I am."
Salem narrowly avoided the scythe's blade as it grazed her chin, a thin trail of blood arching through the air. Breaking her fall with a roll, she dove for him.
SLAM!
Yin had grabbed her in a chokehold, driving the top of her head into the stone she had been pushing. The gravel shifted again, pushing the boulder closer to the edge. Her ears were ringing, and her head felt like it was in a vise. Yin let her stand back up, lighting a cigarette and taking a puff. Salem hissed, swinging her first for his face. But with every swing, Yin just stepped off to the side, ducked, and weaved. He was looking annoyed.
"That's a sword on your hip, right?" He growled. "Use it. The hell is wrong with you!? Why won't you fight back!?"
C-CRACK!
Salem watched her teeth bounce across the ground when Yin punched her in the mouth with a devastating hook, her mouth filling with the coppery taste of blood. She could feel the burn of his magic - he hadn't held back. Salem didn't even have enough time to move before he threw her against the boulder, driving it closer to the edge. Crescent Rose's blade pressed against her neck, threatening to cleave her throat wide open. Yin glared into her eyes, the stench of his cigarette assaulting her nostrils.
"Alright, new question; just what did you do?"
Salem didn't understand his question. When she didn't answer, she felt his knee driving into her chest, taking the wind out of her lungs.
"Why am I seein' myself when I was younger every now and again!? Why am I seein' Vao with two eyes!? And Verde! And Sasha, who... Is younger...?" He sounded confused on that last part, but shook it off. Salem felt her brain stop for a moment.
The Second Timeline. Yin was referring to the Second Timeline. But that could only mean he had encountered it before, and that should've been impossible. The Second Timeline didn't exist when this version of Yin had been fighting, there was no possible way anyone could have known about it back then.
SLAM!
Salem's head bounced against the rock when Yin headbutted her, pulling Crescent Rose away to seize her by the hair, lifting her on his shoulders. "Answer me! What the fuck did you do!? And why do you look like this!?"
Salem's answer was cut short when he drove her into the ground, stomping his heel into her chest.
"Die! Die! Die, you filthy piece of SHIT!"
Salem felt her ribs finally give away, cracking under his weight. With a devastating kick, he launched her back, away from the cliff. Salem groggily picked her head up off the ground, looking up to see Yin standing with his back to the setting sun, glaring back at her. With his cigarette finished, he flicked the butt away, Summer's cloak billowing behind him as he stepped forward, Crescent Rose still gripped firmly in his right hand. She tore her eyes away from him, looking back to the boulder. It was teetering on the edge. One more push, and it would fall.
She needed to get back to the boulder. If she didn't, someone would die. Her elbows trembled as she pushed herself up, pain shooting through her chest where her ribs had been broken. She drew her rapier, pointing it at him. Yin smirked. "That's more like it. Stop trying to fool me! Show me the real Salem!"
Salem reeled her arm back and threw her weapon at Yin, the Hero of Light caught by surprise. With one swing he knocked the weapon away, his eyes widening when he turned back to Salem. She wasn't there anymore. She was next to him, running past him. She needed to get to the boulder.
"We ain't done, until I say we're done!"
Salem yelped when Yin grabbed her platinum blonde hair, pulling her away. He slammed his elbow into the side of her skull, blood staining his clothes. Salem finally had enough. Yin was durable, and she was running out of time; she needed to give him what he wanted.
Yin's eyes went wide when Salem flipped herself over him, her legs locking around his neck and body slamming him to the ground. Crescent Rose came singing through the air, straight for her chest. Salem kicked out her foot, striking Yin in the elbow and knocking Crescent Rose up, the blade shaving a few strands of her hair. Without a second more of hesitation, Salem kicked him between the legs, watching guiltily when Yin's eyes filled with tears, a shrill shriek escaping his throat. She didn't have time to feel sorry for him. She turned back to the boulder and charged, driving her shoulder into the stone surface - and finally pushing it over the edge.
Sasha had been fighting a losing battle, her knuckles unable to do nearly enough damage. With heavy breath, she looked up as the boulder cleared the edge of the cliff, immediately backing away. The troll tried to give chase, but the boulder was faster.
SLAAAAAAM!
The troll let out a pained roar when the giant rock crushed its legs into juice, trapping it in place. Sasha retrieved her weapon, turning as Oswald barked his next order.
"That's our ticket! Attack it while it's defenseless!"
The troll watched as the adventurers leaped forward, weapons drawn. The clashing of steel rang through the air, scarlet blood painting the roadside.
Up above, Salem's legs wobbled dangerously. She had done it. She managed to help, and avoid anyone's death.
Something gripped her shoulders, making her heart stop. She could hear Yin's raspy breath, feel the pure hatred radiating off him.
"Th-that... That FUCKING HURT!"
THWACK!
With another heavy punch, he sent Salem flying through the air - and over the edge of the cliff.
Vao stood up, leaning on his axe. "U-ugh... That was... That was terrible..."
Yin nodded, his face flushed with exhaustion. He had never cast so many miracles in one sitting before. "Y-yeah, tell me abo-" His voice was cut off sharply when something landed on top of him, bringing the cleric straight to the ground.
Salem coughed and groaned as she rolled off of Yin, blood dripping from her ear and her mouth. Pain shot through her body like hellfire. In an instant, three pairs of hands were pulling the princess to her feet.
"W-woah, what happened up there!?" Sasha hollered, her voice filled with worry.
"You look like... Well, you look like shit," Vao murmured quietly. Salem lifted her head, ignoring the neck pains as she stared at the top of the cliff. The First Timeline Yin wasn't there. He had disappeared again. Salem coughed, a tooth falling from her lips.
"... M-mountain lion," she lied. Oswald turned to Yin as the cleric picked himself up, pointing at Salem.
"What are you dawdling for? Heal her!"
"O-on it!"
Salem felt her body relax as the warmth of Yin's healing miracle washed over her body, her wounds beginning to close. As the blood began to dry, Oswald spoke.
"... I've never seen a mountain lion do this type of damage," he growled. Vao was quick to agree.
"Yeah. You had some bruises, kind of like you got punched..."
Yin looked worried. "... Princess, is everything okay? What did you fight up there?"
Salem shook her head. They wouldn't get it. "It's... It's nothing... It was just a mountain lion, and I tripped a bit. Let's just continue on, shall we?"
Everyone was still staring at her. Verde leaned forward, her eyes scanning Salem's face as if trying to detect a lie. "... Are you certain? We can turn back and recover at Ragna-"
"I'm fine," Salem chuckled softly. She pat Verde on the shoulder, having to bend down a little to reach the short witch. "Thanks for being concerned. Now, let's just go."
She knew they were hesitant. But when she started walking, they had no choice but to follow her.
...
When Salem had fallen from the cliff, the world shifted around him until he no longer stood on the mountain. Instead, he found himself in the empty, charred remains of his childhood home.
"W... Wha...?"
He yelped when he felt a pair of arms wrap around him, looking down as Vao buried his face into his chest. He could feel a wet spot growing on his shirt. With a sigh, the Hero of Light relaxed as he ran his fingers through his older brother's absurdly long hair, a soft smile crossing his lips.
"I-I th-thought..." Vao took a second to take a breath, pulling his face away to look up at his brother. "I th-thought I was g-going to be alone again..."
Yin sighed, wrapping his arms around his brother. "I'm not leaving you alone, Vao... Something weird is going on, and we're going to figure it out and stop it. Whatever Salem is doing... I know the real you means well."
His words seemed to make Vao feel a bit better, but he still looked nervous. Yin cocked his head as he guided Vao to a stable pile of rubble, sitting down with him. "What's wrong?"
Vao was biting his nails, refusing to answer for a moment. "... I... I'm g-getting hungry..."
Yin felt his heart sink. With his smile fading away into nothing, he slowly nodded his head. Shakily, Vao passed Yin his dagger, the serrated blade gleaming in the dim light. Yin took it into his hand, taking a deep breath and clenching his teeth.
Slice.
He winced as the dagger cut into his palm, the blade Vao had used to murder so many people stained with a fresh coat of blood. Setting the cursed weapon aside, Yin held his hand out to Vao. He watched as the cannibal gripped his wrist gently, pressing his palm into his lips. Yin winced again, muffled grunts escaping his closed lips as he felt Vao's frigid tongue slide across the cut, his equally cold hands gripping his arm tighter. And through it all, he still managed to muster a gentle smile.
"D-drink what you need, Vao... Until the hunger s-stops..."
His skin was beginning to hurt. He could never get used to how cold Vao was. Holding him was like being locked in a refrigerator. But his coldness was only a gruesome reminder of why Yin was still fighting; for revenge. Because of Salem, Yin and Vao could never have a normal relationship again. Because of Salem, almost everyone they knew and loved were dead, most killed by Vao's own hands. And because of Salem, Yin would always have to monitor Vao so he wouldn't suffer another psychotic meltdown caused by his permanent cannibalistic hunger or his severe schizophrenia. He gritted his teeth as Vao pulled away, staring at his hand.
The wound wasn't bleeding anymore. Vao had licked it dry. The Hero of Light was already wrapping it in a bandage when he glanced back at Vao. "Do you feel better?"
But to his dismay, the serial killer almost doubled over, that long and haunting sound resonating from deep within the pit of his stomach.
Grrrrrrooooooooowwlll...
"I... I-it h-hurts..."
Yin pulled Vao closer, cradling his feminine head protectively. He suspected that his blood wouldn't be enough to satiate Vao's hunger. That only meant that Vao needed to eat another human to stave it off - something Yin wanted to avoid at all costs for the sake of Vao's mental health, and his own morals. But he was quickly beginning to realize that wasn't an option. If Vao didn't eat, he'd eventually snap and attack him, eating Yin until there was nothing left. Yin could feel his eyes growing wet.
Salem. He'd never forgive that thing for causing his own trauma, and screwing Vao up so bad. In his lap, Vao began to move.
"N-nghh... U-unyu..."
"Vao, what's wrong?" Yin asked worriedly.
Vao pulled away from him, stumbling into the open. He was clutching the sides of his head, his face twisted in pain. "Au... A-auntie...?"
Yin stayed where he sat. Vao was hallucinating again. It was where he was at his most dangerous, where he wasn't... All there.
Yin held his breath, watching in complete silence as Vao started talking to himself in hushed, frantic whispers. He didn't even move. One wrong action, and Vao would attack him.
"Ha... Auntie... Ha ha ha..." Drool had begun to pool in his mouth, dripping from his lip and leaving dark stains on the burnt ground beneath his feet. And slowly, he turned his head to Yin, freezing the hero's blood. His lips had begun to curl, revealing his reddened, pointed teeth. In the darkness of his eye socket, his Aura had started to flicker with life, dancing around as if it had a mind of its own.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
Vao's boots crushed the charcoal as he shambled closer to Yin, taking his wrist again, pulling his hand to his mouth.
"Yin... You taste... Hah..." Vao's breath was growing heavier, leaning closer to his face. Yin could smell death on Vao's breath - the stench of rotting scraps of meat stuck between his teeth from his last meal. "You taste so good..."
Yin could feel the buildup of sweat on the back of his neck, the droplets as cold as ice. Vao glanced over his shoulder, his smile faltering.
"... Okay..."
Yin felt relief fill his body when Vao took his cold hands away, standing back up straight. He didn't even look at the hero. "... I'm... Going for a walk, Yin," he whispered softly. "... Don't follow me... Or I might..."
He trailed off. He didn't need to finish his sentence, and he didn't need to explain what he was about to do. Yin just closed his eyes, feeling the hot tears run down his cheeks. A hard lump had grown in his throat; the only thing he could do was just nod.
Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.
The sound of Vao's footsteps faded away as he left Yin, leaving the Hero of Light all alone in the ruins of his childhood home. Shakily, he put his head in his hands.
Clenching his teeth, he swore it. That when he got his hands around Salem's neck, he'd make her pay hell.
...
The party moved through the mountains, assuming their original formation. Salem still had a limp in her step that caused concern, but no one said anything. At least she could walk.
"... Where is your sword?" Oswald asked out of the blue.
"Huh? It's right..." Salem's voice trailed off when she patted her sheath. Her sword was missing. She never picked it back up. "... I lost it."
"Lovely. Just lovely," Oswald muttered.
Yin kicked a stone across the road, looking up when it hit someone's foot. Vao's foot, to be exact. The thief had retreated back to them, his typical dumb grin on his face.
"Oh. Is there a monster ahead?" The cleric asked worriedly.
"No."
"Some manner of obstacle, like debris?"
"No."
"Then why are you here?"
Vao pointed ahead. "We've reached the end of the road. The beach is just around this bend."
"Beach... Vao, what?"
The thief put his hands on his hips, lips curling into a sly smirk. "Isn't that wot a desert is? Just one big beach?"
Yin shook his head. "There's no water in the desert. A body of water is required for it to be a beach."
"Okay, okay. Don't need to be a beach about it- OW!" Vao was interrupted when Yin clobbered him over the head with his staff, his face red with fury. "You set me up, you little rat!"
Spak.
Yin winced when Salem gave him a bop on the back of the head to get his attention. Everyone was already leaving without them. Together, the three jogged to catch up with the others, and as they rounded the corner they were met with a sight that wasn't the monotonous greys and blues of the mountains.
As far as the eye could see there was nothing but sand. A vast expanse of emptiness, with nothing but a few cacti and dead shrubs acting as the only vegetation. With excitement beginning to flow through their bodies, the adventurers started making their way down the mountain, closer to the Sea of Sand. And with each step, they noticed the temperature rising. And when they finally reached the bottom, they stopped to catch their breath.
"... You know," Sasha began. "It's hot out, but... It isn't as bad as I thought it would be."
"I concur," Verde agreed.
Oswald turned his head to the sky, turning back to the mountains where the sun had hid itself behind. "... Because the sun is setting. Had it been the middle of the day, it would have been hotter."
"If the sun is setting, then..." Yin trailed off, Oswald nodding to confirm his worries.
"That's right. It's going to get cold. We'll start making our way through the desert, but pick up anything that can be burned on your way. A campfire is going to be essential for our survival."
Everyone agreed. Turning back to the seemingly endless desert, they gulped, and set their feet into the sand.
It wasn't until they had walked a mile that Vao, who had been tasked with carrying their supplies, scratched his head thoughtfully. Sasha touched his shoulder gently. "Something wrong?"
Vao shook his head. "... Nah, I just feel like I forgot something really important in Ragna..."
"Was it paying your child support to that dwarf?" Yin growled. Oswald began violently choking on his hot chocolate, Salem turning her head and hiding her smile. Verde looked like she was about to have a breakdown. Vao shook his head "No-"
He stopped, the pieces clicking together. He forgot to bring food. Yin stopped smirking. "... Dude?"
"N-nyaha! It's nothing! I-I'm just wondering if I brought enough alcohol... Y-yeah..."
Yin groaned. "Stupid drunk..."
Vao felt relieved when everyone else seemed to buy it. But now he had a bigger problem - actually finding something to eat. Eventually, they'd realize he didn't bring anything, and they'd get furious. Nervously, he looked up at Sasha.
"Can you eat a cactus?"
The giant furrowed her brow. "... Are you... Trying to threaten me or something?"
"No, mate. Can you eat a cactus? Like, if you're hungry?"
"Only certain ones," Verde answered. "The ones you can eat are flat, or have fruit growing on them. I see no such cacti nearby. I only see harmful ones."
Oswald chipped in. "Why do you ask?"
Vao coughed. "Just a bit hungry. Didn't want to waste the f-food... How about sand?"
"Sand is..." Verde trailed off, squinting at him. "... Is something the matter? Are you feeling sick? What would possess you to ask such an obviously inane question? You're coughing and sweating, too..."
"Y-yeah... Not feeling great," Vao replied quietly. At least that was the truth. He really didn't feel great.
Sometimes, he really despised just how much of an idiot he was.
...
The campfire crackled gently in the night air, the adventurers huddled close to the flame for warmth. Just as expected, it had grown cold. But nothing could have prepared them for this level.
"Do we have an extra blanket?"
Salem spoke with chattering teeth. Sasha shook her head. "I only brought enough for everyone to have one... Sorry..."
"It's okay..."
Yin sighed, glaring at the elf. "You really are useless, aren't you?"
"... 'Scuse me?"
"Give the princess your blanket. You can freeze to death."
Sasha growled, but Oswald placed his hand on her shoulder and shook his head. The tall elf groaned, deciding he was right. Yin really wasn't worth it. Instead, she nudged Verde. "You cold?"
The witch shivered. "Please don't rob me of my blanket. I'm small, I get cold easily."
"What? No, huddle close to Vao. Now's your chance! And besides, he's been looking down for the past few hours. I bet he could use a little company."
Verde looked over to Vao. It was true he looked nervous about something. But with a heavy sigh she shook her head. "I... Am not sure that is a good idea right now, Sasha."
"Huh? Why?"
"... We had an argument. I do not wish to discuss it any further."
Oswald leaned back on his hands, looking at Vao. "Can you pass me something small? I'm getting hungry."
Vao nearly jumped out of his skin, almost dropping his flask. "Ueh!? U-um! Wouldn't it be better to ration our food? We ate before we left Ragna."
"Yes, but that was this morni- are you okay?"
Vao nodded. "Peachy! And at least we ate today! If we're going through the desert, it would be best to save as much food as we can!"
Yin looked up curiously, somewhat amazed. "That... That's actually a really smart idea... Wow..."
Vao snickered half-heartedly, staring at his drink. Salem raised a brow. It wasn't typical for Vao to look so downtrodden without a reason. But after what happened earlier that day, she wasn't very eager to pressure him again.
Oswald sighed, dragging the sand around him to form a pillow. "Well, I'm off to sleep. Goodnight, everyone."
"You're sleeping in your armor?" Yin inquired. Oswald nodded. "Yes. It is deathly cold, after all. My armor helps keep me warm." Sasha hummed in agreement.
"Yeah, what Oswald said. Back home in Aldia, our armor is lined with fur on the inside for added warmth, like mine. I'll have to take it off tomorrow."
"Aldia?" Salem asked curiously.
"Yeah, I mentioned I was from there," Sasha replied. Oswald sighed.
"Forgive her, she's retarded."
Salem gasped angrily, and Yin looked like he was about to fly into a fit. Verde interrupted, diffusing the situation before it could escalate any further. "Aldia is a city built by the elves. It lies far to the north, and is blanketed in snow. Most elves that you see walking around cities are usually from Aldia, or have familial roots there. There are other cities built by the elves in the north, but Aldia is the most well-known one, and has the most elven adventurers while the others have little to none."
"Oh."
Oswald, deciding he didn't have to explain anything, rolled over and went to sleep. Yin crossed his arms, laying on his back. "Verde, Sasha, if you two dirty heretics so much as breathe on me in my sleep, I'm going put cactus needles in your shoes."
Verde removed her hat as she laid down on her side, setting it next to her. "Oh, do not worry about that Yin. I doubt you have ever felt the touch of a woman, or will ever feel one."
Oswald died where he was, Sasha bursting into tears. Salem was failing miserably at hiding her laugh, and Vao just straight up pointed at Yin and laughed in his face. The cleric was furious.
"Y-you nasty whore!"
"Goodnight, everyone." With that, Verde rolled over. Yin had to resist the urge to kick the hell out of her - he'd have to wait until Vao wasn't looking. Or anyone, for that matter, but Vao was the only one Yin was completely certain would punch him. Instead, the pissed off blonde rolled over, closing his eyes and scowling in his sleep. Sasha stretched her arms.
"Yeah. Me too. Night."
She put her helmet on before lying down, and soon the air was filled with the sounds of sleep. Salem stoked the fire before looking at Vao curiously. "... Aren't you going to sleep?"
"... I'm not really tired," Vao answered quietly. Salem set aside the stick and turned to face him.
"... I know you aren't very talkative about how you feel, but what's wrong? Is it about the fight you had with Verde?"
Vao didn't answer for a moment. "That's... Part of it."
"Well, what happened?"
Vao was silent again, and this time he didn't answer at all. Salem leaned forward. "... Vao?"
"I-I..." He finally looked up at her, his eyes filled with worry. "... I think Yin is... Doing something to her. She won't tell me at all... She told me he touched her shoulder, and that was it... But people don't react like that when they're touched, so I asked her if anything happened when she was young..."
Salem already knew what Verde went through. But she couldn't tell Vao that without raising suspicions - and it wasn't her place to say it. That was Verde's business. "... And then what happened?"
Vao looked down at the fire, his eyes distant. "... She yelled at me. Told me to take my nose out of places it doesn't belong."
Salem patted Vao on the shoulder gently, giving it a gentle squeeze. "It'll be okay, Vao. Trust me when I say she cares a lot about you."
"And how would you know?" Vao was looking at her again, the light of suspicion beginning to flicker. Salem couldn't reasonably explain without telling him about the Second Timeline. And if she told him that, he would think she was crazy.
"... I can't tell you. But trust me."
Vao looked away, and then chuckled. "That's... Really dodgy, innit?"
Salem smiled. "I suppose. Now, what was the other thing bothering you?"
Vao froze up, shaking his head quickly. "D-don't worry about it!" He said quickly. He had already begun lying down. "I'm... Off to bed... Goodnight, princess. Thanks for talking to me..."
"Of course. Goodnight, Vao."
Salem waited until she could hear his breath even out, and the soft snores leaving his lips. And when she was sure he was asleep, she looked at Yin, shuffling closer to him. And when her shadow loomed over him, she saw his sleeping face. It was peaceful, relaxed, completely different than when he was awake.
Yin stirred in his sleep when Salem's fingers slowly ran through his hair, the blonde strands sliding across her skin. But he didn't awaken. Salem's thought raced back to when he had saved her, to when he entered her Reality.
He didn't have to do that. He could have killed her and lived on - granted, he didn't have very much to live for with his entire family being murdered and only having one surviving friend. But with that said, he would have been completely justified in killing her. But instead, he dove into her Reality, walked through the confusing, inconsistent halls, and killed the abomination that had taken over her Soul - the thing called Cnimbrerh. And when he killed it, her Soul had been freed, allowing her to return to humanity.
Her lips curled into a soft smirk. She'd see that side of him again, she promised. Whatever the Church was doing, Salem was going to slowly pull him away from that, so he could once again be the person he had been before, without their influence.
The Church. Salem's mind travelled back to the Church, her smirk falling. She knew the Gods liked to take their time, to toy with people. But one thought came up in her head, one thought that she should have realized sooner.
She was no longer under their control. She had been their toy in the First and Second Timelines, being directly responsible for the pain and suffering of the adventurers around her. But now that Yin had purified her Soul, who would do it next? Who would be the toy of the Gods?
It had to do with the Church. There was no other way. Slowly, Salem looked into the sky, staring at the innumerable stars above. She knew the Gods were watching, their twisted forms eager to twist them, break them.
Those twisted, horrifying forms.