Outside the pyramid, Barston's companion continue their fight against the strange snake creatures. Inside, Barston confronts a surprising old nemesis.
No more random cards. This is all the pay-off of all the banked things plus years of solo play weirdness.
As Barston walks towards the box, Ikbar shouts and points up to the ceiling. Barston, looking up sees the large metal...spider? In something like the exact opposite of the drawing outside, a childhood take on a pyramid by a kid who has never seen one, this is less a spider and more an architectural design. Though it moves, and though it has a large red eye in its center, its eight legs are more like structures as it rotates to keep that eye on him.
Barston ignores it, and steps once more towards the box.
Outside...
One round until MEDIUM Rebuilds so Derron is going to run over to help F.
- D + F vs SMALL: 4+1+12 [17] and 8+9 [17] vs 7+5 [12]. Derron does 5 stamina (1 armor) and Faruin does 3 stamina (2 armor). That's 5 total. I forget how many it had and am too lazy to look it up due to the story beat, so we'll say it is destroyed.
- N + C vs BIG: 7+10+1 [18] and 4+9+1 [14] vs 8+10 [18] vs N. A tie.
"Look!," Derron shouts to Faruin. "This one is also being redrawn."
"What do we do?!"
"Keep giving Barston some time!"
Inside...
As Barston puts his hand on the box and feels the odd texture, not so unlike a thick page of a book, a voice speaks behind him. The old man that met Barston and Derron in a tavern in south Phillia several months ago. The one who told him there was a box that he should fine.
Barston turns to face the voice and another confusing sight is in store. The man, in that sea-side tavern, had looked like any passing wizard or scholar. Robes. Pipe. Old face. Here the man is dressed in strange clothing. No robe. Some sort of shirt and trousers and odd looking shoes. Less elderly. Middle-aged. Balding. Fat.
"You found it. Of course you would. It's how the story was written..."
Outside...
One round until SMALL rejoins. Medium is now fighting D and F.
- N+C vs BIG: 3+10+1 [14] and 5+9+1 [15] vs 6+10 [16] against Nadya. Using small bite. It does 2 stamina versus her dodge of 0. She takes 2 more damage from the bite.
- D+F vs MEDIUM: 9+12+1 [22] and 6+9+1 [16] vs 8+8 [16]. vs Faruin. A tie on its part. Derron does 5+1 [4 stamina] for a Powerful Blow (x2) vs 1 armor. It takes 5.
Inside...
"I've had an eye on you for some time. Couldn't get you out of my head."
Barston has no response to the old man's ramblings. Well, not old. Only maybe a decade older than himself. Instead, he asks the only question he can think to ask, knowing his friends continue the fight outside.
"Do I just, open it?"
"Oh, of course! I should have known it would be you. Once SENNAS took an interest in you, once you failed to live up to expectations but became something more. Who else could it be?"
Barston feels the way the fat man says "Sennas" is significant but does not dwell on it. He turns back to the box.
Outside...
Small is back. Sort of back to the OG configuration, then.
- D + F vs Small + Medium: 10+12 vs Medium's 8+8. Powerful blow. 2+1 [3 stam *2] - 5 [2 armor]. 4 more damage done. 7+9 [16] vs 5+7 [12]. She does 2 stamina vs its 1 armor. 1 gets through.
- N + C vs Big: 7+10+1 [18] and 5+9+1 [15] vs 9+10 [19]. This time it hits Chongly with small bite for 3 stamina against Chongly natural armor of 0.
Inside...
Opening the box, he finds two things inside. A set of paintbrushes unlike any of the wood and horsehair brushes he has ever seen. These are made of a new material. Sleek. Precise. Well-used but also well cared for...
And on them, is a note. He picks it up and reads it. He gasps and turns to face the man but the spider king's eye has gone dull and the man is gone.
Outside...
- D vs Medium: 10+12 [22] vs 5+8 [13]. 2+1 [3 stamina x2] - 2 armor. Four more get through. It is nearly destroyed a second time.
- F vs Small: 11+9 [20] vs 7+7 [15]. Powerful blow. 3 stamina x2 vs 1 armor. It is also nearly destroyed.
- N+C vs Big: CRITICAL [23] 8+9+1 [18] vs CRITICAL. Hahha. Its is against her. Her crit wins but the effect cancels out. She still does two hits for 3 and 2 stamina. The first is blocked by 0 points. Second by 1. 4 points remain.
Inside...
Barston, gripping the note hard enough to make his knuckles white, reaches into the box and pulls out paint brushes. He then turns and walks to the door and a second later steps...
Outside...
As Derron, Faruin, Nadya, and Chongly continue to fight the trio of strange snake-like drawings, Barston is now among them.
With a single flick of his wrist, he puts the paintbrushes into his satchel.
And like that, the drawing is gone. The golden pyramid. The snakes.
It is simply another sunny day on the Yeulse fields.
Derron, spotting his best-friend, runs over and stops at the look on Barston's face.
"Bar?..."
Barston hands him a note and Derron reads it and then looks up in confusion.
As the others join, trying to figure what is happening, Derron holds up the note for them all to read.
"These are my personal favorites. You know where the door must be painted. It surprised me when she died, as well. I wish you luck, my dear little glitch. May SENNAS guide you, true."
And the note is signed, MALAKAR BRITE.
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