You wake up slowly, feeling disoriented. Surrounding you is a dark forest. The trees look barren and dead, as if the life had been sucked right out of them. There are strangely shaped crystals pointing out of the ground and covering the foliage, yet they are just as dark and gray as the trees. Even the air is stiff and stale; your breath is labored and coarse. You note there is a sharp pain in your chest, though from what you do not know.
[[Continue...]]You do not recognize anything around yourself. In fact, you can remember absolutely nothing about your life or how you managed to wake up here; your mind is completely blank. Looking down at yourself, you note that your body is made entirely from clay.
For some unknown reason, you feel as if this isn’t the body you should remember. You have the awful feeling that you are wearing someone else's skin.
[[Stand up]]As you move to stand, a rustling nearby startles you. You jump up, frightened of what could be making the noise.
[[Investigate?]]
[[Wait]]You push aside the brush, revealing a rabbit with a heart-shaped crystal embedded in its chest. The creature seems to be friendly, startled at the sudden entrance of another being, but otherwise making no indication it will attack.
[[...->pause (...)]]You wait, frightened of the perpetrator of the noise. After a few minutes of waiting, a rabbit with a heart-shaped crystal embedded in its chest walks out from under the brush. The creature is startled by your appearance, but makes no move to attack.
[[...->pause (...)]]The creature smiles at you; it’s expression holds no malice, only curiosity. It greets you warmly and asks for your name.
[[Respond that you don’t know]]The creature is confused by your response. You elaborate by saying you have no memories of yourself, not even your name. “What a tragedy!” the creature responds.
[[Ask where you are]]You ask the strange creature where you are. The creature thinks for a moment before responding. “We are in the land of Memorium,” it begins. “It is a wondrous world of magic. I should bring you back to the village! Our great elder may be able help you reclaim your lost memories.”
[[Agree]]
[[Disagree]]You slowly nod, agreeing to follow the creature. Without any knowledge of this strange land, you determine that this creature can serve as a guide to you. However, you remain on guard, unaware if the rabbit intends to harm you later.
The creature seems to sense your wariness. “I can ‘read’ your heart,” it begins. “I know you are incredibly confused and scared right now. I promise I will do you no harm; I just want to help a lost traveler!”
[[Inquire about the creature]]You shake you head, refusing the creature’s offer. Without any memories of this land, you are wary to trust someone so willingly, no matter how good natured they seem to appear on the surface.
The creature visibly deflates. “I’m sorry if I came off too strong,” it begins to say. “It’s just been such a long time since I’ve met anyone new.”
[[Ask how you can trust it]]
As you begin following the creature through the decaying forest, you ask the creature about itself, inquiring about its name and the village it speaks so highly of. The creature responds enthusiastically, “My name is Olga! My village serves as a refuge for wayward travelers like yourself. Our great elder protects us, yet recently a terrible Whirlwind has begun to ravage these lands.”
[[“Whirlwind?”]]
You ask how you can trust it, especially since you are in such a vulnerable state without your memories. The creature considers your question for a moment. Suddenly, a grin breaks out on his face.
“I know! I can offer you a protection enchantment” it cries in excitement. It begins to chant under its breath. You don’t understand any of the words it is saying, but begin to feel a warm glow surrounding you, making you feel stronger and more alert.
[[Ask what the creature just did]]
You ask what just happened as the glows fades from around you. The feeling of strength; however, does not.
“It’s called a protection enchantment! With this, I promise not to harm you and offer you a bit of my strength,” it responds.
You are confused why the creature trusts you so easily. You ask this question and it just laughs.
“I can ‘read’ your heart,” it says. “I see that your intentions are pure and that you are incredibly confused and scared right now. I figure it would be very rude to refuse to help a lost stranger!”
You smile to the response and agree to follow it to its village.
[[Inquire about the creature]]
“Whirlwind?” you ask, curiously.
“Oh right! You must not remember,” Olga responds. “The Whirlwind is a greedy creature, sweeping up our possessions, scaring travelers from our lands, and consuming massive amounts of magical energy! Our village used to be a center of knowledge and magic, constantly sharing and learning from the many travelers that passed through. We thrived on the magical energy and excitement! Yet ever since he appeared, our village has grown barren and dark. I fear that if his rampage continues, our village will cease to exist.”
[[Magical energy?]]
“Magical energy?,” you ask.
“Us creatures rely on magical energy, did you forget that too? Magical energy is what powers our spells and enchantments. But more importantly, we need this energy or else we’ll wither and die like the forest here! The Whirlwind has been feeding on the energy surrounding our village, draining the life right out of my people. And travelers are afraid of him, refusing to share their magic with us to try and send him away or even just to revitalize the village. I was actually going for help when I ran into you!” Olga explains.
[[Keep listening]]
Olga continues, “Each creature in this land has their own magical imprint, as we call it. When travelers visit our village, they share this magical energy with us. That’s how our small village has managed to survive for so long, we used to tend to get a lot of travelers through this forest!”
“I’m sure you noticed the forest is dying. It used to be a beautiful place, filled with color and teeming with life! The Whirlwind is the cause of this horrible decay. Our elder has tried to dispel him from our lands, but even with his great power, he is unable to protect the village and fight at the same time.”
[[Look around]]
As you listen to Olga continue to talk excitedly about her village, you begin to notice the forest around you has grown a little more colorful. The trees look more alive, with more color and leaves hanging from their branches. Yet, the air still feels tense; it is clear the forest is dying.
[[Continue walking]]
You approach the small vole polishing the crystals dejectedly. When you are a few steps from the creature, he turns around, startled by the sudden noise. He takes in your clay body for a second, his eyes darting around in fear. You ask if he has seen Olga.
“Olga?” he repeats. “What could you want with her?”
You explain that Olga is leading you to the village to speak to the Elder because you have lost all memories of your past life.
The vole looks at you, sadness in his eyes. “Oh I see. That is most unfortunate. I’m sorry I have not seen her. I wish I could be of more assistance, but all I can do is polish these crystals here.”
[[Ask about him]]
You ask the vole for his name and why he polishes the crystals.
“Oh I see, I never introduced myself, my apologies. My name is Dimitri, and it's my sworn duty to take care of these crystals here. The elder tells me I don’t need to polish them anymore, since they’re missing their beautiful glow. But I do it because it makes me feel useful. I can’t stand just sitting in the village, watching everything and everyone I love wither and die because of the Whirlwind. But I don’t have the magic to stop him. All I can do is polish these here crystals.”
He turns, dismally, back towards his work.
[[Walk on]]
“But I’m sorry,” Olga cries suddenly. “It’s not fair to dump all of these troubles onto you. I know you’re already confused enough as it is. The elder should be able to guide you.”
You want to say something to Olga, to offer whatever aid you can in easing their plight. Before you can, though, she cries out in joy, “Ah look! The village is right ahead!”
Olga bounces off in excitement.
[[Follow after her]]
You rush to keep up with Olga as she bounces into the village. The path opens into a slight clearing in the forest, with settlements built into the surrounding trees. Here, the trees are similar to those outside the village, not quite alive yet not completely dead and barren. You notice a variety of creatures peeking out from their homes or talking among themselves. In the center of the clearing is a small pond, surrounded by dying vines, with a stack of rocks behind it. You can sense the pond is slightly humming, which you assume to be magical energy. Everything around you is colored with a hint of gray.
You notice Olga bounces right up to an old goat, standing right in front of the pond.
[[Approach the pair]]
Olga seems to have explained your situation to the old goat, who you presume to be the village elder. He stands towering above you, holding a long scepter as a walking stick. The goat has an extremely long beard, dragging along the ground in front of him. Much like the slight hum you feel from the pond, the elder seems to radiate magical energy.
“This is the village elder!” Olga exclaims. “He’s the wisest and most powerful creature in our village. I was just explaining your situation to him.”
[[Turn to the elder]]
You carefully turn to face the elder. He stares straight at you, his piercing old gaze seemingly looking beyond your clay body. He hums under his breath before speaking, “My dear Olga has told me about the predicament you are in, my friend. Yet, seeing you here before me, I can clearly see one thing. You are not of this world.”
[[Ask what he means]]
Taken aback, you ask what he could mean. If you are not of this world, then how did you wake up in that forest?
“Are you familiar with the concept of magical energy?” the elder asks.
[[Respond yes]]
[[Respond no]]
You say yes, reiterating to him what Olga explained in the forest. He nods with a slight grin on his face.
“Ah, of course. Olga is such an excitable creature, I’m sure she talked the entire journey to the village. I would expect no less from my most hard-working pupil,” the old goat says with a chuckle.
“Hey!” Olga cries. “I was just trying to make them feel welcome!”
“Of course,” the elder responds. “You have a kind heart, Olga. I would never fault you for that.”
[[Continue listening]]
You shake your head, saying that Olga tried to explain the concept in the forest, but you didn’t understand it.
The elder chuckles, “I hardly expect that without any memories. Even if you were of this world, you would not understand it without explanation. Magical energy surrounds us. It is the lifeblood of the people of this world. We use it not only to draw power and cast our spells and enchantments, but to also just simply survive.”
[[Continue listening]]
The point that I would like to get at here is that every creature in our world has their own imprint of this magical energy, which grows with our interactions and thrives off the energy of the land. Yet, I sense none of this magical energy from you. It is a most peculiar situation. Wherever you originate from must be vastly different than the structure of our world.”
You stare at the elder. “If I don’t have this magical imprint, how can I survive in this world?” you ask.
“There is a strange energy surrounding you, my friend. I am unaware of its origin or its purpose, but it seems to ensure that you remain in this clay body of yours.”
[[Ask if he can send you back]]
You question if he can send you back.
“My apologies,” he begins. “But I am afraid I lack the power to do so.”
“Wait Elder!,” Olga interrupts. “You are the strongest magic user in this village. Travelers rever you for your abilities. Why can’t you send him back?”
The elder speaks carefully, “I am afraid I do not have the power with the Whirlwind draining the energy from this land. It is taking everything I have just to keep our village from absolute destruction. Even if I did have more power, though, the magic surrounding this stranger would make it impossible unless he first regained his memories.”
He continues, “The magic that surrounds you is unlike any I have ever felt before. Without understanding it, I would risk putting you and, above all else, my people in danger. I’m sorry but there is nothing I can do.”
[[....]]
“So there’s nothing we can do?” Olga exclaims, visibly distraught. Silence fills the air. On the verge of tears, Olga bounces away, rushing into the forest past the village.
You are confused. You had only know Olga for less than a few hours, at most. Why would Olga look so disheartened by the elder’s news?
“She has a kind heart,” the elder states, as if reading your thoughts. “Ever since she stumbled into this village as a child, she has always fought to better the lives of those around her. In time, with more guidance and training, I had hoped she would succeed me as Elder of this village.”
He looks straight at you, “She can’t help but want to aid those in need. I’m truly sorry there is nothing I can do for you.”
[[Thank the elder for his effort]]
You thank the elder for his guidance. He laughs, “There is no reason you should thank me. Even though I cannot aid in recovering your memories, you are welcome to stay in the village for as long you would like.”
He points to a small cottage on the outskirts of the village, saying, “That is our village inn. There you may rest for as long as you need, the innkeeper will ensure you are settled. I will be retiring for the night, but do not hesitate to ask me if you need anything. I will try to guide you as best I can.”
The elder walks off, heading towards a hut in the center of the village.
[[Rest?]]
[[Interact with villagers]]
You walk towards the inn. Upon entering the establishment, you are greeted by a small badger.
“Ah, a traveler!” she states. “Haven’t had anyone visit these parts since before that beast of a Whirlwind showed up. Let me get a room situated for ya!”
She scurries off up the small staircase in the corner of the building. After a few minutes, she appears at the top. “Alright, I’ve got a room all nice and cleaned for ya! Come on up!”
[[Go up the stairs]]
You notice there are not a lot of villagers outside. To the left, there are two frogs, discussing something passionately and animatedly. Right in front of you, across the pond in the center, stands a lone amorphous ghost, guarding a particularly large tree immediately outside of the village proper. Farther to the right, a fox is curled up by a small orb of light, looking directly at you.
Where do you want to go?
[[Left?]]
[[Straight?]]
[[Right?]]
You head up the stairs; they creak dangerously with each step.
“Sorry about those stairs there,” the badger says. “The wood has been weakening ever since the Whirlwind showed up and started draining all the energy from the land. But we make do with what we got, don’t we?”
You nod as she shows you to the room. It’s a small little alcove with a small bed in the corner.
“I figured you wouldn’t need a lot of space. If there’s anything else you need, just holler down the stairs, alright?” She smiles at you before leaving the room.
[[Go to sleep]]You walk towards the bed, exhausted from the day’s activities.
You lay down, falling immediately into a dreamless slumber.
[[Next day]]As you slowly awaken from your rest, you feel less disoriented than when you woke up in the forest. You look down and still notice your clay body. You still remember nothing about your life in the “other world” that the elder said you were from. You wonder if you’ll ever be able to return.
You slowly get up and walk down the staircase. The badger from yesterday is nowhere in sight, so you decide to just leave the inn.
You step out into the dying, gray village.
[[Interact with villagers]]
As you begin walking towards the two frogs, you notice they seem to be in a heated argument.
“No! The only way to kill the Whirlwind would be to cut off its head with a mighty blow. You can’t just scare him away,” the first frog states dramatically.
“But who here has the strength to kill such a mighty beast?” the other responds. “I don’t see any traveling warriors willing to make battle with him!”
You walk up to the pair curiously. As you try to speak, your voice is drowned out by their argument. They seem not to notice your presence at all. It’s futile to try and interact with them.
Out of the corner of your eye, you see Olga sitting by the pond. You feel like you should talk to all of the villagers here before talking to her.
[[Interact with villagers]]
[[Talk to Olga]]
You walk around the pond towards the apparition, who seems to be guarding a large tree in the forest very closely. As you approach, the ghost tries to scare you, flying right up to your clay face with a scream. You are slightly startled, but otherwise remain calm
“Oh no,” the ghost moans. “This clay doll isn’t scared of me!” The ghost rushes back to the large tree, hiding in what seems to be it’s hollow inside. You continue your approach until you stand right in front of the tree.
“What can you tell me about the Whirlwind?” you ask kindly, hoping not to scare the apparition any more than you already have.
“The Whirlwind!” it exclaims. “I don’t know anything about that beast.” The ghost refuses to look out from its hiding place. “All I know is that he’s hurting my tree! If I wasn’t so shy, I think I would like to ask that he stop consuming our energy and killing our village. But that sounds too scary.”
The ghost vanishes completely, ending your conversation. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Olga sitting by the pond. You feel like you should talk to all of the villagers here before talking to her.
[[Interact with villagers]]
[[Talk to Olga]]
Meeting the direct eye contact of the fox to your right, you approach him carefully. Once you get close enough to hear him, he smiles.
“Ah it’s been such a long time since we’ve had any strange faces here. I’ve long run out of people to tease,” he says with a sly grin.
You ask what he knows about the Whirlwind. His grin slowly disappears.
“That foul beast is the reason I have no more gullible travelers to torment. If I were to fighting it, I would trick it into the Bottomless Gorge on the south side of the forest. Once he falls in there, he would never get out. Alas, I have not the energy to pull off such a trick, what a shame.”
With the conversation seemingly over, you turn. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Olga sitting by the pond. You feel like you should talk to all of the villagers here before talking to her.
[[Interact with villagers]]
[[Talk to Olga]]
As you approach Olga, you watch as she observes the village, clearly devastated with the dying forest surrounding her home. With the rate of the decay, you understand that the creatures are only surviving on borrowed time. Once the elder could no longer harness any magical energy and protect the village, everyone here would perish.
You come to the decision that you want to drive the Whirlwind out of this village. You rationalize that there must be some reason that you ended up in that forest, without any memories. There are no leads for you to follow to reclaim your old life, but the path in front of you is clear.
You stop next to Olga. She looks up at you with determination in her eyes.
“I can’t keep sitting here doing nothing,” she starts. “I’m going to stop the Whirlwind. It would be unfair of me to ask you to join me in such a dangerous quest. I’m sorry that I couldn’t help you reclaim your memories, but I give you my best wishes in your hunt for them.”
[[Tell her you want to go with her]]
Before she can continue, you announce that you intend to fight the Whirlwind with her. She stares at you, shocked, but notes the conviction in your eyes.
“But why?” Olga asks. “You are a stranger here. Y-you have to find your memories!”
You explain that you have no leads on reclaiming your memories, but that you want to save this village. You say that it feels right; you wouldn’t be able to live with yourself if you did nothing to aid in their plight.
With tears in her eyes, Olga states, “I knew from the first time I met you that you had a kind heart. Thank you.”
[[Ask about her plan]]
“How do you intend to find the Whirlwind?” you ask.
“I’ve been tracking the Whirlwind’s appearances since he arrived in our lands. He always appears every three days on the south side of the forest, rampaging and draining the energy from our land before disappearing just as fast. He should appear tomorrow,” she states. “However, my enchantments can only go so far. I have no idea how to drive him out of our lands.”
You think about the information you collected from the villagers about the Whirlwind. You tell Olga that if she can get you to the Whirlwind, you will take care of the rest. She looks confused, but quickly brightens.
“Alright! I trust you. I feel like fate brought us together, Glina!”
[[Glina?]]
“Glina?” you ask her.
“Oh sorry!” she says. “I figured because you don’t remember your name, I thought it would be fitting to call you glina, since it means ‘clay’ you know?”
You smile, feeling overwhelmed with joy. Although you had not known Olga for very long, you could tell this was the blossoming of a wonderful friendship. You wonder if you had such a true friend in whatever life you led in the “other world.”
[[Leave the village]]
You and Olga, now set on turning back the Whirlwind, decide to leave the village now, in order to prepare for his arrival tomorrow.
As you walk, Olga describes how beautiful the village used to look. She excitedly talks on and on about the rainbow of colors and the overflowing energy that vitalized the creatures. You enjoy her ramblings, excited to see it for yourself after you complete this quest.
Within a matter of hours, though it only feels like minutes, you reach the edge of the forest, which opens into a blackened field, devoid of all energy and life.
[[Ask what happened here]]
Staring at the blackened field, you can tell the damage is hardly natural. You turn to Olga, asking what happened here.
“The Whirlwind,” she says, anger in her voice. “All he does is consume and destroy. This was once a beautiful, thriving forest but this is the result of his greed. If we don’t stop him here, my village will decay into this blackened field.”
You nod, knowing there is nothing more to say. Only driving back the Whirlwind could ease the pain that Olga feels.
[[Prepare for arrival]]
Olga walks forward into the blackened field. The heart-shaped crystal embedded in her chest begins to glow a slight pink color, and she begins chanting. You cannot understand any of the words she says, but you do note that she seems to repeat a similar combination of phrases three times.
Pink color floods your vision and then fades as quickly as it appeared.
“That was an enchantment,” Olga explains. “When the Whirlwind appears tomorrow, my spell will prevent it from immediately escaping back into the sky. I won’t hold for long though, the beast is significantly stronger than I, much more since he has consumed all of the land’s energy.”
[[Suggest rest for tomorrow]]
You decide that it would be wise to rest for the confrontation tomorrow. Olga agrees wholeheartedly. She says in the morning she will cast another enchantment, one to strengthen you in your fight against the beast.
As you both lay down to rest on the blackened earth, your mind spins with the choice you must make.
Should you slay the Whirlwind, as the frogs discussed?
Should you try to reason with the creature, as the ghost wanted?
Should you trick the beast into falling into the Bottomless Gorge, as the fox would?
Heavy hearted, you fall into a restless slumber, unsure of your intended course of action.
[[Next morning]]
You wake up slowly, feeling as if a warm, comforting wave is washing over you. As your eyes open, you become aware of the pink glow surrounding you and find Olga casting another enchantment.
When the glow fades, she says, “There. I’ve casted both a protection spell and a strength enchantment on you. I predict that the Whirlwind should arrive within the hour.”
You can already feel the effects of the magic coursing through your clay body, as if you could traverse this entire blackened field without exerting the slightest effort.
Olga opens her mouth, seemingly to ask you a question (mostly likely about your plan), but before the words can leave her mouth, the sky darkens and a roaring sound fills the air.
As you look up, you see a massive twister of wind surrounding a humanoid looking figure. The Whirlwind has arrived.
[[Prepare to fight]]
You and Olga both leap to your feet. The pink glow of her chest crystal begins to faintly glow as she prepares her magic.
“I’m activating my enchantment to prevent him from escaping!” she yells over the roaring sound of the wind. “You’ll be blinded by the light from its activation! When your sight returns, that’s your chance to bring him down!”
You nod, ready to face the creature in front of you. Olga activates her enchantment and your sight is blinded by the familiar pink glow. After a moment your sight returns, the Whirlwind roaring in rage.
You now face the choice from the night before:
[[Kill?]]
[[Persuade?]]
[[Trick?]]
You have decided to kill the Whirlwind, believing it to be the most effective way to protect the innocent villagers from its unquenchable greed. In front of you lies a blackened tree branch; you grab it to find it remains a sturdy weapon.
“Olga!” you shout. “Enchant this here branch! Give it the strength to end this beast once and for all!”
Olga nods and the branch is surrounded by her pink glow. You raise the branch, charging straight for the Whirlwind. You dodge his blows with the strength and protection given to you by Olga’s magic. With a mighty swing, the branch in your hand is as effective as any sword, cutting the head clean off the foul creature.
As the intense wind settles around you, you notice that a small object was dropped, glinting in the sunlight.
[[Examine it]]
Standing your ground with the torrent of wind circling around you, you call out to the Whirlwind.
“Oh mighty Whirlwind,” you shout over the noise. “Why do you waste such precious time insulting your great name?”
The beast looks straight at you upon your call. In a raspy voice, he asks, “What trickery lies in your words, clay doll?”
“None,” you state. “Only that I expected more from the great Whirlwind, of whom I’ve heard such magnificent tales. Why do you lower yourself to such a level, that you must torment such an insignificant little forest? You insult your name.”
“This forest is rich in energy! I want to consume all the energy in the world! How is that an insult to my name, do tell.” he cries with a laugh.
“Can you not see? The forest has no energy left to bare for you. You only foolishly waste your time feeding on scraps. Such a powerful creature like yourself would never lower themselves to feed on scraps.”
The Whirlwind considers your words carefully for a moment. “It is true, the energy from the forest here has been considerably less delicious upon my last few visits. Why do I waste such time here?”
And without another word, the Whirlwind vanishes in a huff, only leaving behind what appears to be a small ring.
[[Inspect the ring]]
You decide to take the advice given to you by the fox in the village. Scanning the ground, you search for the “Bottomless Gorge” he spoke. Off in the distance, in the right side of your view, you notice the beginnings of a deep pit. There!
“Olga!” you shout over the wind and meet her gaze. You point to the gorge in the distance. “Can you conceal it from his view?” you ask.
Understanding your plan, she nods enthusiastically. The familiar pink glow of her enchantment surrounds the Whirlwind, making him think that the gorge in the distance looks just like the rest of the blackened field.
With the enchantment in effect, you taunt the Whirlwind, shouting, “You are so much weaker in person than I expected! I bet I could outrun you without even the slightest effort!” You begin to run in the direction of the gorge, racing with the aid of Olga’s enchantments.
The Whirlwind, angered by your insults, seems to accept the challenge, barrelling after you at his highest speed. The chase continues all the way to the edge of the gorge, where you stop to further taunt the beast.
“You’re even slower than I thought, you ugly beast!” you shout with glee. With an angered snarl, the Whirlwind charges right towards you, and the gorge immediately behind you. At the last second, you leap to the right, dodging what would have been a fatal blow. The Whirlwind falls into the gorge, seemingly being sucked in by some sort of magical force. As he attempts to fight his imprisonment, a single ring flies through the air and lands at your feet.
[[Pick it up]]
Upon closer inspection, the object turns out to be three interlocking rings, made respectively from gold, silver, and copper each.
Out of curiosity, you grab the ring.
Suddenly, everything arounds you fades to black.
[[Continue]]
You open your eyes, feeling disoriented. As you look down at your appearance, you note the lack of clay, instead replaced by human flesh. You feel at home in this skin.
You hear a shout and have the vague sense that someone is calling your name; however, you are unable to make out what your name actually is. You are greeted by the presence of another human with rich chocolate skin and lustrous, thick hair that frames her face perfectly. She wears a set of beautiful, shining armor, with a broadsword swinging by her side.
You meet her eyes, enthralled by warm orbs of brown that stare back at you. In the sunlight, you can make out hints of golden specks dotting her irises.
“Are you just gonna sit there all day?” she remarks, her voice playful and friendly. You assume that this person must be a close friend by the way she greets you.
“Of course not!” you proclaim, without control of your own words. You feel like a bystander in what appears to be your own body, reliving something of which you should be familiar. “I’m just resting a little. I think a little rest is due for us, wouldn’t you agree?” Your body gestures to the field around you. For the first time, you notice the bodies surrounding you. A great battle must have [[occurred->More]].
“Ah yes,” she says with a laugh. “I forgot, O’ Great Warrior. You require, at the very least, five hours of beautyrest. I do apologize for disturbing you.” She marches over next to you, plopping down with a huff. You both then lay down, staring up at the beautiful blue sky overhead.
“It’s quite strange,” she states, interrupting the peace in the air. “It seems only yesterday we were just children, playing each day away, pretending to be magnificent warriors. I always knew you had a gift with the sword, but seeing you today in combat, I almost didn’t recognize you. Who knew my kind-hearted best friend could be such a beast in the battlefield?” She laughs again, but it seems forced, as if she’s burying a deep sadness inside.
“I’m still the same person as before,” you state plainly, turning to look at your friend. “These barbarians slaughtered an entire village of innocent lives; they had to be stopped, before more blood could be spilled on their account.” Silence fills the air for a moment.
You continue quietly, “I mourn the lives that were lost today. I did not wish for this needless violence, but they wouldn’t listen. Why wouldn’t they listen?” Your voice breaks at this final question, tears flowing freely down your face. You can recognize the grief you feel, as if a boulder has made its home on your chest.
Sobbing with you, your friend sits up to embrace you. Together, you mourn the blood spilled today, even if was necessary to prevent further injustice.
“There’s my friend,” she says through her tears, “You were always such a crybaby.”
You manage to say, “I thought it was you who always cried to me.” Together you laugh, still embracing each other fiercely, consoling the grief that fills your hearts. The memory slowly fades[[....->memoery #1 end]].
pon closer inspection, you note that the ring is made of three interlocking circles, one of each of gold, silver, and copper.
You bend down to pick up the curious object.
Suddenly, [[black fills your vision]].
As the memory fades, you are jerked to conscious, immediately seeing Olga hovering over you.
“There you are, Glina!” she cries, embracing you deeply. “You wouldn’t wake up! I had no idea what to do!” You hear the crack in her voice and feel her tears as she sobs onto your clay body. You are overwhelmed with emotion, both from the memory and Olga’s worry, and therefore bury your face into her fur and cry as well.
As both of your emotions settle, you explain the memory you just experienced. The ring from the Whirlwind is still resting in your grip.
“Wait, when you touched the ring, it drew you into a memory?” Olga asks, amazed by the sudden development. You nod, turning the ring over and over in your clay hand. You decide to put the ring on but nothing else happens.
[[Go back to the village]]
…
…
You open your eyes, feeling disoriented. As you look down at your appearance, you note the lack of clay, instead replaced by human flesh. You feel at home in this skin.
You hear a shout and have the vague sense that someone is calling your name; however, you are unable to make out what your name actually is. You are greeted by the presence of another human with rich chocolate skin and lustrous, thick hair that frames her face perfectly. She wears a set of beautiful, shining armor, with a broadsword swinging by her side.
You meet her eyes, enthralled by warm orbs of brown that stare back at you. In the sunlight, you can make out hints of golden specks dotting her irises.
“Are you just gonna sit there all day?” she remarks, her voice playful and friendly. You assume that this person must be a close friend by the way she greets you.
“Of course not!” you proclaim, without control of your own words. You feel like a bystander in what appears to be your own body, reliving something of which you should be familiar. “I’m just resting a little.”
“Ah yes,” she says with a laugh. “I forgot, O’ Great Leader. You require, at the very least, five hours of beautyrest. I do apologize for disturbing you.” She marches over next to you, plopping down with a huff. You both then lay down, staring up at the beautiful blue sky overhead.
[[->]]“I was quite shocked,” she begins carefully. “The way you turned away those barbarians so easily, manipulating them into giving up their raid as if it was there own idea. I almost didn’t recognize you. Who knew my kind-hearted best friend had such a way with words?” She laughs, but it seems forced, as if she’s burying a deep sadness inside.
“I’m still the same person as before,” you state plainly. “Those barbarians slaughtered an innocent village. They had to be stopped before anymore blood could be spilled on their account. We’re fortunate that they were able to fall for my words so easily and avoid senseless violence.”
You continue quietly, “Even if I did turn them away, it doesn’t matter. They’re going to die in the wilderness. If only I could have stopped them sooner. I should have predicted their attack on that village. I could have saved those villagers and those men from themselves. Why did they have to die?” Your voice breaks at this final question, tears flowing freely down your face. You can recognize the grief you feel, as if a boulder has made its home on your chest.
Sobbing with you, your friend sits up to embrace you. Together you mourn the blood spilled, the blood you failed to save in time.
There’s my friend,” she says through her tears, “You were always such a crybaby.”
You manage to say, “I thought it was you who always cried to me.” Together you laugh, still embracing each other fiercely, consoling the grief that fills your hearts. The memory slowly fades....
[[continue->memoery #1 end]]
As you bend down to pick up the ring, you note that it is composed of three interlocking circles, one each of gold, silver, and copper.
The instant that your hand grasps the object, [[the world goes dark]].
…
…
You open your eyes, feeling disoriented. As you look down at your appearance, you note the lack of clay, instead replaced by human flesh. You feel at home in this skin.
You hear a shout and have the vague sense that someone is calling your name; however, you are unable to make out what your name actually is. You are greeted by the presence of another human with rich chocolate skin and lustrous, thick hair that frames her face perfectly. She wears a set of beautiful, shining armor, with a broadsword swinging by her side.
You meet her eyes, enthralled by warm orbs of brown that stare back at you. In the sunlight, you can make out hints of golden specks dotting her irises.
“Are you just gonna sit there all day?” she remarks, her voice playful and friendly. You assume that this person must be a close friend by the way she greets you.
“Of course not!” you proclaim, without control of your own words. You feel like a bystander in what appears to be your own body, reliving something of which you should be familiar. “I’m just resting a little.” You can recall a great battle, where by your trick, the enemy fell into a deep pit, left defenseless to slaughter.
“Ah yes,” she says with a laugh. “I forgot, O’ Great Trickster. You require, at the very least, five hours of beautyrest. I do apologize for disturbing you.” She marches over next to you, plopping down with a huff. You both then lay down, staring up at the beautiful blue sky [[overhead]].
“It’s quite strange,” she states, interrupting the peace in the air. “It seems only yesterday we were just children, playing games and tormenting each other with our tricks. I always knew you had a gift for such trickery, but seeing you today, I almost didn’t recognize you. Who knew my kind-hearted best friend could execute such a flawless ruse?” She laughs again, but it seems forced, as if she’s burying a deep sadness inside.
“I’m still the same person as before,” you state plainly, turning to look at your friend. “Those barbarians slaughtered an entire village of innocent lives; they had to be stopped, before more blood could be spilled on their account.” Silence fills the air for a moment.
You continue quietly, “I mourn the lives that were lost today. I did not wish for this needless slaughter, but they wouldn’t listen. Why wouldn’t they listen?” Your voice breaks at this final question, tears flowing freely down your face. You can recognize the grief you feel, as if a boulder has made its home on your chest.
Sobbing with you, your friend sits up to embrace you. Together, you mourn the blood spilled today, even if was necessary to prevent further injustice.
“There’s my friend,” she says through her tears, “You were always such a crybaby.”
You manage to say, “I thought it was you who always cried to me.” Together you laugh, still embracing each other fiercely, consoling the grief that fills your hearts. The memory slowly fades[[....->memoery #1 end]].
ou believe that the best way to get answers would be to return to the village. Olga agrees, but you notice she seems tired.
“Oh this is nothing,” she states assuredly. “I’m just not used to performing so many enchantments without all of the forest’s magical energy.” As she moves to stand, she collapses to the ground.
“Oops,” she says laughing. “I guess I’m more exhausted than I thought.”
What now?
[[Carry Olga back]]
[[Rest for the night]]
In Olga’s exhausted state, you decide the most efficient way back to the village would be to carry your rabbit friend. With the enchantments Olga used on you, you easily pick her up.
“Wait!” she cries, shocked. “You can’t seriously want to carry me all the way back to the village!”
You nod, beginning to walk back into the forest. You note that the branches seem to be regaining some of their color, though still tinged with gray.
“Alright if you insist. I can guide you back through the trials,” Olga huffs in response. You laugh as she pouts for a moment, before cracking a smile of her own. You feel a strange sense of deja vu at the interaction.
[[Back in the village]]
Considering Olga’s state, you both decide to rest again for the night before returning to the village. As the sky darkens, Olga tells you stories of growing up in the village and other exciting mishaps. Laughing together, you drift to sleep with a sense of deja vu.
In the morning, you awaken to Olga jumping on your clay body.
“Wake up!” she shouts with a laugh. “Let’s head back to the village.”
You nod, and together begin to trek through the trails towards the village.
[[Back in the village]]
Together, you and Olga finally reach the village, walking into the the center near the pond. You notice that the air seems to hum with some sort of electricity, and the trees have begun to regain their color.
“It’s not as beautiful as before yet, but the life is returning to the village!” Olga cries in joy.
“Yes, and I presume those responsible stand right in front of me,” a voice says from behind, startling you and Olga. You both turn to see the village elder with a slight smile on his face.
[[Talk to the elder]]
You nod at his inquiry, while Olga says with a start, “You should have seen it, Elder! Glina was absolutely amazing!” You smile, slightly bashful, at the praise.
“Well I owe you my gratitude then, Glina,” the elder says with a bow. “Might I repay the favor by asking what troubles you?”
Shocked, you look at the old goat, straight into his kind eyes. You take the strange ring that the Whirlwind dropped, explaining the memory you retrieved upon touching it.
You talk about the girl you say, which you understand to have been a treasured [[friend]].
As you describe the girl from your memory, you seem to recall more about her and your own youth. Little snippets of memory flood your mind: Her chasing you in some sort of game, sharing meals together, laughing at each other’s jokes.
None of these memories seem substantial in their content, yet they leave you with a warm feeling inside. The friendship you shared with the girl was one developed over countless years; you were two souls with a bond unlike any other.
“Irina” you say carefully.
[[Ask the elder his opinion]]You ask the elder what he thinks about the sudden appearance of your memory.
He hums for a moment before saying, “While your case still perplexes me, it seems that pieces of your memories have been scattered across our world. Take, for instance, this ring.” He holds the ring out to you again. You take it carefully, examining it.
“I cannot sense any magic on the ring, yet there are traces of energy on its surface. It seems that the object was enchanted by your memory, although I cannot for certain say how. When you touched it, that memory was returned back to you. I assume as well that more pieces of your memory have slowly returned along with the initial shock of the first one?”
You nod.
“Ah,” he says. “The initial memory must of been of great importance, while the others relate to it in some way. It seems there must be multiple of these magically imbued objects that hold your memories.”
[[Ask what you should do]]
Emboldened by the lead this information provides on finding your remaining lost memories, you ask the elder how to find these other magical agents.
“Thanks to you driving back the Whirlwind,” the Elder states. “I believe I have recovered enough magical energy that I can attempt to divine the location of one of these objects using the traces left here. Give me a moment.”
You hand the Elder back the ring in your hand. He closes his eyes, straightening his back ever so slightly. After a few deep breaths, the old goat begins to emit a green aura, chanting some incantation under his breath. While you cannot understand any of the words he says, you note he seems to repeat a similar phrase three times.
As the green light fades from around the Elder, you wait for his response.
Opening his eyes, he states, “I sense a similar magic energy to this ring in a land beyond the lines of the forest, deep within the Labyrinth of Lost Souls.”
[[Labyrinth of Lost Souls?]]
Double-click this passage to edit it.“Labyrinth of Lost Souls?” you ask, not particularly excited by the grim nature of its name.
“Oh I know where that is!” Olga shouts, startling you. She had been so quiet for the past few minutes you had almost forgotten she was even there. “I’ve never been allowed to go before, because you said it was too dangerous to explore alone, but Glina and I can go together!”
The old goat sighs, continuing, “It is highly dangerous. I’m sure you can discern from its name, the labyrinth is a seemingly never-ending maze. Few who go in ever return; they go mad inside. Are you sure you are up to the task? I cannot offer you protect outside the limits of the forest.”
You think carefully about your [[options]].You see that you have two options. The first is to stay in the forest forever, living with the burdensome thoughts of what could have been and who you truly are. The second is to go, brave the danger, in order to try to recover your lost memories.
Your choice is obvious.
“I’ll go with Olga,” you state. You turn to the small rabbit with a smile.
“Well then,” the Elder says. “I wish you both a safe journey.” With that, he turns, walking towards the forest.
“Oh wait. I have a bit of advice before your departure. An old friend of mine makes their home in the center of the labyrinth. Her name is Elena.”
[[Depart]]
With the final piece of advice from the Elder, you and Olga depart from the village. The journey to get to the labyrinth is a two day walk, according to your rabbit friend. Yet, the time seems to fly by, as Olga entertains your time with stories about her childhood in the forest. She describes all sorts of trouble she caused, tormenting the Elder, misfiring her magic, and more.
After the three days, you finally make it to the entrance of the labyrinth.
[[Observe the entrance]]
[[Enter the maze]]As you move to enter the maze, a voice resonates throughout your clay head.
Once you enter this labyrinth, you can no longer turn back.
[[Enter]] or [[wait]]You wait, unsure if you are prepared to face the Labyrinth of Lost Souls. Olga suggests you camp for the night outside to recover your strength.
[[Observe the entrance]]You continue walking forward, prepared to face the challenges of the maze in front of you. A wall of vines closes behind you and Olga. There’s no turning back now.
[[Face the maze]]
The strange voice from before echoes again in your head:
To the challenger of this labyrinth
Here lies a test
Only one path is true
Nothing lies in the rest
Yet pay attention seeker
For to this point you will return
If so happens
It is a wrong path you discern
In front of you lies two paths.
[[Left?->correct path]]
[[Right?->incorrect path]]
As you walk down the path for what seems to be an eternity, you enter another small clearing.
[[Left->Face the maze]]
[[Right->correct path 2]]
After walking onto the path, you immediately feel the air become thicker and harder to breath. You reach a dead end.
As you debate whether or not to turn back, the vines of the labyrinth slither out as if they were snakes. In an instant, they surround you.
You lose consciousness.
[[Back to starting point->Face the maze]]
As you walk down the path on the right for some time, you enter another small clearing.
[[Left->incorrect path]]
[[Right->correct path 3]]
As you walk down the path on the right once more, and you enter another small clearing; this time with three paths.
[[left->incorrect path]]
[[Straight->Correct path 4]]
[[right->incorrect path]]As you continue to walk straight ahead, you enter another small clearing.
[[Left->incorrect path]]
[[Right->Correct path 5]]
As you walk down the path on the right, you enter another small three path clearing.
[[Left->Correct path 6]]
[[straight->incorrect path]]
[[Right->incorrect path]] As you walk down the left path for what seems to be an eternity, you then enter a new clearing; this time with four paths.
[[path one->incorrect path]]
[[path two->incorrect path]]
[[path three->correct path 7]]
[[path four->incorrect path]] As you walk down the third path for what seems to be an eternity, you enter another small clearing.
[[Left->incorrect path]]
[[Right->Maze's End]]
As you continue down the path, the labyrinth opens into yet another clearing. However, instead of the coarse and blackened vines that previously made up the walls of the maze, you notice that the vines are green and seem to hum with energy. Small specks of light float in the air, like fireflies drifting in the wind.
Directly in front of you stands a white pedestal with a thick book on top of it. A single beam of light appears to peek through the heavy fog above the maze, shining down on the object.
[[Open the book]]
[[wait->Wait (2)]]
You look down at Olga, then back at the book on the pedestal, asking the silent question of whether or not to touch it. Olga nods, cautiously. You both then walk forward, approaching the white stone. The light surrounding you hurts your eyes, as you had become accustomed to the dark gloom of the labyrinth.
With a boost from Olga, since your small clay body cannot reach the top of the pedestal alone, you step onto the cool stone tablet. You reach out one hand and carefully touch the thick, dusty book.
As soon as your clay hand makes contact, the book flies open, its pages fluttering wildly. Startled, you fall backwards, swiftly being caught by Olga.
[[Continue->continue (open book)]]
You and Olga look at each other cautiously, unsure of whether or not to approach the strange book. After a few seconds of silent hesitation, the floating specks of light begin to gather around you both. It seems as if these balls of light wish to urge you forward to open the book.
[[Open the book]]
[[Wait longer]]
Even with the urging of the light specks, you and Olga continue to wait. You still don’t understand the complexities of this world; you are unsure if the book is something trustworthy or will cast another curse upon you.
The light specks surround you more furiously than before. Before you can question their agitation, you and Olga are lifted from the ground and planted a few feet away from the pedestal.
[[Open the book]]
A strange voice echoes throughout the clearing, which you recognize as the voice from before:
Who dares to seek my knowledge?
“I do,” you say.
And who are you, little clay doll?
You respond honestly, “I don’t know. I’m looking for my lost memories. I was told I can find them here.”
Ah I see it now. That old goat sent you. I can give you the answers you seek, but only if you pass my test.
[[Test?]]
“A test?” you ask.
Yes. I will ask you one question. No more, no less. Respond carefully and I may reward you with the memories you seek.
You think about this offer before agreeing. If this is the only way to reclaim your memories, then you have no other choice.
Answer this for me:
What is my name?
[[Elena]]
“Elena,” you say, remembering the advice from the village Elder.
Ah yes, wonderful! It seems I am not forgotten. I have been cursed to reside in this labyrinth for centuries. Few ever make it this far in the maze.
A strange magical energy surrounds you, little doll. I can use this to restore one of your lost memories, if you so desire. But are you sure this is what you want? Not all memories are pleasant experiences.
You consider Elena’s words carefully. You had never thought that rediscovering your memories could be painful.
[[Ask what you should do->Ask what you should do (2)]]
[[Reclaim part of your memory]]
You tell Elena you’re ready to reclaim another one of your memories. A few pages of the book flip over as if the wind blew them over. Suddenly, a light blue glow fills the clearing.
From behind you, you hear a voice call out to you.
[[Turn around]]
You ask Elena what she thinks that you should do. Immediately, the pages of the book begin to flutter around rapidly and a shrill cackling fills the air. It seems that Elena is laughing.
My child, that is for you to decide. There is no right or wrong path. Yet, I sense great turmoil within you; a desire to reclaim what you have lost. You will not be satisfied without ever knowing, will you?
You shake you head. You want to reclaim your memories, no matter how painful they may be.
[[Reclaim part of your memory]]
…
…
“You need to forgive yourself. If you hold onto these feelings, you’ll only drown yourself in sorrow,” a voice from behind you says, quietly. You turn around, seeing Irina walk towards you from the direction of the maze. Slowly, the maze fades around her, morphing into a dark stone corridor. She stands in a single beam of light staring right at you. Again, you find yourself in a body that you recognize as your own.
Your voice startles you from your thoughts, as your body moves through the motions of the memory, “I can’t just forget it, Irina. It repeats over and over in my head, no matter what I do. I know those barbarians needed to be stopped at all costs, but they were also our people.”
“I know, but they killed a village of innocents. They wouldn’t listen to reason,” she argues, trying to comfort you through rationality.
You continue, filled with more anger than before. “This never should have happened in the first place! They were fighting for survival, for an escape from the Tsar’s oppression. Why must we suffer and scrape for rations, while he decorates himself in his palace with our hard-earned funds!”
[[Irina stares at the ground.-> Memory #2 cont.]] “I want to help everyone as much as you,” she says after a moment, grief lodged in her throat. “You know I’d follow you to the ends of the earth. But that’s not enough. The most we can do is what we have been: fighting back from the inside. We don’t have the support we need.”
Another memory fills your head. You and Irina have used your positions to give back to those who can’t fight for themselves. From delivering extra rations to donating your salaries, you both work desperately for the good of your people.
“But it’s like you said,” you say with resigned disgust. “It’s just not enough.”
With that, everything fades to black.
…
[[…-> Memory #2 part 3]]
You expect to wake up again in the labyrinth, but instead a burning house greets your vision. The fire in front of you radiates an intense heat; the flames lick the wooden walls of the house, destroying everything it touches.
The memory shifts again to what must be hours after the fire had burned out. You stand in the ashes of the building. Among the wreckage are charred bones, all that remain of the house’s residents.
You feel a hand come to rest on your back. Without even looking, you can recognize Irina.
“It’s time to fight back, for real,” she says, determination laced in her voice. At this, you turn back to look directly at her. You seemed shocked by her statement, remembering her initial hesitation. She continues, quietly, “Before it was just us. We never had the numbers; we could never make real change. But now, the Tsar has shown everyone his merciless and unjust rule. Our people will stand with us.”
“No more innocents will die,” you state plainly. “I don’t care what it takes. I promise I will protect everyone.”
...
[[...->Memory #2 end]]
As you come out of the memory, you notice that tears coat your clay cheeks. You can vividly remember the pain you felt in the past, staring at the burning house. You had known that family that lived there; the grandmother of the house would always feed you and Irina when you both were children living on the streets.
“Glina! Are you alright?” Olga asks, putting one paw on your shoulder. You turn to your friend with a small smile.
“Yes, I’m fine,” you say. “It was just painful memory.”
Memory is built on a multitude of experiences, both joyful and tragic. Those memories have led you to where you are now.
“Do you know where we can find another one of Glina’s memories?,” Olga asks Elena.
I cannot pinpoint it’s exact location from my place in this labyrinth. In here, I am mostly cut off from the rest of the world’s magical energy. But I can sense a similar energy that surrounds you somewhere up North from this maze. I will open a path for you through the vines. I wish you luck in your quest, little clay doll.
[[Continue->Beginning of Part 3]]
From behind the white stone pedestal, the vines curl into themselves, opening a straight path through the labyrinth to the North.
You thank Elena as you and Olga begin to walk towards the path.
Ah, before you leave. Remember to tell that old goat to visit me every once in awhile. It gets quite lonely here in this labyrinth.
“We will!” Olga shouts with glee.
With a final farewell, you and Olga travel through the path. Once you both are through the labyrinth, the vines close behind you.
[[Observe where you are]]
Together, you and Olga observe where the labyrinth let you out. In the distance to the far North, you recognize a mountain range. Right in front of you are rolling fields. You notice a small well on a small hill no more than thirty feet from where you stand.
A group of three children surround the well, playing some sort of game. You look at Olga, both of you silently agreeing to approach the trio to try and find some leads on the magic in the area.
However, before either of you can move, a shrill cry echoes in the wind. From the air, a flock of vicious swan geese descend, grabbing the children. The three scream, and Olga rushes forward, starting to cast a spell. A pink glow fills the sky, but the geese are not deterred in the slightest.
In an instant, the swan geese are gone, taking the children with them.
[[Ask if Olga is okay]]
You run forward, calling out to Olga. As the small rabbit turns, you notice there are tears in her eyes.
“My magic…” she says, quietly. “My magic wouldn’t work. I couldn’t save those poor children.”
You comfort your friend, rubbing the fur on her back as she cries.
What do you want to do?
[[Chase after the geese]]
[[Examine the area]]
We can chase after the geese,” you suggest. “Then, we’ll find where they took the children.”
Olga nods, as determined as you to save the children from the flock of geese. You wonder what the geese could possibility want with them, but don’t allow yourself to think any further about it.
“I can sense their magical energy,” Olga says. “I can cast a spell to track them from that.” Olga begins to chant under her breath, the familiar pink glow of her magic surrounding her. Then, a string of pink energy shoots out from the heart-shaped gem in her chest. The glow appears to be heading Northwest from where you stand.
“All we have to do is follow this beam of light,” Olga tells you.
With that, you both begin walking, [[following the pink line of light.]]
“We should examine the area first,” you suggest. “See if we can find anything useful about the geese or the children.”
Olga nods and walks with you as you examine the well. There is nothing in it except for a single bucket floating in the pool of water, which you assume is what the children were here to grab.
From behind you, you hear the frantic footsteps of two more creatures. You turn around, facing two deer. They look frightened and concerned, you assume these must be the parents of the children that were kidnapped.
[[Talk to the deer]]You and Olga set forth, running along the path that the pink glow of Olga’s magic has set out for the two of you. As you run, flashes of memory come back to you. You remember more of your adventures with Irina, stealing food from the palace to feed yourselves and the starving, becoming officers in the Tsar’s army, using your positions to protect your people, and finally, secretly raising support to overthrow the tyrannical Tsar.
You smile as you recall both the good times with your treasured friend and the bad moments of tragedy and oppression you fought to destroy.
[[continue moving]]After what feels like a full day of running along the pink tracking beacon from Olga’s chest, you come across a wide canyon. The line follows a path down into the canyon, although it looks steep.
“Is there any easier way down?” you ask Olga.
“Yes, but it’s farther down the wall of the canyon,” she notes, pointing a few miles along the trench.
What do you want to do?
[[Climb down the steep slope]]
[[Walk until you find an easier way]]
“Let’s just climb down here, it’ll be much faster,” you decide. Olga nods in agreement, and together you begin to make your way down the side of the canyon.
For a few minutes, everything is fine. Then, out of nowhere, two of the swan geese come and attack you while you climb down the wall.
[[Fight them off]]
[[Brace through their attack]]
“It looks too steep, we should find an easier way down the cliff,” you decide. Olga agrees, and together you begin walking around the rim of the canyon. The pink line from Olga chest shifts slightly as you walk, still pointing into the canyon nonetheless.
After a few minutes of walking, you hear a vicious cry pierce through the air. You look up; right above you are two swan geese, diving down to attack you and Olga. In an instant, the first of the pair snatches Olga from the ground, lifting her into the air as she cries out in pain.
The second geese heads straight for you. You try to dodge his grab at you, resulting in him ripping off your left arm. The force of his attack shifts your balance, and you go [[plummeting into the canyon below]].
As the two swan geese try to throw you and Olga off the cliffside, you look around for any means of fighting them off. Within your reach are two loose rocks, which you quickly grab. You throw each of the rocks at the two geese, forcing them to fly away.
However, your last throw threw you off balance. You go tumbling down the side of the cliff, straight to the bottom of the canyon.
You hit the ground below hard and immediately [[losing consciousness]].
As the geese attack, you grasp onto a nearby rock, bracing yourself through their barrage. They hit you and Olga with their bills, kick you with their feet, and slap you with their powerful wings. Just as you think the barrage is coming to an end, a powerful slap from one of the geese knocks the rock you cling to from the face of the cliff.
You go plummeting down the cliff face, before your left arm is grabbed by one of the geese right before splating on the ground. As the swan geese carries you through the air, you try to fight back, but nothing works. In a feat of desperation, you rip off your clay left arm, [[rolling onto the ground]].
You wake up feeling disoriented; your face feels uncomfortable laying on the hard dirt of the canyon. As you move to stand, you notice that your left arm seems to not be moving as you want it to. You look to your left side to inspect the damage.
Your left arm is gone.
Pushing yourself up with only your right arm, you scan the area for any trace of your missing clay appendage. You cannot find any sign of it, but you do notice that you are alone in the bottom of the canyon. The clay of your legs are also slightly crushed, which you easily mold back into place with your usable arm.
You have no idea where Olga is, it appears you are alone.
[[Find shelter to rest?]]
[[Walk through the canyon?]]
Feeling exhausted from your fall, you decide that your best course of action would be to find some shelter so you can rest and recover your strength. Even though you want to find Olga, you know you can’t go anywhere as you are now.
A slight distance from where you stand, you notice a large rock jutting out from the canyon wall, providing some shade from the bright sun above you. You walk forward slowly, eventually making your way to this makeshift shelter.
You lay down under the rock structure, about to close your eyes and rest.
“Had a nasty run in with those swan geese, aye?” a voice says, startling you.
You sit up immediately, meeting the gaze of a [[red-furred mouse]].
Even though you feel exhausted, you figure the best course of action would be to try and walk forward through the canyon. You are concerned for Olga’s safety and don’t want to unnecessarily waste time to rest.
A few steps forward, and you feel much worse than before. Everything hurts, but you power through each step, determined to find your friend.
“Had a nasty run in with those swan geese, aye?” a voice says, startling you.
You look around for the origin of the voice, meeting the gaze of a [[red-furred mouse]].
You feel the clay of your body pick up dirt as you roll onto the ground, now without your left arm. The swan geese continues flying, taking off higher into the air. It seems to have not noticed your escape.
You scan the area, noting that you are alone. You have no idea if Olga is still on the cliff or if she was also kidnapped. You wonder if you should head back to where you were to see if you can find her.
[[Backtrack to the cliff?]]
[[Start walking through the canyon]]
You begin walking back to where you and Olga were on the cliff, to try and see if Olga is still there. Every step you take hurts, but you power through to try and find your friend.
“Had a nasty run in with those swan geese, aye?” a voice says, startling you.
You look around for the origin of the voice, meeting the gaze of a [[white-furred mouse]].
Even though you feel exhausted, you figure the best course of action would be to try and walk forward through the canyon. You are concerned for Olga’s safety and don’t want to unnecessarily waste time to rest.
A few steps forward, and you feel much worse than before. Everything hurts, but you power through each step, determined to find your friend.
“Had a nasty run in with those swan geese, aye?” a voice says, startling you.
You look around for the origin of the voice, meeting the gaze of a [[white-furred mouse]].
You wake up at the bottom of the canyon. As you scan the area around you, you note that you are alone. You hope Olga is okay, wherever the swan geese took her.
Without Olga’s magic to guide you, you have no idea where you’re supposed to go. You know, based on where the light was leading you before, that your destination must be somewhere deeper in the canyon.
[[Rest and wait?]]
[[Start walking?]]
Feeling exhausted from your fall, you decide your best course of action would be to find some shelter so you can rest and recover your strength. Even though you want to find Olga, you know you can’t get anywhere as you are now.
A slight distance from where you stand, you notice a large rock jutting out from the canyon wall, providing some shade from the bright sun above you. You walk forward slowly, eventually making your way to this makeshift shelter.
You lay down under the rock structure, about to close your eyes and rest.
“Had a nasty run in with those swan geese, aye?” a voice says, startling you.
You sit up immediately, meeting the gaze of a [[black-furred mouse]].
Even though you feel exhausted, you figure the best course of action would be to try and walk forward through the canyon. You are concerned for Olga’s safety and don’t want to unnecessarily waste time to rest.
A few steps forward, and you feel much worse than before. Everything hurts, but you power through each step, determined to find your friend.
“Had a nasty run in with those swan geese, aye?” a voice says, startling you.
You look around for the origin of the voice, meeting the gaze of a [[black-furred mouse]].
“Who are you?” you ask, slightly off-put by the sudden appearance of the creature.
“The name’s Sergey!” the mouse responds. “Those swan geese really are a bother, doncha think? There’s no way to fight them all powered up like that by the Cat Witch.”
[[“Powered up?”]]
[[“Cat Witch?”]]
“Powered up?” you ask, confused.
“Oh yeah. Those swan geese are protected by the magic of the Cat Witch; there’s no way to fight them fellas off without losing an arm and a leg. No pun intended in your case.”
You explain to the red mouse that your friend was most likely kidnapped by the geese and ask for his advice.
“Ah that’s a tough one,” he begins. “Only way to beat the geese is to free them from the Cat Witch. She lives at the edge of the canyon. I hear she hates loud noises and water, but not sure if that’s any help.”
You thank Sergey for his help, before departing for the [[end of the canyon]].
Cat Witch?” you ask, confused.
“You haven’t heard of her?” he states, as you shake your head. “Oh she’s a bothersome little creature. She gave her magic to those swan geese, making them nearly invincible. No way to fight them without losing an arm and a leg, no pun intended in your case.”
You explain to the red mouse that your friend was most likely kidnapped by the geese and ask for his advice.
“Ah that’s a tough one,” he begins. “Only way to beat the geese is to free them from the Cat Witch. She lives at the edge of the canyon. I hear she hates loud noises and water, but not sure if that’s any help.”
You thank Sergey for his help, before departing for the [[end of the canyon]].
After saying farewell to Sergey, you march towards the edge of the canyon, where the Cat Witch resides. You feel as if you have a sudden burst of energy, even though you are completely alone.
Hours pass as you walk forward. Yet, in the distance, you see a house, which appears to be standing on cat legs?
As you approach the structure, the house turns itself around. A single black door greets you.
[[Enter?]]
[[Examine the house?]]
“Have you seen my children?,” the smaller of the two cries. “They were right here, but then we heard a scream.” She fidgets nervously, obviously concerned for the well-being of her three children.
“This swarm of swan geese flew over and took them,” you say.
Olga continues, “I tried to stop them, I’m so sorry. My magic just… wouldn’t work. I don’t understand.”
The deer begins to cry, comforted by the other. He looks at the two of you and says, “Those geese have been terrorizing all the nearby villages for days on end. We shouldn’t of let our children wander so far alone. Thank you for your effort in trying to save them.”
[[continue->deer conversation]] You grab the handle, cautiously, before opening the door and stepping inside.
[[Continue-> Inside the house]]
You examine the house and begin to walk around its perimeter. As you approach the back of the house, a strange voice fills your head.
It would be wise for you to not go behind the house.
You look around for the origin of the voice, but find no one. You take the voice’s advice, nonetheless, walking away from the back of the house.
Again, you stand in front of the house’s single door. You grab the handle, cautiously, before opening the door and stepping inside.
[[Continue-> Inside the house]]
When you enter the house, you notice immediately large stacks of miscellaneous objects filling the space, including cauldrons, books, potion bottles, a bucket of liquid (that you assume to be water) and other trinkets you can’t put names to. In the corner you also notice a large cat tower.
Right in the center of the room, directly in front of you, is a small black cat with a witch’s hat on its head.
“Ah, so the little clay doll who attacked my precious geese is still alive,” the cat mocks. “What an interesting development.”
“Release Olga and the children your geese kidnapped,” you command. You have no interest for small talk. All you want is to free your friend, even if it requires force.
“And if I refuse?” the cat hisses back. The hair on her back stands straight up, as if she is ready to spring at you at any moment. You notice a faint green glow emitting from the witch hat she wears.
You decide you need to act before the Cat Witch can.
[[Throw bucket of water?]]
[[Knock over stacks of objects?]]
“Who are you?” you ask, slightly off-put by the sudden appearance of the creature.
“The name’s Igor!” the mouse responds. “Those swan geese really are a bother, doncha think? There’s no way to fight them all powered up like that by the Cat Witch."
[[“Powered up?”->powered up (white)]]
[[“Cat Witch?”->cat witch (white)]]
“Powered up?” you ask, confused.
“Oh yeah. Those swan geese are protected by the magic of the Cat Witch; there’s no way to fight them fellas off without losing an arm and a leg. No pun intended in your case.”
You explain to the white mouse that your friend was most likely kidnapped by the geese and ask for his advice.
“Ah that’s a tough one,” he begins. “Only way to beat the geese is to free them from the Cat Witch. She lives at the edge of the canyon. I hear she loves to eat fish and has a huge ego, but not sure if that’s any help.”
You thank Igor for his help, before departing for the
[[end of the canyon ->canyon end (white)]].
“Cat Witch?” you ask, confused.
“You haven’t heard of her?” he states, as you shake your head. “Oh she’s a bothersome little creature. She gave her magic to those swan geese, making them nearly invincible. No way to fight them without losing an arm and a leg, no pun intended in your case.”
You explain to the white mouse that your friend was most likely kidnapped by the geese and ask for his advice.
“Ah that’s a tough one,” he begins. “Only way to beat the geese is to free them from the Cat Witch. She lives at the edge of the canyon. I hear she loves to eat fish and has a huge ego, but not sure if that’s any help.”
You thank Igor for his help, before departing for the
[[end of the canyon ->canyon end (white)]].
After saying farewell to Igor, you march towards the edge of the canyon, where the Cat Witch resides. You feel as if you have a sudden burst of energy, even though you are completely alone.
Hours pass as you walk forward. Yet, in the distance, you see a house, which appears to be standing on cat legs?
As you approach the structure, the house turns itself around. A single black door greets you.
[[Enter?->Enter (white)]]
[[Examine the house?->Examine (white]]
You grab the handle, cautiously, before opening the door and stepping inside.
[[Continue-> Inside the house (white)]]
You examine the house, beginning to walk around its perimeter. As you approach the back of the house, a strange voice fills your head.
It would be wise for you to not go behind the house.
You look around for the origin of the voice, but find no one. You take the voice’s advice, nonetheless, walking away from the back of the house.
Again, you stand in front of the house’s single door. You grab the handle, cautiously, before opening the door and stepping inside.
[[Continue-> Inside the house (white)]]
When you enter the house, you notice immediately large stacks of miscellaneous objects filling the space, including cauldrons, books, potion bottles, and other trinkets you can’t put names to. In the corner you also notice a large cat tower, with a plate of fish on the ground next to it, in reach of your right arm.
Right in the center of the room, directly in front of you, is a small black cat with a witch’s hat on its head.
“Ah, so the little clay doll who escaped from my precious geese is still alive,” the cat mocks. “What an interesting development.”
“Release Olga and the children your geese kidnapped,” you command. You have no interest for small talk. All you want is to free your friend, even if it requires force.
“And if I refuse?” the cat hisses back. The hair on her back stands straight up, as if she is ready to spring at you at any moment. You notice a faint green glow emitting from the witch hat she wears.
You decide you need to distract the Cat Witch before she can use her magic.
[[Grab the fish?]]
[[Praise the Cat Witch?]]
“Who are you?” you ask, slightly off-put by the sudden appearance of the creature.
“The name’s Alexei!” the mouse responds. “Those swan geese really are a bother, doncha think? There’s no way to fight them all powered up like that by the Cat Witch.”
[[“Powered up?”->power up (black)]]
[[“Cat Witch?”->Cat Witch (black)]]
“Powered up?” you ask, confused.
“Oh yeah. Those swan geese are protected by the magic of the Cat Witch; there’s no way to fight them fellas off without losing an arm and a leg. No pun intended in your case.”
You explain to the black mouse that your friend was most likely kidnapped by the geese and ask for his advice.
“Ah that’s a tough one,” he begins. “Only way to beat the geese is to free them from the Cat Witch. She lives at the edge of the canyon. I hear she loves shiny objects, but not sure if that’s any help.”
You thank Alexei for his help, before departing for the [
[[end of the canyon->canyon end (black)]].
“Cat Witch?” you ask, confused.
“You haven’t heard of her?” he states, as you shake your head. “Oh she’s a bothersome little creature. She gave her magic to those swan geese, making them nearly invincible. No way to fight them without losing an arm and a leg, no pun intended in your case.”
You explain to the black mouse that your friend was most likely kidnapped by the geese and ask for his advice.
“Ah that’s a tough one,” he begins. “Only way to beat the geese is to free them from the Cat Witch. She lives at the edge of the canyon. I hear she loves shiny objects, but not sure if that’s any help.”
You thank Alexei for his help, before departing for the
[[end of the canyon->canyon end (black)]].
After saying farewell to Alexei, you march towards the edge of the canyon, where the Cat Witch resides. You feel as if you have a sudden burst of energy, even though you are completely alone.
Hours pass as you walk forward. Yet, in the distance, you see a house, which appears to be standing on cat legs?
As you approach the structure, the house turns itself around. A single black door greets you.
[[Enter?->enter (black)]]
[[Examine the house?->examine (black)]]
You grab the handle, cautiously, before opening the door and stepping inside.
[[Continue-> Inside the house (black)]]
You examine the house, beginning to walk around its perimeter. As you approach the back of the house, a strange voice fills your head.
It would be wise for you to not go behind the house.
You look around for the origin of the voice, but find no one. You take the voice’s advice, nonetheless, walking away from the back of the house.
Again, you stand in front of the house’s single door. You grab the handle, cautiously, before opening the door and stepping inside.
[[Continue-> Inside the house (black)]]
When you enter the house, you notice immediately large stacks of shiny trinkets, of all shapes and varieties. In the corner you also notice a large cat tower. Right in the center of the room, directly in front of you, is a small black cat with a witch’s hat on its head.
“Ah, so the little clay doll who ran from my precious geese is still alive,” the cat mocks. “What an interesting development.”
“Release Olga and the children your geese kidnapped,” you command. You have no interest for small talk. All you want is to free your friend, even if it requires force.
“And if I refuse?” the cat hisses back. The hair on her back stands straight up, as if she is ready to spring at you at any moment. You notice a faint green glow emitting from the witch hat she wears.
You decide you need to act before the Cat Witch can.
[[Steal her shiny trinkets?]]
[[Offer a trade?]]
As the two deer comfort each other in their grief, you decide that you want to help them.
“We’ll find your children,” you state, coming to meet the eyes of both the deer. “But you should warn the surrounding villages of the danger and stay inside.”
The two nod quickly, profusely thanking you for your promise. As they run off, you turn to Olga.
“I can sense their magical energy,” Olga says. “I can cast a spell to track them from that.” Olga begins to chant under her breath, the familiar pink glow of her magic surrounding her. Then, a string of pink energy shoots out from the heart-shaped gem in her chest. The glow appears to be heading Northwest from where you stand.
“All we have to do is follow this beam of light,” Olga tells you.
With that, you both begin walking,[[following the pink line of light.]]
Remembering the bucket you saw, which you assume held water, you swiftly grabbed it with your right arm. Before the Cat Witch can cast her spell, you splash the water onto her, which results in a pained hiss from her.
While she was distracted by her suddenly wet fur, you rush forward, stealing the hat from the top of her head. When you saw the green light emitting from it before, you assumed that it is the core of her powers. You hope you are right.
“Give that back,” she snarls at you viciously. She makes no move, though, to activate her magic.
“Release my friend and the children, and any other creatures you’ve captured. Then, guarantee the attacks will stop,” you demand.
The cat considers the offer. Without much choice, she agrees.
“Go outside, there you’ll find a skull on a spike. He will lead you to them. Now return my hat.”
[[Return it?]]
[[Keep it until you are safe?]]
You knock over the large stacks of objects surrounding you, creating a huge crashing noise that frightens the Cat Witch.
While she’s distracted, you rush forward, stealing the hat from the top of her head. When you saw the green light emitting from it before, you assumed that it is the core of her powers. You hope you are right.
“Give that back,” she snarls at you viciously. She makes no move, though, to activate her magic.
“Release my friend and the children, and any other creatures you’ve captured. Then, guarantee the attacks will stop,” you demand.
The cat considers the offer. Without much choice, she agrees.
“Go outside, there you’ll find a skull on a spike. He will lead you to them. Now return my hat.”
[[Return it?]]
[[Keep it until you are safe?]]
You grab the fish within reach of your right arm. Immediately, the Cat Witch is intrigued by the fish, forgetting the threat you present to her. You step forward with the fish, holding it out to her. As she takes it from your hand, you swipe the witch hat from her head.
“Give that back,” she snarls at you viciously, reminded of who you are. She makes no move, though, to activate her magic. It seems her magic is bound the the object in your hand.
“Release my friend and the children, and any other creatures you’ve captured. Then, guarantee the attacks will stop,” you demand.
The cat considers the offer. Without much choice, she agrees.
“Go outside, there you’ll find a skull on a spike. He will lead you to them. Now return my hat.”
[[Return it?]]
[[Keep it until you are safe?]]
Remembering what Igor said about the witch’s ego, you decide to praise her as a distraction.
“Please, please,” you begin. “There is no need to violence. I know I could never hope to defeat you; I have heard tales of how impressive your magic is.” You take a few cautious steps forward. The Cat Witch seems to be lowering her guard at the praise.
“Oh, do go on,” she purrs.
“I’ve heard there is no other witch in the land with as much power as you. People fear your power,” you say. You continue praising her with each step you take forward. Then, you quickly swipe the witch hat from her head.
“Give that back,” she snarls at you viciously. She makes no move, though, to activate her magic. It seems her magic is bound the the object in your hand.
“Release my friend and the children, and any other creatures you’ve captured. Then, guarantee the attacks will stop,” you demand.
The cat considers the offer. Without much choice, she agrees.
“Go outside, there you’ll find a skull on a spike. He will lead you to them. Now return my hat.”
[[Return it?]]
[[Keep it until you are safe?]]
You return the witch hat to the cat. As you turn to find the skull she spoke of, you hear a sudden cackling from behind you.
“You fool!,” the cat cries. A moment too late, you notice the green light surrounding the witch.
A blast of energy barrels towards you. You take the entire brunt of the blast, having no room or time to dodge.
As black enters your vision, you hear Olga’s voice, crying out to you. She must have managed to escape on her own, you think to yourself as darkness engulfs [[you... ->memory #3]]
“I’m no fool,” you state, venom seeping into your tone. “Once I find my friend and leave, I will ensure you that you will receive your hat.” Before you can acknowledge her protests, you walk out the front door.
Off to the right, you see the skull on a spike that the Cat Witch mentioned. You approach the object carefully.
“Here for your friends, I see,” the skull says, greeting you. You nod. “They’re in that cave behind me. But instead of saving them right away, you should take some time to hear my stories. I’ve led such an amazing life…”
As the skull continues to ramble, you walk around it, marching into the cave.
However in your distraction, you fail to notice a smaller cat, the witch’s familiar, snatch the witch’s hat back from you.
[[investigate the cave.]] You steal of handful of the shiny trinkets, surrounding you. With a cry the witch jumps for you, temporarily forgetting her magic. You drop the trinkets to the floor, grabbing the witch hat from her head in her distraction.
“Give that back,” she snarls at you viciously. She makes no move, though, to activate her magic. It seems her magic is bound the the object in your hand.
“Release my friend and the children, and any other creatures you’ve captured. Then, guarantee the attacks will stop,” you demand.
The cat considers the offer. Without much choice, she agrees.
“Go outside, there you’ll find a skull on a spike. He will lead you to them. Now return my hat.”
[[Return it?]]
[[Keep it until you are safe?]]
“What if I offer you a trade?” you ask, pulling the ring you received from the Whirlwind from your finger, holding it up to her.
“That ring would only be worth your pathetic life,” the cat snarls, but nonetheless intrigued.
You nod, stepping forward to offer her the ring. She takes it with joy, and you swipe the witch hat from her head while she is distracted.
“Give that back,” she snarls at you viciously. She makes no move, though, to activate her magic. It seems her magic is bound the the object in your hand.
“Release my friend and the children, and any other creatures you’ve captured. Then, guarantee the attacks will stop,” you demand.
The cat considers the offer. Without much choice, she agrees.
“Go outside, there you’ll find a skull on a spike. He will lead you to them. Now return my hat.”
[[Return it?]]
[[Keep it until you are safe?]]
Your vision returns slowly, revealing you to be in a grand room, one fit for only a Tsar. It seems the witch’s spell has thrown you into another memory of your past.
You see Irina approach you, as you sit upon a throne. You feel your face in the memory lift into a smile as you call out to your treasured friend. A small memory comes to you: Irina and you successfully led a coup and removed the Tsar. Irina, not feeling fit to lead your people, suggested you to claim the throne, to which the rest of the insurgents quickly agreed. It was your leadership that led to the success.
However, back in this memory, Irina does not return the smile, her face stuck in a vicious grimace.
“Why did you raid the north quadrant of the city?” she asks.
Your smile disappears with a heavy sigh, as you state plainly, “Irina, I’ve told you a hundred times at least. I suspected that there was suspicious activity threatening the safety of our people. The searches came up empty, but I’m not entirely convinced. Tomorrow we must prepare the troops to investigate again.”
[[Continue-> memory #3 (part 2)]] As you enter the mouth of the cave, you see that the deer are trapped by green tendrils of light, most likely the magic of the witch. Before you can consider how to free them, a pink light fills your vision. As it disappears, the green tendrils are gone, and the deer children are free.
“Glina! You’re alright!” you hear Olga cry. You see now that Olga stands in front of the deer; it was her who freed them just now. She hops towards you, but stops suddenly.
“What happened to your arm!” she exclaims.
Before you can explain, a searing pain spreads across your back. You hear the shrill laugh of the Cat Witch, but darkness engulfs your vision before you can turn to [[investigate...->memory #3]]
“You cannot be serious,” she states. “You are wrongly invading the homes of our people! Just last week, you arrested two innocent men on the charge of treason for suggesting an improvement on one of your laws!”
“They were undermining my authority!” you shout. “The laws are to protect our people. They wanted to uproot those protections.”
“How have you changed so much?” Irina asks now. “We took down the previous Tsar because of his oppression. Now, you have become the same.”
You stand from your throne, approaching her, as you shout, “Do not say that! I am trying to protect my people. They don’t know what’s best for themselves! If I leave them to their own devices, they’ll only turn on each other! I’m done with the senseless violence. I won’t lose anyone else. This is the only way.”
“By taking their freedom? Do you hear yourself? Everyone is afraid of you! They only listen because they fear the consequences if they were to act against you. You claim this as just rule, but only practice tyranny!”
[[continue->Memory #3 (part 3)]]Without another word, blinded by rage, you raise a hand and slap Irina across the face. The sound echoes throughout the chamber. She stumbles from the force of the hit.
You realize what you have done as silence fills the air. You reach out, to apologize or comfort her, but she only slaps your hand away. Without a word, though with tears in her eyes, she turns and runs out of the chamber.
The tears in her eyes held a greater sadness than from just the physical pain.
As the memory fades around you, you feel warm tears fall down your own cheeks.
…
[[...->Wake up from memory #3]]
You awaken from the memory with a start, horrified by what you witnessed. Was that really you? How did you become so cruel?
“Glina! Are you okay?” You hear Olga’s voice from a distance. Your vision is still a little fuzzy, either from the dream or the witch’s magic, but you do note that Olga has managed to entrap the witch in a web of pink chains.
You look to examine if there is any damage from the magic blast, but are shocked to see that your left arm is back!
“I used the Cat Witch’s magic to restore your arm,” Olga states with glee. She seems happy you are alright, hopping over to you with joy.
You wonder what she would think of you if she knew what you had done in the past.
[[Continue-> cat witch event]] As Olga gets closer, you start to back away. Confused, Olga stops, tilting her head ever so slightly.
“What’s wrong?” she asks.
You rise to your feet and explain to her the memory you recovered. You tell her that you’re not worthy of being friends with someone as good as her, not after what you had seen yourself become.
Olga is quiet while you explain, and after you finish, starts to say something.
You don’t hear her as you [[run.]]
From behind, you hear Olga call out to you, but nonetheless, you keep running forward. At some point you manage to leave the canyon, but other than that, you have no idea where you are going. Your legs just move on their own.
Even as you run, you recall smaller instances of memory, as you did before. You remember leading a revolution with Irina by your side, replacing the Tsar with a promise to serve your people. You see yourself slowly become more cruel and oppressive, haunted by the prior violence and the innocent lives that were lost. You see a rift begin to form between you and Irina, as your fear and anger turn into tyranny, not outright violence like the previous Tsar, but limitations and restrictions of your people’s freedoms.
You run for days as these haunting memories return. How is it possible? What did I become? You ask yourself. But no one can give you these answers. Everything you had ever wanted for yourself was destroyed by your own hand.
And Irina… How could you betray the only treasured friend you ever had?
"I condemn the beasts of this land; the creatures driven by ambition and greed." You say to yourself. Yet, I was a monster, just [[the same as them.]]
Exhausted, you lie down to rest and examine where you ended up. As you sit, you recognize you are on top of the mountain you saw in the distance. You have absolutely no idea how or when you climbed to the peak, blinded by the guilt deep in your chest. Sleep is unreachable with the memories plaguing your thoughts, so you choose to stare up straight at the beautiful night sky. You think of your adventures with Olga, the friendship forged under this very sky.
You brush aside thoughts of the excitable rabbit. I don’t deserve the friendship I made with her. Not after everything I did...
Your thoughts are interrupted as you pick up the sound of some creature approaching you. You sit up, alarmed, to meet the dark eyes of a gray wolf.
“Calm down,” his husky voice gently commands. “I have no intention of hurting you.” He continues walking towards you, laying down next to where you sit.
The wolf says nothing. He stares straight forward, his gaze tired and unfocused. Your eyes trail over his beautiful coat, more of a stark silver than a gray; the fur itself looks sleek and well-kept.
“You certainly have quite the story to tell,” he states plainly. Your eyes dart forward to meet his gaze, which has turned to scan over your clay form. You want to ask what he means but he continues before you have the chance.
“I’ve wandered this land for countless centuries, giving people directions and trying to ward off travelers from dangerous areas. I’ve taken it upon myself to hold this duty, yet few travelers ever actually listen. They choose to see me as only what they think I am, threatening and untrustworthy, not who I am or who [[I choose to be.”]]
Silence fills the air again. You wait, knowing the mysterious wolf has more to say.
He turns his head fully to look at you, saying, “You seem to have found yourself in a similar situation, my friend. I can sense your anguish and your suffering. You have lost all sense of who you are.”
[[Ask what he would know of it]]
[[Nod silently]]
You ask what he would know of it, slightly offended that a stranger would be so bold in his analysis of you.
“Ah no need to get defensive,” he says with a chuckle. “Many creatures have reached this crossroad in their life.”
[[Ask for his advice]]
You nod silently to his claim. His analysis of your current situation was entirely the truth; there was nothing else for you to say.
Wistfully, he continues, saying, “Many creatures have reached this crossroad in their life.”
[[Ask for his advice]]
You ponder his response for a moment, staring back at the stars above you. Then, you turn back to his gaze and ask for his advice on the matter.
“I cannot give you the answer you seek,” he begins. “But hopefully I can give you some direction.”
“Many people lose who they are and sink into despair; others choose to embrace their new selves, even if their ambition and greed cause endless suffering. You have a unique opportunity though. You came to this world on the brink of death, losing all memory of yourself. But your heart remained, did it not?”
The wolf stands, walking to stand in front of you.
“Who is it you want to be, little clay doll? Fate seems to have given you a chance to choose. You cannot take back what has happened, but you may move forward into a future of your choosing. Do not drown in the sorrows of your past.”
With that piece of advice he taps your forehead with his nose. As black begins to enter your vision, you recognize the [[beginning of another memory.]]
…
…
A large wound plagues your chest, blood spilling more and more by the second. With every breath, your chest aches and blood fills your lungs. You are dying, and there’s almost no time left. You manage to stumble into the forest, resting under the branches of a tree.
All I wanted was to save them. Why didn’t they understand? I promised to protect them. I wanted to protect them. What went wrong?
How could Irina betray me? I had built exactly what we had dreamed of: our people were finally safe and happy. Under my rule, no innocent blood was spilled. How dare they overthrow me! I was everything they needed in a ruler!
From the distance, your thoughts are interrupted by the unmistakable sound of celebration. You can hear laughter in the streets; people praising your fall as a ruler.
Ah, I see. I became exactly what I hated. Irina tried to warn me, but I refused to listen, how ironic. You end the thought with a small chuckle, immediately sending yourself into another coughing fit. Blood splatters across your chest. You note that your vision begins to dim; it seems time has run out.
I’m sorry, Irina. Please have it in your heart to forgive me. I wish I could take it all back.
Please someone…
Let me take it back…
…
[[...->After memory]]
As you wake up from the memory, the first thing that you notice is the strange wolf has vanished. Then, your thoughts turned back to the memory itself.
“I died?” you whisper under your breath. “But then, how am I here?”
Nothing answers you. You have no idea how, or even if, you are alive. Could this world be some strange version of the afterlife?
No, that wouldn’t make sense. If this was the afterlife, the Elder would have mentioned so. I would have seen people from my own world.
The only thing I’m certain of is that I wanted a chance to make everything right.
You stand, beginning to walk down the cliffside of the mountain. When you reach the bottom, you note there are four dirt paths that branch off in different directions. You have no idea which way you came from.
Where do you want to go?
[[First Path]]
[[Second Path]]
[[Third Path]]
[[Fourth Path]]
You take the first path, hoping it will lead you back to the village where you met Olga.
It takes days to walk, but eventually, you find yourself on the outskirts of the forest, where you see the color and magical energy have returned.
“Why hello again,” a voice says to your right. You look down, seeing the vole you encountered after waking up in the forest, Dimitri. You greet the small creature with a slight smile.
“I must offer you my thanks,” he says, excitedly. “You returned the beauty and life back to the forest! But oh, it’s getting late, I must hurry and finish polishing these crystals for the night. Farewell and thanks?” With that the vole scurries off deeper into the forest.
You make your way forward, finding yourself back in the village where [[everything started.]]
You take the second path, hoping it will lead you back to the village where you met Olga.
It takes days to walk, but eventually, you find yourself back outside the Labyrinth of Lost Souls. The vines reach out to you, in a manner of greeting, before parting open. You walk through the parted vines, meeting Elena once more.
Hello again, little clay doll. It seems you have recovered most of your memories. You nod, still conflicted about what to think of your past.
Do not fret. In your heart, your intentions are pure. Look how you have helped the people of this land. You have been given an opportunity to change, if you want to take it. But only you can take the steps to earn it.
You smile at the magic book, thanking her for her advice. As you turn to leave, you are surrounded by her magic, transporting you to the village where [[everything started.]]
You take the third path, hoping it will lead you back to the village where you met Olga.
It takes days to walk, but eventually, you find yourself back at the well where the deer children were kidnapped. As you walk around it, remembering your adventures with Olga, the family of deer run up to you.
“Little clay doll!” the mother shouts at you in excitement. “Your rabbit friend passed through here, but we never got the chance to thank you for rescuing our children.” With that, you are soon swarmed by the three said children, who thank you for saving them. You smile at the sight, happy to have been of help.
As you turn to leave and head towards the village, the father offers to give you a ride. You graciously accept his offer and then climb onto his back as he carries you to your destination: the village where [[everything started.]]
You take the fourth path, hoping it will lead you back to the village where you met Olga.
As you walk, you cannot recognize any of your surroundings. Before turning back, you notice, in the distance, the shape of the gray wolf. He nods to you and then turns, continuing to wherever his destination may be.
With a renewed sense of purpose, you turn back on the path, eventually coming back to the initial crossroads,
at [[the base of the mountain.->After memory]]
As you enter the village, you are tackled to the ground by a small rabbit.
“Glina, I was so worried about you!” she exclaims. “Why did you run off?” You smile at your friend, explaining that you had some things you needed to work out for yourself.
“And now it is time for you to return to your world,” a voice says. You look up to meet the gaze of the village Elder.
“What why?” Olga cries. “They just returned, can Glina not stay here for awhile longer.”
“The magical energy binding this clay doll to our world has weakened with the return of their memories. I fear the consequences if I do not send them back now. I still do not understand this magic or who cast such a powerful enchantment, but I sense our friend has found what they sought,” the Elder explains.
[[Continue-> Village final]]You finally hear your name, carried in the wind.
Nikola.
You walk forward into the portal to your own world, ready to make amends for your past and work towards a better future. I’m not running away, Irina. I promise to make things right.
As you enter the opening of the portal, you feel your clay body morph into that of your human form. Taking your final step, you look back at the friends you leave behind. Your eyes lock onto those of Olga, who cries at your departure.
“Thank you, Olga,” you say, with one last smile to the small, kind rabbit. “You will always be a treasured friend.”
And with that, you pass through the portal to your own world.
You nod at the Elder’s observation; you had found the chance that your dying self was so desperately seeking.
The Elder smiles at you slightly, and then begins to chant under his breath. You can feel his magical energy surround the entire village. Right in the center, a huge black spiral begins to form. When the Elder is done chanting, he looks at you.
“With my magic returned, I have opened a portal back to your world based on the magic surrounding this clay body of yours. Before you leave, though, I would like to thank you for saving my home, I am forever in your debt,” the Elder says. He then bows before you.
Now, you turn again towards Olga. You don’t have the words to express how you feel, and before you can begin to say anything, she wraps you in a warm hug.
“I can sense how you feel,” she begins. “Thank you for the adventure. I’ll keep practicing my magic to make sure everyone stays safe. Don’t forget about me, ya hear?” You shake your head, you could [[never forget this adventure.->Final Slide]]
You look up again to ask the small rabbit more about this strange land, but she seems to have disappeared. You stop for a moment, scanning the area for any trace of the rabbit. She must have continued ahead while you were distracted by the foliage.
Where do you want to go?
[[Head off to the left]]
[[Continue straight]]
[[Veer off to the right]]
You head off to the left of your current position, looking for the small rabbit. Eventually, you notice the forest begin to thin. However, there is no village in sight. She must not have come this way.
[[Best to turn around.->Continue walking]]
You continue walking forward, hoping to find your small rabbit guide. You notice that the further you seem to walk, the denser the forest becomes. Eventually, you get to a point that you can barely manage to walk forward without getting caught in the foliage. There’s no way the village could be this way.
[[Best to turn around.->Continue walking]]
You veer off to the right of where you stand. The forest looks the same as it did where you stood before, not quite alive but not quite dead either.
Further from your view, you notice a small vole a little ways into the forest from the path, polishing the gray and dull crystals protruding from the ground. He seems to be singing something under his breath, wistfully scrubbing the crystals.
[[Approach the vole]]
Dimitri’s words leave you with a sense of intense sadness as you walk towards what you hope is the village. Although you know nothing about this world around you, you feel that you want to do something to help these creatures.
“Ah there you are!” a voice says suddenly. You look up to meet the worried gaze of Olga. “I lost you for a second back there, sorry!” You give the rabbit a slight smile. She asks what troubles you, and you tell her about your interaction with Dimitri. She’s quiet for a moment before responding.
“The village has already suffered casualties from the Whirlwind’s reckless greed. By taking all of the magical energy from the land, we have nothing to survive off of for ourselves,” Olga states. She sounds angry, something unexpected from the cheerful, small rabbit. “We in the village found each other by chance. The elder offered us a home when we had none. But he can’t keep fighting like this; he’s barely holding onto what little we have left.”
[[Listen more]]
↶↷You wake up slowly, feeling disoriented. Surrounding you is a dark forest. The trees look barren and dead, as if the life had been sucked right out of them. There are strangely shaped crystals pointing out of the ground and covering the foliage, yet they are just as dark and gray as the trees. Even the air is stiff and stale; your breath is labored and coarse. You note there is a sharp pain in your chest, though from what you do not know.
Continue...