//------------------------------// // Zone 1 - Level 3: Conversations // Story: Vinylquest // by Aiyonbeam //------------------------------// [Well, looks like you're all set!] Urist says, giving Vinyl and I an approving glance. [Now go blow up that Virus for me!] [Will do, Demolitionist.] I say, grinning, as I pocket three sticks of dynamite. [And this is for you, Vinyl.] Urist says, tossing a disk over to said friend, who is leaning against a wall, looking pointedly at the Arms Dealer. She catches it one-handed without looking, and gestures at me. [I believe you have something for Tavi, Dante.] she says. [Oh, right!] Dante says, rooting around in his pockets. [Here!] He tosses a strange device and some small metal things to me, and I catch them, gazing at them in confusion. [It's a Flintlock Pistol.] Dante says. [It holds six bullets - small pieces of metal that can penetrate anything at incredible speeds. It comes with 10 Quad Nine Bullets.] [Quad Nine Bullets?] I ask, looking at the ten glowing cylinders of metal in my hand. [Yep!] Dante says. [One of those is enough to insta-kill anything, hence the name Quad Nine! Just be careful with 'em, there're only ten.] [We'll be off now.] Vinyl says. [Ready, Tavi?] I nod. [I'm ready.] [Screams echo around you...] As the second Shadow Orb breaks, I surface, taking large gulps of air as my head breaks the surface of the small pool of purple water I've been swimming in. [What did you get?] the creature asks, floating just above the water along with two of its kind. Again, I marvel at the little guy. Turns out the things don't eat human flesh; they actually eat ebonstone, and... excrete it out as normal stone. Using this special ability, I'd been able to get to two of the Shadow Orbs - almost enough to summon the Eater of Worlds. [I dunno.] I say. [I had to breathe. Give me a sec.] I dive under the water, trying my best to see in the murky liquid. I hear the familiar sound of not one, but two things entering my inventory, and I grin. Two things, not one. That could only mean I got... I surface, and confirm my suspicions. My grin widens. Just as I suspected, I now own a Musket and 72 Musket Balls. [I got another weapon.] I say. [Now all I need is a few Fallen Stars, and we can move on to Phase II of my plan.] [The potions, right?] the creature asks. I nod. As I sit back down on the creature - I'd taken to calling him 'Buddy' - and he takes me back to the surface, I sigh and think about Tavi. I hope the mobs in the overworld have been as nice to her as they've been to me, or she'll be in big trouble. We enter a horizontal tunnel in the Ebonstone, and Buddy and his friends fall out of the air, tossing me off of them in the process. [You guys alright?] I ask, getting to my feet. [They're perfectly fine, 'Regicide'. Just deferential to a fault; this is how they honor their king.] The voice that rips through my mind is deeper than anything I've ever heard before. With it comes a presence; old, knowing, and... Serene? [Yes, serene.] Great. it can read my mind. [I can communicate with all life, young hero.] the voice says, and somehow I know it's smiling. [Whether or not it talks back is up to it.] [Who are you?] I ask. [You know me already. I'm what your kind refer to as the 'boss' of this area.] The Eater of Worlds. I didn't expect it to be nearly this friendly. [And why would I not be? I live here under the sun same as you. I breathe the air of this earth, stale as it may be underground. I can feel joy.] I can almost feel it laughing good-naturedly. The laughter soon fades. [And I can feel sadness.] A deep, clawing anguish tears at me, and I sink to my knees. [My children are dying even as I speak.] The Eater of Worlds says. [The Virus has spread to even my sacred corruption.] I feel sorry for the poor thing; trapped underground and forced to do nothing as something kills off its offspring. [What can I do to help?] I ask instinctively. Nothing this sad should stay that way for long. [Nothing as of yet. The Virus is too powerful. But when I am gone...] The sadness in the Eater's voice fades, to be replaced by a pleading tone. [Protect my children. They are all that matters.] I smile. [Will do, boss.] I say. [I just have two questions.] [Ask away, dear hero.] [How can you talk to me? I haven't broken the third Shadow Orb yet.] [You think that my awakening is done all at once? No, it happens in stages. At the first Orb, I can see and hear through my children. At the second, I can speak. At the third...] I nod. [Second...] I take a deep breath. [What's a Regicide?] The Eater laughs, and I laugh too. [I'm serious, though.] I say. [What does the word 'Regicide' mean? I know it means I have to kill something...] [I will tell you after you fully summon me, Regicide. For now, proceed with your plan.] He knows about the plan? Of course he does. He can read minds. [Does this mean I still have to summon you?] I ask. [I don't know how much good it'll do; after all, I'm not going to kill the you now that I know you're a good guy.] [Of course.] The Eater replies. [Even if you don't intend to end my rule, I'd still enjoy the feeling of the sunlight on me, and the sight of my beautiful home through more than the limited view my children-] It stops. [I-Is something wrong?] I ask, worried. [The Virus. It's here.] The Eater says, with a combination of fear, surprise, and anger I didn't even think was possible. [You must drive it back, if nothing else, hero! Please!] I nod. [Of course. Tell me where it is.] [I cannot, only that it has set foot on sacred ground. You must find it yourself, and be careful.] [Right.] I turn to leave, but the Eater's voice cuts me off. [You'll find a golden chest in a cave just above your position.] the Eater says. [You might find something helpful inside it.] I thank him and look up at the ceiling, made of ebonstone. [Buddy?] I call. No answer. [Children, aid the Regicide.] the Eater says. [You've been bowing for a long while now.] Buddy flies up to my head and looks at the stone. [The usual plan.] I say. [We need to get there quickly, but don't hurt yourself.] Buddy flies up to the ceiling and starts burrowing into it, leaving a trail of normal stone behind him. Placing more stone under myself to act as a standing point, I mine the ceiling out from above me, making my way slowly to the cave. After what seems like an hour of digging, my head pops up into a small cave. I jump out of the hole I'm in and look around for Buddy. He's lying on the ground. [You alright, Buddy?] I ask. [My gnaester hurts...] I sigh. [I told you not to hurt yourself.] I say, walking over to him and picking him up. [Are you gonna be alright?] [I think so.] he says, flotating weakly above my hand. [Go back home and rest.] I say. [It should be normal stone from here on in, and I wanna visit the overworld.] [As you wish.] he says, floating back down the hole. Looking around the cave, I spy what I've been looking for; a golden chest lying in a corner. I rub my hands with glee and open it. Inside... Is nothing. What? [You were looking for this?] a voice calls. Mine.