Chapter Text
He clutched the book, fingers trembling and dripping with blood as he scrawled words he hardly recognised.
Don’t turn left.
DON’T turn left.
Don’t turm left.
He had no time to care for spelling errors. Fuck, he didn’t even have time to think. Breathing heavily, he wrote one last thing. A series of numbers, linked directly to his inventory. If he, Avery, was smart enough, he’d be able to decode it.
You know he won’t be able to.
Derlorde cursed, scratching at his helmet visor, as if clawing out his brain would make the voice go away. It wouldn’t. Panting heavily, he shoulders sagged.
All he wanted to do was slump to the ground, curl up and die. But he knew he couldn’t. He can’t. Not yet, at least.
Instead, he limped towards the exit, breath laboured and footsteps streaked with blood and dirt. His armour scratched together, echoing around the walls and reverberating in his skull.
Then, he stopped.
Turned around. Away from the sunlight in the distance. Away from safety.
And back to the cave.
Derlorde felt it calling to him. Not in a good way, like how a mother calls down her children for dinner. No, this was far worse, far more…unerving.
And yet, Derlorde stepped towards it. Despite everything, he stepped towards the cave. The one place his damned curiosity had gotten the better of him. The place he’d promised, as he was digging roughly through stone, he’d never stray close to again.
But some promises were never meant to be kept.
He took another step. And another, and another, and another.
And then he was at the end of the tunnel, and in the rows of trees.
Derlorde moved with calculated steps that still looked mindless, with the air of someone drunk who's trying to convince themselves they aren’t.
And now he was in the center, trees towering over him on each side.
He stopped.
That pull was gone. What had driven him down here had snapped. And so did something in his brain.
He turned quickly, and started to sprint, back towards the cave, back towards the mines, and the chest and the staircase and the sun and-
My knight~
Derlorde froze, for what seemed like the millionth time.
He could feel its presence.
Infinite knowledge didn’t need to tell him what was standing behind him.
Not one to talk? Aww, what a shame.
.
You’ll be begging once I’m done with you.
Derlorde raised an eyebrow, not that there was much point because of his helmet, but the silence got the point through.
Not like that! Stupid mortals. Actually, do you want to know something?
He titled his helmet, as if to say, not really, but you’ll tell me regardless.
Really not a talker. Fine. You know, you’re the smartest person I’ve seen in a long time. You might even surpass the one from the abandoned village.
Derlorde’s eyes widened. Is it talking about the author of that book?
Why yes I am. He put up quite a fight. But in the end, they all do their jobs.
Derlorde stood, still facing away from the king. It wasn’t confusing him, as he supposedly knew this already. But it was hard. The information was still flooding his mind, he wasn’t used to it at all.
Aww, does the ickle knight find me confusing? Don’t worry, they all did at first.
Finally, Derlorde turned around, directly facing the king. It towered over him, yellow robes covering the shadowy face he never wants to see again. It lifted a single, skeletal hand and brought it to the side of his face, stroking the hem of his helmet.
Finally brave enough to face me, my knight? I must say, that helmet of yours does hide your handsome features. How about we…take it off?
The king gripped the helmet, and flicked it off, sending it clattering to the floor.
Derlorde kept his eyes averted. He would not fall for any tricks the king may be playing.
There, that's better. No more hiding.
Derlorde sighed, barely audible.
The king heard. It tilted its head.
Oh? Got something to say, have we? Go on, my knight, speak.
In a voice worn from tiredness, he spoke.
“What…do you want with me? Haven’t you done enough to me already?”
The king laughed. Manically, leaning over, the sound echoing through the cave.
Have- Haven’t I done enough?! Oh, my dear knight, I’m barely getting started! Don’t tell me you’re tired already? We haven’t even got to the main event yet!
“What…Is it? The ‘main event’. Is it a game? A puzzle?”
No need for eagerness! My, once you open your mouth, you don't know when to stop!
In Derlordes mind, an image flashed, for just a second. A slime, more humanlike in appearance, with a Hawaiian shirt and a duumb smile. It made no sense, so he chose to ignore it.
“Tell me what you came to tell me, so I don’t ask anymore questions. Simple.”
A bit impatient, are we? Fine, I’ll tell you.
Derlorde straightened, immediately paying acute attention to the king, eyes now fully locked on it.
You have a job. An important one. If you complete this job, I shall let you leave this place. You will lose all your knowledge, and any memories from here. Your job is simple. When the next person comes down here, you shall lead him on. “what.” No need for excitement, jeeze. I saw you write that book. Avery is coming. He won’t listen to your warning. He will continue down. You remember those whispering voices in the tunnel, and the torches? That was the person previous to you. They were leading you on, whether you know it or not.
“They were…leading. Me?”
That's what I just said. You shall do the same to Avery. If he sees me, and gains knowledge, you will have completed your job. If you refuse to do your job, or Avery goes back on his own accord, you will both be stuck here forever.
“So…if, I lead him to you, I’m free?”
Exactly. Your job starts whenever Avery arrives. Until then, and during, I am turning you into a spirit. You can switch between invisibility and the latter, but you can only become solid for a few minutes at a time. This is so you can mess and tamper with blocks. Until Avery arrives, I recommend getting used to infinite knowledge, and maybe finding a place to live, down here, obviously. Have I made myself clear?
“...Yes.”
Good.
With that, the king disappeared, and Derlorde was left alone.