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"You have 2 months to win 1000 farkle games, or your soul is mine."
Darkness pulsed around 4c, his head spinning, and stomach twisting. He evaporated into nothing for a few moments, before being thrown to the castle ground. He landed without bouncing, collapsing to the floor, legs aching from the impact. No one was around, thank goodness.
He had just had his 2nd interaction with the rogue god. And-
One. Thousand. Games.
How on earth was he meant to do that in 2 MONTHS?!
TWO?
4c attempted to stand up, but he was so tired and shaking way too much for any safe amount of stability. Though, he managed to basically crawl over to the wall, leaning against.
He was so. utterly. screwed.
1000 in 60 days. 4c couldn't even muster up enough energy to do the math on how many that would be per week, and even per day. All he knows is that that is ALOT.
He might as well give up now.
And then what? He just gives up his soul? What would that even mean for him? Would that put him in any more danger than he already is? Could they control his movements and thoughts? His actions and words? Would he hurt someone on the gods' means? How does this even work?
4c hadn't even realized he was basically on the verge of tears until they were spilling down his face, body suppressing cries, and breathing too quick, even for an athletic slime like him.
His chest hurt, and vision blurred. He tried to close his eyes, but that only made the situation so much scarier.
Darkness. Darkness is what follows his speaking with the rogue god.
Darkness is terrifying.
Everything hurt. It all hurt so badly. He felt like he was dying. Was he dying? Has the rogue god come to claim him early-
He felt hands on his shoulders and face.
This is it. This is how he goes out.
But the hands were gentle. They squeezed hard enough to be noticeable, but were also as gentle as can be.
4c opened his eyes, vision spotty from squeezing them so tightly.
He could only see what made out to be a pink blob, mixed with brown hair and a fair skin shade.
It was a person. They were saying something, but he couldn't make out what. Everything felt as if he were stuffed in a large cotton ball.
The hands shook him hard. They were trying to get his attention.
4c tried to focus as much as he could, but the pain was overwhelming and he could only catch parts of their sentence.
"Cmon...---.... ---...ok"
"Look...--...--..just...-------...---...for me... ok?"
He could hear his own whines and whimpers, pathetic as always.
"It's ok... 4c, focus on...--...ok?"
It was Graecie. Of course, he couldn't forget that kind and caring voice.
He felt himself nod and look down, but her hands just brought his head up again.
"Stay with me, ok? Focus here," Graecie reassured, praying she was getting through to him.
He nodded again, tilting his head to be against the wall as he attempted at deep breaths.
"Good, good. You're doing good. Just follow me," Graecie praised.
It took a few moments before he could see and hear clearly again, though his head was still a bit misty.
Everything still hurt, too.
"There. That's better. Just keep breathing, ok?" she smiled, shifting to move away, "I'm going to go grab some water, ok? Mae, can you stay here?"
4c hadn't even noticed his friend was standing behind Graecie until the knight stood up. He missed Mae a lot. They hadn't been able to talk for a few days... but today didn't feel like the right time. He was afraid to hurt her if he did or said anything.
Mae nodded as Graecie ran off to get him a drink. She just stared at him, too afraid to get any closer, as if he were a glass figurine on the corner of a table, ready to fall and shatter at any moment.
4c didn't blame her, though. He probably looked like a mess. He'd be scared of himself.
He is scared of himself.
4c continued to sit there, trying to slow his mind and body, but the tremors just wouldn't stop.
It hurt.
Mae watches carefully, wanting to go over and give him a big hug, but knows that most definitely will not help him in the moment. Though, she didn't have to do anything else as Graecie came back with the bottle of water she promised.
She looked between Mae and 4c, trying to assess the situation, but gave up, bending down to hand the opened water to 4c.
He didn't notice at first, his head still back and throbbing.
"4c...?" she whispered, not wanting to startle him.
He looked down to her and then to the water, nodding in thanks. He took it with a weak grip, taking a few sips between strained breathing.
Graecie grabbed it from him, not wanting it to spill everywhere.
"4c... May I ask what happened?" Graecie asked carefully.
He stiffened at the ask, mind going back to the pain and fear he had experienced not just 10 minutes earlier. The darkness, the rogue gods voice... it made him want to cry all over again.
Graecie must have noticed the change in expression when she placed a hand on 4cs shoulder. He immediately flinched back, not having expected it, tears pricking his eyes again...
"Hey hey, it's ok... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you," she apologized, scooting back.
4c could only shake his head, not wanting her to feel guilty for his weakness.
Pulling his knees closer to his chest, he buried his head into his folded arms, way too exhausted to do anything at this point. The rush of adrenaline and fear, mixed with his earlier panic attack really had wiped him clean of energy.
"You don't have to talk about it if you don’t want to. I won't force you," Graecie explained, understanding as always.
He just shrugged, closing his eyes.
"What… do you need from us right now? You can't sleep here if sleep is what you want, so we could get you home? Or we could grab-" she paused, getting an idea. "I could have Mae go grab Nom if he could help you?" she offered, hoping to at least get SOME sort of answer.
Nom?
Nom knew about the rogue god, so it would be easier to explain his pain and anxiety. Maybe... maybe he could help, if he wasn't busy or anything. He didn't want to bother his friend with his issues.
"Can we go get Nom...?" Graecie asked again, offering a yes or no question.
Fine.
4c nodded, still keeping his head down. It was dark, but it was better than facing his concerned companion.
"Ok... thank you," Graecie acknowledged, turning to Mae.
She had already gotten the message though, and was heading out to the Well Well Well to look for Nom.
Mae hated seeing her friend like that, and she couldn't even help.
She didn't know how.
He didn't want to be touched, obviously, and he just looked so... scared.
It's fine. Just get Nom.
Mae climbed down the well, and made her way down the cave to Noms little home.
‘Please be here, please be here…’
She knocked on the door and heard thuds from inside. At least he's home.
"What do you want!" she heard Nom shout from inside, clearly having been in the middle of something or had been expecting someone else.
But when she opened the door to see Mae, his expression switched to one of confusion, "Mae? What are you doing here?"
She sighed, "Nom, it's... it's 4c."
Noms eyes widened, concern washing over him, "4-4c? What about him?"
Mae shook her head, "I don't know, he won't tell us. Graecie and I walked up to the castle to clear out the spiders when we found him curled up against the wall. He was all frantic and-" she took a shaky breath, the memory causing her heart to ache, "and panicked. He wouldn't tell us what happened.. and asked for you."
Nom listened intently, putting his sword down as she spoke. What would have happened that made 4c so scared- oh.
He must have had another encounter with the rogue god. But he hadn't panicked or anything the first time he got sent up there, so what had happened this time?
"Ok, ok, lets go," Nom encouraged, following Mae back to the castle.
Graecie had sat with 4c while Mae went to go find Nom. He was grateful for both of the girls. He had no idea what would have happened if they hadn't helped him.
It had been a good 20 minutes before they heard footsteps coming up the castle stairs.
"He's here," Graecie informed.
4c looked up to find Nom and Mae, seemingly out of breath. Had they run here to get to him? That’s not what he wanted…
This is so pathetic.
But he couldn't stop the tears welling up as he looked to his best friend.
Nom put his things down, walking over to the slime and kneeling down, "Hey buddy... What's going on?"
4c just looked at him with his big, sad, blue eyes. How was he meant to explain that he basically just sold his soul to a god?
Nom sighed, taking his armor off to not hurt his friend, "May I sit by you?"
4c hesitated but nodded, moving his cloak so he didn't sit on it.
Nom sat down next to him, not touching him though, in case that hurt him in any way...
But that effort was useless. 4c immediately leaned into him, breaking down once again. He couldn't hold back anymore. The fear, the pain... It was all too much.
Nom quickly wrapped his arms around the slime, adjusting his position for him to be more comfortable, "You're ok... You're gonna be ok."
Graecie and Mae stood by, watching the interaction unfold.
"We'll leave you two alone," Graecie concluded, though neither of the boys seemed to have heard her. Mae and Graecie shuffled away, whispering as they got further.
4c continued to cry in Noms arms.
'So weak'
'Pathetic little slime'
The rogue gods' words echoed in his mind. He squeezed tighter, terrified of losing any stability he had left.
Nom tensed as the slime clung closer, though he didn't mind it at all. Even though his friend was scared and in pain, the hug was healing for the both of them.
“I'm not letting go, 4c. Only if you ask me to,” Nom reassured, moving his hand up and down the slimes back.
It took a while, but eventually 4cs energy fully gave out, leaving him curled up by Nom, limp and shaking.
Though it may be too soon, Nom decides to proceed with his question, being as careful as possible, “Can I ask what happened now?”
4c could only sit there. Nom knew about everything… So why was this so hard? Maybe exhaustion, maybe distrust.
He hated the latter. He wanted to trust Nom, and he did, but instinct is a hard thing to get rid off.
“The r-rogue god…” he muttered instead.
Nom nodded, mentally confirming his suspicions, “He- has visited you before, so what happened this time that got you to this point? I’ve only seen you like this when-”
Nom paused.
“When you were running for your life” is what he was going to say.
Was 4c in danger?
“Did they say something about your safety, 4c?” Nom questioned, silently pleading that his friend would say no.
4c went frozen.
He got it right on the head. There was no backing out now.
4c nodded, hiding his face in his cloak.
“Dang it,” Nom sighed under his breath, “What did they say?”
“He… He said that if I don’t win 1000 farkle games in the next 2 months…” he muttered, “then he's taking my soul.”
4c suddenly sat up, his eyes filled with fear and defeat, “How is that even possible? A thousand? There is absolutely no way that is happening, and I might as well just give up now-” he rambled, getting cut off by a cough.
“4c,” Nom cut in, “Calm down, alright? Did he really say one thousand?”
The slime could only nod in response, his throat closing up again with emotion.
“How is that… even fair? There has gotta be a deal or something we can make with this guy.”
“There are no deals,” 4c explained. “I tried. I begged.”
“There has to be some way-”
“Nom,” 4c interrupted, looking to his friend with desperation, “There are no deals with him. He gets his way.”
Nom looked to 4c, opening his mouth a few times to start talking, but immediately closing it shut. He didn’t know what to say. How was this even fair to expect of someone? He could try and help get him some wins, but would that count or be considered cheating?
“Is there any way I can help you?” Nom asked, hope sparking in his eyes.
“I mean…” 4c started, leaning back against the wall again, “He didn't say there was anything against it? But I couldn't ask you to spend hours playing a stupid game.”
Seriously? He really thought Nom wouldn't help him?
“How ruthless do you think I am? Of course I’ll help you, no matter how long it takes,” Nom reproved, getting in front of him to make eye contact.
4c’s eyes widened, “Really? But- but you have other things to do…”
“That doesn’t matter, I’ve saved your life before, and I’ll save it again,” Nom reassured, “Even if you can be an annoying ass sometimes.”
4c smiled weakly at the banter, “I- Ok… ok.”
Nom smiled back, moving to stand up and put his armor back on, “Cmon, lets get you home.”
4c whined dramatically, not wanting to move, “I don’t think I can walk that far…”
Nom shook his head, still smiling, “The black smith it is then.”
Reaching his hands out to the slime, Nom helped him up with no struggle and propped his friend around his shoulder for support.
“C’mon. Let's go.”