Jern woke with a start.
“What was that?” he mumbled sleepily.
It’s me.
“Who’s me?” he wondered as he rubbed at his eyes.
Anthony.
“Who’s Anthony? Can I go back to sleep, Anthony?”
You were asleep? Sorry about that. I don’t sleep much.
“So… can I?”
No. Well… you can in a second, I just need your attention for a minute. Two minutes. Look, I’ll be honest with you, five minutes probably, then you can go back to sleep.
“I’m really tired, Anthony. Can this wait until the morning?”
I mean… it could? But I’ve already woken you up, so we may as well do this now. Can you go and get your friend?
“Wha… what? Which friend?”
The other golden glowy person. The girl.
“Alis?”
Sure.
“You don’t know?”
Well, I haven’t spoken to her yet, I figured I’d just talk to one of you and then you could get the other.
“She’s… she’s in the girls’ dorm. I can’t go in there.”
Dammit. Look. Just put some pants on or whatever and I’ll get her to meet you outside. I want you to be able to talk to each other while I figure this out.
Jern blinked a few times and rubbed at his eyes again. The fuss over the new Class he and Alis had unlocked had gone on for ages, and frankly, he was exhausted. He didn’t need this right now. He looked down.
“I’m already wearing pants.”
Alis can come meet you. Oh! If you see Beyn, do NOT mention that I’m talking to
That was odd.
bad
I wish. No, he doesn’t hate me. He likes me
“He loves you?”
REALLY prefer we did not use
I’m getting dressed, I’ll
Thanks, I appreciate it.
as he could so as not to wake those still sleeping around him before he
across the sky, something he was still getting used to. Outside, the light from the Dungeon veins was the same as always. Patrols of humans
her in the
both of you at the same time…. Yep. I can. Nice. Hey, how are you
his feet but Alis glared at… the
“I’m tired,” she snapped.
He agreed.
only got yourselves to blame, showing up all shiny
sighed and pinched her
just explain to us who you are? And how are you
Jern wondered. Then he thought about it. Then he
mean, that’s my name. Which you’ve probably never heard. The
One?” Alis
Call me
Jern frowned.
or something?” he asked
you believe
He shrugged. Why not?
Beyn! They couldn’t possibly talk to us! And
under normal circumstances, I probably couldn’t. And I AM on the fourth stratum. As for why… that’s what I want to know! You guys have
know where we are?” Alis hissed, eyes darting at
really prefer we get through this without me having to talk to Beyn. Between the three of us, he
nodded. That
like a good fiery sermon,
I find it hard to
can understand
just be getting angrier. Fine. FINE. Have it your way. Wait a
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!