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.”
somewhere Alis can come meet you. Oh! If you see Beyn, do NOT mention that I’m talking to
That was odd.
you a bad person? Does Beyn hate
hate me. He likes
“He loves you?”
prefer we did not use that phrasing.
I’m getting dressed, I’ll stand
Thanks, I appreciate it.
could so as not to wake those
sky, something he was still getting used to. Outside, the light from the Dungeon veins was the same as always. Patrols of humans and ants
Alis found him, similarly stumbling with fatigue. He poked her in the arm and she
of you at the same time…. Yep. I can. Nice. Hey,
shifted his feet but Alis glared
“I’m tired,” she snapped.
He agreed.
to blame, showing up all shiny in my Nave the way you did. I certainly
sighed and
just explain to us who you are? And how are you talking to us?
Then he thought about
Which you’ve probably never heard. The Eldest? The… ugh… ‘Great One’. Does that
Great One?” Alis said
me Anthony.
Jern frowned.
kneel or something?”
Wait, you believe
He shrugged. Why not?
fourth stratum according to priest Beyn! They couldn’t
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 a Class change or something recently? Something ant related? You’re on the
are?” Alis hissed, eyes
really prefer we get through this without me having to talk to Beyn. Between the three of us, he can be a
nodded. That was
like a good fiery sermon, though,”
it hard
can understand
you, girl? No? You seem to just be getting angrier. Fine.
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