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.”
Oh! If you see Beyn, do NOT mention that
That was odd.
you a bad person? Does Beyn hate
No, he doesn’t hate me. He
“He loves you?”
would REALLY prefer we did not use that phrasing.
getting dressed, I’ll
Thanks, I appreciate it.
he could so as not to wake those still sleeping around him before he crept
the Dungeon veins was the same as always. Patrols of humans and ants
him, similarly stumbling with fatigue. He poked her in the arm and she glared up at him,
can talk to both of you at the same time…. Yep. I can. Nice. Hey, how are you
his feet but Alis
“I’m tired,” she snapped.
He agreed.
showing up
sighed and
Could you perhaps just explain to us who you are? And how
Jern wondered. Then he thought about it. Then he nodded.
never heard. The
One?”
me Anthony.
Jern frowned.
or
Wait, you
He shrugged. Why not?
is on the fourth stratum according to priest Beyn! They couldn’t possibly talk to us!
I probably couldn’t. And I AM on the fourth stratum. As for why… that’s what I want to know! You
know where we are?” Alis hissed, eyes darting at the darkness
would really prefer we get through this without me having to talk to
nodded. That was
fiery sermon, though,”
find it hard to
understand
just be getting angrier.
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