Book One Chapter Forty Three: Crossroad Conflict Kickoff

Book One Chapter Forty Three: Crossroad Conflict Kickoff

Im going to turn you into scrap! Slates mother bellowed.

Well crush you into grit! Ms. Mags screeched, blades springing out from all over her body.

Rockies have had enough of all of you metal-heads! a large stone construct said, swinging a giant warhammer onto his (maybe; he did appear to be balding) shoulder.

Youve killed my baby!

This means war!

Oh, Slate, Zincy said lovingly, and sighed.

Oh, Zincy, Slate said lovingly, and sighed.

Everyone had gone mad. Totally, and absolutely mad. The two sides were standing there, screaming at each other, but not one of them had moved. This didnt make any sense. It was just insanity.

Qube looked over her shoulder to where the Chosen One was still laughing, and gasped as she spotted the Constructor standing behind him. The Chosen One followed her gaze and frowned as he spotted the human.

You must choose a side, troubleshooter, the Constructor said ominously.

Yeah, I got that. No need for railroading, the Chosen One dismissed him. He pointed at the mob of stone constructs. Traditional. Order. Law. He gestured at the metal constructs. Innovation, chaos, change. Its not exactly subtle.The source of this content nov(el)bi((n))

Qube tracked back and forth between the warring clans and the Constructor. His children were on the brink of destroying each other! Why wasnt he commanding them to stand down, as he had before? Why wasnt he taking charge, but rather telling the Chosen One to deal with this? When it had just been tension, fine, but now they were screaming at each other about the deaths of the perfectly healthy Slate and Zincy!

It was almost as if they both could and couldnt recognise that Slate and Zincy were fine. Qubes flesh started to creep as her mind tried to wrap itself around the sheer scope of what she was thinking.

A part of them knew that Slate and Zincy had died or nearly died. This explained the calls for blood (or fluid or whatever rock people had).

But another part knew that they were still alive hence why they didnt actually attack each other.

The Constructor had said something in the laboratory: Instead of merely being interested in working with their own materials, as I intended.

He had shaped their interests with the intent of shaping their behaviour. He had modified (or created, she wasnt clear on that) their affinities, their personalities, to better suit his needs.

They were like living dolls. Dolls that he was now dissatisfied with because his shaping of their selves had not yielded the results he wanted.

And so now he wanted someone else to take care of the issue.

He didnt care about the materials to rebuild them or the investment of time needed! If he did, he wouldnt be egging on the Chosen One to get involved in their war! Hed be trying to stop it! No, he was just mad that they werent doing what he wanted, and now he was punishing them via proxy, just so he could keep up his facade of all-caring father figure!

Chosen One! Qube snapped, tell the Constructor to order them to stand down!

The Chosen One looked at her quizzically. That wont make a difference, he said. Theyre bugged.

Bugged?

Um, means that part of them isnt working right. The Chosen One shifted slightly. cuz theyre constructs. They werent made properly. So sometimes they act weird.

The Chosen One flicked a glance at the two frenzied but frozen mothers, and the empty plaza.

Interesting, the Chosen One said, then walked to the Save Point near the towns entrance. The Save Point that hadnt been there when the town had existed in that strange nightmare realm, Qube suddenly realised. She rubbed her forehead as her head started to ache. Why had she so quickly dismissed the strange place that had existed for such a brief time? Unless it had to do with the puzzles in some way. There were plenty of stories about places that had spells cast over them. She would have to get the Chosen One to question the Constructor about it, once theyd resolved this war.

The Chosen One passed his hand through the Save Point, then walked back to the loving couple, drawing his Sacred Sword as he moved. He was looking at them with mildly detached curiosity, the red light of the dawning suns staining his naked blade the colour of blood.

Qube felt fear squeeze her heart.

The Chosen One swung his Sacred Sword as hard as he could at Slates unprotected back.

Qube screamed. She flung out her hands to cast [Lesser Shield] on Slate or the Chosen One she could not say only for the Chosen Ones sword to stop a hairs breadth away from Slate in a move that would have required truly incredible levels of control.

Nope, the Chosen One said, reversing his blade and swinging it at Zincy, only to have it stop short again. Huh. I guess neither of them have aggroed. What if I he looked to the mothers.

Chosen One! Why-what-what are you doing? Qube yelled, stumbling over her own words as she rushed to him.

Just testing some things, the Chosen One casually replied. Dont worry, I saved. His eyes narrowed as he looked down at her. Although, I still havent gotten an answer on your whole dream sitch, so I dunno what would happen to the save file.

What? Qube shook her head. No, thats not important right now. Why are you pretending to attack innocent villagers?

To try and bring the mothers to their senses? the Chosen One offered, somewhat dubiously. Like, to jolt them into realising their kids are alive? Or at least making them actually start fighting so we can win the war. Theres probably some good loot if we pick one side over the other. The Chosen One tilted his head as he considered Qube. Although, with what youve done, we could probably figure out some way to glitch it hard enough that I can get both sides rewards.

Chosen One, we want to stop them from fighting at all! Why would we care about winning the war when we have the chance to stop it?

The Chosen One shrugged. To see what happens.

But theyll die!

Yeah but thats the Constructors fault, not ours.

Qube had never felt so out of tune with the Chosen One. Sure, in their grand quest to defeat the Evil Emperor, what was one town, but still! Just because they were constructs didnt make their lives worth any less! They were still people who deserved to be safe!

Why were they fighting against the Evil Emperor if they werent going to try and do Good?

The Chosen One was looking at her. For once she couldnt summon her Understanding Smile. That expression of his that she hated, that inhuman disconnect, disappeared and once again he was the Chosen One she knew.

Look, he paused and covered his face briefly. I cant believe Im dropping a glitched quest for a [Prophecy Cursed] NPC, he quietly muttered to himself. Look, he started again, this is clearly upsetting you. And I dont know whats happening with the saves. Or the whole sentience thing. So how about we just go back to the main hub and we can hit up this place later? Once Ive gotten some answers.

You think that if we allow them some space theyll be able to figure out that Slate and Zincy are still alive and they dont need to fight? she asked hopefully. What if they start hurting each other while were gone?

Well theyre not fighting right now, the Chosen One pointed out sensibly. And nothing is going to change anytime soon. Theyve all gone back to their normal routines. The combat flag hasnt triggered.

Qube tried to parse his phrasing. The Chosen One grimaced.

Um, the constructs he scratched his head, are fighting against their orders from the Constructor? So they won't fight each other. After a moment he sighed. This is probably all pointless, but I just dont anyway. Gotta save the world, right?

Right! Qube said, and smiled at him mistily.