Book Three Chapter Eighty One: Check Overnight Batch

Book Three Chapter Eighty One: Check Overnight Batch

The very destiny-focused Qube followed Sex Screamy Spider Briar into the now-empty guardian room and watched as her charge was unceremoniously dumped onto the ground. Shed seen the arachnid lower the Chosen One down much more gently before, so she could only assume this was the Hunter venting her feelings about the revelations the Hero had uttered before passing out.

Not that Qube blamed her, for all that her Healer side winced at the potential damage getting roughly deposited from a giant spider would cause to the already suffering Fighter. At most it would only be a few scrapes after all, she hadnt dropped him from a great height, just not been particularly gentle putting him down.

We need to get him to interact with the Save Point, she said. She waited to see if any of her companions would jump in with suggestions. After all, the last time one of them had been touching the Chosen One when hed interacted with a Save Point it had nearly ended poorly.

Perhaps I could use a wall of flame to push him into the Save Point, Definitely Bad Guy suggested.Visit no(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience

I could try tossing him, Sexy Screamy Spider Briar practically purred.

He is a staunch believer in throwing people off and into things, Sencha Bard pointed out. It seems the most fitting option.

Qube wanted to protest. Throwing a man in full plate armour bodily through a glowing ball of light in the hopes of it somehow reviving him from his dead faint seemed dangerous. What if he needed to be conscious for the Save Point to work? Hed only ever put his hand through the connection to the Devs realm would completely immersing him in it, even for a moment, cause his mind to be invaded, like Qubes had once been?

On the other hand, desperate times called for desperate measures.

Lets save that for if we cant get just his hand through, Qube said, her eyes narrowing as she regarded the passed out body of her best friend. First, though, I think we should try something a little different

She took a deep breath.

Were going to have to raid his backpack.

Which is how the party tasked with saving the entire world ended up building a truly magnificent piece of machinery.

It turned out the kleptomaniac Hero had stolen not just one or two brooms, but rather was walking around with half a dozen of them. They used several coils of rope hed had stashed in his bag to tie his hands to two of those brooms, using the remaining four to prop him up and stop him from falling over. Squiggles stood on Sexy Screamy Spider Briars back, and used four of her tentacles to hold the Chosen Ones arm-brooms as high as she could.

It wasnt elegant, or dignified, but the sight of the Chosen One, still passed out, dangling in the air, filled Qube with pride.

Position one! she called. Sexy Screamy Spider Briar carefully shuffled forward. Squiggles gently swayed to counter-balance her momentum, stopping the Chosen One from swinging too hard. They came to a stop directly next to the Save Point.

The glowing ball of blue light innocuously floated above the floor. Even knowing how deadly the Save Point was, Qube couldnt help but admire its beauty.

Pillows in place? she asked.

Pillows placed! Sencha Bard called back. Before the brooms had been secured to the Hero, he and Definitely Bad Guy had used said brooms to carefully push a pile of pillows into position.

She wasnt sure where all the pillows in the Chosen Ones backpack had come from. Some of them she recognised from the inn, others from that very relaxed fellow in the Wizards Academy. One of them bore a suspicious resemblance to one of the lava slimes cushions. Regardless of their origin, they were now all carefully piled up next to the Save Point, ready to receive their precious package.

Extend the arm! she ordered. Squiggles pushed out the tentacle wrapped around the Chosen Ones right broom hand. Fully extending her tentacle, his hand limply dangled over the top of the Save Point.

When I say three, drop him! Qube declared. She felt a thrill run through her at the idea of a countdown, something shed so often heard the Chosen One do.

One two three! Release the Hero! Qube cried out.

Squiggles released him.

He was lying. Badly. Qubes desire to pepper him with questions warred with her Healer instinct. She burned to demand answers, but

If what was happening to you was happening to me, what would you advise me to do? she asked him gently. The Hero still didnt look at her.

Well, its just, theres the deadline, so if I take a break and sleep they might wake up and have another fit he started, his head turned away from the group.

If I was in the exact same situation, deadlines and all, what would you want me to do?

He stopped talking. After a little bit, he looked at her. She regarded him steadily, her eyes bright and clear. He couldnt quite meet her gaze, and his eyes were still the smallest bit unfocused. She saw the exact moment his bravado crumbled, and he was forced to look away again.

Theres probably a Save Point outside the throne room. Lets get to there, and then Ill have a proper break, okay? he offered. His expression was surprisingly grim.

She held his gaze a second longer, then nodded.

If thats what youd ask of me, then Ill ask it of you, she said, brushing nonexistent dust from her robes. She didnt want to accept what hed said, but the connection between them right now was too fragile for her to outright call him a liar. Hed saved her from certain death, but been lying to her nearly the entire time shed known him.

It was a complicated feeling.

Youre really getting tough, yknow? he said with gentle affection as the rest of the party packed away all the pillows and brooms. At the start, you never would have stood up to me like that.

Well, someone has to stop you from killing yourself, she pointed out.

Its a sign that youre growing into a strong, independent woman, Sexy Screamy Spider Briar said, hooking one of her arms around Qube and giving her a squeeze. More than you ever could have been, back in that village.

Qube came crashing back to earth at the reminder of how much shed changed since she died. Oh, she said quietly. Yes. That.

You said some rather shocking things before you fainted, my once-love, the Hunter continued, not so subtly prodding at Qube. Perhaps youd care to explain, rather than forcing the poor girl to pull the answers out of you?

By all means, let us walk and talk, Sencha Bard said, suiting the words to action by walking towards the guardian rooms exit. The others followed suit.

Did you not wish to discuss reforms with the guardians one on one before we confront the Evil Emperor? Definitely Bad Guy asked Sexy Screamy Spider Briar as they walked away from the doors leading to the guardians. As you mentioned, the balance of power would be in our favour before we restore the throne, and make the guardians more receptive to submission. She hesitated, before ruefully shaking her head.

As much as I would love to get them to submit to me, unfortunately, Im not the kind of girl who can ignore the needs of my friends. The Hunter gave a heavy sigh. Well just have to be extra persuasive afterwards. Really turn up the charm, until weve tied them into knots.

The former Mage Advisor (while hed technically never been fired, his boss trying to kill him probably counted as invalidating his job offer) steepled his fingers as he thought.

Ingenious. While I have never personally attempted to tie someone into a knot, I can imagine it would make them substantially more amenable to any suggestions. The only issue would be making sure they remained committed to their promises once restored to working form.

Even her screaming childrens faces closed their eyes as Sexy Screamy Spider Briar gave another, even heavier sigh.

Youre lucky youre pretty, she informed the Mage. Its the only reason you get away with some of the truly horrifying things you say.

As Definitely Bad Guy frowned in puzzlement, the Hunter reached out with one long arm, and hooked a claw around the Chosen One.

As for you, my sweet little snack, she said, dragging the Hero so that he was forced to walk alongside Qube and her. You rather have some explaining to do, dont you think?