"O'mother who art thou in heaven, hear this poor soul's cries. All I wanted to do was journey across the stars with my newfound friends. Yet here I am. Not journeying across the stars and not with my newfound friends. Kal-el is no friend. A promise to visit a planet perfect for spell casting, he said. A new method to develop as a mage within his guild, he said. Neither has happened. My naivite. My downfall. I hope to never do this again." Torell thought to himself as sweat poured down his face within the helmet and air bubbled within his stomach.
"Whatcha thinking so hard about, Rell? C'mon, loosen up!" Clark whispered, slapping his back. He walked towards Dubbo and the rest, with Torell following close behind
Dubbo, taking notice first, waved to a fellow guild leader. "Kal-el, it is good to meet you again. How have you been?" Dubbo's purple-rimmed glasses glinted under the lights.
"Dubbo, how are ya? Better be doing well for me." Clark laughed. "Fortuna, Kaiser, I hope you both are doing well too." Clark's eyes dragged to Fortuna's velveteen purple pants and Kaiser's scabbard; its purple barely noticeable due to how deep and dark its colour was.
"Hello, Kal-el." Kaiser greeted.
"Look people in the eyes when you say hello, Kal-el. And we're doing well." Fortuna greeted. "Who's the shy one behind you?"
"I'm doing fantastic, thank you two for asking." Clark replied. "And this orc, right here, is going to be the greatest mage to touch this game."
"...He-l-" Torell choked on his words. "-lo." he bowed, unable to meet their eyes either.
***
Rojo swung his tail at the two exhausted men, signalling them to follow him into the dark tunnel behind. Johnny didn't know what to expect. He was exhausted, mentally, and the tunnel didn't help. He clutched Zein's shredded sleeve. A lamb too scared to enter.
"It will[ be okay, Johnny." Zein patted Johnny's hand. "Trust me. There's nothing to be scared of." He began to follow the snake into the tunnel. Johnny followed, fingers still wrapped around a helpless strand of Zein's sleeve.
The tunnel was narrow, similar to the entrance. It required Johnny and Zein to bend their knees. Further and further, the more they entered until the two of them were on their knees. Wu struggled to stay asleep due to Zein's breath, the heat, and trapped air made it too hot to feel comfort in a scarf.
"Oogie!" Wu complained.
"I'm sorry, lil' buddy." Zein lifted the little monkey from his scarf and let him down onto the hard soil. The scattered stones on the soil scraped against Johnny and Zein's pants, yet to Wu, it was playtime. He kicked one of the stones, perfectly round apart from a couple of chips and scratches, while they continued their way down.
"Paws would have been useful here, huh." Zein thought, watching Wu play with his stone.
Rojo never matched their pace. He made way with haste, slithering a go 10-20 metres before stopping to wait, letting the three catch up before slithering once more. It annoyed the leader at first, but as time went on, it became a game. "How fasssssssst will they make it." Rojo would count down the seconds.
"Not bad cowboysssssss. That wasssssss your fassssstest time yet! You are fassssssster on your kneessssss and palmssssssss." Rojo laughed.
"Is that right?" Zein looked up. His posture resembled an Egyptian hieroglyph. "Glad we could make you laugh."
"How much further do we need to go, Mr. Snake?" Johnny asked, yawning.
"It is Ssssserpent." Rojo corrected. "We are closssssse, cowboy."
Rojo slithered forward, moving faster than he once was. This time around, he counted out loud. Taunting the cowboys. Zein and Johnny didn't seem too bothered by it, but Wu couldn't keep himself composed. The cadence of Rojo's count triggered something within the little monkey, an inexplicable anger. With each number, he growled. Louder and louder until he couldn't take it anymore.
"Oogie!!!" Wu kicked his stone, as hard as he could, at the snake. Rojo stepped to the side, letting the stone fly by him. Wu's next course of action was to charge at Rojo, to which he grinned. Rojo grabbed the little monkey with his tail. He raised him to his face, seeing the rage in his bulging eyes.
"That wassssss fassssssst, Wu!" Rojo cackled as Wu desperately tried to reach Rojo, kicking and slapping the air in front of him.
"Oogie! Oogie oogie! Oogie!"
"Sssssso angry!? I wassssss only counting, Wu!"
"Ooogie!"
"Put him down, Rojo. Stop messing with him, please." Zein intervened. "Wu, be good." Wu, begrudgingly, stopped his attempted assault.
"If you ssssssay ssssssso." Rojo gently let the little monkey down. Wu returned to Johnny and Zein's side, glaring at Rojo one last time before searching for a new stone to kick.
"Thank you, I appreciate it."
Johnny, poor Johnny, couldn't comprehend what had just happened. It was the first time the game felt surreal. He was crawling on all fours in a cave with a talking cat and snake who could both converse with a monkey. This, compounded with his exhaustion, made him dizzy. Therefore, he decided to continue crawling, past Zein and Wu.
Rojo, respecting Johnny's wish to continue, slithered on. The four of them continued this start-stop charade the entire way through. Fortunately for Zein and Johnny, the cave's ceiling rose. Growing taller and taller. It let the two cowboys rise to their feet and stretch their backs.
"Aaaah, finally. That felt really weird, Mr. Cat." Johnny said, looking at Zein. It was here Johnny realised that Zein was shorter than him. He felt taller. "You're pretty short, Mr. Cat."
"Surprising, isn't it?" Zein flicked his ears as he stretched his fingers.
Walking into the darkness in front of them, a cacophony of snakes chattering. The lights were close to non-existent compared to the tavern that the cowboys were greeted to. Rojo, oblivious to his guest's plight, slithered on.
"Mr. Cat…. I can't see or hear too well." Johnny scooted closer to Zein.
"Oo-oogie." Wu climbed into Zein's scarf, returning to hide.
"Rojo, we can't see you?" Zein called their guide.
"Hm? Oopsssssss. That'ssssss no good." Rojo returned to their side. "Here'sssssss a little light for you." he handed Zein a small ball; its texture was bone-like. "The ssssssswitch issssssss on top."
Clicking the top of the ball- a dim blue light, just enough to see what was in front of them. The ground was much smoother, snake-made. Tarps, blankets, and signs were barely visible alongside snake patterns and eyes. Eyes which didn't reflect. The snakes instinctively smiled upon seeing Rojo, greeting their leader. They'd wrap their head around his, from each side, before returning to their tasks.
"That was so cool!" Johnny chimed.
"Oogie." Wu studied the gesture. The little monkey stood on Zein's shoulders and hugged his face, placing his head on one side, then the other. "Oogie!" he looked proud of himself.
"That was cute, Wu. Thank you." Zein smiled.
"It'sssssssssss tradition. Passsssssssed down since our ancesssssstorsssss." Rojo said, pleased with them for respecting his culture. "Let'ssssssssss keep moving. We are closssssssssse."
Following down their path, the number of snakes increased. Most were dressed in linen tunics and a couple of accessories. Some were chains which were made to rattle; they sat around their tunic, mimicking a belt. Some had gems embroidered either into their clothes or directly onto their scales. Some carried skulls, plated in gold and attached to a thin, strong string made from the webbing of a Nedline Spider.
"Skulls! Why are they wearing skulls, Mr. Snake? That's scary… but cool!" Johnny asked.
"To keep the sssssoul of thosssssse who passsssssed on." Rojo answered.
"Why don't you have any then!? You don't have any-" Zein put his hand over Johnny's mouth.
"Sorry about-"
"It'sssssss alright. I don't have anyone'sssss sssssoul to keep." Rojo kept moving, not looking back. "If I did keep the dead'sssssss ssssssoul with me, I'd carry too many ssssssssssskulls causssssssse I sssssssssee everyone here asssssssss family." Rojo chuckled.
The colour of the linen clothes worn by the snakes ranged from ecru to white. Though Zein did confuse the range to be from sea green to sky blue, Rojo corrected him. He explained how white symbolised wealth. The whiter the cloth, the higher the quality of the material. Rojo, being their leader, chose instead to don darker colours. Distinguishing himself from everyone.
The deeper they traversed, the whiter the clothes became. The gold sparkled under the blue shimmer a tiny bit more. The chains rattled a couple of decibels louder. The snakes here held their heads higher- their backs, straighter. Rojo guided the trio past them, nodding with a smile. There were no hugs shared.
The stores in this area were made from clay, shaped to resemble bricks. It was structured, and out of place. Glass windows to peer in. Iron rods to support its foundation. Signs made from burning letters into cactus skin.
"Asssssss promissssssssed." Rojo said, "Nedline'sssssssss besssssst blackssssssssmith." he pointed to a blanket and shelf by some of the square stores. A snake laid amongst his wares, asleep in a stained grey tunic with a bottle of alcohol, as seen in Old Rocky Town, and a hammer gripped by their tail.
"There aren't a lot of customers for somebody seen as the best." Zein questioned.
"Ewwww he stinks." Johnny held his nose.
"Oogie oogie." Wu held his nose.
"Sssssssssshe's the besssssssst we have, even if sssssssssshe hassssssss her quirksssssssss." Rojo sighed.
"Mr. Cat." Johnny whispered, "I don't think she's the best."
"She's the best, trust me, but play along, it's more fun that way." Zein pat Johnny's back.
"Vulcan Ssssserpent. Wake up." Rojo slapped the Nedline Serpent awake.
"Wha-" Vulcan woke up in a daze. "Rojo? What i' it? I haven't fini'hed your dagger' yet."
"I have brought cussssssssssstomersssssss."
"Oh." Vulcan turned to Zein, Johnny, and Wu. "Hello. Plea'e buy my 'tuff." he said.
"I don't think she's their best, Mr. Cat. I don't like her." Johnny tugged on Zein's shirt.
"We hope to find something good, Ms. Vulcan." Zein smiled.
"Thank'. I'm going back to 'leep now. Incu' will 'erve you." Vulcan waved with her hammer.
Briiiiiiiiiing.
From the store opposite Vulcan's. A glass door with an iron bell by its side to ring customers in pushes open. From within, a snake in a white tunic and gold-plated glasses stormed out, making his way towards Vulcan's store.
"Mother! How could you keep them waiting!? Do accept my apology on her behalf." Incus turned to the party of 4. "Leader Rojo! Hope you're doing well." he didn't offer a hug. "How can I help you all?"
"Thesssssse are my guesssssssssts. We are here to ssssssee Vulcan'ssssssss workssssssss."
"Go right ahead. Whether you want to kill or protect, we have the item for you. Believe me." Incus began his pitch to the sounds of his mother's snores. "A blade coated in venom. Deadly. A gun made from a combination of copper and iron. Come on, cowboy, cowboy, and little cowboy, your draw will be so quick, it'll be like lightning hit. Maybe you'd be interested in an amulet? Good luck will come your way if you buy it right now. I'll cut the price too. Believe me." he took a breath. "Cacti leather mixed with iron. You get armour. Unbreakable armour. Rojo bought a piece, and it never tore or broke. Never. Let me tell you something, if you buy our tunic, whiter than white, everybody will be in awe. Your magic damage will improve, too, and your ability cooldown time will reduce. We can tailor it to fit the little one, too. Believe me."
"Sssssplendid. Anything new?"
"...No."
"What do you think, Mr. Cat? I like the amulet, but I'm also sleepy, so I don't know."
"Everybody could use a little luck. It's a good pick, Johnny, trust yourself."
"Okay! I'll take the amulet, please!"
"Perfect. That'll be 3 gold."
"I'll take the tunic in his size. And I'll take…" Zein carried Wu with his left arm, while he continued scanning. "That." he pointed at a scope peeking from behind a pair of iron-toed cactus boots.
"Uhm…" Incus seemed concerned. "My mother made that after a very late night with the bottle. I don't think it'll be worth it. Believe me."
"I thought your job was to sell?"
"You're not wrong, but…" Incus couldn't decide whether it was ethical to sell the scope. "Alright, here. Do take a better look at it before you buy. I don't want to be known for fraud." he looked at Rojo.
Rojo said nothing, leaving them to it.
A Nedline Copper scope with a hint of alcohol blended in. Smelted by Vulcan. Crit damage increased by 15%. Can attach to any weapon. Zein grinned.
"I'll take it."