Chapter 13: Struggles of Songs and the Prince’s Judgement

The dire song of the Apostle was multifarious pain. A Yearning to slumber softly, escaping one’s torments and awaking to a new world. It clawed into the ears, visible worms trying to get inside the heads of the sleepers. Clashing bravely against this was the unresigned song of the three maidens. The worms were pieced with blades of note forming into the beaks of birds, flying over the sleeping ones, their cries calling them to wake.

From the maw of the Apostle came the rumble of storm, words like lightning, and the birds were trapped within, tortured to ensure their message of hope would never wake the sleeping, but cries turned to rage, and bird to flame, and hope consumed despair in conflagration. Why surrender to pain? What world would be made by being consumed by the ills of the old?

The song rebuked the Apostle, and it was stricken once more, the Stone Champion, truthfully quite numb to music benign or malicious, laid his wood beast against the Apostle. In fury and madness, the Apostle rent the Champion’s weapon, and continued his corrupt gospel. Every flame much darken, and all resistance comes to naught.

The flame of the maidens was snuffed out as the life of all is. That final sleep, and so the tone of sorrow rested heavily. Sleep, sleep a while longer and the New World will come. The maidens felt this sickness in their hearts, and they did fall. Singing in triumph, eyes shining with sickly yellow light of those who have truly died within, the Apostle sought to render the Stone Champion as those he protected.

Yet, he had forgotten the Champion’s heart was of stone. How could he be moved by cloying despair or defiant hope. He would only do as his Prince bid, as he thought his Dragon God willed. In the name of the sun that did not shine in the Alterworld, he struck with his head, the head of the Apostle breaking the song of the unjust surrender.

Some of the servants of the Apostle returned, but the Prince had once more roused the Maidens, to sing, and though he was unlearned, his dragon voice swelled with theirs, and so granting authority to rebellion against the usurper chant! Now along with defiance was judgement.

Will you sleep ever more to death, or will you wake to life? The Jugdement is the doctrine of the World-Will as abomination. How can such be borne? RISE RISE AND STRIKE THOSE WHO WOULD MURDER THEE WHILST YE SLEEP!

So thundered the song and princely command!

So the fog on the minds of the sleepers was cleared, and they stirred to wake, yet fog still lingered, so the Drakeling Prince with the Maiden’s as his voice did bid them fall upon the cultists of the World Will, he bid them fight or die!

A fealty was stirred inside the awakened, and they did as the Prince commanded. To the last man and abomination, the cultists were rendered still. The Apostle struggled, and did vile wound to many, but with the aid of such brave souls, the Stone Champion did separate body from head, and the monster moved no more.

Luca stood panting over the remains of that dreadful being, strength left him, and uncermoniously he pitched right over, in danger of falling off the stage. Those who weren’t too badly wounded tried to catch him, but it took no less than ten of them to catch him.

Everyone was completely confused at how everything looked so different to how it did in Sunder, and most of all they were confused as to the nature of what had just happened. Naturally most people’s gazes turned to Gaddy and the three girls of Flambirdge. Chaos was about to break out as people started to panick.

Gaddy quickly explained to the three girls, Doudozolo, Tuku and Yvemmai, roughly the situation they were in, after doing that, Yvemmai stepped forward to calm the crowds.

“Hey, calm down everyone! We’re kinda safe now. Those bad guys you lynched, they took us to a place called the Alterworld and were going to sacrifice us all! Thanks to these few people…”

She gestured to Luca, Gaddy and at some point Ruin and Jojo had their bodies climb up the stage.

“…and thanks to all of you we defeated them, now you just need to remain calm and stay here. We’re gonna get everyone back to Sunder right?!”

Yvemmai continued to distract the crowd by introducing a bashful trio of Luca, Ruin and Jojo to them.

“She’s handling them as well as always… you guy do actually have a way for us all to go back to Sunder right?” Doudozolo questioned Gaddy.

“Honestly we just wanted to make sure you didn’t all die, I’ll contact another friend of mine. He might be able to figure out how to get us back.”

-Ahem, Ahem, ah, my idol, Tuku, can you hear me! Ahaha this is awesome, I’m talking to Tuku, right in her earhole… uh, *ahem* sorry about that, can you give your earpiece to Gaddy, you know that guy before you please.-

Tuku jumped in fright as she quickly handed the earpiece to Gaddy.

“Hey, Picky?”

“Haha, Did you see, I talked to Tuku! Man, I can see everything here. No, no I must be pure. Ah sorry, you wanted to talk to me right? That was awesome how we took down those lunatics!” Picky blabbered.

“Yes, focus a bit Picky. We’ve done all that, now… how do we get back to Sunder?”

“…”

“Picky?”

“Well, if we complete the Mandible Cultist ritual, then…”

“We can’t do that! Wasn’t the whole point that we had to stop them?”

“No, hold on, hear me out… there might be a way to alter the ritual…”