Labyrith

Metal clanged, spell flashed and the rocks held together by hostile and hungry lichens lost its cohesion, ceasing to be a threat. The party members slumped exhausted, this was the second time today that their attempt to get some sleep had been interrupted by some sort of nasty creature that Astatine had never heard of anything like. These sleeps interrupted in panic, the every increasing mugginess of the tunnels, and having discovered that growths of mineral deposits were sealing up tunnels before their eyes by themselves would have been enough to make for a miserable journey. When added to being uncomfortable in your own body and doubts it was a veritable powder keg.

"Whose fault is it!' Willow fumed 'That creature was not there when we made camp or I would have sensed it. You know like I did to warn everyone of the attack, you are welcome by the way." She roared with venom.

"You watched us all check the walls and set the watches yourself, oh wise one,' Ezma bit back 'and if you had not forgotten to wake me for my watch we would be singing a different tune!"

Aspen retorted "Have you no respect for your betters human?"

Ezma laughed "My betters? remind me, who was important enough to let the most important person in their lives and country languish in a nightmare for cent-urie-s?" Ezma accentuated each syllable with sharp mocking.

Shiro sighed, his confusion about the barrier appearing to have no effect on him had made him passive and untrusting of himself, not that he had ever felt particularly confident, now he was to exhausted to even try fronting or placating everyone so they could make another hike with a disappointing amount of progress towards the goal.

So Shiro laid back down in his bedroll, put the pillow over his head, and tried to block out the voices long enough to fall asleep.

***

Shiro sat up groggily, confused about why there was so much dandruff on his blanket, and looked around. The tunnel was dark save for the dim light of glowing mosses and worms, no sign of Ezma's witch-light or any thing really.

Adrenaline broke through the last visages of Shiro's sleep, looking down he realizes that, what he had mistaken for dandruff was actually some kind of growth the same color as the walls and floors of the tunnel.

The others must have been so out of sorts by the argument that they set off without him, likely due to his own withdrawal from them and this convenient camouflage.

He pulled the covers back over his head letting out a groan.

Why was he even here, he had broken free from the Holy Kingdom only to now be on this crusade for the Champions.

What was the point? He was just trading one cult for another right?

His mind wonders in the dim light and he lets his thoughts drifts, gradually the lights begin to waver and pulse.

He had seen videos of the auroras and as he lifts the blanket from his head this is what he is reminded of now swirling around him.

'Once more to the rescue' he thinks wryly to himself and follows the trail of lights.

He finds himself in an alcove, with all the lights rising to the vaulted ceiling and merging into a gentle imitation of sunlight as a woman kneels on on a pile of moss in the center.

The person looks up and Shiro is confused to now see a man, but they beckon him over and he sits. "Welcome traveler who has lost themselves, tell me your story."

Through some force of trust he doe not understand Shiro begins his tale.

***

Willow pounded at the wall in futility, the group had noticed Shiro missing about half an hour ago and as she the rearguard turned to take the front of the line, she had heard Aspen gasp in surprise.

Now a wall stood between Willow and her love, sure with the number of her dalliances Willow sometimes wondered if she was to much like a man, but she always came back to Aspen and Aspen to her. As long as they could do that the world was okay, but this wall might as well have been that crystal.

Willow wailed in frustration, she was the peace keeper, if she had just not let everything get to her she would have been able to resolve the argument earlier and noticed that Shiro had gone back to bed.

She felt a shimmer flutter past her, and as she was surrounded warm lights.

She was okay, she had done everything she could in the circumstances she had in front of her.

The lights melted the wall and there was Aspen shining resplendent as the male body she had been trapped in shimmered away as they embraced in relief.

Ezma looked on, chuckling softly to herself annoyed that she had not gotten to witness Shiro preform the unsealing this time. As she had noted earlier though, this tale of Shiro was so full of facts that defied belief that anything she made up would be received better than said facts.

Smiled wistfully, as she watched Aspen and Willow, she did believe her fickle heart my soon be torn between Shiro and Lily if her admiration of the man grew any higher.

***

Shiro walked towards the group a big smile on his face, Hassium leaning on his arm weakly flowing from one form to another like ripples on a pond.

Ezma shook her head, that man and his ability to collect people might end up in trouble over it if he does not have a long talk with everyone involved before any more people show up.

Willow glanced up from her embrace and squealed with delight "Hassy!" she yelled and ropes the Slime into the embrace with Aspen, all three gushing with gladness of old friends meeting again.

Ezma sidled up to Shiro. She was excited to find out what had happened in his absence but knew there was time for that later for now she settled for a a comment:

"You look different Shiro, more peaceful."

Shiro nods "Hassium is good at what they do,' He shifts his eyes to Ezma 'You Lily and I are gonna have to talk as soon as we can."

Ezma chuckles "I was thinking the same thing, all good things I hope?"

Shiro takes her hand and gives it a squeeze "All good things."

***

The Slime celebration of their Champion's return was both more understated and more chaotic than the that of the Elves.

Understated in that there was less noise as the slimes when they spoke to themselves used a mix of telepathy and crooning trills that never reached more than a whispered conversation, no matter how many of them.

Chaotic in that they were made up for their lack of volume in motion. None of them held one shape for more than the space of a few breaths, shifting and combining everything they could. Species and genders mixing and swapping in time with an unheard rhythm.

When the party started winding down Willow, Aspen, and Ezma joined Shiro and Hassium sat talking.

"Where to next?" was the unspoken question in everyone's eyes

"We need to go check on Lily' Shiro replied out loud 'Then I would like to help the dwarves next and then the other four as quick as we can."

"Why the dwarves next? we would pass several of the other seals if we do that." Aspen asked

Shiro pulled a chalice from his pocket, the mirror of the one that had disappeared at Championhold. Willow and Hassium shuddered at the sight.

Shiro quickly put it back before continuing "Hassium say this reminds them of some giant relics they saw in a dwarven museum once. So we will head there and see if we can uncover any clues on how the Holy Kingdom did this so we can prepare for any other tricks that might be in reserve."

Everyone nods with the sense of the idea.

"One last thing,' Shiro says

'We are going to go through the Holy Kingdom."