#unlocking lore here

[sandflakedraws]

YOUR FLICKORY SENT ME INTO A GAY PANIC I LOVE IT especially your human designs omg

tHENK U!!!! i do like the human designs i came up with~

I've been going NUTS about Flickory lately. These Two. Compel me. These two who do not even share screen time.... that's where the heck it's at for me, apparently.

i do have one other human drawin on hand for ya (onesided tho it may be)

[whomstsnek]

so. that cyclones a pretty wild ride huh

[markantonys]

i hate to say it but call me an orc because adar is daddy [a hook yanks me offstage as the crowd boos]

[moe-broey]

While the World's Slowest Slowburn makes the most logical sense, between Kiran and Alfonse. In my heart. Moe manages to find a way to get in an overly handsy way too intimate WAY too soon I just got my ass ghosted or perhaps dumped situationship with Alfonse. In a demisexuality and trust issues honoring way. ALL under Moe's assumption, that "Well he's Not gonna get attached to me so It's Fine."

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

ough....the laughingstock In My Head... im unwell....

[fruitydiaz]

in fact, MY dad brought the woman he was cheating on my mother with to MY graduation party while STILL MARRIED to my mom and INSISTING that he would NEVER cheat on her. and his own mother was there! we have never spoken about this

[personostient]

your sona and argos are by far my favorite things to see you post about i wish i knew what to ask about them because i like them A Lot

thank you :) 👍👍👍

[quilleth]

I'm going to need a dlc to go fist fight mystra, mizora, and zariel. IDK how we get to deal with Shar or Vlaakith so might need to throw them in there too.

I'm on a quest to fight some gods, devils, etc for fucking with my friends. Like no, fuck off. You already had a chance to not be a dick, now meet me in the fucking pit bitches.

[stars-mischief]

you mentioned that pelican town was "different from where you came from"..

where did you come from, anyway?

...do you mind telling us about it?

like.. what was it like?

....

....

[ sigh ]

i don't like thinking about that place - especially more than i already do.

all you need to know is that.. it's a place no one should ever go.

it's cold, and dark, and lonely and..

sorry.

it's just..

even the thought of that place.. ah.. it dredges up a lot of things i'd rather forget.

to be honest, it scares me, too.

sometimes.. i'll wake up in the middle of the night and i'm back in that place.. it feels like my feet are glued to the floor every single time: i'm unable to get out, unable to do anything. completely, utterly helpless.

i hate it.

i'm never going back to that place. you can't make me go back.

not.. not after i worked so hard to get out.

not after she sacrificed everything just so i'd have the smallest chance to be free - to be happy..

um.. anyway.

don't worry about where i'm from, okay?

i'm here now, and that's all that matters.

pelican town is warm.. and bright.. and full of amazing people.

pelican town is my home.

[universestreasures]

The Song Of Memory (A Kisara & Ishizu Drabble)

"We've been expecting you, Miss Utahara."

The greeting is given as soon as the singer steps out of the car by the one she had contacted on Yugi Muto's recommendation, the very woman who was claimed to have the answers to all her many questions regarding the strange occurrences that had been going on recently. Kisara had traveled a great distance to meet with Ishizu Ishtar today, and without her sister, no less. While Shiori's company was to be expected and preferred in most situations, she had specifically requested she attend this meeting alone. This meeting was regarding Kisara's own circumstances, ones she didn't want to burden her sister with when she already had so much on her plate.

Upon walking towards the tomb keeper, who herself was accompanied by two bodyguards, the singer bowed her head in respect. This was not only a custom, but also a sign of gratitude. For securing this meeting had been of high importance to her ever since she learned that the answers she was looking for could be found with the elder woman.

"Thank you for taking the time to meet with me, Miss Ishtar. Considering your important position, I imagine you must be very busy. I very much appreciate you being able to fit me into your schedule."

"Of course. Now, will you please follow me? There is much for us to see and discuss." The woman gestures towards the entrance of the tomb, Kisara giving her a nod as she follows her down the dimly lit staircase. The two bodyguards then moved to guard the location's entrance. Seems they would have total privacy for this conversation, thankfully.

"This tomb is the current resting place of some of the relics that were once on display in Domino City's history museum. I originally brought them to Japan in hopes they would inspire the current generation of duelists, but with that task having been completed some time ago, they have been returned to their homeland."

"I see...So, that must be why you said we could not meet in Japan. You wanted to make sure I could see the relics, right?"

"Precisely. I hope these relics can inspire you Miss Utahara in the same way they both inspired Pegasus J. Crawford to create the game of Duel Monsters...and Seto Kaiba to host and battle in the Battle City tournament.

"He...He saw them too?"

Ishizu's words caused Kisara to halt in her tracks; her eyes widened as the flash of that man, of Seto Kaiba, flashed in her mind. Her encounter with him was the starting point of all the strange occurrences that had going on. The dreams. The visions. The strong ache in her heart when she sees him. Some of these she's experienced in the past, but they've only increased in frequency since their initial meeting. And it was the explanation behind these occurrences that she sought to find by coming here.

"Is something wrong, Miss Utahara?"

"N-No. It's...It's nothing." It clearly wasn't, but she couldn't lose focus now. Not when she was so close to the truth. "I was just...surprised. I...I didn't expect anything related to Duel Monsters to have taken inspiration from Egyptian history."

"Despite not being a duelist yourself, I think once you see them , the connection will become clear to you. Come, we're almost there."

She nods as she follows Ishizu deeper and deeper into the tomb, Kisara's heartbeat seeming to rise with each step. Was she getting nervous? Nervous about what she might learn? Or was it the thought of Seto Kaiba that made her heart race? She isn't sure, but regardless of the distraction, she pressed on until she met Ishizu at the bottom of the chamber.

"These two carvings you are about to see are from the 18th dynasty of Egypt that existed over 3,000 years ago. We at the Egyptian Supreme Council of Antiquities have worked carefully to preserve these treasures so the legacy of our history is not lost to the sands of time. Please look at them at your leisure, and I'll be here to answer any questions you may have. Though, I believe the one you must look at is the one on the left."

She gives the other a nod before advancing forward, choosing to look at the tablet she was directing her towards first. Kisara is not sure what to expect when she looks at it. What did Ishizu mean by 'inspired'? What did these relics have to do with her experiences relating to her visions? To her weird connection to Seto Kaiba and the White Dragon? Guess the only way to find out was to see it with her own eyes.

Thus, with a deep breath, Kisara's gaze shifts to look at the stone. And the second she laid her eyes upon it, seeing the image in full, she froze, unable to do anything but look with widened eyes and process the unbelievable imagery before her eyes that seemed to fit the picture perfectly into the missing pieces of the puzzle of this mystery.

"That dragon...That dragon is...!" Flashes of different memories of her dreams and visions are shown before her eyes, and all of the dragons in this carving are seemingly depicted as plain as day. "The White Dragon...Blue-Eyes...White Dragon...The dragon from my dreams...It's...here on this stone, but...how? How could a creature of my dreams be on this stone, and later turned into a Duel Monsters card that is only owned by-"

Kisara pauses, realizing an important detail. Beautiful blue hues then start to shift their gaze from the carving of the beast to what was below. Or rather, who was below it, the very figure depicted as battling side by side with the dragon.

"It...It's him..." She speaks softly as she approaches the stone, gently touching the face of the figure depicted there for reasons she can't understand. "It's that man from my vision...The one that looks just like...!"

"Seto Kaiba." Ishizu's voice brings Kisara's focus back, her head turning back to face the woman who had approached her. "That is a depiction of a priest known as the 'White Beast Tamer', a loyal and prideful member of the Pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, Pharaoh Atem's, court. Despite being in his service, he considered the king both his greatest friend and greatest rival. The battle between these two destined duelists is what is carved here on this stone."

Her eyes then wander to the opposite side of the tablet, the side featuring both the king and the magician carved above him. "That's Pharaoh Atem? But...but he looks just like Yugi Muto! Why...Why do these two figures look like people from the present? And what does all of this have to do with me? I came here looking for answers, but...I'm more confused than ever!"

Her heart was racing. Not only from the anxiety of the situation, but also because of what she saw on the stone and in the flashes of memory. There was clearly a connection between all these things. That was undeniable, and yet the very nature of it was still frustratingly unclear. Luckily for her, she had someone who could elaborate a bit.

"Miss Utahara." Ishizu speaks, gently placing a hand on Kisara's shoulder to try and help ease the obvious panic in her soul. "What does your heart tell you when you gaze upon this tablet? What feelings does it evoke? What words? What sights? It is in them that you may find your answers."

A hand is moved over her heart. The white-haired adult can still feel it racing in her chest, as if threatening to escape. She tries to take deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself enough to focus on the confusing cloud of feelings deep inside, once again her gaze shifting to the stone, specifically its left side. Silence fills the chamber for minutes on end as she continues to look, and it is only broken once an instinct takes hold of her, an instinct that allows her to convey what she is feeling in the only way she knows how...through the expression of her soul.

🎵"Once, like a dream...You looked at me...And everything felt new..."🎵

Her song is accompanied by images, images that were as clear as day to her. She sees herself beaten and stoned by a crowd, only for it to stop once he, the priest, intervenes and saves her life.

🎵"Time slipped away...The past seemed to fade...My hope restored by you..."🎵

She now sees herself looking at the priest from her weakened position on the ground, whose image seemed to glow in the sunlight. He was a beacon of light. The light of hope that she desperately tries to reach for.

🎵 "And I know, for some, it's temporary...Like a shooting star soon out of view..."🎵

Kisara finds her visions to now be of herself behind bars, watching the priest slowly turn and leave towards a darkened hallway. It then shifts to herself in the center of what appeared to be an arena, faced down by horrifying monsters. However, she turns around, now facing the image of the priest staring back at her.

🎵"But this will always be...It's my destiny...To be in love with you..."🎵

The priest in her images then moves in front of her, summoning a creature through his magic to defend her. Circumstances then cause the floor beneath them to fall, leaving them both dangling by a thread. That's when her body emits a bright blue aura, and from within that aura appears...the White Dragon...

🎵"Some people fall in love for life..."🎵

She finds herself behind bars again, her cell now breaking down around her. That's when he appears, like a miracle, to break her free, taking her by the hand as they escape a crumbling palace.

🎵"Others never get it right..."🎵

He then speaks to her. They are words Kisara cannot hear directly in her vision but are ones she can seemingly understand. They tell her to run, run away from this land, and don't look back. Despite her hesitance, she runs away from him, seemingly never to return to his side.

🎵"Love's fickle when it calls..."🎵

But...she ends up turning around, unable to leave him behind. He looks back at her a moment, screaming out her name, before everything is consumed in a dark light that strikes her core.

🎵"One thing that I know for sure..."🎵

Everything slows around her as her body slowly wilts, akin to that of a dying flower. She can see the panic in the priest's eyes as he cries out for her, a sign of his care for her. That...That was enough for her, she feels, to see him be concerned over her well-being, a feeling that can't help but feel a bit distant as these memories replayed.

🎵"Longer than our lives endure..."🎵

The sight before her now is a familiar one. She sees herself in his arms and knelt before a tablet depicting the White Dragon. Even now, seeing this sight fills her soul with an intense sadness, enough to cause tears to flow from her physical eyes and for her to drop to her knees.

🎵"You're my forever fall..."🎵

Kisara's eyes return back to reality, once again facing the stone as her song concludes. She reaches for the depiction of the priest once again, and for a moment, his image flashes in her mind. He smiles at her, reaching out his hand, before the image breaks and her hand finds itself touching the cold gravel of the tablet.

"Lord Seto...That's your name...That's who you are...The man who...saved me...in the past...The man who I wanted to repay...The man that I..." Her hands move to cover her heart, and her tear drops fall on the skin like dew drops. "Loved..."

She takes a few moments to herself to steady her spirit, slowly wiping the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief from her pocket. Kisara then stands up, one movement at a time, and turns back towards Ishizu. The look in her eyes is different than before, both murkier from her tears but almost...clearer somehow, as if some fog had been lifted.

"So...I'm the vessel for the White Dragon, or rather...I was in a previous life. And what I've been seeing...What I've been experiencing...That song I just sung...It was me connecting to that part of myself, wasn't it Miss Ishtar?"

"Yes. Just like the destined duelists the tablet depicts, it seems your journey, too, has not yet reached its final conclusion."

"Does this mean that...I still have the White Dragon inside of me? Could that be why I see it in my dreams?"

"I'm not so certain of that. In ancient times, Egyptian sorcerers trapped creatures, both good and evil, into stone tablets that they could summon at will. Today this practice is represented by the Duel Monsters cards duelists can summon to aid them in battle. If you still had the spirit of the White Dragon within you, then I think there could be no card of it."

"I guess...I guess that makes sense. And those cards...They belong to..." A puzzle piece seemingly clicked in her mind as she was putting things together, things she wanted to confirm with the women first just to be certain. "Miss Ishizu, Does...Does that mean that Seto Kaiba is..."

"He is as you suspect. He is the priest reborn in this new age, and he is fully aware of his ancient heritage."

"Then...Then, does he know about..." Her words die in her throat, and she remembers one crucial detail from the memories of her human life she had just seen. While her past life's feelings for the priest had been clear, they were ones she did not get to express. For her past self passed away before being given the chance to say what she felt to him, of the love she had for him deep inside.

At least...as far as the blue-eyed women knew, anyway. There were more secrets of her past still yet to reveal themselves. The memories of her human life during her time in Egypt had been unlocked to her. However, the secrets housed within the other parts of her soul, the ones tied to the four Blue-Eyes White Dragons, still were out of reach, and until she could reconnect and access them, the full truth would still be just a mystery.

"I do not know what he knows and does not know at this current moment. What I do know is that he has outwardly rejected and denied his claims to the past, to his very destiny on multiple occasions, despite what he has experienced first hand."

"I see...I cannot say I'm surprised. He is...a very mysterious and cold person, with his heart seemingly sealed off from the world..."

It was a stark contrast to what she witnessed from the priest in her visions, who always appealed to her as warm and protective. Then again, she doesn't know Seto Kaiba that well at all. Could he too be hiding a part of himself?

"But honestly, after learning all of this? I...I want to get to know him, more than I did before. I don't know what fate has in store for us, or how I'm going to handle these new...feelings from my past." Contending with a love, a powerful one that seemingly crossed time to the present day, that is hers but also not hers was going to be challenging, after all. "All I do know is that I should at least try. I'd forever regret it if I didn't."

"I wish you the best of luck with your efforts. Now is there anything else I can help you with? You still haven't looked at the second carving."

"I...I think I got more than I could ever ask for just by looking at the first one. If anything, it gives me an excuse to see you again. Thank you, Miss Ishtar. Thank you for everything." Kisara bows her head in gratitude once more, a soft smile characteristic of her gracing her face.

"You can just adress me as Ishizu."

"Only if you address me as Kisara."

"Alright, Kisara. I'm glad I could be of help to you. You are free to contact me anytime should you need it."

"I appreciate it, Ishizu. Thank you again."

With permission to be casual around one another exchanged, the two ladies leave the tomb, and Kisara heads back on her way to her hotel. The singer is sure to call her sister and tell her the meeting was successful and that she will be flying back to Japan in the morning. Seems like she has a busy schedule ahead of her when she gets back. She did take a few days off just for this trip, meaning she'd have to play catch up when she returned home.

As the Blue-Eyed Maiden sat in her room, her hands were busy writing in her songbook. She was writing down the song she had sung in the tomb, a song that she had known how to sing and knew the notes to without needing to think. It was a song that seemingly came from her soul, a song that Kisara...wanted to share with him someday, no matter what his reaction may be. It would not be for herself now, but rather who she used to be, to say what she never got to say before...before her death.

🎵 "Your trust, honesty...Helped me believe...A ray of hope shined through...You set me free...Saw what the world couldn't see...I found my joy in you...

"Every life is filled with passing moments...Like the seasons change, they come and go...But this is infinite...Nothing, even death...Could separate our souls...

'Cause you're my final goal...

Some people fall in love for life...Others never get it right...Love's fickle when it calls...One thing that I know for sure...Longer than our lives endure...

You're my forever fall..."🎵

[theminecraftbee]

2ND-5 LOG 0011

I tore down my old mob farm!

Little weird, having it gone, but I have a new one now. It uses plates to do all the killing for me; the only downside is that I don’t collect the experience unless I, uh, go break the glass a little. Also it’s slow, and the part I put on top to try to kill drowned for copper doesn’t really work, but… I actually have spider eyes now, and I didn’t need the old mob farm, anymore.

And when I first built it, uh - it’s in the logs, I know! I said it was, uh, loud. Right next to my storage and where I slept. Sounds like falling creepers and moaning and everything all day and dropped more materials than I could use. Just absolutely flooded my storage with junk armor and bows and quivers.

Uh, I mean - I guess if, uh, you are good with bows. Those are not junk. I could see, in vaults - I mean, the bigger mobs are hard to kill with the sword specially for it, let alone bows, but also, from a distance, I just - I uh - I mean I can barely aim with my pickarang when I’m in those weird rooms let alone -

That’s not the point. But I flew up there and tore it down. That’s the point.

It was a lot easier to tear down than it was to build. I have, uh, working wings now, after all, and even if I have a tendency to - I fall a lot even with wings - I could still get up and down. And vein miner. And a netherite axe. And netherite to spare. And…

It’s quieter. Now I just have to put up with how noisy all the villagers are, not endless sounds of mobs in pain! It doesn’t cast a huge shadow! I could reclaim those resources to move to other things, like honey and lava production, and besides I’m working on learning how to make mob terrariums and cages, and -

It’s a lot quieter now. Kinda miss all the screaming creepers?

Anyway, uh. Nothing too much else exciting to report. I got the last two idols I needed for the temple, though, and I have a new, nicer shield. I have better pouches, which are actually very nice. I uh, also have a lot more saving up to do, in order to get the cages I need for copper and also fish. You’d think fish would be easy, but…

Anyway. When I built that mob farm things were a lot more scary. I’m hitting kind of a stride now. I’m getting used to it here?

Huh.

I’ll take that as a good thing.

[screamingcrows]

you said it was cool to invade your ask box so here goes

I’m going to tell you about the Natalia rp blog shenanigans in planning. They involve Dottore and you like Dottore. And Natalia is connected to Dottore.

get ready to read a yap.

so apparently Sheznevna is going to die?? Well die and then rebirth but like with no memories. But how would she know what Natalia’s up to? Natalia shooed everyone away before taking out the bird power armor mech thing for testing. Would Sheznevna relearn about Natalia or would Etoiles keep her far away from Natalia?

And how did Etoiles, Afzal, and Wanderer find her? They only knew she was in liyue with Sheznevna. Did they use Wanderer to try to nsniff her out? Sniff out the Dottore vibes lmao.

Also who will be the one to tell the Fatui that Natalia’s “dead”. She’s not actually dead she’s just in jail/hospital/psych ward for her medical malpractice and to recover from the injuries of the boss fight. But to the Fatui she would have to be told she’s dead so they don’t go finding her.

Dottore intends to go find her, he doesn’t believe she’s dead, and put her back under his control so there will be a moment where she stands up to him for her freedom and makes him acknowledge how much power she has over him. I mean she makes his prosthetic organs after all. But who’s going to inform him. And if she’s locked away how is he going to find her?

also imagine Natalia being so sad and alone during this rehab that she makes herself a “get well soon” card pretending it’s from Dottore. She can fake his handwriting and personality pretty well, she’s a dottore segment after all.

I need to draw the bird mech thing fr fr

Boss form Natalia when she’s about to Get You.

*snatches swooping birdtalia out of the air and pets* there there, I'm sure the blueprint misses you. And anyway, he doesn't deserve you.

"sniff out the dottore vibes" had me cackling ngl

would rehab work on a segment? probably, but how well is the question

[loregoddess]

Dimitri FE and Alain UO are shaking hands, nodding in agreement, as they prepare to eat weeds they foraged in the wild together

[haedgaf]

…… i have failed at gatekeeping LOOK AWAY JUSEYO !!! MY CULTURE (liking hoon) IS NOT YOUR COSTUME

WOAH NOW i’ll have you know that i’m actually an ex engene SO FHIS USED TO BE MY COSTUME 😒 i just never cared about sunghoon, jungwon was my man but now 👀👀 we lowkey drooling like we might have to check on sunghoon again ㅋㅋ

[smol-dargon]

I think I might have a problem lol here's another one

*tosses a bunch of loose paper into the tumbly*

"More zombies. How unexpected."

Certainly enough, between them and the massive hill, hordes of zombies milled about, eager to end their journey before it could properly begin. But apparently, they weren't the only ones eager for the slaughter. Atop the hill, in the shadow of the mausoleum, the familiar silhouette of the former court mage raised his staff overhead. A pair of gargoyles at the peak sprang to life, spewing boulders that raced down the path, effectively blocking their path. Zarok disappeared into the building, leaving the two wayward knights to sort their undead adversaries out.

At the foot of the hill, Dan caught sight of a chest off to his left. After a brief skirmish with some zombies, they checked it out. There wasn't an obvious discernible way to open it. No lock, no keyhole, nothing but a set of chains and a peculiar seal. In frustration, Dan kicked it. The whole chest glowed bright red for a split second, just long enough for them to brace. Then, the thing exploded in flames.

The knight coughed, shaking the soot from her chain mail. Dan shot her an apologetic look.

"Ah, the old fireball-in-a-chest trick… 's always funny.", she shrugged with a flat, unamused tone. "I take it you're alright?"

Dan nodded and the two made their way back out of the dead end area. She stopped for a few moments at the foot of the hill, evaluating the situation. Dan began looking for alternate routes, and noticed right away that there were zombies and a chest behind some large boulders. He nudged the knight and pointed to the area, then to the ledge a short distance up the hill. Perhaps they could get in that way.

She nodded and made her way up the hill with a surprising amount of agility. Of course, chain was a good bit lighter than plate. It made sense that she was so much faster. In no time at all, she had dropped down behind the boulders. He heard fighting, followed by the sound of a few zombies hitting the ground.

Moments later, the boulders in the way were blown to bits. The knight emerged, dragging a large club behind her. She stepped aside and gestured for him to take it instead.

"Too clumsy for me. And it's unbalanced in my hands."

Dan hefted it easily, momentarily sheathing his sword. She looked startled at how little effort he'd needed to carry it, but only for a brief moment. Dan led the way around the other side of the hill, into a copse of trees. In the side of the hill, a few more boulders seemed to block the way of something. He checked that the knight was clear of his weapon, then demolished the boulders with one solid swing. He offered a grand "ladies first" gesture, chuckling inwardly at her expression of awe. Evidently she'd never seen someone take out a solid hunk of rock in one blow before.

The knight was quick to regain her composure, and led the way inside, axe at the ready. The doorway led into a small foyer, and another room beyond. A voice on the right coughed and spluttered.

"Aaah, fresh air!", sighed a very relieved sounding gargoyle. "We hates these dark old caves and their filthy stench of witches. A coven of the warty old hags lived here once--unholy fires burning all night while they brewed up unspeakable muck in their cauldrons. They moved on years back but the smell still makes our eyes sting."

The creature settled back into its rest and they made their way forward. A few more zombies accosted them in the next room, but the two knights made short work of them. Dan was immediately intrigued by the placement of a bookshelf on the lower level. There was a draft coming from behind it. Perhaps there was something on the other side.

The knight headed up the stairs and into the room beyond. Dan tried very hard to simply move the bookshelf, but it was either bolted down or else sealed in place with magic. With a grumble, he destroyed the thing with his club. Inside was a hidden workshop. Tomes of arcane magic were in every nook and cranny, and symbols were carefully engraved upon the floor. In the center of a room, a brazier still had a healthy fire roaring.

Before he could explore much further, he heard shouting and combat from upstairs. Fearing the knight might need help, he dashed back into the hall. As it turned out, she handled it without any need for him. Just as he crossed the threshold, he caught sight of her cleaving the last of a small pack of zombies in half. They seemed to have been held behind several holding cells around the room. The bars had retracted and allowed them to escape and make their attack. Now, there was only a bit of treasure left behind in the cells, along with a strange artifact and yet another chalice.

Just like before, when Dan collected the chalice, Canny Tim took shape from the swirling reddish mist within.

"Hurrah! I knew it would take more than an army of the evil dead to throw your stride, sir. I have something that may help you on your quest, captain."

This time, Canny Tim offered a bottle of strange green liquid. It almost looked like the same sickly magic that had brought Dan (and the rest of the dead) back to life. Perhaps it had healing properties. Tim poofed back into the ether before either of them could ask.

With the strange talisman and chalice in hand, all that remained now was to scale the hill. Easier said than done, with those gargoyles at the top sending boulders and flaming debris rolling down the path.

"Got any ideas, Captain?", she asked teasingly.

He grumbled at her, but shook his head. The only way forward was to face those boulders head-on. And hope he was half as agile as she was.

She led the way, using crevices in the rocky cliffs to get out of the way of oncoming rock. At the corner, she found a chest and kicked it open.

"Incoming, Dan!", he heard her yell over the boulders between them.

He darted out of the way at the last second, only to be smacked in the face by a smaller object. Ah, so that's what she had meant; she'd thrown him a shield! This would make his ascent much easier. Dodging in full plate mail was virtually impossible.

The rest of the way up was done in similar fashion, with the knight dancing around the falling rocks and Dan resolutely shouldering his way through them. She fell off a ledge once, landing bodily on his shield. With a boulder hurtling towards them, he did the only thing he could think of; he grabbed her waist, threw her behind him, and braced them both behind his shield. After that scare, she allowed him to lead, keeping a watchful eye out for the molten boulders that sometimes fell through crevices above them and fending those off with her axe.

They finally made it to the top, ready to face down the gargoyles that had given them so much trouble.

In unison, the statues rumbled, "We have failed the Master. We give our lives."

They promptly exploded with little fanfare. Dan and the knight glanced at each other, shrugged, and entered the hilltop mausoleum.

[thatmooncake]

Is for you

GASP-

*me re-examining The Lore™️ now that the golden bucket has been revealed*