Complete Tertus Valley A tale to be told

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

It was entirely possible that dissonance did more than just flip some things around. It was a rather sinister power that Tertoria had to fight against, after all. That said, Kyanna truly had a way with words, it seemed. MAI took a step back to let the witch handle the communications. Although it looked like the pilot was not very happy with being addressed as a servant of a child, especially one that he found to be rather annoying. That said, the aforementioned child hopped between him and the witch as she laughed.

"Not THIS planet, you silly bean! My own, far away from here! I hollowed it out and built a nice lil' home inside of it. But it's boring so I often fly around in space to other planets to meet the people on them!"

She paused for a moment as she grinned. Her teeth were... unusually sharp-looking.

"It's a ton of fun bashing their skulls in!"

MAI became rather alarmed and dashed in front of Kyanna, although the princess stayed put. Still, the magia remained in front of her witch friend, one hand outstretched to the side to keep the girl behind her where she was.

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

Kyanna tilted her head when being called a silly bean, then carefully listened to the girl's story. "Hollowed a planet?" That sounded very exaggerated, but if the other girl was truly a little princess of a whole planet, perhaps that would be possible. Who exactly would stop her, if that was the case?

The mention of meeting other people being fun did bring a smile to Kyanna's lips, but the smile disappeared as soon as it appeared at first.

Her eyes grew open wide, with a gasp slipping her lips as the information finally sank in.

"B-Bashing their skulls?" Kyanna swallowed, then glancing at MAI that was quick to cover her. Kyanna frowned, wondering if that was yet another effect of Dissonance.

"Mai... That's not good..." She closed her distance with her friend, resting a hand on her back whie speaking quietly.

"... Maybe we should get out of here, after all..."

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

As defensive as the two acted, it seemed like the princess wasn't particularly threatening. Swaying her body in one place, she seemed to act coy more than anything, almost looking expectantly at Kyanna as if she was expecting some kind of praise for her revelation. And before MAI could agree with her queen witch and get out of her, just to be safe, the pilot let out a loud sigh and shrugged, walking a bit forward and not so gently shoved the princess to the side.

"This one is nothing short of an annoying and unhelpful brat. Since she ain't helping me fix the plane, I figured I would have her tell me a story, but all of her memories are of carnage and gore. Boring beyond belief."

His eyes went from Kyanna to MAI, then back as he cupped his own chin with his fingers as if deep in through. Naturally, the magia kept a solid guard, shielding her friend and highly reluctant about this whole situation. She wanted to just accept the witch's proposal of running away, but they were in the middle of a desert... where exactly would they run to?

"So how's about it? I'm frankly bored out of my mind of this brat, so if you can show me a precious memory, I'll guarantee you a seat on my plane once its fixed. You do want to get out of here, right?"

"But what about me, what about meeee?"

"You shut up already."

"EEeeeh?"

MAI looked over her shoulder to peer at Kyanna.

"Query... what does Kyanna think..?"

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

Kyanna watched the scene unfolding before her with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. That duo was very strange, in their own way, and it was hard to predict what they were actually thinking, especially when a threatening sentence was given to the two of them.

The man's voice snapped Kyanna out of her initial shock from the little 'princess' shenanigan, with the one thing the man asked to trade for help being something entirely unexpected...

"... Tell... A story?" Kyanna blinked, surprised as she peered to the little girl to see her reaction toward the man's suggestion, and then at MAI, who slipped the decision to her.

After casting a brief glance around, it was easy to tell that they had nothing else to do aside from going with the flow, something that could possibly prove to be dangerous, but there was really no other thing she could do that would help them out immediately. No hints or clues of where to go, or how to exit that place, only those 'native' to the story probably had an answer.

"I think we can try it..?" Kyanna said, confused as she turned to look at the man.

"What kind of story do you want us to tell you?" She asked, intrigued.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

The pilot shook his head, face-palming right after with a sigh.

"Not a story, a memory! Bloody hell, does this place produce nothing but dimwits..? Anyway..."

Suddenly, before MAI could say anything of her own, the wind picked up. And with the wind, in a place like this, sand. They were suddenly surrounded by a whirl of gold, completely separated from the story's twisted characters, only the magia and her witch friend.

"Direction - Stay close, Kyanna! I will try to shield us from the storm!"

But as MAI attempted to put up another of her shields, it appeared to be entirely unnecessary. It was as if the winds themselves were sentient, blowing the sand all around them but not against them. Though that proved to be perhaps the least strange thing of all. As if a mirage, the walls of sand would start projecting images... scenes that Kyanna would find rather familiar. And before long, those images would become three-dimensional, moving all around them as if they were in a simulation.

"Oooh, I smell a good memory! Hehe... a very, veeeery precious memory... of a parental figure!"

Yes, Kyanna's memories were leaking out... for all to see.

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

"A memory..? So-" Kyanna was ready to require some further explanation, but things suddenly took a shift that she didn't quite expect, with her eyes opening widely as she staggered and took steps back, nearly stumbling as she squeaked, surprised and worried about what was about to happen-

She tried to reach for @MAI, desperately calling for her friend, but before her hand could touch her's... Everything blurred, slowly fading into a sequence of memories that seemed to come out straight from a rushed dream.

It went from the very start, with blurrs that if it were in an actual movie, it would've been fastfoward by dozens and dozens of times the actual speed.

Yet, it was all intelligible for those that were witnessing it, just as if it was memories of their own.

It went deep, in fact, so deep it was almost intimate. A true exposition of who Kyanna Wynne was. It was dangerous, to gaze so deep into someone's life. To see their first awakening, to see their path all the way until they became 'someone' for the first time in their lives... The time they smiled, the time they loved, the time they had done the unexpected... The admiration she had for her parents, in specialty the one woman that carried her for so long, and that she looked up to for all her life.

... Her times of joy, sharing every moment and treasuring it in the depths of her heart and mind, from the very first serious conversation they had when she was finally 'growing up', to silly things like she as a little kid pleading for a doll that was finally given to her.

... It was unsettling, yet Kyanna had to relive all of it, with the uninvited audience being able to see every. Single. Thing.

As time passed, and an absurd amount of information was delivered, enough for those that were in there to be stunned as soon as that rush would pass... One last memory was slipped, slowing down.

She was taking way, way too long to make the dinner that night.

"Strange, isn't it?

Dad, did you see mom?"

Perhaps she was at her room.

Apparently, she was spending a lot of time in her VR Device lately.

"Honestly...

And she is the same person that complains about me playing too much!"

Despite the humorous words coming out of her mouth--

Why she felt such a lump in her throat?

Why there was this strange chill, a feeling that something was so wrong...

A feeling of dread and doom...

Nearing that last door, why Kyanna hesitated to touch the doorknob, even if there was no particularly rational reason for it...

"Mom, it is time for--!

Eh?"

|

|

|

|

|

What-​

...Mom..?

Why are you looking so--

​

-- Pale --

​

"Mom... Wake up..? Mom...​

Mom... Mother..?!

It can't be...​

It is a lie, it must be!||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||So open your eyes and laugh at me, please...

This isn't funny, mother!​

||||||||||||||||||| Mother is such a prankster sometimes...



MOTHER!

MOOOTHEEEEEEEEEEEEER!​

 

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

What was a story without an audience? Someone to hear, someone to see. Even a nightmare could make a fine thread full of plot twists, drama, and good or bad endings. The story of Little Prince was one of recounting, remembering. And the two girls had landed right in the middle of the desert of Remembrance. However, as things winded down to the inevitable tragic conclusion of this tale, all slowed down... and eventually stopped. Only the sound of a ticking clock could be heard for a brief few seconds before it all shattered, like a glass that someone smashed in a fit of rage.

As it all fell apart, Kyanna's senses would be forcefully returned back to her, thrown into a waking reality of a scene most bizarre. Still in the desert, MAI stood in front of her, hands firmly grasping the witch's shoulders and trying to shake her awake. But a second MAI stood some distance away, her small fist colliding with the nose of the pilot, causing a bit of blood to spurt out as he was sent staggering backward and falling over a small rock. The Little Princess? She was happily lying in the sand, making sand angels by waving her hands and legs.

"Kyanna! Kyanna, wake up! Come on-!"

Suddenly, the second MAI in the back became transparent and shattered as well, causing the one in front of the witch to stagger briefly, bringing one of her arms to her head.

"-ugh..!"

Though the outburst didn't last long before the magia narrowed herself again and looked the other girl straight in the eyes, a mixture of worry and anger contained in her expression as she desperately tried to get Kyanna back to be her usual self.

"You have to wake up, we gotta get out of here!"

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

She was gone, she was really gone.

There was no return, she could only pray she could find... her... at some point. Why did it have to be like that?

It was so out of nowhere.



"Kya---! K--nna, wa-- up! C--e on-!"



Wait a moment, Mai... I have to wake my mom first... she... she is still asleep...

If I don't, I...



"-ugh..!"



M... Mai? What's wrong... I...



"Y-- h--e to wa-e up, we gotta get out of here!"



What are you...

.

.

.

.

.

"... Doing..?" Kyanna's eyes opened weakly, with a sting of headache flinching her senses and strength, as she held her head with tears coming out endlessly, even if her voice wasn't particularly broken.

It was her body's subconscious reaction, releasing emotions she held locked behind the cheerfulness she used to protect herself from... Everything, truly.

She latched herself on MAI for a moment, trying to take a stand as she struggled to go back to normal.

"... Where... Where are we..?" She asked, initially struck by a brief amnesia.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

As Kyanna came back to herself, MAI couldn't help but relax a bit and let out a sigh of relief. While all of them saw at least a portion of that memory, it seemed that the witch was the one most absorbed in it. Made sense, given that it was her memory, to begin with. Not that the magia appreciated witnessing something like that, n more than just one way.

"Oh you're back, thank goodness... we are still in the Desert of Remembrance. We need to get out of this tale as soon as we can, these characters are not on our side!"

Just as she said that, the little princess hopped up onto her own feet, leaving behind only the imprint of an angel in the sand, walking over to the pilot who was knocked down onto the ground by MAI's 'clone'.

"Hehe, she gotcha good! Honestly, that memory was a bit boring... I mean, there was at least one death in there, but it wasn't even gory or anything! Yup, watching that funny lady punch you were much more entert-mmf!"

A boot suddenly came flying up, the man clearly tired of being insulted like that, kicking the dissonant princess in the face and sending her flying before he started scrambling to get back up himself while grunting in pain.

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

Kyanna gritted her teeth as she winced, feeling everything still numb and dizzy, with the only thing that could focus on her sight being MAI's face. There was a hint of confusion at first, when MAI mentioned the Desert of Remembrance, but as soon as it sank in, her eyes widened, with the flurry of memories diving into her mind again and forcing her eyes to watery nearly immediately, as she felt the pain tingle in her heart.

"M-Mother, I..." Her voice broke, gasping for a moment only for her to notice the other small girl being struck by the grunting man.

"I... Mai, let's... Let's go. Let's go away, please-" She sobbed, forcing herself up as she gripped MAI's arm tightly, tugging her as she desperately rushed to nowhere in particular, as long as it was far enough from those two abominations, all as her heart throbbed and made her chest feel heavy while tears ran down uncontrollably on her cheeks.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

"Affirmative - we must get out of this place. The essence of the tale was twisted by dissonance, turning a peaceful story into a violent and forceful one."

There were many question on MAI's mind, especially regarding what she had just witnessed from Kyanna's past. But she wasn't going to pry, especially not right now and with something so personal. not to mention just how strong of an emotional response it caused. Grabbing onto Kyanna's hand, the magia was ready to near-drag her away from here when her automatic defense suddenly activated, a bullet grazing a blue hexagonal shield near her own head.

Behind them stood the pilot, a blood splatter covering a part of his face from the forceful kick. In his hand, an old-school gun aimed straight at the duo.

"Nuh-uh! At least one of you looks pretty useful to me... could dismantle you for parts and finally fix my plane, fly away from this damned desert! The other... bah, you can just join your precious mama!"

It seemed that he was determined to fight them instead of letting them leave... but something stirred beneath the sand under his feet. Perhaps if they could stall for a bit...

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

Kyanna half opened her mouth to answer to @MAI, but the sudden burst and the threatening bullet giving a glimpse of what it could've done to the two if them when it impacted with the hex shield. Kyanna's heart nearly halted, and she scowled while looking at the man, now filled with devious intentions.

She tried to keep the pace with her friend, but knowing the man seemed ready to go for their blood, Kyanna swayed her hand before gesturing at the man--

❰ Curse of Thorns - Piercing Prison ❱

With little to no regards to the biome, a layer of fungi spreaded from Kyanna toward the man, crossing the ground while making a large trail that soon allowed fungic vines to erupt from the ground, to try and wrap around the man while the thorns that surrounded the fungic vines grew, sinking into his body and the ground to serve as an extra prison, while the fungal layer began spreading over the man.

Kyanna's skin similarly was overtaken by the fungi, with her teeth gritting as she hurried to run away with MAI, and the tears that rolled down began drying up, with the eyes of the witch losing their usual composition to change, especially on the surface, having the texture of spores and mucus to escape from her body along with the magic output.

 

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

Bindings to hold a sinner in place. The desert gave way to the fungal magic, its spread unrestrained as it burrowed, multiplied, and immortalized within this world. Another shot rang through the air; the bullet fired, flying well to the side of its intended target as the hand that held the weapon could not move with vines wrapped around it. With even his feet set firmly in place, he was completely restrained by the black witch's magic.

"A cunning witch and walking scrap metal. One to be burned at stake and the other to be my salvation..!"

Could one truly fight against dissonance, the power that had warped this tale and all within it? Perhaps. But the two girls were not the ones to be capable of such. Soon, even the fungal vines would give way, be torn apart, and be overpowered by the sheer physical prowess and willpower of the pilot that wanted to go home. Where was... home?

"I was meant... to return... right?"

Almost as if he was struck by an epiphany at the last moment, perhaps realizing that all had gone off script, he paused for a moment. Naught but a brief episode of hesitation, yet it was more than enough for the earth beneath his feet to be torn asunder, sending a shockwave to knock both of the girls back as a crater formed. The sand would fall, and the hard stone beneath became broken in twain. Where was the little princess?

Spoiler: A maw had opened up

Devouring Beast
Tale's Dissonant Princess​

❰ ??? / ? ??? ❱

❰ ?? ??? / ?? ??? ❱

Status

• Enraged
• Pursuing the target at all cost

Two giant jaws clamped together, devouring the pilot in a single bite, chewing his flesh and savoring his blood. A multitude of eyes peered to the side, then to the warm sun up above. It was not content, not nearly enough. One life lost was nothing, for it desired a slaughter of the ages. What else could a peaceful and loving child be twisted into?

"A-a-aaah. I've done it now. Don't even have him to keep me company now. He shouldn't have kicked me! Aaa-aaah. But it's okaaaay... since we already started... let's make it count and dance us a bloody dance~!"

Claws digging into the shaken earth, the sheer force and weight of the beast caused the oasis to be shattered into several larger chunks, tilting and slowly sinking. Not only those, however. The land, the tale itself, was unraveling. The story had gone too far off its intended path, now falling apart. Skies up above cracked like a mirror, pieces falling out to reveal a starry sky up above... one that was calling to them all.

MAI did her best to quickly utilize her gravitational powers to stay glued to the piece of land that broke off beneath her feet, only barely managing to not fall over and toward the fanged maw of a beast, slowly but surely crawling closer and closer to them both. Extending her hand, she tried to do the same for Kyanna, as soon as the two would make a physical contact.

"K-Kyanna! Grab onto me, we have to fly away from here! There is no way we can fight something like that!"

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

Kyanna's eyes grew wide open as she noticed her fungal thorns fading away, being destroyed by the sheer dissonant will of the pilot, but for a mere moment, despite him gaining his freedom, he seemed to get slightly back to his 'senses'. The witch watched him intently, ready to counter any other move he had in mind while she and her friend ran away--

However, instead of a trick or whatever other threat he had in his mind, the twist of an abomination growing and devouring him in a brutal strike brought a gasp out of Kyanna's lips. "Pilot! Wait-!" She gritted her teeth, seeing in horror the end of the man, and turning to look at MAI as she seemed to bring a hope to escape from that nightmare.

Leaping closer to MAI, Kyanna held her hand, tugging herself closer to the magia and wrapping her arms around her, glancing behind with a fearful expression.

"M-Mai, let's get out of here!" She pleaded.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

A firm embrace. One that perhaps might have even induced a bit of an embarrassment on MAI's part, were the situation any different. With Kyanna so close and secured, there was no reason to remain. Leaping off of the rock, the magia brought forth her wings once more, flapping them to send them soaring into the sky. But the beast was not about to let them go that easily, for it wished to do naught but devour all there was, to end this story in its own twisted way.

Leaping high, its maw opened once more, large enough to swallow a whole house, much less two small girls. Glaring back with a golden glint in her synthetic eyes, MAI quickly waved her hand, gravitational pull causing the shattered pieces of land to suddenly fly up and strike the roaring beast, forcing its jaws to close with force. The sharpened teeth met each other only a few meters away from the magia's legs, the force of the impact helping propel her higher and higher.

"Ghh-nnn-aaa! Devour! Devour... all friends. Devour... all enemies. Must eat... twist... kill..! Come baAACK--!"

Its screech might have been loud and everpresent, but it was of no use. The beast did not have wings, and as it landed back on the shattered ground, the force of the impact buried it underneath rubble and debris. Before it could crawl back out and make another leap, the two girls were at the event horizon of the world's boundary.

"Hold on... tightly!"

Just as MAI said those words, they were surrounded by all manner of colors as the world started spinning, spinning around. Sent through the vortex, there was suddenly nothing but dark. A dark that would give away as soon as they opened their eyes, only to find themselves on the ground next to a collapsed table and a single book, smoking as if it had been on fire until a mere moment ago.

The door to the room slammed open, and a man ran inside, clearly panicked even as he did his best to balance a plate with two cups of tea and various kinds of biscuits.

"What happened?! I heard a loud bang just as I was preparing everything- are you to alright?! Did you try to do something with the book..?"

It must have been a confusing sight indeed. Two girls who had just agreed to help him with his problem were suddenly on the floor, as if they tried to wrestle, destroying the table in the process and nearly the book as well.

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

Kyanna's eyes grew wide open seeing the abomination approaching, just before she clenched them shut and buried her face on her friend's shoulder, praying and pleading for salvation. The sight was terrifying, enough to make her heart nearly leap out of her chest while she held her friend tighter the more the chase expanded.

The witch didn't even see the world changing and swirling, only really feeling the situation change her body and her surroundings vaguely as she struggled to keep a hold on MAI.

An abrupt change made her far more aware of the changes, however, which was as soon as they finally escaped that nightmare, crashing on the room and making Kyanna yelp, feeling the pain throbbing on her body while she didn't seem to let MAI go just yet, breathing heavily before she finally had her eyelids quivering and her eyes opening, wincing as she tried to recover.

"M-Mai..?" She called at first, holding her friend dearly, and trying to look at her face.

"Mai, are you alright? You..." Kyanna paused, looking around and finally noticing the man, pursing her lips and putting herself between the magia and the man. "It... It is your fault! What kind of book is that?!" Kyanna protested, holding MAI protectively.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

MAI rubbed her head a bit as they found themselves back in 'reality'. It was rather impressive that she could even feel any pain at all, given the fact that her pain limiters were always turned on... that chronomancy shock she manage to give herself back then was truly quite something.

The shopkeep, as confused as he was, at least tried to make heads and tails of what was going on, setting the plate aside and trying to approach the two girls, only for Kyanna to get in his way as if he was about to do something to the magia, whom the witch was, for some reason, protecting like a precious doll.

"R-reassurance - This unit is in peak condition."

"Seriously, what happened here... I was gone for only a few minutes, at most! To return and find you in such a state..."

Suddenly, MAI looked over and extended her hand as much as she could, only barely grasping the fairy tale book.

"Conclusion - We fixed it. The dissonance appears to be gone from the book."

The shopkeep's eyes opened wide and lit up with joy, quickly trying to take the book, provided Kyanna even let him.

"Y-you are most certainly correct! There is no ominous aura, not bad mana radiating from it... we can hold it without any negative effects... you have truly done it, even much faster than I had anticipated! Ahahah, what joy! I knew that a Starcalled could fix this problem!"

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

Kyanna's stiffed stance and breath only softened when MAI spoke, and the witch loosened the hold before looking at her, scanning every inch she could to try and spot any wound that seemed severe. Thankfully, that didn't seem like the case, and the witch released a long and relieved sigh.

With the initial hostility fading, the fungal layer that was growing on her body faintened, and she soon found herself back to normal.

Kyanna didn't even need to respond the man, with MAI explaining straightforwardly what had happened. "And it was way too dangerous." Kyanna pointed out, pursing her lips while seeing the man so casually going for the book, flinching but then pausing as it seemed like everything was just fine.

"You better not have any other of those books around... this... dissonance makes them way too deadly. If Mai wasn't so well equipped, we would've become food for a spoiled princess." Kyanna said, almost in a scolding and angry tone, making her sound a bit out of herself.

Perhaps, not just because of all the danger they had to face during their immersion.

@MAI

 

[MAI]

‎

‎
‎

"Way too dangerous? Food for... a spoiled princess..? My apologies, has the dissonance affected you in some way to make you this confused? I can-"

"Status - We are both alright. The dissonance has been cleared from the book. We have done what you asked for."

"R-right. As for other books, well... this one was the only one that remained here after that horrible individual stole from me! All the other books they took? No idea where they could be. It is... quite an issue, indeed..."

MAI remained still for a brief moment before properly getting up and narrowing her posture. She understood that Kyanna was scared due to the situation they found themselves in just mere moments ago, so she didn't see the physical contact as much more than a way to reassure herself that everything was okay.

"Understood - We can discuss any reward later. We still have to check on my recording drone up ahead to see if we missed the person we are looking for."

She turned to face Kyanna, her golden eyes with quite the glint.

"Agreeable?"

@Kyanna Wynne

 

[Kyanna Wynne]

The reveal of the man that the books were gone made Kyanna's eyes grow wide open in a mix of fear and concern. Whoever that horrible individual was, they needed to be stopped as soon as possible, albeit it seemed that the man already had responded the first question that came into Kyanna's mind:

'Where they were?'

It hammered in her mind countless times, until MAI's voice caught her attention back again, making the witch turn to look at her with a brief nod.

"Y... Yeah..." Kyanna said, truly uncaring about rewards or anything fancy like that. In fact, she probably only wished to see that man again if it was to burn those books down... As for the missing person...

An exhaspered sigh escaped from Kyanna's lips as they pursed. "We... Should... Yeah." Kyanna nodded. "But I think I will have to leave after checking the drone." She said, low-spirited.

@MAI