Marissa

  Once Marissa was finished with her chat with [Scathach], the cutscene ended and she was able to move around the little grove they had settled in. The location was still gorgeous, and she didn’t mind the chance to walk around it and inspect the plants a bit.

  She also unmuted herself in the chat, as it looked like Jazz, Evie, and Evan were already finished with their chats as well. Caoimhe, Firo, Mellody, and Nyx were all still seated on various stumps or logs around the clearing, with a [Busy] status next to their name, indicating they were still in cutscenes.

  There wasn’t any active chatter in the voice channel, so Marissa took the moment to stand and go retrieve more tea, given that her mug was more than half empty. Since they were already not actually doing anything, refreshing the cup seemed like a good idea - as did the getting up and stretching part that came with it.

  Once she had retrieved a fresh mug of tea, she returned back to sit in her chair. She saw Aleister and Evie mulling around the room in the game, but they didn’t say anything in the chat, even when Marissa asked what they thought about the whole current game scenario.

  She merely shrugged and leaned back in her chair, perfectly happy to just relax while they waited for the others to finish their own lore gathering.

  It took another few minutes before Firo and Mellody were no longer marked as [Busy], but neither spoke or moved around the room, so Marissa assumed they were just taking their own chance at a quick bathroom break or something.

  It was another five minute wait before Caoimhe and Nyx were also both finished, and Caoimhe was immediately jumping around the little grove, running in circles.

  “I guess you liked the new lore, then, Caoimhe?” Marissa asked, but still didn’t get a response. She waited a few seconds then said, “Hello?” and looked over at her second screen, where the chat program was located.

  “Oh, son of a bitch.” She muttered, as she moved to undeafen herself.

  “- seems really cool. I can’t wait for flight.” Jazz was saying.

  “I bet you’re going to regret not having wings.” Firo snarked. “They may have been useless until now, but at last, my wings will have a purpose!” He laughed.

  “I’m actually curious how they’ll balance that. Or rather, what the difference will be.” Jazz said.

  “Scathach said that characters with wings will basically have unlimited flight, but it might be limited sometimes. Those without will be more limited, generally speaking,” Marissa said, rejoining the conversation.

  “Oh, there she is.” Kieran said. “Was wondering what happened to you, since we saw Bisky moving around.”

  “...I may have muted myself by accident, or something. I thought I undeafened when I was finished, but apparently not.”

  “Been there.”

  “No kidding.”

  “Well, at least you’re back. And everyone is ready to move on?” Ash asked.

  “Everyone run in a quick circle.” Marissa said, and watched as almost everyone did so. Nyx didn’t move.

  “Nyx?” Evie asked, but got no response.

  “Probably bathroom?” Firo asked.

  "Probably. Anyone else need anything before she returns?" Evie asked.

  "I could really use a snack," Evan said.

  "Then go get one?" Jazz prompted.

  "I think I will." Evan said. And almost immediately after Evan got up, Nyx returned.

  "Back. What'd I miss?" She asked.

  "Nothing much. We're just taking turns again." Marissa sighed.

  "Oh?"

  "Fiona just got up for a snack."

  "Ah."

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  It was just another minute before Fiona returned, and the sound of a bag of chips or pretzels crinkling in the background could be heard.

  Before anyone could actually joke about it though, Kieran jumped in. “Y’all, we’re all here and losing what’s left of the night. Let’s get rolling.”

  “Agreed.” Marissa snickered.

  “Sounds good.”

  As Marissa interacted with [Scathach] to move the party on, she could hear Evan's snacking coming through the mic.

  "Bro," Kieran spoke up first, "You gotta mute yourself while you're chewing. Please."

  "Oh. Sorry." Evan said, then went entirely silent.

  Once the [Scenario] was back under way, the party followed [Scathach] out of the grove and back down the footpath. She led them back around to the area where they had met with the [Dagda] a bit before, and he was there waiting for them.

  “Is everything in order, then?” he asked.

  “I believe so. They should be able to manage, at least.” [Scathach] said. “If you have any advice for them, though, I’m sure they would appreciate it.”

  The [Dagda] looked over the party with what Marissa could only assume was a discerning, magical eye - given that one of his eyes under his hood was literally glowing.

  “I’ve already spoken with [áine], so you are expected. My portal will drop you already within the [Seelie Court], so you shouldn’t need to worry about wild Fae attacking you. Tricking you is another matter, however, so do be careful.”

  “Lovely,” Evie said.

  “I guess it could clearly be worse?” Kieran chuckled.

  “Keep your wits about you. And when you are talking to any of the Fae, be careful with what you say. That goes double or triple with [áine] herself. If you anger her, you’re likely not to return. It may be best if only one of you even speaks with her, for safety.”

  He paused a moment before adding, “Be sure that you do not agree to speaking on behalf of [Mag Mell], nor the [Aes Sídhe]. You speak only for yourself - be careful of agreeing to speak for your party too, unless you are all sure of what you are agreeing to.”

  “They aren’t actually going to make us go through the folklore Fae shit, are they?” Evan asked.

  “Such as…?” Jazz asked.

  “I think the most common example is something like a Fae asking you for your name. If you agree to give them your name, they literally take your name. That sort of thing.” Kieran said.

  “...you think if I agree to that, I could get a free name change?” Evie laughed.

  “Yo, a hidden way to bypass the name change cost would be pretty sweet,” Nyx laughed.

  “If you want to risk it, losing your name often comes along with losing who you are, which could mean gear, Path levels, and everything else…sure. Shoot your shot.” Kieran said.

  “...Okay, yeah, not doing that.” Evie said flatly.

  “I am really curious exactly what they might do to us though.” Marissa said.

  “Same.” Ash and Firo echoed.

  “Once you are brought to [áine], you should be relatively safe,” the [Dagda] continued, “If she decides to test you, I wish you luck. I don’t think she would actually try to kill you, but…well. Be prepared.”

  “Sounds great!” Nyx said.

  “Now then, I will open your way if you are prepared.” the [Dagda] said.

  [Continue [Scenario]?]

  [Yes] [No]

  “We ready?”

  “As we’ll ever be.” Ash said, and when no one contradicted him, Marissa hit the confirmation button.

  “Right then.” The [Dagda] nodded, and turned to cast his heavily altered version of a [Fae Circle]. The portal appeared floating just past him, away from the party, giving them all a clear view of the other side.

  They weren’t locked in a cutscene, so as the party all had free control over themselves, almost everyone walked forward to get a closer look. The [Other World] through the portal was simultaneously gorgeous and like something out of a nightmare.

  They could see a beautifully crafted stone pathway on the other side, that looked like it was inside a castle courtyard. The stone was a lovely color of silver, and sparkled like it was gem-encrusted.

  To each side of the path, there were overgrown plants that were all kinds of unnatural, but striking colors. Blues and purples were most common close to where the portal had opened, but other colors were visible in patches in the distance. Some of the plants even had some form of bioluminescence that made them glow, in what looked like the beginning of nightfall.

  Truly, the scene looked like a different world, even given how striking the [Dagda’s] domain was. He had clearly been inspired by and even grown some of the plants in the [Other World].

  “Now then, step through, and good luck.” He said, as the party approached.

  “Good luck.” [Scathach] called. “Our fate likely lies with you all! No pressure!”

  “...what a great sendoff. No pressure, indeed.” Kieran chuckled.

  “She was speaking pretty formally up to that, too.” Evie said.

  “Maybe she likes us,” Nyx said, a smile clear in her tone. “I could get behind that.”

  “You really like characters like her, huh?” Evan asked.

  “You can’t seriously tell me that hot, super strong shadow lady isn’t super fucking cool.” Nyx shot back.

  “Never said that.” Evan laughed.

  “Y’all, focus.” Ash said, trying to get everyone on track as they crossed through the portal. “We have no idea what we’re getting into here.”

  “Right, right.” Nyx said. Marissa imagined Evan focused as well, despite not responding, based upon the way Fiona jogged toward the front of the group before slowing down again.

  Once they all passed through the gate, the [Dagda] said, “Best of luck. Oh, and take these with you as well. You might need them.” He chuckled somewhat awkwardly for an old man, as bracelets hovered through the portal, and spread out among the party.

  [Return Gem]

  [Invested Effect : Grants [Return to Mag Mell].]

  Marissa snorted. “...we are all idiots.”

  “Yup.” Ash agreed.

  “What?”

  “It’s a good thing the game wasn’t testing us already. Oh boy, I hope the devs don’t decide to actually be cruel during this.” Ash said.

  “What do you mean?” Jazz asked again.

  “Sorry, I almost forgot about those,” the [Dagda] said, with a bit of teasing in his voice. “You’ll need those if you wish to return to [Mag Mell]. Good luck.” And then the portal closed.

  “So if we didn’t have these -”

  “We would be stuck here in the [Other World],” Ash confirmed. “Or at least that’s the way they make it sound, yeah.”

  “Do we think they would do that?” Evie asked, warily.

  “I have no idea.” Kieran said. “We’re already somewhat out of our depth here, given the way these ‘scenarios’ have progressed. They added completely new mechanics to the mounts before -”

  “Mongie, my beloved.” Evie interrupted, which prompted some scattered laughter.

  “- Not to mention the fight with Scathach being so weird.” Kieran finished. “So I really don’t know.”

  “I can’t imagine they would want to make players get stuck here indefinitely. If we lost the ability to functionally play the game with these characters, I’d probably consider quitting the game.” Marissa said.

  “I don’t think they would risk that.” Kieran agreed.

  “So while there’s a chance they would get us ‘stuck’ here, there’d probably be some kind of quest to return, I would assume.” Evan said.

  “Man, the more we go through this, the more I want to check the internet to see how all this crap has gone for everyone else.” Firo said.

  “Right?” Evie asked. “Like, we were given confirmation that we don’t need to progress through the raid series with the same group. But that presumably also means that there isn’t as many branching paths as we think, or there is a ‘true’ path that it puts you on if you come back with a new group?”

  “I dunno, man. But it does feel like things have been shaped around our actions, at least a little bit so far. Definitely makes me curious, too.” Evan said.

  “Well, at least for the moment, we have our destination.” Marissa said, as she moved her camera around to take in the group’s surroundings. “This is 200% a castle’s courtyard,” she said, when her camera finally settled on the massive inner palace that rose into the sky behind them.

  “Oh, holy shit.” Evie gasped, when she finally saw it. “Is that where we’re headed?”

  “I would think so?” Kieran guessed. “But the impression I got was that we would be met by some kind of guide here.”

  “Same.” Firo said. “I’m not sure I want to wander around in this place when I don’t think we have ‘clearance’.”

  “Agreed.” Ash said. “I’d give it a second before we go anywhere, and see if any NPCs show up?”

  “Sure.”

  “Y’all, look up.” Nyx snorted.

  “I am looking up, though?” Firo said, as Marissa thought the same, with her camera trained fairly high on the top of the palace. When she raised the camera higher, aiming directly above them, she saw what Nyx was pointing out - there was a Fae NPC floating above them.

  “Ah.”

  “Yeah.”

  The Fae had the quest marker above their head, and stood floating in the air with their arms crossed, looking less than pleased. When Marissa interacted with them, they looked down at the party.

  “Are you finished gawking then?” The Fae asked. “I realize that the palace is something…other worldly to you, but still. We have places to be, yes? Our Queen is waiting for you, after all.”

  Marissa was impressed by the voice acting - the sneer on the Fae’s face was so apparent in the tone that she was taken aback at first, feeling defensive from it alone.

  She checked in with everyone before clicking “Let’s be on our way, then,” for Hibiscus’ response.

  The Fae snickered. “Right then. Follow me, wingless.”