Ryoiki: Void Ghost (3)

CHAPTER 4: Through the Canyon, to The Wastes.

Shaman and Hollow strolled through the canyon.

It was an odd landmark for a underground kingdom to have, a large canyon which created a natural border for the kingdom.

"Myths say something lives at the bottom of the canyon, and it will rise up and destroy the world one day. So many people would offer it food to keep it at bay."

Hollow looked down the canyon the best she could, Shaman had forced her to stay close to the wall. Lest she fall.

"Course, that was never true. But beliefs are beliefs!"

The rest of the walk was pretty uneventful.

The sharp edges and cliff faces of the canyon made it hard to traverse, but possible.

But the scenery slowly began to chance, Hollow noticed ruins of old structures and fungi growing off of the walls and out of crevices.

"Ah yes...the fungi. No one is sure where it spawns from, but ever since Rada took over its been spreading much faster..."

Hollow and Shaman kept up their walk...but then stopped in front of another gate.

"Here we are-! One of the kingdoms travel hubs. Valley station."

The two walked inside the building, Hollow noticed several different platforms for trollies and gondolas.

"Before Rada, many people used this station for travel and shopping. Its one of the kingdoms convergence points, where several of the kingdoms regions border one another."

Shaman began to lead Hollow towards another exit.

"Hey! You both over there!!!"

Shaman and Hollow both turned to the voice.

A woman in a butterfly mask was looking at them, standing in front of a building.

"You two look like tried adventures! Come take a rest!!!"

The woman beckoned the two and walked inside the building.

"...I do not see why a rest should be skipped!"

Shaman walked into the building...and although she was hesitant, Hollow followed.

The woman had set the two up with a small table and was offering them several meals and drinks.

Hollow declined all of them, but Shaman had taken a small sandwich platter and a cup of coffee.

"Let me get my lamp..."

The woman shut the door to the building and locked it, then walked towards the back of the front room and flipped a switch. A large lamp turning on above them.

Hollow tilted her head and looked up to the lamp.

"Ah yes...the lamps."

Shaman chuckled.

"See, we aren't one hundred percent sure how Rada takes control of people. But some of us did realize that specially made lamps seems to...prevent it."

The woman walked back over.

"Precisely why we have it."

She chuckled and removed her mask.

She went through a short transformation, with a large beetle horn and some spikes on her chin manifesting.

Shaman took off his.

Long white hair like Yenos, but his face was older. More calm.

Hollow tilted their head again.

"What? Thought Id have more prominent bug features? Sorry to disappoint little one."

Shaman began to eat, The woman made Small talk, but Hollow sat thinking...

It was odd to her. Why had this woman welcomed them? Given Shaman food...why? What was her goal?

Hollow didn't trust her at all...

But before she could keep thinking...the world went black.

There was a small light in front of her. It was speaking to her.

But Hollow couldn't understand, she couldn't figure out what it wanted.

But it kept making the sounds. With them being reverberated across the empty room Hollow now found herself in.

The light kept talking...and Hollow kept watching.

Time flew by for her...but she felt a sudden jolt in her body.

Something was shaking her, and a sound other than the lights gibberish was getting to her.

"Kid!?"

The unmasked Shaman said as Hollow jolted awake.

"I think the poor thing dozed off..."

The woman, who was now washing Shamans plate and glass said.

"Perhaps...we haven't slept in a while."

Shaman put his mask back on and prepared to leave.

"Oh!!! Before you go! Wanna open a bank account?"

Shaman stopped and Hollow eyed the woman.

"Bank account?"

The woman stopped washing the dishes and giggled.

"Yep! A place to keep your Orgas!"

Shaman pondered for a second.

"I don't see why not!"

He walked up to the counter and brought out a bloodied bag.

"Here, hold that for me."

The woman giggled again and took the bag back under the desk.

"Thank you-!" She spoke as she put her mask back on.

"Have a nice day!!!"

Hollow and Shaman left the building.

Shaman lead her back towards their mainline path.

Immediately upon crossing the threshold out of valley station, Hollow and Shaman were hit with the smell of decay, and their eyes were overwhelmed by the large amount of fungus in front of them.

"Ah...feels odd to be here."

Shaman picked a mushroom off the ground and inspected it..

"Hm...off we go!"

He shoved the shroom into his pack. And began to walk.

Shaman and Hollows walk through the wastes was lively, much monster killing and storytelling to be had.

Apparently, the wastes used to be a lively campground area, a calm mix of forests and fields...but once the mushrooms started growing. It had to be abandoned.

Many of the roads and buildings the two found had been overtaken, but one stood out to them as being untouched.

Hollow walked in first...and looked about.

Shaman followed, having to hoist himself through a broken wall.

"Geez...not a worthwhile point of entry."

He stood next to Hollow and looked about.

"There is nothing in here, little one. Why did we-"

His sentence was cut by a dart to his neck, and Hollow felt a heavy object make contact with her head before she blacked out.