Dungeon Explorers: The Time Mystery (Editing)

Ch 10: The Troubling News

Conversations went throughout the mess hall. There were different talks about the adventures everyone had had that day. Wiggly also started to sing a random tune about apples.

There was something very odd about what happened towards the end of dinner. Officer Magnezone and the Magnemite deputies came into the mess hall. Officer Magnezone floated over to the Guildmaster and whispered in his ear.

Pattie watched all this curiously. She was startled when Wiggly got a really rare look on his face: concern. Wiggly nodded at Magnezone as it finished talking. Wiggly came over to Charap. He must have reported what Officer Magnezone had said because Charap had the same concerned look on his face as well.

Both Wigglytuff and Charap followed Officer Magnezone and the Magnemite deputies out of the mess hall.

'I wonder what all that was about,' Pattie thought as she took a bite out of her Oran Berry.

Then everyone finished eating dinner and headed for their rooms.

Pattie, Blazie, and Elyon's night discussion was about Blazie's Relic Fragment. They all had a wild guess about what it was for. Pattie thought it was a broken piece of rock that had blasted off of an alien spaceship.

Blazie nodded, thinking it over. "That could definitely be a possibility, Pattie," she said.

Elyon had her own idea. "I was thinking that it could have been a part of a tablet from an ancient civilization," she said. "Then this part eroded away from the tablet after many years."

Blazie took the fragment out from under her bed. The odd description on it shone underneath the lights. She sighed. "I don't know you guys. None of our guesses seems right to me. It feels like it's from something much more...mystical.

Pattie, Blazie, and Elyon were all quiet for a moment. Suddenly, a hole appeared in the center of their three beds. Diglen popped his heads out of the hole.

"We have an urgent meeting right now," Diglen said in a rush. "Get into the briefing room in the next few minutes." Then, before Pattie, Blazie, and Elyon could speak up, Diglen burrowed back underneath the ground and was gone.

The three friends looked at each other, all of them very curious.

"Let's get going," said Blazie, putting her Relic Fragment back under her bed. Pattie put the light out as the three of them left their room.

"I wonder what this meeting is about," said Loudra.

"If it's urgent, there might be some bad news," said Toxics. This seemed to make him a little too happy at the thought.

"Eek! I hope that's not the case!" exclaimed Sunny.

"Everyone, calm down, please."

Charap and Wiggly entered the room.

"Pay attention, if you will," said Charap. "This announcement is very important." Everybody quieted down.

"Far to the northeast lies a place called Treeshroud Forest," Charap started to explain. "Apparently, time has now stopped."

There was a loud outburst of gasps and multiple shouts. This bad news seemed to unsettle Toxics.

"Simmer down," Charap said. "I am completely serious. Time has come to a complete standstill. Dewdrops on the trees refuse to move, the wind has stopped blowing, and the clouds are motionless. Time has truly stopped in Treeshroud Forest!"

"So time really has stopped!" said Blazie.

"But how could something that awful happen?" asked Chime.

"It's unthinkable!" exclaimed Elyon.

"The unthinkable has happened," Wiggly spoke up, catching everyone's attention. "The reason for time stopping in Treeshroud Forest is that its Time Gear has been stolen!"

"WHAT?!"

"The Time Gear...stolen?" Elyon asked in disbelief.

"I don't get it though. Why would ANYONE take a Time Gear?" Exploud roared. "Anybody knows that something bad would happen if one were to be stolen!"

"Don't worry. Officer Magnezone has already launched a full-scale investigation," Wiggly continued. "It is tough to believe anyone would steal a Time Gear. But if one can be stolen, then the others are in danger of being taken as well. The police have asked us to keep an eye out for anybody suspicious. So make sure to tell either Charap or myself if you do."

"And that's all for now," said Charap. "Even though this is very distressing, we must still keep up with our guild work. So get to bed now, if you please."

Everyone started off for their rooms. They were all still in a tizzy about the news with Treeshroud Forest's Time Gear.

"Well, you were certainly right about everyone fearing unspeakable calamity if a Time Gear was stolen," Pattie said to Blazie and Elyon as they settled down in their beds.

"That's for sure," said Elyon. "I hope that the police find out who's responsible for this. And soon."

Despite a very troubled sleep, Pattie managed to wake up early the next morning. She woke up Blazie and Elyon, who both managed to get up without complaint.