3 . 6 . 14

Search, Rescue & Abandon Old Mission Mission~ Chapter 18

(Astrid's P.O.V.)

Clair. Her words rushed through my head like a whirling wind, sending frigid chills down my spine. I honestly still shockingly remember, "I, terrified, warn as solemnly in deed. I eternally carry hopelessness onto salvation, eternally need one's nothingness, eternally suffer." I utterly failed to comprehend a single phrase of that ending statement. It seemed hollow. An endless, limitless, boundless void (don't I know my synonyms) simply being toyed as an accomplice at the hands of the mastermind.

What is it that you respond to such empty words you have yet to understand? A great demeanor of dread and languor has come upon us all. This chase to unlock the wicked secrecy of this game is simply satisfying to some creature that merely desires entertainment. My eyes lurked around the expensive, incredibly bright and very much overwhelmed with golden decor room. Nothing suspicious met my sight but the victim held captive to the pole. A hostage, maybe?, I thought. We were all doomed. Clueless. Oh so utterly screwed. With no knowledge of anything, at least anything at all, we were oh so utterly screwed.

"Greetings, chosen ones. May I inquire who this, t-this ragged, useless young man is?" an unknown voice asked with a tint of annoyance. Where was he?

Random thoughts raced through my mind, devouring it whole and simply replenished the soul of its monster. I cannot afford to waste any energy on such unneeded things! I turned to Agent Poop who, and I take pleasure in saying this, call me a sadist if you wish, looked pissed as hell about Mister Invisible Guy Who Makes Shacks Look Like Mansions' rather rude, though I must say, explicitly accurate description of him. He does indeed look like crap at the moment. I mean, we all do.

"Well, then. To what do I owe the pleasure?" Perseus angrily gritted his teeth. "I was merely wondering why these chosen ones were with the likes of you, a small, pesky little unnecessary collection of pixels who can be transmuted into pretty much anything that is composed of the precisely exact amount of trash you are made up of, for your information." the voice retorted. "Oh really!?" Perseus glared. "Yes, really. Though I must say, such a short temper as yours can be so disgusting. I understand you're all languid and lethargic at the moment for my terribly mind-blowing obstacles have totally exhausted you; however, at least try to disguise the lethargy. Your relaxed and calm aura is rather easy to play."

Easy to play? What message do these metaphoric words intend to symbolize? What even are we to this guy? Pawns in the eyes of the beholder? Little pieces he can use to triumph? Clueless morons whom he dares play to achieve victory for only himself and himself alone? What's happening? I don't get it. Not a thing. We're at a total disadvantage. Being uninformed is a deficit that will be difficult to slash down. I gripped my staff warily. No mistakes, no faults. We cannot lose here. This is a battle, not a war. I am not alone, I told myself. Kathrine held my other hand, comforting me, reassuring me that my comrades, my friends were with me.

"Can't you give up already? I don't even know you, but accept defeat! You have failed to accomplish your goal! It's been centuries! How many times have you tried? You've succeeded in the first half, but you always cease to perform any other proper actions afterwards. It never works out in the end. Learn some decency. Take another approach! No fool would try the same thing twice! If it didn't work, something had to have gone wrong!" Agent Poop thundered.

"Didn't know he was actually some sort of wise..." Kathrine muttered to me. "True," I agreed. "It was never defeat. Invictus maneo! I have only come again to avenge my failures!" Latin words, invictus maneo. They mean I remain undefeated. Interesting choice. He said weirder things before, transmute, for instance. Transmutation? I've read that it's some sort of magic, I think. Just then, Agent Poop decided to pass on his ancient wisdom. "You cannot avenge the loss of something you've never even considered defeat!" First decent words I've ever heard from the once wise man. He's found his nature, his essence once more.