The Last Role of the Dice: A Fable Adventure – Part 7

A tale where YOU choose what happens next! Or at least vote for it. Read part 6 here

An evil presence awaits you in the tower, but first you have a door to open.

7

How could you resist the opportunity to see something amazing? This day has brought you prophecies, talking dice, cullis gate trips and a welcome message from a demonic entity determined to destroy you. All in all, workaday stuff. You could do with something to perk you up. You open the third door, bracing yourself to be both astonished and threatened in some way.

At first you’re not quite sure what you’re looking at – perhaps some sort of unstable mirror? You hold up your hand to it and realise it’s a block of water, somehow contained within the boundaries of the room and not spilling out into the hall. Curious, you press your face into it and find you can breathe without difficulty. The room seems to contain all the wonders of the ocean and, more incredible still, is lit from above by a warm and penetrating sunlight. Brightly coloured fish, sculpted coral and smiling merpeople surround you. You reach out to touch one as it swims by but, as if the movement has broken some illusion, the scene shatters, taking everything with it.

You’re now standing in a large, impressive ballroom. Dozens of beautiful women wearing wooden masks curtsy as a chamber orchestra plays a gentle waltz. You have no doubt that this isn’t real either. The tower once belonged to a powerful wizard known as Garth, and it seems whatever has taken residence here has awoken the magical energies left behind. Still, when one of the women holds out a hand, you can’t help but take it and start dancing, compelled by some force, though not quite against your will.

‘Hi,’ you say as you sweep around the room with her. ‘I’m Ben and I really exist. How about you?’

The woman moves her lips to speak, but the only sound that comes out of her mouth is a wooden clap, as if a door or the lid of a coffin was opening and closing. The sound of these claps is suddenly all around you and you notice every lady in the room is moving her lips. A moment later and the illusion is gone, showing the women for what they really are: chests! Dozens of wooden chests are opening and closing their lids. Somehow they’re alive! You jump back, letting go of the chest you’re dancing with, a look of horror on your face. Its lid is open in what looks like an aggressive stance. For a second you think it’s going to eat you and you wonder how much damage you can do to a block of wood with your sword. Then a piece of parchment floats out of it and lands at your feet. The clapping around you stops. You pick up the note and read: “My name is Chesty. Want to be Super Best Friends?”

All the chests in the room have formed a circle around you, their lids ajar in expectation. There’s a whiff of blood in the air, and you think you might have caught a glimpse of human body parts peering out from one of the chests.

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