[Video]

[littlehero]

[Hey, look who is totally a master of the video function now. He's so proud of himself.]

My name is Seere.

So many people have arrived here so suddenly! If this is the land of the dead, then something terrible must have happened... But it will be alright here. This is a good place.

[Mostly.]

Comments

[Video]

[buddingheart]

Land of the dead...? Is that what this is? I was quite sure it was the divine realm!

Re: [Video]

[littlehero]

Is it?

...I hope not. That's even worse.

[buddingheart]

I'm not sure I see how it's worse. The gods I've met have been just as wonderful as our lore said they'd be!

...You might be right about the land of the dead, though. I was struck down before I was permitted to enter.

[littlehero]

[WHAT

KIERAN ARE YOU CRAZY]

What happened to you? And what do you mean, you've met the gods?

[buddingheart]

[CRAZY LIKE A FOX]

The Predator God smote me for trespassing on sacred ground. I was struck by a swift beetle, far bigger than any Heracross, and he tore his way out of its womb. It was the most frightening experience of my life!

Oh... but the other gods are different! I've met the Rain-bringer and she who beckons the sun, and I've had the immense honour of meeting the Beloved herself, she who nursed my kind when we first became children of the forest!

[littlehero]

I've never heard of these gods before. I'm so glad they're kind! ...Well, except for the one who killed you. The ones where I come from are scary, too.

[buddingheart]

What sort of gods do you know, Seere? Maybe if they won't mind, I could introduce you to the ones I follow. I think they'd like you very much! They're very benevolent.

[littlehero]

They...

[NOPE just shaking his head stubbornly at that first question.]

If you think the ones here are nice, they must be. I'd love to meet them!

[buddingheart]

That would be wonderful! I can tell you everything you need to know. I always made sure to listen well when the harts told their tales! The Beloved is our favourite, I think you could get to be very good friends with her!

[Luckily for Seere, Kieran is enough of a nerd for his gods that he doesn't even notice that Seere totally dodged the question. WHEW.]

[greatestfeast]

[ DO YOU FEEL UNSAFE SUDDENLY

BECAUSE YOU SHOULD. ]

[littlehero]

[OH BOY HIS BFF ARIOCH WHO WOULD NEVER DREAM OF EATING HIM.]

[greatestfeast]

[ I MISSED YOU TOO BFF

WELL MY STOMACH DID

YOU HAVEN'T BEEN ACQUAINTED PROPERLY HAVE YOU. ]

[littlehero]

[GOSH LEONARD SAID THE SAME THING ABOUT SOME OF HIS BODY PARTS, TOO

YOU GUYS SURE ARE WEIRD.]

[greatestfeast]

[ SEERE WHY DO YOU NOT HAVE A SENSE OF SELF-PRESERVATION AT ALL here have an eye ABRUPTLY examining the face of the video screen as Arioch studies the computer. ]

I hear a child~

[littlehero]

[If Seere had any sense he would not be Seere.]

...!

Arioch! Is that really you?

[Looking to be less chewed-up than the last time he saw her, too.]

[greatestfeast]

It might be. Who's asking?

[ DOES SHE EVEN KNOW SEERE'S NAME OR JUST REMEMBER HIM AS 'THAT KID EVERYONE YELLS AT ME FOR TRYING TO EAT ALL THE TIME', IT'S A MYSTERY. ]

[littlehero]

[How could you not remember the name of the kid who introduces himself every five minutes though]

It's me, Seere!

[EXCITED WAVING AT THE MONITOR. No, Seere, no!]

[greatestfeast]

Seere? What are you doing here? And why...

[ CLAWING SCRATCHING AT THE COMPUTER SCREEN. THE MEAL IS SO CLOSE AND YET SO FAR AWAY... ]

[will_be_god]

This is not the land of the dead, not as known as any mythology.

[[Although the man on the video, who Seere had spoken with in the library, may look otherwise, with his gaunt face and pale skin]]

There are individuals who have passed, who exist in a state after death, yet most here are quite alive.

[littlehero]

But how is that possible?

[will_be_god]

It simply is. Perhaps it is owing to the presence of divine beings.

[littlehero]

You're not the first one to mention them...

[will_be_god]

And likely will not be the last. You have not met them, I presume. Surprising. Usually they reveal themselves readily.

[Video]

[shironomusume]

Land of the dead? Do you really believe that this may be what this city is?

[She gets a pensive look on her face; there didn't seem to be many green-haired women here, like there would have been if dead people from her home arrived.]

[littlehero]

It must be. People who I know were dead are here, and I shouldn't be alive, either. I don't think everyone who dies comes here, or else...

[He trails off, frowning a bit.]

...Anyway, there must be a reason for those of us who are here to be here.

[shironomusume]

[She nods in agreement at the last sentence.]

That does make sense, since many of us arrived at the same time and in the same place. The...person in charge at this building seems to think nothing odd is happening, for some reason.

[littlehero]

Maybe it's normal for here. I haven't been here long enough to know...

[shironomusume]

It's not so much that he thinks it's normal as it is he thinks it's a big lie. I haven't met anyone else who believes that, however... But they're still mostly calm about us.

You said this was a nice location, either way. Please, can you tell me a bit more about this place?

[littlehero]

I don't know why he would think it's a lie. None of us would be here otherwise, right?

It really is a good place, though! This city is bigger than any I've ever seen, and there are all sorts of merchants. And these computer we're using now aren't the only strange magical devices here. For instance, the lanterns work on their own and can be lit all at once with a switch, and just anybody can do it, too. Animals can choose to look like people, even if they're normally as big as a dragon.

[shironomusume]

The technology in this city really is intimidating. It does sound very convenient, however. And I'm interested in the transformations. Are most of the humans here originally something else?

[Inter-dimensional Video]

[dr_robo_tesla]

Land of the dead? Are you trying to say my computer is connecting me to video chat between dead people?

Polytheraton particles have never shown any sign of contacting the deceased, something is fishy about this.

[littlehero]

[I'm 6 years old and WHAT IS THIS? This technobabble is going right over Seere's head.]

Huh? I'm sorry, I don't really... understand.

[dr_robo_tesla]

That's okay, I'm not sure I do yet either.

Hi, my name is Robo, what's your name little girl?

[littlehero]

Actually... I'm a boy...

But I'm Seere. It's nice to meet you.

[unforseenconsequences]

Land of the dead? You're kidding, right? Always imagined it way cooler than a school.

[littlehero]

Maybe it's only a part of it. This place must be for people who still need to learn something.

[loverofinnocence]

[Caim doesn't even... He doesn't even know.]

Take care not to let any of them linger with you for long.

[littlehero]

[CAIM SEERE IS STILL... worried you are the one mad at him. But if you're talking typing to him maybe that's a good sign.]

Why not?

[loverofinnocence]

[He doesn't hate you. He just hates your sister.]

They are foreigners from worlds other than our own. How can they be trusted?