As Becky rests on a fallen log, Atlas starts gathering old, rotten logs to create a makeshift campfire. Retro, on the other hand, is lost in thought, staring into the distance. Something catches his eye-a large, ancient building standing silently among the overgrowth. Curious, Retro rises to his feet and approaches it, his steps cautious.
"This place is old," Retro mutters to himself as he studies the building's worn exterior, "but it looks really suspicious..."
He pushes the creaking door open, and as he steps inside, the gem embedded in his sword begins to glow with a dark aura, casting an eerie light around him.
"Interesting... seems like there's a gem around here," Retro notes, his voice echoing slightly in the empty space.
He scans the room, and soon enough, he spots the gem-half-buried in a wall, just out of easy reach. Retro stares at it for a moment, considering his options. The memory of how the last gem nearly drained him completely is still fresh in his mind. With a sigh, he steps back from the gem.
"Better get Atlas for this," Retro decides. "I don't need to damn near collapse again."
As he exits the building, he finds Atlas standing at the entrance, a curious expression on his face, as if silently questioning Retro's sudden departure.
"Why did you go into the building, Retro?" Atlas asks, his tone both inquisitive and slightly concerned.
Retro waves him over. "You're here, so come with me for a sec. I found a gem."
Atlas's eyes widen with excitement. "You found a gem!"
Their conversation is interrupted by Becky, who has quietly approached them.
"What are you guys doing?" Becky inquires, his gaze shifting between Retro and Atlas.
Atlas quickly explains, "Oh, we were just discussing what might be inside this building."
Retro chimes in, "There's a gem in there, but something about the building feels... unsafe."
Becky considers this for a moment before suggesting, "Well, if you guys want, I can pause time and search the place? It'll be a lot safer."
Retro chuckles at the offer. "We don't need you to pause time for us. We'd miss all the fun."
But Atlas is intrigued by something else. "Wait, I have a question for you, Becky. How do you manipulate time?"
Becky glances at him, a hint of a smile on his lips. "You want to know? Well, back in the future, I was exploring with a friend, searching for a relic called the Shell of Greed. Everything seemed fine until we hit a field of land mines. One exploded, and a piece of the shell that was left behind stabbed into my heart, almost killing me." As Becky speaks, he tears his shirt open, revealing a scar that runs across his chest. "So, yeah... now I've got these powers over time."
Atlas tilts his head, puzzled. "That's strange. In the Archivist Library, the Shell of Greed isn't depicted with any time manipulation abilities. It's odd that it would grant you something like that."
Becky shrugs, his expression darkening slightly. "The past and future aren't always what they seem. Relics don't always do what you expect."
Retro, sensing the tension, quickly shifts the focus back to the task at hand. "Well, regardless of how you got your powers, let's figure out how to get that gem without triggering any traps or collapsing the place on our heads."
Atlas nods in agreement, glancing once more at the building. "Right. Let's approach this carefully."
(Retro)*: "Umm, okay, but again, we're gonna miss all the fun. But aside from that, we need to get that gem out of here and safely store it. There's no telling how powerful that gem is, let alone the consequences if somebody else gets ahold of it."
(Atlas): "I agree. Those gems are quite the hassle to get, especially knowing they're scattered all over."
(Retro): "Also, do you have food on hand, Atlas? I'm a hungry man."
(Atlas): "Oh sure, I cut off some pork from the pig earlier, and I've got a few vegetables I can cook with."
(Retro): "Use your fire relic to cook it fast. I don't care if you turn it into jerky, as long as it's something quick and easy."
*Atlas puts away an hourglass orb into his bag and pulls out another one, slotting it into his gloves. With a flick of his hand, he conjures fire to cook the food, but the flames are a bit too strong, leaving the food slightly burnt.*
(Atlas): "Well, here you go, Retro. Hope you don't mind it being a bit burnt."
*Retro takes the food from Atlas and eats it, somewhat satisfied.*
(Retro): "Not bad. Needs salt and garlic, though..."
(Becky): "Oh crap, this stuff is good."
(Atlas): "Well, that's good to hear."
*The trio walks into the building, and they immediately spot the gem embedded in the wall. Retro's sword starts to glow ominously as Becky asks, puzzled.*
(Becky): "Why is the sword glowing?"
(Atlas): "Do you want the short or the long explanation?"
(Becky): "Um, well, short so we can hurry this along."
(Atlas): "Alright, so basically, the sword is a vessel for Retro's memories and powers. The gems grant him back his powers and memories, like fragments of his past. Plus, the god phantom has it out for him. When the sword gains a gem, it increases the mana it absorbs per swing. I can even use it, but an ordinary person can't without passing out. So, if these gems give that much power to the sword, imagine it on its own in someone else's hands. Also, the sword glows when near any gems."
*Atlas pauses before continuing, his tone more serious.*
(Atlas): "Also, Becky, if I were to tell you something that could help you, would you take the chance, even if it might mean losing some of your powers?"
(Becky): "Sure, why not? What do I have to lose?"
(Atlas): "Well, I mean your way back home, your friends, etc. But hey, it's something to consider."
(Retro): "Well, it's something you can work on later. Right now, there's the gem on the wall. Atlas, can you see if it comes off? I could try, but we both know what happened last time."
(Atlas): "Sure, I'll give it a shot."
(Retro): "Back up just in case things go wrong."
(Atlas): "Got it. Just stand back a bit."
*As they step back, Atlas retrieves another orb, this time with an earth element, and slots it into his gloves. He then creates a staircase out of the wall itself, using earth magic to carefully approach the gem. He also crafts a small barrier to prevent himself from falling.*
*Reaching for the gem, Atlas suddenly staggers as a wave of Retro's memories flood his mind. Tears stream down his cheeks as he slips, still holding the gem. Retro and Becky see him fall and rush to his aid. Becky tries to stop time to help, but to his surprise, Retro is still moving within the frozen moment. Retro leaps up and catches Atlas as time resumes its normal flow.*
(Retro): "Atlas, you good, kiddo?"
(Atlas): "Not at all... It was quite... disturbing, what I saw."
(Retro): "What did you see?"
(Atlas): "Your memories... So much death, sadness, loss of loved ones, anger, and frustration. It must have been so hard, living for so long. One would turn mad in mere seconds."
(Retro): "Just don't let the power and memories deter you from the path you're on now. Don't let it consume you."
(Atlas): "I can't... Having that hive mind looming over me... It's terrifying, and fighting that now... This is too much for me. Please, just take the gem. I can't."
*Retro gently takes the gem from Atlas's trembling hands.*
(Retro): "Okay, I've got it. You did well, Atlas. Take a moment to breathe."
As Atlas hands the pulsing gem to Retro, the moment Retro's fingers close around it, his expression contorts in pain. Tears start to stream down his cheeks, unbidden, as if the weight of the gem's memories is too much to bear.
(Retro): *"What the-? This memory... it hurts. It's like there's an empty void inside me, something lost that I can't remember."*
(Atlas): *(Exhaling deeply)* "I feel better now that I'm not holding it, but you should contain that gem soon, before-"
(Retro): *"Yeah, I know, but first-"*
(Becky): (cutting them off) *"Yeah, first tell me how the hell you were still able to move when I stopped time. That's not supposed to happen."*
(Atlas): *"Time manipulation doesn't affect him the way it does others."*
(Becky): *(Narrowing his eyes, deep in thought)* *"Hmm... interesting."*
(Retro): *(Wiping the tears away, his voice firm)* "Let's just move on from this, alright? We've got bigger things to focus on."
*Though questions linger between them, the trio decides to push forward. The gem in Retro's bag pulses ominously, slowly turning a deep greenish-black, its malevolent energy barely contained. As they walk, the imposing silhouette of the temple comes into view, looming over them like a sleeping giant.*
(Retro): *(Whistling softly, impressed by its size)* "It's bigger than I thought it would be."
(Atlas): *"Yeah, definitely more imposing up close."*
(Becky): *(Eyeing the structure cautiously)* "It's impressive, but are we sure we should even take whatever's inside? This place doesn't feel right."
*As they draw closer, Retro's senses prick at something unusual. His aura expands, scanning the surroundings, and he notices something strange about the forest around them.*
(Retro): *(Voice low, tense)* "Guys... the forest is moving. Slowly. It's almost like it's alive."
(Becky): *(Suddenly shouting, his voice echoing through the still air)* "This reminds me of when I was fighting my nemesis, and he moved so fast the entire area around me seemed to slow down!"
(Retro): *(Grimacing at the sudden volume)* "Why are you shouting? We're literally right next to you..."
(Becky): *(Lowering his voice, embarrassed)* "Because when things slow down, my hearing gets all messed up. It's my hearing aids-they start to lose function."
(Retro): *(Raising an eyebrow)* "You have hearing aids? Why and how-" *(pauses)* "You know what? Never mind. You mentioned the explosion before."
(Becky): *"Yeah, that's how I lost my hearing. We'll talk about it later. Right now, we need to focus."*
(Retro): *(Nodding)* "Maybe we can fix that later, but for now, stay sharp. Nothing about this place feels right. Atlas, Becky, get ready. Whatever's in there... it's not going to be friendly."
(Atlas): *"Copy that."*
(Becky): *"10-4."*
*As they step through the entrance of the ancient temple, an unknown power seems to surge through the air, making the hairs on their necks stand on end. The interior is vast and eerie, the walls covered in ancient murals depicting battles long forgotten. Scenes of warriors wielding unimaginable power play out in the faded paint, casting an ominous tone over the silent halls.*
*In the center of the room, a strange glow catches their attention. As they approach, they find the source of the light-a rough, rounded object, its surface smooth except for an intricate orange crest engraved in the middle, reminiscent of a rising sun. The glow emanates from this crest, bathing the room in a warm, yet unsettling, light.*
(Retro): *(Eyes narrowing at the object)* "That's the source... but what is it? It's got power, that's for sure."
(Atlas): *(Studying the crest closely)* "This symbol... it's ancient, older than anything I've seen in the archives. Whatever this is, it's not just a relic. It's something more."
(Becky): *(Uneasy, but curious)* "Are you sure we should even touch it? It could be dangerous."
(Retro): *(Stepping forward, determined)* "Dangerous or not, we need to secure it. There's no telling what could happen if someone else gets their hands on it. Stay alert, both of you. We don't know what we're dealing with here."
*As they prepare to approach the object, the air grows even heavier, as if the temple itself is reacting to their presence. The shadows in the corners of the room seem to shift, almost alive, and the glowing crest pulses as if in response to their approach. Whatever they've stumbled upon, it's clear that it's not going to let them take it without a fight.*