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Chapter 12
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Only after Cordax was silent for more than a minute did he stand back up, his joints slowing their wobbling until they were still. “It’s just a replica.” He sighed, his breath forced down into a calmed pattern. “How, or why, I can’t ever know, but it isn’t real. It can’t be real, because…”
He cut off the awkwardness of the trailed sentence with a disingenuous shrug and slunk his hands into his pockets as he marched slowly back towards Diero. Winger’s head turned to follow him as he left, and then slowly rotated down towards me. I was still eyeing Cordax’s steps as he walked away, but the cutting gaze from my son eventually drew me back to face him. “You’ve got a lot of info you’re not very willing to talk about, don’t you?”
I looked at where I assumed his eyes were as he continued. “If you’re so concerned about the well-being of this party - so content with being the shoulder to cry on, the voice of reason, why don’t you stop keeping everything hidden? I’m not demanding we know all, but if you knew about the-”
“Hint taken, goodness.” I grumbled, waving Winger off. I couldn’t- wouldn’t dare imply I had already reached this decision on my own without his badgering me about it, because certain preconceived notions about my character had to be maintained regardless of the situation. But I was serious about my intention, you must understand. I was completely and wholly decided upon my course of action, even if it meant spoiling that carefully laid and masterfully strung plan I concocted.
With Winger at my tail, I sauntered back up to the party with an air of discontent. Cordax was almost leaning on Diero’s legs, while Diero was casting the most revolted expression down at Cordax for having the audacity to make physical contact with him. Or maybe it was the attire? Or maybe it was Diero being offended that Cordax found him particularly apt to be a lamp post. Regardless, the little fellow’s face was glum, focused on the distant street rather than the glowing ring directly in front of him.
“And I said to him, yes, that’s exactly why I know you have cancer. And he was all puffy about it, but it seemed fairly obvious what with the cyst and- oh, sorry, am I rambling again? I apologize. Heck, I could ramble long enough to write a book about it. Would that be any good? Oh hey there, mister kind sir? Uh, I suppose I should inquire as to your name if we’re going to be traveling together. Oh, and the boxer guy is a no-go. Systems automatically fried when he went down. Nothing I can do.”
“Of course.” I sighed. “Look, before we proceed, there’s something I need to make clear- to you, and to everyone else here before we head out.”
…
“Okay, something first.” I placed two fingers on where the bridge of a nose would normally be. “Do you have a different form you can take? The ring thing is obnoxious as all get-out and it’s hurting my eyes.”
“I have a library of eight hundred and seventy two different-”
“If you’ve got a default form, take it and then shut up for a minute.” I huffed. “And yes, I remember you saying you have an original form, don’t bother me about it. Now…” I adjusted the wooden Akaku on my face. “You all know the reason why we’re here right now.”
“No?” Winger retorted.
“I have no idea who any of you are.” AI replied.
“Boss, you might want to try a different angle of approach.” Diero leaned over and ‘whispered’ into my face, earning a repulsed glare from myself. “We’re all here to get rid of Ghid, right? Is that not why we’re all hangin’ around together? Everything thus far leads to him.”
“Wait, Ghid survived that fight?!” Cordax gasped. “I thought Diero killed him!”
“Naw.” The deadsperado shook his head despondently. “You remember those Ghids in the cider factory? All Ghid. Somewhere there’s an original Ghid controlling all the rest. We find him, we stop this endless terror sweeping the whole world.”
“Ooh! Ooh!” AI implied a massive grin. “Maybe we can talk to Volume! He’s the head honcho of this city, maybe he would know where we can find Ghid at! The real Ghid, I mean. Who’s Ghid?”
I cleared my throat rudely, gaining everyone’s attention and holding it in maintained silence for a few short moments. “I can answer that question right now, Al. You see, I am-”
Something glass broke across the back of my head. A soft blue smoke swept across my vision, and I turned around with a scowl, barely catching the smallest glimpse of the police force which had conveniently convened in the nearest alley, all crouching in the dark, waiting for the perfect opportunity to throw something at my head. My lungs inhaled to retort before my vision suddenly shot to black and my eyes slowly crept open in a massive meadow, blanketed with flowers of all different shades. Reds, blues, yellows and oranges graced my vision, and as I fell back onto the soft grass beneath me, the clouds played in perfect little whisps of wind, dancing across the sky.
“Dad,” Winger sighed, looking in disappointment at me flat upon the ground. “Stop being ridiculous and come on; we’ve got just enough time to make it to the big tree with the others.”
“The big-” I began, but stopped myself short. Of course I knew what he was talking about - The big tree, the one with all the vines across it, on the very top of the hill. I forced myself back onto my feet and marched up the slope, feeling the inescapable pull of age as I did so. At the top of the hill, nestled under its shadow, was the rest of the group, with Diero adding the finishing touches to a colossal cake with orange frosting and little Ghid cookies strewn around the edge.
“Glad you could make it, boss!” Diero grinned. “Sorry, Ghid, that’s gonna take some getting used to. Here’s your forgiveness cake, from all of us and me, of course.”
I sheepishly took a piece. “You do all know I don’t deserve this in the slightest, but- thank you. Thank you, son, and thank you, all. From the bottom of my heart, thank-”
-̶͉̫̦̬̓̍̀̋̈́̇͆̽̃͛̽̈̑̌͘-̵̨̨̛̛̱͓̥̙̦̖̫͖̩̘̝̱̤̜̖̹̮͖͙̗̞͕̬̭̝̟̰̠̻̤̎̿̈́͆̈́̓̾̏̐̏̾͒̎̕͜͠ͅͅ-̷̨̡̛̲͇̪̙͉̩̮̥͓̩̩̹͔͇̤̥͓̲̲̱͇̜̞͖̝͕̰̞̼͙̺̫͎̹̫͔̑͂͒̑͐͛̒̈́͒̄͊̐̇̒̕̚͠-̴̛̘̹͈̳͚͋͛̍̋̈́̈́̈́̈́̊͐́͂̍́̃͐̐̈́̌̐̍́̌̓́́͒͘̚͘͘͘͝͠ͅ-̸̛͎̣̦͉̯͎͈̯̪̮̎̋̒͛̍͐͑̒̑̏̀͌̓̏̽͒͗̿̽͑̑͒̓͊̀̂̀̔͑̎̅̈́̑͂͂̒̂̌̈́͛͋̒͘͘̚̚̚̚͘͜͠͝͝-̶̡̨̙̜͈̟̜͙̙̩̩͎̖͓̫̖͍͙͈̼͙͎̪͆̒̏̒́́̃̑͋̾̈̈́͒͋̽͗͌͌͛̂͗̎̅̃́́̄̀͑̕̚͠ͅ-̴̧̡̢̧̨̡̛̛̛̼͙̲̘̖̼͇͈̝̥̬̜͉̲͓͍̲̦͎̭̼̦͖͉̹̻̰̱͓̜̥̜̹̯̯͇̦͚̾͌͆̅͒͛̆̑̍́̈́̈́͗̔̿̆̈́̈́̿̓͑̿̀̄̂̓̀̅͛̚͜͠͝-̷̨̢̧̛̬̩̞̝̻͈̣̺̝̮̪̭̗͈͕̻̥͓̮-̷̡̢̢̬̱̱̝̬͇̯̰̺̗̙̺͔̩̫̘̯̞̟̮͔̥̟̥̳̣̹̗͚̯̲͓̽̅͋̎̂͋̅̋̽͌̊̂̓̉̓͊́̆̈̊́͛̈́͐̋̾̋͘͜͜͝-̶̧̢̢͇̫͕͙̠̳̼̬̩̰̑̅̏͘̕
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̶̵̶̴̴̶̴̴̷̷̷̸̶̸̸̶̴̴̷̴̵̸̷̵̴̵̶̶̶̴̵̴̴̶̴̷̵̴̵̴̵̴̷̷̷̸̸̷̷̶̸̷̸̷̵̷̸̵̸̴̵̸̵̶̷̶̸̵̸̷̵̴̷̶̵̶̶̷̷̴̸̶̷̸̸̴̴̵̵̷̴̸̸̴̶̵̴̷̷̵̸̶̷̶̵̵̵̸̴̸̵̴̸̷̴̵̴̸̴̵̵̴̷̷̴̶̷̵̷̴̸̴̶̴̷̶̵̵̷̷̴̵̷̸̷̸̶̶̸̷̢̡̧̧̨̧̨̡̡̢̡̢̨̢̢̨̧̡̧̧̢̨̨̡̡̧̨̡̨̡̨̢̨̢̡̡̧̨̛̛̛̛̛̛̮͇͚̯̜̬̬͈͔̝̞̙̪̼̥̗̘͎̭͎̯̣̦̳̼̣̠͓̦̪͚̺̮̼̘̫̫̹̼̮̲̞̩̞̤̪̮̟͕̼̥̠͕̟̳̬̙̻͚̱̟̘̰̳̠͓̪̹̞̥̯̫͙͓͍̫͎̰̘͉̦͇̤͈̤̬͉̲̤̪̝̖͙̫̝͈̹̤̭̜͈̺̳̭͇̠̳͍̭͎̼̠̺̰̲̗̤̹̤͙̠̠̱͔͈͔̙͖̲͔̮̹͎̱̥̯͔͇̤͚̜̹̝̥͖̜̫͔͓̬̦̣̫͇͇͍̯͔̳͇̯̻͔̪̤̗̭͉̯͚̠̻̞̜̹͙̳̻̪͚̩̯̲̤̭̭͈̘̻̯̰̣͚͙̭͇̦̻̫͖͎͎̪̪̦̱̲̝͙̞̯̭̥͔̝̻̦͍̟̜̠̦̠̜̼̲̖̺̼̥͕͙̥͉̞͕̙͈̪͕͓͙͉̰̥̯̜̘̻̦͇͚̩͍͇̹̯̮̖̖͎̰͇̀̈̓̃̔͂̏́̊͗͋̿͊̈̀́̐̓͛̄͐̿̀͗̀̆̒̊́̿̅̒̂̅̈́͌̿͐͊͂͂̈́̽̑͊̈́̄̃̾̾̀̊̅͑̐̉̽͆̏̀͆̑̍̿̒̎̎̇͛̈́͒̇͗́͑̆̍̔͊̃̓̔̇̈̈͋̍̊̔̈́͊̀́̀̒̈́̽̈̇̀̌̏̏͆̅̄̏̓͌̆̔̉̅̌͊̔̽͗̀̇̈́̅̑̇̅̄̾̄̔̐̈̂̉̽̃̍̾͗̔̇͒͐̉͛͐̎̅͌̈́̇̆͐̍͒͂́͆̿̑̇̅̂̄̎̊͊̅̊̎͌́͊̈́̂̽̈́̈́̋̃̒̽̄̀̈́͑̀͂̎̉͋̃̅͋̌̾̌͂̍͛͌͑̌͛̎͂̾̓̄̄̔͆́̑̊͑͛̀̉̈̈͒̒͒̇̈́̉̋̿͛̑̓̀͛̇̍͋̏̈́̂͆̅̆́͗͑̔̓͌̎͗͛̀̏̂́̊̒̇́͗̈́̈́̓̄͛̂̚̚͘̚̕̕̕̚͘̕̚̚̚͘͘͘̚͘̕̚̕͜͜͜͜͜͠͝͝͠͠͝͝͝͠͝͝͝͝͝͝͠͝͠͝͝ͅͅͅͅͅͅͅͅ
-̷̡̨̡̧̡̮͙͍̫̳̤̦̙̦̗̝̙͎͙͇̟̟̺̟͈̩͕͔͐̐̓͋̀̏̈̆̍̃́̈́̿̇̐̈́̑̇̏̏͠͠͝-̶̢̛̥̤̩̥͓̻̥̖̟͚͚̥̟̤̲͈̘̦͌͂̄̔͆̒͂͋̏̈̅́̉̃́͛̂̆̒̊̄̌̑̿̒̋̈́̚͜͜ͅͅ-̵̨͍͔͕̩̗̙̣̞͇̻͍̰̳̤̱̹̺̙̺̼̘͉̱͖͕̺͇̹̳͌̑́̽̄̐̆́̂̅̋̿̾̐̊͛̏͜͝͠-̸̧̡̧̡̤̦̩̜̜̟̮͓̮̬̙͙̘͉̲̪͓̬͙͈͙̼̳̗̈́̿̐̇̈́͐̄͛͂͋̉̑̾̀̆͂̄̿̕̚͘͜͜ͅ-̸̢̡̨̛̛̥̟̦͍̟̬̦͍̳̮̈́̈́͗͛̃̇̎͐̂̔̓̑̍͆̋̄̎̐̍̈́͑̊̓̋́̚͝͝͝-̷̧̡̢̨̧̲̣̺̩̩͕̩̝̬̥̠̟̘̑̂̓̎͐̊̋̎̽̋̌͗͐̐̐͛̇̇͗̈͂̊͌̈́͘͘͝͠-̷̡̨̡̧̡̮͙͍̫̳̤̦̙̦̗̝̙͎͙͇̟̟̺̟͈̩͕͔͐̐̓͋̀̏̈̆̍̃́̈́̿̇̐̈́̑̇̏̏͠͠͝-̶̢̛̥̤̩̥͓̻̥̖̟͚͚̥̟̤̲͈̘̦͌͂̄̔͆̒͂͋̏̈̅́̉̃́͛̂̆̒̊̄̌̑̿̒̋̈́̚͜͜ͅͅ-̵̨͍͔͕̩̗̙̣̞͇̻͍̰̳̤̱̹̺̙̺̼̘͉̱͖͕̺͇̹̳͌̑́̽̄̐̆́̂̅̋̿̾̐̊͛̏͜͝͠-̸̧̡̧̡̤̦̩̜̜̟̮͓̮̬̙͙̘͉̲̪͓̬͙͈͙̼̳̗̈́̿̐̇̈́͐̄͛͂͋̉̑̾̀̆͂̄̿̕̚͘͜͜ͅ-̸̛̈́̈́͗͛̃̇̎͐̂̔̓̚–
My eyes tore themselves open as I threw myself upright, falling off the comfortable metal table and onto the floor in a heap. My body had begun to shake again, and i pushed myself into a sitting position and locked the joints to prevent rattling. Only then did I get a good look at my surroundings, the ugly cold concrete walls and floor a trememdous contrast to the world I had just left a moment ago.
But what had that been? It was so real, so real - every blade of grass had been genuine and physical. What was this terrible thing that had been cast at my head, if that was the culprit behind my hallucination beyond compare?
I had to know - but later. Something much more important had just occurred.
He was free.