klkbassotherthings

[klkbassotherthings]

Blue Prince is dead to me.

For those that may not know, Blue Prince is a roguelike puzzle game that reminds me a lot of Myst. You unlock rooms to build a house, find secrets that apply to different rooms, all while uncovering a bigger mystery. However, since it’s a roguelike, you have a set number of “steps” and once you’re out, you start fresh with a new day. I was having a lot of fun with it. Note I say was….

Since I was enjoying the game, I decided to take a three-day weekend devoted solely to unlocking its secrets. And devote I did. If I wasn’t eating, sleeping, or toileting; I was playing the game. Alas, Sunday night came and thus I saved, quit, and called it a weekend.

Monday night, I returned determined to get a run or two in before bedtime. It started well enough, open door here, get item there, but it wasn’t long before I realized something was amiss. Didn’t I upgrade this room? I went to my inventory and was aghast. The upgraded room wasn’t the only thing that was missing. Trophies, permanent items, unlocked areas—everything I had accomplished over my extended weekend—all gone. I was beside myself. How did this happen? Especially when the only two options after you finish a day are “save & continue” or “save & quit.” There is no “don’t save anything.”

To the internuts!

A frantic search led me to the official Blue Prince Discord, and a recent announcement:

“The PS5 save rollback issue is still our top priority and we are working with Sony to narrow in on a fix as soon as possible. We apologize for the amount of time this is taking, anything affecting saves is very sensitive and we need to allow enough time to test thoroughly.”

Save…rollback…? Sonova—Suffice it to say, the news was disheartening.

It wouldn’t be so bad if I simply had to go to a room, open a chest, and ta-da! Item replaced! No. Many of the items require a series of events to occur within the same day, and given the game’s inherent RNG factor, it could take hours to replace them. I don’t want to devote the time to unlocking them again (in some cases, again again as this is the fifth time I have lost progress due to circumstances beyond my control). And I certainly don’t want to dedicate the time if saving is pointless.

So, while I do recommend Blue Prince if you like a good puzzle game, don’t buy it on the PS5 or at least wait until they squash the multiple joy-killing bugs.

For me, I’ve lost my will to play, which is unfortunate because there were still so many mysteries to unravel. Unless my save file can be recovered (I’m not holding out much hope), I won’t go back.

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me…well, apparently five times is my limit.

[klkbassotherthings]

“The Fearless” Part 4

“Selena?”

The shadowed figure tried to stand and immediately became a heap.

“I’m sorry. I’m sorrrrry! I didn’t want thissss! Make it stop!”

It was horror when their eyes adjusted. A mottled creature of scales and horns, tail lashing behind it, had all but consumed Selena’s body.

Arvyn rushed to the writhing figure, pain contorting the muzzle that had formed the words. “How did this happen?”

“The firrrre!” Selena screamed, her voice more animal than human. “It called. Make it stop!” A cracking noise, accompanied by another scream, transformed her foot to elongated talons.

“What do we do?” Serah said, her mind unable to comprehend what they were seeing.

“I don’t—”

“There’s nothing you can do.”

Hidden in the depths across the chamber, was another disfigured creature. Scaled gauntlets went up to its elbows while a tail flicked along the floor. A mask of a human face had spikes framing the jaw and a pair of horns crested its dark hair.

“Trenton…?”

What remained of their “brother” hefted himself from the stone, labored by his new form.

“She was already partially shifted when I arrived, but not a whole lot to do when the fire consumed me,” Trenton said.

“Why does she look like that while you’re only…” Serah asked.

“It stopped,” Trenton stated while he examined his half-transformed arm. “I had surrendered myself to the flames, ready to accept my fate, and they rejected me.”

Attention shifted to Selena when a roar reverberated throughout the cave. Blood dripped from a scaled limb now protruding from above her shoulder blade.

“Aberration,” Trenton’s voice was stained with malice as he stepped up to Selena. “We’re not blessed, we’re cursed. Monsters. The very things that nearly destroyed our town years ago.” He placed a clawed foot on Selena’s throat.

Arvyn and Serah were so dumbfounded, they didn’t realize what was happening until Selena’s rasping filled the cave, all limbs flailing against the weight restraining her.

Trenton went reeling when Serah sliced her knuckles on his spiked jaw.

“What are you doing? Get off of her!”

“Looks like the fearless are afraid of something after all,” Trenton said with nary a hint of remorse while Selena’s jaws savagely swallowed breath.

Serah gave him another solid shove. “Come near her again, and I’ll give you something to fear.”

“Arvyn. Eldest. Surely, you understand. She’s suffering. I’m releasing her from this.” Trenton held up his clawed hand, ample evidence.

“She’s alive,” Arvyn countered. “It may be hard right now, but I won’t let you needlessly take that from her.”

As much pain as Selena was obviously in, relief was reflected in her pale eyes. The look Trenton gave them, was different. Cold. Calculating. The very thing he was rallying against.

“I can’t take both of you, but there are eleven others. You can’t protect them all, Eldest.”

A chase ensued as Trenton fled the cavern, darting over rocks that left Arvyn and Serah stumbling. By the time they reached the moonlit forest beyond, it was if they had been chasing the wind.

“What now? He can’t seriously mean to kill all of us,” Serah said.

“We need to warn the others, but I can’t abandon Selena in case Trenton is still lurking. Can you gather everyone here?” Arvyn said.

A sly smile spread over Serah’s face accompanied by a faux curtsey. “Of course. Who would refuse “Lady Serah.” Occasionally, she found use for the title thrust upon her at birth. None of the fearless parents would deny a request from the Lord’s daughter.

“And make sure you get Grimm and Vera, too,” he added, knowing the pair would be the most resistant to making the trek. Grimm for being a recluse, and Vera for being a snob who, as far as he knew, was treated like royalty by her doting parents.

Once Serah was gone, he worked his way back into the cave. Selena was exactly where he had left her on the cold stone, her barrel chest heaving. At this point, she was entirely dragon with barely a distinction that she was ever human. A pale eye rolled to him as he crouched at her side.

“Arrrvynnn…”

“I’m here.” He placed a gentle hand on her side. The scales were surprisingly warm, like the welcoming heat of the hearth. “I’m going to look around to make sure there isn’t some backdoor or secret opening for Trenton to get in,” he assured her, then headed deeper into the cavern.

Where moonlight couldn’t reach, a soft glow came from a phosphorus sheen on the walls, walls that contained shallow grooves. Whatever had carved them, had taken special care to make sure the stone was polished smooth without the slightest sharp edge. There was a slight pitch, his thick soles working to keep purchase, as he continued into the depths; the glow becoming ever brighter. He came to a stop when a shallow pit impeded his progress. Along the floor was an unusual grouping of rocks, each as round and large as a melon. When he crouched down for a closer look, their true nature became clear. Eggs. His eyes made a mental tally. Twelve. All of them in-tact save two. The first had only a crack in its stony coating while the second was completely split, the entity within nothing but a skeleton held together by mummified skin.

“Are we to be your replacements then?” While he was sweeping several shards aside, he accidentally brushed the thing within. The brief touch caused it to collapse into a pile of dust.

“Arrrrvyyynnnn!!”

Had Trenton returned? He rushed from the nest to defend his sibling. In the main chamber, Selena was on all fours, gasping—heaving; her back arched while she struggled for breath.

“I’m here Selena,” he said, his words nothing against whatever invisible demon was tormenting her. Her wretched song continued for several minutes until a spray of blood splattered the floor. It was quickly erased by a flash of flame. Only then did the demon finally release her. Then she sat still, panting to catch her breath.

“Are you okay?”

A high-pitched yowl was her response. There was a pause as her mind reeled from what should come naturally. When she tried again, only the grunts and growls of a beast came from her jaws. The demon had exchanged her voice for fire. She clawed at her throat as panic began to consume her. If she surrendered herself to it, she really would become an animal.

Arvyn couldn’t let that happen. Without any other knowledge to help, he did the only thing he could think of—he wrapped his arms around her neck and held tight.

“It’s okay. I’m here. I’m going to do everything I can to help you,” he said. In her fit, she tore at his back, demanding to be released. He refused. Even when she dug her fangs into his shoulder, he continued to hold until he heard what must be sobs from his dragon sister. Then, he held her at arms length, her pale eyes welled with water.

“Can you still understand me?”

The short muzzle bobbed.

“Good. Hold on to that. Hold on to us. Hold on to your parents, and your little brother Thade. He’s been lost without his big sister. Hold on to all that and hopefully we can return you to them.”

The muzzle bobbed again, then hurled itself at him. The hard stone cooled his bloodied back and he laid still while Selena soaked his tunic with tears and snot.

[klkbassotherthings]

As an adult, I do adult things.

I work a full-time job.

I pay bills.

I maintain a household.

And I buy bedding that has freakin’ dinosaurs printed on it, because ADULT!!

Seriously though, when I went looking for a new bedspread, I went to the kids section because adult bedspreads are boring.

[klkbassotherthings]

“The Fearless” Part 3

Instead of heading home for dinner, Arvyn strolled up the cobblestone main-stay to the town Lord’s manor. Outside the large estate, servants were lighting the torches, set in sconces, on either side of the entrance. His gaze was instantly drawn to the red temptresses, dancing in their small metal cages. It remained so until he reached the front door, only pulling away when he set iron knocker to plate. The heavy door shifted inward, revealing another servant, Thomas. Shared recognition, from multiple visits, skipped any formalities.

“Come inside. I’ll inform Lady Serah of your arrival,” Thomas’s withered voice instructed. Arvyn obliged and before he, or his escort, could make another step across the floor, a younger voice heralded his appearance.

“Serah! Your boyfriend is here!”

That cracked his stoic demeanor. It was Jasmine, Serah’s younger sister, that had made the proclamation. And a false one at that. He had no romantic interest in Serah, or anyone else for that matter. Jasmine often pushed the narrative to adhere to some kind of secret rule about annoying siblings. Rules he knew little about, being an only child. Serah soon arrived from an adjacent room, her bare feet ignorant to the cold stone beneath them, to save him. Or so he thought.

“Hush, Jas,” she scolded her sister with a playful head shove. “Arvyn couldn’t handle me.”

The crack turned into a fissure. “I-I-I…” His tongue stubbornly refused to make words for a rebuttal with his brain unwilling to help.

“You broke him. You broke him,” Jasmine sang, skipping around her sister.

“Jasmine.” A stern voice echoed through the manor. From the floor above, the girls’ father was overlooking the scene, his hand clutching the railing. The way he was posed, the village painter could have done a divine canvas, showcasing his regal bloodline. “Leave them be. I’m sure young master Arvyn arriving on my doorstep announced…” A subtle jab that there were rules even for the fearless. “…has serious matters to discuss.” At the command, Jasmine scuttled from the room.

The stalled gears in his head creaked back into motion. “Yes, sir.”

“You want to look for Selena and Trenton,” Serah stated, reading his concern.

“I’ve already sent out trackers. I don’t want anyone else getting lost,” her father intervened. Rather he didn’t want anymore of the fearless getting lost.

“Dad…”

“For once in your life, listen to your father.” An elegant woman, dressed in the finest silk gown, came from the living chamber.

“Mom…I...”

“Serah. You’re not just one of the fearless, you’re our daughter,” the woman placed a delicate hand to Serah’s cheek. “We love you and don’t want you to get hurt.”

The crackling of the distance hearth filled the household.

“I know,” Serah finally said, “and that’s exactly why we’re going. We need to know that Selina and Trenton are okay. To be sure the others aren’t at risk.”

The declaration was met with silence. Serah’s parents knew it was pointless to argue with strong-willed intent. The defeated expressions on their faces said as much. It made Arvyn feel guilty for coming. He could have easily gone to any of the others, except maybe Grimm. The reason, he told himself, was Serah was the second oldest and the strongest among the fearless. That, and she was the first to point-out Trenton’s disappearance. It was obvious she was worried as well; enough to influence his decision.

The woman went on tiptoes to wrap her arms around her daughter. “Be safe out there my child, and Arvyn,” the woman turned her green eyes to him, “make sure you let your parents know what you’re doing.”

“I will your ladyship.” They were the last words exchanged; a draft wafting in the door as the pair left.

Red rings framed Lord and Lady’s eyes as they watched them leave, the same thought on their mind. Retribution was at hand, the flames finally coming to devour their blessed children.

*****

The same defeated expressions Arvyn had seen on the faces of Serah’s parents, were echoed on his own. It added to the guilt of his decision. Despite their forlorn looks, they granted him permission on the similar condition that he “come home safe.”

For years the village children, even the fearless, were forbidden to travel up the mountain. Parents wove tales that ranged from vicious beasts devouring hapless babes, to the most ardent cartographer losing their way in the thick forest. Only hunters or the town’s guard were allowed to brave the dangers that might lurk in the shadowed depths. It was also the most obvious place to search for their lost kin.

Pine needles stuck to their bare feet creating a second skin against the sharp rocks of the mountainside. There were few words between the pair as they pushed through dense branches, sending rodents scurrying or birds into a sudden need for flight. The search stopped when something other than trees became visible in the pale moonlight. Bones, larger than any animal they had seen before, sat half-submerged in the soil; a sacrifice to the mountain. The weather-bleached titan was mostly intact, even the hungriest scavengers afraid to remove the smallest knucklebone. What was missing was the titan’s skull, the neck bones making stepping stones to the rest of the spine. Certainly not taken by predator or scavenger.

A reverence hung over the area devoid of birdcalls or even the chirping of crickets.

Serah, held herself as she gazed upon the skeleton. “Is it wrong of me to feel sad? This has to be the dragon that nearly destroyed the town years ago. Shouldn’t we hate it?”

“No,” Arvyn stated, matching her gaze. “It isn’t wrong to mourn for it. It was still a life, even if it was threatening our town. Like us, it was only trying to survive.”

Hand outstretched, Serah approached the ribcage caught in the soil. An invisible force quickly drew her fingers away. “We should go,” she stated as she wrung her scorned hand. “There’s no sense standing around here.” The rattle of branches sounded her retreat from the grave. Apparently, they weren’t entirely fearless.

The skeleton followed them the rest of the hike up the mountain. It was in every branch, every shadow, a claw in the back of both their minds unwilling to release them. Without realizing it, a different shadow soon blocked their path. Stagnant air breathed out from a wide scar in the mountainside.

“I bet the trackers didn’t go in there,” Serah said. Even moonlight refused to penetrate the dark depths.

“Let’s go,” Arvyn said, leading the way. His fingers caressed the cold stone wall as they traversed the black pit.

“Ar-vyn? Se-rrrah?” Two unmistakable, pale gold orbs, appeared in the darkness.

[klkbassotherthings]

The Fearless Part 2. (Maybe I should post this elsewhere…)

Serah was also one of the fearless, a month younger than Arvyn. It was said she came into the world with a scream that was heard by the heavens. Her gold eyes were complimented by bronze skin; something she hadn’t inherited from her pale, noble parents. Like the rest of the town, desperation had forced Lord and Lady to consume that which was normally below their station. They didn’t regret it. After all, they were the ones to make the final decision in order to save their starving people. But, as proud as they were of their fearless daughter, it was tiresome getting her to behave in accordance with her title of Lady. A title her green-eyed younger sister, relished.

“Arvyn!” Serah’s bare feet slapped against the cobblestone road as she ran to greet him. For the fearless, shoes were largely an annoyance, worn only during the snowy season.

“Serah,” he stated with neither joy nor annoyance at her appearance. Many were put-off by his cold demeanor, but he never meant any offense. Social situations were just awkward for him. The exact opposite of his fearless “sister”.

He braced when she slung an arm over his shoulders. “Where ya off to?”

“Going to Grayhands,” he replied. “It’s the first day of my apprenticeship.”

“Ahhh. That’s why Eric is all up-in-arms,” Serah said as she matched his leisurely stride. “Saw him this morning, cursing the wind. He wanted to apprentice under Grayhands, but Grayhands wouldn’t have him. Everyone knows he was waiting for one of us. You, Col, Grimm, or Trenton specifically.”

A shiver went through him at the mention of Grimm. If people thought he was cold, Grimm was a blizzard blowing through the shutters. The son of the village scribe kept to himself and rarely spoke, even to other fearless. It was that silence the blacksmith desired. The rumblings of the forge was the only sound he wanted to hear while working, not the ramblings of some youth. Grimm would have never gone however, his hands more deft with pen than hammer.

“By-the-by,” Serah continued, “have you seen Trenton this morning?”

“I’ve barely started my day,” he replied with raised eyebrow. “Why?”

“Guess he went out to feed the cattle last night and didn’t return. After Selena, his parents are worried sick.”

That was concerning. Selena, who was so named because her gold eyes were as pale as the moon, had vanished a couple nights prior. A search party had followed a trail behind her house that split the wheat field outside the village wall. Unfortunately, it went lost in the mountainside forest beyond and they still hadn’t found her. For Trenton, another of the fearless, to go missing, was more than mere coincidence. Neither of them voiced it, but they both wondered what might be happening—and who was next.

The thought nagged Arvyn throughout the day. All the fearless shared a familial bond, compelled by circumstance of birth instead of blood. As the oldest, he often worried about his younger kin, though he had little reason to. Most of them had loving families, and the townsfolk treated them with almost reverent admiration. Only their immediate teenage peers, like Eric, spoke ill of them; words poisoned by jealousy.

Having two of his “siblings” go missing, disturbed him to the point he was having trouble focusing on his new duties. Grayhands had patience, but it only lasted so long. By the end of the day, Arvyn’s thick-skinned knuckles were bloodied from being cracked several times too many. “I expect better of you tomorrow,” the blacksmith scolded when he was finally released to the dwindling daylight.

[klkbassotherthings]

This blog appeared on my feed: https://www.tumblr.com/laurasimonsdaughter/744323219968983040/perhaps-they-ought-not-to-have-eaten-the-dragon?source=share

And was instantly enamored. I wanted more. The words flooded my head and I knew I had to write them down, even just a snippet.

_____

Full-bellies and the euphoria of victory made fertile beds. Besides the three women who were already pregnant, twelve others became heavy with child soon after the feast.

Arvyn was the first born of those that would come to be known as the fearless. His parents, humble clothiers, were worried at first, concerned that his gold eyes were a blight bestowed upon them for disrupting the natural order. And the way he stared into the hearth, as if some ancient wisdom were communicating with the fire. They thought for certain he would throw himself, willingly, to the red demon.

As the years passed, those concerns faded when he, and others born shortly after, grew-up stronger and healthier than their siblings and cousins.

When he turned seventeen, Arvyn decided he wanted to train under Grayhands, the blacksmith. Grayhands wasn’t the grizzled man’s real name. However, ask any of the townsfolk and their answers would be the same; Grayhands was Grayhands and had no name beyond that. A moniker forced upon him as a result of his hands constantly carrying the residue of his craft.

Upon hearing the request, Arvyn’s parents were disappointed. Their hope was that he would follow in their footsteps and inherit their small shop. In the end, they gave their blessing. The fearless ones seemed drawn to trades of the flame. Many youths of his age milled around the bakery or spent countless hours in the fields, helping reap the harvest. Even during the days blistering heat melted the strongest farmhands among them, they tirelessly toiled, fueled by the burning sphere in the sky.

When Grayhands heard the news, he was overjoyed. It had been his hands, already weathered back then, that had crafted the blades used to slay the great beast. He was long past having an heir and would proudly take one of the fearless as his apprentice.

_____ I’m always anxious when I post something like this as I don’t want to besmirch the original author.