[selenia's quest.]

[dramatispersonae]

[wherever you are now, it's grey and half-lit; not quite day yet, but not too dark either.]

Comments

[glorious]

[insert a long list of every swear word Selenia can recall here]

[while frantically trying to un-set himself on fire.]

[dramatispersonae]

[you put the fire out quickly :|a

i hope that was the same hand that had the burned finger already]

[glorious]

[It was... conveniently my dominant right hand. which I seem intent on losing today.]

[VERY ANGRY LOOK AT THE SNAKE.]

You are going to choke to death. Spit it out.

[dramatispersonae]

[wiggle

neither it nor the bird seem particularly concerned :|a]

[glorious]

[...Fine. I give up.]

[I'll just...try to pick up the snake with the pole and guide him to the statue. Suicidal flaming birds and snakes are like light, right?]

[dramatispersonae]

[pole passes right through flaming animals

p...possibly you should try something else for now]

[glorious]

[I am a persistent man. Do not doubt my ability to spend an inordinate amount of time finding a solution to a problem.

I will be back.]

[But before I leave, I will check the stone pedestal one more time.]

[dramatispersonae]

[nothing else of note here!]

[glorious]

[...Then I am left with no choice. Time to go back down the path and scratch myself up trying to make my way through one of the other breaks in the tree.]

[I better get enough Seventh Fonons to cover all of these scratches.]

[dramatispersonae]

[this break gives way to a clearing with a hollow log and a tree stump!

there is a flaming, cheeping bird on the stump and a copper coin on the ground]

[glorious]

[Moving straight for that coin and picking it up -- just one left.]

[...But lets see what is in that hollow log first.]

[dramatispersonae]

[you have all the coins you need already, actually :Oa

the hollow log is empty.]

[glorious]

[...Wait, I do have all the ones I need.]

[Guess I'll make my way back to that flaming cat with them! MORE SCRATCHES.]

[dramatispersonae]

[it's a bit easier going this time.

the cat perks up at the sight of you.]

[glorious]

[Finally. The end is in sight!]

[Marching up to the cat with purpose and holding the coins out to him.] This should be all of them.

[dramatispersonae]

[it licks them delicately from your hand and swallows them; it doesn't burn! it's raspy and dry like a real cat's tongue.

the bird cheeps again and flutters up to your shoulder. it seems to have lost the ability to set you on fire. there's also a lump under the mat where it was sitting.]

[glorious]

[...Oh. I can pet the bird now.]

[Checking out that lump.]

[dramatispersonae]

[the bird likes pettings!

there is a golden key under the mat.]

[glorious]

[That seems important enough to pick up.]

[to the cat:] Thank you.

[dramatispersonae]

[mrrrt!]

[glorious]

[waving to the cat before making the way back to the stone pedestal. that seems like the most logical place to go now.]

[dramatispersonae]

[seven stone pillars have risen up around the pedestal! your bird flutters to one...]

[glorious]

[...D-Do I have to collect all the song birds too?]

[L-Lets take a look around first then. Is there something special about the pillar my bird is fluttering to?]

[dramatispersonae]

[the pillars are all plain stone! they are slightly shorter than the pedestal and do not obstruct your access to it. other than that there are no changes in this clearing.]

[glorious]

[No changes, all right...and there weren't any key-hole shaped things around the pedestal was there?]