Reset Ending | Slay the Princess NO COMMENTARY Full Playthrough 02 | Narrative Driven Horror Game

chapter 1 the hero and the princess you're on  a path in the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the basement of that cabin  is a princess you're here to slay her if you don't it will be the end of the world have you  considered that maybe the only reason she's going to end the world is because she's locked up while  I appreciate the mental exercise we are running up against a bit of a ticking clock nevertheless  let me assure you the princess is locked up because she's dangerous

she is not dangerous  because she's locked up and before you decide to waste even more of our time by asking how I  know that let me suggest a more pragmatic lens through which to view this situation causality  doesn't matter here because the end result is the same no matter what led us up to this point  if the princess leaves the cabin the world will end and there is no changing that it's no use  arguing semantics over a metaphorical chicken or egg because the egg is hatched and it's about  to

ruin everything unless of course you do your job and slay her silently continue to to the cabin  you make your way up the short path to the cabin you'll find the princess within a warning before  you go any further she will lie she will cheat and she will do everything in her power to stop  you from slaying her don't believe a word she says we're not going to go through with this  right she's a princess we're supposed to save princesses not slay them ignore him he doesn't  know what he's talkin

g about proceed to the cabin the interior of the cabin is almost  entirely bare the air is stale and musty and the floor and walls are painted in a fine  layer of dust The Only Furniture of note is a plain wooden table perched on that table is  a pristine Blade the blade is your Implement you'll need it if you want to do this right  take the blade you take the blade from the table it would be rather difficult to slay the  princess and save the world without it enter the basement the door to the

basement creaks open  revealing a staircase faintly illuminated by an unseen light in the room below this is  an oppressive place the air feels heavy and damp a hint of rot filtering from the ancient  wood if the princess really lives here slaying her is probably doing her a favor her voice  carries up the stairs who's there she sounds dangerous it's almost as if she's the one in  charge down here don't let it fool you it's all part of the manipulation continue down  the stairs good you're still

listening to reason you walk down the stairs and lock eyes  with the princess there's a heavy chain around her wrist binding her to the far wall of the basement  she's so coldly beautiful is she really a threat to the world focus on the task at hand and there  you are are you here to kill me or something steal your nerves and step forward you step forward your  grip on the blade tightening as you steal your resolve oh no talking then fine what  even makes you think you can kill me I'm probably

chained up in this basement  for a reason right and if that knife is the only weapon you have you'll  have to get close enough to use it so you should just drop it best not to risk  finding out what I can do she's unarmed if you hesitate now it'll be too late end this slay the  princess you lunge forward without a moment's hesitation you feel Flesh easily give way and look down to see your blade  already Sinking Deep de into her heart oh this is it isn't it I'm almost  embarrassed I should have

seen that coming but I have to wonder do you actually believe  this was enough to kill me so she's convinced she can't die yes even as She lays there dying she  entirely believes herself to be alive and well but it's over isn't it she stopped breathing moments  ago that arrogant look still plastered on her face but is it over really over of course not that was  way too easy it's over don't get all worked up we should make sure what's the harm in checking for  a pulse I really don't think you sho

uld do that and why shouldn't we CU there's something you're  not telling us I've told you everything that's happened with complete accuracy the princess  is dead your blade pierced her heart there's no coming back from that you're right she's dead  let's just get out of here yes exactly it's over with your work done you make your way back up  the stairs closing the door to the basement behind you why do I feel like we've done something  terrible you did kill someone greater good or not somethin

g would be very wrong with you if you  didn't feel at least a little bad but it was for the greater good one of these days that will sink  in and help ease your guilty conscience but that day isn't today let's just get out of here you  open the cabin door ready to return to a world saved from certain Doom only a world saved from  certain Doom isn't what you find instead what you find is nothing at all where a lush Forest  stood me minutes ago the only thing in front of you now is the vast emptin

ess of some place far  away what happened everyone is fine it's just that you and the cabin are now far away from  them don't worry you'll be safe here this is good everyone is happy you'll be happy I was kind  of hoping I'd get a better ending for saving the world this isn't an ending in fact now that the  princess has been slain endings are a thing of the past no this is the beginning of Eternity  your reward a reward this is what's best for everyone trust me time passes you can't be sure  if

it's days or months or years or even decades it's all a wonderful boring blur you've never  been happier hey we're not just going to stay here forever right hell no do you have any  idea how the heck to get us out of here I do but you're probably not going to like it the  blade we can use the blade to get out of this I can hear everything you say little voice there's  only one thing it would want you to use that blade on and I'm afraid that thing is you dear hero  he's right it's the only way ou

t do you hear that it wants to take this happiness away from  you it wants this one wonderful place to end do you not there's more for us to do and the only  way for us to do it is to take that blade and use it don't you dare anything to get us the  hell out of here thank you I made this happy little place for you is this not a good enough  reward for saving the world an eternity of bliss you you ingrate fine what ever for the first  time since time stopped meaning anything you throw open the do

or to the basement and walk  down the stairs the princess's body is dust and Bones though the blade you used to slay her  is still as pristine as the day you first held it you pick up the blade you stab yourself and you die the end nice knowing you chapter 2 a  spectre you're on a path in the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the  basement of that cabin is a princess you're here to slay her if you don't it will be the  end of the world you bastard you're in for it now I'm wise

to your tricks my trick what  on Earth are you talking about we've just met for the first time if he doesn't remember what  happened then maybe it's best to keep it that way that's fine it wasn't very hard to kill  her last time we'll just do it again well if for whatever reason you're going to insist that  this has happened before at least your heart's in the right place all right all right let's  assume I'm telling the truth and all of this really did already happen why should I listen  to you

why should I bother doing anything those are two very different questions but fine I'll  indulge you if that's what it takes to get you moving let's say for a moment that this really  is the second time you've met me or at least a version of me if you're back here I'm assuming  you died which probably only happened because you didn't listen listen to me oh we listened  to you plenty we slew the princess just like you asked us to and then you locked us away  in an empty void for eternity so we s

lew ourselves too well if you killed yourself  then you weren't listening to me because I would never want you to do that believe it  or not I care about you and I believe your other question was something along the lines  of oh what's the point of doing anything if you're asking that it sounds to me like you're  making the rather dangerous assumption that your actions last time around didn't have any  consequences what do you mean of course there weren't any consequences we slew the princess  t

he world outside the cabin disappeared we died and now everyone's right back where they  started that sounds pretty consequence free to me yes but in this purely hypothetical scenario  that begs the question of how you got back here did time simply rewind itself or were you instead  transported to a different world entirely had you failed to slay the princess what would have  happened to everyone in the place you left it doesn't matter because we didn't fail to slay  her and if she's really back

which I doubt it'll be just as easy to do it again but after that  nasty trick you pulled on us maybe she's not the only one around here in need of slaying  just stay focused will you proceed to the cabin a warning before you go any further  she will lie she will cheat and she will do everything in her power to stop you from slaying  her don't believe a word she says she won't be a problem the interior of the cabin is cold a soft odor  of dirt permeating the air cobwebs flutter in the corners y

ou can hear wind whistling outside  banging the shutters against the windows The Only Furniture of note is an elegant antique table  with a pristine blade perched on the edge the blade is your Implement you'll need it if you want  to do this right it feels like no one's been here for a long long time like I've been saying  she's dead we killed her already enter the basement the door to the basement groans  open revealing an old Banister in a creaky wooden stairwell everything is coated in  a thi

ck layer of dust and you can feel it settle into your lungs as you breathe  in the stale air the very building itself feels dead if the princess lives here  slaying her would probably be doing her a favor the room below is silent nobody's  here naturally as much as I appreciate the optimism you shouldn't be so sure I  guess we'll just have to go down and see as you descend the final step the form of  the princess comes into view a skeletal body lying in a heap on the floor  its wrist still bound

to the wall by a thick chain okay she's definitely dead  it's just like I told you before you have a chance to finish your thought the top  of a head appears from underneath the floor two deep set eyes stare up at you  followed by a mischievous skeletal grin and finally the rest of the body floats up to join  the head wait this isn't right what's going on here ghost oh wow how absolutely terrifying  what's a ghost supposed to do to us oh it's you hia kellerer I was hoping to see you  again I ha

ve some issues with how our last meeting went the princess drifts across  the room into your orbit gently running her fingers across your shoulders  and down your neck as she circles you her touch is cold and ethereal formless  yet real enough that her icy fingertips send Shivers die dancing across your skin so she has  a body and she's right there we could probably grab her and kill her again if we wanted  to we don't even need a blade she looks fragile enough to me grab her before she can  sus

pect a thing you lunge forward and grab her arm you feel substance for the briefest of  moments but then you feel nothing at all as though all you've done is clutch at empty air H  you're adorable when you're confused the liant say you could touch me why are you even here  just making sure you finished the job or what I died too and I'm not floating around like  you are what happened why am I different why are you different you don't look dead killer the  princess grabs your wrist a sudden shock

of cold flowing all the way up your arm her eyes still  fixed on yours as you try to squirm out of her grip and you don't feel dead either she lets go  and pulls away your fingertips tingle painfully as the chill subsides I'm less interested in why  you are or how you are and a lot more interested in what you are I've tried to leave on my own  before you came back to me I explored every inch of this place if even the spaces between  the walls but I never found a way out I always wound up right

back here here I just wanted to  go home I'm so so cold and alone here but you can come and go as you please can't you so let  me hit your ride after all you owe me absolutely not is she asking if she can possess us she  is and I hope I don't need to explain why you can't let that happen it would be catastrophic  if she managed to escape this place and if you let her in there is very little anyone could do  to stop her would she be able to see us if we went along with it now isn't that an intere

sting  thought we could finally bring her face to face with him I wonder what she would have to say to  the one who wants her dead so so badly you won't like how things play out if you go down this  path what if I say no then I won't hit your Rod you won't hit a ride if I say no or you  can't hit a ride if I say no I'm sure you'd like to know it's a shame I won't tell you  but it'll be easier for both of us if you just me in and doesn't it sound nice maybe  for her but it's crowded enough in her

e as is you won't have to feel guilty anymore if  you even do feel guilt it could be the best way to trap her for good doesn't seem like it  would be very easy to end the world from inside someone else's body that is a very dangerous  train of thought the answer is no I see so that's how it's going to be that makes me sad  I guess we'll have to fight then the princess passes through you a chill Rippling along  your skin a disappointed sigh echoing in your ears you turn and face her as she hovers

between  you and the stairs spectral tears streak down her cheeks as she places a translucent hand on your  chest it feels cold but otherwise like nothing at all are we doing the right thing why do I feel  so sad don't let her get to you it doesn't matter somehow soon this too will be over and we'll  move on to something new I feel like you all keep forgetting that her dark rimmed eyes fall to  the floor as she speaks I never wanted to have to hurt anybody it's not who I wanted to do the tears 

on her cheeks vanish she lifts her head sorrow replaced with wroth staring into you with fiery  anger but I guess you've turned me into something worse she forces her hand into your chest  and then yes nothing happens are you sure about that something should have  happened and yet it didn't we're fine step away you do your best to pull away  but it's as if her arm embedded in your body is rooting you in place leing so soon you  can't be sure if you first hear or feel what happens next but it is

over before you  can fully conceptualize what it is a horrific splintering the squelching of organs the rening  of tissue an icy numbing pain I'm done asking the next time I see you I'm taking everything  I owed starting with your body if you don't choose to give me my freedom I'll just have  to make you give it to me she's real now pity we don't have a weapon your last moments are  spent a helpless witness as she rips her hand from your chest holding your still beating  heart in her clenched f

ist but that's ours see you soon killer she crushes it blood and  ruined vascular tissue leaking from between her fingers dribbling unceremoniously to  the floor everything goes dark and you die chapter three The Wraith you're on a path in the wood and here  we go again off to slay her again the deck's stacked isn't it we kill her we start again  she kills us as a godamn ghost we start again I'm starting to think we're being run in circles  just for the sake of it come on let's not give into all

that misery just yet there's got to  be a way out of this there's got to be a right answer and what if there isn't aren't you  listening to me what if all of this was rigged from the start that's ridiculous there'd  be no point in all this if it was just some kind of cosmic busy work I think that's exactly  what it is the PWS that be see in how many ways they can screw with us could be it's all some  kind of sick joke to them wouldn't that get I don't know boring okay so you've already been  he

re twice even great then let me poke a few holes in your depressing little Theory nobody  here is screwing with you and I can't imagine any scenario where you would have started over  after slaying the princess well we didn't have to start over we killed ourself and why prel  did you do that because you decided to fo an infinite tedium on us that doesn't sound  like me if ID had everything my way you would have effortlessly slain the princess  saved the world and been given your happy ending the

ending was the tedium you locked us  in a cabin and sent that cabin to an endless void and then you told us we were happy  well were you happy of course we weren't happy that's why we killed ourself it was  awful it was boring it was [ __ ] so you killed yourself yes and then she killed us  even though she was already dead this is all fake okay let's try to get back on track you're  real the princess is real the world is real the people in the world are real and the danger she  poses to all of

them is also quite unfortunately real whatever you did the first time it sounds  like it almost worked so how about you give it one last try because killing yourself seemed  to undo all the good you almost managed to accomplish all this standing around and talking  is boring let's at least do something maybe we'll kill her again maybe we won't maybe  we'll even free H and why should we help you all you're going to do is stick us away  forever again tell you what I won't do that I promise oh yeah

sure that changes everything  I mean he did promise and you believed him what happens if we don't go to the cabin there's  another option then she finds a way out on her own of course she does so standing around out  here is the same as us letting her out only we don't have to see her that's got to be  better right no it's strictly worse but she can't kill us out here why would staying out a  killing distance be worse if she's getting out regardless because it's cowardly for starters  and becau

se the unknown is always worse than the known but really all you're doing  right now is weighing to considerably bad options the only solution worth considering is  slaying her and whatever delusion is holding you back from doing that is just that a delusion if  you already managed to enter in some other world the the only reason you'd be here is that you  somehow managed to do it wrong more rules more rhetoric since when is there a wrong way  to slay her I'm sick of it makes me want to end the

world out a spite proceed to the  cabin you continue down the path towards the cabin it isn't long before your  steps away from your destination I don't think you need any words of  warning I think you know what's in there and despite your protestations  I think you know what you need to do the more he talks the more I'm interested  in setting her free whatever you don't want to listen to me do it then let her out see what  I care it sounds like somebody's about to crack are you trying to use re

verse psychology on  me or have you just given up there's obvious ly no point in trying to reason with you  right now especially with all these clowns offering up their useless advice honestly it  seems like the more I try and talk sense into you the more single-minded they get about  letting her out so yes I'm done trying to argue would you look at that we won  take it however you will enter the cabin the interior of the cabin is long and  dark a single narrow hallway stretching far into the di

stance curtains billow out from tall  windows on either side obscuring the path forward fluttering helplessly as opposing gusts of wind  rush into the building clashing and joining and driving everything forward the Only Furniture I've  noticed H that's strange what strange is it the mirror the mirror no there isn't a mirror what's  strange is there isn't much of anything in here at all aside from the curtains there's supposed  to be a pristine blade why isn't there a pristine blade great someth

ing else has been taken  away from us I suppose the only way to go is forward so forward we will go blade or not  it doesn't really matter does it let's pretend there's a mirror at the end of the hall and  that right now we can't see behind it what's there what's behind it if you're asking what's  at the end of the hallway it's the way to the basement the way to the basement don't you  mean door no I didn't say door because there isn't a door it's just an opening what are  the odds she's waiting

for us right behind it if I will run in a [ __ ] Factory it's  what I do let me assure you that there's nothing there nothing is going to jump out at you  certainly not the princess the princess is in the basement he can't see the mirror the knife is  gone defying his expectations who the hell is calling the shots here nobody is calling the  shots that's how reality Works approach the mirror you slowly make your way towards the  gaping Mo that awaits you your fraying nerves Buzz with trepidatio

n the the chill wind raising  your hackles as it gently pushes you forward towards the Darkness at the end of the hallway  you can't shake the feeling that you're being watched we've always been watched you're watching us right now sometimes the feeling is  just stronger than others I feel like you're trying to put us on edge we don't need  all this anticipation we just need this to be over you stop as you reach the end of the  hallway I presume in front of whatever mirror isn't actually there w

ipe the mirror clean here  we go you reach your arm forward into the pitch black of the opening nothing it's like this  place read our mind just a mess with us what you're looking at killer staring into the void  thinking about what it'd be like to die again I know exact how you feel [ __ ] where is she  you feel something long and frigid coil around your ankle your heart skips a beat standing  in muted shock for one long frozen moment and then it she the princess constricts your bones  snap icy

pain radiates up from the break a deep cold flooding your veins as your legs numb with  the shock of it collapse and you collapse with them you're met with a terrifying Visage of  the princess her hand grips your leg in a steel Vice her grin carved Jagged from ear to  ear crowded with far too many long and crooked teeth but do you know how I feel I gave you  a path to forgiveness I gave you a chance to make things right I thought maybe you'd see what  you done and feel remorseful maybe try to m

ake it up to me but no you'd rather use that knife to  keep making the same mistake over and over and over so here's how this is going to go I'm  going to take your body and I'm going to walk it out of here and you you get to watch me do it  completely helpless just like you left me I say we let her do it it's something B different do  we even have a choice you always have a choice maybe before but not now there isn't a blade this  time exactly what choice is there if there isn't a blade well un

less you have any specific  ideas I think my vote's the only one that counts look we're even now I killed you and then  you killed me water under the bridge right and you think that's even how adorable but I think you  forgot about the part where you tried killing me again if I were you I would just want to get  it over with you lost your chance to call the shots there's no going back to fix it now you  can either look on in horror or celebrate my freedom but either way you're about to become  a

passenger I uh I never wanted to hurt you I I didn't even know how I got here it did hurt  me twice even and I'm not letting you do it again enough talking we'll have plenty of time  for chitchat once this place is far behind us you remain pinned to the floor of the long  hallway as the rest of the princess's body emerges her proportions all wrong Lim bent  and curling moving in ways that defy your understanding her torso stretches until her  face is practically touching yours her neck cracking

audibly as she twists to look  at you from a fresh angle are you sure you can't do anything to help us can't you  like manifest a rock right on top of her head and Crush you along with her not  that I even can manifest a rock besides I thought you all wanted to free the  princess not like this you don't even have a weapon so I'm afraid you're out of  luck which unfortunately means that I and the rest of the world are out of luck too  and whose fault is it there isn't a weapon here yours I assum

e there's supposed to be  a pristine blade whatever you did in those previous lives of yours you really messed  up Are you seriously trying to blame this on us your vision Fades as she  tears open the membrane of your soul you're awake eyes once again fixed on  the long hallway your vision swimming as the princess's command reverberates inside your  skull her voice is all encompassing you feel wrong so cramped in here like there's  some sort of growth trying to push us all out I know you rise to

your feet though  the pain in your ankle is blinding your body slumps against the wall desperately  leaning into it for support there's another option you know oh and's that don't  help either of them flip the table do courage that Gap where the mirror  was I don't think it goes anywhere let's throw ourselves into the abyss  you would dare move now your body still slumped against the wall trapped between  the princess's overwhelming will and the blinding pain of your splined ankle takes  an exc

ruciating step towards the cabin door the movement is stiff your body reduced to a  marionette pulled reluctantly Along by your strings it leave the cabin you toss the last of your  will aside and surrender to the princess [ __ ] I guess that's that an end is an end  let's see what it has in store for us this is all I want will Bey for you at the end of  everything your body inches along the corridor every step more difficult and painful than the  last your joints stiff and unresponsive the shat

tered bone bones of your ankle grinding  ceaselessly as if they're fragmenting then reforming then snapping all over again  as you make your way towards the outside world but despite the anguish  it doesn't feel like the exit to the cabin is getting any closer  if anything it's getting further away it doesn't matter how long this is I will of  ands I will be free please just let her out yes let it's pointless isn't it  I can't stop her without you and you'd already given up by the time we met no

no screw that the hallway gets  even longer you can meion the door is right there it really is isn't it I want  you I your blood I you isn't saying all of this his job oh he really is isn't he  I had a feeling you could deal with him for us I did nothing he himself this is it  then the big moment I just hope it's a way out the forward is but as you step outside the bounds of the  cabin you feel another violent tear a rendering that cuts all the way down to your soul you  were once again separat

ed from everything that had nestled in a deep in the Deep cresses of  your body from everything that isn't you we're us again how interesting we actually won  didn't we what what what is happening to me but you don't answer her before something  takes her and leaves something in her place you feel a force underneath your feet once  more she's going where did she go should we try and find her there's that Mir why  is it here why now I don't know where she went and I don't know how we'd even go  a

bout looking for her you're right she's gone it's just us and that awful thing  we just can't win don't bother looking for her I'm sure it's just a waste of time  approach the mirror I'm begging you don't do this the mirror Never Scared you before  or it's different now it feels I don't know final it's going to do something to us  I can feel it ignore the cowards you have to look you approach the mirror this  this doesn't feel right it feels different final it's going to do something to  us can

feel it ignore the cowards you have to look the voices feel small  distance as you approach gaze into your reflection silence as you reach forward they're gone but the mirror remains it's  time for you to see what's in it it's you you are alone in a place that is  empty it is quiet here proceed to the cabin approach her something Finds Me In The Long quiet and  brings me the gift of a fragile vessel do we know each other you are familiar but you are not  me I feel sadness longing hope as I witne

ss you the gift of a fragile vessel yes nerves and fibers  to feel the worlds Beyond perspectives to make my own this one is loneliness turned to seething she  could not find her strength in others so she found it in herself she will make for a driven heart do  not mourn her she isn't alone anymore what happens now nothing as we are but I know that there  are worlds Beyond us and that we are meant to reach them there is no exit but this vessel is a  creature of perception she can make you forget

if only you believe her to be able to bring me more  perspectives so that I may be whole and perhaps then we will know our freedom okay make me forget  she asks that I tell you to remember her you won't everything goes dark and you die chapter 1 the hero and the princess you're on a  path in the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the basement of that cabin is a  princess you're here to slay her if you don't it will be the end of the world killing a princess  seems kind of bad t

hough doesn't it does it are you want monarchist is slaying a princess that  much worse than slaying a fisherman or a Miller or a seamstress if anything slaying a princess is  much better than slaying a seamstress seamstresses contribute something of value to society silently  continue to the cabin you make your way up the short path to the cabin you'll find the princess  within a warning before you go any further she will lie she will cheat and she will do everything  in her power to stop you f

rom slaying her don't believe a word she says we're not going to  go through with this right she's a princess we're supposed to save princesses not slay them  ignore him he doesn't know what he's talking about the interior of the cabin is is almost  entirely bare the air is stale and musty and the floor and walls are painted in a fine  layer of dust The Only Furniture of note is a plain wooden table perched on that table is  a pristine Blade the blade is your Implement you'll need it if you want

to do this right  take the blade you take the blade from the table it would be rather difficult to slay  the princess and save the world without it the door to the basement Creeks open revealing  a staircase faintly illuminated by an unseen light in the room below this is an oppressive  place the air feels heavy and damp a hint of rot filtering from the ancient wood if the  princess really lives here slaying her is probably doing her a favor her voice carries  up the stairs who's there she soun

ds dangerous it's almost as if she's the one in charge down  here don't let it fool you it's all part of the manipulation hi don't be a stranger it's been  so long since I've had any visitors come on down you walk down the stairs and lock eyes  with the princess there's a heavy chain around her wrist binding her to the far wall all of  the basement she's so coldly beautiful is she really a threat to the world focus on the task  at hand and there you are are you here to kill me or something what

no way why would you even  think that that Giant Knife you're holding kind of gives it away doesn't it the blade of course  she doesn't want to talk who'd want to have a conversation at knife point we should drop it  don't you dare it's fine we can decide what we want to do after we talk to her maybe she really  is a monster but killing someone in Cold Blood isn't very becoming of us tighten your grip  you ignore the trembling in your hands and tighten your grip on the blade you poor thing  your

hands are shaking are you scared of me because you should be you step forward your grip  on the blade tightening as you steal your resolve I'm probably chained up in this basement for  a reason right and if that knife is the only weapon you have you'll have to get close enough  to use it so you should just drop it best not to risk finding out what I can do she's unarmed if  you hesitate now it'll be too late end this I'm not dropping the blade then I'm not talking to  you squint at the princess

while holding on to the blade you stare at the princess squinting  she Squints back the two of you are going to do this forever aren't you squint at the princess  even harder you squint even harder so does she the nobody's dying right now you're going to have  to make a choice you can't keep squinting forever eventually someone is going to have to Blink  slay the princess doubt unfortunately clouds your thoughts as you attempt to run her through  a moment of distraction and hesitation is all sh

e needed to sidestep your thrust and deliver  a catastrophic blow to your jaw it feels like you've been hit with a sledgehammer you can feel  bone grinding on bone where your jaw has been fractured holy [ __ ] that hurts though  she's unarmed the shock of that first strike is enough to stagger you putting  you and the princess on somewhat equal footing your blade slashes through the air again  and again and her fists connect with your body as many times or more each impact as heavy as that  firs

t first bone crushing hit we can still turn this around finish the job you and the princess  stare at each other both gasping for breath equally exhausted you probably won't make it out  of here alive but you can at least make sure that she won't make it out of here either excuse me do  you think this is what I wanted to happen I have a duty to State the facts of the situation  and honestly it's a miracle anyone is still standing right now can you not feel all those  ruptured organs bouncing aro

und in there if the princess doesn't do our friend in herself internal  bleeding is certain to finish the job the two of you Clash for the final time you feel your ribs  break as she delivers a heavy blow but you push through the pain falling forward and sinking  your blade deep into the princess's heart oh the two of you fall to the floor this  was fun the princess gasps her voice and unhealthy rasp as her lungs start  to fill with blood you put up more of a fight than I thought you would but I

have  to wonder do you really think this is the end but you don't have time to worry over  such things everything goes dark and you die chapter 2 the adversary you're on a path in  the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the basement of that cabin is a princess  you're here to slay her if you don't it will be the end of the world but I already slew the  princess sure she killed me but I definitely got her why am I here again I can assure you  that you didn't slay her and that sh

e didn't kill you people don't just spring back to life  after dying and the two of us are meeting for the very first time if he doesn't remember what  happened then maybe it's best to keep it that way you know I can hear you right it's  going to be a lot harder than you think to keep secrets from me that's fine  it doesn't matter if he can hear us the only thing that matters is marching  up to that cabin and winning that's the spirit there's no point in squabbling  when the real threat is just

up that hill a warning before you go any further  she will lie she will cheat and she will do everything in her power to stop you from  slaying her don't believe a word she says lying and cheating doesn't sound like her at all  not that it matters it's not like she can lie or cheat in the middle of a fight are you sure  about that the point of my warning wasn't to start an argument over what circumstances the  princess is capable of lying in it was to give you some broadly applicable advice the

princess  will do and say whatever she thinks it will take to get her out of there so don't trust her ever  are we clear crystal let's just get on with it already the cabin is tighter than its exterior  would suggest its cold stone walls press in on you as if trying to forcefully direct  you towards your destination The Only Furniture of note is a black Iron altar  with a pristine blade perched on its Edge the blade is your Implement you'll need it if  you want to do this right enter the basemen

t no knife this time right then fisty cuffs it  is probably more fair to her anyway wouldn't want to feel like we cheated our way to a win  as long as you can still get the job done and don't forget that the blade is waiting for  you upstairs if you happen to change your mind the door to the basement Creeks open revealing  a rough Stone staircase its walls pressing at your sides and tightening as you descend the  air seeping from below is heavy and oppressive with an almost sulfuric odor to it i

f the princess  lives here slaying her would probably be doing her a favor her Fierce voice carries up the stairs  is that another Challenger f finally it's been ages since I've had a good fight this isn't what  she sounded like last time her voice is a little deeper almost threatening good sounds like my  kind of princess as much as I appreciate the enthusiasm just make sure you don't let your blood  lust get to your head you need to stay focused and keep your wits about you remember you're her

e  to slay the princess not to have a good fight as you descend the final step the  form of the princess comes into view a large shackle leading from her  wrist to the basement wall looks like she could rip those chains  out of the wall without a second thought oh it's you again I've been  hoping you'd find your way back here good to see that death doesn't stick for either of us but no little knife this time huh I hope you're not just here  to chat I've been itching for a rematch I haven't decid

ed what I'm doing yet and  why not you decided what to do with me quickly enough last time are you scared I'm going to  kill you again maybe you're worried I'll put you down for good this time if you want to talk  I guess I can talk but you should come a little closer first all right fine if you're not going  to address it I will what you've already met the princess the princess has already met you the two  of you killed each other did you think you'd be able to just openly talk about all that w

ithout  me noticing maybe you did seem to just gloss over the whole thing for a while of course I gloss  over it when a colleague says something insane glossing over it is one of the best ways to stay  focused and keep moving forward enough is enough I believe you and that's all the more reason to  take this seriously you don't know that whatever brought the two of you back to life isn't a  fluke and beyond that do you know who doesn't remember anything that happened last time me  I don't rememb

er uh uh are you okay of course I'm not okay as far as we're all concerned the  fate of my world is still very much on the line not all of us have the luxury of jumping over  to a parallel universe the second we die just because it bothers you I'm going to take this  even less seriously you don't know the depths of my empathy you're joking right I'm just going  to pretend that you're joking yeah you better be joking we can't win unless you take this  seriously I actually am just here to chat why

you didn't want to talk last time are you scared  I'm going to kill you again Step Closer you take a cautious step towards the princess unarmed I  wish I could believe you know what you're doing but you clearly don't you stop a few feet short  of her reach her chains tort as she stared STS down at you she's a lot bigger than I thought  she was why do you sound so scared we can take her well what do you want because every  second we waste talking is a second we could spend killing each other ins

tead  I'm not going to fight you what are you trying to do do you think pacifism  is going to win her over because it won't right this isn't fun this isn't  interesting it's pathetic and cowardly and boring is that so let's see if you still  feel that way once I start beating you she's still Bound by those chains well we have to  do is take a step back and she won't be able to do anything to us all that does is put the  two of you at another impass you can't stall forever do you really really th

ink those  change will stop her she's not the time to hand out empty threats she's honest it's  what makes her so interesting but she has to be bluffing right if she isn't bluffing then  why is she still you step back as she steps forward her bindings creaking ominously and then  they snap it was only a matter of time but she's loose dear Lord what do we do oh if only there  was some sort of weapon you could use to fight a world ending monstrosity I wonder where you  might find one of those exac

tly just do what I've been telling you to do since the second  we got here take the Blade fight her kill her and win this doesn't change anything refuse to  fight I suppose there isn't your numb body p is there you stand your ground as the princess  Thunders across the basement floor her shoulders tucked low as her Fierce unblinking gaze locks  onto yours you don't see the impact and you can't say for sure if you even feel it but you  hear your bones Splinter you can feel your feet leave the flo

or as you're hled bodily into the  unflinching stone wall we're fine are we fine are we really no you're obviously not fine your  body is broken enough games go upstairs pick up that knife and fight me I can't get up stop  moping you're fine now get up what are you made of tissue paper I didn't hit you that hard  you might as well just kill me because you're not going to change my mind is this a trick are you  tricking me because why would you why wouldn't you the princess's shoulders tense with

Fury as  she storms towards you you can see her face flush her Knuckles going white as she clenches her  fists her entire body trembling with a burning rage can't believe you're making me watch  this fine if you want to die like a pathetic little worm you can die like a pathetic  little worm I guess I'll see you all next time she reaches down and grabs you by the throat  lifting your limp form and slamming it forcefully against the wall her eyes twitch as her grip  tightens around your neck she

sure is taking out time isn't she why why are you letting me do this  why are you making me do this why won't you fight back because death doesn't matter anymore does  it fighting not fighting what does any of it mean if it all ends the same way it it matters I like  fighting you I her lip hardens you feel a horrific pop in your neck she releases you your numb body  crumpling to the stone floor as your vision starts to fade what am I supposed to do without you  I guess I'll see you all next tim

e I can say that now right we're dead great I can't wait to  be stuck in this useless body all over again I won't be seeing you but I suppose something  like me will everything goes dark and you die chapter three the fury you're on a path  in the woods and at the end of that path oh I've heard this one before let me guess let  me guess there's a cabin and a princess and you want us to get rid of her for you but it's  not going to happen at least not on my watch oh you bloody fool am I the only o

ne here who  actually listened to her she wants a fight and we're not going to give it to her it's  funnier if we don't you think what happened last time was funny I thought we were breaking  a cycle of violence I thought we were practicing pacifism in the face of mortal Peril I thought  we were being brave heroic even a we're a deep and multifaceted being who's to really say  that your thing and my thing can't peacefully coexist I'm just saying doing it for a  laugh takes away from the moment i

t was a good moment oh will both of you just shut  up make me rage boy this is just great let me cut to the chase clearly you've already been  here yeah you think what does here even mean though you've told us about the path of  the princess and all of that already but this is a very different path than the last  one that's a good point everything here is a little off yes precisely and if you given me 2  seconds to finish my thought I would have said that oh you're actually letting me talk now g

reat  if you've already been here it means you've seen things you aren't supposed to have seen and  you know things that you aren't supposed to know this doesn't look like a park in the woods  if reality seems distorted it's because reality is distorted so you knew this could happen you  knew we'd be able to restart like this I know all sorts of things which is why you should listen  to me that's not really an answer look if the world around you was changing especially all the  way out here then

that means you're nearing the point of no return whatever happens next that's  it there won't be any more doovers so you'd better take things seriously you said yourself that  you know more than you're letting on if you want me to go to the cabin then you'd better  tell us everything I can't anything I say at this point is far more likely to accelerate the  unraveling of this place than it is to actually help you do your job in fact I probably shouldn't  have even said that I trust that if you'

ve been here before means you know how dangerous she is  and that you know I'm not lying to you about her really that's it that's all we're getting out  of you if he thinks reality is about to end how about we just let it happen wouldn't that be  interesting I think that would be interesting do you actually want to see the end of everything  or do you just not want to fight her bit of both I get it you're conflicted you've been through  a lot but I really have to be firm here I will tell you one

thing which is that even now you are  capable of stopping her and saving the world from ruin you always have been you always will be do  with that what you will no matter what happens next it seems like our answers are at the cabin  we might as well see this through proceed to the cabin good we all on the same page it isn't  long before you find yourself at the end of the path staring up at the cabin on the  hill you'll find the princess within as I'm sure you already know end her that's it  oh

final words of advice I'd rather not waste any more time I'm sure that any advice I'd give  at this point is something you've already heard don't be so hard on yourself we all wind  up in Crea ruts now and then I'm sure if you put your mind to it you could think of  something worth telling us proceed into the cabin the interior of the cabin is a place that  feels long forgotten there was once an Elegance to its construction carved marble columns holding  a high arched roof vaulted Windows letti

ng in the weak Starlight but that is how it was now there  is a growth that has overtaken it a viscous fluid seeps from cracks in the stone walls and it  congeals into chaotic streaks of writhing nerves and wet clumps of living meat that's horrible  I think it's kind of nice makes the room feel alive doesn't it the only Furniture of note is a  pulsating pedestal a pristine blade perched on its Edge the blade is your Implement you'll need it if  you want to do this right we'll need it if we want

to do do things right I say we leave it to rust  let's not make the same mistake twice we could have won if we had it last time take it how are  we supposed to get to the basement when there's no door there's just a mirror or the door used to be  mirror there is no mirror there's the pedestal the blade sitting on the pedestal and the door to the  basement oh are we playing a game where we lie to people about things that sounds fun uh I respect  and admire all of you and I'm so happy to be here w

hat there's clearly a mirror I don't know what to  tell you there isn't a mirror because I would know if there was a mirror you're either seeing things  or you're confused on the definitions of door and mirror or your see cuz that seems far more likely  what are you trying to say exactly it means you're hallucinating it's in our way let's just Smash It  approach the mirror you step forward and approach the door to the basement hesitating before you  open it as if you don't see it you really don'

t do you how strange it's a bit grimy why don't we wipe  it clean wipe what clean are you still on about that mirror it's not real I'd know about it if it  were real no we can't doubt our eyes like that it has to be real does it matter if it's actually  real or not talking about it gets under his skin that's all that matters we should talk about it  even more let's just smash it and get it over with I'm ready to get violent we won't be able  to see what's in there if we smash it do whatever you

want with it the mirror isn't real so how  you handle it doesn't matter aside from wasting dangerous amounts of time smash it you bring your  fist crashing down against the door leading to the basement as if on command it slowly  slides open scraping against the stone floor its ancient hinges moaning as it  reveals the dim path ahead why am I not surprised you step forward in into the darkness  the stairs leading down to the basement are at once both narrow and grandiose a high volted  ceiling s

tretches up into a Gloom beyond your sight while walls wet with tumorous growths  press in uncomfortably at your sides you feel both unprotected and trapped at once exposed  and claustrophobic the air is thick its odor an oppressive violence the metallic scent of  fresh blood twisting with the nor nauseating Embers of charred remains if the princess  lives here slaying her is probably doing her a favor her voice a bellowing rage Roars up  the stairs so you've returned after denying me the salvat

ion of combat are you here to gloat  are you here to mock what I've become do you think that if you let me kill you enough times  I'll suddenly soften and repent for sins that live solely in your head will we've tried  that haven't we now come down and see what your refusal has done to me see how much you  can bear to witness the consequences of your actions do you hear that well sounds like we  got to her last time let's keep pushing see what else we can make happen continue down the  stairs yo

u make your way to the bottom of the stairs the chamber's walls are painted in  blood a deep sick ing red that drips down in clotted streams onto the charred corpses that  make up its floor this place reeks of Torment of ripped skin and burning bone the princess  stands in its Center muscles flayed and bare and weeping draped in a tattered dress of her  own skin her heart beats from its place in her open chest do you know what I'm going to do to  you there's not so much a moment of hesitation be

fore she steps forward her chains pull Tau  holding fast as she strains against them the cuff around her wrist digs deeper into her skin  blood drips from the place where metal meets flesh and then with a nauseating sound  the skin tears it plops to the ground and she pulls her red glistening arm free from her bindings she is loose and she is coming for you  she wants us to be afraid because she wants us to think she can make us suffer and give her  the satisfaction that's right no fear she's bi

gger than the last time but she's pulling  herself apart she's practically done most of the work for us we don't even have a weapon it  doesn't matter I refuse to go out any way that isn't kicking and screaming what happened  to you time happened you happened but none of that matters we're together again and I'll  have what you denied me she bounds across the room her fists ready her heart set upon your  destruction with a horrifying squelch you are Unwound I hope you weren't planning on  dying

we're going to make this last last forever huh I feel cold I've never felt cold before true to her word you did not die by her  hand nor will you ever it's time for you to leave memory returns she's gone where did she go should  we try and find her and there's that mirror there why is it here why now it's going to be okay just  trust me we've been here before and you always get scared but it feels so bad like looking  into it right now is going to be the end of everything yeah don't look at it I

don't like that  thing screw the mirror we just need to find the princess approach the mirror you approach the mirror I don't like that silence the voices feel small distant  as you approach gaze into your reflection silence as you reach forward they're gone once again Mir always makes them  leave but you need to see what's in it you've grown you find yourself in the long quiet  once again proceed to the cabin approach her flickering lights and empty s escapes become  pockets of Vitality and mo

vement I am more than I was before whenever you are ready I will  wipe your slate clean once again what does it feel like to change like this eyes close  in reflection perspectives meld together and the breadth of my experience stretches to new  corners there are contradictions conflicts in my nature and there are familiarities that  bind everything together it feels correct this is what I need to be this is the only path  forward do you have any thoughts on this vessel this one is desecration s

he placed the weight  of her Agony On You Yet it is she who Unwound herself but there is passion and empathy in  her misery she will make for a Burning Heart heart do not mourn her she has finally found  peace what do you feel about me these vessels I've bring you I've hurt them there is a hurt  that dwells in them but they are not me they are thoughts and perspectives they are feelings  that inform my being the wounds they've suffered carve texture around my heart without them I  would be as I

was before I cannot be as I was before there are new spaces that I must fill I  am ready to go back I await your return but it will give me time to reflect on what I am we  will meet again everything goes dark and you die chapter 1 the hero and the princess you're on  a path in the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the basement of that cabin  is a princess you're here to slay her if you don't it will be the end of the world killing the  princess seems kind of bad though doesn't

it does it are you a monarchist is slaying a princess that  much worse than slaying a fisherman or a Miller or a seamstress if anything slaying a princess is  much better than slaying a seamstress seamstresses contribute something of value to society silently  continue to the cabin you make your way up the short path to the cabin you'll find the princess  within a warning before you go any further she will lie she will cheat and she will do everything  in her power to stop you from slaying her

don't believe a word she says we're not going to  go through with this right she's a princess we're supposed to save princesses not slay them  ignore him he doesn't know what he's talking about the interior of the C is almost entirely  bare the air is stale and musty and the floor and walls are painted in a fine layer  of dust The Only Furniture of note is a plain wooden table perched on that table is  a pristine Blade the blade is your Implement you'll need it if you want to do this right  take

the blade you take the blade from the table it would be rather difficult to slay  the princess and save the world without it the door to the basement Creeks open revealing  a staircase faintly illuminated by an unseen light in the room below this is an oppressive  place the air feels heavy and damp a hint of rot filtering from the ancient wood if the  princess really lives here slaying her is probably doing her a favor her voice carries  up the stairs who's there she sounds dangerous it's almos

t as if she's the one in charge down  here don't let it fool you it's all part of the manipulation hi don't be a stranger it's been  so long since I've had any visitors come on down you walk down the stairs and lock eyes with  the princess there's a heavy chain around her wrist binding her to the far wall of the basement  she's so coldly beautiful is she really a threat to the world focus on the task at hand and there  you are are you here to kill me or something I don't know yet I haven't decid

ed yet how about  you drop the knife and the two of us just talk look how reasonable she's being we should just  drop the the blade and talk things out don't you dare it's fine we can decide what we want  to do after we talk to her maybe she really is a monster but killing someone in Cold Blood  isn't very becoming of us drop it The Blade tumbles out of your trembling hands and drops  to the floor with an unceremonious Clan thank you against your better judgment you step forward  to speak with t

he princess face to face unarmed we'll be fine I don't know what you're hoping to  accomplish here but I can assure you there's no reasoning with her just make sure you don't forget  about the blade on the floor you're going to need it so here we are what an awkward start  to a relationship yeah it's uh pretty awkward I know I just said that now why  are you here to kill me I'm not here to kill you I've been told things but I'm not  sure what to believe believe me and do you think asking me what

to believe is going  to suddenly make everything Crystal Clear let's not pretend that's going to happen  as as far as you're concerned and as far as they're concerned I'm going to say whatever  I have to to get out of here that's just the dynamic of our situation I'm here because you're  supposed to end the world don't just tell her that is that why they threw me down here but  I don't want to hurt anyone I like the world I think I don't remember much about it to be  honest I've been down here

a long time just how long has she been down here if I'm supposed to be  capable of ending the world then how did I wind up here chained to a wall have they told you why I'm  allegedly so dangerous no and if I'm being honest I'm more inclined to trust you than inclined to  trust them sooner or later you'll understand that I have your best interests at heart hopefully  soon how sweet now'll be a pal and help me get out of here would you we could figure out how to  deal with them after I'm free exa

mine the chains I'll uh I'll see what I can do you walk up to the  chains binding the princess to the wall and give them a tug they're large and heavy far too solid  for you to even imagine trying to break them AP part I'm guessing you don't have the key maybe  it's somewhere upstairs doubtful whoever locked the princess away down here intended for her to  never see the light of day they wouldn't have just left the key to her chain somewhere in the cabin  I'm going to check upstairs maybe the ke

y is still lying around somewhere up there and if not maybe I  can find something to break you free I'll be here you attempt to make your way out of the basement  but the door at the top of the stairs slams shut you hear the click of a lock sliding into place  is someone else here try the door you try the door but it's locked from the outside you're  here to slay the princess and you won't leave until the task is done you make your way back to  the bottom of the stair STS this would have been so

much easier if you'd simply slain her like  you were supposed to easier for whom easier for everyone I heard the door slam they locked  you down here too didn't they the knife pick it up and cut me out of here you won't like  what happens if you do that save the princess against your better judgment you place the  blade against the princess's arm just above the massive unyielding chain you cut into  her flesh the blade is sharp and you make quick work of it before long you're able to  crack thr

ough bone and she pulls the bleeding stub of her arm through the Iron Gauntlet she  didn't so much as utter a sound free from her bindings the princess turns to face you her  Fierce gaze meeting your eye how is she so composed after losing an arm it's like she isn't  even bothered by it thank you now let's get out of here approach the locked door no we won't  have any of that the stakes are too high you can't just let her Escape into the world no I  just can't can't let her Escape into the world

as the princess approaches the bottom stair your  body steps forward and raises the blade wait this isn't fair you can't just do that watch me warn  her stop that I thought this was a little too easy your body lunges forward to sink  the blade into her back but the prince everything goes dark and  you die I hope it was worth it chapter 2 The Prisoner you're on a path  in the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the basement of that cabin  is a princess you're here to slay her if

you don't it will be the end of the world  I'm getting a terrible sense of deja vu a terrible sense of deja vu no you don't have  that this is the first time either of us have been here don't forget what he did to us the  last time around I wouldn't trust a word out of his mouth there's got to be a way out of here  for us and for the princess we just have to keep trying I'm inclined to agree  if he doesn't remember what happened last time maybe it's best to keep it that way you know I can hear y

ou two right it's going  to be a lot harder than you think to keep secrets from me and as far as trying to help her goes need  I remind you how catastrophically dangerous she is To The World At Large I told you about the stakes  of this situation less than a minute ago this is more than just Deja Vu though I'm pretty sure  this whole thing already happened we could go back and forth on this forever and it won't get  you any closer to doing your job and saving the world so let's just agree to dis

agree let's  assume I'm telling the truth and all this did already happen why should I listen to you why  should I bother doing anything at all those are two very different questions but fine I'll  indulge you if that's what it takes to get you moving let's say for a moment that this  really is is the second time you've met me or at least a version of me if you're back  here I'm assuming you died which probably only happened because you didn't listen to me  the absolute irony that's one way to p

ut it I guess you really don't remember what  happened last time do you you practically Force the princess to kill us that doesn't sound  like the sort of thing I'd do which is honestly all the more reason for you to not buy into  whatever self- delusions the three of you are crafting but this is a thought experiment so I  suppose I'll continue to give you the benefit of the doubt if I did practically Force the princess  to kill you it was probably for a good reason did you try and free her did

you say something really  mean to me because if I really did what you said I did you probably deserved it I'm a professional  after all sure you are anyway I believe your second question was what's the point of doing  anything if you're asking that it sounds to me like you're making the rather dangerous assumption  that your actions last time around didn't have any consequences what do you mean of course  there weren't any consequences you forced the princess to kill us and now everyone's  right

back where they started that sounds pretty consequence free to me yes but in this  purely hypothetical scenario that begs the question of how you got back here did time simply  rewind itself or were you instead transported to a different world entirely if it's the latter  what do you think happened after you died do you think the people there lived happily ever  after or do you think that the princess left unhindered brought about the end to everyone  and everything just like I told you she wou

ld what a conveniently ambiguous group of things  for her to ruin for all we know the princess left the cabin and never saw another Soul  oh how I wish that were the case but if the princess weren't a certain inevitable  threat to the world the four of us wouldn't be here and yet here we are you're talking in  circles no I'm talking in facts proceed to the cabin a warning before you go any further  she will lie she will cheat and she will do everything in her power to stop you from  slaying her

don't believe a word she says yes yes don't believe a word she says just go in  take the knife and do what you're supposed to wink did you just say wink out loud no I didn't  wink just ignore this clown and focus on the princess proceed into the cabin the interior of the cabin is less a cozy  Woodland Retreat and more like a dungeon a few pathetic wisps of Starlight attempt to illuminate  the cold uninviting stone walls and thick rought iron bars barricade the windows reminding  anyone who enter

s that this is a prison The Only Furniture of note is an iron table bolted to  the floor a pristine blade perched on its Edge the blade is your Implement you'll need it if you  want to do this right take the blade you take the blade from the table it will be difficult  to slay the princess and save the world without a weapon good idea much better to be armed  than to go in with blind hope alone enter the basement the door to the basement creeps open  revealing an Old Stone staircase a few sputte

ring torches attempt to vaguely illuminate your path  dancing across glimmering patches of slimy moss on the stone steps if the princess lives here  slaying her would probably be doing her favor her voice harsh but controlled carries  up the stairs is that a visitor I hear please come downstairs it's been a while  since I've had company does she remember us you walk down the stairs and lock eyes  with the princess she looks up at you the heavy collar around her neck clanking loudly as  she moves

the chains binding both her wrists to the far wall join ing the metallic chorus as  she adjusts her hands in her lap so much for cutting her out of here do you hear yourself  right now cutting her out of here never should have been on the table have you noticed the  empty chain on the wall odd that in a place where everything seems to serve a distinct  purpose there would be something so obviously useless that was there last time too wasn't it it  was was what an interesting development why don

't you have a seat the two of us should chat before  you bury that thing in my heart sit with her you step towards the princess but she stops you before  you get too close holding up one Shackled hand there is fine I'd prefer we keep some distance  until we've sorted this out that's reasonable we do have a weapon might as well put her at ease  sit where you were told to sit you do as she asks and sit on the floor still a good distance away  from her thank you now what are your intentions for me

I've been here before am I the only one  who remembers this oh are we acknowledging that I thought we weren't going to give away the game  but yeah I remember I guess what you said back in the woods really was true as much as I would  like to remain in denial it's no use this has complicated things it's complicated things how  exactly ideally this was supposed to be one and done you go to the cabin you heroically slay  the princess and in the process you save the entire world from being damned t

o Oblivion the  situation right now where you're getting a second shot at things is a contingency a contingency for  what for you failing obviously and you being here means that things are going to be a lot harder  than they were I really shouldn't say anything else I'm just going to make it worse just good  luck now hold on if you knew this could happen why didn't you believe us back in the woods why  lay out all those hypotheticals we didn't have to talk in circles I needed you to believe  thi

s was your first time here even if that wasn't the truth I hoped if I pushed back hard  enough I could cram this seeping mess back into the bottle and maybe I wanted to be the first  version of me that you met I didn't want to be confronted by the alternative that's pathetic I  never said I wasn't I get it it would be pretty upsetting wouldn't it to know that you might  not be the first version of yourself at least we can remember what happened before seems like  we should count ourselves lucky

for that exactly he gets it you're lucky so don't waste that luck  by messing it up again all right moving on why is it important for us to be ignorant how is it  ever helpful to be in the dark the more I say the more your mind will swim into Dangerous Waters  even saying that that is too much your success hinges on you having imperfect information for  the sake of the entire world you need to accept that I won't fine but you won't get another word  from me on the matter yeah sure we'll see abou

t that just give it a rest this isn't helping Focus  this is a serious situation you shouldn't be D dreaming you were asking about my intentions  earlier what did you mean by that yes your intentions you have a knife what are  you going to do with it why are you here there isn't a keyhole in these  shackles and I don't see any keys in your hands either so I'm afraid  my only way out is another surgical removal is she forgetting about the shackle  on her neck or does she think she'd survive a beh

eading you're right maybe she's delusional  all the more reason not to trust her unless she really could survive though I suppose you  could just be here to kill me but I don't think that's in either of our best interests  you realize that I have as much reason to do distrust you as you have to distrust me right  I do so I guess this all comes down to which of us caves first and it's not going to be me  I'm extremely patient it's probably better if we take action anyway no use trying  to wait he

r out that's playing to her strengths slay the princess I am not  a damsel to be helplessly murdered As you move to strike the princess she stands  her chains clinking as she wraps them around her fists in an instant they're around your  neck both of you dropping to the ground as she pulls them Tor bracing her  body against yours as you struggle uselessly drop it or you die I thought  this was going to be a safe move but she's going to kill us again again  just listen to her do what she says how

many times did I warn you she's  not to be trusted but while strangulation can be very distracting she's not armed and  you have your pristine blade end her before she ends you slay the princess you steal your  will and refuse to give in to the princess's demands ignoring the Stars dancing in your  eyes and the screaming of your starved lungs you strike you fumble your first few attempts  only making surface level scratches and gouges as your arm flails forward barely able to  obey you but a si

ngle focused blow was all it took your blade pierces up through her  ribs slicing through flesh striking her heart the chains loosen the darkness creeping  in at the edges of your vision subsides none of this was ever very fair was it but I did kill  you last time I should have expected you might want some petty Revenge unfortunately for you  that means you've dug your own grave you can forget about me ever helping you again even if it  dams us both and just like that the princess is slain and t

he world is saved whenever you're  ready you can proceed to your reward I don't like this it was too too easy it was not too  easy we almost died that's right this was an incredibly difficult task and you performed it  admirably let's just get out of here I don't like looking at her body plus he said there'd be  a reward I'd appreciate a reward right about now you have the attention span of a fly how are we  supposed to unravel the mysteries of this place if you're so easily distracted by empty

promises  it's better to have a short attention span in a situation like this there's no use dwelling on  the past especially when it's already set in stone and especially when your promised reward is  not in fact empty and is worth all the adversity you've been through to get here fine but if  we're leaving then we're taking the blade I feel exposed without it with your work done you  remove the blade from the princess's corpse and make your way back upstairs closing the door  to the basement b

ehind you you can think of it as sealing yourself off from an unpleasant  chapter of your life it's all uphill from here the windows do you see that we used to be  able to see the outside world from up here but now it's just empty the door check the  door open the door and accept your reward you open the cabin door ready to return  to a world saved from certain Doom only a world saved from certain Doom isn't what  you find instead what you find is nothing at all where a lush Forest stood M minut

es  ago the only thing in front of you now is the vast emptiness of some place far away  you don't have to act surprised we could see this vast emptiness Through the Windows  but if everything's gone does that mean we're not going to get our reward this is your  reward an eternity of bliss if you'll have it and I suggest that you have it okay this is  what's best for everyone trust me like hell it is this is [ __ ] let us out of here what's done  is done and there's no going back now time passes

you can't be sure if it's days or months or years  or even decades it's all a wonderful boring blur you've never been happier decades no it can't be  decades we can't go along with this we can't let him win what do you suggest then we still have  a blade let's use it on ourselves and start over he's suggesting you kill yourself you shouldn't  kill yourself when you have an eternity of bliss right in front of you slay yourself you godamn  spiteful bastard are you really going to turn down immort

ality itself just to make me lose  why should it matter if we die at this point haven't you already gotten what you want I don't  have to answer that that's all we need needed to hear you raise the blade then drive it into your  heart you collapse to the floor everything goes dark and you die you're a genocidal Maniac  you know that right yeah we'll see about that chapter 3 the gray you're on a path in the  wood SE that wasn't so bad and now we've got another chance to get to the bottom of thing

s bit  by bit we're starting to unravel this place there are so many more threads to pull once you stop  feeling that's a little dark buddy you feeling okay I'm feeling nothing and I like that just  fine he's not wrong sentimentality won't help us here we need scientific rigor so you've been  here before of course you've been here before what count is it this time two it's our third what  gave it away your open discussions the last time we were here you were in full-blown denial about  the possi

bility of us restarting what changed have you just been pretending to forget I'm afraid not  whatever other versions of me you've met in those other lifetimes were just that other versions  of me I just wish I'd been the first so you knew how all this worked why didn't you ever tell  us we could have used it to our advantage that's because there is no using it to your advantage  the more information you have the harder it will be for you to succeed it's not like it was that  difficult to slay he

r last time she may have put up a fight that her flesh is still softer than  our blade and now she's dead and I doubt she'll be able to do much of anything from the grave  you already slew her and you survived yes then why prel are you here oh I know that one we killed  ourself why because you thought trying to stuff us away in a corner for eternity was a suitable  reward was it not what better reward is there than Eternal Bliss you should have been happy we  weren't we were bored you were bored

I was just unhappy there were still answers that we needed  to find it was actually working and you killed yourself I can't believe it you ruined everything  how does US dying ruin everything everything what aren't you telling us the world doesn't stay  saved if you die and if the world isn't saved then that means she isn't dead oh now isn't that  interesting I assumed she'd just be a pile of old bones but perhaps she's not there's only one way  to find out we should go see her whatever happens

next it seems like our answers are in the cab  we might as well see this through proceed to the cabin I'm sure you've already heard my words  of warning in one of your past lives you've already managed to slay her once just don't muck  it up this time all right what we do is entirely up to us and we have all those Mysteries to  unravel isn't that right you aren't here to solve a mystery you're here to save the world  that's what you say but how can we be sure we can't be sure of anything except

what's right  in front of us okay but we should care about the fate of the world why because because we  should I don't know it's important is it yes I think for all we know the world you're  talking about isn't even real of course it's real where do you think you are somewhere  else maybe we are this is horribly unproductive the cabin and your extremely important  Destiny await proceed into the cabin as soon as you enter the cabin you're struck by an  overwhelming scent of decay of mold and de

ath and stagnant water the once stately wooden building  is bloated its beams dripping with a black ooze of putrefaction all but the exterior stone  walls warped beyond recognition it must have been beautiful once but in its ruin it is beyond  repulsive but you're not alone you can feel feel something watching you there is a figure faintly  outlined against the rotting wood of the wall is that her it's like she isn't even there see he  killed her you're right maybe she doesn't reset like us she

certainly doesn't look the same as  she did last time before you can make a move the figure is gone Vanishing behind the door  on the fast side of the room the door at the end of the room but there isn't a door there's a  mirror that's it the mirror is this some kind of joke did you all plan this out before dying there  is no mirror there's the door to the basement the table and the pristine blade huh that's strange  there's supposed to be a pristine blade why isn't there a pristine blade maybe

it's gone because  we've already killed her with it but we had it with us when we died and besides everything else  is reset why wouldn't the blade of reset too maybe it's because we've already explored that Avenue  we've seen what happens when we slay her maybe this place has decided we don't need to try that  again I suppose it doesn't matter why the blade is gone but you're going to have to find it if  you're going to do this right so why don't you march over to that door and make your way do

wn to  the basement approach the mirror you make your way to the door at the end of the room stopping just  in front of it you must think you're looking at that mirror you mentioned earlier the one that  doesn't exist just reach forward and open the door it's so hazy we should try and clean it  off wipe the mirror clean reach forward and place your hand hand on the door to the basement  the handle is just a little to your right and a little down yeah we can see it now so much for  our reflection

we didn't need to see ourselves anyway I'm much more interested in seeing other  things no way left to go but down enter the basement the door to the basement groans open  the air is foul and wet so thick that you can almost feel it settle onto your skin in layers  of grime the stairs are coated with slimy algae the wood rotted through in places wreaking  of feted vegetation a wispy figure watches you from the bottom of the stairs face veiled  in Shadows legs submerged up to her shins in dark W

aters There She is again barely she's just  an old memory your eyes lock for a brief moment then she vanishes around the corner I think we  have a lot to talk about you receive no response do you think she's upset with us I don't like  being here unarmed after what happened last time I feel so exposed she doesn't seem fully  there I'm not sure she's even capable of being upset you aren't helping are you scared of  a little ghost what's she going to do look at us until we feel bad she can look al

l she  wants it won't do anything proceed down the stairs as you descend the final step the form  of the princess comes into view a bloated body floating face down in slowly Rising Waters her  wrist still bound to the wall by a heavy chain this cell is a dark and isolated place with not so  much as a window to allow Starlight to penetrate the Gloom see she's dead she's not just dead it  looks like she's been rotting so killing her does stick mostly but if she's dead then what are we  supposed to

do she isn't dead you clearly just believe she is her corpse is floating right  in front of us you can stop it with the Mind Games if she's dead then do we even have to do  anything how can she be a threat to the world like this thoughts are cut short by the sound of  a slamming door and a clicking lock you turn to see the shade of the princess staring down at  you from the top of the stairs so that's where the blade is it's already in her heart and yet she  isn't dead she is dead have you neve

r heard of a ghost before Oh For the Love of can we not waste  time arguing over the semantics of what is and isn't dead she is clearly conscious she clearly  just slammed the door on you and she clearly has a weapon your pristine blade sticking out of  her chest this is extremely bad catastrophic even yet dead or not what were we supposed to  do about her slaying or destroying if we want to be a little more death neutral seems off the  table yeah this is tricky but let's talk to her see what ki

nd of information she has that we don't  but she hasn't said anything are you sure she can talk like this bold of you to come back here  after what you did why did you close the door but she doesn't answer your question all she does  is watch you in shadowed silence do you hear that trickling sound the water's Rising isn't it it  is and it's rising fast well that's interesting we've never drowned before I wonder how it'll  feel bad I bet I don't think dying ever feels good yes our as stute dying

is bad and you should  avoid it how about you stop trying to talk to her and do something instead let me out are you trying  to kill me no you're killing yourself the water is rising faster now it's flowing in from some  unseen place and judging by the height of the AE on the stairs it has no intention of stopping  anytime soon you feel it creeping up your back so cold that it steals the very warmth from your  flesh leaving a smothering numbness in its place are you really just going to stand t

here and let  yourself die yeah let's think where is it coming from it's coming from some unseen Place does it  really matter where it's coming from because I can feel it Rising I don't think we have much  time to sleth Yes it matters maybe we can find a way out maybe we can figure out a way to make  this work this is just a puzzle we can solve it some things aren't puzzles to be solved  sometimes you're doomed from the start most people are yes most people are doomed but  in case you need remin

ding everyone will be doomed forever unless you stop her rush  for the blade the princess eyes you with a disaffected gaze as you rush up the stairs  but you don't make it past the first few steps the door bursts open powerful  wave of water crashing down towards you you're swept up in the flood  your head slams into the basement wall you come to a moment later suspended in  darkness disord orientated only aware of the surface of the water and The Emptiness above  and of course the princess hove

ring above you watching in silence as you struggle to stay  afloat in the icy depths there's no way out it's so dark and cold I think our limbs are  slowing down how much longer can we do this just keep breathing we'll figure this out or  we won't it doesn't matter either the way but you don't have time to figure anything out  something cold and clammy wraps around your ankle you're dragged under only able to take  one last hopeful gulp of air before your head is plunged into the freezing depths

as you  sink below the surface you see it or rather you see her the body you found floating when you  first arrived its hand is locked around your and Co your mungs filled with water but say your  mind filled with blood in the end we're not so different but your lungs don't fill  nor will they ever it's time for you to leave memories return she's gone  where did she go should we try and find her there's that mirror right there  why is it here why now approach the mirror you approach the mirror

this this  doesn't feel right it feels different final you're right part of me wants the truth  but something stronger is holding me back fear the voices feel small distant  as you approach gaze into your reflection silence as you reach forward they're gone once again the mirror always makes  them leave but you need to see what's in it you've withered you find yourself  in the long quiet once again I am a growing chorus of contradiction a mass  of tides ebbing and flowing all at once in more dir

ections than my attention can bear to hold  to look at anyone is to shift them all into something new and to look away is to reshape  them yet again all of me is changing and yet the rest of me is still the same what  do you think of this vessel this one is guarded sorrow she saw herself as alone but in  the end had the courage to share with another she will make for a deep heart do not mourn  her she has finally been heard I'm ready to go back I will be here when it is time for us  to meet agai

n everything goes dark work and you die chapter one the hero and the princess  you're on a path in the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the  basement of that cabin is a princess you're here to slay her if you don't it will  be the end of the world have you considered that maybe the only reason she's going to  end the world is because she's locked up while I appreciate the mental exercise we are  running up against a bit of a ticking clock nevertheless let me assure you the pri

ncess  is locked up because she's dangerous she is not dangerous because she's locked up and  before you decide to waste even more of our time by asking how I know that let me suggest a  more pragmatic lens through which to view this situation causality doesn't matter here because  the end result is the same no matter what led us up to this point if the princess leaves the cabin  the world will end and there is no changing that it's no use arguing semantics over a metaphorical  chicken or egg be

cause the egg is hatched and it's about to ruin everything unless of course you do  your job and slay her silently continue to the cabin you make your way up the short path to  the cabin you'll find the princess within a warning before you go any further she will  lie she will cheat and she will do everything in her power to stop you from slaying her  don't believe a word she says we not not going to go through with this right she's a  princess we're supposed to save princesses not slay them ign

ore him he doesn't know  what he's talking about proceed into the cabin the interior of the cabin is almost  entirely bare the air is stale and musty and the floor and walls are painted in a  fine layer of dust The Only Furniture of note is a plain wooden table perched on that  table is a pristine Blade the blade is your Implement you'll need it if you want to do  this right take the blade you take the blade from the table it would be rather difficult to  slay the princess and save the world wit

hout it the door to the basement Creeks open revealing  a staircase faintly illuminated by an unseen light in the room below this is an oppressive place the  air feels heavy and damp a hint of rot filtering from the ancient wood if the princess really lives  here slaying her is probably doing her a favor her voice carries up the stairs who's there she  sounds dangerous it's almost as if she's the one in charge down here there don't let it fool you  it's all part of the manipulation just checking

in on you oh it's been so long since anyone's  come down here I was starting to think they'd forgotten about me you walk down the stairs and  lock eyes with the princess there's a heavy chain around her wrist binding her to the far wall  of the basement she's so coldly beautiful is she really a threat to the world focus on the time  ask a hand and there you are are you here to kill me or something what no way why why would you  even think that that Giant Knife you're holding kind of gives it aw

ay doesn't it the blade of  course she doesn't want to talk who'd want to have a conversation at knife point we should drop  it don't you dare it's fine we can decide what we want to do after we talk to her maybe she really  is a monster killing someone in Cold Blood isn't very becoming of us tighten your grip you ignore  the trembling in your hands and tighten your grip on the blade you poor thing your hands are  shaking are you scared of me because you should be you step forward your grip on t

he the blade  tightening as you steal your resolve I'm probably chained up in this basement for a reason right  and if that knife is the only weapon you have you'll have to get close enough to use it so you  should just drop it best not to risk finding out what I can do she's unarmed if you hesitate now  it'll be too late end this slay the princess doubt unfortunately clouds your thoughts as  you attempt to run her through a moment of distraction and hesitation is all she needed to  sidestep you

r thrust and deliver a catastrophic blow to your jaw it feels like you've been hit  with a sledgehammer you can feel bone grinding on bone where your jaw has been fractured holy  [ __ ] that hurts though she's unarmed the shot of that first strike is enough to stagger you  putting you and the princess on somewhat equal footing your blade slashes through the air again  and again and her fists connect with your body as many times or more each impact as heavy as that  first bone crushing hit we can

still turn this around give up are you serious as internal  bleeding sets in the blade Falls from your trembling hands clattering to the ground uselessly  you lacked the will to finish the job your bruised and broken body falling to its knees before her  the princess exhausted chest heaving with heavy breaths tosses the blade away from you this  is the end isn't it is this really the best you could do look at you completely broken I'd be  lying if I said I wasn't a little disappointed she plant

s her foot on your chest and pushes you onto  your back the air leaving your lungs in a heavy puff and then she brings her knee to  your throat she leans into it with the kind of weight you didn't think  her slight frame could possibly possess shattering your windpipe  and leaving you starved for breath it's too bad I was looking forward to  some company everything goes dark and you die chapter 2 The Tower you're on a path in  the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the basement

of that cabin is a  princess you're here here to slay her if you don't it will be the end of the world okay no  oh don't you start grandstanding about morals the fate of the world is at risk right now and  the life of a mere princess shouldn't stop you from saving us all whatever if he doesn't remember  what happened then maybe it's best to keep it that way you know I can hear you right it's  going to be a lot harder than you think to keep secrets from me what does it matter  what he knows there

's nothing we can do to stop her she's just going to kill us again  she is not going to kill you unless you let her but slaying the princess and saving the  world is going to be much more difficult than it has to be if you spend the whole time  second guessing yourself proceed to the cabin a warning before you go any further she will  lie she will cheat and she will do everything in her power to stop you from slaying her don't  believe a word she says we might as well just pledge ourselves to he

r and stop pretending we're  capable of doing anything in this situation she probably doesn't even need to try to overpower  us can we tone down the pessimism just a smidge I'm not being a pessimist I'm just being realistic  you're being annoying just ignore their bickering and whatever you do don't pledge yourself to her  I cannot stress enough how absolutely catastrophic that would be for everyone yourself included  I agree if she's wrongfully imprisoned then we should rescue her but if he's t

elling the  truth we shouldn't just hand her the world on the silver platter rescue her given the stakes  of the situation there isn't really a difference between rescuing her and pledging yourself to  her either would be terrible so please try to ignore both of those knuckleheads and focus on  saving the world let's not make this harder than it has to be proceed into the cabin if that's  what you want I guess I don't have a say here the interior of the cabin is larger and  more grandiose than i

ts humble exterior would suggest the Only Furniture of note is  a massive marble altar with a pristine blade perched on its Edge the blade is your Implement  you'll need it if you want to do this right why do we feel so small we don't feel still small  we are small take the blade you take the blade from the altar it would be difficult to slay  the princess and save the world without a weapon the door to the basement Creeks open  revealing a spiral staircase it steps almost as deep as you are tal

l the smell of incense  drifts up From Below for a moment you almost feel at ease huh this is actually kind of nice  it's still a stone basement if the princess lives here slaying her is probably doing her a  favor her booming voice rolls up the stairs is that a guest I hear don't Linger on the stairs  come down and witness me you w kidding when you said it was booming she wasn't like this last  time you need to get down there she wants us to see her we need to see her should we be worried  abou

t your sudden changing attitude just a few minutes ago you were going on about how pointless  everything was now you want to go down there it doesn't matter what that little voice says he's  not the one making the decisions though if his ramblings get you to the the princess they get  you to the princess continue down the stairs making your way down the spiral staircase  is a timec consuming and exhausting effort every step requiring you to clamber over  one Edge before dropping to the next but

soon the end comes into view and you tumble to  the bottom entering the vast Temple likee room beyond the princess Towers over you almost  glowing in the weak star light her figure framed by a stained glass window her long hair  Billows around her and a chain binds her wrist to the far wall the chain is nothing to her it  might as well be a toy for all the good it would do I told you it was pointless to resist her the  little bird has returned to me I wonder what he wants you brought that knife

again even  though you know it's useless such Charming audacity drop it tighten your grip as  if on command the blade slips from your grasp it clatters uselessly to the floor  but we didn't drop it we decided to grip it tighter remember are you really just  going to let that happen to us I have a duty to report facts as facts and the fact  is that you you dropped the blade of course we dropped it she's so much more than us  you wouldn't understand what it feels like to be in her presence oh I un

derstand what's  going on and you'd better snap yourself out of it Neil no oh are you still trying to defy me I  said Neil your legs buckle and your knees hit the floor that's my good little bird now why don't  we talk the last time we met you tried to kill me and here you are again trying to succeed where  you've already catastrophically failed what draws you back here beyond the empty Halls of death  speak the last time we met I suppose that lends Credence to our conversation in the woods stil

l  whatever you do don't tell her why you're here it's best not to give her any ideas remain silent  do you think holding shut your beak is enough to stop me from drying it open do you think your  skull can save your thoughts from being seen H you're less broken than I thought perhaps  you need another lesson in submitting to your betters pick up that needle do it it's what she wants no objections here I don't know  what she's planning and I don't like that we don't know what she's planning  but

we might as well pick up the blade as your eye falls on the blade you feel await  some Divine hand that sits unperceived by your senses but then manages to push you towards  its desires like an unseen Puppeteer pick up the blade you reach forward and grasp the  blade stand this one's easy see this isn't so bad that okay yeah we can do that we were  probably going to stand anyway stand you can feel a creaking tension between body and will  as you slowly rise to your feet like two foes forced int

o an unhappy truce the princess eyes  you with soft contemplation the moment seems to last a lifetime the silent anticipation of what's  to come dragging out the long painful seconds but all silences are broken eventually to Define  me is to claim we stand on level ground we do not you are quiet Shadow while I am brilliant  Radiance take that knife in your hand and slit your throat what you don't have to listen to  her you're armed just steal your nerves step forward and end this end this oh we'

ll end this  all right your hand lifts the blade and brings it towards your throat okay I apologize for the  unclear language end her slay yourself no you can't just slay yourself you're perfectly  healthy and capable and all you have to do is ignore her and do what has to be done the  blade and the hand that wields it remain firly locked in place until you change your mind and  decide to do literally anything else look at you quaking against my will an ant defying a god it's  pointless to resis

t in the end everything submits to Oblivion but you're not the one resisting me  are you there's something else in there is that a person no it used to be a person it's something  different now an echo is is she talking about you that's impossible she's not supposed to be  able to interact with me she you're a small one aren't you a sh ring little worm stretched  Beyond its limits trying to control things that it can't understand no no no what are you talking  about I'm just I don't care what yo

u are you're mine you bring the blades to your neck  you slice through soft flesh severing veins and arteries your blood flowing  freely down your body it's a painful lesson in obedience but the pain won't  last forever no no no no no no no when I see you again you'll free me from my  chains and deliver me to the destiny that lies Beyond this place we will I promise I  know you will everything goes dark and you die chapter 3 the apotheosis you're on a path  in the woods and at the end of that pa

th oh let me guess at the end of that path is a cabin excuse  me this is the third time we've been here and this is hardly a path in the woods it's all big and  weird another witness to her Radiance her hour is soon upon us I'm here to keep him in check I'm  sick of prying fingers digging around in our head and he's making it all too easy for them to get in  this is bad oh is it now I hadn't noticed do you need a primer Mr amnesiac no I'm quite all right  but if all of you would take a moment to

settle down there's something important I'd like to get  across to you before too late is it about the princess we already know all about the princess  not to be trusted that one no I I mean yes it's about the princess but whatever you think I'm  going to say it's probably not that you're not to be trusted either look fine just out with her  already yeah if I hear the words you're here to slay her or if you don't it will be the end of the  world your lost speaking privileges you two are just wa

sting your time it's all going to end when  we open that cabin door which means it's already all over what's the point of Doling when the end  is already written okay that nonsense he's going on about that's what we need to talk about you've  been here before obviously so you have met us cuz boy were you in denial about that last time no  I haven't met you but reality is clearly falling apart at the moment and the only reason that  would happen is if you knew things you weren't supposed to know

what what the hell are you  talking about he's talking about those weird marble trees and how wrong everything looks yes  exactly whatever you did before gave her far too much power so you've got to cut it out get to that  cabin and slay her before things get any more out of hand we've built a new God and she is Limitless  what our thoughts doing that make her small make her small make her small make her small [ __ ]  what if I'm doing it wrong what if I'm making her even stronger do you hear th

ose two with  their runaway thoughts I'm only giving you the sliver of information I'm giving you now because  things are already deep in the [ __ ] this was my last card to play and it looked looks like it's  already made things worse so hurry cabin now run away but a great and horrible change is already  underway the ground Quakes beneath your feet and you feel unyielding Force pulling at you in your  surroundings the trees start to sway then crumble breaking apart as everything is drawn towar

ds  the cabin even the Earth beneath you seems to shift your feet unable to grip Solid Ground as  you're dragged forward along with everything else the end of everything the beginning of  something new the moment we open that door she will be free Stop Believing everything  you hear we just have to get our thoughts in order we just have to think straight  any uh words of warning you already know everything you need to know proceed into the  cabin as you step forward the cabin explodes you're flu

ng backwards violently slamming  into a tree as debris rains down around you you watch in paralyzed awe and Terror as  the princess emerges her body unfurling from some vast space as she stands upright  to face you the world bows to her the ruined landscape shifts trees and stone  and the ground itself succumbing to her gravity orbiting her like a great black  hole finally the little bird has Set Me Free this is always how it was going to  end and this is always how it was going to begin there's

a loud thum from the tree behind  you as something embeds in its shattered bark your pristine blade it's now or never take the  blade yeah screw all of this I'm with you a real God would need us as part of her plan you'll  never make it to her and even if you do what could you possibly hope to aome we'll do what we  were always supposed to we'll take this blade and we'll sink it into her heart look at the way  everything's being flung around her if we just throw ourselves in her Direction I I I

don't  know maybe it'll work maybe none of this is real maybe we can do whatever we want to do with  a forceful tug You Yank the blade out from the tree you close your eyes and take  a deep breath and for a moment you can feel everything around you like  you're part of everything and everything is a part of you and then your eyes open  settling on your target it's time slay the princess you launch yourself towards  the princess you can feel her gravity envelop you carrying you from the  ground

into the violent swirl of her orbit even now you define me do it then show me what you think it takes to  end what's destined to end everything yeah Do It show her end this why do I feel so cold you do not get a chance to slay her nor will  you ever it's time to leave memory returns oh where did she go she's gone is this the end  of the world did she end herself and is that up mirror why is it here why now it's going to  be okay just trust me you've been here before you always get scared but it

feels so bad  like looking into it right now is going to be the end of everything it's calling us and  not in a good way I don't want to look at us I'll see you on the other side it's going to  be okay okay if you say so look we trust you the mercy you approach the mirror gaze into your  reflection silence as you reach forward they're gone once again the mirror always makes  them leave but you need to see what's in it you've unraveled you find yourself in the long quiet  once again you are at th

e cabin approach her there's a world beyond the endless walls  of the long quiet I am curious to see what it means for us to know it do you have thoughts  on this vessel this one is dominance a figure capable of bending everything to her will  she will make for a terrifying and divine heart do not mourn her for she would not be  able to mourn you how many more vessels do I need to bring you one whatever you bring me  next will be enough and then gravity will pull the others back to me I will be

singular  a final multitude I'm ready to go back the next time I see you each of us will finally  know what we are I will be here waiting for you everything goes dark and you die chapter one the hero and the princess you're  on a path in the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the basement of that cabin  is a princess you're here to slay her if you don't it will be the end of the world can't  someone else do this unfortunately you're the only one who can pull this off I don't mak

e  the rules I wish I did but I don't silently continue to the cabin you make your way up  the short path to the cabin you'll find the princess Within a warning before you go any  further she will lie she will cheat and she will do everything in her power to stop you from  slaying her don't believe a word she says we're not going to go through with this right she's a  princess we're supposed to save princesses not slay them ignore him he doesn't know what  he's talking about proceed into the cab

in the interior of the cabin is almost  entirely bare the air is stale and musty and the floor and walls are painted  in a fine layer of dust The Only Furniture of note is a plain wooden table perched on  that table is a pristine Blade the blade is your Implement you'll need it if you  want to do this right enter the basement the door to the basement Creeks open revealing  a staircase faintly illuminated by an unseen light in the room below this is an oppressive  place the air feels heavy and da

mp a hint of rot filtering from the ancient wood if the  princess really lives here slaying her is probably doing her a favor her voice softly  carries up the stairs hello is someone there it's hypnotizing it's the kind of voice you  only have to hear once to remember it for the rest of your life don't let it fool you it's  all part of the manipulation you're playing a dangerous game by coming here unarmed just  checking in on you you are it's been so long since anyone's come down here I I was 

starting to think they'd forgotten about me you walk down the stairs and lock eyes  with the princess there's a heavy chain around her wrist binding her to the far  wall of the basement she's beautiful how could someone like this be a threat to anyone  I am begging you to stay focused there's a lot riding on you here hi do you think you can get  me out of these chains hold on let's talk first okay I don't know anything about you for all  I know you're locked up down here for a reason of course I

'm locked up down here for a reason  I don't actually know what that reason is but you don't just stuff a princess in a basement  and throw away the key without there being some sort of an explanation right you have all the  explanation you need you should know better than to trust whatever she comes up with all right  if I'm the first person you've seen in a while what have you been eating what have you been  drinking I don't see what that has to do with anything this is the only time this is e

ver going  to happen but I agree with the princess that's hardly relevant okay but actually what has she  been eating she has to eat right I'm sorry but I can't trust you this doesn't add up and it isn't  worth the risk taking your word over the potential fate of the world thank you you turn back to the  stairs intent on retrieving the blade in the cabin so what you're going to try and kill me you'll  regret this I promise you but go ahead run along and get whatever you're planning to get but yo

u'd  better hope that I don't slip these chains before you make it back down here slip These Chains  she can't right she needed our help to get out of here but do you hear hear the conviction in  her voice I don't think she's bluffing she has to be bluffing but hurry you rush up to the  first floor grabbing the blade both yours and the world's only possible salvation okay if  we're sure about this decision I'll support it I suppose we have a world to save after all  you slowly creep down the bas

ement stairs it's quiet where the princess sat only a moment ago  there's only a severed arm its cooling flesh still chained to the wall and she is nowhere  to be seen is it just me or did this room get a lot bigger let's finish this your eyes Dart  to the corners of the room you don't see her where is she close the door behind behind  you you close the door behind you almost magically its locks immediately click into  place maybe they'll open if you finish the job come on out let's get this ove

r with I  can wait I'm very patient wait you do your best to patiently wait her out but eventually  exhaustion starts to set in come on wake up we can't fall asleep down here Venture into the  Shadows you step into the Shadows too late you hear the quiet patter of feet against the  basement floor followed by the tort pull and sharp pain of tearing flesh as the princess  lunges into you from behind and drags you to the floor the ferocity overwhelms you and as  the princess renss flesh from bone y

our limp fingers lose their grip on the blade it slips  from your hand your one last means of Defense lying useless beside you in a pool of your  cooling blood I suppose you just lacked the will to fight back this is the end isn't it  I'm afraid it is you shouldn't have let that fear creep into your heart you had the upper hand  and now look at you everything goes dark and you die chapter 2 the Beast you're on a path  in the woods and at the end of that path is a cabin and in the basement of tha

t cabin is  a princess you're here to slay her if you don't it will be the end of the world she's going to  kill me again again people don't die twice you haven't even met the princess and I hardly think  she'd be capable of killing someone as skilled and courageous as yourself if he doesn't remember  what happened then maybe it's best to keep it that way if he doesn't remember what happened  then something else must have trapped us here you're not trapped here nobody's forcing  you to do anythi

ng though the only sensible thing for you to do right now is March  up to that cabin and slay the princess let's assume I'm telling the truth and  all this really did already happen why should I listen to you why should I bother  doing anything those are two very different questions but fine I'll indulge you  if that's what it takes to get you moving let's say for a moment that this  really is the second time you've met me or or at least a version of me you died last  time which probably only ha

ppened because you didn't listen to me we did our best with the  information we were given and yet you still died didn't you so great congratulations you've  been given another chance to actually do this right and I believe your other question was  something along the lines of oh what's the point of doing anything if you're asking  that it sounds to me like you're making the rather dangerous assumption that your  actions last time around didn't have any consequences what do you mean of course th

ere  weren't any consequences we were killed by The Princess and now everyone's right back where they  started that sounds pretty consequence free to me yes but in this purely hypothetical  scenario that begs the question of how you got back here did time simply rewind  itself or were you instead transported to a different world entirely if it's the  latter what do you think happened after you died do you think the people there lived  happily ever after or do you think that the princess left unh

indered brought about the end to  everyone and everything just like I told you she would all the more reason to keep our wits  about us should we even return to the cabin we could find a safe little hole somewhere  instead you have to go to the cabin if you don't slay the princess she's going to end the  world which you're always going to be a part of even if you're cowering in a hole there's no  escaping your responsibility here proceed to the cabin a warning before you go any further she will 

lie she will cheat and she will do everything in her power to stop you from slaying her don't  believe a word she says does a cat lie to a cornered Mouse when it plays with its freedom or  is it just acting out its nature I don't see why that matters a lie is a lie and if anything she's  the one who's cornered she could have gotten out of there whenever she wanted to we should trust  nothing that she tells us only what we hear and smell that's a very roundabout way of saying that  you should li

sten to me and take this seriously maybe proceed into the cabin the interior of the cabin is ruinous and  dilapidated it feels like no one has lived here for a long time wind rushing in through cracks  and holes in the wooden walls The Only Furniture of note is a termite eaten table with a pristine  blade per on its Edge the blade is your Implement you'll need it if you want to do this right  take the blade you take the blade from the table it will be difficult to slay the princess  and save the

world without a weapon enter the basement the door to the basement  Creeks open revealing what's left of an old wooden staircase it's  still sturdy enough that you can make make your way down in one piece  though you'll have to be mindful of holes the air seeping Up From Below is oddly warm  and wet as if you're descending into a jungle if the princess lives here slaying her would probably  be doing her a favor she growls up the stairs I can smell you she sounds almost feral impatient or  maybe

eager you carefully make your way down the stairs the last step gives way to The  Damp Earth floor of a Starlet pit the walls are obscured by an impenetrable  Darkness giving the illusion that the room might stretch on forever you brush  against the wide leaves of plants that surround you on all sides seemingly the  only living things that occupy this strange underground wilderness the jungle is pressing  in on us hiding her from view she could be anywhere you see only a flash of the  princess

before she scurries away into the underbrush dragging her heavy chain behind her remember she's just a princess she is  certainly not just a princess you're not helping it doesn't matter what she is it only  matters matters what she does her shining eyes appear between the leaves staring hungrily at you  from the darkness I can hear your heart pounding from the bottom of the stairs fledgling you're  right to be terrified I'm so much more than you and a little Splinter clutched and Trembling  Han

ds won't save you from me a shiver rushes up your spine and pulls you upright the Air's  shifting she's getting ready to pounce move now move side picking a direction  on Instinct as you land you're buffeted by a gust of air disturbed by  the sudden motion of a massive body the princess in an instant she's pounced on the spot where you could have been her chains  rattling across the floor behind her before you can blink she's gone Vanishing once  more into the Shadows but you still feel her Gaze

on you you're faster than you were before  but you're still Meek reactive pre you whirl around to find her and your gaze meets hers a  pair of shining eyes peering out at you from just beyond the basement stairs so she's cut off  our Escape [ __ ] what do we do stop hiding and show yourself if you want to see me you should  get better at seeing she knows that her strength lies in Shadows and secrets she won't reveal  herself unless she has to you're deflecting and you bear your weakness to the

world she's  coiling for another strike be somewhere else we're on the back foot the back foot keeps us  Nimble Keeps Us Alive it doesn't matter if it keeps us alive if it eventually kills us we need  to take back the momentum we need to do something wait for her to strike and hit her back this  isn't going to work we're in her domain we just have to stay alive if we keep dodging her forever  we're going to get tired we're going to slip up we have to take a risk as the princess lunges  from the

Shadows once more lash out it strikes cutting deep and the princess loses her Focus  crying out in pain surprise as she crashes into you your sense sprawling and  can already feel the massive bruise blossoming on your ribs  as she scrambles back into the darkness look at that we wounded her and  she wounded us bad trade that hurt are you just the cornered animal you seem to be  or could you be a rival she rears back then leaps at you more forceful more ferocious  more serious the scuffle is brie

f and though you inflict a few deep wounds you  find yourself quickly overwhelmed by her savagery to the she wastes no time  before pouncing on you in a flurry of Claws and blood your nerves barely  able to keep up with the onslaught by the end you're lying in a nest of your  own intestines spine severed blood rapidly draining out onto the jungle floor the princess  drenched in both her blood and yours idly prods your body no that's it then cornered animal  it was do better next time I still nee

d to devour you and it doesn't count if you're dead  we're not dead we're but you don't have time to protest her premature observation of your  death because everything goes dark and you die chapter 3 the den you're on a path in the  W yeah we are and this time we're not going to run until we die we we're taking her head on  and we're winning you felt her she didn't have a soft underbelly she didn't have blind spots  what could we have done that would have saved us from her hunger when someone t

ries to make  you dead you have to hit them back you have to show them your Authority there's nothing  worse than a bully that thinks they own you great so you've been here before that  doesn't bode well you're not supposed to have been here before this is supposed to  be one and done oh shut up it bod's fine you're the reason we're stuck in this [ __ ]  situation now I have to do the hard work of dragging us out and how do you intend to do  that we're going to fight her and we're going to win t

here's a reason she slinks around in  the shadows well no complaints here now hold on we're not just going to let the fact that he  knows things about this whole looping situation go are we he's not important he can have his  secrets for all I care she's killed us twice now and that's enough of a reason for us to want  her dead okay what's the plan like I said we're going to fight her but we're so small we don't  actually know how big she is we just knows she wants us to think she's big if she's

going to  treat us like prey again then she is sorely underestimating us one good Wallop that's all  we need to put her on the defensive the path is different than it was before ground is ground it  doesn't matter what shape it takes we'll adapt if it looks different that's because the situation  has started to spiral out of everyone's control so please disavow yourself of the notion that  you can just come back here and fix this place if you manage to make a mess before that line  of thinking

leaves you yet another world in ruin though as evidenced by you dying twice it's  safe to assume the fates of the world you've left behind don't concern you very much consider  this your last opportunity to make things right for you and for the rest of existence  but especially for you we don't need your pep talk I'll make sure we pull this off silently  proceed to the cabin you make your way down to the cabin your fated confrontation awaits  you know what to do we've already been over the plan

I'm not sure that use violence counts  as a plan it's a better plan than you had last time I don't like this but I'll try to keep us  breathing proceed into the cabin the interior is dark and overgrown Vines and brush obscure  so much of the place that had you not seen the exterior you might not have noticed this was a  cabin at all the Only Furniture of note if you could call it that is a knotted stump a pristine  blade embedded in its exposed Rings the blade is your Implement you'll need it if

you're going  to do this right take it we're not fighting a monster without a blade even if it's not a  very big one is no one going to mention the mirror what are you talking about there is no  mirror it's just the stump and a narrow tunnel that leads to the basement he isn't tricking us  can you feel the wind it's telling us there's a hole in that wall our eyes deceive us if that  mirror is blocking our way just Smash It and be done with it take the blade BL yes take  the steel claw you pull

the blade from the stump gripping it tight it would be difficult to  slay the princess and save the world without a weapon good one step closer to ending this  approach the mirror you step forward approaching the small hole that leads to the basement  hesitating before you enter the princess's Lair you heard him stop hesitating and smash  that antique that mirror isn't part of this place it's seeped through from somewhere else it  if there even is an it is a hallucination like you said you've be

en here twice before your  mind was bound to start playing tricks on you eventually so grimy maybe we can wipe it  clean and finally get a look at ourselves smash it you bring your f crashing  down into the open hole leading to the basement throwing yourself off balance  and tumbling headlong into the pitch black if there were once stairs leading into  the basement there is nothing left to attest to their existence now there is only a long  tunnel of packed Earth growing more narrow as you desce

nd it smells of mold and Decay  The Damp walls leave streaks of dirt along your body as you're forced to hunch then  finally squat down on all fours in order to continue if the princess lives here slaying  her is probably doing her a favor as you crawl forward on hands and knees you're met  only with the sounds of ambient Earth no voice slinks confidently up the stairs  no entity threatens violence or pleads for safety stay quiet don't give her a sound say  nothing and silently proceed down the

stairs you say nothing maintaining the silence as  you carefully make your way down into the basement the basement is dark and cavernous a  gaping Mo threatening to swallow you whole there is no light here save for What Little Starlight  has managed to filter down the tunnel and though you can't see the vastness of the space you can  feel it you're exposed it doesn't matter if we can't see down here we know where she is step  into the Shadows ready to fight you step into the shadows and are enve

loped in total darkness  your heart pounds in your chest ears pricked eyes wide despite the inky Blackness waiting  for any sign of movement there she's about to strike with the near Silence of a determined  Predator the princess erupts from the Shadows swing in your blade  it's tip intercepting her before she can draw First Blood  she recoils stunned for a brief moment see I told you we needed  to assert our might we needed to prove to her that she can bleed  too she'll doubt her every move now

even more ferocity than before but that  voice in your head wasn't wrong within that ferocity there is also hesitation not much but  enough not a word is spoken between you and the princess as you exchange blows in the dark the  glint of bloody Claws and fangs the flash of wet Steel in the pit all of your senses  are heightened each injury stinging like a chorus of insects each small shift in your  favor a major victory that swells your heart allall reaches a climax and but he doesn't respond e

yes glance at you from the untextured threads of  a world unraveled am I free they ask but you do not get a chance to respond nor  will you ever it is time to leave memory returns she's gone where did she go should  we try and find her is that a mirror why is it here why now approach the mirror  this Mr the doesn't feel right it feels different final that thing weaks of death  screw the mirror we just need to find the princess the voices feel small  distant as you approach gaze into your reflect

ion silence as you  reach forward they're gone once again the mirror always makes them  leave but you need to see what in it you are nothing at all but that isn't right you can't be nothing  you refocus your gaze and then you see it a figure faint and veiled in Shadow just beyond the  reflection are you me I think you know know what I am a crack slides down the center of the  mirror splitting the image in the glass and two and then another crack forms and another and another turning the mirror 

into jaged shards of broken glass so you're the narrator I was  wondering if I would ever get to see you the narrator yes I I suppose that's my  job isn't it you needed help after all an objective voice to guide your blade  but you were never supposed to see me I wonder how many worlds you've  damned to Extinction to fall this far are you a part of me or am I something  else no I not a part of you but that's all a matter of perspective isn't it from one  vantage point I must seem wholly foreign

but from another well all the versions  of me that have existed have collectively heard your every thought and driven your every  action if that is being part of you then what is versions of you so you've said that  before so I really was meeting different versions of you you were and it was by both  necessity and Design This construct your and exists in many places at once anytime  you failed anytime you thought Yourself Dead it would restart and shunt both your  Consciousness and hers into ano

ther world but you'll be awake soon and then  it won't be able to work like that anymore after everything you've done to us do  you think anyone deserves to live nobody alive has done anything to you I'm all gone but if you  and the princess want to Smite the rest of them for the crimes of a dead man if you really want  to be that petty there isn't much I can do to stop you so you do know about the looping so many  of the times I met you you denied it as even being a possibility why did you lie

to me  perhaps they thought that admitting to it would have pushed you to certain realizations  that would have made finishing your task impossible possible maybe they were just in  denial I'm sure many of them were convinced that they had to be the first version of  them you'd encountered anything else would have been too existentially unpleasant for all  I know each of those other versions of me could have had entirely different understandings of  how this construct Works who's to say which of

them are right and which of them are wrong really  except for me I can tell you for a fact that I'm right the people out there beyond the walls  of the construct do they know about this do they know what you want me to do to them  of course not the only way this construct could function was if nobody knew what it was  doing but the bones of the universe are old it's on the cusp with its dying breath and the  people out there are consumed with thoughts of Oblivion when the patterns are wiped fro

m  the sand when the board is reset who will remember them all I've done is give them a  chance to live outside of the shadow of the end do you have anything to say for yourself for  all this uberus I do people out there are real no matter what you do to them no matter  what you enable I want you to remember that and what is my true identity you're the  long quiet the god I made to rid the world of death soon I'll be gone entirely and you'll be  left alone with your final choice so allow me to m

ake my final request the princess contains death  itself within her but I wo you into being with all the power you need to destroy her forever  do it slay her and rid the world of death and suffering destroy the mirror you have heard enough the narrator was  right you are the long quiet a vast nent God and it is finally time for you to wake up all  of this is you proceed to the cabin one last time when you arrive at the heart of  things there is no final vessel for you to Bear witness to there's

nothing for you to find I can finally see you and you can finally  see me it's been so long and my heart has achd for this moment I've missed you dearly what  happens now I've heard the passive player always reacting and never acting but it's  woven into your nature isn't it when the echo spun us from one into two he gave you a  choice and me a role to play I am not death but I contain it in my multitudes so will  you attempt to destroy me and bring about a world devoid of death and the possibi

lity of  meaning or will you open the final doors to our Liberation there's so many stories we've  left unfinished can we really just leave even as your eyes begin to open you still  hold on to the Notions of is and is not of beginning and end pitch black islands in  the blinding light of the infinite there is nothing to resolve nothing restraining  us but us slay the princess violence has always been our language hasn't it if this  is what it takes to save you then so be it you are devoured pra

y for something bigger  than you that stalks and slinks and shadows but even after the pain of defeat you  returned the dance is its own truth it is the movement that matters not the pause  you mistake for an ending would you have us fight forever I would have you realize  that what you decry as suffering is beauty but even as you stir to wakefulness  you cling to mortality that was never yours you are weightless suspended in the gravity of an idea that thre to consume  you and you are alone a t

iny isid forth we go faster and faster and faster  I kill you you kill me Hollow eyes watch from the dark corners of a forgotten Place  flooded by emotions left unspoken The Tide Rises I kill you and me an ending is a passion  that can only be expressed with a moment in time it is a seed for a new beginning to linger on  an ending is to rob it of its life and without me all this left to do is Linger I'm okay with  lingering to linger too long is to become worse than when you started would you ro

b yourself  of all context to remain trapped in a single moment what is a person is it body is it  all of their body pluck the eyes peel the skin strip the tendons mince the meat  grind the bones when it is all gone you still have who you started with a person  is not a body death is a transformation into something new it is only bodies the  feel it I am not my body but I feel my body suffer do you suffer now let go  of what you think yourself to be and exist isest the isand the spirits with vio

lence  you stranded me and with violence I saw twist your FL back mine for in your death and forfeit in your  body you chose agency but agency requires action and action requires endless tapestry of events  in your final moment would you remove itself from reality you didn't give me much choice and  yet still you chose to be capable of change is to be capable of of choice you are unmovable is it  by the design of our conflict that I cannot win or are you just that fervent in how you cling  to de

lusion are you so desperate to destroy me that you've grown blind to the Heavenly beauty  of our reality nothing is immutable everything that is exists only in relation to everything it  isn't there is no constant there is no Center you cannot remove something without removing the  relations which Define it to destroy what you perceive as evil is to damn everything you  perceive as good open your eyes and accept what we are we can leave this prison together I  have to fight for a better world I

am so sorry then destroy me if you're able but I will not  coddle you in my final moments I will not yield to your delusion without a vicious struggle you  don't have to face her alone I thought voices weren't allowed here apparently that's not true  but we can worry about it later seems like you've been doing all right on your own but I don't  think you can strike a decisive Blow from out here there's still a piece of me  nestled close to where it all began I can take you there I can take you t

o  her heart it's time to resume our dance she's Relentless isn't she let's make this  quick are you ready I'm ready then let's go and here we are I'd say we were back where it all  started but I guess it's a little after that isn't it do you need me to describe things is it just  you and me did anyone else make it to the cabin it's just us I think the rest of them are still  out there jumbled up in the rest of her take the blade that's probably for the best it's always  seemed to give us more o

ptions than not enter the basement the stairs do you remember the  first time we were here the first time we heard her voice we both know why you're  here you don't have to draw it out for my sake it sounded just like that a little  sharp a little menacing only she didn't know usue Contin you down the stairs  and down we go we shouldn't keep her waiting and there you are knife in hand that sight  brings me back you're going to do it then aren't you you're really going to kill me you'll have all 

of eternity to yourself after this why don't we chat a little before I go sit with her are you the  the same as you are out there no I feel like I'm myself again I only wanted to slay you out there  it's easier to want to kill an abstract concept than it is a person well I don't want to be at the  end of that knife so how about we figure something out what if we tried doing this forever I can do  whatever you think I can right so make me put it all back make me fix the echo's construct and  mak

e me wipe our memories of everything that's happened make may send us back to the beginning  before we woke up before either of us saw the truth can she really do that are you sure that's  what you want but resetting it do anything to help them the people out there if you continue to  exist don't they continue to die and suffer fixing that is on you not me if you want me to help them  you'll have to make me help them we're going to find ourselves back here eventually and if we do  Nothing is Sto

pping Us from making the same choice we could just keep doing this forever if you're  talking about this right now how do we know we haven't done this before I don't think that's  something we'll ever get to know but odds are we've probably done it before this isn't fair  I want to be here with you I don't want to be alone again neither do I but we won't be alone  for long I'll be right here waiting for you is there any other way you brought that knife down  here for a reason either you use it t

o kill me or I use it to put things back I don't want to forget  you that's sweet but unless you do the whole world ends right not like I care but it seems important  to you okay then let's do it I Believe in Us agree to her plan okay if this is your choice then I  have you back I guess I'll see you on the other side she takes the blade from our hand a  fondness in her gaze I love you oh I love you too chapter 1 the hero and the princess you're  on a path in the woods and at the end of that path

is a cabin and in the basement  of that cabin is a princess you're here to slay her if you don't it will be the end  of the world silently continue to the cabin what