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11 Mar 2024
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The Witch's Challenge - Fifth Night.

While preparing to answer the witch, you spy something on the other side of the room...

"Weary travelers. Care to take a quick rest?"

"Or maybe you need some SICK weapons?"

"This might be your last chance to gear up before the VAMPIRE and the VAMPIRE HUNTER start a fight between all the guests here, you know!"

First in line, Lay's Chips spoke:

"They're still going to fight!? That doesn't sound good at all-! Can't you two do something to stop them...? The nice witch will SURELY be upset from this...! I don't know what money is, but I don't think it'll work like the Mister said..."

"Oh, don't worry about it!"
"If you don't like the violence, you can just stay out".
"Between you and me... the REAL winners will be the ones who don't get involved, and that's exactly what we're doing - with a little profit on the side, hehe!"

Thinking of a way to help diffuse the situation, redaer comes up with an ingenious plan:

"No need! I'll simply deploy a few of my patented Conflict Defuser Mk 1 to resolve this situation peacefully."


There are now two contraptions on the scene.

redaer also decides to deploy one more contraption, just in case: "Alternate version of no. 1 in case I was wrong about Suvillan's favorite. I'll leave both of them out to be safe."

There are now THREE of them instead of just two. How brilliant!

However...

To your TOTAL dismay, the contraptions end up attracting the wrong targets.
Whoopsies! Nice try, though.

A- for effort, S+ for giving the pets a treat.

Taki said: "I'd like to climb in a cardboard box, and you tape the open end shut once I'm inside."

Ask, and you shall receive.

IHATETHEANTININO said: "It is good to see that you are using your talents for the cause of virtue and living up to your name as the good doctor. I wish to minimize bloodshed in this quarrel, please assist me in this task."

The Cat also chimes in...

You have received a mystery box that is taped shut.
This does not help you in the slightest.

Reader, now a GHOST frog, floats to the revival services and croaks: "Hello, *ribbit* yes, I'd like one (1) revival, pretty *ribbit* please."

Ask, and you shall receive.

It looks like the Vampire hunter's side now has a LIVING frog as an assist.
However... your HP has not recovered in the slightest.

You've merely been revived, but not healed! It's kind of your fault for not being more specific with your wording, you know.

Once again, you dangerously skirt the line between life and death, as one does.

Then, leiirue, a very sickly looking, late guest, runs towards the weapon stand and grabs a steak knife: "I could win against you all if I got the jump on you."

And then...

It looks like the doctor decided all on his own that you'll be reinforcement for the Hunter, rather than the Vampire.

And so...

He proceeds to heal you so hard you become the healthiest individual in the room.
Never in your life shall you fall ill ever again.

"Actually", the doctor spoke, "you may be healthy now, but that doesn't mean it's safe to discharge you just yet!"
He then writes you a note to take two-week off for rest, and also prescribes you a healthy diet of only green vegetables and dairy, for whatever reason.

"You'll surely be able to participate in a battlefield more properly once you REALLY recover", he concludes.

You have a feeling that this guy isn't a real doctor.
It looks like you've been sent out to enjoy a stress-free vacation, anyhow.

May you see brighter, healthier days outside this dreary mansion!

A concerned Wight approaches the pair, seeking advice:

"Hi, yeah, could I get uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh... can I get um... Can I get the biggest axe you have? I heard that I can get my very own Solis for laying down my life in the name of evil. Now that I think about it though, I'd feel bad betraying Selene's team after receiving such a precious item from her... What do you think I should do?"

Wight, now induced into the Hunter's side - and by extension, the HOT SINGLE SKELETON's side - receives what is supposedly one of the strongest weapons around.

This bodes well for the Hunter's allies!

Meanwhile, pikarai walked up to the shop and grabbed a sword of their very own: "This'll do."

Suddenly, Ashenchromatic sneakily approached, and...

How astonishing! A development so astonishing that Wight decided to artistically record the moment from another perspective.

There's no avoiding it now. It's absolutely a loss for the Hunter's side, even though the fight hasn't even started yet.

A genius play from the Vampire's side.

Bravo. 1-0.

Having finished the assassination, Ashenchromatic approaches the shopkeepers: "Hi, how much is the doctor? I would like to buy the entire doctor. I am willing to sell a toaster for it."

Another genius ploy.

The Doctor revives and fully heals you, for the price of one bloodied toaster.

In another side of the room, the MIME enters, with the knight nevermind3476 in hand... who attempts to creatively free themselves from potential peril.




Witch's Cadence said: "Do me a solid and give me a ladybug please."

Having managed to set themselves free, nevermind3476 then seeks a hiding location...




Voila.

FluxicEnk approaches the shopkeepers: "Uh, yeah, I'm so sorry to bother you, but have you seen this guy?"

Embracing their new role, FluxicEnk continues: "I've just been hired as a jester and my first decree is to 'beat him within an inch of his life'. I dunno what kind of jester is violent, but this dude scares me more than anything. So I think I'll take my chances with this hammer if you'll let me- uh..."

In response...

Meanwhile...

The MIME joins the HUNTER's side.

She is a little disappointed she could not recruit that clever cloaked guest to fight alongside her, but it is of no issue.

After all...

She can easily make up for any losses that this side has suffered.

Seeing the numbers of the HUNTER's reinforcements, those recruited by the VAMPIRE began to panic...


With the power of the Solii on their side, perhaps there is nothing to fear.

Everyone: FIGHT!

A booming voice suddenly halts everything.

Witch: Speak to the crowd.

"And I guess, since it IS your god-given right to keep that going even during the holidays, I'll let you kill each other all you want."

Next.

Next.

Inky spoke first: "My best guesses are..."


A wonderful effort.
Five kindly bestows upon you one little Moonie Roll as thanks.

Mysteriousmaverick also handed in an answer...


With two twirls of her new magical staff, Five sends a flurry of little candies your way as well, as appreciation for participating. What a joy!

Finally, pikarai, Ashenchromatic, Phoebeufford, nevermind3476, and a Reader, submitted their answers...


Next.

Five begins charging up some VERY POWERFUL MAGIC.
You almost sense danger in this spell, despite her beaming smile.

Even though you did a GOOD JOB answering all correctly, it appears you may be crushed to death under an avalanche of sweets as a reward...

But then, Spinachlette interrupts the audience at the last second possible with a most surprising answer.


Five: Cast your BEST MAGICAL SPELL YET.

It looks like Five now owns every single candy in the world, from the past and the present, and maybe even from the future.

Don't ask how - it's magic.

"Well, I'd better go sort that out, or she's going to get a stomach ache eating that many sweets at once", said the mentor.

Now that the witches have finished their business...

Next.

Monster army: Deploy shadow.

Unfortunately, a cardboard cutout cannot do anything except be cardboard.

Next.

Shadow the Hedgehog proceeds to cardboardedly fall flat onto the ground, much like a cutout.

The impact happens to deal 1.00001 HP damage to the frog, who had naught but 1 (one) HP left, killing them instantly.

A devastating double-loss for the monster team.

Monster team: Attempt to recover from losses.

"SOLII! CHARGE!" commanded the Vampire.

Look, now there's a Solis for every Lune.
Smart thinking to develop such technology, isn't it?

Next.

Unfortunately, any given Solis isn't all that capable in the first place. They are not war machines, quite unlike the mime mice.

"I am a man of love, not war!" cried one desperate Solis.

"WE DON'T CARE", the crowd shouted back.

Jester-to-be: Try to fight.

Desperate to be a useful pawn, Enk swings their weapon to defend the honor of the Count...

Jester-to-be: Try, try, try harder!

...Or rather, they try to swing it.
They try very, very hard to.

Luckily, their meek opponent looks like they'd allow Enk all the time in the world necessary to pull this off.

Jester-to-be: KEEP TRYING!

Alas, the weight of the hammer was too much after all. The fight(?) ends in a beautiful, beautiful pumpkinny disaster.

"NOOOOOOOOO", cried a revived soldier, mourning the loss of yet another valuable soldier on their side.

Just another easy victory for the human team, as it were.

Next!

Doing good on their promise to be loyal, Wight, wielding the most powerful weapon ever, continues to stand guard by the beautiful HOT SINGLE SKELETON maiden.

Suddenly, a cry rings out from the monster side...

"GET DOWN, MR. COUNT!"

Then another cry rings out from the human side. A cry of pain, of loss, the beautiful melody a dying man's dreadful screams makes.

WIGHT falls, never to awaken again.

Next.

A poetic death, all things considered.

The little Ghostie, still struggling with the Unknown Object, seems like she's finally being of use to her team.

At last, the monster side takes a victory!

Then, out of nowhere...

Swinging the SCYTHE equally as wildly as the Ghostie was shooting, the SKELETON takes over, cleaning up hoards of Solii with style.

Ghostie: It's nothing more WILD GUN SHOOTIN' can't solve, right?

It turns out this weapon's overwhelming power is totally limited by its ammo.

Oh, how balanced!

"Clearly, this calls for more extreme measures", thought the Count.
It is time to deploy the WINGED.

Winged: Sever the enemy.

With a few sweeps, hoards of Lunes are destroyexploded in mere seconds. The crowd cheers as the human army is dramatically decimated.

This fabulous technique makes the two sides even again.

Human side: Attempt to retaliate.

Still, with fewer and fewer soldiers remaining from both sides, the closer the HUNTER comes to confronting the VAMPIRE.

Hunter: Give PEPTALK to dwindling army.

In his unstoppable adrenaline-fueled rage and resolve, the HUNTER aims to score a double-kill all by himself.

Next.

Unfortunately, he fails to prove himself a competent leader with his maneuver, as one of those kills was a soldier on the human side.

It would be funny if it wasn't so unfathomably stupid.

Next.

The ghosts of the deceased, and also the double-deceased, congregate, wondering if they will now be completely useless to the plot.

Ghosts: Try to be relevant, still.

Thinking fast, someone shouts...

"Quick, Solis! Mitosis!"

Solis: Respond.

Thinking fast, the single living, original Solis, shouts back...

"What the HELL are you talking about?"

It looks like the capabilities of the Solii were indeed vastly, vastly overestimated.

Next.

The two sides continue to engage in their bloody battle with no holds barred, undergoing cycles of death and revenge.

It is no doubt an event too gory to even depict.

But it's surely cool and badass and awesome and-

...Oh, who am I kidding.

The battle continues to be rife with stupid losses and even stupider victories, no doubt following the ongoing pattern as closely as a failing student copies a nerd's homework.

A struggle so meaningless that it can no longer be depicted, so meaningless that the Mentor Witch finally decides to intervene.

Next.

She then proceeds to snap her fingers.

Magic: Happen.

And everyone immediately dies, turning into ghosts.

Murmurs of ghostly confusion fill the space, except for one despairing voice...

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?", shouts Solis-Prime. Perhaps he is the lone soul who understands the consequences of committing such magical, rule-breaking actions.

The other ghosts continue to show much more subdued reactions to this development.

"Ah, this is so miserable."
"I guess there's no point in fighting anymore."

"Well, we are all equal in death, human or monster. Or frog."

Next.

"Oh, count..."
"After being forced to share a moment of peace like this, I finally realize..."

"Fighting our whole lives was a waste of energy, wasn't it?"

Next.

"That's true. It sure was a pain."

"I guess we finally get to leave it all behind, and relax forever as ghosts?"
"Oh, yeah! That doesn't sound too bad, actually."

Next.

"We've even got all of these new friends here!"
"Cheers!", yelled the spectral crowd, happy to enjoy another moment of relevancy at last.

Next.

"After all, my master wouldn't like that very much", concluded the witch.

Doctor: Revive.

"But the extras, well..."
"You guys should be on your way now."

The witch continues, while shooing away the ghosts of the visitors to exit the plane.
They aren't even graced with a revival, much less a proper farewell.

Cat: Equip.

"NOOOOO! YOU MEAN I HAVE TO FIGHT THIS GUY AGAIN?"
"I THOUGHT WE WERE DONE WITH THIS!"

"Not at all!", retaliated the witch, as her minions moved around to carry a certain will.

"We're supposed to be part of a greater tale, you know."
"What would happen to all of that if you all just left?"

Unbeknownst to most...

A single visitor's soul manages to escape the slaughter, stealthily sleuthing their way throughout it all, and finally exiting the mansion undetected.

What horrors they've witnessed, it is certain no one would believe it.
But at least, they are alive...

And yet...

Can it really be called life when they've been shackled an unspeakable secret?

"A wicked witch who commands life and death lives in that mansion" - were they to utter such nonsensical words, they'd surely lose all respect for believing in an "obvious superstition" like that.

It now dawns upon them that, perhaps this fate they chose, this ongoing torment by forbidden knowledge, is just another form of death.

They will live, but never to tell the tale.

And as for you, dear observer...

It is time to say goodbye.

I hope you enjoyed your little time here.
Perhaps we will meet again on another night.

For now, allow me to send you off.

It's a bit belated, but I hope you'll accept these words:
Happy Hallow's Eve.

And remember, even after you close this window...

End.

You can't tell anybody what transpired here.

Selene's Super-Fun Q&A Session! - Part One.
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Wight
Wight
7 months ago

I'm dead bruh

Wight
Wight
7 months ago
Reply to  Nights

I absolutely did.
I died fighting for what I believe in (Hot Single Skeletons).

Last edited 7 months ago by Wight
Lunk
Lunk
7 months ago

When the seagulls cry, none will be left alive.
Farewell, ARIA-Beatrice.

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