The endless waste

[aestrix]

Once, this planet teemed with life. It doesn't do that, anymore. The ground is dry and cracked and occasionally broken up by charred remains of trees. There are no birds, no bugs, no living plants - nothing but an empty, endless waste.

With one exception.

But the world is so very big, and the exception so very small. If someone showed up away from it, they could be quite forgiven for thinking this world is completely dead.




with Sable (Kappa)

with Aisilian (Link)

with Grendyne (Rockeye)

with Temple (Curiousdiscoverer)

Comments

[light_another_life]

Blink blink.

"Yes. Not - 'I finish fixing the world and start bringing people back by lunch time' helpful, but yes."

[greatestgift]

"Well," she says, "there is, and I do. Along with plenty of other things, but it seems like you have less use for a bow that shoots dragons."

[light_another_life]

Snort. "Yeah, I neither have dragons to shoot nor a reason to shoot dragons from a bow. The monsters aren't particularly difficult to kill, just numerous, and my perfectly ordinary magic dream world bow works just fine."

[greatestgift]

"The bow that shoots dragons is very useful for when an enormous tentacle-faced creature appears out of nowhere and tries to eat you," Sable explains. "And it doesn't require dragons as ammunition; it'll turn any ordinary arrow into a sparkly flaming dragon."

[light_another_life]

"... Your previous wastelands were very exciting. An enormous tentacle-faced creature shows up out of nowhere and tries to eat you. Why. Actually, no, better question - how."

[greatestgift]

"Terraria. Is the name of that world, and also the answer to both of those questions," she says.

[light_another_life]

"It sounds murderous and insane. I don't think I would like to visit."

[greatestgift]

"It's murderous and insane," she agrees, "but full of useful things."

[light_another_life]

"Such as the wings?"

[greatestgift]

"Such as the wings, and the Staff of Regrowth, and the Celestial Wrath - that's the bow that shoots dragons - and the Coat of Many Pockets," she pats one of the many pockets of her coat, "and weird dyes that turn things pretty colours, and candy that makes you permanently healthier."

[light_another_life]

"... Nevermind, I might want to visit. Provided I can reach the dream world from it just fine, and therefore come back if I get killed."

[greatestgift]

"I have no idea whether you can reach the dream world from it, and setting up transport back there will be... nontrivial, but if I can get back there at all, I can bring you to a safe place where nothing will try to kill you while you test your dream world status."

[light_another_life]

Nod. "What does transport back entail?"

[greatestgift]

"I try to build a magical sending/receiving station that matches up to the one I left behind. If it works, then going back and forth becomes very easy. If it doesn't, I probably disappear into yet another new universe never to be seen again."

[light_another_life]

"... I have a way to transport people in the material plane. It might not work with another world, though. I obviously haven't had the chance to try it. And before you try using the station, I feel that I should help you in some way, if you disappear into yet another universe with yet another new exciting wasteland."

[greatestgift]

"Well. Help me how?"

[light_another_life]

"Various ways? I can make protective charms and ways to cheat death and given enough time can make more of just about any material I have access to. I don't know, what do you need?"

[greatestgift]

"I could stay long enough to learn how your world's magic works," she suggests. "And find out if it combines with the magic I already have in any interesting ways. And whether you can use a Staff of Regrowth."

[light_another_life]

"That was my ulterior motive, yes," she agrees, grinning. "Interesting magic combinations. That and seeing if I can make more of whatever Terrarian stuff you have with you."

[greatestgift]

She pulls a miniature staff out of a pocket and expands it: long and green, decorated with leaves and topped with a flower-head.

"Here's a spare Staff of Regrowth for you to try," she says, passing it over. "How do you make more of things, exactly?"

[light_another_life]

She takes the staff.

"Somewhat ironically, with the essence magic. Because essence makes up everything - and if you get the right types in the right combination you can make more of the thing. If you do complicated magic things, you can have a plant grow just the right essences required to make something, and then combine them to get whatever material you're making more of."

[greatestgift]

"That... sounds like it might not quite work with Terraria," Sable says thoughtfully. "But it might. I can give you some things to try duplicating."

[light_another_life]

"Sure. I'll definitely try." She peers curiously at the staff. "Do all of your magic items come with the helpful - whatever the heck this is in my head?"

[greatestgift]

"Yes they do!"

[light_another_life]

"Huh. That's convenient and sort of creepy. Want to go wander outside and see how this works?"