LIMINALITY
Table of Contents
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Chapter 39 Chapter 40 Chapter 41 Chapter 42 Chapter 43 Chapter 44 Chapter 45 Chapter 46 Chapter 47 Chapter 48 Chapter 49 Chapter 50 Chapter 51 Chapter 52 Chapter 53 Chapter 54 Chapter 56 Chapter 55 Chapter 56 Chapter 57 Chapter 58 Chapter 59 Chapter 60 Chapter 61 Chapter 62 Chapter 63 Chapter 64 Chapter 65 Chapter 66 Chapter 67 Chapter 68 Chapter 69 ENDChapter 18
The smell of gunpowder hit Janus's nostrils, making him stop and scrunch his face as they entered the building with anticipation. It was rather bright inside, and the air was warm and dry. However, what caught his attention was the sight of this place.
It looked more like a fancy bar than anything else, although aside from the obvious smell, there were many types of weapons displayed on the shelves as well as goods that he had never expected to have in a weapons shop of all places.
Floorboards creaked beneath their weight when they took a few steps forward, their eyes still taking in the sights and smells around them. The room was quite spacious, with tables and chairs placed sporadically like islands on the polished wooden floor.
Some of the items appeared to be for sale, while others were clearly there for decorative purposes, as the place was filled with an assortment of blades, axes, and even food; he himself wondered if this was actually a weapon store at all but something along the lines of a general shop.
Standing in front of the counter stood a tall, adult man with a balding head and a black beard that covered his mouth. He wore a fancy suit, and judging by his friendly smile, he is seemingly welcomed to see visiting customers.
His voice was gruff yet professional to the visitors: "Come and peak around. What's ya buyin', boys? Weapons, tools, or casual booze?" He asked, gesturing towards a bottle of wine that was sitting next to a half-eaten bowl of soup and a cup of tea.
"Directions of reaching into Celephais."
The bald man, going by the name of William, made a grimace when the words came out of his mouth: "Schrodinger, as much as we have known each other for a couple of years, do you realize what you are asking me is nearly impossible?" Answering with a raised eyebrow before moving around his counter to get a better look at both of them, staring directly at Janus curiously and then back at the white cat with a firm tone, "Tell me, why do you want to know so badly?"
Before Schrodinger could say anything, Janus decisively took the opportunity to step in, "searching to find the great darkness and stop it from ever reaching the surface at any cost necessary," his voice unwavering despite the odds stacked against him for a favor as great as this, knowing how absurd it sounded as a result.
William let out a laugh from this level of uncertainty: "Boy, that is some mighty fine effort, I must admit!" He said with an amused grin, clasping the young man's shoulder as if congratulating him on trying to play hero, "This is the greatest joke I've ever heard all week!" Not taking any of this seriously.
However, noticing no one was laughing nor sharing his delight, the balding man quickly realized his mistake: "Wait, you two aren't kidding, are you?" Now frowning in disappointment before shaking his head, "I'm sorry, but even if I was willing to help, that's beyond my knowledge to accomplish."
The two then sat down on the stools facing towards the man, taking their time to think through how to persuade him with their request. Schrodinger finally spoke up with a suggestion that seemed to make perfect sense: "You need not take us there personally, or else everything will be pointless."
This comment made William raise an eyebrow in disbelief, wondering what exactly was meant by that statement since he had already given his answer: "You realize there is no permanent way of stopping that monster? It had happened many times before, and once it's done, the dreamlands will start anew again like many times before," reasoning out in honest belief.
Curious about this explanation, Janus can't help but ask what he meant by that. "Excuse me," he politely called out before turning around in his stool, "but what do you mean by the dreamlands starting again?" This apparently got both of them into an interesting discussion while the cat pondered what to do next.
"You...you don't know about that?" Placing his open palms on the counter, William narrowly looked at him up and down before saying, "What's your name, kid?" His deep, booming voice echoing through the room said, "I assume you are new to these parts."
"KID?!"
All of his voices screamed in unison, stunned at not knowing who Janus is, for he's a well-known Roman deity that holds more power than any of the gods can ever imagine for he is the very first generation of the gods and goddesses to have ever existed.
Instead of being insulted by this lack of knowledge and respect, Janus decided to lecture the man with sophisticated understanding: "My name is Janus. It is a pleasure to meet you. For what or who I am, I'm a god who looks over both beginnings and ends. A double-faced primordial deity who once had the ability to see the future and past," he spoke in a dignified manner, giving a faint hint of annoyance to his words.
William became obviously shocked at such a proclamation: "Your...you are god?!" Eyes wide as dinner plates, the bearded man appeared to be overwhelmed by this news: "Either you're lying to me or..." There is no doubt in his mind that he had conversed with many travelers before, some egoistical to the point of arrogance and delusion into thinking that they were more powerful than any other person because of their knowledge in sorcery and other powerful equipment.
However, William still can't believe that this figure is truly a god in flesh and skin, sitting just in front of him. "Show me proof," he said, narrowing his eyes suspiciously while he awaited some kind of magic trick that would surely reveal the young man's true nature: "If you are god, then prove it."
Janus said nothing but merely exhaled the breath, "You don't believe me?" Bluntly stated with a tired expression on his face, knowing that he'd have to demonstrate what he was capable of. After all, the man was only human and probably couldn't comprehend what's the truth that lies beyond the physical realm.
"After witnessing four legged cats who could speak, a realm of endless and incomprehensible aspects that defy the natural laws of physics, a prophesied eldritch abomination that will soon destroy the world, and now you're expecting me to perform parlor tricks to show that I'm not a liar?"
Those last few sentences felt like a slap across the face, with visible sweat on the side of his forehead, then he dropped down and said, "You got a point there." Sighing out in defeat, he tried to find the words to say, but the most he could manage was to shake his head, "no wonder why everyone calls me unbeliever."
As he then shook head, "okay, let's say I believe you, but how would that justify me giving out information to both of you? I don't want to be responsible for someone's death," William told them as a matter of fact, showing that he would rather risk their safety than have the guilt of being responsible for someone's death.
Schrodinger snorted at the notion, "You don't have to worry about us; all we need is directions for reaching Celephais," he informed in a low tone of voice, staring directly into the gentleman's eyes while explaining, "Is that so much to ask?" He finds it annoying that the man is making their conversation difficult as is, yet he can understand why a man would refuse to give out the information.
Tapping his fingers, William reluctantly relented by responding, "Fine, fine, I get it! But are you sure that you want to do that?" His words carried an undertone of caution as he didn't want to get involved in someone's mess.
"The last time I had done that, someone's loved one blamed me for their brother's death and had almost made me lose my job!" Proclaiming as an attempt to warn them, "Please, don't put me in that position, alright? Just because I ventured once in a while, it doesn't mean that I have access to knowing the secrets of the entire Dreamlands!"
Taking a moment to process what he himself had said, he then added, "But if you two are really planning on going there, then I know a person who has a safer and easier way to access that floating island." The bald man answered with a confident grin across his face.
Impatient Schrodinger began to wonder, "Where is this person located?" We don't have all day, old man," he uttered irritably while tapping his paw onto the table, becoming more restless by the second. "We have to find them as soon as possible because time is wasting here."
Raising both of his hands in front of his own chest, William tried to assure them in a calm and collective manner, "I know, I know, but be patient! It is not easy for a guy like me to recall these memories of the past," he proclaimed, feeling exhausted over their relentless questions as if they were not having enough. "Anyways, Princess Lime of the Kingdom of Ooze might have a clue of where you can reach the place of your choice as she is the type of woman to have more knowledge of this sort of stuff than the likes of me," he informed the duo at his best assumption of this princess's character.
"Princess...?" Janus quietly questioned out in curious confusion, not knowing anything of a princess while staring at Schrodinger to see if he knew her, but then noticed how clueless the feline looked. Meaning that not even his guide knows who she is.
"A princess?" Chuckle erupted from Culsans mouth, "How interesting!" He announced suddenly, giving off a coy tone of voice, "Does she live in a castle of gold with towers that reach the very sky?" He amusingly asked while chuckling silently as if it were a joke, but the others remained silent in their spots, much to his displeasure.
"Boring," he continued in contempt, "no one seems to enjoy having fun around here anymore!" Not liking how no one is upbeat and cheerful like they are supposed to be, which would make life less boring and mundane, "really now, what are we all even doing with our own lives in the first place?" He asked rhetorically without expecting an answer.
Janus hummed softly, as if unsure, "Who is Princess Lime?" Curious to learn who she was, not wanting to admit it but interested in knowing the kind of person that she is, "Just who is she, William?" Becoming more inquisitive the longer he himself sat there.
William was caught off guard with their question, "Shes..." He began slowly, unsure how much he should say, "honestly, I never got to meet her in person, but I heard claims from her people that she is a highly intelligent woman who knows a lot of things," shrugging with an awkward smile.
"So your saying we just go along with those claims we don't know are true?" Schrodinger said in irritation, "How is this useful information?" Being in disbelief that this is what he had to work with, he asked, "Is this supposed to be a lame attempt of lifting our spirits?" He wasn't pleased by William's vague explanation: "And why is it called a kingdom? Can't there be a better name for such a place?"
Feeling tired from all of this, William decides it's best to just spill the beans rather than delay further. "Listen, this is all I know, alright? Maybe they are lying, maybe they are not, but it's better to check out this place first than to stay here any longer and risk losing the chance of getting your answer." This is a somewhat good reason for them to just get it over with.
Feeling like they had no choice, Janus gave in to their only solution and nodded. "Give us the coordinators of where her kingdom is."
Taking out a map below the counter as he placed it on the table, the three see a whole map of Dreamlands, with each place marked with its own title. Currently, there are in the north-east of the island. "This is where we are," Willaim motioned his finger, "while her kingdom is at the very south of another island," bringing his fingers over to the southern part of the map.
Looking closely, both Schrodinger and Janus see it was quite far off from where they are, which is not a good thing. "This is..." The cat was a little bit lost in words, "going to take awhile," not too happy to be walking for too long from where they are.
But Janus found no issue in this. "It sounds simple enough," he said indifferently. "I can just fly there an—"
"Fly there?" William became disgruntled by such words: "You mean, using sorcery?" His facial expression becomes one of utter disbelief and shock: "Do you realize how dangerous that is?! How many unknown beasts will take notice of you in the open? Doing so will lead to an horde of hungry creatures after your ass!"
Cringing painfully at being reminded of having caused massive collateral damage to the forest, Janus realized that bringing unwanted attention can potentially result in the waste of deaths and destruction that will bring upon onto others.
"Then how shall we get to that island?" Asked Schrodinger who still wouldn't accept having to walk that long just to reach the destination: "It's too much risk to have so much danger traversing dangerous roads; are there no other methods of reaching there?"
Suddenly, he is immediately struck by the idea, "Why not travel by airship?" There must be an option to reaching that far, and William knows one he is familiar with: "Just in the west of here lies a desert," pointing to the direction, "within its sands holds Baharna, a great port of the Dreamlands, home to the Baharnans, who take their namesake from the settlement."
The idea was intriguing enough that Janus found himself considering it: "I guess that is our only way then," sighing softly. He knew he would have to swallow his pride and act friendly; "we have to go to the settlement of Baharna."
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