The world was so dark, yet peaceful. With Hero here everything would be fine. He is.. Stranger then I remembered him being. But he was the Hero! It was to be expected of the being that held us all together and kept us safe!

  I watched as Alia took his hand and pulled him behind one of the glowing things. I rubbed my legs together as I imagined what they were doing over there. The way Alia had.. In the hallway. I shuddered in a mixture of pleasure and jealousy.

  I felt myself become wet and forced the water beginning to pool around me back into myself. Hero would be upset if I made a mess again… I heard the sounds of Alia’s bubble rifle firing and bit my lower lip.

  I needed to see.. Just… just a peek. Hero wouldn’t judge me for a small peek would he.. To watch… I quietly crept up to the corner they went behind. I carefully peeked around the corner, my hand moving down as I…

  Pausing, I blinked and rubbed my eyes. Instead of doing anything intimate as I had assumed.. They were both fully clothed and.. talking?

  “As I said, you need to stop telling insane stories!” Hero snapped at Alia who huffed and crossed her arms.

  “I don’t see the problem personally, I was just telling our love story!” As she spoke, she fired her bubble rifle at a nearby target thing and it made a dinging sound and said ‘!

  I pulled back around the corner and wondered.. Maybe.. Maybe Hero knew I would try to watch.. Maybe he knew those stories would make me excited to see them in action… Oh how the Hero taunts me.. I must have been horrible as a child for the Hero to treat me so!

  But then I thought for a moment and reality struck me. I was listening in on them . Clearly this was a test I had failed! I was a monster! I rushed up to Hero and fell to my knees. Grabbing his leg I pleaded “Please Hero! Forgive me! I have been bad!”

  He looked down at me with such disappointment. Was I truly so lost? What the crap are you talking about?!” Alia asked in bewilderment. “You didn’t do anything wrong or Hero would have already smited you!”

  “You guys.. I..” There was the sound of cracking glass and Hero sighed before finishing his sentence. “I wonder if we will be erased entirely or the dungeon just resets.” He instead said. The sound of glass shattering caused my heart to break.

  I had failed! I had disappointed Hero and now the monster comes to eat me for my sins! I stood and turned to face the horrible beast! But.. there was nothing there. Then.. pain.. So much pain!

  I appeared standing in the bubble dome I had started in earlier, Looking around I wondered fearfully how Hero would punish my crimes. Hero appeared a moment later. He sighed and shook his head. “Alright, we lasted about four hours. So… we just need to do that for another…” He trailed off as he deflated before sighing again and finishing “eighteen hours,”

  I swallowed heavily as tears formed in my eyes. Even after my sins, he had already forgiven me and was moving forward with a new heroic plan! “Actually, I don’t think we are gonna make it twenty four hours at this rate.” Alia the heathen defied Hero’s words. “I think instead, we should try to take that thing out. Sure it’s big, but if we go at it right, we can totally kill it!”

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  My eye twitched as rage filled me at her denial of Hero’s perfect plan! “Nah, won’t work” Hero said in his majestic tone, he shook his head at the heath Alia like she was a child. He was so gracious! “Clearly, it didn’t even appear. That means this isn’t a real entity. The whole thing is just a game over screen the moment the glass fully breaks.”

  Even as he spoke he reached into his bag and pulled out the photo Alia had taken from him earlier. He looked at it for a moment before putting it away. I thought.. Maybe I saw.. Longing in his eyes? No! I was reading too much into Hero. He was an enigma of perfection.

  Even as smart as I was, I knew Hero was not to be questioned! Instead, I simply did as the lullaby said. I obeyed with utmost diligence. Stepping forward, I coughed gently for Hero to notice me.

  When he looked over, I spoke quietly so as not to offend. “Um.. Hero, how may I be of help? I am very sorry for earlier. I beg forgiveness and to atone!” He tilted his head as though puzzled, then shook his head and looked over at Alia.

  “Any idea what she is on about? Wasn’t it you shooting that target that set it off?” He pointed at her bubble rifle.

  She winced and coughed before speaking. “Obviously it was you! You were the one who obviously was trying to keep secrets!” She stomped her foot and red filled my vision.

  Water began to flood around me, but Hero spoke and I stopped instantly. “Hm.. it was said that Reedril is forgiving. I wonder if at least one of us doesn’t sin. We succeed by mere virtue of one among us not sinning? Terrible game design.. But so is everything else in this place.”

  After a moment Hero turned to me and after a moment of consideration as he calculated all the possibilities ever, asked me something of divine importance. “Sapphire, I need you to stay silent for the next twenty four hours. No words, no sounds, nothing.” I nodded and made a zipping motion over my lips.

  He turned to Alia and held out his hand. “Give me your bible rifle and pistol, Alia.” Alia looked like she had just been told Hero didn’t love her. She stepped back and was shaking. Understandable, She clearly loved her gun. But to disobey Hero like that!? Maybe she was the sinner!

  After a moment, Alia the sinner slowly handed her bubble rifle and pistol over to Hero. Then instantly summoned another bubble pistol. Hero looked annoyed and grabbed that one too. She began to sob and rushed down the stairs to the main city. Sinner.

  I wanted to ask Hero what I could do, but Hero’s orders were clear. So I stayed silent. Here sighed and looked over at me. “You aren’t going to suddenly be made that I am asking you to be quiet are you? It’s just.. I can’t with your worship shit today. I just need twenty four hours. Then you can spout all the lies about me you want.”

  He turned and made his way down the stairs as I idly wondered what lies he was talking about. I had only spoken the truth so far after all! I quickly rushed after him, making sure to bow my head as I walked silently behind him. The ever perfect obedient princess!

  We entered the city once again and the lizardman greeted us. Alia just sat against a wall and cried while I smiled brightly and nodded along to everything Hero said. As was proper for a Princess to act! Hero was everything, disagreement was bad when it came to Hero.

  He said a bunch of stuff that didn’t matter. He was talking to hero, so I didn’t need to know unless Hero told me himself! After the lizardman left, Hero turned to me and spoke. “Okay, I am gonna go get something to eat. Do you want anything?”

  I nodded and he paused before asking. “You want those.. Fries, right? The curly ones?” I held back a wince. The fries were horrible, but they had been a gift from Hero and I would never deny him!

  I nodded eagerly and internally prepared myself to eat another box of horrible fries. Hero had his reasons and I would never deny him! When he came back, he had two boxes of fries and gave me two of them! “I figured since you liked them so much last time, I'd get you two.” He said in his powerful and strong voice.

  I nodded and smiled trying not to cry as I accepted both boxes and grabbed the first fry. He watched me take the first bite before he turned and walked back to the casino we were in earlier.