In a distant reality plenum, there is a peculiar planet known as the World With No Name. Upon its bizarre patchwork surface can be found the Wandering Wood, and within this mystical, sentient forest is located a certain traveling treehouse tavern. A quaint and charming refuge for weary travelers and local forest residents alike, on this enchanted eve, with the soft, golden glow of myriad fireflies augmented by the glorious radiance of all three of the world’s mystical moons waxing full, the enchanted establishment’s various patrons (including a renowned moth feykin oracle and a certain interdimensional freelance photographer) had the pleasure of being serenaded by…

[center][img]https://images2.imgbox.com/1c/9c/SKivgLmM_o.png[/img][/center]
The [url=https://images2.imgbox.com/5e/51/Igj0794c_o.jpg]famous frog bard[/url] sat atop an oversized toadstool, supplementing the ambient night music provided by the various other forest creatures with a relaxing melody strummed on his guitar. However, it was not just songs Balthazar was renowned for, but also [i]stories…[/i]

[color=LightGreen]“And now, my dear audience,”[/color] the bard announced after plucking out the final notes of his latest tune. [color=LightGreen]“I ask that you draw near your attention, for tonight I shall recount a most unusual tale, and one containing a very important lesson. Many moons ago, on a night much like this one, I had the great honor to be counted among a party of brave heroes who had set out to vanquish a tumorous outgrowth of the Abyssal Convergence which had taken root right here in the Wandering Woods like an unwelcome wart on the world’s big toe. But overcoming the Abyssal threat wasn’t the [i]only[/i] challenge we faced. You see,”[/color] he continued. [color=LightGreen]“No matter the power of its members, for any given party of heroes to have any chance of succeeding at their quest, those same members must overcome their innate differences and work together as a unified team. Their myriad quirks and foibles must serve to strengthen the whole, rather than tear it asunder. As it happened, [i]our[/i] party would find that goal a particularly difficult one to achieve…”[/color]

[hr]

[hider=Story Time]
[color=LightGreen]But I’m getting ahead of myself. Our story begins on a misty morning, when the venerable [url=https://images2.imgbox.com/f2/48/9v0Hs9vK_o.png]Branch Nose,[/url] eldest guardian ent of the Wandering Woods, bent his bark-bound knees and whispered to the wind,[/color] [color=ForestGreen]“Oh dear… this is most dreadfully unsanitary. A blight, like fungus upon a fair fruit, grows deep within our roots.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]He had discovered a veiny tendril of malignant energy, spreading out from a massive pulsating tumor. An oozing pocket of Abyssal Convergence, it dripped black ichor, warped trees into snarling tangles, and corrupted everything it touched. Branch Nose, slow of step but pure of heart, knew he could not uproot this vile scourge alone. He needed help.

And who, pray tell did he turn to first?

Why, naturally [i]me,[/i] Balthazar Hopperdink, bard extraordinaire! I sang word of his need far and wide, and, soon enough, three intrepid heroes answered.

First was [url=https://images2.imgbox.com/b5/7f/XKDREyCl_o.png]Stella, the Starry Wanderer,[/url] a traveling Lunatic adventurer who fortuitously happened to be paying a visit to the Wandering Woods at just that time. A skilled lunar mage, with miniature constellations dancing at her fingertips, she exuded a cheerful, and carefree charisma, allowing her to quickly befriend almost anyone. And what a reliable and steadfast friend she was! Indeed, if Branch Nose was our pillar of physical strength, Stella was one for our emotional wellbeing, even more so than yours truly!

Next was [url=https://images2.imgbox.com/9d/86/Mx1h2Kz4_o.png]Lunella,[/url] Stella’s traveling companion and best friend. A celebrated Lunatic astronomer and equally proficient lunar mage, Lunella was the youngest member of the Lunatics’ Lunar Council. Modest, unassuming, and sweet as moonmilk, she was blessed with a serene and compassionate personality, her demure nature perfectly suited to diffusing tensions when even a relaxing tune wouldn’t suffice. 

Finally, there was [url=https://images2.imgbox.com/0d/7a/CpYGN9tK_o.png]Ophelia,[/url] the highly logical and intelligent inventor-queen of a nearby tribe of goblins. Although seemingly a goblin herself, albeit one with spectacles too large for her face and a brain too large for the world’s comfort, the brilliant, tiny scientist actually claimed to have once been a human. Hailing from another universe, where she was the sharpest mind at her school (or so she said), she was apparently brought to our world via some form of portal, which opened just as she was about to be struck by an out-of-control conveyance. This transference was also somehow responsible for the goblinoid appearance she currently displayed (her theory was some manner of mental transference). Stoic of demeanor and formal of speech, her behavior stood in stark contrast to that of most other goblins. Pure logic. Zero tact. Surprisingly terrifying.

And so, the five of us gathered at the threshold of adventure.

As our guide, Branch Nose addressed us before we set out.[/color] [color=ForestGreen]“I thank you, noble friends,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]he began, bowing deeply.[/color] [color=ForestGreen]“The woods hum with distress. A malignancy grows like rot in an apple core. I fear its shadow spreads.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]“Not to worry!” I declared, strumming my guitar. “We shall pluck this foul weed from your fine foliage like a tarnished feather from a golden hen!”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“I calculate a 78% probability that the tumor is a simple mass-energy distortion stabilized by chaotic ether,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia stated in a flat, matter-of-fact tone as she adjusted her glasses.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“With sufficient data, I am confident I will be able to devise a remedy.”[/color]

[color=SkyBlue]“And if that should fail, the stars themselves will guide our path,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Stella declared with a serene and confident smile.[/color]

[color=DodgerBlue]“Well said, dear friend,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Lunella agreed in a soft and respectful voice, a gentle smile gracing her visage as she nodded demurely.

We that, we were off! As we traveled, the woods grew increasingly darker and more menacing. Fireflies dimmed, leaves twisted into spined shapes, and the very ground moaned in anguish under our feet, until, at last, we arrived at the source of the malevolent aura. At the center of a rotted clearing, the Abyssal Tumor throbbed and pulsated like a diseased heart, its massive, swollen form, dripping black ichor that hissed where it touched the soil, suffusing it with further corruption. Yet, no sooner had we laid eyes on this horrific abomination, then the last light of day faded, and the three moons rose, heralding the onset of a challenge far greater than any the Abyssal forces might have sent to oppose us.

For those of you who might be unfamiliar with such things, a peculiar aspect of Lunatic physiology is an innate attunement to our world’s three moons, in particular the largest, Luminara, the so-called “Lunacy Moon”. Relating to this, each Lunatic undergoes a shift in personality, and sometimes even appearance, tied to particular lunar phases. In most cases, this alteration is minor, but for some, the change is far more pronounced, and, as it happened, the transformation the quiet and unassuming Lunella underwent was by far the most dramatic of all…[/color] 

[color=RoyalBlue]“OOOOHH HO HO HO HOOO!!!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]a peal of haughty laughter rang out with enough regal force to shake the very heavens.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“REJOICE, FEEBLE COMMONERS!!!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]a voice dripping with heady arrogance commanded, one worlds removed from Lunella’s usual soft tone.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“For thy most splendiferously exalted Queen hath arrived to grace these wretchedly corrupt environs with our most glorious and divine radiance!”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Yes, whenever Luminara waxed full, Lunella would be transformed by its celestial power into the unbelievably vain and imperious [url=https://images2.imgbox.com/75/8c/RnLK7g3w_o.png]Queen Celestia,[/url] Monarch of Moonlight and Queen of the Full Moon. Moments after making her grand debut, the royal bombshell the once-modest Lunella had become struck a pose so dramatically captivating that three nearby mushrooms fainted on the spot![/color]

[color=ForestGreen]“Such sublime loveliness…”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Branch Nose marveled in hushed awe.[/color] [color=ForestGreen]“Enough to rival the most beautiful of blossoms!”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]“Indeed,” I concurred, while nodding sagaciously. “Like a symphony given form!”[/color]

[color=SkyBlue]“Might I say that you are looking as lovely as ever this fine eve, Your Majesty,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Stella told her queenly friend with a joyful smile and a respectful curtsy, the Starry Wanderer clearly pleased as punch to see her transformed friend bedecked in all her regal splendor.[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“Of [i]course[/i] we art,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia replied with a smug smirk of her royal blue lips as she flipped her silken azure tresses in an overly dramatic fashion.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“But we do [i]so[/i] adore when our most cherished friend tells us so,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she added, her tone sounding far more affectionate as she treated Stella to a warm smile.

Yes, at first glance it seemed as though this would be a most fortuitous turn of events, for surely the vast powers Queen Celestia commanded would make uprooting the Abyssal Tumor as easy as playing a lullaby. Yet, not [i]everyone[/i] was awed by the Lunar Sovereign’s show-stopping presence, and that was where our troubles began…

You see, for her part, Ophelia simply stared, unblinking, at the ostentatious being posing before her, the stoic goblin’s visage remaining one of blank disinterest.[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Impossible,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she stated flatly.[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Celestia blinked, the unexpected response bringing her imperious preening to an abrupt halt.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“[i]Excuse[/i] us?”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she asked, narrowing her eyes as she glared down at the diminutive goblin.[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“I simply stated that such an unprecedented transmogrification should not be scientifically possible,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]the hyper-logical goblin inventor replied, utterly unperturbed by the Moonlight Monarch’s imposing presence looming over her, as she began to slowly circle the queenly beauty, a pair of apparatus-covered goggles having been lowered over her glasses.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Multiple factors are in non-conformity with known models…”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she muttered as she adjusted a dial on the goggles to send their twin lenses telescoping outwards.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Luminous energy output exceeding natural lunar reflection limits by several orders of magnitude. Recalibrating sensors. Running thermal readings. Commencing attribute analysis, and alteration assessment,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia announced, before beginning to furiously scribble notes in a clockwork tablet that unfolded from her belt amidst a hissing of steam and clinking of gears.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Subject has clearly undergone a large-scale morphological alteration without observable catalysts such as chemical triggers or hormonal surges, violating all known biological frameworks. Relevant data points as follows: An increase in mass by several kilograms, facilitating the enlargement of the chest, posterior, and thighs. Generation of an elaborate, fully-constructed outfit seemingly ex nihilo. Former attire providing insufficient raw materials for compensatory exchange. A change in vocal timbre without vocal strain. An increase in stature by seven and three quarter inches, before accounting for the additional elevation provided by newly generated footwear. Posture has significantly altered to reflect a delusional sense of superiority.”[/color] 

[color=RoyalBlue]“Delusional?!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia cried, utterly aghast, her lovely countenance contorting into a look of appalled indignation.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“How [i]dare[/i] thee! Impudent little heathen…”[/color] [color=LightGreen]the imperious maiden hissed, holding forth her royal scepter and pointing it at the ground in front of her.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“Thou shalt prostrate thy wretched self before our glorious majesty and apologize to us at…!”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“You should not exist,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia stated, jabbing her pencil toward Celestia and cutting the Moonlight Monarch off before she could even finish giving her royal command.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Your entire transformation is highly illogical and does not follow a single natural law or scientific rule. There is no discernible explanation for your current state, thus, it follows that said state is a mere collective delusion.”[/color]

[color=SkyBlue]“Actually, I believe I might be able to clarify things a little,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Stella spoke up, tentatively raising a finger.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“You see, the changes we Lunatics sometimes undergo are the result of moonlight interacting with our… um… our biological makeup,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]the Starry Wanderer explained.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“It’s simply an innate and completely natural part of who we are.”[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“We thank thee for thy attempt to enlighten this boorish wretch,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia told her friend.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“But nonetheless, we still require that she give a most sincere apology to our most magnificent and exalted sel—”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“An insufficiently detailed explanation,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia declared, once again cutting off Celestia’s regal words.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Additional study will need to be conducted at a future juncture, but at present, further exploration of this line of inquiry will only be a needless waste of valuable time. By my calculations,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she continued, taping the keys of a strange apparatus on her forearm, which produced a small piece of parchment.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Based upon observed rate of expansion, the tumorous growth will reach critical mass in approximately 2.53 minutes.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]As if to accentuate that warning, tendrils of abyssal darkness burst forth from the tortured ground, snaring tree limbs and stones, while an eldritch shriek rent the air.[/color]

[color=ForestGreen]“Oh my!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Branch Nose gasped, his towering form trembling at the unwholesome sight.[/color] [color=ForestGreen]“It grows like ivy upon a weakened trellis… our time wanes, little friends…”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Yet, Celestia merely raised the bejeweled fingers of an elegant hand to cover her mouth and gave voice to a peal of queenly laughter.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“Oooohh ho ho ho! We bid thee fear not, our leafy subject! Such a feeble display of force is as nothing compared to the sublimely transcendent power of [i]our[/i] most majestic self!”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Is this level of bombast typical of the personality shifts all Lunatics undergo?”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia inquired.[/color]

[color=SkyBlue]“Not exactly,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Stella replied.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“Lunella is something of a special case, although, if anything, she’s actually holding back.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]“Oh, yes,” I concurred, while tuning my guitar for dramatic effect. “The last time I had the pleasure of performing before her Moonlit Majesty, she conjured an entire moonstone palace around the podling pub I was playing at!”

Meanwhile, the queenly beauty herself had strode forth to the edge of the overlook we stood upon, struck an imperious pose, and, with one hand resting on her hip, pointed her ornate royal scepter at the Abyssal Tumor bubbling in the soil below, a massive, pulsating orb of blackened ichor.[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“We shall pop this pitiable pimple beneath the heel of our celestial might!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia declared.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“Now, behold perfection personified!”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]The bejeweled tip of her gilded scepter glowed and sparkled with motes of moon magic, and a rising crystalline hum filled the air. However, before the profound power could be projected, Ophelia darted forward and shoved a brass contraption in front of the Moonlight Monarch’s royal weapon.[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Stop,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]the goblin queen instructed.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“You will destabilize the mass-energy distortion. We must first analyze its resonant frequency.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Celestia glared down at Ophelia with regal fury.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“Impudent cretin! How [i]dare[/i] thee continue to interrupt us! We hath no need to [i]analyze[/i]. We simply [i]annihilate[/i] all that dares oppose us! We command thee, stand aside!”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Negative,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia replied, her voice as flat and unperturbed as ever.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“You are a hazard. Your recklessness only exacerbates an already dangerous situation by several orders of magnitude.”[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“Danger?!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia scoffed.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“No malice could [i]ever[/i] hope to stand against [i]our[/i] magnificence!”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“That statement is meaningless,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia stated.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Magnificence is not a quantifiable variable. To eliminate such opposition with magnificence alone is scientifically impossible.”[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“We care not for thy so-called science,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia retorted.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“It should simply adapt its precepts to include [i]our[/i] splendor.”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Your delusional vanity hinders any attempt at forming logical thought,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia told the self-absorbed queen.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“It is thus a hinderance to the attainment of our objective and as such is nothing to be celebrated. Furthermore, the other myriad attributes of your current persona are devoid of any form of practical application, presenting as nothing more than superfluous embellishments, suitable only for fueling an already detrimentally sizable ego and maintaining this fallacious facade of queenship.”[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“Fallacious?!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia roared with royal outrage.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“Thou [i]dare[/i] to make such a claim while also purporting thy pitiful self a monarch as well?!”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“I was given that title by others, in response to my various scientific contributions,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia calmly clarified.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“I did not seek it out, nor do I have any desire to lay claim to it.”[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“We were [i]also[/i] given our title,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia declared with a cocky smirk.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“By fair Luminara herself!”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“So you assert that the moon itself is a conscious entity providing spontaneous mass-energy restructuring to the individual chosen to serve in the role of Lunatic sovereign and that you possess whatever inherent traits are necessary to be that chosen individual?”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia inquired with a raised eyebrow.[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“Naturally,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia replied with a supremely confident hair flip, sounding very pleased with herself.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“It should be obvious, even to one as boorish as thyself, that the full moon adores us!”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Or perhaps whatever entirely natural forces are at play have simply affected your mind, as well as your personality,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia proposed.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“For example, a form of microscopic spore capable of provoking intense hallucinogenic effects, drawing upon deep seated insecurities and wish fulfillment, when exposed to moonlight.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Celestia clenched her elegant fists and ground her perfect teeth.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“Thou [i]insufferable[/i] little…”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“You are objectively the insufferable one,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia stated calmly.[/color]

[color=LightGreen]The two queens glared at one another, and as they did so, the Abyssal tumor pulsed and grew ever larger behind them. Something had to be done, and I knew that I would need to be the one to do it!

Leaping onto a nearby log, I began strumming my guitar with great urgency. When the forceful notes finally caught the squabbling sovereigns’ attention, I began to sing…

[i]“Oh gracious queens, let tempers cease,
For doom grows fat on your caprice!
Unite your strengths, let discord fall—
Or Wandering Woods shall be no more at all!”[/i]

The song washed over the clearing, it melody calming, focusing, and reminding the queens, and the rest of us as well, of the important nature of our task. When it concluded, Stella was the first to speak.[/color]

[color=SkyBlue]“Your Majesties, please listen,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]the Starry Wanderer requested as she stepped forward, her graceful hands weaving starlight into calming constellations.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“You’re [i]both[/i] right.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Ophelia blinked.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“That is extremely improbable.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Celestia placed the splayed fingers of an elegant hand atop her ample chest.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“We art [i]always[/i] right. But we bid thee go on, cherished subject.”[/color]

[color=SkyBlue]“Celestia, your power is overwhelming,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Stella continued in a gentle tone.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“Ophelia, your intelligence is unparalleled. We need [i]both[/i] in order to be victorious.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Celestia opened her mouth to argue, only to pause a moment later.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“…Very well,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she conceded.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“We shall allow the small sovereign of so-called ‘science’ to contribute.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Ophelia crossed her arms.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“I will interpret this as acceptance, despite your condescension.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Stella winked at me.

I winked back.

Finally, unity had sprouted. Now, we set to work on a plan…

While Queen Celestia’s gleaming barriers of crystalized moonlight contained the Abyssal corruption’s sinister spread, Ophelia assembled a fancy telescopic contraption from components she pulled out of the enormous backpack carried by her [url=https://images2.imgbox.com/8c/bb/8cqPNhJs_o.jpg]clockwork automaton assistant.[/url] Once activated, this ingenious device was employed to learn all sorts of useful information about our dreadful foe, a process aided by a pair of miniature, propellor-driven airships, and several of Stella’s specially-crafted constellations. Soon enough, sufficient insight had been gleaned for Ophelia to formulate a suitable course of action.[/color] 

[color=LimeGreen]“I have successfully located the tumor’s central void matrix,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]the goblinoid scientist announced as she carefully adjusted her machinery.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“We will require a force of sufficient strength, projected along a precise wavelength if we wish to destabilize it enough to precipitate a full cohesive disillusion,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she continued.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Based on observational data, Queen Celestia’s lunar abilities would be an ideal candidate. However, the relevant projection of power must be tightly focused and aimed with the utmost accuracy.”[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“So, thou requires us to craft a prism worthy of our moonlit majesty?”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia inquired with a smug smirk.[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Incorrect,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia replied with a shake of her head.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“I require you to hit what I point at, namely, this.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]From out of her cavernously capacious pack, she produced a tightly compressed metal frame, topped with whirring gears and mirrored plates. With the press of a button, and amidst a blur of hinged panels swinging out and gears clicking into place, it unfolded into an intricate latticework of reflective facets, all arranged and angled in a carefully constructed pattern, almost like the blooming of an artificial flower.

Stella gasped at the sight.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“Is… is that a prismatic rotational amplifier?”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she inquired, pointing at one of the device’s more intricate components.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“With harmonic focusing plates?”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Correct,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia said, tightening a screw that hissed steam.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“This focusing array will channel, refine, intensify, and guide any energy directed into it. In this present case, that will be Queen Celestia’s lunar power.”[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“And why, pray tell, hath we [i]need[/i] of this contraption?”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia asked, casting a disparaging gaze over Ophelia’s device.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“We art certain our prodigious proficiency [i]alone[/i] shall be more than sufficient!”[/color] 

[color=LightGreen]In response, Ophelia pointed her wrench directly at the tumor.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“For this plan to have any chance of success, we need to ensure the beam is as accurate as possible, which this device will facilitate. If you fire wildly, you will quite possibly empower the tumor instead, thereby initiating a catastrophic cascade of corruptive energy that will rapidly consume us all. So kindly relegate yourself to your assigned task, and trust me to accomplish mine.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Celestia narrowed her eyes.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“We detect a feeble-minded doubt in our perfection and a most unwelcome degree of insolence,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she noted coldly, her azure lips set in an annoyed frown.[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“I detect an irrational degree of arrogance,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia replied flatly.[/color]

[color=SkyBlue]“Your Majesties…”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Stella interjected.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“You [i]do[/i] both remember what we’re here for, right?”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she asked, a silent plea for cooperation filling her starry eyes.[/color] 

[color=RoyalBlue]“Of course, our most cherished friend,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia replied, her proud smile returning.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“And we shall magnanimously allow the little goblin queen’s contraption to bask in our brilliance!”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Ophelia merely nodded.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Fire on my mark, Your Majesty,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she instructed as she peered at the tumor through a gadget-covered brass telescope.[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“Merely say the word, and thou shalt gaze upon our glory!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia replied.[/color]

[color=SkyBlue]“Celestia’s barrier will need to be lowered before she can fire, so [i]we’ll[/i] need to be ready for any Abyssal attacks,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Stella warned us even as her fingers conjured several pinpoints of light, which swiftly formed the Astral Sentinel, mightiest of all constellations.[/color]

[color=ForestGreen]“I shall muster all the fury of the forest to see us safely through this ordeal!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Branch Nose pledged.[/color]

[color=LightGreen]“And I shall provide a rousing tune to enhance your efforts!” I declared, my dextrous digits already beginning to dance on my instrument’s strings. 

When the barrier lowered, the tumor seemed to swell and pulsate with even greater intensity, as if sensing the impending threat to its malign existence. Abyssal tendrils lashed outward, carving trenches in the soil, while shadow-things slithered towards us, half-formed creatures, dripping with unlight.

Moving with a swiftness quite unexpected for one normally so ponderous, Branch Nose raised his arms, sending a torrent of roots bursting from the ground, tangling the tendrils.[/color]

[color=ForestGreen]“Hold fast, children of bark and leaf!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]he thundered.[/color] [color=ForestGreen]“Let not this thorn in the flesh of the forest, festering and foul, overcome your resolve!”[/color]

[color=SkyBlue]“Astral Sentinel most noble,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Stella entreated of the star forged guardian as she raised the splayed fingers of her hand towards the great ent.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“Please gent him your protection!”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]At that, the knightly constellation strode forward to place its gleaming shield between Branch Nose and the swarm of shadowy Abyssals that were poised to overwhelm him, the mighty defender’s shining sword vaporizing the fell creatures with a sweeping arc of mystic starlight. 

Not to be outdone, I let my fingers dance upon the strings of my guitar, while giving voice to a battle hymn most grand.

[i]“Courage in roots, strength in light,
Hold the line through endless night!”[/i] 

The tumor reared, swelling grotesquely, while abyssal fumes twisted into screaming faces. Then it cracked open, revealing a cavernous core dripping with entropy. The abyssal energies assailing us surged with stupendous strength, threatening to drown us under the most terrible tidal wave imaginable.[/color]

[color=ForestGreen]“Why has the blessed beam of moonlight yet to be loosed?”[/color] [color=LightGreen]a concerned Branch Nose inquired.[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“The tumor’s central void matrix has shifted,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia replied with a calmness most unnatural given the current situation as she cranked her array, its gears whirring and mirrors shifting.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“I am currently recalibrating to account for this.”[/color] 

[color=SkyBlue]“Please hurry!”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Stella shouted, panic filling her voice as the tumor lurched, splitting even wider…[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Almost there…”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia muttered, her tiny hands flying across dozens of dials as she made her final adjustments.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Almost…”[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“Art thou [i]still[/i] not—”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia began to grumble, before a shout from the goblinoid inventor cut her off.[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Celestia, FIRE NOW!!!”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Not wasting a moment, the magnificent Queen of the Full Moon unleashed a shining, razor-sharp lance of the most pure and flawless lunar radiance into Ophelia’s focusing array, which refracted and tightened the titanic torrent of power, directing it unerringly towards the tumor’s dark heart, promptly piercing it like a pin puncturing a balloon. The woods shook. The tumor shrieked as it burst apart, its ruinous form utterly rent asunder. Abyssal energy exploded upward in a geyser of darkness and a violent shockwave, which slammed into the Astral Sentinel’s shimmering starlight shield with frightening force, the constellations composing it struggling to hold. But Stella, gritting her teeth and calling upon all of her mystic energies, reinforced her creation enough to withstand the onslaught, while Branch Nose rooted himself deeper, his ancient strength anchoring us firm. And I played ever faster, pouring every scrap of hope and harmony into the melody, until, at last, the tide of darkness finally dissolved into sparkles of mystic moon glow.

When the light faded and peaceful silence fell, we saw to our great delight that the writhing tumor was gone at last. In its place was a clean, empty crater, just waiting for pure and wholesome life to flourish within it once again. Having been holding our breath, we all exhaled a sigh of happy relief, and so, too, did the Wandering Woods itself.[/color]

[color=ForestGreen]“The forest… lives…”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Branch Nose murmured in hushed awe. Turning to the rest of us, the elderly ent bowed deeply.[/color] [color=ForestGreen]“You have pruned away a blight most dire. The woods whisper gratitude for your efforts, hard-won though they were.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Stella dismissed her conjured constellations and slumped in relief.[/color] [color=SkyBlue]“We… We actually did it…”[/color] [color=LightGreen]she marveled with a joyful smile.[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“Naturally,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia replied, thrusting out her chest and giving her hair a supremely confident flip.[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“With [i]our[/i] incomparable brilliance, success was absolutely inevitable.”[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“Incorrect,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia rebutted, crossing her arms.[/color] [color=LimeGreen]“Success was only possible because everyone contributed. Even you, despite your concerning personality defects.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Upon hearing this, Celestia looked ready to give voice to yet another royal tirade, but her severe countenance slowly mellowed, her lifted chin lowered, and she ultimately replied,[/color] [color=RoyalBlue]“…We suppose thy device was… not [i]entirely[/i] unimpressive.”[/color]

[color=LightGreen]Ophelia stared.[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“That… is the closest thing to a compliment I have ever heard you give.”[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“We bid thee treasure it, little subject,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia replied with an amused smirk.[/color]

[color=LimeGreen]“I am not your subject,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Ophelia corrected.[/color]

[color=RoyalBlue]“[i]All[/i] those we care for art our subjects,”[/color] [color=LightGreen]Celestia clarified, her voice and visage warming a surprising amount.

“Leaping lily pads!” I croaked happily. “For you two, that’s practically a confession of friendship!”

At this, Stella couldn’t help but burst out into giggles, soon joined by Branch Nose’s deep chuckling.

And so, in the midst of the Wandering Woods, under the gentle glow of the full moon, our unlikely team finally, truly, stood united.[/color]

[/hider]

[hr]

[color=LightGreen]“Thus our tale ends,”[/color] Balthazar concluded. [color=LightGreen]“Not with a single hero, nor a single method, but with five companions united in friendship. Magic and machinery, logic and lunacy, song and starlight, all woven together as threads in one tapestry. A tapestry strong enough to save the Wandering Woods and, indeed, to accomplish anything. Always remember the lesson this tale teaches,”[/color] the bard advised as he looked over his audience. [color=LightGreen]“That every mind, every method, and every voice adds something vital, that even the most mismatched companions can save the world, so long as they do not try to do so alone, and you, too, shall be able to triumph over even the most formidable of challenges.”[/color]

Speaking of challenges, do you know who [i]else[/i] recently made a diverse collection of new friends and learned about all the wonderful benefits of working together with said new friends to accomplish something truly amazing?

[center][img]https://images2.imgbox.com/b0/7e/HKL5kSAg_o.jpeg[/img]
[h1][color=Green]Zoppy[/color][/h1]
[color=Green] Zoppy got ‘elp ta make ‘er shoppy![/color]
[color=888888]-Zoppy[/color][/center]

Despite her best efforts, Zoppy was (predictably) unable to make much progress in carving out her shop from the dungeon wall. However, some of the minion monsters noticed what she was doing and, feeling bad for the deformed little thing, offered to lend her a small amount of assistance. While she still wouldn’t be able to have a new chamber for her shop, with the help of these greatly appreciated new friends working in concert, a small table was formed out of a tightly packed pile of assorted rubble from the other excavation efforts. [color=Green]“Dankz lotz!”[/color] Zoppy told them with a happy smile. Upon the makeshift table’s mostly flat surface, the intrepid merchant laid out her various wares, they being a few stones, sticks, the clump of now mostly dry moss the treant had placed atop her slumbering form, and three of the bone daggers the Oracle had crafted (which the naga was kind enough to carry over and place so that poor Zoppy didn’t accidentally cut or stab herself) . Now she just had to wait until her latest potential customers arrived.