The missing allies were found, but the El Search Party is still stuck in the strange theater. A strange short play is repeating on stage before them, showing what seems like a fairytale of the Demon Realm.
Quest Acceptance Dialogue
(CRUMBLE... CRUMBLE...)
(CRINKLE, CRINKLE, CRINKLE.)
Laby:Wow, it looks like everything here is made of paper.
Rose:The sound of wind blowing through a paper field... What a novel experience.
Lu:... Ciel, cut the ground slightly.
Ciel:Hm? ... Like this?
(CRUMBLE... ... PSSSS....)
Elesis:Oh, the paper is mending itself back together.
Lu:As I thought. This place is also controlled by someone like the Magician's house.
Ciel:I'm not that well-versed in magic, but is it supposed to be this easy to create places like these?
Ain:If you wish to hear the answer to that question, I suggest we hurry to find our friends.
Narrator:... The people blessed... ... for all eternity.
Aisha:... I told you! I definitely heard you asking me for help! You said, Aisha! Help! You're the best magician I know!
Rena:I hear them! That way!
Elsword:And you bought that? I don't sound like that at all!!
Chung:You fell for that same trick. Ara, Elsword, and I have been here for a while.
Ara:We were all struck here watching this boring play over and over again...
Laby:Everyone! You're all here! Are you ok?
Elesis:I'm glad to see you're unharmed, but you all look awfully cozy in your seats.
Elsword:... We didn't mean for it to happen this way.
Ciel:You didn't mean to sit around in comfort? Look, even the cushion looks soft...
Aisha:No!! Don't sit down!!
Elsword:You can't sit down! Or your body sticks to these seats and you can't get up no matter how hard you try!
Elesis:What are you saying! Here, give me your hand. I'll help you up.
Elsword:Ow... Owowowow! Sis, my arms/ gonna fall off!
Elesis:Wow, you're not kidding! Not even a budge! Maybe if I hold on to your neck...
Ain:I think you should stop, Ms. Knight-Captain. You might harm someone.
Ara:Sigh... We've been like this ever since we came here. I lost count of how many times they've repeated the play.
Elsword:Fifth magician, the being that hides in the shadow.
Narrator:... Fifth magician, the being that hides in the shadow.
Chung:He disappeared, never to be seen.
Narrator:... He disappeared, never to be seen.
Rena:Oh dear, you memorized all the words already?
Elsword:I'm sick of it. I can't stand it anymore.
Raven:Be careful not to sit on the seats and let's find a way to get out of here.
Eve:What about the ones who already sat down?
Elesis:Maybe lift them up by the seats and carry them out...?
Add:Who's going to lift them...
Narrator:(BZZT-) The play will start once everyone is seated.
... BAM BAM BABAM BABABABAM!
Clapping from Unseen Audience:(CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP)
Chung:Uuhh, it's starting again...
Eve:... Maybe we should all sit down?
Aisha:But... you'll be stuck.
Eve:I briefly examined the seats, but there were no adhesives or other special mechanisms. And... it seems like this place is governed by some kind of rules.
Eve:I do not know what kind of rules apply here, but I believe we must follow them if we wish to progress.
Chung:But... Will it be alright? If we're all stuck, we might not be able to fight back.
Eve:Doesn't it seem too well-made for it to be a trap? The Dream Demons love and cherish this village.
Eve:If this is their kingdom, I don't think they'll do anything to harm it that easily.
Raven:.......
Raven:... Considering the Magician earlier showed no intention of harming us, perhaps this is another one of their strange tricks.
Noah:It leaves a bad taste, but maybe it's just another game for Dream Demons.
Add:Tsk, forcing a rule on me... I don't like it. If we're all decided, then let's sit.
Elsword:Add, what's the bunny doll? Strange thing you got there.
Add:Shut it.
Laby:Shall we sit, too? Here! You sit right next to Laby, Nisha!
Noah:Do you think you're included in that everyone, Clamor?
Clamor:... Just se me on the floor.
Quest Completion Dialogue
Rose:Everyone in your seats? Hm, it's true. I can't move. It's like I'm glued to the seat.
Narrator:... One day, in a chaotic land, five magicians appeared. They were prophets and visionaries.
Narrator:The first magician gave the land a new name, and left golden seeds all across the Demon Realm.
Elesis:Nothing's happening. Are you sure this is not a trap?
Rose:This opening act just began. Maybe it'll start after this?
Laby:True. If they just stop in the middle and start a new play, everyone who came in late won't know what happened!
Elesis:Is this what bugs trapped in a spider web feels like? I don't like not being able to move. Alright, I'll wait...
Narrator:... The second magician roamed around and met people suffering from an unnamed plague.
Narrator:The magician taught them the cure, and the people blessed each other as they danced around for all eternity.
Narrator:The third magician gave one man a prophecy. The man who received the prophecy was very grateful and shared his treasures.
Narrator:The man was victorious, just like the prophecy said, and soon became the king.
Narrator:The fourth magician found youth searching for truth. He was greatly pleased and showed them new land.
Narrator:The youth found new waves. But then... what did the fifth magician give?
Narrator:Fifth magician, the being that hides in the shadow.
Narrator:He disappeared, never to be seen.
Clapping from Unseen Audience:(CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP)
Aisha:Ahhh... We're the only ones here... Who could be clapping?
Rose:... What a strange play. Is it a fairytale of some sort from the Demon Realm?
Raven:It doesn't sound like the kind of story with a happily ever after. It sounds more like a prophecy told by bards.
A strange play begins... The El Search Party is shocked when they learn who's going to be starring in the play.
Quest Acceptance Dialogue
(BZZT-)
Laby:Oooh, something's about to start!
Narrator:(ANNOUNCEMENT) This adventure begins in a dry, desert land where sand storms rage.
Add:... I can already tell this play is going to be a flop.
Narrator:(ANNOUNCEMENT) The main act will begin shortly. Actors, please get on stage.
Chung:How do you know it's going to be a flop from just the opening?
Add:You think they'll have a proper play with cardboard backgrounds? Kugh?!
Elsword:Huh? Add, where are you... Gah?!
Ciel:Wait, where are you going? W, we still can't move!
Aisha:No! It's like... Our body is moving on their own!
Noah:What... Who's still sitting?
Rose:... The five of us. Me, Lu, Ciel, Laby, and you.
Raven:Ugh... Something invisible is pulling us.
Ain:... Strings... Can you cut it?
Add:Damn it! I'm trying! But when I cut one, ten more of them appear...!
Elesis:What are they playing at?
Narrator:Bow to the audience before the start of the play!
Clapping from Unseen Audience:(WHOO- CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP)
Rena:Don't tell me... we're the actors?
Narrator:Now, let the play begin!
Quest Completion Dialogue
Eris:Ack, I got shot in the leg! I cannot go any further... Leave without me!
Iccus:But Eris!
Eris:Go!
Narrator:That moment, the archer swept he long blonde hair back and smiled evilly. She said,
Narrator:Ahahaha! You will all die here. Kyahahaha!'
Rena:Aha... haha... You will... all... die here. Ahaha...
Narrator:The archer's hair was dyed red with the blood of countless Dream Demons she killed.
Eris:Of course, I cannot forgive them... But... But I cannot lose you too.
Iccus:Sob... But I cannot leave you here!
Rena:Hey! I never bullied you like...!
Raven:Calm down, Rena. If we don't follow the script, we might have to start all over.
Rena:Mrrr...
Narrator:Boom! With a sound of an explosion, slow, but determined footsteps approached them.
Narrator:The artilleryman strikes a pose with his cannon and says narcissistically. 'Boom, boom! Hahaha... It's so much fun demolishing them all!'
Chung:... It's... so much... fun... demonlishing them all. Which one should I use as a target next?
Chung:No matter how many there are, I can sh, shoot... all of them down.
Chung:(Is this... what they think of me? A mad bomber and a serial killer...?)
Elsword:(No, Chung! You're not... This is ridiculous.)
Aisha:(Nobody likes their assigned parts here. I'm some kind of a mad shaman reading the path of the stars!)
Raven:(... And I'm an evil swordsman who traded his left arm with the devil. It's absurd.)
Narrator: 'Huhuhu, leave some for me.' The woman wielding a spear appears with a bewitching laugh.
Narrator:But continue bitingly, as if she turned into a completely different person.
Ara:Kya... haha... That one's liver is mine! I'll, uh, sh, shr...
Ara:Uhhh, shred it to pieces! Roar!
Eun:(... I must have lived for too long. I didn't think I'd ever witness something like this.)
Ara:Uuuuh... Not you too, Eun...
Lu:Aha, I understand why we were left in the audience. This stage is reenacting the events at Sander, isn't it?
Elesis:Come, my minions, I shall pardon you if you win, but if you lose... Off with your heads!
Ciel:... Never mind the content, it looks like Elesis is having way too much fun.
Rose:She's just someone who gives it her all no matter what the task is.
Ain:Haha, this damned...
Rose:But the way, Ain hasn't said anything yet, do you know what his role is supposed to be?
Noah:I believe he's a silent monk... I missed most of the details, since they breezed through the explanation.
Laby:Laby's starting to feel bad for the Dream Demons.
Noah:Surely... they weren't actually like that...? How long do we have to watch this?
Ciel:Even though I got that the demons here specialize in mental attacks, I never thought it would involve something like this. How terrifying.
Lu:Well... Yes. THey do live off the attention and emotion.
Lu:I'm sure even a crude stage like this will bring up emotion. Like... anger. Whichever it may be, I do hope they're not too affected by them.
... ... ... ...
Eve:... Why should I have to fight in a battle for peasants. I do not wish to get my clothes dirty, so I shall rest in the shades.
Eve:Ahh, will you fight for me, m, my p, p, prince...?
Narrator:... Hellooo? Next line!
Add:Damn it all... Y, your wish is my command, m, my pr... princess...
Rose:The lines are quite romantic, yet the mood is quite murderous. How did those two end up as a prince and princess duo?
Laby:Weren't you paying attention, Rose? Those two are princess and prince with a machine heart. They are normally cruel and ruthless, but the love they have for each other is true!
Laby:But they are actually half-siblings. It's a forbidden love, but they don't know that yet. Only the machine princess has some suspicion.
Rose:Aha... Is that the setting?
Lu:It's painful to watch. If my arms weren't held, I would have at least covered my ears.
Ciel:Really? I'm just getting into it. It's giving us so much blackmail material.
... ... ... ...
Karis Role:Now, my beloved brethren, my friends, leave this to me, and go! Haa!
Elsword:(Ugh, why do I have to say this!)
Elsword:Kugh, defeated by a mere demon? I will not forget this...!
Narrator:... The show has ended. Now final bow for the audience!
Aisha:... That's it? Is it truly over?
Clapping from Unseen Audience:(WHOO- CLAP CLAP CLAP CLAP)
Aisha:Ahhh that was the worst! Did you see that scene where I fawled out my eyes because the cloudy sky prevented me from receiving any message from the stars? It's ridiculous!
Elsword:Hey, I barely had any lines except at the end. Why was I on stage if they weren't going to make use of me?
Rena:Be grateful you were an average swordsman. You saw what they did to the main characters.
Chung:Serial bomber...
Ain:Ha, can I speak now? Moving accordingly to the whim of demons was irritating. Very irritating.
Add:Am I... that obnoxious and cringey? This humiliation is the worst...
Elesis:Calm, my prince. You shan't bother yourself with jests of us lowly peasants.
Add:Do you want to die?! Are you boasting that your role wasn't as bad?!
Theater You Can't Leave
Varnimyr
Pruinaum
Tirnog
