Lucius’s routine was ever the same. There he laid on a soft, pleasant mattress, body dapper for to be otherwise would be quite scandalous, when his eyes fluttered open, and thus he said looking most gorgeous:
“Good morning. My, what a pleasant day!”
It was six-o-clock somewhere, and the gentleman quickly arose from his bedside. Compared to the dark and cramped corners of the maze, the hospitality in Francia had been just darling! There were an abundance of undergarments and gowns to choose from in the cabinets, and various amenities for grooming were already provided by the castle attendants. Lucius was going to buy them from the Starlit Shop in the case of an emergency, so this worked out pleasantly - saved some coins for his other soon-to-be schemes.
After perusing the selection for a bit, Lucius chose to keep his violet suit but replaced the old red dress shirt with a golden one tailored to this nation’s culture. It was a bit more flamboyant, more regal, but he rather liked it—made him blend in more with the natives. Besides, changing one’s image was one of the pleasures of having free will. So many differing styles existed in the world: It wouldn’t do to stick to only one.
With that out of the way, Lucius boldly stepped out of his room. He had made arrangements with his fellows to get breakfast the day before; now was the time to wake them. It wouldn’t do to skip the most important meal of the day!
Sadly, not many seemed to share that sentiment. Most of the players were slumbering away in their beds, and the only ones awake roamed the halls still half-asleep and drowsy - stumbling about to explore their newfound accommodations.
To his pleasant surprise, though, Marco was already outside waiting for him. The affable old mobster had slightly changed his wardrobe as well, choosing to wear lighter colors of white and blue along with his black fedora. He greeted Lucius with a smile and waved over. “Morning, Lucius. Guess we’re both earlier risers, huh?”
“Indeed we are, Mister Bernardi. There are only so many hours in a day - why not make the most out of it?”
“I feel that: used to wake up at the crack of dawn in my earlier days. Was the only time I could get things done before it started gettin’ noisy. The boys would be making a mess, the girls fought over each other for who’d get the shower first… I stepped outta that life as I got older, had better caretakers look after them, but the routine—the routine never left my bones.”
Lucius laughed. “Oh, I am a man who understands routine very well. Trust me when I say that.”
A moment later, the door next to Marco’s room opened, and out wobbled a haggard Mili - eyes half-closed and seemingly moments away from collapsing on the spot. She slouched over and mumbled a quiet hello unlike her usual self. “Mm… morning, guys. Sorry if I look like a mess. My body’s pretty much wired to not work until after ten. Is it ten? I dunno, there ain't a dang window anywhere in this castle.”
Mili’s drowsy appearance clashed quite distinctly with her spunky outfit. It was a little less showy compared to before, but the musician seemed to have custom tailored it to incorporate bits of black in the design - more balanced, less striking, but still showed off her punk-rock personality.
“Ya don’t have to worry about keepin’ us two company,” Marco said, fussing over with the energy of an experienced father. “Get some rest if you’re tired. I don’t know how you even managed to style your hair all frizzy-like when ya can barely manage to keep your eyes open.”
“Nah, it’s okay. I need some food in my belly anyways,” she said, yawning. “Nice thing about going on shows all the time is that I can spruce myself up lickety-split. Give me a minute and I’ll be alive again.”
With their group reunited, they climbed up a stairwell and made their way to the upper levels. The food hall was farther out, so along the way they passed by a couple of recreational facilities provided by the castle. Lucius was quite intrigued by how modern, yet antiquated, everything was: there were gyms with fitness equipment made of stone; prayer rooms with mats and lounges; and of course the bathhouses Mili had so enthusiastically explored the day before.
“Did you know there’s, like, a giant statue in there?” she said as they walked along. “I dunno about the men’s side, but there’s this really gnarly looking bust of a half-woman half-eagle. It’s cool. Water comes out of its beak like one of those water fountains. I stood under it and got swept away by the pressure - the whole place is more like a water park than a bath.”Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Marco laughed and recounted his own experience. “It was a burly lookin’ fella carryin’ a sword for me. I went in to sweat it out in the saunas, lose some of that tension y’know, when some guy came too close and got knocked out by the water. We had to haul him outta there with nothin’ but our towels.”
It truly was like the players were vacationing at a five-star resort. Their every need was met, servants always waited nearby in case you required assistance, and the food… Lucius couldn’t get enough of the food.
Eventually, they arrived at a large chamber, where decadent smells wafted free and counters manned by chefs produced some of the most exquisite dishes the gentleman had ever seen. There was one thing to note, however: not a speck of meat could be seen. Just like the banquet before, everything that would typically have some manner of protein in the recipe was instead replaced by a floral substitute. None of them minded it since the dishes still tasted delicious, but it was curious. Lucius would have to ask Karolus about it sometime.
The group all got their preferred platters and sat down. Marco went with a big flower steak, Mili a flower stew, while Lucius indulged in a lavish salad of vegetables and grains and, of course, flowers.
“You’re a florist, Lucius. Ya ever seen flowers like these back on earth?” Marco asked.
Lucius shook his head. “I am afraid not. The cellular structure of these blooms seem closer in nature to wild mushrooms such as the Giant Puffball or the Chicken of the Woods. Curiously enough, however, they contain all the essential components to be classified as part of the genus: reproductive organs such as ovaries, pistils, and stamens. If you look closely, one may even spy a tightly condensed layer that actually serves as the petals.”
Mili’s mouth widened in surprise. “Wow, you noticed all that just from looking at it?”
He chuckled and gave her a bow. “Such is a florist’s trade, my dear. It is my calling - my passion and ever-beloved destiny. Although, It would be dishonest of me to claim this level of inspection as my usual expertise. I believe it has something to do with one of my skills.”
It was called ‘Flowers’ Best Friend’ if he recalled it correctly. The skill stated that he would feel affinity towards newly discovered species of flora, but what affinity truly entailed remained a mystery.
Such questions would have to be saved for a later date. Soon, the hall began to flood with new arrivals, and the breakfast period quickly passed in peace.
It was not long after the group had finished their meals that knights in bulky suits of armor marched in and spoke out to the crowd.
“The Archbishop has requested your presence. All otherworlders must comply. Spend this next period clearing your food - when you are done, we shall guide you to the training grounds.”
The supposed request sounded more like a command to Lucius, but what else was there to do? It’d be rude to keep their hosts waiting.
The party stood up and began to line up with the other players. The knights attempted to portray themselves as neutral, but Lucius could see a slight uncomfortable unease in their stony guises. He remembered Karolus from the night before speaking of rumors spreading among the castle-folk: It appeared to be true. The castle servants were professional enough to mask their hesitation, but the knights were not nearly as capable.
Soon, they set off, marching through the halls along with countless other players ahead and behind them. The air was filled with the rhythmic echoes of stomps and rustling metal.
After some time, there it was: a giant marble slab that served as the door to the outside. Lucius could see light seeping through the cracks. The moment had come to finally see the outside.
The marble slab parted way, and the party was met with an endless sky of purple. Yes, purple. It was not blue or orange or anything like that: instead, two purple suns blazed high in the grand majesty of space, enveloping all in a hallowed glow. It was then that the players felt, both in heart and soul, that they were well and truly gone from the dimension they called home.
The knights led them out into a wide encampment. There were training dummies, targets, weapons and arrays of equipment scattered about along rows of large buildings that seemed to serve as storage. The players were congregated towards the center, where a ring was formed by sandbags, and bleachers laid off to the side similarly to a stadium.
They were directed to take a seat and wait for the rest. Thousands of players came pouring in, some mumbling concerns about the purpose for this gathering, but they soon quieted down as the gentle Archbishop revealed himself and cried out with a booming voice.
“Welcome back, heroes of another world,” he said. “I do hope you have been well. The accommodations in the southern ward were arranged to fulfil any needs you may have required, but if discontent should ever avail you, please do not be afraid to speak freely.”
Mili quietly laughed to herself. “If the rooms were any fancier I wouldn’t be able to sleep.”
The Archbishop waited to see if anyone would speak, which they did not of course, before continuing on. “Before we discuss more of your assembly here, allow me to introduce the esteemed fellows responsible for instructing the faithful knights of our Sacred Order. Please bid your warmest welcomes to Lady Bradamante and Sir Ruggiero of the Twelve Peers!”