The Lazy Chronicles: Apartment of the Apocalypse
Chapter 119 - 120: The Oracle’s Gambit

Chapter 119: Chapter 120: The Oracle’s Gambit

Chapter 119: The Oracle’s Gambit

The underground ruins stretched endlessly before them, a maze of crumbling stone corridors lit only by glowing mushrooms and flickering torches held by the robed cultists. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and something metallic, like old blood and rust.

At the front of the procession, Blinky jiggled with what could only be described as smug satisfaction, having just been declared a divine being by the Keepers of the Forgotten. Greg, trailing behind, pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I refuse to accept this reality," he muttered. "A sentient pudding cup is now our spiritual leader."

Mallory smirked. "Sounds about right for our luck."

Elara adjusted the strap of her satchel. "At least this means they won’t try to kill us."

Quinn grinned. "Yet."

Their guide, the skeletal-masked leader of the cultists, raised a hand, signaling for silence. They had reached a set of massive stone doors, covered in strange symbols that pulsed faintly with an eerie blue glow.

"The Oracle of Rust awaits within," the leader intoned. "Only those worthy may enter."

Mallory stepped forward. "Define ’worthy.’"

The leader gestured at Blinky, who gurgled happily. "The Devourer has spoken. You are already chosen."

Greg groaned. "Oh, fantastic. We’re VIP guests at the Cult of the Goo God."

Mallory placed a hand on the stone door. It was ice-cold, despite the warmth of the cavern. "Let’s get this over with."

With a deep rumble, the doors swung open, revealing a vast chamber bathed in crimson light. Strange machinery jutted from the walls, gears turning slowly, leaking rust-colored liquid that dripped into grates along the floor. In the center sat a massive throne made of twisted metal and old bones.

And upon it, the Oracle of Rust.

A figure cloaked in rags, their face hidden beneath a jagged mask of corroded iron. The air crackled with power around them.

"You seek knowledge," the Oracle rasped, their voice like grinding metal. "And knowledge... has a price."

A Test of Will

Mallory crossed her arms. "We were told you could help us find the Forgotten Gate."

The Oracle tilted their head. "And so I shall... if you prove yourselves."

Greg threw up his hands. "Of course. Why is everything a test?"

Quinn nudged him. "C’mon, Greg. Think of it as leveling up in a game. You gotta earn your reward."

Greg muttered, "Then I want a better game designer."

The Oracle stood, raising a rusted staff. "Three trials. Pass them, and you shall have the knowledge you seek."

Mallory nodded. "Fine. What’s the first?"

The Oracle pointed at her. "The Trial of Truth."

Without warning, the ground beneath them shifted. The walls blurred, and suddenly, the group was standing in a vast, endless void, reflections of themselves stretching in every direction. A low whisper filled the air.

"Here, you must face what you fear most. The truth of yourself."

Greg gulped. "Oh, I don’t like this."

One by one, shadowy figures stepped from the void—distorted, twisted versions of themselves, their eyes hollow, their voices dripping with malice.

Mallory’s doppelgänger smirked. "You pretend to be strong, but deep down, you’re still the scared girl who lost everything."

Mallory clenched her fists. "I know who I am. And I don’t need you to tell me."

Her shadow self lunged, but Mallory met it head-on, striking with the sheer force of her will. The specter dissolved into smoke.

One by one, they faced their fears—Greg confronted his crippling self-doubt, Quinn battled the weight of his past betrayals, Elara fought against her fear of being powerless.

Finally, only Alex remained. His shadow self stood silently before him, a perfect copy, except for the burning, golden eyes.

"You hide behind quiet observation," it whispered. "But you are nothing. A supporting role in other people’s stories."

Alex exhaled slowly, then stepped forward. "That’s where you’re wrong."

His hand passed through the specter, and with that, the void shattered.

They were back in the chamber. The Oracle nodded approvingly.

"You have passed the first trial."

Greg slumped. "I need a nap."

The Trial of Endurance

No time for rest. The Oracle slammed the butt of their staff against the floor.

"The second trial begins now."

The room around them changed again—this time into a treacherous landscape of crumbling pathways suspended over a churning sea of molten metal. A rickety bridge led toward the far end, where a glowing symbol pulsed.

"You must cross," the Oracle intoned. "Before the path collapses."

Mallory’s eyes narrowed. "Move!"

They sprinted across the unstable bridge, wooden planks breaking underfoot.

Greg screamed as a section gave way beneath him. "NOPE, NOPE, NOPE—"

Quinn grabbed his arm, yanking him to safety. "Less screaming, more running!"

Alex leapt ahead, landing on a stone outcrop just as it crumbled. Mallory and Elara followed, Blinky bouncing along effortlessly.

The bridge groaned ominously. They were halfway across when figures emerged from the molten sea—twisted, half-melted specters of the past, reaching for them with clawed hands.

Mallory swung her blade, cutting through one, but more rose.

Greg, panting, turned to Elara. "I hate ghosts."

Elara pulled a vial from her satchel. "Then you’ll love this."

She threw it down, and a burst of freezing energy spread out, shattering the specters.

Quinn grinned. "Nice work."

They reached the end just as the last piece of the bridge collapsed behind them. The symbol on the floor flared brightly, and once again, they were back in the chamber.

The Oracle nodded. "You endure. Good."

Greg bent over, hands on his knees. "I swear if the third trial is ’fight a dragon,’ I’m out."

The Final Trial: The Price of a Hero

The Oracle stepped forward. "The final trial is simple."

Mallory crossed her arms. "Somehow, I doubt that."

The Oracle extended a hand. "You must choose. One of you must stay behind. Forever."

Silence.

Greg paled. "Excuse me?"

Mallory’s eyes narrowed. "Define ’stay behind.’"

The Oracle gestured at the chamber. "This place exists outside time. One must remain as its guardian. Only then will the path to the Forgotten Gate be revealed."

Alex exhaled. "That’s not a choice. That’s a demand."

Quinn’s jaw tightened. "No one’s staying behind."

The Oracle chuckled. "Then you fail."

The walls began to close in. The ground trembled. The air thickened like liquid, making it harder to breathe.

Mallory clenched her fists. "There’s always another way."

She turned to Blinky. The little slime wobbled thoughtfully, then made a decisive gurgle.

Greg blinked. "Wait... is Blinky volunteering?"

Blinky jiggled again, bouncing forward.

The Oracle tilted their head. "The Devourer... chooses sacrifice?"

Blinky gave a determined burble.

A long pause. Then, the Oracle nodded. "So be it."

The chamber stilled. The walls retreated. The air cleared.

Mallory swallowed hard. "Wait—what does that mean? Blinky?"

The slime let out one final happy gurgle—before dissolving into a mist of blue light. The energy swirled, embedding itself into the stone beneath them.

The Oracle stepped aside. Behind them, a hidden passageway opened, bathed in golden light.

"The path is revealed," the Oracle intoned. "Go."

Greg stood frozen. "Did we just... did we just lose Blinky?"

Quinn exhaled. "I think we did."

Mallory clenched her jaw. "Then we make it count."

Without another word, they stepped into the light, leaving behind the Oracle, the ruins—

And the memory of their smallest, bravest companion.

The Final Trial: The Price of a Hero

The Oracle stepped forward. "The final trial is simple."

Mallory crossed her arms. "Somehow, I doubt that."

The Oracle extended a hand. "You must choose. One of you must stay behind. Forever."

Silence.

Greg paled. "Excuse me?"

Mallory’s eyes narrowed. "Define ’stay behind.’"

The Oracle gestured at the chamber. "This place exists outside time. One must remain as its guardian. Only then will the path to the Forgotten Gate be revealed."

Alex exhaled. "That’s not a choice. That’s a demand."

Quinn’s jaw tightened. "No one’s staying behind."

The Oracle chuckled. "Then you fail."

The walls began to close in. The ground trembled. The air thickened like liquid, making it harder to breathe.

Mallory clenched her fists. "There’s always another way."

She turned to Blinky. The little slime wobbled thoughtfully, then made a decisive gurgle.

Greg blinked. "Wait... is Blinky volunteering?"

Blinky jiggled again, bouncing forward.

The Oracle tilted their head. "The Devourer... chooses sacrifice?"

Blinky gave a determined burble.

A long pause. Then, the Oracle nodded. "So be it."

The chamber stilled. The walls retreated. The air cleared.

Mallory swallowed hard. "Wait—what does that mean? Blinky?"

The slime let out one final happy gurgle—before dissolving into a mist of blue light. The energy swirled, embedding itself into the stone beneath them.

The Oracle stepped aside. Behind them, a hidden passageway opened, bathed in golden light.

"The path is revealed," the Oracle intoned. "Go."

Greg stood frozen. "Did we just... did we just lose Blinky?"

Quinn exhaled. "I think we did."

Mallory clenched her jaw. "Then we make it count."

Without another word, they stepped into the light, leaving behind the Oracle, the ruins—

And the memory of their smallest, bravest companion.

To be continued...