Went into this determined to end the story. The AI struggled hard but I think we managed. Special note to credit the last line and the epilogue entirely to the AI. I couldn’t bear to change them or have it retry!
“Hello, witch,” she says.
You try to run, but as soon as you move you feel a paralyzing spell taking effect. You struggle to move, to break free, but it has no effect. As you stare, unable to move, Tyric begins to circle you.
“So you found Babelography,” she says. “I heard about the commotion at the library. If you’ll kindly hand it over, we can go our separate ways until I next need you.”
You don’t know what to make of this. Did the demon tell her about Babelography? Had it been working with her the entire time? Or did the spells binding you to her also allow her to spy on you? You think of Babelography, still in your house with Kae. You think of your familiar, Soot, who is bonded to you by a magic thread. You think of all the spells you know, both learned and innate, but they’re trapped in your mind, unable to be used.
Tyric snaps her fingers, and you find that your head is unfrozen and you are able to speak. “Well?” she says. “Where is it?”
You have no intention of telling her, but you can feel her will pressing down on you like a physical weight. Your wrists begin to burn as if licked by flame. You grit your teeth, refusing to give in and tell her. Babelography is your only chance of being free of her and Kae and this whole, horrible mess.
“It’s here.” Kae appears behind Tyric in a swirl of leaves, raising Babelography with one hand. He looks at you with a sneering smile.
“Well done, Kae,” Tyric says. “Give it here.” Tyric snaps her fingers again, and you find that your hands burn to the point of bleeding.
“Kae!” You want to struggle, to fight the spell binding you, but only your head is free. Kae strides toward Tyric with the book outstretched, then bows in front of her, offering it deferently.
No. This can’t be happening. Kae came to you asking for help. He’s the entire reason you’re bound. He helped you get back your memory when Tyric wiped it clean. This must be a trick, a planned double-cross against Tyric.
“Kae, don’t listen to her!” You plead.
In response, he smiles at you weakly, then winces as if regretting his decision. Then, he looks at you and says, “Well, goodbye, my friend.” His tone alarms you.
You’ve never seen Kae smile earnestly, or ever imagined he thought of you as a friend. You have the sense that something terrible is about to happen. “Tyric.” You try to appeal to the court wizard. “I never wanted any part of this. Whatever you and Kae are doing, I don’t care — just let me go!”
Tyric does not so much as glance in your direction as she accepts the book from Kae. She flicks to a page in the middle of the book, a cruel grin cutting across her face. “Yes, this will do nicely. Kae — do you have the feathers?”
“I do,” he says, drawing a fistful from his pockets. They are black feathers, clearly from a crow, and your throat tightens. Did he hurt Soot after all, or is this from some other crow?
“Yes. Perfect,” she continues, speaking as if to herself.
“Will you let her go, after?” Kae asks, his voice quavering.
“Of course not. I’ll be keeping her as a pet.”
“Kae!” You say again. You struggle harder against the spell paralysing you, throwing all your will into it while Tyric is distracted by the book.
“The first ever wizard to have a true human familiar,” she says dreamily. “And a witch, at that. Think of what I will accomplish …” Just the thought of it makes you sick. Whatever she has done to you so far, clearly she hadn’t completed the spell as planned — that must be why you have had so much freedom to work against her.
“Kae! It doesn’t have to be like this! I helped you!” You say, struggling harder. You think you feel the spell begin to give. Kae says nothing, only staring at the floor, all arrogance melted away. Tyric turns back to you and begins reading from the book, chanting in Imbriol, her voice turning harsh.
With a loud caw and a flurry of wings, Soot dives for Tyric’s face, clawing at her eyes. She screams and leaps back, and in the moment her concentration slips, you break free of her paralysis spell. She motions with her hands and Soot crumples to the ground with a caw, you hope frozen and not dead. You have no time to check, rushing for Tyric and scrambling to get the book from her. Neither of you has time to cast a spell as you wrestle for control of Babelography.
“Kae!” Tyric demands. “Seize the witch!”
“Help!” You shout in reply. A moment later, two pale hands seize you from behind, lifting you clear off the ground. You kick and struggle, but you are pulled free, and Babelography slips from your grasp.
“I’m sorry,” Kae says. “I had to do this. It’s the only way to be free of her.” You try to struggle, but he is far stronger than any human.
Tyric straightens, holding the book up triumphantly. A horrible smile spreads across her face. “Good,” she says. “Now hold her still. I can’t have her escaping from my spell again.”
You feel something nudge against your side. Kae is pressing a book there. You take it and feel the familiar weight and leather binding of Babelography.
“Be quick,” Kae says. You open it and it falls open on Kae’s inserted pages of translated notes. “This incantation will break the spell, combined with Tyric’s blood,” it says. There are blood splatters all over the book, from when Soot attacked. You open it and start to read it aloud, not really knowing how to pronounce the words but somehow the spell takes over and the words are pouring out of you.
Tyric shrieks as she realises the trick that has been played on her and throws aside the fake Babelography, the illusion fading as it leaves her hands, but before she can take even one step toward you, she seizes up as the magic catches her.
You approach her, the words of the spell fading from your lips as you go through them one last time. As you finish the incantation, the demon you met in the palace catacombs emerges from behind Tyric in a bloom of dark fire.
Her white eyes go wide with horror. “No!” she gasps as the demon wraps its arms around her. “No — this isn’t –!” The demon grabs her and the two vanish, leaving nothing but smoke behind.
You stare at the place where they vanished, then run to Soot. The crow is already shaking himself and immediately flutters over to you. He lands on your shoulder and cuddles against your head. You look at Kae, who raises his hands. The inked curse wrapped around his wrists is gone. You raise your own hands, and find the same. It’s over.
You and your crow take to the air and fly off into the sunset.
EPILOGUE
You stare out at the endless fields of golden wheat under the blazing sun. Soot squirms in your bag and you reach in to crack open a can of food. The crow jumps down and pecks at the food beneath the lid. You pull it out and offer Soot some, but she declines. You don’t blame her. These are strange times. Your home has been taken away from you, and you don’t know what’s going to happen next.
Special bonus clip from the end of the video: When AI Dungeon writes a story with no input.