‘Well, it's still worth a try to test that out…’

“Stop!” I shouted, hoping that our possible assailants would listen to my request.

My attempt ended up being successful, with the horde of several hundred shopping as the words left my mouth. 

My group let out a collective breath of relief.

“Phew,” Master sighed. “Glad you thought of doing that, and that it worked. That wouldn’t have been an enjoyable fight.” 

‘Well yeah, I could see that being pretty difficult…seeing as I’m a liability and Mama and Ms. Myri aren’t at full strength. Considering that, they probably count as one person together in a brawl and I’d count myself as zero…so that would make it three against over three hundred. The odds don’t sound too good. But she said, enjoyable…does that mean that they would win but she’d get bored or something?’

Deciding to ask that at a more appropriate time, I turn towards my companions.

“Uh, what now? Should I tell them to leave?” I whispered.

“Well, hmmm. We don’t really need a guide to the next floor, as both me and Kna’Ve both know how to get there,” Master mused. “So, I guess that’s fine?”

“Oka-”

“Wait!” Ms. Kna’Ve interjected. “Can we at least ask what alerted them to come here? Nobody has gotten the chance to study these people…or at least lived to report their findings. I know we have a goal, but can we ask this before we move on?”

A round of nods caused the beautiful polycephal’s cheeks to redden.

“Thank you,” she smiled.

“Understood,” I replied with a grin plastered on my face. “Does anyone else have a request?”

Receiving four noes, I turn my attention back towards the horde of humanoids kneeling in front of me and walk a bit closer to them.

I take a second to look at them, as the only other time I encounter them I wasn’t concerned over their appearances.

They were…interesting to say the least. Their shapes were distinctly human, with no additions like horns or wings. But instead of regular skin and hair, theirs looked like it was made from shadows. 

They looked like the silhouettes of locked video game characters. It was really cool looking, but also quite unnerving.

“Ahem,” I cleared my throat, hoping to grab their attention. To my dismay, none of them took their eyes off the floor.

“Lost Ones, please raise your heads, I have something to ask you,” I said surprising myself with the words coming out of my mouth.

‘Lost Ones? Where’d that come from? I didn’t even mean to say that?!’

As I freaked out internally, the horde of shadow people, apparently called Lost Ones, if my mouth was to be believed, were beginning to look up at me.

Encouraged by their response, I opened my mouth again, allowing it free reign.

“I’ll take your silence as affirmation,” I said cooly. “In that case, I'll ask. What alerted you to come to this location?”

“...” 

My inquiry was met with silence.

As I was about to speak once more, a figure straighten up, halting me.

The Lost One in question was big and burly looking, with massive shoulders and robust muscles.

They were quite imposing, taller than I was even in their semi-knelt state.

“Please forgive us Great One,” they said with a deep and rugged voice befitting of their body build. “We sensed someone defiling the Ruler’s domain, and as such, we sought out to slaughter those brazen and foolish  enough to do so.”

“So it was the grain then?” I asked.

The Lost One nodded.

I turn back to Ms. Kna’Ve. “Is that a good enough explanation?”

“Yes, thank you Maua,” she responds with a smile.

“Then is it fine if we take the plant?” I asked the shadow person.

“If the Great One wills it, we naturally will abide by their decision,” They respond smoothly.

Ms. Myri takes this as her cue to stuff the plant into the bag.

“Well, then that’s all I have to ask,” I declared, again letting my mouth work on autopilot. “Arise and disperse.”

The Lost Ones all got up and began to walk away.

Thinking that the encounter was over, I turned and started walking back toward my group. I stopped as I heard a hushed squabble happening between two of the Lost.

“Come on,” a soft feminine voice pleaded. “The Great One told us to leave. Do you wish to earn their ire for disobeying an order?”

“I’m aware of what might happen,” responded the one who had spoken to me before. “But I have to try.”

Finding myself intrigued, I turn around for the nth time to face the two.

The shorter feminine one notices first. “Great One, please forgive this big idiot's imprudence. He knows better…we’ll be leaving now.”

They tugged at the big guy, urging him to leave. He stood firm, eyes set on me.

And then he drops to his knees and plants his head firmly on the ground.

“Great One! I accept it if you take my head as penance for my insubordination, but please listen to my request!” He shouted, his voice raw with emotion.

“Whoa, please raise your head,”  I said, a bit flustered by the suddenness. “And tell me your request. At the very least I’ll hear you out. And I don’t play on taking anyone’s head as of right now.”

“Thank you!” he beamed... or at least I assumed so, it was hard to tell. “However, it would be easier to show you than explain it with words. Is that acceptable?”

My head whipped back towards my companions, who had noticed the exchange and thus moved closer, with an unspoken question on my face.

Having heard the conversation, they all readily gave their affirmation.

“Yes, that would be fine,” I tell the big guy.

“In that case, follow me please,” the Lost One said.

He started walking off, the shorter feminine shadow person following behind him timidly. 

We followed right behind them.

After some time(I couldn’t tell how long with the never changing scenery), we arrived at what looked like a pretty big-sized village. 

There were several dozens of tents surrounding a massive campfire. There were Lost children running around and laughing jovially as they plated with their friends.

Elders smiled fondly from their seats as they watch the energetic youths frolic around. Everyone I could see seemed to walk with a bounce to their step and a smile in their eyes.

From the murmurs of the rest of my group, I could tell they were quite surprised by the existence of the village and the atmosphere within it.

The shorter Lost One had caught me looking around and spoke up. 

“Does the village please you, Great One?” 

“Yes,” I replied with a smile. “It gives off a really nice and warm feeling.”

I paused, glancing at the more opposing silhouette person. “However, I find it hard to believe that you would put your neck on the line just to show off your village. There’s something wrong.”

He sighed in response. “Unfortunately, that is the case.”

He led us to a tent, halting 

“Great One,” he started. “Excuse my impertinence once again, but may I ask what you know about the Lost?”

“Other than what you are called? Nothing.”

“I see, then let me explain. We are the Lost Ones, created by the Great One as the guardians of the first circle, Limbo. As children of Hell, we are nigh-immortal, only succumbing if we are slain in battle. Unlike some of the others from the various other circles, the way that immortality works is a bit…different. As a Lost One is born, they grow as a member of the humanoid races might. From infancy to childhood to adulthood, and eventually elderhood. From there we began anew, with our memories intact with a process we call Forging a New Path. However…”

He opens the tent, and we spill inside. Inside were several older-looking Lost Ones laid out on mats seemingly in severe pain being tended to by younger ones.

“The process hasn’t been working completely,” He continued. “Sometimes an elder will try to Forge a New Path and have it blow up in their faces. Instead of having their bodies transformed painless, they are assaulted with pain for weeks before they dissipate, never to be seen again.”

“Like the ones in front of us?” I asked, gesturing to the people spread out within the tent.

“Like the ones in front of us.” He agreed.

“So what do you think is the problem?”

“I think we’ve forgotten.”

“Forgotten what?”

“As the name suggests, a Lost One is one that is lost. It’s normal to get lost on your path. It may be difficult to find the path again if you find yourself lost. However, a forgotten path will never be found again”

“What do you mean?” I asked.

“I mean YOU are our path! There are several ways we each walk down that path but it all ends the same. You are our creator, our pride, and our true reason for living. Our inability to protect you time and time again has made us numb. Weak.  Please, I beg you to make us remember the purpose that we’ve forgotten. Show us even with our inadequacies, you’re still okay. That we can improve and make sure that we can protect you next time!”

The speech rendered me speechless. I didn’t expect something like that at all…guess that comes with being the supposed creator of everything. I didn’t want them to live their lives solely for me, but I also didn’t want them to die because of me either.

‘But lost but not forgotten. That’s quite heavy….I want to help if I can. Maybe I can even help them find new paths to explore. But how? This would be the perfect time for a Cute Ex Machina appearance.’

You rang?

Score!

‘Do I catch you up or you got the gist?’

I got it, I got it. And I have the perfect thing for this.

‘Lay it on me.’

Repeat after me. Lauth baharooth navardha fegohani.

“Lauth baharooth navardha fegohani.” 

As the words left my mouth a flash engulfed the entrance of the tent.

I walked towards it to find the source of light. In the middle of the campfire, a massive tree appeared, taking the flame and using it as its foliage.

“Will that suffice…what was your name?”

“Yes, Great One, I think it will.” He said a smile in his eyes. “And I don’t possess a name, none of us Lost do.”

“That won’t do,” I replied. “May I name you then?”

“I would love nothing more,” he said.

“Then I’ll call you Gaul, cause you quite the nerve…but not in a bad way.” 

Lulla

Hey there! I don't have much to say right now, my brains a bit fried after writing this. Got hit with a wallop of inspiration and I had to write it down before it fizzled out...which it still did a bit at the end there. And sue me about the title, never watched the show but I had to do it when I saw the opportunity. But anyways, thanks for reading! Stay safe and don't do anything Maua wouldn't!