Chapter Text
You've always known that you were different from your friends.
Normal people don't have horns.
Normal people don't have tails.
Normal people don't have sharp teeth and claws.
You hide as much of your abnormality from your party as you can.
People from Ka Bue call people like you "demons".
You think it's an apt name.
The King is a demon too. A demon king.
Demons turn into demon kings when a demon king dies near them.
...You didn't know that.
You and your party had all heard the rumors about the King, how dreadful and monstrous his form was. You had long known that you and the King were both of the same kind, both demons. The difference was that the King doesn't bother to hide his monstrousness, maybe even showing it off.
It was another thing to see it in person.
Long, giant horns sprout from the King's crown.
Behind him, a long tail lays on the ground.
But nothing is more noticeable than his massive, imposing wings. They stretch from the ground all the way up, almost touching the ceiling.
You're sure that if the King were to try to unfurl them, they would hit the sides of the corridor before they even halfway opened.
The rest of your party takes a moment to stare as well.
…You're glad that you at least don't have wings like those, they would probably be hard to hide under your cloak, and it would make lying down a pain too.
You all approach the King.
…a moment passes.
…then two.
…finally, you've done it. The King is dead, and it only took you 17 loops!
You celebrate with your party, almost in disbelief that you've won, you've finally won!
Everyone gathers around you and celebrates.
And then, you feel intense pain from all over your body, so intense that your legs give out and you crumple over on the floor. You can hear your friends freaking out around you.
"Siffrin?"
"Sif? Hey! Woah, are you okay?"
You feel your skull is cracking open to make way for something to grow out of your head.
You feel something moving under your skin, moving outwards and erupting from your back.
You scream, but it's so painful that no sound comes out. You can barely think.
Surely, surely you're dying right now, right? Why haven't you looped back yet?
Your mouth tastes of iron and burnt sugar. You think you can feel Mira trying to use healing craft on you?
Your hat falls off, and you can hear gasps and shouting around you, but you can't make out the words. You can feel their eyes on you, on your horns.
Somehow that makes your heart hurt worse than your bones.
They can see, they can see, they can see!
They can see what you really are.
You f e e l
a t u g on
y o u r s to m a ch.
<<<
…
You shoot forwards, sitting up in the grass as you grip your cloak.
You instinctively check the top of your head and your back.
You breathe in and out, in and out, in out inout ininin-
Breathe Siffrin!!!
You wheeze as you fall back down on the grass, barely managing to control your breathing like an idiot who doesn't know how to breathe!!!
"Pheeeew..."
...You can still feel the phantom pains from your skull, still feel your skin ripping-
Well.
That was WAY worse than when the King killed you in one shot.
You had beaten the King, and then… what? Were you dying?
No. You weren't dying there, you were turning into something else. Your… horns had gotten longer. You were growing wings.
...Ha...
You had really thought that killing the King would end the loops? What a fool! Teehee!
You need to talk to Loop.
As you get up, you quickly make sure that your horns and tail are properly hidden away. Wouldn't want your friends to see what a horrible monster you are!
You walk towards the favor tree, tell Isa you're busy, and sit in front of Loop.
You're not really sure how to even explain what happened…
[...So?]
"...I beat the King."
[You did?!? Oh, stars above, I'm so proud of you!!! You did it!!! You succeeded!!! You–]
"But, something happened when I beat him."
[...Yes.]
[You were turning into a horrible monster!!! And right in front of your party too!]
Rude! But accurate.
Loop smiles as if privy to a joke only they know. But you're pretty sure they're just mocking you.
...They don't seem surprised.
They don't seem surprised at all, do they?
"Did you know this would happen?"
[...]
[I had a feeling, yes.]
[So… because there's no clear way to escape…]
[Will you give up?]
Give up?
...
No. You're fine aren't you?
You still have some doors to open.
"The King. My… transformation was caused by killing him."
[Err, yes?]
"And the transformation… made my horns bigger, made me start growing wings like his."
"Maybe he knows why that happened. Maybe I could just… ask him?"
[Ask the king?!?]
[Well, um, sure, I suppose that might work?]
[How would you even broach that topic though?]
Loop puts on a funny voice, as they somehow exaggerate their motions even more.
["Hey King, I killed you in a different timeline and then transformed into a horrific monster, what's up with that?"]
Loop has that private joke twinkle in their eye again. Yep. That's what you're calling that look now.
"That is NOT what I sound like."
[It totally iiiiiis , stardust. I would know.]
"Is not."
[It is!]
"Not!!!"
[As the resident Siffrin expert here, I can tell you that it is!]
...As much as you hate to admit it, Loop does sometimes know you better than you know yourself. They even knew about your pineapple allergy somehow!
…
[Well, in the meantime…]
[How can I help you on this wonderful new loop, stardust?]
Well, you finish talking to Loop with at least some direction on what to do next. You need to ask the king some questions about… whatever happened to you after you killed him. Somehow.