crumbs

Salah scurried up the temple's 404 steps, his feet light and nimble, racing towards the top as the sun approached the center of the sky. Each step brought him closer to home, and the song in his heart grew stronger until he could no longer hold back:

"So much to do, too much to do, so little time to see it through! Gotta hurry, no time to waste; the sun's a-climbing; we gotta make haste!"

Blister, the sun cat, a creature of grace and agility, sped past Salah. With a playful grin, she laughed as she passed him, "Come on, Salah! The desert sun waits for no one. Save your songs for when we reach the top."

As the duo continued their climb, the ancient stones beneath their feet pulsed with energy, illuminating the rhythm, eagerly anticipating their arrival. Winds swirled the sand with the promise of a grand performance, setting the stage under the sun's watchful eye.

Salah bit down hard on his tongue, holding in the words. Blister was right; he must save every drop of magic for the ritual. Reaching for the key on his neck, Salah grasped it tightly, drawing strength from its ancient energy. He glanced at Blister, her eyes reflecting the same determination he felt. Pushing off the final step, he sprang high into the air and spun over a giant pile of the strangest odds and ends. Then, landing perfectly on his mark, he took a slight bow.

Blister's tail twitched in approval as she found her place outside the pile, careful not to break the chalk circle, as Salah warned.

Standing atop the ancient temple with the desert stretching out before him, Salah began to sing.

Lost in a world
of forgotten things,
A handbell rings,
Calling us home
Bringing us back,

Little and big,
'cross the Runiverse
they run with cheer
to come and hear;
the bell's sweet hum,

bah da bah da
bah dum dee da
they run with cheer
they run with cheer

Every wanderer
can hear it;
every soul on fire
can feel it
unity through magic,
we'll see it all,

Objects find their place,
nothing's left in space,
gather all around,
in harmony, we're bound

bah da bah da
bah dum dee da.
come and hear
come and hear

Salah, typically a more reserved crooner, could not contain his excitement as he belted out his new ditty. His voice resonated across an endless sea of golden dunes, the sands swirling faster, dancing like serpents ascending toward the heavens. The sun, a colossal orb of fire, moved closer, bringing an ever-rising immeasurable heat. The air shimmered with the intensity of their performance, the magic palpable. Salah, a master of the offering ritual, could feel the energy building; it was nearing a climax. Just a little more, and they would be home.

The offerings, a strange collection of candies, exotic fruits, shimmering trinkets, and peculiar talismans, piled between them. They lifted, spun, and glowed a brilliance rivaling a rainbow. The items danced to the song, their colors blending and shifting in a mesmerizing display.

Suddenly, without warning, the offerings were all gone. The items that had been so vibrant and alive just moments ago now vanished, leaving only a void in their wake. The disappearance, a stark contrast to the lively scene just seconds before, sent a shiver down Salah's spine, a feeling of unease settling in his stomach.

A chill swept through the air like a whisper of impending doom, replacing the warmth with an eerie cold. The vibrant colors of the temple, once a symbol of life and energy, faded into shadows. Salah felt a knot tighten in his chest as the surroundings grew unnaturally still, and a profound silence, heavy with the weight of the unknown, fell over everything.

Salah and Blister watched as day turned to night, the sun became a moon, and with a hiss, a crack opened in the fabric of reality, revealing a swirling vortex of darkness. The air grew colder, starkly contrasting the blazing heat from moments before.

Then came the screams.

"Oh no, this is not right," stammered Blister, her usual confidence replaced by a note of panic. She took a few steps back as the crack grew more expansive and the screams grew louder.

Salah searched his mind for what could have gone wrong. The tightening in his chest gave way to a new fear as his heart began pounding. This was supposed to unlock the doorway back home, not unleash chaos. His eyes scanned the area for any clues. Then, he saw a tiny desert mouse nibbling on a chocolate chip cookie outside the broken chalk circle. The mouse looked up, oblivious to the nightmare unfolding. Its little eyes met Salah's, then scurried off with its prize, leaving only crumbs behind.

"Boooooooom," resonated a loud hum, drowning out the deafening screams. Salah shifted his focus back to the crack, and there, floating with eyes ablaze, was Wizard #3412, a bell in hand and a smile across his face.

"Hello there, Trickster. Shall we play a game of cat and mouse?" Liu said in a knowing tone. His smile grew more expansive than a Cheshire cat.

Entered by: 0xAFF3…fAb3 and preserved on chain (see transaction)