Chapter 113: "Fowl Play in the Henhouse of Secrets"

The group trudged along the winding dirt path, the chaotic events of the Great Cluckening still fresh in their minds. Kazuya had securely tucked the Artifact of Absurdity into his bag, though every so often, a faint squeak escaped from it, making everyone jump.

"I'm telling you, we should just throw that thing into a volcano," Ravynne grumbled, her arms crossed.

"Yeah, but what if it explodes?" Kazuya countered. "We don't need a Chickenpocalypse 2.0."

Sylvara sighed, adjusting her cloak. "Let's just focus on getting to the Henhouse of Secrets. Madame Featherlyn said it's the only place that can decipher the artifact's full power."

Ravynne snorted. "Henhouse of Secrets. Sounds totally legit. What's next? The Turkey Tower?"

"Don't tempt fate," Sylvara muttered.

Arrival at the Henhouse of Secrets

After hours of walking, the group reached a quaint, picturesque cottage surrounded by a picket fence. A sign out front read: "Henhouse of Secrets: Cluck for Entry."

"Is this a joke?" Ravynne asked, staring at the sign.

"It's never a joke," Kazuya said, stepping forward. He took a deep breath, leaned in close to the sign, and let out his best chicken impression. "Cluck-cluck-bawwwwk!"

The ground shook slightly, and the cottage transformed before their eyes. The picket fence folded inward, the thatched roof stretched and twisted, and the entire structure reshaped itself into a towering cathedral-like barn, complete with stained glass windows depicting heroic chickens in battle poses.

"Okay, I did not see that coming," Kazuya admitted, scratching his head.

"Welcome, travelers!" came a booming voice.

A man emerged from the barn, dressed in robes made entirely of white feathers. He had a long, flowing beard and carried a staff with a chicken-shaped crystal at the top.

"I am Father Roostus," the man declared, spreading his arms dramatically. "Keeper of the Henhouse of Secrets and protector of poultrykind!"

Ravynne whispered to Sylvara, "Do we always run into weirdos like this?"

"Yes," Sylvara whispered back.

The Sussy Ritual

Father Roostus led them into the barn, which was far larger on the inside. Rows of pews lined the space, and at the front was a massive altar shaped like a chicken's nest.

"Place the Artifact of Absurdity on the altar," Roostus instructed.

Kazuya hesitated. "Is this thing going to blow up or summon more chickens?"

Roostus chuckled. "Only if you fail the ritual. No pressure."

"No pressure?!" Kazuya echoed, reluctantly pulling the rubber chicken from his bag and placing it on the nest-shaped altar.

The artifact glowed faintly, and Roostus began to chant. The room filled with a soft, clucking sound, as if an invisible choir of chickens were serenading them.

"Alright, here's where it gets weird," Roostus said.

"Now it gets weird?" Ravynne muttered.

Suddenly, the rubber chicken shot into the air, spinning wildly. It began to glow brighter and brighter until it split into three identical chickens, each hovering midair.

"What in the actual cluck?" Kazuya blurted out.

"Choose wisely," Roostus said gravely. "Only one of these chickens holds the true power of the Artifact. The others... are decoys."

The Sussy Decision

The group huddled together.

"How are we supposed to tell them apart?" Sylvara asked, narrowing her eyes at the hovering chickens.

"They look exactly the same!" Ravynne added.

Kazuya squinted at the chickens. "Wait a second... Look at the middle one."

Everyone turned to the middle chicken, which was glowing slightly pink instead of green.

"It's blushing?" Sylvara said, incredulous.

"I think it's flirting with me," Kazuya muttered, stepping closer.

The middle chicken winked.

"Yeah, no," Ravynne said, grabbing Kazuya's arm. "We are not picking the sussy chicken."

"But what if it's the real one?" Kazuya argued.

"What if it's not?" Sylvara said. "Do you want another Cluckzilla incident?"

"Fair point."

After much debate, Kazuya reached out and grabbed the chicken on the left. It glowed briefly before letting out a pitiful squeak and deflating like a balloon.

"Wrong choice," Roostus said ominously.

The barn began to shake.

A New Level of Chaos

The remaining chickens fused together, creating a new monstrosity: a giant, two-headed chicken with glowing eyes and feathers that shimmered like rainbows.

"WHY?!" Ravynne screamed.

"I thought we were supposed to choose wisely!" Kazuya shouted at Roostus.

"I said no pressure!" Roostus called back, diving for cover.

The chicken beast let out a deafening crow, sending feathers flying everywhere. The group scrambled to dodge its attacks, slipping and sliding on the slick barn floor.

Sylvara fired off spells while Ravynne shot arrows at the creature, but nothing seemed to work. Meanwhile, Kazuya was frantically trying to retrieve the original rubber chicken from the altar.

"Why do these things always escalate?!" Kazuya yelled.

The Final Cluck

In a desperate move, Kazuya squeezed the rubber chicken one more time. It emitted a blinding light, and the two-headed chicken froze mid-attack. Slowly, it shrank down to the size of a regular chicken and let out a tiny, harmless cluck.

Everyone stared in stunned silence.

"What just happened?" Sylvara asked.

"No idea," Kazuya said, panting. "But I'm never squeezing this thing again."

Roostus emerged from his hiding spot, brushing feathers off his robes. "Congratulations, travelers. You have passed the trial!"

"That was a trial?!" Ravynne yelled.

Roostus nodded solemnly. "The Artifact of Absurdity has deemed you worthy. Use its power wisely."

Kazuya held up the rubber chicken, eyeing it suspiciously. "I hate this thing."

As the group left the Henhouse of Secrets, they couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of their latest adventure. But deep down, they knew their troubles were far from over.