Chapter 114: "The Fowl Prophecy and the Omelette of Fate"
As the crew stumbled out of the Henhouse of Secrets, feathers still clinging to their clothes and hair, a sense of both triumph and dread lingered in the air. The Artifact of Absurdity was back in Kazuya's satchel, emitting occasional squeaks that made everyone jump.
"Well, that was... clucking insane," Ravynne muttered, flicking a stray feather off her shoulder.
"I'm starting to think the chickens are sentient," Sylvara said, half-joking but with a nervous edge to her voice.
"They've been sentient," Kazuya replied, rubbing his temples. "I've seen their eyes. They know things."
"Enough about chickens!" Ravynne snapped. "What's our next move?"
Before anyone could answer, a gust of wind swept past them, carrying a faint but unmistakable aroma of scrambled eggs.
"Uh... does anyone else smell breakfast?" Kazuya asked.
The Mysterious Map
The group followed the tantalizing scent until they reached a lone oak tree in the middle of a clearing. Pinned to its trunk was an ancient, parchment-like map.
"Convenient," Sylvara remarked, grabbing the map.
The map's edges were singed, and in the center was an illustration of a giant egg cracking open, with golden rays of light spilling out. Beneath it, an inscription read:
"He who cracks the Omelette of Fate shall hold the yolk of destiny in his hands."
Kazuya raised an eyebrow. "The yolk of destiny? Who writes this stuff?"
Sylvara studied the map. "It looks like it leads to the Nesting Peaks."
Ravynne groaned. "Great. More birds."
A Feathered Welcome
As they approached the Nesting Peaks, the terrain grew more treacherous. The ground was littered with broken eggshells the size of shields, and the sky was filled with screeches from distant, unseen creatures.
"This place is giving me serious omelette anxiety," Kazuya said, dodging a particularly large eggshell that rolled down the path.
They finally reached a plateau where a group of chickens—wearing tiny, ceremonial capes—stood in a perfect circle. At the center of the circle was an egg so large it looked like it could house a dragon.
"Oh, no," Ravynne said, taking a step back. "Not again."
The chickens turned their beady eyes toward the group, and one stepped forward. It wore a golden crown and had a monocle perched on its tiny beak.
"Behold!" the chicken clucked in perfect Common. "The Chosen Ones have arrived!"
Sylvara blinked. "Did that chicken just—"
"Yes," Kazuya interrupted. "Let's just roll with it."
The Prophecy of the Omelette
The crowned chicken, introducing itself as Cluckminster III, explained the dire situation.
"The Omelette of Fate is the key to restoring balance to the Fowlverse," Cluckminster said. "But only the Worthy can crack it."
"And by 'worthy,' you mean us," Kazuya said, already regretting his life choices.
"Precisely," Cluckminster replied.
Ravynne whispered to Sylvara, "Is it just me, or is this starting to feel like a really weird breakfast cult?"
"Definitely cult vibes," Sylvara whispered back.
The Sussy Trial
To prove their worthiness, the group had to complete a series of bizarre trials.
Trial 1: The Dance of the Scrambled Souls
The group was forced to perform an interpretive dance to the beat of a drum made from an oversized eggshell. Kazuya, lacking any semblance of rhythm, tripped over his own feet multiple times, much to the amusement of the chickens.
"Are you even trying?" Ravynne asked, barely suppressing her laughter.
"I'm not a dancer!" Kazuya shot back, flailing his arms in what he thought was a dramatic flourish.
Trial 2: The Egg Toss of Eternity
The group had to juggle glowing eggs while standing on a rotating platform. Sylvara used her magic to cheat, Ravynne proved surprisingly adept, and Kazuya accidentally swallowed one of the eggs, causing him to glow faintly for the rest of the trial.
"Am I dying?" Kazuya asked, panicked.
"No, you're just... glowing," Sylvara said, stifling a laugh.
Trial 3: The Omelette Flip
The final trial involved flipping a giant omelette the size of a trampoline using oversized spatulas.
"This is ridiculous!" Ravynne yelled, struggling to lift her spatula.
"Just flip it!" Kazuya shouted, putting all his weight into his spatula.
The omelette flew into the air, spinning dramatically before landing perfectly on a golden platter. The chickens erupted into clucks of applause.
The Yolk of Destiny
After completing the trials, Cluckminster led them to the massive egg at the center of the plateau.
"Crack it, Chosen Ones," Cluckminster said. "Reveal the yolk of destiny!"
Kazuya hesitated. "What if this thing explodes?"
"Only one way to find out," Sylvara said, stepping back.
Taking a deep breath, Kazuya struck the egg with the Artifact of Absurdity. The egg cracked open, and a blinding golden light spilled out, revealing a perfectly cooked omelette floating in midair.
The group stared in stunned silence.
"So... do we eat it?" Kazuya asked.
Before anyone could answer, the omelette spoke. "I am the Yolk of Destiny! Bow before my delicious wisdom!"
Ravynne buried her face in her hands. "I can't do this anymore."
To Be Continued...
The group's journey into the Nesting Peaks was only the beginning of their next absurd adventure. As they prepared to face whatever the Yolk of Destiny had in store, one thing was certain: their lives would never be normal again.