>>5683836No, you won't abandon him - at least without trying something first.
"We need some magical help, Craig!" You call to him. "Show me what you got!"
It seems that phrase of yours spurred something in Craig, because he no longer looks like he's afraid. He took on a stance, possibly pooling together his magical energy - and soon enough, green wisps of magic start to weft around him. You also realized he's humming in concentration.
"Mmmmmm... HANDS!" He struck his hand forward, and out comes a spout of magic which forms a gigantic transparent green hand. It easily pulls up the bell, freeing a baeely startled Valencio from his acoustic brass prison. With another wave of his hand, he sweeps you off your feet - and apparently Nemo's and Valencio's too, as his magical palms spirits the group right out the crumbling chapel, forcing the doors open as you went.
As you land gently outside, the chapel itself shook again, turning itself into a pile of vaguely chapel-shaped rubble.
"I... I did it, Rosa..." Craig stumbles into your arms, and promptly snored himself asleep. It seems like the show of hands had fatigued him.
Valencio looks back to the ruined chapel. "Oh well, that's that, then." He turns to you and Craig, you assume with gratitude behind his mask.
"Thank you for rescuing me. Shame about the chapel, but I'll manage."
"How did you end up inside the bell?" Nemo pipes up.
"Oh, I was meditating as usual when some people I didn't know entered the chapel and started looking for something. I asked them what are they looking for, when one of them started swinging at me. I fought them for a while, but apparently they know I can't harm the bell and cut the rope, and that's how I ended up trapped."
"Fascinating... and why can't you harm the bell?" Nemo inquires further.
"An old oath, from an old friend." Valencio explained. "I'm sorry, I haven't got your name?" Valencio extends his hand.
"It's Nemo." Hands shook, Nemo continues. "I am currently about to run an expedition with Rosa and Craig here, which may help save Gongalla."
"Oh? That so? Well, any friend of Rosa is also a friend of mine." He turns to Craig. "That was some superb spellcasting. He related to you, Rosa?"
"Yeah, he's my neph- err, cousin. I keep forgetting."
"I offer condolences about your chapel - but if my hunch about your assailants is right, we need to move." Nemo musters the group.
You sling the soundly sleeping Craig to your back. "Move where, exactly? You haven't elaborated on that."
"Well, we need to get to places where we can get to the anchors - one of them is near your hometown, Goblinton. Have you heard of The Crack? There's also another place up north, somewhere in the Pale Yonder. One to the east, in the middle of the Circle of Fire territory. And lastly, to the west, somewhere near The Fingers - although I hear that's a conflict zone right now. Why don't you choose?"
>CHOOSE ONE>□ The Crack>□ Pale Yonder>□ Circle of Fire>□ The Fingers 