“Help! I’m the Chosen One (and I Didn’t Sign Up for This)!”

The morning started off innocently enough. The trio had left the feather-covered nightmare of Clucksville far behind, and the road ahead was open and mercifully chicken-free.

Kazuya was feeling optimistic for the first time in days. "You know," he said, stretching his arms behind his head as they walked, "maybe things are finally looking up."

"That's what you said right before we got chased by the giant chicken," Mika reminded him, glaring.

"And when we accidentally set fire to the bandit camp," Lyria added.

"And when—"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Kazuya said, throwing his hands up. "But this time, I really feel like our luck is about to change."

A Friendly (?) Encounter

The trio's journey took them through a dense forest. Sunlight barely pierced the canopy, and the air was alive with the sounds of chirping birds and rustling leaves.

"This place is kind of nice," Kazuya said, looking around.

"Too nice," Mika muttered, her hand never straying far from her sword.

"Oh, relax," Lyria said, skipping ahead. "Not everything has to end in chaos, you know."

Just as she said that, a loud rustling came from the bushes. The group froze.

"See?" Mika hissed. "This is why I don't relax."

The rustling grew louder, and out stepped... a man in a bright purple robe, holding what appeared to be a chicken on a leash.

"Greetings, travelers!" the man said, his voice booming.

Kazuya blinked. "Uh... hi?"

"I am Fergus the Fowl Whisperer!" the man declared, puffing out his chest.

Mika groaned. "You've got to be kidding me."

"I see you've encountered the Great Cluck of Clucksville!" Fergus said, pointing dramatically at them. "Tell me, did you survive its wrath?"

"Barely," Kazuya said. "Why?"

"Because," Fergus said, lowering his voice ominously, "that chicken was only the beginning."

The Legend of the Cluckstorm

Fergus led them to a clearing where he'd set up camp. It was decorated with chicken-themed paraphernalia: feathers, eggshells, and a strange totem made entirely of chicken bones.

"This guy seems totally normal," Mika muttered under her breath.

"Shh," Lyria said, clearly fascinated.

"The Great Cluck," Fergus began, his voice reverent, "is but one of the ancient guardians of the Cluckstorm—a mythical event said to unleash chaos upon the world."

"Wait," Kazuya said, holding up a hand. "Are you telling me there's an army of giant chickens out there?"

"Not just chickens," Fergus said, shaking his head. "Turkeys. Ducks. Even geese."

Mika visibly shuddered at the mention of geese.

"Why does this sound like a bad joke?" Kazuya asked.

"Because it is a bad joke," Mika said.

Fergus ignored her and leaned in closer, his eyes wide. "You must help me stop the Cluckstorm!"

"Nope," Mika said immediately, standing up. "We're not doing this."

"But you're the Chosen One!" Fergus said, pointing at Kazuya.

"Of course I am," Kazuya muttered. "Fine. What do we have to do?"

The Trials of the Fowl Whisperer

Fergus led them deeper into the forest, explaining that they had to pass three "trials" to prove themselves worthy of stopping the Cluckstorm.

"The first trial," Fergus announced, "is the Trial of Balance."

He gestured to a rickety wooden bridge suspended over a chasm. The wind howled through the gap, making the whole thing sway precariously.

"Easy," Kazuya said, stepping onto the bridge.

The moment he did, a flock of birds swooped down, pecking at his head.

"OW! What the—GET OFF ME!" he shouted, flailing wildly.

Mika doubled over with laughter. "Is this part of the trial?"

"No," Fergus admitted. "They just really like shiny things."

"SHINY?!" Kazuya yelled. "I'M NOT SHINY!"

"You're sweating," Lyria pointed out helpfully.

Trial of the Egg

After the group somehow managed to cross the bridge (with Kazuya sporting several new peck marks), Fergus led them to a clearing where a single golden egg rested on a pedestal.

"The Trial of the Egg requires finesse," Fergus said.

Lyria snorted. "Finesse? From these two?"

"Hey!" Mika and Kazuya said in unison.

"The goal is simple," Fergus explained. "Retrieve the egg without setting off the trap."

"What trap?" Kazuya asked.

As if in answer, the ground around the pedestal began to rumble, and a dozen giant chickens emerged from the bushes.

"Of course," Mika said, drawing her sword. "It's always chickens."

Egg-scapade

While Mika kept the chickens at bay with her blade and Kazuya waved his broom-spear uselessly, Lyria levitated the egg with magic.

"See? Easy," she said smugly.

The moment the egg left the pedestal, a loud cluck echoed through the forest. The chickens stopped fighting and turned their glowing eyes toward the trio.

"Oh no," Kazuya said.

"Oh yes," Fergus said, grinning.

The Great Escape

What followed was a mad dash through the forest, with the giant chickens in hot pursuit.

"Why does this keep happening to us?!" Kazuya yelled, narrowly dodging a swipe from a particularly aggressive chicken.

"Because we're cursed!" Mika shouted back.

Lyria, of course, was cackling as she flew above the chaos. "This is amazing!"

"HELP US!" Mika roared.

"Oh, fine," Lyria said, snapping her fingers. A portal appeared ahead of them. "Jump through!"

Without hesitation, they dove into the portal, landing in a heap on the other side.

Fowl Play

As the portal closed behind them, cutting off the sound of clucking, the trio lay on the ground, panting.

"Please tell me that was the last trial," Kazuya said.

"Not even close," Fergus said, stepping out from behind a tree.

"How did you get here?!" Mika demanded.

"Fowl magic," Fergus said cryptically.

Mika groaned. "I hate this quest."