III  /  VI  /  ????

MUGMAN WOKE UP, his eyes fluttered open and he could only groan as he slowly stretched his indolenced limbs. The mug boy rubbed his tired, sticky eyes, panting slightly. The air was thick with dust and the strange smell of mushrooms.

He slowly stood up and rubbed his back, whining slightly. A sigh left Mugman's porcelain lips and he began looking around, trying to recognise his surroundings.

A cave, only dimly lit by a few torches hung on the polished malachite walls. On the floor before him started a patch of dirt and weeds, where a few Amanita Phalloides mushrooms grew merrily.
The cave seemed to stretch forward into a tall corridor, the malachite walls replaced by scarlet-coloured garnet. The pavement instead was made of white quartz, with intricate designs engraved on it.

Mugman gulped and stepped forward, walking carefully through the mushrooms, trying not to step on any of them.
The mug boy arrived at the quartz pavement and continued going forward. The farther he walked the brighter seemed the light at the end of the cave. As if it symbolised the exit to this strange dream.
And so, he began to run, almost tripping over his own feet multiple times.

Further. Just a bit more.
Mugman encouraged himself, determined to exit the cave.

Finally, he stood before a big hole at the end of the cave which was filled with pure, bright light.

!!WHAAM!!

Mugman jumped back just in time as a massive statue seemingly fell before him, blocking the Path.

Upon closer examination, the boy recognized whose face the statue had; Aristos Achaion.

Best of Greeks.

Achilles' marble statue seemed to stare into Mugman's soul with his fierce eyes. The tiny mug's eyes spread wide open, and he was frozen in panic, barely able to even breathe.

He dared not speak any of his thoughts or make any sounds.
Especially before Aristos Achaion.

Finally, Mugman bowed down on his knees before the statue, tilting his head.

plop!

A drop of water had fallen into his mug head, mixing with the milk in it.

plop! blup!

More kept falling, and when Mugman raised his gaze, he saw Achilles' statue kneeling before him, crying. A silent cry.

Crystal-like tears he cried, so limpid and almost diamond-shaped.

Besides him on the right, stood a statue of the sea-goddesses Thetis- Achilles' Mother, depicted gorgeously in the white marble. She gazed down at Mugman with a raised brow.

On the left, stood a stone statue of Medusa, her eyes in full view. The Snakes' eyes in her head also stared down at him.

The statues cowered over the mug boy in silence, only staring into his soul.

Until, Medusa's statue began to move and made her way down to Mugman, facing him directly.

Mugman could only make out hisses from her as She spoke with the serpent's tongue. He couldn't put into words what she was telling him, but he understood everything.

Achilles continued weeping, his tears turning into blood. Mugman yelped and protected his head with his gloved hands.

Thetis then pushed Mugman to the hole in the wall, commanding him to go in with a pointed finger.

Mugman gulped and turned around to gaze at his surroundings before entering the light.

He could make out a purple flash of light at the other end of the cave, and a deep, familiar groan.

King Dice has arrived.
The statues whispered.

Mugman bowed to the statues one last time and entered the light.

And so he woke up in his bed, panting heavily, dumbfounded by his dream.

Oh god.