a winter labyrinth

[townmusician]

断ち切るしかないんだろ
注いだ冬は心のラビリンス
後戻りなんて出来ないから
やりきるしかないんだろ
黒い気持ちと手を繋いだって構わない
抱きしめたっていいh

I have to break free
This pouring winter is my heart's labyrinth
I can't go back anymore, so
I have to finish this
I don't care if you took my hand with dark motives
I want you to hold me close

Comments

[fullmoonmutt]

I don't even know who you are, mate.

[ Eli, you've been in multiple palaces with him?! Hello?! ]

She's going to say it's me.

[metagame]

[ELI DO YOU HAVE EYES?

you know what Atem isn't staying here to listen to them argue, he's walking through the right door

they can sort themselves out]

[townmusician]

[Atem lets the idiots argue and heads into the right door... but is it the right door?

Probably not, because Atem opens the door and sees... three shadows. A cerberus, unicorn, and orthus that turn to him. I hope he can hear the combat music starting to play.

(The door still remains open behind him, should he wish to leave. It's not like he got magically locked in here with them.]

[metagame]

No.

[Atem walks out and shuts the door behind him.

Best to follow Eli, Sunrise, and Richard then!]

[townmusician]

[There's a faint roar that gets cut off by the door closing, but Atem can go and watch the three others get shot.

Surely that roar isn't anything to worry about...!]

[ledbythewind]

Then why don't we both catch up with her and hear her answer for ourselves?

[... which would mean that no one goes through one of the doors, but details!!! It's not important, surely.]

[fullmoonmutt]

Yeah, let's do that.

[ Boys, she can have more than one brother??? But that concept isn't crossing Eli's mind, so he's off through the same door Sunrise took. ]

[ledbythewind]

[It would cross Richard's mind if he were from a later canonpoint.

Unfortunately, he is not, so he too is heading through that middle door.]

[townmusician]

[The three enter the middle door, and there doesn't seem to be much beyond more long hallways, but as they walk there's the faint sound of a click...

They've sprung an arrow trap, hitting the three of them. (Having rolled 6, 7, and 7 on the sign ups...).

The trap at least seems to only trigger once, running out of arrows to shoot. As far as they can tell, anyways.]

[metagame]

Are you guys okay...?

[cleansewithfire]

[ Oh wow, she did not miss taking arrows. Sunrise, looking down at where she's bleeding from the arrow injuries: ]

I think this is "not okay"?

[fullmoonmutt]

It's entirely not okay!

[ Eli snaps, the shock of being shot with arrows sliding into anger once Atem arrives to ask them that. He is very unhappy with the arrow in his leg and shoulder, okay?! ]

Why does Haruka have arrow traps in his stupid brain, huh?!

[ Ughhh, he wants to rip them out, but he won't. He'll grit his teeth and wiggle the arrowheads — and therefore the arrows — out of cloth and flesh before even trying to heal anything. ]

...stupid... fucking... son of a bitch...

[metagame]

I can help.

[He helps Sunrise pluck those arrows out, waits for Eli and Richard to finish before he casts a round of Media for everyone.]

Would you have preferred Shadows?

[townmusician]

[Funny you should mention that, Atem, because there's some distant crashing and howling and those three shadows are coming down the hall towards the group.

They look pretty peeved, too.]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard may need a moment here-- the sudden bloom of pain from the arrows sends his mind flashing back to Wallbridge and the unexpected bite of a sword cutting into his chest and shoulder, the sudden certainty that this is the end and all of the fear that accompanies that realization.

He staggers back, eyes wide yet not seeming to see anything in front of him, one hand blindly lifting to feel where an arrow protrudes from his shoulder.

"I don't... want to die... I don't want to die..."

It doesn't even seem like he's noticed that none of the arrows actually hit anything vital...]

[cleansewithfire]

[ Normally, Sunrise would be more concerned with the incoming Shadows, by which I mean she'd be ready to at least plant a boot heel in one of them, but she'd distracted by Richard's reaction. Immediate danger be damned, she goes over to him. ]

Richard?

[metagame]

So they followed me.

[Well shit.

Richard is clearly not in fighting condition...

Time to focus up and think this through. They need to protect Richard. Two of those enemies resist Atem's element. Sunrise is Wind... Eli should be Ice...

Wait, Ice!]

Eli! Can you cast an Ice spell on the Cereburus and Orthos? They should be weak to Ice!

[fullmoonmutt]

Oh, wow, splitting up was a bad idea, after all? Who would have thought?

[ "We can all defend ourselves" his ass! At least Atem had enough sense to throw a Media out. This means Eli can focus on the incoming shadows with a Mabufudyne (14 - Cerberus, 18 - Unicorn, 15 - Orthus) to deal heavy ice damage to all three. ]

[townmusician]

[FAFO.

The Cerberus and Orthus recoil from the hit, but they both manage to shake it off while the Unicorn doesn't seem too bothered.

The Cerberus attempts to retaliate with Maragion, but only manages to hit Eli (15) and Atem (12), the flames not reaching Richard and Sunrise (3,3).

The Unicorn's attack goes wide, hitting the wall with a devastating Kougaon (8), and the Orthus' dive manages nothing (3). RIP.]

[metagame]

[Ugh! He tanks the hit but that hurt like hell... He casts Diarama on Eli to be safe...

Sunrise! How's Richard?

[fullmoonmutt]

Shit!

[ Fire bad, fire bad! While his ice is strong against the fire-attuned, their attacks are just as powerful against him. He has to drop to the floor and roll, quashing the flames before they can eat up clothing and flesh alike. ]

...fucking... pieces of shit... I'll tear you all apart!

[ The Diarama is greatly appreciated, Atem... It also means he's springing back to his feet to launch another Mabufudyne (14 - Cerberus, 19 - Unicorn, 17 - Orthus) at the trio. That will likely be his last big spell for a while, though. He should really conserve SP??? ]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard is...

... well. The arrows didn't hit anything vital, so on the physical front (when combined with Eli's Media) he'll be just fine.

The wild, slightly unhinged smile curling at the edge of his lips says anything but, however...]

[metagame]

[notto this shitto again

Are there any other secret madmen Atem needs to know about?He narrows his eyes at Richard but says nothing.]

[townmusician]

[Well, nobody appreciated that, but the Unicorn and Orthus continue to whiff their attacks (4, 4).

The Cerberus is a bit more effective, going for another Maragion that hits Eli (11), Sunrise (16), Atem (11), and Richard (13). More fire!

The Orthus and Cerberus seem to be on their last legs, though, with those two heavy hits of their weakness.]

[townmusician]

[skill issue]