It certainly seems so... though the idea of a tower of all things being alive would be a first to me.
[ Otherwise, there's a nod to Blade's words, Metis taking the lead for now as they make their way across the coil. Even if he looks back at Anise with some concern. Nevertheless, they continue to make their way up, to a much wider stretch of land.
Once they do, there's actually a few humanoid figures wandering around the area. One seems to be staring over the edge, head tilted and quietly mumbling to themselves. Another is crouched down in the middle, holding their head and keeping their face from view with an almost frantic shake. The third is staring at the walls - and when you look, you can see that same floor membrane stretch and cover the walls as well, the sickly flesh seeming to bubble and grow. Swelling with each breath. ]
[ Blade raises a brow at these figures standing some unidentifiable distance away; though visible for certain. Strange.
They seem to be at a loss to their own beings, so he purposefully increases his step so he's by Metis' side, ready to strike down whoever these are. Whatever they so happen to be, especially if they get in the way. ]
[ Metis replies to Mizuki, and when Blade steps closer to his side does he have a better view of them. The one standing at the edge looking the most familiar to him, a man with long black hair wearing clothes that are a familiar color scheme of teal and white. Slowly, carefully, they start to walk away and make their way up the next coil.
The figure in the middle's voice starts to wail a bit louder, voice frantic as she pulls at her bright pink hair, words of "We need to we need to we need to, they need us, without us they are nothing nothing nothing." Words that begin to echo in the back of Mizuki's head with a familiar voice, can't leave can't leave.
The person standing by the wall turns to the group as they approach, face pale, expression almost dead as he pulls out a sword at his waist and stagger their way. When he speaks, it sounds distorted, broken, "It must be this way. There is nowhere else to go from here."
A rumble begins to echo higher above the spire, one that shakes everyone to their very core. Something is wrong. Something is wrong wrong wrong. ]
We may need to fight our way through, we need to keep going forward-!
Mizuki's shoulders tense, her grip upon the makeshift weapon tightening; the helmet obscures the way she clenches her jaw, at least, but there's no hiding the way her demeanor stiffens. ]
Right. They—they're not real. [ Right? She's heard too much already to believe they are. ] This should be easy.
[ Blade begins to laugh to himself at the appearance of that man. His gaze can't be mistaken.
No, never...not ever!
He won't let anyone get in the way. ]
Get out of my way!
[ Blade charges forward, immediately swinging his sword towards the person staggering their way. He aims a wide and powerful slash towards this thing's chest, intending to immediately to try to take it out.
[ locking eyes with what definitely looks like charles, anise freezes. the look on his face is wrong. the sound of his voice is wrong. the way he holds his sword is wrong. ]
Get out of the way...
[ her voice is tense, pleading, but before she can do anything else, blade jumps in, yelling those same words, already swinging. ]
[ Metis says something but his voice is drowned out by everything else, the girl in the middle crumbles from where she's crouched. Voice fragile, empty, desperate, "Mizuki, Mizuki, Mizuki... ...Why are you here?"
The staggering figure stops, a heart stricken expression showing, a little light to his eyes, "What's wrong, little miss-?" Before Blade's sword connects, it cuts deep, blood spilling in a spray as he staggers and collapses onto his knees before completely over.
The membrane beneath starts to loosen almost immediately with an audible hiss, snaking flesh to begin reaching up to Charles's body, even as he weakly starts to reach out. Blood coughs out past lips, struggling to try and stand. ]
At least it's distracting; Mizuki hears her name called out by an all too familiar voice, and it takes everything and more to ignore it, drown it out, all while telling herself it isn't really her. Something here is trying to fuck with them, and she isn't going to fall for it.
Instead, Mizuki barks out to Metis, ]
—Hey! We're going, now!
[ Fortunately, Blade has already made his way forward. Mizuki quickly bolts ahead, ignoring—whatever the hell is happening to apparently-zombie-Charles, and this poor imitation of Iris. ]
[ Well, this creature has been adequately dispatched. Those words that reach out, naturally, mean nothing to him, even if he too cannot hear Metis for a moment.
Well, he pulls away from the fake impersonation of Charles easily enough. ]
No need to linger.
[ He keeps going forward, assuming the others will follow, as Mizuki has done as much. So too will Anise, he imagines, though he casts one gaze back to ensure she isn't wrapped up...perhaps recalling the 'favor'? But it doesn't last long, hot on the heels of the other man who has gone forward as well.
Blade more or less is making an effort to catch up, after all. ]
That familiar voice wails in Mizuki's head, louder and clearer than before, a tug at the back of her mind - don't go, don't go, don't leave don't leave don't leave. A sound echoes within the spire, the sound distant and faint but to Mizuki it sounds familiar. They sound like distant screams.
A crumbled body means nothing, certainly, not when a face and man stands so vividly in Blade's mind. Hot on the heels and there's a tug at the back of his mind as he leads forward, aiming for that path ahead that coils upwards into a mini tower section within the spiral. Up and up it seems to go. A familiar voice that tugs at his senses, clearer, "What you seek I am unable to provide." But there's an itch that runs along your need to go after.
Metis is already on the move, but he does not press ahead despite Mizuki's words, sorry he needs to ensure no one is left behind. Which is where he comes to Anise's side, hand gently touching her shoulder and trying to guide her along. Even as Charles reaches to grasp at anything, blood pooling beneath him, but the floor takes the rest of him little by little until the only thing left peeking out the membrane is a hand. Anise's thoughts are a little clearer, but there's still a tug at the back of her mind, how cruel, how cruel but it had to be done, didn't it? ]
Are you alright, Lady Anise? Here, let's move on together..
[ His voice is gentle, trying to guide her way from the spot as the group wants to push forward and away from here. Leaving behind the girl who also helplessly surrenders to the sickly purple flesh that comes up to wrap itself around her. ]
[ The begging continues as Mizuki chases after Blade; she hisses, and almost falters, but after a moment, manages to look ahead and press on. ]
You can keep going—keep talking. [ Mizuki mutters to herself as she moves. ] Could use the distraction.
[ She does look over her shoulder, spotting Metis with Anise. They'll catch up quick, she figures; she trusts Anise meant it when she said she wouldn't be far behind. ]
[ Blade is insistent on giving chase, feet pounding against the ground, hearing the words spoken so familiarly in his mind giving him completely into distraction.
Clearer. This is the way to go. ]
You won't get away...not this time!
[ He is in persistent pursuit. The others voices dim; Mizuki some number behind. Metis and Anise still a bit further, perhaps to the point where he cannot hear. But it matters little. They'll be able to catch up, won't they? ]
[ The screams begin to fade in the background, the wails of Iris fading into complete silence as Mizuki moves on. But that tugging at the back of her mind is more insistent. More sharper as she makes her way forward to catching up, close behind Blade. A heaviness that starts to blanket a little on her senses.
They breach into another clearing, in the distance Blade sees that same figure barely turn and disappear up a set of stairs. But before he can go any further there seems to be a small mass of three humanoids gathering in the middle. However, everything about them is wrong, their bodies are contorted in ways that are not normal. Their arms are replaced with tendrils of tentacles, hunched over as their heads hang near the ground with their overly slouched postures. They mutter to themselves, like a prayer, a mantra, "for the cause, for the cause" and "must protect the core, the core", voices warbled and sounding like multiple people speaking at once. Their faces turn to face him, expressions akin to melting off their face as they hiss and lunge at Blade.
Metis and Anise are close behind Mizuki, her mind is still mostly her own, the voice of Charles fading to the back of her mind until it's quiet. As the trio come up to the clearing, they witness the same distorted figures that just then lunge at Blade.
[ God, she hates this already. Just what the hell is this place?! The more she treks on, the heavier the sinking feeling in Mizuki's stomach feels; it's like a weight being pressed upon her entire being that she can't see, yet in spite of it all, she has to keep moving. ]
Wha—?!
[ And then, she sees what they've come upon next. There's barely any time to register what they are before all three of them descend upon Blade. ]
—Watch out!
[ Mizuki rushes in, pole at the ready. She violently swings at one of them with all the strength she can muster. ]
[ Do they really think he is afraid of them? Blade isn't afraid of anything! Not how wrong they look, how they move, how they are.
They're nothing but obstacles. Ones he will gladly tear down. ]
Hmph. You're in the way...disappear!
[ Blade swings wide towards the ones closing in on him, angling towards the majority beyond the one Mizuki is tackling on, intending to catch as many as he can with that maneuver, and especially with so many coming at him. ]
[ anise picks up the pace when she hears noise ahead, and runs into this clearing just as the humanlike creatures start to attack. ]
Whoa...!
[ anise reaches for her doll and clutches it in front of herself, but with blade swinging wide and mizuki jumping into the fray, she stays back where she won't get caught in the chaos. hopefully. ]
[ The platform starts to tremble suddenly, the sensation close to a mini earthquake and a nearby roar causes the cavern ceiling of this clearing drop a few ridged pillars. Ridges that just barely miss some of the group. However, not entirely, just as Mizuki goes in to bat one with her pole, the disfigured humanoid has its tendrils latch onto it with one set of arms, its other set of tendrils arching in a heavy lash as sharp dagger-like ends cut right into that helmet with a shattering noise. The ends of that tendril cutting over that golden eye of hers. Leaving a direct cut from her brow down to her cheek over eyelid and eye both.
A ridge pillar sinks itself right behind Mizuki, her back colliding into it if she so much takes a step back. And while Blade's swing hits wide and slices one of them instantly in half, tendrils grow from both sliced ends to latch onto his legs into a tangled mess, their dagger-like ends piercing right into his legs to cling. Their mantras echo in the room, desperate and wailing.
Another ridge collides into the ground and breaks into scattered debris, splintering rocks that cut and pierce at Anise as they fly out. There's still one humanoid figure left that turns its eyes on Anise and lunges at her next instead. But Metis has both a shield and sword that look to be made of pure concentrated white light that puts himself between her and it. His shield slams into the figurine, knocking it back, but tendrils latch on as its other set shoots in Anise's direction with one wrapping itself around one of her arms.
The ground shakes, a hulking figure appearing from an opening to the right, struggling to squeeze into the clearing for now. A look at it sending a sickening nausea through all of you. ]
I'll try and provoke them to me, you all focus on taking them down!
The monstrous figure catches her swing, and before she could react, it comes slashing down on her. Suddenly, she feels a horrible impact on her head, followed by an audible crack as her helmet is crushed open, and then—a searing pain down her face.
Mizuki hisses again, this time more distressed as she falls back only enough to avoid any more of her getting slashed down, but a pillar of stone blocks her way.
No time to think about it. Adrenaline helps to ignore the pain temporarily; Mizuki pushes off the stone and swoops down to swing a hard kick at the monster's feet, aiming to tumble it down. ]
[ Blade isn't distracted by the sounds of creatures' wailing, considering it a nuisance at best. The sharp throb of pain from two hits (charge stack x2 per damage...?! Sadly not at five, just yet) is something familiar. Yes, he remembers being pierced by something just as sharp before, but he can definitely deal.
He angles his sword to try execute another slash so it cuts through the middle of those dagger-like extensions to make it difficult for them to cling, as well as potentially anything he can hit of the creature. Hopefully dispatching it, but hey, let's leave it up to fate.
Either way, he's hearing Metis' words, and not looking anywhere else except for the enemies in front of him (though, he certainly feels the foreboding shaking of the ground.) ]
[ debris flies at anise, and while a few bits embed themselves in her suit, the damage unclear, one piece thunks against her helmet before she can bring her arms in front of her face to block it. and then, suddenly, something has her arm. she cries out in surprise.
and then, there's a crackle of energy in the air, and the doll in her arms grows.
inexplicably, the suit it's wearing grows with it. it balloons into a two meter tall construct, and it immediately swings a massive arm down on the humanoid creature like it's trying to swat a cockroach. the force behind it is similar to that of a bear. ]
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
no subject
... Yeah, super gross. Is this stuff alive? [ she manages to sound only mildly bothered, even as something nudges ominously at the back of her mind. ]
You guys can take the lead. I'll be right behind you.
[ she doesn't plan on falling behind, though. not in a place like this. ]
no subject
[ Otherwise, there's a nod to Blade's words, Metis taking the lead for now as they make their way across the coil. Even if he looks back at Anise with some concern. Nevertheless, they continue to make their way up, to a much wider stretch of land.
Once they do, there's actually a few humanoid figures wandering around the area. One seems to be staring over the edge, head tilted and quietly mumbling to themselves. Another is crouched down in the middle, holding their head and keeping their face from view with an almost frantic shake. The third is staring at the walls - and when you look, you can see that same floor membrane stretch and cover the walls as well, the sickly flesh seeming to bubble and grow. Swelling with each breath. ]
...Take caution, my friends.
no subject
Those—definitely can't be hostages. Which means...
[ foe? ]
no subject
[ Blade raises a brow at these figures standing some unidentifiable distance away; though visible for certain. Strange.
They seem to be at a loss to their own beings, so he purposefully increases his step so he's by Metis' side, ready to strike down whoever these are. Whatever they so happen to be, especially if they get in the way. ]
no subject
I don't know... They kind of look sick? There's probably something nasty in the air.
[ blade can go ahead and approach, though... she doesn't want to take her chances with anyone acting erratic like that. ]
no subject
[ Metis replies to Mizuki, and when Blade steps closer to his side does he have a better view of them. The one standing at the edge looking the most familiar to him, a man with long black hair wearing clothes that are a familiar color scheme of teal and white. Slowly, carefully, they start to walk away and make their way up the next coil.
The figure in the middle's voice starts to wail a bit louder, voice frantic as she pulls at her bright pink hair, words of "We need to we need to we need to, they need us, without us they are nothing nothing nothing." Words that begin to echo in the back of Mizuki's head with a familiar voice, can't leave can't leave.
The person standing by the wall turns to the group as they approach, face pale, expression almost dead as he pulls out a sword at his waist and stagger their way. When he speaks, it sounds distorted, broken, "It must be this way. There is nowhere else to go from here."
A rumble begins to echo higher above the spire, one that shakes everyone to their very core. Something is wrong. Something is wrong wrong wrong. ]
We may need to fight our way through, we need to keep going forward-!
no subject
Mizuki's shoulders tense, her grip upon the makeshift weapon tightening; the helmet obscures the way she clenches her jaw, at least, but there's no hiding the way her demeanor stiffens. ]
Right. They—they're not real. [ Right? She's heard too much already to believe they are. ] This should be easy.
no subject
No, never...not ever!
He won't let anyone get in the way. ]
Get out of my way!
[ Blade charges forward, immediately swinging his sword towards the person staggering their way. He aims a wide and powerful slash towards this thing's chest, intending to immediately to try to take it out.
As he promised, after all. No mercy. ]
no subject
Get out of the way...
[ her voice is tense, pleading, but before she can do anything else, blade jumps in, yelling those same words, already swinging. ]
no subject
The staggering figure stops, a heart stricken expression showing, a little light to his eyes, "What's wrong, little miss-?" Before Blade's sword connects, it cuts deep, blood spilling in a spray as he staggers and collapses onto his knees before completely over.
The membrane beneath starts to loosen almost immediately with an audible hiss, snaking flesh to begin reaching up to Charles's body, even as he weakly starts to reach out. Blood coughs out past lips, struggling to try and stand. ]
no subject
At least it's distracting; Mizuki hears her name called out by an all too familiar voice, and it takes everything and more to ignore it, drown it out, all while telling herself it isn't really her. Something here is trying to fuck with them, and she isn't going to fall for it.
Instead, Mizuki barks out to Metis, ]
—Hey! We're going, now!
[ Fortunately, Blade has already made his way forward. Mizuki quickly bolts ahead, ignoring—whatever the hell is happening to apparently-zombie-Charles, and this poor imitation of Iris. ]
no subject
Well, he pulls away from the fake impersonation of Charles easily enough. ]
No need to linger.
[ He keeps going forward, assuming the others will follow, as Mizuki has done as much. So too will Anise, he imagines, though he casts one gaze back to ensure she isn't wrapped up...perhaps recalling the 'favor'? But it doesn't last long, hot on the heels of the other man who has gone forward as well.
Blade more or less is making an effort to catch up, after all. ]
no subject
Wait...!
[ she doesn't get too close, not within arm's reach. but she can't just look away.
is he fucking. getting eaten by the floor. what. ]
no subject
That familiar voice wails in Mizuki's head, louder and clearer than before, a tug at the back of her mind - don't go, don't go, don't leave don't leave don't leave. A sound echoes within the spire, the sound distant and faint but to Mizuki it sounds familiar. They sound like distant screams.
A crumbled body means nothing, certainly, not when a face and man stands so vividly in Blade's mind. Hot on the heels and there's a tug at the back of his mind as he leads forward, aiming for that path ahead that coils upwards into a mini tower section within the spiral. Up and up it seems to go. A familiar voice that tugs at his senses, clearer, "What you seek I am unable to provide." But there's an itch that runs along your need to go after.
Metis is already on the move, but he does not press ahead despite Mizuki's words, sorry he needs to ensure no one is left behind. Which is where he comes to Anise's side, hand gently touching her shoulder and trying to guide her along. Even as Charles reaches to grasp at anything, blood pooling beneath him, but the floor takes the rest of him little by little until the only thing left peeking out the membrane is a hand. Anise's thoughts are a little clearer, but there's still a tug at the back of her mind, how cruel, how cruel but it had to be done, didn't it? ]
Are you alright, Lady Anise? Here, let's move on together..
[ His voice is gentle, trying to guide her way from the spot as the group wants to push forward and away from here. Leaving behind the girl who also helplessly surrenders to the sickly purple flesh that comes up to wrap itself around her. ]
no subject
You can keep going—keep talking. [ Mizuki mutters to herself as she moves. ] Could use the distraction.
[ She does look over her shoulder, spotting Metis with Anise. They'll catch up quick, she figures; she trusts Anise meant it when she said she wouldn't be far behind. ]
no subject
Clearer. This is the way to go. ]
You won't get away...not this time!
[ He is in persistent pursuit. The others voices dim; Mizuki some number behind. Metis and Anise still a bit further, perhaps to the point where he cannot hear. But it matters little. They'll be able to catch up, won't they? ]
no subject
I'm fine.
[ her tone is a bit forced. she'll turn away from the gruesome sights and start walking, up to a brisk pace to try to catch up with the others. ]
no subject
They breach into another clearing, in the distance Blade sees that same figure barely turn and disappear up a set of stairs. But before he can go any further there seems to be a small mass of three humanoids gathering in the middle. However, everything about them is wrong, their bodies are contorted in ways that are not normal. Their arms are replaced with tendrils of tentacles, hunched over as their heads hang near the ground with their overly slouched postures. They mutter to themselves, like a prayer, a mantra, "for the cause, for the cause" and "must protect the core, the core", voices warbled and sounding like multiple people speaking at once. Their faces turn to face him, expressions akin to melting off their face as they hiss and lunge at Blade.
Metis and Anise are close behind Mizuki, her mind is still mostly her own, the voice of Charles fading to the back of her mind until it's quiet. As the trio come up to the clearing, they witness the same distorted figures that just then lunge at Blade.
Time for everyone to roll! ]
no subject
Wha—?!
[ And then, she sees what they've come upon next. There's barely any time to register what they are before all three of them descend upon Blade. ]
—Watch out!
[ Mizuki rushes in, pole at the ready. She violently swings at one of them with all the strength she can muster. ]
no subject
They're nothing but obstacles. Ones he will gladly tear down. ]
Hmph. You're in the way...disappear!
[ Blade swings wide towards the ones closing in on him, angling towards the majority beyond the one Mizuki is tackling on, intending to catch as many as he can with that maneuver, and especially with so many coming at him. ]
no subject
Whoa...!
[ anise reaches for her doll and clutches it in front of herself, but with blade swinging wide and mizuki jumping into the fray, she stays back where she won't get caught in the chaos. hopefully. ]
no subject
A ridge pillar sinks itself right behind Mizuki, her back colliding into it if she so much takes a step back. And while Blade's swing hits wide and slices one of them instantly in half, tendrils grow from both sliced ends to latch onto his legs into a tangled mess, their dagger-like ends piercing right into his legs to cling. Their mantras echo in the room, desperate and wailing.
Another ridge collides into the ground and breaks into scattered debris, splintering rocks that cut and pierce at Anise as they fly out. There's still one humanoid figure left that turns its eyes on Anise and lunges at her next instead. But Metis has both a shield and sword that look to be made of pure concentrated white light that puts himself between her and it. His shield slams into the figurine, knocking it back, but tendrils latch on as its other set shoots in Anise's direction with one wrapping itself around one of her arms.
The ground shakes, a hulking figure appearing from an opening to the right, struggling to squeeze into the clearing for now. A look at it sending a sickening nausea through all of you. ]
I'll try and provoke them to me, you all focus on taking them down!
no subject
The monstrous figure catches her swing, and before she could react, it comes slashing down on her. Suddenly, she feels a horrible impact on her head, followed by an audible crack as her helmet is crushed open, and then—a searing pain down her face.
Mizuki hisses again, this time more distressed as she falls back only enough to avoid any more of her getting slashed down, but a pillar of stone blocks her way.
No time to think about it. Adrenaline helps to ignore the pain temporarily; Mizuki pushes off the stone and swoops down to swing a hard kick at the monster's feet, aiming to tumble it down. ]
no subject
He angles his sword to try execute another slash so it cuts through the middle of those dagger-like extensions to make it difficult for them to cling, as well as potentially anything he can hit of the creature. Hopefully dispatching it, but hey, let's leave it up to fate.
Either way, he's hearing Metis' words, and not looking anywhere else except for the enemies in front of him (though, he certainly feels the foreboding shaking of the ground.) ]
no subject
and then, there's a crackle of energy in the air, and the doll in her arms grows.
inexplicably, the suit it's wearing grows with it. it balloons into a two meter tall construct, and it immediately swings a massive arm down on the humanoid creature like it's trying to swat a cockroach. the force behind it is similar to that of a bear. ]
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)
(no subject)