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The Temple; A race against time to find the cure!
Topic Started: Dec 14 2009, 01:38 PM (1,681 Views)
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Irisis nearly jumped out of his skin as one of the Fernius jumped at him. Bumaga quickly stabbed it through its back. As the bleeding creature fell back into the pit Irisis could see it brethren begin to feast on it. Irisis swallowed the lump in his throat and his fingers clenched his scythe tightly. He felt nauseated, but not enough to make him want to join the fallen Fernius at the bottom of the pit.

"Keep moving Irisis. That won't keep them busy for long." Irisis mumbled an okay and began moving slowly side ways. Trying to keep busy with his footing rather then looking back down at the bloody mess below. He progressed closer to the end of the room, why did it have to be so far away? He couldn't think like that now, all he had to do was make it there. Then they would find the serum that would make Jumper well again.
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Bumaga had to look away from the grisly scene that lay below him as the Fenrius licked the corpse clean, turning back up to the feast that stood above them. slowly they began their previous manner of jumping toward the two.

"I'm Sorry" Bumaga said quietly as he began swiftly slicing through the chest of the next creature, causing a spray of black blood across the wall. However by now the scent of prey was too good for one of their own's corpse to distract all of them. It wouldn't be long before they began pouncing in groups.

"Hyoji!" Bumaga yelled at the hallway, baffled as to his whereabouts "We need some please!"
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Hyoji was still with his back to the wall while the only sound in that poorly lit room were the clawed steps that got louder and louder as they approached him. But something was wrong, if Wraith wanted to attack him, why was she making herself noticeable like that? He obtained his answer the moment she spoke in his mind again, saying she wasn’t looking for a fight, at least not this time.

“Wha-?” Hyoji stuttered in complete surprise. The Wraith Hyoji had met twice in the past was a vicious huntress that delighted in the idea of killing him, but apparently she wasn’t above petty whims. It would be really funny if it wasn’t for the current circumstances. Time was running out, he knew, but he decided it would be wiser to let Wraith talk. If she really meant what she was saying, then he wouldn’t give her any reasons to change her mind.

Most of it was her saying he hated Arco even more than she hated him.

Well, that’s lovely… He snarked inwardly, throwing an aside glance before looking back at the alien. As things were right now, the chances she would indeed attack him seemed slim. And thought she didn’t really do much than delay him, Hyoji couldn’t shake the feeling that the line “He has more games, you know” wasn’t speaking only of traps. The man decided he should keep this in mind, but now there was no time for any more delays!

“Tch, okay, then! I hate bein’ used for ya petty grudge against that bastard, but I don’t have time for this!” Hyoji shouted, wiping sweat that had formed on his forehead with the back of his right arm as he darted from the wall towards the room exit, hopefully to catch up with Irisis and Bumaga before something bad happened. “Jumper’s life’s on the clock, here! I gotta get that serum!”

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"Hyoji! We need some help, please!" When Bumaga’s distressed voice echoed through the hall Hyoji was crossing, the man who was already running as fast as he could manage to shift up a gear out of an adrenaline rush. They were in trouble and they needed him, and Hyoji wouldn’t leave them hanging. He had already failed someone; he wouldn’t make the same dumb move again.

When the gray haired man arrived on the next room, Hyoji had to stop abruptly or else he would fall into a pit full of Obsessive Fangs. The chewed up corpse of one was left to rot in a corner while its living brethren seemed to be making a sort of pyramid for of them to climb. When he looked up to see the reason of this behavior Hyoji allowed his usual “Holy crap!” to escape his lips as his good eye widened in horror. Bumaga and Irisis were trapped by the ferinus’s attacks and wouldn’t be able to reach the other side of the room if they kept on going like this. If Hyoji didn’t act fast, he would have two more failures to his list.

“Aw, ya little sonnuva..!” The man scowled at one of the dog-like ferinus that was jumping up the Fang-pyramid to try and gnaw on Irisis head. It, however, got a long spike of ice through the torso for its troubles, immediately falling back into the pit for the mourning and yet satisfaction of its brethren. The Obsessive Fangs hastily went out of formation to feast on the new unlucky one.

“Keep going! Don’t stop at nothing!” Hyoji shouted from his side of the pit, his right arm still covered in ice from the last spike thrown while another one was already being formed. Hyoji addressed Bumaga even as his eye remained fixed on the pit and its occupants. “This is in your hands! I’ll keep the path as clean as I can, but you’re the one who has to get that serum, got it!?”
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Irisis almost didn't notice the rabid Fernius that decided to leap at him next. As soon as he had the Fernius had a spike of ice ripping through its body. He flinched as the body hit the ground, and like its fallen brother before it, was devoured. He let out a shaky breath, that was way to close.
“Keep going! Don’t stop at nothing!” Irisis heard Hyoji yell, “This is in your hands! I’ll keep the path as clean as I can, but you’re the one who has to get that serum, got it!?”

"Okay," he voice wasn't as solid as he wanted it to be, he was nervous about what would happen after they cleared this room. Would there be another trap like this one? He quickly shook the thoughts out of his head, careful not to lose his footing. He continued onward to the end of the hall, he'd try his hardest to help.
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“Keep going! Don’t stop at nothing!” “This is in your hands! I’ll keep the path as clean as I can, but you’re the one who has to get that serum, got it!?”

Bumaga nodded acknowledgment at Hyoji's words as Irisis managed to make his way to edge of the room, with the paper man jumping over the remainder of the pit.

"Just make sure you catch up alright?" He yelled, than picked up the pace to climb the spiral staircase.

The walls were thin, so the group had to go up single file for what seemed like hours, passing hallways seemingly identical to one another built into the confining levels of the stairs. Finally they reached the top, opening out into a small room with a doorway.

Bumaga walked through, only to see what looked like a dozen copies of himself staring back at him. They had entered into a twisting maze of mirrors.

"This place just keeps getting better." Bumaga said, stepping into the room, unaware of the purple gas that had begun seeping into the room...
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Irisis finally go to the other side of the room. A small sigh of relief escaped his lips as they left the room. Though the idea that Hyoji was still back there concerned him. Irisis pushed back all of the negative things that could happen. Hyoji would be okay, he was strong and he could fight. He could easily fend off those rabid Fernius.

They ran up a long spiral staircase. It was so narrow that Irisis had to run behind Bumaga. They ran for what seemed like forever to the young man, passing so many hallways that looked the same. Irisis could only wonder what laid waiting in those hallways, and was glad they didn't go through them. After what seemed like hours, but were probably only minutes they reached the top of the flight of winding stairs. Bumaga opened the door and stepped into the new room, Irisis following. He stared at dozens of copies of himself. He reached a hand out to touch one. as it did the same. A mazed of mirrors.
"This place just keeps getting better."
"Should we keep towards the walls? So, we uh, don't get lost?" Irisis asked looking at his companion, if they keep a hand on the mirrors they would get confused from all the other mirrors. He didn't notice the purple gas that became to flow into the room, completely unaware of what lay in the near future.
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"Okay"

"Just make sure you catch up alright?"


"Yeah, yeah! Move your asses already!" Hyoji yelled back at the green haired boy and the paper man, tossing another ice spike at a ferinus that had tried to jump on them. He didn't let up until the moment the two of them had finally crossed the pit and were already crossing the door.

That was one problem solved, now he had to take care of yet another one. He did say he would keep the path clear on his end...

"Alright, then..." The gray haired man muttered to himself as he stared thoughtfully from his side of the pit to the other. There were now only three ferinus alive and well in there now, and they seemed to have a nice time eating away from their fallen brethren. Hyoji concluded that, if he hurried, then the white beasts wouldn't mind him at all. The man walked a single step closer to the edge of the pit and crouched down. He pressed both gloved hands against the rock floor while his single good eye changed from its dull black to a bright blue color. Suddenly, ice started to form from the pit's edge and creeping towards the opposite end. It didn't take long before the hole had been completely covered by a thick surface of ice. Hyoji had to wait for Irisis and Bumaga to reach the other side before doing this or else he could've have frozen their feet in place by accident.

He didn't waste time before standing up and running across the ice, the suddenly low friction to affecting him in the least. The ice held his weight without any problems, but as soon as the gray haired man had crossed to the other side, it broke into various smaller pieces, which fell on the ferinus below. It was as if the ice itself aknowledged the fact that it wasn't useful anymore.

"Shouldn't ya quit hidin'?" The gray haired man said, not actually a shout, but his voice was naturally loud enough. He crossed his arms and stood still after approaching the room's exit, but not passing through. He didn't really knew what, but he had that nagging feeling something or someone was watching from somewhere close by, and with what he had long learned to recognize as "killing intent". Thanks to Wraith, he knew better than to dismiss it as simple paranoia. With that stern, slightly annoyed look on his face, he kept on staring forwards; at the door. "You see, I promised the kids I'd keep the path clear... It might as well be clear of you."
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Kirokokori
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Hart was beginning to get antsy. Being still and quiet for too long just didn't sit well with him. So, hearing the gruff voice calling him out was a relief.

"Shouldn't ya quit hidin'?"

About time. And only one of the intrepid heroes to deal with, that was convenient. Hart peeked out from his hiding spot, catching sight of the gray-haired man and waving. "You caught me!" He called, twisting around and taking a few steps out of the shadows towards Hyoji.

"Congratulations, Mr. Man, want a prize?" He slipped a hand into one of his coat pockets and withdrew a small vial. The antidote. "Something like this?" He continued flippantly, tossing the glass bottle into the air, catching it at the last second and stuffing it back in his coat. He held up a hand towards Hyoji, motioning for him to wait, as he rummaged through his jacket. A moment later he brought out a fairly sizable knife, grinning triumphantly.

"Okay, so, I've been sitting around in a freezing hunk of rocks for hours," He waved the knife in his opponent's direction, "And I've been so bored. Seriously, it's worse than standardized-testing-day-in-school bored. So, we're going to have fun now, okay?"
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Bumaga slowly proceeded forward, trying to determine where the walls ended and the next hallway began.

"Should we keep towards the walls? So, we uh, don't get lost?"

"Good idea" he replied, and put his hand to the closest wall, moving slightly faster with more of a grip on where they would be heading.

As he turned the corner, he saw that hallway had now been swallowed by the purple haze, and was creeping ever closer. Bumaga turned around to warn Irisis, and saw that the gas had surrounded them.

"Irisis! We can't stay in here anymore!" Bumaga said as the mist engulfed the two.

I suppose I should be grateful I don't have lungs he thought, his eyes adjusting to the purplish tint around them. The paper man picked up his pace, keeping track of the comrade behind him as they continued through the glass halls.
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THE SEME OF DE
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Wraith had followed the single character up the spiral stairs from a second passageway that ran straight up the wall and into the ceiling, confused as hell when he continued to talk to himself and, in return, something talked back, but no matter how hard she concentrated, she couldn't see anyone else. He had to be insane, that was the only answer.

And insane people were good snacks!

The Insane entered the mirrored room, wandering about like the worthless human he was, and hopelessly unaware of the gas creeping into the room. Though the gas clouded her vision, the Xenomorph could still easily follow the boy from her hiding spot among the ceiling.

They were past the Inhuman's game, now, and this was her territory. All the winding, twisting pathways reminded her of home, albeit cold, it was still like her hive and that gave her the home-field advantage. Wraith crept down the wall, each step carefully placed so as to not make a single down as she stalked her prey. She moved fluidly, using the darkness of the temple to her advantage as she made her way to the floor, weaving around the panes of glass as if she had memorized the path long ago.

Soon, she came upon The Insane, watching him carefully as he kept his hand along one wall, guiding himself one step at a time. He continued talking to himself, the air talking back, and Wraith one again paused and double-checked to make sure no one else was there.

Of course, there wasn't. The Insane was alone, and it was time to show him just how crazy the mirror maze could be.
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Hyoji didn’t react immediately after Hart appeared before him, instead opting to wait for the white haired man to make the first move. However, he forgot that plan almost instantly when the vial of antidote came into view. Hyoji froze on place, going wide eyed and agape at the realization that the thing that could save Jumper’s life wasn’t at the end of this monumental death trap he had just told Bumaga and Irisis to proceed further into, but in the hands of some psychotic albino.

When Hart put the vial back into his coat, Hyoji darted towards him but only managed a single step before the white haired man gestured for him to wait. Hyoji stopped more out of confusion than politeness. And when Hart took out a knife, the confusion in the faux-old man’s brow furrowed considerably.

“Fun? Well, any other time I would love to tear you a new one, but unfortunately…” He started, quickly reaching with his right hand into his own coat, pulling his Skoll gun out of its holster and pointing it at Hart. “… I haven’t the time to be here, playing with some random psycho. Hand over the cure or I’ll blow your brains out! And don’t even try testing me, because I’m seriously up for trading your life for Jumper’s…”

The truth was, Hyoji was completely out of ammo, but Hart didn’t know that. He hated using such sneaky tactics, but the clock was ticking…
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"Irisis! We can't stay in here anymore!" Irisis heard his companion yell at the sight of the purple gas. Irisis was trying to filter his breathing with his sleeve, but the purple gas still entered his lungs. Not that anything really felt much different. Maybe the gas didn't do anything? Or, Irisis paused before he continued the thought, maybe it could still kill you without you knowing it. His other hand was still on the mirrors as he followed Bumaga, hopefully to the exit. The exit out of this deadly hall of mirrors.

Irisis' eyes, even if they should have been staring right in front of him, he found it hard. The mirrors shifted with with every step they took, easily making the young man check to make sure nothing else was in them. That was before he started seeing things around him and Bumaga. A Cheshire Cat like grin, a shadow, people in the mirrors that he couldn't see standing in front of him. He swallowed nervously, opening his mouth to speak.
"Bumaga, do you see anything....odd?" his words thick in his throat. His hand wanted to reach out to see if he could touch the images, but he was worried he'd be sucked into a whole 'nother world if he did so. Fairy tales he'd heard about little boys and girls falling through things and ending up in a whole different world went through his head. Hadn't that already happened to him though? Not once but twice? That fact did not present itself to the green haired lad, and it probably would not until later. If there was a later.
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Bumaga heard Irisis's question, and quickly turned his head in every direction, trying to pinpoint what his teammate was talking about when he said "odd," but found nothing

"What do you mean? There's nobody here but you or me. Just keep walking, we're almost to the end." The paper man said, able to see the light of the next room growing brighter. How far away it actually was though was still unclear, with the purple smog everywhere.

He turned around to see how Irisis was faring, beginning to say "What do you think this stuff is any-" and paused mid-sentence in shock.

His companion was for some reason looking very worse for the wear. His face was pale, his eyes dilated, and he was almost staggering instead of walking. What shocked Bumaga most though was the black man-sized creature at the end of the corridor moving slowly towards them. What is that thing? Has it been following us the whole time?

Whatever it was, it was moving slowly and deliberately, it's tail up in the air like a cat about to pounce, It's mouth open in hunger. Not a good sign. What was strange was that it kept going even though the paper man was looking right at it.

"Keep going" Bumaga said to his comrade in a soft voice, softly crinkling and unfolding his hands into sharp blades. "Just keep going forward Irisis. I think we might be in trouble."
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THE SEME OF DE
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The Xenomorph continued to move smoothly past the mirrors and glass, watching the human twirl around in circles. The gas was finally getting to him, but he was still talking to himself like there was someone else there...

Wait!

Wraith snarled as the invisible one spoke, her feet picking up each word's tiny vibration as the sound struck the glass. She'd been spotted, but, which one of her? The mirrors around her echoed her moves, creating half a dozen copies as she slunk through the maze. But, she couldn't keep moving forward blindly.

Freezing in place, the Alien switched to her other, weaker vision that imitated a human's normal vision. The range was just a few meters, and even at that distance things were very hazy, but it was just far enough to pick out a sliver of movement folding and twisting into the shape of a blade.

Of course! How could she have been so stupid. It was just like the machines in the human world. They had no smell and thus were invisible for the pheromone-seeking creature. And now this human, who wasn't insane at all but simply talking to the one she could see, was drawing very close.

"Hart, there's a third!" Wraith mind-spoke, quickening her pace to circle around the back of the two. She'd rely on her normal sight for now and just assume the Invisible One stuck close. Still, she couldn't take any more chances.

When there was no reply, the Xenomorph dashed forward, realizing that humans could not speak like she could and, thus, could not communicate. 'I'm still in my natural habitat, and I know just how this room is laid out. I have the advantage and a simple invisible thing won't be able to take it away from me. Yes, just a little deeper into the room and then your journey will come to a halt.'
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"What do you mean? There's nobody here but you or me. Just keep walking, we're almost to the end." Irisis nodded, but his eyes kept flickering to the side, a man with bunny ears running through the mirror, pocket watch in hand. He wasn't there, Bumaga said so, so he was just seeing things. That's what the gas did, Irisis hoped, because he didn't want to be called crazy. That man did seem quite real though, him with his silver pocket watch and white bunny ears. Irisis kept his hand on the mirror, but he was slowing down. He just felt so uneased about the things he saw out of the corners of his eyes.

"What do you think this stuff is any-" Bumaga paused, looking behind him. Irisis turned to look behind him, there was a blur of black, going deeper into the purple mist. He slowly moved his hand away form the mirror.

"I didn't imagine that, did I?" he quietly asked Bumaga, tightening his clench on his scythe. He just didn't feel good about this. Whatever this was.
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