December Event: No Rest for the Wicked

[lifeaftr_mods]

DECEMBER EVENT: NO REST FOR THE WICKED

Who: Anyone and everyone
What: Your trials by fire
When: December 15th - 18th
Where: On Maati and Ensō
Warnings: Character deaths and violence are both likely - please mark as you go!

The Trials: Only Then Can We Begin

As noted in the OOC info post, your Trials will all begin on December 15th. As many of you will not be deposited into your trials with food and water (or any items of your own at all, in most cases), the Trials will last only as long as December 18th. If you've failed to complete your Trial by this deadline but have not used up all the deaths allotted to you, you will awaken by Maati's mana pool at the event's conclusion. If you have not failed your Trial by using up all your deaths, this will not count as a character death, and you will not need to submit for a penalty; you simply won't be able to obtain the reward you would get if you had succeeded! When your character wakes in their allotted Trial, they will discover that their starting chamber has been inscribed with the name of the Trial, the names of those participating, and the number of deaths they have remaining - though the latter aren't labeled in any way. You'll simply have to learn it the hard way; every time your character suffers a death, the number will go down by one. If it wasn't obvious what those numbers stood for at first, by the time the dying starts properly, it certainly will be. And you probably don't want to see it go all the way down to zero...

Should you reach the end of your Trial, you will step out onto the rocky cliffs of Maati, exiting from one of the seven doors set into the cliffs at the seven points of the island's star shape. You see, those doors you discovered earlier weren't the entrances to the Trials at all. They were the exits. And set into the towering cliffs...why, those house the winding mazes that comprise the Trials themselves.

There will be a top-level below for each Trial. Remember to plan with your groups and communicate with your thread partners! Whether you choose to do mingle-style threads or lengthier group threads is up to you.

Once you know the outcome of your Trial, success OR failure, please do let us know so that we can ensure your character gets the reward that befits their triumph...or lackthereof.

Remember also to let us know if your character uses up ALL their deaths during this event. While death penalties will not be inflicted during Trial deaths, if you use up all the deaths allotted to you and die for real, your death penalty will NOT be reduced.

The Water: Don't Let Them Get Away

The rest of you have plenty to contend with as well, of course. If you've opted out of this month's event, be advise that the waters creeping across shores of Ensō, along with the rest of the island, aren't going to take evasion kindly. They'll seek you out, spread along every inch of the island if they can, until they can find you. There is a top-level below, if you're intrigued! Though if you end up top-leveling yourself, we may very well reach out and find you anyway...

Event Timeline

[ ♆ ] December 15th: The Trials on Maati begin, and the water begins to rise.
[ ♆ ] December 18th: The Trials reach their end.
[ ♆ ] December 19th: Those who have "perma"-died in their Trials are revived.
[ ♆ ] December 20th: The monthly Storytelling occurs.

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LOGS ● OOC ● STORIES ● MAIN NAVIGATION

( CODED BY BOOTYCALL )

Comments

[journalname]

Oh...are you sure? I am happy to take the lead.

[Either position has its dangers, he supposes. It just doesn't seem right to make her lead the way, especially when she doesn't seem all that pleased to do it.]

[catpiper]

It's okay. I'll 'keep an eye out' for scary things.

[They can do this...probably.]

[journalname]

Very well.

[He's not going to stand here and argue with a little kid. He'll just watch her back; that, too, is necessary.

There's no immediate sign of any of the fallen children. Asgore doesn't know exactly what is haunting Ren here, but he imagines he would know it if he saw it. He still wishes he were capable of facing them down himself. If he thought he could protect someone else well enough to get them out, would that make it worthwhile to fight back against his own past?

...well. It doesn't matter.]

Have you come close to finding an exit at all?

[catpiper]

[There's a shudder as she hears something as they walk. The scientists tend to make themselves known as soon as she's getting close to somewhere new and her ears prick at every tiny noise.]

I don't know it's-it's scary. It's too dark to see the end.

[But she wishes, and hopes, an exit shows itself soon.]

Have you?

[journalname]

I am afraid not.

[Asgore fully expects to be caught and killed again. He's got reasonably good pattern recognition skills.

But having Ren here means that he can't just go seek out the next child to get it over with. Maybe he can get her out. At least, he could give her some advice. No one else on the wall had lost as many lives as he; she's still got a shot.]

But I have spent many years living underground. I find that there is often a difference in the air when you are approaching an exit. It smells fresher - too far underground, where no wind can reach, it gets very stale.

[catpiper]

[The topic itself is almost pleasant, despite the circumstances and permanent uneasiness she feels being in the situation. It's nice to hear though, that he has some experience in this. She wouldn't want to live underground-hanging out there was fine, hiding from ghosts was fine, but it was too dark and scary to stay there forever.]

We'll smell the halls and go the way that smells 'fresh.'

[Better than anything else they've tried so far.]

Did you like it underground?

[journalname]

[Asgore's never strictly tested this, but he suspects his own sense of smell is stronger than a human's. He knows the sort of thing he's searching for, anyway; he lifts his head to test the air.]

...we were not living there by choice. But there were parts of it, I suppose, that were nice. I had a garden where the sun would filter in from above.

[He's not sure either of their paths smell especially fresh. But perhaps one is slightly more so?]

This way, perhaps?

[catpiper]

[Good, she can't smell a difference and that's a tragedy. He seems to have a better idea than her-not that she doesn't try to stand on her tiptoes, drop to the ground, stand completely still and see if the air smells different.

It sure is. Air.

But his words remind her of a story she heard from a small child-one about those trapped underground, waiting for an angel and a prophecy. She wonders if he knows that tale. Maybe she can tell it to him once they're out.]

Do you have a bunch of pretty flowers there?

[journalname]

I do! It is mostly golden flowers - a type of flower from the Surface.

[It's entirely golden flowers, really, but that's a weird thing to do in your garden.]

They are very pretty, and they can be made into a tea! It is not...

[He pauses, turning at the distant sound of running feet. Whatever that is, it doesn't sound like something or someone large.]

[catpiper]

[The conversation had been a distraction, but that's all it was-the pitter patter of feet makes her shoulders stiffen and her fingers grip the items in her hand that much tighter.

She doesn't say anything as her movements slow to a crawl. They gotta be quiet now and she tries to avoid looking towards the direction of the sound.]

[journalname]

[Asgore follows her lead, and slows to a stop himself. He even covers the light from his torch with a big paw, reducing it to a muted glow. That's not going to keep anything from seeing them. He knows that by now. But having a child with him makes it seem more important to try.

He doesn't look away, though. If anything, he's craning his neck in the direction of the sound.

So he's the first one who sees the child round the corner. They can't be any older than Ren herself, though the cowboy hat drawn low over their brow makes it hard to really see their features. There's a glowing yellow heart floating in front of their chest, and a gun in their hand.]

You're the king.

[Asgore straightens, but doesn't reply. Instead, quietly, he says to Ren:]

I am sorry, but I think that you should go on alone from here.

[catpiper]

[This is strange.

It's a child and she doesn't get it. This is what this monster fears? And he's a king, too? That simple sentence and their appearance raises more questions than she thought, but-

She knows one thing. She can't leave him alone.]

No. I'll stay.

[journalname]

[Uh, what? Asgore turns to frown down at her.]

I do not think that is a good -

[Bang! Asgore grunts in pain as the bullet pierces through his arm in a large puff of dust. His torch clatters to the ground and fizzles.

He's going to die here. He accepted that a while ago. But he doesn't want to do that in front of Ren; he's made that mistake once before, and he regrets it now. Asgore drops his sword as well - it's not useful for anything but stabbing children - and uses both hands to usher Ren away, in front of him. He'll try to escape with her if that's what it takes.]

Go!

[catpiper]

[The piercing bang stuns her into silence and while she had been fully prepared to tell him he has to face his fears, that child is-

It's a child. An armed kid with a target painted on this monster's back, but she's hesitant to say what has to be done. He's not willing to fight back and she can understand why. It must hurt though-her deaths have been quick, at the hands of scientists who know how to make short work of her.

He's getting shot at. Losing limbs that disappear into the air and-

They can't run forever, but they can move far enough away to hide and figure out what to do. There's only one way out of this place, probably-maybe this time they can outrun the problem. Maybe they don't need to fight it. That's what she wants to believe-the sick feeling in her gut telling her otherwise.

With him finally moving, she starts to make her escape too.]

Who is that?

[journalname]

They are -

[The words catch in his throat. He could pretend that it's from pain - dust is streaming freely from his arm, hissing faintly like sand as it pours onto the ground - but it's not that at all. He just doesn't know what to say. He doesn't even know their name.]

You can't just run away! You're the real monster here!

[They just sound like an indignant child - not even malicious so much as angry. Another gunshot echoes, and Asgore hisses in pain. He's a difficult target to miss.

But he'll keep running as long as Ren does, and he's faster than the yellow soul.]

[catpiper]

[They can only run so fast and it's all in the same direction. Every twist and turn makes their footsteps echo and it's easy to track which path they've gone down.

And she's scared-of that kid, for this monster, who is leaking something other than blood and she doesn't know what kind of bandage will help ease that pain. She's scared to stay together because she can't help him. She's scared of splitting up, because there's no guarantee the child will come after her.

He's ushering her forward, but she slows her pace and steps to the side to get, if not behind him, beside him. He's got to escape.]

We have to find the end.

[journalname]

[Asgore certainly won't keep forcing Ren along in front of him if she's doing something else, but he seems confused by her moving to his side. He's stumbling more than running, and his breathing is harsh. Though he keeps a hand pressed over the wound in his arm, fine grains of white dust are still leaking out.]

I do not think -

[One of his horns crumbles away. It was only two shots - but his DEF can't get much lower, and that child wants him dead. Their gun had been empty, when he met the real them. Maybe if they'd been able to conserve their ammunition, everything would've been different.

He can't recognize if this is a corridor he's been in before, or focus enough to tell if it might lead out.]

Come now. You do not have to stay here with me.

[catpiper]

[It's not the first time she's seen someone die. The children vanished, the people around her fell victim to a project meant to save, some ghosts recalled their last moments in vivid detail, others were pouring out grief she simply felt as she ran by.

But watching this gentle monster get attacked and turn to dust before her very eyes-knowing that it's because he needs to face the child behind him and unsure of how to make that happen, if it should happen, why it needs to happen-

She tries to get behind him. Maybe offer some kind of cover, because it doesn't particularly matter if she gets hit. It's not going to change the outcome for her, no matter how bad she wants live she's desperate to live, but it might make a difference for him.]

I'm going to stay. I'll be right here.

[journalname]

[Asgore stops moving as Ren slips behind him, turning to track her movements.]

No, no, there is no need for that - [Somewhere, logically, he knows that the other child is incapable of harming her. But it's hard to keep track of all the facts and mechanics of this place, while his body is dissolving back into dust.] - this is only between them and I.

[catpiper]

[She didn't ask for his input!! And tries to push him forward, tries to think of a way to stop the dust from coming out-]

If you can't fight back, you have to keep going. Don't stop.

[journalname]

All right, all right...

[He'll just keep going then? He doesn't see why she's so concerned about him, frankly, but she won't get out any faster if he makes her stand here and deal with him.]

But if I fall behind, you must go on. You should get out of this place.

[catpiper]

You only have one tally left.

[Is the protest that comes out of her mouth. She has at least a couple. It's riskier for him to be left alone.]

[journalname]

That is all right. Death does not last here.

[Those children, even if these shades are not truly them, deserve to take his life if they want it. The fact that he'll probably just come back again only makes it a lot easier to let it happen.]

[catpiper]

That kind of thing doesn't matter.

[He shouldn't have to die. No one in this maze should have to experience that over and over and over again until they get something right.]

[journalname]

Of course it does.

[Asgore would never make that argument for anyone else. He couldn't let another person experience death, simply because it wouldn't stick. But for him - well, that's different. He's done it before, and with any luck he'll do it again at some point. He doesn't want to live forever.]

I will be okay. No matter what happens here.