epidemiology | EVENT ★ LABYRINTH II

DEEPER

Following the marked path near the lake leads Audentes (and George) further into the maze, closer to the goal found at the center. Some other inmates (including Zymandis agent Mavahari) and correctional officers follow along, having picked up on the organized manner of Audentes and figuring it’s their best bet on getting out of here alive.

Unlike the dry stone and sand in the outer ring of the maze, this next section is overflowing with flora. Jungle vines cling to the walls to the point where seeing the stone underneath is a difficult task; trees sprout from between cracked tiles, bearing alien-looking fruit; branches and brambles cross certain parts of the maze, and will need to be hacked through unless you want to find another way around.

Water is more plentiful now as well, since obviously the plants need it to flourish. For the first time since setting foot in the labyrinth, a rain begins to fall, drizzling and gentle. This can be a respite or an annoyance, depending on how you look at it: while it’s soothing and can make collection of fresh, clean water easier, walking around in wet clothes is probably not that pleasant.

Your fellow ALASTAIR recruit George has inexplicably struck up a friendship with the Zymandis agent Mavahari, and they can often be found exploring the maze together, with Mavahari helping him due to his broken arm. They seem to be getting along well enough, but maybe checking in with George is in order.

Otherwise, survival is the name of the game; though the center of the labyrinth is closer, it’s impossible to tell how close, and how long to expect to be here. Collecting water is simple enough, but food is growing scarce. The tree fruits may be a good solution, but it seems as though some have unfortunate reactions to them, ranging from stomach cramps to rashes to fever and temporary blindness.

But an allergic reaction may just be the least of your worries.

LOVE ME LIKE A REPTILE

The monsters seen so infrequently in the outer ring of the maze are now a common nuisance. Giant insects and rats scurry about, hungry for whatever flesh they can find, but they’re easily defeated, particularly if encountered as a group. But with new terrain comes new, adaptive animals, and the labyrinth is no different.

Lizards are now the main threat: enormous and camouflaged, they stalk their prey and take their time, looking for the perfect opportunity to ambush. The lizards are three-headed, with each head containing fangs dripping with venom, capable of rendering its victims paralyzed within five seconds flat. Their blood is also poisonous, capable of burning through metal, not to mention flesh.

If a head is severed, the lizard will retreat back into the jungle, presumably to nurse its wounds but possibly to grow another head -- no lizard will ever be encountered with less than three heads, so it’s possible they have regenerative abilities. The best way to defeat one is to remove all three heads at once, or simply kill it in whatever way possible. The lizards are quick and mean, but not invincible.

Now more than ever, it’s important to take care in exploring the maze. Stray too far from the group or try to make it alone, and you might not survive.

OOC NOTES

Once again, we have a plotting post here and search requests for the next ring of the maze.

Please note: during the labyrinth event, all drops are ICly delayed. What this means is that characters who drop will be handwaved to still be around on auto-pilot until connection with Oska is resumed, at which point they will be transferred to a different team as usual.

If you have any questions about the labyrinth that aren't answered here, please direct them to the Leramzen dossier. If you have questions for any NPCs, please direct them there as well!

Questions about the game in general should be directed to the FAQ and you may submit mission ideas or player plots at any time.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Nyuu eases up a bit, shoulders sagging slightly as she hangs her head and nods.]

It happened after I ate the fruit. I knew it might be a bad idea, but I wanted to help find something that we could use to replace our dwindling food supply...

[And she was hungry, which had made her more willing to take the risk. Nyuu understood she had no one to blame but herself, though. She was paying for the risk she took.]

[Maya quickly abandons her noble (?) goal of getting punched in the face and takes Nyuu's arm instead]

That's awful! You should have said something!

[She knew about the fruit's side effects, but didn't realize blindness was one of them. But it had to be temporary, right?]

Okay, I'm gonna be your seeing eye Maya until you get your sight back.

I-I'm sorry, I just didn't want to be a burden for everyone else.

[Everyone probably has a lot on their mind as is.]

Eh? Is that really okay? I would hate to inconvenience you.

[She gently places a hand on top of the one Maya has resting against her arm. It's not that she didn't want the assistance, she does, but she can't help feeling that she would only hold Maya back.]

It's not a burden! We're supposed to help each other out, aren't we? [Says the complete hypocrite]

[(Maya's already holding herself back plenty, there's not too much that Nyuu could do)]

And if something tries to attack us, then I can practice.

[Win... win?]

[Nyuu finally shows a bright smile and opens her mouth to say "thank you," until Maya mentions something about practicing. So instead, she blinks, confused.]

Practice? Practice what? Some kind of power? A weapon?

[Ironically, Nyuu's been trying to practice something herself: the vectors. But she doubts she'd be able to summon any in her current state, especially since she couldn't do it while she had her sight.]

Um.... sort of a power. I got this shielding spell or something from ALASTAIR, I'm trying to get it to work.

[And she adds, hastily:] B-But it'll definitely work if something tries to take a bite out of you! So don't worry. [Just in case she was worried about that]

[What a coincidence!]

You too? I've been having a similar problem myself.

[Still, she smiles at Maya honestly.]

I believe in you! I'm sure it will work when you need it to.

[If only she could feel the same way about her own powers. Nyuu was always ready to support other people, but had recently fallen short of doing the same for herself.]

T-Thanks. [What is this feeling, someone believing in Maya and not the other way around?? What nonsense] I believe in you, too! Why don't we practice together?

[Nyuu suddenly turned shy and began to shuffle her weight from one foot to the other.]

Ah, I want to, but the thing is... my spell from ALASTAIR is sort of connected to another power that I already had before.

[At least she thinks so. If Lucy could do it, then so could she. Nyuu just hadn't known about it until she left her world.]

But I haven't had much luck with using it. [She can't help but smile sheepishly.] Sometimes I concentrate so hard that I end up getting a headache.

Another power....? How does it work? [Maya looks thoughtful!! At least if she focuses on this girl's training, it'll help the both of them feel better] You probably just need a little more training.

From what I understand, it's similar to telekinesis.

[She leaves out the "hands" part, though, unsure of how to explain what she didn't understand herself. The only things she knew of her powers were what others told her since Lucy remained tight-lipped. Even through their notes, Nyuu could sense the vehement emotion behind all of Lucy's refusals, but that only kindled her determination to learn how to control the vectors, scary as it was.]

That's what I think, too. I didn't even know I already had powers until I started working for ALASTAIR.

I bet working for ALASTAIR unlocked your true potential... and how you just have to have a training arc to get stronger.

[that makes no sense but okay]

What do you know about it?

EVENT ★ LABYRINTH II

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