epidemiology | EVENT ★ LABYRINTH III: THE ESCAPE

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EVENT ★ LABYRINTH III: THE ESCAPE

LABYRINTH III

The correct passageway to the inner ring of the maze is hidden behind a thick wall of vines. After cutting through the plants, the structure of the maze is noticeably different: the overgrown plants continue creeping up the walls, but the walls are no longer brick and stone, composed instead of some sort of blue metal with holes and divots carved elaborately into the surface. From some holes gush forth pure, clean water; from others, acidic liquid. The air is cool and crisp, the plants creating a lush, dim environment lit by eerie blue lights spread throughout this section.

The lizards, rats, and other monstrous creatures seem to be absent from this area of the maze, replaced instead by rhinoceros-sized beetles. The beetles each have a single horn protruding from the head, and their hard carapaces make them difficult to kill -- a better method might be to simply climb somewhere high and wait for the beetle to get bored. But unlike the other monsters encountered in the maze, the beetles seem to have something else on their mind beyond wanton violence: they can sometimes be found rolling massive balls of dung throughout the corridors of the labyrinth. (This might explain why the plants are so lush closer to the center.)

There is little time to explore this section of the labyrinth before there's a flicker of light all around and more ALASTAIR recruits suddenly appear, most dressed in a freshly pressed uniform and carrying extra food and supplies. They have been told that the cloaking surrounding Asterion Labyrinth is so strong and complex that Oska was only able to send in a handful of recruits at once for a relief effort.

In order to leave, they'll have to locate the escape mechanism that lies deep within the labyrinth; the remaining Asterion Prison correctional officers know its general location, but not precisely what it entails. All they know is that it will require technological cunning to operate and that it's heavily guarded.

After five days, the portal room is found.

THE PORTAL ROOM

The center of the labyrinth is a large, circular room with a raised platform in the middle. On this platform rests a circle of computer consoles surrounding another platform, on which sits an empty circular frame 2.5m (8') in diameter. This is the dormant portal, and it is now Audentes's task to turn it on and find their way back to Oska.

Because the portal is not made for interdimensional travel, it must be overclocked, which will cause it to burn out and explode once it is used. In order to override the safety protocols in place to prevent such dangerous tampering, the control panels must be unlocked -- and unfortunately, the locks are all complicated puzzles, ranging from the numerical to sliding pieces into place to complete a pattern. There are many of these puzzled scattered around the portal room, and once they are all unlocked, it's a simple matter of flipping the power override switches. Ignore the dangerous humming sound and the way the frame suddenly fills with violent purple energy. That's probably normal.

The new recruits have the correct coordinates to locate Oska, which has temporarily lowered its cloaking shield to allow Audentes to return. So there is a bit of a time crunch.

Adding more to the difficulty of the situation is the presence of a monster lumbering around the circular portal room. Six meters (20') high, the beast is best described as a minotaur, but perhaps not in the traditional sense: while it resembles a bipedal bull, it is an amalgamation of flesh and machine with its body covered in pistons and glowing lights. One of its hands is an enormous axe and it belches fire and acid. Despite its head resembling an herbivore, the piles of desiccated bones scattered throughout the portal room tell a different story.

Upon seeing the group, the minotaur charges. Mavahari, the Zymandis recruit, rushes to meet it with her sword drawn. Inmates and correctional officers do their best to fight it as well, but something becomes quickly apparent: it cannot be harmed by projectile weapons. The machinery of the beast keeps it protected from most attacks, though electricity will stun it and acid will corrode its metal. But in order to injure the minotaur, it must be stabbed between the metal plates where its vulnerable flesh remains.

During the battle, the minotaur fights viciously and without regard for its own safety. The first casualty comes early: the minotaur swings its axe toward Mavahari, who is pushed out of the way by George. The axe connects with him solidly, sending him flying into the wall with a shuddering impact. George lies there still, but there's no time to mourn. The beast continues its rampage.

Once the minotaur is defeated, you'll have to quickly decide what to do with the correctional officers and inmates who have followed Audentes through the Asterion Labyrinth. The overclocked portal won't hold forever, and the longer Oska leaves its cloak down, the better chance they have of being found by their enemies.

OOC NOTES

This log will last for six IC days: five days for exploration and one day at the center of the maze. We have also recently altered the calendar this month, so make sure you review it!

IMPORTANT: Participation in the solution poll is mandatory for August AC. Failure to participate will result in an automatic strike. The only exception is for those who are exempt from August AC. The poll will close on 11 August 23:59 UTC.

If you have any questions about the labyrinth that aren't answered here, please direct them to the Leramzen dossier.

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

[The last thing Nyuu expected to find was a sword. For a moment, she thought it belonged to someone in their group until she looked around and noticed that she was the only one, no sign of a returning owner.

Nyuu thought about leaving it there. She didn't know how to use a sword. She didn't believe that she could find it in herself to use it on someone either. But she took it anyway, realizing in the end that she would need some other way to defend herself in case no one could come to her aid. And even she had to admit, the hilt looked so lovely, twinkling from all the gems. There was no sheath included, though, so she would have to be careful.

It's as she's exiting out of her searching spot what she spots Widowmaker, easy to recognize with her unique skin tone. Nyuu didn't feel frightened by her when they were sharing the same cell on the prison, so she saw no problem with waving and yelling a greeting.]

Nyuu, nyuu!

[Ah, right... That. The blindness may had faded away before they reached this part of the maze, but her speech was still affected by the fruit. She clasps a hand over her mouth, looking embarrassed.]

[She heard the other as she was straightening again from picking up the cache, raising her head to look in the direction the other was coming from. She smiled slightly, lifting her free hand in a short wave in return. It was a little strange to hear her yelling her own name, but Widowmaker said nothing regarding it, noticing how embarrassed she looked.

If she felt like telling her she would, so instead she shifted slightly to tuck the cache away in her thigh pouch, frowning when it didn't quite fit. It would have to do, after all it might come in handy given all the bugs and whatever else could be wandering around.

Then she approached Nyuu, stopping when she'd come into appropriate range for a conversation. It's then she notices the sword.]

Ah, it seems I'm not the only one whose found something.

[Nyuu uncovers her mouth to show a sheepish smile accompanied by a nod, but still blushing pink. She holds out her index finger in front of her as a way of asking for a moment before focusing her attention on her magitek ring. Now more than ever, Nyuu was extremely grateful that all they had to do was think it to operate it. Once she finds Widowmaker's name in the directly, she sends a text.]

I'm sorry about my lack speech, it seems to be another side effect of the fruit I ate, but I'm getting by with our technology.

And yes, this sword was just laying in the middle of the corridor. What did you find, Widowmaker-san?

[Even in text, Nyuu insists on keeping the formalities. She sends a curious glance at Widowmaker's thigh pack, noticing the way it's bulging.]

[She simply smiles back, inclining her head when Nyuu gestures for her to give her a moment; looking up to watch a spot over her shoulder for a moment before they message comes in over her magitek.

For a moment she looks sympathetic, seeing how harsh this particular fruit had been.]

It's quite alright, the fruit was indeed harsh on some of us.

As for what I found -- [she turns her attention down.] a cache of medical supplies. Perhaps someone else may get use out of them.

[Nyuu nods her head in agreement.]

Medical supplies are always useful. I don't know about this sword, though... It's beautiful, but I have no idea how to use something like this.

[Nyuu adjusts her hold on the sword so that she's holding it up with two hands, with one gripping the handle and the other carefully supporting the flat side of the blade. Her eyebrows furrow as she looks down at it, frowning slightly.]

Maybe I'll give it to someone who does when we get out of here.

[It is quite a beautiful weapon but like Nyuu she has no use for it either, her skill-set geared more towards hand to hand combat and the rifle slung across her back.

She thinks maybe she ought to learn other skills but hasn't yet had the opportunity.]

I'm sure you'll be able to find someone to hand it off to if you really wish.

[There's been a few people she's run into that seem like they might use a weapon like that and there were probably others, since the skill pool in ALASTAIR seems rather large...]

[Somewhere, in the very back of Nyuu's mind is the thought of seeing herself learning how to use the sword. There's a twinge of excitement, but at the same time... that meant she would have to hurt people. Regardless of whether that person deserved it or not, the mere sight of blood was enough to form a cold pit in Nyuu's stomach.

Sometimes, she could still smell the sickening, metallic scent of the blood that had splashed all over her during Lucy's massacre of the Deemers at Perdition's Rest. Feel how it sticky it made her skin as it dried and turned rusty red.

There's no outward sign that Nyuu is losing herself in her flashback except for the way her eyes widen and blink just as Widowmaker finishes speaking, coming out of her trance. She'd heard Widowmaker's voice, but it had grown soft and distant during her reverie.]

I think so too. I thought of Urahara-san first, but then Benihime might get jealous and I'd rather not make her angry.

[Even though it's only text, Nyuu is clearly rambling as she tries to recover. As if she hadn't remembered something bad.]

[She doesn't miss the way Nyuu reacts so suddenly after she'd finished speaking, but since she'd never been one to ask questions that she had little business knowing the answers to she made no remark on it. People talked when they wanted to, not because they were made to.

So instead she keeps to the current conversation, gaze flicking to the nearby wall as she thought more on the people here and who would benefit from such a weapon. It had crossed her mind that she ought to learn how to use a sword herself, but the amount of times she was willing to put herself in such close quarters made her think better of it -- but there was still always those moments her rifle might not help her.

Not that she had someone willing to teach her lined up, so once again she dismissed the thought glancing back as Nyuu rambled on.]

Jealous? Why?

[She'd only ever seen Urahara over the network once or twice, having no idea about his weapon.]

[She's grateful that her spacing out isn't called on, even though she already told Widowmaker about Lucy. Her other self was still a touchy subject, often causing a flood of mixed emotions dyed in crimson. But Nyuu is more than happy to talk about Urahara as she smiles softly.]

Because Benihime is Urahara-san's sword. He said he could speak to her, too.

[A shrug.]

I'm still not sure whether he's playing a little joke on me or not, but Japan has its legends about magical swords, so it's not like I haven't heard of something like that before.

[If Nyuu ever wanted to ask someone to teach her swordplay, Urahara would be the first person to come to mind.]

[Her eyebrow raises as soon as Nyuu mentions talking to swords -- talking swords? -- she doesn't buy it but she takes it with the same grain of salt she'd taken literally everything else so far, making a noise in her throat.

She'd heard of the old legends in passing before as well, but like Nyuu she can't be sure if he's not pulling the other's leg. Especially since she doesn't know the man.

If this were a year ago she might have laughed it off.]

That's...interesting. I suppose it is best to just take it with a grain of salt.

I've definitely taken a lot of things with a grain of salt since joining ALASTAIR, so one more shouldn't hurt.

[And there will be plenty more in the future, she's sure.]

If you don't mind, Widowmaker-san, there's something I've wanted to ask you since we met.

[Except she didn't bring it up while they were in the prison since she was scared out of her wits at the time. Nyuu blinks her eyes and tilts her head slightly.]

What made you want to learn how to use a gun? In my world, a woman wielding such a weapon would earn herself a lot of side glances.

[And much more than that, but there's no harsh criticism or judgement in Nyuu's eyes. Just plain old curiosity. (No one's told her that curiosity killed the cat yet.) In her time, women were still expected to carry out their stereotypical roles. Even Nyuu's friends had taught her things that a standard housewife should know--cooking, grocery shopping, cleaning--and her wardrobe mainly consisted of feminine clothes.

By now she's seen countless women who didn't conform to that image, but there was something about Widowmaker that Nyuu found especially cool. Perhaps it was the other woman's mysterious aura, or the way she seemed so smooth when Nyuu was first pushed into that prison cell and had been an emotional wreck.]

I think a lot of us have.

[It was the best course of action for a bunch of people from a bunch of different worlds and timelines all shoved together and sent off to even more strange places. It kept her sane even in the face of things she hadn't thought possible until now.

She hums a note with Nyuu's expressed desire to ask her a question, an eyebrow raising as she waited for the moment she did ask. The question gives her pause, her expression remaining carefully blank as she considers a different answer from the one she knows is right: She didn't have a choice in the matter.

The entire lifestyle she lived now was at the whim of another, her choice having never been a factor.

Survival is the first answer that rises to the surface besides the truth -- and it's not far off from it. The reality her home was likely slowly becoming in her absence she had no doubt even if her alliances shifted she would need it to survive.

Ultimately after a few more seconds of deliberation she decides on the truth.]

I didn't have a choice in the matter. Had I been able to, I wouldn't have wanted to.

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EVENT ★ LABYRINTH III: THE ESCAPE

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