The Panopticon

[Horendithas]

[COLOR=Indigo][CENTER][B]Violation Detected?Rule Six Of Prohibited Actions Has Occurred?[/B][/CENTER]
[SIZE=1]
Nadia?s group didn?t even have a moment to register what had happened. One moment she was there and then the next she was gone. And then same voice spoke yet again. [I][B]There will be penalties for those who act in a way that the CCC does not allow. Remember? we are always watching you.[/B][/I]

?[B]No![/B]? Desmond howled when he realized Nadia had vanished. ?[B]Not again! Cowards! She didn?t do a damn thing wrong![/B]?

?[B]Besides being chosen for this freak show that is.[/B]? Julian retorted. ?[B]Besides, better her than me.?[/B]

?[B]You?You?[/B]? Desmond whirled and launched himself at Julian. ?[B]You MotherFucker![/B]? He screamed as he slammed into him and started punching him wildly.
[CENTER]
*****[/CENTER]

Nadia Dylenda was in darkness, lying flat on her back. [I]What the? How did I get here?[/I] She thought as she started to get up. She had only made it to a sitting position when she was blinded by the light from a screen lighting up on a wall in front of her.

?[B]Nadia Dylenda. You have acted in a manner that violates the Central Command Center?s rules. For your crime, you will face a punishment of the Panopticon.[/B]?

Nadia froze, terrified. [I]But I didn?t tell the others that I?m a Druid! [/I]She thought wildly. [I]How did they find out? Did they read my mind? [/I]

?[B]Your punishment will last 12 hours by the CCC?s time. For your crime you will face trial twenty one.[/B]?

?[B]What?s wrong with you?[/B]? Nadia cried out even as she got up. ?[B]I haven?t done anything wrong![/B]? But there was no answer, only the sound of lights turning on and a rumbling sound as the floor she was on started to sink.

Nadia whirled to look behind her. She was in another room altogether one of metal walls and floors. In addition to the section she was standing on other parts of the floor were sinking, leaving square columns about five feet apart. With a startled oath she quickly climbed up onto one of the columns. At five feet by five feet there wasn?t a lot of room to maneuver. [I]Now what?[/I] She wondered even as she looked down. Nadia could no longer see the floor and the outer walls had moved further out as well.

There were about twenty-five platforms in all, in an evenly spaced grid of five by five. Nadia didn?t need her skills as a ranger to tell her that something was going to happen. And sure enough several panels opened in the ceiling and two dark elves dropped down onto columns in front of her.

Shocked at seeing them Nadia took a couple of steps back and nearly fell off the column she was on. [I]Dark elves? My enemies? How did they get here?[/I] Nadia instantly reached for her weapons, but other than her short knives she had none. [I]Hell![/I] She pulled them out just the same, going into a defensive crouch as she watched the pair warily. There was something wrong with them. Even though they looked like her enemies they had a flat empty look to their eyes.

?[B]Pretty elf,[/B]? one of them hissed at her. ?[B]We?ll show you a good time before we slit your throat.[/B]?

Stung Nadia stepped back. [I]What is going on here? Have they been driven mad by this place? [/I]Surely she had heard wrong. The dark elves who were her enemies would have never threatened her they would have simply attacked her immediately. She didn?t have time to wonder what was wrong as they came at her, impossibly quick as they leaped from the platform they had landed on to where she was. Nadia dodged to the right when the first one landed on the platform she was on. With a swift blow she hit him on the back of the neck with the pommel of her short knife, knocking him head first over the edge, even as she slashed with the knife in her right hand forcing the other to dodge.

But as she moved to force the remaining elf over the edge, the sound of another one landing on the column behind her caught her attention.[I] Damn! [/I]She thought as she quickly moved and jumped to another column and turned to face them. Behind them she could see the screen on the far wall where she had first appeared. It was displaying the time she had left. Only fifteen minutes had passed. Even Nadia knew that she lacked the stamina to last for another eleven hours and forty-five minutes!

Movement brought her back to her immediately situation as she focused on the Dark elves. Both of them rushed her attempting to pin her down but Nadia was too quick, swiftly sheathing her knives and moving to the left and nimbly jumping to the next column, twisting as she landed to immediately leap to another one. But as she landed one of the dark elves did as well, grabbing her right sleeve and throwing her off balance as she leaped for the next column. With a startled shriek she slipped and nearly fell into the darkness as she missed the column, her fingers barely catching the edge.

Quickly she pulled herself up only to have both dark elves land on her back before she could do more than get onto the platform, knocking her flat on her stomach. She screamed in rage as they pinned her down and then grabbed her shirt and tried to tear it off of her, their hands searching for her short knives as they did so. Nadia struggled furiously and managed to twist free just enough to grab one of them by the arm and pull, throwing him off balance, giving her the leverage she needed to roll onto her back, pulling her short knife free as she did so, slashing the other one?s throat before he could react. Nadia ignored the blood that sprayed all over her as she kicked his body over the side along with the other one who got in the way.

Breathing heavily she stood up as two more dark elves dropped down from an open panel in the ceiling. The screen behind them showing that she still had eleven hours and thirty minutes left.

[CENTER][B]*****[/B][/CENTER][/SIZE]
[CENTER][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/untitled13pj2.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/imprisonpanopticon.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]
[B]
Notes: [/B]The twelve hours translates to 60 hours in real time from the moment this post goes up. [/COLOR]

[Darren]

[SIZE=1]Meredith Taylor: Strong, resourceful, dependable, and completely pissed off at the moment. How had she gotten here? Why was she brought here? And most importantly, why the hell couldn't she remember a damn thing?

She looked down at her hands and the many scars they bore. There was new cut from her most recent assignment: A young boy. Meredith didn't like having to kill someone so innocent, but she had the ability to lock away her feelings, being completely cold. It wasn't his fault; he had just whitnessed something he shouldn't have and the man who hired Meredith to kill him was very generous with his reward money. However, she hadn't had the chance to receive a dime before she was transported to this place.

She first broke into his home when his parents were away at work... She wanted to make it simple and painless for both of their stakes. She didn't bring her guns, too afraid to miss his vital organs, causing him to bleed slowly. She used one of her special gadgets to temporarily make the boy deaf. It was powerful enough to shatter every glass in the house.

He was cowering in the corner between two cupboards in the kitchen, holding a large knife, when Meredith saw his face for the first time. Of course she had a picture, but they never compared to the real thing, especially when they were afraid. She was just going to give him a shot, something to put him to sleep forever.

He slashed at her, but it was with little skill. He didn't know how to use a knife. She got close and embraced him. It was a shame she had to kill this innocent boy, but if he didn't, then someone else would come for him, and her neck would also be on the line.

As her mind raced to all the things this boy would never see, she felt a sharp pain. He had managed to force the blade through her hand. It was a clean cut and when he removed the blade, it was in a motion that removed her pinky. Still Meredith didn't cry, her pain reducers allowed for this kind of thing. The only thing that hurt her was the thought of ending his life. With one hand, she grabbed his head and pulled it to her chest, as though she were a mother comforting her young child. It also revealed his neck so she could sink the small needle into it.

That was it. He died in less than five minutes and Meredith stayed there the whole time. After that, she used a kind of glue that she always carried with her to put her hand back together, and then she left the room, not caring if someone found her DNA. As far as the police were concerned, Meredith Taylor had died six years ago in an accident with her husband...

And now she was here, completely lost and forced to put up with all these people's bullshit. What's worse was that all of her weapons were in her car when she was transported. All she had now, was that special glue, (and there was no way in hell Meredith was giving that away to anybody) an empty sirenge, and a folded picture of the boy she had just killed.

What she wouldn't have given to have been hired to kill Sastasha or Claire, easily the two richest people in the room. The spoiled rich didn't deserve to live while the innocent victims like that little boy died. But Meredith was smarter than that, she knew that she would have to bide her time and that she couldn't make much of a conversation at all, what with all the pricks that were peresent. If she needed to kill them later, she would.

Even the man that she craved for was a whimp. Damian had come in handy once, but she still hated him for passing out every time he used his power, and she hated herself even more for not being able to resist him even though he was a weakling. Perhaps it was because he was too much like her husband before he died. Always unsure of himself, but very cold and calculating nonetheless.

With all this frustration built up inside, she had to get it out somehow, she clenched her hurt fist together so tight that blood was redrawn to the surface. It began dripping onto the foor as the group continued walking. For fear of attention being brought to her, she moved back to the back of the crowd.

Trying to calm herself, she closed her eyes and took a few seconds to gather her thoughts. That's when she heard the most beautiful thing in the world. It was a young woman's humming. It was in the most beautiful tune Meredith had ever heard. She kept her eyes closed, trying to imagine a story playing in her head and allowed the tension to leave her body. The soothing tune got closer and louder until finally a hand was placed on her shoulder.

[B]"It's okay. We'll make it out together."[/B] The woman speaking had a very strong French accent, but that didn't take away from her polite comment. The hand left her shoulder and the humming continued. When Meredith opened her eyes, she saw a young white-haired woman walking in front of here.

[B]"Wait,"[/B] she called. The young woman turned around; she was very pretty. [B]"Where'd you learn that tune? It's very beautiful."[/B]

She just smiled. Meredith guessed that the woman didn't like to talk much. Finally she spoke up. [B]"Yes. It is nice isn't it? I learned it at my work; I have to sing and dance so it's just something I picked up along the way."[/B]

She started to turn around again, but Meredith stopped her again, [B]"I'm Meredith. I'm glad to see that I can get along with at least one person here."[/B]

The woman smiled innocently, her eyes examining every aspect of Meredith. They even dropped to her newly blood-soaked hand. [B]"Delilah Rousseau. Just what makes you think you'll get along with me?"[/B] she finally turned and walked away from Meredith, continuing to hum her song. She could tell that this sweet and charming, yet quiet girl was also observant and smart like her. Maybe a friendship could be made.

[I]If only she doesn't have to die first.[/I] The cruel words crossed her mind before Meredith returned to the group.[/SIZE]

[Sandy]

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][CENTER][U]Group Three[/U][/CENTER]

It was decided: they would divide into two groups. One would go down the stairs, while the other would go up.

Dafine Hecata observed the people she was with. At first she had been scared of the strange shape of their heads, but it soon became obvious that they were intelligent creatures like the Cheira. Well, except for that little girl, Penny, who had asked her why she had the head of a kath, or something like that. Apparently Dafine reminded some animal in Penny's planet, which Dafine perceived as both degrading and interesting.

[B]"I will lead the group going upwards"[/B], she spoke with her clear and carrying voice. She was used to taking the leadership, she [I]was[/I] the 17th Bastician of Crymalkin, after all. [B]"I suggest that you, Etamet, take the other group down."[/B]

The dark-skinned man nodded so that the jewelry in his braided hair tingled. [B]"Alcuin, Delita, Eliana and Serena, you follow me. Follow us if the upper way doesn't lead anywhere."[/B]

With those words, the man began descending the stairs, followed by the people he invited.

[B]"Guys, are you sure this is a smart idea, breaking up like this?"[/B] Eloris whimpered, a bit too late. Dafine took her as a very reserved person, although she seemed strong for her age. So did the winged girl next to her, the one who couldn't even utter her name. Everybody just called her "Angela", for resembling something called an angel. Dafine reckoned that angels were just another type of animal in their planet.

[B]"We shall go up, then"[/B], Dafine ordered the ones who had stayed with her. Eloris and Angela followed immediately, and the little Penny followed their steps. Uriel Blaine was left muttering by himself, but he eventually started climbing the stairs as well.

Dafine could well hear the other group below them, their footsteps echoing throughout the vertical shaft. Dafine honestly hoped that they had made the right choice by splitting up the group of ten. The darkness the others had descended to was surely intimidating.

Making fast progress, Dafine's group were approaching the roof above, when suddenly the staircase beneath them collapsed. Dafine was quick enough to jump forward with her amazing reflexes, and Uriel was still so far behind them that he managed to avoid the trap.

Dafine looked back, and saw as Angela spread her wings and took flight. In horror she watched as Eloris and Penny fell towards the darkness and impending death. For a second she pondered on jumping after them, but then she realized that even she couldn't pull that kind of a stunt.

But luckily Angela was there. Folding her autumn brown wings, she sped down, and grasped the lithe Penny. Unfortunately she wasn't fast enough to save Eloris too.

With a loud thud and a nasty cracking sound, Eloris hit one of the concrete levels several floors below them, and then just laid there, gazing upwards with a hollow stare in her eyes, as if in disbelief that her guardian angel hadn't saved her after all.[/COLOR]

[CENTER][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/deathcardpanopticon.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/picforpanop.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]

[SIZE=1]OoC: First blood is drawn. Oh, the drama![/SIZE]

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma][color=darkslategray][center][b]Group Three[/b][/center]

[b]"The stairs? You mean leading down, into god knows what could be down there?"[/b] Eliana Cedes complained. She held her long dark hair back as she tried to even glance down into the darkness, but it gave her the chills to even consider going down there. Etamet stopped in his tracks already down about eight stairs, wanting to wait for the rest of the group to be ready.

[b]"There is always going up if you want to follow them. We can see the five doors from here that the stairs lead to, it's possible that one of them could lead somewhere."[/b] Serena spoke quietly, not really sure if she wanted to be heard or not. Regardless though, her voice did carry over.

[b]"Lead somewhere? The only place those doors probably lead to are some dirty rooms that smell like shit and garbage! This isn't some kind of amusement park, kid."[/b] Eliana spoke again, clearly losing her patience with their situation.

Serena wore a scrunched up angry face at the comment and felt like shooting back with something nasty of her own, but she held herself back not wanting to add to the already delicate atmosphere. She noticed how calm mostly everyone was acting and didn't want to seem like she was losing control either. Of course she was freaked out, it wasn't like she was in her favorite London cyber-cafe infront of her labtop, or even in one of those MMORPGs she'd play from time to time, this wasn't a game...at least not to her it wasn't.

[b]"Oh man...we don't have a choice. It's either up or down the stairs guys."[/b] Alcuin exclaimed, giving the door one last kick before walking away from it completely. [b]"We might as well just get going."[/b]

[b]"You're kidding? There's no way you an get me to go down there..."[/b] Eliana protested stepping back toward the corridor they came from.

[b]"I suppose you'd prefer to go back the way we came then? That seems logical."[/b] Uriel stated sarcastically. Eliana turned to him angrily and just let out a muffled groan.

[b]"Now that you realize how foolish your being, why don't you just close your mouth and try to think of something productive."[/b] Uriel continued.

[b]"Shouldn't you be following the other group?"[/b] Delita asked, just a tad annoyed at Uriel's tone of voice, eventhough Eliana deserved it for the most part.

[b]"Yeah yeah, I'll catch up."[/b] Uriel said with a sigh, and just slowly began walking up behind Dafine and the others.

At that point, Delita walked downward a bit further on the stairway and knelt down as much as she could without slipping. She gazed downward and her eyes began to move back and forth as if she was trying to find something. The others quieted down any idle bantar they were engaging in moments afterwards and noticed her.

[b]"If only I had my night vision scanner. I wasn't on the job when I ended up here, otherwise i'd normally carry it on me."[/b] she replied, regretting a bit that she didn't carry most of her equipment other than a sidearm when off duty.

[b]"I guess we do it the adventurer's way then..."[/b] Alcuin began to talk before the sound of a girl's scream interuppted them. Everyone turned their attention upward to Angela's amazing flight exhibition and capturing Penny in her arms as she fell. The amazement of it wowed everyone until they noticed Eloris plummit down. Delita tried to run in time to catch her but she was nowhere near in time as the fall begun long before the scream. Eloris nailed the floor hard, and her eyes were motionless...just like her body.

[b]"Oh my god..."[/b] Serena said, covering her eyes and almost breaking into tears. Delita dropped to her knees beside Eloris's body and held her head in her arms. She looked down at her and tried with all of her might to believe that she could still be alive, but it was pretty clear that it was impossible. Delita closed Eloris's eyes for her and gave her a kiss on the forehead. Everyone watching on assumed it was some sort of ritual of some sort from where Delita came from. After all, Eloris was a total stranger to her. Or could Delita just simply be that compassionate of a person?

[b]"Dafine...the gap is too big and I don't think Angela can carry all of us. Could you check the doors and confirm if there is a way out?"[/b] Uriel asked in a low tone, trying to stay focuse on getting themselves out. He turned his focus away from Eloris's body, not so much because he was squeamish...but it reminded him too much of his military days on his planet. Dealing with deceased bodies was a popular method of genetic experimentation, he was forced to deal with it and perform experiments himself...but it was too much for him and eventually left. The visions were a bit too much for him, he didn't want to find himself thinking about it.

Dafine agreed and began checking the doors individually as Angela brought Penny down to the middle floor where the rest of the group was. Angela's face was pale and looked like she wanted to through up, Delita took her in her arms and hugged her keeping her glance away from the corpse.

[b]"It isn't your fault...please don't think that. Nobody here does..."[/b] Delita said to Angela, not knowing if she could really understand her or not, but she felt like she had to say it.

Dafine finished up with the last door on the top level. It was a good thing for her that Cheiras were light steppers. She managed to keep her balance rather well and when making her way downward, leap with impressive grace over the gap that was now formed.

[b]"I'm afraid they are all empty rooms with nothing but metal chains that look shackles. It's pretty clear now that this place was probably used as a prison of some sort."[/b] Dafine reported. The words deflated everyone's hopes, because it means that their only choice now was downward.

[b]"We can still go down...but we'll have to stay close. It's very dark."[/b] Etamet spoke.

[b]"Won't the stairs be just as delicate? I mean, any of us could easily end up like her!"[/b] Eliana said, pointing over to Eloris.

[b]"We don't have much of a choice, now do we?"[/b] Delita responded.

[b]"Well...if it's good night vision you need...I can help out with that department."[/b] Dafine mentioned calmly.

[b]"Wait...that actually makes a lot of sense. I mean, technically you ARE a cat right?"[/b] Serena asked excitedly.

[b]"Kath...there's that word again? What are you talking about my dear girl? I'm a Cheira. Of then noble family I might add."[/b] she retorted. Her long tail waving back and forth as she spoke made it kind of hard for her to be taken that seriously though. Serena kind of giggled to herself, much to the confusion of Dafine and others.

[b]"Serena?"[/b] Delita started to say.

[b]"No no! I'm sorry...it's just that where I come from we have animals called cats that...well...Dafine kind of resembles."[/b] she explained.

[b]"Well...calling me an animal then, are you? Just like the other girl"[/b] Dafine protested, clearly offended but knowing better then to hold it against them. After all, it was what they were used to.

[b]"No no! I'm so sorry...it's just..."[/b]

[b]"Look, are you going to look down there and tell us what's there or not?"[/b] Eliana nearly yelled, losing her patience with all of the talking. Dafine just glared in her direction as she walked over to the stairway and turned her attention downward. Everyone stood silent and waited to hear what she saw, hoping that they would be able to continue on safely. Eliana annoyingly began tapped her foot, before a glance from Delita caused her to stop.

[b]"Uhh huh...well, the stairway continues down to a...bridge I believe. It's a wooden bridge that leads two ways, both doors. It's a ways down though, I can't tell what the bridge is suspended over."[/b] Dafine reported. It was certainly better than what everyone expected to hear.

[b]"Well, that isn't too bad. We just have to be careful and we can make it down."[/b] Serena said.

[b]"I'll lead the way if you are all prepared."[/b] Dafine suggested. Etamet walked up behind her and nodded.

[b]"I will follow."[/b] he said, as others began gathering behind him as well. The descent began, though there was still much concern amongst the group. Alcuin and Uriel brought up the rear.

It wasn't just dark looking down from the room they were in, it was dark period. Etamet kept his hand on Dafine to make sure he wouldn't take a wrong step, the pattern continued upward as everyone moved downward like a human chain. What Dafine seemed to forget to mention was that the stairway narrowed as they got further and further, some sounds of feet slipping off edges could be heard but ultimatley everyone catching their balance. The bridge was nowhere in sight for anybody except for Dafine.

[b]"Stay focused, it won't be too much longer."[/b] she mentioned. It didn't put anybody much at ease though as it felt as if a wrong step would be the last one they ever take. They were hardly able to see the person infront of them let alone down far enough to see if they were stepping somehwere solid or just into air. It was nerve racking to say the least.

A few more seconds passed before a crumbling noise began to catch the attention of everybody. Penny, who was fifth in line stopped short and gasped. Her hand left the vicinty of Delita's shoulder, her evident trepidation getting the better of her as she began shivering, causing her to almost lose her footing.

[b]"Penny? Why did you stop moving, what's wrong?"[/b] Uriel asked, holding on to the little girl's shoulders as firm as she could.

[b]"Hey, is everything alright back there?"[/b] Serena yelled, realizing that the last half of their chain had broken.

[b]"Its Penny! Just hold on a moment."[/b] Alcuin yelled back. Uriel tried to calm Penny down without moving as much as possible. How he once again found himself in this position with her he didn't know, but now wasn't the time to be mean or cruel. He might have been annoyed by her, but he didn't want to see her end up like poor Eloris. The crumbling sound grew stronger though, it began to inspire concern within everyone behind Penny. Angela began to tremble as she nearly lost control of her footing, but managed to catch herself.

[b]"Hey! We got to keep moving, this really isn't a good place to take a break..."[/b] Alcuin began to yell from the back of the line. It was then though that the crumbling noise turned into a crashing clamor, the intense sound was followed only by a scream as Uriel turned his attention downward after feeling Alcuin's hand leave his shoulder. Instinctively he knelt down and grabbed hold of Alcuin's right hand, his left hand trying to keep his stability on the narrow stairway.

[b]"Alcuin...hold on!"[/b] Uriel yelled, trying to help Alcuin back up from the gap now in the stairway behind them.[/color][/FONT]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkRed][B]Initiate Deus Ex Machina system. Entity Premonition has disregarded the quality recognizable by the CCC. His final words will be forgotten and his place in the game terminated. Resetting save file behind BKStyles. Termination of save file ?Premonition? initiating. [/B]

[CENTER][U]Group Two[/U][/CENTER]

The group continued to dodge the stalactites falling from the ceiling as their minds had little time to focus on the disappearances of their comrades. Besides Desmond and Shilos, the rest had made it across the chasm and were already working on opening the door. Desmond was in a fit of rage and ready to collapse, but Shilos was quick to grab hold of his collar and toss him soaring across the chasm. Desmond was flung all the way to where the others were just opening the doors, being caught in Oromis? arms. Shilos? eyes gleamed. He was going to blast full speed across.

[B]?Chaos? control!!? [/B] Shilos took off like a bullet across the chasm, narrowly avoiding the large spikes coming down. Before long, though, a long, thin spire came crashing through the back of his skull. It pinned him straight to the floor, his face crushed against the ground. His blood squirted from around the wound and his brain slid down the shaft of the spike.

[CENTER][U]Group Three[/U][/CENTER]

Hearing the sky as Alcuin slid off the chasm, Angela Godspeed immediately broke from the chain and took flight. She couldn?t see, but she could her Alcuin calling just fine. Flying down she grabbed hold of him and hoisted him up onto the platform.

[B]?Thank you so much!!!?[/B] Alcuin breathed through gasps. Angela lowered herself onto the passage once more, now at the back of the line. It continued it?s way to the end of the dark cave and at the end, a door leading out was found. It led into an orange, boxlike room with a brightness that contrasted the grim chasm from which they emerged. Each member of the group poured into the room, but just before Angela could step inside, the door suddenly closed in front of her. The rest of the group spun around, shocked.

[B]?Angela? ANGELA!!!? [/B] Alcuin yelled, and banged on the door, but it disappeared. There was a collective gasp from the group as they realized Angela?s fate.

On the other side, Angela remained in the cavern the rest of her short life. Hours brought her a dementia she had never before known as she went blind in the darkness. When her hunger and dementia overtook her, she began to devour her own flesh for sustenance, biting chunks out of her own arm in a bloody mess as she howled and laughed all at once. She bled to death at the bottom of hell.

[CENTER][U]Group One[/U][/CENTER]

Though Damian lay unconscious, the group had been saved from a terrible fate at the hands of the Golem back up on the cliff. Marcus quickly lifted Damian onto his back once more as he headed for the nearby door out of the dark cave. He was calm, thinking that the room had been disarmed now of it?s traps. He was wrong.

A thundering crash like none any of them had ever heard came down from behind and every head turned toward the massive golem having just jumped down toward them. As it straightened itself, the members of the group all stared in horror. Behind Marcus, the doors slid open mechanically, but everyone was distracted for too long a moment. Just as the thought occurred to run, the monster took hold of the one at the back of the group, Marius Stratums. Everyone watched as it took her up in it?s massive hand.

The monster let out a hideous roar as it crushed Marius completely in it?s grip. Like a fruit being stomped on, her liquids exploded through the air and onto everyone else. The ones still in shock felt the crimson liquid splash across their faces as Marius? legs shot off and flew.

[B]?MOVE, NOW!!!? [/B] Marcus screamed. The rest made it through the door in time to avoid Marius? body being thrown at them like a projectile. The corpse crashed against the wall of the cave while the monster yelled again.

[CENTER][U]ERASED[/U]
Marius Stratums [IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/Maria1.jpg[/IMG]
Angela Godspeed[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/463.jpg[/IMG]
Shilos Kreiger[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/shadow-4.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER][/COLOR]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR=#DAA520][SIZE=3][CENTER][U][B]Group One[/B][/U][/CENTER][/SIZE]
With a scream of rage Claire ran into the next room, desperately shaking and trying to brush off the remains of Marius. Cursing colorfully as she ignored her surroundings in favor of getting away from the door where the Golem was, even if it was too big to follow it didn't mean it couldn't reach through the doors if they were open. And the room they were in though constructed of metal was empty, if the Golem smashed the doors open there was nothing to keep it from simply grabbing who ever was in range.

"[B]Someone's gonna pay![/B]" Claire screamed even as she picked pieces of Marius out of her hair and tossed them at the door they had come through. "[B]Damn stupid ignorant savages! You don't know who you are dealing with! I'll crush you! I'll make sure that CCC is put out of business![/B]"

Claire was so enraged that she didn't even noticed that the others had moved to the next set of doors, cautiously staying away from her while she ranted and raved. Meredith shaking her head in disgust while Lucia was trying to calm the hysterical Mary by helping her clean her clothing off as best as possible. Even Katar seemed strangely quiet.

With a sigh Marcus set the unconscious Damian down by the doors leading to the next section with the rest of the group and went back to attempt to get Claire under control. She was pacing back and forth talking to herself on how she was going to make sure every single employee of the CCC would be utterly ruined. When Marcus reached out and grabbed her right arm halting her, Claire shrieked with surprise. So caught up in her rant that she hadn't even noticed that he was there.

"[B]If you're done pouting like a spoiled bitch it's time to get moving. You're not safe here, that thing,[/B]" he indicated the doors. "[B]Could easily rip those off and reach you here.[/B]"

Claire pulled her arm free, stepping back, "[B]How dare you touch me![/B]" She fumed. "[B]I'll go when I'm good and ready...[/B]"

Without warning the doors they had come through opened automatically when the Golem approached. Without hesitation it reached in with it's massive arm grabbing Claire before she or the others could register what was happening. Dragging her screaming towards the door until with a sicking crunch her head connected with the frame as the Golem tried to drag her through the door.

Several times it tried to pull her through until Claire's head was ripped off as her body was finally dragged through the door with a sickening sound as other parts of her were torn off as well.

"[B]What are you waiting for![/B]" Marcus yelled at the frozen group of people, "[B]Get through the doors, now![/B]"

Meredith was already opening the next set of doors and a moment later she was through, it wasn't her problem if the rest of them were too stupid to get out of that room. A moment later Delilah along with Mary joined her. Meredith laughed inwardly as the weak Lucia attempted to drag Damian though the door and a moment later Sastasha started helping her.

With a sigh of disgust Katar rudely shoved both of them aside and picked Damian up, hefting him over his shoulders and carrying him though the door. Ignoring Lucia's and Sastasha's look of surprise as they followed.

Everyone but Marcus was through the doors, but just as Marcus was about to come though they slammed shut. Cutting him off from the rest of the group. Before the group could react the sound of of him screaming in rage could be heard and then horrible thudding sounds, leaving it clear as to what had happened.

Without a word all of them backed away from the doors before turning and hastily looking for the next exit. Moving as fast as they dared though the huge underground cavern they were now in. A few minutes later they halted when they came to a chasm with a single walkway across. Barely big enough for two people to walk on.

Without hesitation Lucia took Mary's hand and led her across the walkway until they were on the other side, Sastasha quickly followed. Along with Katar who was still carrying Damian. But when Meredith moved to step on the walkway, without warning it collapsed. Leaving her and Delilah on the other side.

"[B]Are you alright?[/B]" Lucia called out to them.

"[B]Forget it, we'll just look for another way across,[/B]" Meredith yelled back even as she looked at the rest of the area. Without hesitation she started following the chasm as it headed towards the right. She couldn't see the the wall in that direction, perhaps there would be a way out. A moment later Delilah started following her.

"[B]Forget them.[/B]" Katar said as they walked out of sight. "[B]You should be worrying about what's on the other side of that door.[/B]"

All of them turned to look at the set of doors behind them. Wondering if it was even safe to open them...

[CENTER]--------------------------------[/CENTER]
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[SIZE=1][B]OOC:[/B] Just to be clear, group one has now become two groups. Group One with Katar, Lucia, Mary, Sastasha and Damian. And Meredith and Delilah now form Group Four. :p Hehe, and thanks again for that card DB. [/SIZE] :D

[Soliel]

[color=green][center][b][u]Group Two[/u][/b][/center]

The ceiling continued to topple down on top of the remaining group as Oromis and Moatilliata struggled with the door. Meanwhile, Desmond just sat on the ground in shock. Witnessing Shilos' grim fate had made him completely oblivious to their current danger. "Not again. Not again!" The others ignored him as they sruggled with the door.

Finally, it gave way, allowing the men and Lillathica to escape. However, Desmond was still just sitting there. "Come on! Get up!" Kayrel screamed over the din of the crashing rock. Desmond just turned and looked at Kayrel. He was only a cupple of meters from the door, but his face showed nothing but dispair.

"What's the point?!" Kayrel dashed back into the cave-like room and grabbed Desmond by the collar of his shirt.

"What's the point?! The point is to survive, you whiny little dipshit!" Kayrel glared at him for a moment then sighed as he released his grip from Desmond's shirt. "You know what? Do whatever the hell you want. I really don't care about someone who breaks down everytime someone disapears or is killed." He turned around and walked out of the cave-like room.

Desmond just stood there. Suddenly a new realization came over him. He wasn't going to let this damned CCC thing get the better of him; he was going to survive, defeat it, and somehow find a way to rescue Brittany and Nadia. He began to walk unsteadily towards the exit when suddenly a masive stalagtite came crashing down on the doorway, blocking his way out.

Frantic, Desmond began to grab and claw at the rocks, trying to dig his way out, but to no avail. The already dim lighting of the cave was begining to flicker out. "No!" He screamed in vane. "I'm going to survive! I'm going to get out of here" For hours, Desmond scraped and dug until his hands were bloody and raw. Before long, faitige and dehydration began to sink in. He collapsed, out of breath, still mumbling the same words "I'm going to survive... I'm going... to get out... of here..." He slipped into unconciousness as he went into shock, both from lack of water and loss of blood.

[center]~*~

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[Darren]

[CENTER][U]Group Two[/U][/CENTER]

[SIZE=1]Everyone was silent. Perhaps it was because two members had dissappeared and the other two were dead. Or maybe it was because, the initial screaming of Desmond after he changed his mind a second too late was eating away at everyone. Or perhaps it was because the lively characters were now gone and all that was left was a power struggle between the three obvious leaders. Lillathica thought you could cut the tension with a knife. Julian and Merik were probably too freaked to say much, but she was sure that that she wouldn't end up like the others nor would she succumb to their attmpts at gaining the upper hand. All of them were equally unworthy and equally weak in the eyes of the vampire.

[I]If I didn't detest human blood so much, I might have already killed them. There would be little they could do to stop me and oh how wonderful it would be to see the fear in their eyes as the drew their last breaths.[/I]

Merik could see the cruel intents in her eyes. He already didn't trust her, but she wasn't helping matters. The hallway they were in spanned two directions. One, toward pitch blackness and the other toward only partial darkness. Naturally the group chose the lighter pathway, much to Lillathica's disdain. But then, she didn't have a problem seeing in the dark.

Since they had made the choice, not one of them spoke a single word. Julian would occasionally scream when he spooked himself out, but after the tenth time, people stopped paying him much mind. It got brighter and Moatilliata ran ahead, trying to take the official lead and of course Kayrel and Oromis could't have that so they ran alongside him, leaving Merik and Julian with her.

[I]Great now I'm a babysitter.[/I] She sighed

When they entered the new room they realized what sort of danger they were in. There was no exit that they could tell, and with the doors dissappearing, they could no longer turn back. To the right of the area was cliff with a large bar blocking the path to keep people from falling over. Beyond that, darkness. Kayrel thought he could hear the sound of moving water below, but it was so faint he guessed that the fall was a least a few miles down. On the left was about 12 stories of Jail cells. Lillathica took the time to note there was 72 of them in all, but how they opened and how the prisoners were taken to the higer levels didn't make sense to any of them.

[B]"What kind of a jail is the place?"[/B] Julian spoke up again, not afraid to tell his feelings no matter how much it made him sound like a whimp.

However, all of them soon found out that it wasn't jail cells for humans but rather cages for beasts. A loud buzzing echoed troughout the room, before each floor of cells flew open and allowed the beasts within to jump free and land on the ground just in front of them...

They resembled abnormally large wolves, with extended claws and an elongated noses, but everything else seemed to be spot on in comparison. The three assassins took a defensive position. Lillathica and the two others were pushed back to a corner. Oromis turned over his shoulder, keeping one eye on the beasts, and spoke very sternly, [B]"Lillathica, you stay with the others. Protect them as much as you can."[/B]

[B]"But I can help you,"[/B] She protested. Oromis ignored her knowing that she wouldn't dare disobey him. He loved having power so much that Lillathica thought she would teach him a lesson and show that she didn't have to listen to him.

She stepped away from the corner and the two men who were stuck there so she could approach the three assasins and demand that they let her help. The first wolf leapt toward Kayrel, but he quickly disposed of it with a knife to the neck.

[B]"I said I can help."[/B] She called to him, in the most deep and demanding voice she had ever used.

[B]"Get back to the others!"[/B] Oromis' voice was surprisingly intimidating, but Lillathica didn't care. She may have been young by most vampire standards, but she wasn't a fool. She knew that she could handle the remaining beasts all on her own.
[B]"Damn it listen to me!"[/B] He screamed back at her, but she no longer cared about following orders. She had done that long enough.

[B]"No way. I'll prove it to you!"[/B] She began walking, pushing her way between Oromis and Kayrel who were attempting to block her. They were weak. Just as she got through, a wolf dove at her chest, its intent was obviously to rip her apart.

Moatilliata appeared out of nowhere with his knife at hand and created a vertical slash in the lunging creature. Blood sprayed everywhere. It was over all six remaining members of their group. Only a drop or two entered Lillathica's mouth, but that was all it took. It was the sweetest tasting blood she had every experienced. In all her life of searching, this was the best blood around. At such a young age in her vampire life, she was unable to control the blood-lust. She attacked the creatures, practically ripping their heads off to drink the warm liquid as it dripped from their insides. The beasts that the CCC had deployed actually looked scared by Lillathica's ruthelessness.

Moatilliata and the others continued attacking and killing the beasts, but at nowhere near the rate of Lillathica. When the final beast was left, Oromis and the young vampire arrived at it simultaneously. She was angry and hungry, and Oromis should have known to step aside and let her finish it off, but his pride got the better of him. He killed the beast and in her rage, Lillathica attacked him.

They rolled to the edge of the cliff before stopping. Lillathica was straddling Oromis with her grip around his collar. She attempted to bite him, but he moved away, so instead she resorted to banging his head into the ground, as she cursed and spit in anger, allowing the freshly tasted blood drip onto his face. After several hits against the cold metal floor, Oromis was unconcious, but still, Lillathica persisted. Merik and Julian were screaming for the others to do something and even as Kayrel tried to pull her off, she nearly threw him over the edge with her brute strenght. Moatilliata knew what he had to do: He drew his large knife and plunged it into the back of her skull and she slumped over. The last thing she tasted before death was her own blood as it flowed freely from her wound and filled her mouth and throat. Her brain didn't have time to register what had happened, but as a reflex, her face contorted at the bitter taste of her own blood. The blood of the living dead was never something to be desired. And then, nothing.

Moatilliata cleaned his blade and then kicked Lillathica's body over the edge of the cliff before returning to address the group. His cold attitude at just ending life put Merik and Julian on edge. [B]"I believe we will find a doorway in one of those cells. We should start climbing."[/B][/SIZE]

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[Rachmaninoff]

[SIZE=3][CENTER][U][B]Group One[/B][/U][/CENTER][/SIZE]
Katar watched until Meredith and Delilah were out of sight. There wasn't much they could do anyway. The cavern was enormous and the chasm easily close to a hundred feet wide. It wasn't like the two women could jump to reach them. When they had first entered the area one could see that the walls, floor and ceiling were made of metal. The wall on the left as well as the high ceiling that seemed to be shaped like a dome was clearly visible, making it was obvious that they were near the side since once they had walked a short distance, following what had seemed to be a path due to how worn the metal looked. The wall to the right sharply angled away until they could no longer see it.

When they had reached the narrow walkway going across the chasm to what appeared to be the exit as it led to a small ledge along a massive wall that also went to the right as far as they could see. It was apparent that unless they wanted to follow the edge of the chasm and look for another walkway, they were better off crossing and going through the doors on the other side. Lucia had taken Mary across immediately, and once Sastasha had followed, Katar had done so as well. After all there was no point in sticking around. After what had happened he didn't trust the walls to keep the Golem that had killed Marius, Claire and Marcus from smashing through them to get to them. The more distance they put between them the better. And if the Golem did find it's way in here, they would have no where to run if they were following the chasm. Going through the doors on the other side seemed liked the best path to take.

But even Katar had not expected the walkway to collapse, it had felt just fine when he had walked across it. But there was nothing they could do and unlike Meredith who could look for another way, they were standing on a small ledge protruding from the wall. The only way they could go was through the doors. [I]I wish this fool would wake up.[/I] Katar thought as he shifted Damian on his shoulders a bit. And then turned to Sastasha.

"[B]Well, what are you waiting for? Open the door already. He's not exactly lightweight you know.[/B]"

"[B]Ah, sorry,[/B]" Sastasha said. He stepped forward but the doors opened automatically.

Revealing what appeared to be a classroom. As they entered the room it was clear that it was a type of room for lectures. The group was near the back of the room and as soon as they stepped through the doors closed and vanished. Rows of tables with chairs were set up on levels that sloped downward. Cautiously the group started down the stairs between the rows of tables, heading towards the front of the room where a giant chalkboard was up on the wall. On each side of the board was a set of double doors.

Katar could feel Damian starting to stir and set him down, a moment later he finally woke up. [B]"It's about time you woke up.[/B]" Katar told him as he got up and looked around.

Damian looked around wildly before turning back to Katar. "[B]Where are the others?[/B]"

"[B]They're dead,[/B]" Katar said bluntly, ignoring how Damian went white as a sheet. "[B]The monster dropped down after us. I'm afraid the others weren't quick enough.[/B]"

"[B]I'm sorry.[/B]" Damian stammered.[I] If I wasn't so weak I would have been able to help them![/I] He thought. But even though he could cast spells, he was still learning. And when they did work, the spells tired him out to easily. [I]I'm so useless.[/I]

Lucia couldn't help herself since Damian seemed so distressed, without a thought she instantly moved forward and placed her right hand on his left shoulder to console him.

"[B]Don't be,[/B]" she said kindly. "[B]If you hadn't helped us, we all would have died. Besides two of them didn't die,[/B]" Lucia shot Katar a stern glance for not explaining to Damian that the other women were alive. For letting Damian think that all of them were dead. "[B]We got separated, but they were just fine when we parted.[/B]" Lucia patted him on the shoulder and then let go. Stepping back a bit.

"[B]Yeah, don't beat yourself up over it,[/B]" Sastasha said. "[B]Besides, we need to decide what to do next. Even if that thing can't get over the chasm, we still don't know which door to take.[/B]"

Damian turned to look at the doors Sastasha indicated. Oh if only he were more than an apprentice. He could have used his power to try and sense what was behind them. But he was still too tired from what he had done earlier. Finally he shook his head.

"[B]Perhaps we should go through the doors on the right?[/B]" Lucia suggested. "[B]The others sort of went in that direction. Maybe we could...[/B]"

"[B]Shut up.[/B]" Katar said, startling the others who turned to look at him. "[B]Other than this guy,[/B]" he indicated Damian. "[B]The rest of you are pretty damn useless, and even he can't keep it together to well.[/B]"

Lucia stepped back, reaching up with her right hand to cover her mouth. In all the confusion she had forgotten about what Katar had done when they first met. She took another step backwards. [I]How could I forget?![/I]

"[B]Oh stop that.[/B]" Katar said with disgust. "[B]I already explained that you'd do better to just stand there and look pretty while the men discuss things.[/B]" He rolled his eyes. "[B]Even if there aren't any real men here besides myself.[/B]"

"[B]Now just a minute here.[/B]" Sastasha started to object.

"[B]No you listen, if we try to meet the others, its possible that the creature broke through the walls and followed them. Do you really want to meet up with that thing again?[/B]" Katar just stood there tapping his right foot impatiently. "[B]Well? Do any of you even know how to fight?[/B]"

When there was no reply he continued. "[B]I thought so. Well I do. I'm a mercenary, before I was dragged to this hell hole I was working on collecting bounties. So even though I don't have any weapons with me, I do at least know how to fight. And if we want to survive, we'd be better off taking the left doors.[/B]"

Damian turned and walked over to the doors on the right. "[B]How about I just take a peek?[/B]" He said, eager to help out. "[B]One of you could do the same for the other doors.[/B]" He didn't wait for an answer. Damian reached out and opened them, only to give out a startled shriek and stepped backwards, stumbling before falling backwards. With a loud thud the back of his head connected with the closet table and he slid down, unconscious yet again.

A split second later the party saw what had frightened him as a huge cat like creature leaped into the room, landing on top of Damian and then sinking it's teeth into his head as it picked him up like a rag doll and shook him.

Lucia started dragging Mary who was screaming towards the other door, barely registering the moment when the huge creature tossed Damian's lifeless body aside and leaped to attack Katar who was the closet. But Katar had not been lying when he said he knew how to fight. He had already picked up one of the chairs and swiftly rammed the bottom metal legs of the chair into the face of the creature as it attacked. One of the legs piercing it in the right eye and going deep into it's brain with the impact.

With a primal how the creature backed away and thrashed madly. But quicker than Lucia, Mary or Sastasha would have thought possible, Katar had grabbed another chair and moved in to impale the creature yet again, this time into it's chest. Then he pulled free and jumped back out of range of the creatures death throes as it thrashed wildly before finally becoming limp.

"[B]Well that was fun.[/B]" Katar said sarcastically. "[B]Still think we should take the doors going to the right?[/B]" He waited for a response and then continued when he got none. "[B]Good then lets get going before more of those things show up.[/B]"

[CENTER]***************[/CENTER]
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[Darren]

[SIZE=1]Brittany Cossentine was huddled in the corner, praying to God that she would make it. Well, she as close to the corner as she could get, given that the spikes coming out of the walls would easily pierce her skin. Pain and fear were taking hold and Brittany hadn't been able to stop crying since she had arrived in this terrible room, resulting in her eyes practically swollen shut and an even more serious case of dehydration.

[I]Only a few more hours...[/I] She told herself. But as she had learned since her time in the room, even 10 minutes seemed to last an eternity.

The room seemed to slow down as well, not wanting to actually kill her but simply to torture her until no end. The room realized that she wasn't moving as fast and so to compensate, it allowed her to get a little closer to the walls than before, it closed a few of the pits, and the electricity was coming down at slower intervals. This was a good sign to Brittany, but she didn't know that the room was designed to fit her stamina; when she got tired, the room accompanied her to remain equally harsh.

Brittany had faced several direct hits from the electricity, and she could already tell that her joints and muscles were deteriorating. Even if she made it out of this entire place, there's no way she would ever move normally again. Her skin was so fried in some parts that it was actually peeling off. She had even almost fallen into the pits, escaping by just the tips of her fingers being able to hold her up. Brittany was grateful that she had fallen in earlier instead of now because she wan't strong enough to even move.

Another electricty bolt shot out of the cieling and made a direct hit on her thigh. She screamed out in pain as it continued damaging her nerves and muscles. She began crawling, in too much pain to actually get up and walk, to the other side of the room and into another corner. She hoped that she would have the strength to make it to another corner because she felt very tired and knew that she would probably not wake up if closed her eyes for too long.

She wasn't sure what type of snakes were in the bottom of the pit, but she was sure they were poisonous. This room seemed to be made of everything she hated, and poisonous snakes definately topped the list.

[I]Just... a few... more hours...[/I] she told her self as she inched across the floor, watching the countdown move ever so slowly. Tears were still running down her face.[/SIZE]

[Allamorph]

[FONT=Arial][center][B][U]Group Three[/U][/B][/center]

[indent]But the winged warrior was not yet dead. She would not resort to the insane cannibalistic impulses that would destroy her for some time to come, not until long after the memories of sight and sound and time had faded from her ken, and even the face of the Great Mother, to whose comforting presence she had desperately anchored her failing mind, had slipped from her terrified grasp. And she could still hear the fading voice of the one called Alcuin as he beat on the door that divided them until it vanished.

Inside the orange prison, Alcuin nó Prideux continued to pound at the space where the door had been, his blows and cries increasing in fervor as the terrible finality of his party's situation dawned on him, until he abruptly stopped. He had recognized how futile his actions were, and he stepped sharply away from the wall, staring at its blank orange face in shock, panting hard and fast.

[B]"Oh God,"[/B] breathed Serena as she hugged herself, shuddering, her eyes closing in disbelief. [B]"Oh God."'[/B] Alcuin's breath sped up until he screamed in useless rage; he threw himself at the wall one last time, then turned his back to it, sliding down to sit braced against it at its bottom, his hands plastered over his face. Etamet knelt in some ritual gesture from his homeworld, and a low keening began emanating from Dafine.

Penelope Archess did not understand what all the fuss was about. She stood off to the side for a few moments, arms defiantly akimbo, until in utter impatience she stamped her foot.

[B]"What are you all doing?!"[/B] she demanded angrily. [B]"Why are you all acting so funny? Why aren't we going anywhere?"[/B]

Serena stared at her in a mixture of surprise, anguish, and hatred. [B]"What's wrong with you?!"[/B] she screamed. Alcuin and Etamet looked up, and Dafine fell silent; no one made a move one way or the other. The stillness held for a few horrible seconds.

Serena broke it. [B]"What's wrong with you?!"[/B] she repeated, her eyes locked with Penny's. [B]"Didn't you see the video? Didn't you see anything? Is this another little playground game to you?!"[/B] Her voice quavered; the hacker was shivering with fury. [B]"That quiet girl is dead! Dead! Fell! Down! Long way down! I didn't even know her name, and she's dead! And the flying woman who was back with her is gone, too!"[/B] Tears began streaming down her face as she vented on the schoolgirl. [B]"Are you getting this yet? Is any of this sinking into that self-absorbed little head of yours? We weren't brought here to get out; we weren't brought here to survive. We were brought here to die!! All of us!"[/B] She sank to her knees, sobbing. [B]"All of us."[/B]

[B]"I do so know what dead means,"[/B] Penny retorted haughtily. [B]"Dead means you lie in a long box and sleep while a lot of people walk by you and be sad. And then more people close the box and bury you for a while."[/B]

[B]"Really,"[/B] Eliana Cedes offered condescendingly. [B]"And what happens after that, hmm? Do 'the people' come and dig you up again?"[/B]

[B]"I...."[/B] Penelope stopped. Her face fell. [B]"...I don't know,"[/B] she finished, embarrassed.

[B]"Well then,"[/B] Eliana started, as snidely as possible, [B]"I'll tell you?"[/B]

Dafine cut the dancer off. [B]"Leave her alone! She's just a child; she doesn't understand what death is."[/B]

Penny was indignant. [B]"I am [I][U]not[/U][/I] just a child?"[/B]

[B]"And you,"[/B] continued Dafine to the schoolgirl, [B]"should learn when best to be silent. Such as now,"[/B] she added forcefully, sensing the impending retort. Penny obediently shut her mouth. Satisfied, Dafine moved to Serena and knelt beside her, wrapping her arms around the young lady in an attempt to provide a measure of comfort. The programmer shuddered again and let out a ragged sigh, but leaned into the offered embrace.

[B]"I hate to be a wet blanket,"[/B] Uriel interjected, [B]"but Penny's right. We need to find a way out of here before any more traps start killing us off again. Besides,"[/B] he said, glancing around, [B]"this room feels too much like a gigantic microwave for my liking."[/B]

Dafine and Etamet looked more than a little confused at the analogy; Alcuin, finally recovered, rose to his feet.

[B]"You're right,"[/B] he said. [B]"We can't stay here. We have to keep going."[/B] He sent Serena a pointed yet compassionate look. [B]"We have to move on."[/B]

[center]-------------------[/center]

After a brief search, a sliding wall on one of the room's vertical faces was found, by Uriel, almost on accident, and the group pressed onward with Etamet in the lead. The passage they found themselves in was built of stone blocks, with moss and lichen growing in the cracks and on the surfaces. Light filtered in through holes near the tunnel's ceiling, allowing what little surroundings there were to be plainly, if somewhat dimly, seen. After an eternity spent in the close quarters, which in reality only happened to be ten minutes, the warren opened onto a large temple-like room with a high ceiling and numerous stone columns supporting it. The group moved slowly out into the open.

Eliana gasped. [B]"Ooh! How pretty."[/B] Her wonder was echoed by other of the party; the recent tragedies momentarily forgotten they began staring around them at the massive architecture. It was Uriel Blaine who brought them back to reality.

[B][I]"Freeze!!"[/I][/B]

They froze. Uriel scratched the back of his head.

[B]"Sorry about that. I know it was kind of cliché, but it was the best way to stop you all from moving, and right now,"[/B] he chuckled nervously, [B]"it seems to fit."[/B] His compatriots stared at him; he cleared his throat. [B]"Right. Look here."[/B] They followed his finger with their eyes to a space just in front of Etamet's foot. There, just above toe level, an almost invisibly fine wire ran between two stones that were barely higher than those on the floor around them. The warrior bent and ran his fingers along it, feeling its tension. Uriel didn't say anything further, but there was no need. They all knew what it was: a trip wire, no doubt waiting to trigger another deadly trap.

All of them except Penny, apparently. Fascinated by the pillars, she hadn't quite kept pace with the others. She didn't move, but she began craning her neck around to try and get a better view. [B]"What?"[/B] she asked plaintively. [B]"What is it?"[/B]

Uriel glared at her, but motioned her closer to them. She stepped cautiously from stone to stone until she stood beside the scientist. He dutifully showed her what he had pointed out to the others, and she nodded seriously.

[B]"Be careful,"[/B] he cautioned her.

Dafine shifted her weight nervously. The stone beneath her left foot sank.

The feline hurled herself to one side a split second before the [I]thwunk[/I] that marked the trap's release sounded, and a spear whistled through the space where she had been standing.

The next in line was Penny. The javeline sank solidly into the stone behind her, leaving her impaled body suspended at an angle, her stunned gaze pointed only at Uriel.

[CENTER]---------------------------------

[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/panopticon-girl-1.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/deathcardpanopticon.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER][/indent][/FONT]

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma][color=darkslategray][b][center]Group Two[/center][/b]

It was not a time for talking amongst the remaining members of the group. Moatilliata gave a suggestion, a sensible one at that, and despite all that has just happened it seemed like the best course of action. The urgency to escape this hell hole was soundly heightened with the amount of deaths already from the group, not to mention Brittany and Nadia's punishments. What a cruel place. People weren't being judged, they were being put on display for this CCC's personal amusement it seemed.

Oromis finally came to in time to see Moatilliata, Kayrel, and Marik ascending the flights of stairs leading up to the jail cells. He shook his head and clutched it with his massive hand, feeling the effects of the struggle with the now dispatched vampiress. Julian, seated by Oromis's side, turned his attention to the stirring and went to support Oromis's head.

[b]"Hey, you're up!"[/b] Julian said in a tone of relief. Oromis answered only with a grunt, and his hands shoving Julian's away.

[b]"I'll be fine...I've taken harder hits."[/b] Oromis assured the college student. He stood with almost no problem at all, as if he was just napping. Julian stared in awe, wondering how someone can come to be so durable and strong willed. Not to mention he figured the gargantuan man must have been somewhere in his fifties, possibly early sixties at most.

The entire first floor of cells were being searched already, all of them virtually being simple 12x16 cells with nothing of sunstantial use to the group's goal of escape. Before climbing up to the second floor, Marik caught Oromis out of the corner of his eye and leaned against the barricade on the edge of the first floor up.

[b]"Hey, so you're still alive afterall! We're looking to see if there's a way out right now. Feel free to come up and help."[/b] he yelled down.

[b]"What happened to the girl?"[/b] Oromis asked, unaware of everything that occured after his was knocked unconscious. There was a near six or seven seconds of silence before there was any answer, Julian finally stepped up when he noticed the other three going about their business of trying to locate them a way out.

[b]"Well, she's down there now. The freaky guy with the mask took her out."[/b] he said, motioning with his eyes toward the general vicinity of Moatilliata. Oromis glanced up for a brief moment and just followed the others up to help look through the doors. Julian didn't notice he had moved until a few seconds later and scrambled so not to be left behind.

Minutes passed, close to an hour before the group managed to get to the top floor of cells. Just their luck that every single door they checked on the way up were the same sights, simple cells with nothing but an unstable bed sans the mattress and a toilet that looked like it couldn't support a child's weight. Julian had to take a few moments rest every other floor from the odors and the filthy atmosphere of each room. Only Kayrel showed any signs of sympathy, while the others merely ignored what they viewed as the weak link of the group.

At the top they came to the last two cells. Oromis pushed himself forward and opened one of them up violently, nearly taking the door off it's hinge. It was the same. Nobody really expected any different at that point. Oromis tossed the door, now completely off it's hinges, over the edge with the loud crashing sound of the wooden door shattering reaching their ears about five seconds later.

[b]"Last one...if there's nothing here, we're as good as screwed."[/b] Marik mentioned in a defeated tone. Moatilliata pushed Marik aside now and stood infront of the door. He began tugging at the knob, but this one was unlike the others. This time there was actually difficulty trying to open it. The grim assassin grew irritated as he began pulling even harder until he was actually making grunting noises. Julian walked very cautiously over to the door and offered his hands to try and help, but he was smacked away by Moatilliata, causing him to fall against the barricade. Julian rested his weight against the bars but slowly felt his body falling further than it should have. With that, the top bar of the barricade gave way and broke clear in half causing Julian to fall through.

Julian screamed for a brief moment before his downward momentum was halted by Oromis who reached down and grabbed Julian by his wrist. Julian looked down and became even more frightened, he began flailing his legs and arms and screaming uncontrollably. Oromis just lifted him up and tossed him semi-gently into the wall opposite the barricade and took a full vertical base once again.

[b]"Oh man...damn man...that was close! Thanks so much Oromis! I owe you!"[/b] Julian managed to say between breaths.

[b]"I very much doubt there's anything you could owe me that would be of equal service, but don't concern yourself. Just try to be a little smarter next time and stop getting in the way."[/b] Oromis responded, thinking to himself that the foolish college student should have known better.

[b]"Damn it all!"[/b] Moatilliata screamed as he let go of the knob and thrusted his leg out, kicking the center of the door with all of his might, creating a small hole where his foot protruded. He pulled it out violently and began pulling away at the broken pieces of wood to make the hole bigger. Marik knelt down to take a peek through the hole and saw a long hallway with candleabras lining the walls. All he had to see though was no wall at all directly infront to know that the room was indeed different from all the others.

[b]"Alright! We can get out of here! What a pain it was, it had to end up being the last door we checked?"[/b] he said, elated that finally they have found a way to move on. The hole was now big enough so that everyone could fit through, though Oromis struggled a bit, taking a few pieces of the door with him as he plunged through the opening.

[b]"Proceed with caution."[/b] was Oromis's only warning.

The trip down the hallway only took around a minute's time before they found themselves walking down a steep flight of stairs into a massively open area. All five members stopped and stared, surveying the area around them...it looked like an old coliseum. The pillars, the pilasters, the corbels, the entire structure resembled not just any coliseum but the famous ancient Roman Colloseum.

[b]"What in the world..."[/b] Julian exclaimed, taking in most of the awe. In fact it looked as if everyone except for him and Marik, who once against seemed to be quietly cursing the fact that his camera was not with him, seemed to brush off the initial shock rather quickly.

[b]"It's...an arena?"[/b] Kayrel asked rhetorically, as he descended further down the stairs. The others followed until they were finally on the open floor of the structure.

[b]"Well, now what do we do?"[/b] Julian wondered aloud. It was then a black smoke began emitting from the furthest end of the stadium, it was hard to see from the group's standpoint, but it became more and more visible and salient. Though the parts of the smoke that engulfed the floor were thin, the bulk of the gas eruption remained in the same spot it began. Moments later it seemed like something was taking form within the smoke, until finally the smoke dissapeared altogether and infront of them now on the walls of the coliseum that were covered before were racks and racks of medieval weaponry.

[b]"Starting to feel a little like home."[/b] Moatilliata mentioned, crossing his arms.

Where the bulk of the smoke once was, now stood...or rather floated a figure cloaked from head to...whatever it's foundation was, in a black cloth. The figure easily resembled some type of spectre or death wraith. He floated in place, holding nothing in it's skeletal hands but a tome of some sort. The words on the cover of it were so worn out that it was hardly decipherable even up close. Oromis was the first to take notice to it, and he took a cautious step forward.

[b]"What the hell is this thing?"[/b] he demanded aloud.

[center][b]"[color=indigo]Those who are here, I welcome you.
You are in the Panopticon Amphitheatre.
Test your mettle, against the most savage of beasts.
Only when blood is spilled, can you move on.[/color]"[/b][/center]

Oromis, Kayrel, and Moatilliata took defensive stances, while Julian and Marik just watched on a bit worried and clueless at that.

[b]"What are you babbling about? What do we have to fight?"[/b] Moatilliata asked viciously, instantly feeling like he was being toyed with. There was silence from the cloaked figure though. Rage began to build up within him to the point where he was ready to charge at it and try to kill it himself. Several moments passed though and the figure spoke again.

[center][b]"[color=indigo]The beasts accompany you as we speak.
Blood must be spilled, and you must spill it.
The first to kill one of your comrades.
Only they will be granted release.[/color]"[/b][/center]

[b]"Only...one of us....? Oh man!"[/b] Julian whined as he began takin steps back. Moatilliata and Oromis's eyed widened as they took time to comprehend everything the figure said. Moatilliata wasted no time as he drew his knife and went for Julian.

[b]"No hard feelings, but better you than me!"[/b] he yelled as he thrusted his knife forward. Kayrel was there though and diverted Moatilliata's momentum to the side. Julian fell to the floor and began crawling away.

[b]"What are you doing? You've heard so little and you are willing to kill someone who can't even defend themselves?"[/b] Kayrel accused. The masked killer said nothing and instead went after the elf. Kayrel dodged a charging slash and rolled toward the wall where he pulled a morning star off the rack and out of nowhere viciously thrusted forward clashing with the knife. Kayrel's eyes changed immedietely, they became focused with intent and he shoved off causing distance between the two. He charged again and they clashed once more.

[b]"You'll find it a little harder to dispose of me then you thought, you freak!"[/b] the elf yelled as Oromis approached the two and reeled his arm back and leveled Moatilliata with a massive punch to the face. The assassin hit the ground and rolled a few feet before perching up to his feet.

[b]"Son of a bitch, it'll take more than that!"[/b] he yelled. Kayrel turned his weapon on Oromis who tried to calm the elf down. He took his swings though, Oromis able to dodge them all. Julian and Marik jus watched on, wishing they were as far away as possible if the focus were to ever turn to them.

[b]"This is nuts! They're really going at it!"[/b] Julian said in disbelief.

Kayrel backed Oromis up with slashes, Oromis having nothing to defend with. Seconds later, it was a jagged pebble on the ground that caused Oromis to lose his footing, he fell straight back onto the floor with Kayrel looming over him.

[b]"Sorry, but this must be done!"[/b] he yelled as he held the spiked weapon over his head, preparing to come down. The next thing Oromis saw however, was Moatilliata's knife protruding from Kayrel's chest...blood dripping down from the tip and streaming from his wound. A messy stab if he ever saw one...but the technique sure as hell wasn't what mattered.

[b]"You....I should have....ugh..."[/b] Kayrel muttered as he was pushed off the blade from behind with a kick. Moatilliata ran toward the cloaked figure triumphantly.

[b]"I have done it! I killed him with my own hands, now release me you bastard!"[/b] the assassin yelled, almost psychotically overjoyed. The figure stayed silent again for moments before speaking.

[center][b]"[color=indigo]Yes, I will grant you your release.
Warrior.[/color]"[/b][/center]

The figure pointed his boney finger at the victor of his trial. The meniacal smile across Moatilliata's face was inhuman, but the smile soon turned upside down, followed by spasms throughout his body. The pain he suddenly felt was intense, more intense than anything he had ever felt before. What was happening? He had won, but his body felt like it was tearing.

Before long, Moatilliata's flesh split veritically in half from his chest all the way to his back. He dropped to his knees as his ribcage was now visible through his torn flesh from both sides. The sight was bloody, but it was only the beggining as the rest of his body along with his skeleton was ripped apart viciously leaving only two halves of his body, the left and the right, laying in the macabre pool of blood. The sight of it all made Julian throw up, as Marik turned his head away trying not to think about it. Oromis watched on in utter horror, thinking that it could have been him if he foolishly believed what Moatilliata believed.

[center][b]"[color=indigo]You have been released.
Those left...you may pass.[/color]"[/b][/center]


[center][img]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/4q4jc6e.jpg[/img][img]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/dualdeathcardpanopticon.jpg[/img][img]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/Kakashi-assassin.jpg[/img]
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[center]* * * * *[/center]

OOC: Oh how gruesome. I am quite fond of this post myself. It was rather fun typing up as well ;).
[/color][/FONT]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkRed]Brittany Cossentine was in a pain she didn?t know existed, and yet a smile was stretched wide across her face. The clock turned to zero. The holes in the ground solidified and thunder stopped falling from the sky. Everything returned to normal in the small room.

[B]?Yes? yes!!?[/B] Brittany exclaimed as the screen turned green and read Brittany Cossentine - punishment over.

[B]?Oh thank you!?[/B] She said, clinging to the brass cross around her neck. [B]?Thank you go-?[/B]

[B]?Silence!?[/B] a deep voice suddenly burst. Brittany turned her head in surprise to see a platform lowering from the ceiling. There was a man standing on it. It was a beautiful man, clad only in his skin, with hair that fell to the ground he stood upon. His skin was dark and his eyes wide - Brittany could feel her heart pounding as he descended.

[B]?Is this how you imagined him?? [/B] Brittany?s embarrassed on looking turned quizzical. ?Is this how you would picture god??

[B]?Th-- the bible describes?? [/B] Brittany trailed off. He looked exactly how she?d imagined.

[B]?The bible?? [/B] A bible was suddenly in the man?s hand. The next motion took Brittany by surprise as it happened all at once. The man?s fingers grew to 3 times their length and wrapped around the books, then constricted it all at once, tearing it to shreds. Pieces of paper flittered about as the man?s hand returned to normal.

Brittany backed up against the wall in shock at the sight. The man?s eyes had a decidedly evil glare about them. He started to take a step. Slowly, he was moving toward her. At his first foot-fall, a shining light came from beneath his foot and began ascending up his body. Behind it, his clothing was materializing. As the man stood just above the red-haired girl, he was clad in a feathery black outfit that resembled no cloth she?d seen before. It was slim-fit, accentuating his features while remaining wearable. He was staring down at her evilly.

[B]?I guess in the end it was just a book, right??[/B] Brittany?s weak body didn?t have the power to defend her, but inside she was struggling to avert herself from his gaze. The man?s smile had become purely hideous and evil. This must have been the devil himself! Just as that thought occurred, the man?s voice suddenly appeared in her mind.

Not quite! His hand came down and grabbed her by the throat. He dragged her limp body upward, still holding her against the wall just in front of his eyes. We don?t need your god here. It is an imperfect, wretched practice to believe in him, and we trust only in perfection. The evil man placed a finger from his remaining hand on Brittany?s forehead. Grinning devilishly, he made her watch a page from history.

It was a scene that lasted several years, but Brittany was experiencing it in under a minute. As she did, her body shook violently. Blood shot from her mouth. Her eyes went black, and from them, too, trails of blood were crawling. When the memory was complete, the finger was removed and Brittany?s body began to heal itself. The blood sucked back into her eyes and her entire body felt rejuvenated as she came back to life.

The evil man lowered her back to the ground and watched her eyes open as she regained consciousness. Her pupils were black, her expression one of disinterest.

[B]??have you stolen my soul?? [/B] she asked. Her voice was as if her throat was completely dry.

[B]?Could you ask me that if I had??[/B] Brittany turned and faced down, sniffling as though she?d just finished a good cry. A cry that had lasted several decades.

[B]?Is it just you toying with me now?? [/B]

[B]?I had to give up all my powers now. I can?t do anything to you. After all, I am but a mere shadow of myself. And in a sense, you may be as well. Your own dark side??[/B]

[B]???[/B] Brittany tried concentrating on the man?s heart. She could hear that the beating had faded. He was already dead.

[B]?You know what you can do now??[/B] he asked, his voice now almost completely having fallen. Brittany nodded. She didn?t understand it, but she could feel that some dark power had been placed within her. Not just a power to control the darkness? a power to create it?

[B]?Thank you??[/B] she whispered to the man. Leaning in, she kissed him lightly for a few seconds. As she did, his body disintegrated to ash and floated away.

[CENTER][B]Brittany Cossentine reconstruction complete. Proceeding to return to the Panopticon.[/B][/CENTER]

Brittany slowly turned her head upward as she was encompassed by a darkness all over. When her eyes had blinked once, she was in a new place, standing next to two other girls in a metal environment that resembled a mountainous region of Earth. Slowly she turned to face one of the women.

[B]?Hey! Are you??[/B] Delilah?s soft voice inquisitor as she cautiously approached the girl. She stopped dead in her tracks when she saw the black eyes plastered on the sorrowful face.

[B]?I am fine. I have just been through a lot. Came I accompany you?? [/B] She asked. From behind them, Meredith smiled gleefully. She had already been happy to be alongside the beautiful Delilah, and now this other girl looked to be a wild one as well. The three of them would make a team like none Meredith had ever seen, she was convinced!

[B]?Come along! After all, we all need to find our way out of here.?[/B] Meredith explained. Delilah said nothing, appearing to agree with the idea. Brittany?s gaze remained averted - her face a mix of emptiness and sadness.

[B]?Are you okay??[/B] Delilah asked in a low tone.

[B]??I?m? perfect??[/B][/COLOR]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR=#DAA520][CENTER][SIZE=3][U][B]Group Three[/B][/U][/SIZE][/CENTER]

Uriel Blaine couldn't get the image out of his mind, the one of Penny's impaled lifeless body. Even if he didn't like children, he didn't want to see them dead. And even though they had finally managed to get through that temple room full of traps the next area they were in was even more annoying. When they had left the large temple-like room with the high ceiling and stone columns supporting it, it was into a narrow passage way made from the same stone with moss growing out of the cracks. Uriel did not like enclosed spaces. And the way the walls almost seemed to touch his shoulders on each side was stifling.

"[B]I smell water,[/B]" Dafine said suddenly as she cocked her head to the side in a very catlike fashion, though she didn't know that it appeared like that to the others. "[B]Not that far ahead of us. At the most about a hundred feet.[/B]"

The group continued with Etamet and Dafine in the lead, followed closely by the others with Uriel bringing up the rear. Even with the moss growing through the cracks and muffling the sound of their shoes as they walked down the passageway, their footsteps could be heard echoing back from both in front and behind.

Then a moment later it was obvious that they were close as the rest of the group could also smell how damp things were. Shortly in front of them they could see light reflecting off of what appeared to be water, a fact that as they poured out of the passageway and into a huge stone room was confirmed. And the moment Uriel exited the passageway, a huge stone slab slammed down, cutting them off. Startled everyone whirled to face where the passageway had been.

"[B]Well, I guess that means we are suppose to go forward.[/B]" Etamet stated. He turned back to look at the obstacle in front of them.

The group was standing on a stone ledge about fifty feet wide and ten feet deep. A quick look at the crystal clear blue water showed that the part they were on was solid all the way down. But the real problem was that the next passageway was on the other side, easily several hundred feet away. They would have to swim across. It looked easy enough with the open ceiling above the water. An opening that seemed to be to another part of the stone temple they were in as they could see glimpses of other stone columns. As well as beams of sunlight that were shining down and hitting the water.

Uriel tried to stifle a sigh since there wasn't a way to get to the opening above the water. He could swim, but he hated it. And in spite of all that had happened, he was tired, thirsty and hungry. His stomach was in knots from hunger and from feeling like being sick after what had happened to Penny. He wanted to simply go up into the other room, not swim across to the other stone passageway leading out of the area.

"[B]Oh hell.[/B]" Serena said even as she burst into tears. "[B]I can't swim. Now what do I do?[/B]" She sank to her knees in despair.

"[B]Well I can,[/B]" Dafine said kneeling next to Serena and placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "[B]I am an excellent swimmer and can easily carry you across the waters.[/B]" She stood back up and turned to face the group. "[B]I can do the same for anyone else as well.[/B]" She wrinkled her nose a bit. "[B]It is not considered civilized for one in my station, but all of my people are natural swimmers.[/B]"

"[B]That won't be necessary,[/B]" Eliana said even as she removed her sandals and tore off strips of the hem of her dress to tie them to her waist. "[B]I'm good as swimming as well.[/B]" She glanced warily at the water. "[B]I'm more concerned with there being something in it. It may look clear, but we can't see far enough to be certain.[/B]"

Uriel followed her lead removing his shoes and tearing off the sleeves of his shirt to tie them to his waist as well. "[B]I guess the only way to find out is to get going.[/B]" He waited while the others started getting ready, securing their shoes and abandoning heavier jackets altogether, since bulky water logged clothing would only slow them down. [/COLOR]

[HellsMinion6676]

[CENTER][U]Group Three[/U][/CENTER]

Alcuin was missing his dogs and the frozen land he was from, being from a cold environment that was frozen all the time he never really learned how to swim. He just hoped that the othersdidn't find out, he didn't want to seem weak in front of them. So he did as the rest of them didhe took off his heavy clothes, and secured his shoes to his body. He watched as everyone began to wade out into the water, he moved forward slowly letting his body enjoy the coldness of the water
remind him of his home. the depth increased very rapidly, there was a large drop right in front of him.He could see the others already moving out farther, even Dafine was farther out than he was and she was carrying Serena.

Alcuin took a deep breath and slowly inched forward feeling the edge of the underwater drop off.[B]"Now or never." [/B] he said to himself as he pushed off of the ledge propelling himself out past the drop,he tried frantically to find a way of staying afloat but all he managed to do was thrash around in the water
he could feel himself sinking into the water, he could feel the could water rush into his mouth when he gasped for breath,then he saw something in the clear water. Movement under the surface. He strainded his vision to see better,
but it was too far away for him to make out. Just then he felt someone grab him and pull him to the surface.

[B]"Thank you."[/B]Alcuin coughed, while gasping for air. [B]"You should have told us that you couldn't swim," [/B] Dafine said in a cold voice.[B]"you could have drowned out there, what good would you be to us then."[/B]

[I]What good are you to us now [/I] she thought as she began to walk away.

[B]"Wait." [/B] Alcuin said. [B]"What do you want me to carry you to."[/B]
[B]"No, while I was under there I saw something, something big under the water. We need to warn the others."[/B]

They both turned to look at were the others were. It seems that none of the others saw Alcuin go under so they had just continued on their way.
They were already almost halfway to the others side. They both knew that even they screamed as loud as they could the others
wouldn't be able to hear them from this far away.

Uriel was swimming strong trying to reach the other side as fast as he could, he hated swimming and couldn't wait to get out of the water.He had just reached the halfway point and decided to look and see how far the others had made it, he turned and most of the others right behind himbut he could see what looked like three people on the platform they started on, Uriel was confused as to why they were still back there, then he felt a strangeslimy sensation around his ankle. He kicked his leg and it went away,[B] "Stupid fish."[/B] he said to himself. Then he felt the same thing around his waistbut this time it didn't just go away when he moved, he felt a powerful pull downwards and the next thing he knew he mush have been about sixty feet below the surface, and still going.Thats when he saw what was pulling him down. He had been expecting some sort of squid type creature, but what he saw was completely diffrent, at firstglance it seemed to resemble a frog. It had short forelimbs and long powerful backlegs, and what had been pulling him down was a strange appendage coming out from thetop of his head. The creatures body was much longer than you would expect for a frog type creature, it was like you took a fish and put froglegs on it. As he was pulled closerto the creature Uriel could see the creatures mouth, rows and rows of razor sharp teeth. Uriel knew his life was about to end when the creature had grabed him, or at least thats what he had thought, the tentacle that had grabed him seemed to be taking him back to the surface.

Uriel breathed deeply as his body broke the surface of the water. He looked around and saw that he was near the others.He could see them heading his way to make sure his was okay, thats when he realized what was happening the creature was using him as bait to bring the others his way.

[B]"No, don't come any closer!"[/B] He screamed at them. Suprisingly they all listened when he said it, they all stoped not to far away.

[B]"why did you tell us to stop?"[/B] Eliana asked. [B]"There is some kind of creature down there." [/B] answered Uriel. Then Uriel could feel the water around him begining to move, like it was being sucked down. After a moment he could the water aroundhim begin to move, it started to swirl around him. He looked down below him and in the clear water he could see the top of the creature, there was a small
opening on top of the creature it seemed to be what was causing the newly formed whirlpool around him. Then the tenticle that was holding him suddenly let go and he fell into the swirling water around him. At first it wasn't so bad just circling around, but as he started to move toward the center of the whirlpool he began to rotate faster and faster. He began to get sick from the rotation then he reached the center and was taken under water yet again. He could see the hole on top of the creatureas he was pulled ever farther down, the hole wasn't even as big as he was. When his feet hit the hole he could feel the intense suction created by the hole, he could feel the flesh being pulled of of his feet,the creature was going skin him alive, he felt his feet slowly slide into the hole. The skin was being pulled off of his body slowly by the intense suction, he could feel the blood draining out of him, thats when every thing went black.


[CENTER][IMG]http://imgplace.com/directory/dir3262/1180116120_8727.jpg[/IMG][IMG]http://imgplace.com/directory/dir3262/1180116327_9107.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma][color=darkslategray]Nadia was done, she was fatigued and worn out. Hours had passed and she felt like she had been in the most grueling in the fray battle with the dark elves than any time on her home world even. They constantly came at her, sometimes dropping in groups of two, sometimes in groups of five, sometimes in sets of groups. It was too much. Throw in leaping from platform to platform in this grid like room and her stamina practically depleted from the non-battling action as well.

She lost track of how much time passed. It all seemed to blur away with the amount of dark elves she's had to endure. Her eyes surveyed her surroundings a bit from the platform located at three and four, practically the middle of the entire room. She tried to move, but her legs had no strength left. She tried to reach out with her arms but they would get here nowhere as she could only touch as far out as they extended without moving her body.

The temperature of the room began to drop rapidly, this was another occurence that had just started to happen...it happened between the downtime. It also seemed to give the dark elves more excuses, but anything they said was meaningless as everything would have happened either way. Her body began to shiver, it was already laying completely naked on her stomach, her left leg bent upward toward her head, emblazoned by cold sweat. Only the shreds of her clothing surrounded her motionless body. Motionless, but not lifeless...but her will to live was probably destroyed.

One of the dark elves stood over her body from her head, looking down at her as she shivered from the cold. Her nipples grew hard, her lips were chapped, her skin turned pale. Another of the dark elves approached her from behind, his eyes lusting downward toward the positioning of her buttocks and legs. The one infront of her knelt down with a mischieviously look in his eyes, his tongue tracing the corners of his mouth like he was preparing his taste buds for a tastey meal. He put his head down to her face and licked it from her chin up to her ear, where he whispered to her.

[b]"[color=darkgreen]You cold, my sweet little elf? Well don't you worry, we'll keep you nice and warm again. It's going to be such a waste slitting your throat...it's too bad but looks like this will be our last moments together.[/color]"[/b]

Nadia's eyes watered, she wasn't sure if she wanted to even struggle or not. She hated every moment of what had been happening to her since she got caught two hours ago. Two hours...it seemed like she had almost made it, but at the same time thinking about how much can happen in two hours, it didn't seem that way at all. The dark elf behind her lowered himself down on top of her, one hand clutching at her body, the other one stroking her hair.

[b]"[color=darkgreen]Don't worry, soon you'll be a corpse...and after that you won't be able to feel any of it anymore.[/color]"[/b] he whispered in her ear as he readied himself.

[b][i]'No...why...'[/b][/i] was all that ran through Nadia's head, but there was little will to protest with anything else.

The dark elf came forward onto her, but just as he hade made contact with the most outer part of her body, both of her assailants crumbled into ashes and blew away into the atmosphere. Nadia just lay there, only wondering what had happened after a few more seconds passed. A bright light seemed to shine over Nadia's body, the only thoughts going through her mind is if it was her time to move on to the afterlife. Her body dissapeared into the light and she later found herself on the middle of a giant stone platform with what seemed to be ancient runes engraved in the sides. Around her were flowing waterfalls, and even plantlife grew against the stone walls supporting the falls. Her eyes gazed back and forth slowly, wishing she could feel the relief of being in such a more serene and non-violent atmosphere. She could only roll over to her back, still naked, and emotionally beaten down.

[center][b]"Punishment period for Nadia Dylenda has elapsed. Transportation back to the Panopticon complete."[/b][/center]

The voice died down as the elf was once against approached upon.

[b]"Oh my god! Look! I think she's still alive!"[/b] a concerned female voice reached Nadia's ears. Lucia ran toward her and knelt down to check her vital signs. She was indeed still alive. Lucia turned to Satasha.

[b]"Give me your jacket, Satasha!"[/b] she asked quickly, wanting to cover Nadia up.

[b]"H..huh? Sure!"[/b] he said frantically, taking his jacket off and handing it to Lucia. Katar just watched on, wondering more about what happened to her than helping her.

[b]"Looks like door number two was a winner, eh?"[/b] he said sarcastically. [/FONT][/color]

[Allamorph]

[FONT=Arial][center][B][U]Group Four[/U][/B][/center]

[indent][align=justify][I]?I?m ? perfect ?.?[/I]

The eerie pronouncement echoed again in Delilah?s ear as the women ran, hugging the ledge wall, with Meredith leading them on. They had been traveling almost nonstop since the collapse of the ledge had separated them from their group, and still they hadn?t found any passes over the gorge or tunnels leading into the wall. And now there was this third girl, a young one, who had just appeared in front of them as they had rounded yet another corner, as if out of thin air. And her voice ? Delilah couldn?t get it out of her head.

[I]?I?m ? perfect ?.?[/I]

It was dead, devoid of emotion, and it had made Delilah?s skin crawl. But they couldn?t just leave her, and so the girl had fallen in behind Meredith and the trio had continued on at the hunter?s unhurried, steady pace.

Even now, the girl appeared to be missing something. She followed Meredith almost mechanically, her head never turning, her gaze, as far as Delilah could tell, fixed absently on Meredith?s heels. That was another part of her appearance that gave Delilah the creeps: her eyes. There was no color in them. If there ever had been, Delilah guessed that they would have been striking; emerald green, perhaps, though sapphire blue would also have been gorgeous with hair that fiery. She would have been a rather attractive young lady.

But instead there were only black pools where her irises should have been; pools of nothingness, that seemed somehow to draw in anyone who looked into them. Delilah had had to forcibly shake herself free after first looking into them, and she felt certain that if she did so again, she might not come out.

She felt her legs beginning to tire. Her daily work-out routines had provided her with a good deal of stamina, but everyone had their limits, and she sincerely hoped Meredith would find an exit soon.

[center]-------------------[/center]

Meredith, up at the front, was actually enjoying herself a little. She had known, after the gigantic saw blade and the crumbling walkway, that this place was a death trap, and she hadn?t had a decent challenge in a long time. Not since her final training under Grant Taylor, her father, had her life actually been at stake as an actual part of the game ? if you could call his tests ?games?. He had always pushed her abilities to the edge and beyond, forcing her to become stronger with every mission; as the best Tcheran hunter in the known world, he certainly had had the right to, and though then she might have hated the endless wilderness/survival treks, agonizing sleep-, food-, and water-deprivation trainings, and grueling hours of studying, she begrudged him none of it now. If not for him, she might never have moved to L?iyan (she couldn?t encroach on his territory, and L?iyan was far enough away that the two could operate without interfering with each other), and she might never have become so accomplished in her ?business dealings?. She grinned as she remembered her father?s term for his mercenary work.

After starting her own career, with her father?s hard-earned blessing, she had quickly realized how different working for her father had been. Her final test had been three back-to-back assassinations and a four day survival course, followed immediately by two more assassinations, all of which had to be executed precisely on schedule and in different manners, with time to plan around each target?s schedule and lay out four exit routes, and without leaving traces of herself behind. All told, she had traveled about three-thousand miles in under a fortnight, with barely enough time to eat a decent meal, let alone sleep more than two nights in succession. She?d particularly enjoyed her fourth target: a fellow mercenary who she?d had to chase through a succession of cities. His murder had actually been arranged to prevent another, potentially disastrous assassination; Meredith had laced his sniper with a lovely little bio-agent that, after four hours, caused asphyxiation along with severe internal hemorrhaging. She?d watched his demise through the scope of her own sniper, and to top it all off the fool had tried to stand up after he?d begun feeling the agent?s effects, presumably to look for help. He hadn?t actually managed it, of course. By the time he?d brought himself to one knee, his mind had been deluged with far too much pain to perform even rudimentary functions, and he?d toppled out of the building he?d been using for cover. He had died before he hit the ground, but he?d made a beautiful impressionist painting on the sidewalk with his brains and liquefied innards.

That had been the last even remotely challenging assignment she?d had. Naturally, with no standard to adhere to save her own, she?d eventually gotten sloppy and left behind trails with a couple of her targets, alerting the L?iyan authorities to her existence. The accident had solved the problem, though she still grieved her husband?s death; she was certain her father had arranged the situation, since there had conveniently been nothing left for the authorities to examine by the time they?d arrived. He?d said nothing, naturally, and she?d felt it best not to intrude where not invited, but she still hoped that he?d managed to keep her husband alive somewhere as well.

And now here she was, jogging along the ledge of a nasty-looking chasm, constantly scanning her surroundings, looking for a way out, if there was one. She glanced backwards every now and then to make sure her companions were keeping up, but for the most part her attention stayed focused in front of her.

Finally, after rounding another corner, she saw what she?d been looking for: in the distance ? about forty meters farther down, she hazarded, continuing to run ? the gorge was abruptly ended by what looked like an enormous cast-iron wall, and where the wall met the ledge, an opening lay, emitting artificial light from somewhere inside it.

Meredith was about to call back the news when she heard a distinct cracking sound far above her. Throwing a glance skyward, she saw several dozen large boulders breaking loose from the canyon wall amidst a shower of rubble.

[I]?Oh, hell.[/I]

[B]?Move!?[/B] she shouted, spinning around to force the other two ahead of her. [B]?Head for the door; head for the door!? [/B]

The redhead continued on at the same pace, never raising her eyes. Meredith Taylor cursed violently. Delilah, at least, had heeded the urgency in her voice and was already racing ahead; Meredith grabbed the other girl and shoved her forward.

[B]?Goddammit, bitch, get going! [I]RUN!![/I]?[/B]

The redhead finally obeyed. Meredith looked up, then back at the ledge to see how much time she?d lost. She could still make it; tucking her arms up, she broke into a dead run. Delilah was inside the doorway, and the girl was scant steps from safety. Meredith saw her reach the next room and stop, as if she had no idea what to do next. The rockslide was almost on her, and she let loose an exhilarated roar as she threw herself into a dive, rolling through the door as the rocks crushed the path behind her and fell into the depths of the crevasse. She came up from her roll smoothly, landing on one knee and balanced by her hands. A door hissed shut.

[B]?Boo-yah,?[/B] she said, grinning fiercely. This was going to be one hell of a lot of fun.[/align][/indent][/FONT]

[2010DigitalBoy]

[COLOR=DarkRed][CENTER][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/deliriumtriggerpanop.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]

Floating in the deep reaches of space, The Panopticon churned. Information belted in lines across the planes of thought given to Inertiatic and Cicatriz ESP. They?re eyes witnessed all. The first group was straggling - it?s strongest members all either dead or branched off.

[U][B]Group 1[/B][/U]
Sastasha Sandares
Mary Winters
Lucia Travera
Nadia Dylenda
Katar Dakit

The second group, meanwhile, had been thinned to the size of three. The strongest was still alive, but left with the scaredy cat and the weakling.

[U][B]Group 2[/B][/U]
Merik Jeffers
Oromis Tu'wail
Julian Marx

Meanwhile, group 3 was in the most turbulent situation. Half were in the water, ready to be prey to a giant fish, while the others would watch helplessly.

[U][B]Group 3[/B][/U]
Eliana Cedes
Delita Lytle
Alcuin nó Prideux
Dafine Hecata
Etamet
Serena Scarlatti

Finally, there was the most obscure group of all. A psycho-killer, the CCC?s own newly reprogrammed drone, and?

[U][B]Group 4[/B][/U]
Delilah Rousseau
Meredith Taylor
Brittany Cossentine

[B]?Check?
?Confirmed?
?Running Program ?Delirium Trigger??
?Access allowed. Proceed.?
?Initiating?[/B]









[U][CENTER][B]Group One[/B][/CENTER][/U]

Lucia carefully helped Nadia to her feet as Mary wrapped the jacket around her. Nadia felt depressed, but strangely enough, her physical pain had vanished. She felt completely rejuvenated - like she?d visited a spa or something. She closed her eyes and nearly began to cry as she recounted it. She?d only narrowly escaped in time. She had started to feel it already - the man coming down over her. Thinking about it made her cringe.

[B]?Come now, miss. We have to get out of here!? [/B] Mary said in a hushed tone. Nadia meekly nodded and walked along with the group using Mary and Lucia?s holding her up. Sastasha introduced himself as well, staying at pace with the three. Katar meanwhile hugged the back of the group. He had lit a cigarette up and placed it between his lips. His face was full of boredom, carelessness, and the need to get laid right about now.

These four need to go get killed and let me the hell out of here. After this I?m about ready for a nice party. Get drunk - punch somebody in the face - get some? Katar was angered by himself thinking about it. Even angrier was his growling stomach?

[B]?No way!?[/B] Sastasha beamed as he entered the next room.

[B]?It?s definitely a trap??[/B] Lucia assured. Katar was curious now. He poked his head through the door. The place he emerged was a large cafeteria.

[B]?Fuck yeah!?[/B] He called. Lucia grimaced.

[B]?You know it?s a-?[/B]

[B]?Don?t get your panties in a bunch, ya damn killjoy. I?m hungry as the bitch you are. Chow.?[/B] Lucia?s face filled with rage.

[B]?I hope it?s a poison that tears your intestines to shreds!?[/B] A hand gently landed on her shoulder. She looked up and saw Sastasha standing above.

[B]?Like it or not, he?s the only one with any real strength in our group, and at the very least, he hasn?t been a complete deserter yet. He may be a brute, but he?s still useful?? [/B] Lucia pouted, hating the idea.

The cafeteria contained all sorts of food. Behind the counter there seemed to be three sections. Healthy food was on one side, meets were in the middle, and pure junk food was on the left. For the time being, everyone turned straight to the bigger meals. After a quick test by Katar, who walked straight over and sucked down a rib, the group realized that this must have just been a pit stop. Perhaps the severity of the test led itself into needing something like this lest, the prisoners go insane too early.

Lucia went immediately for the fruits and vegetables, being a vegetarian. Mary imitated this eating habit, and Nadia decided if anyone were to be taken for their eating habits, it should be Lucia. Just to spite them, Katar took a plate of nothing but the most grotesque meat, ignoring the fact that he didn?t even recognize some of the species. Sastasha was the only one who went for a balance between the two. After the nice meal, the group looked around the cafeteria and found something even more astonishing inside a large cabinet.

[B]?I don?t believe it! I might cry!?[/B] Lucia exclaimed as she removed a bunch of large blankets and pillows from the cupboard. Everyone took some of them and set up their own sleeping area, some more exaggerated than others. Katar went to bed right after smoking down a cigarette, stating that there was no reason to be staying up without booze or women to keep him company.

Using one of the thinnest blankets and Sastasha?s help, Lucia hand-made an outfit for Nadia. The black blanket was sufficient in creating a skirt and long-sleeve shirt for Nadia, for which she was extremely grateful. Nadia went to bed next, leaving the other three to their conversations.

Mary fell asleep with her head on Lucia?s lap, a blissful look on her face as she drifted off. Lucia smiled and patted the young maid?s head. She and Sastasha stayed up a while talking.

[B]?So you?re a musician from a thousand years in the past??[/B]

[B]?I guess so. I never would have imagined meeting a girl from a thousand years in the future?? [/B] Lucia blushed.

[B]?I?m pleased you think I?m that young, but I?m actually in my thirties??[/B]

[B]?Wow, really? You don?t look a day over twenty-one!?[/B] Their babble went on like this an hour or so. ?I guess we should be going to sleep about now?? Sastasha said, standing up to head over to his makeshift bed.

[B]?Uh? um!?[/B] Lucia suddenly let out, flustered. Sastasha turned toward her quizzically to see that she was blushing heavily. ?You don?t have to go to sleep? so quick?? she carefully said, trying to make it sound right. Sastasha smiled and lifted her chin. He kissed her for a few seconds, accentuating his ability to do so.

[B]?Are you sure about that? I?m sure you know I?ve been with quite a bit of-?[/B]

[B]?No! I don?t mind. This is? I mean, this could be our last??[/B] Lucia said, now making a smile under the pink blush of her cheeks.

[B]?In that case??[/B] Sastasha gently took her hand and led her over to his ?bed?. She crawled under the covers and Sastasha came in next to her. Both of them removed their clothes before Sastasha rolled on top of her, enjoying the warmth of her soft body. They kissed for a while before Lucia gradually spread her legs. She moaned softly as Sastasha lowered himself into her.

[B]?Are we far enough away??[/B] He whispered, wondering if they might wake up the others.

[B]?I don?t care,?[/B] Lucia breathed as Sastasha?s hand was moving over her breast. The two continued deep into the night?

---

Mary was the first to wake up. When she found Lucia and Sastasha laying together naked, her face sunk as she became fully embarrassed. On one hand, she felt terrible for interrupting their privacy, but on the other? her vision of Lucia as a pure woman who didn?t need men to be happy was shattered. Mary was saddened by the turn of events.

Eventually the whole group woke up to find that Mary had already conjured them a fitting breakfast, true to her nature as a maid. As they ate, Lucia was still blushing that she had been seen in such a compromising position, just as Mary was still blushing over having seen them. Sastasha was careful to make no mention of it.

[B]?I guess we?d better continue now,?[/B] Nadia said after eating dinner. I doubt we?ll be allowed to stay here long.

[B]?That?s true. We should probably gather as much food as we can and take it with us, then get out of here quickly,? [/B] Sastasha concluded. The group did just that, taking as many things as they could easily fit with them. The reason for the snack section had now become apparent; though Lucia still was only willing to take vegetables. Once they were ready, the group headed through the double-doors leading out?

[B][CENTER][U]Group Three[/U][/CENTER][/B]

[B]?SHIT!?[/B] Delita screamed, having watched Uriel be pulled straight under the water. The waters were now turbulent and the swim was becoming grueling, but she was putting all of her strength into it to get to the other side. The more she swam, the more she realized just how much distance there was. A paranoia was emerging from deep within.

From aside, Etamet was only a few feet behind her. His eyes opened wide in shock as a line of water shot from the air, streamlining toward her. ?Look out!? he called. Delita turned, but wasn?t quick enough. A massive tentacle ripped from beneath the surface under her. Delita screamed as she was lifted into the air at an immense speed. She was flung over a hundred feet through the air, landing closer to the shore to which she was headed, but Etamet didn?t see her emerge from the water where she?d landed. His attention now turned to Eliana who was trying desperately to fight the current, her strength waning.

Once more, a line of water shot through the air, this time approaching Eliana. It wrapped around her and jerked her violently into the air as it wrapped around her body. Eliana immediately went unconscious by the force of being thrown around. Etamet quickly fetched a knife from his belt and hurled it spinning through the air at the massive tentacle. The knife hit with perfect precision in just the right spot to make it release Eliana into the water below. Etamet swam over to her and took her body under his arm, dragging her along as he continued toward the distant bank.

The chances were bleak. Even if Etamet dropped the girl, there was no way he could survive, so he kept holding on. Against the immense force of the raging waters and his fear of the impending doom behind him, he pushed onward. He could hear the water raising behind him and he closed his eyes?

The next sounds were puzzling. There was an immense swoosh! Followed by a grotesque and loud slicing sound. When Etamet turned, he saw the giant pink tentacle high in the air. Half of it had been severed and was falling off to the side. There was also the sound of a crash as a giant axe which had sung from the ceiling rammed into a wall after severing the tentacle. The sight alone gave Etamet a boost of hope and strength, ignoring the blood that was cascading through the air from the tentacle. Etamet swam blindly, trying not to focus on the myriad of sounds coming from behind of the giant axe chopping off anything that emerged from the waters.

Finally, Etamet stumbled into the opposite bank, dropping the unconscious girl onto the dry land. He quickly began performing CPR on her, and after one or two runs she began coughing and woke up. Etamet was relieved, but only momentarily as another large tentacle suddenly shot onto the shore. It wrapped around Etamet?s body. For a split-second, Etamet and Eliana stared at each other blankly, both devoid of thought for shock. Just as the tentacle was about to jerk back, though, the axe swung down and cut it off.

Immediately, Eliana sprung into action, pulling the tentacle unraveled for Etamet.

[B]?thank you??[/B] he breathed faintly.

[B]?I owed you one??[/B] Both of their attention then returned to their surroundings. The bank was simply a few ward of sand leading up to the wall. To the left there was an outcropping standing over the water. Atop it, Delita was there, messing with some contraption. The other two ran to her side.

It quickly became apparent that Delita was using the mechanism to control the giant axe. She maneuvered it through the air and severed the last of the monster?s tentacles. At that point, the freakish, disgusting monster rose from the water itself, howling viciously as it did. The axe soared beautifully through the air and spliced directly into the monster?s head, carving right into it?s brain. With a massive death-gurgle, it sank into the water with a huge splash.

As the beast sank to it?s watery demise, the water hardened into ice over it. On the other side, Alcuin, Dafine, and Serena began their crossing.

[B][CENTER][U]Group 2[/U][/CENTER][/B]

Before having left the arena, Julian and Merik had made a quick run of the weapon racks. Everything from ancient medieval weaponry to futuristic contraptions that were unrecognizable sat upon the racks. Julian first grabbed a handgun, having had Halo as his experience with aiming. He didn?t think he?d have a problem with shooting any of the freakish things this place had thrown at him. As he examined the gun rack, he also thought it wise to nab a shotgun. He?d always wanted to use one, and this was the best chance he was gunna get.

Merik opted for one of the larger handguns, lining his sight against random obstacles. Just like taking pictures? you aim? you shoot? Oromis meanwhile loaded himself with a street sweeper as well as strapping a sniper rifle around his back with the feeling it would come in handy soon. The group of three headed through the door into the next area.

The place they emerged was a narrow stone passage that angled left just ahead. Around that corner, the hall continued, now having multiple turning points. It was a labyrinth.

[B]?We?ll have to be careful? do we split up?? [/B] Julian asked, turning to the older hit man.

[B]?Too risky? better to all have backup. Besides, the only rule of thumb for something like this is to not get lost. It?s important we keep detailed track of where we?ve gone. Also, you never know what will be waiting around the next corner.?[/B] Merik was glad that he had a good memory, but the prospect of turning a corner to be face-to-face with some horrible beast terrified him. [url=http://artpad.art.com/gallery/?jinawq39954][COLOR=DarkRed]The three lined up against the wall, preparing for the turn. Julian?s gun was raised as he turned his head

[link][/COLOR][/url]

[B]OOC[/B]: Before posting, wait for the underground post accompanying.[/COLOR]

[SunfallE]

[COLOR=#DAA520][CENTER][SIZE=3][U][B]Group Three[/B][/U][/SIZE][/CENTER]

Serena still couldn't believe what had happened. The water had looked so peaceful and had turned out to be so deadly. And now there was no mistaking the red stain from where Uriel had been killed, even if the water had turned to ice it was still visible as they walked over the spot where the monster had died. Serena kept her gaze on the others who were waiting on the other side, refusing to look down, afraid of what she would see if she did. She wasn't sure if she could handle seeing yet another dead body.

Once they were across all of them without a word left and headed into the stone passage leading upwards. Strangely quiet after what had just happened. A moment later it came out into yet another temple like room with stone pillars and openings in the ceiling where sunlight shone through.

"[B]Not again,[/B]" Serena said. "[B]I'm sick and tired of these damn traps! Not only that, I'm tired, hungry and ready to be out of this crazy place![/B]"

A moment later the others were blinking in surprise as Serena had disappeared and a young man had taken her place, someone they had never met.

"[B]Uh...[/B]" He stammered. "[B]What just happened?[/B]"

[CENTER][SIZE=3][U][B]Group One[/B][/U][/SIZE][/CENTER]

As if in answer to that thought, Serena suddenly felt dizzy, as if her world was spinning around in circles. Instinctively she closed her eyes tight and reached out to grab something to steady herself only to stumble and fall.

"[B]What the hell?[/B]" An unfamiliar male voice said.

"[B]What happened to Sastasha?[/B]" Another voice said.

[I]What's going on? [/I]Serena thought as the dizziness started to fade. She opened her eyes to find herself facing a strange group, a set of double doors behind them. [I]How did I get here? [/I]

"[B]Is that all you can think of? Your precious Sastasha?[/B]" The tall male with black hair said scornfully to a woman with long blue hair.
[I]
Blue hair? Since when did people have blue hair? [/I]Serena wondered.

"[B]That's not what I meant Katar! What if something bad happened to him? Gods, don't you care about anything or anyone?[/B]"

Serena could tell she had stepped into something bad, but it didn't make sense. One of the girls, with long dark hair was wearing a very makeshift outfit, but even though she was standing there, her eyes were almost empty as if she didn't care what was going on around her. The other one, dressed in a maid's outfit looked terribly distressed and on the verge of tears. On top of that Serena was positive that she could smell food coming from the doors behind the four people. She started to open her mouth to ask them what was going on but the two arguing were too caught up in it. Ignoring her completely. [I]Just what is going on here?[/I]

"[B]Oh yes it is Lucia,[/B]" Katar spat. "[B]I saw the two of you last night.[/B]"

Lucia backed up, her right hand going to her mouth as she turned bright red. Then she gasped in pain as the one named Katar reached forward and caught Lucia by her right wrist and dragged her towards him. Ignoring her attempts to pull free.

"[B]What I don't understand is why a pretty thing like yourself would choose a loser like Sastasha.[/B]"

Lucia tried to hit Katar with her left hand only to have him catch that wrist as well. She struggled for a moment and then snapped. "[B]Let me go Katar![/B]" She glared at him angrily, torn between fear and irritation.

Katar just shoved her backwards until she was pinned against the wall by the double doors, leaning forward until their faces were nearly touching. "[B]Why don't you make me let go?[/B]" He taunted her.

[I]My god? What's the matter with these people?[/I] Serena thought as the other two just stood there doing nothing to break up the fight.

"[B]Uh, excuse me but just who are you people?[/B]" Serena said in an attempt to distract them. [I]Please stop fighting. [/I]She thought desperately. Even as she got up and started walking towards them, hoping they would back down. But she hadn't taken more than a few steps when Katar, who had turned his head to watch her, narrowed his eyes as if in thought and then seemed to make up his mind.

"[B]This is none of your business wench.[/B]" He said coldly.

[I]Wench? [/I]Stung Serena stopped where she was, "[B]Please, just stop fighting okay?[/B]" [I]Why?[/I] She thought. [I]Why did I end up here with these people?[/I]

"[B]I told you it was none of your business.[/B]" Katar said again forcefully. He let go of Lucia with his right hand and reached over and opened the doors, ignoring Lucia's struggle to pull her other hand free. Then quicker than Serena would have thought possible he dragged her back though the doors with his left hand that was still holding Lucia's right wrist.

"[B]No![/B]" The one with the maid's outfit cried out as Lucia was dragged through the door and then flung to the ground by Katar, crying out in pain as she landed hard on her stomach.

Katar turned back and glared at the group. "[B]If you know what's good for you, you'll mind your own business.[/B]" Then he slammed the doors shut and locked them from the other side.

Serena just stood there stunned as Mary pounded on the doors, trying to open them as tears ran down her face. "[B]You leave Lucia alone![/B]" She kept yelling it over and over, while the other woman just stood there, still doing nothing and saying nothing. [I]What the hell? [/I]

[CENTER]---------------------------------------[/CENTER]

[CENTER][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/satashatn4.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/switchcardpanopticon.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/6cqo0pl.jpg[/IMG] [/CENTER]

[B]OOC:[/B] My card has been played:

[B]Name:[/B] Switch Card
[B]Definition: [/B]Let's you instantly switch the places of any two members of the game.[/color]

[Darren]

Dafine Hecata was in shock. The once young and beautiful lady that she was carrying on her back when the lake was still water, had suddenly transformed into [I]a man?[/I]

She bounced back on all fours, hissing wildly at the true face of Serena.

[B]"Uh... What just happened?"[/B] he spoke. How dare it speak in the prescense of its superior and violate rules of her people's contract.

Dafine could not take it anymore.

[B]"How dare you speak in front of me? You, you..."[/B] Dafine had never actually met face to face with a shape changer, but she knew the stories of her world. If Serena was actually this person, then her entire group was in danger. She had never been so angry and never learned to speak any of the vulgar words from her planet. Grasping for something to say, [B]"You shit!"[/B] It sounded awkward, and almost a like a question, but the shape changer seemed to understand what she was meaning and he backed up in defense.

It was now or never. If Dafine wanted to save the lives of the group, she had to end this one's right now! She struck, her lightning fast reflexes caught the changer off guard. Her claws were fully extended now at an amazing 7, inches. More than enough to slit the enemy's throat.

Out of nowhere, Etamet appeared, his arms outstretched; he was defending the enemy. Then he must die, too. She didn't retract her claws nor did she back down. She was planning on two powerful swipes to kill the obstacle and the enemy, but she had not expected the speed of the powerful dark-skinned hunter.

He dodged her swipe, grabbing her wrist, and throwing Dafine to the side. She would not fall so easily, especially to a male. Her claws sank into his forearm and pulled him down with her. They rolled over each other a few times, excelled by the slight slope the area they were in, before they reached a stop with Etamet's knife at Dafine's neck and her claws at his breast, ready to pierce his heart; they were in a stalemate.

[B]"Can we just talk about this a bit."[/B] Delita spoke up. Dafine realized her hastiness, but already the changer could be twisting their minds to its will.

[B]"We must kill it now before it's too late."[/B] she screamed, and felt Etamet's knife press closer to her neck. He didn't like her tone and Dafine knew she must calm down.

She retracted her claws and stood up and then helped Etamet up. She made sure to look the changer in the eye and hiss wildly so as to warn him not to move.

Etamet spoke, [B]"Would you mind telling us why just attacked this man?"[/B]

[B]"That is no man. Nor a woman. It is nothing but my people's mortal enemy; a shape-changer."[/B]

[B]"Me? No my name's--"[/B] It started to speak, but...

[B]"QUIET YOU!"[/B] Dafine roared loud enough to make him step back a few steps. It even reminded Etamet of the wild beasts he used to hunt. He wondered if she was more in touch with her primal instincts than the rest of the group.

[B]"A what now? Come again."[/B]Eliana spoke up. The tone in her voice really upset Dafine. [I]How dare they mock me?[/I] She thought. Her blood was practically boiling.

[B]"A shape changer! They come from my home planet and they are the sworn enemies of my people. We have thousands of bodies and a 200 year long war to prove it. And what do they have?"[/B] Now addressing the man, [B]"Nothing, but a black clound of dust where they have been vanquished. They have no sould and does not know what it means to experience loss. It must die before it bends your minds."[/B]

[B]"Dafine,"[/B] Etamet spoke again, [B]"You must have endured a lot during the war, but I can assure you that this man is not of your planet, nor is he called a shape-changer."[/B] He was calm in such a fury. Dafine admired that, but it even made her angrier.

[B]"My name is Sastasha,"[/B] the man began inching towards the group, hoping that the feud had passed. [B]"I am a human and I don't mean to cause any harm to anyone."[/B]

[B]"And why should I believe you?"[/B] She roared again, sending the man back to his original position, too scared to speak up.

[B]"I can think of a few reasons,"[/B] Alcuin stepped up. [I]He had remained silent this entire time, so why can't he just stay silent?[/I] Dafine was even more annoyed, but let him continue nonetheless, [B]"I may have been slightly out of it, but wasn't this man's face one of the pictures that showed up on the video when we first woke up here?"[/B]

[B]"That's right."[/B] Dileta said, [B]"We were all on the video. And that means--"[/B]

[B]"That Serena must have been switched with this man."[/B] Eliana had taken over where Delita left off.

[B]"Are you guys talking about that video with the creepy voice and threatening message? It had all those pictures on it, right?"[/B] The changer was calling itself Sastasha now.

[B]"It is the same video. So you mean that you saw it as well?"[/B] Etamet stepped closer to him and patted his shoulder.

[B]"Come to think of it. I do remember seeing all of your pictures on there as well. I don't know why I didn't come across it earlier, but I guess it's only logical that there are others. After all, we found that girl."[/B]

[B]"There are others? So Serena's safe then?"[/B] Eliana approached him as well.

[B]"I suppose that if I'm where she was standing, then she's probably where I was standing."[/B]

[B]"That's wonderful news, don't you think Dafine?"[/B] Eliana approached her and gave her a hug. [B]"Serena's okay and we know that there are other's. That means if we can find them, we should incraese our chances of getting out of here."[/B]

[B]"It would seem that is our only option."[/B] Etamet took the lead again, [B]"we cannot afford fool-hardy assumtions. We must assume that this man, Sastasha is telling us the truth so we can address the issue at hand."[/B]

[B]"And it doesn't look like you guys have it any better off than we did."[/B] Sastasha finally said with some confidence in his voice. Then addressing Dafine, [B]"I'm sorry about the misunderstanding. I hope we can put this behind us."[/B]

He put his hand out to shake, but Dafine could not bring herself to do it. Instead, she looked at him and gave this awfully fake smile, but the others didn't seem to notice. Perhaps they assumed she didn't greet by shaking hands on her world.

[I]It seems that the changer has already bent their mind,[/I] she thought. In fact, her hatred was blinding her and she could only imagine the changer dying by her hands. [I]But I must wait, lest the group lose their trust in me. I will wait until the opprortunity presents itself.[/I] Then, she rejoined her group and the task at hand.

[Rachmaninoff]

[SIZE=3][CENTER][U][B]Group Three[/B][/U][/CENTER][/SIZE]
Sastasha didn?t know what had happened, only that now he was with some other group. His sudden appearance alongside Serena?s disappearance had literally thrown everyone into a mass of confusion, as questions were flung left and right. It didn't help that the one that looked like a cat thought he was some shape changer. Sastasha backed up in fear when she yelled at him after the dark skinned man stopped her from killing him. Then after the others reasoned that he couldn't be a shape changer, Sastasha snapped a bit, worried about Lucia being stuck with Katar.

?[B]Look, I'm sorry about the misunderstanding, I don?t know what happened. I never met Serena. Though I'm sure she's probably with the group I was with. But mostly I'm not a shape changer.[/B]? Sastasha said, getting exasperated. Though the look in Dafine's eyes told him that she didn't believe him.

Frustrated he set the makeshift pillowcase he had with food down and then sat down on the steps leading into the huge temple like room made of stone with massive pillars supporting the roof. It was with the sunlight coming down through sections that were open rather peaceful. He didn?t trust it though since he knew perfectly well that such places like this were often full of traps. Well at least if any of the silly movies made about them were accurate that is.

?[B]What?s in the bag?[/B]? Eliana asked.

?[B]It smells like food.[/B]? Alcuin said. ?[B]Where did you find food?[/B]?

?[B]It was in one of the rooms we found along our way. Why?[/B]?

?[B]We have had no such luck,[/B]? Etamet stated. ?[B]If you have enough would you be willing to share?[/B]?

Sastasha shrugged his shoulders, ?[B]Sure go ahead. I?ve already eaten.[/B]? He picked up the sack and handed it to Etamet who opened it and started handing out stuff to the others.

Most of it was fruit such as apples, bananas and oranges. There was a variety of snack foods such as protein bars and mixed nuts, stuff that was easy to carry and yet would sustain them as they traveled. At the very bottom there was also a few candy bars.[I] I guess one of the others put that in there.[/I] He thought since he had not prepared the bags with food. Sastasha had never cared for chocolate. But then as a singer, he had always tried to avoid things like caffeine. A moment later after making sure there was still a few items left for Sastasha, Etamet handed him the sack back.

?[B]Thank you,[/B]? he said simply as they and the others quit questioning him in favor of eating the food. Talking among themselves as they switched things around based on who liked what. In the end other than Alcuin, no one wanted the candy. Having one when he was done with the fruit and then stashing the others in a pocket for later.

Sastasha almost laughed, even if from another world it seemed that all women were conscious of their weight. And looking at the pretty Eliana, he was glad that they were. And Etamet, well he reminded him of those from his world in Africa, and sugar was not really a popular thing among those he had known that were from there.

A little while later when they were done and all of them tucked the remaining fruit and stuff into pockets, they thanked him as well. Other than Dafine who had refused to take any of it and was still glaring at him as if he was trying to poison the others. Sastasha just shrugged as he got up again. ?[B]Glad I could help. So do we want to proceed? Which way do we need to go?[/B]?

?[B]That way,[/B]? Etamet said pointing towards the other side of the room. ?[B]However, if it is anything like the last one it will be dangerous. We will have to be cautious.[/B]?

?[B]I kind of figured that.[/B]? Sastasha said.

?[B]Oh?[/B]? Delita said raising her eyebrow questioningly. ?[B]And just how did you know that?[/B]?

?[B]Because where I am from, places like this have traps. From spears shooting at you to trip wires to poison darts. They?re lethal. At least they were before explorers carefully disarmed the traps.[/B]?

?[B]Are we are on your world then?[/B]? Delita asked.

?[B]Not if it?s the same place where I just was. We don?t have creatures like I?ve seen or the technology to create massive metal caverns.[/B]?

?[B]Well wherever we are, it?s probably best that we get moving.[/B]? Alcuin said.

Reluctantly the others agreed. Sastasha kept his distance from Dafine who still seemed to be angry with him. Electing to follow Etamet who seemed to have a knack for finding the trip wires and stones that would trigger a trap if stepped on. They were almost to the other side where several passageways made of stone lead somewhere else when Delita stepped on a stone that sunk under her right foot.

?[B]Shit![/B]? She swore even a she rolled to the side to avoid what ever was coming. The sound of something being released was loud and clear. But even as the group scattered as much as they dared, nothing seemed to happen.

Then a split second later Dafine gave out a startled shriek and then reached to her left arm and pulled out what appeared to be a small dart. Cautiously she raised it to her face and sniffed it. ?[B]It?s poison![/B]? She said with alarm.

[CENTER]***[/CENTER]

[CENTER][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/poisoncarpanop.png[/IMG] [IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/panopticon-catwoman-1.png[/IMG][/CENTER]

[B]OOC: [/B]And now my card has been played as well. The question now is will anyone post and save Dafine from dying from poison. ;)

[B]Card: [/B]Poison
[B]Definition: [/B]This card is used to poison one of the characters. When a character becomes poisoned, anyone can heal them simply by writing a post where they get the antidote. The catch is, though, that they only have 2 days to post about the character finding the antidote, or the CCC will post their death. killing with poison does not cost the poster their death card.

[Horendithas]

[COLOR=Indigo][CENTER][B]Violation Detected?Rule Three Of Prohibited Actions Has Occurred?[/B][/CENTER]

[SIZE=1]Dafine had barely uttered the words that the dart was poisoned when Alcuin nó Prideux vanished before her eyes, just as Serena had. But this time, no one took his place. With a hiss of anger she whirled to face Sastasha. Furious that the shape changer had struck already. [I]I should have killed him when I had the chance![/I]

?[B]What did you do with him?[/B]? She hissed furiously, only holding back from attacking due to Etamet who was still keeping an eye on her. ?[B]You don?t fool me. I know you did something, just as it was probably you who made sure it was I who was poisoned.[/B]?

Just then Dafine was interrupted as if from everywhere the same distorted voice they had heard from the screen when they first arrived spoke:[B] [I]There will be penalties for those who act in a way that the CCC does not allow. Remember? we are always watching you. [/I][/B]

?[B]I knew it![/B]? Dafine yelled. ?[b]You?re the one behind everything![/b]? She tossed the dart to the floor. No longer caring if the others didn?t believe her. She would not drop her guard around the shape changer.

[CENTER]*****[/CENTER]

Alcuin nó Prideux barely had time to register that Dafine had been poisoned when suddenly he was in another room all by himself. Easily over a hundred feet wide and long with a dome shaped ceiling. The walls made of a dark metal material. He was wondering just what had happened when a huge screen lit up on one of the walls and a voice spoke.

?[B]Alcuin nó Prideux. You have acted in a manner that violates the Central Command Center?s rules. For your crime, you will face a punishment of the Panopticon.[/B]?

?[B]Huh?[/B]? Alcuin said stupidly. ?[b]I haven?t done anything.[/b]?

?[B]Your punishment will last 12 hours by the CCC?s time. For your crime you will face trial thirteen.[/B]?

Alcuin protested again that he hadn?t done anything; try as he might, he couldn?t think of a single thing. But the voice did not answer. The screen switching to a countdown of the time even as the sound of something mechanical starting came from behind him. Startled, Alcuin turned around and stumbled back fearfully. Slamming painfully into the wall behind him.

?[b]Hell![/b]? He exclaimed. ?[b]You?ve got to be kidding me![/b]? For in front of him were five mechanical spiders about the size of a small salad plate. Where had they come from? But more importantly, Alcuin shivered, he hated spiders as well as most insects. It was one of the things he had loved about exploring in the Antarctic and running dog sleds. He didn?t have to come face to face with his phobia for insects, especially [I]spiders.[/I]

Alcuin froze in place, his heart pounding wildly. Even if they were mechanical, just watching them creep around was making him sick with fear and loathing. [I]Perhaps if I stay still they won?t notice me.[/I] He thought, even as he looked around the room for something to defend himself with. To the right in the far corner it looked like there was something lying on the floor. It looked like a metal bar of some kind. Slowly Alcuin started to shuffle sideways, doing his best to be quiet.

He was halfway there when his shoe caught on the floor making a slight scuffing noise; Alcuin froze as the spiders instantly turned towards his direction. ?[b]No,[/b]? He whispered to himself in horror. Hoping they would not realize that he was there. It was a hope that was in vain as all five immediately came after him.

?[b]Fuck![/b]? Alcuin screamed in frustration as he abandoned being stealthy and ran as fast as he could to grab the metal bar. It was a type of crow bar, but completely straight. He snatched it up and turned just as one of the spiders was jumping to attack him. With a scream of rage and fear he struck out, sending it flying into the wall when the bar struck it. The spider broke apart upon contact.

He did his best to control the paralyzing fear as the others leapt for him as well, swinging the metal bar wildly, smashing them in a frenzy. His hands shaking as he did so. Three more were flung into the walls to break apart, but the fifth one landed on his right leg just above the knee.

Before he could even register that it had landed the spider's metal stomach opened and a stinger shot out hitting him on the knee causing him to scream in pain when it electrocuted him. Alcuin?s fell to his knees as he frantically pulled the spider off and then smashed it with the metal bar.

Slowly he got back up, tears running down his face as he took a tentative step. It still stung but it seemed like he would be alright. But then a panel in the ceiling opened and five more mechanical spiders dropped into the center of the room. Alcuin froze yet again. But it made no difference. As if they knew where he was they immediately headed for his position. [i]No.[/i] He thought with despair. [I]Not more of them![/i] With a sob he readied the metal bar, his eyes catching the screen on the wall with the countdown, only thirty minutes of the twelve hours had passed. [i]Why? Why does it have to be spiders?[/i]

"[b]Damn you![/b] He screamed, resisting the urge to head over and smash the screen. Even as his heart began to pound painfully from the rush of fear as the spiders headed for him. He stood there trying to ready himself, trying to tell himself that he was not afraid. He broke out in a cold sweat as the first spider came into range.

[CENTER]*****[/CENTER][/COLOR][/SIZE]
[CENTER][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/CUbechar6.jpg[/IMG] [IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/imprisonpanopticon.jpg[/IMG][/CENTER]
[COLOR=Indigo]
[B]Notes:[/B] The twelve hours translates to 60 hours in real time from the moment this post goes up. [/COLOR]

[TheResplendent]

[FONT=Tahoma][color=darkslategray][center][b]Group One[/b][/center]

Lucia looked up at Katar from the ground as he locked the door behind them. It was a large room, yet an enclosed one as well. There was nothing but four walls and a small creek like shaped opening in the floor where water streamed down resembling the form of a celtic knot. Katar hissed as he pulled away from the door and walked quickly to Lucia. She tried to back away on the floor and pull herself up, but Katar grabbed her with both hands on her sides and tossed her hard into the closest wall. Lucia hit hard and fell to her knees, leaning up against the wall.

[b]"What's the matter? You fucked the rock star, what's wrong with me? Am I not as man enough? Huh? I'm talking to you, you stupid bitch!"[/b] Katar yelled at her as he approached her again and pulled her up to her feet by her neck. He pressed his body up against hers and began caressing the side of her body, and seconds later groping her right breast violently. The pain was evident in Lucia's eyes, she was unable to scream at first because of the blow she took from the throw into the wall, and her squirming was at a minimum.

[b][i]'No...why is this happening? How did I get here, stuck with this jerk?'[/b][/i] Lucia thought as she tried to muster up the ability to scream. Eventhough it would do her little good, being inside a locked room with someone who is clearly stronger than her, and someone with hardly any conscious at all.

She felt his hand move all over her body. She was disgusted, her thoughts brought her back to the very last relationship she had in her world. In the span of two years she was so happy, until the day he left her. She couldn't even think about being with another man until she ended up in this place. She found herself with Satasha, but the feeling of emptiness and horror was returning to her as she stood there helpless to Katar's lusting grasp.

[b]"What's the matter, bitch? Not going to say anything? You that much of a slut that you're loving this, aren't you?"[/b] Katar said as he slapped her across the face before grabbing her hair and pulling her head aside, pressing his lips against her neck and sucking on it.

[b]"K...katar stop...please..."[/b] Lucia managed to say, her cheek red and burning from the smack.

Her plea was answered with Katar ripping the front of her dress trying to pull it off of her. She tried to struggle but Katar held her against the wall and slid the dress down her body to her feet. He took it and tossed it away as he ran his hands up and down her bare body now. Lucia wanted to cry, she was standing there in only her panties while this violent pervert forced himself on her. Tears rolled down her eyes as Katar showed no remorse. He spun her around and held her against the wall with her back facing him.

[b]"I haven't had any in a couple of weeks. This might take a while, so just ease yourself while I work sweetie."[/b] Katar said, forcing the side of her panties to break with both of his hands, tossing that aside as well. Lucia now stood there completely naked, Katar grinding up against her. Katar went to unbuckle his pants when all of a sudden a dark cloud began engulfing the both of them. The visuals of the cloud looked to include miniature lightning bolts but nothing felt painful about it.

[b]"What the...?"[/b] was all Katar could say before a bright flash of light overcame the both of them. Moments later, Katar was able to unshield his eyes confidently without hurting himself. He looked forward at the person he had pinned to the wall, and was surprised to see it was no longer Lucia. In fact, once his eyes adjusted he noticed that it was...a man!?

[b]"What the hell...where am I now!?"[/b] he asked aloud in a panicky tone. He slowly turned his head to notice that he was practically being dry humped by another guy. Katar was still there in the same position as he was when he had Lucia up against the wall.

[b]"GAH! What the fuck man!?"[/b] the dark haired male screamed out.

Katar just grabbed him by his collar and punched him straight in his face and tossed him away with a crazed look on his face.

[b]"WHAT THE FUCK IS RIGHT! Who the hell are you! God, that was nasty! I'm going to beat the ever loving shit out of you, you goddamned gaylord!"[/b] Katar screamed as he quickly buckled his pants fully and walked toward the man with a violent intent in his eyes. Katar grabbed him and lifted him to his feet and began wailing on him left and right with punched to the face and stomach. Moments later however, the room began filling with a green thin mist this time around. Katar stopped in mid-punch after realizing.

[b]"Wh...what now?"[/b] Katar said, looking around defensively. He looked down toward the streams of water in the ground. It was the source of the mist...in fact the water itself had turned fully green as well. Katar's mercenary instincts finally chimed in over his horniness and noticed quickly that the room had no ventilation system what so ever. He dropped the other guy to the floor, his nose broken and bloodied.

[b]"Son of a bitch..."[/b] Katar said with gritted teeth, trying not to inhale the mist.


[center][b]Group Two[/b][/center]

Marik just stood there stunned at the sight before him. An attractive completely naked girl laying there right before him. He just stood with his mouth open, his eyes trying to get as much of a view as he could. Oromis was walking out infront of him before noticing that Marik wasn't following. He turned around with a frustrated sigh.

[b]"Hey, are you coming or not? I have no problem leaving you.....what the?"[/b] he said, noticing the naked Lucia laying on the floor toward the end of his sentence. He walked over and looked her over. She was alive, and moving. She did look hurt though. Oromis could only be led to think so many things had happened to her.

[b]"Oh man, that light thing...did it switch Julian with this hottie!? What a stroke of luck, eh? I don't know about you big man, but i'm taking her first...you can get after!"[/b] Marik said, kneeling down beside Lucia. Oromis just reached out to Marik and lifted him up in the air, following with a slam to the ground. Marik had the wind almost knocked out of him from the impact.

[b]"Shut up and stop acting like that. You don't touch her. Besides, this is probably a trap by the CCC. Think about it, does it make sense for her to just show up here like that?"[/b] Oromis explained, leaving Marik feeling a bit ashamed by his actions. Oromis looked down at Lucia now who had made it to her knees, desperatley trying to cover her body with tears in her eyes still.

[b]"Hey, are you alright?"[/b] Oromis asked.

[center][img]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/luciahw3.jpg[/img][img]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/switchcardpanopticon.jpg[/img][img]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/81275672wz0.jpg[/img][/center]

[center]* * * * *[/center]

[u]Card:[/u] Switch Card
Since it's usage was already explained, tis the same ;P.[/color][/FONT]

[Sandy]

[COLOR=DarkSlateBlue][CENTER][U]Group Three[/U][/CENTER]

Dafine Hecata glared at Sastasha Belanders maliciously as Etamet put a band on her wound. Despite his efforts, Dafine felt the poison still flowing in her veins, making her weaker and weaker. Soon the shapeshifter would get her. This was all just a cunning plan from that monster posing as an effeminate man!

---

Sastasha was not happy to get into this group at all. He had lost Lucia, then gotten accused of being some sort of enemy of a human-sized cat, and to top it off, most of his food had been eaten by a bunch of strangers! Despite all the dangers he had encountered with the people he had travelled with earlier, he had never felt as insecure as he felt now. The fact that the catwoman was giving him murderous glances wasn't helping at all.

---

Dafine didn't feel good. She had been able to walk onwards for a while, but then her legs had ceased to carry her anymore. Etamet tried her forehead.

[B]"She seems to have a strong fever"[/B], Etamet explained to Eliana and Delita. [B]"The poison must really be getting her. Let us just hope she doesn't lose her consciousness."[/B]

Etamet's words sounded distant and mumbly to Dafine. Despair got the best of her: she - the 17th Bastian of Creimire - would perish in this ordeal!

Suddenly a sharp pain pierced her skull. The sensation of something ripping off her brain made her scream in agony. Then it stopped. It took her a while to realize that she was standing up. In another moment she realized that she didn't have her tail to keep balance anymore, so she almost tripped down. Just a split second after that, she realized that she was staring at her own body, surrounded by Etamet, Eliana and Delita.

[B]"How...How did I get here?"[/B] she asked in an oddly masculine voice. Then it struck her - her mind had somehow gotten absorbed by the shapeshifter!

That theory went down the drain as she saw how her body opened it's eyes, and stared back at her in panic.[/COLOR]

[IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/panopticon-catwoman-1.png[/IMG][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/bodytrade.png[/IMG][IMG]http://i21.photobucket.com/albums/b269/MetalSonic700/satashatn4.jpg[/IMG]

[B]Card:[/B] Body Trade
[B]Definition:[/B] Allows you to make two characters switch bodies. Basically, one person's mind would suddenly be in another's and vice-versa.
[B]Note:[/B] I made an independent decision of making the characters move along with the mind, so that means even if Dafine's body dies, she will survive as a character in Satasha's body. I really hope everyone agrees with this decision, since it's a crucial part of my strategy. [B]Edit:[/B] DigitalBoy just confirmed this, so thanks to him! ;D

[Darren]

Oromis couldn't think of anything else to say. [B]"Hey, are you alright?"[/B] was the only thing he managed to ask. Obviously she wasn't okay, but at the same time, Oromis thought she could still be a trap.

He was cautious. Not only about the obvious danger that this blue-haired girl could pose, but also about the situation. It wasn't the first time he'd been stuck like this, with an innocent, scared woman lying helplessly in front of him. However, last time was because she was caught in the crossfire and died just a few moments later.

Oromis had alwasy known the risks of headhunting and always tried his best to keep things as quick and clean as possible without ever even coming close to hurting the innocent. However, he couldn't prevent it all the time, and the way this new female was sprawled out in front of him like this, nude and ashamed, it brought back memories of that unfortunate brunette back on Creitz. The only differnce was this woman had a chance.

Oromis stood and helped the woman up. She had dark bruises around her wrists and there were several whelps all along her legs and back; there was no questioning what had happened to her. Or what had almost happened to her.

[B]"Here, take this."[/B] he said as he took off his big jacket and handed it to her. It still smelled of blood, but she seemed greatful for even the tiniest bit of clothing... Then Oromis noticed that while the jacket was large for her, it didn't cover a large portion of her legs, and in fact the blood soaked jacket was so overwhelmingly baggy on her body, that it actually drew the eyes to her legs. Oromis was willing to deal with it, as was the young woman, but Merik was gazing at her like a piece of meat.

[B]"And this too"[/B] he added as he took his shirt off, revealing his massive bronzed muscles in what little light the corridor they were in possessed. It was sweaty and covered in blood, ([I]Not the best combination of odors[/I], he thought) but once again, the yound lady took his shirt and tied it around her waist, covering her completely down to the knees. [B]"Shall we get moving now?"[/B]

They stood and continued without the presence of Julian, the entire time Merik was babbling away with a million questions about the CCC and how if he could meet the people, he would kill them all. Also about all the traps their group had faced so far and that they were the only ones left of the ordeal. He also metioned something about his camera and how he would like to take a photoshoot of her.

Oromis didn't care either way. The woman was no longer helpless, although one could easily tell she wasn't wanting to engage in much conversation. Merik couldn't take a hint. Now, the straps of his sniper were rubbing his skin raw. He felt stupid for giving up the shirt, but was too much of a gentlemen to ask for it back, despite the fact that he killed people for a living.

And maybe that was why he had let his guard down; He was too busy observing the young woman that he wasn't paying attention to his environment.The next step that Ormis took was not much of a step at all. In fact, the entire areay where his foot had been just fell through, suspending his entire left leg in some unknown hole that reached into darkness. The young lady and Merik tried as best they could to pull Oromis out of the hole, in addition to his own strenght, but they were no match. Something was holding him down and before long a piercing sensation was coursing through his leg. It was like a pain he had never endured in his entire life, feeling as though his skin were burning off at the site of contact.

A moment later, he was free and his leg was out of the hole. Upon inspection, Oromis noticed a 5 point prick in his calf. It was still burning, but Oromis knew immediately that he had been poisoned.

[B]"Are you alright?"[/B] Merik actually sounded half-concerned. If he wasn't too busy inspecting the girl's breast.

[B]"It's nothing. Damn thing near cut off my leg."[/B] It was the first lie Oromis had told in his life, but one that he thought was necessary. He didn't want to alert either of his party members. They would panic without the guidence he provided. [B]"Let's get moving."[/B] He stood up painfully and began limping at just as fast a pace as before which was quite a feat considering what was running through his blood.

[B]"My name's Lucia Travera. I come from --"[/B] She spoke for the first time since they found her. It was a pretty name, but Oromis had held his hand up to signal her silence. He wished that she hadn't told him her name. Names only made things more complicated.

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