Re: Intense Struggle! (Round 5 - Cervaled Fall)
09-09-2011, 04:31 PM
Originally posted on MSPA by Ixcalibur.
The catwalks shook under the weight of B and his team of robots. The sound of Aph’s insane laughter echoed throughout the prison, competing with the incessant creaking of the strained supports. At the sight of Sister Clara incapacitated with pain B insisted his team of robots hurry.
As suddenly as the nymph had started laughing, she stopped. Aph fell to the floor, once again incapacitated by the mana-dampening technology. Thane regarded the approaching group and pre-emptively released his grip upon Clara. B and his robots came to a stop facing the pair, the robots with their weapons raised and ready to open fire upon the stranger at B’s command.
“What’s going on?” B demanded, anxiously glanced from the tentacled stranger to Clara, climbing to her feet.
‘I was-’ Thane began.
“Not you,” B interrupted, “Clara are you okay?” As she climbed to her feet Clara was silent.
She regarded the child, though it was not typically in her nature to hate another, she could not help but feel distaste towards the Monitor's agent. That he had been working on behalf of the Grandmaster was one thing, that he had been doing so in the guise of an innocent child was another. Her contempt must have been plain upon her face. B was confused, though before either of the pair could vocalize their opinions of one another the catwalks shook violently and the air was filled with the noise of supports giving way. The group watched as the floor beneath them tumbled away into the blackness.
'Whatever your issues are you can deal with them another time.’ Thane thought. The abomination bent down and hoisted Aph over his shoulder.
“Hey, just wait a minute.” B said, feeling the situation falling out of whatever brief control he may have had of it.
“He’s right.” Clara said, gathering up her sword stick. Though she did not particularly like to side with such an unholy creature, he had a point.
“I’m going to have to side with Ben this time.” Everyone had been so intent on one another that they had completely missed the approach of a pair of figures. Aegis was the first, flanked by a figure perhaps best likened to chartreuse statue. In his hands he held a gun arm, clearly ripped from one of the guard robots.
‘We do not have time for this.’ Thane thought, starting towards B and his group of robots. The stranger did not waste time on another warning; he opened fire on the retreating monstrosity. Thane stumbled and collapsed, dead before he hit the ground, all but decapitated by the fine spray of bullets. There was a moment of silence as they regarded the statuesque being.
"Who are you and what is going on?" B demanded.
“Hey everyone, I'd like you to meet my good friend Kracht!” Aegis said, in a mock light-hearted manner. “He apparently has some sort of important issue with us and he's very willing to kill people who get in his way.”
“Don’t worry.” Kracht said, gazing from face to face. “There is more than enough time to deal with this issue before this level plummets.”
“What issue?” B asked bewilderedly.
“Bae.” Kracht said simply. “If he would own up now it would save us a lot of time.” Clara and B looked to Aegis as if he would have an explanation. He simply shrugged. Kracht sighed. “Bae is the name of an experimental shapeshifting creature inserted by the Monitor into this battle. It is of vital importance that he does not win this battle.”
“How do you know all this?” Clara asked.
Kracht sighed heavily. “I hate cameo rounds… This is not my first time in Cervaled Fall.” He explained. “Over time I have got to know all of the contestants of the Intense Struggle; most importantly; Bae. He was entered into the battle under the guise of Cabaret and he is now posing as one of you four. I cannot let him win this battle; it leads to complications further down the line.” Kracht paused momentarily watching the faces of the remaining contestants for any sign of panic. “Normally questioning those who have already died lets me get a handle on who Bae is posing as at this point. Trickster was frozen alive and shattered to pieces by the time I found him, which is a new one. D’Neya was as ever not of much help, and Larus was convinced that it was Aph.”
“Makes sense.” Aegis interjected. “The bitch has been acting crazy recently.”
“Unfortunately Bae is not Aph.” Kracht said. “Bae always forgets to play dead in the presence of mana-dampeners.” He gazed across at the unconscious nymph, sprawled admist the disgusting remains of Thane. “Which just leaves you three. Does anyone have any suspicions?” Clara glared at B.
“It’s him.” She said. “Aph said that he blew some kind of powder in her face.” For a moment B was speechless.
“You’re going to believe what she says?” B asked incredulously. “In case you haven’t noticed she is completely insane.”
“She was under the influence of a powerful truth ritual.” Clara said. “I know that it is you B. You can drop the act.”
“This is insane.” B replied. “Listen, I… I killed Bae.” His voice was shaky, his eyes cast down in shame over what he had done.
“Excuse me?” Aegis said, taken aback.
“It was me or him, back in Misty Swamp.” B said. “I… I wasn’t myself.”
“And you didn’t mention this ‘til now?” Aegis replied indignantly. “It slipped your mind up until this point?”
“Clara’s truth ritual is compelling evidence. It would take a stronger mind than Aph’s to lie under its influence.” Kracht replied. “While I would love to believe that just this once you managed to deal with him by yourselves, Bae is notoriously difficult to kill. Is there any way you can prove it?” There was a loud creak from above them. “Ignore it, your more pressing concern is me.”
“I am not Bae!” B exclaimed, desperately. “Gadget can confirm it. He saw him.”
Kracht was thoughtful. “And if we wake Gadget the guard robots power down, whereupon Aph wakes up and you use the chaos to escape.”
B’s heart pounded fast in his chest. Who was this jerk to come along, claim he had all this foreknowledge and falsely accuse him of being Bae. He wouldn’t let this happen. He wasn’t going to be killed by some indecent green mineral. “Kill him!” He commanded the robots. Sister Clara and Aegis hit the floor, causing the catwalks to shake alarmingly, as streams of bullets passed through the air above them. The bullets did not make an impact upon Kracht who simply stood and recited a code he knew by heart. Once he was done the robots stopped.
“You always underestimate me, Bae.” Kracht said, “I have been through this prison so many times. Of course I made a point to learn the security overrides.” The guard robots that surrounded B looked attentively towards Kracht, who had designated himself their superior. “Kill him.”
It was over in moments; the robots opened fire on the defenceless kid and did not stop until his body was nigh-unrecognisable. Kracht strode past Aegis and Clara, walking up to the bloody mess that was B’s corpse. He carefully scrutinised it, his stony face etched into a scowl.
“Bae would have reverted to his natural form.” Kracht said slowly. He turned back to Clara and Aegis. “It’s you isn’t it Clara? There was no truth ritual after all? I should have been more suspicious but believe it or not you’ve never been the nun before.”
Clara glanced from the robots to Kracht. He’d already made up his mind, she could see it in his eyes. No matter what she said she wasn’t going to convince him of her innocence, and if bullets could not harm him there was little she could do. She had to get away from them, it was her only chance. As she turned to flee Aegis blocked her path, grabbing hold of her.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He sneered.
“I am no threat to you at the moment, Bae.” Kracht said. “I don’t know much about this battle but I know enough not to kill two contestants in this round. The next round is important and should not be skipped over.” He strode over to the nun and slung her over his shoulder. “Now we should get going. We are cutting it closer than I anticipated.”
--------
Minutes after the elevator left Sector B the entire level collapsed and plummeted into the abyss. It would have held up longer but for some reason a significant portion of the far catwalks had been turned into bread. The group ascended in a sullen silence, Sister Clara’s attempts to protest her innocence falling upon deaf ears. Upon finally reaching the top floor the doors opened to reveal nothing but deserted corridors. In truth supplies of guard robots were never enough to deal with the inmates of this particular prison. For a while the armoury would supply new guards, up until the point when it was inevitably sabotaged. Kracht strode into the corridor with the robots carrying Gadget and Aegis carrying Aph behind him. By this point in the round all the dangerous prisoners had fled or died. The group made their way to the prison entrance, which hung invitingly open. Kracht stopped and turned to the small group.
“The Monitor operates on a series of variables outside of my capabilities to determine.” He said. “In short I might end up in the next round with you, back in my cell to do this whole thing over again, or somewhere else entirely. If I am not to accompany you further keep a close eye on Bae. Do not allow him to win under any circumstances.” Aegis nodded, and the group left the prison.
The catwalks shook under the weight of B and his team of robots. The sound of Aph’s insane laughter echoed throughout the prison, competing with the incessant creaking of the strained supports. At the sight of Sister Clara incapacitated with pain B insisted his team of robots hurry.
As suddenly as the nymph had started laughing, she stopped. Aph fell to the floor, once again incapacitated by the mana-dampening technology. Thane regarded the approaching group and pre-emptively released his grip upon Clara. B and his robots came to a stop facing the pair, the robots with their weapons raised and ready to open fire upon the stranger at B’s command.
“What’s going on?” B demanded, anxiously glanced from the tentacled stranger to Clara, climbing to her feet.
‘I was-’ Thane began.
“Not you,” B interrupted, “Clara are you okay?” As she climbed to her feet Clara was silent.
She regarded the child, though it was not typically in her nature to hate another, she could not help but feel distaste towards the Monitor's agent. That he had been working on behalf of the Grandmaster was one thing, that he had been doing so in the guise of an innocent child was another. Her contempt must have been plain upon her face. B was confused, though before either of the pair could vocalize their opinions of one another the catwalks shook violently and the air was filled with the noise of supports giving way. The group watched as the floor beneath them tumbled away into the blackness.
'Whatever your issues are you can deal with them another time.’ Thane thought. The abomination bent down and hoisted Aph over his shoulder.
“Hey, just wait a minute.” B said, feeling the situation falling out of whatever brief control he may have had of it.
“He’s right.” Clara said, gathering up her sword stick. Though she did not particularly like to side with such an unholy creature, he had a point.
“I’m going to have to side with Ben this time.” Everyone had been so intent on one another that they had completely missed the approach of a pair of figures. Aegis was the first, flanked by a figure perhaps best likened to chartreuse statue. In his hands he held a gun arm, clearly ripped from one of the guard robots.
‘We do not have time for this.’ Thane thought, starting towards B and his group of robots. The stranger did not waste time on another warning; he opened fire on the retreating monstrosity. Thane stumbled and collapsed, dead before he hit the ground, all but decapitated by the fine spray of bullets. There was a moment of silence as they regarded the statuesque being.
"Who are you and what is going on?" B demanded.
“Hey everyone, I'd like you to meet my good friend Kracht!” Aegis said, in a mock light-hearted manner. “He apparently has some sort of important issue with us and he's very willing to kill people who get in his way.”
“Don’t worry.” Kracht said, gazing from face to face. “There is more than enough time to deal with this issue before this level plummets.”
“What issue?” B asked bewilderedly.
“Bae.” Kracht said simply. “If he would own up now it would save us a lot of time.” Clara and B looked to Aegis as if he would have an explanation. He simply shrugged. Kracht sighed. “Bae is the name of an experimental shapeshifting creature inserted by the Monitor into this battle. It is of vital importance that he does not win this battle.”
“How do you know all this?” Clara asked.
Kracht sighed heavily. “I hate cameo rounds… This is not my first time in Cervaled Fall.” He explained. “Over time I have got to know all of the contestants of the Intense Struggle; most importantly; Bae. He was entered into the battle under the guise of Cabaret and he is now posing as one of you four. I cannot let him win this battle; it leads to complications further down the line.” Kracht paused momentarily watching the faces of the remaining contestants for any sign of panic. “Normally questioning those who have already died lets me get a handle on who Bae is posing as at this point. Trickster was frozen alive and shattered to pieces by the time I found him, which is a new one. D’Neya was as ever not of much help, and Larus was convinced that it was Aph.”
“Makes sense.” Aegis interjected. “The bitch has been acting crazy recently.”
“Unfortunately Bae is not Aph.” Kracht said. “Bae always forgets to play dead in the presence of mana-dampeners.” He gazed across at the unconscious nymph, sprawled admist the disgusting remains of Thane. “Which just leaves you three. Does anyone have any suspicions?” Clara glared at B.
“It’s him.” She said. “Aph said that he blew some kind of powder in her face.” For a moment B was speechless.
“You’re going to believe what she says?” B asked incredulously. “In case you haven’t noticed she is completely insane.”
“She was under the influence of a powerful truth ritual.” Clara said. “I know that it is you B. You can drop the act.”
“This is insane.” B replied. “Listen, I… I killed Bae.” His voice was shaky, his eyes cast down in shame over what he had done.
“Excuse me?” Aegis said, taken aback.
“It was me or him, back in Misty Swamp.” B said. “I… I wasn’t myself.”
“And you didn’t mention this ‘til now?” Aegis replied indignantly. “It slipped your mind up until this point?”
“Clara’s truth ritual is compelling evidence. It would take a stronger mind than Aph’s to lie under its influence.” Kracht replied. “While I would love to believe that just this once you managed to deal with him by yourselves, Bae is notoriously difficult to kill. Is there any way you can prove it?” There was a loud creak from above them. “Ignore it, your more pressing concern is me.”
“I am not Bae!” B exclaimed, desperately. “Gadget can confirm it. He saw him.”
Kracht was thoughtful. “And if we wake Gadget the guard robots power down, whereupon Aph wakes up and you use the chaos to escape.”
B’s heart pounded fast in his chest. Who was this jerk to come along, claim he had all this foreknowledge and falsely accuse him of being Bae. He wouldn’t let this happen. He wasn’t going to be killed by some indecent green mineral. “Kill him!” He commanded the robots. Sister Clara and Aegis hit the floor, causing the catwalks to shake alarmingly, as streams of bullets passed through the air above them. The bullets did not make an impact upon Kracht who simply stood and recited a code he knew by heart. Once he was done the robots stopped.
“You always underestimate me, Bae.” Kracht said, “I have been through this prison so many times. Of course I made a point to learn the security overrides.” The guard robots that surrounded B looked attentively towards Kracht, who had designated himself their superior. “Kill him.”
It was over in moments; the robots opened fire on the defenceless kid and did not stop until his body was nigh-unrecognisable. Kracht strode past Aegis and Clara, walking up to the bloody mess that was B’s corpse. He carefully scrutinised it, his stony face etched into a scowl.
“Bae would have reverted to his natural form.” Kracht said slowly. He turned back to Clara and Aegis. “It’s you isn’t it Clara? There was no truth ritual after all? I should have been more suspicious but believe it or not you’ve never been the nun before.”
Clara glanced from the robots to Kracht. He’d already made up his mind, she could see it in his eyes. No matter what she said she wasn’t going to convince him of her innocence, and if bullets could not harm him there was little she could do. She had to get away from them, it was her only chance. As she turned to flee Aegis blocked her path, grabbing hold of her.
“Where do you think you’re going?” He sneered.
“I am no threat to you at the moment, Bae.” Kracht said. “I don’t know much about this battle but I know enough not to kill two contestants in this round. The next round is important and should not be skipped over.” He strode over to the nun and slung her over his shoulder. “Now we should get going. We are cutting it closer than I anticipated.”
--------
Minutes after the elevator left Sector B the entire level collapsed and plummeted into the abyss. It would have held up longer but for some reason a significant portion of the far catwalks had been turned into bread. The group ascended in a sullen silence, Sister Clara’s attempts to protest her innocence falling upon deaf ears. Upon finally reaching the top floor the doors opened to reveal nothing but deserted corridors. In truth supplies of guard robots were never enough to deal with the inmates of this particular prison. For a while the armoury would supply new guards, up until the point when it was inevitably sabotaged. Kracht strode into the corridor with the robots carrying Gadget and Aegis carrying Aph behind him. By this point in the round all the dangerous prisoners had fled or died. The group made their way to the prison entrance, which hung invitingly open. Kracht stopped and turned to the small group.
“The Monitor operates on a series of variables outside of my capabilities to determine.” He said. “In short I might end up in the next round with you, back in my cell to do this whole thing over again, or somewhere else entirely. If I am not to accompany you further keep a close eye on Bae. Do not allow him to win under any circumstances.” Aegis nodded, and the group left the prison.
Heaven Help Us | Make Room!!!! | I'm Not Okay (I Promise)
Hang 'Em High | The Only Hope For Me Is You | Zero Percent | Early Sunsets Over Monroeville | DESTROYA | Demolition Lovers | To The End
Surrender The Night | Disenchanted | The Ghost Of You | Party Poison | Vampires Will Never Hurt You | The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You
Hang 'Em High | The Only Hope For Me Is You | Zero Percent | Early Sunsets Over Monroeville | DESTROYA | Demolition Lovers | To The End
Surrender The Night | Disenchanted | The Ghost Of You | Party Poison | Vampires Will Never Hurt You | The Jetset Life Is Gonna Kill You