[O:G] The Last Hall

[Saber]

--If you have completed the Trials, feel free to mingle in this thread until the event closes. If you wish to have your own thread, you may do that as well--


--Saber has arrived early due to his speedy trial run. As you finish, please adjust your time appearances accordingly. Because of everyone having a different pace through the halls, we won't all be coming out of the various doors at the exact same time. If you wish to participate here, I ask that you keep that in mind when making an introductory post. Other than that, just have fun--

Do you believe in ghosts?

The final hall was a pleasant surprise that was quite the opposite of what Saber expected, and the Assassin paused as he walked through the main door. Inside of the room he was now in, everything which he had worked for was replaced with the air of a party. It made him a little angry and he sighed heavily at the sight which was before him, saddened because it looked as if he wasn’t going to be able to meet the man whom had taunted him. Rather than show his face, the being was going to give him food and let him mingle with the beasts he had just dealt with? Whoever was behind this was strange, very strange. Though, as Saber walked into the room, his eyes noticed something he didn’t at first. Across the massive room and just beyond a set of large stairs, there was another pair of doors. Above those doors, there was a timer. That timer ticked down to midnight. He narrowed his eyes on the clock and checked his own; it was currently nine, which meant that he had three hours to spend here, waiting for that door to open. Another sigh escaped his lips.

“I guess this is what happens when I rush.” Waving his menu away, Saber entered the room and approached its center. The large dining hall was filled with food and the creatures which populated the rooms which Saber had passed through. In the center of the hall sat two extremely large circular tables, and long the far left there was one massively long one lining the wall. All of the food was placed on these three tables, and there was food for everyone. Literally. The sheer amount of food on the tables made Saber a little surprised, and then he began to wonder; was any of it edible? He wondered how long the food had been sitting out, as well as if it was all just an illusion like many of the other rooms had been.

Even so, Saber grabbed a piece of fruit off the first table he reached and looked at a goblin servant that had approached him. As Saber popped the piece of cantaloupe into his mouth, he noticed that he had drawn the attention of many of the creatures around him. Lining the walls, there were the black knights in their suits, and they remained frozen. However, there were Goat Servants, Goblin Servants, dancing pumpkins, the little shadow girl Saber had met in the nurturing hall, and the shady silhouetted figure he had seen in the naming-puzzle hall. The Goat Servants looked at him angrily, while the Goblins cowered for the most part except for the one who was presenting him with a glass of water to drink.

“Thank you.” Saber took the glass off the platter it was served on and nodded to the Goblin, he then sipped from the cup and swallowed up all of its contents. The Butler bowed his head politely and departed, leaving Saber alone for only a few seconds before the little shadow girl walked over to him. Saber took another piece of cantaloupe to eat and eyed the little one as she approached him. She seemed sad, as her head was hanging down a little.

“Mister… I’m sorry for being angry with you… Master said that I should apologize…” She said aloud and stared at her feet as she apologized. In his pass-through of her area, she had attempted to kill his pumpkin companion and had also threatened him, even though it was a very subtle threat. She was very aggressive to him as well, but Saber had rolled his dice and hadn’t attacked her. It paid off and Saber only had to deal with fighting in only the second hall. Every other one required Saber to simply solve a riddle, and he had done so with relative ease. Seeing the girl apologize made Saber happy that he hadn’t done anything malicious, and he was quite content with the outcome.

“Don’t worry, little one. We all make mistakes.” Saber smiled and took a small plate. On it, he placed a few pieces of various fruits, cut a few slices of cheese, and put some crackers beside the cheese. The plate he did not make for himself, and instead passed it to the little one. Once she took it, he patted her on the head and ruffled her pitch black hair. To his surprise, she felt like a regular little girl. She wasn’t cold as ice, nor did his hand just pass through an imaginary figure.

“Eat up and relax. I have a feeling you will get to see your Master again soon.” As he spoke, Saber pointed to the large doors with the clock hanging overhead. Then, he took another plate and piled up a bunch of fruit on top of it. With that plate, he headed over into a small corner beside two black knight statues. He fed Blumpy on his way and then nudged the little Pumpkin to go have some fun with his fellows. The companion did so happily, leaving Saber to himself in the corner. The Assassin blended in with the shadows and patiently picked at the fruit he held. Though, after a moment of standing there, he glanced at both of the statues.

“Fruit?”

: Post Title :
-Surprised Ending-

: Word Count :
891

: Skills Used :
N/A

: Tagged :
Saber

: Notes :
Now we wait.

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Icyferno]

Status: Healthy / Rested

~

Eyes swung towards the doors which admitted Adventurers who had successfully traversed all five Halls as it opened once more to admit a lone Swashbuckler and two Jacks. Feeling the gaze of many beings upon himself, the young Adventurer tensed up, but made no move to draw his weapon. Now was not the time for fighting, and even if he did fight, there was no way he could win anyway.

Ignoring the contents of the room first, his eyes wandered straight up to the end of the hall, where a grand set of stairs led to yet another door, this one with a timer on it. Ninety minutes remaining. Was the master of the Mansion going to appear when the timer hit zero? Perhaps. In the meantime, his eyes finally wandered to the rest of the room, soaking in the details as he walked.

The room he now occupied was, in short, set up for a lavish party. Food and drinks were crammed into three tables, which were a welcome sight to the now hungry Swashbuckler, for he had kind of forgone dinner to get through the dungeon. In hindsight, it was not that he had forgotten about it, but that he had been too busy trying to complete all the Halls that he had not the time to consume it. That is, if he had brought a portable dinner with him in the first place. In any case, all he had to eat between the Halls were a couple of chocolate eclairs, so the food on the tables were tempting to eat, though he was concerned with whether it was edible or not. If one were to go by the appearance of the rest of the Mansion, the place would likely be quite old. Was this food fresh, or was it stored somewhere for a few hundred years? He would not make a great first impression if he was having a stomachache when he finally got the opportunity to meet the master of the Mansion.

Another thing was the occupants of the room. Being as blind as a bat after swapping Pathfinder out for Animal Trainer, he failed to see the Assassin nestled between two black knight statues, his eyes simply passing over the spot where the Assassin ate his food. What he did see was the numerous Goblins, both Butlers and Maids alike, carrying drinks and food to every corner of the room, every type of Jack he had seen in the Mansion so far dancing to a faint tune playing in the background and suits of armor lining the room. So far, none seemed aggressive, which may have been due to the fact that none of the mobs present were aggressive by nature.

Pocky and Skuggi wandered off, perhaps to join their Jack friends. He let them, for there was little reason not to. This area was not hostile, at least for the time being. Wandering towards one of the tables, he cautiously poked one of the apples. Seems tangible. Picking one of them up, he sniffed it. Smells fresh enough. Well, he was hungry, so without further ado, he munched on the apple. Tasted fine too. It was probably safe to assume that the food prepared was edible. Probably.

He found a plate and some cutlery somewhere and piled it with fruit and some meat, which he hoped did not taste like salty crackers. One of the Goblin Butlers passing by offered him a glass of what seemed to be fruit punch, so he accepted that and headed off to look for a decent place to sit, where he would be undisturbed by the other occupants in the room.

It was then that the full implications of the situation fell upon him. Where were the other Adventurers? Judging from the amount of time left on the timer, there were likely to be some other Adventurers who had already made it to this stage. Were they hiding? Or was each dungeon instance separated? There were no more riddles, so there was no longer a need to separate Adventurers. Also, the amount of food on the tables suggested that there would be quite a few guests.

Unless they were hiding. For what purpose? Whilst looking for a seat, he also began to scan the crowd of mobs, looking for the telltale signs of an Adventurer lurking in the shadows, somehow still missing the Assassin who was making little attempt to hide. He couldn't find anybody. For the time being, he should find a spot were he could see both doors, which was many locations, so that he could at least know when someone passes through them.

It would be nice if he could eat undisturbed, but if there were Adventurers coming in through those doors, this quiet time by himself would not last long.

~

Word count: 806
Total word count after multipliers (Swashbuckler): 1209
Notes: Aaand I didn't even say a word. Feel free to initiate or wait for the pair to catch up, I don't mind either way.

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

For once, Saber was a little disturbed by the quiet air in the room he stood in. It was still, it was silent, and it was suffocating. He tended to be able to deal with such things without much trouble. Yet, this room was much different. The room wasn’t empty. There were several avatars and pixelated creatures marching around the hall, some of them cleaning, some of them simply patrolling and remaining patient as the distant clock ticked. Even with the numerous bodies which were lingering in the zone, Saber felt quite alone. Not a single other being in the room was human, and none of them were Adventurers or even close to being such a thing. Because of this, Saber felt extremely unsafe and as if he was being quietly plotted against. He felt as if he was in a position of constant threat, and the short, quick glares which shot his way occasionally, were not helping at all. The monsters that were looking over at him did so with jealousy, hatred, and remembrance. Saber recognized faces. The Goatmen were the ones he had battled. They were the ones he humiliated… And they were unhappy with him being openly accepted into the hall.

Not only were the Goatmen the same, but some of the Servants had the familiar markings of the previous waiters he had also raised his blades to. They seemed a little more frightened by him than they were before, and it made Saber uneasy. Their fear could be a catalyst to spur some sort of riot against them, and if one of them were to approach him wrong and then suddenly run, the hall would most likely explode with violence. The only thing which kept Saber’s mind truly at ease was the moniker on his display that showed that he was in a safe zone. In this zone, the monsters wouldn’t be able to harm him even if they struck him while he was naked, but he also wouldn’t be able to hurt them. Due to this, he could feel a serious string of tension that stuffed up the air. It was hard to breathe in, and he couldn’t help but consider testing how far he could push the safe zone.

Yet, for now, Saber picked at the fruit he had gathered on his plate. On it, he had placed a handful of grapes, cantaloupe, watermelon, strawberries, and a small stack of crackers with some cheese slices. There were plenty of other items on the tables to grab and eat, but Saber kept his distance for the moment as he picked at the small items. His eyes narrowed as one of the Goatmen strode passed him. It scoffed at the dark assassin and snarled, almost begging for a rematch. Saber simply responded by popping a grape casually into his mouth. Saber would gladly cut its head off again should he be given the chance, but not here. Not in this situation. This zone was the safe zone of the Mansion, and it was the final hall. The clock was steadily ticking by and he knew that the time for fighting had long passed. The moment he stepped into the room he was in; there was no longer a need for him to even attempt to make any violent movements. With that in mind, Saber simply watched the Goatman walk by, and he didn’t make any kind of movement that could be considered aggressive; he simply popped one grape into his mouth and chewed. The let the juicy, fresh flavor eliminate the bad taste of remaining passive, and swallowed. The Goatman rumbled and turned his head, snapping at one of the Goblin Servants as he walked by it.

The Assassin remained still for almost another twenty minutes, quietly watching the room and eating his fill of the finger food he had grabbed. Though, his plate’s contents were not infinite. As he poked and greedily ate at his plate’s occupants, their numbers grew thin and his choices became limited. Eventually, he was left with only one strawberry, two pieces of melon, and three pairings of cheese and crackers. It made him grimace, but the emptying of his plate was predictable. He hadn’t exactly filled it to the edges like he probably would have if he was starving. And so, he bit into the last strawberry and started to make his way back to the tables. Upon his moving, several heads turned and looked at him. The Assassin’s presence seemed to be just as unnerving to the other occupants of the zone, and it made Saber internally smile, but he kept his facial expression stern as to not reveal any sign of weakness or openness. He wanted these fools to keep away from him if possible. If they didn’t, he would gladly drag the impolite fool into the previous hall for a good shanking. His blades yearned for the blood of his fellow room occupants, and quenching their thirst was always fun.

Yet, Saber remained docile for the most part. Upon moving, he simply walked over to the tables and placed his dirty plate down in a designate place. He took up a clean plate, also a much larger one, and began to make his way around the diameter of the left circular table. His eyes scanned the fabulous feast available to him and he circled the table slowly, taking in all of his available options. He didn’t reach, and he didn’t grab, but he simply walked. His first lap was simply one of observations. Without a line to go through or any threat of something running out due to him being the only Player in the room, Saber took his time. He relaxed, he breathed, and he let his eyes and stomach communicate with one another. Would he take the chicken thighs? Or maybe he should grab a pie… Wait, what about that well-cooked, smoked ham? Should he ask for a few slices? Or maybe, maybe, he should load his plate up with the delicious-looking vegetables. There were even soups that he could get bowls of. Yet, Saber was having problems. Not with the food, but with the sheer amount of choices. His plate was only so large, as was his stomach. He would have to pick smartly if he wanted anything.

“Maybe I should go with what I know?” Saber hesitated in front of the smoked ham and the three chickens which had been cooked in various manners; one baked, one barbecued, and one cut up into slabs and grilled. Though, if he did that, he would miss this opportunity to expand his horizons. There was so much food, and so little stomach space. But, as an Adventurer, Saber had something up his sleeve.

Because of who he was in this world, Saber had an inventory, and he had a menu he could manipulate that was pretty much an endless void. However these items were locked to the world and he could not store them, but he could write about them. With that in mind, Saber set his plate down and opened up a menu. Slowly, he began to write down his observations of the various foods that were placed before him. He had time, plenty of time, so he took as much of it as he cared to with each piece of food. He was no chef, but he had a feeling that he would find one very soon. Should he do so and make a close connection with them, then he could ask them to make the foods for him. Or, he could become a chef himself. Saber’s father didn’t cook very often but when he did, the food was amazing. Saber had never learned to cook, only to hunt and to survive. He could cook to live, but not to savor. Maybe… just maybe… he could learn in this game. If he failed, the materials would be easy to retrieve. If all else failed, he could always hire someone or seek out a willing cook. But… what to write? How should he organize it all? He couldn’t exactly put in a description of taste so he couldn’t be too specific with what he was writing. Then it clicked; sight. If the cook didn’t suck, they could cook based on how the dish looked, how it smelled, and maybe by what it was placed with. So, Saber started to take his notes…

Baked Chicken – Whole Chicken – Skin is moist, dark brown, and squishes lightly to the touch. Smells of chicken, garlic, rosemary, pepper, and there’s a light sprinkling of salt. Chicken gravy and chicken soup has been made from the juices. The insides are moist and glisten in the light; cooked to tender.

Turkey – Whole Turkey, 12 Pounds – Skin is a little dry but baked. Turkey is set in a large pan with a light amount of its juices along the base. Turkey has been cooked to tender and is a little dry. There’s a hole in the bottom where it has been stuffed. To the side, there is extra breaded stuffing and gravy made using the Turkey’s juices.

Well-Done Steak – Cooked until there are no signs of pink. Smells of rosemary, pepper, and groundnut oil. Light salt sparkles on the outside. Steak has been sliced into four thick slices. Each slice is about an inch thick, with juices oozing out from between them.

Saber passed on the other forms of meat as he didn’t exactly like the taste of quail or duck, even though his dad was able to cook a very lovely tasting duck. Instead, he made his way over to the vegetables and noted a list of ones that had decided to make an appearance. The list was quite long and Saber was forced to skip a few because he didn’t know what exactly they were, but he got most of them down. Yet, the list actually was full of things one may expect; peppers, tomatoes, corns, cucumbers, potatoes, and onions. If a chef had no idea how to handle those, then Saber firmly believed that they should keep out of the kitchen. But he had some trouble with them himself, hence why he never dared try to cook anything besides something simple. He had a higher chance of burning a kitchen down than he did making anything edible.

A rumble escaped Saber’s lips as he finished his loop around the table and he sent the message to himself. Then, he closed the window and whisked his interface away. Once it was clear, he grabbed a plate and started to rip at the food in front of him. Without really caring too much, he yanked a drum stick off the chicken’s body and plopped it on his plate. Then, he took a spoonful of the mashed potatoes, a chunk of the stuffing, sweet potatoes, corn, two pieces of corn bread, and nabbed a heap of butter to make his potatoes a little more… buttery. He mixed up his potatoes and then poured some chicken gravy over them, his stuffing, and into a little cup. With his plate full, Saber made his way over to the large table and nestled in. A few eyes had fallen on him because of how rowdy he had become, but when he sat down, the room fell silent. Saber placed his elbows on the table and laced his fingers in front of him. His head lowered.

He remained quiet, thanking the Gods for his luck, for his life, and for his success. Then, he whispered a quiet prayer to his overseers, wishing his family well back home as well as his friends he had left behind. His mind went quiet after his blessing and he remained still for just a long, listening to the voice of his father in his own head who always had something to say about the day… It was funny, actually. Even though he wasn’t there with Saber, and he wasn’t there to speak… The Assassin remained quiet, as if expecting the older man to appear from wherever he may be. But, he did not remain quiet for long. As to not let his food get cold or let his stomach suffer any further, the Assassin raised his head and looked towards the ceiling. He kissed his middle knuckle and raised it briefly to the air, and then ate.

The chicken was moist, pulled right off the bone with a gentle tug, and filled the Assassin’s tired mouth with juice. The mashed potatoes, mixed with the butter and the gravy, created a waved of flavor-filled heavy with every bite. The cornbread was cooked to perfection, the buttery love and gooeyness making Saber grumble with satisfaction. He dipped the cornbread lightly into the chicken gravy and did the same with his chicken after putting some of the chicken onto a fork. The stuffing, baked inside of the turkey and then cooked a little afterwards from what Saber assumed, was mushy but full of flavor. With the chicken gravy splashed over the top, it mixed perfectly with the corn and sweet potatoes. Needless to say, Saber savored every bite. The Warrior had not eaten such a feast in months, so he took the opportunity to fill himself. Every bite was chewed, tasted, enjoyed, loved, and then swallowed into the basin that was his stomach.

The constant light rumbling in his gut subsided after just a few bites, but it was packed to the brim as Saber cleaned his plate. It was a feast fit for kings, and Saber took advantage of the bit of royalty he had been presented with. Using the last bite of cornbread he had, Saber swept his plate and picked up the lingering juices into the bread before popping it into his mouth. Then, he drank the remaining chicken gravy right from the little cup it was in, washing his throat clean of any lingering foodstuffs. A Goblin wandered over with some water, and Saber happily took the cup, thanking the creature for its assistance. The entire cup was chugged down, and Saber slammed it down onto the table triumphantly, exhaling with a huff and a grin as he picked up his napkin. As the Goblin servant refilled his cup, Saber dabbed at his face to clean himself off. Once he was completely finished, the Assassin bowed his head again.

Once more, Saber thanked the Gods above for his feast, prayed for his safety, for his friend’s safety, for his family, and most importantly; for his father. He thanked the man and closed his eyes tight as he remembered the happy laugh of his mentor, teacher, friend, and old man. Saber remembered that wide smile he would get whenever he made a stale joke even when it wasn’t funny… Saber remembered how angry his mother would get with the old man because of his comments about her food, and how he would sometimes say that he could cook better, even when he could only really cook meat well. Saber even remembered the old man passing his own left overs to Saber’s pup… That little rascal was always begging…

“Damn it…” Saber muttered as he sat there, in the quiet, cold hall all alone. It hurt, being so alone, but what could he do? Saber separated himself from other players and shunned many of them from his life. He ignored party requested, dodged familiar faces by jumping to the rooftops, and traveled to far off places simply to avoid contact with other people. It was obvious that he would end up where he was, how he was, and in this state… But still… he wished he had a family again. If not a family, just someone he could sit down with… Then, he remembered Kitty.

That blonde haired woman was appearing almost everywhere he was, and she seemed to be cozying right up to him every time she did. She had fed him when he made her staff and rewarded him with a kiss, she had sat with him and had tea, and she had listened to him even after he had stabbed her. He honestly didn’t want to say it, but maybe he should think about giving her a chance. Maybe let her in a little, and maybe sit down with her. She was a busy person, her levels were rising rapidly, and she had quite a group of friends. If that was true, then Saber may have to close off the bond with her. However, that was when he also remembered what his father had told him; if something meant enough that he had to worry about losing it, then losing it was not an option… Kitty meant enough that Saber was thinking about her… Losing her wasn’t an option then, was it?

“One step at a time, Saber…” The Assassin opened his eyes and looked up to see the smiling face of his old man sitting across from him. Saber blinked, closing his eyes for a few moments, and his father was gone. Saber nodded and drank the cup of water he had been provided with. Then, he got off the bench he sat on and made his way to the corner he had left. There, he sat down and made himself comfortable in the shadows. He pulled his cloak around himself, made himself warm, and closed his eyes. After a few moments of silence, Saber fell asleep…

For what seemed to be an eternity, Saber simply sat there in the darkness like he usually did, cleaning his blades and tending to his clothes. After a while, the Assassin had learned that when he slept, his mind was simply placed into what looked to be a waiting area. It seemed to vary between players, as some people talked of dreams when they slept. For Saber, his “dream world” was a black abyss with the only light being a small lantern that never went out. The walls stretched towards infinity and Saber floated on what seemed to be a grey, liquid-like disk. He still had all of his equipment, but could not access the interface. And so, he usually took the time to simply rest and read a book he kept in his back pocket, or polished his equipment. Now, Saber knew full well that it would have no effect on his real body, but it was relaxing, soothing, and kept him content as he rested…

“You’ve returned, I see.” Except for when He appeared…

“I never left.” Saber answered as he pulled off the twin swords on his waist, his daggers, and removed his scarf and cloak. He placed his weapons down by his feet, and his clothing to his left side. Once he was comfortable, Saber sat down cross-legged and closed his eyes. He remained still for a moment, breathing in deep… and then reopened them. There, just beyond his reach and off his own mental disk, a massive shadow figure loomed. Its eyes glowed a dark red and its teeth heaved a burning smoke. Some would call it a dragon from a glance, but this beast was much worse. Its body was twice that of a normal dragon, it was much more muscular, and its wings were not as majestic. This being, was a demon.

“I see you are just as comfortable as ever... I remember when my presence scared you. Your expression when I appeared was always entertaining.” The demon grinned and lowered itself into a cross-legged position as well. Its massive arms crossed over its chest, the large, spiked tail laid coiled down by its feet, and its huge wings sagged to the floor. From where he was, Saber could smell the fires which the demon had been birthed in; the fires of his own soul which once burned.

“I have come to terms with your presence, and I do not fear you anymore, Homados.” Saber sighed as he pulled one of his blades from its sheath. The man removed his own shirt and used it to gently rub down the worn blade, frowning as he did so.

“You are disturbed, young Warrior. I have seen it in your eyes. You used to come here, angry that you had to sleep. Yet now you sit quiet, frown, and stare at your weapons as if they are but tools. I may be an occupant of your body, and I may be here because you have been a fool. However, a man like you has earned my respect. You fought me for weeks and the fire in your eyes never dulled… So tell me. What is bothering you, warrior?” Homados’s voice was much softer than usual, but it was still deep and raspy. His eyes beamed at Saber, but the Assassin never returned the glare. He simply focused on the blade he was polishing in his hand. Nor did he answer the demon. He remained silent, and kept his eyes low. Homados huffed and leaned forward slowly, letting his face nearly come into the light but the nightmare knew the distance he had agreed to keep himself at, and he did so.

“Warrior, I have fought many men like you, and the blood of many of those men run through your veins. I have seen them fight with the same ferocity as you, seen them stare down their enemies the same way, and seen them go to war simply because their brothers had. I have seen many men leave behind their family to never return, seen them return to their homes in ruins, and seen them accept their fate. I have carried many men into war, and carried many of them out of it. However, of all the men I have been able to occupy, you are the fourth who has allowed me to remain, and you are the second who has found a way to live with me rather than lock me away in a box. For that, I respect you. And for that, I thank you. You give me enough strength so that I may remain here and watch you, and you even allow me the right to advise you in your ambitions… My friend, you are dealing with a demon…” Homados’s voice caused Saber to hesitate. The Assassin lowered his blade to his legs and stared down at himself, listening intently to the words of the one which had nearly caused him to mentally crumble. But, the beast that lived in his soul and mind was right. Saber had accepted the Demon and had done what he could to quell its burning desires. However, he had not closed it off; he had not bottled it up. Saber simply made a pact, stating that the Demon could remain in his subconscious and feast off his blood thirst as long as it remained there and never revealed itself. There were times Homados had dared, but not once did the Demon break that contract. For that, Saber was grateful.

“But, this demon is living here just as you are, and this demon has lived for many millennia. Young Warrior, as much as I look forward to the day that you come to me and submit, saying that you are through… I also despise it. For on that day, I will know that a man of true strength is kneeling. Until that day, Warrior, I ask that you look at me. Not at the floor. Raise your head, young one…” The Demon reached out and its scaly, burned hand stretched into the light. As it did so, its skin began to burn and singe, as the contact which bonded it to the shadows took effect. Should it linger too long, its hand would be removed. However, Homados stilled reached. The demon’s oversized forefinger was placed on Saber’s chin, and the Assassin was forced to look up towards the Demon. Saber grimaced. Homados retracted his hand.

“It is that woman, isn’t it?” Saber nodded, and the black teeth of the Demon shimmered as the light reflected off them.

“I will say this, Warrior. The light which she casts down on your soul is bright, and should you chase it, it will lead you to a place you have never seen before, a place where I cannot go. She looks to you with the eyes of a war maiden, but I can see what she wishes for every time you two look at each other. I can hear your heart pulse, and I can feel your icy cage warm. My friend, you deny it and you hate it, but you need her just as much as she needs you. I fear the day where I am cast aside, however, do not allow me to restrain you. I am bound by contract to remain at a distance from your soul, but I am not bound to remain. I am here simply because you called me, and I shall stay as long as you need me. You have fulfilled your end of our deal, and I will fulfill mine. In exchange for your mind, and part of your soul, I have made you strong. Continue to be strong, and our contract will not have been wasted.”

“You speak of strength, and of Kitty… but you have no idea how I truly feel do you?” Saber snarled, restrained only by his own conditions. Homados could not go near Saber without being burned, but Saber couldn’t reach out to the demon at all lest he allow the Demon to consume him. Homados had taunted him a few times, but the Assassin was not foolish enough to take the bait. Yet now Homados seemed content with his place, unlike before when he had first appeared.

“Warrior, I do know how you feel. I was one in love with my brothers and sisters, and had my eyes set on a woman I cared for deeply. War took me from all of them, and now I must live out my days seeking weak hearts to consume or I will perish forever. Trust me when I say this, Warrior; you will regret letting her go should you do so, and you will regret it until you die.”

A moment later, the lantern went out. Homados huffed and Saber’s eyes reopened in the hall. As he did so, the sound of a door opening caught his attention. The Assassin didn’t move, but remained still as he watched the feet of another Adventurer enter the hall. Saber narrowed his eyes and eyed the distant man, watching him walk into the hall. This man was short, and a much lower level than Saber had initially expected of someone who had beaten the Mansion. However, after the second hall, Saber himself hadn’t been a part of any form of actual combat, so he could see how someone else could succeed. Still, it was strange seeing such a lower level player here, but, Saber didn’t let himself worry over it. He simply remained in his corner and stayed away from the other person. The fellow player never seemed to even notice the Assassin and that was even better. Saber grinned lightly to himself and checked the timer; ninety minutes left. A light sigh escaped his lips and he lowered his head back against the wall. He closed his eyes again and simply let himself drift. This time, he didn’t sleep. His eyes just remained closed and his mind quietly mingled to itself.

Every so often, Saber opened his eyes to check the clock and the other player, but he didn’t move. He just closed his eyes again and let the shadows caress him like a baby. Well, until the timer had only fifteen minutes remaining. At that point, Saber decided to move. He opened his eyes wide, narrowed them and eyed the distant door. It was just about time, and he was ready. He pushed off the wall and then shoved himself to his feet. The two Black Knights shifted their heads a little and Saber patted them both on the shoulder.

“Thank you for standing guard, gentlemen, but it’s time for me to meet the real Master.” Saber nodded to the two of them and the Knights turned their heads back straight as the Assassin strode out from his dark corner. He whistled loudly, beckoning Blumpy to come out from where he was hiding and then accessed his inventory. Once it was open, he deposited Blumpy into it. Why? So that he could look at the little shadow figure who sat patiently on a railing, kicking her feet. Upon his movement, the little one had looked over, and she continued to look at Saber as he gave her a light wave. After a few motions, get got the message and made her way over to him. Saber knelt down and placed his hand gently on top of the little shadow girl’s head and whispered.

“Do you like this Mansion…?” Saber asked, his tone and eyes serious. The little one nodded at him, but she didn’t answer him verbally. As she did, Saber noticed that there was a small interface near her head; Ripper Jack, Level 30, Normal/Plant. The Plant moniker explained her control over the vines.

“Would you like to see how it is outside?” At his question, the little one’s yellow eyes opened up a little wider. She trembled a little and then looked up towards the large doors which had the timer above them. Then, she looked back down at Saber. She continued to shake.

“I… Is it scary?” She mumbled, and Saber extended his hand to her, his fingers illuminating slightly with a spell. The little one looked at his hand, and then up at the Assassin’s eyes. He reached up with his other hand and lowered his scarf, allowing her to see him smile.

“There are places where you will be frightened, but I will keep you safe. As long as you remain by my side and hold my hand, I will show you places which you have never dreamed of… Places you cannot see from the windows of this mansion.” As Saber spoke, the little one’s eyes drifted down to his hand and she continued to shake, but after a few moments, Saber could see her indecision. She wanted to reach out, she wanted to take his hand, but she couldn’t. She was bound to the mansion, wasn’t she? Saber knew this, and he knew it would be hard for her, but he kept his hand out. Then, after a long few minutes of silence, the little one finally extended her hand slightly, and then looked into Saber’s eyes. He nodded to her and mouthed ‘take my hand’.

Then, she grabbed it. Domesticize took effect immediately and Saber received a notification, alerting him of the action being confirmed by both parties; Saber now had control of a Ripper Jack, but he also had the weight of a new companion’s dreams on his shoulders. Still, he was happy. The Assassin held the little girl’s hand tight and lifted his scarf back up to his face as he stood. She continued to stare at him and trembled; her hand was shaking fiercely.

“Alrighty! Let’s go meet your Master.” Saber said aloud and looked towards the other player in the room.

“Oi! Time’s almost up. Gather your things and eat whatever you wish, but do it quick.” After he spoke, Saber turned his head and began to walk up the stairs, guiding the little one along with him. He stopped at the top of the stairs and took a few paces away from them, stopping just beyond the center of the upper landing just in front of the two doors. There, he would wait for that time to tick down, and there, he would wait for whomever had created this place if they dared show their face to him.

: Post Title :
-Demons, Worries, and Burdens-

: Word Count :
5324

: Skills Used :
Domesticize

: Tagged :
Saber, Icyferno

: Notes :
The time has come.

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Icyferno]

Status: Healthy / Rested

~

As he engaged in the activity known as ‘stuffing your face full of food’, he soon found that the food did not taste like soggy rice crackers, neither did it taste mouldy. There were no status debuffs either, so it was not like the food was poisoned. So after eating a plate of food, what did he do next? Of course, grab another plate of food. He DID say he kind of skipped dinner because of the whole ‘rushing to the end’ thing.

This time, when he arrived at the tables of food and drink once more, he examined the food more closely. As before, there was a wide variety of things, ranging from fruits to meat, of note was a giant stuffed turkey which he did not partake in, to grain to various sauces with which to partake in the food with. As he walked around the table, examining each and every choice available, he noticed that none of the mobs were eating. While understandable, for they were obviously servants, this led him to ponder if they even ate at all, but he restrained himself from posing such a question to one of the passing servants. He had raided Goblin camps a while back, when he was much weaker, and came across animal carcasses roasting over a fire. If this were still a game, he would likely deem it as simply decorating the background, but now that it was reality, it likely held true that organic mobs had to eat. So would that mean plant mobs ‘eat’ water? Or maybe they can’t photosynthesis and needed food as well.

He decided to take a bit of everything, even going as far as taking a second plate, because why make an extra trip if you had two hands to carry plates? He could try four, but honestly speaking, he did not feel that he was that dexterous yet. Could he finish all of it? Probably, given the time frame. So that was what he took, and no more, no less. He would probably be full after two additional plates anyway, though he had avoided filling them to the brim. Even if it was free food, one should not waste food just because they could. Then again, he knew nothing about where the food would go after, be it the trash or to the servants. He did not even know how the knowledge of cooking food with actual taste spread here. Perhaps the servants saw and communicated to the master of the Mansion? It might be troubling if mobs could spread information and coordinate attacks. It might be something he should look into if possible.

He had a long time to eat, and he did so slowly, so as to enjoy the taste of the food he had taken off of the tables. This also gave him some time to think. Throughout the Halls, he had little time to himself, always on the move, solving this, answering that, and now that he actually had to wait, well, he pondered what he was doing here, once again. He did not know what this place was, save for the vague description at the start of the whole mess. He supposed that if he was meeting the master of the Mansion, he would eventually get his answer, but the fact that the Mansion held so many mysteries unnerved him. It was akin to the feeling one gets when they know they ate something bad, but feel no stomach pains, the anxiety, the fear, the foreboding. He did not even know who, or what, the master of the Mansion was. Looking at all the servants, he wondered if it was even a human he was talking about here, or if the master even had a gender. Or if it was even a living, breathing creature. What if it was a construct?

As he ate on, Skuggi got bored and popped back in to check on the Swashbuckler, or at least, he assumed that was the case. “Tired of waiting?”

“Of course. Aren’t you bored as well?” He only needed to ponder the Ripper Jack’s question for a moment before replying that no, he was not. Sure, there are things that could be done with this time, but those things could not be accomplished while he was stuck here. Then the Jack took a seat across him, and asked him a question.

“What’s it like, outside?”

Outside, hm? That reminds him, the Ripper Jack had probably never set foot outside of the Mansion before. Before he knew it, he blurted out his thoughts. “And what’s it like, being trapped for so long?”

“Well, for starters, it makes you long for freedom. If there is a way to escape this Mansion, I would probably take it. This is what I would ask of the master of the Mansion. A way to leave.”

“Leave, huh…” A thought crossed his mind. Opening his skills menu, he scrolled down to the new subclass skill set he had obtained after he had swapped from Pathfinder to Animal Trainer. As expected, his journey through the Mansion gave him some experience, enough to unlock a new skill. “Domesticize”. It allowed him to tame one monster, and generally bring it with him places. “There’s something I want to try. Would you listen?”

And while eating, which means he stopped eating, he explained the Animal Trainer subclass and skill he had, which could possibly let Skuggi leave. The only thing he was concerned about was whether or not it worked on plants.

“I’m not sure if this will work out, but if it does, you should be able to follow me when I leave. So how about it? Would you stick with me for a little while?” He said this as he brought his hand forward in a handshake.

After a brief moment of silence, the Ripper Jack sighed. Then it took up his handshake. Gentle purple engulfed his senses for a brief moment, and then a notification flashed across his screen, showing that he had obtained a new animal companion. “So it works…” He muttered. The Ripper Jack merely nodded in reply, then pointed out that he should hurry up and finish his food. Pocky came over and poked him for a while, as though wanting to leave too, but he had only had one slot, so he apologized to the Mini-Jack, which sat dejectedly in the corner. Maybe if his stats updated… He was so close to obtaining a second slot for Animal Trainer.

As he polished off the food in the small space he chose in seat in, something happened. Something which confirmed his fears, and let doubt creep into his mind. Something that he knew was likely the truth, but to see with his own eyes and confirm it was another thing altogether. That thing was, another Adventurer had been here all along, watching from the shadows and had gone unnoticed. He knew not when the person had appeared, but it was clear that the Adventurer stood in plain sight for quite a while know, striding purposefully to the door, whose timer was fast counting down to zero.

This made him consider where this Adventurer was hiding, how he had hid, and whether or not there were a dozen or so other Adventurers lurking in the shadows. Since he obviously missed the time when the Assassin stepped out between the two guards, he thought, for a moment, that the Adventurer had some skill which allowed him to conceal himself. This is, of course, before he got closer and saw that it was an Assassin. When he did, perhaps he would assume it was some Assassin skill which enabled one to lurk in plain sight.

Then the Adventurer called him to hurry up. But the way he phrased it, it could have been to any number of persons at the same time. How many other Adventurers, exactly, where there? Was he being watched, this entire time? The thought sent a shiver down his spine, a feeling which he had felt many times over the course of his journey in this world. He almost did not want to move from his spot, but he had to, for the timer counted on, and the time when it hit zero was upon them. Even after waiting for a few seconds, there was no rustle of movements from the shadows, the movements in the room coming from the bustling servants and the single Adventurer who ascended the staircase. Perhaps there was no other person. Perhaps he had merely been hallucinating, been creating these fears in his head. Relaxing ever so slightly, he dropped his plates off at a passing Goblin Butler and headed across the room, towards the staircase.

If this were a game, he felt that for that extra dramatic flair, the master of the Mansion would appear when the Adventurers were at the bottom of the stairs. Perhaps such a convenient scripted event was lost to the Catastrophe, so the master made do with a timer stuck above the doors. Well, since the other Adventurer present had ascended the elaborate set of large stairs, he felt inclined to do the same. The set of stairs itself was not particularly long, so it did not take long for him to catch up to the Adventurer, which the interface identified as Saber, a level 90 Assassin, and his companion, a small young girl which the interface identified as a Ripper Jack. Okay, so that made Saber an Animal Trainer, just like him. But how in the world did his Ripper Jack take on the shape of a human? Was it some high level Animal Trainer skill he did not know of? Oh yeah, and this was also the part where he suspected the ability to hide in plain sight was a high level Assassin skill, but unfortunately, he would probably never know that the truth of the matter is that he did not look closely enough between a particular pair of [Castle Armor].

After climbing up the carpeted steps of the elaborately designed stairs, he stopped a few steps behind the Assassin, as though showing who was first, who was second.

It was also then that he noticed that the room was slowly growing quiet. He was uncertain, for only a moment, then became sure of it. The other occupants of the room had stopped their idle chatter, the servants stopped running to and fro. They had stopped to look at the door expectantly, the door which he and the other Adventurer was waiting to open. Well, at the the atmosphere is correct for a dramatic entrance by the master of the Mansion. He wondered what kind of person it would be.

In the meantime though, he felt as if he had to say something as the tension in the room rose steadily. “Is there no one else?” While Saber had spoke in a way that could have indicated many others, none had rose save for himself. In an actual game, it would be strange to have so little Adventurers in a previously undiscovered dungeon. Yet now, it would make perfect sense, for information traveled at a much slower pace than before. But he was pretty sure that there were quite a few scout parties mapping the area, so at the very least, one of them should have stumbled in as well. Not that he missed the company, but it was just… strange, to him.

~

Word count: 1918
Total word count after multipliers (Swashbuckler): 1209 + 2877 = 4086
Notes: Such inferior post length.
Tags: Saber

[Deleted]

Artemisia stepped into the room and was immediately stopped in her tracks. It was so… different than what she had been experiencing up until now she wasn't quite sure she could believe it. The room was overly an overly large dining hall, large enough for a feast with dozens of guests. Several tables were spaced evenly throughout the room, each loaded with plates over following with food. Did this mean the riddles and puzzles were over?! Elated, Artemisia dashed over to the nearest table and began picking at the food. There was simply so much to choose from and she was definitely hungry.

Her cheeks stuffed full of various bites from this plate and that plate, Artemisia continued to happily skip around. Her tears of frustration from the previous area were long since dried and the only emotion she felt now was joy. Just as she was reaching for what she wanted most of everything, a rather delicious looking dessert, one of the Mini Jack from earlier floated through her field of vision, drawing her attention to it. The young sorceress looked up from the table for the first time since entering it and realized that she was not alone in the dining hall. Mini Jack were dancing about everywhere and various Goblin Maids and Goblin Butlers were cleaning and bringing out food faster than even she could devour it.

Artemisia swallowed down the rather large bite she had just taken and blinked several times. “So… if this is the end of the mansion, where’s everyone else…?” She asked one of the Goblin Maids, who was cleaning up a bit of food that had been accidentally spilled. The female Goblin stared back at her with wide eyes, as if it was strange for her to be addressed directly by someone. She appeared to deliberate silently with herself for a moment before she quickly pointed behind Artemisia and then dashed off.

Perplexed, the blonde grabbed a glass of water off the table and turned around. As she did, she lifted the glass to her lips. It was then that her eyes locked on a clock… or rather, a timer. It was quickly counting down and there was only minutes left on the clock. Just beyond the timer, Artemisia could see a set of long, winding stairs. She took a sip of the water, slowly processing what this meant. It clicked slowly but once it did, the glass slipped out of her hand. Before it had even reached the floor, she was already darting in the direction of the stair case. A few steps behind her, she heard the glass shatter when it hit the floor.

Several of the Mini Jack lined up across the bottom of the stair well, blocking her path. “C'mon, move, move…” She tried to push through them but they simply spun in a circle, giving her the same twisted grin they always had. “Please, I only have a few minutes left…!” She peered around them, trying to see what was waiting for at the top of the stairs, but it curved to the side, making it impossible to see. She looked back up at the clock, starting to panic. She didn’t know if there was anyone else at the top of those stairs but if she didn’t get these silly little pumpkins out of the way soon, she was never going to find out.

“I’m sorry but I can’t play with you right now!” She shoved against the Mini Jack and, with more force than one would have expected, was finally able to push through them. Actually, it was better to say they simply moved aside. Artemisia stumbled forward, tripping over herself when the Mini Jack suddenly moved. Irritated, but knowing she had no time to spare, Artemisia ignored the laughing Mini Jack and quickly stood. She huffed and straightened her hair and clothing. If her mental clock was right, she really needed to hurry. Artemisia took off up the stairs, which were beautiful carpeted and seemingly endless.

“I-I’m here, please… wait for me...!” Nearly out of breath, Artemisia finally arrived at the top of the steps. “Did I make it…?” She lifted her head, breathing heavily, and looked ahead of her. There in front of her were two other Adventurers but it wasn't them she was interested in. She barely even glanced at them before looking beyond them to where she could see there was a large decorated door. Since these two were waiting, it must be locked. She could see the timer was also displayed here and she really had just barely made it. Guessing by the last time she had heard the clock chime, it must be counting down to midnight. Putting it all together, she decided the countdown must be to when the door would open.

Relieved, Artemisia plopped down on the step she was standing on and let out a big breath of air. “Just barely, huh…” Not only had she made it, no matter how close she had cut it, she finally wasn't alone anymore. Hopefully these two were willing to work together on whatever lay beyond that door.

--

Notes: I did it <3 I may not have 5,000 words per post, but I made it~
Words: 858

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

As he took the lead position just out of range of where he predicted the door would swing, the Assassin dug in his heels and stood tall. His face pushed against the back of his scarf and he snarled lightly through his teeth as he stared at the large doors that were just a few meters away from where he was. So, this would be the finale, wouldn’t it? This would be the end of all things, the end of the mansion, of the puzzles, of his tireless mental grind, and the end of his anticipation. That timer, which was nearing its decline to zero with just a few minutes remaining, was the only thing keeping Saber back now. It was the only last remaining obstacle in his path to completing the trial placed before him when he found the mansion. However, as simple as a task as waiting was, the warrior was running low on patience. His skin bubbled as chills ran up and down his spine. His mind raced, thinking of various different outcomes and potential scenes, some of them being quite brutal, others boring. Many of them were impossible, but how would he know?

Saber stood in front of a door with an infinite number of possibilities lurking on the other side of the doors before him, and it made him a little afraid. Being afraid, however, wasn’t a terrible thing. For Saber, being afraid meant reason; a reason to be where he was, a reason to look forward to the moment that the doors opened. He questioned the infinite possibilities before him and sought the answer of what truly lay beyond his reach. The Assassin was not just a fighter, but a scholar in his own mind. He sought answers, followed his curiosity, and had the strength to dive into the depths of the world around him without fearing what was hiding around the next corner. Saber could handle nearly everything this world threw at him, but his curiosity still burned with a passion. Yet, he still feared those corners not for what lurked there, but because of the fear of questions. For every question Saber answered, a thousand more appeared and for every one of those questions, dozens more branched out. It was a never ending cycle, and Saber was drawn deeper and deeper into that cycle with every step he took.

Now, as he stood at the door with the timer above it, Saber knew that this was just another example of his curiosity getting the best of him. He first saw this mansion as something strange, for he had passed through the area just a day before. Then, once he was inside, he began to fall into the trap of his own mental cyclone. He began to wonder; how did the mansion work? How were all of the beasts controlled? What was fueling the will of the Goat Servants he fought? Why did the little girl, the shadow by his side, choose to be hostile just because of his presence? What did all of the puzzles mean? And most importantly; who was behind this mansion? That final question was one which Saber had found himself asking almost every few moments. Who was the head of this place? Who was the creator of this mansion? Who was the person bold enough to challenge the Adventurers in the land? Who was he? Or… who was she?

The uncertainty of the individual at the helm was the driving force behind Saber’s exhibition, and it had lead him here. For almost three hours, Saber sat in a corner, thinking and sleeping as he waited for the timer to tick down. With that timer running low on digits to use to keep the Assassin at bay, Saber was seething. It wasn’t because of him being truly angry with the person, but because of him being forced to wait. If it were up to him, Saber would have opened the doors long ago and let himself inside. But no, no he had to wait. He had to wait for this timer to tick down and had to remain in the hall with the other player. He couldn’t have any sort of “alone time” with the head of this mansion because of the other player, and it was annoying. Saber considered killing the other man, but the safety barrier of the zone restricted him from doing so. Even if he tried with all of his might, Saber wouldn’t be able to eradicate the fellow Adventurer, and so he elected to remain silent. Saber kept himself focused on the prize set before him, and waited; until the other player opened his mouth.

The question about other people in the room was quite a foolish one to ask, and Saber closed his eyes out of discontent as he heard it. Saber had arrived first, and he had not sensed or come across another player in the hall. If there was another person, then he would have been awoken more than once before the current man had appeared. Saber may have been tired, but he was not deaf, nor was he a fool. The man kept tabs on all persons in his direct vicinity that could be considered threats. Letting just one person slip off his radar, even if they were extremely harmless, was not an option. If Saber needed to act, he would need all variables in his mind so that he could act accordingly. If one slipped away, it could cause problems. Yet as much as he wanted to, Saber didn’t say anything to his fellow Adventurer. The Assassin simply shook his head slightly and kept to himself. But again, he was disrupted. This time the sound which made him act was a much more familiar one and this one caused him to move.

The sound of a door opening, one that was not the door in front of him, caused Saber to turn to his left. He peered down the set of stairs and looked towards the main door which allowed access to the final hall from the fifth, and his eyes narrowed. Out from between them came another Adventurer, another person whom had finished the mansion’s trials and had succeeded in reaching the end. Saber huffed lightly as he saw the whiff of a tail, the twitch of ears, and the feminine face of the new guest. She had arrived just in time for the door, and just in time to become another thorn in Saber’s side. He growled in the depths of his throat and the thought of removing her crossed his mind as well. These players were annoying, and he truly hoped that they would not get in his way. However, it was not his choice to make. As much as he wished to remove them from the hall, he could not. They had completed the trials just as he had and had gained access to the last room. That being said, Saber would have to deal with them being here. But that didn’t mean he would have to like it.

“Seems not, Swashbuckler.” Saber said aloud, answering the previous question of the other player who stood at the top of the stairs with him. As he did so, Saber became slightly more agitated. Just acknowledging the presence of the other two persons in the room bugged him. He had put so much work into attempting to be first, to be alone, and it was pulled apart within minutes. Just thinking about his goal coming apart just before he reached it made his blood boil. It felt as if he was going to explode!

Tug…

A gently tug on his cloak caused Saber to snap from his tormenting mind and the Assassin looked down to his waist. There, the childish Ripper Jack he had tamed stood by much more patiently than he was. But rather than look forward towards the door or at the clock, she was looking up at him. The worried gleam in her yellow orbs made Saber frown; it was as if she had sensed the uneasiness in his mind. Saber was feeling a little restless, that was true, but he didn’t think his new companion would be able to notice it so readily. Although, he was also thankful for it. Upon feeling her gentle pull, Saber’s mind eased itself out of the blackening swirl and he relaxed. He took in a deep breath, sucking in as much oxygen as his lungs would allow, and paused.

One…. Two… Three…. Four… Exhale…

The deep, relaxing breath let Saber disperse all of the built up anxiety and all of the hateful thoughts vanished from his brain almost immediately. The room widened and the walls stopped closing in on him. Time returned to its regular pace, and Saber returned to his state of reason. Thankful for her assistance, Saber rewarded his newest Team addition with a gently pat on her head. He ruffled her hair a little, causing her to rumble at him, and then looked up at the clock. With a few moments to spare, he looked back towards the player that had just arrived; she was now scrambling up the straight set of stairs, chuckling a little to himself as he realized how long of a trip it must be from the bottom to the top. Then again, it could have been worse; the stairs could have twirled.

Though this woman wasn’t a quitter, and she reached the top at a decent pace. Saber chuckled again to himself and turned his eyes back towards the timer. He removed his hand from his companion’s head and placed them into the pockets of his cloak, pulling it comfortably around his body so that everything below his neck was pretty much covered up aside for the lower part of his legs. As he stood there, Saber made himself comfortable and counted down with the clock. After all was said and done, Saber had made it to where he was standing. After all of the fighting, the thinking, the worrying, and the stress; he was here. It didn’t matter if he wasn’t alone or if he wasn’t perfect. Saber had finished the trials of the mansion, and he was thankful that he had made it. Now with his final task being to wait for the clock to reach zero, he felt content with what he had done, and it made him smirk.

“Let us see who has called us here… Shall we?” Saber said aloud to his fellow players, broadcasting his voice all around him so that both of them could hear him clearly. After he spoke, the Assassin watched the timer start to tick down; there was a minute left. His eyes narrowed.

“Be prepared for the worst.” He declared, speaking loudly again as he watched the number decline. As it did so, his hair began to rise. His body became tense.

“Behind this door could be many things, my fellow Adventurers. There could be a raid boss, another puzzle, or just someone sitting in a chair with a snarky smile on their face. There could be an overweight politician surrounded by food and women, or there could be a new monster we have never seen before waiting patiently for us to appear. There could even be nothing, just a portal leading us out of this place.” As his spoke, Saber’s eyes narrowed sharply on the clock, watching it slide by the “thirty seconds remaining” mark. His final guess, however, trailed off as if he was hoping his words would not jinx his luck. He had very little of that in the first place.

“But whatever is beyond… No regrets.” Saber grinned beneath his scarf, his excited expression concealed with the cloth object. Yes, no regrets. He had lived this long, had fought so hard, and had cleared this mansion with a raised head. He had stumbled a few times, had failed during a few puzzles, but that didn’t matter. Not anymore. What mattered, was that there was ten seconds left…

“May the gods be with us.” The prayer was a silent thought, and as it faded; so did Saber’s smile.

00:00

Showtime.

: Post Title :
-Standing By-

: Word Count :
2035

: Skills Used :
N/A

: Tagged :
Saber, Icyferno, @sugarygiggles

: Notes :
Timer has hit Zero. We are the final three.

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Icyferno]

Status: Healthy / Rested

~

It should be noted that for some reason, obtaining a [Ripper Jack] as a companion seemed to have increased the level of the Animal Trainer subclass, enough for him to obtain a second slot. Then again, such a thing should be obvious, for using a skill obviously increases the experience of the subclass associated with it. For some reason, it seemed to have several levels, as though all the adventuring through the Mansion, the constant presence of the two Jacks gave it experience, and it had decided to only update now, just when the timer was about to hit zero. Well, guess that means he could take Pocky along with him then, though why it decided to lag and take so long to show that he had obtained a second slot, he would never know. Or maybe he had never paid attention in the first place, and had somehow mistaken his own levels. This was, after all, not the first time he had made a stupid blunder.

But he could probably do that process later. That is, if he remembered to do so. And if there was time to do so. For the timer ticked ever closer to zero, and that meant that he would soon be greeted with whatever was behind that door. That is, if there was even something behind the door. What if the master of the Mansion came through another door? What if the timer was merely to signify a change in refreshments? What if the timer merely meant that dinner was over, and was a signal for the servants to keep the food and prepare beds for the Adventurers who made it thus far?

Assuming the door would open to admit them, then what lay beyond the door? A bedroom? A throne room? Heck, maybe more Halls, if only to troll them. "Hey, congrats on getting past all five Halls, here's a short break, then off you go for another five!" Yea, he could imagine that sort of trolling words coming from the master of the Mansion. It would technically make sense, then, for there to be a break area between the Halls, for it was exhausting, both physically and mentally, to run through five Halls. But why, then, would there be a timer? Was it to give everybody an equal start?

Another thing he was thinking about, was whether or not the door was actually locked. Sure, there was a timer there, but the fact that the door would open when the timer hit zero was merely an assumption. It could be that with any number of events that the timer could represent, the door could have been unlocked all this while. Also, there was no guarantee that the timer hitting zero would open the door. What if it was the opposite, and they were barred from progressing? Of all the possibilities he had mentioned, that one was the most likely possibility, save for the door opening when the timer hit zero.

And then something happened, something that broke his train of thoughts, his focus on the clock as it ticked towards zero. Something so surprising, he had not thought about it for even a moment, something that could occur so naturally, yet was bizarre in this tense atmosphere.

The doors behind him opened. The one he came through when he first entered this room. These doors opened to admit yet another person, this time a female Adventurer with blonde hair. At that moment, the Assassin next to him chose that exact moment to give a reply to his question, and judging from that answer alone, he knew that there was no one else who made it here.

The blonde Adventurer hurriedly made her away over to the staircase, or not. She totally stopped by the tables of food, gorging herself on just about every single plate as he looked on curiously from the top of the staircase. Even with the additional of one more Adventurer, was this whole thing not strange? How could there be so few Adventurers who made it to this point? Unless most of the Adventurers are dumb, he thought to himself. Most of them were probably gamers, not scholars or professors or theorists, so perhaps they fell at some point of the Mansion? Funny, then, how a mere student such as himself managed to get thus far. Or was this mere luck?

In any case, the female Adventurer all the way below somehow managed to miss a structure as large as the staircase, which was something he took note of before noticing the food. His brain automatically placed this person in the 'gluttons, be careful of these people, they would do anything for food' section at this thought. This Adventurer then proceeded to speak with one of the servants, something which he suddenly realized he never did, not that he would do it if he had the chance to redo his whole entrance thing. The servants may or may not be somewhat capable of intelligent conversation, but because he did not know what to say to them, it was unlikely that he would ever have have the opportunity to test the depths of their intelligence.

It seems that after a while of stuffing herself full of food, this particular servant finally pointed her in the right direction. Her head swiveled towards the right direction at last, although she seemed to be looking at the clock, not them. Then the Adventurer dropped what she was holding, and sprinted for the staircase. He wondered why the servant pointed out where she was supposed to go. Was it because the servant was being polite, or was it because they were going to run out of food if she kept up her monstrous pace of food cramming?

Mini-Jacks blocked her way as she tried to ascend the stairs, seemingly intent on preventing her from getting across. Or maybe they just wanted to play with the new person. After some pushing and shoving on her part, they simply let her move on, just as the Adventurer tripped herself on the steps.

This person then proceeded on to arrive in front of the two of them, completely out of breath. Examining the person closely, the status window popped up and showed that this person was called [Artemisia], a short Sorcerer with green eyes, whose height reminded him of a certain somebody who would probably kill him if he so much as thought of the name of this person for insulting their height. His first impression was that she was a child, though looks could be deceiving, especially since the world was set up such that even a frail old man could possibly inhabit the body of a cute young girl. This very gluttonous person ignored the two Adventurers standing before her, preferring to direct her gaze at the clock above the door. What, were they invisible or something?

It was at this moment, that the Assassin began to speak, and spoke of a speech that was not out of character as the waited for the clock to reach zero. Kudos to a short, but actually meaningful speech. He wondered how many people would be able to pull off such a thing with people encountered only minutes ago.

Without anything to do, and no, he was not about to initiate conversation with the blonde girl, he decided he might as well watch the clock as well. And this he did, until time ran out.

00:00.

Let the mystery behind the door be revealed, and may the stars guide us all.

~

Word count: 1265
Total word count after multipliers (Swashbuckler): 1209 + 2877 + 1265 = 4086 + 1265 = 5351
Notes: Gungnir reference, for those who didn't get the reference in the last line.
Tags: Saber @sugarygiggles