[F25 - PP] A Murder Most Foul

[Koga 0]

k o g a the elder wolf Spoiler notes none Koga lv.31 / 24 | HP: 700/700 | EN: 108/108 | DMG: 23 | MIT: 30 | ACC: 4 | EVA: 2 | BRN: 56 | BLT: 32/20 | FALN: 8 | REGN 13 | B.HEALING: 38/77 (SURV) equipped battle-ready inventory T4 Demonic Katana <<Tsuki no Hikari>> [ CRSED // BRN I // BLT I // FALN I ] T4 Perfect Light Armor <<Shadow Chance Coat>> [ EVA II // REGN I ] T1 Perfect Trinket <<Kashira Cable - Wolf>> [ ACC III ] Spider Ciders [90 HP] [2] Teleportation Crystal [1] Apple Pie [+3 LD] [1] Focused Dog [+2 ACC] [1] Queen's Honey [DMG +3] [1] skills Spoiler | COMBAT Mastery: Damage III | Gain 1 * Tier Damage per rank | 15 SP Battle Healing V | Recover 5% (rounded down) of your maximum HP at the start of your turn | 30 SP Emergency Recovery | When non-fatal damage would leave you with 25% or less of your maximum HP, recover 10% of your maximum HP after the attack resolves. Effect cannot occur more than once per thread.  When activated if the player has lower than 10 energy remaining, simply reduce the player's energy to 0. | 6 SP EN Cost: 10 Energist | Increase Base Energy by 5 * Tier | 8 SP Howl | Gain +2 Hate against up to 4 targets | 10 SP EN Cost: 2 EN Cooldown: 2 Posts Focused Howl | Gain +4 Hate against a single target | 5 SP EN Cost: 4 EN Cooldown: 4 Posts | WEAPON Curved Sword I | +1 DMG when equipped with a Curved Sword | 4 SP Katana V | +7 DMG when equipped with a Katana | 30 SP Stamina | Reduces the energy of all Katana attacks by 2 EN | 4 SP Ferocity | +2 DMG when using Katana Sword Arts | 4 SP | ARMOR Light Armor V | +30 MIT when equipped with Light Armor | 30 SP Meticulous | +1 DMG when equipped with Light Armor | 4 SP Resolve | +1 ACC and +10 * Tier HP when equipped with Light Armor | 6 SP | EXTRAS Familiar Master: Rending | You and your familiar attack in tandem, applying Rend [7*tier unmitigatable damage] to the target that lasts for two turns. | 10SP Cooldown: 5 Posts Survival | Increases Healing effects received from all sources by 10%. Grants immunity to all damage dealing environmental attacks/effects. buffs Spoiler Laurel Wreath | Earn Col equivalent to 15% of player’s EXP earned in thread <<Well Rested>> | -1 energy cost for the first three expenditures of each combat. <<Squeaky Clean>> | The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 25% (rounded down). <<Relaxed>> | Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts. <<Multipurpose>> | Gain +1 to LD, Stealth Rating, Stealth Detection, or Prosperity to one post in a thread. Can be applied after a roll. <<Advanced Training>> | +10% EXP to a thread. Limit one use per month. Must be used on a player's first post in a thread. Cooldown begins counting down when used in a post. (Last Use: Jun. 22)

Just outside the Labyrinth, 10:13pm

So this was floor 25. Koga hadn't quite had the pleasure of exploring this floor yet. Although, based on what he'd heard, actually exploring the floor was a pain in the ass. A giant maze that seemed to never end. How the Frontlines had ever managed to find the boss room in that thing was a source of endless amazement for Koga as he stared up at the massive stone walls that surrounded the construct. Kayaba was probably getting a kick out of watching people wander around aimlessly in there, wasn't he?

"...Think you can sniff our way out if we get lost in there?" Koga asked the snow white wolf at his side. Okami huffed and shook his fur, a no. "Great...well, I guess we should be thankful the NPCs gave us the chalk then, huh?" Koga said, eyes drifting to the massive gap in the walls. The Labyrinth's entrance. "I don't suppose you want to get started then, huh?"

[Jomei 0]

Its a shame that fitness wasn't really a thing in Aincrad. With the amount of times Jomei would just go out on walks, traveling aimlessly, just to clear his head or to just try and make sense of his thoughts, he would be in much better shape than he already was. Even in the real world, Jomei would find himself walking along the quiet, country roads of his home town, or through the more bustling city streets of Dublin or Yokohama as a way to just get out. Looking around and seeing what the world had to offer would either distract him from what plagued his mind or even helped jumpstart his mind to solve issues. 

Thought, his choice of floor to wander at the moment was definitely an interesting one, to say in the least. The Twenty Fifth Floor was one Jomei had only visited once, and that was to fight the boss that blocked their passage to the next level of Aincrad. Specifically, he had gone straight to the labyrinth, which housed the boss' lair.  The rest of the ominous environment was filled with distractions and dangers, but Jomei instead figured the seemingly endless maze might be a good place to get lost in, so he could mentally escape from the own maze he was creating within his head. 

A nearby NPC, whom Jomei was familiar with, handed the Irishman a piece of chalk that he could use to trace his steps. When he wanted to find his way back out, that would be pretty important. Tossing the chalk into the air, the piece did a small flip before landing back in Jomei's palm. As he continued towards the entrance of the maze, he noticed a familiar figure standing nearby, one he did not have the pleasure to getting to know more. Jomei stepped up next to him, "Plan on getting lost in the labyrinth as well, Koga?" 

@Koga

 

Stats: 

Spoiler

Level: 31 | Paragon: 50 | Tier: 4 | HP: 820| EN: 120 

Jomei: 820/820 HP | 120/120 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44| EVA 3 | ACC 4 | BH 41 | HLY BLS 16 | BLD 48 | FLN 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt.

Equipment
Nihilim's Wrath  : Abs Acc | Bleed | Fallen
Vestige of St.Patrick: Holy B| Mit | EVA | EVA
Alatreon's Will: ACC | ACC | ACC

Rending Familiar: Adere

Skills
Saber R5 | TECH Spec.
Combat Mastery DMG R3
Cloth Armor R5
Charge
B Healing R5
Energist
Fighting Spirit
MA R2
Extra:
Concentration
Survival (x)
Meditation (x)
Parry
Forgotten Kind's Authority
Photosynthesize (x)
Brawler (x)
Hiding R.3

Mods
Athletics (x)

Addons
Stamina (x)
Ferocity (x)
Precision (x)
Nimble (x)

Housing Buffs: 
Bedroom: -1 energy cost for the first two expenditures of each combat    
Bathroom: The first time you would suffer DoT damage in a thread, reduce damage taken from DoT each turn by 20% (rounded down)    
Dining Room: Turn 2 identical food items (same quality, tier, & enhancements) into a Lesser Feast.
Living Room: Increases out of combat HP regen by (5 * Tier HP) and decreases full energy regen to 2 Out of Combat Posts.

 

[Koga 0]

A familiar voice called out to Koga, and the man turned to look at the speaker. Koga took a moment to put a name to the face, before returning the greeting. "Hey Jomei, right?" the man said, recognizing the man from his Christmas party. "Yeah, pretty much." The swordsman looked back at the gaping maw of an entrance. He wondered for a moment how many players had gotten lost in there, and either were forced to teleport out. The ill-prepared, who knew what happened to them. "I was just planning on exploring it, see what's there to be seen and what not."

"Would you care for some company?" Koga then asked Jomei, figuring if he really was to get lost in the Labyrinth, having another person to talk to would help stave off the boredom. And probably help figure out how to get out so they didn't have to waste a crystal.

[Jomei 0]

The ginger nodded his head at the mention of his name, "Yeah, that's me." 

Jomei pondered for the moment on the idea of company. Originally, he was planning on getting lost as a way to just think.. a weird place to do so, he had to admit. Maybe, now that he was here, some company to just chat and explore with did not sound like a bad choice. Hell, he needed to learn to start trusting some new faces anyway, since all of the faces he could rely on faded away without warning. 

Smiling back to Koga, he responded, "Sure, didn't really have any certain plans. Probably was just going to explore, like you said." Shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants, he stepped forward between the looming, ominous walls that served as an entry point into the maze. His eyes wandered to the smooth slates that stool tall around them. "I was here once.. not so long ago. We needed to make our way through the maze so we could fight the boss on this floor.." he chuckles, "Thankfully, I did not go in first.. so all I had to do was follow the penguins." .. He realized how weird that sounded after it came out. 

[Koga 0]

Koga followed beside Jomei, his own hands going to the pockets of his coat, as they passed between the massive grey stone walls. The horizon disappeared behind them, and soon they were entirely surrounded by the grey sentinels.

Koga looks over at Jomei as he tells him about the last time he'd been here. The Wolf never realized Koga had been in the party that took on the Labyrinth boss. He couldn't say that he had envied them. Navigating this place sounded difficult, despite the..."Wait, penguins?" Koga asked, incredulously. "There were penguins...guiding you to the boss room? What?" His voice was filled with amusement and confusion, as he tried to sort out just how all of that worked. It wasn't really the fact that it had been penguins in specific that had guided Jomei (okay, well it was a little weird, given what little Koga had seen of this floor, but stranger things in gaming had occurred) but rather how penguins, of all things, factored into this floor's lore.

[Jomei 0]

Placing a palm on his forehead, Jomei let out a small laugh. "Right.. I realize that sounded a bit ridiculous." With a small shift in his step, Jomei moved diagonally towards one of the walls as they came up to the first intersection. Tap tap, he would knock near the corner with his knuckle, looking back to Koga. "A drawing, like a marker. Who chose a penguin and why? I have no idea.. But, it was unique. Definitely would not have mixed it up with any of the markings other players were using. So as we came across the chalk drawing of the penguin, we knew we were going the right way, and able to move fast enough before the labyrinth started changing on us." 

A shrill scream cuts through the near silence of the night, not of a monster, no.. this scream sounded like another player. A girl, or young boy perhaps. Jomei's expression immediately changed from cheerful to concern as he rips his rapier from its scabbard on his hip. "I take it I'm not the only one that heard that, yeah?" he turned her attention to Koga. A few nods of his head as he lets out a small breath, "Looks like this exploration just got a bit more interesting.. up for a bit of search and rescue?" 

 

[Koga 0]

That made a lot more sense to Koga. The use of a distinctive drawing to mark a path, it was probably the most sensible thing Koga had heard of in a long time. Penguins though?

The piecing screech that filled the air interrupted any thoughts or words Koga had, and the man immediately drew his weapon in response. Was that an NPC or a player?

Koga nodded in response to Jomei's questions. "Yeah, let's go," he said before running towards the direction of the cry. Hopefully, they would not encounter too many twists and turns along the way.

Slate and glittering gold markings rushed past as the two players charged through the Labyrinth, alert and as cautious as they could be. Suddenly, they came to a crossroads. A path moving to the left and another to the right. "Fuck, which way?" Koga asked his partner, head swiveling from side to side, peering down the long corridors.

[Jomei 0]

It was a good thing Koga was just on board as Jomei was. Even if the other player wasn't willing to delve deeper into the dark labyrinth, Jomei still probably would have gone towards the scream as well. His money was the scream came from a player, rather than an NPC. Sure, the game could have started throwing NPC's into the maze to add a level of depth, give heroic players a reason to dive deeper. Or, worst case scenario, it was a monster created to mimic the screams of humans, to lure players to their demise. Jomei swallowed hard, hoping it wasn't the latter. However, last time he was here, he didn't hear this scream before, and there was no other indications of a quest nearby to rescue a lost child. No, this was a much more dire situation; another life was at stake. 

As the two rushed forward, Jomei pulled the chalk from his pocket, making quick gashes on the wall as they neared any twists or turns. "Can't have us getting lost too." he said with a smirk, as Koga slowed to a stop at a crossroad. Jomei left one more X on the corner before joining the dark-haired man in looking left and right. "Somethings telling me we go right." he shrugged his shoulders, "Just a hunch." 

Before they could even start in that direction, two players from the opposite direction turned a corner and began moving in their direction. Jomei turned to look at them, "I take it we weren't the only ones who heard that?" he asked them. 

"No, we heard it too." one started, "There was another player out there, a girl, we were going to team up to try and find the exit, but the walls shifted.. and we got separated. It almost sounded like her." 

Jomei looked over his shoulder at Koga with a sheepish chuckle, "Guess my hunch was wrong then... lets go that way and see if we can't find another way around."

"Wait." One of the players stopped them. Taking their own chalk out of their pocket, they drew a marking on the wall; a simple circle with a spiral in it. "We were marking out path with that symbol... maybe if you follow them, it could lead you to where we were." 

[Koga 0]

Koga gave Jomei an appreciative nod when he realized that the player was marking their path for them. A (not so) small oversight on his part.

Another pair of players rounded the corner before either Koga or Jomei could start moving in the other direction. "We better be quick," Koga said with a nod, before starting to move along the Labyrinth wall. "Whatever's going on, it doesn't sound good."

With a hand loosely skimming the wall on their left, Koga kept an eye out for the spiral symbol the other two players had been using. "Do you guys know what that girl's level was?" Koga asked, hoping to get an idea of her chances surviving the floor in general. Silence followed for a few moments, causing the Wolf to glance back over his shoulder at the two players. They looked at each other nervously, then at Koga. "Something in the twenties, I think," he said. Koga faced forward again as his lips drew into a thin line. 'I don't like those odds...'

Finally, the four players came upon the spiral symbol again, this time, leading to the right. "That takes us closer to where we heard that scream, I think," he noted. Looking further down, the maze took another sharp right. "Be ready for anything."

[Jomei 0]

It seemed some newfound courage found its way into the other two players as they joined along with Jomei and Koga without hesitation. Koga had asked about the other player's level, and it seemed she was a bit in over her own head here.. especially if she was wandering on their own. What the hell were they thinking? he thought to himself as he picked up the pace slightly. 

With the first of the spiral markings in their sights, the group knew they were at least on the right track. Turning to the right, they continued on in search of the missing girl.

"I think there should be.. maybe one more before the maze shifted and we were cut off." one of the players noted as they hurried behind Koga and Jomei.

The ginger nodded before looking over his shoulder, "You said she was alone.. did she mention anything about coming here with a party? Was she split off from them as well?" 

"N-No.. She just said she was lost and needed help finding a way out. Didn't mention anything about--"

The roar of a massive beast shook the gray slate that stood tall around them. Turning to look once more, Jomei watched as a minotaur, wide and standing about 10 feet tall, materialized around them. It's red eyes glared at the players, blowing steam from its nose and digging one of its hoofed feet into the ground. "Go go go!" Jomei shouted, "We need to go!" He took a quick look at Koga, "I'm not sure what that thing's level is... and I'm not doubting our combat skills.. but if we take any time to fight that thing, we might miss our chance to save this girl. We need to loose it." 

Running at their full speed, the minotaur finally took off, charging forward. Every step shook their surroundings, getting more powerful the closer it got to them. Even while at a full sprint, the sheer size of the minotaur made catching up to them easy. 

Almost within arms length, the minotaur began to bring a fist over its head to slam down on the players when -- Slam.

The quick grinding of stone, and finally the slates crashing into eachother as the maze shifted once more.. this time in their favor, cutting off the minotaur from them. 
Jomei slowed his sprint and placed a hand on his chest, "Gah.. that was a close one.." 

[Koga 0]

Important questions. Important answers. A lone girl, underlevelled and quite possibly nothing more than blue pixels at this point. All in all, not good.

The great roar of a minotaur only signified things getting worse. "Oh you have got to be fucking kidding me," the Wolf said aloud. Without warning the Minotaur swung what looked like massive cleaver at the party. The sound of steel echoed hardhly off the stone walls as Koga brought his weapon up to defend against the blow. "You don't need to tell me twice!" Koga said as he strained against the Minotaur. "Get going, I'll be right behind you!"

As soon as the others had left a huge crash and an explosion of dust billowed through the halls. The Wolf bounded out, trailing debris behind him as he ran away from the mob. The Minotaur burst out from the debris, chasing after the player.

The sound of screeching, stone on stone filler the air as the wall ahead began to move. Pushing himself as far as he could do, Koga oicked up speed, until he launched himself, full dive at the narrowing gap in the walls.

Boom!

Koga and Okami tumbled to the ground landing flat on their backs, each panting heavily. "I like them better...as hamburgers..." Koga panted.

[Jomei 0]

Jomei took in one last deep breath to steady his breathing before walking over to where Koga lay flat on the ground. Extending a hand out towards him, he offered to help him up to his feet. Koga holding back to delay the minotaur for a few extra seconds was crazy, even for Jomei. Shoulders shuddered as a small laugh rolled out, "That was pretty ballsy, lad. You alright?" 

Once Koga was on his feet, the ginger takes a small step back. His arm fold about his chest, head turning to look at the wall that likely saved them from a much bigger problem. "I was a bit unsure of your level and capabilities before, but being able to hold back the minotaur like that, obviously you're a lot more capable." Feeling a bit sheepish, he brings an arm up and snakes a hand around his neck, rubbing at the nape. "I mean no offense by that, my knowledge of highly capable players is limited to those I last saw in a boss battle. Glad to know we have at least one more strong player." 

Jomei would turn to look at the other two players, obviously much more shaken by the charging bull-man. "I know that was a lot, but we need to keep moving. Are we still on the right track?" One of the players picked their head up, looking side to side, and then down the pathway. "There" they would point at their symbol of choice drawn out on the wall farther down. 

[Koga 0]

When Koga opened his eyes up again, Jomei was standing over him, the moon behind his head, casting a glorious, silver halo as if he were some angelic being. 'God is that you?'

"Ballsy?" Koga groaned as he took the offered help getting back up. "Good thing you didn't see the trail of shit I was leaving behind," the man joked. His demeanor changed to serious, however as he looked to the wall that had nearly crushed him. "No, honestly though, woulda ran if it didn't mean putting you guys at risk. Those things are no joke." Koga looked to Jomei. "If they could give us trouble, that girl is ten different levels of fucked. We need to find her, ASAP."

Soon, the three players were moving along once more. No screams, no rumbling stomps of minotaurs, or grating of moving stone. The silence was instead eerie. "How far are we from where you guys met the at girl?" Koga asked, unable to take the oppressive nothing any longer. Why the game decided to bring his tinnitus with him, he didn't know.

"Just up ahead, I think," one of them replied, pointing to another sharp corner. No sooner had the words been spoken did the group begin to hear a rapid pattering of feet. A glint of steel as Koga drew his weapon. Goblins? Perhaps Kobolds, or something worse?

Neither, instead a girl, presumably the one the group was looking for, came charging around the girl at breakneck speed, looking over her shoulder in terror. So consumed by fear of whatever was chasing her, she didn't even see the four other players until she ran headlong into Jomei with a thud.

Edited January 27, 2022 by Koga

[Jomei 0]

The group was on the move again after recovering from their near miss with the minotaur. Not much farther ahead, and they should be at the location they had last seen the girl. The shift of the walls from earlier had blocked off the original path, but the lingering spiral mark made it simple enough to find a route around. Soon enough, the surroundings seemed to come back to the other players, as they were able to pinpoint just where they had lost contact with the missing girl. "Right, be ready for anything." Jomei said as he brought his right hand across his hip, resting it on the hilt of his rapier. Still rushing forward, Jomei kept his eyes peeled for anything; players, monsters, or whatever else lurked in the darkness. 

Nearing closer to the end of the pathway, which turned right, the stomping of their boots against the ground were accompanied by another pair. The footsteps were softer, yet more frantic, and getting louder as they neared the opposite side of the corner. Finally hitting the corner, the group began to turn when something crashed into Jomei. No damage, luckily, but the sudden shock knocked him off of his feet and onto his back. He grunted as the back of his head hit the stone floor.. would have definitely hurt if they experienced pain here. Popping his head back up, he looked forward to see someone had slammed into him, and was currently laying on top of him. 

The girl lets out a small groan as she pushes herself off of Jomei, moving to sit on her heels for a moment. "S-Sorry.."  

"Thats alright." Jomei said as he pushed himself up to a kneel, "Are you okay? Was that you that screamed ealier?" 

Tears pooling in her eyes, she looked up to the ginger with amber eyes, her dark hair shifting as she looked to him and the rest of the group. With a nod, she continued. "Yes.. I was running from-" she looks over her shoulder to the corner she had turned from.. but the sound of no charging beast, no clanking armor, or any source of something chasing her. "..Oh. I don't..."  

[Koga 0]

There was a time to be gentleman, but now wasn't it. As Jomei took care of the girl, Koga readied himself for battle. A shift of a foot, the tightening of his grip. Except no enemies ever came. The man peered around the corner ahead of them to see...nothing. Nothing but flagstone and slate. "What the fuck?" he muttered to himself as the girl too looked around the corner.

Although his guard relaxed, Koga still held his weapon tightly in his hand. "I guess you lost them," he said, eyes fixed down the long corridor. His head turned to look at the girl, "You shouldn't be this high up," he told her before looking to the other three players. "We better hoof it and get out. This late, I don't wanna get caught off guard." Low visibility, tight quarters and a lot of blind corners. Yeah, the Labyrinth was not a place they wanted to be right now.

The man reached a hand out to Jomei just as the man had done for him before while the other two helped the girl to her feet. "Do you guys have teleport crystals?" Koga asked after he had hoisted the man to his feet.

"Yeah," one replied opening his inventory, "right here...wait, what?" His scrolling became more frantic as he search for the item, but came up empty. "Mine are gone!"

His friend opened up his inventory and began to search. "C'mon dude, you probably just forgot to add them to your inventory. I brought extras." More scrolling. "What...?"

Uh oh...Koga opened his inventory next, and began to search his inventory as well. "Mine are gone too," he reported. "What about you?" he asked the girl. She shook her head 'no'.

"I didn't bring any with me."

Yeah, that figured. She probably would've TP'd out as soon as she smelled trouble if she had.

"Jomei?"

---

Koga loses [1] Teleportation Crystal |

Edited January 28, 2022 by Koga

[Jomei 0]

Jomei's inventory was rather scarce as is. He was not as keen as his peers when it came to preparing for a boss fight or a quest. Usually, it was a last minute purchase, or him looking to loan out some items for a more capable player before the bout. Pressing his tongue into the side of his cheek, Jomei did a quick scroll through his inventory. It did not take long to loojk, but Jomei shook his head as he reached the bottom, "Shit." he said under his breath before looking back over to Koga, "Not sure if I had brought mine with me either.."

Dropping his hand back to his side, the translucent menu screen in front of his person vanished. His gaze turned to their surroundings, shifting his feet so he could look back the way they came as well. "We should be able to make our way back in no time if we just follow the spirals." Nihilim's Wrath is pulled from its scabbard on Jomei's hip, the resounding hiss of metal scraping rings out. "Let's get moving. Like you said, the later it gets.. I'm sure the more dangerous it gets." 

The group began their trek back through the labyrinth, keeping a heightened pace, but also being more cautious about their movements. They did not want to loose their path or draw the attention of another wandering monster. Peeking over his shoulder at the girl, he called her attention. "What were you doing out here all on your own? You could have gotten yourself killed." The girl seemed to curl in slightly, her head drooping as her amber eyes shifted from the ginger. "Uhm.. I-" she began, before a voice immediately cut her off.

"What the hell?" a male player exclaimed as he stepped forward towards the group, his expression angry.. but also filled with confusion and fear. "Taya I.. How did you.. That monster had you cornered. You told me to run." With slow and shaky hands, he begins to pull his sword from his back. "We followed that boy... he turned into that thing... I saw your health bar drop.. You were. You're not Taya.. are you?!" With scared, wide eyes, the girl takes a few steps back, trying to put the other players between herself and the boy. 

[Koga 0]

Following along the others, Koga took up the rear of the group while Jomei took the front. Best to keep those most liable to get ganked between them, so that he and Jomei could protect them long enough to start assisting. Or run. Whichever came first.

Koga could just make out the contents of what Jomei was saying, when another man came approached them from down the corridor. "What the hell are you going on about?" Koga asked, drawing his weapon in response. "Put that shit away unless you wanna get your ass handed to you," he added as a warning. Stepped forward, past the group, joining Jomei at the front. Okami leaped in front of them all, baring his teeth at the player. "I'm not gonna say it again," Koga said, the newcomer not having moved. "Put the sword away. Now."

"No, get away from h-that thing! It's not a player!" Koga looked over his shoulder at the girl, Taya, "What is he talking about?" the Wolf asked.

"I-I don't know," she stammered in reply, taking a step back.

"Jomei," Koga looked at the man and gestured with his head towards the girl. "You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?"

[Jomei 0]

Another player had approached them, calling the lost girl 'Taya' and claiming to know her. What he was saying though was... confusing. "You'd better to listen to him. Put the sword away and lets talk about this." Jomei said, his voice a bit calmer than Koga's as he tried to diffuse the situation. However, the player persisted, keeping their sword out in front of them and going as far as to claim Taya was not the player he knew. 

Jomei looked to Koga for a moment, the gears turning in that head of his as he tried to wrap his head around the situation. For all they knew, this guy could just be a player killer that was hunting Taya down.. and using this excuse to get Jomei and Koga away from them. His eyes would travel to the player brandishing their weapon, the floating player marker above their head was green, just like the rest of them. So either not a player killer.. or just one that hasn't claimed their victim yet. Olive eyes turned over his shoulder to the lost girl, Taya. Her hands were held close to her chest, an look of fear visible through the dark hairs that fell over her face. He could see her eyes darting from this player, to each of them that stood around her. 

"If Taya told you to run.. how did you know that she died? You don't think she could have defeated the monster on her own? Or gotten away?" 

The player shook his head, his eyes never leaving the form of the girl.. or the girl he once knew. They weren't sure. "No. I'm sure. We were in a party together, so I could see her HP bar." he pointed his sword forward more forcefully between them towards Taya. "I watched it drop to zero.. Watched as her name was removed from the party. Whatever that thing is... even though it looks like her. It sure as hell isn't."

Teeth grinding together as he weighed the possibilities of each... an audible grunt escaping through his pursed lips as frustration set in. If they made the wrong choice here, someone could get killed. Turning back to Koga, his expression serious. "What do you think? His story seems pretty solid but..." eyes shift to Taya for a second, before turning back to Koga, "She looks like one of us.. her cursor would be red if she was some monster." 

[Koga 0]

Things weren't adding up, no matter how they looked at this. If they took the new guy's word as truth, then the girl beside them couldn't possibly be real, regardless of what the green cursor above her head said. But as far as Koga knew, there was no good way to fake a green cursor. Deaths, on the other hand, were an entirely different matter. Those were easy. If they took Taya at her word, then the solution was that the new player was simply lying. What his motives were remained unknown, but the fear and distress in his eyes seemed very real.

But player's could lie.

Koga glanced back and forth between the two players as he mulled over these thoughts. Then he glanced at the two other men, Hatter, Vex. Then to Jomei. "Cardinal has never lied before," the man stated. "The cursor is absolute. Which means," Koga turned towards the newcomer, "you're lying. Or you didn't see what you think you saw. To be honest, I don't care." Koga tightened his grip on his katana for what felt like the hundredth time tonight. "Here's what's gonna happen," he said, looking at everyone present, but keeping a special eye on the two players in question. "We are walking out of here together. Packs of two. Hatter and Jomei, with Taya. Vex, you and me are watching sword-boy, and we'll take the front. We walk out of the Labyrinth, and into the nearest safezone. No one dies, and we all go on our separate ways. And you," Koga pointed the tip of his sword at the newcomer, "You walk away from this. If your friend is really dead, you won't wanna see her ghost. And if you're lying, and something happens to her," the tip of the blade makes a slow arc to point at Taya, "I will hunt you down. I will make you suffer. And then I will end you."

[Jomei 0]

Jomei, Koga, Hatter, Vex. All of their attention on this other player who threatened Taya. It was apparent by all of their expressions that they did not know who to believe. A story such as his just seemed too far fetched to be a lie.. but never had they seen a monster disguised as a player before. So it seemed the scale was tipping more in Taya's favor. Koga's idea was solid; the four of them would keep an eye on the two players in groups of three, as a means to keep on their toes while also separating the two. The red head nodded in agreement, before looking over his shoulder at towards the others.. what he was not expecting, was Taya.

All of their attention on this newcomer, Koga speaking forcefully about his plan to show he meant business. What they did not see, however, was what became of Taya behind their backs. Taya's forehead slowly drooped forward, her amber eyes staring towards the ground and her dark hair completely obscuring her face. Her shoulders shuddered, was it fear? Nerves? Or laughter? They did not know, for no sound came from her. The green of the crystal-like marker above her head flickered in various spots, like static, changing from green to red. Taya's head finally rose to face forward again, the skin of her face becoming sickly pale and cracking, her large eyes now sunken, black voids, each with a small, burning ember of a pupil. 

Her body writhed from side to side as she took two stumbling steps forward, seemingly growing in height with each step. The skin of her legs stretched and pulled before tearing, hanging on by strands of skin and muscle as the bone extended to unnatural lengths. Her arms met the same fate, cracking as they stretched, bending as if at a second elbow on each arm. The clothes on her back tore as her spine created a tall arch, her neck like a bony serpent with her head dangling on the end. Finally, her lips, once pursed and scared stretched into a smile that quite literally went ear to ear, her cheeks separating to make room for the rows and rows of teeth that grew from almost out of nowhere. 

The ungodly monstrosity that stood almost silently behind them as Koga finished explaining the rest of his plan slowly laughed, its voice a conglomerate of different voices; low, high..male, female.

Y̴͇̓̽̀ö̵̪̀̄̒u̴̦̰͐'̷̲̓̐̍v̸̘͚͈̰̕e̴̡̓͐̓́ ̴̜̰͒̔́͋͜͜m̴̮̩̮̪̀e̶̫͉̟̽̀t̴̪̄́̈́ ̶̳̗̿w̷̙̄̈́̿i̴̛̩͙͙̘͌ẗ̶̨ḥ̸͓̺̀̒̾̕ ̵̟̄̋̃̕à̴̡̭̭̍͑ ̶̢̎t̸͕͘e̴̠͕̞̿͌̓͂r̷̡̳̠̰͂̌r̵̛͉͖̫̩i̵͓̝̋̊b̵̘͋̌̋l̵̢̺̄̓ȩ̷͖̎̍ ̸̢͇͚̫̐f̶̖̍̌a̷̡̙̪̞̔̽͒t̶̤̫̤̅ḙ̴̪̎̑,̸͍̏͘ ̴̝͖̙͂̀͘̚h̷̬̳͎͚̆͝a̶̡͕̞̣̒̃̒v̵̡̮̣̅͗̅̂é̵̠̓͒n̶̖͙͒̋̓'̵̜̭̙́t̸̳̙͍̗̊̊ ̶̜͔̽̍̀ý̵̡͍̪o̴͉̮͌̓͗u̸̼̣̕

 

A name finally appeared above its head, and it was not Taya. The monster Daburu cocked its head with quick jolts, peering at each of the players. Jomei's eyes widened at the grotesque visage that was once Taya as it loomed over the players, about just as tall as the minotaur while hunched but much thinner in stature. Quickly turning to the other players, Hatter, Vex, and the other one, he barked a command. "Run! Get the hell out of here!!" 

Jomei: 820/820 HP | 120/120 EN | DMG 23 | MIT 44| EVA 3 | ACC 4 | BH 41 | HLY BLS 16 | BLD 48 | FLN 8 | AA | LD 1 | F.Sprt.
Koga:

Daburu: 1000/1000 HP | DMG: 125 | MIT: 30

Nightmare fuel for reference:
 

Spoiler