Almost a week had passed since Ross had almost died in the second floor of the bunker but only a day since Devon had last been there. The ride there was tense and electric across all four vehicles. The route was practically memorized at this point; the caravan taking each turn with the same precision as synchronized swimmers performing a dance. As the group pulled up to the entrance they rechecked their gear, put on any precautions they brought with them, and quietly headed in.
The entrance room was as still and simple as ever, the walls and floor untouched by the passage of time or even the erosion of weather. Without even waiting for the rest of the group to get inside, Randy lit and chucked a few m80 firecrackers into the next room to get things rolling much to the chagrin of George and Jesse. As the last of the members entered the room, the last of the slimes was destroyed. The group waited a second and just like last time the light appeared above the splattered forms of the slimes to give them a few scraps of silk cloth and a single crystal. Jason picked up the loot and began to distribute earplugs to each member as they passed him to move deeper into the complex
The group was on a mission and they didn't plan on stopping. The next room was over just as quickly as the first and the loot they gained was just as familiar as before. As they entered the boss room, they spread out to actually get some space to move. Multiple weapons were brandished and all eyes were trained on the heaving pool of slime in the center of the room. A now familiar figure of slime emerged and visibly hesitated upon realizing the situation. It glanced around the room at each of the young adults surrounding it and slowly slid back into its pool, much to the confusion of everyone else. Each of the group members exchanged looks and after about a minute Jason just shouldered his rifle and shot into the slime pool.
The resulting rumble was followed by an explosion of movement. The figure emerged once again and multiple tentacles and smaller slimes spilled out, each seeking a different target. Very quickly after this display another rumble shook the room caused by several high-powered firecrackers being lit and sent at the large figure at the same time. The core of the great slime was cracked and a few seconds later the smaller slimes were splattered across the walls. The group took a breather as the light appeared once again and deposited two items by the pool in the center. The first was a chain made of the same crystal that had made George's shield and Jesse's cane which was picked up by Devon. The second was a cloak made of a strange, durable fabric that seemed to shimmer slightly and change to fit the surroundings, which was picked up by Jason and almost immediately put on.
----------------------------------------
Pinky was... Well concerned was putting it a bit too lightly. Maybe the incident last time had changed something in them? They seemed determined and it was really giving her a bad feeling. She could feel a pit slowly opening up in her stomach as she watched them descend the stairs.
----------------------------------------
Once again the group had found themselves in the strange underground forest. They split up at the intersection, each taking the path they hadn't fully explored the first time. The party crested the hill and found themselves at the lake shore once again, the dappled sunlight reflecting off the calm waves. It took them about a minute to find the other path and only a little longer to follow it. As they came upon the waterfall they were stunned by the majestic sight. The cascading water's thrum releasing stress from within them that they didn't even realize they were harboring.
Ross lead the rest of the outcasts to the campsite where they lingered behind as the stoner moved on ahead. Following the trail he came upon a small clearing with multiple small ponds, each cordoned off with what appeared to be a bamboo wall, and a small pink slime bouncing in and out of them. Feeling someone grab his shoulder, he let out a very undignified scream which got the attention of the slime. A bang sounded out behind him and the blob of jelly popped as he turned to see his friends gathering behind him. He scowled at their amusement and shook his head before leading them over to inspect the area.
After not much longer, both groups met back up at the crossroads and proceeded onto the final path. The group was tense with all members on high alert. Where before there hadn't been many words shared, they were now as silent as the woods surrounding them. The path they walked wasn't helping matters either as with each step it seemed like it was getting darker and more densely walled with trees and undergrowth. When the intersection where the deer was previously met was reached, weapons were readied immediately.
Randy pulled out a can of spray paint and shook it up, the clanking of the ball bearing echoing ominously in the near silent forest, as Jesse stepped up beside him. Abe pulled out a large spool of string, signalling to George to follow him as he tied it around a tree at the entrance to one of the side paths. The two pairs each took one side path, quickly discovering that both were dead ends and doubling back. With an exchange of nods and the untying of string, the group moved forwards as Abe sketched out what they'd discovered in his sketchbook.
It didn't take them long to come across another intersection. This time though they'd come upon a wall of trees with a corridor stretching to the left and right, both paths turning off and making it impossible to see where they went. As Randy and Jesse went to once again check out one of the two trails they were stopped by Abe and George. With simple body language, the two said that it wasn't a good idea and they should all stick together. Afterwards the geek and jock turned back to the rest of the group and motioned for a vote on which path to take. With a show of hands, they chose the left hand path and followed it.
They followed the path for a short time and, upon turning the corner, were met with both another 4-way intersection and the realization that this truly was a maze. Randy sprayed a marking on a tree to show the way they'd come and once again Abe and George went to call for a vote. However the forest had other ideas. From seemingly out of nowhere, a large deer with plush fur, pink hooves, and wide spiked antlers slammed into George and pinned him to the ground. Abe jumped back and the rest spread out in an attempt to both make room and to not be in immediate striking distance of those wicked thorns.
Jason shouldered his rifle, quickly aimed, and fired directly into the flank of the deer. The beast bellowed and practically tossed George to the side, making him skid along the packed dirt for a few feet. Randy was next and quickly let loose two shots into the creature, forcing it to swing its heavy head between the two attackers. Morgan helped George to his feet, thankfully not too worse for wear as the beast charged at Jason. Jason scrambled to retreat as it neared him but it never made contact. A strange weighted crystal chain shot out from the side, wrapped around its neck, and jerked it to the side, forcing it to the ground with a sickening crack.
Everyone looked at the deer and followed the chain to see Devon holding it in his hands, a strange look of reservation across his face. Jesse checked out George as Devon moved to unwrap the chain from the deceased creature's neck. As the metalhead reached forwards to move it, a strange light emanated from it and the deer disappeared, the chain going slack as a scrap of plush fabric wrapped around something dropped where the deer's center of mass was. He gathered up his chain and everyone watched as he opened the wrapped fabric to find a thick slab of meat. Jason moved forwards and inspected it before rewrapping it and putting it in his backpack for safekeeping. As Jason stowed away the bundle, the rest of the group decided to take the left.
Once more the group came upon a T-intersection, though this time it was from a different direction as they simply stumbled onto the side path with no warning. Their current path seemed to turn into another one not too further ahead as well. Devon, Randy, George, and Abe volunteered to check out the side passage and, after a short informal vote, they headed off after Abe tied his string to the starting path. Their course wound deep into the forest before they stumbled onto yet another intersection. While Abe and Randy silently bickered over which path to take, Devon glanced down the right hand path and signaled to them that it was a dead end. With that matter settled, the small group split into two pairs and each took one of the paths.
Abe and George took the left handed path and found the trees growing slightly less dense as they traveled. Their path wound between areas of relative low and high density trees before finally coming to a dead end. Devon and Randy took the center path and the trees continued to grow denser and denser. They rounded a corner and watched a slight fog appear at their feet as they moved. The two were almost opposites of each other as Randy was twitchy and nervous while Devon was calm but despondent. After a few more minutes of walking they came upon a large wooden gate decorated with the image of a deer with antlers of trees. Upon seeing this, the two glanced at each other and made their way back. As the expedition party met back up they informed the other pair what they'd found and quickly moved to gather the rest of the group. Once the rest of the group was brought up to speed they made their way to the gate and, after a short time spent on rechecking this gear and reloading, entered through it.
As the gate opened they were shown a massive circular arena with wooden stake walls resembling the tree boundary of the trail, ground consisting of packed dirt with grass around the edges, and three portcullises on the far side of the arena. As the group moved in the gate swung closed behind them and an audible locking noise rung out across the colosseum, mockingly echoed by two of the portcullises clanking as they began to retract downwards. As the entrances were fully unsealed two creatures emerged from the darkness of each. Two of the same deer that they'd faced earlier slowly moved into the arena, mirrored by two strange moving thick vines on the other side. All at once the strange creatures noticed the assembled group and dropped into offensive stances before charging directly at them.
The group of seniors hastily attempted to find a good position in the short time they had to react and failed miserably. In their attempt to form a fighting line they instead simply scattered and made themselves easier targets. George and Abe bumped into each other before both were bowled over by a speeding deer, leading to the larger jock getting stabbed in multiple non-threatening places simultaneously. Jesse and Devon jumped out of the way of the other deer, inadvertently causing Ross to trip over the now prone goth. Randy and Jason both backed up and took potshots at the autonomous vine bee-lining towards them with both missing every shot they made. Marie and Morgan sprinted away from the other vine and slammed into each other and fell forwards, causing their limbs to get tangled up for just the second needed for the serpentine plant to coil around Marie's leg.
If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
With adrenaline pumping and the threat of possible death staring him in the face, George let loose a primal roar and kicked the deer off of him. Grabbing his bat as he stood back up, he swung directly at the beast and slammed his spiked club up into the side of its partially dazed head. The cervine monster brayed in pain as the force of the impact forced it to move or fall, giving Abe enough time to stand up and blast it with his homemade flamethrower. The deer felt pain and fear race across its body as its fur caught fire and it swung its antlers at the two in front of it, feeling its legs buckle from the counter that broke off its antlers and slammed its entire front half into the dirt. George roared once more and kept bringing his bat down on the deer until it stopped moving, its head and front of its torso mashed beyond any possible reconstruction. Abe watched in stunned silence with his mouth hanging open and a single thought whispering in his head: "Nari Battle Rage is real..."
Jesse managed to stand up and get his cane in front of him just as the deer thrust at him. He wasn't too happy to be on the receiving end of an angry deer again, though at least this time is wasn't its rear end. He saw Devon's chain lash out from the corner of his eye and the deer brayed in rage as its back leg was pulled out of its socket. The next thing he saw almost made him drop his crystal rod. Ross leapt onto the back of the deer and wrapped his arm around its head, causing it to rear up in an attempt to knock him off. The look on the stoner's face made Jesse's blood run cold. His ice-blue eyes were seemingly unfocused and practically bulging out of his head with dilated pupils and a grin spread from ear to ear with bared teeth. The deer brayed one last time as Ross dug his fingers into the creature's flesh and sunk his knife to the hilt in the creature's neck, madly laughing as the blood sprayed across his face and chest. Devon and Jesse shared a look that communicated the same thought: "Oh shit. The [Soul-Eater] is going crazy."
As the strange vine snaked towards them, Randy and Jason fired off a few more shots but weren't quite able to actually harm it. The hunter growled in frustration and tossed his rifle aside, much to the shock of the thug beside him, and pulled out his trusty axe. The vine coiled up and leapt at Randy who attempted to back up only to slam his back against the gate. He yelled in pain as the vine clamped down on his shoulder, its tip opening up to reveal multiple large thorns that dug into his flesh. With no hesitation Jason grabbed it by the "head", yanked it out of his party member, and dunked it onto the ground. Randy clutched his bleeding shoulder in pain as the hunter slammed his foot onto the "head" of the vine and proceeded to chop into it over and over.
As the vine wrapped around Marie's leg she screamed in a mix of pain and fear. The tip of the vine opened up to hiss at the frightened girl and revealed multiple large thorns as it did so. Operating on pure instinct Morgan jumped up and kicked the vine in the tip, not doing much damage to it but drawing its attention from the other woman. The serpent reared up and lunged forwards but couldn't move much from its position around the smaller girl. Morgan slashed at the plant and it dodged easily as it began unwrapping itself and slowly moving towards her to get a better shot. Once again the serpent lunged at the young witch, but this time its bite made contact with her forearm. The scream pulled Marie out of her shock and she snatched up her slime gun, clicked the dials, then sprayed and prayed. The effect was almost immediate. The vegetative serpent released the now partially wet witch and began thrashing about on the ground. Morgan pulled out a water bottle and doused herself to remove the water as the vine dissolved in the slime. The two women looked at each other with a newfound sense of respect as they sought to catch their breath.
With all of the beasts dead, the party members moved to tend to their wounds. First aid kits were brought out and bandages and antiseptic were applied. Just as they finished up they heard a rumbling noise coming from the opposite end of the arena and each one turned to see what was going on. The large portcullis in the middle had begun to move and once it had retracted into the earth a huge creature emerged. It was a tall beast with pink fur, purple spots, a long snake-like neck, a massive rack of gemstone-spiked, gleaming antlers, silver hooves with gold inlay, and black leather armor. It moved slowly, taking in the astonished party with its gleaming eyes, and stopped a third of the way from them.
"What... What is that?" Jesse asked, unable to believe his eyes.
"Maybe a... magic giraffe?" Morgan offered but without even a shred of confidence.
Abe swallowed and pulled out a roman candle, "I know that's supposed to be."
"What?" Morgan glanced over, puzzled at the firework.
Abe lit the fuse and pointed it at the great beast in front of them, "that's a questing beast."
Any further questions were cut short as the first fireball lanced forth and exploded behind the creature's head. It let loose a braying roar and dashed forwards, its serpentine neck seeking out the small geek who'd deafened it. Everyone scattered and Abe jumped to the side while keeping his aim on the thing coming after him. Another ball flew towards the creature and exploded against its flank, searing the armor and eliciting another cry of pain from the creature. Jason picked up his gun and after a second to line it up, shot the creature in its back haunch. Randy fired multiple shots, but couldn't tell if he made contact with how it was already moving and crying out. The beast's antlers raked against the ground and tossed Abe across the arena, the firework loosing the last of its shots high into the air where it did no damage just before the pudgy geek landed in the dirt.
Marie ran over to check on her friend as the creature turned to look at the two men firing at it. As soon as it charged at them, the two scattered in opposite directions knowing it would have to pick one of them. It chose to follow Jason and snorted in derision at the fleeing human who could never match its speed just before it felt something sticky and solid wrap around its front leg and slammed into the ground. Devon pulled his crystal chain tight and yelled in both anger and exertion as the creature he's just tripped up tried to pull him forwards. Suddenly he saw two people dash past him.
George and Ross started wailing on the struggling beast like men possessed. One slamming his spiked club down hard enough to almost break it and the other carving bloody swathes out of the back haunch. The great deer-thing brayed in pain and frustration as it lost the use of its back legs and quickly called out again as multiple bullets lodged themselves deep into its flank. Devon was pulled to the ground as his footing gave way from the beast attempting to stand up, but it didn't matter much anymore. Multiple fireballs exploded around the creature's head from roman candles and the dazed monster was soon after taken down by a combination of fire, bullet, blade, and chain. The great beast collapsed against the wall of the arena and shortly after all of the corpses disintegrated into light and were replaced by various items.
Jason picked up the items dropped from the first round, mostly fabric and vine scraps, and put them in his backpack. The light from the questing beast coalesced into two different items which laid beside its final resting place. The first was a strange wooden staff with multiple storage holes incorporated into the design and strange runic inscriptions along the length. The second was a small, straightened piece of carved antler with small vines embedded along its length, a tiny crystal replacing the tip, and leather straps around the base end. Ross and Abe were the ones to walk forwards this time and as they reached the items the seemingly understood which one belonged to them. Ross picked up the staff and watched in amazement as the runes began to glow softly and tiny motes of green light appeared and vanished like ethereal fireflies around the tip. Abe picked up the wand and sucked in a sharp breath as the crystal glowed and a soft pseudo-electric hum seemed to fill his body for a second before receding back into the wand.
----------------------------------------
Pinky was caught somewhere between awe and terror. On the one hand, they had taken down her Great Deer and conquered her forest. On the other hand they now had access to magic and had proven themselves. She finally realized which side she was one when both she and the group of seniors heard a door opening from the chamber behind the central portcullis. Light emerged from a doorway within the darkness and drew the attention of the adventurers she had been watching this whole time. She watched as one by one they entered into her most private room. A single thought entered her head.
"Oh no."
Abraham Cortes
-Item Gained: [Antler Wand]
Ross Nelson
-Item Gained: [Staff of the Green]
----------------------------------------
Ross Nelson
Stats
-Strength - 3
-Intelligence - 4
-Nimbleness - 3
-Acumen - 4
-Physique - 3
-Synchronicity - 3
-Empathy - 4
Skills
-Brawl 2, Dodge 2, Sleight of Hand 3, Stealth 3, Swim 3, Appraise 4, Bluff 4, Diplomacy 3, Gather Information 2, Haggling 4, Knowledge (High School, Drugs, Varied) 3, Perception 2, Sense Motive 4, Technology 1, Agriculture 1, Herbology 2, Craft (Paraphenalia) 2, Forgery 2, Medical 1, Forbidden Knowledge (Planes, Spirits, Primordials) 3
Equipment
-Phone, Wallet, Backpack, Keys, Notebook, Pens, Pencils, Textbooks, Folders, Papers, Snack, Journal, Pendant necklace.
-2nd+3rd Run: Phone, Wallet, Backpack, Keys, Notebook, Pens, Pencils, Journal, Pendant necklace, Baggie of Joints, Grinder, Mini Bong, Baggie of Mushrooms, Walking Stick, Bowie Knife, Chalk, Packet of Incense, Lotus Incense Burner, Lighter, Scissors, Snack, Water Bottle, Staff of the Green
-Staff of the Green (3rd; Living Wood Walking Stick with holder for mini bong, stash, lighter, and grinder, allows for basic magic without magical skills or perks)
Description
-Skinny, shaggy blond hair, blue eyes, Nari. Wears baggy shirts, ripped jeans, running shoes, beanie, and a necklace with the peace symbol on it. 2nd Run: Wears the same thing
-Born into a low class hippie family, he was given space to find himself and had a nice childhood. He didn't always get his way, but his parents were always willing to see things from his perspective and explain their reasoning to him. Eventually he started asking his parents questions on the nature of things and his father taught him how to do research and where to start. From then on he was almost always reading, asking questions, and practicing things he found in the books his parents agreed with. On his 13th birthday his parents gave him a joint and smoked with him. From then on as long as he kept his grades up and stayed out of trouble, he'd have an alright supply of weed, which he made sure to do even while hanging out with the other outcasts at school. On his 16th birthday, his dad gave him mushrooms and he went on a strong trip that led him to a deeper understanding of reality. Afterwards, he began to research more, grow his own stash, and performed similar investigation to Morgan with greater effects and discoveries. These discoveries led to many late night discussions with Morgan over the nature of reality.
-Very laid back and introspective, very hard to anger or annoy. Doesn't talk much unless he's high or shooting the shit, otherwise he observes and only speaks when he feels it's necessary.