MDSVeritas

Gold "Good choice Sandrew, good choice." It was Adriev. The electricity arcing between the remaining four then focused on Sandrew, and much of the energy taken from the others, was then directed into Sandrew's being, recharging his abilities and giving him new found strength. after that he was released from the electric cycle. It continued to sucks energy from the remaining three for a few more seconds, and then turned off entirely. Drale, Amber, and Cornelius were all left badly hurt, more or less paralyzed with some minor movement and the ability to move their head and speak, and a temporary loss of their powers. "Now for the first of a few trials to see if you really did this for you companion's sakes." On the far side of the white room they were in that had once looked like a grove there appeared several machines that came out of the walls and activated to create a zigzag of super-heated magic beams. This wall of heated magic beams then started to moving down from the far wall to the other side of the room... straight through the path of everyone on team gold. "They will be cut apart very easily if the lasers reach them. There are three of them, though, and only two of you, so either you leave one, or one of you two left with your powers better think up a good strategy...." The wall of lasers began to speeding towards the group... Iron Without any word, the door before Iron team opened, and the gas being pumped into the room was pumped back out. On the other side of the door was something terrible; a room full of skeletons. It seemed to have been a large meeting room, with various tables and old scrolls around it. Now it seemed menacingly ominous, with hundreds of dead huddled inside. On the other side of the room from where Iron was was an unlocked door to go through after they had scoured the room. In the center of the room was what almost seemed like a throne, and a skeleton with faded gold armor sat in it, holding a magic recording orb in it's hand...

Silver/Platinum All doors around the room locked. "Look around you." Adriev's voice returned. "Who are your friends? Who are you foes? I offer you your next step in the journey to the top. The door before you leads to the first breadcrumb in a trail of information that explains more of the nature of Evraius than any human has ever known. You won't leave this mountain alive, so why not show you the truth? At the same time you humans and your fickle nature are amusing so let me put it in the form of a game. Five people will be allowed through the door. It will only open with four are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise too badly damaged to make it through, thus leaving only 5 capable people left to advance. After five move through the door it will close, meaning there is no bringing those with you who you beat." He gave a moment for the scenario to sink in. "Think of it as a re-mixing of the teams. The winning 5 will be rewarded with something. The losing team left in the room will be transported to a trial that will be difficult to escape." "So...." Adriev spoke calmly and malevolently. "Let the games begin." Gold A jolt of energy shot into Sandrew, bolting him awake. Adreiv's voice then reached him and only him. "Don't worry, Sandrew, I'm not letting you off yet. I want you to be awake to make this choice. Abandon your friends and rest, or endure more suffering and let them have less damage done to them. They want you to, they are telling you too. Who knows what you will face next. Will you get out, or will you stay? Everyone else seems to have made their choice. Now it's on you. You are the final choice. I can make this all end for you Sandrew, I can free you. Say the word." Iron "Such indecisiveness!" Adriev shouted out. The sword moved on it's own now, jolting out of Emert's hand before blazing back towards him, aiming for his chest. He could take the blow himself, or someone else could but not it was no longer a choice of persecution... it was a choice of sacrifice.... ... and if someone didn't chose to sacrifice themselves now, Emert was going to be it....

I'm right in the middle of a vacation sandwich, so while I'm updating as I can, I don't have a solid internet connection or a ton of time to be on all the time. Still, while it may be a bit slower, the RPs still going. Next update is coming up soon.

Don't worry, I won't so easily let a character easily die unless it's the player's choice or the odds are unequivocally stacked against them. I do enjoy some dire situations though, and I think mixing up scenarios and premises is usually how you get to some of the more interesting character moments and developments.

This is gonna be interesting to see everyone get through. I'm trying to intersperse the combat-heavy content with some of the more interpersonal conflict that I think was at the heart of a lot of the intrigue of The Experiment and Echoes and Ash. So far you all seem to be handling it pretty well!

Gold Ferro pressed the button. "I'm so glad that you all are feeling team oriented. It will make the next trial more fun." Adriev's voice resounded through the grove. Then the grove evaporated away, and the group found themselves in a completely white room. The grass dissolved to a hard white floor, the trees dissipated, and the sky closed off. Around the group 10 poles rose from the ground in a circle around the group, and some sort of magic-based electricity bolted from the tips of each pole towards the group. As the electricity arced between the members every member could begin to feel their magic drifting away with the electricity. "Let me explain to you this contraption that you've just activated on yourself." The electricity was both painful and draining, and paralyzed every muscle of everyone in the group as it moved through them. "In just a few minutes these arc poles will have sucked all your magic potential from you. After some time you will all slowly regain your powers naturally, but immediately after this I will force you all through some trials that will be... interesting to see you face without powers." The electricity continued to cut through every member of the group- Ferro, Drale, Amber, Cornelius, Sandrew.... "I have an offer for those of you who have the intelligence and logic to want to stay a live a bit longer, though. Simply speak the words, and I will stop the flow towards you in particular, but not your peers. You will be spared losing any powers or suffering any more pain. However, there is a set potency this contraption has, and it will not be reduced." Adriev let the potential pervade the room as the electricity kept arcing through them. "If one person chooses to be let off, the remaining four people will not only lose their powers temporarily, but suffer substantial physical damage as well...." "If two people choose to be let off, the remaining three people will lose their powers temporarily, suffer damage, and be temporarily paralyzed by the shock...." "If three people choose to be let off, the remaining two people will suffer damage, be temporarily paralyzed, and permanently lose their magic abilities...." "And finally if four people choose to be let off, the remaining person will be killed." The silence was broken up by the crackling of electricity. "And before you try to be altruistic about it all, realize that if you choose to endure it, you will most likely not survive the next trial, which you will have to contest fully without any aid of magic. After that you should have regained powers, but if not one one you maintains powers for the next trial your mutual is nearly assured, and one is mostly likely not enough." Adriev then chuckled, but not happily. This was not supreme enjoyment. This was teaching a lesson. "You have five minutes. Good luck." Platinum/Silver As the members of the two teams continued to talk, a voice resounded through the room. Adriev's... "Hope you all are enjoying your cute little respite. Be sure to know who your friends are. In one minute your break ends, and I hope you aren't attached to your friendship." Iron The sound of moving gas was heard throughout the chamber. A light green/purplish gas spread through the room slowly. "This is my personal concoction." Adriev's voice returned. "Slow...painful stuff. If you don't pick someone and open that door right now I will kill you all, and I will do it gladly." Kamyn The Sky Lightning did not escape Adriev's view. "Efenton, Vortimer, Griver. Be careful, but engage Ryu immediately. We end him now or he causes more trouble. Don't bother to regroup beforehand, just attack him on sight now." Each of the Kamyn on Adriev's side heard. Then it was Ryu's mind Adriev's voice entered. "You are making a foolish foolish mistake Ryu. Return now and your punishment will be non-life-ending. Otherwise I shall afford your traitorous hide no mercy."

Kamyn "Griver... Vortimer. I've located Ryu." Adriev spoke coldly as projection of Ryu, now levitating high into the sky appeared in the room. "You both are free to deal with him immediately." Adriev then spoke directly to Efenton after that. "Efenton. Assist Griver and Vortimer if you are able. I want this traitor finished off before he becomes any more of a bother." Gold "Tsk tsk tsk" Adriev's voice spoke in the minds of everyone in or with Gold team. "I thought you're be more decisive than this. I don't want to have to flood this room with poisonous gas. That would be so uneventful..."

Kamyn Adriev frowned as he heard Ryu's words, but his expression softened when he looked towards Griver and Vortimer. "Think nothing of your failure to eliminate Vaefrius. He was strong enough to challenge even me, and he is dead now anyway." Adriev focused on Vortimer's arm, and a swirl of magic energy coalesced around it, and after several moments it disappated to reveal a mechanical arm in place of Vortimer's lost one. "Either way, the mission I have for you two next will be to eliminate a new traitor it would seem. The moment Ryu shows himself again, we will be there. I'm growing tired of this charade anyhow, before long I will simply destroy these humans."

Iron Sanya slammed into Vaefrius, who's white hot eyes glanced down then at the fiery tear in his torso. He fell to the ground, and for a moment his eyes returned to normal. "Ha...haha....ha..." His laughing was interrupted by huge spouts of blood. "You fools.... heh.... you don't even know.... you think they are gods.... you think that some special magic you all have.... hahaha.... there's so much you don't understand.... couldn't... hahhahaha... couldn't understand." He stared with cold, hateful eyes towards Vortimer, Griver, Emert, Sanya, Cathos, Alice, Morgan and the Doctor. "It doesn't matter though.... because you'll all be dead!" He raised his fist and pounded it into the ground with ridiculous force, tearing himself apart in the process, but also bursting the entire area of ground the group stood on, forcing them to tumble deep below.... When they finally hit something far below the surface the group found themselves in a eerily lit chamber with torches, somehow still lit, hanging on all the walls. There was nothing in the room besides several barren altars and a single sword set into a stone as well as a gigantic stone door on the other side of the chamber. "Griver, Vortimer." Adriev's voice sounded within the minds of the two Kamyn. "Make your way back to the main base. We shall consult more there. I will handle this group for now." Then in the silence of the underground chamber, where The Doctor, Alice, Cathos, Emert, Sanya, Morgan all now lay, Adriev's voice entered their mind. "This is unexpected. I do apologize for Vaefrius's intrusion, but in the end it seems no harm was done. Welcome to the ceremonial chamber. Long ago this place was used for religious purposes of a belief system long lost... but." The hole by which they had all fallen in suddenly seemed to seal above them, leaving nothing but the ominous torchlight. "This room shall be very useful indeed. You see the only door the remains you must be opened by the ancient rite of blood sacrifice. That sword must be used on someone in this room. It need not kill, but the wound will be severe beyond repair. To progress you must pick someone..." Adriev left a thick silence in the room before offering his final bit of information. "I'm here to help though, so let me give you some information. You all are well aware you endeavor has been infiltrated by spies, yes? They seek to kill you all and still my people's power. Let me be so kind as to give you the information that may prove so useful...." "Morgan.... or The Doctor...or Cathos. One or more of these three is the spy you seek. Perhaps there in lies the answer as to who to sacrifice. Either way, I'll leave you to some talking and a very important decision...." Silver As the giant mechanical spider fell to the ground, defeated, the door at the end of the room finally opened. "Counter-measures failed. High-level status confirmed. Entry allowed." The familiar voice intoned throughout the room again. The room beyond the door was filled with newly-made bandages, fresh food including various fruits, pies, and meats of various types. The room was all white like before. There were three doors in the room; the one that connected the Silver team's room to it, another door very similar to that one, and a huge metallic door with strange symbols written on it. It seemed safe enough and it was probably worth discovering what they might find in the room ahead. ...or who. Gold Taking a huge amount of damage from Cornelius's attack, and then the follow up from Amber's punch, the light figure exploded in super-headed waves, which struck anyone in the nearby area, searing them. But as the explosion faded the exit to the cave became more clear, and now nothing stood between gold team and their destination. Right beyond the exit to the cave lay an open grove. A good place to resupply and possibly talk a little bit after such an ordeal. In the center of the grove was a single pedestal with a button on it, waiting to be pressed after the team had perhaps relaxed a bit. Platinum "Ryu," Adriev's voice reached his subordinate. "For now I must ask you to retreat. You will get a chance to battle fools like this very very soon, but there is something for more interesting for them to encounter and time is of the essence." Behind Ryu the door to the underground area opened up to the Platinum team. Apollo, Lance, Varion, Fairy, Aya, and Sairi now faced their newest challenge. The room beyond was all white, and was stocked with needed supplies; fresh foods like fruits or meats, and bandages and medical supplies. Besides the supplies, the room had two doors. One was a huge metal door that had symbols all over it. The other was a now open door... to another room where three people were coming in from... Kinzoku, Tristan, and Jasper... the Silver team.

Being remedied as we speak. EDIT: Now the fun starts.

Okay, my busyness got extended for one day after the long weekend but I've now returned. Let the RP recommence! And Sora, wachutakingbout?

Just a quick heads up guys, I'm in the middle of a super busy weekend so don't expect any big motion on my end till Monday.

There ya are Gold Team, sorry about the wait! Also, for those of you in The Experiment... this is the fun part where the trials get to be less outright fighting, and more pitting players against each other and giving the tough choices...

Silver As if in answer to Tristan's idea, the giant spider-like mechanical behemoth turned its heads towards Jasper, and jolted forward in what was as much of a leap as it could get. All of it's legs repositioned and pointed downward towards him, leaving Jasper very little room to get out of the way. It was looking for blood. Gold (Oh hey Gold team, long time no see!) Finally in the distance of the labyrinth a white light appeared, calling to the Gold team who had been so long trapped in the darkness of the cave. It was within reach... finally an exit. Then in an instant a silhouette appeared in the far off doorway. The voice that came next was infamous. Adriev the leader and the the one who communicated to all humans of the Kamyn's powers. "Looks like you nuisances need a personal touch." Adriev tossed a strange orb towards the Gold team. It hit the ground and rolled ominously towards them. Finally it burst out in light. Some sort of flare of flash grenade? But then the light that exploded from the orb reformed and made ridiculously bright figure made entirely of light in some of humanoid figure. Adriev disappeared and the light figure formed some sort of spear in it's hands. Everything around it was fully illuminated, and as the figured bean to charge the group shadows morphed and changed around it. Eventually the figure was sprinting... directly toward Amber. It jumped in the air as it got near, it's luminosity more or less a blinding effect before the whole team, and it threw the spear at Amber only a few feet away... In Sandrew's head while this occurred, Adriev's voice returned. "Do you wish that this could all go away? All this pain? This anguish? I can make it so. Think on it and soon I will let you be free from all of this if you so choose." Iron Vaefrius had his mind shattered. Even as a Kamyn he had lacked the composure and reason to see through the trap or survive it, but now Cathos's trap had broken most of the psyche that had remained. As Vortimer overpowered him and began to choke him Vaefrius's fist went white hot, as he mindlessly channeled every ounce of momentum into them, and drove them into Vortimer's left arm. Before even looking to see what effect it had on Vortimer, Vaefrius, with his bland rage, smashed his hand into the ground, and the intense vibrations caused two separate rifts in the ground, snaking towards Griver and Cathos, and then ripping open form the force of the initial punch, and opening up a gigantic pit beneath both. Vaefrius then turned to look what his attack had done to Vortimer, because he wasn't done yet... all while Sanya's ropes of fire drew closer and closer...

Iron Vaefrius was not pleased with the situation. Not pleased in the least. The judge fellow has blown away his attack, and Griver had now arrived. "Griver? You're here too? I'm so honored, I get two lap dogs for my trouble." He then looked to the sky... Vortimer's work. This could get complicated. "All this for me, Vortimer? You really do go all out don't you? So sweet." Vaefrius plucked a pebble from the ground and glared at Vortimer. He asked for it... "Hey Vaefrius! You just destroyed your own tower. I bet that sucks. How does it feel to be cast out by your own kind?" a voice taunted behind him. He turned to face Cathos. "You cocky little freak..." Vaefrius went from annoyed to infuriated. "Nobody cast me out of anything. I left. Anything I want, I get...If I want you dead..." He threw the pebble at Cathos going somewhere around mach speed and then leaped towards him, his fist cocked, unbelievable force building in up in it as he jumped. "Then I'm sure as hell going to be able to kill you!" Silver Now with one spider on the ground, disabled and flailing about, one cut in half, and one without a couple legs and a head, the voice returned to the white chamber as all three disappeared in a sort of vaporization. "Initial counter-measures failed. Deploying final counter measure." Then it appeared. It could be described as a spider but it had 3 times the legs, and most spiders didn't have three heads... all equipped with the magical beams. It was about the size of one third of the room, and it towered over Jasper and Tristan. It raised two of it's it legs and snapped them down towards Jasper as all three heads focused on Tristan and fired at him from slightly varying angles, making them difficult to block entirely.

lol, sorry about that one, man. Should I rename it Kuroi team? In all seriousness, though, I'll try to keep mention of the team name to the colored divider I use in my posts, and try to go by the names of the members for the rest of the time. I'm not entirely sure what that means, but you're cleared to do what you wish as long as it doesn't get too overpowered or hurt anyone else's experience. BTW, I noticed there's a little confusion at who's the rogue element of the Kamyn here, and I just wanted to clarify that it's Vaefrius. Vortimer and Griver are still with the main group. Also, to all Gold team members, I won't leave you guys hanging too badly. It seems that Schemer has good reason to not have the chance to be around as of late, but after tonight I'll cover your guys adventure if there are any major time gaps, and whenever he gets back if you guys are still in the cave he'll be able to get right back into it.

If that was in reference to Silver team causing the landslide I mean that it's actually the "Silver Team" as opposed to "Silver's team." Maybe I should have picked a better metallic element... Also, the teams that are gonna be meeting up haven't been disclosed just yet, so try not to jump to any conclusions, and I never said one team has to meet up with only one other team or you'll only be meeting up with other's once...

Huh. One day I decide I want something to do, come up with an idea of a bunch of people waking up on an island with a bunch of tests, turn into an RP, and now I'm Tier 1 on the RP list. You know what, I'll take it!

Sure. On the Iron team side, a new Kamyn not affiliated with the primary Kamyn group or the climber's appeared and starting engaging both sides, obviously a bit crazy, so right now that entire area is focused on fighting him. For Platinum, after weathering the landslide, the team was shown via projection how it was Silver team's doing that the landslide even happened and then a doorway was opened up by the landslide carrying away dirt. Before they can get to the doorway, though, the team will have to go through Ryu, who's standing in their way.

((Awesome. BTW, I don't want any of that to come across as being on you. RP situations can just stagnate in general at times with no fault at hand and I don't want people to feel they are in a situation where there isn't a clear goal or next step and with the landslide coming to an end and Ryu not directly obstructing them I wanted to be sure that Platinum members didn't feel like they didn't have a direction. I previously edited my last post based on your character's actions you pointed out as well, so don't worry, I'm reading them :wink: . I don't mean to step on any toes here, I'm just trying to keep things moving as RPs can slow down or stop entirely easily enough without any direct cause. If there's anything else you feel like bringing up about the RP, don't hesitate to post in the discussion thread and I'll be around to help out as best I can, I want this to be cool for everyone involved.))

((If any of that was to me, I also read your post, but as nothing was happening in that section I moved it forward because Ryu wasn't directly engaging them, and there wasn't any progress.))

Teams are about to start meeting up with each other, so feel free to put forth requests if you want your team to join up with a specific other team.

Iron Vaefrius scowled as the ice shards tore into him, and hurled his makeshift weapon of the upper tower towards Vortimer. "You bastard! This is my part of the mountain! You fools know nothing!" He then leaped in the air and dove downward towards the Iron team behind Vortimer, specifically aiming for the Doctor and Emert, and punched the ground next to them, hoping they wouldn't avoid it fast enough and the shock would enough to kill them instantly given how close they were. He had to end it now, before Adriev got involved. Kamyn Adriev was still grimacing. "Griver. Go to assist. We must stop Vaefrius now. If he gets too desperate... he will try to level the entire mountain. That. Cannot. Happen. You and Vortimer must finish him, then either face Iron team or report back, it matters not." At the same time, though Adriev looked down at the projection from team Gold. Dante was toying with them, but Adriev was already thinking ahead. That Sandrew was a fickle-looking kid and didn't want to be there. There could be much use for him very soon... Platinum As the rest of the landslide moved past them, Platinum team got a chance to rest for but a moment. Soon a projection appeared in front of them, showing what had transpired with Silver team; the orb that would cause a landslide explained by Adriev, and Kinzoku activating the orb, and causing the landslide they had only just survived. Afterward it disappeared and in it's place Platinum team was shown the next step in their journey: the landslide had uncovered an underground passageway entrance not far ahead of the shack. It was a metallic white door, and only by approaching it would the figure out what lay within... Silver The spider that was attacked fell over with the clumsiness that came with a lack of two back legs. The beam from it's head started firing all directions, but the spider was slowly slowing down. The other two went fully hostile at that point, leaping directly onto Tristan and trying to fix their aim on his head before firing...

Silver "Identification not recognized. Goodbye." The voice faded as a strange whirring sound grew lousing around the room. Then in a moment three large machanical spider-like beings materialized around Tristan, and in a moment some sort of red magic beam shot from each of their heads towards him, blazing in his direction at a blistering speed. Immediatly after they leaped towards him. It would take all the Silver members that remained if these were to be defeated... Iron "Vortimer..." Vaefrius grimaced. "Come down from your master, lap dog? Well alright then. I'll take out all you intruders together." He smashed his fist into the ground, and a perfect sphere of rock erupted up in front of him. With a minor flick he sent it barreling towards Vortimer. As it flew he began smashing his fists into the ground, and more spheres leapt from the earth. With several punches, Emert, Alice, Morgan, and the Doctor all had very real threats heading towards them... And that was before he picked up the upper half of the tower that remained next to him...

(Sorry about that. Seems that Schemer has been busy so he may not have the time to work on anything for Gold like we were planning. If there's nothing from him by tonight I'll start taking over to give you guys stuff to do)