Welcome to Gaia! ::

"When you're all done, I will explain this game and the rules. Since you all won't meet me for a fight till level eleven or so, I and a few others decided to make a little challenge for you all to test you and see if your abilities or really...Up to par sort to speak for a few of you...Not mentioning any names of course!"

Marquis chuckled a bit and poured more of the black wine into his helmet; the purple mist seeping out of his helmet's sockets and into the air. Marquis coughed a bit and placed down his cup, sighing a bit.

"Strong stuff, makes the blood boil...Oh right...Anyway, I think I'll just explain the game while you all enjoy the food prepared."

Marquis snapped his fingers in the way they made a sound -not actually breaking them- and the door the seemed to lead inside of the mountain ahead opened. As it opened a cold wind seemed to bellow from it like creature breathing. Like Marquis, it made an impact on such a positive looking area as if it was the sole purpose of corruption in the area. The land around it stank of the dead and was cracked by red scars.

"This will be where the game takes place: My Labyrinth. Inside are my own minions, the useful in combat kind. Though I picked the runts of my armies to be in this labyrinth for your enjoyment and to be on a fair level, don’t mean this will be a cake walk. Now for guide to this wondrous place on which you are to follow if you want to win. The goal is to get to the center of the labyrinth, not the exit or you'll just end up back here with me. Once in the center you must fight the mini-boss of this labyrinth and his minions who were provided by another Reaper. Once its dead, the Labyrinth will disappear and you will all be put in front of the gate to Level three!"

Marquis now had to explain the rules to the Players, because there was more to this game then just going to kill a boss and getting to level three. This labyrinth was still a bit challenging at some parts and eventually the players would get tired.

"Now for the rules of this game: One, you cannot simply go past the Labyrinth or you will be lost in the mountains. Two, Players are allowed to stay behind and be teleported or even switched with another Player in the labyrinth, but both can only be done once. Three, you can come out and rest any time in the labyrinth, but you must find your way out to here or use one of your switches or teleports. Four, under any reason you are about to die you can surrender yourself to the words of Chaos by calling out my name twice and you life will saved in exchange for your obedience to my legion. Those are the rules, now feel free to begin!"

The last rule meant if someone was about to die and take Marquise's offer, they would be servants to him like the creatures they were about to meet in the labyrinth such as the Skin Flayers and Blood Priests. The Flayers were undead, but the Priests were only close to death and practiced necromancy. Their purpose was to heal the Skin Flayers if they were damaged, so this cancelled out any guerilla warfare tactics.

Korsu seated himself at the table and began piling food on his plate. He certainly didn't mean to be rude, but half-giants had greater needs than humans. And he was very hungry. Popping his third roll into his mouth, he scanned his surroundings, taking note of all the people present. Quite a motley crew. All of them had been given new skills that were obviously combat-oriented, and they would have to crack plenty of skulls before they could go back home. That, Korsu knew for sure.
As he had a chicken leg halfway up to his mouth, Ixpath and Marquis started talking. He couldn't help but put down the leg and stare. It sounded like two cemeteries vomiting on each other. The door that Marquis had opened looked like what Korsu imagined Hell to be, but, upon further consideration, he decided that Hell would be much worse. After Marquis' description of the 'game', though, it seemed far too hellish for level 1.

Andy's mind was working furiously as he gazed into the labyrinth's entrance. He was grateful that Ixpath had complained to Marquis, because he had a very similar idea in his own mind. How stupid did he think they were, to try finding their weaknesses?
Closing his eyes, Andy concentrated. He tried to focus on the labyrinth, on any signs of life. Or, more specifically, lack of life. The feedback he gained showed that this dungeon definitely held beasts from beyond the grave. Considering Ixpath, who claimed to have powers over the dead, these monsters shouldn't be very hard to defeat. Then again, Marquis was probably well aware of that.

((I'll wait for other people to post before i start this train wreck arollin.

Heh, if anyone is wondering, currently Ixpath, in D&D terms is an 11th level wizard. My character in D&D, who is almost exactly the same, is a 83rd level wizard. As such he has but 1/8 of his actual power, which would be to create a small WORLD.

@ Animefreak120; Faust is a example of a medieval necromancer, yes.))

Andy grimaced as he resumed listening to the conversation, chewing idly. He didn't think those two would ever shut up. If him and the others were 'Players', then that must mean that Marquis was an AI. That meant that whoever made this world was a total nerd. Ixpath, he had no explanation for at all. He was one of the Players, but he talked like he was actually from a fantasy world. Or could he be an AI, too? How many of the others were AI?

Suddenly, he noticed Korsu stuffing his face. "Geez, are you getting ready for hibernation or something?" He asked. All he got in return was a grunt.

A lullaby for you.
Don't you worry baby, I'll be here by your side
May tomorrow be wonderful too.
Close to you I hope to stay,
Endlessly from today,
Even through cloudy days, You are not alone.

A lullaby for you.
Stars will always gracefully watch over 'til it's bright.
May tomorrow be wonderful, too.
Take my hand and promise me that we'll be alright.
Finding a place to feel at home, You are not alone.

Sighing, Andy pushed his empty plate forward and rose from the table. He didn't have much to eat, but then again, he wasn't very hungry in the first place. Looking at the others, he saw the nervousness on their faces that he expected. He was a little nervous himself, but that was the last thing he wanted Marquis to know. Walking a few steps forward, he studied the entrance to the dungeon with his arms folded. "Well," he said without turning his head, "if you guys are just going to sit stuffing your faces all day, I suppose I'll start exploring this 'Labyrinth'. Your Priest Bleeders don't scare me."
He stepped slowly into the portal, fingering his sword hilt. One more step, and suddenly he froze.

Ixpath hissed at Andy, the scythe taking on an even darker sheen, now with the blood substance dripping faster. Now it was slightly burning holes in the ground. Dangerous. "If you wanted to know, and i doubt you do, I am preparing magic so that WHEN you get torn apart by beasts with fifteen tentacles and nine eyes i can bring you back, partially. The rest is left to our healer, but Chaos is not something to simply mess with. Chaos is combatted by Order. Now, i do hope you make yourself useful in this Labyrinth, Whelp. I have been assured that Alora has at least some use to you and the others, and the Giant almost certainly, but why do we need you? You have a sword. As far as i can tell, and i have scanned you for magic several times, you lack any magical prowess at all. Why should i waste power on you, who might even drag me behind? I have no reason to want to stay here. In fact, if Occam's Dulling was usable here, i would be gone. So, what is your excuse this time?"

Andy would have loved to yell back at Ixpath about how he wasn't useless, but he didn't. Because he didn't hear a word that Ixpath said. All of his attention was on the thing ahead of him, inside the labyrinth. It wasn't unlike what Ixpath had just mentioned. About four feet tall and the same in diameter, it was truly a ball of tentacles. With oily black skin that oozed a foul-smelling green liquid and several cloudy white eyes, one might say that it was an octopus from hell. It must have had terrible eyesight, because it only noticed Andy when it came near. The smell of human -well, at least half-human- filled its olfactory pores, and it went into a fury. Uttering a cry that sounded halfway between roar and belch, it launched itself at Andy. He didn't have time to draw his sword before it began to latch onto his face. One tentacle went around his head to cover his eyes. A second one latched onto his nose and mouth to halt breathing. A third snaked around his neck and began to constrict his throat. All this happened in only a second, as Andy finished drawing his sword and tried to swing. He could no longer take in breaths, and everything started to go dark...
Until, miraculously, his sword made contact with soft flesh. The horror hissed and flinched back, allowing Andy to take a gasp of precious air. Quickly recovering from the blow, the monster tightened its grip again and began to add more tentacles to the constriction. Throwing himself to the ground, Andy began thrashing in a desperate attempt to get free of the beast. It would not give in, though, even though Andy had managed to land several more blows.

Korsu stared at the brawl, clutching his sword hilt tightly. You've got to be kidding. I could cleave that thing in two! And I would, if that idiot hadn't provoked it first!