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 Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2014 11:04 am
GRAND FINALE i've been nice to you for long enough
the time has come for our games to end
The corridor had only one door-- damaged, corroded wood with what seemed to be red stains would've served as a warning to many.
Except, this time, even if it clearly meant bad news, there was no other way to go.
It was a circular room, and as soon as the sprites had entered, the door behind them disappeared from view.
There were no bright colors like there had been in the previous ones, unless the white pillars and runes on the floor counted.
Even though the patterns on the floor had clearly been drawn, it was as if the eyes could actually see-- with every step the sprites took, the echoing sound seemed to roar back at them, and whenever they were not looking directly at them, the eyes would follow, and follow-- until they finally became fixed on them as they stood in the middle.
The room shook, and as if it were an old malfunctioning screen, the scenery slowly changed-- revealing the truth behind the eyes, and the whispers and sorrows that came from beneath the circle.
The place was brutally covered by blood, and form the shadows emerged the one to blame.
"This will be our last game."
The game is simple.
You just have to guess which one of these copies is the real me.
Easy enough.
But there's a catch.
There can only be one winner, and that winner will be the first one to guess right.
I am most definitely in the room.
If you all answer at the same time, I will kill you.
If you all refuse to answer, I will kill you.
This is a game of speed. Which one of you will be cruel enough to cause the other two's death ?
The answer must be given to me in three days (March 25th) at 18:00 pm (CDT || UTC -5), not before, not after.
Look at me in the eye and tell me I'm real.
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Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 12:36 pm
Fjorgyn remained silent, as was her custom, the whole while directions were given. She recognized the figure -- or rather, four figures -- before her, remembering as if from a dream the painting that her and Erm had found during their exploration of the castle. That first night seemed like ages ago...
She knew who the real one was, at least she thought she had a fairly good guess. It was on the tip of her tongue -- but no.
"Which one of you will be cruel enough to cause the other two's death?"
Call her weak, call her nice, but Fjorgyn felt that her decision was inherently selfish. She simply couldn't imagine surviving past this and continuing on while knowing that she, Fjorgyn, had directly caused the death of two sprites. She had lost too many people already.
Fjorgyn stole a side glance at the Hazel, their newest companion. She wasn't exactly sure what Altair was thinking, but Fjorgyn was wary of the witch. Hazel had forged allegiance with them, no sense of camaraderie. Regardless, Fjorgyn's mind was set. "I will take no lives today," she said quietly but firmly to the other two, trying her best to ignore the bi-colored stares of the Anidaras all around them. "You two answer first. Only after will I make my guess."
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 7:16 am
Altair's eyes darted between figures, the pink of his irisies bright in the odd half-gloom. Look me in the eye. Not eyes? He sucked one lip into his mouth and chewed on it thoughtfully. With one snap, an orb of light appeared and floated languidly above his outstretched hand. The light shivered around the copies of Anidara, fearful; the starlight was not reflected in his bicolored eyes. To come so far.... to die here, at the end of everything. It seemed an affront to the memories of those who had perished on the way. How many lights had been snuffed out by this god, this nightmare? Altair exhaled slowly.
Suddenly, Fjorgyn spoke, her gentle cadence filling the room. There was a moment of silence before Altair spoke. "I... understand how you feel, greenling. So many have died and to come here and see there will be only one winner is somehow... cruel. I will not try to dissuade you from your choice. Besides," here he smiled a little, a slanted, trembling thing. "If everyone else chooses wrongly, you may yet live. And I want you to live." He touched her hand gently. Now, here, even if he were to die... someone would win. But still, Altair was angry.
"You are unfair and cruel." He said to Anidara. After all, what could the nightmare do: kill him? Altair bit back a mirthless laugh. He scanned the walls, the ceiling, the floor, the Anidaras standing round them. Suddenly he knew how he would answer. He bit his tongue.
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 4:01 pm
The green witch froze at the sudden voice. Everything changed around her and became a horrific visage of bodiless gore. They were surrounded, then given an ultimatum. A game. A game they will die from if they get it wrong. Worse, even if they are right, if not first.
Hazel's pulse hammered and she stared wide eyed at the offending Nightmare. He was looking at them so blankly. Their lives really were just a game to him.
The two dream sprites accompanying her spoke and their words fell upon deaf ears. Hazel could scarcely comprehend their meaning, discussing matters that had transpired in her absence. Other "games". More death. The Nightmare King said this was a game of speed, and yet there those two were idling away their time with petty banter instead of using their wits. Her eyes darted all around the room; the blood, the sigil beneath their feet, each of the copies. The witch practically reeled as she spun around to survey them all.
"You!"
One finger pointed directly at the third figure standing before them.
Her eyes were wide and frightened, her voice trembled, but her words and actions were resolute. "It's you. Your eyes are different. You're the only one--" It had to be. There was nothing else.
She didn't want to die.
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 4:03 pm
There were so many eyes....They all stared at the sprites ominously as the hour drew closer. Altair shifted, his heart punding in his throat. He had decided... he would answer second. After all, it would let him see if Hazel guessed correctly. Although he would feel bad if she answered wrongly; he owed no allegiance to her. That thought made him feel guilty and a little sick. If he chose wrong and died, it would simply be another chance for Fjorgyn. Someone had to survive. It was a bit of a fatalistic thought and it drained his anger. Yes, this wasn't fair. Yes, it was cruel. Death seemed inevitable. Somehow he was reminded of a human's nightmare.
Finally, he looked down. Down underneath the dried blood, the rune -an eye- shone dimly. It seemed almost alive, he thought idly. He took a deep breath and looked into that eye. It was dangerous, a gamble, but so had been everything that had come before. Everything faded to an odd dimness around him. The words slipped from his mouth, unwavering and clear. They could be his obituary, or an epitaph. He waited for the death blow... Look into my eye and tell me I am real...
"I am real."
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Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2014 4:26 pm
As Altair's hand found Fjorgyn's, she let her fingers entwine loosely with his, as if their contact would serve as a tenuous tether to life. But nothing could save them now, save mercy which did not seem to be forthcoming. Fjorgyn found herself nodding at Hazel's answer -- it was the one that she would have chosen for herself. Now, she was unsure whether to hope her first instinct was right or wrong; she would now have to choose another.
Fjorgyn let her gaze slide from Anidara to Anidara, contemplating. She stopped at #2. "I will guess you," she said quietly, trying and failing to sound unaffected. Now that the moment had come, her heart seemed to flutter in her chest. She did not want to die...
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 8:57 am
The Nightmare's gaze was blank, fixed upon the sprites. His clones were no different, idly staring throughout the process in which the sprites had submerged themselves into.
The first two seemed deep in conversation, while the other-- his own creation-- had her mind fixed on something else.
She spun around, and his eyes were fixed on her by the time she squeaked her answer. Altair soon followed, with an answer that was nothing like the others, as it was soon revealed by Fjorgyn's own answer.
Pause.
...
Blades made of the Nightmare's dripping blood stabbed two of the sprites, viciously tearing them apart once they were under his control. Limb by limb, bones and flesh, the blood of comrades splattering all over the only sprite left standing.
The clones were no more, and right in front of that one sprite, Anidara stood. His expression hadn't changed, not even when the blood landed on his own face, but there was something about his eyes--
A spark of delight.
"Fjorgyn... She knew the answer, but refused to say it. Putting herself in last place-- I hadn't expected more from one of Sepona's children."
He took a step closer at the trembling figure.
"Altair-- his answer surprised and pleased me. Not what I expected, and a bit far fetched, but it wasn't any less right. He could've made it, if he hadn't been clouded by guilt."
He stared down at Hazel. He could listen to her agitated heart beat now.
"But you-- You were so afraid of death, you put your own life before the other's. You were smart and listened to your brains instead of your heart. You most definitely are one of my children-- and for that, I'm proud."
His bloody hands ran over the sprite's face, gently pressing her cheeks as the King leaned down, pressing a cold kiss against her forehead.
"You've got my blessing."
He slowly let go of the Witch, and as he did, the floor beneath them started to crumble.
"... But I wonder, what will the others think of you once you wake up ?"
A small smile crept onto the King's face before the scenery finished crumbling, leaving behind nothing but darkness.
A black curtain of nothing.
Open your eyes. The Nightmare is over.
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Posted: Wed Mar 26, 2014 9:06 am
GRAND FINALE - ANSWER
The answer lay in Anidara's eyes, just as Hazel guessed.
By looking at the first picture, it was seen that Anidara's right eye was blue, while the right one was red.
On the following picture, however, all three Anidara's whose eyes could be seen were the other way around, leaving only one possible answer through the process of discarding.
The winner is Hazel !
She was fast enough and gained Anidara's Blessing [which will be explained later].
Keep your eyes open for the prizes [that's right, prizes] and thank you for participating !
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