CHOICE SIX (END)
The way to the Coliseum is fraught with traps. This is what your mustached friend tells you, but you are determined to go anyway. He seems quite taken with your attitude and is happy to oblige your request.
You are less pleased with your own decision after facing down a lava pit (why?), two swamps (one, okay, but two? really?), several rodents of unusual size (bit on the nose, that one, but you’ve got scratches all down your arms now so you’re less amused and more fed up), and a rope bridge over a gorge which was probably the easiest of all the obstacles thus far, not that you’re keeping track. Your mustached friend has been most helpful through it all, and his latest stint of being the best sidekick ever is to run in front of a flying arrow after you stumbled over a trip wire. He’s really heroic, and you tell him so. Your reward is his toothy smile that gleams underneath the mustache and a little bow in your direction. The effect is spoiled by the arrow sticking out of his shoulder and the trickle of blood down his coat, but you’re touched either way.
As far as your decisions go, bringing him along was probably the best on you’ve made. You do your best to treat his wound and apologize for being better with your graphics program than with blood. Unless it was blood splatter brushes because those you understand. Actual blood? Well, his wince--which he attempts to cover with a reassuring smile--is all you need to prove you’re not a doctor.
“We’re almost to our destination, friend! Do not give up hope just yet!”
He’s still annoying as all get out though, you think to yourself, but you give him a half hearted smile anyway. It’s not his fault that his bursting enthusiasm and endless supply of good opinion and optimism gets on your nerves. You are a little impressed that he can keep it up even after getting shot.
“It’s just ahead! Can you see it?”
You squint into the trees and vines trying to make out anything, but you give up pretty easily. Whatever he sees, you can’t right now, but then he moves aside a tangle of ivy. Now you can definitely see what must be the Coliseum. The white marble has gone grey from neglect, but it still looks incredibly grand even under all the ivy.
“We can get in over here,” your sidekick says as he pulls you along behind him. Another thing you learned about him very quickly was that he had an impeccable sense of direction. Without him, you’d have easily gotten lost multiple times.
He pushes aside more ivy so you can walk through, and when you step inside the arena, your eyes go as wide as saucers.
It’s everything you hoped for and more. The space yawns out in front of you, and as you tip toe your way to the middle with quiet reverence, you feel ever so small, dwarfed by the weight of history.
You spin on the spot, looking around for your companion. You spot him lurking in the shadows at the edge of the arena.
“What are you doing over there?”
Your voice echoes back at you, and as the echo bounces itself back into nothingness, you hear the sharp hiss of metal.
Your friend emerges from the shadows with a grim look on his face. He looks like a different person entirely.
“Username?” You call his name tentatively, suddenly uncertain. He’s saved your life many times today, but now he looks like he might take you out in one fell swoop.
“I battled here myself once, you know,” he says, and even his voice sounds different now. Gone is the light, bouncy brilliance that laced his voice earlier. Now his voice is low, choked by a sneer.
“I’ve been waiting to test my skills again. Lucky for me, you showed up. You won’t be much a challenge, I suspect, but I am rusty. Better to start off with the weak,” he continues, and you take several steps back from him as he advances on you.
You fumble with your graphics program on your back, almost dropping it in your haste to get it into your hands. He laughs, and it’s cruel.
“You seemed so...heroic before,” you say, quietly.
His smirk is your only answer, and then he begins his opening move. You are still in shock and slow to move, but once your graphics program is open, your mind starts to work over plans and ideas.
This is a battle that you won’t lose.
THEME: SEEING RED
adrastea | burymyregret | longerthanwedo | schryosel | vestigials
You are less pleased with your own decision after facing down a lava pit (why?), two swamps (one, okay, but two? really?), several rodents of unusual size (bit on the nose, that one, but you’ve got scratches all down your arms now so you’re less amused and more fed up), and a rope bridge over a gorge which was probably the easiest of all the obstacles thus far, not that you’re keeping track. Your mustached friend has been most helpful through it all, and his latest stint of being the best sidekick ever is to run in front of a flying arrow after you stumbled over a trip wire. He’s really heroic, and you tell him so. Your reward is his toothy smile that gleams underneath the mustache and a little bow in your direction. The effect is spoiled by the arrow sticking out of his shoulder and the trickle of blood down his coat, but you’re touched either way.
As far as your decisions go, bringing him along was probably the best on you’ve made. You do your best to treat his wound and apologize for being better with your graphics program than with blood. Unless it was blood splatter brushes because those you understand. Actual blood? Well, his wince--which he attempts to cover with a reassuring smile--is all you need to prove you’re not a doctor.
“We’re almost to our destination, friend! Do not give up hope just yet!”
He’s still annoying as all get out though, you think to yourself, but you give him a half hearted smile anyway. It’s not his fault that his bursting enthusiasm and endless supply of good opinion and optimism gets on your nerves. You are a little impressed that he can keep it up even after getting shot.
“It’s just ahead! Can you see it?”
You squint into the trees and vines trying to make out anything, but you give up pretty easily. Whatever he sees, you can’t right now, but then he moves aside a tangle of ivy. Now you can definitely see what must be the Coliseum. The white marble has gone grey from neglect, but it still looks incredibly grand even under all the ivy.
“We can get in over here,” your sidekick says as he pulls you along behind him. Another thing you learned about him very quickly was that he had an impeccable sense of direction. Without him, you’d have easily gotten lost multiple times.
He pushes aside more ivy so you can walk through, and when you step inside the arena, your eyes go as wide as saucers.
It’s everything you hoped for and more. The space yawns out in front of you, and as you tip toe your way to the middle with quiet reverence, you feel ever so small, dwarfed by the weight of history.
You spin on the spot, looking around for your companion. You spot him lurking in the shadows at the edge of the arena.
“What are you doing over there?”
Your voice echoes back at you, and as the echo bounces itself back into nothingness, you hear the sharp hiss of metal.
Your friend emerges from the shadows with a grim look on his face. He looks like a different person entirely.
“Username?” You call his name tentatively, suddenly uncertain. He’s saved your life many times today, but now he looks like he might take you out in one fell swoop.
“I battled here myself once, you know,” he says, and even his voice sounds different now. Gone is the light, bouncy brilliance that laced his voice earlier. Now his voice is low, choked by a sneer.
“I’ve been waiting to test my skills again. Lucky for me, you showed up. You won’t be much a challenge, I suspect, but I am rusty. Better to start off with the weak,” he continues, and you take several steps back from him as he advances on you.
You fumble with your graphics program on your back, almost dropping it in your haste to get it into your hands. He laughs, and it’s cruel.
“You seemed so...heroic before,” you say, quietly.
His smirk is your only answer, and then he begins his opening move. You are still in shock and slow to move, but once your graphics program is open, your mind starts to work over plans and ideas.
This is a battle that you won’t lose.
THEME: SEEING RED
adrastea | burymyregret | longerthanwedo | schryosel | vestigials