doesplaydice | For alecta

For alecta_est

As the walls have you trapped, you will begin to see a passage form in front of you. It's not hard to realize, given Mega's domain, that you're now trapped in a stone-walled maze.

Fortunately, before you can begin to plan any other Tricky Plans, a small Mega will appear in front of you, cheering.

"Hello, good heroes! Thank you for answering the call of heroics as you come to protect the children! You now participate in a game, with all of our lives riding on it...! But allow me to explain the rules!"

"First, there are two exits to the maze! Taking the southern exit will be taken as a forfeit! If you exit to the south, you will no longer be able to return- The hero team will not be able to help or fight, and the villain team will no longer be able to attack! The northern exit is the entrance to my shrine! If an evil statue exits there, it is their victory! Hero team, your duty is to navigate the maze, and destroy any of the evil statues you meet! There are four heroes, and four statues... Good luck!"

"Furthermore, if you attempt to break the walls, climb out, or otherwise move without nagivating the maze properly, that's an immediate disqualification, and you'll be put out the southern exit! That applies to both teams, so be careful!"

"Are you ready? Then, let's go! Please, save us, heroes!"

Mega's voice is then accompanied by the sounds of dozens of children cheering. "Save us, heroes!" "Don't lose, heroes!" "Beat them up, heroes!" Then the tiny Mega pops out of existence, leaving you alone.

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The green box marks your position, and the white squares mark as far as you can see.. Reply with your actions and how far you wish to move!

[It had been an easy choice to make, once you get right down to it. There were kids in danger here, and she had the tools to do something about it. The consternating part of this whole thing was the set of rules. It didn't take a genius to extrapolate that her battle scanners would be counted as cheating if she tried to use them to get a look at the maze layout. The setup put her in mind of the Labyrinth of myth - except there were four minotaurs to deal with here. And despite the meme, she rather doubted they were miniature, or susceptible to tartar sauce.

Step one was pretty obvious. Figure out which direction was North. Did she have a compass? ...Nope. Central and Big Sky could generally be counted upon for information like that, so it wasn't considered a priority in soldiers' kits. But Alecta was raised by a Marine, and had spent her youth as a hunter in the back woods of Kentucky. Checking the time on her... phone? Whatever the strange device she'd been presented with was called, anyway. She compared the time to the position of the sun, assuming a normal east-to-west path. North was... that way. Okay.

Left hand rule or right hand rule? Either one would work, but only if she picked the right direction to go.]

(After figuring out which way is North, Alecta will move to the West two tiles, or until she reaches an intersection, whichever comes first.)

Edited 2023-01-27 19:38 (UTC)

The darkened squares show squares you have seen, either via movement or where you've been before, but cannot currently see!

(Alecta will move East, South, and West one tile apiece.)

As you round the corner, you and a stone statue come face to face with each other!

However, the stone statue is just as surprised to see you as you are it. You have the chance to take the first shot!

(Alecta opens fire with her plasma pistol, since she's too close for the rifle. Two shots fired.)

[The statue roars, and lifts one arm to block the shots! However, despite successfully blocking, the plasma does chip away at the stone on its arm...

Its other arm swings- Holding a large stone sword, it sweeps low, trying to simply crush Alecta in one blow.]

(Alecta will try to dodge by ducking back around the corner - and then activate her ghost suit's camoflage. Sneaky sniper is sneaky.)

The statue rounds the corner shortly after you! It raises its arm, clearly, expecting to crush you...

... and then it sees an empty dead end.

It bends down, and you get the impression it's squinting, staring, trying to figure out how you vanished like this.

(Be vewy vewy quiet. I'm hunting statues. Eheheheheheh.

Alecta goes perfectly still, not even breathing. As long as she doesn't move before it turns its gaze away, she should be okay... right?)

The statue eventually grumbles, or perhaps just rumbles? But regardless, it straightens itself up, and...

Lifts one foot to check the underside of its foot, as though to make sure it didn't step on Alecta and not realize it, or something.

But after a moment it does, in fact, turn to leave.

(Chance spotted! Alecta draws her sniper rifle slowly, carefully, and raises it to her shoulder, bracing it across her left forearm. Even close up, this thing's so big she doesn't even really need to aim - but she does anyway, because she's had squadmates who missed what should have been dead shots when they got careless.

As she pulls the trigger, she says, "Rap tap bang, y'ugly bastitch.")

[The statue does not understand your words.

It does understand, however, that half its head is now missing, and the rest of it is full of cracks.

It spins around with another gravelly roar, lunging to try to grab Alecta and slam her against the wall!]

[Her camo nullified by the plasma discharge, and the shot having not quite taken out the statue, Alecta panics. She can't dodge forward, that'd bring her right into its grip. Backwards is also a no-go, and sideways... well, same deal. In this moment of indecision, she's caught - it's a good thing she's wearing armor...]

[Caught! And there's only one thing to do: The statue rears back, and simply throws Alecta at the wall with all of its considerable force.]

[She's gonna feel THAT in the morning, yesiree. But she's fought with worse injuries before - Berserkers don't play as nice as this guy. Sliding down the wall, her rifle on the ground, she draws her pistol again and fires off a snap shot, aiming for center mass.]

Die, you [insert creative non-swearing insults here, because there are children nearby and she cares about that sort of thing]!

Edited 2023-01-28 20:40 (UTC)

[The good news is, you've blown a hole straight through the statue's center.

The bad news is, that doesn't seem to have stopped it. The statue is full of cracks, now, and more of the stone is chipping away with every movement... But it isn't entirely defeated yet.

With half its head gone, it can't see accurately. With a hole in its chest, it has only a short time left. But it will spend those last few moments of its existence trying to fight anyway.

It dives forward, arms spread, trying to simply catch Alecta with its sheer mass.]

Oh, for...

[No room to dodge. Even if she shoots again, it's still going to crush her with inertia alone. She's almost out of options.

...Almost. She grins a feral grin, raising her right arm and pointing at the far wall, between the statue's legs. Firing her grapple through the gap, she lets out her best Link impression as she goes.

It's not exactly the most graceful of dodges, and it's going to add to her injuries even more - but more injuries is better than dead and buried in rubble. Any fight you survive is a good one.]

[Well-done.

The statue crashes into the ground, and yet, despite all the destruction... It looks like one good breeze could cause it to crumble. It looks like there's almost nothing holding it together... and even so, it stands up.

The cracks from the hole in its center spread. One arm falls off. It lifts the other arm, for one last punch...]

[FINISH HIM!

Alecta draws a bead on the thing's shoulder and removes its other arm, before returning to center mass. Where she plants her next shot is technically considered a war crime, but since this isn't Earth and none of the locals have ever even heard of Geneva, she figures she can probably get away with it.]

"Good luck moving without a pelvis, grit for brains."

Either through the power of your insults or the power of your gun, the statue crumbles, leaving.... a ton of gravel in your path. But beyond that, your path is open!

(Alecta will collect her rifle, and begin moving through the maze with her right hand on the wall - east, south, west. She's going to keep her pistol handy, just in case she runs into someone else's statue before she reaches the exit.)

(West, North, West)

You round the corner and come face to face with a girl!

[A girl - a very small girl, at that - is not what she expected to see in this place. Perhaps she was one of the children? Wait, why was a child in here? Surely she hadn't been sent to guide her out of this maze - that would just be stupid, on the part of this 'kami' or whatever the hell she was...]

Yer not made of stone, you don't have buggy eyes, and y'aint tryin' ta kill me. That makes ya better than most of the things I've dealt with in th'past few years... but why th'hell are ya in here?

Whaddaya mean, why am I in here? I told Mega I’d protect her shrine.

[ her irritation is more of a gut reflex than any actual anger, and she rests the tip of her bokken into the ground to prove she’s being a very good, non-threatening individual. somehow, she fails to pick up on the “oh god not a child” vibe in the air. ]

Did you have to deal with one of those blockheads, too?

[Okay. She's in here by choice - that's... marginally better? Why she's using what looks like an ordinary wooden sword, Alecta can't say - but she's been reminded almost constantly since she got here that this is a place with magic. Maybe the girl's some kind of wizard? Or would it be witch? ...She's still tiny and young-looking, though.]

Yeah. Took a few shots, but the thing's gravel now. Tougher than a Berserker, not quite as tough as a Sectopod. Got in a good hit on me - pretty sure I've got a cracked rib. How much of th'maze have you seen?

[Dynamite comes in small packages - handle with care. Do not ask the shorty why she is short, Alecta. She may bite. She survived long enough to become a colonel against enemies that could read minds, among other things - she does have SOME situational awareness, thankfully...]

[ the concept of a berserker was universal enough, but a sectopod… maybe some kind of bug? hopefully she never has to find out. ]

They certainly don’t know how to hold back… I’m just glad it didn’t hit me into the wall. …We’ve probably got someone who can help your rib in the safe zone.

It feels like I just keep turning more and more corners. Haven’t run into too many dead ends, though?

[Alecta winces at the mention of being hit into a wall. Yeah, she knows EXACTLY what that feels like, and is glad the smaller girl didn't get to experience it firsthand. As for the sectopod... giant murderbot. Not very insect-like at all.]

Have y'been using the right- or left-hand rules? Ah've only moved around a li'l bit - had the 'good' luck to meet that bastitch early - but ah've been stickin' ta the right-hand wall.

[She winces again, this time from pain, but shakes her head.]

Can't rest til the kids're safe. If I could get on top'a the maze walls without gettin' kicked out, I could snipe the bastards... but that's against th'rules.

Edited 2023-01-30 19:27 (UTC)

…

[ taiga pauses for an awkward moment, clearly trying to parse what this “right hand rule” even was. when it finally hits her, she lets out a frustrated sigh at herself. ]

…I forgot that was a thing. I was just taking whatever turn seemed safe.

Man, having a sniper would make things so much easier. If it were just a maze, we’d probably already be done!

[ getting on top of the maze would also make it into a leisurely balancing act, they could’ve skipped over it entirely. ]

[Unfortunately for you both, as you continue to talk...

Around the corner, comes another statue, roaring as it runs. Taiga's statue has caught up to her, and it's mad about how it was tricked!

And right behind it, a man with a sword comes hot on its heels, trying to take out its legs, but he simply cannot keep up with its strides as it lunges to try to crush Taiga in its fury!]

Edited 2023-01-30 20:18 (UTC)

[He is not going to fully summon Mad Hatter. He is not going to fully summon Mad Hatter. He is not going to fully summon Mad Hatter.]

Ah, so that's why you kept running, hm? Well, now there's no where left for you to go!

[Now that there are people on the otherside to keep the statue from getting too far, Break is going to close the distance, and try taking out its legs with his sword-cane, still coated in Mad Hatter's destructive power.]

[Alecta doesn't think - she just reacts, grabbing the girl (whose name she still doesn't know) and firing her grapple at the furthest wall she can reach that isn't directly in that thing's path. This is really going to hurt.]

FffffffffffuuuuuuuUUUUUUUUUUUU--

Are you seri--

[ Taiga barely has time to process the addition of another person, along with an incredibly angry statue, to this party. Her immediate reaction is to leap out of the way, it doesn't matter what way, so long as it was a way that won't be smashed into dust...

Except that doesn't happen, and she's finding herself yanked off the ground very quickly careening towards a wall. Unfortunately for Alecta, Taiga doesn't handle being grabbed with much grace, flailing around like, well, like a cat who's suddenly in the air against its will. ]

Let me go damniiiiiiit!!!

[Break has learned from his prior experiences, and the statue hasn't. As it swings for Taiga, Taiga is suddenly gone- and there's a sword cutting through one of its legs. It roars, jerking away before the leg can be completely severed, at least.

It reevaluates its threat level, and decides... Break needs to go now, actually. With a spin, it tries to simply backhand Break.]

[Break isn't able to back off completely and gets sent flying back. As he's trying to get up, he coughs up blood. Although whether that's from the force of the hit, or him using Mad Hatter, not even he knows.

When he's back up he looks in the general direction of the statue with a too wide grin, and dashes back towards it. He assumes it will try to attack when he gets in close, so his sword-cane is up and ready to hit some arms.]

--CK!

[Taiga's wriggling isn't likely to break her grip in the few seconds they're en route, unless she breaks out super strength. Even so, it's enough to alter their trajectory, meaning Alecta hits the wall side first - that rib is definitely borked now.

Recovering from her second flight of the day a little slowly - this may be the worst she's been hurt, aside from that time she, y'know, died - Alecta draws her sidearm and unleashes a volley of plasma at the thing's center mass. She's got no particular grudge against this one, so she's not going for war crimes, but even with her injuries she's a pretty damn good shot, and the S.C.O.P.E. module makes her aim even better. It's a three round burst - she learned her lesson from the first statue, there's no such thing as overkill here.]

[ the thud of the two of them (well, mostly alecta) hitting the wall is far from a gentle one, but taiga’s reaction is more anger than it is pain. things had been going so well up until that giant rock caught up to her, and now other people were cleaning up the mess she left. again. twice in one day, at that!

despite this, her attention isn’t focused on the fighting taking place. ]

Are you stupid?! I would’ve been fine!!!

[ …that’s how you show concern for the well-being of someone who just broke a rib trying to protect you, right? ]

[As Break charges, it tries to counterattack, as he predicted. A wide swipe, but Break crashes through, taking a chunk from its arm. At the same time, plasma shots tear a hole through its center. It's already almost down....

And at that moment, a terrible idea crosses its wicked mind. If it's about to be destroyed anyway, then...

It stands up tall, and roars its gravelly voice to the heavens... and begins to spin in place. A whirling mass of stone. Anyone too close might simply get clipped and flung away by the weight, and if you attack to destroy parts of it, any chips or destroyed pieces of stone will fly away from the centrifugal force to crush anything it hits. A borderline suicidal idea- One that simply promises that if it's going down, it will at least take some of you with it.

What will you do, heroes?]

[Break backs away as soon as his strike lands.

As he hears it start to spin, he fully summons Mad Hatter, a giant, red floating eyeball wearing an ornate top hat. The same shadowy energy that surrounds his sword-cane surround the eyeball. Without having to even order it to do any thing outloud, the dark destructive energy becomes 3 spikes, stabbing at the statue.

He closes his eye and tries to listen past the shouting for any other signs he needs to watch out.]

How th'hell am ah s'posed to know that?!

[There's no time to argue, though, as the statue turns into a cyclone of sharp rocks. Swearing to herself, Alecta runs down her list of options - it's pretty damn short at this point. In fact, it has basically two items - and one of them isn't even a consideration. She's not running from this damn thing when kids' lives are on the line.

She pulls one of her precious rifle clips out of its belt pouch, gritting her teeth as she prepares to throw it.]

Frag out! TAKE COVER!

[And then she does perhaps the stupidest thing she's ever done, and willingly puts a plasma bolt through the fully loaded clip from close enough to point blank range that it'll be a wonder if any of them survive the resultant super-heated explosion.]

Ma always said these things'd get me killed...

Oh, come on!!!

[ did she really hurt that blockhead’s ego enough that it decided to self destruct?! not only that—what the hell is everyone else doing?! taiga takes a glance between break and alecta. break was far closer to the danger, but could she make it to him with enough time to drag him away? probably not.

it would be lovely if she had more time to think or communicate or anything, but alecta’s warning to take cover is the ultimate priority. she didn’t come this far to burn to a crisp from someone else’s idea. roughly, taiga grips onto one of alecta’s arms and makes a run for it, yanking her if she tries to be a hero and stay behind. as long as they get behind this wall, it should stop the bulk of the danger booms, right?

sorry, break. ]

[Break didn't know what was going on, but heard "take cover", and with the help of the little spirit, he was able to find a wall to duck behind, and dispelled Mad Hatter, not that chains could die to forces outside of his own chain's ability.]

[The statue doesn't know what's coming. It just spins, and spins, and spins, and then it is no more.

Unfortunately, it exploded while spinning at pretty high speed. A shower of rock and stone flies in all directions, burning from the explosion as it impacts the walls, leaving craters and holes where it hits. Fortunately, having ducked behind the wall, everyone is safe, but...]

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!

[As the smoke dies down, a small Mega is floating nearby all three heroes!]

Destroying the maze is against the rules! As a result, Alecta is disqualified for destroying the walls all around here!

[With a quick 'pop', Alecta is removed from the group....]

Huh? Wait a second, that was the last one? Oh! Congratulations, to the winning hero team!

[With another pop, everyone is now outside, with Alecta!]

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