Chapter 7: The End of the Beginning

[Jax Ridean]

Tall and somewhat lanky, balance has never been one of Jax's greatest attributes. And now here he was, desperately clinging on to the bridge's rope walkway, keepig his 6 ft 2 body as close to the ropes as possible as the howling cyclone of wind threatened to buck him off into oblivion.

"Goddammit....why is it that everytime I'm piloting something shitty like this has to happen.."

Suddenly, through the dark fog, he could make out several dark silhouettes...

Shit, don't tell me those more of those freaky Grats..and Sho???

Even through the shadowy mist, there was no mistaking that blue hair.

Cupping one hand over his mouth, Jax yelled out "Hey!!! There's more of us down here!"

But the roar of the wind completely drowned out his voice and soon the group began to disappear into the fog.

Ditching his rope technique and freeing both hands, he pulled out his rifle and began firing into the sky.

[ST]

Pol, Blaze, Stella, Gemma

Three ropes materialises out of nowhere and descends to midair , swaying slightly in front of your vision. You can hear faint little "pull me" voices emitting from them but it's so soft that one could easily mistake it for voices in the head.



Ajax

The bullet you fired hits some kind of invisible ceiling and ricochets around, finally disappearing towards the beginning of the bridge where Garden is. The fog near your end of the bridge dissipates a little and you can make out a tiny figure standing at the exit of Garden's Roof.

[Polaris Lyn]

Polaris blinked.

O--- kayyyy.

"Pull me."

The voice was ever soft, barely discernible, and Polaris glanced around at the other three women she was standing with. This was most likely a trap of some sort... and yet. Maybe it was something else?

The temptation was there, the curiosity aroused.

But what to do...?

// What's the worst that could happen? // Obsidian asked in her head.

We could... ohhh, I don't know--- BE KILLED?

// ...point taken and admitted. But look at it sway! //

Obsidian had the mindset of a five-year-old child.

"Who thinks we should give it a tug?" Polaris asked, one slim, delicate hand catching one of the ropes.

[ani]

Stardust gave out an exasperating sigh. Nothing was going to happen if they stand here for another minute.

"Let's just go," she spat, trudging forward without waiting for the others to follow.

~*~

Hadrian lifted his eyes from his sensor to Stardust. "Like we have a better choice." He followed.

~*~

Vanesse bit the side of her lip. "You win." She clicked her tongue and moved forward, dragging her boomerang.

[Diego Stanton]

Deo's eyes ping-ponged back and forth, following Jax's bullet. He silently prayed the bullet wouldn't ricochet back and hit him. Luckily it eventually bounced away.

"Whatever you do.. don't do that again." Deo said to Jax. "Well... I guess we can either go find the others or sit here and wait for them to find us." Deo paused. "I vote we sit here and wait for them to find us. After all, it's common knowledge that if you're lost, you stay where you are."

The minute Deo sat down to confirm his vote the fog around them started to magically fade away, giving sight to some creepy looking figure standing on Garden's roof. Deo immediately jumped back up to his feet.

"what... the heck.... is that." Deo took out one of his few remiaining bombs and clutched it defensively.

[Blaze Sanaku]

Blaze's temper was almost reaching dangerous mode. After Polaris had suggested that she try out some fire magic, she had tried and failed over and over again. The mist was so thick heavy that the biggest flame she could produce was a tiny flicker. The water droplets fizzing through the air kept dousing out her fire magic.

Just as she was about to whip out her claws and start attacking the mist in fustration a rope literally appears out of nowhere and dangled in front of her face, tempting her.

"Pull me"

Blaze completely forgot about casting fire magic and stared at the rope with big, watery eyes much like a kid at a candy store.

"Who thinks we should give it a tug?" Polaris asked.

"I do!" Blaze said excitedly and yanked it without any hesitation.

[Stella]

"Oh Hyne" Stella said reaching out along with Blaze to grab a rope hastily.

[Polaris Lyn]

Three ropes occupied, four girls, Polaris pulled at the same time she reached for Gemma's wrist--- she couldn't very well leave the other girl behind if the ropes actually led them closer to Adel; although, on the other hand, if it turned out to be a trap, Gemma shouldn't be screwed over...

Well, too late for that. Polaris' free hand closed around Gemma's wrist, touch firm and secure.

[Gemma Ridean]

"Oh Hyne" was the last thing Gemma heard Stella say before the dark-haired SeeD was whisked away into the fog, leaving only her and Polaris behind.

And there was only one more rope left.

It seemed Polaris already had one hand reaching out towards the rope, and with a sad smile, Gemma simply stepped back.

It's ok...besides, the others have to be somewhere on this bridge...if I can just find them..

---"Uahhhh!"

Suddenly, a hand clamped down over her wrist, jerking her into the air.

Looking down, the bridge was getting further, further, and further away until....there was nothing but mist and shadow below them.

[Jax Ridean]

But the spray of bullets seem to ricochet some sort of invisible force field and sudddenly Jax was running from his own gunfire.

The bridge jolted and sway back-and-forth dangerously as his feet pounded against the rattling wood.

He was getting closer to end. The fog was suddenly clearing and---

Huh?

He stopped running. Through the haze, he could see a tiny figure standing alone at the base of the bridge.

Steadying his rifle in a defensive stance, Jax slowly approached the person, keeping his finger poised on the trigger.

But he or she just stood there silently. Staring back at him.


Jax faltered. He wasn't sure what to do next. They were getting close to Adel and he was at a great risk being completely alone at the moment.

Come on man....can't get nervous now...what would the boys back home say..

"Hey!" he shouted "Who's there?"

[ST]

Pol, Blaze, Stella, Gemma

As soon as the ropes are pulled, hundreds of red glowing eyes suddenly surround you. Some are outside the rope bridge while the rest are either in front or in the back. Gemma falls on Stella from above and all of you conclude that these monsters want to gather all of you in a group. The monsters in front and behind you step out of the fog revealing their reptilean (sp-_-) skins and drooling mouth. They slowly march to corner the four of you in the middle.

Hadrian, Stardie, Sho, Van, Jun, Rayden

You decide to move on forward, but several steps later, something activated and your surrounding becomes altered once again. You are not in a rope bridge any longer, instead, you find yourself face to face with a small child--about eight years old--carrying a miniature gold-coated globe. Behind her are three poles. The one on the left has the letters "GR" on it. The middle one has "AI", and the right one has "EM".

With a sweet smile, a voice of a middle-aged man comes out of her lips, "I want to play a game." She points to the pole behind her.

"Can you guess my name in three turns? You can ask me anything except for my name. I will not lie." Her eyebrows lift mischievously. "If you can tell me my true name, I will help you. If you do not." She smiles even more. "I will kill you where you stand." She hugs her globe tighter. "Now, hurry or your friends will diiieeee." She teases. "Let the game begin."


Jax, Deo, Jaime

Jax calls out to the man on the entrance of the bridge. He seems to be doing something. A few seconds later, the thought hits all of you. He is cutting the thick rope bridge! He looks up at you and you recognize his face right away. He's the secretary from Headmistress Xu's office, a DoTNA.

[Polaris Lyn]

Oh.

So it was a trap, after all.

Well, hell.

Polaris let go of Gemma's wrist, free hand already grasping her axe and pulling it from the sheath that kept it strapped to her back when it wasn't in use. She pulled it out easily, hefting the weight with both hands, the edge glinting ominously in the red light cast by the eyes surrounding them. Her expression was--- as it usually was in battle--- neutral, her rose-pink mouth set in a line, amber eyes watchful.

They were surrounded, screwed, pretty much, this bridge is pretty damn narrow, no way to get around...

That really left only one thing to do, really.

Polaris shifted her grip on her axe, moving like greased lightning, switching her stance from defensive to offensive and swing the weapon in a graceful arc, an over-the-shoulder swing aimed at the nearest monster, to cleave the reptile in two.

Unless the bastards had maximized defense, Maverik would cut through them like hot swords through a stick of melting butter.

[waterlily43]

Jun narrowed her eyes at the little girl. If she learnt anything as a SeeD nothing could be taken at face value, at least not at first sight. Especially since the very place they were standing in was an illusion it itself--how else could a rope bridge suddenly turn into another dimension?

{But you do have the tendency to over-analyse things, don't say I never reminded you.}

Oh yeah, smart-ass? Then what kind of question should be asked, pray tell?

{Oh no, you think I don't know what you're thinking? You're thinking of placing the entire blame and responsibility on your old Dragon's head should anything wrong happen, am I right or am I right? Fat hope slim chance roll your own dice!}

With a slight grumble bordering on her lips, Jun studied the girl's features, her voice, and what she was carrying while racking her brain all over for a possible name to pop up. Zilch. Nada. Not even a slightest clue. Oh well, she was always more adept at asking questions though...she only hoped it wasn't a pointless one. She glanced around at the rest in the room, but none of them seemed willing to be the first to crack the silence.

Guess I'll be the first sacrificial lamb then.

"So...are you a human or something else?"

[ST]

Polaris

Maverik's blade slices against the beast's hide sinking into its flesh. He lets out an enraged bellow as if in great pain. But his expression soon turns, grinning malevolently at you exposing his yellow, grime-encrusted teeth and bubbling drool. His wound heals rapidly pushing the blade of your axe out as it closes, and you can find nary a scratch left where you had hit him.

Intense pain hits your abdomen. You look down and see a glaring wound dripping with blood as if you've just been slashed by an invisible blade.

[ST]

Jun

The girl's eyes travel to meet yours, her innocent smile unfading.

"I am nothing," she said, brushing her fingers on the globe. She looks at it fondly as if watching something. "Tic tac tic tac..." she mocks.