Rebels of the Labyrinth

Roadkill · **Posted:** Wed Apr 05, 2006 2:05 pm

"There's one! Kill!" A stream of arrows whizzed through the air. Charoni yelped and dodged back behind the walls. How do I always manage to get caught off-guard, no matter how cautious I am in this place? "Missed again! Why aren't there any slow ones anymore?" A soldier yelled as he and his friends charged after her. Idiots, the reason why there aren't any slow captives anymore is because you've killed off at least half of them!
A breeze found its way into the grooves of the labyrinth and blew Charoni's dark ponytail that was already bouncing as she ran. The sunlight filtered through the towering labyrinth walls, gently painting the dirt path with its golden rays. Green bushes and small trees grew along the path. The labyrinth looked deceptively peaceful, and in her three years of living in the labyrinth Charoni had seen many whom had made the fatal mistake of succumbing to the deadly peace. Soldiers, whether drunk or sober, were everywhere and ready to test their weapons on any captive that wandered into their sight.
When she was sure the footfalls of the soldiers were growing quieter, Charoni leaned her wooden spear against the smooth labyrinth wall and sat down to catch her breath. Along with the spear, she also had a sloppy make shift ax and a few rusted daggers tucked into her pants that Kirce had given her.
Kirce was an enigma. How she managed to move through the massive labyrinth with ease and why she wanted to help the captives was beyond Charoni. It was thanks to Kirce that she many other captives had anything better to eat than treebark or drink water cleaner than that from the mud puddles that collected in the maze when it rained. Kirce had even provided the captives with weapons, though they were in pitiful condition. Still, they provided Charoni and many other captives with hope of escape, if only they could find the way out of the labyrinth. Charoni closed her eyes and fell into a light snooze.
Don't worry, brother. I'm not going to fail you a third time. I'll a way out of this place eventually, and when I do, I swear I shall avenge you.

AngelofDeath5 · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2005 3:08 pm **Posts:** 176

Zeke moved quietly through the labrynth in a fashion he had mastered long ago. Infact he was deadly quiet, and even the wind made more noise then him, wich was odd since the wind was very light that day. He saw soldiers shooting arrows at a female running from them, three of them to be exact, and they didnt know he was there. Three arrows in a row were fitted, and three gaurds dropped just the same. THen he pulled his arrows back out of them and back into his quiver.

Then as he ran to catch up with her, he pulled various arrows from the ground, as he rounded the corner. Moving quickly up he slowed behind her, his footfalls still silent. Smiling warmly he spoke, his comforting, deep and somehow melodic voice reassuring above all things. "Hey...you alright?" he asked sincere concern in his tone, afterall rebels had to look out for each other, if they didnt who would.

Jishdefish · **Posted:** Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:10 am

Ashten cursed as he was assaulted by anouther wave of arrows, scratching and denting the weak parts of his armor. He wished they would throw some more spears but they had learned from their mistakes. Surprizing as they were extreamly dull. He heard them make some droll comment, and then fell silent. Strange. He attempted to climb a nearby tree. The archers were down, arrows sticking out of their motionless bodies. He climbed back down and continued allong a wandering path. He rounded a corner and came upon a man kneeling next to a woman. Ashten noticed the quiver hanging from his back--with arrows. That was unusual, Orzol's daughter never got that grade of weapon in that kind of condition before. He strode over, arrow's still sticking out of his suit.

Ekdahl Zakharov · **Posted:** Thu Apr 06, 2006 1:37 am

Ekdahl wandered the pathway silently thinking to himself. He had only been stuck here for a few days, it way beyond him how some survived here for years. He drug his foot in the dirt making a mark so he'd know that he had already been down this path. though he could faintly make out the same marking not but a few feet away. He sighed speaking in hushed whispers, "I don't even know why I'm trying anymore...I've been down this same path...no telling how many times...and to think people spend years in here..." He kept moving as he came to a turn, he peered around the corner cautiously. He didn't want to run into any guards. He didn't have anything but a damaged long sword supplyed to him by some woman he met while wondering the wretched place. He was greatful, a blade and some clean water were worth almost anything down here.
He scanned the pathway around the corner, he noticed 3 people standing around, one a woman leaning herself agianst the labyrinth. The other two men, one with armor arrows extruding from it as if it wern't worht the effort to take them out. The other wearing a quiver, an obvious sign of an archer. He sighed ot himself speaking again "They can't be guards...well I'd better go see what they are doing...it be nice to have a few friends sence I'm down here" He steped from around the corner and approched them carefuly. Bowing his head in greetings, he noticed the girl seemed to be sleeping. Though here it could be more than sleep. He spoke to them his light russian accent faded in and out as if he were trying to not speak with it. "Hello, is everything ok?...I mean besides that we're in this wretched place."

Roadkill · **Posted:** Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:55 am

Charoni awoke, startled to find three people staring at her. So much for the not being caught off guard again part. Oh well, at least they seem friendly
"I'm fine. I'm just catching my breath, that's all," she said, noting the slight concern in their faces. She noticed arrows poking out of one captive's armor. "I think the real question is are you alright? You're the one with arrows poking out of your back. My name's Charoni, by the way," she introduced herself.

Jishdefish · **Posted:** Thu Apr 06, 2006 11:31 am

"Oh, well I have pretty thick padding, I'll be okay." He tried to ignore the slight echo that reverberated through his suit. "These guards never get a good hit." He turned to the man with the quiver. "Where did you get arrows? If anyone has any rope we may be able to escape. Eh?"

Roadkill · **Posted:** Thu Apr 06, 2006 12:03 pm

"Rope would be nice, if we can find someone who can through it up that high," Charoni looked up at the towering walls until she had to blink and look down because the sun got in her eyes. "So how long have all of you been in this maze?" She asked the group, curious to know how much people knew about the maze.

Jishdefish · **Posted:** Thu Apr 06, 2006 6:48 pm

"Rope would be nice, if we can find someone who can through it up that high,"

"Well I was suggesting scaling the wall with a rope tied to an arrow, but no one seems to have any." Ashten glanced up at the towering wall, judging it to be at least 12 foot tall. "No way we could spare enough clothing to climb that thing."

"So how long have all of you been in this maze?"

"It has been so long I really don't know," He concentrated, trying to find how many times the sun had gone over the maze in his now everwaking life. "At least a couple years. Most likely more...." Ashten scratched at the wall, a little dust trickled off. "Maybe we could scale it with arrows as handgrips..."

Neco the Nightwraith · **Posted:** Thu Apr 06, 2006 6:53 pm

Alas and alack, Lili thought to herself, walking down one of the labryinth paths. A quarter stones weight of unfortunate birds killed when they had landed too far within the maze walls hung swinging from her belt, a pitiful amount of meat, but at least something to survive on for the time being. She spent most of her time avoiding the wall gaurds and hunting for anything that might be edible. She had had a tendency to avoid other people; a crowd might help to protect people to some extent, but it also attracted attention.

Her pale, hawk-like features were contracted almost constantly in an expression of thoughtfulness. Ever since being thrown into this maze, she had wandered around it, marking the places she had been with deep scratches in the walls, and trying to find a way out.

So far she had been unsuccessful.

As she walked Lili, who had through her entire life been called many different versions of her name: Lilly, Lio, Kala, Lani. Only her long ago memories told her that she had one other name, that only her father had spoken, as his Blessing.

"You are Ukal," he rumbled above her young head. "It is your Power Name. Never tell anyone what it is, lest they discover what shouldn't be if they do."

Lili shook herself from her memories when she heard voices up ahead. She slowed considerably, approaching cautiously, silently. She looked around the corner.

Four people, three men and a woman, stood talking. Lili's colorless eyes watching curiously from under her furrowed brow, she noticed that none of them appeared to be guards. Usually they were up on the walls, but Lili wouldn't have been suprised if one of the drunkards fell over the wall occassionally.

She stepped out into full view, her cloak billowing around her.

She cleared her throat lightly and waited for them to turn.

AngelofDeath5 · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2005 3:08 pm **Posts:** 176

Zeke smiled faintly. "Gaurd I killed...he had an arrow holder thingie with three arrows left. I took em, and have been collecting em ever since. As for how long I've been here, its been three years, eight months, three weeks, six days, and thirteen hours....or as close to that as one can figure without a watch or calendar." he spoke slowly as if measuring it out in his mind.

He then turned when he heard the person approaching make their pressence know. Then he introduced himself to all of them. "THe names Zeke...I dont remember my last name...it hasnt been used in so long."

LoyalReaperDragon · **Posted:** Thu Apr 06, 2006 9:34 pm

AuRon had been in these maze for about 2 years he was a excpetionaly gather so he lived off little he could. He had his robe arms stained black for the killings he wished he hadn't down. He was always on guard sword on his hand ready to strike when surprised. Just hen he start hearing voices. He could only make out the words".... rope... arrows." he hid in a shawdow of the huge amze and watched and waited untel he thought of the right time to come out and meet this strange group, think they might know the stange woman that had giving his all important dagger.

Ekdahl Zakharov · **Posted:** Fri Apr 07, 2006 12:14 am

"That is strange....I must be one of the only people here who haven't spent the majority of their lives here...I guess you can give credit to the tiny size of our village...I went to the city after the death of my lover from a dreaded sickness plaguing my homelands...all I did was tell some idiots to stop kicking that poor woman...next thing I know I'm here. Mabe the city wasen't the best place for a new start" He let out a heavy sigh. Looking up into nothingness. "Oh, and by the way, my name is Ekdahl, Ekdahl Zakharov. It's a pleasure to meet you...and to finally see someone who isn't trying to kill me"

Roadkill · **Posted:** Fri Apr 07, 2006 10:28 am

"Ah so you're a new one." A malicious grin crept across Charoni's face as she looked at Ekdahl. "You know there's more in here than just a few guards, you know. In certain places, snakes and giant spiders crawl about, searching for human prey. Birds with razor feathers will come down from the skies and pick you off if you're not looking. Giant fire demons rise up from a labyrinth underground every few months to scorch your soul into corruption..." Charoni's voice trailed off as she noticed the others staring at her in disbelief. "Ok, so I lied. But there is an underground labyrinth. It only leads to other parts of this one though, so it only gets you more lost." She sighed.
Charoni heard someone clear their throat and turned to see a girl with hawk-like features and a billowing cape. Behind her Charoni noticed a robed figure stood hiding in the shadows.
"You in the shadows. If you have a reason to be scared of us, then scram. If not, it's nice to meet you," She waved at him and turned to the girl. Her eyes fell upon the dead birds. "Hey, I'm Charoni. I see you have food," she commented. Charoni's last decent meal had been three days ago, when she had found a wrapped meal Kirce and dropped in the maze for a captive to find. Her hunger was reawakened at the sight of the birds.

Jishdefish · **Posted:** Fri Apr 07, 2006 11:46 am

A clearing of someone's throat brought Ashten out of his reverie. He noticed a woman in a billowing green cloak and brown trowsers, at the end of the walkway. She was noticibly beautiful--but alien; this was not one to mess with. "Ah anouther rebel to join our group! I pity the guard who runs into us." He turned back to his idea. Ashten pried an arrow out of his suit; luckly it hadn't broken so he stabed it into the wall. It stuck. "I think I may have found a way out!"

Roadkill · **Posted:** Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:38 pm

Charoni stared at the arrow quivering in the wall. "It's a good idea, but will it be able to withstand our bodyweights without breaking?" She wondered aloud. It looked dubious, but it certainly wasn't a possibility to be ignored.

Jishdefish · **Posted:** Fri Apr 07, 2006 3:29 pm

"Really only one of us needs to escape. That person can then get some rope and lower it down to us." He paused, hand on his chin deep in thought. "We need to select the lightest person and find out how many arrows we need to support her." Ashten then pulled out the rest of the arrows in his suit, and placed them side by side on the ground. In the end he had 17 arrows, and only 8 of them usable. "I don't know if this will work... We may not have enough..."

LoyalReaperDragon · **Posted:** Fri Apr 07, 2006 4:19 pm

AuRon decided to come out he walked slowly and each step quiet as the wind and said"hello My name is AuRon yazackk i was a former assasion of the army but i changed my ways and got throwen in here anyway..."turning to look at the girl in the robe"who are you? you look humans but my gut says differnent"

AngelofDeath5 · **Joined:** Wed Jun 22, 2005 3:08 pm **Posts:** 176

Zeke stood there and tossed down six of his 8 useable arrows. "There...six more that we can use, if it'll work, but we should probably send the strongest not the lightest, that way the can hold the rope anchored for the rest of us...we would need more arrows, but it might work out better..." he suggested and he thought it over.

In reality it made sense to send the strongest up, so that he or she could support the rope for the others, and help them up. THe lighest one may not be able to hold or anchor the rope for the others if he or she couldnt support their weight.

Ekdahl Zakharov · **Posted:** Sat Apr 08, 2006 12:35 am

Ekdahl sighed at their desprate attempts to escape. He though to himself silently. They must have been in this place for so long they'll try even the most foolish of plans to get out. Though after a few moments of pondering it the plan didn't seem all that bad, at least not compared to wandering this maze of death untill your killed by hunger or drunken guards or even most likely a combination of the two. He eyed the path way he had previously walked as if he heard someone. Then the foot steps became evident. "I sugjest we either prepare to fight or run..." He just barely finsihed speaking before the guards jumped around the corner and one of them shouted. "Esh more of 'em! Lesh get 'em fore thesh get gone!" He stumbed to an attack position drunkly, accompaned by several others.

Neco the Nightwraith · **Posted:** Sat Apr 08, 2006 1:59 am

(OOC: Heh, Jish, is Lili the one you're referring to in the 'white and black robes'? If so, she's not wearing white and black. She's actually wearing a green cloak, brown trousers and a loose beige shirt. Go check out her profile, you'll learn a lot about her.)

Lili looked at them her thoughtful expression, dark brows drawn together. She bowed slightly to them.

"I won't wish you a good day, lest it jinx the situation," she said smoothly, but was interupted by the arrival of the drunken guards. She sighed and drew her long sword, probably the best looking weapon in this place, for all the care she has given it. The blade, though with an uneven edge, gleamed, sharp as anything.

A smile played about her thin, pale lips, as she held the blade easily in her grasp, the stance of an excellent sword fighter, but with a lazy slouch to it that gave the impression she could fight blind folded and with both hands tied behind her back, just as well as she could with a blade.

"One sees we were correct. Shall we engage?"

Roadkill · **Posted:** Sat Apr 08, 2006 12:00 pm

Charoni jumped at the voices of the guards. She noticed Lili's stance, and instantly realized that she was a master at the sword. Charoni grabbed her ax and lowered her wooden spear.
A shadow fell across her face as Charoni narrowed her eyes into her battle face. She took a wide stance, which would allow her to keep her balance so she could have more control over the spear's movement. In her left hand she kept her ax ready to cover any blind spots.
"Ha! They're drunk too! Underestimating us again, I suppose. I don't whether to be happy or insulted," she said in a cool voice. "I say let's take them out."

LoyalReaperDragon · **Posted:** Sat Apr 08, 2006 1:22 pm

"agreed" said AuRon he pulled out his unusual sword and took his stance by holding the sword in his left hand pointed out but he didn't move but waited for the attack to come and he tighted his grip and put 50% of his energy in his sword for the 2 swipes he prepared to let loose. He noticed the woman in the sword took a extremly hard sword techique stance and knew his doubts about this woman being human was right since the only person to master this stance in his villege was 100 years old and died soon after that and this person had been training since 12, but it didn't matter right now since he had trash to take out."After this fight i would like to know your names" AuRon spoke loud anoth for these rebals to hear but not the guards to hear.
(OCC: remember im the white and blaack robe)

Jishdefish · **Posted:** Sun Apr 09, 2006 1:10 am

(OOC: Well sorry I was in a bit of a hurry.... :roll:

)

The drunken guards walked in on the scene and instantly Ashten remembered the cries of his friends as they were pierced by those arrows; and of his vow of vengence. Pulling out his sword he let out a yell, and charged through the group and slicing right through one soldures defense. He fell to the ground groping for the arm that only a few seconds ago held his sword. One of the other guards wasn't nearly as drunk and parried the first few blows, and attempted to stick Ashten; only to get run through himself. The third guard charged drunkely at Lili...

Neco the Nightwraith · **Posted:** Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:40 pm

One of the others charged through the group of drunken soldiers, and two were down and a third charging at Lili.

Her eyes, shadowed by her furrowed brow, glittered. And she struck.

The movement almost seemed slow, her sword seeming to flick lightly in the sun, but the soldier stopped abruptly, staring in open mouthed shock at the bloody spot on his belly.

Lili smiled coldly, an efficient killer, and the blade flicked again, slipping lightly up through the jaw bones and shattering the inner floor of the skull, to pierce the brain and kill.

Lili let the body slide off her blade, the tip stained red, and looked around. Only a few seconds had passed. To the others it must have looked like she was moving in eye blinks.

She still had that cold, strange smile.

LoyalReaperDragon · **Posted:** Sun Apr 09, 2006 9:48 pm

AuRon didn't see much but he knew what the robed woman did from what his elders had down in his villege. He saw 2 guards coming toward him, He braced every muscle and then the guards started to raise there weaposn...siwsh,slash.... in 4 secounds and 2 slashs from his sword AuRon had made a giant hole in the gut of the first guard and chopped out the Aorta in the 2nds neck both died a quick death. AuRon took his sword and cleaned it off with his robe and prepared for the next guard to attack ready for anything.

Rebels of the Labyrinth

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