[center][h1][color=red][u]G R A V E S[/u][/color][/h1][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][hr][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]  • Tʜᴇ Dᴜɴɢᴇᴏɴ • [/center][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][indent][hr][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent][/indent]

Graves kept to the vanguard of their dungeon party, as was the plan. He acted as the tip of the spear as they descended deeper into the depths of the labyrinth. It was the Blood Knight's duty to keep his eyes peeled for any monsters or traps that would impede their progress onward. Oddly enough, no such obstacles made themselves known, even as they entered a cramped tunnel that would've been perfect for such static defenses. Silently, Graves advanced, tapping the floor and the walls with the tip of his halberd periodically. 

[i][color=red]'It doesn't make any sense.'[/color][/i] The Bounty Hunter thought. [i][color=ed1c24]'This is about as perfect a killbox as you can get. But...'[/color][/i] He glanced around, eyes shifting to the back of the group where there was a distinctive lack of Orchid beside the little girl. [color=red][i]'Damn ingrate. Didn't even hear me, did he?'[/i][/color] With a heavy sigh, the tank returned his attention forward, continuing on, slowly but surely advancing ever further.

[i][color=ed1c24]'...But there isn't so much as a single trap in here to slow us down.'[/color][/i] It was as if all standard dungeon protocol had been purposefully turned on it's head. Monsters were acting with surprising cunning, while tight corridors- usually guaranteed to have at least one to two traps guarding them- were, for the most part, safe. Graves couldn't hear any activity on the other side of the tunnel. It was silent, other than the rhythmic breathing of the person behind him and the tapping of his halberd. The quiet was...unnerving. Graves strained to see what was in front of him in the darkness. He felt sweat formulate along his brow. Was he...nervous? Why? Graves didn't get nervous. It wasn't like him.

[color=ed1c24]"I think I see a room up ahead. Let's-" [/color] Graves started, only to cut himself off with a frightened shout.

Suddenly, a painfully vibrant light came before them almost out of nowhere. Graves was forced to look away from the source until his vision adjusted to the quick change. Once he was able to see, the Blood Knight was surprised to see the ghost of one of Pariah's announcers floating in the tight corridor before them. This was a...new development. Things only got stranger as the man's forced smile broke down into a worried frown, and he approached them out of character. Something big must be going down; Pariah prided itself on it's immersive nature. The information he had for them was the closest thing to terrifying Andrew had ever experienced. [i][color=ed1c24]'Holy shit. B-brain-dead?'[/color][/i]

Andrew felt like he'd just been struck by a freight train. He couldn't explain the numbness that spread through the tips of his fingers. With shaky, uneven breaths he looked back at the rest of the party. They...they were in real danger, now. T-they could die. All it took was their health dropping down to zero, then they'd go...brain-dead. It didn't feel real. This couldn't...be. But it wasn't...it wasn't just a joke. The admin said so outright. Andrew hadn't experienced true terror before. But this. This was pretty damn close. Graves ran a shaky hand through his sweat soaked hair. He gripped the shaft of his halberd tight enough for his knuckles to go white. His every instinct told him to run. But where to? He was trapped. They couldn't log off; he tried to, even though the developer said it couldn't be done. [color=red][i]'Oh God. Okay...shit. Fuck. Keep it together.'[/i][/color]

Landon was the first to break the silence. His loud shout drew a brief jump from the towering warrior, much to his shame. Their resident alchemist, who thankfully still had his wits about him, had come up with a quick plan for how they might escape the dungeon before...before it was too late. Graves silently nodded, following along with whatever plan he had. The Blood Knight didn't like being stuck at the back of the group as they backtracked to the front gate. He was constantly glancing over his shoulder, worried more ogres would pop out of the floor to actually [i]kill[/i] him at any second. Thankfully they were able to return to the entrance without incident, and Landon went to work strapping every explosive in his arsenal to the threshold that blocked their path to safety and freedom.

At the older man's order, Graves retreated a good number of steps behind him to keep out of the blast zone. Dying to a teammate's controlled explosion sounded a hell of a lot worse than getting jumped by an ogre, or shot to pieces by a horde of goblin archers. Landon oozed confidence in his own plan. He even asked the fire mage to light up his cigarette, too. Graves couldn't help but envy how...[i]calm[/i] he managed to be in a crisis. With the blast imminent, the tank placed his hands over his ears and closed his eyes. The ground shook, and the explosion was still eardrum-shatteringly loud. Turning hopeful eyes up toward the gate, Graves was once more struck by a very human feeling of despair. The gate remained. It was barely even scorched, somehow. It didn't work. Players usually couldn't just blow their way through dungeons for...obvious balance reasons. But this- they [b]needed[/b] this one to work.

They were well and truly stuck in the dungeon, unable to escape through their original entrance. Trapped within an unknowable labyrinth, surrounded by monsters with wits as sharp as their gleaming blades. Graves rose up from his hiding spot on unsteady legs. He crossed over to where Landon had fallen onto his backside. Reaching down, the tank placed a strong arm beneath the pyrotechnician's  arm, helping to lift the man up if he didn't- for some reason- resist the assistance. [color=red]"You okay?"[/color] The Blood Knight asked, concern written all over his typically rough and uncaring visage. He didn't have time to keep up the 'tough guy' act. Not in this situation. Andrew wasn't that stupid. It didn't take a genius to tell that they only had one last option for getting out of there, save sitting around and hoping the administrators found a way to log them off before they were turned into monster chow.

[color=red]"Hey, uh. Guys?"[/color] Graves raised his voice a little, looking around as he tried to get the group's attention for a second. There was a good chance morale was...wavering, after that failed attempt at escape. Everyone was probably feeling about the same way Graves was. He could've kept quiet, but- they couldn't just stand about waiting for the end. Something needed to be done. [color=red]"Right. So."[/color] Graves set his weapon on the floor gently, crossing his arms over his chest. It made him feel just a smidgen more secure. [color=red]"Obviously...we're probably all not...feeling too good about this."[/color] No shit, Sherlock.[color=red] "[i]However.[/i] We can't just sit here moping. We need...a plan. We can't get outta here through the gate, so...As far as I can tell, we have two options. We either set up defensive positions here and hold out until the admins can log us out; if they even can. Or..."[/color] Graves sighed, glancing around at the rest of them. The control mage with her chains out seemed particularly on edge. [color=red]"We try to get out the normal way. Beat the dungeon so we're not just sitting ducks waiting to be attacked. I know- I know that sounds crazy. Especially with- well- yeah. You know. But...I'm gonna be honest, guys, I can't see another way outta this."[/color]