[center][hr] [img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjEwNi43MDcwNzAuVG1WeWNHeGhaM1ZwY3csLC4wAAAA/almendra.regular.png[/img] [hr][/center] [color=A9A9A9][i]~ 8 Hours Prior[/i][/color] [b][i][color=39b54a]Drip...[/color][/i][/b] [b][i][color=39b54a]Drip...[/color][/i][/b] [b][i][color=39b54a]Drip...[/color][/i][/b] Drops of toxic substance drip from a dirty rusted needle, hitting the stone-cold floor that echoed through the dark chambers. Within the dreary gothic laboratory, a mad scientist was scuffling around through the different vials of liquid within them. He grasped one with a poisonous purple hue, labeled crudely as "liquified wolfsbane", and shook it around briefly. The substance began to bubble and fiz slightly before dying down. No, that's not the one. He picks up another vial of pale blue color, labeled "cyanide", and did the same. Nope that wasn't the one either. He continues picking up the others and repeating the process. Where did he put his latest experiment? He really needs to organize his workspace because this is ridiculous. Outside his office, a row of barred chambers lined perpendicular to his own. Within them, prisoners of all shapes and sizes, genders and sexual preferences, young and old, were huddled separately as they awaited what was coming. Some simply sat quietly, bug-eyed and shivering in the cold damp cage, others be wailing and whimpering, with some demanding their freedom, and some just lied in a corner within a fetal position, and sucked their thumbs. There were even a few so vicious in their endeavors to escape, that they were chained up to the wall, with metal clamps clapsing their wrists and/or ankles. Many knew what was going to come in one shape or another, but no one knew how it will transpire. Within several minutes of waiting, the office doors open to see Nerplaguis, clad in a dark robe whilst wearing a beak for a mask, as his lanky form slowly walked towards the nearest cell before looking both hallways at everyone else. [color=A9A9A9][b]"Good evening ladies and gentlemen!"[/b][/color] he announced in a muffled, yet somewhat cheerful tone that could be heard throughout the long hallway, [color=A9A9A9][b]"Girls and boys? How are you all doing on this fine evening we have here today?"[/b][/color] Most of the prisoners remained silent, save for a few who attempted to jeer him psychotically. [color=A9A9A9][b]"Wonderful!"[/b][/color] the scientist exclaims as he claps his hand thrice in glee, [color=A9A9A9][b]"Glad the day has went swellingly for ya'll."[/b][/color] He then turns to his right as he walks up the hallway, looking at all the different prisoners in his possession. [color=A9A9A9][b]"Now,"[/b][/color] he begins in a slightly more earnest tone, [color=A9A9A9][b]"You might all be wondering why you've managed to find yourselves here. What possessed me, Nerplaguis, to knock you all out with sleeping gas and drag your lifeless unconscious corpses here? Have you done something bad to upset the gods? Have you sinned?"[/b][/color] He pauses as he gives a few seconds to have anyone answer him. Not a word. [color=A9A9A9][b]"Well,"[/b][/color] he continues, turning the opposite direction and walks down to the left, [color=A9A9A9][b]"Perhaps some of you sinned. But do not worry! You were all selected randomly in a fair, unbiased, lottery. And I don't even know what 'lottery' means!"[/b][/color] He began snickering at himself for a few short minutes before regaining his composure. [color=A9A9A9][b]"But I digress,"[/b][/color] he states somewhat more seriously, [color=A9A9A9][b]"You are all here to be witness to my newest experiment."[/b][/color] He quickly reaches into his cloak's breast pocket to reveal a sickly black substance, a thick liquid that bubbled like molten tar and seemed to have the aroma of death encapsulated within. Some of the prisoner's closest to it began to feel sick, with a few already throwing up slightly at just the mere sight of it. [color=A9A9A9][b]"This."[/b][/color] the mad scientist states as he lets everyone look at the blackened vial, [color=A9A9A9][b]"This, is my newest concoction. Just so happened to have finished mixing in the last few ingredients and now it's finally ready for testing. I call this masterpiece... the Bubonic Plague. But you will know it as... the Black Death!"[/b][/color] He giggles manically as he slowly walks back to the corridor intersection, with fearful eyes watching him move while terrifyingly still. [color=A9A9A9][b]"And today,"[/b][/color] he says softly as he cocked his head to his left, [color=A9A9A9][b]"We're gonna play a little game with it."[/b][/color] The scientist slowly walks over to his right and pulls a stray lever. It would open up a small tube extending from the ceiling and into each the prisoner's chambers. Some of them looked at it with wondrous curiosity, with most scuttling far away towards the corner of their cell with a mortified expression. [color=A9A9A9][b]"Here's how the game goes."[/b][/color] Nerplaguis announces as he faces everyone in the hallway, [color=A9A9A9][b]"Above you is a tube. It will pump out the plague that I've just shown you into your body. You will have to live with this coursing through your blood for about... oh, ten days or so. If you are still breathing and conscious by then, congratulations! You get to finally go home! But if you die, well... I'll send brother Azhriel my condolences."[/b][/color] With that he slowly walks back towards his office, with the crowd beginning to panic immensely. Nasty jeers were thrown at Nerplaguis, along with terrifying screams of terror and intense wailing. But the mad scientist didn't care. For by the time he entered his quarters, it had already begun. [color=A9A9A9][b]"Have fuuuuuuuun!"[/b][/color]