[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjQ0LmE1OTc0MC5WbUZyYXcsLC4wAAAAAAAA/blowup-personal-use.regular.png[/img][/center] Vakk had expected this travel to the God of Souls to be something that would not take too long of a time, especially since it just to fulfill his own sadistic needs. However, as he forced open a way from the So’E to go to a different sphere, he had miscalculated his route and now he knew this endeavor would take far too long for his liking. The Lord of Speech felt utterly defeated for a moment, temporarily allowing the feeling of dread to catch up with him, but he calmed himself as he knew if he thought through this situation that he could easily get out. Yet, he could always just backtrack and go a different route. The temporary gateway had closed. Now he was trapped. He was trapped in a domain of a god that he knew would be hostile to him. He was trapped in the domain of a god who would make his time exceedingly more difficult. He was trapped, a rat in a den of snakes. It was the Infinite Maze. Vakk sighed out of annoyance and pressed forth into the endless abomination that would trap him for some time. Though, he knew that he could outsmart the likes of Eurysthenes, for he had done it before. The Lord of Speech, upon reaching the first junction, decided to travel upwards and go over the maze’s exceptionally tall walls. As he had before, he would go around the answer and not search endlessly for it. He would take such glee in falsely solving the God’s puzzle, just to mock him and torture him for locking him out of his own domain. A cheater was doing what he did best. [Center]---[/center] After the great underground maze had been completed, Eurysthenes would have liked to relax, though it felt something moving in its domain. Something [i]large[/i]. This was going to be fun. With the haste granted by its many legs, it reached the staircase and scaled it in no time. Soon enough to see Vakk trying to cheat. This possibility, one of the gods flying over, had not been considered. Ever so quickly, [i]This One[/i] seals off the top with a fine mesh, purposed to hurl anyone who touched it back to the ground. The mesh glowed faintly and hissed when anything drew near. The very fibers of it hummed with denial. Next, Eurysthenes seemed to split into a million of it, all hovering and looking down at Vakk, the endless blue eyes acting as a stripping backdrop, baring Vakk down to his core. [color=8A0886]”This is the question all who find themselves lonely come nightfall ask themselves. The question one who guards may ask an intruder. The question that those who trespass in guilt ask. The question that those confused ask. And, naturally, the question that we ask now,”[/color] [i]These Ones[/i] clicked without mouths while watching Vakk without eyes. [color=9d6818]”Why are am I here,”[/color] Vakk answered, his jagged mouth looking up at the god that had hindered his process. He felt a rage bubbling within him, but decided it was not the best time to show such hatred, not yet. He let out a low rumble, unknown if it were anger or amusement towards the god of riddles. [color=9d8618]”I am merely passing through Eurysthenes, I must see someone else and I would prefer not to be entangled in your pitiful excuse for a game,”[/color] he explained, not showing his emotion quite yet. [i]These Ones[/i] considered Vakk for a moment, then the Maze began to shift. The floor dropped a little. The corridors became slightly wider while twisting and hurling themselves around. By the end of this, Vakk would find himself face to face with Eurysthenes. [color=A80886]”A game?”[/color] The corridor that revealed it to Vakk closed. Seconds later, Vakk would hear the unsettling clicking behind him, [color=A80886]”We are like cord. Spun around, wound together. Yet we are also patient.”[/color] Again, the corridor closed. Before Vakk rose a large pillar with a knot on it. Each end of the rope that was involved in the knot vanished into a corner of the twelve-sided room that Vakk was now in. [color=9d8618][b]”You cur! Get me out of this cage or I will feast upon your bones!”[/b][/color] Vakk roared, slamming his body against the massive wall of the maze, to no avail. His words, while threats still carried his will of intimidation. [color=9d8618]”If this is a war you desire, then I will make it a war of attrition!”[/color] Vakk gave a laugh before a voice similar to Eurysthenes echoed through the Maze [color=gray]”A collection of lies! That’s all I am, stolen thoughts and memories!”[/color] This was now a war on who would break first, Vakk’s will to go on or Eurysthenes control over its own body. The Lord of Speech was not still, as he moved forward to inspect the knot before following on of the ropes. All the while, taunting the Puzzle God with its own voice, [color=gray]”He asked and I answered. For a moment of safety, I risked damnation amongst the echoes.”[/color] Somewhere in the Maze, [i]This One[/i] chuckled. A good move with the voice. Over in Vakk’s knot room, a new door opened, then vanished. Eurysthenes stepped out and walked towards the knot in the center of the room. Wavery in voice and slump-shouldered, it said, [color=A80886]”Go on then. E̶̺͠a̶͓̾t̵̍͜ ̸̞̎ḿ̸͚ÿ̷̫́ ̵͉̆b̶̻̚ō̵̬ṇ̸̆e̵̹͒s̶͇̾,”[/color] Vakk had not even turned to face Eurysthenes, but his tendrils darted for it, aiming to skewer the god where it stood. However, it stopped only a mere hair length from it before Vakk spoke once more, this time in his own voice, [color=9d8618]”Killing one who is needed, A horrid move by those deceived, Of false ambition and anger. No. You are too meager. Yet, you are needed.”[/color] Vakk knew that he could not kill Eurysthenes for then he would be trapped within the Infinite Maze for an eternity. [color=9d8618]”And yet a fake body is just that, A pawn of a deluded rat.”[/color] The lord speech raised his tendrils into one massive form before he slammed it down towards the suspected clone. Still looking in the same direction he had been facing. The moment Vakk’s tendrils collided with Eurysthenes, they slowed to a trickle. The skin of [i]This One[/i] began to pulse and warp. Small, discoloured lumps began to form. It grew a mouth. Grossly, it erupted. Tentacles formed, skin blackened, and it grew. A perfect copy of Vakk. [color=gray]”Now don’t go losing myself in here,”[/color] [color=9d8618]”You cannot fool me, welp.”[/color] [color=gray]”I have walked the edge of the abyss. I have seen our future. And I have learned!”[/color] Vakk maneuvered himself to the other side of the room, before inspecting the rope. Tendrils wrapped around each of them, spiraling towards the end before they could not go further away from Vakk’s form. With a great heave, Vakk pulled all the rope at once, watching the twine strain between the force of the trapped one and the walls of the maze. Something would have to give, and Vakk refused to allow it to be the rope. Nothing. He snapped his jaws in annoyance before he went to look at the rope, following it to the wall. He found small holes beneath the ropes, merely gazing at them for a short while before he decided to force a tendril through one. The walls gave a small jolt, and the rope slackened, allowing the walls to fall over, revealing more of the maze. The Other Vakk said [color=gray]”Well done, me! I got something right for once. Even if it was by accident…”[/color] The eyes bore in on Vakk, ravaging his soul. They blinked in unison, clicking the same way Eurysthenes did. [color=A80886]”One. Two? Four. Some of us have things to do, do you not?”[/color] The walls convulsed, revealing a long, narrow passage with a vortex at the end. On a table behind Vakk there was a blade. Some of Eurysthene’s looked at him, his voice coming from them, [color=gray]”May I speak with you, please? … What’s your name? It’s very nice to meet you! … Ỳ͔ou̳͓̝̞͓̟ ͚͇̠͉͓̖ͅl̖̤̟͔̪͡i̺̞̟ḱ̮͉̼̪͓e͖̳͈̭ ̗̳͎́g̷̙̼͔̭̻͉ͅa̢̝̬͈̝̪͓m̪e̗͚s͎̖͍̣?̭͚̟̱̘̫͓ ͉͓̱͚̕S͙͎͓͜o̼͔͓̣̺̙ dơ͈ ̗͖̠͇̤͘Į̬͎͚̠͇.̲̠͔͚”[/color] However, if he looked away from them, they would look normal once more, was it a trick of the eye, or was he going mad? Vakk approached the table and looked between the blade and the vortex before he wrapped a tendril around the hilt of the blade and picked it up. While he knew not what a shovel was, he was familiar with the likes of a sword, mainly being the other side of them, but he did know. He felt a smile creep across his lips as he spoke once more in his own voice, [color=9d8618][b]”Think not of your own life, Think not of another, Instead, look toward the knife, Come with a terrible pother, And end your own strife.”[/b][/color] The wall across from Vakk melted. There, was standing Eurysthenes. From the center of its chest thrust a small, pure white shard of ice. An opaque fog hurtled from it, to the ground. It peeled across the floor, spiraling upwards in sickly laughs. [Color=A80886]”My strife will be at the end of its tether soon enough. But, [i]brother[/i],”[/color] it spat, [color=A80886]”What is my strife?”[/color] The wall un-melted and whisked away. The fog was thick as madness, pressing in on Vakk. Grabbing at his mind and gently tearing it. Across from him, the wall changed once more. Another copy of Vakk, only this one had no mouth. His jaw pulled at the flesh around it, and no words came out. The true Lord of Speech growled before he began to look around, snapping his jaws as he analyzed the new situation that he was in. He was no stranger to a fog for he had created it at the Feasting Forest, but this fog was stranger. [color=9d8618]”Your strife is whatever I say it is. Your strife is your desire to trap people in your games.[b] Your strife lies within your need to harm others with you puzzle![/b],”[/color] Vakk went in, his words being carried by that strength he had a tendency to infuse into them. Focusing on the puzzle, Vakk raised his new blade and, with his might, tell upon the maddening crystal that dared to test him. He could just begin to feel it trying to slip into his mind the way that he would slip into other minds. It was subtle, but he refused to allow Eurysthenes any small victory. [color=gray]”You truly are going mad, Vakk.”[/color] a voice said. He turned and standing in front of the false Vakk was the form of Atmav. There was no possible way for Eurysthenes would know of her, and so he knew that it was that crystal’s doing. He looked away, and back again, Atmav had disappeared. She was merely a trick of the mind. Again, the eyes speak. [Color=A80886]”Vakk. We will be direct so you can understand. Eurysthenes is simply too far away for words to take effect. It's seen your tricks before, and it won't let them happen again. But go on, be our guest, keep commanding. Eventually you will have to butcher yourself. Or are you too weak?”[/color] [Center]---[/center] [i]This One[/i] felt Vakk’s voice through the soles of its feet. It was looking down at him, blinking it's million eyes to speak. It chuckled. This puzzle was one of the better ones. The look of shock on Vakk’s face when he found out would be priceless. It wanted to feel bad about inflicting such torment upon its brethren, but the brethren in question wasn't exactly innocent of tormenting, himself. If anyone were to outsmart him, it would be Eurysthenes. Or K'nell. With a sigh, it feels Vakk’s voice again. He was a terrible guest. It exhales, and with the force of denial, it spoke through blinking once more. [Center]---[/center] [Color=A80886]”Vakk. I am denying you the privilege of speaking within my realm,”[/color] Vakk looked at the clone of himself, he knew it was not him for there could only be one of his magnificence. But being denied speaking rights was something that he could not simply allow to go on. [color=9d8618]”Very well, I shall not speak. [b]They will.[/b]”[/color] The Lord of Speech then let out a maddening laugh in response before he looked at the eyes, with a sadistic grin on his face. [color=9d8618]”I know you can hear me through these farces Eurysthenes! I know you can! Come here and do not be a coward! Face your destruction!”[/color] Vakk roared before he turned the blade and cut off one of his own tendrils. His divine ichor spilled onto the floor, not crimson blood but a blackened substance with a green tint. He gave a roar of pain before he turned upon the illusion of himself, wanting to butcher that as well. The words were stifled before he even opened his mouth. The fog reached up instead, occupying the empty air. And when the knife tore through flesh, everything [i]shifted[/i]. Vakk found himself on the other side of the narrow corridor, looking back into the room with the knife and the clone. [Color=gray]”Well done, me. I was brave. Brave enough to… well…”[/color] The new clone held up the stump of its tentacle, nodding slowly. The Vortex shimmered in the room. Aside from the corridor, it was all there was. A milky twist, suspended. Eating reality, and pulling at Vakk’s form like the fog pulled at his mind. Vakk snapped his jaws. How much longer would Eurysthenes keep him trapped in this damned maze? How much would he have to endure before Eurysthenes felt satisfied? He entered the Vortex, his form swirling into it and depositing him into a different area. However, Vakk would see no puzzle or riddle here, for it was the edge of the Infinite Maze and along with it, his ticket to the design Atkin he sought. The Lord of Speech looked back, seeing merely a wall to separate him from the rest of the maze. [color=9d8618]”Another trick? … No. He did not know where I desired to go.”[/color] He was skeptical of this. [color=9d8618]”Mark my words, Eurysthenes, you will pay for the injustice you have done against me.”[/color] [hider=Summary in form of conversation] >I assume it’s fair to assume that Eury gets some kinda power advantage in its own sphere? The effects are far more potent than i’d imagine you could usually get away with on Galbar, but it was able to make the entire sphere for 8 MP so a power advantage of sorts seems safe >This is fair but I do believe Cyclone’s words on the subject were as such ‘You're at a big disadvantage attacking almost any god in their Sphere, not even necessarily because they own the Sphere so much as because a god's Sphere is like the perfect place for them to do their thing. For instance, if you tried to raid Kalmar's crib, it'd be like that story The Most Dangerous Game where you're trapped in some jungle and he's hunting your ass for sport. Or maybe like Actual Cannibal Shia LaBeouf’ You do have the advantage here don’t get me wrong, just clarifying Cyclone’s words on the subject. >Awesome! I was just looking through the discord to see what he’d said about it, so thanks for letting me know :) Felt a bit bad doing the mesh thing, because that was admittedly clever, but you’re not getting out of this that easily ;) No idea why i’m typing in bold by the way. No fucken clue how to navigate docs so i’m lost XD Oh neat, thanks dude > No problem, if you’ve ever used MS Word, it’s virtually the same thing. >Oh cool. I’ll keep that in mind >Did I guess the riddle right? >Yeap. A riddle that is answered with a question. Also, from now i won’t be noting my might expenditure until the end so you’re just as confused as Vakk. immersion! :D >Check discord >Blood looks like jam. Let’s include this as a bonus summary because those are fun. >Sure. Why not. Also your go. >aaaand go. Eury ain’t tryin to keep Vakk forever, merely have its fun with him while it can. I’ll be trying to offer puzzles for him so it’s an interesting process to get out, rather than just a boring “turn left, turn right” thing. >well this is going to be fun >I know it’s not Eury’s speech pattern, but Vakk is doing this to more or less start deteriorating its mental fortitude. >Eeexcelent. Dude this is great. Vakk and Eury are such a natural combo >Ikr. It’s a shame no one wants to make a demi-god of poems or some shit to get this ship going even further >Anything to add? > Just nothing ;) There is a solution to this, by the way >All I see is a pillar with a knot and a bunch of rope >Yeah. In the interest of it not going stale, do you want to know the answer? >plz, i am but a dumb american, as most foreigners put it >Look at the base of the ropes >The corners of the room? Or the knot? >Where the rope meets the walls. There are little holes beneath the ropes >Put a tentacle in it? ;) *wink wink, nudge nudge* >Yes Vakk just told Eury to kill itself. >Vakk will find that, much like this new illusion(?), that he cannot speak. The fog comes from The Mad Ice, so while it won't send Vakk mad by itself, it'll certainly help >Eury spent might on muting Vakk’s voice. In effect, there is a field around him that stops voice. This'll go as soon as he solves the puzzle [hr] The walls convulsed in pleasure, letting out a groaning noise as the small holes grew a little. [/hider] [hider=Might Summary] Eurysthenes *1 FP on the repulsive mesh *1 MP, discounted to 0 by the illusions portfolio, to make the appearances of other Eurys. *1 MP to briefly stop Vakk from talking 1 FP, 1 MP towards Denial portfolio Madness port avaliable [/hider]