Necrophage

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

@t2waveRoger

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

"Do you now?" Mathias replied. It was the kind of short answer that invited suspicion. He grinned weakly and sheathed his sword.

Mathias' satchel was sprawled on the floor. He scooted over to it and rummaged for a biscuit. "I'm sure half-drowning to death has made you hungry. Now's not the time to be picky." Mathias looked at the article of food, though he didn't seem hesitant the impression was clear he didn't have much more. He underhand tossed the biscuit to her. It was salty, hard and was not about to get any staler than it already had, but hey, it was something.

"My name is Mathias. Right now my trial sees me with enough food left to juggle. We're in a damp cave with no visible way out." He continued to smile. The way he repostured himself made it evident he was suddenly uncomfortable. "And I don't juggle."

Best possible plan that came to mind would be to rest a bit and hope the next circle around the maze wouldn't bring him back to the fork. Again.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BQ4yd2W50No

The last post made me think so much of this quote so I couldn't help myself. =)

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

The prone lord glanced up at the twitching spider-thing. With labored breathing he rolled back onto hands and knees. "There is no trying." Mathias welcomed the wall as a place to lie back against, finally letting the sword he gripped so tightly rest in his lap. He drew in a deep breath, tense muscles easing a little more.

Mathias' eyes did not leave her for a moment. He looked determined but not bloodthirsty. "It looks like your movements are shot. If I wanted to kill you I could do so before you recover. You have appealed to me with speech so I will do so in kind. This sword does more than kill. You clearly noticed it before anything else. Threat of retaliation. That is partly why it's there. If you are no threat to me, I will not kill you."

The soft light of the torch kept the chamber illuminated. Stillness conquered the air around the two all except for distant echoes and the sound of passing water. "Now it's my turn. Do you want to kill me?" If this creature had a benevolent purpose then perhaps she could help him out of this abyssal maze.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

Something bumped and scraped gently along the wall by the stream. Mathias stirred, his eyes opening quickly and darting to the water. A young pale girl was floating in it. It was impossible to tell from the lighting whether or not she was actually alive. His mind was already made up. He clenched his teeth to ready himself for the incoming shock, dipped over the stream and scooped his arms under hers. There was something off about her form as he threw his weight back to get her out of the water current quickly.

Though he had hauled her all the way from the water he had to scramble back, startled by what he saw. Beneath the innocent features of her torso was the abdomen and legs of a spider. Black carapace, prickly limbs and all. He was really quite shocked. "What mad god made this creature?"

There wasn't much time. He could already feel the curse reacting to his choice. Mathias moved his hand to draw his sword. It felt like every muscle in his body clenched tight. With right hand yet locked to his sword the pain hit. "Not yet! Hhrrgh!" He cursed through clenched teeth, collapsing to his knees. He couldn't keep steady, there was no composure left. It felt like lightning coursed through his veins! He rolled to his side and writhed in agony.

That Velka had a sour humor. Instead of just striking him dead as her revenge she thought better to make him suffer. What was the point? Malignant witch! The more good his actions did the worse things were. It wasn't surprising this would nearly cripple him. His only hope was that it would fade before this creature recovered. This lord didn't want to be easy prey.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

Mathias felt lost. Worse yet, he couldn't quite remember how he got in here in the first place. He groaned in annoyance and spoke to himself to fill in the emptiness of his locale. "You go looking for a cursebreaker following rumors and get yourself stuck in this predicament.. ugh.. where in the abyss am I?" He pondered.

A draft of wind whistled between the stalactites and stalagmites. This cave tunnel was particularly dark. The only light available was from the torch that Mathias outstretched to reveal anything hidden above him. A shadow like a bed of nails cast across the wall from the natural structure of the cave. Two forks opened up in his path and neither looked promising. After a moment of contemplation he noticed the weak sound of running water and followed it down the left fork.

There a small and steady stream opened up from a mouth of rock in the wall, formed from years of water-weathering. He stuck the torch in a natural cropping of rocks against the wall and pulled out his waterskin. He proceeded to mutter. "At least I won't be thirsty." As the waterskin filled he began humming a cheerful tune and smiling to himself. Truly it wasn't all that bad. Here he wasn't surrounded by the needy or the downtrodden. He could catch up with the past days, figure a way to put this whole "spell" behind him.
Finishing his task of collecting water, Mathias sat back against the wall and slipped the shoulder satchel off for a quick break. It felt like he'd been down here for more than a day already. He rubbed his bleary eyes. Rummaging through his satchel he withdrew a hard biscuit and started munching away while muttering again. "Poor sod. Here you are running away from responsibility to chase a fable." He swallowed a salty chunk of biscuit and sighed. "Go below the ground they said. They call it the Endless Halls. Sounds like fate is stacked against me now more than ever before." Mathias leaned his head back against the cold wall and shut his eyes. "No other options now. I test fate for a chance to go home. A chance to avoid becoming a monster or a burden."

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

I was honestly waiting for the character to be approved from t2wave before posting. I see nothing overpowered about Lila and personally approve it. Mostly I want the fun to begin. I'll make my post I about two hours. That's when work ends.

About badguys I have one tied very personally to my character's story. No spoilers yet. :) She could easily be involved with the living dead too.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

@Polybius
I think only t2wave's character needs confirmation then.

I'll start setting up a post. I don't intend to immediately meet everyone. It'd be better to stagger meetings rather than be barraged by new and in most cases unusually monstrous faces. Considering what Mathias is used to this would be like entering a freak circus. Here's the strong woman, there's the beastly runt. Careful he might bite. Oh and here's the most bizarre attraction, the man with no face! Don't worry folks we did nothing to him! He was born that way.

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

@Polybius Just give me the word of approval. :)

|| The Endless Halls | A Dark Fantasy World | Accepting Characters||

I would be glad to get underway. As soon as I'm accepted. I figure if a group starts leaving before the next arrives it would help transition and be less weird in terms of writing.