May 28, 2017 1:21:14 GMT -5
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May 28, 2017 1:16:57 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 28, 2017 1:16:57 GMT -5
It was the entire reason why they were still there after all this time.
Some took to the festivities to mourn those lost to otohime, but lethe had better ideas for how to honor the dead; to free both herself an anyone still living in the game. The only way to do that was through, as they said. She wasn't afraid. That had always been something that didn't come to her easily, often to her own detriment. Even with how often she got herself hurt rushing into things, she never learned.
Perhaps that was why she didn't shy away from the dungeon of the endless as much as she did the crowd waiting for her at the festival of the moon. A straight up fight with one of the few people who actually knew her aside from first impressions was something she could handle. A stranger crying on her shoulder? Not so much. She inhaled, hugging herself as she pumped herself up before swinging her arms outward to get the blood flowing.
Then, she grinned at the aforementioned friend next to her. "You're ready, right? We've got this."
1/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 28, 2017 1:30:19 GMT -5
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May 28, 2017 1:22:54 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 28, 2017 1:22:54 GMT -5
richard was never particularly interested in the whims of the woman he had taken a liking too. he was an understanding guy and if that was what she desired, he would concede. he couldn't deny that it was outrageously stupid. only two of them heading into a death trap with no other plan, no one else to rely on, that sung death to him. he was no stranger to the concept of death as it actually appealed to him. he wondered what his woman would look like when faced with such things.
that was his reason for accompanying her.
well, that and he couldn't fathom another beast laying it's filth upon her. the thought disgusted him and made his violent tendencies flare. no matter, he told himself that if they were to play it safe, they would end up coming out empty handed. he gambled on this, taking the first of many steps inside with a kind smile on his face.
"of course," he answered in a smooth husk, "shall we?"
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May 28, 2017 1:30:22 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 28, 2017 1:30:22 GMT -5
for as long as she had known him, he had been kind to her. he probably knew her better than anyone else, and had put up with her antics more than even her parents had. she brightened when he answered her, even knowing full and well just how dangerous the dungeon they were walking into was. she was aware she could get hurt, was aware of the concept of dying here, but it didn't seem real to her.
they were going to win, and everything was going to be okay, because they were doing the right thing.
the moment she was given the go ahead, lethe pranced forward through and into the dungeon. the moment the icy layout became apparent to her, she equipped her sword and shield and raced forward. noir would be behind her, because he wouldn't leave her side. he was her friend, and she trusted him implicitly.
2/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 28, 2017 1:39:32 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 28, 2017 1:39:32 GMT -5
"Careful, Lethe," he called out to her as she went on ahead, though not out of his sight. He would have to punish her otherwise if she had dared to leave his side. The boy smiled, watching his possession clad in armor and equipped with fine weapons. It excited him and soon, he would see her kill -- so to speak. It made him proud that such a dull girl like Lethe could shine so brilliantly in battle. Ah, his heart was hers.
The antagonist took slow strides as the layer of snow had risen an inch or two as they walked on. It was hindering him from getting close to her. How troublesome, he thought, looking blankly at the snow-covered room. He looked up to see that Lethe stood by a hallway that looked to stretch for miles. That wouldn't do at all.
Richard tapped his fingers together, eyes scanning the frozen room for a different path. Something...less obvious. He hummed, a finger drifting towards a different opening, one with a door. "There," he said, pushing through the snow to get to it first. "I'll open it for you," he said in a gentle tone. The boy pushed open the double doors with ease, revealing a staircase that led down to pitch darkness. Not ideal either but it will do, he thought, reaching for a nearby torch mounted on the walls.
"If you want to go on ahead, I won't stop you, but please take this torch and step with care," he urged gently.
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May 28, 2017 1:50:45 GMT -5
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May 28, 2017 1:49:10 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 28, 2017 1:49:10 GMT -5
lethe had been heading right towards the hallway, not really seeing anything wrong with it and no alternatives in sight to her. she was so lucky that noir was there, and she stopped midstep when he called out to her. she wasn't sure what could have been wrong, but she didn't ask; experience told her that he must have known something she didn't. she went ahead and backtracked to his side, as happy as could be to have him there with her.
after all, where would she be without him? if she hadn't talked him into buying the game to play with her, she probably would have been all alone here. that, or he would've talked her into doing something else rather than ignore him for an entire afternoon again.
she glanced down into the pitch blackness, uncertain, but when he handed her a torch she calmed. "thanks!" if this was the path he chose, then it was probably the right one. She clasped the source of light in her shieldbearing hand, and stepped two at a time down the stairs with a smile on her face. he would be right behind her; he always was.
she heard chittering up ahead, and tested the swing of her sword for just a moment without faltering in her movement. whatever was there waiting for them, she was ready to protect both herself and her friend. she wasn't afraid.
3/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 28, 2017 1:59:26 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 28, 2017 1:59:26 GMT -5
He enjoyed watching people, he really did as he found them fascinating. Humans were simply fascinating. There was none that compared to Lethe, however and it became apparent when he first met her. Moved in next door to him when she was only eight years old and often came over to play. At first, he thought of her as a nuisance until she had come to his rescue once. The stupid girl had fended off his drunk father simply because it was the 'right thing to do'. She was, of course, useless and had gotten harmed in the process.
It was from that day forth that he became interested in her and her naive views of the world. Lethe was unwavering in her beliefs. The girl was pure and innocent and would continue to stay that way if he had anything to do about it. He kept a watchful eye on her ever since then, determined to keep her out of harm's way and away from others. Threatening and blackmailing were simple tricks and worked effectively. It was a wonderful thing, he was in control of her life without her knowing.
Richard's smile grew as he watched his hero press on in the darkness. Even the strange sounds didn't cue the girl in on the dangers. Yes, there was no other woman for him. This one suited him just fine.
"Is that another door?" he pointed out, squinting at it as they approached. "Looks like there's a lock on it."
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May 28, 2017 2:12:43 GMT -5
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May 28, 2017 2:11:07 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 28, 2017 2:11:07 GMT -5
one fear.
"oh, no." she whined as she came to a sudden stop in front of the door. he was right; there was a lock on it. "does that mean we have to go back?" she asked, looking over her shoulder at him with saddened eyes. she'd thought she'd been doing so well, but no, she'd led them straight into a dead end. she was no good with puzzles, never really had been her whole life. sure, noir had tried to help her with them when she'd asked, but she'd just never taken to the lessons.
everything went right over her head.
she looked back down at the lock, lowering the torch to get a better look. her brow furrowed - it didn't even seem to be a normal lock! instead of a keyhole, there was some kind of complicated mechanism with switches and a round hole, like something was missing from it. no good; there was no way she'd figure something like that out. "maybe i can force it?" she offered hopefully.
then again, if anyone could figure out how it worked, it would be him. it was probably for this reason alone that she didn't reach for it herself immediately. noir had always known what to do; she'd trust his judgment.
4/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 28, 2017 2:19:41 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 28, 2017 2:19:41 GMT -5
He had to look over her shoulder to analyze the situation. Honestly, what was this woman blabbering about now? Richard looked at the girl then at the door and back to her. This was precisely why he loved her. Her sheer stupidity had her relying on him for everything over the years and he loved it. He loved being the only one that she could depend on and need. It was all for this reason that he endured such chores.
His smile spread thinly, stepping over beside the warrior to inspect the lock more closely. He scratched at his chin, turning the lock over in one hand. "Hmmm," he let out, "I believe you can, Lethe. If there's anyone who can do this, it's you." He turned back to her, hands raised in front of him. "I'm afraid I don't have the strength to open this lock myself." He stepped away from it, making his way back to her side.
It was a lie, of course.
There was no harm in reminding her that she was a miracle worker. In return, he kept her affections next to his heart. Silly girl.
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May 28, 2017 2:35:55 GMT -5
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May 28, 2017 2:31:35 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 28, 2017 2:31:35 GMT -5
lethe shrank out of the way when she noticed him studying the complicated lock, not wanting to be the reason he couldn't figure it out. when he let his hand fall away and put his hope in her, though, she brightened. even when no one else believed in her, he did, and it lifted her spirits and confidence just as easily as they could be dropped. "you really think so?" she asked, hopeful, but she was already stepping forward to try to convince the lock to open.
take that, puzzle. nothing could stand in the way of doing the right thing!
it was difficult, considering she was holding both her sword and the torch, but she managed to bash against it with the hilt of the weapon enough to actually shatter it. hopping twice on her feet and nearly slipping, she turned back to him with a laugh. "you were right! i did it!" she just hoped he was as happy as she was as she turned to nudge the door open, walking-
- almost immediately into an icy blue centipede-like creature that rose to stand taller than she did. oh, right. the chittering sound. it had faded into background noise for her, and she'd totally forgotten it. she barely raised her shield in time to deflect the monsters attack when it lunged, blinking in surprise when it veered away at the last moment from the flame of the torch. she hadn't even attacked it.
5/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 28, 2017 2:40:32 GMT -5
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May 28, 2017 2:39:09 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 28, 2017 2:39:09 GMT -5
He watched with amusement as the girl struggled at first, not knowing what to do with the torch. He stifled a soft laugh, he had two open hands for a reason. The boy tilted his head to the side when the lock did break under the girl's hit. How lovely. His eyes glossed over when Lethe celebrated her victory over a puzzle. Straightening himself up, Richard gave his girl a gentle pat on the head.
"Good work," he said cheerfully, "it was an easy lock so it looks like you may have trouble with more difficult ones in the future." He left it at that, reminding her that she still needed him. It was good to be joyful over accomplishments. He encouraged it. It was drastically different if said accomplishments fed into toxic delusions like her being capable without him.
Ludicrous.
He stepped back once his foot had entered the door way, reeling back at the monster. Like in the past, Lethe was there to protect him. He grinned, looking up smugly at the creature as it distanced itself. It didn't look like a boss and if that were the case, they were in no danger. "I believe in you, Lethe. You can destroy it and once you do, we'll be a step closer to freeing everyone from this terrible world."
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May 28, 2017 2:55:43 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 28, 2017 2:55:43 GMT -5
she never thought twice about the way he praised her. sometimes she'd gotten looks, and once she'd even been pulled aside, but those people had never been there for her before or after wanting to talk about what they didn't know anything about. her spirits were dampened, if just a little bit, by his reminder. it was good, though. she shouldn't go and get a big head or anything, after all.
he was right. he was always right.
she shrank back for a moment from the centipede - it was so gross, but when he lauded her skill she raised her sword with determination. her first lunge was hesitant, but the monster screeched when the blade grazed its body and she began trading blows with it more in earnest. it was when she missed a block that she worried, the creature brushing past her neck for a second and leaving the sensation of so many legs while her health bar dropped from full - she had a lot, though. it only took off a small portion, barely even worth mentioning.
she lunged again, and the monster broke apart before she even realized what had happened.
she grinned, straightening but not bragging this time as she stepped forward into the room, lifting her torch to try to get a better view of what awaited them on this floor. perhaps there were more creatures like that one? she wasn't sure.
6/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 28, 2017 3:04:22 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 28, 2017 3:04:22 GMT -5
Richard allowed himself to stand back and be protected so earnestly by Lethe. In his eyes, this was how she showed that she truly loved him. There was nothing that could come between them aside from death. Even if death tore them apart, he was sure that they were soulmates and were destined to be together forever. The thought warmed him up with a slimy sensation, his smile fading to be more subtle. He would take Lethe's body in his arms and take care of all arrangements if it came down to it. Only the best for his love.
The man froze, eyes widening when Lethe's defense was broken through. An honest mistake on her part that lit a flame in his chest. Her mistake had cost her her health and to make matters worse, allowed something else to graze her. Filthy, filthy, filthy. His thoughts raged on, his hatred sinking deeper into the centipede. Even when it had died, it did not smother the hate he felt for it.
Richard walked slowly behind Lethe, sure that he was out of her peripheral. While she wandered around to inspect the room, he turned towards the ground. Sucking in some air, the boy spat bitterly where the centipede had laid. His foot grinding up at the empty space, almost wishing that he had stepped in to slay it in her stead. No matter, he had other plans.
"Lethe, ahead," he spoke calmly, hands in the pockets of his pants to cover the tapping of his fingers. "Looks like a bridge and hey, it's well lit."
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May 28, 2017 3:13:14 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 28, 2017 3:13:14 GMT -5
if it hadn't been life or death, lethe probably would have ooh'd and ahh'd at the detail poured into the walls and the floors. she'd always loved this kind of thing, and someone had clearly cared quite a great deal for the graphics involved in the game, even where it would be too dark for most players to see anything. even in a place a large portion of the player base would avoid.
lethe didn't know why she hadn't seen it before. the bridge was so well lit she wasn't even confined to the dim glow cast by the torch. "oh!" she smiled, prancing forward without any mind for traps or the like. it was through sheer luck that none had awaited her and she'd made it to the bridge unharmed, smiling as she looked over her shoulder at her friend none the wiser and waited for him to make it back to her side.
the moment he was there, she would carry through, heat rising to her cheeks and neck while she finally admitted to her thoughts. "it's kind of pretty down here, don't you think ...?"
7/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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May 28, 2017 3:24:21 GMT -5
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May 28, 2017 3:23:20 GMT -5
Post by noir on May 28, 2017 3:23:20 GMT -5
Richard ran a hand through his dark hair, taking his time to catch up to Lethe. He had admittedly gotten slightly distracted. The macabre decorations were distasteful and it gave him a bad feeling. With no where else to turn, he supposed there was nothing else to be done. The boy shifted, shoving both his hands into his pockets. He sighed, not feeling like fighting, but resigned to the thought that he would have to eventually. He could only hope that it wasn't now.
When he had finally caught up to Lethe, he waved at her, his face brightening up. "Sorry, I had to tie my shoes," he lied. He smiled at her question, picking up all the cues displayed clearly on her face. If not him, who else knew her well? Like him, she was mostly likely in love with him. He couldn't imagine why she wouldn't be in the first place. "Yes...it's romantic," he whispered leaning close to her ear, his eyes half-lidded. "Let's continue, shall we?"
The boy chuckled to himself, walking ahead of his defender. It was a game to him almost there was a push and pull. He knew that she desired him with every fiber of her being and that was exactly why he showed restraint. He loved it when his woman looked at him with eyes begging, there was nothing that excited him more.
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May 28, 2017 3:45:23 GMT -5
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May 28, 2017 3:37:49 GMT -5
Post by lethe on May 28, 2017 3:37:49 GMT -5
lethe hadn't thought anything of noir leaning in close to her before he mentioned the word romantic, her blush blooming out of control at the thought. it embarrassed her to no end that she was nineteen years old and had never even had her first kiss. every time she'd met a boy she thought might be interested in her, she'd inevitably done something terrible enough to send him running, never to so much as acknowledge her existence again. no matter how often she asked, though, noir had always insisted nothing was wrong with her. she didn't bother to ask again; she knew she was annoying, and she wouldn't push it with the only friend she had. he was the only one who knew what she really was like and didn't run away.
she shouldn't have said anything.
for a moment, she almost hadn't noticed that her friend had gone on ahead of her. the moment she realized her stupid mistake, she gasped and turned to chase after him, finally dropping the torch. once she reached him, she made a point to match step with him. maybe he felt awkward being behind her all the time, but as a defender it was her job to protect him! she would do her best, she had already promised herself.
without noir around, she really was nothing.
the bridge really was neat. she didn't know anything of architecture, but the way it was built - or drawn? - distracted her from the target at hand for just a moment. looking ahead, she thought she saw a platform lead out past the end of the bridge, but she wasn't sure what else there was to see. were those stairs leading upwards, or just a wall? she squinted, giving a "hmmm," as she wondered aloud after what was before them.
8/10 hardmode: enabled noir
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