Lurel shivers looking at the object. "It's a horrible thing," he says, his shudder audible in his voice. "The question is... what is it protecting? What is on the other side of it?"

He tries to work out the frequency with which the object is swinging, to estimate whether it will clear the passageway for long enough for one of them to get past it without injury.

But he is uneasy. "I'm not sure if we should even risk it," he mutters. "Between this thing and our 'friends' I'm not sure which option I'd rather face. No one has noticed any switches or anything, which might stop this thing, I suppose?"

He looks at Ford. "What do you think? Should we go back to the passage where those creatures which attacked us before must be lurking, or try to find a way to get past this?"

"I'd rather take my chances against them than get sliced in half."

Ford shudders.

"It's too big a risk, especially since we can't even see it."

Lurel nods slowly. "i suppose so. If we could see enough to time the swing of that thing, then we might be able to get past it... but perhaps it's better that we face a known danger first. Better get ready, then."

He grabs his sword, and hold it out before him almost defiantly.

"Lisette, Siffli - we're going to need your help with this one. Midge, can you keep an eye on what's behind us... we don't want anyone to sneak up on us, after all. Let's go then."

He sets off in the direction of the passage where he expects their attackers to lurk.

You reach the junction without mishap. If you are correct there are three attackers in front of you. Lurel has taken the lead, Midge is rear guard. What position do you ask the others to take/do they offer to take.

The passage is as dark as the other and wide enough for two to walk abreast.

"Lisette," Lurel says, "you're the most experienced fighter among us - what strategy do you suggest we should adopt? It might be an idea if you could take the lead with me."

Quietly he whispers to Ford: "Keep an eye on Midge, too, will you? Just in case our attackers have been moving about."

OOC> this is very odd, I made a post a couple of days back, but it seems not to have registered... must have contained a cusre word or two.. not sure. At any rate I just wanted to say that I can't usually say if there is danger because I don't actually know if there is, basically, I don't want to stuff up the story.

*edit* IC> "Perhaps we shouldn't go this way, if we walk into a trap unaware, we might be digging ourselves into a DEEP hole. But we shall never give up, never say die let us go forward with arms!"
and with that, Midge, pulls out a small dagger he had been carrying for some time.

OOC> howzat? *edit*

(OOC: Theta has a point, Lurel was whispering to Ford. Post edited.)

Ford nods to Lurel and falls back, staying with Midge, sword at the ready.

/// OOC - Midge wasn't meant to hear that.....///


Lurel proceeds slowly, hoping that Lisette and Siffli are prepared for an attack.

Suddely the tunnel widens. The attackers are on you. One charges from the front, a heavy stick floating just ahead of him. From behind, the second is firing daggers. The third is poised to attack the flank with what would appear to be a spell.

Lurel curses himself for not using his Lycanthropy earlier... in wolf-form he might have been able to closer to the attackers before they noticed him. His earlier concerns are forgotten, as he goes through the transformation, and leaps at the third attacker.

He can only hope that Lisette, Siffli and Ford can hold off the other two.

OOC> I am away until 31/12. Midge, Ford, Lisette and Siffli feel free to post. I will tell you the result when I return.

Compliments of the season to you all.

(OOC: You too. ^^)

Ford attempts to deflect any daggers thrown Midge's way with his sword and charges at the one with the heavy stick, slicing sideways at it as he runs in an attempt to get past quickly and strike at the long range attacker.

Ford's speed gets him past the attacker with the stick though his slice misses. He is successful in dodging the daggers up to a point. One hits his shoulder but his clothing protects him from all but a flesh wound. The dagger is lodged in his tunic. The dagger thrower switches to a sword that is spinning like a propeller just in front of him. He runs at Ford.

Lurel is able to launch himself into the chest of the attacker on the flank. The weapon, a small knife cuts him a glancing blow on the flank. He cannot afford to let another one go deeper. The dagger is operated by telekinesis.

The other three members of the party have to deal with the stick wielder. Lisette's mail protects her from the daggers and she moves in to guard Midge.

With a yelp of pain followed by a snarl Lurel springs at the third attacker again, this time trying to keep the attacker between himself and the flying daggers. He tries to sink his teeth into his adversary's neck/throat.

'Why isn't Siffli doing anything? Her telekinetic powers are stronger than theirs.. she could take care of those daggers!'

"Argh!!"

Ford grabs the knife and pulls it out of his tunic, throwing it at the knife thrower's spinning sword. He jumps back and keeps his distance.

"Um, a little help?"

OOC> back on Tuesday! Let's hope help is forthcoming.

Happy New Year to you all - er - both?????

OOC> Yeah, I did notice the word "whispered" but only after I made the post... but I had to restart my comp for something I installed and I forgot to edit it. holiday season has left me rather busy and as such I havent been back untill now so i'll just amend that...

IC> Midge, being small as he is, ducks to the ground and discreetly sneaks up on the heavy stick weilding adversary. Ducking past the pointy end to get at their attacker.

Midge has closed with the attacker with the stick. The man floats above him and calls the stick back to his hand. He is out of range of any melee weapon.

Lurel catches the flanking attacker but only scratches him. The man pushes him away using telekinesis. Lurel as a wolf is too large to suffer damage but he is having trouble making any advance.

The sword whirler moves to face Ford. The sword follows significantly more slowly.

OOC> I lost all my New Year break to illness so I'm taking the rest of this week off. Back next Monday!

(OOC: I know what ya mean. I've had a stinking cold virus since the 29th, think pretty much everyone has had it at some point this Winter in the UK.)

Ford slowly steps forward and points his sword forward with both hands, keeping a strong grip on it. He stabs forward into the enemy's slowly swirling sword in an attempt to lock weapons with it, and also to test the strength of it's swing.

//OOC - meh, I've got that cold now Hope everyone feels better soon! ///



Lurel snarls angrily, unsure of what to do next. Why are Lisette and Siffli not helping? Only Lisette's ranged weapons and Siffli's telekinetic powers, it would seem, are of use here.

He yelps a warning to Midge, and springs at his attacker again, fighting to get past the telekinetic barrier. This time his aim is to hamstring the attacker. Even if he cannot break through the defences, Lurel hopes at least to be able to prevent him from casting a spell.

OOC> colds? you should only be so lucky, its summer here in Australia so all I get is stinkin' hot heat

"Yeah, I know" Midge shouts in reply,
"With Lisette and Siffli distrait, I'm keeping this one of your backs."
Being out of range of any melee attacks Midge concludes the only plausable course of action is to hurl his dagger at his more powerful foe.

Ford approaches the sword twirler. His sword is spinning with such speed that he can feel the air blasting against him. If he moves to escape the blast the attacker follows immediately. The swirling swords take a little longer.

Lurel is getting nowhere but he is keeping the assailant pinned down.

OOC> Midge, your dagger hits your opponent. I have calculated the damage but before I post I have a question. Did you hurl the dagger at random or had you a particular point you were aiming for?

OOC> nah, I have doubts as to how accurate I am, that's why I didnt specify.

Having hit the target and with nothing left to throw, Midge stands there with nothing but confusion. The only idea he had left was to distract the attacker and turn his opponent around so when Siffli or Lisette finally come to, they can strike at the back of the creature, while it's distracted.

"Oh boy."

If only I could get those swords away from him... hmm...

Ford starts running from the sword twirler, after a few metres he pivots around to face him. He notices the swords aren't yet in front, and so he quickly lunges towards his opponent, stabbing forward with his sword, aiming for the chest (or whatever equivilant it has).

Midge's dagger hits his opponent high in the chest. It can hardly be fatal but the man's attention wavers. Ford's opponent narrowly manages to dodge his attack. Ford is now between the swords and the Avelyssian. Whilst it can hardly be considered safe for Ford the Avelyssian expression is one of confusion as if such a thing were not possible.

The attacker had started with his back to the wall, he cannot go further back. He starts to pull the swords towards him.

OOC> on a course tomorrow 'excel for experts' huh! I'm no expert but there you go! Back Monday.

(OOC: If the pattern is: swords, Ford, enemy viewed from the side this might work, if it isn't then let me know and I'll change my post :P)

Ford gulps and looks at his opponent, realising the confusion in it's eyes. So, seizing the opportunity, he quickly grabs his opponent and throws it away from the wall, towards the approaching swords. Provided that it isn't impaled on it's own weapons, he attempts to either stab it in the back or, if the opportunity presents itself, grab it from behind and slit it's throat... even though the idea makes him feel thoroughly ill.

Lurel growls with frustration as yet another attack is met.

'Maybe I can at least keep this one busy enough to stop him from casting a spell.'

With that, he tries to circle around his opponent, attempting to attack from behind. Once again he tries to hamstring the enemy.

Each of Midge, Ford and Lurel has tied an opponent down preventing any concerted efforts on behalf of the attackers. The only one gaining serious advantage is Ford. In grabbing at his opponent the Avelyssian has moved but although Ford did not succeed on getting proper hold on him the Avelyssian is now between him and the swirling sword. The man's confusion is also preventing him from doing more than react to Ford's moves. He is paying little attention to the sword.

The layout in the tunnel is now (starting furthest away from the point you came in) - Lurel as a wolf, the Avelyssian he is attacking; slightly to one side, attacker 2 with Midge facing him. Closest to the tunnel entrance are Siffli and Lisette both apparently comatose. At right angles to Midge are the swords wielded by Ford's opponent, no longer properly controlled, then the opponent and finally Ford.
......................................................Lu
......................................................A1

..........................................A2

................................................M

.....................................Sw
...............................................Li/Si
.................................A3
...............................F

OOC> Sorry about the dots I can't seem to get it to indent otherwise! Anyone know how?

Ford keeps moving about as much as he can, keeping the opponent distracted from his swords. He strikes now and then around critical areas, the legs, and chest in an attempt to either disable or slay his opponent.

Lurel keeps moving around his opponent, trying to keep him distracted from the others, darting in every so often to attempt to bite the Avelyssian.

He has little time to look what the others are doing, but he is worried about Midge, and getting angry with Lisette and Siffli.

'What is wrong with them? Are they under some sort of spell? Why aren't they helping Midge? He should not have to fight an opponent alone when the two of them are doing nothing! Lisette is the best fighter among us, and Siffli the only one who can counter their telepathic abilities, and they haven't lifted a finger!'

His anger grows, and spurs him into a renewed and ferocious attack. He launches himself at his opponent's head again - hoping that perhaps this time he will get past his opponent's telepathic defence.

The fercocity of Lurel's attack forces his opponent to drop back. Ford's actions have a similar result. The three attackers are slowly being driven together. Midge is not well placed, as the swords are getting closer to him.

Ford looks over to Midge.

"Midge, watch out for the swords!"

He is too busy beating back his opponent to help, however...

Lurel also yelps a warning, hoping that Midge will understand the wolf-equivalent to 'Get out of the way!'.

Once Midge realises that the swords are moving towards him and gets out of their path, then maybe I can try to drive my opponent towards them. Once he's distracted by the swords, I go for the throat.

Suddenly you realise that there are others close to you. They are invisible but you hear snatches of conversation.

'...gave up the spoon...'
'...returned my head...'
'...felt sorry for me...'

Your three attackers are now facing retaliation from elsewhere. The swirling swords clatter to the ground. Lurel finally gets through to his attacker. Ford's assailant has turned to face away from him. Midge's is knocked flat.

Yet these helpers cannot do more than harry the assailants.

"What the..."

Seizing the opportunity, Ford quickly attempts to stab his opponent straight up through the chest with all his strength from behind.

Fords sword slices into his former assailant. The man collapses bleeding profusely. The sword has missed the heart but punctured the lung. Bubbles of blood appear from the man's lips.

OOC> The second and final day of my Excel course (level 3 larff larff) is tomorrow. Back Monday!

Lurel uses this opportunity to go for his opponent's throat.

This time, though, he does not let his bloodlust overcome him.

' This is something I must do, not something I want to do. I will remain in control - I am Lurel in wolf-form... but I am not a wolf.'

"Ugh..."

Ford turns a nice shade of green and looks away from his opponent, pulling his sword out from the corpse.

"I wasn't made for this sort of thing..."

He turns to face the remaining enemies despite his state of nausea.

Lurel has his opponent pinned to the floor. The man's eyes are completely insane. If you let him go he will continue to attack until one or other of you is dead.

The third is frozen with uncertainty. He sees Ford coming towards him but does not move.

(Fixed your double post for ya - Switch)

"Urgh... don't make me kill you too!"

Ford glares at the third enemy, still slightly green with queasiness.

Lurel lets out a regretful whine before sinking his teeth into his opponent's throat.

'I have to do it, or he will attack us. He doesn't look as though he even knows what he's doing, and I don't want to kill him, but I have to. There is nothing else I can do.'

The taste of blood is nauseating.

OOC> Switch, I didn't even know I had double posted, thanks!

Two opponents are dead. The third is too frightened to move. He starts babbling incoherently. As you approach you see he too is insane though a faint spark of reason has stopped him attacking further. You will get no sense from talking to him. Quite unexpectedly he bolts past Ford in the direction from which you arrived.

You head on towards the end of the passage. A huge chair carved out of stone dominates a square but otherwise empty space.

Ford lets the lunatic leave. He approaches the chair.

"Could this be the throne room?"

"I suppose it must be," Lurel replies - now fully dressed and in human form again. "And weren't we supposed to get a clue here?"

He examines the carvings on the stone chair.

The carvings are interesting but give no kind of clue.

"Hmm..."

Ford looks around the square room, trying to spot anything out of place. As he does so he grabs a piece of cloth from his backpack and wipes his sword clean, placing it back in it's sheath. Having done that final thing the colour starts to return to his cheeks, though whenever he looks at the corpses the nausea returns instantly.

"... this is it? The great Throne Room?... I must say I was expecting something a little more dramatic."

"Hmm... that fight in the tunnel was quite dramatic enough for me, thank you very much," Lurel says with a grimace. "I can't wait to get out of this maze... I feel trapped in here. We just need to get the clue from here, go back to Anima, flip those switches..."

His voice trails off.... 'just getting the clue' may not be that obvious.

He shrugs, his desire to get out of the maze overriding his caution, and steps up to the throne.

"Well, it's a chair, and chairs are for sitting on," he says apologetically.

"Uh, are you sure that's safe? It could be boobytrapped for all we know..."

Ford looks around again.

"Though, it doesn't look like there's anything else here..."

As Lurel sits a voice says loudly enough for all to hear: "When you reach the control panel remember colours."

Although the voice is not quite familiar it still sounds like Anima. Indeed every voice you have heard sounds a bit like Anima.

Having heard the voice you notice that the sides of the room have started to close in, the celing is coming down. The throne tips up pushing Lurel out and sinks into the floor. Where the wall grinds over the corpse of Lurel's former assailant it is not a pretty sight.

Strange noises coming to your ears suggest that other parts of the maze are closing off too.

This might not be the best moment to debate the next move.

"Here's an idea... RUN!!"

Ford grabs Lurel by the arm and legs it towards the exit of the throne room and keeps running until he reaches a bit that isn't closing in on itself.

(OOC: Presumably the others follow, or get smushed )