Night 73: Basement, South Hall

[no_dont_go]

[from here]

This hall was much shorter than the other two she and Sechs had traversed together. Much shorter. And all they had here was one large door, and it was much more ominous than their last one. The creatures there reminded her of Shadows while the ones on the other reminded her of Personas. What would this lead them to...

There was even some writing above the head of the snake that protruded out at them. An offering of blood was needed, but did the message mean that only two of them could pass through? Aigis wondered. By all accounts, she and Sechs were the leaders of their party.

"Sechs-san and I should give the offering," Aigis stated, her eyes turning to Soushi. "We appreciate your company, Soushi-san, but if there is something dangerous on the other side then we will be leading you into further darkness."

Comments

[sixth_attack]

This unexplored corridor lacked any source of light, forcing Sechs to retrieve his flashlight and click it back to life. The narrow beam of light just barely illuminated what was ahead. Sechs couldn't shake the feeling that they were being compressed by the stone walls surrounding them, as though the very darkness itself was going to swallow them up any second now...

The second door was an extreme contrast compared to the one which had just closed behind them. The pearly marble with the heavenly angels were replaced by ink-black stone and nightmarish creatures. It was too dark to see the whole door in its entire demonic splendor. Sechs moved his flashlight about to scan the door but could only reveal a few square inches of its surface at a time, each movement of the light displaying a single frozen moment of a huge landscape of monstrosities.

When his flashlight rested upon the carved snake's head and its foreboding message, Sechs felt the drug in his spine suddenly react with morbid amusement. It cackled at the sight before them, its power growing from the darkness and dread which stifled the air of the corridor. Sechs flinched slightly, gnashing his teeth as he resisted the pain caused by the drug's sharp grip within his back muscles. He couldn't let the drug get the best of him now, not when they were so close to answers...

"Shit," Sechs growled, looking between the snake's fangs and his two allies. He had just noticed the sword Soushi had in his possession, recognizing it as the same blade he had fought with the night before. Sechs' earlier excitement died off and he frowned furiously to himself. He hated the idea of leaving such a valuable ally behind. Even if Zero had managed to join them as well, in the end, their numbers made no difference if the institute was going to split them up at the start.

"We can't just leave 'em behind..." Sechs complained, turning his angry grimace back to the stone snake's gaping jaw. "Who knows what's behind there! We need all the help we can get...!"

Yet there didn't seem to be any arguing with the silent statue before them. Sechs paced restlessly for a moment, struggling to come up with a solution to the obstacle before them. Yet he failed to think of anything and was forced to stop and turn his gaze back to Soushi. "Damn! I dunno... Other than waiting out here for us and finding some other way in... It's up to you on what you're gonna do here."

[ever_loyal_dog]

Soushi followed as the doors unlocked, though the stark contrast from one room to another made him wonder if perhaps the rooms were enchanted again. What little light was visible from the ballroom barely passed the threshold of the new room. When Sechs turned on the light to better see the elaborately carved door, Soushi's brow knit in mild concern. It certainly looked like it must lead somewhere foreboding, somewhere they weren't wanted. Which likely as not meant that it was the only proper way to proceed.

But...

Only two? Soushi hid his disappointment. Sechs and his companion had every right to insist they be the ones to continue. They had bested him together, even with the aid of his true form. It made sense then, to let the more competent fighters go on ahead.

"If you would like to go first, I will create a duplicate and follow," he offered with the usual bow and downward glance. If bodies were all the difference it made, he could manage that much.

"Numbers should not be a problem," he explained, another Soushi appearing in a gentle flurry of cherry blossoms and shadow. They had come this far, at least his small power was good for something. He couldn't afford to be left behind, not if this would get him closer to Ririchiyo.

[no_dont_go]

Aigis nodded. Sechs had a point. Leaving Soushi behind was unfair, as well as potentially dangerous for him. Even if they were walking into the most dangerous area of the institute, leaving him alone and friendless was the same as abandoning him and she couldn't stand the thought either. It was rather frustrating.

But Soushi had a brilliant solution to their problems and Aigis' brows rose in appreciation. "Of course! Your ability to double yourself should certainly solve the problem."

She smiled, glad to see a twin of their new ally appear and lock away whatever worries she had before. They would make it in just fine altogether it seemed. But still, she turned back to the snake fangs, her hand reaching out, knowing exactly what it was that needed to be done.

"All right. Then Sechs-san and I shall go ahead first and scout about, and you should follow shortly after. When you come in, hopefully we will be able to inform you of any immediate dangers." And with that, she pressed her finger lightly to the snake fang and the sharp point of the fashioned tooth pierced her skin, marking it with a drop of blood.

[sixth_attack]

Unlike their first encounter from the night before, Soushi's duplication ability came as a pleasant surprise to Sechs. Seeing it as the perfect solution to their problem, Sechs threw his head back and gave out a bark-like laugh. "HAH! That's perfect!" he exclaimed. Why hadn't he thought of that before? "That oughta satisfy the stupid 'two person rule' here!"

The fact that their group had suddenly gained a fourth teammate encouraged Sechs even more. He couldn't stop grinning even with such oppressive darkness surrounding them. They hadn't brought Soushi for nothing after all! They still stood a chance!

As Aigis offered a sample of her blood to the stone fangs, Sechs gave Soushi (or at least, one of the Soushis) an encouraging pat on the back. "Yeah, as soon as we're on the other side get both of your butts through the door and be ready for anything!"

With that said, Sechs turned and faced the looming door alongside Aigis. Stowing his flashlight into his pocket, Sechs tightened his grip upon his axe and adjusted the machete beneath his back belt. He then raised his free hand up to the gaping jaw of the stone snake. Having already cut his thumb earlier for the ring, Sechs' blood came readily as he pressed his skin against the ancient tooth.

Now with both fangs quenched with blood, Sechs took a step back and waited for the door to open...

[To here.]