[IC/Reroll] Under the Hill: The Final Circle

[Rosesong]

For the first time since entering the Hill over a year ago, there was no portal waiting to take the travelers to the next circle of the Hill. Rather, at the edge of the Malebolge awaited giants, many famed within classical and Biblical tales. Each giant had chains upon his wrists, a prisoner to the hell that they had been sentenced to serve. Silently, as each person made their way to the end of the circle, they were directed onto a platform, separate from that which the others were getting on.

Once all the travelers had taken their place on their platforms, a giant previously unnoticed lifted a hand free of chains, whip drawn. "Elevare eos," he spoke in a graveled tone, his voice rumbling so low and deep that each person tensed for fear of losing his or her balance. As he brought his hand down, a thunderous crack of the whip sounding, a chorus of, "Ut iubes, Antaeus," was heard from the other giants and the platforms that held each player jerked suddenly before slowly beginning to move downward. As the players were quickly lowered downward, they were able to catch a glimpse of ankles, also bound in chains, before passing through the threshold that the titans were standing on.

The drop in temperature was noticeable immediately, each person unconsciously shivering or rubbing their hands together. As their platforms continued to move down, each person took the time trying to adjust their vision to the unnatural light in order to take in the view, trying to observe what this final Circle held in store for them. Each was quick to note the maze, stretching across the room with black walls. Past it was a clear, shimmering surface, littered with debris. The most prominent feature, however, was a large, solitary silver door at the other end of the room.

Before they could note anymore, each platform began to become erratic in its movements, some moving sideways, others moving diagonally. Each traveler got close to the platform, trying to keep their balance from the fast paced jerks of their transportation. Just as it seemed that one of them would fall off, each platform suddenly stopped, gently lowering its captive into a small box that was approximately 5 feet in length and width. Each person was quick to realize that they were completely alone. To the sides, 15 foot jet black walls stretched up overhead, with an entrance to the maze directly in front of each person. A bronze plaque laid on the ground before the entrance, the words gleaming in the light of the circle.

For so long, you have been together, helped one another.

Now, it ends.

Only one can fulfill their desires, can complete the task they came here to achieve. What cost will you pay for this?

Can you handle this circle, that which makes even what should be the most reliable of things turn treacherous?

Abandon all hope, trust no one and nothing.

***

Rose shuddered, not having been prepared for the cold that the circle had brought. "Warmth," she muttered, trying to use a common spell she had in prior circles to help her handle the cold. The expense of the power hit her, but to her amazement as she clutched her head in slight agony, she grew colder. Slowly walking forward, uncertain as to why her incantation had failed her for the first time since entering the Hill, she read the plaque aloud to herself, teeth chattering incessantly.

Most reliable of things... treacherous... she thought, trying to understand the meaning of the words. The redhead shook her head in obvious frustration, already having known that even though people could be somewhat trusted in prior circles, this was different; everyone had come and fought for this moment. That has to be the trust no one part... Then what could... Green eyes widened under her glasses as she realized, almost as though the thought had been imposed upon her. "Our powers might not work!" she whispered, scared at the mere idea that they could now backfire onto a poor, unwitting user.

Realizing that standing still in her solitary box would do her no good, Rose ran into the maze, ready to make it to the end and finally have the means to pay for her schooling.

[Sutoratosu]

"Damn summer fatigues..." Ethic muttered beneath his breath, tugging the camo-jacket he'd worn through so much of this long journey tighter around himself. The last time he had felt anything like this type of cold was the last winter he had spent at home... something he would rather push out of his mind at the moment. "Well, here we are... the ninth circle... both Satan's throne room and his prison cell. Everything we've seen, everything we've done... all of it was leading up to this. This one last challenge...and I have the sneaking suspicion that people are going to start losing their shit and going solo from here onward."

He took a moment to look down at the plaque one last time. The warning- or taunt; whichever it really was, he didn't know -only served to further the suspicions he had been putting together for a while.

"Trust no one and nothing...that probably means don't trust this plaque either, let alone the others anymore. Probably can't even trust the promise that lured people down here in the first..." He didn't bother dwelling on it any longer. Sitting there theorizing on how there would likely be no real winners here wasn't going to get him anywhere.

No... the only thing to do now was to go forward. To see this to the end. Otherwise he might as well have never entered in the first place. And even if he was on to something here, and it all did end that way, it nevertheless had to end, one way...

or another.

Without another moment, he walked through the door way and into the maze, silent as he kept a hand to his deck, eyes scanning the surrounding area more and more with every step he took...

[Felicity]

Noella hated the cold. More so, she hated the light clothing she had picked for the damn journey. Really the outfit was highly impractical but Noella had decided she had tired of regret. Besides, she did look good. That was important. Especially if treachery was involved, as the plaque claimed. Noella regarded the plaque again with contempt. She hated everything in this place, people included. At least with no one here she didn't have to hide it.

The warning didn't really bother her. Since day one she had been out for herself. The only difference now was how trusting the others would be, assuming they had received the same warning. If they had though, all Noella had to do was stay out of sight till they all tore themselves apart. With her power, that was a very literal possibility.

So now Noella stepped through the doors. She'd gotten this far and she was going to go further. As far as she had to go, just to spite this hellhole.

[Sparky]

Matthew heaved a heavy sigh, before rubbing his hands together from the temperature drop to prevent hypothermic conditions from sinking in, 'Man, it's cold down here...' He muttered under his breath. Shifting a hand into one of his jacket pockets, while gripping his necklace with the other as he read the words that had been illuminated by the light of the circle, "So, it's everyone for themselves now?" He questioned to himself as the thought of his daughter had flooded his mind.

"Daddy's coming for you, baby girl..." He claimed as he had released his grip on the coin, before making his way into the maze cautiously to keep an awareness of his surroundings as he was fending for himself inside of the maze, keeping the illuminated words in mind as he ventured forth.

[Notus]

Ellaria felt the cold stone floor beneath her feet and shivered. She had to take a moment to get her balance back after swinging in the platform like that... And also to listen and feel the place she was on.

This is the last circle, right? Then we should be close to getting out of here...

Ellaria had mixed feelings about finally reaching the bottom of Hell. The thing she wanted most right now was just to get out as soon as possible. She wanted to end all this endless suffering they all had been through and get off the place along with everybody. At the same time, she knew it was not possible. If Minos´ words held true, then only one would find the way out... and gaining her eyes back to boot sounded tempting.

At the same time, she was aware that this would mean leaving Rose, Mr. Ethic, the painter boy and the others inside. She knew all too well the feeling of betraying a friend, and how that had haunted her soul - in fact, she even considered the ride through hell fitting punishment for herself. Sooner or later, she would have to do it again... Or resist the temptation and get locked in this hellhole forever.

The girl pushed that thought out of her mind with a movement of her head. It was no good to think about it now. When time came for it, she would show herself and the world who she really was.

It was dead quiet. She walked a bit forward, only to abruptly stop at a smooth, polished stone wall. After testing her surroundings for some moments, she realized she was in a corridor of sorts. It would be tough for her to navigate at a place like this, so if she could find someone to help it would be great...

"Rose? Miss Rose?" Ellaria shouted out loud, while walking carefully to the right of the corridor, oblivious to the warning written on the floor.

[Rosesong]

At the sound of her name, being shouted from somewhere within the maze, Rose immediately froze. She knew that voice better than any other, as she had helped its owner several times since having entered the Hill, considering the girl to be the sister she never had. Almost as if by instinct, the redhead began to run faster, trying to follow the sound of her younger companion's voice.

Warning be damned, she thought, desperately turning a corner. "Ellaria!" she hollered, stopping a moment to catch her breath, panting hard as the sudden explosion of energy took its toll on her. "Ellaria!" Rose called again, anxious to find the younger girl once more. "Where are you?" When last she had called out, the girl's voice had sounded distorted, almost as though her voice had washed over her from every direction.

The older girl shook her head in agitation; now wasn't the time to be stationary. If she didn't find the blind girl first, someone else might, and who knew what they would do to her? Pushing off of the wall that she had unconsciously been using for support, Rose tried to breath more deeply, the coldness of the air stinging her lungs as she continued to run and search. I know I can trust you Ellaria, Rose told herself, thinking back to the trial by Minos that she and the girl had endured together; where she was told that the girl's sin was treachery. I'll find you and keep you safe. Narrowing her eyes to minimize the chance of them watering, she willed herself further, shouting Ellaria's name as loud as she could.

[Raindrop Valkyrie]

Quincy looked at the plaque. He smirked wildly. "I already trust nothing but myself. So that's no issue at all." The rat barely noticed the cold his fur kept him pretty warm especially with his overcoat and the rest of his clothes over top. He knew it was though due to his breath freezing in the air, that small cloud of frosted moisture that rose with each exhale. He laughed yet again. The cold and a maze... it made hunting easier for sure. If he bumped into any of the unfortunates... he'd have an easy time. They knew not to trust him already sadly though. He hoped the magic of the maze did something crazy like make him look like one of their friends or something. However Quincy had no idea what the maze could do.

He crept in slowly... willfully. He Was going to claim this treasure. The maze would then remain his hunting grounds. The place he would hunt these fools for the rest of eternity. He tittered softly containing his manic laugh. He didn't want to be easily found, he wanted to just go directly for the center of the maze. The others be damned for now. He palmed the God's Hand ready to fire it if necessary.

[Sparky]

The sound of screaming was rather faint as it had reached Matthew's ears, causing him to begin picking up his own speed as the mental image of seeing his daughter being shot before his own eyes filled his thoughts as he tried to rush towards the source of the screaming voice, hoping it wasn't just his mind playing tricks on him, "Let's hope that this isn't what I think it is..." He muttered under his breath as he ran down the various corridors and hallways of the maze, occasionally running into a few dead ends along the way.

[Sutoratosu]

Ethic paused for a minute as the faintest trace of a voice sounded in the far distance. It was strange... he couldn't make out anything of what it was saying, but... it almost sounded familiar. That same type of rusty recognition you get when you know a song rather well, but end up not hearing it for years and years and then when you finally listen to the beat again it seems as though you should know the lyrics, but all you can come up with for a lot of the tune is an unceremoniously dull and pathetic few verses of 'Something-something-something'.

And Ghalen had gotten used it, to be honest. Whenever he thought back on where he and the others once were, and where they were now, Certain parts he thought he should've known well, where merely massive, blank canvases; completely devoid of sensory information. What made it even stranger in his eyes was the fact that for the most part, they seemed to have been scattered at completely random intervals. He could remember everything clearly up until one of those points came, and everything that came directly after. Situations like in his memories of the Second Circle. He could remember sitting in a tree top, looking up at the bloody moon as the loving dead swarmed below. And he could remember someone had been beside him... someone he had trusted. But he didn't know who. All he knew was that, somehow, someone else had been there with him... and for some reason, it had felt like they were familiar to him... like they had been a friend.

And even then, later on, he could remember that he'd felt...anxious. Scared, angry. Down on the stones of the plaza. But no reason why. Just that it had been a single individual he had been focused on... everything after was black. Then afterwards, he knew he had acquired some type of sword, a black one... and in most of the memories that followed, he could recall the thing either being on his belt or in his hands.

but he couldn't remember why he didn't have it now. Or when he had lost it, or even how. It was just another blank spot, and the next memory, he simply no longer possessed.

And it didn't even stop there. Somehow his memories of the Arcana's effects and his abilities had gotten muddled in much the same manner. He knew that the cards, all of them, had possessed a different power when he had first entered the hill. He could remember the fires of the magician in the library, the time he had used Death and sliced up his nemisis and left the rat bastard dead beneath a tree, and again in order to cling to a wall and kill a giant not long after- so many times and different applications... but again, there were blank spots. After a certain point... the cards had just changed. and so too did his method of using them.

"Tch," He scoffed bitterly, so low it would've been impossible to have been audible "Maybe I should make my desire to fill in the damn blind spots..." He was already scolding himself mentally for the very sentence though. All this time he had spent thinking on what possible catch or unknown conditions might be attached to the promise at the end of this literal hellhole, this was no place to start joking about it. He already knew what he would do if he made it to the goal first... and little was going to change that now.

"Damn it, how long have I been standing here?" He glanced around the area, not letting himself relax even after he confirmed no stranger had snuck up while he'd been gazing off. Whoever the voice belonged to, they were too far away to concern himself with... He had to move. Because god help them all if someone else made it first. what would happen to the rest of them? Working together was obviously discouraged here; the taunt on the plaque made that clear enough...

"Christ, if the ending of all this mess is like one of the Hunger Games...multiple people enter but only one can win and leave the arena..." He pushed the thought away. It was just more of a reason to get moving again... if his deduction was true. His mind and soul were again readied as he started off further into the confusing mess of walls.

[Ragnar]

"should I believe what the sign says? I think it's a trick, Arggh..dammit Minos stop being so cryptic..how can I trust what the sign said if it said trust no one.. " Ixidor rapidly fuses his bleach hair to a mess, frustrated at the paradox warning sign given to him at the doorway. It appears another puzzling challenge was given to the painter boy once more. Irked and agitated, Ixidor takes multiple deep breaths to ease his anxiety and panic attack.

"Ok calm down, Ixi. it's just a warning, don't let your dreams be dreams, stay focus. you've faced impossible challenges in the previous circle before, now it's time to step up, you're the sub cult leader of the gluttons for pete sake, creator of Kayle, the guardian angel of the second circle and pass the sentence given to you at the circle of greed with flying colors. Now the only thing to do now is exit this hellhole and make your parents proud on what you've accomplished. Yeah, that's right, there's nothing to worry about...It's all smooth sailing from here on out, it's the final circle after all, the light at the end of the tunnel perse. " Ixidor's child-like optimism and self-comforting thoughts motivates the boy in taking the first step towards the maze, unaware of the perils in entering this final circle. He went straight on, not knowing the path he was going.

[Flux]

Phantom stepped slowly out of the box he was contained in. He stretched a gloved hand upward, pushing the featureless wooden mask closer to his face. The two triangular eye sockets, the only irregularity across the blank white mask, flashed brightly before dimming to a dull red glow. He moved a lock of hair away from his view, glancing around the maze he found himself in. He was alone. That much was certain. His eyes glanced towards the plaque in front of him.

For so long, you have been together, helped one another.

Now, it ends.

Only one can fulfill their desires, can complete the task they came here to achieve. What cost will you pay for this?

Can you handle this circle, that which makes even what should be the most reliable of things turn treacherous?

Abandon all hope, trust no one and nothing.

The words held little meaning for him. There was only one person he had met along the journey through Hell that he could consider a true friend, and she was dead now -- by his own hand. He pulled up on the collar of his black coat, trying to prevent what he could of the cold. He strode forward, his coat trailing just above the ground behind him as he made his way into the maze. There was only one thought on his mind, one purpose to fulfill. It was a name, one of the sole memories he had. It passed across his lips, exiting his mouth in his otherworldly whisper.

"Lyra..."

[K_H]

Kenny had noticed the drop in temperature upon his arrival, pulling his robe closer around himself as he muttered under his breath. "Dante didn't mention this blasted cold in his book... then again, he didn't mention many things." He then looked upwards, towards the plaque. "Such as this, for example."

He knew that things were about to get serious upon spotting the phrase "Abandon all hope, trust no one and nothing." Kenny pinched the bridge of his nose, and then looked upwards. However, as he did so, Kenny noticed that the walls were merely 15 feet in height, and smiled, thinking to himself.

They never thought to think outside the box when they designed this maze, now did they?

Kenny then Portaled up to the top of the walls with a bright blue flash, smirking to himself.

Things just got a whole lot easier. Circle's end, here I- Agh!

He was cut short by a massive headache, and grimaced.

I should've known...

Then, he fell unconscious for the next five minutes, remaining face-up on top of the wall.

[Rosesong]

Unfortunately for Kenny, whom was unconscious on top of the wall, his day was about to get much, much worse. All the walls of the maze glowed a deep black, drawing in the sight of all that were staring at the walls. As the glow grew stronger, the light actually seemed to pick up the young aura guardian's body, lifting the boy's unconscious body a few inches above where it had previously been lying.

Suspended briefly, the boy's head lolled backward, still unconscious from the use of his power, and unable to witness what happened next. The walls suddenly flashed and exerted an unknown energy from deep within its center, pulsing a black dark enough to rival the darkness of a black hole. A gust of air ran through the corridors of the maze, a product of the massive amount of energy that the wall had given off, and Kenny was displaced from the top of the wall, landing back within his starting box with a dull thud.

***

Rose stared in shock as the walls of the maze returned to their non-luminescent, jet black color. Terrified as to what it might mean and the reason that it lit up, the redhead shivered, the chill that had settled into her bones only intensifying with the gale of icy wind that had just past her. Teeth chattering, she zipped up her jacket and shoved her hands as far into its pockets. These are the times when I hate being a natural redhead, she thought ruefully, recalling all the rumors that redheads were more susceptible to the cold than others were. Beginning to awkwardly run again, her green eyes searched desperately at every intersection she came to, looking for some indicator as to what direction she needed to take. "Ellaria!" she shouted again, throat sore from screaming and the cold, "Where are you?"

[Notus]

Ellaria had been slowly making her way through the labirint when she suddenly felt the wall she was clinging to grow cold and pulse. Alarmed, she distanced herself from it but couldn´t see the change in it´s color. That´s whe she heard, from the direction opposite to where she was going to, a very familiar voice shouting her name.

"Rose! I´m here!" She shouted back, starting to retreat in the older girl´s direction. She was aware that she was giving off her position to any and all enemies in the area, sho she hurried towards Rose´s voice at a fast pace...

Until she crashed into someone and fell straight over her back. One thing she knew for sure, and that sent a chill through her spine: this person wasn´t Rose.

If she was able to see were she was going, she would be looking at the blond man with a coin hanging from his neck she´d hit.

[Sparky]

As Matthew had been running throughout the maze, he had been stopped in his tracks after having bumped into something or someone from the walls of the maze having returned to their previous color. He slowly staggered back to his feet as he dusted himself off, shifting his gaze towards what or rather, who he had bumped into, "Hey, are you alright?" He asked questioningly as he glanced down at the younger girl, hoping he didn't cause any serious injury to her.

[SnowGlaceon]

Donna was unlike the others. She didn't feel the cold, or rather, it didn't bother her. She had felt cold that was far, far worse than this. The icy touch of a dead man's hands. The shiver she felt when she looked at a body. The chill of the handle of the shovel she used to dig her own husband's grave in the freezing January air. No, she was no stranger to cold. She hid her heart in a block of ice. It took the pain away. But she hated it. She hated all of it. She hated the cold grips of death's claws, and she was determined to end it once and for all.

"No one else will die. No one else will get hurt. No one else will be lain to waste. Not if- when I succeed." She whispered to herself.

Can you handle this circle, that which makes even what should be the most reliable of things turn treacherous?

Abandon all hope, trust no one and nothing.

But wasn't it trust that carried her thus far? Could she really be so heartless to completely cut herself off from others? She was not selfish, not anti-social, just shy and quiet. Yet it was well known that the quiet one's are the most deadly. The maze thus far had more than it's fair share of tricks and deceit, how did she know this wasn't just another one of those? No. She would continue to rely on others, until it was time for her to forge her own path. She ran into the maze, thinking

"It'll do me no good to just stand around here wasting time. I have lives to save, and nothing on earth will stop me."

But unfortunately for her, this was no longer earth...

[Commander]

How did I get into this mess? A boy, dressed as if came from school thought as the bitter cold whipped his face. It all happened so fast. Running into the forest, the giants, the portal, and most of all the bitter cold. He would've thought it'd all been a dream if it weren't for the accursed weather. He was ready to move forward when he noticed the small plaque on the ground. A grind could be seen across his face as he read those words ever so carefully.

"Now this is a game suited for a thief such as myself." He gave a quick tug to his backpack making sure it was secured before dashing ahead. While running straight into danger was risky, it was better than freezing to death in this spot. Trust no one...it is a good life lesson. Even those who are close will betray you in the end.

[Notus]

Hey, are you all alright?

Ellaria flinched a bit when she heard the unknown voice, and did not move from the spot where she was. Knowing the way the Hill worked, this person would most likely prove to be an enemy... But she couldn´t feel an iminent threat from his tone, so she decided to stall a bit and see who this guy was.

From the sound of his voice he should be some two meters away from her. It was enough. If anything sounded wrong, she could disappear in no time.

"Who are you?" she asked in a defensive tone, ignoring the man´s question.

[Sparky]

Who are you?

The question that the girl had asked in response to his had caught him off guard from her words, "My name is Matthew Addler, I do hope that I didn't hurt you." He answered, before taking a deep breath, "Mind if I ask who you are, miss?" He asked afterwards as he ran a hand through his blonde hair, glancing towards her as she was the first person he had met within the maze.

[Ragnar]

Ixidor ran, and ran around the frigid labyrinth for quite some time now, not even realizing that he was just going in circles. Everywhere he goes it's either a dead end or another corner which leads to another corner. It seems this maze was just too overwhelming, especially for a boy who doesn't have a sense of direction.

The boy hasn't encountered anything or anybody along his way, that's either a good thing or bad thing. Either way, His hope of getting out that easy begins to fade within the corner of these black walls, as the harsh cold wind embraces him. slowing down his tracks, leaving his sight fuzzy and lightheaded.

The painter decided that it's best to camp out at a corner of a dead end and try his luck when he is well rested. The one thing this naive boy learn throughout his journey in this place is: survivability, He did travel and befriend with a killer(Marcus) and a survivalist(Ethic) after all.

Ixidor kneels down and doodles a fire shape on the surface of the floor, hoping to get a proper heat source to keep him warm throughout this cold. But alas, even the simplest task of producing a campfire with the use of his drawing powers, his ability backfires. The campfire he was expecting didn't live up to Ixidor's expectation. Instead, Ixidor produced an itsy-bitsy spark of flame on the ground, kinda like a lighter flame. The only thing good about this disappointing outcome is: no matter how strong the wind howls, this tiny flame seems to be sturdy and inextinguishable.

"Oh, poppycocks.. you got to be kiddin' me, welp I think this will suffice for the time being.." Ixidor sighed and sits down near the insignificant amount of heat source. rubbing his hands together to keep him warm. Ixidor stays on guard as he hears a faint sound of a boy and a girl talking not far from his location, it seems it was coming out from the other side of the wall. The painter remains quiet and decided to stay seated in his position where it's safe and warm..

[Rosesong]

Rounding a corner, Rose stopped in shock as she saw the back of a head that she'd come to know very well, seemingly huddled over something small. Slipping a hand into her bag wearily, her numb fingers fumbled around, pricking themselves twice before she pulled out what she had been searching for: one of her knives that she had kept. Its silver blade was stained a murky brownish-red, dried blood from the last person or creature whose flesh it had been embedded in. Shoving her fingers against her sarong to staunch the blood flow quickly, the redhead adjusted her grip on the knife and held it at her side, a symbol of readiness to fight but unwilling at the same time.

Narrowing her green eyes at the boy's form, Rose spoke in a firm tone. "Ixidor, what are you d--," the redhead gasped suddenly, hearing the voices that seemingly came from the other side of the wall that they were on, recognizing one instantly. Pounding on the jet black surface with all her might, a low, dull thwack could be heard from the wall at each hit. She had long forgotten about the boy that she had been ready to confront, anxious to reach her sister. "Ellaria," she called hopefully. "Ellaria, are you there? Please, answer me!"

[Ragnar]

"Rose-- " The painter awkwardly falls on his back, startled by the sudden appearance of an old friend. Ixidor immediately stands up and grabs Rose by her arm and struggles to pull back the anxious girl away from the walls.

"Wait wait wait!" the boy panicky said, wildly waving his arms at Rose. "I think Ellaria is not alone.. I heard another voice coming from the other side of the wall as well, I don't know what his motives are..but I think you should talk to him first." Ixidor softly said at Rose, hoping that his cover is not blown from the other side of the wall.

[Notus]

"My name is Ellaria." The girl answered the man plainly while getting up slowly. That much information was not important around the Hill anyway, so it was safe. The man seemed not to mean her any harm, but she couldn´t ever be sure of that in there. "What are you doing he-".

Just as the girl was saying that, she heard a very familiar voice shouting her name from the other side of the wall. Her heart pounded with relief at hearing it.

"Rose! I´m here!" She shouted back, instintively turning her eyes away from Mathew and towards her friend´s voice - though for her that wasn´t too important as long as she could hear the man. "There´s a person with me, but I´m alright." The girl just hoped Rose would arrive quickly to help her if this guy was an enemy.

* * *

Ethic

A rock flew past his head with the speed of a bullet. It hit the wall to his right and ricocheted out of sight, leaving a crack in the black surface from the impact. The crack instantly fixed itself, and in the corridor to his left, Ethic caught a glimpse of blond hair running away from him.

[Sutoratosu]

The former leather-tramp stayed where he was for just a moment, listening to the footfalls of the retreating party. There were very few individuals he knew of here who could've slung a stone with as much force as that...only two in fact. And while they're abilities might've been similar in their basic functioning from what he had gathered during the past, only one of them had blonde hair.

"If it's her... I'm not going to be able to hold out at close quarters," He thought to himself, gazing right at the spot where he'd seen the flash of the assailants head just moments ago. "even if I were able to use two effects at once, there would still be a chance that her own amplification levels would outclass that of The Chariot and Strength...if she were pursuing me right now, I could probably manage to snare her easily enough, but as it is with her running away..."

He couldn't help but scoff at himself a little though, thinking back on it. "Look at me, sitting here and just going off a basic assumption of their identity... still, even if it isn't her..." He had already made his decision. That type of raw, physical power would be an issue. Running in blindly and out in the open was liable to get him killed... and lose him that much more time. And time was something he had no abundance of.

"Number 1, The Magician." Ghalen demanded under his breath, the verbal affirmation more the product of sheer preference of execution than necessity. Within the next instant, the cost hit him. It was a strange feeling. A feeling he could recall back when... when what? He couldn't recall. He just knew that there had come a time when he had died, and something more had come after it... he could recall darkness, he could recall lying on his back, that he had experienced it multiple times. And he could recall the empty feeling that always came with it... but he couldn't recall where or even what the place was or why he used to go there whenever he got offed.

Regardless, the feeling of Invoking the Arcana was similar to it, that feeling of a blank slate, emptiness, just in a smaller degree that gradually grew the more and more if he overdid it with feeding them. It was the feeling of being lost. The feeling of having lost something, but yet not even having the memories needed to even know what you had possessed in the first place. Along with the piece of his own soul he had just sacrificed to slake the thirst of the Card, Ethic knew that he had forgotten something. Losing Soul was different from life force... he knew from prior handling of the old effect of the Death Arcana that with Life Force, you just gradually felt more and more exhausted the more you used. And then whenever you exhausted your stores, you're body gives out and you died. With soul... there wasn't the mercy of being relieved by a relatively quick death if you fucked up with your management. The more you used up, the more and more of yourself you lost. Memories, aspects of your personality and identity. You slowly lose the things that tell you who you are and how to function. And once you were out, that was it. You have nothing, and you become nothing, and you stay nothing until someone either comes along and gives mercy to the empty shell of a man that was yourself, giving you a chance to restart with a full clip again... or until your body wastes away into nothing. The two aspects were like a Laptop really. When you expended your Life Force, it was the same as depleting the battery. When you expended the Soul...

It was the same as deleting all the Operation System and Program files, bit by bit, slowly and one root directory at a time...until the Hardrive was a blank slate.

He felt the the subtle energy surging in. Felt the connection being made. Much like with a computer program running in the background, the Arcana he had just satiated was ready, it's constant presence in the background of his mind, ready to be used at a moment's notice, with just as little as a bit of thought and intent. And he knew just what he was going to use it for here.

Ghalen continued to stay till, working quickly with a deft mental touch. Once upon a distant time, the card he wielded would've granted him the power to burn those who stood in his way to nothing but a charred husk, but times change, people change; and The magician had since adopted a power more akin to it's namesake. He knew what to do, and how to do it, and the card knew just as well as the same transparent yet oh so fragile veil of projection it used to work it's magic began to form around the man rather than empty air as it usually did. The space around him rippled and morphed ever so slightly for a moment as he formed the needed thoughtform and programmed the veil, just as he had so many times. Though there was no more indication aside from the minor disturbance that had just ended, Ethic knew the Programming had worked. He knew that the rays of the light spectrum, instead of bending and folding together at his will to create fake visual information perceived by the eyes as conjured images as he usually used it for, would now instead be bent around the Veil, rendering himself virtually invisible... all within a matter of seconds.

"That's what experience and experimentation will get you..." He thought to himself, heading off towards the same path his latest visitor had just taken. "The magic might be as fragile as a glass doll...not really something I've ever figured out how to work around or fix, but... it'll still do what i need it to."

((Whether or not the Magician's effect worked properly or backfired was decided via coin toss due to certain restrictions keeping me from accessing the Wheel))

[K_H]

Kenny eventually woke up, and noticed that he was back in the Starting Room. making a mental note of this, he walked through the doors, and then stopped, thinking to himself.

Wait a second... perhaps there is a more efficient method of going through this Maze than just walking...

He then tried to test his theory, and attempted to open a Portal connecting the locations forty-nine feet above him and a foot in front of him. Unfortunately for him, what happened instead was a small black cloud of smoke appearing in front of him and then-

Did it just grow a face and then thumb its nose at him?!

In his outrage, he whacked at the cloud as it dissipated, and got a minor headache for his troubles.