(no subject)

Into the Labyrinth:

At the first step into the Labyrinth of Graves, the familiar steps of the high school shift changing from daylight to darkness, from  a school to a fog shrouded maze of city streets.  The only light comes from street lamps, although these are few and far between. 

It is difficult to navigate here. Here and there is a known building or a familiar intersection, but the thick fog covers everything and all the street signs have vanished. Here and there a familiar landmark might be spotted, but they are out of order, and in the completely wrong places. Some of them even seem to be hazy, as if they are starting to fade away. Try to touch them, and they may even vanish. And there are other places here. Insubstantial buildings and streets that have never existed in Kaisou, but which are beginning to become as real as the half-faded places.

Occasionally people cross through the streets, nearly as insubstantial as the city itself. For the most part they ignore everything around them, as if they don't even see it. If you do manage to get their attention, most will react with panic and run away. And even that is better than the few who look at you with horror and attack, trying to drive you away from the center of the maze of streets.

And there is something else out there in the fog. Strange whispers, and half seen shapes that haunt your steps. Step away from the group, and they lunge out of the darkness, revealing themselves to be things with terrifying, exaggerated features and long reaching arms, bearing only a thin resemblance to ghosts and fae. They circle around groups, but chase and hunt anyone they catch alone. If they can, they will drag you to one of the buildings and trap you there.

These are not true ghosts or Fae, but warped creatures created by Danny's fears. Attempts to hit them directly will only pass through them. But they can be caught by surprise or tricked. It will be easier to hurt them with magic or fire then to fight them with physical attacks.

[OOC: Feel free to NPC any of the monsters or attackers in this section. If you'd rather thread it out with a played monster or attacker, just send me a message.]

Locked Within:

If you search long enough, deep within the labyrinth of dark city streets you will come across a strange circular structure made of a strange silvery metal, standing alone in the center of a road. Unlike the other buildings and structures it is more present, more there. Although something seems horribly out of place and menacing about it, as if it had been set down here without thought, Come closer and listen carefully, and you might even hear the sound of the crackle of electricity and a faint scream coming from it.

A circular panel blocks the center of the structure, with no sign of a key or a keyhole, although there is a small keyboard installed at the base. A close look at the surrounding buildings will find faded letters printed on a nearby wall.

Click for Solution

Crossroads

The shape of the words give a hint to the solution. Figure out the answer and put it in using the keyboard.

If you answer the puzzle correctly, the gate will open, revealing a dark tunnel lined with scattered cables and wiring hanging loose across the floor, making it easy to trip. The entire structure has a faint green glow on the inside, lending it a menacing air. Occasionally electricity sparks across wiring. Be careful not to come to close to any loose wires or you may get a sharp shock.

Answer incorrectly, and the ghosts will rush towards the structure, grasping and shrieking as they seek to drive any of the living away from it. If they catch anyone, they will return them to the outside of the maze.

Maze of Reflections; Treacherous Paths
 

Go through to the other side, and you find yourself in a maze of mirrors spreading out in every direction. The space is dimly lit, with green light filtering down from the ceiling, and there are no clear clues showing the way. Choose a path, any path. But step carefully. Here, there are traps and triggers hidden throughout the halls. Hidden switches in the floor trigger pitfalls, dropping victims unto lower levels of the maze. Fall, and you will have to waste time navigating through yet another maze with almost every path leading back towards the start. Leaning on the wall could set off a collapse of an entire path, the mirrors shattering and falling to the ground. Anyone who gets caught here must move quickly or else risk getting injured by the broken glass.

The path continues, winding through mirrors of many kinds and shapes until meeting a glass barrier blocking the way forward. Here, the maze appears almost neglected. Cracks spiderweb through the mirrors and and dust lies thick on the ground. As if this area had been forgotten.

The light is dim and faded here, but If you search the hallway, you will find three symbols hidden on the walls and floor.

Click for Solution

X. Orion Y. Ursa Major Z. Cassiopeia

On the glass barrier, nearly completely rubbed away, you will find three matching symbols, with a space beside each to write their name. Identify them correctly, and the barrier will shatter and allow you to pass through. Identify them incorrectly, and the floor underneath will vanish, dropping you down into the lower layer of the maze. Here, the paths through the maze are smaller and darker. And there are ghosts hidden in the shadows, waiting to attack and drive you away. Like other ghosts in the labyrinth they cannot be attacked directly, but can be tricked or surprised. Magic and fire will work best.

Maze of Reflections; Shadows of Memories

As you move on through the maze, the hallways grow darker and smaller. Finally you emerge into a long hallway filled with mirrors on both sides. Most of the mirrors here will only show you own image, spreading out across the maze in endless confusing reflections. But look closely enough, and some of the mirrors show moments of Danny's life caught in time. Many of them are glimpses of Danny's life in Kaisou. Danny as he was once, happy in his ordinary life with dreams of the stars and the future. Others show moment of the past year. There is happiness here too, but also a growing stress of uncertainty.

But nearly as many show Danny in other places and times. Danny, in a life that wasn’t quite normal, but with a loving family and dreams nonetheless. Danny, walking into a dark tunnel, until he is swallowed up by green light. Danny, being hunted by angry humans wielding weapons. Danny, finding new dreams and purpose in a life of heroism.  Danny, fighting glowing monsters many times his size. Danny at peace, flying through the night sky. But also Danny, looking coldly back as he leaves with the Fae forever. Danny, running toward an explosion with desperation on his face. Danny, abandoning his human life as he fades fully into a ghost. An older Danny, laughing as he destroys everything around him.

But there are more threats here. Draw too close to a mirror, and you may be drawn inside, forced to watch the memory or nightmare play out. Or perhaps even to participate.

And the more the memories and nightmares appear, the more twisted and uncertain the path becomes.

[OOC: If you want to get drawn into a specific memory, send me a pm or other message for plotting.]

To Face Your Shadow:

Danny didn't know where he was, or how he had ended up here. All he knew is that he'd been flying to the beach when he spotted something dragging people down into darkness. He'd tried to help, and the next moment shadowy hands had come out of nowhere and pulled him into this nightmare. He didn't even know how long he'd been here. All that he knew was that he couldn't leave. And that... he was here too.

Danny didn't know who he was either. It was like... he was some kind of reflection or copy. A nightmare. He kept coming back here, turning him back every time he tried to escape. And he kept saying so many horrible things. He'd told Danny that he was a monster, made up of creatures that could never be trusted. That he wasn't even alive. He couldn't even die properly. That maybe it was better if he stayed alone, because what place did something like him have in the world? If the people in Kaisou ever truly saw what he was, he would never be accepted. He'd be hunted and hated just like his other self had been. And worst of all, they were all things that Danny had told himself before. He'd tried to forget. He had! He knew none of it was true. Everyone had thoughts like that sometimes, right? But the longer he was trapped here, the harder it was to keep convincing himself not to listen. Because, what if it was true?

Lost in his misery, Danny had climbed up and perched on a pile of rubble at the very center of the maze that might have been a building once. Sitting with his arms wrapped around his knees, and his wings drooping, almost as if something was weighing them down. He refuses to look up at the sound of footsteps moving through the rubble.

“Leave me alone,” Danny mutters without much energy, too wrapped in misery to do anything else. “Haven’t you already done enough?”

The shadow laughs at that. “Oh, nowhere near enough. You’re still clinging onto that childish belief that caring for other people somehow matters. That it proves you’re still human. Don’t you think it’s about time you grew up and accepted the truth? You were always meant to be a monster.”

That manages to break through Danny’s exhaustion and he responds with more energy. “What? No! I’m not going to give up on caring for people.  I’m not a monster! I won’t become that! That’s-”

The shadow's voice remains darkly amused. “What has caring for other people ever gotten you? Parents who are barely even there? When was the last time they saw you? Instead of the son they think they know?“

Danny winces and tightens his hands into his fists. “My parents…. It’s not their fault! They can’t see through the veil. I’m sure if they could just see…”

“What? If they could just see you, they’d accept you? How naive.” The shadow leans over and laughs as he pulls one of Danny’s wings forward, forcing him to look at it.  “Would they even recognize you now?  And how about those friends you’ve been clinging onto? Are you sure they even trust you? And maybe they’re right. You're a ghost and you're a Fae, and who would be foolish enough to put any trust in those?”

“I’m still human! Part of me is still human. I’m sure of it! My friends trust me!” Although he couldn’t ignore the doubt. Varian had lied to him, and even if he understood why. It still hurt. And if even Varian hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him the truth… what about his other friends? Did they really trust him?

The shadow grins, showing off his fangs, as he turns to face the entrance and sees the rescue party arriving. “Oh, really? If you trust them so much, then why are you afraid to tell them about your magic? Have you told them that your past self was hunted for what he was? And by his own parents? That you're a threat to the world just waiting to happen?”

Danny grasps uselessly for words to defend himself. He wasn’t even sure why he hadn’t told anyone. Just that… Just because he had the ability now didn’t mean he had to use it. He could just pretend it wasn’t there.  And he just hadn't wanted anyone to worry, knowing about some of the things that had happened to the other him. But… his friends, they wouldn’t reject him for something like that, right? And as he turns, he finally spots someone arriving. He flinches back with mingled hope and dread. They'd come for him! Someone had come for him. That meant they did really care about him, right?

....But how much had they heard of all of that? Did they know, now?

The shadow places a hand on Danny's shoulder and tightens his grip as he speaks in a mocking tone. "Why look who it is! A rescue party. Turns out someone missed you after all." Here he turns and addresses the new arrival. "Then again, do you know what Danny here's been hiding from you? Is that really what a <i>friend</i> would do?"

With his free hand the shadow toys with a ball of bright green energy, clearly anticipating the response.