Part VIII- Martyrs
Xavier
1F- Gina
Finally, the meat shield is gone. I'm a bit sad about Helen leaving though. Oh well. I'll see her soon. But under the name Nicole. This is the final countdown. We entered the lobby. Gina appeared to us again. "Hey!" I couldn't help but smile. Gina and I go way back. "Let me guess..." Gina looked sad. "Yeah. All the deities set up challenges for each hero. You must solo each challenge. One hero per challenge. No repeats." Got it. "Okay Gina, what did you set up?" She laughed. "One of you has to fight a couple deadly extinct beings." Hector volunteered. "I'll do it." The arena wall was transparent. Inside Hector drew his freezing axe. Gina gestured towards some seats we sat in. The lobby was filled with flowers and trees and the like. Hector stood there. A giant Megasaurus dropped from the ceiling. Gina giggled. "Really Gina?" I gave her a devious smile. "Don't worry." She smiled. "I'll assist you. By the way, it's name is Rex!" I was shocked. "The thing has a name!!" As Rex lurched forward Gina pointed her finger at him and lifted it. The ground shifted upwards, and Rex flew into the sky. It landed, hard, on it's side. It charged Hector again, who was just able to roll out of the way. He threw one of the three teleportation orbs at Rex's head. He successfully lodged shards of glass into Rex's head. And when he teleported, he kicked off Rex's head, backflipped and landed... on his face? What is he? A Pegasus Knight? Rex however, stumbled, and steadied himself. Hector leaped up, axe in hand, and attempted to sever Rex's head off. Rex turned, and closed his jaws of Hector. "NO, NO, NO! GINA! I NEED A SECOND CHANCE! LET ME DO IT!" Gina was forlorn. "I'm sorry... I can't." I was desperate. "HOW CAN I MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND?!" Gina started to cry. "I'm... I'm sorry. But," she said slowly. "I... I can't. The others. Won't let me." Everyone else sat there, shocked. "Is Hector dead?" Loch Asked. "I... I believe he is." Ivan replied. Heather paid her respects first. "Hector... I... You... You were an amazing youth. You never stopped, and you never... Never... never...." Heather burst out in tears. "Gina..." said Lucia, slowly. "I think we should... Move on..." we waved goodbye to Gina. "Bye, Gina." She waved and sat still, as we opened he one-way door to the next floor. I think I heard Gina say something, along the lines of "Sorry... Hector...Dead!" Things just you increasingly gloomier.
2F- Jesse
We climbed to the next floor. The floor was made of bamboo, the arena area was a forest, and there was Jesse, smack in the middle of the room. She was already crying. "Who will be the one to be sacrificed." She started sobbing. "Me." Offered Loch. She entered the arena, and our very odd squad sat down. These cherry-wood chairs make me feel like a Prince. Jesse stopped crying to look at me. "Well. This is the chance you have Xavier." I was a bit confused. "What chance?" She... actually laughed. "The chance you have to finally have to take me on a date!" We both laughed as I offered her popcorn from my bag. She refused. "Well, it's not the Hobbit, but it'll do!" We both laughed at this. The trees grew faces and lurched forwards towards him. He laughed. "I carve my face into you every night! GET A TASTE OF HARANEKADASU!" (Pronounced Hah-Rah-Nee-Kah-Dah-Soo) Loch was Dancing. Sword Dancing, that is. His sword twirled, swerved, cut, and decimated the tree population. Thirty-something odd trees fell to his swirling golden blade. However, ahead was a massive mass of plant cells. I held my breath. Loch lit a match, but was caught off guard by when the tree literally swallowed him up. Jesse looked at me. Then to Loch. Then back to me. Then she started crying into my shoulder. Deity tears cannot be good for silk sweaters... even if they're bloodied up... Mmm. Blood. Oh yeah, I comforted her. "Why are you crying Milady?" She sniffed "Because someone died Sir. Is that not enough of a reason?" "I guess it would be. It is enough for any heart to break if you knew a youth that great and saw him die a horrid death." "But... I hardly knew him, and yet I still mourn for him. Is that acceptable?" "Yes. It is very acceptable. For a man a great as Loch." "But. He was only a child! THIS ISN'T FAIR! Move on... continue..." and so we are down to seven. I heard a scream from Jesse as I continued along.
3F-Ishmal
No turning back now. Or ever, really. Oh great. Ishmal. A large buff man my age (Not really my age, but you get the idea) was standing in front of me. A mail vest, but little else. He pushed me down the stairs. I stumbled but floated back up. "Really Mal?" I was getting angry. His deep voice was moderately intimidating. "Really. Stick boy." My face was burning red. I punched him in the face. It started to bleed. He wiped the blood off his face and he punched me back. I ducked and flip-kicked his jaw. He punched me in the side, and I went spiraling to the ground. I got up. And realized I was bleeding, internally. I took my knife and cut my side open. Blood spilled onto the ground. It felt good. I punched Mal in the face en rapide. He fell to the ground. He got up, and I butted him with the end of my spear. He once again tried to rise, but I was too fast. I stabbed at his crotch, hard as I can. He started bleeding, and fell. He did not rise. Instead he groaned from the floor. "Grah. You... You may begin my challenge." He just moaned nearby. Mattais entered the flaming ring to fight a giant ethereal monster (a giant, living flame) Mattais is perfect... wait. No he isn't. Mattais may be a magus, BUT... he uses Icega the most. Dammit. This will not end very well. Mattais only brought two books: "Icega and other Massive Ice Magic" and "Goetia- The Impossible Perfect Dark Spell and More Simple Dark Spells" (Mattais is the only one to ever be able to use it) neither of which would be effective against a hot light source. Anyways. He tried Goetia, but the monster just seemed to absorb it. He used Icega, and the monster melted it. But it seemed to be in pain when the water hit it. I think Mattais has an idea. He use Iceian Armor (the same I used in the battle of Ilya) and charged into the monster. He did not come out. Dazed I maneuvered the four remaining heroes through the door.
4F- Stuart
Dammit. First Hector. Then Loch. then... then... Mattais. I started silently crying. I loved that little mage. He is the best cousin I could ever ask for. Lucia turned to me, with eyes red from tears. "I'm. Sorry. I can't believe he finally died. After 16 003 years of life. Hey, that's pretty good!" I hung my head. "I guess so." Heather turned to me. "I'm... I'm sorry. I mean. I lost Hector. But he was only my best friend. You lost your favorite cousin. I am truly sorry." Ivan suddenly looked at me in shock. "HECTOR IS MY COUSIN?" Oh. Yeah. I guess that does mean that. Cool! I heard a really stupid voice come from the room. "Hello." Hey! Stuart! I like this guy. He is Hi-Larious. He wore a stupid smile, on a stupid face that reminds me of General Foster's, just more stupid. He used an amazing monotonous voice. How he became the sky deity? I don't know. "How are you? Which of you will take my challenge?" "I WILL!" Ivan stepped forward. "Okay. You have fifteen minutes." He stepped inside and turned back. "What do you mean by twenty minutes?" Lightning flashed and a tornado appeared in the vast arena. Ivan was dodging weather. Crack! Crack! Crack! Lightning flashed around him. Stuart offered me popcorn I took a handful. Oh gods. Ivan was thrown by a tornado into the glass. He was then struck by lightning. It stopped. The fifteen minutes were up. "Well." Said Stuart. "That was fun." Heather looked at me. "Since he's dead, shouldn't Xavier disappear?" Lucia looked at me. "No. He is not Ivan then. And Hector is not Mattais." And we ascended the staircase.
5F-Ryan
Then there were three. We ascended the stairs. Ryan stood at the top. "Oh. Hello Xavier. And Lucia. And Heather." He looked at us. "Welcome. Which one will die now." Heather stared straight into his face. "I will." She entered the arena. It was a sandy beach with water across from the viewing area Heather entered the arena. Instantly a huge Hydra emerged from the water. Heather had no fire! Crap. She is going to die. Heather stood up to the thing. She severed of a great many of it's heads. In the end I counted 72 459 heads. That me she severed off 24 153 heads in the space of four hours. Impressive. I only had enough popcorn for 39 837 hours though... I need to refill. Heather missed! She mistimed and was getting digested as Lucia climbed the stairs with me.
6F-Emily
Hector. Loch. Mattais. Ivan. Heather. All five are now dead. Now I have
to face Mother. Oh great. Mother was standing the the center of the room. I went in first. "Oh it's you. My stupid, unsuccessful child." I stared daggers at her. "You didn't ever monitor me. You would have found that I kill lots of people!" Mother was disproven. "And you can also tell I have a strong bloodlust." Mother stepped back. "And the only evil thing I have never done is..." Lucia entered. "LUCIA!" Dammit. "WHO ALLOWED YOU TO DO THAT?" I think Lucia knew what she was talking about. "I have all rights to do that." Lucia Replied. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO MARRY ANY OF MY OFFSPRING!" She was enraged. "Mom! That's not for an eon!" She cooled down. "Okay Lucia. You are going to enter my arena and engage any entity that threatens you." The arena was a replica of hell. Lucia turned to me. "I will not make it." Damn. "Then, I sorry I wasn't a better husband." I tried to peck her on the cheek, but she pulled me into a full romantic kiss. She looked at me with tears in her eyes. She turned and ran in, and came across a massive bone dragon. She didn't even get time to react. BAM! she was dead. Crushed. Silently crying I climbed the next set of stairs. I lost my favorite cousin, and my wife. How terrible can this get?