Heretic 2019/05/13(Mon)17:58 No. 932774 ID: a451fc
File 155779548084.png - (1.07MB , 1558x1064 , Duet.png )

ROLAND: And that's how I make my arms! Little complicated but it makes sense once you get the hang of it.
VOL: Alright, so you can do some serious multitaskin' now huh?
ROLAND: Sort of, anything past one arm and they get hard to control. If I keep them out for too long then I start to get worn out, and if I fight with them for too long I could burnout. Which is bad.
VOL: I get it... so, can ya only make arms right now?
ROLAND: I can still make plenty of other shapes. I can do some other stuff too but that's only because I'm still in the starting stages of having using aura. Once I get used to it enough my powers will solidify and become less diverse...Has your magic gotten any better since I lost your mark?
VOL: A little bit, I guess it's gonna take time to get any different ya know?

There's a knock at the front door. Troy pokes his through the doorway.

TROY: Hey guys...

>There's someone callin' for ya Roland.
>There's someone here for ya Vol.
>There's someone here for me.

>There's someone here for ya Vol.

>There's someone here for ya Vol.
Yeah!

>>932774
>There's someone here for ya Vol.
I wonder who that could be?

>There's someone here for ya Vol.

>>932774
>There's someone here for ya Vol.
Roland, go with him to see who it is.

Ooh, i like the new dialog choice.

Someone for Vol.

>>932774
Gotta say, I'm really curious who would be asking for Vol.

I'm guessing Vol has Hazel, Roland has Ada, And Troy has that voodoo guy out there

>>932825
It’s going to be someone we told where our house is.

So it can’t be Hazel or Ada, but it could possibly be that voodoo guy.

>>932831
Well the only people I can think of that know where we live is Flint and Chopper.

>>932840
And Ichigo.

Or anyone Flint tells, if he thinks there's a good enough reason to do so.

>>932845
There's also the people we told during the tournament.

1/3 Heretic 2019/05/14(Tue)14:17 No. 932852 ID: a451fc
File 155786864913.png - (481.81KB , 1558x1064 , Vol.png )

TROY: There's someone here for ya Vol'.
YOU: Really? Who'd wanna see me?
TROY: Don't know! But you oughta' step outside to see who it is.

You hop off of the couch and walk out the front door.

Your name is Vol and you can hear something-

2/3 Heretic 2019/05/14(Tue)14:17 No. 932853 ID: a451fc
File 155786865581.png - (436.25KB , 1558x1064 , Tackle.png )

Almost immediately after stepping out of the house you're blind sided by something small but heavy as hell. You're tackled to the ground.

DELPHI: Hi! Vol! Do you remember me? I'm Delphi! From the tournament thing remember?

3/3 Heretic 2019/05/14(Tue)14:17 No. 932854 ID: a451fc
File 155786866855.png - (244.67KB , 1039x709 , Tackle 2.png )

The world's spinning after being pounced by the goblin, how can she be so heavy? It doesn't help that she's sitting on your back now... Through the haze you can hear Troy.

TROY: Yeah she said she was gonna do that. Part of me wanted to warn ya, but a bigger part of me wanted to see that happen!

YOU: D-Delphi?
DELPHI: Yes?
YOU: Why are you here?
DELPHI: Well~ I have nothing to do today and I thought I'd visit my new friend I made at the Tournament. Then I realized I barely talked to YOU and I thought "This is a great time to make a new Demon friend!". I don't have a lot of real friends who're demons so I couldn't pass up the opportunity! Sorry about tackling you though.

Despite saying that she doesn't get up from your back. Roland walks out of the house to see the embarrassing display, dammit you hear him snicker.
ROLAND: Am I interrupting something? Should I go back inside or...

I think a valid question would be "how she got here"? too, considering we're slightly in the middle of nowhere and we didn't gave our adress, she must have knew by other means.

Shut up ya dingus! And Delphi, get of my back! That is rude you know, personal space!
Any way How did you got here?

aren't their wards and stuff to keep people from just casually finding this place? how'd she get past those?

>>932854
>how can she be so heavy?
You could ask her, but then she's punch your face in because you're not supposed to ask a girl how much she weighs.

But if I had to guess, I'd say it might be her muscles in her body is why she's so heavy. They're compacted in one place when she's not stretching her arms out.

>Troy knew that was gonna happen and didn't warn you.
Give him the middle finger and tell him, "Fuck you."

>Roland
Beg for him to come save you!


>>932855
Roland gave her his address, that how she got here.

>>932857
The wards are to prevent the dangerous wildlife from showing up.

>>932854
Is Rascal with you?

Act surprised she wants to be friends with an imp.

Nah It's fine, Rol. You remember delphi Right?
Also, Could you get offa me, please?
How'd you find me here anyway?

I'm not the only demon here by the way. We got a ghoul in a bird named Reagan inside. He's ok I guess.

>>932863
>How'd you find me?
Roland told her where we lived during the tournament. That's how she knows where we live.

>>932854
Is she trying to hit on you?

>wanna hang out?
“You mean like a d-d-date?!”

>Roland
“Help! She’s trying to date me! I’m not ready to be in a relationship!”

But in all seriousness, tell her that she can hang out with you, but just because she’s got more eyes than you, that doesn’t mean that she gets to boss you around the entire time she’s with you.

>>932858
>Give him the middle finger and tell him, "Fuck you."
Yes, do this!

I think we should hang out and train. Various training types could be blood, melee, fisticuffs, music, aura-equivalent, or (smol cal) firearms.

>>932867
>(smol cal) firearms.
Vol already complained that he doesn’t want to learn how to use guns, so let’s not force that on him.

However, I have an idea on what we can do! We’ve got some scrap from that caravan that attacked us that we wanted give to Ada to pay off Roland’s debt for her upgrading his vehicle and we’ve also got some books that we’ve borrowed from Hazel that probably need to be returned pretty soon. Both ladies are in town, so we should gather up the books, load up the scrap in Troy’s truck, and all 4 of us head into town.

Once we get there, we split up, with Roland and Troy taking the scrap to Ada (and Roland giving Ada his phone number, so she can directly call him for jobs, instead of posting on the job board.....and also to see there’s anything new with that weird plant), while Vol and Delphi take the books to Hazel.

When both groups are finished with their business, they meet up in front of the job board to find and pick a job to do.....or watch one of Ichigo’s paper doll shows, then go look for a job on the job board.

>>932873
Me likes this.

ten11 2019/05/14(Tue)22:48 No. 932876 ID: c9e037

Dont make any major assumptions at this point, just be casual. And I don't pretend to act cool and casual, just actually be casual.

>>932876
No, act cool Vol. Act as hard as you can.

I'd like a good laugh.

>>932873
Uh, yeah, that sounds good. Let's do this.

1/2 Heretic 2019/05/15(Wed)14:01 No. 932923 ID: a451fc
File 155795408511.gif - (400.63KB , 1200x820 , Fuck You Troy.gif )

You can't stand this bitch.

2/2 Heretic 2019/05/15(Wed)14:01 No. 932924 ID: a451fc
File 155795409014.png - (181.44KB , 1558x1064 , Delphi.png )

You speak more after Delphi finally stops sitting on you.

>Is Rascal with you?
YOU: So is Rascal with ya also?
DELPHI: No, Rascal's got a headache after her last job! I wanted to make sure she got better but she said the best thing I could do was go somewhere I couldn't make any noise so she can sleep. That's why I have nothing to do today!

>Plan
YOU: I guess if ya wanna hang out we can go into town. We need to turn in some scrap and drop off some books right Rol?
ROLAND: Yeah, it's about time we got that done.
DELPHI: Tagging along sounds like it COULD be fun...but I know something that'll definitely be fun! Vol! You wanna go treasure hunting!?
YOU: Treasure hunting?
ROLAND: That does sound like it could be very interesting!
DELPHI: Sorry Roland! It would have to be a demons only excurz- ectursio-...a demons only trip! It'd be very dangerous for humans to come along.

I love Troy's smug ass.
>>932924
I suppose we could. This isn't going to bite me in the ass, is it? Me and Rol went salvaging and we wandered into a damned laserfly nest once. I'd rather keep things like that from happening again.

Roland, go take a day off, you been getting your ass handed a lot lately and i would like you taking it easy for a bit. Besides, you got friends in town, it would be nice for you to visit them, instead of hanging out with Troy.

Especially the gals, you cheeky little devil. Don't think i didn't saw how you glance the spider lady and the librarian.

I've been relaxing too much, so a little adventure will suit me good. Were are we going?

Also Delphi, the word is "exclusive", or "excursion".

Why?

umm, ok. Guess you could give it a try. I mean it can't be any crazier then what Roland has gone through in the last week right?

Roland: Ok. Have fun with your girlfriend, Vol.

>>932924
>Demons only treasure hunting trip.
Sure, might as well go see what you can find. Maybe you'll find something valuable that can be sold for lots of cards?

>Dangerous for humans.
Or this could be an opportunity for you to get in some training of your own! You could come back and blow Roland's mind (not literally) at how much stronger you've become!

Make sure you tell Roland that his chores for the day are to turn in the scrap and drop off those books before you come home!

A demons only trip couldn't be sad, at least Roland can take care of himself, while Troy... Well.

Wanna take Reagan along?
His bird'll get Fat if he just sits in the house drinking all day.

Oh yeah bring Reagan along! Thatll be fun

>>932948
>>932950
>Bring Reagan?
Sure, why not? And if he doesn't like the bird body he's got, then if he finds something better during the trip, he can just trade the bird for whatever he finds.

>>932923
Troy has made the worst kind of enemy today. He has made an enemy out of someone that’s tall enough to be at crotch punching height!

>>932924
“How far away is this place? If it’s pretty far and only demons are allowed, then let’s bring Peaches, and ride him over there. Because I ain’t walking the entire way over there!”

>>932945
>chores for Roland
Yeah, do this.

>>932924
Roland: show off a little bit, then give a knowing look and be all like, riiight riiight, you two lovebirds have fun!

>>932964
Oh, and i have thought of a kickass way do do this! Extend all of your arms and once they are all out, give her a look and shoot finger guns with all of your hands.

>>932952
>Bring Peaches to ride
Don't see why not.

1/2 Heretic 2019/05/17(Fri)16:03 No. 933133 ID: a451fc
File 155813419393.png - (224.80KB , 1039x709 , Delphi 2.png )

YOU: Can we bring Reagan? He's a demon too. I mean he's possessin' a bird right now, I'm sure he's 'round here somewhere...Where's Reagan?

Roland points to the roof, where Reagan is passed out drunk.
YOU: Oh...it don't look like he's goin' anywhere like dat.
DELPHI: He couldn't come anyway! If he needs to inhabit a bird he won't be able to come!
YOU: Why's dat?
DELPHI: I'll explain when we get there, but believe me when I say it's better if it's just demons, and only demons!
YOU: Well I'd betta' get Peaches unless we wanna walk da' whole way d'ere.
DELPHI: We won't be walking anywhere baby!

Delphi pulls a red disk from here back and presses a button it, the device expands into a jet board.

DELPHI: What do you think I walked the whole way over here Vol?
YOU: Dat don't look safe, I don't even know how to ride dat thing!
DELPHI: Don't worry I'll go slow!
YOU:...Fine, Roland your chores for today is turning in those books and dropping off the scrap.
ROLAND: 'Kay Vol have fun on your date!
YOU: Have fun hitting on Ada.

Delphi sets down her jet board, and you stand on the back of it.

2/2 Heretic 2019/05/17(Fri)16:03 No. 933134 ID: a451fc
File 155813419733.gif - (152.37KB , 1200x820 , Jetboard Joy Ride.gif )

YOU: Delphi is this slow for you!?
DELPHI: Yeah! It's too bad I can't do any tricks on this thing right now! It get's so much air!...Look! That rock looks like a perfect ramp!

Before you can protest Delphi rockets over the side of the slanted rock, spinning both of you in mid air as you fly. The landing is smooth, but that doesn't make the experience any more pleasant.
DELPHI: Hehe...Sorry. I see a ramp and I can't help myself!
YOU: You're just as bad as Rol.
DELPHI: Does Roland like riding fast too? That's great to hear! I wonder if he'll let me race him one of these days?
YOU: He probably would, he loves dat shit.

Delphi eventually does go a bit slower, so you aren't worried about puking your guts out anymore.

DELPHI: You've done something like this before right Vol? Going down to explore stuff I mean. I realize maybe I should've asked before we got around halfway there.

>>933134
That is one awesome board.

Yeah, me and Rol occasionally go into old bunkers to scavenge or look for demons to study. We found Peaches in one of them.

yeah, I've gone spelunking with Roland a few times. Start doing it last week to help him cope with his pa passing then he found he had a taste for it and start that demon identification book he's working on. It was on those little trips where we met peaches, Reagan, and the smug one eyed prick. So 2 out of 3 ain't bad.

Speaking of Reagan though, where are we going anyway?

>>933135
And we also found a mutant plant that heals you with its peaches and has eyes. Pretty weird stuff from the old world people left behind. It's really interesting and fun, until Roland makes something blow up, the crazy fucker.

Yeah I've done spelunked for years, Though when I was with Roland's dad it was usually pretty safe. He didn't like taking too many risks and was a crazy marksman.
Lately I've been doin some crazy shit with Roland though. Kid doesn't know when to stop.

>>933133
>Have fun hitting on Ada.
Fingers crossed that Roland does hit on Ada and doesn't mess up without us there to make sure he says the right things!

>>933134
"Of course I've done this before. I've been doing this with Roland's dad and when he passed away, I've been doing it with Roland."

>>933133
>Have fun hitting on Ada.
Hopefully he manages to get a date with her!

>>933134
Yes, you’ve done this before. However, you don’t do any fighting, you’re usually the support that does all the healing.

1/2 Heretic 2019/05/18(Sat)18:57 No. 933289 ID: a451fc
File 155823103960.png - (882.83KB , 1558x2128 , It's not just a boulder! It's a rock!.png )

YOU: Been doin' dis fer years now. Way back wit' Marshall, now I'm doin' it wit Rol. I love Rol wit all my heart but dat boy just don't know when to quit sometimes...Then again, we always manage to get pretty good stuff when we go...Well one time we got a smug asshole but I guess d'ey can't all be winners.
DELPHI: It sounds like it's good that Roland has you to keep him from doing anything too bad! Rascal always keeps me from doing stupid stuff!
YOU: He's still on dis demonology kick though'.
DELPHI: Yeah, but he's got a good reason for doing that! It's not just that it's on a whim right?...Oh! We're here!

Delphi's board comes to a stop in front of a large rock formation. You already know the drill, it's some sort of hidden bunker or it's invisible or something. Delphi walks up to the rock and traces a number of interact shapes on the face of it with here finger. After a while the rock begins to vibrate before breaking open, a large red light emits from the crack. Delphi looks around the floor and finds a small lizard corpse, she chucks the dead reptile's body into the light. With a loud hiss it's flesh sears, and it's body disintegrates completely.

DELPHI: This light doesn't let anything that's not a demon pass through, that's why no one else could come!

Delphi steps through and, though wary, you follow her.

2/2 Heretic 2019/05/18(Sat)18:57 No. 933291 ID: a451fc
File 155823107204.png - (381.55KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 1.png )

As you enter through the red light, you see a doorway in the glow. Inside you find what you expected, a small metal room. It seems to be demonic in origin.
YOU: Delphi is dis place from da Aether? it looks like a demon structure.
DELPHI: Definitely looks like it! I haven't been in here yet. Last time I was with Rascal and we found this place she almost fried herself on the field outside so we went away and decided to come back later. I never got around to looking into it until now!

There's panel on the wall next to you. Another door at the other end of the room, it looks like an elevator door.
DELPHI: Y'know what this looks like! One time I was in the Aether and I got taken captive by some demons cause I broke some of their stuff!
YOU: On accident?
DELPHI: Nope! Anyway, they threw me in a place that looked like this! I overheard them say it was stolen from some high demons! So there might be something really good if we look close enough Don't you think?

Welp. First things first.
taxe off that big shitty makeshift wall panel.
It clearly looks to be just patching a hole, but the traceings behind it could prove useful.

make a wrench or a screwdriver with blood if you need too.

>>933292
Yeah. Let's not mess with the door before we have access to the wall.

>>933291
Yeah, remove the panel if you can. If you can't try to go through the next door.

>>933291
Your bowtie didn't fry in the barrier.

Heretic 2019/05/18(Sat)20:03 No. 933304 ID: a451fc
File 155823499428.png - (436.39KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 2.png )

>>933296
Yeah, and you're glad it didn't. Maybe because it's just clothing and isn't nor was it ever alive.

>Panel
You fashion a small screwdriver out of your blood to get some of the screws out, a few of them are stuck though, luckily after loosening it Delphi is able to simply pry the panel off with her hands...Inside there's some sort of machinery. The pipe in the top holds some sort of dried up corpse of a vaguely demonic creature. The pipe in the bottom as a weird vine-y looking growth running through it.
DELPHI: Oh no! The little things dead.
YOU: Yeah...I recognize da thing. It's an Iik, it's an artificial demon High demons can sometimes create. I guess dis one was used to power dis place.
DELPHI: Vol how many levels did you climb in the Aether?
YOU: Uh...Just two, and I went right back down after reaching the second one.
DELPHI: Really!? That's surprising to hear! You seem like you'd at least gone to the third, maybe the fourth before coming to earth.

>>933304
Do you think I'm crazy or something? Rol is the risk taker, not me.

Doesn't look like we can do much here. Let's go to the next room.

>>933304
Get the corpse for Roland to dissect.

Hmm can we bring anything OUT of here that isn't a demon?

Roland would be glad to have that corpse, but i don't know how are we going to take it with us.

Can we do somthing with the vane-y looking thing? Should we touch it?

>>933304
almost like the bowtie is more than what it seems... It is red

>>933304
>You fashion a small screwdriver out of your blood
Careful with the blood usage. There’s no telling how long you’ll be here, so you don’t need to be making yourself lightheaded or anything.

>Iik
>used to power this place
Shit, does that mean you need to put something else in there to power the elevator to continue forward?

>levels climbed before coming to earth
What’s the significance of doing that?

Also ask Delphi how far she climbed before coming to earth?

>>933304
Can you use one of your magic skills here? Maybe healing the dried up vines in the bottom pipe would bring them back to a state where they can function?

>>933354
On second thought, Roland told you about aura and how both humans and demons have it, but only humans can utilize it.

Perhaps the High Demons created that Iik and used its aura as a power source?

Heretic 2019/05/19(Sun)20:54 No. 933452 ID: a451fc
File 155832444188.png - (341.93KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 3.png )

YOU: No way've I gone up any more than maybe two layers! Why's dat matter anyhow?
DELPHI: Climbing up the layers is important for demons thats why? The act of ascension makes us stronger! I mean...I've only been up three layers, but still! I know for a fact that getting higher up before leaving or dying means getting stronger! I don't know the specifics behind any of it really but still.
DELPHI: Ascension is something tied to our very biotony!
YOU: ...biology?
DELPHI: Yes! That!

>>933354
The vines seem just fine, it's the Iik that's been dried up.

>Grab the corpse
You reach forward and unsnap the glass canister containing the Iik to the pipe. You remove the corpse, but after being held for a little it crumbles to dust. Too old to be of any use, but maybe you can replace it with something similar to power the facility.

>The vine
It's behind glass, you're not sure you want to try and mess with it, looks important.

>Does the elevator not work.
You press the elevator button, the doors fly open just fine...that's odd, then what does the Iik power? You ride the elevator down into a new room. There's a giant window at the very back with a control panel beneath it that has a door. Next to the window is some sort of cracked terminal. Next to the terminal is the box in the wall, Delphi tries to open it but it won't budge no matter how hard she pulls. It looks electronically locked...

>>933452
What about the door under the control panel?
Try turning the monitor on, or the terminal.

>>933454
Yeah, this.

Welp. There is that big box on the wall to open.

Also there appears to be something behind the screen. Might as well take it off the wall anyway, there might be some salvageable electronics in it.

>>933452
>I know for a fact that getting higher up before leaving or dying means getting stronger!
So if what she’s saying is true, Vol, does that mean you could’ve gotten pretty strong before coming into Roland’s family?

Or what if that means that you could’ve gotten a 2nd eye? Is that why Delphi has 2 eyes or was she just born that way?

>new room
Check the door under the window.

Whats up with all these vines? They seem to be running through every pipe. Are they like, the demon equivalent of conductive wire or something?

Ask Delphi why she said it seemed like you had gone to the third or fourth layer before coming to earth.

I have a strange feeling Vol is gonna get a upgrade by the time this chapter is done

>The act of ascension makes us stronger!
Is that so? Interesting. We ought to try that later. What about humans, if they ascend, do they get stronger?

What do you see though the window?

1/2 Heretic 2019/05/21(Tue)20:02 No. 933677 ID: a451fc
File 155849417232.png - (358.49KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 5.png )

>What about humans, if they ascend, do they get stronger?
DELPHI: Of course not silly! It's something tied to demon biology!

>Whats up with all these vines?
They seem to be running power through the facility, but you aren't sure either.

>What about the door under the control panel?
It opens easily, underneath you find a metal canister. You can hear something growling and squirming around inside of it, but the lid is wedged on so tight there's no way for you to get it off by hand.

2/2 Heretic 2019/05/21(Tue)20:02 No. 933678 ID: a451fc
File 155849417669.png - (277.99KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 4.png )

>Try turning the terminal on.
The only function that the front terminal can do is open and close the front door to this place, and not smoothly. You can hear the door above you slamming into the ground when you do this.

>Try turning the monitor on.
The wall mounted monitor is completely in operable, the keyboard is unresponsive and the screen is stuck. There do seem to be some keyboard shortcuts, though the majority of them do things you can't see because the screen's broken though one play's an audio file of someone talking in Low Demonic. Something about going back? It's so glitchy you can't make it out easily.

>Ask Delphi why she said it seemed like you had gone to the third or fourth layer before coming to earth.
DELPHI: I 'unno you seem smart, your magics not bad, I saw that big blast thing you did at the tournament! That was really cool. It just seemed like you would.

Maybe you should go back and ascend higher, Vol.

See if that canister can be used as a replacement fuel source for the main power coupling.

>>933677
>Canister
Think it could be another Iik? There's also a number 3 on it, so that might be important on how to use it.

>>933678
>Front door slams shut
Uh, I think you need that open to get out. You'd better open it back up.

>Screen
Looks like some kind of code.

>>933679
>Go back and ascend higher
I think Vol mention way back in thread 1 or 2. That once a demon leaves the Aether, they can't go back. So I don't think Vol can go back to ascend higher.

>>933678
Huh, that’s neat.

How many floors are on the buttons in the elevator? Is there any indication around the elevator that tells you what floor you’re currently on?

Heretic 2019/05/22(Wed)18:15 No. 933739 ID: a451fc
File 155857415140.png - (213.88KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 6.png )

>Canister
There's probably another Iik in this thing you can use to power the place, but you can't open this thing with your bare hands.

>You'd better open it back up.
You press the button and you can hear the front door slow slide back up

>How many floors are on the buttons in the elevator?
Two, the top one and the one you're on now.

>>933739
Can you make a wrench?

>>933739
Does the Iik need to be in the glass canister you picked up or can it stay in this metal one?

I say you should take it back up to where you found the first Iik and see if you can plug the canister in to the slot up there.

>>933741
Yeah, a wrench might be good. Maybe have Delphi pull it too, she's probably the stronger one.

>>933739
>2 floors
This place is smaller than I thought. Unless powering it up reveals more areas to go to?

>>933758
Actually, based on the terminal I think there might be 5 floors. The first parts are 5F and 1F, so we're probably on the 5th floor right now.

>>933784
That’s why I was wondering if powering up the place would reveal more areas to go.

Maybe if we take the canister upstairs and put it in the slot where we found the other one, that would make it easier to open it?

Heretic 2019/05/23(Thu)18:55 No. 933864 ID: a451fc
File 155866294550.png - (189.45KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 7.png )

>Powering up the place would reveal more areas to go.
It's possible? You're not familiar with places like this so you can't say for certain.

>Make a Wrench
You manage a small wrench to try and get the thing open but it's no good.

>Give it to Delphi
You pass the canister to Delphi, who does her best to open the cap. After a good minute of Delphi swearing she can get it she gives up.
DELPHI: Phew! Okay maybe I can't get it... This is probably meant to be opened by a strong high demon...not low demons like us and I doubt you got a high demon on speed dial. Should we take it to someone else outside?
YOU: I'm worried dat field up front might fry da' ting. I mean, it's artificial so technically it ain't full demon, but d'ere's gotta be somethin' we can do ta get it open while we're in 'ere...

Delphi tosses you the canister back.

>>933864
Throw it on the ground! Kick it through the window! Play violin at it!

Wait! We're civilized demons, not beasts. We have the power of our minds and technology!

Put that thing under the door and slam it on top! (preferably on the cap, not the middle so as to not destroy what's inside)

We've seen both floors available through the elevator, and we've interacted with everything we can. The only thing we can do is open and close the door.
I guess we could try putting the canister below the door and shutting the door on it? Delphi can stand next to it to grab the demon that's released, so it doesn't just run off.

All you gotta do is increase torque. For that you need a longer Wrench. Luckily you already have one.

The panel cover in the previous room.

Adhere the bottom of the canister to the floor with blood.
Adhere the cap to the panel with blood.
Then one or both of you can twist via pushing.

Not only is the torque multiplied, but now you can use your entire bodies to apply force, and both of you can apply it at the same time!

You could stick just the cap through the field.

>>933867
>Delphi can stand next to it to grab the demon that's released, so it doesn't just run off.
Good idea. Although, it’s not like she can signal us when she’s in position. I guess we’ll just ride the elevator up with her and once she’s in position, we ride back down to close the door. This time we’ll leave the door closed, just in case the Iik tries to run though it.

Let’s make sure we give her the glass canister the first Iik corpse was in, so that she can put this living Iik in it.

1/2 Heretic 2019/05/24(Fri)05:45 No. 933910 ID: a451fc
File 155870192921.png - (507.40KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 8.png )

>>933873
Your blood makes a poor adhesive, not to mention you'd like to avoid using more of it.

>>933867
You direct Delphi with the bottle to the upper floor, there she positions it while you activate the door button on the terminal to close it. You can hear the door struggle as the cap of the canister is snapped off of it. You return upstairs to find that the hard metal shell of the canister had was released when the cap was removed revealing a glass case holding an Iik that can be slotted into the pipe easily.

2/2 Heretic 2019/05/24(Fri)05:45 No. 933911 ID: a451fc
File 155870193477.png - (434.25KB , 1558x2128 , Spelunking 9-10.png )

You take the Iik bottle and replace the old one in the wall panel, as it snaps into place the vines below it begin to pulsate and move, soon there's a gentle rumbling in the ground that signals the building is powered. The soft vibration of the floor begins to grow more aggressive, You and Delphi are startled by a loud siren that blares from above as the lights flash a bright red. A mechanical voice plays over the speakers, but you can't understand the high demonic tongue.
You hear another loud pop as the front door shuts entirely and crushes the cap beneath it. Delphi attempts to open the door with no luck.

DELPHI: Vol! W-whats happening!?

>>933910
If i were to hazard a guess, it seems like you just entered lockdown, probably containment breach protocol since this doesnt seem to be military.

Security system? We ARE two low demons entering a high demon bunker, so that could be it?

This place is abandoned for a reason.
A reason that caused that alarm.
A reason that was probably never taken care of.

Check the monitor.

>>933911
Go back down and check the monitors.

If you can’t turn the alarm off, then you’d better hope the door controls still work, otherwise you’re both stuck in here until you fix whatever is causing this lockdown!

>>933911
Time to return to the control room and find out what happened.

>>933911
Let's check the monitors downstairs.

Have there any more places or entrances opened up?

1/4 Heretic 2019/05/26(Sun)20:33 No. 934124 ID: a451fc
File 155892798695.png - (277.44KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 11.png )

>Check the monitor
You and Delphi ride the elevator down and return to the control room. There you check the monitor, the small cursor has switched from one string of code to the other.

The room begins to fill with the smell of smoke and you're tossed to the ground by the harsh shaking of the ground...

2/4 Heretic 2019/05/26(Sun)20:33 No. 934125 ID: a451fc
File 155892799803.png - (474.52KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 12.png )

Soon the room gets much hotter, you can hear the machinery crackle. Viscous liquid squirts down from the pipes above singeing your skin as it hits you. The alarm blares louder and louder as the lights grow brighter...

3/4 Heretic 2019/05/26(Sun)20:33 No. 934126 ID: a451fc
File 155892800295.png - (30.72KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 13.png )

Until the red lights blind you entirely.

4/4 Heretic 2019/05/26(Sun)20:33 No. 934127 ID: a451fc
File 155892801142.png - (434.95KB , 1558x1064 , Spelunking 14.png )

Afterwards the alarms die down slowly, the shaking has stopped but the smell of smoke and metallic chemicals still linger in the air. The fumes begin to get you and Delphi as well, you can hear her coughing next you.

The box on the side of the wall after a while of silence makes a high pitched beep startling you. Maybe you can open it now.
DELPHI: M-maybe the security features went crazy since this place is so old...Are you okay Vol?

>>934127
I'm fine, question is are you? I've got healing music if you need it.

Yeah, let's open that box.

>>934124
>the small cursor has switched from one string of code to the other.
I think those are actually coordinates.

>>934125
>>934126
Which is now making me think that we just got teleported back to the Aether.

Any idea on how to get back? Maybe the same method you used when you first arrived next to Roland’s dad?

>>934127
>Are you okay Vol?
“I think so? .....no, I’m not ok. I think I’m gonna-“ *insert sounds of Vol throwing up here*

Make sure you guys open the box to see what’s in it.

Uh oh, something happened to the vines.

not dead, and hey I think that box opened. So there's that at least

wait....
That flash of red light...

5f-195-e19-D3
D3... Dimension... e19.. Earth 19... 195... a predefined location perhaps... 5f Floor.. .or layer 5.
1-Inner core
2-outer core
3-Mesosphere
4-Asthenosphere
5-Lithosphere/Crust

1f-665-666-D3
Same dimension, Hell, Another location, Lowest layer

You could be in the lowest layer of the aether right now.

Open that cabinet, take what's inside... AND THEN CHECK OUTSIDE.

Did we just teleported somewhere else? YOOOO that is kinda bad and cool at the same time, if that is the case! Check the outside!

>>934127
>Are you ok Vol?
"Hey, Delphi, when did you get 4 eyes?"

Check the box, then check outside the facility.

>>934127
what the heck is outside now

>>934193
You can't have double vision with only one eye.

>>934305
Vol is a surprisingly good at darts for someone who has only one eye.

Assuming Vol didn't cheat in his game with Troy.

>>934305
They were making a joke.

>>934311
I don’t think he had to cheat, since Troy also only has 1 eye.

1/2 Heretic 2019/05/28(Tue)20:35 No. 934345 ID: a451fc
File 155910092708.png - (94.21KB , 1558x1064 , Locket.png )

>>934139
The vines in the pipe are withered. Maybe that malfunction fried em'.

YOU: I...I'm f-fine, Are you okay?
DELPHI: Just dizzy. Being tossed around like that doesn't really hurt me that much with a rubber body like mine.

You manage to avoid vomiting and stand on shaking legs. You move over to the wall mounted wall safe and open it, inside is a locket. There's a keyhole on the front.

DELPHI: Is that it?
YOU: Nah...I got da feelin' deres a lot more...

2/2 Heretic 2019/05/28(Tue)20:35 No. 934346 ID: a451fc
File 155910093522.png - (768.40KB , 1558x1064 , Somewhere New 1.png )

You open the elevator door to find that the elevator and the floor above it is gone, torn apart from the bottom floor you're in. Instead of finding yourself in the desert of Crater, you find yourself in a rather large white room. The remnants and debris of the ships organic inner workings spilled out in front of you. You're sure where you are anymore, but something tells you it isn't Earth.

>>934345
Hopefully you’ll be able to find the key to that. I really want to know what’s in it!

>>934346
“Uh, Delphi? I don’t think we’re on earth anymore!”

Look at the sign up at the top of the room. Can you read what it says?

>>934346
Go check out that elevator door.

I think we could probably open that thing by forming a key with your blood, but I'd rather save your blood for now. Only open it if we're stuck and still have no key.

>>934345
Could you pick that lock if you made lockpicks? Or can you figure out the shape of the key required and just make the key directly?

>>934346
Check to see how recently these demons died.

>>934354
>Check to see how recently these demons died.
According to what Vol said, those aren’t demons. He says those are, “The remnants and debris of the ships organic inner workings spilled out in front of you.”

Which makes me think those things are what was attached to the vines we saw in the walls.

I think you just teleported into some unfortunate bastards and blew em up in pices. And i think they are demos, those letters seem demonic. Did you teleported in the Aether or something?

>>934361
Wrong.

Vol just told us that those were inside the walls, which is what the vines were attached to.

There's a sign above you, and to your left.
Can you read it?

>>934345
>Rubber body
Does that mean that she can bounce like a ball if she hits the ground?

>>934346
Read the sign.

Try not to die. Try to return to Roland in one piece. Try to become stronger so that you don't have to worry about slowing Roland down.

1/2 Heretic 2019/05/30(Thu)06:01 No. 934442 ID: a451fc
File 155922129538.png - (397.08KB , 1558x1064 , Somewhere New 2.png )

>Read the Sign
You can't read it, neither can Delphi.

>Could you pick that lock if you made lockpicks?
You don't know how to pick locks, And you don't think filling it in with your blood will give you the key you need.

>Try not to die. Try to return to Roland in one piece. Try to become stronger so that you don't have to worry about slowing Roland down.
The most important part of this is getting home and back to Roland safely. The idea that you're somewhere so far without knowing where you are makes you panic a little...not a little actually you're panicking quite a bit. As much as you hate having to root through strange places the machine you used to get here is fried and the only way ahead is that door over there.
DELPHI: Hey Vol? Are you doing okay? You're sweating a little.
YOU: ...I'm just freakin' out a little is all, this...I haven't had something like this happen to me before! not for a long time anyway...
DELPHI: Don't worry Vol! If we stick together we oughta be okay! I'll make sure to stay close to you!

You and Delphi walk through the door. You end up walking through long halls covered in dried blood and strange markings, It's not helping your anxiety one bit...

2/2 Heretic 2019/05/30(Thu)06:04 No. 934444 ID: a451fc
File 155922147278.png - (587.53KB , 1558x1064 , Eye Door Room 1.png )

After some walking, the two of you enter a door that leads to a small room.

Inside the room there are three more doors and more odd graffiti on the walls. A painting of an eye hangs on the wall to the left of where you entered...Is it a painting? Each door has a button next to it, presumably to open the door.

DELPHI: ...Do you think we're in the Aether Vol?
YOU: Kinda feels like it.
DELPHI: Right? But I don't understand what this place could be...Vol I can hear your teeth chattering, it's not cold in here.
YOU: Yeah I know, I'm still nervous is all. It ain't easy ta stay calm in a place like dis!
DELPHI: That's true...it's so quiet in here too I can't stand it! Ask me something Vol, I'll fill this silence myself if I have to! If you have no questions I'll just start singing. Or maybe I'll go crazy talking to myself! You wouldn't want that would you Vol?

ask what she's been up to since the tournament.

>>934444
>Is it a painting?
If you start walking around and the eye follows you, then you know it’s not a painting!

>Ask me something Vol
How did she get out of the Aether and arrive on earth? How did she and Rascal first meet?

>>934444
Try the door to the left of the eye.

"Are you a good singer?"

I like when you talk to yourself. The result is a very honest stream of consciousness.
But I also want to ask about your rubber body. Were you always like this or did you acquire this power? How does it feel when you stretch?

Hmm. These bloody runes and markings are probably the work of some invader.

It wouldn't surprise me if they're used for some sort of magic used to circumvent whatever this eye did.
I'm Curious. Have Delphi scrape away some of the blood in one of those lines to break it's continuity.

>>934457
Or the markings are preventing the eye from doing something and we shouldn’t scrape away any of the markings?

Vol, do you still get squeamish around blood? You better hope Delphi doesn't see you get sick from all of the blood you're walking past, otherwise she'll make fun of you!

>What do?
Not much you can do except start opening doors and hope one of them leads to a way out.

Filling the silence? Well, i can play violin; can you sing?

Heretic 2019/05/31(Fri)06:28 No. 934510 ID: a451fc
File 155930930011.png - (599.48KB , 1558x1064 , Eye Door Room 2.png )

>>934445
DELPHI: Same old same old really! Bounty hunting and the like! I learned I'm the best at Chess!
YOU: Oh yeah? How long ya been playin' Chess?
DELPHI: I learned right after we finished the tournament!
YOU: ...And you're da best after learnin' how ta play not even a week ago?
DELPHI: Rascal can't beat me! So it's safe to say I'm the absolute best at Chess.

>Are you a good singer?
You ask Delphi this, and instead of answering you she does a great impression of a dying squirrel...It's best she doesn't resort to "singing" if she gets bored.

>>934452
You already know Hobgoblins stretch like rubber naturally.

>>934457
>>934463
You don't recognize what the markings could be for, but the blood cannot be wiped or scraped off without cleaning supplies you and Delphi lack. They definitely do something though.

>Enter door to the left of the eye.
You press the button next to the door to open it. The room beyond the doorway is obstructed by an odd red glow, when you enter it you find yourself...in the exact room you exited.

DELPHI: Okay...That's weird.
YOU: Honestly it ain't, It'd be weirder if this room didn't do somethin' like dis ta begin wit.

>>934510
That eye is following you... maybe ask it for help?

I think is one of those puzzles in which you need to enter in the correct doors in order. If it's not, maybe it has something to do with the eye, or the signs up the doors.

>>934510
I have an idea, but first I want to be sure of something. Go into the room to the right of the eye together. If you come back again, split up, with you going into the door on the left, and Delphi the door on the right.

It's possible that whoever the eye is following will just return, so it won't be able to follow you both. But I want to make sure we don't just go through the correct door next by a fluke, and that it really is how this thing works.

>>934510
That eye is following you.

>The room beyond the doorway is obstructed by an odd red glow, when you enter it you find yourself...in the exact room you exited.
What would happen if you tried to leave and go back to the room you guys were in when you teleported? If you end up looping back here again, then that means that you need to figure out the trick to this room before you can leave!

I'm noticing that all the symbols above the doors have a certain number of "sticks" coming out of them and each door seems to have a different number of sticks. Maybe start with the one with the fewest amount of sticks coming out of it and work your way up. If I had to guess you need to go through the doors in a certain order to move on.

>>934516
If that works, then wouldn't that mean that someone gets left behind in this room? There's no guarantee that whoever leaves will be able to come back in for whoever got stuck, since the door could lock behind them or just magically prevent them from coming back in.

How about we have Vol and Delphi go to opposite sides of the room and see what happens? That way we don't risk them being separated.

>>934510
It must have to do with the symbols above the doors.
Labeling them doors ABCD, I think D is 1, A is 2, B is 3, C is 4.
My logic is that it looks like D has one pin going through, A has two from opposite directions (the circles/heads have the needles poking through them), B seems to have short pins and there's three of them, and C has the most.

Well, if this was a game, you would probably need to shoot the eye with a bow. Can Vol form an arrow and a bow, and then string the bow with Del's arm or finger or something?

>>934599
I don’t think Vol is going to want to use more of his blood unless he absolutely needs to. And he hasn’t gotten to that point just yet.

>>934526
This sounds right.

Heretic 2019/06/03(Mon)20:29 No. 934809 ID: a451fc
File 155961894640.png - (574.99KB , 1558x1064 , Eye Door Room 3.png )

>That eye is following you... maybe ask it for help?
You ask the eye for guidance, but it is unsympathetic to your struggle.

>What would happen if you tried to leave and go back to the room you guys were in when you teleported?
You try exiting from where you entered, and again find yourself in the same room.

>>934526
>>934727
You enter the doors in this order, with no discernible change after finishing.

>>>934516
You tell Delphi your idea and she follows through with your plan. You two enter the door to the right of the door together and exit together again in the same room. Next, you split up so the Eye can't look at both of you and enter both doors at the far ends of the room. After going through the doors you still both exit into the same room, but before the doors shut behind Delphi you see the panel above her door glow red. When the door shuts the light goes off. You look at the door you entered through and realize it's missing it's light panel, so Delphi probably didn't notice this.

It doesn't matter who the eye looks at, if it can't look at both of you it just doesn't bother. Whatever that thing does it's purpose isn't to loop the rooms.

>>934809
Huh? ...one of you watch the other one going through the doors, see if the lights always come on or not for those with lights above the door.

>>934809
Maybe you’ve gotta enter while the light is on?

Do that again and then see if Delphi can hold the door open. Then you can rush over and both of you enter the door while the light is on.

Alternatively, you guys can enter both doors closest to the eye and see if the lights turn on above those doors.

First of all, go through the door to the right of the eye, just to check they all work the same way.
Then, see if you can hold a door open if you keep holding down the button. If it doesn't close, see if its possible for Delphi to hold open a door, and use her stretchy body to pass through to the other side while still holding it open.

>>934809
The eye might need to be looking in the direction of the door when the light is on for something to happen.

Heretic 2019/06/06(Thu)09:40 No. 934995 ID: a451fc
File 155983924694.png - (261.79KB , 1558x2128 , Eye Door Room 4-5.png )

>>934813
>>934816
The light above always comes on when a door is opened for all of the doors. Regardless if it is entered or not, and when closed the light shuts off.

>>934821
The doors stay open for about five seconds when you push the button. Holding it down makes it stay open. You hold Delphi's hand as she passes through the door. The door doesn't close on her arm, but she never exits. After a while you tug on her arm so she walks back through. Delphi described it as walking through infinite red light, but exiting was very quick.

>>934833
That's not it, then the eye would've reacted to you both being near the open door just now.

>>934995
Can you open all the doors at once?

>>934995
Are there any other symbols in the room? Maybe on the ceiling or on the floor?

>handholding
Vol, how long do you plan on holding Delphi’s hand like that? It’s almost like you like her or something.

>>934995
Enter the doors on the left and right really quick to make the eye oscillate. I think there's a fifth door squished beneath it.

>>934996
Let's this, i want to see what happens.

Maybe try climbing into the eye?

>>934995
Don't try to solve this all by yourself! Talk to Delphi and see what she has to say about this situation.

1/2 Heretic 2019/06/07(Fri)16:38 No. 935088 ID: a451fc
File 155995071647.png - (489.74KB , 1558x1064 , Eye Door Room 6.png )

>how long do you plan on holding Delphi’s hand like that?
Not long, and it's more like she hasn't let go of yours yet and you didn't really think about it too much...is what you're going to tell yourself.

>>934996
That's very possible since the doors stay open after being pressed. You and Delphi go around the room and open each door. Afterwards the eye on the wall closes drops down from it's position.

>>935038
You touch the eye to try and move it, and your hand goes right through it! You and Delphi walk through and exit the room.

2/2 Heretic 2019/06/07(Fri)16:38 No. 935089 ID: a451fc
File 155995072315.png - (286.88KB , 1558x1064 , Hallway 1.png )

The two of you emerge from a wall in a very different looking area. You can't enter back through the wall. In front of you there's a hallway that forks off into two paths, before you can move forward Delphi stops you.

DELPHI: Wait!...I can hear something over there.

You listen closer and hear slithering and mumbling. Whatever's over there is going to pass by the hall your in in a second.

>>935089
Delphi, can you get a hand hold on the ceiling and hold us up so it doesn't notice us?

Hold onto Delphi, have her cling to the ceiling, and be very quiet as it passes.

Heretic 2019/06/07(Fri)18:55 No. 935107 ID: a451fc
File 155995892515.png - (295.90KB , 1558x1064 , Hallway 2.png )

>>935092
>>935093
Delphi grabs hold of you and lifts you up onto the ceiling of the hallway.

The slithering noise gets louder as the demon passes through the hall. The sound of it's body moving across the floor stops. The large demon slinks into the hallway you and Delphi are hiding in. He looks at the wall the two of you entered in through, then slowly exits the hallway again. Before you and Delphi think it's safe you can hear the demons deep voice bounce off of the stone walls.
???: I know you're there! Two of you in fact. Hehehe, It's quite alright though! don't come out for my sake. I've no idea how either of you got here but we're quite happy to have new arrivals that can get past the test fast enough! I'll be showing a bit of "mercy" this time simply because hunting new arrivals before they get a chance to get properly situated is simply no fun.

It cackles as it begins to wriggle off
XIRXON: Well, you can call me Xirxon! If we ever meet again be prepared! I will not hesitate to kill you then. Have fun while you can! I know I will!

You and Delphi wait a bit longer, shocked by the encounter. Xirxon's long gone by now, so Delphi lowers you both back to the floor.

DELPHI: T-This...This is REALLY bad...

>>935107
Start crying and wishing Roland was here because he would know what to do!

Then immediately slap yourself in the face, while telling yourself to snap out of it! Roland ain't here, so it's up to you and Delphi to find your way out!

You can do this! Believe in yourself!

>>935109
Make sure you go in the opposite direction that Xirxon went.

>>935107
Yep. We gotta get situated.

hmm, looks like it might have 8 eyes assuming it's symmetrical. Maybe more. Any idea what kind of demon that was or is this a new one. Either way he's an asshole.

Also is it kinda sad that it's starting to feel normal to be trapped in a bunker/dungeon with a killer demon(s) that I actually feel a bit relieved to see what we have to go up against this time? I mean first it was those bugs back when you first took Roland to his first bunker spelunking dive, then when you met troy and caught peaches. Now we have old eight eyes here. Wonder what we'll get out of this one as well seeing how the first time we got the living tree, then the already mentioned troy and peaches. And since we already picked up troy we got the worst out of the way right?

Anyways as for what to do next... well I guess try to find an exit and wing it from there.

>>935088
>Not long, and it's more like she hasn't let go of yours yet and you didn't really think about it too much...is what you're going to tell yourself.
It’s ok to admit that you were holding her hand because you were scared.

>>935107
Start crying at the fact that Xirxon has more eyes than you and Delphi combined!

Go down the hall in the opposite direction that Xirxon just went!

Does Delphi know anything specific about who this demon is or what's happening, or is she just generally expressing her dread?
Most important thing to do is get a handle on the layout of what kind of place this is. If its some kind of labyrinth, there might be a place where Delphi can break you out of its boundaries.

We need to understand where we are and what this giant asshole can do. Stay calm, don't panic. He thinks he has the advantage, be that will make him overconfident. Go the oposite direction to where he went. Start exploring this place for a posible exit or something that could help you beat that giant ashole. This is what Roland would do.

I would Follow his path. We don't know where he came from, but we can assume he was going somewhere of note.

>>935206
You could also assume that he came from somewhere of note, which might be more likely here. Before he may have been doing something important, but now he seems a bit preoccupied with his guests.

We also have no idea if there are any hiding spots in the room where he's going. Better to just avoid him entirely.

>>935214
This is clearly a hunting ground where he and others are the hunters and we are the prey.

There's a chance he might be goin to some hunters only or off limits area while he waits for us to "Get acquainted" with our situation.
Whatever the game is, I doubt it's set up to give us any real hope for survival. We have to play a different game, and that different gave is currently slithering away from us.

>>935216
We should only follow him if we either have no other choice or we have a plan to beat him. And since we haven't gotten to either of those points yet, we should avoid him as much as possible.

1/2 Heretic 2019/06/10(Mon)11:55 No. 935324 ID: a451fc
File 156019295298.png - (141.74KB , 1558x1064 , Walking.png )

>>935109
>>935125
You might be scared and a little bit queasy, but no way in hell are you going to start crying over this! Not on the outside anyway.

>Head the opposite way of Xirxon
That's a given. You and Delphi walk the other way. Everything from this point on is stone hallways and rugs, odd paintings are hung on the walls, no matter where you go there's the subtle scent of blood in the air that makes your nausea worse.

DELPHI: Vol, do you think there's a way out of here?
YOU: We got 'ere didn' we? d'ere's gotta be a way out...I fuckin' hope d'ere is.
DELPHI: What's worse is if we don't get home in time, Rascals gonna eat my dinner.
YOU: Is dat really da worse part about dis fer ya?
DELPHI: Well no, she says she will but she never does. Still she said she was gonna make steak today, and I love steak.
DELPHI: And yeah I guess being hunted by a high demon is bad too, but if you think there's a way out then I'm sure there is!

2/2 Heretic 2019/06/10(Mon)11:55 No. 935325 ID: a451fc
File 156019295633.png - (429.63KB , 1558x1064 , Garden 1.png )

After some walking you come to a doorway that leads outside of the building. It looks like a garden.

Now that your outside you can see that the building you were in is a castle, and that the red sky definitely means you're in the Aether now, you didn't want to believe it before but now it's kind of hard to deny. Outside the blood smell is drowned out by the smell of flowers, it'd be peaceful if not for the circumstances.

There's an odd looking box in the drained pool in front of you.

DELPHI: Man...I miss when this was looking for treasure. Now I'm too worried about being hunted to want shiny stuff.

>>935325
Well, the key to winning a battle royale is getting the best gear you can get.

Open the box.

>>935325
>Now I'm too worried about being hunted to want shiny stuff.
“Hopefully any shiny stuff we find is a key or something to help us get out of here.”

Check inside those giant vases on both sides of the door, there might be something in them.

Then go check the odd looking box.

>>935325
Might as well open it.

break the vases and check the bushes for anything left behind by your predecessors.

After you search the immediate area, Have Delphi launch you two onto the roof so you can get an idea of the layout here. Fuck running around blind.

this a hedge maze? if so have Delphi pick you up with her stretchy arms and raze you to see above the maze.

>>935329
This.

>>935337
That'll work while we're still in the little bit of "mercy time" that Xirxon has given us.

But we should be careful on how often we do that, since it also gives away our position.

In my line of work, shiny stuff helps you out of stiky situations. And if you are really lucky, you get to save some other shiny stuf for later. So let's cross our fingers. But first thigs first, a way out of here.

Open the chest away from you, in case its trapped.
Getting on the rook to have a look around is a good idea, but i'm concerned this place might have countermeasures to things like that. Also, it might put us in view of anyone else in the maze. Is it possible to push through the hedge?

I think Delphi is trying to distract herself from how bad the situation is by worrying about something small and inconsequential.

Vol, do you know if time in the Aether moves faster or slower than it does on earth? Because you should be prepared for the possibility that if you take too long to get out of here, 100 years will have passed on earth and Roland will be long dead by the time you get back!

But look on the bright side, at least Troy will also be dead.

>>935503
Doubt it, seeing as Roland was fine after entering and leaving the place. At worst the time probably just doubles (1 minute aether, 2 out or vice versa).

Heretic 2019/09/13(Fri)16:38 No. 945003 ID: 8fb3ba
File 156841788905.png - (244.87KB , 1558x1064 , Garden 2.png )

>this a hedge maze?
No, at the other end of the garden is another hedge enclosing the small garden. If it is a maze then the guy who designed it really half-assed the whole thing.

>break the vases and check the bushes for anything left behind by your predecessors.
Nothing of value in the vases, just dead bugs that Delphi eats...gross. The bushes hide no secrets either.

>Open the chest away from you, in case its trapped
You very carefully open the chest facing away from you and Delphi. No explosion, no traps, just a small beep as the container opens up. You look inside to find wrapped packages and cans filled with liquid. Delphi unwraps a package while you open a can.

DELPHI: Oooh! Crackers!
YOU: And d'ese cans are filled with wata'. Wat are d'ese, rations?

While Delphi chews on one of the crackers you can hear some thing approaching your position. Delphi snaps to attention as she hears the movement too.

>>945003
>just a small beep as the container opens up.
>something is approaching your position.
Even though the chest held helpful things in it, that beeping sound gave away your position!

It’s time to move! Go in the opposite direction, away from whatever is coming your way!

>>945003
Grab the stuff, evac. If possible, observe from a hidden location.

Heretic 2019/09/13(Fri)20:25 No. 945021 ID: 8fb3ba
File 156843152936.png - (560.99KB , 1558x1064 , Run.png )

>It’s time to move!
You and Delphi grab what you can carry of the chest's contents and gun it in the opposite direction. Neither of you can really hear anything coming from behind you for a while, you just focus on getting distance. You and Delphi begins to slow down a bit, until the sounds of movement from your right startles the both of you. Something faster than the both of you has managed to catch up, and if it managed to reach you in such a short amount of time it's likely it'll outpace you both entirely sooner or later and cut you off.

>>945021
Delphi, throw a cracker at it.

>>945028
That.....might work? I honestly can’t think of anything better to do, so let’s throw some crackers at it.

Assuming Delphi doesn’t eat them all first.

Hmm, I wonder... can Delphi use a stretchy arm like a slingshot? Or an atlatl? Might be worth making blood ammo for her.

>>945021
Throw food at it!

>>945021
If you can't outrun it, then you'll have to confront it.

The rations were placed deliberately as a sort of resource cache. You passed a "test" to get in. You tested your way into getting to play a game; one you probably can't leave unless you win. Also, since demons don't need to eat very often, it looks like you're expected to play for a long time. The only question remaining is: "What's the win condition?"

As for more immediate concerns; whatever is chasing you seems to be around your size. It's not the guy you met before. We can't bank on it being a friendly, though. Simply stopping might cause it to shoot off on a wild goose chase, or at least give us a chance to stand our ground and parry it.

Heretic 2019/09/19(Thu)00:22 No. 945389 ID: 8fb3ba
File 156887773695.png - (288.74KB , 1558x1064 , Run 2.png )

>Throw rations at it
Delphi launches one of the ration packets at the moving shape. Though it very obviously wouldn't have hit it, the shadow moves towards it and grabs it out of the air before continuing it's pursuit. It's after the food you have.

>If you can't outrun it, then you'll have to confront it.
It might not be impossible, You and Delphi are capable and if it needs to happen you will put up a fight. The both of you come to a stop, and so does your pursuer. It rests on top of a hedge and leers down at you two from the top of it. The figure is silent, looking you over, possibly assessing it's options. You can make out it's silhouette now that it's still against the crimson sky. It's goblinoid in appearance. Before you can try to think of what it is the demon speaks.

???: Food! Drop food NOW. FAST!

The goblin demon thing is on edge, and with demons like Xirxon roaming around it makes sense for it to be that way. He looks like he's in the same position as you, hunted not the hunter.

Drop half the food, propose an alliance.

First of all, you have to say please. Secondly, we will give you half of our food, enfasis in OUR food, if you help us deal with this bigass demon. Deal?

>>945389
Ask if they want to team up? We can all work together to get out of here.

If they don’t want to team up, then tell them you’ll give them some of your food if they give you some useful info about this place and/or Xirxon.

If that doesn’t work, make sure you keep a tight grip on your supplies in case this guy tries to steal them. Be prepared to fight if negotiations don’t work.

>>945390
>>945395
>half the food
No, not half, give a third of the food. 1/3 for Vol, 1/3 for Delphi, 1/3 for the goblin demon thing.

"A'ight, done," drop a healthy portion for him. "But cool your haunches; we're all demons here, it's not like we have to eat all that much."

>>945402
Do this.

1/2 Heretic 2019/10/14(Mon)20:03 No. 947133 ID: 8fb3ba
File 157110861237.png - (284.00KB , 1558x1064 , A deal.png )

You toss about one third of the food onto the ground, the demon leaps off of the hedges and examines what you let go. He doesn't look pleased.

???: T-This not all of it! Drop REST NOW!
YOU: Hold on hold on. It seems like both a' us are on 'da wrong sida a' dis whole huntin' buisness. It'd be bettah' if we worked with each otha' instead of against each otha'
DELPHI: Yeah! We're tough! We can help each other!
???: All you is is more mouths to feed, now give rest of food before-

The demon stops mid sentence and sniffs the air, his ears perk up and his expression of anger turns to fear. His head swivels around searching for something none of you can see.

???: Shit...FINE DEAL! JUST HIDE! HIDE!

2/2 Heretic 2019/10/14(Mon)20:03 No. 947134 ID: 8fb3ba
File 157110862356.png - (549.91KB , 1558x1064 , New Friends 1.png )

You and Delphi quickly follow the demons orders and duck behind a few bushes. After a while of waiting, you see what he hid you from. A figure in a long coat and an odd, metal, triangular helmet wanders through the garden, on patrol for prey to hunt. It passes by soon enough and the goblinoid orders you to move.

DELPHI: What was that?
???: Claviger. Dangerous, worse when Hounds around too. Listen, you joining, not up to me. You talk to others, they decide if you join or not.
YOU: Otha's?
???: Yes, No one survive long on their own. We work in group to stay alive. You not be alive much longer if no get in.
HELIKE: My name Helike, what you names?

>>947134
>Pyramid head
AAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Saying our encrypted names should be safe. “I take it we’re supposed to play for a good while, judging by how desperate we is for food in spite of our metabolism? What’s even the win condition?”

Yeah alright introduce yourselves. If names were risky to give out then both of you would've already given eachother incomplete/fake names anyway.
Vol's good for support, which makes him an asset in a group. This is a good situation for him. Delphi's a good fighter, let's just hope she's good enough to pull her weight.

1/2 Heretic 2019/10/14(Mon)22:27 No. 947141 ID: 8fb3ba
File 157111726921.png - (548.54KB , 1558x1064 , Hideout.png )

>Saying our encrypted names should be safe.
Of course, No demon would ever give away an un-encrypted name to some one they just met. You and Delphi introduce yourselves to Helike.

YOU:I take it we's supposed ta play fer a good while judgin' by how desperate we is for food huh? How're we 'sposed ta win any how?
HELIKE: No win. Just not die.
YOU: D-dat don't sound like much of a game.
HELIKE: Think! Two demons play chess. One can win, one can loses, the pieces get put back in box at end no matter what. You know what we are? We chess pieces. Not even chance of win... We here.

Helike leads you two to a grate in the ground of the garden. He pulls the manhole cover from the ground and climbs down, you follow...

2/2 Heretic 2019/10/14(Mon)22:27 No. 947142 ID: 8fb3ba
File 157111727101.png - (224.15KB , 1558x1064 , Hideout 2.png )

At the bottom is what looks like a sewer. There's a faint rancid stench in the air, but nothing that would make you gag. You can tell that this place is old, but a lot of structures in the Aether are after all. Helike leads the two of you to a door.

HELIKE: Okay, you wait. I get door open.

Helike fiddles with the valve on the door while you and Delphi wait.

DELPHI:..Hey Vol? I'm really sorry about all of this.
YOU: It ain't your fault Del.
DELPHI: Yeah it kind of is. You know if you said no to coming with me today I would've just given up on exploring that stupid boulder. I really shouldn't have bothered to begin with, now we're...probably going to die in here.

>>947142
Hey, none of that. It's too early to get mopey. It's better to look at this as an opportunity to get stronger. In this group of lesser demons there should be some that would appreciate sparring partners.
Vol should start trying to practice the same principles Roland learned, or at least the ones that apply to Imps. Specifically he needs to be able to make structures capable of holding up to intense attacks. Also it'd be neat to make something that other Imps could use as a weapon, like an especially sharp spike or something.
I wonder... if we're very lucky we could combine all the lesser demons' abilities into one big attack.

>>947142
Like hell we are! I’m going to find a way to go home! I’ve gotta look after Roland to make sure he doesn’t do anything crazy while doing his whole “demon research” thing. And I sure as fuck don’t trust that Troy asshole to keep Roland outta trouble!

honestly this... isn't all the deferent then what Roland drags me into. Best bet is to get a lay of the land and see what we have to work with, then just bullshit our way into something resembling a win. Normally how things work out with Roland anyways.

>>947155
Yeah, i agree. This isn't something new at all. We just have to see what we are dealing with and form some sort of wacky plan to make it through. No way in hell i am leaving Roland alone, he is going to find a way to blow himself up.

Console Delphi, obviously, and once you're done doing that: "So Helike, what's the goal of this here game for the actual players, then, and what role are we supposed to play towards that end as 'pieces?' Knowing what to expect would be nice."

>>947142
Both of you should be prepared to get bullied by any demon that has more eyes than you in there.

1/2 Heretic 2019/10/15(Tue)17:38 No. 947192 ID: 8fb3ba
File 157118630977.png - (258.46KB , 1558x1064 , Hideout 3.png )

YOU: Honestly Del, dis ain't dat bad. Hell Roland's roped me into a lotta crazy crap recently so I'm gettin' used ta' it...don't know if I like dat or not tho'. Besides, it's too soon to be actin' like d'ere ain't no hope, we'll think a' somethin'.
DELPHI: It kind of sounds like we can't win though.
HELIKE: You can't.
YOU: Helike, what's winnin' for da' actual players a' dis game' 'sposed to be?
HELIKE: Killing. They hunt for fun. Maybe worse if they feel like it.
YOU: And we're absolutely doomed wit' no way outta here?
HELIKE: ...Some think there's way to win, but they crazy. Just trying to keep hope.
YOU: Huh, so when we meet da' rest we'll figure out some possible way to escape?
HELIKE: You'll hear a lie, if you want to believe lie then sure.
YOU: So, we've got somethin' to work with after all Delphi...

2/2 Heretic 2019/10/15(Tue)17:38 No. 947193 ID: 8fb3ba
File 157118632283.png - (228.31KB , 1558x1064 , Hideout 4.png )

YOU: D-DELPHI!?

ah neat, a blood trail... also look up... and I guess in the water(?) for any ripples. Don't want to be brought down by the common horror movie troop of not looking up. As for the water (this is a sewer right?) it should have made noise if something came out of their so I doubt it but things like to hide in water.

SHIT FUCK. Ok, calm down. We need to go and look up for her. Follow the blood trail, but be careful, if this is a hunting game, it could be a trap. Our new friend can come with us or not, but we are going.

>>947193
Okay, bad news is we heard nothing so it's something that can either muffle sound or incapacitate Delphi and carry her off without making any noise.
Good news is it didn't attack all three of you, which means it didn't think it could win a fight against the whole group. That means you have a chance of fighting back.
Find it and kill it. Get your violin out.

If you can't see Delphi right now I think that means it's on the ceiling, or it's in the water and can muffle noise.
Can you heal her without knowing where she is?

>>947193
Look for a blood trail and follow it.

Look up. Did that thing from earlier find the manhole you guys crawled into and pull Delphi up?

>>947192
>Stuck here
Honestly, can't you leave the Aether the same way you did last time? You left through Roland's father's violin, so can't you do that again so that both you and Delphi can go back home?

>>947193
Follow the blood trail.

>>947197
>Good news is it didn't attack all three of you, which means it didn't think it could win a fight against the whole group. That means you have a chance of fighting back.
>Find it and kill it.
Good plan, let's do it!

Heretic 2019/10/21(Mon)14:20 No. 947556 ID: 8fb3ba
File 157169280091.png - (358.95KB , 1558x1064 , Hideout 5.png )

>Honestly, can't you leave the Aether the same way you did last time? You left through Roland's father's violin, so can't you do that again so that both you and Delphi can go back home?
That wasn't voluntary. The portal opened by chance and you can't just wait around for another one.

>Look Up
Nothing of interest is on the sewer's ceiling

YOU: OH FUCK WHAT HAPPENED!?
HELIKE: Ain't it obvious, the hobgoblin got snatched...we gotta find out what did it soon...
YOU: There's a trail! C'mon we gotta follow it!
HELIKE: No, we group with rest first then worry.
YOU: What? but da longer we wait da worse' dis can get we gotta act now! We can probably still catch what took 'er if we hurry.
HELIKE: Delphi probably already dead, we need to group first.

Helike continues to work on opening the door, your eye stays glued to the trail of blood. You can't save Delphi on your own...can you?

>>947556
You can at least buy time for the group to come save you and Delphi.
Get moving.

She is tougher than she looks, but we can't waste too much time here, we have to act now.

>>947557
I agree with this! Get a move on!

ten11 2019/10/21(Mon)19:33 No. 947573 ID: c6e6c4

Hey does Vol actually have his violin with him? We've been assuming he does, but we haven't seen it yet.

>>947573
He’s able to summon it to himself, since it’s made out of his blood.

Follow the blood, but make sure you have a mental map of the place, and do not go down any path that does not have at least two alternate exits.

not going to lie, I have a feeling we're being played with right now. That whatever grabbed Delphi could have stuck at any time and taken us out at any time but thought it would be more fun to fuck with us and take us down one by one.

I think the trap here is this; it's not a question of whether we're fine on our own, but whether we can leave Helkite to get the door to backup open without getting nabbed himself when our back's turned. I think this will decide whether we fight alone or together from here on out, and having allies would be nice, but we might end up sacrificing Delphi for it, which aside from ourselves, is our highest priority.

"I'm counting on you guys for backup!" Can we put a barrier on the water in the immediate area to reduce ambush points against him?

>>947592
>Can we put a barrier on the water in the immediate area to reduce ambush points against him?
No, because Vol needs to stay nearby for the barrier to stay active. That wouldn’t work if we leave to go chasing after whatever took Delphi.

Heretic 2020/02/03(Mon)23:47 No. 955381 ID: 8fb3ba
File 158080242005.png - (494.75KB , 1558x1064 , Find Delphi 1.png )

>Get moving.
You drop the food
YOU: I'm countin' on ya fer back up!
HELIKE: Wha-? Stupid! I have no reason to save you stupid!

You don't stay to listen to Helike. You rush to follow the trail of blood through the labyrinthine until you find where it ends, a smaller tunnel. You have no idea how much more there is inside. You don't even know if you're going to be able to find Delphi in there...What the hell are you going to do?

>>955381
Looks like a great shape to send a spherical barrier down with you inside it. Make it flush with the tunnel, to prevent anything from slipping by.

that door open?

>>955381
Can you read what that sign above the tunnel says?

>>955384
Good plan.

>>955389
Yeah, check for anything useful.

Are you sure it ends at the tunnel? If so, you might want to give the door a cursory open first.

Also do those signs say anything interesting?

>>955381
Check behind the door for anything useful.

Wait, can Vol affect things like shield size?

>>955381
Vol can create things from blood right? Does it need to be his own blood or can he use that blood on the wall?

Because if he can use the blood on the wall, I was thinking that he could make a dagger or something.

Geeze that's a lot of blood. How did that creature take Delphi so fast without making any noise? You need to keep a watch out for something like that.

I agree with trying to read the demon language and checking if the door is open. I doubt we can control other people's blood, but it would be really cool if we could do that, so it's worth giving a go too.

>>955403
Iirc he was able to be somewhat precise with how far it went out when they were hiding from those bugs in the first episode, so he can probably make it fit the tunnel.
I'd honestly suggest that he pre-emptively put up a barrier right now so that we can't be snatched like Delphi was, if it wasn't for the fact that it would make sound and alert whatever is nearby.

I think I remember Vol saying he could make a Violin very fast so maybe just make one so you have he has a weapon, if he can alter it at all then try making the bow serrated or something so it can act as a swords and the violin as a shield.

Heretic 2020/02/15(Sat)00:09 No. 956322 ID: 8fb3ba
File 158175414764.png - (967.51KB , 1558x1064 , Find Delphi 2.png )

>>955425
It's gotta be Vol's blood. It's not going to work otherwise

>>955403
Vol has control over the size of his shield.

>>955395
It's in high demonic, Vol cannot read it.

>>955396
"Ends" isn't the right word...The blood leads into the tunnel

>>955389
>>955402
Inside the door, there's a collection of odd monitors along with a keyboard terminal next to them. A couple of the monitor screens are shattered or offline, but two show different angles of a figure being tailed by a dog like demon while holding something over it's shoulder.

The terminal looks like a normal keyboard, well, normal for demons anyway. Though a couple buttons on it stick more than others, they've got odd high demonic symbols on them. One looks like a weird sort of A, the next a warped H looking thing, and finally something that looks like a Y sitting on top of an S.

The figure on the monitor's about to walk off Camera, and Vol doesn't really know how to switch views...

Huh, so she's been kidnapped... but why? Aren't they just supposed to kill imps? I'm guessing the dog was the one that managed to grab her without any noise, as the blood trail would make sense for something to have bitten her as a way of capturing her.

Eh I dunno just try pushing buttons to see what they do.

uh, push a button and hope that god loves you and things actually get better for once?

Now is not the time to experiment! They seem to be going at a leisurely pace now, so you can still catch them if you run!

(Definitely keep this place in mind for later, though.)

>>956322
>One looks like a weird sort of A
That sounds like it might be this: Æ . Although, I’m not entirely sure if that’s right.

>the next a warped H looking thing, and finally something that looks like a Y sitting on top of an S.
I’ve got no clue what these could be.

>What do?
I’m not sure what to do. Should we try messing with the cameras to figure out where they’re going? Or should we be following and hoping we can catch up and be able to rescue Delphi?

Also, I don’t see the dog on the bottom monitor. Is it possible that it’s coming back this way?

Let's tail them for now, but mind your distance. We don't know how to operate this keyboard and it's not a situation to be experimenting.

>>956322
We don't have time to mess with this. Keep following Delphi's blood trail.

1/4 Heretic 2020/02/16(Sun)18:19 No. 956516 ID: 8fb3ba
File 158190599838.png - (673.15KB , 1558x1064 , Trail's Gone Cold.png )

>>956329
>Aren't they just supposed to kill imps?
VOL: I think d'ey do wat evah d'ey want wit da demons d'ey catch...

>>956367
>>956374
>>956352
>Chase
Vol forget's the keyboard and runs back to the tunnel to follow the trail of blood, thinking maybe if he's fast he can catch up to the demon who took Delphi. The trail of blood is easy to follow at first, but soon it starts to dwindle and get muddled by other splotches and stains that are hard to discern in the dark of the tunnels. Once the trail starts to get harder to follow Vol starts to realize just how labyrinthine the tunnels are. He looks for footprints, claw marks, anything that can help but to no avail.

VOL: Delphi...

2/4 Heretic 2020/02/16(Sun)18:20 No. 956517 ID: 8fb3ba
File 158190601717.png - (31.10KB , 1558x1064 , ___.png )

Sometime later...

3/4 Heretic 2020/02/16(Sun)18:21 No. 956519 ID: 8fb3ba
File 158190606118.png - (888.28KB , 1558x1064 , Caged.png )

Delphi slowly comes to, groggy, tired, and locked behind bars in a small cage. A twinge of pain shoots up her scarred leg.
DELPHI: Ugh...R-Rascal? Oh, right... Vol? Helike? Anyone?...Uh oh, where the hell am I? How long was I out?

4/4 Heretic 2020/02/16(Sun)18:21 No. 956520 ID: 8fb3ba
File 158190609284.png - (941.66KB , 1558x1064 , Caged 1.png )

Delphi lifts herself to her feet and scans her new surroundings as best as she can. It's dark, and it smells like rusty metal mixed with cedar wood. Delphi's cage is atop a table or dresser of some sort, along with used spools of thread and knitting needles. A couple of empty cages and chains litter the floor. There's a door which Delphi assumes exits the room.

DELPHI: Trapped. Hmm...Well! I'm not dead! That's good. Not dead yet. The jerk that put me in here will be though, just as soon as I get out of here.

can you use your stretchy arms to open some of the draws below you or move around the room... assuming you can't just brake out of the cage.

Yeah stretch to rummage around and find something useful.

Grabbing some needles sounds like a good start.

Heretic 2020/02/16(Sun)19:27 No. 956536 ID: 8fb3ba
File 158191004263.png - (973.05KB , 1558x1064 , Caged 2.png )

>>956525
>>956529
It's a bit difficult, but Delphi launches an arm down to the top drawer on the dresser and manages to open it.
DELPHI: Cloth, threads, knitting needles, stuffing...I wish I knew how to knit, after what happened last Tuesday Rascal stopped trying to teach me.

>>956536
Look at the cage. Do you see a way to open it?

>knitting needles
Those will be good for stabbing!

>after what happened last Tuesday Rascal stopped trying to teach me.
What happened last Tuesday?

I assume the cage is locked, but, uh... is it bolted down? If not, your arms are long enough that the cage will only make movement annoying at worst, I think.

>>956536
Think you can pick the lock with those needles?
...wait where is the lock to the cage? Can you just push the top off?