logs | Life is hard, that's why no one survives (half-closed)

[Oh hey Mike.]

[It's a good thing Zagreus knows people who have boats. It's not a hard task to hire a boatman to take him close to where he knows his room is, and perhaps you were there needing to take a ride. Or you insisted on going with him. Something like that.

Zag himself seems a little different. He's calm, but the seemingly everpresent smile on his lips is not there.

When you arrive, you notice something odd:

Zagreus' door does not exist.

In fact, it's the entrance to a narrow, dark tunnel that seems to be heading downwards.]

Right. Are you sure? I'm fine just heading in there.

Edited 2022-12-10 19:28 (UTC)

[ Ain't nothing good ever been waiting on the end of a long, dark tunnel. Dokja knows this. If he concentrates hard enough, he thinks he can hear the distant sounds of boss battle music. Or maybe that's just the ache in his head reverberating around his skull, but either way, everything about this spells out bad news.

And isn't he quite a magnet for those. ]

Hey, before that, isn't there supposed to be a door?

[ What is this... The entrance to the Underworld?? ]

[Actually…?]

I have noticed that others do, but… mine never did.

[He sends Dokja what he hopes is a reassuring look, though he's somewhat restless and somewhat ambling awkwardly toward the entrance already.] You can just stay here if you'd like. I just… need to check on something.

[ That's weird as shit and Dokja's kind of into it.

Which is why he steps forward without further questioning it. Alright, Zagreus, into the dark, spooky tunnel, then. ]

No, I'm interested in coming along.

[ It'll give him a better idea of what he might have to face later on, he tells himself. ]

I'll follow you in.

[Stepping deeper into the room, Zagreus looks up, towards the Night's sky, a slight twitch of reassurance on his lips when he sees the stars twinkling in a different way that they do in Stygia. It's almost as though the darkness breathed along with it, an entity of its own.

He doesn't linger too much staring upwards, though, which falls oddly onto the tense line of his shoulders and the curve of his eyebrows.] Odd. There should have been a Shade or two here.

[He turns back to Dokja, trying to sound a little sheepish, but only managing to sound borderline concerned.] This will be complicated. This place has a way of rearranging itself over and over. Are you sure about this?

[ It's a peculiar room, Dokja thinks to himself as he takes in his surrounds. His gaze turns up as well, curious to see what it is that Zagreus sees, and the starry sky above them has Dokja momentarily pause in his steps before continuing on. It's not a sky that brings any familiarity to him, and there's only a heavy discomfort weighing in his heart at the sight of all the stars.

He's broken out of his thoughts at the description of this place, and Dokja's expression twists into one of confusion as he stares at Zagreus. Rearranges itself? ]

It's like a maze?

Of a sort. [Zagreus looks slightly displeased. This room had taken the shape of Hades itself, forever shifting and changing after each corridor and door. Granted that after so many runs, he starts to find a slight pattern to things (which rooms will show up next after a certain amount of doors, etc) but this place had really not much for him here, so he hadn't explored nearly as much.]

It follows a design from back home, so people won't leave. [Does that say anything about him, or is it just a coincidence?

Though he doesn't linger too much on it as he hears wood breaking in the distance. He shudders.] Follow me.

[ It's Dokja's single brain cell trying to rub up against something in order to piece this "room" together, because... there's a growing familiarity building up inside of him. A maze designed to keep people from leaving?

That sounds an awful lot like—

His thoughts are interrupted, head jerking in the direction of where the sudden breaking sound had come from, and then he's quick to follow after Zagreus. ]

Do you think it might be after your Tethers? Whatever this is.

I'm not sure.

[Though, as they cross the hall into… another hall, and one with big statues looming in between the columns of gods and goddesses staring unrelentingly as if into their souls, Zag's feet stop.

And he makes a face.] You don't think they want to be my soulmate, do you?

[Whatever happened to asking?]

[ OKAY, now this is too hard to not notice. Dokja's eyes go wide at the looming statues surrounding them, and he's only half-paying attention to Zagreus while he inspects the nearest column. ]

I'd be more worried about them breaking or taking them.

[ He sounds as distracted as he looks, gaze lingering over the statues for a moment before turning back to Zagreus. ]

Hey, where did you say you were from again?

[ "Again" like they ever discussed this in the first place. ]

[It takes a second, but Zagreus's face falls. As though he's gotten brand new information, which—]

Can they do that?

[Well, it is. It had always felt that those objects had some anchor to them in the room, like a force that couldn't dislodge them.

Why he assumed that this place wouldn't find a way to change that, one way or another, is a serious oversight on his part. He walks a bit faster, although he's mindful not to dash out of Dokja's sight.

Looking over his shoulder at him, he actually tries to remember when he had told him where he came from. He doesn't think it came up when he was almost hacking off a lung.

But still, he's always ready for the backlash, so he sends Dokja a somewhat rueful smile.] Hades. I'm the God of the Dead's son.

[ Taking note of the faster pace being set, Dokja keeps up without complaint. There's a newfound urgency in the air, and while these aren't his Tethers on the line, it's not like he wants to see harm come to Zagreus.

And then, the reveal. There's a stutter to his step, and Dokja nearly trips at what he hears. He's barely aware that he's recovered, that he's still automatically following after Zagreus while his thoughts race to process this brand new information.

... Thinking about it, it makes sense. The architecture, the statues... Had Yoo Sangah been here, she would have noticed it right away. ]

Is... is that so...?

[ There's a slight shakiness to his voice, memories going to a place he hadn't wanted to revisit. The instinct to close off as much of himself appears, and Dokja tries not to think about how this makes them brothers.

Different stories. Of course the God of the Dead would be present in other worlds. Dokja hastily changes the subject. ]

Let's hurry. Do you think we're almost there?

[God, this guy would be so delighted at the idea of having an almost!brother.

Ah, there it is. Zagreus does nod, though his brow weighs heftier with some slight unsurprising realization. He's used to those Chthonic being feared or shunned by most mortals until they find themselves stepping into the halls of the House.

Then, Hypnos signs them in, and suddenly everything stopped making sense for them, with his sleepy, cheerful disposition as he'd go, sleep mask on his forehead as he tutted over the notebook, "it says here that you fell off a cliff. Well, that's just silly; humans can't fly!"

He smiles sadly.]

I suppose you've heard of it, then. Not many people have.

[They cross another door.

The hall is open on one side, the columns holding out a balcony. On the horizon lies a single, lonely mountain, mist and clouds covering its peak. But Zagreus' gaze focuses on the bright spot of sunshine in the distance, just before the foot of it. He takes a deep breath. It's impossible to get there now.

No. Not impossible. Just never attempted.

He looks at Dokja.] We're almost there.

[They cross the hallway and into.

A bedroom. As messy as a normal bedroom is except.

Who the hell is this guy?]

So, uh, am I interrupting something?

Life is hard, that's why no one survives (half-closed)

The Door and The Room

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