Gali Gali embarks on a sluggish quest.

[earlgay]

[Between being manhandled by pirates and then getting thrown into a cavern, today hasn't been a good day for Gaelio. With the wary set of his shoulders and slow, measured steps, he takes time to assess his surroundings as he wanders the maze. At one point, he tentatively calls out:]

Is anyone there?

[As soon as the words leave his lips, he scowls. He almost doesn't want to know.

After he's walked for a while, Gaelio stretches his hand to lean against the nearest wall. His knees tingle, his feet somewhat sore from the burden of his weight. But the place he rests his hand feels strange, and he turns his head to look before recoiling in horror.

Is that a hand? That looks like a hand. There's a hand in the wall.]

D-disgusting . . .

[The rest of the wall looks very much the same, full of grooves and bumps shaped like body parts. His own stomach begins to flip at the grotesque sight, and Gaelio turns away sharply lest he hurl right there. Never mind his tired feet—he's going to keep walking.]

Comments

[ofdel]

[There is a reason that Lief is here alone and not with any of his allies! Very good reasons—reasons that will never be explained because hell if Jan knows.

In any case, if Lief knew what Gaelio was thinking, he would agree: continuing to walk, in spite of any tiredness, is a wise decision in the Maze of the Beast. Of course, moving is its own danger—the Glus will detect any movements in its domain, from steps along the ground to struggles against the wall. Absolute stillness is the only means of avoiding the threat, but stillness will provide no means for escape from the terror all around.

A rope hangs from a hole in the ceiling, as the mark of Lief's entrance into a place he thought he'd never step foot in again. Bright thread trails behind him, as his lifeline back to safety. Ignoring the fear gripping his heart (a hand moves to the amethyst in the Belt—for calm), he moves.

Swiftly. Swiftly.

As soon as he hears footsteps, he pursues. This is what he came for, after all; why else dare to return to a scene of nightmares from years past? The sound of the Glus sliding across the ground echoes through the cavern, but he suspects that it is not near, at least. That will buy them some time.]

[earlgay]

[The real answer is that no one knows.

Gaelio is on edge, more than a little irate over his predicament. Nonetheless, he presses forward in what he thinks isn't a circular pattern, because the last thing he wants is to go in circles and waste away for nothing.

Once his footsteps are audible enough for others in the area, so are theirs to his ears. The soft taps stand out against the strange ambient noise that's been following him, and he whirls around on his feet in their rough direction. It's a cavern where the slightest movement echoes to no end, so he can't say that his assumption is entirely accurate.]

Who's there? Answer!

[ofdel]

[Lief emerges (whether before Gaelio or not), a boy with a sword, a cloak that seems to shift between blue, brown, and green, and a jewelled belt.]

I am Lief. I mean no harm—I am here to help you.

[He tries to sound reassuring, though his tone inevitably comes out as rushed, when time is of the essence.]

[earlgay]

[It turns out that he miscalculated somewhat, and he shifts to his right to behold the strangely clad child. Who carries a sword in this day and age?]

You're here to get me out?

[ofdel]

[Things will only get weirder from here, Gaelio.]

That is my intention, yes. Will you allow me to?

[earlgay]

[You're weird.

He glances at the walls of the cavern. Yeah, no, he's not staying.]

I've been here long enough. Lead the way.

[ofdel]

[He nods, turning on his heel before walking the way he came, following a line of thread. He glances over his shoulder to see if Gaelio is following—although really, it'd be hard to miss (or fail to miss) footsteps in this cavern.]

We must move quickly. The Glus is a not a fast creature, but I would not like to bet on our chances should we encounter it.

[earlgay]

[Gaelio takes the turned back as an invitation to follow, and he's already taken a couple steps in pursuit once Lief looks over. Whatever that comes next is, he doesn't recognize the name.]

Glus?

[ofdel]

The beast whose maze we currently reside in. [...] You can hear it, can you not?

[The sound as it glides across the cavern floor, slowly seeking its prey.]

[earlgay]

[The creepy sound that's been stalking him? Yes. Because it just couldn't be something harmless.]

Of course. I just didn't know what the cause was until now. What sort of beast is it?

[ofdel]

[That gets a hint of a mirthless smile from him.]

Perhaps it would be better if I did not give you further reason to fear. [Do you really want a description of the Glus, Gaelio.] All that truly needs to be known is that if it does not appear to have noticed you, stay still. It detects movement well, but its sight is not so good.

Otherwise, you would be wise to run, of course. And do be warned that it can attack from a distance, and that it will trap you where you stand.

[How far have they walked? Not far at all, he knows, but it feels as though as if they have been moving forever, when everything around them looks so alike in this maze.]

defeats work to tag my other half

[earlgay]

[His brow furrows into a brief scowl before he glances over his shoulder. It can't be that bad.]

You said that it's a beast, but that doesn't tell me much about what it can do. How does it trap its prey?

o-oh dokidoki

[ofdel]

[Lief generally prefers to be tactful, but being blunt might be better here.]

It will spray white threads at you, binding you like a web of steel. And then, I assume, it will tear you to pieces and devour you.

[a beat]

I confess, I did not linger around long enough to witness the entire process the last time I was here.

defeats laziness this time . . .

[earlgay]

[He turns back with a faint grimace. That sounds gross.]

Do you always come down to fish out people like me? How did you know that I was here?