Bats in the Belfry [Nighttime -Part 2- :: Event]

With the demon dispatched after her attack, Maria slid to a skidding halt from her charge with the dust billowing from her sliding feet. The spike that had impaled the demon retracted back immediately as she dutifully cocked the mechanism. The way should be clear now with the demon gone. Everything was going all smoothly so far. No one hasn't died yet miraculously enough with Maria's inexperience. Perhaps all those experiments and the procedures on her body were really paying off. But if any confidence was growing, her own sense of vulnerability would immediately flare up to kick her back down.


She flinched and keeled over with only one knee hitting the ground. The expression of pain was now clearly evident. The Forgotten hadn't been damaged at all in this battle, that should be evident enough. Irregular heartbeats quickened in bizarre cadence and each breath had a huskier sound, new symptoms that denoted something was wrong with her. Every vein in her vessel surged with a grave sense of foreboding. Maria could feel an unpleasant grip all over her, as if someone was starting to encroach on her fragile existence. The tattoos on her body started to emanate a noticeable gleam that blinked at a rate comparable to a heartbeat. The urge to curl up on the ground was growing with the pain.


A voice that didn't belong to Vivian nor Serenity. It was a familiar voice that Maria loathed and a voice only for her to hear. It held a cloying sweetness in its mocking tone. Andraste was a weapon to be used, just as Maria was. But it didn't mean it would forever remain silent with a personality intact. Humans had ensnared this demon for their own ends, there was little doubt to Maria that it held a grudge to her kind. The feeling was mirrored with the Forgotten's. It was a partnership that they loathed. They were just starting to learn to not speak to each other to make their temporary partnership less painful. But there were times that line can be crossed.

Maria ignored the demon and tried to move normally, but her body was evidently debilitated by her condition. At the least the tattoos stopped blinking and glowing the moment she gathered herself and move... for now.

Movement:

Weakness:

Stats Now:

Maria hated how she seemed weak here. This really wasn't the time for it. But sometimes there were things outside of her control. She slowly waved Vivian away, motioning her to not worry about her and focus on the task at hand. She had an appreciation for Vivian's concern, but it was unneeded in her view. With the door in front of her, the Forgotten nodded at her party before turning the knob.

Action:

Maria hoped fervently that she wasn't wrong this time around. Time was starting to run out for her own body. She could feel Andraste's grip remain on her, tighter than ever. It was starting to feel suffocating, she could breathe, but it was getting harder. When this time she opened the door and entered, the area looked different than last time. Her head bobbed down into a nod in satisfaction at this change, obviously grateful for it. Yet, she had a lack of where to begin moving to. There were three ways she could begin moving. None of them seemed to elicit any obvious signs of being the right way just like last time. It made her wonder how much longer should she continue playing this game and how much longer could she last? Andraste, surprisingly to her, was starting to feel heavier.

After her five years of grueling training and painful human modification experiments, it had made her strong enough to carry hefty objects like her coffin with astounding ease in relation to how small her body was. But to feel her Demon Weapon getting heavier and at such a shorter time? It was honestly worrying. The Church's scientists never explained this facade of the side effects. All she knew that if she exerted herself with the Weapon, she would feel increasingly tired and exhausted. With how increasingly unreliable they were in explaining what changes her body would undergo for their own agenda, Maria quietly chastised herself for still being surprised by this. She didn't show it on her face, the Forgotten had an image to uphold despite that recent attack on her body before they went in and that she was still feeling it.

"Which way?" she muttered to herself. Her eyes flit from each path to the next and back. Maria drew out the paper from before and examined it again. Last time they had gone for the far right door which was correct. So was that the number three in the bottom? If so, then maybe there is a specific pattern that she could actually understand. But first they needed to explore the area to get a better idea of their choices around here so that way they would waste less time.


Maria righted herself, trying to ignore the pain as usual. Each step felt more taxing than the last, making this whole labyrinth feel longer than it really is. The Cadet motioned her comrades towards the direction they would head to now.

Movement:

In her own folly, Maria had forgotten that she wasn't working alone. Noticing Vivian's face near her shoulder had made her realize that and that she should've been a better communicator. In a way, she was somewhat aware she was being far too stoic and that was far too unfair for Vivian. Her training at the Church lacked any coverage in working in teams strangely enough and Vivian wasn't a part of that wretched establishment. But then again, Maria Woodsworth was made to be a disposable weapon after all with the hopes that she would function well enough to the Queen's satisfaction.

She silently nodded at Vivian, the pain was still complicating her responses. The paper was held towards her teammate, showing the numbers that was listed in its own specific order and location. It should be easy for the Rogue Persona-User to memorize as all there were just numbers and nothing much else. When Vivian saw it long enough, Maria started to put it back in a pocket since they had to keep moving. With those lonely numbers on it, there wasn't much to go off on. The Cadet paused when she felt Vivian's hand.


She tried to stop feeling so grateful to Vivian's concern, it was a sign of weakness and it was a sin. Maria had realized five years ago that she had to learn to become strong or risk having everything taken away from you. That's what had happened to her and it was an experience that continued to haunt her each night. Infuriatingly enough, her own body was her own enemy. It made her wonder at what point when could she stop being so pathetic? What was it like for Julius? The Royal Guard? And the Queen? What was it like to be strong? Was there security or did it heighten the fear?


She tried to crack a smile at her, trying to show her appreciation and obfuscate her condition's effect on her. Yet, even with that small gesture, it was apparent that it still hurt. Maria still owed it to Vivian for helping them out. She wanted to show her appreciation, yet her own condition and her thinking complicated this.

Maria again noticed they weren't alone. Bearing up Andraste, she started to prepare for another bout.


Would they seriously be okay?

Movement:

Stats Now:

*Horde is the target, lol