[ One moment, Jinwoo is dozing off back at the hotel after the fruitless sandworm chase and the next his eyes flutter open to the altar hidden in the depths of the double dungeon. At this point, he's a little amused that the memories of that day still appear in his dreams...
The enormous door is pushed open by the group of hunters and Jinwoo sighs softly. If he could wake himself up, he would—even if he understands why fate led him to this dungeon, it doesn't mean it's pleasant to look at. On top of everything, he notices Lapis among the hunters and frowns deeply. While the people who have just entered the altar room don't seem to notice them, Jinwoo isn't sure if this isn't the same for the lifeless statues that will start moving just in a few minutes. ]
Are you okay? [ Jinwoo rushes to join Lapis and check on her. ] Why are you here?
[ Maybe it's pointless to ask, all things considered. Jinwoo takes her hand in his while his gaze shifts to Jinwoo from the memory for a moment. ]
[ The last thing Lapis recalls was falling asleep in the hotel, so the odd surroundings once her eyes flutter open has her squinting in confusion. This doesn't feel like a normal dream either, and her eyes scan over the group of people around her. It doesn't look like they even notice she's here.
So she's surprised when she spots Jinwoo approaching, apparently able to see her, and can only blink up at him in confusion when he asks her why she's here. There's a shrug in response, a shake of her head before her hand clings onto his. ]
I have no idea, I just opened my eyes and here I am. [ Her eyes turn back to the group, watching them as they move into the altar room. Strange, she can hear Jinwoo's voice among them but there's no familiar lanky figure or mop of fluffy hair... ]
[ A loud shriek fills the room which could mean only one thing—the biggest statue started moving. ]
Where I became a Player.
[ That sounds less drastic than this is the place where I died for the first time. Perhaps, he should have been more direct anyway since Lapis is here to witness it. ]
If the hunters didnโt notice us, thereโs a chance that statues wonโt either, but Iโd rather be safe than sorry.
[ This must be a dream of sorts, but since he doesnโt even know why theyโre here, all the assumptions are baseless. No longer than a few moments later, the first hunter from the group falls victim to the unrelenting statue. The group starts to panic while Jinwoo from the memory tries to figure out how to survive. ]
[ The shriek has Lapis tensing, eyes narrowed towards the room the hunters entered - and her concern only mounts at Jinwoo's answer. What happened to him here, then...
Especially when it seems so dangerous. While she would usually insist that she's fine, this is his... memory, it must be, so he'll know better about how things go. But the fact this is a memory doesn't stop her from wincing at the sight of someone dying; her eyes flickering between the panicking group and the statue. There's the desire to do something, body tense and anxious at the sight of danger, but she also can't go charging in.
And meanwhile, she can hear the him of the past try to figure things out. Once more her eyes drift over the crowd, before settling on someone - he's shorter, all anxious energy, a stark contrast to the man next to her but... ]
Is that you... over there? [ And with her free hand, she points towards him. Maybe it shouldn't be surprising, at how she can pick him out despite the vast changes - Jinwoo is still Jinwoo, in the end. ]
And what's this... statue, why is it attacking the group?
[ It's so strange to watch this memory after everything that happened. For some reason, his past self looks even smaller than he thought he would seem. Jinwoo still isn't sure whether they should follow the group—defeating the statues doesn't pose an issue the way he is now, but there's no telling if his attacks would be effective in the first place.
The fact that he isn't sure whether they're inside some kind of a simulation or whatnot isn't helping either. At least, he reaches some kind of an answer when all the hunters drop down to their knees and bowl deeply in front of the largest statue after being instructed to do so by the other Jinwoo. ]
Our actions won't affect anything here, I think. [ If they did, the statue wouldn't get up from its throne. ] But it's still not going to be pleasant to watch.
[ Shortly, the group disperses, each person running towards a statue. In the meantime, a hunter gets crushed by the statue's stone foot while the other person gets attacked by a statue wielding a weapon. ]
It'll be a massacre.
[ No need to sugarcoat it, especially when he knows what's going to happen to him. ]
[ It's such a change. Maybe it was a... really late growth spurt? Lapis can wonder about that later, instead her focus turns to how the hunters drop to their knees and bow; lips slanting as she watches them. And his words only just seal it, that anything they do won't have an affect - if it did, she imagined they would have needed to bow as well.
That doesn't make watching this any easier, wincing when she watches a hunter get crushed. Lapis has seen death, she's seen gruesome things... But not being able to do anything to help just makes her all the more tense.
And if he says it's a massacre... ]
Does... anyone make it out? What about you?
[ He's here, standing next to her, so he should be okay. Right? ]
[ His gaze is fixed on the leader of the raid group Song Chiyul before shifting to the terrified healer Lee Joohee. For a moment, his eyes linger on Kim Sangshik for a moment as well. ]
There will be four survivors. [ Honestly, he wishes he could fast forward to the next memory or something. Lapis might be used to demons and death, but there's no need for her to see this one-sided fight. Or maybe he's being a bit too generous calling it a fight when all the hunters are trying to do is to survive. ] We should stay close to the door.
[ If they leave as soon as it opens, at least Lapis won't have to watch these gruesome scenes. Unfrotunately, that's not as easy as Jinwoo hoped it to be. Once they figure out the meaning behind Thou shall praise God, the wisps around the altar light up the place. That's their cue to leave, except... there's an invisible barrier preventing them from stepping outside.
Jinwoo from memory is trying to convince the remaining people to stay because he's more or less figured out the inner workings of this dungeon, but the hunters' survival instincts kick in. Little do they know that these very instincts will lead to their demise. Once that happens, the statues start moving closer to the altar as well. ]
[ Four? Lapis looks over the group, lips pressing into a thin line as she clutches at Jinwoo's hand - out of everyone who came in here, only four will survive. It's not a fight, it's a massacre.
And it's becoming clear now that they have to watch this to the very end, when they're unable to leave when the door opens. Lapis watches, breath catching in her throat as she catches up with what this puzzle means; if they stay and stop the statues from moving, they have a chance to live, they all do. But one of them leaves, guaranteeing a blind spot.
And now there's only three left. With the girl too petrified to move and Jinwoo having lost a leg, she can see how this ends. ]
Jinwoo... [ She can't take her eyes away, hoping that maybe she's assuming wrong. He's standing right next to her, and he said there's four survivors. So he must be okay. ]
Jinwoo, what's going to happen to you. [ Maybe he'll tell her she's wrong, that there's a way for all of them to leave. ]
[ Maybe instead of trying to usher her out, Jinwoo should honestly admit what is about to happen here. It's not that easy to do, though. He could try distracting her one way or another—Jinwoo's lips curl up in a small smile when a thought of kissing her crosses his mind, as insane as it is. ]
[ Jinwoo says not to worry, but she's finding it hard to do that. Especially when the last two start to leave - the older man helping to carry the girl out through the doors. Her hand clenches tightly around his, breath catching in her throat as she watches those statues move. ]
[ There's a quiet sound of surprise when Jinwoo pulls her into the hug, but Lapis doesn't fight it. Her eyes glance over to where the Jinwoo of the past sits, sword lifted in a vain attempt to protect himself. But then she forces them shut, breathing out shakily as she nods - tensing when she hears the brief second of screaming before her ears are covered.
Lapis can handle death, she's even died before herself, but... She can't bear to see someone she cares for so much suffer like this. ]
This isn't fair... [ Now she's mumbling to herself, anything to keep herself distracted so she doesn't open her eyes and look. ] You did so much to help everyone else escape.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ยป lapis (memshare)
The enormous door is pushed open by the group of hunters and Jinwoo sighs softly. If he could wake himself up, he would—even if he understands why fate led him to this dungeon, it doesn't mean it's pleasant to look at. On top of everything, he notices Lapis among the hunters and frowns deeply. While the people who have just entered the altar room don't seem to notice them, Jinwoo isn't sure if this isn't the same for the lifeless statues that will start moving just in a few minutes. ]
Are you okay? [ Jinwoo rushes to join Lapis and check on her. ] Why are you here?
[ Maybe it's pointless to ask, all things considered. Jinwoo takes her hand in his while his gaze shifts to Jinwoo from the memory for a moment. ]
Stay close, we might get attacked.
no subject
So she's surprised when she spots Jinwoo approaching, apparently able to see her, and can only blink up at him in confusion when he asks her why she's here. There's a shrug in response, a shake of her head before her hand clings onto his. ]
I have no idea, I just opened my eyes and here I am. [ Her eyes turn back to the group, watching them as they move into the altar room. Strange, she can hear Jinwoo's voice among them but there's no familiar lanky figure or mop of fluffy hair... ]
Attacked? Where are we?
no subject
[ A loud shriek fills the room which could mean only one thing—the biggest statue started moving. ]
Where I became a Player.
[ That sounds less drastic than this is the place where I died for the first time. Perhaps, he should have been more direct anyway since Lapis is here to witness it. ]
If the hunters didnโt notice us, thereโs a chance that statues wonโt either, but Iโd rather be safe than sorry.
[ This must be a dream of sorts, but since he doesnโt even know why theyโre here, all the assumptions are baseless. No longer than a few moments later, the first hunter from the group falls victim to the unrelenting statue. The group starts to panic while Jinwoo from the memory tries to figure out how to survive. ]
no subject
Especially when it seems so dangerous. While she would usually insist that she's fine, this is his... memory, it must be, so he'll know better about how things go. But the fact this is a memory doesn't stop her from wincing at the sight of someone dying; her eyes flickering between the panicking group and the statue. There's the desire to do something, body tense and anxious at the sight of danger, but she also can't go charging in.
And meanwhile, she can hear the him of the past try to figure things out. Once more her eyes drift over the crowd, before settling on someone - he's shorter, all anxious energy, a stark contrast to the man next to her but... ]
Is that you... over there? [ And with her free hand, she points towards him. Maybe it shouldn't be surprising, at how she can pick him out despite the vast changes - Jinwoo is still Jinwoo, in the end. ]
And what's this... statue, why is it attacking the group?
no subject
[ It's so strange to watch this memory after everything that happened. For some reason, his past self looks even smaller than he thought he would seem. Jinwoo still isn't sure whether they should follow the group—defeating the statues doesn't pose an issue the way he is now, but there's no telling if his attacks would be effective in the first place.
The fact that he isn't sure whether they're inside some kind of a simulation or whatnot isn't helping either. At least, he reaches some kind of an answer when all the hunters drop down to their knees and bowl deeply in front of the largest statue after being instructed to do so by the other Jinwoo. ]
Our actions won't affect anything here, I think. [ If they did, the statue wouldn't get up from its throne. ] But it's still not going to be pleasant to watch.
[ Shortly, the group disperses, each person running towards a statue. In the meantime, a hunter gets crushed by the statue's stone foot while the other person gets attacked by a statue wielding a weapon. ]
It'll be a massacre.
[ No need to sugarcoat it, especially when he knows what's going to happen to him. ]
no subject
That doesn't make watching this any easier, wincing when she watches a hunter get crushed. Lapis has seen death, she's seen gruesome things... But not being able to do anything to help just makes her all the more tense.
And if he says it's a massacre... ]
Does... anyone make it out? What about you?
[ He's here, standing next to her, so he should be okay. Right? ]
no subject
[ His gaze is fixed on the leader of the raid group Song Chiyul before shifting to the terrified healer Lee Joohee. For a moment, his eyes linger on Kim Sangshik for a moment as well. ]
There will be four survivors. [ Honestly, he wishes he could fast forward to the next memory or something. Lapis might be used to demons and death, but there's no need for her to see this one-sided fight. Or maybe he's being a bit too generous calling it a fight when all the hunters are trying to do is to survive. ] We should stay close to the door.
[ If they leave as soon as it opens, at least Lapis won't have to watch these gruesome scenes. Unfrotunately, that's not as easy as Jinwoo hoped it to be. Once they figure out the meaning behind Thou shall praise God, the wisps around the altar light up the place. That's their cue to leave, except... there's an invisible barrier preventing them from stepping outside.
Jinwoo from memory is trying to convince the remaining people to stay because he's more or less figured out the inner workings of this dungeon, but the hunters' survival instincts kick in. Little do they know that these very instincts will lead to their demise. Once that happens, the statues start moving closer to the altar as well. ]
no subject
And it's becoming clear now that they have to watch this to the very end, when they're unable to leave when the door opens. Lapis watches, breath catching in her throat as she catches up with what this puzzle means; if they stay and stop the statues from moving, they have a chance to live, they all do. But one of them leaves, guaranteeing a blind spot.
And now there's only three left. With the girl too petrified to move and Jinwoo having lost a leg, she can see how this ends. ]
Jinwoo... [ She can't take her eyes away, hoping that maybe she's assuming wrong. He's standing right next to her, and he said there's four survivors. So he must be okay. ]
Jinwoo, what's going to happen to you. [ Maybe he'll tell her she's wrong, that there's a way for all of them to leave. ]
no subject
[ Maybe instead of trying to usher her out, Jinwoo should honestly admit what is about to happen here. It's not that easy to do, though. He could try distracting her one way or another—Jinwoo's lips curl up in a small smile when a thought of kissing her crosses his mind, as insane as it is. ]
It's going to get ugly. Really ugly.
no subject
Should... Should I keep watching?
no subject
No, there's no need. [ He sighs softly before pulling her into a tight hug. ] I'll die here, but I'll be fine. So... just stay here, okay?
[ He places both of his hands on her temples, ready to cover her ears as soon as he hears the first agonizing scream. ]
no subject
Lapis can handle death, she's even died before herself, but... She can't bear to see someone she cares for so much suffer like this. ]
This isn't fair... [ Now she's mumbling to herself, anything to keep herself distracted so she doesn't open her eyes and look. ] You did so much to help everyone else escape.