The Maze Test

Will sighed in relief. He was lucky Tamara had done that. If she hadn't.....No, he didn't want to think about it. He walked more cautiously now, turning at random. All of the corridors looked the same, and it was getting pretty confusing.
 
"There's gotta be away to distinguish one path from the other." Tamara said, looking over her shoulder. She noticed that there were fewer of them now. She shuddered but didn't entertain her thoughts.
 
Will concentrated very hard. He nearly walked past it, but then he stopped. He turned, and carved into the wall was a number. "This is the way. Look, someone carved a number into this wall." He turned and looked over at the next corridor. "And there's another one here. A three on this wall, and a four on the wall we just passed."
 
Dark golden colored eyes slipped around to gaze at the people that stood there with him, nine other people with all different objectives. They each seeked the sanctuary at the end of the maze, now he himself actually didn't care about the grand prize he just wanted to test the reflexes and response time of his body at this point and what better way than to take the ultimate trap challenge. They had been in a big room with a large metal tv screen, the room was massive compared to himself and many of the others here, but the man on the tv seemed to be speaking that they had been accepted to take the ultimate test then pretty much cut off only saying that you survive or die to Vipers own ears. His eyes shifted to the opening door at that point, everybody gazed around no one wanted to take the first step into the room. A light sigh left his lips as he stepped through the doors into the darkness that surrounded the halls all except the little flicker of light and once everyone was through it was then that the doors slipped shut locking them inside.

It was then that the voice echoed on the loudspeaker telling them they were ready to begin and that the maze was open. Viper actually allowed a small smirk to cross his lips beneath the hooded cloak that covered his body, his face mask drawn up to cover his mouth and nose normally keeping the noxious fumes from reaching him on a daily basis. Beneath the cloak he carried the normal items that he kept on him, the composite longbow that rested on his back made lighter than a normal composite bow but also slightly weaker, and a quiver with fifty arrows. (Don't worry I will count them down as I use them) at his waist was two daggers that lay within their sheathes, and lastly in a small bag he held about five feet of rope that was curled up to fit into the bag. He wouldn't come to something like this unprepared not when he was always prepared for something. Many of the people had already taken off but he himself was looking around, that was until a bulking man came up to him his dark seemingly black eyes looking down at Viper.

"Can I come with you, I didn't want to be accepted it was just a game to my friends when they signed me up so please I don't wanna die?"

Viper merely nodded before beginning down the path, his boots practically made no sound as they made their way down the hallway to the end of it where it split in two directions. Luckily for him someone had just happened to be heading down the left path when they made it to the end, a small female girl that seemed frightened by the way she walked. She went to round the corner only to run smack dab into a group of men that seemed to only be looking to find out what the trap was that lay down that corridor and they found the perfect test subject. He shifted his boots to stand in front of the girl looking back at her, his eyes seeming to hold a small look for the girl to play along. She still seemed frightened but he could do nothing about that, he just nodded before hugging the girl.

"Sister I am so glad I found you, I didn't know they let those as young as you join, come on we need to move we only have two days to get going."

He grabbed her hand and went to move back down the hallway, his body shifting around to meet one of the group of three men. Even here the alcohol that bypassed their breaths was obvious, this maze of destruction and people were still drinking and doing what they shouldn't have. The man's burly form kept Viper from moving back to join with the taller man that he was with, this was a problem and could become ugly quite fast if they stayed. He growled slightly as the man shaking side to side finally began to speak a loud belch leaving his lips.

"The girl and you are going to make our path across this corridor, now be good little children and go"

Viper had lost at this point what was he supposed to do, his lips curled down in a seemingly snarl likely. He sighed though and stepped towards the edge of the corridor where the floor seemingly fell down and the sound of water leaking into the hallway made his own mind quiver. He looked across to the otherside of the hallway his golden hues focused upon the otherside of the trap, he looked down at the water his eyes focused upon the crystal blue liquid, what was the catch here? What kinda trap was this? His eyes scaled over the liquid for a moment before he heard the sounds of cackling, electricity it would route through the water, thats it he had a plan. He stood up just as one of the bigger men came up behind him and went to shove him into the water, Viper reached beneath the cloak and gripped the handle of a dagger. Using his size and speed to his advantage he spun qaround the man and ducked slamming the blade of the dagger into the back of his knee forcing him off balance forward.

The man stumbled to the edge of the platform before slipping face first into the water right as the electricity danced through the calm crystal blue liquid. When it died down he scooped up the small girl and jumped using the man that fell in as leverage to get them to the other side, when his boots touched the ground on the otherside he dropped to one knee to keep from falling back over the edge. He rotated around to look to the otherside of the platform where the last remaining of the group of men was picking on the man that he had picked up at the beginning, the two men were pushing and shoving him towards the end of the platform and the water, he fumbled beneath the cloak for a second pulling the bow down and two arrows from beneath it but it was to late the larger man was shoved in the water just as the lightning danced through it instantly killing him.

Viper knocked one of the arrows back in the bow and aimed upward releasing it for one of the larger men. The arrow spun through the air before slamming between the mans eyes forcing him to fall back onto the metal floor, his body crashing to the ground with a loud clang he shifted the second arrow up and aimed for the second man but he had already ran off back into the darkness disappearing from his sight. He tsked before sliding the bow back beneath the cloak and the arrow back inside the quiver to join the other forty-eight, and turned around sliding the dagger into its sheathe as he began walking towards the other voices catching up to one of the other groups that left an hour or so ago. A male and a female looking over the walls eyeing some form of numbers embedded into the walls, he didn't say anything just watched with golden eyes.
 
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Number Five clenched his fists in anger. How hadn't he seen that before? They would have to redo that entire section after the group had completed it! He sighed and prepared to search the cameras for any other hints that previous groups might've left. None. He pressed a button and watched in grim satisfaction as one of the traps activated. It wasn't near the people that had discovered the numbers, but instead at the other side of the maze.

Will turned slightly. He didn't know why, but he felt like someone was watching him. Someone is. There's probably hidden cameras all over the place. He still felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise, and so he turned to Tamara. "Come on, let's go. Looks like the last people to go here marked the walls in numerical order. Perhaps we follow the ones that go from one to five." Will then turned, taking a quick glance at the corner behind them. He couldn't be sure, but he could've sworn that he saw a pair of golden eyes glittering back.
 
But Tamara had followed his gaze and, being her straightforward and non cautious self, called out to what she feels was an observer. "Hello?"

She turned slightly to Will, saying quietly, "Is it me or I really feel someone's over there?" She instinctively gripped his hand and went on. "I don't trust anything here, even the walls, but I'll go with what you'll say. Let's go."
 
The darkness clenched around him like the cloak that donned his own body, it his him and the small girl from the presences that danced around them. Everything here tried to kill or harm them to make this area their grave. The two people turned to stare down the hallway to look in his general direction before they turned back around and began heading further down the hallway hand in hand. He turned down to the small girl he had picked up, his lips parted in a small sigh as he pulled his cloak from around his body and draped it around her shoulders pulling the hood up over her head, he gave her a small smile before patting her head, and looking down the way the two people had gone. He would head in that direction not to follow them but because he wanted to see how they fared for themselves and if they caught his interest he was sure he would join up with them.

He stepped out from the darkness finally revealing the stock of weapons that did lay on his person, he seemed loaded the entirety of his upper torso seemed covered with weapons. Aside from the two daggers at his side and the bow that danced over his back with the quiver inbetween the string there was only two other weapons, two handguns that rested in holsters beneath his arms, he still had the facemask that covered his mouth and nose drawn up, he reached his hand down and took the girls hand in his own covering it up before beginning to walk down the dark path that the two people went down, his eyes were focused ahead of him making sure not to bump into the two people that headed this way first. He was glad there wasn't many people around anymore so he didn't have to kill anyone without any reason, but of course like all hopeful wishes they were crushed and idiots always held a grudge, so the sounds of running feet behind them was expected.

He stopped for a moments notice as the sounds of there they are echoed about them, and soon they were surrounded by three big dudes and one other man, Viper's eyes widened at the last man. He would recognize that suit anywhere, and those deep blue eyes the mob boss of the inner city probably trying to get him and his goons into the dome to make even more money than before but why had they surrounded him and his compadre what did they want with him. The question would be answered in do time when the big man, the one that ran into the darkness from before stepped out, he had a sinister smirk on his lips and seemed to be eyeing the girl with him hungrily. The boss nodded his hand and the group shifted inward and grabbed the girl first dropping his cloak off of her and to the ground, she struggled for a second before she fell silent to feared to move, then the mob boss moved around him coming around to meet him face to face.

Viper quickly reached for one of the guns in the holster, his eyes on the mob boss, when his hand circled around the handle of the gun he heard the echo of the gun in his ears and the pain that wracked through his stomach, he grunted in pain and shifted his hands to the pain only to feel the hot liquid that fell to the floor beneath him. He fell to his knees and fell face forward to the ground, his breath coming out in small pants, though he still heard the cries of pain that echoed from the group of men. The cries were coming from the girl and then a shot fired from a gun and silence her cries were no more, he shook violently on the ground and looked up to where the group was standing, they turned and made their way back towards him so he dropped to the ground and pretended to be dead. His breath he held in for a moment and for once luck made them believe it and they stalked off happy with their two kills.

He breathed heavily when they had rounded the corner, his eyes were on the cloak that rested a few feet off, he had to get something over the wound. His hand wrapped around the hem of the cloak and pulled it with him to one of the walls, he propped himself up against it laying the whole of his back on the metal wall. This would be rough and he had to be quick and precise or he would kill himself, he took the cloak in his hands and tore it in half. He folded the piece of the that he tore off enough to fit the piece into his mouth. He reached up and laid each of the weapons on his tordo off to the side before removing his shirt, the t-shirt that covered his upper body. He took one of the daggers and bit down on the piece of fabric in his mouth as he stuck the dagger inside the wound and linked it behind the metal bullet to begin pushing it out nice and easy, he heard it hit the ground with a clang and he dropped the dagger as well breathing slightly heavier the pain still echoing through his body.

It was at this point he took the other half of the cloak and began curling it slowly around the wound using the blood as an adhesive to keep the makeshift bandage on his wound. Once the bandages were applied he pushed upon the ground to push himself into a standing position and equipping the weapons to his body again leaving his t-shirt off. He slowly started walking at that point down the hallway now alone with no companions, nothing. His golden eyes were forward and his body weak but this test of his was far from over. He continued walking this time even as he saw the two people, he had stopped bleeding by this point but he was still weak. He looked towards the two people the female and the male the ones from earlier and spoke his voice weak.

"Well then I see people have not messed with the two of you"
 
Again taken by her instinct, Tamara shielded Will from the wounded man, his dark atmosphere making her body tingle with the distrust she gave the whole setting. She did a mental review of the tools and equipment hidden in her over-sized tracksuit jacket, mentally scolding herself for being unable to carry anything that's quickly fatal to keep safe from men like the one who just spoke, making her feel all the more apprehensive. She chose not to show it. She chose guts.

"We're not making any trouble anyway." She said, then decided to play a different role towards this suspicious man. "Do you need help?"
 
Will's first instinct was to not trust this man who had seemingly been shot, probably by one of the more violent people who had entered the maze. He didn't see what had happened behind that corner, but then Wills eyes traveled to the wound that was afflicted on the man. The man was stained with blood, probably from a bullet wound, as Will had heard the echoing sound of a shot. Will was familiar with the many gang and mob bosses that prowled the streets in the city, and he always made sure to stay out of their territory when he was living in the city. Will looked at the man with the strange golden eyes, wondering if he should help him or distrust him. After all, this man could've been the one who had shot that gun, not the other way around. Still, Will nodded. "I mind my own business. Looks like you've had a run-in with one of the jackals, if I'm not mistaken."
 
At the entrance of the maze, a small female stood there. She had her jet black hair tied up in a pony and dim golden eyes. She wore a black baggie hoodie zipped only half-way. The shirt underneath the hoodie was also black. She wore black baggy cargo pants with many zipper pockets. Her shoes were of the converse brand. They too, were also black.

She looked up at the maze. Her golden eyes unfazed at the magnificent sight. The light breeze in the air passed by her as she sighed. She dug into her shirt and pulled out a key and lock pendant. Lightly, she kissed it; eyes closed. Then aggressively she opened her eyes and glared at the maze.
"I'm coming..Mira."

The small female took one step forward into the maze. This was the start of her new journey. Her strongest desire; to finish the maze. No matter what it takes.
After entering the maze she faces two paths. Left or Right. Since she was right handed, she went down the right path.
 
Their eyes had turned upon him, the boy and the female, those gazes of distrust they were all to familiar to him, much like the people outside of the dome. The woman was the first to part her lips and speak allowing those distasteful words of mistrust to leave her lips, he rose from his seemingly hunched position to a straight up position wincing in pain his hands slipping to his side. He allowed his eyes to trail to the girls own, gazing into them for a moment when she asked if he needed help, what was he to say? Did he need help? Or were these people just going to pull what the gang members did? He sighed lightly before allowing a small breath to pass through his parted lips, the breath light in the way it felt and the way it tasted but painful all at once, coughs echoing through his body and then more blood that sprayed across the silver metal floor. Then the coughing stopped and a light laughter left his lips passing through the air.

"If you had painkillers I could use them but if not I would just like to take a seat, but to be honest I don't know how safe that is."

His eyes then turned to the boy the golden tint dancing through the darkness, the boy was a lot more intelligent than the girl and just by the bullet wound able to depict that the Jackals were involved but he forgot the other group. He did take a moment at that note to stand back up to his full height and analyze the two people before him, the boy while small seemed very intelligent by the way he found the numbers a while back and even now depicting info based on the small amount of clues. His eyes shifted to the girl and his mind surfed over her putting together she lacked slightly in intelligence but her fighting prowess do to her body was skilled. Viper took this moment to shake his head at the boys comment, his hand raising back to his chin to tap it only for a moment causing a wince of pain to dance through his body again followed by a light voice.

"The jackals yes but they were paired with another group, The Rising Dragon Clan....the most notorious group on the outside they seem to be trying to make their way into the dome and if that happens.....well we all know the dome would fall under a tyranical rule."

This point he extended his hand shakily forth and smiled lightly.

"On the outside people merely referred to me as Viper, only for my speed and agility in a fight and the high doses of poisons I carry on my person."
 
Will had recognized one of the Jackal gang members when he had first came out of the room with the television. He had simply guessed it was the Jackals who had shot the man, but the Dragon Clan? Will's green eyes widened. "They're here? The Jackal Clan is a moderate-power clan. I saw one of their members pass by me when the doors first opened. The Jackals aren't too strong, more of a crime clan, not very violent. But the Dragon Clan.....Those guys are killers! Are you sure it was both?" The Rising Dragon Clan had probably offered the Jackal clan an opportunity to join, and no doubt they took it. This was really bad. "We can't let those guys reach the end of the maze. Hopefully they aren't smart enough to pass the rest of the traps, because otherwise we're dead." Will looked over to Tamara, wondering if she knew about the gangs that prowled the blackened cities at night.
 
With the talk about the two groups going on, Tamara touched her skin somewhere right above the rise of her chest and her collarbone, remembering her run ins with both groups because of her brother's pride. The Dragon Clan had killed Sergey, almost killed her too, and that scar was an unnecessary reminder of when they tried to rip her throat. Or her clothes. Or both.

She remained quiet, examining the wounded man; his actions, his mannerisms and-

"You're not going to stand long if you don't do something about that wound." She could tell it was worse than the man made it out to be.
 
Viper merely nodded when Will asked if he was sure it was both, his eyes slipped closed for a second as he dropped lightly to the ground and scooted back to the steel wall. Pain danced through the entirety of his body, it was harsh practically asking him to stop moving but he couldn't he had to keep going, he had to stop the two gangs from reaching the end. His eyes remained closed and his head back letting the seconds tick by until the pain slipped away and his body felt relaxed, his golden eyes shifted back open to gaze up at the two before him, now that he could see a bit better it seemed the boy was a bit smaller than the woman almost child-like, he seemed to have a lot of wisdom to him by the way he spoke. The female now seemed more like his type a woman that had to survive in this stupid world alone, fighting off the gangs for meals and a place to sleep, his hand extended forth for one of them to shake followed by a head nod to the both of them.

"Where I come from they call me Viper and I kind of just adopted the nickname as my name, I used to be part of a rebel force against the government and their building projects but we were shot down quickly. It seems to be the Dragon clan and the jackals are aiming for something…..what I have yet to figure out but they want to get to the end of the maze for some reason but I recognize the tattoo of the dragon clan upon any bald members head."

He pressed both his hands to the steel ground and hoisted himself up to a standing position, he reached and gripped the handle of the two handguns that rested in their holsters and drew them. He flipped the both of them around and handed one to each of the two that stood before him. The steel of the guns were light actually made to fit in the hands of somewhat with a lot of reflexes, this made the gun easier to aim but a lot less powerful a blow to the head with the gun is about the only way to kill them. Viper waited until each of them took the handle of the gun before making a gaze towards the female, with a small smile that revealed the teeth beneath.

"The wound is fine for the time being we can take care of it the deeper we get into the maze but for right now we need to move, I heard from one of the government officials we captured days ago that there may be creatures in this maze, some which we have seen before and others that have been changed by the outside world. So lets be on our toes"

(I do apologize for the wait)
 
"Your wound would kill you if this Maze won't." Tamara replied with a reproachful tone, almost sounding motherly. She examined the gun she was given. It was light, compact. For beginners, in her eyes. She had no weapons, just tools, so this might do, even if she was a lot better with knives. Her brother had taught her how to aim and she learned well, but she didn't particularly like using the same weapon that killed him.

"Thanks for this, Viper." she said, beginning to trust the battle hardened man. They needed him, she knew. "I'm Tamara. This is Will."
 
Will gave a little wave to the injured man. "You sure you can walk with that?"


Number Five regarded the man through the screen with interest. He had good survival skills, something that would be needed in the maze. Participants shouldn't be idle, however. Five reached over to push the button on the speaker. "Send in the creatures."
 
Just when Tamara finished talking, they felt another strange rumbling. "Oh my god." she gasped, instinctively stepping in front of Will, facing the rest of the path.

An animal noise rung from further ahead and she braced herself, breathing deeply as she prepared the pistol.
 
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