Asterion's Escape

You are Asterion. You are an ordinary human being, except for one major, glaring detail -- your head is that of a bull's. For most of your life, you have lived inside a dark room within the center of a massive labyrinth. Your only source of food has been the flesh and blood of other humans who have managed to make their way into your room. One day, while gnawing on a freshly obtained femur, you begin to wonder about what would happen should you ever leave this place. After all, the humans you had eaten your whole life had to have come from somewhere else, right? You then realize something... (click:"something...")[The humans that come into your room only appear when you're hungry. You recall that just this morning, you let out a violent, ear-splitting roar when you could no longer stand the sound of your stomach's grumbling. A few hours later, a human stumbled in -- the same human whose femur you have been chewing on. You begin to get an idea... Will you [[roar again|Roar Again]] or [[stay put?|Stay Put]]]

You decide to let another roar escape your throat. You are no longer hungry, but you thought that if you were to summon another human into your room, it could show you the way out. ... (click:"...") [Another hour passes, and your ears perk up to the sound of footsteps turning the corner into your room. You rise to your feet and stare down at a petrified man.] (click:"petrified man") [You recall that the past humans were able to speak, but only while you ate them alive. Perhaps you could try speaking with this one? Or you could make him speak, using force to harm, but not kill... You could also keep staring at him, but that probably woudn't accomplish anything. [[Say "Hello"|Say "Hello"]] or [[Use Force|Use Force]] or [[Keep Staring | Keep Staring]]]

You decide to stay put for now. ... (click:"...") [Eventually, sitting and waiting starts to get increasingly boring.] (click:"boring") [You then realize that the only exit looks just big enough for you to fit through. You could approach the doorway slowly or rush straight through. Will you [[go slow|Go Slow]] or [[head straight for the exit?|Bad Outcome: Head Straight for Exit]]]

Without thinking, you make a beeline for the exit. But you aren't even half a foot out the door when you are suddenly halted. (click:"halted.") [You realize too late that your horns are too large and long for the doorway.] (click:"horns") [You are now stuck, and each thrash to free yourself from the corridor only wedges you in deeper. Perhaps you should have looked before you leapt. [[The End...|Asterion's Escape]]]

You grab the man's arm and yank him upwards towards your face. His terrified eyes meet yours, and he screams again. You regret making the man even more scared, but you quickly brush that aside. You need to let him know that you want out. [[Turn Head Towards Exit |Bad Outcome: Shish Kebab]] or [[Point Towards Exit |Point Towards Exit]]

It would probably be wise to make this man feel less scared. So you decide to try and say "hello." But all that comes out is a low rumble. The man shrieks, and his eyes grow wider. You didn't mean to make things worse. But then, you think... (click:"you think...") [If you can't speak with your throat, maybe you could use your hands?] (click:"your hands?") [You could try to wave at the man as a way to say "hello." You could also hold up both of your hands to tell him that you're not a threat. [[Wave |Wave]] or [[Hold Hands Up |Hold Hands Up]]]

You point in the direction of the exit. The man turns to where you're pointing, and looks back at you. You glance towards the exit and continue to point. The man confusedly nods his head. He seems to understand you, at least a little bit. You allow him to lead you over towards the exit. He notices the size and length of your horns and instructs you to walk through the corridor sideways. He then leads you around through the many paths within the labyrinth. ... (click: "...") [Eventually, you both make your way to a branching path. You have the option to go left, right, or forward. Which path do you take? [[Go Left |Go Left]] or [[Go Right |Go Right]] or [[Go Forward |Go Forward]]]

(set: $silverkey to false) (set: $bronzekey to false) (set: $name to (prompt: "What is your name?", "")) [(if:$name is "Asterion")[Hello, Asterion. Your story begins [[here...|Beginning]]] (else:)[That name is nice, but unfortunately you'll have to use Asterion for this story. After all, Asterion is the one escaping, not you. [[go back|Asterion's Escape]]]]

You continue to stare intently at the man. This only makes him uncomfortable. [[Say "Hello" |Say "Hello"]] or [[Use Force |Use Force]]

You hold up one of your hands and shake your fingers left to right. The man stops shrieking, and his wide eyes distort into an expression of confusion. He looks up at you, then down at your hand several times. Waving doesn't seem to be working, but at least the man has calmed down (somewhat). But he still doesn't quite understand you. You should probably try [[something else. |Point Towards Exit]]

You quickly hold up both of your hands and wave them slightly. The man stops shrieking. His wide eyes then stare at your palms, then up to your face. His body begins to relax, but he still seems rather uneasy. The man seems to understand that you're not a threat, but he doesn't yet know or understand what you want. You may need to [[use your hands again.|Point Towards Exit]]

As the man continues to scream, you quickly twist your neck in the direction of the exit. But then, the screaming abruptly stops. (click: "stops") [You turn your head back and see a gaping red hole in place of one of the man's eyes. He has also gone cold and limp. Did he fall asleep? You try to shake him awake, but to no avail. His head just wobbles around. You then notice the blood dripping down from one of your horns. You had accidently gored the man through his brain. But you don't realize this. You decide to lay the man down on the floor and wait for him to wake up. But he never does. [[The End?|Asterion's Escape]]]

You slowly walk up towards the doorway. You hear a thump as your horns make contact with the walls. Your horns are too large and too long to fit through the exit. If you were to force your way through, you'd only get yourself seriously stuck. So you make your way through sideways. ... (click: "...") [After crab-walking for about an hour through the maze of tunnels, you come across a series of branching paths. Just then, you begin to hear loud shouts echo from somewhere in the labyrinth. These shouts seem to be coming from multiple humans, and they don't sound too happy. The shouts are loudest coming from your left. You could continue side-stepping to the right or head through the tunnel in front of you. Or you could head towards the humans -- perhaps they can show you the way out? [[Go Right |Go Right (1)]] or [[Go Forward |Go Forward (1)]] or [[Go Left |Bad Outcome: Go Left]]]

You decide to head through the passage in front of you. After reaching a far enough distance away, you glance over at the spot you ran from, which is now being filled by a mob of humans -- the source of the angry shouts. They seem to have stopped, and are currently bickering amongst themselves over which direction to take. You suddenly get an itchy feeling in your snout. A big [[sneeze |Let It Loose]] is brewing up inside you, but you really need to stay [[silent. |Hold It In]]

You continue on rightward. The shouts follow you and grow louder and louder as you quickly side-step down the corridor. But then, you find yourself at a dead end. You can hear the shouting much clearer now. You turn your head to the left and see a large mob of angry humans wielding swords and torches turning the corner. You have only seconds to make your next move. [[Attack |Attack]] or [[Play Dead |Play Dead]] or [[Do Nothing |Bad Outcome: Do Nothing]]

You decide to crab-walk to your left. As you inch further and further through, the humans' shouts grow louder... (click: "louder...") [...until they finally appear before you. You carefully turn your head towards them and notice their faces filled with anger and their hands full of swords. The humans yell, and before you know it, they're upon you.] (click: "they're upon you.") [Your body hits the floor with a heavy thud. You try with all your might to get yourself to your feet, but you're paralyzed. You hear the humans' shouts grow quieter as they move away from your body further down the corridor. The last thing you feel before your vision fades to black is pain stabbing at every corner of your body. [[The End... |Asterion's Escape]]]

You both make your way through the right corridor. ... (click: "...") [Unfortunately, there is a dead end. You and the human then backtrack to your original position and wonder which way to go next. [[Go Left |Go Left]] or [[Go Forward |Go Forward]]]

You and human continue going forward. ... (click: "...") [After a while, you begin to hear shouts from behind you. The shouts belong to other humans, and they don't sound too happy. The man who's leading you starts getting nervous. As the shouts grow louder, you begin worrying yourself. You could [[protect the man |Fight]] from the others, or you can [[abandon him |Flight]] and find the rest of the way out yourself.]

You both start to make your way through the left corridor. But then, you suddenly hear a sound... (click: "sound...") [The sound quickly grows louder and louder until you both come across its source -- an angry mob of humans brandishing swords and torches. You begin to notice the nervousness in the man who's leading you, which begins to make you worry. You could [[protect the man |Fight]] from the others, or you can [[abandon him |Flight]] and find the rest of the way out yourself.]

You decide to protect the man you're with. You need him to get you both out of this place. He is most important right now. You step in front of the man and prepare to face the angry mob that's coming nearer and nearer. When they finally catch up, you charge at them with all of your might. (click: "might") [The mob falls apart like a cluster of bowling pins. Some of the humans are strewn about the floor, and the rest have run back off into the labyrinth -- but not before striking you several times with their swords. The man sees you limp towards him and he hoists you up over his shoulders. He also says "Thank you." You nod at him in response. [[... |Good Outcome: The Sun]]]

You decide to continue running forward. The man follows you, but he cannot quite catch up to your speed. He pleads for you to wait for him, but they only fall on your (metaphorically) deaf ears. If you were to stop now, the other humans will surely catch up and kill you much quicker. The other humans' shouts are getting louder, which makes your mind race even more. You're in danger, but he's also completely [[helpless...|Fight]] (click: "danger") [You decide to pick up your speed. There's no time -- you need to save yourself. The man's desparate cries for help soon become meshed together with the shouts of the angry mob, and the resulting cacophony grows quieter and quieter the further you charge down the corridor. [[... |Neutral Outcome: Alive With a Cost]]]

After several agonizing minutes of trudging, you and the man are greeted by a tunnel with light pouring out from it. (click: "light") [The man guides you through the passage towards the light, and you breathe in air that is not stuffy, but filled with life. You begin to gaze at the mesmerizing ball of light shining in front of you, even as your broken body slumps down to the ground, which is now shrouded in carpets of grass.] (click: "broken body") [The man runs to your side and holds up your heavy bull's head. The light in your eyes is beginning to fade, but you manage to give the man one last look. "That is the Sun," the man says. "Is this what you wanted to see?"] (click: "Is this what you wanted to see?") [You nod slowly, and a small smile stretches from your lips. Your gaze returns to the light. You no longer feel pain from your wounds. You feel peace. So you allow the Sun to claim you with its light. [[The End. |Asterion's Escape]]]

You have no choice but to try and make your way out of this situation alive. So you unleash a bellowing roar and charge with all your might towards the humans. (click: "charge") [The mob quickly falls apart. Most of their bodies lay crumpled all over the floor, and the rest have run back off into the labyrinth -- but not before striking you several times with their swords. Pain-filled blood seeps from your flesh and drips onto the floor. Your breath quickly becomes heavy, and it echos throughout the corridor. You slowly turn your battered body away from the carnage and limp the rest of the way through the passage. [[... |Good Outcome: The Light]]]

Within seconds, you manage to collapse to the floor and contort yourself in a very unnatural position. You try with all your might to mimic the bodies of the humans you devoured in the past, and lie perfectly still. ... (click: "...") [The mob gathers at the end of the corridor and their angry shouts begin to quiet into whispers and murmurs. The angriest one then emerges, carrying a sharp axe. He stands over you and squints his eyes. He kneels down and places his hand on your thick, furry neck. This sensation is new and [[uncomfortable |Bad Outcome: Scratch the Itch]]for you, but you need to keep still.] (click: "keep still") [After a few seconds, the axe-man takes away his hand and stands up. "Hmmph," was all he said before ordering the mob to leave the area. You hear their chatter grow quieter and quieter until silence returns. Once the coast is clear, you get to your feet and backtrack to the area with the branching paths. Since the left path was where the humans came from, and the right path was a dead end, you head [[forward.|Good Outcome: Outside]]]

You unexpectedly freeze up. Your mind wants you to do something, but your body is refusing to cooperate. The human mob sees you and begins to charge straight for you, with swords gleaming and torches blazing. But still you stand unmoving. (click: "But still you stand unmoving.") [The next thing you know, your body thumps against the floor of the labyrinth. Pain surges through the blood that is now pouring out of your flesh. One of the shouting humans stands over you, carrying a sharp axe. He looks to be the angriest out of all of them. The last thing you hear before your vision fades to black is the axe-man bellowing, "Now I'll take your head, you foul beast!" [[The End...|Asterion's Escape]]]

After skulking down the corridor for another hour, you finally approach the exit -- a tunnel with bright light pouring from it. (click: "bright light") [You step towards the light and out into the world for the first time. Carpets of grass crunch beneath your feet, and a fresh, cool breeze brushes through your fur and swirls through your snout and into your lungs. These new sensations you're currently feeling are very pleasant...] (click: "pleasant...") [...Yet you still continue gazing at the source of the light--a large, bright ball that is slowing rising out of the earth.] (click: "large, bright ball") [You decide to start running -- fast, faster, the fastest your legs can take you. You want to see more of this light -- more of this world. The farther you run, the higher the ball of light rises, and the more excitement fills your mind. A smile begins to stretch from your lips, growing wider and wider until a bellowing laugh escapes your throat. The outside is just wonderful. How much more of it is there? [[The End...|Asterion's Escape]]]

[You impulsively swat away the axe-man's hand and scratch at the area that was touched. That was a mistake. The last thing you hear before your vision fades to black (for real) is the the mob shouting. The last thing you see is the axe-man swinging down his weapon. [[The End...|Asterion's Escape]]]

"AAAAAHHHCHOOO!!" (click: "AAAAAHHHCHOOO!!") [Upon hearing the deafening sneeze that escapes your throat, the mob of humans immediately resume shouting and begin to charge in your direction, brandishing their swords and torches. You have only seconds to make your next move. [[Attack |Attack]] or [[Do Nothing |Bad Outcome: Do Nothing]]]

You quickly bring your hand up to your snout and squeeze it tightly. You watch as the humans head through the right passage. Their shouts begin to grow quieter and quieter. You remove your hand from your snout and breath a sigh of relief. The sneeze seems to have gone away. So you [[continue |Good Outcome: Outside]] further down the path.

After several agonizing minutes of trudging, you finally come across a tunnel with light pouring out from it. (click: "light") [You limp through the tunnel towards the light, and your snout begins to absorb fresh, life-filled air into your lungs. You are mesmerized by the source of the light -- a large, bright ball that is slowly rising out of the earth.] (click: "large, bright ball") [Your broken body slumps down to the ground, having had enough of bearing the weight of you and your wounds. Yet you continue to stare at the ball of light, even as your vision begins to fade.] (click: "fade") [The light seems to be getting brighter, and the pain from your wounds begin to numb into nothingness. You no longer feel pain -- rather, peace.] (click: "peace.") [So you allow the light to claim you. [[The End. |Asterion's Escape]]]

After reaching a far enough distance away, you halt briefly to catch your breath. You can't hear the mob of humans anymore, nor can you hear that man's voice. They all seem to still be deep within the labyrinth. You notice from the corner of your eye another passageway, only this time there's light coming from it. (click: "light") [As you make your way through, a cool breeze brushes against your fur and flesh and swirls fresh air through your snout and into your lungs. You then look up at the source of the light -- a giant ball of light rising up from the horizon. It looks amazing.] (click: "amazing.") [But you then think of the man -- the man you had summoned to help you escape the labyrinth, only to be left behind, abandoned by your selfishness.] (click: "selfishness.") [Guilt and regret begin to flood your mind and your eyes. You want to enjoy this spectular sight, but you can't -- you want the man to see it as well. You want to know what this strange, wonderful ball of light is. He has to know...] (click: "He has to know...") [You take one last glance at the light before returning back through the passage. The light shrinks the further down the corridor you run until it disappears completely. You need to find him. [[The End? |Asterion's Escape]]]