The Dawn Will Come [Dungeon Run | March 2018 | Part I - Labyrinth of Souls]

Those who have signed up for the Dungeon Run now face the prospect of entering the Labyrinth of Souls on the Island of Lost Champions.

It was once the final resting place of the Champions, Heroes, Grand Masters and Generals of the ancient, mysterious Dawn Crusade.  Nothing is known about this order--save for what the Spirit King has hidden away from this world.

This small island off the coast of the Shadow Lands is almost impossible to get to...and yet somehow some great magnificent force has transported you here.

And now here you stand, with new friends and allies...or maybe even foes at your side.  You do not know these people, yet together you must embark upon the journey into this labyrinth.

Fail or succeed together or alone, the choice is yours.  But remember the dangerous of this island and this labyrinth are many, and even the good spirits of light may try to kill you.

For they jealously and zealously guard the dead, once blessed in Holy Light...and many more forgotten secrets lay beyond the stone walls of the labyrinth.  In the centre, a magnificent tower that holds the tombs of the greatest champions of all.

And the catacombs beneath...tread careful now heroes.  For darkness hides within the light.

You look around.  Nothing but death and decay.  Skeletons of animals and humans.  Rubble.  Ruins.  A labyrinth of the blackest stone absorbing all the light.  Creepy sounds.  The wind.  Only a single way leads forward through a stone gate.

Beside the gate, a steel plaque engraved with the words above.  This is a dreary dismal place.

You hear a voice in your head pushing you onward.  Female...male...it's androgynous, and no help.  Just very annoying.  Like a little blue fairy constantly crying out your name, and other asinine things like "Hey!", "Look!" and "Listen!"

"Hey!  Look!  Listen!  Go with these people...they are your only hope.  Head to the centre of the labyrinth.  You can do it.  I believe in you!"

Now you must decide...and introduce yourself.  It doesn't do to die alongside strangers, does it?

Now go, on with you all.  Work together, play nice, don't forget to bury the dead bodies!  Have fun storming the tower!

May the Holy Light of the Heavens shine ever upon you.

And may your deaths be swift, should they occur.

(Do you think it'll work?)
(It'll take a miracle...)

Yami looked around. She was in a kitchen, one that was familiar to her, but she hadn't seen in over ten years. Two figures stood in front of her. No, three. There was a little girl, but Yami had to lean over the counter to see her. She was so short, small for her age. But all too familiar.

"This is the best gift ever! Thank you daddy! Thank you mommy!"

And then realization hit her like a boulder. She was watching herself, on her sixth birthday. She looked down at her child self, looked at the smile, a smile she hadn't used at all since that day, a smile that remained hidden from the world. The sparkle of innocence shone in her eyes.

And just like that, it was gone. The smile faded. Yami's parents looked at the little girl with concern. "No! Run! You can't stay here! You have to leave now! She'll only hurt you! I'll only hurt you!" But it was clear that they couldn't hear her. "Please, leave!"

A white glow enveloped the child. This was the part Yami couldn't remember, because she'd been unconscious. At this point, the beast had taken over. Yami stared in horror as the seemingly sweet little girl lunged at her mother, tackling her to the ground, hitting her with as much fire as possible. Yami tried to scream, but she could no longer make any sound. Tears rolled silently down her face as she silently watched herself brutally murder her own mother.

Her father, petrified with fear, didn't run. He didn't move. And he didn't try to defend himself when his daughter chose him as her next target. The faucet burst and water shot through the air to the girl's...no, the demon's fists, freezing in jagged spikes. Yami wanted to look away, wanted nothing more than to prevent herself from seeing it, but she could do nothing. All she could do was stand and watch a little girl rip a grown man to pieces.

She woke up screaming, drenched in sweat, tears streaming down her face. Why. Why did you show that to me? No answer. Tell me! After a moment of silence, Yami heard a deep chuckle coming from within. Because of where we are now. I figured a little scare might prepare you for what you're about to face. Plus, it was rather entertaining. The look on your face? Priceless!

Yami was shaking, her breathing heavy. Then she realized that she wasn't alone. There were other people around her, and she flushed, embarrassed. She quickly stood up and turned away from them, instead assessing her surroundings.

She eyed the entrance to the labyrinth. Whatever had brought her to...wherever she was, it had put her and all of these people here to go in there. It didn't seem like there were any other options. If she was transported in her sleep, her dragon wouldn't be able to track her down any time soon. She looked again at the people around her. A strange mix. And since she'd already made a terrible first impression by waking up screaming, she figured she had already made a few enemies among them.

She sighed. She'd have to make friends eventually. "My name's Yami."

"It'll be alright son....they just want mone..." His father never finishes the words as he is run through with a sword, his mother next. Orow screams as he is thrown overboard into the churning seas, water filling his lungs as he tries to call for them. A crack of lightning flashes as his eyes snap open.

Orow sat against a rock the blade of his billhook buried in the sand. On his shoulder sat Rikki, a two foot long foxbat, whose head swiveled all around is it searched for familiar territory. They had been on a scouting expedition on the island on Nippon when they had been enveloped by a bright light and landed here. Thankfully Orow had been wearing his pack so all the provisions he had been carrying were still with him.

Taking a long drink of water Orow finally broke away from the placard and the entrance and took a good look at the rest of his surroundings. It wasn't all that much to look at, a small beach with a few rock and shrubs. Luckily he wasn't alone, several others had been transported here as well. Whether this boded well still remained to be seen and he was none to eager to enter the sprawling maze that laid before them.

It was a few moments later that one of the few that had not waken yet, a young women, sat bolt up right, shivering and breathing heavy. After a few moments she regained her composure and announced herself to the others as "yami".

Orow stood and walked over to the rest of them, offering what food and drink he had. " Name's Orow, this is Rikki, he said gesturing the the foxbat which was currently eating an orange whole. I'd suggest eating up and getting your strength back..." he said, his eyes once again on the entrance to the maze. "Because unless you want to swim out into the fog.. we are probably gonna have to go through that" He says pointing to the door.

Nobunaga had been enjoying a nice, peaceful nap in his chambers. He had been softly snoring, fully armed as he always was, for a few hours. He had just come from a seven hour meeting with several Daimyo petitioning for Imperial aide after a recent earthquake. And he had at least two more meetings later that day with dignitaries from the Water Tribes.

But when Nobunaga opened his eyes, he found himself, guns, swords and all, sitting on a dead, deserted islands with a bunch of strangers. There was a massive black stone wall to one side. A rocky beach to the other. Fog as far as the eyes could fucking see. And death and decay everywhere else.

"Ugh," he groaned cracking his neck, "How long was I asleep that we let Mayumi decorate the palace?" Nobunaga, was of course, referencing his second youngest daughter. A little more morose than most girls her age--but a fine Ezofuji nonetheless. Though I suppose with his recent edict she was Kiyohara Clan now.

No matter, no matter.

Nobunaga looked around at the others around him. "Whatever you're asking for ransom," he started, "It's not enough. It's never nearly enough--such conservative ransoms from people so desperate. Double, maybe even triple it. Then we'll talk. You have nothing to lose, and yet you still estimate so low."

Standing up, Nobunaga adjusted his robes, pistol, and his swords, then shouldered his rifle as he walked up to the others. "Which one of you is in charge here?" He didn't let anyone answer. "Doesn't matter, I'm in charge now. So, where are we, what are we doing here and what was the previous plan of action? Nobunaga, by the way. Nobunaga Ezofuji. Emperor of the Sun."

Karasu was not pleased she had been removed from the middle of a steamy make-out session with a rather good-looking young man.  Several years her junior, but with the knowledge of a much older man.  He was great with his hands, and his lips.

She pouted slightly as she blew hair from her face, making herself presentable for those around her.  It was time to get serious she supposed.

Could you blame a girl for wanting her fun though?

Karasu approached the man she knew as the Emperor of the Sun.  Another man who appeared to be one of his soldiers.  A girl she knew as Yami Sentoki--the Order of the Elements know many things about these "chosen" of the Bijuu.

There were others here, and these people Karasu did not know of.  But soon she would know.  It seemed they would have to travel together through this horrid labyrinth.

She knew of it.

She knew it's history and it's past.

She knew what it stood for and what it meant.

She also knew trespassing on this sacred ground could anger even the gods.

The Dawn Crusade were their chosen.  One did not simply mess with the Chosen Champions of the Heavens.

"Karasu, Karasu Kazegami," she added to the chorus of names, "A pleasure to meet you all.  Orow.  Yami.  Your Majesty."

A cool breeze and a nice drink was all one could ask for on a day like this.

Aedan sat cross-legged on the end of dock outside of his house. Sword in hand, he sharpened it. The pleasant sound of the steel being sharpened overlapping with gentle splash of the waves hitting the supports of the dock were calming. A nice day off from fishing and responsibilities made Aedan quite happy.

Despite a small bead of sweat dripping from his forehead, Aedan kept sharpening his sword to a satisfactory edge. Once he was sufficiently pleased with the job he had done, he sheathed it.

He took his fan from its holster on his hip. Usually, he used the fan for firebending, but on occasion he used it to cool down. This was one of those times. In slow methodical movements, the soft breeze washed over him. He reached down to take a sip of the rum so graciously brought by his pirate friend.  

"This is nice," Aedan spoke relaxed, almost inaudible. The pleasing burn of the rum and the artificial breeze perfected the day for Aedan.

He blinked.

One second he was on the dock, familiar and usual. The very next, he was sitting on some island, the sun was not as pleasant as it had been the second prior.

He heard a buzz of a voice in his head. This wasn’t his conscience trying to speak. It felt more like … an amalgam of voices. It felt strange.

There were other people on this rocky beach, the surroundings didn’t scream, "Welcome one, welcome all!" like the people at carnivals Aedan had been to when he was a boy. Eerie and discomforting were what Aedan used to describe the place. He stood from his once comfortable position of being cross-legged on a sun-warmed dock.

The people introduced themselves one by one. Aedan respectfully waited to speak his own name into the clamor of confused voices.

"Greetings everyone, Your Majesty, I'm Aedan. Any clue as to what the actual hell we're doing here?"

You introduce yourselves, but the cries of evil that emanate from the place, and the voices in your head tell you you must move on.

"Aanii bozhoo, outsiders. Best to get moving, yeah? Don't want to get stuck out here when the demons start coming from the water to eat your flesh. Trust me, terrible way to die."

The voice laughs inside your head. It's different from the last voice. Male. Twenty to thirty, at least. Playful, but wise...older than he appears.

You all continue talking as you enter the labyrinth. Getting to know one another. As you speak, you begin to notice things in between talking.

You noticed around you, are blacker than night stones--more of them anyway. They make up the walls, a single, solid wall, no breaks, no bricks. Like the whole labyrinth was raised from the ground by an Earth Bender but that'd be impossible, wouldn't it?

Or would it..?

The only part of the labyrinth that is tiled, or bricked, is the floor. Make of wide, oblonged, oddly shaped stone tiles. They are laid out, as black as the walls, with seams so thin you couldn't slip a piece of paper in between two tiles.

On the floor, written in gold in-lay, are the words to the Chant of Dawn. The Hymn and War Cry of the Dawn Crusade. They are written in reverse order, so that as you walk, you proceed further through the song with each step.

The words to the song are prologued by the motto of the Dawn Crusade.


Somehow, you feel like these words are more a warning of what to expect. A set of advice meant to give you courage in the coming trials.

It sends shivers up your spine.

You continue down the path of the narrow hallway, until you come into an open, evenly square courtyard. More light comes in from the minimal starlight above because of the open top.

On one end, a fountain that does not run. The fountain depicts a heavenly being, long white bear and hair, in regal, elegant robes. He bears a grand spear, with its tip painted downwards. He stands atop a cloud, and his spear dips down into what would be the water line of the fountain.

Anyone who knows their Holy Book knows that this is En'no-gyoja. The first of the Heavenly Gods. The oldest and the strongest. It is him making the universe--specifically, the last part where he created the lands beneath the Heavens; the lands on Earth. As he dipped his spear into the muddy water and created land from the bits of mud that dripped off the end.

The Yada-no-Yari. The Spear of Creation. The Heavenly Jeweled Spear. It had many names, but one thing was certain. It was one of the most powerful weapons in existence. No mere mortal could wield it, and any considered weak or unworthy would be punished by the spear itself.

Rumour say it lies with the Spirit King, others say the Gods stole it back from the Spirits because the Spirits no longer deserved their blessing.

Part of you hopes it's here in this labyrinth. But you know that it's too good to be true.

You look left. A doorway leading to another narrow hallway. To the right, the same.

You don't know how to open it...then, a roar, and the ground shakes.

Good luck.

Yami, embarrassed by her introduction, decided to go straight for the cave. There was no point lingering outside, not when there were mysterious voices that Yami wasn't used to outside. The young girl, Ziio, could speak telepathically, and that concerned Yami. What if she could hear Yami's conversations with Kokuo?

Oh, I'm sure she'd be very entertained, I am quite eloquent.

Yami pulled her hood over her head. She decided to ignore everything and focus on the task ahead. That was how she solved problems. Push away distractions and focus on moving forward. Though, as Yami quickly realized, moving forward through a labyrinth is much easier said than done. The words on the floor left her feeling cold. Somebody else might find hope in the words "The Dawn will Come," but not Yami. She hadn't felt hope in a long time, and a cave wasn't about to make her start.

The room she walked into was serene enough. Maybe not a room, since there wasn't a ceiling, but it was definitely enclosed. If Yami wanted to, she could find a way to climb out. Maybe. The walls were smooth, too smooth. Climbing wasn't an option. And she wasn't an air bender. But fire might be able to propel her high enough to get out. Somehow, though, she felt that leaving wasn't the best option. No, it wasn't an option at all.

Yami didn't mind small spaces. But what she did mind were small spaces filled with people. The whole environment was out of her comfort zone. She was used to working alone, not with other people. Too many people. Too much anxiety.

Ooh, get more anxious. I love it when you start to slip.

I swear, if you don't shut up...

You can't do anything to me, kid. So don't bother threatening me. I'm not afraid of you.

Yami sighed. She could never win an argument with that thing. Fine, whatever. Since you're so interested in what I'm doing, which way do you think I should go?

You're asking my opinion? Well, I say left.

Yami faced the group. "I vote we go right. We'll be better off if we stick together, so I think we ought to come to a decision together. Whatever force brought us here did so for a reason. We each have strengths and weaknesses that will help us."

You just pulled that load of crap out of nowhere. Also, it doesn't surprise me at all that you picked right when I said left.

Hey, I'm just trying to get people thinking. I want to get out of here as soon as possible. Besides, we've got a king here. He'll probably take over as leader.

Yami moved over to the door on the right, signifying her vote. She leaned against the wall, zoning out in her conversation with Kokuo.