Secrets of the World

December 4th, 20XX

The coldest winter New York had seen in years. Whether someone had pissed in Jack Frost's cheerios or had embraced Disney's Frozen just a little too much, nothing could have prepared the city for the deep freeze. An endless flurry blanketed the ground. White everywhere. Cars remained piled up in the streets – although the weather was nothing new to get used to, it certainly did not help to ease the flow of traffic. Passersby on the sidewalks moved quickly; buttoned up in heavy coats, woolen caps covering their heads, scarves trailing behind like outstretched fingers feeling the bitter winds blow as snowflakes cascaded downward.

Samuel felt entirely unprepared as he trudged down 5th Avenue to make his way to the library. Dressed in only a shabby blue hoodie, a green long sleeve shirt, some tattered jeans, and tennis shoes, he had not dressed properly for the day in the slightest. Not that he considered it his fault whatsoever. Not at all! In fact, his poor manner of dress for the cold came out the sheer lack of compassion his employer, Mr. Hromada, after a rather unfortunate accident with the file shredder. His boss and HR had decided the fault lay not with the technology, but with Sam himself for being "clumsy and unobservant." Forget the fact that the temperature sat well below zero outside and snow fell had been falling mercilessly all week; not a single company penny could be spent to ensure he would make it home safe, warm, and without a cold.

Samuel scowled. It faded after a moment, however, for fear of his face literally freezing that way! That and he was on his way to the library. There he could curl up with a good book or two, get a coffee, and possibly snag a coat from the Lost-and-Found (which he would, undoubtedly, return later) before heading home. All he had to do was get there and then things would be all right. More than all right! Once he got there he would be warm and dry.

"And out of this God damn cold," he muttered to himself, a little louder than he would like to have admitted. One of the bell ringers collecting money for the poor who he had passed shot him a dirty look which he pretended to ignore. If there was one thing Sam could not stand it was the holiday season. Not because the cold, really, or any of the decor and traditions either. No. Samuel hated the holidays because it meant all of these extra people coming into the city – most of them ill-prepared for the Winter as he was – bringing their beliefs and emotions and all that pixie dust bullshit about a magical fat man who delivered presents to good people.

Magic, Samuel had decided from a much younger age than twenty-one, did not exist. Especially not in a world where someone doing well enough for scraping by found him or herself without a coat in the middle of what could easily be classified as a small-scale blizzard. Nothing magical about it. Just random occurrences of good fortune on the days some other equally miserable soul decided to be generous enough to share some small benevolence with those around them. Sam doubted someone would buy him a coffee or anything of that sort today. The holiday season meant most people in America were stingy. They had to save to buy the latest iPhone or gaming system or computer or some shit for their loved ones, after all!

The only slight pick-me-up came from the sudden blast of warmth that enveloped his shaking frame when he opened one of the front doors to the library. Someone had turned up the heat and, had Sam been religious, he would have crossed himself then and there for it. He did not. Religion, in Sam's mind, equated itself to magic – the only difference was that other people actually believed in religion. Doing his best to warm his hands by rubbing them together, Sam ventured off toward the fiction section, found a random book (he really had a fondness for anything and had vowed to read all of the books in the library before he died) and sat down in the Reading Room. He figured he could spend a long time there...

He would be wrong.

Flick

The sound of a page turning in an old, hardback book. Curious, velvety eyes stare down into the cold, black lettering that forms the words upon the page. A novel, Horns, written by none other than Joe Hill. The girl with her nose stuck in those old pages is already on her fifth time reading it after discovering a copy buried away in her father's bookshelf. For several hours now the woman sat in the little room in the library, keeping to herself for the most part and hanging onto a thick woolen scarf while a heavy winter coat as blue as the sky in June hangs neatly on the back of the chair she sits in. Halfway through the novel and no intentions of stopping early, the girl stays in her seat and continues reading despite any distractions that might come her way.

Flick

She sits with her legs tucked beneath her and an empty mug on the table beside her. Beside the mug sits a blue, plastic water bottle with the name Riley's Manufacturing Company written across it in stylish, white cursive. Not a particularly well-known company by the common masses, but anyone heavily involved with space exploration would know that RMC has a very friendly business model for them. The water bottles with the company's name printed on them are a gift to customers for their loyalty or in this case for the daughter of the CEO. A daughter that has no interest in continuing the company in her father's name.

Flick

A boy walks in. Definitely worse for wear and seemingly coated in a thin layer of ice. The girl looks up from her book to watch him shake the cold off his body as he grabs a book and sits a few tables ahead of her. She did not know why she stopped to look at this boy and not any others that came in, but she did. Maybe it was because of his unfortunate choice of wardrobe. Maybe it was because of how he tries to shake off the cold, as if it is something physical one could brush off.

Flick

In the end it does not matter. The boy will fade out of her mind just like every other stranger does. Next time maybe he will be smarter and pick up a heavier jacket and something other than jeans for a trip in heavy snow and ice to the library. Keira Riley has little patience for the inept, and one more block of ice in the snow will not affect her plans to waste her hours away reading the same book. An enrapturing tale of desperation and the sweet bliss of revenge.

Flick

Deadlines, deadlines, deadlines. Finals week was coming up fast with only a few more days to tie up loose ends and perform that final rush of last minute studying. A young woman paced the frigid streets of New York with great haste with a heavy burden upon her slender shoulders. There were two research papers due soon and several study guides that needed to be complete, and she was running out of time. Typically the winter weather would be something she stopped to enjoy, the snowfall so mysterious and peaceful, but the trivialities of real life stole away the whimsy of the world around her.

Sophia Snowdin. The woman's name had practically been condemning since she was born. She was destined to enjoy the snow. She had been born and raised in the mid-west, moving between Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, and Colorado for the entire duration of her younger years. Colorado had always been her favorite. Her family would go to the mountains and ski. Although physical things weren't her particular forte, for she had always been the scholarly type, skiing was something she always looked forward to. She was horrible at it and always wound up with her face in the blanket of white that covered the rocky slopes. She reveled in it. The snow stuck to her all the way through her life up until the time she decided to attend college in New York knowing that every winter would bring sheets of white down upon her.

Reminiscing brought a smile to Sophia's face, obscured by her thick pale pink scarf, and a warmth to her heart. She had been so stressed lately. She was definitely going to make the most out of her Christmas vacation. At that thought she found herself walking up the magnificent steps to the absolutely glorious library. It pained her that most of the time she spent here was on school research. She swore that one day she would come and just spend a whole day reading nothing but material she actually wanted to read. She hadn't read fiction in she couldn't remember how long. The last fiction book she had read was The Last Man on Earth by Stephen Cowell. It was a thousand pages of an enrapturing journey, and it made her miss the times where she actually had the time to sit down and lose herself in another world. Reality was such a bitch.

Walking through the elaborate doors, Sophia was greeted by an immense blast of warmth. The woman running the front desk greeted her kindly and Sophia returned with a polite nod before making her way across the floor, her shoes clacking against it causing an echo throughout the silence. Every once in the while she could hear the slight murmur of a voice, but it was always so hush you could hardly make it out. It made her happy that people were so respectful. After all, this city was full of rude, uncaring people. Perhaps the ones who enjoyed a good book were the kind ones, and this was their sanctuary among the hate and malice.

Sophia navigated her way to one of the desks on the first floor. She figured she would work on her study guides first since she only needed her textbooks for those. She set her black leather shoulder bag on the ground and procured the texts and her notebooks for each course, setting out her materials all over the desk which was in such prime condition. It wasn't long before her pencil was in her mouth and her fingers were flipping through pages of her texts looking for the answers to questions she wasn't sure of, warm amber eyes intently scanning the myriad of paragraphs.

It was going to be a long day.

Not even the coldest winter in years would stop Jayce from making his 'deliveries'. Crackheads didn't care about the cold, so he would have to deal with it if he wanted to keep any business. Not that it was an especially big deal to him--he didn't want to keep dealing the hard stuff anyway. But reputation was everything on the street, and even a small time dealer needed to have a good rep.

Sell off this last 8-ball, then I'm done slinging blow, he thought to himself, clutching the small bag in his coat pocket tightly. Dealing in a public place was the best way to go, despite what most people would think. Next to the public library was as good a place as ever, as long as there wasn't a goddamn cop nearby. Whatever. Get in, get it done.

Eventually, he met with his client and shook the sketchy guy's hand, palming him his contraband. "Thanks man," the guy wheezed, pulling a wad of bills out of his pocket. Jayce swiped it, then stuffed it in his pocket and briskly walked off, walking through the library doors. He'd go sit in the reading room for a while, just to make sure nobody followed him home.

The warmth of the public library was a welcome reprieve from the frigid winds outside. He kept his hands in his pockets, trying to find a table that was a little more secluded. He felt a little better now that he wasn't carrying any weight on him--even if he got searched, a wad of crumpled money wasn't exactly incriminating. Not that hiding a little baggy of drugs was all that hard. Nimble fingers and a nimble mind saved the small-time dealer from many a brush with law enforcement.

Selling illegal substances wasn't exactly Jayce's ideal life plan. But shitty wages and ridiculously high rent forced Jayce to find another method to pay for housing. He wanted to save up enough to move somewhere out west a bit, where he could actually afford to live without breaking the law. Not that he necessarily felt bad about it. Too many laws were arbitrary, and while some of the illegal substances definitely should be kept from people, there were a lot that had no real reason to be illegal.

Jacye had been sitting at the table for several minutes before he realized how strange he looked, sitting in the reading room without a book. "Awh, shit," he whispered to himself, massaging his temples. He quickly got up and walked to the nearest bookshelf, pretending to ponder a title to read. He'd pull a random book out soon enough, then sit and read the first chapter before deciding the coast was clear and he could go back to his apartment and the stack of shitty martial arts movies waiting for him.

This winter was abysmally cold, but there wasn't too much that would keep Rosa from being able to keep her life going. She had a job to fulfill and help pay for her next semester of college, and if that meant she needed to go outside into the bottom pit of hell, then so be it. She was going to meet a coworker from her internship at the office to work on a project. The two of them hadn't really started yet as they had been assigned the work just two days ago, but she knew that if she put it off for too long, it would never get done. She had went ahead and made plans to meet at the public library since it was warm and cozy compared to most of the eating establishments that liked to advertise that they also provided the same.

It was difficult to tell what time of day it was from the dark, overcast sky, but there were an array of digital methods to tell her the same thing: that it was almost fifteen after twelve. She wasn't really that hungry anyway; she was on a mission to get this over with. She was a very dutiful, diligent person, and once she started on a tangent, she wasn't one to stop easily. Not even this weather would keep her from getting work done. Although... she might not have been prepared for such a snowy day.

Rosa had dressed in a light coral jacket and slacks with tall, black pumps that made her feet numb in the icy wind. She wrapped her arms around herself as she pushed through the dense amount of people trying to similarly move in their own directions, she eked out a path towards the library, although at a slower pace than she would have liked. There wasn't much that could be done about it either, since it was quite close to the holidays and people were beginning to either be out of work or out of school, not to mention the tourists as well. There were a lot of those that also clogged up the roads almost as much as the snow. People weren't bad, but there were just a lot of them.

Eventually, she had finally cut through the dense cloud of people and stood in front of the doors to the public library. There was someone that had come from the alley next to the large doors and briskly opened them and walked inside. Even from her position, she could feel a blast of warmth come from inside the doors, and it felt wonderful, making her crack a smile. It almost reminded her of... Rosa shook her head. She wasn't here for that. She took a few strides to make it up the steps and caught the door by the handle before it shut, pulling it open and walking inside. Her shoes made a loud noise on the echoing tile, but there wasn't much to be done about it. She wasn't wearing stockings, so taking the shoes off wasn't an option. She thought she had planned for everything, but apparently not.

Her eyes took a moment to adjust to the indoor lighting versus the neon that always assaulted her from outside. It was a welcome change, inviting compared to oppressive. There were a smattering of people that were also in the library, so she did her best to walk quietly towards the back. There had already been a few people seated in various places along the first floor, and she considered going up to another floor, but decided against it. She needed to be visible when her coworker made it to the library. There were a few open seats left lining the wall, so after the quite lengthy walk to the back wall, she sat herself down and sighed, crossing one leg over the other. The seat actually felt pretty good after being on her feet all day. She was tempted to close her eyes, but she knew that if she wasn't careful, she would just fall asleep.

Rosa took a moment to think about what had happened so far today, but there wasn't really much that was out of the ordinary. It had been just school and work for the past few months, and it certainly wasn't very interesting. There was no variation from the normal, nothing to change the routine. Relaxing, she looked towards the door, waiting for her coworker to come. Hopefully the two of them wouldn't have to worry about this project too much longer; having to work outside of work took the small amount of free time she had and ate it up, which she wasn't fond of. There should be a time and a place for work, and a time and place for fun, but not intermixing the two. Maybe today would be the day that something would change for her. No one ever knew.

Everyone had quickly settled into their respective areas. Well, all save Jayce who had wandered off to find a book to pretend to read. Each of the five youths had no idea what awaited them as they sat about enjoying their books, preparing for finals, waiting for acquaintances, or staving off a potential police pursuit. They merely sat around with their minds set on the current task at hand.

Of all five, however, Jayce, perhaps, had the most interesting occurrence. As he stood in the fiction room mindlessly scanning the shelves for a book, his eyes raked over a peculiar leather-bound book. The spine, which looked quite old and seemed to be about to fall apart, contained a spindly script written in the oddest purple ink. The second it registered to him, however, that purple ink shimmered. Now, any good drug dealer knew better than to take from their own supply, so that could not have been the cause of this strange book; and yet, before he could really question whether or not his eyes had tricked him, the book slid off the shelf ever so slightly. The purple ink burst with an eerie light and suddenly the book flew from the shelves, landing open to an even crazier page covered in strange symbols. The symbols emitted a similar light and shimmer – a blast of cold shot through the library in an instant.

Samuel cursed to himself. "Fuckin' people," he muttered under his breath, looking toward the entrance to the reading room. Even with all the heat, someone had managed to whip cold into the library. But when he looked up to shoot a glare at whoever might have brought it in (as if they were anywhere nearby) he saw no one by the entrance. In fact, what he did see seemed all the stranger. A woman, tall and fair skinned, stood frozen none too far from him. She appeared to be stuck in the middle of dropping a book off of a large stack in her hands – it hung in the air and Sam blinked. He looked around and exclaimed, "the Hell?!"

His eyes quickly shot around the room. Everyone else, save for one girl a few rows behind, also seemed frozen in time. No one moved. No one breathed. The only two people seemingly spared from this oddity were him and the girl. "What's going on?" he inquired bitterly as if the girl knew the answer.

Unbeknownst to him, the book with Jayce still shimmered. The five youths who had been so isolated before quickly found themselves as the only ones unaffected. They did not have long to question, however, for no sooner than they had realized it did they all hear the faint cry of some tortured creature. Individually, all eyes scattered to corners of their occupied rooms to find the creepiest sights ever beheld five total beings: twisted and gnarled, seemingly human yet not human whatsoever, ghost-like while at the same time bearing what appeared to be demented flesh.

Sam took a step back.

What the hell, indeed.

Prologue: Opening the Veil

Location: New York City Public Library – The Reading Room / Study Area / Fiction Section

Atmosphere: Shaken Reality (This is like a bad acid trip! Low chance of Hesitation for the Ally Party.)

Objective: Defeat the mysterious enemies!

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} {S} { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } {1} {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } {2} L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } { } { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} P
{3} { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} Q
{ } { } {d} { } {d} {R} {b} R
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} S
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } {O} {d} { } {d} {4} {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } {5} { } { } {b} { } X
{ } { } { } {J} { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

Samuel *-3% Ice Dmg Taken*
SP: 20/20
AP: 35/35
Str: 4
Grd: 3
Img: 8
Mnd: 6
Dex: 3%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

Sophia *+5% Dmg Output*
SP: 30/30
AP: 20/20
Str: 6
Grd: 2
Img: 2
Mnd: 4
Dex: 9%
Luck: 5
Move: 3 Cells

Rosa *Diurnal Sect*
SP: 30/30
AP: 40/40
Str: 2
Grd: 5
Img: 5
Mnd: 6
Dex: 2%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells

Kiera
SP: 30/30
AP: 25/25
Str: 8
Grd: 4
Img: 2
Mnd: 3
Dex: 6%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells

Jayce
SP: 35/35
AP: 35/35
Str: 6
Grd: 4
Img: 2
Mnd: 3
Dex: 11%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells

1
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

2
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

3
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

4
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

5
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

{W} – Wall
[No Occupy]
SP: 40/40
Grd: 20
Mnd: 10

{d} – Desk
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Search – Look for something on the desk to use. Range: Adjacent.]
SP: 15/15
Grd: 5
Mnd: 3

{b} – Bookcase
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: A Little Light Reading – Take a book off the shelf. Range: Adjacent.]
SP: 20/20
Grd: 8
Mnd: 6

{b} – Enigmatic Book
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Pick Up – What the heck is going on with this thing? Range: Adjacent. Uses: 1]

Player Phase 1

- - - - -

Samuel moves to F7!

"Seriously! What the hell is going on?" Samuel asked aloud again. The warped and twisted creatures that had appeared lingered, spewing moaning gibberish. If he hadn't known any better, Sam would have believed he was dreaming! Trying not to be too obvious, he pinched himself to make sure. Nope. Not dreaming. Which meant these creepy... whatever-they-were were, in fact, real.

Sophia waits.

Sophia had been perusing her material for not even ten minutes before an uncanny draft blasted through the library, strange in the fact that the library door had remained closed.  Had someone opened a window?  She looked around and noticed that motion seemed to be a thing of the past in the library.  There were people all around like there had been, but they were not moving.  Even objects that may have been in motion before had ceased.  Was this a ruse?  An unbelievable prank?

Sophia became worried.  The young woman stood up from her seat with a sense of urgency.  There was another young woman nearby who had not been stopped.  Why her?  Why were they not stopped?  Was she in on the prank?  

That's when Sophia heard the wail.  It was terrifying and chilled her to the bone far worse than the blizzard outside.  Her eyes focused in on what appeared to be a humanoid abomination from a horror film.  

"Please....please let this be a prank.  I'll call them out on it," Sophia whispered to herself, starting to panic.

"Haha!  This is a good one!  Where are the hidden cameras?  What television show is this?" she called out to nobody in particular, hoping that the producers or whoever was behind this would pop out of hiding, laughing at how shaken she was, but at least this wouldn't be real.  Which it couldn't be real anyway.

This was not real.

It was the shimmering, purple ink that kept Jayce's attention. Of course, one would expect him to find the appeal of surreal, colorful aesthetics because of his 'profession', but Jayce had actually never done any hallucinogenic drug. He'd smoked pot a few times, yeah, but he'd actually never done any of the other drugs he'd sold before. Yet it was still the trippy things that called his attention. He reached for the book. Was it playing a trick on his eyes? He reached out to it, and then nearly pissed his pants.

Violet light exploded from the spindly letters, the book flying off the shelves akin to something from a Harry Potter movie; the pages flipped open revealing a myriad of cryptic runes. Masses of swirls and angles and strange shapes all illuminated with the same ethereal purple glow. Jayce's eyes widened, his breath caught in his throat. He stood there, in shocked silence, not even noticing the cold that suddenly flooded the room.

It took a while for Jayce to register that everything seemed more still and silent than before. "What the FUCK did I just find!?" he shouted, mostly to himself.

The moaning was what brought Jayce from his paranoia, reminding him that he wasn't the only one occupying the room. He'd been isolated a moment ago; yet there was something standing in front of him, vomiting an unintelligible tongue that felt like writhing maggots in his ears. A chill ran up the drug dealer's spine, causing a cold sweat to break out. The monstrosity in front of him...It was a vulgar abomination to the natural laws of the world that so governed every aspect of life. What the fuck is this? Did I get slipped a mickey? No, I haven't had anything to eat or drink.

Jayce brought his fists up. His flight or fight response heavily leaned towards fight, and something deep down told him he wouldn't be able to outrun the twisted specter in front of him. "What're ya waiting for, bitch?!" he snarled, clenching his fists tight. He looked ready to go, even though his whole body trembled.

Face your fears, he thought, tensing up for a brief second before charging at the abhorrent form.

Jayce moves to Y2! (Y3 > Y2)

Jayce attacks 5! 2 hits, 6 Str damage each!

Rosa had begun to nod off in the warm study room while she was waiting for her coworker to arrive. She had been fighting to stay awake, but her eyelids were getting heavier and heavier, and there wasn't really much else going on in the room to distract her. People were actually studying in the study room, everyone but herself. As she continued sitting on the plush chair, another cold blast of wind radiated from the front of the library. It shot her eyes wide open, reminding her of what she had come in from. It was a rather rude awakening, but a much-needed one. She shook her head and shifted her weight on the chair. Something was off, though. Suddenly, the small amount of rustling and usual studying sounds had completely halted. All she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat as she sat in the chair.

With her eyes wide open, she slowly stood up and looked around, pretending to stretch. Everyone seemed to have been staying where they were, hunched over doing what they were. Everything seemed fine, but there was something off. There was the rustling of pages, the clacking of keys, and the scratching of pens and pencils, but all of that was gone all of a sudden. She looked towards a desk that someone had been sitting at, and there was a young man sitting at it, hand perfectly poised over a piece of paper with a pen in hand, but he wasn't writing. In fact, he wasn't moving at all. She frowned a bit. That wasn't right. Rosa scanned over the room to see if everyone was as still as the man was... and they seemed to be. The only one that had any semblance of being... unfrozen... was a young woman that was reading a text across the room from her.

And then there was that sound... that awful sound. It was a mixture between a cry of anguish and the screech of nails on a slab of slate. Rosa brought her hands up to her ears and looked around for the source of the omnipresent wail. "What... What is that?!" She spoke in a soft voice, but it echoed across the once quiet study room. Then she saw the horror. It was a washed out version of what might have been a human being... although it had no defining features across its shape. It was just a mannequin-type deal that seemed to be the source of the sound. "This can't be happening..." She took a few steps away from it, trying not to break a heel. At this point, she considered taking the damn things off if she had to make a run for it. She took a look around the room again. If she were to make a break for it, the way out would be... right next to another one of those things...

"Haha! This is a good one! Where are the hidden cameras? What television show is this?"

Rosa looked towards the sound of the human voice, and found the woman that she had noted wasn't stopped from earlier. How was she unaffected by what everyone else in the room seemed to be? Hell, how was Rosa herself able to move and see these things? She was trembling both from the sudden temperature and sheer fear that had been instilled in her. "What kind of TV show would have these things appear in the middle of a library? That seems stupid. Everything was fine until a few seconds ago..." She tried to put the fact that there was something horribly wrong out of her mind by just denying it, but there was no denying that there was something that was inhuman not too far in front of her, and there was nowhere to even run. If she went towards the exit, there was another one of those creatures probably waiting to get her. She was cornered.

As Rosa backed up, she scanned over the desk closest to her in case a studious person from before had left anything of use, perhaps a writing utensil or an object she could use to defend herself. She hadn't thought to bring anything of her own from the office, and she cursed herself for being so negligent. At this point, there was nothing she could do but retreat.

[Rosa is under the mindset of Diurnal Sect!
Rosa gains 1 AP!
Rosa moves to Q6! (R6 -> Q6)
Rosa activates Trigger Command: Search! on Desk (Q5)!
Rosa waits...]

Since she was a little girl, Kiera knew she loved cold weather, despite what it brought in the form of colds and dangerous conditions. But she only enjoys it when she can prepare for it, otherwise she ends up like a skinny pop-sickle and turns a depressing blue color. So when the doors open and let in that horrid blast of air unlike anything Kiera has ever known, her whole body shivers and she drops her book on the table to grasp onto her wool coat in a quick fashion. "Close the fucking door, you idiot," she mutters under her breath, looking over her shoulder at the doors she also went through to get in.

The doors are closed. The cold breeze is still there, but the doors are closed. Who in their right minds would open a window in the library? Kiera glances around at all the windows but notices that there is not a single soul near any of the windows. They are all tightly locked and would take great effort to get open with all the ice covering them. Weird, so where is this sold coming from? Kiera is so wrapped up in her own mind that she almost missed the wailing. The ungodly screech of some nether-creature that sounds way too similar to the ice-wraiths in Skyrim.

"The actual fuck is this?" Kiera mutters under her breath as some creature appears on the other side of the hall next to one of the unsuspecting readers. Did she not hear the wail? That place is dangerous! "Hey!" Kiera calls across the hall, "Get away from that thing, don't just stand there!" No response. Was she even listening? Why isn't she moving? It's like she's frozen there.

"Why does this thing remind me of darkspawn?" Kiera shivers at the thought of encountering a beast similar to those found in the Dragon Age games. "Ugh, I knew I shouldn't have exiled the Grey Wardens in my last playthrough." Jokes aside, that thing is disgusting and needs to leave. Better yet, Kiera needs to leave. But she should not go without finding something to protect herself with. Something she could use as a shield or a weapon. Maybe a ruler or a stapler and one of those big hardback books? Kiera glances to the desk at her side for anything she could use.

Kiera searches the desk at C-10

5 takes 10 Damage!

HP: 10/20

Rosa searches the desk...

Rosa obtains Thesaurus x1 and equips it! [Theasurus (Someone's trying to bullshit a paper... [60% Str + 40% Img] Str Damage Basic Attacks.)]

Kiera searches the desk...

Kiera obtains Handbag x1 and equips it! [Handbag (A fashionable bag pilfered from a woman and turned into a weapon – it's got a little heft to it! 90% Str Damage Basic Attacks. Low Chance of Stun.)]

Prologue: Opening the Veil

Location: New York City Public Library – The Reading Room / Study Area / Fiction Section

Atmosphere: Shaken Reality (This is like a bad acid trip! Low chance of Hesitation for the Ally Party.)

Objective: Defeat the mysterious enemies!

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {S} { } { } { } { } { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } {1} {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } {2} L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } { } { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} P
{3} { } {d} { } {d} {R} {b} Q
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} R
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} S
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } {O} {d} { } {d} {4} {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } {5} { } { } {b} { } X
{ } {J} { } { } { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

Enemy Phase 1

1 moves to I5!

2 moves to J11!

3 moves to S2!

4 moves to R6!

4 shrieks in agony!

Rosa takes 1 Damage!

5 shrieks in agony!

Jayce takes 3 Damage!

5 moves to X4!

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {S} { } { } { } { } { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } {1} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {2} { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } { } { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} P
{ } { } {d} { } {d} {R} {b} Q
{ } { } {d} { } {d} {4} {b} R
{ } {3} { } { } { } { } {b} S
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } {O} {d} { } {d} { } {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } { } { } {5} {b} { } X
{ } {J} { } { } { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

Neutral Phase 1

N/A

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {S} { } { } { } { } { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } {1} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {2} { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } { } { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} P
{ } { } {d} { } {d} {R} {b} Q
{ } { } {d} { } {d} {4} {b} R
{ } {3} { } { } { } { } {b} S
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } {O} {d} { } {d} { } {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } { } { } {5} {b} { } X
{ } {J} { } { } { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

Samuel *-3% Ice Dmg Taken*
SP: 20/20
AP: 35/35
Str: 4
Grd: 3
Img: 8
Mnd: 6
Dex: 3%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

Sophia *+5% Dmg Output*
SP: 30/30
AP: 20/20
Str: 6
Grd: 2
Img: 2
Mnd: 4
Dex: 9%
Luck: 5
Move: 3 Cells

Rosa *Diurnal Sect*
SP: 29/30
AP: 40/40
Str: 2
Grd: 5
Img: 5
Mnd: 6
Dex: 2%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells

Kiera
SP: 30/30
AP: 25/25
Str: 8
Grd: 4
Img: 2
Mnd: 3
Dex: 6%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells

Jayce
SP: 32/35
AP: 35/35
Str: 6
Grd: 4
Img: 2
Mnd: 3
Dex: 11%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells

1
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

2
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

3
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

4
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

5
SP: 10/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

{W} – Wall
[No Occupy]
SP: 40/40
Grd: 20
Mnd: 10

{d} – Desk
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Search – Look for something on the desk to use. Range: Adjacent.]
SP: 15/15
Grd: 5
Mnd: 3

{b} – Bookcase
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: A Little Light Reading – Take a book off the shelf. Range: Adjacent.]
SP: 20/20
Grd: 8
Mnd: 6

{b} – Enigmatic Book
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Pick Up – What the heck is going on with this thing? Range: Adjacent. Uses: 1]

{d} – Empty Desk
[No Occupy]
SP: 15/15
Grd: 5
Mnd: 3

Player Phase 2

- - - - -

Sam moves to F10!

Sam ran further into the Reading room, cursing as he saw the ghastly physical monstrosity following after him. "God damn it," he swore again upon seeing another one none too far from him. There were two which meant he was outnumbered! That is, he was until he took note of a girl who had also been spared from whatever the fuck was going on. "Hey! What the Hell are these things?" he demanded, inwardly hoping that she had some sort of answer because this was seriously not funny.

Sophia screamed when she realized no one was going to come out and that the horrid nightmare heading towards her was in fact getting closer and showed no signs of stopping.

"If this is a television show it's a pretty crappy one," Sophia exclaimed to the other girl as she reached into her pocket and produced a knife. She gave the handle a flick allowing the blade to pop out. She brandished it at the creature. In all the years she had the knife she never thought she would have to use it, nor did she think she'd have to use it on some crazy humanoid monstrosity.

Sophia took a step forward and lashed out wildly with the knife. Just brandishing it wasn't enough; she had to show this thing she was serious.

"G-get back if you know what's g-good for you!"

Sophia moves to T2.

Sophia uses Draw Blood on 3! 7 Dmg! (STR) [Chance of Bleeding]

AP: 14/20

Quiet Soul Trait now increases damage by 10%!

The thing shrieked, simultaneously making Jayce grin and wince from pain. It hurt his ears, yes, but there was something about the scream that made the man feel fatigued, like he'd just been socked in the gut. He grit his teeth, and clenched his fists again. "I'm not done with you yet," he growled, running at the abomination once more.

With a mighty battle cry, Jayce once more swung at his otherwordly adversary.

Jayce  moves to Y4! (Y3 > Y4)
Jayce attacks 5! 2 hits, 6 Str damage each!

A handbag? Kiera looks at the brown bag in her hands and pauses for a second. It has a good bit of weight to it and could really pack a wallop. Kiera nods once and wraps the strap around her hand, ready to swing it at anything that gets too close. Particularly those creatures that resemble ghouls from the Dragon Age games, a type of darkspawn. Corpses basically, taking on human flesh and bone and rising up from the dead. Poison in their blood and teeth and horror in their eyes. Kiera never thought that a video game creature could come to life. Now she kind of wishes she never started playing games.

"You honestly thing I have any fucking clue as to what these things are?" Kiera snaps aggressively at the boy with the stupid question. She waves her hand in the air, picking up her book off the desk and shoving it into her purse. "Oh no, I have no idea what these things are, let's ask the girl over there who has already voiced her own fucking distress at these fiends. If you must speak to me, don't ask me stupid questions, I hate those.

"Now we've gotten that settled, the name's Kiera Riley, friends call me Kate. Nice to meet ya. Those things," Kiera points to the closest monstrosity and grimaces a little at it. "Might as well give them a name. How does 'scary fucking apparition' sound? Or just Ghoul. That might work."

Kiera waits.

Rosa had looked on the desk to see if there was anything of note. Next to a frozen student was a thick resource book. Without thinking twice, she pulled it off the table and snapped it shut, looking at its cover. The Merriam-Webster's Thesaurus. Oh, so this student's vocabulary wasn't large. No matter. "I'm glad someone was trying to bullshit a paper, but..." She considered whether or not she should keep it... although it would be stupid of her to leave it behind. She might be able to fend off a slap or something from the mannequin.

And then another wail. It made Rosa's insides twist in pain, and she put her free hand to her ear, trying to drown out the awful sound. All she could do was back up... and then she hit a corner. She looked around in desperation. She needed something better than this big book, maybe something lighter? Without putting down the thesaurus, Rosa used her free hand to skim the big bookshelf to her left. With this establishment being a library, certainly there would be something a bit more handy to distract the mannequin thing with, right? The thesaurus was quite heavy, after all.

She heard the sound of a blade slashing against flesh from the other side of the room, but that didn't stop her search. Perhaps the other woman was faring better than she was if she had a real weapon...

[Rosa is under the mindset of Diurnal Sect!
Rosa gains 1 AP!
Rosa moves to P6! (Q6 -> P6)
Rosa activates Trigger Command: A Little Light Reading! on Bookshelf (P7)!
Rosa waits...]

3 takes 6 Damage!

HP: 14/20

3 is bleeding!

The Quiet Soul is quiet no longer!

5 takes 10 Damage!

5... PERFECT KILL!!

Jayce gains access to Trigger Command: GTFO!

Rosa takes a book off the shelf...

Rosa gains access to Trigger Command: FUCK KNOWLEDGE!

Prologue: Opening the Veil

Location: New York City Public Library – The Reading Room / Study Area / Fiction Section

Atmosphere: Shaken Reality (This is like a bad acid trip! Low chance of Hesitation for the Ally Party.)

Objective: Defeat the mysterious enemies!

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {S} { } { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } {1} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {2} { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } { } { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } { } { } { } {R} {b} P
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} Q
{ } { } {d} { } {d} {4} {b} R
{ } {3} { } { } { } { } {b} S
{ } {O} { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } { } { } { } {b} { } X
{ } { } { } {J} { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

Enemy Phase 2

1 moves to I8!

2 moves to G11!

2 shrieks in agony!

Sam takes 1 Damage!

The creature Sophia had slashed shuddered. It's wound sputtered black ooze as it shrieked and ran off – the cut continued to ooze the substance and a moldy smell filled the room. What the hell were these things?

3 shrieks in agony!

Sophia avoids the attack!

3 moves to R4!

3 bleeds!

HP: 12/20

4 moves to Q6!

4 shrieks in agony!

Rosa takes 1 Damage!

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {S} { } { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {2} { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } {1} { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } { } { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } { } { } { } {R} {b} P
{ } { } {d} { } {d} {4} {b} Q
{ } { } {d} {3} {d} { } {b} R
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} S
{ } {O} { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } { } { } { } {b} { } X
{ } { } { } {J} { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

3's Bleeding has two turns left!

Neutral Phase 2

N/A

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {S} { } { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {2} { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } {1} { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } { } { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } { } { } { } {R} {b} P
{ } { } {d} { } {d} {4} {b} Q
{ } { } {d} {3} {d} { } {b} R
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} S
{ } {O} { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } { } { } { } {b} { } X
{ } { } { } {J} { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

Samuel *-3% Ice Dmg Taken*
SP: 19/20
AP: 35/35
Str: 4
Grd: 3
Img: 8
Mnd: 6
Dex: 3%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

Sophia *+10% Dmg Output*
SP: 30/30
AP: 14/20
Str: 6
Grd: 2
Img: 2
Mnd: 4
Dex: 9%
Luck: 5
Move: 3 Cells

Rosa *Diurnal Sect*
SP: 28/30
AP: 40/40
Str: 2
Grd: 5
Img: 5
Mnd: 6
Dex: 2%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells
[Trigger Command: FUCK KNOWLEDGE! – Toss the book in hand at something with as much force as you can muster. 100% Str Damage. Chance of Stun. 3 Cell Range. Uses: 1]

Kiera
SP: 30/30
AP: 25/25
Str: 8
Grd: 4
Img: 2
Mnd: 3
Dex: 6%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells

Jayce
SP: 32/35
AP: 35/35
Str: 6
Grd: 4
Img: 2
Mnd: 3
Dex: 11%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells
[Trigger Command: GTFO! – Get away from this damn place. Ain't nothing normal goin' on here. Go to another area of the Library.]

1
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

2
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

3 *Bleeding [2]*
SP: 12/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

4
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

5 *PERFECT KILL*

{W} – Wall
[No Occupy]
SP: 40/40
Grd: 20
Mnd: 10

{d} – Desk
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Search – Look for something on the desk to use. Range: Adjacent.]
SP: 15/15
Grd: 5
Mnd: 3

{b} – Bookcase
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: A Little Light Reading – Take a book off the shelf. Range: Adjacent.]
SP: 20/20
Grd: 8
Mnd: 6

{b} – Enigmatic Book
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Pick Up – What the heck is going on with this thing? Range: Adjacent. Uses: 1]

{d} – Empty Desk
[No Occupy]
SP: 15/15
Grd: 5
Mnd: 3

{b} – Perused Bookcase
[No Occupy]
SP: 20/20
Grd: 8
Mnd: 6

Player Phase 3

- - - - -

Sam rolled his eyes out of force of habit. "This is why I don't talk to people," he muttered to himself, registering everything that the girl said in the back of his mind. He did not notice the creature coming his way. "Alright, fine. Ghouls, it i– GAH!" The shriek had not only caught the young man off-guard, but something about it cut into his mind. His head spun just a tad as he tried to get a hold of his surroundings once more. "What the fuck?" he cursed again, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Whatever the Hell these things are, we better not stand around and let them keep doing that."

What happened next surprised even Samuel. It was almost instinctive. He simply closed the gap between himself and the grotesque creature before slamming his fist into it. It didn't seem to react in any particular way.

Sam moves to G10!

Sam attacks 2! 4 Str Damage!

Jayce panted, standing in awe as the creature that he just finished wailing emitted another ear-piercing cry, then exploded into a foul-smelling ooze. He reached up to wipe the goop off of his face, but it faded away. Jayce was confused now.

It seemed to go down easily enough... he thought. Even though it's screams wore at the man's sanity and they looked absolutely horrifying they weren't that bad, once he managed to wrap his mind around the fact that he'd killed it with only a few punches. He glanced at the book, wondering if he should take it with. "No, fuck that book," he grumbled to himself.

The drug dealer allowed himself a moment to breathe before deciding to dip out before more of the bastards showed up.

Jayce uses Trigger Command: GTFO!

Sophia feels a Strange Sensation! [General Crit Chance +5%]

Sophia watched in horror as the creature began to ooze with a disgusting looking liquid.  Was that its blood?  She took her scarf and raised it over her mouth.  She was about to barf when she felt some odd feeling in the pit of her stomach.  Was she really going to hurl?  It wasn't...okay, so it was pretty bad, but still!  She clutched her stomach in pain.  Was she hungry?  At a time like this?  She was surprised her appetite remained at all.  Now was not the time.  Shaking her head, she rose to her feet and tightened her grip on her knife.

Sophia moves to S4.

The creature was actually running away from Sophia, and this seemed to empower her a bit.  Maybe this wasn't such a bad situation after all.  She didn't really know how to use a knife well but it seemed to work out well enough.  She chased after the thing and lunged into it with the point for a vicious stab.

Sophia attacks 3!  3 Piercing Dmg! [15% Crit Chance]

"That, I can agree with," Kiera says with a nod, then turning her attention to the ghoul. Creepy little bugger. The boy's attack looks like it did something, at least, so these creatures can be hurt. If they can be hurt, they can be killed. At least, that is what Kiera hopes is true. She takes a careful two steps forward, judging the distance between her and the ghoul before stopping. The handbag's straps have a benefit of being able to be used from a little more of a distance than her fists. Though she could probably get a really good hit in with the ghoul's eyes on the boy.

Kiera raises her handbag and throws it down on top of the ghoul's head. The contents of the bag bounce around but don't come out, providing that extra bit of oomph when the bag hits. Kiera retreats the bag to her side again and takes a quick glance at the boy. "What's your name, junior?" she asks quickly, putting her eyes back on the enemy.

Kiera moves to E-11

Kiera attacks 2! 7 Str DMG! Chance of Stun!

Rosa pilfered through the bookshelf on her left and pulled out a random book that she could wrap her hand around. With a yank, she pulled a moderately thick volume that felt as if it hadn't been handled in a while. While not as thick as her thesaurus, she thought it would probably be just as knowledgeable. She took a look at the cover. Oxford Atlas of the World. Oh joy. Then the pain returned along with the dreadful sound. She almost sympathized with the pain the mannequin seemed to emanate, although she was too busy fearing for her life. She started to run towards the way she had come in before she turned towards the second mannequin, which was now coming towards her.

She had no choice. She was going to die here if she didn't begin to fight back somehow. Even if she would look like a fool brandishing two resource volumes as weapons, it would be better than not trying at all. Rosa gritted her teeth and looked intensely between the two mannequins that were chasing her down. No. She would not go down without a fight. She had worked too hard to get to where she was, and there was no way she was letting it all go. "Alright then, come get me! Show me what you're made of!" She held the books in front of her in a defensive stance, ready to brace any physical blows if she could, though up to this point, there hadn't been much physical about them.

Rosa looked towards the young knife-brandishing woman. Quite threatening, if she was able to do something to these things with only a knife. "So, what's your name? You seem to be doing pretty well for yourself, all things considered." Adrenaline was coursing through her veins, and if this was how she was going to go down, she'd get to know this woman's name first at least.

[Rosa is under the mindset of Diurnal Sect!
Rosa gains 1 AP!
Rosa moves to P3! (P6 -> P5 -> P4 -> P3)
Rosa uses Sect Rotation!
Rosa falls under the mindset of Nocturnal Sect!
Rosa's AP Costs that are higher than 5 are reduced by 1.
Rosa waits...]

2 takes 9 Damage!

HP: 11/20

2 avoids Stun...

Jayce gets the fuck out of there and winds up in the Study Area at O4!

Trigger Command: GTFO becomes unavailable!

3 takes 5 Damage! (Sophia CRITICAL!!)

HP: 7/20

Rosa's mindset shifts to Nocturnal!

The Enigmatic Book churns with an ominous energy...

Prologue: Opening the Veil

Location: New York City Public Library – The Reading Room / Study Area / Fiction Section

Atmosphere: Shaken Reality (This is like a bad acid trip! Low chance of Hesitation for the Ally Party.)

Objective: Defeat the mysterious enemies!

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {S} {2} { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } {1} { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } {J} { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } {R} { } { } { } {b} P
{ } { } {d} { } {d} {4} {b} Q
{ } { } {d} {3} {d} { } {b} R
{ } { } { } {O} { } { } {b} S
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } { } { } { } {b} { } X
{ } { } { } { } { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

Enemy Phase 3

1 moves to H10!

1 shrieks in agony!

Samuel takes 1 Damage!

2 moves to F11!

2 shrieks in agony! A collective wail forms!

Samuel takes 1 Damage!

Kiera takes 4 Damage!

3 moves to Q4!

3 shrieks in agony!

Rosa takes 1 Damage!

3 bleeds!

HP: 5/20

4 moves to P4!

4 shrieks in agony! A collective wail forms!

Rosa takes 1 Damage!

Jayce takes 4 Damage!

A vicious roar is heard from beyond the pages of the Enigmatic Book!

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {2} { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {S} { } { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {1} { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } {J} { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } {R} {4} { } { } {b} P
{ } { } {d} {3} {d} { } {b} Q
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} R
{ } { } { } {O} { } { } {b} S
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } { } { } { } {b} { } X
{ } { } { } { } { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

3's Bleeding has one turn left!

Neutral Phase 3

N/A

{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } A
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } B
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } C
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } D
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} {K} { } E
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {2} { } F
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {S} { } { } G
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } {1} { } { } H
{ } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } I
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } J
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } K
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } L
{W} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } {d} { } { } M
{W} { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } { } N
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7---8---9--10--11--12-

{W} {W} { } {J} { } {W} {W} O
{ } { } {R} {4} { } { } {b} P
{ } { } {d} {3} {d} { } {b} Q
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} R
{ } { } { } {O} { } { } {b} S
{ } { } { } { } { } { } {b} T
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} U
{ } { } {d} { } {d} { } {b} V
-1---2---3---4---5---6---7-

{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} W
{ } { } { } { } {b} { } X
{ } { } { } { } { } { } Y
{b} {b} {b} {b} {b} {b} Z
-1---2---3---4---5---6-

Samuel *-3% Ice Dmg Taken*
SP: 17/20
AP: 35/35
Str: 4
Grd: 3
Img: 8
Mnd: 6
Dex: 3%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

Sophia *+10% Dmg Output*
SP: 30/30
AP: 14/20
Str: 6
Grd: 2
Img: 2
Mnd: 4
Dex: 9%
Luck: 5
Move: 3 Cells

Rosa *Nocturnal Sect*
SP: 26/30
AP: 40/40
Str: 2
Grd: 5
Img: 5
Mnd: 6
Dex: 2%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells
[Trigger Command: FUCK KNOWLEDGE! – Toss the book in hand at something with as much force as you can muster. 100% Str Damage. Chance of Stun. 3 Cell Range. Uses: 1]

Kiera
SP: 26/30
AP: 25/25
Str: 8
Grd: 4
Img: 2
Mnd: 3
Dex: 6%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells

Jayce
SP: 28/35
AP: 35/35
Str: 6
Grd: 4
Img: 2
Mnd: 3
Dex: 11%
Luck: 4
Move: 3 Cells
[Trigger Command: GTFO! – Get away from this damn place. Ain't nothing normal goin' on here. Go to another area of the Library.]

1
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

2
SP: 11/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

3 *Bleeding [2]* *CRITICAL*
SP: 5/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

4
SP: 20/20
AP: 20/20
Str: 1
Grd: 1
Img: 7
Mnd: 2
Dex: 8%
Luck: 3
Move: 3 Cells

5 *PERFECT KILL*

{W} – Wall
[No Occupy]
SP: 40/40
Grd: 20
Mnd: 10

{d} – Desk
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Search – Look for something on the desk to use. Range: Adjacent.]
SP: 15/15
Grd: 5
Mnd: 3

{b} – Bookcase
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: A Little Light Reading – Take a book off the shelf. Range: Adjacent.]
SP: 20/20
Grd: 8
Mnd: 6

{b} – Enigmatic Book
[No Occupy]
[Trigger Command: Pick Up – What the heck is going on with this thing? Range: Adjacent. Uses: 1]

{d} – Empty Desk
[No Occupy]
SP: 15/15
Grd: 5
Mnd: 3

{b} – Perused Bookcase
[No Occupy]
SP: 20/20
Grd: 8
Mnd: 6

Player Phase 4

- - - - -

Junior? he thought distastefully, eying the much smaller girl carefully. She couldn't possibly be older than him. Could she? Sam doubted it. He responded in an even voice, "Sam." The ghouls had somehow enhanced their strength by shrieking together, but Kiera seemed to be taking it worse than he was. "I wish these things would shut the fuck up already," he spat, "it's making my head hurt.

Samuel moves to G11!

Samuel attacks 2! 4 Str Damage!

Sophia moves to R4.

Sophia's strike appeared to be true. Internally she praised herself. It had to be her survival instincts kicking in because she certainly wasn't ready to just lay down and die. She had to survive this and figure out what on earth was going on and after that maybe she could return to the more important things such as getting ready to take her final exams. They were not going to pass themselves.

Feeling more confident, Sophia chased after the fleeing creature only to take notice of a new arrival. He was a seedy-looking fellow who appeared to be the most untrustworthy person she had ever seen personally in her life. He too was apparently unaffected by whatever force held the other people in the library hostage. Ignoring that, she thrust her knife point into the creature in front of her, hoping to bring it to its end.

"Since you may be one of the last people I see before I die, I'm Sophia Snowdin," Sophia introduced herself rather grimly but it was the truth. "Can I have the pleasure of knowing your name? Shame it's under these circumstances that we meet."

"Oh, and I'm just lucky. I have no practice with a knife."

Sophia attacks 3! 3 Piercing Dmg! [15% Crit Chance]

"I had a feeling you would have a boring name. That's alright though, it's difficult being unique in a world like this one." Kiera flinched from the wailing ghouls and a shiver went down her spine after. The wailing made her head nearly split open, she had to push her hands against her temples just to keep her head from opening. Shivering again and unwilling to hear that sound a second time, she raises her handbag and slams it down on the ghoul with as much force as she can muster.

"I need a sword of silverite," Kiera mutters under her breath. Silverite swords are more effective versus the ghouls and darkspawn in those games she's played. Having one on hand would be useful. Running away would also be useful, but pointless with how quick these things move.

Kiera attacks 2! 7 Str DMG!

More screams of anguish filled the room, and they were beginning to take their toll on Rosa. She was beginning to feel down and under the weather. These things were in so much pain... and yet there was nothing she could do for them. She shook her head which throbbed with the sudden motion. Come on, get a hold of yourself. Soon enough, this'll be over, right? She brought the books back to chest level and considered her options. The thesaurus was pretty hefty and would serve for more as a shield than the atlas. Perhaps she could use the atlas to at least knock the mannequin off balance or something similar. As she was thinking to herself, she was interrupted by a sudden new arrival. It was a young man who looked as if he could have been having a better day, and not in the best of moods. For the moment she needed to write him off, though, and focus on the thing right in front of her.

"Snowdin you say?" She laughed a bit. "Quite a surname you've got there. My name is Rosa. Rosa Pinal." She took a step back away from the mannequin and threw the atlas in her left hand with all her might at the mannequin's upper area. She hoped that she could knock the thing off balance to give them all some much-needed breathing room. "I was supposed to have been working on a project with a colleague of mine; I just hope that she's okay. Everyone else seems to not be." She took a look across the room, glossing over all of the frozen statuettes that had once been other students and various members of the public. "But I wonder why we're fine..." Rosa mused more to herself on that last part, but was still loud enough to be heard.

[Rosa is under the mindset of Nocturnal Sect!
Rosa's AP Costs that are higher than 5 are reduced by 1.
Rosa moves to P2! (P3 -> P2)
Rosa activates Trigger Command: FUCK KNOWLEDGE!
Rosa throws the book in her left hand at 4!
2 Str Damage! Chance of Stun!
Sect Rotation - Cooldown: 2 Turns.
Rosa waits...]

Jayce took off, sliding over desks and dodging bookshelves. He  stopped in the next area--the first thing he noticed was a girl with a knife slashing at another one of the wraiths he just finished beating up. The second thing he noticed was that the other people in the room were frozen solid, like time ceased existing for them.

"The fuck?" he said mostly to himself. He heard another woman's voice, but couldn't see her until she moved around the corner and hurled a book at the wraith in front of him. Apparently the knife girl was Sophia and the other woman was Rosa. Their wails and screams of agony were wearing on his sanity at this point, eliciting a feral snarl from the man.

The humans outnumbered the wraiths now, and he wasn't necessarily scared of them to begin with. He launched a harsh kick at his new foe's head. "I'm Jayce," he hissed.

Jayce uses High Kick on 4! 8 Str! Chance of stun! (AP: 27/35)