So, I need you to answer a question for me:

the pyramid on floor 92
or
the castle ruins on floor 73

which is the best for hide-and-seek?

And does anyone want to play said hide-and-seek with me?

The network comes on painfully--the terminals crackle with energy like there was some sort of wild power surge going through the Tower. Every terminal turns on at once. The display is broken at first, but slowly it stabilizes, the display just behind Zo's shoulder. White-hot energy pulses from him--it looks like he’s forced the display on somehow. Monitors flicker in and out of view in the room; it seems to be some sort of control center composed of floating screens and input devices. The room is large, making it hard to see the ends from the display, but aside from Zo there are two others in the room.

Riki looks a bit worse for wear and, as opposed to his usual stoic demeanor, has an expression approaching furious. Most of Zo's energy seems concentrated around him like a barrier, and the monitors whirl around behind RIki now, following some sort of unspoken command. The world shifts abruptly, providing a different angle on the confusing situation.

The laughter that echoes around the chamber is deep, dark and somehow primordial. There’s another figure looking exactly like Riki, but the features are twisted, the indifferent disposition morphed into a terrible smirk. From his hand a wave of dark energy smashes into the room, sending whatever was still standing flying over.

"Come now! Is this the best defense system this place has to offer to one of its grand administrators? Cowering behind a child? Well, I do suppose considering everything about this world, it should not be the least bit surprising."

He took another step.

"So tell me, how did your little ants enjoy their trip into the central throne?"

The various scattered objects freeze in place as Riki draws in his screens; the screens seem to be made of the air itself, or something similar, and he alters and pulls at them as easily as if they were tied to him by a thousand strings. "Not your business," he growls. Another swipe of his screens and the objects morph, shifting into swords that fly at the false Riki. "Stop wearing my face."

Zo shrinks back against the wall. His barriers don’t fall, but he obviously doesn't enjoy the violence taking place.

"Not my business? I am darkness that makes up the Collective Unconsciousness! My primary sources of power, the three poisons that make up life, Anger, Ignorance and Vengeance are ripe in this world!"

Nyarlathotep raises his other hand and catches the swords, looking almost bored.

"Humans are strange...I came here because of the despair that fills every orifice of this tower...the desire for all of you to put an end to this, and now you would try to whisk me away?"

The swords melt into a puddle of metal on the floor, and suddenly he is besides Zo, trying to violently push him away.

Zo shrieks, clearly terrified, but his barriers cover him as they cover Riki, and they crackle with raw energy in their owner’s defense. Riki alters something on his screens and the metal rises up, forming itself into some sort of great mercurial beast that lunges at Nyarlathotep. "Leave the kid out've it, you attacked me first."

"Hahaha! What’s this? Feeling sentimental about another?" Nyarlathotep had barely even flinched from touching the other. "But is not your personal interest simply tied to the tower itself? I suppose even a monkey will brand its tools when backed in a corner..."

At his turn, the giant creature is lit aflame, crying out as the fire causes the skin to bubble, crack and expand. Soon it has enlarged into strands of burned mercury before a slap from the other Riki makes it fall into dust.

"Ha ha ha! Do you not know where the term, 'mad as a hatter' comes from? I've given humanity much fun with that element!"

At his turn, he summons forth a demon, as it moves forward, casting a spell in an attempt to poison both of the tower residents.

Zo flinches at the monster, but steps forward nonetheless--or rather leaps in a burst of childish energy. "Stop--stop it! Stop it!"

The screen turns white and crackles--it’s barely possible to make out the figures, let alone what’s going on, but whatever Zo's done tears the demon into six or seven pieces. Then the light gets brighter--there’s a different sort of crackle. It sounds like the monitor itself is breaking, because it is. The screen warps and fills with static before the video cuts out completely.

They can hear the battle still going on, however, Nyarlathotep speaking for one final time.

"Hmph! Regardless of how much you struggle, the end will be the same! Just like the worlds of the disembodied souls you siphon into recycled bodies over and over, this one will also meet its end! Now the question is, how much are you willing to risk?"

Another explosion cracks apart what sound remains. The feed cuts out.

[The feed shows a freaked out blonde young girl, looking at the screen.]

Where the heck am I?

[Her eyes get bigger as she gets more desparate by the second.]

What is this place?

[Now, she’s screaming.]

WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?

Subtlety's not my strong suit.

What do you think of God? The gods, if you have more than one.

[Answers will come from this account, belzebul, or demonfly.]

[ Someone who hasn't been around in a few months is back! On the consoles is a very confused princess whose looking more distressed by something other than being here. Amalia has no idea she's been gone as long as she has been. ]

Can someone please tell me what's going on? I went to 2-19 and I was told that it's not my room. I don't understand, did we get new assignments this week?

[For all she'd told Shion she was fine a few days ago, the cough had started later that afternoon and everything else had come out of nowhere and hit her like a giant Heartless. She was so tired it was a bit difficult to get out of bed, and everything just seemed to be getting colder - though it was hard to tell with how cold everything already was. Meanwhile, her whole body felt like it was aching.

The voice coming across the feed is a very special kind of miserable, maybe a little worried too. She doesn't usually post on the network but right now she doesn't have the energy to drag herself throughout the Tower looking for people she knows.]

Do we know if the Tower is doing s-s-something...? I... [she pauses to cough] feel really bad, and I don't get w-why. I've never felt like this before.

[Guess who's never been sick a day before in her admittedly short life? Not to mention it's a Jason month if the food is anything to go by and she's seen the occasional other person coughing and such too - and the whole "spread of disease" concept is totally lost on her.]

_{[This question's time stamp marks it as being made some time in the middle of the night, and there's quite a few typos left uncorrected - it seems like the owner cared more about posting it than making it pretty, probably because of the cold making their hands clumsy. It's been posted anonymously, but not under the ubiquitous 'times new roman' font that pops up often.]}


questeions like these get a lot responses . it alwayss surprissed me but id like to take advantgage of that now

what do yuou thinnk makes a hero?

dsicus amongst youselffves or rmable or wtefver

jsut tell me

[A boy in green peers at the camera closely, before drawing back a little.]

I'm going to guess that the world being destroyed isn't the angels' doing. For one thing, this isn't their style of decor, and for another thing, they wouldn't have spared me.

Has anyone seen two people about my age? Their names are Setsuna Kai and Mirai Kaname. They're very important to me, so please let me know if you've seen them. Oh, if you don't know their names, they're demon summoners, so that's another clue.

Honestly, I'd be happy to see any other demon right now, from a Jack Frost all the way up to Lucifer. ...Or maybe I'd be happy just to talk to anybody.

[He sighs, shakes his head, and turns off the camera.]

Um, good morning.

[ She gives the screen a tentative smile, but it's hard for her to get used to these terminals. It wasn't at all like talking to a real person. ]

There seem to be a lot of people who are new, so I wanted to say that if anyone would like something grown, I can help -- I'd like to help. I know we have the forest and the meadow levels but sometimes it's nice to have a bit of greenery in other places too, right?

Also, if anyone's wanted something different to eat since I know there's been a lot of pumpkins in the cafeteria lately!

[ She seems to gain a bit of confidence. ]

Oh, and my name is Amalia! I'll do my best to grow what you need!

[ Amalia stands in front of the video screen with her hands clasped in front of her. ]

Um, hello. This message is for the people in charge of the Tower.

I wanted to thank you for fixing all the floors back to the way they were and for even giving us new ones, and for returning our trunks. I know the things inside of them mean a lot to the people here.

I didn't know if anyone had taken the time to let you know that what you did was appreciated.

[ a brief pause ]

So, thank you.

[Lina is on the network once again, this time with a proper question rather than overreacting over something.]

I know there's other magic-users here - I'm curious if any of you have tried to use your magic to get out of here. I've tried several times so far - different spells and locations, and only gotten my powers taken away and a lot of shocks for my trouble. [She scowls a bit, then huffs.] That said, trying to get out by force, even if it's magical seems to be a lost cause - so I'm wondering if anyone else might have some kind of alternative methods to consider using. Has anyone tried teleportation magic, for starters?

-So is this how it works?

[On the screen is a small girl, looking about 13, dressed in green and far away from her home. Her eyes glance down a few times, reading the piece of paper in her lap and following its every instruction. Clearly the word technology is foreign to her, let alone the ability to use it.]

Good thing the letter is so thorough, I would've never learned to use this by myself. Of course, I could always be talking to myself instead. I really hope not.

[She lets out a small nervous laugh, but she really does mean it. Just knowing anyone else was out there.]

It's so quiet here, I can't hear anything. Not even the faintest calling from the spirits. Everything here is so cold and hard, so different from the forest. It's actually a little scary...but I guess it's the way things have to be.

[Her eyes saddened a little. This was all real, she could feel it deep down. But then there was always a harder truth to accept.]

What that letter said, about home being destroyed, I don't believe it's a lie. After all, everything passes in time. But for there to have been so little left...I failed in my duties. I'm so sorry everyone.

[As a Sage, she should've been able to see this destruction come. She should've been able to do something...]

If anyone can hear me, my name is Saria. I'm looking for my friends. There are the Sages like myself: Rauru, Darunia, Ruto, Impa, Nabooru, and Princess Zelda; the other Kokiri children....Link....If any of those sound familiar, please let me know.