5 - Bicolor Office

Upon entering the fifth floor of Somnium Infinito, one might think it's from an old movie. Everything is in black and white, with different shades of gray showing perspective. Walking out of the elevator and looking around, you're trapped by what appears to be walls only six feet high. You can only walk forward for twenty feet, until you come across a split path. Left or right.

Depending on which you choose, you'll be sent into a seemingly endless maze, with openings on the sides of the wall every couple of minutes of travel, letting you into an empty office work station. You may enter them or continue down the path, unless it's a dead end. Very rarely you'll find potted plants and herbs growing in the work station, and even less, building materials left behind by whomever occupied the space previously. Pieces of unusable, torn-up paper and other trash litter the floor.

Upon finishing the maze, if one is lucky enough to, they will come across a closed and locked door. The key is hidden somewhere in the maze, and changes location every time you re-enter the floor. The key disappears from one's possession if it is taken out of the floor. Inside the room contains one rare stock item, a different and new one every time.

The last thing I could remember happening was a bullet to the head. A blindfold covered my eyes, and I was agonizingly hungry and thirsty. I hadn't had anything to drink in nearly three days. My lips were cracked, and my mouth was as dry as a desert. I hadn't had anything to eat in longer. They--whoever had taken me--were toying with me. They would tease me with the smell of food, but I could never get it. My hands were tied with what felt like rope, and my feet were shackled with chains. The room I was in smelled of blood. I didn't dare move anymore, after my first day of being captive. I'd been beaten just for getting up.

I eventually begged to be killed. I couldn't stand it anymore. And so they complied. Whoever had captured me, one of them had grabbed me by my throat and lifted my head off the floor. I could hear his scratchy voice whisper, "Nighty night, Hade." to me before he pulled the trigger. When he did, I didn't feel pain. I felt nothing, which was both good and bad.

I waited for myself to die. I waited for everything to end. But nothing seemed to. I could still feel my hands and feet tied. I couldn't feel myself breathing, however. I also didn't feel the hunger or thirst I had before the gunshot. But I still expected myself to be dead.

I sat. I thought. I tried to cry, but couldn't. I couldn't say how long it was, or where I was. My eyes were covered by the blindfold still, and after a while I just kept my eyes closed.

Eventually, I felt what seemed to be a thud. I hadn't felt anything before, and feeling this now was very strange. I opened my eyes, and to my surprise, saw a world in front of me. I sat up and looked around. The world I was in was black and white, and I appeared to be in an abandoned work station. The kinds you would find in big business corporations.

It was then that I realized my hands weren't tied together--I'd been able to sit up using them. I looked down at my hands--no. They weren't hands anymore!
"What in the world...?" I mumbled to myself, staring down at what appeared to be furred paws. I bent and unbent my fingers a few times, turning the paws back and forth. Yep. I thought to myself. These are mine...
The thought struck me that my hands might not be the only alteration, and a looked down at myself entirely. I was right. My body was covered in a dark grey fur, and my feet had turned into paws as well. Both my hand paws and foot paws had black claws on them. I adjusted my black glasses, and only realized I'd grown what seemed to be a muzzle after I'd bumped into it with my paws. I felt it up and down, finding it strange. And then I heard was seemed to be rustling on the floor behind me.

I turned my head and stared at a dark grey, furry tail. It was attached to me. I'd never had a tail before, and it took me a moment to figure out the motor controls to use it. I stood up, confused and feeling as though I was in a dream, and swished my tail back and forth, still staring at it.

Okay, so my body's changed... mostly. I still feel the same on the inside, but my outside... And my clothes haven't changed, either. Much. I was glad. My signature outfit still covered my body, although not in my signature color. My grey undershirt partially hidden by my black leather-like jacket stay the same. My brown pants--now a darker grey-- still covered my legs, the bottoms of the pant legs just hovering over my ankles. My brown satchel--which had been taken from me before I 'died'--was now returned to me as a darker grey, slung across my chest. My blue collar--now a medium grey--was still around my neck. The gold buckle holding the collar on was a light grey now.

If my brown pants and satchel are dark grey in this... black and white world, then does that mean my fur is brown as well...? But as crazy as me being alive, and furry, is... I thought to myself, walking out of the office work station. I looked left to right, staring down both pathways. The big question still stands: Where am I?

I took the left path, which is common for anyone lost. I walked for about two minutes before I came to another split path. I took the left path again. I continued down the path until a third split; I took the right path. I walked, and walked, for what seemed a ridiculous amount of time. I came to a dead end eventually, with a work office on the left. I looked in it, and nothing was there.

I continued the pattern of taking new turns and reaching dead ends for what seemed an hour, before I reached my sixth dead end. As I turned around and continued down the opposite hallway, I began to laugh. Whether it be from insanity, or irritation, I couldn't say. All I could muster in my head was, So this is my own personal hell? An endless maze with nothing but trash in it?

It wasn't long, however, before I came to a split with a choice of continuing forward or taking a right. I took the right. To my surprise, down the hallway, I saw what appeared to be a circular, cylindrical object. I adjusted my glasses. It was too far to tell what it was. I started at a walk towards it. I quickly began jogging. It wasn't long at all before I reached it; it appeared to be an elevator!

Have I finished the maze...? I thought to myself. I didn't see a button to call the elevator. I could hear it running, however. It sounded like the elevator was going up. Perhaps it was coming to me? I waited for a short while, and the elevator doors opened. Inside, I could see the interior of the elevator. I didn't know whether I should trust it or not, but I decided it was better than the office I was in. As I walked into the elevator, I nearly fell back with shock. My body seemed to regain color upon entering it! My pants were again brown, and my satchel as well. My fur changed into a brown color, similar to my satchel and pants.

This place... is very strange. I surmised. I looked around in the elevator and noticed that there were indeed floor buttons. I pushed the one that said "L". I assumed that meant "Lobby".

The doors to the elevator closed, and I could feel my weight fluster for a moment. I was going down. It wasn't long before I had made it to the lobby. I walked out of the elevator, looking around at the enormous room, and walked straight for the exit doors. I walked out of the building quickly, and to my surprise, saw what appeared to be a town. At least, one still being built. I walked towards it, out of curiosity.

Hade walked out of the elevator, everything suddenly turning black and white. "I'll just be in here a minute..." He thought to himself. He walked straight forward, and took a left at the turn, keeping his senses alert for an upset.

The member 'Hade Edah' has done the following action : Roll Dice

'Encounter S2' : 3

Hade: *Takes a right, looking around*

The member 'Hade Edah' has done the following action : Roll Dice

'Encounter S2' : 1

Hade: *HEars the flapping of wings behind him* Aha! *Turns around*

Battle engaged!
Aero Wolfen
Lvl. 8
HP: 75/75
Atk: 7
"Ignores agility bonus with extreme speed. *Cannot be hit by bows."

Hade: *Is hit by a blindingly fast claw-attack, and shakes his head* What the devil...? You're fast, aren't you? *Runs at it and slashes its side*

Hade
HP: 28/35
Atk: 20+(7)

The member 'Hade Edah' has done the following action : Roll Dice

'Attack Modifier' : 8

Aero Wolfen
Lvl. 8
HP: 40/75
Atk: 7
"Ignores agility bonus with extreme speed. *Cannot be hit by bows."

Hade was struck by another fast hit!

Hade: *Stabs the Wolfen*

Hade
HP: 21/35
Atk: 20+(7)

The member 'Hade Edah' has done the following action : Roll Dice

'Attack Modifier' : 3

Hade: *While next to the wolfen, before it gets a chance to flee, he uses the cleaver to cut it in half* Boom, non-headshot! *Puts his Casinner back in his modified beltloop* Ahh... So nice. But should I fight more...? *Walks back to the elevator and down it*