The World of Crimson: Into darkness, descent. [Episode 126600]

“Well, that was rather easy,” observed Crimson as he unequiped his weapons and scraped the remaining zombie-goop off of his threads.   “So, what’s next?”

“Okay, if you think you’re so ready to move up a level, let’s descend into the dungeon entrance just over there,” suggested Firefly with mixed feelings.   For a total newbie he had done alright fighting zombies, once he got into it, but his character portrait had annoying smugness painted all over its pixels.   On the other hand, the entrance was a small, gothic structure standing in a section of the field strewn with disturbed graves.

“A crypt?” observed Crimson redundantly as he circled the stone-textured structure.   It wasn’t much larger than an outhouse.

“Yeah,” agreed Firefly with less than total enthusiasm over the prospect, “well, it’s obviously the theme for today’s delve.”   It would be full of spooks and spiders and things, all rendered in hi-resolution, in-your-face, 3D-graphics.   “Just great…”

“Let’s go!” exclaimed Crimson, with what Firefly felt was a way-too-chipper sort of voice.   He just kicked open the stone-textured door and stepped briskly into the dark portal.

“Crimson you newbie!” cursed Firefly as her character emerged from the transition area and bumped right into his.   She momentarily clung to him for support, then hastily backed away.   She blushed from the physical feedback, then quickly resumed her berating to cover her embarasment. “Don’t stand in the hyperlink!   And next time, wait for our empee and achepee to recover before entering a new area!   Or at least check the door for traps.”

“(Our what-peas, now?)” thought Crimson as he stared around the dimmly-lit, cobweb-and-shadow-covered room –it was much larger on the inside– but, rather than admit his ignorance he said instead, “ah, the door looked fine.   Feh, I know a trap when I see one!”

“Oh?   And how would you?” demanded Firefly.   “You’ve only just begun playing the game.   Besides, you have to use your character’s skills, not just your eyes!”

“My what now?” admitted Crimson, his puzzlement finally overcoming his pride.

“Shirraarrgh!” answered a blood curdling voice as bone-bleached figures faded in from the shadows around them.   “Shirraarrgh!”

“Eeeeks!   Skeletons!” cried Firefly and she swung her staff wildly, sending shards of shattered bone flying.

“Take that!   And that!   And this one, too!” cried Crimson gleefully as his fists went flying and … did nothing.   “Awe, damn it!!”   He began to hot-key his blades, but the skelletons around him struck with their weapons right before his could appear (not that he’d actually figured out how to get the character to parry, anyway).

“Crimson you idiot!” bewailed Firefly as her character backed up against the wall and she watched helplessly as her companion’s figure fell prone.

“Shirraarrgh!” gargled the skelletons as they lashed out at her.   She parried as best she could, but her character’s defense rating was lower than the first-level Twin Blade’s.