DEAD RUN

(t8n: "fade") [ Arrgh! You flinch and sit up sharply. There's absolute darkness all around. And something unusual with your feeling. It's wet and sticky here. A moment of realisation flashes brightly in your brain. This is... ] (click-append: "This is... ") [(text-colour:red) [blood] you're sitting in. (live: 2s)[(stop:) Damn! What's happening here? Stare around.]] (click-append: "Stare around.") [(t8n: "fade") [ It's kind a ritual altaric pool thing full of blood. Made up of obsidian and... bones? Human bones, yes. Strange cabalistic signs are carved into the bones.] { (live: 5s)[ (stop:) (t8n: "fade") [<h3>[Am I about to be sacrificed?]</h3>] ] } { (live: 8s)[ (stop:) [(align:"==><==")[[try to recall|realise]]] ] } ]

(t8n: "fade") [ Scraps of memories come to mind..... A cave. I spent a lot of time here in the cave. It's always dark in here. I seem to remember... It has happened before...] {(live: 7s)[ (stop:) [<h3>[What was the sound in the dark?]</h3>]]} (live: 9s)[(stop:) [(align:"==><==")[[perk up your ears|run away]]]]

(t8n: "fade") [You hear the claws scraping and clawing on the stone floor. You hear slurping and growling there in the darkness. A crowd of creatures, you can't recognise who it is.] [(live: 2s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[You're shrinking with an unpleasant premonition. And then]]] [(click-append: "then") [ the darkness explodes with screams: [(live: 1s)[<h1>[(text-style: "blink")+(text-colour:red)[BLOOD FOR THE DEMON KING!]]</h1>]] [(live: 6s)[(stop:) (align:"==><==") [[run away|blood to the king]]]] ]]

The further you run, the narrower the stone tunnel becomes. You almost get stuck in it, struggling to squeeze between the cold walls. [(text-colour:gray) [You can hear your pursuers hissing, interfering with each other.]] [(align:"==><==")[[push yourself|see exit]]]

This tunnel is filled with rock debris. You have to walk slowly to avoid breaking your legs in the dark. [(text-colour:gray) [The crunching of rocks and the inaudible hissing behind tells you that your pursuers are not far away.]] [(align:"==><==")[[move faster|see exit]]]

(align:"==><==") [ A few moments later you feel it. Sharp claws pierces into your body. You groan in pain. There [[comes|the end]]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX=")[The tunnel leads you into a narrow shaft. High above your head in the breach you see a miracle. (click-append: "a miracle.") [(text-colour:blue) [ ◼ A piece of blue sky. So distant and so tantalising. You have to get to the sky!]] (live: 4s)[(stop:) [(t8n: "fade")[You notice hidden tunnel that may lead you to exit.]]]] [(live: 6s)[(stop:)[(align:"==><==")[[go ahead!|run again]]]]]

(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:white)) [(align:"==><==")[(text-style:"blurrier")[▲]]] [(align:"==><==") [<h1>(text-style:"blur")[It is hard...] <h1>]] (align:"==><==")[...hard to create you body from the chaotic atoms around you. But somehow you succeed. All the blinking words blind (text-style: "blink")[[[you|wake up]]]] [(align:"==><==")[(text-style:"blurrier")[▼]]]

(align:"=><=")+(box:"X")[[<h1>~~the END of your fffffff story~~<h1>] . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . You are dead . . . . . . . . . . . . Again . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [[try to revive|limbo]] ▴ ]

You running away folowing diabolical laughting of invisible creatures. Their screams echoed off the cave walls. [(text-colour:red)[Blood! Blood for the demon king!]] There are two tunnels leading out from the cave. You meets the desicion [[rush left|obstacle 1]] [[stop to think a little|wait]] [[run to the right|obstacle 2]]

Holy crap! It's the crossroads again. There are too many choises here. Looks like this cave neverending. You hear the rustle of wings behind you. The chase is closing in. Choose quickly. [[go to giant hall|giant hall]] [[forward to the maze|obstacle maze]] [[hide in small cavern|wait]] [[sneak into passage|hidden room]]

You're being carried through a giant hall. Colonies of mushrooms on the walls illuminate this space with a diffused light. The hall has many stone pillars of varying heights. There seems to be some system to their arrangement. An odd bizzare system. This hallway is definitely not meant for humans. You stop for a moment to [[look back|male voices]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"===XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX============") [(text-colour:grey)[(text-style:"blur")[After the dark caves here in the maze, it's just total gloom. Completely blind, you wade through the stone labyrinth by feel. You make a few turns and]] [(text-style:"smear")[[get out|hall trembles]]]]

A small passage zigzags. The space dampens the sound. Unusual silence all around. As you move forward and suddenly realise something is wrong. (click-append: "wrong.")[ (text-colour:(hsl:30,0.8039,0.5,0.65))[The floor. The stone passage has a wooden floor. You try to walk as silently as possible. I wonder why the floor here is made of wood.] [(live: 4s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[A voice is heard from the left. You [[[freeze|voice of the girl]]]]]]]

This cave feels familiar. Looks like you've been here before. [(live: 2s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[<h3>You hear a distant [(text-style:"fidget")[rumbling]]. [(text-style:"fidget")[Like a]] [(text-style:"fidget")[giant]] [(text-style:"fidget")[waking up]] from a centuries-old slumber. The cave [(text-style:"fidget")[rumble.]]</h3>]]] (click-append: "rumble.") [ (live: 2s)[(stop:)(t8n: "fade")[<h6>I don't like it.</h6>]] (live: 4s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[<h6>TIme to [[move on</h6>|run again]]]] ]

You see the chasers' silhouettes. Dark shadows with burning eyes. Some jump and soar through the air on huge wings. They push off from the pillars and fly to you. For a moment you think it is...(click-append: "is...")[(text-colour:red)[ beautiful.] [(live: 2s)[(stop:) The shadows are getting closer. All you can do is [[run|death to the king]]]] ]

You hear the voice of a young woman. Melodious and gurgling like a mountain spring. And just as cold and cruel. [(live: 1s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[-We grew up together. I adored him. But then...]]] [(live: 3s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[<h3>(text-colour:red)[He betrayed us. Betrayed himself and his death!]</h3>]]] [(live: 5s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[Does she talk about [[me?|grew up]]]]]

These creatures continue to haunt you. Their screams fill the hall. [(live: 1s)[<h1>[(text-colour:red)[DEATH! DEATH FOR THE DEMON KING!]]</h1>]] [(live: 3s)[Looks like you heard this voices many times. Do they sounds... pleasant? or scary?]] [(live: 4s)[Run [[faster|hall trembles]]]]

Shocked, you pull back. [(live: 1s)[(stop:)[The floor creaks loudly.]]] [(live: 2s)[(stop:)[Something clicks.]]] [(live: 3s)[(stop:)[(text-colour:(hsl:30,0.8039,0.5,0.65))[The wooden floor opens up under your feet and you][(live: 1s)[(stop:)[ . . . . . . . . .]]] [(live: 1s)[(stop:)[[[fall|underground river]]]]]]]]

You are falling the rough waters of an underground river. The current picks you up. The water is scalding cold. The only way is swim (click-append: "swim")[ or give up. [(live: 1s)[(stop:)[You really suck at swimming. I don't think this body was made for water. And the current is always trying to hit you on the sharp rocks.] [(live: 2s)[(stop:) [[swim for your life]] [[[give up|wait2]]]]]]]]

You struggle to stay afloat. The underground river carries you further down the tunnel. There are only bare stone walls and a low ceiling. And the ceiling seems to be getting lower. You keep on [[swimming|smaller]]

The river turns. There's a stone deadlock up ahead. The stream goes deeper underground. If you dive in... you really don't know how long you can hold. (live: 3s)[(stop:)[You also notice a small stone ledge leading into a corridor. You can grab the edge of the ledge as you swim past it. [(live: 3s)[(stop:)[The choice is obvious. [[grad the ledge|exit to balcony]] [[[dive deep|running out of air]]] ]]]]]

You take a deep breath and plunge into the water. Swept up by the current, you push off the walls when you can. You're doing great. (click-append: "great.")[ [<h2>[A hard blow knocks the air out of you!]</h2>] [(live: 4s)[ (stop:) [The river twists and tosses you around. You losing control. Nothing to breathe.]] [(live: 6s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[Maybe death isn't such a bad [[option?|wait2]]]]] [(live: 9s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[Hold [[on|almost]]]]]]]

As the river rushes past you, you grab onto a rock ledge and hang onto it. You pull your body out of the water and climb up. Into the tunnel you go. (click-append: "go.")[ (text-colour:red)[As if out of nowhere, demonic shadows appear in front of you. Eyes blazing, claws clacking.] You... [(click-append: "You...")[ go into shock and [[stop|wait]] quickly run back to the river and [[dive|running out of air]]]]]

You row forwards with a last of your strength. The tunnel seems to widen and the current weakens. You rush forward. And up. (click-append: "up.")[ Just as your lungs are about to explode from lack of air, you surface. Greedily gulping for air. You make it to shore. It's still a cave, but you can see the exit ahead. All you have to do is climb up the rock. No time to rest. [(live: 7s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[[[climb|elder voice]]]]]]

You're obviously better at rock climbing than swimming. Soon you'll be out of this damn cave. Further! [(click-append: "Further!")[ And then comes a voice. The voice of a wise olden. The voice is used to command. The voice hostile to you. <h3>(text-colour:magenta)[The weak one flees his death, the strong one controls his death.]</h3> [(live: 2s)[(stop:)[(t8n: "fade")[What? (click-append: "What?")[ <h2>Damn you to hell, old man!</h2> You [[keep climbing|collapse]]]]]]]]]

The rock be(text-style:"rumble")[n]eath you sh(text-style:"shudder")[a]kes and splits apart(text-style:"shudder")[.] The monolith t(text-style:"shudder")[u]rns into a river of stone that carries y(text-style:"rumble")[o]u into the d(text-style:"shudder")[a]rknesst(text-style:"shudder")[.] You hold on to the l(text-style:"rumble")[a]st of it until the to(text-style:"shudder")[r]rent of debris overwh(text-style:"shudder")[e]lms yout(text-style:"shudder")[.] [(align:"==><==")[<h2>[[[Screw it!|stonewalled]]]</h2>]]

[(live: 2s)[(stop:)[(t8n: "fade") [You stonewalled under the stone chunks. They keep you from moving, but also hide you. From far distance you hear chase coming. [(live: 3s)[(stop:)[(t8n: "fade")[<h3>Bloody hell! How do they found me?</h2> You grab a splinter of rock. It's sharp. You know what to do.] [(live: 4s)[(stop:)[(t8n: "fade")[ [[play them death|the end]] [[ambush|hide]] [[check the chunks|dig through]] ]]]]]]]]]]]

You're lurking under rocks. Do you truly thinks it will [[helps|wait]] you? Or you better [[go nuts and dig|dig through]] for freedom.

You drop the rock splinter. Then you toss and turn, testing the chunks of rock pressing you to the ground. They're not so heavy. You can get out. [(live: 3s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[ You see a patch of blue sky at the end of the tunnel. (align:"==><==") [(text-colour:blue)[◼]]]]] [(live: 6s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[(align:"==><==")[[[I can make it.|through rocks to chasers and run]]]]]]

(align:"==><==") [▼] (align:"==><==")[<h1>One last push for freedom.</h1>] [(align:"==><==")[[[There you go!|breathed out, calmed down]]]]

You're throwing off the rubble of rocks making yourself free. Demonic shadows come running at the noise. Red eyes are flowing in the dark. <h3>Bugger off you demons!</h3> You through some rocks to chasers and [[run|got outside]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:white)+(bg:blue)) [The light of heaven is blinding you. <h2>You're finally out!</h2> They dare not follow you out of the cave. You breath out, calmed down. And then [[explore|unfamiliar world]] your new world.]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:white)+(bg:blue))[ You look around. So much light. It's very strange. Everything looks...(click-append: "looks...")[ unpleasant and repulsive. [(live: 2s)[(stop:)[ (text-colour:cyan)[It's like the sky is coming at you in a vivid blue. It presses down on you with its immensity.] (text-colour:yellow)[The sun's rays burn you here, outside the protection of the cavernous twilight.] (text-colour:green)[The green of the grass feels like it's digging into your brain, recolouring it with the colours of poisonous mould.] This world (click-append: "world")[ is not for you. Look at the [[paddle|your reflection]] Listen to the [[sounds|angry mob]] ]] ]]]]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:blue)) [(t8n: "fade") [What's that noise? You see a mob of peasants armed with pitchforks and stakes. A very aggressive mob. The peasants are coming straight to you.] [(live: 2s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[You're shrinking with an unpleasant premonition. And then]]] [(click-append: "then") [ the crowd start to scream: [(live: 1s)[<h1>[(text-style: "blink")+(text-colour:black)[KILL! KILL THE DEMON KING!]]</h1>]] [(live: 5s)[(stop:) (align:"==><==") [[rush to peasants|final 1]]]] [(live: 5s)[(stop:) (align:"==><==") [[step back to the cave|cave enter collapse]]]] ]]]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:blue)) (text-colour:white)[In the small paddle you can see your reflection. You are horned shadow with red eyes and clawed wings.] <h3>I'm a demon. Just escaped from my cave. Or from my kingdom?</h3> (text-colour:white)[And then you] [[hears|angry mob]] ]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:blue)) You retreat to the cave, hoping to take shelter there. (click-append: "there.")[ [(text-colour:black)[That moment the ground tremble and the entrance to the cave is covered with rocks. After that you are circled by armed peasants. You are [[surrounded|surrounded by mob]] ]]]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:blue))[ Fury blinds your eyes. You flap your wings and claw at the nearest peasant. He screams in terrible pain. But there are too many peasants. They slaughter you with pitchforks and stakes. Somebody cuts off your head. And [[this|game end]] ]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:blue))[ There's nothing but rage and aggression all around you. One more second and dozens of pitchforks will pierce into your body. Life flashes before your eyes in a moment. [(live: 3s)[(stop:)[(t8n: "fade")[That moment old man's words brights to you mind: (text-colour:purple)[''The weak one flees his death, the strong one controls his death.'']]]] [(live: 6s)[(stop:)[(t8n: "fade")[<h2>I know what to do. </h2>]]] [(live: 9s)[(stop:)[ [[fight them|final 1]] [[use you wings]] [[kill yourself|kill]] ]]]]]]]

(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:white))(transition: "fade")+(transition-time:5s) [(align:"==><==")[(text-style:"blurrier")[▲]]] (align:"==><==") [Now it's different. You feel every atom of your existence. You put them together in the right order. [<h1>Now I want to be reborn.</h1>] You close your new eyes and open it in a moment of [[awake]]] [(align:"==><==")[(text-style:"blurrier")[▼]]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:blue))[ <h3>It's time to be a demon. A winged shadow with red eyes. Pathetic peasants, they'll never get me.</h3> You spread your wings and [[take off|final2]] to the sky. ]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:blue))[ Knocked in mid-air, pierced by pitchforks, you fall to the ground. The fury of the crowd overwhelms you. The glow of the blue sky burns your remains, turning them to ash. [[So|game end]] ]]

(align:"==><==") [(text-style:"outline")[▼]] (align:"==><==") [<h1> (text-style:"outline")[This is the true end of yours.] <h1>] (align:"==><==") [(text-style:"outline") [▲]]

You wake up slowly. It's still the same ritual pool. You lie immersed in blood. The blood gives you strength. Every bone speaks to you. Every cabalistic sign reveals its meaning to you. (live: 3s)[(stop:)(t8n: "fade")[Demonic shadows with burning eyes surround the altar. They bow their heads to greet you. You sit up and accept their worship. (live: 3s)[(stop:)(t8n: "fade")[ [<h2>It is time to [[rise|final 3]]</h2>] ]]]]

You stand up and proudly. With a mighty flap of your wings, you soar into the air of the cave. Your demons follow you. They glorify you.(click-append: "glorify you.")[(live: 1s)[(stop:)(t8n: "fade")[ [<h3>(text-colour:magenta)[All hail the demon king!]</h3>] (live: 1s)[(stop:)(t8n: "fade")[[<h3>(text-colour:magenta)[All hail the demon king!]</h3>](live: 1s)[(stop:)(t8n: "fade")[[<h3>(text-colour:magenta)[All hail the demon king!]</h3>] (live: 2s)[(stop:)(t8n: "fade")[[[All hail!|game end good]] ]]]]]]]]]

(align:"==><==") [▲] (align:"==><==") [<h2> Let's say it's (text-style:"double-underline")[the end] of chapter 1 <h2>] (align:"==><==") [<h4> See ya! <h4>] (align:"==><==") [▼] [(align:"==><==") [(text-colour:black)[[.]]]]

(align:"==><==") [▼](align:"==><==") [<h1> DEAD RUN <h1>](align:"==><==") [Looks like you are still playing dead in there. So maybe it's time to (text-colour:red)[[revive|wake up]]](align:"==><==") [(text-colour:(hsl:0,0,0.5333,0.05))+(css: "font-size: medium") [ Spoiler: there will be no pictures and sounds.] ]

(align:"==><==") [ You can't take it anymore. You stop fighting and just go down. In every way. [[accept|the end]]]

(align:"<==")+(box:"=XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX====")[(enchant:?passage,(text-colour:black)+(bg:blue))[ You spread your arms and start to spin. This magic dance is older than world. It fills your body with murderous energy. One more turn. Your body turns into one big orb of energy. (live: 3s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[[<h3>And then you explodes, atomising everything around you.</h3>] (live: 3s)[(stop:) (t8n: "fade")[Now you can feel your [[death|limbo 2]] ]]]]]]

(align:"==><==") [(text-style:"outline")[ ▼ DEAD RUN by Roman Tramway 2025 ]]