George
*`"Figured I should tell something this much. Not much to lose, telling you what I saw. And won't see much fruit out of sending a hero to hell without a compass. Good deal, all things considered."`*

So he responded to Gaige's thanks. Then, the *Proposition...*

. . .

Yet again, the gas-mask donning man pauses, motionless, as he considers. There's no response for quite a long wait — longer than the last — as he continues to hang, his grip unerring.




. . . . .

It took quite a while of processing for him to even respond. He considered the idea from beginning to end, utilizing the little information that *Odysseus* Corp. Had even *Given* Him on how the V.A.R.E.T worked... Indeed, Gaige had a good point. If the first floor wasn't his style, and the V.A.R.E.T had negative effects on all missions after the gas-masked man's own when used on the first floor, then, couldn't he just use the device on the second floor? There *Was* The idea that it could be potentially dangerous on *Every* Floor, but he was fairly certain that the decreased lifetime of the expeditions after his own was due to a mistake of one of his own teammates. Quite the freak accident, it was... But if there wasn't another issue like that, and the device was set up properly on the second floor...

*`"Huh."`*
*`"Didn't think of that one. Might work."`*

...

*`"Yeah, second floor. Sounds like it could work. If it isn't like that first floor, that is. I'll see what happens. Pretty convenient, this Varet thing. Very useful."`*

He complied, after, quite literally, leaving Gaige hanging.

*`"Those soldiers out there are soon going to open this gate door. Probably wouldn't be good for your or my image if we're seen. Shouldn't stall your drop for too long. Thing takes a while to send you where you want it to, that gate. Not at all fast. Very convenient however."`*
Samantha
He waited... And waited... And waited some more. He finally spoke up, "Hey—my grip is starting to wear out. Can you hurry this up?" He began to slowly lessen the strength of his hold on the stranger. He'd been dangling here for several minutes after all—nor was he as strong as the man he was holding onto. `Might work, huh?`

"If that's the case, I'll make my way to the second floor as soon as I can. I'll look around a bit and see what's up on the floor and if it ain't like the first one, I'll get the Varet set up. Or try to at least." Gaige elaborated on his plan to the stranger, gazing down at the ten meter drop. `That's... A bit high now that I think about it. Ain't any other way down though.`

He had completely forgotten about the security team that awaited just outside the door. He didn't exactly have time to ponder on how to negate the damage from the fall. "Well, I'll meet up with you on the second floor then. See you then, gas-mask guy." With a gulp, Gaige concentrated a majority of his mana towards reinforcing his legs. He carefully slid down the stranger as far as possible, now gripping his right combat boot. `Here goes nothing!` Gaige released his grip upon the man, hurtling straight towards the ground, feet first.

_ _
A loud stomp rang out from behind the gate, a light **Crrk** Being heard as well. The shock from the fall moved throughout Gaige's body, but luckily his legs took the brunt of the force. The cloaked man knelt down, his face wincing in pain from the fall. He glanced at his left leg, an abnormal glow radiating from it as he quickly got back to his feet, despite the harrowing sound. He pressed down upon his left leg, his face wincing again, "Bit sore, but better than before." He commented on the state of his leg, giving a thumbs up to the stranger as the teleportation sequence initiated. `That shorty had to have heard that right? Hope he did at least.` He lightly laughed to himself, standing by whilst the teleportation sequence proceeded.
Crystal
*`The ground beneath Gaige begins to sparkle in the instant that his feet touch the floor. A feint, bluish glow encases his body, raveling about his figure in short, spiraling helixes. Slowly, but surely, the light would engulf his body, soon drowning the entirety of the dark and enclosed interior of the gate with its brilliant glare. The air hums, as a magical essence glitters throughout the atmosphere, and Gaige feels himself mingling with the essence of the arcane. Soon, he would disappear, fading into nothingness, as he found himself in a location entirely new — completely foreign to Earth.`*
Edith
—So Alois spoke, proceeding through the opened door, into the hollowed section of the *Vektet* That formed its entry-gate. Adjusting a satchel hoisted over his left shoulder — a V.A.R.E.T, as he had demonstrated to them earlier — he steps atop a large, circular slab of stone, with intricate carvings of an unknown script engraved into its surface. As the group would presumedly follow shortly after, the **Slab of stone begins to glow alight, an arcane, blue energy engulfing their bodies.**

```cs
 be alarmed. This is simply the teleportation function of the Vektet, which I described earlier."```

Slowly, but surely, the group would be *`whisked away, into a location entirely foreign...`*