Clearly no-one cared that Tyvell appeared out of nowhere and Tyvell decided to leave and try to explore deeper. As he was flying, he couldn't see far in front of him and accidently crashed into the wall where the door was... As Tyvell was falling, Tyvell grumbled "I hate light, I really hate it and that female Valkyrie ruined my shadow cloak which is still cooling down." Tyvell hit the floor and was near the door.
((OOC: Now to wait and as a side note, Tyvell isn't hurt.))
((OOC: Seems like me and Creeper are the only ones in the group actually posting...))
The figure reveals itself and it looked like an owlite. It said "Don't attack me, I am going to help you lot getting deeper." It started to fly and then crashed into a wall. Evie put her hand over my mouth and quietly giggled. After Evie was done, she walked over to the owlite and said "Need any help?" Evie puts her hand out to help the owlite up.
As Tyvell was slowly getting up, he heard a voice that sounded feminine. Tyvell looked in the direction and could just see the female Valkyrie holding her hand out. Tyvell put 1 of his wings on the Valkyries hand and got back up. Tyvell then started to blush but his helm covered his face fully and Tyvell then said "H-h-hi th-there, what's your n-n-name and t-t-thanks."
Evie hears the owlite stuttering and she thought "Hm, probably never seen an Valkyrie without wings before." Evie said "My name is Evie." Evie slowly charge up the crystals in my body for a powerful attack but she stopped it before it launched. However, her aura was glowing much more though.
Naomi eventually stumbled upon Rhendon's pod, where he was attending to a wounded knight.
Rhendon replied to Veru, "I'm Rhendon. I'm murdering you in cold blood. You're in green hell. Now shut up and take your meds." He shoved a few health capsules down Veru's throat and forced him to swallow. "I don't have time to cradle your lazy arse, so get up and start walking." He hauled Veru to his feet and started trotting down the trail. He stopped, however, when he sensed the presence of another person (Naomi).
"All right, come out whoever-you-are! Don't make me use my lovely darling Blitz Needle!"
Gallon perked his head up, ceasing his utterings of lost fables and sonets, looking around at the figure that had revealed itself, and that the Valkyrie was addressing. He scowled at the sight of another shadowy stranger, grasped his Halberd in hand, and got up while supporting himself with said weapon. While strolling over, he clicked his neck, loosening up some stressed joints and muscles from the recent explosion evasion.
He stood behind the Valkyrie, looking at the mysterious Owlite. He then addressed it himself, in a forboding and Formal tone.
"You there, Winged Stranger. What are you doing here, skulking in and around Emberlight?" Gallon then points to his face with his free hand.
"And were you the one who was messing with my head, and giving me nose bleeds?!". The Lancer then points his Halberd toward the Owlite, keeping it steady and strong. Gallon began to turn his stare into a hard glare.
"Answer wisely, Stranger".
"Rhendon, it's me, Naomi..." she sighed as she walked out of the way of the brush, both hands hung mid-air. "I'm surprised a guy like you survived the crash. Not that you were any good at melee sparring, but with an idiot attitude waving a filthy, impractical gun at everything he sees...."
The shock of the words snapped Veru out of his irrational fear, ironically. With no choice but to get dragged away with the man, he sighed, unsure of his fate. Deciding against speaking up, Veru went along, albeit with great caution, staying a few feet back from his 'helper'.
This guy is crazy.
As he threatened an unseen foe, Veru backed away. Worry creeping in.
Man, this guy is violent...
As another person stepped out of the bushes, Veru couldn't help but wonder what kind of a world he lived in. What a strange place... Not that he could recall anything that would be considered normal, that is. However, the mention of two names caught his interest.
Fennel walked in between Gallon and the Owlite, shaking his head.
"Little ones, there is no need for further bloodshed today...not after the events that have transpired already. To stain the ground with yet more blood would be to dishonor she who has fallen today. Please, let this come to words, and not steel. I beg of you both, let us cease this state of distrust for the present."
He held out a hand towards the Owlite. "I am Fennel, little one. This man here is an honorable knight, Sir Gallon, of Almire. Who might you be?"
Instead of blowing up as one might expect, Rhendon simply pointed his finger at Naomi and said ominously, "I'll deal with you later. Get this knight to a warm, cushy place where he can get fat. Me, I gotta scout out the place, and I can't be cradling his baby bottom the whole way. Can you escort him?" Without waiting for her answer, he trotted off down the path, leaving Naomi and Veru to the wilds.
"Prick," she mutters to herself as she lowers her arms and walks to Veru.
"Hey, can you get up? I've got multiple runs to do today, but if you're really injured, I don't want you to collapse on me. Just a simple yes or no can do."
She says this a little more politely than when she did with Rhendon, though a hint of urgency is in her voice.
OOC : Thin, Morgan_R has restarted the Tavern in that site. One of the best returning RPs there, I'll admit.
Slightly confused Veru moved back a bit, watching for as Rhendon walked off. For a queer indecipherable reason, he almost preferred the carefree and temperamental attitude more. Kindness seemed foreign for the moment.
"Y-You said you were Nah-oh-me?"
Veru attempted to calm himself, as vague safety precautions drifted into his conscience.
Don't show weakness or fear.
"Yeah, I'm fine." Veru didn't believe it himself. "Where are we going?" Straightening up he stood a few feet away from the girl. Hoping that he could find answers soon.
As Tyvell was going to walk away, he hears a voice and said "You there, Winged Stranger. What are you doing here, skulking in and around Emberlight?" I couldn't see where it was until I saw a hand. The person then said "And were you the one who was messing with my head, and giving me nose bleeds?!" Tyvell then sees a weapon in front of him and as he was going to use telekinesis to move it away, someone else was talking.
The person came in between me and the weapon and said "Little ones, there is no need for further bloodshed today...not after the events that have transpired already. To stain the ground with yet more blood would be to dishonor she who has fallen today. Please, let this come to words, and not steel. I beg of you both, let us cease this state of distrust for the present." Tyvell could see the person better than the one with the weapon. The person put there hand out and said "I am Fennel, little one. This man here is an honorable knight, Sir Gallon, of Almire. Who might you be?"
Tyvell put one of his wings on Fennel's hand and said "My name is Tyvell, a owlite that can't see well in the light. I only entered Emberlight to go deeper and an explosion worried me so I came here. Also, my telepathy skills don't cause any problems like nose bleeds, the person that suffered it, they must get natural nose bleeds."
"We're going to Haven, the only known landmark on this world to us Isorans...
...ever since the Skylark got hit by the planets' defenses, we've all crash landed here. Now, let's get back to camp. I don't wanna stick around here to whine about how bad we got up beat up by whoever was controlling the defenses here..."
She suddenly grabs for his hand, and almost drags him back to the general direction of Haven.
Herston winced as he hit the ground, and he asked Kora in the comn channel, "Kora.... there's this stalker here. Should I run away? Or what?"
Moments later, Rhendon came back hanging his head. "All right, maybe I was a little harsh on you two. I've been having a rough day, what with the crash and all. You guys going to Haven? You're not going to reach it just by walking. Kora says it's isolated by a chasm, and can only be reached via access point. I've got the coordinates. C'mon!" He beckoned them to follow, and waited for them to catch up before moving on.
__________
Kora checked Herston's position. Cypreus was the closest knight in the vicinity. "No. You don't have a stalker; it's just Cypreus. Don't forget to say hi!"
As Evie sees the situation with the owlite and the almirian getting out of hand, she left the building and looked into the distance. As Evie was looking into the distance, she thought "Things have been chaos and it was all my fault..." Evie steps onto the lift and pushes the down button and it goes down. When the lift stopped, Evie slowly walked through and saw the big robot down.
As Evie walked towards the robot, the robot surprised attacked her with a rocket. The rocket blew up and broke Evie's arm as the robot starts to stabilize itself with the one leg. It then launches 3 small rockets and 1 giant rocket. Evie launched a thunderbolt and blew up the small ones but the big one started to speed up. Evie fell onto the ground to avoid the big rocket but it continued on and blew up the lift she got down.
The ground started to shake on the floor above as debris started to fall around the emergency lift making it useless as well. She said "I, I don't have a chance, this robot seems to be more of a threat." Evie's pets got grabbed by the robot and started to get crushed. Evie started to cry and launched the powerful Time Roar. Once she used it, her blue aura vanished and used up all the crystals she had in her body.
As the energy started going around the floor dealing insane amounts of damage on any enemy, the robot blew up spectacularly and a purple key with an eye fell out of it and Evie's pets where saved again. She used the last of her remaining energy to pick up the key and hide it before she went unconscious again. As she fell onto the ground, all her materials fell out for her pets to feed on and all enemies where now dead because of the attack.
((OOC: The floor below Emberlight is now fully safe and the collector is now fully destroyed. Unfortunally, Evie is now unconscious for a day and she has a broken arm now. Also, she now has no crystal energy now.))
As Tyvell was waiting on a response, the ground started to shake which concerned him. Tyvell found the door and left trying to find that lift. Tyvell started to fly and slowly flew down to the next floor. Tyvell sees a broken robot and also sees Evie on the ground knocked out. Tyvell landed safely and was able to see much better since the floor was much darker than Emberlight.
Tyvell walks over to Evie and saw 2 pets who seemed to be hurt as well. Tyvell looked around and saw a bunch of debris blocking the only way to this floor and Tyvell said to Evie "Don't worry, I will get you back to Emberlight." Tyvell walks over to the debris and uses his telekinesis to move the debris.
((OOC: Now to wait for Sandwich or Edolas to see me moving the debris with telekinesis and could help Evie))
The ground suddenly shook, throwing Fennel onto the floor. Miscellaneous items on shelves could be heard falling and shattering into millions of tiny fragments, and he was practically seeing double from how fast his vision changed.. Pebbles leapt up like so many hailstones, and for a brief moment, the sky and ground were one. A flurry of debris pelted him as he sheltered Saphira. He hit his head on a marble staircase, leaving a large bruise.Then it was over.
Wincing, Fennel groaned, coughing out dust and a small portion of blood. He had inadvertently bit his tongue, and coppery liquid pulsed out of it freely. Pain throbbed from several parts of his body, and Saphira mewed in concern. He gently patted xem. Aside from a few bumps and his sore tongue, he was feeling fine. He rubbed his head as he looked around to check that everyone was alright.
"Waise heill." He noticed that Evie had gone missing. He immediately dashed outside, trying to get a sense on where she was. His mind poked around and stumbled upon a large amount of energy stored in an individual below the Gremlin town. Evie.
His tongue knit itself back together as Fennel rushed below Emberlight, as did Tyvell. The Owlite had reached the lift first and had already used it, so Fennel simply clicked his tongue in annoyance, and jumped. Air screamed past him as the ground in Depth 19 grew steadily larger. Man, the gap between each depth had never seemed to be so large, yet so short to bypass.
Fennel gave a certain motion, and Saphira mewed in reply. The bubbling orb of light once again encased the two, even as the Stranger hit the ground. Debris flew everywhere, but the golden aura had absorbed all the damage, and faded even as the Stranger rushed towards an unconscious Evie. Tyvell was already there, telekinetically moving away rubble that had pinned the Valkyrie to the ground.
"Gánga (Go)!" Fennel directed his stream of energy at the debacle of a depth, as enormous amounts of raw material whizzed past him into a neat pile.
The Stranger knelt, examining the ground. Small ridges of dirt informed him that there had been a dazzling blast of energy, which seemed to have expanded starting from...Evie? Fennel shook his head in surprise. Valkyries were capable of more than he had previously thought. He thought about the subject as he bound her broken arm with more fabric, since he was getting fatigued from all the energy he had expended.
Fennel carefully slung Evie over his arm for the umpteenth time, walking back to the elevator in search of that Gremlin healer. The lift whirred as it idled in the depth, the only source of light in an abysmal darkness. He whistled "Sing a Song of Sixcrowns" as he waited for Tyvell to come.
As Tyvell is moving the debris away, Fennel came and started to help Evie. Tyvell was a bit busy to see what he was doing and was focusing on moving the debris to one place. When Tyvell was done, he saw Fennel waiting at the lift but as Tyvell was walking back, he found a key on the ground. Tyvell picked the key with his wings and walked onto the lift.
Tyvell then pushed the up button and said to Fennel "Do you know what this key is? Something seems similar about this but I can't remember why?"
Gallon found Fennel intercept his Blade pointing at the Owlite, expecting him to calm down. Gallon couldn't believe it. Who was this Stranger to think he had the influence to just command him around like this? Ok, so it may have been to stop any further aggression, but the lack of respect still rang clear in the Lancer's ears. However, Gallon took a few deep breaths, and calmed down, taking the rest of his frustration on a Lamp-Post using his halberd. The metal post tilted, before collpasing, adding to the amount of debris and junk that had become apart of Emberlight.
As Gallon was turning away, he heard the Owlite make a remark about He, the Almirian, must have natural nose bleeds. Impudence toward his Almirian pride made him get quite angry. Gallon murmured to himself as he continued to walk off, a bit tenser than before-hand.
"...Blood of my own never spills upon my armour from trivial nose bleeds, yet alone any of my own blood at all". The Owlite had to be lying. He seemed the sort. It was that likely scenario, or something alot more sinister playing its hand. Then again, he never denied any of the words. About Masks of Fire and Metal. Gallon would be sure to get some more answers for the multitude of questions that were piling up.
The ground suddenly shook, knocking the Almirian off his balance. He grasped his Halberd, and thrust it to the ground, using it as a support. Rubble began to shake upon the ground, and the Gremlins busy clearing the debris and refuse were shocked and looking at one-another. The ground shook ferociously beneath Gallon's feet for a few moments, and then as suddenly as it had started, it stopped. The Almirian looked to his side, to see Fennel jumping off the side, descending rapidly down the Elevator shaft. The Lancer sheathed his Halberd, and ran over to Jorin & Spanner who were aiding with the clean-up.
"Vanguard, Spanner. What was that just now?" Gallon enquired. The mender got up from the ground and scracthed his furry chin. He then looked up at Gallon slowly, looking as if he was to beseach him with a Knowledgable answer.
"How the Vog should I know?! Ive been busy clearing up Rubble. And besides, Im not the most informed of all goings on around here! Heck, Jorin is the one who is meant to be the Intel guy". The Vanguard laughed half-heartidly, while adding Spanner's load of rubble to his own load to bear. The Mender then continued his rant at the slightly taken-back Almirian.
"And hey, you're one of those Almirian Lancer Elite guys, aint ya? You take care of it! All I was thinkin' of doing was fixing you up and doing the will of Noswyn. But seeing as that Rumble may have been her divine way of saying 'Clear off', Im going to take that as a Hint that your time resting up here is getting to an end" Gallon wasn't really suprised at the Gremlins reaction. He had taken all recent events rather will up until this point. From the Medical Lab exploding, a Mechanical Robot trying to kill him, and his home of Emberlight almost completely falling apart, The Mender could do with a break from everything.
Gallon bowed his head at Jorin, who nodded back, still carrying the heavy load of Rubble in his arms. The Almirian then bowed to Spanner, who had now begun to grumble about how 'Medical Facility Insurance didnt sound like a waste of time now, like it had done 2 weeks ago'. He coughed to gain the ticked of Gremlin's attention briefly.
"Spanner, Id like to personally thank you for Reviving me, and for forging me this new blade. I regret all I have done that has caused you this trouble, and shall now depart from you to travel with the others. If I ever find Noswyn, I'll be sure to refer your name to her". As Gallon was heading off, he heard Spanner start to stutter behind him. Gallon turned his head, and listened to Spanner's final words.
"Good Luck I guess. You can come back when we re-do Emberlight, but any of those other pesky friends of yours, and Im locking all doors, alright? Oh and Dont Die. It seems to be really inconveniant yet common for you guys". Gallon nodded as he turned his head back to where he was walking, hearing the tumble and mutterings of 'Help' from a certain Jorin who was being crushed by a considerable load of Rubble. Without further ado, the Lancer found the service Ladder of the main Elevator, and slid down expecting some pretty wild aftermath from below...
"Then how did I...never mind," Naomi sighed as she unsheathed her Cutter and Swiftstrike Buckler.
"Don't wanna leave the idiot behind to die all alone...
You coming?"
"Oh.... not a stalker?" Herston asked, as Cypreus watched in amusment. "Okay then.... HI!"
((OOC: Can't do much except for some more difficulty...))
As the unconscious Evie was on Fennel's shoulder as the lift was going up, she slipped off, hit the barrier and fell off down towards depth 23.
As Tyvell was waiting for Fennel's response, Tyvell sees Evie slipping off and then started to fall. Tyvell panicked and placed the key in his beak and pushed the emergency stop button. Tyvell started to fly over the edge and dived down to try and slow down Evie's fall. Tyvell got under Evie on depth 22 and put his wings on her to slow her but when they crashed on depth 23, Tyvell took a lot of damage.
Tyvell slowly moved and put Evie on the ground. He then dropped the key in his mouth and saw a purple gate that had a keyhole in it. As Tyvell was walking to it, he fell onto the ground in pain. Since he saved Evie from dying, 1 of Tyvell's foot broke, the other injured badly and both his wings broken as well...
Sighing, Veru nodded, the strange nature of the two perplexing him.
"Yeah, of course." Veru stepped forward to join them, while still keeping a reasonable distance. A part of him felt detached and secluded but the nagging worry dominated.
As Naomi and Veru were closing in behind Rhendon, Naomi turned to Veru.
"By the way, I didn't catch your name. What was it?"
Veru tensed up, but managed to keep moving. Looking away briefly, as if distracted, he blurted out the only thing he could think of.
"I-I'm sorry, I can't trust you, yet." The words slipped out and he wanted to throw himself off a cliff. That was probably the worst thing he could have said. Frantically, he recalled what the the other one, Rhendon, had said, and added. "What with the, uh crash." It was only then that what Naomi and Rhendon had said registered in Veru's brain.
A crash, being attacked, camp...
Not fully comprehending the circumstances, Veru still detected the essence of what had occurred.
"I'm sorry, ignore that, I'm a bit - worried." He said the last word slowly, as if unsure. Before he could act any more stupidly, he shut his mouth. Why was life being so difficult? He wished he could find a way to figure things all out, but that seemed like an impossible task.
"Hey, get your head cleared up. We're on the same side here. Hell, we're the same race. What makes you think I'd shove a sword up your butt?" Naomi asked, a bit perturbed at this overly cautious move. She slowed her pace to match his...
Eva patted Mortis on the back. "Okay kiddo, time to go. You ready? Apollos is gonna take you out. Oh! Before you go..." she darted back to her stash and pulled out a book. It was a standard leatherback book, lightly adorned with fake gold swirls and a title written in the native language of Cradle. Ysgrythurau Sanctaidd. "Read this on your spare time. Now git!" She nudged him towards Apollos, who was standing quietly against the wall. Apollos extended his hand to Mortis.
"Will you return with me to Apocrea, and hence to the surface?"
Or will you stay here in the Core?
__________
Rhendon glanced back at the guy and girl. "Shoving a sword up his arse? Painful. I know, I've done it once or twice to a few unlucky chaps. Dem Morai kinda deserved it, but they sure as heck didn't like me very well after that," he said with a chuckle.
Mostis looked back, knowing full well that this might be a while before he could see the woman. She seemed nice and willing to speak with him. Looking at his hands. The blue cracks, the energy of the core sustaining him. With a seen smile Mortis moved forwards, taking Apollos hand. Before he did he turned back and said.
"Next time we met, maybe be we can have a longer chat."
Taking the hand before him Mortis knew there was no turning back now. He made his choice, and by the gods he was sticking with it. For a creature of the dark fire he was no longer. Rather given a second chance in his second life, gifted with the flames of the Core.
Should I die now, I know my soul will have peace. Should I die tonight I know my body will rest. Should I pass on to the next land, I know the people I meet will remember me. And if I am remembered by one person, then I will truly never be forgotten.
With that last though, Mostis too the hand before him.
Apollos took Mortis' hand, and soon the warm light of the Sanctuary vanished, transforming into the strange darkness of the Apocrean realms once more. They stepped onto the obsidian floor and were greeted by a bewildering array of lost souls. A few of them fluttered around Mortis, examining his newfound flame. Apollos began the ritual to open up a portal to the surface, this one being a bright blue instead of purple. "Once again, I would urge you to speak with the residents of this realm while you wait," he said. "But do not venture through the gates, lest my kin abduct and destroy you. 'Tis also one of the reasons I dare not bring Noswyl hence."
"I'm surprised a guy with your skills in swordfighting even managed to get the sword up anywhere near a Morai. That's gotta be a bluff," Naomi scoffed. "Or they're just not as powerful as the Order claimed them to be..."
OOC : Some history with sparring in between them?
Rhendon scoffed and withdrew a standard-issue knife. "Perhaps 'sword' was the wrong word. I used a knife. This one, in fact. Shoved it waaaay up his arse without batting an eyelid." He chuckled, spun the knife around, and sheathed it in one swift motion. "I ain't a Recon Knight for nothing, y'know."
"Tell me why you haven't moved like that when we sparred?" Naomi asked, in even more ridicule.
Before he was given the chance to answer, she looked up ahead, and her face showed an expression of confusion.
"Wait...what the heck...?"
Up ahead was a single lone jelly, flobbing all by its lonesome.
Holding out his hand Mortis listened to the souls. Letting them touch his hand and body, not really minding so much now that his mind was clear and not burning with a hate. The soft feel of the orbs which housed the light of life was odd because of how it pulsed with energy. Some where frantic and other where calm, it was almost like being in a sea where every speck had a story.
Turning his hand so his palm was face up Mostis looked onto one soul which seemed to land and look at him. The myst like energy forming off the soul making it look as if it was just a little crystal full of energy made another unseen smile come to his face. Was this really what he looked like before being returned to his body? It must have been because these people, if thats what you could call them, where not unwelcoming of his touch. Yet he was warry of the things the dead could do when angry, knowing full well that fact himself.
So this is where we go when we are lost? To be trapped in the dark world and wonder forever with no since of direction. Just the haunted halls of your capture. Yet its not there fault they could not pass on, perhaps the light did not shine for them and they still wait for it to come to them. I know not but soon peace will find them all, and when it does they may finally rest in peace.
Reaching up with his other hand Mortis started petting the soul, kinda like it was a real person not some kinda creature just to be hold.
Veru relaxed as the two got caught up in an argument, allowing himself to gain more distance from them, getting a bit unnerved by their 'violent' conversation. Knowing that they were the same race was slightly reassuring, but still, Veru was unsure about just how much trust he could place in the strangers.
When Naomi stopped, Veru nearly jumped, completely lost in thought.
"What?"
Waiting for a reply from Cypreus, Herston asked, "Maybe we could go back to the town where Kora is? Mind you, I don't have legs. Or, well, injured legs.."
"Look up ahead..."
Sure enough, the small jelly slowly slides towards them, somehow able to keep its cubed form together.
"Um...is it like an animal...?"
"Your kind plan on staying in Haven?" asked Ophelia, her voice slow and calm as she stood over Feron, looking over his shoulder with some curiosity...
Though she wasn't really tied to Haven directly, as most of her business was in Emberlight, Moorcroft, and Apocrea, she did have a small dwelling in the Bazaar for her to rest at while she was doing business. Sorta like Basil, who roamed the Clockworks selling his own wares to whoever could muster enough coin to satisfy the exorbitant prices.
As Evie was slowly regaining conscious, she was feeling sick. She slowly started to get up, she saw Tyvell downed. She then looked to see her broken arm was bandaged. Evie looked around and saw she was on another floor and also saw a purple gate. She tried to find the key she found but it was missing until she found it on the ground. Evie decided to have a look around before opening the gate and saw a lift that was on fire.
She looked at the symbol and it at was a red citadel and Evie thought "F-f-firestorm Citadel..." Evie slowly walked back to the purple gate with tons of chains around it, she picked the key up and slotted it in the keyhole. The chains around the gate started to fall and a giant lift popped up with a purple eye as the symbol.
Evie thought "A purple eye? I have never seen this before." She stepped onto the lift which went straight down to a dark passage. She then felt a sharp pain and tried to move but it felt she was stuck in place. 2 gremlins that where pitched blacked picked her up and threw her into an arena where there was 11 gates.
As Evie tried to turn around, a voice said "You have two choices. Either get corrupted and help us or fight 11 bosses all together." She couldn't think because of the pain and the swarm decided to launch both choices. A seed appeared in front of Evie and was slowly corrupting her. As she was getting corrupted, her pets where getting corrupted as well...
((OOC: The bosses are 1 Snarbolax, 2 Rabid Snarbolaxs, 1 Royal Jelly, 1 Ice Queen, 2 Roarmulus Twins (Regular boss fight) 2 Red Roarmulus Twins, 1 Lord Vanaduke and 1 Darkfire Vanaduke. Also Thin, are you going to stop Evie from being corrupted or not?))
Gallon firmly landed on the Elevator which was heading back up to Emberlight. Groaning at how counter-productive this was getting, he looked around and noticed a lack of members in the group. The Lancer looked toward Fennel who seemed to be spacing out a bit. Gallon squinted at the Syranger, wondering if he would regain a sense of being anytime soon, and tell him where the Bird-Boy and Valkyrie had gone.
Gallon proceeded to unsheath his spear, lightly poking the Stranger to gain some sort of reaction, and hopefully get him to respond to the questions Gallon was asking in a morose tone.
"Why is there just you on this elevator, and not the guys you were baby-sitting?"...
(Gallon needs to head to Normal FSC 1st, so I cant really be of any help to Evie)...
Rhendon frowned. "I didn't move like that. Just because I successfully used a knife on some poor slob doesn't mean I'm pro with it." Not noticing the jelly blob Naomi was looking at, he continued. "Why are you questioning my skills, young lady? You need to be more respectful of your superiors."
Then out of the blue, Naomi quipped, "Look up ahead." Confused, Rhendon stuttered, "Wait, whaaaa-?" He glanced down the road and saw the jelly cube bouncing along its merry way towards their group. "YIKES!!" he shouted and jumped back. Composing himself, he said more calmly, "Ahem! I mean, yikes! What's that thing?"
__________
Feron replied, "With your permission, yes, we will be staying at Haven. It's the only way to get into the Clockworks, and serves as an excellent stronghold against invaders."
Just then, a bulky knight in green demo armor strode up to them and saluted. "Cypreus reporting for duty, sir." Feron returned his salute and replied, "Thank you, sir. Ophelia, this is Cypreus, a skilled bomber and Recon Ranger in the Spiral Order. I have a mission for you both: see, one of our premier exploration squads, Alpha Squad, has gone missing, and since the Strangers seem to know the Clockworks pretty well, I was hoping you could guide Cypreus and his team while they searches for the squad. Are you interested?"
__________
The little lost soul seemed to smile at Mortis, appreciating his kind gesture even though it could no longer feel his touch. "Say, do you know where the souls of the dead are supposed to go when they die?" it asked him. "Because...well, I'd like to rest in peace someday. Is that...you know...possible?"
Fennel's mind had been flashing with memories as Evie fell, marking the third team mate he had lost in his entire career. Two in one day. His mind flashed back to when Hazel had been consumed by the void, the great unknown...
Wheezing and coughing as the system idyllically drones on. "ACTIVATING AUTO DEFENSE MECHANISMS. POISON GAS FLOODING FACTORY. ALL WORKERS, USE SPECIALLY FITTED MASKS." By the time the trio had gotten out their Remedy Capsules, it was too late for Hazel.
Gallon was poking him with a spear, asking him some questions.
"Little one, Evie has fallen below the depths, before I could rescue her once more." The third time this day? I think. "Tyvell, I think, has went down to rescue her. I...I was distracted by a recollection and stayed their idly. Such a foolish display of incompetence. We must rescue them once more, lest they encounter some greater evil than that horrid machine down there."
Fennel pressed a button, and the elevator whirred back down, past the depth where the Collector had been. Depth 20, 21, 22...Fennel saw a few Owlite feathers fluttering in the air as they reached 23. 23...Basil often visited this place, if he was here, his assistance could prove useful. He had no time to ponder such thoughts, though. The place had transformed utterly.
There were four elevators in addition to the normal mechanical one, one of smoking ashes, one of too green woods, almost poisonous in look, one of icy chills, one of oil and steam. All save the first had purple chains entangling the machinery, preventing passage. Some strange entity had placed them there...to warn others not to dwell there? But the first one was open, and there was a shattered purple key. A small amount of singed metal was on it. Where had it come from? A robot? Metal Sonic? The Collector? Tyvell was unconscious on the ground, injuries everywhere. With a quick weak spell, the Owlite was only stabilized. He wasn't fully healed, but he would live. For now.
The normal elevator flashed a red tower, indicating a strange castle and citadel. On the tower symbol was an...Almirian? Was this the famed Firestorm Citadel?
Fennel turned towards Gallon and bowed. "Little one, I think that may be the citadel from where your origins lay. If you wish to go there, then we will part ways. I must atone for my failure and endeavor to rescue Evie."
"Hmm, that is a hard one my friend. For when we pass on we are suppose to see a light. That light is our peace. Some call it heaven others call it Oupavos. But me, I call it home. Where you rest is where you feel at home, where your light shines and lets you see your kin. For you little one I can not say where your home is, because home is where the heart is at."
Mortis looked around at the souls that seemed to be listening rather intently. He smiled if he could but it was nice to be able to speak to some one and have them hear back.
"For me, it is in the hall of my fathers. On the lush lands were the fields are freshly turned and the smell of cut grass fills the air. That is my home, that is my Heaven. But I can't pass on yet, for I still have a job to do. Thou I am yet to know what it is, but I am sure when my time comes to pass, I will gladly take it."
He looked back at the little smile giving it another pat on the head.
"Don't worry, because in this life or the next. We are never really lost, just not home yet."
As Tyvell was regain conscious, he started to hear voices. When he fully regain it, he saw Fennel and Gallon. Tyvell looked around and couldn't see Evie but a opened gate and a broken key. Tyvell then said "Evie... she could be in trouble..." Tyvell trys to stand move and collapsed back onto the ground in pain...
"Urm.... Can I go with you too?" Herston piped up, until he heard Feron say, "Opheila."
"Ophelia? Wasn't that you that saved me, and Naomi?"
OOC: I'm assuming because of the Mist energy, it healed mah legs. xD
In order to save face, the easiest route will be travelled. I count for one, Cypreus counts for two, and that little one counts as three. One more brings us to the maximum...
"Where have you last contacted them? How far intothe planet were they when they disappeared?"
Spanner looked incredulously at Fennel "Dude, you ain't following Evie anywhere! You'll need a key, man, and you don't got one. Maybe if we could hit the control room and do a reversal trick, but it's guarded with lotsa guys and guns. Ain't nobody gonna get past that."
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Apollos turned to Mortis. "It is time. Step with me into the portal." He took Mortis' hand, and they stepped through together. They came out into the depth 23 terminal, where they spotted Gallon and the others. "I confess that sometimes my mapping skills can at times be inaccurate," Apollos groaned. He strode up to Fennel and bowed. "Well-met at last, Fennel. I bring good tidings; Noswyl is still as vibrant as ever." He gestured to Mortis and added, "She still grants gifts to her visitors."
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Feron cleared his throat. "We last contacted Alpha Squad several days ago, when they first reached Haven. We soon found out that we were presently unable to communicate with anyone in the Clockworks, so they agreed to explore it a full day and return by the day's end with a report. Several days have now passed, and we still haven't heard from them."
He turned to Herston. "Which is where you all come in. You, Cypreus, Ophelia, and Arkus will venture down to find them. Think you're up to the task?"
"OH MAH FUDGING GOD! STALKER!" Herston toppled off his bed, hand flapping wildly around.