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 Posted: Tue May 17, 2016 11:16 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════For the first few moments inside the cavern Ambiance's hope of the whole place being abandoned wasn't entirely wrong. The first few steps were at least visible if Ambiance looked down, but within a couple seconds of walking braving into the wall of ink before them they were completely swallowed. The only thing stopping them from being totally blind was a fragile orange yolk made of lantern light.
Eventually there seemed to be a stopping point. Link knew they were coming to something of an intersection in the paths because the walls which he used to guide himself were pulling away from him. So there they were, in the middle of a vast network of interconnected caves. Apparently they were on the edge of some giant precipice, or at least a drop, for on the other side was a drop, at the bottom of which reflections could be seen faintly glinting like planetarium stars. Link looked to Ambiance for her thoughts.
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 12:17 pm
 Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
Was the sword here or were they here after another artifact? Ambiance was inclined to think the former, but she didn't have a strong trust in that idea. She followed Link into the dungeon and into the darkness, mindful of how dark it soon became and how impossible it was to navigate without the lantern's light.
Then.... the path diverged into so many different directions. Where did one know the direction they should take? Then again, in some of the dungeon systems back in Labrynna, it didn't matter which one you took, you could probably wander down all of them before you found a means to proceed down a different part... which then allowed you to proceed deeper into a different part of the cave. By the time you found your way out, you explored the whole system.
Ambiance cautiously looked down into the darkness that stretched beneath them, the cliff that made up what she could only guess was the bottom of the cave. The height made her nervous, so she slowly withdrew again. There seemed to be something to walk on the other side.
Either... they needed to find a way across, or somehow find a safe way to descend down into the cave, if anything was down there. She looked back to Link, curious about his opinion, only to see the same expression in the firelight.
"Think anything's down there?"
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 12:51 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════Link simple smiled and nodded at Ambiance's question; not that there was just anything down there, but he was sure his destined sword was waiting for him at the bottom of this crevasse. Without any more hesitating Link grabbed Ambiance's hand, a big grin on his face, and took off down a random tunnel.
The powerful smell of fungus and musty pools with who knows what inside them filled the air, totally replacing the neutral atmosphere of rock and snow of earlier. A short way down, slashing at the occasional bat that came at them, perhaps angered by their light, and they were at a dead end. This, apparently, was not the way down. With a sigh Link went back up to the starting platform. Standing, looking quite confused, Link thought it over for a while before finally suggesting the two split up. Whether or not Ambiance would go for it was another thing, but it would potentially expedite their search.
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 4:38 pm
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
Link seemed energetic and excited. All things considered, that was a good thing to be feeling. Ambiance followed after him into the tunnel, continuing to be led by the lantern-light as they proceeded into the tunnel. The bats... ah, whoops. They were disturbing the bats. Unfortunately, this particular course, didn't lead anywhere, though Ambiance noted the musty smell... of stone and water, of life that grew only because of the cold and the dark environment.
They returned back to the ledge where options were pondered. Link broke the silence with his suggestion. It made the most sense and they would cover more distance. And... odds were that this structure was safe, right? Couldn't be worse than what they'd already taken care of. After finally getting used to taking down wolfos, Ambiance's confidence grew a fair bit when it came to handling her weapon. Besides, they only found bats so far. She could handle herself around those.
"Sounds good." She borrowed the appearance of confidence in an effort to boost her own. "Just need a light of some kind..."
She turned back to look for an abandoned torch or some odd piece of dry wood that she could use for the purpose. Once it was lit, she could be more effective in looking through the caves for clues and interesting things.
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 5:00 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════As luck would have it the torch in question could be found nearby next to a wall. A heap of bones were the only thing which caught enough light to be seen in the first place.
Link was off as soon as Ambiance had her stick ready, giving her some of his lantern oil to start her flame off right. Neither of them would have very much time to explore now. This was going to be a touch-and-go procedure; Link knew this, and wasted no time getting down to business, taking one of the tunnels on the left side.
He appeared somewhere near the roof of the cavern room where they started, swing his sword like mad to the tune of a dozen--at least--bats diving at him and shrieking. Clearly this wasn't the way... He would keep going though, finding it more fun than anything, this crazy maze of caves.
(For a while here I'd like to do you exploration in PMs, that way we can skip a lot of awkward/redundant posts.)
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Posted: Wed May 18, 2016 5:11 pm
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
So, with fire in hand, a bare hint of what they were looking for, and chasms to explore, Ambiance wished Link good luck, and she parted for her own way, down a path that might not have been touched for years, if not decades.
Torch at the ready, sword at her side, bag to her back, the exploration began.
She took her course to the right, following the other of the two tunnels that was in this direction. The first they had tried was beside this one, and that had led to a dead end. The path she took seemed promising... save for the incline that eventually led to a path over a precipice.
She wasn't fond of the height, but the path seemed fairly safe to cross. So, with bravery and her attention only on the next few steps she was supposed to take, she began to walk... She planned to clear this next section with her head fairly high.
Unfortunately for her, she hadn't been counting on the creatures of the room.... While there had been bats previously, something much bigger ripped off a jagged stalactite from the ceiling and let it fall onto the path she walked on. It fell just behind her, shattering the stone and causing the entire ledge to fall apart. In panic, she scrambled forward, then fell as her balance gave way. She landed on a flat surface, yet surrounded by stalagmites, she didn't feel much safer. She heard the sound of a creature landing, huge in the darkness and lit only just by the glow of the torchlight. It's large eyes shrunk and at the sight of her, it hissed. It spread its batlike wings and was off, leaping from column to column, circling her as she scrambled to her feet again.
This creature looked dangerous. She drew her sword, though dared not set down the torch here.
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 10:47 am
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════Meanwhile, Link was having a time of it. He'd managed to find his way down from where he was and was tunneling his way through the other options at breakneck speed--to capitalise on what lantern oil he had. He found an exceptionally long tunnel which led him all the way to the bottom of what he saw earlier.
Here it became clear--not really thought--that the glinting he saw earlier wasn't from the light from the entrance and their torch hitting water but the bodies of dozens, maybe even hundreds, of chus. A huge slab of rock fell to block the way he came, leaving the Hero with out one option: cut. them. all. down.
He wouldn't have too much time to pose, though, as the chus seemed to notice his presence, sniffing him out like a tornadic whirl of hammerheads, and began leaping at him like embers to dry leaves in a forest fire. Link drew and started, intercepting the first chu like a sloppily lobbed softball. It disintegrated, raining down an unwelcome mat before its brethren.
Link went to work, spinning and hacking and cutting the next dozen or so in much the same way he'd done the first attacker. It was going well, but the chu's either intelligently or by happy accident, started falling back and as they did began to combine. Bigger, fatter, uglier, more jiggly (ew...) they were nearly wide enough to take up the entire walk-able area of the arena (giving allowance to a pit nearby), and tall enough to be considered a very successful shop back in Castle Town.
Dumbfounded, Link took a couple steps back before retightening his grip on his sword. This wasn't the time to call it quits. If he was going to make it out of this he would have to fight hard, damnit! As if responding to this, the mark on his hand began to glow.
He made his charge--they both did. Link jumped as high as he could and met the nose of the goo-worm with his blade. A deep cut and a ripple rocked the beast, but its momentum was still great enough to push Link back. Link reeled, trying his best to keep his feet under him. The giant chu kept coming, taking a serpentine path to get to him now. It's bulk scraped and bumped the walls, causing the entire chamber to shake. Link was thrown off balance by this, but just before he was seized a stalactite fell on the chu's head. It's head was demolished, exploding and splitting into to only somewhat large chus.
This gave Link an idea. It he couldn't beat the thing with brute force he could at least try baiting it into destroying itself--or at the very least helping. The Hero made quick work of the two halves of the giant's head, decreasing its size a bit. Still, it was nothing to sneeze at. Taking it on again, Link allowed himself--using the term lightly--to be pushed back toward a wall. Shield out, back to the stone, Link waited. As soon as the chu reared up, trying to engulf him as the one in the ruins had before, Link rolled under, letting it hit its head against the rocks. It didn't seemed to mind that impact, but that wasn't the payoff. What Link was waiting for, head to the ceiling, was the cave's fangs to shred this miserable creature.
Another piece gone. Link made quick work of it too. The chu, on the other hand, was getting faster, and was seemingly just as powerful as before. Link was able to do more damage with his blade, but there were times when it seemed like the plan wasn't going to work. After a while of this, though, Link had cut off a significant portion of the beast's body and destroyed the remainder.
What was troubling, though, was that Link had seemed to unwittingly trapped himself in a cage of stalactites. This was, needless to say, one of those times when you pinched yourself to try waking up. This, however, was no nightmare--I mean, it was, but not one that could be woken up from. Link and the chu seemed to be both at their limit.
The remaining pieces of the chu wormed their way into the cage and immediately started pouncing on the Hero. With fiery eyes that locked onto and held the enemy, Link slashed and beat he shield against their gelatinous bodies, taking the occasional spin attack to hit all of them. It was an epic fight, Link getting tossed around the cage amid a flurry of goo. A few times he'd been thrown into a stalactite headfirst. He felt like quitting then, and had to will himself not to black out.
Spent, the Hero took his tired, beaten body out of the cage and found a curious thing happening. From seemingly nowhere there was a chest, formed out of light. Tentatively, Link opened it. If he had the energy he would've rejoiced at finding the dungeon map
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 11:53 am
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
Having earned some bravery from fighting many wolfos beside the wielder of the triforce of courage, Ambiance was able to hold herself together just enough in the face of this adversity to defend herself when the dangerous and viscous wolfo-with-wings leapt from the last stalagmite to leap down at her. She ducked behind the torch and the creature shirked back with a pained hiss. As it was thus distracted, she slashed at the creature with her blade, striking boldly for it's head. The pained roar betrayed its pain and it was quickly off, to the top of another pointed column.
Ambiance would continue this dangerous dance, and though she would be caught by claw once or twice, somehow at the end of it, she found herself alive and intact.... She couldn't say the same thing for the wolfo sprawled out and who finally collapsed... probably from blood loss instead of any one killing strike. It wasn't the sword. It was the wielder.
She exhaled slowly and once she confirmed that nothing was going to sweep down from the rafters and feast on her injured form, she began to search this area and explore. She heard a gentle ringing somewhere near the center of this jagged coliseum, and cautiously approaching this sound, she found an oddly-shaped key. Where did this come from? Was it what the wolfo was protecting?
She picked up this key and slid it into her bag where she could easily get ahold of it later, and she picked up her sword once again. She wasn't going to be caught off guard again. She couldn't really go backwards.... That meant she had to try the locked door. What was behind it?
So... with all the courage of a girl with no way to turn back, she pressed on. The door opened to reveal cave paintings on the walls around. In the center of this chamber, her torchlight fell onto a chest. Curiosity brought her forward, as well as a tested reassurance that this door wouldn't fall shut on her, and she approached this box. She set her blade into its sheath once again and she opened the chest. Within appeared to be a curious device that seemed to be like a pack that was carried on one's back... yet with extra straps across chest and midsection.
Ambiance heaved a sigh. All this work and nearly dying for a backpack?
She shook her head. There was a reason it was being protected and that it was locked here in a chest. She drew out this strange item At first unsure of what to do with it, she carried it in her arms as she explored the nearby area. In the arena she had fought in, she began to look around for another way safely out. There were no ropes, no stairs, no ladders, and no signs that gave hints... So, she continued looking. A second pass around everything eventually led her to glance down the sides of the platform. On one side of this room, there was an opening that seemed to fall into the abyss. Yet, with some light, she could see a platform that was about two floors down. (Or... she guessed at this height given what she knew about how houses were usually built.) [And she did have to look around after losing her sense of direction during the fight with the flying-wolfo. It's hard to pay attention to what way you came in from when it was dark and all you can focus on is avoiding certain death.]
She set down the torch and really began to study the strange bag. It opened itself up and from its back spread this giant contraption that seemed like a giant kite. In fact, the sudden opening of it startled Ambiance and she nearly fell onto her back. Fortunately, she only stumbled into a tall stalagmite and was able to avoid injuring herself further.
She awkardly fumbled at the straps and fixed this contraption onto herself. In the torchlight, this bag seemed to give her wings that curved in a manner not unlike the wolf-bat she had taken out before. Yet... the chest seemed to whisper when she opened it. Dragon Glider.
Oi... no. She cast her hesitant blue eyes to the distant platform below. She would have to glide to that. That meant she had to jump.
Her face paled and her heart began to slip into her stomach. Oh no...... No....
She swallowed and turned her back to the abyss. Maybe it was better to test this thing out first. Yes.
So she did. She would run a short ways, then jump, and thus tested the glider on ground she could land on without dying. After five tests of this, and one from the height of a stalagmite, she regained her courage, took up the torch, made doubly sure that all of her belongings were attached and secure, and then... finally... she leapt to land on the far distant platform, held by the wings of the glider.
She landed at a jogging pace and was amazed to feel the wings retract into the bag at her back. She looked and saw for herself that the wings folded. .... Then she had to remember: thus was the manner of magical artifacts. She found herself feeling strangely giddy with this discovery and rushed to rejoin Link back in the central chamber.
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 8:24 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════With the map in hand Link was able to know the whole layout of the dungeon, but for convenience thought it best to look at the map while standing in what he came to understand as the center of the cavern. Yes, he knew it all now, but that didn't mean much if he couldn't move. And he almost couldn't! Dragging his body up the tunnel, he would come out looking like a raw hide bone that a dog only cared to chew up half way. Clothes a mess, face with pieces of rock literally sticking out of it, the Hero stood at the center of the chamber with his potion in hand.
By the time Ambiance got there it would be finished, giving him the energy to react to her entrance properly. He of course gave her a big, running hug as soon as she entered sight, nearly squeezing the life out of her. After that was done the Hero in Green whipped out his map and started pointing to places on it excitedly. It would be clear from the map where they'd just been, but something more significant too. The whole shape of a large portion of the cavern looked sort of like a giant heart. There were two sides, and there seemed to be two levels, chambers, on each of those sides to make a four-chambered heart. Stretching above it to the top of the page was a big, winding path, leading to what looked like a giant dragon's head.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 8:42 pm
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
Ambiance, when she was seen in the light, didn't look terribly well off either, but she seemed to be on her feet regardless. Thanks to the skirmish with the wolfos, she gained a few cuts on arms and one on her face. These had begun to lot and had tried significantly over the course of the time in the dungeon. However, her fight with the wolf-bat had snagged a tear through her shoulder, and managed to cut into her left leg, too. She seemed to walk through these as though it was only a flesh wound, but one had to wonder if she was just toughing it out.
On seeing Link again, and he looked terribly beaten up, she was very relieved. However, she hadn't been expecting the charging hug that she suddenly got. Unable to complain, she was in his arms and marveled in the moment of not being able to breathe. Ambiance felt inclined to think that he had been put through a ringer. She awkwardly reached up to pat his back reassuringly. Once freed, she breathed again, and translated his excitement in having found a colored piece of paper that was quite- Oh, wait. It's a map.
She took hold of a side and studied it with him. She traced and explained where she had been, and together they found out where the other had traveled. Ambiance explained what she had found when she had gone down the left tunnel. From the looks of things, their course should lead them up to the dragon's head. Was that where the sword was kept? A rather dramatic place to store a weapon. Certainly made it impossible for evil to get ahold of it.
"So... what do you think? Should we go after it now or wait a few minutes to recover or come up with a plan?"
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 9:40 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════Link gave Ambiance an "are you kidding me?" face and rolled up the map. There was no way he was going to waste time in this place licking his wounds, despite how bad he looked. Not when one of the biggest pieces of his destiny was within reach! It was like he was called to it. The sword's holy light gave color to his blood; it was the light in his eyes as he looked into Ambiance's baby-blues.
No more hesitation. Link took off for the only area they'd yet to explore. It was the same area that Link thought was a dead end, but obviously he took the cross-the-bridge-when-we-come-to-it approach. Standing up on the ledge, waiting for Ambiance to join him, the Hero casually swatted at bats with his sword.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 9:53 pm
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
"Just thought I'd ask," Ambiance reassured him with a smile. She had a feeling he'd probably answer with this kind of energy, but it was polite to ask and be sure instead of making an assumption and acting on it. Reading the excitement and determination in his expression, she picked herself up and joined him, managing to match his step.
He led straight up to the precipice of doom and he kindly took care of the bats that were coming down to greet them. Ambiance took another gander at the darkness below, this time, looking to see if there was any rational reason to jump off of a perfectly stable platform like the one they were already situated on.
In the end, though, they did have a mechanism that would... carry at least one of them. Ambiance weighed these thoughts. As the hero, it made the most sense for him to make that leap, as she wasn't sure she wanted to test to see if the glider would carry both of them. That was only if there was somewhere for him to leap to, naturally.
"Hello darkness..." She muttered to no one in particular.
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 10:00 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════Upon hearing this Link turned to look at Ambiance, somewhat confused by her musings. It wasn't long before he noted her new equipment. Pointing to it, he seemed more excited than he perhaps should have been.
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 10:14 pm
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
Seeing his excitement, and seeing it correctly attached to the new thing she picked up, her smile became just as big, she set down the torch to take off the glider, and she handed it to Link.
"Do you want to try it?" Perhaps she was a bit too eager to let him have a turn. "It carries you on wings! You don't die when you fall, it's amazing!"
And yes, she would admit that it was fun, but she hated the anticipation that came before the jump. Maybe one day she would be excited for that fearful adrenaline rush, but that day was not this day.
"It's a Dragon Glider!"
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Thu May 19, 2016 10:47 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════Link shook his head, he had too! He just couldn't believe someone would just let him use something that cool. Eyes wide with excitement, the Hero took the Dragon Glider and fastened it to himself, giving a final tug before smiling at Ambiance.
With his new swag snug around his waist and shoulders the Hero stood on the sliver of cave rock which marked the start of a whole new way of seeing things: from the sky. Running start, jump, bad angle, near-death crash.
... That could've gone better. Link dusted himself off and ran up the tunnel again. He looked a little bruised from the landing, but other than that fine. Needless to say it took him a few tries, but eventually he was sailing among the stalactites. He was only able to get so far, though. Something was missing.
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