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 Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 6:47 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════This, oddly enough, worked. The statue, much like the others, had begun to release a steady stream of air into the room from its mouth. It seemed like they at least had a pattern down now. Link would be happy to hear they were making progress.
Yes, this is how it would go for some time, Ambiance making her rounds with Link helping to reorient her. She was a machine! Turning on all these stone blowdryers like that. ... Of course, nothing's perfect. As she got finished with the fifth statue something bizarre happened. Instead of just air coming from the statues' mouths there was now a toxic gas filling the room. Link began to choke, his eyes growing more dim by the second. That stuff I said about time limits not existing? Yeah, forget that now.
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 7:13 pm
 Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
The toxic air, when it first hit Ambiance, caused her to cough. Her heart beat fairly quickly already because of her activity so the toxin in the air so soon threatened to knock her unconscious. Her worry thundered and she wheezed, exhaling in a hurry before she held her mouth and nose closed. Air... So much air had been going, she had been taking for granted that it was clean. She hurried to fix the pattern for the last statue. She had to breathe now and again of the fumes, and each new time she coughed. By the time she pressed an inked hand to the last statue, her lungs burned, her eyes were full of defensive tears, and she was terrified.
Please work!
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 7:40 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════The last statue started to release the same deadly perfume into the air just as the others did. Link had nearly collapsed at this point. The only thing that seemed to bring him back was the jarring sound of the dragon statue in the center splitting open like a banana peel.
The fruit inside was a strange looking fan. Suppose strange wasn't the right word. It was very ornate, the fringe looking like a celestial dragon of old. Was this the way out? The statue wasn't the only thing to open. Apparently the ceiling had also opened a bit, and while the other statues weren't spewing toxins anymore it was still the case that they needed to get rid of the poison gas. Link, acting purely out of instinct, went for the fan and started to wave it around. To his, and probably Ambiance's, surprise, the fan brought more air than anticipated.
... Much more. Now there was a hurricane in the room, and Link was the eye. All the pressure from the fan's gusts was probably a bit much for Ambiance at the moment, but it was working. The toxin fog was leaving the room, forced up by the power of this magic fan. Soon enough it would all be gone, and the two could breath again. Link fell heaving to the floor, having used up most of his energy in that last struggle. When Ambiance approached he would still be coughing, but managed to look up in time and give his partner a thumbs up and goofy smile.
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 7:58 pm
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
MORE GAS!!! OF COURSE IT HAD TO BE MORE GAS!
Ambiance got a giant noseful of it and cringed as she stumbled away from the last statue. At least it stopped huffing now, but that didn't clear out the immediate concern that both of them noticed. Link's reaction brought forth the artifact, and as anyone should be expected to do in an emergency, it was immediately used.
Perhaps it had been the frantic energy that had activated the fan's power, but the effect was unquestionable. The whirlwind threw Ambiance to the ground, but once down, she didn't fight getting back up again. It was safer to stay down until the wind died down. When it did... they were both coughing... but they were alright. Ambiance was the first to pick herself up. She crossed the distance over to Link, who was prostrate and clearing his lungs.
She leaned over him with a weak but grateful smile. They made it. He answered her unspoken question with a thumbs up and his own smile. He was alright. Good.
She offered him a hand to help him back up, though if he wanted a few minutes to recover and catch his breath, she felt she would borrow those same minutes to do the same.
"Good work, hero."
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 8:19 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════Link did accept the help, thinking it to be the more polite thing to do than to wave her off with a "no thanks, I'm too much of a badass." Beside... He really did hurt. Between this and the chu he was looking at a day in bed tomorrow for sure. He of course took a moment to see it Ambiance was alright, and, when they two were ready, would head out of the room which had magically become open again.
Out in the hall they had the same goal as before, it seemed. They'd already covered the other areas in the dungeon, which only left one option: get across that gap. Link looked to Ambiance and gave a knowing nod before heading back up to the stalactite runway from which they were trying fly before. He still had the Dragon Glider on, and looked to Ambiance as though he had a terrific idea. With a smile, he handed her the fan--aptly named the Dragon Fan--and told her to wave it as hard as she could once he was off.
It was do-or-die... Maybe not as bad as it was in that room, but it certainly was tense. Link readied himself, taking a foot up to the cave wall behind them to get a boost into the running start. A sharp exhale and he was off, sprinting for all he was worth toward the abyssal drop. A heartpounding moment of silence as he hung invisibly to the underside of the cliff.
... And like a phoenix, he rose. This was it! The moment of truth! Would Ambiance be able to propel him to the other side, or would he be flung into a rocky death?
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 8:37 pm
Rihenian Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
Both confirmed okay, they determined to press on. Or, back in order to move forward. Once again in the center chamber, it was fairly clear what needed to happen. The precipice needed to be crossed. Link's leap from before hadn't crossed the distance. He needed something.
It came to his head quickly, this new idea, and she was suddenly given the fan. She blinked and listened as he explained. That made sense. It was like sailing. He needed a tailwind. As he set himself up, she moved into place and prepared herself. She knew the fan was powerful, and with his explanation of how it worked, she felt that she could cause it to utilize the effect that was needed here. The wind would carry the glider over the chasm and help Link to his destination.
Then, when ready, he gave his signal, and he charged. He gave his strength in forward motion, kicked off, and Ambiance reacted. She leapt forward, beat the air with the fan, and she felt the artifact come to life in her grip. Its energy was one she couldn't explain. She didn't know if its power was generated from the air or if it came from the fan. She didn't feel affected by it, though she certainly felt the world about shift in the invisible power that rent though the air....
This is why powerful and rare items are hidden deep in dungeons. Can you imagine something like this in the center of Castle Town?
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 8:48 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════When the blast first hit Link he was scrambled and tossed, doing loops and generally not doing so hot. This was what happened when you try to physics. However, after this momentary over load, the Hero's head coming much too close to some stalactites, he was pushed forward, just as intended. Landing on the other side a bit roughly, thanks to the momentum, he turned and waved to Ambiance to let her know he was ok.
From there he went on to explore what was to be explored in that hidden chamber so far away. After he turned the first corner it would all be a mystery to Ambiance, only able to hear howling and slashing, and the occasional whimper. After he was done he used his glider once more to bring himself to her. Though he wasn't able to go the whole way, having instead to climb up all the way from the middle, he did get there, and, with an excited grin, showed Ambiance what he'd found: a dragon-shaped key.
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 8:57 pm
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
Okay, maybe it was a bit too much power for a girl from Labrynna. She watched with relief as Link regained control and as he landed on the next platform. He confirmed that he was alright, and she waved back to reaffirm and celebrate this with him. Then, like the hero he was, he pressed on and continued his daring quest. He vanished from sight. She had no idea what was going on or what he was doing, but the sounds of skirmish and angered creatures betrayed a battle.
After a few minutes, he came back into sight again. He spread the wings of the glider and crossed the distance again. In hand, he triumphantly held a key. Ah! That definitely looked important. Had she seen the door that key belonged to already?
"Nice!" She smiled with him, excited for his success. They were moving on! And, if the map was right, all they needed to take care of was the last chamber, which would be opened by the key, and then they would have what they came for, right? If all these things were set in place to protect it, it must have been important. One would think that because of all these measures, nothing else was needed to protect such an important thing!
Right?
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 9:34 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════All Link could do was beam. Like before, he suddenly had all the energy in the world--or so it seemed--and was off toward the spot on the map. He hadn't been there before, but that didn't slow him down much.
Soon they were in the room Ambiance had been in before. The walls were lined with paintings, most of them depicting epic battles and dragons. The dragons just happened to be different colors, as made visible by light filtering in from a hole in the domed ceiling. On seeing them, Link turned and gave a nervous chuckle and shrug.
Before them was the door. Link gripped the key tight and marched right up to it. A hard click and the door was unlocked. It would take both of them to get the heavy iron started, but once it was moving it would swing open on its own. On the other side was a room nearly identical to the one they were in, save for the paintings and there being more light in the center. The light had focused itself on a big, smooth rock in the middle. Under it was some kind of steel plate, and there were thick, rusted chains loosely draped over it. It almost looked like an egg of some kind.
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 9:43 pm
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
They proceeded to the room with the paintings. They looked a little bit different now that she didn't have her torch, but at least they could see well enough to get by. The door to the next room was unlocked. They opened the door... And the room was revealed. Open, with a lot of space. Circular, like an arena. ... And the thing in the center, with the way it was so prominently placed in the room, made Ambiance worry just a little bit. Given the way everything else had been going, she felt that she wasn't supposed to touch the thing. It might have been the chains. Thick chains meant they were supposed to be strong enough to restrain something.... or they might have, once upon a time.
Was that really a rock, though...?
Ambiance glanced to Link. Well... they needed something that was in here. "Split up and search?"
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Sun May 22, 2016 11:05 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════Link nodded, and the two were off in their own directions. For whatever reason, Link wasn't immediately drawn to the rock in the middle of the room. He got a lot of information just by looking at it. Instead he was flipping over smaller rocks, checking darkened tiles on the floor, and generally doing some sleuthing. Ambiance would find much of the same evidence, of intense fire, with the edition of pieces of swords and crumbled shields, that looked like they'd been charred.
All this seemed to be adding up to one thing, and whoever got too close to the center first would be the first to see exactly what was meant by the term "heart of darkness." It started with a low hiss that reverberated through the steel flooring, then a crack on the "rock." Soon there was a rumbling which felt as though a giant was shaking the ovoid room like a snowglobe, followed by a snapping of the chains one by one as the thing started to pulse violently.
Link drew his sword and stood in front of Ambiance. Whatever was in this room, they found it. A loud boom came next, startling Link somewhat. It split the rock right down the middle. An eye, blood red and full of lightning-like rods, locked on to the duo and narrowed. A couple more explosions, these ones sending pieces of the apparent egg flying off every which way, and the coiled beast was there, naked, raw, fierce before them.
The battle had begun with a shrieking roar, matching up was Link shouting. For whatever reason the Hero thought it wise to charge the dragon head-on. He was met with the standard fire-breath I'm sure you're quite bored of by now. Suffice to say Link was tired, but not bored. He raised his shield and took most of the flame. His shield started to turn red under the sustained blast, and when the Hero dropped to a knee and winced the dragon batted him across the room. He skidded to a stop some twenty feet from where he started, getting up and giving a defeated look to Ambiance before willing himself to try again.
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Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 10:35 am
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
The evidence of conflict and battle said a great deal. It was impressive that some were even able to make it this far. Though... the artifacts around were rusted and worn with time and the charred ground betrayed the damage of whatever dwelt here. Having circled the room once, only to find more of the same, she did rejoin Link and... well... inspected the center item with curious dread.
It snapped to life. Eyes glared out from the initial cracks. The egg-like rock burst. She scrambled back saw Link rush between her and the creature. It uncurled and stretched before them. Large, scaled, dangerous... Link charged. The beast spat fire. The heat of the blast deformed the shield, causing it to change colors and begin to glow. That was never a good sign.
The monster sent Link across the room with a flick of its tail. "Link!"
Ambiance drew out her sword, just seeing the hero's downcast expression before he worked to pick himself up again. Painfully aware of not having a shield, Ambiance moved her eyes to the creature in question. If in sight, she determined to stay out of the way of its breath. What was the range of the fire? If it was indefinite, she felt that she would have to be fast. Perhaps running might be better than standing still? She began to strafe, drifting to the right and keeping her eyes on the creature. Challenging it made it breathe fire.... what would it do if she didn't immediately provoke it?
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 1:00 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════It crawled along the steel floor, head low and hips up, swaying, waiting for its opportunity to strike. It looked more like a big cat than a dragon at the moment, the way it acted. It wouldn't have to wait long, though, as Link came rushing in again. The Hero jumped and tried to slash the dragon's head, to no avail. With the slightest move an iron-tough wing came over the beast's face, protecting it and bouncing the Hero off with a resounding clink. It followed up with another swipe of its tail, but the Hero was able to jump over it, instinct driving him to backflip.
It was about this time that the dragon noticed its other victim had begun to move. This and the fact it was growing bored of Link--apparently--caused the dragon to switch targets altogether. It came for Ambiance now, ignoring Link's strikes as they didn't seem to cause much damage anyway. It would come and wrap its tail around her and pick her up like she was a rag-doll and haul her off (sorry for the auto! Plot purposes). Then it used its powerful wings to propel itself skyward, straight through the occulus in the center of the ceiling.
Link shouted and railed, but nothing would stop this from happening. Just like at the carnival, he was powerless; like the Twilight Realm, he was powerless to keep Ambiance safe. Thinking quickly, he spotted some rocks on the side of the room. Like a parkour master, he was suddenly leaping from rock to rock, pile to pile after the both of them.
Meanwhile, The dragon had been flying with Ambiance in tow for a bit, doing circles around the top of the mountain. It's massive wings beat a sheer current into the air whenever it flapped, and its snorting nose looked like diesel exhaust. After a few laps around the peak it started to descend, coming to land on a long, flat slab--a bridge, you could call it--on the side of the mountain. It uncurled its tail and set Ambiance before it, staring at her like cooking meat.
Link had managed to find his way to a small crack in the domed wall, and with a little squeeze was able to fit himself and the Dragon Glider through. Surprisingly there was a pad of sorts, a rock on which to stand.
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Posted: Mon May 23, 2016 4:01 pm
Ambiance~
Aura of Peace Oh, if only I could have been there
I'd be a hand for the sinking
(Considering Ambiance's agility, I can definitely believe that this would happen. All good!)
It turns out that she was interesting. Perhaps later she would count not being roasted as a very huge blessing, but definitely in the moment when she was effortlessly picked up by the dragon's tail, the reaction to scream overrode whatever positive thoughts could he held in that moment. Then, the dragon took wing. Despite being in the rock for who knew how long, it took to the air and with ease flew up and over the mountain. SO very high into the air. The creature, capable of killing, was not her only means of not being killed by falling. Eventually, or what seemed like forever to the panic-stricken, the dragon did land. She was released. She couldn't trust her legs to hold her upright, so she was quite content remaining seated. Her sword was still in her grip, for she dared not let it go, but her blue eyes now stared back at the dragon who....
He was probably hungry, wasn't he?
"I don't... suppose we can talk about this?" Ambiance weakly asked. It was kind of a frail hope that the dragon could talk. Words were precious. "..... Maybe a song?"
I wish I could protect you here
Oh, please don't cry, now, smile
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Posted: Tue May 24, 2016 8:07 pm
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════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════Up on top of the world stood the hope of Hyrule, leaning against oblivion, carried by a fraying hope. He looked at his sword: chipped, dulled on one side; it didn't reflect the face of the Hero in the illuminated glory of manuscripts once praised for their beauty rather than historical significance, that airbrushed, carefully rationed sepia on a spotless face... No such thing was found there on the glinting edge of Link's blade; there was only a man, who looked like hell, and snow overwhelming everything else.
It took a moment for his eyes to adjust to the brightness of outside, not a small part of that was the fact they happened to be in a cave for the past... How long were they down there? He shook his head one last time, and the thought was loose and rolling off his head, along with the sensitivity to light, on the next breeze. With his new sight he was able to see everything, including the one he was looking for. Link could see the edge of a bridge and about half of its width from his foothold, and saw melting from the edge of the dome the dragon. It was heading toward Ambiance.
One more look at his sword, then to Ambiance. She wouldn't last long against it. ... One more look at his sword. He would have to be quick. With a soft and unmemorable swish Link's blade was cast off the side of the mountain. Needless to say the Hero wouldn't wait til it hit the ground to start climbing to the top of the dome. Call it a hunch, but something was drawing him up there. Foot by foot, hand by hand, his bones, made brittle by the cold, pushed through ice and rock to make his unsteady ascent up the dome...
This beast wouldn't be in the mood for songs, as it so happened. It was like looking death in the face; no matter what it was inescapable, and no matter what it would remain, regardless of how hard it was pushed back. Its teeth were clean, something it looked to change apparently as it bore down on Ambiance with its maw slightly agape. The crackling of fire could be heard from deep in its throat, and its sharp, predatory eyes seemed to shine as it prepared to blast Ambiance with the same fire it pelted Link with earlier.
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