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Dec 17, 2018 20:41:59 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Dec 17, 2018 20:41:59 GMT -5
Leia
You look for the tree, but don't see anything. "Huh, I didn't know Zack new about all this Otherworld stuff," Kiran says. "Oh, if you're looking for that tree, it's a bit more to the left. Here." He gently adjusts your head.
You see a small speck that might be a tree? It's really hard to make out. Kiran must have really good eyes to have noticed that. You're pretty sure it's colored like a normal tree, so it's probably not related to this place.
Tai, Leia
"Dibs on Leia," Kiran announces, surprising no one. "C'mon, let's go figure this stuff out before those two!"
Leia
Kiran takes your hand and pulls you into a run before you can protest, heading down the center trail. He lets you go before long, fortunately. You're left strolling along on a narrow trail together. "Hm. It's so quiet here. If anything happens, I bet those other two would hear us calling for help from a mile away." He nods. "Kinda nice, but also kinda creepy."
A short distance ahead, you see the path open up into a small clearing. In the center is a large pond with some reeds. It's large enough that the trail around the edge of the clearing doesn't get much wider. There are a few more trails in gaps through the trees, one to the left and the other on the opposite side.
The water's light grey surface is perfectly still...
Tai
Buttons watches Kiran go with a sigh. "Figures. Eh. Let's get going."
The trail winds back and forth a bit. You get a bit turned around, but think you're pretty far left of where Kiran and Leia were headed.
"I don't like this place. Normally we would at least see some monsters by now, even if they don't bother us."
Soon you find a large clearing. The trail continues through openings to the left, right, and forward. A single, tall, stark-white tree pierces the sky in the clearing. Buttons looks around. "Hm... Nothing here?"
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Dec 17, 2018 22:09:08 GMT -5
Post by Malefio on Dec 17, 2018 22:09:08 GMT -5
"Not as creepy at you...
Which shouldn't be surprising since you're Buttons' friend...
Well... Everything is quiet and still... What happens if we disturb that a bit?
I bet you that if I throw a rock in that water, there'll be no ripples."
Leia tries to find a pebble and throws it in the water.
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Dec 17, 2018 22:45:07 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Digi on Dec 17, 2018 22:45:07 GMT -5
"You're right. For once. It's pretty unsettling. There's definitely something going on here. The problem is figuring out what. True, we can come back with a bigger group, but we also don't know who Mercia's plants are."
Tai rubs the back of his head and presses forward through the clearing towards one of the paths. "Ya know, this is some pretty fucked up shit when you think about it. A bunch of crazy, hormomal high schoolers having to deal with the possible fucking apocalypse. It's like a damn TV drama." He keeps his guns at the ready as he leads the way, taking note of the area.
"So what the hell did you say your goal in all of this was? Being diplomatic with the guardians? It's not a bad idea per se, I'll give you that. "
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Dec 17, 2018 23:47:36 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Dec 17, 2018 23:47:36 GMT -5
Tai
"Yeah, pretty much. For now we're just supposed to track them down and invite them to chat." Buttons seems a lot calmer about this than you, his shovel resting on his shoulders.
There's no sign of any enemies as you head into the clearing. You take a look at the other paths. All three are silent, with the forward path leading up at a slight slope.
Leia
You look for something to toss into the water, but the path is annoyingly clean.
"Hm..." Kiran drops his transformation for a moment, reaches into his pocket, and pulls out a ball of lint. "Ta-dah," he says, tossing it into the pond. As you expected, no ripples. It even skids a bit like landing on solid ground. Kiran transforms back and hesitantly pokes at it with his foot, then takes a step out onto the surface. It doesn't react any differently than the ground. "OK, I'm starting to get a little freaked out here..." he admits.
"...Wait, what do you mean I'm creepy?"
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Dec 18, 2018 1:32:03 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Digi on Dec 18, 2018 1:32:03 GMT -5
"Yeah... let's hope thay everything turns out to be that easy. It'd make my fucking life if it does." Tai swallows, breathing and calming his anxiety. He stays alert, yet relaxes a bit as he goes towards the sloped path.
"So how's Occult going? I've been a bit caught up in other shit to pop in. Summon anything with your half-ass circles?" Tai smirks and says the last part in a teasing tone.
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Dec 18, 2018 8:27:17 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Malefio on Dec 18, 2018 8:27:17 GMT -5
"You're way too interested in me for someone I never met. That's creepy.
Now, if you don't mind, I want to know wether this place is devoid of life or just frozen in time.
I hope you don't mind getting wet, cause if you're so inclined in following me, we're going swimming."
Leia will swim underwater looking for a fish or any form of underwater life that exists in hope to see if it moves or if it's immobile like everything else.
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Dec 18, 2018 23:14:32 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Dec 18, 2018 23:14:32 GMT -5
Leia
"Huh? I'm just giving you some compliments..." Kiran says. "I'm not asking you out or anything. You must be even more shy than I thought."
You try to ignore him as you attempt to swim in the pond. You walk out, expecting to sink into a swim. But you can't break the surface. It's as if it's covered in a thick layer of ice.
As you peer into the pond, you can see a few monstrous, unmoving, monocrhome fish.
"I wonder if this stuff's supposed to be ice or water?" Kiran asks. "I'd assume ice, but with the coloring, it's pretty hard to be sure."
Tai
"Not in our world," Buttons says. A spirit jiggles in the lantern on his hip. "But I think I'm getting closer. Last time I tried, I could feel... something pulling at me. Calling out. It was like someone was whispering in my ear."
You follow the trail sloping upward. It runs up to a sheer rock wall up against the treeline. A large cavern with a few stalactites and stalagmites spread like fangs opens before you. A pair of holes up above look like eyes. Glowing eyes. The entrance is large enough that a half-dozen of you could enter comfortably. It doesn't seem dark inside. It's kind of hard to tell why with the black-and-white, but you think a few white stones set in the wall are glowing.
Something immediately starts gnawing at the back of your mind. Something weird. Wait, no. Something normal? But it feels strange here. Inside, you can hear something moving.
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Dec 19, 2018 1:03:40 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Digi on Dec 19, 2018 1:03:40 GMT -5
Tai hesitates. "I'm... not sure about this place. Let's be careful moving forward..."
Tai readies one of his guns as they push forward. "I've got a shitty feeling, Butts."
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Dec 19, 2018 1:57:07 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Dec 19, 2018 1:57:07 GMT -5
Tai
You proceed into the cave. Buttons follows close behind. You notice he now has his shovel at the ready, rather than casually slung across his shoulders. Inside, after following the path a short distance, you find three things.
First, a portal tucked in a small side pocket the entrance. At least, you think it's a portal. You're almost positive, despite the lack of color. It's glowing the same pale grey as the one you used when you arrived here.
Second, the monochrome rocks very suddenly give way to... normal, brownish-grey stone, lined with a rainbow assortment of large, shining gems that illuminate the remainder of the chamber. It's a massive room, larger than the gym - and at least five stories tall. Huge stalactites line the ceiling, some coming low enough you can reach the bottom. The very center contains a column as thick as sequoia reaching all the way from floor to ceiling. And, finally...
~?: Shapeshift~
Finally, a trio of creatures gathered around that center pillar. It's hard to make them out at this distance, but they appear humanoid, other than large wings. Leathery, bat-like. Not like that angel's white-feathered wings. You can't make out what they're doing from the room's entrance, but they're moving around the column in what appears to be some kind of ritualistic dance. They're absorbed enough they don't seem to have noticed you yet.
"Are they... one of them... the Guardian?" Buttons wonders quietly. He points to a few rock formations along the ground. "We could get a closer look. Maybe a bit risky. But we are trying to make contact with the Guardians anyway. Maybe call the others first?"
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Dec 19, 2018 2:10:53 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Digi on Dec 19, 2018 2:10:53 GMT -5
Tai takes a seocnd before responding. "We could, but we'd have to back track all yhe way and we don't know how far down the rabbit hole they've gone themselves. Let's just... take a closer look and try to be discrete. If things get shitty then we'll just retreat."
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Dec 19, 2018 8:26:30 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Malefio on Dec 19, 2018 8:26:30 GMT -5
"The compliments are one thing. Being dragged by the arm is another.
Oh... Oh... That doesn't really matter... There's... There's some monsters down there...
Way more interesting than I am!!!
Which means this place isn't devoid of life. It's frozen in time...
I have a theory, but I don't think we should test it tonight...
We should actually camp here for real this weekend...
Maybe this place is only active when the portal is closed..."
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Dec 19, 2018 22:35:18 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Dec 19, 2018 22:35:18 GMT -5
Leia
"Camping?" Kiran repeats. "Oh, HELL YEAH! I love camping! I mean this place isn't as good as the beach, but it's still kinda cool. When? Where? Just name the time and the place and I'll be there!"
Your phone buzzes with a text message. Kiran's lights up a second later. He pulls it out and looks down. "Hm? Oh, looks like Nat wants to know how the investigation's going."
It looks like you probably got about the same text. "How's the group study session going (・ω<)?"
Tai
Buttons nods and creeps along behind you. As you get closer and can see more of their forms from behind the wings... you realize you were very, very wrong. Their legs, which they have three of, are a good few inches longer than a normal human, and have an extra joint. The scuttle around like crabs. Their torsos are much shorter, stumpier than you thought. And where you expected them to have a head tucked behind their wings, you find none. Instead, they have a few protrusions on their torso which may or may not be eyes or ears. They do have two arms... almost. One large, muscular one which seems to be similar to your own. The other is thin and seems extremely flexible, almost rubbery, and ends in a long needle. The wings are mottled and full of holes.
There are a few minor variations between the three, but they're clearly the same... thing.
While you watch, the three creatures stab their needles into the rock formation. Their appendages begin to pulsate rhythmically as if sucking a liquid. As you watch, the color begins to drain from the stone itself.
"ARISE FROM THE DEAD AND ATTACK FROM THE GRAVE."
Buttons jams his hand into his pocket and silences his phone in utter panic. And... you seem to be getting a message as well...
The three creatures whirl around and observe the environment. After a few seconds, two of them return to sucking on the column. The third comes skittering towards the two of you with that disjointed, shambling walk.
"Shit!" Buttons says, readying his shovel. "DAMMIT, NATTY!"
TAI AND BUTTONS
VS
UNKNOWN LIFEFORM
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Dec 20, 2018 7:20:28 GMT -5
Post by Malefio on Dec 20, 2018 7:20:28 GMT -5
"Hey Natsu-girl! Sorry, I wanted to invite you, but knew you couldn't come...
We're actually studying for real... Studying whatever situtation we're in.
This place is like... Frozen in time... More details when we get back!"
"Okay Kiran... Camping is for if we don't find anything... If you're right and this is ice... Could you help me break the ice please?"
Leia switches to her baseball bat and starts striking the ice, from a ground position.
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Dec 20, 2018 14:50:32 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by Digi on Dec 20, 2018 14:50:32 GMT -5
Tai stands ready to avoid an attack as he tries to reason with them.
"Are you guys the guardian of this area!? If not then where the fuck is he and where the fuck are we? We're on a diplomatic mission and we'd hate for things to get ugly."
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Dec 20, 2018 19:38:05 GMT -5
Post by Vitsheep on Dec 20, 2018 19:38:05 GMT -5
Tai
The advancing creatures opens some kind of orifice on its body and lets out a sound like slurping and grinding. In one fluid motion is snatches a stalagmite in its beefy arm and hurls it point-first at Tai. Even expecting an attack, Tai barely manages to duck behind cover to avoid the missile, which embeds itself in the cave wall behind him.
"That's sure as shit not a guardian, Tai! I don't know what that thing is, but it's coming! Don't hold back!"
Leia
"I'd love to break the ice with you!" Kiran says. "Let's see. My hobbies include hanging out at the beach, video games, teasing Somnis... And I'm always up for a camping trip. Your turn."
Despite his attempts at humor, Kiran does move to help. He takes off his top hat and slowly withdraws a colorful, goofy-looking sledgehammer much, much too large to have been hiding in there. "Magical Mallet! HAAAA!" He leaps into the air and smashes the ground. "Ow..."
It doesn't react to the hammer, nor your bat attacks. It's like hitting solid stone.
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