AChapter 3
The Sewer system beneath Rabanastre is old, it is also large, ten foot wide vaulted stone tunnels, supported every thirty feet by huge fluted buttresses. There two feet walkways on either side of the 6 foot channel which flows with crisp, crystal clear water! Which is a bit odd it being a sewer and all but hey the imps have been at work for a long time and its not like the city above is lived in any more. The ladder the party climbed down ends at a small platform at the end of the tunnel, the light comes from white globes attached to each of the buttresses and the tunnel heads off under the city ahead of them!
Lee steps away from the ladder, looking around, up and down the lit underground tunnel, and lets out a low whistle, "Well now... Nicest sewer I've ever seen in m'life, strooth." Making room for the others, he looks up, "So, which way we s'posed t'go, again?" There is only one direction from the base of the ladder, the tunnel is a blank wall behind them and then stretches out into the distance ahead in the directions of the ruins.
Once everyone is down in the tunnel, Ainsley digs in her robes, and produces... that shotgun she got ages ago from that adventure she went on for Nitro. She checks it, and then sets out to head down the tunnel, following the only direction they can go. "It occurs to me," she mentions, quietly, "That this is the second underground tunnel that we have gone in for this whole mess, and we all know how fun the last time was." Hint: It wasn't fun at all, at least by the utter displeasure in her voice from remembering their first meeting with Savourn. "And there are supposed to be fiends down here, too. Tch..." She glances back at Lee, smiles, and then the rest of the party with more uncertainty.
Marduke steps off the ladder and onto the walkway. Stretching out and tapping his staff into the ground he hmms a moment, "it is perhaps, we shall see what this ones holds for us." shrugging his shoulders and glancing down the tunnels and hmms a moment, "Well shall we?" Patting at his belt to make sure everything is still secure and nods.
The tunnel heads along for about ten minutes, there are no exits or openings until they reach a crossroad. It is quite large, four tunnels coming together each one barred by a large grill except for the one they just walked out of. The walkways are all connected by small stone bridges that also arch out to a pedestal in the centre of the water-way which holds a plinth.
Lee nods to Marduke, "Aye, let's." After the bit of walking, as the crossroad is reached, he hmms and looks around, eyeing the large grates baring further progress, then the pedestal out in the middle, "Blocked passages, would make no sense for there t'not be a way past given what we've heard o'this as a route of entry." He looks at the other two, hooking his thumbs in his belt, "What think y'both?"
Ainsley takes a look around at the various grills, frowning at the sight. She takes note of the way the crossroad is shaped, with the pedestal in the center one would think, so naturally it's got her attention. She looks for a way to get up to the pedestal, and see if the plinth holds any clues or if it's just a fancy decoration piece. She looks down at the water as it flows, as well, squinting momentarily, as she tries the bridges. She frowns at the bridges, not trusting the structural integrity for a second, careful to check for cracks and loose bits so she doesn't end up plummeting into the water flow below.
Ainsley steps out onto the bridge heading toward the pedestal in the centre. Despite looking for signs of wear or tear she sadly doesn't spot the switch which she steps on. There is a very loud "CLICK" And the pedestal shudders, the plinth sinking into the floor and a soft alarm sounding as the gate to the left unlocks and all the stone bridges start to retract back into the stone work. Even as this is happening there is a rumbling, roaring sound and a torrent of water races down the tunnel opposite the one that just opened and slams into the party. It is a wall of crisp, cold water that picks them all up and carries them down the tunnel. When it finally subsides everyone is very wet and lying in a large pool of water, a natural depression catching them and holding them as the torrent subsides, leaving them in another crossing point. This time it only has two exits and a plinth in the centre again. ) [Spoofed By: Silvante]
"I might remind you all you picked the path of puzzles and traps. I would go so far as to say that the center here holds the puzzle or clues we need to solve, along with a few traps here and there..." Cutting off as he blinks eyes looking to Ainsley, "Oh dear." Is all he offers as he clutches his staff tightly so he doesn't lose it. He guggles a bit as the water subsides and moves to sit up, "Everybody ok?" Eyes looking towards the center and sighs, "I suspect we will get washed away a few times more." Eyes landing on Ainsley.
Lee leans up against a wall as Ainsley moves to investigate the center pedestal. The click gets a reaction similar to Marduke's, and he blinks, though he doesn't get anything out beyond a brief yell of surprise and warning as the water slams him and carries him away! Once deposited, he coughs and sputters, regaining his feet. Drenched to the bone, he relieves himself of his cloak, wringing excess water from it as best he can before stuffing it into his equally soaked pack; his hat is missing, though, and with the pack back on, he looks around to see if it was deposited anywhere nearby, while stepping over to where Ainsley ended up to offer her help getting back on her feet, "I'm beginnin' t'not like the sense o'humor of whoever made these traps... I'll be thankful if bein' swept away by cold water's th'worst we'll 'ave t'deal with." Then, to Ainsley, "Y'all right, luv?"
Ainsley felt her heart leap into her throat, metaphorically speaking, when she stepped on the switch, and all of her feathers fluffed up again. "Oops--" is all she manages before she is swept off with the others, and lands, drenched by the water, shivering and looking miserable. She gets up slowly, and with Lee's help which she appreciates with a smile, probably quite sore after that whole mess, frowning and muttering once she's up. She checks around for her shotgun, having dropped it when she got swept off. "No," she answers Lee, the chill from the water evident in her voice, "No I'm not alright at all." Lizard-kin, probably made her extra grumpy getting her all cold like that. She puts a hand on her hip, and then sighs, trying to step toward the new plinth, taking meticulous steps in case there's another trap. "At least... at least the water's clean..." Leetle pages, "Oh poop... back in a bit." to you.
click, this one is muffled as Ainsley starts forward and stands on something under the water. There is a rumbling hiss and the plinth sinks into the ground with a clunk and then silence. The gate leading forward is locked, the only way to go is to walk back up the two hundred or so yards of tunnel back to the original cross-roads...
Marduke leans into his staff watching Ainsley make her way towards the next pedistal. "You are on a pilgrams path. They are meant to sort out and deture the weak. There is a reason there are three choices, each one represents a different set of skills to..." Cutting off again as he grabs his staff again waiting. Watching the other tunnel lock close he offers a soft sigh. "Skills to test. Lee and myself will keep a eye on the path ahead between us both we should be able to find something, hopefully." sighing softly, "lets get walking its a bit back to where we started."
The trek back to the original cross roads takes a good fifteen minutes and there are no walk-ways to stroll along so the whole journey has to be made in knee deep crystal clear spring water. When they arrive back at the crossroads they find the original plinth has risen up again and three gates are closed. The two they haven't been down and the one leading to the entrance ladder...
Lee blinks and braces as well at the sound of another click, but relaxes again a moment later when nothing more untoward than the gate forward locking itself happens as a result. With a sigh of relief, he resumes searching for his hat, keeping a careful eye on his footing lest there be more than one trap to trigger, collecting it and Ainsley's weapon when he finds them, then stepping up beside Ainsley, a hand on her shoulder, "Well, nothin' for it, just have'ta go back an' try again; an' th'more eyes, th'better, no doubt." After the walk back to the first room, he climbs up onto the first path-ledge he comes to, after checking it for switches of course, getting just a bit paranoid in that regard, offering Ainsley a hand up after, smiling, "Shall we try again?"
Ainsley hears a second click. She frowns and watches the plinth descend and the gate close. She stares for a few moments, and just lets the water-soaked feathers fall back down over her face. She looks very unhappy now, though this isn't a huge surprise. She only looks down at her feet /after/ this, and then turns to start walking without another word. She doesn't even talk on the way back, too busy tromping through the water. By the time they get back, she looks tired and droopy. She's not the most durable creature. She allows Lee to help her up, glancing off toward Marduke with some mild concern. "Are you going to help, or are you going to keep talking about how this is all a test? Because I already know it's a test. Spirits do that. It's their 'thing,'" she says, with an air quotes motion. She looks around for anymore traps before she does anything else, of course, not exactly in a rush to cause another fifteen minute long trek through water.
Marduke raises his eyebrows to Ainsley, "Seems you were only partially listening to what I was saying Ainsley." His voice good natured as he moves out of the water and onto the path. Kneeling low he looks over the platform trying to spot any of the traps, "As I sugested me and Lee take the lead to keep a eye out for traps." Tapping his staff gently before him to see if any of the stones sound different. "The Imps are rather talented at these sorts of things." A thoughtful hmm as he slowly makes his way forward keeping his eyes out.
Despite his brave words Marduke has to be grabbed several times by Ainsley and Lee and stopped from stepping forward. Now they are activly searching and being aware Ainsley is having good luck at locating the tripstones and pressure plates that would set off the flood trap. It is Lee however who is the true master at spotting the traps. It isn't just the floor, it is the ceiling too, there are subtle shades in the tone of the bricks that can cause things to happen if you don't follow the precise meandering route around the bridges, crossing back and forth to the centre and back before the trio are stood before the small plinth. It has four green triangular buttons inset into the top, each one connected by a maze of twisting channels. Set in the centre of the channel is a metal spiggot, it looks like someone will have to guide it through the shifting channels to one of the buttons to activate it. A puzzle of the mind and concentration as there are bound to be dead-ends and more traps.
Lee relaxes from hyper-vigilance with a sigh as he comes before the plinth with the others, smiling, "There, that weren't so bad..." Giving the other two a smile, he turns his gaze to the plinth, eying the convoluted display, "Looks complicated... Bound t'make me cross-eyed jus' lookin' at it." Still, he tries to study it without touching as he asks, "Which o'those buttons y'think we need ta press? An' which of us'll give it a go?"
Ainsley lets out a sigh of relief as they progress past the tripstones and pressure plates and all that badness, and shoots an idle look at Marduke. "I was just being too enthusiastic about it, I guess," she says, more pleasantly. Then she takes a moment to examine this puzzle, tilting her head lightly. She pushes the damp feathers back again and sticks her nose as close as possible to examine all the details without, well, bumping anything. "Mmh. I can give it a try," she suggests after Lee's words, "Unless Marduke has any objections?" She quirks a brow over at him, smiling lightly. She spares a lot of time just examining it, not wanting to have to figure it out through trial and error, because that would probably mean getting washed away again. Marduke gets pulled here and there with a grunt, "I never said I was the best at spoting traps either!" in slight protest after one grab. As they make their way to the puzzle he looks it over and hmms a moment, "All yours this is more your forte then it is mine honestly. Not to bad at puzzles though." shrugging his shoulders as he considers it looking it over with a hmm.
Ainsley, at one point, hits a dead end in the puzzle, and a wash of water sprays down on the whole party. They don't get swept away this time, sure, but it's bitterly cold and she has to use some fire magic to warm herself up before continuing; she's very good with fire magic, coincidentally, so warmth is easy to manage. Eventually, she figures it out, and the button to progress forward lights up green. And she presses the button, assuming that's what she has to do to activate the mechanism to open the grate and progress down that path. "If this is this bad," she mentions, "I'm glad we didn't take the other paths or I would've been eaten or fallen down and broken several bones by now. Bloody puzzle is a brain-twister."
Down in the Sewers beneath Rabanastre Ainsley has just opened the pathway forward, another long tunnel with walkways to either side and a channel of crystal clear, pure water running down the centre. The way forward is open and they have managed to avoid setting off any more traps! Progress!
Silmeria pulls her sodden hair away from her eyes, loosing a deep, relieved sigh as the way before them clears. "Well," she says brightly, "*that* was... um.... diverting..." The Esper glances to one side for a moment, then shrugs and continues on down the waterway. "But at least we're back on course, yes?"
"Yes," Ainsley agrees, as she pushes some drenched feathers away from her eyes much in the same way Silmeria did with her hair, "But mind the traps," she says, helpfully, "Tripstones and pressure plates and all that." She keeps her steps slow and steady, and her eyes wary for things to trip over, as they progress for the pathway she opened with the water-directing puzzle. She takes up a place at the rear of the group, this time, because she's terrible at spotting these traps.
The normally easy going summoner is not so easy going right now. His eyes glancing around for anything out of place, and being careful with his step. Clearly a bit on edge as water still drips off of him from the early flooding. "Maybe, we could go three directions and we picked this one. Need to keep a eye out for anything that might give us clues which way we are supposed to be going." A grin over to Silmeria, clearly in good spirits despite the edgyness. Lee, also normally easy-going, is still rather easy-going, by contrast. Not to say he isn't watchful and attentive to where he's stepping, or that he's any less wet than anyone else, but he seems able to keep at least some of his usual smile, "Actually, one direction'd already been revealed t'us with th'wash-out, an' no garauntee it'd be open fer us again, so like as much there were only two other choices, lest we went back th'way we came in. Still, if th'Imps 'ave been at this place, then th'worry of a false path needs be considered, as trickin' pilgrims inta a dead end, or a hidden exit that leads back outside, sounds 'bout their speed t'me, so watchin' fer signs o'tha *real* path forward, that be sage advice."
The corridor leading up to the next junction is devoid of traps, at least any traps that would worry the party, a couple of pressure plates are avoided and Lee snags Silmneria back from the brink of activating some sort of pit-trap. The next junction when they arrive at it is much like the last. A cross-roads, a plinth on a platform out in the middle of the waterway and bridges connecting it and plenty of traps between he party and the puzzle...
Silmeria squeaks as her robe is latched onto, only barely noticing the trigger as she's hauled backward. "....I, um... think I see what you mean, Master Lee," she says, rubbing at her neck. "But at least the traps can be avoided... I'd not relish having to fight monster after monster, each one worse than the last by the simple fact that we'd be more tired than it."
Ainsley smiles as she avoids bumbling over any more traps. She first takes a moment to observe the room, checking for any notable marks on the walls, any signs that might indicate that they're on the right track. She sighs, and digs into her robes, finding that her writing pad is soaked. "That's why I chose this path, well, part of why," she says, to Silmeria's comment. She stuffs the notepad away again, and frowns. "No maps then," she muses aloud. She taps at her chin. "Can't leave markers, 'cause of the water traps... Unless we leave something tied to the plinths...? Hrn." She crosses her arms, and then decides to check for traps before she even thinks of checking the plinth.
Marduke is pondering and hmming a moment as he considers, "It has to be solvable and there has to be clues. Those are the rules and one thing I know about imps, they will follow the rules in things like this." Eyes looking around, "Plenty of traps here to eh?" A glance to Silmeria, "If we can spot them in time." A touch of a sheepishness to his voice, "Thankfully Lee is pretty good at spotting them." A nod offered to Ainsley, "Should get your main bag water resistant, did that to mine a long time because of this very area." A scowl, "but I forgot to bring any writing stuff figured you would have it covered."
Lee nods to Silmeria, "Tricky bastards, they seem t'be." He joins Ainsley in examining the room, giving the ceiling a good deal of attention; that's what revealed the path to the plinth in the last room, after all, even if there's no promise that the same trick will be used twice. "Might be bad t'go assumin' what th'rules are, lad, though I'll grant y'tha logic in yer assumption." At mention of himself, he glances at Marduke and grins, "I've jus' got good eyes, s'all." Going back to inspecting what he can of the room beside Ainsley, he refrains from any further comments.
The party make their way to the plinth, it is a tricky path, they have to pay attention to the floor, the ceiling, the walls and the waterways. It takes a good ten minutes but soon they are standing by the plinth in a group. There are four green arrows but unlike last time there are four smaller red buttons below each one that presumably activate some form of puzzle relating to activating the arrow of the direction they have chosen.
Silmeria picks her way along the path, hopping from safe place to safe place in much the same manner as a child playing some arbitrary sidewalk game. Upon arriving at the plinth, she peers at the buttons and their corresponding arrows, eyes following each direction they point in. "Hm... I wonder if there's any way we can see how this works *without* pressing a button to test..."
"Just when I thought I'd figured it out," Ainsley says, tiredly, as they reach this next plinth, "They go and throw in new rules. But this might mean we're on the right track... Why else would they raise the difficulty?" She flashes a smile at the others, though she doesn't look quite as certain of her words as she would like to. "If no one has any objections, I'll handle this one, too." Before she touches anything, she gets a proper look at the layout, trying to puzzle out what it could do just by looking. Sooner or later, though, she's gotta try something.
Marduke steps lightly and actually manages to avoid the traps hismelf this time without being yanked. A smile on his face as he steps to safty and looks over the new puzzle and hmms a moment. "Interesting? Is there anything unique about the gates or anything different on the stones around them that might give us ideas? Else I say we just continue forward as we have been." A chuckle and looking back to the puzzle, "Each one will be different Ainsley. Though the harder they get the more likely we are on the right path."
Lee hrmms to himself as he examines the ceiling closer on the way to the plinth, paying enough mind to follow everyone else's safe footsteps, but little more... Then, once at the plinth with everyone else, he reaches out and taps Ainsley's shoulder, pointing up once he has her attention, responding first to Silmeria and Marduke collectively, "May'ap turnin' our eyes t'tha 'eavens will give us enlightenment, for uniqueness seems t'lie above... Ains, luv, there's more'n one pattern up there. One fer th'path we just took to get past tha traps in 'ere, but another also... Think it might be our roadmap'r sumfin', but it's too complex fer me t'work out. I think."
There is nothing Ainsley can learn by looking, it is some buttons, and then some smaller buttons, that's it. Otherwise it is just a case of pick at random or try and solve the puzzle above their heads tht Lee has pointed out to try and determine which button to press. Silmeria blinks, eyes rising toward the ceiling. "...What d'you see, Master Lee?" Tucking a stray lock of hair away from her face, she searches the space above them for the clues the laconic fighter has pointed out.
Ainsley blinks a couple times, and looks up at what Lee is talking about, squinting up at the ceiling. She frowns at the fact that it's up there and not anywhere she could've easily noticed. "I'm going to need spectacles, one of these days," she remarks off-hand, as she tries to determine some sort of clue from the pattern up above. She'll even use a bit of fire magic to light up the chamber, if she needs a better look, more than skilled enough to manage that. With the added bonus of warming up a soaked and chilled party. "Good catch," she adds, happily.
Marduke hmms as he glances up again to study the cieling, "A difficult clue that is to be then, but it seems that there are indeed clues." He offers with a smile, eyes scanning along attempting to see what Lee is talking about. "Though it appears this one is a tricky one. What exactly are you seeing Lee, mind pointing some of it out to help us along here?" Lee says, "Like I said, mate, patterns." He points along the one that reveals the path through the room to the plinth, "There's that one, like in th'last room, but there's also this other one," he says, pointing out parts of the second pattern, "but I can't follow it completely, keep loosin' it."
Once Lee points out what is what Marduke and Ainsley are able to put their heads together and get to work. Sadly to Silmeria and Lee the pattern is just nonsense but the Summoner and the Scholar working together are able to pierce it together. It is part mathematics, part visual and a little bit peculiar angles but in the end they are able to determine it is the button pointing right that they need to push. The red gem-like switch is depressed and illuminates and then with a soft chime they all light up and a part of the ceiling spins around revealing a crystal. The light in the corridor dims down to a dark glow and soon after the crystal over-head begins to illuminate and then project a mesh of three dimensional light around the room, pin-pricks of stars forming and hanging in mid-air. Then a voice whisper softly, "Name the Constellation above...."
"*Much* less terrifying," Silmeria breathes as the light-traced star map resolves into visibility, a gentle smile on her face. "*Someone* certainly gave honor to Lady Andromeda, and in rather beautiful fashion besides..."
Ainsley is startled quite grandly when the constellation comes into view, almost expecting it to be another trap. Her feathers, having since dried out some, fluff out again in that telltale startled look, eyes widened, her hand raised, and then she starts to calm. "... mmh. That's quite advanced, actually," she says, seeming greatly impressed, "All of this, really, but the imps must've had plenty of help and time, they do last an awful long time so it's not like work would go neglected for... obscenely intricate puzzle mazes."
Marduke nods to Ainsley one last time as they piece it together. "Aye it has to be that one then. Very clever, this one must of taken them a bit to set up." Glancing up as the room darkens and the stars come out and lets out a soft sigh, "Very pretty." He offers and nods, "Aye indeed, I do love the stars. Though lets see if I can remember which constellation this is." Eyes looking around with a wide smile.
Lee blinks, eyes quickly adjusting to the changing light, arms crossing over his chest and nodding to Silmeria, "May'ap, aye, seems like... Can't say I know th'names o' many constellations, m'self, though I know th'look an' shape of most; don't need t'know it's name ta navigate by it, fer all that I usually do so by landmark as much as by stars most times." Idly, he reaches over to smooth Ainsley's feathers out again, while looking up at the displayed constellation, trying to match it's shape with any he might recognize.
The constellation finishes forming over head, the lights burning brightly above them now in a recognizable pattern and the voice asks again. "Name the consteallation please to continue."
"I... have no idea," Silmeria says, blushing faintly and stepping back. "...I'll admit, more often I'm needing to look down than up, but... I'm sure one of you has a much better idea than I."
Ainsley breathes in, and then calls out clearly, "The constellation is Pisces," with absolute confidence in her answer. She blinks slowly, and looks around, waiting for some sort of clue of what could happen. She glances aside at Lee, smiling at him, pleased that he's offering some form of comfort for the raw-nerved lizard girl. She giggles softly at Silmeria's behavior toward the matter.
Marduke just waits quietly leaning into his staff. He looked over the constellation, and then glances to Ainsley and nods in agreement. A glance to Slilmeria and a chuckle, "We all have to look up sometime. I used to sit on the beach as a kid staring at the stars. Someday I would love to meet Lady Andromeda. My grandfather had a pact with her if I recall correctly, he taught me the stars." Grinning a moment, "So..." Glancing around, "What happens next?" Lee nods with Silmeria, "Yeah, I've got no clue either." And, as Ainsley answers, he smiles, hand on the lizard's shoulder, "Thought you might 'ave an idea, though, an' looks like m'faith was well-placed. An' next, I s'pose we see which way opens afore us, an' proceed on, o'course."
The platform clunks... the grate to the right rumbles open and a railing rises alla round the platform before it shoots off down the sewer tunnel at speed! It's a bit of a shick but it whizzes along and there is still no sign of Lee's hat as they zoom along at quite a clip! "Oh good, it looks like we'll get farther after aAAAAAAAAAA!" Staggering against the railing as the platform takes off at speed, the Esper leans back, short hair fanning away from her face as she attempts to get her bearings.
Ainsley squeals in fright in time with Silmeria's shout as the platform starts zipping along. She reaches and grabs Lee, and the railing, and tenses, all her feathers puffing out again. She calms after the initial surprise, just like with the constellation, but looks around with a frown on her face.
Marduke just has a moment to grab a hold of his staff before he loses it like Lee's hat! A yelp in surprise, then a big goofy grin as he starts to enjoy the ride and holds one hand to the railing, "Weeeee!" Turning to face the direction they are going.
Lee nods as things start thunking and clunking, until the sudden acceleration throws him against the newly-risen railing, grabbing onto Ainsley as she grabs onto him in turn. Aside from the initial surprise, he seems to quickly come to enjoy the speed, laughing a little and wearing a big smile as the wind whips his shaggy black hair, "Now -this- is more like it!" Leaning closer to Ainsley, he says to her over the rush of wind, "S'almost like we're in a power-dive, ain't it?"
The platform races up to the next junction and jars to a halt... it spins and clicks into place and again the lights dim, a projection sphere from above glows into life and another image flows into sight. "Which spirit does this symbol belong too?"
The sudden halt sends SIlmeria careening forward a short distance, before she can grab hold of the nearest railing. All but ignoring the question asked of the machine, she spares a moment to mutter, "...I think I'd vastly prefer asking Uncle Conductor to get us there... but I know he'd never..."
Ainsley peers up at Lee, and her frown fades away, only for them to reach the first destination of the platform. She waggles her tail agitatedly. "Surprised me, 's all," she murmurs softly to Lee, her voice taking on some of Lee's drawl, and then she blushes a bit. "Power-dives I at least have some warning for. I've got no idea what any of the mechanisms in here are for..." she trails off as she looks at the symbol. Perhaps she knows it, but she squints for a bit too long for that to be true.
Marduke chuckles and grins as they come to a stop. "Now that is a rush! The wind felt good." Glancing up and lets out another laugh, "Speaking of wind! The symbole of Pandemoa, the Emporer of the sky." No hesitation on his part as he only takes a moment to reconize it. "One of the greater spirits actually to, quiet common for sky captains to pray at his shrines before a long trip." Nodding at that and glancing around.
Lee, with his hold on the railing, keeps his feet, and with his hold on Ainsley, helps her in that as well, nodding at her response, "This is true, luv, this is true." Giving thesymbol a glance, and having no clue what it is, he keeps quiet about any answer, as he, rightly so, has none to give, instead cocking his head at Silmeria, "You got family in the rail business? That's pretty interestin', actually, not that big an industry these days, wot with airships an' tha mists an' all." Clearly not at all knowledgeable about things spiritual, this one...
Again the symbol vanishes, this time the gate to the North opens and they are all jerked sideways as the platform shoots down the next tunnel. A spray of water cascades over the railings, a mist that sprays over them all as along they race at a mad-cap speed toward the next puzzle!
"Er... no," Silmeria says as the North gate opens, crouching down on the platform and redoubling her grip. "I mean as in, the Cunductor of the Doom Train... the Spirit that guides the dead to their rightful place?" Thus prepared, it's simply with the barest of whimpers that she reacts to the platform's latest high=speed course.
Ainsley is less startled this time when she knows what to expect, but sputters as she's sprayed this time. Her eyes close, and she laughs, shaking some of the moisture off of her head. "Bloody terrible, this thing," she complains, good-naturedly. She keeps firmly latched onto Lee the whole time.
Marduke is ready for the sudden acceleration this time, and staff held firmly he grins as they start to speed along. "Going to have to compliment the imps for this one!" keeping a hold of the railing and laughing on occasion at it all.
Lee, likewise, knows what to expect, and keeps firm and secure hold of Ainsley as the platform takes off yet again, yelling to Silmeria over the wind, "Y'need t'relax, lass! Enjoy it! Strooth, if this unnerves ya, imagine if we were *flyin'*, reckon you'd fall t'pieces, tense as y'are!"
With another jerking rumble the platform comes to a halt at the next cross-roads... another projector sphere coming on over-head. A symbol appearing in mid air and the same voice asking, "What martial art uses this symbol to indicate those who have mastered the art?"
Lee keeps hold of the platform rail with one hand, and Ainsley with his free arm, to keep himself and her from getting tossed about by the sudden stops and accelerations of the platform as it moves. And as the platform comes to it's latest stop, and the question is asked, Lee looks up at the symbol, and blinks. Then smiles, saying half to himself, "Didn't think I'd see that ever again..." Louder, he calls out, supremely confident in his answer, "It's the symbol of the Tenth Dan of Hiji-Suru Ryu!"
Ainsley has since gotten used to the sudden starts and stops that the platform does, at least while she clings to Lee, and isn't as panicked about it this time, when they come to a stop and the next question is asked. She looks up at the symbol as it appears, blinking a couple of times at it. And then up at Lee. "... ooh." She sounds as if she didn't know it, herself.
Marduke is actually rather enjoying the rides himself. Leaning back against the back part of the lift for now watching the terrain go by. He glances up to the symbole and blinks a moment, clearly clueless. "Err well seems the imps have picked something for everybody." Shrugging his shoulders and offering a smile. Holding on to see which direction the thing goes next.
The platform clicks again and rises up... this time it rockets off to the left, charging and twisting down the tunnel. Water sprays up in all directions and then as abruptly as it started moving it stops! This time it is in a large multi-tunnel junction. There are at least six exits and again there is a faint humming sound as the air above comes to life showing a beautiful wood-cut illustration of a large leaf. "Which book examining the study of the Folita Fauna of Rozzaria does this leaf appear in?"
Lee laughs as the platform rockets away again, not minding a bit of water spray in the least, and keeping his tight holds on Ainsley and the rail. This time, when the platform stops, he looks at the symbol, and his immediate reaction is to look at Ainsley, "Books'r yor thing, luv, not mine."
Ainsley lets out a squeak as the platform starts moving again, almost afraid to get thrown off of it on accident, clinging to Lee that much harder thanks to the fearful thought. The platform comes to a halt, and she looks up at the illustration. She blinks once or twice, and then says, "The Illustrated Plate edition of the So'Torae collection," seeming to get it pretty easily.
Marduke glances as they come to a stop again and makes a mental note. Then nods to himself leaning back, "Have not read that one. Though I have been meaning to study boteny and the effects of mists on plants. Might be a good read." Shrugging his shoulders and grabbing onto the railing again.
The platform clicks, a small bridge extends and a set of steps folds into place granting access off of the platform and down into one of the smaller tunnels. A grate clanking open to reveal the way into a small tunnel. It is all slowly flowing water-way, no ledges, good thing it i all crystal clear.
Lee smiles and gives Ainsley a one-armed hug, "Good show, luv." Looking back at the rest, he motions with his head, "Guess we proceed that-a-ways, eh?" So saying, he makes his way off the platform and down into the ankle-deep water of the small tunnel. Raziel pages, "hehe found you your wayward legion." to you.
Ainsley shows a great toothy grin at Lee, and silently tags along with him, making sure to cling to his arm as they go. She keeps watch of the floor, at least trying to spot anything suspicious through the water. Don't want all that progress to get washed away with one little mistake. "That last question as easy. I read about plants all the time," she says to Lee, "I've thought about raising plants before."
Marduke moves along behind Ainsley and Lee, just shaking his head and staying quiet for the most part. His staff he holds in his hand and not tapping it along, harder to do in moving water after all. Eyes also staying alert laong the floor, ceiling and sides of the wall. The place having made him a bit more paranoid then normal.
"We're done? The ride's over? Oh, thank goodness," Silmeria murmurs, pulling herself up to a somewhat shaky standing position, then picking her way off the platform. "...Very well done, though... I'm sorry I wasn't a great deal of help, myself..."
The tunnel is well light, those white globes giving off their ceaseless light and the water is cool and refreshing whilst the air is a pleasent temperature. Nothing untoward in this tunnel so far and there are no traps or trip switches or pressure plates that anyone can see or has tripped.
Lee walks along in a pleasant mood, keeping an eye out for trap triggers, and not spotting any. And, after a few moments of unmolested walking, that starts to get to him, and his smile slowly transforms into a frown, and he turns to the rest, "Not that I mind th'reprieve, but... Is this feelin' t'anyone else like it's *too* quiet? Or am I just gettin' m'self twisted about?"
"Wait!" Ainsley calls out to the group, suddenly, to get their attention. "Illusions, I think," she says, first, to let them know the seriousness of her calling out to them. "They really did think of everything..." she murmurs, looking down at the water. "... hmm. Beware the silent corridor... There's no... chill..." she trails off, remembering the reading she got from a certain seer. She glances off to the left, and steps up to the walls to examine it. She only examines it visually, at first, but then she takes a step forward, testing to see if her hunch is correct.
Marduke is walking along and hmming a moment thoughtfully keepinga eye out for traps himself. A glance to Ainsley, "Perhaps but we are still in the wrong part of the city for that Ainsley, don't over think it. We have to get to the royal quarters first, but illusions is a good thought there to." Pausing now as he moves over to the opposite wall running his hand along it thoughtfully, "Not just the imps, you will find many challenges at the temples like this." Silmeria blinks, peering down at the water around her boots. "...Illusion? Really...?" Swishing her boot about in the water, she tilts her head, waiting for any sound, change in sensation, or what have you. "Hang on, Master marduke, I'm rather interested to see how this turns out."
Looking at the wall gains Ainsley nothing, the wall looks like the wall and Marduke examining the other wall doesn't find anything amis. In front of them the tunnel continues on as before, pleaent and unchanged and to their left.... Another way to go that is not plainly visble the only give away the slight change in the way the water is flowing that Ainsley must have spotted and as the lizard girl step forward she vanishes, passing right through the stone as if it was water.
Lee blinks as Ainsley vanishes into the wall, frowning and stalking after her, eyeing the wall like it's some sort of offensive fellow guilty of nicking his favorite cloak from the coatrack or such-like; he evidently doesn't like Ainsley disappearing like that, "Ains, you awright? Found summat, eh?" And, with that dislike in mind, and waiting for an answer, he pokes at the "wall" where she disappeared, before following after her cautiously. Ainsley pages, "Can Ainsley hear him through the illusion wall thingy?" to you.
"I'm fine, hun," Ainsley replies to Lee, clearly enough that anyone would hear her through the illusion. She calls out to the others, "Watching the water flow might help us here!" she calls to the other two, cheerfully, "Let's go." Meanwhile, Marduke's comments had prompted an eyeroll in Ainsley that no one is likely to have seen, taking advantage of that very fact to express her displeasure to no one in particular. Blowing off some of the steam that this stressful journey builds in her. Lee might catch it, of course, since he's following her.
Marduke is holding up a hand to his head, "As I say it I realize im over thinking it." A soft chuckle as he turns to follow along, "Such predictions, didn't say when or where. My apologies, very good catch Ainsley." Offering her a smile as he himself steps through the illusion where Lee and Ainsley went through, and hoping he doesn't run right into them! "One trick after another, and see if we can feel any air movement as well I suppose."
Silmeria smiles to herself as Ainsley pushes right past the illusion, revealing it for what it is. Holding her fingers against the wall, she makes her way to the point where the party vanished, and pushes through herself. "Perhaps a simpler method?" she notes, keeping her fingers pressed against the side of the tunnel. "It would, after all, be rather hard to miss when a wall isn't as solid as it should be."
It is not an easy maze though everyones ideas help, the hand on the wall, the watching the water. Catching the ways the shadows are over-lapping. They twist and turn and spiral and go up and down. It is not easy and everyone helps each other except maybe Marduke who seems a bit turned around and bewildered by the various forms of Illusions. Each hidden turning has a different flaw in the illusion to give it away or reveal it and it is a tricky thing to spot! Ainsley and Silmeria are in the lead with spotting them, heads together, eyes darting around, working as a proper team and after about an hour, passing through a last curtain of illusion the party find themselves in a large radial chamber. The water ends at a ledge and then the rest of the circular chamber is empty. The domed, arching over-head roof reaches up to a large shaft that open in the roof and lets in a beam of light. It i large, majestic even and rather beautiful but there are three more pools of water near the edges, other exits from other paths. Lee does the best he can to help out with finding the illusions, but ends up following Ainsley and Silmeria more often than not, with occasional instances of making sure Marduke stays with the group. Once in the radial chamber, he whistles, "Well now, isn' this a sight..." Paranoia returning, he starts keeping an eye on where he's walking, in case there are more traps, "So, anyone 'ave a guess what th'puzzle 'ere might be?"
The whole process has Ainsley pointing out the flaws to the others, if she spots them first, and helping with Silmeria, combining efforts and ideas as they go. She does agree to the wall trick, but mentions, "It may not work for every wall," and she turns out to be correct on that assumption. As they pass through the final illusion and into the big chamber, she lets a big smile grow onto her face. "This place is really fun, actually. It's decent practice for someone's wits." She looks around for clues for where they should go next, blinking once or twice. She doesn't trust these branching rooms at all, now, wary of traps on the floor and walls and any other trickery.
Marduke just grumbles to himself, trying to find something at least and mostly just failing. Turning around he sighs, "Didn't we just come..." Glancing back and hurrying to catch back up with the group and not really noticing the chamber they walk into at first at all. Eyes just watching the ground below him for the moment, clearly a bit out of sorts having not been able to help much. Only stopping himself right before he walks off the ledges and blinks, glancing up, "Err well then."
"...Ainsley," Silmeria murmurs, casting her eyes about the grand chamber, a small furrow appearing on her brow. "...What was the warning that master Thompson gave you...? The one about... oh... 'when the water stops flowing' or... Oh, I wish i could remember it..."
The waters have indeed stopped flowing, the four pools of water still and quiet and then the slightly raised centre of the room beneath the long shaft that stretche up through the rock.
Lee makes his way slowly out into the room, avoiding the pools and headed towards the raised center and the shaft of light, pathfinding for the rest in case of traps. Recurring paranoia, yes, but better safe than washed away to some random corner of maze-dom. He even checks the ceiling from time to time; it worked before, after all. As he goes, "Yeah, be damned if'n I can remember it either... How'd it go, again, Ains?"
Ainsley recites it for the group: "Beware the Silent Corridor, Watch the Chill, when water dries out and footsteps no longer echo, beware the hidden darkness that bars the way." And then she shrugs at the group. She looks around for anything that would match that. "I don't know. Maybe we reached the right place. Maybe we haven't reached that part yet. Part of it fits, but some of it seems to be off." She tries to find out where they should go next. "...could this be the 'hidden darkness'?" She walks over to the ledge, kneels down, and tries to find any hidden paths that might not seem like they're actually there by feeling out with a hand, crawling around the perimeter of the ledge. It doesn't look elegent, but it's thorough and it's safe.
Marduke just kinda looks around a bit not paying much mind to anybody else at the moment. Eyes scanning the room and then looking down into each pool carefully as he considers. Then shakes his head, "It may just be me, but this part here, the path we just walked with all the illusions after another. This seems far to complicated to be just any pilgrams challenge. We are in a area that has no clues, no leads, this is off the path." Offering his thoughts as he glances down another pool, "Four pools, how deep do they go? May be the darkness is hidden down there, not sure."
"I'm not so certain, Master Marduke," Silmeria murmurs, moving toward the dais, leaning forward and blinking up at the light. "It seems to me that this is the place where all the trails end. I just asked Ainsley about the foretelling, because it occurred to me that this might be a place for us to meet that *loathsome* man again. Either way... I think this is the way out?" It might well be the way out, it might not be, it is just a quiet empty room, about six feet of bare stone seperates the place they walked into the room in the shallow pool of water from the dais in the centre bathed in light.
Lee eyes the raised center of the room, and most certainly does not step into the light, merely crossing his arms and looking from the floor to the hole in the ceiling from which the light shines, "Well, I'm stumped..." He turns from the central light, making his way to one of the other tunnels, checking the grate that block it, and looking down the inaccessible tunnel, just to see what he can see. He makes his way around the room, feeling at the walls and checking each of the blocked tunnels in turn.
Marduke pages, "Which fits right into the pose I was working on to no less." to you. Ainsley steps up to the center of the room, probably to the dais. She steps into the light, if at all possible, and looks up, squinting at it. She looks intensely confused, and somewhat damp from head to toe from all the adventuring down here. "Hrn." She may be stumped, too, she looks very confused.
The moment Ainsley steps into the light her clothing and feathers start to be tugged upwards, then Ainsley's feet leaves the floor and then the lizard girl is moving upwards into the light. It's quite swift from that point on and in a matter of seconds Ainsley vanishes through the hole in the roof and is lost to sight in the bright coloumn of golden light.
Marduke just shakes his head holding a hand up to it. "Your right Silmeria, your completely right." Sighing softly, "The challanges change, scaled to the challenges. I forgot one of the most basic rules of the challenges. We are no novices seeking our first visit." Closing his eyes as he considers a moment. "And Ainsley for reciting, this may not be the..." Glancing to Ainsley as he finishes off, "place the prophecy foretold..." Blinking a moment and just shakes his head as he walks right on over to the pedistal, "Though now I am curious what the fourth path was, we were only given three options." Stepping into the light once Ainsley is out of sight.
Marduke suffer a similar fate as the lizard girl, the summoner lifts up and then vanishes upwards almost faster then the eye can follow..
"So I was," Silmeria says quietly as she watches Ainsley, then Marduke, get lifted up. "...Sort of, anyway... I thought the *platform* was going to lift us all up, there... Ah, well." With a shrug, she turns, grinning at Lee as she backs intot he light. "You coming, then?" Silmeria's question hangs in the air as the Esper vanishes upwards with a flah... leaving the man all alone in the maze of the imps...
Lee blinks at the esper's question, and looks back at Silmeria, just in time to see her vanish. And gives a long-suffering sigh, "Damn, would 'ave t'be th' Mysterious Light... Hate Mysterious Lights..." He pulls a long strip of lightweight black cloth, wet of course from the recent travels through watery tunnels, and starts wrapping it around his head like a desert turban, only his eyes visible once he's done; he may have lost his hat, but that doesn't mean he's unprepared, and Mysterious Lights are too risky for him to not take precautions. Just in case. And, so prepared, he walks over to the shaft of light, looking up at the ceiling, and heaving another sigh before stepping into the center of the light.
The light is warm and it tingles, washing over their bodies before depositing them one by one on a large circular disc. Their bodies seem to ooze up out of the stone and then solidify and as Lee finishe appearing the light flickers off leaving them standing together in a large courtyard. There are drooping palm-tree and ferns, stone bordered flower beds and several large fountains and a veritable host of imp who all let out a mighty CHEER as the party appear. Imps of every elemental aspect, at least thirty of them crowding and floating around, zipping through the air to examine the party before Kal lands with a thump in front of you all. "Man we thought you lot were going to be down there for days! I mean come on gang it's not that hard the exit was right there in front of you." He grins and hugs Ains, gives Silmeria and cool smooch on the cheek and a beaming grin to the guys. "Well done though, welcome to the Royal Palace of Rabanastre and the Temple of Lord Imp." The ice imp grin and bob up and sets Lee's hat firmly on his head and grins. It is sunset and the bright sun is framing the towers of the palace rather magnificently in front of the group. "Come inside everyone, i've got a great meal waiting and rooms prepared, you can all rest up and dry out and tomorrow well tomorrow you can ask what you want to ask!"
Go back to Ainsley Quest Chapter 2
Go on to Ainsley Quest Chapter 4
Or return to To Free a Soul
