Chapter 27
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Jenna is in trouble, lost and seperated from her comrades she has been playing ring around the roses with the infuriating magical clock whose arms are the only way across the chasm that bars her way. Problem is though it will respond to her vocal commands there are 12 doorways she can possibly take, 11 if you don't count the one she came through! Moving down the corridor she is currently in she has just cut down a golem and beyond it is a large square chamber. It is plain, the floor is sand the walls are stone and a large green copper door in the wall directly opposite is the best clue to someplace else she has come across so far. ) [Spoofed By: Silvante]
Jenna grinds to a halt at the edge of the sand. The burmecian crosses her arms beneath her breasts, and purses her lips as she regards the room she is most certainly about to enter. Sandy floor? That could mean many things; erosion, which could suggest the ceiling might collapse, or it's here on purpose, and might be concealing something nasty underneath of it. Still, there is really no hope for it. Going back is not an option, so with a resigned sigh, she starts forwards, moving cautiously towards the corroded copper door.
The sandy floor is soft and well pretty normal, compact sand and the stone steps leading up to the doorway seem regular. It isn't until she touches the door and tries the handle that things seem weird. The copper is warm and the floor starts to vibrate ever so slightly, the wall is rumbling... something is... moving behind it.
Jenna's fingers reach out to gingerly touch the door; they just touch it, and then there is that rumbling. The Burmecian's instincts see her jumping back, and her hand goes to her revolver, snapping it up from the holster to point at... a green door? "Can't one thing be simple, just once?" she complains aloud. She backpedals quickly, just in case anything does come exploding out of the door; no reason to be right there to take it in the face, afterall.
The wall rumbles....... the floor shakes and a long, snake like head pushes out of the wall... two large arms slide out, morphing and forming into weapons and the wall growls and then roars out words in a language you have never heard before before taking a swing at you. The soldier leaps to one side but is clipped on the shoulder by the sword as it swings out. Thankfully it is not a full on blow but the wall is alive and facing off against Jenna!
Jenna turns her head just in time to see a large arm lashing out at her. She moves, but gets a blow to her left shoulder just the same; thankfully there is no loud crack from bone giving way, but she's going to have a hell of a bruise just the same. The soldier goes down, but manages to roll back up to a kneeling position; she holds her pistol with both hands and sights down it carefully, before squeezing the trigger and opening up on the stone arm with a single shot. )
The demonic wall screams in agony as the gun goes off and splinters of stone go all over, its eyes flash and it lashes out with magic this time! Streamers of magic dance out into the air from its other hand and slap into Jenna's body! It burns but not badly, it stings more then does any real harm! Not a very powerful spell thankfully!
Jenna receives the spell, and throws her free hand up to shield her eyes as the magical energies slam into her. Her fur gets singed and her wisps of smoke rise off her as she smolders, but thankfully, she's still standing. She straightens, and turns herself sideways to present as narrow a profiel as possible to the enemy; her gun is held outstretched, and she takes a second to gaze down the sights before opening fire, unleashing a loud report and a bullet at the wall's reptillian head. ) [Spoofed By: Jenna]
The bullet slams into its head and the creature roars! That cleared hurt it and flickering lights can be seen beyond a spoiral of cracks on its fore-head. It however slams both hands into the ground and waves roll out! They jostle and toss Jenna around and though she is bruise a bit by flying chips from the ceiling she importantly keeps her feet!
The burmecian flashes a grin at the results of her shooting; at least until her footwork goes all wonky. She staggers, and flinches as she's struck by the rock chips; blood drips down her cheek from where one of them cut her face, and she brushes it away with her free hand once things stop moving. All in all, not too bad a wound. She drops down to one knee in case that happens again, and levels her pistol at the snake-like head; her hand snaps back with the recoil as she fires once more.
CRACK a hole appears in the fore-head of the creature, it screams, flame gushes out of the hole, chip of stone falling away and with a shriek it stretches it head forward and its eyes FLARE. It is screaming and cracks are falling off it it but then it's eyes flash and fire engulfs the girls body! It burns and stins and she has to leap and roll! It leaves her rather singed and warm. That definatly hurt but she is still in the game albeit injured and in need of some cooling sun cream
"AAAUGH!" Jenna's lips peel back as she screams, keeping her eyes shut against the fire; she's definitely not looking good when all is said and down, her fur is smoldering and she's down, propping herself up with her hand on the ground beneath her. When the flame finally stops, she's panting heavily, and slowly turn her head up to look at the wall. Two bullets left in the five round chamber; she forces herself up to her knees, levels the weapon at the wall, and opens fire once more. The bullet flies in through the beast's open maw, tearing into the stone inside of it and blasting a deep channel. Cracks form all over the wall and its appendanges, and an ear rending scream is cut short as the whole issue crumbles into bits. As it finally goes silent and the dust starts to settle, Jenna flops down on her back, panting heavily.
She's alive... the demonic wall is gone and as the dust truly settles onto the and she can see the room is truly twice as long, there is an identical doorway on the far wall and this one is open. Green light is shining through the doorway and Jenna... has a way out!
Jenna lays there for a good ten minutes, until the pain subsides and her breathing comes back down to normal. Slowly, she getes back up to her feet. The time is taken to reload her pistol with four fresh shells, and the weapon is replaced into its holster. The burmecian mutters something about water, before staggering her way towards the door; by the time she's passing through it her steps are regaining strength and confidence.
The room beyond is HUGE, there is a large stone causeway leading off up the track suspended above a lake of bright blue glowing.... something. It sure doesn't look like water. Overhead there is a spiral staircase, a huge open well that winds back up to the top of the temple! She is back at the bottom of the stair-well she fell down originally!
"Really?" Jenna grinds to a halt at the foot of the staircase. The view is surely beautiful; but it's rather marred by the fact that there are stairs. A lot of stairs. Which Jenna now needs to ascend. "After all that, there couldn't be some other way to get up?" She sighs heavily, and shakes her head. Oh well; absolutely nothing for it but to get started. And so, the burmecian makes her way up; one step at a time. One step by tiring step after another.
Rejoin Rest of Party ----
The party, the main party have been resting since their life of death struggle against the Golems that jumped them up at the top of this stupidly large stair-well! That was seven hours ago, now they are up, healed and Marduke is finally awake again after nearly having his head smashed in by one of them! They are descending as a party down the stairs toward the bllue/green glow fair below! They are about halfway there when on the far side of the curving stairs, walking up toward them is of all people Jenna!
Jenna is panting heavily from the exertion of making the climb; not to mention the burmecian looks... well, burnt. She's still smoldering, with whisps of smoke rising off her shoulders, her face is bleeding from a cut. upon hearing footsteps and such coming down, she flattens herself against the wall; just as the party comes into view she's drawing her pistol, and levels it at the first thing she sees, only to raise it again and point it at the ceiling. "Streuth, I'm gettin' jumpy," she mutters, before holstering it once more. "OI!" she shouts. "You all! ...Don't tell me you're going down, I just climbed halfway back *up*!"
"That seems to be where we're currently heading." Thaylorn murmurs as he takes note of the Burmecian's burnt appearance, eyes narrowing some "Less there's no way to go any further down there? Oh, and how did you survive a fall from all the way up there?" He comments, more curious than anything as to how she managed the drop "What's down there?" He's just full of questions. Mordecai has his shotgun out as he descends those stairs... And catching a glimpse of a figure a bit further down, aiming the shape of a revolver up at them, the man rather quickly returns the favor, that scattergun pointed right back at her. that is until he hears the voice a moment later, and finally recognizes the Burmecian. His weapon lowering again as he glances at the others of the party, before starting to descend further and answering in his gruff baritone, "No way to go up there but down, and we figured you wouldn't want to be left down there, alive or not."
Raziel pauses for a moment, then remains quiet as Thaylorn asks the question which came to his mind. Mordecai continues and there's a little nod before the winged man moves past them both to approach Jenna, a little sniffing at the burnt scent surrounding her and then a hand reaches out wordlessly to put a hand justover the severest of her burns as he summons up a wave of healing energy.
Marduke is holding a hand to his head clearly in a bit of pain still from nearly having his head smashed in. As well as walking down the steps slow and trailing at the back of the party for now. Glancing up he blinks and peers at Jenna, "two Jennas?" Shaking his head slowly with a sigh, "Damn golems. We down there yet?" peering past the people in front of him and shaking his head, "I swear Raziel, my hair, my staff, clothes, and now my head, is this payback for your wings or something." Groaning as he rubs his head and not really paying all that much attention around him just yet.
The blue light below can be seen to be much further then the end of the stairs. It is a large chasm with a causeway suspended above it that leads off into the distance toward the far wall. There is another door to the right at the bottom but it is sealed and cloed though it is a good ten minute walk till to reach that causeway.
"I survived the fall with my winning smile and charming personality," Jenna replies, as she starts heading back down the stairs once more. "What's down there? Uhh, a bunch of stuff. Some giant clock that you tell it what time it is, instead of the other way around like normal... the remains of a demon wall and some hairy great golem that I had to fight my way through... uhh..." She pauses, and as they reach the bottom, points towards the door on the right. "That's the way I came from. I'd hazard a guess that we oughta go the other way."
"I survived the fall with my winning smile and charming personality," Jenna replies, as she starts heading back down the stairs once more. "What's down there? Uhh, a bunch of stuff. Some giant clock that you tell it what time it is, instead of the other way around like normal... the remains of a demon wall and some hairy great golem that I had to fight my way through... uhh..." She pauses, and stands still as Raziel heals up the worst of her wounds. "...Thanks," she murmurs, patting at where she had been burnt. As they reach the bottom, she points towards the door on the right. "That's the way I came from. I'd hazard a guess that we oughta go the other way. Oh, and... thanks for not leaving me down there. I appreciate it."
"Yeah, I doubt any of us would have just left anyone, but a giant clock sounds interesting, so does a hairy golem, wonder how they got the hair to stay on it." Thaylorn remarks with a thoughtful hmmm as the group continues moving towards the causeway nearer down "All that stuff through that door? Or is there something further along you've seen?"
Mordecai nods some at Jenna, and rumbles, "Don't mention it." Before motioning briefly for everyone to move on, and starting to descend those stairs again himself, taking a few silent moments to peer down at that causeway, pondering at Jenna's descriptions of what she saw. Thaylorn's silly comment about the hair staying on the golem elicits a brief glance at the Imp and what might be a very faint smirk, before he looks up at Marduke as well... Followed by a glance at Raziel, "Think he needs some more healing? Can't have anyone seeing double if we get into a bind down there."
Raziel spares a quick glance in Marduke's direction and he considers the question for a moment, "perhaps the fates have decided so? I cannot say, but I haven't been the one to actively do it.. other than the clothes, hair and staff and that was only because of my lack of knowledge." The mage's eyes lower past the stair and then he nods a little before continuing down, though after a brief moment his eyes zone in on Jenna, or rather the weapons she's carrying, looking for one in particular. As they reach the bottom he looks in the direction of her motion and then to the left, "would not a defeated demon wall indicate someone has already been here and gone in that direction? It seems like the path the witch might have taken." He looks back in that direction before off again in the way which Jenna wants to go. Mordecai's question causes him to pause and then he looks at Marduke while lifting a brow, "you alright?"
Marduke rubs his head a bit, "I will be fine, just a headache. Expected after such a blow to the head." Marduke offers Raziel, 'And just a bad joke is all, just not been my trip." A touch of a smile, more his old self as he glances to the clock then around again, "Hmm at least one path, perhaps another?" Still looking around, "Something tells me we need to tell the clock a specific time, and this chasm is the clue. Just my hunch anyways, a second path in a odd direction or something like that."
The bottom is pretty much as Jenna described and they could see from above, the causeway branches off out over the chasm to the left which is filled with the brghtly glowing blue/green liquid. The door to their right is open and leads into a chamber that has a compact and floor and stone walls and is filled with dust.
Jenna chuckles softly at Thaylorn's comment, "Not literally hairy," she points out. "Hairy as in big an' nasty." She pauses, and turns to gaze at Raziel, before shaking her head. "Naw, the witch didn't go that way. The remains of the demon wall weren't remains when I found it, in case you're wondering why I was so scorched and bloodied up when you found me. If the witch went that way, she was real sneaky about it." The burmecian points down the way she'd indicated previously, "That's the way we want to be going." The burmecian turns to walk the first few steps in that direction, and comes to a halt; with her back turned, Raziel would be able to see the crystal kukri tucked into her bely above her right hip. "Make sure you're okay, Marduke... gettin' your bell rung can be a tough thing to recover from."
"Ahha, it'd have been interesting had it been otherwise!" Thaylorn chimes in to that statement "And just make sure you don't get conked in the head again, and you should be fine Marduke! Raziel and I can heal you up nicely if needed." He adds, nodding briefly before turning to follow Jenna towards their goal and away from the demon-wall room that she previously seemed to have came from.
Mordecai glances back at Marduke, and gives a one-shouldered shrug at him then, leaving the matter be. Listening to Raziel and Jenna then, he follows after the Burmecian, and looks past her at the way she's indicating, followed by a look at everyone else, "Well, let's get this done, then. Lead the way, Jenna."
Raziel hmmm, Raziel responds, but he nods to Marduke after a moment and then he nods to Jenna once again. "Very well, lets go and check out where the path leads." He stops, looking at Mordecai before nodding, "as the man says, after you Jenna. Mordecai, would you take up the rear and watch our backs?" He moves past to follow after the burmy girl while speaking.
Marduke shakes his head and shrugs his shoulders, "I am fine, the walking is helping clear things up. Was a nasty hit." Smiling faintly and shrugging his shoulders moving to follow along, "And where is this clock you mentioned, this has me most curious honestly." A glance to Raziel and then to Mordecai moving up a bit so he isn't last anymore
The causeway is long, stretching away across the chasm but after a few minutes they can see it widens out into a platform. A pillar of etherial light rises up out of pool in the centre..... the water filling it glowing gently and a the party approach they can see just beyond the pool the causeway continues for another 100 yards and then ends at a very large door. That is all there is, the pool of glowing water, the lake far below and the door in the sheer cliff wall. Pasting to: Raziel
Jenna draws her revolver, and spins the chamber, making a series of soft clicks as she starts on her way across the causeway. She holds the weapon pointed upwards, and casually pulls back the hammer with another loud click. Her finger rests on the trigger as she goes, moving smartly at a rapid pace. Mis-matched eyes keep a look out for anything moving, and her ears twitch as she listens. The Witch might be nearby, afterall; one never knows. Her free hand reaches back to reposition the kukri on loan from Raziel; she doesn't draw it, but just sets it up to be quick to leap to her hand, just in case.
"Well, we can either take a long dive into something we probably don't want to, or go through that door over yonder." Thaylorn remarks as he peeks down at the lake below, as if trying to discern just what exactly is within it. Shrugging he turns his attention back up towards the door and the pool in the chamber before it "Well, no use waiting I suppose." He remarks, mostly to himself and in regard to his blade as he draws it forth, falling in line behind some of the others.
Mordecai nods at Raziel and moves to the back of the group with no complaint, keeping his eye on their rear even as Jenna takes point, his weapon about equally ready, that shotgun still in hand, the man remembering his revolver's inability to seriously damage those golems they fought upstairs. As they traverse the causeway, he can't help but peek across the edge down at the glowing water... Though his attention is soon drawn to that pillar and the big door.
Raziel pauses, his eyes moving over the pool and pillar before them, while his hand lifts to stroke a thumb over his bottom lip. Silently his lips begin to move. His other hand going to the bag he carries around his neck for a few moments before he lets go and starts to move forward, starting to circle the pool though his eyes turn to that pillar of light and he starts to speak loud enough for the rest to hear, reciting really, "Keeping watch in Scorpio's shadow, Lies Libra's home beneath borneth's Meadow, Walk the path to the Garden's Sorrow..."
Marduke walks at a pace just brisk enough to keep in his position in the lineup. Eyes looking around the pool as they start to approach it and hmms a moment, then shrugs his shoulders. "Hmm." Stepping forward heading to the pool of water and the pillar of light coming out of it to get a closer look. "Door sounds right Thaylorn, suggestions on how to open something that big and heavy?" yet never really glancing to it as he looks towards the pool instead. His head tilts toward Raziel as he starts to receit but not turning to watch him.
Jenna is in the lead and as she walks forward past the pool the door pulses, a wave of energy ripples out from it and knocks her clean over. It feels like it just sunk a hundred hooks into her mind and yanked, throwing her! Thankfully she is able to roll and catch the edge of the causeway as she goes over the edge and keep hold of her gun as she dangles there over the abyss. For Marduke and Raziel looking at the pool they can see through the water, it is deep, very deep and cloudy with glowing partlies that shift and swirl and dance and flow. As for Mordecai well it is a pretty pillar of light! Reaching from the floor to the ceiling, nothing else or special, just a pillar of glowing blue light! ) [Spoofed By: Silvante]
For the second time today, Jenna finds herself howling in pain; but this time instead of fire, it's something getting right into her brain. The Burmecian finds herself sailing backwards through the air, legs and tail flailing before she lands hard on her back. The soldier rolls across the causeway, straight to the edge where she tumbles over; she finds some presence of mind just in time to grab hold with her left hand. Her fingertips might be all the others see of her as she kicks her legs in open space; her gun is still in hand thankfully, but she can't see to holster it, so she just keeps a hold on it. Her muscles flex, as she tries to pull herself up with one arm; she's in no danger of falling for the moment, but that just isn't happening. With a sigh, she relaxes her arm for the moment. "Help!" she calls out. "Need a little help here!"
The Imp's attention is quickly pulled from thoughts of the lake, and door as the pulse of energy causes the Burmecian to go flying backwards. Thaylorn might not be the strongest, but he puts whatever he had noticed from the pool on hold for a moment as me moves over in an attempt to assist Jenna back up to solid ground again, hands going to wrap around her wrist so that he might pull her up!
Mordecai peers from that pillar of light to the others and back again, not entirely sure what's so special about it, and feeling like he's missing something. But then he's distracted by that howl, and his gaze shoots over just in time to see Jenna go over the edge and be left dangling there. The gunfighter moving right away then, right behind Thaylorn, to try and help her back up, eyeing up that door as he goes.
Betweeen the two of them Thaylorna nd MOrdecai haul Jenna back up onto the causeway! Thaylorn more then Mordecai but then the imp is able to fly beneath the Burmecian and shove her upward by the feet whilst Mordecai has to pull from above. Still she is safe and back on the caueway.... Raziel tilts his head, his eyes focused on the water as he blows out a breath, "an interesting effect...." He blinks and shakes himself as Jenna flies past him before turning towards her. His hand extends for a moment then drops as Thaylorn and Mordecai assist her, the man nodding a little bit then as he murmurs, "thank you for your quickness," before turning back and approaching the side of the water while watching pool and the door beyond.
Marduke motions down into the pool, 'I think there may be a switch down there Raziel, want me to try to swim to it?" tilting his head towards the Agyle, only to blink up as Jenna goes flying past and then watching her get rescued. Sighing and shaking his head glancing back to the door, "So ummm, switch maybe?"
Pushing on Jenna's feet might be difficult as they're currently flailing in the air; but somehow Thaylorn manages it, and with help from Mordecai as well, Jenna soon finds herself back up on the causeway. She lays there on her back, coughing softly, though she does think to ease back the hammer on her revolver, just so she doesn't accidentally blow someone's face straight off. She takes a moment, before shaking her head and hauling herself back up to her feet. "Thanks again," she murmurs. "Right, so... what's going on? I think I missed a thing or two."
"No, don't go in there!" Thaylorn calls as he hears mention of Marduke mentioning going into the pool. Jenna secured once more on the ledge, and having almost been kicked in the face a few times, the Imp moves back to the pillar and examines it for a few moments having only had the briefest of time to examine it before "It's a trial." He remarks before stepping back and glancing to the others "Only someone who is...As I understand, balanced in mind is going to be able to open that door? So someone who thinks they're worthy, and true it says...Does that mean pure? It says if you're not these things you will find sorrow."
Mordecai grunts a bit as he pulls Jenna back up together with Thaylorn, releasing her again as she decides to catch her breath for a moment. Glancing at that door again then, he rumbles, "Close call..." Before Thaylorn's statement about the pillar catches his attention, and he raises a brow... Looking at everyone else one by one, before he asks, "... We got anyone who's pure with us?"
Raziel starts to nod to Marduke then stops at Thaylorn's warning. The man looks at the imp for a moment and he huhs a little before looking at the door acrossed the water, "not Jenna it seems..." He looks at her with a little, albeit unapologetic, shrug. Then he looks around the group and ponders, "The water was attracting me and Marduke. So I would say.. Thaylorn or Mordecai might be the best to lead the way here."
Marduke wasn't about to jump in, at least not yet. Shaking his head slowly as he considers and looks over to Raziel and shrugs his shoulders, "I was mostly curious, as for purity." Glancing over to Thaylorn, "that can have many meanings, the question is what context are we looking at here." A quick of a smile as he looks back to Raziel, 'you being the guardian here, I suspect yo uare the one who needs to go first hmm?"
Jenna shrugs her shoulders lightly, as she occupie her time by spinning the chamber of her revolver. "Don't sound like purity to me," she replies. "Hell, Raziel, I recall you saying yer needed me along for this or it'd all come to grief, but yer don't need me fer this part, apparently." She shrugs her shoulders lightly. "But hell. Sounds to me like you want someone walking straight down the center. I remember when we were fightin' the viera that Mordecai there was goin' on about Karma and whatnot. And there's something different about you," she adds, nodding to the older man. "I figure it's him."
Mordecai blinks a moment at the candle and shadow thing, before a brief expression of realization crosses his face, and he rumbles out, "Jenna's right. Sounds to me it needs someone with perfectly balanced kharma..." Pausing again right after as he looks at everyone then... Before closing his eyes for a few moments, seeming to concentrate, and then looking at each of you once more with a studying gaze. The Esper actually using his ability to sense an individual's balance to see who it might be... Not wanting to propose himself just yet, as he can't actual read his own.
Raziel tilts his head back to Thaylorn and he ponders for a few moments before looking at Mordecai. The man starts to nod, though he stops and looks back at Jenna. The man thinks over her words for a few moments before stating, "You aren't making much sense to me. Do you want me to think I offended you or are you agreeing with me? If it's the first, I apologize, if it's the second then.. uh.. alright?" There's a little shake of his head then he steps asside and motions for Mordecai to go ahead.
Marduke steps back away from the pool now and shakes his head, "oh riddles and the likes. Karma... is a interesting thing. our actions define us, but who defines the meaning of our actions." Shaking his head with a faintly amused smile. Then turns and tilts his head to Thaylorn, and then looks to Mordecai raising his eyebrows, "Maybe you should be leading the way unless you think somebody else is better."
Mordecai shakes his head at Raziel and Jenna, and simply states, "It's not me. I have a long way to go until I'm in balance." And he shrugs matter-of-factly, before he motions at Thaylorn, rumbling, "You're the one, Imp. Your scales aren't tipped to either side." And he motions at the door next. Leaving it a mystery how he knows.
"Well, I hope you're judging things correctly, Mordecai." Thaylorn remarks, almost as if he doesn't believe it, but well, he'd probably know best. Shrugging slightly himself Thaylorn makes to leap into the pool and swim down gracefully enough and attempt to pull the switch that resides at the bottom, hopeing indeed that Mordecai was right!
Jenna hunhs? She glances at Raziel, and chuckles softly. "I was agreein' with you," she replies. "if I were the one that's supposed to open this door, I imagine it wouldn't've flung me arse over tea kettle over the edge." She stops playing with her revolver, and pushes it into the holster. "Could'a told you my Karma'd be about as balanced as a set of scales with an elephant's arse on one side of it," she adds.
Thaylorn lips into the water and down, it's a deep swim but then he is a water imp so its not like he needs to breathe down there. He swims to the bottom, pulls the switch and then returns to the surface. By the time he is back the doors in the wall have rumbled open, revealing a large hall beyond. Lights are flicking on, illuminating the place and for those who look they will see a long hall of beautiful marble. Tall pillars supporting a vaulted roof that ha been painted with a brilliant, glowing fresco of men in armour fighting foul beasts and winning! The walls are similarly painted with frescos of the same man in armour, tall and broad shouldered yet peaceful looking, the mask is beautiful, smiling, peaceful and he i dispensing Justice in each image as the Ancient Laws of the Patron of Humanity Dictates. It's a beautiful room and thats just the view from the threshold illuminated by the bright crystals snug in sconces on the sides of the pillars.
Jenna hunhs? She glances at Raziel, and chuckles softly. "I was agreein' with you," she replies. "if I were the one that's supposed to open this door, I imagine it wouldn't've flung me arse over tea kettle over the edge." She stops playing with her revolver, and pushes it into the holster. "Could'a told you my Karma'd be about as balanced as a set of scales with an elephant's arse on one side of it," she adds. Then the door is opening; Jenna moves cautiously forwards, not... quite as far as the point where she'd been flung back earlier. Her ears perk up as she sees the hall beyond, and she hunhs softly. "Fancy pants," she observes. "Is it safe to enter?"
"Hopefully" Thaylorn murmurs as he brushes a bit of excess water from his armor before glancing back at the pool "Wonder what would have happened if someone who wasn't balanced went in there, nothing pretty probably." He murmurs as he moves to follow the others towards the hall, eyes widening at the massive works of art adorning the walls. Must have taken years to make all this!
Mordecai silently watches Thaylorn swim down, and then equally silently turns back towards those doors as they finally swing open... His brow going up a bit as the marbled interior is revealed, his eyes trailing along those frescos. Glancing at the others afterwards though, he then steps forward, to head inside, not wanting to waste more time.
Raziel tilts his head towards Jenna, considers and then he nods. Quietly the man watches after Thaylorn, but when the doors begin to open he lifts his eyes as he breathes out, "then let us hope we are not too late.. and since we've opened the way expect for her to follow." The man looks back to the doors and exhales, "won't know til we try to enter..." and with that he starts to move towards the doors with eyes dancing over all of the artwork that comprises the walls. Marduke watches the door open and then glances to Thaylorn, "Nice." Turning to start walking forward eyes looking over the frescos and offering a soft sigh, "Wow, this is incredible. Very old to I imagine, history long lost to us rest here." getting lost as he looks over each part, then glances around to get a better look after he has walked a bit in, "So which direction
Raziel spots the first trap as they start down the hall, a line of flagstones set to depress and cause havoc. Following him is Jenna catching the line of sight triggered spear traps hidden in the pillars shortly followed by Mordecai pointing out the swinging blade trap and just past that another 20 yards is the pressure plate designed to topple two large urns of what Thaylorn flies up to see are acid right on the party! The entire hall is one massive death trap but everyone is helping, Thaylorn spots from up above the poison dart trap in the ceiling and is able to shout out to everyone which flagstones to avoid and just past that is Marduke recognizing the glowing spheres have changed and are rigged to fall and shatter if you get too close. That is just some of the traps, there are others, each one worse or more fiendishly hidden then the last and that doesn't even bring into play the magical traps! Raziel spots one of them, something they are sure will summon elemental beings to fight them. Thaylorn picks out the runes sketched into the walls at one point that are designed to exploded with massive gouts of flame! Sadly Marduke and Mordecai both fail to spot the magical traps but they did help with the non-magical a whole bunch but it is Jenna who saves the day when she realises the direction they are going in is an Illusion and is able to by-pass a trap to lead them to a staircase! It was all hidden in the direction of the ceiling tiles. The far end of the hall was an even bigger trap and trick! The big impressive doors into the next chamber where mot likely not going to be good to open! The stairs however are simple and plain and lead out into a hall over-head and then there it is... a modest, discreet stone-door way with the Words "Borneth" written on them. They have made it... they are outside the Burial Chamber of Borneth....
The burmecian stands outside the tomb of Borneth, where she is very quietly being quite proud with herself for spotting that one little inconsistency that gave the illusion away. Especially being as how she's not a mage! This pride is evident in the form of a big silly grin on her face. "That was one helluva room," she observes, as she turns around to face the others. "It's almost like someone didn't want us to actually reach this point. Hah! Well, we sure showed them a thing or two. Good eyes everyone." She turns to look at the door, and then takes a step back and off to the side. "Well Raziel, I think this one's yours to do the honors with." "You'd think so, with all the death traps, I don't see how that witch could have gotten down here herself past all those traps." Thaylorn remarks as he examines the tomb door himself "There might be more in there still, so be careful I would say, else we'll end up hurt right before we're actually done." He adds while stepping away from the room himself with a small nod towards the Aegyl.
Mordecai lets out a breath as everyone, including him, manages to get past all those traps safely. The man looking back across they room they just traversed, and shaking his head a bit, before he tries to pay attention to their next destination, eyes going up to that name written across. And he looks at Raziel as well then, expectantly.
Marduke is just shaking his head as they find the stairs and sighs softly, "Good find, was never the best with traps myself. Still learn by seeing I suppose." Glancing back to the room with a frown, "Though I do not think I have ever run into such a trap laden room in all of my adventures, like ever." Frowning a bit and shrugging his shoulders, "This seems to be it, shall we?" Glancing to Raziel
The traps, the hidden paths... it's enough to drive a man to madness, but as they navigate it all without running afoul of anything nastier the mage exhales and ascends the stair to the door. There he pauses and a hand reaches to grip the coin in it's leather case before he breaths out and places his other hand against the entry. "Please.." the single word whispered under his breath, nearly a prayer. His eyes flash open then and he straightens up, giving the door a single firm push to open it wide. The door .... begins to swing open.....
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