Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 6:37 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis nodded and watched Shiloh go for a short while before turning and making her own way over to the plains. It wasn't long before she found a well used trail and began to follow it slowly. Along the way, she made regular contact with the local plant life. She cherished it more than ever having been away from it for so long. The company of plants was all she usually needed and now she was reminded why. Their ceaseless murmuring of the trivial and the useful was a constant reminder that you were seldome really alone. Synthesis also appreciated their distraction from what had just occured. She wouldn't allow herself to dwell on it. Instead she thought of the good, fresh air and the light of day around her. They and the plants were comforting to the druid's disquieted mind and then when night fell the light of the sky was clear and the moon was mercifully bright. Within several hours of sundown, she spotted the lights of civilisation and hurried forward in one last push of effort.
Soon, Synthesis was able to make her way from day to day as she usually did, without thoughts of endless chasms, evil slimes or glowing fungi. However, she continued to practice her fire magic and began to branch out on the different odd jobs she would take up, having a greater confidence in herself. Shiloh's words of advice popped into her head from time to time and the druid would smile.She mused, I really ought to contact her some time…

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 6:17 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"Thanks, but I'll have to turn down your offer. I've got a caravan to track, and seeing how I'm in familiar territory, I can always ask any of the Bohari who pass by. If that doesn't work, then I've got a backup plan." She pulled out a scroll sealed with wax with an unusual symbol pressed into it. "This'll send me back to Adeluna once I open in, but it's single-use only. I didn't ask if it'd work for two people at once, so I'd rather not risk it. Magical items can be weird sometimes." With her knapsack loaded and all her things gathered, she rested a hand on her sword tied to her hip. Giving one last look at the young druid in training, she gave a nod. "I believe it's time for me to go. Stay safe, wherever you plan on going. I do hope to see you again. May heaven grant you fortune."

With that, she then set off in the direction of a strong eastern wind, pulling out a small pyramidal crystal of light pink. It was too late to try to track the wagons now, so she held it her hand and thought of Adeluna. A thin ray of light shone forth like a beacon, pointing towards the south. Normally she wouldn't tarry in returning to the southern city, but this time she chose to go at her own pace and appreciate what it was like to live on the earth's surface. In due time she would arrive in the bustling streets again, running as a courier or whatever job offers she had then. Within a half hour, Shiloh was no longer in sight having disappeared into the vastness of the plains. 

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 3:10 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis nodded. It certainly had been quite an ordeal.
"It's been a pleasure to avoid death with you," the druid said, her voice catching. She was emotionally raw and saying goodbye was sad, "I'll be sure to call you up on that. Maybe we can do somthing non-lethal sometime."
She eyed up the stone that the woman had retrieved and crawled to pick up a few pieces herself. Maybe she could sell them and make a few coins. It wasn't the treasure she had been looking for but, in a way, she supposed the expirience she'd just had, the lessons she had learned and the memories she's made were more eternal treasures that she could keep. The fanciful thought made her feel a bit better. Now these green stones might even fund a hot meal in a busy pub. The thought of such a place full of life was pleasant, especially when she compared it to the silence abyss she'd just visited.
Synthesis stood up and streched her arms and legs properly. It would be only too easy to fall asleep where she was but then she would wake up even more cold and stiff than she was now. So instead she thought it important that she made her way to civilisation quickly and focus on recovering fully in a room with a bed.
"You're welcome to walk with me as I head to the nearest village," she offered, "I don't know where you're going. I want to reach a place before sundown if I can but if not I'll aim to find one as soon as possible. Therefore, I want to get started."

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 2:28 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Taking a seat on the ground, she took the berry Synthesis offered and popped into her mouth. "I have a newfound respect for moles now. I never thought I'd be so happy to be outside again." Liberally drinking from her canteen, she poured a little into her hands and used it to rinse off the dirt. The familiar sight of the Bohar Plains was a great relief though she had no idea how far she was from where she had entered the Umbral Depths. Should she search for the caravan? No, it was likely that they had left without her already. She sincerely hoped that man didn't try to go in after she failed to return. Lying down on her back she noticed a few patches of rock that was differently colored than the rest. It had a bit of color to it, somewhat greenish but with a shiny luster. 

Closing her eyes, she imagined all of her tiredness seeping into the ground out of her. It was something she had done as a child whenever she felt pain or weariness. "Ah…it's good to be back in the plains again. We made it. It was one nerve-wracking mess of a ride, but we're here." Once she was fully rested, she stood up and went over to the patches of ore protruding from the rock. Finding the most sizable chunk, she used the pommel of her sword to break some off. If the man was still alive, she'd give him these to placate him for not retrieving his trinket as promised. Next time she'd knock him out cold and tie him up for sure to keep him from getting himself and anyone else from getting killed. Returning to her spot, she asked Synthesis: "So, looks like I'll be taking my leave soon. Thanks for your help down there. If it wasn't for you, both of us would be wandering down there for who knows how long." Pausing awkwardly, she tried not to make it seem like she was saying goodbye forever. "…Anyway, if you want to find me–I'm usually running between the plains with the caravans or somewhere in Adeluna. All you need to do is post a notice in the taverns and we'll meet up."

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Fri May 12, 2017 11:16 AM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis took her bag and stick and threw them out the hole. Being the weakest person she knew, climbing out this hole might prove a challange. She knew she wouldn't have the strength in her arms alone. She took hold of the dangling rope as high as she could reach and proceeded to jab her wings into the earth either side of the hole and used them to lever herself up. It's a shame the hole wasn't big enough for her to fly out of. She then lifted her legs and mangaged to hook the heel of her boot onto a stone. Finally, with a conjoined effort of all her strength, she heaved herself out.
The grass immediately beneath her aching body was soft and lush. She clenched it into her hand and lay still in relief for a moment before pushing herself up into a kneeling position and gazing around. Her own clothes and body was covered in grime. The two females must have looked quite a pair.
"Thank God!" she cried out, and she meant it. Whatever god was out there, she wanted to thank it, "I can't believe I - we - got out of there."
The stone bridge they were under was old looking and the area around them was overgrown. Only a metre away from her hands, Synthesis saw a bush covered in edible berries. She leaned over to pluck one and pop it into her mouth. The joys and fruits of nature outside were endless. It would be a long time before Synthesis ventured underground again. She offered one of the small black orbs up to Shiloh. Not too far away, she could see the Bohar Plains stretching out familierly. Such lovely, safe plains, she thought and breathed deeply.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 4:52 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Shiloh carefully placed her feet on Synthesis' shoulders, and propelled herself upwards with a push from her legs. With arms forward as if she were diving, her torso made it through. Gripping the surface with her hands she pushed herself up, now above ground. A sigh of relief escaped from her when the floor didn't collapse under her. The area she was now in looked like a cavern, but the difference was the fact it was outside. Once her eyes adjusted to the light, she saw that what she had mistaken for a cavern was  a natural bridge looming overhead. Finding a natural post created from wind or water erosion, she tied the grappling hook around it and pulled it tight, bringing the rope over to the hole she had emerged from. Tossing the rope down she called out to the girl below. "I've got the line secured, try pulling yourself up slowly. If you need help I'll pull you out."

The light outside was bright, but not too strong. Was it morning, or early evening? She didn't know, and didn't care. They'd figure out how long they had spent in the dark later, after they were both above ground. The shade cast by the natural bridge was cool and refreshing, while breezes blew strands of her hair about. Her clothes were covered in dirt and she looked like a mess, but she was alive–and that was all that mattered. The ordeal was finally over. 

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 4:07 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

As she dug, Synthesis was also on the verge of acknowleging her own physical, mental and emotional fatigue. But not quite yet. She watched with interest as she saw Shiloh knot her rope. The woman was definitly prepared. She nodded and knelt down so she would be more strong and stable. She then pulled her hair over her sholder so it wouldn't be accidentally pulled because that would probably hurt more than being stepped on. As as after thought, she let her staff slide out from the grip of her wings so that wouldn't be in the way either.
"Don't worry about standing on my sholders, wings or whatever you need to. I won't break as long as I stay low."

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 3:49 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

With the initial rush of excitement waning, she noticed when a stone hit the other girl as they dug. "Let's see if we can make it wide enough to crawl out of, that way we can reduce the chances of digging away more than necessary. I've got a grappling hook in my pack, I'll get that set up and see if I can secure it to something out there once I'm out. I'll be counting on you to give me a boost, alright? Soon we'll finally be out of here." Taking her time to breathe in the new air, she calmed herself down and continued to widen the hole with Synthesis. Once she was sure she could pass through, she pulled out her grappling hook and knotted it to her rope, and secured it to her waist. Giving a nod to the girl, she was ready to go. It was now that she realized how tired she felt, emotionally and physically. But the thought of freedom within the reach of their fingertips gave her renewed strength. Hope was a powerful thing, and even when the body wasn't able to continue on it would make the impossible reality.  

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 3:30 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis turned sharply at the noise behind her and then the exclamation. She had been concentrating deeply on leading them down the right tunnels towards the water so she was startled by the distraction. As far as she was aware through the dwindling fungi tendrils, tunnel widened into an opening with water only a couple metres ahead. She was keen to get there. But then Shiloh looked just as flushed with exitement as herself and it quickly became apparent why. There was now a hole in the ceiling wide enough for her arm. The natural light that filtered in to replace the fading glow of the fungi warmed her to her soul and the smell of freshly dislodged earth made her heady with gratitude.
She immediatly crowded over to the other and tried to peer out. Could they get out there? The cieling was about a foot above them and there appeared to be about another foot of material between the tunnel and the surface. If they made the hole wide enough, she could give Shiloh a push and the woman could then pull her up. She began pulling clumps of earth from above them. She didn't mind the rain of soil on her face as it was a tantalising taste of the world above. She couldn't wait to hug a tree and feel the rain. Then a large stone fell and hit her painfully on the sholder. Maybe this was a bit risky… but she did so want to be free.
"Can we get out here? I don't want to start a landslide onto us. If you stand on me to get out, you could then pull me from above. Is it doable?"

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 3:09 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Shiloh jumped when the girl suddenly shouted. Seems like she had found something promising from her outburst of joy. "Alright, let's go then. Here's to hoping that the water source is a spring. I'll be right behind you." She motioned for Synthesis to lead with her free hand, and gave one last look over her shoulder to check if they were being followed. Activating her aura sense again she followed forward. The bright glow of the fungi faded as they pressed onward, and the passage felt like it was becoming narrower. She had to duck her head, and could easily touch both sides of the walls at once. Thankfully she wasn't afraid of narrow spaces, but it was a bit uncomfortable. She could smell something in the air, something different. It wasn't the same staleness like the stagnant air down below. There was moisture in the air to where she could taste it, and began looking all around for the source.

She twitched when a piece of dirt fell onto her head, but her heart skipped a beat when she felt the clump between her fingers. It wasn't grainy or coarse, but dark and rich…like soil. Closer inspection revealed tried wispy remains of plant roots and the thought of being so close to freedom caused something within her to start searching the tunnel ceiling frantically. Taking her sword she jabbed it upwards, jamming it between a small recess that looked promising. The sound of metal against dirt could be heard throughout the tunnel as small chunks were starting to fall from the spot she dug, until she felt the blade go through. Yanking it out, she shook off the dirt crumbles. The smell from before was stronger now, and she knew what it was: fresh air.

"Is that–? I can't believe it! Ha ha! I think we're almost at the surface!" Cleaning the dirt off the sword blade on her trousers she sheathed it, and then proceeded to widen the hole. "Synthesis! Over here! Take a look at this!" she shouted, clearing hunks of rock and dirt away until the hole above was large enough to put one's hand through. Right now she was ready to break down the entire ceiling if it meant they were finally out of the caverns.

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 2:46 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Another interesting thing to note about the fungi was that despite its placid nature, most of the time the plant was reporting on its expansion. It spoke about where growth was going well and where it was more diffiucult to get the right nutrients for cell building. Some places the walls were good for purchase and other places the ground was uneven which slowed progress. It was interesting how in such a dead place, the only thing that happened to an organism (apart from the occasional trampling or a cave creature) was its own growth.
There were many tunnels that led upwards and, at a loss for a better method, Synthesis began following them along one by one until they either stopped or began to decend again. Following her third route, she jumped for joy. She had found water! Here was a place of growth as the fungi kept trying to progress but was blocked by water and had to traverse around what seemed a large body of it.
"Water!" she burst out. There the fungi was slightly unhealthy as the water often rotted or damadged it but it was clearly fresh as the fungi drunk from it and derived most of the moisture for the whole organism from it. Obviously, here there was a higher humidity and a slightly lower temperature in the area. The druid suspected there was even more there which the fungi couldn't tell her about. "And it's clean. The water must come from somewhere and go somewhere, perhaps above ground. Shall I lead the way?"
She couldn't easily say how far it was but if she had to guess she would say somewhere between five and ten minutes walk so she was keen to get going.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Thu May 11, 2017 2:11 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Watching her work, Shiloh was impressed. With this, maybe they could finally get out of these tunnels back up into the surface. The points she mentioned were good, and covered most of the bases. "All of those are good, but don't forget temperature and humidity changes too. Places that are drier and warmer could also point us towards an exit. Chances are openings might not be in direct sunlight due to their location and even overhangs shadowing them from above. Though the only thing we might need to worry about now are thermal vents which might throw us off…" Temporarily giving herself a break from her focus, she kept tabs on their surroundings while Synthesis gathered information. That was a neat trick of hers, asking the plants on what they knew. And plants were usually less aggressive than animals while being stationed at a single spot. She wondered how it all worked, but decided to ask the girl about that later once they were outside.

Drawing her sword in case she needed to use it for other practical purposes, she tested the balance and weight in her left hand. If they were to engage creatures in close-quarters combat she had to come up with some strategies on the most effective way to defend in a limited space. Thrusts and jabs appeared best, as swings were limited by the tunnel's width. If her blade wasn't effective she could always use her axe as backup.

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Wed May 10, 2017 1:28 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

At the sight of the fungi, Synthesis grinned. This was perfect. It may not a beautiful green but lots of fungi were often a network of roots which formed one giant organism. Therefore, (if those pale yellow lumps could be classed as mushrooms) anything one murshroom knew, the whole enterty would be aware of and vice versa. Sure enough, as she peered closer she could see a spiderwebing of thin silvery roots or mycelium clinging to the stone walls, roof and cieling; conecting everything as far as the eye could see - which was admittedly not very far.
The fungus glows! How rare and beautiful! She thought. She looked at her torch. It wasn't really neccessary any more and Synthesis dreaded to think of what would happen if she caught the new plant on fire. Intead she looked for a bare patch of wall - it was surprisingly difficult to find - and snuffed it out on the surface.
"Not to worry," she chirped, "I'm good with plants. Just leave this to me!"
She then reached out her conciousness and made contact, a routine process for her. The fungi was a distinct presence. It wasn't very talkative, probably because of its slow speed of life down here in the dark. Apparently, the local plant gossip was that a small cluster of mushrooms had been trampled and broken by some thing quite some distance away down a side passage a couple of hours ago. Indeed, it was a vast network spanning many tunnels: it had been growing reletivly undisturbed for centuries and infiltrated anywhere it had reached. Using them, Synthesis was able to figure out the direction, gradient and shape of any tunnel it touched, provided it had a foothold on all the walls, cieling and the floor. However, gathering information this was both confusing and patchy if the plants didn't cover a surface and no matter matter how much she probed, nowhere did the fungus have any inkling of sunlight. All this given, Synthesis still thought it worthwhile to report her small success.
"I've got it!" she announced, "I can find out anything the fungi knows by communing with it. Is there anything I should look for? Passages that slope steeply upwards? Climbable surfaces? Airflow?"
Even as she said so, she began scanning for the first of these. She mused: Passages that lead up…

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Tue May 9, 2017 3:14 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Though Synthesis couldn't see her face from behind, Shiloh smiled a bit at the other's praise. She wasn't used to being complimented, and normally ignored such things. But the sincerity of the girl's words was genuine, and she couldn't overlook that. Things had been going well, all things considered and she intended for it to continue that way. Her sustained focus informed her that the life signatures she sensed were still stationary, and the phosphorescence of the creatures began to take shape as clusters of knobby protrusions from the cavern walls. Fungi, she thought to herself. Likely highly toxic when eaten or touched, and hopefully they weren't in fruiting season. She didn't smell anything strange or feel any ill affects as of yet, though it would probably be for the best if they hurried through and spent less time here.

When the caster inquired on the number of plants she could detect, Shiloh paused to formulate as best of an answer as she could. "No, I can't unfortunately. It's harder for me to distinguish how many when there are several of them together, so it usually comes up as a large, single life signature. It's near impossible for me to tell the difference between blades of grass in a field, and the same goes for plants in general. I can only detect individual signatures for larger things, like animals or people. Even a swarm of rats will just appear as several copies of the same thing moving around."

In truth, her ability to detect the presences of others worked on two levels: detection of aura and threat assessment. Detection of auras simply showed her what was there, like a blank map showing dots in locations. Threat assessment allowed her to discern if said presences were potentially hostile or not, and if she pushed it further she could even detect the distinct emotion being experienced. The last bit was rarely used, since she had to be relatively close to the target and was only used when she had no other options to ascertain it. It was a backup if she couldn't read their body language or voice tone.

The tunnel was now well-lit to the point where the torch's light barely contributed. Pulling her shirt over her nose again, Shiloh avoided stepping on or in any of the clusters of lichen or fungi caps. "I don't like the looks of this… There better not be any spores in the air. If you start feeling nauseous, dizzy, lightheaded, or think something's wrong with your eyes let me know immediately. I'll carry you out and try to get through as quick as I can." Maybe she was being too paranoid, she hoped she was. Was the anxiety of being underground getting to her already? She purposefully blocked out any thoughts on how much time had passed so far and kept moving forward. 

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Tue May 9, 2017 1:33 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis listened intently to Shiloh's words, taking it all to heart in her eagerness to learn.
"Yeah," she replied smiling as well, "You sure do sound like you've been about and done a lot. You give really wise sounding advice."
She then stood when the other did and fell naturally in step behind her as the woman began to lead the way. Stretching her free hand above her head as she walked, she brushed her fingers over the cold stone roof. She also kept a hopeful eye out for any more slimes by the light of the torch she held carefully in front of her, relishing the thought of the way they sizzled. Since when had she enjoyed anything so morbid?
Then she smiled; it was the kind of thing her mum would like. Maybe she was tapping a little into her demon side? Her mum was a free spirit and a true unstoppable rebel, with a fascination with the controversial and taboo. She loved poking fun at people, making them uncomfortable and playing psychological mind games to make them question themselves. But she was also brave, mischievous, fun and kind - and she usually knew when to stop.
For example, Synthesis recalled her mum had loved to scare the local children senseless if she caught them vandalising, bullying, trespassing or even stepping on snails. She enjoyed it so much she often confessed she hoped they would hurry up and break more rules so she could do it more.
Synthesis had never really understood her mum's "darker" tendencies before (though she was still loved her for it) and had taken after her father. Now it was nice to feel a connection to her have something nice to talk about when she got home.
On hearing that plants might be ahead, Synthesis wondered how many. Was it more than the usual littering of mosses along the wall? The thought of seeing a bit more green was appealing to the druid, especially when compared the other possibility of potential flesh scavengers or the Drow that she seemed to remember Shiloh mentioning, so she made no protest to the suggestion of the plant filled route. If there were enough of them, maybe she could even ask for directions! She knew it was a long shot to hope they might know anything but Synthesis couldn't help getting her hopes up a little.
"Can you tell how many plants there are?" she asked hesitantly - she didn't want to distract Shiloh if she was busy aura seeing. She also didn't want the woman to burn herself out multitasking, even if she had just spoken on the importance of knowing one's own boundaries, "Or if they are crowded very closely together?"
She purposefully didn't mention why she was asking such things because she didn't want to get anybody's hopes up.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Thu May 4, 2017 3:15 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Shiloh gave a small grin as they chatted. "That's good to hear. Most people like us gain experience and build skill over time. The only reason why I might look more skilled than you is that I've simply thrown myself into more foolish situations than you have. Once you stub your toe on the same tree root a hundred times, you learn to step over it when it shows up again." Watching Synthesis desiccate another slime crawling by, she added: "If this is your first time getting yourself into a bad situation, I'd say you're already doing better than me when I started." Her lips thinned as she remembered her first encounters with the fair folk. Getting lost in a cave was much less nerve-wracking compared to inhabiting the same space as those fiendish tricksters.

"There are a lot of things that you'll learn as you go being an odd-jobber. Some of them you only learn through practice, while others are best remembered through others' advice. And important thing is to know how to gauge risk and understand your own limits. I shouldn't be one to talk, as I'm guilty of the latter." Feeling refreshed, she ensured she had all of her things before standing back up. "Ready to continue? I'll lead the way this time; at the next crossroads we'll switch." She closed her eyes and activated her aura sight, this time using it with her other senses. A clear map of their current tunnel back to the crossroads showed the area was clear of creatures and now she had an outline of the middle portions of the other two passages too. There was higher levels of movement and activity in one, and the other had higher levels of flora. Most of the flora she detected were close to the walls, but she couldn't determine what exactly they were. It could be moss, tendrils, or even fungi. "From what I've gathered on the other two choices we had back there, one has more plant life and the other has more moving signatures. Let's try the one with the plants first. Here's hoping that their presence leads us upward."

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Thu May 4, 2017 1:53 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis relaxed as Shiloh made no move to get up, resting her head against the wall behind her and breathing deeply. She could feel the after effects her recent expirence fading away. She was no longer tense or highly strung. She was content and sinking back into a blissful state of denial.
"I'm similar to you," Synthesis replied, "I do whatever to get by, even though I'm not as skilled as you and I generally work for myself. I keep moving and meeting people and help whenever I can. It's a pleasant life really, when I'm not in a foolish situation such as this one. I should have learnt by now that my ideas aren't always the best."
Above her, Synthesis became aware of another patch of damp slithering slyly across the stone roof. She held up her torch and watched it sizzle with satisfaction. Maybe she was becoming braver, though. Previously such a think would have made her panic. Even the gaping abyss a few meters away seemed innocuous now. She picked up a stone and tossed it in that direction, listening as it clacked against the sides of the seemingly endless ravine as it went down. She never heard it hit a bottom. How curious.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Wed May 3, 2017 4:50 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"What do I do for a living? Mostly odd jobs, here and there. Sometimes it's deliveries, other times I take requests people post up in the taverns. Usually it's something simple like delivering a package or acting as an armed escort. Occasionally, it's a creature with a bounty on its head that's been causing people trouble or other losses. I once helped a man reclaim his stolen goods from some thieves in a reverse theft. Not exactly the type of high-stakes work I'd like to experience again." Finishing her food, she washed it down with more water and wiped her mouth on her sleeves. Reading the caster's face she added, "By the way, I don't do assassinations. Too many risks and too much of a hassle. In short, it leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Besides, taking other kinds of jobs is so much easier."

Maybe it was how she carried herself, or how she acted. When she started looking for work after leaving Vilpamolan, some people had mistaken her for a blade for hire. They looked so surprised when she flat out refused, as if they thought it was a practical joke. With her skills and expertise, becoming a hired executioner would be easy; but that wasn't what she wanted in life. She didn't care if those missions paid her weight in gold–she wasn't going to do it. There were hundreds of people out there, struggling to live. Why make the situation even worse? Enriching herself at the cost of others' lives? Not in a million years would she even dare to entertain the thought. The entire idea of it was enough to make every strand of hair on her head stand on end, figuratively speaking. She hated it.

She waited for a while, letting Synthesis rest. She wasn't much of a caster herself, but she could understand that the action of using magic was exhausting to the user. Looking around at the walls casually, she told her: "Whenever you're ready, we'll continue checking the other two passages. We should rest while we can." Time was precious here, and missing an important opportunity would not be advisable. There would be no way to undo their choices and actions, so they should take it one step at a time. It was easy for her mind to race ahead and forget the present, as Synthesis might have done when they discovered the chasm. That neuroticism of was a bad habit of hers, and it was hard to break. There was a fine line between being careful and paranoid, one that was often crisscrossed more than it should. No use wearing herself out with all this stress, Shiloh told herself.

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Wed May 3, 2017 2:07 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"Um, Y - yeah." Synthesis murmured, "Sounds good to me."
She moved to take the torch from Shiloh, extinguishing her own light as she did so. She hadn't realised just how much of a drain it had been. As soon as it was gone, she signed in relief and backed up until she collided with the opposite wall, sliding down it. She watched in satisfaction as Shiloh finally conjured and ate some food. It had bugged Synthesis that the other woman had produced food for the druid and taken none for herself. It was also nice to know that her companion had limitations such as hunger too. It made her feel a whole lot less inferior.
It look quite some time for Synthesis to relax. Shiloh's talk of opportunistic scavangers like they were intellegent and malicious beings was not comforting, however, her calm demeanor and steady voice was. The girl nodded along with the woman's words and the adrenaline slowly drained from her veins, leaving her pleasantly soothed. She even allowed her eyes to flick closed for a moment before she stired herself. She didn't know how long they were going to stay there. Long enough for her to grab another nap? Just enough for Shiloh's sandwitch? The human certainly had expressed her desire to get out as soon as possible. She decided she would simply follow Shiloh's lead and in the meantime she began to rummage in her bag. She pulled out her canteen and took a sip.
"So, what do you do for a living?" She asked idly. Conversation usually took her mind of nasty matters; such as the possibility of seeming lazy to her new friend, or dying in a dark cave without ever seeing the light of day again.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Tue May 2, 2017 9:06 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Seeing Synthesis was now out of the danger zone, Shiloh took a seat by the walls of the tunnel. "Let's take a break for a bit. You've been using that spell continually since we met, so now's a good time to save your energy. I've got a torch and a tinderbox so we can use that for now." Setting her knapsack down she retrieved the items and lit the torch, trying a couple times before the flames ignited. Shiloh then held out the torch towards the caster, her expression suggesting she take it. In case they were in a pinch, she needed Synthesis to have enough energy to cast spells, or alternatively–flee. Stowing the tinderbox back and slinging the knapsack over her shoulder, she conjured bread and cheese for herself. Best to recover their stamina when they could, than force themselves to press forward and burn themselves out. 

"We'll need to be careful. Can't afford to burn ourselves out before any creatures even get to us." She advised between bites. "This is a cave system, which means prey is hard to come by here for predators. Chances are most of the creatures here are opportunistic, either waiting for their food to fall into their mouths or taking on ones which are in a weakened state. We can't let them take advantage of us just because we're unfamiliar with the area." The odd way she phrased it sounded as if she were referring to bandits or scavengers rather than beasts. 

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Tue May 2, 2017 3:50 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis nodded. She was almost too afraid to move. She had nearly walked right off the edge in her complacency. She didn't plan to make that mistake again. If it was her turn to lead the way, she was going to do so with her light as full power, regardless of the drain on her energy. Better tired than dead, after all.
"Okay," she breathed, "Okay, okay, okay…" She chanted quietly as she eased herself backwards.
Once a good few meters away from the edge she turned and offered a weak smile. She didn't trust herself to speak, lest she should actually cry. What a child she was! Perhaps it was best that Shiloh lead the way for a bit while Synthesis recovered herself. She took a deep breath before muttering as much. It wouldn't be for long. She'd earn her keep eventually. She vowed it to herself.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Tue May 2, 2017 11:43 AM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Following behind, Shiloh took note of how the passage looked to remember the way they came should they need to backtrack. She had kept quiet, letting Synthesis take the lead until she saw the light from her fire orb become brighter all of the sudden. When the girl began to stammer after a prolonged silence, she came to look. Her legs instinctively froze to keep herself from moving any further when she saw what seemed like an infinite blackness stretching before them, and a toss of a pebble failed to produce a sound. Before the gaping abyss, Shiloh spoke using a quieter tone of voice as to keep the caster calm. "…Oh. This is…definitely not the right way. Let's turn around, and back away slowly." She then retreated to give Synthesis more space, ready to pull her back should the girl slip or something come after her. Looked like her aura sight was still one of the better options when it came to mapping out the tunnels.

"That leaves us with two other tunnels then. Unless there was another passage we didn't find, one of the two should be the way you came in." At this point she was just talking to keep Synthesis' mind off of panicking. Panicking was bad, especially in potentially life-threatening situations. To her finding things like this was fairly commonplace, but this very well might be the caster's first time seeing a bottomless pit in person. Thousands of possibilities about the chasm filled her mind, some of them worse than others. Right now she needed to focus on the positive, because thinking how all of this could go so very wrong was becoming automatic.

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Tue May 2, 2017 3:05 AM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis was further impressed by Shiloh's ingenuity but remained silent as she tried to think of a way of gathering more information about their routes. Nothing came to her. She sighed.
"So, we should take the one that ultimately goes up, right?" She phrased it as a question despite it really being a prompt to get them moving again. There was no way for them to be sure of their choices now so, in her mind, it was best if they kept moving. The more ground they covered, the more likely they were to come across something one of them recognised or even the exit itself.
So she ploughed on, not bothering to check if Shiloh was following. If she had a better idea of which way to go, the other woman would have said. Sure enough, the passage she took did begin to go up after only several meters of sloping down.
"You know," She called backwards down the tunnel, "Someone, a professional, should really…"
She never got to finish her sentence. She was too distracted by the fact that she couldn't see the walls any more. So despite her fatigue, she commanded her light to blaze brighter and rise higher. Her lips parted into a silent O as she became aware that she had just entered an enormous cavern with a sizeable black drop in the centre that they probably didn't want to fall down. A small trickle of water dribbled down the wall and disappeared down it. It was probably once a mighty waterfall or something.
She certainly didn't remember this. She wondered whether they should turn around and try again. She turned to see if Shiloh was seeing this too.
"Do you… c - can you… What is this!?" She stammered.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Mon May 1, 2017 2:50 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"…Alright." Looking at each of the passages, she couldn't tell which one would truly lead them upward. Pulling her canteen out she swallowed a mouthful of water and capped it. It would be much easier if they could use a portable light source that didn't require magic, preferably one that they could throw ahead to see how the choices would pan out. That thought gave her an idea. "Hey, there's a lot of rocks around here…" Picking up a few good-sized pebbles, she stood before one of the passages and threw one in a rolling pitch. She listened to how the stone rolled, and how fast it moved. If it was slow, it could mean the path was uneven and sloping uphill. If it accelerated quickly, then it was moving downhill. If it was neither, it likely hit an obstacle or the area was flat. She tried this for each tunnel a few times with varying pitches to get a better idea on what each one led to. She was tempted to use aura sight again, but held to Synthesis' advice. With the tuning fork technique she had used earlier, she was left with two possible options.

"These passages are getting tricky. One of the tunnels that slopes downward comes up again after a certain distance, and the path sloping upward dips down later. It would be much easier to narrow down the choices with a bit more information." she grumbled, putting her weapons away. She wondered how long they both had been down here now. Would the paths with more plant life indicate greater proximity to the surface? Or would the areas containing more creatures tell where risk-takers often went in and out of?  

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Mon May 1, 2017 8:10 AM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Sythesis nodded and walked on, filled with suspicious apprehension.When the tunnel flatterned out, she halted beside Shiloh. Two of the passages sloped downwads while the other remained level. She peered into each one one at a time, extending her light as far as she could down each tunnel. Using magic to light the way like this was beginning to take its toll. She pulled it closer to her person again and dimmed it until it only just allowed them to see.
"I'll keep the light on a little longer," she said, "You should take a break from using your aura sense in the meantime and then we can take turns guiding the way. If we're gonna be down here a while, we should cooperate to conserve our energy."

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 10:38 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"It lets you see things, like people–even if they are far away. There's a limit naturally, but with practice you can sense people in the next few rooms over if you were inside a house. Unfortunately it also gives me a splitting headache whenever it's crowded or when I use it for too long. It doesn't actually hurt me, it's just unpleasant." Shiloh watched as Synthesis used a sphere of flame to sear the roof of the cave. A clever tactic, definitely something to remember when exploring underground. It still held a possibility of risk should there be any ignitable vapors, but she hadn't smelled any since their walk so they would be fine. The humidity also would prevent the entire area from becoming bursting into flame even if there were any flammable gases. "I should be fine now. If I use it in short bursts I can offset the strain it puts on my nerves. It'll allow me to utilize it more efficiently."

She then closed her eyes and activated it again, breathing in slowly as the information began to come in. After a few seconds, she blocked it off, and had received a lower count of life signatures in the immediate area. "Looks like a great deal of those presences were slimes. There's a third less already. I have my own canteen if I need it, you should save your own water for later. I'd doubt the water here would be clean or safe to use."  When Synthesis was ready to move on, she would keep moving forward, with one hand keeping the cloth of her shirt over her mouth and nose. Once they reached the top of the slope, the path flattened. Another choice was before them, this time three potential passageways instead of two. Large stalagmites protruded from the ground where water dripped down from the ceiling, and a soft glow emanated from luminescent moss growing in patches on the walls. The air was starting to feel cold, in contrast to the tepid temperature of the lower passages. Still, there was no sign of the movement of air currents to give Shiloh any easy way to tell which lead them closer to the outside. 

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 9:52 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis was concerned for Shiloh, no matter how convincingly she carried it off.
"This aura sight," she queried, " What does it do? Does it drain you? And are you sure you're alright? Would you object to my healing you a little? Or some water? I always carry some in my bag." As she spoke, Synthesis motioned her hand towards the cieling and her orb of fire followed. It illuminated the cieling clearly enough to show several patches of damp which might easily be slimes spreading themselves very thin in a clever disguise. She pushed the fire so that it touched the roof and had it scour over anything that looked suspicious. A satisfying sizzling sated any need for revenge Synthesis might feel.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 9:39 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Shiloh hacked and coughed until the last bits of the slime were expelled from her mouth and nose. It took a while for her breathing to return to normal, and she wiped her face with her sleeves. When she was able to speak again, she said between labored breaths. "…Thanks. Should've known that would happen as soon as I stopped using aura sight." Coughing again she murmured to herself, "Not letting me catch a break now, are you? Cursed misfortune rearing its ugly head again." Her tone was that of annoyance and familiarity, like this had happened before. This would probably explain why she seemed so insistent on making sure of the passage ahead and why the woman seemed so high-strung. If she had been alone, Shiloh was sure she would've been dead within the next couple minutes. Next time she went spelunking, she would bring a mask. 

Looking down at the gooey mess of her attacker, she glared daggers at it. Here she had been worrying about snakes and spiders only to be nearly done in by a soft-bodied, spineless creature. It must've oozed its way out after she stopped sensing the life signatures in the area. Pulling her shirt back over her mouth and nose again, she resumed walking. "So that's how it tries to feed. Suffocate anything that comes by and then feed on the decomposing corpse. I'm fine now, let's keep going." She then drew her sword to make sure that she wouldn't be caught defenseless like that again.

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 9:04 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

For some time, the two continued on in silence. Synthesis was content now that she was full and she was optimistic enough while they were traveling uphill. Then, with little warning, she heard a muffled gasp that might have broken out into a cry… but didn't. She turned, the sounds of rapid scuffles and shuffling alarming her to no end. The sight that met her eyes was both shocking and terrifying but even so she lept towards her companion and began aiding her in tearing the thing off her face. It was stuck tightly but was too soft to avoid the attack of both their fingers. Synthesis burrowed her hand into its center, scraping it away from the inside out so Shiloh's eyes nose and mouth were freed. It clung to the edges of its victim's face with fevor, seeming to try and slide back into its origional shape and place.
Synthesis was unsure whether this attack was purposeful because she couldn't see what it could hope to gain by killing an animal. How on earth would it digest one, if that were its goal?
The two of them scraped and pulled at the slime until it fell to the floor in sad, sticky pieces.
Synthesis breathed heavily. "Are you okay?"

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:38 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Shiloh gave a grunt of acknowledgement to Synthesis' praise. It was nothing special, really. She was sure a sorcerer could have come up with a better way to achieve the same effect, but her way suited her just fine. If it worked, it worked. Climbing up the slope, she adjusted her eyes to the new environment. By now she had established recognition of the girl's aura signature, so she would no longer need to check every new pulse of life nearby to find her. The most shortcuts she could use, the less effort needed to make a decision. And down here, effort translated to energy. The rest of the walk went on in silence, as Shiloh kept herself in a state of heightened focus. As they progressed, she had to filter out every drip of water and every step they took from the noises she was listening to, which over time began to prove itself draining.

Stopping to take a break, she closed off the influx of sensory information to give herself a break. As she did so, she took a deep breath and picked up a whiff of something rank and acrid. Speaking up, she was suddenly cut off when some unknown thing fell onto her face and began attempting to suffocate her. The sounds of a struggle and disorganized shuffling signaled that something was wrong and that Shiloh was in distress. Should a light source be present, Synthesis would see a semi-translucent amorphous mass covering Shiloh's entire head while the woman clawed at it with her hands in an effort to tear it off. In layman's terms, it was a commonly known as a 'slime', composed mostly of water. 

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 6:47 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"I'm going to learn to do that!" Synthesis decaired enthusiastically, "That food spell is going to be the next one I master, mark my words!"
She then continued to stuff her face to the last crumb, including the section that Shiloh had rejected. She made to walk on she she swallowed her penultimate bite, not wishing to hold them up, and turned into the tunnel they had discussed. "Obviously that other trick of yours is impressive too," She added as she walked, turning to see if the other woman was following. She didn't want to dismiss anyone's skill and efforts for fear she might cause offense so was careful to compliment everything the other had done for her. She felt as though she had made a valuable ally down here in the dark. Her mind morbidly wondered to thoughts of how she might have been if they hadn't met up. They weren't comforting at all.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 4:13 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"Yes, it's fine. Your stomach was very insistent on making itself heard. I doubt that the creatures and plants down here are edible, so best to keep your hunger sated. As for me, I can continue on for a bit longer." In the past she had spent days getting by on water and a few bites of food, and was accustomed to surviving in such situations. Over time she had learned to exert a certain amount of control over her own body through willpower. She could keep going, even having gone without food for a day or two, as long as she had enough water. Shiloh wasn't too concerned with eating at the moment, as she planned to conjure more the next time they found a safe place to rest.

When Synthesis asked her, Shiloh replied accordingly. "It's trick I learned back when I was young. You take two metal rods together, strike them against each other and they make a sound. Normally the sound ends quickly, but if you hit them the right way, it produces a lingering echo of sorts. It's not as easy using swords and daggers, but I found striking edge against edge creates a similar effect. As I listen, I follow the echo and travel with the sound–" She then stopped herself when she realized what she was saying would likely be confusing, and summarized the last bit instead. "–In other words, I use it to hear what the rooms look like." Moving on to explaining the method which she procured the sandwich, she shrugged her shoulders.

"As for the food, I can't say I know. What I have found is that whenever I think of food, whatever I just thought appears in my hand. However there are three things that I've observed to remain constant. One, this only applies to food. Two, the food is indeed real and not some illusory construct. And three, it always gives enough for a single person–no more, no less. Thus, I have come to believe that it merely transports food from another preexisting location to where I am."

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 12:36 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Seeing the sight of such a wholesome sandwhich, Synthesis practically drooled. She had been sustaining herself for weeks on leaves and roots which she had foraged and enhanced with magic on her travels. She unfolded her wings and pushed her staff against her back, folding them again ontop. With both her hands now free, she took the food as though it were as rare and precious as a diamond.
"Are you sure?" She asked in amazement but took a bite before the other had the chance to respond. She then broke of a piece off the end of it and offered it back, swallowing in record time. "You should keep your stength up too."
She wasn't surprised that she'd been right about the tunnels but she was suprised that Shiloh had been able to determin so through hitting two weapons together. She was also suprised at her ability to make food out of thin air.
"How'd you do that?" She wasn't really sure which of Shiloh's actions she was refering to but she was too impatient to get to her second bite to elaborate for Shiloh or herself.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 12:08 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Taking out a small dagger in her other hand, Shiloh struck the blade of the sword with it, causing it to vibrate like a tuning fork. She closed her eyes and listened to the sound, and how it moved the further away from them it was. In her mind's eye she saw the outline of both tunnels, wide and narrow, and what came immediately after upon entering. When she was done, she put both weapons away and opened her eyes again. "No signs of other living beings up ahead. The wider passage leads to a continuation, however the narrow one ends with a sheer drop. Looks like you were right after all." 

Hearing the loud growl of a stomach she looked behind her at the caster. Without hesitation, she conjured a loaf of bread cut lengthwise with some meat and cheese in between. She handed it to Synthesis with a monosyllabic response. "…Here." Thankfully Shiloh wasn't feeling any hunger pangs as of yet, but she wanted to conserve her energy in case they ran into hostiles up ahead. The bats wouldn't be interested in the food, so it should be fine. Shiloh began running various scenarios through her head while she waited.

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sun Apr 30, 2017 7:23 AM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis froze in place when Shiloh answered her question. It was true that there wasn't any way for them to track time.The Druid had been so sure that she'd been walking for an hour and studying for another and yet she had no proof. She's been lost in idle thought for most of her time walking downwards and maybe hours had passed her by while she obliviously wandered. She'd also closed her eyes back there for what she thought was only five minutes before she'd been disturbed. What if she'd been out for longer? Time was a trickster and Synthesis was now becoming increasingly sure that she'd been tricked.
As if to fuel her paranoia, her stomach churned and gurgled loudly. She was quite hungry and had no idea how long it had been since she'd eaten. She clutched her belly in a bid to make it still and, once it had passed, hoped that Shiloh hadn't noticed. She made a mental note to herself to keep her eyes out for any edible moss or fungi.
She remained still at the other's request and watched with curiosity as the woman drew her sword and held it in an almost ritualistic way.
Far in the distance, a faint sound could be heard. Perhaps it was the natural sounds of a cave system. Perhaps it was running water. Perhaps it was something else. Synthesis comforted herself with the thought that whatever it was, it was too far away to concern her.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 11:10 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"The larger tunnel, huh." A terribly vague answer, she thought. Watching the length of the tunnel as the caster's flame lit it up, Shiloh analyzed the gradient of the slope and the state of the walls. It was very possible that these passages rose and fall not unlike the shape of valleys and hills. Very rarely did they every move straight up or down like mining passages. In other words, it was likely that Synthesis had come upon her by pure chance. The girl had also failed to mention any other methods of recognition regarding the path she had took, so that was as if she hadn't paid attention at all. She must've been incredibly lucky to make it this far undisturbed. Unwilling to throw caution to the wind, Shiloh licked her finger again and did the test as she had done before. It would seem that they were too far below the surface to detect currents, explaining why the air felt stagnant. This displeased her greatly.

When Synthesis asked her how long she had been down here, Shiloh didn't mince words. "How should I know? It's not like I have a timepiece on my person. Besides, without the sky overhead it's impossible to determine the passage of time in this darkness. In fact, the perception of time is entirely subjective. Sometimes a few minutes can feel like a few hours, and sometimes a few hours can feel like a few minutes." Either way, the less time they spent down here–the better. This was no place for beings like them. Drawing her sword again, she held it by the hilt with the point facing downward a few inches above the ground. As she prepared for what she was about to do, she spoke to Synthesis. "I'll need you to be still and keep quiet for a moment. Let's see if this works." It had been a while since she'd used her abilities to navigate, so now it was time to see if she had forgotten or if she still remembered.

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 9:25 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis didn't like the way Shiloh spoke of their situation as if they were actually in danger. In response she could feel fear wriggling in her gut like a worm that had just woken and begun to feed on her morale. Yet her mind was still working hard to rationalize in any way it could that things weren't that bad. It was just caves; a little dark but otherwise harmless.
"Well," she replied with suprising calm in her voice, "I always took the larger tunnel on my way down so we should never end up anywhere narrow." As if in responce to her words, a large passage to the right came into view. It was also slightly inclined. "That way looks about right." She directed her little fireball to whizz up to it with a flick of her wrist. She couldn't quite make it reach yet but it got her point across nonetheless. She felt extreamly proud of the small acomplishment, thinking that it was the sort of thing a true mage would do casually.
"How long have you been down here?" She asked, "I've been down here about two hours." She gave a small, empty laugh. It wasn't really funny but she wanted to try and keep things light.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 7:40 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"Forget about the trinket, it's not something worth risking your life over. I only said I'd do the man a favor to keep him from getting himself killed, only to end up in the exact situation I was trying to avoid. Right now getting out alive's my first priority, and even more so since I don't know the lay of the area." Shiloh appreciated the girl's offer to help, even if she didn't sound like it. But she had no desire to look for a piece of cloth and metal that held more sentimental value than anything else. Stopping, Shiloh wiped her hands on her shirt and licked her index finger, then held it up to test the direction of any air currents around. "Where's the airflow? There has to be a place for it to ventilate somewhere…" she muttered to herself, grumbling.

While she was checking for the slightest sign of a breeze, her mind was already thinking of various ways to mark where she had been should some of the tunnels loop back on themselves. She needed something that wouldn't be easily removed but recognizable if she saw it again. Animals often used glands to produce substances and mark their territory by scent, but that was completely useless for a human. Fires would die out after burning up the fuel, she had no chalk or paint to use, and making marks in the walls was easier said than done. A sword was nowhere near as effective of a tool on rock as a pickax, and she had no interest in ruining her weapons. Making sounds of frustration, she frowned as she racked her brain for a better solution. Deciding to go out on a limb, she asked Synthesis a question which she didn't expect to receive a definite answer. 

"So Synthesis, do you remember how you came down here? There's no guarantee that we won't run into anything on the way back, but at least there's an exit to the surface."

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 5:07 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Shiloh's speach was brief, informative, practical and completely cold. Synthesis watched as Shiloh made to move past her immediately after she'd finished, feeling distinctly like she had been dismissed. The other sounded and acted disinterested but also came across as tense and guarded, her body language silently warning "keep your distance". Despite all the signs, however, Synthesis allowed Shiloh past and then turned to follow, her fireball trailing behind her like a neglected pet. She was beginning to feel that there was no treasure down here and at least this way she'd have company while they made their way to the surface. She concluded it would be at least an hour on the way back because that was how long she'd spend walking downwards through the intricate web of tunnels.
"Maybe I can help you find whatever your looking for?" she suggested," Some trinket of a friend of yours? It'll be at least an hour to get out of here and and with two pairs of eyes, we'll be twice as likely to find it on the way out."
Synthesis tactically ommited the fact that she had no more of an idea where she was than Shiloh because she was still in denial. She didn't want to face that reality yet, which was probably for the best because otherwise she might panic. Also, she wanted to sound confident in front of this stranger, like she knew what she was doing. Synthesis always liked to get on people's good side. She liked to help people - no doubt about it - but she also liked it when people helped her, which was probably the more common occurence given her soft nature and low skill level.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 4:06 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

When asked of her identity again, Shiloh sighed in annoyance as she pulled her shirt over her nose and mouth again. "Someone on a fool's errand, that's who. The man can forget getting his neckerchief-pin back, I'm getting out of here." She then remembered that the girl probably meant she wanted to know her name, and continued. "Name's Shiloh. I came with a caravan and one of the men lost something when they went spelunking. I told him I'd get it back for him, but now I've gotten myself into this fine mess. Should've just knocked him out and left him tied up in the wagon instead of trying to pretend I'd help him." She rubbed her shoulder, feeling a bit of bruising there. Nothing too serious thanks to her leather armor, but she had fallen down quite a distance.

"Since I can't backtrack from where I came, I'll be on my way to find the nearest exit. I'm missing daylight already." Keeping an eye on the bats, she trudged towards Synthesis and planned to go past her up the pathway. As she came up she crouched low, and took care not to disturb or draw the attention of the creatures. It was sort of like moving like a tortoise, with her shield protecting her back. It was over her knapsack so should anything grab at her she wouldn't be yanked back. That was how the man had lost the pin in the first place. When she was close enough she saw the caster's eyes were red, and felt her alertness spike briefly. Her expression, poker-face like usual did not betray her thoughts, but her eyes did flash for a moment as the mental alarm was triggered. To Synthesis her movements might seem odd in keeping so close to the ground, especially considering she wasn't short. 

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 2:42 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis felt much more relaxed as soon as the other female put away her sword. She dared to look down long enough to pull her bag closed and attach it via its strings to a strip of material around her waste which he wore for just that purpose. She didn't mind the query about her identity but wasn't in a hurry to answer either, seeing as her own question had been evaded so obviously. She had asked first, she thought childishly.
She lowered her light until it hovered just above the stone ground, peering over her sholder to confirm that there were infact many bats dangling covertly from the ceiling. She couldn't be sure, but she could have sworn she saw a wing shift to cover one of their beady little eyes. It made her heart accelerate a little faster. They certainly were large and as far as she knew there were precious few insects down here. That left only one other possible food source for them.
"My name is Synthesis." She relented, "I'm down here to explore. Now, who are you? What are you doing down here?"

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 2:06 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Shiloh stiffened when the alerted figure made the sphere of light sweep the area. Thankfully instead of feeling her flesh petrify it only cast shadows. She then answered in reply. "That should be my question. The fact you asked who I was instead of launching an attack tells me you're not one of those drow. What's someone like you doing so far below the surface?" So this girl was a spellcaster. She held her defensive stance as they watched each other's movements. Slowly, she put her weapon away. "You might want to be careful with that thing, there's bats a few meters behind you hanging from the ceiling. They're unnaturally large, and I don't know if they're the blood-drinking or insect-eating variety."

With the light from the orb of flame, Shiloh was able to get a better picture of the caverns they were in. The walls were rippled as opposed to jagged, so it must have been carved by water at some point. There were no large holes in the walls that hinted to nests of creatures or vermin, and very little in terms of plant life. There was moss and lichen on the stones and the occasional clump of fungi but that was it. From the echo of their voices she'd say the cave ceiling was less than seven feet where the girl was standing, and around twenty in places where the ground was low. The narrow passage she had been walking upon was edged with stalagmites growing from below, forming a sort of natural railing. It was a good thing she didn't fall. But the most important thing was there were no cobwebs or sounds of hissing. The air was breathable here, so they might not be deep enough to hit pockets of noxious gases. Maybe this girl knew how to leave, as she had come from another direction. Still no sign of that man's keepsake, as expected. 

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 1:44 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Suddenly, a loud scraping sound of metal on stone jerked Synthesis from her uneasy doze. It was far too precise a noise not to have been made a living thing and her eyes flicked open in fright. She scrambled to stand, picking up her staff as she did so, and only narrowly missed a direct blow to her head by a stalactite.
Above her, the ball of flame rose to match her movement. She was confused by it for a moment and then took a few moments to regain control of it. She commanded it to sweep a wide arc around her in a scanning motion - much wider than she had been able to manage before she dozed off - and then halted it when she caught sight of another figure crouching at a turning just down the tunnel.
Synthesis could do little but stare. It was a young, lithesome woman who held a glinting sword out from her body as she scratched it across the stone wall. Her eyes were precise and calculating, and the young Druid felt very much like she was being judged; sized up a if she were prey.
She became aware that her bag and things were still scattered around her on the floor and she slowly crouched again, never taking her eyes off the other as she began feeling for her things and placing them in her bag one by one.
"Who are you?" She asked, all thoughts of etiquette gone from her mind.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 1:03 PM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

There was a flicker of light in the midst of the darkness. Shiloh knew better than to approach without caution. She had heard of creatures which used parts of their bodies as a lure for those that sought warmth and light, but she wasn't close enough to try tossing a stone in it's direction. Besides, those kinds of beasts would be able to tell the difference between a falling rock and a potential meal. It was hard to gauge distance in the dark, so she clicked her tongue a few times and listened to the reverberations of the echo. Closing her eyes she activated her aura sight. The path she was on would continue up ten meters ahead until it reached a rock wall. It would then turn, and twist perpendicular, then pass by something further away. Shiloh didn't know what exactly was over there, but it was alive and on the ground. She would need to draw closer to determine it's shape.

Shuffling across the passageway, she stopped when she could see the source of the light. It was an orb of light, clearly magical in origin. Below it was a humanoid figure. Standing up, she drew her sword while her black and silver shield rested on her back. Was that one of the 'drow' she had heard of that stalked these chambers? She couldn't be sure, but whatever it was–it was no dwarf. The faint light cast by the light orb revealed stalactites above and a cluster of bats a few meters away. Good thing she had put out her torch. Bats only swooped when disturbed, though they were the least of her concerns. Using her broadsword she scraped it against the cavern wall in a rhythmic pattern and awaited the person's reaction. She didn't want to risk calling out to a potential enemy.

Author: Illusory Angel, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 6:57 AM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

Synthesis didn't even know she was lost. She had entered the caves some hour ago and had been crawling around carelessly ever since. She had used the simple spell of Parvpora's Sight to allow her to see in the dark and also been very carefull to take the wider passage if she ever got the choice. Because of this, she had yet to become claustophobic or afraid.
She was here having heard a large party of men traveling in the other direction boast about their finds in a very easy section of the Umbral Depths. From what she could gather, they they gone in there in pairs to explore and each come out with as much glittering treasure as they could fit in their bags. Indeed their bags had looked bulging to the young girl and Synthesis' imagination had run wild with dreams of never having to beg again. What's more, in an effort to impress each other, they had claimed the tunnels were "safe enough for a child" and "so easy they had been able to navigate it with only their sense of direction". None of them dared to admit to the harships they had faced in the darkness for fear they would turn out to be the only one. In other word, it had been all lies, unbenownst to the naive evesdropper.
As such, it wan't until the spellwork on her eyes began to unravel that she found herself becoming worried. She had been moving for quite some time and come across nothing of any interest and she hadn't exactly been keeping track of the way she came. She made her way to the edge of the passageway she had been traversing and puller her staff from where she had been holding it with her folded wings and untied her bag from her hip. She opened it up and pulled out some things.
First she took a swig of water from her canteen before opening up her Druid Spellbook. She flicked through the pages until she chanced upon a picture of a ball of flames. She had been planning to learn this spell sooner rather than later, anyway. With the remainder of her enhanced sight, Synthesis read and reread how to conjure and control fire in a safe, useful and sustainable way. As soon as her vision faded to black, she focused of practicing the spell from memory, until she could maintain a small orb of flickering red light anywhere within a metre of her person. Moving or changing it's strength required attention, but for the most part she was pleased to find herself able to think about other things whilst maintaining it. That must have taken another hour and the new light Synthesis had mastered cast shadows that made her skin prickle and her mind buzz with discomforting thoughts. She decided to close her eyes for a few moments rest. After everything, she reckoned she had earned it. The ball still flickered a little above her crown, lulling her even further with the noise of a cozy hearth.

Author: Shiloh Kyrie, Posted: Sat Apr 29, 2017 1:31 AM, Post Subject: Here Lies the Abyss [P]

"I knew this was a bad idea. Should've told the man to forget about that keepsake and get over it." Here she was, who knows how deep underground, crawling about in twisting tunnels and passages in the darkness. It all started back on the plains, when she was travelling with a caravan across the typical trade routes. They made a stop nearby the mountains and some of the men were feeling a bit adventurous, hiking up past the marked trails into the woodlands. Two of them found the remains of some ruins built into the face of the rock. The cliff overhang had sheltered them from the elements and the carved structures bore little signs of erosion. Thinking they'd strike it rich, the men found their way into the Umbral Depths. Soon enough they ran into the local wildlife, and hightailed back to the surface. Unfortunately one of them dropped something as they escaped, and it just so happened to be an old neckerchief tied to an engraved metal pin. It wasn't even silver or some rare type of metal–just a piece of brass and iron.

On any other trip the thought of bothering to find it wouldn't have crossed her mind, but the man was stubborn and insisted on going back for it. He said it was some kind of good luck charm or somewhat. The only way to convince him to stay put in the wagon was by convincing him that she'd go get it for him herself. Without any other way to fake it, she ended up going down the ruined passage for real, and slipped on the way down. When she was back on solid ground she found it was a one-way tunnel; the hole she had fallen down was far too high to climb back up even with a rope and grappling hook. That left her with the only choice but to find an alternative way up out of these caves. Shiloh liked nature, she had even grown up in a cave in the side of a mountain. But what she didn't like were underground tunnels when she had no knowledge of the nearest exit.

The caverns were dark and damp, and the air smelled stale. She really hoped there weren't any noxious fumes or toxic vapors where she was, or else she might never see the light of day ever again. At one point she had used her tinderbox to light her torch, but once she saw how narrow some of the ledges were she had to put it out and rely on her senses instead. If something were to jump out at her she would need both hands to defend or grab onto the nearest handhold for safety. With her shirt pulled up over her nose, she tapped the ground ahead with her broad sword to hear if it was stable. The only good thing about these enclosed tunnels was the enhanced amplification of the tiniest sounds, which informed her of her surroundings. In the distance she saw something glowing, but she wasn't exactly eager to approach it. Who knew what could be lurking in the darkness?