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When switch 2 was pressed, the pattern became:

O X O O O O O O

When switch 3 was pressed, the pattern became:

X O O O O O O O

When switch 6 was pressed, the pattern became:

X O X X O O X O

When switch 4 was pressed, the pattern became:

A B C D E F G H
X O X O O O X O


@York
 
When switch 2 was pressed, the pattern became:

O X O O O O O O

When switch 3 was pressed, the pattern became:

X O O O O O O O

When switch 6 was pressed, the pattern became:

X O X X O O X O

When switch 4 was pressed, the pattern became:

A B C D E F G H
X O X O O O X O


@York
Schala Zeal
@Atomic Knight

Almost there... Maybe... Schala decided to try one last combination, hoping that she calculated this correctly; Switch 1, and then Switch 3.
 
Schala's quick thinking resulted in every torch being lit, which triggered the door between the two sun carvings to slide open. Beyond it was a transparent wall that glimmered with a silver hue. The group could see beyond it, where an altar resided inside a small chamber. Artorius walked up to the wall and hesitantly placed his hand on it, finding it to be solid.

"..."

Behind him, Sorey let out a sigh of wonder. "Wow...! There has to be some kind of magic here!"

"That's odd, isn't it?" Mikleo asked. "We solved the puzzle, but all we get is a glimpse into the next room. Did we do it wrong, or is there more to it?"

RcYgy6z.png


"... Any ideas?" Artorius asked in a tone that suggested he was not expecting much.

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
 
Nathan Drake

Nathan would take a moment to do three things. 1) He would take some look at his sketches to see if there was anything in the cave drawing that helped him and 2) He would look down at the walls and the floor he was standing on to see if there was anything that he had missed so far. If neither of these two things yielded results, he would take a look at the other things around him. " Hmmm..."

@Atomic Knight @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
 
Schala's quick thinking resulted in every torch being lit, which triggered the door between the two sun carvings to slide open. Beyond it was a transparent wall that glimmered with a silver hue. The group could see beyond it, where an altar resided inside a small chamber. Artorius walked up to the wall and hesitantly placed his hand on it, finding it to be solid.

"..."

Behind him, Sorey let out a sigh of wonder. "Wow...! There has to be some kind of magic here!"

"That's odd, isn't it?" Mikleo asked. "We solved the puzzle, but all we get is a glimpse into the next room. Did we do it wrong, or is there more to it?"

RcYgy6z.png


"... Any ideas?" Artorius asked in a tone that suggested he was not expecting much.

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
Nathan Drake

" Okay, if I'm correct, then the way to get all of these torches lit is... or you know, it could be done... Hmmm..."
he said, pulling a stick out of his bag and walking over to the torch and lighting it and walking over to the wall to see if some additional torch light near it to see if it would work.

@Atomic Knight @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
Getting a lit torch would have been an incredible feat with them being near the ceiling, but if anyone could have done it outside of Will, it would be Nathan Drake. Regardless, the wall did not react to the fire. In fact, the fire and even the torch itself moved past as if there was no wall at all.

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
Nathan Drake

Nathan would take a moment to do three things. 1) He would take some look at his sketches to see if there was anything in the cave drawing that helped him and 2) He would look down at the walls and the floor he was standing on to see if there was anything that he had missed so far. If neither of these two things yielded results, he would take a look at the other things around him. " Hmmm..."

@Atomic Knight @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
Schala Zeal
@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Atomic Knight @MelodyMeister

Schala looked at the transparent wall, noticing how it seemed to allow things like a torch through. Something suddenly occurred to her, and her gaze landed on the artifact Sorey had been carrying around. The one she had felt a resonance within when she had attempted to cause some sort of reaction in her own artifact.

"Wait. Sorey... Your artifact. Maybe we can..." She said, trailing off a little as she gestured towards the altar within the chamber.

Evidently, she was thinking about how her pendant allowed access through locked areas when it was filled with arcane energy. Perhaps something similar was going on with the barrier to the chamber that just opened?​
 
All the drawings seemed to be conveying at this point was that those who lit the torches were lighting the way for others to follow. There seemed to be no direct clues about passing through the transparent wall. There also did not seem to be anything else in the room that the group missed.

At Schala's suggestion, Mikleo spoke up before Sorey could say anything. "Perhaps someone else should test this out," he said, turning to Schala with his arms crossed. "Besides, it was Remy who first grabbed that particular artifact."

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
 
All the drawings seemed to be conveying at this point was that those who lit the torches were lighting the way for others to follow. There seemed to be no direct clues about passing through the transparent wall. There also did not seem to be anything else in the room that the group missed.

At Schala's suggestion, Mikleo spoke up before Sorey could say anything. "Perhaps someone else should test this out," he said, turning to Schala with his arms crossed. "Besides, it was Remy who first grabbed that particular artifact."

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister

"If Remy doesn't want to try it, I could give it a shot." Lwai offered, glancing away from the transparent wall to Schala and Mikleo. They were just trying to see if someone holding the artifact could get through right? If there was any form of danger in doing it then Lwai wanted to make sure the others were safe.

@Ruins Expedition
 
All the drawings seemed to be conveying at this point was that those who lit the torches were lighting the way for others to follow. There seemed to be no direct clues about passing through the transparent wall. There also did not seem to be anything else in the room that the group missed.

At Schala's suggestion, Mikleo spoke up before Sorey could say anything. "Perhaps someone else should test this out," he said, turning to Schala with his arms crossed. "Besides, it was Remy who first grabbed that particular artifact."

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
"If Remy doesn't want to try it, I could give it a shot." Lwai offered, glancing away from the transparent wall to Schala and Mikleo. They were just trying to see if someone holding the artifact could get through right? If there was any form of danger in doing it then Lwai wanted to make sure the others were safe.

@Ruins Expedition
Schala
@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Atomic Knight @MelodyMeister

Giving Sorey an apologetic look, Schala quietly spoke up.

"When I tried to... Activate mine, I felt something in the one Sorey was holding. Maybe I could give it a try?" She asked softly.

It was a bit of a long shot, as she wasn't sure of her way of invoking some kind of response in her pendant would do the trick for an artifact in these ruins, but... Perhaps, if she felt some kind of resonation in Sorey's artifact, it might just do something?​
 
So the girl had down it. Maple had to admit, despite her age, Schela solving the puzzle so quickly gained her respect. It was like those puzzles that switched off some things and turned on others. Annoying, but easy enough with some thinking.

Despite the puzzle being solved correctly as far as she knew, Maple saw that all they got for the efforts was a glimpse into the other room. For all she knows, that just might be the reward. Life often is a disappointment after all. Maybe they needed someone important to get in.

Or something?

“Oh yes, that’s right. Some of us took a trinket, and I have no doubts that some of them may be special, taking consideration on where it came from.”
@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Atomic Knight @MelodyMeiste
 
"Test what out? There's a wall here." What was everyone going on about? All because he touched that dumb trinket? Ugh. This is why you don't do things like that, Remy...

Remy put his hands on the transparent wall to see if anything would happen. It seemed a bit ridiculous that some little bauble could help them get through a wall, but hey. He'd seen weirder.

@Atomic Knight @Gummi Bunnies @Hahli Nuva @Jeremi @Lucky @MelodyMeister @Takumi @Ver @York
 
For Remy, the wall was solid, even with the trinket in hand. Artorius let out a sigh, prompting Sorey to speak up. "Well, it worked the first time when I touched the artifact, so maybe you're right that it has to be me," he said. Mikleo didn't look entirely happy about this but Sorey gave him an apologetic smile and stepped up the wall next to Remy.

"Here, I'll..." Sorey went to take the trinket but placed his own hand on the wall before even taking it, only to find that he passed through like nothing was there. Sorey gave Remy a surprised look before stepping in completely.

"Can you guys hear me?" he asked.

"Yeah, can you hear us?" Mikleo asked back.

Sorey turned around and grinned. "Awesome! There should be something over here I have to solve now, right?"

However, before Sorey could even glance around the room, the altar behind him erupted with purple light. The light twisted and shaped itself into an oval shape that looked rather like what one would describe as a portal.

FNNoQtb.gif


Sorey turned around to look at it, only to be bombarded with a sudden black wind originating from the portal. He held his hands up as the wind bombarded him, passing by him and through the wall to fill the torchlit room. The wind put out the torches and dropped the temperature of the room to freezing. Both Mikleo and Seres fell to the ground, coughing violently.

"It is pure malevolence!" Artorius yelled. He held his arm up to protect himself from the black wind.

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
 
So the girl had down it. Maple had to admit, despite her age, Schela solving the puzzle so quickly gained her respect. It was like those puzzles that switched off some things and turned on others. Annoying, but easy enough with some thinking.

Despite the puzzle being solved correctly as far as she knew, Maple saw that all they got for the efforts was a glimpse into the other room. For all she knows, that just might be the reward. Life often is a disappointment after all. Maybe they needed someone important to get in.

Or something?

“Oh yes, that’s right. Some of us took a trinket, and I have no doubts that some of them may be special, taking consideration on where it came from.”
@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Atomic Knight @MelodyMeiste
"Test what out? There's a wall here." What was everyone going on about? All because he touched that dumb trinket? Ugh. This is why you don't do things like that, Remy...

Remy put his hands on the transparent wall to see if anything would happen. It seemed a bit ridiculous that some little bauble could help them get through a wall, but hey. He'd seen weirder.

@Atomic Knight @Gummi Bunnies @Hahli Nuva @Jeremi @Lucky @MelodyMeister @Takumi @Ver @York
For Remy, the wall was solid, even with the trinket in hand. Artorius let out a sigh, prompting Sorey to speak up. "Well, it worked the first time when I touched the artifact, so maybe you're right that it has to be me," he said. Mikleo didn't look entirely happy about this but Sorey gave him an apologetic smile and stepped up the wall next to Remy.

"Here, I'll..." Sorey went to take the trinket but placed his own hand on the wall before even taking it, only to find that he passed through like nothing was there. Sorey gave Remy a surprised look before stepping in completely.

"Can you guys hear me?" he asked.

"Yeah, can you hear us?" Mikleo asked back.

Sorey turned around and grinned. "Awesome! There should be something over here I have to solve now, right?"

However, before Sorey could even glance around the room, the altar behind him erupted with purple light. The light twisted and shaped itself into an oval shape that looked rather like what one would describe as a portal.

FNNoQtb.gif


Sorey turned around to look at it, only to be bombarded with a sudden black wind originating from the portal. He held his hands up as the wind bombarded him, passing by him and through the wall to fill the torchlit room. The wind put out the torches and dropped the temperature of the room to freezing. Both Mikleo and Seres fell to the ground, coughing violently.

"It is pure malevolence!" Artorius yelled. He held his arm up to protect himself from the black wind.

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
Schala Zeal
@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Atomic Knight @MelodyMeister

Schala was happy to let Sorey give it a try with the trinket, but... To her surprise, he managed to pass through the barrier without the artifact. As she thought of what to do next, everything happened in a flash; light from the altar behind Sorey erupted... A portal, formed out of what seemed to be pure malevolence.

It was like the Ocean Palace incident all over agan... And the young ex-Princess could feel her body being chilled to its very core.

This time though, she wasn't frozen in place like she was before... She wasn't about to let something like that happen, not here... Not again... Not if she could help it.

Closing her eyes, she pressed her hands against the barrier (assuming she didn't pass through it), and began to mutter a string of words in some kind of ancient dialect... Focusing her arcane powers in an effort to seal the portal behind Sorey.

It had been a while since she had tested this ability of hers... She could only hope that it would work here, in unfamiliar territory...​
 
Schala, for just a moment, passed through the wall, but a strong burst of the black wind sent her a few steps back. The wall was solid now for her. Perhaps that was why her magic seemed to have no effect on the portal.

Sorey managed to turn back around but found that the wall was now solid for him. He banged on it with his fists, wincing. "Mikleo!" he yelled, aghast he wasn't able to do anything to help. "I can't purify it alone... it's too much!"

Artorius took a cautious step toward Seres and Mikleo. "The malak... they are more sensitive to malevolence. If something is not done soon, the worst may happen!"

Mikleo groaned and reached a hand toward Sorey, but was too battered by the black wind to make it very far.

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
 
Schala, for just a moment, passed through the wall, but a strong burst of the black wind sent her a few steps back. The wall was solid now for her. Perhaps that was why her magic seemed to have no effect on the portal.

Sorey managed to turn back around but found that the wall was now solid for him. He banged on it with his fists, wincing. "Mikleo!" he yelled, aghast he wasn't able to do anything to help. "I can't purify it alone... it's too much!"

Artorius took a cautious step toward Seres and Mikleo. "The malak... they are more sensitive to malevolence. If something is not done soon, the worst may happen!"

Mikleo groaned and reached a hand toward Sorey, but was too battered by the black wind to make it very far.

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
Schala Zeal
@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Atomic Knight @MelodyMeister

Despite all that she had done since that day... It was just like Ocean Palace all over again. Even with all her powers, she was powerless to stop what was happening... Or was she?

In the end, it ws Artorius's words that finally spurred her into action, her mind whirring as she began to come up with a plan.

Schala couldn't interact with the portal herself from where she was... But... She had an idea, a very risky idea, but it might just pay off. Carefully grasping both Mikleo and Sorey's hands, she closed her eyes, focusing on channeling some kind of healing energy into both of their bodies.

This would, with any luck... Provide them with enough time to enact the next part of her plan, if she can just maintain this kind of magic output for long enough. If she had just been focusing on one person, she would have been fine, but with two... It was going to take a toll on her body overtime.

"... The artifact... We have to... Get it... To the barrier..." She said through gritted teeth.

The portal had reacted to her attempts to seal it, but perhaps that artifact was the key; a way to allow them to pass through, so Seres and Mikleo could purify that portal.

Of all the things Schala knew how to do with her magic, purifying malevolence was one of the few things she still lacked the ability of... That was something she hoped to right one day.​
 
Maple was hyperventilating, the sudden force of chill caused her to close her jacket up and she had to hold onto the wall. If it was one thing she hated more then the heat..Actually, it couldn’t be as bad as when she got thrown into a icy lake right?

Who was she kidding, she hated the cold still.

She had to do something, otherwise she was going to be frozen, and the two over there would be dead. So the wall was solid for most of them right? An artefact over the wall and to the barrier?

“Wait..I might be able teleport with the artefact over, but teleporting with a item takes a toll on my body. But still, I have to try. If, or more likely, when I pass out, please don’t leave me.”

She couldn’t believe it, she was helping out a bunch of..who again? Strangers? It wasn’t even out of her heart that she wanted to teleport over and get the item over to the barrier, it was an obligation to her.

Still, does that make a difference?
@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @Atomic Knight @MelodyMeister
 
Mikleo and Seres seemed to strop writhing upon receiving healing but both did not seem to be getting better.

"Neither you or I were touching the artifact when we passed through the wall!" Sorey yelled to Schala. "That might not do anything!"

Seres suddenly let go of Schala, shaking her head. "It's not enough!" she cried. "It's too much...!" Grunting, she reached out and pulled Mikleo toward her and started to glow. She whispered something into his ear before pushing him back toward Schala. "Get him to the Shepherd!" Seres yelled, her skin turning a pallid grey.

"Seres!" Artorius roared, looking both frightened and angry. "What have you... No!"

Wisps of dark smoke began to leak from Seres' body, obscuring her from view. The dark smoke was like tar bubbling over, consuming Seres entirely. To any observer who did not recognize what was happening, Seres seemed to be dead. However, what was truly happening was something worse. The black mass surrounding Seres began to expand rapidly and form a large distinct shape. It turned red, almost looking like a lizard, but then it sprouted wings, looking far more formidable.

gVOoKqd.jpg


"The malevolence has corrupted her... turned her into a dragon," said Artorius, affixed in place.

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
 
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Will had never been one to remain stationary when things got rough. She didn't know how to figure out the puzzle leading to this room, but once the others caught her up to speed, she knew she had to play her part.

That time had come.

Will could feel the evil dripping out of every pore from this beast. The ally the group had lost was also important, so Wil had to make sure she was very careful. She could feel Seres, soul, fighting against the black that threatened to consume her. The darkness had taken form, into the guise of a deadly dragon.

She had seen this done before. Thankfully, she could subdue the beast without killing or harming Seres in any way.

The Keeper stepped forwards, her hands crackling with Quintessence. In her best leader voice, she gave out a simple command.

"You guys did your part. Now it's my turn. Everybody step back. I'll handle this."



@Lucky @Ver @Atomic Knight @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
 
"No... No!" Sorey banged uselessly against the transparent wall, watching the events unfold before him. Mikleo was still hanging on, probably thanks to both Schala's efforts and whatever Seres had done. Likely, she had given her life force to Mikleo, though why she had done that was lost on Sorey. The woman had barely spoken a word before now, and then suddenly she had done something so selfless that Sorey could not believe it. Tears filled his eyes, both out of regret and gratefulness.

If Seres retained any of her former self, no one could tell as she roared so loud it even drowned out the sound of the blowing wind. Fire streamed from her mouth, threatening the group in the enclosed space.

"Very well, Seres," said Artorius, sounding eerily calm. He drew his sword with a flourish that blew away the fire.

loF2mdw.jpg


"You chose your path, but I will not sway from mine!"

Artorius did not heed Will's request and ran at Seres, swinging his sword to cut at her scaled skin, causing the dragon to roar in anger.

@Lucky @Hahli Nuva @Ver @Jeremi @Takumi @Yun Lee @Gummi Bunnies @York @MelodyMeister
 
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