SOUL FORGE (CLOSED)
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The water burned as it flooded her lungs, but on the exhale Hazel found she was not longer drowning. The bulging-eyed serpent circled her, slipping back and forth through the inky water. Where he went, the light followed so she could see him and his rows of thin teeth clearly.
You have come to my waters. What is it you desire, human?
You have come to my waters. What is it you desire, human?
More tentacles slithered over and wrapped themselves around her thrashing arms, holding her still.
I asked you a question! You have come to my waters! What is it you desire?! The voice was booming in her head as if he were yelling in her ear. Struggling is pointless.
I asked you a question! You have come to my waters! What is it you desire?! The voice was booming in her head as if he were yelling in her ear. Struggling is pointless.
6purplecats
Member
"I-" Alex stopped herself before she could say she didn't know. Hazel was probably drowning down there, there weren't many options for them. Alex clenched a fist. "The water can't be that deep, right? We just have to get down there and kick the damn monster's ass! If other guardians were able to do it then so should we!" She stepped further into the water determinedly, causing it to splash around her. A slightly concerned look crossed her face. "Are you up for it?" she asked Eryth.
"Fuck it." Eryth took off behind Alex, ready to save Hazel, if they even could. His mind was not full of the fact that they could probably do little to whatever it was, but instead was focused on her. He had a job, he needed to help, and he was happy to have a leader to guide him there.
Alex nodded. “That’s what I like to hear,” she mumbled.
They waded through the water until they reached the point where walking was no longer possible. Alex was about to go underwater when she paused and doubted for a second. Much as she hated to admit it… they did need a plan.
“Hazel got taken by something, we need to deal with that while we save her.” She turned to Eryth. “You’re the nurse, you should take care of Hazel. I’ll try to distract whatever took her. We get Hazel, we swim the fuck out of here. Does that sound good?” Alex did her best to keep her voice from shaking. She was not good at plans, but someone’s life was on the line and she had to push herself. She quickly dismissed the thought that this might be the first time in her life she pushed herself for anything.
The pause gave Eryth time to realise who was still in his arms. "You get the monster, I'll get Hazel. Good. Can you swim, Emee?"
Emee shivered for a moment before skittering up to Eryth's head and hugging it tightly, with a furry cheek pressed against his temple. Then suddenly he was gone, fur, wet nose, and all. "Ery!" A muffled call came from behind them and the house sprite sat on the other side of the barrier, as far as possible from the Lioness. He stood up on his hind legs and gave a little wave with his paw. "Ery, go!"
"Alright. Let's go!"
Alex nodded, then turned her eyes to the black water. There was no way to tell how deep it went. She took a deep breath and plunged underwater, not giving herself the chance to think about all the ways this could go horribly wrong.
"Fuck it." Eryth took off behind Alex, ready to save Hazel, if they even could. His mind was not full of the fact that they could probably do little to whatever it was, but instead was focused on her. He had a job, he needed to help, and he was happy to have a leader to guide him there.
Alex nodded. “That’s what I like to hear,” she mumbled.
They waded through the water until they reached the point where walking was no longer possible. Alex was about to go underwater when she paused and doubted for a second. Much as she hated to admit it… they did need a plan.
“Hazel got taken by something, we need to deal with that while we save her.” She turned to Eryth. “You’re the nurse, you should take care of Hazel. I’ll try to distract whatever took her. We get Hazel, we swim the fuck out of here. Does that sound good?” Alex did her best to keep her voice from shaking. She was not good at plans, but someone’s life was on the line and she had to push herself. She quickly dismissed the thought that this might be the first time in her life she pushed herself for anything.
The pause gave Eryth time to realise who was still in his arms. "You get the monster, I'll get Hazel. Good. Can you swim, Emee?"
Emee shivered for a moment before skittering up to Eryth's head and hugging it tightly, with a furry cheek pressed against his temple. Then suddenly he was gone, fur, wet nose, and all. "Ery!" A muffled call came from behind them and the house sprite sat on the other side of the barrier, as far as possible from the Lioness. He stood up on his hind legs and gave a little wave with his paw. "Ery, go!"
"Alright. Let's go!"
Alex nodded, then turned her eyes to the black water. There was no way to tell how deep it went. She took a deep breath and plunged underwater, not giving herself the chance to think about all the ways this could go horribly wrong.
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Glow
Punmaker Extrordinare
When Hazel couldn't move any longer she finally stopped struggling. She may as well answer. I'm here to rescue those poor people you've got trapped up there. She snapped. She squirmed again in the serpent's grasp; vowing to never to eat fish again for as long as she was still alive. Which didn't seem to be much longer at all.
You are a defiant little guppy, aren't you? You really want to save them so badly? You don't know who they are.
The fish swam in circles around her, its green scales shimmering in the strange light around him.
Your friends have chosen to abandon their task to save you, girl. But they do not know the price of a life and they will die.
More of his wirey tentacles shot up into the black waters above them, wrapping around Eryth's ankle and Alex's wrist with sharp needles. They sank in and pulled both of the down into the depths.
The fish gave a gurgling cackle as the he felt them struggle against him, which was pointless. Soon, Hazel could see her friends shadows in the light, but not their faces as they struggled.
I offer you a choice. Complete your mission and free my pets above, or watch your friends drown. They have little time left before they drown. Choose wisely.
The fish swam in circles around her, its green scales shimmering in the strange light around him.
Your friends have chosen to abandon their task to save you, girl. But they do not know the price of a life and they will die.
More of his wirey tentacles shot up into the black waters above them, wrapping around Eryth's ankle and Alex's wrist with sharp needles. They sank in and pulled both of the down into the depths.
The fish gave a gurgling cackle as the he felt them struggle against him, which was pointless. Soon, Hazel could see her friends shadows in the light, but not their faces as they struggled.
I offer you a choice. Complete your mission and free my pets above, or watch your friends drown. They have little time left before they drown. Choose wisely.
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Eryth screamed again as something wrapped around his foot, trying to jump back again but only managing in dropping himself into the water faster. His arms flailed out to his sides as he was quickly dragged over the precipice, still losing his breath as he struggled. Before he knew it, he was out of air. He nearly took a breath before the water flooded into his nose and he stopped himself. Holding his breath with a look of pain he closed his eyes and clenched his fists, his empty lungs burning as he realised he was about to die.
6purplecats
Member
As a tentacle took hold of Alex's wrist, any thought of the plan went straight out of the window. The Baku had prepared her for seeing the worst, sure, but he had never laid a hand on her. All she could think to do was struggle, and struggle hard. Her free hand clawed at the tentacle restraining her other one, not achieving much aside from a lot of scratches due to the spikes. In her struggle, Alex barely realized it when she ran out of air and water startles trickling into her lungs. Untill a burning feeling emerged, and she realized too late she was probably drowning.
Glow
Punmaker Extrordinare
Hazel froze as she saw Alex and Eyrth through the water. She screamed at them; her voice muffled by the water. Panic seized her chest. Her breathing quickened a black fog settled in her mind. She couldn't think. Think! She bowed her head and closed her eyes. What if she rescued the people and the serpent killed her friends anyway? She had no good reason to trust the serpent. But she didn't have any choice.
Alright I'll do it. Please, just let them go.
Alright I'll do it. Please, just let them go.
You will choose the lives above over your comrades? If you save the others, your friends lives are mine.
The serpent gave a hard kick from his tail as he circled her, edging close with his sharp teeth. The tentacles encircling her friends pulled them down below and out of sight.
You must choose who you will save.
The serpent gave a hard kick from his tail as he circled her, edging close with his sharp teeth. The tentacles encircling her friends pulled them down below and out of sight.
You must choose who you will save.
The choice is made.
The tentacles pulled everyone upward, rushing through the water to open air and tossed all three onto the ledge next to the lioness, then let them go, slinking back into the water.
The lioness hissed at them as they splattered water all over her fur and slinked away to a dry spot.
A grating sound echoed into the room as the pedestals where the crying creatures were sank, carrying them below in a hiss of foamy water. The last sound was that of a gurgling cry.
"A choice is made and cannot be undone," the Lioness said, gesturing toward the door created earlier, "The exit is waiting."
The tentacles pulled everyone upward, rushing through the water to open air and tossed all three onto the ledge next to the lioness, then let them go, slinking back into the water.
The lioness hissed at them as they splattered water all over her fur and slinked away to a dry spot.
A grating sound echoed into the room as the pedestals where the crying creatures were sank, carrying them below in a hiss of foamy water. The last sound was that of a gurgling cry.
"A choice is made and cannot be undone," the Lioness said, gesturing toward the door created earlier, "The exit is waiting."
Eryth coughed up the water in his lungs, stumbling as he tried to get to his feet and back into the water as quickly as possible.
The soggy nurse found that the barrier had been replaced and bounced off, and fell back onto the hard stone floor. A squeak echoed as Emee scurried to his side. "Ery!"
Eryth crawled forwards again on his knees, slamming his fists into the barrier. "No! *Cough cough* STOP!"
"That is useless," the Lioness grumbled, "Once a choice is made, it cannot be undone."
Eryth slammed his fists against the barrier again, leaning against it with his head and arms as he started to shiver.
The soggy nurse found that the barrier had been replaced and bounced off, and fell back onto the hard stone floor. A squeak echoed as Emee scurried to his side. "Ery!"
Eryth crawled forwards again on his knees, slamming his fists into the barrier. "No! *Cough cough* STOP!"
"That is useless," the Lioness grumbled, "Once a choice is made, it cannot be undone."
Eryth slammed his fists against the barrier again, leaning against it with his head and arms as he started to shiver.
6purplecats
Member
Alex had already turned to the door, but looked back uncertainly as both Hazel and Eryth mourned the creatures they hadn't been able to save. For a few seconds, only the sound of Hazel's sobs could be heard as Alex searched for something to say. Part of her wanted to tell them to suck it up and keep moving, but... she couldn't.
She tried to smile encouragingly, but it came out as more of a grimace.
"Oh, come on guys. We're free to go!" she paused, hesitated. "I mean, that must mean we passed the first challenge, right? This is what we were supposed to do!" She kneeled down next to Hazel and put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to be comforting. "Look, once we pass these tests and we're back above ground with our weapons, we'll be able to fight those shadows. Think of all the people we can help with that. Lady, James, Victor, Emee..." She glanced at the furry creature that was now by Eryth's side. Her voice dropped in volume as she added: "Those creatures on the pedestals... they might have been beyond saving..."
She tried to smile encouragingly, but it came out as more of a grimace.
"Oh, come on guys. We're free to go!" she paused, hesitated. "I mean, that must mean we passed the first challenge, right? This is what we were supposed to do!" She kneeled down next to Hazel and put a hand on her shoulder in an attempt to be comforting. "Look, once we pass these tests and we're back above ground with our weapons, we'll be able to fight those shadows. Think of all the people we can help with that. Lady, James, Victor, Emee..." She glanced at the furry creature that was now by Eryth's side. Her voice dropped in volume as she added: "Those creatures on the pedestals... they might have been beyond saving..."
Glow
Punmaker Extrordinare
Hazel kept her head bowed. She wanted to accept what Alex told her, but she couldn't ignore the crushing guilt she felt inside.
"I should have been able to do something." Hazel felt helpless, small. She couldn't shake the feeling that she could have done more. It didn't feel like passing.
But she had to push forward. She slowly got up. And faced the exit. "We should get moving."
"I should have been able to do something." Hazel felt helpless, small. She couldn't shake the feeling that she could have done more. It didn't feel like passing.
But she had to push forward. She slowly got up. And faced the exit. "We should get moving."
6purplecats
Member
Alex got up as well, nodding earnestly. "Yes, let's get moving!" She could tell Hazel wasn't exactly happy with the outcome, but at least she was standing and no longer crying. That left only one more person... "Eryth?" Alex said carefully.
"They might be beyond saving."
"They might be beyond saving."
"They might be beyond saving."
"Eryth. Eryth stop."
His pounding continued. Compression after frantic conpression on the woman's chest. There was still a chance. There was always a chance.
"Eryth! Eryth, she's gone! It's been five minutes. She is beyond saving."
"Yea... I'm fine." Eryth stood up, shooting a deadly glare at the lion as he picked up his clothes, putting them back on quickly and quietly.
"They might be beyond saving."
"They might be beyond saving."
"Eryth. Eryth stop."
His pounding continued. Compression after frantic conpression on the woman's chest. There was still a chance. There was always a chance.
"Eryth! Eryth, she's gone! It's been five minutes. She is beyond saving."
"Yea... I'm fine." Eryth stood up, shooting a deadly glare at the lion as he picked up his clothes, putting them back on quickly and quietly.
6purplecats
Member
Alex smiled. "That's what I like to hear."
She put her own clothes back on, letting her fingers glide over Coraxe's ruby pommel as she clasped her belt on. The dagger's presence was strangely comforting to her, considering she didn't even know how to use it properly. She looked up to see if the others were ready to go yet.
She put her own clothes back on, letting her fingers glide over Coraxe's ruby pommel as she clasped her belt on. The dagger's presence was strangely comforting to her, considering she didn't even know how to use it properly. She looked up to see if the others were ready to go yet.