Event: Passage in the Abyss

[letsplayamod]

[Well, even down in this squalid prison, you have gained some amount of levity. Just a day prior, an impromptu attempt to channel one of you to the land of the living put you into contact with not only the rest of your friends, but Athena herself.

That all comes to a sudden halt, but you're free to continue with perhaps a renewed strength. For once in a long while, it seems like things are getting interesting.

A day later, that's when the rumbling comes.]

That is it! I cannot wait a moment longer... My strength must return, and so my hunger must be sated.

[It's Typhon, he sounds mad.]

A mess of mortals, trapped in my personal cage. Perfect for feeding on!

[He sounds like he's on his way.]

Comments

[tripartites]

[ well, once it's clear that misane isn't going alone down the middle hallway, sayo steps towards the left one and speaks up. ]

I suppose I'll take this path... [ she sighs, looking ahead into the gloom. ] Who's coming with me?

[tailoredfate]

[Without hesitation, Aglaea steps up to Sayo's side.]

I will. Would you like me to take the lead?

[tripartites]

Ah... yes, that may be a good idea? [ she's squishy, after all. ]

8

[tailoredfate]

[Cute... Aglaea gives her a little pat on the shoulder before moving to take point. There's a brief glint around her hands as her familiar golden threads curl around her fingers and disappear - robbed of her sword and Garmentmaker again, she has to fall back on this again. And at least stretching them further out down the path means she might pick up on things they'd miss at first glance...]

[letsplayamod]

[A fantastic use for those golden threads, Aglaea. The threads stretch and weave through the air, adding just a little light to the dim stone hall. They move forward and forward and...

Straight through a wall?]

[tailoredfate]

[... Huh. She wasn't expecting to find anything this soon... but that's as good a place as any to start.]

A false wall... it could be a new path, or a hidden room. It might not be an outright trap... but just in case, stay close, Sayo.

[tripartites]

So that way first, then? [ a little more quietly, more put out, as she adjusts her grasp of the golden key: ]

I'm not helpless. After all, I am the millennium-old Endless Witch...

[ girl do you want her to cover you or not? ]

[tailoredfate]

You're not the only one who's seen a millennium pass before their eyes.

[... Hm. There's a glint in her eyes as she says this.]

Even the ageless can rely on others. That isn't a sign of helplessness.

8

[tripartites]

[ a rare thing, from aglaea. she finds herself watching her more carefully now, searching curiously for—what, exactly? she's not even sure. ]

... I suppose so. Should I open the path? [ kind of just. lifting the sword and pointing it at the false wall for emphasis, and—yeah, she's going to town on cutting through that bad boy to open up 1-B. energy sword sfriday.

where's that take us? ]

[letsplayamod]

[Energy Sword Sfriday is a rousing success, cutting a straight path through a line of three false walls until she hits real solid stone at the farthest left end. The way forward is straight for several paces, when the path splits.

Choose a path: A-1 or B-1. With an 8, whichever is chosen Sayo will either find a secret way closer to the goal or a gift to help in the future.]

[tripartites]

[ she glances to aglaea. ]

I'm curious where the turn leads... [ and yeah now she is decidedly kind of getting ahead of herself and turning right to check out A-1. ]

[letsplayamod]

[When Sayo takes her first few steps forward, nothing happens. On the next the stone under her foot gives way slightly. In less lucky circumstances, there would be spikes or an outpouring of terrible critters flooding the narrow hallway.

Instead, out of the corner of her eye, she'll see a stone in the wall next to her slide away to reveal three fancy bottles labeled "AMBROSIA" and a helmet.

Someone else's secret stash is going to do you a lot more good than them.]

[tailoredfate]

[They're close enough that Aglaea doesn't stop Sayo from moving forward, but at that click she moves in a flash, preparing to grab Sayo and pull her back from whatever trap was activated-

... But then the wall simply slides open, revealing a few prizes.]

... Huh.

[Yeah even Aglaea is a bit surprised here.]

That is... almost too convenient.

1/2

[tripartites]

[ for a moment she freezes when she trips that switch, paralyzed by surprise and her own hubris as aglaea readies to pull her back— ]

2/2

[tripartites]

... Oh.

[ sayo blinks a little bit owlishly before remembering to breathe, leaning slightly into aglaea. ]

Let's take the bottles... which of us should wear the helmet? [ she's not going to lie. she thinks she would look ridiculous in that thing. ]

[tailoredfate]

[For as chilly as she might act sometimes. Aglaea is surprisingly warm as Sayo leans against her. And she doesn't push her away, just waiting until Sayo's steady on her own.]

... Armor isn't usually my first form of defense. [She's got her speed and her threads for that.]

But if it might be of use... I suppose I could try it on. For now.

[tripartites]

[ sayo allows herself a moment to just... accept the warmth and strength that aglaea offers. it's a feeling she isn't used to, at least not like this. ]

By all means, then. [ she huffs out a laugh, inclining her head towards where the helmet sits as she collects the bottles. ]

Lead the way?

6

[tailoredfate]

[As Aglaea reaches out and takes the helm, removing the golden laurels in her hair so it snugly fits...

... She sighs in mild frustration. This feels ridiculous.]

If I had to rely on my sight and not my threads, this would be terribly inconvenient.

[Not that her sight was very good before she took the coreflame, but. Details. Really, how do the warriors deal with their perception hampered like this?

After one more quick glance at the alcove to make sure they didn't overlook anything, she moves forward.]

This had better be some clue or key to working through this maze. Otherwise I might just discard it.

[letsplayamod]

[Down the path Sayo started they continue on.

Unfortunately, anyone is bound to hit the dreaded loop de loop that brings them to where Aglaea's threads first led them.

Maybe 2-B will hold better luck? At least this path gave them some very useful beverages and a helmet.]

6

[tailoredfate]

[Well, something's better than nothing at least! Backtrack they indeed do, and when they reach the initial path split Aglaea will again reach out with her threads as they move forward. Enemies, hidden rooms, traps... she'll be searching for them all.]

[letsplayamod]

[The threads do their job well, revealing no traps awaiting them in the immediate. They weave around the corner and pause at three-way stop. Options 1-C, 1-D and 1-E await them...

And the ground beneath their feet trembles from an epicenter very close by.]

[tailoredfate]

[Hm... can she tell the general direction relative to the routes in front of them?]

[letsplayamod]

[Based on how close she and Sayo are? To the right and north.]

[tailoredfate]

[... Hm. Figures. The one straight ahead looks like it might intersect with where they came, so they might not have any choice but to go towards the rumbling.

She turns to Sayo.]

Which would you pick?

[letsplayamod]

[Overhead an unfortunately familiar voice bellows.

Threads, don't fail them now.]