91st Zi’da, 717
Darcyanna cringed internally as Maebella dressed down the First Ranger. They were none of them anywhere near as experienced as the man, nor by the looks of it as scary, and yet it seemed the blue skinned woman and the Gawyne wanted to ensure he was angry enough to just up an leave them.
Fates, please don’t let him leave.
As the scarred man glared at the Eidisi, the noble watched him way his words up, before he answered her simply. There was indeed more, however, what was the point in telling them? It was clearly going to serve up more fears and concerns. Plow forward, that was his goal. As his gaze burned on herself, the blonde nodded silently, knowing that she placed her life in this terrifying mans hands. They all did really.
What choice did they have?
Two to One, Freezing.
She had no sarding idea what the line meant, but the words sent a shiver down her spine, causing the pianist to draw her hood closer around her face with a frown. Could this get any worse? As they left the room via the small exit, the Venora marvelled at the colours in the ice, feeling with each step that something was coming. Something more. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, excited and scared all at once. Glancing up she saw the blue woman move closer to the tall northerner and fought to stop the frown that wanted to break forth. How could she stand the cold?
Once they entered the next room, Darcy stopped short with a small ‘oh’ of surprise, taking in the situation before them. It was…more or less…one large gaping hole. There were two paths to the left and right – neither of which looked particularly safe – and across the hole two heavy ropes staked into the icy ground.
Caius voiced their thoughts before he stepped over to look down the hole and up at the shimmering stalactites that appeared poised to fall at any given moment. The effect made Darcy feel humbled, as though the entire room required a quiet—
Nevermind.
As the taller diri took charge, the pianist glanced up at the ceiling again, hoping that their voices would not rattle the sharp growths free. She knew nothing of caves or climbing or icy pathways, but something about the whole thing seemed to warrant quiet. She wanted to follow the Gawyne, she did, but something about the path was not sitting well with the blonde. Her pack didn’t contain….shoe grips? It had rope, rations, a fire-starting kit, and some sort of medical pack.
As Maebella rationalised things, Darcy simply listened, nodding at the call out about people slipping and pulling others down and the cold, no, the utter blizzard Caius was generating. Eventually though, someone finally asked the delicate Venora what she suggested, and for a moment she simply blinked.
“I uh...I actually. I think we should take the ropes.” Glancing from the Eidisi to the diri, the Ivory Rose blushed deeply as though a child caught with their hand in the treat jar.
“Caius I think Maebella is right. If we go around the side, there is a huge risk one of us will slip and take the others with them. I don’t have those shoe things, and I think I can see a way across the ropes. I’m light enough, I think, to make it. Myself and Maebella, one at a time.” She wanted to reach out, to press her hand to his face, but the cold was overwhelming. Swallowing her sense of betrayal, the Venora moved to the ropes, moving to rest one of her hands the top one.
“Yourself and Alucard should take the pathway. You’re heavier, more experienced with the ice and snow. I...I need to hold onto something. That path is just...I can’t do it.” Knowing that if she hesitated, if she gave the man a chance to speak she would change her mind, the pale creature lifted a foot and stepped up on the rope, reaching to hold the one above her with two hands.
With a moment to settle her heart rate and retain her balance, Darcyanna began to slowly creep along the ropes, refusing to look down at the abyss or back at her lover. Her hopefully still future suitor.
Fates, please don’t let him leave.
As the scarred man glared at the Eidisi, the noble watched him way his words up, before he answered her simply. There was indeed more, however, what was the point in telling them? It was clearly going to serve up more fears and concerns. Plow forward, that was his goal. As his gaze burned on herself, the blonde nodded silently, knowing that she placed her life in this terrifying mans hands. They all did really.
What choice did they have?
Two to One, Freezing.
She had no sarding idea what the line meant, but the words sent a shiver down her spine, causing the pianist to draw her hood closer around her face with a frown. Could this get any worse? As they left the room via the small exit, the Venora marvelled at the colours in the ice, feeling with each step that something was coming. Something more. Her heart beat wildly in her chest, excited and scared all at once. Glancing up she saw the blue woman move closer to the tall northerner and fought to stop the frown that wanted to break forth. How could she stand the cold?
Once they entered the next room, Darcy stopped short with a small ‘oh’ of surprise, taking in the situation before them. It was…more or less…one large gaping hole. There were two paths to the left and right – neither of which looked particularly safe – and across the hole two heavy ropes staked into the icy ground.
Caius voiced their thoughts before he stepped over to look down the hole and up at the shimmering stalactites that appeared poised to fall at any given moment. The effect made Darcy feel humbled, as though the entire room required a quiet—
Nevermind.
As the taller diri took charge, the pianist glanced up at the ceiling again, hoping that their voices would not rattle the sharp growths free. She knew nothing of caves or climbing or icy pathways, but something about the whole thing seemed to warrant quiet. She wanted to follow the Gawyne, she did, but something about the path was not sitting well with the blonde. Her pack didn’t contain….shoe grips? It had rope, rations, a fire-starting kit, and some sort of medical pack.
As Maebella rationalised things, Darcy simply listened, nodding at the call out about people slipping and pulling others down and the cold, no, the utter blizzard Caius was generating. Eventually though, someone finally asked the delicate Venora what she suggested, and for a moment she simply blinked.
“I uh...I actually. I think we should take the ropes.” Glancing from the Eidisi to the diri, the Ivory Rose blushed deeply as though a child caught with their hand in the treat jar.
“Caius I think Maebella is right. If we go around the side, there is a huge risk one of us will slip and take the others with them. I don’t have those shoe things, and I think I can see a way across the ropes. I’m light enough, I think, to make it. Myself and Maebella, one at a time.” She wanted to reach out, to press her hand to his face, but the cold was overwhelming. Swallowing her sense of betrayal, the Venora moved to the ropes, moving to rest one of her hands the top one.
“Yourself and Alucard should take the pathway. You’re heavier, more experienced with the ice and snow. I...I need to hold onto something. That path is just...I can’t do it.” Knowing that if she hesitated, if she gave the man a chance to speak she would change her mind, the pale creature lifted a foot and stepped up on the rope, reaching to hold the one above her with two hands.
With a moment to settle her heart rate and retain her balance, Darcyanna began to slowly creep along the ropes, refusing to look down at the abyss or back at her lover. Her hopefully still future suitor.