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Post by ★|Sayu on May 11, 2018 0:27:55 GMT -7
As the two move on further ahead Benedict shakes his hand. "Think I'm good. I had plenty back there." he nods his head back and cracks a charming but awkward smile. "It's great that you came when y'did. I woulda been done for if it weren't for you. I mean you always hear about ruins being dangerous but there was just no signs of it, y'know?" Benedict explains as they make their way down the hall. The hallway proves to be pretty short and leads to another staircase leading further down. "I mean it's just wota, at least so I thought when 'a first came in here. Turns out, 'course, it's a lot more'n that." He continues. Here more of the same slabbed floor can be found further ahead between two raised walls. The walls look too high to climb and surround the large square marble floor. "Naturally, now'm thinkin' wots with it. It's got to have some density changing properties. It acted like water until I... well... slipped and fell in. Then the more I moved the less I found m'self able to." Benedict drones on. The two descend down the stairs and soon enough are approaching the platform. "I mean... if I had my references, in tact mind you, I could sit down and study this for a few days. Or a lab!" he exclaims the last sentence with excitement. "A colleague of mine used to have this 'on-the-go lab' she carried around everywhere with her. Could check the chemical make-up of anything within seconds that one could." By pure chance Sam kicks against a rock while walking, sending it flying over the marble surface. When it finally lands a loud and sudden twang catches the two's attention. "Something like th---" Benedict stops as an arrow darts right past him. He looks to either side of the walls, now seeing the fine holes on each side. He then looks back to Sam with a shocked expression on his face. He looks down at himself - he seems fine - and back up at her, and nods to let her know he is indeed fine. At least he's stopped talking for now. Sam takes a closer look at the marble surface - namely where the rock landed. Now she can see the fine lines dividing the smooth marbled surface. Like little squares just big enough to stand on with one or two feet. Under the rock is a number - 4 - finely etched into the marble. She stares at Benedict for a moment, who is looking down at his feet - He's standing on the marble! But somehow it doesn't seem to do anything. He cautiously lifts his foot, leaning back in case of any further arrows coming his way. Nothing happens. He then backs off and joins Sam to study the board. The large smooth marble stone is divided into a 9 by 9 section, with some numbers etched into the ground on specific tiles.
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| 8 | 2 |
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| 5 | 1 | 4r | 8 | 6 | 2 | |
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| 8 | | 3 |
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| 7 | 6 | 2 |
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Sam & Ben are on this side. The R marker are the Rocks on the marble surface.
Benedict scratches the back of his head and muses. "Numbers, huh?" He looks about and he picks up another rock before throwing it onto the marble surface. Again an arrow shoots across the marble surface right over the rock and disappears into the opposite wall. He crosses his arms and thinks.
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Post by ☆|Dazai on May 15, 2018 21:02:45 GMT -7
“Huh...” Having squatted at the edge, Samantha stares at the passage in front of her. “One wrong step’n ya get the business end of an arrow.” Her eyes scan the various numbers for a moment. “This’s like one ‘a them number puzzles I used ta do as a kid. Buncha’ squares that add up ta nine. Know what I’m talkin’ about Ben?” The doctor pulls out her journal and thumbs to a fresh page. “Couldja’ gimme some light real quick my good man?” She begins furiously scribbling away.
After a few minutes pass, Sam ambles upright. “So here we go!” She points to the paper with her finger to show Benedict, putting the pen in her mouth in the process. “If a’ looked right ‘n this is all correct, ya stepped on a 9 here. That didn’t shoot a arrow 'atcha, but the two rocks each on a four here and here did trigger somethin’.” Sam puts the pen back in her pocket and scratches her head. She was slightly unsure about how she was gonna cross the floor, but she was hesitant to ask Ben for suggestions. The man, though fairly charming, was dangerously haphazard even for her own standards. “Ma’ only problem is I dunno what makes a good plate and a bad plate…” Samantha says, shifting her weight slightly. “Should come to me inna sec though.”
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Post by ★|Sayu on May 15, 2018 21:30:33 GMT -7
Benedict lights up the area a little more as Sam begins to scribble down the numbers looking for any possible solution. Once she has figured out the potential location of all the numbers she begins to explain. Initially benedict, who is a little taller than her, is looking over her shoulder onto her notes while she explains. However, by the time she looks over to him he is already gone - not gone, actually.
Like a suicidal maniac he is standing in-front of the marble surface and repeatedly stepping on the unmarked 9 he stepped on earlier. With the help of some insane luck he is spared a most holey of deaths, by arrows namely, as he continues to press his foot down on the tile over and over. "Huh..." he says and scratches the back of his head. "Guess y'right, Sam. Good work!"
Without pause he takes another step forward confident in her solution. In a cringe inducing slow step he slides his foot onto the next nine. It's just enough for him to reach and sure enough no arrows fire. Although by all rights the man's lack of foresight should probably have gotten him killed a long time ago. It's no surprise Sam found him in the condition he was in.
"Wonderful! All works out, then!" he says as he makes his way across the rest of the field. Coming to the last nine he decides to show off with a daring skip that nearly causes him to fall over backwards. However he manages to catch his balance and throw himself forward instead.
"Alright, Jus' step on the nines then." He claps his hands together, looking rather satisfied with his arrival on the other side.
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Post by ☆|Dazai on May 15, 2018 22:12:28 GMT -7
"W-what’re you thinkin’!” Samantha, who rarely got wound up about something, was clearly a bit baffled by Benedict’s lack of caution. In a way his mannerisms were admirable... but she had just risked her life saving him. Her poor heart couldn't take another scare like that. After all it’s not like she'd always be there to help him...
The doctor continued blabbing on in an incredibly comical way, as she attempts to follow in his footsteps. “We shoulda tested yer theory before ya just waltzed around! Ya coulda been killed!” As she gets closer, her demeanor reveals itself to be more worried than anything else. “Look I ain’t mad. I haven't known ya fer very long but,” she takes another step on a nine, “I don't wanna see ya hurt neither. If yer gonna do somethin’ like that, I might have to drag ya around Glayp’nier with me ta keep ‘n eye on ya...” She looks for the next nine. “We make a good team though a’guess. Good job partner.” She smiles and gives a short huff of approval.
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Post by ★|Sayu on May 21, 2018 17:31:02 GMT -7
Benedict laughs and waves Sam off. "I'm fine! I'm fine!~" he gives her a genuine smile "Besides..." He reaches out his hand to help her across the last bit. "You did all the work. If it weren't for your incredible wit we would still be stuck on the other side.
When Sam gets across he turns to face the next hallway. Again there are inscriptions on the frame of the door but he doesn't waste a lot of time studying them. "We should definitely have some people from Soiyam check this place out. They have an incredible and vast knowledge of various ancient languages." He runs his hand along the stone wall as he proceeds through the next hallway. "It's fascinating that this place has been hiding in plain sight for so long and no one has ever found it up until now." He pauses for a moment, remembering the strange water moat. "Then again... perhaps not."
The two continue on until they enter a large deep room. The two find themselves on top of a bridge leading across a great hall. The bridge doesn't have any railings and is made entirely out of the mountain rock. Below there are some faint glowing plants that light up the area beneath however they seem to be a very long ways away from Ben and Sam. "Oh... Thatsa thing, innit." Benedict remarks as he leans a scary distance over the bridge to see below. "I reckon that's about 5 floors below... but..." Looking across the bridge there are some run down stairs leading in a spiral around the large circular room. "It looks like we could make it down from there." he says, scratching the back of his head and continues along.
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Post by ☆|Dazai on May 22, 2018 10:11:08 GMT -7
“Much obliged,” Samantha says, taking Benedict’s hand for support. The effect of the man’s complement didn’t show on her cheeks. She wasn't easily flattered in that manner but that's not to say she didn't appreciate what he said. “And iffit weren't ‘fer yer uncanny bravery, I’d never set foot ‘n here!” Sam chuckles a bit. She wasn't sure if Ben was truly brave, or just very confident in his luck.
Both researchers travel further into the ruins, passing by more inscriptions on a door frame. “I'm sure some folks intended to.” Sam grimly replies to Ben. A few moments later, her tones notably lighter, "Tell me more 'bout Soiyam when ya can! Ya from there? Like yer office 'er somethin'?"
As the duo find themselves on a bridge of sorts, they spot very curious plants a good distance below them. “Them must be the plants the townsfolk were talkin’ about,” the doctor says standing alongside Benedict, albeit a bit further from the edge. “Let’s get to it then. Bet there's somethin’ else nasty waitin’ for us, so keep yer eyes peeled yeah?”
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Post by ★|Sayu on May 28, 2018 18:33:41 GMT -7
"Ahh... something like that" Benedict scratches the back of his head and smiles as the two cross the bridge.
"I've been livin' in Soiyam on and off for the past two years. Or rather... I own a place there. It's a bit modest but there are a lot of interesting things happenin' there. Sure y've heard of some of the things dug up there. The first aura quartz mine, a mostly in-tact ancient city burried deep underground. Recently they even found the remains of ancient humans. Last I heard they had lil' to no capacity for magic which forces us to completely re-imagine how life used ta be back in the day. Can you imagine? No airships, no fireplaces, no easy way to traverse the land or grow crops. They had nature do all the work for'em. An' even religion came down to a set of 7 lines arranged into a bizarre pattern. Some anyway- But ah... I'm gettin' off topic aren't I?" he chuckles a bit and asks Sam in return.
"What's your story? Where 'you from Sam?"
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Post by ☆|Dazai on May 28, 2018 20:56:13 GMT -7
“Oh yeah, heard of summa that. Never been there ma’self.” Sam whips some of the hair from her eyes before continuing. “Magic’s never really been ma’ strong suit either, so maybe I’m part of some sorta ancient lineage!” She laughs as she puts both hands behind her head. “Really though, to me, I think it’s all kinda interchangable. We use magic, and like ya said, they used nature. I’m sure they had some sort ‘a way to make it do what they wanted. Hell, even magic is part a nature, so ‘er things really that different? Makes ya wonder though… Especially about tha’ religion.” Her voice trails off as her thoughts begin to drift.
“Anyways! I’m not that excitin’ really. Ma and Pa raised me on a farm in Na’Hog. Rose and Ethan Vess. Only child. Gave me everything a’needed to succeed. Love, support, guidance. Ya know all that. Worked on tha’ farm till I was old enough ta’ leave for school. Became a practicin’ doctor with ma’ own clinic, but it just wasn’t what I wanted to do exactly.” Samantha puts her hands in her pockets now. “Well… I loved the helpin’ people part, but tha’ paperwork was a bit much y’know? So I decided ta’ go travelin’ the world to see what medical treatments I could discover. Kinda like these plants down here.” A momentary silence follows as she figuratively checks all the boxes. “I hope that wasn’t too much’a an earful!” The doctor smiles knowing it likely was.
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Post by ★|Sayu on May 28, 2018 21:11:43 GMT -7
"Na'hog, huh? Heard it's rather dangerous there lately. Lots of strange wildlife going 'round."
By this point the two have tested the stairs and begun walking down. They're solid enough not to cause any problems, in theory. "My uncle used to own a farm there. Small place. 'Was more of a retirement spot, if you consider the guy had no patience for crops and very few, small, animals 'tend to."
Benedict laughs at the idea. "My father always wanted me to work on my uncles farm but my mother recognized my interest in bigger things." He shakes his head with a smile and looks down at the plans below. "Looks like it'll be a bit of a walk. I'm excited to find out more about these plants." he says and muses to himself as the two continue further down the stairs.
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Post by ☆|Dazai on May 28, 2018 23:26:36 GMT -7
Upon hearing the news about Na’Hog, Sam decides she should check on her parents as soon as she gets the chance. A simple letter would do; she hasn't sent them anything in some time.
“Yeah these plants have gotta be important for all those traps ‘n puzzles earlier. I hope I can get some samples outta here.” Sam looks over in Ben’s direction after a few seconds. “Your parents, what do they do for a livin’?”
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Post by ★|Sayu on May 30, 2018 18:58:21 GMT -7
"Ahh... hmm. I haven't seen them too often as of late. My mother is an alchemist and, like me, she travels quite a lot. She's currently writing a book I believe." Benedict scratches the back of his head again. "Watch your step here" he notes as the stairs seem to get a little uneven.
"My father's a craftsman. Started out as a carpenter with an interest in blacksmithin' an' now he builds airships. Well... helps build 'em anyway." he laughs a little sheepishly. "I do feel a little lazy in comparison. My work is all paid for by other people, most of which don't even understand what I do. Then again..." he muses at the plants below for a minute or so. "Maybe'm not entirely sure what I'm doing either. Ah well."
The two are about halfway down the spiraling staircase running along the circular room. The further down they travel the more vibrant the flowers seem to become. They even illuminate the ground below to the point that no other light sources are required.
"Guess I've never fancied too much hands on work and alchemy is... difficult. Nearly blew up my school actually." He laughs again, this time a wholesome honest laugh.
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Post by ☆|Dazai on Jun 4, 2018 23:24:16 GMT -7
“Sound like a pair ‘a honest folk!” Sam takes more cautious steps at Ben’s advisement. “Lazy is a bit subjective y’know? Comparin’ yourself ta’ other people, even her parents, only ends up makin’ ya feel inferior or superior. Better ta’ do your own thing I say, so don't worry if ya feel kinda aimless at times. It'll come to ya eventually” Her speech was a bit frank, but no less friendly. She had similar conflictions herself when she first left her clinic. She found a way to make it work though, and she was sure Benedict would too.
“Yeah considerin’ today, I'd hope ya just scratched alchemy off the list,” Samantha returns a laugh of her own. Surely he knew he was a bit aloof himself. She hadn't meant it in a bad way.
As the two descended further down, the plants seemed to become more and more luminescent. “Ya notice that? Is it my eyes or the flowers gettin’ a bit brighter… ever seen anything like that?” Sam asks, her brow scrunched in a quizzical fashion.
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Post by ★|Sayu on Jun 19, 2018 22:54:24 GMT -7
As the two further descend down the stairs, which themselves are getting more run down the further down they get, the plants continue to glow brighter.
"Huh, s'that right?" He notices and begins studying them from afar. "I noticed their more faint glow before, 'thought it had to do with their coenzymes turning energy into particles of light but it's strange that they'd have a reaction like this."
He makes a few thoughtful sounds as they finally reach the bottom. Before them is the glowing field of beautiful flowers. Some in full bloom, others still growing, but none of them wilting. Their stems are plain and the heads are shaped like more fluffy tulips with petals coming to a sharp point at the tip. As they approach them they can't help but notice the plants slowly leaning towards them almost as if they themselves were curious. "Huh." Benedict says and waves a hand over-top of the plants. Sure enough they slowly lean towards his hand every time he moves it and the closer it gets to the plants the brighter they begin to glow.
"Fascinating. 'Definitely some kind of magic at work." Benedict instinctively reaches to his side, only to find nothing there. He sighs and scratches the back of his head. "Go figure..." before squatting down before one of the plants. "Wonder if they're safe to touch."
For once he doesn't even attempt to follow through with his thought, deciding to stay safe and serious in regard to these ever curious flowers.
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Post by ☆|Dazai on Jun 19, 2018 23:17:40 GMT -7
Samantha gets down on her knees beside Ben to get a closer look. Sure enough the plants respond to his waving. The whole scenario is a bit unsettling however. This was increasingly evident as her partner exercised caution — probably a first, if she had to go off of recent events.
“It’s weird huh? Almost like they've been waitin’ for us.” The doctor spends a few seconds simply looking at the plants before growing somewhat impatient. Patience with patients was one thing, but the excitement (and a tinge of fear) was pushing her to do… something. Anything!
“Aw hell, here I'll go first.” Sam playfully grumbles, taking off her bags and setting them beside her. “Just in case something happens, this is tha’ first-aid,” she says, pointing to her doctor bag. “Not that I expect it to matter, but y-you know.” The jitters were starting to creep in. “All right let’s see what we’re workin’ with here, shall we?” Sam inches her hand slowly toward the nearest plant, and strokes it delicately with her fingers.
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Post by ★|Sayu on Jun 19, 2018 23:24:02 GMT -7
Benedict doesn't say anything and just watches with curiosity. When Sam touches the plant she can feel a faint warmth emanating off of it. Both in a literal and non-literal sense. The plant is a little warm, but it is also... comforting? It's stem and petals feel soft to the touch and before Sam knows it her hands are feeling better somehow. In fact, it was only then that she realized her hands had been aching a little from the climb up and now they feel as if she had just woken up after a good nights rest. Slightly fuzzy, but in a relaxed and comforting way.
"Anything?" Ben asks and cocks his head a little, scratching the back of it with one hand as he begins reaching out to a plant of his own.
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