The Abyssal Gaol [Mission] (WC 700)

[Deleted]

(( @seale ))

"Brrr...! The water's so much colder than it seems!" Marin lamented. She was neck deep in Lake Hylia, having just finished wading out into the water. She'd left her shoes behind on the shore, but was otherwise still wearing her dress. She'd considered taking it off, but it was a public area and she simply couldn't walk around in her unmentionables for all to see. Her dignity had to have some sort of priority here! Besides, she was pretty sure her dress would be fine, if not a little heavy for a while. ...Marin had come to the lake investigating a rather dubious claim that there was a recently unearthed treasure chest that scattered riches all across the lake's floor. If she could find some of those riches, then she'd be a real adventurer! She'd read a book starring pirates once and this seemed like her ticket to a good story of her own to tell. More importantly though, that gold could be used to alleviate monetary concerns or as a bargaining tool. Unfortunately for Marin though, she couldn't see any! The lake was quite clear, but she couldn't see even a single glimmer of metal on the lake floor. ...She must simply be in the wrong area. Marin began to leisurely swim her way out further along the lake shore at a relaxed pace, not wanting to strain her body. She'd need all the energy she could get for the actual diving part. She caught sight of someone along the shoreline as she swam. Was that... a zora? It seemed likely, given her location. She hoped they didn't think ill of her for swimming in a dress. It did seem a little shameful in hindsight, but ah well. At least she was a decent swimmer and would never be suspected of drowning.

...As Marin swam she suddenly became aware of a strange visual phenomenon. Was the... shore getting farther away? She adjusted her swimming to try and compensate, easing herself back over to the shore. ...Only, she found that she wasn't getting any closer. What was happening here? Something was wrong. Marin's alarm intensified as she realized she was being drawn deeper into the lake by an unknown force. Nothing was touching her, but the lake itself seemed to be drawing her in! Her swimming grew more panicked as she tried to escape the increasingly powerful currents gripping her body, but it was to no avail. Where was she going?? This was just a lake! What was happening to her?? The frightened princess began to thrash in a desperate bid to outswim the current, but she could now feel water rushing past her legs. It was beginning to draw her downward. "A-Ah..! Help!" the princess blurted out once, twice and thrice as she struggled to keep her head above the water. She could hardly even concentrate on breathing now as she fought for her life, but it was far too late for her. Finally, she found herself caught in the strongest part of the current and was violently torn below the surface, drawn to the lake floor in seconds. She could feel her arm get scraped up against a rocky crevice as she hit the bottom, but oddly enough she just kept going!

The truth was, Marin had just been dragged into a newly formed fissure in the lake bottom leading far deeper underground than the lake itself. She felt herself impact the walls of this chasm several times, knocking the air out of her lungs on the third strike. A shudder ran through her body as she found herself drowning helplessly. The princess curled into a defensive ball and prayed that a miracle would find her before she lost consciousness. ...Thankfully, the high speed of the water worked in her favor here. She abruptly found herself being launched from the other end of the chasm into an awaiting pool of water, falling with a crash. She felt herself impact the muddy floor and could tell that most of her momentum had been lost. Summoning what strength she had left, Marin uncurled and weakly clawed her way forward out of the pool of water before collapsing there in the darkness, promptly coughing up some water. Ugh... Well, she was definitely in trouble now. Bruised, exhausted, wet and half-drowned, Marin laid completely still in the dim light as her body tried to recover from what it had just been through. Best not to push herself for now.

[Deleted]

There were a few Zoras in the lake today, mostly hunters as they fished for the Domain. Séale was among them, in part because she had been dismissed from her duties for the day, and in part because she always did enjoy watching the hunters hunt. Zora men were rather strapping, with their wide shoulders and lithe torsos. Simply observing them swim through the water as they chased their prey was a treat in and of itself. Sometimes she joined them, just to help wrangle the fish together towards the nets, and also because it allowed her to get that much closer to them where she could admire their bodies properly. It was fun! Séale loved to swim and she took every opportunity she could at it.

Towards the surface near the shore, a huge mass entered the water, like a giant jellyfish with the way it spread out in a circular fashion, but with two legs kicking at the center. Curious, Séale surfaced to see what it was that had entered their lake.

Oh, it was just a human girl, wearing . . . a dress? That seemed odd attire to go swimming in, but humans were always a little weird in Séale's eyes. Still, she was fascinated by their race, mostly due to the royal family and Princess Zelda and the Legendary Hero being a part of it, so she tread water as she regarded who this person was and what they might be doing in Lake Hylia in a dress.

The girl's eyes locked onto Séale's; the Zora handmaiden dipped lower into the water. She did not want to be caught staring, but it was only for a moment before the girl began swimming along the shore.

She felt a tug at her foot. Looking down into the water, one of the Zora hunters pointed to a school of fish the others were trying to round up. Giving one last look at the girl, Séale decided her presence wasn't really that interesting so she obliged the hunter, heading back beneath the surface to help with the fishes.

There was a tremor in the water. Séale couldn't quite explain it. At one point she was swimming in a straight path and then she was tumbling as if caught in the trough of a wave. Lakes were usually calm and placid, not tumultuous like the ocean. What had happened? The other Zoras had noticed it, too, each one of them looking at the other. Past them, Séale noticed the human girl had submerged completely, and was being drawn towards the bottom of the lake, despite her thrashing to get away from whatever current had captured her.

Grabbing the attention of the nearest hunter, Séale pointed towards the girl, and together they swam to her aid. Before they could reach her, though, the girl hit the floor and then she was gone. Both Séale and the hunter hesitated in shock, when Séale finally noticed the pull in the water. Continuing on, the handmaiden was the first to notice the fissure at the bottom of the lake bed. Her eyes widened in panic. The griound had opened up, and that girl had disappeared within it.

There was no time to process thought. They had to act quickly or else the entire lake could drain. Ordering the hunter to seal the fissure as quickly as he could, and throwing all caution to the wind—or waves in a Zora's case—Séale dropped into the fissure before the hunter could object.

She didn't know why she did it, why she had made such a foolish decision, entering a crack at the bottom of the lake bed without any idea what lay beyond it. Maybe ordering the hunter to seal the fissure had sealed her own fate as well. Without an exit, the only option left for Séale, and by extension the girl, was to perish. Her only hope was that it opened up to some underground cavern, and one that had a way out.

Any thought towards her predicament Séale was spared, as she found herself on a wicked water slide, unable to control herself as she smashed against the walls, her breath being driven from her as pain lanced through her body upon every hit.

And then she was flying, the fins on her arms cutting through the air like a bird's wings. For a moment Séale had a moment of clarity. So this was what it was like to be a bird. Soaring through the air, just as Zoras soared through the water. Two fluids, so similar in their dynamics but separated by earth and sky. Séale wondered, just for a moment, what it would have been like if Zoras had been avian instead.

She hit water, and Séale found herself submerged once more. Gathering her bearings, the Zora handmaiden swam towards the surface. Light filtered through the cavern she found herself in through cracks in the ceiling, small thin beams of light that shown down like golden pillars. Well, at least it wasn't completely pitch black down here. On the shore of the underground lake lay a crumpled mass. The girl. Séale swam over to her.

"Hello? Are you all right?" Séale said, placing her hand at the girl's chest and relieved to find her breathing. "Keep still. I will soothe your wounds and comfort your weariness. Close your eyes and relax."

Kneeling beside the girl, Séale placed a hand on her forehead and with the other, reached out to the water. A small sphere rose from the edge of the underground lake, then floated towards them. It hovered above the girl's chest before Séale pressed it against her. The sphere of water disappeared, absorbed into the girl as a cool blue light glowed at her sternum. The pain of her injuries receded and her energy returned. A moment passed before the light faded away. Séale opened her eyes.

The Zora swayed in her seat. Magic was difficult for her to perform, but she had been blessed with the talent. Her own injuries seemed to magnify with her newfound sense of exhaustion, exhaustion that was typical after she had performed a high calibre spell.

"My name is Séale," Séale said, then yawned. "Excuse me, I do not mean to be rude; magic exhausts me. I saw you in the lake, and saw you disappear in the fissure. We seem to be in an underground cavern." She looked up. Now that her eyes had become accustomed to the dark, she could admire the place they were in. Giant stalactites extended far from the domed ceiling and stalagmites jutted out from the ground like teeth. "I have never encounterd this place before, but I'm sure there is an exit," Séale said, smiling at the girl. "There has to be."

Then she cocked her head in curiousity, her smile turning towards one of amusement. "May I ask your name, and what you were doing swimming in Lake Hylia in a full dress?"


@marin

---

Performed Water Healing
Duration: Completed
Cooldown: 3 posts remain

Water Healing

MAGIC TYPE: Water Elemental

NAME: Water Healing
RANK: Common
CLASS: Defensive
DURATION/COOLDOWN: Duration: 1 post. Cool down: 3 posts.

DESCRIPTION: Using water, Séale can soothe your wounds and comfort your weariness. At the moment, she can only heal minor injuries, which will leave a pink scar in its wake. Recipients will have their pain removed and will feel refreshed. As Séale's mastery grows (i.e., more Triforce shards collected), she will be able to heal more drastic injuries, though it will take more time for her to perform the spell.

PHARAOH LEAP.

[/b]

[Deleted]

Marin was somewhat surprised when someone took the liberty of placing their hand on her chest without invitation, to say the least. If the circumstances had been different, she might have been pretty insulted. Beyond simply being an improper place to handle a lady, it was very rude to touch royalty. Context did have a way of changing things, however. For starters, the voice calling out to her was not a man's. She severely doubted that another woman was taking advantage of her condition, which helped her more quickly figuring out what was happening. She also wasn't oblivious to the fact that this person likely did not know her identity. All those details combined made it very easy for Marin to arrive at a third conclusion. The other woman must have been checking to make sure she was breathing. "...I don't think I can move..." the princess would very softly reply in response to Seale's concern. She felt sore, dizzy and nauseous at the moment, a combination of her many bruises and her near death drowning experience. When Seale placed a hand on her forehead, she would likely discover the very strange way human skin seemed to feel drier after being submerged in water. The non-aquatic race depended upon oils that were washed off when submerged in water to keep its smooth texture. Marin, in turn, would liikely discover the opposite. It was reasonable to assume that the zoras had skin that better handled water, lest they shrival up like prunes during their extended swims like the humans would. Doing what she was told, involuntarily or not, Marin could not help but focus on the one thing she could make out right now in the darkness of the cave. "...You have really nice hands." the princess would softly compliment. The small talk would aid her in keeping her distracted from their dire situation.


Allowing her eyes to close, something that came easily to her as it soothed her nausea a bit, Marin was utterly shocked when she felt something pleasurably cool begin to press into her chest. She hadn't been sure what to expect when Seale had offered to heal her, but this was ...euphoric. A tremor ran through her body as her pain and weakness drained from her like water from a drain. "Magic hands..?" Marin would go on to murmur to no one in particular, pleasantly surprised to say the least. Slowly sitting up, Marin attempted to observe the area around them only to find that she couldn't get a very good view in the darkness. There was clearly light coming from somewhere, but right now her focus was dedicated to her savior. The rather small woman would scoot closer to the other, becoming somewhat clingy in an instant. She decidedly felt a lot safer than she had before when she was alone. "Oh--My name is Marin. ...Marin Hyrule, Princess of the late kingdom. Thank you for saving me." Marin would introduce in a matter-o-fact tone. She wasn't exactly very shy about who she was and she certainly wasn't going to keep that a secret from the person who had saved her. Considering the other question she'd been asked, Marin pouted slightly at the other. Well wasn't it obvious?! ...No, no it wasn't. But she saw it that way, anyway. "Well--I wasn't going to expose myself in public. There were boys there..!" Marin replied in a mildly flustered tone, perhaps completely missing the important part of Seale's question in the desire to explain her odd swimming habits. Why was she there? Seale would have to prod a bit more if she wanted an explanation on that one. Turning her head about, Marin now focused upon getting a better bearing on their surroundings.



"Just my luck, huh..? My first visit here, and I get swallowed up by the earth itself." Marin lamented. How did this even happen? Why did it happen? ...Why did this underground cavern have a plentiful supply of breathable air? Perhaps Seal was right. Maybe there was an exit, though that still didn't explain the fissure in the first place. A fissure in the lake was quite dangerous. If unchecked, it could drain the entire lake! Just thinking about that devistating blow to the Zora people made Marin anxious. Thankfully, the fissure had been quite small, relatively speaking. Maybe not so great for their bodies as they were bashed against the tight walls, but great for the lake yes. She couldn't hear the water spraying out into their cavern either anymore, which meant that it had either sealed itself back up, perhaps getting clogged by debris pulled in by the torrent, or been sealed by someone on the surface. Good show. Something hard brushed up against Marin's leg, causing her to jump a bit. Reaching down to grab it, she found ... her staff?

How did you manage to find your way down here, old friend?

...Perhaps she hadn't left it far enough from the shore and it had been dragged down shortly after herself. Sheesh. She was really on the ball today. It was then, as she examined her staff, that something else caught Mairn's eye. It was large and distinctly humanoid. A body was floating in the water. Marin's muscles tensed at the sight and she raised an arm, gesturing in front of Seale to grab her attention and directing her to the drowned corpse. It looked like a moblin. If one paid very close attention, it looked like a helmet was strapped to his head. "...It seems like wherever we are, it's dangerous territory. Maybe if we explore, we'll be able to find out what threatened the lake and put a stop to it before they breach the lake floor a second time." Marin offered, her priorities apparently having shifted to helping the zora people prevent a possible tragedy. Treasure was decidedly pretty low on her list, given this new information. Nearby, a dim light radiating from deeper within the cavern could be seen. It looked like someone had perhaps lit a torch in the distance. All the torches in this room must have been put out when the cavern became flooded. "Will you be alright, Ms. Seale..?" Marin would go on to ask, a tad concerned that the other had followed her in hindsight.

@seale

[Deleted]

The spell completed, Séale sat back on her legs, watching as the girl recovered. The Zora handmaiden was exceptionally pleased at her ability to cast healing magic. It was something very few could do. In the stories, that type of magic was only reserved for fairies and sages. Everyone else had to rely on potions and candied hearts. How Séale had been blessed with such a rare type of magical power, the Zora could only speculate.

Perhaps it had been that strange golden shard she had come across at the bottom of Lake Hylia. She remembered it fondly, the way it glimmered and glinted in the sunlight, resting on the lake bed as if it was expecting her to find it. And what a strange piece of gold it had been. No sooner had Séale touched it than the shard disappeared in a flash of light. It hadn't been her imagination, that was for certain, because soon afterwards, Séale discovered her strange abilities. It had started with a weak control of water, until she found when tending to a wounded porpoise from a shark attack, she could heal as well.

"Not magic hands," Séale giggled, spreading her fingers and examining the webbing that connected them all together. That was twice now the girl had complimented her hands, even if the first time it might have been delirium. "But magic . . . something."

When the girl introduced herself as Marin Hyrule, Princess of the Late Kingdom, Séale could only gasp in response. One of the Princesses of Hyrule, directly related to Princess Zelda, sitting before her? Here? Right now? Séale's mind was a whirlpool. The Zora had stared at her in the lake, had failed to come to her aid before she was swallowed by the fissure, and had laid hands on her without permission! Well, the latter couldn't have been helped. It was possible if Séale hadn't Princess Marin would still be in a state of near, if not full, unconsciousness. Yes, yes, she could be forgiven of that slight. But that cheeky question of what Princess Marin was doing in Lake Hylia in a full dress? Séale was absolutely mortified.

What should she do? What should she do? She was in the presence of royalty. Royalty! And she had been caught treating Princess Marin like some commoner, without due respect owed a princess. So flustered was the Zora handmaiden that she couldn't do anything, only listen to Princess Marin's lamentations and watch as she retrieved a staff. It wasn't until Princess Marin pointed towards the lake was Séale broken from her spell, where Séale saw with no uncertain doubt the moblin floating facedown in the water. A shiver crawled up the Zora's spine. She did not like moblins, and to think that they might be inhabiting this cavern . . . Seale could only hope Princess Marin was more adept at magic than she.

She nodded dumbly to Princess Marin's advice, though it wasn't until the Princess addressed her as Ms. Séale when the Zora handmaiden finally remembered her place.

Throwing herself forward, Séale buried her face into the ground, arms outstretched before her as she finally, properly addressed the princess of the Royal Family.

"My Princess Marin, please. Just Séale. I am but a lowly handmaiden of the Zora Princess. I did not mean to offend you. I did not recognize you! It was rude of me to ask of your business. Please understand you and your family are always welcome at Lake Hylia and Zora's Domain."

There, that should clear the air. Hopefully Princess Marin was a merciful soul, but Séale had no doubt she was. The Zora handmaiden had immense respect for the entire Royal Family. The way they had been treated lately by the rest of Hyrule was absolutely deplorable. Deplorable!

Rising from her position, Séale once more examined their surroundings, her eyes fully accustomed to the darkness now. "I believe it was some sort of earthquake that split the bed of Lake Hylia. We have seen it in the ocean, giant tremors of the earth that create tsunamis on land. I remember being in the lake and feeling the same sensation, though this is the first time something like this has happened in Lake Hylia. The Zoras are working to fill the fissure now so that the lake won't drain, and perhaps buy us time for us to search for an exit."

Off to the side Séale saw the same glimmering light that Princess Marin had. Standing, and wobbling only slightly from her exhaustion, Séale pointed towards the only path they could take.

"That seems to be our only option. If my Lady would follow me?" She bowed in deference.

Leading Princess Marin towards the tunnel, Séale noticed the thin film of water they were walking on. The cavern had definitely flooded from the fissure and subsequent drainage of the lake, and if Séale had to guess, it had flowed through the very tunnel they were now set to enter. Hopefully they were not walking into some flooded chamber, but the way the light flickered, there was definitely a flame or a torch that had survived. The walls were slick, and the ground wet. Water was still draining from the main chamber. Séale offered a webbed hand for Princess Marin to take if she so chose, her other pressed against the tunnel wall for guidance and support.

The further down they went, strange sounds began echoing around them. Shuffling hooves, and huffs and grunts that sounded like animals. Metal creaked, and there were intervals when the light source ahead of them grew brighter and then dimmed.

At the mouth of the tunnel, Séale peeked out. They had reached another chamber, this one even larger than the first. Another pool of water was set in the center, with a band of land encompassing it. Séale could not see any obvious exits, nor could she see how far back the cavern extended, but then again, she wasn't quite paying much attention to the structure of the room. What she was focusing on and what had frozen her in her place were two moblins shuffling along the water bank. Every now and then they raised their snouts to sniff, holding a pair of lanterns high in the air as they did so.

Well, that explained the light source. They turned around. They were coming towards the tunnel entrance. Shuffling back, Séale shoved Princess Marin up the tunnel rather forcefully, holding her breath as the lights grew brighter, and brighter, and brighter . . . and then began to fade away.

Séale breathed a sigh of relief. "Moblins," she said in a hoarse whisper. "We have to get passed them but I don't know how. If we could steal one of their lanterns, though . . ."

Séale bit her lip, thinking. "What should we do?"


@marin

---

Performed Water Healing
Duration: Completed
Cooldown: 2 posts remain

Encountered Moblins
Quantity: 2

Moblins

DESCRIPTION: They walk back and forth on set paths and have limited sight, but excellent smell and hearing. Don't let these guys fool you, 'cause they're thick as bricks.

PHARAOH LEAP.

[Deleted]

Marin was somewhat taken aback. She heard something hit the floor and her gaze spun to acknowledge Seale, bowing before her. ...To say she was stunned was an understatement. Bowing before a foreign dignitary... She had come to expect that from her subjects back in the day, but from the zora? It was the ultimate gesture of subserviance, and the fact that she was receiving it now really stood as testament to just how powerful her family's relationship with the zora was. Knowing that this relationship hadn't faded even in the wake of disaster filled Marin with hope for the future. She wished that she could escape this place so that she could find her sisters and share these wonderful feelings with them. In this day and age, they could all use the morale boost. She was almost tempted to lower herself to Seale's level and reassure her, but she knew that to do so would be to disrespect herself, a disservice considering the gesture she'd just received. Watching Seale attentively and respectfully, as was proper for a princess, she waited for the other to finish explaining herself before responding.


"...Very well." Marin calmly replied, moving to Seale's side. "Though, if you don't mind me saying, Seale; I cannot accept your apology, for you've not offended me. You've made me very happy, actually. I understand why you did what you did. You acted quickly and in good faith--Had you not, I might find myself at the mercy of the waves without anything but my wits to defend myself. ...In that regard, you may have very well saved my life." Marin explained, moving to accept Seale's hand and hold it in hers. Her grip was gentle yet firm, but more interesting than her very fair grip was the way her eyes twinkled in the low light as she beamed at Seal appreciatively. She spoke like a princess, but he had the eyes of a youthful child. Indeed, it was pretty hard to tell she was an adult without listening to her speak. Standing at a measly four feet, ten inches she appeared several years younger than she was. Marin leaned close to the other, taking solace in knowing that she was not alone and that someone was watching out for her. She had her own suspicions about what had triggered that fissure, but she couldn't be sure just yet. Movement was spotted from a distance and Marin found herself being shoved. Youch! Careful of that fragile physique! Startled, Marin's eyes wandered about as she listened to the moblins footsteps. She appeared to hold her breath as they passed, stiffling her gasp  as she relented once the coast was somewhat clear. Marin nodded thoughtfully in response to Seale's musings, already thinking up a plan to get them past without having to engage the monsters. She was a frail girl and knew that it would be a challenge to take down even one of them on her own. She'd be almost useless in a fight, assuming Seal did any better.

Thinking about what she could do gave Marin an idea, though. An awful, but brilliant idea. The princess held up a finger, silently asking for Seale's patience, before holding her hands up before her bossom as if to grasp something invisible. One could see a whirl of arcane power swim about her fingers, condensing in the palms of her hands to form something out of nothing! This miraculous feet of magic was happening right in front of Seale's eyes. And what did Marin conjure to help them in their quest to escape? ...Lamb. A beautiful, otherworldly looking crystalline plate formed in her hands upon which rested a pair of spiced lamb shanks sitting in a small pool of broth. The faint scent of rosemary filled the air alongside the lamb itself. Holding up the dish to Seale, Marin beamed brightly. "...I would like you to take this and leave it out where they can find it. They may fight or they may share. Either way, I think this will solve our problems." Marin whispered, attempting to soothe Seale with her calm and confident composure. Although she had not stated it outright, the food had been poisoned during its creation with the addition of a single ingredient. Minutes after consuming it, the moblins would be too weak to stop them, likely passed out on the floor. She'd chosen to use a non-lethal ingredient, not wanting to outright kill the beasts. The way she saw it, this was all but garaunteed to work. There was no food down here in these tunnels and those moblins had likely been down here working inhumane hours. The temptation of such delicious looking and smelling food would be too much for them to resist, even if they were smart enough to question where it had come from--something she honestly questioned.

[Deleted]

It was nothing short of amazing the way Princess Marin conjured a dinner plate from absolutely thin air. At first it was difficult to see; the light was scarce and the Moblins had strayed so far from the mouth of the tunnel that their lanterns were barely discernable. It was the smell that caught Séale's attention first. Roasted lamb, a rare scent that Séale only experienced during her trips to Hyrule Castle Town, where street vendors had them roasting in pits and selling them out to passersby. The young Zora remembered her first taste of such delicacy. It was sweet and moist, with a texture that was very much unlike fish.

Princess Marin passed the plate of lamb to Séale, then issued instructions as to what to do with it. They had to be quick. The lights were still dim, so it was possible that the moblins had not turned around to come back to the cavern entrance. With the enticing aroma wafting from the dish, there was no doubt in Séale's mind that the moblins would smell it long before they could even see it.

So with the sirloin lamb held in her arms, Séale scooted back down to the mouth of the tunnel. Peeking out from the lip, her back stiffened up. She could see the swaying lanterns in the moblins hands on either side of her, the light casting dark shadows on grotesque, boarish faces. No, now was not the time to freeze up. If she hesitated too long, the moblins would be sure to see her, and then it wouldn't even matter if she gave them the plate of lamb. They'd set themselves on her before she'd have the chance.

Stepping out into the cavern, Séale watched in panic as both moblins lifted their noses into the air at the same time. They could smell it. She had barely stepped out and they could already smell it. A curious grunt echoed around her, and the young Zora did not know if it was the chamber or the sudden fear inside her, but the sound was like a crashing wave on top of her. It was all she could hear, tumbling over her, rooting her to her spot as her mind blanked on what to do.

Then there were the sound of hooves. Not the soft, ambling pace of someone cautiously investigating an unexplored room, but a quick jot of someone curious to discover an alluring new sense. They were coming for her. They were going to see her. And she still had the dish of lamb in her hands. A wicked shiver crawled up Séale's spine, from the small of her back all the way up between her shoulderblades, past her neck and all the way down her dorsal tail.

She had to move. She had to move now. Now!

There was no time to place the dish in an indiscriminate location. The light was growing brighter around Séale, illuminating the meat and steam rising from the small pool of broth. Somehow Séale found the courage to move, leaning down and practically slamming the dish to the ground. Then, without a second though, she turned and ran up the tunnel as fast as she could.

Despite the light that reflected off the walls of the small corridor, Séale had no idea where she was going. She only wanted to get as far from the moblins as possible. She didn't see Princess Marin until she barreled into her, eliciting a petrified squeak when her irrational mindset believed she had run into another moblin that had followed her from the first cavern.

When she did realize it was just Marin she had run into, Séale breathed a shakey sigh of relief. Her heart was racing and her breathing heavy. Light danced around them from the moblins lanterns, and the sound of mouths smacking and snouts snuffling reverberated around them.

Séale buried her head in her arms, speaking quietly, but just loud enough to be heard above the moblins' feast.

"I'm sorry. I failed," Séale said, lamenting. "I only managed to put the food in front of the tunnel. I think they saw me. We have to go back up the tunnel. It's only a matter of time before they finish and go look for me. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I ruined it."

Séale had once dreamed of adventure, imagining herself living the stories of old. It had always been a secret fantasy of hers, the hero of her own adventure, but living it out now . . . Séale was beginning to realize how scary it really was. She did not have the courage that the legendary hero possessed, nor the power, nor the wisdom. Séale had nothing. Just a simple handmaiden who couldn't even take care of a simple task when their lives depended on it.

The messy sounds of the moblins gorging themselves quieted. A new sense of panic came over Séale. Tugging at Princess Marin's hand, she tried to pull her back up the tunnel. "Hurry!" Her voice was a frantic whisper. "Before they find us!"


@marin

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Performed Water Healing
Duration: Completed
Cooldown: 1 post remains

Used Bait

Bait

DESCRIPTION: Link can use this bait to lure the enemy and bump them off as they come to eat it. But watch out! This doesn't work for some of the enemy.

PHARAOH LEAP.

[Deleted]

Marin froze up in alarm as she realized that she was about to get run over. Seale wasn't watching where she was going, and the tiny princess was the victim. One moment she was standing there like a doofus and the next she had a face full of bosom and and was spiraling towards the ground. Marin would have probably had thoughts about that former detail, but frankly it was all so brief and somewhat painful that she barely even recognized it. The princess was so stunned that she barely managed to react in time to catch herself. That could have been bad. With the uneven, jagged floor hitting her head would have been... a tragedy in the making. Falling on her bottom instead, she took a moment to shake of her dizziness before shifting to pick herself back up, subtly brushing off her dress as she took in the situation. She could hear them eating, which meant they were doing well. She also didn't hear footsteps now that Seale had stopped moving, which meant they weren't in immediate danger. She was very distracted by the thrill of danger, so she didn't quite get out a response before Seale grabbed her hand and tugged on her. Now alarmed, Marin would find herself stumbling trying to keep up. "Seale..! Seale Seale Seale..!" Marin would quietly plead, vying for the other's attention. As understanding of a person as she was, she didn't particularly enjoy being manhandled. She would gently yet firmly tug on Seale's arm, pulling the other back towards her and moving forward to pull the handmaiden into her embrace. She needed the other to stand still for a moment, and a hug seemed like the best way to ah... encourage her to do that.

...It felt... right, holding her like this. Right in a way Marin felt guilty for enjoying. Her new perspective on life had changed the way she felt about hugs, but she hoped the other would understand that her feelings weren't impure. Wait, what was she worrying about? Why would anyone assume that? ...Ridiculous, stupid fears. She held onto Seale for a good long moment, careful not to take any steps and instead shifting her hips to keep ahold of the other if necessary. "Wait! Stop. ...Hear that? Listen." Marin would go on to urge, gesturing over her shoulder with a dip of her head. Only once she was certain Seale had come to a full stop did she release the other. Standing back up straight, she gestured back towards where the moblins had been. She held that gesture for a very long moment, maintaining eye contact with Seale as her way of asking the other to give her her attention. Finally, the sound of a thud and a spear clanking against the rock floor could be heard. Marin smiled in satisfaction. Not long later, a groan and a second thud would be heard, followed by the clank of a metal lantern hitting the ground. It didn't sound like glass breaking, at least. "...The meat was poisoned. With datura. They'll be out for a very long time, and they probably won't remember what happened when they wake up~" Marin explained somewhat proudly. Of course, 'very long' in this context only meant it would take a day or two for the moblins to fully recover--but for their purposes they might as well be knocked out forever. Long enough that there was no risk of them waking up while the girls were still around.

"C'mon... I'll show you." Marin would go on to offer, her hand slipping into Seale's again. She then began to lead Seale along at a relaxed pace until they found the fallen lanterns, now laying on the ground. The moblins nearby were sprawled rather bodily. The two could easily execute them if they so desired, but... Marin saw no need for that. Even if they were monsters who would likely not show them the same mercy, she didn't like the idea of needlessly spilling blood for the first time in her life. She did, however, release Seale and skip her way over to a lantern, picking it up. "You did great~! We can move on now, though something tells me we're probably going to be seeing a lot more of these before we're done." Marin would explain rather cheerily. She wasn't sure she could poison them all, but there were other ways to get past a guard. She just needed to be smart, and... everything would be alright! That was what she told herself, anyway. She didn't want to believe that they'd never escape, that she'd never see her beloved family and friends again. That thought was depressing enough that she was pretty sure she wouldn't be able to stop if she started. "...Want a spear?" Marin would go on to offer, her gaze drifting to one of the fallen weapons. She hadn't noticed Seale carrying anything, and if nothing else they could buy the girls time if they ever did have to fight.

[Deleted]

At first Séale didn't even hear Princess Marin calling her name. The young Zora was too busy trying to drag Marin up the tunnel and out of what she perceived as immediate danger. It wasn't until the princess tugged on her hand did Séale stop.

She did not expect the hug. Marin's arms wrapped around her in a tight embrace, and despite the panic that had overtaken Séale, she found herself hesitating, The tension in her shoulders dissipated, the stiffness in her neck settled. Even if she was still worried, dark eyes scanning the tunnel to watch for flickering lights, ears straining to hear snuffling grunts and the sounds of hooves, it felt nice to be held like this. Like when she was a child, and spooked from the storms or a scary story, a hug always made everything better.

Marin did not let go for some time, and even if Séale thought it better for them to flee than linger where moblins could find them, she also did not want Marin to let go. It felt nice, and even if Marin's dress was damp and cold from the water, her arms at least were warm, and her face, and breath. Each second that passed Séale felt more at ease, and the young Zora began to wonder if Marin's magic was not just limited to conjuring plates of food out of thin air.

Or maybe she just needed a hug.

Regardless, the sounds of pursuit never reached Séale's ears, and upon Marin's bidding, stood still and listened until a dull thud and a clank of wood and metal echoed up the tunnel. Séale could only spare a confused look before Marin explained.

Poison? Oh . . . well, now Séale felt like an idiot. She was suddenly glad of the dim lighting, so that Princess Marin did not have to see the way her face darkened in a Zora blush. Feeling her hand taken by Marin only managed to make her flush harder, but she still followed the princess to where the moblins now slept around the now empty plate of food. The only thing that remained of the dish was a scattered bone; even the broth was gone, the plate having been licked clean.

Séale stared in wide-eyed wonder. A poisoned plate of food. How incredible. Séale had not expected a hidden trick in Marin's magic, but thank the goddesses there was one. Now she didn't feel so bad leaving the plate in the worst possible location she could have.

Marin skipped ahead of her, picking up a lantern. Another Zora blush darkened Séale's cheeks at Princess Marin's praise. The young Zora did not think she deserved it, but neither was she going to correct a member of the Royal Family.

As Séale was about to retrieve the other lantern, Marin suggested taking the spear instead. She eyed the weapon dubiously. It was huge and looked heavy. Séale was not the strongest Zora in the domain, but it might be good to have a weapon that was more than the elegant dagger she had at her hip. Walking cautiously over to the slumbering moblin, afraid that she might wake him up even if Marin had assured her they would be asleep for "a very long time," Séale bent down and tried to lift the massive weapon.

She barely got it off the ground before she dropped it, wincing at the way the metal blade clattered against the rocks. Frowning, she tried again, this time placing a foot at the base and pulling the top up like a lever. The weapon swung up, landing hard against her shoulder, and the sudden shift in weight had Séale stumbling back and crashing into the pool of water.

Grumbling, Séale shook herself off and abandoned the spear. "It's too heavy," she said, and went back to retrieve the lantern.

Holding the item aloft, Séale hummed a small fanfare.

"We should find out how far back this cavern goes," Séale murmured, now that they both had a light source.

Feeling a little sour at her earlier panic attack, the Zora handmaiden mustered up what courage she had left and started off down the cavern, intent to lead even if she might have waived the right to with the whole moblin debacle. Still, if Princess Marin decided she wanted to lead the way Séale would not object, just feel a little rotten about it.

At one point she looked back. The moblins were nowhere to be seen, though the sounds of their snoring echoed around them. The Zora felt a little bad about leaving them in the dark, but they had no choice. If they had left them with a lantern it was possible they might catch up to them, and Séale and Marin needed the light more than they did. At least the two maidens had not left them dead. Even if Séale was certain the moblins would not have been so merciful, it still would have left a sour taste in her mouth. Yes, it was better to just leave the moblins to their own devices, and Marin seemed confident they would not wake for a long while, long enough so that they could truly escape them.

Eventually they came upon a strange contraption, one that Séale had never seen before. It appeared like a wooden cage, with ropes and levers extending down a vertical shaft. Séale held her lantern over the side, but the light only stretched so far. As far as she could tell, there was no bottom in sight.

"What is this?" the Zora asked, kicking a rock down the pit. She paused to listen. One knock against the wall, and then silence that stretched for a long moment before the light sound of a crack echoed up the chamber. What was only seconds felt like minutes , and Séale could feel that icey hand of fear and uncertainty grip her spine.

"I guess we have to go down," Séale said, and frowned.


@marin

---

Performed Water Healing
Duration: Completed
Cooldown: Completed

Séale got the Lantern!

Lantern

DESCRIPTION: A little light makes it a little safer . . . right? You can also use it to scorch enemies!

PHARAOH LEAP.

[Deleted]

Marin beamed ever so brightly at Seal, looking like she couldn't be happier. She felt a little ridiculous, her dignity soaked like her dress, but for a moment she was a hero. She'd accomplished something truly special, and to be honest she couldn't wait to tell Zelda all about it once they totally escaped this place without dying from one of the many threats. ...Her optimism aside, the lantern she'd picked up was quite warm. Given a good couple of hours to dry off, she'd begin to feel comfortable again. Standing patiently and waiting to see what Seale chose to do, however, Marin flinched as the other managed to send herself staggering into the water. Ouch... She kind of felt bad, seeing Seale try and fail spectacularly to wield the humble spear. She suppose, however, that heavy weapons did have their flaws. The exceptional range that a spear offered was useless if you left yourself wide open every time you swung it. Plus, carrying it around would be a major burden if it was indeed uncomfortably heavy. Marin herself eyed her staff. It could be used as a spear, if she really wanted to, but she wasn't sure how to turn that little factoid into something useful. Marin was pretty sure she couldn't handle a moblin if it came down to it. She might not be experienced with combat, but she understood that combat tended to hurt people and that even in a best case scenario any wounds she did suffer would make escaping and dealing with future fghts that much more difficult. "That's alright. Maybe we can use the darkness to our advantage, and then we won't need a spear~!" Marin suggested light-heartedly.

"About this cavern, though... I have the sneaking suspicion that it isn't just any old cavern." Marin went on to use aloud. If there were guards, that meant there had to be something to guard. She had also taken notice of the fact that the cavern was oddly closed in and linear in direction. These were tunnels rather than a big proper cavern. Marin would gladly let Seale have the lead as she trailed behind her, listening carefully for the sounds of Moblins. She could hear something but it wasn't directly in front of them or behind them judging by the sounds. Soon enough, they came to a pulley platform leading deeper into the mine. Marin was bemused by the contraption, not having any experience with construction herself. However, its very convenient location and the seemingly immovable nature of its parts made one idea stick out in her head. It must be used to scale the sheer drop! "...You're right, but it's unfortunate. I was hoping we'd be going back up, towards the surface. It seems like there aren't any other ways forward, though. If I'm... not mistaken, this device here is used to safely lower heavy objects to the lower level. It should be able to carry us, but I'm unsure if it works in reverse." Marin mused aloud rather thoughtfully. They wouldn't have to worry about getting back up, hopefully. Stepping onto the edge of the platform, Marin tested its weight and felt that it gave slightly under her feet. ...So that was the idea. It would fall the moment they set foot on it. It stood to reason that the moblins might invent something primitive like this, only intended to lower one thing at a time. Yet, with some fancy footwork this wasn't an issue. Marin took her foot off the platform before turning to take Seale's hand. "We need to stop on together. I want you to hold onto me, alright?" the princess would instruct. She got this sinking feeling that the platform would only keep the fall from killing them, not make it comfortable. She didn't want to tell Seale though, not wanting to frighten the other. Besides, what other choice did they have?

Guiding Seale back to the edge, Marin held up three fingers for the other and began to count down. Once the final finger dropped, she returned her attention to the elevator and immediately jumped with the other in arms, landing and quickly pulling Seale into a side hug. It was as much to keep the other calm as it was to soothe her own anxiety. As Marin had predicted, the platform dropped quite fast, impacting the ground with a very loud smack and nearly knocking Marin on her rear with the force of the impact. ...Thankfully, that was the worst of it. That is, until Marin held out her lantern to get a better view of this next area and found herself gazing into a black abyss that blocked their way. "...Huh?" Marin asked no one in particular, a bit puzzled by the unnatural darkness. Why wasn't the light from their lanterns penetrating it? Suddenly, a wave of cold washed over Marin and caused a violent shudder to run through her body. Where had that icy temperature drop come from? Seale would also be able to feel the temperature drop about two dozen degrees, prompting the princess to begin panicking. This was painfully cold. She wouldn't be able to survive down here forever, but in all seriousness--what gave? They'd only dropped maybe ten meters!

...A guttural, throaty laugh resonated from within the darkness that sent chills down Marin's spine. That was not the sound of a moblin, but someone must have heard their arrival. Tugging on Seale's arm, she quickly urged the other to follow her and tugged the other aside, choosing a crevice in the jagged rocky surface and huddling into it to try and hide herself from sight. They wouldn't be visible untl one was right on top of the elevator, but it might be worth trying to minimize exposure. Marin promptly curled into a ball to better squeeze into the tight space, sliding back until she could go no further and shivering somewhat pathetically.