Being more past events of the Dothaven adventures.
When the two of them arrive at Mi'ehna's hut, the door is standing open for them.
"Wait just a second," her voice wafts through from the back room, "I have not finished dressing yet. Have a seat, or get some juice to drink while you wait. It is on the window sill."
Skye sits down and takes out his logbook, scribbling down a few lines.
Hadone leans quietly against the wall.
It's several minutes before Mi'ehna emerges from the back room. When she does, it is plain as to what took so long. An armored bodysuit of soft rose metal covers her from the neck down, the metal fitting over her skin so snugly it could be a second set of skin. Anything private is covered by ornamental jade plating, which also lines the joints of the odd suit. A deep blue gem sits notched into the center of the chestplate, swirling within like a waterbottle that's been swung in a circle.
"Forgive the delay. I wanted to be ready, in case things get rougher than I expect." In her hand, there is a formless staff which, much like the armor, radiates an impressive, if subtle, energy signature. "Were you wanting to leave so soon?"
After a long moment in which he simply gapes, Skye manages to close his mouth, nod, shake his head, and finally form words. "Whenever you're ready to go..."
"Well, at least we know what
he thinks of the armour," the chament chirps cheerfully.
"Oh, do not underestimate me being inside of it. Despite my personality, I do cute very well." Mi'ehna reaches out, gently strokes the Chament's face. "I am glad he approves, though."
Hell yes, I do... Skye puts his logbook away, fingering the rip in his shirt, wondering if it's worth it to sew it up now. He decides it will probably be torn again, so he should wait. "I need a moment, actually," he says, going to sit outside and say a few brief prayers.
Mi'ehna's eyes follow him until he disappears, her expression melting into one of confusion. "Did I say something wrong?" She has no idea why he would have up and left like that, but he hadn't seemed angry...
"I don't think so," the chament responds.
After a few minutes, Skye returns, looking to be in much better spirits than when he walked in with Hadone. "Can we go now?"
Mi'ehna just looks at him, more than a little bit confused. "I suppose so. But I want to ask you one last time to reconsider." Her eyes move between Hadone and Skye. "After we get inside there will be no changing of the mind."
Skye leans against the doorframe. In truth, he
is a bit scared, but... "My mind is made up. I'm coming."
It's brief, but Mi'ehna doesn't hide the sudden and potent depth to which her spirits sink at the answer. It's like a flash of unattached emotion, so brief that she doesn't even know she'd let it slip. "Dancer...?"
Hadone straightens up from where she'd been leaning. Looks at Mi'ehna a moment, then to Skye. "Mi'ehna would be best off going alone. There's the least chance of upsetting the Malufel and so the least danger to her that way," the chament states.
Skye looks down at the ground. He hates this. Hadone might be right, but he's too stubborn to admit it directly. Instead, he looks to Mi'ehna.
"I said I'd do whatever you told me to."
Mi stiffens up, her lips parting just a bit. She does wish that she wouldn't be put in this situation, but...
"Just keep your eyes open," she answers, "and worry about yourself first out there." Her head lowers, and she walks outside en route to the line.
Myself first? A look of amusement crosses his face and he follows her.
Hadone sighs quietly, then follows.
Dancer, stop him from coming. Any means necessary. Oh, sure, Skye, come alone. Dancer, stop him. Oh, come on Skye...
Mi'ehna stops at the line, peering over. "Try not to run, when we cross the line. Be calm, even if the monster attacks you, unless I say otherwise... we want it to know that we are not trying to escape. If everyone is ready, then..." and she steps over the line, stiffening at the sound of footsteps approaching almost immediately. She grips the nondescript weapon in her hands, quietly praying that the beast will understand.
Hadone closes her eyes as she waits to follow last. She still feels like a dirty traitor.
Skye hesitates a moment. Hadone's light is fluttering at a vibration that makes it hard for him to even see straight. It's much like having a migrane.
"Hadone..." he groans, cradling his head in his hands. He starts to step forward, feeling the traces of the Malfuel approaching. Too much.
The death dancer stops. Blinks. "Hey, are you okay?" the chament asks.
Mi'ehna hops back behind the line, breathing out when the footsteps fade away. She turns and looks at the two of them, worry etched across her features.
"What happened? What was that?"
Huge surges of adrenaline or emotion can drive a person's light into a chaotic state. And Hadone is too close. Skye does his best to explain. "The light... she's projecting. I can't block it out. And it's making my head hurt. I need something to cancel it out."
Mi'ehna looks at Hadone, and then back at Skye. Does it again. "Skye. I please do not misunderstand what I am about to do." She reaches up, wraps her arms around his neck, gazing placidly into his eyes. "This will help you forget the light, I promise." She leans in, but as she's leaning in her right foot picks up. Her lips only barely peck the edge of his cheek, just as she rams her knee into his crotch.
How in the hell else am I supposed to take that?
He favors her with a glare, biting back a whimper. Although, to her credit, he is temporarily only focused on his own light, which he manages to control.
"Thank you," he says darkly.
"Hey, he's only half an octave higher than normal. I'm impressed," the chament observes. Still, this has Hadone temporarily distracted enough that her light's probably a little more stable.
Mi'ehna's face doesn't register any amusement over what she'd done. Just... serenity. "Sorry... that is the way my father taught me to calm hysterical soldiers on a battlefield, and I thought it might work here, too. I can ease it for you, though." She lets her lips find his cheek again, and releases his neck.
Now... if only I can get her to do that without kicking into the fork of my legs... Menatally cutting that train of thought off, he steps across the line without another word. There's no mistaking the pleased expression on his face, though.
Mi sighs, and gives a very relieved look to Hadone. She thought for certain that he would hate her after that, though... if he did, it would mean that he might be more willing to let her go alone. She decides immediately that she is glad he doesn't hate her, and follows across the line.
The Malufel appears around the corner in short order, its heat sensors open and searching.
Hadone takes a slow breath, watching it approach. Again from shame, not from fear, but...she's at least slightly calmer than before, for Skye's sake.
The monster lumbers forward, wondering to itself. It knows the one who smells of lilac. She has been here a long time, and has never tried to escape after the first time. It knows the one who smells of medicine, too. She is good. It knows the one who smells like rain, too. He is strange, but not bad, yet. As to what they are doing there, the beast has no idea, and so it simply sits on its haunches, sensors open, watching them.
Mi'ehna is quivering, despite her words of courage earlier. "Remember, do not try to run from it or past it. Do not act afraid of it. We are not trying to escape, and it must know that." She takes a few steps forward, closer to the beast, who just regards her with a mild apathy.
Skye slowly lowers Silence and lays it flat on the ground, not taking his eyes off the Malufel. He searches the traces of light, but finds nothing highly unusual about them except that they don't cling to the beast very well.
Hadone hangs back quietly, waiting to see what will happen. She is a little--but just a little--more relaxed now that the Malufel seems...to not mind.
Mi'ehna's breathing slows as they pass the monster, who only turns to watch them with its sensors, breathing calmly. So far, so good.
Just past the corner of the hallway is... something truly incredible. A chamber the size of the entire water temple opens just out the village's sight, stretching out in all directions with insectoid tunnels all lined in violet and blue crystals of various sizes. Some of them are as tall as Mi'ehna, even. The light breaks up in a cascade of gorgeous colors, shimmering along the clear stream that runs through here. In the distance another temple can clearly be seen.
Mi'ehna pauses, has to catch her breath. "It is lovely..."
Skye has no words to agree. He simply stands there, slowy taking it all in. He's only ever been in one other place remotely like this before. But this place is altogether different and beautiful in its own rare way.
Hadone is quiet, and awestruck enough that the chament is as well.
A grumble behind them gets Mi'ehna's attention, snapping her out of the stupor this place caused. "The monster is right behind us. Stay calm, and let us explore this place." She looks to each of them for confirmation, her face white as a sheet. She's absolutely terrified, but her mind is shielded now. No stray thoughts this time, as she heads down the first path and into a colorful crystal garden.
Skye follows, keeping a focus on the traces of light that hover close to the Malufel.
Hadone looks back at the Malufel a few moments, she wants to reassure it that they don't mean harm, she really does...the chament has a literal death threat on it if it speaks, though. Her gaze is reassuring, and then she turns to follow the others.
At the mouth of the garden, rimmed in colossal ruby shards, Mi'ehna pauses. A shaft of light shines through the shard, illuminated Mi'ehna's face in a soft red glow. "How can a sightless creature," she wonders out loud, "have such a splendid taste in lairs?"
About this time, there's a chittering at the hallway corner. Mi looks up to see a very particular nymph standing there, a certain mask in its hands. It chitters again, waves the mask, and runs back towards town with a nymphish giggle.
Hadone narrows her gauze-covered eyes at that. "We'll be back," the chament notes. Hadone puts a hand on the Malufel's massive forearm for a few moments, and then takes off after the nymph.
Come on...you know you want to give it to me, dear, be a sweetie...give me the mask you little bitch...
The Malufel grumbles a bit at the touch, but doesn't follow Hadone. It has a vague idea of what's going on.
Mi'ehna bites her tongue. She will ask what's going on later... this may be a good thing, though. A smaller group is a smaller target.
Skye grins. He wouldn't want to be that nymph right now... He silently says a prayer for Hadone's victory, and a prayer of thanks that he can block out her light now that she's farther off.
"Come on, Skye. She will be fine, she is tough." Mi heads on into the garden, looking out over the expanse of it. She sees what she thinks might be a trail leading to the temple, but most of this area is overgrown with the gorgeous crystal. "Watch for traps, by the by. I have no knowledge of this area, so I cannot be sure if there are any here."
"I have no doubt that she can take care of herself," he says, following. He walks quietly, almost afraid that he might shatter the terrible beauty of the place.
Mi leads him down the trail a little farther, beyond a shimmering pond sparkling with ice. It gets colder as they go, and by the time they reach a gigantic set of stone stairs, Mi'ehna is shivering in her metal armor. "We can use the temple up there for shelter, I think."
SKye nods, shivering a bit, too. At this point he's wishing he had his boots and coat. He isn't too fond of stairs, really, but he starts to climb.
The Malufel follows them quietly, a mute observant.
Mi reaches the top of the stairs fairly quickly, and looks at the entrance of the temple. It's wide open, but it is plain that a fire burns inside; she can feel the heat radiating already. She's shivering so badly that the thigh pieces of her armor clank together now and again. "Does it look safe to y-you, Sk-sk-skye?" She looks at him for confirmation.
He looks around. "N-not sh-sure..." he answers. "C-could be a trap." Nonetheless, he takes a cautious step forward, Silence quivering with readiness in his right hand, shaking with cold.
Dothaven Past V
Stumble!