Keys and Lockpicks

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There was a road that ran right across the little world, from one edge to the other. There wasn't much to see of it, just a line where there was rock under the grass, but it was there, leading from nowhere to nowhere, with a stop in the middle where a building had once stood against a small yellow cliff.

Locke Cole was trying to find the way into the cliff.

The rumor he'd followed here was vague at best, just that there was some kind of cave, or labyrinth, of maybe a tunnel, shut behind this ruin. Once he'd seen it for himself, he'd been sure. Every instinct he'd developed told him there was something there. So here he was, twisting around boulders and fallen stone walls, pushing vines out of the way, trying to work out the mechanism.

He was alone, which was less suicidal than it sounded, even if this was a cave full of monsters - he'd been walking into unknown caves and dangerous territory for most of his life, and liked to think he knew his way around. Besides, he had a decent collection of restorative items with him. Just in case.

On the other hand, he was ready to swear he could feel the edges of this little fragment of a world pressing close, could see where the sky thinned out around the shortened horizon. It was damnably disconcerting.

[darkunslint]

Rumours spread fast, and it wasn’t long before Rellen had heard a rumour of cast amounts of synthesising materials in a small underground dungeon on an almost nonexistent planet. She had ridden off in her gummi ship, attempting to find the planet and she almost went right past it, the world, as was told, was a speck.

Getting off the world she arrived near the ruins, she had spent a few minutes here when she heard a rock tumble over, quietly she crept towards the edge, stupid curiously blinding her from what the consequences of this action could be, as she poked her head subtly around she saw a man, he was turning boulders, moving them around, obviously he was looking for the entrance. “ Humph” She smiled, before turning around and walking back to where she was originally, she didn’t want anyone intruding on her, however, she wasn’t physically strong... or magically for that matter, but no one had ever mentioned the beasts that lay in the dungeon that she was about to open. As she turned and walked away, a hair clip from her hair fell out, landing with a soft clang onto the dirt, it was too quiet to penetrate the thunder that was in Rellen’s head but to the outside, it could have quite possibly been audible.

“Ok. Let’s find this door; if it’s a door... it has a lock which means...” She smiled, talking to herself, she must be going mad. Either way, her plan was a good one. She muttered a few words in a strange language, the one from her home that the paladins used oh so often to cast their light magic, she however, was using a different kind of magic, drawing symbols in the air with a finger her eyes glazed over and her face drooped. Locks... Locks... Locks... She was searching for them... Locks... Locks... Locks... LOCK! “Her eyes regained their colour and she panted a bit before trying to regain her composure. “ So that’s where the entrance is” she smiled.

It was time, to find that dungeon. And with her locks that she could crack and the keys she could fabricate, it shouldn’t be too difficult. Could it?

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That! If he squirmed down like so he could see -- this would pivot, so that over there would swing like that, so the switch should be there or there, assuming there was any sense to this door at all--

There was someone or something there. He hadn't heard anything, but that was what the Gale Hairpin stuck through his bandanna was for, to tell him when he needed to look up.
Locke pushed himself out and to his feet all in one movement - except he missed and smacked his head on the overhang. He yelped, paused, and tried again with more success. On his feet and with the Full Moon in his hand, he tried to spot what it was.

[darkunslint]

Rellen gasped slightly. “ Oh… bother” She mumbled as she realised were the entrance was, she stopped at the corner once more, seeing the man from before cursing and holding his head. What a funny person. She looked around the floor quickly, distraction… distraction… hoozah! She placed a hand down and picked up a small jaggedly stone. Now for plan get into the cave!

Rellen aimed carefully, throwing the rock just around the corner of the bend, far enough away that if the man was to go and investigate she could hopefully get to the door and open it.

“Oh please work” If this plan didn’t work, she would be discovered for sure, if that was to occur, quick thinking to try and make a cover story might be required. She didn’t dislike this man, she didn’t know him, and however, she didn’t want to share her treasure, if she was to protect the worlds, she needed the materials to make her barriers, and for that she couldn’t afford to be sharing. It was a good cause.

For now all she could hope for was that her distraction would work and that the man would go investigate the thrown rock. Rellen had left a little something on the rock, a small attached notepad piece of paper that said in big letters “SORRY! But whilst you are reading this, I am currently around the corner finding my way into the cave, and the whole point of making this letter so long is just a mere distraction. I am really sorry for doing this to you though, I just need something”. A smiley face followed the small distracting essay.

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Locke swiveled toward the sound of stone hitting stone. Nothing moved that he could see, but there was something about that sound, something familiar.......

Oh. Of course. As though he'd never thrown a rock to misdirect someone.

Maybe he could draw them out. If it was, in fact, a distraction, he wanted to find out who else was on this forsaken speck of rock, and what they were after. And if he was wrong? Well, he'd find out fast enough when he got ambushed. Locke crept toward the bend, making sure to stay conspicuously wary.

Once he though he was out of sight, he stopped and counted, listening hard.

[darkunslint]

Rellen was a locksmith, no assassin, not a strategist; she didn’t know the tricks of the trade as it was. When the man started walking away she thought she had done it. Quickly she toddled over to the place that the door was located, where moments later the man was tumbling rocks over.

“I haven’t got much time... that distraction won’t last long” She mumbled, probably loud enough for the man to hear. With that her backpack was thrown to the ground and out where several synthesising gems. She threw them to the ground in front of the lock and place one palm towards the rocks. Several strange words were spoken as she made directions with her palm, the gems flew into the air in a spiral, forming together just in front of her hand, the gems seemed to form a large intangible key in front of her hand, then the rocks glinted. She pushed the image of the key towards the rock and the rocks began rolling, and changing.

Moments later, Rellen was stood before a large opening, she placed a small metal key that had been formed onto a large ring of keys, hundreds and hundreds of keys glistened from the ring and this one was just another addition. She picked her bag up and walked into the dark cave quickly.

AS soon as she entered the cave she realised how much of a bad idea this was. The cave door wasn’t closing, she had no idea where she was going and it was dark. “Dammit” she mumbled, wandering aimlessly into the darkness.

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Yes! He heard the noise of someone walking over rocks, and talking to themselves - herself? - and figured he'd been right. Right, and not about to have some battle jump down on his head.

He looked back around the bend. A women stood in front of the wall, about where he thought the door should have been. He couldn't quite see what she was doing from this angle, but something about it looked more like magic than mechanics.

Whatever she did, it was impossible to miss the effect as the wall rolled open. The woman picked up her bag and walked in like she knew where she was going, and the door stayed open. Locke followed, soft boots and light steps quiet on the ground.

At the door he stopped, and looked before he entered. The chamber was half dressed, with the walls left raw and the floor smoothed out, and relief carvings there and there - geometric designs. Definitely a distinct first chamber, though it opened directly onto the next part. It was dark in there, and she seemed to be wandering in with out a light - was she doing this blind, or did she know where things were?

With her far enough ahead, he eased in and followed, staying near the wall.

[darkunslint]

((The creature is a bomb btw >.<))

Rellen really hadn’t thought this plan out…

Rellen… its getting dark and you didn’t bring a light you Twilight Town her inner voice told her. You know that little nagging voice inside your head? That was now nagging at Rellen. You don’t even know were your going. “Shut up” she whispered through chattering lips, she had been continuing in a straight directions, merely following the walls with one hand, theoretically, if she followed one wall at the entrance constantly she would find the exit.

After several minutes of aimless, stupid wandering she stopped, sat down and pondered upon herself. “This is getting me nowhere… Maybe I should go back, find a light and try again.” She mumbled to herself as she thought through. Then, a light, it was quite far away… but it was approaching. A spring of luck surely!

The object got closer; it seemed strange, kind of like a red burning sphere with spiked hair and a face.

“Excuse me” she began, “ I don’t suppose—“ She was cut out as the sphere charged into her, hitting her directly against a wall. She fell down hard, cracking her head against something sharp, the feeling of liquid spilled onto her hand as she held the back of her head.

Scrambling about, she grabbed her bag and messily grabbed several gems, within a few moments, a few chanting, and a flash of light she was shielded within a small semi sphere. It actually passed straight through the ground, but that part was hidden unless someone tried to dig her up.

“Is this the end?” she asked herself, hands compressing the wound at the back of her neck.

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Locke loitered for a moment at the bend that would take him into full cave-darkness. He could hear the women up ahead, stumbling. He wasn't here to follow some stranger around, but she was going the way he was going, and besides, he was curious. She seemed to be doing this very poorly.

Well, he could do this blind. Carrying a light would make him easier to spot. On the other hand, he was here to look for things. No one ever spotted treasure in cave-darkness. He palmed his moogle- made light crystal and took his time about exploring.

There weren't many choices about where to go, so he ended up following the woman whether he wanted to or not. After a few minutes, he rounded a bend and saw, down the passage -

Was she trying to talk to a bomb?

The bomb rammed her into a wall, some sort of magic flashed around her, and Locke cast the Full Moon discus down the corridor. It sliced though the bomb's leering face and came winging back to him as he ran towards the fight. That wouldn't do enough to kill it.

((You get to play the bomb))

[darkunslint]

Bomb;

Roger the bomb flipped backwards floating in the air once, the woman wasn’t going to cause any harm, and it turned its attention to this attacker. Smiling greedily he started enlarging and became twice his normal size. He was already on its way for an explosion, in such a confined area it would wipe these two out.

Aimlessly floating into the air a few times Roger let out a slight cackle before throwing a FIRA out of its mouth, these fira balls stretched out and attempted to hit the running man, these fira’s had minor tracking properties, but even with the slight tracking they could still be easily avoided, three of the balls expanded out and followed after the man.

Roger cackled some more before rolling forwards in the air, it loved this, it was in hysterics. He had never had so much fun, and if he exploded at least he would die laughing.

((Oh the joys of rping a bomb xD))

Rellen;

Her shield up, she thought this was the end, until her knight came. She looked behind her and the man from earlier came running in. Was he going to save her from this creature?

“PUSH IT FURTHER BACK!” She yelled a plan instantly forming in her mind on how to deal with this threat. She had heard of these from other travellers, but never met one herself, this was her reasoning for why she didn’t recognise it and she attempted a conversation with it, boy did she feel stupid.

She stayed in her shield for now, rummaging through her bag she opened her emergency pocket, the bag was thrown to the floor and she took out a full sized Moogle teddy bear and unzipped its back. The ingredients for various emergency manoeuvres were stored here.

Now she just had to wait and hope this stranger was strong enough to move the bomb back or kill it.

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((giggle))

Locke snatched the disc out of the air and sent it off again. As he did, the bomb spat a trio of fireballs in his direction, forcing him to dive and roll as they converged on him. The heat washed much to close to his back for comfort - that was cutting it a little close.

"NO MAGIC!" He yelled back, reversing direction now that the bomb had noticed him, backpedaling down the passage to try to draw it away from the woman who clearly had no idea how to fight a bomb. If this hit didn't kill it, a third one should - bombs generally couldn't take much damage.

[darkunslint]

Bomb;

Roger, carefree as ever left the woman in her little bubble. He floated along the passage, spitting another three fireballs. This bomb however, had a trick, a very nasty trick. One of the fireballs he sent forwards and then rolled into, the flames wrapped around him and his health increased to normal. He let out a strange croaking sound and flipped in the air once more. The fire attack that that was absorbed made him grow in size once more, the cracks that covered him had become molten and he was giggling inside his head, this would be so much fun.

He then proceeded to spit another two fireballs after the man. This was like catching a mouse in a tunnel.

It was just a matter of time now until he could blow this entire cave to smithereens.

Rellen;

Her plan had been to try and trap the bomb behind a barrier, but the man had over plans, he had started running away. She looked onwards as the man traversed down the tunnel and place a hand against the tip of her bubble, one of her arms was hurt, and her head had a wound, she however had the ability to stand and walked after the bomb and the man.

You have to make some use of yourself you silly girl she told herself. She kept her pace, ensuring she was a safe distance back from the bomb, hoping that this guy knew what he was doing.

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Well, it was following him. Great plan. Wait, wait, did it just - what? Did it just cast fire on itself? What?

Great.

Change of plan. RUN!

Locke turned and took off, rounding the bend as he riffled though his head - magic would make it blow up, but not if it killed it first. At worst it meant he could set it off when he wanted to, so - where where the Ice spells, he knew them--

There was a place in his mind that remembered the way Shiva felt to carry, and there was the ice. He checked to make sure the bomb was still after him, and that there was a convenient piece of rubble ahead, and assuming both off these things where true, cast Ice2 on the bomb and dove behind said convenient rubble.

[darkunslint]

Bomb;

The bomb was quite happily floating behind the man, it didn’t need a lot of speed, it just bobbed in the air after him. He saw the guy running away, what a fool. In his head Roger made a little poem that he sang to himself in his head;
Chasing after Humes
Wanting to blows them up
Gonna be their tomb

Admittedly it wasn’t the best, but Roger was a bomb. The only thing he wished was that Mom Bomb was here to see this, she was somewhere in the caves but he had no idea were. He’d not seen her in a while.

Whilst being distracted by thinking about Mom Bomb and his little poem he failed to see the ice spell flying towards him, it connected and before he knew it was expanding for the third and final time, he had moments before he self destructed, he didn’t know what he could do. What would be the best plan of action here… He couldn’t get to the guy to blow him up directly… THE ROOF!

With a flip in the air he raised to the roof and began expanding, if he blew the roof off, this corridor of the cave would crumble. It would get this guy and maybe even the girl in the bubble. What a plan. As he rose up and began expanding and expanding and then, he exploded, Roger was no more.

The rocks from the roof fell down with haste; some of the smaller ones were already hitting the floor, in seconds the entire roof would collapse.

Rellen;

She had been trying to keep up with the bomb, this was all her fault, and she needed to help in some way. There wasn’t really much she could do for fighting, it was then that she arrived around a corner into a smaller corridor that she saw the guy jump behind a pile of rubble and cast some kind of magick. The bomb rose up and exploded.

Thankfully Rellen was out of the blast radius but the roof was already collapsing, the guy behind the pile of rubble would have been protected from the blast but she doubted he’d be protected from the roof falling down.

She had to bleed for this, it was the only option. With the gems that she had placed into her hands earlier she threw one directly at the guy behind the rubble, possibly hitting off his head (for comic effect) and dropped the others at her feet and began mumbling more words and making very fast symbols with a finger in the air. The gems floated up and her nose bled as the gems without actually bonding formed a kind of wobbly corridor down to the man, the corridor shield did not look stable. She had never made this shape before; it was far easier to make a sphere than make a sphere than a rectangular corridor. Regardless, as the rocks fell they bounced off the corridor so this guy was going to have to be fast. Not only did Rellen not have the strength after hitting her head, she was bleeding from this and she couldn’t hold such a complex shape.

“HURRY!” she half yelled and croaked.

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This would be a terrible time to wonder how she was doing that, so Locke ducked his head and threw himself into a run. Parts of the ceiling came uncomfortably close to his head, but the light seemed to be holding them off - still, hurrying seemed like good advice.

He came out the other side and came to stop beside the woman, one hand half outstretched. The passage was coming down fast.