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Section B-3: Investigating the Source
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Post by Cion on Jul 4, 2021 19:53:37 GMT
Folding her arms softly, Cion allowed her eyebrow to raise for a single moment. So these two savages were guardians after all, or at least to some bizarre extent. They had been watching over a kind of somniferous mistress that the appearance of the white pillars had perhaps disturbed. Whatever the truth, said arbitress was responsible for this cavern's flooding. But for what purpose... and who was this individual actually? Ultimately, it was easy to conclude that the answers to these and other questions were within reach, thus there was no point in contemplating them further.
However, there was only a crucial problem, which was the stated quantity of liquid present. Hana pointed this out as well, giving the silver fennec reason to pause. Gently scratching her chin, she nodded calmly and retrieved her Infini-Store that was tied into her short green scarf. Activating it, volition alone sufficed to manifest a special mask. "I have one Mini Diving Kit that I can provide. Before you ask - no, I don't need it in my current form." She offered kindly, doubting that they were able to simply remove the waters that awaited them. Hopefully, her allies were equally as prepared.
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Post by Kenny O'Hara and Skadi on Jul 10, 2021 6:35:29 GMT
'You disturb'? 'You take'? What did the Hangyomon mean by that, exactly? All they knew was that the odd-looking fishmen were more scared of the outsiders than anything. And, if their assumptions were true, they had good reason to hide behind their defensive behaviour; not only the Mistymon's words rang true, but something had to happen to them to make them act like this.
Thankfully, Skadi's attempt to pacify the Hangyomon managed to get through to them. She didn't budge an inch, apart from her small smile and nod towards #2. She had to resist the urge to utter out a very quiet yes as they took the food and, seemingly, accepting them. Turning towards Kenny for a brief moment, the young man would give a quick thumbs up to his partner, which she'd shoot a smile back at him, before turning to listen to the two fishmen Digimon.
'Our master'? ' The light came'? 'Awoke her'? Suddenly, something started to click inside his head; "Wait a minute... 'the outside comes in'... 'it stirs, it stirs'..." He repeated the Hangyomon's words quietly to himself, just loud enough for the Mistymon to hear, "Maybe that light was the whole reason they reacted as badly as they did. They must have felt threatened by it's presence or something. Who could blame them, honestly?"
Data had a good point, though; whatever the master was, her reasons to flood the downstairs floor below would most likely also not to be unfounded. Softly rubbing his own chin, Kenny would give pause for thought for a good few moments, before concluding, "I say we just do whatever she says until she... well... 'judges' us." Air quotes added for emphasis, "Preferably positivity."
With that, the two would take their own Mini Diving Kits out and attach it to their own persons. Only when they were given the signal, they'd move along with the group. Looking into the yawning pit of the stairway below, an uneasy look crossed Skadi's face as she stared down it.
"Let's just hope she's in a relatively good mood..."
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D-Reaper Scout
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Never The End
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Jul 13, 2021 2:38:06 GMT
Somehow, it looked like the group was going to be allowed to traverse to the lower levels. Mistymon nodded at Cion's offer for the Diving Kit, looking over towards Hanako's group, and then towards Kenny's group.
"It looks like the two of them are well-prepared for this, and I have my own means for surviving underwater. I would suggest you keep your gear on regardless. It'll be less taxing on your stamina - and you'll never know when you'll need to help someone else out if things get dicey underwater."
That point of advice aside, it looked like the group was ready to press on into the murky depths. As for Kenny's comment regarding 'her'? "Play it by ear. There's no guarantee that their master plays by the same sorts of riddles as the rest of them." Briefly taking the lead, the Mistymon would clasp his palms together, a shimmering barrier loosely surrounding his frame. He'd take the first steps into the depths, careful walking into the murky water below. More important than breathing (to at least some of the group, anyway), the Diving Kits would allow for at-least passable communication underwater - which was handy as the group would start to make their way downwards. The underwater depths, though dark, were clear enough to see with a flashlight, and as the group proceeded down to the next level, they wouldn't come across too much of note.
Fishing nets. Broken harpoons. Soaked-through cloth and shelter. Whatever 'she' did, it looked like she did it in a hurry, even flooding out the homes of the two loyal, resident Divermon. But here was still no sign of 'her' - but as the group would reach the bottom of the next level, the pattern would change.
There were a few stairs that led down to what should have been the next floor, but after five steps, the brickwork gave out completely, leading to the underside of the rock basin. A quick look upwards with a flashlight would show the same sandy-colored rock that made up Dragon Valley, encompassing the ceiling of the cavern. Embedded into both the walls and the ceiling were several azure crystals, brightly glowing, a faint current emanating away from them.
"Curious... perhaps these aid in keeping this place flooded?"
It was a passing comment, however, as the sorcerer would look and lead the group on lower. No longer confined by the width of the tower, the cavern below would stretch much wider and deeper, the group still unable to quite see the bottom even with the aid of their flashlights. Lower, and lower still...
... And just when the lower entrance to the tower would start to fade from sight in front of them, the group would finally see something: the pointed blades of two monstrous, crimson wings unfurling below them, rushing into sight like a wall of scales. As they unfurled, the force of those wings sent a strong current upwards, enough to push the group back a few yards.
The Mistymon regained his stature, blinking as he looked down at those wings in awe.
"... Examon?"
Before the Mistymon could even process his thought, an ancient voice echoed from below.
"More small ones?" Her tone suggested that she both tired and irate. "The Heart of the Valley is not yours to covet. Why does my treasure stir? Why doest thou seek my horde?"
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Post by Hanako Hoshidate on Jul 24, 2021 23:39:38 GMT
When the group came face-to-face with the Examon, Hana and her partners were all stunned at the sight of the massive Dragon Digimon to the point that it took a few moments before any of them could respond to the Examon's irritated words.
"Ah, so you are the mistress that the Divermon told us about. Please, allow us to explain the reason for our excursion into your domain, Lady Examon." Data respectfully said to the massive dragon as he took a single step forward. "We were sent to investigate the origin of a pillar of light that bore similarities to one that had cropped up in the past and caused trouble, and to make sure that nobody will be hurt because of this new pillar. I don't know what this "Heart of the Valley" is, but we do not seek to take anything from you."
"Y-yes, we're not thieves, nor do we want to be your enemies." Hana nervously added.
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Post by Cion on Jul 25, 2021 11:14:32 GMT
Then the plan was set. Utilizing the gear for herself, Cion was quick to follow the others into the dark, cold and wet depths of the subterranean dungeon that awaited them. As a canine, she of course did not enjoy the aquatic environment, but minor discomfort was a sacrifice she was willing to make to potentially prevent another of uncountable cataclysmic events. There had simply been too many raging in the last few years alone, so any chance to avert one before its unleashing was taken by her. Not for her own sake, or that of the general population, but her darling's peace of mind.
But the silver fennec was merely thinking too much again. It did not matter why she or anyone else was here, only that they would succeed. Descending into the clammy abyss, past ruined homes and objects, she too spotted the crystals, though she had no clue about them. Her task back then had been to ease the tension between factions, not investigate the source of the white pillars. Nonetheless, it was clear that they held some significance. After all, the Mystimon paid them plenty of otherwise seemingly unwarranted attention.
And then... who appeared to the aforementioned mistress revealed herself. Bracing against the force with utmost poise, the unassuming fox narrowed her aureate eyes in minor confusion. What was this undoubtedly powerful entity doing in this most unsuitable and cramped of environments for its kind? Moreover, why was it so hostile towards them, and generally wary? She was a guaridan - yes - but they had not made their intentions evident. They were not present as treasure hunters, but liberators. Then again, it was possible that these two causes led to the same destination.
Gently folding her arms, the restrained Arniomon allowed the girl and her partner to clarify the situation. Fate knew if this irate knight of crimson might was inclined to believe them or not... not that it mattered. Still, perhaps cooperation was the better approach. "If you can help us, the quicker were are on our way." She suggested in a calm and composed way, not groveling like Hana. It was unbecoming.
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Post by Kenny O'Hara and Skadi on Jul 31, 2021 5:18:05 GMT
'Play it by ear'? Duly noted, Kenny merely thought with a small nod. Neither he nor Skadi had any doubt in their mind that the Hangyomon's quote-unquote 'master' would practically dwarf either of them, if not all of them, in terms of sheer raw power alone. And neither exactly wanted to find themselves on the business end of a land clearing wave-motion gun, a surging tsunami, or anything along those lines.
They had to keep their words and actions in mind as they descended into the deep.
"Jesus, what the hell happened here?" Kenny's eyes slowly glanced around the ruins of the depths below as they walked.
"I don't know, I think the master must've done this as a last ditch attempt to drive out the previous 'intruders' or something." Skadi shrugged. The Hangyomons' voicing their fears of the 'stirring outside' still rang in her ears, and the memory of them pointing their spears in a desperate attempt to drive the group away from their homes was burned into her brain, "Can't say I don't blame them, though."
As they went deeper into the caverns, they'd too shine their lights onto the crystals. Taking a good look at the crystals for a good moment, in response to the Magic Warrior' Digimons comment, Kenny would merely quickly whip out his D-Nexus, activating the 'Advance Scanning' feature onto the crystals in a bid to discover their true properties before moving right along, "Wouldn't be surprised if they were, to be honest."
Still, even after their brief intermission, the group would merely follow the Mistymon forwards....
Until they'd be met with a sudden gust of wind, threatening to knock them off their feet. The young man would quickly duck and cover his head with his hands, his feet digging into the dirt and mud in a bid to keep himself standing, the Valaismon grabbing onto his leg as the wind blew across her wool. Only when the winds would die down would they bear witness to the 'master', standing up to recompose themselves. Kenny merely looked upon in awe at the massive dragon, as would Skadi.
"Good lord, the legends were vastly underselling how freaking large that Digimon is." Whenever he intended to or not, he found himself looking into the eyes of this giant majestic beast, frozen merely by her gaze, and his blood starting to run cold.
"You're telling me..." The Examon's massive frame practically dwarfed Skadi's pint-sized body, "Just stay calm, pal. We'll get through this."
Smiling in acknowledgement of his partner's encouraging words, the tamer would bow before the massive beast, leaning himself down on one knee, Skadi in turn following suit, "Oh, great master. Please listen to the words of my friends here. We don't desire not even a piece of your treasure in the slightest. We were only sent to deal with the massive pillar of light to save those on the surface."
Skadi would chime in as she tilted her head towards the looming crimson wyvern, "We only request that you grant us safe passage and help us deal with the massive pillar of light in any way that you can. In return, we can promise you that we will leave you and your kind to your peaceful existence and keep your haven a secret."
All they could do now was hope that they she heard their plea...
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Jul 31, 2021 20:01:35 GMT
In truth, this could have been a terrifying position to be in.
Trapped underwater with such a powerful - and, perhaps more importantly, monstrously gigantic dragon - it would have been trivial to turn the current against the group and draw them down into the depths. Perhaps this was by design, a means for the Examon to more completely protect her horde. Kenny would have learned, just a minute or so prior, that those crystals were unnatural creations known as 'Waterbloom', enchanted stones designed to continuously produce water until the spell ran dry.
That was a novelty, of course, compared to the dragon. The looming voice from below echoed upward, the dragon's main body still out of sight as the Digimon gave their reasons for being here. Investigation, altruism - noble causes, though hard to prove from simple words. There was one point of interest that did catch the dragon's attention though: the pillar of light.
"The pillar?"
"Something from here let out a light that could be seen from across the horizon. At this point, its sounding like the event has already drawn unwanted attention to this lair -"
Before the Mistymon could finish the explanation, the water itself would start to shift - perhaps not in a threatening way, but even the larger Digimon here would find it hard to keep themselves still. The dragon's wings below retracted back, as the dragon itself pushed its way up through the darkness to meet them: the grand knight, Examon - or at the very least, one who shared the same species and stature as the Knight.
Of course, there were consequences for the dragon living underwater. Her scales, instead of being an impressive, shining crimson, were dulled, moss covering her frame in several places. Bubbles billowed from its nostrils, her still-sharp eyes analyzing all of the group before her. Her lance, Ambrose, had even acquired a bit of rust from being exposed to this environment for so long...
... This dragon, despite this not being her species' preferred environment, had lived here for a long time. But this was not her only abnormality: Examon was injured. Fresh scars stained her frame, a stream of data trickling out from her side, as if having been run through by a particularly sharp blade. Her lance still let off steam, heated from a recent battle with 'something', validating her wariness around these new visitors.
"I see. My treasure let out a beacon... and that beacon signaled its presence for the intruder." The Examon's voice, despite her injuries, remained strong and calm. "The intruder called the treasure a 'Gate', and demanded I relinquish my control over it. But it is not his inheritance. It is the heart of the valley..."
The dragon's eyes turned to face the human, Kenny, and raised a claw to point at him. "His appearance... similar to him." Being underground for so long, it appeared that the dragon didn't know what a 'human' was, her voice even a little wary around Kenny's appearance.
"... Given everything else we've seen," Mistymon spoke in a low tone, "I don't think there's really a reason to doubt her. But anything that capable of damaging a Super Mega's not something we should take lightly. What do you all think?"
"Is this 'Gate' what we're after, or should we go after this intruder while the trail is still here?"
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Post by Hanako Hoshidate on Aug 2, 2021 17:57:02 GMT
Well, now it certainly seemed like the investigation team was getting somewhere, as the Examon revealed her full self, and the injuries staining her frame were impossible to miss. The Dragon Knight's explanation about her treasure signaling a human-like intruder that somehow managed to wound the Examon. That aspect of the situation was what stuck out the most to Hana and her partners.
"Hm. The deeper we go, the more complicated this seems to get." Data said as he pondered the situation.
Hana would add her own two cents when the Mistymon asked about what option the group should focus on. "I guess it depends on whether Examon still has this "Gate", or if the intruder managed to take it when I assume they fought Examon."
"Well, either way, I think we should go after this intruder while we still can. We can always investigate the Gate later, but only if Lady Examon is willing to let us do so. She has every reason to be wary of strangers, after all." Data added, glancing back at the massive dragon Digimon.
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Post by Cion on Aug 2, 2021 19:19:46 GMT
Was it formlessness, silhouette or weathered armaments, Cion's aureate eyes were incapable of releasing their gaze upon the ancient sentry. As titanic and seemingly powerful as the harried dragoon was, the silver fennec pitied her existence. What was her service but a disavowal of life? Was an object with a singular, eternal purpose not the antithesis of being? Static, shackled to an oath that was merely another item. Was this the destiny of all immemorial... and hers?
No - she refused this sentiment. Though a sentinel, she was much more than the role she had chosen. She was a person, who lived as one. Too many of seldom seen power had relinquished themselves to a fate like the Examon, and she rejected to reach the same cessation. Nor would she aspire towards all-consuming greatness that begot nothing but nought itself. She had surpassed both extremes, instead deciding to traverse the penumbra of equilibrium. Perhaps her outcome was to be nobody, but this was infinitely superior to a somebody she abhorred.
As the colossus arose, and embarrassingly submissive words of appeasement were uttered by her colleagues, the unassuming fox simply allowed her frame to be shaken by the tides. There was little point in resisting, and neither did they pose a threat that required resistance. As calm and clarity returned, it appeared that her previous hypotheses had been proven correct. There were two causes with a single conclusion. But was their adversary truly a human? For obvious reasons, she found that difficult to believe at face value. Maybe it was a digimon with a disguise, or an entirely different entity...
Regardless of the unimportant answer, there was a detail of the mistress' explications that caught her attention. Was the pillar, in truth, some form of gate? That could explain the sudden appearance of the metropolis in the desert. It was possible that vast resources were on the other side, or an artifact that granted to shape data on an unprecedented case. No matter the actuality of its nature, it was clear that leaving its ownership to chance was ill-advised. Hmm...
Allowing the others to speak, she eventually blinked as her focus returned to the perpetual, expressionless stare directed at their gargantuan host. "To facilitate cooperation, what do you suggest?" She calmly asked the knight beneath them, her dulcet voice likely exiguous compared to the booming roar of a dragon. But she was a civil lady, hence shouting and burlesques were not necessary from her point of view.
There was no need for violence and hostility between them, although it was evident from her poise and composure that she was willing and capable of acting on them... if her paws were forced.
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Post by Kenny O'Hara and Skadi on Aug 11, 2021 8:44:55 GMT
Never in Kenny's life would he ever imagine himself facing up against a massive dragon guarding their equally massive hoard of treasure from would-be intruders, just like the one in the fairy tales of yore. Especially not one that also just so happened to wield an equally massive gunlance that ran the risk of blasting them all to kingdom come. He and Skadi both knew they had to pick their words wisely to avoid such a possible fate.
And thankfully for the both of them, they did.
As the water started to shift once more, Kenny would quickly scoop Skadi in one arm, the other clinging himself onto the nearest harmless rock or crystal he could find, his feet once again digging itself into the mud just to root himself to the floor. Skadi would respond in kind, grasping onto the boy's shoulders as hard as she could. Once they died down, the two could afford to take a better, proper look at the dragon knight Digimon. And both could notice something was a little... off.
Apart from the mere evidence of wear-and-tear exposure coating the Examon from head to toe, the two could spot all the fresh wounds and scars covering her body, and the smoke seeping out of the barrel of the gunlance. Further confirming their suspicions was her brief explanation of the 'intruder' themselves, and Skadi's ears would slowly droop to her sides in concern, "...no wonder they were all scared of us." She whispered, her eyes still fixated on the scars.
And then her ears twitched once more, hearing of the explanation about the 'Gate' and the intruder's 'intent'. Why did that sound so familiar, again?
Naturally, Kenny would find himself flinching the moment the Examon pointed at him... because the intruder looked 'similar to him', in her words? And then it started to click...
"Guys, sorry to interrupt, but I think I know who the intruder might possibly be!" He started to recount to the rest of the group, "The last time we had to deal with a similar pillar of light like this, we were accompanied by this quote-unquote 'human' named Connor, and his equally quote-unquote 'partner' BishopChessmon. He kept talking about the 'Gate' there as well, to the point he was arguing with this HiAndromon who was hooked up to it, and he was looking to shut it off. I wouldn't be surprised if he tried to do that with this 'Gate' as well. Hell, for that matter, he was doing crazy shit like shutting off a self-destructing Mugendramon connected to the 'Gate'."
"For that matter, we didn't even see him use that BishopChessmon, he was just controlling it like a robot. Not even getting it out when we were forced to fight that HiAndromon." Skadi quickly added as well, "Actually, hold on a second..." Pushing her way out of Kenny's arms, the Valaismon would fall onto the floor with her own two hooves and approach the dragon once more, once again looking up towards her with another kneel.
"Ma'am, have you seen where the intruder went, and what did he look like, exactly? And was he partnered with a Digimon himself? I think we know what might be going on here." A bold statement, but not one without a solid foundation.
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Aug 16, 2021 16:06:30 GMT
Was the Examon's existence pitiable, per Cion's interpretation, or was it noble and deserved of Kenny's reverence? Such was an interesting question, but definitely not the point today. Data's comment about investigating the Gate earned a twitch from the Examon, the dragon tightening her arm around the lance.
That bridge, perhaps, was too much to cross at once. Having been attacked so viciously once over the Gate, the dragon was wary of any approach towards it. Cion's question was met with a similar wary answer:
"This Gate, my Treasure, has been mine alone to defend. You may accept my word that I will defend it to the last - from both the prior intruder, any who intend to use it for ill means, and any who dare to slip past me."
"As it was, it shall remain."
The Examon's resolve couldn't be called into question, nor her power - what remained to question was her ability to defend it alone. Though still capable of fighting, she was already wounded - and Kenny seemed to have an idea of the source. "Connor?" The Mistymon's tone suggested he was unfamiliar, carefully listening to the tamer's words. A strange 'human' was able to enthrall a BishopChessmon to his side, and spoke directly about the Gates - and wanting to shut them off.
"He wanted to shut it off?" The Mistymon clarified, and looked towards the Examon. "Does that add up? Our Guardian here seems to suggest that the Gate turning 'on' was the problem. Examon - if someone had the ability to stop the Gate from emitting the signal - and that was all they wanted to do - would you have permitted them passage?"
"... If they could somehow prove that was their only intent, or bind themselves to the same. But I would be wary of their honesty." Past that, the attentive Examon would turn her attention towards Kenny. "The human himself wore 'glasses'. Dark hair, and something like a wizard's robe. Though his partner was a Tylomon - not a chess piece."
Tylomon - something like a shark, adept for the water. At the very least, Kenny would have a match. "The intruder did not go back up the same way." Instead, the Examon pointed towards the side - to one of a few underwater tunnels, caverns dug out by centuries of erosion.
"Somewhere in this watery maze. The tunnels do not let out deeper - so I remain here. Waiting for his next attempt, to strike him down."
The Examon held this area like a choke point, then - so what was the best answer?
"Well, we can go and try to hunt him down and deal with him away from the dragon," perhaps reason with him, "or we can wait here and have a powerful ally to try and fight him... if he'd even show up with these numbers..."
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Post by Hanako Hoshidate on Aug 20, 2021 18:20:23 GMT
"Well, whatever plan we do decide to go with, we'll need to do it quickly. The air supply for those diving kits can only last so long, so if we just wait around we run the risk of that air supply running out." Data stated, noting the Examon's understandable reluctance to let anyone else examine the gate. "Although, why did this guy bring an aquatic Digimon out here to the desert, as if he somehow knew what he was looking for was underwater? Ugh, this whole situation just makes less and less sense with each new piece of information."
It was at this point that Hana threw out her suggestion, after having pondered all of the information the group had just learned. "Hmm. Does Examon still have the Heart, though, or did this guy manage to take it? If Examon still has it, then this intruder will have to come back here to try and take it. If the Tylomon guy did take it, however, then we should go down after him to make sure he doesn't escape. For all we know, there could be an exit down there that Examon doesn't know about. Or this guy might have a way to MAKE an exit."
"THE LADY DOES BRING UP A GOOD POINT." Rush added, nodding in agreement.
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Post by Cion on Aug 21, 2021 12:39:23 GMT
There were plenty word spoken, yet in truth little was said. The Examon had a rival, one that was likely theirs as well, thus they had to overcome the dispute at hand to attain their goal. Yet what was their destination even? Information? Closure? At this point, especially with what had transpired in the desert some time ago, it was difficult to tell. The nature of these spires and their power was mystical at best, unknowable at worst. Was it a force of good, evil, or neither? In the end, asking the questions probably did not matter. They were bound to find out... or not.
There were two paths for them to choose. Actually, they were three, but it was clear that nobody had an interest in overcoming the sentinel through violence, including Cion. Capable as they were to do so, their hearts were in the right place, and they sought mutually beneficial and optimal solutions to their endeavors. Hence they had to decide between staying or pursuing the previous attack. To her, the correct approach was self-evident, but others voiced somewhat valid concerns. Due to the limitations of certain individuals, they had limited time to achieve their goals.
"I know this is usually ill-advised, but for once splitting up seems to be the wisest course of action. A few stay to assist the defense, while the rest pursue the target. That way, we cannot be outmaneuvered through possibles schemes the human intended to employ. Moreover, as you stated Mystimon, we have sufficient might and numbers at our disposal to allow us this allocation." The silver fennec suggested and explicated with her signature calm tone and composure. It was not a perfect solution, but it allowed them to simultaneously apply pressure and fortify the position.
It seemed like the most advantageous tactical move available.
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Post by Kenny O'Hara and Skadi on Sept 1, 2021 5:17:31 GMT
Perhaps rather unsurprisingly, Kenny's account on the mysterious superhuman managed to at least raise a few eyebrows, not just with the Examon, but with the Mistymon as well. Glasses, dark hair, a quote-unquote 'wizard robe' as she put it... a twinge of familiarity would hit the duo as his own face re-emerged from the deepest recesses of their minds. And yet...
"A... Tylomon?" The young man quietly blinked in surprise in response to that. He already had his suspicions that Connor wasn't a real tamer, thinking back to the whole thing with the BishopChessmon being nothing more than a literal obedient robot servant he just so happened to 'steal' from the tower. Was the Tylomon his real partner? Their armour form? Or were they more of a voluntary 'ally' and/or accomplice at best?
Even that aside, how in the everloving hell could something like that possibly manage to go toe-to-toe with a ultra powerful Holy Knight Digimon, much left leave the latter in that current state?
Whatever the case, the two would turn their heads towards where the Examon pointed at the mouth of the tunnels. And who could blame the Examon for staying on the defensive? Waiting for 'Connor' to make a fatal mistake just to greet him with a face full of gunlance the moment he reared his head? Already, Mistymon had raised a good question; stay behind and aid Examon, or chase 'Connor' down?
Cion already had what seemed to be a good suggestion; one stayed behind and one would give chase. Briefly raising his hand to grab the rest of the groups attention, the tamer would step up, briefly clearing his throat before he spoke up, "Well, we still need to consider, I think we could divide ourselves into two groups based on what we work best at. We've dealt with Connor before, so I think we'd be best for the tunnel group."
"Plus, I can go Mega, so if things go south, I could hold him off for as long as I can." Skadi would add.
"Exactly. Only thing is, what do you guys think you're going to do?" Kenny shot a glance to the rest of his teammates, waiting for them to add their suggestions and throw their own hat into the ring.
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Post by D-Reaper Scout on Sept 1, 2021 20:15:37 GMT
"If the guardian here didn't still have the Heart, I think she'd be on the pursuit rather than acting as a guardian." The Mistymon answered off the cuff, before giving a blink towards Hana. "Er, sorry. Didn't mean for that to be as blunt as it sounded."
Indeed, their information wasn't perfect. Though the guardian was confident that there wouldn't be a way to simply sneak underneath, these were merely walls of stone. A new tunnel could be dug, or one could triangulate a point to teleport to and bypass the guardian entirely - it really depended on what this 'Connor' and his apparent Tylomon partner were capable of. After all, Kenny's bewilderment was hardly misplaced: a mere Armor Ultimate, at most, causing this much damage?
"At this point, splitting up is probably our best option. I agree that Kenny and his partner should try and search the tunnels. Cion..." The wizard's attention turned to their calm, if emotionally-distant, support. "If our guardian permits, I would suggest that you tend to the guardian's more-recent wounds. The only note thing that we really know now is that Examon was able to hold off the intruder on her own, once. If Connor returns to this central chamber, having the dragon nearer to her full potential will be a blessing."
To that suggestion, the Examon did not immediately respond. Her gaze trailed on the Arniomon - a truly petite Digimon in comparison - a tired exhale of steam quickly rising to the surface of this sunken cave. Truly, Cion was the least reverent of the guardian of them all - but conversely, she was the most blunt and honest. "Very well. As for the rest of you?"
"I will remain in the central chamber. I should be able to detect if anyone enters this central chamber - manually scouting around each entrance would be far too cumbersome. Hanako," the wizard would nod towards the tamer, "You and your group should go along with Kenny. Given Examon's injuries, this 'Connor' is not to be underestimated. If one of you runs into trouble, the other can return here to the center and alert the rest of us."
As far as the Mistymon could tell, this was a sound-enough plan. "There is also the possibility that our intruder has already made his escape. Thus, our short term goals are to tend to the Guardian's wounds, and confirm the potential location of the intruder, or lack thereof. I trust you are all capable in your roles." Provided the groups were split as suggested, Hanako, Kenny, and company would have soon made their way to the underwater, cavernous maze. And soon after that, perhaps the two groups would realize just how much of an undertaking this was.
Branching paths. Faint light provided by the water crystals. Tricky rock formations to work around and not get diving equipment stuck on. Individually, no problem was too difficult to overcome, but there was at least one key issue they had to solve: how to get back to the main room. Even if they found their target, what good would it be if the group was lost down here? As for the center room, the Mistymon would remain above. Surrounded by a small barrier, he entered a meditative state, in an effort to maximize his focus to the area around him. This left the sorcerer silent, and Cion alone to interact with the dragon, and perhaps tend to her wounds.
The most notable, of course, was the long gash across her left side. It looked like it had been run through by a Tylomon, as if the efficient shark Digimon had ran its bladed fin through the side of the Examon's stomach. Either due to the Tylomon's strength, or perhaps due to the extreme amount of time that the guardian had spent underwater, the blade had managed to pierce right through the knight's scales, and through the skin underneath - a several-foot wound leaking data out into the open water. Were Examon not such a massive Digimon, this wound likely would have been a fatal one.
As it was, however, this was merely one (admittedly-deep) cut that the Examon had felt over a long-fought battle.
"Such an oddity..." The Examon's voice gave a low rumble. "A soul of my age, beholden to the whims of the city? Such ancients rarely care for the plights of others of their age..."
... Well, perhaps Examon was still a relic of her own time. It would take time for Kenny and Hanako to find what they were looking for. Perhaps they had a method to cut down on unnecessary backtracking, perhaps they had gotten loss once or twice, or perhaps they had managed to figure out an efficient method - but, eventually, they would find an oddity as they would round a corner: a section of the tunnel devoid of water.
Not odd in itself - except for the fact that they would find the entrance to this tunnel from the side. And should they step out onto the rock and look behind them, like being on the inside of a bubble, they would see the water-laden path that they had just come from.
Clearly unnatural - and just down this tunnel, towards the right, the two groups would see a light - an orange-ish one at that, unlike the blue crystals occasionally found on their journey - just around the bend, and off to the right.
How would they approach?
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