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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Dec 20, 2022 22:04:00 GMT
Lothar took in Procopius' words before he gazed over at the teen and asked "Ollie is still in an orphanage?"
"That seems odd considering he would not only be considered cute by human standards but he seems to be a bright young man with a love of learning. He seems to be polite as well. Hardly the problem child type." Mandrake said as he watched both Circe and Ollie interacting. Ollie seemed to be calming down and even smiled at Lothar who returned the smile as well.
When Ollie yelped as he almost fell Circe yelped in turn from being startled but somehow fired a web aiming for Ollie's back in an effort to keep the teen from landing on his face or something despite her heart hammering in her chest. Mandrake and Lothar ran down the stairs making it to the bottom looking at the trio of cooridors in fascination before Mandrake glanced back at Ollie and asked "Ollie. Circe. Are you two alright?" Circe nodded quietly but said nothing as she walked up to Mandrake taking the Wizardmon's hand again.
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Post by ollieandprocopius on Dec 21, 2022 12:27:05 GMT
"Quite alright. Truly. I just wasn't watching where I put my feet and ended up with egg on my face when we ran out of steps." Ollie said, readjusting his footing underneath himself and sighing with a shake of his head. A tad embarrassing but not the end of the world especially now that they were one step closer to their destination.
"Well, time waits for no man, I suppose. Especially not when we're standing around here in the dark." Procopius said with a smile. Putting Ollie's mind back on the adventure was always the best way to get his mind in a better point of view.
"I have to agree, Procopius. Thank you Circe for insulating me against catastrophe." He said, reaching back and touching the spot of web she had left on his body to keep him from toppling forward, giving her a thumbs up.
The group moved to follow the same golden line they had been, passing the other two yawning corridors by. Only extra sensitive hearing would pick up the long echoing sound of something disused and stone sliding open down those long foreboding corridors.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Dec 21, 2022 20:58:50 GMT
"Sometimes I am amazed by Circe's incredible reflexes. She definitely has better reflexes than me and is more agile too." Mandrake said as he glanced at the floor and then said "The shape the floor is in would of caused potentially more than just embarrassment to faceplant on it. Glad that didn't happen."
The group followed the same golden line when Lothar's ears twitched and the Leomon turned looking behind him with a look of concern on his face. Mandrake looked over at Lothar whose posture was stiff and wary and asked "Lothar, what is it, old friend?"
"I hear the sound of stone sliding in one of the cooridors." Lothar said now on full alert. Circe began to tremble but it didn't seem one of her abilities had activated so she wondered if the cause was something dangerous. At some level she definitely didn't want to find out.
"Then I suggest we all stay on guard incase there is trouble." Mandrake said rubbing Circe's knuckles as if trying to reasurre the young digimon.
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Post by ollieandprocopius on Dec 22, 2022 12:34:27 GMT
"Could something living even have survived down here for this long? I realize Digimon are made of stern stuff but I was under the impression that eating and breathing at the very least were still broad requirements" Ollie said, huddling a little closer to the light as they made their way down the corridor. It was as wide as a two lane highway, near perfectly smooth and standard from stone to stone.
"That is entirely dependent on whether anything they put down here is still classifiable as a digimon." Procopius said, half joking, unsure if there really was anything down there with them.
That unsureness would be banished by the mental klaxons going off in in Circe's head only a moment before the group heard a loud and unmistakable skittering in the walls moving past them in a huge wage to either side. Not only was there something down there with them, but it was huge, there was two of them and it had gotten ahead of them into whatever chamber or central place of protection that they guarded.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Dec 22, 2022 20:52:40 GMT
"All I know is whatever it is I can't pick it up telepathically and it seems Circe can't either. As for being a digimon, it is still possible, Procopius. If it is a digimon it could have been using tunnels to get to the surface to find food and water before using these tunnels as possible cover. Whatever is down here I hope is friendly though." Mandrake said glancing at Lothar whose ears were still flicking and the Leomon's posture showed he was ready for trouble.
The possibility of whatever was in those tunnels being friendly went out the window when Circe froze shaking before clutching her head before the spider child stammered "N-No not friendly. T-There is danger. We should leave!"
Before Mandrake or Lothar could speak two huge things seemed to have gotten ahead of the group and the bad feelings caused Circe to extend the hidden spider legs on her back until they stretched to the floor before the child proceeded to climb the nearby wall taking shelter on the ceiling.
OOC: Circe is now alert to imminent danger. Hyper Awareness: Her senses are super sharp alerting her to immediate danger mere moments before it happens allowing her to ready herself.(Combat Passive)
Now frightened she has climbed to the ceiling. Spider Climb: She manipulates magical currents into her hands, feet, and extendable spider legs that allow her to stick to any surface.(Non Combat Passive)
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Post by ollieandprocopius on Dec 23, 2022 12:34:17 GMT
"Perhaps a judicious retreat is in our best interest. To come back with more assistance at least." Ollie said, half turning the way they came. The sound of snipping cord would be the next sound they heard as two massive blocks of stone crashed through the ceiling behind them from somewhere above the corridor's ceiling, a shaft of some kind built out of sight. The ceiling shattered and collapsed to rubble with their weight, the two heavy stone and the rubble ceiling up the way they came in.
"Looks like our best option. Scratch that. Looks like our only option is to keep going the way we were and hope there's a way out wherever this thing leads. And also pray that that rubble didn't just block our air supply." Procopius said. He hated to sound so dire in front of souls as sensitive as Circe and Ollie but dire was about the most honest he could be right now. The chittering and the scuttling sounds in the walls moved forward, vanishing somewhere in the dark.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Dec 23, 2022 19:40:10 GMT
"Seeing as Circe seems to be scurrying towards the exit from the safety of the ceiling, I agree with you." Mandrake said as, like Ollie, began to turn back planning to head back the way they came. However what happened next nixed that plan as a cave in blocked the immediate way out which caused Circe to scream in panic before firing a web to the ground and slid down back to Mandrake hiding behind the Wizardmon.
Lothar looked at the rubble before cracking his knuckles as he said "Perhaps we aren't as trapped as you think, Procopius." Lothar then began walking towards the rubble it being clear what the Leomon had in mind.
Looking over the rubble again Mandrake noticed something about it before he exclaimed "Wait Lothar! If you attempt to move most of that rubble we'll be buried alive." Then Mandrake pointed at several smaller pieces of rubble before he said "However those few pieces are able to be safely moved so we don't have to worry about running out of air."
Lothar began moving those few pieces Mandrake indicated and said "Too bad the openings are too small for Ollie to fit through or we could get him out safely."
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Post by ollieandprocopius on Dec 25, 2022 12:43:24 GMT
"Absolutely not." Ollie said at Lothar's suggestion that they try to find a way to get him out first. "It was my idea to come down here looking for trouble in the first place. And even if it wasn't, I am not leaving my brother behind with whatever THAT is." Ollie said, pointing toward the ceiling to motion toward the scuttling that was still going on behind the walls. The shy boy didn't often put his foot down but right now at even the SUGGESTION that he cut and run while Procopius stayed behind was not going to get anywhere.
"Well right now, we're all stuck. So let's try and keep moving forward before that thing circles back around and pins us between a rock and a hard place. Hopefully there's a more open chamber up ahead." Procopius said. He wasn't relishing a fight in close quarters in the dark but if there needed to be one he wasn't just going to sit around and hope that they wouldn't get pinned down by whatever it was that was in there with them.
The open chamber that they did find ahead was barely described by the word "stunning". Every surface was a mosaic of gemstones and sea glass, glittering colors pasted to the floors, the walls, the ceilings, telling visual stories of battles, of mythology, of entire dynasties rising and falling. Shimmering in the light Mandrake provided it was like something out of the most exuberant archeological dreams.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Dec 25, 2022 13:43:15 GMT
Mandrake and Lothar were definitely surprised by Ollie suddenly putting his foot down regarding him being against being evacuated. Unfortunately with the cave in that was not possible for anyone. Mandrake then, in a reassuring tone of voice, said "Calm down, Ollie. It seems with the cave in none of us can get out. Maybe if we continue ahead we can find another way to escape from here. At least due to Lothar implementing his strength we won't suffocate in the meantime."
Then Lothar said "If I upset you, Ollie, that wasn't my intention. I had no idea that you and Procopius considered each other as brothers."
The group continued walking until they entered an open chamber that was quite the sight indeed. The word to best describe the appearance was stunning as the family of three looked around the room in absolute awe. "Amazing. I was expecting lost archeological curiosities but this goes beyond what I was expecting. I think we should be careful around these wonders just in case they are booby trapped in some way considering the dangers from earlier that Circe sensed." Mandrake said while Circe gazed at everything in the room in childlike wonder but stayed near Mandrake listening to her father's suggestion. Lothar stayed near the group protectively incase things became problematic.
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Post by ollieandprocopius on Dec 26, 2022 13:09:39 GMT
Procopius approached Ollie and snuggled his head under the young man's arm. Ollie rested his cheek on Procopius head and smiled, relaxed somewhat by his brother's presence. He nodded soft at Lothar with a smile on his face. It wasn't often that he was forced into an emotional outburst but it seemed easy enough for him to move past it especially when he was left slack jawed with sparkles behind his eyes at the sight of what they had truly stumbled upon. The entire history of this civilization written in gems and mosaics.
"This is...I...I don't think there are words for what this is. A brand new kind of historiography. Mosaic hieroglyphs inset into the walls. The riches and value of an entire civilization shown for all to see." Ollie said, dropping down and running his fingers over one of the closest images, feeling its texture on his hands.
"That...would explain why its so well guarded..." Procopius said, tapping his brother on the shoulder and pointing up at a yawning black hole in the ceiling where a quartet of figures were descending by crawling on the ceiling. They were Yanmamon but...wrong. Sealed away for god knew how many digital centuries their wings were slicked back and vestigial, their swamp green exoskeletons blanched a slimy, milky white, their compound verdant eyes blank and staring as they crawled along the walls like creatures from a horror novel.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Dec 26, 2022 20:22:32 GMT
Ollie seemed to have gotten everything out of his system before Procopius came to snuggle his head under the teen's arm. Lothar noticed the smile directed at him and smiled gently in return. As for Ollie's reaction to the room, he seemed to be just in awe as everyone else. After awhile Ollie made his way over to one of the mosaics and was running his fingers over the images. This made Mandrake uneasy as he was getting a bad feeling that touching anything was a bad idea. It was likely due to the cave in from before.
As for Circe, the young spider child scrunched her face and before clutching her head. She felt potential danger and whimpered before Mandrake felt several minds approaching. Reacting to Procopius' words the wily magician looked up in the direction of the minds that he and his telepathic daughter likely felt. The four digimon appeared to be Yanmamon but the appearance seemed more than slightly off given how creepy they appeared and Circe snuggled behind Mandrake before she said "Dad, they look s-scary."
"Their appearance is likely due to spending most of their lives in near darkness. Perhaps if they can be reasoned with they might know a way out so we don't necessarily have to resort to fighting to get out but be prepared for trouble everyone." Mandrake said keeping a wary eye on the Yanmamon while Lothar moved closer to the group taking a protective stance much like if he were actually a bodyguard by profession instead of the son of a humble pair of merchants.
OOC: Circe is alert to potential harm. Hyper Awareness: Her senses are super sharp alerting her to immediate danger mere moments before it happens allowing her to ready herself.(Combat Passive)
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Post by ollieandprocopius on Dec 27, 2022 13:15:54 GMT
"As much as I appreciate your optimistic nature, Mandrake, something tells me that they're not here to ask for our ticket stubs." Procopius said as the Yanmamon's mandibles open wide, long globs of hissing drool falling from their fanged mouths as their unblinking, sightless eyes all locked on someone in the room.
"I...I don't think they can see-" Ollie was cut off on that thought as the flightless insect digimon pounced like animals on the prowl, moving to tackle the intruders. Two to Lothar, one to Mandrake and one to Procopius until Procopius at least was left in a rolling, wrestling ball with his opponent, grunting, cursing and kicking as he tried to shove the beast off of him.
"Alright, that's it! I hate archaeology!" Procopius snarled as his body began to glow and the Black ToyAgumon transformed into a heavy Raptordramon that wrestled his feet underneath the attacking Yanmamon and kicked him up and away with both of his powerful feet, leaving the flightless insect spinning end over end until it landed hard on one of the mosaic walls.
Something Ollie took note of was the fact that the mosaic itself remained unharmed. Whatever it was made of, whatever technique held it in place would keep it protected even if the group had to get violent with the over eager guardians that had been left to watch it.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Dec 27, 2022 21:44:28 GMT
Nodding at Procopius' words and taking into account that the large bugs were hissing as well as drooling while locking seemingly onto the group, Mandrake said "Given their current behavior you make a good point." When Ollie made not that the Yanmamon were probably blind, Mandrake said "That is likely the case but it doesn't seem to be slowing them down. Which mean my illusions won't likely slow them down. Oh dear." Mandrake with Circe now trembling while hiding behind him began moving back hoping to keep some distance as the four Yanmamon lept. Two went for Lothar, one went for Procopius, and the last one headed right for Mandrake. Circe screamed before scrambling away from Mandrake while the Wizardmon swung his staff up in an effort to attempt to block a strike from the flightless insect.
"S-Sparkling Spinnerete!" Circe whimpered as the frightened spider child began waving her hands as two separate silky spider threads appeared magically. Though terrified Circe seemed to take careful aim shooting one thread towards the one Procopius was wrestling with and fired the other leaping for Mandrake.
"Things just seem to be getting better and better." Mandrake said sarcastically with a sigh while Procopius digivolved to be on even footing with the Yanmamon.
As for Lothar he tensed waiting for just the right moment to move as the two Yanmamon came at him. Then he made his move leaping to meet them mid way before he said "Smashing Kick!" Gracefully twisting in the air he aimed a powerful heel kick towards one of the Yanmamon hoping to send one of them flying into the other with his attack.
OOC: Mandrake attempts to defend with his staff.
Circe, though frightened, attempts to help with her Sparkling Spinnerete. Sparkling Spinnerete: Magically summons silky spider threads with a wave of her hands before they shoot out at up to two different opponents before causing intense pain to the ones caught in the threads.
Lothar leaps at the Yanmamon before using his Smashing Kick. Smashing Kick: A powerful heel attack.
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Post by ollieandprocopius on Dec 28, 2022 13:18:48 GMT
Lothar's blow landed HARD, smashing one Yanmamon's head into the other with an impact that would make teeth rattle of anybody observing the impact. Both of the Yanmamon dropped to the floor, suddenly blinded by their ears ringing against one another and beginning to wildly lash out with their clawed legs in the direction they knew Lothar had been only seconds before. The shriek that the beasts made when they felt the acidic sting of Circe's netting was enough to bounce off the walls from every direction. Filling the room with a cacophony of noise. "Wait...wait wait..." Ollie said, a look of puzzle pieces clicking together in his mind playing as he pulled his lunch box free of his backpack and dumped out its contents into the bag. Clasping the metallic box shut he banged it against the wall hard as the Yanmamon closes to Procopius recovered to make another charge. It hesitated, shivering and shrieking as the light metallic CLANG filled its mental vision of the room with blinding noise. He raised his hand sharply, waving it frantically to get everyone looking in his direction. He covered his eyes with his hand and pointed at both of his ears before clanging the lunchbox again.
"*whisper, whisper,whisper*" Procopius cranes his long neck to speak in Ollie's ear who gives him and thumbs up and quietly begins to run over to the other three people in the room, jumping up and down and pointing toward the door. Procopius has an idea and would rather everyone else not get caught up in the splash damage if he can help it. Ollie's tiny footsteps meaning his run doesn't attract that much attention from the blind dragonflies.
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Post by ricochet6-Mandrake on Dec 28, 2022 20:31:45 GMT
Lothar's successful blow was more successful than he hoped for. The blind dragonflies logically seemed not able to function effectively with their ears ringing. Then Circe's webs made contact with their target causing pain. Sure she was only a rookie and her attack wouldn't do much damage to the Yanmamon in the long run but it seemed effective enough to allow Mandrake to swerve away from the Yanmamon that lept at him. Moving silently to avoid arising not Mandrake then noticed Ollie seemed to have a plan as the teen pulled a metallic lunchbox out of his bag before dumping its contents out onto the floor. While silently wondering what the young man was up to it suddenly seemed to hit the Wizardmon as his sapphire eyes lit up in realization shortly before Ollie added to the cacophony already caused by the other Yanmamon as he hit the wall hard with his lunchbox. 'That was brilliant considering that without their hearing these Yanmamon don't seem to be able to function.' Mandrake thought. Meanwhile Lothar folded his ears from the loud bang but also had to admit to himself that Ollie had a good idea.
Procopius began to whisper to Ollie and the boy gave his partner a thumbs up as it seemed he agreed with Procopius' idea. Surprisingly quiet for such a large digimon Procopius quietly made his way over to the others before jumping up and down while pointing at the door. As if catching the silent message Mandrake nodded and made his way silently over to Circe before grabbing the spider child's hand. Circe started but when she saw Mandrake she calmed down. Then the Wizardmon opened a telepathic link between himself and Lothar and Circe as he, to them, telepathically said "It seems both Ollie and Procopius have some kind of idea but want us out of the room. Let's move quickly and quietly. Keep an ear out though Lothar just in case they call out to us." Lothar and Circe both silently nodded at the telepathic message and the family quietly made their way out of the room. Whatever Ollie and Procopius had in mind they were now in the clear to execute it.
OOC: Mandrake's telepathic message to Lothar and Circe.
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