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Post by Fanged on Mar 27, 2022 21:28:32 GMT -6
They had gone further in than they had anticipated and were now near the bottom of the slope. The light from the entrance was now visible from above and they were making their way along a narrow passage. Fanged was gradually getting more used to the darkness and the uncertainty. Phi was silent as well, her footsteps hardly making a noise against the dirt floor. Fanged couldn't help but wonder what was going through her mind. The passage they were walking down was about four meters wide and quite short, Fanged had to crouch slightly to fit. The sensation was uncomfortable, but she could manage this position for a little while. She took a step forward and heard a faint clink. She turned around to see Phi prodding a strange spot in the tunnel wall. Fanged drew closer and crouched down further to investigate the strange spot. Perhaps she could try using a tool.
(Phi 20, 22)
100
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Post by Fanged on Mar 27, 2022 21:45:32 GMT -6
She reached into her backpack and pulled out a mallet. She tapped it against the spot that Phi indicated, interested to see if something would happen. She investigated the area around it and tapped a few of those places as well. There was no reaction.
"Maybe it's not here," she muttered.
Phi continued to prod at the wall. Perhaps she wasn’t trying hard enough? Fanged took the mallet and smacked the spot with more force this time. A sharp crack echoed throughout the passage and she jumped back.
"What was that?" she asked, glancing at Phi.
The Raikiri seemed unfazed by the loud noise. A rock fell off the ceiling. Luckily, it didn’t land anywhere near them. She didn’t know how only a solitary rock managed to fall, but it seemed to be the only one for now. "Let's keep moving," she suggested. They resumed their trek, passing another small tunnel.
(Phi 20 1/5, 22 1/5)
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Post by Fanged on Mar 27, 2022 21:59:55 GMT -6
This one was empty and it had been completely covered in dust. Fanged decided to ignore it and continued on, determined to reach the end of the current tunnel. Phi followed her, a look of amusement on her face. It wasn’t often that Fanged had much determination for mining. If she was in the zone, it was best to let her lead the way. The passage widened once again and they found themselves in a large cavernous area. It was much brighter here than it had been in the previous areas, but it was still dim. They walked over to the wall and looked up. The wall before them stretched a long way upwards. Fanged could spot a variety of different areas that opened up in the wall. She tried to spot any signs of wildlife, but for now they were alone. She turned back to the cavern they were in and looked around.
(Phi 20 2/5, 22 2/5)
102
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Post by Fanged on Mar 27, 2022 22:26:17 GMT -6
he walls were made of stone and there were various wooden crates and barrels scattered around. Some of them were broken and others appeared to have been dragged into the cave. There was also a pile of rubble and rocks that had fallen from the ceiling. Phi beelined for the pile of rubble, checking it over for any signs of gemstones. Fanged found herself drawn towards the various crates and barrels. While Phi was sifting through the rubble, she decided to try her hand at cracking open some crates. She picked up her mallet and started smashing the wood. The whole endeavor took quite a bit of effort to make progress. After a while, she managed to break the wood enough so that she could peer inside the crate.
"Hmm…nothing useful here…" she said, disappointed.
The crate had been filled with a variety of rusted tools. Fanged had no need for such things since she had her own.
(Phi 20 3/5, 22 3/5)
103
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Post by Fanged on Mar 27, 2022 22:49:19 GMT -6
She then set to work breaking open another crate. She grabbed her pickaxe from her pile of tools and set to work. She took a swing at the wooden crate and managed to hit a few spots. She angled the pickaxe down and tried a few more times until she managed to crack the wood once more. Fanged beamed once she had broken the wood enough to see inside. Phi was making progress as well and she had sorted the bits of rubble into different piles. Inside the crate was a bright blue crystal. She pulled it up and held it under her flashlight. For a minute she had been excited, but it soon became evident that the crystal was made of glass.
“Worthless,” she muttered.
She moved closer to Phi to see if she was faring any better. However, it seemed her piles of rubble only contained small chunks of rock.
(Phi 20 4/5, 22 4/5)
104
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Post by Fanged on Mar 27, 2022 22:57:04 GMT -6
There didn’t seem to be much to be found here. It would be pointless to stick around. She gathered up her tools and let Phi pick which tunnel they headed down. The two of them left the cavern behind and continued deeper into the mines. The two of them traveled onward, following the tunnel despite it branching off in all directions. They had picked this one and were determined to stick with it. After a while, they began to hear noises from above them. It sounded like there was someone walking around. Fanged glanced upward and spotted a figure standing upside down on the ceiling of the tunnel. Before her brain could make much tangible sense of it, the figure disappeared. Had she simply imagined it? A quick glance at Phi confirmed that the Raikiri had seen the figure as well. The two of them stood still for a moment, wondering what to do.
(Phi 21, 23)
105
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Post by Fanged on Mar 28, 2022 0:18:08 GMT -6
Then, the shadowy figure reappeared, this time coming down from the ceiling. It landed on the ground and then immediately took off running. It ran past them without even acknowledging their presence. Fanged was unable to get a good look at it, but she was certain about one thing, it hadn’t been a person. Phi regarded it with a ferocious expression. As a lab creature, she wasn’t afraid to fight.
“It looked positively monstrous,” Fanged muttered in a low tone.
Not wanting to encounter it again, they continued further into the tunnel. The air around them grew stale, as though they were about to hit a dead end. Just when Fanged thought she was going to have to dig her way through a tunnel wall, Phi veered down a hidden path. They entered a cavern with a large hole in the floor. The space was larger than the others areas they had been in.
(Phi 21 1/5, 23 1/5)
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Post by Fanged on Mar 28, 2022 21:45:44 GMT -6
“Wonder where this leads,” Fanged murmured as she followed Phi’s lead.
Immediately she could scent that the air was fresher in this direction. There wouldn’t be as much of a chance of hitting a dead end. They continued on, traversing the difficult terrain with more ease than they had on their first journey into the mines. The rocks were smooth and rounded, making it easy for them to climb over them. After a while, they reached another opening. This one was different from the others they had come across. Its walls were rough and jagged, with deep crevices that would be difficult to climb if she were inclined to. The path in front of them was steep as well, she wasn’t sure if she’d be able to take the path without doing at least a bit of climbing. Phi decided to push ahead and Fanged had no choice but to follow.
(Phi 21 2/5, 23 2/5)
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Post by Fanged on Mar 29, 2022 11:48:14 GMT -6
The two of them began to navigate the difficult tunnel. The path sloped quite steeply and for a moment, Fanged was curious how Phi was going to travel down. She got her answer when the Raikiri began to use her wings for balance and when she couldn’t stay level with the path, she used them to fly. Fearing she might lose her footing, Fanged grabbed hold of the wall and pulled herself along. When she could go no further at this level, she took some rope out of her backpack and anchored it to herself. She then tied it to a sturdy rock that would be strong enough to hold her weight and began to descend down the wall, past the path she was currently standing on. She kept going until her feet met with solid ground once more. Phi descended down through way of flight and Fanged felt envious of her ability.
(Phi 21 3/5, 23 3/5)
108
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Post by Fanged on Mar 29, 2022 11:57:34 GMT -6
The ground was covered in rocks that had been smoothed by the constant flow of water. Glad that she had worn appropriate footing, Fanged was quick to discover that she was standing in a good few inches of water. Phi was less enthused by this fact. The Raikiri quickly crossed the water until she could reach a large, round rock that was jutting out of the water. She then climbed onto the rock and stood there, waiting for Fanged to catch up. Fanged rolled her eyes and crossed the water as well, making sure to retrieve her rock and climbing equipment before doing so. Once she reached the other side, she noticed that the water was even deeper here. She was glad that she had chosen to wear hiking boots that were waterproof.
"I wonder where this leads,” Fanged mused.
Phi indicated to a narrow tunnel that ran off to the left.
(Phi 21 4/5, 23 4/5)
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Post by Fanged on Mar 31, 2022 15:35:49 GMT -6
The water continued through the tunnel and they’d have to wade through it to continue on. Fanged was fine with this development, but Phi was less keen on walking through the shallow water. She did so begrudgingly. The two of them continued down the narrow, water filled tunnel. Fanged had no idea where it would lead, but for now they would be along for the ride. The tunnel was narrow and difficult to navigate. The rocks were slick and wet, making it hard to keep her footing. She was forced to slow down to a crawl, and was concerned that Phi would get impatient and leave her behind.
Thankfully, Phi didn’t seem quite so eager to ditch her. They continued further, much too slow for Fanged’s liking, but she didn’t want to speed up and risk injury. Thankfully the path began to rise and soon they found themselves back out of the water.
(Phi 22, 24)
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Post by Ashe on Mar 31, 2022 15:42:44 GMT -6
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Post by Fanged on Apr 29, 2022 18:12:25 GMT -6
They walked around the edge of the pool and found themselves in a small mineshaft. The area around it was supported by carved, wooden beams. The mark of man was quite evident here. The two of them moved over to the center of the mineshaft, which was empty save for a large boulder.
"I guess they must have been trying to dig through this rock," Fanged remarked.
Around the area were a variety of mining prizes to find. She gathered them up eagerly while Phi kept an eye out for danger. She looked around and discovered a long chain that was hanging from the ceiling. It was made of thick metal links that were attached together. It swayed back and forth, pulled into motion by a slight breeze that brushed through the area. The chain was located quite a ways up. Fanged wasn't sure she would be able to reach it even if she wanted to.
(Phi 22 1/5, 24 1/5)
111
tppsb2sM
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Post by Fanged on Apr 29, 2022 18:20:27 GMT -6
On further examination, the chain looked like it had previously been attached to a mechanism that had long since been removed. Had it been some sort of pulley system?
"Phi," Fanged called out.
The Raikiri stopped what she was doing and turned to look at Fanged.
"Can you reach that?" she asked.
The Raikiri tilted her head for a moment and narrowed her gaze as she tried to judge the size of the chains. She was capable of flying, so that wouldn't be an issue, but the chain might be heavy. Deciding that she ultimately would be able to lift it, Phi fluttered up and grabbed a hold of the chain. She then held on tight and began to pull on the chain. She frowned as she felt the weight of the chains, but was still able to lift them quite comfortably. They both heard the grinding of gears start when Phi had pulled the chain long enough.
(Phi 22 2/5, 24 2/5)
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3xFnBQ2f
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Yang
Flea Market Artist
Posts: 1,001
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Post by Yang on May 2, 2022 12:51:01 GMT -6
Something can be spotted,just out of the way and tucked into a small shadow...
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