The waters lapped the shore of the Dead Zone as the trinity climbed out of the boat. Nobody mentioned how utterly powerless they felt in that moment; how heavy their hearts were and how daunting the task ahead seemed. It was Etna who spoke as she turned away from the water and looked at a vast plain before them, "well... no turning back now. South we go."
Sylvia de Tylmarande felt as though her body had been wrung through, her regular bounce reduced to a soft and optimistic demeanor. She climbed out of the boat quietly, pulling her pack snug under her cloak. This is the real field test..She hoped their invention, the incredibly soft and durable exoweave fabric, was good for more than just recreation. Etna's test with her in the lab proved its potential strength, but the cloak had gone untested.
Once they were out, Sylvia looked back for what seemed forever, until Etna spoke. She nodded, then looked to the boat. It had no oars, so it seemed okay to leave for the time. I doubt it's here when we get back..
Moroy began walking forward, trying to remain confident though at any time it felt like they could be ambushed at any moment. The fog was thick but came and went as they noticed a fat plain leading to shallow mountains in the distance. Moroy stated what they were all thinking, "I think our map was a little bit outdated. Then again, anything more than a few months old is outdated around here."
Sylvia sighed as she followed him, looking ahead and shrugging. "Well.. we know that Junpeir and Upeir are south from here.. that's all we need to know for now.." She looked at the two of them. "Did we want to also hunt for more materials for exoweave, or are we just here for those elements?" She bit her lip, unsure of exactly what they'd need for exoweave.
"Priorites" reminded Etna with a gentle smile, "the exoweave things can wait. They're not as time sensitive as other manners." Sylvia could see that Etna was dancing around saying what was painfully obvious for the entire crew: we have a few weeks before Moroy could die. There's no time for anything else.
Sylvia nodded and squeezed Moroy's hand. "Well then, what are we waiting for.. let's get moving!" She pushes forward, walking south and hoping a familiar landmark of any kind comes to Etna's memory. Being reminded of that focused Sylvia's mind completely to the task ahead.
None of them knew where they were going, but going South seemed like a good goal and kept them from becoming too overwhelmed by the vastness of the wilderness. Once Sylvia was accustomed to her lack of power, she couldn't help but admire the majestic fog, the rolling plain and the intricacy of the low mountains. This was like nothing at home, both in the sensations she felt as well as the scenery.
Sylvia hiked as fast as she could without fully running, moving a little ahead of them, but never too far as to leave Moroy's reach. She scanned the rolling countryside and took a deep breath. She suppressed her natural urge to try and regulate her body temperature, relying instead on the soft insulation of her cloak. I'm gonna need all the concentration I can get, I'm sure. She looked to Moroy and smiled, trying to cheer up a little. "Well.. here we are.." Under her cheerful exterior she was sorely afraid--afraid she wouldn't find the chemicals in time. Afraid that Sancti would attack. Afraid that they would be lost in the wild. But she had to be strong. For him, and for Etna--and for herself.
Moroy nodded, "indeed." His short answer was enough for her to know that he was feeling the exact same way. They were quickly closing on the mountain range as Etna spoke, "if we reach the mountains by nightfall, they'll probably be a good place to stay. Caves are easy to insulate and dry if the temperature changes."
Sylvia nodded in agreement. If they could make it over the mountain range by noon tomorrow she figured they were making good time. There's no telling how far away the acid rivers are.. not really, but they're ahead of us.
"Sounds good," Sylvia commented and looked at her, biting her lip a little as they hiked. "How you holding up..?" She asked, knowing it was a rather worthless question, but she was worried about her.
"Still alive" she said with a joking smile, "and that's a pretty good start." For the next few moments, they walked in silence until they reached the base of the mountain range. It was covered in small, solid rocks and was easy to climb. Clouds were accompanying the fog as the threat of rain loomed overhead and the sun began to set.
Sylvia looked up and sighed, not liking the prospect of rain; her umbrella invention would require excess concentration. She wanted to conserve her energy; but she would use them if she needed to. She smiled a little to Etna and moved forward, climbing along the rocky range carefully.
When they reached the first plateau, Etna smiled as she saw what they were looking for; a deep cave. Moroy was the last to reach their level as he reached for Sylvia's hand, "this looks like a lovely place to stay tonight. What do you say, dear?"
She helped him up and sighed, looking down. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "It looks wonderful.." To be honest, she knew they wouldn't be lucky to have a cover over their heads during parts of their trip, so the relative privacy of a cave would be welcoming. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. "You lead the way, flyboy."
When they entered the cave, all of them could hear the echoing of something familiar. Moroy's face lit up as he quickened his pace into the cavern, "water!"
Sylvia followed him in and blinked. "Wait! Moroy!!" She rushed after him--caves were dangerous, in that unless you could see the end of them from the entrance, you could get lost and be unsure of how deep it could go. Quickly she tried to form a flame to illuminate the cave.
The attempt to light the way was futile as she chased him down. Despite her worrying, she caught up to him and found that her concerns were unwarranted. Etna caught up as well and the three of them stood overlooking a small hotspring as the steam wafted into the air, warming the cave. Moroy's face had a wide smile as he suddenly jumped to the side and pushed Etna in.
The blonde gasped as she fell but was quickly giggling and sputtering as she plunged into the water. Etna started to slip out of her clothing, finding them uncomfortable in the hot water as she took off her pants and tossed the soaked mound at Moroy, "hey, there could have been monsters in here!"
Sylvia stopped and sighed, heaving and leaning on her knees. Her face lit up as she saw the spring, and she laughed as Etna was pushed in. She chuckled and looked at Moroy. "Yeah, you should look before you.. get pushed in!" She laughed and shoved him into the water, then pulled off her cloak and pack quickly, wanting to join them.
Moroy laughed as he stripped off his clothes, tossing them onto the shore and treading the water in nothing but his boxers. Etna still had her soaked shirt on which clung to her skin, outlining her beautiful figure. Of course, she also had the exoweave undergarment on as she yelled at Sylvia, "get in here and take of some clothing before you do!"
Sylvia laughed and pulled off Moroy's shirt and tossed it aside, wearing her lace bra top, and let his jeans fall to the ground as she leapt into the water. She surfaced with a wet flip of her hair and a loud inhale. The water was so warm and soothing, she let out a soft sigh. "Hmm.. thank the gods.."
Moroy took no time playing around in the water, his most beloved element as he dunked Sylvia below the water, getting revenge for pushing him in. Beneath the water, Sylvia could see the outlines of every muscle on his wonderful body as well as the soft exoweave on Etna's lower body with her shirt looking rather uncomfortable on her upper.
"Eek!" Sylvia yelped and dunked under the water, moving closer to him, loving the warmth of the hot spring around her body. She sprung up next to him and grabbed him, laughing. "Gotcha!" She kissed him lovingly then, holding him close--the exoweave stuffed in her bra was quite visible.
Moroy kissed her lovingly as he held her in the pool, not really caring what Etna was doing. Sylvia felt his firm embrace on her body mixing with the soothing warm water to relax her completely. After the tense few moments in the Dead Zone, this was the perfect way to relax.
Off to the side, Etna was dipping her hair in the water, washing it gently and trying to give the couple their space.
She grinned and slowly waded in the water, putting her legs up around his waist as they floated together, kissing each other lovingly. She ran her fingers through his hair slowly and then broke the kiss, looking back at Etna. "Are we a problem..?" She knew this would happen in the Dead Zone at some point, but she didn't expect it to be so soon--she wanted to be comfortable around Etna, even in a comprimising position, and she wanted Etna to be equally, if not more so.
Etna shook her head, "I think the only problem I'm having is how awful wet fabric feels against my chest. Don't worry about me, lovebirds. If I'm being a problem, I can move to the other side of the cave."
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Once they were out, Sylvia looked back for what seemed forever, until Etna spoke. She nodded, then looked to the boat. It had no oars, so it seemed okay to leave for the time. I doubt it's here when we get back..
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Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
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Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
Like freeform roleplaying? Try Darkness Befalls Us
Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
Like freeform roleplaying? Try Darkness Befalls Us
Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
"Sounds good," Sylvia commented and looked at her, biting her lip a little as they hiked. "How you holding up..?" She asked, knowing it was a rather worthless question, but she was worried about her.
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Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
Like freeform roleplaying? Try Darkness Befalls Us
Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
Like freeform roleplaying? Try Darkness Befalls Us
Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
Like freeform roleplaying? Try Darkness Befalls Us
Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
The blonde gasped as she fell but was quickly giggling and sputtering as she plunged into the water. Etna started to slip out of her clothing, finding them uncomfortable in the hot water as she took off her pants and tossed the soaked mound at Moroy, "hey, there could have been monsters in here!"
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
Like freeform roleplaying? Try Darkness Befalls Us
Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
Like freeform roleplaying? Try Darkness Befalls Us
Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
Like freeform roleplaying? Try Darkness Befalls Us
Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
Off to the side, Etna was dipping her hair in the water, washing it gently and trying to give the couple their space.
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226
Like freeform roleplaying? Try Darkness Befalls Us
Ryttare Kelasin Luna Orelinalei
[Left Play Designs][Coffeehouse][DeviantArt]
Winner MTGS Weekly Sig/Banner Contest
Weeks: 37/85/87/94/135/159/160/226