songerein | closed ⚡🌠 where the pulse of the land offers no respite

Are they...?

[There's some doubt to her voice, because the way that they had darkened only seconds after absorbing it has her wondering if there's something else going on. It doesn't seem right... shouldn't a normal crystal shine more after taking in that sort of dreamotion, rather than completely snuffing it out within a blink and then... nothing?

Tifa steps closer to him.]

Are we sure we should be taking them...? I don't like this, Eustace...

The only way we'll know for sure what's going on is if we take a sample back.

[Though he also understands her reservations...]

We could send a message back to have someone meets us with a device that could hold it before taking it into the city for study. But this may be our only chance to collect it.

[And he's right, too...

If they come back again later, they risk whatever it is that lives here being back to greet them, and at least they can handle a few crystals, right...?

It's not as if this is the first time they've dealt with this much nightmare energy, right?

Though, that thought has her stomach turning. The last time that they had, it was back in that cave in the Wildlands... Back in that cave where...]

... Alright. But let's be careful, okay? I...

[The rest of that thought hangs in the air between them, but Tifa draws it back.]

How are we even going to break it free? I could try, but my leg...

[A small shake of his head.]

I can handle it. Just keep an eye out in case the owner returns.

[Owner of this then. And pulling out his dagger, he'll take a breath and step to the wall, using the blade to help dig and pry out one of the crystals. Even when he touches it he can feel it trying to suck out his dreamotion, so he has to quickly draw back and keep some distance while he quickly chisels away.]

Do you have your bag? We can carry it in there for now.

[Even Tifa can feel it the closer she gets, and so she steps right up to Eustace and presses herself almost desperately against him, as if to share their dreamotion with each other, or strengthen it, or anything that she can do to help combat the way these crystals try to drain them both, him especially.

She almost tries to force some starflowers to bloom, or to let her fires flicker to life, but maybe she shouldn't. It might just feed more of it into the crystals... and then what?]

I do, yeah.

[She slides it off her shoulder and pulls it open, only to find some shrivelled flowers where the starflowers she packed had once been.]

You think whatever is down here is using all this for something?

I don't know...

[A light grit of his teeth as he maneuvers his blade before he finally feels the crystal loosen. He almost reaches out to hold it, but then stops himself.]

Hold it under the crystal, I'll have it fall in.

[Nervous as she is, Tifa moves closer and lowers the open bag beneath it, her eyes on Eustace the entire time while he lets it slip in.]

Is your hand alright, by the way?

[He flashes her an appreciative small smile before he grits his teeth and briefly grabs the crystal to pry the rest of it off. Immediately he feels that attempt to draw out his dreamotion, but he feels something else as well. A cold chill that somehow... Blocks it? No, not quite, but there was definitely a reaction that leaves him staring at the pitch black crystal in the bag before he works to pry off one more, which goes quickly since it was right next to the one he took.]

It's fine... In fact, the nightmare energy I have may be helping.

[Those flowers that had been in her bag practically turn to dust the moment the crystal falls in, and Tifa frowns down at it along with him, feeling the full effects now. The way that the air thickens, how it grows both cold and hot at the same time, and how it tries to draw upon both of them, even as it sits at the bottom of the bag. There's nothing protecting them from it—it's just a cloth backpack—so she's still a bit wary of carrying it all the way out, but...]

Think you can share some of that...?

[A wry grin as the next crystal falls and he'll take the bag from her.

But...hm.

A low, thoughtful hum before he focuses that nightmare energy from within. It's cool, quick, as if eager to be used, and soon the bag is enveloped by a translucent blueish blackish membrane. While they can still feel nightmare energy, it's now his own so the effect is more subtle.]

I'm not sure how long I can keep this barrier up, but it's the best for now.

[Oh, she hadn't meant that for real, so she's a bit surprised by him creating that barrier. Nightmare energy or not, it bears that familiar signature of his—one that, although it still leaves her a little on edge, it's less so than what the crystals are giving off. A small relief, but it doesn't come without a warning from her...]

Just don't push yourself too hard, alright?

[She'll start to close up the bag.]

That should be enough? Not sure we should even be carrying more than this.

[A small nod as he takes the bag and shoulders it.]

We shouldn't risk anymore, and we've been down here long enough. Let's hurry back.

Edited 2023-10-12 18:04 (UTC)

[She was ready to shoulder the bag again, thanks to his protection, but...

She'll only give him another wary look before backing down and looking to him for his support again to help her walk. Her ankle is doing better, but still not completely up to snuff.]

Wish there was a closer entrance...

[...A small click of his tongue as he helps her up the tunnel, making her go first this time. Better so she doesn't get exposed to the bag behind him.]

We have to climb out, don't we.

[Right... they fell through that giant hole in the floor...]

Either that, or we find another way out of here through a different tunnel...

[While there is that barrier keeping them both relatively safe, it doesn't block out everything. Even that seems to fade in and out, and she can feel her own dreamotion being drained, albeit slowly, but surely.]

We could try the vines again?

[Still worth a shot?]

[A small nod.]

I was thinking the same. We can use the vines to climb up... We can even try and have them carry us up. It would take more dreamotion, but it may be worth it if it will get us up faster.

[She's staring up, her nose crinkling at the distance they'll no doubt have to go.

It's a silly thing to feel guilty about asking, and if he knew what she was thinking, he might just scold her all over again, but—]

Maybe... if we try it together? I'm not sure I could manage by myself. Not after being... in there...

[Or with the crystals still at Eustace's back, and she can imagine he might feel the same, though perhaps to a lesser extent? She still doesn't really know for certain.]

[Why is she hesitating—she should say it with more confidence?? TEAM WORK, WIFE.]

Did you think I would let you try by yourself?

[If he weren't behind her he'd poke her on the nose.]

We'll do it together.

Edited 2023-10-12 22:00 (UTC)

Well, no, but...

[She gives him a shy, sheepish look.]

You've already been working yourself so hard...

[She didn't want to make him do all the work. Tifa feels terrible for having hurt herself that he's had to practically haul her there and then back, and now... She wanted to at least do something for him in return, but he's right.

Her hand will slip easily into his, though, as if she means to gather and share as much dreamotion energy as they both can before they'll need to use it, and also to help support her as she tries to hop over the ledges that will get them out of this damn tunnel... And she winces quietly when she puts weight on her foot in just the wrong way.]

Edited 2023-10-12 22:39 (UTC)

[He could get a vague idea of what she's thinking, and he can only smile a little.]

I'll be fine, don't worry.

[And just as they near the exit with that fond feeling growing, Eustace feels a strange prick on the back of his neck. It's sharp cold, and it makes him reach back to feel around, but... There's nothing?

Was it a bug? A piece of rock hitting him? A jolt of nightmare energy from the bag?

The pain he felt had already subsided as if it never happened, and seeing Tifa hop down ahead of him pulls him back to the present as he follows soon after.]

You all right?

[She does notice that he's reached around to the back of his neck, but she thinks nothing of it. Chalks it up to the fact that she has been feeling it too—nightmare energy crawling over her skin, trying to find any place it can to dig further into her and set its roots down, but having Eustace here, and having that protection around their necks helps to stem some of that, at least.

Never mind that she has something else to focus on as she almost stumbles over the crevice before catching herself.]

Yeah. I'm fine. Just... stepped funny.

[Except that when she tries to move again, she'll be met with another sharp sting.]

Think some of that dreamotion of yours wore off, though.

[With the strange sensation forgotten, Eustace quickly joins her and crouches down.]

Hold on, I'll reapply it... But you should still take it easy and not put any weight on it.

[Once more he'll use his dreamotion, that coolness and electric warmth rippling over her skin and into the strained muscle.]

Hold onto me.

[She doesn't need telling twice. She reaches for him, her hand gripping his shoulder as he crouches down to reapply the magic, and she sighs with relief once the coolness drifts over her skin, massaging into the muscles in her ankle.

And even when he stands, she keeps her hold on him with an almost shameful smile.]

I'm sorry... just a little further... I'll see someone once we get back to town.

Don't be.

[Just a small poke to her nose before he kisses the top of her head.]

Just hold out a little longer.

[He then looks up to where the opening is, throwing up one of his lightning orbs to help illuminate it.]

I'll cast the first vine to hook it up there. Then you can create your own to join mine and we'll work together to pull ourselves up.

[And she can, thanks to that nose boop and the kiss, both making her smile even in the dark nightmare energy that looms around them, and through the pain in her ankle.]

Okay.

[She'll slip her arms around his shoulders more fully now so that the vine can grab and carry them together, and there's the telltale warmth that tells him that she's ready.

Though, she does feel that slight difference... how she has to work just a little harder to even call it forth... but it's there.]

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