"Hope takes breath when kindred tempers cast off qualms and hubris."
As dynamic as two conjoined streams, driving toward the distant sea, minds in concord free the channel clogs that masquerade reality. But what of us, cast adrift in this inscrutable world? It all comes down to who we are together and how we fasten life to truth.
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Varian could hardly think after he'd realized what Piper had done, the sacrifice she'd made. And thinking was his best defense, his best way to cope with anything. Now, he was powerless. He'd tried to fight the door open, but clearly, Piper had barred it shut, leaving him pounding his fists against the mechanism desperately.]
Piper-!
[That had been... He isn't sure how long ago. He's collected himself since, and started to try finding the workshop. It shouldn't have been as difficult as it is, though. Not having Piper around - not thinking about how angry he is at her - should mean it's easier to focus, but the exact opposite is true. He is, despite everything, so worried about her.
And he can't even do anything about it. Again. But this time, it's not that everyone's turned their backs on him, it's that he's in over his head.]
She's fine. She probably got away and left.
[Because... Why wouldn't she leave? Everyone was letting him down, these days.
After that thought, he makes it about fifteen feet before he turns around with a groan.]
I can't believe I'm doing this...
[There has to be a way for him to get that door open.]
Upon doubling back he'd find the path had changed. Instead of a straight hallway there was a sudden turn, taking him to the left. That wall blocking his progress and steering him in this new direction was definitely not there before. It seemed that magic wasn't done messing with his life just yet.
Following the maze's direction, however, would soon lead him into a room filled with the remnants of partially assembled automatons and an archaic looking control panel. At its center sat a bronze sphere, orbited by two crisscrossing rings. It resembled, in a way, the locking mechanism they'd encountered at the door, but much larger- still small enough that it could be carried under an arm, should he choose to dislodge it.
There was a viewing panel overlooking a large room, and if he found the right switch he would manage to activate the mechanical torches lining the walls.
There, in the shadows at the edge of the wall was a beaten and bloodied shape lying in the dark atop a pile of bones. A close enough look would reveal that her shoulders were rising and falling, but the movement was minimal and too stilted to be regular breathing. She was hurt, her ribs injured in the fight.
The panel would begin to frost over before he could act past that, however, two of the four automatons from before entering the room that held Piper below, looking up towards the control room.
It was a trap, Piper was the bait, and Varian was the target. The doorway that had led him into the room slammed shut without warning, heavy and unmovable.
A cold voice hissed and crackled, like a rapid freeze racing through a forest, snapping branches and solidifying everything in its wake. ]
We knew you would come for this one. Human, stay where you are or the demigod dies.
[ As the voice spoke the other three automatons began searching for a way into the control room.
Ready or not, Varian will find that he's working on a time limit. ]
[This was all happening too fast, and even the clever young man could barely keep his thoughts straight. One thing at a time. He could do that. Just one thing at a-
That mentality was lost when he made out Piper's figure, struggling to breathe. Varian's own breathing seemed to stop for a moment. No. No, he wasn't losing anyone else.]
Where are you? [He shouted at the voice, trying to be heard over the banging on the door from the automatons.] Why are you doing this?!
[ If he looks, he'll find that he has everything he needs in the control room. The sphere is the key, it can activate the traps. Or perhaps the answer lies in the broken parts around the room, something he can use to fashion NEW traps of his own. ]
I asked where you are, not who you are.
[He approaches the sphere. He's on a time limit, though, that's the problem. He needs to think it through - but not any more than necessary. He keeps talking, trying to keep his tone casual, as he sets to work.]
This sounds like some serious dark magic... Are you sure you want to mess with something like that?
So then, that chill they'd been feeling since stepping foot in the area of the maze with the workshop had nothing to do with the labyrinth. It was THEM. ]
Foolish human! Even if you know, what can YOU do to stop us? These metal bodies will be sufficient to destroy this obstacle and then we shall have NEW bodies. There is no need for foolish magical trickery!
[The words are muttered softly as he continues to try and solve the puzzle. It should be easier. He just did something so similar...]
How is this getting you new bodies, exactly?
[Keep them talking. He's sure if he can distract them some, he can finish this in time.]
Greek villains are morons and I love it.
Simple... we will take yours. Now enough! OPEN THE DOOR! OR- OR...
[ Well, now the cat's out of the bag isn't it? They can't KILL Piper if they want to take her body, can they? But they can't take her body before they get Varian to cooperate. ]
Absolutely excellent!
Ugh! I don't have time for this!
[ Meanwhile, Piper has found enough strength, it seems, to snark FOR him. ]
Get bent, you... ghostly bucket of... rusty bolts... preferably... literally.
SILENCE!
[Even if - when, when - he ensures their safety, she's going to need medical attention. That cuts the little time he thought he had... About in half, he realizes.]
I'm going to get this...
[And sure enough, something in the puzzle clicks into place.]
I am so pulling things out of thin air right now. LOL
The puzzle solved, the sphere responds, and the control room brightens to life. He'll find that he can now control the partially assembled automatons, who's lights begin to blink to life, pulling mismatched parts towards one another. On the other side of the room a door appears where there didn't seem to be seams for one at all, and a set of stairs led a clear path down into the arena. The sphere had detected the presence of the Eidolon's and was reacting accordingly, providing what it thought was its creator the means to fight back and escape. ]
LMAO same! But it works!
Here we go...
[He does take one moment at the control panel to bring an automaton over and make it pull its unfinished, hand-less arm out of the metal socket - then snap it in half.]
Thanks!
[He grabs the impromptu weapon - it's no staff, but it'll do if he needs something. He really hopes he doesn't need something. Then he takes off at a run down the stairs.]
Edited (lol what is html even?) 2019-05-04 11:20 pm (UTC)
LOL Yeah this is true!
Turning at the sound of his footsteps the celestial bronze monstrosity brandishes a sword and advances without a word. ]
Let's go.
[He charged at the automaton with the rod he'd gotten, first blocking a blow with its sword and then combining what he'd learned to do with a spear with his mechanical knowledge. This way, he was able to entirely remove the arm of the automaton that had been wielding the sword.
The now unarmed mechanical guard soon lay on the ground, the rod sticking through its body, as Varian raced to reach Piper.]
Her eyes were barely open by the time he reached her, her breathing quiet but present, still shallow to avoid jarring her ribs as much as possible. If she could just get to the abmbrosia and nectar in her bag...
Looking up, she isn't sure what to expect. Piper had never doubted that at heart Varian was still a good person, maybe just made some bad choices, but given what he'd been through there had been a part of her expecting him to take the sphere and leave her to her fate. She'd gone into it knowingly, after all, she wasn't even his responsibility. That he's here now and had come for her, chosen to rescue her over taking the sphere... Piper was at a loss for words. ]
Goggles...
[He shook his head sharply, but the look in his eyes was undeniably caring. Did it really take losing or almost losing someone to realize how much he cared about them?]
Don't talk. Just... We have to get you out of here.
Somehow that gives her the strength to nod once, to move, to push through the pain and force herself up into a position that would be easier for him to help pull her up- or try. It isn't done without some sounds of discomfort, though, a little cry of agony that she bites back as much as she can. He's right, they need to go, and that means they don't have time for her to lie there like a useless bag of bones.
In the distance there's a distinct howl of outrage, though it sounds far away and cold, almost hollow.
The eidolons sound like they're having a blast trying to find these two. ]
They're still not on our trail, I guess. [He murmurs at the cry.] That's good, it'll give us a little time.
Piper wants to stop to ask if he'd managed to find anything useful, before they leave and- more likely than not -lose any chance to grab said spoils, but just sitting up had made the room spin, and she thinks better of trying to talk again just yet.
She does manage to dig hastily into a pocket on the inside of her cloak, ignoring the pain as she drags out a small sack. Upon opening it her hand disappears inside for a brief moment, and she draws out a small vial of something, which she unstops and drinks from. Shoving the vial back into the folds of her cloak, she tries to think as the nectar begins its work taking off the worst edge of pain. NOW she has enough of her wits about her to attempt speaking, and spares him a glance even as she looks between the door he'd emerged from and the corridor where the angry howling had roughly emanated from.]
Find anything...?