SoS B1 C3 X3: Cliff Face
"I really hadn't accounted for the rest of you following me."
Immuena floated up next to Laemon, "I was more following Allarah. Who now has my eternal thanks for saving Tskhan!" Her grin screamed anxiously thankful.
"This isn't one of those, 'And now you must die' moments right?" Allarah coughed and began poking at her ribs. "I'd really rather that not be the case."
Laemon didn't immediately answer Allarah's question, and instead glanced to each of them, then shook his head. "No, no, bad odds. Besides, you're decent enough people. It just causes a bit of a kink. Originally I'd planned to go alone. I hadn't counted on the two-to-a-bike bit, nor those.. things. For now I'm going to stick with you lot, if it's all the same to you.” He looked over to Immuena, seeking an answer to his question.
"Personally, I don't mind making friends, so long as the others don't mind. But wait... does that mean you knew we were heading toward this cliff?"
"I had a hunch," he answered, shrugging.
She frowned, but let it drop. “What do you think made the beasts stop following us?" Immuena hopped off her bike and walked closer to Laemon's as she talked. "There's odd meta saturation here, but other than that, I don't know what would stop them." Immuena added after a short pause.
"Think they lost their nerve when the big guy tumbled?" Allarah coughed.
Tskhan got off the bike and joined the group "Haha, obviously they lost their nerve when I was smacking them down left and right. The better question is, are these creatures a cause or a symptom of this odd meta."
"Well, whatever scared them off had good timing. I think one fractured my rib." Allarah rubbed her side lightly and looked at the cliff. "Aren't we wasting time here. If we don't hurry, the Somnolent might get to the the energy cells before we do."
"Well, I'd squeeze you if your rib wasn't hurting for saving Tskhan's ribs." Immuena tried to lighten the mood. "But you're right. Think we should head toward Don and Ulysses?" She went back to her bike.
"Allarah, thanks by the way." He rubbed the back of his head. "I owe you a hug, but if I hug you you'll be crushed." Tskhan jumpped off the back of Immuena's bike and and readied his halberd.
"Laemon, did you wanna check this place out? I don't mind looking about if you don't want to leave yet. I would just be more comfortable knowing some of us were on our way. Admittedly, I want to figure out what this odd meta signal is." Allarah leaned against their bike as she looked Laemon over.
"Allarah, you're our designated engineer. Actually, you're our designated anthropologist, general psiolic, and geologist on top of engineer. We kind of need you to be there. I think we can investigate this later." Immuena stated somewhat tentatively.
"But curiosity comes with being all of those things. Figuring out what's here could help in the long run. But I get it. The cells need to be handled properly. And we need to be there soon."
"I might be trying to win too hard, but as it is, I think we're at a major disadvantage and we need to grab what we can. Sorry if that isn't what you prefer." Imuenna frowned a bit.
"Regardless, it's up to Laemon for me. I can't drive." Allarah chuckled.
"Your one fault. Ah!" Immuena exclaimed somewhat sarcastically. "What say you, Laemon?"
Laemon pointed up the cliff. "If I'm right, then up this cliff is the city. The others will be driving for quite a while still to get to the city entrance, which is where all the energy cells will have already been picked clean. My plan was originally to come in solo, clamber up there, swipe as much as I could from the untouched part of the city, and be headed out while you guys were still picking around." He scratched his stubble. "I wonder what the odds are that there are secret entrances here. Sewer outflow, or something perhaps?"
"If you're right, this cities barrier stopped the beasts and that's the reason for the meta." Immuena looked pleased with the outcome. "Why don't you and Allarah climb up while Tskhan and I watch the bikes? Or we can help look for a sewer outflow."
"Do you know if the city is still inhabited?" Allarah started rifling through her bag. She pulled out a small black pen and her handgun. She tucked the handgun into her waistband but kept the pen in hand. She twisted it tentatively in her fingers as the rain fell. "I hope there is a way to avoid climbing up the cliff face. It's raining a lot and those rocks are probably slippery. Depending on the frequency of the storms, the harder edges of the rock face have probably eroded away as well. Going up this way will be difficult, if not impossible... not to mention, it's going to be a long fall if we slip.
"That's just going up. If we do find a way in, I think it would be a good idea to split up. Me and Laemon, since this was his plan and I am the engineer, will go to retrieve the cells. I don't want to count on our entrance being our exit, so I think it would be best if Tskhan and Immuena took the bikes to the entrance of the city. If the cells we take are the only things keeping the beasts at bay as Immuena suggests, then we would want to leave the city as quickly as possible. I don’t know, I could be wrong..."
Allarah coughed into her fist and felt the flare of pain in her ribs. Her free hand found them quickly to cradle the injury. Being wet only made the sensation worse. "What do you guys think?"
"Well, then Tskhan would have to drive... And these trails aren't friendly." Immuena countered.
"Yeah, there's that. I don't see any other option though, other than going back the way we've come. It's risky, but better than letting Tskhan kill himself."
"What do you think Tskhan?" Immuena twisted herself to make eye contact.
"I'm truly unsure where all this doubt in me is coming from. What if Allarah and I retrieve the cells and Leamon and Immeuna stay with the bikes? I'm probably worth more on foot than a bike anyway."
"Laemon has no reason to trust us. Plus if something happens, he can get the cells to you guys quicker than I can. After all, this is to save people. I mean, it was put forth as a contest, but we're doing this to protect Saumai... right?" She smiled at Tskhan and Immuena while rubbing her side.
Laemon cleared his throat awkwardly. "I'm going to the city with or without you guys. I have to represent Hedon either way. Something happens while you're up there and you have to duck, I get less. Something happens up there and I have to duck... well, that's on me, but at least I can say I tried."
"Are you still planning on climbing? We could all look for an alternate entrance." Immuena said while gently patting Tskhan on the back.
Laemon half-shrugged. "It would be nice to find one. If we spend too long, though, then we lose our time bonus and we're all screwed. I don't plan on discussing it much further." He was already eyeing the cliff, looking for a path.
“Allarah, how good is your solid or gas magic? Maybe you could look for an opening in the rock based on air currents or the obvious lack of rock. I would if I could, I doubt my auric magic will show me anything helpful." Immuena tried using her auric sight after she finished talking.
"It's a bit sketchy... actually, not really good at all, but it wouldn't hurt to look. Laemon, did you bring climbing gear? It would be a hell of a thing to catch you if you slipped."
"Grappling hook and nylon rope," he affirmed. "Not really my kind of climbing, admittedly.
"Laemon, hold on a second." Allarah stepped up next to him. "Over here." She pointed at the rougher rocks. "About ten feet up from there is an alcove that may lead into a cave system... or sewer, judging from the smell."
"About 20 feet up I saw some ghastly splotches. Might be beasts, might not. That's all I see." Immuena stopped searching the cliff and found a comfortable position on the bike.
Allarah glanced at the rock again. "I'm going with Laemon. Ten feet isn't that bad a fall, and I need to check out those cells." She looked to Laemon. "I'm not expecting you to wait for me, but I hope you don't mind me following you regardless."
Laemon looked back at the rest of the group. "You all sure you're fine waiting here. Didn't you guys have a plan when you came?"
"Well, honestly, we didn't have much of one. From what I can tell, we're the only envoy that's mostly if not completely in the dark about this whole mission. So, no."
Laemon nodded. "I can go with that." He paused, looked at Ulysses and Donald, newly arrived and quietly idling on their bike, and hmmmed aloud. "Mind if I take one of them?"
"I nominate Ulysses." Allarah grinned.
Still trying to catch his nerves, Donald looked up from the bit of the bike he was staring at. "Seconded", he grunted, still coming to terms with the notion that listening to and watching driving instructors may save your life one day, even if you prefer to play cricket with your friends.
"Right then, it's decided. You ready for a climb Ulysses? It's going to be through a sewer, so you might wanna prepare for some serious olfactory punishment."
Comments