Elves + Labyrinth = ridiculous 80s movies! Wait.

[freedom_is_grey]

After having put on Liranan's spiked collar and carefully painted kaddis on Liranan -- just in case something terrible happens in the Labyrinth, Ysalwen straps her sword and staff to her back, shoulders her pack, and heads downstairs to pick up Quentin.

Presumably he's already waiting.

Comments

[heatherandsteel]

"No, I mean there are always points where Toby tells someone who's in charge off, but that's different. I guess Blind Michael was a force of slavery but he was just wrong. Do nobles have those kinds of adventures in your world? I mean I think they have happened to some Fae but not recently. Oh yes, San Francisco has a lot of hills,"

Those sorts of quests were from a different world, he's read stories of them and doesn't believe all of them.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Nobles generally don't have any adventures where I'm from. They don't like them, and what they don't like has a tendency not to happen. Unexpected, right?"

Her observation is dry, however. Bone dry.

"I was mostly thinking about popular stories. There's no end to tales of Andraste, for one. Also: pirates."

Hmm.

"I think it was -- this way? Liranan, tell me if I'm wrong."

Liranan wags his tail a few times, checks the ground for a minute, and then goes bounding off to the left.

"Follow that dog?"

[heatherandsteel]

"Landless nobles have adventures in the hopes of winning land or something, but I know those kinds of stories,"

He laughs as Liranan bounds off.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Do you have a favorite kind of story? Maybe one that doesn't have random nobles winning land for the purposes of -- having land. I've never quite understood that."

A desire to protect she gets.

But if landed in Faerie is of particular importance in terms of survival -- well.

She has no idea about that.

[heatherandsteel]

"I always liked the story where the unexpected hero solved the riddle or found a way for everyone to get what they need and some of what they want,"

Cleverness and fairness are tricky to get right in a story but they're in his favorite ones.

[freedom_is_grey]

Her attention perks up, even as she crouches down and studies a few nearby stones.

"Ah, here we are. It should be through that cave mouth just up ahead."

And upon standing --

"Are there any heroes in particular you want to be like?"

[heatherandsteel]

"No, not really, because while I admire some things they do, I don't like everything. What do the stones show you?"

[freedom_is_grey]

"There's a triangle marker that indicates this is the entrance. On the stone, I mean."

Oh. Wait.

"Did you bring a flashlight? I wasn't thinking and just grabbed a torch."

[heatherandsteel]

"I don't think so, but I can check,"

He has good night vision but flashlights can be helpful. Inside the backpack are lots of sandwiches, a first aid kit, bottles of water, cat treats and no flashlight.

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen also has excellent night vision -- the kind that makes her eyes reflect like a cat's -- but deep within the earth -- or within whatever forms the borders of the Labyrinth --

Even the faintest of light may be too much to hope for.

"If you don't mind fire, or magical glowing, I think we'll be fine. Unless someone in there casts a dispel. Which is always possible, I presume. Unfortunately."

[heatherandsteel]

"No, not at all and there might be wall torches or something,"

Most knowes have various kinds of lighting, it would make sense for a labyrinth to have something too.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Well, torches I have. Well. One torch."

She'll fish around in her pack for a moment, then hand it over to Quentin.

He might want to inspect it or something.

"In case."

[heatherandsteel]

"My phone has a flashlight on it," That should help.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Well, that's certainly efficient."

It cannot be denied.

Then Ysalwen pulls her traveling cloak a little closer, against the forthcoming damp, and heads inside the cave.

Liranan follows, then passes her. Dogs take point. In case Quentin would like to know.

[heatherandsteel]

Quentin shrugs and follows after, giving his eyes a little time to get adjusted, "Its another option if we need it."

[freedom_is_grey]

"I like options."

Liranan, meanwhile, is sniffing the floor and walls, almost like someone surprised by what they are scenting.

Ysalwen's lips twitch.

"How quietly can you move, Quentin?"

[heatherandsteel]

"Pretty quietly, I'm working on that, but I know spells to make someone not notice us. What's wrong?"

Liranan is very determined in his sniffing.

[freedom_is_grey]

"Nothing yet. Liranan is just investigating. But -- perhaps clattering around like we're in our own country is not the wisest course of action for us."

Maybe.

Just maybe.

[heatherandsteel]

"Right, best to be safe,"

He gets quiet, working on keeping his footfalls soft while looking around.

[freedom_is_grey]

Liranan's tail wags, sudden and swift, and he darts off ahead, paws relatively silent against the stone of the floor.

Ysalwen mutters something uncomplimentary and follows, shields snapping into place as she does so.





The grass underfoot is quite a surprise. As is Liranan worrying at a rabbit, seemingly ignoring the fact that they are still surrounded by stone on all sides except one.

"Um. At least it's not cake?"

[heatherandsteel]

Quentin draws his sword and then stops when they stand on grass,

"I didn't feel a transition, that's odd. Cake?"

[freedom_is_grey]

"I didn't, either. But sometimes you don't. When -- well. When magic is involved. Magic, and places other than the exact physical world. Not that this is the Fade, I'd know that right enough."

Weird.

"Liranan, finish the bloody rabbit, please."

So he does.

"He likes to scavenge cake on the road. Maker knows why people discard so much of it, but there you go."

[heatherandsteel]

"On my world, I always feel it when I go from one world to the other. The absence is strange. Yes, this isn't Faerie either. That's a waste of cake,"

A shadow starts to appear on the one of the stone walls and Quentin points to it, not wanting to make too much noise.

[freedom_is_grey]

Ysalwen's gaze flicks in that direction. She feels thankful she did not drop her shields, despite the distraction of the rabbit.

"Hmm."

Following the shadow back from the direction the light suggests it's coming from reveals --

Nothing.

Oh, that can't be good.

[heatherandsteel]

The shadow keeps moving down the wall and now there's a suggestion of a wing or maybe a claw, it can't seem to decide.

Quentin shifts his position to be ready to attack and tastes the air to see if there's blood or something he can use.