escordvi | closed ⚡🪶 and forevermore, i'll be chasing the storm we had.

[She steps further into the room, her eyes only just now adjusting and her nose wrinkles.]

I'll be sure to personally thank whoever emptied it out for us.

[And maybe it's the way that her voice echoes so goddamn loud that reminds her that this is just another dead end, but it makes that frustration bubble over into a boil, and with a frustrated scream—]

Fuck!

[—she blasts the entire room with wind.]

Edited 2024-01-25 05:02 (UTC)

[He had a feeling that would happen, so he just braces himself for the blast. However...

"Eep!!"

There's a sudden cry from behind them that makes Cid instantly turn around—]

...You again?

[Lo, it's the little fire spriteling thing whatever.]

[The sound of a voice from behind has Benedikta whirling to face it, more wind at the ready when she sees the little fire sprite from earlier, but she lowers her hand when she sees it cowering.]

Come to try stealing from under our noses, have you?

[The sprite quivers, its flames receding a little under her angry stare.

"N-no, windy lady. I still have the coin." And with its big beady eyes, it lifts the coin that Cid had given it earlier.]

[Well fancy that.]

Then what brings you all the way out here?

[Hearing Cid's voice, there's a bit more relief as it edges towards him, the coin clutched tight in its...hands?

"I...I was worried and...and I can help!!"]

[She relaxes, though only a bit, that ire of hers still burning bigger than that little fire sprite could ever hope to be.]

Help how?

[It's so... small... And made up of fire just like everything else in this volcano.

But it's already moving along the walls, stopping on the other side from where she stands.

"I know a secret way!" And it points to the little hole in the wall near the floor.

Brows arch, but she glances at Cid expectantly.]

Edited 2024-01-25 06:34 (UTC)

[Cid will also exchange a glance with Benedikta, walking over to crouch down and inspect said hole.

He sends out a small spark inside, and judging from the shadows from the brief illumination, it is a room in there.]

Bit small... But I think another strong blast should do the trick.

[Benedikta moves right up beside him, gently nudging Cid away.]

Step aside.

[All of that anger needs someplace to go, and right into her fingertips it does. She doesn't even wait for the fire sprite to realize what's going on and skitter out of the way before she's loosing her magick, the winds mixed with her aether strong and violent enough to weather through the toughest of rocks.

The sprite yelps and holds onto the top of its head as if clinging to the flames like they are a hat or clothes, but everything dies away just as fast as they had come, revealing another small, dark corridor.]

[Benedikta might not wait, but Cid will try to shield the poor thing with his leg, not wanting it to be snuffed out by her winds, so it at least won't feel the brunt of it.

But once it's clear, the little sprite will peek around his boot before skittering forward.

"T-This way!!"]

Wee thing is like a treasure magnet.

[A little amused, Cid will follow after, the sprite actually making its flames larger to provide enough light so he doesn't have to.]

So long as it's not our treasure that it steals.

[Then she will let it lead the way, ducking into the hole that she's made into the carved corridor, the only sound being their footsteps and the crackle of the sprite's flames. And some rumbling overhead... Benedikta arching her brows at the sound before she picks up the pace.]

We should make this quick.

[She can still feel the presence of her sisters, but that didn't make her feel very confident in what time they have left, and she'd rather not be trapped in a room against that giant horse.

A room that the fire sprite leads them to that's unlike the one that they had just been in, the glint of coin and jewels already lighting up when it steps in.]

[Cid lets out a low whistle as he looks around.]

Not sure what they needed all this for, but safe to say it wasn't the original owners who cleared out that other room then.

[Otherwise they wouldn't have left all this behind. It's not a big room, either, can barely fit the both of them, but he'll be looking over the books that looked to have more value than the ones Benedikta had tossed around before.]

[As much treasure as there actually is, there is only one thing that she is looking for. The sprite backs up out of the room, only far enough that its flame still illuminates, but puts it out of the way of Benedikta shoving her way further in, the jewels and treasures clanging and clinking as she rummages through them. But it's just more gold, more jewels, and then more gold.

Which would be appealing if she wasn't feeling so frustrated.]

What sort of relic is it anyway?

If anyone knew that, it wouldn't be as much of a mystery.

[Which is a bit unfortunate.]

Though I've also heard that there is a map that could help find it. Of course that also seems to be scattered to pieces and who knows what the map actually looks like.

[He's flipping through the books, the writing illegible to him, but he's going to take them, anyway.]

[An angry fire sparks in her eyes as she looks at him, shoving a few of the smaller jewels into the pouch strapped to her leg.]

So then how are we supposed to find any leads on this stupid thing?

[After last night, he knows she is very keen on finding whatever will control those rifts, so her frustration is understandable. He himself had low expectations, though that doesn't mean he isn't a bit disappointed.

So he'll come up behind her, his hand first reaching out to hers, before wrapping an arm around her waist.]

There may still be something. And if not, we at least can get plenty of funds to research more into it.

[The sprite gasps and lifts its "hands" over its eyes when Cid's arm finds her waist.

The gesture does something to placate some of that tension that's built up quickly in her, and rather than scowl up at him, it crumples into something of a light frown.]

There is no time to research it, Cidolfus...

There's no time to run around recklessly, either.

[He continues to hold her against him, fingers now threading with hers as he circles his thumb over the back of her hand.]

We will find it. But for now, let's see what all is here and take the most valuable. There may yet be something of some use at least.

[The sprite peers out from behind its little fiery fingers, screeches, and then hides again.

Her own thumb runs along the back of his hand in response, her fingers tightening around his, as if she means to keep him rooted to this world by that alone.]

The only thing that will be of use will be the relic itself.

[She mumbles it under her breath, her chest tightening again in frustration. So desperate that she hardly cares about the rest of the shit in this room. And she pushes herself back away from him, her expression shifting with doubt.]

Stop wasting time and keep looking.

[He can't help but look at her with a pensive frown before he just shakes his head and returns to see what all there is and if there is anything of real worth.

Aside from the couple of tomes, it all seems to be various treasures of gold, gems, jewelry...]

...Hm, strange little dagger.

["Little" being an understatement as he picks it up from where it was set on a display. At first he thought it would be decorative, but it has some real heft to it. And... Some kind of substance...

He'll be grabbing one of the many silk cloths to wrap it in, everything else on his side looking just like standard fare treasure. Might as well take a few of the gems to sell.]

[She's busying herself with dusting off and flipping through the books, the pages flitting under her finger as she tries to find a map. Any map. But any that she does find are completely, utterly useless. One, two, three, six books, that last one getting pages torn out of it and flung across the room to the wall.]

Fucking useless shit. What am I supposed to do with books that we can't even read!?

[That last word is punctuated by a very large blast of wind aimed at the shelves, knocking several more tomes to the ground. Her eyes burn, either from the heat or the dust or the tears that start to line the edges of her eyes, and she whips around to swipe her hand over them.]

[...]

Have you let it all out yet?

[At the other end of the room, her shoulders droop, and she casts one look over them to him, to the dagger he's found, and then away again.]

Let what out?

[A small, quiet sigh as he once again approaches.]

Come here.

[He's soft. Too soft. Too kind, too genuine, too good, and she stiffens when she hears him approach her, but doesn't move away.

From the doorway, the sprite watches with big, teary eyes, a little sniffle sounding from it when Cid moves to her.]

I was sure we would find something. Anything. Even a hint.

[She had been stupid to think so, to get her expectations up, but—]

They need to be shut.

[By the time she says her last words, his arms are around her again, pulling her into a tight embrace.]

I doubt many would argue against that.

[She doesn't hold him back quite yet, but she does lean against him, her weight falling to his chest. She does briefly cast a glance to the sprite when she hears it sniffle again, and she shifts uncomfortably when she sees it watching them with teary eyes.]

You would be surprised...

[She realizes that she hasn't said a thing about her real intentions with the relic, should they find it. She's only told a couple of other people, and only the people she thought might have had some semblance of knowledge on how to perform said magic...]

People aren't exactly keen on shutting the rifts forever.

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