Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

She can't fall slower...
Turns out the fall is farther than it looked, because she winds up plummeting just a little less deep than the first time.


"Oh my god, please tell me you at least saw the fort on your way back here."

The crowd seems to agree, confusion spreading as they all seem to be waiting.

"We would like to apologize, but it turns out that one of the athletes couldn't make it to the match today. In lieu of the set, those who are here will simply have a public practice session." A loudspeaker says, the athletes mostly just practicing serves on separate courts.

 

"Really? Ugh."
Bardock sits disappointed in his seat.

 

Stephanie, having held her breath this time, swims back up to the surface.


"Aren't these walls the fort?" I ask, confused.

 

About half of the Terraes set up a mana shield to block out the arrows while the other half simply disappear after being hit. The draconian starts to feel a strong pulling on her limbs, as if they're being pulled from every direction possible.

 

He's always free to leave at any point.

They play a couple 1-on-1 matches, but nothing too exciting.

She doesn't give in, firing arrows that pierce several of the shields as she monitors you.

She makes it back up easily, glass still surrounding the way back up.


"A wall is a wall. A fort isn't just a wall."

 

Stephanie tries punching through the glass as hard as she can.


"This is my fort. It's fort Aj." I say, sliding down to the middle of the area the walls protect.

 

"Yeah... this is boring."
Bardock stands up and leaves.

 

She ends up punching a flap, which swings out and back, smacking her.


The book goes quiet.


Artemis feels watched.
"Hey, be alert. Someone's here." Rineth says, reverting.

As you leave, you wind up seeing a swim team walk by, one of them waving as they head to the locker room.

 

Stephanie tries climbing through the flap.


I sit where I am, thinking.


Wooden clones of Artemis wielding scythes spiral out from the ground, looking around as Artemis draws back an arrow.

 

Bardock gently waves back, with a happy smile on his face.

 

That's pretty easy.
Now, she can walk around the top of the glass.
Preferable to below it...


"What exactly are you trying to do again?"


Ihra...? blinks into view.
"Hey... w-what happened to Stephanie? She said I was fake..." She asks, uneasy.

________________________________

You're a bit startled by a starting gun, but after that, you're simply left to find another venue to watch.

 

Stephanie explores the top of the glass, looking for anything interesting.


"Try and find something related to the relic." I say, shrugging.


Artemis aims the arrow at Ihra.

"Your false appearances don't deceive me. I thought we were done with you, or are you looking for another war?" Artemis asks, her clones standing ready.

 

She can see multiple staircases of glass down on the edges of the tank, but it's another long hike...


"Oh yes, you're trying sooo hard right now."


"Hehee, you haven't changed a bit."
Pause.
"Unfortunately, this isn't a guise. You'll never be done with the Hive Master until you kill him... but if you don't mind, I think I'll relieve you of a few party members." She says, grinning as her staff turns into an axe.
"...And those two look a bit... busy."

 

"Watching that swim team, maybe I'll watch some water sports?"
Bardock searches for a water sport that's going on right now.

 

Stephanie sighs, heading down one of the staircases, figuring going down isn't as bad as up.


"This is stupid." I say, crossing my arms.


"H-Huh?" Artemis asks, confused.

 

The pool seems to have a 800 meter freestyle event going on, two swimmers noticeably further behind the other four.

It isn't nearly as bad.
She makes it down pretty quickly... but more walking is needed to find where to go next.
...or rest. The creeps haven't gotten to the top of the temple yet.


"You know how to get to the fort. Go to it."


Ihra? swiftly brings her axe down at Artemis, intentionally missing before throwing down an orb of blinding light.
"Cat got your tongue, Artemis? Hehee!"

 

Stephanie powers onward, not wanting to give the creeps time.


I leave the walled in area before walking back through the entrance again.


Artemis closes her eyes, but can still seem to see, firing three arrows at vital points of Ihra?

Thorns rush out of the wooden clones of Artemis as they charge Ihra?, swarming her.

 

Bardock takes a seat.
"I think this will be my last match."

 

She finds three trapdoors.
This seems to be an aggrivatingly recurring pattern.


The fort stands in front of you, two doorways down into bunkers visible.


A barrier absorbs the arrows, and she seems to be able to quickly take control of the thorns as they wither, turning them against Artemis.

Rineth breaks the barrier with a crushing stomp, but Ihra? is able to knock him off balance and back a fair distance as she moves towards you and Stephanie.

As the light fades, she's smiling.
"Gaze upon me... and despair..." She cackles, raising a hand as the ruin consolidates into a swarm of small dark spider-like creatures that start to crawl after Artemis.

"R-requesting backup... hang in there." Rineth tells Artemis telepathically, slightly pained as he inhales.

________________________________

The color change in the sky agrees with thay statement.

The crowd cheers, but only near the end. Until then, the silence builds tension before the race ends with a fraction of a second difference between first and fourth place.

 

Meanwhile, I try my best at stealthily sneaking up on 'Ihra' and hitting her with my hammer.