Void Rift (rp) - Intermission

The Shadow points to the back of the temple.

"You will be able to see and traverse the other path now you have proven yourself, though those who have not cannot follow you." The Shadow explains.

 

Ihra nods, starting to slowly get out of the pool.
“Thank you, and... well, I’m sorry for bleeding everywhere.” She says, somewhat lightheartedly.

 

The Shadow waves his hand.

"You have done well not to bleed more. Many students arrive close to death, and must be carried to the water." The Shadow says.

Strangely, none of Ihra's blood seems to have got in the pool.

 

“Most of it’s probably growing flowers down in the spikes.” Ihra giggles. “I can go back and clean up depending on how much it winds up growing.”

 

"There is no need. The mountain is capable of cleaning itself." The Shadow says.

 

Crystal continues walking by her side.

 

Ihra nods.
“If I were to come back here, would I need to repeat the path I took this time or would I be able to see the less treacherous route?”

Linoa eventually stops once you get just outside the forest.
“I... I mean, it’s not as ridiculous as the shell thing, but snakes pretending to be tree branches? Who even thought of these things?”

 

Crystal seems caught of guard, but quickly responds.
"Well, there are bugs that look like sticks, right? So why not snakes?"

 

“Snakes aren’t bugs?” Linoa suggests, continuing on but keeping some distance from the trees.

If Crystal looks carefully, he’ll notice a few wood-colored snakes biting onto the trees, keeping their bodies rigid to resemble a branch.

 

"You would be able to see the easier path. Though, unless you truly wished to challenge yourself again, taking the normal route would prove less hazardous." The Shadow says.

 

Crystal doesn't seem to care about how close he is to the trees.
"But, it's like the same thing, right? The bugs are sticks so things think they're sticks, and the snakes are branches so things think they're branches."

 

“I mean, I only climbed up here to talk to Aj. I didn’t know there was anything up here.” Ihra shrugs. “It doesn’t seem too bad compared to draconian rites, but rites allow magic. I am curious, though... if I made it up here, does that mean training here is an option available to me?”

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“I guess, but they’re anchored to the tree by their mouths. They would have to blow their cover to even try to bite anything else.”

 

"Well, what if they don't wanna bite anything else?"

 

The Shadow nods respectfully.

 

"I guess if they're not predators then that'd make sense. Not many things up and try to eat trees."

Ihra pauses for a moment.
"I might try it out sometime. Thanks for everything." She says, starting to head towards the back exit.

 

"You are always welcome here." The Shadow says, smiling.

 

Ihra turns and waves with a smile, before heading down to retrieve her staff.

 

Ihra finds two paths at the very back of the temple. One seems to be a slide utilizing the stream, the mountain rock smoothed by the running water. The other appears to be a normal path, though probably a bit more boring than sliding down the stream.

 

Ihra, curious, takes the stream-slide.

 

Ihra slides down the mountain stream quite quickly, water occasionally splashing into her face. She soon reaches the bottom of the mountain in a small cave she didn't notice before. She can see her staff propped up where she left it, along with a corpse.