Final: Orange

[voidtreckermods]

Down the Staircase: Backdated to Day Seven

Those who were investigating the sigil or fighting crabs nearby would be aware of the ground rumbling as a spiral staircase opened into the dark sand below.

Of course it is less a staircase at the bottom of the ocean and more a terrifying water helter-skelter downwards through the dark.

But they land in an underground cave. It is dark, and ankle deep in water. In the centre there is a white marble plinth, with a large empty shell on top. The walls of the cave are dark and grimy but with the aid of the torches in their SCA's and some investigating will find a hint of colours underneath the sand and seaweed on the walls.

Between day seven and day ten

The crabs are still attacking. It is not a never ending siege but it pays to be vigilant as every so often crabs arrive to launch an attack on the sleeping citizens. Luckily they don't seem to be able to get into the underground chamber, perhaps being too large or unwilling to enter through the twisting passage.

Inside the cave the water is slowly rising, by day ten of the month of Fiddlesticks it reaches the average voidtrecker's chest.

The plinth is tall, above the voidtreckers' heads and so hasn't been submerged yet.

Assuming they have begun to clear the sand and seaweed off the walls of the cave a picture begins to emerge. Simple drawings, very similar to those on the tablets in the market place.

Day Ten

Light from the sky, an island. People gathered around a fire. Beacon. Symbols are helpfully translated for them. A plinth. No, two plinths with shells on them filled with light.

All very useful. If only they had any way to share their ideas with the others.

Which is when their SCA's glow and a holographic screen appears.

Meanwhile on the train...

By day ten the storm hits with a vengeance. Waves are high, rain falls practically sideways. The train holds out well, staying in place and upright through the battering seas. Going out to dive is nerve wracking and there might be some cases of seasickness in those remaining on the train.

It is all in all not a great sea faring experience.

Comments

Re: Day . . . 9? IDK.

[deductiongeek]

Conan makes a small noise of surprise as he feels her lift him up. Here on the train, he'd gotten used to being more independent than he had been even at home. He'd gotten out of the habit of expecting to be picked up at any moment.

"I'm sure! I think there's more down here hidden that I haven't seen yet."

[singlefaith]

Ran really isn't sure how that's possible. He's been like a monkey, climbing over everything. He's like Shinichi that way -- once captured by a code or cipher, he can't put it down. It's nearly as hard to pry him away from it as to try to get her father away from a Yoko special.

"I don't think there's anything you couldn't have covered," she notes, but with a small sigh, "Where do you want to look?"

[deductiongeek]

"On the far wall," he decides. "I think there's more there hidden behind the moss that we haven't gotten to yet."

There was still something missing from the symbols he'd copied. And now that he'd started, he couldn't bring himself to put it down until he had an answer.

[singlefaith]

"Okay." Balancing him on her hip, she picks her away down the remainder of the stairs. The water comes as predicted -- a little up past her waist. It would have completely covered him; as it is, it's a little below his waist as she holds him.

Wading through the water, she heads for the far wall. "Did you learn anything so far?"

[deductiongeek]

"I think there are some patterns in it. But I don't have enough information to say for sure." A grin. "That's why I wanted to come down and see if I missed anything."

He makes a face as they move into the water. It would have almost been easier to move around in here if the entire chamber was covered in water rather than only halfway as it was.

[singlefaith]

That grin really is so like Shinichi's. "It would be good if we could just take a picture of the whole thing . . ."

Which isn't possible, really. Even with her cell phone available to her, there's no way to capture the whole expanse in enough detail. Again, though, it's a wistful thought; she'd rather not have him down here.

Catching sight of the face he makes as they enter the water, she automatically asks, "Is it cold?"

[deductiongeek]

"Even if we had a good camera, I don't think the lighting is bright enough here to catch any detail." But it was a thought that might be worth pursuing later.

"A little! But I can handle it."

[singlefaith]

"It's too big, too," she notes, arriving at the far wall and peering up. "Plus some of it is underwater by now. I guess we could have taken pictures of sections, but then we would have had to piece them back together. That's not possible on a phone, and I don't know if the computers here can even do that?"

At the admission that he's cold, she pulls him a little closer. "Tell me if you get too cold, okay?"

[deductiongeek]

With most of his attention on the wall, he really wasn't expecting to be pulled closer. Mentally he flails a little. He'd really forgotten how much Ran used to pull him into hugs.

"I'm okay! It isn't that cold right now," he blurts out hastily.