Chapter 5 Home is where the Heart is (Ubberific) GMed by ranger

[ranger]

Rikke struggled to her feet, feeling the aches of her tumble. Thankfully the air was not foul or well not in the sense of poisons. There was still the smell of decay and dirt that seemed waft to her nose at regular intervals. The poor lighting did little aid the rogue in her efforts to find anyting of use it was just too dark. Though off in the distance she saw a slight flicker of light dance a moment and vanish. It was threw the door and down the darkened hall.

 

[Ubberific]

Rikke gave a final glance up and winced, both remembering the spider... and hoping that Steel didn't really catch on to what was going on! Though at the same time, considering how run-down and ancient this place was... would she not find an exit, she just may have to hope for the opposite! Yet it would be the worst case scenario! The rogue herself a nod, before refocusing... right, she needed to find an exit out of this place!

The thought quickly followed by her noting a distance flicker of light? 'Hm?' What was that? The beauty blinked, before refocusing herself and with a clear sense of adventure and exploration alight in her heart continued onwards towards the strange sight that caught her eye! Yet as she moved Rikke certainly took in the details of the 'building' all around her. All the way up to nearing the door and after listening in, carefully opening it up to peer what lied beyond...

 

[ranger]

The doorway was empty the rusty hinges only hinting at once sealed the portal. Peaking about the corner she found a small hallway to her right ended in a collapsed roof however a small magic light that was used in the hallways of the university flickered weakly. To her left the hallway was clear of debris as far as the weak light could cast. The hallway was less damp than the room she had fallen into leaving only trace amounts of the glowing fungi to light any further.

 

[Ubberific]

Rikke continued onwards, her footsteps potentially the first ones to echo in a very very long while, as the calm following the crash proved almost serene and calming? The rogue now remembered hearing somewhere about the ruined part of the University, albeit the details of the event had slipped the girls mind... if she had even heard them properly! Though nothing around here truly hinted at some great magical calamity, even if potentially such evidence was hidden away by years of abbandon.

Abbandon that would even cut one of the girls paths off entirely! As turning to the side, there appeared to be but a single path to follow.... Her eyes keenly looking for any hints of outside light! All the while that very same sharp focus on details, certainly allowed her to take in every detail that the local flora chose to reveal to her.

 

[ranger]

As Rikke took in the small area of light that she had, she searched her thoughts. The only thing she could recall was something about a massive fire, even then that seemed more rumor than fact, and no one seemed to have bothered to ask any of the administration for clarity. Though having a campus mystery probably enhanced the somewhat dull day to day of campus life. Stopping Rikke crouched down an noticed the little scat of mice around the floor. It seemed that this place at least held some sort of life in it. A slight rumble from above sent a scattering of dust down around her but after a moment nothing else seemed to happen. The dark ahead beckoned to her and its hidden dangers. All the while the weak magic light flickered behind her casting odd shadows.

 

[Ubberific]

It takes very little for a serene ruin to quickly turn spooky, as Rikke learned this the moment the unknown rumble echoed out up above?! W-What was that? The girl blinked, as her sense were just about ready to dodge incase the ruin chose the worst time to give in... yet nothing came of it... 'Phew...' the girl sighed with some relief, yet the moment of brief shock made her retake her surroundings in, as indeed with some many dark shadow all around... what if something beyond mice had lived here?

A cool shudder rushing through the beautys body, as her mind certainly took over to remind her of varied stories and sights she had seen herself--- No no! She had to remain focused and optimistic! Jumping at shadows just might make her miss the obvious! The girl indeed paused and gave herself a calming nod.... before venturing onwards. Even if said nod didn't have the absolute effect the rogue may have wished... not at all!

 

[ranger]

Moving further in Rikke was quickly swallowed by the darkness around her. With no light to see she had to take it slow. Finding a wall with her hand Rikke moved slowly as to not trip on any debris that may be in her way. Ever so often something above would shift and she could feel more than see small dust plums drop down around her. The wall thank fully was dry and seemed solid. But after awhile she felt a bump ridge of a door frame hit her fingers. Gently feeling around it she couldn't find a door. Reaching out in front of her she felt only cool air. It seemed the hallway continued on a little farther.

 

[Ubberific]

N-No good! With all the ruins before she encountered, no way would she be able to walk like this for long! The rogue hardly needed to venture too deeply in to realize her hope of the corner into another lighted up area was all for naught! Yet-- then she had another idea! As hopefully this just might work! Licking her lips subtly the beauty rushed back and then onwards to find some of the moss!

Goodness knew... hopefully these things weren't poisonous--- Though then the obvious hit her. Wasn't there something like a lamp back there? As indeed rushing a bit further back, the rogue sought to find the weakly flickering lamp! As would she actually be able to use it! Previous the rogue had thought it little else than any other moss, but not seeing the moss up-closer clearly the light was different and might be of use!

 

[ranger]

Just as before the lamp flickered fitfully in its brass holder. Eyeing the magical crystal she could see the fine cracks spider webbing around the delicate magical construct. Easy enough she was able to pull it free. It was warm to the touch unlike the rest of the area around her. It did not burn but was pleasant to hold. A light source in hand Rikke seen made it back to her previous location. On the way she did pass two more door along the opposite side of the wall before coming to the one she had paused at before. More light holders where present in the hallway but much to Rikke's disappointment and mild concern each had burned out or exploded leaving shards of their crystals impeded in the floor and roof. She was really thankful that she had good shoes on. The two rooms she had passed each had doors. One seemed warped out of shape and likely stuck and the the other seemed normal. No marks on either really gave any indication of what they held. Still she had two doors to inveticate or two hallways to check out. No outside light seemed to cast its way in the gloom.

 

[Ubberific]

Geez... She should've picked this thing up the moment the girl had seen it! Her path now infinitely more clear, even the terror of the dark was hardly as present anymore, if there at all! If anything the one true worry that crossed the beauties mind was that the place was almost becoming labyrinthian in its nature! Still before moving onwards, perhaps it was useful to check the rooms! Atleast the ones whose doors would open... afterall, her current light source was everything, but reliable!

With equal curiousity as worry, soon enough the rogue got to checking the rooms for anything of note, before only then moving onwards to the further hallways.

 

[ranger]

Opening the good door Rikke was glad she chose it first. As the door moved back she could see the wall it shared with the other was partially bowed out like a bag holding too much. Delicate cracks could be seen in the plaster. The rest of the room much to Rikke's surprise was a bedroom. A small bed rested in almost perfect if not dusty condition. A small night stand with a single draw and a burned out light rested nearby. To her immediate right was a closet that had one door missing. Inside it was a number of maid uniforms. They where much older than the one's the girls on campus use currently but still held the school crest.

 

[Ubberific]

Rikkes eyes widened subtly as indeed the warped door room... for whatever reason almost seemed... bloated? It was likely best not to find out why it took on such a wierd shape... Nor disturb the warped wall or door at all! Still just as interesting, albeit not nearly as frightening was the room in front! As this appeared to be a maids room? Was this structure previous the old maid dorms? Or this floor at the very least?

Still with her clothes only bearing some light tears and dirt, there was no reason to really check out or even try on any of the maids wardrobe here! Albeit... would a path back here prove simple enough, this could potentially be quite a delightful gift to Cheryl! The rogue smiled to herself, as she'd finish her brief inspection of the room. Albeit the two other noteable items Rikke did atleast poke a few times was the night stand drawer and the light that rested on it! Afterall, hers was still not ideal at all!

 

[ranger]

The magic light proved to be just as dead as the others out in the hall. It seemed that it had burned out if the smokey condition of the crystal was an indication. The draw proved to be more rewarding. Opening it revealed two of the same crystals but in perfect condition. They however where not lit. Inspecting them proved no damage and she could feel power in them. Rikke tried a few magic words she had heard around such magic lights but nothing seemed to work. Doing what she would Rikke soon found herself at the room with no door she had stopped at before getting her light. The flickering orb seemed to reveal a laundry room. Moth eaten linens seemed to hang in various forms along metal looking rods. One at some point had either been knocked loose or rusted free and sent its load to the ground where some had fallen into strange grooves in the floor. Rikke doubted she would find anything too useful in here and moved on to the hallway that opened up further along.

As she moved forward she came to an intersection another narrow hallway split to her right into the gloom. The other moved the same was she had been. More doors lined the left side of the hallway but most had collapsed or proved to be maid chambers as well.

 

[Ubberific]

As Rikke found the pristine crystals the beauty picked them up and looked around, as if making sure noone would see her in the silent ruin... Clearly deducting that even without her glances, she was likely more than safe from anyone judging her! Meaning... The girl took a light breath and attempted to cast magic just as she saw! Then again... and then again with a different incantation!--- Yet unfortunately the rogue had to submit to the reality of not being a secret mage afterall sooner than later. S-still she atleast wanted to try and cast a spell aloud atleast once!

With a cute grumpy expression she'd pocket the crystals for now and continue onwards... Yet the more she moved down the halls the clearer it became that whatever caused the place to be abbandoned was clearly sudden, atleast judging by all the left-over laundry! This was no clean and full evacuation... The thought soon enough leading her to the next intersection! Though having explored the room, Rikke knew a bit more of the potential layout! Her suspicion partly confirmed by the other hall clearly appearing akin to the dorms!

Meaning the correct path that may lead her to an exit was indeed the gloomy one!

 

[ranger]

Turning to the gloom Rikke headed deeper. No other doors adorned the side of the halls until she game to a sudden heavy door in front of her. A tarnished brass plate read SERVANT CORRIDOR 1. The paint had chipped but the groves helped her make it out. It was then her light gave a rapid flutter before going dark plunging her into confining darkness. Rikke shook the crystal a few times to no avail. It was then she felt a cool aura pass threw her sending the hairs on the back of her neck painfully erect. The cool aura passed by and faintly ever so faintly echoing footsteps heading away from her back the way she had come reached her ears. When they stopped her light flickered back on letting her notice her own breath in the air.

 

[Ubberific]

As dread-inspiring and gloomy as this place was... thankfully the rogue apparently had little to truly worry about! Afterall, what sort of creature could even attempt to move in so close to people and to such a rather unwelcoming locale! The beautys whole body visibly far more relaxed, as she'd near what seemed to be a 'Servant Corridor 1'...? Well seemed the olden times universities were quite devoid of their usual intricate flair--- Yet just as the thought crossed the girls mind suddenly her crystal began to flicker?! 'Eh?' "Oh! No no no..." she'd still keep her voice down purely out of habbit or perhaps not looking to disturb the peace of the place, only for a final flicker later the light to dim or flatout disappear?! THe disappearance utterly enveloping the rogue in absolute darkness!

W-well... this was utterly terrible and horrible in just about every way! Rikke thought to herself, as she'd sigh and just as she'd carefully star to make moves for one of the pristine gems she had found--- suddenly the situation turned even worse?!! As the rogues breath stilled as something cool, as if a stream of pristine water seemed to rush through her body! Its nature nothing short of ghostly as it seemed to pass right by her-- only for footsteps to echo out moving away from her!

When the light next came back on, Rikke stood there utterly frozen and several... dozen shades paler than normally! G-G-Ghosts?! The girl looked back in a slow manner as if dreading the worst, only to likely look back to the dark that now suddenly became completely and utterly terrifying!!! S-She needed to get out of this! Yet even if adorned by cold sweat and a tremble, the heroine had but only way forward - through the corridor from where the Ghost had come!

 

[ranger]

Rikke pushed the door open with a bit of a struggle. The door was wet and had swollen with the absorbed water. Still it gave way under pressure and slid open allowing two inches of stagnate water to flow into the hallway she was standing in. The smell of mold and dank filled her nose as her light flicked to reveal moldy walls covered with algae slime and... other gross things. Still she moved forward mouth covered. Her light danced along the cracked stone ceiling that was over her head. Water drops occasionally dripping down as well as a stray root. Soon however the hallway ended with another door its brass plague unreadable from corrosion. This door was just as hard to open as the other and lead to a split corridor left or right.

 

[Ubberific]

Eww~ Rikke winced as the first step inside, if not the sight revealed the slippery surface all around! Albeit this absolutely reinforced the girls belief that utterly noone even attempted to head down these corridors in a very very long while!-- Infact only then did the rogue blink and consider 'Why?' afterall, perhaps now it was utterly devastated and potentially needing more work than it's worth, but if repaired in time this place could've been operational no problem!--- Although why were the maid quarters underground to begin with?

Still with the ghostly presence somewhere far behind her, Rikke cared little to spare her thoughts too much time, as carefully not to slip the beauty moved onwards and with a few kicks if not a few struggling, slippery pushes and pulls later she'd be able to advance forward! All the way to a fork in the road? Though this time neither had particulary clear markings?... Well, usually the rogue always took right, but perhaps this once she'd go left! Anything to get away from the smells and spooks behind her!

 

[ranger]

If RIkke checks the boxes

Spoiler

A small instruction book on how to use the light Crystals

Thankfully this hallway was dry. Looking right then left Rikke chose left. Heading down her chosen direction. Too her right a doorway appeared out of the gloom. Opening up the door she found a closet full of mops and boxes. Moving on RIkke soon came to a stairway up that was sadly blcoked with debris. Turning about she saw a faint light hovering midway down the hall in the gloom.

 

[Ubberific]

Supplies?... Perhaps these had actually working crystals? As indeed after that one quite literally ghostly flicker, the rogue quickly learned how important the barely clinging on light actually proved to be! Though as the beauty opened the boxes and looked through them, she'd find something of potentially equal value! Something that was thankfully spared the dampness of the earlier areas "m... Haaa~!" as the beautys eyes nothing short of lit up as this was likely the janitors or caretakers handbook! One that included instructions how to activate the crystals!

Wasting little time, the rogue quickly attempted to do just that and replaced the barely clinging on one with one of the two new ones she found! Hopefully it worked... and suddenly the dim creeping visage of the ruins could be reignited with whole new bright light!--- Yet just as much as Rikke turned on the light so would the beauty note another light some ways down the hall?

Was it another broken lamp resting upon some wreckage? Rikke blinked as she'd move in to investigate, the likely relief of brighter light proving completele and utter bliss to the rogue who's heart had only just now recouped from the horrific experience near the damp room!