LukeRipstine

Actually scratch that, @ticklefarte you can go ahead

Can I edit a response or next post?

Luke watched as Will slowly immersed himself in the clear water, for a second wondering if he too should sink into the cooling water. It would undoubtedly help his rash and clear what little fatigue he had accumulated on the quest so far. After another moment of thinking he decided against it, squeezing the bundle of cold flesh slightly. He could deal without and the sooner they got out of the place the better with their race against the storm that would flush the pipes in a matter of hours... Or less. Even so Luke turned to peer down where an array of pools sat in wait for them. Because ouf their rotating turns he was sure the next one, a purple hued pool that looked like it was made of watered down jelly, was his to investigate. With a slight shiver he turned his attention back to Will. He was fully immersed in the water now ducking under the surface as if he was looking at something. Luke gazed into the water under Will trying to see if anything stood out or glimered beneath him but Luke could see nothing. Shaking off the though Luke waited and it wasn't until Wills grabbing motion caught his attention again that Luke took another more careful gaze into the water. Nothing. Maybe all this time down in thses tunnels were getting to him? Before Luke thoughts could branch out Will emerged from the pool and silently gathered his things and started to the next pool. Hopefully the pipes won't rob us of our senses, it's already been quite an extensive journey. How long were the others down here? If nothing else a time estimate would have been nice. Though didn't the professor elaborate days? Luke followed Will to the next pool. They both looked into its strange depth in silence until Will looked over, "You're up, friend," he said with a shrug. "If that's not safe, I'm not to eager to hop in...for obvious reasons." He added with a wry grin. Luke shook his head and cracked a mildly nervous smile while he handed his stuff to Will. "I knew it but I still didn't wanna except it." He joked taking the moment to control his breathing emitting once again a plethora of the light blue mist. Getting closer to the edge Luke crouched and did the usual water tests, dipping his fingers in and smelling and with hesitation his lips. Needless to say that wasn't something he ever wanted to do again, the strange consistancy giving him the urge to gag. Standing back on his feet he consintrated producing a small rectangle which stood vertically with an open top a few feet high , it's walls an inch in length whilst high enough to protect Luke legs and mid waste it clung to the bottom of the pool almost directly in the center. All Luke had to do was jump into it. Taking a deep breath he backed up, Weight, heavy, immovable Though he knew he couldn't make things he created actually immovable it was nice to add as much weight to it as he could as to not tip it over. For a second Luke thought this was a dumb use for his powers and cursed himself lightly. He did have a limited use and he'd forgotten how much he'd already used. With a powerful dashing motion Luke tossed himself almost perfectly into it only bumping his shoulder slightly, not enough to bruise. To his plesure the box didn't tip or rock standing its ground as he landed on its floor. Crouching down he peered into the substance around him. Usually his ability formed items with glass mirrored appearances but multiple use slowly made it more transparent. Though he could offset this with longer charge times. Looking into the jelly Luke searched for anything useful and after scanning and seeing nothing he turned around and did the same only to be annoyed at the realization that the pool was empty. Deciding to make an hasty exist Luke pulled himself onto a ledge, careful to not tople over into the substance, and stood on the edge. Making a quick dashing motion he jumped off the side and flew across the surface handing sloppily almost next to Will. "Nothing there sadly it's disappointing" He said taking his bundle from Will. In front of him the rectangle disspered back into mist and the liquid slowly filled back into place. "Hey Will, do you think that these pools have been affected by what ever magic has been poured down here? I don't thing this place is normal." He makes a swinging hand gesture to the pool in front of them. "And with Mone and the potion shop near here I'm wondering if that bottle you got from that corpse would do any thing to these pools. Maybe a drop or two" He stops talking, thinking slightly more the consequences of mixing potions. "Hm, I just think an adventurer wouldn't bring anything he wouldn't need or anything without value." He stops giving Will a chance to process and choose for himself. Test the potions effects on the pools or don't take the risk.

It's fine, I'm still getting use to doing this all on my phone! So sorry for the mild waits, I don't get direct notifications. With that said I'll start on my post right now! Glad to hear for ya. Also Luke will test the pool like the rest!

Hm, there is no response from him at all? Well I'll see if I can.

Luke slowed, Turing around to Will kneeling down and examining a third pool of water gazing into it cautiously. "Feels like water but... I'm a bit wary. Can you confirm?" "Okay, I'll test it real quick." He said, giving a nod and he walked closer to Will, laying the wrapped bundle he carried down next to him Luke kneeled at the edge of the third pond and preceeded to give it the same cautious test as the second. Dipping his hand into the water waiting for any reaction then bringing his hand close to his nose and finally to his mouth. As far as he could tell the water was pure and some what fresh. Cupping his hands together Luke scoops the water into the dips of his palms in a attenpt at bringing some of the water to his mouth. Successful he takes a slow and cautious drink confirming the water was perfectly fine. Funneling the water Luke had managed to get some of it into his mouth though spilling a majority of it into his clothes, as if the spell of water and mildew could get any worse than in the tunnels. Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand Luke gave another nod to his partner, "The water is definitely safe, I recommend getting a drink. We've been in here for a while"

Hey guys I have some mildly bad news. My laptop, an old model, has been giving me some problems lately with its screen that I will have to get fixed. Until then I will be posting from my phone which will limit what I can and can't do but regardless I can post. Just have a bit of patience with me!

I can always edit if that's easier, sorry about that.

Good to know!

They walked down the continued down the pipe in silence, their minds churning, Luke had turned over many possibilities of the mans death, Mone's experiments, and the lurking creatures of the tunnel. The spider nodes mostly likely already been emptied, fueled by now corpse its parents probably still lurked the tunnels and they headed still into the dangerous and controversial unknown. Just your average adventure right? Even so Luke kept a calm demeanor though the calm was exactly like that on a waters surface. Disturbed by the smallest notions. The silence was finally broken, from behind him Will spoke up meeting his own thoughts with a question. "Where exactly is it? The spider, I mean. We didn't run into it on the way here, so it's probably somewhere ahead, isn't it..." Luke kept his pace, thinking for only a second. More about calming and making both of us focus. "I think its moved on, I cant imagine there is much food for them down here but the nests mean there could be more. It would be lucky to bump into one, the chances seem to low. Stay on your toes and watch out backs I'll do the same with the front because even if we do bump into one I don't think we both already have enough scratches" Luke chuckled lowly, if they had come across a spider it was better to kill it then to let it roam around after the encounter. They couldn't afford to get boxed in and if worst came to even worse they could retreat back or scrap the mission. Honestly it isn't the simple threat of spiders. Its the threat one of them being another one of Mone's experiments. The path they walked down slowly gave way to a stone oasis, the rustic metal piping transforming into hard rock and similar material all formed around two glowing pool with a faint but displeasing smell Luke couldn't put a name to. Maybe sulfuric acid? Luke had no idea but was skeptical Will on the other hand wasn't as he started handling Luke his equipment. "Wait I dont know if thats saf-" Luke tried to speak but Will was already off leaving Luke holding a strange device, a strange brew, and the note from earlier stacked cradled in his arms with the bundle of jelly fish flesh. So he watched, the smell it gave off certainly was acidic but if it was high enough Will would certainly take first notice. Right? He carefully eyed Will as he jumped in, Luke was concerned for a moment but Will seemed fine even venturing towards the middle of the pool to dive. He turned his attention away from will direction it to the unoccupied pool of water next to the body Will swam threw. They didn't have time to spare. Luke set their items on the ground, away from the pools of water just in case and closeted to the edge of the water standing in its small margin gazing into it. The water was clear, the pond still beneath him. Taking a knee Luke brings himself closer to its surface, inches between them. Luke brings a hand to the surface of the water, hesitantly dipping the tips of his left hand into the water. Retracting them a second later he waited momentarily for a sting, a buzz, or any other give away of the waters hazardous properties. Concentrating he brings the tip of his finger to his nose and then to his mouth, touching it lighting against his tongue none of his tests coming back positive. It was just a simple pool. With such a fresh water source could there really be nothing down here thriving off of it ? He stood, skimming the pool one last time before going back and retrieving their items. Turning his attention back to Will as Luke gathered the potion, device , and note Luke thought, Let it finally be the ring, this would be what? The third time ? There had to be some luck in our favor. As Will rose, the shiny gem glistened in his fist. Luke met him, moving close to the edge of the pool, as he came out. This close to the pool intensified the smell of acid, Luke was surprised that nothing on the mans skin was burning. "That was stupid of me," Luke gazed over him watching as a light red hue spread. He was right, it wasn't water "We move on" "Be more careful, I should have said something but I'm not gonna keep repeating what your already thinking. If it was acidic that other pool seems like it regular water, which is usually neutral but, with all these minerals and it most likely coming from these pipes it shoudl be mroe like tap water which is a base. It will help the burning." Luke would wait for Wills answer. If it was to quickly dip into the pool Luke would join him, the cooling water would help the rash, if it was to continue then- Luke handed Will back his things, holding them out and waiting for him to take them before venturing forward again. Now they both had burns, acid and poison. Luke slowed slightly, the rash on his mid section had climbed slowly, just now touching his rib cage. Behind him he could hear Wills worried remarks, somewhere deep off he could hear even more thrashing waves of water, ever so close the storm. "Faster," he hissed. "At this rate we're going to get crushed by the storm water." "Yeah, you're right about that. Let's get going" Luke took on a quicker pace, almost jogging as time was their greatest threat.

I'm assuming the pool is close to or right next to the one Will went in. " Luke brings a hand to the surface of the water, hesitantly dipping the tips of his left hand into the water. Retracting them a second later he waited momentarily for a sting, a buzz, or any other give away of the waters hazardous properties. Concentrating he brings the tip of his finger to his nose and then to his mouth, touching it lighting against his tongue..." also is there also an object in this pool? its not mentioned so I'mguessing not. I'll post and edit to fit !

Luke, now rid of most of the webs that stuck to him, watched Will descend. He could see the soft grin is partner tried to hide from a distance and he didn't blame him for it instead he smiled a slightly and waited for Will to reach him. Taking the extra time he produced a small bit of mist which provided them a little more unneeded light as they both had been their own sources of light for a while. "You all right? Tell me you didn't crush that stone.. " Luke took the question as a light gab and a joke, ignoring it as he turned to continue their path and picking up the bundle of the jelly fish limb. There was more piping to cover and threw the lights edges, just barely visible Luke saw a bundle of webbing and clumps, at first glance Luke thought it could be their salvation. Until the faint smell grazed him. Most of Lukes senses were better than the average, much better and even finer tuned by years of training. He stopped, Will continued down the path as Luke thoughts raced What died? More importantly where is the thing that killed it? Will ventured forward noticing the tangled webs after Luke, taking almost immediate action rushing tit and slicing it open with one of his cross bow bolts. The wave of rotting corpse spread threw the tunnel, Luke walked up behind Will looking into the contents of the pod. Robes of a mage, a piece of paper, and a strange device all on a corpse a few days away from being bare bones. Will turned and looked back at Luke, the look on his face was that of distraught and confusion. "How many people did that wizard send into these pipes?" Luke avoided his gaze, Will's emotion making him shy away. He'd seen this side of magic for years and even when avoiding it that side of the world never altered. "I don't know, maybe some people just couldn't handle the pipes? We can't control who fails but we can finish this out so no one else has to risk their lives down here." Luke laid his hand on Wills shoulder, what little comfort he could provide as mere hours ago they were, and in many ways still are, complete strangers. As Will opened the letter they both gazed onto the two words that threw their situation into mental spirals. Mone LIES In scratched letter, the man must have knew he was gonna die here and these letters where the embers of his life. And a warning to others. Mone, each and every magic user has their secrets. Is this what he meant by he had tested this shrinking before? I've been experimenting with an aerosol. Worry not I've already trialed it several times and can swear to its efficacy if this is what he meant then the two jelly fish and this corpse is three. Where are the other four? Wills voice broke him out of his thought. Will passed Luke the note and passes Luke, "I'm not sure what this is," he began quietly, "but be on high alert. We can decide to keep going, or crush that gem and ask Mone some questions right now. Regardless, something's wrong. I say we forge ahead. Get the ring, crush the gem, and get our answers with leverage. But," he added, "if you want to end it here I'll support you. I can't force us both to keep going. "It wouldn't make sense to end it here. He already told us there was seven attempts and no matter how *he pauses, looking back at the corpse* unfortunate *he looks back to Will* this may seem I think we should finish." "Our professor... he wouldn't put us in shifty situation right? I'm really not sure." " I don't know *Luke starts to walk further down the pipe* it would be a good experience if our real target was mone and we had to collect evidence on his possibly illegal experiments *he chuckles* but I think thats a much deeper mission that just a ring ya know? I think thats a little out of our pay grade."

Cool !

Lukas continued, slipping threw the crowds as slipping threw the shadows. Losing himself further in the twisting roads of memories he day dreamed, black ally ways and towering figures, tearing winds and gloomy skies, cold blood and hard steel. Suddenly his instincts ripped him from the sick euphoria causing him to shift his attention. He hind him, slowly, a small hand reached towards his pocket grazing his side ever so slightly, it could have passed for the bushing of wind against his jeans if not for the roaring crowds of people that surrounded him. The swift hand admittedly has more skill than the others, Lukas just now noticed the small hand just inches away from his pocket on his right side. He pondered for a second, he could turn around and confront the persons but more importantly he wanted to scare the little bastard off. He continued to walk, the thief ever so closely followed him, their hand inching closer and closer. Lukas walked closer and closer to a stall, one right near an ally way. In one swift move Lukas grabbed the thief hand pulling it forward bringing an teenage boy with hair the color of fire and a face riddled with freckles right past him, flinging him into the ally way. Lukas wasted no time, like nothing happened he passed the ally and continued. Passing threw the rest of the slums with ease, he exited. The outer skirts of town was a sudden change from the streets, where the stream-like streets where crowded and warm the otter ring of the city was lonely and cold. Lukas like it way more than the city streets and although he was looking for the Bastion all he knew was it was on the outer skirts of the city. "This better be worth it" he sighed to himself before continuing into the outer ring. The stone and cave walls helped Lukas remember this was a massive cave system with lots of parts carved out and new, it was a sort of spectacle, what a mass of people could do. Sure the caves were ancient but this modern day had brought such life to it and such growth its an entirely different place with only history to tell its tales. Lukas gazed around the barren land, two pillar like posts stood out to him, the first one was distant at least a six hundred yards away, a little over 1/3 of a mile and the second one more than double that distance away. In stead of wondering what they where he decided to see. Lukas focused, gazing, concentrating, as the tattoos that covered his left arm bloomed to life, sliding down and taking physical form, the form of ink. The form of something darker than shadows before melting into the ground,melting and vanishing being indifferent from the other shadows, Lukas' personal familiar Ikiru kage . The mass was unbelievably fast crossing the distance almost instantly without a sound. Lukas' left eye took in the images from roughly the center point of the ability. The pillars them self's started off of a base platform which rose but a solid wood foundation into the air which had a basic spiral stair case around it. Four of the gatekeepers diligently lazing around at the top side of them. They armored in a deep greenish grey leather outfit, a black tome stitched on their backs. It seemed like they were all equipped with two sets of hand cuffs which dangled on their waists, a sword and a dagger on their left, and a heavy looking cross bow which looked optional few carrying them as they all lazed around the towers. He had no doubt that they were sent her on patrols but honestly more of a disposal for the weak and lazy sections of the keepers. The more prosperous ones where in the city. Lukas didn't feel it necessary to waste all of his time staring at them and with only minor distant threat of the keepers he felt confident, breaking into a dash across the dimly lit field. At the exact instant he darted his familiar returned to him, inking itself back on to his skin covering his left arm in ancient illustrations. In seconds he was further out into the field of aging rock and hard stone. Slowing his pace to a walk

"A magnet," Luke nodded, the thought somehow slipping his mind for a brief moment. Stopping Luke leaned against one of the rusted tunnel walls. "Jelly fish are bigger than this. Did Mone shrink a jellyfish and...lose it in the sink?" The thought lingered in the air for a moment, Luke dismissed it, they never questioned where Mone's moral compass lay and Luke honestly didn't care. "I guess its been a while since I've been straining myself, specally' underwater." He followed a few feet behind his partner as they traveled threw the seemingly ancient pipes. Luke shook his head with a soft smirk as he started his breathing technique, deep breaths birthed the bright, spacial like mist from his core, a brighter light cut threw the tunnel as he relaxed himself. It feels good though, stretching out like this . Their combined light showering the pipe reveling the distant black pit in their path. They both noticed it around the same time, Will making it there a head of him, gazing down into the abyss "Get ready climb down" Luke nodded in agreement watching as Will threw his bundle down over the edge, falling silently Luke caught a glimpse of Wills worried expression before he descended into the abyss. Walking himself to the edge Luke peered over, looking down on to Will scaling down the rustic walls. Below him Luke could vaguely make out a reflective line, a spiders web. Bouncing as will settled on it light bounced off just the same allowing Luke to see the nests on either side. Wait if there are children, I'd hate to see the adults Images of the massive jellies scattered threw Luke's mind, he didn't need any more poison in his system. "Ah," Will called, "Luke. Do you think you could push the thread lower so I can climb down? I'm not sure if your abilities allow for that kind of thing, but if so..." Luke leaned ever so closer to the edge "Yeah, I'll be down in just a sec-" Pain from the rash buckled his knees sharply and suddenly he was falling at the mercy of the abyss. Head first he dove down the pipe lucky enough to hit the webbing head on gathering more in his fall as the nests shook and fell into the depths and all the webbing being torn from its hold by a falling mass they couldn't hold so in stead latched on to freeing Will's descend. "Out of ALL MY LUCK" Luke spat against the wind, ripping that he could of the thread off of him the sticky webbing refusing sticking to him like another layer of skin. Cover, protect, force Luke's right hand glowed as the magical mist revolved into and around it creating a clear gauntlet Float, dig, rise thought the spider webbing did nothing to fully stop Luke they did slow him down enough, with the combined force of the webbing and Lukes own magic he slowed, drifting his fall close to the pipe walling expending a his right hand which touched with sparks, his fingers eating into the wall leaving a fingered marking as he leaned himself onto the fall, the resistance finally stopping him, using the now graved wall as hand placements he lifted his left arm, allowing the bundle of jellyfish flesh to fall on the now in range floor. "HEY WILL SORRY ABOUT THAT" He yelled in the tunnel above himself, slowly sliding down the wall, his magic somewhat controlling his decent as it wasn't strong enough to make him float but helped resist the fall. A bend helping him greatly as the floor closeted Sliding down the grime covered walls urged him,right then and there to empty his stomach but he had to resist and he did, the faster he could reach a shower the better. He continued to slide, carefully, regretfully he slid eliminating more spiders webs that would have gotten in Will's way. In a few minutes he lands, half covered in webs he started to detach them from lower half, which took long enough.