[PP-F2] The Magma Chamber (Dellis, Takuto)

[Dellis 0]

"TEIN! Urbus!" Shouted Dellis, in the teleport plaza on the first floor, next to Takuto. They both disappeared in a blue flash.

When they arrived to the second floor, Izzy jumped to the ground, trying to stretch her legs a bit.

*Aaaand you've gotten yourself in another quest for materials. Who are you gonna find this time, my brother the magma cave lizard?* thought Izzy sarcastically.

"Shut up, Izzy", whispered Dellis, trying to not let him be heard by Takuto. It was bad enough that he'd seen him speak to himself back at the shop, if he knew he spoke with the lizard, too, he'd think he was mad.

"Well, Takuto", he said at a higher voice volume, "I guess we're gonna need to get to Auburn Mountain. Better start moving."

He said, while stepping out of the city, heading north towards a big red mountain in the distance.

[Takuto 0]

the second floor didn't feel like he thought it would not scary or more difficult it just felt new not a familiar face was seen besides of course Dellis who began walking saying that we should get moving. Takuto began moving then over stepped and fell with a loud thud on the ground he felt some pain and remebered the actual reason he was here he hated what Kayaba had done to every one and he was trying to think how many have died already. How many have commited suicide out of fear.

Takuto got back up and forced a smile. "I'm fine he said dusting himself off just need to get my bearings. He then continued to walk he stared at the mountains," Is that where we are going?" he asked finally.

[Dellis 0]

Dellis stared at Takuto, who had fell down and hit his leg.

"Takuto! Are you all right?" He said, trying to help him on his feet, but he was late, Takuto was already up and running by the time Dellis had arrived.

*He seems a little frustrated... I don't know what happened to him, a moment before he was fine.* Dellis thought.

He decided not to ask what he had on his mind, for the moment.

"Is that where we are going?" said the young man as they were walking, pointing at the mountain in the distance.

"Yes, it is. That's Auburn Mountain, at least the beta guide said that." He paused. "It's called like that since magma keeps sliding down its flanks, hence the auburn colour."

He kept pressing on. "Well, that's not the magma we need, anyway. It'd be too easy. We need some Solidified Magma Chunks, which are in the Magma Chamber. It's in the heart of the mountain, guarded by a semi-boss we're gonna have to defeat. It's not gonna be easy, there aren't much informations on it in the guide, so we're gonna have to improvise."

They were almost arrived to the entrance of the mountain, now. It was a big cave, dark but for a small red light which came from deep inside Auburn Mountain.

"And, there will probably be some Fiery Kobolds inside the mountain. Minions, they'll go down with a hit, but there are many."

"Before we go in... is all okay? You seemed strange before, when you fell." Asked Dellis, and prepared to follow Takuto inside the cave.

[Takuto 0]

They arrived at the face of the mountain.

Dellis aked,"Before we go in... is all okay? You seemed strange before, when you fell."

Takuto sighed, "Well when I fell it made me realize what pain Kayaba has caused and what others may be feeling"

Takuto then cahnged the subject," Actually I need to check my gear" Takuto quickly skimmed through his inventory he cahnged out of his heavy wool clothes and equipped better lighter armor it was 70% cloth armor and 30% steel plete it offered enough protection to save his life a few times. Takuto then looked to Dellis," Alright lets go get that Magma!"

He then turned to the entrance of the cave and began walking he heard small grunts and steps i the cave already. He then turned around," You coming?", he asked Dellis.

[Dellis 0]

He nodded. "Yes!"

He stepped into the cave. "My fighting style is with the shield, so i guess it's better if I'm in front, since I can parry attacks." He started saying, equipping Izzy's scales on his left hand. "If that's okay with you, obviously."

He looked around. They were in a small corridor, completely dark but for the light of magma from deeper in the mountain coming from the end of the tunnel. It was hard to see what they were doing.

"We need something to light our way." He said, stopping for a second to search in his backpack. He took out a torch. "Since the last time, I now bring with me a torch everytime i go get materials."

As soon as he lighted it, he noticed a metal hook hanging from the wall. "I wonder..." He put the torch in the hook. Immediately, all the corridor was lit in a dim light. "I guess that solves our vision problem."

Twenty metres forward, they corridor began going down into a slope. As they descended, the air grew hotter and hotter, while red streaks began to appear in the wall, the magma leaking from the fissures in the wall.

*clack...* It was a soft sound, but ominous.

"TAKUTO, WATCH OUT!" He shouted. The rock beneath his feet went deeper into the earth under his weight. *A pressure plate?*

"There are traps all around us, try not to move too much around!" He warned, as, triggered by the trap, a lateral secret door slided open, revealing two Fiery Cobolds.

"We've got company..." He said through his teeth, readying his shield.

[Takuto 0]

Takuto looked over his shoulder to Dellis. He had an odd shield he had never seen before on his arm. It was a round shield but it wasn't a smooth sided shield. It was more of a bumped un even scaled shield woth a creamed colored gem in the middle.

Dellis was saying somthing about the group of two needing light to see in the cave. takuto watched as he searched his bag and brought out a torch he then placed it on a small metal hook on the wall. The cave lit slightly with a dim light.

Takuto took a step and when his foot touched the ground fell with a ~clack~ it was a cricle shaped hole was in the ground under his foot. Takuto heard Dellis say,"There are traps all around us, try not to move too much around!"

Takuto seen a door open and two firey Cobolds appeared. Dellis raised his shield preparring to defend against an attack. Takuto unsheathed his sword ready to fight.

OOC:how exactly do you fight on here is it the boss sysem or you just type like the usual.

[Dellis 0]

Dellis made motion to attack the first cobold, yet he didn't unsheath his sword. Instead, he raised Izzy's Scales horizontally, and slashed with it, sending the cobold flying to the earth.

*clack...* made another pressure plate, as he moved. He managed to change the foot he was weighing on before it triggered.

*I must not move much... he thought. The less I move, the less we can trigger traps.* He thought.

"For now, I'll try to avoid swords. I'm terrible with them. I'm trying to find a shield fighting style that suits me." he said, bashing down into the downed cobold. It disappeared in blue flash, bursting into flames. Their heat almost scorched him, but he had the shield to protect him, so it made minimal damage.

"Takuto, SWITCH!" He called out, switching position with him.

"Try to stay at a fair distance from them, or their death explosion will hurt you severely even as they die." He warned, ready to help him.

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DELLIS = LVL4 ; HP 10/11 ; Healing Crystals= 20 ; Teleportation crystal: 9

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[Takuto 0]

Takuto had an idea a crazy idea but it might work perfectly if done precisely as he planned. He quickly ran and leaped as far as he could towards a wall after hearing Dellis yell Switch. He then pushed off the wall and slammed into a cobold he pushed it into another knocking them down with the momentum of his jump. Takuto then stuck through both cobolds with his sword and pulled it back out. He jumped back as quick as he could and said," Dellis your shield". Hoping Dellis knew what he meant. He hunched down covering his head waiting for the explosion.

[Dellis 0]

Dellis saw Takuto run towards the wall.

*What has he got in mind?* He thought, as Takuto leapt off it and used the momentum he gained to impale both cobolds with a single hit, doing enough damage to kill one.

Its hp bar rapidly began to empty.

"Wha---" started to say Dellis, interrupted by Takuto quicly jumping back to his side shouting "Dellis, your shield!"

He understood that moment what Takuto had in mind. "Ok!" He shouted, jumping in front of Takuto.

He planted his shield into the ground, preparing a makeshift shelter for the explosion.

That moment, the cobold's hp bar reached 0.

Suddendly, it exploded, killing the other cobold with it.

The force of the combined explosion sent them both flying through the hallway, while raging flames and debris hit the shield, which deflected most of the damage.

"ngghh..." he grunted, for the effort of keeping it in place against the terrible forces of the explosion.

They both hit the ground hard.

"You okay, Takuto?" He asked, opening his eyes. There were no more cobolds in the hallway, and part of the ceiling had collapsed, covering with rocks the trapped floor. Magma flowed quietly from a widened fissure in the west wall.

"You had a great idea," He said, raising with difficulty. He stretched his hand towards Takuto to help him out. "You killed both the remaining cobolds, and we both went through it unscathed. Well, relatively unscathed." He added. "You're a great party member, you know?" He said.

Something, amongst the charred corpses of the cobolds, glistened sharply in the dark. *A key?* He thought, picking it up.

It was a burnt black key, with red veins gleaming on it.

"This probably opens the door to the next area. You keep it!" Said Dellis, passing the key to Takuto. "It's you that defeated the cobolds, after all." He said, beginning to descend once again into the hallway.

"try to step on the rocks that have fallen from the ceiling, that way we won't set off any more pressure plates." He said to Takuto.

At the end of the hallway, there was, as he thought, a door, coloured similarly to the key they had found. It seemed to emanate an unbearable heat, coming off in waves from behind it.

"We're getting closer," He said. "Are you ready, Takuto?" He asked, raising the key in front of the door.

[Takuto 0]

Takuto was relieved that Dellis knew what to do and surprised he didn't die. The explosion felt like it was at least 4 plastic c4 explosive from the real world hit him but he managed to survive.

The roof had caved in and rocks where scattered over the floor. "You had a great idea," Dellis said, raising with difficulty. He stretched his hand towards Takuto to help him out. "You killed both the remaining cobolds, and we both went through it unscathed. Well, relatively unscathed." He added. "You're a great party member, you know?" He said.

Takuto grabbed Dellis's hand and pulled himself up,"Thanks but my actual plan was to knosk them both into a wall and blow a hole through it if possible", he said dusting off his clothes. He widened his eyes as Dellis said he was a good party member. "Well the truth is I usually solo in most MMOs but since this one is a death trap I guess I'll have too make new friends", Takuto said starring at the ground.

Dellis turned his head. he walked over to where the Cobolds had exploded. Dellis picked up a key it looked like something from the underworld. Dellis chunked it over to Takuto,"This probably opens the door to the next area. You keep it!" Takuto looked at it it was a deep shade of black it had Blood red vains of what looked like molten lava flowing everywhere on th key.

"try to step on the rocks that have fallen from the ceiling, that way we won't set off any more pressure plates." Dellis said. Takuto nodded he took carefull steps hitting the rocks as best he could.

After reaching the end of the hallway Takuto felt the key getting hotter it seemed to be reacting to something nearby.

then he saw it a door that looked exactly like the key. Takuto gave the key to Dellis,"The key is getting hotter as we get closer to the door, test it out". Dellis raised the key to the door," You ready Takuto?"

Takuto nodded,"Whenever you are", he said to Dellis.

[Dellis 0]

He answered Takuto, before opening the door. "Ah, you wanted to blast a hole in the wall? My bad, sorry I didn't understand it. It was a good idea, though. Anyway, we managed to find a way to go further either way, luckily."

He raised the key to the door... and found there was no keyhole.

"Hmm... this might be a problem." He said, staring at the door. "How are we supposed to use a key on something that has no keyhole?" He said to himself.

*Waaait, he'll get it eventually...* thought Izzy.

"Hmm..." He said, getting in front of the door. He readied himself, and tried to push it open.

Immediately, he jumped back, blisters forming on his fingertips. "Ouch... it's too hot. It's like it's mad of molten lava."

*Aaaand the first prize for idiocy goes to... Dellis!* Thought sarcastically again the little lizard. *Now, let's see if you've actually got a brain or it's made of cream croissants.*

He looked at Takuto. "You said the key gets hotter the more we get near the door? I wonder..."

*Aaaand we're finally done. A pity, it was getting entertaining to see you.* thought again the lizard.

He raised once again the key to the door... and touched it with it.

Immediately, the key began to... fuse with the door, melting into it... then it began to collapse.

He jumped on a rock, careful not to touch the lava, and into the next room.

"... Wow." He said, not finding other words for the view he was having.

They were in a big, round chamber, at least twenty meters high, its ceiling and walls forming a hemisphere. The walls were all of the same colour scheme of the door, but it seemed to... pulse, changing, like it was alive.

Heat came roiling off in waves from the center of the room, causing Dellis to instantly remove all his armor, remaining in cloth. Holding the shield was almost unbearable, even if the handle wasn't even made of metal.

There was a small ledge of normal terrain in front of them, which abruptly ceased into a sea of magma after five meters.

Bubbles of magma popped lazily from the mortal sea, signaling the presence of gas inside it. Here and there, a column of lava exploding upward formed up.

"This is it. This is the Magma Chamber." He said, sweating. "Unfortunately, we're not done yet. The magma solidifies at the exact center of this place, and we've not even seen the boss yet." Izzy squirmed uncomfortably on his neck.

He stood to look at Takuto. "We've got to get to the center, somehow. It would take a whole river to solidify the magma creating a road to get there..." he paused. "Luckily, there's another way. You see those rocks, floating in the magma?"

He waited his comrade's answer. "Those are made of denser metals, and don't fuse. We can step on those to get to the center... but one misstep, and it's over."

He jumped over the first platform. *If I fall, there won't be enough time to use the teleport crystals,* he thought. He tested with his feet the second platform... and soon jumped back to the first.

"Takuto! Some of these platforms are not stable, they submerge in the magma as soon as you put your weight on them!"

He shouted, dropping some water to quench the flames which had caught to his boots.

"Kayaba... what was he thinking, creating a death game like this one?" He said, carefully testing his balance.

"Well... there is another way," He said hopping back to the ledge. "You see those baskets of metal, connected to a rope?"

He pointed to two big baskets on a rock not far from there, just two or three jumps from the ledge, hanging from a rope which departed from the wall beside the door and went further into the darkness, towards the center of the room. A pulley system was mounted on the top, so that it could move back and forth from the ledge to the central area.

"If you don't want to hop your way to the center, if we get to those baskets, we can ride them." He stopped. "Although I don't know if they will carry our weight without falling, and there will probably be some other dangers along the road, or it would be too easy. I've played enough games to know that." He added, looking unsurely at the rope.

"So? What do you think?" He asked.

(OOC: Sorry i write so much, it's a bad habit of mine. Hope you like the quest, anyway. I'm trying to provide a wide variety of challenges^^)

[Takuto 0]

After th door opened or more likely colapsed is the word to use a wave of heat hit Takuto's face he took off his jacket and put it into inventory.

Dellis stood to look at Takuto. "We've got to get to the center, somehow. It would take a whole river to solidify the magma creating a road to get there..." he paused. "Luckily, there's another way. You see those rocks, floating in the magma?" Takuto looked to where he was pointing he nodded," Yes". "Those are made of denser metals, and don't fuse. We can step on those to get to the center... but one misstep, and it's over", Dellis said. Takuto nodded again," I understand",he said. He looked around thinking of other possible ways as he always does.

Takuto heard Dellis say,"Takuto! Some of these platforms are not stable" that made Takuto think even harder he looked around the room he saw nothing to climb on. Only two buckets that Dellis pointed to when he got back over to Takuto.

Takuto looked back at the floating rocks," Let me try", He said walking over to the platform. Takuto stepped on to the first rock, it didn't move at all. Takuto looked around at the other rocks, they looked in some sort of pattern like a giant puzzle some rocks looked different than others like one was actually in the shape of a star, and another was a moon. "Dellis It's a puzzel, Look at the shapes of some of the rocks", Takuto said point at the rocks at the end of the rock path. There were three paths a moon, a sun, and a star.

Takuto jumped back to Dellis. " Wasn't there a riddle in the guide book about this place or was that a different dungeon?", Takuto asked. he looked back too the buckets *Hm... I wonder* he thought.

(OOC:I think its good to type a bunch of things it helps all of us.)

[Dellis 0]

"hmm... you might be right, Takuto. Good catch." He took out the guide from the inventory.

"I don't remember it, though. Luckily, I always bring with me a copy, so we can check what the riddle was. Just open it at the Dungeons section, The Magma Chamber paragraph. There should be everything about this dungeon the tester's have found out." He said, passing it to Takuto.

Meanwhile, he went nearer to the ledge to examine all the rock paths. Takuto was right, there were some strange shaped rocks, and most didn't move at all.

*Moon, Star, and Sun...* He kept thinking intently.

"You've found anything in the guide yet?" He asked him, while testing carefully the rocks.

[Takuto 0]

Takuto looked back Dellis was zoned in on the book. Takuto looked back at the buckets again. He walked over to them and grabbed the rope pully and moved the buckets along the path. they moved toward the moon path with great accuracy. "Hm... Dellis do you have any water left?", Takuto asked Dellis as he turned to face him

*If this works we can solidify a bridge to the center*. Takuto thought.

[Dellis 0]

He suddendly understood what Takuto meant.

"Ah... right! Uhm, yes. I was going to a trip on floor 5 after this, and since it's a desert, and three people have agreed to the trip, i had collected quite a lot of water." He nodded.

He opened the inventory, and tons of bottles of water appeared suddendly on the ground. One of the perks of being a blacksmith, high inventory carrying skill meant a lot of inventory space.

"Use them fast, or they'll decay and disappear, just like any item in this game." He warned.

He inspected the lever and pulley system on the buckets. What Takuto had thought was indeed possible.

[Takuto 0]

Takuto began to take bottles of water and pouring them into the buckets. He took the first bucket and pulled the lever slowly. The steam from the two substances touching filled the hole room and when it was cleared a small thin path was now where few stable rocks were.

"Dellis... as soo as we get to the center of the room I'm sure the boss will appear. Are you ready?", takuto asked possitioning the next bucket.

[Dellis 0]

He nodded. "I am."

After ten minutes of work, they had finished all water supply, and the path was finished.

They carefully started treading on the newly formed path. Little trails of magma still were present here and there, rapidly solidifying.

The more they neared the center, the more the heat went up, until Dellis considered actually removing all his armor. The metal almost scorched his skin, and the cloth under it was singed.

Far away, looming in the darkness, awaited the Magma Core.

The very heart of Auburn Mountain, a pulsating core of heat and radiance, in the exact middle of the island. A two meter wide perfectly hexagonal rock, its surface red with magma partly solid and partly liquid, ever shifting. They could only see the top part, since the Core was engraved into the island. Two bright canals went from the magma sea to it, flowing through, then disappearing in the hole that was supposed to be under the Core.

"That's the Magma Core. It continously refines all the magma that flows through it, progressively solidifying all the ore that it founds and drawing it near its center. That solidified material is the Solidified Magma. If we're lucky, there will be four to five chunks in it." He said as they were nearing the ten meters wide Island.

Izzy seemed disquiet, on his shoulders, as they stepped on it.

"Quiet, you!" said in the utmost silence the young blacksmith to his pet, which didn't stop moving for a second.

They neared the Core.

Immediately, all the ground began shaking, and he fell to his knees trying to regain his balance.

"Takuto! It's coming!" He warned.

It was hard to get back to his feet, and he couldn't do anything as he saw tiny ripples at first, then waves form in the Magma sea near the island.

Little by little, something started to emerge.

"..."

First emerged a scaly head, with two malicious orange reptile eyes staring from behind red eyelids.

"Two other intruders in my lair..." They heard a low, growling voice booming in the darkness.

Then followed a sinous, reptile body, with scales the same colour of the key and the door and fire itself. They seemed as hard as metal shields, and yet they flexed with ease on his body, glistening menaciously.

"... Two other Children of the Men, seeking my Core ..." A low fury, like the rumbling of thunder, could be felt slowly rising in the voice ...

The Beast stood on its four legs, eight meters high, whipping about his long, tailed leg.

"Two other Thiefs which will never see light again." The voice cut, abruptly.

He looked at the two little intruders, and uncoiled its wings, spreading magma droplets all over the cave.

*THAT's my cousin!* thought Izzy.

The Dragon hissed.

-------------Boss Fight-------------

Dellis: 13/13

Red Dragon: 18/18

[Takuto 0]

The Red Dragon. A name Takuto had heard as a species of dragon and a title for a dragon. Of course in the kind of books he reads. The dragon was a magnificent and terrifying creature to see. it's wings dripping of fresh molten, red lava.

*Prepare yourself Takuto,* Takuto thought to himself,* For one of your greatest battles in this game.

The Dragon hissed.

It lunged at Dellis. Takuto preparred a sword skill he was going to ram it away from Dellis.

OOC: soory had some major writer's block for a while. :evil:

1-4 failed sword skill lose one life

5-7 succesful hit into the wall 2 damage

8-12 extra falling rock damage done to the dragon 3 damage

Takuto 11/11

Dragon 18/18

[Dellis 0]

Dellis evaded the Dragon's lunge stepping to the side. Its claws ripped through the island like it was butter, tearing away a large chunk of it.

"This is bad... I wasn't expecting a boss this strong to be here." Thought Dellis, readying his shield.

*How do we exactly attack it? It's not like we can swim in the magma to get to him...* He thought, worried.

"Go on... come to attack me... what? You can't swim in magma? Ah, it's not my fault you're useless humans..." said the dragon, like it had read in his mind.

Dellis ground his teeth together. *There must be a way to get him to come closer... RIGHT!* He suddendly came up with a plan.

He raised his shield, using its Weapon Skill.

A ray of light originated from the shield's centre, hitting the Dragon right in the eyes, blinding him.

"AaaaArgh! You puny human! What did you do to my eyes!" Screamed the dragon in pain, thrashing around wildly, the magma starting to form waves from his movement.

"I'll kill you!" yelled the red dragon, yet it was blinded, so it had to come closer to the island to attack. It missed again, hitting an empty area.

"NOW! TAKUTO! Jump upon him!" He shouted, as he ran and jumped to the dragon's shoulder.

He bashed with all his might the dragon's face, hoping to stun him.

---------------------------------------------OOC: Will edit after dice roll --------------------------------------------------------

Unfortunately, he lost his foothold on the Red Dragon, which was flailing wildly in pain, making it difficult to stand. His shield bash missed, but he managed to hold on tight and not fall.

"Takuto! Need a little help here!" He shouted, calling to his friend.

------------------Used Item Power--------------------------

Izzy's Scales

Enhancements/Powers: It blinds the enemies with a flash of light at the start of the battle. (Approved GM Oske)

[Dellis 0]

Dice Roll