I hate initiating Olivius mutters. A tense pause fills the air.
Then Olivius explodes into motion. He darts forward with a speed that seems to defy his armor and he collides with the golem in a screeching thunder.
The automaton was not prepared for the sudden attack and is pushed back five feet by Olivius's bullrush.
The automaton quickly responds to Olivius's attack and slams down with one of the metal arms.
Only to miss horrifically.
Round 1: HEROES ARE UP!!!
Trig summons an eagle into the square behind the automaton. "Leave Olives alone you big bucket of bolts!" she shouts at the robot. The eagle attacks the machine with talon and beak.
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Fligg hangs back, still badly wounded from before. I'm not much of a warrior compared to Olivius. I'll serve Trig better by staying alive to scout.
Olivius follows up his assault with a light step and hard jab to the sensitive gears within its protective plates
Feora moves up behind Olivius, the occasional spark of flame flicking around her arms as she moves up behind him, visible streaks of red starting to form in her hair as she seems to be focusing power for something.
"Feora, get back!" Horatio shouts, the fear on his face juxtaposing the rousing tune that springs from his fingers. He drops the instrument into his belt as he moves closer, focusing his power on echoing the tune through the air.
The automaton takes a brutal strike from Olivius, but shortly after it's mechanisms seem to repair slightly as it turns to the eagle and swings one of it's mighty arms.
"None may pass."
Only to miss horrifically and one of it's fists smashes into the wall.
Round 2: Heroes GO!
The eagle continues to attack the clockwork machine.
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Ignoring Horatio's protests, Feora stands her ground, and now her arms are starting to glow with heat as she keeps drawing power, her hair more looking like red with whitish streaks in it, almost like she is waiting for something.
Horatio draws his rapier and closes in on the automaton, keeping his stance guarded.
Olivius plunges his spear into the creature once more.
Though the weapon seems to flitter off of the metal of the creature.
The automaton once again attacks the bird, most concerned on something getting passed it.
"Intruder must cease."
The eagle manages to flit just above the swing, barely being missed. If the automaton had feelings, it would be frustrated.
Heroes GO!
Feora stands waiting, her now crimson colored eyes focused, waiting for an opening. "Stand aside warrior, Let this creature of metal feel the fires of the Dawn."
"I sure hope you know what you're doing," Horatio mutters, shaking his head. He arrests his movement towards the automaton, slipping in behind the nearest wall.
Olivius gives one more hard jab with his spear before stepping to the side and letting Fiora do her thing.
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The bird seems to be hovering in the air, looking very singed, while several of the parts of the automaton have melted and seem to continuing to melt due to the flames of the oracle.
Feora when both of them move extends her hands outward towards the automaton, a very faint echoing to her voice as flame engulfs them and she cries out:
Per ignem purgari!
Feora then quickly moves over behind Olivius and Horatio, her eyes still fixed on the automaton.
Trig's eyes go wide, "Mr. Feathers!" she shouts. When she sees the bird is okay, she just kind of chuckles "Hehehehe. Tastes like chicken." The roasted eagle continues to attack.
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The bird continues it's attack and claws the automated guardian's 'eyes' out, causing the machine to slump, as if it is defeated, though it does appear that it is trying to repair itself still.
The eagle makes it's attacks and then POPS, disappearing from existence.
There is still a key floating in the air, but the room is quiet save for the sound of metal attempting to fuse together ever so slowly.
Olivius places his spear behind the atomaton's head and strikes it repeatedly to see if it will stop completely or not.
The device stops repairing itself (they are, but I figure he will stab it a couple of times to ensure it ends).
Olivius wipes a drop of sweat from his brow after the machine stops clanking and trying to fix itself. Is everyone ok?
Feora stands, tongues of flame playing across her arms for a moment. When the clockwork finally falls to the ground lifeless, her hair slowly starts to fade back to an ashen white, her eyes roll back in her head, and she slumps to the ground, very much looking like she fainted.
The smell of heat and burning metal assails Horatio's nostrils as he presses himself back against the wall, trying to stay away from the gouts of flame. When the burning ends, he sticks his head around the corner, giving a low whistle of appreciation as Olivius prods the thing to make sure it's staying down. "Well, that was certainly impressive. Can't say I've seen anything like-" Hearing Feora slump, he whips his head around immediately, rushing to her side and trying to keep her upright. "Hey, come on. Stay with me," he urges, a hint of fear creeping into his face and voice. He glances up at Olivius, not quite concealing the frightened expression. "Maybe we should get her out of here."
Feora moans softly as Horatio holds her. She still seems conscious just very dizzy and out of sorts. She leans her shaped lithe form against Horatio, not really that much to support, even given the weight of her pack. She starts to groan as she very unsuccessfully tries to support her own weight. "Uhmm..., question..., why can't I stand up?"
Horatio sighs in relief as Feora seems to focus somewhat. "Alright, you're awake. That's a good start." He pulls one of her arms over his shoulders, trying to keep her upright - not entirely sure whether Olivius would appreciate him picking her up completely. "I don't know, to be honest. You fried the construct, then you just went down. How do you feel?"
Olivius strides over to take a look at Fiora. She could do real magic! But the words she used weren't arcane, so she couldn't help him in his quest for magehood. Still, Olivius's perspective had shifted about this girl. She was much more than a lonely church rat that needed to see some of the world.
Olivius didn't know anything about medicine (another side effect of leaving school early), so he looks to Trig. Do you know what's wrong?
"She needs more nut in her sack," Trig says, raising an eyebrow at Feora's fainting. "C'mon girl, you got to tough it up! You aren't an acolyte any more, you're an adventurer now!" Trig flexes her tiny arms, doing muscle man poses for a second. The she laughs, looks at Olives and shrugs, saying, "Yeah...no idea."
Fligg walks over to Feora and takes her hand. He kisses it gently. "That fireworks show was beautiful Feora. I think I'm in love."
Trig glares at Fligg. "Hey watch this," she whispers to Olivius. Turning back to Fligg she says, "Hey Fligg, act like a dog."
Fligg immediately drops to all fours, begins wagging his rear about and barking at Feora. He pants happily, with his tongue wagging out of his mouth.
Olivius laughs gently. He got the message. Fligg was Trig's first, and noone else's.
"Yeah, that's good. You're a dog now, kay?" she asks the eidolon rhetorically. Trig turns back to Olivius. "He has to do whatever I say. Hilarious, right?"
Fligg crawls over to Trig, then kneels next to her and lets her pet his head.
"Well, I haven't seen a display like that since this one night at the Pixie's Kitten-" Horatio begins with a small chuckle. "Ah, but that seems like so long ago. Do you remember, Olives? Or were you drinking alone that night?" There is humour in his tone, but genuine concern still shows on his face. Silently praying Olivius won't make good on his threats just yet, he puts an arm behind Feora's knees and somewhat clumsily lifts her into his arms, one under her knees, one under her shoulders, taking the strain off his shoulder. "Come on. Let's backtrack a ways, find a seat. I think we could all use a breather."
I do see great potential. Olivius says with a grin, but everything seems to be blanked with a twinge of concern for the fallen Fiora.
Feora giggles a little at the dog display, as sne slips into Horatio's arms gently. "Uhm..., I blacked out again..., didn't I? I smell burning..., must have blacked out. That's what happened in the high priest's chamber. Is..., everyone ok?"
Olivius sighs in relief. Indeed. I managed to get out of the way in time.
"Burning metal, with a few singed feathers, to be precise. All told, a rather lovely aroma that reminds me of a Korvosan alchemist I once knew." Horatio chuckles slightly at the memory. "You blacked out - rather spectacularly, I might add. Does this happen often? And I think we have a few minor cuts and bruises between us, but nothing caused by your little display." He mentions nothing of the dull ache from the scorpion bite in his thigh, nor of the burned arm from his tumble into the acid. "You're really the one we're all worried about."
The key, upon closer inspection, is being held by an unseen servant and appears to fit into the back of the fallen automaton, a mechanism to wind up the creature's gears.
"Well, dog? What are you waiting for, go scout the hallway," Trig commands Fligg in an imperious tone.
Fligg nods once and crawls off quietly down the hallway.
Fligg comes to a door...which is unlocked and untrapped as far as he can tell.
As soon as Olivius gets the all-clear on the traps, he'll take point and open the door.
An area along the south wall is enclosed in a cage of thick iron bars that extend from floor to ceiling. Within the enclosure sit seven black iron chests. To the north, the stone wall has collapsed, revealing a rough-hewn tunnel.
Trig easily spots two slots on either side of the bars upon entering the room. The slots sit in the floor and are a bit larger than a typical keyhole and have odd lines and rivets in them.
Olivius carefully scans the room, then tries to determine what the slots in the floor are for.
Feora seems to be rather distracted as she snuggles into Horatio's arms, resting her head on his shoulder. She seems to be much more calm now, and starting to come back to her senses.
Horatio seems fully alert as he enters the room, perhaps owing in part to the fact that he's carrying someone else who could use protecting. The slots in the floor stymie him, though. "Back home, the great vault of the church of Abadar had two keys, which needed to be used simultaneously to open the vault. This looks like a similar set-up - but where are the keys?" He appears to be addressing Olivius, but his eyes don't focus on anyone as he speaks - he could just as easily be thinking out loud. He spares a glance down at Feora, who appears to be making herself comfortable. "You feeling better yet, or would you prefer to just relax there?"