11-02-2017, 11:53 AM
The heat of the lower levels subsided behind the faunus with each set of stairs she climbed. Warm air wasn't her favorite, though, she preferred the chilling cold of the Frozen Fields just like Atlas back home. The air was crisp and harsh to the skin. She used to believe the frozen air was the reason she became so resilient to harsh weather and toughen her warrior spirit.
When she reached the surface, she took a deep breath of that air in and let all sink in. The smells of white hot irons from blacksmiths and fresh foods like bread and meats filled her nostrils. Amber gazed upon the kingdom she had come to unite in the frozen wastes many considered inhospitable, besides trolls, dwarves and dragons, and smiled contently with the progress. It had come to her attention, however, that sourcing power out here could be difficult, even for a Prime of her stature. As much as she would love to just snap her fingers and lights poof to existence, that seemed more draining than she thought. Those lights would still need to be powered, and the furthest their power source reached was the bar and the security door at the wall.
The faunus sighed to herself. She would likely have to get stronger before she decided to power and entire city by herself. Her train of thought was interrupted by a woman running through the dirt/snowed streets of Atlas flailing her arms for the cat girl's attention.
“Amber! Hey!” She yelled, waving her arms back and forth. Many civilians giving her bewildering glares as she does so. When she finally caught up to the faunus, she had to catch her breath before she could speak. Her face and hair was covered in dirt, as if she had showered in clumped mud. Her clothing easily signified her as one of the Atlas miners.
“Uh, hi?” Amber muttered confusedly. “Do I know you?”
“No.” The woman said gasping for relief. “But, sure do know you. You run the show here, and there's a big problem.”
“What is it?! Trolls? Giants? Oh shit, did the dragons come after me to avenge Votamiks?” Amber said reaching back for the giant sword holstered to her backside.
“No, no, and no, but our miners are in big trouble. We found a gem like nothing I’d ever seen before and when we tried to mine it out of the ore, BOOM!” The dirt covered woman shouted. “The damn thing exploded and trapped our miners in a cave in. At least ten good men are stuck in the cave now.”
“Y-You found Dust? In the Omniverse?” The cat asked surprisingly. She never expected to find a pure source of Dust anywhere but Remnant. It was practically unbelievable, which made her think that perhaps this was merely a joke to gawk at her inability to return home.
“Yeah, there’s a whole lot of it in caves, you know?” The miner said, obviously oblivious to the term ‘Dust’ as compared to that of a native of Remnant. “It’s sort of the thing for caves.”
“No! Dust! As in a physical material used as power sources and focuses for magical powers?! You're telling me a crystal like substance exploded and caused a cave in around your workers? What did it look like?” She asked putting her sword hand back down at her side and finding it’s way to cross at her chest.
“Well,” The miner attempted to recall the details. “It was red. Looked nothing like ruby or garnet, though, even if it was uncut. I'd say it was like a rock, but had a faint shine to it like glass.”
“That is dust! Take me there now! This is more important than you could possibly imagine!” The faunus shouted frantically.
“The miners are st-”
“Yeah, we’ll free the miners and then you’ll show me these crystals.” Amber interrupted, getting a nod in response. She pulled out her scroll and called up Murasaki.
’Yo.’ His voice scratched through faint static.
“‘Saki, I think our miners just found Dust.” She said without even a proper hello.
’Wait, Remnant Dust? There’s Dust in the Omniverse, unrefined?’ He asked.
“I was just as confused as you are. I'm going to investigate this right now, if this real, this could be a turning point for Atlas. We would be able to filter a stronger source of power with lightning Dust.” She explained through frantic heaving as the miner lead her through the snow capes towards their primary mining operation.
Upon arrival, Amber knew they had found Dust. She could smell the blazing crystal fragrance in the air, like singed hair. The horrid aroma brought her back nostalgically. It made her feel even more at home in the frozen wasteland she had to make due with. The miner, on the other hand, grew a disgusted expression to the smell and urged Amber into the cave. The smell only intensified upon entering the dark mountain crevice.
The only light available were some torches until the got deeper into the tunnel system. Rocks had fallen from the ceiling and disturbed the dirt around them. Any torches that were lit before the incident were gone now.
“It’s just up here.” Said her travel companion. She could see it: The mound of dirt and rocks that had obviously fallen from a disrupted patch in the caves dirt-roof. Getting through such a wall would not be easy but Amber was anything but a quitter.
When she reached the surface, she took a deep breath of that air in and let all sink in. The smells of white hot irons from blacksmiths and fresh foods like bread and meats filled her nostrils. Amber gazed upon the kingdom she had come to unite in the frozen wastes many considered inhospitable, besides trolls, dwarves and dragons, and smiled contently with the progress. It had come to her attention, however, that sourcing power out here could be difficult, even for a Prime of her stature. As much as she would love to just snap her fingers and lights poof to existence, that seemed more draining than she thought. Those lights would still need to be powered, and the furthest their power source reached was the bar and the security door at the wall.
The faunus sighed to herself. She would likely have to get stronger before she decided to power and entire city by herself. Her train of thought was interrupted by a woman running through the dirt/snowed streets of Atlas flailing her arms for the cat girl's attention.
“Amber! Hey!” She yelled, waving her arms back and forth. Many civilians giving her bewildering glares as she does so. When she finally caught up to the faunus, she had to catch her breath before she could speak. Her face and hair was covered in dirt, as if she had showered in clumped mud. Her clothing easily signified her as one of the Atlas miners.
“Uh, hi?” Amber muttered confusedly. “Do I know you?”
“No.” The woman said gasping for relief. “But, sure do know you. You run the show here, and there's a big problem.”
“What is it?! Trolls? Giants? Oh shit, did the dragons come after me to avenge Votamiks?” Amber said reaching back for the giant sword holstered to her backside.
“No, no, and no, but our miners are in big trouble. We found a gem like nothing I’d ever seen before and when we tried to mine it out of the ore, BOOM!” The dirt covered woman shouted. “The damn thing exploded and trapped our miners in a cave in. At least ten good men are stuck in the cave now.”
“Y-You found Dust? In the Omniverse?” The cat asked surprisingly. She never expected to find a pure source of Dust anywhere but Remnant. It was practically unbelievable, which made her think that perhaps this was merely a joke to gawk at her inability to return home.
“Yeah, there’s a whole lot of it in caves, you know?” The miner said, obviously oblivious to the term ‘Dust’ as compared to that of a native of Remnant. “It’s sort of the thing for caves.”
“No! Dust! As in a physical material used as power sources and focuses for magical powers?! You're telling me a crystal like substance exploded and caused a cave in around your workers? What did it look like?” She asked putting her sword hand back down at her side and finding it’s way to cross at her chest.
“Well,” The miner attempted to recall the details. “It was red. Looked nothing like ruby or garnet, though, even if it was uncut. I'd say it was like a rock, but had a faint shine to it like glass.”
“That is dust! Take me there now! This is more important than you could possibly imagine!” The faunus shouted frantically.
“The miners are st-”
“Yeah, we’ll free the miners and then you’ll show me these crystals.” Amber interrupted, getting a nod in response. She pulled out her scroll and called up Murasaki.
’Yo.’ His voice scratched through faint static.
“‘Saki, I think our miners just found Dust.” She said without even a proper hello.
’Wait, Remnant Dust? There’s Dust in the Omniverse, unrefined?’ He asked.
“I was just as confused as you are. I'm going to investigate this right now, if this real, this could be a turning point for Atlas. We would be able to filter a stronger source of power with lightning Dust.” She explained through frantic heaving as the miner lead her through the snow capes towards their primary mining operation.
Upon arrival, Amber knew they had found Dust. She could smell the blazing crystal fragrance in the air, like singed hair. The horrid aroma brought her back nostalgically. It made her feel even more at home in the frozen wasteland she had to make due with. The miner, on the other hand, grew a disgusted expression to the smell and urged Amber into the cave. The smell only intensified upon entering the dark mountain crevice.
The only light available were some torches until the got deeper into the tunnel system. Rocks had fallen from the ceiling and disturbed the dirt around them. Any torches that were lit before the incident were gone now.
“It’s just up here.” Said her travel companion. She could see it: The mound of dirt and rocks that had obviously fallen from a disrupted patch in the caves dirt-roof. Getting through such a wall would not be easy but Amber was anything but a quitter.
"I've been neglected, harassed, beaten, and diminished all my life. What motivates me to continue? The glory of proving people wrong. Being worth more than the numbing existence offered me. To be a hero." - Amber