12-16-2017, 07:11 AM
Ash was evidently concerned about the third, currently absent member of the team. It was an understandable feeling. With the maze-like corridors of the fortress crumbling around them, the place was turning into a new brand of deathtrap, one which promised a swift death under tons of falling rubble.
“For what it's worth,” Celestia spoke as they ran, leaving the wine cellar and ascending into an adjoining corridor, “I'm worried as well. But it won't do any good-” she spotted a loose chunk of the ceiling that made her pause to shout “Split!” The two of them ran to, then along the walls, narrowly avoiding several large bricks as they fell. The alicorn picked up her previous thought. “...Won't do any do any good to fret. We just-”
Now it was apparently Ash's turn, as he leapt toward Celestia, pushing her to the side as a section of the floor gave way and tumbled into chambers below. There was a crash, followed shortly by another as basement floors broke in sequence. Celestia muttered her thanks, but they couldn't stop. The floor shifted, threatening to collapse, and once more they were moving on.
Celestia finished her thought as they reached the end of the hall. “We just need to have a little faith in our friend, and we'll see him again.”
The pair found themselves at a fork, and looked around quickly. To one side was another corridor, leading toward what looked to be a large hall. To the other was a spiral staircase, which made up the centre of a tower. Knowing they needed to make a choice quickly, Celestia was already moving up the stairs as she spoke. “If we could get higher up, we might be able to-”
She never got to finish the sentence. Several heavy steps from above them fell down, shattering the staircase. Celestia brought up a shield, in time to deflect the falling rocks, but the shield shattered and she was knocked backwards from the blow, to be caught by Ash, who helped her back upright. They both looked at the staircase. “I think that one's out of order,” Ash said, before turning. “But there's still the hallway!”
No sooner had they turned toward the corridor than they heard a distant noise, followed by the upper half of the toward slamming into the corridor. It formed a barrier that, while not impenetrable, would take them too long to easily get through. Looking back the way they came showed that hallway having collapsed past a certain point, and the chasm was growing closer by the moment. They both instinctually backed away, until they hit the wall.
Celestia had a thought. If this was, or used to be a tower, that should be near the edge of the keep at least. Even if that didn't lead outside the grounds entirely, beyond it should be open air, which would be out from under the falling ceiling and on open ground where there would be fewer obstacles. There was a wall between them and said open air, true, but that wall was rapidly weakening. She had a hammer meant to knock down even heavy, sturdy individuals.
Celestia turned around, wound back the hammer which glowed faintly, before slamming it into the wall. In her weakened state, the effort took the wind out of her, but the wall fell open, bricks scattering onto the ground beyond. “An exit,” she muttered out between panting breaths.
Ash nodded, before helping Celestia through the hole. He practically pushed her through, but there was no time to be worried about politeness, and it got the job done. They likely weren't out of the danger, but they had made it outside. They had only a moment to catch their breath, before they were off again.
“For what it's worth,” Celestia spoke as they ran, leaving the wine cellar and ascending into an adjoining corridor, “I'm worried as well. But it won't do any good-” she spotted a loose chunk of the ceiling that made her pause to shout “Split!” The two of them ran to, then along the walls, narrowly avoiding several large bricks as they fell. The alicorn picked up her previous thought. “...Won't do any do any good to fret. We just-”
Now it was apparently Ash's turn, as he leapt toward Celestia, pushing her to the side as a section of the floor gave way and tumbled into chambers below. There was a crash, followed shortly by another as basement floors broke in sequence. Celestia muttered her thanks, but they couldn't stop. The floor shifted, threatening to collapse, and once more they were moving on.
Celestia finished her thought as they reached the end of the hall. “We just need to have a little faith in our friend, and we'll see him again.”
The pair found themselves at a fork, and looked around quickly. To one side was another corridor, leading toward what looked to be a large hall. To the other was a spiral staircase, which made up the centre of a tower. Knowing they needed to make a choice quickly, Celestia was already moving up the stairs as she spoke. “If we could get higher up, we might be able to-”
She never got to finish the sentence. Several heavy steps from above them fell down, shattering the staircase. Celestia brought up a shield, in time to deflect the falling rocks, but the shield shattered and she was knocked backwards from the blow, to be caught by Ash, who helped her back upright. They both looked at the staircase. “I think that one's out of order,” Ash said, before turning. “But there's still the hallway!”
No sooner had they turned toward the corridor than they heard a distant noise, followed by the upper half of the toward slamming into the corridor. It formed a barrier that, while not impenetrable, would take them too long to easily get through. Looking back the way they came showed that hallway having collapsed past a certain point, and the chasm was growing closer by the moment. They both instinctually backed away, until they hit the wall.
Celestia had a thought. If this was, or used to be a tower, that should be near the edge of the keep at least. Even if that didn't lead outside the grounds entirely, beyond it should be open air, which would be out from under the falling ceiling and on open ground where there would be fewer obstacles. There was a wall between them and said open air, true, but that wall was rapidly weakening. She had a hammer meant to knock down even heavy, sturdy individuals.
Celestia turned around, wound back the hammer which glowed faintly, before slamming it into the wall. In her weakened state, the effort took the wind out of her, but the wall fell open, bricks scattering onto the ground beyond. “An exit,” she muttered out between panting breaths.
Ash nodded, before helping Celestia through the hole. He practically pushed her through, but there was no time to be worried about politeness, and it got the job done. They likely weren't out of the danger, but they had made it outside. They had only a moment to catch their breath, before they were off again.
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