[Open] Yet Another Underground Maze

[ziedrich_bearer]

WHO: Gladiolus Amicitia, Sephiroth
WHERE: Warrens Maze
WHAT: A Maze Route
WHEN: Mid November
WARNINGS: N/A Yet

In a way all of this is so much like Gladio's personal history that it's scary. An apocalypse caused by a disease that happens to at the same time darken the skies? Check. People having to withdraw to a few beacons of metaphorical light in the darkness, check. Those beacons failing and people pulling back further? Check. Hell, even throwing oneself into an open and attested underground artificial structure to get through it to win an end to the darkness? Yeah, it all checks out.

Perhaps that's why Gladio approached who he did when all of this started. Not one of the kids he was training, not one of the adults that had their own plans, not even someone he's got a lot of experience with.

No, the moment the news comes over the semi-functional network that a new path has been opened and they have options, Gladio goes looking for someone he had seen pass him by a few times in the mines. Someone that came in with people and would head back out. Someone who had proven quite quickly to have a take charge kind of personality.

He looks for the silver haired man.

"Hey," he greets as he approaches Sephiroth. "I have a proposition for you."

Comments

[3wingedangel]

Indeed, as soon as Sephiroth got the word, he'd started preparing to go in the next pathway. He's been looking for someone suitable to go with him, and he's pleased to see Gladio approaching. From what little he knows of the other man, he's impressed.

"And what would that proposition be?" he asks, hoping they might be on the same wavelength.

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Someone's got to go into this place the others unlocked. People that can take care of themselves," Gladio points out, crossing his arms over his chest. "Seems to me you're in that category. And I know I am. Better to put less people at risk by sending the ones that can take care of themselves out. We could get there and back quicker, probably."

No guarantees, but he likes to think he can keep up. And if he was with someone he didn't have to worry about as much, he could throw himself into it more fully.

[3wingedangel]

Sephiroth nods, pleased. "I have been thinking the same thing," he says. "I've been looking for someone suitable to go in with me. Do you need to get anything first?"

He has supplies collected already.

[ziedrich_bearer]

Well, a bit more supplies wouldn't hurt, but they would have to do with what they can do with.

"I think I'd want to start by knowing if there is anything you're lacking I can provide. Got any weapons or something?"

[3wingedangel]

"I have this sword ..." Sephiroth shows the sword he found on this world. It's a normal length for most people, but he still finds it too short. Of course. "And I have the gun I was issued as Security."

[ziedrich_bearer]

Found it here? Intriguing that he found that. As for weapons, Gladio holds his hand out and summons his great sword to hand The thing was nearly as tall as him from tip to hilt, and definitely wide and heavy. Not to most people's taste.

"Seems we'll be well armed then."

[3wingedangel]

Sephiroth stares at it. Of course, seeing something like that makes him think of Cloud.

"Is that yours?" he asks in wonder. "From your home, I mean."

How would it have been obtained when Sephiroth could not have his sword?

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Yeah," Gladio says with a nod. "This is the Ziedrich. Used her in the service of protecting my king as well as fighting the apocalypse for nearly a decade. She's done right by me. But I also have a newer shield, so I have some versatility."

[3wingedangel]

That is good to know.

"Why did the Agrii let you have it?" he can't help asking. "They did not allow me to have mine."

[ziedrich_bearer]

Why? Gladio shrugs.

"Might be they didn't know I had it. I summon it from the bond I share with my king and the connection he has to a crystal. It wasn't visible."

So he got away with it.

[3wingedangel]

“… I see.” He wishes he could have such a bond with his sword. But such thoughts are pointless now.

“So we have weapons and supplies. I also have fire powers and knowledge of light and dark magic.” He demonstrates by making a small fireball in his hand.

[ziedrich_bearer]

To call it a bond with the sword was sadly not as accurate as it could be, but it was not like Gladiolus expected people to understand the esoteric workings of rare magic even on his own world. Here it was no shock that one would not know how things worked for him. Hell, he didn't even mind it that much.

"Magic was never something I was skilled with myself. More like I had someone who knew how to work up alchemic bottles. It will be nice ot have magic at my side again. Thank you."

If they didn't need to tarry then he saw no reason not to give moving on now.

[3wingedangel]

Sephiroth nods, pleased to be able to provide something otherwise not available. "We seem to be well-prepared. Perhaps we should start out?" He lifts the bag of supplies he has packed.

Sorry for the delay

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Indeed," Gladio says, smiling to himself. It's always nice to work with someone who knows what they're doing. "You have a lot of experience in long distance travel?"

Gladio isn't certain how long it will take to get wherever they are going, but he will be glad to hear the guy has any serious trudging experiences if it comes to it.

That's okay!

[3wingedangel]

"Yes, quite a bit. I worked for a long time protecting people and I often had to travel long distances."

He prefers teleporting, but sometimes that just isn't the best way to get to where he needs to go, especially if he's unfamiliar with the area. He trained a lot in survival techniques for such scenarios.

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Same," Gladio notes before nodding. "Let's get going then."

He nods and immediately starts walking. No question that the guy will keep up. He's pretty tall too. Gladio doesn't imagine he needs to modulate his stride at all. Tells himself it's refreshing too, so it's better this way.

And yet he still misses his fiance.

[3wingedangel]

Sephiroth nods too and begins walking as well. He does indeed keep up just fine. He's not much of a conversationalist as far as starting conversations, so he stays quiet and just keeps alert, looking around as they proceed down the path. He expects to encounter traps sooner or later.

[ziedrich_bearer]

See, they're definitely going to be quiet guys then. Gladio doesn't mind going quietly for a while. The thing is, it's a really dull walk after a while, and Gladio's about to open his mouth a long while in when they get to a split in the path.

"Well, seems like we've finally got some progress here. Think this is the split path the other team was talking about? I expect so. Got any preferences?"

[3wingedangel]

"Most likely." Sephiroth studies it, trying to determine any possible differences between the paths. "I have no preference." He makes a move towards the nearest path.

[ziedrich_bearer]

Well Gladio isn't going to protest the closest open path. There's no greater or lesser value to it than there is to anywhere else, so yeah, he's down.

"So, seems like we might still have some time to pass. Mind if I ask you a question or two about yourself?"

[3wingedangel]

"You're welcome to," Sephiroth says as they start to walk down the path. He isn't sure how open he'll be, depending on what's asked, but he's not opposed to the interest.

[ziedrich_bearer]

That's fair. Not many people that like others prying into their personal business. But Gladio was the sort that thought he was pretty tactful.

"How did you get your combat experience? You've clearly got it. I can see it in the way you move.:"

[3wingedangel]

Sephiroth appreciates that.

“A lot of it was learned from my father, a retired military officer,” he says. “Later I trained with someone whose business was training aspiring heroes.”

Phil hadn’t been so cynical back then.

“I spent years going where I was needed to help those in trouble.”

[ziedrich_bearer]

"Sounds like me. My father started teaching me not long after I could walk," Gladio says with a nod. And then he'd been passed on to Cor and Drautos and a number of other talented men in their military.

HE could definitely get Sephiroth then.

"I even had the years of helping people, as something called a Hunter. Nearly a decade of it. Hunting monsters, saving people, bringing back supplies."

[3wingedangel]

Sephiroth looks pleased. "We come from very similar backgrounds then. I did all of that in my line of work. Largely I was called upon to help when a particular kind of monster was starting to overrun the worlds."