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[indent][indent][indent][color=gray][sub][right][color=92278f][b]Location:[/b][/color] The Dungeon -- The City-State of Thorinn, Aetheria[/right][/sub][/color]
[hr]Slowly, things were starting to happen again. The group was composing themselves, working out strategies; Kazuki even had the emotional wherewithal to strike out on his own and scout ahead for them. Between the efforts of Benkei and Rael, the world—the world of Pariah, anyway—seemed to be returning to normal. All of them who had said it were right, of course. They’d need to move forward and push through what remained of this horrible place in order to reach safety. Aside from some new, admittedly cumberson…[i]mechanics[/i], they were going to have to go about it the same way they’d have approached any challenging content. Well-prepared, and as a team. 

They were good. She’d have to thank them afterwards, maybe with sandwiches or a nice stew—one of the only other rudimentary things Seele could, to put it generously, “cook.”

Her attentions remained with Alja for a while, as the young woman got back up to her feet. Seele had to catch herself to stop from thinking of her as a girl. She didn’t know how old Alja’s player was, or even her real name—something she’d at least try to remedy once they were all out of here. But the way the ghosts of panic still clung to her, and with how small her voice sounded when she’d squeaked out: [color=d1fffc]“Thank you, Seele,”[/color] it was almost impossible not to see the human within that great warrior. She wanted to throw her arms around Alja, tell her how proud she was already. Tell her she’d make it.
[color=#2E2C2C]…you’re…[/color]
Later. 

Instead, Seele gently patted Alja’s arm and gave her a bubbly smile. When Graves plopped down beside them, she jutted a thumb at him. [color=92278f]“He’s right, you should eat up,”[/color] she said, and gave his newly-patched boot a playful nudge with her foot. [color=92278f]“Just maybe not so much like a goblin.”[/color]

With that she went about following Benkei and Rael’s directions. Based on the way that Moonlight Potion had staggered Rael earlier, Seele was expecting the mana draught to fight her on the way down, but she was surprised to find it was…well, certainly not [i]good,[/i] but not terrible either. Bitter, bubbly, with a sort of ethereal aftertaste that caked a bit too thickly the throat. The earthy scent of petrichor was strong in her nose. She shut her eyes, and the pleasant chill of a passing rain swept through her.
[color=#2E2C2C]…cold…[/color]
Last was the amulet, which was a bittersweet gift. Immediately a distant, inner piece of herself was reduced, but at the same time the rest of her was refreshed. The last, nagging effects of her exertion in the spike room evanesced, and she felt more or less like new again. An odd thing to feel, all things considered. 

All said and done, she made her way over to Benkei and Rael. Her hand came up in salute, but her expression was anything but formal. [color=92278f]“Ship-shape, captains.”[/color]
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