Delving Deeper [CLOSED: Gao, Ekik, Sin, Claria]

[El]

"I-... don't suppose you have any experience in interacting with them? These... 'shades'." The words tumbled, distracted, from Gao's strained lips as he watched the other Zora warrior begin to scale the cairn.

It was pretty baffling in all honesty, to see such a total lack of reluctance. The risks felt high - danger a given - when so much was unknown. Gao could only deduce two different reasons for his fearlessness: either he knew exactly what he was doing, or he simply didn't need to. The Zora's habitual arrogance didn't come from a place of hollow bravado - no, no those sorts of people were easy to sniff out - there were no bluffs here: he had the skills to warrant the attitude. His confidence in his own abilities was blatant.

Still though, tension coiled ever tighter in Gao's muscles, raising the hackles and pulling taut the strings for a split-second launch. Disapproval. Anxiety. Intrigue. A grimace distorted his features. The threat of a potential confrontation aside, simply disturbing a potential grave irked the scholar too. Yet... he wasn't really in a place to be preaching was he? Given the poor spirit he held hostage in a cage, just so he could see a little better - a little safer.

But a thought struck him then, and his attention wavered, drifting back over to Claria. Chrystie had informed him that she had stated experience in the Depths during her application, (a claim which had just been evidenced to be very likely true), but there was other knowledge he could take advantage of as well.

"The markings on his tendrils," Gao began, voice hushed into an even lower whisper. He hesitated - just briefly - before continuing, a prick at his conscience causing the words to catch. "...Are they Zoran script?" He didn't like discussing someone behind their back and had no intentions of making it a habit, but clearly the warrior himself had no intentions of properly answering their questions: he doubted the Zora would even acknowledge the inquiry, let alone indulge his curiosity.

Plus, he was trying to understand something. Before it erupted into a fight.

Clearly there was some friction here, between Claria and the one with russet-scales. While Gao was all too familiar with territorial disputes and the violence which so often accompanied them, that was with monsters, not with a civilised race. What in Hylia's name was causing such disdain between the two? While the clash of personalities was probably a factor, it was not the sole cause, not for both of them at least. The Zora's accusatory wording earlier - 'your kind' - had led Gao onto an entirely different scent-trail. He wasn't like Claria. Not just in terms of appearance, but mannerisms, gait, speech, everything that could've been different was. ...Was he not native to Zora's Domain at all? That would explain a lot of things.

Yet, while Gao had been busy studying Claria's reaction - watching for the details of her expression in the glow of cold light - the Zora in question had finished scaling the tower. Quickly, his head snapped back.

Before Sin the solemn shadow of a spirit remained silent. It appeared Hylian, both in stature and in silhouette, a recognisable bulk of armoured plating accenting the fluid form and proudly crowning it with a plumed helm - a soldier, no doubt. He stood to attention, even in death. A chill shuddering through the dank Depths' air. The cloying mist which surrounded the form did not pause, nor did it shift: eternally it bled, swirling with undisturbed rhythm.

While it was immediately apparent that the weapon - somehow frozen in place just above the shade's spectral palms - was a halberd, the true quality, and colour, remained obscured by the darkness. It was only when Gao approached, closing the distance from behind, did the light from his poe lantern reach up to unveil its regal splendour in all its glory: rich gold trim and a luxurious purple hilt, accented by pops of noble red. Even from the base of the cairn, the Sheikah could see it sparkle, if little else. It was pristine. The tassled cords looked like they were braided yesterday. The handle's binding was fresh. The edges deadly-sharp. Not even a speck of decay had corrupted any of the ornate filigree the Royal Halberd had been masterfully decorated with.

Odd, Gao thought, his brow crumpling. Did someone leave it here...? But then, surely it must've been recently, given its condition. And EVEN THEN, a weapon of this quality, just-... abandoned?! That was unlikely - not without cause, surely. Perhaps the rumours Claria had heard were true after all.

[LuckyBlackCat]

"My kind...?"

The comment took Claria aback. She hadn't paid much heed to the swordsman's unusual features - Zora were a diverse people, and she bore uncommon traits herself. Yet history, the preservation of such being culturally important in Zora's Domain, recorded clashes between ancient clans. The Lyall and the Ujua, respectively ocean and river dwellers. Although such conflicts were mostly resolved now, there was still talk of groups that held on to long-running grudges. Talk that had just been proven true, explaining the hostility and disdainful glares from the moment the cloaked fighter had set eyes on her.

She placed her hand on her hip. "As if I accused you of trying to wander into trouble. It'd just be helpful to know of these bothersome beasts." It struck her as odd that he carried neither a lantern nor brightbloom seeds. Some Zora had keen night vision, but his words evidenced that wasn't the case for him. There were, however, many ways a traveller could lose a lantern here, especially in monster attacks. Some of the missions assigned to her, due to her physiology, were searches for scholars who'd lost their way.

Alongside Gao, she watched the swordsman climb up the cairn without hesitation to examine the shade and the gleaming item in their spectral hands. In response to his question, she shook her head. "I've tried, but they don't respond in any way."

She'd never known one to acknowledge others' presence, not even if someone took the weapon they held out, yet the matter was still a subject of ethical debate among researchers. Some argued that taking the items amounted to grave robbing, and that a warrior deserved to be buried with their weapons. Others said that if the untarnished state of the blades was indeed the result of willing sacrifice, such would be in vain if nobody used them. Without enough knowledge to be able to judge, she made no move to stop the other Zora.

As the swordsman studied the unmoving spirit, Gao leaned over and asked her something in a barely audible whisper.

"The markings on his tendrils... Are they Zoran script?"

Claria nodded. She remained silent for several moments - it didn't sit well with her to talk about someone behind their back, yet considering how she'd reprimanded him for refusing to give important details, it would be hypocritical to withhold information about a possible red flag. "Naydra," she finally whispered back. "Power. Obey. Fight... written over and over again." Maybe she was overanalysing this, but the zealous words set off mental warning alarms.

She edged forward as Gao did, face turned upwards towards the silhouette. Although shadow eclipsed their features, their body type and the style of their platemail marked them as Hylian, a soldier standing tall as they presented a gold-trimmed halberd, sharp and shining as if newly forged. As she and Gao drew closer, the combined pale blue and green lights glinted off of the steel, giving the mist-shrouded shade an ever more ethereal appearance.

Wondering if, some day, someone would figure out the reason behind the presence of these mysterious spirits - and be able to help them move on - she looked the shade up and down for any clues.

[Rex Draco]

Sin crossed his arms over his chest. Claria seemed taken aback by the comment, but wasn't it obvious? Though they were both Zora the two were from completely different lineages. Far be it for him to dredge around dirty laundry in front of other races, but there were many difficulties that sat between different groups. Such as the Sheikah having to deal with the zealotry of the Yiga, or the Sheikah living completely separate lives, so it seemed, from other Hylian. It was not Sin's scales that made him different, even though his coloration was rare among his kind, it was the fact that he had never stepped foot in the kingdom of the Zora which was laid across Lake Hylia and under the leadership of the bloodline which could be traced back through Lord Jabu-Jabu. Any who had grown up beneath the sheltering fins of the kingdom would nary recognize such a soul. Even the way he held himself as a member of the warrior caste was strange. He didn't wield halberd nor harpoons and his weapon of choice was clumsy and most suited for the footwork of land dwelling creatures. His gait alone was outside the bounds of anyone who carried a deep presence along the edges of the lakes and rivers.

Sin had climbed to the top of the cairn before Claria's words reached his earholes. Up until that point his mind had been focused solely on subduing the Yiga and finding a way to secure himself a pristine weapon, but now that he stood before the shade there was little else that remained to hold his thoughts. The cold-eyed owl had seemingly dispersed, or trailed so far back that he was an afterthought. Gao had been dismissed as a target because his weapon was of no merit to his desires. Claria herself had shown she was more bite than bark, so he would rather not stir up blood grudges so deep beneath the soils. He looked down to the weapon the shade offered. Though it was, in many ways, a beautiful weapon, it was not the kind he sought. Far from the Gloom-riddled corrosion of many ancient weapons found aboveground, it was something worthy of praise. But it wasn't something he could wield. He has never learned to use lengthy weapons as such so found himself at a loss. He moved to place his webbed hands on his hips and turned to look down towards Claria. His webbed feet easily gripped the edge of the craggy perch, the claws at the tips of each webbed toe gripping with a fierce hold.

She wanted to know about the beasts? "Then why not say that?" He wondered, having missed what her words had alluded to. "I can tell you that the most troublesome beyond the light-eating frogs were a pack of cavalrymen perched on the backs of skeletal equine. Easy enough to avoid in the darkness, but they seemed to be protecting passage to their camp." He'd state before jumping down from the cairn, disappointed in its bounty.

Because he had been so high up he missed what the pair said between each other. Now on the ground it was clear that, even if unfamiliar with Zoran script, the markings seemed to repeat in pattern sometimes indicating a repetition as Claria said. They were mantras enforced by his clan and those of the cult. It was unknown if the tattoos were a right of passage or something his family did to honor their god. That was something for later consideration. The Zora turned and pointed down the way.

"Their camp was that way." He seemed to pause to think. "Bokoblin, skin earthen like my own."

[El]

Bokoblins on stals...? Gao's eyebrows perked with his interest, but they didn't stay lifted for long. Soon the thoughts began to churn into theories, ideas inspired by experience pouring over and debating this new information. The distracted concentration of it all tightened his expression, brow furrowing in bafflement.

He had seen stals on stals, but for their living counterparts to choose an undead steed...? The scholar couldn't recall a time he'd witnessed such a thing up on the surface. Though perhaps... perhaps they HAD been alive, once, but Gloom contamination had eroded their flesh. From what little of its effects he had witnessed firsthand - and collected information on - animals of a more mundane nature had no resistance to the gloop's corruption. While monsterkin thrived upon it, empowered, their usual choice of companions would not have that luxury.

"It's reassuring to know that my trip here won't be completely in vain," Gao observed with a brief chuckle of relief. "Though as much as I appreciate the intel, it'd still do us good to press on ahead first so we can set up camp somewhere more secure." Somewhere further away from the immediate area of his descent.

Though speaking of-...

The Sheikah paused, taking a moment to glance back over his shoulders. His eyes strained against the patchy darkness, but where his imagination began to form shapes his concentration soon dispersed them. Silence. The dank void stretched on in abyssal quiet. ...Where was Ekik? While Gao was comforted with the thought that he hadn't heard any commotion behind them - so a fight was unlikely - the Yiga WERE notorious for having assassins amongst their ranks: a stealthy kill was very possible.

Tension firmed his lips, pressing them into a concerned line. However, as much as Gao wished he could do otherwise, he was not capable of being responsible for everyone he came across - especially not down here. And so, strained with regret, a heavy sigh struggled free. For the time-being he could only wish for the mysterious Rito's good health, though if the opportunity presented itself perhaps they could find time to search for him...?

But he'd barely finished telling his Zoran company about his plan to keep moving. Don't get distracted, Gao. Distraction costs lives.

"Light-eating frogs though...?" The scholar mused, a tickle in his throat that inspired a small smile. Onwards he pressed, continuing his swift strides towards the rocky incline up ahead. Unfortunately the closer they got the more evident its state became: the steep, jagged rocks and brutal inclines they'd have to scale were one thing, but the increasingly large pools of seething Gloom were another ordeal altogether. It looked manageable though, as long as they all kept their concentration on both hands and feet.

"That sounds adorable. ...Well, perhaps irritating also if they're attracted to all lights - lanterns and brightblooms included." And other forms of bioluminesce, his curiosity added, casting a sidewards glance at Claria's pretty display. "But adorable nonetheless!" The wish to see some almost slipped off his tongue then, but hastily he caught it, swallowing the breath and the noise it'd promised: wishing such 'pests' upon this expedition was perhaps not the wisest idea. Mistress Fate might be fickle, but she was easily tempted.

"Regardless," Gao continued, switching up the subject as his voice hushed even lower. To their direct left a humongous, circular platform had drawn into view: it was too high to immediately see over at their current elevation, but that red light still swirled atop it, the incessant grind of stone on stone and an accompanying mechanical whir resounding ever louder in his ears. It was an unnervingly foreign noise that churned his gut with apprehension. It didn't appear to be coming any closer though...?

"If my rough maps are correct," Gao whispered, pulling his distracted glance back to his immediate footing. With a grunt and a heave-ho he pulled himself up one of many jagged outcrops, the straps of his cumbersome and enormous backpack pulling at his shoulders and chest. Deep they dug, the leather squeaking out a whine as buckles bit into his furs. Gravity would NOT win today however. Teeth gritting back an interrupted breath, he ordered his muscles to tense and bulge as stubbornly he pressed on ahead, "-there should be one of those-... 'Lightroots' to our east once we conquer this climb and its bend. I realise we probably won't be able to activate it - sadly - so we need not head that way, but nonetheless it promises more friendly terrain: a more even, large plateau should be up ahead."

Another vocal pause halted him then, replacing his gush of information with an embarrassed chuckle. He shot an apologetic look back at Claria, "Ah, perhaps you already knew that though. Feel free to chime in if I'm just spouting bullshit." He cackled quietly again. "Both of you, that is."

While his mind wandered again in the other Zora's direction, more questions quipped and nibbled at the periphery of his conscience, yet now was not the time. Claria's information on his tattoos had proved enlightening for only a brief moment before all the new curiosities arose in its light. Naydra. Power. Obey. Fight...? ...Well, not that Gao's own choice of body art was that much less disconcerting, he supposed. He had been so sure for a moment back there that the russet-scaled warrior was going to claim that Shade's halberd for his own too, and yet, in the end, he had simply just been observing it up close. Clearly there was more to this Zora than just a strange gait and stranger mannerisms: such things didn't just pop up out of nowhere, they were consequences and results. ...Presumably. There was a story here, but he'd attempt to inquire after it once they got settled around a campfire.

Anyway, CONCENTRATE, GAO!!! By Hylia's Hellfire he wouldn't have much of a mind left to fantasise with if he grabbed for a chunk of Gloom instead of another moss-capped stone.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Finally, an answer. If Claria's question hadn't gotten through the first time, it could only mean this guy hadn't bothered to listen, but for all his deliberate obtuseness, at least he'd ultimately decided to be helpful. "I figured straight up asking about the monsters you'd encountered, in those exact words, left no room for ambiguity," she said as he lost interest in the weapon he'd been examining and leapt down from the cairn, "but it's only fair to thank you, even if it took long enough."

Continuing onwards alongside the others, she shifted her gaze around the rocky expanse for any sign of movement in the shadows. "The Frox, huh?" So that explained why the swordsman carried no lantern. "Troublesome is putting it mildly, however small and easy to defeat they are."

Gao expressed quite a different opinion, stating that they sounded adorable, even as he wondered aloud just how picky they were about the lights they went for. "All lights," Claria repeated back. "That I can confirm." The first time she'd had the misfortune to encounter the voracious amphibians, which the survey team referred to as Frox, she'd ended up with a nasty bite wound on her arm for the medics back at Zora's Domain to heal. What the creatures lacked in size, they made up for in numbers and the sharpness of their teeth. "Adorable? We'll have to agree to disagree on that. Let's just say I much prefer moths."

As Gao changed the subject, voice lowering to a whisper only just audible over the whirring of the Zonaite tower they'd ventured dangerously close to, Claria stepped to the side. If this was some kind of Yiga-operated device, it gave them all the more reason to press forward. Their sharp-eyed Rito companion should be able to track them without issue - if he was even on his way. Before starting her ascent up the incline, Claria glanced over her shoulder. Had something happened to him, she wondered with a sinking sensation in her stomach. Or... She still couldn't write off the possibility that he wasn't on their side at all.

Yet it wouldn't help to dwell on such things right now, especially as the climb would require full focus, with all those Gloom patches spreading over the cliff face. Thinking of the flask of sundelion tea in her backpack, she silently prayed to Hylia that nobody would need it. The lights on her hands brightened just enough that she and the others would be able to see the safest nearby outcroppings as they clambered their way towards the lightroot Gao mentioned. While it was true they'd be unlikely to activate it - according to Robbie, the only person he'd known to succeed at that was Hyrule's hero Link - in her experience, the areas around the twisting green-gold roots were the most peaceful in the Depths.

"Friendly terrain in more ways than one," she added in. "As well as being far more even, it likely won't have any Gloom to worry about." Lightroots, active or not, seemed to repel the cursed substance, as well as the monsters tainted by it. "And it's alright. This part of the Depths is still unexplored territory to me." The Gerudo province, its surface consisting mostly of desert, wasn't somewhere she'd ventured until now, although the snow-capped mountains didn't pose too much of a problem. Again, she wondered how much of this Depths section the other Zora knew about.

[Rex Draco]

The Little Froxes had certainly thrown the warrior for a loop when he had first arrived in the Depths and because of their antagonizing mischief the Zora did not agree with Gao's voiced adoration for the tiny amphibians that consumed light. As a result of the interaction he had lost his only lantern and purchasing another one would have to wait until he returned to the surface, and who knew how long it would be until then. Praising the malicious Imps put a hot pepper on his brow, causing him to scowl slightly. The Sheikah was certainly allowed his opinion, but at least show pity for his lost lantern.

Though Sin was far from morose on the matter. More than anything else, the Zora was quite curious about the 'Lightroot' mentioned by the researcher. He had never heard about one before so when Gao implored his interest towards it, Sin couldn't help but raise his head and look out toward their untrodden path. As for Claria perhaps she has come to notice he was not the most attentive when it came to others speaking. With many new experiences being placed before him it was quite common for the Zora's thoughts to dance between all the new stimuli so calling his name was probably the best way to conserve one's energy when talking with him. But once you had his attention he seemed quite capable of responding with clarifying answers, sometimes a little too detailed. What was that about the Bokoblin having the same scale color as him? This would be an important detail to file away for later, nevertheless...

"It seems there we agree..." He murmured, moving to crouch a moment, laying his arm over his thigh as he pressed his webbed fingers to his chin. "Though I have noticed while eating they become easily distracted, as if their only goal in life was to eat —" One could verily say the same for the glutton as Gao has seen his appetite quite well match that of a Goron's in certain instances.

Now Claria mentioned it!

What were Lightroots? Were they some sort of herb pervasive in the Depths? Was it edible? If they were going to find one, how would they tell it apart from any other strange plant growing down here in the Gloom? As he thought the strange tail-like appendage at the base of his spine began to bounce. It looked to be a straight, needley spine that protruded from his body, connected to his hips by way of a thin, webbed membrane. Just above their heads was his desert home. Though many viewed the desert as a barren expanse of sand and stone, there were many landmarks in the desert crafted by the hands of the Gerudo ancestors or other ancient peoples that left a lasting mark on its landscape. From towering statues of ancient witches to carved mesas of iridescent, sunset painted hues — it was by far the most decorated realm full of life. Wild sand seals surfed the undulating dunes while tribes of Bokoblin marched across their ramshackle forts trying to survive the desert heat as any other tribe amidst the sands. He looked off towards where he recalled seeing the aforementioned Bokoblin encampment. He didn't recall seeing anything out of the ordinary. Down here in the Depths a field of Gloom was as common as a field of flowers. He looked to the two, shaking his head, now that his thoughts had caught up. He had not seen anything they could consider unique.

"Do you wish to search for these Lightroots or head straight for the encampment?" Though Gao wanted to take a break, something the Zora was unaware of.

Did the fish even get tired? He didn't look like someone who slept. In fact has he even blinked the entire time they've been together? He hasn't.

[El]

Aha. It appeared - rather blatantly - that Gao's definition of 'cute' had rubbed his company in all the wrong ways. He winced through a smile as Claria confirmed that ALL lights were on the Frox Menu - well shit, that sounded painful - only to glance up and notice that even her fellow Zora, despite all their disagreements and jarring clashes of personality... was also giving him a scowl.

...Gao supposed this would be an inappropriate time to quip that he was glad to see them getting along.

But that was certainly an interesting tidbit, wasn't it? For the creatures to be attracted to light rather than averse to it, as you'd usually expect given their natural environment. Given the way the russet-Zora spoke about such encounters, it appeared it wasn't even just a sign of aggression: no mere method of removing a source of discomfort using the only tools afforded to their anatomy. They actually ate light - sought it out! Was there some sort of nutritional value which only bioluminescent flora possessed? Or was it simply that such food sources were much easier to discover, so their bodies had adapted to making it their main source of nutrition? ...Or maybe it was just tasty? So far the only really notable natural source of light down here - which was feasibly edible for most organic lifeforms - would be the Brightblooms.

...Heh, a frog that eats flowers. The Sheikah bit back another adoring grin. How sad, that attempting to adopt one would probably lead to an awful - potentially even fatal and brief - existence: they'd likely be unable to survive up on the surface. Would it be painful for them? Would they get overwhelmed? Exactly how strong were their stomachs? ...Thank goodness Claria had amplified her own bioluminescence because there was an increasing likelihood Gao would've grabbed a puddle of a lethal gloop by this point, absorbed in his little fantasies as he was.

"Do you wish to search for these Lightroots or head straight for the encampment?"

The scholar's brow puckered in confusion, only for it to quickly furrow even deeper with simmering frustration. Was this man half-deaf? Or did the selective hearing come from a place of (understandable) distraction? ...Either way, Gao supposed he should try to be understanding. Again. Patience, Gao. Recapture your patience. The tension is just getting to you.

"Nifferh." He responded, syllables garbled by the tangy metal now clamped between his teeth: he'd had to resort to hanging the poe lantern there, for practical safekeeping while his hands were put to work. It was honestly a little unnerving having the glow of the dead THAT close to his innards, but hilariously he was more concerned about the unbecoming slather that was beginning to emerge on the handle. Eugh. Not exactly a great look for non-'blin company eh. But needs must. "We gurh 'asst."

Not that Gao had extensive knowledge on the upcoming plateau, but Claria's own experience had given him comfort that heading in that direction had been the right call. He had no intentions of camping UNDER it given their luminosity even when deactivated - it was a very clear, vivid landmark any Yiga would make note of - but hopefully they'd be able to find a safe camping spot nearby at least. If it had cover, even better.

Or, well, maybe that had been asking for too much, for fickle Fate had reared its ugly head.

Barely had the group scaled over a particularly nasty dappled pond of Gloom, when a familiar sight glowed up ahead. Yes, glowed, and glowed red and white. It wasn't the idle and - by this point - harmless, spiralling beam that they'd skimmed past earlier either. No. It might've been saddled upon the same sort of tech, but its behaviour was very different. It was patrolling. Visible tails of whipped air blasted from its rear-fans as the sigil-illuminated glider circled around an elevated camp crowned with unique torches.  A Yiga camp.

Gao felt his gut sink, dragging his heart down with it. Quiet curses seethed through his gritted teeth. He'd really fucked up with this place, hadn't he? He had been so sure at the time that picking such a remote area would mean he could investigate uninterrupted, but by avoiding authorities he'd ran right into the lap of the Yiga instead. Shit. Shit shit SHIT. He'd heard Master Kohga once had a base not terribly far from here, upon the surface many moons ago. But he'd really hoped the Yiga wouldn't have been stupid enough to relocate his forces so close by. ...The darkest place is right under the candlestick, eh.

But they were up here now and going right back down again wasn't exactly an option either. Clambering up onto the more even footing of the plateau, Gao grabbed the lantern from his mouth and hissed, "Heads down." Not that he thought either Zora would've missed it, but it never hurt to be safe.

So what now...?

Swallowing a groan, the Sheikah opted to head towards the Lightroot after all: the throbbing, amber glow of the swollen bud already visible on the long stem which connected it to the surface. It wasn't as bright - or as pure in colour - as he'd heard the activated versions were, but it was a beacon of warmth and hope nonetheless. Sidling over more finicky streams of Gloom, Gao carefully crept across the edge of the cliff to keep as much distance from the Yiga camp as possible. The pastel flora which decorated the ashy greys of the floor were soon joined by towering tree-like structures, one sparse fern-leafed sapling accompanied then by mushroom-capped monstrosities by the dozen. It wasn't exactly a forest but it was certainly quickly thickening up into the potential of one. Then the Gloom got worse. Thicker. More widespread. Small puddles multiplying into expansive stretches of bubbling, ominous red. Further to the cliff-edge they were forced, Gao's precarious footing and the teetering weight of his luggage amplifying the already anxious thunder of his heart.

BUT-!!! It was clearing up ahead!

Thank Hylia! Their persistence paid off! And eventually - though not soon enough - the dirt below their feet was void of the corrosive filth that threatened it mere moments before. A sudden, gaping drop had opened up alongside it too, so onwards towards the Lightroot the group was forced, veering closer and closer towards it like moths fated for the flame until Gao just accepted it with a sigh - giving another Zonai structure a cursory glance as they passed it. At least the root's illumination isn't too strong, he noted with a quiet grumble.

Wading through a circular swathe of rich, green vegetation the Sheikah finally came to a pause and unbuckled his backpack. If only for a few moments he needed a breather, his senses clearing with the air as the fresh fragrance of flowers - actual flowers! - wafted up his nostrils for some natural and much-needed aromatherapy. His back hit the solid support of one of the scaled roots and Gao drew in the biggest breath he'd allowed himself yet, head clunking to a rest against the wood in relief.

"Well this is going well." He cracked sarcastically, laughing a bit despite himself.

He didn't really want to acknowledge it - not yet at least - but he'd spotted other - different! - torch flames in his periphery, while in the OTHER direction a massive and imposing structure of roots were just about discernible through the smog of darkness. Was it even possible to keep traversing North? The West filled the depths of his gut with dread, given its even more impenetrable darkness: a steep drop perhaps? But going East would lead them straight back to their landing spot - after dropping to their death, that is. And going South-West was-... camps, upon camps...? He really hoped not all of them were Yiga-infested.

And then there came the explosions.

...

EXPLOSIONS?!!! Not just one! Not just two! But a whoooooole string of them...!

...

Thankfully they were muffled by a great distance - hopefully somewhere, far, far away which they'd never cross paths with - but it was an ominous backdrop of noise to what was supposed to be a restful break. It seemed like the booming echoes originated from the North-East too... the general direction which Gao had been sizing up for their continued journey.

So the man did what the man could only do at this point: he lifted a big, gloved hand and put his face in it, the warmth of his own sigh doing little to ease his frown.

Had this whole expedition been fucked from the start?

[LuckyBlackCat]

It turned out Claria and her fellow Zora agreed on something - what nuisances the little Frox were. "Throwing a Brightbloom seed is a good way to distract them," she replied, "although they make quick work of even the larger flowers." It would probably surprise the others to learn that she carried Brightbloom seeds around, yet her own light had a limited radius, and flinging them proved useful. Plus, if she were to deplete her luminescence in a tough battle, they'd be helpful in a pinch while she waited for it to recover.

On the subject of distraction, the swordsman made it clear that Gao's words had gone in one earhole and out of the other as he asked about their destination. Claria bit back a grumble. Annoying as this tendency was, she supposed she couldn't blame him if he'd been wandering around in the dark, and needed to focus on his surroundings to the point of blocking out everything else. And weaving around the Gloom that dappled the cliff face demanded full concentration.

As their luck would have it, the poisonous ichor wasn't the only peril they faced right now. Claria's stomach dropped at the sight of an airborne red glow, the unmistakeable shape of a glider, a fenced camp bearing crimson lanterns beneath it. She dulled her luminescence as low as she possibly could before pulling herself up onto the cliff's edge, hunching her shoulders, bowing her head. As inconspicious as she tried to make herself, the spots on her limbs and tail still shone like sunset fireflies in the darkness. For just a moment, her cool-headed demeanour broke as she cast apologetic looks towards her fellow travellers.

Had she made a terrible, thoughtless mistake by signing up for this? The remoteness, the status as unexplored territory that had drawn her here in the first place... She should have known those attributes would make the area a Yiga paradise. And now if the assassins took notice of the group, it would be because of her, the living beacon who'd let the call of the deep override common sense.

Tiptoeing around the Gloom, having to pay extra attention to it in her dim glow, she followed Gao, who'd opted to head towards the Lightroot after all. Which, despite being liable to draw attention in itself, was their best option right now... Oh by Naydra's ice, it spoke volumes about the predicament they'd found themselves in. She crouched to adjust her centre of gravity, all too aware of her backpack's weight as she inched along the cliff's edge, around the noxious red and black pools - until mercifully, they thinned, giving way to clear ground and lush green leaves. A floral scent replaced the musty tang of taint as they neared the giant, swollen root.

The moment they reached it, Gao slumped against one of the branching roots for a breather, letting out a panicked laugh.

"Well this is going well."

Claria gave a hollow chuckle. "It's been one thing after the other from the start. And yes, I realise my misreading of the situation on arrival was one such thing... For that I'd like to apologise." Even after Gao's explanation, the apprehension hadn't left her completely, until now. If Gao had been leading her and the swordsman into a trap, he'd have signalled to the Yiga at the camp instead of taking such risks to avoid them.

Her muscles ached from the climb, yet she didn't dare relax just yet. "What's it going to be next, I wonder?" she murmured, peering into the murk.

BOOM.

Right on cue, distant explosions flared in a staccato of noise, as if a whole cluster of bomb flowers had gone off one after the other. She spun around, staring at the fiery bursts.

"Well there's our answer."

[Rex Draco]

Climbing didn't trouble the athletic albacore. His strong arm muscles could easily lift his body weight. The claws at the ends of their hands and feet dug into the stone with ease, but it was the muscles in his fingers and toes that did most of the work. He grew up in the top of a mesa, so he wasn't a stranger to the feat, which was likely something he had to do on a day to day basis.

Once at the tip of the cliff, Sin noticed how the others became tense. Unlike most Zora, he was born on the overworld, so his senses on land were sharper than the average Zora, though it came at a price. He had no trouble taking in the light with his large pupils as his nictitating membrane helped protect the delicate organs from debris and sun. But in the deep dark of the Depths they were considerably diminished. The sight trained for the desert sun was gone and he was forced to use his anterior senses that he had never seen use outside the occasional foray into the deserts at night. In the deep sea or at the bottom of a river his low light vision would have come in hardy had it seen use,  but having Sea Zora blood helped him tremendously when it came to figuring out obstacles in the pitch black of the Depths. It had been what helped him progress as far as he had without meeting his end at the bottom of a ditch. He could instinctively drift around solid walls and stop dead in his tracks at the sensation of open spaces in front of him.

When the other two ducked for cover, the precocious pike pondered his next move actions. He first took a knee, pinning this claret sarouel between the ground and his knee. His crisp, azure pupils scanned the area. Were any light to drift in his direction, the glimmering limbal rings of his eyes and shining pupils would have reflected for source. Luckily for them, they were too far from the ninjas' light sources. It seems they had once again discovered Yiga insurgents ignorantly idling about in the open. The naturally unnatural Gloom permeated the area like a dense fog. Were it up to him they would use the cover to impede the Yiga's efforts to mobilize, but none of that was his business. While he was interested in their surplus of weapons, he was not keen on doing battle with the young female Zora again. Her "enthusiasm" many Iead them further into trouble.

There was a tumultuous explosion, bomb flowers erupting one after another in a timed sequence. Though they were distant it didn't mean they weren't being looked for. They had, summarily, destroyed the men at the other camp. It was only a matter of time before their corpses were found.

So they only had two choices? Since has found himself with less before. Two was enough. Though the Sheikah seemed desperate to sleep, it wasn't as if day or night was comparable to the surface. He turned his head and muttered something in the Gerudo tongue.

"<We can sleep when we're dead...>" But it wasn't as if he didn't understand that desire.

But he was raised harshly where rest took a backseat to completing one's task. What was important was showing strength and never succumbing to the weakness that imperiled moat living beings. But Gao decided to open up matters with a choice. While the Zora didn't know what a Lightroot was, but if it had something to do with light in the Depths it would bid them an advantage against the Yiga and anything else trolling around down here.

"If we can reach the light, is there not some way to get more, or make use of it?" He shook his head. "If not — then I don't see why we shouldn't proceed to the encampment."

[El]

A wry smile ached upon Gao's lips at Claria's shared humour, appreciative of the smaller things they held in common. It really was one of those situations where if you didn't laugh, you'd cry. Thankfully something about being surrounded by fresh, flowering foliage made it easier to do the former.

Yet, despite knowing that the Domain-warrior was proud not prideful, her apology came as a surprise to him. It didn't feel deserved, let alone earned. A twist of guilt made his heart ache: he HAD considered joining hands with the Yiga afterall. ...But regardless, Gao doubted bringing the subject up again would do anyone any good. If the apology made Claria's conscience feel lighter, then he'd simply accept it, taking care to hide and suffocate his own conflicted feelings on the issue. They didn't matter right now.

Then the other Zora chimed in, and the Sheikah realised some further clarification was probably in order - especially now that he didn't have a lantern in his mouth. (A lantern which now sat resting at his feet, its shutter closed and spirit-glow doused.)

"This, here-" Gao raised a fist and tapped it backwards, gently rapping the knuckles against one of the barked scales. "-is a Lightroot. True enough you can THEORETICALLY activate it in order to produce more light - a loooot more light - but well... I'd be very surprised if any of us were capable of that."

Folding his arms he tilted his bodyweight, leaning around the broad trunk to get a better eyeful of the 'Root's central clearing. Beaming from below it hung thick strands of luminous yellows and greens, the softly undulating flow of its current alive with slumbering sentience. It pulsed with ancient technology and all its untapped power. Yet, the disc of alien symbols which hung from the fine ends of the strings were no key for this group of adventurers - it was a lock.

"According to my sources only a very special type of technology can activate its magic." The scholar finally concluded, sighing out a great weight he hadn't realised had collected upon his shoulders in the meantime. Maybe if he'd actually shown interest in subjects more typical of his kin he would've been able to help. ...Though, arguably, flooding this entire area in feigned daylight would probably be a greater disadvantage to them rather than of any actual help. They were vastly outnumbered after all.

A complex, tangled mess of emotions upon his face, Gao looked back to the Gerudo-tongued Zora: he'd recognised the tone from the earlier retort but could not decipher its words, nonetheless it only raised more questions about the man's background. "As for the encampment," The Sheikah laughed a little, finding the term a bit more grand than it was likely due. "It's what we make it.

"Speaking of, I'm thinking we should set up camp here. Thoughts?" Though he looked first at the russet-scaled one, Gao's attention lingered more upon Claria afterwards.

"At the rate we're going we might just spend this whole expedition running ourselves ragged jumping from one danger to the next, while achieving nothing in the process. Eventually we need to take a gamble, and if I'm going to get any work done I need to establish a base of operations and set down my luggage. I feel like here might be one of the safer spots. A little obvious maybe... but that could also make it LESS so."

Attention wavering, his eyes swum over the surrounding foliage as it stirred, a smile coming naturally to his lips. Maybe he was just imagining it, but the lightroot at his back almost felt warm. Comforting. Even if the illumination cast upon its sandy clearing was unusual, it wasn't at all unnerving. Oddly enough. But Gao wasn't going to look a blessing in its mouth.

"And in all honesty," He began to confess, "I appreciate how it wards off all the nearby Gloom. I'd heard the stuff was receding, but I couldn't find any information on how exactly it does so, down here at least: we'd be in trouble if it started moving towards us." They'd also be in trouble if they woke up 'tomorrow' surrounded by the toxic goop, but then everything had its risks down here - as he was quickly realising. They could also take shifts, as apprehensive as Gao was at the thought of putting so much trust in the sandier Zora especially. The Sheikah was no stranger to waking up with a blade at his throat, but at least he knew how monsterkin's brains worked: the more 'civilised' races were a whole other complex issue.

[LuckyBlackCat]

Claria gazed into the murky distance, head-tail twitching as she kept alert for danger. Nothing moved, and only the other Zora's mumble in words unfamiliar to her broke the silence. Even as she moved closer to where Gao leaned against an arching root, she cast one more look in the direction of the chaos. Lightroots were usually safe havens, or the closest thing possible to such in the Depths, but given the group's luck right from the start, the presence of the towering marvel did little to ease her trepidation.

As Gao lamented his inability to activate it, Claria studied the plasma-like filaments that hung down from the centre, the ancient symbols rippling outwards. She let out a soft sigh. "Talk about tight security measures. As far as I know, the Depths Research team is no closer to figuring out the required technology." She ran her fingers along the scaly bark, its colour and texture matching that of a Brightbloom seed's sepals. What was the relation between the two plants, she wondered, questions running through her mind despite the situation. Had the Zonai combined magic and technology to bioengineer the Lightroots from mere Brightblooms? Or had the luminous roots grown naturally, the locks placed upon them by ancient civilisations? If so, for what purpose? "All we know is someone somehow managed to activate a few, in particular under Central Hyrule. You should see them, if you haven't already - veritable thickets of greenery surround them, and even the bark has a shimmer to it." Her voice took on an undertone of awe. The Depths, for all their horrors, also held wonders that made these expeditions more than worthwhile.

She could only pray the rewards of this particular mission would outweigh the risks.

At the suggestion of setting up camp, she nodded, shrugging off her weighty backpack and sitting on the ground beside Gao. "If it's that or stumble into fuck knows what else before we can catch a break, it's our best option." She held out an arm, the luminosity masked somewhat by the glow of the giant bulb above. "And it's the only place that I won't make obvious."

Not that it was exactly ideal, but it would have to do, even if there was nowhere nearby for her and the other Zora to take a swim. Her scales had lost most of their shine, her skin tight and sore all over. A dull headache slowly built up. She took a water flask from her backpack and drank deep, which gave her some relief, although she'd still have to douse herself with a generous amount of chu jelly and splash fruit based lotion once the encampment was set up. The swordsman, on the other hand, didn't show the slightest amount of discomfort or dehydration, his golden colour as bright as ever. His damp cloak played a part, but how were his face and tendrils not drying out? While Claria had developed a heightened tolerance over the years for spending long stretches of time on land, this man's endurance was something else.

The Gloom, of course, gave them another reason to set up their sleeping area in this illuminated spot. "Can confirm it's been receding over the past few years," Claria told Gao, "but yes, we still can't be too careful."