Night 66: M-B Block Hallway

[nobleman]

[From here.]

By now, Guy had become so used to waiting for Claude out here that he had a spot picked out on the wall where he always leaned. But he couldn't do so very casually these days. Some of his anxiety had been quelled now that he knew Lloyd would be able to take action if Claude started to change, but he still dreaded what it would mean if Claude didn't make his way out here in the next few minutes.

At this point, Guy didn't know what they were doing with their night. They'd tossed around the idea of looking by the river for some sort of plant that could help with the healing process, but Guy didn't know if either of his friends were up for such a long journey.

He would leave it up to their judgment, but none of that would matter if they didn't show up. While Claude was the more immediate concern since he was just down the hall, Guy realized that if Anise changed, he didn't have any back-up plan for her. She might just tear through the halls trying to hurt people, and he wouldn't even know.

He let out a sigh and shifted his weight. This waiting was enough to shave a few years off his life, but he tried to stay calm.

[Waiting for Claude.]

Comments

[envy_the_sinners]

[From here]

Not surprisingly, this hall looked exactly like the residential area Scar was used to. He paid attention to the room numbers as he walked. They were considerably higher, here, and it seemed that he had, for once, chosen the right way to go.

Scar turned into the last hall on his right, counting down the rooms from 50.

[To here]

[envy_the_sinners]

[From here]

"Dammit... I know that there is a special hallway, but beyond that..."

Upstairs, maybe? It couldn't have been the medical wing. That place was deserted, save for the one time Lingormr had been there. No officials of any sort...

Scar's natural desire to take charge was deterred simply by his lack of information.

[scarefaux]

Having broken into a coughing fit shortly after his worried exclamation, the Scarecrow didn't have a chance to explain much more of the situation to Scar before he headed back into the hallway. His legs felt unsteady as he followed after his friend, trying to get his attention; he leaned on the wall a moment, feeling as though his entire body had been lit ablaze. He knew in his heart they needed to keep moving, that there was no time to waste- the doctors might have had Skulduggery on the table already, cutting him open like—

He straightened up on his perch along the wall, eyes widening from inspiration, sweat running past them. Oh, that was it! That was how they could fix the gem in the ring and get back to the room quickly once they had rescued Skulduggery!

Finally finding his voice, he managed to call to Scar in a raspy tone: "Wait! I have an idea!" Fishing through his pockets, he produced the broken ring, as well as the folding knife. Though he hadn't thought he'd need it, he'd brought it just in case they met a witch in the Horrible Hallway- Depth Charge had warned him to carry a weapon at night, after all.

[envy_the_sinners]

Scar slowed to a stop, the tension in his body easing as he waited for Frank. His impulsive and rushed attitude would not work well with the other man. Even he could notice that. Scar took a deep breath, calming himself down. They would only run into disaster if he couldn't keep his head.

He approached Frank with curiosity and concern when he called out, frowning as he produced a knife and a ring of some sort.

"What is it?" Scar looked from Frank to the ring and back. His friend's face was flushed and sweaty- he looked as if he could fall over any moment. The Ishbalan would have to watch him closely.

What was it about this place that simply weakened all who walked in its halls?

[scarefaux]

Fumbling with the knife in his shaking hands, the Scarecrow dropped the blade before he got it open- it clattered on the floor loudly, breaking the relative silence that permeated every hallway at night, even those filled with people. Though he stooped to retrieve it, it was no easy task as everything spun around him again. While it was a feeling he'd become familiar with in the past few days, it was an unwelcome one nonetheless. He grabbed the knife as he settled on the floor, his back sliding along the wall the entire way down, the traction keeping him from falling over.

"We need to get upstairs," he answered weakly, setting his flashlight in his lap, placing the ring on one finger as he concentrated on getting his hands to stop shaking long enough to put the blade to his thumb. "That's where they keep the ones they take for the sleep studies. I know the way, but it's not a safe one. And we'll need a quick way to get back."

There was a second of hesitation, his body knowing what he was about to do was going to hurt and seemingly keeping him from wounding himself. Still, he knew of no other way to fix the gem other than what he'd been told, despite the fact he was wracking his brain for any other method- he didn't want to hurt himself, after all, but he supposed there was nothing to be done about it, especially if he wanted to make the return trip easier for Skulduggery. Having been in that position himself once, he wanted nothing more at that moment.

He pulled the knife along his thumb quickly, wincing automatically at the pain. Blood immediately seeped through the thin cut, which he spread along the broken gemstone, causing it to become whole again- at least it seemed to have worked.

Perhaps a little too well- the clever little thing, the device placed in his brain so long ago during his own sleep study, suddenly started working again, leaving him feeling nothing at all.

[envy_the_sinners]

"Wait, I will-" Scar jumped, lifting a hand as he realized what Frank was going to do. He scowled as Frank cut his finger, his jaw dropping slightly when the ring healed itself.

"What...?" He looked back to Frank, a touch of concern still mixed with the anger in his eyes as he tried to understand.

[scarefaux]

The Scarecrow examined his cut thumb curiously, no longer feeling the pain of it despite the blood that trailed down it. At least the clever little thing had some good use- numbed as he was to the cut on his finger, he was equally blinded to all the ailed that rest of him, as well. The room still spun, but gone was that dizzying feeling that accompanied it; the fatigue that had worn its way into his limbs was no longer felt, though with as sluggishly as they seemed to respond, he was sure it was still there. He knew his senses would return at the worst time, as they had the night he met the Burning Man; however, he was determined to put what time he had to good use.

He got back to his feet, showing Scar the ring. "This was my roommate's ring," he explained, frowning as he looked up at Scar. He really did remind Scarecrow of Depth Charge, at times. "Well, my former roommate. When we break the stone, it'll return us here, or at least that's how I was told it'd work. It'll save us a lot of trouble later, once we've got Skulduggery with us."

[envy_the_sinners]

"Oh..." Scar frowned. He knew he ought to trust Frank, but the idea was so far-fetched.

What didn't sound ridiculous here, though?

"Are you ready to go, then?" He took another glance up at Frank. "I don't know exactly where the place is, else you could stay here and rest." They would be running right into the line of fire, and Frank could not afford to be slow on his feet. Scar couldn't always guarantee to keep him safe, either.

[scarefaux]

"Don't you worry about me," the Scarecrow replied, perking up. "I couldn't stay here no matter how sick I was- not with Skulduggery in trouble."

Though his voice was still raspy, his tone was a vast improvement over what it'd been only moments before. There was no telling how long the clever little thing would be in effect, but he usually had a little while, at the very least; if they could get past the Horrible Hallway before time ran out, he reasoned, they'd save a lot of time. With as good as he felt— or didn't feel, rather— he was sure they could make it.

He took off down the hall. "This way!"

[To here.]