Cp's Qwik RP!

#16

Swix grinned when the water hit the onlookers, she definitely enjoyed that. But now she had two logs of wood and the other guy appeared to be sinking. The now shadow covered woman instead put one of the logs on top of the floating debris in front of her, and the lighter one in front of that. "Ugh" she said, when she noticed the water on her boots. The woman intended to walk over one to the next, then put the one behind her ahead, and keep going like this for as long as was possible.

#17

((Ooh, neat.))

With a modified cloak now bundled neatly around you, you found the next part of your journey to be remarkably easier. In fact, now that you moved quick enough nothing was latching onto your feet, or hooking you back, enjoying the sights of the bottom of the pond was more or less your only mission.

It was getting lighter now. Muck from Swix's log fiasco would still float past and temporarily obscure you somewhat, but with sunlight filtering in, you could see...

Wait? Was that movement?!

Was there actually some kind of monster down here!?

"Ribbit."

A frog swam right up to The Artificer's face, thinking him the most interesting object in the world.

#18

Without so much as a hint of mercy, the Artificer grabbed the frog and crushed it in a cold, metal claw.

#19

Your plan was a stroke of brilliance. Why swim when you could walk?

Confident in your ability, you line up the logs, move to the edge, and step on. The first log sinks into mud, supporting your weight, and everyone cheers. You've done it. You've beaten the swamp...

The second log lowers with your weight, meeting nothing but the water under it. Buoyancy kicks in, throwing it out from under your feet, and way over to the other side of the pond. You sink, get pond water everywhere, and are surely embarrased. Even better, the pond seems to have a sense of humor and you surface under a patch of algae, and come out with a luxurious head of long "green hair" to go with your new darkened skin tone.

These are logs in a pond, sadly. Not stepping stones in a garden.

#20

The frog had loved you.

It was a forbidden love, one that would never have worked out. After all, she was an amphibious gal from a small town pond, and you were a space robot, sent to destroy mankind. Her parents had warned her to stay away from you, the stereotypical "bad guy with a heart of titanium", but no, she couldn't resist your handsome charm.

And it ended with her heart broken.

Like literally broken.

You crushed it.

Good job.

A few more minutes of pond diving eventually lead alto you surfacing near the path, trailing a neat cloak of pond weeds to go with your high tech one. In front of you, lay a dirt trail, and more forest.

#21

((I knew it was going too well XD))

Swix gasped for air when she surfaced underneath the algae, having flashbacks of the bad memories this pond had brought to the surface. The woman forgot the log idea as a bad one and instead sent two of her extra limbs to seek out a purchase ahead and below the water, so she could drag herself forwards. The second two were sent down immediately underneath her current position, to hold her up so she could at least breathe.

#22

Now soaked, traumatized, and looking like the creature from the black lagoon, you move forward, using stilts of darkness to pull you around.

Remarkably, it works.

There is enough purchase from all the debris on the bottom that you can pull yourself along rather quickly. A bit worried that the other guy had already made it to the other shore, and you were a good distance across, the group of regular townspeople went in after you, trying the incredible.

They just swam across the pond.

Like it was water, or something!

As you were drip drying at the other shore, they too started to close in, then eventually joined you, shivering from the water. You made it though, and the path only went ahead.

#23

((I literally spat out my drink, that was hilarious! (poor frog) XD))

The Artificer tore the pond weeds away, and proceeded to follow the path. It didn't even pause to check on Swix progress, although it was certainly satisfied with the distraction she was no doubt causing.

#24

((Let me tell you a secret...

...

Swix can't swim XD))

"Finally!" the woman said, trumphant but looking bedraggled on the other side. She noticed the people catching up, developed a mean expression on her face and contented herself by throwing the algae that had attached itself to her head at some of the people that were just coming out of the water. Then she turned and started running along the path.

#25

((You could have been happy in the pond. But your job got in the way, and tore you apart. Nothing can be sadder. XD))

<big>Trial #2- The <del>Water</del> Pond Temple</big>

The path curved around the trees, and as you took it, you were startled to find a dilapidated old building right in front of you. Judging by the extremely short walk, you figured it must have been built to be near the pond, but for why anyone would want that, remained a mystery.

The two "heroes" leading the way, with a very slightly lessened group of townspeople behind them, drew close enough that everyone could see inside the building. The door had fallen right off, and you could see inside the one and only, tiny room, not much but moldy wood and a large boulder set in the floor against the back wall.

It looked to have writing on it.

#26

The Artificer observed the writing from a distance, magnifying the letters and attempting to process them into a much more efficient form of data.

#27

The woman skidded to a halt around the corner aftes her mad dash. Well, she skidded, nearly tripped in the doorway, and finaly came to a halt inside the tiny room. She immediately walked over to inspect the writing inside.

#28

Both Heroes read the writing to discover it said the following:

The second letter of you to carry on. The next after that passes. Choose carefully- three wrong will make this pond your home...

Below it, all the letters of the Alphabet are arranged in order.

Even though Swix was closest, a handful of the townspeople rushed into the crowded room to get close tothe stone.

"What is this? A riddle?" One extremely confident young lady said, shoving Swix aside. "It tells you exactly what to do! The letter after "u" is "v", and after that is..."

The lady smiled, and pressed "w" with her finger. The letter lit up, shimmering a vibrant green. She had done it on her first try, just some average-

The green suddenly flashed all over her body, and she fell back looking quite pale. Was she sick? What happened?! Looking startled, green, and far less confident, she stumbled to the back of the line, only to have another teen take her place.

"Trisha, don't!" Someone from the crowd shouted, as after some consideration she reached for "A". The warning came too late though, the letter was pressed. Rather than coating her in green though, the rock itself seemed to shimmer, and she fell right through it into what seemed like a tunnel below.

Interesting.

((Take a shot guys.

))

#29

The Artificer looked upon the crowd of people, and decided that solving the riddle was something it'd like to do without a crowd. Letting out a dreadful static noise to grab their attention, it materialised a bladed staff.
Stepping towards a tree somewhat away from the temple and the people, it swung the blade through it as it were nothing more than air. It watched as the tree slid in two, and crashed to the ground.

The Artificer then gestured to the crowd to pass, lest the same fate befall them.

#30

((You... could have just... pushed through. But... ok XD))

That worked, to say the least. But should he be wrong, he might lose some of that intimidation...