[PQ] with our backs against the wall

Я

Missing the roar of muscles being used (magical ministrations didn't have quite the same satisfying effect on the body), the alchemist merely stretched once the last bit of dirt had been removed from their current course. Yawning against his arm and relishing the feeling of his body releasing the built-up tension, Remi glanced obediently in Deimos' direction and nodded.

As the two men held up the boards, Remi placed a hand at certain junctures (look at the previous samples for an idea of what would bear the weight best), and like a magical nail-gun, inserted the pieces of metal without percussion into the boards.

Then it was simply a matter of lather, rinse, repeat.

Humming under his breath, every now and then the alchemist would sing a word or two, or even the odd phrase. Journeying for years on the back of a wagon had brought with it many rhythmic work-type songs to keep the mind occupied during monotonous tasks.

Remi was, undoubtedly, the most efficient digger of the lot. His magic scooped out the earth neatly, leaving little debris and dirt to clear up, and there was no ragged breathing, no sweating skin and bulging muscle—no promise of sore arms and shoulders and backs tomorrow. Rory remained out in the basement, preparing the support beams, which were being brought in at a rapid pace once they were in the phase to set them up.

Once he figured they had enough beams pre-cut he helped with carrying them in, saving Deimos the trip to fetch them and letting him, Jigano and Remi merely work on putting them in place. Once all beams were in the tunnel he returned to the basement, bustling around between it and the bakery above. He was setting out a small break meal for them, with pitchers of cold, clear water, some apple cider, pumpkin scones and a loaf of yesterday's (still very fine) bread. He had tried wheedling some cheese and preserves from Amalia, and it didn't seem unlikely he'd been successful.

Once one of the tables in the basement had been cleared and plates and mugs set out he popped into the tunnel to check on their progress. "I got us some refreshments," he told the others, then retreated back into the basement to wait from them, sipping on some water and letting his sore shoulders and arms relax.

"It's a welcome change from the digging," Jigano acknowledged Deimos's request with a wry grin, glad for the excuse to put his shovel down and help hold the beams in place. He wasn't fond of being in the tunnel in his human form, though he knew at least two of his other forms would be soothed by the close, earthy darkness of it. Still, it was for a good cause, and he worked with a will. He might not have been much of a carpenter, but he could at least hold the beams that Rory prepared steady while Remi secured them with a gentler touch than the hammer had done.

It was a different kind of monotony from the digging, at least, but they could afford to work slowly and steadily, not pushing themselves to feverish haste and the mistakes that could come with it. One by one the supporting arches slipped into place, and the tunnel grew ever longer beneath the earth until he realized that they were starting to go up at long last. That seemed like a good time to rest up for the final push, and he flashed Rory a grateful smile as he emerged from the tunnel to the savory smells and sight of the laden table. Washing his hands thoroughly in a spare bucket of water first, he collapsed into a chair theatrically and nursed a mug of water. "You're as wise as you are handsome," he declared, toasting his boyfriend with a grateful grin as he reached for a scone.

D e i m o s

Send a heartbeat to the void that cries through you
Relive the pictures that have come to pass

Hours passed, muscles burned, arms ached, but the feeling of success, of triumph, of victory, as he backed up, as he surveyed their work, made the depths of a true smile christen his cheeks, his lips. “Look at that,” he acclaimed, dusting his hands off, suddenly incredibly proud of a damned tunnel running through Amalia’s basement. They’d progressed, without folly, without trial, without tribulation, and if that wasn’t worth a break, he didn’t know what was. He made sure to clap each of them on the back for good measure. “I am impressed.” And the Reaper was; it wasn’t a kingdom, it wasn’t a conquest, but felt like sedition spreading through walls and stones, it felt like breaking apart some of the structure, some of the stanzas, some of the tyranny. Small. Miniscule. Minute. But eventually, it’d be worth every ounce of labor and force they’d put into it. He was grateful for all of them. The beast maneuvered back to the table, manuevering the layers of his mane into a bun, chording it off with spare thread, before pouring himself, and anyone else who required it, a glass of water. He’d save the toasts for later, when they were done, when the mission was completed, when they had a chance to survey their furtive motions and motives. But while he munched on a scone, the seasonal flavor and Amalia’s abilities simmering on his tongue, he calculated. “All we have left is going up,” and his dark eyes glanced into the shadows of this cavernous outreach. Up towards the prison. Up towards the cells. Up towards where they’d be able to free someone from the depths of Zariah’s clutches. “Once we remove the dirt, we will have to support the sides.” Which would be trickier. “Which also means we will need some ladders.” And more wood. He surveyed what they had left – pondering how much more he’d have to find. But once they’d settled, once they’d had their break, once the hours had passed and they were somewhat refreshed, he grabbed ahold of the timber, lingering at the prospects of the finale. “Are we ready?” Fueled by their earlier accomplishments, the fatigue, the work, the task didn’t seem so daunting. -- Remi to shift the dirt first, then we’ll need more beams for the support, and for ladders! One last push! We’re almost done! For now we stand alone, the world is lost and blown And we are flesh and blood disintegrate with no more to hate

In another entirely uneventful and lucky as fuck turn of events, the stability of the tunnel thus far seems near-perfect. The structural integrity is holding extremely well. Good job.

Я

The alchemist ate silently, his eyes drifting closed every now and then. Having sat against the wall, he tucked his knees against his chest, letting his head loll forward as he tried to quiet his mind without allowing it to succumb to sleep.

Once their break was over and Remi's mind roused once again, he followed Deimos down deep into the tunnel to where it started to rise. Moving the earth would take much longer now, given that their tunnel stretched several hundred feet. Even so, Remi diligently complied. Moving the earth from the end to the midway point, midway way to the basement, and then basement to the garden was exhausting. The alchemist could feel his mental reserves whittling away, and on more than a few occasions he had to stop lest he pass out.

Jigano had lost track of how far they had gone, falling into the near-mindless monotony of carrying supplies and steadying beams as the tunnel lengthened and grew behind them, burrowing its way beneath the houses and streets above until it reached the place they had been seeking from the start. He nodded at Deimos with a tired smile for the compliments, raising his mug in a silent agreement with the big man's words. Impressive, indeed! They had accomplished far more than he had expected in two days' time, and all it had cost was weariness, soreness, and blisters.

He nodded along with Deimos's calculations as he ate and drank and rested, content to let the other man do the math as he focused on regaining as much energy as he could for the final push. "Here we go," he agreed as Deimos grabbed one timber and Jigano grabbed another. It wasn't as cheerful as it would have been yesterday, but his tone held confidence in their looming victory as he followed their leader into the tunnel once more.

He didn't like the way Remi's exhaustion seemed to settle into his shoulders and weary lines of his face as the digging wore on, and he tried to offer the alchemist water and urge him to rest more than once. Mostly he helped Deimos carry lumber and brace the sides of the rising wall, holding the beams steady while the bigger man secured them into place.

D e i m o s

Send a heartbeat to the void that cries through you
Relive the pictures that have come to pass

With Rory busy, and with Remi’s obvious exhaustion and fatigue wearing him at the seams, the Reaper thought it was enough for one day. In all his excitement to finish, he’d forgotten about some of the key players – gesturing to Remi with the depths of an apology in his features. “I think we are finished for today.” He brushed his hands off on his pants, and glanced back at the gaping hole, at all the work they’d managed to accomplish. “We should take a couple days off,” and here he glanced at Remi, at Jigano, shrugging haphazardly, a brush of fatigue lining his shoulders too. “When we reconvene, I will have the rest of the timber ready.” For the ladders, for the threshold, and for the surface to finally be exposed – somehow, someway. -- Over the next several days, Deimos did exactly as he promised, managing to manifest lumber from the woods, dragging it via cart or his own muscles and brawn, over to the basement, ensuring they had a ready supply on their hands for when the time came. When he thought he had enough, he started piecing together portions and contortions for the ladders, yearning for there to be more than one, in case they all needed to be up there for the final push, or for the wayward notion of several prisoners requiring evasion and escape. -- At noon, on the third day, he placed the ladders against the supported sides, and stared up at the intended target. Then, he turned to those who remained, hoping they were ready, fervent, as eager to finish as he was, a lantern light placed along the darker corridors so they could see, so they could bear witness, to the fruit of their labors. “Now, how do we want to make the hole?” He inquired, gaze ascending once more. -- Hope you’re well rested and ready for the final push! How are we going to make a hole into the basement? No post order! Jigano Remi Rory (not sure if you still want to, if not, that's okay too!) For now we stand alone, the world is lost and blown And we are flesh and blood disintegrate with no more to hate

Я

The alchemist did his best to arrive via different paths, to show up with various supplies that had nothing to do with digging, to wear clothes similarly ill-suited (only to transmuate them once inside), all to give the impression that the reasons he kept visiting the bakery had nothing to do with tunnels, escapes, or rebellions.

And so it went, their luck holding as did the tunnel and soon the end was upon them.

"Magic?" The alchemist suggested with a tilt of his head. "Though...I do not know what is above us. What if it is Zariah's office? Or a cell inhabited by someone else? Or a hallway?"

Cautious of his disguise, Jigano did not return until the appointed time, the dyed-black raven landing on the garden wall and hunting for bugs for a little while before transforming into a man in a secluded shadow and heading downstairs to greet his companions with a solemn nod. The soreness of his muscles had receded, though the blisters on his hands were taking longer to heal. Still, the rest had reinvigorated him, and knowing that they were so close to their goal put a little more bounce in his step as he joined Deimos and Remi at the final stretch of tunnel, looking up with them to examine the packed earth above their heads.

"Remi's magic would probably be the quietest way of creating an exit," he agreed. "And his point is a good one. I haven't been inside the prison yet so I don't know... how many cells are there? Will the tunnel only open up into one of them? And what if the prisoners we wish to rescue are placed in a different cell?" He tilted his head to the side, thoughtful. "If there is a hall with cells on either side, and if we had a way to guide it, would it be better to have the exit open up at the end of the hallway where guards are unlikely to walk or check too closely? Someone on the outside would have to sneak through the tunnel, into the prison, and then unlock the cells from there; people wouldn't be able to rescue themselves... but if we only want to rescue people who are placed in their unfairly, and not have an exit that could be used by true murderers and thieves, that might be a safer and more secure way of doing it." He hesitated, then gave a wry smile and a small shrug.

"I suppose it would be best if we had someone on the inside of the prison to tap on the ground and guide us to whichever place we choose. But whatever we decide, while I'm here you can point me at a place to dig or give me a beam to hold steady and I'll do what I can to help." He pulled his gloves on and looked at Deimos expectantly, ready to get back to work wherever the big man needed him to be.

D e i m o s

Send a heartbeat to the void that cries through you
Relive the pictures that have come to pass

Both Remi and Jigano voiced the consternations and apprehensions contained within the beast. “That is my concern,” he nodded, pondering over the likelihood they’d manage to even come to the correct venue: if they would dig a hole and rise only to find themselves squandered away in another particular portion of the manor, in some warden’s alcove, or somewhere else altogether. He’d never been within the prison himself, despite the rebellious nature, he’d managed to keep his frame out of its clutches. With any impending arrests or treasonous efforts though, there was a blistering probability one of them would be better acquainted with it soon. Then, as Jigano spoke, the warrior’s gaze took on a more mischievous nature. It wasn’t to segment Jigano’s speech away, for he brought up good points and junctures, but more over who and what the bard was. “It is too bad we do not have someone who would be able to peek through a window,” he raised his head, stared at their earthen, loam ceiling, “or small enough to sneak in…” He arched his brow in either man’s direction – but more inclined towards the Sage, having seen his smaller, shifted form. “If two of us stay here while another…explores, we might be able to find the right area to dig.” The heathen shrugged. “I intend to create a cover that matches wherever we end up – so it is difficult to discern from the rest of the flooring.” So, in reality, all they needed was a specific point to get started. -- HMMMM. Remi Jigano For now we stand alone, the world is lost and blown And we are flesh and blood disintegrate with no more to hate

Я

Twitching his lips the alchemist pondered. "I can become a raccoon. They are known for being curious pests. It might not be so surprising to see one inside. And I am not sure that Zariah knows that I have it as a shift." From what Remi had seen, whether intentionally or not, all of Jigano's shifts were white. Though perhaps he could disguise himself again, dirty up his wings in some way?

"Or if I went in as myself under the guise of simply checking up on things, that could serve as a distraction?"

Though Deimos's idea was a good one, and entirely sensible, the bard felt a frisson of fear shiver up his spine at the implication that he brave the prison in an animal shift. He wasn't sure how many of his shifts were known to Zariah. As for the rest, Edy knew of at least two, and he had been the least secretive of his horse shift. He was also the one most likely to be thrown into that prison before they were done with the tunnel if he were recognized and captured...

For once, he hesitated to speak, the words sticking in his throat as he felt the weight of the tunnel pressing down on him as the bars of the prison would entrap him. He was not as affected by claustrophobia as Rory was, but he wasn't untouched by it, either if he thought he was trapped. It was Remi's voice that dragged him out of the anxious spiral of his thoughts, and he blinked as the alchemist offered to be the one to go. Thank you, he sent silently through the Attuned link, complex gratitude and relief flavoring the mental tone.

"If Remi can get inside the prison in either form, I could listen the vibration of any tapping and pinpoint the location from here," he offered, tilting his head up towards the ceiling of the tunnel thoughtfully. "The senses of my scaled form are well-tuned to something like that." He offered the alchemist a wry smile in memory of the bet they had made once, to gain an animal shift under a happy circumstance rather than a stressful one. Remi had seen him use it when they were seeking Emmett, and Deimos had seen it beneath the Spire - neither of which qualified as a normal or happy situation. "If you tap a rhythm with your foot or take a rock in your paw and knock it on the ground I should be able to give us a direction and distance to reach that spot."

D e i m o s

Send a heartbeat to the void that cries through you
Relive the pictures that have come to pass

The amusements were lost then, lingering back on self-doubts and uncertainty. He let the notions go, fizzling off into the darkness, brow furrowing, returning strictly back to his usual nonchalance, his intentions at ruffling Jigano’s feathers losing their tact and prowess. Remi volunteered, something he always seemed to do (and it felt almost unfair, to ask him to do anything and everything, when the rest of the world could take up the mantle, the weight, at some point, at some juncture), eternally willing to move forward, to put himself in harm’s way. Truthfully, he probably would be the better of the two to go – not currently holding a warrant for arrest, or having an easily discernible array of hues. It would be more plausible for him to be checking on items, artifacts, or pieces he’d already created upon the threshold. Jigano’s suggestions would work too – and then Deimos could apply his own means and measures of extracting dirt, earth, and loam from the designated area. With a nod, he confirmed and conformed to their wit and calculations. “Sounds fair. Remi may go, and Jigano and I can stay to hear the right spot. Then we can dig our way up.” And then hopefully be finished – the final touches looming. -- Remi can either raccoon shift or go in human form, and Deimos/Jigano will be waiting! Remi first please! Post order can go: Remi, Jigano, then Deimos. For now we stand alone, the world is lost and blown And we are flesh and blood disintegrate with no more to hate