[center][abbr=Ace Cadet][img]https://fontmeme.com/permalink/190924/544c85ab5c75bc61a4bb5ce40dc0caa6.png[/img][/abbr]
[color=salmon]Word Count: 1157 (+2 exp)[/color]
[color=salmon][u]Level[/u]: [b]9[/b] - [u]Total EXP[/u]: 430/90
[sub][i]Wednesday Afternoon.[/i][/sub]
[b]Location:[/b] the Frozen Highlands[/color][/center]
Following Belial's defeat and subsequent disappearance the Seekers regrouped as they prepared to traverse the tunnel that was their way forward. The magnetized tunnel, it seemed, as even as Adam described it Ace could guess how the metal carriage would interact with that. Just like the electrified gun barrel he and Edward had tinkered with the other day, there was no way this hypertube wouldn't be sending the coach rocketing out toward the other side. Interesting, really interesting - but also sort of sounded like a disaster waiting to happen. Well, since this thing was built for transport they just had to trust there were stopgaps in place to slow it down, or that its weight was heavy enough not to make it into a missile on wheels.

The hunter had skirted out of range of Sandalphon's healing spell a little earlier, but his own potion-based method of healing meant he was still healthy enough to help shove the coach into position until Edward's golems could take the place of the dwindling reindrix team. None of those who'd gone to open the locks knew that the crimson naytiba had specifically targeted the reindrix first in order to prevent escape, so it was easy for Ace to let the disappointed and accusatory tone of their questions and comments roll off his back. 

[color=salmon]"It was a lot smarter than your average monster,"[/color] he said. [color=salmon]"It had a strategy and it ambushed us. Obviously not unbeatable though! We just gotta [i]Wacha[/i] out so it doesn't [i]Kecha[/i] us unprepared again."[/color]

When the time came to actually enter the tube and Eve gave her demonstration, the Cadet was torn between excitement and concern. On one hand, it looked pretty fun - he'd love to try surfing like that! On the other, her poor blade! There was no way it was meant to be used like that. Maybe if he had a larger shield like Geralt... Ace briefly considered just pulling off a chunk of metal from the floor or a wall, but quickly decided it would take too long. He could try riding on his long sword or take the carriage, and after some back and forth with himself he chose the former. Adam had said there was some kind of 'cushion,' and if he thought about it even if the weapon did scrape the tunnel's interior it wouldn't be so different from how a grinding wheel worked.

He balanced carefully on the flat of the blade, letting the front runners get a head start and the carriage to go on ahead so that if Belial happened to try and follow them through, there would be someone to watch the group's back. When Ace kicked off the ground though and really got going through the hypertube, he found that taking rear guard duty seriously was going to be harder than he thought. It took concentration not to take a tumble, and more so to avoid random debris. Thankfully there was less to deal with in following the coach rather than racing ahead of it, and it didn't take long before Ace got a real handle on moving like this. He grinned and let out a whoop as they sped through the tube, even getting a bit gutsy and dipping his weight to try his sharpening theory. 

Coming out the other end the grin was practically glued to Ace's face. His hair was a wind-tousled mess and his sword glinted suspiciously on the cutting edges, but he called out to Heismay even while peeling a Skulling from his back. [color=salmon]"I'm alright too. That was radalos!"[/color]

The hunter certainly wouldn't decline another trip through one of those hypertubes if needed. For now though, he looked around at the area the Seekers found themselves in now. It was similar to where they'd just come from, all modern metal, only open air. Ace cast his gaze up at the huge spire, curious about it and if it really did extend all the way into space, before he traced it back down to earth. 

[color=salmon]"I've been wondering,"[/color] he said aloud, casual and off-hand. [color=salmon]"All these abandoned places... do you think they got built around the Midnight Walk and deteriorated, or whoever made the path just forged it right through?"[/color]

If the World of Light was hundreds of years old, it would make sense if it was the former wouldn't it? He thought about it a little more until Sandalphon called with a list of things that needed doing. Geralt volunteered to head through the cargo area to open the gate, Sectonia had her minion bugs shove the vehicles aside, and Heismay, Blazermate, and the boss herself went to investigate the checkpoint. Ace rubbed the back of his head as he thought where he'd best be of use. 

[color=salmon]"Guess I'll see what I can do about the coach,"[/color] he said. He'd been having a lot of luck with things a little outside of his wheelhouse like this, and besides - he could re-armor a carriage. It might not look good at the end, but with a little polish it'd be passable. Just press the dents out, buff out the scratches, maybe borrow someone's fire power to weld some new plates on... yeah, definitely doable!

As he approached the massive metal carriage, Ace could get a good look at Edward's fusion project. Or projects, plural. Leave it to the military commander to be inclined to make a small army. The Cadet was more than happy to leave the man to designing and creating the creatures, though his curiosity did get the best of him and he popped over for an even closer look at the Snoruyo.

[color=salmon]"Freaky,"[/color] he commented with an expression that was more playful than actually disturbed. The machine itself had looked pretty easy to use too, but he wasn't going to butt in. Well, anymore than offering Edward another piece to play with.

[color=salmon]"I meant to give this to you before, but here."[/color] Ace produced a thin purpleish strip of skin with a few small, delicate ray bones still in it. It was very clearly a piece of one of the monsters the group encountered early into the ice canyon area. [color=salmon]"From the leviathans. Not sure how helpful it'd be in pulling a cart, but can't hurt to have more to work with right?"[/color]

With that handed over, Ace got started on what he could for the stage coach. Depending on how long they had before everyone else was done, there was only so much he'd be able to get done. Step one would be making sure the wheels were all uniform so the weight distribution was even. He doubted they'd be able to make any entirely new wheels on short notice after all. Step two was working on the body. He kept an eye out even while he did what he could, not just for his teammates' returns but any sign of the naytiba that had gotten away.