Descent [MC:SM]

5: offer me that deathless death

"A puzzle." Jesse finished his thought. "Any idea how we solve it? Something tells me we won't exactly get a gentle reprimand to a wrong answer."

Lukas examined the room for a few minutes before noticing the floor was made up of pristine gray slabs of stone, six by six exactly. Each row all contained darker colored slabs numbering one through six, although the pattern was different depending on whether you saw it horizontally or vertically. It was the only thing in the room, as far as he could see-- unless the code had something to do with the images in the hallway, which Lukas didn't think was true-- that pointed to some sort of answer.

He told Jesse what he'd found before putting the horizontal code in. The panels clicked, one by one, but the door didn't budge. Jesse frowned, confused. "Maybe if--"

The floor disappeared underneath Lukas, and he fell.

For the split second where he was in open air Lukas was in a total panic, unable to form a coherent thought about what he needed to do to survive. All he could think about was Sky City and falling in the dark and alone and falling and falling and falling--

Lukas was snapped back to reality when Jesse lunged forwards and caught his hand, the momentum nearly carrying him along as well. The tips of his fingers hit the edge and Lukas slammed the bottom of his shoes against the flat wall in an attempt to stop himself from going down any further, hanging over the void.

Jesse looked terrified, his face several shades paler than what it normally was, all humor gone. Lukas watched him breathe in shakily, grabbed his other hand. "Is there anything you can use-- ledges, openings--"

Lukas swallowed and then glanced under him at the pit. He could faintly hear the sound of running water. He felt as though he was attached to the darkness below, as though there was a string tugging at his feet, trying to draw him in. "No, there's not."

Jesse's arms were trembling, either from the stress or the strain or both. Lukas almost slipped, and Jesse caught him again, sliding a fraction further. "It's-- it's okay, I got you. I promise, just gotta figure something out--"

Lukas could feel his chest tightening with every breath, the pain in his shoulders, the worn leather material of Jesse's gloves. He couldn't reach for his bow, they had nothing to use.

"Jump."

"What?"

Jesse gently squeezed his arms. "I got you, remember? Use your feet, jump up and I'll pull at the same time. It'll work, but you'll probably hit your stomach."

Lukas let out a hoarse laugh, steadying his feet on the wall. "You're worried about me getting hurt right now?" Countless scenarios ran through his head, mostly of Jesse slipping and potentially dying too instead of only him. Lukas wouldn't be able to live with the guilt, if he lived at all.

Jesse smiled tensely. "Not being hurt is always better than being hurt. On three, okay? One. . . two. . . three."

Lukas straightened his legs out and tried his best to jump as Jesse yanked him upwards, surprisingly strong despite his height, reminding him yet again that Jesse was far from fragile. He suddenly felt stupid for doubting him. Jesse had gotten him out of much more dangerous situations before.

His waist hit the edge, and Jesse helped him over it, pulling him up from under his arms. Lukas stood there for a minute or so, slightly leaning down to press against Jesse's shoulder in a somewhat uncomfortable position. He was too out of it to care. Jesse was warm and lightly trembling and patting his back and saying it was okay, he was safe. "You doing alright?"

Lukas quickly released the hug, stepping away faster than what was necessary. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. A little shaken up, reminded me of Sky City and all that."