800 Years, the Long way Around (Join with Permission)

30 feet below ground, the formation sits. Records say that there used to be a farm above these caves, owned by a small family some 800 or 900 years ago. Nothing special. The French countryside has always been dotted by farms and the like. But now a highway covers the land above, and no one knows what's beneath. Or at least, they didn't, until the ground caved inward, revealing the network of caves fresh for exploration. And in the deepest part of them, a large crystal structure waits, with a figure, barely visible, entombed within it.

Erika arrived in with a DWMA vehicle, to spelunk the annals of these caverns to secure any possible dangers or threats before any enemies of the academy. A flashlight in hand, Erika explored the cavern system being cautious to not cause it to collapse. Theoretically she should have awaited backup, but if there was a magical tool to be found here she wasn't certain if she would be able to bring herself to turn it in to the academy. After travelling to the depths of the tunnel she was in Erika wandered to a dead end wishing she had some method to detect souls or magic tools.

The crystal shook as it felt the presence of another person in the caves. The tremors echoed through the tunnels, as well as the sound of a cracking, as splinters began to appear in the crystal.

What was that? The professor turned around after the shaking. Rubble was displaced from the ceiling causing Erika to tense up slightly. She hadn't brought her silk with her, so hopefully things wouldn't go south. She wandered down a separate path this time until her flashlight created a reflection on a large crystalline structure.

The crystal shook once again, causing cracks to web their way up and around it. The cave continued to shake, with loose dirt tumbling down from the ceiling. Inside the crystal, the figure moved slightly, struggling to break out of the prison it was held it.

Oh, I see. The professor sat her flashlight on the ground. and walked closer to the crystal. Is this magic? Erika let the crystal fall apart on its own because she didn't wish to damage whatever was moving inside of it.

The crystal prison continued to shake, large shards starting to fall off and shatter into smaller gems against the floor of the cave. The figure inside was starting to move more freely, and with on of it's arms seemed to grow twice as long. This new addition began to glow, and suddenly the crystal burst outwards. Anne-Marie fell to her a knee, panting softly as, for the first time in 800 years, she drew breath.

Hm, the teacher hummed to herself when she realized it was a person within the crystal. As the crystal exploded outward Erika simply kept her eyes closed, as normal, and let the thin later of silk prevent the jagged crystalline shards for hurting her. She reached down to the kneeling lady and firmly grabbed her by her right arm in an attempt to help her stand. Can you tell if you are hurt anywhere? She very calmly asked making sure that there were no serious injuries on the woman's body and attempted would lift the woman cautiously to her feet.

Anne-Marie let Erika pull her up, and then spun away. She looked at Erika, holding her sword up and pointing the tip at Erika. "Q-Qui es-tu? Où est la sorcière?!" She demanded, even as her sword arm started shaking, her body weak and enfeebled from so much time spend in suspended animation.

(Who are you? Where is the witch?)

Well then.... The Professor raised her hands slowly as the sword was pointed at her. Mon name et Erika. Parlay voo Engles by any chance? she spoke with hesitation. Erika glanced at her armor and the style of her sword, and wondered if she was part of some secret French order. She also could tell that though this woman seemed to have a French accent there was something very off about it.

(My name is Erika? Do you speak English)

Anne-Marie looked at her uncertainly, then started looking around at the cave for a moment. Her helmet clunked against the rear of her plate armor from where it was tied on her belt. She took a deep breath, then slowly spoke out. "W-Whom...art th-thou... Wherefore...art t-the witch?" She asked, her only experiences with English obviously being plays.

It is too bad, but, you see, Erika kept her hands in the air and turned her palms slightly towards herself as she shrugged. The only ones that I know of in this cave are you and me. Erika lowered her hands ever so slightly and tilted her head. You see, There hasn't been any recorded witch activity in this province in a few years. Erika's gently placed her left index finger on the flat of the blade to very slowly point it away from her.

Anne-Marie looked around the cave once more, her arm giving out and falling to her side, her sword sliding down against the crystal she was standing on and leaving a long scratch on it. She sheathed her sword and let her arm hang limp at her side, then she started spinning around. Her red cape fluttered around her as she searched for a way out, finding it and running past Erika, leaving the way the teacher had come in.

Erika turned as the French woman ran past her, and watched her with a curious glance. Her curiosity piqued Erika chased after the knightly woman. So, where are we going? Erika calmly kept up with the woman in armor as the two of them headed towards the exit of the cavern.

Anne-Marie paid not mind to her pursuer, heading for daylight. She deftly climbed up the collapsed road, and out onto the highway. She froze in place, looking around at the various rescue vehicles and such gathered around the sinkhole. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and it didn't help that at roughly that moment a news helicopter flew overhead, causing her to duck and cover herself in a panic that resulted in her starting to hyperventilate.

Come with me, Erika reached down and grabbed the knight's sword hand. She attempted to drag the knight to the hot pink 18 wheeler that had a large skull emblem in the grill. Get in the vehicle I can get us away from here.

Anne-Marie was in no position to fight the pulling, still in too much shock and such to do anything but let herself be tugged to the semi by the teacher.

Erika cranked the truck, and began to drive off hoping that she wouldn't be followed by the news chopper. What is this? Erika pulled a shard of the crystal from her pocket while keeping her left hand on the wheel. She kept her eyes on the road as she awaited an answer.

"Vous stupide femme anglaise . Je ne parle pas votre langue. Pourquoi êtes-vous en France si vous ne pouvez même pas parler français?!" She said quickly, gesturing around at the countryside around her and clearly focusing entirely on Erika so as to avoid shutting down again from the fact that they were moving at great speeds without the use of a horse.

(You stupid english woman. I don't speak your language. Why are you in France if you can't even speak french?!)

(To be clear, she assumes Erika is english because America hadn't yet been discovered and colonized by that point)

Firstly, I didn't get my thank you. She closed her hand around the crystal and raised a single finger. Secondly, I can speak some French I am just bad at it. She raised a second finger. Thirdly you didn't answer me. Erika once more holds out the piece of crystal that the knight was encased in. Que est ce?

(What is this)

"Je ne sais pas. La sorcière ... Elle me glaçait en elle. I ... En quelle année est-il ?" She asked, her breathing already starting to grow more faster and more labored as she considered all the possible implications of Erika's available answers.

(I don't know. The witch... She froze me in it. I... What year is it?)

Glaçait? Oh... 2016. She wondered if this woman thought that she had been temporally displaced. If so, then there was no way that Erika wasn't going back later to investigate the cave.

(I actually am not sure what year it is on this site)

"Non ... Non , il est 1208. Il ... Il ne peut pas être ..." She said, her breathing starting to pick up again as the full reality of what had happened crashed down on her. For a few brief moments, she prayed this was some sick game.Some joke from God for having abandoned him so long ago. There was no way that it could be 2016, like this woman said.

(No... No, it's 1208. It... It can't be...)

I see, if you insist. The teacher calmly responded. She would definitely be going back to those caves after this. Il y a un 'Academy'. Ils sont 'familiar with' les sorcières. Erika slowed the vehicle to a stop and placed a hand on the side of the knights face. With near perfect pronunciation, she said Tout va bien se passer. Je promets. This line she had practiced repeatedly because she was sure it would come in handy, and all of the conviction she had practiced lay heavy in her voice has she delivered the words to comfort her passenger.

(There is an 'Academy'. They are 'familiar with' Witches/Sorcerers. Everything shall be well. I promise.)

Anne-Marie looked at Erika blankly, then turned away from her touch. This "Professor" knew nothing of what she was going through. She hadn't just found out that 800 years separated her from the time she was accustomed to. How could anything be ok after that? The only thing that Anne-Marie could comfortably think was hoe could God be so cruel.