[Quest] Entering the Temple of the Unknown

by **Anarkhos** on June 27th, 2016, 2:11 pm

"Damn youngsters" He thought to himself. He let them in here so they could figure things out, not destroy vases and make messes. He took a sigh realizing that he was wrong for just assuming that one of them did it. He was a very noble man back in his younger days, a fair man, understanding. Old age had took it's toll on him for sure. Maybe it was his mind playing tricks on him, but then again he was positive that he'd cleaned that room just as he did all the other rooms in this building. He gave a shake of his head, something definitely wasn't right.

"What do you keep in these barrels? They're in the way"

He heard the woman call out. It took his mind a time to process what she had said before he could answer. "Nothing, or at least it shouldn't be anything. Those have been sitting around for ages." He called out as his eyes scanned the closet space for the supplies needed to clean up the glass. The sound of something skittering across the floor called his ear. "Damned rats" They always ran around searching for food and things to build their dens. He didn't like the creatures because they always chewed on the furniture and things. Made the place look bad.

The wall

It watched as the old man had left, leaving the four other beings in the room. It recognize the anatomy and makeup of three of them, but the fourth was something new. A large amount of time must have passed as it slept, for the world to breed something so hairy. Still though it looked and acted like the others for the most part. They all looked at it's work in pure amazement, shocked at all it's writing though they couldn't seem to understand it. This led it to believe that the four were all illiterate, or a LOT of time had passed since it last entered the world. It didn't matter none, whether it had been a million years or a merely ten thousand, someone had finally removed the slabs and it was only a matter of time before it would be free again.

It was fairly happy that more people had shown up. It had tried to connect with the old man, but his mind was too old and cluttered for it to make a solid thread. It watched as it tried to pick a vessel to contact. It focused it's energy, pulling power from it's words plastered on the wall as they began to move at a quickened pace, glowing and changing shape and position. He knew from past experience that the humans would be harder to converse with-

They were the furthest away from it on the frequency scale their ears would only make it's words out to be a feint wind or whisper, but there was this thing that resembled somewhat of an animal, the longer that they stayed in the room, the more it could figure out about them and there was something about it's ears. It was worth a shot at least. "Tttttttiiiiiimmmmee, rrrrrrruuuuuuuunnnn, MURDER!, water, water, water. Stay away. It's coming Chase. Find us, us, us. Toooooo LATE!" It tried to speak only having the power to say very little and even then it's words were distorted, jumbled and low. It was harder to speak in their tongue, even harder when it's other half wasn't near.

The words any symbols slowed and dimmed as it was done speaking now. It could only hope that the one known as Chase could make out what it was saying. There was the warmth of a touch as the woman placed her hands onto it placing an eye into her cupped tunnel watching the lettering. This was better than talking. Summoning it's power once more as the same happened as before words began to glow and quicken before they suddenly stopped as it focused it's remaining energy to the woman's cupped hands. There was a moment, then all the light was pulled. Drained from the other symbols to that one spot where her eye was glowing immensely before being pushed into the iris, into the membrane and into her mind. It watched as her body went stiff and she fell backwards to the ground. This was normal, this was good. It had made a connection finally.

It couldn't speak, but it could show things. Images, sounds and clips that flashed through her mind at a very fast rate. These were the things that it's seen. What had came and was to come. Her body began to convulse and shake. It was sorry but someone needed to know, things needed to be done. The old man probably would have died if he'd went through this process. It needed someone young, someone strong willed. There were ships destroyed, people screaming, buildings were on fire and fell to the ground. There were the constant sounds of things being smashed. It tried to show as much as it could in the little time it had without overloading her brain.

Images of cities being rebuilt only to be destroyed. Water falling from the sky when there is no rain. Treasures of chest for your pain. It's time had ran out as the last images it could show her were the two slabs sitting in the chamber room. "No!" It whispered as it's power depleted along with it's time. The symbols began to glow and move once more, her body began to stabilize as life was brought back to her. It would leave her dizzy and disoriented for a time, but she would live and function. It only hoped that she could handle what she just saw.

Joe

There was a glow then the sound of a thud that made the old man quickly make his way back to the room to find the symbols have changed and the woman on the floor shaking violently. "What in the petch happened!?" He asked before there was the skittering sound again, only this time it was followed by a sharp pain in his side. Old man Joe let out a wail as an hairy arm attempted to wrap itself around his neck. Joe may have been old, but that didn't mean he was a pushover. Opening his mouth showing sharpened teeth, he bit down hard onto the limb halfway drawing blood as his attacker let out an animal like grunt and giving the old man a hard shove. Unable to keep his balance Joe slipped crashing hard onto the stone floor, a snap to his side sending a shocking pain through his midsection.

"Watch out kid!" he warned as the crazed man moved in to attack the group. There was a shadow that moved out the corner of his eye as he turned to see another person, a woman now moving down the corridor towards them. "Aw shit, there's another one coming!" Joe tried to stand, but his body wouldn't let him. He watched as the woman made her way towards them now halfway through the hall, her eyes aimed at the woman that lay on the ground convulsing as if she was having a seizure. Placing his dagger into his mouth, he used his arms to pull himself towards the woman. Luckily she was only a few inches away or they both would've been dead by the time he'd get there. "C'mon lassy! You need to get up!" Shaking the already shaking woman deemed ineffective as the wild eye'd woman was now up and on them now lashing out with makeshift daggers made from blade tips,wood and string-

The old man couldn't do much but slash outward to keep the woman at bay, but for how long he didn't know. She slashed back at him, catching his arms a few time as they began to bleed. There was the sound of wood splintering as another figure burst from a large barrel bearing all sorts of tattoos.

The crazies

Drool dripped from his mouth, his eyes dilated and wild was fixed on the dark skinned man. He made clicking sounds with his tongue as he kept his back to the wall to ensure that none of the three men would catch him by surprise. The one only known by a strange sound he made with his mouth had already entered the room as well and was working on killing the old man and girl. He lashed out at the man aiming for the eyes and neck. He stood around five and a half but was even shorter in stance. Squatting towards the ground like an animal he was shirtless, bloodied, with scars and strange marking covering his torso and legs. He was barefoot and looked as if he'd been clawing through stone, and though he was small framed, the definition of his muscles showed that he was a giant in strength. He did very little attacking though. Slashing here and there, trying to buy time before-

He'd been sitting in this barrel for bells now. He'd heard them enter, talk and converse. His legs were killing him from being in this position for a long period of time. He had gotten out once to stretch by tipping the barrel and crawling out, but had broken a vase doing so. It was a good thing he'd gotten back into the container when he did or he would have blown the entire thing. The old man had left the room. Old fuck. He'd wanted to kill the man for a while now, but Raaa'k said no. It wasn't apart of the plan.

They were supposed to sit here and wait for the others to show up, then they would kill them so the prophecy could be finished. Still though they grew suspicious of the barrels. The old man being old and confused passed them off as storage containers but the others....He heard the sound of the blades entering the barrel. He watched through the peep hole as they were pulled out from where his brother's back faced. He knew that his brother wouldn't jump out with him when the time came. He was angry now.

He pushed up with his legs, exploding from the barrel in a mass of anger and vengeance. Tipping his brothers barrel he watched as the body of his sibling fell out in a heap. It was a clean punch straight through his back snapping his spine. No blood, no mess. He did't care about the others at this moment, he only wanted the head of the Zith. "You killed him!" he grunted as he charged the man picking him up and ramming him against the wall. "Why? Why? Why?" He screamed dealing heavy blows to the man's face. Sco'r wasn't the brightest by a long shot, but what he lacked in intelligence and common sense he made up for with brute strength and emotion as tears ran down his scarred face as he pounded away.

Active effects :

by **Akhen** on June 28th, 2016, 11:13 pm

“Nothing, or at least it shouldn't be anything. Those have been sitting around for ages.” Akhen heard Joe reply. He brushed aside a few shards of glass and thought as he stood. From what Joe had said thus far, Akhen began to theorize on how someone may have entered the room.

From the old man's slightly murky disposition and reputation, the mercenary crafted a scenario – Akhen believed that perhaps Old Man Joe was in the tavern, perhaps the Pig Foot's, and was getting drunk alone a few nights ago. Suddenly, a lissome thing came strutting toward him that very night in the mass of patrons and mesmerized his addled-mind with a few sultry words and moves, charming him with her delicate perfumes and soft caresses. And knowing who he was (like everyone else in the city), she asked him for a tour of the temple and the lust-struck, drunk Joe conceded under her spell – the mercenary turned from the clutter and walked toward the pedestals.

The dim light in the room had turned suspiciously dimmer at certain intervals and Akhen recognized the pattern. What's this? He mused as he touched the cold stone of the pedestals, dusting away a small patch of cobwebs that had been woven about there by a scampering spider the size of his thumb, finding nothing. He leered, then turned his attention to the rest of the party, Aladari had shifted toward a far corner of the room, her face seemed filled with a childlike exuberance and wonder which seemed to be slipping gradually for some reason.

The boy in the loincloth was occupied with the vases, meandering about as aimlessly as the mercenary himself. It was the last one that really perplexed Akhen, ever since they'd all entered the temple the black-maned, hairy man had receded into a state of composure but began sniffing about the chamber with an almost excited vigour. Does he have some Zith in him? queried the afro-haired man for a moment. He bristled between the shoulder-blades involuntarily and shook it off. Perhaps he's a Kelvic. The mercenary had seen various things in his travels, sometimes even more than he should have, and he had worked alongside various hybrids too. Once, Akhen had worked for a bourgeois with an affinity for the exotic that was travelling into Kalea to look for what he deemed 'more precious than all the gems in the world', which Akhen soon discovered were young women of various races, who worked as servants for the bourgeois.

On their way to the region to hunt for a willing Ethaefal to join the band, Akhen now remembered one particular girl from the small group of maids the man had already employed, she was a half-Zith the latter had bought as a slave; she was of a dark bronze that radiated in the torchlight as if she was the very element itself in its rawest form caught in a blaze, her eyes were supernaturally luminous and harboured a darkness unlike any the mercenary had seen whilst a trailing mane of acrylic black swept down her small statuesque shoulders. Though, unlike the man across him, Akhen remembered that her skin was smooth, her arms and legs, long and elegant, and from what the bourgeois had intoned slyly in his ear that day, she shaved her entire body morning and evening to seem like a (normal) human.

Another flake of information the mercenary remembered imparted by the cackling man was that half-Zith were inheritly blessed with acute senses such as better vision, heightened hearing and smell. Perhaps he smells something... Akhen thought with a turn back to the pedestals.

His mind drifted back to Joe – perhaps the night turned a bit raunchy or Joe was too drunk to continue with a tour of the temple and the girl robbed him of the keys when he fell asleep, for someone to enter the door to the chamber they needed a key definitely. She snooped around, trying to find something of value in the temple because like everyone, she believed some treasures were hidden away in the mysterious cathedral, until she came to this room. She found the slabs and, marvelled by their strangeness and noticeable value , stole them to sell in the black-market. She then sneaked the keys back to Joe and disappeared back into the night... –

Akhen paused in thought.

The theory accounted for the missing slabs, the plausibility of it seemed like something that would transpire typically in the city. A beautiful girl who used her charm and looks to seduce the old, lonely man into stealing his valuables, it was a tale as old as time. But Akhen had to recant and wonder why the slabs had not already surfaced in the black-market? Perhaps she took off to Sahova to sell them to those wizards, or the scholars in Zeltiva... he answered darkly.The chamber dimmed and Akhen didn't catch it. The symbols glowered angrily and danced demoniacally and he barely noticed. He was too deep in his sardonic ruminations to catch all the insanity happening around him.

Though, with the worth of them hanging over her head, if this girl existed and did steal the slabs then she wouldn't have made it out the city so easily, he thought. Also his theory lacked the explanation of the vases. They had all concluded that nobody among them had broken them so that would mean...

It happened in a flash!

Aladari fell with a thud! Akhen looked up from the pedestals and lurched instinctively. When he reached her, she was shaking! Her wild seizure was unfounded. Her mad convulsions reminded him of someone dying from suffocation as he knelt beside her. From what the mercenary could see, her neck snapped back and her head hit the floor hard.

“What in the petch happened!?” Akhen heard Joe call out from the door. He was asking the very question himself! The mercenary ignored the old man and slipped a hand under her dark locks – the girl's eyes were a poem of frantic, vivid colours! – and Akhen cursed as she seemed to get worse! He needed a cloth, her hair was damp. Something to cradle her head... that damn backpack was making her neck bend awkwardly. He snarled as a bleary memory of a freelancer he once worked with flashed in his head, the man was shaking the same way, a large poniard was hooked in his neck...

He patted the girl, searched her for something to slash the straps of the backpack; she was a mercenary wasn't she?! And she wasn't carrying a sword so she had to be carrying... A knife!

The straps snapped off with a vicious slash from the blade and Akhen propped her head on his knee, using one arm to hold her trembling form stable. The backpack spilled open and the other arm rummaged through. A waterskin, some food, a lousy flint and steel, a.. whistle?... and a... damn net?! Akhen tossed the articles aside, sneering angrily. What kind of mercenary was this?!

Suddenly he heard Joe roar from the door and looked up. A beastly arm held the old man in a choke-hold and for a moment, Akhen's theory crumpled and reformed in all the chaos! The old man snapped his mew into the flesh of his attacker and Akhen was forced to think on his feet. He looked around for something – anything! – then eyed the bag under his bent knee.

“Watch out kid!” Old Joe snapped abruptly. The myrian was on the ground now and a form came charging toward them – toward Aladari! Akhen eyed the packsack. It was soft enough and large enough. He squashed it into an ugly ball and nestled it under her head as he laid it down gently. The footsteps were too close now!

Akhen started with a whirl of gleaning steel!

His sword arced out its scabbard with a murderous hiss that would have slew a man if they didn't evade. This man evaded. Unnaturally at that! Akhen met the intruder halfway across his sprint. Akhen saw Joe crawling toward Aladari behind himself and the beastly man he was engaged with and shake the already trembling form. There was a woman now, surging toward the two! The mercenary was caught off by the spectacle and his assailant used that moment deviously. The man came rushing and stars clashed violently across Akhen's eyes as the man hammered the mercenary's jaw with a loose fist! Akhen lurched back. Blood trickling down the corners of his lips...

Already? Akhen spat in stunned thought.

Another blind fist came rushing and Akhen leapt back. His sword bowed diagonally and the man ducked crazily! He charged at Akhen. Then barrels behind the mercenary exploded when he side-stepped the man's swinging arms which crushed them effortlessly. Akhen snarled and returned with a pirouette that cleaved through air as the man lunged out the way! He heard frenetic commotion behind him but tamed the urge the look back. There was a voice howling behind him that he didn't know so the mercenary knew his earlier suspicions were proven! His attacker came lunging out with a savage blast of fists that Akhen dodged narrowly. The mercenary quickly concluded that this whole thing must have been a trap. But why? He asked himself as he slashed, his blade finally catching the hairy man across the breast with a riposte. Blood trickled but the man only seemed to electrify and leap for Akhen, who side-stepped the man's outstretched arms!

The two men crossed eyes for a moment and Akhen could only see insanity behind the orbs of his opponent. The man was crazed. Scars mapped his form like a board and muscles knotted like coils of iron about him. A cackle rumbled like pondering violence from his thick throat.

Akhen knew then that this man was no regular foe. The mercenary held his sword in low bow that made its end scantly rake the cold floor. He stood on edge, on the very balls of his heels.

Some Blue Vision would do me some good right about now, he thought solemnly. The wild man started.

They engaged!

by **Aladari Coolwater** on July 1st, 2016, 9:00 pm

OOCSorry for the little wait, there.

What?

It wasn't at all wise, and certainly not last-words material, but it was all Aladari could think in the split second between the strike of the light and the moment it hit her eye.

The strike was powerful, blasting light into her eye in such a high concentration that, for the first time in her life, Aladari was blinded. It was not a pleasant feeling, she noted. Luckily, it didn't last long, because it was only ticks later that her mind went silent, all feeling gone, her whole body dead in its place. She toppled over backward, her skull hitting the hard floor with a solid cracking sound. She could feel the stickiness of the blood matting her hair, but the pain did not come. It was disturbing, still being conscious in that useless body, but she would've taken it any day over what came next.

Suddenly, her mind was flooded with images, sounds, memories of terror. There were buildings down in flames, boats wrecked all along the bay, the entire town in ruins. And the cries- oh the screams! There were men and women and children, all crying, some begging for help, others resigned to their fate and screaming only to make it end. It all happened in a dream-like state, within ticks that seemed like days. She could feel her body convulsing, shaking with the power of the thing forced into her mind, but she could not stop it. She was aware of the gentle hands on her head, helping her with a cushion, but could not respond. There were other hands, too- the hands of an old man, hard, calloused, wrinkled hands, settled on her leg, holding onto her for dear life and shaking her fruitlessly, as the vision shook through her.

---

Joe dropped his hands from the girl's body when he saw that the dark mercenary had helped her head. It wasn't going to save her, he thought, but there wasn't much else they could do at that point; there were much more pressing matters. The dagger that slashed toward him only proved his point, leaving a fine, thin line trailing down his bicep, releasing dark red blood onto the floor. Joe growled, holding up his own dagger in defense. The sounds of people (or things) emerging and grappling around him was nerve-wracking, but he could do nothing about them. He had to focus on his own life right now, and the girl's.

Joe pulled himself back so that he was leaning against the woman's leg, hoping to steady her, or at least be able to feel when she woke up. He held his dagger up in one hand, while his other groped at the floor thoughtlessly. It was only when his hand caught on a wood piece that he realized he had been searching for protection.

Joe held up his wooden shield- no more than a hand or two wide, and warped from staying in the old, dark room- as though it were his saving grace. "Ha!" He barked as he swept his dagger towards the attacker. "What are you gonna do now?"

Sadly, the taunting was a bit much, and the attacker grew angry, her eyes narrowing and her voice growling. She did not answer, but for swinging faster, and harder, her dagger cracking through his already splintered wooden shield. "Ah, petch." He grumbled, his shield withstanding only one more harsh blow from the dagger before it crumbled completely. On the offensive once again, Joe swung his dagger outward wildly, hoping to at least hit her once. And that he did. His dagger found its mark, slicing through skin, pulling back against his hand as he did so with a resistance that he would never get used to. It was sickening, but Sunberth had taught him there wasn't another option.

Just as he landed the hit, the attacker lunged forward again, determined to rebound. Joe fell back into the rhythm of blocking and parrying. As he worked, he could feel his heart racing, and his palms begin to sweat. As his dagger finally skittered out of his hand, his only thought was that he was too goddamn old for this. But hope was risen when he turned to fetch the dagger and saw the stirring of the girl. Lunging for his weapon, Joe hollered at her. "Aye! You gonna help us here, Lassie?"

---

At last, when the images and sounds slowed, Aladari began to regain feeling. She rolled her eyes around, trying to test out her range of motion. Yes, her eyes were moveable. So, she opened them, and was instantly met with a shocking sight. From what she could see, Joe sat next to her, his body covered in scratches and splinters. And not only that, but someone was beating on him with a dagger, cutting into his skin with each swipe. Joe held his own dagger, but he was not exactly winning any fights with it, and seemed to be struggling to keep himself in one piece.

And that was only what she could see. One eye was still viewing nothing but pure white static.

I should help, Aladari thought. She tried to sit up, but found herself aching from head to toe, muscles tight and head screaming with pain. Immediately, she lay back down, groaning. No, Aladari corrected herself. I need help.

by **Riluc Lorrani** on July 2nd, 2016, 10:26 pm

Riluc was looking towards the other vase on one of the barrels as the others people went about their own investigation. Riluc's attention was pulled away from his investigation as he heard the crash of a barrel. Riluc could see that the furry man had just stabbed a hole in the barrel in an effort to see what was inside. The man was clearlly a no nonesence type of guy which Riluc could appreciate. Especially since Old Joe seemed really vague. The barrels really did seem out of place in the room. The wilder noticed that nothing came out of the barrel. empty barrels seemed even more out of place. Riluc's attention was distracted from the barrels as Aladari collapsed, the sound of her head smacking against the stone echoing around the room.

Riluc's reacted by taking a fighting stance, and looking around trying to find what had attacked the young woman. He saw the dark skinned man running up to help Aladari as repeatedely slammed her head against the stone floor repeatedly blood begining to appear from the impact. Riluc could feel ever muscles tensing up prepared to react to a threat. It was a good thing that he was prepared as chaos decended upon the room. Riluc felt his lips spread in a grin as the fighting started. This was something he was good at. Riluc gaze quickly took in the speading events. The attackers were prepared to take them out that was clear, and Riluc quietly cursed the half crazy old man who had total missed the presences of these attackers.

In moments Riluc saw the dark skinned man in a fight with a hairy man with bleeding fingures. Both appeared competant fighters. Old Joe was on the ground trying to protect Aladari from some insane woman trying to kill them. Riluc was worried about them as Old Joe was suddenly in a knife fight. The old man was competent but with a wound in his side he was clearly struggling. It was then that the other barrel burst apart. A smaller man came out. Riluc quickky saw that the man was like rock though. He was only small in height not in build. Riluc's figter instict screamed about this man. All of them were crazy but as the man tipped over the other barrel exposing a now dead body, Riluc saw that this was a disraught crazy person.

The last crazy went after the dark haired man, Riluc was already moving before the man had finished slaming the furry man into the wall. He wanted this one out od the fight as quickly as possible. He was muscled enough that it migth take two of them to take him down. He quickly pulled on his helmet knowing that he would need some head protection as what he planned would be a little crazy. then he grabbed a piece of wood from the exploded barrel as he released sling tied around his waist. He moved quickky as only a warrior or a hunter can. All emmotion had been shved to the side. This was no time for dought or fear. It was time to do things quickky and exactly.

Riluc was moving as he tied the ends of the slings around the wood pieces. Once secure Riluc grinned as the thrill of battle over took him and he jumped on the brute trying to smash in the furr man's face. Riluc successfully collided with thick man's back. Normally that alone could have at least stunnded most men if not down right take them out. This man was unfazed by the impact. Riluc quickly wraped his legs around the mans mid section while as the same time slipping the sling over the mans head so that the middle section was over the mans throat and the edge part that was tied around the sticker were in Rilucs hands. He leaned back and began to twist the leather sling so that it became tighter and tighter. He used the stick to give him greater leverage as he twisted working on chocking the man. Riluc really wanted this man out of the fight.

As Riluc attacked he was growling like a dog in combat. His teeth were barred so that under the helmet you could see the flash of white and the helmet gave the growling an echo. Riluc's muscles were straining as he worked to try and halt the large man as he attacked. The viens in his biscepts seemed to bulge as he trid to tight with all of his strength. His legs were also straigning and the muscles showed it. Riluc didn't want to losse his prey and so like wild animals he worked to pin his foe in such a way that if he moved he would have to take Riluc with him.

by **Chase Hunter** on July 3rd, 2016, 11:00 pm

Chase stood up suddenly from examining the vase. He heard … something. Something whispered just on the edge of his hearing, a silent, whispering noise. It seemed to come from, everywhere. All around him, from the walls, he watched as the black shapes began to shift and conform, churning and changing, hissing out words as they went.

"T******t**iiiimm*me*, r***rruuuu**uun*nn, MU*D*R!, w*ter, wate*, *ater. St*y *way. It's *oming **ase. Find *, us, us. T**oooo LATE!"

Chase leaned his head against the wall, scrambling to hear more. It was oddly compelling. He had to hear it. A loud crash as a body hit the floor, he whirled around. He watched as Aladari dropped to the floor, convulsing widely. The room dropped to a dead silence as her body dropped to the floor for a single moment. Than the entire room began to move.

Chase had not noticed that the old human had left, but saw him crawling back, fighting off a large woman, followed by a large man. At the same time, his eyes followed the black human as he dropped to the floor, helping Aladari. Then, his attention was promptly brought to another noise as another large man burst from a barrel, knocking over the barrel he’d punctured a hole in, depositing a body on the floor in his haste. Chase was surprised, his body tensing, locking into position, preparing to respond, but lacking the time to react. His breath was forced out of his body at high speed as his back made contact with the wall, hearing a crack or two as various bones in his body cracked. At least, that’s only as many as he heard. His hearing was ringing after his skull bounced against the wall.

That feeling was promptly repeated multiple times, forcefully. Chase’s senses went into full overdrive, trying to understand as much as he could. Unfortunately, they could not process much for him at this point, only being stuck in an absolutely pure mood of contending with another predator. However, his body was promptly being broken. This was not viable.
Chase’s reflexes came into use when the beast in front of him was dragged off of him slowly. His senses were able to solidify on the scene for a moment. Only for a moment was he able to be still, promptly to launch himself on his attacker, snarling viciously. Pure animal need to discipline this creature into proper respect for his strength filled his mind. He would pound the respect of being Alpha into this man creature.

The creature itself strained against a weight on its back, and reared to attack Chase still. Chase pushed off against the wall, bringing out the spikes in his gauntlets and aiming to shove them into the chest of his large assailant, hoping to quite succinctly kill him. He had no intention of simply allowing this man to know that he was the Alpha. The pain Chase was feeling fueled his rage into a pure desire for killing the creature.

by **Akhen** on July 5th, 2016, 7:42 pm

In the dim light his sword glistened like weaving lightning and scarred the floor with bursting sparks. He stepped back, weaved around the swinging mullets of his opponent as they pommelled savagely through the air. A clangour of violence roared in his ears and the shadows of everyone in the chamber rose up into long, hellish figures that seemed to dance rather than fight.

Akhen rebounded from a hook to his side sent by his crazed assailant, bellowed and drove his sword forward! The man ducked with a wolfish chortle and Akhen swung his scored blade with an overhead arc that pushed the man back. The fiend charged. Akhen evaded to the side clumsily and tripped suddenly as he fell sidewards into a barrel before starting out the way as the madman sprung with crushing forearms. The barrel exploded in a shower of wood and Akhen rose, swung and cleaved through nothing!

His beastly antagonist dipped and matched the mercenary with a blow to the stomach that staggered him into a windless mess. Akhen clenched for breath, his eyes mazed for a space and he felt the side of his face burn up. He bent awkwardly onto a knee and crimson dribbled down his lips. He bent further as the man swung jubilantly!

Who are these people? The mercenary asked himself with a confused stumble that caused his opponent to miss. He stumbled back breathlessly and turned his gaze toward the hoary blob speeding blindingly toward him. And what don't they want us to know?, he asked himself as the man slammed a fist into his face again!

He stood up stiffly and weaved around an onslaught of punches he was sure he took more of than he actually dodged. He crooked back, evading a wide sweeping cross but a jab caught him across the right bicep and ripped across the length of his arm, loosening his grip on his longsword. The blade was held limply and riposted instinctively, leaving a bleeding curve across the attacker's thigh. The blood only thrilled the man who came back relentlessly at Akhen!

The attacker was barely garbed for combat – loose rags that barely clung to the rigidly hairy limbs, dressed immaculately in the fashion of those corpses Akhen had seen prior, and burning eyes filled only sardonic ecstasy – and his style was wild and untrained but every time they exchanged blows, it was the afro-haired sell-sword who found himself cornered or winded. It was as if this man was drugged, perhaps even imbued with a magical formula that enhanced his strength and speed. It wouldn't be the first time someone sought magic or alchemy to tip the scales in a fight. Some sell-swords were known to take alchemical formulas to increase their alertness, even some of the fighters that entered the Blood Pits did it – even though the results ended badly for them in the end.

Akhen was knocked near senseless with a hard jab to his right.

“Who are you and what do you have to do with all this madness?” he slurred feebly. Again the afro-haired mercenary stumbled from a bash to the side of his harsh face. Akhen bent onto a knee.

His body shook with a surge of anxiety. Uncertainty filled his mind. The crazed man cackled and growled something inaudible to the mercenary, for a moment, Akhen looked around and saw something that caught his bleary vision and somehow – he woke up! Whether it was the man's inaudible gibberish or seeing Old Joe and Aladari cornered like rats, he didn't know.

In the fray the men had taken each other's places, Akhen now had a view of the entire chamber. At the far end of the cavum was the loin-clothed boy, the black-maned man and another – stout, thick-muscled individual with brimming dark tattoos – caught in a fierce struggle between them. The now helmet-wearing boy had mounted the compact man's back and held a sling-wrapped piece of wood across his throat, choking him, whilst the black-maned man slashed viciously across their attacker's chest with his spiked gauntlet. The fiend was relentless, he seemed as untethered from the pain of the attacks as Akhen's own adversary.

Flaking near the pedestals was an unconscious Aladari and a visibly tense Joe. The old man was doing his best to ward off the slashes coming from their female attacker but the wound in his side only handicapped them severely, and that he'd lost his dirk and the encroaching woman was slashing mirthlessly at them now, before that he had been pushed into blocking and parrying with a useless piece of wood. Akhen braced. In combat, no matter your code and creed, be it knight, thief, assassin or mercenary, no matter who your opponent is be it acquaintance, friend or brother, an ally is an ally. That was the law of combat!

Akhen turned his head sharply back at the man lunging toward him. He buckled up with a clear intent and sight. Blocking with his forearm before his sword stabbed viciously into the thigh of his foe! Flesh, muscle and sinew spluttered with a arch of crimson as the mercenary weaved around the crumpling hug of his foe with a drawn sword! For the first time that day, the pained snarl of his foe was music to Akhen's ears.

He started suddenly, his sword sparkling along the length with blood that glowed because of the erratic symbols in the room, and came behind the mad woman. Something guttural roared up behind Akhen and the woman froze for a second before turning acutely! A arc of rough, scored steel wailed and carved through her back angularly with jetting shreds of skin and blood! The woman shrieked like an animal, whimpering from the gash Akhen's sword had left!

She weaved unstably with blood soaking across the length of her back and watched with stunned, wide eyes agape as Akhen brought his sword overhead to scatter her head apart!

The sword fell...

Akhen jerked back suddenly and clove the air! His scalp frizzled in pain as if a million writhing maggots burrowed into his skull. The beastly man had grabbed his afro and pulled him back before he could deliver a killing blow!

The mercenary was flung across the room and fell with a roll. He looked up and saw a dagger flash down before he brought up the flat of his sword to deflect it. The crazed man bent over the mercenary like a mad predator and Akhen kicked savagely at the man's legs blindly, his brawling instincts kicking in, there was a snap as a kneecap cracked! Akhen loosely fondled the floor for something as the brute howled and doubled-over. Something jagged bit into his fingers and the mercenary clenched it, roared and swung the piece of vase-glass like a dagger!

Scarlet fluttered in arching trails as the crazed man brought up his arm limply and blocked, shaking the pain effortlessly. Akhen repeated his savage assault with three more stabs before the vase-glass shattered with shards jeering from the man's forearm and shoulder!

The relentless beast-man sneered and brought up his dagger, catching the mercenary on the deltoid narrowly because Akhen kicked his feet under him. With a thud, the brute collapsed at Akhen's feet, rose up and felt the mercenary's boot hammer into his skull and face as he clamoured forward and the afro-haired sell-sword push himself back. The psychopath rose and leapt suddenly! Akhen's knees hunched, caught the savage fiend in the chest and flung him overhead.

Ompf! – the man gasped and rolled, leaving Akhen breathless and swordless during the execution of such a careless move. Akhen was nimble and quick but he was no acrobat and that clumsy manoeuvre cost him greatly. The man's bulk caused his legs to ache as he stood, and when he did, he realized that his sword had also been flung up and landed right before his opponent; who stood suddenly like a leopard and sprang.

Akhen dodged a vicious sweep of the dagger and began to question where the man had acquired it? Perhaps from the women he attacked when she staggered back? Or was it Aladari's knife? It didn't matter now, his survival did. He side-stepped a feint spear of the blade and ran beside the man; kicking his sword's hilt, following its spin out the chamber and into the adjoining hall!

He picked it up and turned with a brutal swing that arched above the man's bent form before returning to light the hall in sparks as the sword bounced into the floor. The two men faced each again with renewed countenance one could only describe as a mixture of anger and desperation. Dark eyes met and regarded one another with disgust for a final time.

The man chuckled and feigned, Akhen blocked. He feigned again and got the same result. He feigned a third time and caught Akhen off guard with a leap! Akhen took a punch that filled his mouth with blood as he blocked a careless sweep of his opponent's dagger. The mercenary snarled and spat ingloriously into the eye of his foe, blinding him!

Akhen snarled and droved forward suddenly. Both man then collapsed toward the door!

Crimson pooled inside the chamber... A sick smirk touched dark features.

A length of red steel pierced through flesh, muscle and taut sinew. Blood dripped drably in rivulets down the cold, ancient floor. If one listened carefully, it was as if they could hear the ancient voices of the old temple sigh about them in a loathing extent. As if a blasphemous action had been committed.

“Who are you?” a voice blotted the silence; it was a low, lapsing growl. A sly, rasping chuckle replied the desolation of the Temple of the Unknown. Akhen's longsword had lanced through the hairy man's chest in the attack, now the mercenary was the one who bent over his foe. A frown etched on his lips, shadowing the bloody smile that cut the features of the crazed man.

The man chuckled again and buckled. As his muscles contracted suddenly, Akhen ripped his sword out the chest of the man with a shove of his boot. He roared! His blade arched deftly overhead and decent with enraged force behind it. As the crazed man rose, he crumpled suddenly – going limp as his brains were blown through by Akhen's sword!

The sword wedged into the dead man's skull and face. His eyes whitened instantly, blood trickled out his ears, nostrils and wide, open mouth. There was a last, bestial whimper. But Akhen looked at him and rapped savagely, the blade ripped out the skull with a gelatinous slurp and slashed; flecked with grey matter, before cleaving through the thick, sinewy neck of his opponent's corpse. An arch of blood spurt where the blade had ripped through the neck and joined with the pool flowing on the floor.

A mangled body crumpled with a fleshy thud and half-attached head.

Akhen bent and braced himself weakly with the length of his red-dressed sword. His body shock in a multitude of pains. His emotions spiked when a chuckle roared up and he started suddenly, lunging back into attack!

It was only in his mind... Just another death that would play its tricks on his numbed psyche for days to come. It seemed now wherever he went, Dira tip-toed silently. Dealing death was Akhen's vocation after all.

Gods, I really need some Blue Vision and good book right now, he grunted and trudged over the dead body, walking back into the chamber to finish what these attackers had sought to begin...

by **Aladari Coolwater** on July 7th, 2016, 6:26 pm

Aladari lay on the ground, her mind drifting and body numb in an attempt to escape the pain. Faintly, she could hear the horrible sound of flesh ripping and bones cracking, though she knew not whether they came from around her or in her head.

The visions were driving her insane. She knew she had to get away- away from the room, the symbols, the blood-thirsty maniacs- before she could regain her senses. However, this was a more difficult task than she could have imagined. She struggled to sit for a tick, while her muscles complained loudly and her head spun. By the time she managed to curl herself up into a fetal position, knees pressed to her chest and hands pressed over her ears, the chaos around her had shifted.

Chase and Riluc were double-teaming one man on the other side of the room, but even the two strong men hardly seemed enough to take him down. Even Akhen, who appeared at home in the fight, was struggling. Though he was holding his own, he and a fiery man were locked in heated combat, with neither showing any advantage. The most alarming scene, though, was that right next to her, where Joe was holding off a violent woman with only a small dagger.

Aladari blinked, trying to clear the static from her eye, but it did no good. Am I going to be blind for life? Petch, nothing is worth that! Her woes were quickly interrupted, cut short by a scream of pain.

Just across from Joe, the attacking woman had been split down the center, her back gaping open with blood spilling out and soaking the clothing on her back. She turned, her mouth agape, eyes spread wide, to face Akhen, who held the dripping blade fresh from her skin. The woman jowled in pain, her rage renewed by the injury.

Then, when Akhen raised his blade for the killing blow, his eyes dark and almost unfeeling, Aladari felt he truly looked like an avenging angel. The angel fell soon enough, dragged down by his hair before he could deliver. Drawn away, Akhen was engaged in his own combat once again. His help was not useless, though, for Aladari found herself inspired at tje sight of the wounded warrior. She may not have been able to take down the woman at full strength, but with her abolity to fight back hindered, Aladari stood a chance.

Filled with ambition and a burning will to live, Aladari took a gasping breath and staggered to her feet. She wavered for a moment, still suffering from a heavy loss of blood, but stayed standing. Once she found her land legs, Aladari moved slowly over to where all her materials were spread out about the floor. She scowled at the sight of her met soaked in blood, but picked it up anyway. She drug it behind her, as she had done so many times before, letting the heavy edges hang over her shoulder. Upon approaching the woman, she held the net above her head and, with great effort, launched it forward.

The net landed nearly directly on top of the woman, who thrashed about just like a fish in the net's grip. The sight was almost comical, and indeed Aladari would have laughed had she not been so weak. As it was, she slid to the floor, wheezing and panting. "J...Joe! Git- go git her!"

by **Riluc Lorrani** on July 9th, 2016, 4:02 pm

Riluc clung on as the poweful man reared back against his weight and the leather strap currently wraped around his kneck. His powerful legs tightened even more around the insane man's waist. His whole body was tense as he held on. Riluc thought how much like riding a wild anumal this was like. His legs were tightly holding on as he held the leather sling with his hands. The biggest different though was that he was trying to strangle this animal. Riluc could see one the man's hand trying to desperately to pull the leather throng away from his throat. His large bulky fingers couldn't wiggle under the tight leather strip.

The man was growling and beging to rage. The man couldn't decided who to attack as he had Riluc on his back and the dark haired man in front of him. Riluc was chocking him but the zith was had killed his brother and was now extremely angry after the face smashing he had just taken. Riluc could see the animalist rage on the other man's face. Riluc eyes flashed as he realized there were now two of them able to attack this giant. Riluc watched the zith came forward and stabbed his spike gauntlet into the man's chest.

If Riluc thought he had been riding an angry animal before he was wrong. The man roared in anger and frustration. He jumped back and before Riluc could respond he found himself slammed against a wall. This was while Rikuc wore his helmet. The helmet range with a clangefrom the impact agaist te wall, but Riluc's head was protected against direct damage. Riluc pulled harder on the leather sling as he contined to twist it to tighten the squeze of the chocker. The large man wasn't done though. He slamed Riluc once again against the wall. This time he hit more successfully. Riluc's whole back slammed against the wall. He felt the breath knocked out of his lungs. He didn't let go of the man though. In his slightly stunned state he grabbed on tighter to the man. In his brief daze he could see that the man with the afro had left the room and figting in the hall. Aladari was struggle to net the crazy woman.

As the rageing beast turned his attention back the zith, Riluc gained enough breath tighten his hold on the strap. Rikuc realized he was being splattered with blood from the gabbing wound in the man's chest. Riluc realized that he was holding a dead man. Pur adrenaline was all that was keeping the man fighting. As Riluc contined chocking with one hand. He began to fight the man's kidneys spot with his fist.

Riluc contiuned to hold on as the large man contiuned to lose blood and he felt the power draining out of him. The man was serious gasping as he was getting very little wind. Riluc at that point stopped punching and gave a serious twist to the strap so that it was now bitting deep into his kneck. it was then that the man's throat collapsed under preasure. Between the chest wood and the chocking the man finally collapsed as continued to hold on to the dead man.

by **Chase Hunter** on July 18th, 2016, 1:11 am

OOCSorry I'm late. Summertime is busy time.

Chase felt the pain surging into his face as the pain brought strain to his muscles to keep from crying out in absolutely pain. He vented this pain out through his fists. It was his normal method of venting, and it usually promised great benefits. Mostly dead things that worked usually as food, which he never had problems with such things.

Chase pounded his fists in a simple repeated motion of stabbing the large man in the chest and stomach, one fist at a time. He felt his hands sink deeper into the man’s chest each time, ripping back sticky blood and guts as they flowed over his hands. Eventually, though it took quite a while, he felt the man’s life slipping away, until the heart stop beating. Still enraged in killing for the hunt, but saw that he couldn’t rip the throat out; it was being pulled in a leather strap.

Chase felt his own energy draining, but he wasn’t ready to stop. He turned his head, fixing on a new creature there. Aladari’s shout drew his attention, and he saw a female leaning over to attack them. Chase promptly snarled, and moved towards her suddenly. His face, jolted by the movement, screamed in pain to him, slowing him. He pushed the barrel in the way to the side, before beginning his assault on the woman.

He had been about to outright leap on her, but the pain was getting to increase. His adrenaline still coursing through his veins though let him carry on. He swung his spiked fist in an undercut, hoping to catch her off guard as he came from the side. From there, he stopped caring, promptly going to rip out the woman’s throat with his teeth. He was in pain, but angry. He rarely got in full fights of this magnitude, where he simply let go of his reasons, and went straight to his more directly predator nature.

by **Anarkhos** on July 18th, 2016, 6:34 am

This will be used to to identify when the slabs are speaking to Chase.

Joe cringed at the sound of the man's skull being split open. He'd heard that sound many times throughout his long lived life and still has yet to become accustomed to it. Still though, that was one down and two to go. "Git em Joe!" his head turning to the sound of his name. Positioning himself to where he could extend his reach, he yanked on the fishing net entangling the crazed woman's legs bringing her down to the floor deeming her immobile as the man-bat thing lunged onto her sinking his teeth into her throat. Joe watched as she kicked and screamed, fighting the creature as he tried to get a grip. Clenching his dagger, the old myrian began to stab wildly into the woman's abdomen, ripping through flesh and innards until her body reduced it's wild kicking to mere twitches as she lay slowly dying.

He'd felt his hear stop beating chimes ago. The only thing that kept him alive was pure anger and the wanting to kill the murderer of his life long friend and brother. His chest was carved open, his windpipe cut off, and there was the constant pain of the man that was latched upon his back beating him in the head with is bare fist. All senses had long left him other than his sight, touch and smell. The sounds of the room began to slowly drown out as he fell to the ground, he could feel the wetness of his own blood run from his body and onto the floor. He watched as the same man that murdered his brother and himself sunk his teeth into his wife and unborn child. Was this worth it all? No promised amount of money power could bring back his family. He was the last one alive, the task had to be completed though no matter how much he disagreed with it. He only hoped that his change of heart would save his soul when Dira appeared to claim it.

His lungs ached due to lack of oxygen, his time was running out. He felt the man tighten his hold around his neck. Giving a strong heave he reached out and took hold of his deceased brother's arm. They would need more blood for it to be completed, even if it was their own. Pulling a dagger from the dead man's side, he brought the sharp edge across the cold limp wrist letting the blood flow from the body like a rushing water fall across the floor. Fighting back tears from his bulging eyes he reached down, wrapping his large hands around his attackers ankles locking his arms into place before rolling to the farthest corner of the room. This was it, this was the end. If he was to go, he wasn't going out alone. "All hai-" His body convulsed on final time before it locked into place and ceased to be.

Ah shurak, Could someone help me up please!" Old Joe let out after somehow managing to sit himself up against a wall. He was tired, and hurt in more ways than one. "Isn't this some shyke. I'm bleeding, my hips busted, I got crazy people attacking me, I just had to gut a woman. Who do you think is going to have to clean all this up? Not you, let me tell ya. I'm too old for this shit." He began to complain as he tried to catch his breath. Fucking bastards. What where they doin in here anyway? We gotta get outta her-" The old man's words were cut short as his eyes widened at the sight before him.There was a lot of things that one could blame on old age, but there was an acceptation to certain situation and he believed this was one of them. Letting out a groan of unbelief, he pointed towards a newly created wall where the hall leading to the exit would be.

There was slight "tick", followed by a great gust of wind blasting from the floor causing everyone and thing to rise up against the ceiling before being dropped back down to the stony ground. The blood of the crazed group splattered everywhere around the room, the walls, floor and ceiling now covered in their blood.

The symbols that masked the room began to glow and move once more, now in a different pattern than before as the blood began to move, travel in curved tracks across the floor, creating wild pointed arcs containing circles and ripples as it slightly glowed creating a pulsating light in the pitch black room. Another sound filled the air, the vibration of stone grinding against stone echoing off the walls and knocking dust from the roofing of the room. A thunderous sequence of locks unlocking and sliding forced Joe to cover his ears, then all became quiet. "Chaassssseeeee! Run!" He watched from his old eyes the group of four in the glowing light for what seemed like an eternity before the wall behind the two podiums opened revealing a tunnel leading to the gods knew where.

Speckles of dust trickled down the wall next to the old man. It didn't take long for him to realize what was happening. "We need to move now!" He blurted, snatching the fishing net from the dead woman using it to grip the floor as he crawled to the newly created exit. Pain shot through his bleeding arms as he placed one in front of the other pulling himself to the safety of the tunnel. The walls began to close at an alarming rate, pushing anything in their paths closer until they met in the middle. Joe gritted his teeth, fighting through the pain as he rolled into the safety of the dirt path. "C'mon lassy, move!" He called out to the still disoriented Aladari, tossing the net out to here so he could assist with her escape from death. "Move ya arses!" He called out to the others, though the man wearing the helmet seemed to be having trouble. The walls had moved quite a bit now and where three quarters away from each other. Using his good leg, he tried delaying one wall by pushing against it with his foot but it deemed a failed attempt. He'd seen enough death for today, he gave a silent prayer to the gods that they would all make it out alive. There was another vision being pushed into Aladari's mind. People running and screaming in fear, the smell of blood and a sickening screech.

Important info :

Quest [Quest] Entering the Temple of the Unknown