Closed Facing Our Nature (Alexander)

[Kynier]

24th of Winter, 518 A.V.

8th Bell

Yesterday, he had received a task he had not expected from his employer. More supplies were needed for the wizard’s other talents. It wasn’t the first time that Kynier had been tasked with gathering more ingredients for the poison making. It was different this time though. What Doler needed was not going to be found in any vendor’s inventory. The mage had been supplied a map of the immediate wilderness surrounding the city. There was very little detail, displaying landmarks and their geographic correlation to each other. Lakes, rivers, tall hills, and significant trees. While he had spent a few bells yesterday searching for the strange plant he was to harvest, his plan was to spend today searching for them and head back to Sunberth the next day.

It was a warm day with very little wind to speak of. It allowed the air to clump together and feel heavy in the lungs with the increased moisture still remnant of a damp fall. Kynier was pleased that the magic of his cloak was able to handle it and keep him at a comfortable temperature. Otherwise, he’d build a sweat quickly and feel like passing out under Syna’s warmth. Thankfully, his cloak’s magic kept him cool. Had there been a stronger wind, it would have been a much more pleasant day.

The map had a few marked locations to indicate where he should look for the plant. It seemed to grow in between the land marks on the map more than around them. Kynier folded it up and put it back in his pocket for safe keeping. He had his armor on since he was more in the Wildlands than he was comfortable with. Granted, it was only a day and a half away from the city, but that made it more important to be protected from injury. Leather covered his torso and steel plates shielded the critical points of his arms and legs. The sounds of the wilds had a strange effect on him. On the one hand, they were soothing. On the other, he was paranoid about something coming out or hunting him. So, he moved through the tall grass of the side of the hill towards a small lake that the map indicated was on the other side.

Both cold iron short swords were strapped to his belt, and a few daggers were stowed away in other places. Kynier had not been alone in the wilderness since that season his parents were taken from him. For some reason, it did not scare him as badly as it had back then. Perhaps it was because he was older, stronger. Or it might have been his training in magic, or even the experience he gained with a short blade. One thing he had learned as a child in those days, was to stay quiet. Noise brought nature’s attention.

Sweat permeated on his brow from the exertion. The mage was still not used to the additional weight of all the steel plates that covered his arms and legs. Especially when moving uphill. When he reached the crest, it evened out for a body of water from the drain off of a creek to form. Kynier scanned the area but didn’t see anything matching the description of what he was looking for. He decided to take a break and walked to the pond’s edge. The water looked clear, or at least a lot clearer than what he generally found in Sunberth. He took out a waterskin and drained the remaining contents down his throat greedily. Then he dunked the waterskin into the pond to fill it.

He slapped at his face as a bug landed briefly on his cheek. Scowling that he missed it, he pulled the full waterskin out and added a small bit of water additive to purify it. Then he settled himself on the ground to just look at the scenery. The woods weren’t thick enough to properly describe as a forest. He breathed deeply and listened to the sound of water running and bird calls. Kynier closed his eyes and took deep breaths. Resting his hands on his knees, the tips of his pointer fingers curled in to brace against the side of his thumbs to create an “O” shape, while the rest of his fingers remained unfolded.

It was the Air mudra, or hand gesture, of his Reimancy meditation. Kynier did not bother with reciting the mantra, as doing so in the wild could attract predators. The break in his search felt like a good time to practice the advanced meditation practice that he had read in the journal a few days ago. Upon the exhale of his breaths, gaseous res came out from his lips. With his will he expelled it away from him while tasking it to attract air. It caused a breeze to form, though it was small. But he kept fueling it with more res on each exhale and willed it to begin circling the pond.

After another inhale, he began to evoke a sound. A deep-toned annunciation of “yew” that he extended for as long as he could. It made a reverberation high up in his chest where his lungs rested. It was the sound and physical aspect associate with Air. With the additional res, a small gust of wind capable of cooling the area a little circled around. Kynier concentrated on the sensation of Air moving around him and out of his body as he continued to utter “yew”. As he did, he was reflecting on the addition of his own soul to the environment around him, and the power that their combination created. Woodland creatures evacuate the area as the intensity of the wind grew. All the while, the mage remained and meditated.

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[Alexander Slade]

It turned out Alexander had left the 'comforts' of his tent in search of something as well- excitement. The sight of dirty, desperate people didn't hold his attention for too long anymore, besides, the wilderness was where he belonged. What was there to do at Tent City with its cramped quarters? Nothing that sparked Alex's attention. He always felt so serene and peaceful when surrounded by greenery. It didn't matter whether or not he was on four paws or two feet. Soloing it out was his go-to, not necessarily by choice but he couldn't complain. Occasionally, he figured meeting a new person couldn't hurt and today was one of those days. He would attempt to socialize if it just so happened someone was creeping around the woods like him.

This time, he was in his human form. It was far too warm to be strolling about with a dense, black pelt wrapped around his body. Still, the heat was bothering him but he wasn't about to turn back now. The humidity rested heavy in the air, encasing the wilderness in its thickness. Alexander took in a deep breath of it, bringing up the back of his wrist to wipe the beads of sweat clean from his forehead. With a dry throat, he figured he would take a break soon and find somewhere to pause and think things over. For now, his grey eyes rolled upwards and gazed at the canopy of branches above him. Happily, birds sang and chirped their songs from everywhere in the treetops, the scent in the air was fresh. Everything would fall into place if there was a soft, cooling breeze...

So, he continued to find the perfect resting area. The soft crunch of his footsteps surrounded him. He felt at ease, no reason to throw wary glances over his shoulder. That was until a crackle sounded in front of him. Crouching a bit, Alexander's heart began to flutter just as a large deer began sprinting directly towards him. There was no time to react, just the widening of his eyes and tensing for the impact but the beast swerved right out of his path at the last second. Whipping around, Alexander watched until the deer disappeared within the overgrowth and clutched his chest, letting loose a sigh of relief. Once his heart began to fall back into its normal rhythm, he waited patiently for a few seconds to make sure no more of the animals wanted to trample him before carrying on his way.

The short yet intense interaction surly did make him more careful of his surroundings and who may be lurking by. There had to be a reason that deer was taking off in such a panic, but it could have been the threatening scent of Alexander, himself. Picked up by a wild animal, they always made sure to relocate themselves before anything could happen, but why run towards him? Pinching his eyebrows together, he decided not to worry about it too much. A lot of odd things occurred in the forest, he should know that by now.

A towering tree split the path he was taking into a left and right direction. It had heavy, full branches protruding out of its trunk, providing a dark shade and shelter from the blisteringly hot sun. Approaching it slowly, the boy pressed his back into it and slid down until his rear met the forest floor. With a sharp exhale, he unsheathed his serpent dagger from its brown holster and spun it in his fingers. It caught a small ray of sun and glinted its silver brightly. Alexander was warmed by this. It was the only item he had taken from his childhood home- a dagger, crafted by his father and handed down to him. It served him well and would continue to in the future. Turning the tip of the blade to the dirt, Alexander began to absentmindedly carve his initials into the soil, nibbling on his bottom lip.

The day still had plenty of hours of sunlight, so Alexander figured he would stay out in the woods for awhile, perhaps even catch some prey later on. With this very thought, a small rustling sounded, like someone or something turning over leaves. Perking up once more Alexander spotted a plump field rat, its tiny paws shooting out in front of it as it pelted deeper into the forest, hardly sparing the kelvic a passing glance. Now, Alexander knew something was up. Instead of shifting into his gigantic cat form and hunting down that juicy rat... Curiosity got the best of him. Something was alarming these forest creatures, something he wanted to know about. Climbing to his feet, Alexander was struck with determination as he prowled forth, where both the deer and the rat had come from.

It wasn't long into his new quest that he heard water running as well as... Wind? He had noticed, as he heaved himself over a hill, that the area was much less hot than back in the forest where no breeze dared to show. Eyes rounded with awe, he watched a man by the waterside from a distance. He was settled down, seemingly meditating. A current of strong wind was wrapping itself around the pond and the area surrounding it. Even where Alexander stood, his black hair was ruffled. Who was this man and what.. What was he doing?

Alexander had to find out more.

So, watching every step carefully like his life depended on it, he stalked towards the man whose back faced him. Alexander tapped into his feline side as he crept closer and closer. As he did this, the wind grew more vicious, quickly cooling him off. The closer he approached, the quicker his heart began to beat. With all of this rapid-moving air, he was almost sure that this stranger wouldn't be able to detect him until his boot caught a rock, sending him stumbling forward. Failing to catch his footing, the cat-boy plummeted to the ground with a thud. Now, he was sure this guy would turn around and see him in no time. Alexander mentally cursed at himself for such clumsiness. Curiosity killed the cat, right?

[Kynier]

Again, he took a deep breath to fill his lungs before spending all of it on a prolonged annunciation of “yew”. More of the translucent gas passed through his lips to be added to the small whirlwind that was centered on the area. The circular wind widened slowly in diameter with each repetition. Immersed in all the moving air, he meditated on all its characteristics and how he could find those within himself. He could become a force that was known but not seen like the wind. The traces of his influence only visible by those he manipulates. An entity that can provide comfort like a soft breeze, or even destruction with a fierce gale.

There were other, subtler, aspects to the element as well. It was an absent-minded necessity. Critical to life and its continuation. How could he be like that? Was it possible to become so necessary in someone’s life that your absence could utterly ruin them? Was that what it meant to embody Air in day to day affairs? Kynier moved his hands from his knees, bringing them together. He broke the rings he made with his pointer fingers and thumbs to recreate them but linked together like a chain. Then, he rotated his hands just enough to set his remaining fingertips against those of their counterparts. Kynier brought the mudra closer to his heart and spoke “yew” a bit louder. The whirlwind increased in intensity in response as he delved deeper into the meditation.

That was until he heard something impact the grassy ground behind him. Kynier’s eyes popped open and he ceased annunciating “yew”. The air held fast in his lungs while the whirlwind continued around them. Someone or something was close. Keeping a part of his mind focused on the rotating air around them, he stood up with less grace than he normally would have. The weight of the steel plates protected him like a shell but at the expense of normal ease of movement. When he was up, he half turned around to see the source of the noise that had drawn his attention.

A young man was laying on the ground as though he had tripped over something. An elegant dagger with a serpent designed hilt was held in his hand. Kynier’s eyes caught the metal first before shifting over to the man’s gray eyes. Something was strange about the eyes though he couldn’t quite tell from an initial glance. Kynier raised the hand closer to the stranger to rest on the handle of a short sword that hung from his belt in an obvious motion. It was the other hand, the one that the man wouldn’t be able to see, that tightly gripped the handle of the other short sword in preparation for a possible violent encounter.

“It’s not wise to sneak up behind someone with a dagger out,” he said in a low tone to serve as a warning. It was difficult to judge the stranger’s age, but physically he looked well developed. Kynier could tell that he was taller than a typical man and his frame suggested that he was more muscular than the average man that wasn’t in a labor-intensive profession. The mage narrowed his hazel eyes slightly as Djed flowed into them for Auristics. With his Sight open, the stranger’s aura began to emanate from his form. Kynier would sense and feel a reflection of the young man’s emotions.

Also, he saw the strange appendages of the stranger’s aura that indicated that he was an unbonded kelvic. At the sight of that, Kynier exhaled heavily through his nose. “Petching Kelvics,” he muttered under his breath. The hand that the Kelvic could see slid off the handle of his weapon. The surrounding winds died as he allowed his concentration on the res to slip. Kynier took a step or two forward to close the distance between them, before reaching out to offer a hand to help the stranger to his feet. The other hand still tightly gripped the handle of the other sword.

“I wasn’t expecting to find another person out here. Seemed like a good place to quietly meditate for a while. Although, to be honest, it’s a bit strange to have gone this long without seeing another person.”

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[Alexander Slade]

This was why he needed practice, many more days- and then some- of practice. What better way to do that than learn from foolish mistakes? Although he was much better than when he started off, agility and stalking was not exactly an expert skill he possessed just yet. If he did, hunting would come much more easily, much more smoothly which would keep his belly full. That was what he lived off of- fresh kill, fresh meat so why was he even here when he could be catching a meal? He was starting to regret his urge to explore and find out answers. This man was just minding his own business, quite obviously mediating- something which required some peace. But now, the Kelvic had to go and ruin it all. 

Danger circulated around Alexander's mind like the wind whipping around the two. As the man climbed to his feet it was obvious he was slightly weighed down with armor which only meant he was well protected from injury. Unlike Alexander, who had nothing more than the clothes on his back. The breath hitched in his throat as he saw one of the stranger's hand move to his sword. Alarm flashed through the kelvic's grey eyes and he stiffened, though, he didn't move. He watched as the stranger's lips parted and words began to tumble out. Suddenly, Alexander was overconscientious about the dagger gripped in his dominant hand. He was quick to thank the Gods he didn't fall on it but now he looked like he was meaning to do harm. Even so, this man had the upper hand so if Alexander wanted to do harm- though, of course, he didn't- his plans would have been soiled the second he made an impact with the ground. 

Alexander could hardly hear himself think with the vortex of wind still spinning around them, his black hair ruffled and quite wild now. Still, he managed to open his dry mouth and reply to the man, "I don't mean any harm, I-I just couldn't help but notice that forest creatures were fleeing from this area and then I felt all the wind..." He gave a few hard blinks. He made a slow, deliberate move to slip his serpent dagger back into its holster. Still crouched over on the hard ground, Alexander's eyes flickered around curiously as the wind suddenly dissolved into the stagnant air like before. Now, the sound of the water softly lapping the shore and birds singing in the distance became apparent. This was much more pleasant on his ears but came with a price. The cooling breeze was gone thus the heat was quick to settle back in.

Hesitantly, Alexander extended his own hand and allowed the stranger to help him to his feet, dusting his jeans free of dirt and blades of grass. It was then, skittish grey eyes met much steadier hazel ones and the kelvic cracked a faint, lopsided grin."I'd placed a bet on the fact that anyone in the forest has a high chance of running into me. This place..." He gestured towards the landscape, "Practically my second home, well, my better home, that is. See, I'm a kelvic," He took in a small breath. It seemed as though this stranger already had Alexander figured out, "So.. Maybe its just instinct. My name's Alexander, who are you, might I ask?" 

Cocking his head to the side, the kelvic hoped the man was kind enough to carry on a conversation instead of shooing him off. First impressions were important, so maybe a light-hearted conversation would serve him and mask the fumble he had a few chimes ago. Maybe even an invitation? Alexander didn't want to come off too strong but company may not be so bad today, "You know, I was headed towards some caverns, you are welcomed to come. I heard there are some pretty interesting sights to see," He pointed towards the general location and fell into silence, not wanting to pressure the stranger or bombard them. 

[Kynier]

The Kelvic’s aura had flared with nervousness, as well as a hint of relief for something. The silver eyes flicked to the dagger in his own hand once. Seeing the young man slowly and carefully sheath his intricate dagger eased some of Kynier’s tension. As the mage studied the aura of the Kelvic, he failed to sense any signs of possible hostility. No festering anger had laced the words of how he had stumbled across this area. Kynier did give the clearing a quick glance. He hadn’t suspected on seeing anyone out here, and a bit of a more advanced usage of Reimancy and meditation felt safe to get away with. In the future, he would be more cautious.

Djed ceased flowing to his eyes as he ended his Auristic gaze. The Kelvic was rambling a bit after the mage helped the lad up to his feet. When the young man admitted to considering the wilds a “better” home, Kynier arched an eyebrow. It made him wonder was sort of creature he was in his other form. Perhaps it was one that wasn’t native to the area, which would explain why he was roaming around in his human form. “Kelvic you say?” he asked pretending to be surprised. “I suppose that would make you feel more… attuned to living in the wilds. My name is Kynier.”

Thankfully, Alexander wasn’t saying anything about the wind gusts. Either the Kelvic didn’t care or didn’t realize that it was magic at work. His interruption was likely for the best. Otherwise Kynier could’ve easily spent bells performing meditation practices. And that wasn’t why he was out beyond the “safety” of the city. When Alexander extended the invitation of exploring a cavern, Kynier furrowed his brow together in a questioning way. “Caverns?” he muttered as he pulled out the crude map that had been drawn for him. With a quick examination Kynier was able to confirm the thought he just had. “How close are these caverns? The person that drew this map made no indication of any being nearby.”

Yesterday, he hadn’t found any signs of the plant that he was out there looking for in the areas the map had indicated. The strange properties of plant allowed it to grow anywhere, including caverns in theory. There was some appeal to moving his search to a place there Syna’s love didn’t make it so damn warm. Kynier carefully folded the map back up and returned it to his pocket. “Well, even if there are no sights to see in the cavern, it would be a nice reprieve from this heat,” he said with a little cheeriness. “Lead the way.”

Kynier would follow behind for a few steps before moving to walk side-by-side with the Kelvic. Walking with a stranger behind her in the city was fairly common place. Having a stranger walk behind you in the wilds was likely to be very unnerving. There were dangers out here that were too much for an individual, having at least one other person nearby alleviated the fear of being hurt and alone. “So, Alexander, what is your interest in these caves? Were they something that you had come across in the past and are now only having the time to go back to look? Or were you told about them by someone?”

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[Alexander Slade]

"Yes, caverns. They're not far from here at all, actually. I'd say a couple chimes if we maintain a respectable pace." Alexander eyed the map curiously, taking in a soft breath, "I don't believe a lot of people know about them." What could Kynier possibly be searching for? Who was he? Alexander felt almost guilty for not being as intriguing; he was simply a Kelvic living by himself, no more no less. He didn't have any knowledge of magic or unique skills but was- of course- happy to learn. Still, it seemed as though Kynier already had the young kelvic figured out...

Alexander was relieved that Kynier accepted his invitation rather than sending him the other way. Tension no longer crackled and popped in the air and all weapons seemed to either be sheathed or left by their lonesome. The kelvic was excited to explore, not only that, but he had someone new to get to know. The more Alexander got to know someone, the more he grew bored of them. He liked enthusiastic and spontaneous friends to surround himself with. He craved an unpredictable, eager life and at Sunberth- especially seeing as he lived in tent city-  that wasn't exactly easy to access. In fact, it was difficult... Difficult and risky. That was why he decided to save his questions for when simple conversation grew dull, the first one to spill from his mouth would certainly be about the wind and what secrets that held. Alexander could hardly contain himself. 

"My interest?" Echoed the boy, "Well... I'm not sure, I guess its a lot better than looking at the same landscape every single day. Out here its.. Tree... Tree.. Another tree. Oh look, another one. But there? Who knows how big those caves are? Who knows what there is to find?" He pondered over the following questions, "Yes, I found them myself. I'm out here quite a lot, as I'm sure you have already inferred. You are the first person I have told about them, let alone offered a trip to, so consider yourself lucky." A grin indicated that the kelvic was only poking fun as they began their stroll. 

It had made Alexander weary when Kynier trailed behind him. It only made sense, though. If he took his eyes off of this stranger, he was vulnerable and susceptible to an attack. He doubted that the gentleman would try anything but Alexander knew he could never be too careful. Once they were side-by-side he relaxed and decided to enjoy the walk, away from the water and into some more patchy forestry. The human had been right, the caverns and caves would provide an excellent escape from the blazing heat. This seemed more than a relief now that sweat gathered in a band on Alex's forehead. 

Grass and leaves crunched softly underneath the young man's shoes and suddenly, he craned his neck, "They're right over there." Quickening his pace, he made his way out of the tree line and gestured towards a clutter of the promised geographic structures. "Most of the entrances I have tried are dead ends but there is one I have been wanting to try. My advice to you is keep your eyes peeled, there are a lot of steep drop offs and holes." Knowing Kynier would make his own decision whether to explore alone or with the company of the black panther, the boy took off towards a far cavern. 

Peeking into a gap wide enough to crouch through, a waft of cold air brushed against Alexander's pale face. It beckoned him further where he slid in between the gap of two cold stones. A large cavity was presented at first, having many smaller tunnels and pathways connected to it. Funnels of dust-covered rocks hung from the ceiling like icicles. There was damp, heavy sent in the air and the sound of something dripping and splashing into a puddle somewhere deeper within the cavern. "Well, here goes nothing." Alexander's voice sounded hollow as it bounced off of the walls- eerie... eerie and exciting.

[Kynier]

It seemed a bit fortuitous for the caverns to only be a few chimes away. Whether it was good luck, or not, Kynier wasn’t going to complain. The only thing that was strange was that the Kelvic had intended to explore the caverns on his own. Alexander’s curiosity obviously exceeded the caution Kynier would’ve demonstrated. Although, it was possible that the Kelvic had no one that he could ask to join him before now. The Kelvic race in general seemed kind-hearted, a few were a bit rougher around the edges than some. And the mage didn’t intend to leave the young man to explore on his own. Besides, he was also intrigued by what may lie in the caverns.

When Alexander spoke about his interest in the caverns, Kynier listened carefully to the words, as well as the Kelvic’s expressions when saying them. They were going to explore the caves… out of boredom? No, only partial boredom. But there was a genuine interest in just learning the truth about an unknown. At least they had that in common. Then, Kynier was told about the discovery of the caves, and the number of people that were aware of its existence. He offered the Kelvic a smile. “Well then, I’m really glad that you offered. For one thing, it’s not wise to venture underground alone. Especially if no one knows that you’re going down there. The additional excitement of the caverns brings additional dangers.”

Kynier held his hands behind his back, under his cloak, as they walked. “Normally, I don’t have good luck, Alexander. So, I hope that my presence doesn’t end up making things worse for you.” Kynier’s gaze started roaming. He looked over the trees and their branches. The vibrant greens and browns moved his spirit each time the wind gently rattled them. Syna basked them with warmth and light, light that trickled through the leaves in a magnificent way. Alexander may find the repetitious view a bit dull, but Kynier found it rather soothing. He took as deep of an inhale through his nose as he could, closing his eyes and focusing on the smell.

The warmth was musky, but the smell of live wood was also noticeable. “Ah,” he said as he exhaled. “The air smells so fresh out here. Not vile like the smoldering haze of garbage outside the city that wafts through every building and window.” Kynier could understand part of why Vasin would want to explore the wilderness now. It was more peaceful than most places Kynier had been. The enjoyment was cut short, unfortunately, when Alexander started bounding for something just beyond the trees. Kynier saw the opening the Kelvic had been talking about.

Hazel eyes adjusted to the darkness of the cavern in thanks to his Nightstalker abilities. But some regions were too dark even for his divine blessed sight to penetrate.

As Alexander made his way to the one cavern that he spoke of, Kynier unslung his pack from his shoulder and reached inside His hand felt the chill of the endless void within his magic pack. Thoughts concentrated on the hooded lamp and it materialized in his possession. It would only appear as though he pulled it out of the pack. Kynier placed it on the ground and pantomimed lighting a spark to ignite the flame. In truth, he produced a bit of res on his fingertips and set it ablaze. With it, he set fire to the lamp’s fuel, and a light emanated from the lamp.

Kynier stood up and followed after the Kelvic. Apart from the echoing struggles of the Kelvic moving through the open space, the faint echo of dripping water rang in the air. Kynier tried holding the lamp in a way that would help Alexander see as he waded through the opening. After a moment, Kynier squatted down and started shifting through as well. Thankfully, the passage didn’t narrow enough to make it uncomfortable to squeeze through. But as he was going through, he noticed a strange substance on the ground. It appeared solid but malleable, and the light reflected slightly off its surface from the moisture on it.

It gave off an unpleasant smell, like feces. Kynier had never seen feces like that before. “Something lives in this cave,” he whispered loudly to the Kelvic ahead of him. It wasn’t enough to make him turn back, but Kynier was now more observant and a bit on edge. At the end of the passage, it opened up a bit. Kynier held the lamp up, casting shadows throughout the cavern. They danced over the walls and ceiling of the place, creating interesting shapes from the stalactites hanging down. Kynier noticed the possible directions that they could take within the tunnels. While he had no real plan of direction, he thought it best to follow the sound of the water.

“If you see a plant with large putrid purple pedals, let me know. My employer sent me out here looking for them.” He said soflty as he started walking towards the left side of the chamber. The dripping sound was a little louder, but there was another noise that muffled it slightly. A soft flutter like wings, but it was inconsistent. With his free hand, Kynier slowly and quietly withdrew a cold iron short sword from its sheath. The chilled blue steel blade gleamed from the lamp’s light by his side. Kynier gave a glance to the Kelvic. “At this point,” he whispered softly, “having that dagger out wouldn’t be a bad idea.”

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[Alexander Slade]

"What do I have to lose? A tent in a sea of tents? If these caverns or any other landmark of the great outdoors is what claims my life then so be it," Alexander stated confidently. He didn't have anyone to tell, either way. This was the first time he ever had someone with him as he climbed and squeezed through the tight, stone walls of the cave. The lantern helped tremendously, even if Alex's eyes adjusted well to the darkness seeing as they held feline genes. He, too, smelled the scat of something living within this area. Bats and rats were common but he never expected anything big and ferocious. He doubted anything serious would become of that. 

He took out his serpent dagger, holding close just as Kynier had suggested, "I think we'll be fine, unless your bad luck does get the best of us. I don't necessarily have good luck but sometimes things go my way. We'll just have to wait and see. Also, watch out for the stone funnels above your head. The looser ones could break free at a sudden noise or movement, right on your head. I had one narrowly miss my shoulder because I sneezed. Now that I say that out loud, maybe I do have some luck on my side..." 

The moving shadows casted onto the walls told the story of two strangers coming together to explore the unknown. A lopsided smile spread across the kelvic's face, gesturing towards them, "Neat, huh?" The shadows stretched from the ground to the top, much larger than the people it was made from. It followed them as they continued, until Alexander paused at a fork. Both pathways were narrow, but not uncomfortable. He hummed as he made a decision before turning right. There was no particular reason why he decided this, just a hunch. "Putrid purple pedals, huh? I'll keep my eyes peeled," He mumbled, giving a small, amused chuckle, "What do you need them for? Is it some healing remedy? Some poisonous concoction?" He was curious, though, unsure if Kynier would give him a straight answer.

The deeper they traveled the colder and wetter it got. A small stream trickled alongside them and the scent of feces returned. "You're right... Something is living in here..." By his foot he spotted the scat, "Looks fresh to me..." A sudden wave of uncertainly washed over him,"I don't know... Something in my gut is telling me-" He abruptly paused mid sentence to point in front of them, "That has to be it! The plant!" He lead Kynier to the location where the outline of vegetation resided. As they grew closer, as well as the light source, it was quickly discovered that the purple-pedaled flower was no where to be found. Instead, a pile of bones. 

With a disturbed look on his face, Alexander took a few steps back and sent a questioning glance over at his companion, "I-I... Um, I don't think we are safe in here. I think we should leave." 

He went to turn around and retrace their steps but a noise boomed against the walls, rattling the stone above them. It sent chills down Alexander spine as he saw a figure carve itself out from the darkness and prowl forward with a bowed head. Its growl continued to fill the area and the only thing the boy had was his measly dagger. The creature stepped into the light, revealing itself as a dire wolf with bloody foam trickling from its maw. Its eyes were hunger-stricken and mad, ears and face torn and scarred. Alexander was tempted to shift into his black jaguar form but didn't have time to discard his clothing. All of a sudden, it lunged for the two. Alexander stumbled back, pointing his blade at the animal. Though, something felt off about the ground he now stood on... Something felt weaker.

All of a sudden, the floor itself began to crumble. The wolf had driven them to stand directly over a cavity which swallowed them whole. Alexander tumbled, hitting a few blunt rocks on his way down. The stone funnels he had warned Kynier about previously came crashing down as well.

With a jarring thud, he hit the bottom, instantly dazed. His chest felt as if it had been crushed and for a moment, he couldn't take in a solid breath. His abdomen burned viciously as he attempted to move his limbs- to no avail. He laid their for a moment senselessly. The only thing which brought him out of the haze was the sound of the wolf whimpering. This shot adrenaline through the kelvic's veins and he quickly sat up, eyes adjusting to the black abyss he was trapped in. The wolf was on its side, a sharp rock protruding from the ground had pierced through it, pinning it to the cool ground. Its limbs scrambled wildly to free itself but it was hopeless. It caught sight of Alexander and defensively snapped its jaw. Quickly, Alexander scooted away, as far as he could. He let out a breath and cringed at the pain in his right leg- something wasn't right but he would deal with that later. All of a sudden, he remembered the person he had came with. He was unsure of the man had fell with them or had time to escape the collapse.

"Oh Gods, Kynier? Where are you?" Wheezed the jaguar.  

[Kynier]

A wry smile crossed his face as the Kelvic spoke about their collective luck. Often, it was difficult to really assess the influence of luck. The gods would have their hands in a lot of things, and it was difficult to believe that Ovek would have a lot of interest in bestowing some misfortune upon the mage. A glance was given to the rock ceiling above them when Alexander spoke of rocks falling from simple noises. That was one more reason why Kynier could say he preferred being outside. No constant worry of something heavy falling on your head. “If it’s not bad luck, then it’s just the gods testing our resourcefulness and resolve. Although, I suspect the near misses from falling rocks are a result of luck.”

As they moved through the cavern, Alexander took a moment to admire the shadows. It caused Kynier to pause. It hadn’t been a full year since he learned that shadows were sentient beings. Had that knowledge deprived him of simple amusements like the one Alexander just had? Perhaps, but they also were able to provide him with stories to pass the time. While he would’ve liked to have enjoyed the dance of shadows upon the rock walls, his nerves were on edge. Knowing that something lived in the caves made him focus more on having his Nightstalker vision penetrate those shadows for the things they tend to hide.

There was no pause nor second guessing of Alexander’s decision to take the right-hand passage. Whatever reasons Kynier could muster about taking the other direction were likely the same ones that the Kelvic had used to choose their current path. “I suspect that it’s poisonous. Or could become poisonous if combined with a few other things. It’s not really an art that I have an interest in learning.” As he spoke, a taste settled on his tongue. A rather unpleasant one at that. The foul smell of feces had returned, but was pungent enough to affect his other sense too. Wherever they were going, they were likely to be encroaching on something’s territory. Kynier held the cold iron blade up a little higher to be on guard.

When Alexander proclaimed seeing the plant that the mage had come for, Kynier followed behind closely, holding the lantern up higher. Instead of the foul plant, or any plant, a pile of bones had been collected in the cave. Kynier stepped closer to stand next to Alexander, eyes transfixed on the remains. They were all bearing marks of having been chewed. No tissue or anything remained on the bones, while a few of them had rounded ends from being gnawed repeatedly. The Kelvic’s nervousness was apparent in his voice, and Kynier was in agreement. But before he could turn around, a menacing low bark echoed through the cave.

Turning towards the source, Kynier saw the dire wolf in a low stance with its teeth bared and throat rumbling in a continuous growl. The creature was large and a bit gaunt. Evidence of terrible battles marred its face and fur. This creature was a survivor, that much could not be questioned. Holding his weapon before him, he took a step to the side and away from the Kelvic. If they could surround the wolf then they could just injure it enough to drive it away. But before words could be exchanged, the beast cae at them. Kynier twisted and dove to the side, rolling over his shoulder and back onto his feet as rocks pressed against his back along the way.

Before he stood there was a series of loud cracks as well as a combination of whimpers and cries. When Kynier turned and held up the lantern, there was a gaping hole in the ground that hadn’t been there before, and the clinks of small rocks falling on larger rocks were still ringing in the air. “Alexander,” he muttered worriedly under his breath as he approached the hole. “Alexander?” he called down into cavernous maw. The drop was not a short one, and the way down was a bit treacherous with blunt and sharp rocks guiding the way. The echoes of whimpers and snapping teeth came from below, as well as a call from the Kelvic.

“I’m up here Alexander,” he shouted down. “Are you alright?” His toes moved to the edge of the opening as he held the lantern up. Eyes scanned through the darkness for a safe path down, but there was none that he could see. The distance was too great to jump, and no path was visible for a way to climb back up without the right equipment. “Shyke.” The mage sighed a bit irritably. “Don’t move Alexander. I’m on my way down.”

Kynier closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths of the cold cavernous air. His mind delved to that place deep within himself to touch his arcane power. Pulling it to the surface of his body, a warmth infused his skin as it permeated res into a thick fog before him. Condensed res with a purple tint drifted down into the hole by direction of his will. Kynier tasked it to collect the surrounding air in order to thicken it. His mind felt the connection to the res change as the light began to bend a bit when trying to shine down below.

Kynier stepped out and onto the purple tinted fog. It felt like stepping in mud, but without the wet sloshing sounds. The air suspended his weight as he willed it to descend into the caverns below. Kynier had to take quick inhales and long exhales to continue fueling res to sustain the cloud he stood on. Carefully avoiding the sharp protrusions and large boulders, the mage descended over twenty feet down before he could see the Kelvic on the ground. Slowly he drifted down until he was about six feet from the floor. At that time, he released the hold he had on the res, and the cloud thinned. The mage fell through the purple tinted air to land in a squat to absorb the impact.

Quickly, he assessed the situation. Alexander was on the ground and appeared to be in pain, while the dire wolf was also down here, but had been pierced by a sharp pillar of rock. Kynier stepped towards the canine and raised his hold iron blade. The creature was likely dead already, but there was no need for it to suffer. As it snapped its teeth at him and pawed at his feet, Kynier sunk the cold iron deep in it throat. A soft whimper was stifled when the hilt sank into the fur. Kynier saw the fear in the beast’s eyes for a moment before that spark of life waned to darkness. When the head sank to the ground he pulled his blade free and flicked it once to toss the blood off it.

Then, he went over to Alexander’s side. “Are you alright?” he asked despite knowing the answer was likely a “no”.

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Boxcode credit goes to Zavya!

[Alexander Slade]

This had never happened to Alexander in his many times of coming to the caverns and exploring around in their mysterious pathways and tunnels. He never once thought that some enormous predator animal would have beaten him to this one and set up camp. He couldn't imagine the deranged canine slipping through such a small enterance he and Kynier had entered through... There must have been some other way.

And for a split second this caused fear to flare up in his chest, clutching his racing heart. What if there were more wolves waiting somewhere within this cave? What if there were more that would trap him in this pit forever? In his animal form, he was a sleek, black jaguar. He was tough and incredibly strong but no match for a pack of dire wolves. He would be shredded into a million pieces. If he could even claw his way out of the hole which already seemed unlikely.

For a few ticks there was silence, often shattered by the twitching of the impaled wolf as it scrapped its long nails against the stone floor. It was on its last stages of life and even being across the pit from him, Alexander still couldn't help but feel horrified as he gazed upon its dying eyes. He half expected it to jump right off of the sharp rocks it had landed on and come after him again.

A voice echoed from above and Alexander's grey eyes rounded. He lifted his chin up to stare out of the mouth of the pit and waited for his feline eyes to adjust. There, he did spot a figure peering into the open jaws of darkness where Alexander resided. They were calling his name and the jaguar boy knew it was none other than Kynier. A wave of relief washed over the injured boy. He brought a trembling hand up to his forehead and wiped it free of dust, "I-I'm... Well, define alright," He called sarcastically, "I'm guessing you're okay, yourself. Thank Gods you didn't tumble down here with me."

It amazed Alexander, now that he knew Kynier avoided the sinkhole, that he didn't just leave. After all, the kelvic knew this was all his fault. He had dragged this man to the caverns in a promise of an adventure but instead... They were attacked by some blood-craving canine. The fact that Kynier still stuck around to somehow help the kelvic out of the pit made Alexander feel much better. He was already rehearsing a great, long apology in his head.

Kynier didn't have to tell Alexander twice- the kelvic was sure he would make no effects to move around knowing that the dire wolf still clung onto a sliver of life. "Hey, don't kill yourself trying to get down here. Maybe just find a limb or-"

Alexander watched in awe as Kynier performed his magic once again. Down... Down... He floated towards the bottom of the hole. "Oh," Alex mumbled. It made the kelvic quickly realize he actually had no idea who this man was or what he was capable of.

The raven-haired boy opened his mouth to warn Kynier about the wolf but it seemed as though he was already on the case. With a swiftness, he ended the animals suffering with his blade. Alexander hoped that he wouldn't endure the same fate seeing as he had a lame leg but if Kynier had made the effort to come all the way down in this hole, it was doubtful he would pull anything like that.

"My leg, I'm not sure what's wrong with it but it hurts to move it. I don't know how I'm going to be able to get out of here unless..." Alexander gave a few blinks, "Unless you have another magical trick up your sleeve."