In the Depths of Madness (IC)

[Coryn02]

((All right, folks, this is it! The thread is now live. Anyone can begin anything at any time.))

 

Far beyond the reach of the sun, there generally isn't much worth watching. That is, not to the average individual.

 

There were many others, the Old Ones, who awaited the slaughter of those who lay within the earthen chamber.

 

These individuals, for the moment asleep, were each a champion of one of the gods. They had stakes of unimaginable worth and utility in this conflict. If any one of them made it to the end of their trials, they would be rewarded and the god's ends furthered in their conflict among one another.

 

But another agent was needed to guide them, which was the reason they had sent Gohrm. Somewhat more of a prisoner than those he was meant to guide, his soul was bound to a malefic tome. He chose this exact moment to awaken the humans by lacing his voice with magic, that he might lead them to their fate.

 

"Awaken, mortals, unto your fate."

 

Blinking awake, the first of the humans, Amos - whose patron was Chz- snapped awake from his enchanted sleep. Immediately, his gaze took in the sights: the decaying stone room he foun himself in, the rotting furniture from ages bygone, the individuals strewn about beside him, and most of all the glowing book in the center of the room.

 

Amos tried to stand, staggering for a moment, and then making his way carefully towards the book. He didn't know why he was here, and interacting with glowing books was probably a generally bad idea, but he wanted answers.

 

"Why am I here?"

 

"To fight, Amos. This is a battlefield." The book replied in a similar tone as before.

 

His gaze hardened at this. Whatever he'd gotten himself into, Amos did not like it, but there had to be a way out. This seemed man-made, so whoever built it needed to get in somehow.

 

"What do I need to do to get out of here?" Amos asked bluntly.

[Felixr2]

Mygon was awakened by a somewhat peculiar voice that was laughing hysterically.

 

At first he thought it was one of the Old Ones, glad to finally take his soul. But when he looked around him he saw it actually came from a glowing book. And a man was talking to it.

 

This mind boggling surprise made him so confused that he fainted again.

 

Just a minute later he awoke -again- and out of instinct immediately grabbed his bow and aimed an arrow at the glowing book, awaiting for it's response.

Edited July 8, 2016 by Felixr2

[HomeForFlowers]

If the horrific headache that made her feel like her head was going to split in two wasn't enough to wake Cana up, then the ominous voice commanding her to wake up certainly was. The dancer groaned as she slowly rolled onto her side, pressing the palm of her hand against her forehead in hopes of soothing her throbbing headache. Gods, where was she? She couldn't remember falling asleep, let alone making the horrid decision of sleeping on the ground rather than her bedroll. She didn't even know what could cause her to make such a silly mistake. She didn't normally consume anything that would obscure her senses as the elders in Wayward prohibited their performers to have their senses dulled while performing. Cana struggled as she tried to recollect her memories. What on earth happened last night. Then, it hit her.

 

Eyes opening wide, Cana let out a shaky breath as her memories returned to her. She was in a performance last night, twirling in the arms of one of the veteran dancers when the mage they were performing for suddenly sprung up and began barking madly. Cana couldn't remember what he said, something about stealing children among other nonsense. She had clung to her fellow dancer, Frederick she thought his name was, as a sudden white light illuminated underneath them. A column light engulfed the dancers' bodies and- Cana sat herself up, breathing heavily as she ran her fingers through her hair. Her hair was still neatly combed as it was the night she was... what? Abducted? Teleported away? She still didn't understand what it was the mage did. She peered at her surroundings, only to cover her mouth in an attempt to hide her gasp of surprise. Oh gods, where was she? The room looked like it had decayed. The stone walls were crusted and the furniture in the room was moldy and old with chunks torn out. There were other people scattered across the ground. They weren't all dead, were they? What had she gotten herself into?

 

Cana wiped her mouth, vaguely noticing the faint red marks smudged on her thumb. She still had her makeup up. Great. Wobbly onto her feet, Cana let out a short sharp breaths, hoping she could calm herself down so she could better assess the situation.

Easy breaths now, don't get too excited. Just calm down and take in your surroundings.

Out of the corner of her eye, Cana spotted her beloved lance. She gently kneeled down and picked it up, rubbing her fingers comfortably along it.

"Alright," she whispered to herself softly as she began to breath easy. "I can defend myself. This is fine, everything is just fine." Cana couldn't stop herself from letting out a startled gasp when she looked up and realized that she wasn't the only person awake. There were two individuals, one of which was next to what appeared to be a glowing book and another who was pointing an arrow at it. The gruff man by the book looked stern and had an imposing presence that made Cana take a step backwards. The other individual pointing the boy was considerably younger with a wild look about him and- oh dear gods was that a child? The boy didn't look any older than sixteen and while Cana couldn't pinpoint his exact age just by looking at him, she knew that he was younger than she was. Both strangers were staring at the book and Cana, who had scarcely heard what the glowing tome had said, took several steps back.

"Um, hello there," she said cautiously as she tightened her grip on her lance. "Would either of you per chance know what's going on here? I seem to have gotten a little lost."

[Felixr2]

Someone else woke up. Mygon hadn't noticed it at first, in fact he only noticed her as soon as she asked what was going on here. "I don't know," Mygon answered, "but that other guy was talking to that book a couple of minutes ago, he might know more about it."

 

He put the arrow back in his quiver and attached the bow to it as well. "Whatever is going on, I think it's best to help each other, at least until we know more." He glanced at the man who was talking to the book. "While that man is waiting for that book to answer, I'll just introduce myself. My name is Mygon Agh'Nahgal, but just call me Mygon. I have no idea how I came here, the last thing I remember is fainting to the neurotoxins in a giant spider's web while being chased by a wyvern. I lost my dagger during that run, but more important, I also lost a friend. He didn't have a name when I met him, so I decided to call him Ahg'Naghal... he always protected me while I was out in the forest."

 

 

-Edit explanation: accidentally put the second part in the present.-

Edited July 8, 2016 by Felixr2

[Thaelasan]

Never lose faith in the guiding light of the Sun, Apollo. It will lead you to prosperity.

 

Never lose hope in the shining glory of the Moon, Artemis. It will lead you to enlightenment.

 

Lead each other, into the darkest parts of these worlds, with the bright, pure illumination you both share, as one.

For if you fail, Child knows what we will do in these times of struggle and uncertainty.

 

You must find the source of this strange, pagan cultism. You must find its creator, or creators, and put an end to it. We, of the Temples of the Sun and Moon, have given you full permission to take whatever actions necessary. Show these "Old Ones" the might of the Sky United.

Go now, you two. Go, into the world that awaits you, and return with good news.

 

May the Light ever Shine upon You.

 

There was a slight sound and change in the air as a pair of individuals awoke within a strange locale. A braid shuddered on the ground as a young woman raised from the cold, stone of the base of the room. Then, a man followed suit, groaning as he looked around the room with a confused gaze until his eyes came to rest on the woman near him and his muscles relaxed.

"So, at least that's one concern we needn't worry of, eh?" Apollo rubbed a sore shoulder, grunting. "Hurt?"

"No wounds." Artemis replied coolly, checking her body for any obvious signs of malicious intent.

"Tired?"

"Slept well." she rubbed her eyes. "And you?"

"Seems to have been well enough." Apollo sighed, struggling to stand to his feet. The sound of cloth and metal accompanied the movement. He wiped himself down to free his clothes of dust but it was a lost cause - the clothing had obviously seen much use.

Meanwhile, Artemis had already gotten glimpse of a trio also in the room. One was armed with a bow. The other seemed to be talking to a book. But the third - a woman - caught Artemis' eye in particular.

 

"A harlot?" Artemis muttered, rubbing her chin. "Performer?"

"Who?" Apollo asked, looking over at where Artemis' gaze was falling.

"Oh, the woman?"

Artemis nodded.

"Some sort of dancer. I doubt she's some form of night woman." Apollo shook his head firmly. "Also, you probably shouldn't make those sort of assumptions, Artemis."

She huffed, hands hanging loosely by her sides.

 

"She would dress as that and not expect heckling?" Artemis smirked.

"I doubt she even knows the cue, of when to dance from one to two." Apollo commented, gesturing. "Shall we take part in this affair? Or will we simply sit and glare?"

"The latter is ideal." Artemis stated.

"Not when we are at a loss for answers ourselves." Apollo replied, shrugging. "To mingle among them for a short time can't hurt us, can it?"

Artemis didn't reply, but she rolled her eyes and began to walk with him towards the rest of the group, though she stopped a little bit shorter than Apollo, wary of the newcomers.

 

"Hail, you merry group of three. Do you have room for one plus me?" Apollo stepped lightly, across the hard floor, curious. "And did that book just speak a word? Maybe I perhaps misheard."

He cleared his throat and spoke a bit more seriously.

"For if books could speak, what use would there be for writing, but for creating another spoken lesson?" he said, concerned.

But the thought in the back of his mind made his muscles begin to tense in anticipation. Enchanted tomes capable of speaking? Could this be the source of the Old Gods' influence? If so, would destroying it suffice to save the realm of men from the the path of ignorance and corruption? Artemis seemed to share his thought, her right hand itching to grasp her sword. He hoped the people around him didn't take this as a cue that they were about to attack THEM.

[Felixr2]

Behind Cana's back Mygon saw two other people wake up.

 

One was a man wrapped in what looked like a single piece of cloth. The other one was a beautiful woman. They didn't seem too shocked to wake up here. In fact they seemed really calm.

 

Mygon noticed both of them had a tainted right hand gripped around a sword. This taint reminds him of the part of the forest where the dragon came from, everything there, from the snakes, to the trees, to the bugs and whatnot, had this taint somewhere. And everything in that part of the forest acted as if it was trying to kill him.

 

The man, who had a brand on his right shoulder that looked like a sun, started talking in poetry, while the woman, who had a brand on her right shoulder as well, but hers ressembled the moon, remained a bit distant.

 

Suddenly, it seemed like something had clicked in the head of the man, and not long after the same happened to the woman. They started to look rather agressive, tightening their grips around their swords, getting themselves in a position ready to start fighting.

 

Mygon felt threatened, his instinct told him to take his bow and fire two arrows at once: one for each of the persons. But instead of hitting them, he let the arrows fly half an inch too high to hit them. They flew right over their heads, making their hair a little bit messy. This, Mygon thought, would be a great warning shot.

 

He started to hope the other ones that still had to wake up would be more like Cana. He started to examine them. He could make out three individuals. One was a girl dressed in clothes that seemed a lot like the clothes he wore himself, brown cloth stuff, but hers were still in perfect shape. There was a sword near her.

 

The second one looked kinda shady. As if he was some sort of criminal. This might've come by the lack of light falling on him. He wasn't lying very near to the book, which was the main light source.

 

The third was quite impressive, he wore armor that was made more for looks than for function, but it still seemed profitable in combat. Somehow he wouldn't mind getting orders from this man every once in a while.

 

More he couldn't conclude, because he hadn't spent enough time among others to learn how to interpretate looks as a sign of personality. He recognized the thief as such because those we often camping in the forest.

 

When he looked back to the two individuals who seemed to know each other for a long time already, he noticed they were still a bit surprised by the Arrow, but still ready to fight. They weren't looking towards him and Cana anymore though. They seemed readying to fight... the book.

 

"What's that for?!", Mygon asked. "That book could easily be the only thing that can help us out. If you don't mind, I'd like to keep it in one piece for now."

Edited July 14, 2016 by Felixr2

[TehUltimateMage]

The only light Rupert could see when he awoke was the soft glow of an object a few feet away. The corners were plunged in darkness, hiding the true size of the room, and he could see bodies of other humans beginning to stir. Closing his eyes but sitting up with a gloved hand clutching his head, he tried to recall how he got to this moment, with no success. Too much to drink? Perhaps they were ambushed and captured? He felt his hip out of reflex: his sword was present, and so were most parts of his armor. That was good.

 

Conversations slipped through the space, mostly about the book he spied through squinted eyes. This is a battlefield, it had said to the man who addressed it. Rupert rose slowly to his feet and put a hand on the hilt of his sword as a warning to the couple who had approached. "No one knows what is going on, so let the book speak. What dangers may we face?" he asked the book. "It would therefore be wise to work together."

[Coryn02]

Amos looked to the others in the room. A young boy with a bow, a woman with face-paint, a man with the emblem of the sun with a woman with an emblem of the moon.

 

What a weird bunch.

 

The second one, a young lady who looked like some sort of performer, asked him whether or not he knew what was going on.

 

"I don't. But I'm about to find out."

 

As Amos said this, the tome glowed a brighter shade of purple and addresses the humans within the room. He quickly turned back around, staring down the book as if that would make it respond.

 

"You're probably all very confused as to why you are here."

 

Damn right I am. I want answers.

 

"To put it simply, you have been spirited away to an underground crypt. Nobody can leave, and nobody can come in. The Old Ones I serve have brought you here to their proving grounds to spill the blood of monsters. If you survive to the deepest areas of the battleground, you shall be set free and rewarded."

 

Amos' blood froze. He'd only ever killed wolves in his life! How was he expected to battle the likes of monsters?

 

"This is madness! Let us out, or I'll destroy you." Amos yelled furiously.

 

The book let out a cackle of laughter.

 

"Your patron chose well when he picked you, Amos. I'm sure you will do well by him."

 

The man glared, but didn't ask how the book knew his name and let it continue.

 

'My name is Gohrm. Does anyone have any questions?"

Edited July 11, 2016 by Coryn02

[Felixr2]

"Alright, this is enough!", Mygon shouted. "Sending me to an underground dungeon to fight monsters is ONE thing, but did that drake really just HAVE to devour Ahg'Naghal right in front of my eyes?!" His voice loudened while speaking, ending up in hysterical violent screaming.

 

He collapsed and fell to his knees, tears welling in his eyes. He laid the arrow and bow he still had in his hands after firing the arrows at those two people who wanted to fight the book on the ground, his fingers curved around the places where he usually held them, but not touching them.

 

He started crying.

 

"Ahg'Naghal... I won't forget you." He contracted the muscles in his fingers, starting to get mad. "I will get out of this dungeon, no matter what i have to do for it." He stood up, courageously, put the arrow back in his quiver and attached the bow to it as well. The crying had stopped, and made place for a confident look in his eyes. "Then, when I'm free again, I will find that dragon and slaughter it, giving it just as much mercy as it gave to you, my friend."

 

He took a pause.

 

"Alright, 'Gohrm', when can I start?"

Edited July 10, 2016 by Felixr2

[HomeForFlowers]

Soon after Cana spoke, everything spiraled into chaos. She began to relax somewhat when the boy, who introduced himself as Mygon, answered her question and put his bow away. His civility was welcome and Cana could not help but feel a tug at her heart as he explained the last thing he remembered before waking up in the dungeon.

"Oh, you poor thing," Cana said sympathetically. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that." Alarm suddenly washed over Cana's body. If Mygon just came out of a fight, wouldn't that mean he was still hurt? Cana didn't know much about giant spiders, even less about wyverns, but she knew that they were extraordinarily dangerous beasts fully capable of killing of killing the young boy if they so desired. "A-Are you okay?" Cana asked as she glanced worriedly at Mygon. "You aren't injured are you?" Cana didn't have any sort of medicine on her and she wasn't exactly the best at first aid. She could always tear strands of cloth off he clothing for bandages. She could live with a little more exposed skin, especially if it meant Mygon wouldn't bleed to death or get an infected wound.

 

Before Cana could extend her offer however, she suddenly heard voices behind her. Cana let out a sharp yelp of surprise and spun around, staring wide eyed at the two strangers behind her. Were they priests of some sort? They were dressed in similar garbs and they both had vaguely familiar symbols branded on their shoulders. Cana recalled the symbols to be referencing some sort of religion, but she couldn't exactly remember what religion. Wayward didn't teach her much about religion; she had only been taught the basics of major religions of the world and even that was faded from her mind. In hindsight, she probably should have listened to Elizabeth when she was teaching about history, but Cana cared too much about other matters to pay attention.

 

Cana, who was reminiscing about her days as a young girl, was snapped out of her daze when she saw the strange woman momentarily reach towards her sword. That was enough to scare Cana. She let out a sharp breath and took a few step backwards, her grasp on her lance tightening. She had to keep herself from crying out when Mygon let loose two arrows right above the strangers' heads. Gods, he had almost hit them! Cana had no idea the boy was so skilled with the bow, even if he had missed.

 

The book spoke again, directing Cana's attention towards it. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted yet another person wake up who seemed relatively calm. At least, calm when compared to Cana who was backed up towards a wall with her fingers tightly clenched around her lance. The more the book spoke, the most confused Cana got. They were here to fight monsters? That couldn't be right! Sure, during her travels with Wayward, Cana had encountered a few ghastly beast, but she had ran and hid with the other performers as the guards took care of the creatures. She had learned how to fight with a lance, but she was too scared to do anything with it. Why on earth would she, of all people, be sent down to fight? It had to be a mistake. She was a dancer, not a fighter.

 

"Y-Your Old Ones chose wrong," Cana said in a shaky voice. "Fighting isn't in my profession. All I know is a l-little self-defense and nothing more. You ought to send us back from where we c-came." Mygon, who just as displeased as Cana, shrieked at the book. Cana stared at the young boy as he ranted to the book before collapsing to the ground in tears, mumbling to himself softly before finally standing up once again. Cana envied the way confident glittered in his eyes so soon after he broke down. If she fell down crying, she'd be sobbing for at least an hour before she could coax herself into standing up again and even then she would be too ashamed to look anyone in the eye, let alone accept the horrible situation she was in. It just went to show, Cana did not belong down in the dungeon. She was a dancer for goodness sake, not a murderer. There was no way she was going to fight monsters like Gohrm wanted her to. He was expecting far too much out of her and so were his "Old Ones".

[Felixr2]

Just before Mygon started screaming, Cana had said something. It wasn't until after promising to kill the wyvern that had killed Ahg'Naghal that he realized what she said.

 

Mygon turned towards Cana. "I wasn't able to save Ahg'Naghal," he spoke softly, "I can't explain how much it hurt to lose him... I thought he was the only one I could trust... but you've been trying to help me directly after I introduced myself... about that, it doesn't hurt anywhere, the wyvern couldn't reach me, I took a path with many trees standing near each other to win some time. But what I wanted to say is that you can count on me. I will try my best to protect you when you're endangered, what I failed to do with Ahg'Naghal... but that won't happen again. May I ask your name?"

[Thaelasan]

"He's with the Sky now." Apollo remarked, sighing. "The Cycle must go on, even with his death."

An arrow was clenched in his hand while Artemis had one in her own. She threw it back to Mygon, frowning.

"Sympathy for those who would attack priests... I have little." Artemis commented. "But enough."

 

"It is obvious the boy is hysterical. He did not fire the bow with intent to kill, yet his aim was shaky nonetheless. If you wish to fire arrows at people, remember that you should never hesitate." Apollo patted the boy's shoulder as he walked past him. "Otherwise, the next action could be them cutting your throat."

Artemis said nothing else as she stepped towards the book, her cloth dress swaying across the stone floor. Apollo came to a rest beside her, arms crossed.

 

"Your Old Ones are not ours to entertain or seek the favor of. Your Old Ones are who we have come to kill, Gohrm." Apollo smiled. "And if you are an artifact of their creation, you are just as heretical as they, and should be dealt with accordingly. Artemis, do you have a torch?"

She reached down to her belt where several sticks of wood hung from her side, each ready to be lit using various means. She struck one on the ground harshly until it ignited, then handed it to Apollo, careful not to burn him or herself.

"If you wish for an answer, Gohrm, I hope you find this to be a good one." Apollo commented, stepping forward.

[Felixr2]

"Heh, you're trying to burn the book that could be our only way out, and you call me hysterical? May I point out that you were getting ready to battle while still looking at us? And that the taint of both of your right hands ressembles to the taint of everything in the tainted part of the forest where Ahg'Naghal lived? The part where everything was trying to kill me? The part where the wyvern came from that ate Ahg'Naghal?! And seriously, my aim was shaky only because of my recent loss, and the little balance issue I had because of my missing dagger. I've found my balance back, and gotten over the loss enough to fire properly again."

 

He grabs his bow and shoots the torch out of Apollo's hand with a quick, firm, steady shot.

 

"Got any more complaints, my priest?"

[Thaelasan]

Remember, children of the Sky, do not allow the words of false prophets to enter your ears. They will promise you everything in return for your faith and obedience. But a true prophet expects nothing for a gift given.

 

Apollo's hand grasped the air a few times as he realized the torch had been knocked free of it. Frowning, he reached down as the weakened fire tried to catch life again.

"Our only way out should not be listening to the words of a false prophet, man or book. I only trust myself and my own words, and those of Artemis." Apollo gestured with his torch to her. "I certainly don't trust you in the slightest, bow-child."

 

He looked back at the book, flame wavering calmly in the dusky air of the catacombs.

"I would rather wander the decrepit halls of this place for eons than beg a corrupted tome for any form of assistance." he frowned. "The lying tongue that lies in wait, hoping one will take the bait, but sever tongue from the beast, and never fear it in the least."

He looked down at his hand a moment and shrugged.

 

"It's the corruption of a weapon that fooled my eyes. I have been lied to once. Never again. Once already have artifacts claimed promises of power and glory to me, and I have been blinded so much that I harmed not only myself, but the one I love as well." he grimaced. "But if you wish to be led by the lying words of a book, then so be it."

He turned to an opening in the stone walls beyond the book and beckoned to Artemis, beginning to walk forward.

 

"We have a mission from the Sky to attend to. I don't have time to deal with the antics of a bowman with an itchy hand."

"Especially one so young and naive." Artemis added, flourishing her hand. "Are you certain we should leave them with the book, Apollo?"

"If they would defend it, then it is theirs." Apollo replied, walking forward.

"Their curse."

"Their curse."

The two stepped through the blackened hallway, disappearing into the darkness with only the flicker of a flame to show they were still within.

Edited July 10, 2016 by Thaelasan

[TehUltimateMage]

 

 

They were chosen by 'patrons' among the Old Gods, to battle monsters to prove their worth. Rupert shifted his feet, suddenly uncomfortable with how he was standing. Perhaps the Old Gods were expecting a bloodbath, because the too-eager child and the young woman did not look like fighters. Unlike the two people with the brands of the sun and the moon, the others seemed like little more than civilians, even the one who was shouting at the book in disbelief.

 

Rupert seemed like the only one who took the book's news relatively well -- after all, he was raised a fighter whose sword had been turned toward beast and man alike. The child cried for a lost one, and he feared that the woman would soon follow suit and smear her painted features. He approached them, his hands up and nonthreatening.

 

"All that counts is now," he added to try and console the teen. And then to the pair: "As priests who claim to destroy corruption, yet succumbed to it yourselves... People like you are those who I like the least."

 

To his surprise, they did not argue any further, and left. The two were going to be fine on their own, and Rupert figured that it would be a waste of time to follow them if they were set on choosing a different path.

 

He never did quite like the church, anyway. Or any other cult.

 

"My name is Rupert," he said softly to Cana, but also Mygon. "And I will make it my duty to assure your saftey.

[Coryn02]

Amos noted the exact words of the book, which called itself 'Gohrm'.

 

The young boy with the bow simply could not handle the situation, and broke down wailing almost immediately. The performer shakily denied the prospects and demanded her release.

 

The two priests similarly didn't wish to have any dealings with Gohrm, and one even threatened to burn the book, saying they had come to kill the Old Gods. The boy with the bow opposed their efforts, and the pair decided they were going to leave.

 

Another individual offered protection to the performer and the young boy, introducing themselves as Rupert.

 

Just as the priests reached the door, the door slammed itself shut before them and shone briefly in a blue hue, indicating magic.

 

Amos stood up again, holding the book in his hands, and then dropped it with a surprised expression as the door slamming startled him. From relative darkness, the room lit up an eerie shade of indigo once again as Gohrm began to speak.

 

"This may be difficult to grasp, but you have no choice. There is no other way out, save the path which you are to take, and this entire complex and its contents, myself included, is magically protected to an extent that would prevent any escape barring death."

 

"I have a question." Amos said to Gohrm.

 

"Oh? Then ask away, Amos, servant of Teok."

 

Amos blinked at this, somewhat indignant at the fact that a god had selected him without his permission, but he was largely undaunted and continued.

 

"The prize you speak of. What is it? Do we have a choice?"

 

"In addition to your freedom, survival of the trials guarantees a reward of your choosing."

 

This was quite interesting to Amos; though it was likely resurrection of the dead was beyond the reach of the Old Gods, it was completely possible they could grant no end of mortal spoils. He'd simply like a quiet place to live out the rest of his years in peace.

 

"I'll do your dirty work, then. Whether or not the others want to help me."

 

"Good, good! That makes three so far; as soon as the rest of you decide to travel together, I'll unlock the door. In the meantime, make yourselves comfortable."

 

Amos turned to the others and asked them a question:

 

"You coming?"

[Thaelasan]

Apollo laid a hand on the door as it slammed before him, slightly shaken. Artemis immediately drew her sword, infuriated.

"Who are you to keep us barred within here, spawn of the Old Ones?!" she screeched, turning around quickly, her braid whipping behind her. "We are not your prisoners! We belong to no one! And if we are to be imprisoned, then show us who would presume to hold us here!"

 

Apollo grasped the hilt of his own, large blade, his eyes narrowing. Who the hell was Teok? Was he one of the gods? Then....

"Teok... a 'God' I presume? Or something of the like?" Apollo stated, gripping the hilt of his blade firmly. "One of your pagan lords, book, that you spew the lies and deceit of? What sort of foolish, self-imposed diety is Teok, then? Probably a god of debauchery or something worse."

He stepped towards the group again, drawing the blade into its full length and holding it aloft.

"Alright then, Teok, or Old Gods like them!" Apollo declared loudly in front of everyone. "No matter what you are or who you are, your challenges mean nothing! We have come here to see your influence stopped! If you think to stop us with these parlor tricks and slamming doors, then you have FAR underestimated the power of the children of the Sky!"

His voice echoed in the stone room for a moment before stopping, the sword lowering so that the tip touched the ground.

Edited July 11, 2016 by Thaelasan

[Felixr2]

Mygon walked forward to pick up his arrow and then returned to Cana.

 

Rupert walked towards them, with his hands raised, non-threatening. He offered to help him and Cana survive the dungeons. Mygon acknowledged that, no matter how skilled he was, he wasn't used to fighting monsters. He hardly ever fought without Ahg'Naghal by his side. "Thanks," Mygon said to Rupert, "I truly appreciate anything you can do for us. I may be skilled with my bow, but I don't think that'll be quite enough in whatever madness we'll find ourselves in." What he didn't say is that he liked the fact Rupert disgusted the two priests just as much as Mygon did himself.

 

"I never fought alongside anybody else than Ahg'Naghal, but given the situation we're in, I can try to get used to fighting alongside other humans. Especially if you are one of them." He turned towards Cana to finish his sentence. "And the other one is you."

 

The book started to speak again. He mentioned freedom as well as a gift of one's choice upon sucesfully leaving the dungeon.

 

I won't even have to fight the dragon. I can just ask for mercy. I'll ask them to change the history so, that Ahg'Naghal managed to eat the wyvern, instead of the other way around.

 

He turned towards the book "I'm ready." He turned towards Rupert "Rupert?" He turned towards Cana. "You?"

[Chandra]

When Chandra awoke to the cold ground instead of her soft bed, she immediately became suspicious. She didn't fall off of her bed, carpets covered her floors. She was somewhere unfamiliar.

 

She wondered how she got here, if she was kidnapped, or if her dad locked her up so she couldn't run away again. So, for the sake of her curiosity, instead of opening her eyes, she pretended to continue to sleep. She was not the best actor but she decided it was the best way to find information, if anyone else was present of course. After a few moments she heard multiple voices and listened closely to what they were saying. Apparently one of the voices present was a... book. The book told whoever else was there that they were sent here to fight. So it wasn't her father.

 

The book talked to a male named Amos, and the next voice she heard was female. She talked to two people, making three other people and a book that she knew of. Another male answered and introduced himself as Mygon,

 

Two others started talking in the background, one of which was named Artemis. After awhile she heard yet another voice, and grew tired of listening in and trying to keep track. She's had a long day. The only voice she continued to listen to was the book.

 

There was more talking and she decided it was time for her to awaken. When she opened her eyes and sat up, she looked around and sighed. She really didn't want to do this.

 

Chandra slowly stood up and got a good look at the voices she previously only heard.

Edited July 12, 2016 by Chandra

[Felixr2]

After asking the others if they were ready too, Mygon heard a sound in the distance. As soon as the rest of you decide to travel together, Gohrm had said. [The words of a false prophet], the priests had called this. Thinking the priests might've been right, Mygon was mentally prepared to grab his bow and fire the arrow he still held in his hand as fast as possible and fire at whatever was making the sound.

 

He turned around, just to see that the woman who he had seen sleeping earlier had finally woke up. Why did I even think these lunatic priests could've been right? Mygon asked himself in his mind.

 

Mygon turned himself towards Rupert. "Someone else awoke, look, there." Mygon rotated the arrow in his hand so that the point was directed at the woman in the distance. "She seems to look at us carefully, what should we do?"

 

In an attempt to mask the rotation of the arrow as a reflex Mygon put it back in his quiver. He didn't know if it worked or not, because the woman simply kept looking.

Edited July 12, 2016 by Felixr2

[Chandra]

"Nothing but introduce yourselves." Chandra said in reply to the boy, even though the question was not directed towards her. "My name is Chandra." she said with a bow and a sweet smile. She noticed the arrow pointed at her and her smile wavered the slightest before coming back full force. Chandra cautiously picked up her sword and sheathed it, but still keeping her hand on the hilt.

 

Chandra looked around at everyone's weapons. She immediately knew that she couldn't take them if they decided to fight and took her hand off of her sword. Her smile however, never faded. She needed to make sure to appear friendly. Chandra wondered about how they all got here and what the trials to come would be like.

 

Chandra kept the words of the book in her mind. They had no choice but to do this, and they had to work together. This was going to be a bit difficult for her. Working with others was not her strong suite. If only others weren't necessary, I could probably do this on my own. She thought. Of course, Chandra would probably die a horrible death on her own, but it's not like she was going to admit that to herself.

[Felixr2]

"My name is Mygon Ahg'Naghal, but just call me Mygon." Mygon said to Chandra, and smiled back to her for a second, then reminded himself of the situation they were in.

[Chandra]

Chandra nodded to Mygon. "Pleased to meet you, Mygon." She looked around at the others, waiting for them to introduce themselves. She also took notice of the few others still sleeping. I wonder if we should wake them up or wait... She thought, also wondering if they were actually sleeping or listening in like she was.

 

Chandra took a deep breath in and noticed the scent of the dungeon, it smelt old and dusky, the opposite of her home. The chips in the wall confirmed the age of the dungeon and she could feel the cold air seeping through her clothes and into her skin. She stretched to relieve the ache in her back from resting on the ground.

[Clown_of_God]

Something had felt off since the time Sienna had gone to sleep, from the texture of her bedding to the cool dampness that hung in the air. Of course, she had remembered experiencing such sensations before, when she was a young child shortly after being captured, which was referred to as the Pits. Catacombs and mines of ancient villages that the earth had consumed upon their abandonment, reestablished as cells and work chambers for the others who had been enslaved.

 

Having stirred from her deep slumber by this change in atmosphere, the sounds of unfamiliar voices jolted her to full consciousness, eyes snapping open and immediately transitioning into a combat mode. Jumping from her bed to the floor, eyes darting about in search of the source of noise, Sienna had taken up a stance that looked almost feline in nature. A low crouch, one leg bent and tucked close to her body, while the other extended out to her side, body hunched over with one arm to the ground and the other preparing to parry any incoming attack.

 

Everyone in the room had some form of weapon, she noted, and those that didn't hold an obvious sort she figured they must have something else up their sleeve. Nearby, a crudely shaped dagger rested within her reach and without hesitation, she instantly secured it in her free hand and proceeded to maneuver towards her primary target. A girl with a sword around her waist and some kind of smile that wasn't entirely genuine. Once within a preferred distance, Sienna kicked the scabbard at its low point, causing the blade to tilt away and make procuring it difficult and forming a guaranteed opening for her to wrap around and secure the unknown female in a lock, the dagger pressing against her throat.

 

"Who are you people? What do you want? Where did you take me?"

 

Sienna's words were low and soft, but the iciness behind them signified the unwavering possibility that a throat would be slit without a second thought. While Sienna waited for a response, her gaze remained vigilant, her head on a swivel as she continued to examine her surroundings and ensure no one would get her back. In fact, to guarantee the possibility of a flank, Sienna tugged on the girl, walking back towards a wall so that everyone present would be under her direct observation. If this was a band of mercenaries or some other form of low-life, they had proven thus far that they were fairly incompetent.

[HomeForFlowers]

Cana bit her lip as strangers around her began to mingle with one another in a rather aggressive fashion. She held her tongue as Mygon and the newly announced Rupert growled at the priests before exchanging soft words with one another. Everything from the book rambling on about why they were stuck in the dungeon, which was apparently for reasons they couldn't comprehend for some ridiculous reason, to the male priest screaming aloud, making just as much sense as the book was all beyond Cana's understanding. She was still trying to regain her bearings and the fact that no one was answered her question with an answer that was the least bit satisfying was only deepening her overwhelming sense of dread. The book's statement regarding a wish if the group managed to leave the dungeon was tempting yet useless in Cana's eyes. All she wanted to do was get out and return home. She could not possibly want anything more than to leave the dungeon so what was the point of the wish? Why even promise a reward like that if none of them chose to be in the dungeon in the first place?

 

Realizing she was spacing out, Cana shook her head and flashed an apologetic grin to Mygon and Rupert.

"S-Sorry!" she stammered with a respectful nod. "I just... blanked out for a moment. My name's Cana and, despite the circumstances, it's delightful to meet you, Mygon and Rupert." A wave of gratitude flooded Cana as Rupert's offer. "Thank you good sir," she said with a small smile. "I'll be glad to have it." Cana wasn't as quick to reply to Mygon's question of is she was "ready" or not. Ready for what? To die in a horrible monster infested dungeon? No, she was not ready at all. She'd ready wait in the room until someone came and rescue her, but she doubted that would happen. She still didn't quite understand what was going on and it seemed like the only person who had the answered was the book who seemed quite keen on insisting that they could simply not understand the circumstances that brought them into the dungeon. Just lovely. "I supposed I'm ready," Cana said, unsure of herself. "There's no point in rotting away in this room, is there?"

 

Not too soon after Cana spoke, someone else woke up. It was a woman with a nice looking scabbard by her side. Mygon was quick to introduce himself although he, as Cana would imagine, did not hesitate to ready his weapon. Before Cana could extend a greeting herself, yet another woman appeared from the shoulders and had a neck by the first stranger's neck in an instant. Cana felt her body freeze up at the sight of the knife. She was so wrapped up in how she got into the dungeons that she had completely ignored the fact that some of the people in the room might be murderers or downright despicable people. Gods, she didn't know what to do a in situation like this. She had never tried to talk anyone down before and she was doubted she could convince the lady to put the knife down. Still, she didn't want to see anyone with their throat cut open.

"W-We're in the same situation as you!" Cana said as raised her hands up in a passive position. "We were all just... taken here. No one's going to hurt you, so you don't need to h-hurt anyone else! Please!"