Who: Azami, Lark, Quicksilver, Ten, Zera, and Clan.

Storyteller: Solace

Where: The Swamp of Betrayal/Valley of Venus

Summery: Blithe Lark Spirit, Ten Hollow Tongues, Clan Clan, Zera (in the form of Flesh-Biter), Azami and Quicksilver Dreamer are all manipulated by fate into being in the wrong place at the wrong time.  They burn down two villages, destroy a crystal forest, negotiate with Essence Spiders, Ransack a Temple of Venus, and free a entombed infernal shard.

Special Thanks: Karris and Hope for bowing out because of party size.

 

 

Chapter I: Machination's of Fate

 

It's a unseasonably cold day in a small village deep in the scavenger lands. Someone has been playing with the Loom of fate today as a collection of rather unique individuals seem to be passing through town on thier own missions and business.

 

Flesh-Biter shuffles along the outskirts of the village, cursing people that happen near her and offering the removal of said curse for the cost of a Guild penny. Once appeased in such a fashion, she then offers tiny rat figurines carved of soap to the farmers, images of the Zera which are said to ward away bad luck. Like most of the rat folk, she is small... only a foot and a half, in height. She is armed with a dinner fork sharpened to gleaming points.

 

Lark is an unusual sight anywhere, but today the blonde, winged girl is not making a spectacle of her arrival or her presence. She looks subdued and melancholic, wandering aimlessly while looking for Quicksilver Dreamer, which was supposed to be here somewhere.

  

A shadow flitters through the town, occasionally passing close enough to a citizen for them to smell burning incense, and hear the tinny ringing of jangling bells. The towering figure of Ten sweeps in the shadows of homes, over the rooftops, waiting in silent vigil in the darkness of a decrepit barn, watching the light filter through the holes between boards, fingers twitching, black-masked face tilted to the side, listening. Many footsteps are near. A great sniff emerges from the figure, then a chuckle. Oh, this will be fun...

 

Along down the road comes a light cart drawn by a great grey warhorse, its muzzle and heavy feathered hocks, mane and tail dark as soot, speckled like a stormcloud. It draws a light cart easily into the village. Walking beside it with her hand upon the warm flank, dwarfed by the sheer size of the horse, a small cloaked woman with her face concealed by hood and scarf. She's humming under her breath, the low sound soothing and calm in the ear of the creature.

 

 Walking alonside of the cart is a young, attractive man in some simple green clothes of far eastern design. He has a sandwich in his hands, munching on his little snack cheerfully. He seems very cheerful, looking around him curiously. "Hmmm... Lark should be around here somewhere I think." He takes another bite and looking for the woman. He might spot her, if his food was not distracting him so much.

 

Clan Clan, does love messing with the loom, but for once this is not her doing. Relaxing in Azami's cart, huddled in a comfortable spot between some of her stuff. Playing a marry traveling toon on her Guqin, whistling out the toon. Her feet up on a box she watches the senary go by. "I haven't ridden in a cart in ages, much easier than walking."

 

On the edge of town is the low whinney of a dying Horse. Those near the edge can already see a Horse collapsing, having been ridden long and hard and into an early gave. A beautiful but disheveled young peasant is thrown from the horse. She appears exausted and just lies there in the ground for several minutes as her horse falls.

 

Flesh-Biter walks up to the girl, and declares, "You fall because bad luck!" Ratpeople have high-pitched, screechy voices. If anybody else has noticed the fallen traveler, she speaks to them, selling her 'goods'. "Give silver! Bad luck go away! Zera happy! Horse, very bad luck! Look! Almost dead!"

 

Lark is also pretty distracted, but Dreamer is also pretty distinctive, and shewas looking for newcomers, so the winged girl sees him soon enough. Her only response is waiting, though, waving to him once he is close enough. Not her typical 'hyper' act.

 

A scarecrow man moves through a rising cloud of dust, it scintillating and glittering in the sun, like fragments of gold, raining about his form, walking through the strobing light and darkness of light streaming between the large wooden cracks, moving the entrance of the door smoothly, slowly. It stands there, leaning against a tattered frame, paint chipping, the billowing shadow of its long coat edges of rippling, and its head turns in the darkness, featureless mask staring out at the fallen form of a peasant and the chittering rat-person which has confronted her.

 

Ears picking up the poor animals last whimpering cry, Clan shifts around trying to get a better look "Are they ok what happened?" the music stops as she tries to get a better view of the accident. "I'll be right back Azy" jumping off the cart Clan checks the poor peasant to make sure she is ok then the horse Petting it to ease its pain "I't will have to be put down, its only suffering" she frownsand looks back the to the peasant, setting her up a bit "Lets get you some rest aeh?"

 

The heavily cloaked and incognito Azami winces as she hears the broken sound of the horse falling to the road. One hand strays up Bolero's strong neck unconsciously as if to ward off such bad luck, then nods to Clan Clan... who knows far better how to take care of broken bones.

 

Flesh-Biter kicks the peasant a few times with her tiny foot as Clan-Clan lifts her. "Hey! Stupid! You dying!" She danges a carved soap image of a smiling rat in her face, "Buy quick! Buy quick! Charm versus disease!"

 

"There she is. Back in a second!" says the youth to Azami. Dreamer smiles at Lark as she waves, waving back and swallowing down the remaining half of his bacon and sugar on rye. "Hey! You came!.. Is something the matter?" He asks, catching on the less than normal lack of enthusiasm by the woman. "You look sort of down." He says plainly, looking back to Azami and the cart. "Care to join us for a bit?"

 

The young woman croaks, "Please...help them...creatures...from he swamp...please...they are coming....they are coming" She points down the road, "Please someone help my family..help Vollero."

 

 

"Shhh shh shh, save your strength, you can't help anyone if you get dead" Clan's eyes shoot up the the rat girl giving her a glare like she has never given anyone before, her tail wraps around the poor peasant protectively "she has no need for that she will be fine, please your hurting her" picking up the girl she takes her to Azami's cart

 

Lark walks to meet Dreamer, looking at Clan-Clan briefly, who she knows, then to Azami, someone she is not sure having met before. "Hey, Dreamer..." she sighs, "yeah, I guess I am not feeling well. I guess you have not heard, then. I'll tell you once this matter is solved... er... you know what we have to do, do you? ' Cause I am never told anything," she grumbles.

.

"Eh? Coming? Who coming?" The rat-thing says, sounding fearful and anxious, as she hops along behind Clan Clan and the ailing traveler. "Bad? Make us food? Fairie? God? Mutant? Speak, speak, tell. I sorcerer. I know manymany ward, speak, I keep safe, all. Powerful spells!"

 

Sweeping out of the shadows and almost gliding over the brief expanse between the barn ad the fallen horse, the gaunt frame of Ten sweeps forward, bent forward , hands flicking in and out of the shadows of its billowing overcoat. It reaches the form of the still-twitching horse,which whinnies all the louder as the man approaches. He bends low, cooing some words into its ears, stroking its head gently, then stands, turning its expressionless face to the form of Clan, as a thin trail of blood trickles from the horse, it now silent. Pulling a thin, broken-edged blade from it, and secreting it somewhere in that cloak, it steadily raises its head to face Dreamer and Azami, swaying there over the corpse.

 

Sighing as he shakes his head, Dreamer replies, "Not really, no. I was told to work on damage control and that everthing would be made obvious." He looks at the traveller who is being helped out and the murmur of creatures and shrugs. "My guess would be something like that." He moves closer to the cart, motioning for Lark to follow and pulls out a bottle. "Here, drink this. It will make you feel alittle better if you are not feeling so well." It is perhaps the most sugar-sweet drink known to man. Mango-passionfruit with an extra helping of sugar.

 

 

 

The Exhausted woman takes the drink, sucking on it greedily, she gasps out when it is hald emptied, "Please you must hurry, they are coming for Valero. Wild twisted things, from the swamp. The Eclipse has happned and they ride on the waves of the lunar winds."

 

Azami looks over her shoulder at Dreamer and Lark, then lets her gaze travel back to the scene ahead. Giving Bolero a pat, she starts to walk forward, then freezes quite where she is in the shadow of the animal. The urge to pull her cloak closer about her person is strong, but a sign of weakness as well, so she casts it sternly away, and walks quietly forward. The smell of the horse's hot blood stings in her mouth and nose. When she comes to the horse, she nods warily to Ten, then looks at the rat-girl curiously. One hand goes into a pocket of her cloak, and holds out a bent coin. "Where is the swamp?" She asks, her voice full of smoke and her hand still holding the coin towards Zera's servant. "We will go and help Volero."

 

"I guess I should thank you Tall man, for easing its pain" she nods with a weak smile "Ok" she looks to the tired woman "Tell us wear, we will try and help" she looks to Dreamer and Azami to see if they are on board with helping. Applying medicine were she think she can on the woman.

 

Lark's alien-like eyes look reddened, as if she has been crying recently. Sigh, then perks up at seeing the bottle. Alcohol? But she shakes her head. "As much as I'd love just to get drunk for a week or two, we... better start whatever we are supposed to do." Then she sees the masked Ten. "Don't tell me he is one of yours. He sure is creepy enough to be one the enders, I guess."

 

Flesh-Biter snatches up the coin and licks it, to verify the metal content, with a suspicious eye. Knowing where the swamp is, she points with her sharpened fork. "I go to swamp, as well. I is a demon hunter. Chosen, by Queen of Rats, Trancendent One, Divine Laughter in the Wood." She collect a few charms in her hands and rattles them threateningly swampward.

 

"Demons," comes a melodious voice from beneath the blackened mask of Ten, "are not what you should be worried about." Its face turns slightly in the direction of the swamp, its left hand's fingers playing out some elaborate beat on the air. "Men are for more likely to draw the breath out of a life." Turning back to face the others for a moment, it turns to move a few steps from them toward the swamp. "The fetich-queen knows this. The 'Dreamer' as well." Stopping, it sniffs, then calls back. "Come now, face the darkness with a smile and a laugh."

 

The woman's voice cracks, "The golden bucket" she points at a nearby sign on an inn. "My father in law...he owns..."

 

Dreamer at first looks at Lark in slight confusion. "Who are you- Damn it, not again." He spots Ten and feels that urge to charge him already. "He is /not/ with us. In fact... There is a..." He whispers to Lark now to keep the voice low. "A celestial warrant for investigation. Possibly Yozi-worshipper. Every time I try to subdue him though, he prances off and disappears." He peers at Ten again, obviously not approving of the creatures presence.

Azami's green eyes flicker uncertainly, but she nods to the rat-creature and goes fearlessly to follow Ten Hollow Tongues into the swamp, heavy wool cloak rippling like a raincloud about her.

 

Flesh-Biter looks down the road and mutters, to nobody in particular, "Know village. Didn't buy charms. Told them it was bad luck. It too far. Three days. All dead when get there, likely." Nontheless, the little creature begins heading that direction, descending to all four legs and keeping near the side of the road... darting along like a rattling, rag-clad possum.

 

Smiling Clan is bemused by the rat girl "Ok we will all go forth together" she looks about happy all of her friends are willing to help "I'll leave you with your father in law then, I think you've been through enough" taking her from the cart to th golden bucket "I'll be back ... again" her tail flicks behind her as she carries the girl to the iin

 

Lark ohs, looking at Ten with suspicion. "Orduin distrusts him, too," she whispers to the Chosen of Mars. Therefore Lark distrusts him too. She would ask who is Azami, but she assumes she is a sidereal, too, and decides not to ask in Ten's presence. "Are you here to help us or hinder us? She asks the masked man, activating Judge's Ear Technique.

 

Dreamer looks as Azami begins following Ten and sighs, running to catch up with her. He smiles at Azami as he gets to her side, saying without looking at her, "Can't take my eye off you for a minute without you following some demon-thing, can I?" He looks at her as he finishes, smiling a bit in good humor and nudging her slightly.

 

Gazing towards the dank swamp, the alien figure of Ten laughs, a mocking laugh, that doesn't seem to echo a bit "Tell me," he whispers, moving by Lark,"how far down a road one might go in the steps of a man without a name." 

 

Its featureless face never once averts from the swamp, and it moves in a slow, steady, undulating dance. "I'm here," it crows, "because here is where I am. Help or hinder, not for me to decide."

 

 Her father in law seems worried but releived to see her, he promises to take care of the girl, and begs you to find out about his son and grandchildren.

 

"Curiosity," Aza murmurs, padding alongside Dreamer, as if the word were both mantra and all-purpose explanation. It's easy to keep up with her on foot, really. She's too short to really make it difficult, even if she wanted to. Looking up at the youth, she looks searchingly into his face for a moment, then turns to walk backwards for a second and whistle to Bolero. The horse tosses his black mane and whickers, remaining where he is before the Inn with legs locked and cart still behind him. That done, she continues on alongside, secretly glad that the sidereal caught up.

 

Lark glares at the much taller Ten and pulls her razor claws from her belt pouch (which look like made of blue jade) and arms herself. "So who decides if you are going to help us or hinder us, uh? Who do you answer to?" Last time Ten talked to her she acted like a happy, if confused blonde, but right now she is acting like a very unhappy and determined woman.

 

 

Running out of the door of the Golden Bucket Clan spots that all of her friends have continued "Hey, HEY! Wait for me you guys!" chasing after and coming up just behind Dreamer "Way to leave be behind, she gives him a playful push and jumps in the cart.

 

Flesh-Biter vanishes from sight, initially, but can be occasionally seen by those on the journey popping her head up to investigate oddity of Ten Hollow Tongues and the other unique individuals that travel in her wake. The concept of safety in numbers comes easily to the woman who weighs less than twenty pounds.

 

Dreamer shakes his head and looks at Azami, thinking 'Curiousity killed the fae blooded..' He smiles at Azami though and shrugs, looking back... and noticing Lark donning razor claws while talking to Ten. He sighs silently again, unsure whether to go back or not... Lark is a tough girl, she should be alright, right? Ten hasn't seemed too tough a foe, just a crafty one in the past, so he continues on, confident in Lark's abilities.

 

Not appearing to notice or care about the now-armed nature of Lark, Ten continues unabated down the road, his form leading the way, lightly stepping. "You do," he murmurs to Lark, "A pebble in the water, I am just in your ripple's wake. My hands cannot force them to bend back. Though even if they could," his head twists slightly, groaning bones whine in his neck, "I would let those waves wash over me the more."

 

Azami shudders, sensitive lynx's ears flattening back within her hood at the sound of those bones.

 

Azami takes Dreamer's hand briefly and squeezes comfortingly, then looks back at Clan Clan with a wry smile. "You know all about medicine, right Clan?"

 

Lark grinds her teeth, resisting the temptation of jumping on Ten and beat the truth out of him. But she is aware she is sick with grief and not thinking straight, so the winged woman lets it drop and just follows the others, although at some distance, not interested in small talk, or even flirting with Dreamer.

 

A day down the road, a village is seen on the horizen. The streets of the village seem empty, a ghost town. No living creatures can be seen, not even animals or birds.

 

Looks like she missed sometihing "I wouldn't dare say all about but I know some some solves and stuff" she shrugs "what do you need me to do" Clan notes Azami's hand, and were it is. Smiling she walks beside Azami trying to stay as far as possible from the Tall ma

 

Flesh-Biter moves from shadow to shadow, crouching and whispering Zeran prayers whenever afforded a few moments of safety. She is twitchy and frightened. She surveys the abandoned village for survivors and valuables with as much speed as she can manage, as if racing the other travellers to the good stuff.

 

Town of Valero:

 

Lark takes flight when they come within sight of the village. Happy to have an excuse to leave the ground. Her feet ache for so much walking. Flying is far better! "I'll do some scouting," she announces.

 

Along the way, Aza has put down her hood and walks with the sun gleaming on the tousled crown of her head, quiet for most of the day. When they come to the village after much travel she closes her eyes and inhales through her nose, ears flickering to and fro.

 

Ten moves silently toward the abandoned buildings, black-sheathed face moving up and down to look over their distant forms, hands reaching out, as if to touch them from such a distance.

 

Dreamer smiles most the trip, happily moving along. Giving a nod to Lark, he looks at the abandoned village curiously, his smile replaced with a sigh. " Well, suppose we should start looking around. Don't split up too much just incase. Keep at least one person nearby." He is mainly speaking to Clan and Azami who are close by, alhtough he does give the rat a smile whenever it pops its head up.

 

Lark returns after a minute or two. "This place has been abandoned for days," she reports, "but I think there is someone in the inn up there," she points to the building.

 

Azami exhales, and reaches out to touch the sleeve of the person closest to her, opening her eyes. "Four days," she murmurs, a bit dizzily. "All over town." Blinking, she rubs her eyes to clear them and traightens.

 

As you all get closer the front door of the inn burst open and a man comes stumbling out with small round sores allover his face and body. He stumbles a few steps, then falls to the ground.

 

Flesh-Biter can be seen in a nearby shadow, watching the sickly human with prudent caution. When he falls to the ground, she moves forward slowly, to gingerly attend to him (and potentially, if he is dead, his belongings).

 

Ten stops for a moment, staring at the man, then, with a shake of his head, turning to the rest of the party, leaning forward toward the village. "And now it begins." His hands opening wide, splaying his fingers out, before turning back to the village, moving swifter now, approaching the far edge of a building. His hands light upon its surface, he draws in deep breaths, sniffing, and he slowly moves, gazing up and down its side, until he nears the man, whom he stares down at, hands up like a picture frame as he looks the body over.

 

"Are you ok Azmi?" Clan askes as she starts to murmur. Tail fluffing out with a poof as the man bursts out like a bad horror movie, she lets outs a surpized squeak. "A-Are you ok she asks" walking over to check him out , carefull not to get herself infected

 

Dreamer looks at Azami as she grabs his sleeve and nods slowly. Keepingcloser to her, he does look towards the poor man and shakes his head. He moves a few steps closer and looks around curiously, looking around. Is this man the only one still here?

.

Lark gasps softly and races forward to check out the fallen man. She fears little mortal diseases, but she is wary of trickery nevertheless and keeps an eye in the door of the inn. "Dreamer, your bottle?"

 

His clothes still move though, Azami stays a distance back from the man. As her white hair and pale skin can visibly testify, she's had her fill of plague, along with the less obvious reading specs tucked away on her person. 

When Dreamer approaches though she hangs back a little, looking at him and Clan in some concern

 

Ten stops for a moment, his hand brushing the dirt lightly. "How many," he asks, perhaps to himself, perhaps to those around, "shamble up after death. Four days of death, yet," his head raises to the inn. "In less than a day, more than a hundred pair of boots marched on this land, business as usual." He takes a long step toward the inn. "Most lead," he tilts his head, as if listening, and the bells on his arms jangle in the still air, "into the inn. This just might prove to be.. interesting."

 

Dreamer pats around himself for a moment, eventually pulling for the bottle he previously had offered to Lark, giving it to her now. He walks by Ten as he moves to Azami, whispering, 'Truce for the moment, it seems.' After, though, he takes a few steps back to resume his place near Azami.

 

Grizzled old hunter lies in the dirt of the path, eyes staring at the sky blankly, a rumpled piece of paper clasped in his and. His clothes still move though, in a strange way almost a ripple more then breathing.

 

The ratling sniffs at the body. When Ten Hollow Tongues draws near, she shrinks back... baring teeth a little bit, visibly threatened by the massive dome-headed man. Upon his departure she looks about to follow, albeit with a certain measure of fearful regard, but the rippling clothing catches the attention of the little creature and she freezes, like a deer in headlights.

 

"There is something inside him," mentions Lark after checking the fallen man briefly. She looks alarmed and vaguely disturbed. "But he is still alive. Maybe wecan save him yet."

 

Azami takes a nervous step back. "Miss, you should move away from him." Raising up her scarf to cover the lower half of her face more snugly, covering her mouth and nose, Aza looks up at the forboding Inn. "If it all leads here... then..." She moves more quickly, stepping around the twitching almost-corpse and into the building, looking for the source of all the death she can sense in every direction.

 

"How ... wa ... Ok what is it and how do we get it out?" Clan looks at Lark, she obviously knows a bit more than her. Taking the note hoping it might have some kind insight into what happened here and reads it over quickly. "Aza be careful" she doesn't have to say it but it soothing some how just to say it

 

Dreamer blinks and moves with Azami quickly, not willing to let her go in alone. After all, didn't they just say a bunch of things went into the inn? Survival instincts, where art thou?

 

As Azami looks into the room she sees bodies everywhere lieing still and dead swarming with flies of some sort. Each body looks to have hadit's heart cut out of it, gaping holes appearing in thier chests.

 

Grizzled old hunter gasps for air, his lips move and a voice emits from his throat, a hollow empty voice lost of all hope. "TempleReturned...GreatTreasureEarthSea" he holds up the paper toward those closest to him, then falls back still. As Azami looks into the room she sees bodies everywhere lieing still and dead swarming with flies of some sort. Each body looks to have had it's heart cut out of it, gaping holes appearing in thier chests.

 

The unmoving form of Ten simply stares at that Inn, bells suddenly falling silent. His head slowly falls to the dirt near his feet, and he bends over, lifting up pebbles, placing them into a wide half-circle around the entrance of the inn, perfectly equidistant from one another, smooth sides up.

 

The rat creature listens closely to Lark Spirit, and upon her warning of... something... inside the dying man, she quickly hops a few times to put a bit of distance between her and the infected. Turning attention to the inn, she scurries in that direction. She is a graceful creature, but almost a bit... too fluid? As if she was made of clay, instead of flesh. Finding these mutilated bodies, she scurries over them, rifling through pockets and muttering. "All dead. Hearts gone. Ritual? Maybe. Or hungry thing, from wood. Bad God. Elemental. Fairie." She clicks her teeth a bit and then says, "Bad luck here. Very bad luck. Maybe not gone."

 

Lark runs a hand over the man chest and sides, then opens his clothes to see the flesh underneath. She seems unafraid of anything he could do, and grimly determined. "Any of you folks is good with surgery? We might need to open him up."

 

Azami's stomach twists and she's glad, very glad that she's wrapped her face up more tightly against the stink and the gaseous fumes of rot. It gets in anyway and Aza narrows her eyes, swallowing just in case. "Kh... Bad luck, yeah. This..." She points at one of the bodies, of which only a grey hand can be seen beneath the horrid piles. "He died, then her," she points at another, slightly fresher, with eyes not yet sunken entirely from her head. Aza's voice is cold, relating facts, wondering at the meaning as she retreats a bit into herself rather than think about the humanity of these people. How much was lost here. "Tw--twenty and nine hours later. Whoever, whatever did this took its time."

 

Looking at the bodies with a mix of horror and anger, Dreamer averts his eyes of the sight quickly. Closing his eyes and stopping his breathing to keep the smell at bay. "What sort of... monster could do this?" He asks, not expecting an answer from anyone as he shudders slightly, imagining how cruel their deaths must have been here.

 

"Darn its just a map of something.." Clan pokets the map "I can do a bit of surgery Lark, not my expertise but better than nother... I don't have many tools though" thinking back to the wagon "Anyone have a knife" she readly herself for the task,

 

And the answer may be forthcoming as Lark opens the mans shirt a violent twisting is seen under his skin, then the chest explodes open in blodo and gore as hundreds of fly sized creatures burst from his chest. The flys in the inn, rise and fly out the door, swarming past those in the door way and the whole cloud heads off into the sky directly. Where the mans heart once was is just a hollow shell.

 

Ten stands back up, staring down at the creation, then removes a single rock from it, breaking the perfect half-circle. With a nod he spins around, approaching the downed figure of the man. "It was their time." His voice is sure and measured, apparently he was not so disturbed by the gruesome sight. He moves over the still-twitching, fallen man, and leans in close, his mouth whispering ancient syllables to him, then with a jolt, jabs the thin edge of a broken blade into his head swiftly, pulling it out equally as fast, secreting it back inside his heavy coat, with precisely the same poise and form as he laid low the horse. His head turns to the sky, to watch the black cloud.

The rat lady, previous to the explosion of bugs, hops on the chest of a particular victim, tugging at his silvery necklace with straining arms. She stares in astonishment as the brood of heart-wasps bursts forth. And, after witnessing this, she looks down at her chosen corpse and picks around in the heart-hole of the corpse she is on for some sorta remnent or specimen. This, she examines by tasting.

 

Lark jumps back a second before the man's chest explodes. "Too late," she says,looking sad and angry, as well as quite pale. Then she glares at Ten and Flesh-Biter. "Leave him alone!"

 

"They were brought here, but why would--" Aza is cut off by the roaring buzz and rupturing explosion of wasps in the enclosed space of the Inn. It swallows up her fearful scream as she ducks down, falling to cover her face with her arms on the bloody floor. The wasps swarm out of the Inn and join the cloud, and the Lunar cautiously uncurls, looking around to see that they've gone. "<Shit!>" She growls.

 

Dreamer, eyes still closed, merely hears the chest erupting and winces, peeking an eye open. As he looks, he shudders again and guesses that that answers his question of what sort of monster could do this. Still, at least he wasn't in the gore blast-radius, and he thanks Mars for that much.

 

Azami rises to her feet and runs out of the Inn, soft-soled boots pounding over the floorboards and then the grass as she dashes to see where the wasps are headed.

 

"A man may live for minutes without a heart." Ten murmurs. "Some longer. Some their whole lives." Turning his face to the sky as Azami ends her scream, a loud voice pierces out of the blackened mask of the towering form of Ten.

 

"Come on!" It shouts, twirling about, "Is this all that the Sun and Moon and Stars can offer? You will cower in the night, a child afraid of the bogeyman, a jabberwock in his closet?" He watches the departing cloud. "It's a good day to test the mettle of your own mind, dearest ladies and gentlemen. This place will not have a hero who cannot steel their hearts. Come," he beckons, eying the tracks on the ground, looking up to the rest of the town. "death wears many masks, he's a sad clown, let's give him a laugh for his troubles. There's a thousand lives for each one of these dead that can be saved by your hands," his face turns back once more, "don't disappoint them."

 

The swarm heads off into the darkening near twilight sky. It is quickly lost as the sun sink into the horizon it did not seem to be headed in any one direction.

 

With more busy tailed surprive Clan falls back away form the man "What the HELL was that" she backs up a bit more, looking from person to person. Seeing Azamis haste, she clamors after her. Putting a hand on her arm she stops her " They'er gone Azmi, but I think I know were they went." she pulls the map out of her poket "Its a start at least, the guy was holding it" handing it over to the

 

Lark follows the insects with her eyes, looking pale and young. She spares a moment to glare at Ten. "Did anyone saw if there was a spirit there? I had never... maybe it was a Wyld tainted swarm of heart wasps?"

 

Dreamer gets out of the inn, glad to be rid of the sight of so much death. He looks at Ten in slight confusion, and also a hint of 'quiet you' at the comment about the stars. He looks over at the paper being passed by Clan and raises an eyebrow. "Well, guess it is as good a place as any to start at."

 

Azami curses after the dissapating cloud, then turns to look at Clan Clan when she feels a hand on her arm, green eyes lit with an almost feral light. It's quickly banked however, and she looks at the map, eager to be at the bottom of this. Ten's chiding amusement falls unheard by her in her eagerness, though somewhere in the back of her mind it's filed away along with her embarrassment at having screamed aloud for later consideration. She shows it to Dreamer after looking it over.

 

"Someone needs to get back to the village," mentions Lark, still looking a bit shocked. "If that girl way back was infected too, it might be a massacre."

 

The map is a rough drawn one of animal trails through the swamp. The center of the swamp is marked with a huge red X. Under the drawing is the words, "Earth Sea Treasure" scrawled in a red ink.

 

"Told them girl was bad luck." The rat thing mutters. Beyond that, the little creature seems not to care at all regarding the fate of all those innocent people. Instead, she is attempting to get a view of the map, even going so far as to scurry up the leg of Dreamer to gain a proper vantage.

 

Dreamer casts the rat a curious look then picks it up by grabbing it be the arm and lifting it. It keeps the map out of the things reach, but close enough for both of them to look at it. After looking it over enough, it puts the rat back down again and hands the map over to Clan again. "Okay... So, someone needs to rush back. Who is up for that? I would go, but even if I got there in time, I know nothing about these creatures."

 

"I'm no good in a fight, I'll go back" Clan leave the map to Azami. Taking a few paces toward the road back, her arms wrapped around herself. A shiver passes up her back, her ears drop down. She must be a little shaken by all this"Good luck you guys your going to need it" and with that she pads off down the trial alone.

 

Ten simply looms over the backs of the others, looking down over the map. "X marks the spot," it chuckles. Seeing Clan ready to leave, it calls back, "Don't let the bed-bugs bite."

 

"I can go, I can fly there and back in just a couple hours," volunteers Lark. "I don't know much about the creatures, I thought heart wasps were larger. You can..." she gestures to the inn, "give them the last rites, and maybe burn them? Otherwise we might have to deal with hungry ghosts this very night."

 

"These people died within twenty and nine hours of one another." Aza points out quietly, her ink-tipped ears laid back sadly. "The village is a day away."

 

Lark flies like the wind for the village you left, only to find that most of the village is empty. At the inn it seems a great festivle is going on, grog is being drunk freely and people are making out. It seems all the live stock in town has been collected and is being barbaqued, even Azami's horse Bolero, while not dead yet is in line for the chopping block. All of the towns folk when watched have little ripples running under the skin.

 

The two flying creatures land, upon assessing the situation they bar the doors to the inn and set fire to it, the music still plays inside the creatures don't even scream and the villagers are killed. A few of the animals, including Bolero run from the fire. But none of the peasants escape.

 

As promised, Lark and Clan Clan return about three hours after she left. Crying, she tells the others what they had to do. Two hundred innocents dead because they weren't careful enough. She is also exhausted from the hours flying at top speed.

 

Chapter II: Into The Wyld

 

Lark and Clan return with thier report, not in the most chipper of moods they see a matching fire in the dead village as Azami has burned the bodies there as well. After a nights sleep the entire group is ready in the morning to continue on into the swamp. It is anothe day and a half hike before the tree line is broken. Orange leaves and purple flowers abound, the path is just where it said it is, and the trees are heavy with swollen luminesct buds that give the whole forest a pale green glow.

 

Flesh-Biter is deeply troubled by what she has seen, and during this delay, spends her time sounding low and creepy prayers to the Zera which take the form of long chants. In essence, the tiny rat prays for power, insight, and wisdom. She prays to become a channel for her God.

 

Having sung a northern dirge for the people of the broken village the night before, Aza walks alongside Dreamer and Clan Clan, occaisionally reaching out without looking to stroke Clan's back with a gentle hand.

 

Ten picks a purple flower, putting it onto his lapel, and occasionally prods a swollen bud. He is always humming a soft tune, dancing gently forward. He seems to be, far from concerned, almost comforted by the surroundings, as alien as he is, and often moves on and off the path, occasionally disappearing into the forest, to return moments later.

 

Azami's scarf is up about her face again, and she's wrapped up warm and close, hardly a bit of skin showing. There's a lot to think about.

 

Having spent the most of the night in tears, the sun brings no ease to her tears. Puffy red and tired eyed, Clan stits curld up in a ball, the screames of the inosents still ringing in her head. Aza and Dreamer her only solace "So were leaving then?" her voice cracks from the nights sobing, as the rest of yous break camp and start to make you way. Mearly following in the back quitely, a tear running down her cheek everynow and then.

 

Lark didn't sleep very well. The memories of what she just did are going to haunt her all her life. But she follows the others grimly. What can she do if the wasps attack them? A real dragon-blood could kill them with an anima flare, but she can't really do that, and somehow she doubts the wasps are going to be tricked with an illusion.

 

Dreamer looks at the various plants with a curious eye. He keeps next to Clan Clan and Azami, fearing that if he is gone for even a moment, something dark might descend upon them. Spotting Clan, he tries to help by giving her a ride on his back for now, looking at Azami with a sad look. He doesn't like to see people upset.

 

As the day goes on part way through the afternoon you hear a chittering and see several playful blood red monkeys playing a game in the trees above you, they seem to be picking the glowing greed buds and throwing them at each other in some sort of dodge ball like game. It is a moment of normalcy, and mirth in the dread of the swamp.

 

Flesh-Biter tries to sell everybody charms, multiple times during the day, claiming that they have been personally blessed by an Immortal Zeran Sage. She isn't a particularly persuasive merchant, and her pitch is more a demand than a request. She gets most of her business from people giving her change to go away. if the passing of so much human life troubles her, she is expert at hiding it. Indeed, she seems rather perplexed at the glum attitude of her companions. Never does she question the more unusual quirks and outfit choices her fellows have selected.

 

Azami reaches up now and then to stroke at the earring dangling from one ear. When she sees the monkeys she stares. What on earth are those things? Ugly red babies? Unconsciously she strays a little closer to Dreamer, eyeing the creatures warily.

 

Dreamer looks at the monkeys with a sort of caution, watching them pick the buds and throw them. He moves a bit closer to Azami, so between the two of them, the distance is cut to nearly shoulder to shoulder. "Odd monkeys... Never seen a red one before, that I remember." Except, of course, blood apes. But those are much different. And bigger.

 

With a click of a tongue, Ten suddenly stops, looking around. He lightly touches a tree to his right, then one to his left. Lifting a handful of orange leaves from the one on his left, he carefully places them on the road in a circle. "Thirteen leaves," he mutters, looking down at it. "Keep them pacified?" He inquires, then shakes his head. "Keeps them slaves." A hollow laugh, and then he continues. "Come, come. We grow closer with each step. It will do our gracious hosts no good to keep them waiting."

 

Any other day Lark would be delighted by the antics of the monkeys. Today she can't muster enough interest to even smile. Everything looks bleak, gloomy and pointless. Why are they here anyway? Oh right. Sidereal elders wanted something. See if she cares.

 

Clan carried by Dreamer, wraps her arms tight around her friend. She obviosly isn't taking it well, and has barried her face in his scarf. Not paying any head to the monkies Clan sobs.

 

Baby Monkey drops from the trees, right on Clan's head, and only a foot long it beginscrawling through her hair/fur, apparently trying to get down the back oh he shirt, its little mini-claws tickling at her.

 

Keeping step with Azami, Dreamer sighs deeply and then feels a thump as something lands on Clan Clan. He blinks and looks at Azami curiously, unable to see what just happened, as Clan is on his back.

Flesh-Biter has been staring at these monkeys for a time, with an intensity that might be unnerving. Now, when one of the plump creatures leaps so close, she simply cannot resist. Stalking to the extent that her Stealth allows, she creeps up behind the beast and tries to lodge her fork in its throat with a swift jumping attack. Monkey meat tasty! Hopefully she won't accidently knick Clan.

 

Screaming not sure what is going on Clan falls off Dreamer trying to get at the thing goight through her hair and fur. Screaming again is tired fustration, she rolls about on the swamp ground trashing at the monky. "Help me!" she cries more than sceams this time, a bit of a giggle exaping as she is tickled, making all her emotions a bit confusing. Stuck a few times no doubt by the fork, a bit of blood drips down her arm

 

Ten moves swiftly forward, not stopping or slowing for the others, bowed forward, moving like some hunting beast, his hands held at his side, fingers moving in anticipation, his neck stretching forward like a serpent, leaving the screamingmass behind him.

 

"Ah!" Aza turns round in shock, then leaps upon Clan Clan. "Hey, youget the hell out of there!" She tries to grab the monkey out of the back of Clan's shirt. "Ugly hairy little baby!"

 

Baby Monkey dodges the fork like an immaculate monk, ducking and weaving and using Clan as a human shield, you could swear at one point it actually sticks out it's tongue and rasberries as Flesh-Biter. The other monkeys are just sitting on thier branches laughing and pointing.

 

Flesh-Biter chitters like an angry raccoon and bristles her back fur. "Bad dinner!" She screeches out and scurries forward again and again, trying to inflict more 'lethal' fork wounds.

 

Clan getting stabbed initiates the bodyguard mode in Dreamer. Sadly, for the poor rat. A death stare is placed upon the ratling as he sends his foot vaulting towards the rat. "Stop stabbing at it or YOU will be dinner!"

  

Flesh-Biter cringes back and seems intimidated into agreeing with Clan Clan, muttering resentfully.

 

"Why?!" she screams, getting covered in the mud of the swanp. The monky attacking and pulling at here hair. With a quick movemt she tries to grab the monky. "Little BASTARD!" her fear and sadness quickly turning to hate and resentment. "Gaaaaaaaaa!" she hiss fighting harder and more violently with the monkey

 

Baby Monkey wriggles in Clan's Gasp and smiles up at her playfully, its red furis silky smooth and it is kinda cute in a mischevious evil monkey way.

 

Flesh-Biter states adamantly, "Monkey -bad-. Bad luck. Eat monkey." Then she glares at the creatures and hisses, "Stupid monkey!"

 

Lark eyes at the other monkeys warily. But they seem no threat. Neither does the one in Clan Clan's hands. They don't exactly look like natural creatures either, though. The winged girl keeps watching around the group, as if expecting something much, much worse to happen.

 

Dreamer looks at the monkey with a deadlock stare. He reaches out for the thing, as funny and mischeviously playful as it is. His stare slowly becomes slight amusement. After all, it is a red, playful baby monkey. What could be so harmful about something like that? Oh. Right. "Heh, silly monkeys." He looks up at the other onces, keeping an eye on them.

 

It looks like it has a disease. This thought plays obviously on Aza's face, and she gets up off of her friend now that the thing is in hand. "Are you okay Clan?" She looks around.

 

Moves forward swiftly, then all at once dives off of the path, not so much moving into the shadows as pulling them round himself like a cloak. He continues to step forward, slowly and surely, only visible as the faintest of movements in the half-light - dead quiet, breathing so shallow as to be nonexistent, each step taken with the rhythmic beating of his heart. Watching and waiting. There is something off about this forest, and with steady, silent steps he moves, determined to be the hunter in whatever game is to arise.

 

"There!" eyes wide, like a perditer, smile like a hungery wolf. Her teeth seem a bit feral. Her grip is as strong and the little cat girl can grasp. Pinning it to the ground she gets nose to nose with it. CLan isn't playing. Any aninal can get that vibe from her. With a menical smile she punches the poor thing in the face, and rises her arm to strike again

 

Clan cackles "Ahhhhhh ha ha ha ha ha, how do you like it!"

 

Azami blinks in surprise. "<Oh shit...>" She cusses in Skytongue.

 

Baby Monkey lies pinned it's eyes are wide as Clan pulls back her hand and it begins struggling in earnest, mean while the other monkey chitter and begin through glowing green seeds at all of you, pelting you from above. Except for Ten of course, he is just...gone.

 

Azami turns round and eyes the other monkeys, then raises an arm still wreathedin heavy wool to protect her face from the seeds. Several bounce and richochet off of her protective garments.

 

Dreamer's eyes widen in shock, unable to believe that Clan just lays a fist into it. Well, damn. Trying to dodge and block the seeds, Dreamer pulls on Clan earnestly. "What are you doing!? It was just playing!" He can't believe she punched it, and tries to pull her away from it, both for the monkey's sake and because Seeds are being thrown.

Screaming fighting to get ant it she strugles against Dreamer. Punching at the monky that is just out of reach, flailing against Dreamer. Finaly as she is pulled off she colapes into tears again horrified at her own actions "I-" she sobs, trying to get hold of Dreamer "I'm soo sorry" she currles up on the ground and sobs. No tears she has none left.

 

They must be evil monkeys, or something. Decides Lark, avoiding the seeds and taking cover behind some trees. Yesterday was the worst day of her life, and today might be one of the weirder.

 

Well shit. Aza looks around, still protecting herself, and sees that Ten is gone. A prickle goes up her back, and so casting a look back at her two friends she slips away while Dreamer comforts Clan Clan. They don't have time for this while a plague is spreading. Padding deeper into the trees, she dissapears along down the path, swallowed up by the shadows of the strange trees.

 

Flesh-Biter has been pelted with fruit several times this week. She is unperturbed. She does chitter threateningly if any of the monkeys get too close with an upraised fork, but makes no effort to secure more monkey-meat.

 

Bending down, Dreamer picks up Clan again and looks around. Realizing Ten AND Azami seem to have gone off. A small mutter of curses are uttered under his breath as he moves out of the area and away from the monkeys. He runs down the path, giving Clan a sad look. "Shhhh, it is alright. Everything will be fine."

 

Baby Monkey scampers away when Clan Clan is pulled away from him and scatters up a treeshaking it's fist at the party it swings away, followed by the rest of it's flock.

 

Lark sneaks out of the monkey reach and gestures the others to hurry up. "Remember we have something important to do here, Clan Clan. We can grieve later, for now, well, we can't."

 

As Ten and Azami take off up ahead they hear beautiful music being played from just over the hill. The perfect dulcet tunes roll over the two of them like wind through a crystal harp.

 

Staying quite for the most part if Dreamer drags Clan along. "Did I hurt it?" she whispers as she is carried. Wiping her face with a bit of Dreamers scarf she sobers up a bit. The mud dripping off her and onto Dreamers back, her hair and fur are is disaray. "I ... I think I can walk by my self now" she looks at Lark, sarrow in her eyes but a determination to keep it from happening again.

 

Flesh-Biter has already slipped away from the group, having heard something in the distance, following behind Ten and Azami perhaps by coincidence. She stalks through the underbrush with impressive stealth, curiously investigating the odd sound she hears.

 

The rustle of leaves, perhaps, is left in his wake. Maybe a half-print in the wet dirt, or some esoteric plant releases a cloud of pollen as he moves by, clambering through the lush undergrowth with calm, silent movements, slinking forward, cresting the hill, Ten moves onward, enthralled by the song.

 

Dreamer continues to press on, but smiles at Clan Clan reassuringly. "It seemed fine. It was still well enough off to shake a fist at us as we ran away. So, no real harm done." He does set her down, though. Sighing as he keeps looking around for Ten and Azami, but assuming they must be heading to the same place, so tries not too worry too much.

 

Crystal Forest:

 

Just over the hill the path leads through a large grove of crystal trees, flowers and hedges, a beautiful kelaidascopic paradise lies before you all the music is created by the wind rustling through the crystal leaves and the sun glints from every surface.

 

"Our group keeps getting smaller and smaller," remarks Lark. "The rat-woman has snuck away, too. And I that thought she was too cowardly to do that. I am sorry, I am not myself lately. So many mistakes."

Flesh-Biter slithers through the field of crystal trees with wary caution. She occasionally stops to pick up a particularly brilliant or valuable looking shard and tuck it away in her hip pouch. She might be spotted now, by others arriving or already present.

 

As Flesh reaches for a shard she find she can not get it to come free, it seems rooted in place. She pulls her hand back as blood from a crystal sliver waters the ground and the path between the rest of you and the crystal glade turns clear for several feet transforming into crystals itself.

 

Sliding through the crystalline trees, the glittering, cutting edges of emerald brushes and past the gorgeous violet gems, reminiscent of grapes, the figure of Ten is reflected a thousand times over in the multifaceted eyes of the place. He moves quietly, contorting left and right, stooping low undr low-hanging branches of jagged diamonds. His body moves without touching a single edge of the singing crystals, or lighting a step upon the broken shards. He moves through a forest of glass, leaving it unperturbed. Some places are not meant to be disturbed. Some places fight back.

 

Dreamer makes an oooo noise as he looks around the crystal forest. He looks around at the stuff as he walks around. He critiques it in his mind, having created something similar at one time in his life. Of course, this place is crystal and not glass like the one he made. "Shiny..." He looks around for some sight of the people he lost.

"Very bad." Flesh-Biter cautions, looking from side to side in a shifty fashion. "This place warpy. Warpy bad. Make your blood bad. Not stay long. We go soon. Bad luck here. Take shiny quickly."

 

The cloaked figure of Azami moves silent through the crystal glade, hood down about her shoulders and her long heavy white braid swaying gently down her back. Dulcet tones ring sweet enticements in her ears, but she continues down the path, stepping lightly, carefully. She's wrapped up in thought, walking as much through this place as she is in memory. Slowly one pale hand creeps to the stone that serves as her cloak-brooch. She drifts as if in a dream, alone with her thoughts for the time... then happens across the path of Flesh-Biter. Green eyes darken with consideration. "Walk with u--me, Zeran. I'm sorry that you strayed so far into the Wyld."

 

Flesh-Biter looks towards Azami with a strange sort of suspicion, squinting her beady eyes. She finds something there; some reassurance, or some unspoken communication, which causes her to draw close to the northerner and adopt a more wary posture.

 

"Ah, there they are... well, most of them," murmurs Lark. They are still missing Azami. No, she is there too. She enters into the crystal forest cautiously, keeping the wings tightly folded against her back, pocking the strange plants lightly with her razor claws.

 

Flesh-Biter seems particularly enamoured with the crystal shards she has collected, even as she lingers near Azami. She cuddles up against the shards she has collected in a grouped handful, gouging bloody lines into her face as she does so. This doesn't seem to be particularly painful to her. Rather, she coos as if in erotic pleasure.

The movements of Ten grow all the more contorted as he twists forward through the distorted forest, his head always cocked, listening to the steady song. His arm will twist backward, his legs bend with joints a normal man doesn't have, his limbs flail and body spins, continuing his journey toward the heart of the place. He is like some puppet, being spun about, but not a blade is touched by his presence, not a leaf shaken.

 

Dreamer seems very cheerful now, looking from crystal to crystal and looking around as he continues to move through the area, looking for where they are suppose to go to. "I must remember to take notes on this place!" He reminds himself that they are here for other, more important reasons. He doesn't dare touch the crystals though, unsure if it would be safe to do so.

 

Having stayed quite the hole time Clan reverves her self to quitely wander the Forest. What wonders could it hold, what hoors she thinks. Passing her hands over the various things withing the forest. "This looks like someplace you would live Dreamy" Clan manages to smile. "Its beautiful, Its hard to imagin any thing bad could come from this place."

 

"Oh--!" Aza starts to reach toward the rat-girl, then draws back her hand, aware of how possessive those of her race tend to be. Clearly she's under some influence, and the Lunar winces to see the lines opened up on her face. In her most reasonable tone, Aza soothes, trying to keep the concern from her face and failing. "Zeran... put those things away from your face, you're hurting yourself and getting blood on them. Please don't hurt yourself."

 

Flesh-Biter continues to cuddle the shiny shards, hugging them particularly tightly... until the intense pain of one of them digging into her flesh causes her to abruptly skree in alarm, dropping them to the ground. Azami speaks and the rat-girl hears her, quickly fumbling in her hip pack for a blindfold. She whispers hurridly as she does so, dripping blood, "Very bad place. Shiny shards bad luck. Don't touch. Don't look." She struggles to tie the rag around her head before she again is overtaken with the majesty of the crystal wood. "Terrible Wood God, watch over us, give us power and strength..." she whispers.

 

Lark has been watching the event unfold with mild interest. The depression she feels rendering her rather listless most of the time. But now she seems interested again. Unfortunately it is not a healthy interest. She picks a crystal flower, fascinated, and ignores the blood from the cuts on her fingers.

 

Clan passes her fingures over some emerald bushes, her ears and tail suddenly twitch. Like a cat who has found some 'nip' goes down to the bush, nuzzling it, rolling in it. Pleasantly purring loudly she turns for a momet to her friends, bloody cuts line her face. Her tounge licks up a trail of stray blood from her lips. Mewing softly she dives back in, finding a sweet realce form her earlier pain

 

The form of Ten stops his twisted act, drawing himself up, standing still for a moment. One hand reaches out, gently, wavering. A great emerald amaranth lies before him, gorgeous and potent, its edges lined in fading copper. A single finger runs down its edge, draining reddish ichor spurts out of the blackened glove as he lifts it up, replacing the orange one with this beauty, directly over his heart. A steady stream of red flows from his chest, but he doesn't seem to notice. "Home is where the heart is," he chuckles, caressing the thing.

 

Azami nods. "Good, good." She soothes, glad to see the shards dropped. "Good gi--" Suddenly Aza stops, and her vividly green eyes turn from looking concernedly into Flesh's face, to gaze mistily at the beautiful mosses with tiny starshaped flowers of brilliant azure glass that grow over a nearby stone, clouding over. Turning away from the rat girl she kneels before the stone, one hand over her heart in an attitude of adoration. She lovingly runs a hand over the razor petals, unthinking of the wounds that open in her palm and just gazing in wonder.

 

Flesh-Biter mutters to herself as she hears the people around her succumbing to the influence of the crystal spheres, "Stupid humans. Never listen." Then, after a long sigh - "Should have bought charms. So, what now. Hunh. You! Come." She then grabs hold of Azami and attempts to try to drag her, blind, out of this fear some yet lovely glade. "We leave! Go around. Very bad."

 

Dreamer looks over to the people and raises an eyebrow at this. "What is everyone DOING?!?" He shakes Clan a bit saying, "Stop that! You are cutting yourself!" He runs over to Azami, and tries to pull her away. "Why are you people touching these things!? You are hurting yourself!" He scolds, unsure why they are doing it, but looking at the ratling. "Quick, we gotta get away from this cursed place!"

 

The rat creature stares incredulously. "Very clever. Help fast, pull. Humans heavy." Added in afterthought, "... and stringy."

 

As you all touch the branches the harmonious music becomes almost defeaning drowning out your minds as the crystals vibrate and tremble with the anticipation of a feast.

 

Lark wakes up with a start. And then she drowns the 'music' in anger. Her fist clench, and she lashes against the crystal forest, the magical metal of her claws destroying flowers and glass, scarring the trees. At Dreamer's words, she recovers some wits, and looking around her she tries to pull the closest of the group out of the crystals area. Not forgetting to claw at anything that gets on the way, or even if it not in the way but it is within reach.

 

Azami purrs quietly, her eyes half closed... then growls in mingled surprise and anger when first Flesh, then  

 

Dreamer try to tear her away from the mosses. "Nnghhh Nai! Vrrai din somonada d'rxh!" Dreamer succeeds well enough however, being much stronger than her.

 

Dreamer picks up Azami and runs out of the place, willing or not, hoping that someone will grab Clan Clan for him. He can't very well carry both of them, after all. He notices Lark is better, thankful to not be alone in this endeavor. As he bolts out, he looks to make sure Azami is alright, setting her down once the music is no longer heard. "Are you alright?" He doesn't let go though, just incase.

 

Flesh-Biter by contrast would have a hard time moving a good-sized pumpkin, but she does try at least. Odd. She seemed so callous about human life, previously.

 

Rolling about like a kitten in the glass bush, Clan purrs and chirps, happy and in another world away from the cries of Dreamer. Jumping to the next bush tail wagging, cloths starting to get shredded as crimson stains start to dot her body. "Nyan!" she glees, left to her prancing through the glass

 

Ten remains in the middle of a glittering forest, the others rushing by him. He reaches up and, with a gentle pull, plucks down a wreath of scintillating brass leaves, a light rain of blood spurting out of his hands. Pulling it down onto his head, dribulets of fine red liquid begin to drip down the expressionless mask of the man. His hands are coated in a viscous liquid, rivers of blood drain from his head, and with every flap of his coat, it grows more wet from some wound on his chest.

 

 Dreamer aims his grappling hook gauntlet at Ten, attempting to shoot the thing around the leg of creature while keeping to the edge of the forest. Yozi-worshipper, akuma, or otherwise, he can't let him die here on the odd chance that he isn't such a being. If the hook catches the man's leg, he will reel him on in.

 

Lark Shatters the forest as Ten is dragged through the broken glass by the grapple. His blood leaves a long dark stain across the field. And the whole area of broken trees and shatters bushes just seems to pulse with evil live as the hum lowers to that of a broken animal, and all of you are free of the glade.

 

Azami struggles, kicking and swearing and trying to slip away the entire way out, to no effect. Her subconscious still has just enough hold on the rest of her not to really try to hurt the sidereal. But once the music fades from her ears her struggles weaken, and the Lunar comes back to herself, slowly. "... What, wait, where...?" She blinks, gasping for air. When she realizes that Dreamer had to pull her out she stiffens, then twists round in his hold and looks over his shoulder back the way they came. "Clan Clan!?"

 

"This place is bad." The rat-lady cautions Azami when she comes out of her stupor. She seems fairly troubled by the brush with death she just escaped, enough so that she has neglected to remove her blindfold just yet. Just in case. "I leaving. You leave, too. One village, bah. Village die everyday. I not die today. "

 

Once Lark is out with Clan, she shows up how incredibly destructive can be an exalt using indestructible razor claws. It is almost a blur of shattered glass. Not even thick trees are safe, it might take her a few seconds to chew through, but eventually they shatter.

 

Ten lies still for a moment.Then, suddenly, his chest spurts forward and upward, his head flopping back, listless, as his chest rises, his legs and arms flailing, uncontrolled. It is like someone tied a string to his body and was lifting him with it, a puppet in some master's hands. As it fully drags him to his height, he is set down, head still rolling back and forth, staring at the ground, standing on shaky legs. A steady stream of blood drips from the ends of his overcoat, his back is pierced through and through with shattered glass from being dragged. Rivers of red spurt out of his sleeves, his gloves are tattered, his fingers chopped up. Slowly, he raises his head, crown of jagged brass resting upon his head. A dripping of ruddy red fades from the top of it, and out comes a whisper from the mask, "Come now, that was fun, wasn't it?"

 

 As you leave the forest of broken glass behind the swamp gets more, swampy. More of a marsh land then a forest.

At Azmi's feet the bloody Clan lays. "Were? Ow!" she touches her face, and looks back at the glade "What happened why was I?" it takes her a moment to put it all together. "Glass hummmm..." she smirks "I know how to take care this" she snears not going to take anymore crap today and takes out her Guqin "Time to rock!"

Far off in the jumgle the trees begin to part, splitting and turning away from the path of some massive, 10 foot tall or more creature. The oddest part is they turn back into place behind it, it's like a ripple through the water as the beast, whatever it is approaches you.

 

Lark pants after finishing with the crystal-massacre. She also looks a bit ashamed for the outburst, but... she really needed to break something. A vampiric crystal glade works. "Are you okay?" She asks the others. Her own cuts are not serious, just painful.

 

Azami's hands tighten on Dreamer's shirt just as she's about to ask to be let down. The cut up one stings like fire, and brings her to wince and show her teeth a little. "There's something coming this way. It's huge." Her ears are laid back flat. "The trees are moving out of it's way."

 

Dreamer looks at Azami and Clan, his posture looks scolding like. "Jeez, you two get into so much trouble. Running off ahead, hugging monster-crystals... What is next?" He smiles playfully, but checks their wounds to make sure they are alright. He really was worried for a bit there, when things looked bad. "Huh? Something is coming?" He lets Azami down, pulling out his sword.

 

Holding her interment at the ready she backs up "Dreamer! Monster!" she points at the thing making its way though the forest. Instead of running or fighting Clan starts to play a tune upon her Guqin. Ears lay back flat agaist her head, she licks a bit of blood that runs over her lips. Random bits of glass seem to start exploding as if hit by something, even the beast might feel the pain.

 

Lark has seen the creature too, so she concentrates a few instants, taking the Mantis Form of martial arts. "About 10 foot tall," she notes, "and yes, the trees are... doing weird things around it."

 

Its a ways away, still. When Dreamer sets her down, Aza tears strips from her full skirt, using one to wrap

her hand. She looks back at Ten and nearly gasps in surprise. How can he stillbe alive?! "Do... do you need help?" She asks the demon, half afraid to even do that but unable to help herself.

.

Crime Against Creation:

 

If nature abhors a Niljake, then creation despises a Giant Niljake, the 10 foot tall Lizard creature comes barreling through the forest at full charge, slavering jaws and sharp claws it doesn't dodge around the terrain, the terrain dodges around it, bushes going flat and trees swerveing out of the way without a sound. The monster charges right at your small group, maybe it smells blood on the wind

.

Placing himself to the front, Dreamer watches the creature approached with a slight smile, short daiklave in hand. His fingerless gauntlets spring out razor claws from them. No essence use on his part though, just him, his sword, and a giant wyld lizard. He charges the creature, sword and claws lashing out once in range.

 

Ten looks down at Azami's proclamation, his coat more red than black now, apparently not having noticed the wounds before. Its face turns up, just as the roaring beast begins to charge forward. Ten turns on his heels and begins to march forward, towards it, angling away from the party. He flicks his hands out, throwing out bloody specks in front of him, his form trailing a line of the stuff as he moves. He continues to walk, a matador staring down his charge, using his own bloodied form as the cape. "Come now," he laughs, attempting to lead the beast away from the other assembled, "Come now, let us see test your mettle."

 

Plucking the strings faster and faster, the sounds picks up and so does the assault. Glass trees shatter, punctuator marks splitter with blood from the monster. Clan plays and watches and her song leads a trail of destruction in font of her

.

Lark turns to face the creature, her fake anima erupting, a ghostly snowstorm exploding around her announcing the expenditure of a large amount of essence. What for? Nothing obvious. But she jumps to the air as the creature comes close, to hit it from above.

 

Small arrow sized holes riddle the lizard things hide. Blood drips from it. Clan just plays a merry tune. A Smile on her face. She has nothing to do with it, she is only playing music after all

 

As Dreamer watches as the torrent of ranged attacks down the strange beast and shrugs. Well, that was highly disappointing. He sheathes his weapon, glad that he didn't bother wasting any energy on such a thing. He returns to Azami with a smile. "Heh, looks like we can continue onwards."

 

The creature, already badly wounded by Clan Clan arrows, gets shredded pretty badly by Lark's claws, pretty much dropping dead at Dreamer's feet. "I thought...it looked tougher," comments Lark, somewhat miffed. Probably a bad idea to reveal her abilities to Ten like this. Ah well.

 

Ten watches as the thing slams into the ground, sliding towards him. "Come now," he shouts out, holding a hand, gesturing towards it, "is that all?" He walks back, disappointed, his wounds still open and flowing. He inspects a tattered coattail with certain dismay, as if shocked that it was gouged from the crystals, far more concerned with it than his body.

 

As the creature falls, it does not touch the grass, the grass uproots itself to avoid the body, bending away from even the blood on the ground.

 

Azami relaxes from her defensive posture... and goes back to bandaging her hand, winding the deeply cobalt-dyed cloth round and round. She steps away from the dark oozing blood that steams as it touches the quickly naked earth. Azami gives Dreamer a nervous, wry smile as a clumo of grass skitters by her feet. "Looks like. This must be the Wyld"

 

Clan continues to play looking up "Oh its already dead? I thought I would inspire you with a song but... if you already beat it" she stops playing and shrugs "For a moment there I thought we had something to worry about" Clan leans up against a normal Tree and closes her eyes to relax.

 

"It looked more dangerous," comments Lark sheepishly. "Ah... I guess it is better if it wasn't. How far now?" Who has the map, anyway? And it seems they have lost the rat-woman again.

 

Dreamer seems to grin at Azami, thinking of an evil way to tell if it is the wyld tainted or not. Buuuut, he thinks against it for now and shrugs. "It definitely seems to be that way, what with the tainted seeds and crystal stuff."

 

Azami withdraws the map from her blouse and unfolds it carefully, smirking. Walking into a patch of sunlight, she holds it out for people to look, her thumb leaving a red mark on the paper.

 

The sun is setting based on how far you have traveled and how far is left according to the map you would estimate you have 6 hours of travel left to go.

 

Sacrifice of the Sidreal:

 

 Half way through the night Azami and Clan awaken to find Quicksilver Dreamer tied up in the middle of camp, several one foot tall monkey creatures in black cloaks are standing over him with ritual sacrificial daggers in the middle of some sort of spell.

 

Azami rolls over in her sleep, a cold shivver going down her back and reaches for something-- only to find it not there. Her hand touches cold grass and earth and the Lunar wakes up, green eyes glowing like mirrors in the dark for a moment... then open wide in surprise. She bolts to her feet when she sees the creatures

and Dreamer, letting out a feral, bloodthirsty growl. She growls in fearsome, black skytongue, and bolts toward the creatures, picking up a large stick with murder in her eyes. "Grrrr <GET OUT OF HERE!>" she snarls at the monkeys.

 

Dreamer struggles around, mumbling through the gag at one little red monkey in robes. "Gdmn mnkes. Whn uh gut ot uf dus, ull buh su-ry." His words are very very mumbled and nearly impossible to understand, but there is alot of anger in them. "Fckn Mnkes!"

 

Lark didn't want to sleep this night either, but she has a lot of sleep to catch up, and it caught up. But she also wakes up to see the ritual. Or maybe she is still dreaming. She pinches herself, winces and reaches for the razor claws. "Hey you! Stop right now!"

 

"Monkeys!" Clan stands smiling evilly "Already I can tell this is going to be a good day for me" pointing a the monkeys. Stomping over to the monkeys. "Your hairless asses are mine!" kicking one of the monkeys in the rear "This isfor my hair!"

 

As Lark reaches for her weapons and Clan and Azami attack the monkeys scatter in 6 directions giving up thier prey they make it to the trees, where they make rude gestures at you all before fading into the night.

 

Dreamer wiggles on the ground, spouting mumbled curses at the monkeys and shaking a tied fist at them in rage. He will NEVER pull Clan Clan from killing monkeys again.

 

Looking up from the stump upon which he sits, Ten sighs, "Oh, but the show was just about to begin." Looking out, he holds his arms in the direction they are to travel, "shall we?"

 

"We forgot doing watch turns?" Asks Lark, still half sleep. Not her best day, nope. "You guys... get back to sleep. I will stay awake the rest of the night."

 

Nothing else happens that night and everyone gets a good rest for the rest of the night, healing normally to the dull green light of the Wyld woods blossoms. As you set off in the morning what was trees and glass before becomes dark caverns of wood with spider webs growing larger and larger.

 

"Oohhhh I dunno about this..." Aza's ink-tipped ears lay back flat on her head and she looks around nervously, unconsciously curling her right arm in towards her belly. She knows those webs. The last time she dealt with wood spiders...! Her hand goes to a little leather pouch at her side, carressing it anxiously. Inside is a seed... not that anybody knows aside from perhaps Dreamer, from Sap and Heartwood Gorgon. It stirs lazily under her hand, which when she lets it drop comes away smeared by a faintly luminescent coating of sparkling purple dust, sporific and full of wood essence. The trail leads through here though. "I'd almost rather deal with Raksha again..." she mutters, not really meaning that.

 

Dreamer is just walking alongside Azami again as they continue on theirway, making sure no monkeys are following them at all. He will forever distrust all monkeys after that night. "Thanks for umm... saving me, Aza." He says a bit embarrassed as they move. It would be pretty damn embarrassing to be captured by baby monkeys as a Chosen of Battles. He just knows Ayesha Ura will give him shit for MONTHS.

 

"Clan did too," Aza whispers to the half-fey, elbowing him with some encouragement she doesn't much feel at this very moment. "So don't feel too bad."

 

Land of the Spider Queen:

 

It isn't long before a rustling can be heard in the trees, and suddenly a group of spiders, each at least 15 feet long surround the party. They hang over the clearing meancingly, but none seem poised to attack, yet.

 

"Ya Dreamer just beacuse without use you would be monkey chow~" Clan wraps an arm around Dreamer as she teases "and if Ayesha doesn't I sure will" a playful nudge to her side Clan laughs. See seems a little better. Not even bothering to be surprised as the spires drop, half expecting anything at this point. "Hello" Clan waves and keeps move, hopefully she can just avoid them

 

Dreamer looks up at the spiders, hand reflexively moving to his sword hilt, but he doesn't draw the blade, relaxing. He smiles at Azami and Clan, feeling alittle better at their encouragement and teasing. He looks again at the spiders and greets them. "Why, hello there. Nice day out, wouldn't you agree?"

 

Essence Spider Queen has a raspy voice, but speaks perfect River speak, "What do you want in my woods, why have you come to the spider's lair....Do you wish my silk...my Young?"

 

The bloodied mask of ten looks up to the spider's above, his hands at his sides, the bells silent. The tattered sutras n his arms whisper quietly in a breeze, sliding by one another, and the gentle 'drip-drip' of blood patters onto the ground, flowing in rivulets from his tattered cloaks edges, staining the dark floor below. A deep sound rises from his throat, loud and old, like the sound of groaning oaks, and he calls out in an old dialect of river speak, , "Grand brothers -spiders of the wood, would that your domain grow higher than the mountains, would that your roots stretch beyond the farthest edges of all worlds. Our feet are graced by merely standing upon the ground of your tending, and you go so far as to greet us with your presence, an unexpected glory. You truly are creatures of unbridled magnificence, brother spiders, and this servant is indebted to you. Magnificent queen, would that we pass through and observe the beauty, and I may rest entombed in the earth the rest of my days, a smile on a broken skull, for merely having witnessed you, oh most perfect, oh most glorious of your kind."

 

Essence Spider Queen preens and seems to quiver a little at the silver Tongue used on her. You since her voice takes a smiling tone, "Have you come to worship the goddess...the goddess has been forgotten so long, once we made her robes, now we alone worship her. The temple has risen, it will not stay so long. It has been six legs of sunsets since it rose, it only stays for less then eight legs. It would be good for people to worship her again.

 

"The tower of the most glorious queen is our destination, oh lordly one," Ten calls out, his voice growing louder. "Would that we knew the way through these thickets and brambles! Alas, our bones and flesh were cut deep by the path, and your forest, its grandeur sprawls out, far beyond the reach of petty minds such as ours. If only there was a path, that we might walk it, and arrive to that place unhindered, that we might see that unthinkable majesty that even you, most lordly of all the spiders, worship! It would be grander than holding the sun in ones arms, than hearing the moon call out in our heads, than watching the dancing of the stars!"

 

Azami creeps up to stand just behind the half-fey, making of herself as small and inconspicuous as she can without doing something so attention-drawing as changing into a mouse and darting into hiding. Who is this goddess that the spiders speak of? The tower must be where they are headed...

 

Essence Spider Queen waves and three of her daughters descend knitting quickly they create a tunnel in the forest, made of spider silk. The queen waves, "Trustin the servants of the goddess, her love will protect you, enter the tunnel, and you will have safe passage.

 

Dreamer looks back at Azami with a soft, reassuring smile. At least the spiders don't seem so evil. Maybe they finally caught a bit of a break and things are looking up for a change. He doesn't speak, merely bowing to the Spider Queen and moving to the tunnel, looking to make sure the others are willing to follow as he does so.

 

Ten burbles out a traditional 'thank-you,' turns, and without a second thought walks into the tunnel of silk, trusting the spiders with his life, or insane enough to know betrayal but not care, he strides in, head up, trickling blood staining the ground under every step.

 

Ten Hollow Tongues bahs. "I don't think I lied in there..."

 

Azami bows respectfully to the wood-spirits, then walks quickly after the others into the tunnel of silk.

Lark listens to the exchange between Ten and the spiders a bit bemused. Is Mr. I-am-so-weird getting them through the spiders lands. Seems so. She prances ahead pretty sure she is safe. Actually she knows for sure the spider was sincere. Gotta love Judge's Ear Technique.

 

Clan Clan having enough of this, refuses to enter the Spiders tunnel wanting only to go home and leave the horrors of the jungle behind. The Essence Spiders escort her out of the forest and into the sunlight.

 

Chapter III: Temple of Venus

 

Those that enter the Tunnel quickly find it pitching down into a giant silk slide, and like a game of chutes and ladders you go flying down the slide and into the heart of the forest.

 

Dreamer makes a happy 'Wheeeeee!' noise as he goes sliding down and into the heart of the forest happily. He looks around as he does, smiling cheerfully. "That was alot of fun!" He chuckles and looks at the remaining companions with a wide smile. "Alright, so now we just gotta find that temple."

 

Azami brushes herself off at the bottom of the slide and looks around to see where they now find themselves.

 

Hmphs. Lark is not going 'wheee', but at least she is smiling a bit. "Yeah, not bad," she shakes her wings off cobwebs and looks around. "Where are we now?" She asks to Azami, arming her razor claws again.

 

"Who do you think that goddess is?" Aza wonders aloud, then consults the map as she's bid. "We're.... well we're at the heart of this forest."

 

And rising before you is the grand temple, it is built into a mountain that might once have been an island but the lake has become the swamp you are passing through. The signs of the goddess Venus are every where and the temple is so...beautiful a crafting of the first age made of pure rose-crystal.

 

Dreamer sees the symbol of Venus and says out loud. "Oh, shit..."

 

Ten moves proudly straight for the temple, "Oh words," he coos, "you bite sharper and cut cleaner than the finest of blades."

 

Lark hmmhmmms. "Such a nice place," she sighs, "ruins for so long. Maybe we can do something about it, although I can't do much about the presence of the Wyld. We have to told Orduin after we finish here. Er... finish here whatever we have to finish. 'Cause there must always be an ending." Sage nod.

Azami looks in wonder at the grand edifice, her shy lore-keeper's nature coming to the surface. Despite the wieght of their mission, Aza finds herself exclaiming softly at the beauty of the architecture, the glyphs and designs that she's no knowledge of. A small moleskin sketchbook appears in her hands from her satchel

and a pencil from her braid and she starts marking down some of the recurring motifs and writing notes, green eyes moving exitedly, hardly looking at what she writes...

 

The stairs leading to the temple are cut into the mountain a small flight not more then a few steps really leading to two grand inviting doors with engraven images of people fornicating on them.

 

"There once was a maiden," Ten begins, then just chuckles, moving forward. "Ah, the lies for minds who can't remember a time before them." Walking up the stairs towards the doors, Ten leaves two blotchy streaks of blood on the steps all the way to the apex of the temple.

 

Dreamer sighs at the temple and shakes his head. All those Venus jokes and he must enter a temple to her. This just cannot be a good thing for him. Steeling himself, he continues onwards and facepalms upon seeing the door. And just when Clan Clan chickened out on him, they find a temple she could help with.

 

"That is because the times before them were nothing but a succession of horror, injustice and atrocity," snaps Lark, looking at Ten. "There are no records because no human civilization was allowed." She peers at the engravings briefly, butwithout shame. "I have never been inside a temple of Venus, you know?" She mentions.

 

Azami has put on a pair of sea green specs as they approach the temple, making note of writings along the wall of the passage cut into the mountain. The pencil skritch skritch skritches across the paper... then the lead breaks. Aza looks at the wall somewhere between horrified amazement at the lurid design, and a sort of sneaky curiosity.

"Oh my," she says. "And we're going in there aren't we?"

 

"No records," Ten muses, turning his bloodied crown of stained red leaves to Lark, "that you've read. I'll share them sometime," he turns back to the city, 'fascinating things. There was a time before humans you know." Stepping forward to the pyramid, "do not be so haughty to think you were the first."

 

The temprature is perfect, if a touch on the warm side for such heavy clothes as well...wearing any would be. The warmth sinks into your flesh and the smell...like rose petals and fresh flowers hangs on the air. The oxygen in the room is much fuller then outside, much less methane and nitrogen. The whole temple is filled with the sound of harp music more beautiful even then the crystal glade was. Red candles light up as you enter and the walls are lined bith beautiful bronze carvings of woman anatomically correct in every detail, and clothed in transclucent spider silk dresses. Tables and chairs line the room like a lounge or a spawould. There are massage tables, great basins of fresh water and living trees with golden fruit hanging from them. A great arch leads further in with a closed door, and flanked by two alcoves with small shrines of Venus in them.

 

Dreamer smiles a bit now, looking to hold back a laugh as he looks at Azami and Lark. He apparently finds something funny as he continues onwards. "Yep, Aza, we are going in there... Into a temple of the who- err, Venus. This should be both awkward and interesting... I wonder what sort of defenses a temple to her would have..." He is still holding back bursting into laughter. Still, he does seem happier about it. "At least the atmosphere is nice."

 

Azami wilts a little... then heads in, giving Dreamer a mildly confused look. What's so funny?

 

"I know," replies Lark, "the Dragon Kings were here before, and the Mountain Folk. And other races that were exterminated on a whim without mercy or compassion." She would rant some more, but the temple makes her go 'oooh, pretty.' "This place gotta be a manse. One of the old ones, that don't require maintenance or crap."

 

Azami steps carefully, though. Very notedly not touching anything or breathing too deeply. It's hot inside but she stubbornly keeps her warm wool cloak on, ears laid flat and intense green eyes glaring at the furniture as if daring it to tempt her into taking a nap on the incredibly comfy... warm... clean.... The apples glare back, and Aza's stomach tightens jealously, reminding her of the past few days of neglect. So the little northern barbarian holds up her chin and marches by the statues, willfully giving the surroundings a willful cold shoulder.

 

Ten seems to be unimpressed by the whole thing, moving without staring at any one thing in particular, investigating the walls for some writing which would point him further in, looking for some sign of this 'goddess' that might dwell inside, but this doesn't stop him from continuing his conversation with Lark. "Not far enough back, keep going, keep going."

 

Keeping whatever little joke is in his mind to himself, Dreamer seems unmoved by the apples, although he does wish he had time to steal a comfy couch for his house. Still, no time for that. He giggles alittle bit to himself as theykeep going, moving farther into the temple for now.

 

 The double doors further in are closed, with no sign of how to open them. The twin altars flank the doors though. Candles flickering on them, the harp music only under scored by the bubbling of the near by hot spring tubs that domainate the corner opposite the cannopied bed.

 

Azami stops in front of the door and seems to plant herself. She turns and puts her hands on her hips, fixing Dreamer with a dubious stare. "Alright smartass, what's so funny? Any idea of how to open these doors?" Oh, this giggling. She does not approve of the giggling in the slightest. Dreamer giggling is normally followed up by tomfoolery, and she's in no mood to guess at what his game is. Lark ignores Ten's comments, which as usual, make little sense. The winged woman looks at the giggling Dreamer with some curiosity. Truth is the place seems very confy, and they have been three days in the wild. She feels... ugh. A bath would be soooo nice. Maybe they can spend the night here after whatever they have to do.

 

Ten moves to the doors, eying them, whiping his bloodied fingers on them to get dust off (if any is there) in an attempt to locate some directions. He pushes on the door, then pulls, gently, looking for handle or other implement.

Dreamer smiles at Azami, holding back his laughter and merely shrugging. "Not a clue." He runs back the other way, giving a mischevious look before hopping into the hot spring, completely submerging himself as he does so. What is he up to? Who can tell ... The hop is more of a cannonball.

 

As Dreamer jumps into a tub one of the statues animates it moves over to him and reaches in, apparently attempting to wordlessly remove his clothes. A second activates and picks up a scrub brush and stands next to his tub, ready to clean his back, while a third reaches for a mop, and begins moving to the spill.

 

Lark looks really torn when she sees what the statues are doing. "Gah, do we have time for this?" She asks to the others. "I mean," she gestures towards Dreamer, "with the mission and all that."

 

Azami watches the statues go about thier business with some surprise, then averts her eyes and goes to look at the door along with Ten, adjusting her little spectacles in a business like fashion.

 

Dreamer watches the statue try to strip him of his clothes in surprise. "Ah! Down, statue! Down!" He jumps from the tub and onto the side opposite the one with the brush. He would love to relax more, but statues stripping him is just a bit awkward to say the least. He tries to make his way over to the rest of them, now soaking wet from head to toe. "The water was nice." He still seems giggly.

 

The door has not lock, no knob, no sign of any way to open it. The brass maidens return to thier positions, once the one with the mop has cleaned up all the blood.

 

Lark eyes Dreamer, "I bet it was," she murmurs. She is a city girl, damnit. Swamps are for monkeys and spiders, not for her. "Can you open the door or not?" She asks.

 

Ten moves to the doors, eying them, whiping his bloodied fingers on them to getdust off (if any is there) in an attempt to locate some directions. He pushes on the door, then pulls, gently, looking for handle or other implement.

"Alright, ladies and gents," Ten purrs, turning to the rest of them. "Let's hear you squeal." He holds his arms out, "Temple of a sun-child. Marked with Venus. Pile up your gold, gems and fancy undergarments in the center of the room." He gestures to the baths, "Wash yourselves," points to the incense, "light a stick, and we'll drag these doors down from where they stand."

 

The statues take give no response to Ten's words standing like a legion of the dead.

 

"How many people are gonna die if we don't?" Aza asks, seriously considering this.

 

Dreamer smiles at Ten, not needing to be told that more than once. Of course, he has no real gold, but he puts his bag of swag in the center and does another "CANNONBALL!" into the tub, this time letting the statues do their thing if they try. Far be it from him to ignore being told to enjoy himself. A good bath goes a long way in improving his mood.

 

 

Azami growls under her breath, then goes and follows the suggestion, ears laid back flat and tail bristling. She drops her things on the floor and walks to the spring bath and slips in, though her carved feather earring still dangles from one ear, and the little soap rat she'd bought from the rat girl is in her hand. She mutters something about being damned if some statue is going to wash her. Grumble mutter cuss cuss.

 

"I think it would be enough if two of us pray at the same time," mentions Lark. But she is already moving towards one of the pools. Leaving her clothes at the side, though, no sense in getting them wet. Except for the razor claws. She is keeping those.

 

Ten himself moves swiftly, emptying his pockets of iron bits, of copper bangles, of lint and the like, piling up the items tossed out by the others. He moves over, gather up three incense-holders, and places them around the mound in a triangle, and then lifts a larger brazier and moves it next to the mound in preparation. He removes his overcoat as he moves into a tub, moving under the water, which begins to bubble and churn and boil all the more, before he sticks his head up. The black, stained mask is gone, and all that is left is his bare face - a royal one, perfectly sculpted of alabaster, with a straight nose and high cheeks. The crystalline shards still lay lodged into his head, but instead of detracting from his majesty, it seems to add to it - a glorious, shining brass wreath, a king's crown.

 

He emerges after a moment, standing up, his arms still laced in sutras, and gestures to the others. "Come, we have been ritually cleansed. You three, pick up a stick of incense, and light it on the brazier." He moves towards the center.

 

The Brass Maidens move forward to help with the cleansing, as people are cleaned they hold out silk robes and attempt to lead people to massage tables, unless the resist, in which case they return to thier posts.

 

Dreamer accepts a silk robe and a massage, relaxing as the kinks in his back are smoothed. "Oooooooh myyyyyy sweeeeeet heavens..." He says with bliss as the statue does its thing. Dreamer lets out a content sigh as a crack sound is heard from his back and his muscles untense, just lying there happily.

 

Lark certainly manages to relax at last. And of course she also manages to completely ignore Ten's words. That is the easier part, really. Besides, massage? Purrrr.

 

Azami accepts the robe, then steps away from the polite statue,cinching it closed. Her long white hair has been braided again and dried as best as it can be. Padding quietly over the rose-coloured floor, she goes to lite one of the incense sticks, leaving a little trail of wet footprints in her wake.

 

As the Maidens relax and complete the massages they then lead both Quicksilver and Lark to the canopied and curtained bed in the corner, yes both of them to the same bed.

 

Dreamer blinks a few times, at first not realizing then stopping in his tracks and backing away. "Heh umm... Incense sticks! Yes... Better... Better stick... to the... plan..." He carefully runs over to grab one like Ten said, lighting it.

 

Ten moves out, enrobed, moving, not with his usual alien steps but with certain, undeniable grace as he approaches the center, the glimmering water sparkling on his crown making it sheen all the greater, the flicker of coals in the brazier a urning reflection in his eyes. He looks over to Lark and Dreamer, a bemused smile on his face, and then to Azami, a slight nod to her. His facial expressions seem strange, exaggerated perhaps due to the fact that until now, he has traveled behind and expressionless mask.

 

Azami cups her hand behind the tip of the sweet incense stick and blows out the tiny flame, bringing the ember to glow brightly like a fiery eye. It wavers, leaving a brilliant trail in the air that remains mostly hidden by her hand. The  Lunar wants to be gone from this place; it's in every line of her form, the set of shoulders, the careful economy of motion, cautious glance of eye. The sooner they're all done and gone, the better.

 

Lark reluctantly goes after one of the incense sticks, picking up her boots alone the way, too. "So, what was the plan again? Because I don't think just lighting the sticks is going to work."

 

Dreamer shrugs and looks to Ten. After all, he was just following that man's plan and so isn't EXACTLY sure what to do now. He really hopes that this all works. "Yeah, how exactly is this going to open it? Don't get me wrong, the massage was wonderful and a good idea, but... You lost me at this step."

 

Ten moves into the center of the lit triangle of incense, and ritually, one-by-one, picks up the jade bits and iron pieces, the discarded items, placing them onto the brazier, systematically, ritually, his low, thrumming basso voice rolling out in perfect Old Realm with each bit, "This, the supple hands," he places another, "this, the ruddy lips," a third, "This, the velvet smile," and so forth, until every piece has been placed into the flames. He lifts the brazier then by two gilded handles, and slowly walks to the Altar, a flick of his head motioningthe others to follow.

 

Kowtowing back from the altar, he spins in a circle in the flame, stops, and then, calls out, softly, growing louder, "She that sings a song in the stars, she that greets the morning glow with lips of dawn, she that rises above all, come to them, thy children that love thee. Open thy doors, that the child might laugh, that men might cry with joy." Smiling, he raises his hands to the doors. "There was once a maiden, who could lift the whole of Creation with a smile, and sunder the greatest of bonds with a laugh. 'Smile,' called the heaven, 'and I will give you great glory.' 'Nay,' she called back, 'for my smiles will not be sold.' Smile for us, maiden, that we might smile with you. Open yourself to us, angel, that we may open ours," he bows again, "to you."

 

The doors to the Hearth Chamber begin to open and as the do the 20 Brass Maidens drop into combat stance and begin doing ninja acrobatic flips across the room and moving to surround the four of you.

 

Azami's green eyes widen. "K'sa!" She swears, and runs for the doors, bare feetslapping the floor. Her braid swings out behind her as she tries to slip through the ring of brass statues.

 

Dreamer looks at the statues and carefully slides the gauntlets on and grabs his short daiklave. "Well, this was fun." He looks around at the statues and bolts as well, following behind Azami and hoping to avoid fighting these things. After all, as much fun as he makes at Venus' expense, this would look bad in

the report.

 

"Through the door, quickly!" Cries Lark. They probably can't defend against 20 automatons at once without preparation, but maybe if they can block the door, soonly a couple of them can attack. She has a few seconds as the robots waste time doing acrobatics instead of just charging, so she calls for Infinite Martial Arts Mastery. Her fake anima fires up.

 

Ten bows to the altars, even as the robots flip around, then swiftly moves for the doors, skidding to a halt, spinning around, and grabs his long coat from underneath the arm of one, salutes, and then spins about, laughing the while, as hebegins to literally half-run half-dances through the doors.

 

Hearthstone Chamber: 

 

Brass Priestess stop at the threshold to the Hearth Room, not entering some programming kicks in as soon as the last person is across the threshold and they all return to thier guard positions. In the Hearth room itself the Moon hangs heavy in the air, nearing midnight and the altar of venus sits with a large chest on it with the Old Toungue Runes for Earth and Sea engraved in the chest, above the chest are three glowing orbs with hearth stones inset in them they turn to regard you, and you see that they sport Essence Cannons which are now leveling on you.

 

Ten looks at the cannons, a wide grin on his face. "Wonderful." He states, watching to see if they will fire immediately or are restrained.

 

Dreamer looks up at the floating orbs with cannons and raises an eyebrow. "Wow, Venus really packs some defense!" He pulls out his sword and the gauntlets spring out claws again. He looks between everyone and smiles. "Anyone got any other ideas or should I start tearing them up?"

 

Lark erks, "well, violence shouldn't happen in a temple of Venus?" Did she got the scriptures right? There were robo-ninjas just back there. "Maybe they won't shot if we act serene or something."

 

The essence cannons power up and begin tracking targets moving to flanking cross fire positions they prepare to open fire...

.

"Destroying them would be good!" Aza mutters. "I don't want to die in such a sleazy place!"

 

Dreamer leaps at the first of the cannons with his razor claws, smile on his face. "Finally! I was afraid it was all just relaxing and no fighting!" He swings a second time at the same one.

 

Ten lis yanked backwards, tugged around the room, evading shots with unnatural deftness, his body sweeps away, a puppet being pulled, and he laughs all the while, his kingly mien denying any blow a strike, his face flushed in the light of the rays.

 

The Three Essence cannons open up a barrage as they track the exalted around the room most shots miss but one catches Quicksilver in the leg.

 

Lark dances around the blasts, spreading her wings and charging to the closest cannon-wielding thing. "Too much for Serenity," she grumbles. Then slashes repeatedly at the automaton.

 

Ten continues to move forward toward the guardians and the chest, a smile his only defense, undaunted by the bolts flashing by his head, whiffing through his hair. "Come now," he shouts out to the room, "let us test your steeled hearts."

 

Azami leaps into the air, twisting in flight like a dancer as her robe floats about her and her arms wrap in close defensively. Cannon blasts scorch the air about her, leaving her unmarked.

 

Dreamer doesn't even seem to notice that he was shot, the wound not appearing on his form, oddly enough. His eyes look down on the cannon and he swings his short daiklave this time around, stabbing twice at the machine again. "Wow,I got shot!" He states the obvious.

 

Ten moves up, reaching the first steps of the raised dais towards the resting place of the elder, moving directly by one of the fluttering machines on his way,his face curled into a grin. " Come now, sweet Venus, what is worth this violence?" He takes a step.

 

As the three Essence cannons fall each has a hearthstone knocked out of the destroyed creations.

 

Lark lands among the debris of the destroyed spheres, smiling faintly. "Hey, three hearthstones? Can a manse have three of them?" She ducks to grab one of the jewels. "I guess it must be a very powerful manse."

 

Dreamer looks at one of the hearthstones, picking it up cautiously and examining it. "Hmmm... Nice." He looks towards the chest with a curious eye and a smile. "Ooooo, a treasure chest. Now, that is something -quite- nice." He moves closer to look carefully at it.

 

Ten opens the chest, gazing at whatever lies within.

 

Azami touches down again and looks up at her companions, watching as Ten opens up the chest. Rather than reach for the fallen stone however she goes to see where Dreamer was shot in the side, cool hands moving his arm out of the way. But no wounds!

 

Inside the chest is the head of a Pirate. Well the eye patch and captains hat makes you assume its a pirate. The one eye left opens and the voice comes from the dead head, "Thank you brothers and sisters for freeing me from my prison, may you reap everything you have sown this day, All hail the Yoozi" and with a flash the head turns to dust and a silver streak fires off into the sky.

 

Ten watches the streak flutter off into the air, his smile widening further. "Fare well," he calls, then begins to chuckle, breaking into a roaring laugh at the end. "Oh this place." He gestures about. "Too much." Turning back to the others, he simply shakes his head. "This day has been most profitable."

 

Dreamer stares at the chest, then looks at Ten, then the chest again, then once more at Ten. "What.. NO! Damn it!" He sighs and shakes his head. Son of a whore! Venus to be exact! He picks up the chest, grumbling as he puts the hearthstone into his pocket. "Well... That sucks."

 

Azami shrinks back when the pirate head... the YOZI pirate head becomes visible, a shock visible on her face that has nothing at all to do with the temple or the cannons or anything at all. The sight of the pirate and hearing it hail the Yozi simply knocks the wind out of her and she retreats, putting distance between

it and herself as if it could burn with sound, and watches the streak of light dissapate. All the blood has gone from her face. It's time to get the hell out of here.

 

"Profitable? That sounded like some Yozi-worshiping thing!" Lark glares Dreamer. "What the hell h

as happened right now?" Then to Ten, "hey you! Stop right there. There are killer robots in the other room, and I want answers!"

 

Ten walks down nonchalantly after opening it, towards the others. "Quite profitable. Three stones of a Manse's hearth, discovery of a lost Wyld pocket, and the mercy killing of hundreds who would have died tragic deaths of a horrifying plague." He stops for a moment, suddenly staring very intently at a nearby brazier. He walks swiftly over, and nudging it with his foot, moves it barely and inch to the left. Looking up with a smile he says, "and, we righted the world. Quite profitable."

 

Azami picks up the stone left on the floor and gazes at it in her hand, the moonwhite curtain of her hair obscuring her face, and thereby her thoughts.

 

Dreamer plugs the stone into his weapon's slot, seeing what the hearthstone will do when attuned. Might as well get something out of all this.

 

As the moon reaches Zenith the whole temple begins to shake and shudder through the double open doors you can see the temple is sinking into the ground, being swallowed up by the marsh again. You have just enough time to get clear, the Brass Priestesses don't seem to have a problem with you leaving, and you are able to grab your stufff on the way out, as you reach the swamp the temple is completely sunk beneath the marsh and no trace is left. The Spiders show you the way home and you are not hassled.