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 Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 12:43 am
Aya examined the cave wall with a frown. There was a scratch marring it that she herself had caused earlier to mark the path that they took. The fact that Guyy and her had passed it three times already was greatly bothering her. With her memory, she knew that they had taken different routes every time they passed by this particular marker. And yet...and yet every route they took lead them to the same place where they had started out in.
The Ice Queen sighed as she thought about how they got into such a predicament. It had been a normal day really. Master Guyy and her had been blissfully working in the library when Parvati's experimental magic hit the both of them and transported them to this place. Aya had tried earlier on to transport them out but it seemed that the cave only allowed entrances and so, they had had to find a way out by walking around. She couldn't just use her magic to get them out of this place. She didn't know how deep they were underground (if they even were underground) and she might cause a cave-in.
What's worse, Aya winced as she heard the sound of something howling, is that they weren't alone in this dark and dank place. That thing seemed to be getting closer and closer the more time they spent in this place. Aya wasn't certain if it was real or just another one of the cave's tricks. What she did know was that they had best stay away from it since she was limited in her use of her magic.
"We seem to be walking in circles Master Guyy," Aya said as she continued her walk, "are you feeling alright?"
Aya knew that her lord needed heat to survive and this place was not providing enough of it. She still had one of her potions that regulated body heat but she wanted to save it until a time came for when Guyy wouldn't be able to walk anymore without it's help. It's effects were temporary after all and who knew just how long they were going to be stuck in here?
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:01 am
So far they had determined that this place - wherever it was - had no magical way out. At least none that Aya could find. And if Aya couldn't find it then Guyy doubted anyone could. They had also determined that this was somehow something to do with Parvarti and her efforts at honing her own magic. He expected the young girl might get a bit of a talking to when they got home. If they got home. And more concerning was the fact they seemed to be going in circles.
He'd tried following his own senses as best he could, but there were confusing heat currents down here. He couldn't be sure where the light breezes were coming from, up or down. This place was baffling. He was beginning to suspect that it was far from a normal sort of place. And it was underground which meant eventually he was going to get tired. And cold. He hoped they found their way out of here before then.
"Hm? So far so good." He nodded to Aya reassuringly. He would be fine for a while, though Parvarti had somewhat interrupted him before he'd had a chance to fully charge himself on the roof. His ear twitched. There was something down here with them, but he couldn't get a fix on it clearly with his other senses. "Haven't we been here before?" he grumbled, noticing the careful marks she had left on the wall. It didn't really need said, Aya herself had mentioned it.
They could take the left tunnel, or the right one. It didn't seem to matter, they always ended up back in the same place. For a moment he thought he sensed a flash of something big... or somethings... that was concerning. But it could just be his paranoia. He checked his PAD for the dozenth time and sighed. It wasn't getting a signal at all, which was very unusual. It was designed never to be out of signal range thanks to hijacking several satellites. Which meant they were somewhere out of satellite range.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 1:40 am
"I've been working out a theory. It could be that we aren't anywhere on Gaia. We might have been transported into an imaginary realm which is a common destination if one had yet to master teleportation magic. However, the lack of exit is throwing my theory off. It should be pretty easy to find an exit in an imaginary realm since it is not 'real'," Aya explained as she snapped her fingers and called forth a blue flame. It wasn't hot but it provided Master Guyy some light. She had surmised that whatever was following them didn't need to see to catch up to them so a little light wouldn't do much harm.
Aya felt through the wall, a frown on her delicate lips as she thought some more. Without warning, her hand passed through a not so solid wall and she was pulled inwards.
"GUYY!" she called out before she was sucked into the wall and he was left with her blue flame. She cringed at the fact that she had unintentionally called him without his title. She didn't get to think about that much as she had landed rather hard on her side. She let out a shout of pain as a particularly sharp rock embedded itself on her thigh. That was not good. She gritted her teeth as she sat up straight and pulled out the nasty thing, trying to keep quiet because her voice echoed throughout the cave. Quickly, she sprayed some of her ice magic on the bleeding wound and closed it temporarily. She was going to have to constantly check it to make certain that the magic didn't wear off.
The Ice Queen stood up and turned to the wall. She touched it, expecting to pass through it once again, but what happened and what she expected were two very different things. It was solid again. Fear began to crawl it's way up her spine at the fact that she and her lord had become separated. She shook her head to clear her mind. She could not panic. Not when she knew the most about this type of maze.
Maze.
Aya blinked as understanding came to her. This place wasn't a cavern at all. This was a maze! ...or a labyrinth. She cringed as she tapped the wall. So she was most definitely sure now that something was in here with them because both mazes and labyrinths always had a guardian or two...from her experience anyway. AND from her experience once again, she knew that there was a trick to be found with the two of them. Lucky for her, she might have already solved the puzzle.
"Master Guyy?" she called out, not knowing if he could hear her or not, "can you hear me? Please answer me!"
From where Guyy had been left, he would be able to hear Aya's voice. He just wouldn't be able to tell where it was coming from though since the noise kept bouncing from one wall to the next.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 3:48 pm
"It could be that we aren't anywhere on Gaia."
He was afraid of that. The fact that the PAD wasn't getting a signal suggested one of two things. One possibility was that they were so deep a signal from the satellites simply couldn't penetrate the rock. The other was that there simply were no satellites to hijack. And that meant... well. What Aya had theorised. He grimaced with concern. They were both in danger in that case. Aya would be able to outlast him easily, but not indefinitely. She had her own needs.
A gentle blue light illuminated the passageway, bouncing off the rough-hewn walls and floor. It was some comfort to see again, though blindness was not as much of a concern for him. He was used to it, after so long cursed with it. What had bothered him most was the fact his shadow senses seemed a little unreliable down here, often telling him there were passages where they met wall, and wall where they found passages. He didn't like it one bit. He almost felt... human.
He turned and inspected the opposite wall curiously, tapping it with a finger suspiciously as Aya's hands moved over the rock on her side of the tunnel. The surprised shriek she gave him made him turn sharply on his heel. It wasn't like her to be so informal, even when in danger. Something had caught her off-guard and anything that could do that was, as far as he was concerned, not a good thing at all. All he saw were her feet vanishing through the solid rock.
"Oh, Mother Gaia... AYA!" he shouted after her, his fingers missing her by inches as he threw himself after her. A resounding thud and some muttered cursing echoed in the tunnel. It was now empty save for a small blue flame and Guyy rubbing a bruise on his forehead. He gathered his wits and reached out. The wall was made of a very solid rock, yet he had just seen her vanish through it. "Not good, not good..." he mumbled as he scrabbled at the surface hopelessly. There was no telling what had happened to her.
Her voice rang through the passages from somewhere. He paused and cocked his head, but the echo effect made finding her position impossible. He couldn't even tell whether the pockets of cold he could sense around the area were her or just random cold spots like they had been encountering for a while. The PAD had pretty much given up and just showed a large flashing error screen instead of her location.
"Aya, are you okay? Where are you? What happened?" he asked loudly, hoping he could follow her voice or at least stay in contact until he searched every single possible cold spot personally.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 10:45 pm
Aya looked around. The Ice Queen thrived in darkness and as such, she was able to make out the fine features of the cave but having said that, she could honestly tell her lord that she had no idea as to her location. This wasn't like the cave that the two of them had been walking through earlier. In fact it was more detailed. She could see a couple of golden linings here and there, possibly from a buried building or a forgotten temple.
"I am alright Master Guyy. I just have a little scrape," Aya lied as she winced when a jolt of pain flashed through her body. Even though she had sealed the wound, there was still no concealing the fact that she had received an injury. The rock had embedded itself deeply into her thigh and even though her ice was trying to numb the feeling, the disadvantage was still there. Still, telling her lord that she was fine would alleviate his worries and that was what was important. They couldn't afford to panic and if letting Guyy believe that she was in top condition would erase his fears, then so be it.
"I do not know what happened. I cannot pass through the wall again. My guess is that it only allows one person to pass through and only once. There might be more of these things so please keep an eye out for them."
Slowly, Aya began walking. She managed three unsteady steps before her injured leg gave out and she was forced to kneel. She gritted her teeth and used the wall to bring herself up again. This was not the time to be weak. She couldn't afford it.
"Can you find me? I think it's best if you kept moving and I stayed put."
It needn't be explained. If Guyy kept moving, he would generate more body heat and since Aya could barely stand anyway, it worked to her advantage.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 11:12 pm
It was reassuring to hear her voice, even if he couldn't quite place it. He paced up and down the floor a little way as she replied to him, trying to work out if her voice got louder in any particular direction. He thought it was slightly louder to the north. It was as good as anything. He was a little concerned by the fact she was admitting to having a little scrape. Normally that wouldn't be enough for her to mention, so she was probably trying to ease his mind. She wouldn't want to lie to him, but she wouldn't want to worry him either. Maybe she'd gotten a cut or a sprain, or maybe she really just had a scrape like she said. Without being able to sense her he couldn't tell for sure. He resolved to find her and check out this alleged scrape for himself.
He hadn't given much thought to the fact that walking around would help warm him up, he was more worried that he might not find Aya again. She was always the calmer one in a crisis, and always more sensible. He just remembered being told as a kid that if he got lost somewhere, he should stay put until someone found him. This time it would be Aya staying put, it would be foolish to have them both wandering around in such an unpredictable place. He set his jaw with determination.
"I think I can follow the sound of your voice. You'll have to keep talking until I work out where you are." He called back to her.
North. At least, he thought it was north. It was hard to tell which direction was which down here. Somewhere in the distance there was a faint noise that may have been the wind or a howl of a hunting predator. Another reason to find Aya quickly. They were much stronger together, and it would be easier for them to combine their talents to look out for possible dangers. He'd have to listen carefully as he walked. It was a good thing his skills were in stealth and silence. Hopefully he could avoid attracting any attention to himself and prevent anything following him right to his clanmate.
"I'll keep all my senses out for more tricks like that wall." he promised her, pleased to find the little flame stayed close to him as he walked. That was convenient. "Try and find some place safe to wait for me, just in case. An alcove perhaps, out of sight. And don't stop talking until I can work out where you are. Tell me something, anything. I'm sure you have some fascinating tales to tell after all." he grinned wryly, she had a very interesting history. No doubt there were a few long stories she could tell him to help him find her.
With his goal in mind and hopefully at the end of the tunnel he was heading down, he set off with all the optimism he could muster, given his complete loss of direction and logic.
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Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2009 11:46 pm
"Understood," Aya replied as she searched for such as place as instructed. There, a little ways to her left was a big rock. She supposed it was as good as any. Limping, she walked over to her temporary camp and sat down behind it. She was pleased to know that behind the thing was a very spacious before it was blocked by more of the cave's walls. Just for precaution, she made an ice wall at the entrance to have some sort of defense while she waited for her lord to discover her.
Now for the second part of his instruction. She pursed her lips as her brows furrowed. A story? Aya tugged at hair, clearly uncomfortable with telling her lord about her past. Now that she knew she was alone, Aya let it be known to the world that she could be fidgety if given the right circumstances. She cleared her throat and decided to tell him a little bit about her life.
"...I...came from a temple that once upon a time, had an alliance with Penthesilea's Citadel. As you know by now, my temple was destroyed because the Adelhyde Society attacked it...but that was not what killed the priests and priestesses whom resided there."
She stopped, unable to continue telling someone, even her lord, of such a dark memory. She still couldn't forget that night. She often had nightmares about it but she kept it a secret from everyone, including Caine. She didn't want to worry any one of them but the truth of the matter was, Aya became a nocturnal creature because she feared sleep. Sleeping meant that she'd visit her past and that was something she was not ready to do. Not yet anyway.
"Anyway, Magus found me and brought me to the citadel. I was then raised by Lady Mercedes and Lord Belias," she said as she smiled at the memory, "Lord Belias often scolds me and doesn't let me have any dessert whenever I don't call him 'daddy'. What about you Master Guyy? Any memories you'd like to share?"
Aya was definitely not going to be the only person to share something personal if she could help it. Fair is fair after all.
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Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2009 12:20 am
There was a moment of silence from Aya, Guyy assumed she was finding a place to settle down. He slunk down the passageway, checking ahead of himself for danger. So far so good. Aya's voice began to sound through the maze clearly. Perhaps it was a little clearer before. He hoped so, either that or it was wishful thinking on his part. He smiled and listened as she began speaking of her home and then cut herself off.
Part of him wanted to ask what had really happened to the priests and priestesses, but the way that she stopped mid tale suggested she really wasn't comfortable talking about it. Not yet anyway. All the same he kept that snippet of information. Perhaps sometime in the future she might want to expand on her thoughts. He broke into a smile and even laughed softly when she mentioned the punishment for not using such a term of affection for her adopted father. It was a cute image in his mind, even if it was hard imagining her in such a domestic situation.
"Me? I'm supposed to be following your voice you know." he smirked, relieved that her voice did at least seem to be increasing in volume. He must be on the right track. "I'm afraid I don't have any heartwarming stories about my adoptive parents. Mostly because I didn't have any adoptive parents. Just my mother, until... well. Zeta." he frowned, remembering his mother's sacrifice. "I guess we're both a little unlucky in some respects, though I must say you came out the better for being raised in such a noble family. You positively blossomed I would say." he grinned.
He turned a corner and paused, thinking he sensed something but whatever it was vanished out of his perception as suddenly as he sensed it. It was safe enough to continue. He ran his hand along the wall as he walked, following the contours of the maze.
"I doubt the Boss can ever count as a father figure. Hm. Guess I never had one of those at all now I think about it. Jack is like a brother at least. A troublesome pain in the... oh, bother!"
He stumbled through a patch of thick wall, or what appeared to be thick wall anyway. Now he was lost again. Tapping the wall revealed that it was solid once more. Another trick. He sighed heavily and looked around.
"Can you still hear me Aya? I think that I got moved somewhere." he frowned.
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 2:45 am
Aya looked up, suddenly very worried. What happened? She was about to call out to him when she heard him talk again. His voice came from the east...or was it south? She wasn't certain but the sound let her let go of the breath she didn't know she was holding and had her tense shoulders relaxing. He must have encountered one of those 'ghost walls' again. She frowned, a little bit annoyed at the interruption. Master Guyy had been giving her a lot of information about himself and then THAT had to happen. Was she cursed to forever have an important event be interrupted? She sighed, calming down her temper, and massaged her temples. This was no time to get worked up. It was the combined stress of being injured, being lost, and being separated from her lord that was making her cranky.
Tch. Get a hold of yourself Aya! You're supposed to be the calm one!
"I can still hear you. I do not think there is a need to worry about not hearing each other. The pathways are all connected and if my guess is right, then there is probably some sort of trick to this. Keep an eye out for a pedestal or a lone statue or anything at all that looks strange," Aya replied before her voice took on a more serious tone, "Master Guyy, stay away from them if you see anything like them. More often than not, those things are guarded by something and it is best if we confront the guardian with the both of us."
Aya abruptly cut herself of as alarm bells rang in her ears. She tensed her body as she readied herself to act at a moment's notice. Her injury was all but forgotten in light of the new situation. Something was here...with her or getting nearer she wasn't certain. Was it because she'd been talking and leading it right to her by not moving. She gritted her teeth in consternation. How was she supposed to lead her lord to her if she didn't make any noise? The Ice Queen's violet orbs narrowed in expectation when she heard something...footsteps stop right on the other side of her rock. There was a moment of silence before she heard it quickly moving away. She didn't know which direction though and she didn't risk a look. She just hoped that it wasn't heading in her lord's direction.
She waited for a few more minutes before she talked again.
"Master Guyy, I am now certain that something is here with us. Be careful. It might be heading towards you."
...now what? Err...right. The story.
"...I'll...continue with my tale I suppose. Oh and thank you for the compliment Master Guyy. You wouldn't have the same opinion of me if you knew me as a child though," Aya said with a small chuckle, "I was very clumsy and curious. I used to break anything that I got my small hands on and since curiosity knew no bounds, no one could stop me from holding a dangerous artifact or a sharp sword...hmm...except for maybe Caine. He'd give me the look he often gave Parvati whenever she did something wrong and I would reluctantly put the item back where it belonged. If I didn't do as he 'asked' he would carry me back to the library and make me read books to him which wasn't really a punishment to me. I loved to read."
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Posted: Mon Jan 05, 2009 3:58 pm
Statues and pedestals should be avoided. That sounded like very sound advice to him, even if curiosity often got the better of him when it came to fine art. But magic tended to have rules of its own as these troublesome caverns seemed more than eager to prove. He was delighted however to discover that her voice was as clear as ever, though now he had to find his bearings once more. After a moment of thinking about it he figured the movement hadn't been that great after all, perhaps a passageway further to the east than he had been, but still on track. Perhaps these trick walls were even being helpful, for all he could tell.
"I'm not too keen on this type of puzzle. I much prefer crosswords you know." he remarked as he turned north and took a few cautionary steps. It felt clear so far. He stopped when Aya went silent for a moment, concerned until she spoke again. "I take it you just had a closer encounter than is comfortable with one of those sorts of guardian things?" he didn't need to ask if she was okay, she wouldn't have continued her tale if she was in any serious danger. He moved forward, taking her warning quite seriously and moving as stealthily as he could. If it got too bad he could try and cloud himself in his own shadows and hide the little blue flame. For now movement was his priority.
"Well at least I know where Parvarti gets those traits now." he chuckled through the dim light. "She's certainly destructively curious. Too smart for her own good too." he grinned. He decided it might be better not to mention her apparent fondness for his kitchen knives, now wasn't really the time. "I still have the same opinion of your grace and nobleness. I was hardly the model of a perfect child myself. I was an uncouth and foolish urchin as a boy. At least I'm not an urchin any more. I was all arms and legs and clumsiness for years. Like Bambi." he chuckled. One of the downsides to his unique physiology had been puberty. Most of the other street lads had a growth spurt or two and then were clumsy while they worked out their new, longer limbs. His spurt was sudden and vast and he had twice as many muscles to get to grips with.
"He probably knew fine well that was no punishment for you at the time. He probably just loved to hear you reading to him. And it worked, you would get distracted from whatever trouble you were causing. There are much worse ways to get a mischievous kid under control, after all. And far worse distractions." he said that with a grim frown on his features. His unique physiology might have been to blame for his clumsiness, but it was his unique metabolism that had turned him into the perfect test subject when abused. "Wish I'd been able to afford more books. I had what I was given and most of that I ended up destroying accidentally. Guess I really was clumsy, huh?"
He paused by an ornate archway carved into the rock and leading into a sort of depression in the wall. He investigated it carefully with all of his available senses, even going so far as to creep to the edge and wave his hand inside the hollow. It was decorated, but empty. That was curious. He stepped inside and tapped the wall a few times, listening to the dull thud of his hand against the rock and running his fingers along the carvings gently. He recognised them from somewhere, they were definitely uncommon and probably ancient. He wished he had a decent camera or at least paper and charcoal to copy them down with for further study.
This, he decided, was probably one of those things best avoided like Aya had cautioned him. He peered around the edge to check the coast was clear before he made another move.
"You seem a little more familiar with this sort of thing than me, it's probably worth mentioning there are carvings down here. Looks vaguely late chalcolithic era to me, but a bit more refined, possibly due to a lack of erosion. Whatever it is seems almost ritualistic, or it could be recounting a historical tale. I don't really have the tools or time to assess anything more detailed than that right now unfortunately. You still fine down there?" he asked, slipping back into the passageway and taking the opportunity to light a quick cigarette while she (presumably) couldn't smell it.
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Posted: Tue Jan 06, 2009 1:22 pm
"You still fine down there?"
"Yes. I'm still alright," Aya lied again as she redid her 'band-aid' spell. The truth of the matter was, was that she was getting quite famished. She'd been using magic for a while now and even though the Dragon Orb that resided within her body supplied her with an unlimited amount of energy, she was still chained to the limitations of the flesh. Using magic required a great deal of spiritual energy as well as body energy and everyone knew that the normal energy from a human's body came from food. She sighed as she leaned further back into her 'hide-out'. She was going to die of starvation if she kept up her spell work.
How frustrating. She wished she had brought her healing balm with her to close the wound if only temporarily.
"Being in the company of Sidhes...one gets used to tricks and illusions with time," Aya said in reply to his comment about her being used to such situations, "about those carvings...you're probably close to where I am. I noticed some sort of buried building earlier before I relocated. Perhaps the two are connected?"
So...her choices were to either bleed to death or to continue using magic and eventually starve herself so much that she wouldn't be able to move. Her eyes narrowed. She would just have to starve for a little while. Her magic was going to be limited some more but that was the best course of action. She couldn't leave a blood trail because that would truly be stupid. There were many spells different beings could do if they got a hold of someone's blood and Aya was not willing to experience one of those spells.
"I never thought of it that way...my reading to Caine I meant," Aya said as she let out a small laugh, "that man...there are many layers of him that I do not understand at all and yet, he knows everything about me. Going so far as to guessing what I am thinking. I do not know why he has yet to exhibit any signs of boredom. I-oh! Pardon me Master Guyy. I did not mean to let my mouth run away like that."
Aya closed in on herself, sheer embarrassment radiating from her person. She'd talked about her love life with her lord! It felt like she was talking about her sex life (which was nonexistent for the time being) with Lord Belias, her father! Maybe the strain was getting to her. She was going to have to watch her words more from now on. As it was, she didn't think she was going to be able to face Master Guyy without turning a slight shade of red anytime soon.
And Caine might interpret it differently too.
Argh!
Aya massaged her temple. She was thinking too much again. She really needed a distraction.
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Posted: Sun Jan 11, 2009 7:48 pm
A buried building? That was a fascinating thought. He contemplated the building and its method of burial as Aya spoke to him of Caine with the sort of enthusiasm she normally reserved for a brand new potion that did something amazing and unlikely. He stifled a small chuckle as she caught herself and apologised for speaking of such matters to him. He didn't mind in the slightest, in fact it was very refreshing to see this side of the Ice Queen.
"Really, no apologies required at all. It's fascinating to hear you speak of him like that. You must really have a lot of respect and admiration for him." he grinned to himself, carefully choosing his words to be polite instead of entirely embarrassing for her. He could easily have enjoyed himself remarking on her obvious affections for the man after all. He walked along, running his hand across the wall as he headed towards her, curious as to whether he might find more signs of a building. Before long he found another recess, smaller and less ornate.
"I can't see why he'd be bored of you. You're very entertaining, especially for a man like that. You're intelligent enough to be on his mental level and mysterious enough that I am sure you provide both surprises and a challenge... ah!" he grinned as he realised what he was exploring, waving the little light closer to himself. "I think I've found a window. But it's blocked with rubble." he mentioned conversationally, carefully moving some of the smaller rocks to see if perhaps there might be a way in. Or out. The building may be an exit or a clue to the strange maze. He paused for a moment as he heard something approach in the distance.
He waved his hand and climbed into the recess the window provided. Clouded in his own shadows he obscured himself and the little light, making sure it was doused entirely. He had to rely on his other senses now, holding his breath and staying perfectly motionless as the creature, and it did seem to be a creature and not a person, paused nearby and sniffed the ground around the base of the wall. Practise in such situations paid off as the thudding of paws told him the creature was now following his scent trail in the wrong direction. Luck was on his side, but only for a while.
Once sure it was well and truly out of range he finally dropped his shadowy shroud and stepping back into the hallway. He couldn't do that too often, not without a way to replenish his energy reserves. As it was he felt a little tired. But resting would practically be a death sentence for him. He couldn't afford to waste the strength he had left.
"Our mysterious friend got a little too close for comfort for a moment there." he frowned, speaking up to reassure Aya that he was quite safe and doing his best to hide his own diminishing energy from her. Bright, breezy and optimistic as always. "I don't know how much strength you have, or if it would do any good, but I might have an idea. If you can drop the temperature around yourself far enough for a few seconds it might just be enough for me to get a better fix on you." he suggested. The cold might make her feel a little more comfortable wherever she was hiding too. He studied the blocked window, wondering if a large burst of shadows might be enough to dislodge them when he was given a little mental prod.
Myurr, curious as always, silently indicated the fact that he would be able to flow through the rubble, slipping between the boulders easily. Guyy rested his hand on a rock and let the snake go to discover what was on the other side if he could, a flick of his long tail waving a cheerful see you later as the shadow vanished from sight. He'd see for himself what was hidden in the building if Myurr made it through without hitch.
"He certainly seems to have plenty of respect for you." Guyy smiled as he picked up his easier conversation with Aya. He knew of the Sidhe and the tales, they did not get so attached to mortals lightly and he knew fine well how jealously Caine guarded the priestess.
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Posted: Mon Jan 12, 2009 12:42 am
"You must really have a lot of respect and admiration for him."
That was underestimating it really. Aya knew that she would do anything that the Lord Lacquer required of her. And her limitless devotion to him frightened her to the point that she trembled every time she thought about it. She bit her bottom lip and threw away the stray thoughts. Hadn't she decided that she would not venture forth into such a relationship? She knew that their society would never accept such a match and yet, here she was, thinking about it again.
Caine had dug himself a hole in her skin and he was slowly integrating himself into her mind. And he'd done it in such a way that she hadn't noticed until it was too late. Aya mightily scowled at the wall. She could not lose her resolve in their battle. Thinking about him was just what that manipulative oaf wanted her to do. Well she was not going to have it! She was going to do everything it took to distract herself. He was not going to win! And if he did, then she was going to make certain that he worked for it.
Aya looked up, her lips forming into a frown as her lord went silent after announcing that he had found a window. Did he explore it? At the thought, Aya felt a twinge of annoyance. She'd told him very firmly to lay off the investigation at least until the two of them had been reunited. Or did he encounter something? She was about to speak up to ask him if he was alright when she heard his voice again. Her shoulders sagged in relief. She really couldn't take anymore scares today.
She was going to ground Parvati when they found a way out of this mess.
"I don't know how much strength you have, or if it would do any good, but I might have an idea. If you can drop the temperature around yourself far enough for a few seconds it might just be enough for me to get a better fix on you."
"Alright. A moment if you would."
That was a plan. It would actually be easier for her to lower the temperature. It would put less strain on the part of her mind that she attributed to the control of her magic. So thinking, she took a deep breath and relaxed her whole body as she exhaled. At the same time, she released the death grip she had on her wild powers and let them loose. It was quick to spark and in a matter of seconds, her area around her was a hundred degrees below freezing point. She didn't let it spread farther than her wall of ice though. It could be dangerous if Master Guyy was near.
"He certainly seems to have plenty of respect for you."
"He better!" Aya said as she winced at how her reply had come so naturally to her. She was getting all worked up again and all Guyy had to do was insert a few choice words here and there, "he wouldn't be such a good lord if he didn't at the very least, respect his subjects," she continued, quickly saving herself from anymore embarrassing escapades. She didn't know if Master Guyy bought it or not though. Good thing that they were apart at the moment or else he would have seen the red tint of her cheeks.
"Lord Lacquer lives in a different society than us Master Guyy. His blood is a noble one, undiluted through the ages," she said as she turned a small rock in her hands, "he's not allowed to mingle with peasants and the like but it does not stop him from befriending his subjects. He's not even allowed to interact with me actually but there he goes, bothering me with his playfulness whenever he sees me."
Though her words were not exactly sweet, the warmth in them could be felt for miles away. Indeed, Guyy was right in his musing back in the chimera village. Sometimes the things that Aya did not say held more value than the things she did say.
"Why did he have to be so wonderful?" Aya whispered to herself as she continued to examine the small rock, "this whole game would be so much easier if he was not himself."
The last part of the sentence was said in a normal tone and Guyy would no doubt hear it. It didn't matter to Aya. Master Guyy wouldn't be able to understand the meaning in it anyway...or at least, she hoped he wouldn't. The head librarian could be surprisingly sharp at times.
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Posted: Thu Jan 22, 2009 1:25 am
Guyy could be sharp in some matters, and almost painfully dumb in others. The heart was one area he was sharp in. He'd spent most of his youth completely abusing that particular skill and manipulating them, after all. But there was no trace of that familiar malice in either Caine or Aya (not that he would ever suspect Aya would be capable of such treachery anyway) and that made him smile. He laughed out loud at her blurted reply and then more so at her hasty excuse for it.
"Ah yes, so it is his subjects you are concerned for. Are you not technically one of his subjects though?" he grinned. He was blatantly teasing her. "Well, if he is such a bother to you perhaps I ought to ask him if he would kindly cease this... game of his?" he smirked, knowing fine well that Aya would be horrified at the mere suggestion of it and knowing all too well that nothing about their relationship was a game at all, even if he was far from familiar with the details. He'd seen the way she would occasionally crack a soft smile at mention of him, before catching herself and returning to her neutral expression. Even now her words, though fussy, held a fondness in them that was unmistakable.
He scanned about as he spoke to her and then felt a wave of icy chill. That had to be Aya, nothing else could drop the temperature so sharply. He shuddered involuntarily, glad for the insulation the stone walls provided. It would be all too easy for her to turn the entire maze to ice if she wanted to. He grinned and turned. She wasn't too far away, unless there was some trick that the caverns were playing.
"You know, it occurs to me that if games are too easy they are no fun." He remarked casually as he headed in her direction, referring to the overheard comment she made about Caine. "Things that aren't a challenge are often not worth doing. Wouldn't things be ever so much more... boring that way?" he chuckled, rounding a corner and finding a dead end. "Oh bother. It seems you are behind another wall." he sighed.
It was just then that he got a flash of a message from Myurr. Now and then he'd been sending back rather unhelpful images of more corridors and a couple of carvings. He'd apparently slithered in much the same direction as Guyy had been walking. The snakeman laughed and clapped his hands in amusement.
"I can see you though." he chuckled. Myurr had located the rock Aya was hiding behind. "It looks like the contents of the building includes you. Now I just have to get in there without being eaten." Or tiring out, he thought, though he didn't mention that to her. "Hold on, I'll try the window again, see if I can take the route Myurr did." He decided, backtracking and leaving the shadow snake with her for company.
It took him just a moment to return to the window and start pulling rocks down from it. He stacked them at his feet, finding them growing increasingly heavy as he worked. Eventually he uncovered something a lot more solid. That was not a window. He waved the little light closer to see and found what looked like a sculpture of a large, angry looking dog.
"Oh... dear." he frowned. This was most definitely not something he wanted to find between him and the other side. He could feel the rush of cool air from the room behind the sculpture, just a few more rocks and he'd be through. "Aya, I take it statues of big dogs are on the bad list?" he said, rapping it on the forehead with his knuckles inquisitively. It didn't react. "Actually, this would look quite nice outside the library. I wonder if I could take it back with us?" he mused with a chuckle, letting it be for the time being and pushing at the heavy rocks blocking his path.
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Posted: Fri Jan 23, 2009 4:44 am
"I doubt it would do much good if you were to tell Caine to back off," Aya replied dryly, "the man does as he wants and he'll just find a way to bring you to his side."
She was very serious about that one. Caine was very stubborn and he just didn't know the meaning of 'no'. The Lord Lacquer would probably find a way to manipulate Guyy into teaming up with him. And with those two forces combined, there was no way Aya had a chance of fighting back. Kaori would probably back them up too once Guyy 'convinced' her that it was the right thing to do. She'd be doomed.
"So no thank you although I do appreciate the gesture...and besides, this is between me and the Lord Lacquer."
Aya minded her expressions. Now that Myurr was somewhere in the near vicinity, she couldn't afford to be lax. She put her hand on her wound, covering it lightly and hoped that Master Guyy had yet to notice it. She raised a single brow when he informed her that he had found a big dog statue. She shook her head lightly. It puzzled her greatly as to why Guyy was such an attraction to the paranormal. She supposed she shouldn't really be confused at such a thing. He was the leader of the Shinigami Clan, a pack of different beings that normal people had no idea even existed.
"Stay away from it if you can help it Master Guyy," Aya replied, "and don't do anything silly like knocking on it or the like."
The moment she finished speaking however, the surroundings blurred before they twisted into something completely different. Aya stood up, suddenly forgetting about her injury, and tensed her body. Her senses were on high alert and her hand was itching to release her ice sword. Violet eyes roamed her vicinity as the hair at the back of her neck rose. There was someone watching her. Aya narrowed her eyes as she stood perfectly still, trying to hear or see something or someone.
"You touched it didn't you?" was Aya's accusing question as she scowled at the blurry walls, wishing instead that she was glaring disapprovingly at her lord.
The surroundings in the meantime, however, had shaped themselves into a ...mirror cavern? Aya frowned as she eyed her reflection on the mirror. Cautiously, she touched the smooth surface. It wasn't a mirror. It was a crystal. A very smooth one. Turning around, she found that her surroundings were made of the same material and they were reflecting her body every which way. Her eyes widened however, when she found a figure behind her. She immediately turned around and found, to her frustration, that no one was there. She was simply glaring at her own reflection again. She turned back around, noting silently that the figure was still behind her. It hadn't moved an inch.
"I do believe it is best that you find me as soon as possible Master Guyy. I can see someone behind me in my reflection. It is not the same as the creature earlier. It is humanoid in shape and...and it's simply cloaked in shadows."
She glared at the figure before looking away, choosing instead to scan her surroundings. There was no way to hide here so she had better be alert at all times. There was something about this place that was making her nervous. It was as if...as if it was calling out to her. As if it knew her. What frightened her the most was that it was beginning to feel very familiar as well.
"I...I think I know this place...I just cannot remember...something happened here. Something very important but I just can't remember what it is."
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