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 Posted: Sun Jun 02, 2013 2:57 pm
Without warning or any signs of anything to come, Azure's azurite crystal begins to glow. The glow becomes so bright, it is momentarily blinding. The moment it becomes blinding, there's an energy surge from within the crystal, and it erupts in all directions.
In its wake, the crystal is back to normal, but there is a glowing blue, incorporeal humming bird flitting in front of Azure. Once it has Azure's attention, it flies off into the trees, leaving a glowing blue trail behind.
It wants Azure to follow it.
((The hummingbird visage will lead Azure through the forest for a couple of days if he chooses to follow it.))
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:41 am
Azure was humming a happy tune as he flipped through one of the many books that Dyas had in her cave-home. He was reading a fairy tale, with magic and strange creatures, his favorite. He was in a happy place right now, knowing that the love of his life, Dyas, was just in the next room over, and that they never had to be apart ever again. It had been a long time since he had felt like this and felt like he could do the things he loved to do. As the angel flipped the page, the small satchel that was on his waist began to glow. It caught Azure's attention almost immediately and his humming stopped when he said "Hm?" Azure pulled his crystal out of the satchel and had to close his eyes immediately the light coming from it burned so brightly. He could see the bright light disappear through his eyelids and slowly opened his eyes. It took a moment for his eyes to adjust and refocus, but when they did he was staring straight into the eyes, or at least where the eyes would be, of a glowing blue hummingbird. "Magical..." Azure murmured as he picked up the crystal, no longer glowing, and turned it over in his hand. He knew the rock was magical, but it had never done anything like that before. When Azure looked back up, the bird was moving towards the entrance of the cave. "Hey where are you going. Azure waved his hand through the strange blue trail it left in its wake and quickly followed after it, "I'll... I'll be right back Dyas!" Azure shouted into the cave as he followed the hummingbird out of the cave. When he was out, the hummingbird quickly dashed into the forest. Azure hesitated for a moment, he didn't want to leave Dyas.... but something about this... he had to know what was going on. He made a guilty expression before following the bird into the forest. 'I told her I'll be right back... and I will...' He thought as he took to wing so that he could catch up to the glowing bird.
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 7:17 pm
The glowing blue hummingbird moved quickly, not allowing any time for thought or dawdling. If Azure was truly dedicated, he'd keep up. But the first hint of doubt and he'd lose the blue trial completely.
The hummingbird did not fly straight towards the destination; instead making a few pointed detours along the way. The first being the Ominous Cave in which there was some recent conflict.
Just beyond the cave in Loka Nei Forest, at the decrepit, jungle vegetation over-run temple the hummingbird visage stopped. It hovered for only a few seconds above a small hole with a ladder going down. After only about ten seconds, the hummingbird visage spun quickly, then burst into another wave of blue light, momentarily lighting up the temple ruins.
A blue trail went into the hole, disappearing into the darkness not allowing any visibility into the hole.
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 9:04 pm
Azure switched from flying to walking and back several times, it had been a long time since he had gotten this much exercise. It was certainly a task to keep up with this magical hummingbird, but Azure found something like this hard to resist. He had been almost certain that the hummingbird wanted him to follow, but now it seemed like it might never end. As the day continued, and Azure grew hungry, each berry bush and fruit tree that he passed grew more tantalizing. Azure frowned as he kept jogging on pass them, it didn't look like he was going to get any breaks. He rubbed his tummy sadly, wishing he had eaten more that morning. Finally they came upon the cave, Azure had to give it a second glance. It did look familiar, after-all he had only seen one cave with a strange pink glow to it. As Azure passed it, he peered into the entrance, wondering if he might see any sign of the dragon that the pae there had spoken of. There wasn't enough time to get a good look. Azure tried to develop some theories as to where he was going, if it had been entirely coincidence that he had passed by the dragon's cave. "Where are we going?" Azure huffed in exhaustion. Finally it stopped, and Azure could as well. He bent over and took several deep breaths, still keeping an eye on the bird and looking around at his surroundings. It seemed like this was where they were going, unless the ball of light was tired... Azure's thought was quickly answered by the explosion of light, and the angel drew raised his arm in front of his face to shield himself. Standing up straight and now taking shallow breaths, Azure followed the trail of light that was left to the hole. Azure looked down, unable to see anything except for the top of the ladder. "Hm..." He didn't like the idea of going down into the dark without any source of light. Azure pulled the crystal out of his satchel and shook it lightly to see if he might get it to glow again, but it was of no use. Azure glanced around again as he put away his crystal, looking for anything that might provide him a source of light. Nothing. Azure felt frustrated, he had followed the hummingbird all the way here... for nothing if he didn't continue on to where the bird had led him. But, if he went down there without a source of light, well he wouldn't get very far then either. Should he trust in... what?... magic? Azure sighed and put his hands on the ladder, pushing down on it to see how it would bare his weight. When he was satisfied he began to climb down, his eyes burning as they attempted to adjust to darkness.
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Posted: Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:54 pm
Once at the bottom of the ladder, which was oddly taller than one might expect, leading someone to believe this hole was a lot deeper than assumed, the glowing blue line would appear the moment Azure's foot touched the moss-covered stone floor.
The glowing blue line -- only a couple meters long -- would slither and zigzag along the floor like snake, leading Azure through the first level maze of the decrepit temple. Hanging on the wall just around the first corner is a light torch, increasing visibility.
At any point during this journey, Azure the right to turn around and return to the safety of his home.
The blue guide line would eventually lead the Angel Pae'il to a wall at the far end of the temple. The wall is covered in vines, moss and other overgrown foliage, but below the flora is a carved mural, but in the low light (and obvious cover, if Azure chooses to not cut it away) it's hard to make out what the mural depicts. The blue guide line slides up the wall, beneath the vegetation and forms a circle on the wall.
((Under the vines and overgrowth is a mural depicting a map. Its not a familiar map, but there are some landmarks that might look familiar. The blue line encircles an image of a small temple with upturned roof tiles, similar to the style of this temple. There other recognizable landmarks will include Alu Spring, the Naiad's temple, however most land Pae'il might not know what it fully looks like if they've never been underwater; and Laisidhiel which is unmistakable. There is a castle depiction in the south, towers in the north and whatever was in the center of these five landmarks has been vandalized and worn away so it's hard to see what it is.
There are also many other small spots, buildings, landmarks or stones in this mural, each looking like a potential puzzle piece, like it was carved and placed on this map separately.))
The blue guide line causes the raised carving of the temple to glow, making it stand out as if beckoning to Azure.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 3:11 pm
Azure was almost surprised when the light resumed moving as he finally set his feet back on the ground. With the hummingbird gone, he figured his guide was gone as well. However, he had gotten used to the whole "following a mysterious blue light" routine and continued to follow it. He was focusing on every detail that lit up when the blue line slid over it. Azure couldn't see much else beside it, the dark seemed darker when there was light. As they turned a corner he had to wince again as his eyes adjusted to the torch. Azure had always enjoyed exploring the forest, but being a cave-crawler... or whatever this place was, was new for him. His eyes drank up the new details that were revealed by the torch, the walls... did not seem natural like a cave. Azure picked up the torch, there still wasn't much time to dilly dally with his guide and he wasn't sure he'd be able to get very far without the blue line, even with his new torch. Even with more visibility, Azure still didn't really feel like he knew where he was, and he felt like he was going in circles, he had easily lost his sense of direction in this place. Apparently, being lost in the dark maze with Brandy had not improved on that. Just like that, it seemed like the light was gone. "Where did you go..." Azure whispered as he investigated the wall that the light had seemingly disappeared into, it was then he noticed it behind some of the vines. Azure yanked and pushed and pulled on the vegetation trying to clear it away and get to the light. He hadn't seen the whole picture yet, so when he stepped back the mural was revealed to him in the light of his torch. "Woah..." he wasn't sure he had ever seen anything like this before. It was like someone had taken a picture from the page of a book and placed it on the wall. Azure put his hand on the wall, feeling it, his hands tracing each of the landmark pictures. The tree was the only thing that looked slightly familiar. His hand lingered over the blank spot on the map... "Ok... what was here?" Azure was starting to wonder what this mural was a picture of, why would it be any place other then the island. Finally, Azure moved to what the blue guide had been trying to draw his attention to. "Are we here?" He asked the line, not expecting the silent light to give an answer. He touched the carving of the temple, tracing its lines with his finger. "Why am I here?" Azure glanced around the room again. The whole time he had followed the light he hadn't questioned where they were going, but now that it seemed like he was 'here', he began to wonder.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 4:16 pm
As Azure's fingers touched the different carvings on the murals, different insects and spiders scurried from behind, stirring up years of dust and most importantly, indicating that each carving was indeed a separate piece of this mural.
When Azure touched the carving of the temple, the light glowed brighter. If he was paying attention, he would notice the stone moved ever so slightly in direct relation to his touch.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 4:31 pm
"Ok, ok, I got it little guy. Something about this is important." Azure spoke aloud as he noticed the light change and realized it wasn't going anywhere new. Azure hadn't really noticed it move the first time, but he began fiddling with the temple carving mindlessly as he thought about what this all meant. Azure coughed on the dust that was disturbed as he moved the figure around, it was then his attention was brought back to the carving itself. He wiggled it again. "Hm..." Finally Azure attempted to pluck it right out of the wall...
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 5:18 pm
The pressure of the blue angel's finger tips on the stone carving (which is roughly a square meter) only caused it to rumble a bit, and start to depress. Any edges that had previously had any grip were gone as the carved stone was now just slightly depressed into the wall's mural. The blue glowing guideline continued to glow around the perimeter of the stones temple shape, with the glow becoming more brilliant the more Azure touched the stone.
A very faint echo of a young, female laugh faded as it entered the chamber with Azure and the mural.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 6:39 pm
Azure kept trying to grab at it, even as it started to sink into the wall. Had he done something wrong? There was now nothing left to grab at and his face became solemn. Somehow the light kept getting stronger, and Azure had already started to associate that with being a good thing. The angel's expression was puzzled and confused. Then he heard the feminine laugh. Azure shook his head rapidly. Maybe the light hadn't been a good thing after-all. A fear crept up in his heart, he had told Dyas he would be right back... what if he never came back? The blue boy bit at his lip, his head still shaking as he waved the torch back and forth around him, trying to see the source of the noise.
Azure had to wonder how the light was bad, it had sought him out... in a way... He had never really done anything that would make something bad come after him. Now, he had nothing but his crystal and his torch. "Hello?!" Azure called out, there was a small tremble in his voice.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 7:33 pm
Hello?
It seemed to echo off the walls, bouncing as if there was no one else present for miles, though it was ... rather obvious someone was, the giggles that followed echoing just as much. Small wings fluttered in the air, carrying a small fae child through the chamber to approach the angel near the glowing blue things.
"You're silly," cooed the little girl, rainbow feather bopping in the air as she turned her head to look at him. A little hum left her lips, before she zoomed in a bit closer to the stone carving, observing it with a soft, "Oooh," of fascination.
She went to touch it, pressing in on it, but the glowing ... seemed to stop entirely in response to what she did.
The young girl pouted.
"I guess it doesn't like me...~" Mournfully, the young girl flew around Azure and out the cave, giggles soon filling the chamber again.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:03 pm
Azure looked taken aback when the child approached him and called him silly. Well, that wasn't at all what he had expected. He stopped waving the torch and lowered it ever so slightly, watching the young girl poke at the mural. She didn't look evil. A child... it didn't even occur to him why there might be a child here. He had the strangest look on his face as he watched her, but the expression vanished when the light disappeared. "Hey, what did you do that for?" He asked, disappointed by the vanishing of his guide.
He narrowed his eyes at her as she flew off, she did kind of flit around like a hummingbird. When the giggles started up again he shouted, "are you the..." Azure changed his mind, that would sound crazy if she wasn't really the bird. "Did you lead me here?!" He asked as he moved back in front of the mural and touched the carving where his blue light had once been.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 8:31 pm
At Azure's touch on the mural, the recessed tablet carving of the temple lit up again as it had before Elarinya touched it. It may have even moved deeper into the mural just a smidge at Azure's light touch.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 9:20 pm
Azure tilted his head as the carving was lit again at his touch. Ok, now this was getting strange, as if it hadn't already been before. Azure shook his head in puzzlement. Was the girl not the hummingbird then? He stared at the temple for quite a while, pondering it. Clearly, he wasn't done here yet. He had tried pulling it out and had accomplished... nothing really. Azure supposed he could try pushing it further in... sure, what could it hurt? His mind easily jumped to all the things it could hurt, but he pushed it in anyways.
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Posted: Tue Jun 04, 2013 10:31 pm
The stone temple carving responded to Azure's push, moving deeper in to the mural until it just vanished in the darkness. Ever so slowly, from within the dark compartment, a dim little spec of white started flickering, as if coming on for the first time in eons. The light -- still dim, but visible -- grew to surround a small, dark object that was hovering inside.
If Azure chooses to reach in and touch the object, he will find that the glow will become brighter, revealing that the object is a black agate crystal with a single white glowing stripe. This crystal will only respond to Azure's touch.
Azure can choose to take the crystal, or leave it where it is.
If he takes it, it will react to the azurite crystal, but he loses his blue guide and will need to find his own way out of the underground maze.
If he leaves it, he will have the guide help him leave the underground maze, but he will permanently lose access to the black crystal.
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