< Jungle Fe-... Lizards | Ex Pulplogs | Corve Emerges >
After dealing with the five Stalkers, Xar insists the Circle help him search for any other savage, man-eating Dragon Kings that might be in the area. With understandable reluctance, the three humans spread out to help Xar find more "friends". Having already disabled the five that ambushed them and tied them with heavy vines, they leave those five near the river in a small clearing.
As they split up to search the surrounding area, the four are met with varying degrees of success. Corve finds nothing at all except a large stand of glowing mushrooms that seem to be singing a song about prancing deer in a meadow. It makes him feel oddly satisfied to stand and listen to the song. But after a while he gets bored and leaves.
Carmine finds evidence of Stalkers, but the tracks and shed skin she finds could well belong to the five Stalkers that they already defeated.
Xar has the best luck of all, naturally, finding a hidden entrance to an underground series of tunnels behind a moss-covered deadfall. From the tracks and other signs left behind, he surmises that the Stalkers make their home in these underground caverns. More may dwell within.
Xar`Rex returns to their meeting place, the clearing with the disabled stalkers, checks on the poor things, and waits for the others to return.
Carmine wanders back too. "I found some tracks but they didn't go anywhere..."
Corve comes back empty-handed. "I found some singing 'shrooms, but nothing worth while."
Myrrh also meets with success, if one looks at it in a certain light. He stumbles into a thorny tangle of jungle vines and finds himself face-to-face with a massively twisted beast that resembles, in as much as a bulk ogre does any normal mammal, the crocodilian Stalkers from the riverbed. Huge and bloated with muscle and folds of fat, the beast's impossible jaws open wide as it grabs for the tasty-looking Solar!
Xar`Rex "Where is Myrrh?"
Corve "No clue. He went that way, I think." He waves in a direction vaguely.
From the direction indicated there is an incredibly loud roaring sound!
Corve blinks, and sighs, shaking his head. "Come on then," he says with a slightly exhasperated sigh as he unholsters his weapon and takes off sprinting towards the ruckus.
Myrrh "Hello! my friends would like to...oh dear." Tries backing away from the things giant jaws!
Xar`Rex "Oh." he looks in that direction, then takes off after Corve
Carmine runs after Corve and Xar
Mutated Stalker chomps, scratches and bites on the intruding Solar but Myrrh darts away from the attacks like a shadow, escaping the whirlwind of claws and biting with only a scratch on his cheek. Whew!
Myrrh "That is a BAD...gator thing!" Lifts up the barrel of the Revolution like a club and brings it down on top of the creatures thick scaly skull, still struggling against the damn scratching brambles and vines!
Mutated Stalker chases Myrrh from the tangle of thornbushes in which it had been hiding. It ignores Myrrh's petty attempt at disciplining it and roars again, guiding the rest of the Circle to its location.
Mutated Stalker frees itself from the last of the vines that had been entrapping it and stands at its full height, nearly 15 feet. The vast towering hulk bellows at the sky, flailing its four arms in impotent rage. Clearly, whatever Wyld menace has twisted this poor creature has rendered it insane. The black scales on its back flex and shake and give off a horrid stench as tiny tentacles wave from all over the beast.
Carmine Carmime smiles gleefully, not breaking her stride. This time she wouldn't need to hold back and so she doens't, running and leaping, drawing Eminence up the things body before flipping at the apex of her leap and slashing it again and again as she falls down to land on the jungle floor.
Carmine watches as it falls to pieces in front of her.
Mutated Stalker tries to defend itself from Carmine's onslaught, with a flurry of claws and the thickness of its armored hide but both are useless. Eminence slices through the claws, leaving the monster unarmed and slices through its hide, leaving it in steaming hunks, quivering on the jungle floor.
Xar`Rex halts his charge, pulling up shortly as the pieces of ex-stalker fall to the ground in a spray of blood
Corve trots to a stop as he watches his lover slash the creature to ribbons, and simply smiles a little, grimacing at the brutality of it all. And they say -he's- violent. He walks towards Carmine, placing a hand on her shoulder and kisses her cheek. "Feel better, love?"
Myrrh "Uh...thanks?"
Myrrh glances a the stalker bits all over the jungle.
Xar`Rex looks glumly at the bits.
Myrrh "I've never seen one so huge before...then again i've never seen one with four arms before either. Must be the wyld."
Carmine kisses Corve back and nods a little.
Xar`Rex "The Wyld is cruel.
Myrrh "Well did you guys find anything?"
Xar`Rex "I have found where they live, I think."
Myrrh "Well that will be useful when we come back. I don't think we can carry around a whole nest..."
Xar`Rex "No, perhaps we should release the ones we captured near the nest, so that we can come back.
Corve shrugs a little, wrapping an arm around Carmine's waist. "I s'pose we could do that. Frankly, I'm not too comfortable with setting them loose... but since they're your... erm, bretheren, the decision's up to you, Xar."
Myrrh "Oh Xar, the bugs are working as planned. Had a small scratch but it's all gone now." Rubs the previously wounded cheek appreciatively.
Xar`Rex frowns, with a sigh. "I do not have time to educate them properly before Brume is cast into the sea."
Myrrh "Don't worry Xar, we can come back later. I doubt they're going anywhere."
Carmine scowls at the wounded cheek and the glows within Myrrh and Xar.
Mutated Stalker The Sesselja, sensing it is being talked about, peers out of Myrrh's arm, a tiny pair of black eyes rising from his forearm just below the end of his sleeve.
Corve "Hey, buddy, you got eyes on your wrist."
Myrrh "Oh, that's just the Sesselja. Stomach Bottle Bugs. Useful guys but a bit too fond of the drink..."
Xar`Rex speaks the rites of his people over the sadly mutated dragon king, and sets him afire.
Corve "Yeah. Uh. It's creepy."
Mutated Stalker The little bug continues to watch from inside Myrrh as the five stalkers are gathered up and deposited unconscious near the entrance to their cave. Having done this, the Circle is free to continue along the riverbank towards the headwater and the supposed location of this hidden temple.
Myrrh "Well it's not tha-...well ok it's a little creepy but a little creepy is better than a little dead."
Mutated Stalker The small insect crawls up Myrrh's arm and retreats into his chest, becoming invisible once again.
Corve just shrugs and shakes his head, taking Carmine's hand and squeezing it. "A little quicker is better than a little creepy." He winks.
ST`' Myrrh can still feel the little guy inside him, poking around somewhere near his liver.
Xar`Rex "I did not know there were so many of my race here."
Xar`Rex wonders what they will think of him, once they know intelligence.
Myrrh "Well maybe there was a city of theirs out here before everything collapsed? I mean this wasn't always so full of the Wyld."
Corve "When we're done saving Brume, Xar, I'm sure we'll all be happy to try and help you... errm... educate them."
Xar`Rex brightens a bit, "You will? That is very kind of you."
Corve "If it's important to you, of course we will; we're family. At least as far as -I'm- concerned." Corve knows how easily family can be lost, and how important it can be. He may not show it much, but he does appreciate the three of them, even the Dragon King whom he hasn't known for decades and whom he doesn't sleep with. Ahem.
ST`' Having settled that particular situation, the Circle returns to their trek through the jungle.
ST`' This time its Corve who ends up dragging behind the others while Myrrh seems to have recovered his second wind. Carmine and Xar, of course, never have trouble with the jungle's heat and humidity. But the other two seem to be trading off for who will be the dragging, sweat-soaked, hard-breathing bug-bitten one.
Corve "Fucking... bugs..." he says, apparently pondering whether or not he can -shoot them.-
Carmine looks symmpathetically at her lover, dropping back to walk with him.
Corve smiles at her and winks. "Someday I'll get Myrrh to make me really small bullets..."
Xar`Rex looks back "Do you wish to rest?"
Myrrh "No what you'd need is some sort of bug attracting and incinerating field..."
Corve "Naw," he says, waving a hand. "Keep going..."
Xar`Rex "Would you like me to light your skin on fire so they cannot reach you?"
Xar`Rex "It doesn't hurt a bit."
Myrrh "I suppose I could try to make some sort of anti-bug talisman..."
ST`' And keep going the Circle does. The river continues to narrow until it becomes a stream. Then, hours later, it has become a creek. Finally they come to a vast clearing which, upon inspection, is covered by something not at all like grass. Instead of blades of grass, tiny pine-trees no more then an inch tall, carpet the ground. It's very odd. And smells very strongly.
Corve looks at Carmine as if to say 'Save me, please, our friends are insane.'
ST`' Amid the carpet of very tiny pine trees there are larger trees, some about the size of a man, some the size of a bulk-ogre. And then there is a circle of five trees that reach up, up, up into the sky and not even Xar can make out where their crowns may be. The clouds obscure the leafy tops of those five trees. And even linking hands the Circle could not surround them with all four sets of arms.
ST`' Amidst those five arboreal behemoths rests a tiny stone building, no taller then Corve. A dark opening is its only feature. Inside the opening there is only a staircase. Nothing else. No light, no torch holder, just a staircase.
Carmine eyes the dark staircase with suspicion.
Corve raises a brow and then shrugs. "Does Xar even fit in there?"
Xar`Rex "I can make myself fit."
Corve "Alright then. So, do we suppose this is it?"
Xar`Rex "If it is not, it will be also interesting."
Corve "Maybe. Hopefully it's what we're looking for."
Myrrh "It could wind up being another manse...of course that last one was rather dangerous."
Corve "Either way, we have to go in, so..."
Corve unholsters his rifle and walks towards the entrance, silver and pale purple suddenly bursting from his Caste Mark to light their way. "Let's get this over with."
Myrrh shoulders his large rifle, not sure if it's going to be very useful in such cramped quarters but just so long as carmine's in front of them they shouldn't have much trouble.
Xar`Rex flexes, and his claws, already iron, cover themselves in golden sheathes
Xar`Rex then slips in behind the others
Carmine follows behind corve, nodding. "...What's happened to your claws, Xar?"
Xar`Rex "Let me go first, " he looks at Carmine, "Oh, it is the Unforeseen Advantage."
Myrrh "Are you sure about that Xar? You might not be able to fly out of a pit-trap if you're all stoney."
Xar`Rex "I have flown many times when stone."
Myrrh "Well yes but I don't remember any spikes involved before..."
Xar`Rex "Besides, I fight with my claws. You others have weapons that have a long range.
ST`' There don't seem to be any pit traps. Just stairs carved from dark stone that the Circle is slowly descending into darkness. As they go further down the staircase a scent wafts up towards them, a heavy musky smell of indeterminate origin. A rhythmic pulsing grows in the deep darkness as well, sending small vibrations through the staircase.
Myrrh "That doesn't sound normal for an ancient temple..."
Xar`Rex "Perhaps it is easier to get out than in."
Corve "Like prison, you mean?"
Xar`Rex "Hmm yes prison is very easy to get into, with you as friends." he says with a grin
Corve rolls his eyes and continues to walk. "You do something against the law, you get accused of poilice brutality... you follow the law... you get tossed in the pen and don't hear the end of it... nothing makes you people happy," he retorts, but not with bad nature. He's just jesting.
ST`' The circle moves deeper, further down the staircase. Darkness continues to press in around the edges of Corve's anima-light, trying to smother it but failing. And the scent grows stronger, moving from an odor to a heavy miasma in the air. The thrumming vibrations grow stronger until the stairs tremble regularly. Tremble. Pause. Tremble. Pause. Tremble.
Myrrh "Hmmm...well it might be something rather large snoring...very large. Huge maybe. Gargantuan."
ST`' There is a lessening of the darkness ahead. Not a light, but just an area of less complete darkness. It seems flatter then the rest of the black hole they are descending. They may be near reaching the end of this staircase.
ST`' Corve and Carmine recall another dark staircase that seemed as if it would never end. Just thinking of that dark place and the stairs makes Corve's muscles protest.
Corve "So you're basically saying we're near another Behemoth," he says to his friend, frowning.
Myrrh "Maybe. Could be some sort of giant cat riding tribe of amazon warriors. It's hard to tell just from breathing you know."
Carmine "Another one?"
Xar`Rex "It could be. Whatever it is, it is large."
ST`' A few steps later, the matter is revealed. They have reached the bottom of the staircase and Corve's light shines upon the source of both the smell and the noise. In the stone wall in front of them there is a massive face, carved from the same black rock as everything else down here. Except...upon inspection, it is not rock. Wood? Some kind of stone-hard wood, black on black.
Corve opens his mouth to talk to Carmine, but is shushed by the appearance of the black, carved face. "Oh... -weird.-"
ST`' The face is huge, taller then Corve on Myrrh's shoulders would be. It resembles a dog in some ways, with a furry snout, flat nose and floppy ears. In other ways, a reptile. For under the fur are traces of scales and snakelike fangs protrude from the lips. But, even stranger, massive fans of feathers are carved spreading out from the face. Feathers like none anyone has ever seen.
ST`' The face does not move, but it *vibrates* in rhythm with the snorting, shaking sounds of breathing. And it certainly seems to be the place the smell issues from.
Corve scratches his head a little and looks at the rest of them, raising an eyebrow. "Huh."
ST`' Aside from the wood-carved face, there is nothing here at the base of the stairwell.
Carmine stares at the face, intensely curious
ST`' Myrrh vaguely recalls a description in some moldering tome he ran across while researching the Far East to find that other Manse. It may have been a description of this face before him. A behemoth indeed, but one supposed to have been slain in the early days of the War.
Myrrh "That's odd...this one is supposed to be dead."
Corve "Well... we've seen stranger."
Myrrh "It is a Behemoth though, but it was killed early in the war against the primordials."
Xar`Rex "Maybe it is dead."
Xar`Rex "Or maybe the Viper has resurrected it."
Corve shrugs. "Not the first time we've walked into one. How do we make it... errm... talk, I guess?"
Xar`Rex "I suppose we could.. knock?"
Xar`Rex "Or give it a breath mint."
Myrrh "Well Behemoths are odd...they're unique. He might be able to talk or maybe not. There's not a similar one in the bunch."
Corve shrugs and looks at the face straight on. "Hey, big'un, wake up." He taps on the thing's nose with the butt of his rifle softly.
ST`' The eyes, each as large as Corve's head' slowly blink open. They stare out from the carved wooden face. They look like those of a dog: amber iris, round pupil, white at the very edges when they turn to peer at those standing before it.
Behemoth yawns slowly, revealing a cavernous mouth that all four visitors could easily step into, full of sharp, black teeth. A pink tongue licks at the air and at the muzzle of the beast as it slowly wakes itself.
Behemoth "Who wakes me?"
Corve smiles at the behemoth. "Hi."
Behemoth "Are you the one who would enter?"
Xar`Rex "We four would enter."
Carmine nods
Corve He raises an eyebrow. "We're not sure if that's us. What criteria does the one who would enter meet?"
Behemoth snorts, sending a cloud of dusty odor at Xar and Carmine. "Only one may enter. If more were to attempt to pass within, I would devour them and they would simmer in my belly until all life and essence was leeched from them, then make their bones a part of me." The behemoth yawns again.
Myrrh "Alright, just one of us it is!:"
Corve "Right. So, what criteria does 'the one who would enter' have to meet?"
Behemoth "One must enter alone and unarmed. That is all."
Corve "What would the one enter... for?"
Behemoth "To find the Temple."
Corve "The Temple... of?"
Xar`Rex looks around at the others thoughtfully
Behemoth "The Temple of the Five Pines. When I was young, I foolishly devoured it and the land around it for many miles. But I was defeated by the armies who rose against my mother and prisoned here, to return the Temple to its resting place."
Myrrh "If you don't mind me asking, how are you still alive? I thought you were killed in the war."
Behemoth "I was not."
Corve "Ah. Is this the temple where he who enters will find information that conceals a way to stop the Black Viper Cult?"
Behemoth "It may be. I have never looked inside the temple."
Corve "And whoever enters will be able to leave in the same manner..?"
Behemoth "Unless they earn their destruction within."
Corve "Is there anything specific that would earn that? Taking something in particular... or something of the kin?"
Xar`Rex "Can you look inside?"
Behemoth "There are many things that may earn destruction within. The temple has its own defenses, as do I."
Corve "My friend asks an interesting question. Would you be willing to peek inside for us?"
Behemoth "No."
Corve "Not to offend, but is there any particular reason..?"
Behemoth "I am tired. Enter, or let me go back to sleep."
Corve "One moment while we meet, then, if you please," he says, and then turns back to the others, looking at them with an obvious set to his eyes. He wants to go in.
Myrrh "Well...maybe Xar should go? I mean he's hard to kill and Xeth can translate things? Of course he might count as two people..."
Xar`Rex "If it is your wish, I can go."
Myrrh "Well we don't know what's in there...no offense carmine but you're talents are more towards the combative than the translative."
Myrrh "Maybe Corve or I should go?"
Carmine "And what if the problem is one of fighting?"
Myrrh "We don't know that though...hmmm..."
Corve sighs and scratches his head.
Xar`Rex "I can fight, but not as well as you."
Corve "I'm not sure the Behemoth would be very happy, love, if he found out you -were- armed after all," he says into Carmine's ear softly. "And I'd hate for you to be swallowed without me."
Myrrh "Well I can probably defend myself with some of my spells if worst comes to worst. And I do have some rubbing paper..."
Xar`Rex runs his claws through his feathers
Carmine looks unhappy. "Perhaps Xar should go, then."
Corve kisses Carmine's cheek. "I still think I can find whatever it is easier..." he says. "Besides, if it's for saving Brume... it's my job. On leave or not."
Xar`Rex "I do not know what to look for"
Carmine "But you can't fight without your guns...If you need to defend yourself..."
Corve "I'll get out of the way."
Myrrh "Well i'd suggest taking a bug with you then? In case your lower intestine is being gnawed upon?"
Corve slides his holsters and hands his two six shooters and machete to Myrrh, and his rifle to Carmine. "I'm... not sure I want a demon in my stomach, buddy."
Myrrh "Well alright, don't say I didn't warn you. Although I could get one of those armor blob ones..."
Corve looks at Carmine, wondering how she'd feel if he took one of Myrrh's demon-bugs.
Xar`Rex shrugs. "Be safe, Corve. Call if you need us, and we will come for you regardless."
Corve smirks at Xar, raising a brow. "Call? Scaley, I'll scream like a little girl if it'll get you down there when I'm in trouble." He chuckles a little.
Corve nods all around and then turns to the behemoth. "I'm going in," he says, this time speaking to it.
Carmine really doesn't like the idea of Corve with demon bugs inside him, but then she banishes that look and pulls him around to kiss his lips. "...Be safe."
Behemoth "Then enter" The beast yawns once more, though this time it simply holds its massive jaws open like some kind of monstrous doorway. The black fangs drip with saliva, but the beast shows no signs of closing its mouth. It waits for Corve.
Corve kisses her back, smiling. "... Always." He kisses her again, a short, loving one, and then turns, leaping through the behemoth's maw and disappearing into inky darkness.
Behemoth closes his mouth once Corve steps within, surrounding the Night-Caste with dank darkness. Darkness that expands, brightens and reveals a twisted wooden..behemothscape that does not resemble the inside of any living being at all.
Behemoth Instead of moving organs or muscles the behemoth's inside is a vast, wooden space. In the distance, a considerable distance that is, Corve can make out the shape of the supposed Temple, a vast stepped pyramid made of black wood. But between him and the temple lays a considerable forest of dark trees.
Corve scratches his chin a little, and then shrugs. "Alright then." He starts walking.
Behemoth The forest gathers in response to the intrusion, clustering tightly around Corve. What was once a path is now a hopeless morass of roots, branches, hanging moss and piles of leaves. The trees may as well be a single entity for all the space that exists between their bases. Only narrow passageways exist between the heavy, black trunks.
Corve sniffs a little, running a finger under his nose and coating himself in fluid, flexible Essence, his limbs becoming limber and his body lighter as he bounces on the balls of his toes for a moment, before launching himself upwards, and beginning to climb and move along the trees, twisting and walking over impossibly thin branches that should not be able to hold his weight.
Xar`Rex pushes through behind Corve, and calls out "Corve? Where are you?"
Corve stops, lifting himself to a tree branch and looks down, raising a brow at the Dragon King below. "Xar... what the hell are you doing in here? One person, remember?"
Xar`Rex "I am not human." he shrugs, looking up at him
Corve "The behemoth didn't specify species," he says, giving Xar a 'that's so not an excuse' look.
Xar`Rex "Well I am here. Besides, what is the worst thing that will happen?" He grins toothily
Corve "Remember the last time we were inside one of these?" he asks, frowning.
Xar`Rex "We came out fine. Help me up." He raises a hand to Corve.
Corve blinks, looking down at the Dragon King. "Uh, Xar... I'm not sitting on the sturdiest branch," he says, shifting a little so the lizard can see that it really shouldn't be holding Corve's weight, much less both of theirs.
Xar`Rex "Well you cannot leave me behind."
Corve rolls his eyes and looks through the weird, scraggly woods. "Well, you can always try flying over it."
Xar`Rex crouches, then jumps into the air, wings beating strongly, although impeded by the tangly growth
Behemoth As Xar jumps into the air, vicious fanged, clawed beasts detach themselves from the forest and fly after him. Nasty, twisted beings they are not actually animals...flying clawed tree monsters is a better description! They batter at Xar with their gnarled roots, tangling in his wings and spitting acidic sap at him
Corve "Xar!" Crap, without a weapon, he can't do anything to help the Dragon King...
Extra Vicious Tree Monster claws at Xar with his wooden talons, making some sort of creaking noise.
Viscious Tree Monster leaps on Xar, claws gleaming somehow even in the bizzare lighting of the place, trying to close its jaws around one of Xar's magnificant feathered wings, vines scrabbling for purchase on his stony hide
Xar`Rex flails, surprised, and bats the claws away from himself, and shouts, "Corve!" trying to get away!
Behemoth Corve is left with, as he sees it, only a few choices. He can forge on ahead, hoping Xar will defeat the monsters on his own, he can stay and try to fight them, unarmed as he is, or retreat and hope the Behemoth will allow both of them to escape alive.
Corve can't retreat. And he can't leave Xar. Damn Dragon King, doing stuff after they've agreed on something different!
Corve moves along the trees, getting closer to where Xar is to see if he can help.
Xar`Rex growls, as the thorns scratch his hide, drawing blood and feathers
Behemoth While Corve can reach Xar, he could only do so by leaping upon either the beleagured Dragon King or one of the tree-monsters.
Xar`Rex "Go on, Corve," he says gruffly. "I don't need your help!"
Corve shakes his head, and leaps onto one of the vicious creatures, wrapping his arms around it into an aerial clinch, his Essence-fuled frame protecting him from any hurt the ground might cause him upon landing.
Behemoth The monster shrugs Corve off, dropping him to the ground.
Corve lands, and begins to climbs the tree again.
Behemoth This time Corve notices something he had not seen earlier. Behind him, the forest is crumbling away into a vicious landscape of heaving vines and pools of steaming sap. Waving thorns as long as his arm slash the air with hunger and rage
Corve pauses in his climb, and shakes his head. "Bloody great."
Behemoth As he waits, this vicious ground is gaining on him. It moves in quickly, all around. The only "safe" direction is forward: toward the temple. If Corve stays here, he will be trapped in that vicious landscape.
Corve looks at Xar, and then at the changing landscape. "Xar! I have to go! Follow me when you can!" He doesn't want to leave his friend, but he's no use to the Dragon King dead. With a sudden rush, he begins to move along the trees again, swinging, leaping, and sliding along the trunks and branches as if he were made for this.
Xar`Rex beats his wings, trying to get over the trees
Behemoth The trees near Xar are already changing, vicious vines snaring the Dragon-King and trying to drag him from the sky! Huge thorns lash at him and newly blooming flowers spit gobs of flesh-dissolving acid
Behemoth As Corve watches, Xar is dragged under the canopy of this fast-spreading forest. The vines writhe and heave near where he was dragged down, twisting around in unknowable patterns.
Xar`Rex screams, a sound you've never heard come out of his mouth before, as he is dragged, down, struggling
Xar`Rex "Corve!" his voice fades away, "I failed you..."
Corve looks over his shoulder, and doesn't see the Dragon King. "... Xar..." He narrows his eyes and clenches his jaw. "Hold tight, buddy! We'll get you out! Just... hold tight!" he says, and continues on his way, knowing that without his weapons he can't even begin to help his friend. Behemoth With Xar....gone...the killing forest subsides and starts to fade away as Corve makes his trip toward the center, the Temple that supposedly holds the secret to the origin of the Black Viper Cult.
Behemoth The twisting, maze-like path he must follow from atop the trees winds for some distance without interruption. But eventually, as Corve anticipated, one arrives in his path. The trees drop away and only a single dead husk remains, bridging a vast yawning cavern with heaving, boiling sap at its bottom, countless yards bellow. The grumbling rumbles that come from within and writhing forms seen distantly mark this as a chasm to the belly
Behemoth of the beast.
Corve stops at the bridge and sits down, heaving and trying to control himself. His friend was gone. His friend... gone. "Just remember this, Behemoth," he says, standing up again and walking acorss the tree with a calm, defiant step. He doesn't even try to balance himself- Essence does it for him. "... because one day we'll be back to take our due."
Behemoth The behemoth's vastness around Corve laughs, a rumbling that shakes the entire world. Its voice emerges from a knot in the tree under Corve that suddenly has the shape of the creature's face. "Your friend violated the terms. He is *my* due, Exalted."
Corve steps on the 'face' in the tree as he passes. "If you're powerful to set terms like those, you should be powerful enough to spit him out unharmed if unwanted. There was no need to kill him."
Behemoth "He heard the terms as you did. If more then one enters, they will be mine to devour."
Behemoth The tree under Corve's feet crack ominously as the Solar steps upon the face-knot. "If you wish to pass the rest of the way, you will accept your friend's fate and show me no ill-will."
Corve doesn't seem to care. Instead, he just makes an obscene gesture and continues moving.
Behemoth The tree cracks again, sending a shudder through its dead trunk. It starts to sag under Corve's weight.
Corve does a little jig, smiling bitterly. He's light as a feather, and could probably dance across the chasm on a bridge of ashes.
Behemoth The tree stretches out before Corve. There is a lot more between him and the other side then there liked to be previously..
Corve continues moving, noticing the increase in distance and pondering, idly, what the Behemoth is trying to do. Scare him? Fat chance. But he does stop dancing... no use pissing the thing off more. They'll it eventually.
Corve They'll kill it eventually.*
Behemoth "Your friend is not going to be freed. He is below you, in the pit. The sap of my belly is sucking away his essence, entrapping his soul. He will never return to Creation. Nor will the god within him."
Corve "Does rubbing it in make you feel more powerful? Killing my family didn't do it for you?"
Behemoth "He is not yet dead. For a hundred years I will feast on his essence and strength."
Corve "Uh huh. Good luck with that. Knowing Xar, he'll give you indigestion worthy of any vengeance."
Behemoth "Do you think the others will try to follow him? They heard his screams. The woman looked particularly tasty. I would enjoy feasting upon her."
Corve "Do you enjoy taunting me? Because if that's the way it's going to be, you should go talk with your buddy Shajumani. He had us in his belly for like a day, you know."
Behemoth Corve steps off the dead tree and the voice of the Behemoth rumbles its world-shaking laugh once more. The tree behind Corve shatters and falls into the chasm, leaving Corve only one way to travel.
Corve snorts a little. "Thousands of years, and you still can't get the maniacal laughter right." He shakes his head and then turns towards the temple, walking inside.
Behemoth Corve steps into a vast wooden hall at the base of the stepped pyramid. It turns out to be smaller then he expected. The entire inside of the structure is hollow, covered every inch with vast murals in startling color and detail. From the little he takes in at a glance he can tell these murals are what he's come to find. In the center of the room there is a multi-level wooden platform that allows easy viewing of all the various mural
Behemoth And standing at the base of that platform is....Xar?
Corve blinks... and then rushes forward, each step covering several yards as he rushes towards what seems to be his friend.
Xar`Rex wavers, a ghostly image of his former self. His Feathers are in tatters, and as you watch, his scales are being slowly ripped away. "Corve..." he whispers
Corve reaches towards the Dragon King to grab him.
Xar`Rex reaches for Corve, but his great paws are as insubstantial as a mist
Corve falls to his knees at the ghostly emanation's feet, clawing at the ground. "You fucking BASTARD!"
Xar`Rex "Please, Corve, you have to save me." he whispers, drawing his tattered wings around himself like a shield. "I'm so sorry..."
Corve "I will, Xar. One way or another, I will."
Xar`Rex "You must hurry..." He points to the wards surrounding them. "But.. there is a price. It almost did not tell me what it was..."
Corve "What is it? Tell me."
Xar`Rex "The words you must read... they are what bind me here... and the time is short." he says brokenly. "I.. I can not ask you to pay this price.. You must save Brume."
Corve "What's the price, Xar?!"
Xar`Rex "The knowledge you seek is in the murals."
Corve stands, and walks towards the murals...
Behemoth The murals tease Corve, blurred and indistinct as he looks at them closely. But as he studies one, it starts to clear, like mist burning away before the sun.
Xar`Rex screams again, as a section of his wing is burned away by acid. "Leave me, Corve... You can not save both me and Brume."
Corve "Shut up, Xar. You made one decision today. Time for me to make mine."
Corve lights his Caste Mark to read better, and shun the darkness the behemoth is trying to use to hide the murals from him.
Behemoth The blurriness is still clearing at a sedate, steady pace. But as it clears, Xar's outline is growing less substantial.
Corve turns to look at Xar... "Xar... tell me how to save you. DO IT NOW, YOU STUPID LIZARD!"
Xar`Rex "I can't let you ...ARGH... I can't let you do it. Read the murals!"
Corve "Why not?!"
Xar`Rex "Quickly, before they are gone"
Xar`Rex "I am only one, and not even a true member of my race. You must save everyone. Your home. Your land. Your family."
Corve is still reading the mural as he talks to Xar. "You -are- my family."
Behemoth As the mural starts to become understandable, Xar starts fading even faster. But Corve can make out certain details now.
Xar`Rex "I was foolish, I disobeyed the words of The Great One. I am sorry, Corve. You must be strong..." he growls in pain, though it is faint. "Tell the others that I love them. Tell them I died fighting, honorably... please."
Corve "I'd rather you tell them you didn't die at all..."
Xar`Rex lapses into silence, with gritted teeth, so he does not disturb his friend's mission.
Behemoth The murals are only a few seconds from revealing themselves completely to Corve and along with their colorful illustrations, the history of the Black Vipers.
Behemoth But even as Corve watches, Xar's spectral self becomes a misty haze with only a moment before it vanishes left!
Corve can't do anything unless Xar tells him how to save him...
Xar`Rex remains steadfastly silent
Corve "Xar... just tell me. Please."
Behemoth The shadowy mist twists in agony as the behemoth starts to dissolve it away into 100 years of entrapment and torment! In moments, it will be gone forever, beyond saving!
Xar`Rex groans.. "You have to destroy the murals. You have to destroy everything we fought so hard to find."
Xar`Rex "But you can't do it. I won't let you!" He staggers spectrally forward, towards Corve
Behemoth Out of the corner of Corve's eye, the mural sharpens and he knows that if he turned toward it, he could read it. It would tell him the secrets of the Cult's past, their origin, the nature of the Great Serpent of Shadows. But if he does....what will happen to Xar?!
Corve couldn't break the murals even if he tried. He reads, tears in his eyes, trying to absorb the information as the anguish reaps pain, anguish, and increible ire through him. He makes a promise to himself, even as he feels Xar fading. They'll come back. Stronger. Better. And they'll put this beast to rest for the rest of time. Even if it takes centuries to become that powerful- Corve will be back. Even if he has
Corve * to come -alone.- Corve. Will. Be. Back.
Xar`Rex "Goodbye, Corve... you made the right choice..."
Behemoth The murals, now that Corve turns to them, leaving his friend to the Behemoth, are sharp and crisp, brightly colored. And in their pictures lay all the information Corve was told would be here.
Corve "I didn't have a choice, my friend."
Xar`Rex fades away into nothingness, leaving behind a single solid feather.
Behemoth The murals show the creation of the Great Serpent of Shadows. Born from the Ebon Dragon when his coils first shielded Creation from the harsh, unyielding light of the new-born Sun, the Serpent of Shadows was a lesser echo of the Ebon Dragon that wound its way into the deep places of Creation, tunneling its way through the lands forged by Cythera and Gaia.
Behemoth For eons it lived underground, content in darkness and silence. It's massive tunnels became the vast Underscape that exists below Creation even today. And for eons, it never rose above the surface. Until its master called it. The armies of the Exalted, turned against the Primordials, went to war.
Behemoth Corve has to admire the craftsmanship in the panels describing the Primordial War. Images in mere paint upon simple, ancient planks of wood capture the power and grace of those early Exalted better then words ever could. In the paintings he can see the first Charms used, Charms beyond his understanding unleashed.
Behemoth Demons larger then islands stride across battlefields littered with mortal corpses, dead Dragon-Kings, slain beings he's never heard of. And are defeated.
Behemoth Finally the Serpent is shown, rising above the surface for the first time since it was born. Into the light of Creation the immense black coils heave themselves, wrapping around the Blessed Isle as a snake does around the neck of its victim.
Behemoth The head is vaster then the Imperial Mountain and its fangs drip venom that carve vast chasms into the surface of Creation, venom that poisons the Inner Sea for years.
Behemoth But the Exalted come against the Serpent and they unleash magics stolen from the very Primordials that spawned the Serpent. And it is defeated. Destroyed.
Behemoth It falls back into the Underscape, the dark hollows that it carved out of Creation in life.
Behemoth And there, dying, it finds other dead. Dead servants of the Primordials. Dead Exalted. Dead mortals, Dragon-Kings. Demons, gods. The dead of all the things in the world have been hurled into its once-pristine home.
Behemoth And the Serpent feeds on them, drawing them into itself. As it dies, it becomes all the things that have died before it, with it. Those that died killing it and those who died killing its killers.
Behemoth Bloated with power stolen from the dead, the Serpent is too heavy to be dragged away into the Underworld when the first Primordial dies and the Underworld forms. Too stubborn, too strong, too fat. Instead it clings to Creation, even dead.
Behemoth But it falls away from true Creation, existing in a limbo that only it exists in. A shadowy grey plain from where it touches both worlds. Creation and the Underworld.
Behemoth And while the Serpent sleeps, the things it ate are awake. Part of it, but still themselves. They go into both worlds through the living descendants of their flesh. And in the minds of those they touch, they raise the Cult.
Corve isn't really as... amazed as perhaps he should be. Instead, all he feels is intense, burning hatred for what he sees. A being that should've never been, that caused pain and death, and then would not -die.- Well, Corve doesn't abide by things that don't die when they're killed. And he'll kill it. Once and for all. And leave its master trembling at the sight of him and his Circle mates.
Corve burns his Caste Mark with even more brilliance as he learns about this not-dead serpent. It won't end with the Serpent of Shadow. It will not end with this behemoth, or Rivoshi, the traitorous goddess. It will end when every single enemy Corve can find connected to his friend's death is dead. Even if it takes millenia. He was Chosen by the Unconquered Sun. He's got time.
Behemoth The murals continue, moving through time as the Cult gathers strength, converting people to the worship of this Great Shadow Serpent that defied death, defied the very creation of the Underworld. The last Mural is the strangest.
Behemoth It depicts the sleeping form of the Shadow Serpent being wrapped in glittering Soulsteel Chains by clouds of darkness so malignant, so vile that Corve can sense their evil even through the paintings. These clouds, Malfeans, possibly? bind the dead, bloated behemoth to their will and raise it up. Its mind, already expanded by the dead it consumed, is awakened from somnolance.
Behemoth Below the writing coils of the behemoth are pictured four sharp-edged, spine-covered cages of Soulsteel, each holding a radiance that glitters golden-black and holds within itself a form writhing in torment.
Behemoth Above, waits Creation. Sleeping. Unguarded. Defenseless.
Behemoth From the series of murals Corve is able to piece bits together. Tiny details in the borders, little symbolic metaphors hidden in the pictures. Some of the landmarks in the murals suggest ways that the Sunken City may be discovered as well as something else: the Masters of the Cult who dwell in that sunken city
Behemoth They are the dead whom the Serpent Devoured.
Behemoth The murals also suggest that it may be possible to reach the limbo where the Serpent dwells, in between Creation and the Underworld, from the City. Or that the City might be within it. But reaching the limbo-realm is suggested to be possible. The Underscape of Creation may also contain passages to its featureless plane.
Behemoth And there are secrets pointing at great things of importance to the cult, things they fear and revere, honor and abhor, in the Underscape.
Corve comits everything to memory, and turns once he's finished learning all he can, hours later. He walks to the feather Xar left him, and picks it up, sliding it into his pocket carefully, and then walks to the wooden murals, checking them again for anything he's missed. Once he's sure...
Behemoth The world around Corve shakes again as the behemoth chuckles. "You have finished, little Solar?"
Corve destroys the murals, until they're so much kindling they might as well be ash.
Corve crushes the last piece of wood under his heel and then leaves the temple. "You'll know when I'm finished."
Behemoth "I think you are finished now" The ground under Corve trembles, shakes..and yawns open into a vast chasm bottomed in darkness!
Corve recognizes that tone in the behemoth's voice. It's the tone of trecheary. Fueld by Essence and empowered by rage, the Solar pours his very being into a mighty leap, sending his figure thrumming through the air of the temple, leaving the chasm below as a gaping maw that cannot claim him like it claimed his friend.
Behemoth Corve manages to get ahead of the spreading chasm, but it is still chasing after him from behind, spreading through the ground, headed towards him!
Corve lands, tucks, rolls, and leaps into a sprint, his feet pounding into the behemoth's very being as he escapes the vicious evil creature's attempt to finish him off like he killed Xar.
Behemoth Ahead of Corve is the forest, behind the spreading chasm. To chance the fall...or the living vines that pulled down his friend?
Corve continues running, his balance and agility perfect- and suddendly, a vicious coil of Essence bursts beofre him, and he leaps through it, coating himself in Essence so fluid and shaded, that is wraps around him, making him like a shadow in water, doubly etheral.
Behemoth Corve tumbles and struggles his way through the forest, ducking curling vines and vicious thorns. Unlike the unfortunate Dragon-King, Corve's battle with the living forest of the Behemoth ends in success. Corve's feet hit the trail leading back up the beast's throat and the forest's rage is impotent against him.
Corve continues running along the trail, unhalted by the vines, the forest, or anything else.
Behemoth Corve reaches the end of the trail and the dark-shrouded portal that will, he thinks, send him back into the mouth of the Behemoth. Behind him the forest rages and the trail crumbles into the chasm.
Corve jumps through the portal.
Behemoth Through the portal, Corve rolls and finds himself in the rank interior of the behemoth's mouth. Its black fangs surround him in a cage and the stench of its breath is overwhelming. But the mouth yawns open and the huge pink tongue flexes, expelling Corve violently. Behind him, the jaws snap shut and the Behemoth smirks.
Behemoth "You are returned, unharmed."
Behemoth closes his eyes and gives a long, shuddering snore as he settled back into his wooden sleep, becoming once more little then an elaborate and frightening wooden carving.
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