Journey Below

[Monkey Monk]

Hawk watched with that intense curiousity as Ammolite walked into the middle of the lake. When she sent him a smile, he quickly let his lips form into a similar expression in return. Yet Istariel's words snapped him from his silent observation. Quickly he nodded and went to do as she commanded. The golden furred wolven stepped back several paces, his pelt moving fluidly across his body. The handsome features of his face once more molded into the way they did when was was watching something with as much curiousity that he held. For a moment he looked over to the cave demon, unsure if she was mad at him or not. Yet he did not gaze upon her for too long, not wanting to miss anything Azarak might do.

[Felypsa]

Azarak stepped up to the Lake's edge, looking out to Ammolite to make sure everything was in place. The lizard lifted one of his claws and traced some letters in the water - they spelled Fiendark but it was hard to tell exactly. Once he had completed the "k," the ripples from his finger expanded and extended out to where Ammolite was standing. When the first ripple reached her, she gasped, her eyes an indescribable color. But Azarak was not yet done. He placed his front feet into the water, and whispered something indecipherable, his eyes a brilliant scarlet. Silver-white fire sped from his feet, heading straight for Ammolite. But when they hit her, she did not burn; in fact, the water around coalesced with the fire and became a strange liquid-glass material that covered Ammolite. Only her eyes were visible, and they were changing colors so rapidly they were blurring together. The silver material shone, lighting up the entire cavern. So it stayed for quite some time. When it finally cleared, the silver material that had been on Ammolite had rearranged itself into a giant mirror facing the shore where Azarak, Hawk, and Istariel were standing. But this enormous mirrior did not reflect the cavern in which they were standing. It showed a black sky that looked down on a giant Rift, a huge chasm that split the land in twain. On one side of the Rift was a fertile, green land, resplendent and blooming, beautiful in every way. On the other side was a barren land, containing nothing but dust and bones. The mirror zoomed in on the edge of the Rift, where a creature vaguely lupine and vaguely vulpine clung. He - the creature - was struggling to get up onto the fertile land, but his paws kept slipping on the grass, which seemed to be made of shining emeralds. Every now and then he would almost gain ground, but then he would fall. But he never fell completely off the cliff. He seemed to be forever on the edge, clinging desperately yet unable to let go. A few moments later the mirror faded, dropping back into the Lake with hardly a splash.[/color]

Ammolite could be seen once the mirror had vanished, but she seemed no longer conscious. Once all the magic had faded, she slipped under the surface, collapsing from the effort that it must have taken to be the object of such a strong spell.[/color]

[Monkey Monk]

Hawk watched as Ammolite swooned. As she slipped below the waters he sprung into action. Quickly he dashed forwards, leaping over Azarak and landing in the lake. The golden mascu sloshed through the liquid to where his friend had gone under. His pelt moved around his body like another liquid. As he came to where his friend was underwater, he bowed his head through the surface. In an attempt to rescue her from drowning, he wiggled his snout under her chest. He then tried to slide her onto his back. If he suceeded, he would make his way back to shore carefully. It was odd to have another wolven on his back. Not by her wait, but by the lack of balance. If he succeeded in lifting her though, as soon as they reached shore he would set her down ever so gently.

[Felypsa]

The moment Hawk set Ammolite down on the shore, having successfully rescued her from drowning, Istariel was beside her fallen friend. "It worked," she muttered, "but at what cost? Oh, if only we had anticipated this..." She nudged Ammolite gently, invoking some obscure power of her own. After a moment, she grimaced and said, "Her veins are still clogged with magic of the spell. We'll have to clean them out thoroughly. It might take a while, though."[/color]

"Not so," Azarak said, coming up to the congregation. "It should not take too long at all. The magic's not very thick, and it's already coming out anyway. Ammolite is stronger than she looks. She'll be alright." But the lizard seemed distracted. He muttered to himself, "The Rift...I have not seen that in so long...why would Fiendark be there?"[/color]

Suddenly Ammolite's amulet began to glow, in the same way it had just before Ammolite had healed Hawk. It shone a kaleidoscope of colors, dancing across the water and the walls. Moments later, Ammolite lurched up, coughing out the water that had got into her lungs. Her eyes were glazed over with a fearful red. She retched continuously, before finally sinking back. She seemed unable to speak just yet, however.[/color]

[Monkey Monk]

Hawk nudged Ammolite as he was motionless. Had she perished in the simple quest for knowledge. Yet when she jumped forth and began to spew out liquids, the mascu leaped out of her way. He felt relieved to see his friend alive. For yet another time that day, he felt himself fatigued mentally. He had almost lost another friend, or that is how he saw it. Quickly he focused his attention to the lizard, becoming annoyed now. "Ok Azarak, Istariel, time for you both to fill me in on everything. No more hiding anything. No more deceit. Why are you looking for Ammolite's father so feverishly that you would risk her life like that? And what is this rift you talk about?" His words were spoken from his perspective, but how adamant he was at wanting to know the answers was obvious.

[Felypsa]

Istariel breathed a sigh of relief when Ammolite showed signs of life, although she edged out of the way as Ammolite coughed up the water from her lungs. Then she looked up at Hawk, feeling guilty but felt she had to justify their actions. "Well, to be fair, we didn't know she would fall like that...we honestly had no trouble in previous experiments - "[/color]

"Enough dancing, Istariel," Azarak said shortly. "The wolf asked us a question. I, for one, will answer it." He met Hawk's gaze squarely, a funny scene, for the lizard was so much smaller than the wolf. "Fiendark has been missing for many years yet. But now it becomes most urgent for us to find him, since he can save the cave-dwellers from the Sickness that has persisted. Many cave-dwellers have died in the past few years from this terrible epidemic. There is no cure for the Sickness that we know of, but Fiendark apparently possesses something that will help defeat the disease. We do not know why Fiendark vanished all those years ago, but we know we need him now. That is our situation, in brief. I would go on, but I need not trouble you with pointless details."[/color]

"We did not tell you because we did not want you to worry about catching the Sickness," Istariel explained. "If you had known, you would have been less willing to wander into our area. Now, we have quarantined the Sick, but we wish we did not have to resort to that. Fiendark and whatever he possesses is our only hope now."[/color]

[Monkey Monk]

Hawk was not in the least bit deterred by the mention of a disease. Yet his thirst for answers was far from sated. He lowered his head so that it was right before the little lizard. Those golden eyes were fierce as he looked at Azarak. "That's one answer. Now what is this rift. And I will add one last question onto the list. Why is it, that I get the feeling you are not what you seem sir? Even Zales could sense it if I recall. If we are dropping the veils of deciet, why don't you tell me the truth of who or what you are?" The mascu's quest for knowledge may have seemed like a trite thing to the simpler of minds. But those who possessed a keen intellect might detect that he wanted said knowledge so that he could understand everything else. The warrior hated to help others when he was left in the dark. It made him feel like a simple tool.

[Felypsa]

Azarak seemed undisturbed by Hawk's demand for information. "The Rift? No one is quite sure what it is or even where it is. It moves around, seemingly in a realm of its own. Some have found it when they have traveled to the elusive Spirit World. All I know of it is that very few who have fallen into the Rift ever get free. Why Fiendark is struggling there I do not know. How he got there is even another mystery. Aside from the World of the Dead, he couldn't have picked a harder place to find - or a harder way to get him free." He gave a sidelong look to Hawk before answering his next question. "The reason I am not what I seem is because I am not. I am both like and unlike Istariel here. But truly, it matters not exactly what I am. I am a cave-demon helping out my fellow cave-demons. Whether I am more or less than that is none of your concern. I am willing to 'drop the veils of deceit' as you so eloquently put it, but I am not willing to tell you any more than you need to know. With that, Hawk, you must be satisfied."[/color]

Ammolite had been listening to the exchange with wide eyes. She finally seemed able to breathe and to speak, having recovered fully from her near-drowning. "The Sickness you mentioned...is that...is that what my mother died from?"[/color]

"Unfortunately, yes." This time it was Istariel who replied. "She was the first to be diagnosed with the Sickness. It was so subtle, though, that we didn't notice it until it was too late, when your mother had died from it, and it had already spread to the other cave-demons - although, thankfully, not to you. It was part of the reason why my father ordered you to go above the Surface - to protect you. I never meant to hurt you, not even now, Ammolite. Please, you must believe me. I'm doing my best to save both my subjects and you." She seemed earnest, and desperate even. Her one friend above all was Ammolite; she did not want her to think ill of her.[/color]

[Monkey Monk]

Hawk listened to the answers he got from Azarak, satisfied somewhat. Yet he decided to let his hunger be forgotten for now. The time for more questions would undoubtably arise later. When Ammolite spoke he slowly trekked over to her. He nudged her neck softly, wondering to himself why he cared about this femme so much(not that he was complaining). Those pointed ears of his perked as Istariel spoke in answer to Ammolite's question. Comfortingly he nosed his friend's neck again before raising his head back up. When he was sure everyone was done talking, he let himself speak. "We need to find a way to get to this 'Rift' and return for that matter. If you know any way to get there, no matter how grave the consequences, I will be honored to partake in the journey. Your people may not be my own, but that has never stopped me from helping before. I want to help as much as I can." It was then that he mused to himself how much he sounded like Icewolf. The memory of his long-time friend brought a wave of pain through his heart. Yet he did not show it in his outer appearance as he awaited the response from the others.

[Felypsa]

"Very characteristic of you, Hawk. Thanks very much, we'll surely need you on the journey." Azarak viewed the little group with slightly narrowed eyes. "I myself am going, of course. I can't see any success unless I come along, since I know the most about the Rift and about Fiendark himself. Besides, I was appointed to complete this task." He tilted his head questioningly towards Ammolite and Istariel.[/color]

"I'm coming," Ammolite said immediately. "He's my father, and if he's dangling somewhere in this Rift...well, I've got to save him. And I'm half a cave-demon, and your people are mine, Istariel. I have to help. I'll do everything I can to remedy this." She looked at Hawk and smiled, comforted by his caress. She was glad he decided to come.[/color]

Istariel gave a strange half-smile to all of them. "I will accompany you, at least partway. As a princess, it is my duty to protect my subjects, and this is the best way. My father would want me to help you, anyway. And Ammolite, I'll be happy to help my old friend find her father." She flicked her three tails definitively.[/color]

"Good, then we are all going," Azarak stated. "First things first. Let's leave the Underground. One thing I know about the Rift is that we won't find it below the Surface. We've got to go back up, maybe even trek up the Great Mountains if we must. Everyone ready?" Again he surveyed the little group. With Ammolite, Hawk, and Istariel, he felt confident they would succeed. He couldn't have chosen a better group.[/color]

[Monkey Monk]

Hawk suddenly perked his ears as Azarak spoke of leaving the underground. Perhaps this was his opportunity to find a way into the home of the Defenders. He looked to the other three, asking his next question to them all. "Before we go to this rift, I want to visit a certain place. It may be accessable from here, but I do not know. The place is an old cave system where the Defenders made home. In my chambers there is something very dear to me. I don't want to lead us too far from our destination so if it is too far out of the way it can wait." His voice was hiding his emotions and thoughts well. He had no intention of laying a guilt trip on his companions and did his best to avoid doing so.

[Felypsa]

"I wouldn't be surprised if we could find it from here," remarked Istariel. "I feel I have heard of the Defenders, even before today, though I knew next to nothing about them. Still, these tunnels lead everywhere; even I myself have not been to all the Underground caverns." Her voice was purring and her smile had broadened as she looked upon Hawk. "It would certainly be a sight to see...and who knows? We may find something to aid our journey there."[/color]

"Oh! The home of the Defenders, a cave system and all...that's really remarkable," exclaimed Ammolite, regaining her former energy and eagerness to discover new places and things. "I'd love to see it, if we can." She too was hiding some emotions as well, though the colors of her eyes might betray them. Beneath the initial gold-green of excitement lay a kind of crimson. She was worried for the future: for her father and for the cave-demons suffering from the Sickness.[/color]

"I suppose it's worth a try," said Azarak, who seemed to have taken charge of the whole escapade. "Do you have any idea where to start, Hawk? I'd like to not go wandering around the entire Underground looking for one elusive tunnel, thanks."[/color]

[Monkey Monk]

Hawk nodded to Azarak's question. He had been keeping track of the direction he had noted when they had entered. He pointed his tail to their left and slightly behind. "The cave system is in that direction. I am most sure of it." His heart leapt with excitement at finally returning home. He thought of the item he so dearly wanted to retrieve from his chambers. It had always been something he had before going on any truly dangerous escapades. The artifact was on of the few things he had from his childhood. Eagerly he awaited for one of the three to lead the way, for he knew not where they had to tread to get to the cave system.

[Felypsa]

Istariel followed the direction Hawk indicated, and looked thoughtful. "I believe I should take the lead. I think I can find a few tunnels that will lead in the direction." A pause while she pondered the problem, then she nodded. "Very well, then. Follow me." She turned and headed towards a tunnel that was opposite the one that had led to Zales' chamber. "It will get darker and more cramped before long, just so you know," she warned the others. Then she entered it. The tips of all three of her tails had somehow acquired a glow not unlike that of the wall-fungi, so that it would be easier for the rest of the group to follow her.[/color]

Ammolite bent down so Azarak could scramble up onto her back again. She tossed a smile at Hawk, then followed the princess. "This is great that we can both revisit our old homes," she remarked happily to Hawk as she entered the tunnel.[/color]

[Monkey Monk]

Hawk followed the cave-demon princess at the same pace that she maintained. He looked over his shoulder to Ammolite, returning the warm smile. "I can't wait for you to see the place. See we found this system of caves by accident one day. Savage was digging beneath a huge oak and found a tunnel. He followed it and it opened up to this large cave system. We worked on making it a home for many seasons. The whole place lights up when someone with the mark on my leg enters it, some sort of spell or something Icewolf discovered. We never really explored the whole area, too big. But there are several guest chambers along with individual ones for the Defenders. The whole place is magnificent to look at..." The warrior continued ranting about his home, speaking how the entrance chamber was amazing with it's deep pool of crystal clear water and the natural veins of gold that ran through the rock.