5 - 009: The End?

[K Man]

Udjat - No worries. Thanks for checking in. For reference, I will be keeping the link to your last post active until you get back.

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Romar -

The 'thing' of ice and sand finishes it's melting process, the warming desert sun freeing it from the icy cage. Once out, it rotates it neck freely, the sickening crunch of bone and leathery skin sending shivers down your spine. The creature must be in constant pain...

Also, you notice, that once it's free, the heat from your body begins to leave you. It's as though, despite standing in the middle of the brightening desert sun, your body is freezing. Could it be the properties of this strange demon you have found? It turns and focuses ice blue eyes upon you.

"A choice? It comes to the end and you worry about making the wrong choices or if you even had one?"

The creature scowls and shuffles over towards a building as it begins to root through some left behind goods...perhaps this thing is a scavenger as well.

"I envy you mortal, because of your choices...and that you can still make them. You always have a choice, no one can take that from you. The choice may not seem like an option to you, but there is always a choice to be made."

"You never hear of heroes and if they weren't sure of their choices...you only hear of their sacrifice and martyrdom. That is a choice too. Though they may have died, they made the choice...the choice to protect, to serve and most of all...to love. To love enough to die to protect, that is the ultimate choice to make"

It continues to root through the nearby barrel of goods, scattering this and that here and there. It gets disgusted and moves to the next stack of crates with a huff.

"And here you are, Romar Belamor. Selfishly thinking of dying to protect yourself, so that you can make no more wrong mistakes. 'Resigning yourself to the final judgement'...Tsk tsk..."

"You think the final judgement has not already been made? Are you so bold to think that somehow, miraculously, your good deeds will outweigh the bad? I have told you already, demons wait for you...claws dripping with venom and talons anxious to sink their teeth into you for pains a thousand times worse that what I endure daily..."

"...and you have already made the choice to accept it."

The creature stops its rummaging and turns to face you, in all seriousness.

"Of all the things I have endured Romar, none are so bad as to know that I had the choice to avoid this cursed life after life...I could have prevented it, I could have made a difference, even if it was a sacrifice."

"If you give that up...then my largest regret is waisting what little cold breath I have left on you..."

And with that, it turns and shuffles deeper into the empty city streets.

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Irris and Tineniel -

{Still waiting.}

Previous Post

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Those in the Fortress -

Following the darkened tunnel, you feel it twist, turn and drop for several hundred more feet. More than once during the journey, you wonder if this tunnel is headed anywhere at all of if you just hit the world's larget maze...

Eventually, it does meet a stone block that is easily moved aside, spilling you all out into a large, empty room. The walls, floor and ceiling are all a dull stone and slightly dusty...underused or never used at all. To the North end, there is a door, currently closed...

{Y'all might remember this map...}

Map;

  _______
 |
 |     __
1|    |2
 |    |
 |    |
3|    |4
 |    |
 |    |
5|    |6
 |    |
 |    |
7|    |8
 |    |
 |    |
9|    |10
 |    |
 |    |
1|1   |12  13         14         15         16         17
 |    |____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____|
 |
 |____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____ ____--____|
 |          |    18         19         20         21    |    22    |
 |          |                                           |          |
 |          |                                           |          |
 |          |                                           |       KA |
 |          |                                           |  R  D    |
 |          |                                           |    GT Y  |<-
 |          |                                           |          |
 |_*________|                                           |__________|

[/pre]

...LEGEND...
* = Blast hole
| or -- = Door
A = Adelia
K = Krysta
Y = Yuri
D = Galdren
G = Girud
T = Alton
R = Garor
<- = Exit point of secret Tunnel

[VemuKhaham]

Romar sat down on another barrel leaning against a wall, and he threw his head in his back so that he could look to the sky. He again sighed heavily.

He was tired, for he had slept not since he had left this same city, and even during this discussion in which he debated the continuation of his life, his mind wandered. He heard the scavenger rummage through the filth and take off into the streets to scavenge further, and then a surface thought left his lips before he knew why: "What are you looking for? I also came here to scavenge. For a piece of paper..." He gave a short ironic laugh, something he had not done for ages.

[Japic]

Peeking his head into the familiar hallway outside Girud speaks

"Well, I don't know what's happening outside, but it might be worth a look. I think two things probably need ot happen. One, we let the Kingdom know what has happened. Two, we find those shards before the Master returns to use them against us."

"Since that bag of bones hit me with his spell, I've been a little out of control. If it's alright with you guys I'll go back to the city and see if someone can take whatever this is off me. I'll inform the King of our findings and then report back with orders if need be. What say you?"


{Right now no one else was offerig suggestions, so I thought I'd take charge. Girud goes (with someone else if they'd prefer) and Alton will stay to help the cause. With this curse or whatever I picked up I'm pretty useless in combat.}

[Fangor the Fierce]

Krysta turns to the doors, with a sigh. "Yes, someone should return. I am hopeful the clerics there can cure you quickly, as well as have any potions that may help any others still in dire straits from the recent battle. As for us, we should find those shards, and quickly."

She turns to Yuri, knowing his powers. She then turs to Alton as well. "You two seem to be the quickest. Let us split up quickly, two group, one to each hallway, looking for a door that might be missing a handle. Besides, if this tower is built like I think it is, then we should meet back on the opposite end."

With that, she moves down the northern hallway, with Adelia following closely. "If you find anything, call for us. If not, then it looks like we will have to start checking each room."

Krysta, Adelia, and either Alton or Yuri. The other group would be Galdren, Alton or Yuri, and Garor. I think it would be better to split up to first check for a missing handle on a door, then if not, meet back up and start opening them up one by one... Any other ideas?

[BluSpecs]

The plan sounds good,

"Come Alton lets, head down this hall..."

[Japic]

{sounds like a plan.}

Alton leads the way, keeping atleast five or ten feet between him and the warriors. If he were to trigger a trap, there was no reason for them to get caught up in it.

Girud will go to teh original room and look through teh ole to assess his chances of getting out intact.

[Jevva]

Galdren follows Alton and Garor down the hall, looking out for that door missing a handle.