RPG Discover The Deep

[Corey]

[size=1]Alex looked up at Lorn, a bit of blood trickling out from the tape, fire in his eyes.

[b]Lorn-[/b] "So. You won't say anything. Fine. I have a place for you, though it might seem a little barbaric." Lorn walked outside of the tent and made his way to one of their cargo containers. Prying it open with a nearby crowbar, he removed several snap-together metal cage segments. He quickly assembled them and draged the 3x3x3 metal cage to the mess tent. With a quick look around, surveying the mess tent for any direct sun spots, Lorn walked back to his tent and grabbed Alex by the back of his shirt. The man protested, but could do nothing being bound and gagged.

[b]Valence-[/b] "Lorn?" He dropped Alex into the dirt and turned to Valence.

[b]Lorn-[/b] "Yes?" She looked at Alex and peeked into the mess tent.

[b]Valence-[/b] "What are you doing with him?" Lorn grabbed him again and began dragging him towards the tent.

[b]Lorn-[/b] "I'm caging him. So he can't do any more damage. Don't worry, we'll provide him with water and food." Valence followed as Lorn entered the tent with Alex in tow.

[b]Valence-[/b] "No, Lorn... You can't. Whatever he did-"

[b]Lorn-[/b] "He slaughtered an entire camp of nomads! I can't let someone that idiotic and bloodthirsty run around!" Valence stared at the cage.

[b]Valence-[/b] "Those are suppoed to be used to brace large earth samples..."

[b]Lorn-[/b] "They've got a lot of uses..."

[b]Valence-[/b] "You can't Lorn. The cage is too small." He dropped Alex again and turned to Valence.

[b]Lorn-[/b] "Then what do you suppose I do about him?! I don't want to kill him! Do you?!" She shook her head.

[b]Valence-[/b] "We could tie him up to one of the support rods. They go ten feet down and ten above ground, he wouldn't be able to get away..." Lorn looked down at Alex, who was laying on his side in the dirt. He kicked him.

[b]Lorn-[/b] "You're lucky. I'd cage you like the animal you are if it wasn't for her."[/size]

[Revelation]

[size=1][color=#696969][i]Alex glared up at Lorn as he began to tie him to a support rod. Valence stood by watching as this motion was carried out. She scoffed and shook her head at Alex as his idiocy caused this situation. Lorn stood satisfied with his work and came to Alex?s front who protested about this mutiny. Lorn scoffed and had pulled his right fist back to slam it against his jaw, but Valence had stopped him before he could do anymore damage and Lorn had moved. Alex kept glaring at Lorn and Valence turned her back as she spoke to Lorn.[/I]

?Pull the tape off.?

?What for??

?Just?pull it off.?

[I]Opening his mouth to question her once more, Lorn closed it and reluctantly pulled the tape off, yet made it possible for it to pain Alex, who with the immediately began to curse and provoke Lorn, who was beginning to advance on the tied up team mate, but Valence had held him back. She turned to Alex and crossed her arms.[/I]

?The f.uck you want, b.itch??

[I]Hearing this rude and arrogant response, she stepped forward and had grabbed his face and pulled it forward toward her. He gazed with an evil stare as Valence pressed tightly against his cheeks with her nails. She smirked and looked straight into his eyes with a gaze of suppressed anger and rage.[/I]

?I [I]hate[/I] people that piss me off and you, Alexander, are one of those people. Now?I could have Lorn put you in that cage or do what he wants with you or I could ask you why you killed, no?kill is not word, [I]murdered[/I] is better, why you murdered all those nomads. What?ll it be? Deal with me or deal with Lorn??

?He?s never going to talk, Valence. You?re wasting time.?

[I]Valence let go of his cheeks and all Alex had done was spit at Valence?s shoes. She looked down and at Alex. With one swift movement, she had clocked him on the jaw with her left hand, causing blood to spit out of Alex?s mouth. Lorn stood behind impressed with what he had seen. Valence stood and cracked her neck and knuckles. Alex looked to his right and kept spitting out blood, soon enough he stopped and looked to Valence, who stood there with her fists ready.[/I]

?So?talking is out of the question. Alright, Lorn. Do what you wish with this cretin.?

?As you wish.?[/size][/color]

[Annie]

[color=darkslategray][size=1][font=Lucida Sans Unicode][b]"How much longer, Odysseus?"[/b] Carlos's voice exploded into thought.

[b]"Er, sorry. Let's see.."[/b] Odysseus looked down at his compass again, his brows furrowed together.

[b]"Don't tell me we're lost, Cpt. Planet,"[/b] Consunse mocked, giving Odysseus an irritated shove.

[b]"We're not lost, alright? Just shut your mouth and let me drive,"[/b] he jerked his arm back, threatening to strike.

Consunse smiled wickedly, throwing her hands deep into her pockets, exposing the shimmering flesh of her naval. Odysseus sighed and turned back to the horizon. The compass kept spinning in his hand. Try as he might, Odysseus could not get a clear reading. The needle bounced back and forth, as if it were confused, lost.

[b]"Well?"[/b] Consunse again shoved him.

[b]"We should be coming up on it soon,"[/b] Odysseus ignored her and looked at the map Lorn had given him.

[b]"Thank fucking God, I'm starving,"[/b] Carlos folded his arms around his head.

[b]"What exactly are we looking for again?"[/b] Consunse laughed at Carlos's hunger-driven misery.

[b]"Why are you even here, Con-artist?"[/b] Odysseus shot over his shoulder.

[b]"Why are you so mean to me?"[/b]

The three were quiet, but only momentarily when Consunse growled, quite dileberately. Carlos yawned and scratched the stubble on his cheeks. Odysseus kept quiet, his eyes set on the crests of the sand dunes. He was in the lead by the time the group rose above a giant dune. He held himself up with one arm and reached down to help lift Consunse with the other. As Carlos gave her a boost, Odysseus rolled his head to the side and stared out amongst a baron forest. He blinked, disbelieving what his eyes took in. Rotted trees, bare and dead. Small, dry shrubbery. Deep trenches that looked like tunnels carved the deprived earth.

[b]"ODYSSEUS!!"[/b] Consunse jerked on his hand, desperate to grab his attention.

[b]"Shit, I'm sorry, babe,"[/b] Odysseus chuckled and gritted his teeth as he lifted, [b]"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, is that twenty pounds you gained?"

"Fuck off,"[/b] Consunse kicked him in the face as she climbed to her feet.

Carlos laughed madly, nearly toppling over and taking Odysseus with him. All three stood solid and steady. Their bodies slowly adjusted to the firm gravity. They walked lightly, observing the strange surroundings.

[b]"Is this the place?"[/b] Carlos's voice was nearly silent.

[b]"Yes, this is our destination,"[/b] Odysseus clasped his hand around his revolver and scanned the area, [b]"We should keep close. I don't know what's out here."[/b][/color][/size][/font]

[Raiha]

[COLOR=MediumTurquoise]"Oh I know what's out there...."

[i]Consunse muttered something darkly while fiddling with the safety on her 9mm. Odysseus and Carlos likewise armed themselves.[/i]

"A place like this is either perfect for an ambush. Or perfect for breeding ground."

[i]Carlos put two fingers to the space between his eyebrows, gritting his teeth and squinching his eyes shut. This was going to be a fat headache. A big big big fat headache.[/i]

"....as in mamals or herps?"

"What kinda que- ---?"

[i]The two men looked at Consunse, who was smiling happily at them, holding up what looked like a large hairy tarantula. They backed up, but it was too late. She had already thrown it into Odysseus's face.

His reaction was satisfying. Yelp, snatch, hurl, shoot. And little pieces of tarantula rained down on the ground before them.[/i]

"Invertebrates. I was wrong."

[i]She grinned and pointed into the valley below them. TONS of tarantulas. Desert species. Large. Furry. And apparently nocturnal.[/i][/COLOR]

[Annie]

[color=darkslategray][size=1]Odysseus and Carlos peer down into the deep ravine at the massive sea of furry, disgusting arachnids. Carlos shivered and backed away from the edge. Odysseus shook his head in disbelief.

[b]"Are you going to be sick?"[/b] Consunse tickled her fingers in mimicking the spider up his back.

[b]"Of spiders? Woman, I've seen [i]far[/i] worse things than the squirming creatures down there,"[/b] Odysseus pushed her away and walked along the edge.

[b]"Then why do you look so concerned?"

"Don't you find it startling how many there are? And that they are all in one exact spot...together?"[/b] Odysseus flicked his hair back away from his eyes, the wind gently catching strands.

Carlos followed, keeping an eye out for anything that crawled. Consunse's face grinned at the image remaining in her memory of Odysseus's face and reaction.

[b]"And I only reacted like that because I had no fucking clue what it was,"[/b] he protested.

Consunse chuckled, and Carlos finally released a mutter of amusement. The group piddled through rubbish and shrubbery, finding various artifacts. Trinkets such as pottery, strange jewelry, even some ancient looking weapons.

[b]"Lorn would be so pleased,"[/b] Carlos nodded as he stuffed a small doll into his hipsack.

[b]"Yeah..I wonder how things are going back at camp,"[/b] Odysseus took a sip from his cantine.

[b]"Should we head back?"[/b] Consunse's voice sounded weighed.

[b]"No, I'm still not feeling right about this place. It feels as if it is still being used."[/b][/size][/color]

[Hinata]

[COLOR=SeaGreen][FONT=Arial]

Carlos kept looking around.. One hand on his gun the other hand reaching for smaller artifacts here and there. There were many of the huge spiders still lurking around but luckily tarantulas were a very docile species of spider, and not all that poisonous. Although their bite can be painful.

[I]Ouch,[/I] Carlos said under his breathe as he rembered his first and last, or so he hoped, tarantula bite.

"What's wrong Carlos, scared of a few spiders," Consunse said sneaking behind him.

"If you haven't been bitten by one, don't talk to me." He said matter of factly. He hated his weakness being pointed out. But more so a weakness that one can't attest to.

"Hmm," Consunse replied, her answer not as straight out as usual.

"So have or haven't you?" He turned around to her asking.Odyssesus looking at both of them, interested in this piece of information as well.

"Once," She replied, "I've learned to respect them since then. That's why I'm so comfortable around them."

Carlos nodded. "Well I respect them as well. But I'm not that comfortable around them."

He turned on his heel and kept walking around in the area. All three of them within 10 feet of each other.

"So what species?" Consunse asked. Now holding another tarantula that crawled up her leg. She quickly placed it on a passing branch as the team kept moving.

"More than I can name," he said jokingly, looking at an expression of disbelief on Cansunse's face. "No really, so far I've been bitten 10 times by a spider. 3 times by snakes. 4 scorpion stings and um.... stung by a jellyfish, nasty little thing I tell you, should show u the scars on my leg from that one."

"Consunse you'd better stay away from him. He sounds danger prone." Odysessus laughed and turned around.

Carlos took a small cloth from his pocket balled it up and tossed it at Odysessus who jumped as it touched him. Odyssesus let of another round of yells as the black cloth landed on his head. He quickly held it up balled it up and threw it back at Carlos missing him.

Carlos and Consunse let of another round of laughs as Odyssesus huffed moving in front of them.

As their laughs died down Carlos kept looking around finding more artifacts than he can carry.

"Damn," he heard Odysessus comment after about 10 more minutes of searching. He was looking at the wall of the ravine.

"What's up man?" Carlos asked, moving behind Consunse who had almost reached Odysessus.

"Look at this, is this like a giant sheild or something." He said looking as a peice of dark metal laying in the wall of the small ravine they had traveled into. The metal was still about 30 feet away but it did look myserious.

"Can we get closer to it?" Consunse asked, looking towards it as a tangle mass of debris and brush laid in their path.

"Lets see!" Carlos said, reaching at the side of his pack picking up his large mashetti.
[/FONT][/COLOR]

[Corey]

[size=1][i]Ok, I'm back from vacation. Raiha seems to be gone for a while though...[/i]
???
Lorn aimed a firm boot at Alex's right ribs. It connected with a small crunch. Alex coughed and sputtered for breath that wouldn't come.

[b]Lorn-[/b] "Be lucky I don't do more." Lorn walked away, Valence followed. "Into my tent please..."

[b]Valence-[/b] "Lorn?" He held open the flap and motioned her in. She passed through and sat in one of the few folding chairs. "What's this about?" Lorn sat down and spread a map out on the desk.

[b]Lorn-[/b] "To get our minds off of this little event, we will discuss the different ways of possibly entering the volcanic chamber our computer mapped." Valence nodded slowly, the gears already turning in her mind. "This is what I think." He took out a red dry-erase marker and drew where they had already dug that day. "We're less than twenty feet from the volcanic rock." He drew a line and labeled it '20ft'. "If we just dig, it'll take us two more days at least. However..." He stood up and walked behind his cot. Lorn pulled out a small metal box and set it on the map.

[b]Valence-[/b] "What is it?" Lorn smiled and opened the box to reveal a small thermos of grey liquid. "Lorn?"

[b]Lorn-[/b] "It's something one of my chemist friends cooked up for me before the dig started. It's a strong acid, but it targets only specific molecular compounds. If you pour a little on the earth, it will seep down and remove all impurities. Metal, organic, clays, and many forms of rock. It leaves the soil soft and easy to move." Valence gaped.

[b]Valence-[/b] "You're kidding?!" Lorn smiled and replaced the box.

[b]Lorn-[/b] "Nope. I've agreed to split the revenue from this job with my friend 50/50 on my share. He's a good guy..." Lorn trailed off looking into the distance.[/size]

[Revelation]

[size=1][color=#696969][i]When Lorn had finished his sentence, it left him in a bit of a past memory daze. Valence brought him back by putting a hand on his shoulder. She smiled and then looked back at the map, looking over where Lorn had marked "20ft." She knew that if they used the acid on various parts that seemed unstable, then they would get done quickly. Yet, that wasn't what was on her mind. It was more over Alex and what had happened. Valence began to turn and look at Lorn, who saw the look on her face.[/i]

"Thinking about Alex, right?"

"Yeah. I can't shake the fact that he killed those Nomads in cold blood. It's...scary, yet... yet it pisses me off like hell."

[i]A chuckle had escaped Lorn ever since the "murders".[/i] "He should be glad you were here."

"I think he should be glad I didn't catch him in the act with his gun."

"Why?"

[i]Chuckling, Valence crossed her arm.[/i] "I'd have taken his gun and shot him in places that pain him the most...if you know what I mean."

"I see. Well, let's not talk about that." [i]Packing up small things, Lorn realized that the rest of his crew were gone.[/i] "Valence? Where's everyone else?"

"Hmm?" [i]Realizing the three were gone as well, Valence hadn't realized where they left off to. She gave Lorn a shrug and a shake of her head, not knowing.[/i] "I don't know. I think they left after I found you trying to cage him up. Are you worried that Odysseus and Consunse will try to bite each others' heads off?"

"No. They have Carlos. I'm just worried that there aren't any more Nomads out there. But then again, they have Consunse. So, what's to worry, right?"

[i]With a smile, Valence looked to Lorn, yet seemed to worry. Odysseus was known for his escapades and little journeys. She thought nothing of it and began to think of the dig. They were so close to it all, yet so far away. With a small sigh, Valence looked back to the red mark.[/i][/size][/color]

[Annie]

[color=darkslategray][size=1][b]"What the?!"[/b] Carlos slapped Odysseus on the head.

[b]"Ow! What was that for?!"[/b] Odysseus rubbed the stinging flesh of his neck, cursing under his breath.

He looked to Carlos for an answer, only to find him shaking his hand free from a clinging lizard. Odysseus blinked and furrowed his eyebrows.

[b]"You nearly nocked me out over a lizard?"[/b] his voice rumbled lightly.

[b]"This is no ordinary lizard. I promise you,"[/b] the creature finally gave up and fell to the ground.

Consunse took out her pistol and unloaded one bullet. The seemingly harmless creature's body parts flew every direction. Odysseus shrugged and turned around. Carlos shuddered, memories from his past, Consunse supposed. Odysseus walked about thirty feet ahead of the two. The sound of the winds began to drift over the slumbering dunes. Odysseus stood silent. He spread his arms to catch the chilled breeze. Along with the melodic song of the wind came a more violent tune. The sounds of painful screams, tormented and weak.

Odysseus gripped his .45 tightly, preparing for whatever may turn the bend. The ghostly voices grew louder and closer. Odysseus stood fast as a gust wind plastered him against a boulder. The screams pierced through his eardrums, forcing him to shout out in surprise and pain. His gun fell to the ground, sounding off the cocked bullet. Odysseus gritted his teeth and fists as the wind passed. The screaming wind died, releasing Odysseus from its grip. He fell to the ground, gasping and confused.

[b]"Odysseus! Are you alright, man?"[/b] Carlos slid to the ground next to the crumpled survivalist.

[b]"What in God's name was that?"[/b] Odysseus crawled to his feet, brushing himself of the dirt.

[b]"What was what?"[/b] Consunse leaned against the boulder with her arms folded tightly under her breasts.

[b]"You didn't hear that screaming? Or didn't feel that wind?"[/b] Odysseus held his hand out as if he were motioning to something.

[b]"No. I think you have been out in the desert too long,"[/b] Consunse muttered, [b], "amatuer."[/b]

Odysseus coolly smiled and walked up to Consunse. She smirked with a sarcastic sense of innocence. Odysseus pressed the cold metal of his gun's barrel against her temple. Her eyes narrowed, as if they wanted to hiss.

[b]"I had no other choice,"[/b] his voice was cool and collected.

The two glared needles and daggers. Odysseus gave a sharp shove on Consunse's head and pushed away. His eyes nearly glew with the anger. Carlos followed his friend into the night.

[b]"You alright?"

"Do you think I'm going crazy?"

"No, I don't. But, I didn't hear or feel anything."[/b]

Odysseus was silent.

[b]"Odysseus, don't let her get the best of you..which is all of you. Okay?"

"Sure thing, Carlos,"[/b] Odysseus smiled and laid his hand on Carlos's shoulder.[/color][/size]

[Raiha]

[COLOR=MediumTurquoise][i]Consunse cracked her neck slowly, arching upwards and then back down again. Whatever the issue at hand was, she figured it wouldn't be pretty. Hallucinations. Affecting only one member. And an important trigger happy one at that. She flipped her hair back and walked slightly behind them, one hand resting lightly on her hip.

It was at this point that the screams began.

High and delicate, like a child's voice, pircing through her eardrums, blood pouring down her cheek bones, fingernails scratching at her body, the rushing wind, the roars of beasts, and through it all the sound of her own ragged breathing.[/i]

"You're going to die! The people will turn against you, everyone will die! It'll be your fault, and everything will die."

[i]Then silence. The two men turned to behold a slightly shattered Consunse. She was standing still, her head tilted to one side, like she had simply fallen asleep. There was no blood. Of course.[/i]

"Hey. Hey Consunse. Wake up."

[i]Her eyelids flickered, but perhaps it was simply a gentle wind. Carlos stepped forward and shook her shoulder gently. Instantly she snapped to, both hands clapping down on his forearm. She lunged and was about to slam him into the sand when her eyes focused and his face swam into view.[/i][/COLOR]

[Annie]

[color=darkslategray][size=1]Consunse blinked, confused and dilusional. Carlos leant over and shook her slightly.

[b]"You alright?"

"Ugh..what was that?"[/b] she sat up and clutched her temples.

Odysseus stood and stared cooly. Carlos helped Consunse to stand.

[b]"Now, do you believe me?"[/b] Odysseus turned and began to walk.

They were silent. No one spoke a word for several minutes. Consunse could no longer bear the silence. She never could.

[b]"Odysseus, sweet, where are we going now?"[/b]

Odysseus glanced over his shoulder, his eyes cold and bitter.

[b]"Back to the camp. Lorn will want to see these artifacts. He's probably worried sick about us. And you weren't even supposed to be here. So, he's probably heated up a bit on that note,''[/b] Odysseus leaned into the gusts of wind.

He longed to take flight into those powerful streams of wind. To feel weightless, to be free of gravity that binds the body to the earth. To be the wind.

He spread his arms and allowed the winds to move his fingers, entertwining them with their gentle licks. His hair, still moist from sweat, tangled and tickled his forehead. He took in a deep breath, refreshing his twinging senses.

[b]"Ody! Snap out of it, we have company,"[/b] Carlos nodded towards the plateaus.

Odysseus looked over and saw dozens of horses.

[b]"Nomads."[/b][/size][/color]

[Raiha]

[COLOR=MediumTurquoise][i]Consunse popped a salt tab to wake herself up and shaded her eyes out of habbit rather than necessity. Her voice was a low mutter, low enough to reach everyone present with the capacity for speaking the English languae.[/i]

"I'll have you know, Captain Planet, that Lorn requested that I join your little pleasure excursion. So go play with your stick."

[i]Odysseus opened his mouth to respond with about as much venom as a scorpion when the horses began to move. Consunse smiled softly and squinted.[/i]

"Arabian stallions. Really pretty ones too. Purebred I'll be-"

"We're doomed." [i]Carlos's facial features might have been deadpan, but his tone of voice had a slight sense of impending...well...doom.[/i]

"How cheery of you to think so." [i]Consunse grinned and disarmed herself, handing both guns to Odysseus, who took them with no change in expression. Then she opened her pack and pulled out a bedsheet, stained with blood. Just as the horses were near enough for their riders to be able to see the figures in detail, she pulled it over and covered herself almost completely with it. Eyes barely visible, she stepped back behind both of them and waited patiently.[/i]

"Explain this bright idea to me Consunse. Dressing up like a native doesn't seem to be the best idea."

[i]She answered him in Arabic, and he quickly closed his mouth. The dust rose from the sand, and Consunse covered her eyes in response. Then the horses were close enough to smell. She called out a greeting and loaded weapons remained loaded.[/i][/COLOR]