RPG Latham Adytum

[Raiha]

[COLOR=royalblue][i]The first human popped his head through the door. In one swift motion, Valeigh leapt into the air and came down on his shoulders, knocking him to the ground.[/i]

Rico: ...Good greif.

Valeigh: What?

Rico: You could've just gutted him.

Valeigh: This is more fun.

[i]They snuck forward.....still hidden from anyone's view....[/i][/COLOR]

[RicoTranzrig]

[COLOR=darkblue]Rico: No...wait...!

Valeigh: ??

Rico: We're not even sure if they're friendly or not...

Valeigh: Too late for that now...

[i]Another person dressed in drab clothing came out, armed to the teeth. Valeigh raised her silverblade up high and threw it with quickness and precision. It flew with a great amount of force, striking dead center into the man's heart. He fell instantly...[/i]

Rico: Sh-t...

[i]Rico got ready for combat and approached the body. He turned the man around...it was hard to decide if he was a bad person or someone who was just trying to defend their home..though he disarmed him and lay him flat on his back. He disappeared back into the shadows with Iris.[/i]

Valeigh: Well?

Rico: I can't tell...maybe we should wait for the others...[/COLOR]

[Raiha]

[COLOR=seagreen][i]Valeigh slipped back and drew another blade.[/i]

Valeigh: Fair enough.

Rico: ......

[i]And time went by...[/i]

Valeigh: You think they're in any trouble?

Rico: I don't know. It's taking them awhile.[/COLOR]

[RicoTranzrig]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]They heard gunshots in the distance, typical of night time in the city, not in the Plains...[/i]

Valeigh: Grrr....

Rico: Just a little longer...*looks at the door of the cave where the armed man came through...*

Valeigh: What is it?

Rico: I'd hate to stir up everything...and it's a bit risky...but they said we had to lock this place down for them so they don't run into trouble.

Valeigh: *draws blade*

Rico: *Creeps as close as he can to the door while remaining in the shadows...* If there's anyone waiting there...we're toast...

Valeigh: Look on the bright side...if they do, we're skilled enough to turn our advantage into a disadvantage...[/COLOR]

[Raiha]

[COLOR=seagreen][i]As stealthily as a shadow, Valeigh rounded the corner, and wrapped her left arm around her assailant's neck. He choked and struggled breifly, then their was a slight cracking noise, and he was silenced. Rico winced, but followed. Valeigh dropped her burden to the ground, and calmly steppd over it, blade still bared.[/i]

Rico: Never do anything small, do you?

Valeigh: It's life.

Rico: ....not pretty.

Valeigh: Don't tell me you're actually feeling sorry for the poor bastard.

Rico: ...I never said that.

[i]Valeigh shrugged, and the two continued...[/COLOr]

[RicoTranzrig]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Rico and Valeigh continued deeper into the cave, looking for any signs of life or hostitlity. A sense of hightened awarness came over them suddenly, for no apparent reason...they both stopped dead in their tracks, motionless.[/i]

Rico: What's wrong?

Valeigh: I don't know...I think we've gone too far.

Rico: You wanna go back?

Valeigh: If we get stabbed from the back, there's going to be a real problem.

Rico: Harlequin, Athen, and Spyder must be done...it would be better if we moved back...

Valeigh: ......

Rico: *takes Valeigh's hand*

[i]Valeigh looked up, Rico nodded.[/i]

Rico: Let's go...

[i]Valeigh squeezed his hand and followed Rico as he turned around and walked back up with rapid pace. As the night raged on, the shadows grew deeper in the cave, following the two's path back to the outside world. If they hadn't moved back, the wouldn've been engulfed by the dark hand, and drawn in to oblivion...though Rico's hand came in first and drew both of them towards the path of the cresent moon...to where the battle really was.[/i][/COLOR]

[Raiha]

[COLOR=seagreen][i]Valeigh shivered, something was wrong....and the inside of her shade was twisting...Rico grasped her hand tightly and looked at her.[/i]

Valeigh: It's okay. I just had a...bad feeling.

Rico: I think there's something bad about that cave.

Valeigh: I know.

Rico: You okay?

Valeigh" *sigh* Yeah.[/COLOR]

[liamc2]

Athen: *stops shooting* urk. .where the hell is everyone. .

[i]Athen looks around rubbing sweat out of his eyes. The gun slipped slightly as he fired a few more rounds at a shadow moving towards him, he sighed and dried it off, panting heavily. He lifted up his shirt and looked at his stomach. .it was gone. .bare bones with nothing but rotting putrid flesh. Wrapped around his spinal cord was a black and purple thing. .Athen cried out and fainted. The shadows came and picked him up, loading him into one of the vans[/i]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]From the shadows, Harlequin observes Athen's abduction, but is unable to stop it, although the men did leave two of their number behind, efficiently strangled with a length of wire. Harlequin slips off to Spyder.[/I]

Harlequin: They've got Athen.

Spyder: What! How?

Harlequin: Keep your voice down. There may be more of them. Where are Rico and Valiegh? We stand a better chance of rescuing him if we stick together.

[I]Wrestling with conflicting emotions, Spyder does not move for a few seconds. More expedient, Harlequin simply firmly guides her off in search of the other two.[/I][/font][/color]

[RicoTranzrig]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Rico stepped out of the cave, watching the steep incline, he helped Valeigh outside the arid soil with his free hand, the other holding his gun. Valeigh stood up straight and drew her knives. Rico's other gun slipped out of his back, ready for battle. But no gunshots were heard. They stood still for a while, listening in to anything strange and abnormal.[/i]

Valeigh: Do you think the battle's over?

Rico: I'm thinking that Harlequin and the others successfully got through...either that or...it could be a lot of things.

Valeigh: You think we should go looking for them?

Rico: They said they'll meet us here...

[i]They felt a cold draft from the cave...Rico stood clear of it's path.[/i]

Valeigh: What is it?

Rico: Let's stay in the shadows...we'll be safer...something's coming out of that cave...

????: *whisper* Die.....

[i]Rico ran towards the shadows the tall rock formations gave and motioned for Valeigh to come. She ran towards at him, but not after looking into the cave and seeing a moving figure inside, unidentifyable. Valeigh's skin was crawling with bumps...[/i]

Rico: What did you see?[/COLOR]

[Raiha]

[COLOR=royalblue]Valeigh: ...Ochkik-Haddah.

[i]As she said the words, her face turned deathly pale, and her hands began to shake uncontrollably.[/i]

Rico: That's impossible.

Valeigh: He's the Lord of Death. Something is driving him out into the real world.

Rico: But why would he come then?

Valeigh: To kill one of us, or to go kill somebody else.

Rico: We need to find the others.[/COLOR]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]Running through the darkness, trying to keep out of sight, Harlequin and Spyder almost miss the other two in the pitch black. Valeigh however notices a slight reflection, and chances a harsh whisper. Startled, yet relieved, Harlequin and Spyder make their way over, Harlequin immediately noticing their nervous state.[/I]

Harlequin: I thought we had bad news, but what did you two run into?

Valeigh: Ochkik-Haddah.

Harlequin: ...The Last Dawn, in this realm?

Valeigh: Yes.

Harlequin: He has no claim over us now, yet I am concerned. Did he come of his own violition, or is just the next thing to be thrown at us?

Rico: You spoke of bad news.

Spyder: They have Athen. He looked in bad shape. Whatever attacked him left some kind of parasite.

Rico: Then shall we? Death is still wandering around after all?

[I]They set off in the darkness, Spyder and Harlequin leading them off back to the place they encountered the figures that abducted Athen.[/I][/font][/color]

[Raiha]

[COLOR=seagreen][i]Valeigh surveyed the wreakage with her swordpoint. There seemed to be several major signs of struggle, but no signs of survival.....[/i]

Rico: Ee....looks like he put up a good fight.

Valeigh: Oh this is so disgusting.

[i]She flipped over a very deceased corpse. Flies buzzed around the "head" and maggots crawled through the chared flesh, feeding wildly. Suddenly, Valeigh dropped her blade, and fell backwards, head over heels. She screamed aloud, then bit down on her hand and smacked to the side.[/i]

Harlequin: Another Bantis Punhar.....

Valeigh: It hurts...[/COLOR]

[RicoTranzrig]

[COLOR=darkblue]Spyder: Here...!

[i]Spyder pointed her hand towards the creature nearly inches away from Valeigh and knocked it away towards the desert sands...[/i]

Rico: *closes eyes*

[i]He held up one of his guns and raised it. Though in pitch black, he squeezed the trigger and a powerful blast came out, followed by an irritating scream...Rico tilted his head to get a better view of what just happened.[/i]

Harlequin: Good shot...

Valeigh: *sits down on the sand*

[i]Rico heard the thump of Valeigh's body hitting the ground. He turned around and crouched low, taking out a few bandages from his pack...[/i]

[/COLOR]

[Raiha]

[COLOR=royalblue][i]She had her hand clutched between her knees with her head down, hair hanging over her face like a veil. Blue blood trickled down her arm and tears of pain ran down her face, both touching the soft-packed earth.

Rico knelt closer towards her hand with a white piece of cloth. With his other hand, he lifted her face.[/i]

Rico: ??

Valeigh: :(

[i]With the lightest of touch, Rico took her bleeding hand and b egun wrapping the bandage over her arm, putting almost no pressure, careful not to hurt her anymore than she already has.

She still felt the pain of the bandage against her wound...but she knew that Rico had good intention. She bit her lip, trying hard not to cry out. The tears kept falling though, she was losing control over herself.[/i]

Spyder: Athen can wait...I take it he can break through.

Harlequin: I'm thinking that was his original intention...that he wanted to be captured.

[i]Valeigh's lower lip began to bleed slightly, incurring more wounds.[/i]

Rico: I'm almost done...it's okay...I'm here...[/COLOR]

[RicoTranzrig]

[COLOR=darkblue][i]Rico wrapped the last of the bandage around Valeigh's arm and sealed it with a light piece of tape that he had hiding in his pack.[/i]

Valeigh: *sniff*

[i]He wiped the blood away from her lower lip and chin and tilted her head up. Looking into her face, a wave of compassion came over him. A few tears slid down his face and met with the pool of fluid on the ground.

Valeigh was still sitting down, recovering from the pain she had just experienced. She hoped that none of the venom got into her system, making her weaker as the days would go by.

Rico joined her side, putting an arm across her. She buried her face into his chest and rested with her broken arm raised to her own shoulder. Harlequin and Spyder knelt by them.[/i]

Spyder: Athen needs our help if he doesn't come back to us in a few hours.

Rico: He's done this before.

Spyder: Many times...though I never realized how disfigured he was until just now.

[i]Harlequin pointed at the tread marks made by the van. Burnt rubber, kicked up dust, and the fumes of struggle were apparent around them.[/i]

Harlequin: Here...

[i]He pointed towards the eastern horizon past the hilly landscape that Valeigh and Rico went towards to escape from being killed.[/i]

Spyder: We should get moving then...the Ochkik-Haddah could be nearby. He walks slow, but don't let him get you...one touch and your soul is his for the taking.

Rico: We don't want his minions to be coming after us either.

[i]Rico tapped Valeigh slightly...but no response. A worried look came upon Harlequin and Spyder.[/i]

Harlequin: This isn't good...we can't travel very far without her being awake, especially after dawn...she'll most likely be killed from loss of fluids. It'll be hard to find a safe haven with the Ochkik-Haddah after us.

Spyder: Though I wonder if another raid vehicle will come nearby soon...we'll be able to take it on and our lives might become a whole lot easier.

[i]Spyder and Harlequin stood up.[/i]

Rico: Where are you two going?

Spyder: It'll be a couple hours before the sun is fully risen...we will take to the east and come back before Valeigh is in any serious danger.

Harlequin: We hope to find Athen and a vehicle we can take...

Rico: *holds Valeigh* One thing though...the Ochkik-Haddah.

Spyder: Yes, that is our main concern...yours and Valeigh's safety. The creature is slow, but very potent...you'll hear the warning signs before he actually has a chance to harm you.

Rico: What are those signs...

Harlequin: When you hear the sounds...don't try and fight...just run..even we cannot defeat him. You will notice a darkness in the air as I think you have in the cave not too long ago. Whispers of a thousand voices will overcome you as he gets closer and closer, showing how many souls he's stolen up to this day.

Rico: You've gotten into a close encounter with it?

Spyder: Unfortunately...we tried to take it out...but in futility...

Rico: This is an open desert...where is our safe haven?

Spyder: The hideout...where we reloaded...you'll be safe there. If you've noticed, there's a wind stream that eminates at the perimeter of the city. Your scent will disappear... If Valeigh wakes up or not, head for that place...we'll be looking for you there when the time comes tomorrow...

[i]Spyder and Harlequin turned from them and looked back one last time.[/i]

Harlequin: Take good care of your love...Rico.

Spyder: *nods*

[i]They took off in a mad dash, kicking up soil. A few minutes passed before they were clear from Rico's sight...leaving him and her in the middle of the arid soil...Valeigh began to move slightly...Rico shook her just a little.[/i]

Rico: Valeigh...?

[i]Her eyes were still closed.[/i]

Valeigh: Rico...what happened...?

Rico: Harlequin and Spyder went to look for Athen...we're heading back towards our shelter just outside the city...remember.

Valeigh: Yeah...

Rico: Can you get up?

Valeigh: *nods*

Rico: Take your time...we have plenty...I'll keep you safe...[/COLOR]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson]Harlequin: Just you and I again, my love.

Spyder: I know. Where do you think they took Athen?

Harlequin: I'm more interested in who they were, and why they were interested in us.

Spyder: Weren't they Lightbearers?

Harlequin: No, they appeared to be ordinary men. If not, they certainly weren't Lightbearers.

Spyder: Just what we need, another enemy.

Harlequin: Enemies are good. They give people reason to carry nasty looking things that do nasty things to people.

Spyder: And that's all you really care about.

Harlequin: You know that isn't true. And you like it yourself.

Spyder: Never said I didn't. What say we go then.

Harlequin: What say.

[I]They set off into the darkness, following the tracks of the vehicles that took Athen.[/I][/font][/color]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic]They jogged for half an hour, keeping to the shadows. The plainlands were deserted, but once they returned to the cities the mad being began attacking them again and their progress was slow.[/i]

Spyder: There has to be a quicker was of pursuit.

Harlequin: I know... it will be difficult though, with the amount of time we have. Do you have any ideas?

Spyder: Well, I was thinking about going to the jungle side of the city, it shouldn't be too far from here.

[i]The jungle was the half of the city that had been recaptured by nature, the side of the city that held the river, banked the sea and was bordered by thick tropical forest. It was perfect conditions for rampant vines and trees, especially GM ones, to run wild and conquer everything. That section was also uninhabited by humans, but it was most probably inhabited by something a lot worse... of course, it was rather hard to tell these days. [/i]

Harlequin: Even that's a bit out of our league, don't you think?

Spyder: Well, what are you afraid of? [i]Dying?[/i]

Harlequin: Point taken. Why would it be quicker though? We have to travel north to get there, it's out of our way.

Spyder: If we make it to the river, and find a boat, the river will take us east very quickly.

Harlequin: You are basing a lot on chance, but we don't have time. I think that's an excellent idea.

[i]Spyder glowed for a minute before embracing Harlequin and kissing him passionatly. When she let him go, he staggered to the side and regained his balance slowly. Spyder was concerned.[/i]

Spyder: What's wrong, my love?

Harlequin: nothing, quite the opposite, actually, it's just that.... you haven't done that to me in a while.

Spyder: Oh, sorry. Let's go.

[i]Before Harlequin could chide her for apologising, she ran off again in a northerly direction, leaving Harlequin to follow her.[/i][/font][/color]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]Harlequin quickly catches up with Spyder, and they continue their swift pace through the night, driven by concern for Athen. They reach the edge of the vegetated area, slowing slightly to avoid the branches laid out in their path. Strange shadowy forms flit from tree to tre around them, yet Spyderand Harlequin heed them not. They are forced to duck into a small hollow in the undergrowth, as a larger than normal form hears their passing and decides to investigate. Embracing fiercely during the respite, they are quickly forced by other creatures to flee their hiding place. They continue on, the scent of the river drifting slowly into focus.[/font][/color][/I]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic][i]Spyder pricks her ears at the sound of running water, and turns to Harlequin to alert him. He too has stopped, but when Spyder opens her mouth to ask what is wrong he motions for her to be quiet, and suddenly leaps at her, knocking her to the ground. A dark shape leaps across the space where they stood and a snarl tears the air, followed by a soft thud as the thing lands. Spyder gathers enough courage to turn her head and see the thing, and finds the head of a large, male bengal tiger not one foot from her face. He is crouched, ready to swipe at her face should she move. Carefull not to show her teeth, however, Spyder smiles and half closes her eyes, hissing at the huge cat and blinking at it slowly. Harlequin does not move, and soon enough the strong feline relaxes and Spyder reaches forward quickly, scratching it behind the ear with her long nails. The tiger yawns and rolls onto her hand, and she gets up and kneels next to the tiger, scratching it's back all the way down the spine. Turning to the stunned Harlequin, she smiles once more.[/i]

Spyder: Thanks for saving my head, my love...

Harlequin: Any time.

Spyder: I was just going to say that the river should be just ahead. Can you hear it?

Harlequin: Yes, I could. I'll go and check it out, should I?

Spyder: I'll catch up to you.

[i]Harlequin runs off as Spyder continues to play with the cat, scratching it's neck and back and returning the playfull bats to the head that it throws at her, nearly dislodging her at the neck but meaning well none the less. After a minute or so, a sound in the bushes alerts the tiger, and Spyder stands slowly and walks away in plain sight.[/i][/color][/font]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]Harlequin slows, waiting for Spyder to catch up, after getting in sight of the river. A murky, polluted, overgrown affair, the river winds its way across the city walls, before meandering across the blasted lands, until it reaches another jungle. Ignoring the hissing and rising tentacles, Harlequin starts to fashion a raft. He absently slices down with his twin viper, severing a grasping appendage from some aquatic beast. The beast withdraws, it's blood diluted in the water. Instantly, the water turns to a frothing mass of appendages, blood, organs, howls and strange creatures. After a minute, all is silent, a fully stripped skeleton of some immense monster floating to the surface.[/font][/color][/I]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic]Spyder: See, this is why I love you.

[i]She walks up behind him and encircles his middle with her arms, burying her face into his back and sighing. He turns to her and smiles down at her, before grabbing the skeleton before it is swept away and dragging part of it onto the shore. One massive arm of the creature would be enough for a sufficent raft, as the bones of this creature were naturally hollow, like bamboo, and no flotational devices were needed if a sufficient frame was constructed.
Spyder took her dagger and began cutting long, thin vines from above, while Harlequin began hacking at the cartilage securing the bones to their original frame. Using the vines as rope, they soon had constructed a sturdy raft that held the two of them a foot above the water and balanced rather well.[/i][/color][/font]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]As they started to float, Harlequin freed his pistol crossbow, looking around at the water. A slight movement, and he immediately shot. They are suddenly propelled along, as the thrashing of one of the river denizens churns up the already heaving water. Soon, everything is again unnaturally still.[/I]

Harlequin: Why do I have this feeling we're going to run into a grendel?

Spyder: Because you're always pessimistic.

[I]Harlequin smiles, before leaning over and kissing her hard. He then returns to watching the river.[/font][/color][/I]

[Ravenstorture]

[color=darkgreen][font=gothic][i]Spyder smiles dreamily and falls over. Harlequin catches her halfway and lowers her to the floor, sighing.[/i]

Harlequin: It's been too long, hasn't it?

Spyder: Mmmmm.....

Harlequin: Do you even know what I am saying?

Spyder: ....mmmmmm...

Harlequin: As long as you are happy, my love. Keep your eyes open, I don't trust the cracks in the floor of this thing. You won't be safe if you fall asleep now.

[i]He stares at her for a while, before looking ahead and noticing the brige - a mere speck on the horizon now. The river was moving rather sluggishly, and the canopy had envoloped the sky, darkening the air and giving the water a metallic look. [/i][/font][/color]

[The Harlequin]

[font=gothic][color=crimson][I]The denizens of the river are forgotten, as Harlequin focuses on the bridge. As they get closer, he notices movement. Ripping off random bits of vegetation, he snags a heavy branch and holds the boat fast. The slow current makes it easy to keep the boat still. Noting Spyder's almost catatonic state, he vows not kiss her in situations like this. Then smiles. He knows he'll break that vow any chance he gets. He picks her up and slithers onto the branch. He leaves the boat to float towards the bridge. Hopefully it will attract some attention.[/font][/color][/I]