[Owl]

Nuri and Irun, Embodiments of Alternative and Acid Rock


Nestled in a warm, winter coat and thick, long scarf, Ravean trotted wearily and carefully in the icy rock steps, passing irregular figures hidden by a deep sheet of snow. Her coal hair twists and whips chaotically in the frigid wind, leaving her red, cold face bare to the elements. Behind her, walking side-by-side, are two large Wockees, one a Palo and one an odd colored Neo, seemingly unaware of the bitter weather in their wiry pelts. The one on the left is obviously larger and obviously male with his strong strides and thicker mane, while the one on Ravean's right is daintier and feministic, but carries a hidden feral touch in her loping gait. Both of them bear a hidden terror and wanderlust in their eyeless sockets, like a caged tiger dreaming of its escape into the wilderness. The girl turns her cold face towards the south, her eyes catching the looming grey smoke pillar rising faraway in the mists of battle, a sickened glint in her auburn eyes.  The female Palowockee catches her despair and opens her maw to mouth the lyrics coming from a song drifting from her headphones around her neck:

Another mother's breakin'
Heart is taken over.
When the violence causes silence,
We must be mistaken...

Ravean nods quietly as her creature recites the demented, sad verse. "I wonder when they'll quit this silly war and come to some sort of peaceful agreement?"she mutters as she lowers her scarf for a second, breathing in the chilly air that seems to freeze her very soul. Putting the thought away, she makes a movement for them to continue on their way.
"Come along, Nuri, Irun,"

They come to two gigantic doors made of fine, strong wood that seemed to outlast time itself. Stopping momentarily to gaze upon the building's splendor, Ravean heaves open the door with some help from her companions, entering the welcoming darkness that is Basantha Shrine. A gust of warm air rushes out, brushing past the group like escaping ghosts.

The sudden dimness blinds Ravean for the odd second as she blinks, glimpsing hooded figures trotting desolately in the many corridors, their melodious voices ringing sweetly, yet with an odd sorrow. Her eyesight now returning, she sets her stare on the mighty statues standing like guardians over the passageways. She guessed the one on the right would bare the most luck in finding what she came here for: a Hunter.
She stood in waiting, searching for her newfound friend, J'Tal, with a long sigh. He was the one that suggested they should stop at Basantha Shrine before heading towards Wilt'no Desert for training. Nuri and Irun sit obediently at her heels, their dull purple tongues hanging out, panting, as they let their 'eyes' explore the cavern. This was their first outing since they hatched, so of course they would be rather curious about this grand cathedral.

[J'Tal]

A large gust of wind and snow accompanied by a large slam announce the opening of the doors. All who look see a man silhouetted by the snow. He is tall, with ruffled brown hair and dark eyes. He is wearing a large dark brown duster overtop a dark red shirt and black jeans. As he move in, you can notice that he his a bit hunched around a bundle that he is carrying. After he enters, what looks to be living rock covered in snow follows him in. The man then shuts the great doors blocking the freezing grip of the wind.  The human dusts the cold wet snow off of himself, and the mound gives itself a shake to relive itself of the winter ice revealing a gargoyle like creature. He then carefully begins removing the cloth from his bundle until a nose seeking the warmth of the temple can be seen. The face and head soon follow the nose into the open and an oddly cute face blinks in the dim light. Placing the delicate creature on his shoulder, the human glances around the large room for the first time as he puts the small blanket away inside a pocket in his brown coat.

As he looks around, he notices that he is not the first to arrive. The man walks toward the female with a small smile on his face. The creature that was earlier a mound of snow follows closely.

"Ravean! Glad to see you made it here without to much difficulty." He seems genuinely glad to see her. "Just letting you know, there is a chance of someone else joining my... crusade. Her name is Discordancy. Also, this;" He points at the gargoyle like creature. "Is Spirnach. He is a Stargoyle, and he is insanely curious about everything, and loves to explore caves and such. And the lovely young lady on my shoulder is Hira'Coma. She is a bit of a psion. She always knows the truth of things and can see spirits. Oh, and she has the ability of creating witchfire. And who are these fine canines?"

J'Tal looks around for a bit studying the large chamber.

"Which way do you think we should go?"

1-1

[Owl]

A wide smirk slowly grows on Ravean's face as she twists around to see the man approaching, clearly grateful that he got here without any problems. The two creatures at her heel stare in amazement first at the man, then to the Stargoyle, then to the small Larvie. Irun's first reaction was to let out a savage growl, deep and fierce, but he was quickly silenced by his sister's heavy tail hitting his side, accompanied by hisses. "Behave, you two,"Ravean mutters, reaching down to stroke their long ears soothingly. They quickly quiet down, but don't stop to send dirty glances at one another.
Straightening her stance with a grunt, Ravean greets the man full-heartedly.

"Ah, hello J'Tal, I'm glad you made it! Oh, another person is coming?"She stops for a moment, trying to see if she knows anybody by Discordancy, but no one comes to mind. "That's splendid! The more the merrier!"She beams at Spirnach, bending over to get a better view at him before looking up at Hira'Coma with a thoughtful glare. "Oh, they're wonderful, J'Tal! These;"She creates a sweeping motion towards her two Palowockees, catching them in the midst of a staring contest. "Are my Palowockees, Nuri and Irun. Nuri, I should tell you, can't talk very well, and usually uses song lyrics to get her point across, while Irun is a trouble maker."
An immense, toothy grin forms on Irun's face, full of mischievous intent, while Nuri gives a slight bow. "Hey,"greets Irun, his voice boisterous and rough.
"You say goodbye and I say hello, hello, hello!"echoes Nuri, her headphones ringing out the lyrics with some static in the background.          

"I say the right passage, the one with the huge, masked sculpture over it? Yeah, it seems darker then the other ones, so perhaps the perfect place for a rundown Hunter to hide. Shall we look?"Ravean points down the right corridor, which seems much darker and more sinister then the other two, into what was known as the Halls of the Lost.

[2-2]

[J'Tal]

J'Tal looks at the statues guarding the separate passages, as if measuring their likes to something unseen. Staring at the right statue, he responds.

"Sounds good to me, but just to let you know, there are Mekkayena here as well. But I have never been here before. Right sounds... Right."

Saying the last part with a smile, J'Tal lets Spirnach the Stargoyle lead the way to the right passage. As the tunnel leads out of the candle light, Hira'Coma focuses and a small green illuminance lights in front of the group, revealing the area ahead. The light is pale and flickers like a candle in a nonexistant wind. When the light appears, there is the illusion of eyes staring from the walls. It is a momentary flash, but it is unnerving. There are plenty of nooks and cracks in the hallway for people or... creatures to hide in. There was even a hole in the floor where you could see the level below. Eventually, the room opens into a large space occupied by many symmetrically organized columns. Snow drifts from a tiny hole in the ceiling giving it an air of abandonment.

Hira'Coma blinks as she stares around the large chamber. She chirps something to Spirnach who speaks for the first time. "Hira'Coma claims there are many restless spirits occupying the space." After some other chirping; "She also says there are life essences of other creatures that have been here. She says there are some that are cursed, as well as some that are tainted by machinery."

With that he spreads his stone wings and flies around the chamber. Calling from the center of the chamber he claims to have found something. Revealing the indentations in the floor and following them to the indented wall with the symbol engraved there.

"The symbol of chaos." There is aw in J'Tals voice.

2-2

[Owl]

((I'd like to mention that Irun got a make-over into a custom, so act like he was always a toxic-looking Neowockee. (((Hopefully his stats stay the same...)))))

"Mekkayena? Well, I really wouldn't mind seeing one. They are Xai're's pet, y'know."A blaze of strong curiosity and wonder flickers in Ravean's eyes as she heads quickly towards the passageway, entirely enthralled in this journey.

Ravean nods bravely as she strides into the pitch-black abyss that is the tunnel towards the Halls of the Lost. The two creatures stay close behind, staring in curiosity at the green flare lighting their path. Nuri walks with a strange, rounded lopping movement, while Irun's is tight and in line, yet seemingly rebellious. They hiss quietly at every unnerving movement or shadow, arching their back up like a cats'. Ravean keeps her eyes forward, trying not to stare into the wall, frightened she might catch a creature she wished she didn't see. Not noticing the crevice in the floor as she tried to remain brave, she almost fell in it head first if it were not for Nuri grabbing her coat and dragging her back up.
As they emerged into the cavern, a shiver, like a corpse's finger, shot up Ravean's back as the cold air swept around her. Irun's ears perk in waiting, as if trying to hear the spirits that loom over them. Behind him comes an odd beat, the cave transforming it into an orchestra of sound.

Dundun, dundundun, dundundundundundundundundundundundun dadadada!

At the last beat flies a flash of gray fur, crashing loudly into Irun as he tumbled into a creek filled with frosty melted ice. He growled in confusion, fright, and anger, lifting his damp head to stare into a skull face. Nuri 'giggled' excitedly, which really wasn't much more than high-pitched static, and quickly hopped off her brother into the creek with a splash. "Nuri, don't do that again!"Irun hissed as he heaved himself and shook the droplets from his pelt, sending them in an artificial rainstorm.
Ravean let out a chuckle as she dodged the drops as she stepped across the rivulet. She plodded towards the wall, still in awe at the sheer openness of this room, and its daunting silence. Running her fingers over the symbol, she whispers, "I've seen this mark on some of the pets around my house...I wonder who decided to create a whole color under this mark."Her pets followed her gaze, their pelts still carrying icy water drops.

[3-3]

[J'Tal]

J'Tal was glad that the pair of 'Wockees were enjoying themselves and that the perpetual gloom of the large chamber was not affecting them. Spirnach, not being affected by the darkness either, came up with an... interesting idea to interact with the hounds. "Guess what I am!" He exclaims as he gathers water into his rocky mouth. Jumping into flight, he soars to the top of the cavern, then latches into a stone stalactite. Maneuvering himself so his head was pointing towards the ground, he arches his neck and spews the water into an arch that lands dangerously close to the pair of Ravean's companions. "I am a Stargoyle gargoyle!" J'Tal shakes his head in mock exasperation.

As Spirnach pulls his antics, Hira'Coma is studying the indented wall. As she studies it, she notices a crack at the base. Hopping from J'Tal's shoulder, she lands gracefully among some loose gravel on the mostly empty floor. Gracefully moving to the crack in the base of the wall, she reaches dainty paw inside. The wall slides up in a quiet rush as if either well oiled, or well used.

As wall section raised she saw a flash of movement, but it was so brief that she wasn't sure if it was living or spectral. At the sound of the section coming home in a higher portion of the wall, J'Tal turns to see a new passage that he was unaware of in the first place. J'Tal didn't notice or know of the movement that Hira'Coma saw. She didn't mention it either.

"Um, when did the tunnel appear?"

3-3

[Owl]

The two canines howled with amusement, bounding away from the shower of water as it crashed onto the floor of the cavern with a loud splash, echoing around like the screams of specters. Irun woofed a mirthful compliment as Nuri laughed on, her artificial voice like the screech of loud static.
"Whoa, you look just like the ones on those tower-thingies!"
"You mean castles,"
"Oh. Yeah, castles."
Ravean twists around to observe the spectacle with bemusement, a small yet emotional smirk growing on her face as she corrects Irun. "Your Spirnach is quite the character, J'Tal,"she said quietly, her own Stargoyle clan coming to mind.
A rush of damp, warm air flows around Ravean, alerting her of the door's opening behind her. Her head turns swiftly to gaze into the large passageway, gaping open like the maw of some huge beast. Her two companions' ears perk up in amazement and wonder, creeping forward towards Ravean's heels for comfort.
"I have no idea...But it appears that Hira'Coma has something to do with this, didn't you, little one?"Ravean steps forth to peer into the opening, eyes wide with odd curiosity. Warm air flows from it, damp and humid like the breath of a dragon, and it is extremely murky.  It seems to be taunting to swallow you into a deep abyss if you get too close. "Shall we explore?"Taking off her large coat, displaying a black tee-shirt with a white pirate symbol on the front, to become more comfortable in the muggy air, she trots confidently into the cave, her hounds at her heels, their ears rotating like satellites to gain any information they can on this place.
Out of her jacket hops a black figure, too quick for the normal eye. Its cat-like form stalks swiftly into the dimness like a shadow from some far off reality, its ruby-red eyes glistening like coals. It goes unnoticed by the group, much to its liking.

Inside the tunnel, it's almost like it was outside, yet much more dark, deep, and dank. Blinking oddly around in the dark, Ravean found that they severely needed a light.
"Hey, Hira'Coma, you mind lighting this place up?"she asked. Beside her, Irun and Nuri felt as if they were being crushed with the pressure and the odd sensation of a lack of oxygen. They whimpered, hugging tight to Ravean, who placed a hand on both of their large heads.
"It's alright, my children. It's just a tunnel, nothing more..."Ravean comforted, but she couldn't help a little jump as a small, shady object, darker than her surroundings, bolted down the hall. "It's just a tunnel, nothing more..."

[4-4]

[J'Tal]

Hira'Coma purrs contentedly as she receives praise. Being that she has been trained in secrecy and stealth, as well as the ability to see spirits and auras, Hira'Coma notices the black blur. Everyone else fails to notice the shadowy figure.

Leaving his dark brown duster on, J'Tal enters the opening into the heat and humidity. "Wow, bit warmer in here isn't it."He comments mostly to himself. "Hey, Hira'Coma, could you light the area up?"

At the request of the humans, she concentrates briefly and the glowing green flame appears in the open space. Spirnach, who was walking between legs to get to the front and to prove how brave he is, yelps as the light appears. For right in front of him is a stone statue of a Mekkayena. There is a row of the creatures on the right side of the hallway, and to the left is a row of Hunters. As the glowing flame flickers in an inexistent wind, it causes the shadows to leap and move about, making it difficult to tell if there is anything moving or not.

"So these are what the Mekkayena and Hunters look like."J'Tal notes as he starts inspecting some of the statues. "I wonder if they are the same size?"He asks because the statues come halfway up his chest.

As he does this, J'Tal does not see the movement in the room.

4-4

[Owl]

As the flames flicker wildly over the petrified figures, Ravean gasps, not in fear but amazement.
"I've seen a few pictures of them, but I never imagined them to be so... Magnificent," she whispers, bolting over to the statues and caressing a Hunter with his right eye missing. All the figures were a stone grey with a few patches of peeling paint, a tell-tale sign of their age, and beautiful ruby eyes that glitter like drops of crimson blood. Many of these eyes were missing, stolen long ago, but the ones that were intact were stunning.
"Oh, how wonderful if they were this size... Wouldn't it be simply amazing to ride these across the plains?" Ravean talked slowly and quietly, as if in a dream. Her eyes seemed to be looking into the very souls of these frozen beasts as if they were real, and with in the intensity of her stare and the green glow dancing around their remaining eyes it was hard not to think they could come alive at any moment.

The hounds watched in silence, sizing up these creatures with their hollow eyes. Their heads were level, but their long, rabbit-like ears stood high above the statues. Out of the corner of Irun's eyes he caught a smokey figure prancing in the darkness with lithe movements. Giving a low note meant to be a grow, he stalked towards it, his ears pricked forwards. With one swift leap that seemed to take less then a second, in his powerful black claws he held a black cat by her scarlet collar. The screech that emitted from her seemed to echo inside your head and not actually out loud. Her mouth was stitched tightly shut and her eyes carried an odd toy-like gleam.
"Let me go, you buffoon!"

"May? Mayhem?! What the Xai're are you doing here?" yelped Ravean, stopping over to the irritated Draculi with what appeared to be anger, yet was morbidly gleeful.
"Why, I'm here to hunt treasure with ya' guys!" The one called May wriggled out of Irun's grasp and jotting down a small corridor with a flick of her tail. "And I think this way's our best bet."
Ravean cocked her head with mild confusion and turned to J'Tal.

"Shall we follow her?"

[J'Tal]

J'Tal feels sweat come to his forehead like a light dew in the heat. He casually reaches down to pick up Hira'Coma placing her on his shoulder as he looks into the dark passage that the dark feline had indicated.

"I see no problems with that prospect," J'Tal replies "But where out of the nine layers of Hell did you come from." He demands from the Draculi.

While this is taking place, Spirnach low crawls toward the new arrival. Pretending that no else can see him, he leaps with mouth wide and roar out of his mouth. Spirnach pounces on the only object that has his full attention in the large spacious cavern; Mayhems tail. *GLOMP* "mmphn thnmph irb thnamph ammnb pnphmthnn thanmpht!" ("I thought I saw a puddy tat!")

J'Tal just shakes his head with is shoulders shaking trying not to laugh. At least not too hard...

5-5

[Owl]

"Hell? I was not wrought in hell, but  in Ravean's own silly imagination. . . You must be wonderin' 'bout my appearance, eh?" Mayhem growled, a smirk of an insane lunatic plastered on her face like a doll's smile. "I was a toy before I was bewitched."
In the dull light from Hira'Coma's flame, patches of different fabric can be seen on the small feline, and her eyes had a dead glow to them; if it wasn't for Mayhem standing and 'talking,' she would truly look nothing more than a doll.

A yowl and a glint of claws told that Spirnach's tackle hit it's place.
"Unhand me!" she screeched, her claws made of sliver slashing at the beast at her tail. It didn't hurt her, but it did startle her greatly, which was just as bad. Ravean, also startled, found the joke rather cruel, but still gave a small, delicate chuckle.
"Oh, come now, it's not like he's trying to eat you. . ." she soothed, stepping back out of the range of her sharp talons.

After wrenching her tail from Spirnach, she sat and examined her back to make sure no tears could be found. The hounds, who have been watching with fear over the past few minutes, crept over stealthy, still wondering who this odd character was, but with a shriek, "Get the hell away from me!" they fled down the hall into the dark.
"Oh, now look; you chased off Nuri and Irun! The poor dears, wait up!" Ravean began motioning the others to follow her as she sprinted down the long, dark corridor.

[6-6-2]

[J'Tal]

"A doll bewitched to live," J'Tal shakes his head "and you wonder why I came up with Hell..."

Spirnach was shocked by the swiped claws and the tail being wrenched away. This of course makes him burst into laughter at the furry expressed all because of the practical joke. When the hounds approached the doll only to be scared away by the irate cat, only caused Spirnach to laugh all the harder.

J'Tal even had to chuckle at that as he starts to follow with Hira'Coma perched on his shoulder. He motions to Spirnach to follow and when he catches up J'Tal calls to Mayhem asking if she will be following or just sulking in the rear of the group. Without waiting for a response, J'Tal and his companions follow the scared dogs and their friend calling after the hounds.

6-6

[Owl]

A gruff hiss erupted in the hollow cavern as Mayhem gave her tail one more swift lick before setting off after the others, growling, "You best not laugh any more, you dull rock heap, or I'll slash your eyes out!" It was clearly directed at the hysterical Spirnach.

Irun's large paws thudded on the dusty marble floor, his instincts controlling his every whim. Beside him, Nuri kept pace with him, subdued static ringing in her headphones. Rounding a turn, they skidded on the suddenly slick surface into a large, extravagant hallway. Irun was able dig his long talons into a crack before losing control, but Nuri crashed head-first into a gargantuan pot. It tumbled over easily and rolled away into the sickening darkness ahead. Rubbing her injured head wearily, Nuri stares wonderingly into the shadows, the air as humid as a rainforest in summer. The walls are smooth like the floor and prettily decorated, but rocks jut out here and there to show that the cathedral is beginning to head into the mountain; it might be a new hall from the sheer cleanliness of it. Breathing heavily in the thick air, Irun gives a wail to call to his master as she peers from behind the corner.
"Oh, my dears! Are you alright?" Ravean cries, stepping carefully on the smooth floor. The two nodded quietly, still a bit shocked, but their attitude quickly changed into fury as Mayhem rounded the corner.
"Geez, I can see you guys are really glad to see me," she snorted, giving a quick glance to the large, dark entrance that went to who-knows-where. "Ah! That's definitely treasure filled! The way it's carved into the mountain, I say it might lead into a dragon's lair or something? Ooh, the suspense!" Her button eyes sparkling, Mayhem signals the group to follow her as she saunters into the thick darkness of the doorway.
Filled with curiosity, the hounds follow, their headphones playing soft music to calm the two down. Ravean shrugs and motions to J'Tal and his companions to come along.
"And no more of your tricks and pranks, Spirnach! We're all going to have heart-attacks if you keep scaring the willies out of us!"she scolds, waving a finger in the Stargoyle's direction, but she couldn't hide a small grin at his shenanigans.

[7-7-3]

[J'Tal]

Spirnach snickers at the ideas of more "shenanigans" that he could pull on the others until Hira'Coma lightly smacks the top of his head with a paw. Casually dismissing the pranks as if brushing cobwebs from a wall. Spirnach began to seriously think about the task at hand and the missing Hunters.

J'Tals thick boots help prevent slipping on the polished floor. The cold outside seems a distant memory to the humid heat in the chamber. The darkness that encompasses them all making the heat seem all that much closer. Even Hira'Coma seemed effected by the heat. The glow of Hira'Comas green Witchfire making the hall more otherworldly than just a cavern inside a mountain.

As the party moves thru the tunnel of the hall, the light reflects off the walls and decorations revealing them to be made of precious stone, but no gems or precious metals. The craftsmanship is exquisite as they pass thru. Always something new or special coming into the light. Until the end of the hall.

At the end, there are three tunnels. They seem to be of varying degrees of disrepair. The tunnel on the left being in the worse shape, but the middle being the best.

"Where now?"J'Tal asks.

7-7

[Owl]

Ravean's eyes flutter to and fro like petals in the breeze as she gazes around the magnificent hall. Her hounds mutter quietly to each other, talking about affairs only known to them. Twitching black and crimson ears eavesdrop as Mayhem slinks behind them, eyes filled with a mischievous curiosity. A barking laugh out of the blue (Or the green, considering the lighting) sends Mayhem fleeing in surprise to Ravean's heels where a small chuckle greeted her.
"Oh, scared by a mere yip? You silly cat!" Ravean whispers, a sweet smile on her face to show no harm. Her eyes flash upwards as the three hallways come into view. Although the one in the middle seemed the best road to go on, they were searching for a reclusive beast that loved the darkness.
"I say. . .The left! Yes, that's our best bet!"
Mayhem nodded along enthusically, enthralled in the dilapated tunnel, while the dogs just stared into the shadows, trying to find any signs of life. Claw marks were scratched in the smooth floor in every direction, but it was hard to tell whether or not they were of a Hunter or some other creature. The largest footprints lead directly into the rundown cavern they were about to head into.

[8-8-4]