[Fallen_Snow]

Nyt hadn't had a good few months. After being ditched by Snowy, and pretty much almost killed by that stupid... thing out in Wilt'no, all Nyt wanted was some peace and quiet and warmth.

So how had he ended up here? He figured it was just a good a question as any, but he had no answer. Usually warmth and sun attracted him, but everything about this place screamed cold dreariness. But for some reason, his paws had willed him to this Gods-forsaken hole in the rock. As he stared into the deep dark of the hole, his dark red hair falling in his face, he flicked the flashlight on and frowned. Nothing in this place was for him.

"Alright, Nyt, let's get in there." he said to himself. Gritting his teeth, he walked into the tunnel, his skin goosepimpling at once when the cold, damp, and stale air hit him. He probably should have dressed warmer. He rubbed his bare arms and thanked himself for the jeans he had worn. He waved the beam of brightness around, trying to illuminate everything he could of this place. How could anyone stand it here? It was so dank and dreary. And dank.

Pushing his hair back from his face, he stopped the trail of light on a small crevice that was big enough to fit through. The tunnel had seemingly come to a dead end, but he believed that that crevice may be his ticket into the caves.

He should turn back now. He really should.

Sliding into his Leawolf form, he pushed his thin orange body through the crevice. No turning back now...

[Fallen_Snow]

The Infernal Kuhna paced restlessly, waiting for the other Kuhna to come. She had found out about his appearance and was waiting eagerly. She had heard that this Kuhna had caught the eyes of her dearest sister, and the last thing she wanted was to ruin that.

Yeah, right.

She loved messing with Snowy, even more than she loved being destructive. Which she was fairly structural herself, what with her being a very good baby-sitter and fairly controlled in her fire powers than most would think. A glimmer of champagne colored fire made her notice the Elder Kuhna coming towards her slowly, not realizing she was there. Wanting to be conspicuous, she hid quietly under a ledge and waited for him to enter the cave. She would begin stalking him after she was sure that he would be hard to find.

She would have fun messing with him, and Snowy in the process.

[Fallen_Snow]

WhyamIherewhyamIherewhyamIherewhyamI--

He stared at the gaping hole in the rock face, his eyes small in fright of the looming darkness he was about to plunge into. Like Nyt (though oblivious to the Vibrant Leawolf's light preferences), Charlie was horribly abhorrent of the dark. Anywhere near that horrible shadow made him nervous. And these caves... they were like a death wish. But he needed to face this place to get over his fear. And it wasn't like he was going alone. There would be a ton of other people in there, right? People still visited Shi'hana, right?

Right. He was right; he was sure that he knew the correct answer.

How wrong could he be? Taking a deep breath, he stared down the entrance. "Get ready to be entered, cavern." Charlie mewed unevenly. He stepped towards the hole and entered Craiss Caverns, unsuspecting of Rena's plans to creep on him.

[Fallen_Snow]

Rena watched the Kuhna step nervously forward, looking lost and almost ready to wet himself. What a joke! This would be too easy. The poor Elder Kuhna was afraid of the dark. How sweet and touching. Barf. She focused her gaze on his pattern-shifting form, and as he got dimmer, followed him into the cavern.

All was quiet as soon as she padded in, her eyes intent on his glowing figure. She wouldn't let her eyes leave the Kuhna's back, and she watched with an intensity that could only be described as hungry. There was no turning back as she watched his body slip through a crevice, the very same crevice she squeezed through after him, and the very same crevice Nyt had made his way into a few minutes before.

Charlie was uneasy. He could hear everything in the big old hole-- the solid rock walls made everything echo-y and loud, but thankfully the caverns had a few glowing crystals, although nothing was as bright as his tails or markings. They were the only thing keeping him sane. It always was nice to be your own nightlight.

Nyt was too busy trying to get as deep as he could into the caverns so that he could forget about everything else. He wanted some thinking time, some bonding time with his soul, and some time away from Wilt'no, the place where he's supposed to take up being Nyten again. How could they expect him to handle that? It would be like asking a hungry cat to eat dog's food. It wasn't a solution to a problem, it was an innovative failure doomed from the start.

[Fallen_Snow]

Rena stalked the Elder Kuhna until she got tired of covering not enough ground in her Kuhna form. While faster, it was also smaller, and that meant she had to cover more distance. Switching to her human form, Rena followed at a more leisurely pace, smiling as she did so. She had worked out a few things she could say to the Elder, and couldn't wait to get this over with so she could go home and torture Snowy with it. This was just such a great opportunity!

Nyt stopped, staring at the wall he leaned his hand against. He wasn't sure how deep he really needed to get, but he could tell that he could get a lot deeper. The question was, did he want to? He tried to see himself in the shiny dark stone on the wall, but couldn't. Maybe that was how his life was going to be from now on-- never seeing himself clearly, if at all. Maybe he wasn't himself anymore. Maybe Nyten should have more control than he did, other than the occasional thought battle.

You know, you really should talk to me more often. If you did, I'm sure you'd feel better. Nyt closed his eyes and an image of the old Nytenkatuyt jumped to mind. He could see the old pharaoh's lips moving, and the thoughts that he sent Nyt were projected from that picture.

"How can you help me? Did you have an old, bothersome pharaoh in your head, too?" he asked, agitated. Nyten shrugged. Hey, you called me. Don't shoot the messenger for being called a messenger.

"Stop changing sayings. You're being ridiculous." Nyt growled, pressing his palms hard against the wall and letting his head drop down towards his chest.

Now you're just being rude. I'm here to help you. As an old pharaoh and mentor to you, the New Pharaoh, I must be in your thoughts to help you through every second guess, every third thought, every battle plan. You would have access to the others hadn't it been for that shaman.

"Ah yes, that silly worm did best us."

Only in a few things.

[Fallen_Snow]

"So why don't you give me a hint as to why we're here?" Nyt asked, rubbing his temples. Sometimes, he wished he and Nytenkatuyt were two separate people. It could get confusing, listening to a voice that's almost like your own thoughts, but having it be an entirely different person entirely, even though you can never truly see them. Talking to Nyten gave Nyt a migraine forceful enough to split his skull. It took all his control to prevent the pushy old Pharaoh from overpowering his thoughts. For an ancient spirit, he was powerful, and obviously craved life more than Nyt sometimes.

Well, from what I can tell, you can't stand having me a part of your mind. You would rather me be a separate being, yes? asked Nyten. This offer surprised and excited Nyt. "You mean... you'll leave me alone?"

I can't leave you alone entirely, but for the most part, I will not be included in your mind, and you will no longer have to fight to keep control of your own body. The reason I asked you to deliver us to the Caverns... well, there's someone we're to search for. An old mystic friend of mine, who might just be ready to help us.

"What do you mean by 'ready'?" asked Nyt, suspicious of the old desert king. The last time I talked to... well, let's just say it ended badly. Bad enough that, well... you're a fast runner, correct?

"If you get me killed, just remember, you're just as much me as I am."

Duly noted.

[Fallen_Snow]

Charlie couldn't stand this, this... black! It was all too dark, much too dark. He flicked his tails this way and that, trying to distribute his white flame, trying to purify the place with light and exposure. The stone could should use it-- it was almost the same color as the absence of light. He was a little crazed looking, his tails practically whipping the ground and still air, the flames crackling ominously as bits of them dissolved into the inky darkness.

Rena watched, amused. How could one little Elder Kuhna be so frightened by the dark? It was fairly amusing, just watching him worry himself about how the light not being there scared the bejeezus out of him. It was... cute, in a way. She smirked, watching his flickering tails from the ledge she had managed to occupy. His rune-carved pelt flashed and flickered and her attention was held by all the crazy symbols that flashed dark against pristine white fur.

"Kahakah." crackled an old voice, older than what Charlie knew, and older than what Nyten knew himself. Both could not hear it, but it could see them, alright. Yes, see them. Its seventh eye blinked and spun, focused on the figure of Charlie. It's fourth eye was watching Rena with a curiously tight pupil, and it's third eye was intensely focused on Nyt, watching him closely, monitoring everything he was saying. The one sided conversation did not throw off the Nonaga, as it could hear the other side just fine, thanks to the bead attached to it's forehead. It's ability to access minds without the need for a key or detection really made it a force to be reckoned with. It's folded up position, with the legs crossed and the barbed tail hanging readily near it's back and it's clawtips pressed against each other in concentration.

It would show himself in due time. But for now, he was just amusing himself with watching. But at one point, he would have to search out the old Pharaoh. He had a score to settle. His barb twitched slightly.

Yes, a score to settle...

[Fallen_Snow]

Nyt felt overwhelmed by this new thought. A life separate from the old Pharaoh... he could have a life once more! No more voice in his head, no more fighting to keep him out. He could relax... maybe even be free of this whole Pharaoh thing! He never wanted to be one in the first place-- the whole thing started just because he thought the ruins were cool and wanted to show Snowy. But it almost got him killed, and then there was the whole mess with the shaman and the soldiers and the people...

Man, did his head hurt. It was like an ice pick right through his eyes to the back of his stupid head. He pressed the bottom of his palms against his eyes, gritting his teeth. He felt a sudden calmness come over him; Nyten was trying to help ease the headache. He was good at that; Nyt felt much better.

"Thanks." the Vibrant Leawolf muttered through his still tight together molars.

No problem. The pain you're going through may just be enough to revive my old body. said the old spirit, laughing uproariously. The young Leawolf chuckled quietly at the joke. He seemed to be ignoring the excitement and joy Nyt was feeling over the fact that he wanted to be separate from the old spirit's thoughts.

What he didn't know was that giving himself a new body, Nyten could fulfill his desire to rule again. But he knew that, for himself to be accepted, he would need to kill Nyt and present the body to his people. He was doing this, ultamitely, for himself. Young Nyt was merely a pawn to be disposed of once he got his way.

Maybe he had been more corrupted than Nyt had originally thought, after the shaman had tried to change his way from light to dark.

[Fallen_Snow]

Phylaktos flicked his tongue in impatience. They were taking too long. He needed the Heavenly One and the Dark Soul to be out of the way, so that he could have unguarded access to the Pharaoh. He would have to work his magic in trying to get them out of the way. But what could he do to trick the little female Kuhna?

He ducked down onto all fours and paced, flicking his tail about in annoyance. She had much too strong a mind for him to use as a puppet, but the Elder... he may be accessible. But he needed the girl to move first. Perhaps if he met with her, he could make a deal with her. Xai're knows that she was a particularly maddening woman, easily angered and hopelessly stubborn. He could just tell how her mind worked from what he could see of how she stood, watched, her facial expressions...

Yes. Meeting with her would be a good idea, first. But he would have to move quickly-- he didn't have much time before the Pharaoh began to look for him.

[Fallen_Snow]

Charlie shut his eyes, feeling so isolated and claustrophobic within the choking darkness. He felt himself shift, and his body was human: dark tan skin with a shock of white hair hanging lopsided over a thin face and dark yellow eyes. The runes his body constantly featured glowed silver against the dark tan, making him look as if he had been covered in fanciful jewelry. He wore tight black jeans and a white t-shirt, and on his back was a backpack.

He reached into the pack and pulled out a flashlight. Relieved, he clicked it on. He had forgotten he had been carrying it! A bit more at ease, he continued forward, unsuspecting of what was going on around him.

---

Rena watched the Kuhna become man, and watched as he found his flashlight. Nervous, she hid behind a large boulder, her human body just as easy to sight-- her dark red hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and her pale skin shone in the refracted light from Charlie. A dark red tank was draped over her upper half, while the lower had on only short black shorts with a gray jacket tied around her hips. Her red Chucks were dirt caked and grungy, but they were silent as she followed behind, crouching behind boulders. Her red-orange eyes flashed with anger at the Elder's stupidity.

It was then she felt a gust of thick, hot air on the back of her neck. She turned quickly to see a dark figure behind her. She fought back the urge to scream and just stared at the figure. It wasn't an Akail, so she wasn't in that sort of danger, but since she didn't know who he was in the first place, she was keeping her guard up.

"What do you want?" she hissed, watching the walls as the light faded from them. Charlie was getting away. She was losing her chance. "I'm kind of busy, if you don't mind." she growled, staring into the purple eyes she could find in the dark.

[Fallen_Snow]

Alright, time to turn on the old charm. Phylaktos smiled a snake's smile and dragged a dark violet claw down Rena's cheek gently, not drawing blood. "My dear girl, I know what you desire." he hissed gently, moving so that he was beside her. "I can give you a whole lot of what it is... I could make your little hunt easy for you." he purred, smiling darkly. Rena scowled, her eyes showing a hint of panic. "Who the hell are you?" Rena asked, making a disgusted and confused expression.

"I am... someone old. I suppose you could call me... Phyl." he whispered, letting a clawed hand go down her thigh. She smacked it away. "I don't care what you're name is. Leave me be and I won't burn you." she growled. The Nonaga shook his head. "Tsk tsk, dearie. I'm able to give you what you want tonight. All I ask for in return is gratitude." he whispered, his hot breath close to her face. She turned her face away from it-- not only was it disgusting, it was just plain uncomfortable.

[Fallen_Snow]

Rena hissed and moved away, disgusted by this creature that was so wrongly assuming what she wanted. "I'm sorry, but I do not need this." she growled, and quickly transformed back into a Kuhna and fled. Charlie had disappeared too, probably never to be seen again, for all Phylaktos knew. And good riddance. They were of no help, whatsoever. He needed a body for what the Old Pharaoh wanted, but obviously he wasn't going to get it from her.

Stupid Kuhnas, always assuming and hissing things. He had a good reason to hiss; he was reptilian. They were just cats. They should meow, not hiss.

But where was the Nonaga supposed to find such a vassal for the Old Pharaoh's spirit? If what the old spirit was hoping to accomplish, he would need a resilient form. Something more... animal. Unique, in a way. Or should he go with something more familiar to the ghost?

Phylaktos rubbed his temples with his violet claws, closing his eyes in frustration. "Kahah. You are proving hard spirit to transfer already, Nytenkatuyt. But I will find you suitable vassal, yes. But who? Who?"

[Fallen_Snow]

Nyt, are you alright enough to try to find this person I told you we were looking for?

The concern in Nyten's voice worried Nyt. He didn't want the Pharaoh thinking he couldn't handle things. He was fairly strong, and he could do most things. It was just his head... oh, it hurt like nothing he had ever experienced.

"Did you really have more than one old pharaoh within your head?" asked Nyt, standing up shakily, a hand still firmly pressed against his skull.

Well, yes. But it was different from your relationship with me, I suppose. They weren't as attached, but if I was looking for their wisdom, I just had to think back to their time and I could converse with them-- it was sort of like my mind was going back in time to talk with them.

"Sounds like a pretty good deal to me." Nyt commented as the pain slowly throbbed back into being with every step he took.

Yes, well, it was a bit more of a challenge to stay back in time though. Sometimes your conversations would be cut short by someone interrupting your contact, and you needed to have intense focus to even try to contact the most recently deceased pharaoh. It would take days to set up even the best atmosphere to have a fifteen minute conversation.

Nyt sighed. "You don't get it, do you? That you can live without doing-- it's a luxury, and if you were in a life or death battle it would be useful. But with you in my head twenty-four hours a day seven days a week, it's distorting and... and... and just plain uncomfortable! I hate it."

I'm sorry I cause you so much discomfort, but we cannot do anything about it. Nyt could picture Nyten giving him the cold shoulder within his mind, but knew that it wouldn't last long. Nyten seemed to relish bouncing in on all of Nyt's thoughts, and interfering in his dreams, and--

Are we looking for Phylaktos, or not?