NationStates Jolt Archive

OOC: OK, here's the deal - We set our opening scene in Out-House Hylia, a bar near the edge of Kilika Temple, and where the Hylian Adventurer's Gulid have set up a meeting with Shino, a representative of the Guild. You can enter as you like, but the end objective will be to get you all sitting at a table in the corner of the room with Shino. OK? Go for it.

(Roania, you can have someone turn up at the bar and "accidentally overhear" the conversation if you like, up to you, we should get you into this another way anyway)

IC: The smoky interior of the Out-House Hylia has never been a place for anything serious. Famed in Hyrule Field for it's gambling, drinking, and frequent games and competitions, it seems like the last place one would look for a serious conversation. But it is here that our adventurers must go, in search of one they call "Shino".

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Shado tied Amaris' reigns to the stable door, and pushed his way past two drunkards by the door, and into the Out-House. The wall of smoke his him like a club, causing him to cough and splutter for a few moments. Looking around with his eyes watering, Shado saw the man he was looking for. Shino and he went way back, at least in terms of a normal lifespan. Bargeing his way to the table, he sat and greeted the man, and took the proffered drink, though he didn't actually drink any. They sat in silence, and waited for the others to arrive.

*It was midnight over the village of Aroyo. Erika hugged the one who she has come to call father one last time.*

Erika: "I will miss you... Father."

Tandric the Healer: "Erika... Dear... Do you really have to go?"

Erika: "Yes... I... I must know about my past. Who I am, and why I know the things that I do... There is no other way..."

*With that, she picked up her few belongings and mounted a horse waiting nearby.*

Erika: "Tell Luke, Birgitte, and Sepia I am sorry for leaving them, but this is something I must do myself... Sepia and Luke will understand, but Birgitte may have trouble accepting the fact... I wish you well, Tandric, and thank you... For everything."

*Guiding the horse out of the village, Erika rode for the Out-House Hylia, a week's time travel by horseback. She had been invited to the Hylian Adventure Guild to undertake a quest. It had surprised her, but she saw an oppertunity to learn more about herself, her past. She would learn nothing at Aroyo, she had to seek her past actively, and this was the oppertunity she needed.
*Arriving at the location on time, Erika hopped off the horse and let the stable hand put her mount away. Making sure her weapons were in order, Erika touched each weapon, memorizing it's exact location on her body and position.*

Erika: "Katana... Tanto... Throwing needles... Check..."

*Satisfied, she made her way to the bar door, ignoring the two drunks there by the door, and pushing her way in. The wall of smoke caught her off guard, and caused her to cough some, before she adjusted and moved further into the bar. She looked around, and spot the man she was to meet, and moved towards him. As she walked, she felt a hand lightly caress her bare thigh, and without thinking her hand shoot down, graping the offending hand by the wrist and twisting it back and pulling away from her, unbalencing the drunk who had groped her. She continued through the movenment, dragging the man down to the ground by the wrist onto his back, twisting his wrist in a painful fanshion as her other hand dropped towards the needles nestled in a holding case on her thigh. Her movenments were percise, no hesitation and cooly calculated. Then it dawned on her what she was doing, and she released his hand, bent back at an unnatural angle, almost broken. She put both hands to her face, covering her mouth, then slowly backed away from him.*

Erika: "... S-sorry..."

*Before anything furhter could happen, she quickly turned and made her way to the corner where the table was, quietly taking a seat next to the other man who was already there besides Shino. She didn't look to either of them, her eyes focused squarely on the table before her.*

OOC: :shock:

IC: Shado watched with interest as the girl entered. She seemed very well equipped, and he was impressed with the way she held herself. She seemed a competant warrior, and not one to be messed with. When she grabbed the man's hand, Shino half-rose, but a calming hand on his shoulder from Shado bade him sit once more. As the drunkard fell to the floor, in obvious pain, the girl seemed upset. This confused Shino, but Shado seemed somehow to understand. As she sat and stared down, Shado spoke.

"You are here for the quest, are you not? Erika, if I am not mistaken. It is an honour to meet you."

Shino seemed lost in thought as they sat in silence once again, and waited for the remainder of the group.

OOC: :shock: indeed!

IC: The gentle drumming of rain could just be heard over the general banter in the Out-House as the beginnings of a storm rolled over the plains. No-one seemed to have noticed Erika's actions, and even the man whom she had nearly broken the arm of had sat himself back up on his stool and was happily chatting away to his neighbour once again.
The alcohol was flowing steadily, and everyone seemed to be having a good time.

Except for the group in the corner, one man noted.

Two men, obviously Hylian; one of whom, Shado, he recognised; and a girl, the one who had shown abnormal strength just now in nearly breaking his friend's arm. She was not from here, nor anywhere near the Field. He slowly made his way around the edge of the room, just out of sight, and sat at the table next to the adventurers', quietly sipping a drink and laughing in time with the other men and women at his table. Form here, he would be able to find out who they were, why they were here, what they were planning... His master would be very pleased.

The Paladin of the Holy Light, Ackl Raspora stamped wearily into the Out-House Hylia. Glancing around, his eyes adjusting to the bright light and the smoke, Ackl coughed, waving his right hand around. A drunk staggered over and with a cackling laugh, barreled into the weary paladin. However, because of Ackl's heavy armor, the drunk only succeeded in giving himself a concussion.

"What a dump," Ackl said, his hand dropping to his sword. Glancing around, at the bar, Ackl grunted and walked over to the bar. Taking a seat, Ackl slammed his hand on the table to get the bartender's attention.

Staggering over, the bartender grunted in greetings and said, "Wha da ya want, stranger?"

"Got any Alerisa Wine?"

"Nope..."

"Any Taklsi Wine?"

"Who da ya think ya are? We don't carry da fancy drink here..."

"Fine then, get me so Spice Beer."

"Be right there..."

A moment later, a big mug filled with cold Spice Beer appeared in front of Ackl. With a grunt, Ackl unstrapped his sheathed sword and placed it carefully on the bar and began to sip the ice-cold liquid. Suddenly a pair of drunks sat down on either side of Ackl. Propping their arms around Ackl's shoulders, they breathed into Ackl's face. Smoldering inwardly, Ackl swung his arms out, slamming them into the chests of the two drunks. Falling backwards, the two smashed onto the ground.

With a grunt, Ackl went back to slowly sipping the Spice Beer...

Shado looked up at the sound of what vaguely resembled a man's head hitting a piece of hard metal, and saw the man in question slump to the ground.

"That would be our Paladin, Ackl Raspora." he stated, pointing at Ackl, who now sat at the bar. Shino rose to get him, and was almost crushed as one of the two men flanking Ackl nearly hit him on his backward flight. Stepping cautiously over the comatose drunk, he spoke to Ackl in a quiet voice.

"It would be wise not to make too many enemies before the quest has even begun, Mr. Raspora. If you would follow me to our table, please?"

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The rain began falling more heavily now, drumming on the roof of the Out-House like a mad native warning his tribe of an imminent attack. Several groups of shadows crossed the landscape, moving slowly but purposefully towards the building.

Cocking his head to the side, Ackl glanced at the approaching figure.

"Who are you to question the affairs of a man acting in self-defense?"

Rising to his full height and picking up his sheathed sword from the table, Ackl turned and looked at Shado.

"I repeat my question, who are you?"

OOC: Oh, I couldn't do that... I can, however, do this:

IC:

The man ran through the corridors, turning and screaming, as if the very fires of hell were pursuing him. Behind him, a soft, sibillant hiss broke out. "Get away! Get away!"

Around him, the shadows became steadily darker. All of a sudden, he could neither see or be seen. Something touched him, and it all ended.

A few days later, men came from the township, and discovered the bones, bleached as if they were hundreds of thousands of years old.

OOC: You're not fighting 'anything' that can be harmed with spells or steel. The paladin will, most likely, be the most useful character. The rest of you will be there only to fight those which have been tainted by it.

More details will be forthcoming upon entrance to the temple.

*Erika nodded meekly as the man confirmed her identity. She remained quiet, trying not to draw attention to herself. She had to adjusted the Tanto at the small of her back alittle in order to sit comfortably. Then the Paladin came in.*

Shado: "That would be our Paladin, Ackl Raspora."

*She Watched from the corner of her eye, her hand dropping by instinct to the needles sitting in the pouch on her leg, in case a bar fight broke out. She noted the paladin's armor, the location of those around her, as well as the quickest way to the nearest window, so she could make a quick and timely get away. She awaited their host's response to the paladin's question.*

Shino drew himself up to his full height, and proclaimed,

"I am Shino, Kilikan representative of the Hylian Adventurer's Guild. I have been advised that you are to join the quest. Please accompany me to our table, so that I may inform you further."

Shado sighed. There was no way the paladin would actually do as Shino asked. Shado sensed that the paladin was poewrful, but he also knew that with power came independance, and that meant that the paladin would be in no way a team player. This worried him.

Ackl glanced briefly at the Hylian representative. Shrugging, Ackl attached the sheathed sword to his belt and Ackl walked over to the table, his right hand on the pommel of his sword while his left hand clutched the beer mug.

Sitting down, Ackl glanced briefly at the others. Narrowing his eyes, Ackl addressed the Hylian representative.

"I received a message from your temple in regards to attacks by some monsters. What types of monsters have been ravaging this land?"

Quietly, Ackl took a sip from the mug, whilst waiting for the representative's response.

BUMP...

OOC: Why? I'm not posting until you people are in the temple, and Shado isn't always here.

However, every post you make outside the temple makes the Darkness's influence stronger.

Although surprised at the paladin's willingness to comply, Shino kept his composure, and sat down again.

"No-one has been able to confirm exactly who or what is ravaging our lands, but we have it on good authority that much of the damage and death is not caused by human hands."

Shino looked around.

"Are we still missing someone?"

"Yes," Shado replied, "One who calls himself a Psionist and a druid, Jet. We shouldn't need to wait for Jet, however, as chances are she'll find us before we find her. I'm worried, the rain is getting heavier, and still no sign of the Psionist? If the plains flood like they did last year, travel will be limited, and access to the Temple even more so."

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As Shado spoke, the rain grew heavier and drummed louder on the roof.
The shadows grew closer, and anyone who had been watching them would now see they ran on all fours, and had large, sharp-looking protrusions on their foreheads.

A rain-drenched BUMP enters the Out-House.

OOC: very :!: and :shock: so far... good... good. I only hope I can live up to your high standards, guys.

IC: The candles flickered, and a few went out. A shadow fell across the group.
“We’d better go,” Shado said.
“What about-?”
“Jet will find us,” he said.
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As the moon reached its highest, a figure landed, cat-like on the brow of the hill, and looked down at the building.
“Hmm…” she muttered. “Will they have left already?”
As if in answer to her question, four figures in varying degrees of size, weight, preparedness and armour exited the tavern. She immediately noticed one figure, the only one who emanated power, although his figure was slight… Shado. The wind seemed to whisper the Lord’s name.
It then occurred to the girl that they were supposed to have met up in the afternoon, and she sighed.
“I told Shado not to drink so much,” she said, as much to the wind as to herself.
The girl began to follow the figures, staying up on the hill, and some way away, but never loosing sight.
We could be in for some trouble later if they don’t even realise I’m following them at the moment…
She drew breath, and stopped to look at the group. It had started to rain again. Not, of course, that it had ever stopped, but instead of the light drizzle that had been going on, the storm had started again, the lightning striking a tree not too far from where the girl was walking.
She carried of walking, just down from the ridge of the hill now, following the group, still none of them realising, her feet sinking into the sodden ground.
A slight squelch from behind made her turn, but the part of adventurers was all Jet could hear.
"Nothing..." she berated herself for being so paranoid, but when she turned back, she had lost the group, and started to descend from the hill, still listening for them.

*Erika followed the group out, bringing up the rear. She didn't have a coat or cloak to cover herself from the rain, and so became throughly soaked no more then a few minutes after leaving the Tavern. As the group made their way to the Temple, Erika had a reoccuring nagging feeling in the back of her mind, like something or someone was following them. However, she choose to ignore this feeling for the time being.
*Holding her arms over her chest, Erika coughed and wished she had the foresigh to bring a cloak or something to cover herself with. Sighing and scolding herself mentally, she promised that next time, she'd remember to bring something.*

Erika: "How much further do you think it is?"

*She asked the Paladin Ackl ahead of it, quickening her pace to keep stride with him.*

The darkness within the temple seemed to thicken as blackness swooped around. Men within started to hear voices, becoming... changed, tainted to their very souls.

Sinister rituals began to be performed far within the temple walls, beyond dark tunnels. The adventurers would find this to be one of the hardest challenges they had ever faced...

OOC: That's what we like to hear! :wink:
To review... Seeing as we left Shino at the Out-House (KT hasn't been on to tell you, so I thought I should), and Jet's following at a distance, and Skitterzz seems to have vanished altogether, it looks like it's just Ackl, Erika and Shado (with Jet not far off). A party of four... Ah well, let's just get on with it, shall we?

IC: Shado turned and answered Erika's question, as the paladin seemed either to not know or not care, he wasn't sure which.

"It shouldn't take much longer, it's just over this hill and across about a mile of flat grassland. Unfortunately I fear it may be somewhat boggy by now..."

Shado looked unhappily at the sky, before handing Erika his cloak, in the hope that it would at least keep her warm, even if it was too late to keep her dry. Falling once again into silence, the party trudged through the down-pour.

OOC: Just out of curiousity, tell me now if you'd prefer your main character to live.

I was being serious. This will be the most difficult thing ever. Anyone played Legend of Zelda? If Link took a wrong step in this temple, he'd be ripped to pieces and his magical weapons all stuffed inside him. You're in a group, so it won't be that bad...

Still as difficult as all-get-out. Now, state your interests immediately. Do you need him alive? Or may he die?

OOC: Speaking for myself, I'd prefer to live, if at all possible. Much as I'd love to die, that's an experience I shall save for another day. The quest can quite happily fail miserably, plunging Kilika Temple into semi-eternal darkness and evil (which will then be reflected by the way the NationState is run), but the characters will live. Unless anyone else has a death wish? :?

(OOC: Ackl can die, I don't really care, besides that he live until at least near the end of the rp...)

((OOC: Being that I pulled Erika from another RP, another plotline, it doesn't matter if she dies here, since she has no connection whatsoever with my nation, but I would perfer if she lasted a bit longer before biting the dust, just so i can have fun RPing with you guys. ^.~
Note: The only REAL reason Erika is accepting this quest is to learn more about her past, as well as the strange burn marks on her wrists. Expect her to question some, if not all of you about the marks. You may or may not have knowledge about the marking, perhaps your character had seen it before in an anicent ruins, it doesn't matter to me, but no one here will know about her past or why she knows the things she does.))


* Erika gladly accepted the cloak offered by their host and wrapped it around her shoulders, offering a quiet thank you before trudging on.
*Just as Shado had predicted, the flat grasslands were quite boggy. The heavy rain made for a very depressing backdrop.*


((OOC2: Ack. Brain lock. Can't think of what further I should post. Someone else can take it from here, i guess. ^^;; ))

((DP, sorry. ^^;; ))

OOC: People, I understand I have been accused of powergaming.

Let me say right here that those accusations are completely true. I also work as realistically as I can within a given framework. The longer you spend outside the temple, the more dangerous the inside of the temple becomes.

Thus, in order to maintain some semblance of fairness:

IC:

Soon, Kilika Temple rose before them, gaunt and foreboding. Somewhere, a nightbird cried out. Then, all of a sudden, *they* attacked. Stalking from the mist, gaunt figures lurched out.

They smell of putrefecation, yet seemed somehow alive.

OOC: That's as far as I'm going. There are as many of them as needed, each of you has one post to demonstrate their powers.

Undead are going to be your primary enemy. Why? Because I've always had a soft spot for them. However, these are the only basic zombies you'll be facing.

Anyone played Legend of Zelda? If Link took a wrong step in this temple, he'd be ripped to pieces and his magical weapons all stuffed inside him.

OOC: Incidentally, Shado's based on Link...

IC: As the figures left the Temple entrance, Shado called for everyone to be on their guard. He squinted through the rain and saw what seemed to be people shambling towards them. Drawing his bow he called out,

"Halt! Who goes there? Speak or die!"

The creatures continued their relentless advance without saying a word. The tension in the air as Shado drew his bow was as tight as the bowstring itself. Sighting for the nearest figure, Shado loosed the arrow. Screaming through the rain the arrow hit its mark, a little lower that Shado would have liked, due to the downward force of the rain. An arrow stuck in its throat, the creature moved on.

Strapping his bow to his back and drawing his sword and shield, Shado saluted the zombies before charging straight into the lead one, his sword glowing a faint red as he swung. Less than a second later, the zombie's head hit the floor, and Shado had moved on, shoving the next one to the ground with his shield before plunging his sword through it's face. Pulling the blade free, Shado parried a clumsy strike from another zombie, which cut it's own fingers off with the force of the blow. Kicking out, Shado's boot hit the zombie's chest, cannoning it back into some of it's fellows. Giving a cry, Shado barreled into the small group, knocking them to the floor. Backing off a little, Shado gave himself some room to breathe and watch as the rest of the party did thier stuff.

When Shado had stopped the party and moved forward to query those approaching, Ackl did not even bother for the oncoming figures to move closer. It was quite evident from their gait and their stances that the oncoming figures were zombies. With a roar, Ackl charged ahead, his sword out of its sheathe. At the same moment, Shado fired the first arrow, hitting the lead zombie in the head.

Whipping his sword around, with agility not evident by his bulk, Ackl cut the first zombie in half. With a roundhouse kick, Ackl sent the two parts of the zombie into the masses behind, distracting them. Within a second, Ackl was amongst them, his sword dancing through the air as he cut apart numerous zombies. Breathing lightly and inaudibly, Ackl danced back when the masses of zombies attempted to overwhelm him. With a grin, Ackl muttered three short words, blessing the area around him. Leveling his sword at the zombies, Ackl fired a piercing blast of holy energy, tearing several zombies apart. Satisfied, Ackl leapt into the fray once more...

*Erika watched as her two partners in crime charged forward, engaging the monsters in close quarters combat. Instead of blindly rushing forward, she chose to remain back a little, letting the two, more heavily armored warriors handle the bulk of the zombie horde. She wished Birgitte or Sepia where here for just a moment, but quickly dismissed the thought as quickly as it formed.
*The Paladin Ackl let loose with a bolt of holy light, slaying several zombies in fell swoop. Erika was impressed, having never actually seen 'attack' magic in person. She envied him, his mastery over the elements, before she soon realized that she had problems of her own to deal with. Three zombies had somehow managed to slip past Ackl and Shado. Perhaps the two were preoccupied dealing with the others, or maybe they had purposely let the zombies pass to let her have something to do. It didn't really matter either way, as the three shambling undead seemed hell bent on taking her out.
*Drawing her Tanto, Erika waited until the lead zombie was a few yards away from her. Inhaling deeply, Erika rears her hand back and whips it forward, letting the dagger sail through the air. With a wet smack, the blade of the weapon embeds itself into the skull of the zombie, the force of the impact knocking it onto it's back. It ceased to move. It's mates paid little heed to their now nonfunctional partner and continued their march towards Erika.*

Erika: Please... Don't let me mess up.

*Removing the Katana from it's shealth and tossing aside the cloak Shado gave her, Erika took up a defensive fighting stance and waited for the two to close in to striking distance of her blade. Dropping into a crouch as the first entered her range of attack, Erika swung the blade in a side to side motion, the ultra sharp cutting edge of the blade slicing through the undead's knees like a hot knife through butter, toppling it over. However, it wasn't through just yet, as it started to drag itself towards her with it's arms. Erika paid no mind to this one, instead bringing her attention to it's partner as it closed on top of her. Springing herself forward, Erika drove the point of her Katana up under the chin of the beast, propelling herself forward and up.
*The plan was to propell herself like an arrow into the second zombie, using interia to drive the Katana all the way through the zombie's skull. It was an excellent plan, but unfortunately it didn't quite worked like Erika had planned. The legless zombie lunged and grabbed one of Erika's ankles as she sailed over it, dragging her down. With a shriek Erika fell, wrested down by the zombie she figured she'd kill after she dealt with it's more mobile partner, an oversight on her part. The second zombie was sent sailing, as nothing was there to imped it's forward motion, the Katana dislodging itself from it's head in the process. Kicking and hurling curses at the zombie which had grabbed her ankle, Erika rolled away from the zombie and flipped herself to her feet. Turning the Katana tip down, she took a step towards it and drove the blade into it's head, twisting it to scramble it's inside pretty good. The zombie's body jerked and spassed, then ceased movenment. Withdrawing her Katana, she torn a piece of cloth off the undead monster and used it to clean the blade of her Katana, before returning it to it's shealth. She went to retrieve her Tanto, and looked to see how the others were fairing.*

Spinning around and pushing his sword through the back of one of the last zombies, Shado began to wonder if this would be the only evil they were facing. Snapping back to the fight, a zombie was bearing down on him. Shado lashed out with his sword, but the zombie took the stike to the abdomen and continued advancing. Shado was weponless, and with no time to draw his bow, it seemed the creature would grab hold of him. As it's hands decended, Shado closed his eyes. Two wet thunks could be heard over the falling rain and sounds of battle, and as Shado opened his eyes, he saw two arrows stuck in the zombie's head, no more than an inch apart. Kicking the now lifeless zombie away, Shado rolled to his feet, pulling his sword from the corpse. Looking in the direction the arrows had struck from, he saw an elf silhouetted against the lightning-struck sky, and he called out to Jet, beckoning her down.

OOC: I'm posting this for Jitsen, as she's away for the weekend and won't be back until monday. I suggest we finish these zombies off and head inside before it gets too dangerous...or wet!

The last of the zombies dead, the party could enter the temple. While in front of them a path led into light, and sounds of people could be heard, to the left and right passageways led into the darkness.

Muffled moans could be heard in the shadows.

Picking up his cloak and returning it to Erika, Shado motioned the group inside. The hunt was about to begin.

"Shado!" She shouted. He turned 'round, and upon seeing her said, "Everyone, this is Jet. Psionist and Druid."
Jet bowed low, and looked straight into the eyes of the Paladin.
"I am surprised you did nothing about me following you... That is, with all due respect, if you knew I was there."
"I knew."
"Anyway, Shado? Gonna introduce me?"
"Erika and Ackl."
"Ah... Hmm..."
"What?" Shado asked.
"Never mind. Let's go."

"Shado!" She shouted. He turned 'round, and upon seeing her said, "Everyone, this is Jet. Psionist and Druid."
Jet bowed low, and looked straight into the eyes of the Paladin.
"I am surprised you did nothing about me following you... That is, with all due respect, if you knew I was there."
"I knew."
"Anyway, Shado? Gonna introduce me?"
"Erika and Ackl."
"Ah... Hmm..."
"What?" Shado asked.
"Never mind. Let's go."

"Shado!" She shouted. He turned 'round, and upon seeing her said, "Everyone, this is Jet. Psionist and Druid."
Jet bowed low, and looked straight into the eyes of the Paladin.
"I am surprised you did nothing about me following you... That is, with all due respect, if you knew I was there."
"I knew."
"Anyway, Shado? Gonna introduce me?"
"Erika and Ackl."
"Ah... Hmm..."
"What?" Shado asked.
"Never mind. Let's go."

"Right, let's go... I'm bored to death... Anything besides these wimpy zombies to fight? I thought you said this was gonna be tough?" Ackl said a little disgusted. Without waiting, Ackl stepped first into the temple, his sword held tightly in his right hand.

*Looking to the new commer, Erika nodded slowly, but did not speak. Wrapping Shado's cloak around herself, Erika checked to ensure her weapons where in place and followed Ackl into the temple, with Shado and Jet right behind her.*

Erika: That 'fight' was just a warm up... The real battle has yet to begin...

As soon as they were all inside the temple, a piercing scream filled the air.

<===========>

Down the left hallway, a small girl was being attacked from the shadows...

OOC: Yes, it's tacky. Just go with it.

Scraping mud from his boots, Shado snapped his head up when he heard the scream. Drawing his bow and readying an arrow, he caught up with the rest of the group.

"That scream...It was nearby...Left from here. We should help." Shado looked around the group. He wasn't in charge, and wasn't about to pretend to be. He seemed to be looking for a vote on the matter.

OOC: Sorry for the HUGE gap, I've been away all Easter, so my access to the forum was limited.

Scraping mud from his boots, Shado snapped his head up when he heard the scream. Drawing his bow and readying an arrow, he caught up with the rest of the group.

"That scream...It was nearby...Left from here. We should help." Shado looked around the group. He wasn't in charge, and wasn't about to pretend to be. He seemed to be looking for a vote on the matter.

OOC: Sorry for the HUGE gap, I've been really busy all Easter, so my access to the forum was limited.

"Whatever," replied Ackl, shrugging. Without waiting for an answer, he swiftly moved into the dark hallway to the left, his eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness. Ackl's eyes slowly made out the shape of several sprawled figures on the ground. Swiftly, Ackl began to look around, his sword held tightly in his hand as he searched for enemies...

"Maybe we should have a look... but we have another reason for being here, don't we?"
Jet shrugged
"I'm okay with whatever you lot decide," she said, shrugging and drawing her short sword. She stepped in to folllow Ackl, and her eyes not needing to be accustomed to darkness, she could see the figures sprawled, spread-eagled on the ground.
"Looks like someone got here before us..." she said.

Shado too stepped into the darkness, mud and rainwater still dripping from the bottom of his grey tunic.

"Be alert, if anyone sees anything, attack first. We can ask questions later."

His bow still drawn full, he followed Jet and Ackl down the corridor.

The little girl clung to the wall, her very life being sucked from her by the vicious shadow-beasts. Hisss... more meat...

They turned about, darkness surrounding them...

Hearing the hiss, Shado threw himself sideways to see around Jet and Ackl, and loosed his arrow at the space around the girl, now just about visible to the group. He had no idea what they were dealing with, but he knew he had to distract these...creatures...before it was too late.

With surprising agility, belying his bulk, Ackl ran into the midst of the shadow creatures as an arrow whizzed by him, fired by Shado. His great sword flashing through the air, Ackl attacked. Ackl cut into the first of the creatures, until they let go of their prey and attacked him. Ackl was boweled over by the attack and dropped to the floor. As a shadow creature climbed atop and attempted to tear Ackl's neck out, Ackl struck out with his left fist, catching the creature in the head and knocking it backwards. Climbing up, Ackl slashed with his sword, decapitating a shadow creature who had come to near... Cautiously, Ackl moved back, his sword raised and ready to battle...

Almost instantly drawing another arrow to his bow, Shado held it fully drawn until Ackl had begun backing off, before loosing it into another of the creatures. Strapping the bow to his back, he drew his shield and sword, and stood beside Ackl, ready to do battle.