[Open]Below The Surface Of The Earth

[[-Kay-]]

Twinkle, twinkle little bat

How I wonder where you fly...
Like a tea tray in the sky

[/color]

The blue sky seemed to stretch on forever, without a single cloud in sight. Endless blue, meeting a sandy horizon far off in the distance. Rippling waves of heat seared the land, but the dark blue, fuzzy shape on the horizon was like a strange beacon, beconing travelers forward. A sheer rock wall, craggy and viscious like the tooth of some strange hellish beast, led upward into the sky. Dark holes pockmarked the mountain sporatically, showing deep caves where even now there were still some glints of color where a loose scale had been snagged and torn away when the dragons of old had stayed as their home. At the base of the fearsome mountain was a cave, a hole that led straight down, deep into the earth. At first one would see nothing but darkness, but a subtle glow was rising out of the darkness within the cave.

Enchanted lanterns hung along the passageway, the sound of metal striking metal reaching the ears of whoever may pass along that way. The hiss of metal in water, the roar of flames. Within the passage, there were little side alcoves, branching off and headed far into the darkness where there was no light. If one would reach out with their mind they would find dark and hungry creatures, blind and viscious. Lost creatures that hadn't seen the light in centuries and ate whatever came their way. Creatures so old they had forgotten their own names, that they themselves had been forgotten to the world. But there was a large cavern towards the end of the tunnel. A high ceiling and wide, it was large enough to hold a forge and a small home. And that's where the creature making the noise was.

White hair and dark, deep set eyes. Tall, pale, and lithe. Healthy, strong, and half mad. He was a young elf man, with no shirt and no sweat coming from him, though he stood before a forge that blazed healthily. His eyes seemed like they were unfocused. One pupil fully dialated, the other completely undialated. But they were stuck that way. One was totally green, the other had a ring of a honey around it's pupil. Along the wall there was a ledge, at shoulder level. Along them were little figures...all crafted out of metal and beautiful. Some were common land creatures, birds and horses and deer; others strange sea creatures that had multiple limbs. All of them were delicately made, all of them very..odd. All of them made without a mold. A pool of water, very deep and very cool, was in one section of the cavern. A strange splashing noise came from it and the elf turned his gaze to it, chucking a piece of bread into it. "Quit making noise over there!" He growled at it, the splashing noise stopping as soon as the bread reached the edge of the pool. A small and slimy arm snaked out of the pool, grabbing the bread and pulling it down into water with it. But all of this was unseen by the elf. After all, he already knew what was in the water didn't he? But whoever might come down here and find him didn't and that was always a bit of a worry. But the elf enjoyed company and should any manage to find him, as unlikely as that was, he would be friendly and offer them some food or something. Maybe... [/color]

Oh don't mind him

[/color]He's madder than a hatter[/color][/left]

Word Count

[/color] -580-
Tagged [/color] None[/color]
[/left][/center][/blockquote][/font]

[mriswith]

Ishiyo Sasaki

A figure dressed in black knelt down at the mouth of a cave. A gloved hand reached out and ever so gently felt the traces of something's trail leading into the abyssal maw deep into the mountains. A faint light cast out of the darkness as if tempting those passing by to brave the depths for treasure or mystery; bait to lure the careless to the hungry mouths below.

The wind blew and then eased on its reigns, gently passing over the leather bound figure studying the signs of another's passage. No place was an island, full of the riches and splendors of the world with no need for outside resources. Trees typically did not grow underground; though there could be alternative means of fuel for a fire. Someone truly determined might create and maintain a flame out of nothing, though that would hardly be the most efficient use of one's talent. Magma? Might explain the glow, but she hadn't seen signs indicating the mountain was hazardous. There was enough danger crawling around in the pit as it was.

Ishiyo drew back to her feet and took survey of the area around the opening to the cave. It was far from civilization; recluse and secure. All the more reason to be cautious. It would be unlucky she'd find help out here if she got into mortal danger. Nevertheless, she had been traveling the region and found this area quite intriguing.

Satisfied she could sense anyone waiting for her to spring a trap, the short, dark haired Elf took the first step to begin her descent. She held the long, slender blade at her left hip with her left hand to keep it from striking anything on her way down. Anything looking for an easy meal might find its stomach turned inside out if Ishiyo had anything to say about it. It was time to see what had gotten itself lost down in the roots of the mountain above. One step at a time.

[ladymoth]

"Nice day, isn't it?" Oren said from behind Ishiyo. He had made his presents known just to let her know that she would have no idea where he was if he didn't want her too. Oren was very good at magic, to say the least, and if he wanted to hide himself no one would be aloud to detect his mind. "Yes, I wuh just off strolling through this particular mountain in the middle of nowhere at the same time as you and I thought to myself, there goes a girl who looks like she has her life together"

He was caught up with her now, he looked side long and down at her face "Sasaki!" He held two fingers to his lips in respect "The last time I saw you you were only a few decades old" he said returning to walking "What eh pleasant coincidence, one a many t'day I suppose- I am Oren Taran, Ramona D'Romulus was my mate, her dragon was Mossmir?" He said, trying to remind her of her past in Iliera. He couldn't say he knew her well, but Ramona often substituted for scholars who were away on business or fighting the war.

[[-Kay-]]

Her words are swimming through his ears again
There’s nothing wrong with just taste of what you paid for

Say what you mean tell me im right and let the sun rain down on me give me a sign

[/color]

Celebnir could hear them, at the opening of the tunnel, the dark expression in his eyes turning towards the opening to the mouth of the tunnel that went to his cave. A hard and powerful mental blast went shooting up the tunnel, like a gust of hard wind. If they weren't paying too much attention, it'd knock them over on their hind ends. The lights in the tunnel all flickered out, the fungi that lined the tunnel walls letting off a subtle aqua glow. The glow from his forge was just enough to illuminate the cavern. By now they wouldn't see it. A sharp hiss came from the thing in the corner in the deep chasm. Splashing noises resounded through the cavern as it leapt out of the water and skittered on all fours towards him. It appeared to be a human-like form...but it was strange. It had long black hair that streamed water around it, and viscious mismatched eyes that were marred by heterochromia. Ivory, the werecat. She shifted down into a cat, a massive white cat the size of a small wolf. Like an albino mountain lion...but its appearance was that of a house cat. "I told you to be quiet!" Celebnir growled at her, throwing another piece of bread at the werecat. The werecat hissed back, a mental pulse getting smacked at the elf. He growled at her, but did nothing else. After all, why argue with a cat? [/color]

Whoa Mona Lisa, you’re guaranteed to run this town

[/color]Whoa Mona Lisa I’d pay to see you frown[/color][/left]

Word Count

[/color] -580-
Tagged [/color] None[/color]
Song Lyrics [/color]Ballad of Mona Lisa- Panic! At the Disco[/color]
[/left][/center][/blockquote][/font]

[mriswith]

Ishiyo stopped and turned to look back over one shoulder at the man that'd appeared. The Elven woman in black listened to his otherwise normal introduction, though she found it rather hard to believe he was just passing through with a shroud of magic covering him. As he approached and regarded her, she studied him in turn.

When he called out her name her red eyes widened. Her lips parted, though she didn't know what to say to his incredibly familiar greeting. This man knew her back at Ilirea? To answer her question he explained their connection with one of the Riders. D'Romulus? The young Sasaki had always memorized the names of the Riders as she was growing up; even after all these years she adds new Riders to that list. She wanted to join them all her life; it seemed the least she could do was make sure she could recognize them--if not for respect then on the chance they might tell her something completely breath-taking.

"Taran...?" Ishiyo turned halfway around to watch him draw nearer. She gave her a slight nod of the head, uncertain of his presence, but also surprised at seeing someone she knew in a round about way. "Do you often take long walks?" A small smile surfaced. It was quite a distance from Ilirea for a 'walk.'

Before they could go much further Ishiyo turned her head and looked into the maw of the cave. Her right hand crossed her body as she prepared to draw her sword, seeing a presence was coming. Knees bent, she was ready to fight whatever was sweeping up from the depths and carrying the fire from torches as it came. When the mental blast washed over them, she dug in her feet and squinted her eyes to watch for a beast that could follow such a distraction. Of course it hadn't been a physical wind, but it'd set off all the triggers for her to prepare for one.

After it'd come and gone, Ishiyo straightened up with a sober look back into the darker depths. "There is still something down there." Good to know the tracks hadn't been from a creature wandering down there only to get eaten. Unless there was another creature doing the shouting. Not many beasts did mental attacks, however. Bipedal then?

She turned to look back at Taran. "Would you like to join me?" A smile returned to her lips as she waited for his reply.