Forum of the Elder Gods (Grave;Cross)

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Noticing Grave's hesitance on what he should do, Roy adjusted his glasses, "... You must have acquired this weapon of yours recently," he noted, deriving his comment from the inexperience he displayed, "This weapon, I believe it to be a magical catalyst, much like a wand, or staff. Just as you can have it absorb magic, you can send magic through it."

"You know how to channel magic, perhaps?" he inquired, "Simply think of the sword in your hand as another part of your being, point your blade at the door, and let your essence flow through the blade."

With little choice but to follow Roy's instructions, as well as possibly seeing it as an opportunity to learn more about how to use his weapon, and magic in general, when Cynder would point his weapon directly at the door between each of the statues, and tried to use his feelings to search out his inner power, Grave eventually came to find that his power acted a great deal like water, flowing like blood through his entire being. Touching into that sensation, Cynder began to realize that he could change the 'tide' of it's flow. And gripping his sword, searching further, he realized that since he was connected with the blade, he could interact with the magic within it. And with a single push, a single, blue beam would fire from the blade's tip, slamming against the door.

Each and every single one of the runes began to fill with a blue glow as a result of the magic, giving life to the otherwise inanimate objects. And once the magic was returned to it's original place, the statue above developed glowing blue eyes. When Grave would stare at it, it would fire forth a pair of slim, blue beams of it's own, which were aimed directly for Cynder's eyes. The beams shot forth too fast for him to react, and before he knew what had happened, Grave's world went dark...

Darkness... All Cynder knew at that moment was darkness... He couldn't move his arms or legs, nor could he even feel as if he had them. He couldn't open his eyes, he didn't even know if there was anything to see. He couldn't breathe, although he didn't feel as if he needed to. He couldn't feel, not even the force of gravity pulling him to the ground, nor the presence of his own physical body... It seemed as if, this was what it was like to die, to simply be cast into a realm of oblivion, forever trapped within the timeless void of forever...

But, suddenly, Grave felt an immense shock. He felt suffocated, as if he were drowning. He felt as if he was being crushed by some immense force, and his instincts told him that if he did not escape soon, he would be dead.

A bright light blinded him. His eyes felt as if he had spent years in darkness, and for the first time, he witnessed the sun. He was escaping his prison, even though he felt too weak to pull himself out. His stomach and throat hurt greatly, and a part of him felt as if this would be all he'd ever come to know in this world, as if pain would be the beginning, middle, and end. He felt helpless, and frightened. The only thing he could do was scream at the top of his lungs. Tears ran down his face from both the physical and emotional pain he experienced.

But then, he felt a pair of hands grab him. He could not look to see what was gripping him, he couldn't even lift his own head. He was taken up, the cold air touching his skin hardly a factor among the pain and horror. And even as the hands took him closer, he still couldn't open his eyes to see. He hadn't even noticed the ringing in his ears, until it began to fade. And once it did, he heard the sounds of a crying woman. Though, it didn't sound as if she was sad. She sounded quite happy, as if overjoyed about something.

After a moment, he felt a hand patting his back, before he suddenly threw up all of the liquid that had gotten inside his lungs. Most of the pain vanished, as he suddenly felt tired. His eyes slowly began to grow used to the light enough for him to open them slightly, and when he did, all he could make out was a pair of oval eyes...

Cynder's eyes suddenly opened, gasping desperately for dear life, as he noticed Valencia hovering over him, her lips against his as she breathed air into his mouth, performing CPR on him. Asides from the fact that she was seemingly trying to save him, he noticed the taste of her lips seemed coated with a pink juice, used from a fruit as lipstick to give her lips color.

When he awoke, Valencia pulled away slightly, breathing a sigh of relief, "Thank goodness! You gave us quite a scare!" she told him.

Roy was kneeling nearby, also seeming concerned for Grave's well being. "You passed out once the statue's beam touched your eyes... I don't think that it was the magic's doing, however... It would be quite odd if the statues only purpose was to knock you unconscious..." He adjusted his glasses, "How do you feel?" he asked.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Grave followed Roy's advice. He rarely had an occasion such as this, to learn something new and interesting. The ability to channel magic would definitely become useful later. For now, he just channeled the power trapped in the sword into the gate, watching it activate. He raised his head to look at the statue, noticing the light suddenly coming out of his eyes - then the world vanished...

Then, the vision came. A confusing, painful, shocking vision. The darkness of oblivion, the suffocating pain, the blinding light - it all rushed through his mind. It was way too much for him to contain - he screamed, crying in desperation. He felt cold, hurt and vulnerable. And in the middle of all of this, the cries of a happy woman. What was the meaning of this? Cynder couldn't understand. His mind was constantly assaulted with pain and he was unable to think clearly.

Fortunately, the horrible ordeal he was going through didn't last too long. Someone lifted him up and patted him, helping him get rid of the liquid in lungs. Was he really drowning? And who saved him? As his agony ended, Grave felt extremely tired. The last thing he remembered was a pair of oval eyes, just like his own...

As Cynder returned to reality, he became aware of two things: Valencia hovering over him and the taste of her lips. Fortunately, she moved back a little before he had the time to feel embarassed. Roy was close to him as well, both of them worried about him. Grave began to think that he made the right choice when he helped them. He groaned, trying to sit up. It took him a moment to register the fact that Roy asked him a question. "I guess I'm... Fine." Cynder kept telling himself that it was just a vision. He couldn't afford to let something like that affect him now. His head hurt from all of that, though. "Just got a bloody headache." Grave shook his head. What the Hell was all that about? He tried to gather his thoughts, then remembered something. "More importantly, what about the door?" He tried to look around and locate it. He hoped that it was open.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

"The door opened, not long after you passed out." he said, gesturing at the now open doorway, leading to a large passage down into the earth below. There were no steps on the path down that Grave would come across, likely due to the fact that the inhabitants here would simply just 'slither' down, having no need for steps at all.

As Cynder slowly got up, Valencia put her hands on his shoulders, seemingly keen on wanting him to lay for a while, "Take it easy," she told him, "you fell pretty hard, don't overdo it."

Roy adjusted his glasses, "I concur, you look pretty pale. Why don't you drink some of that Holstaurus milk you've got there?" he suggested, pointing to the bottle on his side, as if he somehow recognized it. "There are many nutrients and healing properties in Holstaurus milk, it's a very popular item on this island, from what I gather."

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Grave nodded uncertainly when he learned that the path was now open. "I'd have killed someone if it remained closed..." He muttered that under his breath. Cynder was feeling hazy and and his hands were shaking a little. The young man realized that he was still in a shock. However, he refused to lay down. He did listen to Roy's suggestion, forgetting to question how he learned about the bottle of milk Grave carried. Instead, Cynder just took the bottle, opened it hastily (nearly spilling some milk in the process) then drank some of it before putting the cork back in and taking a deep breath. He remained still for a while, gathering thoughts and assesing the situation. And as he did that, Grave realized one thing: he didn't want to wait.

His hands stopped shaking, but deep down he was stirring with anticipation. What could be waiting for him inside? The strange vision filled him with dread, but right now his mind wasn't in a state that allowed him to think clearly. The headache probably wasn't helping either. The brain pushed everything it could aside, focusing only on the goal. Cynder never really cared about his well-being that much. Right now, he would probably do something really stupid if it sounded like a good idea. Grave felt that he was close not only to confirming Cyntia's words, but to learning much more. There had to be a meaning behind what he just saw. He wanted to learn it, right now! Common sense be damned, he was going in.

"Screw this. I can go, no time to waste." Even though his vision was spinning a little, playing tricks with his sense of balance, Grave attempted to stand and gather his stuff. The look on his face suggested that even if he failed, he'd keep trying until he achieved his goal. If he managed to stand, he'd set off as soon as he was sure that everything he carried with him was in the proper place. He was feeling fine - at least, he convinced himself that he was feeling fine. Whether that was true or not, he didn't care at the moment.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Both Valencia and Roy were smart enough to know Grave couldn't move on his own, so as soon as he began to make a fierce attempt to stand, Valencia was quick to catch him during a moment of unbalance, tucking herself under an arm, using her own body to keep him on his feet. "Easy!" she scolded him, "Don't push yourself so hard just after experiencing a coma!"

Roy nodded, adjusting his glasses, "I concur. There might be more traps like the one you saved us from deeper in the ruins, and you're in no condition to save us a second time, I'm afraid. We'll help you find your way inside it's dark depths, however, since you'll only hurt yourself if we stop to recuperate. I don't know what you think is so important inside this place, but whatever it is, it won't matter if you're no longer among the living." He adjusted his glasses once more, "I only request that you accept our aid, if only to repay our debt to your quick action."

Valencia chuckled, hefting Cynder's arm in silent command to start moving his feet, "I hope that Holstaurus milk works soon, because I'm not going to carry you around forever!" she said wishfully, patting Grave gently on the back with her hand, letting him know she wouldn't just drop him to the ground with the gesture of trust.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

"Ugh..." Grave realized how weak he actually was after a few moments, when he nearly fell on the ground. Only Valencia's help allowed him to keep standing. He had to admit that he wasn't ready to continue his journey. Cynder felt grateful towards the woman and her companion. They didn't question his actions. Instead, they've offered to help him. He tried to walk as carefully as possible, mainly to reduce Valencia's troubles. "Thanks. And sorry for the trouble. I'll try not to drop dead." Grave's voice sounded sarcastic as usual, but only when he spoke the last sentence. He realized that he was just being his usual stubborn self. His body felt heavy, his head was killing him and he wasn't sure whether the milk would stay where he put it. But Cynder really wished to know more.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Valencia rolled her eyes at Grave's sarcasm, giving his back a light punch from her balled up fist, as if to teach him better than to talk like that. Meanwhile, Roy expressed his own opinion, first adjusting his glasses before speaking, "I wouldn't exactly call getting the door open for us trouble... And I would suggest against such talk after we came quite close to the real thing, before your intervention."

Still walking as they talked, the three reached the path downwards, a single slope, descending into the earth, and into the smell of damp air, combined with the irritating dust, and dirt flying through the air as a result of their steps through the long abandoned ruins. An amulet around Valencia's neck slowly began to grow brighter and brighter the deeper they walked, giving light to them as the darkness grew. Meanwhile, Roy pulled a rather expensive looking orb out of a small bag on his side, giving the lace that trapped the sphere inside a good tug as he pulled the orb from the brown cloth. He placed both his hands on the sphere, closing his eyes, seeming to apply pressure onto it with his hands as he cast a wordless spell.

Inside the depths of the orb, spawned a small light. It seemed so distant, yet so powerful, like looking at the stars in the sky. It quickly began to grow larger, and larger, until it soon acted as a torch, giving light to the trio, allowing them to see the dusty old stone around them as if it were as clear as day.

"Well..." Valencia suddenly started to speak, her intended listener seeming to be Cynder, according to her tone, and level of voice. She hesitated in her words, apparently wanting to tell him something, or knowing that she should, but forced to deal with another conflict that fought with her. "I guess I didn't thank you when you saved me... I'm sorry..." she apologized, right before pulling Grave over in her grasp, and giving him the softest kiss on his cheek, leaving the sensation of were her lips were planted on his skin. "Thank you."

Roy chuckled with amusement, the fact that the woman he supposedly slept with was kissing another man not seeming to bother him, "Next she'll be undoing your trousers," he joked, before he was quickly scolded by Valencia.

"Shut up, Roy!" she shouted.

The moment after, before any more comment could be made, the three came upon a three-way split in the path. Roy stepped forward slowly, adjusting his glasses, seeming about to make a comment on which direction they should go, before Cynder would hear stone sliding against stone, and mechanical devices stirring afterwords. Looking to Roy's feet, he accidentally set of a trap designed for anything with feet, unlike the Echidna.

A loud announcement of metal above them sounded, as spikes emerged from the ceiling. A wall behind them slammed shut, sealing them inside, while the others threatened to do the same, but seemed to be jammed, although not for long. Valencia, using quick thinking, shoved Grave as hard as she could to the door nearest to them, forcing him through it, before it slammed shut behind him, separating him from the others.

After a moment longer, Cynder would hear the ceiling collapse. But, no sounds were heard from Valencia nor Roy. Only the echos of the trap's malicious attempt at their lives rang through the hallway Grave occupied. Fortunately, whether it was the adrenaline rush, or perhaps the milk made him better sooner than he had thought, he felt as if he could walk about without Valencia's aid. However, it was dark, now incredibly so without the light of his two comrade's devices. Traveling through the trap riddled ruins now would be dangerous... And he needed a source of light.

Moving through the darkness would be suicide without the ability to see. Cynder would have to think of some way to create light, or else risk the dangers of the dark without it...

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Grave merely smiled after hearing Roy's response, not minding Valencia's soft punch. As he and his companions descended into the depths of the mysterious temple, Cynder found out that his companions were quite well prepared and brought magical sources of light. Most likely, they've had some other artifacts at their disposal as well. Roy's orb seemed to be especially powerful, but it seemed that it required some quick ritual to activate. Perhaps it was fueled by the user's power as well. Whatever it was, the orb made their path clear and visible.

Grave was busy dividing his attention between his surroundings and his footing when Valencia spoke. He decided to forget about the former and listen to her, intrigued by her tone of voice. Cynder accepted the apology - he didn't really care about such a small issue, but the sudden kiss startled him before he could say anything. Roy's joke didn't help, and the young man felt really embarrassed. Grave decided not to speak to avoid dragging the issue further.

And then, the group reached a seemingly harmless three-way split. No one noticed the trap until it was too late. Before Cynder could shout anything, he was shoved through a door which was sealed afterwards and landed on the floor, all alone in a dark corridor. A few seconds later he heard the ceiling collapse - and realized that not only the path to the entrance was blocked, but that his companions were beyond his reach, possibly dead. Grave couldn't hear a thing, though. Were they crushed? Or did they escape? He did not know.

Fortunately for him, Cynder felt his strenght slowly returning. He didn't know how long it would last, but at least he wasn't completely powerless. He was still in a very bad situation. He was alone, without light, in a dungeon full of traps. For some reason, the inhabitants of this place invested a lot of time and resources into protecting this place from creatures walking on legs. Proceeding further in complete darkness would be suicide. Grave had to move deeper, though. He couldn't linger here, and no other path was available.

The young man sat up, then focused. One of the magic powers bestowed upon him by Cynthia was a kind of illusion that used colorful light and mist to confuse and intimidate opponents. Perhaps he'd be able to use this ability to project some light and illuminate his surroundings. Cynder had to be careful, though. He didn't wish to strain himself or waste too much energy. He decided to try and create a small light first, just enough to see where he was.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Creating the small light, Grave would find, took about as much effort needed to lift his arm. And as the light's illumination spread over the hall in a swift wave, Cynder found himself standing in what seemed to be a path to a religious room. On either side of him, were similar statues of Echidna, crossing their arms over their breasts with their heads bowed, appearing as if in prayer to some unknown deity. These statues spanned across the hallway by the dozens, each almost exactly like it's predecessor, asides from the various shards of stone missing from the masonry.

Suddenly, Grave's searching eyes would fix down the dead center of his path, as if guided by instinct. With the aid of his light, he caught the glimpse of a unique Echidna statue, which stared straight down the hall, returning his own gaze. It's blue eyes would light up after only a moment of a shared glance, filling Cynder with that familiar sensation once more in the depths of his being, a flash of those oval eyes going through his mind's eye returning, before he would hear a whisper;

'Grave...'

The voice sounded feminine, and it was difficult to tell if he only heard it in his head.

However, the voice did not cease. Just like the statues from before, the stone Echidna at the end of the religious path began to move as if alive. She carried a powerful trident, one that only a King or Queen would be seen with, raising it with her arm, holding it high above her head as her other hand sought to grip it as well, before she slammed it into the stone.

A large series of blue lines dashed away from the source of impact quickly, spreading across the floor like lightning, arching down the hall, seemingly at random, yet still holding an artistic grace. These blue traces each sought out the statues in the hall, as water would seek lower land, gripping the pedestals of the Echidna statues, and coursing all around them, one by one, slowly reaching where Grave stood.

The magic endowed in the strange blue magic seemed to breathe life into the statues, as each one that became enchanted opened their 'eyes'. And once the last of the statues were enchanted, the blue arks held still, and the strange events ceased. The large statues held still, each staring at their counterparts on the opposite side, heads raised.

The Echidna statue that acted as a 'catalyst' for the event removed her trident from in front of her, taking a formal posture as she held her trident at her side. She wore no cloth over her human portion, but even so, she stood waiting, shamelessly, and patiently, as if awaiting the guest of honor to approach her. And, alone in the hall, it seemed that Cynder was that very guest.

With no other choice, or options but to proceed forward, even if cautiously, as Grave would walk down the hall, each pair of statues he passed reacted to his presence. From their cross-armed pose, they would flip the position of their arms, instead of pointing up with their hands, they pointed down to the earth, crossing over each other, revealing their previously covered breasts, before taking a respectful bow to the oval eyed man that passed them.

Each and every single statue showed Cynder this respect, until he reached the last statue that awaited him in the room of prayer.

Passing through the archway, Grave would discover that the 'prayer' room, was actually a little more than that. He would see various depictions, artistic drawings, of Echidna engaging in various sexual acts with humans. It would be quite odd to learn the many different positions of intercourse between the two species based on the drawings, and it was not so rare to see depictions of one human man or woman being taken by multiple Echidna, nor was it rare to see one human having sex with multiple Echidna. It seemed as if his ancestor's way of giving tribute to the gods, consisted of having a great orgy.

It was unclear whether it was just the feeling from the room, or something else, but as Cynder stepped into the room, he began to feel a strange aura about the room, as if some kind of power was silently pulsating, giving the room a dense feeling of spiritual pressure...



The statue above him slowly lowered her stone head to look at the blond man below her. The Echidna's eyes glowed a tense blue as she gazed at Grave, before she suddenly spoke in a powerful, booming voice. "The prince has returned." she announced, before the many statues behind him boomed a response;

"Seti, alume yen dero." they chanted.

"The blood that runs through his veins, and the magic that gives us life are all that remains of our glorious legacy. The prince has returned."

"Nomine yen dero."

"His return marks true the prophecies told by our ancestors, that the last of our kin will awaken his lost past, and sow the seeds of a new dynasty, that he may destroy the realms of good, and evil, creating a new world order in his wake. All hail the prince."

"Seti, alume yen dero."

The Echidna before him relaxed, as did the stone followers behind him, marking the end of the prayer. Then, holding the trident in her hand, the stone Echidna addressed Cynder personally, "It is not by accident that you have returned, young prince," she informed him, "Long has the essence of magic enchanted within us awaited through the passing of time for your arrival. No matter what fate you choose for the world, those who perished during the downfall of our line only had one wish of you; That you would find a mate, and seed her with the future of our dynasty. You are the last of us, and are the only hope for our bloodline. You ancestors died with the hope that you would accomplish this task, and most sacrificed their lives to ensure you survived.

Do not disappoint the dead." she warned him.

Then, after the message of the deceased was delivered, the statue looked upon him with an inquiring gaze, "What is it you seek?" she asked.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Grave was relieved that he managed to create light. Walking around without being able to see would be too dangerous. However, nothing prepared him for the sight he was about to behold. It seemed that he found a path leading to some mysterious shrine, filled with statues of echidna. Undoubtedly this place was significant - perhaps he'd find his goal here?

Then he caught a glimpse of the statue in the middle. Gazing into it's eyes, Cynder activated another enchantment. Fortunately, he experienced no painful visions this time - merely a short sensation he couldn't quite describe. The mysterious voice was another puzzle he couldn't solve - did he really hear it, or was it just his imagination playing tricks on him?

The young man had no time to ponder that. The statue moved, and by slamming the trident into the ground it sent waves of energy into other statues, activating them. Once the events ceased and the statues stopped moving, Grave began to wonder what to do. He doubted it's a trap. It was far too elaborate and flashy to be one, and if he was the one meant to unearth the secrets of this place, would it make sense to set a trap only he could activate?

Having no other choice, Cynder began to walk. As he passed the statues, he noticed how they moved, bowing before him. That suprised the young man - it was almost as if he was some kind of a snake overlord, passing among his servants towards his throne. Once he entered the shrine, he noticed the various depictions of sexual acts, something that didn't suprise him as much as he expected. Perhaps he was getting used to the fact that the monster girls of this island were interested in intercourse so much? Valencia also mentioned that sex was a method of "appeasing the gods" - an unusual method of worhipping them, that's for sure. Another thing Cynder noticed was the aura of this place, a dense feeling that sent a shiver down his spine. What on earth was waiting for him here?

None of this, however, suprised Grave as much as the events that unfolded when he reached the final statue. The fact that she spoke was a suprise in itself, but her speech and the ominous chanting, as well as the fact that she referred to the young man as a prince completely threw him off-guard. He stared in awe, trying to sort his thoughts. It seemed that Cynthia didn't tell him everything. After listening to the tengu, Cynder had an impression that he was just the son of a monster living in some ruins, not the heir of a lost dynasty of echindas. His legacy was far greater than just a present from his dead mother - it was far greater that he could possibly comprehend. Grave realized this, and for the first time, felt the true weight of the burden put on his shoulders. A sensation that made him feel humble.

Cynder looked up at the statue when it asked him. He stared deep into it's eyes, searching his mind for an answer. He no longer had any desire to act like Cynthia told him, nor did he wish to become a lustful dreg of Hell. Here he was, staring at the forgotten past of a once powerful bloodline. His kind hoped that he would create a new order and establish a new dynasty, their faith sustaining them during their downfall. Grave clenched his fists. He couldn't turn back, and he knew exactly what he wanted. "I seek to reclaim what is rightfully mine. I seek to fulfill my destiny, and if this is what I am supposed to become, then so be it. I accept what was left for me, and will restore our bloodline, no matter what."

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

The statue gave no physical response, asides from the loud booming voice that rocked the very foundation of the ground Grave stood upon. "And you shall have it." said the stone Echidna, before she lifted her trident, and used it to point to her left, towards an archway. "Proceed onward, to the very depths of these ruins. There lies an artifact of great power. Created by your birth mother, the Queen, during your time within her royal womb. It holds a colossal power, as it is your mother's last gift to you... The gift... Of her own life."

The Echidna lowered her trident back to her side, holding it in a powerful stance as she continued to speak to Cynder, telling him everything she knew, "Indeed, forged within the very material that gives the trinket it's shape, is a fragment of your mother's soul. She created it, holding the dream of being with you, even after death. She created it, knowing that her end was soon coming. And not long after it was made, we arrived in her chambers to find her dead, laying peacefully in a pool of her own blood, assassinated by a foul bird with black wings, called a Crow Tengu, beasts who claim to uphold all that is right, and good in the world." she spat, speaking of Cynthia, who admitted that she was the one who killed Grave's mother.

"But, that tale is not for me to tell. I have served my purpose. And now, after waiting here, trapped in this stone for so long, I can finally find rest in the afterlife with the rest of my sisters. It is a wonder to see you fully grown, young prince...

"We will be watching you..."

The color in her eyes slowly began to fade with the passing of her final words, and in a matter of moments, all of the blue light in the room began drifting up into the air in little shards, like petals on the wind, before disappearing entirely, leaving Cynder standing within a dark room once more, the only company with him being the small light at his side.

Suddenly, a loud boom sounded off from behind him, a quick turn about revealing that the door behind him had opened... However, the other doors, the ones Valencia and Roy likely went through, were still closed shut.

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Grave listened to the statue's words. The idea of using a fragment of one's soul to power an artifact sounded extreme, but Cynder couldn't think ill of his mother. She valued him more than her life. Cynthia claimed to be ready to make a similiar sacrifice, but words and actions were two different things.

There was one thing that bothered Grave, however - the last part of the echidna's story. Her hatred towards the tengu was honest and genuine, Cynder doubted a statue would be able to leave this place. The young man's suspicions were confirmed by her final words - it was most likely an echidna's soul, sealed in stone a long time ago. Now, she was free at last. Grave bowed his head for a moment, expressing his gratitude. "Rest in peace. I will not disappoint you."

Once the magic disappeared, the room became dark again, illuminated only by Cynder's own spell. Fortunately, it seemed that he'd be able to return back to the entrance. For now, however, he had to press forward. Grave walked through the archway mentioned by the echidna. The artifact was supposed to posess great power. Something Cynder desired and needed. His legacy awaited him.

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Proceeding through the ruins, the large collection of dust that would be swept into the air as Grave walked through it would sometimes make him sneeze. The various cracks in the walls that held a collection of small particles didn't help either. And after he walked through the first hallway, grave would have easily gotten lost, if it wasn't for the fact that in every single big room he came into, each seeming to have it's own little purpose, combined with the readiness to serve those who sought sex, they had a pathway that lead down, deeper into the ruins. Each room he came into, Cynder found himself walking a little deeper.

Suddenly, Grave would see a faint light ahead of him. Without him needing to do anything, investigate or otherwise, he caught sight of purple hair that could only belong to one girl. She was walking ahead, proceeding down through the maze of rooms, and it seemed she was just a little ahead of him, but had no idea he was behind her, and walked through the door before he could react.

Soon after, one of the pots in the room that Cynder would find to be a storage room seemed to grow legs! At the same time, the upper body of a tan skinned little girl sprang from the lid. Her hair was a dirty blond, which she wore in pig tails on the back of her head. Her eyes were a bright green, all combined with her pink lips that actually made her seem quite cute.

But it was no sweet little girl in that pot. Once Valencia proceeded through the door, the jar mimic sprung into action. It rushed over to the side of the door, grabbing onto a round handle of sorts, turning, and then pulling it out, revealing it to be an odd sort of key! Valencia turned with a gasp to find the door closing on her, and since that pathway led down, Grave found his path blocked.

The jar mimic turned about when she noticed there was still light in the room, before noticing Cynder himself. She gasped in fright, before sinking into the pot, pulling her limbs and upper body inside, leaving the pot to just seem like an ordinary pot once she vanished inside of it...

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Grave was rather annoyed by the dust and all, but he had to bear it. No one was left to clean this place. Even one year was enough to gather a noticeable layer of dust. Who knew how much time had passed since the remaining members of Cynder's kind passed away. At least the young man was able to find his way, altough much of the things he noticed suggested that this place was designed with a very specific activity in mind. That disturbed him a bit.

Fortunately, it seemed that he recovered from the effects of the vision he experienced. Grave doubted it was the work of the spell - probably he went into shock after experiencing something so painful and intense. The meaning of that illusion still eluded him - but before he could give it some more thought, Cynder saw a light. Someone was in front of him, and he quickly recognized the person in question. Valencia. She was alone - and it seemed that she didn't waste time, considering that she managed to get ahead of Grave. This meant that Roy was most likely on his own too. Well, he was smart enough to take care of himself.

Cynder wanted to call out to Valencia - after all, it'd be better if they stayed together. However, before he could even shout, he noticed a peculiar creature - a mix between a little girl and a pot. He immediately recalled the chest-like monster that Cynthia taught him about. 'Oh damn it all to...' He didn't even manage to finish the thought before the creature shut the door, locking Valencia on the other side - and blocking Grave's path. Quite understandably, this annoyed the young man.

Unfortunately, as soon as the mimic spotted Cynder, she retreated to the safety of her pot, vanishing without a trace. He stood there for a while, his face twitching a little. Why did he have to deal with annoying pint-sized critters all the time? Grave could feel an incoming headache already. Still, if she was so easily scared, perhaps it'd be a bad idea to use force. He had to get past that door one way or another. Cynder approached the pot, then crouched in front of it. He tried to maintain a friendly expression, without success. He was visibly irritated. "Ya know, I already saw you, so I guess there's no point in hiding like that, right?" He felt stupid, talking to an object like that. But Hell, desperate times called for desperate measures - or something like that. "I'm not nasty, really. I just want the key to that door. Could you give me that? It'd make things easier to both of us." Grave had no idea whether she could hear him or not. But it was worth a try, wasn't it?

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Talking to the pot yielded no response, indeed making him look silly, especially when he'd find that the pot was empty! No matter what method he'd use to find out, whether it be tapping on it's side to listen for a hollow sound, or simply peeking inside to see, Grave would discover that the pot held no girl inside of it.

Suddenly, however, Cynder heard sounds of an angry whimper behind him, revealing a pot, completely the same as the other one, now holding the girl he saw, as if she somehow transferred herself to safety after hiding herself. Her head was poking out at him, green eyes that shined from his light staring at him from the lid, "N-no! It's mine!" she insisted nervously. "There are intruders... I have to seal the passageways to stop their progress!"

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Grave sighed and stood up. At least he learned something new about this creature. He briefly wondered what her weakness was. She seemed frightened, but insisted on stopping any intruders in their path... To protect something beyond the door? Or to protect them? Cynder had no idea. But he knew how to find out.

"I'm not sure what you're worried about, but you don't have to worry about me." Grave adopted a relaxed stance, speaking calmly. There was no need to scare the girl. "Listen, I know you're worried. But I am not an intruder. I was born here." He stared straight into the creature's green eyes, his pupils adopting the characteristic oval shape in the light. "And I've returned to claim the legacy of my bloodline. So please, open the path for me. In return, I will drive out the intruders for you."

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

"N-no!" she insisted, "It's not your treasure! It's mine!" Though her eyes were both fearful and determined, they suddenly softened, blinking profusely as her head lowered a little in the pot, making her barely visible, "B-but... If you give me something good in exchange... I'll give you the key..." As she shifted a little in the jar, Grave would be able to visualize a grin on her face, and given the fact that she was a monster, much like the others on this island, something good likely wasn't a thing out of Cynder's reach...

Although, after already having had sex, having more of it with more monsters continuously would likely take it's toll on his body...

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Grave managed to confirm one thing. She probably wasn't a pet of the former owners of these ruins - her reaction suggested that she probably claimed the place as her own after it was abandoned, along with the "treasure". Cynder gave an exasperated sigh.

Valencia probably wouldn't waste time and continue her search, and he would rather not fight her over the artifact made for him. Time was the key, but currently, the little runt had the advantage. She could not only hide in the pots, but also move between them, apparently. Even if she wasn't like the chest mimic Cynthia showed to Grave before and the jar wasn't protected from damage, running around and smashing crockery probably wouldn't help him anyway. The young man assumed that once it's out of the pot, the creature would be vulnerable, but otherwise it didn't seem to have a weakness.

As troublesome as it was, it'd probably be better to go along with the pot-brain's idea. She was small - Cynder was sure he'd have much more stamina than her. And perhaps he'd be able to catch it off-guard, considering she seemed to have the personality of a child. 'Why must my problems be pint-sized?'

"Alright, alright. If you put it like that, I guess we can make a deal. I'll give you what you want in exchange for the key. So tell me, what do you want exactly?"

 

[Mamono Assault Force]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

She giggled, seemingly happy that Grave was being cooperative by the big grin on her face, and the sudden change in disposition. She even lifted herself out of the pot a little, showing her cute, tan face to him. "I've been sleeping a long time with my treasure, and I've been wanting to play with one of you intruders! I don't like girls though, only boys!" she announces, "I let the girl by, because I wanted to play with you instead! She can't get out anyway, so she'll die in there without ever taking my treasure! Hee, hee, hee!" she giggled.

She gave Cynder a toothy grin, "Here's the game I want to play; I'm going to eat the key, and when I do, the only way to get it out is to make me cum! So you better hurry intruder, before I dissolve it!" she informs him, before lifting the key over her mouth, and swallowing it whole, grinning back at him afterwards, "Catch me if you can!" she teases him, before sinking back into the pot.

The room was complicated, and maze-like. To make matter's worse, there were pots everywhere, scattered all about the room. Each one of them she could use to hide in. Simply chasing her around as she vanishes from one spot to another was exactly what she wanted. Clearly, she wanted to wear Grave out before raping him, making him much easier a target using her childish game. Using physical means was out of the question, she inadvertently declared she could 'sense' him before he even knew about her own presence. Clearly, he'd need to pull a magic trick of his own with what Cynthia taught him in order to combat the mimic's own trickery...

 

[cross_grave]

Re: Oval Eyes (Grave)

Grave didn't comment on the sudden change in the mimic's disposition. He said nothing about her attitude towards the whole affair as well. She was a wild monster, after all - Cynder doubted she ever had a role model that'd teach her manners, compassion or restraint. Of course, that made everything much harder for him. 'Goddamn little bugger.'

Still, that was nothing compared to the game she declared. When Grave heard what she wanted to play, he could only believe that he misheard something. However, when the mimic swallowed the key, he began to doubt his sanity instead. How the Hell is a humanoid being - a child-like one, no less - capable of eating a whole key like that? And moreover, how was she supposed to digest it? Simply assuming that "it's because she's a magical monster" didn't help. Cynder felt confused. 'What. The. Fuck?'

Still, this game was far more dangerous than it seemed. With time working against him, he had to hurry - and the mimic had a huge advantage over him. There was only one way out of this - to fight fire with fire. Tricks against tricks, magic versus magic. Grave's powers allowed him to create illusions, if he focused hard enough. He'd have to fool the creature somehow.

Cynder sighed. He briefly wondered how the mimic was capable of sensing his presence. Did she rely on some sort of spell? Or was it simply one of her regular senses, honed to a high level? If he knew that, he could try to employ a countermeasure. Sadly, Grave knew that he didn't have the time nor knowledge necessary to perform such a task. But perhaps he could scare her...

"Alright then. If that's how you want to play... I sure hope you don't mind if I get a little rough." The young man smirked. It was a rather nasty smile, one worthy of appearing on a demon's face. "I wonder how you're going to escape from this." Grave wasn't sure if he had enough power to do this, but perhaps he could put on a show which would, hopefully, intimidate the girl. He moved to the center of the room, cracking his knuckles. 'Now, to do something silly enough...'

Cynder held his hands in front of him, palms pressed against each other. He muttered some incomprehensible words under his breath - technically, he was mixing various strange-sounding words from different languages he picked up while traveling. Of course, the only purpose of that was to sound like a spell. At the same time, his mind worked on an illusion - illusion of fire, to be specific. He wanted to create an illusion of flames, starting at the edges of the room and slowly moving towards him, covering every pot in the room. The objective was simple - to trick the girl into thinking that the pots were dangerous and force her into moving to a single pot within Grave's reach. Hopefully, it'd allow him to skip the first part of the game without many problems.