Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

"Perhaps, I guess we'll never know unless we go back and jump into the water or something," Agnes replied, shuddering at the mere thought of that.

The path went steadily down as they traveled along it, the sound of water drifting away behind them, but after a minute or so they heard it again from ahead of them. "Wow, this must be a long portion of the river that runs back into the main one that goes through town if we're hearing it again already," Agnes said as they walked onwards, a bit of caution in her steps.

Soon enough they came to another chamber with water, though this time it had a low hanging ceiling that would prevent them from flying over it. However Agnes sent forth her mage light again to light the whole chamber up for them to see with and they could see that it would only come up to around their breasts if they wished to traverse it. On the opposite side of the chamber was another opening, but they could travel down the water ways if they wished to, either left or right. "Well Sophia... you wanna go across? Or you wanna try going back and taking that other path," Agnes asked curiously, looking prepared to go into the water in order to make some headway, but not looking very happy about it.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

Sophia didn't like the look of this at all. "Ill go first Agnes keep an eye out okay." Sophia inacted the magic that shrunk her wings so she didn't get them soaked and began to cross to the other side.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

"Alright, I'll be right behind you okay. And that's a good idea, was about to just go down in there with my wings held up above me," Agnes replied, drawing her wings in with the little incantation, as there were only about 3 to 4 feet above the water that they had so their wings would likely get all soaked if they kept them out.

Wading into the water, the pair of angels slowly made their way across the stream, which was about 25 feet across. Holding her sword up above her with one hand, Agnes kept her left hand shining the mage light across the water. Sophia could feel a fish here and there grazing up against her, likely spooking her a little bit in the process, but otherwise causing no harm. As they went across and were about halfway, if they looked up they'd see several holes in the ceiling, indicating that there was something above them in there, and the holes were large enough to climb into if they really tried, but to do so meant they'd have to spread their wings back out which would drench them and prevent them from flying... making a conundrum of sorts for them both. Suddenly though as Sophia noticed the holes, Agnes let out a soft gasp and there was a little splash as she spun in the water to look around at what had apparently brushed up against her.

"T-That wasn't a fish Sophia... let's hurry on across. I've got a bad feeling about this water," Agnes said, starting to move on again unless Sophia wished to attempt to get up to the holes above them.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

Sophia simply nodded at Agnes and left the holes for another time. Besides they screamed trap. Hopefully Agnes made good time with Sophia breaking the trail so to speak. Reaching back she took her friends hand as they finsihed crossing the stream.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

As they moved onwards to try and get out of the water, the ripples from the previous watery room appeared again, this time directly in front of them and between them and the opposite shore. It was too hard to tell what it was without it surfacing, but they now had a dilemma before them. Stay there in the water and attempt to fight whatever it was, should it attack? Or go back and either try to get up through the holes above them or back to the shore they came from?

"Oh no... um..." Agnes began saying in a panic, trying to draw her large blade only to have the hilt bump against the ceiling, preventing her from pulling it out completely.

Turning back as she began pulling Sophia back to head to the shore they came from, Agnes gasped and stopped in her tracks as a loud splash sounded behind Sophia. When she looked back, Sophia would see a what looked like a cross between a woman and an octopus, and she had a hungry look in her eyes as she looked at them, licking her lips in the process as her 8 long and large tentacles wriggled about wildly. "Oh no... w-we're trapped Sophia, a-and I can't draw my sword to fight under this low ceiling," Agnes said as the ripples on Sophia's side became more pronounced before another of the octopi women emerged on the side they were trying to get to.

As the pair of angels moved back to back, or tried to at least, Sophia would bump into something that was in fact not Agnes' back a Agnes did the same. "Hey you two... grab my tail... hurry before those scyllas grab you both. Because they won't let you go once they get you unless you kill them," a female voice sounded from above the pair in the hole directly above them, and looking around to see what they'd touched they would see a long green scaly tail hanging between them, a fairly thick one at that that they could both easily grab a hold of and wrap their arms around to hold onto... and the hole above them was large enough for them both to fit into as well.

It was up to Sophia what to do here, but she'd see Agnes look at her for only a second before grabbing the tail, not hesitating for even a second more than that before accepting the help from the strange being and wrapping her arms around the tail as it began to pull upwards, leaving Sophia only a couple of seconds to grab hold before she'd have to grab Agnes' legs.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

What choice did they have. Sophia by nature of her weapon could fight but Agnes would be near defenless. She didn't like it but she didn't like what those eight tenticles would do to her either. "Grab it Agnes." Taking ahold of the tail herself Sophia waited for Agnes to grab ahold before yelling. "Pull us up."

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

Diving at the tail, Sophia was just barely able to grab hold of it before it slipped up and out of reach, whoever it belonged to being rather quick about it, and she had nothing to worry about with Agnes as she'd already grabbed hold before the words were even out of Sophia's mouth. The tail quickly pulled the pair up, though just as they got through the hole and were clambering up, one of the scyllas from below jumped up and grabbed hold of not Sophia's ankles, but Agnes' in an attempt to pull her back down into the watery depths below with the pair of them.

"N-No... let go dammit," Agnes cried in a panic as she began kicking back down at the scylla, who just didn't seem to want to let go of her and Agnes' butt was slipping a bit as well.

"Hurry, grab her. These tunnels are cramped and I can't turn around very fast, hold her until I can get turned around to help," the female voice shouted at Sophia, who if she glanced up at her she'd see a creature she knew from her training days though she'd only ever seen one in a book before now... she was a lamia. She was indeed large too, her long snakelike body being too bulky to turn around to help in a hurry, so Sophia would have to hold onto Agnes for a few tense seconds to keep her up there with them until this newcomer who had just saved them could provide aid.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

Having little choice Sophia brougth her own legs around and locked them around Agnes's waist. It would be painful for Agnes but it was the only sure way Sophia could keep a grip on her while she herself held onto the Lamia's tail. For a moment it was an intresting sight Sophia with her legs wrapped around both Agnes and the tail as she held on. Still she hopped this lamia could be trusted.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

As Sophia swung her legs around Agnes to prevent her companion from falling, Agnes let out a cry of pain as Sophia's legs locked around her, apparently Sophia's heels were digging in to her sides hard enough to cause her pain, but she held on tight to the tail and didn't let go despite the pain. "Hold on, I'm almost around, just hang on," the lamia cried at them, scrambling to turn around in the narrow tunnel.

Sophia felt Agnes continue to slip more and more until finally Agnes let out a squeal as she slipped off the edge of the rock thanks to the scylla pulling on her ankles. Just as she began falling though, the lamia dove down a bit and caught her, tugging on Agnes' arms which she'd grabbed hold of while hissing at the two scyllas, which both now had a hold on Agnes. "H-hold on gorgeous, I've got you. N-Not gonna let you go if I can help it," the lamia grunted, holding on tight to Agnes, who was whimpering pitifully and holding on as tight as she could, though one of the scylla's had wrapped around her legs while the other had moved up to her waist and both were pulling hard to force her to drop Agnes.

Finally though, the lamia managed to haul Agnes up, where the scyllas both bumped their heads on the rock ceiling below and let go from the daze it put them in. The looked up at the trio with angry and disappointed looks on their faces, obviously disliking the fact that they had gotten away. "Yeah go on you stupid fishes, swim back to your nests and sulk for all I care. Just fuck off and stop trying to rape everyone you come in contact with, you might get some willing participants if you did," the lamia called down to the scyllas, who both made a couple of rude gestures up at her before swimming off back under water.

"Okay now ladies... who the hell are you and what the hell were you thinking traversing that creek? Everyone knows that the scyllas control most of the main waterways along with their servants and pets. Overran the mermaid tribes some years ago and enslaved them all, and they try to do the same to every female they come in contact with to bear their eggs for them. You got lucky I was traveling through the caves here to help you both. I'm Lydia by the way," the lamia asked the girls, introducing herself afterwards as Agnes sat there, whimpering slightly and shuddering in fear at what had nearly happened to her, especially when Lydia mentioned enslavement and egg bearing.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

Sophia moved over to Agnes and placed a comforting arm around her friend being sure to keep her weapon handy. "Thank you Lydia. Im Sophia and this is Agnes." Sophia looked at the Lamia with a critical eye. If Lydia was evil no doubt she would have attacked right now while Agnes was still down and she did risk her life to save them. "We where completeing a contract for the near bye human settlement. They where unaware of the scyllia or the mermaids in this place. Now that we know we can warn them and they will blockcade their part of the cave."

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

"Well, I don't know why you're down here, but the lady must have let you into the deep roads. The scyllas down here, at least most of them, they hunt any females capable of bearing their eggs and force them into it. So be careful if you don't want to be filled up by them. It's not an overly long process of bearing a clutch of eggs really, but they put another clutch in there as soon as they are able to, so yeah... not fun at all really, and can be a bit painful if you aren't used to sex," Lydia said, seeming concerned about Agnes as well as she moved over beside her and Sophia, placing a hand on Agnes' shoulder to help comfort her.

"Come... I shall take you to my tribe's home if you like. We know many secret ways around the caves, and we've been here the longest of any of the others. Be mindful of the other races about here in the deep roads though, some aren't as friendly as my tribe is. Though most wouldn't try to harm you unless you did them I'd say. If you don't want to come with me though that's fine I guess, just stay out of the waters if you don't want to risk the scyllas grabbing you every time you go down there. Gods I wish someone would knock some sense into them," Lydia said after a few moments of comforting Agnes along with Sophia, which seemed to be working as she'd caught her breath and all now and looked a bit more relaxed.

"T-Thank you Lydia, for helping me I mean. Who was this lady you spoke of though?" Agnes said, thanking Lydia for the help and asking about the lady she spoke of before, and blushing a bit from what she said about sex.

"Hmm, oh her. She's the one who made all these tunnels and stuff for us so the humans wouldn't hunt and hurt us. I mean it's been many years since she brought so many of us non humans down here, at least... gods about a century and a half to two centuries round about. Lady Viridiana, she saved some of each of our peoples from the hunts that went on above and brought us down here so our races didn't die out in these regions. She said that one day we could go back up top when the people didn't hate and fear us so much anymore, but until then we could thrive down here," Lydia replied, obviously looking up to this Viridiana quite a bit.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

Sophia was intrigued. This Lady Viridiana sounded very powerful and if she was able to make this place and bring all these woman to it then she must be kind or at lest Sophia hopped so. "I think it might be best if we meet with your people after all we should learn about this place so we can leave. That way we can keep both peoples safe." It seemed they would miss out on the dinner they had promised but if there was a way out they could come back at some point maybe...

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

"Aye it probably would be best if you did, so you can at least get your bearings and all after that down there, plus it'll give you both a chance to dry off. It's not too far off, come on, then we can direct you to lady Viridiana since I assume you're here to see her," Lydia said, gesturing for them to follow her as she slithered off down the tunnel in the direction she was heading when she pulled them up.

Agnes followed right behind Lydia, leaving Sophia at the rear with Agnes' butt in perfect view which was dripping wet along with most of the rest of her as they walked along. When they exited the smaller tunnel that was above the watery depths they'd been pulled from, Agnes stretched herself back where Sophia would hear a small crack as her back popped a bit, which Agnes let out a sigh of relief at. "Ahh, that felt good. Lydia... are there any mages among your people?" Agnes said as they all 3 exited the smaller tunnel.

"Aye, there are some, not many, but some. Most of them specialize in lightning and fire magics, the first for obvious reasons and the second to help light these dark tunnels. Our elder is our high mage you might say, she can help you with anything magical you might need," Lydia answered as Agnes finished stretching. Then she gestured for them to climb onto her back. "Here hop on, it'll be faster since I know the way, and I can climb a bit even with you both on my back like this," she added, where Agnes looked over at Sophia and shrugged a bit before climbing onto Lydia's back and held on, leaving a spot right behind her for sitting for Sophia.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

Sophia looked at the tail and to Agnes who seemed all up for a ride and sighed. Sophia could fly she could fight but when it came to riding things.... well Agnes would find out shortly. Climbing up behind Agnes Sophia slipped a arm around her waist and held on tight. "J-just don't let me go...." She had a healthy embarrised blush to her face as she uneasily sat down for the ride.

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

"It'll be alright girls, I won't let you fall, besides I'm sure you're a little tired after the panic in the water back there," Lydia said as Agnes climbed on and Sophia said what she did.

Agnes shifted around on Lydia's back to get into a comfortable position as Sophia climbed on behind her, where Agnes smiled over her shoulder at Sophia. "You alright Sophia? It's alright, just hold onto me... I'll never let you go," Agnes asked curiously, looking slightly concerned at Sophia's hesitance to climb on board.

After Sophia answered her, Lydia made sure they were ready to move as Agnes wrapped an arm around her human like waist before she set off. Slithering along the tunnel floor, Lydia quickly made headway towards her underground village where apparently her people resided. After a couple of minutes of going, Lydia stopped at a fork and looked both ways as if pondering which to take before looking back over her shoulder at the pair of angels on her back. "Hmm... well we can take the right path which is a bit longer but safer girls. Or we can go left and risk running into... (sigh)... risk running into the driders. They aren't... evil per se, but they may demand tribute in exchange for passage through their area, especially if they see you both with me and not just me," Lydia said to them both, letting them decide it seemed.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

As soon as Lydia started moving Sophia's tightened her arm around Agnes's waist almost painfully and buried her head in her friends back. She was terrified of riding things. She had no issue riding in the cart or on a boat but an animal or in the case a Lamia made her nervious. After awhile they got to the first road block. Easing her grip slightly Sophia weighted the decsion. She didn't think she would like the idea of paying tribute or a toll especially if it included what she thought it might. "Lets take the longer route."

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

"Ouch... Sophia, come on... loosen your grip a little bit please, that is a bit painful," Agnes said to Sophia when her grip tightened around her, the gorgeous redhead angel looking over her shoulder at Sophia as she spoke.

"Aye, I don't know if we would have enough gold or whatever to barter with them for safe passage," Agnes said, obviously not thinking on the same track as Sophia, the latter of whom was probably right in her assumptions.

"Hmhm, they wouldn't accept gold most likely dearie," Lydia said, giggling a bit before looking over her shoulder at them again as she started down the longer path. "But you've both got the perfect thing to barter with under that armor of yours. It's what the driders and most others down here would want to barter with anyway most likely. Among a few other things, but they would take certain gemstones," she added with a wink.

A while later, about 20 minutes or so, the trio came to a small stone bridge that ran over another part of the underground river area. But Lydia didn't seem too bothered by this and went on across. "My people's village is just across this bridge and through the next tunnel. Not overly spaced apart the villages aren't, but we make do. And lady Viridiana makes rounds up to the surface from time to time and brings us plenty of food down and tries to keep the peace between us all... and for the most part while she's amongst us all she does manage it," Lydia said as they crossed the bridge, looking about over the edges. "Also you don't have to be as careful of the water here, as it's in our village's area of influence, and the scyllas don't come quite this far up stream for fear of retribution from us and the other villages," she added as she looked over the edge at the water below.

They soon crossed the bridge and then passed through the tunnel she mentioned and came to an area where the very stone was cut out in the walls to make houses and stairs that lead up to an extra floor or two with walkways along there. All in all the whole area was quite large considering, much larger than a simple little village. "I said village, though it's more like a town I guess. As there's quite a few of us here. But thanks to lady Viridiana we're able to have food aplenty for us all. The other peoples down here are in similar little settlements," Lydia said as they entered her peoples home down here.

It looked a little clustered, but there was obvious magic in the air, even Sophia could feel that with her limited knowledge of magic. "How many of your people are there here Lydia?" Agnes asked curiously.

"Mmm... a few hundred at least. Maybe about... I dunno a thousand or a little more. We haven't really counted in a while, and we try to not have too many children, or rather when we lay our eggs we try and not fertilize too many. And the elder will likely be able to help you with whatever you need, she's one of the oldest people of any of the villages," Lydia answered as she slithered along, apparently taking them to the elder's home before anywhere else.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

Sophia did relax her grip a little quickly mumbling an apology to Agnes. Focusing on what Lydia was speaking about brought some questions to Sophia's mind. "Umm Lydia if the Scylia are such an issue why not band the other villages to knocks some sense into them? Or even asking Lady Viridiana to stop them. Surely they have to be as thankful as your people?"

 

[Mind Flayer]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

"Well we've thought of that, and they are thankful for the help really, but Lady Viridiana told us not to attack them and to try and let her get through to them. She's been speaking with their elder for some time now, because they only just started acting this way in the last couple of years or so. We believe that something is making them do so, but we're not sure yet as once someone goes into their village like that to investigate they don't come back out," Lydia said, looking worried about something, but she didn't say what exactly.

They were soon at a larger stone looking hut that was pretty much dead center of the whole village area in a standalone structure that had been placed there. A door had been built and attached to the structure, a large door, which Lydia knocked on. Another lamia opened the door, this one a blonde haired one with quite large breasts, around the same size as Sophia's or Agnes' breasts. She was quite pretty actually considering she was a lamia and all. When the new lamia saw Lydia carrying the pair she raised an eyebrow before gesturing them inside with a look from Lydia.

"Is elder Ganesha in Miriam?" Lydia asked the other lamia, who was apparently named Miriam.

"Aye, I take it that it has something to do with those two on your back?" Miriam replied, to which Lydia nodded. "Alright bring them on in then," Miriam added, leading them on through the structure until they came to a large round room that seemed like it was the very center room of the place, almost like a throne room. Within the room sitting curled up on cushions was an older looking lamia, her human half matronly and mature with her dark brown hair flowing beautifully down her back.

"Ah Lydia my dear, what brings you here? With guests no less," the elder lamia said, who's name was Ganesha if what Lydia had said before was right. "Please sit and be welcome friends. Would you like refreshments? We have water of course, and some wine and mead, and some tea if you'd like it," she added, gesturing at a pair of cushions that were as large as beanbag chairs, where Agnes took a seat at and accepted her offer of drink with some tea.

"So what brings you ladies to our fair home? I can tell you're obviously not from here, and... you look... powerful... I can feel it too," Ganesha then asked the pair of angels, where Agnes looked at Sophia and gave her a bit of a shrug, as if telling her to go ahead and speak for them both as she sipped her tea as a young lamia slithered in and set some tea in front of them both and poured both of them a cup.

 

[ranger]

Re: Sophia Elpis (Ranger)

Sophia got off Lydia's back and while she was slightly shaky at first she soon recovered. Heading in Sophia bowed slightly in greeting to Miriam and then to Ganesha when they met. "Thank you Ill just take some water for now." Listining to the elder first before speaking again Sophia looked to Agnes. "Well Elder Ganesha we came here on the request of the human town above. They where looking to expand some mining operations and ran into the barrier that protects this sanctuary." Looking to Agnes again Sophia relaxed and muttered the magic words that reformed her wings. "As you can see Im an angel from the heavens. Now that we know this place I will inform the residents that delving any deeper into the mountian will be a bad idea. I do not want to risk your peacful home.