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Post by Del on Oct 10, 2009 23:29:56 GMT -8
Parisa :: Underground Observatory
“See? I haven’t gone crazy yet!” The man laughed jovially.
Parisa was unsure of what to do. She was cold and wet and tired, though she was always tired these days. She wasn't sure if she should thank the man or not, or if she even wanted to thank him in the first place. After all, each time Parisa had more or less come to terms and accepted her death, this man had the audacity to save her. And yet... she knew she was glad to have escaped death. It was a faint joy, but still recognizable. Yet why did this man continually save her? What was the point? Parisa was unable to understand why he would bother with her. What was she to him but a nuisance? She could not see the reason for his actions... Then again, she couldn't really understand anyone in the first place.
Conflicted, Parisa choose to look to the ground and pretend she had been forgotten. She did not want this kind of attention, and yet it seemed to keep finding Parisa. She noticed, much to her horror, that another man had arrived; the fact that he was a lonely didn't ease her mind either. Normally, her lip would have pursed in disgust, displeasure, or disdain, yet she was too embarrassed and uncomfortable to truly care at the moment. Rigidly, Parisa took a few steps back from the two men and attempted to make herself as invisible as possible. This was not an easy task, nor was it a successful one.
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Post by IceCoffin on Oct 15, 2009 18:42:29 GMT -8
[Flashback: Orphanage IX, Level 9-B]
Like most Orphanages, Orphanage IX was a dreary place to be. Darkness dominated the lives of the Lonely Ones who lived there, and light was a rare gift- practically a godsend. Darkness in all forms came to the people there: whether as insanity, or the physical darkness that overwhelmed the halls, or the blindness caused by the lack of one’s eyesight. In fact, the gouging of eyes was not a punishment; it was a random act of hatred. Rumor spread around the Orphanage that the cruel sets of Twins who ran the place collected the eyes, placing the pretty silver-colored organs into collection jars as some sort of trophy.
The specialty of these Twins was Diluvial magic; water-based magic, and the skills required to master the element meant that the local Twins were always particularly cunning and powerful. And it helped that They were sadists. Water ran through the halls constantly, acting as an open sewage system that collected grime, chemicals, dirt, blood, excrement, and countless other fluids throughout the facility. It also was a handy weapon for the Twins, accessible whenever needed, or simply desired.
Level 9-B was a remarkably nasty part of this already-horrid place, located deep within the lowest levels of the Orphanage. It was an underground floor, and predictably, nine floors below ground-level. Here, the insane were kept. Now, most Lonelies in the Orphanage were bound to be driven insane at some point, but this floor was special. This floor was specifically designed for the “absurdly” insane, or rather, the dangerously insane occupants.
These Lonelies that lived here had no control over their warped minds, their beaten bodies, or their magical potential. It was possible for even the best of Twin guardsmen to die here, and often in the most gruesome of ways. Indeed, guarding the place was not a job for the weak-willed.
Three days ago, a deranged Lonely woman tore through her own strait-jacket, and the leather straps that bound her to the floor. Once freed, she stood upright, waist-deep in the foul water that filled her cell (when bound, she could barely keep her head above the stuff), and hollered loudly. A burst of light erupted from her mouth, and her body glowed brightly.
White light blasted its way through the door, down the halls, exploding in starbursts and sparks. This was Lambent, or Light magic, at its best. Almost nobody was capable of creating Lambent bursts of energy like this: little photic bombs that blew things to smithereens like miniature dying stars. The woman, still screaming, moved slowly through the halls, her body stiff as a board.
Her gnarled and twisted arms held fast to her side. Her elbows were sore from years confined in the strait-jacket, and her forearms uselessly dangling from their joints, as if no blood flowed to them properly anymore. Her hands were white and pasty, and upon closer inspection, they looked like a frozen, five-fingered, ivory twig. Her legs were stiff, and her joints must have been aching. Had she been sane, she would never have been able to even pick herself up and walk, considering how long she had been bound.
Her chest was skinny, practically skeletal, and years of drinking the foul liquid in her room kept her hydrated, but also terribly sick. Dead skin rotted away at her collarbone, and her face was a ghastly sight. Her silver eyes glistened like mirrors in the starbursts she conjured, and they sat, big and bulging, in her sunken eye-sockets. Her once-thick hair was originally a radiant red in color, but now it was thin and a dull light brown, with several strands that broke off at random.
It was a miracle that this woman was still alive, and even capable of casting, but this was not to last. Suddenly, she fell to the ground, as if she was pounced on by some gigantic cat. She fell face-forward into the ankle-deep stream of water she was wading in, and she broke her brittle nose-bone on contact. She was physically weak, her bones cracked and brittle like stale crackers; and thus her back, too, was broken by this unknown force. The screaming echoed off the walls for thirty seconds more, and finally the sounds subsided until only the sound of the running water remained.
Then no other sound was heard, until the sounds of boots sloshing through the water, and shouts rang through the hallways. Sane shouts that could be none of other than a small group of Twins that were heading for the place where this fallen woman now laid. Upon reaching her, They stared down, and mumbled amongst Themselves, Their voices hushed and unintelligible. One of the Twins kicked her, proving that the woman was indeed now dead.
Somehow Sam was involved in all this, but even he couldn't tell for sure. Though he remembered the location, recognized the Orphanage, the whole sequence failed to connect with him. It was but a fantasy, a twisted fantasy! Despite this being some sort of dream or phantom, water filled his mind and took over from here on. As he floated impossibly in midair, above the scenario, the sounds of screams, loud, agonized screams, filled his ears and inflamed his senses. He clasped his hands tightly to his head and shook it, causing his messy gray hair to sway from side to side.
Then, the stench of blood assaulted his nose, and Sam’s panicked eyes snapped open. He was covered in blood! Or rather, water carrying blood, running all over him like some sort of grotesque net. It ran over his shoulders and arms, and wove through each of his fingers and toes. It wrapped around Sam’s neck, and finally, a horrendous arm of the stuff forced itself into his mouth, and he suddenly felt the sensation of drowning.
An unpleasant mixture of tastes and smells warped his mind even further, causing colors and faces to flash before his mind’s eye like lightning. Flashes and flashes and flashes! Suddenly, he was assaulted by bright colors, and a strange singing sound, like some sort of twisted birdcall. The smell of rotting flesh turned into the smell of roasting chicken, and then into the sweet smell of blueberry pie.
The watery net tied around Sam’s body began to feel warm and comforting, like suddenly he was trapped and cocooned in some sort of fleece blanket. He strained to breathe, as the “blanket” pushed into his chest and caused him to start choking. Sam’s eyes were forced open yet again, and suddenly, They were all staring back at him.
Eyes, Eyes, Eyes, EYES! Everywhere! All the time! Watching! Waiting! Calling like the Sirens, tempting you with the sweet smell of pie, intent to destroy! DESTROY! Destroy you! Destroy me! Destroy everything!
“Destroy them all! Destroy them all! You know what you are here for, destroy them all! All of them! Gouge them out and eat them up! Delicious! Tasty! All those delicious PIES!”
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Post by Gabby on Oct 15, 2009 22:31:58 GMT -8
((I am disgusted with myself for this lol. But whatever. Movement.))
[ Kallias – Underground Observatory ]
His laughter faded into nothingness. In the sparse light, Kallias noticed the girl shuffled back a foot or two, trembling violently in the cool air of the cave. Her silver eyes flickered back and forth – traces of anxiety and perhaps even contempt peppering her irises – between the Kallias and Dante. The wanderer sighed from his nostrils. He swallowed. He would have offered his hand, but he knew that she would have refused it. So, nodding to Dante, Kallias led the way forward. He figured that, because Dante held the lantern, the girl would have no choice but to follow, no matter how much she distrusted them. As he and his friend walked, him leading, Kallias refrained from looking back, hoping to relieve her from as much pressure as possible.
Rassus waited at the mouth of that particular tunnel, tail swishing back and forth as he waited. Simply, commandingly, Kallias thrust his arm out and pointed away. Picking up on the forceful signal, Rassus skidded away, a trail of dust floating in the air. Kallias grabbed one of the blankets from the bed, grabbed the stool from his desk, and left the folded blanket at the entrance for the girl to use. Without any delay, Kallias started back towards the main entrance with intentions to look at Dante’s bike.
Sitting discreetly behind a pile of rocks were a few long, sturdy branches. Kallias grabbed two, and one turned out to be not a stick but rather a brass rod, one end looped and the other ridged, like a very large key. Marching into the sunlight at the mouth of the cavern, Kallias walked in a circle, tracing the boundaries of the rays, gradually making his way towards the center, the wooden rod trailing behind him. In the middle, Kallias used his foot to kick away from excess sand and dust, revealing a small hole. He plunged the oversized key into it. Putting the branch into the loop, Kallias pushed, muscles straining until a loud clank resonated. From then, Kallias used the branch as a lever, and with each rotation, the ground beneath him trembled and rose. It wasn’t long until a platform has stretched up to the surface, a spiral walkway leading up to the top. Though Kallias manipulated this technology, it was not his own. Its worn and rugged appearance hinted at its true age. But its functionality proved its creator’s expertise and ingenuity. Kallias’ discovery and resurrection of such mechanisms was an honest testament that individual’s work.
Quickly, Kallias hopped from the platform to the solid ground, dragging Dante’s bike to the edge, lifting it up and carefully setting it down again. Without further ado, Kallias jerked the key from the slot, causing the raised platform to shudder and descend once more. Within five minutes, Kallias was back down. He tossed the branch and key off to the side haphazardly and went to examining the bike.
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Post by CO on Oct 17, 2009 9:49:19 GMT -8
~Kallias' Underground Observatory~
Kallias disappeared for a bit leaving Dante alone with the frightened Lonely. He stood there in the darkness holding the lantern feeling like some sort of odd lamp.
As hard as he tried to stop them, his eyes couldn't help but dart over to the girl huddled in the corner. She was a Lonely, that much was certain, but what he couldn't understand was why she was so scared.
He'd seen it in freed Lonely before though. Some were in the orphanage way too long and became used to their lives in there and when they were liberated they had no idea what to do. But she was different somehow...
Dante was snapped out of his day dreaming thoughts when he heard some metal clinking and tinkering off in the distance. Dante rummaged around in his sandy colored cloak for a bit, and then in his pants pockets before finally finding what he was looking for.
He pulled out a large, silver coin and held it up by the lantern. "Rassus, where'd you go?" Upon hearing its name the small scrunts head popped up in the darkness. "There you are. Look what I got," Dante called out to him, shining the silver coin in the light.
He could hear the scurrying of Rassus' little feet as he placed the lantern on a nearby rock to keep the Lonely girl company. Once Rassus reached Dante, he climbed up his leg and onto his shoulder, searching for that shining treasure.
"Not so fast," Dante said. "You're coming with me, we don't need another fiasco on our hands. You get this once we get back." And with that, Dante walked off into the darkness towards the entrance of the cave where the metallic clinking got louder as he walked.
Finally he made it to where Kallias was examining his bike. "So what's the diagnosis Doc?" Dante said as he stopped next to the mechanic.
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Post by Del on Oct 17, 2009 21:08:56 GMT -8
Parisa :: Cave Path
Parisa sat for a good while, blanket wrapped around her cold, wet body, in the ring of light provided by the lantern. Slowly, as she became used to the idea of second person being present, Parisa gained the will to follow in the direction they had gone. She stayed far enough back in the cave that no interaction was required, but still close enough to see what they were doing. While she wished to be alone, she was afraid of being by herself...
Why must emotions be so complex? She thought, recoiling a moment later. Parisa was not used to thinking, so it always jarred her 'system' when she caught herself doing it. She gave herself the command to observe and to be invisible, though the latter was altogether impossible: Parisa stuck out like a sore thumb.
So, for the moment, the woman took to watching the two men examine the vehicle before them, trying to be invisible, and, ultimately, failing miserably.
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Post by Gabby on Oct 19, 2009 11:01:53 GMT -8
[ Kallias – Underground Observatory ]
"So what's the diagnosis Doc?"
Kallias was deaf to the question. Pure, potent concentration emanated from his very being as he squatted, hand supporting his chin in contemplation. Head tilted, bangs swayed, Kallias raised a single finger, got up, paced in a circle, then veered off back towards his workshop. He returned minutes later with his tools, paying absolutely no heed to the curled Lonely girl watching from the shadows. He made several trips. Back and forth he dutifully traveled, each time returning with either a handful of papers or spare parts. In the scathing sunlight, Kallias examined his diagrams of the bike, finger tracing certain mechanisms and paths.
Before long, the desert wanderer and apparent mechanic started tinkering, loosening bolts and screws, detaching parts from bigger parts, and other such activities. It was incredible how quickly Kallias managed to dissemble the bike almost completely, the skeleton of the machine beside him as he sat in the dirt, legs spread, the other parts cast about him like a child and his various toys. On a few occasions, it appeared as if Kallias had lost sight of his original objective, for he began sketching atop his existing diagrams and sometimes just staring into space, deep in thought, until his entire body noticeably jolted in revelation.
Eventually, Kallias gestured for Dante to approach. Kallias stood above a series of different sections of the bike, displaying the extent of the problem. He lowered the mask on his face only a bit to explain.
“It looks like it started out as a simple problem that got worse. Don’t worry; it’s not terrible. It’s just an interesting chain of events. My guess is that one day, the fans blew up a small stone, stick, what have you, which in turn damaged the steam input pipe. Now, all of these pipes will one day have to be replaced on account of rust, but that impact, which you can see here,” Kallias picked up the pipe and showed Dante the point of impact; the spot was clearly concave and correlated with some sort of projectile, “only weakened that area and sped up the process. Rust had its way, ate a hole through it, and steam began to leak out. This explains the sputtering and stalling, as well as the fact that sand probably found its way into the pipes; and sand does no good for the boiling/steaming process. As the hole grew bigger, more steam leaked and condensed underneath on the other pipes and parts. That’s why – as seen on these other pipes, which are otherwise unrelated to the steam input – are rusting faster on the outside. I run into a similar problem with my drill. I can fix it up no time. I just, uh,” Kallias looked at the littered area surrounding him, “got a little carried away.”
“Needless to say,” he continued after a pause, “a good few epiphanies dawned upon me in the meantime. And I’m hoping I can sell them to you.” Briefly biting the tip of his thumb, Kallias glanced over to the Lonely girl, ideas sparking in his concealed eyes.
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Post by CO on Oct 21, 2009 9:59:30 GMT -8
~Kallias' Underground Observatory~
"I can fix it up no time. I just, uh,” Kallias looked at the littered area surrounding him, “got a little carried away.”
"It's alright," Dante said, looking around at all the parts of his bike. "I'm used to it by now..."
“Needless to say,” Kallias continued, “a good few epiphanies dawned upon me in the meantime. And I’m hoping I can sell them to you.”
"You have that mad scientist tone in your voice. What do you have in mind?" Dante asked, eyeing him suspiciously.
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Post by Gabby on Oct 21, 2009 12:03:08 GMT -8
[ Kallias – Underground Observatory ]
“I’m almost offended!” Kallias laughed, coughing once or twice and taking a few breaths from his mask. “Mad scientist,” he repeated, but more so to himself. He shook his head to brush the joke away, but found himself staring out into nothing for a moment. Brow furrowing in the slightest degree, Kallias’ brief expression of concern passed within a matter of seconds. He snapped back almost instantly.
“You don’t need to worry,” he continued, mood brightening considerably in the friendliest of fashions. “I just came up with a few ideas to improve your bike, that’s all. Under any other circumstances, I would ask to get started right away. But I’m sure you’ve noticed my silver-eyed… obstacle.” Kallias didn’t even know if the Lonely girl still sat where she had before, but he knew Dante understood him.
His tone dipped down in seriousness. “I need to get her to Baris. I found her nearly dead in the desert. I feel bringing her there will help with whatever it is that burdens her. That look… it is not new to me.” Bending over, Kallias picked up a few stray parts and examined them. “Normally I walk there. But I hardly think she could manage that.” The mechanic cleared his throat. “I hate asking, but may I borrow it? I ask only for her sake. I will return it, of course, fully upgraded and, hopefully, to your liking.” Kallias flashed a half-amiable, half-mischievous smile. Already the plans were being drawn up in his head.
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Post by CO on Oct 21, 2009 13:31:09 GMT -8
“I need to get her to Baris. I found her nearly dead in the desert. I feel bringing her there will help with whatever it is that burdens her. That look… it is not new to me.” Bending over, Kallias picked up a few stray parts and examined them. “Normally I walk there. But I hardly think she could manage that.” The mechanic cleared his throat. “I hate asking, but may I borrow it? I ask only for her sake. I will return it, of course, fully upgraded and, hopefully, to your liking.”
"Kallias, my friend, we've been through quite a bit over the years. And as you know, as leader of the Sons, I am all about helping the Lonely. Go for it. I know she'll be in good hands.
"I'll just head back towards Eleveda. I'm pretty sure there's some loose ends to tie up with the liberation. There will probably be a few Lonely headed to Baris as well. I'll meet you there, maybe take care of a bit of business too."
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Post by Gabby on Oct 21, 2009 15:34:25 GMT -8
[ Kallias – Underground Observatory ]
Kallias took Dante’s hand and shook it vigorously – an odd gesture of two relatively good friends. But he beamed nonetheless. “Thank you. You won’t regret it!” Kallias, after letting go of Dante’s hand, suddenly veered off again, but then swiveled back. “Allow me to ask for just one more favor. The girl… would you mind talking to her? She might be more comfortable with you. Perhaps tell her of the plan… I don’t intend to stay here for very long.” Kallias’ speech gradually grew faster and faster, as if his thoughts crashed into his brain at an increasingly alarming rate.
He took a deep breath. “While you do that, I’ll go get something to eat and drink. I apologize. Hospitality was never one of my strong points. And I’m sure she’s at least thirsty…” Trailing off, Kallias planted the gas mask back over his mouth, though muted mutterings could be heard from beyond its leather casing. Almost absently he sauntered back to and through the tunnel.
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Post by turkoizdog on Oct 21, 2009 15:39:28 GMT -8
The door to Lana's house swung open and she stepped in. "Well, it's not much, but it's home." She said. They were met immediately with a living room, a couch on the right with a couple of armchairs at an angle on either side and a rug and coffee table in the middle. The wall on the left had a fireplace, a shoe stand, and a coat rack, while the right wall only had what looked like a dart board hanging from a single nail. On the far wall was a door and part of the wall cut out where you could peek into the kitchen. The cut out and been turned into a counter, on which were a few jars of snacks like pretzels, chips, and homemade cookies.
Lana removed her boots and put them on the shoe rack. There was so much sand outside, and she didn't like tracking it into the house. "You can put him on the couch for now." she told Sidri. The couch was very comfy, and besides, she only had one bed, and her bedroom was the most private. Few but herself ever ventured there.
She untied her water pouch from around her waist and placed it on the coffee table. She removed the razor blades that were hidden in her boots and sleeves and tucked them into a pocket behind the dart board. "You hungry? I have food." she asked Sidri. Might as well be a good hostess, since he had been so kind as to carry Sam all the way here.
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Post by CO on Oct 21, 2009 16:24:42 GMT -8
~Kallias' Underground Observatory~
“Allow me to ask for just one more favor. The girl… would you mind talking to her? She might be more comfortable with you. Perhaps tell her of the plan… I don’t intend to stay here for very long.”
"I-Uh..." Dante sputtered before Kallias began talking again.
“While you do that, I’ll go get something to eat and drink. I apologize. Hospitality was never one of my strong points. And I’m sure she’s at least thirsty…” Kallias said before disappearing back into the darkness.
"Kal," Dante called off after him, "don't forget, you need a spark of light magic to start up the engine! Ugh, he totally didn't here me..." Dante muttered to himself as he looked around the cave.
Back to the topic at hand, what was Dante supposed to say to this Lonely? Sure he rescued plenty of Lonely, but he was usually the muscle and the brains behind the operation, not the sympathetic person. Plus, most Lonely were very grateful they were busted out of the Orphanage. This one seemed pretty spaced out and scared. What to do...?
"Hey," Dante said as he walked closer to the Lonely. "Uh... I'm not sure what exactly to say. Well, my name is Dante and I'm the leader of a group to help the Lonely. What's your name?
"Hmm... Well feel free to say something. Anything..."
This was harder than he thought it would be...
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Post by Lily on Oct 23, 2009 17:20:31 GMT -8
(I’ll get a liberation post up soon. This will be the first of a few posts that will hopefully tell you all a little about the Cradle.)
Soheila Galibarda ~ Lonely Slums
After a bit of walking and keeping an eye on Fin, the group reached their first destination after passing through a narrow alley. As they came around the corner after navigating a series of confusing corridors and from underneath the vaulted stone work of the bridge above them, Soheila turned to Jerome, and smiled quaintly while gesturing to the street behind her, now in view.
“Welcome to Assiah Terrace.” She said.
This street was one of the most beautiful and one of the most hidden places in the slums. It was a place of first times for many of the young lonely children. Boys and girls would sneak away to this forgotten place to share their first kiss. It was here that some would propose to their beloved and ask for a chance at happiness. It was one of Soheila’s favorite places, without question. Though her “first chances” had been taken from her, she would come to Assiah Terrace and just imagine what a real first kiss would be like. However, whenever she dreamed, familiar nightmares would begin to creep back in.
Assiah Terrace was an old street.
The once vibrant red stoned pavement was faded and now uneven due to time. The terraced homes on either side of the street were now beautifully decayed and blanketed in the gentle arms of bright green ivy that was crowned with small, frail, white flowers. These flowers would burst and arabesque through the air at the slightest touch. It was a beautiful thing to behold, and even more so at this time of day when high above, large cracks in the roof of one of the buildings enclosing the slums allowed for sunlight to pour down onto Assiah Terrace. It looked like a picture from a fairy tale book; Soheila’s favorite.
Walking a bit ahead, Soheila performed a graceful pirouette through the ivy-covered street whirling up flower petals around her. The sun felt warm on her skin. She imagined to herself that she was a nymph, but only so for a moment before coming to a stop and looking at Jerome.
“You said that you’d like to see the city. So here you are. Stop number one of the tour!” she said jokingly. “Assiah Terrace takes its name from one of the ancient ones who originally brought The Cradle into the stars from down below. Assiah was known for her kindness and devotion to making The Cradle a beautiful place. I think she would shed a tear if she were to see the slums and what her beautiful memories have become…”
Soheila looked down, as if in deep thought.
She was obviously and visibly touched by her own words.
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Post by Del on Oct 27, 2009 18:01:09 GMT -8
Parisa :: Cave Pathway
"Hey... Uh... I'm not sure what exactly to say. Well, my name is Dante and I'm the leader of a group to help the Lonely. What's your name? Hmm... Well feel free to say something. Anything..."
Having momentarily shut down, Parisa was startled back to life. Her body jerked slightly and became rigid, and the woman's eyes snapped into Dante's. It was strange for her to actually look a person in the eyes -- to see and notice the pale sheen of silver. Was this the first time she'd ever looked someone in the eyes? It felt like it.
Almost instinctively, Parisa opened her mouth to respond, but her voice only cracked and croaked; her voice had been out of use for awhile, and talking would be something she would have to ease into. She was, however, thankful that her voice was not functioning correctly; she didn't want to talk in the first place.
Quickly, the woman looked away and tried her best to ignore the man named Dante. She gathered up her legs in her arms and stared at the ground with conviction.
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Post by CO on Nov 3, 2009 10:18:50 GMT -8
~Kallias' Underground Observatory~
Dante stood there looking at the girl in front of him. He wasnt sure if he would get an answer though. Her eyes flicked up towards his and she tried to speak, but no words came out. It seemed as though she hadn't spoken in years.
"That's alright if you can't talk just yet. At least I know someone's home in there..." Dante said with a small chuckle.
He looked around the cave path and felt a small tug on his right ear. He had forgotten that Rassus was still on his shoulder, waiting for his treasure for being good.
"Not yet greedy. Chill for a bit longer..." he said, staring the scrunt in the face.
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