Deepening the Lines of Fate

[Mysticsage]

Leylines, the veins and arteries by which mystical energy pulses across the planet unseen by almost all things. These lines move in shift acros the space of years even millennia like a spinning web. Where multiple line intersect magic naturally wells up. Special spots where the bazaar and other wordily are possible and anything could occur. Places where the very fabric of time and space can we torn asunder.

One such a place has founds its way just outside the city limits of Ternadan in a cave that had opened up in the surrounding forest only recently. From the sound of running water deep within it sounds like some kind of underground spring has sprung into existence deep within.

The ground shock as the sinkhole finally collapsed revealing the entrance to the cave. The first two to arrive were two half elf Guild Members Kryas and Wolfrin Having set out into the forest for separate matters they looked at each other in the entrance


?Wooo, looks like it goes pretty deep.? Kryas whispered glancing sidelong at the other man. He had little to no interaction with this Wolfrin up to this point. There paths never seemed to cross at the right time for Kryas to see if he wanted to know him or not. The rumors of his arrival to the guild however did peak his interest and this might be just the chance to get a closer look.

?Should we take a look while everything still seems stable?" he asked the other man

[Wolfrin Fenris]

"A hole opens in the middle of the forest and your first instinct is to go down it and see what there is to see? Curiosity can be a dangerous thing."

Wolfrin looked over at the other half-elf, noticing his striking green eyes, speckled with gold.
"However, in this case I must say that we should indeed explore this new cave. We cant risk leaving it to endanger the surrounding forest."

Wolfrin whistled softly, and from the brush to his left came Buddy. The surrounding area was apparently safe or the scouting wolf would not have returned so quickly.
"Will we go down in the dark or do you have a light source?"

[Mysticsage]

Kryas chuckled dryly "Perhaps your right , though I have found by experience that the bad things hiding in the dark have a tendency of showing themselves eventually whether you go looking for them first or not."

"I'm Kryas by the way I don't think we've ever been properly introduced"

Digging in his pockets he began twirling two prices of gold up into the air. "Besides if this is an old troll tunnel or something it's best we face what's inside then some poor passerby."

"As for light," he caught the coins one final time then threw one of the pieces at the other man who caught it easily. The metal coin now glowed dimly in the daylight, however it would serve to illuminate there immediate surroundings in the darkness of the cavern well enough. "I find it best when doing this sort of thing to use something you can hide so as not to draw unwanted attention."

Kryas had also sent word back to the guild using his bardic messages to hopefully send for support incase anything really bad were to happen. Though he wouldn?t be showing anything besides a half cocky smile. It was rather fortuitous that there was a druid here with him to begin with.

?Well, shall we breach the unknown?? he asked before moving into the caves yawning maw without waiting for a response. Using the glowing coin to see by as he climbed down making sure never to go to far ahead he tried to make out as much as he could. The problem was the entry kept narrowing and narrowing as they went. At one point he had start waling sideways to make his way through. Their animal companion would hopefully just be able to fit.

What lay beyond this section Kryas knew to be the real prize, a small gust of wind brushing against his face said that there were large caverns ahead. Lost in his thoughts however he did not notice his own footing and before anyone could stop it the ground under their feet feel away quickly first Kryas with a loud yell then the others soon after.

There was now no turning back.

[Throndir]

* * *

Meanwhile at the entrance of the cavern...

Chanting softly, a strong and visible glow appeared from Annia's katana. The weapon shone brightly, Annia hoped it would be enough to help light the way further in. This would be the first time she would be openly using her sword in public. Usually she kept Jin sheathed, or hidden away, while she used the golden sword given to her by the order of the Golden Dawn, but she had come to an understanding. She had already chosen Jin over the persecution from her church, why hide something she stood for? As with Valtean's ideals that the knight promoted and showed to all who would listen and get to know her, so too should her choice to protect her friend be something visible.

She was unsure whether or not any of her companions knew of Jin, she had never spoken about him before, and much of their conversations had always just been through their telepathic link. Though she did know that many of her guild companions knew she carried the sword with her, but only in dire times did Annia ever pull out the weapon. The number of times she had pulled it out in combat during the last year she could count with a single hand.

The news that Kryas and Wolfrin was exploring some cavern system came to her not too long after the two disappeared, and though she knew the pair had already gone ahead of her, she figured she'd run into them soon enough.

* * *

[Wolfrin Fenris]

Images flashed through Wolfrin's mind.
'The ground shaking, Wolfrin barely able to keep his footing. Buddy padding out of the brush towards him. A man, a half-elf, flipping a coin to him, a cock-sure smile on his lips.  Taking a step inside a dark pit. The ground giving way under his feet and the sensation of falling. Falling. Falling...

Slowly Wolfrin opened his eyes. It was dark, but there was light coming from something. His brain felt fuzzy, but it didn't take him long to remember why. They'd fallen, he knew not how far, and at the end of it? Must of hit my head, he thought dimly. Thought did not come easily, and his head felt stuffed full of wool. He began checking himself for injury, slowly, unsure what he'd find. His hands felt ok, his legs fine. He turned over slowly, to lay on his back, then prodded gently at his ribcage. Yup, he winced to himself, definitely bruised but nothing feels broken.

He bolted upright, though he regretted the action almost immediately. Buddy! his mind screamed. He looked left and right. He saw the coin lying on the ground a few feet away. So thats where the light is coming from. He pulled himself to his feet, hesitantly, with small moans of pain escaping his lips, but he made it. Moving over to the coin he scooped down, more moans accompanying, to grab it up. He held it high above his head, and though stretching was certainly painful, the only thing his mind could think of was finding his friend.

There! He saw Buddy lying on his side. He scrambled over to the wolf, fearing the worst, but he saw the wolf's chest rising and falling. Alive then, he thought. Thank Wolfgar! But injured, surely. He kneeled beside his companion, trying to feel the link between the two. His head still felt stuffed full of wool, and thought was laborious, but he found the link. Placing one hand on the wolf, he reached inside himself to the words of a spell. He uttered the druidic words, eyes closed. Blue-green light began to shine where his hand touched Buddy, and the light slowly sank into the wolf.

Opening his eyes, he looked at his friend. The wolf's breath came easier, the deep rhythm of sleep. He would be fine now, with rest. Thank Wolfgar, he repeated in his head. Healing his friend had taken a lot of energy, energy Wolfrin wasn't sure he had, in the sorry state that he was. But it was worth it, he said to himself. His own life for his companions would have been worth it. A little dizziness and pain, he would happily endure. His thoughts turned to curling up in a ball, sleeping away the pain. But he knew he couldn't, not yet. He struggled to his feet, and the third try was the charm. I can't rest yet. Need to find him. Who? His own mind seemed to shoot back at him, you can't even think straight yet! Doesn't matter, he responded to it. He could be as hurt as I was, or worse. Tottering, dizzy, and loathe to leave his friend, he still headed down the only passage way he could see, coin held high, in search of the other half-elf.