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[Kamikaze_X]

Thalmir felt himself being dragged back. Looking up, though as blurry as his vision was, he could still make out the towering cobbled spider above. It was poised for a death strike, pincers bared and its back stinger looming ominously just above. A thick thread of poison no doubt dripped from it. If Thalmir could only move his face, he probably would have made quite the grimace.

To his immense surprise, he did actually make quite the grimace. He never thought that moving his own face muscles would be such a blessing. He could have laughed... unfortunately he had not the time due to the fact that there was a killer beast before them all. Finally, Thalmir could move of his own volition, his muscles felt warm... his body was thus unpetrified by magical means.

As Grimlain warded away the spider just as it looked ready to strike, Thalmir tried to move his weary body. Though he still felt stings of pain, he did indeed move. To a look of surprise and gratefulness, he started to sit up and stagger to his feet. He stood then, both feet planted well apart to keep his swaying body from falling.

His weakness was quite apparent. He only had just the amount of strength to be able to move - maybe dodge something. In his mind, he knew that he would be useless with a sword or bow... he just had not recovered enough to pull back the string or swing his claymore. A squirm of disgust churned in his stomach. He felt pitiful.

Another emotion inside his gut brought him back to the present. He looked sidelong to Anikus, who stood at the ready by his side. Two feelings seemed to surface then: thankfulness, and a deep, intense hatred. Previous memories of Anikus' getting them all into terrible situations came to his mind. The rather scathing memory of his friend's coffin falling into a pit beneath the Hill on the island also swam to the surface.

"How is it.... that every time we follow you, we find ourselves... in the most precarious positions!?" Thalmir said this last part with as much coldness he could muster.

[Durandal]

Marketta realized as the numbers of spiders dwindled that something was amiss, and quickly dulled as she found the group confronted by a large, stone spider. Her voice devoid of emotion, she flatly stated "It's beyond me how the group seems so surprised." Ignoring whatever reply she could have received by one of the more serious members in the party, she began to scramble the Urrites, ordering them to attack the stray spiders they missed while the main adversary was dealt with by the party. The Urrites did as ordered for the most part, scattering onto the outer edges of the arena to fend off the remaining spiders. However, as she focused in on the new attacker, she noticed that unlike most of its brethren, an unlucky Urrite had found himself in a particularly excellent spot - mere seconds after she realized what was going to happen, and shouted, a leg of the stone spider had thrust down onto the Urrite with gruesome force. If it had been any thinner, the body of the Urrite would have been impaled, however the instances called for something worse.

As the needle-like stone appendage slammed into the Urrite in a rather graphic example of survival of the fittest, the organs quickly pushed themselves through and out the body, a bloated and disturbing skin remaining from the carnage, a barely-recognizable face showing pure horror in its final moments, however it was likely too late for any moment of pain. Marketta squeaked rather unintentionally and felt herself immobile, horrified deeply by the sight of an individual under her care so brutally slaughtered. It twisted her mind in more ways than she wanted, or hoped, and she could feel a shiver run through her spine. That could have been anyone on the team, maybe even her. Her aimless stare was suddenly broken as realism took over and she realized the situation - now was not the time for mourning.

Pushing herself to move onwards, she began to help fend off a few of the helpless spiders, trying to analyze the situation so that she could help bring down the mighty beast. Taking glances at the large beast, she realizied two things in particular: a shining piece of metal poking out in the chest - the Shard - and a weakened part of the temple, just waiting to be collapsed. If she knew Anikus as much as she thought with her experience, she had a feeling Anikus had noticed it too. Now if they could lure it in for the kill...

[Chef]

The distraction had worked, and, after shooting off a couple more fireballs at the stone beast, the giant spider was headed towards Grimlain faster than he expected it to go.  Anikus and Thalmir were safe for now as the spider charged him, probably in an attempt to smash him with the force of the charge.  He would have no chance of surviving an attack like that if he hit.  The only option was to get out of the way as quickly as possible.  Grimlain gritted his teeth, watching the stone monster run towards him with its multiple legs.

"If there is a god out there, give me some damn luck right now," Grimlain said to himself, glancing upwards.  He was doubtful by now if there was anything watching them from above, due to obvious circumstances.  If there was something up there, however, it was a sadist beyond mental help.

Grimlain's perception of time seemed to slow as death came closer and closer to him, faster than he could imagine.  His eyes widened as the beast was only a few feet away from him.  He leapt.  He jumped to the side with all his strength and agility right as it was about to strike him.  Grimlain could hear his heart beating in his ears, drowning out all other sounds in mid-flight.  Even though this ordeal was only a few seconds long, it felt almost like hours.

Grimlain could see, as he dived, the spider bursting past him.  Then he felt a sudden impact hit his foot in mid-air, clipping him.  The spider had barely smacked him, sending him flipping into the ground.  As Grimlain landed, battered and bruised, he looked to see the spider smashing into the giant pillar.  Grimlain looked up.

"Thanks," he said to no one in particular.

[Vithar Megilaglar]

Takeshi look on, slightly out of the stone-spider's range. But only slightly. He, and Sakura, both saw the Shard and both planned on how to get it safely.

"I'm guessing, Sakura, that waiting for the thing to be defeated isn't going to cut it."

"You can be perceptive love. But...I've something of an idea."

"Do tell. I'm always intrigued."

"Well, hopefully you're not to worried about several tons of stone crushing you into a pulp in seconds."

"I can manage. Anikus leads us, after all."

"Valid point. Ok, so, I'll get on it's back. Those vines look flammable. Meanwhile, you dash, roll, jump, something, under that spider, snag the shard, and get out. It's simple really."

"Yeah. Except for just about the entire plan."

"Exactly."

Thusly, they nodded as one and waited as the spider crashed into the pillar. Which didn't collapse as hoped but instead collapse away from the spider. Blocking the main exist, as per regulation some cruel twist of fate.

"That's no good. Guess we'll cross that bridge once we take care of the spider."

"I think the bridge just got buried, Sakura."

"Now's our chance."

They nodded again, Sakura rushing up to the currently stunned stone-spider wondering how in Aurisel that she'd ever have to describe stone as stunned. Pushing the thought aside, she grabbed a vine and thought about it catching on fire. Which, it did, so she immediately let go of the vine. At that moment, the stone-spider, now thoroughly unstunned, and apparently privy to the sensation of intense heat, set off at a lopsided lope. Which Sakura still firmly hanging on to a, as yet, unburnt vine.

Takeshi took the moment the spider started to make his move, charging the stone-spider.

:Never did say it was completely safe. Then again, such is an adventurer's life.:

He neared the stone-spider and rolled underneath in a fairly well timed and lucky roll. It placed him underneath the spider, which stopped for a split second, as if considering the fool that would charge it. Takeshi grabbed the Shard, and pulled. Or rather, attempted to. The stone-spider decided at that point to spin around, crablike.

:This definitely amounts to an Anikus run expedition.: Takeshi thought. The stone-spider suddenly stopped, shocking Takeshi. The Shard, presumably loosened and certainly not awaiting the right person to yank it out of a stone-spider's navel, fell out right into Takeshi's palm.

"Convenient. Err-I'm out!"

Takeshi, in a sudden return to reality, rolled out from under the stone-spider and lope-lunged out of the way. Presumably, given she was no longer on what soon became a pile of stone and burning vine, Sakura either let go or fell off.

"Certainly exciting, Takeshi. I'd say so, at least."

"Indeed, Sakura. Are you unhurt?"

"Nothing critical, bones unbroken, skin relatively intact, body in one peice. I've gotten worse in a sparring match with a novice." She sighed lightly, as if attacking giant stone spiders was normal for her. "Didn't know the Old Guardians still existed, though. I figure they would've collapsed without being maintained..."

Takeshi nodded, looking at the Shard. If the legends were true, then..."Anikus, do you have any idea of what these Shards actually do? Or...where they came from?"

Sakura spoke up. "I suggest, mighty captain, that we detour to the homeland of the Clans. I daresay there is information there you ought to know."

[Redcoat]

Anikus got up, dusted himself off, and watched as the entire assembly collapsed on top of the Icon, and as the collapse triggered a secondary collapse over their one and only doorway. He stamped his foot, cursed under his breath, and coughed a little as the dust invaded his lungs. There were no spiders left, and the Shard was in the hands of one of his own. Somehow, the magic of the thing had been holding the Icon together. The Shards and the Temple, it seemed, were one object in the magical sense--but surely the power of the Shards had not been imbued in this place.

He accepted the Shard from Takeshi with a nod. "We'll be headed to the Kyokujitsu next, I assure you," he said gravely. "For now, let's take roll call."

He turned down to Thalmir, who was apparently still angry at him. For the first time in a long time, Anikus didn't much care. "We saved you," he said coldly. "Deal with it."

Two Urrites had been lost; Marketta appeared devastated; Grimlain was still alive, though he looked like he'd had a heart attack. The others were all right also. His attention turned to the new arrival whom Marketta had unearthed.

"Where exactly did she come from, Marketta?" Anikus asked.

[Kamikaze_X]

Thalmir turned away at Anikus' last comment toward him. Grumbling beneath his breath, one might barely hear him say something about "...his fault I was wounded anyway..." and "...hastily made preparations...". Cooling down, he threw his old hood upon his head once more, strapped his bow and claymore to his back (although he knew it was useless as of now), and contented himself in looking around the place.

As Anikus took role call, Thalmir resolved to keep his head calm by not looking at the man. However, this was the last time he would allow Anikus off the hook. He did indeed save his life, and for that he had Thalmir's greatness. However, even with such a notion, the fact still stood that he was wounded because of their leader's poor decisions and planning (as he believed). Thalmir knew that next time, if there was a next time, he might just lose his head...

[illuminaughti]

Dionys's hands trembled as she took Václav's jeweled knife from the her strange would-be rescuer. It was a sullen reminder of a much safer existence.“Yes, thank you.” She said quickly following the swishing hips of the cat-eared woman. Dionys had brushed her thoughts for a moment in the heat of whatever passion had overcome her.

She grasped the dagger and clumsily stabbed at the quick arachnids. An alien heat in her belly slithered up, more graceful than her bladework and spilled from her hands sundering the attacking spiders.

In the great room once again, she watched strangers fight for their lives. She wondered what they could be searching for, wondering for a moment if they had been sent by the Sultanate to return her. No, she surmised. The woman who returned her dagger to her would have been a fool to arm her again if they intended to capture her. They must be treasure hunters.

Her musing was interrupted by a great rumbling. The malicious nebulous personality swept over her senses, filling her with dread even before she saw the icon rise. Someone in the group was a fool to rouse the ancient godlike powers. Dionys had never seen the manifestation of such awful divinity. She was dumbfounded and unable to assist the explorers as they brought the ancient one to tumbling.

Only the tumbling debris stirred her from her trance. Soon, someone was addressing her and she felt obliged to answer.

“Marketta... is it?” She glanced over the woman who had stumbled upon her and lead her back to this group. “discovered me in a spider's web. I fear it intended to eat me.” She rubbed the bite on her neck and grimaced at the thought. “Thank you for your help.” She curtsied at the woman, who really didn't do anything that productive, but Dionys could not fathom what manner of thing might have awakened her sleeping power so she directed her thanks to her nonetheless. Then she turned to the man who had addressed her “My name is Dionys and I am a treasure hunter.” She lied. Her appearance did little to corroborate the story.  The intricate embroidery of her cloak, her jewelry, the fairness of her skin and the utter lack of equipment all indicated she was more suited to the courtesan class than the adventuring one.

[Lyon]

Kaethe looked dubiously at the newcomer. "A treasure hunter, eh? Where do you hunt for treasure... other people's houses?" She smirked. "I'd say you look more like a thief to me."

Telchi glared at her. "Be polite."

Kaethe gave him her best innocent smile. "I am being polite. There's nothing wrong with being a thief."

"So you think."

[illuminaughti]

Dionys turned to the other female addressing her."I'd say you look more like a thief to me." the woman said.

Dionys had stolen four things in her life; The poison that killed her master, his dagger and money pouch, and the heart of a prince. She wasn't sure how to take the stranger's comments and offered up a shrug as if to say, I don't really care what you think.

“Until very recently I busied myself unearthing Maukai tablets... their language, Mo’phai, has an incredibly complex mathematical syntax...”she paused sensing ignorance in the girls eyes. “In fact I thought this temple might have been Maukai and that is why I came inside.”

In a sense this was all true, however she left out the bits about being the property of a distant Sultan and a murderess on the lam. She was about to ask who these people were or why they were in this strange place when a familiar instinct seized her. The divining crystal around her neck throbbed with light and whispered a warning in Dionys's ear.

She glanced up to the ceiling, gazing longingly at the splinter of sky that was visible from the widening crack in the ancient ceiling. “You may want to step back” she warned the girl as a sizable rock dislodged from the domed ceiling high over her head. “We should leave immediately...follow me.”she offered the one in the red cloak. The stone-littered temple floor that had once seemed labyrinthine now seemed childlike in simplicity. The path was obvious and she could all but ignore the tugging of the divining crystal at her neck as she wove through the rubble towards a door in the distant wall. If they were quick and stayed close they would avoid the collapsing ceiling that had survived the ages but not an encounter with this band of misfits.

[Redcoat]

Anikus stepped back as a number of rocks fell from the increasingly unstable ceiling. This wasn't normal; was the Icon somehow load-bearing? Was some cruel fate after them yet again? It didn't matter. He turned to Grimlain, told him to take Thalmir's right side, and took Thalmir's left. Collectively, they and the rest of the party--as well as the remaining Urrites, who appeared more confused than ever--streamed towards the newcomer's exit.

Anikus' mind began ticking once more. The crystal around her neck--in addition to being a most beautiful piece of jewellery, it appeared to be levitating slightly. They'd discovered, to Anikus' excitement, a douser. He'd have to trust her for now. Besides, what could be worse than being crushed by a temple roof? She seemed smart enough, with all the tantalizing comments about the mathematical syntax of Mo'phai. He'd about had it, though; it was time to rest a bit once they were, hopefully, not dead. Or immediately in harm's way. As rare as safety seemed to be on this adventure, he longed for it regardless.

They came across a room, deeper into the temple, off to the side of the main chamber in which they had faced the Icon; quickly, then, the douser led them into a side room. Anikus knew what she had detected immediately.

"The statue," he said, letting Thalmir down quickly but softly. "Grimlain, join me in pushing this over."

Around the base of the statue--which was of a most beautiful individual, evidently a saint of some description, a woman with insectoid features--was a green ring of moss. Evidently, from the energy streaming from below, there was a hole under the statue. The two adventurers quickly toppled the statue; it shattered, its head rolling away. The scholar hoped that it wasn't foreshadowing. There'd been enough literary hijinks in this sordid chapter of his life.

"Everyone, down in here!" he called.

Evidently, not all was as it seemed down there--because nothing ever was. It was, however, their only choice.

[Lyon]

"Not... another... bloody... tunnel..." said Kaethe through gritted teeth, shaking her head and rubbing her palms into her temples. "Anything but another bloody tunnel!"

Telchi shoved her brusquely towards the opening. "Stop talking and move!" He looked back, making sure everyone was all right, and nodded to Anikus. "Take point, fearless leader. I can help support Thalmir." Normally he wouldn't be so rude to the explorer, but his temper was wearing thin, and Anikus's efforts to kill them were grating on his nerves.

[Vithar Megilaglar]

Takeshi sighed. "Ever underground with you, Anikus. It seems to be an ample metaphor for the general direction of sentiments towards your leadership...err...capabilities. The only time one should ever have to go underground is during their burial. And even then, it depends on the culture."

Sakura shook her head. "This only lacks a dirge. Maybe even an aria. But mostly a dirge. This glorious symphony of suffering. Well, down it is, it seems."

Takeshi looked around, shrugging. He wasn't one to normally look down on his leaders. :Then again, my superiors have never been so...deranged.: He looked at the hole, grimacing. Then a thought struck him, and his expression lifted slightly. :Trained to fight above ground, not under it. Perhaps...This is something to consider adding to the martial training. It could be...useful.: