Just a Harmless Little Heist....

It's dark and cavernous.

[OYAN tsunami.]

Alistair checks on everyone, mentally, to see if they're awake and well. Everyone but Siegfried is awake by this point. Sydney has successfully hollowed out a rock well enough to hold water, and is working on the next one. No one's offered to take the lead yet, now that Siegfried is out of commission.

Aliond stretched himself out, working out the kinks in his large, scaly body.

Things are silent for a while, then Clyde speaks up. "Well, Sydney found a possible exit. And water, too. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to stay here for too much longer..."

Aliond nods slowly.

Clyde is silent for a moment or two longer, then gets to his feet. "If everyone feels up to it then..." He glances at Siegfried, then to Aliond. "Can you carry him?"

Aliond gently wraps his tail around Siegfried and lifts him onto his back.

Clyde nods his thanks before waiting for Sydney to take the lead, since she knows the place better. She pushes herself to her feet, wincing a little, and leads them toward the water and tunnel.

Aliond slowly walks with them.

Sydney leads them to the spring and stops long enough for everyone to get a drink and fill any waterskins they might have.

Aliond goes last, as he drinks the most.

As soon as everyone's finished, Sydney takes the lead again, starting down the long tunnel she'd found during her earlier explorations.

Aliond follows, keeping Siegfried in place.

Sydney leads them, keeping an eye and ear out for danger. Alistair stays close to Aliond, and the others follow at various intervals.

There's nothing to slow their progress. They reach the surface after a few thousand yards.

Sydney is relieved, but cautious as she emerges first. The others follow, equally careful.

They're in a moderately barren forest.

Sydney glanced around, then addressed Clyde. "I'll check out the area." She finds a clearish place, and takes off into the sky.

They're miles from where they started, still in the kingdom.

Sydney slants back to the ground, lands, and informs Clyde of their relative position. For once she feels as if she's being slightly useful to the group, as her scouting training is being put to use.

Clyde nods in reply to her report and glances at Siegfried, wishing he'd wake up and take the lead.

"What's the matter with him?" Alistair asks.

Clyde gave a shrug. "He overexerted himself. Channeling takes a lot of energy."

"Do you have any idea when he will wake?"

"No. It could be hours, could be days." He paused. "I don't know what to do..."

Kajaise spoke up, not comfortable with lack of leadership and direction. "I say we look into other options aside from facing the Red One." She turned to the scholar. "What do you know about the.. what you mentioned before? The weakening walls that let us through?"


[ Guess what! 8D ]

He pulled a book out of his pack and flipped through it. "Nothing for certain, only a theory..." He pondered. "The walls between planes are being disrupted by the constant summonings that have been going on lately."

[What?]

"Summonings... That the Red One has been carrying out?"


[ I'm doing 3Day Novel this weekend. o.o ]

"Not personally. He's been causing chaos, making everyone else summon them."

"Who? Is there a way we could just stop them from summoning?"

"Every fool with a summoning circle for a thousand miles is conjuring his own personal demons to protect him. There's no way to stop them all."