Cavern of Destiny (WARNING! CHARECTERS WILL DIE)

Mort and Faran entered the room. He was a little taken aback by the scenes depicted on the walls. They were accurate snapshots of the past, captured in perfect detail. But how? How could anyone kno-

*BANG!*

"WHAT!?"

Mort stepped back in shock as a cage dropped down and imprisoned Faran, even though she was standing only inches away!

"Morty!"

He hastily read the message on the cage. As he finished, a door opened up and a variety of foes stormed in, charging directly at the cage! Without a second thought, he quickly drew his sword and stood in front of the cage. He took up a defensive posture and prepared to defend against their onslaught.

Zilta was amazed at the room as she entered it with everyone else. It depicted her friend and several giant Dridders eating people giving her horrible memories of her own past. But she was quickly brought back to the present with the loud clang in the center of the room as Faran was trapped inside a cage. Zilta was about to go and help Mort but when the denizens of the room came out of two hidden doors, Zilta immediately had her staff in hand when she saw them. She held herself back at the sight of the Fairy and stood under a mural of her friend saving her from certain death she kept her grip on the staff and kept herself ready in case the creature's decided to stop ignoring her and War. Zilta wasn't to surprised to notice their "leader" had disappeared didn't she say there was no way out except in? Seemed someone was holding back more then they were sharing. Which was to be expected with strangers with hidden goals. One thing was certain she would not be able to trust her after this little endeavor was over.

"Please let them live." Zilta said to no one in particular but herself as she watched the events unfold hoping they both survived.

The voice of Maria rang out. "Mort, do not heed the illusion!"

Suddenly, the layout of the battle changed. The writing on the cage changed as well. Inside the cage there appeared a dridder, taking Faran's place. And each of the monsters outside of the cave changed to perfect replica of her. The Faran-clones than calmly walked up to the cage. "Open it, please." one of them said. Who could tell if it was Feran?

Maria also spoke to Zilta. "The reason I may not help, mortal, is that I am bound by laws. Laws which you will not understand, not yet." It was just a voice, and no one else heard it.

"Wha... what!?"

Suddenly several Farans appeared in front of Mort. He looked behind him and saw that inside the cage was now a dridder. Illusions? Just what was going on?

One of the Farans asked him to open the cage containing the dridder. But he didn't trust his eyes. He was sure this was an illusion but things were still unclear. But then, he got an idea.

"Faran..." He said calmly. "You remember the man who used to be your guardian right? Of course you do. You have recurring nightmares about him even to this day. So tell me... What was his name? That name that has burned itself into your mind. The name that you are cursed to forever hear ringing in your ears. What is it? You told me what it was earlier today. And the day before that. Every single time you have a nightmare you tell me all about it. And there is the name of that man every time. So what is it? What was his name?"

This would be the proof that this was an illusion. The name of that man was a closely guarded secret. Only Faran and himself know of his name. The man who lay resting in pieces in an unmarked grave. There was no way the illusion could possibly know.

War didn't seem to interested in what was happening to Mortis and Faran, she seemedmore interested in in examing the wall that showed her history. War pursed her lips, tilting her head slightly a small smile playing across her lips "I regret nothing" she says, before turning on her heels to face the events that were taking place. War shook her head slightly "well then, this should be quite interesting."

The Faran clones looked at him. "You don't trust me? after all we've been through?" she said, anguished. "Then you WILL DIE!" The voice became demonic now. A rush at him, a lunge, and then nothing. The demonic clones had dissapeared completely. All that was left was Maria, standing at the door. "Shall we move on?"

The cage dissapeared, and the dridder stepped out. "This is... unusual.The illusion has ended. Faran, can you speak?" Silence. "Well?" Silence. The silence was disturbing...

CAVE! Let her go! Your fun is over, he has succeeded your test!" There was a loud moaning, like a underground wind shaking the foundation of the world. Then, the dridder was gone, and only Feran stood there. "And now we move on." and without checking on anyone, Maria turned around and left the room.

"Morty!"

Faran sprinted towards Mort and grabbed ahold of his leg. She started sobbing. Mort looked down at her with no expression.

"I... I was so scared. I don't like this place. I want to go!" *Sniff*

She looked up at him. Much to her confusion, he chuckled darkly and smiled at her.

"Faran, theres no turning back now. But it doesn't matter. That challenge was pathetic! I'll defeat every obstacle in our path and we will emerge just fine. Alright?"

*Sniff* "A... Alright."

"Ok then. Lets move on."

Zilta was relived to see Mort and Faran had made it out of their trial without harm and walked to them as they followed Maria. She lowered her staff and gave a relived sigh as, but she wasn't to relaxed she still wondered what had made that sound from before right before Faran returned to normal. Her imagination was trying to conjure up all sorts of possibilities that her rationale one quickly stomped out.

"Thank goodness your both alright." she said to both once she was closer still following Maria.

(Ready to move on?

(I am if everyone else is)

The corridor got smaller and smaller, giving everyone the sensation of claustraphobia. At the very end of it was a door, a very short door. On it it said: "Zilta"

"You must enter this door alone, Zilta," Maria said, evenly. "The cave commands it." MAria looked at Zilta, her yellow glowing eyes seeming to pirce her soul.

Zilta wasn't to horribly claustrophobic but the enclosed space and the tiny door did make her feel uncomfortable. She looked to their guide and her glowing eyes and shivered for no other reason than the look she got from her seemed to read her and who she was. Then to get her eyes off their guide looked at the door for any other signs and could hear her own heart beat almost at the anticipation and fear of what lay ahead. Taking a shallow breath and releasing it she smiled and whispered.

"Wish me luck." and opened the door as her ears moved down to the sides off her head while her tail remained absolutely still with her staff securely in hand as she stepped through the open door.

"Go break a leg, or better yet break two" War mutters, watching the girl move into the room, she pursed her lips in thought, folding her arms, shaking her head slightly. War moves to lean back against the wall, she could feel the cool stone through her clothes and for some reason, the feeling gave her comfort.

Beyond the door was a man, kneeling in the center of a large cavern. Closer inspection would make her realize it was the mage who had mentored her.

"Come closer, friend. Feel the cave, feel it's life force." the man said. "Feel it move around you. I tell you, it is alive, like all things."

If she tried to talk, the mage would hush her up, quickly. "Shh. You must listen very carefully, for what I am about to tell you is life or death importaint. There is a child with you, a young one. She, while being a child, does not know the true meaning of the cave or it's purpose. She is in grave danger from all sides.

"You must get her, before the cave does, and..." he turned around, looking straight at her. (waiting for your response. It will decide where the story goes from here.)

Zilta was left speechless as she saw her old mentor standing in the middle of the room. She walked towards him amazed at how he could be here, she could sense something of what he spoke of but she wasn't certain as to what it was. But she could sense something. But something was wrong she couldn't seem to put her tracer on it. She knew this was not her mentor he had told her firmly that his exploring days were over. But... what this copy said made sense. Faran was a child and was in danger as they all were. But as her guardian had displayed he was capable of protecting her.

"We are all in danger friend. But the girl has a guardian I cannot in good conscience seperate them. And he has proven he is a competent and capable guardian." She said with a pleasant enough smile her ears picking back up. Her tracers spreading out to make sure nothing was trying to sneak up on her as she stood at least 3 feet from the copy of her friend ever wary of what might happen.

"I am afraid that the girl cannot reach the center alive. Not while that beast protects her. No, the center can only be found by the pure of heart, and he is not it. I want you to listen to my wisdom when I say that as long as she stays with him, her chance of dying increases. I want you to separate them... and then kill him."

Zilta hardened herself as she looked at the copy of her friend and took a deep breath and collected her thoughts, she knew the cave was trying to get her to kill Mort that it would be angry for him to have succeeded his first trap. Now it wanted her to do its job for it. But what if there was some truth in what it said? That only pure of heart could make it? That for her to continue being with Mort would endanger Faran even more. But if she were to kill Mort then that would mean she to would be a monster to separate them a monster for killing another in cold blood and a monster for taking away someone that Faran cared for. In essence she would be the monster then not Mort.

"I am sorry my friend but I cannot do as you ask of me. If I were to do as you say I would be no better than the monster you ask me to kill." she said sadly even though she knew it was only a copy... a part of her still wanted to believe a part of what it said. "And if I were to kill him I to would become the monster and be unfit to reach the center. And you know as well as I that I need to do this to reach the center. You may or may not know the full reasons why I must. But when I do get there I wish to be able to share with you the reason why." she said with a warm smile looking at the copy. Her tail moving behind her as if she were ready to pounce her tracers already having found many paths with which to use her lightning magic. She was ready should the cave try anything to harm her.

Her old friend looked at her sadly. "You are very perceptive, my friend. I have taught you well. Unfortunately, this cave demands blood, and since you refuse to kill the beast..." Lightning hit from the walls, electrocuting her old master from each side. His face showed complete anguish, but he did not scream. Not in front of his student.

"NO!" she shouted and was about to help her old friend but she remembered what their host said and kept herself back as she watched in silent horror as he was electrocuted. She had to keep telling her what Maria had said "Helping another out of a trap is expressly prohibited. Even if they are your best friend, or lover. The only time you can act is if you are stuck with them, or the trap gives you written permission." But yet she wanted no needed to help him. He had helped her in her greatest time of need but now he needed help as well. But she couldn't she could only watch.

"It's not really him... its... its only a copy... the cave... the cave is only trying to trick me. It want's me to interfere. It... it wants me to try and save him." She said to herself trying to rationalize what was happening so her own emotions didn't cause her to get herself killed. "H... he would want... me to live. T... to reach the center. To accomplish my goal. For him." she said watching him writhe in agony from the lightning her eye's moist as she felt as powerless to save him as she was to have saved herself so long ago. She only wished to see this horrible illusion nightmare end!

(If I became a bit confusing she stood there and watched)

He looked up at her, pain in his eyes. "You... have... chosen... correctly." and he dissapeared. The door (and with it the wall) behind her also did, and Maria approached her, her yellow eyes still there, still looking at her, still piercing her soul. "Shall we move on? Or did the view of your past disturb you enough to merit a rest?" Maria seemed not to move, and watched her, unblinking, unchanging.

Zilta collapsed to her knee's as she watched the copy of her friend disappear. She closed her eye's trying to get what she just did to another even if it was a copy out of her head. She was glad she had succeeded to be able to continue on. Hearing Maria's voice brought Zilta back to the present and out from her own grief and stood up carefully using her staff to keep her balance and looked to Maria and tried to smile as she wiped her eye's of the tears that had accumulated under her eye's.

"I... I am okay. I think... just... just need a moment to... to sort out what I just saw." Zilta replied shaken by what she saw and tried to meet Maria's own eye's. Then she thought about what the cave said and thought she would warn Mort about what the cave told her. What if it was really telling the truth? Or what if it was lying? Either way... truth or not she had to tell Mort. they were not in a trap and she was not helping another just giving a warning. A warning possibly born of being lied to or being given a look to future difficulties.

"Yes. A moment of rest would be appreciated. If you really are a mind reader then you know why I ask for it now." Zilta said looking to Faran and Mort then back to Maria hoping she understood or would give her some indication or warning against it. If Zilta could not have saved the one person who had helped her, then she would try to save another before things got anymore dangerous than what they were.

Maria noded. "You have thirty minutes, to do as you please." Somehow, Zilta knew that Maria understood.

"Thank you" Zilta said relived her smile returning to normal. With her time Zilta would make sure she would tell Mort first of what happened to her and give him the warning she had been told about from the test. From there it would be up to him to decide what to do with what she told him hopefully he choose something that would not endanger Faran. Mustering her courage Zilta put her staff on her back her strap keeping it securely against her back as she stood on certain feet and walked to Mort and Faran going over what she wanted to tell him.

"Mort. I have learned something about this place that concerns you and what may happen further into this place." she said trying to not upset him or anything. "I know what I may have to tell you may sound like complete nonsense but please hear me out first before you ignore me." Zilta asked him concern in her voice.

"When I was tested by this cave it... it told me of a certain requirement to reach the center. It... It said that in order to reach the center one must be pure of heart. But it... it said that you weren't that you were a monster and that your continued existence was endangering Faran to a certain death. It... it told me to separate you and... and kill you. But I denied it what it wanted. Because I believe that if anyone is capable of protecting her it's you. And... and because of my decision... I... I watched my best friend and savior who pulled me literally from the mouth of certain death of being eaten be electrocuted to death." Zilta said crying once more "I... I don't know what you will do with this information but I implore you to please consider what I have said and use it to protect Faran. And let us all prove to the cave we are worthy to see the center." she said smiling warmly to Mort yet still felt sad at remembering the last scene of her friends death and wiped away the tear that had gathered under her eye.

Mort considered what Zilta had said. If what she said was true, he was doomed to perish. For he was indeed an abomination. A monster. He wasn't pure. Not even close. So it seems that his fate was to die, and endanger Faran in the process. Whats more, there was no turning back.

Instead of being concerned or scared, he chuckled darkly and looked into Zilta's eyes. His gaze would feel different than Maria's. It would feel... cold?

"Only the pure of heart will reach the end? Bah! This cave has done nothing but lie to us! Illusion after illusion. Why should I believe anything it says? Faran and I will reach the end, and prove that this cave is full of nothing but trickery and deceit!"

He promptly stepped back and sat next to Faran. As close as possible this time. Mort really did believe that he would not die here. But he couldn't say the same for Faran. More and more he was regretting taking her along. But where else would she have gone? Would she have been safer just standing alone outside the cave, where he couldn't protect her? No, she was safer here. But not by much...