Cavern of Destiny (WARNING! CHARECTERS WILL DIE)

Maria looked a the conversation taking place. A silent observer. Wathing, observing, but never speaking. After about fveminutes (or so it felt, for time was incomprehensible in this cave) Maria spoke up. "We move on. To the next hall, the hall of the PRESENT." The door on the other side of the chamber said PRESENT.

"I hope you do to. I hope we all make it there I honestly do." Zilta said and left Mort to be with Faran. She had done what she could she had warned Mort so now it was up to him to ensure she remained safe. She had barely made it a couple of steps from him when Maria called for them to continue onwards to a "Hall of the Present" that couldn't possibly be beneficial to either of their safeties if they had only been exposed to a small sample of what the cave had to offer so far. Mustering her courage and will Zilta looked to her fellow companions and smiled to them she might not know them but she truly wished that they would all make it and deny the cave it's lust for blood and death.

"Please... lead on." Zilta said walking to Maria. She didn't trust her but she could respect her for giving them that brief as it was, respite from the rigors of the cave. Maybe the tasks ahead would reveal to her a how or why to trust her. Same with Mort and Faran as well as War. She wanted to be able to trust all of them. But yet all she could do was show each the respect they deserved.

Maria opened the door, and gestured to Mort to lead the way. "You first, animal. Leave the girl." Maria seemed to know something they didn't.

"Ouch! Oh you wound me with your harsh words! About an average insult I'd say. Excellent execution but I have to deduct points for being un-original. Ha!"

Mort left Faran behind and confidently stepped through the door. If this was another test, he was ready for it. Illusion or not, with Faran safe and out of the way he was his usual arrogant self.

The closed, and nothing was heard. Nothing was said. The lights went out. "This chasam," a voice said, "Is powered by beleif. Whatever Feran believes happened to you, will happen. This is a test of faith."
---
The party was getting impatiant. Waiting for what seemed to be thirty minutes. Then, a wtriting appeared on the door... "The one called Mort is dead. Please take the door on the left to continue your journey." Maria waved her hand, and an identical door opened to the left. "Shall we move on?" she said coldly.

Zilta had begun to worry about Mort when he had been inside the next room for far loner than it had felt it had been for her. And at seeing the door telling that he was dead... her heart and stomach dropped at those words. But how? Was this how it was going to prove to them that another was dead? But what about the bodies? Something didn't seem right but... Maria was the only one that seemed to be able to tell what was going on.

"Maria... can... can it be possible that the cave... lies?" she asked walking towards her. Hoping that there might be a possibility that it was simply toying with them, and that Maria might have been fooled by the cave.

"Morty is... dead...?" Whimpered Faran. "But... I... wha?"

She slumped to her knees as a tear ran down her face.

"F... for real? Dead? But theres no way..." *Sniff* "No way..."

Tears now streamed from her eyes as she sobbed. Was he really dead? After all the time they had spent together, he was just gone? Just like that? Memories began to fill her mind. The times he was scary. The times when he was funny. Times when he was mad. She remembered the first time they met...


(Flashback)


"How much?"

"Erm... nothing."

"NOTHING!? WHAT DO YOU MEAN NOTHING!?"

"No one gave me anything... I really tried but no one would give me anythi-"

"Damn it girl! How dare you come back to me with nothing! All you have to do is sit there and let people take pity on you. You're telling me that no one gave you a single coin!?"

"Ye... yes..."

Faran had been in the custody of this man for as long as she could remember. He was a slum dweller. He had no actual legal claim to her but she stayed with him out of fear and neccesity. She had grown up in the slums of a city called Rinane. The mans name was Robert Cleeth and he was a notorious conman, murderer and thief within the city, feared by many. She was merely a tool he used to gather funds. He purposefully malnourished her, refused to wash her or provide her with clothes. He would then send her to beg in the richer part of the city. The rich fok there were generous with their money and Robert raked in a decent living. Combined with his other un lawful activities he was quite well off, but was forced to live in the slums to avoid the authorities.

He had an awful temper, and when he was angry, would often beat Faran. Sometimes he would force her to perfom certain 'Services' for him. It was all she knew and all she thought she would ever know. She had just come back from a very unsuccessful begging trip, much to Robert's anger.

"You know I need this money Faran!! Theres some rumor about a monster in the city! It could be another troll again and I need the cash to pay for bodyguards! THEY AREN'T CHEAP FARAN!! TO THINK THAT I COULD DIE JUST BECAUSE YOU DIDN'T BRING HOME THE CASH LIKE YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO!"

"I... I didn't mean to..."

Robert forcefully struck her around the face and she fell to the floor. She had learnt not to resist his violent outbursts as it only lead to more pain. He hit her again. And again. This was no rare occurence. It happened 4 or 5 times a week. After being given a few minutes to compose herself Robert issued his next order. He saw her not as a person, but as a tool.

"NOW! Get out there and bring me double the usual amount or else I'll feed you to the monster!"

She limped slowly towards the door of the shack, when the door was violently kicked open. Faran instinctively dived out of sight behind the door as a man stepped through the doorway. The man scanned the inside of the shack and his eyes, one glowing red and the other pale grey, locked onto Robert. He walked slowly towards Robert.

"Who are you!? Get out of here!"

Robert went for his sword. The strange man suddenly darted forward and slammed into him, pinning him against the wall. He grasped his throat so he could not cry out and stared into his eyes. Robert looked back, full of fear. He was no longer the bruiser he usually was. The man smirked grimly. Suddenly, the man's hands blazed with jet black flame, searing the flesh of Robert's neck. But he could not cry out as he was being choked at the same time. He struggled pathetically against this sadistic torture until he finally died from it. The man who had killed him grinned at the sight of such pain, as he delighted in suffering.

After that, the man happily drained Robert's blood into several jars he carried with him in his satchel. Satisfied, the man stood and went to leave the shack when he locked eyes with Faran. She whimpered in fear as both Mort and Faran saw each other for the first time. His first instinct was 'Kill!'. She was a witness and had to be silenced. And that would have been what he would have normally done. Usually he would have snapped her neck before she could blink. But as he stared into her suprisingly bright green eyes, he was given pause. His red eye stopped glowing. He silently walked towards her. She braced herself for the end. He was the monster that Robert had spoken of.

She opened her eyes again when nothing happened. Mort was kneeling down beside her, still staring as if she was some sort of alien. Silently he put out his hand. She stared at it and slowly but her small hand in his. He closed his hand around hers. And smiled. But this time it was not a smile of malice. It was friendly. It was kind. Faran burst out into tears and hugged the stranger. He didn't put his arms around her, but made no attempt to stop her. She sobbed into his torso for almost 10 minutes before she asked to leave with him, having nothing left here. He accepted reluctantly. And they had been travelling together ever since. But why Mort suddenly chose to be merciful that day was never explained.


(Flashback Over)


Faran looked up again through blurry vision at the text that said that Mort was dead. Since that day, he had stood as a silent sentinel. A stone guardian that has save her more times than she can remember. Saved her even when the odds were stacked against them, even on the brink of disaster Mort would always swoop in and save the day. But now all of a sudden he was dead? Just like that? So suddenly? It wasn't possible! There was just no way! Faran's face suddenly twisted with anger, an expression she rarely used.

"Morty isn't dead! It's not possible for him die! THERES NO WAY HE DIED!"

She stood up and ran to the door that held the text. In a furious rage she kicked at the door and screamed.

"WE AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE! HE ISN'T DEAD! NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO!!! NO WAY!! He said it himself! This cave is a big fat LIAR!"

In her fury, she did something she very rarely did. She called him by the dark alias he was known by when he was still a roaming murderer.

"MORTIS ISN'T DEAD!!!"

The writing then changed. "You are correct. He is not dead. Yet." Suddenly, the room was filled with screaming. Ear-pircein, howling screaming. From Mort. Of course, this was an illusion, Mort was not in pain. But if Feran beleived he was... Maria waved her hand and the door closed.

"See!? I told you so! Hes not dead! This cave is a liar!"

Suddenly the sound of Mort screaming hit Faran's ears. She paused for a second, stunned by what she was hearing. Mort was screaming so loudly. It was a sound she had never heard before. Never before had he been so vocal about his pain. Whether it was due to pride or just massive willpower, Mort would hold back his cries of pain. It wasn't in his nature to scream. Especially around Faran. So it must be... another lie? It had to be! There was no other explanation! She resumed her outburst.

"Hey! Morty isn't a crybaby! He once had his arm broken by a mean knight! He screamed only once and then stopped! He'd never cry like this! So... you lie! I've had enough of your lies cave! Open up! Open this door right now. Do you hear me cave? Right now! NOW!"

The screaming stopped. The silence that folowed waw almost tangible. Then, the door opened, and there stood Mort. Behind him, the room lit up, and they all saw a large chamber, with paintings on the walls. Each of them were featured somewhere, by themself, and a list of all their most valuable possesions.

Maria's portrait simply showed her, and one word: Life

( walkingbyself I'mma let you post first. Also, whatever happened to Kitten? )

(Alright I thought you were going to add something else in. And I am curious as to what is up with Kitten as well. Have we tried to message Kitten yet?)

Zilta exhaled relived that it was all just another test. She was glad that Mort and Faran had made it through yet another of the cave's test's. That only left War and Maria as the two people to not be tested by the cave yet. She carefully walked forward to the new room intrigued by the paintings arrayed around the wall of themselves almost like the first room. But the list of items she had that were valuable to her next to the paintings was... disturbing and turned to Maira.

Her painting showed her with her staff casting her lightning magic to either defend herself from an attacker and to counter their attack. Her list simply held the name of her friend and her staff.

"Hey Maria why does the room show paintings of ourselves with a list next to them?" she asked

(Go ahead and respond to her question Roxanne. I'm busy at the moment.)

"On these walls? This lists the most important things in your life, things you live for, things you would sacrifice your life for." Maria said.

"Morty! You're okay!"

Faran ran up to Mort and hugged his leg tightly. He looked down at her and raised an eyebrow.

" Yes of course I'm okay. You didn't really think I was done for did you?"

"Nope! I was a little shocked at first, but I knew this cave was a liar. It was just another dirty trick!"

"Thats good Faran. Keep that up and we will be just fine."

Mort looked at the paintings in the room. Faran was pictured there, and a list of the most important things in her life. It was completely blank except for a few words: 'Morty, Guard, Wind and Father."

He found his own painting and checked his list. It included what he expected: 'Power, Faran, Destruction, Chaos.' ect. But when he saw what else was written there, he froze.

It said: 'Souls'

"Hey you like souls Morty?" Asked Faran, very nievely. "Is it because they are like, really pretty or something?"

"Yeah thats right..." He replied nervously. "They are... very pretty indeed..."

Aria looked at Mortis' list. "This is not a good omen, Mortis. This cave thinks poorly of you. I hope you may prove it wrong. Shall we press on?"

The next room was small and compact. There was almost no room, and even single file you had to walk sideways to avoid the walls. The room was not well lit, either, and getting dark.

"The future is not a pretty thing, nor is it known. The room we are about to enter is pitch black. I must ask you not to bring ny artificial light of any sort. This room will test you, all of you. Lighting it would doom us all. You have been warned." and she dissapeared, leaving them to walk down the corridor alone.

Followed Maria into the hall getting stuck in the front of the group this time with Mortis Faran and War behind her. She didn't like the close in darkness of this place it reminded her to much of what almost had been long ago. She had to force that memory gone and continue on and than their guide left them a sure sign as any they were in another trap of this cave. She paused but only for a second to consider that but soon went on through the tunnel there wasn't any way for her to get to her staff should she need to cast any powerful magic and she didn't feel particularly safe using the tracers from her lightning to find her way not with that warning from Maria.

"Hey anyone ever had that feeling of nearing the end or that they are being watched? If you have please do tell if you do right now." she asked trying to make some small talk as they proceeded further into the tunnel hoping someone would find it humorous or talk while whatever trap this cave had next came to life or revealed itself to them.

(I'm dropping out, its gone too far ahead for me to keep up, sorry)