Fierce biting winds

Vlun watched as the two pendragons lit the eyes of the two statues. Nothing seemed to be happeneing. Rocks still continued to fall from the ceiling and Vlun and Thi where not entirely safe. The loud rumbling continued, then Vlun realized something. "What the?" The fountain had been lifted into the air by a large column underneath it that came out of the floor. Vlun watched, mistified as it slowed to a stop and the rumbling died down.
"Look a door!"
He pointed to the base of the column, and there, just above the ground was a small opening. He stayed in his place a second, waiting to see if the danger had entirely cseised, looking up at the ceiling as a few laggard rocks tumbled to the ground.

 

Tael sighed. What kind of eccentric 'dragon built this place... or had it been made by a pendragon at all? He whipped out his camera again and after inspecting it for scratches, took a few pictures of the fountan and the door beneath it.

Were they seriously going to go in there? After a few full flaps, Tael landed softly and made his way over to the fountain with some trepidation. "Oh jeez..." A deep sigh escaped his lips as he looked everything over. The statues weren't moving, that was a good thing. Perhaps it was worth inspecting. Which door to look at though? There were two... Tael threw a glance over his shoulder at the first door and then returned his gaze to the one under the fountain.

This column seemed to have markings too, but they were baddly scratched and faded. "What are we going to do...?" It was more aimed at himself than at anyone.

<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span>
<table class=ooc><tr><td>Oh! And what about that thing in the water? I think we should fit that in....</td></tr></table>

 

Vlun followed Thi. As his eyes adjusted to the lack of light and he percived the water, a shiver went up his spine. She turned abuptly and walked towards the other door.

"I vote this one."

He said matter of factly. Besides what ever was through that other door did not look lik it would be happy to see them.

 

Now the question in Tael's mind was something to the effect of "Why was that door even there?" He mentally shrugged it off and strode back over to the first, large door. There had to be some secret in all these markings. Perhaps he should hve studied harder in translations.

It was quite a fascinating text really. The nuances changed from sentence to sentence. Perhaps thy were all carved with some secret, some hint in mind. The 'dragon ran a paw over the letters, as if to read more by feeling. "I don't suppose any of you know something about translating ancient texts?" He glanced back at them, paw still on the lettering.

 

Vlun shook his head violently, his back towards the closed door, his eyes never leaving the menaceing dark opening below the fountain.

"Im in for math and pyrokinesis and not much elce. So dont count on me. But beleive me, that will be on the top of my list of classes to attend from now on."

He added, thinking of how much more useful and not to mention safe he would feel if he was through that door at this moment, despite whatever lay behind it.

 

Tael sighed and returned his focus to the sealed door. What was this place bulilt for anyhow? Somehow Tael thought that it all revolved around what lay behind this door. The only thing to do was to trudge through it. "Something about... a trial... or contest?" The 'drago furrowed his brow and thought, reading what he could. The thing about ancient languages was that there was no direct translaton that Tael could make out. He was no expert in that field anyway, although he had studied the intricacies of languages for a while now.

A slight wind ruffled th hair on his head and subsequently all the hair on his back prickled. Where was wind coming from? They were closed in. THere shouldn't be wind... Tael's ears perked as he head a slight huffing noise and he turned slowly, eyes wide. What was that?

There was something about the tunnel they had just left... It had a feel abou it.. To Tael at least. It seemed that was where the strange huffng noise came from as well. Thes... Tael's gaze shot to the text on and around the door. Something about a test of worthiness. A test of intelligence? Or was it purity? The words were so strange and the context seemed jumbled. That was what Tael could make of it though.

"The door... It says something about a test. Nothing on how to open it though... I'm guessing this was some sort of training facility or purification center...." Tael's heartrate was speeding. That noise! Something bad was about to happen, and happen soon.

 

Vlun could feel the vile breath of wind upon his face. Though it was a warm breeze, a shiver went up his spine. It was unatural, not right. He slowly inched his hands behind his back, readying himself for whatever would come. He looked towards Thi and Tsuj and took a couple of steps toward the two.

"I think you two might want to get back...."

He said shakily. Whatever this trial was, it seemed to him the door would not open till it was compleated, and the trial did not seem like a prance through the park to him.

 

" 'The guards are watching... ' " Tael looked away from the text and towards the tunnel they had come from. The wind came in the same steady breeze. He removed his bag and camera from around his shoulder and placed it safely out of the way behind a large piece of rubble. "I'd listen to Vlun. Get away from the fountain....."

He shuddered slightly and kept vigilant eyes glued to that opening, the wind blowing the dast around his feet.

 

Vlun look at over at Thi and Tsuj. An earie silence followed, marred only by the rank wind that blew through. Tael's words echoed in Vlun's ears The guards are watching. He looked up at the two statues looking out with their stern pitiless faces. A shiver went up his spine. He looked over at the fountain into the darkness of the tunnel. He could hear the water below...and then a loud splash and droplets of water falling. Vlun's heart stopped..Noooo..... Then the sound of footsteps echoed into his ears. "We are in over our heads...." He said looking over at Thi.

<span style='width:100%;font-weight:bold; font-size:10px'>Out of Character</span>
<table class=ooc><tr><td>Battle of the reptiley thing? Hows about it?</td></tr></table>

 

Tael swallowed hard. Why had he flown out here in the first place? Oh right... photojournalism... Well, he had always wanted adventure. It was just that he was not a fighter. Heck, he didn't know the first thing about fighting. He was cleve enough, no doubt of that. It was simply that he had no idea of how to take on an enemy with nothing but his bear paws.

As all these thoughts spun through the 'dragon's head, the footsteps grew louder, closer. Taal flapped his wings once or twice and stretched out, looking intently, unblinking at that same entrance.

A foot. Scales. Pure muscle. What in the world was that thing? Tael stumbled backwards a bit and stared. There was before him, what appeared to be some form of dragon. Not the intelligent type, no. It was clear this.. this thing had been created for one purpose. How had it survived all these years? Surely it was grumpy... and hungry.

~"Now what are we going to do about this, Vlun?"~ he sent silently, eyes wide as he stared up at the monsterous thing before him.

 

Vlun looked at the thing as it emerged from the opening. His jaw dropped and he felt like screaming but all that came out was a hoarse squeal. He reached behind him and grabbed two andfulls of flame and held them infront of him for a little defence, though he did not think it would be entirely effective. ~What ever we can.~ Vlun thought back hopelessly. At least the others could fly, he however was stuck on the ground in plain sight of the creature. It seemed to be a little dioriented and looked around in confusement. Then as if it's eyes had adjusted, it looked at the various pendragons with slited eyes and took a menacing step towards them.

 

Tael glanced at Vlun. ~"Let's not fight back until we have to..."~ His eyes shot to the fountain and what lay beneath it. Perhaps it was lined up exactly with the stare of the statues for a reason... They were 'watching' afterall. Was that the way to get rid of it? Something about that fountain? It seemed as though they were the first to come into this place after all these years. Surely it had been abandoned. Or perhaps who ever had built this place had not been able to keep things under control....

~"The fountain, you think?... It has to have some purpose...."~ The 'dragon took another step backwards as the monstorous thing approached.

 

Vlun shivered once again. He for one was fairly certain this would end up as a battle to the death. He looked over at Thi and then back at Tael. She did have a point, it did look fairly pendragonish. He was no expert at anatomy so he could not be certain. He did not want to take his chances.

"You can fly up to the fountain and see."

Vlun said, though if he had had wings he would have hapily volenteered in a split second. The thing took another few steps towards them and eyed them strangely. Vlun was not sure if it was curiosity or just hunger than shone in it's eyes but Vlun did not want to find out.

 

Tael picked up Tsuj and looked him in the eye. ~"Go back to Thi now, little one... It's not safe."~ He puched Tsuj off in the right direction and backed up towards the fountain, not wanting to startle the creature before them. Once he was closer to the fountain, he flapped those great, green wings of his and perched himself on the ledge of the fountain that now stood several meters above the ground. The water streamed down the column below into that pit, and something else caught his eye.

It was right in the center of the splurting water. Not words, but a picture of sorts. Some large animal was standing, no, running behind a few smaller ones. And then there was a hole and what looked to be a waterfall. So that was what they were to do. There was probably some weight sensitive device at the bottom of the pit that would solve all of their problems. Now the only question was.. how to get that giant thing to make it's merry way into the opening beneath the fountain.

Tael turned, still sitting on the ledge, and looked down on the situation. There were a few rocks scattered about from the cieling, the two statues, the three other pendragons and then that huge reptile. There was very little to work with in the way of plans. ~"Looks like we need to get the 'dragon-eating monster into the goalbox...."~, Tael sent. He did not want to speak. Anything might set this creature off, and who knew, maybe it relied on hearing more than sight..... or could it feel them there, smell them?