Wanderingâs in MacâAree: Part Three
Part 1
Part 2Â
Aellesaan was sitting in an exhausted heap on the cold tiled floor. Her lungs burned for life giving oxygen, and her legs were wrapped in the distance burn only running could give. Out of nowhere, she began cackling. "This construct is toying with us. Dangling death in front of our faces like a toy to a new born Draenei, and he finds it humouros to the point he makes a death riddle!" By now she is clutching at her sides with laughter as she wheezes and curls up on herself. "The answer is a coffin. Ha! How witty he is." Aellesaan smirks as she attempts to stand up once she realizes the floor is wet, and to her surprise, rising. She eyes the water with curiosity as she walks over to the three objects to peer at them in hopes one is a coffin.
Phaelastra stood straight with her eyes narrowed. She didnât like these Azerothian tricks, nor the strange voices that came along with them. For a moment, she flickered her gaze to Aellesaan, and tried not to show her amusement over her statements. âDeath is natural. Nothing about this place is.â
Meanwhile, Akaepi remained sloshing through the water with sodden boots and her Hydra seemed agitated at best. Riddles were really not her thing, so there was a degree of gratefulness that someone else was answering; right or not. She gave no comment, silent and watching, though the cackling Draenei garnered little more than a roll of her eyes. The Curator gleamed a short amount of her attention, though primarily she studied their surroundings and kept watch. The last thing she wanted was someone ambushing or surprising them.
As Danarshi reached the top, he stumbled over towards the nearest wall, and laid a hand against it in order to support his weight. He took this time to try and re-balance himself. Unfortunately for Danarshi, he had, as per usual, chosen to wear a robe. As water appeared to rise from the very floor itself, the lower section of the robe was immediately drenched; this would weigh him down, without a doubt. Once the image of the Curator came into existence, he trudged through the flooded floor at a slow pace, and approached the supposed hologram. "Hm." Danarshi sounded at the closing death threat; his eyes were now skirting around, specifically at the water that they were standing in. "Do we have a magus among us?" he suddenly questioned, directed towards his kin.
Aellesaan meekly raised her small, scared hand. "Does a magus in training count?" Her face is blushing a deep hue of blue. Riddles she loved, but being put to the test with magic? Her eyes were as wide as a curious baby Draenei.
Danarshi's eyes landed upon Aellesaan as she responded to his query. He looked her down. "If you are able to teleport, yes,â he responded after a few seconds of pause. "If we are unable to locate an exit from this tower, we will need a secondary means of escape. If we are lucky, and there are no magical wards in place that bar such spells." he proceeded to explain. He would then fall back to silence to allow the mage the necessary time to respond, herself.
Aellesaan nodded at Danarshi. "I can do that much." She looked around the room at the others, and the steadily rising water level. "I myself would rather not drown today. Any objections to my educated guess at the answer? We must make haste."
Danarshi returned the nod to Aellesaan. Having an alternate means of escape could prove detrimental, indeed. He reverted his attention forward, where the three ominous containers laid, and then walked towards them, he stopped only once he stood a few feet in front of them.
Danarshi rubed at his chin in thought as he carefully examined the features of each object. Did one of them resemble a coffin? That is what he was, at the most part, trying to grasp. "Opening the correct container must involve the next riddle." he audibly hypothesized before returning his attention to Aellesaan. "Sister. I noticed your observation of the Curator's words. A coffin is certainly a plausible answer," he said as he nodded at her a second time. Danarshi ultimately turned back to face the three objects. He was hoping that he could get the opinion of others, as well, on the choice.(edited)
It certainly seemed like Aellesaan didn't skip a beat, even with the eeriness of the situation they found themselves in. Despite the somewhat gloomy surroundings, and the malevolence that seemed to radiate all around them, she kept herself on the ball already thinking of the possible solutions to the puzzle they faced. Her answer of which they would find in the room they were now in, a closed coffin, but how to use it was the question if they chose it going forward. As members of the group started to move around in the liquid that seemed to be coming from below them, they would realize and notice it was thicker, gluggier, and more sticky than they would have imagined water to be. The light produced by their torches, and Aellesaanâs magic, dim though as it was, would allow any of them, if they looked close enough, to see what it was for true: a dark red substance, thick, sloshing, and quickly staining the ends of poor Danarshi's robes with what, by all accounts, seemed to be blood.
With their choice made, even though they made no moves towards it, the coffin door swung open with a loud creaking noise which echoed around the room painfully, almost as if trying to summon something forward. The coffin inside was dark, and seemed to be deeper, much deeper, than it should. Almost as if expecting them to enter inside; the space was easily large enough to accommodate the entire group within it.
Akaepi stared that coffin down for a generously long moment. Oh, this was all damn vile and now they had to hop into some poor bastards grave. A less than joyful laugh fell over her lips, nudging Aellesaan in the ribs as she passed to peer in. "Well, I am certainly not getting younger waiting and the 'door' has opened for us." If there was ever a queen for stupid and possibly dangerous decisions, then it was this particular Rangari. "If this closes on me, please get me out." Her hand lifted and rubbed her own horns for that bit of extra luck before she stepped into the coffin and the corridor beyond it. Her hydra diligently followed, and only took just a few seconds longer to ram his poor frame through it. Well, if naught else happened, at least they died in a premade coffin. How considerate.
Aellesaan cackled deeply as she saw the coffin, and noticed the liquid seeping in appeared to be blood. The humour of it all just got deeper and deeper. Oh how much that tickled her fancy. "This construct has won my friendship; he is so much fun." Just to be sure, She dipped a finger into the liquid, and gave it a lick. "Tastes like blood to me. I wonder if this is the blood of everyone who has tried to enter before-" she was interrupted by a jab in the side from Akaepi who seemed to be leering at the coffin. She giggled at her nudge and her sly joke, no they certainly would not get younger. The blood had the foul metallic taste to it that the others would have wondered how she could be so carefree and positive about tasting it. Her finger was stained red with the colour now as Aellesaan stepped up close to the cupboard. As she hoped in, Aellesaan peered in after her, her body leaning almost inside. If someone were to push herâŚ
The magus seemed to have shaken the quiet foreign rangari. Phaelastra was once again glad to have her traditional face mask on. With a small shiver, she turned her gaze straight ahead while trying to ignore the eerie feeling this place gave her. She awaited the others, allowing them to act ahead of her, as she wanted to at least be useful and guard their backs - just in case.
Akaepi shooted a small glance to Phaelestra and offered out a thumbs up in reassurance. She would have offered a smile but, alas, her face was fully covered by her helm. Nobody had died yet, but the mage with them seemed quite keen on licking up blood. That certainly churned Akaepi's stomach something fierce. "Eugh-..." Note to self: stay away from that one. She consumes blood and laughs at blood and well, possible death scenarios. Yea, the sharp conclusion was drawn that Aellesaan was probably crazy.
As the choice was made, and the coffin opened its door for them, Danarshi was hesitant to enter. The Anchorite could only shoot a stare of sheer disturbance at Aellesaan. Laughing at the face of potential death. Humoured over standing hoof-deep in blood. Tasting the blood. The last time he had seen such behaviour was with the criminal psychopaths of Stormwind City, and the insane necromancers of the Auchenai. Without muttering a word to the woman, despite his concern for her, he passed through the coffin at a slow pace. At least, if anything, they had company who could keep their spirits lifted... hopefully.
At seeing Danarshi also pass through unharmed, Aellesaan followed right behind him. She began humming in a low, creepy tune. "I wonder if the corpses of the others before us will be on the other side? I wonder what terrible fate they suffered. You know, that blood tasted an awful lot like pigs blood, as if it was only a scare tactic,â she kept rambling on as they waiting inside the dark, deep coffin.
It certainly seemed Akaepi paid no mind or heed as she wholeheartedly stepped into the coffin with all the care and consideration of a gnat. Even cracking wise jokes while she did so as she found herself in a comfortably large space considering. Perhaps out of all of them Phael was the most considerate of the situation they found themselves in. Her own response far more reasoned than the other two in the situation. When Danarshi too entered the coffin, leaving the others standing right on the precipice, a loud shriek was elicited. The sound of crunching ensued as the center of the floor suddenly exploded showering them with debris and rubble; littering their clothing and hair. An enormous black claw thrust through the very floor. Though not just black, but darkness itself, almost as if no light could penetrate it, as if it was a void; an anomaly in their world. âStoppppppp,â Something down below bellowed as the coffin shut hard, and flung the others inside of it with brute force, leaving them squished and trapped in darkness. That was until a light slowly shown: tracing a shape as they sought to see it before finally taking substance as a Draenic skull which began to speak to them. âAhh new toys? Wonderful it has been too long since I feasted on fresh blood. Bone marrow only soothes the hunger so much you know. One longs for fresh meat,â It chattered at them gleefully. âBut like the others, I have to give you a chance. Answer me this true, and free you shall go,â it promised them. âNow what am I? When you need me, you never have me. When you donât want me, I never seem to go away. I who conquer kings and tyrants, even your castles fall before me. On your deathbed you may only wish for me a little more, but never do I answer,â It told them satisfied it would win.
Aellesaan screeched as she was shoved into the coffin likes sardines with her kin. Was that a blade in front of her eyes? She poked it and quickly withdrew her hand with a painful yelp. As the skull appeared, she poked that too and compared it to the skull on the end of her staff. How intriguing. It was slimmer, yet it contained bigger eye sockets. How unproportional. When it moved, and it's jaw began emitting words, she peered at it even closer. "What magic reanimates you? What were you before you became a talking skull? How did you die?" She wiped a finger against it and licked her finger. "You taste like salt. Probably in order to preserve you for longer usage." She had obviously gotten side tracked from the riddle, which she did know the answer to.
Ash was staying quiet for the most part as he followed his fellow Draenei on the search for the sceptor. He wasn't much one for riddles, and figured he'd leave that up for the others. He was quite content eating the sandwich he had packed for the trip as he followed close behind. As debri started to rain around them, he managed to cover his sandwich with his hand, making sure not to get any dust on it, and was just walking forward into the coffin as it slamed shut. Which unfortunately pushed him forward and caused him to drop his sandwich "Son of a bitch!" The first words to come out of his mouth since he started following, alerting the others of his presence. "Aright, someone's gonna pay for that. That was my lunch!" He grumbled a bit, not liking being in such an enclosed space, even if it was with some rather fine looking Draenei women. "I swear to the light, if someone farts in here...". Ash had indeed been quite lucky when he was thrown in, Akaepi's hydra had not decided to drop a fat one, him being so close to it, he would have cropped the stench that would have erupted quite badly. He looks around, hearing the voice come from somewhere, but not seeing it past all the others. He furrows his brow a bit "We don't have time for this bullshit, just show us the way through here so I can get another sandwich. I'm starving, and there isn't exactly a food vendor around here."
Akaepi's heart startled, a faint yelp given at the sudden darkness, the hand, and then this talking skull. Though panic could only last for so long when anger and stupidity arose. The rangari briskly stepped forward to yank Aellesaan back with a hiss, "Keep yourself in check, this is hardly the time for the likes of games." She snapped, "Now can you answer the riddle or not? Because I certainly do not wish to die in a pitch black hole because my current company decided to lick the damn beast holding us here!" She wouldn't even start about the Vindicator snapping over food. By the light, she was going to stress vomit.
Aellesaan blinked, and then hissed at Akaepi. Closing her eyes to calm herself, she promptly spoke, "The answer is obviously time. As our new addition to the group stated as well. If one were more curious and willing to learn and listen, perhaps you would be better at riddles, hm?" A deep, long sigh escaped between her soft, light blue lips, and her sky blue eyes looked upon the skull once more. "I wish to study you one day, however we are on a mission. The answer to your simple riddle is time. Now please let us pass. Our new addition sounds rather hungry now that you rudely made him drop his sandwich, and I would rather not have him go on a killing rampage simply because he's too hungry and could not better prepare."
"I would be careful who you are insulting." The Rangari snapped back with a bare of teeth, clearly not taking well to the blatant slander thrown her way. "We are on a mission, yes, so perhaps you should take this more seriously than it appears you are. This is no time to be licking BLOOD and acting as if we are on some leisurely stroll. This has nothing to do with learning; we have a task at hand." With such spoken, she merely stepped aside with a hard glare fixated on her face. The rest of her expression was hidden, but likely just as sour.
Aellesaan's eyes went wide at Akaepi, but she didn't say a word back to her. Quietly under her breath though, you could make out the words 'anger problems' and 'calm'. Aellesaan would definitely be staying away from that one.
Ash calmed down as the others walked forward and he realized they were not in an enclosed coffin, but in a larger room. As Aellesaan approached the skull, he finally saw where the disembodied voice was coming from before he looked down, and saw his sandwich lying on the blood soaked floor. With a frown again, he lifted up one of his hooves and inspected them, stained red from wading through the blood. "Hey, do you guys think my hooves will stay like this? This looks bad ass." He looks back up as the two start bickering, and raises a brow. "Hey now, calm your tits, this is no place to start fighting, especially amongst each other." Now that he didn't have his sandwich to occupy his mouth, he was being far more vocal, having been quiet enough that no one had noticed him until now. Â He looks at the skull that Aellesaan is speaking with, and walks forward "Listen, you mouthy little paper weight, she answered your stupid riddle, now let us through, or I'll use your teeth as a butt scratcher."
As Ash approached the skull, Aellesaan tilted her head in curiosity, watching them like a predator watches its prey.
A grunt from the normally stealthy Phaelastra is quite enough to voice how displeased she is to be in this situation. But other than this, sheâd been relatively quiet - until now. â... from what I understand, teeth donât make a good butt scratcher.â Her tone is flat, with the slightest hint of amusement.
With Phael's comment one would only be bound to question how and why she might know this as fact. Being as obscure as it was, it certainly wasnât the kind of knowledge you simply learned at school as a kid. She may indeed have quite some explaining to do if anyone questioned her on that sort of activity. The skull was surprised and infuriated at the woman before him's actions, never having felt so disrespected and attacked in his life, the way she manhandled, poked, and even licked him made him splutter and chatter his teeth angrily. "What.. ahh.. ugh.. damn... You.. stupid... HOW DARE YOU LICK THE GREAT AND POWERFUL UZI'REKT! I should be worshiped as a god, not treated as some curiosity or interest!" He responded back furiously. "I am the great Archimonde's personal conjurer.. I who serve him in all things, for all eternity..." He told them, seemingly he didn't realize he was not alive any longer.
The skull peered forward out of the door, seeming to stretch and elongate. "Is that your answer?" It asked excitedly trying to throw them off with his comment before snapping back as it groaned. "How did you get it....fine.  You win. You get to live." It complained before disappearing, and plunging them into complete darkness. They would feel themselves fall forwards, likely ending up all over one anothers business before feeling a rush and pressure as the coffin started to slide along, and slide along fast, whizzing forwards as it seemed to be moving along  a track, circular and climbing, as if going up. The trip as they tumbled, rolled and fell around inside, took near four minutes before it popped free, coming upright as what they had thought to be a back wall slide open, sliding down into the floor, to reveal a brightly lit room. It was a few hundred metres long, with a pedastool at the end of it, and perhaps that was their prize, they were certainly away from the monster that had been below at any rate.
