The Island of Many Fates

Vivienne sighed. "Sorry!" She called, scratching her head. "I didn't mean to...Oh well." She turned to David. "I swear, I meant nothing by it." Axelle huffed and chased after Artemis. She stopped behind him and put her arms around him, hugging him.

Artemis felt Axelle embrace him. He froze for a second, indignant. Then he melted, anger seeping out of him. "What are you doing" he asked, amused. "You're just going to look bad. Everyone else hates me," he concluded, morosely. "You don't want to be hated as well, do you?"

Axelle smiled. "Do I look like I care?" She asked, spinning him around to face her.

"I'm sure you didn't," he said. "But I couldn't very well imply he was the only one in the wrong. You were holding her neck pretty tight."

"Uh...no?" Artemis felt familiar heat creep into his face again. "I don't understand why you don't, though. I mean, I'm weird, and a jerk, and I don't really care about others, and..." Artemis babbled on, desperately trying to control himself, but failing miserably since he was staring into her deep eyes at the same time. "I don't want you to be hurt or bothered or whatever by anyone else because of me...I don't get why, but..." Artemis shut his mouth quickly. "I don't think..." he finished lamely.

Vivienne's eyes widened. "Oh sh--really? I didn't realize..." She muttered, looking down. "That's terrible of me."

Axelle smiled up at him. "Neither do I. You're not that bad. I mean, you're pretty weird, but you're alright." She stuck out her tongue playfully and poked his side.

Artemis smiled radiantly for a second, then forced his face back into it's customary scowl. "Put your tongue back in your mouth before someone bites it. Gah! I mean, before something stings it or something!" God, what am I saying?! Artemis turned abruptly, blushing a violent hue of red, then spun back. "Heh..." Artemis tried to maintain his frown, but smirked at himself. Man, you're such an idiot. He laughed and started tickling her, then stopped with an extremely embarrassed look on his face. He slapped himself mentally, and cursed. What were the others going to think? More importantly, what was Axelle going to think. He was shocked at his behavior and sporadic flashes of emotion.

"Ehehehe...this jungle must be getting to me...yeah, that's it...jungle..." He swung back to Kasam. "Come on! Let's get a move on!" Before I really lose it. Werewolves and girls and tombstones and whatnot? Who could blame me?

Axelle giggled as Artemis tickled her, and laughed even harder at his bright red face. "Heehee, I made an emotionless ball of serious bluuush!"

I've been blushing ever since I met you. Artemis sighed, and his face attempted to rearrange itself into it's familiar scowl, but settled for a shaky line. "No, you didn't," he corrected, muttering. "My actions made me blush...well... Oh, shaddup." He leaned close to her, and whispered into her ear. "Thanks. I'm a bit uncomfortable with all this animosity. I usually kill the people that hate me..." He reached out to hug her, but thought better of it, and, still blushing, he poked her on the forehead. "You hang out with freaks, you'll begin to be thought of as one."

Axelle looked cross-eyed up at her forehead, but spun around and walked back to Kasam. "When are we going?"

"In order of the words addressed towards me: shut up, Artemis; yes, there's a very good chance that we may be eaten, although it doesn't really matter whether we're in the cave or not; As soon as my internet starts working As soon as Artemis gets disemboweled by a werewolf. Failing that, I suppose we could just go now."

Kasam headed into the mouth of the cave. He lowered his voice and addressed Kryoni.

"By the way, if the girl--or any of them for that matter--tries a stunt like that again, I want you to stop it. Try not to kill anyone unless you have to."

Kryoni glanced over her shoulder, sizing their followers up, and nodded. Kasam ventured further into the cave until it was too dark to see, then stopped and held out his hand. The magical fire built up beneath his skin until his forefinger glowed a brilliant pink, clearly lighting the area. Surprisingly enough, it was a cave, made of rock on the bottom, rock on the sides, and rock at the top. There was some rock just like it behind them, and even more rock stretching into the darkness. It was just like a big tunnel made all out of rock. In fact, it was a big tunnel made all out of rock! There were traces of mold growing on the rock, but it seemed too dry for any serious underground vegetation to take hold. In the distance, a steady drip, drip sound echoed.

Artemis rubbed his hands together, gleefully. "Yes, this is most interesting." The red tinge on his cheeks faded to a tolerable amount. He walked over to Axelle. "Come on then, let's go. Wouldn't want to keep our esteemed overlord waiting, now would we?" He smiled. "Look, rock! Isn't it incredible?"

"Hmm, I've never tried playing in a cave before," Alistar commented, looking around as the light reflected off the damp patches of mold growing out of the rock. "I wonder what the acoustics would do to my sound... " He began fished his lyre out of his backpack, idly plucking on the strings as they moved deeper into the cave.

Richard's footsteps echoed through the cave, whereas David stepped lighter. "How long does this go?" Richard asked, peering as far as Kasam's light traveled.

"So, Vivienne," said David. "How much of the island have you explored?"

The dripping sound came closer and closer. Kasam peered ahead into the darkness. Was that a man? He raised his hand, brightening the intensity of the light. Kryoni gasped.

What Kasam had thought was a man was only a large stalagmite thrusting out of the ground, but that was not what had surprised Kryoni. Beyond the stalagmite, a vast underground lake stretched out. The ceiling was several dozen yards over their heads, and a narrow stone walkway ran through the center of the lake. The other side was only barely visible as a thin dark line, shrouded in mist.

Kasam shook his head and turned back up the passageway.

"I don't like this. Let's get back to the boat."

He neared the mouth of the tunnel, and was almost outside when a rumbling boom sounded from the skies. A few drops of rain splashed onto the ground, then the heavens opened up and Kasam found himself staring out at a deluge. He swore and retreated hastily back down the tunnel.

"We can't go out there! We're stuck until the rain stops--and if we don't get back to the boat before dark, we're done for. The only way out is down."

Richard was truly curious by now. "Kasam, what is it that come sout in the storms?"

Kasam took a few tentative steps out onto the pathway. It didn't blow up or slide into the lake, so he beckoned for Kryoni to follow.

"That's just it--nothing--comes out in the--storms!"

He almost fell, but Kryoni caught him by his collar and pulled him back. He dusted himself off, picked up his dignity, and continued.

"The rain here contains enough poison that it will actually start to melt your skin if you touch it. The plants here are resistant to it, and there are enough natural springs that the impure water is quickly washed away, but if you're caught in one of those storms you'll be lucky to last two minutes before you're reduced to a walking skeleton. They're absolutely impassable."

"..." Richard gaped. "Poison rain? Why in the name of the mo- stars would there be poisonous rain?"

David tugged at Richard's arm, and he got the hint. They followed after Kasam, seeing as if they didn't, they'd be left behind. they walked carefully on the path Kasam led them on.

"Woah," Indigo marveled at Kasam's description of the rain. "Danger... sounds awesome!"

"Not quite as awesome as you might think," Alistar said, pushing him toward the bridge across the lake. Elsa followed behind the two, looking curiously at the water.

"Is there something in the water? Is that why we don't want to touch it?" she wondered aloud.

Kasam rolled his eyes. Kryoni answered for him.

"It's deep, dark, cold, and there are probably really big teeth inside."

With that thought in mind, she pushed Kasam to go faster.

"Fair enough," Elsa replied, visibly shuddering and drawing closer to Alistar's cloaked back. "Teeth... " Alistar, meanwhile, rolled his eyes as well, taking Elsa's hand and pulling her along.

"Let's just worry about getting across as quickly as possible."

Vivienne looked at David. "Much of it, but somehow it all seems like a distant memory. Nothing seems to stay the same around here..." She replied, and focused her attention on Kasam. The rain was indeed frightening; she was genuinely intrigued. Axelle was walking near Artemis, but she wasn't paying much attention to him. The whole cave business was freaking her out; dark places didn't set right in her mind. Vivienne was comfortable, though. They were both following the crowd.

David trailed behind Vivi now. "The island changes? This is just proving to be a better investment every moment we stay." He glanced at Richard, and the latter fell back. "What is it Dave?" he asked. "Walk slower, I don't want you falling into the lake." Richard scoffed, but stayed with David, minding "orders".

David walked, balancing himself with his staff, hoping not to slip on any rocks.

OoC:Wow. I've been RPing abysmally this past week or so. Sorry.

"Poison rain and probable death? There should be a vacation villa on this island. Amazing. I love this place." Artemis grinned, completely at ease. Water kept dripping slowly, and Artemis felt elation. He loved the darkness and quiet the cave brought, and rejoiced in it in his own way. He turned to say something to Axelle, with the silly grin on hi face, but noticed the tension that she was displaying. "Hey, you okay?" he murmured, lowering his voice, his smile fading slightly.

Kasam was just a little past halfway across the lake when Kryoni tapped his shoulder. He turned around, and saw her tight-lipped expression. He followed her pointing finger to the surface of the lake, and saw the ripples forming. He let out a sigh.

"Oh, shhh--"

His words were cut short by a monstrous roar as the surface of the water exploded in a spray of ice-cold droplets. A serpentine form arched overhead and blasted down into the water on the other side of the pathway. It stayed underwater for only a heartbeat, then it arched its thin, arrow-shaped head out of the water and roared at them.

Subterranean Water Dragon
Level: 4
HP: 60
MP: 0
ATK: 14
DEX: 10
CON: 14
INT: 3
WIS: 8
CHA: 8

OOC: I'm gradually testing exactly what can reasonable expected from the system in terms of what characters should be fighting. Axelle, you're also a judge, so feel free to do your judgy thing. We're only using stats, remember.