Once again, Lothlómendil was searching for clues to the mysterious pegasus. She had heard rumors about the crystal key that it had left for her tribe to use to summon it. It was said to be made of the divine crystal that could only be found here, in these caves. Perhaps there was something that she could find here that would aid in her search for the spirit guide of her people.

Last night, she had dreamed about the pegasus. She dreamed that she had been at the foot of a glorious waterfall. She had kneeled down by the pool of water, and began to drink from the pure waters. The coolness refreshed her. She felt a presence, and looked up to see what it was. There, standing across from her on the other side of the water was the pegasus, with its golden horn radiating a soft light. It was the most beautiful thing that she had ever seen. She could not even begin to describe its glory.

She could not find a way across the water, and began to despair. She closed her eyes as she held the Key of the Tilaurí in her hands, and fell to her knees in prayer. When she opened them again, the pegasus was beside her, and she reached out to it. It lay beside her, and she ran her fingers through its silver mane. Its coat was softer than silk.

That was the end of her dream, and when she awoke, she was sad to depart from the company of the pegasus. She hoped that her search for it was nearing its end, and that this would be the last place that she would have to travel to. She picked up her pack, and entered the cave.

Aeacus was already in the caves when she heard somebody approach. Aeacus was staring intently at this one shard of crystal that caught her attention when the footsteps were heard. The crystal was amazingly beautifull and showed every color imaginable. It seemed to glow in it's own radiance. Aeacus left the crystal and hid behind a large portion of crystals and watched a stranger come in, looking for something. Aeacus scrunched herself up as small as possible and kept a close eye on the stranger.

Lothlómendil wandered into the caves, admiring the beauty of the shining crystals. She reached under her cloak, and pulled out the Key to look at it. It hung from the chain around her neck, and sparkled brightly. It looked just like the crystals that shone in these caves. The light danced off of the crystal pegasus as she held it up to look at it. It was dazzling to look at, almost hypnotic. She wondered again as she had many times before about how it worked. No one had ever successfully summoned the sacred pegasus from its hidden plane of existence. Maybe some day she would be the one to finally complete the task that many of the warriors of her tribe had saught to finish.

She walked further into the cave, and stopped at a noise. She had heard the sound of something moving. Quickly, she tucked the Key back under her cloak, and drew her sword. The light that radiated from the caves glinted off of the blade, and its blue gleam seemed more intense. This place didn't seem like the type that any evil creature that loved the dark would lurk in, but she would still have to be cautious.

Aeacus watched the newcomer with her large, yellow curious eyes. Aeacus was looking through a small hole inside a large dark crystal wall. The stranger had her sword drawn and looking around carefully. Aeacus made a silent curse for being so unprepared and loud. Usually she was completely silent and undetectable. Aeacus didn't usual hide from anything or anybody, and this was no exeption. Aeacus cautiosly, slowly and silently walked from behind the crystal wall, facing the strangers back. Aeacus had her hand on her swords hilt, if the stranger decide to attack. She didn't want to get blood all over these beautifull crystals but she had to do whatever to stay alive. Aeacus was well out of arms reach of the stranger. 'ello. What are you doing here?

Lothlómendil whirled around to face the voice with her sword up in a defensive position, and ready to strike. She looked at her opponent, and lowered her sword with a sigh of relief. "Aeacus!" She put her sword back in the scabbord she kept strapped to her back. "You scared me, I was afraid that you were a jewel thief or something. What brings you to the Crystal Caves?" She was glad that it was not some bandit come to defile the beauty of these caves.

Stamping her feet and pushing the hair out of her eyes, Lothlómendil glanced around the caves to get an idea of the lay out. There was another passageway to her left that appeared to run deep into the cave. The open area that they were in was about the size of a large room, and there was a tunnel at the opposite end of the mouth of the cave. She looked down at the floor and noticed that it was the only place that was smooth, and it had a a highly concentrated area of crystals as if the entire floor was one large crystal.

Aeacus recognized the stranger as Lómen from the forest. Aeacus thought for a moment about what to say. Honestly, she didn't really know why she was there. Aeacus just saw the cave mouth and decided to enter, as it was soon to be night, for shelter but found these amazing crystals instead. Aeacus didn't quite know if she should tell this or not, but didn't really have a choice. I'm a wanderer. I wander. And I just so happened to wander into these caves. What is your story? Aeacus looked around also at the tunnel and the large room they were in. There were crystals of all different colors, all made into one beautifull collage of dark and light colors. Aeacus's eyes wandered to that one crystal she had been looking at before Lómen entered but turned away, deciding to get it later.

Lothlómendil was hesitant to tell her story to strangers. Thus far, she had only ever told Ciara about her quest. She shuffled her feet, thinking of what she could tell Aeacus. She did not know her well enough to begin pouring out her life story to her, despite their acquantance from Norwood Forest. "Well, I am a bit of a wanderer myself. I have an ulitmate destination, but for now I maintain only a vague idea of where I am headed. I had heard stories of these caves, and decided that perhaps there was something here that would help me get a clearer picture of where my journy in Imythess will take me."

Lothlómendil turned towards the passageway on her left, and decided that she would take this path. The opening was large and roughly oval shaped. "I am going to move further into the cave to do some exploring. Would you like to join me, or do you wish to remain here?" Aeacus sometimes made her nervous. She couldn't tell what she was up to, but it was always a bit suspicious. There was just a presence that she had that made her appear like she was plotting something.

Aeacus considered her options of going or staying. She didn't know much about Lomen, not enough to fully trust her. But Aeacus had nothing better to do, and nowhere to go. Aeacus looked around once more, decided that she had to leave this way and would get the crystal then, and turned back towards Lomen. I shall come. I'm doing nothing special. Aeacus smiled and started to head towards the passageway with Lomen. It was a very long, slighty small, oval shaped passageway, filled with sharp and colorfull crystals. Aeacus looked around carefully before entering.

"I have this book that I found in the ruins that has a lot of useful information about this place, and the crystals in it. It says that there was a great crystal found here once a long time ago. I believe that something that I have was made from these unique crystals as well, but it is not great crystal, that's for sure. But it is very significant to me none the less."

She had offered for Aeacus to come, but she wasn't actually sure where she was going yet. She was planning on just wondering around aimlessly until she came across something that might be significant. She hadn't thought that she would have company for this, and felt slightly akward about having her with her when she didn't know what she was doing.

They stepped into the passageway that had been on her left, and began moving down the hall. It was surprising that there was so much light when there seemed to be no source for it. It was as if the light was amplified by the crystals alone. The light glimmered everywhere, and made the walk relaxing.

She loved the light, and some day wanted to visit the Temple of Day. Perhaps she would take a break from her ever-fruitless search and go there. The gods of Imythess were som interesting. She still remembered meeting Ciara fondly, and though about visiting the Temple of Air some day as well.

Looking around often, nothing has caught her eye thus far. They had passed a fre corridors that lead off of the one that they were in, but she wanted to find out what this one had in store for them before she began searching through other areas. Leave no stone unturned, that was her plan; although, there didn't seem to be many stray stones floating around here anywhere, just the twinkling crystal shards.

Aeacus nodded and followed Lómen down the various halls. Aeacus didn't pay much attention to Lómen really, focusing on the various crystals around them. While walking down one hall, Aeacus heard something, a whisper. Aeacus couldn't make it out, and spun around quick, looking around carefull, eyes a-glow dark blue. Aeacus looked around quickly, the whispering stopped. Aeacus turned again, keeping a carefull eye open. Halfway down another hall, the whispering started again. Aeacus spun around again quickly, drawing her sword. She looked around very carefully, her navy blue eyes darting across the crystals. Aeacus didn't see her, but she was sure that Lómen noticed her frantic spins. Did you hear something? A whisper perhaps? Aeacus had a warning in her whisper.

Lothlómendil too had drawn her weapon when Aeacus spun around, and became tense. She had very distinctly heard something as well, and it appeared to be coming from one of the side passages that seemed to get brighter the further into it you looked. It had indeed sounded like voices, echoing softly off of the empty vastness of the caves. It was amazing how alone the mysterious emptyness made her feel now, when before it had made her feel free and light spirited. The twinkling of the sdd crystal light was almost too bright for her sensitive eyes. She pulled her hood further over her face, to keep the light out and to try to better hide herself from any unwanted company.

"Shall we go investigate? If we seek whatever it is out and surprise it, or them for that matter, we will have the upper hand if we have to fight." She considered becoming invisible, but for now that was not neccesary.

Adsero crept around the cave. She had placed a crystal in her pocket already andnow was just looking. She heard people comeing and told cremo to roll around and see who it was. Then she heard the whisper. It made her hair stand on end. Cremo eventually ran into Loth and Aeacus.

Lothlómendil looked down and blinked. It was a ball of fire, moving around of its own will, rolling around like it was checking the place out. This didn't seem to be the cause of the whispers though. She had seen the fire ball before...where was it? She stopped and thought back. Then she remembered the time she had stayed in Kellen and encountered the two vampires and the strange human that burned when she was touched by water. The four of them had faught off a group of drunken men together. "Adsero?" she called out, hoping that this was who was behind the fireball.

Adsero jumped behind her hiding place. Cremo rolled to where she was very fast. "Loth? That you?" The fire confirmed her theory and Adsero stood up, following the fire to where it had found Loth and Aeacus.

Aeacus still had her sword drawn and new in a second that the fire ball named Cremo belonged to Adsero. Aeacus smiled and shook her head. Aeacus watched Adsero walking towards them, the ball of fire in front of her. 'ello Adsero. What brings you here? Aeacus didn't forget about the whispers but didn't pay much attention at this moment.

Adsero spred her arms wide and grinned. "Shiny rocks! There were a bunch so I took one and spent a good time looking at the others. They are really pretty." She lowered her arms but still wore a silly grin as if she were a child again. Cremo flared in glee.

Lothlómendil was glad to see another friendly face, but still concerned about the whispers. She was expecting Ciara anytime now, but there was menace in the whispers, the kind that gave you that panicky terror that siezes you and makes you want to scream and run until you can't run anymore. She felt a little tense, like she could feel the terror in her gnawing at the back of her mind as if it were saying, "There's something there, why haven't you started running yet?"

"Hello Ads, I'm glad to see that you enjoy them so much." she said smiling, and dutifully trying to ignore the fact that they were not alone. "Um, did you happen to hear anything, like a whisper or...what?" she looked around while she waited for her to respond, trying to locate the direction that the noises had come from.

Adsero felt a shiver run through her body. "I heard it. It sent shivers through my body. Someone is here and I feel that its....playing with us. Toying whith our minds to make us go insane. Filling us with the strange paranoia that someone is there, watching, waiting." Cremo frew larger like a knee high dog. It could feel the tension in the air and hoped to bring comfort from the heat.

Aeacus nodded and listened closly. She then sighed. I'm already halfy insane so they can't push me any further. What's annoying me is that I can't tell where their coming from. The sound bounces of the crystals in every direction, almost making it impossible to tell where there coming from. Quite annoying. I don't like to be annoyed. Aeacus had a mean look in her cinnamon red eyes, looking around carefully. She didn't want to stain such a beautiful place with blood but would if she had too. Aeacus then looked puzzled slightly looking at the crystals more carefully now. Does it seem to be getting...darker to you?

Lothlómendil could feel her chest tighten. This was driving her to insanity and she didn't even know why. So far there had only been whispers, nothing to make her feel as panicky as she did. Taking a step back, she swallowed hard, but her mouth had gone dry. She licked her lips in anticipation, something was near them, and she had a feeling that it wasn't going to be Ciara.

She watched as the fireball swelled in size like a little puppy trying to protect its master, and Aeacus spoke. Lothlómendil rubbed her eyes. Was it her, or was there something else going on? It didn't help, her vision was still dimming. She opened her mouth to say ask if anyone else thought that it was getting dark, but Aeacus beat her to it. She took a step backwards.

"I see it too, what is it?" she asked, stepping even further back from their little circle. "I...I think that uhh...something might...might uhh, be here with us..." she stuttered, her eyes darting quickly from left to right. She put her hand up against the wall to steady herself, she was beginning to feel tired, the strain of being so silently terrified exhausting her. "Does anyone else feel really tired?" She took another step back again, but stopped dead in her tracks, motionless. Her eyes widened with fear and her body stiffened as she inhaled sharply. She had backed into something very large behind her, and from the the throaty growl that issued from it, she was pretty sure that it wasn't very happy about having been bumped into. Slowly, she turned around, and let out the scream that had been welling up inside her.

The fire took on slightly more solid shape and now looked to be a husky type dog even though not many details were noticable beneath the firey glow. Adsero made a thin coat of fire around her body but the darkness loomed still and now was starting to chill her bones. The firedog let out a deep throated growl but the dark thing did not back away. It was headed for Loth. "What was the reason you were here? 'Cause it looks like its after you." Adsero did feel tired but she fought hard to overcome it. Keeping her fire going was alot more difficult then it should be and she was having a hard time trying to make out what the shape of the thing near Loth was.

Aeacus turned quickly hearing Lomens scream. Aeacus's eyes adjusted to the dying light quickly, seeing the monsterous creature in all it's horror, her mouth open in disbelief and her eyes wide in terror. It was a monsterous Crag Troll. They were large, black creatures with large, black, jagged edged teeth ready to rip through skin and bone in a single bite. The small flappy ears couldn't pick up much, but could smell anything that is even miles away, let alone only a few yards. They were taller than Aeacus, Lomen and Adsero standing on top of each other, it's head almost touching the high, crystal ceiling. It's fat, monsterous body blocked out most light. They were stupid creatures, but couldn't be killed easily. They would eat anything and had a spell hovering around them that made whatever is near them sleepy and tired so they couldn't run away.

Aeacus stared for the moment, the crag troll staring back with its beedy, angry, red eyes. After a second Aeacus got out of her trance and quickly went to action before it did anything. Aeacus grabbed Lomen, pulling her away from the Crag troll before it stomped or grabbed her. Aeacus slighty and gently threw Lomen at Adsero, following after. Behind her she heard the deep, loud roar that seemed to shake the crystals. Aeacus turned around briefly to see the Crag Troll raise it's huge tree trunk, using it as a club, and smashed a wall of crystals. Sharp shards or bright crystals flew everywhere. Aeacus turned and tried to cover her head, but a large piece went into the side of her neck. Aeacus's eyes flashed gray as she dropped to her knees, her mouth open, holding her neck and trying to breath. Aeacus pulled the large, bloody shard out and threw it sideways, getting a little bit of gasping breath back and ran again. Aeacus pulled out her masterwork dagger and threw it at the giant crag troll, hitting his hand, making him drop the club. It screamed an ear-shattering roar, dropping the club which banged on the ground louldy, shaking the caves.

Aeacus turned again and halfy pushed Adsero and Lomen foward. Go! Get away from it! We can not fight it with you tired and I can not fight it alone!

Adsero fought to break the trance and finally did with Aeacus' pushing and Cremo bitting her on the leg. She decided to do as instructed and pulled Loth lightly with her, unsure if she too had woken. "Are you coming?" She yelled at Aeacus. Adsero didn't know exactly what that thing was but she could see it better now that she was out of the trance and it didn't look friendly.

Lómen awoke to find that she was being tossed towards Adsero, and stumbled as she fell against her. Ads pulled at her to help her get moving while her head began to clear. There was a loud roar from the creature that was in the shadows, and she covered her ears.

Adjusting her grip on her sword as she began to run so that it was held firmly in both of her hands, and glanced back towards Aeacus. She was holding her neck, blood seeping from between her fingers and running down her neck. She had been hit in the jugular most likely, and would loose blood rapidly unless something was done to stop the bleeding. Hopefully the object that had injured her was small enough that the wound would be able to begin clotting and closing on its own.

The creature stepped out from the shadows towards Aeacus, and Lómen realized that it was a crag troll. No wonder she had been getting sleepy. She couldn’t let Aeacus continue running without help when she was losing blood. Pulling away from Adsero, she ran back the short distance between Aeacus and herself and grabbed her by the arm that she wasn’t using to cover her neck. They moved just in time to avoid a weighty, two-fisted, downwards blow from the troll that would have crushed them. It struck the ground of the cave instead, and little shards of the broken crystals buried deep into its hands.

Aeacus felt Lomens cold hand grab her arm and was forcefully pulled away. She felt the wind from the trolls hands coming down on the back of her legs. Aeacus ran with Lomen, her other hand holding her neck, the blood seeping and covering her hands and running slowly down her neck, collecting into her shirt collar. Aeacus shook her head, getting slightly dizzy, and now ran faster than Lomen, almost pulling Lomen. All three of them were in a row, running for their lives, the crag troll following almost as fast, his huge feet stomping and shaking the crystals. After a while of running in sheer terror, Aeacus noticed the shaking and rythemic stomping of the trolls feet stopped. Aeacus slowly came to a stop, panting heavily, blood covering the side of her neck she was no longer holding. Aeacus turned to look down the hall they had come from, trying to see or hear something. She heard a small scratching sound, as if a rat was clawing at the walls. Aeacus looked confused down the hall.

Cremo, as a bird, flew around the trols face to distract him longe enough for Aeacus to find whatever it was she had heard. Adsero turned around and looked for the source of the sound as well. She soon noticed the troll was no longer moving.

Lómen stopped next to Aeacus, confused. Why had the troll stopped. Not that she was disappointed, but if there was something else going on she wanted to know about it so that she could tell if she wanted to run for her life some more or not. Her keen ears picked up the loud sound (to her at least) of something scratching. "Uh, what could it be now?" She didn't know how much more of these ugly surprises she could take.

Aeacus just shook her head and stared intently down the hall. The clawing sound grew faster, louder, as if heading their way. Aeacus watched closely, noticing it getting darker again, but not from the troll this time. Aeacus then gasped, her eyes growing wide as she recognized what it was. Aeacus looped around and pushed Adsero and Lomen down to the ground, not careing about being harsh. GET DOWN! LAY FLAT! DON'T MOVE!
Once they all hit the ground, a large, thick, almost liquid, black wave washed over them, but not onto them. It was a thin layer, under it, where they were laying, all clear, but the dark, vile, blackness went from midway up to the ceiling. If they had been standing, it would of cut them in half cleanly or took the entire them away, drowing them in painfull gags.
After a while the blackness ended, leaving no trace behind that it was ever there. Aeacus reached up and touched the air above them were it had consumed hesitently, testing. Aeacus then stood up, looking down the hall confused. How could a stupid, Crag Troll conjure such a thing? Aeacus slowly walked down the hall they just ran from, determine to see what was up.

"Its that karma thing, isn't it? I steal so relly big evil things come. This is why I should give up caves. I never come out of them unscathed. First one collapsed, then one was really wet, and now this!" Adsero sat up hesitently, following Aeacus's example. "What in fire's name was that black stuff though?"

Getting up off of the none-to-comfortable, Lómen could feel where her knee had made contact with the floor on her way down. She was so confused now, what was going on!? Aeacus was the only one among them that seemed to know. At least Adsero still kept her sense of humor when they were faced with dying many times over.

"Aeacus, could you tell us what it is that you seem to know?"

Aeacus was thinking so hard that she barely heard either of them. After a second or two after Lomens question Aeacus began to talk quietly and sort of slowly. That black liquid....was pure darkness. If you were consumed by it your worst nightmares would come true, real and with all it's pain. Your most grusome and sad memories would come to life and torture you untill you couldn't take it anymore and either be killed, or kill yourself. It is the worst way to die, and nothing can defeat it, or run from it. Only the strongest, wisest, most talented wizards or any species can conjure such a thing. What troubles me is why did a stupid crag troll make such a thing? And usually the darkness destroyes it's creater. Aeacus walked and talked, her voice slow and her walk slow. Aeacus slowly looked down the dark hall, eyes dark purple with a blue outline. I have a feeling the crag troll is gone, and was replaced by something more deadly.

Adsero started to walk in a small circle. "Great, just great. Well this is fun. It not every day you get attacked by a giant troll and have pure darkness shot at you. Remind me to NEVER say I'm bored, alright? At least bored people are not always running for their life." She looked at Aeacus, then Loth, and then what was in front of them. "Lets stop running and just beat the crap out of whatever is trying to kill us." Her eyes turned red/orange and Cremo returned to her side as a large wolf, blazing brightly.

"Aeacus, we can't continue with your neck still bleeding like that, you are starting to look pale..." She was worried that Aeacus was going to try and fight again in her weakened state. That would get her nothing but death. "Would you like me to help you?" she offered.

Aeacus didn't stop walking though, but listening to them. Adsero, you don't know how powerful this being will be. Not even your fire could destroy it, or even make a dent in it. Lomen, for one, I'm always pale. I spend all my time outside, and I am a pirate, yet I'm still pale. And no, I'm fine and do not need help. Aeacus was determined to see the powerfull being who was hidden behind the crystal walls, gathering it's strength and magic again. Aeacus did feel slighty nauseous and dizzy, but just shrugged it off, knowing that whatever was over there would probably kill them in their sleep, or when they were weakened. Her lying on the ground bleeding was her weakened state and didn't want to die without the revenge of her parents murderer. Aeacus continued to slowly walk down the cavern.

Adsero shook her head. "I'm beond caring. This is stupid and I don't want to leave till that thing is in a bloody heap on the floor with my sword stuck in it." She held her ground. She didn't want to run anymore, dispite the fact that this thing would most likely kill her without a second thought. "I'm not the confrontational kind but this thing is really pissing me off."

"Well, it is decided then. Let us move forward and face whatever it is that is in this cave." She nodded to Adsero and ran to catch up with Aeacus. Readying her sword, she followed Aeacus with her senses focused, and her body ready to react. This fight would be a true test of their skills, and a good outcome was not guaranteed.

Aeacus nodded, but didn't say anything, nearing the corner their opponant was behind. Aeacus then flew backwards, like she was hit in the chest hard. Aeacus landed on her back and slid backwards some untill screeting to a hult. Aeacus then got up, with no appearence of wounding on her stomach or back or the sign of pain on her face. She was actually smiling though, rather oddly. Aeacus's eyes weren't yellow anymore though, they were not a hollow black, like she had one large pupil with no color around it. Aeacus looked around for a minute then turned back to Lomen and Adsero. No....no lets rest a minute. We did all that running. I was a fool for going on like that. Forgive me. Aeacus's voice wasn't her usual bland, not cheery but not evil self. It was harsh and cold, and fake. Aeacus walked slowly towards Lomen and Adsero. Aeacus smiled an evil smile and began to run towards then, pulling out her sword and heading towards them as if to stab them.

Lómen was no fool, and was not about to let some pshycopath with uber magic powers turn Aeacus against them. She blinked behind Aeacus, and shoved her, hoping that physics would do the rest. She blinked again, this time next to Adsero, and grabbed her out of Aeacus' path. Whatever it was around that corner was really toying with them, and definetly had come better equipped to play than they had.

She could feel her blood rising as she got angry. [b]"Adsero, don't listen to her, she is not behind her actions. That thing is controling her somehow. She turned, grabbed her spear from her back, and jumped out around the corner. She hurled it as hard as she could then rolled back towards safety hoping that she had hit whatever it was, and that she could make it back to safety unscathed.

Aeacus fell over on her stomach. Aeacus growled and stood up, sword in hand, a very angry look on her face. Aeacus was about to run towards them when she stopped, her face now confused, her eyes turning back to their normal yellow. Aeacus then jolted as if hit, but stayed standing up, but steped back some, her eyes going back to the hollow blackness for a second then switching to yellow again. Aeacus grabbed her head and jolted every now and then, her eyes constantly changing from black to yellow with every jolt. Aeacus closed her eyes, still grabbing onto her head, her mouth open in a silent scream. Aeacus hands dropped to her sides, her eyes yellow again but distant. Aeacus stood for a second, then her eyes rolled back into her head, and she fell back, shaking like she was having a seizure, gasping for breath.

Adsero was wide eye in horror and unable to move fore a second but she soon snapped out of it and went to Aeacus. She didn't know what to do and certainly not equiped to help. All she could gather was that by getting close to the monster that was the enemy, something took her over and was fighting inside her for control. She looked up an Loth. "What should we do?" The only thing Adsero could think of was to hope Aeacus won but what if that thing won instead? Could they really harm a friend, even if she was being controled?