Open The Good, The Evil, and The Greedy

[Coloursfall]

"What the hell is that?" Tanith hissed, looking around herself with curiosity.

Earthquake? Or something else?

She shuddered and continued to climb, but now she was on guard, tail thrashing behind her.

 

[Sylph]

Ming stares at the mute human, then turns away from him in a huff, heading for the entrance of the temple.

Stupid human outsider...though, I can't blame it for being stunned by the Phoenix.

Once she reaches the entrance, she sees that the lizard was climbing out of a crater.

...wait...crater?

------

The craters begins to shake for violently, a loud grinding sound comeing from below Tanith.

 

[allitersonance]

Enivari had, naturally, fled after Tanith, not wanting to be alone with an angry now-enemy. But it didn't run as quickly or recklessly, and so it didn't end up tripping or falling into the crater - rather, it stopped when Tanith fell and looked at what had happened.

A crater? What was it doing there? Enivari did not recall this from last time. Curious, curious. It continued down the steps more slowly, but still at a quick pace. Then it stopped at the edge of the crater, looking into it.

It peered over the edge, watching Tanith climb some distance away. It couldn't reach the bottom from here, but it could look.

"What is this?" he wondered aloud.

 

[Coloursfall]

This isn't good this isn't good this. is. not. good.

Tanith finally reached the rim of the huge crater, and pulled herself out, turning to glance back into it. this was most definitely not good. She started for the forest again.

"Come on, all of you! Be careful!"

 

[Sylph]

Ming shakes her head, leaning in the doorway.

fools.

-----

The Pirates can hear a horrifying screech from below the crater's floor. Dust is flung into the air, covering the dark figure that emerges from it's deeps. A arm reaches from the dust cloud and grabs Tanith, lifting her up in the air as the figure continues to rise in the air. Once the dust settled, more than one Pirate's hearts would stop.

What stood there was a large huge snake-critter covered in rock-like plates, a giant mouth rimmed with multiple rows of sharp jagged fangs and stingertail. Along the creature's body are arms, the first four rows ending in three claws.

The creature growls down at Tanith.

 

[Crazy Linoone]

Even from where he was, Fwak could see the huge... thing... climb out of a hole in the ground. The first thing that came to the bird-man's mind was a swear word. The second was also a swear word. Fwak swore. He peeled his eyes away and looked at Jack, who seemed to have frozen in fear. Fwak swore again and leapt down from the tree he was standing on. Tanith and Enivari seemed to be in trouble, and they probably need his help... He looked at the monster, then back at Jack. He seemed safe enough here... And there's a monster to fight.

Fwak leapt back onto the tree. He'll be missing their medic... Tensing his muscles, the bird-like alien jumped from tree to tree, heading towards Tanith, Enivari, and the monster.

 

[FMC_x_ANS]

Meanwhile back in the temple, Le'beam traced his hands against the hard stone carvings that riddled the holy place's interior. He sighed slightly as his index finger followed the contour of a strange character carved into the wall. He was somewhat ashamed he had been too self absorbed to acknowledge the priestess, if that was the title she held. But it was only mild, and easily missed in the great curiosity that filled his being.

Eventually he stopped surveying the walls and turned back to the brilliant feather. He could hear his heart beating as he took a step closer, physically feeling the blood rushing through his veins. Standing there in front of the monumental feather, he fell to his knees and prayed. He didn't really know why he should, nor what he should pray about, but it just came to him as the fitting thing to do. So he just sat there, desperately hoping in the dark crevices of his persona that he would hear words without sound, or something more.

The room suddenly convulsed and filled with the sounds of metal bones twisting and snapping. Le'beam exhaled sharply and fell forward, keeping himself from the floor with his hands. He scraped his hands against the stone and brought himself up with the momentum, dashing to entrance, only to suddenly stop himself from tumbling down the stoop of the temple.

Le'beam turned to the Cat girl and breathlessly asked her "What.... What is that?"

 

[Sylph]

The creature roars and makes a grab for Fwak with on of it's hands, hissing at him.

-----------------------

Ming turns to the human and sighs, looking a bit bored at the whole situation.

"Oh...nothing much. Just a crater dragon..."

Ming then turns back to the scene and grins as she strolls towards the creature and the lizard. She crosses her arms over her chest and looks up at the lizard who is dangling from the creature's grasp.

"Lizard Woman. Seems you need some help. I could help you...if you are willing to make a deal that is"

 

[allitersonance]

Enivari jumped back as the crater suddenly rose and grabbed at Tanith - ignoring the gzaliel, it seemed, and instead grabbing Fwak. It stood stock-still, like it did when observing any other non-sapient creature, and kept watching. Like many others, the creature seemed to notice movement. To it, Enivari would likely just appear to be a feature of the landscape.

It had several rows of teeth, a deadly tail, armoured plates, and clawed arms. Truly, it seemed oddly equipped for combat, when it was obviously capable of hiding and appearing to be a crater to spring a trap on any prey. It was like the vine-like organism that had trapped the ship. With amazing regenerative abilities, tendrils capable of capturing near anything in its grasp, and what must've been a body hidden mostly underground, it was deadlier than what most non-sapient species needed to be. But the cat-person had survived so long, so either she had an unknown power against them or they, for some reason, would not hurt her.

Enivari would not have been surprised if the vine-creature and this monster had been specifically engineered as living weapons.

It saw the cat-person strolling toward the monster calmly, grinning. But it wasn't attacking her, even though she was walking and therefore definitely moving - why? And if the stimulus was sound, it didn't attack her as she said, "Lizard Woman. Seems you need some help. I could help you... if you are willing to make a deal that is."

If Lefarui had been here, they could have bounced their speculations off of each other, and considered what was to be done against such an opponent. But Lefarui had remained behind, with the creature that pretended to be a plant. Perhaps Lefarui had also come to the conclusion that it was likely not a plant, and discovered what it truly was beneath the ground. The vines were not unlike a gzaliel's own tentacles, so perhaps there were similarities, and the strange healing ability would be compatible with a gzaliel's body.

But--no, Enivari had to focus! What could it do now? Any action would attract the creature's attention, and Enivari definitely did not want to be caught. Especially by this, which it did not know how to counter. The cat-person could not be trusted by any means, especially if she had some affiliation with the monster or the vines, and if she had every reason to kill them.

The instinctive response was to run. The logical response seemed to be to remain still until the crater monster left or sunk back into the crater. In between was to accept the cat-person's offer - let someone else deal with it - and perhaps flee while the cat-person was dealing with the creature. Run from the monster and from the cat-person. But next, there was little it could do without a ship.

Enivari thought better with other gzaliels within telepathy range. Right now, it could hardly do so, not while under pressure.

 

[Coloursfall]

Tanith squirmed in the beast's grasp, her four arms trying to pry the beast's hand off her, to no avail. Panic was setting in - this thing could eat her!

Then she heard the cat's words.

"Lizard Woman. Seems you need some help. I could help you...if you are willing to make a deal that is"

"Fine! Just... get rid of this thing!" She hissed, flailing.

 

[Sylph]

Ming purrs a little, a plan forming in her head on how to get what she needs from this outsider liar.

"The Phoenix has told me that I need to travel with you and your...crew, in order to find the bells that orignally resided on this planet. Here is my deal. When all this is over, when I retrieve the bells from where they lay. I am to keep both the bells and the relic box. You may have whatever other treasure you may find during this endeavour, but the Bells and Relic box are to remain with me. I will also need a ride back here when it is over."

Ming then flicks a strand of hair out of her face, a sly grin on her face.

"Oh. And I am to receive the box when we enter the ship. It is to remain with me at all times. I need the box to find the bells and whatever treasure that may be where the bells are. You want to quench your thirst of greed, I am to keep the box with me at all times. I will also require a map of the universe. But, if it makes you feel better, you may have a person watch me...to make sure I do not do anything underhanded as you have done to me. You may not trust me, and I do not trust you from the wrong you have done. I will not alter this deal in anyway."

She now crosses her arms.

"In time...maybe you will gain my trust once more, as I may gain yours if it is to be. Do we have a deal, Lizard?"

 

[Crazy Linoone]

Fwak squawked in surprise and jumped into the air instinctively as he saw a large clawed hand-thing reach for him. He was fast, but not fast enough -- the crater lizard managed to nick one of his tail feathers off. So, that stupid monster wants to fight, eh? Dodging a swiping claw, Fawk pulled out his trusty dagger from his belt and swiped at the hand.

There was a sharp clang as metal met claw, and Fwak was forced to retreat again, as his attack did nothing but left a small scratch on the monster's armor. Tanith seemed to be in quite a lot of trouble, having been caught by the monster and all, yet the monster didn't seemed to be making any attempt to kill her. Strange.

Then the cat-person spoke up. Fwak strained to listen through the noise made by the thrashing monster. "... need to travel with you and... bells... relic box..."

So the box is important...

 

[Leviathan]

The examination of these plants was a tedious process for Rilloc; he had to take the utmost care not to disturb the glowing vines, lest they react in a way he couldn't predict - hell, for all he knew the slightest vibration could make them explode. He currently hung from the ceiling, his claws clamped into the crumbling rock as he shone a light into the hole through which many of the plants emerged. Perhaps the origin is outside, on the surface of the pyramid, he thought, etching these notes into his computer and brain, There it can absorb light freely in this clearing, which fuels the luminescent reaction.

A low rumbling from below picked up on his mental alarm, the single twitch of shock enough to dislodge his hands from the ceiling, leaving him dangling from his straining feet as the ragtag crowd of pirates roared by and out of the temple - not that he saw them. Another tremor and another sharp jerk seconds later knocks Rilloc loose from this precarious situation, although the rapidly approaching floor didn't look to be any more comfortable. Fortunately, a twist in midair brought him to the ground on his back, protected by the extra layers of hollow shell, but that did little to comfort his mood; after all, whatever was responsible for this outburst had interrupted his research, and probably damaged some of his equipment in the process, and, like all others caught in this web before, would have to pay dearly.

In one fluid motion, Rilloc flips himself back into a standing position and snatches the rifle from where he had left it in the hall’s corner. Upon landing, the initial momentum is carried through as he pushes off on that first foot and breaks into a run. What awaited him outside, however, was hardly what he had steeled himself for; he recognized those who were among the crew engaged in combat with an enormous beast rising up from the ground – probably the source of the quake a few seconds ago. Though he had no doubt in his comrades’ strength, even if they were of inferior species, they didn’t look to be in a very favorable position – hell, the monster even had Tanith, one of the more battle-hardened pirates, right in its grasp – and for all he knew his weapons wouldn’t be able to pierce its hide.

Though he noticed another detail, a small, feline-looking figure standing at the edge of the fissure, head tilted back to look up, apparently at the desperately flailing Tanith; they looked to be talking with each other. The stranger, he began to think, obviously isn’t concerned with her – though he could not hear specific words at this distance, he was able to discern the traces of femininity in the being’s voice – safety, given her proximity to the beast. Either she wishes to negotiate giving her possessions to us before committing suicide, or she is confident that the creature won’t hurt her; such evidence suggests that this species can be tamed. There was something about this figure, however, that was familiar to him – a notion of something he was looking for and had been looking for for a long time.

He ignored those thoughts, however, as the instincts of survival had begun to kick in, the Xirrin code of honor to protect one's own kin - in Rilloc's case, the pirate crew currently in danger. His brain was already hard at work calculating timing and trajectory when he pulled the rifle up to a firing position, and his arm locked in place mechanically once the target was in his sights. Claws clenched around the worn trigger in anticipation only moments before pulling tight, and an emerald streak of burning plasma flares out of the gun's barrel, screaming through the air towards its target, the arm of the monster whose hand was clenched around Tanith.

((Sheesh, a month of making you guys wait and this is the best I can come up with? Talk about anti-climactic. Also, I found it rather odd that each and every single member of the crew ran right past Rilloc without so much as a passing glance.))