Vanguard: Into the Abyss

[Zetherus]

Hashin walked up beside Akari to see the corpses lying on the ground "Hey, did you hear that one's chant? Pay the toll... I wonder what that means here in such a dark place like this?" he inquired quietly. The wind dragon saw the strange veterans of this dark place run past him and escape into the blackness, which surprised him into his fighting stance. "Stay... back?" before he could finish warning the crazed ones they had already vanished. Hashin looked at Akari with a worried stare then whispered to her, "Do you think it is necessary to be here...?" The wind clanner fell silent when the deep bass filled his ears and echoed through the cavern. He quirked his gaze down the passage and stood ready for an otherworldly assault.

[Midnightmoon]

"No, we can find smaller spawn that won't-" Akari was cut short when the gong sounded down into the area. It reminded her of the large bell that resided in the temple to sound warning of inmpending battle. The sound repeated, slow and low. By the end eight strikes had issued.

(ooc: will add to later)

[Nohiki]

"They are insane, and that's crazy man talking." Loki chipped in while raising his hand. The sight of talking corpses creeped even him out a little. Then the gongs rang. "eheheh, what's happening, and shouldn't we be fleeing?"

[Midnightmoon]

(Ooc: ok, i'm gonna try to string along this story till morty gets back, if no one has a problem with that or has no other ideas. So here's mine; each gong equals different dimensions, the fewer and fewer that sound means that the closer hell on earth is coming and onces it hits a final crash it's the end of the line. So, each time they hear a series of bells they (-the chacters) get inavertidly "pushed" (subtly or not) into a new realm with different challenges. So one could be underwater while another could be in a floaty no gravity dreamland, as examples)

The bells hadn't even fadded when an yipping laughter started up, first on it's own, then joined by others, then quieted. A dark lanky form slinked into sight, it's eyes flashing reflected light. The laughter started again and it was flanked by more of them. "Most definitely!" Akari didn't want to fit the pack of creatures that reminded her or the cruel jackels back home. Spinning away from them she started down the tunnel they cane from and went down the first turn she came across. The stone turned to brush and within a few steps she seamed to be now running through a forest, with the creatures chasing them in the darkness.

[Kauria]

The sound of footsteps shot through the brush, broad leaves whupping with the pack's passing. Then all grew quiet, too quickly, and only the sound of insects and far-off birds filled the humid air. The laughter started again, wicked spikes of sound punctuated by high, echoing yips, and a dark shape sprang onto the path in front of Akari. Dozens of glowing eyes opened in the darkness behind it.
"What have we here?" the creature asked in a low, flat voice that crackled with the sound of a malicious smile. Too many teeth shone from the shadow of the creature's narrow head. "New flesh? How ever did you morsels find your way here?"
More eyes glimmered from the forest on all sides. They were surrounded.

[Midnightmoon]

Akari was made to skid to a stop. She crouched down and mantled her wings. "None of your concern, dark spawn." She snarled, bluffing her savagness. "Now scatter before we rend you to fleshy mulch."

[Zetherus]

"Is there a plan here or are we going to start firing at any moment?" hissed Hashin as he showed his teeth at the surrounding eyes appearing around the group. He was also looking for escape exits, but found non, so he sticked close to the priestess awaiting the carnage.

[Kauria]

"My, aren't we the brave one. You've got power." The crimson gleam of the creature's mouth stretched into an even wider grin. It flickered closer to the group like a giant snake and strained its head toward Akari's. "But so do we," it hissed. "Your secrets. Our eyes see them, the deepest ones. No room to hide. They're our power now, and unless you wish to have them spilled, you'll trade us one more. How did you get here?" More creatures emerged from the forest on all sides, oily reddish shadows tensed to attack, eyes and teeth and claws shining in the moonlight. "Anyone else care to share?"

[Nohiki]

Loki was intrigued. Apparently this world was inhabited by beings of shadow, who's power was up for grabs. Unfortunately, they looked like they will not be drained willfully. He let out an agitated howl. "Enough already!" He growled, "All you said so far are riddles, questions, inquiries and ta ta ta ta ta! My head hurts!" He squeaked, gathering his powers. His threshold was crossed, and the decision has been made. Those creatures are going down to make his magic stronger.

[Zetherus]

Hashin dropped his ears and looked at the demon in front with a tiresome look. "Why don't you pansies go torment a diseased cat," he took a step forward opening both his wings with a grim smile, "or I could just cut you down a few feet if you want?" Followed by a laugh after generating wind around his feathered body. The wind flowed to the ridge of his wings then formed a wind like blade formation on the outer edge.

[Midnightmoon]

"Yes riddles, and secrets. The riddles will be found and the secrets will remain hidden. You were warned and people will wonder of the secret of your demise." Akari ended with a snarl and a lunge foreward to snap at the creature that confronted her. She had had just about enough of all the demons and their bargening. The demon slipped back, yipping which the others followed suit. "Flesh and bone and secrets of the mind, with our eyes seeing, nothing can hide." They chanted mockingly. They scattered and reformed like fish in a pond. Every time Akari made for a slash at one others would gather around to take their turn at her. The same tactic was being employed to the others. Finally she caught one beneath her feet and dispached it with a blow to it's inky neck, but received half a douzen bites in return from it's fellows.

[Nohiki]

Loki watched the unfolding scuffle. The girl was winning from the beginning, but then received a few nasty bites. He jumped in, opening his jaws and aiming carefully. He let out a deep, long breath. Green cloud of liquid fire shot out of his mouth and wrapped itself around one of the demons. The dark creature let out a terrible scream as it melted away until it finally poofed into green light and smoke.

[Zetherus]

Hashin let out a snarl as he unleashed his wind power at the hoard slicing through them like thin blades of grass. "I warned you beasts." he blurted then took to the air to initiate his own ariel attacks. The demons tried their hardest to attack the wind dragon, but his speed was unmatched as he sliced and pummeled them dead with his swift moves through the open space.

[Kauria]

One of the demons fell apart, cleaved by a blast of wind sharper than a knife. Its bisected halves reached for each other with sticky tendrils of shadow, but they twitched and fell limp with a wet hiss. In an instant, another creature had leapt over its fallen comrade and shoved off the ground to snap at Hashin.
Others wormed up trees, melting up the pathways of bark like sludge. They gathered themselves in the jungle canopy, tensed and watching the struggle below.
The demons around Akari scattered, yipping in fear and fury. They drew back to examine Loki and the new threat he presented.
"You are not who you wish you were," one spat venomously at him, its long face contracted into a snarl. It swiveled its head to meet Akari's eyes. "Who you know you should be." Its grimace relaxed, muzzle dripping over its teeth once more. "How fortuitous that you two should meet." It dipped down into the mass of writhing demons who at once surged forward, running a tightening, taunting ring around the two dragons. "I think," came a voice filled with laughter from somewhere in the dark mass, "that it's time to share some secrets!"
The monsters in the branches above seemed to drop from the sky, half of them seeking to pin Hashin, the others coming from above Akari and Loki.
In that same moment, above the screaming and yelping, came the mental assault from the ring of demons, at once battering like a hammer and prying like a knife.

[Midnightmoon]

Akari tried to jump foreward to get at the leader, but had barely gotten a step when dozens of them landed on her. She yelped as claws dug in between scales and teeth latched on cracking through. She spun in a panic and some flew off but most still clung. She then stumbled to the side when the demon hounds attacked from an altogether new angle; a mental barrage. "Mind the goddesses passion, her protection a double edged sword of burning love and blinding rage. Those who turn away will be lost..." She started to blabber blindly as she tried disipline her mind to repel them. But there were to many, they were starting to peak. She tried to spin again and tumbled down to disapear beneath them.