The Search and the Journey

[Epiphany]

The hot mid-day sun was blinding against the white sands of the Aidoney dessert, one of the least traversed desserts outside of Rhy'din. Vegetation and any sign of life was sparse here due to the sickening hot temperatures that abounded when she sun was up and the dessert having a nullification against magic.

The rising and falling dunes of sand appeared to go on as far as anyone could see in either direction and the humid wind that blew made quick work of any tracks. To navigate the Aidoney, even the simplest navigation tool was welcomed. Although, the two females who were currently trekking forward in the sand had none.

Susan was tired. Her lips were parched from the climate and her skinny legs ached under the strain of the packs weight she carried upon her back. Clumsily her had reached for the water canister which hung from a corded rope at her side. Twisting open the top she drank more of the little water she had left. "Epi," came her plea through a still dry mouth. "Epi for God's sake, can we not go home? We've been in this dessert for days. We're lost, can you not see that? I'm starting to think we're going in nothing but circles."

"I can't see anything but sand, Suzi." came the reply of Epiphany, who, altogether, looked better off than her companion.

"That's because there's nothing here but sand. The old woman lied."

"She didn't lie. She's old and probably got her thinking confused." was Epiphany's rebuttal.

Not having the same belief as the other, Susan sighed, "That pendant you offered her would have made a Saint 'confused'." Switching out that word for 'lie' and stated in a mocking tone. She rolled her eyes and straightened her back, causing the few hanging jangles on the pack to jingle. "Can't we at least rest a little? I'm not made the same as you, you know."

The long and covering material wrapped about the arms and legs helped provide minimal protection against the hot sands Susan sat herself upon. Knees bent and arms hanging over them, she pulled the scarf up over her mouth and nose to avoid having sand enter, then hung her head away from the sun.

Epiphany did stop at the suggestion of her friend, but she did not sit down. Instead, she stood where she was and placed fist upon her hips as she looked out at the limitless dessert around them. 'If you know where you are going, you'll never get there.' That is what the old lady had told them and at first it made no sense. Epiphany knew what she wanted to find, and already didn't know where to find it, that's why she had gone to the old lady in the first place. But then she decided to stop trying to find the item and simply walk.

That's how they arrived in the dessert.

Susan didn't have to come, in fact, Epiphany had told her not to, but her friend was insistent. Truthfully, she was glad the other hadn't been dissuaded but now, as she turned around and saw her looking defeated in the sands, she wished she had stayed behind. Sometimes not being fully mortal had it's advantages.

The sand crunched lightly and sunk in as Epiphany walked to stand in front of Susan, positioning herself to block the sun from the other. "Here," she said as she pulled her canteen from it's strapping. "Let's trade. You need it more than I do." For extra measure Epiphany gave it a shake and, hearing the water slosh around the inside, Susan's hand was quick to claim the canteen for her own.

"We've been on this journey of yours for weeks, maybe months, and we're not any closer than we were when we started." Thanks to the water, Susan no longer had such a parched voice.

Epiphany held up a finger as she lowered down and sat in the sand. "We may not be any closer, but we're leaps and bounds away from where we started. Besides," putting down the finger and taking the near-empty canteen off of Susan, "how do you suppose we get home? I'm not magical and, even if I were, it would do no good here anyway."

"You could fly." The comment was nearly as dry as the sand. "We'd cover more ground that way and get somewhere."

"I suppose."

Susan knew that tone. It was one of disbelief and those words may as well have been a 'no'. Susan groaned and let herself fall sideways upon the sand, the backpack falling slightly off. "Dear Lord in Heaven, I'm doomed to wandered in the Aidoney until I die."

Just then, there was a rumble beneath them that caught both of their attentions.

"What was that?" Epiphany asked, looking around to see if she could see anything moving out in the sands.

No longer laying down, Susan was now sitting up and she shook her head. "I was hoping you could tell me."

Then it happened again, this time with a bit more force and the girls clung to each other as there was nothing else to hold on to. "This isn't good," said Susan.

"Don't say things like that!" Epiphany had to raise her voice as the rumbling grew in intensity. "It only makes things worse!"

The rumbling shifted the sands and the ground started to move. Epiphany's eyes grew wide as she came to a realization.

"We're sinking."

"What!"

"We're sinking! Up! Go! Move!" Epiphany shouted the words at her friend all the while trying to help her to her feet. As soon as they were up there was a loud crack and the ground they had been upon caved and the girls tumbled down into the black.

[Telguest]

The double crash from up above drew the attention from the inhabitants of the underground metallic structure. Everything there stopped and attention was drawn upwards towards the ceiling. Deathly still and silent it was now as the question that hung in the air of 'What was that?' drifted wordlessly.

Shuffling noises along the darkened corridor of the structure drew the inhabitants attention away from the ceiling and quickly turned them all to scatter back to whatever detail they had been on earlier. None of them wanted to appear lacking to the one who was approaching, the steady rhythm of hard heels upon metal rang out clear and cold.

"Who is going to tell me the origins of the disturbance?"

Silence was the response give. A response which was, in turn, responded to by new reverberations upon the metal from the heels. "No one?"

"Ceiling." The single word that was spoken lacked any of the normal humanoid qualities found in speech. That word was short and flat. Mechanized.

Now came the sound of nails upon metal, tapping out in a slow yet steady rhythm. "Three units, go investigate. Report back to me with your findings." The retreating sound of the heels was the only thing that spoke of that ones exit.

That was all it took before three units - two inhabitants made up a unit - left their stations and proceeded down the hall to the sound of whirls and rolling wheels.

[Epiphany]

Landing hard on something metallic was not ideal, but it was a lot better than continuously falling or landing on something sharp and deadly.

The two girls landed on the hard surface with a collection of *oof's* and groans. It was dark where they had landed, with the only light being what came from the hole they fell through. Susie coughed as she started u to her feet, the swirls of dust and sand kicking up in the air as they moved, and Epiphany only groaned a little as she rubbed at her side.

"Well now, at least we didn't fall very far," stated Epiphany as she looked up from where they came, hand over her eyes to shield a portion of the light.

Susan looked up to judge the distance as well before turning a shocking eye at her friend. "Not far? You call that not far? We're lucky - or at least I am - that we didn't break a bone from that fall!" It was hard to judge distance in the dark form where they were, but Susan knew that the distance was more than what they could reach with a jump. At least that is how she saw it.

She started to look back up at the hole when she had her attention stolen back to Epiphany, who was stomping on their current ground. Susan rushed over to her friend and grabbed Epiphany by the arm. "What are you doing?," she asked with a shocked tone in her voice. "We don't even know what this is!"

"And that's exactly why I'm doing it," Epiphany started to explain while still tapping her foot on the ground - though not as hard as before - and heard the faint sound it produced.

Epiphany gave her worried friend a pat on the hand. "It's hollow, don't you hear? Hollow, so may be something in there, a door, a shaft, something that we can take to get out of wherever it is we are now."

"It could be dangerous down there!"

"And standing here, in the near dark is just as dangerous," Susan opened her mouth to say something, but Epiphany held up a finger and continued to talk, "And I'd rather not be caught off guard if we've disturbed something and it's headed to the spot we landed. Now, come on."

Arguing would be useless, and Susan didn't want to be left behind so, with a reluctant sigh she followed Epiphany. They were already walking in low-light and, the further they walked, the less light was at their disposal. Susan only hoped that Epiphany knew what she was doing.

[Telguest]

From deep in the dark the sound of a hatch opening permeated the air and ended with a light *plunk* as something small was put against metal. Then silence. There was nothing. No sound or movement from whatever it was that had made the original sound.

Sitting in silence, like a hunter listening to prey, there was nothing. Nothing until the receivers of the inhabitants picked up the faint scuffling of shoes on metal. There was not anyplace for, whoever it was that was down here, to go. Aside from up. They could always go up into the sand above and the sky beyond.

Must be curious as to why - and what - this was.

The three units of inhabitants came through the hatch and proceeded forward to the click and whirl of wheels; a singular light from each of them was cast forward and lit the way as they went.

Forward and forward and forward the inhabitants traveled, their lights shining against the dark to reflect off of their rounded metallic shell. They were made of the same material as that of which they traveled. Three units of odd, metal-made creatures that were converging upon the two strangers who had somehow entered into their territory.

It would not take long before the beams of light stretched out and caught the intruders.

[Epiphany]

They had been walking for a while, but to Susan the time seemed endless and the darkness ever growing. She had even captured Epiphany's hand when it started getting darker. Susan's sight was only as good as any other ordinary human, but she knew full well about Epiphany's other side and the things moving around in her blood, it was no wonder why her friend was able to continue without much difficulty. Then again there wasn't much to see down there, not much at all as it was only an endless progression of darkness.

Neither of them spoke while they walked - both were listening for any type of change. That was, until, Epiphany stopped.

"What's that?" Susan asked. Their was light at the end of the darkness, one that was growing closer by the second.

Epiphany's sense of curiosity would normally urge her towards the light, but this didn't feel inviting. "We should run," she stated in a whisper that didn't go any further than her friends' ear.

"What happened to not being caught off guard!" Susan whispered harshly back. While she had been hesitant to start off, now she was just as hesitant to run. perhaps because it meant turning her back on whatever it was that was bringing the light.

The answer to her question came when that light was suddenly shining full on them. Appearing brighter in the blackness, the two girls were like deer in headlights. Epiphany swallowed hard, the sound of the inhabitants whirls and clicks resounding between her ears. She didn't know what it was behind the light, but it wasn't giving her a good feeling.

"We're already caught." Epiphany said.
"Maybe whoever it is can help," came the countering remark from Susan.

The light was only getting closer and the feeling Epiphany had for them to run only grew stronger and her skin began to crawl. Susan's hand was given a squeeze before Epiphany gave it a hard pull as she quickly turned and ran hard the other way, her friend being pulled along.

[Telguest]

{This post continues from "To See a Door" and ties the two threads together.}

Run. That would have been a good idea and something that they should have done before the light hit on them for now they would surely be caught.

The Inhabitants went into action. The whirls and clicks grew louder and the light that shone on the two girls grew in its intensity. Before another moment passed they were wheelings quickly towards the fleeting pair!

The metal ground was smooth, perfect for their wheels and it gave them optimum speed. The girls were getting closer and the group of Inhabitants produced nets. With a series of clicks they communicated amongst each other and prepared to capture. Just then, something strange happened and the sounds of someone falling echoed through the darkness. The Inhabitants paused, confused as to what this new sound could be.

Their 'eyes' turned upwards, a few of them that were positioned in the back, started to move away, back to the direction they came from. The others stayed, wanting to know what this new thing could be and if they could capture it. However, before they had time to respond, Armandeus fell out of the darkness, knocking a few of them over as he landed amongst them.

[Armandeus]

"Aaaaaaaaaaiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii!!!!" Armandeus had stepped through the darkness of the Door only to find himself falling through the air! Head over heels he tumbled, out of control, as he plunged into whatever lay waiting for him below. Down, down, and the strap of the bag he'd been carrying was coming loose giving it room to swing and sway until it came free altogether and fell away from him into the semi-darkness of below.

The elf wasn't far behind - The sounds of running upon the metal surface and the strange clicking that followed floated up to him and Armandeus barely had time to make sense of it all before he was falling into the middle of the strange creatures!

Ohhhh, what hit him? Armandeus groaned as he sat up, one hand coming up to rub against his head as he looked up to see ... strange metal trash cans? Where in the world had the Door sent him?

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