[orp]Trouble in the gold mine

[Paiten]

The mist floated up through the underground caverns on the eastern side of Imperious. The smell atrocious, the darkness fearsome and the sense of impending doom arrived with it. The danger arrived in the mines and many that worked ran for their lives as the sound of something gurgled within the mist and called out fear and dread. Paiten smelled the aroma and saw several people deeper in the gold mine running by and screaming for him to join them. He turned to see the mist creeping up slowly in the dark dank mine shaft that glitter with gold dust.

Unfortunately he had hidden lower in the cavern his large bottle of rum and had to retrieve it before evacuating. He took a pick axe and walked fearlessly into the darkness. He turned this corner and then another going further in the mine. The smell had increased tenfold and the sound was louder as if some animal was growling. He covered his nose and continued his curiosity peaked and his desire to not lose that flask high.

As he moved the rock and found the large flask he saw it. The red eyes glowed in the darkness the smoke escaped its mouth and a roar followed. He downed the flask and realized it was almost empty and it was a wasted trip to save that bottle. The creature seemed to be angered that he had not immediately left his lair and roared once more. Paiten jumped straight up in fear banging his head upon the ceiling and lay on the cavern floor. In that movement the pick axe was thrown and it landed on the head of the young creature.

When Paiten recovered himself he saw the creature had run off into the distance. You could still hear the growling and roaring of what seemed to be several creatures in the darkness.

He tripped over something and looked down; there was the body of someone who did not run in time. He saw a blond woman whose face that was contorted into a painful scream. The remainder of that unfortunate was terrible to view. He turned his head to empty his stomach contents. The legs were gone just the chewed bony remnants of what was once lovely appendages.

Turning he heard men running down the cavern. They must have heard of the creatures from those that evacuated.

[Azio-Florin]

Azio had heard the sound, fear had creeped up his spine. This mist, was cold. So very cold, it had sent shiver after shiver. He had heard a noise, a growl ? It had sounded faint, but he could feel the angry inside the growl. Azio had dropped his axe and had begun summoning his ice katana.

The force had sent him flying, had it been some kind of boar ? No bigger. Azio fell on his back as the thing ran down deeper into the tunnels of the mine.

"What in the faiths name was that..." he spoke quietly, Azio began walking in the opposite direction th creature had gone, until he stumbled apon a coprse. A womens corpse. Azio stepped back a few steps, the face... full of fear and pain.. had the creautre done this. He adjusted his eyes and saw someone esle. He had seen this person.. but never spoken to him.

"What was that thing ?" he asked quietly, thinking that the creature might come back if he spoke to loudly.

[Paiten]

"Im not sure some kind of reptile maybe a baby dragon. Maybe something else."

He found his pick axe on the ground and walked slowly toward where it ran off to.

"Lets go we cant let this thing out of here. We need to at least find out if there are more. By the way im Paiten. I am glad i am not down here alone anyway."

Paiten extended his hand to the man. Then looked down and removed his cloak to cover the poor woman.

[Azio-Florin]

Azio nodded, he looked away from the tormented body. He shook Paitens hand and smiled.

"Azio...Azio De Florin...I've never fought before but.." he summons his ice Katana and admires it for a second. "I have a bit of control over my ice powers....for a short time."

He followed Paiten, as they walked down the dark tunnels barely lit up by tiny candles Azio remembered a rumour his father had spoken of. Beware of the mines, darkness humidity and cover from the elements. Many mines are known to hold nests. Prehaps, prehaps this creature was a lone survivor of a nest. One which had diffrent tastes. Azio didnt know, he held his ice katana tightly and followed.

[Paiten]

The cavens twists and turns beyond all Paiten had journeyed. The air begin to get thick here and the candle light flicker casting shadows upon the cavern walls. Paiten was a bit unnerved as he continued following the heaving breathing of something moving quickly just ahead of them. Tripping over a something he laughed nervously and turned to Azio looking at what appeared to be a large egg shell.

"What the...? Look, there are more over there."

As he glanced around and grasped a candle to wave around attempting to make his view better. The room was littered with broken shells of various sizes and a large skin something out grew.

"By all the mages hold holy...there were a lot of younglins hatched here."

[Azio-Florin]

The scattered bones were there, and a ghostly remains of skins too. Azio looked horrified at the remains, he held his ice katana tighly. "Should we...not..get some help ?" as he spoke those last words, a tormented howl echoed through the tunnels, it was impossible to determine were the sound had come from. Azio quickly turned his head from one tunnel to another trying to see if he could see anything. Darkness utter darkness, and that low growl which seemed to sliver on the floor and up his spine. "......"

[Paiten]

Paiten moved the candle faster to insure that sound was not in this cavern. The light of the candle flickered out. He laughed nervously wondering where and what that sound was. His eyes adjusted to the gentle light of the single candle in the room and barely being able to see the exit he said..

"I think you are right. We should get help."

He reached down and picked up a bit of shell and piece of skin to bring back for examination. Maybe someone would know what the creature was.

[Azio-Florin]

Azio slowly nodded, he quietly moved behind Paiten.

"I'll follow you...."

[Paiten]

He turned toward what he hoped was the exit. The light was so low he was not quite sure which way with out his candle light. Heading down the corridor there seemed to be light ahead and he smiled to himself thinking he was almost to the exit.

These creature must not leave the cavern who knows what destruction they would cause in town or how many would be killed.

He had heard of many that had just seemed to disappear from town. Know one knew if they moved away or died. After seeing those remains in the cavern he knew what had become of them.

[Azio-Florin]

Azio shivered has he remembered the body.

"We need to inform the king ... or everyone in our towns to help us fight these .... those things !" Azio did his best to keep quiet but those last two words had mindlessly echoed with fear down the tunnels. A low growl emitted from behind them, echoing back. As if to tease them.

"....." Azio couldnt speak all he could do was constantly look behind him, thinking he would see gaint claws rip him down to shreds. He saw the light, his heart began to move faster. "Please let it be the way out.." he muttered.