[008//Audio] Time for a ~*Magnificent Adventure*~!

[oathbreakers]

[For once, Riku's doesn't sound like he's smirking at the comm.]

Hey, Xanth.

[Wait. Hasn't something like this happened before?]

Meet me on the flower deck. Ten minutes. Got it?

[...oh, dear.]

Comments

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

R-Riku, I-- I'm n-not going to f-fight you.

[oathbreakers]

[Wait--huh? Riku for a moment looks a little bit surprised, but then he actually laughs aloud.]

Who said anything about fighting? C'mon, Xanth. We're going to the temple. Keeping a sword on you is good habit, that's all.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

W-Why? I mean, it-- it's j-just a t-temple. I've never seen one th-that was v--very, uh, e-exciting.

[oathbreakers]

[Riku shrugs, swinging the sword over his shoulder and starting off towards it. You coming, Xanth?]

Well, who knows? Maybe this one'll be better. We'll never know by just looking at it.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

...I-I guess.

[oathbreakers]

You'll see. Just leave it all to me.

[Riku leads the way aaaaaall the way up to the temple. It's big and all earth browns and rust reds and is just completely unlike anything there ever was back on the islands. It kind of reminds him of Agrabah, though the colors seem a bit muted in comparison.

Riku spends a couple minutes checking out the outside of the temple--touching the stone, checking it over--but the exterior of the temple isn't what he came here to see.

So after a moment more, Riku motions Xanth on and heads inside.]

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

[oathbreakers]

[Riku doesn't spend too long in the main area of the temple--he scuffs his shoes over the brick, testing them, and examines the altar pretty thoroughly, but there's nothing -too- strange about the area that he can tell. It's the side corridors that have his attention. What is it that lurks in the -rest- of the temple?

He looks back to Xanth, completely at ease. Come on, Xanth, don't seem so nervous--this is fun!]

Any preference?

[Nope, doesn't seem so. Riku waits while Xanth checks out both of the passages, chewing on his lip, but the other boy only shrugs.]

All right, then... let's try this one, first.

[Riku leads the way down one of the corridors, checking it out as they go. It's not really that interesting--until they get to the stairs. Long, dark, and winding, it's obviously leading somewhere. Riku grins at this, one hand unconsciously checking his sword by his side, then looks back to Xanth.]

Now this is more like it! Let's go see what's down there.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

Uh-- y-you sure? There, uh, there's s-still another h-hallway to look th-through...

[oathbreakers]

[Don't be a pansy, Xanth, just because it's a dark winding staircase doesn't mean there's anything to fear! Riku trots down a few steps before glancing back up to Xanth, that same grin still on his face.]

Why not? If we don't find anything interesting down here, we can always go back and try the other one. But if we turn back now, we'll never know what's down there.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

...f-fine. L--Lead the w-way.

[oathbreakers]

[Riku laughs.]

There's nothing to worry about--you'll see!

[And with that, he's heading down the stairs! Are you coming, Xanth?]

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

[oathbreakers]

[Not much at the end of this path. Riku kneels, running a hand over the carved letters around the pit's edge, listening to the sounds of the water below. There's a cold air drifting up from the pit, and he can't help but wonder how cold the water below is.

Still, there doesn't seem to be anything else within the area--no doors to lead them to another area, no nothing. Just the pit. And while on the islands he might have been willing to jump into a pit like that, he's definitely not about to do so here without at least a line to pull himself back with. So Riku checks out the area, going over it thoroughly, and then looks back to Xanth.]

Looks like we won't be finding anything here unless we decide to brave that pit. Wanna try the other hall first and see if there's something interesting there?

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

Y-Yeah, let--let's do th-that.

[oathbreakers]

[Oh, Xanth, where's your spirit of exploration? Riku follows him back up through the stairs, down the corridor, and back out into the main room of the temple. But they're not stopping there; Riku again slides forward to take the lead as they head down the other corridor.

This is going to be pointless if they don't talk at all.]

So how long have you been on this boat, anyways?

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

Uh... a--a while. Maybe... ...s-six months? A--Almost s-seven.

[oathbreakers]

So a while, then. And you don't know what's in this place? [Riku is quiet a moment as he contemplates this, then shakes his head.] Man, people don't care much about what's around them, huh?

[As they're speaking, they cross into the other hallway--at first, this one is much like its twin, but quickly becomes something else entirely. It doesn't darken, but instead they come across a flight of cement stairs, lit only by bare lightbulbs hanging from the ceiling. The effect is very abandoned, and Riku can feel the eeriness of the hall prickle over the back of his neck.

-This- is going to lead them somewhere.]

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

W-Well, I-- I do c-care! It's j-just...



...h-here, you-- you need t-to know when not t-to mess w-with things and-- and w-when not to go r-running around where y--you m--might get k-killed.

[oathbreakers]

[Makes sense. But still!]

Yeah, but how will you ever find out anything without taking a chance?

[The little hairs on the back of his neck are on end. Riku feels fantastic; he -lives- for this stuff. He stops to examine one of the portraits on the wall, a woman with a circle around her head. There's something peaceful about the picture, even though the very fact that it's down this abandoned hallway makes it eerie.

But the picture cannot hold his interest very long; there's only so much to examine there! Riku moves on, finding a wooden door. He looks down the hall and sees that the pattern continues, portraits on the walls and doors dotted here and there.

Riku looks back to Xanth with a grin.]

Looks like we've found something interesting.

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

Riku-- y-you weren't there, b-but-- a while ago, s-some people who-- they w-went exploring, i-into Spec--Spectacular Spec--te-- th-the theater. And th-they released a-a whole lot of t-trouble.

[oathbreakers]

[-That- actually makes Riku take notice and pause. He stops, turning back to face Xanth fully.]

But that's gone now, right? Even if there is something there, it's better to know rather than be taken by surprise.

[But he's not moving on. Not yet.]

Are you really that afraid?

omg teal deer

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

N-- No. You-- you're r-right.

no such thing!

[oathbreakers]

[Riku hasn't died yet, but he's thrown himself headfirst into hell for what he wanted, and he can't fathom turning back because he's scared. If he's afraid, that's even more reason to face it.

And he's kind of glad that Xanth is steeling himself like this.]

That's more like it. You'll never get anywhere by standing still.

[That's his version of encouragement. Riku continues down the hall, passing by a couple more paintings, a couple more doors.]

What do you think? Any one in particular?

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

Th--this one, I-I guess?