[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]

...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?

[oathbreakers]

[It's true, he hasn't. But Riku hasn't thought about that; he's young and immortal, right?

He's pleased to see that Xanth is taking some initiative, so he comes over to the door, reaching out to knock on it. Couldn't hurt, right?]

All right, sounds good to me. Keep your sword ready.

[Riku reaches out to take hold of the doorknob, looking to Xanth.]

You ready?

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

[oathbreakers]

[Riku twists the knob and, barring any resistance, opens the door.]

[elegante-masks.livejournal.com]

[Behind this door sits a lacquered wooden altar; a prayer inscription is carved into the glossy wood in what appears to be Latin. Upon the altar sits several rows of candles, unlit but with previously melted wax dripping down the sides and over the edge of the altar in thin, brittle lines.

Across the walls are ornate stained-glass windows depicting various scenes; a woman with a child on her knee, a man speaking from atop a mountain, a nude couple walking within a luscious garden. However, most of the glass pieces are blood red, so it may be difficult to discern what exactly the figures are unless one moves closer to examine them.

On either side of the room sits two sets of pews, red carpeting dividing them through the center and leading up to the altar itself.]

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

Is... i-is that... all?

[oathbreakers]

[Riku laughs, but he can't deny that he's a little bit relieved too. He doesn't know what he was expecting, but this? This is something he can play off, easy.]

What were you expecting? Come on, not everything is a trap.

[Riku strides into the room without another word, reaching out in an attempt to grab Xanth by the shirt collar and pull him after, heading for the altar. He'll check out the windows after he's examined that thoroughly, but there's gotta be something interesting to find up there!]

[elegante-masks.livejournal.com]

[Unfortunately it doesn't look like it. There's a box of matches behind the candles on the alter with which to light one or more, but little else.]

[brittlenerves.livejournal.com]

Well-- guh!

[oathbreakers]

[Hey, cool, those might come in handy. Riku takes the matches, shoving them into one pocket, then looks over at the candles. Nothing too interesting there, so he checks out the rest of the altar, running a thumb over the inscription, then starts over toward the windows.]

Anything interesting?

[elegante-masks.livejournal.com]

[The windows don't reveal anything new. All in all, the room seems fairly harmless.]