Jin walks over to Ash and takes the sheath for the rat's blade, strapping it to his leg and placing the dagger away. "This bald jerk keeps trying to have Anyka to kill the pathetic thing." Jin says with disgust. "If anyone here knows anything about magic see if you can figure out whats in the box, maybe we can heal these two with those stones. "
She looks at Tikkle and sighs, "I'm sorry for yellin atcha like that....I just don't want you to do something you'll be sorry for later. You're my friend and I'm just tryin to look out for ya. We are in a very stressful situation right now, so we have to all stick together. Don't worry bout the little Panya, he can't hurt anyone anymore...besides, he's unconscious now. Let's just concentrate on getting outta here for now okay?"
She looks back at Ash and Jin, "I don't know anything about magic stuff...maybe one of the others? I'm not sure about leaving without taking care of the, what did Rizzle call him....the Piper? We shouldn't leave him....he'll just go after someone else."
Ash nods.
"Sure. I more meant leave the room, not wherever…we are…."
To Jin, not very diplomatically.
"Exactly. He seems somewhat grim. What's his name? Never mind. Sometimes someone has to take the first step."
Ash turns to Pharnox and points to himself.
"Ash. You? he says pointing to Pharnox.
Nodding Gashka gets an impish grin, "Ah, I see....this place is dank and I don't like it. We need to see if something can be done to help the others that are weak first though, or some of us might have to stay here to make sure nothing happens to them. We may need to split up, I'm not too good at stayin quiet so....any thoughts?"
"I'd rather leave this Piper to the adults. What's stopping him from using the magic that got us all down here again?" Jin says.
"When we leave as long as the noisy ones are far enough back and follow the scouts lead we can get by ok. Besides if we can't get these two back on their feet someone is going to have to carry them."
----
Terra gets up.
his name is Pharnox, and he recommends that those that know how to be sneaky go ahead and scout.
Terra goes toward the door to leave and cracks it open peering out.
Gashka thinks for a bit on what Jin is saying, "Okay, I see your point about the Piper, but if we run into him we may not have a choice. It might be a good idea to see what's around nearby that we can use. I don't know...just feelin antsy I guess. This whole place....it gives me the creeps." She rubs her arms even though she isn't cold.
Flynt, still holding the box, asked, "Anybody have a clue what these are?"
"Not a clue." Jin says. "But we have someone who does, we just have to wake him up first."
She nods and walking over to the cell she put the rat in, looks at Ash, "Hey, open it but only I go in. Once I'm inside, close and lock the door. I'll get him to wake up and answer all of our questions. Then we can leave him locked up in here while we make our escape."
Pharnox emphasizes with his finger's the debilitated children and teenagers the rat dragged in...
Ego novi morbi, ut affligeret te oderant mechanism, quod est simile, et hoc dicite mihi, ut suspicor a tyranno possent oculi ... ad mille excessus habet, et facit ut unum ingrata et defensus facultatem oculis humida utraque oculi, qui ex illa facultate vel in signum, perdet robur et vigorem. Non est, quod omnes effectus sint in instanti, ut a veneno, solutus est in mechanism, quod illis similia sint, est quia non in vero est fons ignoratur ...
I think I know the mechanism of the ailment that afflicts your compatriots , my suspicions tell me it is similar to the ability of an eye tyrant... The aberration has eleven eye stalks and produces a unique offensive or defensive ability with each eye, one of those abilities saps the strength or vitality of the target. It is not a poison as all it's effects are instantaneous, the mechanism at least for what has debilitated them is similar it's source however is unknown...
Illud nescio quid dicis oculus me? Quando ita est, quomodo nos sanari?
I have no idea what it is you are talking about, Eye Tyrant? If that is what it is, then how do we heal it?
Pharnox looks at Vall, his voice is blunt and brutal he makes no effort to make his tone of voice comforting...
Signa autem sunt similia, in causa est, quod nesciatur est oculus: et hoc ideo, quia receptum est in tyrannidem, nisi bene ... sed unus militum protocollo statuit conducentes oculi tyrannum cum nimio vi. Quod significat: ascendit sclopetis, bombardae manu, et per ignem alchemical tormenti possit trahi possunt, quae sola fefellitus .. etiam tunc bene terminatae oculi tyrannum cum minimal damnum vitae, si ita sit, non est certum, ... non videt tyrannidem pugnare, neque aliud mors erit. Quid enim copia suppetat mederi multum processit, dolum facerent medicina, alchimia et ... Sed eget mundi ambitum sterilis diebus requiescere lecto. Haec non potest sine illis mederi, sed sana et vivida pueri et adulti sanaturi sint naturaliter non ædificabitis duri forma ...
The symptoms are similar, the source is unknown if it is an eye tyrant that did this then retreat is the only option... Military protocol stipulates that one should only engage a eye tyrant with excessive force. Which means mounted rifles, hand bombards, alchemical fire and every artillery piece that can be hauled in... Even then odds of successfully terminating the eye tyrant with minimal loss of life are not certain... If this is an eye tyrant do not fight it, death is the only thing that will occur. As for healing this depends greatly on what resources are available, advanced alchemy and medicine can certainly do the trick...However this requires a clean, sterile environment and days of bed-rest. Without these things healing them will be impossible, a healthy and hale adult could heal naturally but these are children and they are likely not of hardy build nor form...
Studiously ignored by the elf, Ash shrugs and walks away to the cell to open it for Gashka.
"Well he certainly is pleasant. After you milady…" He locks the door after Gashka enters.
Gashka smiles shyly at Ash, her tusks slightly showing, "Thank you...I just need to wake him up and see if he can tell us anything useful. About the box, his master, a way outta here....I'll take whatever information we can get." Turning she walks over to where the rat lay unconscious and sits down next to him. She unties the gag from its mouth and tries to wake him by shaking him a little.
"Hey Rizzle, wake up."
As the conversations and arguments go on around her, Anyka finds herself locked in a battle with herself. A part of her abhorred the idea of killing the ratman, especially after he had passed out from fear. Another part of her, the angry part of her wanted to make him bleed, make him suffer for whatever ha'd done to Narima, was planning to do to the rest of them, and must have done to countless other kids in the past.
The dark elf annoyed her, on some level she knew he was manipulating her, but that didn't change the fact that what he said made sense. Her mother had once told her that what seemed right and wrong could change depending on what was important, and how much danger you were in and for the first time she understood.
Pharnox studies Anyka and then notices something about her, her form suggested exceptional agility... He spoke in (or at least tried to) a graceful and diplomatic voice...
Satis esse videris Anyka mobilis figura atque decorum est furtim videris tibi posse, si ipse mecum reputarem dispositas speculatorias socio ad latus ... Si bene me movet, arma tibi possum tibi ostendere quae numquam antea viderunt velit ...
Anyka you seem to be quite agile, your form is very graceful and you look like you can be stealthy, if you would join me in the scouting I would consider myself to have a good ally at my flank... If you impress me, I can show you weapons the likes of which you have never seen before...
Revision: Tikkle was reaching through the bars preparing to break his neck.
"what? He's gonna get out and come back for us. I'm just tryin to make sure we get out of here..." Sensing the others dismay, he lets the rat go. His natural curiosity kicked in at that point and he went to the box.
Anyka looks at the bald dark elf, not trusting him, yet intrigued. He definitely understood the situation better than some of the others. "Bene, ego vobiscum."
Pharnox nods his head at Anyka respectively and speaks...
Antequam ulterius signum lingua modicum et quia falli nollent, noli me ipsum tibi exprimo multorum consilio, et huiusmodi. Haec sunt etiam signa, quæ patitur communicare, ratio, consilium et exsequendam basic impetus, et non loqui. Silentium est momenti, observetur, ut signa ostendere manu ...
Before we can proceed you need to learn a little bit of sign language, don't worry I am not explaining advanced tactics and engineering to you or the like. These are simple signals that will allow us to communicate, plan and execute basic attacks and tactics without speaking. Silence is of paramount importance, watch closely as I demonstrate the hand signals...
Ash has had enough of the elf's constant babble.
"Enough. Tell him to shut up or I'll gag him too. I have no idea what he's saying but you all are talking a great deal to him. How do we know we can trust him. Anyka, Terra, Jin - is he on the level or is he mad? What is he suggesting?"
I can't leave those two alone.
Jin turns to the conspiring pair and says.
He looks to Ash and replies. "He's definitely mad but he seems skilled. We'll need him to get out of here. Unfortunately. He want's to scout ahead with Anyka and I'm going too."
Pharnox studies Jin and speaks authoritatively...
Ut si tuam occidere parebit hoc bellum est vitae acie. Si mors sit amet error unum hoc quod est in tempore quod est occidere te, et non sine haesitatione venissent ... Aliud est victoria sunt: tantum in bello salutem. Capis?
Only if you can obey the order to kill, this is war, this is the battlefield of life. If we make one mistake death is likely, this means that when the time comes to kill as it must you will do so without hesitation... Anything else and you aren't coming along, this is war and the only objectives are victory and survival. Do you understand?
"Oh, really. Fine. Who does that leave here?" Ash does a quick headcount.
"Tikkle, Gashka, Terra."
"Well I guess there's no point me going, coz you'll all just sing your pretty songs and I wouldn't understand you. Anyway, stay safe. Lady Ice and the gabbler should be able to handle themselves in a fight. Also, keep an eye on him."
Jin glares at the dark skinned elf but does not respond to his demands.
He turns back to Asho once again. "I'm sorry 'bout that, Ash. It seems he doesn't speak in the common tongue." Jin leans close to Asho and whispers.
"Ille quoque peritissimus ille veniat." Anyka says, her tone making it clear that it was non-negotiable. Looking at Asho she nods.
"We need to be quick and stelthy and he appears to be both. We'll be back soon."
Pharnox sighs in exasperation and hopes that this is not a mistake...
Et hoc tamen intelligendum est, si ruinam suam stulticiam, quod auxilium non solum vivat homo vult ... Possum etiam debet adiuvare se posse per manus signa ... silentium est principium. ..
Very well, understand however that if his own foolishness is his downfall that I will not save him... I can only help a person willing to help themselves... He must also be able to use the hand signals, silence is paramount...
Jin smiles and nods to Anyka before once again turning his attention to the elf.
Pharnox gazes at Jin and his face shows absolute contempt...
Ut per mortem signis manuum ignorando, tunc nihil facit quod dicis tu parasitum nostris iter in dandis ... Si vos reperio vestri in tribulatione bonorumque mei minoribus, hoc est quod stultum et infirmum tamquam umbra super liceat mollis florere? Nam satelles est mus, non magister. Quidquid tibi de statu processus ferre solebant ex amicis maxime peritus sit intelligens et veneno venenum faciens ... Etiam optimum immutandi aegre dimittere venenum quod adeo et certis temporibus certa condicione sunt. Hoc scio, quia ego ipse sum veneno confici, praesertim diversis ex somno ... Hanc hostis vivus est impossibile, ut vivant, et non sint nisi quam fortis ...
By ignoring my hands signs you may as well commit suicide, by doing what you suggest you are nothing more then a parasite traveling in our company... If you find yourself in trouble aiding you will be the least of my priorities, is this world above the Deeps so soft that the weak and foolish are allowed to flourish? As for the rat he is a minion, not a master. Whatever processes were used to bring about the condition of you friends had to result from a skilled and intelligent being especially if it is poison... Even the best poison maker will find it hard to alter a poison to such an extent that it will release at specific times and under certain conditions. I know this because I have crafted poison myself, mostly of the sleeping variety... Taking this foe alive is an impossibility, they are simply too strong to let live...
Ash nods to Jin's suggestion while staring at the dark elf.
"Understood. Not a problem."
Jin sprouts a wide grin before his retort to the dark one.
Jin raises his voice at the end and points to the door.
Pharnox looks at the strange being before him and speaks rapidly, his voice is logical, ruthlessly picking apart any weak points...
Qui locus operating sub hoc dato quod dominus sana et in hoc genere non prorsus derro est Derro et dolum facerent ... De profundis et adducent eos in aliquem " officinarum " illi subjicere omnia vana taetros experimentis. Is percunctanti, quid faciunt, cohaerentia loqui linguis perdi habent sanitatis dementia non modo causa . hoc est , si quid tale magistrum ? Quid velint amens interrogare ? Et relicto vestigia sanguis meus dominantur omne genus illud, cum omnes modi in animo corpus possit , gerit votum et ... concedatur , sed non ut ad disappearances nota sit manserit in muris demum animadversa ? Sed movere ieiunium , iaculis quis accipit, armis , et immolabit eam in via of questus tela , praesertim mea ... pistol , gladium , si possit , quod a nobis erit, ut aequo proelio ... A , a , a pistol headshot in puncto blank range usque ad verticem non interficiam , aut pravis ullis disable , aut struere hostem ...
You are operating under the assumption that the master of this place is sane, the derro certainly aren't and this sort of thing is something they would do... The Derro will kidnap anyone in the Deeps and bring them to their "laboratories", they will subject them to all manner of hideous and pointless experiments. When questioned as to why they do this they babble incoherently in the tongue of the aberrations, they have no sanity, no reason only madness. What will you do if the master of this place is like that? What will you do, try to interrogate the insane? As for not leaving a blood-trail my people have mastered every conceivable way of doing that, along with every method of corpse disposal one could envision... I concede your point to the disappearances being noticed but won't the rat's disappearance be eventually noticed? We have to move fast, grab weapons and slaughter anyone who gets in the way of getting those weapons... Especially my pistol, if we can get that weapon we will possess a way to equalize the battlefield... A headshot from a pistol at point blank range to the head will kill or disable any non aberrant or construct foe...
"by the way I'm real good at sneaking, and I wanna scare some more panyas if I can... but the Rat said this box will help scalyface over there."
As Jin listens to the apparently psychotic elf ramble on about strange things an unnatural breeze radiates around the young boy.
Jin turns to the group. "This jerk wants to kill everything in sight and to hell with the consequences. He's talking non-sense and he's going to get us all killed."
"Puer, futurum est, vel etiam rudibus explorata res est hic? Deinde alii alios poteris" Anyka says rolling her eyes.
Pharnox as he finishes speaking shakes his head at the being called Jin and motions to the others in the room, he will ask Anyka to tell him who they are...
Quod ipsam rem attinet, quibus parere necesse est intelligamus aut manu ... Silentium significationibus hic sit amet , commodo loquor monere se subtrahit . Consilio aut notitia valde iniquum sit amet cerebrum excedit facultatem naturalem qui est ... Si libenter accipiunt munera cerebri per tempus alchemical sumptumque modo emendare ...
Facere ex eo quantum volo , duabus habebitis . Prima est, quod diutius hic fiunt deteriores , quod sit superadulta , secundus homo marcidus salutaris hic duo . Essentia et vita ejus , si sit simile siphoned venenum in gemmis et modis omnibus , ut sint nobis ... mortuum non potest : omnis hora , eduxit eum scire ex nativitate. In itinere est de hoc, ubi umbra mortis lux orta est orbem in tonitruo , et firmamentum, et cedit Titaniaque ostendimus multis . Non vult mori, et venerunt. Erat autem spelunca , si posset a se saepe in cuniculos aut altis commodo ... qui predonum
Quod si quis ad illa duo , et ceteri omnes morimur prius erit quid est? Me et te, et in periculum , quia non est Anyka saltem cognoscere signa manus , loquendo signum in manu nostra positum non . Si tunc non recipiunt hoc tendunt ad maneat "saucius ' a MANIPULUS Egeo qui ante fuerat in . Qui intelligit reliquos ... unionem non requiritur , huic et dolor elit.
The fact of the matter is you must obey the hand signals or at least understand them... Silence is key here, speaking to warn each other gives away our position. Your understanding of tactics and strategy is either deeply flawed or it is beyond your brain's natural capabilities... If that is the case I will gladly take the time and expense to improve your brain's functioning through alchemical means...
I want out of this place as much as you do, you must face two realities. The first is that the longer we stay here the worse it gets, the second is that the two debilitated beings may be beyond saving at this point. If this is akin to poison and their life essence is being siphoned into the gems by whatever means then they may be dead within hours for all we know... You can't save everyone, Drow know this from birth. During the journey from the Deeps to this land where an orb of light arises upon the ceiling and then gives way to a pale orb and twinkling points we lost many. We didn't want them to die, but they did. Often we couldn't save them whether it was a cave in or the predators that stalk the tunnels of the Deeps...
If you allow these two beings to take priority over the rest of us and we all die what will it be for? You endanger both me and Anyka by refusing to at least learn the hand signs, speaking gives away our position hand signs do not. If you cannot accept this then stay here and tend to your "wounded", I need someone who has been in a squad before. Someone who understands that to survive unity of purpose and focus is required... You do not fit this criteria.
It takes Jin all of his will power to contain his anger toward the elf.
"... callous pile of trash!" he finishes in the common tongue.
Jin makes a sweeping gesture to Nate and Narima. "He's wiling to leave them to die because they're inconvenient!" he shouts. Jin's emotions clearly getting to him.
Between Gashka and the arguing boys, Rizzle awakens, eyes twitching left and right. After some questions, he begins talking rapidly. "Stones used to take essence for master. To fix lizard, place glowing one on chest. Please don't kill me! Rizzle not want to die!"
Flynt comes up to the bars, "What about my brother?! Will one of these fix him?!"
Shaking his head, Rizzle responds, "No, essence of those three already given to master. They no die, just weakened for now. Master not kill children, just need little essence to stay breathing."
Nathaniel manages to stand, "He's right, I think, I do feel a lot better, but I don't think I can go anywhere." He looks at the other two whom are still unconcsious, "I don't know about them though."
Kicking the bars in frustration, Flynt moves over and puts the glowing stone on Narima's chest. The glowing rapidly spreads over her body and disipates. Soon her eyes open and she sits up. Noticing Anyka and the others freed, "Missstresss, you're free. How...?" The Nagaji puts her hand to her the side of her head, "Oh, my head hurtss."
During the entire bickering session in elven, (which Terra was listening but not commenting on), Terra has been by the door keeping watch for approaching captors or whatever may be out there.
Gashka, while trying to ignore the impotent dark one, looks Rizzle in his eyes. "We will not kill you, but we need to know how to get out of here. If I promise that no harm will come to you, can you show us the way out, or would your master know?"
She looks over at Jin, "Try to relax, we're not going to let that goat dropping leave them here. He's not in charge of what goes on here. If he wants to go kill things, then let him. If you want to go scouting, then do so, but please...be careful and come back. If he starts trouble, leave him there. While you're gone I'll get as much information from Rizzle as I can. Be safe." She nods respectfully to Jin and Anyka before turning her attention back to Rizzle.
Immediately ignoring the bickering pair,Anyka rushes to Narima's side giving the Nagaji girl an emphatic hug. "Jin was able to pick the lock. What did they do to you? How do you feel?"
Before asking more questions she looks up at Ash, "I think it would be better if you stayed here Ash. Since he finally woke up, can you let me out of here? I can ask him my questions from outside the cell." She then looks at Tikkle, "I know you thought you were helping, but we still need him. He might know things that can help us get outta here. Do me a favor and check on the other two kids okay? Check and see if they are still breathing and if they are, please try to wake them up...carefully." She gets up and goes over to the cell door, turning she looks at Rizzle. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you out of there. For your own safety I think it best you remain in the cell for now until we have some more answers."