Back in the ruined stables, Ruji flies in from nowhere to curl around Ryo's shoulders. His wings go up and the image shown between them shows a horrible scene. People impaled on spikes infront of buildings without doors, all at different stages of decomp.
Ryo tries to wave Ruji off. "Told you.. to stay behind.. Thanks for.. listening."
The effigy moves around, looking for a building that could have been a church or temple of some sort. Finding one, it moves to where the double doors should be, and prays it's pushing the one on the right.
The effigy moves around, looking for a building that could have been a church or temple of some sort. Finding one, it moves to where the double doors should be, and prays it's pushing the one on the right.
Aananda gasps as she watches Ryo push open the door of the refectory. "Oh no! That can't be the right one."
Thankful that the chains slow it down, the effigy slams the door shut and quickly runs away.
"Okay, I need to prayer harder next time."
Back at the stables..
"Okay, which door? You know any.. without firey trolls?"
"You see the really tall building in the center of the courtyard? The pyramid with all the steps? To the left of the stairs there is a door. You have to pull the gargoyle's ear and then the door will open."
Thankful that the chains slow it down, the effigy slams the door shut and quickly runs away.
"Okay, I need to prayer harder next time."
Back at the stables..
"Okay, which door? You know any.. without firey trolls?"
Tam quickly glances back to Aananda as he watches the events unfolding thanks to Ruji's ability.
"Did you see that...?"
She nodded, biting her lip.
"That was either a very clever illusion, or Chan is holding our mother prisoner. But why? I would have thought he would simply kill her...."
She nodded, biting her lip.
"That was either a very clever illusion, or Chan is holding our mother prisoner. But why? I would have thought he would simply kill her...."
"I don't know...we need to find out whether or not what we saw was real, then we can find out if that's your mother, or another dragon entirely."
She looked at him oddly. "Where would he get another dragon? He killed all of our siblings. Unless he's working with the time demon, he and our mother are the only other dragons left. Well, Ephebe is running around too, but we know where she is. Vaguely anyway."
She looked at him oddly. "Where would he get another dragon? He killed all of our siblings. Unless he's working with the time demon, he and our mother are the only other dragons left. Well, Ephebe is running around too, but we know where she is. Vaguely anyway."
"That may not be an amethyst dragon in there. It could be some other type entirely. I just don't want to jump to conclusions until we know more - whoever's in there (besides the troll) might not be friendly to us."
"You see the really tall building in the center of the courtyard? The pyramid with all the steps? To the left of the stairs there is a door. You have to pull the gargoyle's ear and then the door will open."
"Got it."
The Effigy runs through the city, trying to find another door. Unfrotunately, seeing as there are no visible doors, the running is for not. It goes toward the big 3-sided building, hoping a better vantage point will shed some light on the situation. Then it sees the gargoyle.
"Oh no, please don't let this be so cliche." It reaches up and pulls on both ears, not surprised when one moves down. It sighs dramtically. "It was. Like a bad mystery book, it was."
She looked at him oddly. "Where would he get another dragon? He killed all of our siblings. Unless he's working with the time demon, he and our mother are the only other dragons left. Well, Ephebe is running around too, but we know where she is. Vaguely anyway.""That may not be an amethyst dragon in there. It could be some other type entirely. I just don't want to jump to conclusions until we know more - whoever's in there (besides the troll) might not be friendly to us."
"You mean, he might have found a dragon from somewhere else...it's possible I guess. I mean, you found your way here. There may have been something else that used that gate or another one like it."
"You see the really tall building in the center of the courtyard? The pyramid with all the steps? To the left of the stairs there is a door. You have to pull the gargoyle's ear and then the door will open.""Got it."
The Effigy runs through the city, trying to find another door. Unfrotunately, seeing as there are no visible doors, the running is for not. It goes toward the big 3-sided building, hoping a better vantage point will shed some light on the situation. Then it sees the gargoyle.
"Oh no, please don't let this be so cliche." It reaches up and pulls on both ears, not surprised when one moves down. It sighs dramtically. "It was. Like a bad mystery book, it was."
"Master Qigon always did have a strange sense of humor," he chuckled.
"You mean, he might have found a dragon from somewhere else...it's possible I guess. I mean, you found your way here. There may have been something else that used that gate or another one like it."She looked at him oddly. "Where would he get another dragon? He killed all of our siblings. Unless he's working with the time demon, he and our mother are the only other dragons left. Well, Ephebe is running around too, but we know where she is. Vaguely anyway.""That may not be an amethyst dragon in there. It could be some other type entirely. I just don't want to jump to conclusions until we know more - whoever's in there (besides the troll) might not be friendly to us."
"Oh yeah - I keep forgetting about that. Never mind. That does narrow down the options - unless it's something that just looks draconic..."
He rubs his temple.
"Okay...going to stop rambling on now..." ;)
"You mean, he might have found a dragon from somewhere else...it's possible I guess. I mean, you found your way here. There may have been something else that used that gate or another one like it."She looked at him oddly. "Where would he get another dragon? He killed all of our siblings. Unless he's working with the time demon, he and our mother are the only other dragons left. Well, Ephebe is running around too, but we know where she is. Vaguely anyway.""That may not be an amethyst dragon in there. It could be some other type entirely. I just don't want to jump to conclusions until we know more - whoever's in there (besides the troll) might not be friendly to us.""Oh yeah - I keep forgetting about that. Never mind. That does narrow down the options - unless it's something that just looks draconic..."
He rubs his temple.
"Okay...going to stop rambling on now..." ;)
"It's okay. I can see how it would be easy to forget. Especially coming from a world where dragons are common."
She squeezed his hand reassuringly.
"I just wish we'd been able to get a closer look, and no, I'm not saying you should go back there, Ryo. That flame troll looked particularly nasty."
Casting once last glance at the scene behind it, the effigy goes intot he darkness, keeping a hand on the wall and walking carefully. It checks each step before moving onto the next...
"I just wish we'd been able to get a closer look, and no, I'm not saying you should go back there, Ryo. That flame troll looked particularly nasty."
"I'm not even.. sure the Doppelganger would have stood a chance. We can check.. the image later."
"Okay, both passages lead to the center chamber, so they're probably both trapped. It really doesn't matter which way you go. He's using you for entertainment."
"Damn.. time to cheat then." Ryo's eyes flit back and forth as they cloud ever so slightly.
"The easy way is never the right way, so I choose right."
The effigy dashes off into the right passage, triggering almost every trap, and getting shot in the arm by a crossbow trap as it ducks under a swinging scythe. Fot all it's troubles, it just barely gets out of the passage before the doors shut.
"Damn traps.. should have gone left." It wrenches the bolt out of it shoulder.
Back in the stables, Ryo hisses and grabs his shoulder, the shirt over it damp with blood.
"I'm fine, check to see if anyone's found us."
Master Quo rolls up a length of fabric and presses it against Ryo's wound.
"It's alright," he said to Aananda. "Do as he says. I will watch over him."
He sighed.
"It seems that young Chan has been reading Master Qigon's journals."
Aananda nodded and walked outside, being careful to stay in the shadow of the building. She looked around to see if there was any sign of any person that might be spying on them.
Tam quietly reaches into his haversack and pulls out his regular autopistol, gives it a quick once-over to make sure all was well with it, then positions himself near the door to help cover Aananda while she's in his line of sight without giving away his own presence.
A big pit with fire shooting up out of it, and no visible way to cross. The effigy sighs, and back up as much as it can.. before running full tilt and jumping out over the pit. It just barely manages to grasp the ledge with it's fingers, and it's sleeve catches fire as he climbs up out of it. Quickly patting the fire out, it lays down and rest, breathing heavily.
Ryo's sleeve blackens as the thick scent of burning cloth fills the air, and parts of it fall away. Lucky for him it was his right arm.
Master Quo beats out the burning cloth before the building catches fire.
"Take care, young Ryo. No amount of information is worth your life."
"That's the inner sanctum. You're almost there."
Master Quo beats out the burning cloth before the building catches fire.
"Take care, young Ryo. No amount of information is worth your life."
"I'm not doing this for my life. And I can't help the effigy's limitations and traps it encounters. Thank you for your concern though."
"That's the inner sanctum. You're almost there."
"I hope this door isn't trapped too..."
The effigy gets to it's feet slowly, taking measured steps as it goes over to the door and pushes.
"Well, you've been entertaining enough so far, but you'd better have some way of continuing to amuse me. Patience is not a virtue I've made a habit of cultivating," he smirked.
In spite of the throne he was still dressed simply, as if he were still just a monk. There was definitely some family resemblance between him and Aananda, but it wasn't terribly striking.
"Well, you've been entertaining enough so far, but you'd better have some way of continuing to amuse me. Patience is not a virtue I've made a habit of cultivating," he smirked.
In spite of the throne he was still dressed simply, as if he were still just a monk. There was definitely some family resemblance between him and Aananda, but it wasn't terribly striking.
Tam takes a moment to look at Ruji's projection, memorizing Chan's appearance for future reference.
"Well, as you can see I'm lucky when it comes to traps, and I was able to get here through the jungle., so I guess I could entertain you by being a spy for ya."
"Or I could juggle."