Tony shook his head; the cold water had sobered him right up.
Damn it. Looks like we were going down regardless, eh, Wichita???
He felt for his pack, but both of the remaining packs were soggy and destroyed from falling in the water- his booze, or what was left of it, had smashed and spilled into the water on impact.
Tony grumbled Last Maenad of Dionyssus and I can't drink or smoke....
Then again, maybe... Maybe it's time I take a break....
The gears in Tony's head began to completely shift as his eyes fell upon the cute blonde in her white dress before him. Tony gave a wide, black bearded grin as he slicked back the hair he didn't have Hi to you too, gorgeous. You know I uh.... Used to be more fit than this. Why don't we pretend we are back then, and not in the now?
Tony chuckled as he politely waved Wichita at the Fox, making a tiny mockery of a yip at it as he slowly and carefully approached.
He was lucky he hadn't broken his neck in the fall.
"it looks like the drunkard has gotten himself killed. So Lucas much do you want to do now?"
Lucas nearly flinched as Reilly said it aloud. It had been his suggestion to check the door on this side of the room.
And now he is gone forever. A cold voice inside his head said.
He grabbed at the door and slammed it closed.
Taking a deep breath, Lucas looked back at Reilly and in a strained voice said, "This place is dangerous, but we haven't found what we need. Come on, we need to go back down."
Without another word he started back across the room.
Reilly was not surprised to see what had happened to "The Last Maenad." He had no time for recklessness. Recklessness gets people killed.
"Lucas, don't be reckless. This place doesn't seem to reward recklessness. But we could attempt to see what is in the darkness. We shouldn't just abandon your friend. And we shouldn't just bounce around like pin balls."
The young girl, (Who looks 10 or so) chuckles and replies "Sure, traveler. Is there something that you are seeking? Is it that young man that passed through here a little while ago? Xander, I believe he called himself."
Well I wouldn't say I was seeking him, heh, but, wait- Xander came through here????
Tony scratched his head in bewilderment- it'd been a day or two since he'd met up with Xander. What the f&%@ is HE doing here?
The young girl smiles kindly and says, "Yes, a short time ago. He then went further into the labyrinth to find "answers".
.... Who.... are you? What is a girl and a fox doing here?
Lucas stopped and looked at Reilly skeptically for a moment, and then shook his head.
"I understand what you mean, but I will not touch the Darkness. Tony... he went through and now he either can't hear us... or he's gone. I'm willing to bet the key will let us open a different door somewhere down below. If all it does is open to a different black blob then we always come back here. But I am not chancing putting my arm, leg, or head into the pitch blackness over there. I'm going to find what I came here for before I do anything else, and that is that!"
"Lead on then, Lucas. I'll follow."
Reilly settles his pack on his back and turns from the dark door.
Xander bowed to the Dragon and smiled. "Thank you Old One. I will heed your words. I leave you now. Take care and I hopes to meet you again!"
Bowing to the Dragon once again, Xander darted away, heading the direction the Dragon had sent him. 'Let's do this!'
Xander takes the right path. Thin vines cover this one. After heading down it for a time the vines thicken. until eventually Xander, comes to what looks to be a large wall of vines. As Xander stands in front of the vines wall pondering his next move, two large yellow reptilian eyes appear on the wall. Followed by two slit like nostrils similar to a snake. Which is then followed by a grinning mouth with two large ivory fangs. A forked tongue made of vines protrudes from the mouth like a serpent as it lets out a hiss. "What bringsss a creature like you to a creature like me?" It ends it question with another hiss.
Lucas and Reilly head down the stairs which takes quite some time. But they eventually reach the room they had started in. They then descend down the next flight of stairs. this time they reach the bottom after only a few minutes. a small room awaits them and average sized metal door stands before them. Strange whispers can be heard from the other side, but neither can make out what they say.
The girl looks at the water curiously, "Why indeed." She says to herself softly. "Gelma." She then says looking at Tony warm smile in place, her left finger pointed at her. "Tilk." She says simply pointing at the fox.
Gelma, and Tilk, eh?
Tony tapped Wichita to his head with a slight and silly bow I am Tony, The Last Maenad! Well, then- Wichita and I should be off. Where, exactly, did my friend Xander go off to?
There isn't a club in here, per chance? Heh heh heh.
"No." Gelma says kindly. "As for the direction you should take, I do believe I sent him to the next right down the path." She says pointing to an clear path a short ways away from Tony.
Lucas takes a deep breath and goes over to the door. He then tries to open it.
The door is locked. Lucas then uses the key Reilly found to open the door. As Lucas slowly open the door the hairs on the back of both men raise as a chill air goes through them. on the other side a black and red kabuki mask hangs on the wall before them. Nothing else is behind the door as it look almost like a simple closet.
Lucas almost wanted to start laughing. After such a long climb up the stairs and how opulent the rest of this strange manor was, it seemed almost ridiculous that the item he came here for was simply hanging on a wall behind a locked door. If only Tony hadn't been so reckless.
"That's it! Or at least I think it is." Lucas said, walking forward and picking up the mask off the wall.
Lucas takes the mask off the wall. The whispers stop. But after everything, It feels like something more should happen. But it doesn't.
Tony begins to patiently walk down the path with Wichita
Tony walks along then comes to a path split. He is faced with left, middle or right.
Tony rubs his chin in thought before grinning Alright Wichita, You choose!
Tony stands Wichita up on it's own, and wherever it falls, that is the path he chooses after picking Wichita back up from the ground.
Wichita falls facing the right path. Tony heads down it shivering in his wet clothes. He walks down the path for a time and eventually comes to a tunnel. It is pitch black inside as none of the fireflies are flittering within it.
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"So what does it do Lucas? Why did we come down here for this mask? It seems pretty plain."
Tony chuckles with Wichita in one hand and his electric Lantern in the other from outside of his backpack As you wish, darlin', eh? Left path it is!
After the lantern turns on, Tony will only move as far as he can see, between the lantern and his perception, at a time.
Lucas holds the mask reverently. "If it does what I believe it to, it should let us speak to the spirits of the deceased."
"Maybe I can talk to Mia again." he almost whispered more to himself than to Reilly.
Then he put the mask on.
Tony inspects the tunnel. He can see a small light on the other side. Will he go through it?
Lucas put on the mask and...Feels exactly the same.
Tony walks through the tunnel and into the light Just what the hell is going on here, Dionyssus?
"So, did it work? Or how is it supposed to work? Is there some sort of ritual...?"
Lucas was stunned, for a moment he thought that it might not be the mask he had come to find after all. He even thought about just leaving it behind.
But then what did we come down here for? Tony went the only other way we found and now he's gone because of it. No, this has to be what we came for.
"No. But it might be because we aren't near any people who are deceased... or maybe... I don't know for sure. Let's get it back to my mother. She'll probably know more. "
As Lucas and Reilly ascend the stairs vexed, Lucas sees something shocking on the top step looking into the main hall. People of different shapes and sizes moving this way and that. Speaking to each other and the like. Though they couldn't be people like for they were transparent and hovering above the ground. Lucas was watching the spirits of the dead.
Tony headed through the tunnel. light lit the end of the tunnel looked a bit ways away, but nothing to serious. So Tony, trudged on. And on. And on. And on...But the end of the tunnel seemed no closer than when he started. Tony, glanced back curiously and found the entrance of the tunnel looked as far of as the exit.
A bead of sweat dripped down Tony's back, as a number of feelings and emotions flooded his heart and mind.
But a deep dark male voice then spoke to him, "What is a top dweller doing in my den?" Tony looked for the source of the voice but found none.
Tony laughed If you call this a den, I think it might be time you redecorate, eh?
I fell from the door, after sitting on the throne and someone else using the key. I am Tony, the Last Maenad, and this- He held up Wichita and slowly spun around holding her, as if looking for a secret camera This is Wichita. Who are you?
Tony is attempting to look for signs as to where exactly he might be, where the voice is coming from, and what other tracks etc. he might be able to pick up inside the "den".
As Tony looks around he notices another hole to his left leading... ??? Tracks of what looks like a large dog or wolf can be seen heading that way.
"Who am I you ask?" I am the one who will soon gut and devour you." The voice says menacingly before chuckling darkly.
Tony braces Wichita with a smile Very well- I haven't had a good fight in years. Now I wonder.... are you valiant and powerful, or a prowling coward?
*Tony is going to stay right where he is, and set the lantern on the ground so he isn't in darkness*
Big words. But how will you fair against-" Three large yellow glowing eyes can be seen as large foot falls can be heard drawing closer. Soon the large body of a three eyed, blue and white furred, wolf the size of a van stands before Tony. It gives a sharp toothed grin as it stand threateningly before its prey. "Well, do you have more arrogant words? Or should I just devour you now?"
Ha ha ha ha ha! I'm a servant of Dionysus, we don't cower away from anything- we're having too much fun! I'm sure you know what an Epicurian is, anyways ha ha ha!
He could finally feel that his addictions were gone; he had no need to smoke or drink despite the stress. His grip was strong, his confidence high. I haven't felt like this since my famed days when I was 25- one thing- what's your name? I wanna know what to name the tattoo I put on myself before I kill you.
The triclop wolf laughs mockingly, before answering with, "Reshka. Now that you have the honor of knowing my name, shall we begin?" Reshka gets into an attack stance.
Tony grinned Reshka, heel!