[PP-F4] Blood of the Moon - What is a Hero? - Part 3 (Flints)

[Endilix 0]

As the duo entered the cavern, Endilix looked around to see a spacious cave, lined with torches along the walls. It wasn't too narrow, but it was fairly high up, cut into the mountain like a wide hallway. Endilix estimated that around five people could easily walk side by side through the area, and he couldn't help but wonder how long it took the thieves to find a place like this in the world. Endilix was also partially mystified by the fact that places like this existed in the world. The area was not bright, but it was not dim either, as the torches illuminated enough of the area to provide decent exposure. Endilix looked to his partner and her pup, as he folded his arms, "It's a lot more... roomy... than I was expecting," he mentioned to her as he looked around.

[Flints 0]

Flints shoved into the cave, it didn't take much to push the door, but she didn't want to go it alone. Thankfully she didn't have too, Endilix was by her side. Taking in the sight of the cave flints laughed. "This is better than the cave me and Emerath found you in that's for sure!" Flints jestered to the wolf who huffed at her and walked off. "Oh come on, it's true! " she followed the wolf chuckling at its defiance. "This place is pretty snazzy. Definitely fits the bill of "Top Secret Hide Out" Flints poked one of the torches then continued to follow the wolf. She couldn't fully shake the feeling that moon gave her. Her body still ached and she felt fire hot to the touch. But she wasn't about to mention it. She panted lightly hoping she could cool down before her partners took notice. Stumbling along Flints eyed the walls checking for hidden doorways or traps. "So let's see if they have a big scary room where they kill people in" 

Edited April 11, 2016 by Flints

[Endilix 0]

Endilix walked along, taking in the sight of the open area they were in. "Well, you are right about that. I wonder if this came premade like this and they just inhabited the area, or if they carved this out of the mountain themselves. I wonder if that's even possible..." Endilix mused as he walked along. He thought about what they were looking for, and wondered just how far reaching this thieves guild was, especially if there was a set of thieves on each floor. Did that mean that places like this existed on each floor as well? It gave Endilix a bit of a chill thinking about it. He shook his head and said, "Well, if this is meant primarily to be an execution chamber, I'd imagine that what we're looking for lies right at the end of this hallway."

[Flints 0]

Flints scoffed at Endilix's assumption "at the end of this cave? But that's so cliche.." But the more she thought about it the more it sounded like these enemies were NPC. Which was good because she wasn't really ready to be an orange player just yet. Maybe it was a quest they hadn't actually heard of yet. That sounded about right. What if this was one big quest? And that they were scared for no reason. These couldn't be actual players. Who in their right mind would kill scared players? The more flints considered it the more she felt confident in the situation. Her mind began to wonder off into space and she blurted out. "How do you think Silvermist is doing..?" Flints felt a hot blush overcome her. Silvermist was essentially the first player flints had met in game. She remembered it vividly. She also remembered spooking him basically into Endilix's arms. She wasn't sure what it is but the man crossed her mind. "That was so long ago.." She thought outloud. 

[Endilix 0]

Endilix continued to muse as they walked down the hallway, "Cliche? Yeah, but I've never considered bandits and thieves to be incredibly smart. Besides, if this came prebuilt, they may not have had any control over where they put the execution chamber." Endilix shrugged and considered her next question. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow, "Silvermist...? I haven't heard that name in a long time. I would hope the kid is still alive." Endilix thought back to the day he had met the two of them, following around a boar, as aloof as he always was. "What made you think of him? Going on a trip down memory lane on me?" Endilix chuckled, and noticed a doorway at the end of the hallway. It was a double door cut into the stone, and appeared somewhat ornate. "Well, that looks like our destination," Endilix stated, pointing it out to his partner.

[Flints 0]

Flints listened to Endilix talk about how things could have been set up in the game. She hoped this wasn't the case. She wanted more of a thrill than a predictable mapped out quest. Antillian began to bristle as they approached the door ahead of them, the cave seemed to stop abruptly, twisting in an odd way and contorting into the door. This was the end of their trip. When Endilix commented on Flints' trip down memory lane she gasped. "Hey! I occasionally think about the past. And he was so cute and little!" Flints made a squishing motion with her fingertips, still a blushing mess before speaking again. "You know what's funny. Not since the first few days of getting to know you have I ever really asked you anything about yourself...I mean...how old are you again? 18?" Flints giggled knowing full and well how old Endilix was. the joking was enough to calm her nerves as she pressed on the door nonchalantly. "Let's do this okay?" She gave him a warm smile and opened the door. 

[Endilix 0]

Endilix smiled at Flints as she talked about the past. They were good days, the days back then. But as Flints mentioned it, he realized the same as her, that they didn't really know one another all that well. That they had never explored each other's life or past. Interests or beliefs. They had just tangled themselves up and hid themselves away. Endilix sighed and gave Flints a nod, "I'm 24. And once this is all over, we should do that. Talk about each other or something. I never was good at that, Teion is really the only person who had ever asked. I'd like to know more about you." Endilix pushed the door open alongside her, to open into what looked like... a small lobby.

Benches lined the sides of the stone walls as candelabras hung from the walls, illuminating a carpet which led up to a small podium, and then split to lead into two doorways behind it. An older gentleman with slicked back hair and a thin, curly mustache stood at the pedestal in a tuxedo, complete with bowtie. His monacle flashed in the candlelight as Endilix looked into the small lobby. Endilix looked at him, and didn't see the telltale sign of this being a player, and the older gentleman's face cracked into a smile as he set eyes upon the duo. "Ah..." he started, giving a light bow, "more guests, just in time for the show. Shall I arrange seating for two in the arena?" In response to this, Endilix simply gave Flints a shocked expression.

Edited April 11, 2016 by Endilix

[Flints 0]

Flints' warm smile was followed by her eyes searching Endilix's. She liked being around him for the most part. But now all she could think about was getting to know him. She started to come up with questions to ask him. Kind of like the ones people asked in middle school to kill time. She gave a shrug and giggled "we spent way too much time staring at eachother." But once the doors were open she was silent. The room was small but beautiful. Being greeted by an unknown man wasn't any better but he was dressed to the nines. "Hey look someone stole your brothers clothes!" Flints wiggled her eyes brows but was cut short but the mans speaking. He had asked if they were attending whatever it was this cave hid in it. "Arena..?" Flints thought to herself. But quickly held her head high and yanked on Endilix's hand, pulling it behind her back to hint that he should walk closer to her. Her eyes met his briefly as she turned back to the man, flashing him a smile that would make any man swoon. "I thought you'd never ask. Please direct is to the arena. We mustn't miss a thing." Flints followed the man, possibly to her death. 

[Endilix 0]

Endilix was a bit confused at first by the way Flints was suddenly acting, but once she eyed him and pulled him close, he got the gist. He put his hand around the woman's waist as he looked to the older gentleman with a bit of an awkward smile of his own. The older man looked them over, before giving them a nod and saying, "Very well then. Follow me." The older gentleman waved a hand for them to follow him into one of the small doorways behind his podium, and he disappeared into it with a shuffle. He hardly lifted his legs as he walked, and seemed to just float along, which Endilix found odd but didn't question. Endilix nodded to Flints and pulled her along by his side as he followed the gentleman through the doorway and into a huge spacious area. Stone seating ringed a dirt pit, and people sat all along the edges, watching the dirt as if something was about to happen. As Endilix followed the man, he saw all sorts of people, from those who looked like posh couples enjoying a nice dinner date, to downtrodden thieves, and armored knights. It appeared to be NPCs mixed in with players, some had the player marker and some didn't, though none seemed to be orange which was a bit of a relief. Endilix looked to Flints and said, "What's going on...?" And the gentleman just continued to shuffle along.

[Flints 0]

Once lead to he back Flints tucked her arm into Endilix's side. They probably looked silly, though now that she thought about she had her after party dress somewhere in her inventory if they needed to be reallllyyy convincing. Though she doubted it as the man seem to ignore their affectionate, okay awkward, gestures.  Once inside she took a good look around and expected more. But this seemed to be some secret ring. Flints' eyes glazed a little as her back stiffened against Endilix's arm. "This is a fighting ring...oh no." Her thoughts were all over the place. This was one way to make tearing eachother to shreds seem "civil." She picked an area away from the others, giving Endilix and herself space amongst the players and NPCs. She wiggled her hips lightly to squirm out of Endilix's arms. "Okay. We are here. If anything happens I will keep you safe. Okay?" Flints had no clue what she was saying. Or why. But this place gave her a bad feeling. Antillian let out a small whine as he hid by her feet, trying to not raise any suspicion, his whine was enough to snap her from her daze as she started to pretend she knew what was going on. She sat tall, her legs crossed and her eyes staring at the pit just like the others. "We are about to see if this was worth all our time.."  

[Endilix 0]

Endilix scoffed a bit at the way Flints was acting, as they sat down. The gentleman gave the two a nod and a light bow as he float shuffled back towards his podium. Endilix watched him go, and then turned his attention back to the woman at his side. "You... protect me? If you say so. I thought I was always supposed to protect you." Endilix shrugged and leaned forward, putting his head in one of his hands propped up from his knee. "So what, it's just an underground fighting thing? I was expecting some grand execution at midnight type of thing. Not some dirt pi-"

Endilix's words were cut off by a man on a balcony shouting into the arena. The balcony was above where they had entered from the podium lobby, and the man standing there was just as well dressed as the older gentleman who had led them in. "Ladies and gentlemen! Boys and girls, children of all ages! Welcome to another night at the Underground Fighting Championship! We have a real doozy of a fight tonight, with the reigning champion, the Executioner, fighting against a representative of a thieves guild. This kid is claimed to be slippery, cunning, and most of all powerful, and we'll see if that holds true as he puts his life on the line to win fame and fortune!"

Endilix looked to Flints, "So what, they just take their throwaways and put them up for arena fights with this Executioner? I still don't like it."

[Flints 0]

Flints thought this was sure way more than she expected. From the lavish lobby and people to the sudden death trap it became for unfortunate thieves guild. Flints gently poked Endilix's side hoping he wasn't too mad at her for her automatic reaction. She relaxed a bit and rested her hand on Endilix's thigh and massaged. "Look. I'm sorry. Now isn't the time to fight though, and by the looks of it this kid is going to be torn to shreds. So hero, what are you going to do about it?" Flints whispered under her breath with a smirk as she leaned into Endilix, trying to be heard through the announcers booming voice. "I'm up for some fame and fortune whenever you are, but if you'd prefer to see how this plays out i wouldn't mind watching for a bit." She sat back and smiled. Excited for what was about to go down. 

Edited April 11, 2016 by Flints

[Endilix 0]

Endilix looked over at Flints, and was a bit confused at the idea that she thought he was fighting with her. But he immediately relaxed as she began to poke at him and called him a hero. He couldn't help but chuckle as Flints was so certain that he would need to save the day. Endilix turned to her and said, "Well, let's see who the combatants are and go from there. Who knows? Maybe he can hold his own and we just get a show." Endilix shrugged and leaned back a bit on his elbows, bridging the gap to the stone seat behind him. "The announcer is out, so I'd say we only have a little bit longer before the show begins anyway."

Edited April 11, 2016 by Endilix

[Flints 0]

Flints relaxed against her seat and listened to Endilix. "Okay then we get a show." She rubbed her hands together excitedly. "This will be great I hope is a worthy battle." Flints imagined the two clashing in a wonderous show of flash and brawn. But she had heard the announcer say the poor victim was small and "slippery". She wondered what the executioner looked like. Did they carry a heavy weapon? Flints purred at the thought. "Well I hope they speed this up. Al the build up is getting me excited!" Her voice was practically shaking from the amount of eager she was. She could feel the adrenaline coursing through her veins. Like she was the one in the brawl.

[Endilix 0]

Endilix watched the pit below, anxiously awaiting the first combatant to show up in the ring. He wasn't nearly as excited as Flints, but she seemed to be a lot more experienced with this type of thing. Endilix offhand wondered if she was into this type of fighting outside of the game. Another point where he realized he didn't truly know the woman all that well. He sighed a bit and then the announcer began to speak, his voice ringing once more throughout the arena. "The challenger, weighing in at 110 pounds, a member of the local thieves guild and supposedly one of their best recruits, Razum-dar!" And then out was pushed a scrawny looking kid, who barely looked to be any better than a level one. The 110 pounds looked to be about how much he would weigh wet. Endilix sighed, and it was exactly as he had expected. Just a throwaway that the NPCs accepted because... they were NPCs and that's what they were programmed to do.

This kid was sentenced to death. And Endilix knew it all along.

[Flints 0]

Flints glanced over to Endilix who seemed to be lost in his thoughts again. She relaxed more and gave him a sheepish smile before being started by the announcer. His booming voice and lack of cam passion towards the man showed just how primal these sorts of battles were. The small man was pushed out into the arena, although he was an NPC it was still Intresting to see. The fear in his eyes seemed all too real. And gave flints even more of a familiar chill. She started to snarl, it was as if she was there in the ring with the man. His scrawny body shivering before her. His eyes begging for mercy, searching hers for any sort of forgiveness as his body began to reek of fear and regret. Flints licked her lips. Once she realized she couldn't hear the world around her flints shook her head and cleared her throat. 

"Now all we need is for the executioner to show his face. Maybe this will be quick. Who knows...could we save an NPC..? And keep him..." At least that's what he looked like. Actually She couldn't really tell from where she was sitting if he was an NPC. Flints' eyes didn't meet Endilix's. She wanted so badly to put her claws to use. But she didn't mention this. She wasn't sure what was causing all these feelings. 

[Endilix 0]

Endilix looked to Flints, and he was a bit confused. "Kita, that is no NPC. That's a player, a thief, sent against a monster to his death." Endilix intertwined his fingers together and used them to lean against as he looked down at the arena. "That is a level one player, undergoing a death sentence."

But the conversation was cut off once more, as chains could be heard rattling throughout the arena. "And now introducing the reigning champion, weighing in at 550 pounds, the Executioner!" And right on cue, an Iron Maiden began to lower from the ceiling. The contraption was huge, at least 7 or 8 feet tall, and came from the ceiling with a slow grace befitting a giant metal death trap. "I have a feeling we're about to meet our Executioner, and given his ride, I don't think he'll be pretty," Endilix said somberly.

[Flints 0]

Flints perked up to hearing her name and gave a little growl to what she was being told. She looked down on the thief and tried her best to feel compassionate to the boy. But nothing came. She watched as he shook and coward from where they say flints couldn't really make him out other than his beginner clothes and small frame. "That is a very screwed player, maybe his death will be quick?" She looked to Endilix but was startled again by the booming voice. "By the gods that thing sounds huge. For the boys sake I would hope that's not pure muscle."  The entrance for the beast was very flashy. Flints scoffed at the show and shook her head. "As much as they put into this I'm starting to think maybe he's just all talk. Maybe they weighed the contraption he's in with him. For all we know he could be a boy as well." For a second flints' heart dropped. She felt physically ill. She wasn't sure why but she needed air, and this cavern had anything but that. She checked her HUD for the time and other things. The odd heat flashes that raked her body still hadn't subsided. She wonders if it had anything to do with the blood red moon. Licking her lips again her body shivered more. The anticipation for the battle was something she didn't expect, all she continued to think was how much she longed to be a part of it and how much Col she would put in for the household. Flints snapped out of her daydreams and looked to Endilix again. "You don't sound too happy about all this." She whispered. 

[Endilix 0]

The Iron Maiden hit the ground with a booming thud. Slowly, it creaked open and out stepped a gigantic figure. It was roughly 7 feet tall and was clad in metal belts adorning a body that appeared to be comprised of pure muscle. It slowly pulled a jagged sword from its back, and gave a sneer to the tiny boy at its feet. "Wot's this then? This was the best you lot have for the reigning champion? I'll squish this bug and all the rest of ya, unless one of you real fighters is man enough to fight the Executioner." The boy only seemed to whimper in response, as Endilix looked to Flints.

"I'm not too happy about this. C'mon," and before Flints could stop him, Endilix was on his feet. He leaped from the stone edge of the arena into the dirt pit below, and clapped this hands and gave a whistle to get everyone's attention.

"I, Endilix, The White Knight, will champion this boy. EXECUTIONER, I CHALLENGE YOU!"

[Flints 0]

Flints watched at the executioner hauled his weight out of the cage. His body huge and rippling with muscle. Flints purred and felt herself stand up in excitment as Endilix spoke of himself not being okay with the situation that played out before them. Flints didn't even have the chance to speak as he landed in the arena. His brown armor seemed to glisten amongst the washed out background. She watched in horror as he called the attention to himself, his arms flaunting himself as a worthy  adversary. He was feeding himself to a creature without even thinking twice. Flints shot herself over the edge of the arena and plopped down silently beside Endilix. She gave a small grunt not realizing how deep and large the pit was. Quickly she shot foward and tackled the boy. Twisting her face into an angry snarl she grabbed him by his "scruff" and carried him to behind Endilix without another word. Daring anyone to challange her. 

"And now the fun begins." Flints whispered.