Aiden took the cloak and gloves and smiled lightly.

"Thank you Miyabi, I will be sure to use them when the time is right."

She gently placed the cloak into her bag and raised it up and over her shoulder. She looked both ways to where the weaponry shop may be.

"You're right, we should probably get some weapons to take on our trip with us. Who knows what we will run into out there."

Aiden started to wondering in a random direction in search for a shop that may sell the things they needed. She tried to think of what she may want to take with her, if she should take a sword, range, knives. She was also concerned with how easy it would be to carry a weapon around. She would want something light and something that she could place on her body. She figured as much a bow and a quiver of arrows should do finely and maybe a couple new knives. Aiden turned her gaze to Miyabi.

"What kind of weapon do you plan on getting Miyabi?"

Miyabi followed her closely, carrying many of the bags as he had thrown them over his shoulder, he gave her a smile. He too was thinking of the kind of weapon he could use... he wasn't a master with a sword or anything of the sort, he was a much stronger magician and trickster than anything. He grabbed hold of her hand, leading her down the street and to the blacksmith shop they had passed a while back, the walls were lined with weapons of all types. "..well..." he looked to the weapons they had on display trying to think of something that he could utalize for more than just fighting. His eyes caught a wooden staff with a amber and red orb at the top, he clutched it in both hands, and swung it once, feeling the weight and speed of the object. "This..." As he swung it again he felt a special sort of connection to the staff, it was a perfect height for him to use, easy for him to grip. He tried out other staffs.. ones not so elaborate and ones even more so but he continually went back to that staff. he even examined the swords, daggers, bows.. everything but he was continually drawn back to that single staff with the ruby orb at the top. "It has to be this one..." he plucked it up once more, laying it on the counter where the apprentice to the blacksmith had stood waiting for them. "Will this be all for you sir?" Miyabi shook his head, holding up his hand. "No, she will be getting some t hings as well. Do you also make armor here?.." he questioned, figuring he may as well look to see what they had while he waited. The apprentice lead him to another room where the armored they had were on display and he examined the chain mail and leather goods, but for a light weight like himself.. it was all too heavy. Of course... a shop like this wouldn't have any specialties in the arts of magic defense...

Aiden looked around the store at the archer's supplies. She picked up various objects and examined them. First she needed to find a bow. She picked up a couple 40 gauge bows and drew back the string carefully to get the feel for them, she always had more of a taste for recurve bows more than compound. Though she was used to shooting with a 20 gauge, she needed more power if she was wanting to kill anything. She found a 40 gauge swamp oak bow that pulled back nicely. She closed one eye and looked through the sight window of the fire arm. She felt her thumb tuck comfortably under her chin before she gently lowered the string back into place without dry firing it. Aiden then moved onto the arrows. She examined the fletching and the shaft to make sure none of the arrows were bent or any of the fletching was gone. Each individual arrow she picked up she measured with the width of her arm. The arrows needed to be at least 3 to 4 inches longer than the extension of her arm for them to be her size. After picking out about 40 arrows and placing them in a fine leather quiver she tried on different kinds of protection from finger tabs, arm guards, and breast guards. In the end she picked out a archer's glove that could just be worn daily on her hand compared to the bothersome finger tabs that would fall off and get lost, not to mention very un-stylish. For her arms she picked out a long arm guard that stretched from bellow her arm pit almost to her wrist, what she enjoyed about this purchase was there was a stretchy joint in the leather that allowed her to move her arm with ease. Finally picking out a breast guard, since it was important for women not to let their breasts interfere with the firing of the bow, she picked out a light weight breast guard that she could wear around daily with the rest of her gear. Before going to the counter she looked at the various bottles of poisons that she could dip her arrows in to make them more lethal. From the selection she chose sleeping powder, a liquid that caused paralysis, acid that would eat away at the bodily tissues, and pure poison that killed once it got into the blood stream. Aiden took her things and went to the counter, she was strangely excited to use these new items of hers, she would need to practice though.

(Ya, I took shooting sports and know a bit about Archery. x.x;;; )

(o.o I can tell...I was reading that and i'm like. oO;.... gosh theres alot more to bows than I thought...)

Miyabi knew the kinds of opponants they would face and some of the tactics they would use... much of it wasn't magic so he wasn't worried about defending himself from a spell but trying to defend his bare flesh from the claws and talons and fangs of these beasts was another matter. He had to protect his chest, back, and neck ... as they were the most suseptable to their razors and whips. After encountering the hunter in the forest he couldn't afford another tremendous loss of blood. He picked up a leather canteen that he could fill with liqour or water and several empty bottles placing them with the rest of the items they wished to purchase. The apprentice who was there to take care of their order looked astounded by the amount of materials they were taking with them. "Where are you two headed to need this much stuff? Aren't you already carrying enough on your backs?" Miyabi laid down a satchel of gold coins as payment and shook his head with a smile. "We are headed to the ends of the earth... where only the spirits of the great gods speak to each other." He gathered up his new canteen and bottles, using his new staff like a walking stick. It would help when trecking through the rocky cliffs and deep snow of the mountains. Their trail would lead them through the darkest of caves and the coldest of peaks... the apprentice of the shop accepted the satchel of coins after counting them out and testing them for their quality of gold. Miyabi left the shop and stared up to the mountains. "Up there... is the first beast, a creature forbidden to ever come into the light. He dwells in a deep cave that cuts through those rocks... and will provide us with a shortcut to the otherside to the valley of swelling rivers where the true creature I seek lays in wait..." He had arranged all of his new bottles and satchels and books into a neat assortment that adorned his waist like he was a pack mule.. as he felt much like one when carrying the new bags of food they would need. "Shall we?..."

(Sorry it took me so long to reply, long weekend XD )

At the words 'Shall we?' Aiden smiled up at Miyabi and nodded. Jokingly she took his arm in a lady like way and had him escort her a little ways. Once into the crowd she removed her arm from around his and took the bags in that hand and looked up to see what direction they needed to be going. Her joking manner disappeared un-noticeably as they fought the crowd to get out of the village. Once out of the village and out of sight Aiden lowered her hood and sighed. It was getting hot under the cloak she wore. If only it were a little bit colder she could have worn it the entire day. Shinta slithered around her neck happily since he could now breathe and move around easily. Aiden laughed softly at the silly snake then looked down at her bow. There was a small flutter in her stomach, she wanted to try it out really badly. She imagined that Miyabi would also want to test his new weapons out to make sure they were of the quality he expected. She grabbed Miyabi's hand and attempted to drag him off the road and into the forest so no one would see them practicing.

"Come on Miyabi! I want to test this out! You can test out your staff and we can talk about battle strategies to use!"

For some reason, as strange as it was, Aiden was excited about talk about killing things.

Miyabi followed her into the forest, slightly fearful that she might want to try shooting at him. The last time something even relatively close to this happened Miyabi had ended up bound to a post with apples lined up along his arms and were being shot off one by one; by some blind folded heretic of the royal courts. "What are you planning?" He questioned as they entered into the woods that lead up the side of the foothills, which would lead them to the mountain range. "...You aren't going to shoot at me are you? I am horrible at dodging something that's flying at me!" He gripped his staff tightly, loving the feel of the wood it was made of. It was elaborate and expensive yes.. but it was the perfect weapon for him. He finally pulled her back from going any further into the forest before they got too far off of their trail and lost their way in these strange woodlands. He stood in a slight clearing, clutching his staff and bags as he stared at her, he looked into the high trees were nuts and large fruits were growing. He set his bags of books down, removing them from their carrying case as he looked at the blank pages. He sat himself down onto a fallen tree, staring up at her. "If you don't mind... I'd like.. to get rid of these memories while you practice... they are heavy to carry."

When they stopped Aiden drew an arrow from her quiver and placed it and the bow on a near by stump. She reached into her bags and put on her arm guard, breast guard, and glove. She went back to her bow and picked it and the arrow up. She attached the arrow to the string bellow the nocking point. She was sure not to aim the bow anywhere close to Miyabi's direction, for she knew that wouldn't be safe at all.

"Sure, you can do that for a while and I'll just practice a bit, I haven't shot in a year or so."

Aiden looked for a target to shoot, she wanted to do something easy and also something other than a tree in case the arrows may get stuck or rupture from the hard impact. An idea hit her as she walked over to her bag and she took out an apple and placed it on Miyabi's head. Before he started to freak out too much she laughed and removed it. Instead she placed the apple on the stump where she originally sat down her bow. She stepped back about 40 to 50 feet into the trees and placed three fingers under her arrow pushing it up against the nocking point. The upper part of the shaft rested gently in the curved part of the sight window. Aiden raised the bow and pulled back the string letting the knuckle of her thumb rest under her jawbone. She looked down the arrow and lined the arrow and the string up with the apple. Her wrist began to shake slightly from the tension of the draw back then in one solid motion she tightened her grip to ease her shakiness and released the arrow. There was a small sound of the bow string coming back into place and the sound of the apple almost cracking in half as the arrow pierced its way into the apple. Aiden smiled and walked towards the apple.

"Seems I still have it."

Miyabi had dropped his books to the ground when Aiden had placed the apple to his head, the moment it was removed he dashed behind a tree, staring out and watching her. "D-don't do that! You have no idea how many times i've had things like that shot off of me!" He screamed out, seeing the arrow pierce through the air and into the apple his eyes went wide as all he could imagine was himself being the apple. After having them shot off his head and arms, and stomach so often thanks to the royal courts he once resided in his only memories of apples were bad ones. He headed back to sit on the log where his books were laying in the dirt and picking one up into his lap he stared to the empty pages, he scooted down to the ground, hunched over with the book clutched to his chest like a child might hug a doll, his eyes shut tightly " Seina... duice trase Memory..." He spoke in his fluent acient language. The book took on a slight white glow, floating up and out of his arms as it's pages opened up, flipping one by one, the pen and ink he carried rising as well as they wrote, recording the memories in the writen word and pictures he had captured from Janus. His eyes opened, the entire gazing sphere was a milky white as it stared up at the book. In no time all of the memories, emotions, and pictures were recorded into the book... as many as could fit and the second of the book rose up to where the first was, taking it's place over Miyabi to continue the recordings. The first book lay beside him like a tomb of exeperiences and phantoms. Soon enough he had filled all three books with the memories of Janus and his eyes returned to their golden state as his lips curled into a smile and he picked up the passages of thousands of years or stories. "...I will have to return to my home... to drop these off once we are done with our journey through the mountains and valley..." He hugged the books closely, returning them to his bag as he picked up his staff with a smile. He transformed himself into the monkey king with a sleek golden body and a gold banana crown atop his head, with the staff in hand he lept from tree to tree knocking down the fruits and nuts with his pole arm until he landed to the ground as his true self and stretched out. "I can not fight in this form... but as any other it becomes much easier."

Aiden looked at the books as Miyabi placed them back into his bag. She kind of wanted to look at the stories but she guessed it would have to wait. Her wanting to practice wore out quickly after seeing she hadn't lost her touch in the art of range. She watched Miyabi jump around like a monkey along the trees and picked up one of the nuts that he knocked to the ground. Trying to open it with her bare hands was impossible so she sat there fiddling with it while looking at Miyabi.

"So, how should we work the fighting? I mean, it seems inevitable that we are going to run into trouble at one point or another. I know I will mainly be doing that melee and you magic, but is there anything we should concern ourselves with? Like handling the situations, I know of course we could never leave each other behind because that would defeat the purpose of our journey. Well, maybe in my case you could leave me behind but it would probably be very difficult for you."

A few images of their possible deaths ran through her mind but she quickly released them from her thoughts. She didn't want to think of either of them loosing their lives, but it was a reality they needed to face together to get anywhere. Aiden found a small metal piece in her bag and cracked open the nut she had and popped half of it in her mouth and gave the other half to Shinta. She gathered a few more of the nuts to open then and there and placed a large amount of them in her bag for later.

Miyabi agreed with her that it was inevitable that they would end up in battle, he also knew that loosing any more of his blood would be cause for extreme panic... the more he tried out various forms, or to even remember forms he used to know the more he realized how many he had lost during his previous conflict with the hunter. "If I am to battle... It will have to be either in a far greater form than this one... or through my magic. If I am to use my magic though... you will have to be a very good distraction, as some of the more powerful spells I have... can take a while to cast." He looked to his new staff that he clutched in his hand, it would aid in his magic... the gem was a source in it's self of enhancing the power behind his skills. Humans knew nothing of the power behind these kinds of stones... but he had a deep understanding of the earth and it's changes. How could he not... when he had lived for an eternity when time spawned into existance. "There are several forms I can take though... that may help you to fight when I can not do anything else. We are headed to the caves of the high mountains... in there resides the monster that can not come into the light... if we were to illuminate the cave... he can not touch us... I am not so powerful that I could illuminate the cave but... I can summon many fire flies... and if we happen to meet this beast... I can become the blazing fox... to brighten the venture.. so he might keep his distance. Though the dangers with such a thing is that this beast in this cave... can be any size... at any time... so if even a part of our shadow touches into the darkness.. he can attack us and be locked into our shadow at which point... we would be guarenteed to die..." He said that with a bit of a sobering expression as he realized the terrible danger he was putting her through... she wanted to do this though and to travel with him which he didn't understand at all now since her life was in more danger than it may ever be again. "That isn't the worst of the beasts though... the one that I am after, the one with a truely amazing form is from the valley on the otherside of the mountains..... and is far more dangerous..." He quivered a bit thinking about it, he'd only seen this beast once before, and that was from miles and miles away... it was a beast that even to this day the humans feared and hunted more than any other demon. "...It is one of a kind... so I do not wish to kill it. I just need it's form..."

Aiden could feel Miyabi's tension, she guessed it was the bond she was feeling. Though it may still be a touchy subject she smiled and grabbed his shoulder.

"If we can trick a large beast over a cliff, even though it was very cliche, we can stand up to anything. We brought down a beast that had lived many years, fought in many wars, as keen and clever as a cat, no pun intended, and all we had to do was move out of the way. I'm not saying all the battles will be like that, but there is always hope that something like that can happen and it is possible to achieve your goals."

She hated using that as an example, but it was just there. That Liam was so huge it seemed impossible to kill, but they killed it without even touching it. Though she felt bad for doing it to the Liam, it gave her confidence to face her new foes. At this point she was facing these new monsters to protect Miyabi, to use herself as bait for the monsters they were to face. That was her purpose as sad as it seemed, she was nothing more than a shield to take the blows and a sword to kill the enemy. Of course she wasn't going to say anything because she didn't want him to take it wrong and blame himself for all of this. She was putting herself into this situation and very glad to. She wanted to get back at the human race for all they have done to her and her planet even if it meant risking her life.

"We shouldn't dilly dodle around here, we have a form we need to get."

Aiden forced a soft smile and shook her thoughts from her mind and tried to focus on her mission.

Miyabi's expression saddened as the death of the Lamia was mentioned... he knew that it was a great feat they had done to kill him, but it still hurt him deeply to see such a great beast fall. He never had intentions of killing anything he ran into, he preferred to talk with them... try to learn their stories or to negotiate his release given that more often than not he was a prisoner. Even once... long ago he had been prisoner to the mortals, they were facinated by his astranged looks and knowledge of ancient stories... it is those stories though that won him freedom. "I suppose..." he said humbly. "If we are capable of that, we can do most anything. Though I fear one mistake in this cave could lose us our lives." He gathered up all of his things, the books strung across his back like a school boy might carry them as his fear hardened into determination. Miyabi grabbed hold of Aiden's hand, pulling her from the forest after they had gathered their things and back out onto the main road that would lead them to the mountain path..most travelers would take the long way over the mountains, but that was a weeks trip in the least... to cut through the cave would take no time at all though it was far more dangerous. He walked the dirt road with her, a subtle excitement growing in his heart... a real adventure full of action and friendship and dangerous monsters...he was building a story for himself, a legend for himself. To a shifter that is a ultimate reward in life. A spartans dream was to die in battle... a shifters dream was to die with a story... he only hoped his dream was not cut short and the story ended too soon. "When we are through the cave... you will see the only part of this world that has remained as it was since Guai Keung created it... the only part of this world that humans and beasts reside in a perpetual state of peace. It is this beast that I am after... this beasts form that keeps check between the creatures and humans. He was the right hand of Guai Keung.. the grip of control that every being needs on their heart and thought..." He let out a deep and dreamy sigh. "If I can obtain his form... perhaps it will be possible to restore order to other parts of the world.. as some of his powers will come with the form." He lead her up the ever steepening foothills, that melded into the great mountains which loomed like great burial mounds over them. "...I pray though... that he is not in a foul mood..."

Being in a good mood would probably help their situation to be easier. What she didn't quite understand is that why would it be dangerous if the creature was a possible supporter of Guai Keung? If it was, couldn't they just inform him who they were and their mission? Of course the creatures on the way would most likely not understand their goal and just simply want them for food. With the thought of being someone else's food, Aiden smiled. No animal would find her appetizing for reasons she had not yet revealed to Miyabi. She amused herself with the thought of a creature getting one taste of her and regretting even opening its mouth. Aiden tried to suppress a giggle and instead looked down at Shinta who moved anxiously around her neck. She wondered how much longer the little snake would stay awake before hibernating. She knew she would have to wrap him up in her new cloak during the trip up the mountain. He would most likely spend the time in her shirt and up against her warmth. With this thought, Aiden readied her cloak for the mountain trail and continued on her way with Miyabi.

(Sorry for the short post, don't know exactly what to do. This is more your territory, the mountain that is. ^^;;; )

Miyabi felt that perhaps they had made too good of time to get up the face of the mountain as the dreary enterence to the cave was in sight. It was tucked deep under a large hang over, nothing grew around it or over it.. or even near it in any way except for the expanding darkness that was it's enterence. He took one look to Aiden, as they stood at the mouth of it's enterence... there were no signs of life not even that of a mouse or spider. Not a web or creature crawled from it's depths. He untied a satchel of dusts from his waist, holding it in his hand he reached into it and blew the dust from his hand... small fireflies sparked from the dust illuminating the enterence. He looked to the walls which were carved like that of an egyptian tomb and he took a deep breath. "...Well... " He let his breath go. "...those carvings are a very good sign for us to not go this way..." they were all writen in the ancient tongue and he moved his fingers over the drawings. "... In shadows keep a beast of night... it's life eternal so long as night falls." The fire flies danced around him as they moved further into the cave, large crystals were protruding from the caves floor and great gems were embeded into the walls. There was a subtle sound of running water and a glistening shimmer of all kinds of gems. "...It is no wonder humans began to mine this cave... it is full of their kind of wealth." He grabbed hold of Aiden's hand, keeping her close to him as a thick and musty wind blew through the cave. Even though Aiden was the brawn of the group... he felt a need to still protect her. Despite her strength... he still considered her to be a woman. He also knew... that his vision was probably much more keen in the darkness and he would be able to see the shadows move before she might... "Keep your eyes open... these fire flies only illuminate so much..."

Aiden's eyes started to grow tired as well as her body, but before she would get too sleepy she slung her new cloak around her shoulders. Shinta slithered his body down into her shirt and rubbed his head against her chest as if to say good night. After Miyabi started to hold her closer to him she started to wake up more and know this was no time to go to sleep, this was when her focus must be the strongest. She really didn't complain about him keeping her close, because she knew his concerns and knew that he knew the beast way better than she did and what to be on the look out for. One thing he didn't pick up on, is that she had vision like a snake. Her eyes adjusted well to the dark and were keen to any small shadow that moved in the night. Aiden felt a bit disappointed in herself because even though she took on the DNA of a snake, there was still some human left in her. She did want to take some of the gems and sell them to keep them going for longer compared to using Shinta as a charmer. She was glad she didn't out right grab for them, she didn't want Miyabi to be disappointed in her for thinking such a thing, like a human. Over her chest rested her bow string which she held tightly as they continued to move through the cave. She was ready at any minute to take the bow off her back and begin shooting if there was a need for it. She also wondered if this creature would be effected by it. Maybe she could paralyze it then put it in the light so it would die or beg for mercy? Aiden refrained from asking questions here, because who knew what was listening or watching...

Miyabi moved through the chilled cave with the most cautious of footsteps, the simple over turn of a rock could give them away. The shimmer of the gems played tricks on his eyes though, causing him to see shadows that wern't really there. Or perhaps they were... the rank smell of mold and decay though proved to him that if there was anything alive in here at one time... other than this beast of the dark it certainly wasn't alive any more. He admired the beauty of the jewels.. exotic gems that had formed over so many thousands of years their only birth place was this cold and desolate cave where no man should tred. Then again.. he was not a man in all respects of the word. Miyabi finally stopped, staring into the cool dark as the musty wind blew past them once more, he knew it was coming from the exit of the cave... but such a strong wind it was. He released more of his dusts into the air creating more fire flies to light their path, it was then he saw it.... the creature. It lept from shadow to shadow avoiding the light of the fire flies. It almost looked human, but it moved differently... it was quick, very quick. "...Becareful.. where your shadow falls... " He whispered to her, holding out his staff to block any attack that might be coming their way. As he moved forward... he could see the mimicing foot steps of the creature... it was watching them, mocking them to step into his territory. "Do not think I will tread in your shadow creature, I have not come to die!" Bright eyes lit up from the darkness, eyes as red as fire and yellow as the sun. "These shadows are my own... it is I who control them..." the creature called back, the fire flies were engulfed by the darkness and broken back into their particals of dust. The action of this creature sent a shriek of terror down Miyabi's spine. He had no heard.. the creature could move the shadows to his will. "I told you... I have no plans of dying, let us pass in peace and we'll say nothing of your treasures here." Miyabi was making his best attempt to reason with the creature... "Treasures? ... These so called treasures are my friends and family, the remnant souls of a slaughtered race!" Miyabi's eyes widened and he glanced to Aiden then to the direction of the firery eyes. "...Bijou?..." He spoke softley as the creature stepped forth, he had the body like that of a human as he stood naked before them in the dwindling light that existed. His body adorned in red rubies, not as piercings but as if they were a part of his skin. "Correct young fool... and now i've no intention of letting you lead the mortals back to my home..."

Aiden really didn't know how to react when ever the lights went out. She could see the beast slightly through the darkness, but he was kind of strange because he was more like a shadow in her eyes. She wanted to grab for her bow and arrow, but she wasn't sure if that would be the right idea. There was no telling with this beast what hurt it besides light, obviously they couldn't use light because the beast manipulated the shadows to protect himself. There was no use in angering him further if any of her tactics didn't work. Another problem she had on attacking him was that it seemed Miyabi knew him. She didn't want to kill another creature that they were going to regret killing later. They were in a bind now, a creature Miyabi probably wouldn't want to kill and the creature who wanted to kill them. Aiden's heart pounded in her chest as she looked at the shadow like thing before them. She tightly kept her jaw shut and clenched her teeth together, she was hoping not to make a sound. Even though she made a mental note to herself not to do or say anything her physical body went ahead and disobeyed.

"What are you?"

Aiden narrowed her eyes, mainly because she was angered at herself for speaking out where she probably didn't need to speak out and for some reason, if felt more threatening to narrow her eyes. Maybe she could scare it? After a few seconds of thinking about it, if the creature would introduce itself and what it was, maybe she or Miyabi could figure out a way to get by. It would also by them time to think of a solution period.

Miyabi wasn't sure if he should really panic but he could feel his heart beating against his rib cage and only found it to be a bit of relief that it wasn't just his thoughts that were telling him to flee... his body was too. He didn't imagine that this creature was a Bijou... the jeweled creatures of the mines. Their bones made of the very gems that humans worship and covet so much. The creatures ruby red and yellow saphire eyes darted towards Aiden as she spoke and he stepped forward, the dark red rubies glistening even without the hint of light. "Me? ...I am the great creature of these caves." A smile came over his lips as he reached out a hand to touch to the young and fair woman, even his nails were rubies, red as blood but clear as diamonds. "I am a Bijou... one of the last of my kind... it is the humans who have ruined us... carving our children from the walls so no nutrients can reach them to grow... this is the only untouched land that remains for my people and where we have stayed for centuries..." his palm rest against Aiden's cheek as his naked form moved closer to her, his eyes enticing her to get closer to him. His hair was long enough to reach the end of his back and as golden as wheat. "...Mortals have locked us away in this tomb... where all of our food has depleated... cursed us to never step into the light." Miyabi watched as he toyed with Aiden a anger fueling in him. He didn't like how close he was getting to her and without thinking about what he was doing he released an enormous amount of dust into the air filling the room with hundreds of fire flies. The creature known as a Bijou lept back from Aiden, disappearing into the depths of the cave though his voice and anger echoed loud and clear. "...Suffer... as we have!" He shouted from the shadows, the darkness incinerating the fireflies until they were dust once more the darkest of shadows moving over the ground towards them. Miyabi grabbed hold of Aiden's hand with eyes that begged for forgiveness as he knew he'd made a mistake. "I... I'm sorry. He was trying to put you under a spell!" He made a run for the exit that they were headed towards to begin with, he didn't want to turn back now... "A bijou's spells are remarkable... " The shadows that chased them moved like entities, rising and falling from the ground like masses of living darkness as they grappled for their ankles and shoulders. Miyabi could only continue to run pulling Aiden along. "...Those are the souls... of all of the dead Bijou... we can't hurt them or his anger will only grow that much more..."

She rushed herself next to Miyabi even though he attempted to pull her along by the hand. She looked behind her and saw the shadows follow them. Through a few puffs of breath she spoke.

"It's too bad. They were probably a lot more gentle creatures before they hated humans. I can't wait to put those creatures in their place, if we ever make it out of here alive."

She hated thinking that way but she had to because it WAS a possibility. Though this was their story they had to have an end even though this would have been a poor ending. So Aiden began to think of ways to twist the story and make it worth hearing in the future, taking that they are able to tell the tale later. Stories that end like this normally don't carry on except through the beast who did the killing. She began to think of something and she realized something very interesting that may be able to help depending on whether or not the creature was going to kill them straight away or not. If this idea worked, then it would make their journey back through this cave easier, that is if they planned on coming back this way. She debated whether or not to let Miyabi go or follow along side her. At this point she felt the shadows and knew they weren't going to make it out of there without being grabbed, and it seemed best that they calmed the creature before escaping.

Aiden broke Miyabi's grasp and stopped dead in her tracks. She knew this would confuse the creature and he would most likely ask why. As for Miyabi, his actions to either come back for her or continue on was his choice. She knew something though, her and the creature had something in common, their dislike of humans and the harm they have brought both of them. This strong dislike may be the one thing that brings them closer to being allies.

Miyabi felt Aiden release his hand and he spun around in his tracks nearly falling over. "Aiden no!" He shouted back as he stumbled to go back after her, though he knew it was going to be too late. "Don't, you have to run!" By the time he was able to even get close to her though the shadows had a hold on her, crawling up her body like it was a stairway to paradise. Engulfing her like an entanglement of vines around a rose bush. The bodies of shadows combined into one solid mass, erasing her form from Miyabi's vision as he reached out for her. "Aiden!" He shouted again, his fists clutching onto the stale air. From the darkness of the shadow that imprisoned her emerged the creature that they had encounted before. "...I see, so your curiosity got the better of you and now you surrender yourself to the wills of my people. What a fine decision... to leave behind that boy you travel with..." His jeweled hand reached out once more, cupping her cheek in his palm as he drew closer and closer to her. "... strange though that a woman as yourself would surrender to this... to leave your comrad to rot in the dark..." He was nearly chest, to bare naked chest with her by now and he could feel her breath on his skin as he was sure she could feel his. "...what is it.. that tempted you back into these shadows?..."

Though she should have been on edge, she wasn't. Her eyes wouldn't meet his, they would only close. A soft sigh surpassed her lips.

"I know how you feel... To be torn apart by humans."

Her snake like eyes opened to look up at him. She knew his curiosity about her stopping would raise a question before her possible death. She just hoped that Miyabi was alright. She recalled his voice in her head and she felt guilt for leaving him behind as she did. In times like this though, they needed more allies than ever in this fight against humans.

"I don't know really your kind, your abilities, or how you are now compared to how you were before humans. I could only imagine though you were a happy kind, free of worry. If your kind was ever as beautifully spirited as the gems that line these caves, then it's horrible what the humans have done to you and your caves..."

Aiden felt an ache under her eye where the small patch of scales were. She could still from time to time feel the pain of the bruise her father left bellow her eye just before she was changed into her current form. Her eyes closed once more trying to ignore the ache and to focus on what was going on at the moment.

"I know you felt like we were here to steal all that you have, but in truth we are not. If we were, I would have continued running from you. Right now though, I'm not running because I don't like leaving others to feel alone. I know you probably feel very alone here. You feel alone in your beliefs that humans have wronged you. I just want you to know you aren't alone. Now be forewarned, I don't mesmerize easily, what ever you were trying to do earlier, will not work. Being half the creature I am, I am immune to charms, mesmerization, and spells of those sorts."

She really hopped this would stop the creature in his original plan, that this would actually bewilder him in some way.

The creature lowered his hand away from her, slinging his arms over her shoulders as he lowered his lips to her ear. "...I don't use such trickery as illusion and mesmerization... I've never had a need to." Miyabi summoned as many fire flies as he had dust, all of them illuminating the walls of gems and pillars and crystals. "..It is like a graveyard of children..." He sat onto the ground, as there wasnt any sign of where the creature had taken Aiden, nothing for him to follow. There was no fleeing shadow that was the Bijou and no angry voices. '...He's taken her to the land of the devoided...'

The Bijou creature had become eerily close to her even as she spoke with honesty. "...Really, why do you think I am so glad you've left your friend to rot in this cave? To feed the children that live within this world..." He smiled though he knew she couldn't see it as his lips were close enough to her neck for him to bite off a hunk of flesh. "He is weak... his heart is in the right place but he is very weak and grows weaker by the day... even the mother earth can tell you that once his quest what ever it be is complete he will fade from this world." He rest his head against her, refusing to let her put up any resistance. It wasn't that he was making any advancements towards her... touch... was his way of entering into a persons vision and what they saw through their eyes. "As much as I loathe mortals, the humans who locked us away... this curse that we are under can not be broken without the same items they used to cast it... my people.. few as we are... are doomed to die here... our children to be mined from these walls and sold as prizes..."

Aiden re-thought her tactics. She guessed she didn't completely screw up but she has turned a corner she didn't expect to turn. The creature was neither on their side or the humans. She had hoped that they were passionate enough about their beliefs that they would side with them, but she couldn't blame them they were a dieing race struggling to survive. Just as any dieing animal will, they will do what they need to survive in this world. Now though, it was her turn to survive, because she herself was a one and only and Miyabi the same. She tried to continue to stay calm.

"So tell me, what could we do to obtain our pass safely through this cave? Though you hide it, I know deep down you must be reasonable to an extent. What could we give you other than our bodies for your children? Is there something else you enjoy more?"

Aiden's eyes followed the shadow slowly, for she could see his figure through the darkness with the help of her snake like vision. She thought she would try to reason with him one more time, because even though Miyabi was weak physically, Aiden wasn't and there was much that he didn't know about her physically.

The creature stepped back from her, he only wished to relieve his people of the curse... to set their deceased spirits free into the lights of heaven and to bring life to the un-born children. "... There is nothing in this world that would grant me great pleasure than to know I could bring these children out of their eggs... and to re-new our race of people. Without the instruments that were used to curse us though that is impossible... and those humans are long since dead." He was anguished by the memories of his people.. the ones who could no longer stand living in the darkness any more and ran into the light to die... watching them become a part of the shadows themselves until the cave was consummed by their spirits. Miyabi was going through all of his spells, trying to find one that he knew that could bring the two of them back to a reality where he was able to see and touch Aiden, he didn't want to know the kind of pain he was causing to her, but he knew he had to save her from it. "don't worry.. i'll find a way to get you back..." He mumbled as he reviewed everything in his mind. The Bijou creature's eyes opened the ruby colored iris shinning brightly. "...Would it be easier for all of us... if perhaps my kind no longer existed here? ... If I abonded these eggs for the sunlight? Tell me, because for the longest time I have been on the brink of running out into the daylight myself and leaving this all behind... leaving these poor children to know birth." The bijou embraced her into his arms once more, adorning her with his physical affections. "...Your friend, the one you've left to rot... he looks for a spell to free you from here, to get rid of me... he must care for you deeply if he is willing to extinguish a race... so shy don't you do it for him?...You could take all of these children...and sell them for your journies... sell them take them all and sell them.. maybe they will find a home that cares for them as I have and maybe one day they will grow and flourish into a new race..."

She began to think to herself as to what she could do. She had an idea, an idea that would not turn her heart towards greed but an idea that could help save his race.

"If you are truly speaking what you wish, I would like to take a few of the children here. I would like to keep them protected and shielded from all the light until they are able to live in the light once more. When Miyabi finishes his mission. Maybe then we can restore your race and put the humans in their place. I promise you, I will take very good care of them and maybe one day they will be able to return with smiling faces in the sun light."

She felt in her heart that this was a reasonable agreement. She wanted to help him but she didn't want to dishonor him by selling his pride and joy. Aiden felt that this mission of her and Miyabi's wasn't just to put the human's in their places, but to bring peace among broken races like the Bijou. This was their messiah they have been waiting for, the messiah they all probably have given up on. Aiden wanted to bring hope back into their lives and to save them from destruction.

"Please, let me help you. If this way saves your race from extinction I am willing to do it."