HC's Character List

Aeon, The Crystal Girl [Linky]
A strange girl locked away inside a mysterious artifact at the bottom of a perilously dangerous ancient ruin that no average adventurer could dare tread within! She's cheerful, full of life and energetic, made happy by the smallest things and perhaps a little oblivious at first, but her confidence in herself and positive outlook doesn't let this bother her for long.

Adrie the artifact hunter. "whose more foolish? the fool who turns away from a dig or the fool that digs in the evil cursed tomb full of booby traps and most certain death?" Adrie is obviously the second kinda fool.....

Adrie stared at the entrance. "you gotta be kidding me... the map actually led me to something?" Adrie felt like he could almost cry in frustration. He couldn't believe it, years of research and toil and zip nada nothing, then some random impulse buy in a shady looking shop and finally he found something. The shop had been full of fake antiques, and the seller sure was pushy. He was about to tell the guy off and report his shop when an old parchment had captured his attention. It had seemed old, and it was real vellum, so with some serious haggling and the threat to report his fakes, he had gotten it pretty cheap. Checking it at home, it did in deed seem pretty at least a century old. Most of it was worn and unreadable but the location was still identifiable. No idea what it was supposed to be on the map, and he hadn't heard of any finds in the area. He wasn't getting anywhere with with his real research. His Parents were the real legacy in the family. They had a lifetime of successful finds. He had been working for his first big find for several years now hoping to distinguish himself and not just fall into his parents shadow. So of course all his personal research ended nowhere. This however, might be something. He carefully pulled out the make from his jacket pocket. Their was something off about the whole thing however. Looking at the carved stone entrance before him the stones were old and worn with age, and the map while pretty old, couldn't be as old as these ruins leading into the mountain.

The wind picked up sending a chill down his leather tunic. He took out his lamp, carefully lighting it and took a look inside. Half carved and half rough natural stone walls seemed to lead down and inward. giving his pack a quick shrug, making sure everything was securely fastened, he stepped into the passage, adrenaline starting to pump into his system with the thrill of discovery. their only seemed to be one pathway, no branches or doors appeared off the main shaft. as he worked his way downward the stonework lessened and it became more of a natural tunnel then of a man carved walkway. Stalactites hung from the ceiling while stalagmites tried to trip him up in his path. Every now and then he would stop and pause s veins of different rock and small pockets of natural crystal and gemstones dotted along the walls. It was truly breathtaking. He wasn't sure how far down into the mountain he had travelled. He felt tired and his body was stiff and sore form the long excursion. Just as he was thinking of finding a spot to make camp the dark tunnel around him expanded into inky blankness. the ground became smooth and flat and the walls were quickly out of sight from his lamp. Unsure he took a few steps into the cavern room. he wasn't sure but he thought he could see something gleem just a little further ahead. Naturally his lamp decided to go out for no reason whatsover, plunging him into complete darkness.

Adrie muttered a few choice curse words fumbling with the thing and failing to get it to light back up. The same gleem somehow managed to catch his attention.

"Is it glowing?" He muttered moving closer, his finger barely brushing the smooth slick surface.

It was an Era of great mystery, a world in which dreamers and selfish men alike could run wild, following their ambitions across the lands and seas. For it was ten years ago that the explorer Jon Marco found the ledger of the Golden King, a man once considered a legend, no more than a myth, until a part of his riches were discovered, along with the book telling of further fantastic treasure troves hidden across the vast world he had explored in his prime. But with no clues left as to finding these legendary treasures, all manner of men rose up, prepared to find them. Whether they were bandits, nobles, kings or simple treasure hunters, they took up the search for the greatest treasures the world had ever known, prepared to meet the trials that would face them head on.

Of course, with so many competing factions searching, sooner or later, they would trip over one another, and so with this single discovery alone the world was treated to a taste of chaos.The worst of all was those bandits and pirates that held no remorse for their actions, gathering men and scouring every place they could find. Not every man would make it. There would be losses, but also, there would be blood. Innocents would get in harms way. And for every innocent life lost, a new thought soon came to be spread. It was a curse. Finding the Gold King's treasure was a curse that corrupted the hearts of men.

Such pitiful beings

Among these many kinds of explorers, perhaps the most notable were the Treasure Hunters. They were curious people among their peers, strong, capable of traveling along or in fewer numbers, but anywhere they went, the scope of the world around them could change. For they had an ambition and drive that placed them in a different league. They would enter the dark places that no others would dare to tread. They would challenge ruins, filled with their ancient traps and either perish bravely or emerge victorious. The first of the era to truly return with treasures and tales befitting the Gold King's legacy. Yet it never quite seemed enough, as though they'd never found what it was they were looking for.

Many of these Hunters were different from the bandits and from the pirates, no-one knew where they first began, or if they were even organized. But with their strength they would defend towns, battle fierce beasts and face the harshest environments that the world could throw at them with honest to truth smiles on their faces. It was this growing number of extraordinary individuals that started to spread the light of hope into peoples hearts and inspire more to join in the true search. The search to break the curse of the Gold King, to find those legendary treasures and finally lay to rest the great ambition that threatened to tear countries asunder.

They are foolish

It was on the continent of Iskend the a new path had finally opened. A diving line of treacherous mountains known as the Dead Men's Spires had been broken through finally by a dedicated town of once-adventurers. Hope Town they called it, though others might laugh at their name and call them fools, they settle din place and challenged the mighty mountains, carving a path through its treacherous chasms and caverns until they finally broke into the mysterious land beyond it, a land untouched by the modern era for centuries.

It was said that those who first stepped into the light on the other side felt a chill across their bodies, though they knew not what it was. Whether it was the chill of excitement, the prospect of a whole new land to explore, the chance that the legendary treasures awaited them there. Or perhaps the chill of fear, the knowing that there were things waiting for them that they might never have seen in their lives, dangerous and maybe even beasts beyond their knowledge.

They disgust me

Some said that they felt as though they were watched, as if something knew they were there and it did not welcome them into its domain, but there was never any sign of anything to directly confirm that fear. humanity began to strive across this new land, this new world with the same confidence and ambition that drove it before, unaware that one among them would soon set them on the path to an uncertain destiny. And that one day, one among them might be at the center of the only hope for the future.

I will erase them

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How long has it been?
How long have I sat here?
I cannot remember.

I could not count the days. Though I know not if that even matters. I could not count the weeks. Though I know not if I should care. I could not count the months. Though I know not if it would have changed anything. I could not count the years. Though I know not if I even existed for them.

But perhaps they could have mattered, or I could have cared. Perhaps something could have changed. Perhaps I could know that I exist.

How long has hit been since I felt that familiar tremor?

How long has it been since.. That touch..

"How long has it been..?" The words gently echoed into the mind of the explorer as he touched the dark crystal that floated in the air. It didn't budge, as though it were stuck in place. But that touch alone seemed to beckon something from it, for the faint red glow at its core grew brighter, spreading from its source and filling the ancient room with its light,
"How long has it been..?" The crystal questioned again, the walls began to move. the narrow passageway began to broaden, the walls and floor practically came to life as it slowly transformed before the mans eyes, a platform raising from the ground beneath the hovering gemstone, it lifted the object only a little more before the red light seemed to draw itself back in, practically vanishing altogether.

The broadened expanse of the room, however, did not grow dark. Instead, shafts of light fell from the ceiling above, crystalline structures rumbling into view. A circle of large gemstones above glowed brightly, and the ground around the platform parted. A ring of light rose from below, engulfing it in the same gentle light from above.
The crystal shifted once more, raising into the air once more before red beams of light struck the explorer's body. Though they did not harm him, it was as if they passed through him, through his mind, through his hands, through his heart, they curled around him, ephemeral, ghostlike, eventually forming a pair of hands that silently stroked past his cheeks, drawing back through the air and vanishing.

Then once more the light spread from it, it fell like rain, or like water down a surface, but it didn't vanish, instead each part of the red light that poured down the invisible surface remained in place, taking shape, taking form, the more light poured from the crystal, the easier it was to see what was taking form before the man. A feminine figure hung in the air, suspended, as if held in place by the crystal. Her feet didn't even touch the ground with the tips of her toes.
Once the full figure of a red silhouette could be seen, it grew brighter, brighter and brighter still, until the surface seemed to explode, torn away, scattering across the walls. Flesh and cloth appeared in place for every part that was torn away, a head of hair, mixed black and white, a young, feminine face. Eventually the red light had vanished, gone, no longer was it needed, no longer did it compose the structure of the being it had created. The gem glowed softly in her forehead as she was slowly lowered on to the platform.

Her legs folded softly beneath her as she descended, like a marionette on a single string, her hands it the platform, but she continued to slowly and gently crumple in place until she laid quietly upon the stone surface, breathing slow, soft breaths, eyes closed.

How long has it been since I felt.. Alive?

"Uh well I dunno it's probably pretty late by now and... uhm..."Adrie started to answer the question told to his mind before realization hit him.... "wait who said that?!??" He whipped around, still only seeing darkness save for the light now emanating form the crystal hanging in the air.
"how is it doing that?" "wait whats happening?" he took a few steps back as the room around him changed. He watched as the platform raised and the cavern transformed turning into something truly incredible.

"Wow..." stunned he turned his attention away from the crystal for a moment not sure where to watch as so many things were happening. The ceiling came alive and more crystals seem to float like an ethereal chandelier. He turned back to look at the black crystal clearly the focal point of what was happening just as it started to rise again and burst into an array of red light that shot at him. Startled he fell landing on his back the strange sensation that they had entered into every part of him made him blush almost as red as the light. A form was shaping before him as he propped himself up slightly by one elbow, to see what could only be some kind of girl just floating right there, in the air. He wasn't sure his eyes could go wider as things seemed to settle down and the girl person crystal red light thing, whatever his mind had already shut down and he was no longer clearly thinking straight.... slowly collapsed to the ground. Part of him wanted to catch her before he fell, but his limbs felt like rubber and the shock from whatever that red light had done still left him feeling a bit shell shocked. Instead he did the "romantic thing" of laying there useless, looking like a stunned fish.

"uhm, are you alive, and are you going to hurt me? If so It would be nice to know so I could try and get my body to move again so that I might flee the premises." Adrie started to wiggle his fingers, trying to get life back into his body so he could flee screaming into the night if need be. That ha d been an important skill when he was a kid. Too many places his parents really really shouldn't have taken a small boy to when he should be safely sticking his fingers into hornet nests or something much less dangerous. Having Treasure hunters as parents, certainly could warp a little kids brain out of any normal expectancy. Slowly his limbs began to function and the treasure hunter in him finally kicked from the flee from crazy danger into the ooo shiney what is it mode. Really the only two modes treasure hunters had, dangerous levels of curiosity and desire, and the fleeing panic mode of I accidentally awakened an elder god of chaos from its sleep.

He achingly crawled over toward the pedestal on to which the girl crystal thing was now slumped over. Cautiously he poked at her, tapping the crystal that seemed embedded into her forehead

She didn't respond, not at first, laying quietly for the moment, still trapped in her own thoughts, until realization hit her. There was no more quiet. She could hear the world around her. Every small misgiving of ancient stone crackling int he walls. The soft impacts on the stone of something slowly approaching, the words of a startled stranger, both curious and maybe a little terrified. She didn't know why she understood these concepts. She did not know them to understand them, yet it was as though she'd known this entire time.

She felt the cool stone pressed against her face, what a strange sensation, she barely remembered the feeling of cold, yet now it was there, she almost enjoyed it. Though perhaps the more alarming feeling was when something pressed against her forehead, a finger touching the crystal. It caused her to shiver, but she soon slowly opened her eyes. And so she experienced light, the dim lighting of the room. The very sight of things flooded her mind, though honestly she was met with the most curious first sight, a few fingers, a palm, the one outstretched digit that was pressing against the crystal.

What was her reaction to be? She wasn't sure. The touch felt strangely pleasant now that she thought about it, she felt like it would have been nice to stay like that, but she couldn't, there was something else. This sensation. Living. The girl shifted, planting her hands against the stone surface of the platform, she felt her body move and lift until she was finally sitting upright and staring in the direction of one whom had been so curiously poking at the crystal in her forehead, her red eyes glowed once softly as she stared at him before her lips formed a soft smile and she titled her head a little,
"Hello." She offered simply. It seemed like the appropriate greeting. At least her mind told her it was the appropriate greeting. Though she lifted her hands, staring aat them quietly, turning them and inspecting them with strange curiosity before she soon looked down at herself and her body. What was this form? She knew it was hers, but it felt like she was only familiar with it, not that it had always been hers.

"ah!" he jumped back, snatching his hand away. "Uhm sorry, I was just curious and uhm... Hi?" He stood there awkwardly not sure what to say or do. At least she wasn't trying to devour him or sacrifice him on the altar or the like. Hello was okay right? It was good. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. He was just a bundle of nerves. His parents never seemed this nervous, no wait don't compare himself to them, this was his expedition, this was his find. HE. COULD. DO. THIS.

He watcher her as she looked at her hands, was this new to her too? He took of his travel pack and put it on the stone floor, it took a few seconds but he grabbed a pad of paper and a pencil to start documenting his find. Slowly he walked around the altar inspecting the girl, making sure he wasn't missing anything. Like a tail full of spikes that could flay him at any given time. He started jotting down notes and did quick sketches on his notepad of various aspects of the room, as well as the girl. Their wasn't way in much of writing or pictures on the stone, some decorative work, and crystals did seem to be the repeating theme throughout the room. When he had circled back to the front. He took another look at the girl? "Uhm, hi again, Is it okay to ask who you are or...uhm what? never mind that was dumb, My name is Adrie, what's yours?" He put the pencil to paper ready to write down what she said , hopefully not only will he NOT get eaten, but that she could tell him what this place was and who she was for that matter. He was definitely going to need to do a lot of research when he got back home.

The girl continued to watch the man with curious, almost unblinking eyes as he reacted and moved around in his strange fashion. When he started to circle the platform she turned her head as far as she could, though found herself almost losing her balance, not to mention figuring out that she was unable to turn her head all that way. So she turned the other way, surely he would be on the other side soon if he kept going around, right? She caught glimpse of him again, the way her hair fell, it left only one red eye observing him as it gleamed with curiosity.

But then he spoke again, he asked her things and she found herself repeating after him,
"Who I am..? What?" Curious, she hadn't considered that, what was she? Who was she? She hadn't asked herself that question yet to know it, "That was dumb? What was dumb?" She pondered, cocking her head the other way, "Your name is Adrie..? What is mine?" She asked that aloud, still seeming quite oblivious as she thought about it, even frowning a little as she considered it.

Did she have a name? Did she have a.. What..? What was she? She wiggled her fingers in front of herself, then reached up to pat at her hair. Naturally she had yet to answer any of his questions as she pondered them herself. She let off confused hums and mmms as she considered it, before she smiled confidently at him, raising a finger and declaring her conclusion rather proudly,
"I dont know!" The girl dropped her hand to her knees along with her other one as she leaned forward, looking at Adrie closer, "Do you know my name? Do you know what I am?" She asked, though her attention seemed to refocus as the room around them seemed to change again, the walls, once solid, shifted a little and writing began to appear on the surface, glowing faintly, but finely, as if something or some-one had written in pure light. The writing was fairly ancient, but discernible to any hunter that may have studied such ancient languages, after all they were often the key to entering some of the worlds most ancient tombs and crypts. Though an ominous message was inscribed;

Speak not the name. Seek not the grave. It is an end to all things. It will carve across humanity and erase them from the world. Seek not that one, to disturb it will be to welcome the ill fate of oblivion. Awaken not the darkness that sleeps.

And below this a further message was coming to life;

The Legacy of the King slumbers in the hearts of Men. But only his Legacy may wield the light. His is the touch that will decide its form. His golden will shall be the way forward, his boundless strength shall guide the light and become the nexus the world turns upon.

He quickly scribbled down everything she said... He looked back up at her and smiled, then looked back down at what he wrote, reading it again and gave a small sympathetic frown. "You don't know either huh? Sorry I didn't find much before I came, I really didn't think I would find anything at all." He fought the strange desire to pat her on the head. "I guess I could see if their are any...what is that!" Excited he raced over to where words began to glow, his pencil and pad of paper ready to jot it all down. He wrote the message muttering to himself several times, even doing a quick sketch of the entire wall.

"Interesting It is in the ancient script. IT will take me a minute to translate it, but Oh hey you are speaking my language, Odd you would think you would speak the ancient tongue, what does that mean I wonder. Perhaps it's some recognition interface or something?" He thought out loud as he examined the writing once more. Pacing back and forth along the wall, he nodded and stepped back when he was sure he had gotten it all down and translated. He read the translation again, but more slowly trying to figure out the message and it's meaning.

"Wow, could you be more dramatic and cryptic.... Was their a law or something in ancient times that you had to be more imposing then your neighbors or something. I can't make out all of it but I am getting a fair amount inf I am translating it right.... Still, see this part here, see?" he pointed to a spot of writing on the wall. "It mentions the Kings legacy...I think..... now that is a big discovery. This could finally mean my big break as a treasure hunter!" Excited and caught up in the moment he turned back to his mystery girl and caught her up in a hug.

"YES!...errr...oh wait sorry uhm I was just excited" Blushing he turned away, his entire head felt on fire as he turned red with embarrassment.

The girl's confident smile seemed to fade a little, her curiosity becoming a slightly withdrawn expression as she sat there. She was a little disappointed, he seemed to know more than her, but she guessed he didn't know her name after all. or what she was. How long had it been since.. She stopped on that for a moment, what a curious expression, it felt familiar,
"How, long, has, it, been..?" She repeated it word for ward to herself, separating each syllable with a smallest of pauses, a curious look on her face as she stared up at the ceiling, "Hmm.. 'Since what?' I wonder.." She continued to think about it, though the man was getting strangely excitable about something. The glowing on the walls, something about ancient writing?

"Long..? Ancient..?" She wondered out loud, "Language..? No, that's silly.." She dismissed it, though it seemed she was still thinking to herself, trying to come up with something, trying to remember something, "Long.. Ancient.. Minute..? No.. Minute.. Hour.. Day.. Week.. Month.. Year.. Decade.. Century.. Millenium.." She listed these off to herself, counting them on her fingers before she realized what she was doing. Again she wiggled her fingers in front of herself and giggled enthusiastically.

Her focus returned to the man again, he was saying something about a king and a Legacy. Or a Kings Legacy, she wasn't sure she'd heard him correctly, but before she knew it, he'd thrown his arms around her in what seemed like a moment of Joy. She felt her cheek press against his fact and the warmth of his brow press near the crystal, a sensation that seemed to rob her of any idea concerning getting away, if anything it warmed her greatly. She liked that feeling. But then he parted with her, drawing away almost as quickly as he'd left. She stared at him, almost in a hurt fashion at first. But then she thought about it. If he could do it, perhaps she could too!

With barely a thought to it, she shifted from her position on the altar and threw herself forward off of it, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her face against his again, once more giggling happily. She didn't know why it felt so nice, especially as she placed her brow against his.
She softly nudged up against him some more as the feeling made her relax again. The look on her face could have been described as one of sheer contentment, almost as if she'd fallen asleep quite happy, though she continued to hold on to him and smile broadly, her eyes falling open before his again, the same red gleam filled them.

Up close it could be seen that her irises were certainly not normal. They shone like rubies, cut finely and polished to perfection, light seemed to travel along them in slow, soft waves,
"I can count on my fingers!" She stated in a rather proud manner, happy at this simple revelation, before she grinned again, "Oh wait.. Are you Adrie or are you Just Excited? That's a funny name..! Can you change your name like that? Can I be Aeon? Until I know what my name is?"

"WAaaahhhh!" As Adrie was pounced he instinctively reached up to catch her, and promptly hit his head. Dazed from both noggin and the impact of a beautiful girl or thing that he still wasn't sure wasn't some kind of elder goddess that would end up eating him and destroying nearby villages, he lay still gasping for air as his heart beat a drum solo in his chest cavity. He didn't think he would stop blushing though as she nuzzled him with her forehead. It did feel comforting, but he wondered at what he was dealing with. She seemed more like a newborn, yet with was obviously had basic motor skills and speech. The only thing that really set her apart was the strange gem in her forehead, that and her blazing eyes. So very very shiny, a little creepy, but sooooo shiny.

Still he couldn't help but smile, perhaps she was okay? As she proudly displayed her finger movement he could help but laugh with her. He nodded at her and wiggled his fingers as well "That's great, Me too, and yes my name is Adrie, you can call me Adrie, and I can definitely call you Aeon if you like.First though we should probably..owe" He attempted to sit up, the movement making his head spin a little as he was reminded of the recent bump to his head. "Yeah we should maybe settle in, or at least I need some food and some rest, it was a very long hike up here and I am finally feeling it after all the excitement." Once his mind had lowered the possibility of the need to flee it began to shut down. The hike up the mountain from the past few days, then the dark trip down, to the discovery and adrenaline, his body was demanding to be shut down. He was tempted to just lie their on the stone floor and nod off, but knew he should at least set up some form of camp. This room was the only spot to do so, that or hike back up the hours he had made down....but he wasn't sure if that would be as easy. It seemed somehow the structure of the room had changed, he wouldn't be surprised if the way back out had been as well. A honey trap would just be the idea way booby trap a place like this. Or maybe it was just the blow to his head making up stories, either way he didn't have it in him to make the trek out tonight , or morning or whatever time it was, right now.

"Uhm, Aeon do you have any idea on whether it would be safe to stay in the room for a while longer? I would also like to look around the room some more but I am so tired, tired as I am feeling not my name, my name is still Adrie, so if possible I think it would be best to set up camp here and then figure things out after?" this time as he spoke he managed to sit all the way up, squirming a little to get around the girls grip as he did so.

Aeon continued to smile at Adrie as he spoke in return, grinning broadly when he wiggled his fingers for her too, she seemed purely fascinated by it, but then he introduced some more new concepts. Food? And rest? Both ideas just made her give him a curious look once again. His use of her new name made her light up proudly as she let him go, then looked around the room some more herself, a finger rested on her chin as she considered what he'd said before smiling at him again,
"I don't know!" She replied, again quite proud of the fact that she was utterly oblivious, though she sat there with her hands on her knees, still smiling as though she had no concerns in the world. And why would she? The first thing she'd seen in the world was some-one who was nice and this place felt nice, "Oh oh!" The girl bounced a little on the spot, raising her finger again, "This place feels nice, so maybe it will be safe, because it feels nice? Safe is a good thing, right? Like nice?"

The energetic girl practically leaped to her feet, bouncing softly on her heels a moment as she looked around at the walls of the place and the crystals some more, though after a while she seemed to hop along, using her arms to balance herself as she hopped from one foot to the other in a sheer, playful manner while giggling to herself. Eventually she squatted near one of the crystals on the ground and prodded at it curiously, it was glowing so brightly, yet it felt warm, almost familiar to her.
As she continued to hop around the platform and between the crystals, she eventually went out a little too far past the alter. There was a sound of metal being struck as the girl tripped over with a slight yelp. She sat up in place, rubbing her head and giggling once again, though she stared up into the dim lighting at whatever it was she'd tripped over.

The object in question was a large metallic arm, it looked almost like a knights armor, but it was hollow. Embedded into the far wall of the room, right in fornt of the girl, was the matching suit to the fallen arm. The suit still held a sword in front of itself, the tip touching the ground, it's remaining hand rested on the pommel whilst it silently stood there. The area around her began to illuminate as more light filled the chamber, revealing the knightly suit. It was certainly of an ancient design, but it was practically falling apart.
Aeon stood up, patting herself off and soon stared up at the armor, head tilted a little. She wondered if maybe there was some-one big enough to wear a suit that big. But the only example she had to go by was Adrie, he certainly couldn't fit into it properly. How did she even know a person needed to wear it? That was curious. She felt like she knew things, but if she thought about it, her mind just drew a blank,
"Adrieee!" She called back to him, waving her arm, "Does this look like it is safe?"

"Hmm, right. Nice is good, lest all continue to be nice, hear that crystal room and everyone in it? Let's all be nice." He got up after the girl and brushed himself off looking around to see where he had dropped his bag.

"Well time to make the best of it I guess. I'll just get the supplies from my pack, don't think we should light a fire, don't want any smoke damage, that and don't want to breath in smoke as there's no chimney anyway, and oh, maybe I brought that extra tarpaulin...." Walking over Adrie was soon happily rummaging through his bag, pulling out items he needed, which was most of the bag. Engrossed with his task at hand he didn't really noise she had left nor the noise when she fell over something. He continued to pull our more items. The aforementioned tarpaulin being one of them. A rolled sleeping pad and camping blanket, their was also a few packs of dried food and jerky, his canteen, he debated the lamp he had that had gone out earlier, but the crystals were giving off a decent amount of light at least in this area, so it would be a shame to waste fool. He stepped back, things lying about around him and wondered where he should set it up, somewhere near the light, but would being near the entrance be better? Or near the altar or...

Finally he was pulled form his thoughts this time when Aeon's voice rang out through the cave calling him. He looked over, where she had run off to.

"I'll come look!" Curiosity peaking he grabbed his pad and pencils to come examine what Aeon had found. Happily he walked right up next to her, crouching down to get a better look.

"Huh it looks like an arm, similar to a knights gauntlet and armor but still a little different in structure." He pulled his pencil out and showing a touch of caution he turned the ancient armor arm around and peered inside. "It's empty, not sure if I would have been relieved or agitated if their had been some kind of bone arm or whatever inside, still I mean, look at how big it is, It could still be in human proportions, but man, that is one big biiiiiiiig fellow." Finally glancing around he spotted the now lit up matching metal suite attached to the wall.

"And there's the rest of it. Wow That really is big. I am really hoping it is more decorative and symbolic, then the fact that their are or were guys that went around in that." Adrie stood up and walked over taking a closer look at the armor, breathing a small sigh of relief when he noticed it was attached to the wall. "Well it's likely more ceremonial, as it's connected here, still I wonder if it represents a figure, or if it was more a symbolic guard for this place. There's just so many questions. I may spend my entire life trying to unravel this room...." He used his pencil to once again try and examine the armor, trying to move some of the plates gently apart like curtains to peer inside.

"What do you think Aeon, is this nice armor or mean armor?" He chuckled turning back to smile at her. Unfortunately his turning means he missed the light behind the visors eye slits turn a brilliant red.

The girl had been softly bouncing on her heels behind him as he examined the suit of armor, though she tilted her head curiously. It seemed like the armor should have been familiar to her, but nothing came to mind. That was definitely a problematic feeling, knowing that things were familiar yet never quite remembering them, she kept her eyes intently locked on the knight, even as Adrie turned towards her.

She thoughtfully considered his question, however she caught the light in the helmet. Aeon wasn't sure if that was a good sign or a bad sign yet, at least until the giant metal hand on the pommel shifted position on its weapon, grabbing the great sword by its handle and lifting it, turning it to point upwards and hoisting it high whilst it raised the weapon then brought it down towards Adrie.

Protect

The command seemed to jump into her mind as if it had been there all along and Aeon grasped Adrie by the front of his clothes, pulling him just short of the tip of the weapon. It struck the ground with a loud clang and Aeon smiled
"Mean!" She concluded, slipping around Adrie and staring up at the knight as it drew it's weapon back. It's next action was to step out of the wall it had been rested in. The knight readied its weapon again, lifting the large, old sabre high again but this time at an angle as it took menacing steps towards the two. It seemed its intent was to cut horizontally next.

Aeon stared up at the mobile armor, resting her hands on her hips as she examine its imposing form. She still had the feeling that she recognized it somehow, but at this point that didn't matter. It was trying to be mean to Adrie. That part she understood clearly enough and now she felt the need to protect him, so it was only natural that she wanted to beat it right back into the wall it came from, right?

The knight swung towards the two of them, however it connected with somehting, resulting in a loud clang. Aeon had turned towards the large sword and swung a fist at it, however what the sword hit instead was a black substance covering her knuckles and fingers. It looked to be similar black crystals to the one embedded in her forehead, though nowhere near as smooth, it had formed a sort of protective armor over the top of her fingers, a red aura drifting upwards from it, like smoke almost.
Though Aeon soon put her other hand on her hip and pushed the sword back before pointing up at the knight,
"No being mean to Adrie!" She practically demanded, as though the armor would list, however it simply drew the weapon back and raised it high once more, but the girl merely puffed her cheeks out a little, not amused by its behavior.

"ergh!" Adrie gasped as he was pulled closer toward Adrie, He felt air whoosh down a line in his back, and even heard a small rip in as some of the loser fabric folds of his shirt managed not to escape the blade. Adrie dropped his pencil, it's tap as it hit and rolled on the floor seemed a mockery compared to the clang and thud that the sword had just made on it's impact with the floor. Rather like the differences in fighting ability, Adrie felt goosebumps and the hairs on his arm sticking up as the primal instincts in him sent off alarms.

As Aeon declared the item as mean he turned around his eyes going wide as he saw just how close that sword had been. The girl swept around him getting in between the two of them, blocking oms of his view as the giant empty Knight stepped out from the brace and wall niche. What he thought was metal securing the armor into place, was mainly just a support to help hold the giant mountain of metal from toppling over while it was inactive. Adrie felt his legs go slightly jelly as he looked up at the height of this thing. Panic spread as he took a quick breath to help steady him. He thought he saw movement from the Armor, and he reached out to grab Aeons hand in attempt to flee. He missed as she had already raised it to ward off a brutal swing from the giant claymore.

Adrie gave out a short combination between a yelp and a scream as Aeon punched the sword. He thought for sure she and himself would be swatted in half like small juicy fruit compared to the giant and his weapon. He blinked rapidly surprised they were still both alive, as he stared at the girls hand, the red light just vanishing as he thought he saw something black over her hands but was unsure if it was just shadow or what had just happened.

He couldn't believe the girl as she put a hand on her hip and she scolded. Yes scolded the behemoth as she pointed at him and calmly pushed the giant weapon away. Was this girl for real? Well she was certainly more than your average girl as he had already seen by her dramatic appearance. Still was she protecting him? Why? They had just barely met, I mean if anything he was the intruder and she should belong here or had more of a connection to the place then he did. Was it an Auto defense Meant to kill any who tried to leave? It had seemed to easy to get in, their were no traps, no maze of tunnels to get lost in. The only ting had been the climb and the dark, and both were things that didn't really stop a novice explorer. Their had been a few places that had perhaps been similar. His parents had called it a honey trap. A palace that seemed inviting but once inside, the traps had sprung killing whoever was inside, or at least making it extremely difficult to make it out alive. Perhaps activating the girl to appear or into being created had set off the traps he had failed to see earlier.

Unperturbed by the scolding of the girl the armor had raised his arms again for another swing. At least the automated knight was a touch on the slow side. Not willing to risk either of their lives a second time he managed to get a hold of one of Aeons arms this time and pulled her away from the creator.

"NOPE nope nope nope..." He repeated like a mantra, as he attempted to pull the girl and run towards where he remembered the entrance to be.

Aeon was smiling, prepared to take on the next onslaught of the sword, however she found herself being dragged soon after. She looked in Adrie's direction as he tried to lead her towards the entrance he'd first taken to get into the temple. However before they could get anywhere, the entrance slammed shut, a stone door dropping into place with another section that seemed to rise from the ground. They interlocked rather beautifully, their centers turning in place, the sounds of it locking into could still be heard for seconds afterwards. Aeon had been giggling the whole time as they ran, though once the door was locked, she pulled her arm away from Adrie and turned to face the giant armor statue as it lumbered across the room towards them.

"What a great idea, Adrie!" Aeon announced proudly, watching as the center platform seemed to lower into the ground again, the crystals on the floor also descending to shield themselves from the impending fight, "Now I have plenty of room!" She added with a grin. The girl pressed herself to the ground a moment, it looked like she was preparing for a race, for she was soon dashing full-pelt at the suit. The creature brought it's sword down in an attempt to slice her in half with the tip, however she rolled to the right with a careful step, her co-ordination was definitely super human because she jumped back up to the sword and leaped towards it's body.

However this time it seemed more prepared. The detailed chest-plate seemed to sink at the center, the various segments pulling apart to reveal a glowing orb. Light had been gathering there and soon it let out a burst, like abeam, of energy that engulfed the crystal girl quickly and sent her tumbling back to the ground, parts of her outfit even seemed to be smoking slightly. though she sat up, rubbing her head for a moment,
"Owwww.. That was not nice." She grumbled and hopped to her feet again. The chest plate had closed soon after, however it opened the segments once more, aiming at Adrie this time. The girl dashed for him and rolled, slamming her palm into the ground. A wall of various dark crystals rose up in time, catching the light beam and reflecting it randomly across the room. The light scorched the surfaces of the floor and the walls, even the ceiling. Aeon stood up straight again and rubbed her chin softly, thinking about it, though she soon grinned again, "Oh oh! I've got an idea!"

"Ahhh no nooooo!" Adrie yelled as he saw the doors closing before the could reach it. Frustrated he pounded once on the stone wall, listening as the pieces of stone interlocked together. He scanned the surface but could see no indication on a way to get them to open once again. Still he reached up pressing whatever he could especially in the area where they had circled and locked together. He turned his head to see where the knight was, the thing lumbering toward them with large steps. He looked puzzled at Aeon as she talked to him before she pelted off in the direction of the one armed knight.

"What are you doing!!!!??" he shouted at her, once again reaching out only to grab air as her speed surprised him. He could only gape for a moment as she started fighting the creature with skill unmatched by any human skill. Determined he shook out of his shock and tried to figure out what he could do. Racing toward his bag he had left near the center altar, he skidded to a stop in front of it, digging through it, trying to see if their was anything he could use. A machete, was quickly grabbed as he continued to think up a plan. His hand fumbled upon his extra flask of oil. It was a nice size, to make sure he had enough light for days if needed. He grabbed his spark stone as well, and thus armed he looked up as a strange blast came from the armor blasting Aeon toward the ground. He quickly stood up taking hurried steps in the direction of Aeon, worrying if she was okay. Light began to build from within the armor similar to the one that shot Aon and he paused looking at the armor, realizing it was facing his direction.

"Oh Sh...." He exclaimed diving toward the ground. Curled up he saw light, heard some kind of clinking stone and the light scattered, and he heard hissing in several directions. Looking up he saw black gleaming stone, transparent and twinkling in jagged formations before him.

"More black crystal but how?" He wondered as he propped himself up, his hands gripping the stone which was now wet and slick with oil. he looked over and the oil bag had slid out of his hand and was pierced by one of the crystals, spilling it contents to drizzle along the floor.

"crap" he muttered as he finished getting up, trying to see where the two crazy super beings had gotten to. He thought he heard her voice, and behind the black crystal he could see her shape, but it was hard to see details.

""Aeon?! You OKAY?!!" he shouted toward her. He Heard before he saw, the quick thudding of the knight as it steamrolled toward them. It crashed through the crystal wall swinging wildly, he was flung aside as the crash sent him falling back, the wall of crystal shapes shattering, and cutting into clothes and some skin. Hissing at the sharp pains of his cuts, he shouted Aeon's name again as he tried to blink, his vision and senses still reeling from the blow as he had fallen.

The knight turned toward the girl light building up brighter along with his sword being raised. It seemed more determined then ever to finish it's task.

Aeon had to roll back swiftly at first as the knight took yet another swing, she shielded her face from the exploding crystals, though even as shrapnel showered her too, cutting past her own body, she remained standing. The shards tor parts of her clothing, her sides, even her legs, tearing holds in her stockings. Sure enough she was bleeding, yet she was focuse dont he knight at first. She clapped her palms together once then spread them open in front of herself in a cup shape, as if she was expecting to catch the light in her hands. However black crystal soon formed in front of her again, taking a more perfect shape. It was like a circular dish, its edges bent towards the knight.

The light in its chest cavity glowed brightly, it prepared once more and fired. The creature wa sobviously not as clever, nor as aware of how badly the attack would backfire. The blast of light struck the circular dish, however it all focused on the spot and was soon delivered back, full-force, to its owner, even as stray portions of it lit the nearby oil on fire. The chest-based orb was struck, the light enveloping it and disintegrating its core, the back of the armored suit shattering int he process in a flare of light, pieces of metal rained on the ground as the metal goliath stumbled back several heavy steps, its sword hitting the ground with several loud clangs.

Aeon jumped over the dish and past the spreading flames, practically ignoring the heat as she stared up at the guardian first, however she then looked over at Adrie a moment. She stared at him, the injuries he'd received, the sight of blood on him, his physical state. The very appearance alone made her eyes glow brightly, her expression becoming one of anger as she stared at the lumbering knight. It refused to go down, stepping towards her in awkward, broken movements. It tried to reach down for its sword but instead the girl rushed at it again. She lowered herself, slapping the ground with both her palms. A crystal appeared behind one of its legs, a large protrusion, almost as tall as the armored beast's calf.

A second appeared further back on the ground, even larger than the first. She rolled once and jumped up towards the knight, thrusting her right fist towards its jay. A trial of black followed the wake of her attack, a crystalline beam, like a pole, stretched tot he ground, connected with the knight's face and pushed it backwards. It's leg caught the crystal and it tripped, the entirety of its weight coming crashing down on the large of the two crystalline spikes, impaling it in place as Aeon leaped onto the knight a fist raised in anger. A javelin of dark crystal appeared in her palm, growing quickly before she brought it down, towards the helmet of the creature. It pierced easily enough. The giant's arms lifted for a moment, however soon they fell, as though they were once the limbs of a puppet that soon had its strings cut.

The girl stood over the defeated mass of metal for a moment, red energy still pulsating from her body for a while before she looked over at Adrie suddenly, staring at him again before she stumbled off the beast and towards him,
"Adrieeeee!" She bawled suddenly, her eyes filling with tears as she collapsed on the ground in front of him, sitting on her knees, hands on the ground in front of her as she sniffled, "I'm sorry!" Aeon apologized, bowing her head to him, "I didn't protect you good enough and now you're all hurt!" The girl added, though she almost sounde dlike she was blubbering at this point. She barely even paid attention to the fact that she actually had a few of her own crystals embedded into her arms, as though unaware of the pain this was normally supposed to cause a person.

Adrie watched in awe and concern as Aeon cunningly used the knights blasting ray thing ability against him, then proceeded to finish the job with more of her unique abilities. Just who or what was this girl, so much strength and power in such a beautiful and frail looking package. He wasn't sure if he should be scared of her, that was until she dropped before him apologizing for his wounds.

"What are you talking about, that was amazing! And you're more beat up than I am by far, I was just tired before the crazy energy blasting hollow ghost knight of death creature decided to attack us." He smiled gently getting into a sitting position himself, and reaching over to grab an arm, wanting to pick out some of the shards still sticking out.

"We should get that cleaned and bandaged up okay?" He asked calm and soothingly, She seemed upset that she hadn't protected him well enough and he wanted to reassure her. Although his calm voice seemed to be having more of an effect on him, he felt beyond exhausted, he had felt about drop dead tired before the fight, and now wounded and on the low end of several adrenaline rushes, he struggled to stay upright. He wanted to get them at least patched up before conking out, he blinked slowly, trying to keep his eyelids open.

"Bandage first, then sleep, gotta get the bandages from my bag..." he muttered, shaking his head to try and stay awake, only to make his head throb with the pain from hitting it earlier.

Aeon frowned deeply even as he waved off his own injuries, pointing out that her own were bad. Though as she looked at herself, she seemed fairly passive. The sensation was there, it certainly wasn't a pleasant one, but she felt strangely detached from the feeling, even as he pulled the shards out. Her body reacted with some shivers and twitches as he removed the shards, even the sight and smell of her own blood barely fazed her. It was the first time she could think of that she'd felt unsettled at all, she could see Adrie's pain and feel hurt by it, but when her own body was involved; she just wasn't sure.

The girl waited for whatever this 'bandaging' was, at least until Adrie was done whatever it was doing and silently observed her hand again. Whenever she twisted her hand, the sensation would strike up in her arm again. She felt it, but still she didn't, instead simply realized that the unpleasant feeling was there. The more cheerful demeanor was lost in a cloud of introspection as she considered this strange sense of being.
What had been the driving force in her mind? She desired to protect Adrie so greatly that, the feeling of it still lingered. There was also the touch of him. She still felt the sensation of his touching the crystal on her head, if anything that felt the best over any other feeling so far.

"Aaaaaahh!!" The girl half-yelled, almost in frustration as she reached her hand sup to her head, ruffling her own hair, "Gloomy! I'm being so gloomy! I dont like gloomy! Gloomy isn't fun!" She argued with herself and sat with a straight back and smiled again, another broad grin just for Adrie, "I am happy you are safe, Adrie." The girl visibly wiggled a little on the spot, staring at him once again, she was contemplating hugging him again, the hugging felt really nice, that could certainly make her feel much better.