Lost But Not Dead, Yet. [Open]

[arisu]

Xiao sighed. His legs ached from the many miles of walking non-stop. How many hours had passed? For that matter, how many more would he be stuck in here? He was beginning to think he would never see the sun again. His crimson eyes were now well adjusted to the darkness of the Underdark's vast tunnel system. But occasionally he would trip over the small cracks and bumps on the floor or bump into a wall. Hey, he wasn't a nocturnal being now, cut him some slack.

"If I ever see the sun again, I think I'll dance in pure joy and happiness." He said to the air and void. He loved the dark and quiet places but he seriously had his fill of it. He missed the warmth the sun's rays gave him.

"Another dead end." He said with another sigh and turned back around. This would be the fifth one so far. Which wasn't all too bad, unless it happened to be the same one. "I think I just passed here an hour ago..." He mused, slightly in amusement, mostly in quiet frustration. His right eye twitched in annoyance. "Maybe I should bust my way out..." But the probability of that idea working was very low.

He heard a shuffling sound. His ears perked up, his hand reached for his blade's hilt. A shiver ran down his spine. There was only a handful of beasts that lived in such dark places but just two he wasn't too keen on seeing ever. Considering his luck, it would be one of those two that stalks him now. He kept walking, a bit faster and with lighter steps. His eyes dated from one side to the other. Where would it come fro-

His hand was now tangled in webby goo. "Shit." He muttered, as he tried to untangle the mess. He didn't pay enough attention. Big mistake on his part. The web wrapped around his whole arm now, and the more he struggled the worse it became. The shuffling got louder until it sounded like picks smacking the ground. "A female..." The yellow markings on its leg made it a little easier to spot in such dark. "Aircnia." And he got caught in her web.

[Azazealyn]

The drow priestess had been watching the foolish elf stumble his way around the dark, pretending he could actually see. Foolish creatures, did they actually think they could see? There was no light in these tunnels, the mind tricked the eyes into seeing in the darkness, there was nothing but pitch black here, no light to speak of here. The drow had well adjusted over the long periods that they had been down here, developing infrared spectrum as well as superb sight and dark skin.

The shapely priestess sighed, Felshen would be highly upset if she let the half elf die, no matter how tempted she was to actually do so. Served him right if he was wandering down in the tunnels. She smiled, deciding to have a little fun before she set the half elf free. Kneeling down, she summoned the spider to her hand, where she sent it scurrying off into the darkness before she summoned another, much, much larger spider. This was one of her companions, one that was too stupid to do anything without her command.

Giving orders to the spider to intimidate only and not to bite, she sent it off to do its duty, brushing hairy legs against the half elf, clicking in its ear and laying down a few more strands of webbing to scare the elf. Red eyes with a slight mix of violet glowed in the dark, never worried about being seen. Really, the elf had been wandering the large cavern room for the past few hours. How he had missed the web was anyone's guess, except for Azazealyn who decided that the elf had sheer luck on his part.

[arisu]

Xiao... absolutely... hated.... with every fiber of his being... giant spiders known as the Aircnia. Whether it was because some were very smart and resourceful during a hunt, which irked him for one reason or another, or because their hairy, prickly legs sent shivers down his spine. He hated anything that resembled it. Giant spiders were disgusting beyond words in his dictionary. As said earlier, his so-called luck would leave him to encounter one. Which frustrated him to no end.

He closed his eyes, they were little use in this situation now and leaned away from the spider when it came close. Flinching when it clicked in his ear. Its legs brushing against his bare skin sent horrible chills down his spine. Never had he ever been more uncomfortable in his life. And that's counting the first night spent with Fixatia.

He reopened his eyes. Flames burned at his finger tips burning a only small portion of the web off. But enough to allow him to reach for his sword, he unsheathed it and slashed at the creature, making it back away from him. "Don't touch me." He said through gritted teeth. No, he wouldn't kill it. He was in its home after all. It was right of him to kill it. But he desperately wanted to be free.

He turned his head slightly. He thought someone was behind the spider, or somewhere near it. But shrugged it off as his imagination and the darkness playing tricks on his mind... He turned his attention back at the spider. Would it lash out back at him for injuring it? His grip tightened around the blade's hilt. Hopefully he'd be prepared for whatever it was planning.

[Azazealyn]

Az snickered behind her hand, waving the creature off. It rambled over to her clicking loudly, angrily as she healed it before sending it off down the tunnels to hunt other prey. She may as well find out if this one had a death wish before she played with him anymore.

"What would bring a surface elf down here into the dark?" she mused aloud, as if she were speaking to herself. "Why indeed would a surface dweller be down here?" she said as she circled around in front of him. With his little fire act, he certainly could see a little bit, if she cared enough to step in front of him.

The only reason Az was in the tunnels again was because Felshen had been taken and she had to go get him since she was the only drow on board who held any sway in the community. She may as well do one good act before she faced off with her sisters and mother.

"So little elf," she purred as she stepped closer, ever mindful of the web. "What did bring you down here?"

[arisu]

Xiao sighed in relief as the spider left the room. He didn't care where it was heading, but away from him suited him just fine. He tugged at the web, trying to get free but realized that he was only making it worse. Yes, he heard the random snickering coming from who knows wheres, however he was a little more concerned with getting himself free.

This was before she started her questioning. Almost in a mocking matter, she teased at him. Her questions probing in a playful, taunting manner. He could just barely make an outline of her form. The flames allowed him to see better but now his eyes were no longer adjusted to the vast expanding darkness. "So little elf, what brings you down here?" She had asked of him.

In truth, he wasn't all that sure why he was here in the first place. Ok, so a... an acquaintance... asked him to find a special herb that apprently only grew in such deep, dark tunnels. Only in the Underdark would he find what that girl wanted. But why did he have to accept such a request? He knew very well that the Drow Elves had nothing but contempt to surface elves. He wondered if they would hate him more or less since he was a half breed.

Flames again burned at his fingertips and wrapped around his blade, he sliced the web off. Now free, he dropped to the floor. "Ow..." He moaned. He stood up and looked towards the direction of the voice. "I'm looking for something..."

[Azazealyn]

"I hope that would be your death," she said idly as she watched him from her position. Azazealyn hardly cared whether this elf lived or died in the tunnels, but she knew that others would torture him before they killed him.

She ran a hand through loose flowing white hair before stepping up and raising a hand. The palm seemed to emit a starlit glow as she held it up enough to see the half-breed on the floor before here. Azazealyn pulled her eyes back to their normal violet color as she watched him.

"In all seriousness, half elf, what are you looking for in these tunnels?" the high priestess asked. She was dressed as such, making her rank quite clear against any of those that she came across in the tunnels or on the surface. "Now hurry up and tell me, male, so that I can assist you in your incompetence," she snapped, her short patience already gone.

[arisu]

"Nice to meet you, too." He replied to her 'hope it would be your death' comment. He dusted himself off, coughing a bit as the dust rose into his nose lungs. He sighed, why should he go through so much trouble for a simple plant? Oh, yea.... because if he came back empty-handed, she would be furious at him. Then torture him to no end. It would not be a pleasant day for him when he returned if he did not find that plant.

His crimson eyes scanned the priestess under the low glow of her hand. For some reason, he felt he should have been a little more considerate and polite towards her but it greatly annoyed him that she had referred to him as 'half elf'. "I have a name, Miss. It's Xiao." He managed to smile politely, though it took every fiber of his being not to snap at her for calling him a 'half elf'. "And if you would be so kind as to offer a name I could, by chance, use for you?"

He turned his head and glanced down to many tunnels. Which one would lead him to the plant? And which ones would lead him out? He so desperately needed the warmth of sunlight on his skin. How in the world could the Drow Elves live in such darkness? He turned his attention back to the Drow Elf, slightly hoping that maybe she really could, and would, help him. "I'm looking for a glowing plant, er... flower really. I have no idea what it's called actually. But I know, at the very least, what it looks like."

[Azazealyn]

Azazealyn rolled her eyes, already irritated with him over the slightest thing. Well, actually all males in general were pissing her off to no end that day, and she figured that maybe this one wasn't actually looking for trouble. "Then tell me exactly what you are looking for and do not waste my time. I do not have much of it to spare," she said as she gave him a once over.

"There are a lot of glowing plants in the tunnels and some are too far down for you incompetent surface beings to even reach alive," she said, her temper growing short with each passing moment. With her luck at the moment, he would describe something that could be any number of the plants.

"And your so-called acquaintance couldn't come down and get it herself?" she asked, the irritation in her tone showing how much she disliked the male and surface species in general at the moment.

[arisu]

Xiao rubbed his temple. His patentice was wearing thin, which was saying a lot considering he never got all that angry too often... But the fact that he's been stuck in these damn tunnels for over who-know-how-many hours... He was a little more than annoyed by all this. "It's..." He paused, trying to recall the picture he'd seen of it. "It's about ye high." He demonstrated the approximate height and width with his fingers. "It gives off a red-ish glow. As well as the scent of blood. Its petals look like that of an Aster flower." He wondered why his sister would want such a thing. "It grows somewhere between the tunnels leading to Khastylxizn and Menozotera. But closer to Khastylxizn. And usually in the corners of rooms in patches." That sounded about right.

"She doesn't like coming anywhere near Menozotera or Khastylxizn. My..." He sighed. "My sister would much rather send me to go get them." One could hear the same agitation and annoyance Azazealyn displayed in his voice. He shrugged. "She's younger than me by a few decades or so. So, feeling like a good big brother at the time, I decided to go get it for her."

"If you don't want to help me then don't. I'm not forcing you to do anything for me. And I don't mind going in circles for another day or two."

[Azazealyn]

"You won't make it another day or two," she snapped with patience wearing thin. "But I know the flower you are talking about, now follow me since I am returning to Khastylxizn. Do not fall behind or you will be left behind," she said as she turned on a heel, the starlight glow leaving her palm to float between her and the half-elf, lighting his way.

She knew the way by heart as well as what he wanted, and had decided that she would lead him to the flower then give him a spell to get him out of the tunnels rapidly and the right way, rather than having him attempt it on his own. Heading off to a tunnel entrance he hadn't seen, they began the descent down into the bowels of the earth, the air growing even more hot and stuffy and stale with every step they took away from the surface.

The whole journey to Khastylxizn, if one knew where they were going, would take a day if they did not run into any trouble. The flower he was speaking of was only four hour's travel away, if that and dependent upon their pace and if they ran into any of the creatures of the tunnels as well.

"Next time, half-elf, inform your sister that your life will be forfeit if you enter the tunnels again," she said without turning around. Only a fool would attack a high priestess of Lloth who was on a mission and thrumming with her goddess' power.

[arisu]

Xiao sighed and follower the Drow Priestess "Yea, I'll tell her that. Although I doubt it would make her reconsider sending me here again." Only on rare occasions did Xing Lan show any care or acknowledgment of Xiao's well-being. But if it came down to it, Xiao suspected the she would send him through hell fire and back in order to get what she wanted or needed.

In silence, he followed, within a good distance, guided by the light that emitted from her palm. Of course, Xiao could only stand pure silence for so long. Feeling the need to break such unnerving silence, he asked, "If you don't mind me asking..." He started as he looked to the tunnel walls. "Why is one such as yourself wandering in the tunnels?" He knew that she wasn't lost, she knew these connecting tunnels like the back of her hand. But a Drow Priestess, or any kind of religious figure for that matter, should be either at his or her respective god or goddess temple or out on a pilgrimage, right?

"If I'm disturbing you from your task then wouldn't it be best if you left me to die?" She was right, he wouldn't last another day in these intertwining tunnels. And while he was appreciative and grateful of her help, he really was, he thought that a priestess' job was far more important than leading him to get a plant for his sibling.

He then wondered about that. The dark Drow Elves held nothing but contempt and disgust for Forest and Moon Evles. So why would she help him?

[Azazealyn]

"You know nothing about us, why presume to make judgments? That is what started the hatred between the races, is it not? I could care less for anyone other than myself, but since I am going that way I will take you to this plant. Getting out is on your own," she said, answering several of his questions.

"And would it even be possible for you to walk quieter? You already sound like a troop marching into battle," she said giving him a disproving look over her shoulder. Tossing white hair back, she seemed to watch him for a moment before shaking her head.

"You'll alert every creature we pass that we are coming," she said, ignoring the fact that her light was doing such a thing as well. Usually the light led to some of the creatures in the Underdark thinking it was a larger one, but certainly with the way the half-elf was walking, they would not be fooled.

[arisu]

"I may not, but it's what I was taught. Drow elves have always fought with Forest and Moon elves. And rightly so." He told her with a slight nod. "To be forced underground... That's just terrible." But he guessed that the Drow elves have grown used to such a dark place. Evolution and all that. "But I do appreciate you showing me the way."

He scowled. "Well, I'm sorry that I'm not silent as the night as you are. I can't walk any quieter than this." Which was true, he was never light stepper. His actions, no matter what, always seemed much louder than he intended them to be. He sighed and tried his best not to annoy the Drow Elf, despite the fact that he knew he was failing miserably in that department.

Hell, he knew that the moment his foot touched the Underdark Tunnels, he knew that every creature living in there would be alerted of his alien presence. "I'm sure they realize I'm here by now..." That Aircnia was not the first creature he had come to contact with.