PBEM-G6

Chapter Seven

Isianu took a step back, despite the definite possibility that she might be run over by a rampaging chocobo. At the moment it was either be run over or be skewered by a mad mercenary, and the choice was obvious to her. Putting her new staff in front of her, the Lupine sorceress gritted her teeth and growled at the bloodied human. "Do not blame me for your mistakes, you have brought this fate down upon yourself! We just wanted to move on, but you had to try and detain us. We do not particularly want to kill you, but we will be leaving either over or around you..." Pointing the end of her staff towards Strom, Isianu called her trusty fire spell to mind, but instead of drawing it from herself, she tried to draw it from the staff. Silently she prayed to the Blessed Pack that this would work...

Isianu drew on the staff's arcane ability. She put Feltan's advice out of her mind and simply willed the weapon to perform its function. With a swirl of magic, the end of the staff erupted in fire, flying into Strom's face. He screeched at the blast of heat and flame.

Strom, recovering from the attack, was suddenly bowled over by chocobos charging from his left. He screamed as the birds trampled him under foot.

Staggering to his feet, Strom growled defiantly. He swung his blade in an arc, forcing Isianu to dodge back into the swirl of chocobo feathers. With an arrogant laugh, he thrust his sword forward with all his strength... Isianu gasped, feeling the steel pierce her chest. Then, soundlessly, she slumped to the ground.

Kupita gasped as she too fell to the ground. She hopped to her feet, growling in rage... She pulled her sword and ran it deep into Strom's exposed side, to the hilt. He growled in return, pulling away from her, taking her weapon with him.

Strom looked down at the sword in his side. He staggered once. With some difficulty, he prepared to strike Kupita down. He slashed her across the breast plate, falling to his face in the process.

Strom did not move. The chocobos circled a few more times, then stopped. They stood by, panting, watching the still form of the mercenary. Rough hands grabbed Kupita.

"You... killed him!" exclaimed Bildur. "You $&#@% monsters!!" He clamped his hands on Kupita's throat and began choking her. She struggled to break his hold, but the dwarf was too strong. She blacked out.

Follow Isianu

Follow Kupita

The sorceress gasped, staring at the ceiling. She blinked, easing her weary body up into a sitting position. She was in a large chamber, but there was still a feeling of closeness about it. All around was gray stone, but right before her was a magnificent stained glass window spreading the full length of the wall. To her immediate left, a robed figure kneeled. It was shaking and moaning, facing away from her. At her slight movement, he whirled, revealing the face of Feltan underneath his hood.

"Isianu! You live! Thank heavens!" He stumbled up to her, wiping his eyes. "I didn't think I had it in me... it must be this holy place..." He grabbed onto her robes, bursting into tears. "...All my fault, all my fault..."

The light, that's all Isianu could remember for the longest time was the light that blinded her and consumed her until there was little left. Waking up with a bit of a scream, the Lupine looked around at her surroundings, confused about where she was or what state she was in. Was she still dead? Is this the place where she was supposed to be judged, then suddenly, something hit her and she looked down to see the dwarven wizard crying on her robes. "Feltan!" she exclaimed, giving him a slight hug and looking into his eyes, "Thank you for bringing me back. You don't know how lonely I was, but I don't blame you, it was really my fault. I shouldn't have rushed in there so haphazardly. I should have come up with a better plan first and been more cautious. It's just so good to see you," she said giving him another hug. Letting go of Feltan, Isianu slowly slid her legs over the side of the alter she was on and looked around curiously. "There's so much I wish to know," she said still marveling at the structure around her, "Where are we? How did you manage to bring me here? Is Kupita safe? What happened to Strom and the other mercenaries?" She then stops looking around and just gazes into Feltan's eyes, awaiting some sort of explanation.

Feltan kept bawling, not hearing her questions. "You don't understand... You were killed because of what I did! I destroyed Ze! They said you destroyed the city, but I did it!" He fell to his knees at her feet and just lay there. He shook slightly.

Isianu put her paws on Feltan's shoulders and gently pushed him away enough so that she could look him directly in the eye. It was harder than she thought and it almost took all of the strength she had just to do this little task. "Hold on Feltan," she said soothingly, "What's this about, you destroyed Ze? But I thought Bernuka did? What exactly is going on here?"

Feltan gulped, still overcome. "I... I unleashed the power of the crystals. It was too much!" Tears flowed freely. "I knew they were evil," he wailed. He leaned against Isianu's bier. "I released the power in those cursed things... when I came to, they were gone and a chocobo was sniffing me. I didn't know what I'd done until I went to see the villagers..." He looked up earnestly at Isianu. "It was all my fault! I tried to pretend otherwise..."

All if this information in such a short period of time and in such a sencere manner sent waves of sympathy coursing through Isianu's heart. Putting a gentle paw on Feltan's head, she smoothed out the hair on the top of his head and made several shushing sounds. "Now, now," Isianu said, oddly not knowing where this voice inside of her came from, "What's done is done. You are feeling sorry for your actions, and that's the right reaction, and who knows, there might be time to fix what ever you did. Why don't you just calm down and tell me everything that happened with you and these crystals..." Isianu sat there, looking at the dwarf with sympathetic eyes, awaiting some sort of response.

Feltan worked to regain his composure. "It would take a long time to explain. I'm not sure we'll be safe here... " He looked at Isianu, wiping one eye. "They were crystals that had colors swirling in them. I found them almost a year ago. They gave me magic! That was how they drew me in, but everything I did since then turned out wrong." He put his hand to his head and sobbed again. "Now they're gone... I don't know what I've done." He held his hand out to her, revealing a ghastly scar on his palm. "What if they... are in me?"

Flinching back a bit at the scarred hand shown to her, Isianu gingerly put a single finger in his palm and began to trace around it. Drawing her hand back, she looked at Feltan with concern and confusion in her eyes. "I, I don't know what they are, or what happened to them, but I'll tell you this, if it makes you feel better, I'll try and find out more about these crystals of yours. If they're as powerful as you say, then there must be some record of them. But at the moment, you've pointed out we have some more important things to do." With that, she put her feet down on the floor and slid off the altar, slowly. At first, Isianu didn't think she was strong enough to walk under her own power, her legs wobbled for a bit and she almost feel down. After a second or two, and with some added support by the altar, the Lupine sorceress soon found herself upright and able to move under her own power. "Like you said, this place may not be safe and I don't want to keep you here any longer than you have to. Let's go get Kupita and find someplace more secure, then you can continue telling me about these crystals of yours."

"FELTAN!!!! Come here! I've got another 'Priest' here!"Feltan was dabbing his eyes with his robe when Kupita's shrill yell reached him.

"Oh dear!" he said, looking up to Isianu again. "I forgot about Kupita! You mustn't be seen!" He made his way over to the door between the central chamber and the next. He held his hand up for Isianu. "There's a strange woman... she's not wearing the caretakers' robes, but... oh dear."

Feltan entered the room with Rei and Kupita. He stood roughly the same height as the moogle, looking like nothing more than a kindly old priest in the same gray robes she was wearing.

"Yes, Kupita," he said softly, with a hint of nervousness. "Oh, I'm sorry," he continued, looking Rei over, "but we're not seeing anyone today. That is to say, we're not taking appointments." He pursed his lips and made an uncomfortable face. "Were... you supposed to be here?"

Rei looked at the priestly man, and bowed when he entered. "I must apologize, good sir. I was not made aware that one had to make an appointment to pray to ones god." She paused, and regarded his reddened face.

"Good Friar, you seem to be in some distress. I would like to be of assistance if I can, somehow." She regarded the tiny creature with the sword. "I must also be bold and ask friar, why is there only one guard, and since when has a church ever barred entry to anyone? It is a house of worship, not a house of politics. Is everything alright here father?" Only then did she take a step away from the sword bearing one, and rest her own hand on the hilt of her blade. It was becoming vastly apparent that this church was not as it all seemed.

Feltan blanched, looking helplessly from Kupita to Rei. "I... I am very upset today. Please Miss... whatever you had in mind for today, I don't think that now is a very good time for it." He again looked to Kupita.

"You heard the man. Now move along!" With that Kupita took the flat of her sword and hit Rei on the hip.

Isianu listened to the confrontation taking place in the antechamber. She turned and surveyed her surroundings. A stone bier rested in the middle. The entire front wall, to her right, was a stained glass window. To her left, the back of the room, stood an altar and a table. There were exits on either side of the room. She looked down at herself. She wore some sort of death shroud, but underneath were the tattered and bloody remains of her robe. She realized that not only was the Mage Staff missing, but also her medallion.

She was still a little dizzy from her recent ordeal and was taking access of her possessions while Feltan and Kupita were outside talking to someone. It was probably best that she didn't interrupt, especially since she didn't know who this newcomer was. Isianu noticed that many of her possessions were gone and she was in a tattered mess, sighing at this turn of events she went through to find what she had left on her person. She found that her new staff and her stately court robe was missing, the later especially upset her since what she was currently wearing was so grimy. When she put a paw around her neck, she found that her medallion's chain was missing from it. Her eyes opened wide and in panic she took off down the way the various voices where coming from. Stopping before she was within sight of the conversationalists, Isianu put a paw against the wall and caught her breath. It seemed being dead took a lot out of you. She inched a tad closer to hear exactly what they were saying, it seemed someone wanted to come into the cathedral. Luckily it sounded that currently Kupita had her at bay. She didn't want to give herself away to a potential attacker, but then again, she HAD to know what happened to her medallion. Leaning close to the corner she said, "Feltan, Kupita, could one of you help me a bit over here? I can't seem to find my things." Isianu hoped this would work, she had almost no Lupine accent and could conceivably pass for a young human woman just by her voice. Still, she prayed that this would become uneventful and they could just go on with their travels in peace.

Feltan jumped. He covered his mouth and mumbled quietly, "I imagine that the watchers took your things." He looked up toward the ceiling. Despite his effort, the sound of his voice carried clearly.

Rei let out a little squeak, and looked down at the creature indignantly. "That was most certainly uncalled for." She rubbed the part where she'd been hit with her hand. Now I know something is going on. At least she wasn't outright violent...to a degree.

She looked at the man and then at his guard. "You two of course are aware that this hallow ground never has, and never will have, need for guards? In all my studies of such places, especially this place, I have learned that it was never guarded. Why now? Or, is it not the place that is being guarded, but something, or someone else?" she looked at the man with a sharp eye. "I recommend, friar, that you allow me to look around, to make sure that this sacred place is indeed in good hands. If I am mistaken, then I will turn myself over to your care for penance. If I am not..." she let her sentence trail off, letting them fill it in with their imaginations.

Now that she knew the creature had no qualms about striking out with her weapon, she held the hilt of her blade, just in case it tried again. If it did, she would be forced to 'prevent' it.

Feltan blinked, then nodded in understanding. "Miss, you no doubt wish to see the terrible wolf creature interred here, but that is no excuse for this... disturbance. As you well know, the situation today is very unusual. Leave it to your elders and be on your way..." He let out his breath in exasperation.

Terrible wolf creature? Kupita thought. No one tells me anything... Then she made a mental note. Once I get rid of this...Priest...I'm going to see the wolf creature myself. Sounds interesting. I wonder what kind of wolf creature it is... Perhaps a rabid, giant wolf with a serpent's tail. OR maybe it's a miniwolf with grasshopper legs. They'd keep that in a jar I imagine... Her mind wandered off. She tried to think of other wolf creatures that she had actually heard of, rather than imagined.

"Well how do I get them back?" Isianu asked in a fairly low whisper, "Some of the things I can live without, but I would at least want my robes and my medallion back! I really need to change out of these things," she said lifting up the edges of her death shroud for emphasis. "They were my favorite robes, and I don't think any shop would carry anything that would fit me. My necklace is a different matter, entirely. It's a family heirloom that is passed from mother to daughter, ever since our history was recorded. It's very important to me, and to the rest of my people, and I need to get it back."

"That could be difficult," Feltan tried to quietly mumble, again announcing his words to everyone.

That sounds like Isianu! Kupita jumped up and hollered, tears in her eyes, "Isianu?! Isianu?!"

Kupita suddenly pushed past Feltan, setting the little man spinning. As Feltan reeled, Rei seized the initiative and also pushed past him. The two entered the main chamber and found themselves looking at an eerily shrouded werewolf. Isianu recognized her moogle companion, but the human woman following her was a stranger. The three stood, taking stock of the situation.

Kupita rushed to towards Isianu and embraced her in a tight Moogle hug. Tears streamed down her face as she cried, "I thought you were dead! They told me you were dead!" She squeezed tighter then let go far enough to look Isianu in the face. She then said, "Where have you been? It's been so long!" She hugged her close again. "I'm sorry! I should have fought better! I shouldn't have let us get separated! Oh! Isianu, it'll never happen again. I'll stay with you forever." She cried some more.

So, that's what it was. I should've known, a place like this would have been perfect for that. Rei looked back at Feltan, and then at the woman before her, standing in dead shrouds. "Feltan, you could have just told me the truth. I truly am a priest, and would have been more than willing to aid you in," She motioned to Isianu in her shrouds. "In helping the lady out."

She removed her hand from the hilt of her sword. There was no need to appear hostile here, not anymore. "It would still appear that you could use some help, and I am more than willing to lend my services." It isn't like I have something better to do anyway. This church will still be here when I am done, and Matariel will always find me anyway.

She curtsied to the woman, and looked up at her. Wolf in form? That I have seen before... "My name is Rei Sarel, Priest-Knight of Heron." She inclined her head, and looked back up, smiling. "It would be more than an honour if I could help you in some way."

Feltan flushed, standing at the door. "I did tell you the truth. At least, I think I did." He looked from Isianu and Kupita back to Rei, crinkling his brow. Then he looked at Isianu in mock alarm. "Oh my! The hideous wolf has come back to life! We'd best run away!" He turned, eyes wide, to Rei, but seeing no reaction his shoulders slumped. "Miss... Sarel, is it? Or Priest Sarel? Maybe Mother Sarel? Oh bother! Whatever it is, I'm sure you don't know what you are saying. Isianu's body was brought here as a trophy of war," then he quickly added, "though it really wasn't her fault." He continued, resignedly, "You can't be of any help without becoming an enemy of your kingdom... and the church, I would imagine. You should just go back to your life... please, just let us be."

Rei shook her head at the man. He was trying much to hard. "Feltan, you are friends with the guard here, right? And the guard is friends with the 'hideous wolf', as so you coldly put it. This leads me to believe that you wish to decieve me, for some strange reason." She thumbed the silver cross hanging around her neck. "And Miss Sarel will be fine."

She looked over at Isianu, still standing there. "And I can be of help. My kingdom is the kingdom of Heron. Heron teaches that faith and understanding are paramount to the duty of a priest, and all his followers. My friar..." She looked sad for a moment, then continued. "He believed I lost my way some time ago, so I am already shunned by my church. And the only Kingdom I live in is the one set out by Heron, and of him I could not make an enemy, not by helping someone in need. So, I ask you again, will you allow me to help you pursue whatever goal it is you seek?"

Isianu smiles down at the moogle that hugged her, not letting her know that she was almost knocked over by the little ball of fur. Putting a paw on her head she said, soothingly, "It's alright Kupita, you had to do something dictated by your code of honor, and I had to do what I had to do. You can thank Feltan, he is the sole reason I'm standing here right now. I'm just glad that you are alright, and we might be able to go on with our journey." Taking a brief pause, Isianu looked up at the priest across from her and solemnly bowed her head a bit. "Thank you Rei for your understanding nature, most humans I have meet would kill me on sight, just because of what I am. There are very few truly tolerant people left in the world now adays..." Stopping a bit to remember Burke and Kyle in a moment of silence, Isianu remembered the new comer and spoke up. "Of course as you might see, I am not a threat to anybody, except maybe myself. All I want is some of my move valuable possessions and a change of clothes, and then we'll be on our way. You see, we need to find one of our lost companions, Trent, and I fear that he might be in great danger. I believe he's a knight, similar to you, but worships an old Goranathor deity. If that is not a problem with you, I would be honored to have you in our company Dame Sarel."

"Trent?" Said Kupita taken aback, "I thought...I thought he was dead too. What makes you think he's still alive too? Is it common for Werewolves to raise from the dead?"

A laugh gradually makes it's why past Isianu's lips as she regards her moogle companion. "I only wish that this was so, but while I was..." she hesitated to use the word 'dead', but instead continued, omiting the small word. "When I woke up, I just knew that Trent wasn't dead. Neihl must have just tricked us and now has him in some sort of dungeon, squeezing him for all the information he's worth. Don't ask me how, I'm just positive that Trent's alive somewhere..."

Rei looked at Isianu. Had she been of any other faith, or had she been anyone else, she might have killed Isianu on the spot. But she was not one to seek revenge from a singular person of a race that wronged her, lest it was from the person that did so. Since she was quite sure Isianu was not that one, then she would treat the werewolf with the respect she as a person deserved, regardless of race.

Taking a short curtsy again, one that takes in all three entirely, she looked up at Feltan. "Are you all willing to trust me then? I see Feltan here was trying his best to protect you, Isianu, and may still harbour some ill because of my transgressions in gaining entry into this hallow ground. If your friends would have me, Lady Isianu, then I would be greatful to aid you." She smiled warmly. "And the first thing I could do in the quest, is I happen to carry several changes of attire with me. I would be more than willing to lend you a set of clothes." She looked thoughtful for a moment.

"You look like you could be around my weight. I'm not sure though, but you can try them on, anyway. They aren't much, mostly dresses and the like, but I am quite sure they will draw less attention then the shrouds you are clad in now."

Feltan wrung his hands. "City people," he muttered to himself, although the accoustics of the rooms served to carry his voice to everyone. He watched Rei skeptically. "So, you're a heretic, then? That makes some sense." He opened his mouth to speak again, but thought better of it and turned to Isianu. "I'm sure that your things are here, somewhere. I don't want that staff left here, myself. It might be used for terrible things."

A slight smile crept it's way across Isianu's face as she talks more and more with this human. Despite being away from the court she despised, the desire to be called by a proper title still remained. "I am thankful for your generosity Rei, but..." as she trailed off, Isianu walked until she was right next to the paladin, clearly showing she was a few feet taller than she was. "I don't think that would work. We'll need to reclaim my old possessions either way, and I can stand to be in this disheveled thing for a while longer..." Turning to heed Feltan's word, Isianu silently nodded at the dwarf and turned to the paladin in front of her. "Rei, do you happen to know where the church would keep things they looted off an enemy corpse? Some depository, archive, treasury, something of that nature?"

"Good point." Rei said to Isianu, inclining her head. "I hadn't noticed your now obvious height difference."

"Well, depending on the church, they may have placed it in the tomb in which you were to be interned. Although I've heard of some churches that do confiscate the possessions of the fallen, especially that of fallen enemies. Perhaps finding out where you were to be buried would be prudent?" She paused again, looking around, trying to think of an area in this particular church that would be used to store the things she was seeking.

"Oh! Stop it please!" Kupita said as she covered her ears. "Stop talking about Death and Burial! I can't take it!" She shook her head and then calmed down. "Please, let's just go and try to find Trent."

Letting out a long sigh, Isianu turned and said to Kupita, "I don't like it more than you do, in fact, I probably dislike it more than you do. But the fact of the matter is that we have to get some of my things from where ever they are before we can go and find Trent." Looking at Feltan she said, "I have an idea, maybe you could act like the priest with two paladin guards handling my burial. If anybody asks, you could just say that you are going to put my things on my body so that the church wouldn't have to house such awful things. That and it might also show to the people how alien I am to everyone around here. But there's something we need, is there some sort of small wagon that they cart the various corpses around here? Personally, I don't think it would be a good idea to have the body of some monstrous enemy walking around, and I don't think it would be very wise to leave me back at the alter."

Feltan shook his head, "There was quite a procession to bring you here. I think people would be suspicious." He looked down, then back up at the gathered party. "I don't know what to do."

"I've got an idea!" Kupita said, holding her hand in the air indicating it. "Let's go down to the slums. The creepy people who live there wont dare say anything to the authorities, because they are all in trouble with the law. They are also the people most likely to have looted your, uh, body. We can probably steal you some clothing to. A big sheet could work as a cloak if any of us could sew a bit. What do you say?"

The Lupine sorceress' features hardened a bit at Kupita's suggestion that they should just leave. "No," she said firmly in a slightly audible growl, "I'll not just abandon the most logical location of my things without even looking. Like Feltan said, he doesn't want that rod to remain in these people's foul hands, and I have something that would be disastrous to lose." Isianu paused briefly for a split second and thought that she was so intent on getting her things back when they were mostly non-magical things that simply gave her comfort. It didn't take long though for her more noble side to remind her why it was so important, and maybe to tell them why too. "That medallion I had around my neck, is a priceless treasure that's been passed down from various nobles for countless generations. It essentially is a physical manifestation of my family's lost honor, and so help me, I shall reclaim it!"

"Isianu listen!" Kupita urged. "I don't think that your belongings are here! I think that the people who killed you took them! If not then they were looted from your body, and the slum people have them. MY IDEA is the MOST LOGICAL! But I will stay and do as you ask. Not because I agree, but because I don't want to leave you again."

Sighing and rolling her eyes, Isianu did her best not to explode into a fit of shouting like her moogle friend and instead search for went through her idea. It is true that the remaining mercenaries probably had taken her things in the slight chance that they might be valuable and just handed her over to this kingdom. There was some merit to her idea, but there was still one thing that still bothered her. Leaning down to look at the moogle in the face, she quietly growled, "Alright! We'll go into the slums to search for my missing things. Although I doubt we'd be able to find them, since maybe the mercenaries that sold me to this cathedral might have taken them as trophies or sold them off across the city. I'll trust you on this Kupita, and forgo my idea for your sake. I don't want to be split up anymore than you do. You're more knowledgeable about this place than I am, and I'll follow your commands since to do otherwise would be pure folly." Walking over to the corner, Isianu took a look out at the door to make sure that the way was still clear and looked back at the rest of the group. "I think we should probably go as soon as possible. Worrying about my clothing would be the least of our problems, even with some thick and all concealing robes, I would still be conspicuous. Sticking to the alleys and back roads would be our only real option, while someone goes off and searches for the fiends that stole my things."

"Oh dear!" exclaimed Feltan, seeing Isianu's action. "We can't go into the city!" He paused, thinking. "Maybe Kupita knows some way to go unnoticed, but Isianu is not a small moogle... not by any means." He wrung his hands again. "We haven't even looked here. At least here we have these robes for cover... and this... alleged... church-knight. Going into the city would be too dangerous. Very dangerous."

Kupita thought about just ignoring Feltan, but she decided that if she didn't say anything, that he might disuade the others. "Fine, Feltan, YOU stay here and look. It is obvious that you are afraid of the people in the city. I think that you probably have a price on YOUR head, otherwise you wouldn't be acting like this. The three of us will go to the slums and look for the looters. Rei and I can protect Isianu. We are both accomplished knights, well, at least I am. Are you Rei?"

This was getting ridiculous. Kupita was getting angry, Feltan was understandably afraid, and Rei seemed to be totally lost in the conversation. Again a slight growl started to build up in Isianu's throat as the little moogle started to scream again. She steadily walked towards her and once behind the dark knight, kneels down and gently puts a paw over her mouth. "Unless we are stealthy here, we won't be able to do any of those things, much less live through the day," she calmly whispered into Kupita's ear.

"Now, Feltan brought me back, and for that, I think we can at least humor him while we search this cathedral. Besides, its better to search under every rock starting with the first one you see rather than the one that looks the most interesting. If we look here, we have eliminated one viable place where my things would be, and might even pick up a disguise for me. If not, we are none the worse for wear, besides, I think we'd run into less people around here than in the slums. Personally, I don't want to leave you, and you don't want to leave me, so let's just search together then move on. I'm not totally inept at utilizing the shadows for my advantage so I might actually be able to come with you. Does that sound like a plan Kupita?" Taking her paw off of the moogle's mouth, Isianu gave her a slight smile she could see just at the edge of her vision and stood to look at Feltan. "Well, we should probably check the lower levels first and work our way up from there. It might be the most obvious place and we'd less likely run into someone down there. Do you want to lead the way Feltan?" Isianu stands there, awaiting the dwarf wizard's response, and ready to gently quiet Kupita if she flies off the handle again.

Feltan started at the question. "Lead the way? Down? Down where?" He shuffled nervously. "They used to tell stories about what was under the Cathedral. I don't think I want to go down there..."

Putting a paw over her face, Isianu quietly muttered out, "Oh, right the catacombs. My things wouldn't be there, very well then, where do you think they would keep my things?" She stands there looking at Feltan a little anxiously, wanting to at least start looking, not stand around and argue.

"I would imagine wherever whomever headmasters this place is, your things are there also. I'm sure they wouldn't be trusted to just anyone." He cast a glance at Kupita.

Rei had been listening intently, trying to piece together what was happening. She wasn't sure why the moogle wanted to go to the slums to look for precious things, surely if someone was to have them, it would be guards or someone else involved in whatever procedure had happened that would have them.

"I concur that we should search here. No use sneaking out only to find we have to sneak back in. Besides, in here, should anyone question us, I can provide adequate cover, seeing as I am a knight of the church."

"However, since I am new to the scene, I will defer to you as to how to go about that business. I myself wanted to look around anyway, so this way we can accomplish two things at once."

Isianu's paw went to her chin, a plan started to come to form in her mind. "Well actually that might work to our advantage Rei. You could go to the head master's study and attend with your business as planed. Ask him for a tour of your facilities, we will be hiding in a closet or some such until you pass by, then we'll search his chambers." Putting her paws on her hips, Isianu looks at the knights and wizard around her and says, "Does that sound like a plan?"

It indeed did sound like a plan. "It is a plan, yes. Remember though, only take your possessions from his study, nothing more. Insofar as finding your possessions is right and honourable. Anything more would not be." She realized that it might come across that she thought of them as theives, which was not true. "I realize how that sounds, however, there is always the temptation, remember. No one is truly free from that."

I shake my head. "But false suspicions aside, I agree with your plan, and, if Feltan and Kupita agree, then we can set it to motion promptly."

Kupita sighed. She was being usurped again. What to do, what to do. I guess we could start searching here. But Rei's got another thing coming to her if she thinks that I'm not going to take everything of value out of that room, out of any room I choose for that matter. 'My laws are the bylaws' I always say. "Well, let's start searching."

Feltan left the room via the far exit. Isianu, Rei, and Kupita followed. The first floor seemed to be a collection of dozens of small rooms, seemingly storage, although little was actually stored in them. They did find in the room directly behind the main chamber the grand staircase going up to the upper floors. There did not seem to be any stairs going down at all.

The sound of grinding stone drew Rei's attention, and she returned to the main chamber. She watched the alter slide back, revealing the staircase and turned to Isianu. "You said your items were precious? Precious items are generally not left in easy view, and it would seem Kupita here has unfolded the very lid of a potential cache of precious items. What better place to hide them than in such a place?"

So far, the search hadn't been going well, they've found various store rooms and none of them had her things in there, not even the headmaster's office. Well at least the Cathedral seemed to be deserted, that's something to be thankful for. When Kupita stumbled upon the secret passage, Isianu went to help her up whispering, "Good job little one. But maybe from here on out, we should try to be as quiet as possible, who knows what's down there." Standing up to look at Rei, she nodded at the human and said, "Yes, they would be worth quite a bit to people who would know what to do with them, but even to those who don't, they might fetch a nice price. Let's try this passage before we go on to another part of the cathedreal?" Isianu stands there and waits for Rei and Kupita to go past, before she gets in line, hopefully with Feltan bringing up the rear.

Rei's cross glimmered as she strode forward to the edge of the stairs. "I am searching it. There may also be guardians, so I am going first." Drawing her sword, she stride down the stairs, watching the path in front of her for any dangers.

Feltan grabbed Isianu's arm. He murmurred magical words, releasing glowing spheres of curative magic. He glanced at the newly opened hole as Rei entered the tunnel below. "Oh dear, I really don't want to go down there."

Rei found that once she left the light from the Cathedral the tunnel quickly became too dark to safely proceed. Not without a light source, at any rate.

She stopped at the darkness, and looked back up the stairs. "There don't appear to be any sources of light down here. Can someone grab a torch or two? We're going to need them." Standing on two stairs she looked back up, hoping they were grabbing some torches, and turned around to peer into the darkness. She hoped her eyes would adjust a little so she could get a faint idea of what it looked like down here.

Kupita wondered how you get to the catacombs. She absent mindedly looked about the floor for a trap door. She nosed around a while, wandering through the rooms aimlessly while the others searched the rooms in a more methodical fashion. In the main chamber, she was checking the alter for valuables when she stubbed her toe on something. She fell over the alter, managing to knock it over. The alter and the stone slab it was on slid back, revealing a stone staircase leading down into a dry, dark tunnel.

Kupita ignored Feltan's quivering knees. "Hey, Isianu? How about shooting a ball of fire down there along the corridor? It would light any side torches, if there are any. It would also singe any creepy crawlies down there."

Turning to Kupita, Isianu let out a loud sigh as they were still standing on the alter. "I can't, being dead has drained my body and my soul, I can't cast any sort of magic at the moment... Well I doubt I'd have a problem seeing in the dark, my eyes seem to be adapted to that. Then there's the fact that I don't think I'm up to taking the lead of this party, but there might be another way..." With that, Isianu goes and looks for something, a wooden or light stone staff and some sort of oil they use for anointing the sick or some such.

"Why do that? I can see in the dark alright too Isianu. Don't you remember when we met the king of the weeds? We could see it when no one else could."

Kupita declares, "I shall lead the way! If you so wish we can loot, er, search the upper floor first. Or Isianu and I can search this direction and Rei, you and Feltan can search upstairs."

Isianu stops for a moment and looks down the passage way at the others, and says, "I can't find anything to make a torch out of. Although little help that would be since we don't have a way of making enough fire to light it. A different course of action is definately called for." Looking at the over enthusiastic moogle, the Lupine sorceress commented, "I don't think that we should split ourselves up if we're going down there. Maybe we should let Kupita go first, and then I could guide Rei and Feltan down. I can see fine in the dark and I doubt I would be much more use if we get into anytype of confrontation down there..."

Rei started back up the stairs, realizing that there would be no light for the moment. She looked at Isianu and Kupita, then at Feltan. "I would prefer not being led around in the dark. If that is a storeroom of precious treasure, I'm sure it would be guarded by traps and the likes. Not even the church would leave itself that open to the faithless of the world." She looked disheartened that there was no way to light the path. But it was no matter, she could search elsewhere where she would be more efficient. Sheathing her sword, Rei regarded the group. "I am going to search upstairs, and then, hopefully coming across a torch or the likes, I will return down here. It seems this place is all but abandoned, but a priest-knight such as myself, should I encounter anyone upstairs, would not come under any scrutiny. Plus it may be a good idea to search out to see if there is anyone else in here, in case they come down here only to find their cache broken. It wouldn't take much to light a fire down these stairs to trap anyone who had gone down in. I will search upstairs, if there are no objections to that course of action." She cocked her head.

"I object. This is stupid, you know as well as I do that there is probably nothing up there. I am going down. I can see, Isianu can see, Feltan is a big chicken, and Rei, are you a chicken too? buck buck buck" Kupita made chicken noises and flapped her wings. "Er er-er er-eeeeeerrrrrrrrrrr" She then turned and walked down into the basement.

Rei shrugged as the moogle made an ass of herself. "You are correct by saying that you can see, and Isianu can see. I however, cannot. Only fools and idiots walk where one should fly. Since I do not have access to wings, I will tread only on ground that is meant for me. That, Kupita, is not cowardly at all, it is common sense." The moogle then left into the basement.

She turned to Isianu and Feltan. "Her display does not change my mind. Unless she is a seer and has foreknowledge of what lies upstairs, I can only conclude she is trying to get her own way. I don't mean to be rude, because you two assuredly know her better than I, but is she always so ignorant? No matter. I will still aid you Isianu, in finding your possessions. I will search upstairs." Not allowing time for any bizarre shows, she inclined her head at the two of them, and turned on her heel, heading for the path upstairs.

Follow Rei

Kupita waited in the dark. No one was following her. Should I go back for them? No, I've come too far for that. "Isianu! Rei! Feltan! Come On!" She found herself in a long, dark passageway. The air was warm and stale. The passagway was straight as far as she could see with her limited vision.

Feltan looked down at the departing moogle. "Isianu, I will stay with you. But nothing good will come of going into that crypt."

Isianu was torn, she didn't want to split the party up, but it seemed that the other two have already decided, the only person she had left was Feltan. Looking down at the dwarf wizard with a slight smile, Isianu said, "Well I don't really agree with what either of them are doing but, I would say we should check this secret passageway first. Like she said, if it was valuable, it'd probably be in here..." Kneeling down and putting a paw on his head, Isianu said softly, "I thank you for helping and protecting me, but if you don't want to go down there, I'm not forcing you. You might be a better aid to Rei, but if you still want to stay with me, I shall not stop you. Just make sure to hold on to my dress or at least let me know you're beside me one way or another..." With those words the Lupine sorceress stands up and begins to slowly decend the stairs, making her way towards Kupita, but allowing Feltan a chance to catch up.

Kupita smiled in the darkness. Isianu was following her. Perhaps Rei would realize that no one was following HER and would come follow Kupita. I'm the fearless leader. Soon all will learn to follow me. she thought. She walked on, delusions of grandeur followed in her wake.

"Oh dear," breathed Feltan. "This is madness." He stood, hesitant. Isianu disappeared down the hole, and the wizard remained rooted to the spot.

Kupita walked ahead, finally coming to point where the tunnel widened into a small room. There were long alcoves in the walls to either side and the narrow tunnel resumed at the far end of the room. She hurried to the alcove closest to her on the right and looked into it, hoping to find treasure. Instead, she found rotting burial rags and bones.

Isianu turned back and found that Feltan hadn't followed her down, but was just standing back at the entrance. She couldn't blame him, it was slightly creepy down here as well and having someone stand guard up there would be a good idea. Now that she didn't have to worry about losing Feltan, Isianu went down the stairs as quickly as safety would allow. Reaching the small room, with Kupita in it, she noticed that the moogle was already hard at work checking the various alcoves. "Alright Kupita," she said in rather hushed tones, "Lets look for my things in here and move on as quickly as possible, I don't want to spend one second more than absolutely necessary. You check on that side of the room, I'll check on this side." With that, Isianu went to first, left aclove, looking and sniffing for any signs of her missing possessions... it too was the final resting place of some long departed individual. There appeared to be several "shelves" for burial, but not every one was occupied.

Kupita took a rag and wrapped it around a leg bone. This will work as a torch, but how do I light it?

The element of fire responded to Kupita's grisly, makeshift torch. The weak flame flickered, seemed to singe the rag slightly, then died.