The world is waiting for the sun

[Anonymous]

For Bríathar Rann, there was something inconceivably exciting about being this far away from home.

He was a twenty-eight year old man, for gods sakes, but the farther away he travelled from the Draconi Forest, the better off he felt he was – in spirit, in mental health, and especially in heart. It seemed like, no matter how old he got, or no matter what became of him, there were still little pleasures he could derive from life, like being so far away for his usual surroundings that everything was fresh and brand new to him. And so, just like a child who enters a brand new toy story for the first time, Bríathar was amazed by this lush, foreign jungle.

The dungeon diver had spent naught but a few days here, after travelling across the desert for quite some time. Granted, he was not some tourist here to marvel the scenery – no, the man had heard through word of mouth that there was supposed to be a hidden dungeon here, right in the heart of this jungle, which contained strange druidic artifacts. It was quite sad, really, how Bríathar would jump at the mention of 'druidic' and 'artifacts' in the same sentence – and, like the slave to science he was, he just had to travel here to find the dungeon, no matter how long of a journey it had been.

Now, armed with a map that may or may not lead him to a dungeon filled with druidic treasures, the only task at hand left was to actually decipher the damned thing. Bri sat up in a tree, holding the map this way and that – frontwards, sideways, upside-down, rightside-up, you name it – but the thing was ancient, and was written in a language that made it impossible to cipher. The map itself, however, might be usable if he could recognize some of the landmarks that it was trying to describe to him. He groaned a little, at his horrible luck, but was interrupted – by the sound of a feral growl, and a scream, coming from over yonder.

A good archer has good eyesight, so as a rule, Bríathar's eyes easily spotted the issue right away – a large, territorial feline, perhaps a tiger of some sort, was chasing after something. Bri squinted, and climbed a bit farther up onto the tree branches, in an attempt to get a better look at just what was going on down there. Whatever was going on, the feline was chasing its prey in his direction, and, upon further inspection, the big cat's prey just happen to be... a girl? A girl who obviously did not want to become lunch.

Without hesitation, Bríathar drew his bow, positioned safely atop his tree, having a perfect shot at the feline down below. "Sorry, friend," he muttered, saying a quick prayer to the spirits, hoping for the big cat's soul to return safely back to the earth. He cocked his bow, positioned it quickly, before finally, letting the arrow fly. Swiftly, the arrow flew straight toward the cat's neck, taking it out in one clean, efficient shot.

It went down with a strangled roar, before plopping down towards the earth, defeated. The druid in him could almost see the soul leave the cat's body, and he closed his eyes, muttered another prayer once more, before finally looking down at the girl, waving down to her, in an attempt to get her attention.

"Hello down there!" he called out, waving, giving her a friendly smile. "You're not hurt, are you?"

[Anonymous]

Everything had been going fine! She had been traveling along, minding her own buisness when some massive cat had come out of nowhere and was trying to eat her face! And so Panya had fled, deeper into the jungle, the cat hot on her tails.

Just when she was starting to think she couldn't run anymore, lungs and legs burning, there was a wet, strangled roar behind her then a heavy thump. Still running, Panya risked a glance back and saw the cat's prone form, an arrow sticking out of it.

Panya tried to both stop and turn around at the same time, but she had too much forward momentum and her legs tangled and she went down in a tangled heap. She stared at the cat, brain trying to catch up to the fact she wasn't dead.

The voice had her attention and she looked up, her face splitting into a bright smile, "Oh! Hello! Thank you! That was getting a little hairy, wasn't it?"

She could still feel her heart pounding, adrenaline still pumping and she took a few deep breathes, trying to calm down a little.

[Anonymous]

Ah, she seemed to be unhurt! Good thing he had arrived when he had did, or who knew what would've happened... It was strange though, to see a big cat chase after someone without provocation like that. This sort of breed, the one with beige coats and brown stripes across their neck, didn't normally like to feast on humanoid beings. So then why... He shook it off, just glad to have done something good, even if he had to end a life in the process.

"I'd say it was, indeed," he agreed, with a small laugh. "These big cats are nothing to sneeze at..." But then, he noticed that she was alone – out here in this jungle, by herself! Say it wasn't so...  

"...You're not travelling out here alone, are you?" he asked abruptly, tilting his head to the side.  That was one thing about leaving his druidic home – all these outsiders, they found nothing strange about travelling out in the wilderness by themselves. The only reason he was alone was because, for one, he wasn't a druid (not anymore) and because his own partner had died, long ago. Once your partner dies, it's just... unnatural, to attempt to replace them. But to not travel with anyone at all? Bri still had a hard time wrapping his head around it...

[Anonymous]

"What? Alone?" Panya had been patting herself, making sure nothing was injured and maybe she just hadn't realized it when the man asked the question. Lifting her head, she laughed, shrugging her shoulders, "Well, now I'm out here with you! But yes, I'm by myself. Just left home and all. Well, not for the first time, I've spent lots of time in the jungle you see."

She spoke quickly, not really giving a chance to say anything, "I wonder why it was chasing me. They don't normally attack people you know. I grew up in the area and I've never been chased by one before. But I must have done something. What about you? Are you alone?"

[Anonymous]

So, she had just left home? That explained things... But apparently, she left home quite often, spending lots of time in the jungle, and by herself, of all things! If his own partner had not died, so long ago (how long had it been?) Bríathar wouldn't dare dream of travelling with someone else. The very idea was unthinkable. He wanted to get a word in edgewise, but the girl was a pretty fast talker, and didn't really leave much room for him to speak. It only amused him though, and he laughed a little, good-naturedly, letting her speak before giving his say.

"You know, you're right – I've seen this breed of big cat before, and they're usually very docile. They normally don't attack others unless they feel their cubs are being threatened or unless..." Bríathar paused, biting his lip, and pulled out his map, the one he had tucked away in the hem of his pants. He drew it out in front of him, looking at the direction which she had come from, and looking back toward the map. "...or sometimes, they chase humans away from areas that are dangerous, to protect them..."

He looked up from the map, and nodded, smiling. "Sadly, yes – I'm all alone out here. But, like you said, we're here together, aren't we?" He rolled up the map and tucked it under his belt, looking towards her. "I think that big cat that was chasing you was trying to protect you from something... Maybe he was guarding a dungeon – the dungeon I'm looking for."

Bri crossed his arms over his chest, hesitating, before asking, "It might be a little too much to ask, but... Do you think you could show me where you first found the big cat? I think he might be guarding this dungeon I've been meaning to explore." It was a dangerous thing to ask, since she had a close call with the cat before, but he really needed to find that dungeon... "Don't worry – if he tries to chase you again, I'll take care of 'em. You'll be safe, if you're with me.

[Anonymous]

The cat had died trying to protect her? Panya's face fell, the excitement vanishing, "Oh no. I didn't mean too..oh the poor kitty!" Turning back to the cat, she stroked one hand along the pelt, feeling awful that her carelessness had cost the cat its life, when it had been trying to protect her.

"I didn't know they did that. I'm so sorry." She missed much of Bri's story, distracted by the cat. But she looked up at him, catching the end, "Show you? Oh, yes. I can do that, I think. I was sort of running fast, but I think I can find it again."

[Anonymous]

Despite everything, Brí couldn't help but smile a little, at the stranger's compassion for the cat. He hated it too – seeing the death of an animal, especially if it had been trying to help after all, but it couldn't be helped, and what had been done had been done. He sucked in a breath – he had already done everything he could for the big cat, so he could only hope that it would find its way to the afterlife peacefully. Taking a life was not something Bríathar ever did lightly, even in the face of danger, but he knew there really was no other way to go about it.

"Don't worry about it," Bríathar assured with a light-hearted smile. "I'm sure she's in a better place now." He said such a thing with conviction – as if he knew, for sure, that the afterlife would be a better place for the cat, now that its time had come. The arrows Brí used were made purely of wood, with no metal or artificial materials – it helped connect and finish one's bond with nature, and helped his targets find their way to nirvana with easier. If anything, Brí could be sure about that.

The stranger seemed sure that she'd be able to show him where the cat had come from, sort of, at least. "Good, good! I'm positive that the cat must've been guarding the dungeon I'm looking for..." He pulled out his map again, giving it a good once-over, then looked toward her, laughing a little. "It's not every day that I meet someone willing to help me out. Name's Bríathar." He held out a hand, meaning for her to shake it.

[Anonymous]

Panya was still unused to people wanting to shake hands. It was an odd way of greeting but she had learned it was common in other parts of the world. Awkwardly reaching her hand out to take his, Panya kept her arm fully extended, which meant Bríathar's arm was shoved back, "I'm Panya! The gods smile on our meeting!"

Briskly shaking his hand, she released it and straightened her sarong, "Well, I think it was this way. All the running makes memory hazy, but I'll know it when I get closer."

Luckily, she made enough of an impact on the land that even her minimal tracking stills made it easy to figure out she was going in the right direction.

"So, what is it you are looking for exactly?"

[Anonymous]

The dungeon diver didn't expect for her to greet him so warmly. He couldn't help but smile at her greeting – the gods smile on our meeting – and shook his head a little, laughing. Back in na Talún, the druids had all been just as friendly, just as welcoming. It had been quite some time since he had been amongst someone who thought to remember the gods during a greeting, so he smiled, and returned, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Panya. May your heart be as warm as your hearthstone." It was something he used to say to his cousin before tucking her into bed at night – something he hadn't said for quite a long time. The words tasted foreign on his tongue.

Apparently, her memory was hazy from running, but she seemed reliable enough, so Bríathar nodded, hoping that they would reach the area sometime soon. "Don't worry about it," he assured. "It's better to take your time than to rush and get lost." The very last thing he wanted to do was get lost in this mess of a jungle, surely it would be hell to try and find his way out of this maze. But Bríathar, if he was anything, was good at navigating through thick bramble and brush – if he needed to, he could remember how he had first entered the jungle, although turning back was the last thing he wanted to do right now.

"I'm looking for a dungeon of sorts," Bríathar replied, pulling out his map once again. "There are supposed to be ancient druidic artifacts hidden inside it, along with other treasures," his tone indicated that he could really care less about the other treasures, "but it's supposedly filled with old traps and dangers. But I need the artifacts inside, no matter what." If they were druidic artifacts, then maybe they were related to na Talún. And if he could dig up some information on them, maybe he'd be one step closer to his seemingly unreachable goal.

[Anonymous]

"What's a druid?" Panya had never heard of them and was curious. Reaching over, she wrapped her arms around on of Bríathar arm, enjoying the physical contact. It was lonely wandering alone and she had grown up used to constant touches and affection.

"The place sounds exciting! I've never been in guarded ruins before! Just like in all the stories! What does the artifact do? Do you need it to save your dying love? Or is it some magical weapon to fight off a dark villain?"

[Anonymous]

Bríathar jumped a little when Panya reached over and clung to his arm. He wasn't used to it – having physical contact with anyone. Ever since Darshan had died and Ashara had been chosen as Martyr, Bríathar had suddenly found himself alone, with all the people he had once called family gone. But he didn't mind it – it was actually nice, he thought, to have her clinging to his arm. So he smiled, shaking his head.

"A druid... huh, how to describe it..." He furrowed his brows, thinking. "A druid is someone who has a deep spiritual connection to the earth. We try to live our lives in a balance – we don't take from the earth what we can't give back. In return, the earth grants us its power, when we need to use it." Granted, he had broken some basic Talún druidic rules – not wearing armor was one of them. While it weakened his power, it didn't make his powerless.

He laughed good-naturedly as she tried to guess what the artifact was for, and shook his head. "The ruins will be dangerous, but I've been in plenty before, so I should be fine." Granted, every dungeon was different, of course. "In a way... I guess the artifact is to save someone I love from dying. But she's not my girlfriend, or a princess, or anything like that. She's my cousin." He bit his lip – the thought of Ash travelling, trying to complete that suicidal request – it made his blood boil.

The dungeon diver used his free hand as a visor, looking up ahead of them as they continued traversing through the thick jungle. "Do you think we're getting any closer? I think I can make out the ruins, from here..."

[Anonymous]

Panya stayed wrapped around Bríathar's arm, "I'm sorry. I hope we find it then. What will it do?" She felt a little bad she had touched on such a sad subject. It seemed a little callous to change it, but she wasn't really sure he wanted to talk about it.

She peered into the jungle at his question, then gave an excited cry, pointing, "Oh! Yes! We are close! Just past that big fern, there is a big dip in the ground. It's down there." She squinted, "I think I see the top of it!"

Tugging on his arm, Panya picked up her pace, feeling more confident now that she was very sure of where she was going.

[Anonymous]

Bríathar nodded gravely – for Ash's sake, he hoped they found it too. Hell, if they could find multiple old drudic artifacts, maybe from the ancient times, when the Talún druids had first been established, it would make coming out here worth his while. The chances of this particular ruin holding such artifacts were small, he knew, but a man could hope, couldn't he? Couldn't man, with all of its sins and flaws, have the audacity to hope?

"Hopefully, the artifact will give me some sort of clue on how to break my cousin's curse," Bríathar explained, biting his lip. "It's a long shot, really, but I've got to try." Because if he didn't, he would really lose her – just like he had lost Darshan years ago. Before he could slip into those memories, Panya tugged on his arm and let out an excited cry – oh, the ruins, they were right up ahead!

He grinned, and picked up his pace as she did. "You're right – I think I can see the top of it too!" He agreed, allowing himself to smile a little. He gradually walked faster and faster, until finally, the ruins were in plain sight. They seemed to be of an old, primitive fortress of sorts, a relic of olden times. Perhaps a tribe of druids had used this fortress in the past, but why would druids need to take up home in such a base? Why would they want to keep nature out? He bit his lip, finding it all too strange, but that's why they'd have to go investigating...

The dungeon delver was about to say more, but he stopped, realizing that there were more big cats sleeping near the fortress, guarding it from anyone who might enter, probably to protect them. "These are the cats that chased you away, aren't they?" Bríathar asked, just to confirm. "Once we go inside the ruins, there's no turning back until I can find that relic... It will definitely be dangerous." He bit his lip. "If you want to turn back now, I won't stop you." He definitely had to go in, but he wasn't willing to put her life in danger any further if she didn't want to go on some ridiculous treasure hunt with him.

[Anonymous]

"Oh no! Not a chance!" Panya shook her head, hugging Bría closer, eyes getting wide as she noticed the cats, "You wont have to kill them? I would hate for them to die trying to protect us."

She lifted her head, pushing some hair out of her face, "I want to see this through. I'll help you find the artifact you need to save your friend. I'm sure you'll keep me very safe!"

[Anonymous]

It was refreshing, to see someone so concerned for another animal's wellbeing. Brí had run into too many people who made him feel homesick ever since he had left Baile – people who were callous, selfish, wasteful, and filled with greed. For her first thought to be of the cats made the dungeon diver smile, and he shook his head, looking towards the cats cautiously.

"Not if we're careful," he assured, making sure to thread noticeably lighter, making sure not to step on any twigs and branches. If the cats woke up, they would see them for what they were – humans – and make sure that they would not enter. But Bríathar had to wonder – if what was in those ruins was so scary that the big cats would rather them be dead then go in there... one could only imagine what was in there to begin with.

After they had cleared the cats' sleeping ground, Bríathar looked to Panya again, grinning at her determination. "You won't have to worry," the dungeon delver assured with an easy smile. "No harm will come to you if you're with me." Because he was – or had once been – a Talún druid, someone had promised to protect the balance nature held with its inhabitants, and that included making sure that he was safe.

As they stepped into the ruins, Bríathar couldn't help but notice how bright it was in here. He had been expected the ruins to be dark and damp, but the ceiling was full of little holes, where sunshine peeked through. Aligned on the walls were also a series of lit torches, which made the dungeon delver raise a brow. "...We might not be alone," Brí warned. "So be sure to stay on your guard." He stepped in, deciding it'd be best to watch out for traps and setbacks – if someone had lit the torches, then that meant there may be others living in the ruins, people who didn't necessarily want them there.

Keeping his eyes glued to the landscape, staying close to Panya's side, Bríathar asked, "Do you know any magic, Panya? Anything that might be handy in a pinch?" She didn't seem like a fighter – but he had learned that you couldn't always spot a mage just by looking. If she didn't, it was perfectly fine, but Brí just wanted to know all the advantages he had against whatever was lurking in these ruins...

[Anonymous]

Panya kept close to Bríathar, wanting to hold his arm again, but she didn't want to hinder his movements. Her eyes darted around the room, taking it all in, "It's so beautiful here!"

She had expected something much different, but the stones were covered in moss and vines, light bathing it from the holes in the ceiling. His question drew her back to him and she laughed, shaking her head, "Oh no! I'm not a warrior either!"

[Anonymous]

Bríathar had to admit, it was beautiful. There was some beauty to be found in even the most dangerous of things, even a dungeon that could swallow them both whole – if he wasn't careful. The lit torches unnerved him, but Panya's smiled seemed bright enough to deter any pessimism that he might've felt going into this ordeal. He was determined to get whatever druidic artifacts that lay down here, and doubly determined to get them both out of here safely. He would do this, because he had been a druid once – when a life was put in his hands, he would protect it.

So she had come into this situation without any magic powers, and she definitely wasn't a warrior either, she said. Bríathar had to grin at that.. "I guess that means I have to be extra protective of you, right?" He shook his head a little, laughing, glancing towards her for a moment. "The last thing I'd want is something bad to happen to you." She was short compared to Brí – who stood at a whopping six feet, two inches – so he couldn't help but feel that way. If some catastrophe happened to her on his watch then hell if he'd ever forget it.

As if on cue, the minute Bríathar looked away from the road ahead, he felt his boot sink down into what felt an uneven part of the floor, but after looking down, he realized that he had activated a trap. He swore under his breath, and in an instant, the walls seemed to shift, a creaking sound echoed in the ruins. Suddenly, from the small holes that peaked through the walls, a torrent of arrows were sent flying at the two, but thankfully, Bríathar's reflexes were quick. He brought Panya closer to his side, and with a flick of his hand, shielded them from the onslaught of arrows with a barrier of wind. In their little bubble, the arrows would not harm them, but he couldn't hold up this shield for long.

"Come on – to the end of the hallway!" Bríathar called, raising his voice to be heard above the din the arrows made. He picked up his pace, not wanting to test how long he could protect them from these arrows. At the hallway's end, they should be safe, and then he could drop the shield. "We're nearly there!"

[Anonymous]

Panya didn't have time to enjoy the happy thrill those words sent through her, just like some hero in a story. She gave a startled yelp, clinging tightly to Bríathar. The arrow's made her flinch, hands curled into his clothes as they raced down the hallway, her shorter legs struggling to keep up with his long strides.

"Well! This didn't take long to be an adventure!" Her heart was pounding and she was rather shaky when they finally hit the next room. She kept her arms latched around Bríathar, not trusting her legs.

[Anonymous]

The next room was void of arrows, but a ways off, Bríathar could still hear it – the sound of those arrows going off in the last room, shooting off for what seemed like forever. But it was impossible for such a trap to keep going on like that... unless it was fueled by magic of some kind. The people here who lit the torches – they were either still around, or they had magic so powerful that it was enough to preserve and protect this ruin for years upon years... Bríathar bit his lip – he was dealing with a handful here, but he was still quite sure that he was prepared for what lay ahead. He was a seasoned dungeon delver after all – he was good at handling these sorts of things. He let his wind barrier drop, feeling no imminent threat – not yet, anyway. He'd need to save his strength...

At Panya's comment, he smiled a little, nodding slightly. "And that's only the beginning. But if you're with me, you'll be fine." He was so confident – not because he was egotistical, but because he had to be. You didn't survive in the business of dungeon delving by doubting your skills. He looked at her, stooping down a little in order to study her.  "Are you unharmed?" he asked, his violet purple eyes studying her gently, looking for even the most minor of bruises. She seemed to be alright on the surface, though, after a quick look. He placed a hand gently on her shoulder, looking down at her. "If you're tired, we can take a break – this room seems safe to stop in."

[Anonymous]

"Ha! Stop? What kind of adventuress do you take me for?" Panya laughed, teeth flashing against her dark skin. The rush had been amazing and she felt totally safe with Bríathar. She did a little pose, flexing her arms, "I'm fit as the water!"

She was rather enjoying his company and his strong arms wrapped around her. It was thrilling in a way very different than the arrows.

"But if you want a break, we can wait. Magic is very draining or so I'm told. You were so quick! I would have been a kabob without you."