[IC] The Legend of La Luz Fortaleza [TheMM00s3 and PajkaNight]

[PajkaNight]

"I should be the one apologizing, I was always the rambling girl with her head in the clouds." She chuckled. "You've noticed the storm though haven't you? Master had a vision that the storm would come, and we were too careless to dismiss the thought that it was not a good sign." Castitas rubbed her hands together. "Though Light wasn't making any sense to me, the answer is clear, that he is needed to stop the black storm, before Shadow tries to consume the Earth once more..." Castitas looked confused herself. "In legend, part of Shadow's power was captured inside the crystallized tear of a broken hearted God-" She looked up, remembering the part of the story that she interrupted her Master from telling. "It's been forever since I was told this part of the story... and that would be because of my impatience... But the orb that held shadow, was passed down to many people who were corrupted by it, manipulated into carrying out Shadow's orders. Umbra... The barbarians that attacked La Luz Fortaleza, they must be controlled by the orb!" Castitas hurried out of the temple, dragging Markus by the hand as she hurried into the strange forest. She came to a stop to see an older woman who weeped, all her her, colourless. "Excuse me, are you alright?" She got closer to the woman to inspect her closer, but was startled by the old woman when she lifted her head, red, bloodshot eyes meeting Castitas' own green eyes.
"Death!" The woman cried. "Death is everywhere! Death is coming! Coming for you!" The woman shrieked a blood chilling note, grasping Castitas' hair.
"Ouch! Let go!" Castitas screamed, trying to pull away the woman's hand. "She's a Banshee, cover your ears!" Thew Banshee screamed once more, this time, it was sharper, striking directly at Castitas as a thin layer of ice covered the girl, freezing her into place.

[TheMM00s3]

Markus stumbled along as he was dragged out of the temple. When they reached the Banshee, which was now holding onto Castitas' hair and shrieking at her, Markus stepped back a couple steps. What was he gonna do? The knight was absolutely terrified standing still, was he going to run or was he going to help the only person who made sense in this Gods forsaken place. Markus clenched his fist, he couldn't leave, not now. He lunged toward the Banshee slamming his fist into the side of it's face, making it let go of the priestess and fall to the floor. He walked up to it and placed his foot on the woman's throat, "You stay off of her!" The creature flailed around as Markus increased the amount of weight he was putting on his foot, strangling the Banshee. "Can't scream anymore can you?" His voice was dark and full of anger. He continued to increase the weight, slowly but surely bringing the creature to it's end. After a few minutes the Banshee stopped moving, life had left the creature. Markus turned and walked over to Castitas a look of concern washed over his face, "Hey, you alright?"

[PajkaNight]

"I'm alright..." She was scared of the anger that Markus held within him, her eyes reflecting a but of fear. . In the distance, more shrieking was heard, coming from all directions. The screamed of more Banshee became louder as they all crawled into the opening, surrounding Markus, Castitas and the Doorway Creature. One Banshee turned to the creature, screaming at it until it had angered it. the creature stabbed it's hand through the Banshee's mouth, slicing it all the way through. It's pale skin turned red as it raged against the horde of Banshee, it's mouth closing shut as a roar rumbled from it's belly.
Castitas, once again grabbing Markus' hand, ran towards the woods to prevent anyone but the Banshee from dying.
After running until exhaustion, Castitas collapsed against a tree. "I think we should rest here. At least until the 'doorway' calms down." She let out a breath slowly. "I wouldn't want to anger it again."

[TheMM00s3]

Markus nodded, "Yeah probably a good idea." He looked in the direction of where they had came from, "Well, this has just becomes stranger and stranger the more we stay here." He looked toward Castitas, "Are you sure you're alright?" The knight walked over to her and helped her sit on the ground. Sitting next to her and sighing, he looked around his surroundings. He knew he came here to protect the priestess, but after seeing what he had to deal with so far he didn't know how much protecting he could really do. The question of what else was out there scared him the most. What if he couldn't save her next time, what if he gets overwhelmed and dies without getting her to a safe place? The questions plagued his mind and it was visibly seen on his face.

[PajkaNight]

"Hey..." Castitas called to his attention. "Don't worry about me, okay? I know I may not look like it, but I can put up a good fight." She winks at him. "If we assume most legends are true, then Orks won't harm us at night, they think it's dirty play if they attack their enemies in their sleep. fairies will probably spin a web on us... Banshee's..." She shivered. "You know, I'm kinda thankful that the Doorway exists."
A cold breeze blew against them, making Castitas rub her arms for warmth. "Tomorrow, we need a plan on stealing the orb from Shadow's followers. Perhaps they will regain their sane minds when the orb is no longer in their possession...." Her eyes were drooping as she yawned, sub consciously snuggling closer to Markus.

[TheMM00s3]

Markus nodded, "We will see." He looked over at the priestess, "You should get some rest, it's been a long day for you." He chuckled under his breath as yawned and snuggled closer to him. "We will get to the details of the plan tomorrow." He watched the woods around them, a shiver going down his spine. He didn't like the look of the forest, it gave him a very uneasy feeling. And it didn't help that it was starting to get cold. The young knight sat thinking about the events in the past couple days, still trying to process what was going on. It seemed like he was the only one who could not understand anything. And did she say orks and fairies? He sighed quietly to himself, what did he get himself into. "I hope you know what you're doing, cause all I can really help with is fighting." He sighed again at his uselessness. All he was ever good for was fighting, yet for some reason he felt like he needed to be here.

[PajkaNight]

The night passed quickly, the glow from the woods faded as a new dawn arrived. Casitas awoke from a dream, it was strange and all she could remember was that she was dancing with her father, though she couldn't see his face, being blinded by a light. "Master always said, dreams are one of many ways the Gods can communicate with you..." She said aloud to herself, reaching over to pull Markus closer to her. "You know... I might be saying this because I'm tired, but I wish I could lie with you forever..." She opens an eye to look at Markus, only to find that he wasn't there, in fact, she didn't recall sleeping in the part of the forest. She put her hand on the tree behind her to balance herself as she woke up, and realized the tree was fuzzy, and breathing. Castitas looked over her shoulder at an angry hellhound, showing its teeth at her. " Ahh! Markus!" She called for help.
"Pretty boy can't help you unless he can hear form miles away." The beast snarled, another hellhound stepping from the thick woods. "Yeah, but we can!" It laughed maniacally.
Casitas looked around her for a weapon, a stone, a stick, anything. The first hellhound jumped in front of her, biting her arm. Venom seeped from it's fangs, entering Castitas' bloodstream. "No!" She lost control, kicking the first beast in the teeth, knocking them out.
It cried in pain, clawing at her in defence. "You Bith! You gunna try n' kill mutha!"
Castitas yelled. "I don't even know your mother!"
The other hellhound sneered. "Murmur, we need her alive!"
Murmur ignored his brother, continuing to biting and shred at the young girl. "No, she must die!"
Whisper lunged at his brother, pinning him to the ground. "Umbra needs her alive! Don't disappoint mother!"
"Umbra? That's who their mother is?" Castitas spoke quietly to herself.
Murmur struggled, trying to attack his own kin. "Kill! Kill! Kill!" The two hellhounds rolled downhill into the swamp, sinking like it was tar. A group of Fairies nearby giggled at the sight of the two hellhound drowning in the swamp.
"Help!" Whisper calls out, his head about to sink under.
Castitas' soft heart gets to her, turning to the fairies. "Please spare the hounds!" She pleads, grasping her hands together.
The fairies smirk curiously. "They won't hesitate to kill you, you know." They giggled at the priestess.
"They were just doing as their mother told them to do, don't you have a mother?"
The fairies burst out, clutching their sides in laughter. One of the younger ones called out, it's face holding a sad gleam. "I killed my mother... And ate her!" The sadness in it's eyes turned to that of hilarity, wheezing out it's giggles.
Casitas was horrified, grabbing an old branch to hold out for the hounds.
Whisper grabbed ahold with its teeth, talking to his brother through them. "Hold on to this!" Murmur was a bit farther out, trying his hardest to move, but he only sunk faster. Casitas used all her strength to boost Whisper up ashore, putting the branch out again. Murmur barely rested upon the branch, as it broke from the tar like water. "Murmur!" Whisper called out, his brothers snout finally sinking under, few bubbles coming to the surface.
The priestess stood there in silence, seeing that the hound was devastated from losing someone he loved.
"I'm sorry..." She finally spoke, walking slightly closer. Whisper looked on, sitting on his tail. "I guess I know how you feel now..." He replied, getting up. "I should be the one to say sorry, but I guess that's too late now." He almost looks back, but avoids doing so, to numb the pain in his heart. "I guess I should show you back to the knight."
Casitas tilts her head. "Don't you have to take me?"
"I did," he sighs. "I also had to look after my little brother..."
He leads he back to Markus, silently mourning his brother.

[TheMM00s3]

Markus had fallen asleep for only a mere moment. As he shot awake he noticed Castitas was gone, "Castitas?" He searched around for the priestess with no luck. "Damn, I was suppose to protect her!" He turned and punched a near by tree cracking the bark a little. He sighed deeply, calming down and sitting up against the tree. "Every time I try to do the right thing I find a way to ruin it." The knight ran a hand across his face, tears welling up in his eyes. What if she? No he couldn't think that way. She told him she could handle herself, so he shouldn't worry, right? Even so a small voice nagged at him, telling the young knight that his companion was a goner. Suddenly the sound of foot steps arose, but not just one set of foot steps, two. He shot his gaze over to a saddened Castitas and a... well he wasn't sure what it was. All he knew was it was some kind of hound and it looked dangerous, well besides the fact that it looked like it had seen a ghost. Markus was about to rush forward and attack the thing, but in that kind of state even the most vicious creature isn't a threat. He did, however quickly stand up and bolt to Castitas and hold her in a tight embrace, "Oh thank the Gods, you're okay. I thought maybe... you were gone... for good." He buried his face into the priestess neck tears falling down his cheeks, "I promise, I'll keep better watch over you." After a few minutes, he loosened his grip and looked into the young girls eyes, "Are you okay? Do you need anything?" Markus glanced over at the hound, "I don't mean to be rude, but what are you doing with that thing?"

[PajkaNight]

Castitas kissed Markus on the forehead in her excitement to see him again.
The hound lowered his head, scrapping his claws against the ground. "I'm afraid it was my fault... My brother and I were given orders by Mother- I mean Umbra. We took her from you, my brother even tried to kill her, but you don't need to worry about him now..." The hellhound's eyes glistened with tears' starting to whine like a puppy taken from it's family. Castitass released Markus, going down to comfort the hound. "Whisper... Your name is Whisper yes?" Whisper nodded. "It will all be alright, I'm sorry you lost you brother... But maybe you could help us?"

[TheMM00s3]

Markus blushed a bit when she kissed him on the forehead. When Whisper told him what happened, Markus was about to lose it, but held back his anger at the sight of tears in it's eyes. He sighed and looked at the hound, "Look, you can stay with us for a while." He paused for a bit and knelt down to the hounds level, "But just know, that if you try anything, I will not hesitate for even the slightest moment to end you. I'm here to protect her, not you." The knight tried to get his point across without being too cold, but failed. After he warned the hound he got back up and walked over to the tree he was at earlier and sat against it, "You two get some rest, we still have a long journey ahead of us."

[PajkaNight]

Whisper kept his head low, but eyed Markus. He turned to Castitas but kept his eyes on the knight. "I don't like your friend, besides, I don't think there is anything I could help you with, Umbra said we needed you as a sacrifice; the 'correct' way of killing you and your kind off."
Casitas looked confused, she sat down between Markus and Whisper. "Correct way? My kind? You mean priests and priestesses right?"
Whisper shook his head. "I didn't understand it either, I was just given orders to carry out."
Casitas though internally what any of this could mean.
She watched the dog-like creature float into sleep, before eventually drifting off as well, despite it being near morning.

[TheMM00s3]

Markus sat quietly as the other two fell asleep. He kept a watchful eye on their surrounding to make sure they were safe. The knight sighed and spoke quietly to himself, "I'm in way over my head." He looked over to the priestess, "But, I can't just leave her here alone, sure she said she could take care of her self, but there will be a point where I'm needed." He buried his face in his hands sighing deeply. He remained quiet for the rest of the time lost in thought, not knowing what the future will hold for them. Feeling overwhelmed already was not going to be good for the young knight. He need to try to keep his composure through out this 'adventure' they're on. He gazed back at a sleeping Castitas and smiled, feeling a peace wash over him. Things could be worse, granted they were pretty bad at the moment, but it didn't matter at the moment. All that was important now was to keep the girl and the... hound safe. And he would do anything to do so.

[PajkaNight]

Whisper woke, opening his eyes slightly just to see if the Knight had fallen asleep. When he saw that Markus was watching over the priestess, Whisper got up anyway, getting his attention.
"My mother will be worried, I must go soon. Will you allow me to leave Markus?" His eyes were serious, but not threatening. "I will return, once I've reported to my mother. I will only tell her about the fairies killing my brother, I'll say I never got to you before that."

[TheMM00s3]

Markus' eyes shot toward the hound, he watched it's every move carefully, "I don't quite care what you do as long as Castitas remains safe." Markus didn't like this hound and wanted it to disappear for good, but he knew that the young priestess would be worried about the damn thing and added shortly, "Be sure to be quick about it though, she will worry about were you went if you are gone too long." He took is eyes off the hound and looked back towards Castitas. The knight couldn't understand why she would want to watch over this.... thing. Sure it had gone through something tragic, but this things master had just previously killed everyone she cared about. How could she be so trusting of something like that? And why trust Markus, he did threaten a poor peasant and was not the nicest person in the world. He sighed, he would never understand that girl.

[PajkaNight]

Whisper nodded at Markus, making his way to the Doorway creature. He stopped, looking over his shoulder at Markus. "I will be as swift as possible." He ran off once more.

Hours later, Castitas awoke on Markus' arms, she smiled but internally, she knew she couldn't call him a lover. She was a priestess, soon she would be titled High-Priestess. She dedicated her life to the Gods, she had to stay chaste of both mind and body in order to carry out their mission. She looked at his face, almost telling herself to just give up being a priestess for the small chance of being with a knight, how ridiculous that would've been. Getting up, her eyes wandered around for the hound, seeing him nowhere in sight.
"Where is Whisper?

[TheMM00s3]

Markus looked over at Castitas, "Whisper went to report to it's 'mother'. But don't worry, it said that it wasn't going to say anything about seeing us." He shifted his gaze to their surroundings for a second before looking back at the young priestess, "Did you sleep alright?" He slowly got up and walked up to her. He felt this hidden urge to hold her tight, but resisted it, knowing it would not end well. He simply patted her shoulder and smiled slightly. The knight tried not to stare at her, but failed and held his gaze on her for a few minutes. Finally realizing what he was doing, he shook his head, trying to clear his mind. He can't be stuck in this impossible fantasy, he had to focus on protecting her and making sure all went well. He didn't have to sit and admire her. It was funny, when he first met her, he thought she was a judgmental worshiper, but ever since they got into this strange world his thoughts about her had changed. And drastically at that.

[PajkaNight]

"Okay!" She spoke with no worries, looking naive and possibly dumb. "I had strange dreams, one was me dancing with my father... without seeing his face, and another was having two hands play tug of war with me." She was confused, if her dreams did have meaning, then what could they possibly be telling her? She looked at Markus, noticing his stare, her voice becoming soft. "Are you alright?" She stepped closer too him, putting her hand on his forehead to check his temperature.

Whisper approached his base where Umbra lay waiting for her virgin sacrifice. Their base looked like a pyramid created from red sand, filled with traps, puzzles and two Sphinx for guards. Once inside, he saw his mother await him.
Umbra was disappointed, not seeing that Whisper brought back the priestess, but she became worried that one of her beloved pets went missing.

“Mother…” Whisper spoke in a hushed tone. “Fairies in the woods… they murdered Murmur…”
Umbra sat silently for a moment, her tone didn’t show her emotion but her tears could not be stopped as they flow down her cheeks.
“What about the priestess?”
Whisper paused, deciding on if he should tell the truth or not.
“The priestess saved me from dying with brother, I felt like I should spare her life… I’m sorry mother, I Have failed you.”
“No.” Umbra spoke up. “You’ve gained their trust.” Her smile showed dark intentions.

[TheMM00s3]

Markus weakly smiled, "I'm fine, don't worry about me. I'm not the important one here." He took her hand and removed it from his forehead, "So," He paused trying to restrain himself from thinking about the priestess who stood so close to him, "You know more about what's going on then I do, what's the plan?" The knight watched there surrounds as a way to advert his eyes from her gaze. He noticed all sorts of strange creatures roaming the woods, some that looked harmless and others that seemed a bit dangerous, but didn't seem to bother them. Some of the creatures he saw, he heard about in children stories, like the fairies and a few others.

[PajkaNight]

Castitas looked at the ground. "The Orb from legend, maybe if we get that back then the tribe which attacked La Luz Fortaleza, would be releases from the spell cast by Shadow." She looked around, trying to think up a plan. "I know it sounds dangerous, but we need to infiltrate their base... Except I haven't a clue where it could be located." She paced around, noticing the Doorway Creature walking their way. "Our exit is coming, we might as well leave, seeing as this place no longer has any use... For now." She held her hand out to Markus. "We at least need supplies, and I'm starving!" She lets out a laugh.

[TheMM00s3]

Markus chuckled, "Yeah, I'm starting to get hungry as well." He smiled as he took her hand in his own and looked at the her, "And I agree with infiltrating the base. If this... Orb thing that was created by... Shadow was it? If it corrupts the holder, then they must be released when the Orb is removed...." He paused, his face contorting into a look of concern. "But who is going to take it? Neither of us would be able to hold it, it would corrupt us and we would turn against each other." He sighed slightly, "I guess we will have to figure that out when the need arises." The knight smiled a bit, "Come on, let's go get some supplies and food."