Treasure Hunt

As Talia completed the tiger, the stone finally lowered into the ground, beyond sight. A click was heard and then a mighty rumbling of the entire temple shook the room violently, the tiger began to move downward, forming stairs slowly. As it began to form a staircase, it connected to a hidden passageway that went deep underground. There was no light as far as could be seen and the pitch darkness was less then inviting. Once the rumbling had stopped, Talvi could hear what sounded like heavy breathing coming from below.

The sound of the breathing was soon drowned out by something else....something familiar. "GLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORIOUS FLEEING!" The treasure hunter called out, tumbling down the steps from above. He landed with a mighty thud and looked up dazed for a moment. He recognized Talvi and jumped up, "GLORIOUS! I HAVE FOUND THE BIRD WOMAN!" He yelled, "Mother and I got into a bit of an issue and so I had to quickly flee....I got separated from her. I do believe I am being pursued....GLORIOUSLY!" He yelled, throwing out his arms.

"By two goblimon to be exact..." He said.

Talvi stared down the dark passageway. The darkness less frighting than one would think it was the deep sound of slumber that worried her. Though if it had slept through all those quakes she doubted the tapping of her talons would wake it. She started for the stairs when another noise reached her ears. She looked back towards the stairs leading up.

Talvi's eye gave an irritated twitch as the bear bellowed out. She shook her head and took flight positioning herself above the doorway hanging like a bat. Her wings crossed her chest to release blades of wind the moment she saw them. 

"One word and your tongue is mine. Just stay right there," she hissed quietly at him. Her gaze went back to the doorway waiting for the slightest movement. She wouldn't risk taking the battle into the dark narrow caves. Even if she was assured a hit she couldn't risk the tunnel collapsing or waking the other beast and be caught between two foes. If that bears loud mouth woke it though so help her she was feeding him to the thing.

"One word and your tongue is mine. Just stay right there," The Yukidarumon placed his paws over his mouth and turned to look up at the staircase. "Ehy...I thought aye 'eard em come dis way." The voice of the Goblimon said. He traveled down the steps with his brother behind him. "Ohy....I see em!" He called out.

"Thought ya could escape did ya!?" They said running down the steps. The Yukidarumon looked on as they rushed down the steps, he didn't move and his legs began shaking. He looked on at them worriedly as they traveled down the steps. "Club em!" The first Goblimon made it down and lifted his club to swing. Yukidarumon closed his eyes and awaited the pounding of the Goblimon's bone.

Talvi struck just then her wings lashing out to create a blade of wind. Aimed right at the goblimons shoulder blades and back. She dropped from the ceiling turning towards the stairs her one wing lashing out again to toss a blade into the stairwell and the other goblimon within. She gave a few hopping steps away from the stairs to make room just in case she missed the one. The moment it tried lashing out at her she would fly back to the ceiling preparing her next attack.

The Goblimon was struck in his back, a gash slashing through his shirt and it began to bleed. It flew into the Yukidarumon whose big belly bounced him off. "Gah! Dat hurt!" It said rolling around on the floor, the second one blocked her attack, covering his face. His arms were cut up and his club took most of the damage.

"Da 'ell is dis? A bard? In 'ea? Guess we ah gonna eat well tonight ehy?" He glared at Talvi making his way to his brother and helping him to his feet. "Imma clip dat bard's wings I am!" He said picking up his club, "Lets!" They both looked at the out of reach Talvi and prepared their fireballs.

"Goburi Bomb!" They both called out firing an explosive fireball from their mouths. They were fast and aimed at Talvi, they would explode on impact. If she dodged, the explosion would collapse part of the ceiling. If this fight went on for to long and she kept dodging these imbeciles attacks, there was a real chance they could cave in the ruins and kill them all.

The Yukidarumon remained still with his paws covering his mouth just as he was instructed too do. He looked on as the battle commenced, still shaking like a twig in the wind.

Talvi saw their mouths glow and she bolted. The balls lamming the ceiling and causing the stones to break apart. They landed with a heavy thud. Dust stirring up. She coughed and blew it away with her wings. 

Then she opened her mouth and begun singing. It was a soft tune one meant to lure one into sleep. She landed keeping her song going even as she struck out with her wind blades once more aiming for the legs. Hit or miss she would return to her song. Trying to keep them as defenseless as possible.

If they managed to resist she would deflect their attacks and kick them in the royal jewels. She wasn't a killer but the fact remained if they pushed to hard she may cut too deep. They better know their limits.

The rocks falling caused the Goburimon to shield their eyes and they began coughing, "Oy, be caful! You wants to collapse da place ya dumb git!" The other Goburimon stared at his brother, "Wot!? You cheeky green....you shot at tha bard too!" Suddenly the two heard a song begin to play and they turned in the direction it was coming from. The comforting song left them in a daze and Yukidarumon as well. In fact, the white bear curled up on the floor and went to sleep as a result.

"Whazzat.....song? It...is so beutiful..." He said, his brother let out a yawn. "Iz making me sleepy..." Though the two would have no time to nap as they were struck yet again by a wind blade, crashing into the wall. They both writhed in pain and looked at Talvi. "Dis bard is crazy! The treasure isn't worth are laives!" The Goburimon said getting up and running towards the exit. "Wh...wha ...wait for me!" The other called after his brother running. The two goblins had been scared off, and Talvi's treasure hunter asleep.

"Well then at least they were smart enough to run," Talvi said and then looked to the bear. She raised her brow a bit but decided to let him sleep. She had been enjoying the quiet til he showed back up.

She headed for the stairs and started down them alone. Her steps echoing just slightly in the darkness. It was around now she wished she had a proper torch. She kept it slow however and tried not touching the walls in case of traps. If she reached the bottom unhindered she would trip over the air having expected another step. She stumbled into the room but caught herself without falling. 

The darkness did not recede, the stairs seemed to go on endlessly. Finally, she took a final step but there was no stair. There was no floor either...she couldn't see and would have tumbled into an abyss if it had not been for her ability to fly. The breathing came from below. Her eyes in the darkness focused on a singular point, it looked like a star glimmering in the distance. It was so far away and flickered in and out. As she focused on it more intensely she had felt something inside. Her spirit had receded. She had devolved back into her human state without doing it herself, and she began to fall into the abyss.

Down she fell, faster and faster. She fell deeper and deeper into the earth towards the snoring and the star. She fell for long periods of time and in the darkness, her sense of direction had been taken. Was she falling up? Down? Was she even falling? Perhaps she was falling in place and it was just some sick joke. Her answer would soon be found when a massive bright light stole from her her vision. When she would open her eyes, she'd be in a massive room. Larger then even the Temple of Elements.

On the far side in front of her would be the source of the light filling the room. A digimon sleeping soundly behind a barrier on all sides of it. It was a massive tiger, larger than any digimon she had encountered to this point and had a mask on its face, it's snores shook the very room. It had small orbs hovering around it that seemed to be sapping energy from the room. Which would explain why she lost her ability to evolve, this thing stole her power instantly. Her spirit was fine, but evolving would prove impossible. As soon as she would try, the digital field would absorb it and just fatigue her more.

In front of this digimon, outside the barrier was a pedestal with that stone that had opened the path....or at least it looked like it. There was a tall person standing in front of it holding out it's hand over the stone. It was wearing a long white robe and had a mask depicting the tigers face covering his own. The person looked human but who could be certain? He did not turn to greet or speak to Talvi, perhaps he didn't know she was even there.

Talvi stood there a moment just staring at the massive tiger like digimon. This must be what the symbol was all about. She approached the masked man her steps echoing in the vast empty space. She stopped beside him looking at his mask. A cult follower maybe? Though she had to wonder if he was a follower then what was with the barrier.

"This was unexpected," Talvi said putting her hands in her butt pockets. "Came for a stone find a massive tiger digimon instead. There a reason it is shielded so?" She had no intention of going near the beast. Something told her she would become kitty chow if she did. Something she would definitely listen to since it was large enough to swallow something three times her size whole.

"This was unexpected," The man did not move to look to her, "Came for a stone find a massive tiger digimon instead. There a reason it is shielded so?" He very slightly moved his head in her direction. "Usually, the universal phrase when one saves your life is thank you." He said, judging by his tone he sounded young but who could tell with that get up. "Or perhaps that was a suicide attempt? In which case, my apologies for saving you from that fall." He said returning his full attention to the tiger.

Saved her? She didn't feel him catch her but it had been a miracle that she survived such a fall. She honestly thought this place had saved her like it was the nether world she had been in before.

"My apologizes. I didn't realize you saved me...Thank you," she responded. "I haven't had much experience with magic in the digital world so I couldn't tell if it was you or simply this place. Stranger places stranger digimon..." She said walking forward but not touching the barrier. 

"It looks powerful...." And familiar she thought. This place reminding her of the nether world but all white reminded her of something else. The story Naoi told. "Heaven's Summit. He was one of the beings there."

"My apologizes. I didn't realize you saved me...Thank you," she responded. "I haven't had much experience with magic in the digital world so I couldn't tell if it was you or simply this place. Stranger places stranger digimon..." She said walking forward but not touching the barrier.

"It looks powerful...." And familiar she thought. This place reminding her of the nether world but all white reminded her of something else. The story Naoi told. "Heaven's Summit. He was one of the beings there."

The man gave her a small smile, since his mouth was the only visible feature. "How odd that you claim you have no experience with magic when it is necromancy you implore to transform yourself into a spirit long dead, Child of Irismon." His smile faded as he returned his attention to the digimon.

"I wouldn't get much closer lest your life force be drained from you." He warned as the beast snored. "It is rare that a human, even hydrid, know of Heaven's Summit. I'm impressed. You are correct, the digimon that slumbers here is the guardian deity, Lord Baihumon. The deity of the land you have called in this era, Invio. Which god do you serve? To know of lost knowledge, and to find this place...you must be a very skilled arecheologist. I have not seen another being in three millenia." He said.