With a muffled [i]THUNK[/i] a bolt sank itself deep into the bark of a tree some twenty feet off of the overgrown trail they now walked. Quin ran through the underbrush with grace and energy. The few pieces of leather armor and single iron pauldron were light and surprisingly easy to move in. She removed her bolt from the trunk, inspected it for damage and then reloaded it into her new crossbow with far more confidence than the first time she had tried to do so. But there was still some level of difficulty. The draw was so heavy she had to put the front of the weapon on the ground, stabilize it between her legs and pull back with both hands. The thing always put up such a struggle before the trigger clicked into place. It was obvious she would need much, much more practice before she was proficient with it, but at least now she was able to hit her targets. How their elegant escort had managed to draw it one handed she would never know. After getting set once more, Quin hurried to catch up to the rest of the group and find some other target to fire off a practice shot at.

"Watching you is making me tired," Iisska shook his head at her, "You're gonna burn yourself out before we get to the tomb. That or shoot someone."

"I feel good," Quin said, "I can't quite put my finger on it but something about this place is... Is rather nice. Perhaps it's the air. Everything seems so clear. To be honest I think you should be far more worried about yourself. You didn't take anything from the armory and this won't be the same as our other fights. You're not--"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, ptthhbt. I don't wanna hear it," Iisska interrupted, "I didn't know how to use any of that stuff and I've already got weapons that work," he hefted his spiked and cortosis clad fists, "And I tried on the armor. Too tight around the neck and shoulders. Can't breathe in the stuff."

"I see. In that case you may want to stay back with me," She suggested.

The only reply she got was a sigh and an eyeroll before he strode off ahead of her. Quin turned toward Nyrette with a look of concern. 

"We'll be alright... I think. You're going to be alright?" She asked.

Nyrette let out a soft chuckle and shook her head before playfully giving her rapier a good swish.

"We'll be alright," She said with the utmost confidence, "You know you're cute when you're worried."

[hr]

Higher and higher they climbed into the foothills until the thick forest underbrush gave way to jagged rocks. Though the evergreens still ripped through them defiantly. They stood strong and gnarled in the cracks and broke the stone and pushed it up and out of the way as they grew or curved around it. Some grew right out of the vertical cliffs around the small river that flowed into the lake below. The sun was already on it's way down by the time they reached this point and in the bottom of the narrow canyon direct light could not break through the shield of trees and rock. They found themselves entrenched in cool afternoon shade and mist that rose through the air as the water was tossed loudly against it's stony bed.

Iisska shook his head, trying to clear it of the monotonous burbling of the river. It echoed off the canyon walls and caused a rush that had drowned out the singing of the birds. He listened harder to the clear voices of his companions chit chatting among themselves. He looked up into the trees above and to the skies and clouds. In front of them. Behind them. Nothing. The river wasn't drowning out the birds. There simply were none here. His spine tingled.

"We have nearly arrived," Cynthia informed them.

The water carved deeply as it washed around a deep curve. When the group came around it a towering, ribbon thin waterfall cascaded down a sudden jump in the canyon floor. It must have been over two hundred feet tall. The cliff was wet and overgrown with fines and moss all the way to the top and a thick spray clouded the base where the water was dashed to the ground. At first it went unnoticed but as they drew closer it became so obvious. The water washed over the top of a carved cut-out in the stone. A huge set of double doors. Above them two highly stylized and embellished figures were carved. They leaned into one another with the door between them and were wreathed in rays of light, rich robes, heavy jewelry, intricate headdresses, and carried multiple swords and curved blades in several pairs of arms. On belts around their necks, waists and arms and piled high to create the very ground they stood upon were depictions of countless human skulls. One had the face of a male, serene, with eyes closed and a slight smile on his face. The other was a female with her breasts laid bare and her fierce face baring her fanged teeth, long writhing tongue and wide eyes.

"That is... Wow... Um... That's a lot bigger... and uglier than I imagined. This is a tomb?" Iisska croaked.

Cynthia stepped forward and stood in the spray directly before the doors. She began to speak. However it was muffled and in a strange, guttural language. No one could figure out what she was doing or saying. There was a deep shudder in the ground that became a grinding roar. The rock around the door burst. Stale and foul smelling air hissed through the split between the two doors and rushed out through the canyon violently. Slowly they groaned open and revealed a gaping throat that descended immediately downward. At the mouth were several columns with ever burning flames that illuminated the first few steps of their journey into the tomb. Beyond that however, was all consuming darkness.

Quin came up beside Cynthia and examined the entrance with trepidation. 

"Oh..." she whispered.

"It is fortunate that my Master had knowledge of the tombs words of passage. Our task can continue," Cynthia said.

"Right," Quin whimpered.

Iisska looked like he was going to throw up some more and no amount of too cheery and too rough slaps on the back from Cheshik was going to make it better.