[center][img]http://txt-dynamic.cdn.1001fonts.net/txt/dHRmLjcyLmIyZDJkMi5UMk4wWVhacFlTQlRkR0Z5Wm05eVoyVSwuMA,,/brownbaglunch.medium.png[/img] [h3][color=6ecff6]The Desert Tomb | Discovering the corpses Mood: Fearful and horrified[/color][/h3] [i]Interactions: Alm [@Arthanus][/i][/center] The night passed them by quietly. In fact, it was so peaceful that it almost felt ominous. [i]The calm before the storm[/i], as they would say. While the long walk helped to clear her mind, it did no wonders for her aching legs and sleepless mind. Octavia splashed water on her face in an attempt to rid herself of her lethargy. With heavy eyes, she watched the horizon as the sun rose quietly like a thief in the night. It painted the sky with hues of orange and pink; it was a pretty scene to watch, but she knew it wouldn't be so pretty once the heat settled in. Still, Octavia had to brace herself for another long day at the desert. -- The Irregulars walked from sunrise to noon, and Octavia was sure that her legs would give in at any moment. At this point, it was only her strong determination that kept her moving. Her legs ached with every step, but her body language did not betray her. She looked fine, aside from the shadows that sat under her eyes. Even though she carried herself like a soldier, her eyes could not hide her exhaustion. Fortunately, it wasn't too obvious considering that her other eye was hidden underneath an eyepatch. It was a great relief when the group finally spotted the desert tomb. Octavia couldn't help but stop in her tracks in order to admire the tomb's impressive structure. It was bigger and better than what she had imagined. She had to wonder how it was built and how many people it took to finish it. That aside, a few minutes of shade would be wonderful. Octavia was eager to get away from the burning sun; it was like a malevolent eye that remained unblinking. Speaking of a malevolent eye, hers started throbbing. Before Octavia could react, a sharp pain invaded her skull, and she gasped and almost fell to her knees. Before she could make something out of the situation, the pain in her head had disappeared just as sudden as it came. She stood still with bewilderment as fear started to well up inside of her. Her heartbeat quickened as she struggled to keep her composure. It was as if she had seen a ghost. Octavia's curse was reacting to something. That, or it was trying to take over, taking advantage of her weakened state of mind due to her lack of sleep. Octavia cursed silently. She was in a bad spot, but she swallowed down her unconfident thoughts and cleared her mind. As they approached the entrance, a bad promentition gnawed at her gut. She was reluctant to enter but followed closely behind Alm and Jenramo. The atmospehere inside the tomb was heavy. A chill ran down Octavia's spine. She could feel the many souls of those who died a tragic death. The Desert Tomb was like a vessel for dark energy, fueled by the hatred, sorrow, and regrets of the souls that lingered here. Octavia's nose picked up the scent before the others did, and her hand quickly covered her mouth as she gagged. The smell was nasueating and so was the scene that greeted them a few moments later. It tickled her insides; it made them twist and her eyes water. There was scarcely any air left to breath. Octavia ran for the exit as soon as Jing finished giving out his instructions. Octavia breathed heavily, her lungs greedy for fresh air. She stared at the ground, seemingly stuck in a daze. [color=a2d39c]"How are you holding up? I'm guessing this is your first time coming across a scene like this... I don't know if it helps but it gets easier after a while..." [/color] She almost jumped when she heard his voice, but it helped to snap her out of her trance. She blinked. "[color=6ecff6]I..um - yeah. I'm fine.[/color]" Octavia grimaced at her inability to give him a proper reply. "[color=6ecff6]What happened there was terrible. I don't think I'll be able to get the scene out of my mind for awhile.[/color]" She forced a smile in an attempt to reassure him that she was fine. Or maybe she was trying to reassure herself because truth be told, she was afraid. Octavia could her the voices of her ancestors. It was as if they were speaking directly from behind her. She couldn't understand what they were uttering but they seemed to be delighted. A painful sensation came from her hand, and only then did she realize that she had been clenching her fist ever so tightly. No, she wasn't afraid of the voices, nor was she afraid of the scene that they had stumbled upon. What she was afraid of was the feeling that lingered at the edge of her conciousness; the feeling of bloodlust. Octavia should have realized it sooner. Her curse had reacted to the large amounts of dark energy inside the tomb. It was the same kind of energy that the Crestkeep family had used to fuel their powers. Octavia couldn't shake the part of her that wanted to laugh in amusement at the sight they had just witnessed. That scared her. In a desperate attempt to push those thoughts aside, she decided to switch her focus to something else. "[color=6ecff6]W-we should begin scouting. We might find some clues.[/color]"