Octavia wasn't sure how much time had passed. Her interaction with Gwen had left her dazed and scarcely comprehending. She wiped the tiny beads of sweat that pooled at her temples and pushed the loose hair out of her eyes. So many questions spiraled through her mind, but pondering only led to more questions rather than answers. She shook her head and tried to focus on her mission, dragging her attention away from her  thoughts. Octavia's gaze wandered across the barren land as she drew in a deep breath. And she froze. At the edge of her vision, she spotted a group of...? 

[i][color=6ecff6]"Gasp!"[/color][/i] 

In one swift motion, Octavia ducked and concealed herself behind the large boulder. She stuck her head out and peered, quickly noting that there were about 15 of them. A majority of them were armed with swords and the rest of them with bows and arrows. She could run for the entrance, but she wouldn't be able to avoid a direct confrontation. Her odds of winning against 15 snakemen in her current sate would be one percent. Even one percent was too generous. [i][color=6ecff6]Way too generous,[/color][/i] she repeated, almost laughing at the ridiculous thought of a one percent chance. It would be suicide at best. Octavia would have to wait for the beasts to enter the tomb and ambush them from behind whilst the others engaged with them upront. The Bloodrose Irregulars were in for a surprise, but she had to think of a more positive scenario. Maybe Alm spotted them before heading back.

As the beasts approached the entrance, she took this time to tighly wrap her ankle with a piece of cloth she had ripped from her robe. Her ankle had been aching for days; it made her footing unsteady. When they entered and disappeared from her line of sight, she carefully followed suit. A headache throbbed behind her eyes the moment she got close to the ancient tomb. The entire thing practically vibrated with violent emotion. She eased a step further along the path, but her ability to feel the violent history didn't fade. She had to stop momentarilly. Octavia worked to relax while she kept her focus. Much as she longed to back away, she resited the urge. 

[i][b]BANG![/b][/i]

Hearing the gunshot was all that it took for her hesitations to fly out the window. She quickly entered the tomb, purpose in her stride. Everything had happened so fast. Shots were fired and blades were swung. Octavia noticed the two strangers (mostly the large man) who were fighting alongside the others, but she had no time to discern the situation. She quickly reached for the knives that were hidden under her robe, sheathed on a belt loop that was wrapped around her leg. She aimed for the snakeman who had his arrow pointed at Pox, and in a fraction of a second, the knife whizzed through the air and stabbed the beast in the spot where its jaw met its neck. Octavia reached for a second knife, but a sudden sharp, stabbing pain in her skull caused her to drop to her knees. She could hear the loud screams of the damned, and they came from inside her mind. She clutched her head and groaned in agony. Mustering every strength she had left, she retreated behind the nearest pillar. [color=6ecff6]"This damned ancient tomb is cursed",[/color] she said through gritted teeth, her hands still clutching her head. Dark thoughts began to plague her mind, and Octavia would have to spend the next few moments fighting the curse that ran through her veins, but it was a losing battle.