Marilyn looked over her shoulder and narrowed her eyes. [i]Purple bug guts everywhere. [/i]No wonder those little creatures took their leave. Somebody had gone and [i]murdered[/i] a great number of them. She hated seeing that. Not only did the creatures that threatened them have to meet an unfortunate end, but now these harmless bugs too? She looked forward, and then up at the giant rock that loomed overhead while taking her hand out of her pocket.

	It was completely silent before it happened.

			[sub]"Detonate the charge"

					 "But you're..."

						 "Listen to her, [i]runt[/i]."[/sub]

[center][h1][i][color=fff200]K[/color][color=aba000]A-[/color]KO[color=fff79a][color=fff200]O[/color]O[/color]O[color=fff200]M[/color]!!![/i][/h1][img][/img][/center]

	A thunderous crash bellowed across Baeshri pass with enough volume to rip through eardrums. The ground itself shook so violently that even nearby trees were not immune to the tremors. From beneath the giant stone spike, a yellow cascade of powder and mana erupted upwards, carrying with it chunks of Venbu Flesh and various metal scraps. The Caravan's main cart was tossed up violently, far past a 45 degree angle, to the point where the ground itself was at a sheer angle. Noru and Neale slipped from their bunks and were tossed from one side of the cabin to the other. The medic landed in the back room, where barrels and boxes were flung about, breaking their restraints and piling near the back of the storage room. Neale ended up smacked against one corner of the room, but not before smashing through Flin's bunk and cracking it in half. The others in the Cabin met a similar fate, ending up scattered across the room and likely strained with various serious injuries.

	Daelin was flung straight up through the hatch lead to the top of the Caravan, right into the air. Zay held himself firmly on the railing, just barely able to keep himself from flying off the cart's edge, albeit at the cost of snapping several bones in his right wrist. His skin was enveloped in a silver coat, and he reached towards Daelin as quickly as possible, while desperately trying to keep his footing against the top of the cart. He felt his right foot twist and bend against the force of the explosion until it reached a point of injury. The pain of his sudden sprain almost sent him flying, but he just barely managed to keep from falling to the ground below.

	The Venbu were tossed aside, and their reins were completely destroyed. One of the creatures toppled over and slid towards the edge of the path with nearly half of its body hanging over the trench below. The other lost a leg, and was launched skyward slightly, before hitting the ground was a blood curdling [i]crunch.[/i] The pilot's seat was engulfed in the yellowish smoke immediately, but Marilyn's scream was loud enough to just barely seep through the explosive shock wave, even if only for a moment.

	The cart traveled only a few yards forward after that, and then fell back down with a heavy [i]thud.[/i] The steel wheels bent, but did not break, bringing the cart's forward momentum to a slow, sliding stop. The sound of warping metal creaked loudly, mixed with an earth drag as the tires dug into the path. By the time the cart had stopped moving, those responsible for its sabotage were already moving in to surround the yellow cloud of smoke that obscured all vision.

	In one fell swoop, the impregnable fortress that deterred powerful beasts across Thoris was brought to a resounding halt.


[center][h1][color=ed1c24]* * *[/color][/h1]
Smor'Gen'Blok[/center]

	"Never over with [i]stupid[/i] Wor boys," Ju'Kul quipped through a quiet chuckle, "Always want more. Always threatening Low tribes. They have made very big demand last night while Kul's people sleep. We go to negotiate." Ju'Kul's usual demeanor vanished as he spoke. He was a shining example of what Ha'Kul looked for in a warrior, and a friend. With a smile that pushed away the darkness itself, a heart bigger than any Lok'Sha he'd ever met, and the stature of an ancient warrior, it was a wonder that he hadn't taken the role of chieftain long ago. Perhaps it was out of respect for Za'Kul's father? Or maybe it was cowardice? Whatever the reason, the big oaf was never too keen on discussing anything about himself... [i]Unless he was bragging.[/i]

	"Worse," Ja'Kul grunted, "Much worse this time. Not just supplies or work. Much worse for us." The two burly creatures made their way across the Low'Kul Cavern in no time at all, passing by Ha'Kul again in the process. Their Chieftain seemed lost in thought, too focused to wave or glance in his son's direction. Ja'Kul looked back at him briefly, and then spun his torso forward once again. They were approaching the maw of the path that lead out of the Deeper tunnels. A giant hole in the side of Kul's cavern, lined with jagged stalactites like it threatened to swallow them whole. It was guarded by a few men and women, donning red markings across their bodies.

	It was normal for several Lok'Sha to sleep or stand guard right by the most dangerous tunnel entrances, close to the earth itself to feel for vibrations [i]even as they slept.[/i] They were the recipients, or perhaps, [i]the victims[/i] of a particular type of soul magic that enhanced the nervous system to unfathomable levels. Those who found themselves plagued with [b]node sharpening[/b] have spoken of being able to feel the [i]air itself.[/i] Changes in the atmosphere that ranged from vibration to breezes too gentle for the average Lok'Sha to notice played a part in giving them a nearly [i]omnipotent aura.[/i] The trade off was rather brutal however. 

	Ja'Kul patted one of the men on the shoulder as the two passed by. The man winced in respond to Ja'Kul's touch. "Sorry bruddah," He whispered as they passed by.

	Node sharpening amplified pain significantly.