Story I: The Rift

Neph looks confused at Ameera at first, as though she doesn't understand something that had been said.

Pyrrah shakily sets her harness and fumbles with the ropes, her hands shaking slightly. Don't get her wrong: she wasn't afraid of scaling houses or creeping along roofing tiles, but THIS was an entirely different beast, and try as she might her nerves were exploding through her body like someone had released a bag full of butterflies. She swallows and looks across at Ameera and Neph, wrestling back for control and desperately trying not to look down.

Without meaning it to, her voice cracks. "I... I'm coming! "

You guys have any food or supplies I could get from you? I know you need them to rebuild, but with our help... and it wouldn't be much...

The blank stares of confusion were expected. He paused and thought for a moment, idly tapping on his drum before pantomiming food and bandages, then shaking some of the coin in his pouch. Hopefully something got through.

Staring expectantly, he continued tapping a small flat set of beats, echoing his desire to find something useful.

Hoping there is no need for the safety rope she is holding, Ameera braces herself as Pyrrah begins her trek across the gap.

"You had me worried for a moment Flare. Yna looked away I think. Neph says that the barrier she wants to check is down there, hopefully it involves less climbing."
Ameera peers down into the darkness, exercising her Devils sight. "Zubie, how're you doing? Time for a scout mission. Let me know if there is any danger for us down there".
Zubie reveals himself on Ameera's shoulder, wicked tail wrapped around her neck. He stands and stretches as if he had been napping, and leaps from her to fly down into the darkness.

"I felt unsteady enough. I much prefer climbing when I can see below and know that I won't fall through the fires of the earth itself... "

Pyrrah ponders for a moment as she watches Zubi fly into the dark. "Ameera... Zubi is your familiar, correct? How does that all work? Did he choose you, or did you choose him?" She taps the murky green crystal hanging from her throat. "I found a record of the spell once upon a time, but I haven't finished collecting the ingredients for the ritual yet. "

Baric dips his head partially, then pauses looking to see if this is the appropriate gesture of thanks. He continues hesitantly at first before deciding to follow through on with a full flourish, depositing the parcel in his hat. Noticing the excitement at what he believes to be his instrument and wanting to offer his gratitude for the supplies, he places a small wood and cloth dampener on his drum.

You seem like you've experienced a bit, He thinks at Seraph, Have you ever seen pixies dance to a dwarf's drums?

He then takes out his daggers and begins to jovially play his drum. The ensuing performance is a loosely military march crossed with some festival counter rhythms.

Neph, will it be difficult to get to the barrier on foot? Ameera looks to Pyrrah and says
"I hope we don't need to use more rope to get to where Neph is taking us." just as Pyrrah poses her question. Taken aback, Ameera drops her guard and blurts out "Something chose me Flare. I didn't ask for the wyrd, it was thrust on me. I fear the worst when I'll be asked for something in return, and that it will come sooner rather than later." with a deep breath she continues making, direct eye contact "I didn't care before, when I first met you... but I do now. When there's a price for me to pay, maybe you don't want to be around me. See, I was down in a hole like this before, and I lost all of my friends. I convinced them to go search for treasures with me, so it was all my fault. Whatever chose me down there saved me, so I owe a debt." Ameera shakes her head as if to clear her mind, "Sorry, that's not what you asked. Familiar.... so one day I woke and felt I could, so I called Zubie. I had a certain type of help in mind and I got what I needed. I was surprised by his visage, and how clever he is. Perhaps he is just sticking around as long as he remains amused.
Yna's tail, he should be sending me back information by now."

Pyrrah is somewhat taken aback by Ameera's abrupt and honest answer, and it shows for a second before Ameera continues. Despite herself, after Ameera's words sink in Pyrrah can't help but shake her head and a small, sad smirk touches her lips. "We all have a price to pay, one way or the other. Everything comes with high stakes, but the higher the stakes the greater its worth. We live with the deals we strike, whether we knew we were striking them or not. I may not have intentionally struck a deal to get the wyrd, but I did certainly chose it. I'm sure my cost will eventually be a blade in my back for it too. If I'm around you when yours comes due, the worst you can do to me is move up the day that that steel finds its mark. I'm not afraid of it; I know it's coming eventually. Besides, by my reckoning, unlike your friends I took no convincing to wander through the darkness."

She shakes her head, unused to all of the brutal honesty. Wasn't she supposed to be a spy, a master of secrets and espionage? She must be getting soft. "Besides, if it makes you feel better, if you go off while the rest of us are around you can bet that we won't let your debt-collector make you do too much damage. "

She squints her eyes and looks for Zubie in the darkness and listens for the sounds of wings. "He is taking his time... Maybe he thinks its funny to keep us waiting?"

Frustrated with her poor excuse of human eyes, Pyrrah casts a bolt of flame into the general direction that Zubie flew, illuminating the cavern farther in where the usefulness of her eyes starts to fade.

"I don't think so!" Seraph replies cheerfully.

Neph simply shakes her head at Pyrrah, giving her a reassuring smile. As the two others speak, she stands by patiently.

"What is it, Neph? "

Pyrrah grips tighter to her bow which she had unstowef from her back after the climb, her eyes scanning for anything dangerous. She wants to move to look at the columns, but only when she knows it's safe. If a fight comes now, she and Ameera were painfully underpowered at close range.

"Do you know what this is? "

Drawn to the pillars, Ameera immediately touches a ruin, caressing its flow with her left index finger. She runs both her hands down the length of the pillar to the base, looking for damage or signs of tampering.

Neph, was this barrier? She says haltingly, both aloud and mentally. What could hurt them?