Let the hunter become the hunted (Job, Thorn, Aaron)

Aaron's steps were muffled by the omnipresent moss that had taken over the ruins in the ages since it had been abandoned, but if one listened closely they might hear something odd about his steps. Namely, that the normal sound of two feet walking was accompanied by a third noise, almost as if he had another leg. The truth of course was nothing quite as outlandish. The third noise was caused by Bane of Reality as he used the large scythe as a walking stick. Normally he would have left it on his back, but the knowledge of groups of armed gem hunters swarming the tunnels under the ruins had prompted him to keep himself armed.

Beside him, her sleek black fur seeming to absorb the sunlight, padded Luna, his partner. Unlike Aaron, she made absolutely no sound, but being a large cat, that was nothing unusual. The two continued to walk in silence until they reached a great archway that once was the entrance of a great building, but now stood silent watch over a crudely dug, but thankfully well supported, tunnel that led into the hidden catacombs below the ruins. The two peered into the mouth of the tunnel, neither of them bothered in the least by the darkness as they both could see through it as if the tunnel were lit up by the sun. A flicker of red light indicated that the corridors were lit by torches that were as of yet unseen by the duo.

:So when exactly are we going down there?:

Aaron glanced over at Luna as her 'voice' echoed in his head. He began to rummage in his coat with his free hand as he answered.

:We're waiting on another mage to come help. I'm no fool to go charging into a nest of well armed bandits without backup, and while you're as good as any mage, the guild wouldn't even let me go until after I had confirmed that I had help. Luckily, they don't care where that help comes from, so-:

Aaron suddenly stopped as he found what he had been searching for inside of his coat. He quickly pulled out a bottle of a white, glowing substance. Using his teeth he pulled the cork out, dropping it into the hand that held the bottle, which was barely able to catch it. Without wasting time he took a swig of the Lacrima milk, and shuddered as he felt the magic nurturing liquid course through him. Using his teeth he replaced the stopper and put the now half empty bottle back in his coat.

:As I was saying, luckily they don't care that my help is coming from a less than reputable source.:

Luna shook her head and laid down, prepared to wait, even if she was impatient to get moving.

:Whatever, I just want them to show up so we can get this over with.:

Thorn stood a top of the green and wet moss her feet never crushed them never flattened thorn this was a gift of thorns from the curse that made her the way she was. smiling at the omnipresent moss that had taken over the ruins her hand glided over them careful not to damage a single petal the leave spoke to thorn telepathically telling her of the new comer and his animal companion the steps where soft but the man was still crushing some of the moss beneath him. Looking to her left thorn smiled at JD her sap tiger, Looking up thorn jumped to the top of the ruins using the moss on the wall to get leverage every so often. crouching low thorn looked down on the grounds of the ruins and she spotted them just standing there looking at each other do they have a mental like like she and JD she posumed so at that moment in time anyway, smiling softly thorn watched them for a moment it seemed that they would not be moving any time soon.

Jumping from her spot spinning as she fell thorn closed her eyes and out landed on her feet the plants seemed to of parted allowing thorn to land on mud. looking up her smile tilted slightly "well it seems I have found you finally you are ever one of the nuisances that I have come to destroy or the person that I am teaming with, so for today only are you friend or foe? she asked softly tilting her head slightly waiting for the response JD stood silently by her side as she brought her staff around infrount of her "ever way would you mind getting of my friends they are not keen of being squished!" she stated a clearing appeared just infrount of the man big enough for both him and his companun.

Aaron and Luna turned to face the woman who had just dropped down behind them. They listened to her speak, but each had different reactions. Aaron simply looked at her as he tried to decipher what she was talking about in terms of her friends being squashed, and quickly came to the conclusion that she was talking about the moss beneath his feet.

A personal connection with the local flora? That must mean she's a plant mage, and a fairly talented one at that if she can link with plants on a conscious level strongly enough to personify them to the point of being friends.

Aaron wasn't unfamiliar with the idea of plants being conscious, nor did he doubt that they might be. He had read enough books by green mages to at least have an inkling of the nature of their magic, even if he didn't fully understand it. As he walked over to the clear spot she indicated he answered her question.

"We are your allies for the time being, yes."



While Aaron was deciphering her meaning and responding to her question, Luna was ranting at Thorn, projecting her thoughts to the point were all present could hear her, including Thorn's pet, though Luna didn't know if the large tiger was sapient like she was.

:It's about time that you showed up! We have a job to do, so let's move.:

While she 'yelled', she followed Aaron into the clearing, though once she reached it she silenced her telepathy. She continued to glare at the two new comers, but having said her piece she wasn't inclined to say more.

Aaron simply ignored her anger. She got like this sometimes before a hunt, but once they started, she would lighten up a bit mentally, though she would be no less deadly for it.

thorn tilted her head a smug grin on her face as she shock her head taking out a peace of paper from her pocket and looked at it "young one I will have you now i am early it states you would be here in 10 minuets time and considering i was here an hour ago you are the ones that have been waited for" she stated calmly kneeling down she closed her eyes and concentrated for a moment smiling softly she looked back up "they hid the entrance well and if you step in the wrong place you could full in and injure yourself so be careful" thorn smiled softly walking over to the pear "the entrance is just over there!" she stated lightly pointing in the direction of the entrance and started to walk over to it.

Looking back over her shoulder thorn smiled kindly it was a smile that not many people had seen and one she had not shown since the catacombs in the guilds basement "come on i have some toys down there that i just cant wait to rip open" Thorn said winking playfully laughing with joy, Thorn was going to have a lot of fun with this it was the first time she could experiment with her new spells and the strength she had gained recently. she stopped outside the opening her mind wondered slightly as she started to Imagen what kind of things she could do to the people down below, "so you have any plan for this? she asked lightly wondering if he had the plain.

Thorn smirked lightly waiting for a response from the male her mind just clicked "before I forget i am thorn, this is JD and this is friend" she said pointing to the tiger when saying JD and bringing her staff around when she said friend these where her closest friends and allies

Aaron raised an eyebrow at the newcomer.

Being in the correct location in general doesn't mean that you're early. Being at the meeting place early means your early. Semantics aside however, we should get going.

Aaron glanced at where his partner pointed while she spoke and raised the other eyebrow.
Well, yes that is an entrance, and so is the one I was standing in front of earlier. However, since that one is closer, I suppose that it will do.

:Luna, let's go.

As Aaron followed the woman down into the tunnels he heard her ask if he had a plan. He almost smiled at that, but managed to keep a straight face.

Insofar as killing anything that moves, and getting the treasure is a plan.

Aaron sped up until he was beside the woman, who identified herself as Thorn. He nodded at her tiger and her weapon as she introduced them, knowing full well that no matter what anything looked like, magic meant that anything could be sentient. As they walked down the tunnel Aaron spent his time making note of the construction of the tunnels. He had been expecting crudely constructed tunnels similar to those of an illegal mine, but instead they found themselves walking through a well constructed brick passage with strange flowing script adorning the walls. At even intervals there were lit torches in metal brackets covered in softly glowing runes that seemed to squirm when one looked at them to hard. Aaron wished he had more time to study everything around him, and vowed to come back after he was done. Eventually they came to a bend, and from behind they could see a shadow flickering in the omnipresent torchlight. Aaron gripped his scythe and got ready for a fight while Luna tensed in preparation.

Almost as an after thought he spoke to Thorn, I forgot to ask, if the tunnels collapse, can you're plants get us out? Because that might happen. A lot.



OOC:Sorry about the wait, finally got a new computer, but only just now got a reliable internet connection.