Akena Aftermath - between evan..relic & Erika

Tala smiled, and hurried forward. Seeing him looking at a wall, she noticed a single bush. Going to it, she parted it, and found a hole big enough for a person to slip through. "I found something." She said, loud enough for Togda to hear, but not so loud to draw attention to unwanted ears.

Togda hurried over, "Damn, you found it, but it looks like someone else found it first."

He quickly slipped through the hole, his lithe body not making a sound, he cast his sight around, "No blockages though. We're good, come on."

Tala nodded. She tied her dress around her waist, so that only her knees, and the upper part of her legs were covered. Crawling into the hole, she felt her wings somewhat scrap along the top of the tunnel. "Tight fit for me." She said, wincing as her wing caught a jagged piece of the wall.

"Don't worry, it widens out in a bit."

Taking a deep breath, he drew his blade, "Draw your sword. I don't know if there are guards up there or not."

Tala drew her sword, nearly hitting Togda in the backside. "Oops." She said, as she maneuvered her sword into a less dangerous place so that she wouldn't hurt herself or Togda.

Togda shook his head and chuckled, "Remind me to give you sword lessons."

Crouching low, Togda conjured a fireball in his hand and slowly made his way through the tunnel, walking slowly enough so as not to leave Tala behind.

His heart began to beat a wicked tattoo against the inside of his chest, anxiety threatened to bubble over, he was so close to reclaiming what was his birthright, would he be able to though? Would the elves still accept him?

Tala rolled her eyes. "I'm better with a claymore, than these tiny swords you're used to." She retorted. Falling silent, she followed him. Her own anxiety started to make itself known. Her heart rang in her ears, and she was being covered in sweat.

Togda thought for a moment, "You have a point." His eyes blazed for a moment, then died away, the metal of the blade in Tala's hand shimmered as it grew into the rough size of a claymore.

"How's that?"

Tala smiled. "Thanks." She said, pleased. "Now I can use this, and not look like an idiot while fighting." Pricking her ears, she heard something infront of her. "Togda, wait. Somethings here with us." Her voice shook with fright.

Togda listened too, "Don't worry. Lizards inhabit this tunnel, they get noisy around this time."

Reaching a dead end, the space large enough for both Tala and Togda to stand straight and tall, Togda muttered, "Can I remember the combination to unlock the door?"

Tala stood behind him, her sword drawn, and held at her side. "Combination?" She sighed, and jumped, screeching as a little green thing suddenly moved on the wall. Looking closer, she noticed it had scales. "What's that?" She asked, in amazement.

Without looking over, "A gecko, they prefer dark and dank area as they need to keep their scales moist."

Poking his fingers into several holes in the wall, he moved several small levers, sticking his tongue between his teeth, "One more push..."

Hitting the last lever, he yanked his hands back as the wall ground open, letting though the light of a single torch, "Okay, we're currently in the dungeon of the palace, we have about five floors to the throne room."

Tala nodded, and took the Gecko into her hands. "You will be my pet." She said, as she placed it back on the wall. Following Togda, she looked around. "Five floors? What if on all those floors there are demons?" She asked, a little concerned.

"Well, then they'll get a very bright surprise." He grinned as the fireball in his hand was suddenly laced with red, green and blue.

Tala stared at the fireball in his hand. Reaching a tentative hand for it, she felt its warmth, and smiled. "It won't burn us, but it will burn the demons?" She asked, though she sort of knew that answer.

"Exactly. When enchanted with the necklaces, my magic can only harm the demons."

Breathing deeply, "Let's go." He darted out of the door and out into the cobblestone floor hall.

Tala followed, wordlessly. Her wings, folded on her back, her sword ready for action at her side.

Taking a deep breath, Togda turned the corner into another hallway, one lined with jail cells.

Freezing in midstep as soon as he saw the prisoners, fellow elves. As soon as they saw him they immediately jumped to their feet, one spoke, "Prince Togda? Is that really you, I thought..."

"I was dead? No chance, Tobias. Zagato is though."

The chamber fell silent as it dawned on them, then a joyous bellow rose. Togda quickly raised his hand to silence them, "Don't want to alert the demons up there. Tala, come give me a hand, I have an idea."

Tala hesitated when Togda spoke to the other elves. Hearing him call to her, she took a step towards him, and then quickly walked up, and threw her arms around him. "Somethings here, something that isn't supposed to be here." She said, her voice shook, as she sensed the evil that was surrounding them.

"Correct, unfortunately." Togda said as a massive, hulking demon rounded the corner, saw them and roared incoherently.

The other elves shrank back muttering, "The Watcher...."

Togda scoffed as his blade burst into enchanted fire, as did Tala's claymore, he looked back at her, "Work together?"

Tala looked at him. Her face dark, and filled with hate as the flame from her sword illuminated her. "Yes." She said, her voice filling with venom. Giving Togda a curt nod, she readied herself in a battle stance, waiting for Togda to give command to attack.

"Gettin' brash are we? Go for the knees, I'll get it's back."

Tala blushed slightly, but nodded at his command. Rushing forward she crouched as the monster swung at her. Bringing her sword into a sweep, she sliced it's knees. Not even being fazed the monster tried to attack, as she jumped out of the way to ready her next attack.

Taking a running start at the demon, he leaped up and running on his tip toes along the cell bars, he half-jumped up to the thing's neck and immediately latched down to prevent being thrown off.

The Watcher tried to grab at him, but it's oversized chest blocked it's movements in an upward direction. Togda smiled as he took the flaming blade's handle in both hands and plunged the metal deep in it's neck between two exposed vertebrae.

The beast roared in pain and tried to grab at Togda and the pain, but again, it's muscles defeated it.

A moment later, it fell over completely dead, colliding with the iron bars creating a sound like no other.

Yanking out the blade, he returned it to the scabbard, "So much for a quiet assault...."

Tala stared at Togda, her breath coming in short gasps. Her sword still in her hand, she just stared as if frightened. Being silent, she blinked, then fell to her knees, her sword clatering off the floor of the prison.

Togda rolled his eyes and gripped Tala by the shoulders, "Come on, up you go. I need help breaking these locks."

At his words all of the elves stood up saluting, "HAIL PRINCE TOGDA!!!"

Again, he rolled his eyes and laughed, "Get ready to fight, my fellow elves, today is the day we take back Melandru!" He raised the sword above his eliciting a joyous roar from the elves.

Half carrying Tala, he said, "Tala, come on. We have work to do."

Tala shook her head, and sheathed her sword. Standing up straight, she nodded to the other elves. "Ok."

Investigating the body of the Watcher, Togda found a set of keys, he lobbed them to Tala, "Unlock the cells." I'll keep an eye out for any other demons."

Deep inside his chest, the pieces of the Duratma stirred slightly, causing Togda to squirm slightly.

Tala caught the keys and nodded. Unlocking the cells, she didn't notice Togda's reaction to the duratma still inside of him.The elves free, she went to his side. "All done."

"Thank you." He pulled her into a quick hug, one, to thank her, two, show the other elves that she was truly with him.

Taking a deep breath to push the Duratma back, he said, "Let's go. Stairs are down the hall to our right."