The Pits

Astoria-

Clenching the bottle tightly between her teeth – she was not going to let that fall- Astoria edged slowly over the side of the cliff. The rocks were rough on her hands, and she had to look strain her neck to find footholds.

Beneath her, Azeal was climbing steadily, glancing up at her every few seconds as he did. She looked back at her feet, there were few jutting rocks, but if Azeal could climb down, so could she.

She inched down carefully, trying to find the spots where Azeal had grasped.

“Wait!” Someone was yelling from the cliffs edge.

Astoria looked up and standing above her was a man, sandy hair and tan skin. He looked too thin and overly worried.

“What?” she tried to yell through her teeth and bottle, frustrated. Her hands were starting to ache and she could feel blisters beginning to form in her palms.

“Climb back up, I’ll help you.” With that, he flopped down onto his stomach and reached his hand down to her.

She was only a few feet down but he was still too far away for her to reach without having to climb up. But she wasn’t going to give up. Azeal probably thought she would, probably didn’t even think she would start to climb in the first place.

Well, she would prove him wrong.

Ignoring the man, she continued to climb. Azeal was still close to her, but he had slowed down considerably. She climbed faster, almost slipping a few times, skidding her hands and knocking her knees against the stone, continuing Azeal until they were both at the bottom.

Taking the bottle from her mouth she smiled at Azeal, as if to say who needs a rope now? But he was looking up the cliff. She too looked at saw at once who needed a rope. The man that had tried to stop her was now climbing down the cliff.

Azael

"Think he can make it?" Astoria asked as Azael stared up at the slim, poorly nourished man. Fool. He watched a little longer as the man slipped and shuffled across the rocks. Good determination, bad footing, reasonable ballance, bad focus...

"He needs to stop looking down at us," Azael stated.

"I think he's looking where to put his feet," Astoria replied.

"That's another mistake. He should feel, not look. A rock may look strong but it could crumble under foot." Azael watched as the man suddenly hesitated, his gaze cast downwards. Slowly he raised his head and looked directly across at the cliff face in front of him, his hands cheffing and slipping on the rocks. He lowered his right foot, feeling for a firm rock.

"Left," Azael said, his voice carrying easily as if that hard, sharp edge gave it strength. The man moved his foot left and found the protrusion that Azael had previously stepped on. He lifted his left foot.

"Straight down," Azael said. "Not so far - up a little. There's a groove in the rock. Good. Lower your hands."

Tadhg-

There's one thing I cannot stand and I usually try not to think about it.

Heights.

But now I was halfway down I realised I might as well go the full way. Below me, the other two were calling out instructions. "Left. Down a bit. Over to the right."

In the end, I either trusted them or I fell to my death.

Azael

Azael was slightly irritated when Astoria joined in the list of instructions but she seemed to be doing pretty well, directing the man down the path they had taken.

"Right a bit and then lower it, that's..." Azael didn't take the time to protest Astoria's instruction, seeing that the man had already set his foot on the ledge, weight shifting, rock crumbling. He brushed Astoria aside, breaking into her speech and judged the line of fall, holding out his arms -

"Help!" The man gasped as his hands scraped against the cliff, one foot flailing and the other losing its grip.

"But I stepped on that one, it felt fine to me," Astoria insisted, her eyes fixed on the man.

"Push away with your left foot and let go," Azael said smoothly. The man continued to panic, ignoring the instruction but then appeared to resign himself to Azael's care. He pushed away from the wall and fell, eyes closed, body contracting into a cacoon. Azael caught him, one arm about his waist and the other around his shoulders, the momentum of the fall causing him to stagger back but he steadied and placed the man on the earthen floor.

"Give him some water, Astoria," Azael said.

[Farleigh]

She looked over to Raiden, then to Korr, and then back to Raiden. They seemed to be watching each other carefully, glaring almost. Was Farleigh the only one at ease here? Raiden looked so rigid when he spoke.

"No, I just thought I could say hello." said Korr forcing a small smile, but still looking as stiff as Raiden.

Farleigh grabbed both their hands, they turned to her in suprise. "There's got to be something to do around here other than just talk. Do you two know of anywhere we can go?" she began to drag then into the jungle that was the Pit.

[Raiden]

Raiden relaxed slightly, his hand feeling at ease where it was. "I've been wondering that same thing, I don't suppose either of you have any ideas? Besides, you know, fighting viciously for food."

Raiden thought the 'every man for himself' was stupid, if they cooperated once and a while maybe they could get out of here.

Derick smiled "You can't, but then again, I can't trust you either now can I. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bottle, "Here, a gift. It's filled, and I know a place we can fin more. Only thing is it's limited and takes time to refill."

"What's your point?"

"I'll show you, If you find a way to get us food. From there, who knows. All I know is I want to get out of the sink hole, you with me?" He held out his hand.

(Korr)

"I've learned not to trust anyone," I said. I could tell that they new I was tense. "I was almost killed once when I was younger... someone wanted food. I was the only thing nearby. But I know that I won't get out of here alone."

I looked at Farleigh... did Raiden love her too?

Astoria-

“Why don’t you give him some water?” Astoria asked, clasping the water bottle tight in her hand.

“Because, I gave most of my water to you.” Azeal said, still supporting the man

“Oh, no, that’s fine,” the man mumbled, trying to steady his feet under Azeal’s grasp. “I don’t need any…”

Astoria watched as Azeal let go of him, making sure he was stable before letting go of his shoulder. The man looked paler than he had before, and more malnourished than most. Azeal began to search through his pack, but before he extracted anything, Astoria reluctantly handed her bottle to the man.

“Here, I’ve already had some today.”

The man looked worried, but drank all the same, wary as to not empty the bottle. Azeal seemed satisfied. Astoria fished in her pocket and handed the piece of bread to the man as well.

“I’ve already eaten too.”

“Thanks,” He hesitantly ate the bread and said, “I’m Tadhg.”

“Astoria.” She said, and turned to follow Azeal, who had begun walking again, and Tadhg pursued.

“What’s at Venom Lagoon?” She asked Azeal.

[Raiden]

"Wow," Raiden was surprised at the sudden confession from Korr, "Well, you don't have to worry. I, at least, am not a cannibal."

"Yet," he suggested, eyes still resting on Farleigh. There was something in the way he looked at her, something different from the way he looked at everyone else. That must have been why he was so wary of me. The thought made me snigger, I was a little more concentrated on getting out of here.

I caught his eye, eventually, and nodded slightly to let him know that she was his for the taking.

Tadhg-

I looked at Astoria. "Venom Lagoon?" I asked. "Where's that?"

She shrugged. "Where we're going, apparently. You've never heard of it?"

I shook my head. "No, and I've been here more than a year."

She smiled. "Better ask him," she said, nodding forwards.

I looked at the man in front of us. He was as dirty as any of us, but he looked well fed.

"What's your name?"I called to him. "And where are you headed?"

[Farleigh]

She stopped walking and let go of Raiden and Korr's hands. It seemed that Korr's hand followed hers when she let go, but he pulled it back when he realized what he was doing. Raiden didn't mind holding on or letting go.

Farleigh stopped infront of a cave, gems sparkled on the inside. She watched Raiden and Korr walk into the cave. She followed behind them on purpose. Her gaze kept switching between the two of them and she didn't want them to notice.

Why must there be two? a sad smile formed on her face.

"What kind of gems do you think these are?" asked Korr, breaking Faleigh's thoughts.

Raiden shrugged as he picked on up and studied it. "It doesn't matter since they are no use to us."

The three of them headed further into the cave, an opening was just a few feet away. There was another passageway to the right of them near the opening, which way would they go?

Actom-

I stared at the man's hand for a moment before reaching out and brushing the tips of my fingers against his palm.

"I'm Derick."

"Actom," I replied dryly, giving a slight nod of my head. My eyes traveled to the two bodies on the ground.

"What of them?"

(Korr)

I put a few gems in a pouch at my side anyways. I had learned that it's possible that anything can be useful sometime.

Azael

"My name's Azael. Venom lagoon isn't much further and it's worth the danger." Azael stopped at what appeared to be a dead end, beside an illedgible sign planted firmly in the earth. Beyond the sign, the earth rapidly became a stretch of golden sand.

"Why, what's there?" Astoria asked as she and Tadhg caught up and stopped beside him.

"Water hopefully and sometimes food. Will you climb down this time?" Azael took the rope from his pack and tied it firmly around his waist.

"Down where?" Tadhg asked.

"Through the quicksand. The drop isn't long but if you don't know where to jump through, you can land in the lagoon and that's almost as fatal as drinking the water," Azael answered.

"So we have to trust you and jump through there?" Tadhg asked, turning to Astoria - "Is he crazy?" Astoria stepped closer and took the free end of the rope.

"What do I need to do?" She asked.

"Tie it around your waist and I'll lower you down. Quickly through the first part - the sand is deep - and then slowly to the ground. One tug when you're down and untie it."