<span style="font-weight: bold">â€œ We have..three options. Head down the hill for the forest, find the outside entrance to the holy tunnels, or sneak around the temple till we figure out what the soldiers are thinking. My suggestion,â€ She winced for a moment from pain but gathered all her strength to yet again try and battle this pain. â€œ is to take the tunnels , we will avoid any stray soldiers searching the forest, and manage to escape any trouble hopefully.â€</span><br/><br/>"The tunnels it is." Donta simply said, looking around for an entrance. He strained his ears to listen for any guards heading their way.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">â€œ If you head for the back of the temple and down the hill there should be a cave that links to a staircase that connects to the tunnels if that is the way you wish to go.â€</span><br/><br/>"Right. Let's move then." He replied. Ducking under her arm he helped support her as they trudged around to the back of the Temple. They moved quietly and kept as low as possible to avoid detection. Donta stumbled on a rock but kept his footing and nearly fell into the cave they were looking for.<br/><br/>Pushing a rotting, rickety door out of the way, he led the way inside. Once the door closed entirely and they made their way into the caves, Donta's pom began to glow, lighting the way with a warm glow.<br/><br/>The caves were narrow so Donta could only lead her by the hand at this point, but he made sure to only go as fast as she could go.<br/><br/>"I'm sorry for your loss." he began after a while of walking, "I've never seen something like that before. Those people killed... They must have been people you know. I'm sure the killer got what he deserved." He paused for a moment, then added, "You must be in pain. I remember how much it hurt when I became an avatar of a spirit. Quetzalcoatl has chosen you. For what, I am still unsure, but whatever it is can't be good." After another moment of walking they came to a round cavern with a large flat rock on one side. Donta helped her over to sit down and rest.<br/><br/>"I'm Donta by the way." he said, "I don't think either of us had a chance to say who we are."<br/><br/>---------------------------------<br/><br/>Sain felt the warm, humid air as he neared the mountain. The air was warm here and full of uplifting thermals which made flying much easier. He rode a thermal all the way up the mountain, gliding on the rising air without having to flap his wings even once. Now high in the sky, he looked down as he circled overhead, noticing a small opening at the base of the mountain.<br/><br/>Diving, he dropped from the sky and used his pent up stamina to slow himself to a hover, then finally landed before the circling entrance of the cave. A hot breeze threatened to cook his face so he pulled his hood down to try and shield himself as best he could, then began his trek inside.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Ifrit."</span>Diabolos muttered,<span style="font-style: italic">"Someone or something has woken him. He is the embodiment of rage and fire."</span><br/><br/>"Ifirit." Sain repeated to no one in particular.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Hmm"</span>Diabolos' voice was sharp and concise in his head, making Sain stop.<br/><br/>"What?"<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"How curious. I sense another spirit nearby."</span>he said,<span style="font-style: italic">"But what I find odd is why the Phoenix would be here of all places."</span>Sain continued on, the air becoming warmer and warmer with each step. He suddenly heard a bellowing from just around the corner.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold">"IFRIT! WHAT HAS DISTURBED YOU FROM YOUR SLEEP?"</span><br/><br/>Sain picked up his pace and turned the corner, finding the girl curled up on the ground, another girl on the other side of a large cavern. Between them, a large lava flow passed like a slow moving river, with a thin rock bridge over the middle. The heat was nearly unbearable at this point, yet the other girl was much closer to the lava than he, yet she stood as if in a trance, staring at a cave on the other side of the room. A cave glowing bright red as fire licked the air from inside. Perhaps it was the spirits home.<br/><br/>Sain kneeled beside the girl curled up on the floor and placed a hand on her shoulder. He wasn't surprised to find her skin hot. He began muttering under his breath, then finished his spell.<br/><br/>"Shell!" he called, then a thin, magical power flowed from his hand, encompassed the girl on the floor, forming a barrier between her and the heat of the room to protect her. It would move with her and conform to her body should she move.<br/><br/>Turning his attention back to the other girl across the room, he stepped up to the threshold of the river of lava.<br/><br/>"IFRIT!" He called, "I know not of what has troubled you, yet there is no need to cause harm. Release the girl, please. I will do anything you ask to quell your turmoil!"