Under Ancient Stone

The walls of the cave glittered around them in the slight luminescence let off by Tala's armor. The diminutive Asura was several paces ahead of the rest of them, waving around a device that supposedly would detect any dangerous sections before she stepped on them, Cairis was somewhat less confident in Asuran magic after the last few mishaps with Tala's devices. She claimed to have made great progress since then, but the sections of his hair that still hadn't grown back from being singed off left him not wanting to simply take her word for it.
Behind him were the other two members of their group, Alise and Tor. The Sylvari and Norn moved with incredible silence through the rough cave, leaving Tala clinking and humming rather obviously. Alise's silence was hardly surprising. She barely weighed anything anyway--and Cairis was fairly certain that she was using some manner of air spell to silence her steps even more--Tor on the other hand was at least half again as tall as he was, and at least twice as heavy. Yet the Norn managed to move with all the grace of a dancer, avoiding every bit of loose ground or rubble that could have made any noise. Cairis himself was no slouch when it came to sneaking, but he was more than a bit awed now. He knew Tala much better than these two, having met her some years ago in Divinity's Reach. She supposedly had done work with them before, but what work that might have been was unknown to him.



Tala paused up ahead and gestured for them to catch up, "what do you make of this, I've not seen such markings in this region before." Pointing with one armored finger, Tala indicated a stone plinth that rested partly across the path in front of them. It took Cairis a few moments before he recognized them, and then he shivered. All three of the others noticed at once, and Cairis met Tala's gaze--at least as best as he could through her helm. "It's Orrian script, and this plinth has power in it, it isn't just writing. it might be dangerous to try and decipher."
"This stone comes from Orr?" Alise asked in a quiet voice, "how old do you think it is?"
Cairis and Tala both shook their heads, "The stone certainly seems to be the same type as what is found around here, so it's unlikely that this piece comes from that far-off continent." Tala muttered.
"And there is not really any way of knowing exactly how old it is, but considering that this script hasn't been used in several centuries, it must be at least that old."
"No..." Tor growled out and stepped closer, "I know stoneworking, and these carvings cannot be that old. These markings were made in the past year, or I'm a hare."
"In the past year? Impossible, as Cairis just said, these runes have fallen out of use entirely and everyone who used that language is long dead."
"Was dead... Tala, we're talking about Orr here." Alise's voice had a note of forceful caution in it that made everyone look at her curiously. "I'm inclined to believe Tor, if he truly thinks these runes were only carved in the past year. If that is true, it means that we are dealing with something none of us prepared for."
"Undead..." Tala muttered, "I always forget you were part of the Pact, Alise. Then in your expert opinion, what should we do with these markings?"
"At the moment, probably nothing, in fact it's probably best if we avoid even touching the stone."
"Should we head back for the moment? Perhaps try to contact the Pact? Have them send a team down here?" Cairis asked with a shrug. He didn't entirely believe Alise's evaluation, and while he had not been to the cursed lands of Orr himself, he HAD fought dragon minions before--his continuing association with Tala practically guaranteed it.
Alise cocked her head to the side in thought, then slowly shook it. "I think we should continue with what we had planned for the moment, if there really are undead down here we should escape as quick as we can however, and warn whomever we can."
Tala folded her arms with a series of clanks, "I don't much like the idea of surrendering whatever finds await down here," she said with a petulant air, "But!" she put out a hand to forestall Alise's coming protest, "I understand the need for caution. Cairis! Can you make us an exit portal like you did that time in the Minister's manor?"
After a moment's consideration, he shook his head, "I'm not familiar enough to hold it open for any useful time, I could only do it there because I was quite familiar with the location, it let me pin the magic in place more easily."
Tala seemed to think for a moment, then looked up quizzically, "Why are you familiar with the minister's bedchamber?"
Tor seemed to suppress a snort at that, and Cairis felt a grin spread across his face, "because we weren't in HIS room, but rather his younger daughter's."
Tala seemed to still be confused, but Tor chuckled, "The girl was a good mate then, if you were there enough to get familiar with her room."
"To speak of such things would be unfitting my status as a noble!" Cairis said with dramatic air and a grin widely plastered across his face.
"Well, that is hardly important to our current operations, so I'll have to curtail any further discussions of human mating rituals!" Tala barked out, in that same tone she always used when she was upset at knowing other people were laughing at a joke, and she didn't get it. "Alise, I want you in front with me, ready to block the passage if anything shows up. Cairis, sow some confusion, and Tor covers our escape if necessary. And I'm sick of relying on my helmet filters, get us some actual light in this overly damp tunnel!"
Alise stepped forward quickly, extending a hand forward as she did so. A brilliant flame wrapped around the staff in her hand and leapt through the air to pool in a writhing orb in the palm of her hand.
"I still say that a plant playing with fire is a terrible idea..." muttered Tor. Alise responded with an airy laugh, well then as I'm not playing, no harm will be done!"
Cairis took a deep breath and let it out with a sigh. Against his back, the weight of the sword he had hoped to not need pressed heavily.
"Of course, every time I work for Tala I end up needing a sword."
"Good thing you've got three then isn't it! Too bad you only have two hands, maybe you can carry the last in your mouth, then I won't have to listen to your complaints!" Tala snapped out. "Forward!"
As they walked forward, he could hear Tor nocking an arrow to his bow behind him. Tala bore a mace in each hand, both crackling with the energy seen in every piece of asuran magitech. Mentally calling out a prayer to Lyssa, Cairis reached back to feel the cool grip of the greatsword. His gut told him it was not a matter of IF, but only WHEN, he would need it now.