Taurou cursed under his breath as he was surrounded by the three skeletons. He cat ears flicked as the skeleton swung his large, rusty, and worn axe down at him. He bit his lip and went to duck under it and get behind the skeleton, not being able to see the other two skeletons until he turns around. Spinning on the ball of his foot he did his best to get around the skeleton. Hopefully the skeletons aren't that fast, he thought to himself as he went to go behind the skeleton.

Kagami did not like what she saw with them trying to surround the catguy that was her peer. She began bashing the skeletons with her flaming buckler.

Sai watched as the skeleton began moving at inhuman speed at him, darting left and right attempting to get close for an attack. He himself had a few tricks, quickly drawing his tanto, he would release it just as the thing got close, a burst of speed followed as he side-stepped and tripped the thing, only to step on its back and shoot it multiple times with the rifle.

(Bad post x.x tired)

Mortimers shot hit the skeleton and managed to down it but its attack was already moving too fast and came down hard on his shoulder almost dislocating it. He crumpled at the blow but aside from some heavy brusing from the things hammer he was alright.

Kagami managed to cripple her skeleton with a well timed hit on the skull. However that left her open and the skeleton managed to slice her midrift leaving a long but shallow cut. \

Ryo's combination attack allowed him to easily doge the skeletons movements, tripping it while simultaneously downing the monster and emptying a shell into its back for good measure, he was the only one to not be hurt.

Taurou's ploy worked.. mostly. Although he did manage to get behind the skeleton its allies were not so concerned with their comrades survival. One knocking the skeleton away removed Taurous cover, while the other stabbed at Taurou leaving a gash in his cheek.

Taurou was not alone however as Kagami made to bash the skeletons surrounding Taurou, breaking one of their kulls with her buckler while Mortimer sent another spear into the chest cavity of the last remaining one.

Their first challenge had been simple but who knew what lay ahead. As they came to the end of the hall there were two oppenings at either end of a ladder. One lead upwhere the sounds of mechanical whirring could be heard, clanking and bashes of steel on stone emmenated from it.

Downwards, one could hear the sound of rushing liquid sloshing around as a putrid stench eminated from the hole. Which way would take them to the treasure?

Kagami endured the pain of the cut... She'd been through far worse. And soon the combat was over, she looked at each passage... She didn't know what was worse... So she figured someone else ought to decide. Since the catguy was closest she lightly tapped him on the shoulder. "It's up to you Taurou. Which way?"

Taurou got behind the skeleton and it was quickly wiped away. He felt a stinging on his cheek where another skeleton had sliced open. The two skeletons were then quickly dealt with by his friends. He sighed at the simplicity of the battle. He wanted something big to fight.

When the group came to the two ladders, Kagami had tapped him on the shoulder and asked him which way to go. Hm... While thinking he always needed something to do, so he started wiping the blood from his cheek onto his fingers and licking the blood off. Above, his ears were pounding from the noises, and below his nose was bombarded with a variety of putrid stenches. I say below, he said. Even though the smell is horrible, up above would surely be worse. The machines could have parts to them that would rip us to shreds if we got to close in a fight. We walked towards the stench-filled hole with the ladder. Besides, he said, wouldn't it be smarter for someone to put treasures in a place where no one would want to go? He started down the ladder.

With a flash the green flaming entity appeared. "I have been summoned, you may ask me one yes or no question"

"Can ANYONE not say that word... Who has a question for him this time?"

Taurou stopped short before completely descending down the ladder and scrambled back up when he heard the strange man speak again. He clambered out of the stenchous area and saw that he really was summoned once more and Master was somewhat annoyed. Uhm, sorry about that.. His ears sank down and he bowed. Well, might as well ask him something. He urged either Sai or Kagami to ask seeing as how he had nothing to ask.

Kagami wasn't in the mood to ask... She elbowed Sai lightly...

Sai brushed himself off as again the being showed up as he had done before. And no one seemed willing to ask a question. He pondered shortly what could he ask that couldn't really be twisted to trick them. ”Will that path get us to the treasures safely?” he pointed towards the mechanical whirring and such. It was worth a try, with deduction they could assume that if the being answered yes, they could move through there to the treasure, if not, they could go the other way.

Noe paused for a moment before replying. "...No. You have two safe summoning left."

And once again he dissapeared in that same cryptic green flash. Mortimer put his hands on his forhead and masaged it. "Did he mean it wasn't safe or it won't take us to the treasure?"

Thinking for a minute he looked over at the others and asked them "you want me to get rid of that guy... cause he doesn't seem all that helpful."

Taurou was about to answer "no" but he stopped himself and shook his head. We might need him later. His answers may seem... non useful.. But he may prove useful. He turned to the rest, Sound good?

Mortimer sighs and waves his hand lazily "fine fine fine,I won't kill him. But I will kill the next person to say n-nnnnnegative" catching himself just before he said the word. It could have been another useless summoning.

Still they had to progress through the place. Climbing down the ladder they found themselves in a rough yet crudely lit cave. Though cave is the weakest sense of the word. Before them was a bubbling pool of gloop, glowing an eerie green and casting the dim light and noxious fumes. It was at least thirty meters long and ten meters wide. The cieling was at least ten meters high as well.

Sitting just before the pool was what appeared to be a podium made of stone. Engraved in the stone podium was a strange message.

What does man love more than life
Fear more than death or mortal strife
What the poor have, the rich require,
and what contented men desire,
What the miser spends and the spendthrift saves
And all men carry to their graves?

"Aaaaand now we have to solve a riddle... man do I hate these... can you guys figure it out?"

I can. I've heard this riddle before in my youth. Taurou walked up to the pedestal and stated: Nothing.

The podium, fell into the bubbling pool of acid. It looked strangely solid enough to walk on but there were still some cracks in the surface. Another podium rose out of this black slap, and it appeared that there were still twenty more meters between them and the other side.

Approaching the podium the inscription read;

This thing all things devours:
Birds, beasts, trees, flowers;
Gnaws iron, bites steel;
Grinds hard stones to meal;
Slays king, ruins town
And beats high mountain down.

"Anybody got the answer to this one?"

After a few minutes of thinking Taurou, once again, stepped up and said the answer: Time.

Once again the podium fell into the acid and another weak platform floated on top of the bubbling goo. There was only a ten meter distance between them and what appeared to be solid ground. Another podium stood at the end with yet another cryptic riddle;

Only one colour, but not one size,
Stuck at the bottom, yet easily flies,
Present in sun, but not in rain,
Doing no harm, and feeling no pain.

They were so close now. If just one of them could figure it out then they would be off the acid.

Taurou, shaking his head when no one else stepped up to answer the riddle, stepped up once more. I got it. Again. The answer is a shadow. He said to the podium.

With that the final piece rose into place. Triumphantly the quartet strode across the surface and pulled open the door to the other side.

Sitting there in plain view was a lamp... no not those normal ones. Sitting in the center of a circular red-dusted room, on top of a pedestal and illuminated by a single beam of light coming from the cieling was an old lamp... the kind which typically housed genies and whatnot. Ornately embelished and styled, it would have been so easy to just reach up there and take it.

Had anyone looked at its aura they would have seen a strong magical field eminating from the lamp, most likely a spell of sealing to keep whatever was in there, in there and compliant to the first person who polished it.

Just in case however, Mortimer noted two passageways on opposite sides of the room. However no illumination came from them so who knew where they would lead.

Who would be the first to try and reach out and touch the lamp.

Sai looked at the lamp curiously... activating his clans abilities, he could then see clearly every part of magical energy in the room, a new trick. Though it shows to him the aura quite potent magic, being dense. "I am going to try something... I have a feeling this is going to end badly" he warned the others, hoping they would get back. But, deciding it would be at least interesting to try, Sai began to use his sealing magic, to attempt to siphon the spell that surrounded the lamp..

Unfortunately as Sai removed the magic, the lamp began to stir... then shudder... then shake uncontrollably... it almost looked like the inanimate object was having an epileptic seizure. At last a great flash of green fire burst from the lamp. Smoke billowed out and a great shout of triumph could be heard over the coughing and explosions.

"FREEEEEEE" The voice boomed. As the smoke began to clear the group was able to look up and see a floating green skinned genie. Muscular was putting it lightly. This magical entity was positively ripped. It almost seemed like the only things keeping the bulging muscles of his arms from exploding out were the numerous golden rings around his two limbs.

A ghostly tail trailed behind the fez-wearing genie as it stretched. The crreatures longthin-moustache which framed its mouth swaying slightly as it did so.

If Ryo had looked down he would have seen that the magic h had been sealing materialized into what looked like a very complex puzzle... something which was a cross between two interlocking rings and a rubics-cube. Regardless it was very complicated looking.

"As reward for freeing me, I will grant each of you three wishes" The genie said with a smile... "PSYCH" and then promptly burst out laughing. "Oh my goodness HAHAHA... who... man you guys are dumb. But in all seriousness I'm going to do you all a favor and kill you quickly before I go and incinerate the rest of this plane of existence. Now hold still while I remember how to shoot fire."

The seemingly insane genie already had a ball of green fire in his hand and promptly emitted a massive blast from it. The attack was fairly reminiscent of a flame thrower... except hotter... and deadlier... and faster... and they were dead for sure.

Mortimer managed to drop down as soon as he saw the fireball, but that did not save him from the scouring heat of the cone of flame passing directly over him. The heat itself was burning his coat and he could feel his back start to itch from the attack. He would have cried out in pain had he not been afraid of inhaling a cloud of gray-green smoke.

Mortimers eyes watered and he could barely see, but he knew that there were two exits out of the room. He might be able to inch towards one before the flame over-reaching flame set his skin on fire... but which way could he and his team go to safety?

Seeing the insane genie throw off the green ball of flame, Taurou did his best to backstep and fall to the ground. Unfortunately to no avail when the green fire struck his shoulder. He cried out as his left arm was engulfed in green flames. He fell to the ground trying to pat out the fire that was blistering his already blackened forearm and his shoulder. He rolled his arm in the dirt on the ground and the fire was going out, but then flared up again. He gritted his teeth as it did and hoped the rest of the group had better luck than him.

Sai looked at the magic he had just sealed, and the insane genie he had released while doing so. He had created a puzzle out of the energy, which was strange as he had only ever made weapons.. it seemed that he didn't have control over this magic. But, it seemed like the right idea at the time. As it created it's flamethrower, Sai moved aside quickly... He had a feeling he knew what he had to do, it was a puzzle, he was quite good at puzzles... this was nothing like he had ever seen before though. "STALL HIM" he ordered, moving aside, promptly starting work on the puzzle.

Kagami gave a look of fright as Taurou's shoulder was engulfed in the green flames... She'd managed to dodge so far. But she knew that if it kept building power, one shot from that fire could still seriously hurt her. 'There has to be a way to disable his attack. But how?' She thought to herself.

OOC: Sorry short post. I seem to be losing my muse w/ Kagami here, don't think I can do that many more posts.

Mortimer knew things could not continue or they would all get fried. Calling up eight shadow soldiers Mortiemr had four of them grab the members of the group, all of whom were in varying degrees of distress. Pyoh had his arm burned and Ryo's cloathes were starting to catch fire. Kagami could minimize the damage from the fire using her flaming ki but it wasn't nearly enough and the genies flame had hit her square in the chest. Of the four she may have taken the most damage.

Grasping the wounded party, the shadow soldiers made with the quartet out the door to the right. It was mortimers turn now and if he was going to live he had to make the RIGHT choice. As they ran through the genies fire incinerated their carriers, hence the other four took their deceased minions places and proceeded to carry them down the hall. Every once in a while pitfalls could be heard opening up, but the shadow minions deftly avoided them with the most basic of shundo techniques.

The genies flame could be heard echoing throughout the hall behind them as the green-misty fire gave chase. The hallway seemed to go on forever but at last they reached an open twenty foot by twenty foot, circular area... with no way out. To make matters worse it was at this point that his shadow soldiers began to dissolve. working as fast as he could Mortimer worked to create a wall of shadow before the genie arrived, sealing the only entrance.

At last hi work was done. Slumping down as explosions of fire could be heard from beyond the only way out, Mortimer looked at his other similarly wounded and exhausted comrades.

"So" he gasped, out of breath from manipulating eight soldiers and forming a six foot wall of shadow. "Sai, you got any ideas?"