Yami Guidance

Archdruid Unacera

When the teleportation had completed, both were in a room that they had not seen before. Unacera knew it only by feeling and the descriptions she was told. As she suspected, what she imagined was not how it really was. The room was old, but not deteriorated in any way. Over the walls were ancient writings and the designs of different types of snakes and snake related animals. She knew some of the pictures of animals that once existed, and some others of the present. A few were strange to her, perhaps of the future? Her thoughts were quickly brought back as she heard Sekhmet start to stir.

"Urg." He groaned as he banished his white face guard and rubbed his chin. "What the heck?" The Warlord looked around as he lifted his chest off the floor a bit. "Where am I?" He got up slowly by holding on to something next to him. As he stood, Sekhmet looked and saw that he was holding onto the stone edge of a type of well. In the well was a strange red colored liquid that seemed to dance in the bit of light the room had. His face raised more as he saw a statue of the head of a cobra with its mouth opened wide, showing its fangs. The bottom of the mouth touched the stone edge of the well across from him. The statue was dark green like his armor, except for the red colored tongue and eyes. The inside hood of the cobra was also red, but what was seen of the corners and back was dark green too. A small opening in the ceiling provided the light for the room. Sekhmet found it quite odd how such a small opening could give such a comfortable degree of lighting. Perhaps the light reflecting off that strange liquid helped.

His senses were returning to him. He turned sharply to his left to see what he hoped wouldn't be there. The woman stood glancing in his direction, eyes and most of her nose still hidden under the hood. "Where am I?!" He found he had all his katanas and was about to pull a few out.

"Can you not sense it Sekhmet-San?"

He ignored the comment completely. "Master Talpa!"

"That'll fall on deaf ears. He cannot hear or sense your presence in this most sacred place."

"I'll find my way back right after I kill you!" He reached out with hatred burning in his eyes, his arms outstretched. "I'll let the venom in my own hands do it! Burn that neck till it dissolves! A painful beheading to say the least!"

"Is that the only way you want it?" She dipped her hands in the liquid. The Warlord stopped for a moment, finding it quite odd that the water did not drop or run off her hands. "Time to learn Sekhmet-San."

"Wha?" He was cut short as Unacera grabbed him and pushed him into the well. The red liquid splashed upward as his body fell beneath the surface. The droplets slowed in their ascension and slowly fell back down into the pool, not one drop falling onto the stone surface. It almost seemed beautiful, magical, and musical. The surface became still again, with the Warlord still lying somewhere under it.

"If this is the only way..." She sighed deeply. Unacera walked out of the room and the whole place. She was greeted with bright sunshine, so much of it that she pulled down her hood even more. Eventually her eyes adjusted to the change. Before her lie a place that still retained its beauty. The grass swayed in the wind without a care. Roaming bands of animals walked or grazed below. The temple she existed gave a breathtaking view of the land for miles. "One of the few places left untouched in the world. Oh it's as beautiful as I last saw it." She breathed the air deeply. "Ah.. Africa."

Suddenly her attention was taken away from something she could look endlessly at. A dull pain entered her back. "Damn," she muttered. "I forgot about the acid." The whip mark had burned further into her thin body armor. Unacera walked back inside to the well. She took a vile she had and placed it to gather some of the liquid. Her mouth moved in silent chants. Then she moved to the side a bit and poured the liquid on her back. Indeed she was quite thankful not only that her cape was not singed, but that the red water healed the scar. Her body armor returned to its original shape.

Deciding it was the perfect time to do so, the Archdruid sat by one of the walls. She noted how the well almost seemed to fill the room except of the one rectangular doorway out, where there was a bit more floor area. Quaint how the door was exactly across from the cobra head. Her head sank down over her chest as she drifted to sleep.

Unacera sat on the left side edge of the well. She peered down into the red water with a small smile on her face. "Hopefully this should happen just about..."

Sekhmet's head broke the surface of the water as he gasped for some air.

"Nice to see you again. I hope your day you were in there was spent well."

He looked at her, not sure to be angry or surprised. The Warlord was about to swim to the edge to get out when he sensed something strange. His armor felt even more light than usual. He looked to see that he was wearing no part of his armor at all!! It almost seemed strange to see his own skin of his arms again. "Where's my armor?!!" He demanded quite seriously.

"If you plan to get out of that, I suggest you dunk yourself once more under the surface completely for a moment."

Not knowing what else to do, he pushed himself back under. As quickly as he went down, he came back up. As he reached for the edge of the well, that he surfaced next to, clothing started to appear on him. He walked out to find that he was wearing a beautiful kimono. It was dark brown, like the majority of his body armor. It was designed all over with falling leaves that were colored as in the fall. The strangeness appeared to have no end as his hair, body, and kimono were all completely dry.

"Where's my armor?" He demanded again, but with less volume.

Unacera stood up to face him. "There," she motioned to the well. She paused until his gaze returned to her. "Here," she placed her index finger of her right hand over the center of his chest. "And.," Unacera drew back her finger and quickly brushed her hand over his forehead. "Here!"

Sekhmet stumbled as a strange feeling flooded over him. He grabbed the edge of the well. Reflected back was his face, but a kanji glowed green on the center of his forehead. "What's this? Piety?" He recognized the symbol.

"Allow me to guide you from the dark Sekhmet-San." Unacera transformed into her usual Archdruid clothing, holding her staff. The staff absorbed the light of the room, allowing the kanji to glow even more distinctly. "What that is Sekhmet-San, is the humanity kanji placed there, to your armor, by the Ancient. The armor may have originated from Talpa, but these kanjis did not. They are your true guide, placed there for the one who wears the armor. Each armor has a different kanji, that only that person can feel and understand. Although it also grants the ability to call out to the other people who know their kanjis, and mentally communicate with them. Of course this is limited to a certain distance.

"As you have noted, your symbol is Piety, duty and dedication to the one you serve. You have the right and power to decide who that person is." The power of the staff, by Unacera's mental command, stops and the light returns to the room. "I have brought you to the crossroads Sekhmet-San. It is you who must decide, I will not sway you. I sense you have not been in this position for a long time. Decide well." She motioned around the room. "This place, will guide you as well. It was where the Ancient placed your armor, waiting for the one who will come to wear it." Her voice drifted off.

"Hariel was the first to wear the Inferno Armor. Did someone wear my armor before me?"

The Archdruid turned as she started for the exit. "Yes. Meditate now Sekhmet-San. I will never lie to you. The decision you make now is dire for the rest of your life. I'll leave you alone, to be absorbed by this place." She then walked out of the room.

Still confused the Warlord sat by the statue of the cobra head at the left side of the room and faced the doorway. He tried to clear his thoughts to meditate. After all, there didn't seem like there was much else he could do.

To Be Continued ...