No one knows how long it lay here or was it dropped but whether uncovered by many storms there now stood a small crypt in the desert. The exact origin of what it contained forever lost or who built it. Only a worthy individual or group would brave the strange eldritch ruins. Many dared not uncertain of what lay inside and without knowledge of which civilization built this place it was dangerous to approach without that knowledge. Instead, it now lay uncovered prepared for whomever nearby to venture forth and learn what lay in the tomb, crypt or whatever it was.

For those who would act on the wishes of fate, they could discover something of immeasurable power, never before felt or witnessed by anyone. The treasures of knowledge that could be gleaned surely would be worth investigating.

The rains continued, dark clouds bubbling in over the desert, closing in on the blue of sky. After a day and a night, the entirety of the Sapphire Desert was cloaked in a layer of cloud. Blue no longer shone through. The sky was not dark, per say, but something was clearly amiss.

Every now and again the sky would open to dump cold rain. Many places in the desert grew muddy, developing fatal patches of quicksand. The oasis overflowed, and the small crypt uncovered by recent winds gleamed as the water washed away the dusts of ages.

The cloaked airship Mist Shroud hovered low over the sandy sea the rain pelted it but it's magic kept it protected and afloat. This odd weather had the Winglies puzzled and the crew of the Mist shroud had been sent forth to investigate.

It seemed like hours of flying over muddied dunes when a lookout saw a strange crypt like building. Meru was soon on the airship's deck looking over the dunes with a frown. "I will lead a team in turn the ship so it can broadside this crypt with it's guns should the need arise."

With out another word Meru formed her wings and leapt from the Mist Shroud's deck followed by six other winglies. They where easy able to avoid any quicksand as they where flying above it ever closer as behind them the Airship moved into firing position just in case.

A great bald eagle plunged from the clouds, soaring between raindrops as it made it's way towards the crypt. Kanazair didn't recognize the vessel pulled up beside it. He assumed they were here for the same reason as he - it wasn't every day something so ancient surfaced from Gaia's sandy depths, simultaneous to great rains falling unusually across the great continent of Siv'en.

Some had been dispatched north from the Whispering Woods, meant to investigate where they had honed to be the location-source of the magical entropy. Not many signs pointed to the south or the west, where Kanazair had opted in for a mission of his own. Despite Dhodrimme waving off the encounter as something to be toiled with at a later date, Kanazair couldn't shake the strike of lighting which caught them almost too close.

The bald eagle Taethil circled the crypt and ship, descending further with each circle closed. Taethil's wingspan was impressive, casting a long shadow. The eagle and elf landed atop the crypt. Taethil adjusted footing and looked sharply from the large ship to the disembarking flying ones.

Meru brought her force to a halt as a shadow soared over the desert. The winglies hovered over the sands watching as the bird and it's rider landed on the crypt. The winglies looked to Meru. "Orders ma'am?"

Meru was silent in thought for a moment. With a look back she saw that the Mist Shroud had turned so that it's side faced the crypt. One signal from Meru could bring the airships guns to bare....

That thought seemed to cross Meru's mind for a brief moment before she spoke. "Let's keep this civil for now..."

Meru gave a signal for the Airship to hold and looked to her squad "Let's go see what this person wants..."

Meru and her six blasted forward their wings blurs of light behind them as they covered the remaining feet to the crypt. With a raised hand from Meru the winglies came to a halt three on Meru's left. Three on her right. They formed a kind of crescent moon formation. Hovering their wings seemed to flicker but they did not flap as birds' wings. No they just hummed with energy and magic. Each wore they same silver garb as Meru with hoods and masks covering them. Each had a sword on his or her belt the robes the wore hid their gender but should the elf have some sense to tell four were male and two female. Meru had a curved dagger on each hip.

There was silence for a moment before Meru flew forward and removed her hood. Her lower face was still covered with a mask but her silver hair now showed. She locked her eyes on the elf and asked a simple question. "I assume we are here for the same reason?"

"Whatever this thing is, it means the Realm no good. Thus, an investigation," Kanazair bowed his head respectfully and returned the strong gaze of the foreign being. They were like the ones from before, he noted. However, they seemed not to be the cause.

Well enough. Introductions were in order, in such case.

"Elwendil wishes to extend a branch of solidarity, for the good of the Realm," Kanazair folded a hand in front of him in a sort of delicate salute, while Taethil stood proud and gazed beyond the foreigners. Taethil remembered and was not so quick to forgive.

Meru land her wings flickering and vanishing as her feet touched the ground. The six winglies behind her followed suit removing their hoods but not their masks just as Meru had done. Like Meru each had silver hair.

"It seems like we have the same goal...You can call me Meru..." Meru stated watching the elf.

Meru then pointed to three of her six. "Micel, Desim, and Sil stay here and guard the entrance. Signal the Airship should anything amiss happen." Pointing to the other three. "Gersih, Nilkia, and Cyseri you are with me."

Three males at the door, the forth male and the two females with Meru. Meru looked back to the elf "Shall we?" she asked. Then looking back at the elf's bird she added "You should leave your bird out here... it won't do us much good in an underground ruin..."

Meru's wings showed once more briefly as she casted a spell that formed a small glowing ball of light that hovered forward and into the opening of the ruin. Meru followed the light, Gersih, Nilkia, and Cyseri close behind.

Kanazair chuckled and hopped down off of Taethil. He pat his great eagle, who regarded him curiously. Surely he didn't mean to leave Taethil out here?! The great bird gave a mighty flap. By the time Taethil's wingspan was full wide again, the bird was a fraction of the size.

They went down into the crypt after Meru and the gang. As the mouth of the cave darkened there was a long and silent break in the wind. A ripple of glitter undulated across the entire planet of Gaia. Almost invisible to the naked eye, but nonetheless a sign that Gaia wouldn't go down without a fight.

Meru and her crew followed the magelight as it moved slowly forward. For being buried under the sands for Archangel knows how long the crypt was surprising seemingly untouched by decay. The walls where a plain sandy white with no markings of any kind. This puzzled Meru as she figured that if this was a tomb or temple it would have markings of whoever was buried here and the gods or goddesses the followed but nothing... blank walls.

The path kept on straight and angeling down. It was clear they where going deeper under the ground. Finally Meru made a motion for the group to halt as the path broke into a round room. It was roughly a hundred feet across and fifty feet from the floor to the top. On the far side of the room was two more paths.

"I suggest that we set up a base camp here. Get in a few more of my crew." Suggested Meru.

"Ma'am look at this!" shouted Cyseri called out from above where she was flying.

Meru's wings appeared as she took to the air. looking down at the room she could see a painted image of the planet Gaia. "It's a map of Gaia!" Meru exclaimed.

Looking to the elf she asked. "What do you make of this... uh what is your name anyway?"

A map of the entire Realm! He had to get a crystal capture of this entire place. Kanazair took out four small white crystals from his side satchel. He placed one in each corner of the room. The air near the passageways on the far side of the room seemed colder, more stiff. Kanazair walked briskly through this spot and made a note of it.

When all four crystals were in each corner he touched one on his bracelet and murmured under his breath.

Cyseri suddenly landed in front of the Elf "My mistress asked your name elf." she growled.

"Cyseri enough... if he wishes to be a rude bastard it is on him... " Meru stated.

Meru landed looking to the paths forward one to the left one to the right. As she did so the map on the floor lit up with a white light and a female voice spoke.


"Chosen of Gaia two paths lay before you... both lead to your goal.. but in one lays more danger... chose quickly."

As the voice ended the glow turned to red and the and the map began to break apart the floor opening into a dark unfathomable pit. Rocks began to fall from the top of the room making it so the winglies could not just hover over the pit.

"Quick right path!" Meru ordered quickly choosing a path for her and her group.

What path the elf took was up to him.

Kanazair scrambled to grab the crystals, but only managed to grab the two closest to the corridors leading off. Drat! Kanazair was no fool, and so he chose to follow the Winglies as they darted down the right corridor. Who's voice was that, he wondered. There was something off about this place. He couldn't put his finger on it.