"....." Arrika just stared blankly at Melquiades' corpse, having seen death so many times that she was coming to the point where it didn't bother her in the least if she didn't know the person. The look in Aureliano's eyes was so unlike him, and it disturbed her greatly. The Sheikah looked down into the new hole in the stump, unable to see anything but darkness. "Aurel...."

Sakiko shuddered, her eyes staring into the hole, wondering what strange things were waiting there. The mage's sight began to drift over to Aureliano's freezing stare, as if his soul had gone with his friend too. Sakiko suddenly felt insecure, unstabilized. Her confidence drooped in one crumbling fall. She quickly shook away this feeling, the cold reaction to Aureliano's death of his friend. The mage rubbed her cold fingers together, as if gathering up energy for what was to come. She said clearly,

"I'm ready."

A part of her wanted to say timid phrases after her declaration, such as- "sort of." or, "just kidding." Perhaps it was her pride, or maybe her curiosity. Whatever it was, it was a spark; and it warmed her body, washing through her in waves of confidence. It closed her lips, forbidding those doubting words to escape.

OoC: It's good to finally find a topic by you.

IC: The two girls walked side by side, bickering over something that sounded like nonsense. Cathy took in a breath to start shouting at Kayla, but instead came out with a small, "What the hell?" The zora's attention was pulled to what was happening. Kayla looked that way too.

"Looks like a meeting," Cathy said.

"There's a dead body, I don't really think that is what you would call a 'meeting'," Kayla muttered. Her green eyes scanned over the scene. "Let's go over there and see what's going on." Cathy grabbed her arm before she could even put her foot back down on the ground.

"Are you serious?" Cathy hissed. "I don't think we know any of them."

"Sovelis is over there," Kayla bluntly answered. The brunette girl freed her arm easily and walked over to the group. Cathy followed right on her heels. When Cathy got close enough, she pulled at Sovelis' hair to get his attention.

"Hey, blondie, what's going on?" she almost demanded.

Saber stared at the infant in his arms with disbelief, trying to digest everything that had just happened. This Melquiades, he sacrificed his life to revive another...Why was Aureliano acting this way? Why was he not excited? Wasn't this baby family? He looked at the child and tried to think of a way to carry it. With a sudden though, he reached into his satchel and pulled out a long, blue tunic with a bottle of Lon Lon Milk emblazoned on it--His reward for running a marathon for the ranch of the same name. Tying it around his neck and under his shoulder, he made a small sling, which he placed the infant in snugly. He looked up from his task just in time to see Sovelis set upon by a girl and a zora. "We're going down this tunnel." He told them simply. "Aureliano, I think he told you to check his body first for a reason. I would do that before we go down..." He searched the Macondan's face for answers as he spoke, trying to figure out just what he was feeling...

The goron was still at a loss as to what was happening around him. A human had died, this was a sad event. However, the rocky creature was confused as to the reactions of the many figures around him. A death was a time to give honor to the departed, and to mourn the loss of a fellow being. The emotions expressed hardly seemed to include either of these. The only one who seemed to know the man who had died did not seem to give it a second thought. Every heart seemed grim, with the exception of the two approaching figures. The goron cast his warm eyes on the two strangers... Wait... Is that?

"Greetings friends... I have met you once before, goro? Let's see, it's, it's.... GORO, IT'S KAYLA!! Yes, I remember, you're Kayla. How have you been, friend?" he said affectionately. He couldn't think of anything else to do to raise the other's spirits except remain warm-hearted. He was also trying to turn his mind away from an enormous task before him. One that would take everything he could muster, a challenge few would or could endure... He had to fit inside that blasted small stump...

Kayla looked at the goron and smiled. "So I see that you remember me, Goncorgoro. It has been a while since we last met." She watched out of the corner of her eye as Cathy nudged the dead body with her foot. She let out a small sigh. "We're going down a tunnel, huh?"

"Sound interesting," Cathy said as she stood next to Kayla once again. "I'm game for any adventure and sort. Just tell me what to do." Kayla rolled her eyes, knowing that Cathy was the type of girl to follow her own rules, not everyone else's.

Melquiades' body has magically turned to black ashes by now. Aureliano went to his remains and lifted his red and black cloak to expose Melqi's items. There was a belt with an assortment of small bags, and a falcata in its scabbard. Aureliano put on Melqi's cloak, a perfect fit, and perused through the bags on the belt. He found money, potions, and a ring, which he put on. He then donned the same belt, hoping its items would aid him in his quest.

He picked up the falcata from its golden and red scabbard and unsheathed it. The sword was made out of Toledo steel, and it was engraved in small letters: "one of the most devastating swords the Romans ever fought against". Its weight was comfortable in his hands. He sheathed it and clipped it to the belt, which doubled as a sword holster.

Aureliano walked up to the tree trunk and said "FIRE!", his palm facing it. A fireball emerged from his hand and hit the trunk, charring it and opening it up. The entrance was now big enough for the Goron.

"My name is Aureliano," he told the Goron and the two new young ladies that have joined the party. "We are going into the trunk to find my family history. The man that died was an old man who used a revival spell on the baby Saber is carrying, who is my cousin. He left me his cloak, potions, a ring, a belt, and a sword." he explained.

"Let's go," he said, jumping into the trunk joining those already inside. The cave was deeper than he had thought, but not deep enough to hurt himself. It was dark, but it was not musty. It was surprisingly dry. Aureliano took out his lanturn, lit it with his flint and iron, and set it on the floor. A tunnel became apparant once the light was available. "Hey Saber, if you need help, you can pass me the baby!" he yelled up into the surface.

"YEEOWCH!! Thats my hair your pulling! Stop it!" Sovelis said, pulling his long hair free of Cathy, and smiled. "Its good to see you...And I'm as clueless as you are. That dead man seemed to know Aureliano, and had a baby...why he did, I have no idea..." the Tempest said as he looked up at Goncorgoro. "So...you know Kayla as well? Glad to know that she's got more than a few good friends to back her up..."

Sovelis leaned over, and looked into the burnt remains of the stump and yelled at his Hylian friend below. "Aurel...do you want all of us to come down there? I'm not sure that so many people can fit in that hole..."

At least one issue had vanished just a moment ago... Well, vaporized might be more appropriate. He had heard the names and the events, but it did not mean that he had any idea what was going on. Still, he figured he might as well follow the man called Aureliano. He walked over to the scorched hole, and shouted, "LOOK OUT DOWN THERE!!!" With that, he plummeted into the darkness...

...He hit the ground barely 15 feet below him. He stood up and looked at the hole through which he had just jumped, and he saw that he could easily reach back out of it if he so wished. Light was emanating from the lantern in Aurel's hands, casting eerie, dancing shadows upon the walls of the area. A tunnel was apparent in the light. "Hey, it's not just a hole, goro! There's a tunnel down here, too!" he said to the people up above him. He raised his hand up out of the hole, saying as he did so, "Here, I can help you down, goro! Whoever wants to come, let's go!"

Cathy smiled wickedly. She snuck up behind him and gave him a good push to send him down the hole into the tunnel below. "Look out, blonde mage coming down!" she shouted. She had always been told that she had a prankster within her. She couldn't disagree with them.

But, sadly, she felt herself being pushed down herself. Tumbling down and landing on top of the mage, she glared back up at the brunette staring down at her. "Damnit, Kayla! Why'd you do that for?"

"Why did you do that to Sovelis?"

Cathy growled.

"I really don't think this is the time to be messing around." He scolded. They were all acting like two year olds; Didn't any of them care about what Aureliano had gone through? "Goncor." He said as he walked over to the hole. "You can reach up here; Hold the child for me as I come down." He asked, carefully undoing the sling and wrapping the babe in it firmly, before getting on his knees and holding the infant as low as he dared to go, trying not to drop it. He instantly regretted the motion as soon as he felt the heat of the just-burned stump. "Alright, hold him softly, Goncor..." He grunted as he tried to bear the pain of the heat on his shins. The goron is no doubt strong, but he should be able to hold the infant on his palm without hurting it...

OOC: Seriously guys, I know that it's fun to mess around and stuff, but take into account the situation. A guy just died and evaporated in front of you.

OoC: I'm sorry, I can edit it if you want.

OoC: No no, its fine. HA2 needs some comic relief. Thanks though, Saber, for standing up for my topic. I appreciate that

Arrika's mouth twitched into a strained smile as Sovelis was shoved, jumping in after Goncorgoro and landing inside with a smooth roll. Aurel seemed indifferent to what had just happened. Then again, her reaction hadn't been too stunning either. She'd seen enough weird magic-related occurences thanks to Rhyss and his experiments, but that still didn't make up for just staring when Melquaides had died before their eyes.

OOC: Wouldn't it be standing up FOR your topic? ...yeah, that's picky, I'm joking.

IC: The enormous goron moved as delicately as he could as he took the small, fragile infant in his large hands. He held the baby in the center of his cupped palms, a size that easily could have been the babies cradle in its home. He looked at the baby in awe, staring down at it in wide-eyed amazement. A virtual David and Goliath, (if there had been no violence and be-headings and such) the pair was an amusing sight to see. For several moments, the goron stared in confusion at the baby, unsure of how to act now. Then, he smiled brightly at the small child. He held him gently, waiting for Saber to come down.