Seeing Saru fall she shot down and swung her scythe aimed for his neck. Hiuko though stopped the blade grabbing part of the shaft. She was taken by surprise and it broke her spell making the illusions disappear. "How, how did you..." He looked up at her with his blind eyes and she wrenched her scythe free from his grasp. She took a step back and looked around growing angerier. "Damn, someone else will deal with you!" She yelled before disappearing in the same type of dark red portal. A man from the doorway they were at started clapping as he walked out. "I can't believe you scared her off... impressive." He wore a black cloak and his voice was deep and obviously demonic. "Tough thing to do, but you won't get that from anyone else. She'll probably yell at me though for giving you that blindness." Hiuko turned to the man in the cloak and his blood boiled. He ran at the man but he disappeared laughing in a cloak of black smoke. Hiuko was close enough to the building to tell someone was moving around in there and he turned to everyone. "There's still one more moving around, looks like he's going out the back deeper into the mountains, lets go." He ran into the building Bangs catching up rather quickly.

The cloaked figure seemed rather short. It had noticed it was seen and took off. It hustled through the door and straight through the cort yard into the mountains with surprising bounds.

Saru had just finished having his leg wound cloted by takato when he saw the form. He was driven by broken pride and wasnt about to let this one get away. "Come on guys theres still one left." He was up and out into the foliage without another word.

"He will not escape me in a forest" Rapheal said as he ran after them his arrows still notched for when he saw the individual. Rapheal sprinted threw the forest with a smile on his face and his foot steps not making a sound. With his training as a hunter he watch for the small man in the cloak. 

In the dark of the woods a voice spoke from right over Raph's shoulder. "Why an archer with magic. Such an interesting boy." And the speaker was gone without a trace, almost ghostlike. Without a shift of the leaves the cloaked figure even dared to tempt Saru with a swift poke in the shoulder with what seemed like a cane. "Come now."

"A shadow bender here of all places?" Rapheal said with puzzlement as he stopped and looked around. He hadn't seen one since they died in the village. Only the shadow benders could sneak up on me in the forest. Rapheal thought to himself as he placed his back against the tree he was standing next to. He waited, watched and listened for the next movement in the forest.

Jaga let out a growl of irritation before leaping after the duo in a dead bolt. She hadn't recieved any sort of instruction from her leader, and so at a loss, the woman found herself following the shapeshifter and the man from last night, both of which had shown more then capable of handling themselves in battle. "What sort of creature are we going against?" She hissed aloud, her question open and not expecting to be answered as slit eyes darted from one shadow to the next, looking for their target and seeing nothing but darkness.

The voice rang out from ahead of them. "Not a shadow bender my boy. Just been here my whole life come on then. The lot of you are a bit slow, come on catch me." A faint figure could be seen ahead actually leaping from tree to tree. He was doing an expert job to not leave an actual trail behind him.

Saru seemed to remember this from somewhere but his rage driven from simply shook it off and charged forward knocking aside trees as if they were bamboo.
Takato had caught up with them by now, his big blade swinging and clearing a path through the undergrowth.

Rapheal smiled and accepted the mans challange. he put away his bow and his arrows and toke of with out a sound. When he got near Saru and Takato he said "Why do you destroy such a lovly forest and make so much noise? All you are doing is letting him know our constint posiation. I believe you should came down and think about this he could be leading us in to a trap." Rapheal said to them but never looking at them. He darted off to the side and stayed about twenty feet awy from them just in case his suspations were correct.

Takato took the blunt of his sword and brought it down over Saru's head. Instantly he reverted to his normal form his staff shooting out of him like a party favor. "He has a point you know. Why dont you do something useful and like i dont know climb a tree bananas for brains." Takato sheathed his sword and slipped inot the leaves trying his best to keep his movements as quite as possible...and not really doing a good job since steajth was not his specialty. Saru rubbed his headm his staff shortening to that of a stick and stuffed it into his sash. "Hup! This reminds me of a game i used to play." He shot up a tree and sprang fro branch to branch like he was born to do it, never lossing grip or faultering in a swing.

Gale was hovering over the trees eyes searching for a sign of the claoked figure. Her feet encircled by little tornados and pushing her upwards. "Saru watch out!" She shouted pointing at a dark patch in the trees close to saru.

"Hoho the girl has good eyes!" The figure chuckled before delivering a mighty shove, forcing saru out of the tree and right over Raph.

Rapheal jumped out of the way of Saru. "I think this is a game and if I am not mistaken. I think what we are trying to do is get to whatever is up ahead while whatching for our fast friend. Who I believe is older and might have a thing for games?" Rapheal said with a smile. "Am I any were close to it?" Rapheal said in his normal voice wait for the mistrious man to respond.

"Hmm, well now lets see shall we?" The voice chuckled as a rock wizzed out of the branches aiming for Raph.

Rapheal smiled and caught it. He gave it a little charge and threw it in front of him to see if the man was just teasing him. If the cloaked man catches it it will feel like he just dipped his hand in ice water. "I think this might be fun." Rapheal said with a smile.

The man had already vanished into his element. The leaves engulfing him. "Come now just a bit farther." The leaves ahead shook a bit, the forest itself thick and having no real consistancy seeming to be a blend of a jungle and oddly a pine and hardwood forest. The leaves to the side of the group shifted a bit as a set of eyes glared out, then exploded as a flurry of claws and teeth lunged out a wild panther like creature defnding its terratory.

Bangs caught up to Twitch and decided to catch a ride on his shoulder. Being slower at stealth he was getting left behind so she decided to stick with him so he could be safe while Hiuko shot ahead in the trees. "Sure don't wait up for the old man!" He yelled right before coming out of no where to deliver a strong kick fueled by his strength and his momentum, enough to put a dent in a mountain.

"Didn't think we had to wait up for you?" Rapheal said with a grin never looking over to him. Rapheal slowed his pace he was watching for any movement, or sign of trap. He decieded that if he did see a trap that he would not tell the others wanting to see who would see it first and how they would react. Rapheal pulled out his daggers as he sensed a fight might be near.

Takato reached up to pat bangs. "Thanks chikadee. You know i hate this stuff." He gently stepped over what he assumed to be poison ivy and parted a few branches. His hand scrapped the ground, his blood tingled. "hey bangs, theres a growing concentration of minerals around here, kinda like a large mass of stones nearby."

The panther creature didnt stand a chance as the kick blew it clear to the other side of the forest via air Hiuko. The voice rang out above the wimpering of the cat as it flew off. "Not my kitty! well now that wasnt nice." In response a large log attached by vines swung through the trees on a collision course towards the three.

"Well, while going into a forest, we are going deeper into the mountains... I'm not too surprised." She looked around and continued. "Not sure if you noticed be we are going up hill, albeit very gradually." Hiuko being the closest to one of the logs smiled, "I assume you guys got the one. He stopped and stood his ground. When the log came close enough he threw a punch and his power equaled the log's momentum causing it to stop, a causing a small dent to form from his fist.

"Well now, hes got some interesting friends." The voice almost chuckled, the turned and shot off. The forest suddenly opened up to a massive clearing, with a steep hill. Perched precariously on the top and even set into the mountain itself sat an archiac temple, vines crawling up the pillars and huge archways at every angel. In the front stood a huge statue in the likeness of a monkey holding a staff topped with a orb that seemed to made of pure ruby. Towers emerged at odd intervals and the trees themselves had grown into the nooks and rooted in the temple itself.

Hiuko stood at the edge of the clearing with his hands on his hips and looked from Saru to the monkey statue. "You know where we are monkey?" He said with a blank expression. Saru should know by now that he's referred to simply as monkey.

Saru had just emerged from the woods, still in full double vision from the blow he received from Takato. Witha slow and disbelieving upward gaze he stuttered. "Th..theres no..no way...GUYS!!! THIS IS IT!!! THIS MY TEMPLE!!!" He was gone, sprinting up the hill and bounding on the vines flipping off them and swinging from pillar to pillar. "THIS IS THE TEMPLE OF THE MONKEY GOD LOUEY!!!" With a smashing blow the cloaked figure dropped from the sky drop kicking saru onto the steps. He landed with a crouch and slowly stood up. "Welcome back saru. I see you brought friends." He threw his hood back to reviel a small elderly man, bald except for his long grey mustache. Decades of battles shown on his face in the form of scars and one running across his nose. He carried a small staff in on hand.

Hiuko walked up the steps and examined the man. Hiuko was pretty short too although not as short but it was the age that he was more wondering about. Hiuko usually had a head for age but he wasn't sure this time. "How old?" Hiuko asked like asking such was common place.

As Rapheal entered the clearing, his daggers in hand, he looked around for the trap that he never found. When the old man kicked Saru Rapheal pulled out his bow and and arrow with lightning speed. The arrow began to glow a light blue hue. "Sorry sir but I don't know you and I don't take kindly to people hitting my friends." Rapheal said in as charming a tone as he could.

The old man didnt even flinch, his eyes still bright and full of energy despite the the years etched into his face. "Well lets say i have been around a while halfling." He turned and smiled warmly even at Rapheal's threatening position. "You mean this bag of fleas?" He motioned to saru the end of his staff pressing saru's face into the crumbled stone. "He used to be my pupil."

"I hope it was good terms you left under. I tired of bad reunions, dragons are so pissy." Hiuko said still sour after his diplomacy with the dragons. Hiuko thought to Bangs what he had seen because she was still on Takato's shoulder. She thought to Takato. "Hmm, you'll never guess who it is that has been attacking them."

"Well lets see, Hiuko's new girlfriend is off getting demonized with dark Hiuko, Matsuro is arkania knows where, and we finished off the general a little while ago. Who still holds a grudge?" Takato asked as he was just nearing the edge of the forest.

"Good terms you say? Hell i would claim to be his grandfather but that would just lower my intelligence." The old man beamed, clearly he was not harboring ill intentions to Saru or any of the group for that matter. "I just have...what did my dad used to say all those years ago...tough love?" He still had the staff pressured into the monkeys head as the boy writhed and struggled for air.

Rapheal put up his bow and arrow. "I remeber my masters, you seem a lot nicer then they were." Rapheal said with a chuckle. His hand slid to his daggers still not fully trusting the man. "I do have to ask that youi let Saru breath we wouldn't want to damage the little bit of brain cells he has." Rapheal said to the gentlemen with respect that you would give a tribe elder but his eyes flashed ice blue with calculating intent.

"Hmnm? oh i wouldnt worry to much. Without his staff he might be more intelligent than many philosophers i met when i was young like you lot." The old man removed the staff from Saru's head just as the movements had begun to stop. The boy shot up and tried to deliver a tackling glomp onto his old master only to be side stepped and led right into a stone pillar. "Master! You look as old as ever! Hows the place holding up?" He asked after peeling his face from the wall. The old man smiled a genuine smile of affection and waved them deeper inside. "See for yourself, bring your friends along, the tribe will love company, its been so long since anyones been by." He turned and began to pace into the temple. It soon became apparent what he ment by tribe, as every where you looked small fuzzy heads popped up from crevices, all curious of the newcomers, i truely was a temple full of monkeys.

As Hiuko bowed as he walked through and through the vibrations he saw everybody, all of the monkeys everywhere. A thought quickly came to mind and he said, "I notice none of them need a staff like you seem to need." He recalled a time Saru lost his staff and he became completely human... or at least that's what Bangs said.

Rapheal followed behind Hiuko. he kept his hands on his daggers still not sure what to make of all of this. When he saw the monkeys he asked "Any of them related to Saru?" It was meant as a joke but he still hoped he didn't offend the monkey-boy-thing. 

The old man smiled up at Hiuko with nodding understanding. "No no elfing. Saru is as human as myself or the one with daggers. That staff is something special, unique to human disciples of this temple. All around you are actual primates, they live at harmony here much like their of civilization. These primates, they have much to teach us humans."

"How about we not go through the whole, 'humans think they are more evolved than monkeys' speach gramps. I dont think they wanna hear it." Saru sighed running his hand through his mane.

Bangs jumped up to Hiuko's shoulder. "Travel the world for a couple centuries and you still don't see everything." She said on a telepathic wave so everyone in normal ear shot could hear. "Your telling me. Even in an expanding world there are some things you never see right under her nose." Hiuko turning his head around making it look like he was looking at the temple. "So where are we going exactly?" He noticed they were still following the elder through the temple.

"Well, weary travelers need to rest..well under some conditions." He opened his arms to seem to embrace the massive chamber he the group had just walked into. The stone pillars and vines had grown so thick that it seemed to form walls of their own. The tall pillars even funneled in a stream from above forming a waterfall that pooled in a hole in the floor and apparently was drained by cracks in the bottom. "You must prove yourself worthy of staying in the hall of warriors by sparring with its current guardian."

"And who might that be elder?" Gale asked, her hand resting on her thigh as she glided into the room. She had heard the conversation from above and decided the old man was safe enough to approach.

The old man's face broke into a smile. "Why that would be me."

"Surely you don't mean us all to take you on at once. I don't mean to insult you or your abilities, its more of an honorable combat type thing." Hiuko said wishing he could see the magnificent temple they were in. Bangs was completely captivated by everything around them, she felt safe enough to be that way.

"Oh, now now. Dont be afraid of giving an old man a heart attack. Just fifty percent of you young welps each should put me down." He held his small walking stick out in front of him the end jammed firmly in the stone. "Saru, you sit by in case i need some of the pools water. Now then if it is such, ill take the best you, sorry but sacred are rules."

"What would these rules be?" Hiuko asked stepping up to the old man.

"Put me to a knee Elfling." The old man smiled, it had been so long since he had a spar. "Well come on, it took monkey by five years before he could hit me im sure you bunch are much stronger."

"Well you said fifty percent so who's gonna take down the guy?" Hiuko said turning to Takato, Gale, Bangs, and Rapheal.

The old man almost seemed to shine with eagerness. His staff extended pointing at raph. "I would like the archer if it wouldnt be a problem. Long rang fighters would be to their advantage."

Rapheal smiled and nodded steping forward. "I will not hold back elder." Rapheal said as he notched two arrows and they started to glow. "I hope you like the cold." Rapheal turned his bow side ways and got got in to a stance that he has yet to use.

The old mas stayed firm, his bare feet slightly arched and his staff stead fast in its place. His smile was unwavering as a small wind blew a few dust clouds between them."

Rapheal stopped and looked around "It is a little to warm for me do you mind if I cool it down?" Rapheal asked as if they weren't about to fight at all. "I would like to be at my best if that is all right with you." Rapheal had a mischievous glint in his eye but his smile looked genuine. The arrows that he had notched grew a bright almost white blue as he waited for the elder's response.

"Temperatur puns? Hoho i like it." The old man squated a bit placing one foot behind the other and scrunched his forehead in concentration. His cane whipped out faster than most mortals could see sweeping a rock off the floor and projecting it at Raphs face.

With out thinking Rapheal let one of the two arrows fly at the stone. When they hit a giant of ice formed. "That was remarkable speed if I wasn't waiting on you to move I would have never seen it." Rapheal said with admiration. So he might be as fast as a wind singer. I guess I am going to have to watch every muscle twitch. he thought as he fired the second arrow at the pillar. when the arrow hit the pillar it went straight through and the pillar seemed to vanish. The arrow grew brighter because it absorbed the magic from the pillar and was headed straight for the elder. As soon as the second arrow left the string two more were already in its place glowing bright blue. What ever the second arrow hits it will probably turn it in to a giant Pillar of ice the will reach the ceiling. 

The old man smiled like he was reliving action from long ago. He sprang up twice as high as himself, his prehinsile toes reaching out precisly grapsing the shaft of the arrow, turking his body to redirect the projectile towards Raph.

Rapheal smiled "Your movements are the same as a windsinger." Rapheal said as he started to launch arrow after arrow. Rapheal would charge random arrows with magic. When the arrow that was launched back at him got near he caught it and fired it back again. "I have never had my arrow returned to me before. Lets see if i can send it to the right address this time." Rapheal said as he let it fly with more force then before.

The old man's movements were astounding, he used his cane and toes to change the direction of the arrows by expertly landing and pushing off the shafts of the arrows, he was even gaining ground forwards. His body twisted and turked placing himself in exact positions to avoid and manipulate the arrows. His hand shot out capturing one glowing arrow, with which he launched at the floor below Raphs feet.

When Rapheal saw what the elder was doing he stopped for a small second full of astonishment. "Even the windsingers would be able to redirect all of them." Rapheal said as he started to dodge the arrows coming back at him. When the arrow hit the floor under his feet Rapheal smiled and started to shoot the floor around him in creasing the distance of icy floor. Once the floor got to 50 feet in radius he began to skate on it firing arrows while he moved hoping it might throw the old man off guard. "I hope I am not to much of a bore for you." Rapheal said with a chuckle knowing that the old man hasn't shown what he is truly capable of. 

"Hardly." The old man wheezed a bit grabbing the nearest two glowing arrows and springing up and into the foliage of the roots that ensnared the ceiling. "I am having the time of my old life!" He shattered the arrow on the roots right above the skating assailant, the mass froze then gave way falling right above Raph as the old man sprang away with astounding agility.

Rapheal started to shoot the far end of the falling block of ice with arrows as he sped up his skating. Rapheal knocked a good portion off the giant block but it wasn't enough and as he passed under it huge chunk caught his leg. With the hit he rolled to the wall and sat there. "Well that was graceful." Rapheal laughed as made a quick splint with an arrow and some vines behind him. He watched the elder for any sudden movements hoping that he would at least give him time to finish the splint.

Luna appeared behind them. She had been trailing them quietly, trying not to get in the way. Now she saw pools of water in the room and her nails started to sparkle a neon orange. She shot toward them, diving in silently, something she learned to do through practice. Letting her Blue and Green sparkling tail forming in the cool deep pool. She sighed in relief, her nails then becoming purple in embarrassment at he desperation she just exhibited.

The old man seemed to materialize right in front of raph. His staff spinning and slamming down over the archer.

"HOLY FIRE" Rapheal said as the elder appeared in front of him. Rapheal pulled out a dagger with his free hand as he tried to roll out the way. Rapheal put up his bow and pulled out the other dagger He is to close for me to use my bow and my bum leg wont allow me to put to much weight on it. UNLESS I FREEZE IT. Rapheal thought and stabbed his own leg with the glowing dagger freezing it from knee to angle. Rapheal got in to a stance with the dagger in his right hand held backwards and the one in his left held like a normal knife would be. "Have you ever heard of a tribe of elemental weapon users In the kingdom of Eli?" Rapheal asked with curiosity because he has never seen someone be able to do that besides the wind singers in his village. Rapheal's eyes narrowed as he watched the old man. Rapheal's eyes turned from emerald green to Ice blue. Rapheal then swung At the old man and a horizontal wave of ice energy flew at him with incredible speed. If the Elder jumps it Rapheal is going to send another one but this time vertical to see if he can catch the old man off guard.

Instead the old man reared back his head animalistic fangs emerged from his mouth. "Primal roar! Groaaaaaarrr" He released a massive wave of sound, the air reverberating so much the molecular friction cancelled the cold wave. The shear power of the wave blasted the rocks nearby rocks and vines away like a cannon.

Luna sank deeper into the water so it was up passed her nose. She was a bit frightened by the fighting as she watched, she was thrown back against the rocks on the wall of the pool by the roar. Is this...Normal? She thought to Bangs a bit unnerved.

Rapheal smiled at the old man "Wow even a sound projection I have only heard about those. I like the Fangs by the way." Rapheal said as he darted forward slicing at the elder's stomach with his right hand as a faint but really aiming for the old mans legs. Rapheal was trying to freeze him to the floor. Rapheal honestly didn't want to hurt the elder but the more he tried not to the more he seemed to get hurt. If Rapheal misses with the attack at the elder's legs he will stab the ground and freeze an area of about ten feet in diameter.

"From traveling with the half-elf all my life... yes, this is completely normal." Bangs responded knowing Luna had entered although most hadn't seen her slip in. 

Luna huffed, "This might take some getting used to." She leaned forward folding her arms on the edge of the pool and resting her chin on her arms.

"It will, but just remember to believe in them... we, all of us, are strong and dependable. We are like protectors of people, that's what this whole quest is about." Bangs thought without taking her eyes off the battle "Plus, traveling with us is the safest way to travel." The last part sounded cheerful and peppy but Bangs made no physical expression of it. She thought that if Luna wanted to sneak in she would want to remain hidden, at least for a little bit.

"I am not as weak and frail as you make me out to be my furry little friend." Luna chuckled. "I'm not afraid...well not very afraid.." she added with a bit of uncertainty.

"Maybe not now... but ther desert is no place for your kind. No water, hot, dry, unrelenting, and beasts your people have adapted to fighting. I believe anyone can defend themselves, but some are better than others in other places, and your journey through the desert will be a hard one for sure." Bangs' thoughts came off eloquently and she knew what she was talking about, as if she has had to do this before.

Luna nodded, flinching again at the mention of Desert. "True, Deserts are no place for my people, I appreciate you letting me tag along" She watched the fight with little interest, bored.

The old man stood stead fast, now in monkey form, a small tail emerged from under his robes. It hit the floor with astounding strength actually propelling him into the air away from the mid attack and above the leg freezing menuever, however he was no in the air with limited resources to avoid a barrage.

Rapheal took advantage of the opportunity that was given to him and began to let the arrows fly at incredible speed about every other one was charged with energy. Rapheal started to skate around on the ice again keeping up the attacks hoping that maybe from different angles he might actually hit the elder which at this point would be an achievement. Rapheal started to launch them at different speeds hoping that it might mess up any pattern that the elder could see.

The elder was now in a bind he had to sacrifice something. With amazing swordsmanship he twirled his staff meeting each of the arrows head on and stopping them in their path. He landed in a crouch at the ready but he hadnt seen what the magic arrows effect had been as of yet.

"It looks like your hand is frozen to your staff now." Rapheal said with a chuckle of pride. Rapheal slide to a stop an arrow pulled back waiting on the elder's next move.

The elder smiled as he looked at his arm frozen to his staff. "Oh young ice mancer i am enjoying this all to much." The staff sealed behind the layer of ice began to glow as it seeped into his arm dissipating into his body. The old mans form rippled then swelled amassing a huge stack muscles on his small form, his tail shrinking as the hair raced up his neck forming a animalistic mane. He slammed his fist into the ground sending a cracking shockwave right at Raph the ground splitting beneath his feet.

Rapheal smiles and jumps to the side of the shock-wave after firing an arrow at the now large ape. Rapheal bounces back a couple steps on his good leg. "That kind of stuff still surprises me a little." Rapheal said as he glanced around looking for something that could give him an advantage. Rapheal smiles as he looks at the now up turned ground and begins to fire at all of the up turned stones in the floor. "I sure hope this works." Rapheal whispered to himself.

The staff remerged from the old man's chest as he inhaled to catch his breath from the transformation.

"Are you well elder?" Rapheal said with a little bit of concern for the man but an arrow point at the man none the less.

"Ho, there i think im good. You have proven your worth well enough youngun. You are permitted to stay here for the night friends of saru." The old man placed his weight on his staff in order to regain his composure.

Rapheal smiled and sat down to begin remove the giant block of ice that cover his leg. "Sorry if i wasn't much of a challenge elder." Rapheal said as he made the ice in to a cast to cover the possible fracture in his leg. Rapheal stood up, bowed, and said "Thank you for the lesson elder."

"Ho ho, no my lad you had these old bones a moving. Please one and all feel free to stay...of and would the mermaid please refrain from swimming in the fountain of rejuvenation? Take a good sip to return your strength though warrior." The old man smiled warmly gesturing to all of the temple. "Saru will show you to the sleeping area." And with that he hobbled off to sit by the pool.

Luna glared at the old man and mumbled as she sat on the side of the pool. Her tail slowly melted away as she clothes and legs came back she stood up squeezing water out of her hair.

"Good job." Hiuko said patting him on the back. He walked toward a majority of monkies and actually started making monkey sounds to strike up conversation with them. Thank's to his magic tongue ability he wasn't just making sounds though he was actually communicating with them.

Luna watched the man, he looked like he was talking to the monkeys. She moved over to Bangs still wringing out her hair. "What is he doing?"

Rapheal walked over to the pool not sure if he should drink it or put his leg in it. "Umm Elder should i drink the water or pour it over my wounds?" Rapheal asked kind of confused.

Luna knelt down next to the pond beckoning Rapheal next to her. She scooped up water into her cupped hands. "Here drink." she moved her hands up to Rapheal's mouth reluctantly.

Rapheal took a sip from Luna's hands and started to feel better almost instantly. "Thank you for that." Rapheal said with a small smile as he thought of when they met how she almost physically hide from him.

Luna nodded and backed away from Rapheal blushing at the fact that his lips touched her hand, pretty much kissing it. "Your welcome, I guess..."

Saru lept up and lead the way to a small chamber that was just to the side of the main room. It was small and had vines growing from the cieling but a stack of blankets and clothes revieled that it was used for sleeping "This was my room for ten years."

Bangs walked in after him and nodded "Very you monkey boy." Hiuko started to strike up a conversation with a nearby elderly monkey but smiled a bit when he felt Luna's heart beat a bit faster. He pardoned himself and walked over to sit near the old man. "So, if I may, how many ages have you seen pass." His accent was an older dialect than what everyone else did, he found that elders always liked dialects closer to the one of their youth. He guaged him to be around 100 years old.

Luna looked around curiously. She would never be able to live in something like this. There's only that pond. She needed room to swim. Be free. She followed Bangs giggling quietly at her comment.

"Ooo ohh oh oo." The old monkey grunted hands waving leasurly to emphasize his words. He pointed to saru shaking and patting his head then knocking on the stone wall to indicate their likeness.

Hiuko let out a chuckle and said, "Indeed. I'll see you later I'm sure." He walked after Saru to find where he'd sleep that night. "So are all the rooms like this because hammocks never worked well with me." She looked down at her clawed paws and continued, "I'm a scratcher in my sleep and I have yet to lose." Hiuko patted Bangs on the head, and said, "I can attest to that."

Saru laughed a bit before reaching up and taking one down and laying it across a stack of straw. "Well i have a pillow somewhere i think." He started to paw around the stacks before finally coming up with something that vaguely reseambled a pillow with some of the cotton coming out of the seams.

Luna laughed at Bang's joke as she looked around, there never was a dull moment with this group, was there. She assumed no, and wondered what she had gotten herself into.

"So, where are the other rooms or is this just one big room for everyone? Getting tired me and I seem to need a lie down soon." Bangs looked up at him and and sighed. "I agree with him, although I'm okay with just a patch of moss."


Next Day

---

The sun rose and filled the temple with warmth. Hiuko got up and stretched in the sunlight. Bangs jumped up to his shoulder to watch the sun as it rose. "Well, time to go into the Desert... this should be interesting." Bangs nodded and responded, "I think the most interesting part is your daughter's wedding." Hiuko let out a chuckle and said, "Not without my approval, prince or not he could be a jerk for all I know." Bangs poked him with a claw and then he turned to the next person to wake up.

Luna twisted and turned, not used to sleeping on land. She threw her arms around smacking the person next to her. She didn't mean to but sleeping on land always left her feeling weird, and doing weird things.

Saru let out a yelp as the hand connected with his nose. He had been asleep hanging upside down from the ceiling by his tail staff in hand. he hit the floor writhing from his wake up call. "What the heck? Im being mugged! oh wait what?"

"Mmmphmm" Luna rolled over to open her eyes and see Saru right in front of her. With a ear splitting scream she scrambled backward into the other person next to her.

Takato didnt even budge as luna slammed into him. his whole body seemed like a lump of lead. He still snored softly to himself undesterbed.

Bangs was about to ask Hiuko but he hand already dropped to the floor when he heard the scream and put his hand on the floor. His fingers touched the ground his palm up. He slammed he palm on the ground and closed his eyes. He laughed and said. "People are waking up." He stood up and walked toward where everyone was sleeping. He walked through the door and leaned against the doorframe. "You all seem rather lively in the morning."

Luna scrambled to her feet wondering how she got stuck between two boys. She jumped over Takato brushing dirt off herself crinkling her nose. "Err. I hate sleeping on land." she bent over touching her toes and then reaching over her head to stretch, her top moving up to expose a sliver of skin before she tugged it down immediately.

Hiuko noticed her pull her shirt down and he said, "Don't worry about me", He moved the hair from in front of his eyes to show that he was blind. He let out a quick chuckle and walked out saying, "I think I found where to eat when everyone gets up." He stopped before he turned away and continued, "Come find me if these two don't wake up." He crackled his knuckles before turning away from the room and down the corridor.

Luna sighs noticeably more relieved to know Hiuko was blind, though she was sad he didn't have his sight. "Oh, OKay. Um Wait what?" Luna bit her lip looking down at the boys then back up to see Hiuko's retreating back. She scurried after him squeaking, "Wait!"

"I sense you have seen about as many winters as i have halfling." The voice of the elder rang out. His feeble form was abath in a smaller waterfall the resonated on the solid stone floor and drained into the pool. He was clothed and seemed to all others to be meditating.

"Around the same. Still can't quite pin you though, what 100 or so?" He noticed Luna run up and turned. "What's up?"

"Hohoho oh you flatter me, maybe a half more i suppose. I honestly lost count." He leaned over his staff to peer out across sunrise. "I must ask you, please watch after Saru. He is the last of the Monkey temple disciples and a very brave warrior, however his courage is second only to his naivety. He came to this temple out of shear curiosity but was bound here after his parents went missing. He has no one else." He turned to look Hiuko in the eyes even though hiuko himself couldnt see that visually. His battle worn face smiled warmly. "But i feel you and your friends changed that."

Hiuko nodded his head with a smile. "The only way to learn about the world is to travel that," He looked at the sunrise. "We'll definetly be doing that, I wonder how he'll do in the desert heat."

"If he keeps his staff at bay he wont die of heat stroke at least." The old man cracked his back then turned to the temple waving a slight motion of his hand. Suddenly five blurs shot from the ivy laden cielings and landed in a cloud of dust, that cleared to reviel five monkeys armed with staffs and what appeared to be some sort of robes. "The elite guard will accompany you to the edge of the mountain range if you need them."

"Thank you, but I think we already have your strongest student." He turned noticing Saru walk out still tired and rubbing his eyes. He started to walk toward them and slipped on a banana peel. "Yeah I'll take you up on that offer actually. Once we are out of the mountains we'll make our way back to Veleeon, the town we came from. We've got people there to help us through the desert."

Saru rolled onto his face then onto his feet in a disturbing forward roll. He continued to slaunter as if everyone hadnt obviously seen him trip on flat ground, and mangaed a yawn. "Yaaaahhh.... morning master. Why are the elite here?"

The old man shook his head. "the pride and joke of the temple. I never thought i would see the day, but then again fate has a funny way to her." And with that he was gone.

Hiuko tapped his foot and turned to Bangs. She the jumped off and walked over to the sleeping quarters. Anyone that was still asleep would find themselves with a few scratched across their face. (In other words say your character is ready to go so we can proceed to the next part.)

Gale emerged from the temple rubbing an eye. She twisted her wrist and quickly blew her hair back into a manageable shape. "How does monkey boy sleep like that?" She skipped up to Hiuko dragging Takato by the still asleep ear.

Luna just stood there quietly. She looked up when the clumsy book 'rolled' in. She giggled softly. When Gale 'blew in' and blew her hair into place Luna's hands fell to her head. She never had bad hair in the water. She quickly braided it into a single plait. She raised an eyebrow at the larger boy being dragged by that girl.


"Okay, lets go to the desert!"

Continued at The Desert Nations

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