Mave's hands slide along the intricate form of the Light's hilt, failing to get a grip. Then the combined momentum of the others knocks her way, leaving her at the bottom of a pile. Tulani and Arkold lay atop her, tangled together, and Alptraum lands on the very top, his eyes still dazzled from the flash of light that just happened.

"Wha- … eh … Oh. Well this is familiar," Arkold remarks as he lies atop Mave and under Tulani. He shifts a bit to get his head around so he can look at Mave, then he says, "Heh, well you feel like you and this feels like here, so: nice try."

"Move your knee please," Mave whispers, sounding a bit pained.

"Oof!" Tulani exclaims loudly as she finds herself going down in a heap with Arkold and Mave, One of her hands still gripping the female Eeee's wing. Quickly reorienting herself the Sphynx sits up and starts to get off Arkold.

Arkold removes his knee by removing himself from atop Mave. He scratches his head a bit, then shrugs. "Usually we 'ave more fun with things like this. Eh, anyway, I have a sneakin' hunch we've all seen the same thing," he says.

"No, keep your knee there and press harder," Alptraum growls and slowly pushes himself off the pile. He shakes his head and blinks a few times.

Despite having the breath likely knocked out of her, Mave is quick to her feet once free of pinning bodies, and runs to put the sealed sarcophagus between her and Alptraum, glaring at him.

Alptraum snaps his wings back and walks towards Mave and the sarcophagus. "That was incredibly stupid," he says flatly. "You could have gotten us all killed."

"Are you okay over there?" the image of Dunklestein calls from the foot of the ramp. Kaira is perched on his shoulder, holding the dagger in her forepaws.

"I was following the will of my Goddess," Mave claims for her defense, and keeps maneuvering to keep the obstacle between her and the Sylvanian Eeee.

"Do I scare you?" Alptraum inquires and finally quits pursuing her. "The worst I'd do is slap you, you know."

"We're fine – everything's fine," Arkold yells back, waving his hands in an everything's fine sort of way. "One of jus' got a bit greedy, s'all, it's common amongst odd parties of adventurers." After yelling, Arkold heads on towards the open sarcophagus to have a look inside.

"You are a Bardiphath, Barsunala," Mave points out. "Of course I am afraid."

Tulani checks Arkold to make sure she didn't squish him to badly when they piled on Mave before turning towards the female bat and saying, "Sounds more like you were taking a leaf out of Rephath's book as Nala mentioned to me." She blinks as she seems to have been sharing the same thought with Alptraum, shaking her head and continuing, "I would be quite happy to give you a slap myself, Mave."

The open sarcophagus is, unsurprisingly, filled with a thick layer of dust. A few golden glints poke out of the layer temptingly, however.

"Come here," Alptraum tells Mave.

The Yodhinala suddenly stands up straight and takes on a more dignified air. "Slapping a Yodhinala requires a donation to the Temple," she recites.

"Ah, gold. My old friend," remarks Arkold to no one in particular. Confident the others have Mave in hand, and unwilling to be particularly mad at her, Arkold busies himself with the treasure looting part of treasure hunting. He reaches down and pluck at one piece of gold. Given his easy movement, he seems just fine. Also, given his stories, he's probably had far worse fall on him.

The Sphynx chuckles slightly at the mention of donations. "You're not in Babel, Mave, you're in Sylvania. And I don't know if there are any temples here to take donations."

The first thing Arkold recovers is a gold-gilt pendant. It looks familiar, even – just like the one on the blood-spider-monster he faced after crashing into a woman's house.

Alptraum makes a move towards Mave again, since she seems to not be wanting to come over.

Arkold eyes the pendant a moment, then puts it aside. "This'll be my 'possibly 'orribly dangerous' pile," he says to anyone paying attention. After that, he reaches for the next piece.

Tulani wanders over to where Arkold sorts through the bits buried in the dust of the open sarcophagus, so she can look on as he pulls things out.

Mave keeps up her Haughty High Priestess front as Alptraum comes towards her. Meanwhile, Arkold pulls a ceremonial-looking dagger from the dustbin. Tulani's first catch is an ornate necklace, with an attached neckpiece made of hanging rectangles of gold and polished stone.

"Be wary," Dunklestein warns from the sidelines, while Kaira says, "Don't hog all the gold! Bring it over here where I can see it!"

"Better not touch this, I think it's a monster-maker," the wolf says to Tulani, speaking over his shoulder as he points at the pendant with a free hand. When he pulls the dagger, he eyes it a moment before trusting it in his belt. "Eh," he remarks a moment later, after eyeing the dragon and her dagger, then he puts the dagger in his 'possibly dangerous' pile as well.

Holding up the necklace to have a look at it, Tulani nudges Arkold and asks, "Hey, don't you think this looks like something Nala would wear, what with that headdress of hers?" She assumes that the 'memory' of the goddess had taken a similar form for the others in their dreams.

Without hesitation, Alptraum reaches up and places his hand on Mave's cheek, then proceeds to inspect her closely for injuries. "Believe it or not, I actually don't want to see you die, you know," he tells her in a quiet voice. "Please do not do that again. Out here we cannot think only of ourselves. We have to depend on each other."

Arkold turns to regard the necklace, then he nods a bit. "Could be. I'm not much for religions, eh? Better ask Dunklestein – an' don't let the dragon take your gold. If she argues, I think you can fit her in your bag or somethin'," he answers.

Mave seems to shiver for a moment at the touch, and her eyes get a bit moist, but then she blinks and wipes the expression away. "I serve Inala, not you or anyone else. So long as our goals coincide, I will cooperate."

A few more daggers and pendants are amidst the other treasures, which include bracelets, rings, earrings, and a torc that might fit on a Khatta's head, the ends shaped as two dragon-heads staring into one another's eyes.

Tulani shrugs at Arkold, "I don't really have a religion I specifically follow, it can be a little hard sometimes in a place like Sylvania. But eh, it's home for me." She then picks up the torc to look at it curiously.

"I do not want you to serve me. But, if you ever endanger the lives of my friends again, I won't hesitate to use you to release those trapped within the soul-blade I carry. You do … not want to die that way. Just remember the Yodhzakaro," Alptraum says quietly. "I can only protect you so long as you accept we're your friends, not your enemies." He then turns away and goes to check the items being found as well. "Look, junk."

Arkold gathers up a few treasures for carrying over to Dunklestein, including the two he put aside, then frowns at the torc. "Think that'll exemplify my girlish figure? Could highlight my 'air. Could possess me with evil." He winks at Tulani. "Want to grab it, or can I?"

"No junk for you then," Arkold adds to Alptraum. "But because you're such a nice guy, the dust is ALL yours!"

The torc in particular seems of a style not fitting with the other items, which seem more distinctly Aeztepan – gold and polished stone, with little in the way of inscriptions. The torc has a lot of complicated patterns etched over its entire surface, and no stones at all.

"Eh, money is fleeting and useless in the wilderness. We need things to help us," Alptraum notes and then cants his head towards the torc. "Hey, ever wonder if that might turn you into a dragon like the necklace did?" he asks.

As soon as Arkold is close enough, Kaira jumps from Dunklestein's shoulder to the wolf's, clucking happily.

Tulani rolls her eyes at Arkold and hangs onto the torc until, at Alptraum's comment, she turns it over in her hands to stare at it again, saying, "Hmm, dunno. It looks a little out of place with the rest of the 'treasure'."

"Maybe it'll give y'all the power of … " The wolf trails off as the dragon hijacks his shoulder, then he eyes the pendant with a raised brow. "The power of a dragon. Like, eh: obnoxiousness , an' greed. Scheming. Shoulder stealing." Despite his remarks, he pats Kaira on the head.

"Scheming? If I were scheming, you wouldn't know it," Kaira protests after the patronizing head-pat.

"I would. We're connected after all," Alptraum notes absently. "Want to try putting it on, Tulani? Or want me to try?"

"These are cursed items," Dunklestein says, pointing to the daggers and pendants with the bottom of his staff. "Harmless so long as they are in the Light's influence though."

The wolf nods solemnly. "I wouldn't," he agrees, making his tone intentionally neutral as to blur any sarcasm. At the mention of curses, he turns around and begins tossing amulets back in to the dust-filled sarcophagus. "I'm thinking of switching friends to silver," he sighs.

Tulani blinks at Alptraum, saying, "I guess I'll try it, you shouldn't take all the risks." But she holds the torc up for Dunklestein to see first, "Do you think this is cursed too?"

Alptraum grins and shrugs. "I'm less important. If I explode, you have other bats," he says and winks.

"It is a magical artifact of some sort," Dunklestein tells the Sphynx. "We could not determine what sort of magic though – it does not appear to be Aeztepan, nor could we link it to any known culture."

"I can try it. I'm old, an' this treasure has me down anyway. How am I supposed to retire on cursed gold?" He chucks another pendant which banks off the edge and clatters next to a few he's already tossed.

"It matters not who tries it here," Dunklestein points out. "Whatever power it has is suppressed by the Light – thus indicating its dark nature."

Rolling her eyes the Sphynx says, "A whole lot of other bats in fact, with the rest of our no longer 'little' troupe." But she grins when she says it. After a moment of listening to 'Dunky' she shrugs in a here goes nothing way and sets the torc on her head.

"Define dark nature," Alptraum says and glances towards the man. And then with a shrug he goes to retrieve his 'dragon' from Arkold's shoulder.

The torc fits loosely on Tulani's head, and doesn't seem to do much other than bend her ears a bit.

Arkold hefts a dagger, about to throw it, then shrugs and hands it to Kaira before she's hauled away. "It's nice to dream," he tells her, before tossing another dagger in to the bin.

"Very fetching," Alptraum comments to Tulani. "So, how do we move the light," he asks.

"Necromantic," Dunklestein clarifies for Alptraum. Kaira examines the ritual dagger as she perches on Alptraum's shoulder now. Mave reaches into the sarcophagus to retrieve one of the pendants Arkold tossed back in, looking at it with some concentration.

Tulani smiles and says in a mockingly sarcastic manner, and rather humorously, "Yay! I didn't explode!"

"Be careful, Mave," Alptraum warns.

"Tulani needs to pick it up," Dunklestein says, simply. Given the size of the Light's hilt, and the spewing fountain of magical energy, it seems too simple.

Arkold looks over at the unexploded Tulani, then he reaches over and adjusts the torc on her head. "There," he says approvingly, before going back to tossing treasure.

"Why Tulani?" Alptraum asks curiously.

"She's the most manly one here," Arkold japes between tosses.

At least the rings and bracelets seem normal. "Because, she is at least half Khatta," the human wizard notes.

"I feel so deficient," Alptraum mock-grumbles.

"I can give you a potion for that," Mave offers Alptraum, and drops the cursed pendant back into the sarcophagus.

The Sphynx removes the torc from her head, since here at least, it does nothing, and looks between Alptraum and Dunklestein. "But do we even need to move it now? Nala had some things to say about that and apparently thinks we don't really need the sword. We might want to wait until after we get rid of mister Necromancer to move and return it to wherever it belongs."

"Help me toss my retirement away," Arkold tells Alptraum, before handing him an amulet to throw.

"Only if you offer to help test the results," Alptraum retorts to Mave. He then starts getting rid of the cursed items, checking with the human before each toss in case one or two are not cursed.

Mid-toss, Arkold pauses. "Wait – rings and bracelets normal? Eh?" He looks at Dunklestein for confirmation.

"Toss this too," Kaira says, handing Alptraum the ceremonial dagger. "Unless you want to make a blood monster."

The man nods to Arkold. "Just jewelry."

"It might improve Arkold's chances for getting a date," Alptraum suggests to Kaira and grins. "But eh, we don't need Arkold Hemogoblin." He chucks the knife into the coffin.

Tulani helps chuck a few items too, just for fun, and then goes over to stare at the 'Light of Nala' for a few more minutes.

At the suggestion of leaving the Light were it is, Kaira whispers into Alptraum's ear, "With that much life energy to tap, you could pack a lot more souls into someone than you did with Hekat."

"We should take it now. We may not be able to get back in, remember?" Alptraum points out and looks to Dunklestein for confirmation.

Tulani also looks over at 'Dunky'.

"If it's necromancer based, should I carry it? I seem to have some resistance/affect on such magic," Alptraum suggests.

"Hemogoblin. I like that." Arkold eyes his last dagger, as if considering it, before tossing it away as well. Having gotten rid of his pile of cursed items, he taps Tulani on the shoulder. "Might wan' an' hand me the torc Tulani, if you're goin' to 'old the Light. We don't know what it does, an' it's best it can't hurt you if you 'ave it. Or Alptraum. One of us, eh? But we can't let you or the Light be overcome," he warns.

"You have come a long way," the wizard says. "The door will remain closed until the next Holiday if you decide to return later."

"Then we take it now. It can boost Mave's powers, by the way," Alptraum says and glances towards the Yodhinala.

Mave looks skeptical, but doesn't comment.

The Sphynx looks at the torc with her ears flicking from side to side before abruptly handing it to Alptraum, "Here, if you want to carry it. If not we can toss it back in the pile." She says then looks to Dunklestein again. "What will happen to the trapped Necromancers if we remove the light?"

"They will die, finally," Dunklestein says.

"You are a mage of sorts, are you not?" Alptraum asks Mave flatly.

The Yodhinala sniffs indignantly. "I do not perform magic, I call up divine miracles."

Alptraum tries to put the torc on himself, just because. He fully expects to look silly.

Along the same line as Tulani's question, Arkold turns and asks, "An' what if Dagh's plan was to 'ave us get the Light all along? Nala, the Light of Nala I mean, told me that Tulani's pendant is suspect, eh, as was our encounter in a shop long ago."

"Looks a bit like a crown on you, Alptraum," Kaira comments.

"That bad?" Alptraum asks.

The little dragon nods.

"Oh well, I rarely look good, eh?" Alptraum notes with a shrug. "Take it off?"

"What, here in front of everyone?" Kaira asks, and covers herself up in her wings. "Oh wait, you meant the headpiece? Yeah, it makes you look girly."

"Arkold always says I look girly," Alptraum notes with a smirk.

Tulani just snickers behind a hand at the comments, grinning.

"You do. Here, lemme try," Arkold says. He holds out his hand.

"Same thing, it'll work for you, Mave," Alptraum notes. He then grins and shrugs to Arkold, "I'll hold onto it for the moment. I want to see a mirror."

"You're becoming a clothes Rhian," Arkold says. Shrugging, he walks over and begins picking up rings and bracelets to stuff in his bags.

"Oh, can I have the dagger back?" Alptraum asks Kaira.

The dragon hands over the spirit dagger, now that Alptraum isn't so close to the Light. "So, what was that bright flash all about?" she asks.

"We had a chat with Nala, the half-goddess. The power part of Nala. The physical part isn't here," Alptraum says with a shrug. "I discovered I have a gross spiritual umbilical cord thing attached to me."

Leaning on the open sarcophagus near the Light of Nala, Tulani gestures towards the brightness saying, "So what's the final verdict? Personally I'm not sure I'd like to carry around a shiny beacon while going after a necromancer… but if you think it might really be useful… "

"Shiny beacons are impressive and imposing to those of an evil nature," Kaira points out.

"I saw my wife and kids in another potential reality. It was nice, but I could 'ave done without the potbelly," Arkold answers. He pats his smooth, ran-from-the-law-too-many-times belly, and says, "As for the Light, I'm leery, but I can go either way. We jus' need to mind ourselves with it, an' I 'ate to say it but we'd best think 'ow to 'ide it if things go wrong. The Light's a real legendary treasure. If we die, eh… If we die and someone unpleasant gets it, the impact would be significant, eh?"

"Take it. I rather suspect it'll transform itself when you pick it up," Alptraum says. "It's doubtful we'll come back this way. We can at least transport it to the Gigi lands after we deal with Dack. We're not going to die."

"It's a fountain of Life, maybe you can't die if you're near it," Kaira suggests.

"Oh, then after we're done it's goin' in my house," Arkold jokes.

At Arkold's recounting of his dream Tulani shrugs. "I just learned that I never want to meet my original father… but I can live with that," she says and takes a step forward before simply reaching out and trying to take hold of the ornate sword's grip.

"Oh, did anyone 'ave a thought on Dagh planning all this," Arkold adds, quickly.

"I saw a future I wouldn't have wanted to be a part of, so I'm glad I made the choices I did," Alptraum says. "It actually took a weight off my shoulders."

As Alptraum predicted, the Light changes. The huge, ornate hilt and pommel shrink down, and the blazing fountain retracts as well, until Tulani is holding a silver-bladed saber with a flower-shaped guard and crystalline pommel.

"Are you saying I'm heavy?" Kaira says, but her voice begins to fade as she becomes a bit less tangible. The Well of Souls begins to darken as well, now that the primary source of illumination is gone – although the dimming seems to be occurring slowly, rather than instantly.

"No, you're not heavy. Come on, let's get out of here," Alptraum says, "Quickly."

"I'll take that as 'no,'" says the wolf. He finishes stuffing away gold, then eyes the top of the well. "Be ready for anythin' at the top." With that, he heads upwards.

Dunklestein leads the way, although he too is looking more ghostly. There are not menacing gargoyles along the way this time.

Tulani grabs onto the edge of Arkold's sleeve with her free hand and follows along behind him.

"Careful with that Light-saber," Arkold warns Tulani.

Alptraum adjusts the torc on his head. He then goes and puts an arm around Mave. "Come on, let's go," he tells her, but not in an unfriendly tone.

Tulani says, "Don't worry, I wont hit you with it or anything, Arkold… so long as you behave."

At the top of great shaft, Dunklestein flutters to the ground, once more a leathery map. By then, the only light is coming from Ravenia's torch.

After heading up a bit, Arkold mock-complains, "I feel like the only one without a magical whatsit." To remedy that, he grabs the map. To Tulani he says, "Good, any more Light in my life an' all my fine shadows will move out."

Alptraum reaches up and touches the torc, wondering if now that the Light is gone, it might do something bad…

The item is cool to the touch, but that's not unusual for metal.

Ravenia takes the lead now, hurrying up the long passage that leads to the surface.

Alptraum shrugs and just leaves it on for now, then. What the heck. "Are you okay, Ravenia?" Alptraum asks her as they follow.

Tulani chuckles as Arkold snatches up the map, "Looks like your turn to be the map bearer." she says and hurries after Ravenia.

"I'll feel better when we're far away from those necromancers," the dark girl replies. "Without the Light, some of them may try to escape or something, dead or not."

"I have the best one," Arkold says with mock-enthusiasm. After chasing Ravenia a bit, he warns, "Mind the stairs."

"Hmm, I could use the soul dagger to destroy some of them, thus releasing more of those imprisoned and getting rid of them," Alptraum muses and stops on the stairs.

At Arkold's warning, Raven naturally trips and nearly drops the torch. She turns to give Arkold a look, then starts up at a more sedate pace.

Arkold clears his throat and eyes the map as if it had become very interesting suddenly.

"You would need to open their coffins for that, would you not?" Mave asks Alptraum from behind.

The Sphynx just grabs Alptraum's shoulder and starts pulling him along, being careful to hold the sword in her other hand, "Nope, your coming up with us anyway."

"Who made you boss?" Alptraum grumbles at Tulani. Still, he goes up the stairs too.

Tulani looks over Arkold's shoulder at the map as she walks behind him.

It seems to take less time ascending than descending, although it does result in tired legs. The light of the Procession shines through the entrance as they get closer.

The map looks like it always had. When Arkold looks up, he winks at Tulani, then stuffs the map away. "I think Alptraum may be goin' power crazy with that dagger. Next thing y'know he'll be stabbin' plants an' small animals, fillin' them up with souls, callin' 'imself the dragon princess with that silly crown … "

"I can't stab animals, they explode," Alptraum points out. He then smacks the back of Arkold's head and says, "And who are YOU calling a princess, pot-belly-boy?"

Unable to help but laugh at the humorous banter Tulani bursts out chuckling.

Ravenia is the first out into the old half-room that the door opens onto. "We're back!" she calls out, then goes silent.

"The man wearin' the woman's crown, that's who," Arkold answers as he rubs his head. He grins, though.

"Why does my gut tell me something is wrong," Alptraum mutters to himself. Eyes narrowed, he goes out as well.

Tulani follows out after Arkold, looking warily about.

Arkold slows, then stops just outside. "I'm beginnin' to think I should have insisted we plan a bit more," he remarks quietly as he looks around.

The campfire is still burning, but there are no signs of Phlagaea, Lilith or Lucy. A tall cloaked figure is sitting at the fire instead, facing the doorway. A very nasty looking chitin broadsword rests across its knees, as well.

Alptraum's ears flick forward toward the figure, focusing on it and listening for life signs. He draws out the spirit dagger in one hand and pulls off the goofy torc with the other and tucks it into his belt for now. "Who the heck could this be?" he whispers to Ravenia.

Arkold's ears perk when he hears Alptraum's comment. Rushing forward, he tries to interpose himself between his friends and the figure in black. Without waiting for introductions, he draws his sword, asking, "Two questions: who are you, an' where are the others? I think I've 'ad enough threats from men in black outfits to last me a life time. Want I should bust 'is head, Bats?" Arkold continues forward towards the figure. "'Cause I can. No problem."

The human just seems frozen, and doesn't respond to Alptraum. Then the figure pulls its hood back, revealing a Rhian mare with a bright red mane and a scar across her face. "Eh, Alptraum right?" she says, addressing the bat. "I hope your story is really good this time, or you owe me a drink. Your friends are back at my camp, under the protection of my men."

"Wait, it's a woman. Uh, well, I can still do the bustin', I guess. It's jus' not any fun anymore," Arkold adds.

"You actually remember my name?" Alptraum asks, watching the mare warily and holds up his hand to stop Arkold for the moment. "I thought you were serving the Countess Draco, or were going to, last I knew. If that's so, then why would you capture Lilith, one of her relatives? Or … by all miracles and good luck, are you actually trying to greet us in peace?"

"My patrol was diverted here by a guy named Charo," Agatha the Red says, and holds up an hourglass-shaped gourd. "Said we're to escort you back to Draco Castle, and to give you this to take along."

"So soon?" Alptraum says and rubs the bridge of his muzzle. "I was figuring I would at least have time to deal with the necromancer, but perhaps this works in our favor, anyway." He glances towards Arkold and says, "Or, since it's just me that has to do this … perhaps all of you can go finish what needs to be done?"

Arkold's sword drops, and he just shrugs. "I was all geared up for a fight," he complains. "Black cloak, sword, could 'ave been great." Then his head tilts, and after sheathing his sword, he says, "She's a bit cute, though. Us? Eh, we could – maybe. You're the expert on the dark bits, though. Plus, maybe we can get Draco's army to march with us."

"Necromancer?" the mare asks, before blinking at Arkold's comment about her being 'cute'. "Lilith hinted there was a lot to report, but I chose to stay here and wait for you. Maybe we'd better go back to my camp and talk."

"Except I'm not sure I want Draco knowing about the Sha- er, well, they'll already know thanks to Lilith," Alptraum realizes, then shakes his head a bit. "Yes, I think we should. You know, I'm surprised to see you again, Agatha." He waves to the others to come out. "It's safe. Let's go."

"Safe. Eh. Follow the mare," Arkold says, sounding a bit tired. "You know Alptraum, you know a lot of interestin' women. Oh an', uh, might wan' an' take off the woman's torc before you reach camp. Jus' because." He gives the bat a limp-wrist gesture, and nods slowly.

"I took it off a while ago, you goon. Boy, your eyes are really going in your old age," Alptraum remarks to Arkold, then elbows him. "It's tucked in my belt."

"I think my eyes are goin'. It's dark, an' I almost attacked a woman. I'm too old for this," the wolf complains. "Maybe she ought an' hold my 'and, before I bust a hip."

"I see you got married while you were away," Agatha says, standing up and nodding towards Arkold. "Babel does weird things to Eeees, sure 'nuff."