Shedding Skin (Valerian)

[Lance Everett Scott (DELETED 12284)]

The loose stones shift underfoot, twisting his ankle one way and then the other, and the noise of those disturbed rocks echo off the dense stone walls. No matter where his feet land, the sound of water dripping into water feels like it’s always just beyond him. The light reaches only a few feet in front of him, confining his vision to a small circle of white light cast by the tactical flashlight mounted to his pistol. As he walks, his hair falls loose about his face; tousled and tangled. Under the dim light it appears brown; the honey-blond streaks lost to the night. Between the purple welts and raw pink marks, his skin is greyish peach around his sandy pullover. Lance’s grey-blue eyes are a little blood-shot too; hooded and dilated as he follows the barely lit path.

The temperature drops as he enters into the large underground chamber, sending a chill down his spine and causing his breath to fog. Inky black water sloshes against a narrow strip of land that disappears into the darkness before him and jagged teeth of stone descend from the shadows above. Lance recognises that there is something gleaming ahead between the stalactites and the bat roosts; it isn't giving out light, more like it catches it at certain angles and reflects a green-blue hue as he shines his light on it. Moving further into the chamber, Lance wonders whether this quiet air tinctured with the scent of moss, dirt, and animal remains also holds the promise of treasure.

Caution applies weights around his ankles as Lance approaches the gleaming object; there are tracks scratched in the floor going to and from the stony structure. By following the tracks with his eyes, he can see that they lead to a wall which closes like the back of a mouth around the room. It’s a good place for an ambush, that’s for sure and while his pize isn’t exactly the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow that he’s been looking for, he’s in no position to pick and choose. He takes his knife out from his belt and hopes that it doesn’t disturb anybody who’s down there as he hacks away at the rock.

[Valerian]

There was some joy in the Jorogomo today. Valerian had thus far had a successful process. While he was certainly not the most powerful Jorogomo. he was still growing and working on it, he didn't know if he would ever become as strong as some. But he knew he was going to attempt it. He would continue this practice on his own, to grow without exerting too much influence so he never got too much attention. But especially there was the success of his mate, six months into pregnancy. So far no sign that the child would have deceased. 

So he was in a good mood as he ventured into the caverns, there were many other Jorogomo in here. However there was also Encantado. He was much less likely to hide himself in the caverns, but the problem was, there were still sometimes people here, searching for the gems and jewels. And so he usually only shifted if he was sure there was nobody else around.

He was actually armed, of course, prepared for a fight if he must. But he was certainly hoping that wouldn't be the case. Especially under here where the sound of a gunshot would feel more like a cannon. Speaking of the echoes, he was pretty sure he could hear someone hacking away.

[Lance Everett Scott (DELETED 12284)]

Each strike against the stone with the blade causes thunder to crack and echo around the room. There's no such thing as being inconspicuous in the caverns. Lance continues what he's doing, watching the dusty-red soil crumble between the sharp, dark rocks to reveal the shape of a shell as he digs. The shell is emerald in colour with its outer edges frosted; it gives him the impression that it has been encased by some kind of smoky glass. He cuts around the edge of the gemstone then makes a trench at each side - top and bottom, right and left - until he can get his knife behind the chunk and wedge it out. He feels a lot of resistance, his knife drags on the side of the gem as if there are crystal roots threading further into the dirt and anchoring it in place. Lance sighs and sits back, his legs unfurling in front of him and he kicks at the stone structure with his left foot.

Once he stopped, the perspiration lies cool on his skin, cooled further by the chill in the room. His skin takes on a glossy shine and the salty drops invade his eyes. Lance can feel the perspiration under his arms, soaking darkly into his clothes, announcing his frustration as well as his location and humanity to every supernatural in the vacinity. It's only a couple of moments before he hears a noise behind him. A rattling sound fills the previously cold and stagnant air. Lance’s eyes whip behind him, gravitating his body to face the snake-like creature. His surroundings vanish from his mind. Every capacity of his brain is focused on the reptile before him; how its steel-green eyes take in Lance’s form, selecting possible places to bite as a forked tongue savours his scent. Its body is a frozen coil in the chilly caverns, but soon this statue can become something too fast to dodge.

Lance's grip on his knife tightens as he raises his forearm and the blade between them like a shield. His free arm flattens against the dirt, ready to push up and get out of the way of an incoming strike as he positions his feet on the floor beneath him, knees bent. The Encantado Worker towers over him with an intimidating display of hisses and muscular flexing. Making himself a small target doesn't make him less of a threat so much as it makes Lance look like a tasty meal, however.

[Valerian]

Valerian walked carefully throughout the caverns, following the sounds made. Even though it was not uncommon to find people in here, he did like knowing just who it was that was inside. There was a considerable number of Encantado and Jorogomo alike that wandered these caverns, not exactly at peace with one another all the time. An Valerian was probably even more of an extreme in that matter, Valerian did not have the same hate for the Encantado as he had for the Vampires. But they were still competition on the grounds of life, and they were occupying, in his mind, lands belonging to the Jorogomo.

However the more methodical sound of mining would suddenly stop, and as Valerian finally looked around the corner he would see the almost snakelike form of an encantado, their form not fully like that of a snake but far from being mistaken for a human in a costume. And of course, very dangerous.

He paused for a moment believing himself not yet to be seen, grabbing at the sword he held and considering his next move carefully. He was not noticed, and he could very much leave the man to die without a sense of guilt on his soul. He didn't care in any way for him after-all, he was no friend, nor was he a potential mate. So he served little purpose in protecting. But on the other hand, now was a chance to kill an Encantado for posing a danger to a human, and sometimes humans could be good as allies.

A soft breath was released from him, quiet, but the deciding factor. He turned and leapt towards the creature, rushing it and hoping to cut into it's back while it was focused on Lance and not him. He'd killed them before, though before he also had the option of using the powers at his disposal.