The Ridge(Just the six of us)

The Gentleman wakes up for a moment from hearing the voices at the camp; he listens for a moment then yells out, "Whatever you manage to come up with, inform me of it in the morning!" He then falls back asleep.

"So who's going to take what positions?" I said alreaddy thinking through a plan.

I'm good as wherever you need me to be.
Healing, assault, Defense, Recon. Whatever, just say the word and I'm on it.

I can be a vanguard and go ahead of everyone else.I can survey the area and clear it for moving in.If we fight I can quickly shift to assault.Misaaki what do you think your strongpoint is?"

Because I haven't made weapons yet, and that I was the one to originally discover the location, I'd like to learn as much as possible so I'd say Recon and support.

I looked at misaki blankly "I'll go recon.... If I get caught I can easily escape with my blink...." I lay back and looked up at the sky "I could also double as vanguard..." After a long exhale I spoke again "honestly... I don't really care...I'll do what I can in any position so put me where you want..."

Alright Keita, you'll be recon if thats what you wish. Gajeel, taking vanguard position sounds fine. I suppose I'll take up an assault position. If I get injured enough, I'll stick to support. Gentlemen, shall we get started?

Well I am also assault since I can be very powerful.Wait til everyone wakes up and eats first."
He makes a fire and starts coking meat.

Alright, I just hope they wake up relatively soon. I walked over to the fire and threw a few more sticks in. This Ridge, Gajeel, why have you and the others so graciously helped me thus far? What's in it for you guys?

The Gentleman awoke in the bright morning sun, quickly got dressed and sauntered up to the group, "What's in it for me you say? I am a gentleman, a hunter, and most importantly, a scholar! To see new lands and broaden my horizons is what is in it for me! Besides, it was a challenge to design the CLEAVER, something i relish greatly." The Gentleman began making a breakfast of bacon and scrambled eggs, "Now then, who's hungry? You can't fight a monster on an empty stomach."

"I'll take some of those if you don't mind. Glad to see you're not just in this for my benefit my good sir."

"Don't mind if I do!"He takes a sandwhich and begins eating."Once everyone is awake and has eaten we will climb down the ridge.I will go in first and give you the all clear.By the way Gent this tastes great."

"Yeah, I wish they'd wake up soon. The sooner we attain this artifact, the sooner I get to see her again." "Oh crap, I just said that out loud didn't I? Sorry about that. So Gajeel, you never answered my question. What do you get from this?"

"Well nothing really.Be able to do this with friends is better than being alone all the time."He sighs sadly.It's not fun always being alone.

"No, it's not is it. I know how you feel. For as long as I can remember I too have been truly alone. I've been disconnected from this world for a very long time. I mean sure, my family was there for me and all but... ever since she died those many years ago, I've never been the same. After her death, I made apparitions to keep myself from thinking about her, but it didn't work for long. Not long after I began envisioning these spirits, I began envisioning her and our daughter that she died with. I couldn't save them, just like I can't save anyone. Not even myself. That's why I thank you all from the bottom of my blackened heart for doing this. One day, somehow I'll be able to save many more than I can now. Only after that, can I allow myself to let her go from my life. Tell me, what did it feel like when you had a close friend or loved one ripped away from you because life had a different plan for you than your plan? Did it hurt? Did you suffer for it? What has it spurred you to do? My suffering is not unlike anybody else's pain. I'm merely a waste of a manifestation of physical mass. I'm not bound to this world, yet I still feel its pain and sadness. I can no longer feel the joy I once had. That's why I'm trying so hard to get this cure, not only to save multitudes, but to also save myself from the dark path I've set before myself." I solemnly said, all the while staring into the fire.

"No,we felt the same pain in different ways.The only difference between me and you is that I learned to cope with it.I get lonely but I stay strong.I hope for a new day and thats all I need."He finishes eating and looks at the rest of the group who most were still sleeping.It was now 5:30 am and it was still pitch dark.

"This darkness is as black as my heart, yet it knows that very soon, the sun shall arise and brighten up that which is kept crying in a sorrow only true light can illuminate. What happens now is up to fate, and now with the rising sun, we have the chance to bring something back that brings hope to all that feel the pain of this world. Heh..., but this is merely a fool's dream, not worth the pursuance, yet not worth giving up on. I'm really pathetic. Nevertheless, it must be accomplished, and that's that."

The Gentleman smiles and nods at Gajeel's compliment; he ate his breakfast and listened to the others talk for a while, then went back to the C.L.E.A.V.E.R. to perform a routine systems check.

Thoughts flowed through keitas head. Memory's. Memory's of his sister and everyone else that ever tried to stand by him. A single tear dripped lazily from his cheek as he stood. A dark aura emitting from him. He looked down as he walked passed the group. Making sure the sorrow On his face wasn't seen. It wasn't of corse. It had been hidden by the shadows that danced from the fire and his hair that had fringed around the left side of his face. Blocking it from view.

"I'm going ahead.....catch up when y'all are ready...." Keita said through slightly gritted teeth. As he strapped his blades to their usual spot and donned his black cloak. Wearing it open. Pulling the collar up around the bottom of his face "masaaki...I have my own reasons for being here..." He sighed. Keita took one step forward towards the ridge. Before his foot had even touched the ground he was gone.

"And so it begins." I said, rising from my spot near the fire. "Good to know everybody's got their own agendas to be following. Heh... I honestly can't remember when I was this serious about anything. I have to get that artifact, no matter what. (For her sake, and mine.) I kept my weapons out of sight, and proceeded to the edge of that same ridge. I looked down into its vast depths and found nothing auspicious about it. (Big suprise...) I thought. "Hey, everybody awake yet?" I asked to the other members.

"I think everyone is awake.Okay guys grabbed your ice climbing tools."He walks over to the edge of the ridge as he gazes down into the abyss.It was nothing but darkness.It was quiet.A little too quiet.

"Alright then, let's do this!" I shouted, jumping down from where we were at and sliding along the wall. I used my wings to balance my descent speed and soon found the fortress that I knew Keita had already found. (Impressive, let us see just how far this complex can go, and what challenges it holds for us.)

I took a drink of water and looked town at my blood splattered clothes. I looked around at the corpses that were spread lightly around the room. The 4th chamber I had come across.
So this is a gauntlet?' I thought as I opened the door into a long corridor. Knight statues stood along the walls "so there's a new challenge in each room?" I withdrew both of my blades and walked down the corridor. I smiled as the statues moved towards me suddenły alive.

Gajeel used his claws to climb down the ridge.He had Ebony and Ivory sheathed on his back,MuzaHir on his side,and Jesse and Jane in their holsters.As he came down to the almost pitch black ridge bottom he look around an found Masaaki at the face of a fortress.His eyes clearly saw in the dark as he looked around.He whispers,"Don't go in until everyone else is here." His right ear twitched to an eerie whisper."I'm still heeeeeeereeee."

The Gentleman had started up the C.L.E.A.V.E.R. and was using the spiked feet to climb down the side of the ridge. He buzzed the others over the comm link, "Go on ahead without me, I'll rejoin you once i reach the bottom. Maintain radio contact and update me with your progress." It was going to be a long climb down.