The Tablet

In the sand dunes, there's almost nothing of real significance.

However, if one were to look carefully through the dust, they might see a stone tablet, glowing violet with inscriptions.

This would likely be accessible, except for, of course, the storm.

A massive sandstorm blankets the tablet, keeping the wary traveler at about a twenty-foot distance and obscuring direct sight for most of the time. The storm is temperamental, though, so the strength varies.

Stumbling upon the sight of a sand storm in a controlled area was rather intriguing. However, the tablet it seemed to surround was what caught Loret's eye.

"What an interesting sight. I'm sure there is supposed to be some sort of trick to this...but I wonder what."

Loret mused to himself as he stood a good twenty feet away standing in his eccentric outfit minus his cloak as he had given that to Chelsea for she would need it more than he. It wasn't exactly magical but it would provide the cover she would need for harsh climates like the desert.

Loret gazed at the storm trying to time it's own rhythm. For the storm itself seemed to ebb and flow like the sea. Growing harsh one minute then calm the next. He needed to see if he could time the change to see if there was a moment where he could make a break for it and get past it to the center. Loret cautiously stepped forward a bit to get closer but still not within the storm's grasp. Or so he hoped.

The storm did, indeed, seem to undulate reliably. Upon closer inspection, there'd be roughly about thirty seconds where Loret would be able to slip in. The sand around the inscribed tablet seemed to cave in shortly before the stone.

*sigh* "Here goes nothing." Loret muttered to himself.

He bound his belongings to his back tightly to secure them. He made sure his wrappings were set around his head for the sand. Breathed slowly and deeply focusing on the undulation of the storm charging ki as he did so and focusing that on his legs for speed. He hoped to make it through in the thirty seconds he had. When the storm began to ebb he released and used the boost of energy to dash past the storm and to the tablet. Hoping to make it through but only focusing on what was in front of him.

As Loret broke through the sand storm, it stopped completely.

The tablet began to rise, and with it, the ground. Where there had been a cave-in, there was now a massive hill, and a pair of what looked like pointed rocks started to emerge from the ground.

Stunned for a split second by the sudden change. Loret adjusted his current forward momentum and built up energy to jump so as the get up the now rising hill and closer to the tablet.

Loret succeeded, but as more of the sand was unearthed, he would likely realize that he was standing on something that looked unsettlingly like this:




Yup, he was standing on an Antlion.

... And it was pissed off.

"Well shit...Bard rule number 4: Anything that looks too easy is a trap...a DEADLY trap." Loret spoke as he stood on top of this monstrosity of an insect.

Keeping wary of what the beast might do Loret tried to find where the tablet was now.

The tablet was mounted on the beast's forehead, almost like a third horn. However, the beast itself was more concentrated on destroying Loret, its current prey. the mandibles closed quickly around where he had been standing, and unless he moved, they would probably crush him.

Loret quickly rolled to the side to avoid the mandibles, drew his wakazashi and began focusing his ki.

"I don't suppose we can end this peacefully can we?" Loret asked the beast as he crouched wear he was being careful not to lose his footing.

"Well, actually..."

A massive voice emanated from the Antlion's mouth.

"I rather hunger, and you seem to be a choice, if small, snack. I think I'd rather eat you."

Stunned by the fact that this thing talked Loret held his ground and spoke to the creature.

"Well I can understand the hunger I don't believe you'd gain much by eating me and I'd rather avoid that for the time being. I have I need to do so dying is not an option for me. I would like to ask about that tablet atop you head however."

Loret was nervous, this thing was intelligent and able to talk. He had read of such things in his journal but he never expected to come across one. He had to think of something to do. Killing the beast didn't seem like much of an option as it would probably be too difficult to kill as it is physically let alone any other capabilities it possessed that he was as of yet unaware of. He wondered if the tablet somehow made this creature sentient. A bit farfetched but he had certainly seen and heard of stranger things in his existence.

"Unfortunately,"

The voice rumbled back,

"You're not much more than prey to me. You see, I only eat whenever something is here. Years can pass before I'm unearthed once to the next time. The energy it takes to unearth myself and keep myself alive can only be quenched by feeding. Unless you'd like to find something meatier, I can't imagine I can rationalize with you, as I'd be much more content by you being in my stomach."

The antlion swung around slightly, waiting patiently for its meal. It had nothing but time now.

"For the record, the 'tablet' you refer to on my head is a tusk. You probably should have realized that before stepping onto it, but, alas, that is my trap. You see, I'm doing the world a service by applying Darwinism, if you will."

"Darwinism you say. *chuckles* I suppose it is in a way. Though I do believe it serves more of a purpose than that. There's a door in some old ruins that suggests such a thing. But that is mere speculation and beside the point."

Loret held his ground eyeing the creature warily he knew he would not be able to do much damage to it as he was now but he might be able to found a way out of this yet. He glanced around the area making note of his surroundings while maintaining some form of eye contact with the creature before him.

"Unfortunately, I can't be eaten at the moment and there does not seem to be much else around. You seem to have existed for a long time here however. I assume I awoke you in the process of getting by that lovely little sandstorm that was whirling about."