Ukyo: Er...ahh...

Hwo: I'm telling you, that's the message! Guess this god's a playboy!

Akm: Ugh...

Pai: Maybe...if you look at it in a different angle?

Ukyo: (Flipping and turning the parchment) Uh...no...

Akm: Great...

Pai: Maybe we have to dig something?

Akm: A woman?

Ukyo: Hmm...Akuma, start digging!

Akm: HUH? WHY ME?!!!

Ukyo: Well, who else can dig with such powerful tools equiped?

Akuma snorted as he dug the sand out. Dig-dig-dig-digidig...

Ukyo (Sitting on a nearby rock, blowing his nails, his legs crossed.): Go on, Akuma take your time...

Akm: Oh, yeah, sure! I'm enjoying it! -.-

Dig-dig-dig-SCRATCH!!!

Akm: EEEEEOUCH!!! NGRAAAAAAWL!!!

Hwo: >_< Quit it, damn you fucker!

Others: Huh?

Akm: ~_~, my nails...

Hwoarang jumped into the hole Akuma made. He dusted the sand off the floor. It revealed a statue of a woman. Ukyo looked around and saw a circle at the far left of the room. Then he looked at the foot of the statue which had the same shape.

Ukyo: Hmm...Hey, you two, bring it up here!

Hwo: Y'know, you sound like the old seargent back at the military!

And so, the two lifted it up.

Ukyo: Now, let's push it over there!

Akm: LET'S!

And so they did. A door slid open-

Hwo: Whew! That wasn't so-

Akm: Don't!

-a low growl...

Pai: O_O! What was that?!

Akm: YOU JINXED IT!

And out came a serpent woman. Her upper body was that of a lady (With an ugly face of course) only it was gren and scaly, while her lower portion was something like the Komodo Dragon's.

All: O_O!!!

Akm: Okay...now what?

Ukyo: I suggest we-DUCK!

It swipped its tail towards them.

Hwo: SHIT!

Pai: >.<

Akm: Roll!

It almost squashed them as its heavy tail pounded the ground. Smoke filled the air and their eyes were blurred.

Akm: (Fanning away the smoke) Bob! Pai! Uk-

He got swiped to the wall and was knocked unconcious.

Pai: Guys! Cough! Cough!

Ukyo: O_O! Pai!

Ukyo pushes Pai off to get swiped himself.

Akm (Getting enough conciousness to say...): o.-*** Fancy meeting you here... X_x

Ukyo: x_x (Damnit! He still gets to joke around in these critical moments...)

And only Pai and Bob were left standing, Pai feeling guilty and for the first time knowing how useless she has been on the trip.

Serp: Hisssssss!

Hwo: Okay...(looks around and sees a rope by a pile of bones. He snatches it from the bones holding it) Okay, I'll distract it cowboy style, you get in and grab the Crayon-whatever...Pai? Pai?

Pai: Hwoarang...

Hwo: Yeah?!

SLAP!

Hwo: EEEEAYOW!!!!

Before he realized what happened, Pai snatches the rope from him and runs to the serpent.

Hwo: PAI, WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK-

Serp: HISSSSSSSS!

Pai jumps and lands ala-VF-stomp style on the shoulders of the serpent. She manages to tie the rope around its neck. It went wild, slithering everywhere and swiping its tail furiously. Pai held on as the serpent continued to rampage, trying to get her off.

Pai: GO! GET THE-AAAAAAH!!!

Hwo: I-I can't leave you-!!! AW, SHEESH!

-receiving incoming transmission-

Ukyo: (Get my sword, stupid!)

Hwo: Hey! Mind saying that more-huh? (Looks a the unconcious kensai) O_O...

Ukyo: (JUST DO IT!!! >:| )

Hwo: (looks at the screen and shrugs) O_O...Weird...

Hwoarang snatches the cane sword and unsheathes it.

Ukyo (As Hwoarang drops the sheath, since he can't slash-then-sheathe like a kensai master): (Damn amateurs! >:| )

Serp: Hissss!!!

Pai: Ah-ah-ahaaaaa-ah!!!

Hwo: Hang on! (Gets swiped)

Pai: Hwoarang!

Hwo: (Rubs and shakes head) Ouch...

Pai: Rang, get-ulk!

The serpent finally gets Pai by the neck with her tail (Well, I guess its brain started decaying after all these years that's why it took so long for her to realize she can do that. Hey! You try staying in a darkroom of a dusty cave for centuries, let's see you not become stupid).

Hwo: PAI!!!

Pai (Being lifted up into the air): Ulk...gak...

Bob dashes to its tail and cuts it. The serpent cries out madly as the part of her tail detach from her. That portion slowly released its grip from the suffocating Pai.

Hwo: Hey! You-

Pai: x_x

Hwo: That does it! Get your ass ready, slime ball! Blood Talon's gonna slash your head off!

Ukyo: (Oh joy... -.- I do hope he knows how to use that...and not get it scratched or damaged...)

Hwoarang made mad dashes here and there, circling around the furious serpent woman. Though a portion of her tail was cut off, its tail still has a considerable length. The serpent swished her tail on the sandy floor, but Hwoarang's quick reflexes saved him. He jumped just before the tail swiped him off.

Hwo: (Smirking) It's show time...

Hwoarang dashed forward, rolling and jumping when the serpent tried to smack him. At last, he was near enough. After a quick roll, he straightened up and with one slash, he beheaded the beast ala-highlander style. He watched its head slowly slip off and the body fell to the ground. The remains suddenly turned to ashes before his eyes. After spitting at it and giving it the finger, he walked towards his companions.

Ukyo: o.~ Hmm...ouch...

Akm: o.~ Man, talk about a bad headache...

Hwo: (helping her up) You okay?

Pai: Yeah, I'm fine...~.o

Hwo: DON'T ever do that again! Sheesh...Damnit! Can't you do anything right?! You wanna get killed? Damn...And look! Look! My cheek's still as red as a tomato! You gave me a nasty-

SLAP!

Hwo: >_< OWE!!!

Pai: Men! You always think you could do better!

Hwo: Well, I didn't get myself stranggled, did I?! >_O

SLAP!!!

HWO: OOOOOWIE!!! >:-8

Ukyo: Ehem...I HATE to break up your little squabbles, but it's best we finish this!

Hwo: (Holding his cheek) o_- Yeah, let's go...

Ukyo: EHEM!!!

Hwo: Huh? Oh, yeah.

Hwoarang twirled the sword a bit and grinned menacingly at Ukyo.

Hwo: It's not that hard to use.

Ukyo: I'm sure...

Suddenly, Ukyo started twirling it madly. He did several tricks, letting it pass through his whole body. At last he was done, he sheathed it, and smiled.

Ukyo: Let's go... (Walks off)

Pai: O_O Wow...

Akm: O_O Clap, clap

Hwo: >:-( Hmph! Show off!

-The Craymel-

The room was dark and only a single beam of light brightened the room. This beam shone down on a cone-like stone upon a stand. The stone was made of gold, silver and some very valuable jewels. It sparkled as the light shone down upon it.

Pai: The Craymel...

Akm: Ah...The light! The holiness! Ah-(Tagang!) OWE! >_o

Ukyo: Hmph...

The four of them encircled the stand, each staring down on the Craymel.

Hwo: O_O Can't we just stash this and go home?

Ukyo: Can't. For one, Jin and Hazuki are in the vagabond's hands-

Hwo: That's not much of a lost!

A+P: >:-8

Ukyo: -And we can't get home without their help either.

Hwo: Fuck!

Pai: *sigh* Well, we better do it.

Ukyo: (looking at the parchment) Hmm...nothing. Guess it's safe.

Akm: You want my fingers crossed?

Ukyo slowly, carefully reached out for it. Tention was building. No one was breathing. They all gasped as Ukyo's palm touch it. Then, with eyes closed, he encircled his fingers around it. Nothing happened.

Ukyo: o.~ Hmm...o.o (examining and tossing it a bit)

Hwo: o_~ Are we dead yet?

Pai: o.~...o.O...It's okay! ^_^

Akm: DON'T-

The temple started to rumble...

Akm (Slaps face): -say that...

The place began to cave in. They all covered their heads with their hands.

Pai: LET'S GET OUT OF HERE!

They ran towards the entrance, but it was sealed by a huge boulder. They stepped back. Times came the rocks almost squashed them. Till they were but cowering at the corner, sitting, afraid, helpless as the room continued to cave-in.

Pai: >.< NAAAAH!!! Sniff! Sniff!

Hwo: (Pushing her head to his chest) We are NOT gonna die! We won't- WHAT THE FUCK-?!!!

Ukyo in a lotus position and Akuma was half kneeling. They seem to be...asleep, with no care for the world.

Hwo: DAMNIT! WHAT THE FUCK'S WITH YOU TWO?! WAKE UP!!!

Pai: RANG!

Pai was pointiong at the ceiling, which was gonna crash any second now. Pai started to cry madly as Hwoarang closed his eyes tightly waiting for it to fall. He waited...he waited for it to fall...to die...And fall it did...
A sudden flash of green light. Hwoarang felt the heat of the sun's rays burn his skin.

Hwo: -.o...Are we in heaven?

Ukyo: No...just outside of the temple, a few miles away...

Ukyo had his back turned, casting a shadow at them. He felt his arms around someone. Pai passed out, her dirty face seem to be worried still. Hwoarang looked at  further, beyond Ukyo and saw the temple...the temple they were in. The temple that was now nothing but ashes. He sat up, baffled.

Hwo: What the...? What happened? I thought-

Ukyo: You don't know what I'm capable of, do you?

He turned slowly. Hwoarang's eyes widened as he saw green lights emitting from the swordsman's eyes. Nothing but green could be seen, not a speck of white. It brightened his ashened face. Hwoarang, awestruck, only became more confused.

Hwo: Wa-wa-wait. So...you teleported us out of there?

Ukyo: No...I merely made a forcefield and some sort of explosion to get us out ot there.

Hwo: So, how-?

Ukyo pointed down on to the feet of the sand hill. Hwoarang carefully stood up, letting Pai gently on the sandy floor, and walked slowly towards Ukyo to see what it was.

Hwo: O_O What the fuck-

Down on the sandy ground lay Akuma, half naked (again), his pants ripped at the lower portion and very dirty. Only...he had flesh bat-like wings, spotted with red and green veins you could actually see. It was like his back was forcefully stretched. At the back of his ears, long, bull-like horns sprouted. They glinted beautifully like ivory. The star on his forehead was bleeding.

Ukyo: I just finished concealing him. You should have seen him a lttle while ago. He had this huge furry feet-

Hwo: Ha-ha-ha...

Ukyo: Oh yes. I created the forcefield and an exit, he carried us out of there.

Hwo: O_O...Yeah...

Ukyo (looks around): We better find an oasis or something. We can't go back yet, not until his full recovery. Come now, carry the her...

-Turning Tables-
The next day, they made their way to the small community. They were cheered and loved by everyone. It was like they were N Sync passing through the street. Soon, the elder told the people that they were tired and that they need rest.
Later, they met Jin and Hazuki who kept bugging them to tell their adventure. And so, at dinner, they told their journey to them, the elder, and the important people in the community who joined their table. Of course, they added some tidbits of MISCELLANEOUS info...

Ukyo: I single-handedly defeated the one-eyed ogre. Really, it was nothing...

Pai: Ho-hum! I was texting while fighting that huge caterpillar!

Akm: And I gave it a good WHACK! Then, I had to fight it by my bare fists. I was too fast for it...

Hwo: This serpent, see, was like a hundred times bigger than me...

Haz: Oh wow! Everything sounds so great!

Jin: I doubt it very much...

With all that, they forgot to tell a few MINOR details...

Next morning, they were brought to where the portal key is. After some rituals (which Rang kept mocking) the elder gladly gave it to them.

Eld: We thank you for saving us! May the spirits bless your path!

Haz: May your people live prosperously!

Eld: Of course! With the gods help and with this Craymel, we shall live happily.

Hwo: Yeah, only your gods don't have a home now! Haha!

Eld: Wh-what do you mean?

Hwo: Stupid temple crashed down when we snatched that thing off its post. Man-

Eld: WHAT?! NO! NOW THE GODS WILL SURELY BEFALL PLAGUES UPON US! THIS IS YOUR DOING! YOU MUST PAY FOR YOUR CRIMES! SEIZE THEM!

Ukyo: But we got you the Craymel! We saved your race!

Eld: Saved us so we can be damned?! TO HELL WITH YOU! YOU ARE NO PROPHETS! YOU ARE DEMONS! Tomorrow, you shall all be killed!

Hwo: We didn't say we were prophets! Sheesh!

They were surrounded by the guards.

Akm: Nice going, genius!

Hwo: SHUT UP!

Ukyo: Let's just go...

Jin: GOOD IDEA! -.-

Akuma started massaging the stone. The guards jumped at them but caught nothing but air as they sped off to another place...

And they dropped back...back to the dark palace. Back to the Midnight Realm...