Found Tar

JP with Alexis, Gonyaul and Winteroak:

Clearly, that building was the main structure of the whole cemetery. If someone was looking for treasure, they would probably start here.

So good chances their elusive ‘guide’ was pilfering the crypt right at this moment.

Alexis looked up at the elaborate structure and the statue looking down back to them from its top. If things were different, this would have been a fascinating place to explore. Now however it sadly represented yet another delay.

She looked back to her friend and nodded her head towards the entrance.

“Let’s get this over with.”

Upon arrival, the torch light and the glow from the plants combined well enough to be able to make out footprints in the ash and dust covering the few steps leading to the entrance. Someone had entered the crypt at some point.

Alexis entered cautiously, with Gonyaul following after.

You hear noises from inside the crypt. As if someone is lifting or moving large stones. Good chance that Tar is inside.

Even if it was Tar, better be safe than sorry.

Alexis took point again moving towards the noises, hand on the hilt of her sword.

Gonyaul wondered if he was going to permanently end up walking like a crab, doing a sideways grapevine step, after this endless cave system adventure. It enabled him to follow Alexis while angling to the rear and side, giving the two combined close to 360 degree coverage.

He took notice of the interior of the crypt as it was temporarily painted by the light of the torch.

Tar sensed their presence more than he heard them. He was on his knees. Tears streaming down his eyes. Eight seasons of searching over. Exactly where his many searches told him it would be. But he couldn't dwell on the moment much longer. He needed to get out of these caves. Continue is search. Deal with the strangers. He stood up and returned to the entrance wiping away at his face and eyes.

When he saw the bruised and battered duo he stood in looking past them into the mausoleum.
"Did you kill it?" He asked shock in his eyes.

“Yes. No thanks to you.“

Alexis answered in a tone of voice tempered somewhere below freezing point.

Gonyaul could sense Alexis’s displeasure with the man. Gonyaul was not as hard on him, since he recalled the deal was for them to help kill the Naylmo. The man never did say he would directly be involved. He was concerned though that this stranger was not being completely honest with them and that could mean he was lying about giving them the directions they needed.

Gonyaul hoarsely added, “You done with what doing now? You can show us way in, yes?”

Gonyaul did take note that the man had been crying. Or maybe it was just dust in his eyes? There was a lot of that going around from all the debris displaced in the fight.

Tar looked around and directly at the two. His mind raced. Showed them what? For a second he forgot everything about them and their deal and their lost friends.

They had just killed the Naylmo. Impressive. He recalled himself quickly. "Yes. Yes. This way..." He said pointing deeper into the far side of the Mausoleum. "Unless you need to rest first?" He asked looking at their state...

Alexis sighed. It was Aquilo all over again, wasn’t it? They wanted to continue, but it was a stupid thing to do in their current condition.
Especially with a less than reliable guide.

“I guess that makes sense. Knowing that Ypogeos isn’t going to be exactly a walk in the park, either.”

Gonyaul grabbed his head in exasperation and immediately winced as his hands touched the bandages there. This whole rescue felt like hurry up and wait. His patience chimed in, that it would be wiser to rest briefly. If you want to cut down a tree in four hours, you should spend the first three hours sharpening your axe.

He calmed down, before making a scene of it, and complied. Taking a seat where he was, he began getting the water skins and food rations ready. He then handed Alexis’s to her and then offered Tar some out of his own share.

“What are you looking for, anyway? With that face, I’ll assume you didn’t find it.”

Alexis asked as she took the water with a nod of appreciation.

Gotta be something really valuable if Tar was willing to deal with a threat like that Naylmo.