[----TRUCE CANYON----]

Lowell stops. His steps were full of trepidation before, but even that was held fast in light of the grotesque scene he encroached upon. Slowly, he sets his half-burdened gathering sack aside, leaning forward to get a better look.

Knochen's lair, what was formerly the home of a few imps, has become a charnel house. The scent of blood and meat wafts freely from the caves, but still, a hunk of meat lies outside. As Lowell moves closer to the cave, something causes the meat to be dragged back into the cave, baiting the boy.

Lowell tenses, his pitchfork twitching. Well, -that- was different. Cautious but ever curious, he ventures a few steps forward; if dragging meat wasn't a sign of danger, he didn't know what was -- all the more reason to let the guards know.

The meat, which had now entered Knochen's cave, remains out of sight. Instead darkness reigns inside, giving no real indication to what may or may not be inside. Horrors or puppies, either are equally possible at this point.

Darkness... nothing but. Leaning in wasn't getting him anywhere. Determination creasing his brow, Lowell dares to enter the cave mouth, stance terse and defensive.

A soft ringing noise takes place in the back of the cave, Lowell crosses the threshold, and two red lights snap on at the back of Knochen's lair. For several seconds they focus only on Lowell, as if considering him. They also cast just enough dim light to see the surrounding portions of the cave, which is stacked with discarded meat and bones.

Lowell freezes the moment the lights blink on. He can't stay completely still, what with his breathing becoming somewhat more rapid, but he certainly can't be faulted for trying. Eyes wide, he manages to glimpse the bones along the walls, but otherwise keeps his focus forward.

"You have come at an odd time, child." The voice sounds as if it has rust on it, and the scraping of metal creates the only source of light besides the red lights. A small fire, created by the scraping of claws over dried wood, illuminates Knochen's lair. "I just so happened to need someone to test something. You will be that person."

An object is thrust out of the collection of skins covering Knochen's frame, and the threatening click that emenates from it readies the weapon. "Oh no. I insist. You will stay, child, or I will destroy your kneecap, and you will do what I want anyways. But, I do so want a test subject at it's top compacity. So stay. Still."

Okay, there goes the diplomatic approach(such that it is). At least Lowell is finally still, staring in abject terror. Are those... -loose skins-? What kind of weapon is that thing? Those eyes...

Knochen unfolds himself, the collection of skins slipping and sliding off his frame as the skeleton stands. Blood still clings to it's chassis, but Knochen seems fine with this. "I am glad you decided to listen. Now, You will be testing the effectiveness of these."

Knochen grabs a nearby strand of sinew, and pulls on it, and two cages come crashing down from the roof, between Lowell and Knochen. Inside each lies an Imp, but both of them are odd for their kind, obviously mad with rage. Select portions of their bodies seem to have been skinned, keeping the imps in constant maddening pain. "Live and you will go free."

A sharp, short cry rings loud as the cages come down, accompaniment to Lowell jumping so strongly it knocks him off his feet. Actually looking at the frenzied imps inside doesn't help matters, leaving the boy struggling to get away.

Knochen lets down his revolver, instead stepping forward to cut the bindings on the imps' cages. The frenzied beasts immediately slam against the cage, both screaming at the top of their lungs as they lurch towards Lowell. Knochen however, steps back, resting back down to watch the show with marked interest.

Lowell scrambles and stumbles to get back to his feet, whipping himself around to face the imps. Dazed and shocked, all he can do is edge backwards, pointing the sharp end of his polearm at each of the creatures indecisively. "W-what...?!"

The imps, enraged from Knochen's care, do not spend time waiting for the boy to decide. Instead, both leap at him, one of the imps literally ramming itself against his pitchfork in it's attempt to try and get closer to Lowell, claws swiping at the boy.

Lowell lurches back a bit, but manages to keep his footing. He hazards a couple swings to fling the impaled imp off, but with how hard it's gotten itself stuck on he's coming closer to swinging it into the other imp.

The imp has jammed itself onto Lowell's pitchform pretty damn rough, apparentally the tines are jammed inside it's bones, because the imp dies shortly after. Regardless, the other imp doesn't seem to much care, clawing at whatever it can reach, which in this case happens to be the dead imp inbetween it and Lowell. (Knochen)

Knochen frowns, noting not just the frenzy, but the apparent stupidity of the imps. A pity, that. He raises his revolver and squeezes the trigger once, blowing a hole in the imp's head before Knochen gets to his feet. "Enlightening I shall have to field them enmass. Now child, See what you can do against these."

Knochen pulls another cord, a larger cage dropping to the ground this time. Inside it lies a Roly, but like the imps, this one seems feral. In addition, plates of bone have been roughly sewn it it's chitin. "Ready for round two?"

Lowell is most certainly not: his hands jam firmly against his ears -- where's that leave the pitchfork, folks? -- and he's doubled over. That was -not- a quiet shot, and far be it from a simple farmhand to be anything remotely resembling acclimated to the sound.

Knochen seems not to care much about the condition of Lowell's ears, instead slitting open the restraints on this cage, and kicking the back of it, propelling the frenzied Roly towards the doubled over child. "Defend yourself quickly child."

While the verbal command didn't quite make it through all the ringing, the piecemeal "Roly" charging at him definitely gets Lowell's attention. The boy quickly dives to one side, just trying to get out of this thing's way.

The Roly rolls past Lowell before it slams to a halt, uncurling and turning to gaze at Lowell with tiny eyes full of hate. Knochen watches the two with interest again, seeing how his abominations stack up against normal people.

Lowell keeps facing the creature while edging back... and -cringes-, almost throwing himself to the ground again! Grimacing, he takes his eyes off the Roly long enough to regard a fresh trickle of blood stemming from a substantial puncture on the back of his leg, thanks to one of the sharper bones in the pile behind him.

Knochen watches coldly as the Roly rolls up again, bone plates scraping against rock as it does so before it begins rolling towards Lowell again, apparentally aiming to drive the boy further against the sharp bones nearby!

Lowell looks up in time to see the maddened insect charging again. With great effort -- and a half-shriek trying to move that leg -- he tries to dive out of the way. Almost makes it, too, but a split second delay is all it takes.

A shrill cry rings harshly against the uncaring cave walls, paired with the sound of bone hitting bone with great force. All Lowell can perceive is agony, calves lacerated almost to the bone between the Roly and uncaring remains behind.

Knochen nods to the Roly's preformance so far, and the creature slowly begins unfurling it'self on top of Lowell, seeking to weight down the boy and attempt to pin him under it's newly gained weight. Knochen, sensing an end to things, begins pulling the skin-cloak around him yet again to settle down.

Lowell thrashes violently against the Roly, -so- violently that he actually manages to yank his legs out from the bone pile, but doesn't rid himself of the bigger problem; the Roly drapes over him, locking the shaking boy underneath it.

Even as helpless to move as he is, Lowell keeps flailing. "NO!" It's the only word he can form, mute and blind from the relentless pain. Impotent throes do nothing to relieve him of the pressure reigning over his entire body. "No," he chokes out again.

Lowell says 'I-I... I can't...'

Knochen settles back under the 'robes' and decocks the revolver in his hand before watching the Roly and the child's final moments. With his impotant struggles, wet noises emenate from the roly's face as it's mouth-parts extend, the creature readying itself to feast on the still-technically living body.

I can't... why is this happening? Why did I even come here, how did this happen I can't get out Lowell lurches, desperate to get the creature off of him. don't let it kill me please i can't die i can't i can't i CAN'T GET IT AWAY

A mote of light winks by. Soft, unnoticable, at first. It winks into view again, blinking lazily in and out. The light traces a path into the cave, settling to a gentle pulse just beside Lowell. helpmehelpmehelpmecan'tdiecan'tmoveit'lleatme

Another cry rings out. it'soveritcan'tbeoverwon'tletitican'tgetout The boy heaves again, valiant and strong, but again to no avail. they'reouttherethey'realiveihavetogobackcan'tdienowilovethemsomuch so much! A deep growl, instinctive and primal... yet Lowell remains hindered.

As quietly as it arrived, the light explodes, a storm of white and violet. If only for a moment, darkness is a thing unknown to the cavern. Lowell, the bones, and all else falls to white.

Knochen doesn't move as his vision is overtaken, instead the skeleton sits quite still, waiting to see what has come of this unexpected circumstance. The roly however, screams and holds off on attempting to eat Lowell just yet.

The light fades and the human stands. As if guided, the youth moves his arm in a formal, stilted gesture, silvered moonlight trailing in its wake. Flick. Light pervades again, a beam focused on the defiled creature. (Lowell)

Sizzling, wet crackling, but not a sound from the insect itself before the beam disperses. The husk drops, steaming from the heat but mercifully still. The hand lowers, darkness retaking its rightful place as the light dims to a glimmer off brilliant metal. (Lowell)

Knochen stands, eyeing Lowell with much more interest now. He discards his skins carelessly, aparentally taking the magic the child was swinging around seriously. "You have decieved me it seems. A pity, now the test is tainted."

Lowell doesn't meet the gaze behind the voice, but answers in a strange tone, as if two voices are speaking in perfect unison. "So it would seem. I assume I will be able to leave uncontested?"

Knochen turns his head from his head from side to side, as if considering it, before lifting his hand and motioning for Lowell to go away. "I have no need for subjects like you. My targets do not follow the same patterns that you create. Leave my cave."

"Very well." Lowell walks calmly to the mouth of the cavern, almost out of sight, but stops just before. "But know this." He turns to face you, back to the daylight.

Lowell says 'If these "targets" of yours are innocent, you WILL be meeting me again.'

Knochen rests back to his seat once more, shaking his head. "We will meet again child protector. But all I wish is a return to normalcy. My targets are the ones who disturbed me."

Lowell lets his stare linger for a moment longer, intent, then nods as if in understanding. The armored youth finally departs, returning to the world.