[/i], doc."
the ex-con drawled back with a roll of the eyes as he made sure to stay long enough in certain spots of interest so the researcher on the other end could properly document the area.
"What happened to a little excitement, a death-defyin' thrill once a day eh?"
"There is however still room for ceiling knives and spikes."
The elderly man's voice jousted back with equal e\levity and Joseph's smirk showed off teeth at the thought.
"I'm uncertain that 'death by forbidden temples' is covered under your current health insurance however."
"Send me on enough of these little expeditions, and it just might."
Leaping off the ledge of a wall into what looked to be a basement area, he allowed the light of his torch to illuminate the ceiling which was adorned with a massive mural. One that was unnerving once he got past its beauty to study the details more carefully.
"Doc, the uh. The people who lived here. You think they were ever into the whole human sacrifice shindig?"
There was a long silence from the other end before the two-way communication system crackled to life once more, and the older man's tone had become gravely and concerned.
"Officially no. Unofficially, we did unearth evidence of certain cults in recent times. Did you---oh my."
The professor's explanation was cut short as Joseph pointed the camera to the mural in question and took several steps back when his boots suddenly crunched over something that broke like glass and he whipped around to the source of the sound only to see the remained of a smashed pair of spectacles in his wake.
It was at that point that the ground began to rumble and Gambit began cawing urgently, flapping away on his shoulder and Joseph felt his heart skip a beat when he saw the floors beginning to shift and the sand falling through a widening gap in the floor.
"
Shit."
The man hissed under his breath as he was backed against the wall with the floors giving way to a pit, and from the way light shone off jagged edge he knew it was a pit he wanted no bussiness of stepping within.
Flaring open the jacket he wore and holding on to the hems, he nodded at the Murkrow who clacked a heavyset beak at him in response.
"Tailwind Gam! Gimme some lift here aight?"
A powerful whirlwind whipped out underneath him as he jumped and ran up the side of the wall, said whirlwind giving him enough of a lift to scale all fifteen feet of it until he finally reached the upper floor and sank into a panting heap, sighing in relief.
"Thanks homie."
He crooned gratefully at the Murkrow, stroking the bird underneath the chin.
"
Too fuckin' close."
"Good to see you're alive."
Livingstone's voice cracked through the earpiece once more as Joseph let out a low whistle before looking down at the basement where he had been. The entire floor had disappeared, the pit underneath housing rows upon rows of rusty, weathered blades and more than a few bodies in between them. One he assumed, was who the glasses might have belonged to.
"
Fuck doc. Here I was thinkin' you were jokin' about the goddamn spikes."
The ex-con got to his feet, logging in the area as a danger zone on his map.
"Thinkin' you might have lost one or two guys here in the past."
"I'll doublecheck the missing person's report. We'll send rangers down there once you've mapped it out in its entirety."
came the reply as Joseph slipped through a hole in the wall to the stairs on the other end of the temple which lead to a granite walkway that led to several adobe-style houses in the distance. Human dwellings no doubt.
"In the meantime, let's keep moving."
[/ul]
Wise Glasses!
DUSK STONE!
SWAMPERTITE!
