A Prisoner Once Again? (Retuo)

The Dryrange Vistas. It had sands for miles to see and was blanketed intense heat that danced along those golden sands and buried building creating mirages all around. It was a place no one wished to be in most of the time, but it was a place that the red headed drifter had come to call home. Usually he was confident in his walking about the sea of gold that held many secrets and tricks up its sleeves; however, today it would seem he had made an error. A mis-step to be precise, on grounds that seemed solid, but instead quickly swallowed him up, sending him spiraling down into the sands and then into the world below. With a thud and grunt, he hit the ground below, landing in a crouch like a cat. His body took the impact well, the ground cracking under his weight as sand from above poured onto him. Not wishing to be buried, he rolled to the side to take away some of the energy from the fall within him as he stayed crouched watching the sands pour down for a second or two.

His red eyes would eventually follow that water fall of sand back upward to look at the hole above that let said sand pour in and teased at the skies and sun outside. Outside of the ring of light that the hole created, there was only gloom that turned into deep darkness. This place was alot cooler than above, but probably no less dangerous. Quietly getting to his feet and shaking the sand out of his long red hair and off his body, he'd squint at the darkness beyond the light as he looked to see if there were any walls or structures that could either get him up and out of the place or at least hint where he was now. He doubt anyone would be able to find him anyway unless they too ended up falling into the hole that gave no warning of its presence in that deep sand.

The Dryrange certainly was not an area for one to stay too long in unless they had plenty water on hand to keep hydrated. For the most part, Retuo was just passing through at this point after having left Helanna's camp. As much as he did prefer the heat over the cold, even he did not want to risk it for way too long. Unfortunately as it may be however, the land had a different idea that day.

While he had noticed the now somewhat uneven area of the sandy ground, it wasn't all that helpful when the floor under one's feet was not stable in the slightest and could send you flying just as easily as the waves of an ocean. He had tried to hold onto the edge of the hole for a couple moments, but eventually decided that it was better to just drop down for it wasn't going to be possible for him to pull himself up with all the sand around making finding a good anchor point way too difficult. Sliding down by one of the walls of the hole, he'd land down on his butt with a faint huff. Great. Guess he was taking up more distractions on again.

Brushing some sand out of his hair, he'd furrow his brows slightly as he took note of the fact that he wasn't alone here. Even better. "...." Shifting, he would move to stand up as he eyed the person. He probably made for a bit of an odd sight as he was currently dressed a tiny bit more haphazardly than normal, his shirt tied around his waist while his coat was loosely hanging around his shoulders, showing off his bare chest for the time being. You do what you have to in the face of heat though...

He had just made up his mind to check out the place since standing around here wasn't gonna to help him find a way out. At least getting a lay out of the place and whatever was in it would help better determine what options he actually he had. It would be a quick scan of the area for now as he rather not be getting lost in this place if it provided to be larger than it seemed. Something that wouldn't be surprising considering a lot of ruins laid hidden under the sands here. With a plan in hand, he would take a step or two away from the ring of light only to pause as both his ears and nose caught something unusual within the almost perfect quiet of this underground place.

There was a change in the way the sands pouring down sounded and a different sort of earthy smell mixed within the usual desert smells....Was something falling in or intentionally coming in for unknown reasons?

He'd continue to listen, turning his head in the direction of that waterfall just in time to see something coming down the wall and landing rather ungracefully on their butt with a huff. Now that was either one clumsy demon or a person that met the same fate as he did. Keeping his eye on the other, he wouldn't turn fully to face the other at first as he simply took in the person there. A tall male with long hair a nicely built body suggesting he either was into staying fit even in this hell called life or he got that body from surviving and winning in the wild...somehow without scars. It was hard to say if he was a demon or not considering some could not only show off body parts to be attractive to something or someone, but also be on the tall side and more or less looking taken care of....Though from the way the other was wearing said clothing, it looked like this might've been done to help with the heat instead rather than for show. Hmm...

That quick scan done and analysis done for now, he'd give a slow blink to the other as he shifted in his spot to face the other fully. His body language was relaxed and his face devoid of emotion as he simply tilted his head at the other.

"Holes are rather troublesome when you don't know where they go or see them; however, this place doesn't seem too bothersome yet and at least there is some shade for now," he would say his voice flat, but not hostile in the least. He'd look up at the hole for a moment and then back at the other. "You seem to have come the way I did. Yet...you are unharmed I assume, Mr...?" He'd trail off there not having a name to go on right now.

"...Retuo." He'd give his name without much of a thought, not really seeing a reason not to, although part of him did wonder as to why that was of importance first thing like this. He didn't necessarily care whether people he barely knew addressed him by name or not, as long as they weren't inventing unpleasant or weird nicknames instead. Besides, there wasn't even anyone else the other guy could have been speaking to, so it was obvious he was the target even without a name being said. Either way, he would regard the other with a similarly neutral expression and stance for now, only raising a brow a tiny bit. "I might end up a bit sore later, but that is neither here nor there." He was not visibly harmed no, but there was a chance his behind was going to have something to say about the impact once it settled in later. It wasn't something he saw as an issue however, because as long as nothing was broken and he didn't have any open wounds on him, he wasn't in actual danger. Those types of injuries were far more troublesome out here than anything else.

He'd glance around the area briefly. "While it might not pose any direct trouble right now, I by all means prefer to have solid ground under my feet." He wasn't fond of surprises like this, and on top of that, he hadn't been planning to get derailed once again either. Luckily though, it probably wouldn't be too difficult to make a way out thanks to his abilities seeing as they were literally underground right now which gave him plenty earth based material to work with. Perhaps that was the silver lining in it all, because being trapped with seemingly no good way out would have definitely soured his day. "Ah. Nice to meet you, by the way." Might as well roll with this for the moment though. He needed to take some time to think about a proper plan anyway.

It was more out of habit than a necessity that the red head had left the subject of names open for the other to answer or not. In the big picture this did not truly matter, if anything it just helped him have something to call others by rather than "hey you" or something along the lines. Though considering it was just him and the other now this would be less of a hassle. In either case, this one decided to give him a name and in turn, he'd give a nod and response back to that for now. "Ah. Well there is no helping that. Solid ground is unforgiving to our softer bodies." His tones never shifted making it hard to tell what he was thinking. Though deep within he was glad the other wasn't hurt in any fashion that needed immediate attention. It was just he didn't know how to express that. He was never taught how to use emotions or express them. Even observing others do so still did not help how to express what he felt or even say without it getting really strange and confusing, so flatness and directness it would be. At least this way no one would be too confused. Anyway,

To the other's words, the red head would look towards the ground and use his left foot to tap it a bit. "I would argue and say this is the most solid ground I've had under me in a long while. It doesn't shift like the sands above after all," he would say his red eyes glancing back at the other with only the smallest hint of softening suggesting maybe he wasn't too serious about the words though it was hard to tell with his delivery of words and no smile in site. In any case, the slight showing of softness would sink back into the hard to read expression he wore as he continued. "Either way, this place is new to me. From its structure alone it suggests a ruin or cavern, but I won't be able to tell which unless I go further in. Same goes for if there any other exits outside of our lovely hole," he would say glancing at the hole and then along the smooth walls that surrounded them in the dim and darkness. Unless there were some cracks or what not there was no way he could scale that. Even less so with a second person in tow...

Hm?

He was briefly brought out of his thoughts as he the other spoke. He would give a quiet stare at the other more so processing things rather than being rude before he gave another nod. "Same. My name is Kei," he said. Might as well give him his own as a fair trade for the other giving his name earlier. Shifting in his spot to take a few steps towards the darkness, the red head would use his unusual sight and senses to try and gain more information about their surroundings, but all he got was a yawning tunnel that faded into deeper darkness. "Hmmm..." a rumbly hum would escape as he turn to look back at the other. "Since we are together, we might as well work together and come up with a plan if we wish to get back to the light above us, yes?" A direct request, but one the other could easily refuse if he wished. After all strangers had no obligations of working together. Even less so in the world they lived in.