Moon Valley
It had taken two days to reach Moon Valley. Fortunately, it had been a fairly uneventful trip save for Takeo's encounter with Princess Rin. Then again, most trips thru Moon Valley left many unnerved. So many ghost stories of bandits, warriors, and maidens filled the local inns and tea houses surrounding it during the foggy evenings on into the wee hours of the night. The low laying lakes hidden within the forests created such an eerie fog that engulfed the entire valley after sundown. The trees themselves looked like spectators to any who dared travel their forest paths. It was no wonder why it was considered bandit country.
They finally reached the hideout as the sun started setting. It was a giantic wood and stone building that nearly a century ago served as an outpost during the last war with the Dragoons. According to the blueprint, it was 5 stories above ground and 3 under ground. It had been designed to toy with the minds of any unwelcome guest or invader. Takeo had spent hours memorizing the blueprint, but he knew it was probably outdated with the kidnappers or local bandits likely modifying the structure over the years.
Once at the hideout, the other members of the Emperor's Hand began to make a distraction near the entrance using fireworks. Takeo carefully approached a hidden door way at the base of one of the 6 signal towers just outside the tree line. Dressed in an orange jacket, he dashed from tree to tree. Although most guards would be looking at the fireworks, Takeo couldn't take the chance one or two might remain at their posts to spot him.
Once at the base of a tower, he ran his gloved hands along the stone wall before finding a loose stone. He turned the stone until he heard a loud click and a wooden panel opened. The ninja jumped thru before the panel slamed shut.
It was dark inside the hideout, though he dared not pull out his glow stone yet. It appeared the kidnappers didn't know about this entrance or part of the building. The dust and cobwebs decorated the room and adjacent corridors. Only cracks in the outer walls offered any trace of light. Takeo crept across the decaying wood floors best he could. Planks were broken and missing in places. Takeo decided to get down on all fours to better disrupt his weight. Still, as he started to enter a larger room he heard the cracking of wood and leap over to him to the room infront of him as the floor gave way. He briefly looked back to see bones in the pit; he had hoped on bring Prince Jia to this entrance to escape without notice, but had the weaken floor not deterred him the collapse made it clear Takeo needed to have a new exit plan.
It was darker than the previous room, but thankfully the floor was tile and much more stable. He was able to stand up. His back ached as he stretched. Takeo looked around; his eyes were still adjusting to the darkness. He could make out some doors and furniture. He noticed an old lantern on a table and knew this was one of the trap rooms. Every trap room had a lantern held by a bronze snake. Now, the question was what was the trap? And how would he leave the room without tripping it?
He moved to get a better look at the bronze snake and an arrow narrowly missed his head. A viper in striking position . . . Poisoned arrows released by pressure plates embedded within the flooring. It certainly explained why there had been a shift from the previous room. The ninja sighed. He pulled out a a glow stone. The viper was green and the tile on the floor were shades of yellow and green. Takeo walked along a path of yellow tiles to another door.
This time, Takeo was met with a long darkened corridor. This time the stone floor was blanketed by decades of dust and lanterns hanging looked like a spider's nest. He was still in the forgotten part of the building and by now the other members of the Emperor's Hand had retreated from their distraction to hide amoung the trees for the night. The shadows were his only cover. He took off his jacket and began turning it insideout to the black side. He couldn't take the chance later on that one of these abandoned hallways or rooms would be rediscovered and him wearing the loudest color in the room. Not to mention the iron plates sewn into the jacket were loose, making some metallic rings as he refolded it. He cursed this oversight as he put it back on. Time wasn't on his side.