She refused to eat anything. She would not let any of this sinfilled food touch her lips. She was growing more and more impatient as time dragged on. She was getting sick of these wandering through hell. She had just about had it when Cedric attacked. She once again used a spell of strength to help out, wanting this to be over but not wanting to use up all her energy at once. Who knows what lay beyond in the other circles. She had taken two steps towards the door when a giant winged dog crashes through the roof. "Oooh winged puppy, so cute." She said as as it growled and bore it's fangs. Then a sweet melody filled the air. It was lovely, hypnotic almost. The beasts all seemed killed into a sense of calm. The looked to the source of the sound to find a beautiful young woman in a grey gown that was simply beautiful on her. She sent a return smile to the woman and followed her to the door. When they exited they seemed almost sucked away from the tavern door and it disappeared. They were now in the fourth circle of hell. Just from looking around she could tell this was were those filled with greed were sent. The mines were filled with gold and other treasures that the inhabitants were loading into carts and pushing them up to the surface, only to destroy them. Before starting on the way to the surface, where she assumed they would come across the guardian and find the next portal to the next circle she turned her attention to the violin wielding woman. She gave her a kind innocent smile and said, "Hello. I'm Lily. Thank you for back there. Are you traveling through the hell circles as well? We should all go together it'd be such a pleasure to have a wonderful person like yourself join us." She was really enthusiastic about meeting this new person. She reminded Lily of her best friend Thana. Her cool, calm demeanor, her peacefulness, not to mention the beauty with which she played. This woman was another reminder of the place and people she had lost and she didn't want to lose this feeling of comfort just yet. 

Cedric looked at the sphinx, it was as large as the dog back in the third circle, he looked around, such waste!
The Sphinx quickly saw the three mortals who has entered his realm. He was curious to see mortals that haven't died yet, find themselves in hell.

"What are you doing here?! There are no records of you being greedy, or you dying." The Sphinx told Cedric,
"But, you ARE in my realm, and you must follow my rules, if not, you will be given 3 hours to re-think your decision"

Cedric was alarmed by this, and he crossed his arms and shook his head.
"I'm not buyin' it" Cedric said to the sphinx, uninterested "Maybe we can settle on a deal"

"Nope, to the cell with you!" The Sphinx boomed.

Cedric and the others were sent to a cell, 3 hours, abide by his rules, or die.

"Any bright ideas?" Asked Cedric, leaning against the door.

As Lily addressed her, the young woman started slightly with surprise, slowly drawing her bow across the silvered wires of the violin one final time before allowing it to drop. She lowered her violin from her shoulder, ducking her head gently, murmuring an almost hypnotic voice," Please- I would love not to… Travel alone here," it was almost as if each word was another additional lyric to an epic of a song. 

She tilts her head back to gaze toward the Sphynx, her cherry lips parted slightly as her light olive gaze sweeps the creature's lithe form admirable before they are swept into a cell. She blinked slowly, stifling a soft yawn as the young woman focuses upon Cedric, tilting her head as she lowered her violin, in truth- even surrounded by a sea of gold, her only desire was to play her precious instrument and continue to explore the beauties of the world… Alas, she couldn't stand by as people suffered, thus why she began this literal hell journey.

" Ah…" Pausing she looks between her new companions," Perhaps we can try and give something to the Sphynx… In the spirit of generosity." She trails off before offering a small, lovely little smile," In the spirit of selflessness, yes?"

She was completely taken aback by the strange conversation between Cedric and the sphynx appearing out of no where. Then before anything could really be done they were thrown in a cell. "Hu? What rules? It never told us any rules." She slapped her face into her palm. "Ugh, a sphynx. Tricky creatures." She looked to the young woman as she offered a possible solution. "That might work seeing as we are in the circle of hell for Greed, but sphynxes are notorious for their love of riddles. My guess is that is probably a more likely solution in this case." She explained and looked out the bars. She waved over one of the sphynxes minions and arranged a meeting. It wasn't long before they were being led out of the cell once more. 

Once in the presence of the sphynx she observed it closely. It seemed to be waiting for something. She sighed and said, "Lets start off easy shall we. I am the beginning of the end, the root of evil, the end of life, I stretch from the origin of eternity to the end of time and space." A smile grew on the sphynx's face showing large sharp teeth. "About time you understood the rules here. The letter E. My turn. Little Nancy Etticoat, in a white petticoat, with a red nose, the longer she stand the shorter she grows. What is she?"

"A candle. What does a man love more than life, fear more than death or mortal strife. What the poor have, the rich require, and what contented men require. What misers spend and spend thrifters save. What all men take to the grave."

"Nothing. The old mother had only one eye, and a long tail that she let fly, and every time she went through a gap, she left a bit of her tail in the trap."

"Needle and thread." She answered and before she could say her next riddle the sphynx held up it's pay and said, "That is enough. It was fun, but I'm only supposed to ask one. You may pass." With those words a portal opened beneath the group and they fell into the next circle of hell.

As they were jumping down the portal, he heard clashes of steel and screaming.
It was the time for anger, he looked past the railing and saw gangs of men murdering each other with swords, crossbows, sticks and stones, Cedric hopped atop the railing and jumped down onto lower level, he noticed that all who died, felt immense pain, but didn't die, instead they sat there, moaning, screaming.

Cedric was startled when a banshee appeared behind him to suck his emotions, thinking quickly, he stabbed the banshee straight in the heart, it released a storm of emotions, some emotions, people got to catch, but most just escaped, never to be seen or felt again.

This got the attention of the other banshees, who quickly surrounded them all, Cedric managed to hack 7 banshees, clearing a path for them to escape to the underground dungeon, where people await their turn to brutally murder each other. Cedric looked upon the people who were already fighting, bullying others, it was school all over again! Except that Cedric was never bullied in school. Cedric looked at the endless hall filled with men fighting, maiming ad killing each other, his spear broke once he slashed the last banshee, and he had nothing else to arm himself with, except his use of magic, which is very poor.

Cedric looked back up, the banshees reappeared and was now blocking the stairway. The only way past the enraged people was to fight.

The violence that broke out, of course- caught their strange musical-oriented companion off guard, not to mention the complete hack-and-slash massacre that followed. Elenoir made herself rather small with fear, hiding behind Lily before exhaling calmly. Ah- she had to be brave, for the Afflicted. Again, she drew her violin to her chin again, focusing upon the scene in front of her. She breathed deeply the rancid, hot air, letting the smell of blood, open bowels and violence flood her lungs. Her light green eyes flew wide as the irises reflected the scenes of violence at its most primeval and feral.

Slowly, she lifted the bow to the silvered strings again, murmuring," I won't be… Completely useless to you-" she promises in that soft, hypnotic voice, stepping around Lily as she feels her slippers sink into a puddle of blood that soaked into her slipper and stained the pale skin of her slender foot. Nonetheless, she drew her bow across the strings, the sound that lifted from the strings… Was utterly discordant, drawing the attention of the attackers with almost astonishing effectiveness. The men began to aim toward the utterly defenseless young woman alas… Alas, she murmurs to her companions,"- Let me show you what I can do for you." Immediately, the bow began to work across the silvered strings-

The song that erupted from the violin sang of violence, the futility of it- drowning out even the screams of the Banshees that competed with the notes that lifted and blasted through the air. It seemed to place the combatants in a stupor, causing several to burst into tears and collapse even as they violently bashed their fists into the ground. It seemed they finally became aware of their own torturous state and would leave them alone… For now.

Hearing about the fifth circle and actually traveling there were two different things. Being there, smelling the blood, hearing the cries of pain, it shook her to her core. Being a healer, this was the hardest circle she had come to yet. Knowing she may be able to alleviate the pain and suffering of those around her yet unable to do so because those she helped would turn on her in an instant and kill her mercilessly. Tears formed in her eyes as she felt she was betraying her very nature as she ignored those that cried out for help, to make the pain stop. The battle with the banshees went all but in noticed by her as she felt helpless here. It was only when the young woman who had been hiding behind her began to play her song that she emerged from the darkest parts of her mind and finally took in their situation. The cries of the banshees were no longer heard over the stunning music that dropped all that heard it to their knees, but that didn't mean the effectiveness of their magic to tear away all emotions but anger were lost. Cedric's situation concerned her. He had nothing to fight with but enemies all around. A thought then popped into her head from his words from the first circle, 'I could use some magic enhancing spells, even though I can cast magic, I'm not necessarily decent at it'
This gave her an idea. She quickly surrounded the young woman with protection spells, just in case someone tried anything to her and made her way right next to Cedric. "This will only be temporary but I think I've figured out a way to enhance your magic like you were asking about back with the pale death." She bit her finger until it bled then took his hand and painted a symbol upon the back of his hand with her blood. She then welled up and activated her magic. A sort of connection was formed between them she could sense his consciousness like it was beyond a door that had appeared in her mind. She could tell he was there and alive, he probably would be able to feel the same thing. She let go of his hand and moved several steps back from him before she started… Through this connection, this door, she let her magic flow out of her into hom, giving him more magical strength than he previously had, but at the price of weakening herself. She left the connection open so if he needed she could give him more. She didn't know how long it would last, they were on the clock he had to hurry. "There's not much time hurry."

Cedric was empowered by Lily's magic, he used his minor psychokenisis to point out weak spots in the pit, turns out, there are stairs going down to the portal to the 7th circle.
He used all of his might to push these stairs out of the wall and voila! There they were, though Cedric couldn't pop them all the way through, so one would have to go first with the next behind him.

He walked down the stairs until he heard the weeping had stopped, the tears were replaced with blind rage, as the men near the pit wanted to escape first, they were looking to push Cedric and the others to their demise, if this circle was to escape this circle, they would bring about chaos in an already chaotic plane.

Cedric's power was just enough to cast a lightning bolt to the front of the line, which suddenly creaked to a halt, and sent the other behind tumbling down, they were close enough.
JUMP!

The wormhole felt like it stretched forever… Until they hit the ground. BLAM! Cedric was knocked out cold.

Hyde found himself wandering the wasteland of the sixth circle, men who want to talk cannot as their mouths sewn shut and tongues cut out, dust flied in the ind, the heaviness of his armor did not help with the thrashing wind, it was unwise that he did not take his cloak to go wandering as he thought it would be hot, but he would be mistaken.

He's cold, weak and hungry, he spotted nearby travelers one face down to the floor, seemingly knocked out and two women, he tried all his might to waddle over to them to join their little group.

"Excuse me missus, may I join your little adventuring group? After all better to travel in 4 than to travel in three, I am no burden, I can take care of myself" He explained to the group, and the group needed a muscle, since the other person was counting sheep.

"Since I am the newcomer, I shall abide by your rules, if you have any. As long as we are a group, I swear to be as much help" The hulking man said to the 3 people (including the unconscious man)

Hyde sheathed his sword and knelt down to the 3 travelers.

(OOC: Yes, this is me, Nyromix, but I felt like someone was missing, and I've fulfilled it! This character was in the corner, collecting dust, so I figured I could use him in our lil' thread!)

Elenoir instinctively inhaled quickly as a pile of armor quite literally flopped before them but quickly formed into a rather short man. A small smile breaks across her cherry lips as she bows her head and chirps softly," That would be- ah- very nice." she murmurs, stifling a giggle behind her slender fingers. Especially now it seemed their protector was quite unconcious. She quickly placed her violin and bow over her back, clearly hooked there by a special strap as she knelt before Cedric, taking him in her arms as she cradles him gently.

Looking up to Lily, she furrowed her brow," What… Shall we do with him?"