The fine pieces of wood stitched together no longer held the same bonds as they once did, ice now acting as a glue for the vehicle allowed it roll. This didn't prevent the caravan from moving just made it a little noisy.
"I have to see it through. I have no other choice."
The slow rocking of the caravan stirring Akagi from his deep mnemonic slumber. Twisting from one side to the other and closing back his eyes Akagi laid for a moment. Briefly not in tune with the situation around him, Akagi's eyes barely open a slit could see no light pouring through the canvas, only a iridescent faint blue glow. The sounds of dripping water and the occasional breaking of ice could be heard, since this was the Water country Akagi thought nothing of it. That is until he snapped to his feet as quiet as he could before he drew his sword into a low guarding stance.
"Why is the caravan moving?" At first Akagi's mind tried to make sense of the movement but he slowly realized that the reality of the situation was that the night before he must have been attacked with genjutsu and was persuaded to stay in the somewhat well kept cart. Akagi had thought it was weird such a vehicle was in decent condition. Following the blue light all around the canvas till Akagi faced directly toward the nose of the cart, he could see the shadow of what appeared to be a man. Quickly he began to dissect the situation, "Is the man friendly or hostile? I don't know what's going on but for now I will go with it.
Mustering the courage to peek out the wagon bow Akagi's eyes grew wide. Upon brushing the canvas to the side the shadow disappeared as if it was never there as Akagi looked on in awe. Before Akagi and the cart was an icy landscape that stretched down a large slick hill feeding into many different tunnels that fed into a large wall. Akagi approaching the summit ever so slowly felt like his will was being tested. Sick of failure Akagi looked on down the ravine and realized at the bottom the pathways smoothed out from what he could see as they stretched beyond his view and a wall of ice. Beneath his feet at the head of the wagon's bow lied two large leather straps that clearly indicated a steering option. Akagi smiling for a moment, reaches down and grabs each strap with a hand and plants his legs firmly into the wagon, straightening his back and grip. The quiet ambience of the cave echoes throughout the chamber ringing stalagmites of ice and cracking shelfs along the way.
"Wheels wont be neccessarry" Akagi thinking out his situation as the caravan hit the apex of the hill, Akagi realized the structural integrity of the caravan will probably collapse from poor upkeep and wont be able to survive this kind of momentum, and would require external assistance. "However, it is too late for preparations."
With the thought the caravan lurched forward as gravity began to take over. The nose of the caravan fell forward as Akagi pulled hard onto the straps to keep the wheels straight for as long as possible. Rattling from the older caravan sounded brutal as the ice on the wheels began to beat it off the axle. Not long after the wheels exploded off the sides as Akagi's speed continued to accelerate when the caravan slammed onto its belly and began sliding down the hill. Barreling towards one of at least ten pathways. Akagi's eyes caught a small glint of light luckily in the one dead ahead, the cart reaching the bottom of the hill surprisingly stayed straight as Akagi dropped the straps and began forming handseals. Followed by a wave of snow, ice and debris the cart shoots out of the fog with Akagi on the bow slamming his hands into the floorboard of the caravan. The pathway entrance ripples before a wave of dirt and stone smash through the surface of the ice making a muddied landing zone, as the cart crashes into the wave of earth, Akagi is nearly flung out, however the consistency of the earth gives in and the cart begins to decelerate as it slides atop the mud. Akagi looking through the blinds of the bow notices how the entrance way was like a door and he was on the other side of a wall.
The room was dome shaped and dimly lit. The only source of light was the single torch in the middle of the room. Launching out of the caravans bow and onto the ice. Akagi lifted the hood from his cloak onto his head with his blade drawn as he began to investigate. Each step toward the torch felt lighter and lighter, almost as if he was getting sleepier. Akagi snapping to his senses formed a quick seal and shouted out, "WHO THE HELL IS MESSING WITH ME!" performing a quick cancel.
Rubbing his eyes briefly, Akagi realized nothing had changed. Twisting his lip into a sour look Akagi wasn't sure of the situation and decided he should press on. Leaving behind the muddied wagon and torch Akagi continued to the opposite side of the room where darkness loomed. Finding another passageway that light seeped into at the end of the room, Akagi accessed it and pressed on through the entrance. Entering the new passage was a narrow hallway where ice on both sides seemed to continue to close in, until a red light at the end of the icy hallway illuminated another doorway.
Passing through Akagi was greeted to what appeared to be a gathering circle. The room was lit from candles lining the ceiling, which let light spill onto the strange red markings on the floor that looked like pure gibberish to Akagi. Scouring around the rest of the cavern dwelling, there appeared to be a single large proper entry door directly across from him. Taking steps into the center of the circle Akagi held his sword out doing a slow 360 degree turn. Realizing he had nothing to fear he sheathed his sword and was about to take another step before a voice called out from beyond the other door:
"We are almost prepared for our second attempt! This time things should go over smoothly"
Akagi gritting his teeth as his legs tightened up, "Ive got to hide." Acting on pure instinct Akagi gripped his sword and drew it back out dashing back into his crevice's shadows where he remained. Having just woken up Akagi's mind still fresh hadn't even begun to understand the possibilities of what Miu has been through. Feeling a small flame spark inside of him Akagi was ready for the adversity.