Traveling to this old battleground did not take more than an hour or two, leaving them with more than enough daylight to work with. Or so Araminta had thought! Before it was even time for Theon to leave his faeish horsey form something around them had felt different. Araminta had gotten used to the way fae travel felt – a little dizzying and disorienting, but it did not come with a tingling prickly sensation on her skin the way it did now. As if they crossed passed some invisible curtain. This veil seemed to fall over everything, even the sky up above them seemed cloudy and purpled hued. Trees were drained of their vibrant colors to look like nothing more than gnarled, mishappened shadows. Plant life had become… well… quite dangerous looking! Vines and strange blossoms, some even having that odd magical glow and aura.
And when his pace slowed and they were to step out into a big open meadow, the coloring was much the same. Dark, misty, magical. Yet not with that warmth Araminta had experienced in the faerie forest. This was magic twisted up in a new, strange otherworldly way. Proven when she caught her first glimpse of life in the form of a roaming stag grazing in the meadow. With it’s dark greyish fur, black antlers and extra glowing eyes. Not two, but six! The way Araminta made a soft eep with her jump of surprise!
He thought the tainted village had a strange feeling about it, apparently that was simply a prelude to this very place. As the sky had become a mottled infringement of clouds, acting like it was a theatric ambient mood setter for the rest of the very fabled looking environment.
Something one might have believed came from the imaginative mind of a artistic storyteller. Detailing the means of what the world might have become if it had been too influenced by that of twisted magic. Unkempt, wild and free to roam unchannelled by hands that no longer could contain it.
If they needed a view of that very nature, it came up in appearing as that of a stag that showed itself to have far too many extra eyes than it was typically should have. Feeling Araminta jump, he was good to turn and adjust their heading. Not sure about the stag and not about to challenge a peculiar twisted beast into any sort of immediate reaction.
Even with Theon subtly switching direction so they wouldn’t spook the strange stag, Araminta was already pondering the implications of such a bizzare beast. A magically twisted stag also meant other creatures would also reflect the warped landscape. Gloom rabbits, many eyed toads, toothy squirrels, spiders with twenty legs. Best to expect the unexpected in a more cautious way than she might have in the faerie wood. For at least the faerie wood was natural and she knew the sorts of trickery fae could get up to. There was no experience for her to lean on in this land cursed with magical fallout.
Luck remained on her side that she’d made a good guess for where a cemetery would be laid out. For it wasn’t far before they came across a short barrier fence of stone with an open arch into a graveyard that likely hadn’t seen a living person in decades. Where Araminta made a strangely slow dismount back to her own two feet and an awkward fidgeting of her fingers while she waited patiently for Theon to shift back to his familiar shape.
Only then did she take the initiative to enter the graveyard, with wary hesitant steps. Taking in a breath to help steel her nerves as she did what she always did – which was chatter endlessly so she wouldn’t feel so scared.
“We do not have graveyards in Caeldalmor,” she revealed, glancing around at all the derelict headstones that had been weathered with time. “It gets too cold in the winter to bury folks, between the snow and the frozen ground. We have ceremonial pyres and then let the ashes return to the earth.”
In that moment, she quite preferred that method for sure. As while she took tiny step by tiny step, Araminta could not help but imagine all the bodies and bones that were buried underneath here! The graveyards she’d seen while traveling the Imperial Lands always were a bit of softly spooky. Only here, with the twisted landscape, Araminta could not help but think of bodies down under the earth rising and reaching and trying to claw their way back to the surface!
The turn back to a being of bipedal influence, he was prompt to look around their respective area. Finding that it truly was something that looked as though it ought to have crawled out of the pages of some tall-tale fairybook instead of properly existing currently right now.
It felt strange. Plucking at the unseen threads of his very being that was rife with magic itself, whilst looking around in case there was a hundred twisted animals looking back. Ready to once more introduce the means of fiery exposure if it was to keep him and Araminta safe. Truly not wishing to even have a situation with the giant spider from the mines, repeat out here.
As she stepped in with him ghosting behind, he could tell Araminta was out of sorts. Uneasy, though that was a fair response to have. After all, this wasn’t exactly what they had been doing much of recently. Add on the tension of the world and the uncertainty of what they might find, it was fairly forgivable to be tense and unsure. So when she began to talk? He didn’t think much about it. Listening as she explained that of the snowy mountain home she once knew didn’t arrange their dead as the ones that they were currently walking alongside, he hummed. Finding it curious and perhaps a bit more resourceful not to have corpses ready to be risen by necromancy.
“The means of forward thinking isn’t always persistent in the Imperial Lands.” Theon muttered, he kept close to her. Looking between the rows of various states of headstones. There wasn’t noticeably any fresh soil turned to suggest anything had been buried or escaped, but one couldn’t be too immensely sure either. “I worry,” Theon stated then and felt like maybe he shouldn’t say something at all. But that would defeat the purpose of what he was starting to try to fix. “That the effects of the lands may have twisted even that of a potential ally if we were to find that of a church grim.”
“Oh, please don’t say that,” breathed Araminta with the most pitiful of pleading looks in his direction. The first actual admittance that it all had her unsettled. “Maybe as a protective spirit that existed before the war, now it simply has more souls to look after and protect?”
Although, on that terrifying note, Araminta considered that maybe it would not like them coming to both a lich. What if it considered that lich as part of it’s flock to protect and thought herself and Theon were wicked interlopers! Unfortunately, it was far too late to backtrack now. They may as well investigate and see what they’d have to work with. Just because they were looking for a grim didn’t mean they’d find one, either.
More likely to find undead shambling through the space, giving her a shiver to think about. The blighted village of Neive had it’s own shambling undead and those had turned out perfectly harmless. Araminta hoped that here too it would be the same. Leave them alone and they’d not feel threatened or bother.
In the meantime, she paused to dig into her pack, pulling out a small square of cheese and a little sliced sausage. Along with the lantern that was meant to hold the grim if they managed to find one and have it agree to be helpful. Araminta had no idea how they were meant to fit a spirit dog into a small lantern, but surely they could figure it out.
“Ara, I have to say it.” He was ginger about it even if the thought was highly unpleasant. “To ignore it might be problematic. And I would hope to avoid one potential scenario if possible.” Instead of them potentially running into someone that would throw them for a curveball. Due to Araminta’s thinking for these trials and how unorthodox she had been with pretty much all of them, they had survived.
But if they could climb over the sixth trial without having them having to retreat after due to wounds or potentially something worse, he would take it.
Straying gaze around once more expecting more eyes to be staring back. Finding the niggling sensation of latent magic tugging on invisible threads, he noticed her pulling out a bit of cheese and sausage. Alongside the lantern which, “Do you intend to lure with such things?”
Araminta was not so convinced that he had to say so, though at least she was grateful he spoke his mind at all. That Theon felt safe enough to speak his mind to her, even when he knew those things would not be what she wanted to hear. The effort somehow seeming to soften at least a minute bit of her nerves to afford him a soft tilt of her head and an equally soft smile. Reminding herself that she could trust Theon with the means of their safety, all she had to do was focus on her own role in these trials and to do what she did best.
Charming the uncharmable.
“Dogs like treats, I can’t imagine a spirit one is much different,” she explained. Hoping quietly that spirit dogs didn’t prefer something like human bones or souls to munch on!
Treat in one hand and empty lantern in the other, Araminta resumed her search. Now at least a little more curious and a little less terrified of what they might come across. Trying her best not to step on any graves where surely the bodies underneath had long since decayed to nothing but bones and dirt. Not sure if she could handle even walking clattering skeletons crawling up from the ground either.
A sharp breeze, chilled with the oncoming winter made it’s blustery way through the cemetery, forcing Araminta to adjust her direction just so cloak and hair wouldn’t be getting wildly in her way. Curiously pausing here and there to peer at the gravestones themselves looking for names and dates to see if there was any indication of how long ago the place had been abandoned. Only to find that most of the etched out carvings in the stone had weathered away to be nothing more than unreadable grooves and bumps.
Things here were too quiet, requiring a bit of boldness on her part.
“Hello~!” she squeaked out. Not the brave and cheery greeting she had meant to give, prompting to try her hand again. “I am Araminta and I am looking for a nice dog to give a treat to! Or… or maybe a rabbit! I might prefer a rabbit!”
Lips parted. Then sealed.
He couldn’t say a spirit beast wouldn’t want a treat but he also had a feeling it was not so much the case either. Without evidence on either side, it was likely better not to raise a potential fuss when Araminta was already showing how uneasy she felt about all this. And he was no fool not to understand her apprehension after all.
Reaching to lightly touch the small of her back in a motion of gentle assurance, he was back to scanning all the way around them. Checking every and anything that potentially moved. Waiting for any peculiar change in their current location that might suggest sound of worry.
Nothing thus far was appearing to be ready to lunge out to attempt to bring either of them into the world of the eternal damned. Just that it seemed to have made Araminta more nervous because there was nothing truly comfortable in such a tense situation as that of graveyard silence. Something he found commonly calm but turning to be a subtle twist in his own belly. Watching her as she called out nervously into the void and declared that her search of a dog would have been nicer to be that of a rabbit.
Nothing was their reply.
Tilting head one way, then the other as if the motion would aid his need to hear; Theon directed the considering rings upon her cowl cover crown.
Save that if the intention of offering verbal comfort, they weren’t liable to receive it as such.
It was a shady appearance. Hard to really see when one looked at it directly. More of an presence that appeared in the corner of one’s eye when they thought there was truly little there. Save in this course, there was in fact something existing within the calm of the dead. Misty. See-through. Hard to really level gaze upon save there were a pair of bored looking red jeweled eyes squinting at them.
“I do not think it cares for your treat, Ara.”
Araminta was discovering in that very moment that her fearlessness did in fact have a limit and even Theon’s presence was not enough to curb that sudden jolt of fear that washed over her so quickly that it nearly had her dizzy. Not once in her entire life had she ever encountered a ghost or otherwise incorporeal form – that alone was a scary thing. This one had to be a barely visible dog with beady little read eyes that surely did not look pleased to see them, interested in her snack offering, or even in a good mood at all.
That small piece of cheese and sausage went into her own mouth then, an automatic action trying to buy herself some time to scramble and think as she chewed and swallowed. Only thinking seemed to be terribly hard to do, where instead she stiffly wound up hugging that lantern to her chest. Making a soft sound in reply to Theon without the ability to utter a more comprehensive word. Somehow having all the maturity and grace of queen in the two steps backwards she made to round behind Theon. Soft fingers digging into clinging into his cloak and pressing her forehead into his back, safely out of sight while the princess attempted to take a few settling breaths.
“I have… I do have some old socks for a tug of war?” she dug up the courage to murmur, although not quite loud enough for their misty new encounter to hear. Then again, dogs did have such good sense didn’t they! Perfect for the hunting!
Personally ghosts were not something he had encounters with himself. They were from what he had picked, creatures that were truly in the space between life and death. Lingering and existing because they had unfinished business or were truly so vile that their anger kept them bound to the material world.
The beast that was laying there on the ground sheltered between headstone and cloudy shade of this world, wasn’t exactly that either. They weren’t evil beings. Protective rather of those in the old church yards to keep people from defaming the very place. Just he too hadn’t expect to have found one at all. And it was clearly playing the game of determining whether they were of consequence or not.
Welcoming Araminta to tuck herself around that of himself to hide away, murmuring that she had some old socks that might charm the beast. “It’s not a living creature.” Theon lightly stated. It might be safe to assume it didn’t much care for worldly delights any further. If the way its pointed ears were aimed at them and thus far hadn’t gotten up to give snarling chase with threat of their backsides learning if they could be physical at their choosing.
Reaching around as he could to brush palm over side, “It’ll be well. I don’t think it perceives us as a threat.” At least not yet.
It was watching however. Keeping the bloody perfect rubies upon them. Leaving its form to be hard to find. Shifting and moving in the cover of false dark. Leaving him to think and eventually turning to motion that he would like the lantern from her. “It is sentient, it’s watching. But, I think instead of offering it games or treats… telling it what you would like may be best. Grims can tell a person’s alignment.” If a person was good, they weren’t to meet the ugly fate of whatever a church grim did to people that were ill omen’s.
And Araminta was easily the best person one could have ever met!
Araminta had quite the opposite opinion of herself and their intent. After all, they were going to take this poor spirit in a tiny little jar, off to untold dangers! Disturbing it’s peaceful rest to do a trial for an evil queen. Worse yet, even using Theon like a shield and what a terrible thing to do to someone you loved. She had no trust for the spectral beast. One wrong move and she was liable to earn a ghostly bite. Remembering all too well how clamping teeth and getting shook around actually felt. This one could potentially rip her own spirit right out of her body!
Still, at Theon’s beckoning she passed him the lantern. Right from under his arms without daring to step outwards within the grim’s line of sight. Certain those jeweled ruby eyes were going to narrow further, prompting a frenzied howl and then a chase.
“If two strangers showed up and told me to jump in a lantern, we’re going lich hunting, I would even bite them myself,” came her response to Theon. After a long moment and a soft huff, she did dig up enough of her courage to take the tiniest peeks around his arm.
While she couldn’t seem to will herself to step out to chance greeting the thing again, she did consider her choices carefully. Deeming it worth crouching down to the ground to rest on her knees – still tucked behind Theon where it was safer – but at least down on the creature’s level so she would not seem threatening. It not occurring to her in the slightest that Theon himself, as such a tall man with a stoic face might look intimidating standing there!
He felt for her. Truly. As a person who had plenty of trauma and knew how hard it was to step over the mountain it had made within one’s self, he did understand. Nor would he force her to anything that was so far outside of her comfort that it would tear her apart.
What he could do was at least try on her behalf. Appreciating the handover of lantern, to feel it under fingers. Smoothing tips across while she pointed out that even if the tables were turned and she had been the laying there grim, she’d feel inclined to take a bite. Watching the woman soon as knees bent to let her sink to the dirt. Amongst the headstones. Amongst this weird place.
Before a spirit of a hound that was looking at them each. Barely adjusting its concentration. Giving the lantern a gentle squeeze as he carefully took a step forward. Immediately being the sole being under the staring gaze. Ears seemed to take on more of a material presence as they rotated slightly outward but not back. Indicating warning but not about to launch into territorial threat. “I would not say tell or demand.” Theon carefully followed Araminta’s action of kneeling. Setting the lantern down just before him, “But asking.”
The grim had formed more of its body to look like a inky stain of shadow. Pronouncing its features are long and sharp. As maw lightly parted with thankfully no sharp teeth sticking out but it was on means of caution. And hadn’t started growling.
Retracting his hands, Theon considered the ghostly hound. A bit quietly in stunned awe that such a creature existed here. But offered no means of moving jerkily. Just kept his gaze polite as the grim stared.
And stared.
Tipping head up so nose was pointed and drawing in quick inhales and exhales. Pulling scents from the air before grand paws scratched and it got itself up off the ground. Dropping head low that hackles were easily seen, as grim stood for an added second. Then stepped closer. Caution wisely noted as the creature was tilting head left and right. Sizing up the lantern but every so carefully approaching it so it might be able to sniff out what it was. Jewels kept themselves aimed, and Theon hummed. Watching the ears rotate forward expressing curiosity.
To take a risk to offer hand out. Fingers extended first to indicate he was letting the beast smell him to determine what it wanted to do. A dangerous thing cause if it wanted his hand, it would take it.
Araminta wished with all her heart that she could be excited in this moment. Witnessing Theon being Theon, so gentle of nature and of heart attempt to connect with such an extraordinary creature was an amazing thing. Months ago she would’ve been so enthusiastic about trying it herself, having a love for every furry animal in every shape. Even having good will towards a hoard of endless furry spiders simply because they were little creatures!
How dreadful it was to have one terrifying experience create such an intense fear within her. That watching this spirit dog inch closer and closer to Theon, that instead of awe, her heart was pounding so heart in her chest. Nearly reaching forward to stop him when he held his hand out, as surely it was going to bite him!
Instead withdrawing her hand quickly with an intake of breath and squeezing her eyes shut. Araminta could not watch! Gripping hands to her chest where her heart pounded so hard she thought it was going to leap out. Holding on to that burning ember of hope that believed everything would be okay, fearing that if it wasn’t, it would’ve been her own fault for being too scared to move!
While he might not feel entirely comfortable with the situation, he also knew that asking Araminta to do it was rather cruel. And he’d feel more awful for the terror she was having to go through because they had the fortune of finding such a potentially helpful creature. So long as it didn’t find a reason to get snappy and try to take his arm off as a prize for disturbing it. There was high risk here, he knew this but he also could see that the grim wasn’t hostile as its first option.
It was still seemingly a highly intelligent dog. Curious, cautious but willing to stake a chance to investigate because it likely knew that it was not the one to be afraid here. They were on its turf after all, not the other way around.
Making itself busy with familiarizing the lantern, the outstretched hand was a peace offering. One that could be turned down in a second. “It’s okay Ara.” Mumbling low for her, he would have reached back to her if he was certain he could take his eye off the church grim. Sharing a strained moment that was literally waiting on its choice.
Giving the lantern a push over to rattle against the ground, the umbra laden creature phasing itself in and out of reality did approach. Leaving him to watch as lip shifted and curled some to let a peek of fang stick out but it was subdued. Warily sniffing the air around offered palm with due care gradually approaching. Getting a full view that the coat of the beast wasn’t prickled with apprehension. Just observing with each tender step nearer. Feeling a notable chill from the hound as it came close enough to have its nose practically pressed to fingers. It was sniffing but noticeably he couldn’t actually feel any exhaling or inhaling happening. Likely because the beast was a spirit and technically not alive.
Its face moved through fingers, pushing them over to curl into palm as it seemed to be willing to let itself be corporeal. Feeling that chilly presence moving over like frosty ice. Burning at palm as its eyes seemed to be ever focused.
Eventually it had stepped past that of hand to bring itself to start sniffing at arm. To shoulder, into head and hair. Revealing its inky black pelt was truly akin to shadow. Doubting that light would ever high its form but rather be devoured by it, he stayed perfectly still. Letting the grim explore till it seemed to be suitably pleased with whatever result it came too.
If he had anything to say, it was in their favour for the length of tail was lightly waggling at its feet. Still unsure but not so deep in potential worry that it wanted to bite. Seemingly willing to get close enough to be face to face. Presenting its nipping chill of undeath. Where Theon took that risk to raise hands up slowly as to let the grim see where they were going and, placed them into the hounds fluffy black bib. Lightly scratching and the ruby stare softened, accepting the motion. “I think we’ll be okay, Ara.”
The wiggling low tail continued and he was sure that the grim wasn’t about to show fangs.
“Is it?” she asked with a soft squeak of breath. Not certain if she should open her eyes, but did so one peek at a time. Finding Theon as stalwart as he ever was with a spirit dog allowing the means of simple touch with a soft waggle of tail.
Good. Good! What a flood of relief, even if it didn’t wash her fear away entirely. It did at least give Araminta the smallest amount of courage to crawl forward on hands and knees to take up residence behind Theon again. This time rising up high enough to lean against his back while she peered curiously as the sleek shadowy beast.
For a beast of shadow it was a beautiful thing. All inky black like a starless midnight sky. How beady red eyes could go from menacing to genuinely soft, Araminta had no idea. The urge to pet and croon over the fluffy mound of fur was strong, though. Almost strong enough to fight past her sense of unease.
So Araminta made her attempt to be brave and daring. Staying most hidden behind Theon still, to reach over his shoulder to offer up her hand for that judging sniff. Hiding her face at Theon’s shoulder, as if it did decide to turn and chomp her hand right off, Araminta didn’t want to watch it. Nor see how Theon handled such a thing, either! For she did not wish violence on any animal, even if it did bite her first!
“Yes.” Affirming that it appeared to be safe, he allowed it to be shown by looking back to her. Wanting to express that while this creature was certainly out of the league of normalcy, it wasn’t frothing in a white foam because it had been purely pissed. Nor was he missing a hand. Everything was still intact and the inky creature was just very much now being nosy. Getting involved by putting its black nose so close that he wondered if frost was outlining his cheek.
It was calmer than prior. Waggling to show it was being nice but still wisely alert to anything that might change its thoughts. Raising attention at the movement that Araminta sheltered herself behind him still. Using shoulder as a perch to duck her head into with palm extended to do the same. Reaching to lightly pat at her knee in a hope of affirming her that she was doing well. Brushing hand back and forth with slow motions as the grim took notice of the extra hand offered. Blinking at it before repeating the means of sniffing and showing that as an undead creature it had an aura of cold around it.
Before it got personally curious to step around so it might get into Araminta’s ear! Pressing the cold black button to it and making the noises of sniffing without the action. As he paid attention to the body language that suggested shortly that the grim was not about to get aggressive. If anything, it was shaking its head after it had gotten some of Araminta’s fuzzy ring of cowl in its face. Decidedly taking offense to it, to grab it and tug on it curiously. Light motions that Theon slowly reached out to stop the hound from doing so. “She’s scared, be nice.” The black dog seemed to register the words. Sitting down then and looked at them expectantly.
Ice cold was not the feeling Araminta expected to get from a sniffing dog, even if it were a spirit one! So used to warm breath and wet noses, when it move and sniffed it’s way close enough to nuzzle up to her ear, she let out a soft muffled eep. That shifted into her gripping onto Theon the very moment the ghostly thing had taken her cowl in it’s jaws and in her opinion had been about to drag her off for dinner!
Only she did not get dragged away into the spooky gloom of the cemetery and Theon’s gentle chiding had warned the undead creature off enough that it was sitting politely in waiting. While it took her several moments still to uncling herself from Theon, bit by tiny bit her body started to ease into a melting of limp noodles. Daring to reach out on her own to softly brush fingers over shadow black fluff of neck for a tentative pet.
Then she was done in. Perhaps not erasing her fear for all time, but this dog…! This was a good dog!
“Oh, you are such a beautiful darling!” she breathed and crooned. Fully invested now in this new furry friend made of shadows and ruby eyes. Fully engaged in giving it all of the pets and scritches it could possibly want with gentle hands and true affection. “Is it lonely out here guarding this place? I bet it’s not, you’re such a good dog, you must keep them company until they are able to return to the earth.”
Araminta shot Theon that bright relieved smile. All giggly grins and a sense of inner pride that he’d charmed this creature all on his own.
“Would you like to help us for a little while?” she asked the beast, with a stroke to those pointed ears. “We do not want to cause trouble for your spirits. I need to find a lich’s phylactery. If it is a wicked mean lich, all the better because we will take it away and it’ll not harm any souls here again.”
There was no sense in him being startled or shocked when Araminta realized that the hound of the eternal night wasn’t about to take her away to be shamed or to be a undead snack. Rather it sat and responded well enough that when the option of her turning to lavish attention on the hound, it looked perfectly pleased. Letting tongue roll out the side of its mouth before straining its face in a way that made it look rather dopey. Forcing a hide leg up to scratch at the air because the woman had gotten a particularly good spot.
It was also good for Araminta to have this moment. While her fear was justified, not all of the those of dog appearances were terrible. Just the ones that had been set upon her were some of the ones trained to do so but the grim appeared to take no offense to them.
Plus he was relieved that she wasn’t liable to hid in his arm the whole time.
Once she stopped and the dog stopped making the weird face with foot coming to rest, it appeared to be listening. Before turning head and looking into the distance. Holding stare there for a good solid minute. Rising up to step away till it was a good two feet ahead of them and looked expectantly once more. “I do not know if you will need the lantern?” Theon stooped to pick it up and the dog made a pointed step that it wasn’t liable to go into it.
Unclear if it didn’t like the idea or if it was because it was meant to guard. Whatever the reason was, it was evident they had the agreement of the dog to assist. “It seems to know what you need of it as well. Do you feel comfortable and ready to find the phylactery?”
“I would not want to squish myself inside a lantern either,” agreed Araminta with no offence. While she could guess there were lots of magical reasons to have a Grim Jar as Sir Reeves had called it, she would not convince the creature to get inside if it didn’t want to. Especially as it appeared eager to help them. Giving Araminta a sense that perhaps all of this magical fallout and the war that happened here might have created lots of problems for this protective spirit. After all, a spirit that protected the dead would not at all like those who made it their business to harvest souls for dark magics and necromancy. She was pretty certain one could not become a lich without some form of necromancy involved, even without having a magical education.
Getting back up to her feet, Araminta paused long enough to dig into her bag again until she found a small tealight candle. Stepping over to Theon she opened the door on the lantern to tuck it inside, giving the man a little wiggle of her finger at the wick to ask for a bit of flame. If they were not using it for the grim, the princess figured it could still be of good use to cast them some light in this overcast gloomy place.
It seemed in taking this first step in overcoming a fear, Araminta’s courage was bolstered significantly. No longer filled with wary trepidation about following after the dog, or taking a renewed and refreshed look around at the cemetery and where the beast would lead. Now far more excited to explore and learn about the history of such a wild place than she was afraid of wandering ghosts and potential dangers. Likely to give Theon a heart attack if he knew she was pondering how she might pet a six-eyed stag or a glowing eight-legged fox.
“Let’s see what we can find, Grim! At least until the sun goes down… If we will even notice,” she mused glancing up at the sky. With as dark as it was now, chances were that without the sun this landscape was going to be as black and murky as any underground gave. She hoped that strange magical luminescence of the plants at least gave it a starry landscape and wouldn’t look like a bunch of creepy eyes staring at them from all angles.
There was a private little delight in his chest when Araminta seamlessly bounced back after the means of confronting a fear of hers. Although he wasn’t sure how she did it considering he had plenty of his own, but he was grateful she did. Only affirming further in his mind that she truly was outstandingly remarkable. If that pedestal she was lofted on was about to get any taller, she might tip and fall off from how easily he could think that highly of her.
Where he was soon simply observing when she took the lantern that the Grim wasn’t about to be forced into, and turned it into exactly what it might originally be made for. A light source. That was to be lit by himself if the way she wiggled finger indicated.
A handy dandy always at the ready lighter he proved to be. Complying easily to offer her a little flame to do so, holding it steady in palm as she made the wick take to burning and put it within the glass box.
He would keep it himself to assure that the spread of light she wanted to hope for could be given a broader expanse. Grateful likely that he didn’t know that her new re-bolstered confidence would in fact have her contemplating ways to pet the warped wildlife here. Liable to truly start panicking over the fact that while Padma affirmed the statement of how he could heal her, he wouldn’t be able to stop Araminta from chasing the animals for pets and scritches!
Eyes glanced sidelong to the blotted sky with the hound padded a few paces forward. Stopped and looked at them.
Taking a step ahead of Araminta in the action to keep a vigilant watch on their way, Grim seemed to be prompt to align his strides with them. Keeping ears pricked upright and body posed in a motion that was sinewy strong, ready to lunge at whatever was necessary; Theon took a chance to look around once more. Still curious just how this place had been so drenched with magic that it became so malformed. And the question of the hour, if this place was potentially an area for a lich, then… why had it not left to raze villages. What about the animals? He was certain that the things here weren’t seen elsewhere so it made his mind itch.
Araminta too was pondering, trying to set herself within the mind of someone depraved and evil – finding once again that wasn’t such a simple thing to do. If she had magic, her first instinct was to create and make all sorts of beautiful things. To grow gardens and forests, to make cute little rabbit houses and strawberry patches. Things that could bring delight and joy for anyone who stumbled upon them.
It was so hard for her to understand how anything could get so bad that a bunch of mages and spellcasters went to war with each other, at such an extent that it damaged the very lands they fought upon. There was an odd sort of beauty here, for certain. That maybe after all of the decades left alone nature found a way to work with the magic and create something new. Dangerous for certain, as even Araminta without a sense for magic could feel that this was not a place you wanted to stay in for long.
Leading the princess to wonder if the very liches that were created here were also trapped within the land of gloom they had created. Unable to move beyond the veil that shrouded these lands. Giving her the thought that if they were indeed trapped, it likely meant any living souls that were foolish enough to cross over, were the fuel that kept those undead creatures still wandering this realm.
“There are no ghosts out in the meadows,” mentioned Araminta, using their time following along with Grim to think. “If they could not be laid to rest, a war would have left many out in the field trapped and wandering. I doubt that others attempting the trials were busy trying to bless ghosts so they could move on.”
“I was thinking similar.” Eyes moved along the way of the very space before them that the Grim was leading them towards. “But further as even that of the twisted beasts here have not been documented to be out in the meadows.” Theon glanced upwards to the sky, “I was wondering if there is a barrier cast or some sort of spell in place that binds those of twisted nature to be stuck here.”
It wouldn’t explain everything but it did have him curious. “This place is pungent with latent magic. Unbound, wild and liable to react in ways that it wouldn’t due to no host. It prickles on my skin and feels almost as though it is pulling at my fae blood in a way. Though that may simply be unease.”
Grim paused, sniffing at the ground before making a spin in place. Then adjusting and heading east, raising tail to wag and look at them to ensure they were still following. “I am curious that even say Lord Reeves and Padma were to come here, would they be able to bless ghosts or undead away?”
“It… it isn’t like the blighted village. That was a disease and a poison that could be cured. This place is something unique all of it’s own. Blessing ghosts may be all they could do, the rest has taken a new life of it’s own.”
How interesting, though! If Araminta were a mage or spellcaster, a place like this would be such an intriguing spot to learn and practice magic. Mayhaps touched by death and now twisted into this ethereal gloom, but death itself was not an evil thing. Other than an uneasy sense of weirdness, nothing here felt evil to Araminta.
There was the peaks and towers of the castle just barely coming into view between mangled trees and rolling fog out in the distance, though. A foreboding, huge place of black stone that somehow made the Imperial Palace look like a well maintained church in comparison. Highly likely that their new canine friend was leading in that direction, bringing up that steady, serious thinking in the princess that always seemed to carry her through the trials.
“During a war, the most powerful of warriors are not put on the front lines. It seems counterintuitive, but if you put them at the front there is a high chance they could be obliterated too soon at the beginning of the battle. Then all you have left are your weakest. It’s important too for protecting your leadership, because without your leadership the war is done. The castle is likely to hold those with the most power, both figurative and literally…”
The implications of this were obvious to Araminta, in that if there were no spirits in the meadows where the majority of the battle took place, if there were any left they’d all be collected within that ginormous monolith of black stone. Somewhere it would be all too easy to confused and scatter those doing the trials, trapping them within the castle and picking them off with ease.
There was easy agreement there. This place was something entirely its own and doubtful that anything could really purify it. It was so deeply sunk into the area that at this point, it was simply part of the landscape. Those of wits would stay away, those of curiosity would investigate and then there was themselves. Here to find a spellcaster of the undead that was one of the most dangerous beings in the very necromancy existence. It didn’t give one warm butterflies knowing that.
The slow rise of obsidian gleam that was the pointed efforts of towers trying to reach the sky, he found himself promptly uncertain about their approach. Almost in time for that of the woman beside him to speak about how thus far there was nothing around then that indicated long dead warriors animated as defenses to this place. It had been unsettlingly quiet. With him nodding at this show of her tactical mind well on the verbal works of pointing out that the castle they were gradually approaching was likely to house the very problem of both defensive guards and the lich. If it did reside here.
The ambience was certainly suggesting that it be the case. “It may be of wise decision to determine that the castle may be a lure to trap those within.” Theon worked teeth over lower lip a moment, “Grim can protect as a good spirit but how can we avoid being accidentally lured into the maw of the beast before we are aware of it.”
Araminta almost said to assume the place was full of giant evil demon spiders and to behave accordingly, but in this case that behavior might be Theon burning the entire castle to the ground. Amusing to some extent, only the poor man did not appreciate some of her darker more wicked thoughts, especially when he did not realize they were only in jest. A dark sense of humor was not for Theon!
“It is most certainly a trap,” she agreed. Then humming as she remembered that they weren’t entirely unprepared! Pulling her satchel to her front where she could awkward dig around inside it as she walked. One could be thankful she longer suffered from the limping in her leg, as the way she wobbled and staggered while she made her search certainly would have sent her tumbling to the ground over a gnarled root or an unseen rock.
“The candle I put in the lantern is one from Sir Reeves, so it is a protective light, but here!” From the depths of her bag Araminta retrieved the silver coin, holding it out for Theon. “To hold in your palm so nothing will try to possess you. With the light and the coin we’ll be safe on that regard. Inside the castle itself, it’ll help that we are both as quiet as ghosts ourselves.”
Not that Araminta was particularly good at being quiet. She could be sneaky, though, and that was a skill all in itself.
There was no doubt in that. It felt like a trap. Something to get them into whomever’s clutches for a purpose that was not to have just a basic conversation. Just how did one avoid stepping into a trap that they knew was just that. Merely missing how big of a trap it could be. Naturally looking back towards the shade hound trotting along with seemingly thus far no bigger worry that ensuring glancing back to make sure they were still following.
As she dug and he was holding the lantern steady for the means of casting light to be their guide, she offered that of a silver coin. One he took and looked at it curiously. At the statement of how it was to be held to avoid something unsavoury possessing him. “Can something possess another thing if they lack a heart?” He asked, not to be funny but genuinely asking. He still wasn’t entirely convinced he was a living thing anymore when such an important part of him was off somewhere else!
“This is a rather large castle, being quiet is fine but I wouldn’t say that the undead couldn’t smell us.”
“What,” Araminta nearly tripped over her own feet having stopped so suddenly, with that same bewildered look on her face as she had back when she’d brought a sack of geese to distract harpies only to discover that they could sing a deadly song. For all of Araminta’s cleverness and all of her knowledge, there was still so many things about the world she did not know. Never had she considered that the undead might have a stellar sense of smell!
Looking into her back with a thoughtful frown, there did not appear to be anything useful to fool an undead creature. A lovely scented bar of soap was likely going to be just the sort of unusual-from-the-norm smell that’d tip off undead to know someone knew was slinking around.
They’d just have to find a way to work around. Perhaps roll around in a rancid mud puddle until they smelled of ghastly earth… or better yet, all they’d need is to wrap themselves in an old moldy tapestry if they could find one! That would actually be a very good idea!
“…a missing heart might just be a spot they’d wish to crawl into. Please avoid it, Theon? I can tell you it’s a wretched feeling to not have control of your own body,” she warned him, knowing well from her own experience now. She never wish such a fate upon Theon who might end up being too gentle to properly fight anything that tried to crawl inside him!
“What?” Repeating back as he wasn’t sure why she was showing confusion at all. Needing additional seconds to play around with what he had just said and the means of her response. “They can smell the living. It’s one of the way’s undead track prey.” It wasn’t exactly a thrilling answer but no less true. Undead weren’t always the hardest things to dispatch but they were a problem if they decided to chase you down. Especially the ones that were fast! Shamble men they were not.
Lips had parted to say something but the idea of telling Araminta that some of the rotted corpses just might actually run at them, felt like a bad choice of words. So he instead accepted the offer of nothing at all.
Only for her to be looking at him in such a way that had him softly aching in remorse. And then mental horror. Replying the way he had felt utterly betrayed at the idea that she had been wanting to kill him at all. Spellbound she had been by that of the doll, ready to strangle the remaining life and just the upset that clung to think he had been so lured in by her. Of course he wasn’t thrilled with the idea of being a vessel for some spirit that wanted to make him into a better killing machine.
“I will try.”
Better to have not told Araminta they could be fast and speedy predators, her own imagination already worked up enough frightening scenarios on it’s own just for the shambling slow sort. The girl had not the will to disturb the ones in Neive and even now she was a little worried she might not be able to swing a killing blow. In the heat of past moments she had found the courage to defend herself and Theon as needed, yet that soft and squishy part of her always balked at these thoughts of harming someone.
Then in an instant with those three little words Araminta reached out to claim his hand. Squeezing gently and giving him the soft smile that was only ever reserved for Theon alone.
“We’ll be okay. We’re clever and strong and we’ve already made one spooky friend,” she reassured him with another squeeze. Now keeping him captive by hand as she resumed her following of that shadowed friend. Deciding right then that she was capable of violence if needed, because there was nothing Araminta wouldn’t do to protect Theon from having to suffer anymore at the hands of torturous others.
That soft smile. The gentle squeeze of fingers and he didn’t exactly resist the motion to raise their grasp to turn that of knuckles towards him. Lightly brushing lips over in a open gesture of new affection that he had seem others do. Finding a want to offer silent comfort and reminder of their fresh beginning of something new.
Before looking to Grim when she agreed they would be well. As Grim had been an new addition that ought to have truly helped them.
“We have.” He agreed then thought, “There is no potential way that there was a map created of this place? As we might be able to detail the interior before stepping into a maw that may not let us back out.”
All it took was a simple gesture and her heart was a flutter of butterflies and gentle inspiration. Araminta had experienced plenty of such gentlemanly kisses to the hand, but never in this sweet way that somehow came so naturally to Theon, it was a true tragedy that he’d never been able to share affections with someone before! Almost filling her with regret that her mission was so important to her, for it made her wish they were back home at their tiny hut where they could exist in peace.
For now she was going to have to resist the temptation to rush through attempting this trial. Rushing would only put them through needless danger. Now more than ever it was important for her to weight the risks and make good choices. So that when they did succeed, that need for rest wouldn’t be because one of them was half dead!
“If anyone managed to make a map of the insides, I am not so sure it survived any better than those that dared to come here,” she answered truthfully, still thinking it over searching for possibility. “…we should keep an eye out for the fallen. Packs and old gear left behind by former trial takers. At the very least there might be things left over that could help protect us from trouble.”
There was a truth to that. If someone had managed to detail even the basic lines to where walls and rooms began, they likely ended up staying as permanent guests. Otherwise, this trial in this location may have been considerably easier. Which was not how these things went.
Rather they were getting harder each time and it meant having to be more aware to what they were doing. In turn, the idea that any of the fallen that had not gotten back up, may be best to check into. Something he would prefer doing in hopes to keep Araminta from having to disturb the forever dead. Accepting her statement with a nod as Grim noticeably stopped.
They weren’t too terribly far from the sprawling spread of black castle. Maybe a five minute walk to that of the old portcullis that was still raised aloft to allow entry. But this advantage point allowed them to look unhindered into the space and the large black beast came around to sit at their feet. Looking up at them both with a quiet sense of waiting. Something that he offered to give the Grim a chance to sniff at fingers before they could raise and find connection with head. Scratching lightly much to the beasts approval. Squinting with maw lolling open to let the tongue fall free once more.
“If Grim is willing to follow, I suspect we may be able to avoid some undead. A good spirit protects after all.” The dog wagged contently, “But we should be aware of what could happen in there and if something does, a prompt exit plan before we go too much farther may not be a terrible idea, Ara.”
Araminta nodded with all proper seriousness, and now that they were at the very mouth of the wicked dark castle it was time to practice outwardly sharing how her process of thinking went. No longer was she a single participant in these trials, ready to tackle them on her own with Theon tagging along silently behind her. They were a partnership and it required thinking about things in a much different way. A smart woman knew how to utilize all of her assets… even if she wanted to protect this one from as much danger as possible.
“A loose plan, then, with a strategy for exit,” she affirmed, stepping a head to turn around and address the two of them, like a tiny miniature General giving instructions to her troops. In this case her troop was a Prince turned Knight and a Spirit Dog!
“It would be faster to search separately, but far safer to stay together. We can assume there will be spirits, ghosts, specters, wraiths, zombies, ghouls, skeletons, mummies, on top of the lich or multiple liches within. If we are very unlucky there might even be living inside, as Sir Reeves warned us of the cultists and there is no reason to believe they wouldn’t use such a frightening abandoned place.”
The princess might not have had a lot of information, but it seemed she was very good at thinking ahead and using the context of the situation to make educated assumptions.
“In case we are separated, I wish for you to keep the lantern and the silver coin. You can fight for yourself with mage skill and sword, and possession is the only thing I fear for you. My beautiful midnight Grim, please stay close to me! I’m very good at running and hiding, so you will be a good distraction of chomping teeth to give me that chance.” Araminta then paused to glance over her shoulder back at the monolith of black stone.
“…as for escape, there are plenty of windows. If you are not with me to use the speedy steed, it’s likely I would attempt to climb out as the quickest means to get away from anything serious.”
With one beast seemingly content to be petted as though it were still plenty living, it was interesting to bare witness to Araminta’s expressions. The way features scrunched or paused when she begun to speak out the details of what mind he knew was devilishly clever. And it was moments like this that still continued to baffle him to think that she thought she was not a leader. Or fit for ruling. Because where he stood, she was.
Yet, he was pretty good at disliking the idea of even potentially being separated. While true, he could fight by blade and spells of flame variety; he didn’t care for the idea that Araminta could be split away. And he seemed to clue in that she was not also in possession of a silver coin to evade possession.
Less he start to develop a tongue to argue, he accepted things easily. Watching as red eyes turned when grim was spoken and seemed to gather that it was a temporary name given. One that was asked to stay close to her and help her have a fighting chance if something decided to declare her on a menu of supernatural tastes.
It was moments like this he wished he knew how to use his magic better. To have better response and spells to offer but that was a glaring lacking. “What is it in all of this you need from the lich?” Theon finally asked because each place had required her to get something and with this loose plan, it seemed important to know what she was supposed to recover at all. And why it included going to the lich itself. He just hoped there wasn’t multiple.
“A phylactery,” answered Araminta with confidence. “I have read that it is a vessel for storing a piece of the spellcaster’s soul to help tether them to this realm and achieve a sort of immortality should their body be destroyed. There can be more than one if they were so powerful as to split it. And it could be… well, anything! Gems, or a vial, or some other object of importance. I only need to find one.”
That was another reason why Araminta had chosen such a risky location for her search. A place where mages waged war against each other meant for a chance of many liches, and powerful ones that made their home in this large monolith of a castle would also be the sort to break their soul into many pieces to achieve that immortality. Meaning, she had a much better chance of finding a single phylactery if they could be hidden and scattered all over the castle keep.
Of course, it meant lots of dangerous undead things, but Araminta was small and sneaky. Originally she figured that would be enough to keep herself out of sight of angry spirits.
Wiggling her fingers at the two of them to bid them to follow her lead – not meaning to take the lead per say, but so used to doing so – Araminta led them onwards to cross the ancient stones that’d lead them through the portcullis.
“Without a map, we will look for clues of who this castle belonged to. To have an idea where we might need to look,” she explained. “If there was a King and he were a spellcaster, we might find such things in a throne room, war room, or private suite. A general would keep his things in the barracks or in the watch. Wizards love towers to be closer to the stars. Nobles would have their own private chambers.”
She was literally looking for the phylactery.
That caught him off guard. Making his thoughts sort of blend temporarily into some other existence before clearing his throat and listening acutely. As if he were about to hear the same thing three times to construe its vital importance. Although from what he knew, the very object was well… akin to an urn. Although it was stated that it could appear as something else, so that didn’t mean his knowledge was seamless.
Just that it felt a hundred times more dangerous to look for something that allowed a sliver of immortality to those of non-physical bodies. And, very much something that said former person may just not want anyone to find.
It also meant that there were likely more than one lich here. For there was others who had accomplished this task. In turn that also meant that the ones that were present here, likely kept such things very well guarded. Hidden and avoided someone else making off with something rather precious.
No wonder others died here.
As she motioned and himself with the grim steadily went to follow without complaint, he was promptly already thinking of the worries this presented. Listening to Araminta stated her thoughts of where such things were and, “Typically those would be good points but depending on how many former people have completed this trial, especially here, I think any smart creature with high sentience just might move their vessels or whatever they are, somewhere less likely to be seen. Especially if it is potentially something that blends into the environment.” Theon was looking at her, “If there was something truly that valuable that extended your immortal life, I do not know if you would want to leave it out for anyone to browse through. Or even have it in plain sight, since the task is to find it.”
He might be over thinking this.
“…that is true,” she agreed, seeming to pause in her steps for a moment, only to continue now putting this new information into the mix of her thoughts. Araminta imagined if she were a wicked thing and broke her soul into pieces, if there were people coming to end her or even just to steal something important from her, she’d have gotten especially clever on how to hide it.
That had her settling on some simple truths. For one, these objects were not likely to be easily recognizable as something precious or magic in nature. Any fancy gems, containers or of an obvious shape would have been snatched up by her predecessors. Secondly, whatever was left would not just be laying out in the open on a shelf or a table to be stumbled upon by accident.
It did make this so much more complicated than Araminta was comfortable with. A methodical search into every nook and cranny would take so much time. The longer they were inside, the more likely they would get into trouble. Yet, there was no other options at the moment! They had to begin their search somewhere and hope that new ideas came to her as they did!
As they crossed the pointy gate to enter the castle grounds, Araminta went from this elegant graceful girl straight into what might’ve seemed like a tip-toeing gremlin mode. Not so witless as to stride into the grounds bold and unafraid – instead sticking along the stone walls and softly walking in quick steps towards any obstacle that could shield her from sight. Keeping in her mind that undead could smell her, so she was just as apt to keenly swivel head in quick examining glances this way and that for any sight of something creepy.
The grounds did not appear to have any spectral vision floating along, only she did not feel confident in just striding up the stone steps and waltzing on in to the front doors. Instead, she led their troop off to the side, weaving through old abandoned debris that was so decayed there was no telling what it used to be. Seeking out side entrances that would’ve been used by servants to enter the ground floors of the castle proper.
It wasn’t exactly a thrilling thought to know that their search was probably a lot more of a treasure hunt than a casual wandering but he didn’t want Araminta to accidentally exclude such thoughts either. If he was now truly part of this means of trials, then he was going to point out such things. Unfortunate truths or not.
He could only maybe hope that Grim may know what to look for or could point it out due to being a spirit that literally guarded those from being pillaged. The church grim might know what could be considered a vessel that they ought to potentially snatch up without meeting the owner of it.
Right now, he was prompt to following after Araminta’s motions. Noticing how the dog itself seemed to disappear save that of red eyes. Slipping into the ethereal wraith like existence to follow before eventually getting ahead. Watching and scouting with slow clues that they were so far, not being approached or approaching anything that might wish to nibble on any earlobes.
“You’re such a good dog,” Araminta whispered for Grim’s benefit, and her own too in getting to interact with a dog that was indeed good to heal the hurt she’d suffered. With the spirit’s help in keep an eye out, they were able to find an entrance into the castle itself that was tucked away at the side of the giant stone building.
An awning above the doorway covered in dead ivy and the signs of an old table and chairs hinted that it used to be a spot people would sit out there for fresh air. When she managed to get the door to shift open they found themselves walking into a huge old kitchen. Everything covered in untold decades of dust and spider webs, which at least meant there was not so many living here that they’d need a big kitchen if there were any living lurking. Old cast iron stoves lined one wall, a couple of big cauldrons lay haphazard near abandoned fireplaces.
There were rats! Beady four eyed rats suddenly scurrying away for safety and leaving behind their little tiny paw prints.
Araminta paused near on the windows, testing the length of ancient curtains with her fingers. Only to find the fabric of these was so threadbare and fragile it crumbled in her hands. Those wouldn’t do for helping mask their scent, she’d have to keep an eye out for something better.
She ought to have been terrified knowing what could lie in this castle, only Araminta’s sense of adventure and curiosity tended to be worrisomely strong. The tiny mountain princess being all too eager to take a peek at anything that caught her attention, while she led them towards the double doors that’d take them out of the kitchens and deeper into the castle.
If the kitchen was anything to go by, this place truly had been lost to the ages. Left to crumble at nature’s insistence while still housing that in which were the furry vermin that happily decided they no longer wished to be present. Their prompt need to leave only hastened as Grim seemed to find sudden interest in them. Hackles fluffing to make the large dog already seem bigger. Debating giving chase when nose decided instead to go snorting around the place. Searching for anything that could be of potential interest to particularly him.
Taking some lead from Grim to step in and pull open a drawer curiously slow, there was little to this place that would be of use to the living sort.
It might be a good thing. It meant they weren’t likely to deal with something of the human type that would be present to cause issues. But that could also mean absolutely nothing.
Turning when it seemed they were to move on, sword was drawn preemptively to be ready for any potential attacks. With hound happily turning about to step up to the plate once more to lead firstly through the next portion.
Tiny cramped servants halls led them onwards to even more halls. With twists and bends, open archways and closed woodened doors. Araminta put a lot of faith into the spirit Grim, making the assumption that she’d explained well enough to him what she was looking for and that with it’s taking the lead in front of her that surely he was attempting to sniff out the lich itself. While Araminta didn’t want to run into a lich at all, knowing where they were in this massive castle could at least give a hint on where they might hide precious artifacts.
The princess made sure to pay attention too where the beast would fluff and rise, sometimes it wouldn’t be anything more than the gloomy rats. Once or twice she’d reach for a door and there would be a little snarl or snort of warning, that she took quickly as a Not that one! Otherwise, when she did have a chance to peek inside the rooms of that lower floor, they most often tended to be storage or quarters for the servants. Good hiding spaces in her opinion, but Araminta had the feeling that higher born nobles or spellcasters with a sense of powerful ego wouldn’t be likely to hide their most valuable things with those they considered beneath them. Even if they were all dead.
Just when Araminta was starting to think there was a single ghostly soul still in this labyrinth of a dark castle, they’d climbed up a set of stairs and came into an enormous room filled with arches and columns. Evidence of an old rug lined the huge expanse of it up towards and set of waiting thrones. Covered in decades of dusk and decay. Walking, or rather roaming without purpose was several incorporeal beings. Just floating in seemingly no real direction, with a lack of purpose. Lending Araminta to reach behind her in that silly way to shield Theon and tuck him behind her as if she actually thought she could prevent anything from rolling her over. Watching with that examining blink and deciding quickly they weren’t the liches, but all too curious to know what sort of spirits they were even despite the chills than ran up her arms.
The real surprise came in what was behind the thrones, hanging up on the walls as a huge portrait. A royal family of King and Queen, extended family of aunts and uncles, and the royal children of various ages. With one young woman dressed in red with eyes of moonlight silver and an expression that was all too familiar. The Imperial Queen Heirra herself! Or rather, the young Princess before she became the very monster she was today.
It was strange to him when they came up from so far, nothing outside rats and low threats that Grim had been very acute at assuring they didn’t run into. So when they were coming to that of the throne hall, seeing that of the floating souls aimlessly meandering around, he was suddenly very leery. And very intrigued.
Ghosts had not been on his task list of things to worry about when he was being sent out on missions. Rather, he was to make them likely when their anger and resentment made them hang onto the mortal world after his sword and arm had been a makeshift axe. A good portion of him hadn’t even believed ghosts were actually real even if he knew quite the opposite.
Grim didn’t seem to worry about the incorporeal’s. If anything, the church grim just barely even acknowledged them. Lending to a sort of silent suggestion that they just might not be a threat. Or they hadn’t turned into one yet that the black dog hadn’t sought to act as the recruited assistance.
While they were certainly that of strong curiosity, a few added seconds where gaze could move along their current location while detailing the means of presence of walls, thrones and well, something he hardly expected to have ever seen.
A portrait that made gaze fall properly to stare at one in particular. A person far younger than she was now but still seemed to ooze a strong sense of emotional turmoil. The Imperial Queen, just a princess at that time. It was funny, perhaps odd, how even a portrait was enough to cause a mental tremble paired with a half step backwards. Although he knew absolutely nothing about the mass of apparent family she had possessed, it was hard to even look at the royal family beyond that of Heirra. He might have worried his own heart may gallop out of his chest, if it had been there.
But, “Would it be the king or queen that had become the liches here?” Theon mumbled, freshly cowed and not so eager to give names or familial ties to anything present.
“I don’t know,” responded Araminta with a mystified sort of amazement. Being of a large family herself, seeing the portrait initially had dug up all sorts of remaining feelings of sadness and loss. There was a portrait similar to this in her own castle home, of her parents and all of her siblings, when Araminta herself was just a young girl. This was an even larger family and when she’d recognized the Imperial Queen, it only took a startling second to realize this was Theon’s family. His blood and relation that he’d never had a chance to meet cause they likely had died a long, long, long time ago.
Goodness, she hoped they’d not meet the spirits of his family here. What a terrible thing that would be for Theon.
But this was also a chance to explore what was turning out to be the birthplace of Heirra. They could learn valuable things here, even as they searched for a phylactery. Anything that could help them understand the woman would be a useful thing.
“…you do not have to stay here.” she muttered softly, casting a concern look to Theon from over her shoulder. “You should face your history when you are ready and want to. I can investigate and search with Grim’s help. You could give me the coin and lantern, then wait outside and watch the windows for me?”
That lack of information was truly a pitfall. While knowing the woman that had birthed him was in fact a very power sorceress, he didn’t know if it came from natural or unnatural means. Right now, if he veered on the side of natural, it would imply it came from one of those in the portrait that were the ruling bodies. However, that was the crux there. He didn’t know. It wasn’t as though he had conversations with the Imperial Queen about the bloodlines he possessed. There wasn’t a familial bond or anything close to that.
But it was so out of pocket to think that this was potentially the very place that the Imperial Queen had started. With a large family that were clearly never to be known, seen or spoken of.
Yet if they went on the idea that this was her birthplace, she was a natural magic user and such well… it might be uncomfortably safe to say that one of the parents to the woman was in fact one as well. And could be very likely a lich or liches.
It also gave him a thought. Just interrupted while his skin was purposefully crawling, to look at Araminta. Finding those green eyes were filled with concern and her mouth was saying nonsense. “No.” It was a simple reply. Just a solid no to all of it.
And he wasn’t going to give a motion of potential argument either. “If this is the place of the Imperial Queen’s birth and that of those whom had given her that very source, then there may be similarities in behaviours. Such as where one might keep precious guarded items.” Theon had put the strength of his mask back into place. Stuffing down undesirable behaviours to peer backwards over shoulders. “The Imperial Queen has a dungeon down below that of the Imperial Castle. Where she keeps her more precious items and unknowns. It’s likely hidden but vaguely known.” He’d never been in it that he could remember and didn’t intend to ever.
But perhaps that was a hint. A learned trait, “It may be similar here.”
By the look on Araminta’s face, with the way her mouth twist to the side and her nose wrinkled up, it was clear that she had some very strong feelings about dungeons. While she was more than a little interested to explore such an ancient and large ruined place, that didn’t mean she wanted to go crawling down into the depths of damp, mildewy tunnels to eyeball chambers that were most certainly meant for torture. A dark castle like this, surely they were torture dungeons!
But Theon seemed bolstered to continue this mission even with his discomfort about learning more of his family. Araminta couldn’t let herself get scared and intimidated now. Knowing well that Theon would try to continue this trial on her behalf, and she couldn’t let him do so on his own when there was no way to know what he might discover. What might be difficult for him.
“That makes it the best place to look first, then,” she agreed, straightening up to her full height and peering carefully around the columns again. Taking stock of the layout of the throne room and trying to remember the general layout that was common for castles. Even for one as large as this, there tended to be a method to it. Somewhere close would be the passage to go back downwards, an inner entrance so that they wouldn’t have to risk going all the way back outside to find the outer entrance.
“Most of them look happy,” she noted of the portrait. By most, she meant nearly all. The youngest of course looked fussy to have to stand for a portrait at all. The Princess Heirra looked as imperious and dismissive of the world as usual. Otherwise, the royal family looked as joyful as any family should be. Giving Araminta all sorts of questions on how such a woman could become a terror to the world.
That was an easy agreement. Lightly reaching out to scratch at the head of Grim once more –prompting the dog to very much swiftly topple over to expose belly. As if this were a fee for his services. Expectant eyes looking between them even as he was more than ready to turn and head back down. To look for a dungeon that just might be tucked away and loaded with unassuming goodies that would help them evade this place without a necro encounter.
Just that Araminta spoke up about how apparently the portrait had looked happy. Something about that sat like a loaded brick on his chest.
Settling for giving a few pets and light pats to the exposed belly, “Mhmm.” He wasn’t invested in even entertaining a vague commentary about people he had no idea about. Related or not. It did however make him really wonder what had happened here.
A war of course but how was it really started. Why here. Why was it seemingly only the Imperial Queen that had managed to live through it all. Or was she the one that started it. Something about that, felt so likely that it made his spine turn cold. “Someone ought to have,” Theon muttered after a long second about looking happy before turning properly to start heading down the stairs.
Araminta was starting think that Grim was better suited to be Theon’s protective companion that hers. A creature so naturally loving and seeking of attention was good to help keep him distracted from the darker thoughts of his memories and the terrible hole that’d been left behind due to neglect. As for now, Araminta was the awful creature ripping off bandages to expose those old wounds because of her trial.
No, this would be good for Theon. One should know where they came from, even if that history was sad or frightening. Whatever dark cursed had befallen his family ages ago could help him now in the present. To know who his mother used to be could aid him in defeating her in the future.
So down the stairs they went with that wary pace. Keeping eyes and ears out for more of the spirits as they made their way into the belly of the dark fortress castle. Grateful that most passages were as one would expect, further storage and personal rooms. Though as they trekked through halls and found even more stairs that wound down, down, down, it wasn’t dungeons that they eventually found but a mausoleum. Potentially even more ancient than the castle itself, where stone caskets were lined in rows that went stretched far. With stone statues carved of passed royal blood and notable figures that someone in that era did not want forgotten.
On passing some of those stone tombs, that shiver of a familiar feeling ran up her spine. That dark and wicked sense of something that wasn’t spirits or ghouls, very distinctly not of this world. Causing Araminta to curl her arms at her chest, as if she needed to protect her own heart from that awful demonic aura that she never would forget.
“Theon,” she warned about the same moment their canine companion’s own hackles rose. “There’s something else down here,” the warning came as a whisper.
With a toll seemingly paid for now, the grand specter beast got up and promptly weaved forward to keep that ever vigilant watch as the first. Leaving them to once more lull into preferred silence to avoid anything potentially catching any commentary as they sleuthed their way into the bowels of the grand structure.
Loathing a good sense of his own thoughts that were so ever rudely jumped by new information that the trial site Araminta had selected, was attached to the Imperial Queen herself. Leaving so many new questions and wonders that could not be answered because even the questions themselves were so out of the ordinary. He only knew that the woman that didn’t own the mother title, had been someone who had battled her own wars. Saving or should he air quote the word, because her actions as a powerful spellcaster had only been a step in assuring she was crowned Imperial Queen. But truly, what had happened to that of her parents. Siblings? Relatives.
People he had not ever thought about before because fairly, it had would have been safe to assume that Hierra had materialized out of thin air with no connections to any other life in the world.
It bothered him in a way he did not know was possible.
And wondered if this was only because things were changing with him as well. Wondering if this was a good thing. Although as they were moving deeper down to where dungeon that ought to have been present was instead a mausoleum likely full of long dead bones and bloodlines, he lifted out the lantern in hopes of keeping the light ever present for them.
However, it wasn’t the dark they needed to be properly worried about. It was the shift in Grim’s body that started to look like his fur had become electrified to sharp points and Araminta’s hushed warning.
He pushed the lantern into her hands and his own was one gripped upon sword as other took feminine shoulder. Lightly motioning her to get along the walls of cut out inlets of dead covered bodies. Not sure he would even be a fan of forcibly climbing in beside one to mask their presence even barely, as Grim took a few steps testingly forward. Body had become see through once more likely as a defense mechanism. “Stay low,” Theon motioned that they would have to try and look like they were nothing more than lumpy decorations against the walls. They could backtrack, but the fact there was something here at all may be a clue that they were in a direction of the right sort.
Araminta did as instructed with not a peep of sound, hugging the lantern in her arms against her chest and pulling her cloak around it as well. A smart move as within seconds there was this loud, slow intake of breath followed by the release of low throaty growl that echoed off the stone walls of the underground mausoleum suggesting that the owner of such a breath was huge.
CLOP, CLOP, CLOP. Footsteps then followed, sounding of hooves on stone far, far down the massive place, until a ginormous silhouette could just barely be seen. Somewhere down there were more archways or doorways to other chambers that had torches of light, for a little but of that light was escaping to give only the barest hint of deep red skin and long curl of black horns. Unlike the statue in the cave at Neive, this was a whole and complete living demon.
The small mountain princess went from pounding heart to flat out not breathing. She’d been ready for liches and ghouls, not actual living demons!
And just like that the silhouette of it’s head turned in a snap down the long chamber as if it just knew they were there.
There was no way he could have even pre-emptively prepared any of them for what sort of horror they were about to find. After all, even he had only been steadily thinking that this place might be fraught with simply undead! Zombies or skeletal. Liches, as they had come here for.
But as the heavy steps of something that didn’t sound like it had proper feet but hooves came closer with a breath that was liable to shake the foundation beneath their own feet; he was peeking from the cowl of his own hood in silent horrifying realization.
This place… it also had demons. And living ones.
If he wanted any sort of silent affirmation that the Imperial Queen was in alliance with demons, well, this might just be a massive clue!
Grim snarled. Looking like the very beast was going to stand its ground unwaivering to a thing from hell itself, he was admittedly at a lapse of thought. Especially when that horned thing looked down their way.
How did one defeat a demon!?
Araminta was not so devoid of thought, quite the opposite but it was no less debilitating. Holding her breath still, trying to think think think without letting panicked memories try to surface and take over. To not forget they were on a mission here. Kicking herself because she was the idiot that had chosen this place because she’d thought it’d increase her chances – not realizing a place of a terrible mage war would’ve been the birthplace of the imperial queen and apparently roost to living demons!
No wonder this was the end for most who dared the trials.
“We backtrack,” she whispered, grasping for Theon’s hand with intent to do so. Only for a sound back the way they came to echo in the ginormous chamber. Of stone scraping stone, footsteps and low quiet chatter. Robbed figures dressed in nothing but black with vermillion trim were coming down from a slightly different entrance. Not ghosts or ghouls or even the lich they’d been expecting, these were living people clearly up to something down in the Dun Glomoth castle. They appeared to be the very cultists that Sir Reeves and Padma had described.
Araminta tugged Theon with her in their hidden alcove of a big stone tomb and giant statue of some noble ancestor. Tucking her lantern down behind her where the glow wasn’t going to be seen, and giving a soft spspspsps to Grim along with a wiggle of her finger for him to come close and stay in front of them.
“Be a good shadow, all dark, no see through.” she instructed in that whisper. Hoping they could go unnoticed, that the demon stayed at a distance and the cultists were mortals with a bad sense of smell!
If they were about to find out what it literally felt like to be trapped between a rock and a hard place, they’d certainly discovered the best place to do it. For the means of trying to get back the way they had come apparently was no longer a viable option. A glance over shoulder would be clear enough to show the bodies of robbed figures that were no more than a low death hum of further problems.
Some wondering part of his mind couldn’t help but entertain if perhaps other lich sites were this active with more living things than undead. Not sure he wanted to find out as they were making or rather he was promptly being tugged along with the mountain princess to tuck themselves behind the part statue of the nearest tomb they were by. Promptly hiding the lantern as not to give a glowing black light to the very thing they used as cover till the sound of Grim being called came. Not sure that was how one called a dog but the church grim didn’t seem to care any.
He was just all sorts of prickly with fur sticking all up in places that for a moment, he looked more like a angry porcupine than ghostly hound. Turning attention to where Araminta was issuing orders and it was by every motive and delight that Grim was at least conscious. Acting the part of shadowy block that seemed to take stock that they were being commandeered by the back end as well. Trapping them effectively in a pinscher.
Although now one had to ask, what were the cultist doing here. Besides the obvious. Had they just stumbled into a trial that was more than they expected. Likely.
The cultists walked down the grand mausoleum corridor in two single lines, weirdly organized until Araminta realized with a peek that at least four of them were carrying a large heavy box, too short to be a casket but large enough to too the several of them to even lift it. With torches in their hands, she worried that the light would reach their tiny spot, but the grim seemed to have understood his assigned role in this adventure and kept his shadowy shape. The princess almost let out a breath of relief until a sound far down the hall had her holding her breath all over again.
A snorting snarling with a stomp of a hooved foot. Big red face sniffing heavily into the air.
“A fresh mouse as entered the trap,” his voice boomed, gravelly and sinister.
The grouping of cultists stopped a few making strange movements and speaking to each other, but the language was none that Araminta ever heard before. It didn’t sound like anything she’d encountered in the Imperial Lands.
“Come out, come out, little mouse…” said the demon again, and Araminta had this sinking, dizzying feeling that it was a lot more specific than just being aware some new trial taker had intruding into their castle keep.
The cultists had set their trunk down on the stone floor, now spreading outwards with the torches to give search to the great chamber of the dead. One throwing out a hand to chant some magical gibberish, igniting along the walls of the chamber many black flamed torches. The place quickly filling with not a natural light, but something weirdly flickering. It made all of the shadows in the mausoleum twist and warp until it was quite clear to them which shadows in the place did not belong.
There was no way they were about to escape this without being found out. Even if it felt like it for a brief moment, all it took was apparently one intelligent demon and the very game was up. For the demon spoke, calling them… a mouse. Singular. Which mean well, perhaps it only knew of Grim. Which in all fairness, he was a specter.
However, that didn’t mean he couldn’t be harmed by something. Just of course, he personally didn’t know what could do that. Not sure he wanted to find out either!
Just that he gave Araminta a tap and a slight push to have her kneel down. To shrink herself as small behind the statue as possible, where he would scrunch in closer. To be as unseen as possible while the cultists apparently were chattering in languages that felt so strange even to ear that he might not have even considered trying to see if he recognized it or not.
Even as he was trying to think of a way to either get out of this mess or distract those to simply go away, apparently the cultists were well on their way to proving it could always get so much worse. In which the torches sprung to life. In a way that was entirely unnatural but showed no less the difference in the space that was glaringly obvious when Grim had seemingly had more than enough. Turning and baring teeth again to express that he was simply very unhappy to have been discovered at all. Presenting himself as a defensive block that would happily snap and bite to show just how he dealt with intruders!
This was bad, this was bad in every possible way something could be bad! When she’d started the trials, not much really mattered and if she failed it was simply expected. Inevitable. Araminta was not afraid to die before! But before it had only been beastlies, creatures, and monsters… not counting the fae, as they were a league of their own. She’d discovered just how fragile and breakable she and Theon could be thanks to Gusteau, and now they were trapped between the biggest demon she’d ever seen and a dozen spellcasting cultists.
She had to think faster than this, they could both die in an instant!
Unfortunately, there was no time for plotting and scheming as their hiding place had been discovered. The Grim spotted by the cultists meant she and Theon were right behind, for that demon surely knew there was more than just a graveyard spirit doing rounds in the mausoleum.
In her panic came a certain level of clarity, inspired by angry geese, inspired by tricksy fae, and Theon’s untamable horsey form. Confusion and chaos was just as powerful as any sword or magic.
“Operation sack of geese!” she squeaked out, having no chance to actually explain to Theon what that actually meant and how she came to such a declaration! Just hoping he would get the picture when she pointed around him and pointed at the wooden case the cultists had set down in order to come weed out their unwelcomed intruders.
“Fireball and scatter,” she instructed. Already well on her way to snatching her lantern back up, now not needing to hide the soft glow of the candlelight in the wake of all the lit torches. Not having the chance to further explain herself for one of those spellcasters was already throwing up a hand to summon a spell of their own.
As for that giant demon… Araminta would figure it out as they ran!
There was nothing in his history that could have safely foreseen a way out of this mess they had crawled into. Literally into a grave of themselves rife with demon’s and worshippers that apparently were more than just a few people who liked to speak in tongues that prickled at eardrums. Of course if he was about to have any eureka’s in this moment, it all failed when the torches began to emit an unnatural light.
Making shadows and things that ought not to be, dance in ways they could not.
The change in presence was enough to have Grim standing readily himself for any means of fighting. Showing off teeth that in most circumstances would have been enough to send most others on their merry way, but in this moment? Well, it was unlikely to be fearsome.
His mind sought desperately for some sort of plan. An action and what apparently happened was Araminta suddenly squeaking out utter nonsense that figuratively forced him to trip! Feebly attempting to grasp at whatever it was she had said but she was shortly just grabbing her lantern with a statement that simply declared the purpose of her sprouting commentary.
Following the point to the offered kindling, he had no reason to fight. Or even the time too!
Summoning the blazing orb promptly to give it an unceremonious toss so it would quite favourably burst into roaring flames upon the offering of wooden case, he was assuring that she was already following the second word.
Scatter.
“Grim!” He beckoned and the hound turned upon paws to promptly start following at their heels, “N… now what, Ara?!”
As soon as the burst of fire hit wood it went up in a woof of high flames, creating an immediate panic amongst the cultists to first sidestep in their scatter to avoid the flames themselves, but then an immediate launch of several trying to put the fire out quickly. Whatever was in the box, Araminta had correctly guessed it was something of importance, too important to let burn even in the wake of intruders!
Those that weren’t attempting to put out the fire were already hot on their heels to follow.
Only, Araminta could not think of who followed, only the demon she seemed insane enough to run towards!
She was crazy, absolutely crazy. Even Araminta herself was momentarily squeaking in the back of her mind that this was all pure madness she’d gotten them into and now was about to create a little more. Somehow later every fiber of trust in her being on Theon and their new spirit companion. Without that trust, this entire thing was feel all too suicidal!
They’d gotten close enough for that demon to finally get a good look at them. Beady black eyes widening with delight as massive red arms opened wide.
“There’s the mouse,” his voice boomed. Araminta nearly tripped on her own feet, but refused to look directly at the giant demon. Darting green eyes in every direction of the underground mausoleum searching for the steps that would be next. A route of escape, a route of hiding… anything that was going to get them somewhere safer and out of the line of spell fire or demon hands!
Cracks in the walls revealing crumpled hidey holes.
Now what, indeed!
Araminta waited until they were close enough to that demon before she squeaked out her next frenzied instruction.
“…Light up Baphomet!” she shouted. Remembering how Theon had protected them both from the strange dark fae, this would be something at the very least. Then he’d used his magic and went too far, but now they’d made a promise not to die she trusted he’d be careful about it. Though his light magic may not have worked on the wound in her leg, it would absolutely deter an actual demon!
Mentally he was already flabbergasted at her declaration as they went running towards that of the red skinned fiend. Just to hear that she wanted him to throw a holy spell at him on the fly, well… that took a certain level of gull that he just might be somewhat horrified of. If not slightly impressed on top of it. Scraping over the spells he knew in limited for through that of skull and gray matter, raking figurative claws as Grim decidedly chose that he was going to lunge and latch himself onto the demon’s arm.
Chomping on it as though it were mere corn on the cob, the cultists were a little too occupied with dousing the flames from eating whatever effigy they had surely possessed inside that box.
It took a moment. Longer than a moment before the conduction of mental gymnastics came to cultivate the spell to be brought out. Minor as it was –he wasn’t about to try the former spell he had actually used against Baphomet the first time. Knowing he could do it with some ritual chanting and conviction of divining concentration, but he’d be flat on his face in no time. Over expending mana once more. Now was not the time for that but he put together a small ball in hand. To throw it as if it were literally no more than a ball to play with, at the demon as Grim kept popping in and out of tangible space to avoid being grabbed.
And he was sure they were about to slide right between the demon’s legs! Were they truly about to go deeper into the potential pit of demonic beasts!
With Araminta’s declaration of lighting up Baphomet, the demon immediately appeared to be completely insulted.
“BAPHOMET? BAPHOMET?! FAE TAINTED SLAG DISGRACE. I AM MOR-“
Whatever his name was, it vanished into a surprised snarling scream with the grizzly spirit dog latched onto his arm like he was a walking roast. Not even getting a chance to sling the spirit off before Theon’s ball of light erupted into his chiseled red jaw. Though the display wasn’t an impressive ethereal wall of aurora light, the shock and suddenness of it was enough to give anyone stupid enough to be looking in that direction a nasty blinding scorch to the retinas.
Aggressive goose style chaos somehow became an effective weapon, at least in this moment. And much as Theon suspected, the mountain princess had deemed their escape to be right between the stumbling, flailing demon’s legs. Wisely too, for when the cultists did get themselves together to start throwing proper dangerous spells their way, there was now a giant demon taking those missed hits.
Araminta ran until she skidded to a stop, turning on a heel to switch directions to where she spotted the cracked and crumbling wall of the mausoleum. Easily squishing herself through the break to scramble inside the hidden space, with enough room for Theon though it was surely going to be a tight squeeze for broad shoulders. What she’d found was likely a natural cavern or a old hidden passage, though it’d been long forgotten before the mausoleum had even been forgotten itself. She skittered over loose rocks and old tree roots.
Until, with a surprised squeal, the ground shifted beneath her feet, crumbling as an avalanche of loose stones and dirt. Sending the princess sliding and skidding down, down, down, deep down to heavens knew where!
There ought to have been a mental pause to realize that this thing was apparently insulted to be vaguely referenced as Baphomet, because before the contact of both Grim and the holy spell, it seemed it was liable to start monologuing about its actual name. Not something they or it ought to care about in the particular moment!
And almost as if he had been somehow able to read Araminta’s mind, yes, they were going to zip through that of Mor-something’s stumbling legs with a demented intention to delve deeper into this blasted hellhole.
Actually, he might have started to prefer dealing with the mines… till thoughts helpfully reminded about the large grotesque spider, so that was enough not to encourage that mental indecision further. Only by the grace of some sheer stupid luck did it seem they were able to make like said mice through the horned creatures presence to where the sound of Grim employing his snarling nibbles were left to be continued. Hoping mentally that the spirit animal would be safe even as mind tried to venture a wild guess to what the hell was about to happen next.
Knowing there was no way he could.
Especially when it came to suddenly turning and being mashed into a crack in the wall that caused even him to pause. As she slipped in and he was more than abundantly aware of both the situation and the fact he was considerably larger than Araminta’s spritely frame. Not that he had a chance to conflict this choice by the way the sounds of the demon declared angry ire. Moving into the very tight squeeze of an awkward slip, as well if he was going to be methodical about any of this, Araminta’s squeal was a sure fire way to insist he forget all of that.
“Ara!” Damn aside anything more and a scrambling squeeze to unfortunately find much of himself meeting the fallen away ground!
Plummeting downwards that one could only hope it was going to be a softer landing!