Chapter Forty-One

Ta’K held Amberosin’s forearm tight in his framework hand but where skin met metal she didn’t feel the cold of steel or barrenness of obsidian and flint. Amberosin felt warmth akin to the touch of flesh. He has to be casting it, warming his hand on purpose. But is that for my sake or his own? Either way, she was amazed he had even considered such a thing while rushing up a pitch-black stairwell behind an old woman who was chuckling to herself as if the darkness had finally driven her insane.

Ta’K is legitimately kind, to me, at least.

Amberosin figured Des may, rightfully, possess different opinions on the man since he apparently slaughtered her husband, and a few others, at the southern gate. Amberosin remembered wishing him well as she saw him enter Blancana and despite how much she liked Desinra and wished for her to be happy, knew she would do it again in a heartbeat. His luck had become her own, ultimately. He’d saved her twice now since his violent entrance; once from death and once from total subjugation to the mass murderer who claimed to be her father. She wasn’t used to being the damsel, never really needed to be saved by anyone before, or wanted it, and to be honest she wasn’t quite sure she believed Lord White was her father. Amberosin had yet to even see her supposedly bleached white iris’… of course, since having the goggles removed from her eyes for the first time, she hadn’t gotten a chance to see much... but Lord White did seem to have issues with telling the truth; he could easily have lied.

No proof, no point in worrying myself to death over it. Right?

Ta’K suddenly picked up pace and nearly drug Amberosin behind him. Only then did she notice that Desinra had gone silent ahead of them. She was still there, Amberosin could see her dim light not even a full six steps ahead of them, though the woman and her light stayed in one place. Des was no longer chuckling. In fact, there seemed to be no sound at all in the stairwell, as if time had stopped all around them. Ta’K let go of Amberosin a step behind Desinra and vaulted over the old woman where he disappeared into the starving maw of shadows further ahead. She hated being so unaware of her surroundings; so in the dark. Literally.

Amberosin may have been effectively blind but that didn’t mean she’d lost all sense entirely. She knew from experience that if you wanted to be one of those who stayed alive on White’s Noctra, you rarely sat idly by. This world moved too fast for those who hesitated. Amberosin may not have known what, though it was pretty obvious that something was wrong; something going wrong in Blancana usually meant you were privy to an unwelcome guest or occurrence caused by an unwelcome guest. Either way, it gave a pretty easy solution to one's problems.

“Desinra, get yourself against the wall to the right and crouch low. Keep your eyes facing down into the darkness. I take it we are near the top, yeah?”

Desinra muttered something too low to hear.

“What? Des? I can’t hear you, speak up-” then she heard it. Desinra wasn’t talking to her.

She was praying, already looking at the stairs behind Amberosin.

***

Ta’K wasn’t positive how much the old woman Des could see, as such, he couldn’t be sure she had stopped for the same reason he vaulted ahead. They were nearing the door he’d entered some time ago on his daring rescue, where he’d promptly chopped off his own foot and nearly bled out like maimed game, and he knew two absolute facts about the world outside that door. Each of equal importance.

First and foremost, outside of that door, everything was excruciatingly bright. He’d never seen estorches with such a vibrant flame, in so many flickering colors, and not once had he ever imagined how much more intense white marble made every light. Whether or not it was something done to the precious stone by Lord White, he did not know, but the marble in White’s estate reflected and amplified everything. Ta’K didn’t think either woman traveling with him would much appreciate being thrust into the blinding horror that awaited them and wanted to nullify the effect as much as he could.

To that end, as he flew through the air and landed at the top of the stairwell, only a few short steps from the door, Ta’K collected pockets of shadows about him, lulled the essence of darkness into a trance, and trapped the shadows around himself with a thin layer of air guarded by a second, thicker layer of his own essence. When the door opened to flood them with the bittersweet blessed rays of revealing light Ta’K would be there to capture and bend the rays to his will, adjusting it until everyone could see comfortably. This technique was considered quite dangerous by most of Ta’ teachings, though the basis for any worries were drawn from ancient Ta’ lore, which he and Ta’Jir had decided weren’t the best place to go for factual data. Well, Ta’Jir had decided, Ta’K had only marveled at the implications and immediately sought shadows to bend around to his will. Thus far he’d suffered no negative effects, though he did still refuse to let the essence of shadows and darkness into his own body in any way. Didn’t allow it to touch his own life force directly either, just to be safe.

Ta’K was much more worried about the second fact about life beyond the door now behind him as he continued to draw in more shadows, slower now, so he could acclimate and expand the air-essence barriers in time. The second fact of life after crossing the threshold into White’s estate was that two guards awaited them on the other side. One an ally- Mezir, disguised as Fernwick. The other a true White’s guard who seemed kind, meager, and undeniably sickly. A non-threat. And evidently somehow related to making their escape easier, which he didn’t quite understand. Something to do with the hierarchy of guards.

Poor little Rhui.

He’d thought about sending a mental message down to Desinra to have her guide Amberosin up the stairs to the doorway, but looking down at her on the steep stairs below he saw that she had fallen to her knees in prayer, facing back toward the labs even further below. She spoke too softly for him to know what great spirit earned her reverence. Desinra sent her hands into the air as he stared down at her, looking almost like she was screaming into the darkness. Ta’K strained to hear the old woman even though he could see now that she was sweating with her eyes set wide. She was screaming.

Why can’t I hear her?

Amberosin was beside Desinra, one step down, and looked to be saying something to the woman herself. She seemed as confused as Ta’K felt.

Damn. I didn’t want to resort to this… it’s going to take dubious amounts of effort.

Ta’K reached out to Amberosin with about four times as much willpower and mental essence needed to penetrate the average person’s mind and still had to push against what felt like a solid wall directing everything back at him. Just like when he had healed her back in Schuri’s shop. He’d noticed it only after thinking upon the events later during his time at the fire alone but healing Amberosin had taken an inordinate amount of essence and strength. She’d nearly drained all of the power and energy Noctra gifted to him only hours before on his rooftop escapade with Patri. It was as if there were some invisible shield battering him back the whole time. Ta’K was certain it had to do with whatever made her appear as a void to his venerable sight. Amberosin’s shield dropped no easier this time and he found himself hurtling loads of pure echo-essence towards her, something not easily done as it didn’t separate willingly from other nearby particles. He made his message short and simple.

Run. To me.

Amberosin’s head jolted in s short surprise but she shot up into the darkness ahead of her without any other hesitation. Her feet hit hard on the stone steps but he didn’t hear them slapping on the wet stone beneath them. And he should be able to.

I can’t hear anything now, can I?

A thick silence had formed around him suddenly, unnaturally heavy and scented with embers of oakwood, blocking out the sounds of both women in the narrow stairwell. Silencing the dripping of water from a leaky crack on the ceiling to his left. He’d heard the drip-drip-drum of falling water when he vaulted into the air, he swore it.

Amberosin was nearly to him now. Ta’K’s heart ricocheted off his ribs.

Why can’t I hear?

Suddenly, without any warning screech of metal that should have accompanied the door behind him, light invaded the narrow tunnel of stairs and illuminated down another twenty steps past Desinra.

There, shining brilliantly in the brightly reflected rays of the grand hall, was Lord White.

***

Korrin couldn’t remember ever having been in these tunnels before but somehow she felt entirely confident in her ability to traverse the humid darkness. She knew, indubitably, that a quaint corridor to her left would lead to a room across from where Lili-Bon entered the estate. She also knew taking the tiny detour would prolong her time hidden from Lord White’s glorious abode. A place that had been her home for much of her life. The residence of her gracious, magnanimous, lovely Lord. All words she felt sick using to describe the man now.

Focus on the mission Kori.

Korrin’s mission, according to Mezir, was only to follow, to keep a safe distance and observe; unless, of course, Lili ran to a White’s guard or anyone else for help. Then, only then, was she meant to “take action”, which in this case seemed to mean “kill the snobby little bitch who stabbed me.” Korrin knew Lili-Bon and was keenly aware of how everyone else in the estate felt about the ‘lovely little Lady’. Most appeared to adore her in public, like their Lord White, but Korrin knew the truth, heard the whispers about “Simple-Lil” from corners and shadows no one bothered to check. Korrin couldn’t care either way. She didn’t want to kill Lili-Bon, she didn’t want to kill anyone… but she was a sharpened tool, honed to do one certain thing. Korrin knew nothing else. Though, if she was both Korrin and Jorrick… then some part of her did enjoy the hunt; found a thrill in the kill.

Watching Lili-Bon make her way down the hall through a peephole in the walls Korrin started to feel increasingly sick. She had no idea if Jorrick was a broken part of her own mind or if it had been something cast and created by Lord White. Either way, Mezir needed her to eliminate Lili-Bon if it came down to it. He was using the tools at his disposal in the best possible methods. She couldn’t blame him. Mezir was a smart man.

Did I trade one Lord for another? Well… yes, but at least this one is honest with me, right? Right. And I’ve got Heria close by. As long as she is on my side I can’t go wrong. I can still do wrong, of course…

Korrin shook herself and counted out ten seconds as she took in sweltering stagnant air. It felt thick-hot in her throat and harsh-warm in her lungs. Breathing out cooled the trail of humid heat coursing through her body, though did little to stunt her building heartbeat, or stop sticky beads of sweat forming in every crevice of her body. Korrin’s hand was shaking, her opposing stump wavered on each jagged breath, and it felt like her forearms were crystalizing in mutiny against her. Breathing wasn’t doing a damn thing to help calm Korrin now. Korrin could hear herself gasping for air, though only felt the oppressive beating of her heart within her chest, weakening her legs with every horrid thud.

Come on Kori, just a bit further now.

She’d always suffered fits of rigid anxiousness throughout her life, but could usually compose herself during moments when it truly mattered, at a later time. It just so happened that now happened to be later, according to her intrinsic attacker.

Fuck, Korrin! Focus! She thumbed the air-rope and thought of Heria. Smiled. Right. Enough time wasted. Enough! Her legs filled with sufficient strength to carry her onward. While Korrin’s muscles felt as tight as a crack in stone, she did feel much better after thinking of her dear friend. A few more moments of flexing every muscle that would budge, and she was back in workable order, and in front of the door that would lead her into a room she willed with all her might to be empty. If she hadn’t wasted too much time fighting her body for the right to move forward, Lili-Bon should be just across the grand hall; right next to White’s Labs.

A quick peek through a keyhole in the room, which was blessedly devoid of life, confirmed Korrin’s suspicions. She couldn’t get to Lili-Bon fast enough to stop her from reaching the guards that would no doubt be stationed in front of the stairwell leading to the labs. Even if she barely made it to the woman in time Korrin didn’t think there was any possibility of defeating the guards. Lord White insisted it only be attended by Serpint’s and their trusted understudies, which were essentially mini-Serpints. All trained to be ruthless. Relentless. Korrin feared her body may be too far locked up to be of any use in a fast fight and any fight with a Serpint would be a fast one; one way or the other.

Sorry, Mezir. She’s not worth dying over.

She didn’t like the thought of failing her first mission under Mezir’s command, but she wasn’t sure she liked the thought of being under anyone's command, to begin with. Mezir seemed like a good enough man, but she’d thought the same about Lord White. About his father. Korrin could feel the panic beginning to consume her from the feet up.

None of this is worth dying for. Not to me. I need to get out, I need air- I need Heria.

Korrin gave two quick yanks on the rope of air that was fastened about her waist to signal to Heria that she was heading back. ‘Mission failed’. She waited a few moments there in the empty, ornate room, which was likely some unused office dedicated to some long-dead noble she’d never heard of, excruciatingly still. There was no signal back. There was supposed to be a mirror signal.

What… Heria you can’t have forgotten already, could you?

The Alta woman did have a penchant for forgetting things momentarily but Korrin knew better than that. Knew what the building chill in her stomach was. A chill that she would trade for a million days spent in utter rigid-anxious-fearful agony.

Korrin tugged the air-rope again. Two more times, just as they’d discussed. Again, she got nothing in return.

Fuck. Fuck, no! Please Heria. Please give me something. Anything.

Korrin started to tremble. Lili-Bon, Mezir, Amberosin, Ta’K- suddenly, none of them mattered anymore. Just Heria. One more time, Kori. This time she gave one massive pull on the rope instead of two meager tugs and to her absolute horror, Korrin was met with zero resistance. Abruptly, Korrin thrust herself back into the thick, soggy dark-drenched tunnel she’d nearly lost her mind to just moments ago. This time there were no thoughtful, deep, terrified ponderings on her position; no worry about Lili-Bon or the others she’d only just met.

This time Korrin cleaved through the darkness like a lit spark shot forth from the body of a hearth. Unheeded by a forced transition into worry ridden stone, she was unstoppable. As she ran Korrin sucked back all of her essence, twirling thread by thread the rope of invisible air into a small gale dead center in her hand. Korrin demanded the light to feed her sight and instantaneously Korrin’s vision was perfect, not a stray shadow to be seen nor crevice to conceal. She didn’t need the rope for guidance anymore, so she twirled and twirled it in her palm, consumed the solidified winds into a vortex, and watched as it sprang into reality.

White always taught her not to cast using her own essence and Korrin was sure that's what this was. She’d never held light in her eyes before. Never thought of it. Didn’t think of it. Just did it.

The bastard was holding me back, but not any-

Korrin nearly tripped head over heels when the end of the rope came into view.

Heria’s end of the rope. Heria’s end of the rope was soaked in the deepest red Korrin had ever seen. She cast the gale with her hand spread wide behind her, propelling herself back through the length of the tunnel within minutes. Korrin was sure she failed to breathe the whole time.

I’m fucking flying. Is this how Mezir and Ta’K feel? Legends. This is how Legends feel.

Korrin’s surprising elation trickled out as soon as it had sparked; midday's light tore through the square threshold of the tunnel that stood wide open and skewered her with humbling worry.

All that was left outside was a dried puddle of blood. Already being covered with dirt.

***

Countess Lili-Bon Vin Dreso had been through more than enough wretchedness in the past few days, all at the behest of Grand Lord Councilor White. She’d played the sleeping maiden desperate for protection, she’d been the hidden dagger and struck a man she greatly admired; all at the will of Lord White. Worst of it all, Lili-Bon had stumbled through the murkiest, darkest, most inconveniently laid tunnels for a good hour or two and had embarked on the trek completely nude beneath her frilled skirt. She was cold, tired, and not anywhere near so clean as she needed to be to function on a normal day.

Lili-Bon was grateful to have come across Fernwick.

The man had a natural musk nearly as pungent as her own wilder scented body, looked like he was going to fry into dried meat at nearly any moment, and was obviously constantly drunk. But he was kind. And obedient. Lili didn’t pretend to feign any idea about why Fernwick had been crouching and staring at the wall before she arrived, didn’t have the time to care about that or his mysteriously missing partner.

White’s guard patrol in pairs- stop.

Lili-Bon felt like there was an itch in her mind, one she longed to scratch, an inkling she’d dived into in search of logic and truth countless times before. An impulse Lili had never once ignored. Until then.

“Shift Captain Fernwick…. Thank you.” Am I shaking?

“Not a problem, Countess.” Fernwick held the door in his hand as he bowed. His free hand held a flask.

“Do we have any of the spectacles?” Does it matter? White is down there. Go! He will keep you safe! They’ve got to be close behind!

“Uhm. No, ma'am.” Fernwick’s cheeks flushed, eyes shot back and forth, embarrassed. “This is my first night on an estate job, I don’t know much about the inner workings of it all yet, I’m afraid.” He scoffed and shook his head, “To make matters worse, my commanding officer ran off with some piece of… uhm… with a lovely little miss who thought his armor was mighty fine.”

Ah, that explains it. “Hah, no matter. Can you help me by casting some light?”

“Absolutely Countess Lili, step right in and I’ll light the place up!”

“Fantastic. This is much appreciated Shift Captain. You’ve no idea what I’ve been through these last few days.” Why am I babbling so much? Pull yourself together. You can break down after you’ve found Lord White. Countess Lili-Bon Vin Dreso curtsied and felt a wave of normalcy begin to pass over her once more. The sweet, sweet warmth of the known, the tried, and true. The traditions. She revered them.

Straightening her back and walking as if she were dressed in a splendid silken masterpiece with her hands folded before her Lady Lili-Bon walked into the immediate darkness. No light yet made it past her feet, just past the threshold, but Lili-Bon walked forward until she felt the stairs and stopped. The shadows seemed thicker here, more concentrated.

Where the blazes is Fernwick with that light? “Captain?” Her mouth moved. She thought the words. She breathed them out. Her lungs and vocal cords vibrated, undulated in perfect unison, but she didn’t hear a thing. Not normal. Not logical. Entirely terrifying. There is positively no way I’ve gone deaf so instantaneously, is there? “Fernwick?” Just another soundless, mouthed word.

Lili-Bon spun around hoping to find her drunken, sun pruned, obedient knight in white armor. Praying that he would make some crass, crude joke, as he was known to do, and she would hear it. Legends… never thought I would want to hear one of his grotesque tales. She supposed that should be funny, might have been, if she’d had the time to think it through. When Lili-Bon turned, averting her eyes away from the concentrated cloud of darkness, she was met with a glimpse of blessed light cascading in through the threshold from around the sides of Fernwick’s shaded visage. Just a glimpse, however.

Then darkness. And light. Then darkness again. Flickering like a dying flame until she hit a swathe of absolute, concentrated shadow. No time to think about it now, it was just happening too fast. The shadow burst, or more, Lili-Bon burst through the shadow and flooded light into the tunnel below.

She saw the man then, holding the shadow about his body at the apex of the stairs. Then she saw the ceiling. Infinite black that only gave way a few feet above those situated about the stairwell. There was a woman, a young woman, just about at the shadow man’s side. More endless black ceiling. Another woman laying out across the steep steps bowing in utter subjugation. One last turn to look into the eternal void and suddenly she was back on the stairs.

Rolling down, down, down, until she finally stopped. Right at the feet of her savior, Grand Lord White. Thank the Legends you found me, my Lord. I was so scared.

So, so scared.

Then, there was nothing.