Chapter Text
"LEMME GO!"
Noir squirms in the sinewy grip of what she can only assume are crocodilians - well, some kind of crocodilian with flat teeth and glassy eyes that swirl like a whirlpool in their sockets, anyway.
She has no idea why these things decided to pick her up and carry her off, besides the fact that she happened to be checking out the stony colossus of a castle surrounded by magma - but it's not her fault that snooping around just happens to look suspicious!
But despite constant reassurance that her innocence is true, her pleas fell on empty ears, for she was simply held tighter against the reptiles' scaly arms, the group breaking into a trot as if hurrying to bring her into the edifice before her.
At least they didn't throw me overboard...
The blinding light of countless torches latched onto the surrounding walls is what hits Noir first, forcing her to squint at the velvety red carpet underneath, the odd creatures conversing with each other with almost no acnknowledgement of her presence, the stalls filled with what look like concessions and merchandise, the golden statues of a grinning figure lining the entrance...
It's all quite impressive, really.
Though, she doesn't have much time to gawk and gaze in curious awe - the curved, cushioned doors standing in front of her open up with a wooden creak, the smiling creatures take a step forward, and toss her into the next room.