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Philip looked to his brother Balder as they approached the snowing peak of The Knee. They had been traveling by wagon, pulled by a strange bug-like demon that they had come to know as Shriekcifer- it resembled a beetle with the face of cardinal, the beak stretched in a way to resemble pincers. It clicked its beak a couple times before speaking. “If you seek Eclipse Lake, you should be wary of Fool’s Blood…” it said in a shrill voice. “The foundation of the cave is built with the discarded hemoglobin…” it said, before stopping towards the entrance of the cave.
“I’m well aware, Shriekcifer,” Philip simply said, patting off his coat as he hopped off the wagon. “I’ve done my due research well enough; I’ll have you know.”
Shriekcifer stretched its neck and watched as Philip exited from the wagon. “I’m just saying, jeez.”
“You really ought to be kinder, brother,” Balder said as he exited from the wagon, with his Palisman perched on his shoulder. He seemed to be adapting to the Boiling Islands far more than his other brother, carrying a staff by his side and not looking weary from the days of travel. Philip merely shrugged him off.
“He’s a demon, if you haven’t noticed,” Philip snarled from his lips as they made their way towards the cave. “I can hardly see why you like this place- it’s untamed, it’s dangerous, it resembles our manuscripts of hell…”
“But brother!” Balder said, stretching his arm out. “That’s precisely why I like it! It’s nothing like home, there is some new fantastical element at every corner! Every little myth from home seems to have it’s origin here and the truth is even more interesting than I could ever imagine!”
“You were always the romantic, weren’t you…” Philip growled as they trudged through the snow. “I’ve been getting visions… the island, it seems to be talking to me… it doesn’t want us here.”
“Nonsense!” boomed a large voice as a witch with huge muscles and dark skin hopped off the wagon, snow seeming to rise high into the air as she landed. It was one of their two companions they had brought along the journey, an wild witch named Bronwyn. Her bronze eyes stared at the two Wittebane brothers from below with a wide smile- Philip would call it demented, while Balder would call it charming. She wore a thick fur coat made from some sort of white creature called a Slitherbeast, with a collar clearly made of giraffe hide. She had a set of teeth that was carved by Balder from Palistrom wood that acted as her Palisman, which allowed her to chew up nearly anything.
From under her emerged Shishiga, a swampy demon with a bile sac attached to her heart. She had mossy hair that was done in a bun, although still had plenty of “hair” to the point where it drooped over her left eye. She wore an outfit made of very muddy looking leather that draped over her short stubby body, covered in an additional coat of moss that entwined around her. She trudged forward slowly, her one uncovered eye glancing around. “Perhaps we’ll find some good mushrooms in this cave…” she said with a increasing delight in her voice.
“Hopefully we find Titan’s Blood so I may leave this place…” growled Philip.
“We get it, younger brother,” Balder said, patting him on the head. “We aren’t really seeking anything else by being here, so just cool it for a minute, will you?”
Philip shook his head as he trudged forward towards the cave, Balder, Bronwyn, and Shishiga all following close behind. Shriekcifer took a couple skittering steps back, seemingly in terror of what could possibly lay within. The rest of the traveling group though, all went into the cave with a fearless attitude.
The interior of the cave was caked up with green colored ice, which submerged itself into the rock’s cracks and overall formed very slippery walls. Philip braced through his teeth as his brother Balder continued to move ahead, astounded by the beauty of the Boiling Isle’s natural architecture.
“You really want to leave this place?” asked Balder.
“More than anything.” Philip replied. He pressed forward.
“Why?” asked Balder, with genuineness in his voice. Philip glared as he touched the icy walls of the cave.
Philip felt a splitting headache as he moved his hand across the cave wall. “Everything is a fascinating nightmare- certainly worth the study, but it’s warped my mind something else…” he said, holding a hand to his forehead. “Something doesn’t feel right.”
Bronwyn broke a stalagmite in her way as Shishiga skittered along, looking for mushrooms, moving surprisingly a lot for a short demon with stumpy legs, her arms behind her back as she kept her head close to the ground, looking presumably for mushrooms. She was such a chaotic, unnerving person when she wasn’t completely neutral- her movements alone freaked out Philip.
“Brother, you don’t have to stay here if you don’t want to, I understand, but there is so much left of this world to learn! I simply must stay and document more of it… what kind of explorer would I be to leave a journey unfinished? This is the first time I’ve been in here, for instance.” Balder said.
Philip groaned as he looked to Balder. “I need a long rest from this place, Balder. It’s not bringing out the best in me.”
“Then you’ll be fine without me?” asked Balder.
“I didn’t say that.” Philip replied.
“Ayyy, if he doesn’t want to be here, then he shouldn’t have to be here.” hissed Shishiga as she pulled up a small glowing mushroom with yellow stripes across the cap. She held it high into the air, showing it off to Bronwyn, who flicked her mouth open to cast a light spell to see it closely.
“Careful now, the walls are made from Titan material- magic will simply be reflected off the surfaces of the cave.” Balder said, sticking his finger up in the air as if to inform everyone.
“And how would you know that?” asked Philip. “Haven’t you said you’ve never been here before?”
“I asked around from the Bone Encampment, brother. I thought you were a researcher?” asked Balder.
“I was,” Philip replied coldly, making his way up to a makeshift wooden bridge. “Then I came here, and nothing wanted to make sense anymore.”
“Relax, we’ll be back at Gravesfield soon enough if all things go to plan.” Balder replied. “You’ll be able to go back to your ‘perfect world’ where things ‘make sense’…”
“Why do you mock me?” asked Philip.
“You used to be excited about all this stuff too- but then you seemed to have changed, for the worse…” Balder replied. “I don’t even feel like I have a brother any more with the way you’ve been acting.”
“I… want to be normal,” replied Philip, almost choking up. “I fear this trip has forever changed me, tainted me beyond cruelty, and it’s taken my brother under its liege too.”
“I’ll always be there for you,” replied Balder. “People just change over time but I’m still your brother.” Philip took the words carefully, although he was hardly able to think for long as he heard a voice up ahead.
“Oh!” Bronwyn said, crouching ever slightly to move towards a make-shift tunnel created by witches prior. She squeezed herself inside. “Here’s some of that good old Titan’s Blood!”
Philip’s attention was raised as he moved to investigate, with Balder and Shishiga following close behind. Shishiga’s bare feet made quite a interesting sound as it moved across the bare rock, before jumping and leaping quite a bit of distance. She landed near Bronwyn as they looked at the frozen collection of Titan’s Blood in front of them- of which Balder whistled at, admiring the smooth texture of the material.
“We just need to break it open or melt it…” Balder replied. He whistled as he used the Palisman on his staff to created an Abomination to start to pull and tug at the frozen Titan’s blood.
Philip was trailing behind, not quite the runner or experienced in travel like his other three companions. As he made his way up to the tunnel they were at, he cracked off a piece of the Titan’s Blood, holding the orb in his hand. He felt excitement beat at his heart- perhaps he could finally get home…
As he noticed the orb melting in his hand ever slightly, staining his glove green, he realized the awful truth. It was not Titan’s blood. He attempted to tell his companions ahead, but they were too transfixed in their lack of hubris. An abomination pulled a connected segment of the Fool’s Blood as Bronwyn cast fire magic- although she had seemed to have forgotten that the interior of the cave would bounce the magic back- casting her and everyone else aflame.
Philip could only watch in horror as everyone began to shriek, the walls and floors starting to cave in on itself- rocks slammed down into the ground as a fault grew into the ground, bringing the companions to treacherous depths below. He ran, his breath short and shaky as he watched everyone fall below. Balder quickly jut his staff towards the wall, although his Palisman slammed into the wall, begin to crack. It tweeted in an afraid tone, it’s wing movement threating to plunge Balder deeper.
Philip pulled his arm down but it was too far- Balder looked up to him and resigned a sigh. “Take care of this l’il rascal for me.”
“No, Balder, I can… uh…” Philip said, desperately trying to find a solution. He didn’t want to lose his brother; this couldn’t be happening…
“There’s nothing you can do. All the warning signs were there- we just didn’t pay attention- and now we’re paying the price.” Balder replied.
The palisman twisted itself to the left, it’s wings spreading out as more cracks appeared across the surface. Philip watched in horror with every slight twist- the staff Balder held onto for death life ever slightly jutting and shaking as the Palisman began to escape from the confines.
“No… no…” Philip said, staring out in horror, unsure what to do- all he could do within reason was simply watch because he had not bothered to learn any kind of magic.
“Leave flowers for me at Gravesfield.” Balder said, as the final twist of the Palisman sent him plunging below with his other companions. Philip’s eyes widened in horror as he watched him fall into nothingness- not able to look away. The Palisman attempted to perch on his shoulder, but he shooed it away, hissing. The cardinal Palisman bowed it’s head and took flight out of the cave.
Tears fell from his eyes as he squeezed his hands together, furious at the island. It was taking his sanity, took his brother- what was next? He huffed as he exited from the tunnel and back towards the outside, the cave seeming to rumble with each step.
Emperor Belos looked at Hunter- who was anxious and afraid of him for whatever reason- and took a step forward. “I suppose you don’t have any new information on that human, do you?”
“Mm… unfortunately not.” Hunter said, looking up to Belos as the masked figure towered above him. Belos merely reversed directions back to the door he had been building from the remains of the door he stole from the human girl. He was lying of course- Belos could tell- but Belos also didn’t take action or discipline on the poor boy.
“It’s fine, brother,” Belos replied, absentmindedly. “I know you have a soft spot for the people of this world.”
“Huh?” asked Hunter.
Belos turned around, realizing what he had called Hunter. Hunter of course had no idea he was a Grimwalker formed from the remains of the extracted skeleton the Emperor’s Coven had pulled from the caves of Eclipse Lake- after all, he was never meant to know that. Belos would have to lie through his teeth again.
“You heard nothing.” Belos said, shaking his head.
“Okay.” croaked Hunter without a fight. Hunter watched from the corner of his eye as his cardinal Palisman perked it’s head out from behind some machinery in the room. Hunter quickly moved back to push it out of the way, afraid of what Belos would do if he saw it.
“Stay here, this time. I can’t risk you going out again.” Belos said. “Especially to the damned place.”
He was referring to the Eclipse Lake incident from last week, Hunter realized.
“I got the key, remember?” Hunter tried to remind Belos of his worth.
“Stay here.” barked Belos again, in a lower tone. Hunter nodded as he got the message this time.
“I’ll… be in my room, then.” Hunter replied.
Belos growled as mud emerged from his fingertips as Hunter left the room. He was running out of time, even with all these extensions on his life. He slammed his fist against the wall, growling as his body became wildly out of his control, with Kikimora and Warden Wrath rushing in with a Palisman in their hands for him to consume- to control the curse.