Lovers gaze gradually walked down the corridor, weary of the danger that lurked in the darkness. Lovers gaze wiped his forehead as he mentally struggled to try to walk deeper into the harsh black abyss. As he struggled with each tormenting step, he started to hear a thumping towards the heart of the foreboding castle. Its intensity grew and was accompanied by harp resonations as he got closer to the inner sanctum. He paused outside the iron clad door to the inner sanctum, only for a minute. He grasped the door handle, turned it, pushed on the door, and nothing happened.

What secrets does this door hide? he inquired to himself, perplexedly concerned.

¥


“Didn’t expect that!” Yen exclaimed shocked and awed at once from the kiss.

“Yeah, well don’t expect it ever again. My guard was down because I collapsed. That’s all, so don’t mention or think about it.” Vinyra menacingly declared through clenched teeth as she got off the grey dusty grounds.

“Vinyra?” Yen asked quizzically.

“Yes, what do you want to ask?” She replied slightly annoyed as she began to search for fire materials.

“That song you sang before you collapsed, what did it mean?”

“What song?”

“You don’t remember the song? It was beautiful, lyrical, and eerie.”

“Really, how come I don’t remember that?”

“I’m truly not sure.”

“We’d better find a way to the castle right now.” Vinyra said, changing the subject as she said that, a crème marble bridge plated with gold appeared.

“Vinyra, look!” Yen exclaimed awe struck. Vinyra turned her head and gazed towards the spot he was pointing. She stared at the bridge in disbelief. As she glared across the ravine, more bridges appeared to connect the mismatched tile looking parts of the Abstained Land. “Well, now we know how advanced they were.” Yen said trying to be helpful and humorous at once, but failing miserably.

“We’d better get started before night falls. Who knows what could be out there.” Vinyra exclaimed matter of factly, ignoring Yen’s comment, as she took out her sword and cautiously walked forward. Yen followed close behind, not wanting to be left.

¥


Kurtonian walked the abandoned halls and staircases that led to Silvara’s chambers. He stopped at the edge of the stairs and realized he’d never been here before. Everything was covered in layers of dust and cobwebs. He was at the wrong end of the castle. This room was circular just like Silvara’s room. It’s columns had faded incantations etched into them. Blue-veined white tile had claw marks deeply gauged in it. The metallic blue and silver drapes swooped from column to column keeping all light out of the room. All except the tiny streams that danced across the floor.







2

Between one of the columns stood an empty sand stone weapon rack . Across the room on the other side were the remnants of a pink limestone statue. Kurtonian cautiously stepped out of the staircase square in the floor and walked over to the broken statue. The face had been scratched beyond recognition. The rest of the statue was either in shatters or pink ashes. Kurtonian bent over, picked up the ruined head, and stuck it under his arm. As he made his way back to the square hole that led to the stairs, he half-way stepped into one of the deeply gauged claw marks, his ankle twisted, and the decapitated statue head fell to the ground and bounced several times before it split into five unequal pieces.

Kurtonian turned on his back and fell with a deep hard thud. As he started at the ceiling, it took several moments to realize he was staring at a large metal platform suspended in the air by enchantments carved into the bottom. Curious about what could be on the platform, Kurtonian stiffened all of his muscles and said, “tae-urea flientra”. He slowly rose into the air and guided himself, with his mind, onto the platform.


¥


Silvara paced back and forth awkwardly, from the added weight of her swollen abdomen, as she waited for Kurtonian. Usually, he’d be in her rooms by now. Where was he? It was so unlike him to be late. Was he with another woman? Which one was it?

Silvara stopped in her tracks. She had to find this woman. She snatched her silk lavender robe and stalked out her obsidian door. She forced it open with so much force it crashed into the wall and shattered. Silvara disappeared around the corner and entered the next set of rooms. Cries of anguish, horrid shrill shrieks, and terrified screams echoed off the walls throughout the castle as each restless Obscured temptress was murdered without pity, sympathy, and reconciliation.