kpwu
long
tale

Esgol was in a dark place. Metaphorically and literally. Although Feaser and Yedor had followed her, the two were absolutely not in the same area. Though they didn't know that.

All around, blank concrete walls blocked the view. There was no decor other than the bleak neon lights and the wires that powered them, and the dark stains of humidity.

Esgol was shaking. The hum of the neons were interrupted rhythmically by her strained breath. She looked around. She had forgotten where she came from.

Then, she heard a sound. A footstep. She turned around quickly, though she didn't know where the steps had came from. And then, in the corner of her eye...

She screamed at the pale figure, and ran away.

Wings of light sprung around Devan, forming rings, and with that they rushed forward. Esgol, still running, and only saw a figure in grey surrounded by rings of light.

She fainted.

Upon waking up, she stood up and looked around. She saw Devan, but this time managed to contain herself. "Oh god it was only you.
-...
-Do you know where we are ?
-...
-Or were Yedor and Feaser are ?
-...
-Right."

Devan started walking in a direction. "Wait wait wait !" Esgol rushed to their side. They continued together, in the damp and dark basement, with its unpercievable depths.

Then, Esgol noticed. Slowly, but surely, the ground was turning into a slope. And the more they walked, the more the depth seemed like not just a dark hallway, but like a deep abyss that drew her in, and from which she could never escape. Devan could sense her fear, but did not stop.

Although Esgol did not want to follow the dreambeast's instruction, Devan did.

"Hold on a minute." Devan stopped walking, watching the gaping maw of concrete. "Hold on a minute."

Esgol bent forward, took a deep breath, then suddenly sprang up and screamed her lungs out.

"Ok. How do I say this... You want to get outside, right ?" No, not particularly. Nothing great awaited Devan outside. They shook their head. "Well, if you want to follow what that... thing said, you'd end up outside, right ?"

"Well, i'm, uhm, ready to help you with that. Yep ! I'm ready to change my aversion and help you complete the task it gave us. Til the very end !" Devan turned around and locked gaze with Esgol.

Knew it, she thought. "But, in exchange..." Devan's gaze narrowed. "In exchange... you have to do everything I say. Everything feasible at least." Devan turned away, thinking. "And I will do all I can to execute the beast's orders."

Slowly, Devan turned around, and extended a hand. And, confidently, grinning, Esgol shook it.

>BLACK_CASTLE_16 : Seeds of doubt, sprouting