Time had seemingly ceased to move.

No matter how far north Nýchta travelled, the sky remained the same.

She slithered past countless trees and just about every direction was covered in some amount of water.

The area ahead was no exception although it was more swamp like with shorter trees and a layer of plant life that floated atop the water's surface.

The very ground she moved across was one of the very narrow paths of stable land in the marsh.

Nýchta let out a weak yawn but just as she thought about finding a place to rest, a deep rumble shook the air.

She looked up and gasped upon seeing something falling from the sky.

It looked like a massive ball of fire which left a trail of dark smoke as it descended.

Nýchta winced as it struck the world and she waited for a massive explosion but a few seconds passed and no such explosion occurred.

The fireball had landed somewhere to the east but her destination was still directly to the north.

She pondered investigating the ball of fire briefly before shaking her head and continuing on her previous heading.

.

..

Nýchta’s eyes widened as she emerged from a patch of trees.

She had made her way from southern, lower side of the swampland to the northern and more elevated side. However standing at the centre of the fog shrouded bog was a sheer cliff that was about fifty meters tall.

It was as wide as the eye could see in either direction and sitting eerily at its centre was a castle at the back of which were two sets of stairs that went up the cliff in a V like design.

Between both staircases, along the edge of the cliff, was a large and jagged downward facing semi circular hole. The rock around that part of the cliff was also much darker than the rest and that darkness seemingly fell and seeped into the castle below.

Nýchta briefly entertained the idea of going all the way around the cliff but she did not have any time to waste and so she continued forward.

She then stopped upon seeing, deep within the fog, a seated figure.

They were really tall from what Nýchta could see and it looked like they were sitting on an old collapsed log.

Nýchta moved towards the figure with her hands reaching for her daggers.

“Mmm…” The figure sounded thoughtfully. His voice deep and audible, even to Nýchta who stood about twenty meters away.

“Mmm…” The figure sounded again and this made Nýchta stop.

“Hello?” She called and, as if startled, the figure turned around, making all manner of loud metallic noises.

“Oh! Sorry, I didn’t notice you there!” The figure, who’s voice was muffled by whatever was covering his head, said as he stood up.

He then walked towards Nýchta and its here that Nýchta realized that he was covered head to toe in iron armour which had many octopus inspired motifs, chief of all being his helmet which looked like a octopus’s head. It made appear like a dark knight from the sea and each step he took threatened to sink him into the swamp.

“Stop!” Nýchta snapped and the man complied.

Placed firmly in his hands was the hilt of a sword that was no less than two meters long and he carried it as though it’s weight didn’t bother him.

“What is your name?”

“Oh, my name is Nionyn of Silures and I am a humble traveller on a noble journey but, as you can probably deduce, I am unable to progress due to the many baleful spirits that haunt that distant castle.”

Nýchta’s eyes narrowed.

“And before you ask, no, you cannot cut them down. I have spent the past few days trying to figure out how to defeat them but I failed to think of a suitable solution.” Nionyn sighed with a lowered head.

Nýchta then slithered around him while keeping a fair distance away and its here that he seemingly caught sight of Nýchta's full body.

“Hoh?” He sounded.

“Does my appearance disgust you?” Nýchta asked but this made Nionyn scratch the top of his bulbous iron helmet. It’s design obscured his eyes leaving Nýchta to guess as to where exactly he was looking.

“I am more confused that anything, haha! It is not every day in life that you come across a snake woman. Tell me, are you perhaps the spirit that watches over these lands? If so, you are doing quite a woeful job, if I may say.” Nionyn laughed while nodding to himself.

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Nýchta tilted her head as she came to a stop.

“I am not a spirit. My name is Nýchta and I too would like passage into the castle although my destination is what’s above-“

“Then we should work together to vanquish the dark spirits!” Nionyn bellowed while raising his right hand high.

Nýchta’s face twisted in confusion.

She glanced at the distant castle and saw that it’s front most gate was open.

“Umm… have you tried running past them?”

Nyn suddenly stood upright.

“But we must face them!”

“Why?”

“Are we not warriors? Pardon me for assuming but I saw your armour and took you for a brave warrior spirit.”

“I am not a spirit! Also, I fight only to protect myself and those I care for.” Nýchta said although her voice shook slightly as the last words left her mouth.

“Oh, then you are a warrior through and through! We must find a way to defeat the spirits that haunt the castle for it is said that they were once its very inhabitants and it is only right that we free them from the curse that so cruelly binds their souls! Are you aware of the Conquest of King Giosaetoú?”

“I may have heard my father mention his name once or twice but I’m not really familiar with any of his-“

Nýchta stopped as her stomach loudly growled.

Nionyn’s gaze fell to her belly before returned to her face.

“Mmm… I have a few pieces of dried meat in my bag over there. You are more than welcome to try them while we discuss the history of that once great fort.” Nionyn said while pointing at the log atop which he previously sat.

“Alright. Oh- and thank you.”

“Haha! Worry not. Where I come from, it is considered rude to let others go hungry.” Nyn bellowed while leading Nýchta to the old log.

“And where are you from?”

“Silures, as I said. Although I doubt you have ever heard of it, it was a wonderful place, even after the Smog came. Anyway, King Giosaetoú travelled all over the world in his attempt to bring all of mankind to this land of Greece so that it would one day become the greatest nation of all time, however, of the many who were defeated in his Conquest, some were great warriors who ended up joining his armies on their way back. It is said that some of those men gathered in that castle back when it was called Castle Toniróon. Those men would also go on to become great heroes but now… they haunt the castle which the once called home.” Nionyn said while reaching down to grab a leather bag which he offered Nýchta who stood about three meters away from him, her daggers still withdrawn.

“Hehe, come now. I may have an imposing figure but I swear upon my honour as a warrior, I would never harm a spirit-“

Nionyn stopped as Nýchta’s eyes narrowed.

“Forgive me, I jest. No harm will come to you by my hands, I swear.”

Nýchta slowly slithered towards him before sheathing her daggers and accepting the pouch.

She opened it to find two pieces of meat and a small rock which was covered in strange etchings.

Nýchta grabbed the pieces of meat and offered one to Nionyn.

“Haha! How generous of you to offer me my own food!” He bellowed making Nýchta’s ears hurt a little.

He then stabbed the earth with his sword, allowing to rest upright and promptly removed his helmet, revealing his bald, scar covered head. His skin was so tanned, it appeared dark and his hazel brown eyes seemingly sparkled with light.

He smiled brightly and this revealed that a few of his teeth were missing.

“I do not want to dirty the meat so err… could you place it in my mouth, please?” Nionyn asked while lowered his head.

Nýchta frowned a bit but ultimately complied.

“Mmm! Invigorating!” Nionyn exclaimed as he chewed.

Nýchta joined him in eating although she miscalculated how hard and dry the strips of meat were, causing her to swallow a piece whole which was quite uncomfortable.

Nionyn wore his helmet once more as Nýchta carefully chewed the second piece.

“Now that you are fed and the history of that place is laid bare, I must ask… do you truly wish to run past and abandon the pained spirits of the Wailing Castle?”

“Yes. Their woes are not mine. However, if we find a way to help them in the castle then maybe I will-“

“Excellent! Onward, then, to the castle gates!”

Nýchta didn’t even manage to respond as Nionyn grabbed his sword.

He then marched towards the gate and, after sighing, she followed.

“Those dark spirits you spoke of, what are they like?”

“Well, they are ghostly in every sense of the word. They move seemingly without weight and if you look closely enough, you can almost see right through them. Well, that’s if you are able find the opportunity since they attack without hesitation nor relent, hehe.”

Nýchta nodded while scanning the foggy path ahead.

She then hurriedly grabbed her daggers as a certain noise filled the air.

It sounded like a low, pained groan and it came from somewhere ahead.

Nýchta’s gaze focused on a muddy puddle was five meters ahead.

Swirling within it was a familiar black fluid but something was different.

Rising from the puddle were wisps of black smoke.

The wisps rose for about two meters, creating the outline of a figure covered in armour.

“Here they come!” Nionyn yelled as many more smoky figures rose from the countless dark puddles ahead.

Nýchta noticed that they all held various weapons and had their dark gazes locked onto herself and Nionyn.

“Run!” She cried before promptly rushing towards the spirits.

Nionyn followed her although he was noticeably slower.

Nýchta slithered towards the nearest dark phantom and just as it raised its jagged ethereal weapon, she rushed right through it with crossed arms.

“Haha! Exhilarating!” Nionyn exclaimed from behind Nýchta who simply kept moving towards Castle even as spirits rose all around her.

“AHH!” Nionyn cried just as Nýchta reached the gate.

She quickly turned around and watched as the dark spirits stabbed into Nionyn’s left arm, causing it to drag behind the rest of his body as he ran.

Her gaze met with his and without wasting a second, she rushed back to his side, grabbed his right, sword wielding arm and dragged him toward the castle but by this point, many dark spirits had gathered in front of the gate.

Nýchta rushed past them, getting cut many times in the process but she didn’t stop until she and Nionyn were within the castle walls.

She fell forwards and dropped Nionyn just as they crossed the threshold but her arms and tail were covered in far too many cuts. Her flesh had been torn open, revealing even the bone beneath and she bled profusely.

She and Nionyn laid helplessly on the ground as the wails of the spirits filled the air.

[Oh?]

A voice then asked although it sounded both abnormally deep and almost inaudibly wispy.

[It would seem as though we have guests.]

The voice chuckled as Nýchta’s vision slowly faded.

The last thing she saw was a ghostly white foot.

.

..

“Ah!” Nýchta cried as she suddenly awoke.

She quickly sat up and unsheathed her daggers before quickly realizing that she was sitting next to Nionyn who looked like he had also just woken up.

Both of their gazes then turned to the glowing white apparition who stood above them with a crossed arms and a gentle smile.

Floating around his head was a halo or crown which was made up of eight vertical streaks of light and his eyes glowed brightly purple.

[Hello. My name is Kiburi and I am the keeper of this castle. What brings you here?]