Merryn quasi-woke. Is this a dream state or the waking world? Her sore body called to it being waking. Insomuch that as, I know of anyway.

Opial held Merryn's arms, drifting her to the furthest wall, her barely warm fingers dug in tight.

Just need to rest, for give or take a year; unlikely though. Damn spirits, Damn gods. Damn everything.

"They are getting closer. Chikusho it! I wish I hadn't accepted this task."

Her head flopped to the side and her eyes rolled up, her body refused to respond, and she started to sink. "Get out of here." Let me sleep, I'm so tired...

"You're not passing out!" Opial cupped her face, her hands warm, wet, then almost too hot. There was a thin straining undertone in her voice, as if it would shatter.

Her eyes snapped open, she gently nudged Opial's hands away, this released a hiss of steam. "Enough. Don't burn my face off." She breathed in raspy breaths. What am I doing and thinking? Chewing on her inner cheek. Got to be the ink causing this. Might be why nobody knows about these creatures if they never come back out again. How could I almost sleep, almost drown during this?

Of course that's when the bubbling vengeful spirit came closer. There's got to be someway to get rid of them.

She scooted further away from them. "Thanks."

Opial nodded and followed her. As she arched her arm, she muttered a spell and sent flaming pebbles at it.

Her spells are growing weaker, she must be exhausted. Even though she did get us into this mess, nobody deserves this. "We'll find a way out." I hope.

Panting she gasped, scooted over, stuck her free hand palm side out into curved into a claw shape. A cloak of flame covered her hand, with a flourish she swiped the air before her, the water below bubbled and steamed.

Opial swallowed, hard. "It's pretty bad isn't it?" I'm going to have to risk it, every time I call the spirits I swear unnamed grows stronger. He's somehow tapping into my energy. I also can't keep him trapped forever. It... isn't right. What am I saying? Idiot. He'll destroy everything. It also worries me that Maxwell hasn't come back yet, he always does.

Fiery energies, droplets rained on it. The pitiless creature exploded sending gobs flying off everywhere. Water sprayed to the ceiling then fell as a shower soaking her and Opial. A weight pulled on her lids, and she rubbed her face hard. Whatever was in the ink wasn't a toxin, it made things hard to see too. I know better to touch obscure stuff. Mothhead.

Whispers.

Unnamed?

There it was again. A momentary full body shiver clacked her teeth together. Was something else monitoring us, besides the huge abomination? How old was it, that huge creature? Why did it hide itself? Was it here a hundred years ago, two hundred, a thousand or more?

"Got it." Opial pinched her cheek. "Stop passing out. It's not nighttime, awaken. Banko Yuuga, I implore you devour this dream." Banko puffed into existence, this time with a mix of feline and deer qualities. He hung his head then glanced at her before leaving.

A revitalizing energy swept though her, a shock sent her scalp tingling. "Urah?" Whatever ever that was, it worked. The creatures begin encroaching little by little.

"Fight it, if you pass out again we might as well slit our own throats." Her hand smacked to her mouth and her cheeks puffed out, then bent over and vomited.

Merryn bound over. Steadying her with a gentle pressure, she held her arm. It wasn't on purpose. But... I should know better. She's pushing herself too hard. "If there’s anything I can do... " I hope the food from earlier wasn't under cooked.

Opial coughed still partly bent over, and wiped her face, her eyes shadowed an eyebrow twitched. "I'm not supposed to call any realm people, I'm a fire mage. Doing any spells outside of that brings a penalty. You can't do anything." She lightly pushed away Merryn's hand.

Except getting us out, how that'll come about is in question. She tilted her head back, and breathed in slow. Calm. Keep calm.

She snapped to focus from a small splash.

A spirit stole away, and swam closer to the others. They spoke an unrecognizable language for, maybe two minutes without turning their faces.

Plunging her hand deep into the pouch, she shuffled around in it. It has to be in here. Aha! This should help, calm her stomach. She brought out a hard sailors' herb cake, snapped it in half handing Opial a piece. "This is my only one eat it quick." It won't recover her spent magic but it should give a boost. Too many battles, too many injuries lately. "Goddess grant us your boon."

A cool breeze flowed over her neck and with it a sweet smell of beyond this place.

This doesn't belong to people any longer, this tomb, its heavy mark of death that rolled into one's bones and spirit it carried with it a glimmer of things that shouldn't be seen. Maybe what unnamed says is true. I don't know any more!

This has to be harder on her, how much can a human take? It came off ahead, past the damned creatures. The ancient creature, why is it here? Why hasn't it really tried to destroy us, eat us? Not that it was easy to get away, but a nagging feeling that something is off. The thoughts spun around in circles, avoiding anything to do with injury, death, and failure.

She finished the cake and tracked the spirits. Why didn't they attack? One ahead. Another crawled off to the right. If we plow ahead maybe it'll disturb them. Small sounds beyond the wall; the clank of metal? She wiped her eyes clear. One last push; that's all this is the stakes are different, but for one thing.

A bloated furry matted lump floated by, discolored with dirt and rusty stains of perhaps, blood. Its matted tail slack behind it. Poor unfortunate critter. The octopus monster-creature must've done it, there's nothing else in here. Its good thing there aren't many left, The southern lands is but a burning crag.

It floated over the water knocking it into the other spirit close by, it sprung, wrapping its tail around the spirits neck dragging it with in a dive.

She gripped the mallets handle tighter and moved closer to Opial. Murmuring, she called Aetae. Where is he? She waited. Not even a breeze. This doesn't bode well. A jarring heaviness settled into her, and centered on her stomach. "This isn't good."

Along the shiny wall the cracks from above spread to it, small chunks fell into the water revealing a hollowed out space, circular shapes beyond the murky dust cast an obscure light within.

Opial fell completely still even her breathing slowed. "Nothing sudden," she breathed this out low in two breaths.

A wave of water from behind pushed the creatures back.

The surrounding area darkened. It pressed to her face, as if it needed to feed. A flash of dislocation hit. If only the blasted spirits attention would lapse. Fighting them did little good.

Hear me! I'm an ass and forget myself, I rage and flail at fate and demand much of you. Be my memory, be my sword and trust in me, just this once. Fragments—I'm lost in a vast expanse, I can't see. Except one light, a flicker. I grasp it, but it passes through my hands.

You're confusing, you lie!

Not true, what use would you be to me if you died? It is close now, find it then run. That is what's imbued in these walls will destroy us all without even touching us.

I'm not a worker to order about. I'm a Dire Thief, Junior Force.

And, still prone to mistakes; such as the leveled city... need I remind you? Go mortal, I tire and loose myself. If I disappear your mission is forfeit.

This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.

Don't remind me of my mission. The elders will know what to do with you.

If they are false?

She swallowed a burning scream. Only a liar would say such things to try to deceive me. Thankfully, the conversation took about twenty seconds, not enough for the pain-in-the-aft-end, slow moving spirits to do much, but shift around. It's not as if they could turn us to ash or stone, or outright steal our energy. It wouldn't hurt to put some space between them...

Pressing her fingers to her forehead, she rubbed above the right eye. This has gone well past unpleasant.

Merryn grasped Opial's arm firmly, climbed out of the water onto a pile of brick chunks, and crashed through the wall dragging her with.

Inside, before her, puffs of dust temporarily blocked visibility, carrying with it a pungent bitterness; she switched to breathing through her mouth. As the dust settled, the now broken and bones were all that remained of a bizarre bygone life form. What the flames is it? Large gouges ran along the length of the wall near it. In this case I'm glad it's not still alive. Small blessings. Far in the back, long marks were gouged at a stone sealed door, those who came before them had wanted out. Or maybe in further?

Opial quickly rubbed her tongue on a sleeve shaking her head. "It's like it's glued in my mouth." She rubbed her throat.

Moans and groans of a raging sort reverberated behind her.

I'm tired of nearly pissing myself. I'm tired of us both of almost dying.

Through the clearing dust, in the far back a platform floor, rested a grand elaborately carved lidless wooden rectangular coffin. Several reserved ceramic pots along with clay vessels captured her with their inherent dark allure. The water near the coffin just stopped short, a line of large spiraling multi colored runes cut across the floor, ceiling and back again in a spiral pattern, they hummed and pulsed. About as bad as it gets, anything that had this many runes placed on it is not something anyone wants to find.

Floating through the room, partially clothed skeletons with badly deteriorated black and brown kimonos, the bones showed through the sleeves and upper body, a hand spear jammed between its rib cage.

The wrong way, this wasn't be found. "This isn't the way, Opail, we have to go back."

Hovering above it a prone shrunken mummified body, Its leathery skin a membrane over the bones, the curved nails blackened with age, like the claws of a demon. Its eyelids sunken in so deep the lashes, seemed hidden. A golden rune glinted off its forehead, the symbols marched down its arms, and wrapped over its fingers, where the runes reached the skin seemed to breathe and move. It's so withered, never have I seen such an old one. It's almost wynorrific, monstrous and glorious! To run from it or go closer, I...

Scraps of tattered white and black sleeves along with a perhaps a slash were all that was left of an unknown garment. Assorted luxury items, swirled beneath, an old broken bronze mirror, covered in green verdigris, many trinkets and an unadorned short sword.

"Let go."

Opial stepped over some.

"The spirits?"

"I don't think so."

Two, no three of the spirits eased into the room they weaved and sniffed as they climbed down the movements slow and calculated, the limbs uncertain a foot a hand? The dust wasn't to blame, they shifted like a slow turning tornado. The lead head first, the others always watching never looking away, their mouth less faces absorbed in shadow, their eyes filled with intent.

Opial cast a quick glance at the runes. "They're almost unreadable they're so old. Don't touch them."

The spirits circled around them, now chitterlings at another like a bed of feral scorp-rats.

The same voice from before boomed:

image [https://i.postimg.cc/X7sRcyXz/0-The-enfeebled-immortal.gif]

Merryn hissed, and her hand trembled as the bracelet turned warm, hot then became blinding bright. Her heart wanted to leap out of her chest, her breath to hitched in her throat, sweat formed on her brow and back cooling her. Shivering she moved next to Opial.

Opial stumbled while shielding her eyes with a forearm. Her breathed shaky, "He did not tell me the 'trinket' was guarded."

"Another reason to give him a knot on his head." Merryn pressed her lips, and shook her head. Think, think! She beat the side of her head. Come on. "Trap. This had to be a trap." Argg.

The spirits groans turned to howls, and shrieks they sprinted though the water easily. Opial launched herself between them, a small flicker of flame began to hover above her upturned palms."If you fall apart, I'm not going to last much longer."

Together they changed course, and stopped short a foot away, the water surged drenching her. She sputtered and wiped her eyes. Even closer now their thick sour breaths warmed her face. Floundering she lost her footing, and fell partway to her side.

"Some thief you are, aren't you to have superb balance?" She bent her pointer finger into a hook.

She coughed. "Not necessarily." I wasn't ready yet. But what choice was there? Everyone else came back dead or not at all.

"Don't move." Opial set off a short bursts of flames from her hands. The three howling higher than before, spun away bumping into another, their bodies alight mini novas before sinking in the water. Opial strained her arms palms forward. "I'm out, that was the last of it."

Her ears twitched, she ignored it. "Spells aren't the only way to fight." I don't blame her. That shady merchant is going to disappear. If I can get out of here. Drowning crows, but this is unforgivable. She flexed her fingers around the mallet. A nice dark pit somewhere. I'm done being nice.

The world slowed. All else slid away, the room and Opial grayed out; fuzzy, hazy. Almost beside it, she reached past the runes. To touch it, that's all that mattered.

Her spirit energy flowed over and out, riding the air currents in a thin pearly stream towards the body. Hot. Too hot! She snapped back, the haze broke as every muscle in her limbs belled for release.

She hissed through her teeth. "It's... ripping... out."

She knelt, the cooling water wrapped about her torso. It didn't help much. Every nerve and muscle twisted, cramping. Unable to stop, moans and cries slipped past her clenched teeth, her clamped jaw sore.

Opial hurried over parting the water in her strides, she held Merryn's upper arm. "What is happening? Angered spirits have pity on us."

Merryn blinked, shaking her head. "I..." A deep vibration formed at her center and spread to her arms down to her hands distorting into blur. Images flew across her mind, of blood and bone, the glint of steel, the earth-shattering and her people in panic fleeing.

Yelling. Someone was yelling.

"You're scaring me screaming in such a way!" Opial's usually serene mask fell away, her eyes red and puffy as tears diffed free, as did a glob of snot. She cleaned her face while shouting a garbled phrase. "Leave her alone!"

I can't. I can't. Her stomach tightened, pinched, and she held her balance with a hand flat on the slick ground, the water rolled and washed over her head.

A windy whistling deepened to a ghostly growl, that rolled amid the room. Bring yourself back. The body is empty and it searches for its soul, seal it off, at once.

I can't.

Of course, you can. You control spirits, correct? What is spirit energy?

The energy the soul gives off as it nourishes the body.

If it's energy... then?

It hurts. It hurts like I'm going rip apart...

You've held me for weeks now without fail— well one slip up, but this is nothing. For such a low rank...You my champion; find your brick!

How do you know about the bricks?

Never mind that that now, I'll tell you later. Fix this.

Out of the water and onto the dry floor at the coffin, Merryn clinched her eyes shut, fixating on the prickle of the spirit energy, the energy altogether, rolled out of her flesh, in a vaporous cloud straining towards the body. For all this time I've mostly gone with intuition. It is a part of me, and always has been. I can master this as much as any spirit. The urge to rub her wrists increased as the prickle turned from an itch to a light burning that spread to first her right then left arms.

She sucked her teeth and caught the cloud and yanked, hard. It stretched thin then retracted back, she yanked harder.

Opial splashed out, landing beside her. "All we can do is leave luck to heaven, I'll keep watch."

"Luck to heaven..." Her legs shaking and strained as she fought to stay put. "What about making our own luck? Or rather stack the cards?" This might work. Oops, I'm being impolite again. She changed her eye level to Opial's neck instead.

A spirit came out of the water edging over.

Her brows wrinkled together. Well... I don’t really know.” She lunged forward, stamping a foot, sending the spirit to scramble back.

"Do you have any regenerative items or potions?"

"I have been saving a bottle of hyperic, it's pretty old, it might end up hurting us."

Goddess's feathers bless me a little longer. Kneeling now, she wrapped the once dormant cloud around her arm. This made it a bit easier, thinking of it as anything else. A mental whip lash went through— it's just as solid as any spirit... if I fail here will what's causing this to go after Opial next? What about Parcival, Han and... No point in even worrying about that now!

Grunting, she pulled as it tugged hard jolting her forward stretching to arms length. Quickly she planted her feet against the coffin and kicked out at full power.

At first a soft tearing, followed by a ripping as the energy reluctantly broke thread by wispy thread.

She flew back past Opial, and plunged into the breath catching water again. Her chest, stomach and limbs cramped and seared, unable able to move she sank to the bottom, and the cloud rapidly sank back in her.