I let out a whistle.

“Well, I’ll be…”

Sav merely grunted in response, his eyes fixed on the decaying tower that loomed before us. It was far bigger than I had initially thought, its…well, its towering presence casting a long shadow over the swamp. The structure was a decaying marvel, its once-grand architecture now succumbed to the relentless grip of time and nature.

We approached the entrance, and I couldn't help but chuckle when I saw the runes above the door. "Hyrushjem.”

Glancing back toward the site of our recent battle, I said, "Gonna use some context clues and assume this is 'Hyrus' house', or something, huh?" A quick confirmation from Marshlore showed me it was technically ‘Hyrushome,’ and I couldn't suppress a laugh.

"Guess even monstrous toads need a place to hang their hat."

Sav shook his head.

"Big house for a toad," he said dryly.

"Yeah, well, guess he had big plans before he turned into wildlife," I replied, still chuckling at the thought. "Or maybe he just liked the view."

The door itself was heavy, but surprisingly not locked. As we pushed it open, the creak of its hinges sent a bit of a shiver down my spine. I wasn’t one to believe in ghosts…like, ever. However, I also hadn’t believed in giant crocodiles, killer toads and twenty foot-long serpents—actually, strike that last one—but, my point still stood. Ghosts were likely real here—and probably not even the most menacing thing that could be residing inside Castle Grayskull here.

The interior was shrouded in darkness, and I glanced at Sav, who seemed unfazed by the eerie atmosphere.

"You ready for this?" I asked.

He didn’t reply except by stepping into the tower ahead of me.

“Alright…so that’s a yes,” I muttered, shuffling in behind him.

Inside, the air was musty, heavy with the scent of decay and forgotten secrets. My eyes slowly adjusted to the dimness, revealing the outlines of a once-grand hall, now reduced to ruins.

"Keep your eyes peeled," I whispered, not sure why I felt the need to lower my voice. "No telling what we'll find in here."

Sav nodded, moving forward with a cautious grace that belied his size. The big man also still carried my club for the moment, slung against one of his impossibly broad shoulders. I called quietly to him.

“By the way,” I hiss-whispered. “You are gonna have to give that back to me once we’re done here.”

He looked over his shoulder at me.

“Maybe.”

“Maybe? Maybe nothing, you overgrown pituitary tumor. I made that thing for me, not you.”

“Make one for me,” he said. “And I’ll give this one back.”

“What? No,” I hissed. “We can’t both use clubs! That’s like…that would just be weird.”

“Then I’ll just use clubs,” he said with a shrug before turning forward again. “I’m better with them.”

I sighed. He had a point, but, if he thought I was just going to give him a club that I designed myself, he was sorely mistaken. Friend was gonna second-guess that statement when I was waking him up every morning with a blast to the face from Elemental Shield.

As we delved deeper into the heart of the tower, the only sound was our footsteps. Damn, it was dark as a demon’s butthole in here, but, smelled better I assumed. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decay, a pungent reminder of the passage of time. Wherever I looked, dark shapes indicating debris littered the space.

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Shameful thing to do to such a mighty fortress, I thought.

Then, I noticed a torch lying among the rubble on the floor. Picking it up, I found that it was wrapped in paraffin, seemingly prepared but never used. I turned back to Sav,

"Hey, you got anything to light this with?" I asked, holding the torch up for him to see.

Without a word, Sav reached into the small pack fastened around his waist and pulled out a strip of metal. He took the torch from me and stepped towards the nearest stone wall. Holding the torch in one hand, he struck the metal against the wall just above the torch's head.

The sparks flew immediately, igniting the paraffin with a sudden burst. It caught fire quickly, casting a warm, flickering light that pushed back the oppressive darkness of the tower's interior.

Sav's efficiency in lighting the torch was impressive, if not a bit startling. He handed it back with a simple nod, as if creating fire from stone was an everyday occurrence for him.

“Jesus,” I said. “What are you, some kind of wilderness expert now, too?”

Sav shrugged again.

“Swamp’s cold,” he said, simply—explaining nothing and everything at the same time.

“The swamp is indeed cold,” I said. “I’m going to start writing down your little statements as a kind of memoir, Sav.”

He didn’t react to my words.

“Yeah,” I continued. “Gonna call it, ‘The Dao of Sav: Less Is More. A guide to frustrating everybody around you, especially those who like to be well-informed.’”

I paused.

“You know what, we’ll work on the title, but I do like the sound of ‘the Dao of Sav.’ I think that part’s a keeper.”

With the torch in hand, I gazed around the interior of the tower, now illuminated by the flickering flame. The place was a ruin, but a grand one at that. The walls, though crumbled in places, bore carvings depicting scenes I couldn't quite make out. Vines crept over the stone, and patches of moss carpeted the floor, this place very much having been reclaimed by the swamp from whence it were wrought. Or something like that. Here I went, talking like the ol’ Bog. Practically native.

The ceiling arched high above us, so high it was lost in shadows, though gray beams of twilight punctured the gaps in the stonework. The architecture sure was something, though. Some might call it an ode to the grandeur of a bygone era. Not me, thought. No…I figured I had a tendency to see things for what they are, not what they were. This here was a swamp-dwelling toad's stronghold lair—regardless of what it had once been.

Stepping further within, we came across a massive staircase. It was as if it were sculpted for giants, and I let out a low whistle. Damn near each step looked like it would take a hell of an effort to climb. The staircase led to an upper level, but the details were shrouded in darkness. Typical.

There were remnants of furniture, now nothing more than rotted wood and rusted metal, scattered haphazardly as if left in a hurry or discarded in an upheaval long past. Likely some kind of amphibian fit. Broken statues, once proud and erect, lay in pieces, their faces eroded beyond recognition. Though, those I had to wonder about, considering I hadn’t seen any statues yet here—had I? Something else to ponder.

Finding nothing else of interest, I pulled the key from my bandolier and observed it. Weren’t a single door on the first level. I shook my head.

“Shit,” I muttered. “Looks like we goin’ up to level two, then, huh?”

I placed myself at the bottom of the stairs and glared up its length and into the darkness it disappeared into.

"Hope you got good knees, buddy," I mused, glancing at Sav. "Wonder what's waiting for us up there?"

Sav only grunted in response, his gaze fixed on the looming staircase.

"Here goes nothin'," I said, stepping onto the first gargantuan stair. The stone was pretty smooth under my boots—not rough like I’d anticipated. Sav followed suit, his steps surprisingly light for a guy his size.

And so, we climbed. Up, and up, the torch in my hand casting long, dancing shadows on the walls. It felt like conquering a mountain—each step an effort, the staircase seemingly endless. Finally, we reached the top, and I let out a heaving breath.

"That's one helluva staircase," I said, wiping sweat from my brow.

Sav just nodded, looking around.

At the top of the stairs, I noticed something. The stone beneath my feet seemed to...swim. Ripples of light and shadow danced across it, the telltale…sign defying all logic and physics. I squinted. Here, of all places? I thought.

"I'm not sure what you're about to see, Sav, but I've got to—" I started, but the big man cut me off.

"Ripples."

I turned to him, surprised. "Wait, wait, wait. You can see them?"

He nodded. "See them, but can't use them."

"Can't use them?" I echoed, mulling over his words. "So, you know what they are, but you can't interact with them?"

Sav shrugged. "What I said."

I chuckled, shaking my head. "Well, aren't you just full of surprises. Here I thought I was the only one who got the fun of marshy ancestor magic."

"Magic?" Sav repeated, his tone flat.

“Huh,” I said, considering this new revelation. “Sav… now, don't you go tellin’ me you've seen these before and just never mentioned it?"

"Seen it," he confirmed. "Didn't mention it."

I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Of course, you didn't. Why would you? It's not like we're trying to navigate a magical swamp full of dangers and mysteries together or anything."

Sav remained silent, his gaze lingering on the rippling stone.

“Well, where else did you see one?” I asked.

“Back before the toad,” he said. “Near a bush.”

“That’s…” I started, then reined myself in. “Sav, if you see any more, can you let me know? Like…sort of a Squire thing?”

“If I see them,” he…half-promised.

That would have to do for now.

I turned back to the Ripples. They were intriguing, almost inviting. Marshlore had never steered me wrong before, and if it was drawing my attention here, there had to be a reason.

"I'm not stupid enough to turn down a boon when I stumble into one," I said, stepping closer to the Ripples. "Let's see what this is all about this time."

Just like every other time, the voice sprang into my mind, but there was something different this time.

Witness, ye, kin, the footprints of the past. This echo is tainted. Cursed. Carries with it a vile reckoning.

Observe. Do not be absorbed.

I froze, looking up at Sav just as the world slowed to a crawl. Shit! Cursed? Tainted? What in the blazing blue hell was about to go down?

Then, as the area around me shifted, I heard something different. Another voice.

“Leeoooo,” the voice crooned in a terrifying sing-song. “Leeeeeooooniiiiiiidaaaaas! I’ve been waiting for you!”