Moira lay looking up at the blue sky on a convient brick column that had fallen on the ground, it was dry and covered in Moss with pretty pink and white flowers surrounding it. Rolling over to her side to look over the edge she sees her reflection in the water, it was like a great glass mirror, the shimmer of the water reflected on her skin, her hair flowing down her shoulder along with her hood as she leaned over.
Jalla was off somewhere, and Vyvian seem to be collecting a large bouquet of fireweed and red leaves and more of the pink and white flowers. Moira got up and tread softly over the water to one of the more structural sound areas behind a four-story singular wall and looked for Jalla but there was no point, Moira thought, Jalla could be anywhere and she definitely didnt want to alert Vyvian to start looking over her. Looking to her right she saw a small passageway under a spiralling staircase, the pitter patter of rain could be heard within. Bending down and squeezing through, it looked like a hound door to the kitchens, but opening the door it led to a large, dark, square room where there were two other small doors on either side. It was damp and slippery and smelled of rot, what little light Moira had was just enough to pad carefully to the center of the room where she saw a green light flicker of behind the door on the left.
"Jalla?" She called softy. "I swear to the Gods Jalla..."
Edging closer, Moira made for the door reaching out ahead of her grasping on the wall so she didn't slip trying to it open. Stepping into a bit of water she was grateful she was wearing these boots as it made climbing across these type of services a bit easier.
As she laid her hand on the door latch, it slammed opened, dozens of torch bugs came flying at her face as Jalla bursted out with a yell, making Moira swatch aimlessly around, losing her balance and slip onto the green, slimy, muck, Jalla's laugh echoed through the room.
"JALLA!" Moira yelled, staggering to her feet then slipping again. "I CANT BELIEVE YOU!"
Jalla's face was hidden by the darkness of the room but Moira could tell she had tears running it down her face from laughing.
"How long have you been there?" Moira questioned irritably.
Sighing satisfactorily, Jalla helps Moira up, "Only a moment, there is a dingey mess hall back there and it is full of mold and mushrooms."
Moira laughs lightly. "Ew- Did you eat them all?" Jalla scoffed. "So, you find anything else?"
"I suppose, the other side leads to a couple of tunnels that lead out through thr other side. Lots of water." Jalla struggled for a second to remain balanced as they walked to the other side.
Creeping through the identical hole to the other side, a long corridor came into view, split ten feet down and small lights of the end could be seen. Walking ahead, their boots splashed on the hard wet stone, then Jalla chuckled.
"You're so loud."
Moira laughed along with her. "Shut up, you're loud as all get out, you know."
"Really?" Jalla pushed Moira lightly. "Is that why you totally knew I was hiding in that dog door?"
"Well..." Moira said, looking around at the dimly lit area then to the small lights at the end of the tunnel. "I bet you can't make it to the end before I can."
"Challenging me to a race? You slimy snail."
"What of it, scared I'll win? Leggy sloth."
Jalla scoffed, Moira could tell she was smiling. "Mainly the fact I know I'll win, you dim turtle."
Before she could answer with another snide remark, Jalla raced off Moira hot on her heels, the loud stomp of their feet on the water echoed down the corridor, the billowing of their cloaks flapped against their backs as a wall split them. Jallas feet gradually became quieter and quieter as the light at the end of the tunnel got closer. After what felt like a minute of running Moira stopped, taking in a breath, all around her was quiet except the rippling of the water against the walls. Breathing hard, she takes a long inhale before releasing and standing up. Looking back the light at the tunnel looked no closer than it did before, drips of water echoed, the darkness behind her became harder to look through.
Walking to the end she realized some one was ahead of her. She stopped at the movement and called out.
"Jalla it isnt funny a second time."
Walking closer, Moira saw that the light was no light at all but merely a cracked mirror reflecting off the light of the water, placing a hand on the reflection of hers. There was a right turn with another light at the end of it.
Looking at herself in the darkness, she hears something skitter past behind her, making her turn around quickly facing the black.
"Jalla?"
Nothing answers. The drip of the water continues to steadily, but then stops.
"Come on, Jalla. Be serious."
Nothing answers, except a single footstep echoing through the darkness of the corridor. Squinting hard into the dark, trying to stay is still this possible, Moira tries to make out anything but sees nothing. Walking forward thinking that it's only Jalla or rats, she laughs, the sound of another, deep voice laughing back strikes her core.
Was that her voice or another?
"H-hello?" She mutters, stopping for an answer. It was deathly quiet, no dripping, no echo, Moira stopped breathing to hear properly. Slow wet steps could be heard coming closer.
A deep, scratchy metalic whisper of a voice strikes the air, freezing Moira's feet to the stone.
C̵̡̳͇̍̄̈́͗̀̀̊͢͜ͅǫ̡̥͈̫̠̥̯̽͌͐̏͋̍m̧̺̜̤͍͒̐̓̄̀̐̒̀͢͜͝è̛̱̙̻͎͎͈̪̲̒̾͜͜͠
The footsteps began to splash louder and more frequent as Moira felt the wall against her back, looking left she turned to run down the corridor into the darkness. The same laughing echoed through the corridor as Moira let out a scream.
"VYVIAN! JALLA!"
More of the laughing reverberated off the walls, the steps behind her becoming louder and heavier as the splashing rippled past her legs. Moira realized that the water was rising, rushing past like someone pulled the stooper on a dam, hopping through the water as she ran. Trying to get as much distance between her and the thing behind her, the sound of water crashed behind her, the crumbling and cracking of brick clunked down into the water and broke the stone floor.
A second later, Moira felt her feet leave the ground as the water slammed her into the brick wall, looking quickly behind her she saw a white eyeless face staring above her before the rush of water slammed against her face, making her body plummet through the halls. Smacking her cheek against the rock, her vision blackened, unable to breathe as she tried to swim forward. Her hands and legs collide with the stone as she ricochet off the walls, sticks whipped her face, loose stone pulled her hair. Her cloak yanked against her neck, ripping off her shoulders, making her gasp at her last breath in her lungs
The voice yelled at her again with its crackled, rasped tone, like someone with sharp Nails were scratching into her ears.
C̶̡̣̪̫̜͉̮̆̒̓̋͊̓̓͜͞ͅƠ̢̢̼̦͍̩̲̜̝̓̽̃̽̚͢M̷̰͎͚̼̘̯̃̋̇͂͘Ę̰̟̞̲͇̈͋̾̓̾̕͢͝ H̶̨̲͍̭̣̮̗̞̪͑̒͂̆͠E̪̰̗͍͍͗͌̅̆̀̏̋̿͠R̶̡͎̠͔̱̯̜̭͉̐̊́́̈̂̆̋̚͘Ě̸̪̮̱̰̭̳̣̊͛̑̑̚
All went black.
Quickly opening her eyes, Moira felt she was on the ground, looking up at the blue sky. Reaching out at the sky, a soft faced man with pure white hair caught her hand, cradling her neck, muffling inaudible words as his hand glowed bright over her chest. The rising sound of Vyvian and Jalla yelling at each other filled the air as she looked over to Jalla red eyed and wet and Vyvian as pale and angry as a person could be.
The man suddenly picked her up as Moira closed her eyes, then opened them again to find herself back in her carriage cabin, laying in her bed under a thick wool blanket.
"What-" Moira rasped out as the man made her laying down. "Wheres Jalla?"
The man looked her over and shook his head.
"Stay still. You were in the wrong place at the wrong time, my lady, the north wing crumpled down on top of you. The Queen Mother is livid that Vyvian took you in there." His voice was soft but sounded tired.
"I wanted to go in. Its not her fau-"
"Enough, my lady, enough. You are a guest in these lands. The lands are treacherous and one needs guidance. You do not know what dwells under these old ruins."
Moira thought hard at the eyeless white face staring at her through the dark and tried to sit up as she held her head down.
"Now, now, you need to stay still, you broke your leg and a few ribs-"
"What!" Moira exclaimed sitting up, her voice like a whisper. The blanket sliding down revealing her bare shoulders, where blood blistered bruises already began to form, her chest covered with a simple cloth. Touching her face, she feels a large egg sized lump on her cheek, the faint image of water hurtling her forward into the brick crossed her mind. She opened her mouth to try to relieve tension, but the pain was unbearable to open too far.
"Ow." Moira scratched out.
The man grunted as his hands roamed an inch above the blanket, glowing bright as waves of relief crashed over her. Laying slowly back down, she heard people yelling outside the carriage. Some were the stern voice of The Representative, or the sobbing voice of Jalla. The heavy carriage door opened and Moira heard many people step up the metal steps. A single knock on her cabin door, then opened to reveal three others standing beside a teary eyed Jalla and The Queen Mother. Jalla ran to Moira side, hiking up the blanket to cover Moira's shoulders.
"Is she coherent?" Olvina asked quickly.
"Yes" said the man beside her, standing straight. "Though, I believe she is in shock."
"As expected." Olvina flicked her hand and the three others took their places, one beside the white haired man and two beside Jalla. All of them had their hands above Moira's body, their hands begin to glow as she was forced into a deep sleep.