They were stunned, that was the only way to describe what was happening as the layout kept changing.
Walls went up and down, left and right to then just disappear.
There were no longer passageways yet it still continued strangely.
"It...doesn't usually take this long?''
This place, Aethelstan, just knew it was connected with Adrian.
Just the mention of appearing at Dawn was a hint, Adrian had been born at dawn.
And now they were here, in a place seemingly useless and in poverty.
Yet a drug here existed that could make people overcome their weaknesses, traumas and past. It could help them grow stronger, as long as they overcame and accepted.
''It has changed before but this is rather unexpected.
I don't know why...but I don't know why this is happening but before it was usually just a small labyrinth designed specifically at the children's capabilities.
They both took in every single word but had no time to commend as two statues rose out of the grounds.
Above them words appeared from golden wisps of...something.
The ground ,the cracked pavement, turned smooth. Golden strands now streaming in it, like strands of a river. Even the walls that had been wet and moist turned hard with smooth flowing strands visible running haywire through it.
They flowed in no particle direction, changing and turning whenever they wanted it.
"Does it have a mind of its own?"
Before he even received an answer, the strands changed direction and formed circles and circles around him. As if...they heard him. From just a few, soon every single strand circled around his feet.
"Woah." It was..enchanting, he couldn't help but gasped out in appreciation.
"This is...? How is this possible?"
Once more no one could answer, as the strands closest to his feet rose up and came out of the ground like it was nothing. Rising higher every passing second.
''You really keep surprising me, elf." He sounded intrigued yet the tone of apprehension wasn't missed and even Aethelstan felt it as the strands rose up higher and higher.
And before he knew it he was swallowed by it, surrounded by a magical storm of gold.
Gold, a colour he had long since associated with Adrian.
Which left him wondering if this ,whatever it was that was happening, was a way to connect to Adrian through the bond.
He wasn't just a portal to the bond, disgruntled Aethelstan wondered how advanced this place even was.
Was the boy falling in a coma somehow orchestrated?
From the explanation you only fall into it for a long time, if and if you had something difficult to process and get over it.
But what would a fifteen year old need to get over, that hasn't already been well talked over?
If it was the matter of ten years ago....well that wouldn't make sense as with the help of Cole, Aiwen, himself and the talk session they made sure the boy solved whatever feelings he had about it.
And since he was still young at that time, the boy hadn't been capable of blocking his feelings yet.
So he would have known.
What was it then?
He didn't have time to further think about it as the golden strands and magic closed around him, he couldn't help exclaiming in surprise as the bond between him and Adrian opened.
His own close grip failed as it opened more and more, forced by the power swirling around him.
Since the fight the boy had with Dawn, Aethelstan had been more mindful to not listen or feel Adrian's feelings.
Even when the sleeping spell hit, he hadn't opened the bond again. Despite noting the darkness of it, he hadn't done it for the sake of giving the boy at least some privacy.
Maybe if he had, the boy wouldn't be in this situation right now.
But at the very least he wasn't going to let some foreign magic intrude on the boy's dream.
He forced the bond close before long with his own magic thighs around.
Jaw dropping at the jolt of electricity through his veins, an involuntary gasp left him.
His magic ,wich he had used to close the bond, was now opening it. A thing he didn't know could happen, his magic out of his control.
Opening his eyes ,when had he even closed them, he noticed the magic rushing around him was no longer gold but also, equally silver.
Discomfort increasing he groaned out his magic was now getting seeped out of him.
"You alright, elf?"
He heard it but couldn't acknowledge it as the more magic it took, the more his cracked core felt like being stabbed with fine needles.
Instinctively wrapping his arms around his waist, he gritted his teeth as tremors from his shaking and burdened core overtook his body.
Distressed, he felt even more distressed when his magical veinsstarted to become inflamed. It had been years since so much magic had rushed through them, especially not since that night with the marquis of hell.
An encounter that still had it's aftereffects following him a decade later.
Even with Adrian's healing surge and his own knowledge and magiacal prowress the healing was slow.
"Urgh''
His magic output increased once again, whatever he had healed in those ten years, would need to start over again very much like scars reopened.
Disorientated by the strong, shimmering light around him he closed his eyes. Now listening too the growing argument, in an attempt to ignore the growing pain.
"You know something about this?!"
"Master bodyquard..I don't..I don't know what's happening."
''I still need him!"
That wasn't exactly comforting as a grimace appeared on his face. Trying to keep level headed he breathed in and out, counting and keeping track of the passing seconds as magic kept flowing in the bond.
Outside of his control, was the first time where he litterally had no control of aanything?
He didn't what the effect of this would be and couldn't even test them...neither was he sure he wanted to find out.
Stars now the only thing he saw, beside the glimmering silver and gold on his eyelids.
Every second was excrutiating, he didn't even know how ling it has been because while he had attempted to count ,he had quickly lost track.
But he had reached his limit, his body and core straining as he slacked.
It seems whatever caused this was listening and awre of his body's limitations as it stopped,everything stopped.
The swirling magic around him turned back to their previou, haywire position.
Few left around him grabbed hold of his body, the feeling leaving him reeling as pure magic upon skin was never fun or a good idea.
While the magical intent was harmless as he was floated back down, burns where already forming on his wrist, ankles and waist as the strands wrapped thightly around him.
This whole thing was anything but harmless.
The thought left him chuckling.
Magical exhaustion, inflamed magic veins, countless small burns and the five enormous ones.
Definitely harmless.
"He's gone insane."
"Noble elf...you alright?''
''This is all because of you, so keep quiet."
Gasp of the village chief filtered through the room but Aethelstan was more surprised at hand suddenly pulling him and putting him rather softly against the wall.
"Better say something, elf before I go start a killing spree.
Starting with him over there."
"eeckkk"
He would do it, Aethelstan was sure of it as he filtered the annoyed words.
"Just...cough...wait."
With a grumble, Avery settled down next to him. Following Avery's example the chief settled down aswell, leaning on the opposite side of their wall.
At leats his aura sensing still worked fine, extremely fine as two sources of magic brimmed frow within the statues.
Magic so intricate that it felt like out of this world, with details so magnificent that they felt alive.
''Half an hour, elf.
Better get started on healing before I spill the promised blood."
Not bothering to answer, he changed to the lotus position. Medetating to try ang gain back what little magic he could in the time period of thirthy minutes.
He hadn't even started before a wave of magic washed over him again.
A slight feeling of dread joined it as he opened his eyes and took in the golden strands ingrained with silver covering him.
Protecting him and giving him the safety he needed while he was meditated.
Could it feel his apprehension?
How handy.
* * *
"How sure are you it's him?''
"Hundred procent. His discriptrion matched what you told me.
Long golden hair, black eyes, vampire.
He never mutteredd a word though, a writing pad the only way he cummunicated."
"A what?"
"A writing pad, apparently it was constantly at his side."
A laugh took over the room for mere seconds before he fell back in the conversation.
"A writing pad, of dear. My pet's traumatized."
"Am I assuming wrong that you're the reason's as too why?''
"No, not wrong at all.
As always, Phantom the genius."
"Well I quess you're name is very well suited Sinful."
"What do you think will happen when he sees me again?
Do you think he'll scramble in fear, scream or just straight out try to run?"
"Depends on what his experiences where with you."
"Not that bad~
Some torture here and there.
I have already planned so much more in my head, it's going to be so much fun.
Why don't you join is sometime?''
''We shall see.
Now I have somewhere to be.
I keep you updated."
With a flicker Phantom vanished as Sinful grinned in anticipation.