A figure walked around the dark hallways, lit only by starlight. Having picked the lock, the intruder snuck into the back storage room. He checked the buckets and found the contents of sparking water. As the divine glow from the water touched his face, the figure was revealed to be Donalt.
Donalt wondered, Holy water. What do they use this for?
He glanced out the window and saw a glow coming from another part of the castle.
That's the Duke and Duchess's wing of the castle, Donalt thought. He clenched his fist. I've got to get over there.
Donalt took a glance beyond the corner. Guards stood waiting in the hallway. Donalt ducked back behind the wall.
He reached in his pocket and pulled out some black pellets. He crushed them in his palm creating powder.
He whispered, "εξαφανίζομαι"
Then he sprinkled the dust over his head. Slowly, he vanished.
Now invisible, Donalt snuck down the hallway. He waved his hand in front of the guard. No reaction. Donalt danced in front of the guard. No reaction. He snickered and continued on. This would be too easy.
Outside Delrik's personal chamber, Donalt put his ear against the door to listen in on the conversation. He could hear mumbles and voices, but nothing was audible through the thick door.
He frowned, thinking, I've got to get in there.
Donalt paced. He wasn't sure how he would get inside. He couldn't just open the door. That would be too suspicious.
A plan began to form when Donalt spotted Felux walking down the hall. Felux stopped in front of the door for a moment. Though he heard the mumbles, he was listening for intruders. Without detecting anything out of the ordinary, Felux continued onward, passing by the invisible Donalt.
Donalt didn't dare breathe. One wrong move and Donalt was certain Felux would take out his sword and stab him, invisibility or not.
Just as Felux was beyond the door, Donalt opened the door and dipped inside.
Inside the room, Delrik was alarmed when the door suddenly flung open. He strode towards it, as invisible Donalt strode inside.
Grabbing the handle, Delrik barked, "Who's there?"
Felux appeared in the doorway, asking, "You needin something?"
"What are you doing?" He assumed Felux was the one who opened the door.
"Patrolling the area. Somethin's off about tonight."
"I see." Delrik nodded to Felux.
Felux returned the nod, then Delrik closed the door.
Suddenly, a soft cool touch rippled across Delrik's skin as Cosaria placed her fingers on his cursed chest.
Cosaria said, "I'll finish quickly, so we can get some rest."
Delrik took Cosaria's hand from off his chest and said, "Go back to your room."
"But your curse! Our session isn't over yet."
Donalt's invisible eyes widened as he mentally yelled, CURSE!?!
"If Felux's instincts say there is something amiss, it is not to be taken lightly. His instincts have a way of being uncannily accurate. They have saved my life many a time. We'll resume tomorrow night."
"But-"
Delrik looked into her puppy dog eyes. He kissed the top of her head and said, "I'll be alright for now."
Submitting, Cosaria went to the door and opened it. She lingered, staring back at Delrik in melancholy longing.
During this intimate moment, Donalt slipped through the opening.
"Good night," Cosaria said softly.
"Indeed," Delrik replied.
Then Cosaria left the room.
༻✧༺
The next morning, Donalt looked especially cheerful. Angelo looked grieved standing next to his soon-to-be-departing carriage. Cosaria and Delrik were on the steps awaiting Angelo's departure.
Bowing lavishly, Angelo said, "Till next we meet."
Donalt glanced at Tilda. As he was in a good mood, he winked. Tilda scowled and Donalt immediately remembered the beating he got from Gordana. Suddenly, he wasn't so happy anymore.
Next to Tilda, Felux yawned. He had deep bags under his eyes.
Tilda asked, "Are you alright?"
Felux said, "There's somethin unsettling, but I dinna ken what it is."
"It's probably nothing."
Felux took a deep breath.
"…Probably."
༻✧༺
Somewhere in the woods, cloaked figures sat around a glowing fire.
Ioul and Vexi, in human form, sat at one end of the campfire.
Ioul said, "Just as ye ordered, big boss. We dumped the demonic water into the Arquix lake, pond, and river."
"Excellent." The 'big boss' pulled back his cloak to reveal Lord Grysle. His loyal knight, Yrse, stood behind him. Grysle said, "Even just a little will contaminate the local wildlife and the area round about. We'll be having demons and cursed souls pop up everywhere. It won't be long now till the gate is finally opened."
Ioul turned to Vexi and said excitedly, "We'll get to go home!"
Grysle said, "Yes. Home."
Vexi asked his brother, "Do you think Elder is still alive? Do you think he forgot about us?"
"Come on Vexi, it's Elder! Of course he'll remember!"
Grysle said, "It's good to see you boys excited about the gate opening."
Yrse said, "Someone's coming."
The boys moved to sit on a nearby rock.
From the woods, Donalt appeared by the light of the campfire. He said, "Sorry I'm late. It took longer than usual to get away from that idiot Count."
Grysle said, "I expect you have news to make up for the delay."
Donalt said, "It's just as you suspected. Lady Cosaria Arquix is the Holy Maiden."
Grysle said, "It's true then."
"But there's more."
"Is there? Do tell."
"First. I… My brother. When you open the gate, you'll free him from the curse, won't you?"
"Of course. Of course, now give me the information or I might just turn him fully demon."
Donalt swallowed, then said, "Lord Delrik Arquix suffers from a curse."
Grysle gasped. He said, "No. Impossible."
"I saw it myself. Covering his shoulder and part of his chest. He's a cursed man."
"This is fantastic news!" Grysle said, smiling. "How easily he can be turned. This changes everything."
"The maiden has been healing him. I'm not sure how much longer the curse will remain."
"Of course. It all makes sense now. We must act quickly if we are to take advantage of the circumstances before it's too late. This has been much useful news. It won't be long till your brother shall be free of his curse, just you wait and see, Donalt. You've done excellent work."
Donalt bowed, saying, "Thank you." Then, he left. He had spent so much of his life learning the cursed ways of the demons, all he wanted was to finally be free from their gripping tyranny over his life.
༻✧༺
Bess, the gossip that she was, began to brag to everyone about a letter she received.
Tilda just happened to be passing by as Bess said, "See, look at this. Look. Here he says, 'Cordial Greetings'. Classic priest. Then here, 'I haven't heard from you and was worried. I am writing to discover your health and safety at the castle Arquix. Have you seen any worrying demonic activity since our last discussion? With dearest affection, Priest Goopty.' It's so weird. Why is this random priest writing to me? I've never talked to this… Priest Goopty in my life. Also, the whole 'dearest affection' thing. He's trying to hit on me, isn't he?"
Tilda took a sharp breath in. She completely forgot about Priest Goopty.
Deborah said, "Most definitely. Dearest affection? Definitely a pickup line. You be careful with men like that. Trying to act all virtuous and innocent. They'll drop the facade so fast, the first chance they get."
Tilda asked, "Uh, did you say anything back to him?"
Bess nodded, saying, "I just responded that I don't know who he is and not to write me again. I'm currently dating someone, so I'm unavailable."
Deborah said, "Bad decision. Now he knows he can write you and get a reply. It would have been better just to ignore weirdos like that."
Bess said, "You think?"
"Definitely."
Bess sighed, saying, "It's just so weird."
Tilda nodded then began to move away. In her heart, she apologized for using Bess's name during her encounter with Priest Goopty. She thought about writing a follow up letter but decided against it. It would be far too obvious that the handwriting as different. And as far as Tilda could tell, Bess had handled it just fine.
༻✧༺
Grysle sat patiently with head bowed. It had been a boring wait. Vexi and Ioul started chewing on bark while Yrse whittled a crow from bark.
Finally, the informant arrived.
Ferris spoke, "Yes, I've returned, and do I have important news for you. This could truly turn the tide in your fight against that blasted Arquix."
Grysle grumbled, "Somehow, I doubt that." While Ferris had had his uses in the past, he had grown jittery and unhinged in recent weeks. It made him a liability. An expendable liability.
Ferris said, "You may not believe it, but by using my resources it was I that discovered that Count Angelo and Lady Arquix are having an affair."
Grysle didn't move.
He said, "That's it?"
"This could very well turn the tide. Using this information, you can manipulate the Duke into turning against his wife."
"And how did you come across this information? My other informants seem to have missed it somehow." Seeing how one of his other informants was Donalt, Angelo's personal assistant, this information did not carry the same credibility Ferris had been expecting.
Ferris said, "Your informants must not be placed very highly. My informant got this news directly from attending a party with the Lady Cosaria herself."
"Really now…"
"Yes."
Grysle said, "Ah, then we must take this time to celebrate! May I offer you a drink? It is a special blend I make myself."
"Of course. There is celebration to be had!" Ferris was tired and ready to have his nerves calmed with a good cup of liquor.
Grysle poured a cup of rum, then he pulled out a small vile with a dark liquid. Opening the vile, he poured the vile into the cup and handed it to Ferris, saying, "Here."
Ferris took the drink saying, "A proper greeting." He felt confident in his current partnership with Lord Grysle. Why? Because it was the only place he had left to turn.
Ferris downed the drink. He choked, falling to his knees as he began heaving with foam coming out of his mouth. Slowly, his body started transforming, growing scaly and large.
Having transformed into a giant, scaly reptilian, Ferris screeched. He was a cross between a lizard and a toad with a diamond pattern down his back, spikes, and large eyes. A forked tongue flicked out as dark black ooze dripped from his mouth.
Vexi and Ioul ran up to Grysle. Ioul asked, "Can we ride him?"
Grysle gestured to the beast, saying, "With pleasure."
As the boys jump on the confused helpless creature, Yrse swallowed with frightened large eyes.
In a quiet voice, Yrse said, "Sir? You had an agreement with him."
"Yes, that was until his uselessness became obvious. Any blind fool could tell the love Delrik and Cosaria share. So I found another use for him."
Yrse tried to swallow again, but his throat was dry. Shaking from fear, he said, "Of course." He couldn't help but think that he was staring at his own future, should he ever fail his Lord.
Grysle said, "However, it wouldn't be bad to plant the idea of an affair into the mind of that paranoid Delrik. Perhaps we can use this information."