Chereads / Magick, Monsters & Murder / Chapter 44 - Calamitous Complications

Chapter 44 - Calamitous Complications

Riniock prepared to act, extending his hand towards the celseed in a calm, enticing gesture. In his palm, however, he held a bundle of crimson grass, freshly plucked from the glades – the creature's native habitat.

 The celseed drifted closer, its delicate, cotton-like form settling lightly onto his palm. Its tendril-like appendages reached out, curling around the crimson grass as it began to feed.

 'Gently now,' Riniock murmured, steadying his other hand, which held the tweezers. Carefully, he moved towards the celseed's fine, wispy hairs – each one containing its potent hallucinogenic properties.

 He brushed the tweezers lightly against its fibres, testing which hairs were most likely to come loose. Despite the creature's diminutive size and the near-microscopic nature of its hairs, Riniock eventually managed to secure a few strands with delicate precision.

 Beside him, Linry mirrored his efforts, her focus evident in the way her jaw tightened beneath the cloth mask. Her brow furrowed as she squinted, her movements deliberate and precise.

 After some attempts – most resulting in near-misses due to the slippery, almost intangible nature of their target – they both succeeded in collecting their first samples.

 'Place it here!' Linry said, holding up a small vial. She carefully secured her own sample before offering the vial to Riniock, who deftly manoeuvred the celseed to free his hand.

 'These samples won't be nearly enough for thorough research,' Riniock said, frowning at the meagre collection they'd painstakingly gathered. 'Are you up for doing this again?'

 'Research requires patience,' Linry replied firmly, her tone leaving no room for doubt. 'Of course I am.'

 They pressed on, working methodically until the glass container brimmed with fibrous white particles, each strand humming with potency.

 'That should suffice,' Linry said at last, wiping the sweat from her temples with her sleeve. 'What time is it?'

 'I have no idea. You can't see outside from here. Let me grab one last sample, and we'll call it a day –'

 Before Riniock could finish, the celseed abruptly finished its meal of crimson grass. In an instant, the creature contracted and expelled a dense cloud of spores, filling the underground boathouse with its volatile hallucinogens.

 Though they wore makeshift masks, the spores easily bypassed their rudimentary protection. Within moments, Riniock and Linry's eyes reddened, veins standing out starkly as disorientation swept over them. Both swayed unsteadily, losing their balance.

 Riniock dropped the celseed, which fluttered upward and hovered, untouched by the chaos it had unleashed.

 'Riniock…' Linry muttered weakly, her voice barely audible. 'Where are you?'

 To her, Riniock had vanished completely, even though he stood only a few steps away.

 Meanwhile, Riniock's own perception twisted. He stared at Linry, but her form shifted in his mind into someone entirely different. 'Eradina? What are you doing here?' he demanded, addressing her as his estranged sister. 'Even if you're my sister, you're not allowed on college grounds.'

 Linry – whom Riniock now fully believed to be Eradina – wandered aimlessly around the boathouse, searching for something invisible and unattainable.

 This hallucination was unlike any Riniock had experienced before. Unlike his prior encounters with the celseed, he remained completely oblivious to the fact that he was under its influence.

 For what felt like an eternity, they both remained trapped in their distorted realities, oblivious to their surroundings as their minds played out fabricated scenarios.

 Eventually, the effects of the spores waned. Linry was the first to regain clarity, her breath steadying as the hallucinations dissolved. Riniock came to a few minutes later, blinking in confusion as the haze lifted.

 'Eradina?' Riniock muttered in confusion, glancing around. 'Where did she go?'

 'Who?' Linry asked, struggling to rise to her feet, her movements sluggish.

 'Never mind…' He rubbed his eyes, dismissing the question. 'Forget it.'

 Linry froze, her head tilting slightly as if listening for something imperceptible. 'Do you hear that?' she asked, pressing a palm to her ear.

 Riniock strained his hearing but detected nothing unusual. 'Hear what?'

 'Nocturnal insects,' she replied, her tone laced with realisation. 'It's already nighttime.'

 'Gods!' Riniock exclaimed, springing to his feet and hurriedly brushing the dust from his clothes.

 A quick scan of the chamber revealed the aftermath of their disoriented fumbling. A table was overturned, chairs scattered, and a rug dangled precariously over the platform, its edge dipping into the river.

 Thankfully, the celseed had returned to the storage card on its own, sparing them the ordeal of trying to recapture it. Riniock pocketed the vial of collected samples and hurried after Linry, who had already darted towards the exit.

 'It's really nighttime…' he groaned, a sense of urgency creeping into his voice. 'My astronomy lesson!'

 'Hurry up! People might get suspicious,' Linry urged.

 Riniock dashed through the college grounds, expertly vaulting over obstacles and navigating the shortest routes he knew. In no time, he arrived at the astronomy tower, where two senior maegis guarded the entrance.

 After a brief argument and a hastily concocted excuse for his tardiness, the seniors begrudgingly allowed him entry, deciding to leave the issue for the professor to address.

 Meanwhile, some distance from the tower, Irgod and his group lurked in the shadows, eyes fixed on the entrance. Ever since Piddruin had returned with his startling report, Irgod had been tirelessly searching for Riniock and Linry, but they had remained elusive – until now.

 'There's the bastard!' Irgod spat, his fists clenched so tightly his nails bit into his palms.

 'Brother,' Arthian interjected cautiously, 'this doesn't prove anything. He could've been off doing something on his own.'

 'Shut it!' Irgod hissed. 'If it were just him missing, maybe I'd believe that. But both of them? Vanished for the better part of the afternoon? Together?'

 'You're saying…' Arthian trailed off, scratching his head.

 'They're sneaking off together,' Irgod growled, his tone venomous.

 'To do what?' Arthian asked, bewildered.

 'Gods know,' Irgod snapped. 'If Pidd wasn't so utterly useless, maybe we'd have a clue.'

 Piddruin flinched, startled out of his thoughts by the mention of his name. He looked around, confused, but remained silent.

 'Why is she doing this?' Irgod muttered, more to himself. 'She knows exactly why this expedition is even a thing.'

 'Could she be rebelling against the master and the academy?' one of the group speculated.

 'Nonsense,' Irgod said sharply. 'She's confused, maybe, but there's no way she'd sabotage the plan for some pretentious college brat.'

 A tense silence fell over the group as they resumed their watch. Finally, Linry emerged from the shadows, walking in the same direction Riniock had come from.

 Their eyes narrowed, suspicion mounting.

 'Say nothing,' Irgod whispered, his voice low and dangerous.

 'Shouldn't we inform the master?' someone asked hesitantly.

 'Not yet,' Irgod replied, his gaze never leaving Linry. 'We need more proof – enough to justify dealing with that pompous prick myself when the time comes.'

 Linry spotted her peers in the distance and made her way towards them, unaware of their earlier clash with Riniock. Her unexpected arrival only deepened their suspicion. 

 With calculated ease, the group masked their intentions, greeting her warmly. 

 'Good evening, Irgod. Good evening, Arthian, Piddruin, Rodgut, and Frisian,' Linry said, her tone polite. 

 They responded in kind, their voices devoid of any hint of distrust. 

 'A beautiful night,' Irgod remarked smoothly. 'Care to join us for a stroll?' 

 'Thanks, but I'll have to pass. I'm feeling a bit tired,' Linry replied, offering a casual excuse. 

 As she spoke, Irgod's sharp eyes caught the faint redness in hers – subtle but unmistakable. This wasn't ordinary fatigue. 

 'I see. Rest well, then. Have a good night,' Irgod said with a smile that didn't reach his eyes. 

 'Thank you,' Linry replied, giving a quick wave as she turned and headed off. 

 The moment her back was to them, Irgod's expression darkened, the friendly façade replaced by a cold scowl. 

 'Rod,' he called tersely. 

 'Yes?' Rodgut answered, snapping to attention. 

 'Stay here with Frisian. Watch the tower. When he comes out, check his eyes. Look for redness.' 

 'Redness?' Rodgut repeated, ensuring he'd heard correctly. 

 'You heard me,' Irgod growled. 'Don't mess this up like Pidd did.' 

 'Leave it to us, brother,' Rodgut assured him. 'We'll stay here all night if we have to.' 

 'Good,' Irgod said, his voice sharp and final.