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Takurasho paused at the sound of the supposedly deceased Jonathan Whittaker's voice. He'd turn, raising his free hand to toggle between the lenses of his strange eye-wear, seemingly examining the man with each individual glass as his frown deepened. "Donation...?" he'd repeat under his breath. Then, as if some disgusting realization had dawned on him, he spun on a heel & resumed his charge towards Aearion.
"Stop at once you silly bard," he'd hiss as he came to the Mer's side. "We have a job to do, & it does not involve entertaining the masses. Doesn't this all seem a tad off to you...?" he suggested, as though attempting to lure Aearion out of a spellbound state. Takurasho had begun to scan the crowd as he spoke. Pale gaze finally located the young Aranel, at which point his countenance expressed genuine horror. "Oh come on... ARANEL," he called, waving an arm.
"DO NOT EAT THE FOOD."
This gig was quickly falling to bits in front of him, but he had yet to loose his determination to herd them back together & get on with it. He knew he couldn't complete this job alone & they'd already lost one member.

Aearion never truly was under a spell of some sorts. He simply believed all of this was real, but before Takurasho could have intervened to set him straight, the Mer knew this wasn't right. The lack of shadows was one of the things he had noticed during his song. But the most strange thing he found was that one had been wondering about his race. No one commented on his strange looks, nor did they mutter to each other. They simply enjoyed the music he played with no question. The standing ovation felt great, though, and this illusion was one he did not mind being in.

When Jonathan passed by, Aearion made a curt bow. He looked normal, at least. Nothing like in the note, but normal at least... But he knew the Mer's name... what? How? Surely he wasn't that famous. Though when he was asked for another song, Aearion would oblige. What else was he supposed to do? Run away?"Right away, good sir!"

Aearion strummed a few notes before Takurasho stopped him."Of course I realize this is ... off. I'm not as daft as you take me for. Let me play my songs, perhaps I can attract Jonathan's attention while you find out what is going on." He managed to suggest before the man's attention was drawn to Aranel. The Mer seemed worried for a second, but then realized he had some distracting to do.

"Forgive us for the interuption, good sir!" He spoke loudly as he put his lute away and changed it for his whalebone flute."This tune I play in your honor." A cheerful and uplifting tune was being played for the room to hear. He moved around the room, trying to draw the attention of the shadowless people, and more importantly; Jonathan. Eventually the Mer would make his way towards the man. All this while ignorant of Zaida's disappearance.

Takurasho seemed somewhat taken-aback by the initial reply, frowning at first, but as Aearion explained his suggestion in-depth the austere man would slowly smile. "And here I thought we'd lost you to the limelight. Very well, Mer. But don't underestimate this Whittaker character. He's no mortal man, nor are his guests, & this fabricated celebration strikes me as an unsettling ruse. I'll collect our remaining member & see if this-" he produced the mysterious pocket watch their recruiter had left them from his coat pocket "-serves any practical purpose yet.... Best of luck."
With that Takurasho would set off towards the buffet, goggled gaze locked onto Aranel. Should she look his way he'd gesture insistently for her to join him.

The shadows were his eyes, not his ears as in fact the off-put congregation of their shadows made him a bit uneasy. The Butler stepped out from behind the unseen of Jonathan's backside. "You require my services, Master Jonathan?" Candle still in hand. Jonathan replied with a side glance. "There is another one of these, is there not? Another of their group." The butler remained silent. "I feel the steps of another growing more apparent in the cellar. Why is my vision veiled from that chamber?" The Butler lowered his head in an obedient bow and in a low voice. "I will see to what the disturbance may be." Jonathan was sure enough no fool to know his servant had betrayed him and imposed this threat, all the while allowing his eyes to follow Aearion's movements through the room. "Need I remind you that I granted you the courtesy of not making you like the rest of these tethered souls. Off with you."

From a serious intervention to merriment and joy did he walk up to Aearion. "Aha! Aearion! You play with such prowess!" The butler had since taken his leave as instructed. The light of the room had begun a very slow decline. Jonathan was preparing to strike where darkness being his self-assumed vantage.

Aranel had already begun eating, though when Takurasho began to fuss at her over eating it, she grew bright red and nearly dropped her plate. Ah! Now she was really embarrassed. She muttered something to the plate and delicately placed it on the table, plucking yet another piece of foodstuff off and popping it in her mouth.

She felt guilty for that one extra piece, too.

Finally, she neared Takurasho and looked down. "Sorry... I thought it was okay? I was hungry anyway, and I couldn't find you...," she muttered. Aranel cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses again, going so far as to pull the off and fool with the frames out of sheer nervousness.

Aerion's music was heard throughout the room and she was left standing there, listening to it, existing in a very suffocating reality: none of this was real. It couldn't be. She saw the lack of shadows and understood them now. She realized that expression Takurasho had when he called for her initially was horror, so something must be up. The woman swallowed a little and contemplated everything that had just happened. Eating the food, being addressed by people she didn't know, and then Mr. Whittaker mentioned something about a donation and... augh. Still, everything seemed relatively harmless right now, so at most she was uncomfortably excited with a tinge of guilt for the food floating about. She might even be a bit worried, but the excitement overshadowed that a little.

Zaida examined the door for a moment before stepping through it. She pulled a dagger from a hidden pocket in her hijab. It was a beautiful thing with an engraved blade. A gift from a time before she began to travel.

She thumbed the sheath away from the blade. She didn't remove it entirely, only made it available. Zaida's head was held high and she kept her eyes darting around as she walked. There was danger in every step in this cursed place.

She kept moving, quickly. She was trying to keep herself from staying in one place too long, but she did not know the lay out and she was quite afraid to get trapped down in the basement.

Seeing her shy reaction to his rather grumpy approach, Takurasho would sigh. Her bashfulness was like that of a child being approached by a scolding parent. A skeletal hand would massage his temple, shift the strange goggles to his forehead, then tug at his collar awkwardly. For one who's nature was generally enigmatic, he was no skilled socializer, let alone a talented leader. But he'd be damned if he was going to let this gluttonous phantom horde his treasures.
The man's tone softened some to become patient & borderline apologetic. He noted the sudden change in her expression, as though realization had dawned on her, & felt it wasn't necessary to explain much of the situation. "For now, Aranel, we can trust nothing save one another. Take nothing that thing-" he'd gesture aimlessly over his shoulder in Jonathan's general direction "-offers you. We aren't among the living. Aearion has made off to distract the Whittaker creature, I suggest we take advantage of his talents & try to distance ourselves from these festivities." It was then that Takurasho noted the slow & subtle dim of the lights, & his eyes narrowed in response.
"Quickly."

With this he'd remove the pocket watch from his coat once more, vaguely recalling the excerpt from the note that came with it:
Light reflected by the mirror has only ever pointed in an inconspicuous direction for each of its owners after Jonathan lost it....
He wasn't certain that this offset light would do anything to help guide them, but it was worth a shot. He flicked it open. Should the light reflected from it point in any direction {other than natural}, he'd begin to follow it. If not, he'd head towards the door he'd seen the butler disappear into, hoping that Aearion would notice them & manage to slip away.

((Last quick post before I leave until Monday))

Aearion had very faintly overheard the conversation, but he couldn't make anything out of it. The butler somehow displeased Jonathan, but more than that Aearion couldn't hear. At the end of his flute playing, he took a deep bow in front of Jonathan."My lord, you are truly too kind. The wondrous sights of this world have inspired the flames of my talent, and such sights I wish to lay upon you all." He said with a loud voice and open arms towards Jonathan and the rest of the room. He took his lute once more.

"My next song is about two kings in distant lands, blinded by greed! So much in fact their greed overcame their friendship. It was one of the first sights I saw when I first traded the wet seas for the dry lands." He explained as he played a few strings on his lute. A rather happy sounding song, though it was themed around war. Clearly sang from the perspective of one of the kings.

Was one part of the song.

((Whoops! Didn't see Dungeoneer's entry! I'm sorry. ))

Aranel was a fairly brave girl when it came to matters such as these. Brave enough to pull through, at least. But when someone seems unhappy with her or toward her, she changes into something more introverted and skittish. Momentarily, at least.

Regardless, when the man began to give instruction, she nodded. Looking around him toward Aearion, she nodded toward him and looked back to Takurasho.

"Will he be alright?" she asked, though said very little afterward and allowed herself to follow alongside him. She glanced at the pocket watch, having forgotten about that thing, primarily because she wasn't the one holding onto it. She was worried about Zaida and for Aearion, but for now they needed to get to the bottom of this and get out of there before any more of this "donation" business was spoken of.

Room after room into corridor after corridor, Zaida walked through empty rooms filled with nothing but the perpetual absolution that was the darkness at least until a small candlelight appeared in her way. "I was wondering how much longer you were going to slumber." It was the butler's whom she was most likely unfamiliar with. The candlelight still held its resolve of darkness, not casting a single splash of light on a single surface in the region in which they stood. "I am the Butler. The one who snuck you in here unbeknownst to Master Jonathan. Time is running out and I can show you the way."

The light continued to dim, although, how Jonathan's shadows were portrayed as though the patrons were sources of light to him, they too worked in the same manner for the pocketwatch Takurasho possessed. The light reflected from the mirror on the inner part of the casing aimed directly to the door the Butler had disappear behind. Should he and Aranel slink away in the growing darkness in the direction of the light. Unfortunately, with the growing darkness also came increasing awareness to Jonathan. The shadows as eyes.

It was disregarded. During Takurasho's duration of their 'stealthy' maneuvers those patrons whom were passed by whispered to them. "Be swift!" -- "Hurry!" -- "Please release us..!" -- "The Butler..!" Eyes, but not ears. When Takurasho and Aranel went behind the door the dark had fallen into the absolution. Jonathan's eyes peering behind to the closing door. "I see now." Should Takurasho or Aranel look through the closing crack of the door as it was being closed they would capture the last moments of light in the room as well as Jonathan's face. (Removing Aearion from the roleplay until his return on Monday as to not disrupt the flow of things.)

The moment the door was closed a loud shriek overcame all sound followed by the many howls and cries of those phantom men and women. Aearion managed to detour Jonathan's attention long enough for their escape to be possible. Was Aearion lost forever?

Shortly after all had become silent. The two stood in a dimly lit hallway. The illusion of daylight was solely on the ballroom. The decrepit erosions of time were apparent in this passage. Up? Or forward?

Choosing to go Up the stairs will cause the rotted center to collapse and the stairwell near inaccessible afterwards without mild nimble maneuvering. Falling down into this pit reveals a whole other section to the manor, underneath its structure. A sub-basement. Down here, the pocketwatch radiates its own light.

Choosing to go down the corridor to the left will lead to a stairwell leading downward; the railing being barely visible with the poor lighting that led downstairs to another door. Behind it. Zaida and the Butler.

The manor by the time the decision was made would begin to quake and rumble. Blackness seeping out of every crack and crevice in the ceiling and walls. Jonathan was coming.

Zaida wasn't spooked by the man. This place was making her hair stand on edge and there would be little to frighten her by popping up from nowhere. After all, the earth had swallowed her up.

She stood there, "What happened to me? It was certainly not welcome." Her voice had an air of confusion about it and she looked away, her eyes up to the right, looking lost in thought.

Takurasho's lengthy stride would quicken with every step as they passed through the sea of spirits. Their whispered cries for help were taken into consideration, brief as they may be. They were enough to convey some guidance: not only were these phantoms detained by Jonathan, but they were still cognizant enough to desire freedom, & seemed under the impression that the mansion's butler could be of some assistance.

He'd dutifully follow the light of the pocket watch, perhaps placing a skeletal hand at Aranel's back should she begin to fall behind. "I'm no better judge of his fate than you, I'm afraid..." came the hesitant reply to her question regarding Aearion. The man ushered her through the door before slipping through himself, casting a glance over his shoulder as it closed behind him. His eyes met Jonathan's &- not prone to swearing- he released a low hiss of dismay. "Let's not let Aearion's distraction be for naught, hmm?"

{Your call, Mad :} Also wow, a natural 1 from a 1d100???}

Aranel began to panic a little, but still kept her wits about her. The cries for help drove her to such a state, but she took a few really deep breaths and pressed on, likely being ushered by Takurasho because she felt oh-so-rude just leaving the spirits behind mid-sentence. No one liked to be walked away from when speaking to someone!

So yes. She'd likely just need to be pulled ahead by the man or else she'd be stuck listening to their pleas impatiently. As Takurasho turned to close the door, she glanced behind her as well. It was dark in there now, and all she could see was Johnathan's face. A shudder coursed through her and she began to feel dread. Aearion....

"Oh no," she whispered, smacking her mouth with her hands. She didn't even know what they were doing anymore. Finding a way out? Still pursuing the treasure? And what if they found it, would they leave it be? And what about Aearion and Zaida, were Aranel and Takurasho the only two left? Did that mean they were next?

Yes, she was actually beginning to release her grip a bit on that panic and allow it to surface, especially when the rumbling and quivering of the house began. Without thinking, she scurried forward and clutched the man's sleeve momentarily to pull him along until she was sure he was moving on his own. Now face-to-face with a door, she opened it, but saw it went downstairs. "Is down a good idea? The shaky--!" yes, the shaky. That's what the house is called when it's making those ungodly noises and tremors. Good lord, woman.

The butler's pale, aging eyes looked upon Zaida with a sense of remorse. "Master Jonathan knows. He is aware of your presence here." In that very same moment thousands of eyes opened up from the shadows that surrounded them. The sounds of Zaida's comrades reached his ears coming from the top of the spiraling stairwell. "Your friends have finally found you. I would advise keeping that talisman at the ready. It can only burn once."

From behind the Butler rose Jonathan's somewhat humane visage. "Dearest Servant of mine. My best friend. Why have you not told me there was another?" Jonathan stood at his full height. Sure enough this conversation was able to echo up the stairwell to be audible to both Aranel and Takurasho. The butler disregarded Zaida's question having given her all the information she needed to know except for the location of the item to put an end to this nightmare. "Master Jonathan. I do believe it is time that you returned to Hell." Without pivoting to face his superior.

Such fowl words did not appeal to Jonathan's ears. "I've no choice then.." His tone still firm. Jonathan reached forward to grab the back of the Butler's skull. A greyish aura flowed from the Butler's body and into Jonathan's hand. During this transference the Butler's body became corpse like-withering away and hollowed. That candle the Butler was constantly holding finally its light grew smaller and smaller until it was no more. The body was tossed back toward the stairs landing on its back with its head tilted back as if to be looking up the spiral. When and if Aranel and Takurasho begin their descent they would be met with the shriveled eyes of the Butler, open mouthed and dead. Could this have been what happened to Aearion?

Jonathan focused his sight on Zaida. "Why sneak you into my abode, hm?" Every eye that had opened looked directly upon Zaida just as he. Grabbing the seams of his vest to straighten up his appearance a little; still retaining that rich and powerful countenance, he began to reach toward Zaida slowly feeling as though he had the upperhand to drain her with no resistance.

"After I finish with you. I can begin my hunt for your comrades again."

Unfortunate for Jonathan. The souls, while he grew stronger with each soul he pillaged, they also grew stronger with multiplying hatred and anguish. Blackened corpse-like arms reached up from the dark cascade on the flooring. The souls knew. They knew Zaida possessed the key for their freedom to transcendence into the afterlife. Ankles, legs, around the waist. Soul after soul reached up to grab Jonathan for the sake of Zaida. "..?!"

They began dragging him down, at most being able to stall for time. He howled in rage as he sunk into the absence of light on the floor. The group needed to find the item, fast! Lest they confront Jonathan's wrath at its peak. The pairs of eyes and singular eyes that opened in the shadows closed. The air in the manor becoming thick and humid. Each and every shadow shifting, twisting, curdling and bubbling in the presence of Jonathan's wrath.

The shadows also gave birth from its convulsing abyss. Like a body washed up ashore, Aearion was pushed up by identical arms to those that were restraining Jonathan. In the sub-basement where shallow water flowed from a seeming endless tunnel one way toward the door just feet from his frame. The torches hooked onto the wall left a soft crackling to compliment the tranquil pitter patter of flowing water. The souls knew. They knew how to render Jonathan. The door. Whatever laid behind that door.. it was their key.

All the pieces were in place. How each goes about being used... that is reliant on each one, but what happened to Aearion during his distraction play as martyr for his group?

Back then in the Ballroom

Aearion. Playing such beautiful tunes accompanied with such a soothing voice. Jonathan's eyes gleamed with an unmatched hunger. "Aearion. I would be honored to accept.. your donation." The lights had dissipated and the feast ensued. Although.. not how Jonathan intended. The patrons tugged and pulled Aearion, Jonathan biting and chewing, gnawing through each soul that moved Aearion. "Aearion!!!!!" Jonathan bellowed. They pressed him against the wall. Molding around him, melting his form into the veil of darkness compressed within a concentration of their very constitution. Inside was a world of its own. Only his consciousness was not permitted.

They protected his form, keeping the Mer lulled to sleep while floating in a florescent sea of dreams, wishes and pleasantries. This was the lake of their good will. what Jonathan finds the sweetest of devouring their souls like a child chewing on bubblegum. They hid Aearion until this moment.

(I was just as shocked as you are to've rolled a 1 out of 100 on that Dice Play. Lol.)

Zaida kept trying to speak, but was continually interrupted - it was just as well. She couldn't keep an air of mystery if she spoke every thought she had.

When she saw that Jonathan was gone, she had to decide. Would she continue on or wait for her companions? There was safety in numbers, but there was also safety in going ahead before Johnathan could stop her.

Lucky for her when she picked a direction - up the stairs where the corpse had been thrown, she met with two of the three companions from before.

Edited to fix mistake

Donation? Jonathan probably wasn't talking about coin. The Mer kept his fake smile up while his hand would reach for his shortsword, but nothing could have prepared Aearion for the true horror that was Jonathan. Everything went so fast and so much beyond his comprehension. He was being pulled back. It was not until hearing Jonathan's bone chilling roar that Aearion realized his audience was pulling him to safety. They didn't feel human, though.

The next moments, Aearion remembered nothing. He felt only fear, fear from Jonathan's hunger. If it weren't for the audience, he would have come to a devastating end. His story was not to end here!

Next he woke up, he saw water. For a second he thought he was back home, along the ruins along the reefs and corals he once called home. But he was heading for the surface of the water much too quick. The Mer never saw the hands nor the faces of those who rescued him. When he emerged from the water, Aearion screamed. A scream of petrified fear, something he couldn't do when he was lulled to his sleep. Once that emotion was done, the Mer came to his senses and stood up.

Out of instinct, he took his crossbow and loaded it up with a bolt, taking deep breaths. Where was he? It was so dark and eerie. Luckily his low-light vision helped him out a bit. He saw a shadow go up the stairs. A friend? Or Jonathan? He decided to chase after it and see who he would find. His crossbow was kept clutched tightly. Aearion was never truly brave as the people in his songs. Most of the time he was simply oblivious to the danger surrounding him.

((Oh wow, a natural 1 in a 1d100. That is the first time I ever witnessed that!))

The violent tremors of the house's foundation would have caused Takurasho to freeze momentarily, much like a "deer in headlights", but as Aranel made to drag him away by the sleeve he'd follow mechanically. The Whittaker creature was far more powerful than he'd suspected from their employer's initial report. As a devout scholar of the supernatural, he had deducted that the spirit was likely a mere "ghost", a remnant of the former resident that spooked the locals with eerie apparitions & the occasional mournful moan.
No... this thing was something far more sinister, & this realization produced a significant amount of agitation from Takurasho.
What a grievous inconvenience.

Seeing Aranel's hesitation the slender figure would pass by her, about to suggest something to the effect that "downwards is fine as long as we're moving forward", but he'd be cut off as the echoed conversation traveled up to meet them. He'd quickly press a bony finger to his pale lips, signalling his companion to hush. "...returned to Hell"? His grim assumptions were confirmed. Takurasho was clearly irked, listening intently with the hopes of procuring further information. Judging from Jonathan's capabilities, not to mention this vital line from the butler, his presence was likely bound to an object within the mansion. He'd certainly recognize it when he saw it, but the means of locating & destroying it escaped him. Such things were always terribly complicated when dealing with these types.

Hearing footsteps ascending the stairs he leaned towards Aranel. "Be ready to run," he breathed. He'd carefully lean over the railing, but upon seeing who approached, he tilted his head back to announce {with mild bewilderment} "It's Zaida". As she rejoined them he'd examine her carefully, almost as though he suspected she weren't herself. It seemed he ultimately decided she was. "Welcome back," he greeted with a faint smile. "What happened to you? It seems we... misplaced you... before entering the manor."

Most of the conversation was heard. She didn't know what was going on in there, but her shallow, rapid breathing hinted she was imagining the worst. She heard the thud and eeped as quietly as she could manage, twitching a little when she did.

Someone was down there. Someone on their side. Did Aearion get down there before they did somehow? Aranel wanted so badly to rush toward the door and rescue "him," but unfortunately she was frozen in place. But hearing Aearion's name called from behind them in the Ballroom hinted someone else was down there. She finally decided it was only the Butler and Johnathan. Well, was. Strange noises soon followed that she couldn't quite make sense of, and then footsteps. She glanced up to Takurasho when he mentioned running, and she nodded stiffly and took a step back.

When the doors open, she grew lightheaded with relief. "You're alright!" she shrieked loudly. She would've hugged the woman had she not felt she wouldn't appreciate it. Plus she felt odd touching people to that extent, though there were certain exceptions.

Aearion came to a sudden stop. A corpse by the stairs. The Mer did not see what happened down below between Jonathan and the brave butler, so he was very surprised to find the man's corpse here.

His face looked as if he pitied the man. He looked as though he had his life sucked out of his skull. Was this what could have happened to Aearion? A strike of grief hit him and he knelled down to close the man's eyes. Back in the ocean, the Mermen and Mermaids would close the eyes of their fallen friends and foes as well, as to put the dead at peace. Melora favored those who stopped to pay their respect for the dead, and so Aearion gladly did."You'll live forever in my songs, old man. Just like any of these... my saviors will."

Suddenly, a shriek. Not a fearful one, but a ... happy one? Could it be there were others in this house. Surely these were not his companions. Unless these spirits wanted the group together again.

"Friend or foe?!" Aearion yelled up the stairs, his crossbow clutched in his hand as he slowly walked up to face whoever was behind the door.

Zaida didn't smile at them, only moved towards them, "I was taken somewhere. Given a message. We must move quickly." she gazed at them with an even look. She didn't feel anything suddenly, just agitation. Just a need to move forward. All she wanted to do was be done with this adventure. She looked at the pair in turn until she heard Aearion.

She turned to face the door, "I wouldn't call myself a friend to you, but I am hardly a foe." Her voice had no emotion and even lacked the day-dreamer's tone she had adopted earlier. She reached up and fixed the hood, "We need to keep going. There is something we need to look for. I do not want to speak out loud what it might be."