Blodeuyn received a second smack to hopefully silence her.
As the prisoners entered the gates, a tingling shiver overtook them, far stronger than what one would expect from the cold, poorly-lit corridors of the fortress.
"It'll get much, much worse for all of you, if any of you try to escape, you should know."Eventually, as the prisoners approached what looked to be one of the towers, the guard captain entered an adjacent room alone. Some several minutes later, the captain returned in a foul mood, carrying two trinkets. Handing one of them to a subordinate, the prisoners could tell it looked like a key, but without the key ward; it was more like a small rod with a bow to grip.
"Renovations are still ongoing. We'll have to start using Chamber 53."The troop then split into two groups: one leading the prisoners downstairs to the dungeons, and the other containing the commander, Claus, and Viverna, heading upstairs with the unconscious Noah in tow. On the third floor, the troop made a left turn into a small, overlooked corridor, which led to a room that the soldier carrying Noah then went into.
"Though we have re-secured the lucid crystal, the situation has been altered to the degree that we cannot resume its relocation to Ostentum. It resorting to possessing a child is... disconcerting. Further research will be necessary. You are all dismissed for today."
If the above-ground floors seemed dark and cold, they were nothing compared to the dungeons. Seemingly endless stone corridors lined with cold metal doors, each one with a barred window, the only means by which you could view the interiors of the chambers. One could not gleam much from these windows as one passed by, but from the commotion and occasional glimpse, the chambers on the first level seemed crowded to the brim with prisoners. Every chamber on the second level, on the other hand, was closed off, with masons and mages hard at work... every cell, save for one. The one the prisoners were being led to.
The soldier with the key-like trinket inserted it into the lock, whereupon a small noise could be heard, followed by a soft ticking noise.
"You have thirty seconds to enter, or else."The door led to a short set of stairs down into the dungeon chamber, facing left of the stairs. The room appeared completely empty, save for a set of broken shackles on the wall, and the motionless remains of a withered, ragged old woman.