The witch's tower: Last witch's curse (Volume one)

Spellcast 2: Sileo 2

"We're here..." Arthur mentioned as both he and Ciel stood at the very edge of the plagued lands before them...
"Indeed, and on good time too, you didn't hesitate or pause on making your way up here this time..." Ciel pointed out as Arthur gave a fierce expression to the direction of the tower.
"Well I determined to end all of this here..." Arthur made clear as Ciel scoffed faintly to this-
"If you think that it will be you ending this curse Sir Arthur then I would have to politely disagree" Ciel noted as Arthur glared over at the bat aridly.
"Well it's a good thing I didn't ask for your opinion..." Arthur mentioned, not appreciating the bats little quips it kept dropping upon him. Though his eyes were drawn back to the plagued land that were now in front of them...

They appeared almost as they had done so before him last time... and yet somehow he couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed somewhat from the time he had been here before. Things were just a dilapidated and decrepit as they were before, rather things were none the better... nor were they exactly any worse for the time being... however there seemed to be a stronger smell of sulphur to the air now... and there was a buzz of energy he could feel to the land before him that wasn't quite there before?  Was it the time of the day he had arrived here...? Or was it because he was so focused on his quest last time that he hadn't noticed at all? 

"You appear to be fixed in place Sir... don't tell me seeing the plagued lands has given you cold feet already?" Ciel suggested somewhat jeeringly as payback to the knights harsh comments before hand, as Arthur broke away from his staring at the lands before him, his eyebrows knitting together.
"As if... I hope that you can fly fast bat, because I don't intend to stop for anything right now..." Arthur responded harshly,  already readying up his reins in petty vengeance to the bat who jolted a little to the knights actions.
"You wouldn't dare-"
"Oh would I?"

It was with this, much to Ciel's disparagement that Arthur flicked up his reins, he and Olier charging forth ahead, shortly followed by the bat deep down into the hearts of the plagued lands... He had no time to be stopping and observing the scenery from around him right now... The more he lingered the more the very plague he was now galloping deep into would start to consume the country he called home.

Arthur didn't take much time to ponder his scenery or travel through the plagued lands this time. He didn't dawdle long enough for creatures of the plagued lands to take opportunity to attack him and delay his journey to the tower, even in break Olier paused for. Though oddly enough, it didn't appear as though there were many about to come and attack him either this time... rather their journey to the tower had been eerily silent and uneventful.  It wasn't as though the creatures weren't around, he had seen the odd one or two they sneaked past on his way up there, but even when they rode past such creatures they appeared to be all but despondent to anyone being around them... it was almost as though any of the energy they had formally had before hand had been all but sapped from them. 

"What's up with them?" Arthur commented not long after he had passed them, now close to the tower as Ciel flew beside him.
"It appears that being out in the plagued air has weakened them..." Ciel mentioned as Arthur could only give a confused expression in response to this.
"Creatures of the plague can be affected by the plague?" He questioned, not quite following as the bat appeared to be non the wiser as he was on the matter for the time being.
"Very few things can live out in the plagued lands for long..." Ciel responded as Arthur didn't doubt that... even now the putrid smell and heaviness of the air around him was making his stomach churn and the exposed skin on his body itch. But he had to wonder... how was it possible that creature born in these very lands were now finding it hard to also live here...

Such thoughts were put to the side however as they quickly found themselves now standing at the very familiar sight that was the entrance to the tower. The large purple door that was the entrance to the tower loomed over them all as it was at the sight of it that Arthur felt his defences rise. The journey up to the tower had been peaceful... a little too peaceful for his liking... and now he found himself confronted by the very large entrance way that had gotten him into this mess in the first place. Nonetheless it was with this that Arthur got off of Olier, approaching the door before him.
"Is the witch up in the room she was before?" Arthur questioned Ciel who sighed a little to the knights terminology.
"If you mean my mistress, then of course she is. She isn't going to be making it easy for you, you are going to have to make it up the tower as you did last time... " Ciel replied as Arthur's expression became a little more strained upon hearing this from the bat.
"I figured as much..." he uttered as it was as Arthur looked at the door that Ciel then landed on top of Olier with a more serious tone to his voice this time.
"For the record Sir Arthur, from here on in, if you die inside of the tower, then mistress will have beaten the curse..." Ciel reminded the knight, who felt his chest become somewhat heavy at the bats warnings to him... usually to such threats he would have played such things off... however he had already witnessed himself that he could in fact be injured and die within this tower... he wasn't going to let the same thing replay all over again...
"No need to remind me... I won't be dying..." Arthur told the bat, who didn't seem all to convinced.