Our Chaotic Order

26: Puzzles and Poisons

"Or maybe the hint means he never had a laboratory, and this was a Wild Goose chase. A deadly one." She shrugged.

I nodded. "Let's go find out, hmm?" I grinned at her.

She laughed. "Sure. Let's."

--- Greta's POV ---

I stood in front of a large stone building, in the middle of the market of New Cairo, and checked my map again.

I pushed on the metal studded door, and it swung open quickly, knocking against the wall. I winced and checked the marble for scratches, continuing into the building.

I quickly realized this was a Moroccan Style Riad, as there was water in the center, surrounded by courtyard.

The courtyard was expansive, 200 feet by 200 feet, with a large swimming pool in the center as the 'Oasis'.

The entire courtyard and pool were massively overgrown, the tiles in the beautiful art mosaics cracked by leeching vines, the sculptures covered up. I shook my head and began cleaning it all up magically, coaxing the vines to travel along their intended paths, the trellises, and renewing the mosaics, shining the glass and marble.

I polished all of the marble surfaces, refilled the pool, freshened up the paint in areas that needed it, and finally stood still, smiling.

Mirage stood outside the door. "Dear? I can't get in." She said, humming in confusion.

I held out my grimoire, and she was placed within, and then I released her inside the Riad. She nodded. "Powerful Wards... I've never seen the like of them. That's why no one has ever found this place... interesting." She nodded again.

I picked up a rusty old key I'd missed, and inserted it into the outer door, locking it. Mirage immediately disappeared. I unlocked it, and opened the doors, and she stood there, eyes crazed and hair frizzed, smoking. "Please don't do whatever you just did a second time." She coughed.

I nodded and placed her in my grimoire, closing the door, and locking it. Then I summoned her again, and she immediately burst into flames.

I shrieked and swatted her with my grimoire, pushing her back inside it. "I'm so sorry, I thought that would work!!!"

'I did as well... ow. Let's not do that again. Ever.' She replied mentally.

I nodded and looked at my wrist. Seth was also gone. I unlocked the door, and opened it, to find him patiently waiting for me. I let him into my grimoire, and closed the door, locking it.

"Well alrighty then... a fully demon-proof house... I am amused. I wonder what Wards they have placed, and how they placed them so severely... and why?" I hummed.

I looked up at the open part of the roof, and smiled. It wasn't actually open, but made of glass. And, according to my hawks eyes, it was imbibed with millions of tiny protection runes, focusing mostly on Demonic energy.

The walls were similarly constructed, and if my nose was right, the marble was made from ashes. What type of ashes I had no clue, but I figured it was some holy material. Probably dead Priests. The stones were carved much as the glass was, and the mosaic, upon further inspection, was made of human Bones, filed down and painted with different glosses to change color. Probably more dead Priests.