Curse of the Phoenix

Ch.72 -Paper Dolls and Pitfalls

Iara~

All of us were lead down a hallway or two until we were each given a room. We were all next to each other, so it was a little awkward at first. But the dragons had to stay outside, there wasn't any space for them.

It's alright. I prefer to be outside under the stars instead of inside wooden walls, anyway. Grimm had said.

So we were inside. I laid down on bed and stared at the intricate ceiling, looking at the carved patterns.

Yet, I was curious. This palace had once been my home...I had every right to look around, Queen Nasuada was sure to understand. So, for a quick moment I tried to remember what the inside was like. Closing my eyes and concentrating on all the memories I had kept hidden for so long

I saw scenes of Shruikan tearing into guards, fires burning down the city..

No. That can't be it, I have to remember something!

So i looked around once more. And I discovered something worth finding.

A room, mostly dark..but it had a comfy feeling.There was...a bed..no...a few big beds...and a..fireplace?

I sat up with a start. No matter what, I had to find this place. I opened the door and shut it quietly. It still swung a bit squeakily, yet I was pretty sure nobody heard.

I knew we had come from the left, so I took a right and began to walk. I didn't have any sort of shoes, just a pair of socks. Oh well, they could be washed.

This hallway went along for quite some time, and if there was ever another hallway I went left and then right again, so as to avoid going in a complete circle. Plus, the pattern was easy so i could backtrack.

I realized that I had begun to wander into older parts of the castle, the bricks became older and the wood was ancient looking. The carpet had ended long ago, so it was just a floor of polished stone.

In this particular hallway, there were no other intersections, so it was merely a straight path towards wherever.

Which was why I was extremely surprised to find a brick wall. This had to go somewhere....it couldn't just end...could it?

I put my hands on the wall, and pushed. Sadly, the thing didn't budge. I even kicked it, but again it didn't mobe a single inch.

I sighed and leaned on it. There was nothing to go back to except for an unfamiliar bed. Then, I had a last ditch idea. I found a brick on the wall where the mortar was cracked. Choosing that one, I began to dig it out, and eventually got it to shake slightly. I used a few choice words from the ancient language, and got it to pop out.

With a start I realized it was just that. A wall. Behind the wall was darkness. Not dirt. I kicked out the brick below it, and eventually made a hole small enough to fit through.

I left the bricks in a small pile next to the entrance, I could put them back later.

I used a spell to create a tiny flame that danced in my palm. It lit up the shadows, showing me another hallway. All of the bricks were cracked and crumbling, I was amazed that the ceiling hadn't collapsed.

Dust that covered the floor stirred as i walked, and I tried to walk in a straight line, because there were a few piles of old wood lying around.

The hallway I came from, as well as the entrance, had vanished quite a bit ago. I kept walking, and came to a door. The wood was a dark brown, and slightly rotted, but otherwise unharmed.

Putting my hand on the handle, I paused. Somewhere in the back of my mind, I knew this was the place. It had to be. But what would I find?

Discarding all thought of danger, I remembered why I had come.