Pandemonia Chronicles: DAWN

CHAPTER TWELVE: REVELATION!

Although he hadn't been in it long, Gestalt knew, somehow, that Barnabas was not typical castle, but a haunted castle filled with ghosts.

Not super-spooky, boogeyman, poltergeist ghosts— the ghosts are the maids and hall boys who serve the master of the castle, keeping it tidy while allowing it to remain decadent enough to keep its authentic ancient ruined castle look, like a proper demon castle should.

Gestalt knew all of this, as well as other interesting tidbits about Barnabas.

What Gestalt didn't really know is how he knew all about Barnabas.

That he knew so much about a castle he had never been to before was a puzzle that plagued him as he climbed up the creaky, spook-infested spiraling stairwell that seemed like it would give away at any moment.

He wondered if his knowledge might be related to Anu residing inside him, but he hadn't heard anything from the demon king since the events in the Grove of Insula, so he couldn't ask.

Gestalt noticed that little balls of otherworldly green fire floated along the iron side-rails, eerily lighting the dark way for him. Gestalt clenched his hand tightly around the hilt of the sheathed Firebrand that hung from his belt.

'Will-O-Wisps,' thought Gestalt. 'Well, this is a haunted castle. I guess it's appropriate for them to be here.'

Gestalt had wanted ask Rebel about why he knew so much about the castle, but Rebel had hurried him from his bedchamber to meet Ozma Yaga, a powerful seer whom Rebel was ordered to escort Gestalt to.

In order to get to her abode, Gestalt needed to traverse all eleven-thousand, six-hundred and seventy four steps of the Doomsday Clock Tower that was part of his newly acquired demon castle.

Apparently, Ozma lived in a room at the top of the two-hundred-story tower. Something about getting less solicitors that way.

And all of this had to be done before Gestalt had a chance to eat breakfast, which he should have had eaten an hour ago, but Zaria had been too selfish to let him have any pumpkin bread muffins—a delicacy in Pandemonia.

"They'll totally be here when you get back," Zaria had said. "It'll give you a reason to return to me faster~!"

Rebel had thought it best for the elementals to remain in one of the castle guest rooms because those were some of the few rooms the ghosts were not allowed to enter, and they ought to be safe there. Even Jofur had agreed, especially since he already had a run in with a couple hall boys, and he was tired of throwing lightning bolts around to defend himself.

Though he had climbed most of the twelve-thousand and six-hundred steps by now, he still had a ways to go, and Gestalt couldn't help but think the travel would be easier if those ghostly servants would stop looking at him with devilish grins painted across their transparent faces. To make it worse, dust festered cobwebs caked his way, and while Rebel's smaller frame allowed him to avoid the majority of them, Gestalt was forced to protect his face by shielding himself with his long black robes, batting them away to the side.

"Keep that robe on tight," said Rebel. "This castle is filled with legions of dead spirits who can find no solace in the afterlife, for their sinful deeds have weighed them to the world. But compared to what else lurks in the shadows of this castle, these scullery workers are the least of your worries."

Gestalt clasped his hands to the hooded black robes that draped his body, covering him from head to toe in silk. He pulled the slacking ends over his feet so he could safely walk up the stairwell without tripping. The fabric was embroidered with strange red writing and designs, and since some of them looked liked bulls eye targets; they kind of creeped Gestalt out.