Shadow Slayers

   Ooro nodded in Manasa's direction, before turning back to Oxy. "Maybe next time then! You have thirty seconds to hide when I begin counting, and when times up, I'll look for you. If I can't find you in about fifteen to thirty minutes, you win," she smiled, before covering her eyes with her palms. 

   "One... two..." her voice trailed off.

Altheron had slept very little that night. He'd spent hours worrying over how the guild reacted to Oxy's true form and how he'd be treated if let his secret slip out incorrectly. He tried to rephrase the right words over and over, but alas, there was no way to say the entire truth without sabotaging his friendships with many of them. It took hours deep in thought, and when he wasn't wasting precious sleep-time picturing himself leaving, he'd stay awake, staring at the young boy. As a result, he got roughly an hour of sleep in total. The next morning wasn't a cakewalk, either. Throughout the entire walk, the shaman would use his staff as a walking stick to prop himself as he trudged on, the path to Darik Castle seeming to get longer with each, tired step. He felt horrible, and trekking alongside his guild members didn't ease the pain by much, either. The entire walk there he was dragging his feet behind the entire guild still lost in thought, staring at their backs with his drowsy eye. Who could he tell? He yet out a yawn as he looked toward the members involved in last night's quarrel. Zerah and Celty would probably be his best bet for getting a general understanding across without having to explain himself so much, which in his case was perfect since he was only half-certain of whatever the heck he was, but he was never close with either of them, and most of the conversation yesterday was spent verbally ripping at them, so perhaps he'd wait a bit before confronting them. His eye then lingered on to the armor's back. Altheron shuddered, taking his eye off Alroth and switching to a more pleasant, but almost just as conflicting view: his friends. He'd never tell Daryn. Simple as that. She only just started smiling at him; he couldn't risk it. Enoch.... he wasn't all too sure about the priest. While he had to be probably the most knowledgeable member in the guild -at least in Altheron's eyes- there was no telling how he'd take the news. The elf looked like he was struggling to accept the boy earlier. Would he be willing to accept him too, given the circumstances? There was just no telling with Enoch. Plus, Enoch always made that face whenever he's conflicted..... it just wasn't pretty on him. The rest of those who kept Oxy's secret were members he had not really made many connections with, so they weren't really considered. He sighed as he continued to allow his thoughts to bounce around in his head again, not wanting to talk to anybody and wishing for rest.


At the castle, however, it was a completely different story. As soon as Altheron got a look at the castle, all signs of sleep left him as he help up his staff and ran into the building after everyone else, stopping at the entrance to fully absorb the castle's extravagance. Looking at the feast Kama said the other guild prepared, while he was utterly dumbfounded by the sheer amount of food, Altheron wasn't very picky in his choices. He wasn't exactly one to stuff himself, and he never really had much of a taste for meat, that is, if he were able to get any. Plus, there was so much of the castle to explore; what he really needed was energy. With that being said, the shaman brought his attention to the many bowls of strange native fruits strewn about the table that everyone else ignored for some reason. He observed each piece of fruit, occasionally sniffing them to see if that'd give any indication to how they might taste, but to no avail; he had to find out the classic way. He noticed that some of the guild members were already beginning to explore while the others continued to eat. Shaking in anticipation, he gave a little shrug before taking off his hat to gather the fruit that passed his test. One by one, he took a bite out of each piece of produce.

The first one (an apple) was red an sweet and had made a delightful crunch sound when he bit into it. Without another thought, he threw the thing into his hat.

The next one (a banana) was a strange shape, to say the least. He bit into that. Blech. Without hesitation, he quickly chucked it behind him. Something about that thing wasn't right.

Altheron really liked the third fruit's (a pear) taste and shape. He threw three of them into his hat.

(Grapes) "Hmm?" he said, trying to make sense of the bunch of tiny, green, berry-like fruits in his hands. He picked a few off and chewed on them. Some were sweet, the others not. Meh. he thought, plopping the whole bushel into his hat, taking note of how heavy it felt now.

He found some assorted berries in the pile as well. A taste test wasn't really needed for these, so he scattered them along the spaces that the larger fruits didn't occupy before stopping to look at one last fruit....

Even though his hat was already near spilling out, the shaman was convinced that this one would fit just fine with the others he had gathered. The smell of the rind was interesting, and its feel was bumpy. The shape of it was silly to him; almost like an eye, and its color, yellow. Biting into it was a bit of a challenge, but that didn't stop him at all. An immediate feeling of regret soon washed over Altheron as he spat the awful pulp out, flailing about as he chucked the gods-forsaken fruit (a lemon) in front of him, losing a few berries in the process. He wasn't concerned with wherever it landed; he just wanted it gone. 

"I do not need anymore fruit." he said finally, holding the remainder of his findings in his hat as he walked out of the main hall to get a better feel of the castle.

Celty had found a room that appeared to be the maids' quarters. She rifled through a one of the large wardrobes, trying to find something to replace her tattered rags...

...However, in a blink of an eye, she was suddenly standing in front of a full length mirror in a completely different area of the castle, dressed in strange clothes she's never seen before.



She frowned as she examined her new appearance, "Damn witch," she muttered. She tugged at the hat on her head in disgust. "You think this is funny, don't you?" She heard a cackle in the back of her head as a response and sighed, deciding to just deal with the out fit and maybe try to gather something else later. She took a step and stumbled forward into the wall, never having worn heels before. "I'm breaking these off at the closest opportunity," she hissed, and in an instant she was able to walk in them as though they were her old boots. "You couldn't have done that before?" Another cackled echoed in her mind and she growled a curse under her breath. She eventually found her way back to the main hall, grasping the cloak around herself and blushing. She'd never worn something so form fitting and, though she admitted the mobility was nice, it was incredibly embarrassing. "You made me look r-ridiculous," she sputtered under her breath.

Oh, come now. I wore this outfit for years back in the day. I think it suits you.

"Yeah, sure." She tried sneaking in and taking a seat, pulling the hat from her head and into her lap. "Oxy?" She whispered, peering under the table since she didn't see him wandering around. She had assumed, everyone being so scared of him, he wouldn't have been let out of anyone's sight while she acquired new attire.

Rezza flicked his ears hearing the commotion in the other room die down. Being in the company of these people wasn't exactly optimal but watching people was far better than watching the wall. Quietly sliding the door back he re-entered the main hall and made his way to the table with tentative steps. Without a word he placed himself at the table away from the others and let his eyes wander from person to person without a thought in his mind.

Celty turned towards Daryn, startled that the fighter had chosen her of all people to sit next to. They'd rarely had more than a few interactions, none of which her son wasn't involved in. She'd assumed most people wanted to avoid her and the gloomy atmosphere that seemed to hang around where ever she walked. She blushed lightly as Daryn looked her over, scrunching the hat up in her hand.

Hey, watch it, Clarissa muttered somewhere in her mind. Celty released the hat from her grip and placed it on the table in front of her.

"I-I found a guest room," She stuttered out, rubbing her arm anxiously as her eyes darted around the room. "It seems an entertainment group was staying in the castle before it was abandoned. I think these were um...a magician's attire?"

Magician? Why don't you just say witch? Don't think I'm not picking up on this.

Celty frowned. Damn, she couldn't get anything past her. "Or maybe a jester of some sort? I don't know, it fits and that's all that matters, right?" She let out an awkward, high pitched laugh before shoving the hat back on her head and turning her gaze away, cheeks still red as can be.

Celty blinked, a little taken back by how easily her lie was taken. It wasn't even a good one. What the hell kind of jester wore a form fitting body suit and high heels?

Thank god, she's an idiot, the witch laughed.

It seemed Daryn wasn't the one to try and slip her secret to--or anyone now that the witch was onto her. It was best she just try and make friends at this point. She joined in and laughed lightly for a few moments before reaching across to snatch a handful of grapes. "I'm told it's fitting, although I agree with you that's it's a bit much for my taste. My people dressed in simple clothing so we would find it easier to shift should conflict arise. Vanity was also looked down upon so these," she gestured down to her shoes, "wouldn't have been allowed in the slightest. And have you ever walked in these before? I felt like I was going to break my ankle." She gave another short chuckle before plopping a few of the grapes in her mouth and chewing as Daryn asked a question. "I can just add a layer of fur. The mobility of this is actually quite nice, and if I wrap the cloak around it's not bad at all. Plus," she pulled on her neck, "It's actually a little stuffy in this thing."

   "...Thirty!" With that, Ooro uncovered her eyes and began her search. She began with the closest room on the left side of the hallway, and creaked the door open slowly as her eyes scanned the room. Her feet lightly slid across the flooring, as to try and not make a sound. The first room she entered appeared to be a lounge of some sort, as it was decorated with fancy knick-knacks and aligned with chairs. There were even a few porcelain miniatures on arranged neatly on the table next to a vase. The flowers in it wilted, their stems arching downward- faced away from the pictured paradise that was painted on the ceiling. The room's setup was rather... lonely. Despite all the elements to hold company were assorted, this room was seemingly neglected. Ooro checked under the table, peeked behind the drapes, and glanced in-between tight spaces. Nope. Nothing. 

   She shrugged, before turning to exit the lounge, though as she did so she took one last look at the room. Her eyes were fixated on the dying flora, that had been decaying in the vase as their petals lost their color and shape. They had begun to shrivel up and fall... To leave such an obvious contrast amidst the harmony of the room, what had it meant?

   That one could not be bothered. Something so slight was of no concern to those who never had to worry about others spotting such a negligence in the first place. If no one was there to see, does it really make a difference to swap them out then? There was something strikingly familiar about the scattered folds atop the tablecloth. Her lips parted, and her eyelids drooped as a solemn breath escaped her. 

   The piles. Ooro averted her sight, gripping the doorknob tightly as she took her leave. As the door slammed shut behind her, her head had hung low with her vision fixated on her feet. She drew her nail to her face and wiped at her eyes, before lifting her head up once more.

   Her next destination was the room across from her, for which she searched for a few minutes. Nothing appeared to be perturbed and there were no signs of the child whatsoever. She scratched at her head as she made way for the door. Only two rooms left... Though once more, Oxy had proven himself absent from the third room. Ooro grew a tad bit cheeky at this point, being sure that she had him cornered. When she opened the door of the fourth room, her voice called out "Ooooxy! Or's going to find you!" while her eyes had been a bit puffy from earlier, she managed to let out a slight chuckle at her own gesture. She snuck around to the drapes and flung them to the side in a dramatic fashion, but to no avail. He hadn't been hidden behind the curtains. 

   As she sauntered away from the fabric, she noticed a painting... had been flung to the side. Had Osseus or Kama been here? Gingerly, her arm outstretched to lift the artwork to see its front to notice that it had yet to be scribbled and spat upon. A pang of anxiety hit her; it wasn't like the two to just toss Tairaga's portrait to the side. Her gaze shifted to the bed, noticing the sheets seemed somewhat ruffled as though someone had been there. Her mind fell victim to her own thoughts, and her breathing became erratic. Her movements were rushed, checking every nook and cranny of the room as the panic overtook her. Ooro's knees grew shaky, and during intervals she even forgot to take a breath. One hand covered her mouth as she meekly called out, "O-Oxy? You win, so please..." She bit her lip as the tears began to well up.

   Oxy didn't reveal himself, and Ooro tugged at her hair nervously. If Oxy got himself lost in the place, and even possibly hurt himself- what would his mother do? How would she react to Ooro? What would Enoch think? Wh-

   What about Oxy!? Her foot stomped against the paneling infuriated. Have I not changed at all!? The child was in danger of hurting himself without supervision, and she was concerned about their opinion. Ooro's gut churned, both with the sinking anxiety and distaste for her actions. As she lifted her head, she noticed a strange indentation in the wall. Curious as to what it was, she examined it further while running a hand along its surface. Her eyes widened upon noticing it seem to move at her touch, and decided to apply a bit more pressure...

   ...Lo and behold, a door had revealed itself. She cringed at the discovery, understanding full-well that this would prove to be considered a prime spot during a game in which one should not be found. As she inhaled deeply, she braced herself for what was to come, and squeezed into the dark crevice. Before she had known it, the structure beneath her had given out, and she tumbled into the darkness...