Misty Peril: The Mirage Castle of The Lake

“Thanks.” Robert said to Menroe after she was done rubbing her blood on his wound. “Wow, I can't feel anything.” He said.

“Yeah! Thanks!” Jim said with a smile.

Robert noticed Austin transform into a pair of crutches and he nodded his head after Austin said that he wanted to help him. “Sure. Even though my torso is numbed it'll be a good idea to continue to support myself on something.” He said before he grabbed the crutches and started to support himself on them. “Thank you by the way.” He said to the little dragon head.

“So you really can't feel anything?” Asked Jim, staring at his brother.

“Nope.”

“Cool. So if I hit you...you won't feel anything at all?”

“Yeah.” Robert said before he glared at Jim. “But don't even think about it.”

Jim chuckled. “Don't worry, I won't.”

Eclipse stared at Robert, wanting to use her healing crystal on his wounds but seeing how Austin wanted to help so badly she decided against it. “Avira,” She started, turning her attention to the said child, “what are you eating?” She asked.

“They look so cute and squishy!” Lily said.

"Just the souls of the innocent babies, and kids my age that were kidnapped and killed in this palace for the sake of keeping me fed." Avira said before swallowing one whole.

Nina's little heart just broke right then and there...

"YOU ARE MEAN MEAN PERSON WHO DOESN'T DESERVE WHAT YOU HAVE! I DON'T CARE ABOUT YOUR TREASURE NO MORE! YOU SHOULDN'T EVEN BE AROUND!"

Ace itched the back of his trying to calm her, "Mon cheri! Please Nina! Think of rainbows and délicate roses! This is not the time to be flipping the tables you all to often enjoy flippping! It's clear our information on this place was wrong, don't you think it's best we just leave?"

Nina through her arms out as he tore her own dress, "NO! These nice people have been helping me this whole time and were lied to just like we were! This place it mean and nasty and shouldn't be around!"

Basil smirked, she was liking where this was going, "Ohh....poor deary, sweet young girl. Do tell me, just what do you plan to do about it?"

Nina thought a moment, kind of hard to do in a almost blind rage, "I'll....I'll....I'LL TEAR THIS WHOLE PLACE DOWN!"

One punch and the table was split in two. She span around, jumping CLEAR over Austin, and with one kick took down the whole wall! No one told her it would take days to demolish such a building, but she was determined! For the third time this trip, she was throwing yet another famous Nina Nori flying temper tantrum!

In the midst of Nina's rage, her body began to feel heavier and heavier as if the gravity around her started to get more intense, when it was really Avira, The spirit of the entire manor, slowly, but surely tiring her out by making her soul heavy.

"Now, now! If you continue to do this, I'm afraid I'll have to kill you!" Avira shouted throwing the plate and sending the little blobs flying all over the floor. "Besides, even if I did let you freely break this house, my mother would hunt you down and kill you from the inside out at the sight of seeing you! And believe me, not even I can stand up to her!" He added still yelling at Nina.

Menroe growled slightly, a fierce growl that sounded much like a large cat, a very, very large cat. "Deejay! Stop her." Deejay grabbed her arm, his eyes glowing a blood red that match the markings on her face. "Don't even think about." "Deejay. That boy..no..that thing is eating spirits!" She threw him back slightly, her eyes gone blank and her now fangs drilled into her bottom lip, blood tricking down. "We are spirits. Those might as well be Flamma or Ventus you know!" The once tribal tattoos turned completely red. "I agree with Nina. But not to her extent. This place doesn't need to be torn down. But the people in it are deserving punishment for what they've done. For the terror they've caused above the surface." She stormed past, moving Avira aside and grabbed Nina before she fell to the ground, her wings forming on her back as the boy's grasp on her soul was severed. "Come on Nina. If we stay here, I might get as mad as you. And if I change, I can't control it." She said, grabbing her wrist and walked past. Staring down at the boy. "You are not a light in this place, just a spoiled child." And stormed past, punching one of the windows out. "Deejay, Mary-Lynn. Let's go."

Lily felt her skin crawl when Avira said that he was eating the souls of the innocent. “Wh-what?” She said and backed up a little her body shaking. She eats souls herself when she's using her “Soul Suction” move. But she eats the souls of the evil not those of the innocent. She wanted to say something else but couldn't find the words. She fell to her knees, all torn up inside and stared at the ground with the eyes of a witness of a murder. The little boy she thought was sweet was no longer the case.
“...You're...” She swallowed hard as she was trying to find her voice. “You're...one of them...” She said to Avira, still looking at the ground.

Robert shook his head. “That doesn't surprise me...” He said in a cold tone. “We ran into one of his brother's and he would've eaten my soul if I hadn't defeated him. But how they eat innocent souls sickens me.” He said.

Jim nodded his head in agreement.

Eclipse crossed her arms. “Damn...how is it that Nina is just as strong as a demon?” She thought.

The little dragon head on the crutches started growling. "Those babies had the right to live. There are plenty of people who aren't innocent that you could have eaten instead. He was about to transform into something to take the kid on, but he decided against it. He wouldn't be able to do anything. The only person that he thought could was Devon, and he was far away. "...Come on Robert. Let's go and follow Menroe." he said.

"Hmph. I wouldn't expect you mortals to understand the underworld. Come nana, I need to find mom." Avira said before he and his supposed nana walked off. "Oh... I almost forgot..." He added before he snapped his fingers and kept walking. "Enjoy."

The snap echoed for a little while before out of nowhere a ghost seized Dee by the waist after covering his mouth, and took him through the floor making his body fall over.

"YOU BASTARD!" Menroe snapped, colors and magic exploded from her as she tackled the boy. He was pinned under claws now as the half dragon hybrid crouched over him. "Give me my brother back! And let us LEAVE!" She growled deeply. "Or I'll show you how if feels to be eaten."

Avira licked his lips before he sank into the floor much like a ghost. "Sorry, but I need him for something." His voice echoed as he was out of sight.

"Oh my... his mother won't be pleased...." The old woman said. "If you've any intent of saving him, you will not ask questions and follow me swiftly." She added as she started to run as fast as an old woman could.

“Come on guys, let's go.” Robert said before he started to follow the woman as fast as the crutches would let him.

“What is with that boy?” Jim asked.

Ecipse picked up Lily and chased after the others. “Gah, I really hate this kid...and to think I felt pity for him earlier.” She growled. “AND JUST SO YOU PEOPLE KNOW LILY AND I ARE NOT REGULAR MORTALS!!! WE'RE FROM THE DEMON REALM!! AND TO THOSE WHO LIVE HERE, STOP CONFUSING US WITH HUMANS!!!!!!” She yelled, her voice echoing throughout the castle. “WE'RE USED TO THESE KINDS OF THINGS! BUT WE'RE NOT AS HEARTLESS AS MOST DEMONS!!!!!!”

Nina huffed, wanting to leave, but Ms. Menroe had been there for her this whole trip. She couldn't just leave her alone to look for her brother. Nina patted the young spirit master on the shoulder and gave her a fierce grin, "We'll find him even if we have to tear this house apart board by board!



Ace nodded, "Oui! I shall help where I can. After all, I'm here to watch mon cheri, Ms. Nina!"



Basil followed behind the now racing group, this had all become very interesting. She would like to see where this was going...

She closed her eyes and stood up. "I apologize for this. The more I follow this path, the more it becomes harder to control." She said, looking at Nina and smiling. "Thanks Nina." Menroe walked over to her sister as she put her hand on her face. "Stop that crying. You know how you feel about it." She said playfully and Mary hugged her sister. "You promised this wouldn't happen again." "It won't." "Let's, not follow them." Mary looked up. "There is a woman, an actual adult in the castle in some huge throne room. We found it trying to get out of here. I think we'd have a better chance trying to talk to her." "Maybe." They looked at Nina and Ace, who hadn't yet ran off. "You guys can follow them if you wish, We're going to the throne room." "Menzy." "What?" "Can't you..change back." Menroe lowered her head, "You know I can't until my blood calms down." "Ok. Just you wouldn't have really ate him would you?" "Eww no." They laughed and took off running to the throne room.

"The throne room is exactly where we're going you two." The woman called. "There's several ways to it, and the young lord is bound to have traps set up, but I know of a hidden passage he probably doesn't know since it was for the servant's use only." She added.

"I don't trust her." Mary-Lynn whined slightly, she just wanted to go home to her bed. Nothing mattered anymore in here or going to their original destination. "Just come on. If it's a trap, I'll take care of this place myself. I'm sure Nina would be more then willing to break this building up some more as well."

“...Wow...and to think we just passed through the throne room.” Muttered Robert.

“Oh well! What are you gonna do?” Jim said as he continued to ran. Suddenly he tripped and fell down the stairs and rolled face-first into a wall. “Ow...I-I'm ok...pretty stars...good night...” He said before he fell on his back.