Welcome to Gaia! ::

[Selim 1]

There was a certain level of fatigue that clung to Selim after disembarking. After living his life on the road and in the back of a caravan constant motion shouldn't bother him the way it did. And yet, there was something off putting about being in the air for that long. He hadn't been able to sleep properly, had found his food unsettling and just felt energy levels wavering. The trip itself had been smooth; weather was nice, skies were empty and the crew had been kind. If he hadn't felt so cruddy Selim might have genuinely enjoyed it instead of trying to nap it away in their cabin.

Being on solid land helped and he knew that once they were settled in their room his spirit would come back to him. Unfortunately for them most of the inns in the area were booked leaving only an older building on the edge of town as a viable option. Not many chose to go because of it's sketchy reputation, but as far as Selim was concerned it was cheaper and they'd stayed in worse. Besides, from this distance, it looked perfectly fine.

"They call it The Overlook." Obviously because it stood on the edge of a cliff which was...a little ominous. "It's either this or tent, though..."

Even if Cyril had been able to rest on the airship, anxiety over actually going to Yael and concern for Selim constantly kept him on edge instead. Needless to say despite the beautiful skies and fortunate sailing, Cyril was more than ready to be back on land. That was until he was staring directly at their overnight option, a hint of dread making his stomach twist even more at the sight of the dilapidated building. "Either Belrea has much higher standards or our luck ran out after our air trip." He murmured to his twin. "But I would prefer it to a tent, what about you?" Especially now that the sky seemed to be opening up, rain starting to pour down around them as Cyril tugged his twin inside after him.

For a second he swore he had seen something in a window, but he brushed it off. The rain was far more pressing than some trick of the eyes, after all. And now here they stood in a mostly empty lobby, a crooked wooden counter greeting them with some wilting flowers in an old ceramic vase that looked newer than the building itself.

[Cyril 1]

[Selim 2]

Selim shrugged his shoulders with a grimace. "Could be worse," He murmured. "At least we're close enough to town to scream if we need help." In hindsight the thought wasn't as light as he thought it would be. With one last look over his shoulder, Selim took in the scenery before the rain got to be too much for him and he followed Cyril inside.

The only sound coming from the lobby was the occasional flicker from a few sparse candles and the water dripping off their bodies. Selim took a couple hesitant steps toward the counter and cleared his throat. "Hello? We're looking for a room?"

A noise from just beneath the counter caused him to jerk back with an exhale. An older man uncurled from a chair just beside the counter and his frame was so small Selim hadn't been able to see him over the wood. Even when he stood to his full height he wasn't much to look at. "A room you say? Good night for it, bad storms...Just the two of ya? Only two at the inn. Gonna cost you a few silver." He shuffled behind him for a key.

In his old age he had, of course, forgotten the room he'd already rented to the family upstairs.

Cyril sent Selim a look that was both concerned and questioning. Having to scream for help, regardless of the town being nearby, definitely was not a good sign nor did it guarantee that they would survive if anyone should decide to heed their cries. "I think we would have a better chance cliff diving." He managed finally before getting lost in the scene inside the lobby. The chances of screaming for help were truly increasing by the minute and Cyril had to wonder if they were somehow in the middle of a theater production, not an actual inn. This definitely looked like one of the performances that they had sneaked into as younger teens, the actors spraying blood across those in the front during one of the rather brutal scenes before the concluding act where no one made it out of the house alive.

"Just the two of us?" Repeated Cyril, not even amused by the older man. "Shouldn't that mean you're in need of someone to stay here? I would assume that a discount should be offered, not making us pay more for an empty space." He mused, trying to keep his normal cool and collected attitude even though the flickering candles and dripping water did nothing to help the ambiance of the place. Did he just see a spider skitter across the corner there? Maybe the tent would have been more worthwhile...

"Eh, fine." The older man didn't even seem to care at this point, he was just exhausted and alright with accepting any coin at this rate. "Just no breakfast, can't give ya eggs if there's a discount. Those be valuable afta most of the hens went..."

"Fair enough." Cyril handed over the coin, tapping his hands on the counter as he waited for the man to finish shuffling around for a key. There was a slight moment of muttering something about misplacing one, a moment of hesitation as if the older man was trying to remember something important before he shrugged again and just handed over the one that he found next to the empty slot. "Lucky room 7, 'ere." He stated, sliding the old brass key over, the scraping sound against the worn down wood making Cyril's skin crawl.

Nodding, Cyril pocked the key and motioned for Selim to follow. As he shifted his satchel of belongings on his back, adjusting everything for the trip down the hallway he was just hoping that number truly was lucky. Somehow though he doubted it.

[Cyril 2]

[Selim 3]

"Yeah yeah, no eggs, got it. We'll make due." At this point Selim just wanted to find their room and bolt the door tight. Every time he got a look at the old man he looked both younger and older at the same time which was making Selim's skin crawl.

He looked over his shoulder as they walked just to make sure the innkeeper was still at his desk and when Selim didn't see him automatically he reached out for his brother's arm. After a moment a shuffling from behind the desk calmed Selim's nerves. "Oh, he's just sitting back down," the hybrid muttered.

A noise from upstairs caught his ear too, but when Selim looked up he didn't see anything. Maybe it was a rat? At this point he would welcome the sight. At least that was something normal.

At this point it was probably best that they didn't eat anything as provided by this inn. Maybe it was just the theatrics in him, but Cyril truly did think that this place could very well be one of those houses that didn't want you to leave after entering. The storm was beginning to rage outside, the wind picking up as the rain started to pelt against the outside walls, and Cyril was unfortunately reminded about why they had opted for this place over sleeping outside in tents. It was just one night in a creepy room, they just had to rest for a bit and get out as soon as the sun broke over the horizon. Maybe the rooms would be nicer than the lobby and the outside of the building...and this hallway....spirits.

Cyril tensed as Selim touched his arm, but rather than pushing his brother off the hybrid just held on in return. "Yeah, it's just an old building. They tend to creak and groan. Remember that one we ventured into when we were younger?" He rolled his gaze at the memory, some of the troupe had sworn they saw a lady in white floating down the hallway of an abandoned house that was at the edge of the town where they had camped for the week. Of course most teens had to check it out, Cyril especially once he realized there was a bet going on that could earn him coin, and the place had just been full of cobwebs and creaking floorboards. What a joke! This one though....another creak caught his attention and made him nearly pause before Cyril decided to simply move forward.

"Our room should be here." And there it was. A dark wooden door with an iron seven that was slightly hanging towards the side. Cyril let out a sigh and closed his eyes to brace himself before twisting the key in the lock. It resisted a little at first but eventually the door opened with a loud creak, the hints seeming like they were on their final legs before relenting and revealing the room inside. "Could be worse." Cyril mused. He honestly had been expecting holes in the floor or something with the way this place was, but it seemed all together albeit older with two worn down twin beds covered in faded quilts. A window at the end with lace curtains, more yellow than white, and a small vanity and washbasin on the other side next to a desk that had no chair. Cyril opted to toss his belongings onto the bed closest to the door, just in case.

[Cyril 3]

[Selim 4]

"I remember tossing flour on ourselves and pretending to die after a spirit caught us." There had been perks to being the only two brave enough to go in that house, but this? Selim was sure they were the one's being played here. He took a breath to steady himself and tried not to let the rain pelting passing windows rattle his nerves. The shapes outside were just a few plants moving about in the wind; he knew it, so why did it unnerve him this much?

"Cyril? It's hanging...." Was that a sign? Or was it just his yaeli blood trying to spook him? He stepped into the room cautiously, pausing only by the door to slip off his soaked boots. "I think there's a washroom down the hall. I don't know if I trust it though." As nice as a bath sounded Selim...just didn't know if he wanted to test his luck tonight.

"Ah, yeah. The others never did live down just running out while screaming, did they?" Cyril replied quietly, trying to focus on a funny image rather than the terrifying one that was their current reality. Who knew that the other continent could be so spooky? He just hoped it was only this particular inn and that wherever they visited going forward would be a lot less...intimidating. His hands lingered on some throwing blades that were strapped to his thighs, just in case.

"I can fix the seven, if it bothers you." He replied finally glancing back over at Selim, trying his best to keep his composure for both of them. "I can guard you while you bathe, if you'd like. If not then we can at least grab some water for that basin over there and clean our faces." It wasn't as if he would get into the tub with Selim, but even Cyril didn't think he could have the courage to get into any washroom by himself in this place. What if something came up while he was vulnerable in the water? No, thank you.

[Cyril 4]