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The Courtyard



The Courtyard of Castellum Umbra. Description to Come.

It's been a series of strange events that have led to this point in time. Although Sajhiri had contacted Kamiki about possibly being a Kithain, the Sajhiri who met 'Miki at the door of the tower this time around was...different. She didn't seem like herself, and it was more than just the glowing red shade her normally golden eyes had taken on. She seemed cooler of personality, her voice holding an icy edge to it, an imperious expression on her face.

She explained to the other woman about her possible fey blood, how if she was truly possessed of it she could cross through the fairy ring in the tower's center into Tir Nan Og, and follow the pull of her spirit towards the cursed child's prison whose family blood she descended from.

She told her of the sacrifice of a small bit of soul and a small bit of life essence to break the curse itself, and how should she choose to save them from their dreadful fate, that child would become her responsibility.

So it was that Kamiki crossed the threshold of the mushroom ring and appeared in the meadow of the Fey realm, and how her spirit was drawn towards the darker of the two castles, Castellum Umbra, the castle of the Moon Court.

Sajhiri grinned almost maniacally. "Follow the pull, old friend...and it shall lead you to where you are most needed. I shall await you here, with the Majestrix, to greet the child if and when you free her."

As if summoned by her title, a pale, dark haired figure stepped from the shadows. Her expression made Sajhiri look downright tropical by comparison. Nox peered at Kamiki through dark lashes, a tight smile on her lips. "Yes...I smell the blood of one of my people here. Go, child, and release them..."

The corridors of the ancient stone structure were surprisingly clean of dust and debris, in spite of the millenia of abandonment that came before. Someone had evidently been tending it well.

The hard dark stones rang out each of Kamiki's footsteps, echoing in the emptiness like a stacatto symphony of sheer lonliness. The desolate and cold sensation was something that seemed palpable, as if it were alive and could seep into one's very bones.

The insistent tugging that seemed to be pulling at Kamiki's abdomen grew stronger as it neared a spiral staircase, leading up not one, but two floors, and down a cooridor to a heavy metal door with ancient runes in some long forgotten language carved into it's surface.

Inside was what appeared to be a sorceror's study, filled with dusty and very much untouched tomes. Cobwebs were covering most everything, as if despite the cleanliness of the rest of the castle, this place was deliberately left untouched, or the cleaner could not pass the rune-carved door.

Pale light flittered into the room and across the floor in shades of green, blue, purple, and grey, cast from a stained glass window set in the far wall above a desk.



It almost seemed to be begging to have the dust wiped off it's time-dimmed panes.

As Kamiki touched the window and traced the images upon it, inside her head a strange, genderless voice, ethereal and cool, spoke.

"Do you, Kamiki, give freely of your spirit and essence, to free Vulpina, daughter of Defixus and Mirus, of her dread curse?"

With the pledge sincerely given, for a moment Kamiki could feel something tangible slither out of her body and merge into the window, invisible, but there, making her feel a slight loss with it gone. Then the window began to glow with an intense blackness from within, enveloping the glass, then pouring out onto the floor in a wash of seemingly liquid, tar-like fluid. It pooled there, and expanded, pulsing as if alive, then in an instant it was gone, leaving a fey child in it's wake.

Recovery from the ordeal her freedom brought her through will take a day or two for little Vulpina, but cold, joyous laughter rang out through the castle, as Majestrix Nox revelled in the release of yet another of her subjects. It had indeed begun and she waited in the courtyard with Sajhiri.

"Vulpina, as I suspected, my dear Sajhiri. My mage is free and shall be able to grow into her power, and help me crush the Sun Court!"

Sajhiri nodded and smirked. "Indeed, Majestrix, I wait for the day."