Chapter 213: Ritual Observance (1/2)
[Alright, now what do I do about this?]
Mike was still sitting in the small alcove, idly kicking his legs against the side of the Spire, where he'd been contemplating recent revelations for the last hour or so. Despite going back and forth on the issue, he was at a loss. While he wasn't sure about the exact nature of the strange being that had spoken to him during his meditation, his instincts told him that it was bad news.
Unfortunately, he had no idea how to deal with the situation. He tried cleansing himself with a wave of Healing Magic, on the off chance that it would resolve the problem, but it proved ineffective.
[Well, I'm not getting anywhere on my own, so I should probably get some advice. Tal works with spirits, so maybe she would have some kind of idea. Outside of that, I suppose I could try doing some research in the library, although I'm not really sure where to start.]
He was a little hesitant to simply start asking people about his personal monster. Something told him that it would make things complicated if it got out that the Dragonknight was hearing voices.
Course of action in mind, he stood up and jumped off the tower, allowing gravity to carry him towards the ground. He took a brief moment to enjoy the thrill, before using a blast of Air Magic to halt his fall. Afterwards, he made his way back to the dorm, studiously avoiding thinking about the creature's words and recriminations. He wasn't quite ready to face that just yet.
Fortunately for him, Tal was still awake, and followed him out to the forest clearing to listen to his issues. She was silent throughout as he described his experience, listening with her characteristic apathetic expression. Once he was finished, she asked him, ”Recognize it?”
Mike shook his head, ”I don't. I even tried to make use of Appraise, but evidently it doesn't work inside my own mind.”
”Not sure. Maybe possession. Unusual case.” She squinted her eyes slightly. He took that to mean she was frowning, perhaps in concern. ”Know someone. Might help.”
”Oh? Where is this person?” He asked with sudden surge of hope.
”Riverlands, maybe?”
”I see. That's a bit difficult to manage. I probably need to find something sooner, rather than later.”
”Best known. Expert spiritualist.” Tal insisted. ”Can go?”
Mike sighed, before nodding. ”I've been meaning to explore a little more of the world, so maybe this is a good chance. Alright, I trust your opinion. Once things have settled down here, we'll make a trip to the Riverlands.”
[Now that I think about, I haven't left this continent since coming to this world. I wonder what other regions are like?] He started getting excited at the prospect, momentarily forgetting his concerns.
”Oh, before I forget, I'm pretty sure I encountered a ghost, or a spirit, or something before I started meditating. Could that have anything to do with it?”
Tal stared at him for a few moments in a manner that would have been slightly insulting from anyone else. ”Explain.”
So, Mike told her about his experiences in the abandoned warehouse, as well as the strange feelings of hostility he got from the surroundings.
”Show me.” She demanded while leaning in, something close to excitement leaking from her otherwise emotionless tone.
”What, right now? Its the middle of the night.”
She only nodded in response.
He sighed, ”Well, I guess I wasn't planning on sleeping tonight anyway. Alright, let's go.”
Tal ran back to the dorm to collect a few items, before joining him again. It didn't take them long to make their way back to the docks, and the dilapidated building in question. On seeing it, Mike started to have second thoughts.
If the ruin had been disturbing during the day, it was downright creepy at night. The wooden structure creaked and moaned in the cool ocean breeze. It seemed to howl as the wind passed through its broken windows and the gaps between its warped and rotting boards.
”Maybe we should come back tomorrow, during the day.” Mike suggested, his instincts on edge. He could already feel the intense hostility settling in.
Tal stepped forward wordlessly, boldly entering the warehouse without any indication of concern or worry. He sighed, then followed after, hoping that she knew what she was doing. Figuring that she probably needed the assistance, he summoned a ball of light to illuminate their way.
The elf stopped inside, taking a moment to survey the interior of the building, before focusing on a spot near the roof. He wasn't sure exactly what she was looking at, but it evidently gave her some clue as to what to do.
”Revered Ancestor, please shelter our path and keep the other at bay.” Tal whispered in an easy, fluid manner that was a radical departure from her usual choppy method of speech. As she spoke, a wispy, silver-colored mist emerged from her back, then swiftly dispersed into the air, causing their surroundings to lighten slightly. It was hard to tell, but Mike thought the atmosphere got a little better. More tellingly, the hostility he'd been sensing since they'd arrived finally declined, almost as if the source was being distracted or suppressed.
”Is Jiranigath.” She commented, a hint of consternation in her tone.
”What's that?”
”Type of Wraith.” Tal didn't explain further, and something about her body posture indicated that she didn't want to, so he let the matter slide. When she was ready to move on, he grabbed her around the waist and launched them up to the second story with a blast of Air Magic.
As he was descending, he couldn't help but regret that he hadn't mastered the art of flight yet. Despite his best efforts, he'd so far been forced to rely on the magical equivalent of a fire hose to push himself through the air in a haphazard manner. While it worked to move him around, he was starting to hate the lack of elegance.
[Once I have the time to get back to casually improving my skills. Flight is definitely going on the top of the list of things I want to master.] His musings were interrupted by an alarming level of creaking and moaning from the boards underneath him, and he quickly moved away from the center of the floor.