Quest 1

[Kiki]

Within several hours, they reached a decrepit old castle. Parts of it had collapsed, but it looked magnificent even in its ruined state. The movement behind and around them became more pronounced and inhuman moans and screeches came from the blackness. Kasai shivered as the blackness ahead of them became thicker.

[Zappy]

Cade shivered a bit, his instinctively dropping Anailleth's figurine in his pocket, though he knew the great cat needed more resting ti.me

[Kiki]

Jashu hooted loudly and the spirits peeled back. The great doors leading into the castle opened, revealing warm, welcoming light. Kasai let out a sigh of relief as the spirits let out ear-splitting screams and shriveled into nothingness as the light fell onto them.

[Zappy]

Cade smiled, relieved that the spirits were gone. He hand removed from his pocket, though he was still annoyed that Anailleth could not be summoned.

[Kiki]

"We'll be safe inside the castle's walls," Jashu said as they walked in. The great doors groaned shut behind them and Kasai looked around warily. The presence of spirits could still be felt, but they were not of the ilk of the mass in the forest. The ones inside were clearly placid, that of servants or nobility that had been in during the destruction. Most were just replaying their final moments

[Zappy]

Cade nodded slightly, looking around at the spirits. He stretched a bit, then yawned again.

[Kiki]

"SOmething I can help you with, sir, madam?" one of the servant spirits asked.
"Some rooms, please, close together," Jashu said.
"Right this way," the servant said as it started to walk. It became a spectral blur in the light, but Jashu flew after it to lead the way.

[Zappy]

Cade followed Jashu cautiously. While he was always uneasy with Anailleth, the spirits, good or bad, just made it worse.

[Kiki]

"These won't hurt you," Ochei said. "I've been through this land many times, both before and after it fell. The people here in the castle are kind."

[Zappy]

Cade nodded slightly. "All right." His voice was still slightly suspicious. He trusted no one unless he had a reason to trust them.

[Kiki]

"You have no reason to not trust me. I was friends with Kasai's Master. He was a good man. And I've been alive over eight hundred years, so I don't have anything to gain from betraying you."

[Zappy]

Cade shrugged. "I do not trust people. I have been betrayed too often to believe anything." He shrugged again.

[Kiki]

"I share the sentiment," Ochei said. "Betrayal was how I got stuck in this body, but that's a tale many hours long. We need to rest. Our journey hasn't even begun." With that, he pushed one of doors open and hopped up on the bed, curling up. Jashu fluttered off of Cade's shoulder and onto Kasai's.
"Rest. You're going to need it. We're in for a long night," the owl said as Kasai walked into another room.

[Zappy]

Cade nodded, and changed into his pajamas, then shut the door and crawled into the bed. Anailleth appeared outside the room and plopped down in front of it, looking around warily.

[Kiki]

Several hours later, Samina walked to the door, a still-exhausted Kasai following her. The magess yawned, covering her mouth. "His Majesty of Piren calls us," Samina said.

[Zappy]

Anailleth was still sitting in front of the door. Cade opened it and came out, fully awake and alert.

[Kiki]

"Kasai, seriously, don't use so much magic. If you use too much, you know you get like this," Ochei said.
"Oh be quiet," the magess muttered as she stifled another yawn.

[Zappy]

Cade shook his head. Anailleth yawned and stood up, determined to stay by Cade for the entire day.

[Kiki]

Samina walked through the halls of the decrepit castle, clearly seeming to know the way. Jashu watched her curiously and Ochei tilted his head at her knowledge. "Strange," Ochei muttered,

[Zappy]

Cade nodded. Anailleth stretched, and nodded. He then let out another yawn, clearly tired. Cade shook his head.

[Kiki]

"You should rest," Samina said to Anailleth. "Don't push yourself; it's not good."
Kasai shok her head and stretched, yawning.

[Zappy]

Anailleth shook his head vigorously. "I cannot leave Cade alone again. He would be in danger."
Cade sighed; but said nothing. Once Anailleth had put his mind to something, he didn't sway from his objective.

[Kiki]

"He'll be fine. Kasai will protect him." Kasai stiffened and glared at Samina. The white fox pressed her ears against her skull, clearly having made a mistake.
"You are dead!" Kasai spat at Samina as she stalked off.