Flare set out to Auster for the sake of exploring and understanding some of the strange happenings in the land. It was clear by now that the days persisted with the red sun, and the nights were uncommonly dark. There had been rumours to follow that the Shimmering shore might hold some of the answers.

He packed a bag, and took his slave. He did not trust leaving her alone for so long. Besides, if there came a need to sacrifice some blood, it was good to have some at hand. He took them the long journey down, and it was one of the easier journeys he had taken. His camp was made for him, he was supplied with hot food, and on the cool nights he had a warm body in his bed. Though he had not taken her again as he had the first morning.

At last, they arrived. “Search for any signs of something unusual. Scent, sound, vision. Anything.” He ordered her.


"Speech"

"Speech"

Demelza followed him diligently, as best she could. She jumped when he told her to and she slunk handpicked up her pace when he threatened her. The journey was long and arduous. Setting up the camp, and cooking the hot meals were time-consuming but busy making. She had to admit though that sleeping next to him every night was... Something akin to comforting. She didn't have to worry about being eaten alive out here. And sleeping next to something warm was... again, akin to nice.

The sky continued to be stained red above them for several days. As if a streak of blood was wiped over the lens of the earth.
He commanded her to scout so scout she tried. She noticed that the ocean licked the shore to the west but they were camped further inland so she couldn't feel the ocean spray on her face. She felt the ground beneath her paws was soft and crumbly, much more than solid sandy beach ought to be. She nosed the sands around them looking desperately for something of note to show him.

Flare followed his own orders, and set to work. Looking for signs of oddness in this land. Anything that would allow for the rumours that had floated about that this was a place of interest. He stuck to the inland section of the territory, ignoring the fluorescent waters in favour of examining the land itself. He moved until he reached where this territory morphed to Fossil Ridge. Even here, there were hints of old remains in the soil.

He dug a little bit into the earth, and uncovered a few bones. He took them out to see if he could identify which animal they might have come from. But as he dug, he found bone after bone, until he had his own little jigsaw puzzle to assemble. He kept an eye on his slave as he worked, though so far through the whole journey, she had been perfect and meek.


"Speech"

"Speech"

The Castle loomed on the north side of the grounds. As she felt the gritty sand beneath her give way she looked up at Flare. He seemed preoccupied with a smattering of bone remnants he found. She looked beside him a few lengths away and noticed an odd shape in the earth. She pulled herself toward it cautiously, hoping he wasn't thinking she was running away.

"Master... My Lord! There's a big crack..." She said softly at first, before clearing her throat and calling louder. She pointed to the fissure, where a mix of soil and sand looked to be pulling itself apart.

He was pulled from his examination of the bones by his slave moving away from him. His head shot up, and he narrowed his eyes until her voice called out. Softly at first, but after a moment more strongly. She had found something. He abandoned his bones, and trotted after her to see what had caught her attention.

Sure enough, there was an odd crack in the land. He moved closer, sniffing the space curiously. It sharply dropped off when he looked at it from the right angle. How deep did the earth go? He glanced over at his slave. He could push her down there, but if it was too deep it would take time to train another. “Drop a stone in.” he ordered her instead, indicating with a paw for her to go closer.

"Speech"

"Speech"

Her master trotted up to her and Demelza shrank back to make sure he had the room to stand where he wanted. Her gaze shifted between the crack in the earth and trying to read him. If she anticipated his needs she was rewarded with him not hurting her.

Her ears perked at his command and she quickly scouted about to find a rock. There were a few small ones in the sand. She grabbed the largest she could, something about the size of her paw, and cautiously approached the fissure. She leaned out and dropped the stone down into the space. Listening to it carefully by leaning her ear over the opening.

She searched about for a stone while he sat by the fissure and waited. She returned with one in hand, and leaned over the drop. Watching her hovering there proved to be more temptation than he could handle. As she leaned her ear over the opening he leaned forward and shoved her with one paw. The other snaked around her front to grab her as she moved forward so she didn’t actually fall.

“Not this time” he whispered lightly in her ear, and leaned over her to look down at the fissure. It had taken some time for the stone to make any noise.


"Speech"

"Speech"

She held her breath to hear the stone hit anything. Suddenly she gasped as she felt herself falling. The sensation of being shoved was misplaced by the panic of being swallowed by the abyss below. He caught her and she trembled in his arms as he whispered in her ear. She wasn't entirely sure if she slipped or was pushed but her breath was fast and sharp in her throat as he held her. His leaning into the darkness over her had her shivering against him.

Did the stone make a noise below? She couldn't recall. She wanted to slink as far away from the gap in the ground as possible.

It seemed her training had come along so far that despite what he had done, she leaned closer to him. He could feel her heart beating rapidly from where her body touched his leg. Acceptance for any fate he gave her?


What he perceived in that moment as absolute devotion stirred something inside of him. Before he knew what he was doing, he shifted a leg. Wrapping it around her chest and pulling her tighter to him. Holding her almost tenderly as they peered down the chasm together, as if the answers to whatever strangeness would crawl out and reveal itself to them.