"So," Oridi fell back into one of the chairs, looking on with disgust at the surroundings of literature. "I know before, with Jeann rather, that you said you didn't have any real leads. What exactly have you found."

"Well, I've found references to strange goings on from recent and past. All of it pulled together because it relates to similarities to the current situation. Aside from that," Alder shrugged. "not much."

"What do you think is happening? Whats wrong with her?"

"My guess is its something using arcane energy,"

"Isn't that a bit obvious?" 

"Yes and no. You're an arcanist, i'm sure I don't have to go through the rudamentaries of theory."

"Naturally," Oridi laughed, trying to ignore the sinking feeling.

"Nothing could shift that much energy that quickly and still be standing. Even the strongest Arcanists can't perform feats of that scale."

"Shifting energy? The creature, right?"

"Correct. In the short time I was around it, it grew from the height of an average young woman to that of a monsterous beast. Its entire body was of a shifting, oozing liquid."

"You mentioned that something was striking everyone, some force?"

"Originally I had assumed it was my grabbing on to Jeann that kept me stable, but upon reflection I realized that I actually had felt something of a breeze."

"Rather brave, aren't you?"

"Have you seen Jeann!" Alder shot back 

"But a breeze, and others seemed to be experiencing a torrent?"

"Of sorts." Alder lifted a scroll and began to leaf through it "Its hard to say."

"Where are those recent reports?"

Alder made a sweeping motion to the otherside of his table, riddled with scrolls thrown about. "Help yourself, I've gone through them once before and didn't find much that grabbed me."

"Perhaps you just didn't know what to look for." Oridi gave a coy grin and changed seats. 

"Honestly, I hope you're right. I didn't expect to be gone this long."

"You sound like you're not excited to be working and exploring."

"Its fine, if you enjoy the work."

"Which you..."

"It's" Alder lowered the scroll "It's complicated."

"Ah," Oridi drew the word out, giving a mock realization "You're in love with Jeann!"

"What?!" 

"Oh come now, I saw the way you looked at her. With her scantily clad and-"

"Oridi!" Alder shouted louder than he'd intended and glanced around sheepishly. "Thats enough. I'm not now, nor have I ever been, in love with Jeann. Now please."

"Alright, alright." Oridi picked the most interesting looking report, one of an attack in outskirts as it happened, and began to read. Stopping for only a moment minutes later to ask "So shes available then?"

Alder groaned and dug deeper into his work, drawing a laugh from Oridi in response. 

Little work progressed in the next few hours, as Oridi was slowly introduced to the monotony that Alder had mentioned before. Dead end after Dead end with only slight refrences to anything matching their situation, or at least Oridis understanding of the situtation. 

"...was discovered on the fifth day of Kioturs during a routine investigation of goings on in the surrounding area. Headed by Knight Officer Hondred of Panwes Seventh Guard Detachment, the team discovered the goings on of a cult occupying the vacinity. Their attendents ranged in race and affiliated kingdom, including some bearing strange gard claiming to be from a Civilized Peoples of the Desert. 
         The primary subject was a small woman of the broxcian, fangs and fur-like hair giving away her true nature. She was surrounded in a black puddle of oozing darkness, and soldiers alongside the Knight Officer claimed to feel a force pushing them away. The Arcanist was called to investigate, her response was one of concern over the young womans state. Her body seemed to be fusing with something beyond this world, beyond magic itself.
          Doctrine dictates that a thorough recounting of events be taken, and will follow from this point forward. This script will begin at the start of the days activities, taking to the documented knowledge given by the latrine workers of the camp that morning. 
"Morning"... "Morning"... "Where's my shovel?"..."Was it something that I needed to keep track of?"... "I'd asked for your aid in watching-"

Oridi threw the text aside and pinched her brow, clamping her eyes tight in effort to scare away the headache forming in her mind. How could something worth recording be done in such an incredibly dull fashion? It was as if particular effort was taken to make the reading less enjoyable with each page. 

"Too dry?" Alder asked

"How?" Oridi slumped down onto the desk, turning her neck to meet alders eyes "How do you enjoy this?"

"It's honestly an acquired taste." Alder closed his book and gently placed it on the table. "I find the aspect of the written works and their perspective interesting, and quite revealing. If its any consilation, you're not alone in your distaste of it."

"I'd hope not!" 

"Well, how about we do something else then?"

"Hmm? Like what?"

"Why don't we see if we can come up with ideas?"

"Do you really think that'll help?"

"Probably not," Alder said, leaning back and stretching "but i'm bored to death as well. I'm used to being stuck, but only on personal projects. This 'being stuck while working' is beginning to tax my mind."

"Acquired taste, huh?"

"Would you rather we go back to reading?"

"No!" Oridi shot up "no, no. I guess i'll play along with you for the moment."

"Hmm, how about," Alder put a hand to his chin and looked around "Question for a Question?"

Oridi gave a skeptic look but nodded and turned her chair face him, Alder doing likewise. 

"Want to go first?" Oridi asked

"Please, by all means." Alder said, gesturing to her

"Okay then." she paused, caught up in thought "What has the Count tried before you?"

"Philistine claimed to have called in a number of other Arcanists and healers to investigate the issue. Some tried regular techniques to remove curses and the like. Aside from those that I know of, Jeann might now of others. However I'm not sure what he's done personally."

"That's not particularlly helpful."

"It isn't, is it?"

"Why don't we ask the Count?"

"He isn't here, he left a few days ago to follow up on something in an outer village. At least thats what i've heard from the servants."

"Well, how nice for him. Being able to travel so freely."

"Surely your work as an arcanist pays well, how much are you getting-"

"Thats a sensitive subject, Alder." 

"Right. I suppose Jeann has her reasons, as must you."

"The money, Alder, the money is a sensitive subject. It's not something you discuss."

"Sorry."

"Nothing to apologize for, just understand that we see the world very differently."

"Similar enough to meet Jeann."

"An accident, luck at best. Our paths aligned, as does ours now."

"Oh?"

"I'm here to also learn as much as I can about the Counts past. Where he was, what he did, who he hurt."

Alder went silent. 

"I have some questions, I just want some answers."

"Did he hurt you?" Alders voice was low, fearful almost.

"No. Or," Oridi paused "maybe. Maybe not. I don't know and thats why I'm trying to find out."

"Can you tell me anything about yourself? You're an Arcanist and you're from Panwe. Did you learn in the capital?"

"Capital? No, I... We were taught closer towards the south, on the other side of the mountains."

"Near the Kesanage?"

"You say that like they're dangerous."

"You don't seem to think so."

"Of course not," Oridi straightened with pride, clearly taken with her superiority "They're harmless, caring even. The most dangerous I've seen is their traders and merchants. I used to watch them when we would travel, I made a point of arriving in the merchant squares early to see all the people coming and going."

"That sounds nice."

"It was. For a time,"

"What happened?"

"I left. I couldn't take it anymore and I left, I left my family and life behind. Then when that didn't work, I burnt the whole thing down and ran. Lost even more doing that."

"I hate the nobility as much as the next, but what could have driven you to such measures. Doesn't it seem a bit extreme?"

"You don't know what they did, not to me and not to the others."

"Others?"

Oridi stopped, sighed, and shook her head "Nothing. It's not something I want to talk about. What about you?" Oridi gave a weak point to Alder "You've tried to pry my life story, what about yours?"

"We went over a bit of it before, didn't we? With Jeann?"

"Thats no excuse, come on. Tell me how 'Alder the Scholar' took up a job with a Bloodleter like Jeann."

"She's not-" He gave a quick reflection of Jeanns sparkling character and instead relented "I'm not like that. I wanted to be an Arcanist, wield elements and do the impossible."

"That didn't happen then?"

"No. I could fight well enough, never the best but I held my own against the middle. Studies were no real issue either, my only issue was that I couldn't perform anything other than the most minut of spells."

"So they trained you as a Battle Mage? I thought they were supposed to be dangerous weilders of magic, capable of-"

"-pulling the forces of evil from the wicked and casting light into the ever present dark. Yes I know, the Royalty really loved to push idea. Battlemages are usually less successful of the professions. Higher mortality rate too."

"You CAN remove spells though, can't you?"

"Well yes, actually its something that i'm quite confident in."

"Then whats the issue, why are you so obssessed with more?"

"It isn't obsession, its my goal. I'm trying to find something to increase that connection. I'm not trying to risk my life for it."

"Right," Oridi looked over to an approaching servant and suddenly felt her blood run cold. Her instinct told her to run and get away before she could be questioned, but another idea tempered her desire. "You can lie, right?"

"I suppose?" Alder turned to see the man and laughed. 

"Good evening sir Alder, is this a companion of yours?" The mans voice thick with accent and sounded as if the words were being forced through a stone. 

"Indeed, shes a friend of Lady Jeann and a new acquatince of mine. Would it be possible to inform the others around that she'll be coming and going for the next few days."

"I believe that can be arranged, Sir." He then turned to Oridi. "Your name?"

"Lia, Lady Lia of Fellwest."

"Of course, Lady Lia, Sir Alder. Is there anything we can get for you?"

"I believe we're okay at the moment."

"Then I'll be off." 

Before he could leave, Oridi perked up and said "Its a shame about the Yound Lady Elizabeth."

"Hmm?"

"Being possessed, I'm sorry. I hear shes well loved."

"Oh, yes. It is a shame, I hope you can resolve the matter soon. Excuse me." 

"Was that...?"

"A bit strange..." Alder said 

"Maybe hes older? Hard to tell age sometimes."

"I don't think that'd be it..."

"You said something before about not being sure that the creature is Elizabeth,right?"

"Yes? But i'm not sure..." Alders mind race, cranking gears launching into speculation "you don't think, its not actually Elizabeth, do you?"

"It could be, but why would the Count lie about his own daughter being possessed?"

"It would be a strange cover-up."

"But not impossible to do, you can alter peoples appearance with ease if you know what you're doing."

"In theory, yes it would be easy. In practice however the task requires a large staging area and needs several... pylons of..."

"Alder?"

"The cage. The cage that the monsters in could work as focus points, I saw the Count channel through it before. I thought it was a safety measure, but it amplified a lightning spell enough to subdue the beast."

"So, assuming that we, including the town, have been told a lie about this creature and Elizabeth, then where is she?"

"I, don't know. I also don't know about that presence I communicated with, I don't know what it would be if it wasn't Elizabeth."

"Maybe it was the person actually afflicted with the curse, or possession, or what have you."

"Maybe... they spoke of a church in Old Town. Something about being with friends and doing something there."

"Should we check it out?"

"Check out the Church? In Old Town?"

"No, the tavern around the coin. Yes the church."

"I don't see why we couldn't, but it won't exactly help me find out a way to remove this curse."

"Perhaps going to the scene might give you a better frame of whats actually going on."

"Theres logic in that," Alder stood and shifted the tower of literature "Should we see if any of the others are available?"

"I don't think Mogti- Oh you mean your 'others'."

"What is she planning with you? How many are involved?"

"If she hasn't told you then im certainly not going to."

With a sigh of frustration Alder slid his chair back under the table and made to grab his belongings. 

"Shall we go then?"

"Thank you, my good sir." Oridi gave a fake chuckle and made exagerated gestures of nobility before departing the library, followed closely by a frowning Alder. 

The wet stone and dirt gave the usual snaps of fallen leaves a new, muted sound as the pair snuck their way through the alleys and streets. The regulars and homeless alike mingled amongst its seediest of holes, dregs and innocents in duality. Alder did his best to ignore the smells, trying further to forget the sights glimpsed through cracked windows or wide open doors. 

"Quite a place." Alder said, falling in behind Oridi. The pair shifted into a line as the alley closed in, limiting the passage to two people at most. Traffic was light.

"It has its charms." Oridi added "The sides closest to the keep are rather nice actualy."

"I'll take your word for it. How long have you been here anyway? A few weeks, right?"

"Yeah, about that much. Like i said it hasn't been long, but i've made a few friends in the area and theyve showed me around a bit."

"These friends, part of that group for Jeann?"

Oridi paused, placing a firm hand against Alders chest to stop him, then peered aside the wall. "Hold on, the church is ahead and up a path but there are some of the Counts men."

"Okay." Alder stopped and leaned against the wall "I suppose asking is out of the question."

Oridi shot him a glare and Alder quickly silenced. 

"I know you don't want to kill them... Hmm." 

"Why is that your first choice?"

"I could maybe..."

"What?"

"Okay, Alder I need you to trust me, follow my lead, and ask very few questions."

"What do you have planned? I can't agree to give you free reign over it."

"Alder I-" Oridi sighed and pinched her brow, doing her best to fight the growing headache "It would be faster, wouldn't it. Fine, I think I can impersonate a guard captain. maybe we can sneak through."

"Guard Captain? Who?"

"Does it matter? Look its the only idea we have currently and unless you-"

"No no, i'm just concerned. By all means." Alder stepped back and turned away.

"Its not that kind of... forget it." 

A minute later, Alder and a very different looking Oridi were walking side by side towards the delapidated chapel. She, or rather he now, gave a wave to the guards drawing their attention.

"Evening men." Oridi gave a sharp gesture and stopped, Alder kept a few feet back but still by this Oridi-Captain. 

The men stood in shock, surprised clearly by the arrival of someone outside their ordinary routine. The two exchanged looks before being their descent towards Oridi and Alder, each wore simple garb and carried a spear and a thin blade. The tallest of the two made his way ahead and greeted Captain Oridi with surprising vigor.

"Good evening Sir, Sir." the man gave a second nod to Alder, merely an acknowledgement. "What seems to be the issue?"

"Well," Oridi took a deep and resigned breathe. "I have no desire to be here but i've been instructed to take this one," He pointed to Alder "to see the church. He's the one responsible for the efforts to cure Lady Elizabeth."

"Ah, dreadful business that." It was the shorter one that spoke up. A thin framed woman with a relaxed expression and dangerous eyes. "Poor miss."

"Indeed." Oridi nodded

"Are you sure sir?" 

"Unfortunately I am, and I suppose we'll need to give him some room to inspect the area." 

"Room sir?"

"Head down to the tavern and comeback in," Oridi turned to Alder "How long?"

"A few hours." Alder snapped with surprise, he'd been too caught up in the lie and Oridis surprising talent for impersonation. "Likely two or three."

"Better to make it three hours then." Oridi handed a few coins to the pair and nodded. "I'm certain you can find one in the area. This old slum is filled with degenrates."

The pair took the coins and departed down the path. Oridi and Alder contiued together towards the double doors of the church. 

"That was amazing." Alder said as soon as the doors were closed. There were holes in both the roof and walls but he'd still felt the need to wait until they were indoors before speaking, as if doing as such would break some sort of spell that had been cast. 

"I'm glad that the captain worked." Oridi said, Her clothes and body seemed to shimmer momentarily and Alder turned away again. When he turned back she was once more the Oridi he'd met and knew her to be. 

"Was there some concern?" Alder moved aside a bit of rubble and debris to sit in one of the mostly destroyed pews. 

"It's not important, what are we supposed to look for?"

"I don't know. I really don't, something to indicate the type of curse or possession. Some way of indicating what happened at the night that started it all."

"That was well over two weeks back Alder." Oridi stopped her directionless searching and turned to face him "There isn't anything left to show this as anything but a possession, the count had the whole thing inspected and then guarded."

"Yes, that he did."

"So what do you expect to find?"

"Something to prove it isn't what I'm beginning to fear it is."

"Well, thats not cryptic." Oridi folded her arms and looked around. "So we're looking for something that isn't here, to prove something is what the Count claims. A claim which has already been proved and is what you're currently supposed to be solving."

"That about sums it up." Alder said.

With a labored effort Alder dragged himself from the comfort of the hardwood pew and began to inspect the room. It was wide, as any good church was, and had slots that would have bore windows or wooden bars. Parts of the ceiling beams had caved in and collapsed atop of the majority of the internal structures. 

"Whatever happened did quite a number on this place." 

"Agreed." Oridi picked up a shattered weapon and spun it around. "Killed the guards, broke their weapons, what kind of thing could do this." Oridi pointed to the disintegrated equipment and patches of eaten away metal.

"I'm not sure." Alder said, heading over to inspect them. "But whatever it was, it was magic."

"Hmm. It looks like they come from the back room."

A thin and spotted trail of blood lead through the side door and well behind the organ towards the rear of the church. Bits of scattered metal, cloth, and bone gave the impression of a struggle leading out into the church proper. 

"I believe you may be right." Alder picked a thin metal torch with a reddened gem at the top. With a quick thought he ignited the torch and instantly cast the room in dancing, swirling lights. The shifting of the light turned the room from a simple dreadful sight to a ghastly one. "Shall we follow it?"

"The trail you mean?"

"Of course. We came here to get clues on whats happening didn't we? What better way to do that then actually following a certain trail of desctruction to its source?"

Oridi gave him a quizical look and glanced around. "Really? You?"

"Theres something amiss about all this, especially the issue with Elizabeth."

"You're starting to think it isn't actually her. The monster, the whole deal?"

"Lets not get ahead of ourselves, but its starting to seem possible."

With an odd look of curiosity and aprehension, Oridi slowly shuffled in behind Alder as they ventured further into the church. The doors and halls eventually leading to a simple room in the rear with a rug thrown aside and a trap door in the center swung open wide. 

"Thats a sight." Oridi chimmed

"Certainly an interesting one." Alder said. He drew the torch higher, attempting to light a hanging lantern tipped aside, unfortunetly the damage had made it inoperable and instead he lowered the torch once more. "Do you have a light?"

"Aside from yours?"

"You'll need one too. It looks like this leads down for a while."

Oridi extended her hand, holding a small rock from her bag, and whispered something into air. The rock slowly rose, growing in light with each second. She rested her hand on her hip and attached the ethereal connection, pinning it to follow at a certain height and give off a certain amount of light. 

"Thats handy." Alder said 

"Not bad yourself, your own design?"

"A friend, from the academy. Made my spear too," Alder tapped the shortened weapon "Hasn't let me down since."

"Good friend to have, I need to get a friend like that."

Alder bent down and slowly lowered himself into the hole, clumsily finding his footing on the ladder. "Well maybe I'll introduce you sometime." His head dipped below the floor, Oridi giving a short laugh before following.

"Was this everything you expected?" Oridi asked, their climbing had lead them down a ways before depositing the two in a small circular room built into the earth and stone.

"A crypt? Oh sure." Alder joked "Always going into crypts." his attempt to laugh hassled by his nerves. 

"Alder, why are we in a Crypt." Oridi pushed open the wooden door before them and stepped into the musty halls of ancient deaths. "Though, being possessed near a Crypt is something right?"

"I don't think so..." He placed a hand on the wall, feeling the cold stone for any signs of damage. "thats strange."

"What?"

"No sign of an attack or burns."

"Come on," She stepped around him and made to head further into the dark halls, light creating a bubble of clarity around her. 

"Fine, fine." 

Every few minutes they would come to a fork, doors on either side locked but likely leading to nothing. The further they went the more uncertain Alder grew, his ears seemed to be screaming with the silence and thankful for the footsteps to break it. The flickering of his torch and unordinary glow of Oridis rock, the bodies seemed to be waking. Annoyed at the prospect of unanounced guests.

"Know anything about it this?" Oridi asked

"Well from what I read, which I'd like to remind you was not about that, it was the burial sight of the Kot-Kot, from during the War against the Royal Triumvirate."

"The who? How long ago was this."

"Oh, a few hundred years back, middle of the First Age I think."

"Huh, any signifigance?" 

"Who can tell? Bit too early honestly. How long have we been walking?"

"A few minutes. Why?"

"Its just strange that we've gone so far from the... Church..." The pair slowed to a halt before a set of double doors built into a newer wall. 

"Answer your question any better?" Oridi mocked "A giant pair of doors, clearly built recently."

"People more concerned with their lives would turn around and head back." Alder said, hand resting on his holstered spear.

"Good thing neither of us are particularly concerned with that." Oridi said. She tried the door and found it locked tight, so she fished out a set of thin metal lengths with one having a hooked tip. 

"Where exactly did you learn that skill?" Alder asked

"Did you forget that I'm a criminal?" Oridi replied

"Not entirely. Just surprised at your versatility."

"Virsatility. Thats a polite way of saying things. Ah damn it!" She pulled her hand back, a small cut bubbling blood slowly. "Get over here and help me, the doors too heavy for one person." 

"I'm serious about us heading back, it might be the best option."

"This was your plan to begin with," She shot "and you won't leave. Thats just the sanity trying to win."

"You realize the statement that makes then." Alder pressed himself against the door and readied himself. 

"Yet here you are." 

"Well," The two heaved against the metal & wood. Getting nothing but a steady thunk. "Jeann would kill me if I got one of her people killed." They tried again, a slight give.

"How kind." 

Again. The door creaked and moaned, desiring to remain stationary agianst this new force.

"Think nothing of it." 

With a tremendous crack the doors parted and flew inward, bits of the splintered wood scattering atop an oddly stained floor. Alder drew the torch forward and lit a lantern along the wall, to Alders surprise the flame took. A minute later and the room was fully illuminated, however the sight was far less joyous.

Inside the room was a stained stone floor coated in old blood and bits of bone. Long wooden tables with thick straps attached dotted the space, as well as cages with spiked inards and long sharp blades against the wall. It was horrendous, a display of brutality and little more. 

Oridi quickly turned and tightened her eyes, dropping the stone and its light in the process. Her body tensed and her mind began to race, images of her past being shaken loose. She curled herself up to keep in the warmth escaping her, and to protect her from the inevitable danger. 

She couldn't open her eyes, she shouldnt! What was there she wanted to see? Whenever she opened them all she could watch was her family being slaughtered infront of her. Tied to the tables and ripped open with curved blades, occassional comments of "stitch this one back up, it could work" and "toss that heap" filling her ears daily. 

She didn't dare breathe, didn't dare speak, any noise or action would bring them back. Bring back all that pain they so loved to used. She didn't want the pain again. She didn't want to hear their laughs again, nor their threats worse. She didn't want to BE anymore. It was a mistake, it had to be a mistake, surely there was nothing in this world as horrible as this. She'd pray nightly to the divine trinity, and then to the local dieties when three didn't answer. She was losing it now, her faith and her mind, both being stolen by those-

"-idi? Hey are you okay Oridi?" Alder knelt beside her, wearing a face of pure concern. 

She wiped tears from her eyes, apparently she'd started crying, and nodded her head. "I'm alright. Bad memories is all."

Alder looked around "I would say so, if a sight like this sent you into a state like that. Are you sure you're-"

"I'M FINE." Oridis mind prickled and her body wanted to leap,to fight anything and everything in her way and escape. The feeling passed quickly and she began to breathe slowly, calming herself. "I'm fine. Sorry about that. Shall we continue?"

"Are you sure?" 

"It'll be much better for me to get this over with than turn back now." 

They made their way quickly through the chamber, spotting an adjoining one with more delicate wood doors. Thankfully it was unlocked, and so the two fell into the room and slammed shut the door. This room was far more residential, bookshelves lined the walls and desks bore instruments of expirementation. 

"What is this?" Oridi asked 

"A lab, of sorts. I'm not sure for what though, seems like something of an arcanists research study."

"Interesting to find it here, attached to that."

"I'd say. What do you think?"

"Research lab for sure," Oridi peered over a desk "theres notes here on something called 'Ethereal Matter Displacement' but i'm not..." She stopped, eyes stuck on a diagram.

"What is it?"

"This may help," Oridi handed the parchment to Alder with hesitency "How much do you know about Changelings?" 

Merely speaking the words felt like a death sentence, she was ever bent on never revealing anything about her past or what she really was. Instead she was now blatantly circling the prospect of giving away everything. She wanted to kick herself, why had she pushed this so hard. If it got out now then it was no ones fault but her own.

"Not too much, a few bits and pieces of rumours about them and lesson or two on them in the academy." Alder said

"Well, its an old story from Panwe. Prince with eyes on the throne and a willingness to a support an equally questionable arcane researcher."

"Wonderful combination."

"Very much so. Anyway the story goes that the prince used the researcher to make these creatures. The mage used the poor and the homeless, the wicked and innocent alike, and tortured them. Tortured them until they almost died and begged for death. Then infused them with some horrendous magic until their bodies began to change. "
          "He called them changelings, his masterwork, his great contribution to the chaos of the natural world. Except the process did something he didn't expect, it made them infertal and thus unable to properly join that most hallowed space as new-natural-beings. Instead they would need to be created regularly."
           "The prince didn't care, he had his tool. He used the new creatures to rise in rank and work as his spies, until eventually he had the crown he'd longed for. Goal accomplished and rule established, he was blinded to the idea that his very own tool could be used against him."

"A changeling killed him?"

"At the order of the Kings own son. The mage didn't care however, he'd been given a proper reward and was far, far away."

"Lords above." Alder breathed "Any of it true?"

"Most of it, from what the stories say." 

Alder looked over the parchment, studying the diagram of a mortal being injected with some sort of ether magic. It was old, hundreds of years old by the fading and material used. 

"What do you think? The counts trying to make changelings?" 

"Could be." Oridi said. She leaned back agianst a bookself and folded her arms. "Seems likely at this point, given the room before and the research here." 

"Well what would we need to prove it?" Alder asked

"Hmm." She rubbed her chin and looked around. It was a difficult game to balance her new role and her true goal, but even she was beginning to grow curious. She'd wanted to find the Count and ask him about his role in all of this, but now... "We'd need to find some form of device. Something to channel the energy into the victim."

"Oh? Like what?" 

"A gem, like yours but much bigger."

"Bigger. Huh?" Alder looked around "Where do you think we are?"

"Beneath the church? Maybe a bit of a ways from it."

"We walked some distance though, we might be..." Alder walked towards another door along a far wall, slowly creaking the thing open. Another long hall led towards a staircase leading up, Alder gave a quick wave for Oridi to follow and then stepped out.

"Alder!" Oridi forced the shout into a hostile whisper "where are we going?"

"I have an idea, I hope i'm wrong though." 

They ascended the stairs with some measure of restrained haste, Alder leaping every two and Oridi doing her best to keep pace. A minute later and they were let into a large room similar to the two before, bearing a similar set of doors as well. Alder rushed towards the next in his imagined line and slowly opened it then froze. 

"What?"

"Shhh"

"What is wrong with-"

"SHHHH"

"-trust that things are progressing well?" A man asked.

"Slower than expected." Another said. "Much slower, this Battle mage is not the brightest."

Oridi stiffled a laugh and Alder gave her a quick shove. "Quiet."

"Nevertheless, how are we doing on retrieving another subject?"

"Rather slowly as well." A sound like chains slamming bars "I'm certain we can use the Ether in this one to properly complete the process."

"And what if this, Battle mage as you say, manages to remove the being from the subject entirely and vanish it? We'd have to start again, the Count wouldn't be too pleased."

"Well neither would we, but thats unimportant. He won't manage to remove this thing, it'd be too much for anyone. No this needs an outlet, and we need that outlet to be someone we can use."

"Perhaps, we've gone about this wrong. Introducing these Pere could bring-"

"Thats enough, we've enough problems as is. Don't worry about the Peres they wont be a problem. We've made sure of that."

"What about-" The pair moved from their positions and passed further through the halls. 

Alder and Oridi stepped back from their position and rested against the walls, both releasing their unknowingly held breathe. A minute ticked past in the silence, both stuck to the walls with nerves focusing on just breathing. It was Oridi who broke the silence,

"Who were they?"

"One would guess Researchers and Arcanists," Alder slid down and let his head rest against the wall. His heart was pounding, mind racing, even worse was this his body felt shaken. 

"You alright?"

"I'm not usually," He breathed out slowly "so close to this type of danger. A bit more than I signed up for."

"Come now Alder, surely you've been enjoying yourself." Oridi mimicked his slide and head rest, breathing similarly fast. Her own body was reacting far better, but even her nerves were beginning to fray. Realization was setting in slowly, how far they were and how dangerous this actually was. "What do we do now?"

"Well, I'd like to leave but I think that we need to head a bit further in."

"Further in? You're joking." 

"Sadly I'm not, because if behind that door and up those stairs further is the Chamber I think then we may have a problem."