Slowly, you walk into the chambers that Belanoir calls her home. You can’t make out much by the candlelight, just the faintly glowing lights let out by the candles on the walls. Ahead, the skydancer looks back towards you. Her face covered by the brim of her hat, it’s impossible to read her expression, but she gestures to you with a claw to hurry up.
Not wanting to be left behind, you rush forwards, only to get a mouthful of cobwebs. You stop in your tracks, coughing and hacking, feebly trying to get the taste of dust and spider out of your mouth. It’s only now that you’ve stopped that you notice the shadowy figure beside you, glaring at you with eyes as dark as the shade. You jump back, only to realise that it’s just a decaying tapestry, which was probably rather beautiful when it was less rotten.
By now, the skydancer has reached the end of the hall, and a dim light has begun to seep towards you from there. Knowing it’s now or never, you start running, looking only straight ahead and trying to ignore all the squishy things that your wings seem to be brushing up against.
The source of the light becomes clear. At the end of the corridor is a cauldron, flanked by two dark curtains. Underneath the cauldron Belanoir has lit a fire, which is the only thing keeping the otherwise oppressive gloom away. She looks at you from beneath that hat, or at least you assume she does.
“So… You’re looking for some potions, I take it?” Her voice is quiet, and yet echoes through the dust and mildew.
It takes you a few tries to find your voice, but you eventually manage to respond. “Yes... Someone’s alchemy exploded… Toxic smog everywhere... Need breathing potion to clean it up...”
There’s a pause, and then you just barely hear her mutter something under her breath.
“Again!?”
Then she once again speaks to you. Each syllable gets under your scales, itching terror into your very skin. “I know just what you need. But you’ll have to pay for it…”
She cackles upon seeing your face.
“Nothing in this world comes free, you know,” she says. “Wait right there, I’ll go get some ingredients. And don’t touch anything!”
With that, she disappears behind the leftmost curtain. You’re left alone, with only the cauldron and a smoldering fire to keep you company.
A minute passes.
The curtains beckon, your curiosity burning you up from inside.
Two minutes.
It couldn’t hurt too much, right? Trembling, you reach towards the right-side curtain. It’s covered in grime, and maybe you don’t really want to know what’s behind it. But you’ve come this far, so you push it aside and…
Behind the curtain is a surprisingly well-lit room. Rows of shelves fill the front half, each covered in meticulously organized reagents. Everything is spotless, without a speck of dust to be seen. Near the back of the room, you can see what looks like a comfortable pile of blankets, beside which lies a pile of well-read books and a tall candle. Confused, you stand there, until you’re startled by a noise from behind you.
“Well, that’s the end of that.” Belanoir’s voice has changed – It’s much clearer, and no longer sends a chill down your spine.
Quickly, you turn around. Belanoir stands behind you, her hat pulled up so that you can see her face. She looks rather annoyed, but… also far younger than you thought she was. In her claws she clutches a jar of eyeballs and a roc’s feather.
With a sigh, she sets the items off to the side. “Look, it keeps those fools out of my feathers most of the time. I like my peace and quiet. Surely you understand.”
Without waiting for a response, she ducks back behind the curtain, before returning with a bottle of glowing blue liquid. She tosses it at you, and it nearly slips between your claws before you manage to get a grip on it.
“Just take it,” she says. “As long as you keep this a secret between the two of us, it’s on the house.”
“Thanks?” Is all you manage for a reply.
With that, she gives a quick wave and begins to gather up her ingredients. You turn to leave, but only manage to take a few steps before she calls out to you.
“Oh, and try not to eat too many of the cobwebs on your way out. It took me forever to set all those up.”
Selevalos
