Ink and Scrolls the Beginning
just a thing for an au I have involving muses from another blog
Kola stood with Free in the middle of the field just outside of the city of Whiterun. She shuffled from one foot to another as her companion set everything up for the ritual they were about to perform. They wanted to make it easier to go from city to city while they didn’t mind taking the carriages but sometimes they took a bit too long. And this would also work as an alternative if they couldn’t take anymore passengers. Being brought out of her thought seeing the other was about finished, she looked down at the strange book in her hands. She read the words cross the cover “The Illusion of Living by Joey Drew” across the front in flourishing writing. Making her wonder who that was and a better was where the book came from as she looked up asking “Free w-where did you get t-this book?” she asked the older. Free, who had just finished up, looked over “I found it in some random part of apocrypha figured it could help with this,” she says to her. Hearing the other mention where it was from, the younger gave a huff but didn’t say anything about it not wanting to spend more time on this seeing as rain clouds started to roll in. And she wasn’t going to lie she was curious about, it thinking if it survived the ritual she’d give it a read. Stepping into the circle next to the other as both started to cast the spell, using all their focus to do so. Finally gathering enough energy, the two finish casting the spell silence followed as the two looked around realizing that they hadn’t left their spot. Wondering if maybe they hadn’t done it right or it was a fluke, Kola went to ask Free about it when suddenly a dark pool of what looked to be ink opened under them. Causing Free to pull out her bow and start firing arrows at it while Kola tried to use a few fire bolts to get it to go away. But it was to no avail even as they kept firing at the hands now grasping at their legs, the two were pulled down into the darkness below them.
After what felt like hours, both awoken on a hardwood floor sitting up as both rubbed their heads. Looking around, confused at where they were, the two saw strange things hung on the wall along with the same black ink dripping down. Free stood up off the floor and walked forward a bit, as Kola took a moment to gather her thoughts. Peeking around the corner, she saw the place was bigger, not only that pipes seem to run about the place. She wondered if for a moment they had teleported to a Dwemer ruin but that couldn’t be right, seeing as the floor was wooden and not made of stone. Behind her the other had gotten up off the floor and joined her, looking around also before simply saying “I-I don’t think were i-in tamriel a-anymore” in response. Hearing that made the mer give a snort in response at the joke the other had made, but the understatement and dry delivery too. But Kola was right, this didn’t seem to be tamriel, not only that it didn’t seem they were on nirn either. Signaling the other the two walked in further, deciding to explore this new place a bit more. Along the way, they found two tape recordings, another book like the one they used and a body of a strange creature wearing strange clothes. Both wonder what it was, better yet, what tore it open. And also wonder if it was still around causing Free to decide to use a shout after not seeing anything around relaxing, but Kola was still on edge. But didn’t voice her worries, something about this place feeling something off about it. As the two explored some more and finding a strange machine after messing around with a strange box thing nearby and finding a few objects for some pedestals they found. The two turned on the flow for the same inky substance, both ready to fight it in case it came to life again to attack them. Tho it didn’t, they wanted to stay alert, not wanting to get surprised once again.
Walking up to the now boarded up room only causing a moment’s pause, thinking nothing of it after a moment's thought. As they took another step, a demonic creature appeared, reaching for them between the slats. Free jumped back as she picked up Kola and ran the other way to front door, not wanting to deal with ever that was. She had a gut feeling that trying to fight it right now was a bad idea, even if she felt like she could, it was a stupid idea. Right as the door came into view hand reaching for it, she fell through the floor with a yelp. Landing with a loud splash, both coming up gasping for air, the younger of the two swearing loudly. Looking about, Free saw a nearby turn wheel and went over, twisting it, draining the ink from the room. Kola walked around the room trying to find a way for them to climb back up but couldn’t find a ladder “f-forward it is” she muttered in response going to pick up the nearby axe. Free stopped her and shook her head before using her unrelenting force shout on the wood blocking their path. Not trusting the axe to not break after a few uses when they both had perfectly good weapons on them along with magic too. Moving down the short hallway to the next room, they looked around, seeing a few candles and a pentagram in the middle. The two also noticed the coffins making them think that whoever they were probably failed at summoning a Deadric Prince or angered one. Thinking the pentagram wasn’t going to do anything, both stepped over it, causing both to see random flashes before passing out on the floor, blacking out.
