15 Nov 2021, 18:10
Damp and Desecrated Darkness
The corridor was cold and damp, the stone bricks which braced the heavy ceiling appeared slick with moisture like clammy skin. Off in the distance, though he couldn't quite pinpoint which direction, came a steady drip, drip, drip of water as it fell into one of the many small puddles which had formed upon the cracked stone floor.
Eliphas sniffled. He had not long been down in the stony depths of Hogwarts' subterranean passages, a winding labyrinthian cove which to the First Year seemed as though they had no discernable end. The tiny hairs on the back of his neck stood to permanent attention, and the occasional shiver ran down his spine at sporadic intervals.
It was a far cry from the Hogwarts he had come to know over the past week since arrival, where warm woods offset the grey bricks, and portraits and tapestries brought colour and life to the walls. Not for the first time since his descent, he glanced down at the map held firmly in shaky, frigid fingers. He should have worn his gloves... Next time, he'd wear his gloves.
Truth be told, he had lost his bearings several turns back. There was nothing in the corridor to help him deduce where exactly his position was, and thus the map was rendered useless. Did that stop him from peering at it like some final lifeline, though? Nope. Soon he'd spot something that made sense, he reassured himself. It was all that kept him from folding the blasted thing back up and stuffing it into his pocket once more.
The drips became louder as he passed a ceiling which oozed with perspiration. How long had it been since he'd seen a doorway? And why was it only now that he was realizing just how strange that was? Eliphas shook his head, and turned the next corner. Almost as though the very castle had heard his concerned thoughts, a grey-aged door stood several feet from him lumbering on rusted hinges.
He took one step toward it, and then paused. From his dimly lit vantage it appeared as though the door breathed, creaking as it wavered slightly in place. A trick of the light, surely... A draft perhaps. Yet the mere sight of it had his feet firmly planted in place, as though the stone beneath him had risen up to encompass his shoes entirely.
Maybe he shouldn't have tried to explore the barely-mapped depths of an ancient castle alone...
Eliphas sniffled. He had not long been down in the stony depths of Hogwarts' subterranean passages, a winding labyrinthian cove which to the First Year seemed as though they had no discernable end. The tiny hairs on the back of his neck stood to permanent attention, and the occasional shiver ran down his spine at sporadic intervals.
It was a far cry from the Hogwarts he had come to know over the past week since arrival, where warm woods offset the grey bricks, and portraits and tapestries brought colour and life to the walls. Not for the first time since his descent, he glanced down at the map held firmly in shaky, frigid fingers. He should have worn his gloves... Next time, he'd wear his gloves.
Truth be told, he had lost his bearings several turns back. There was nothing in the corridor to help him deduce where exactly his position was, and thus the map was rendered useless. Did that stop him from peering at it like some final lifeline, though? Nope. Soon he'd spot something that made sense, he reassured himself. It was all that kept him from folding the blasted thing back up and stuffing it into his pocket once more.
The drips became louder as he passed a ceiling which oozed with perspiration. How long had it been since he'd seen a doorway? And why was it only now that he was realizing just how strange that was? Eliphas shook his head, and turned the next corner. Almost as though the very castle had heard his concerned thoughts, a grey-aged door stood several feet from him lumbering on rusted hinges.
He took one step toward it, and then paused. From his dimly lit vantage it appeared as though the door breathed, creaking as it wavered slightly in place. A trick of the light, surely... A draft perhaps. Yet the mere sight of it had his feet firmly planted in place, as though the stone beneath him had risen up to encompass his shoes entirely.
Maybe he shouldn't have tried to explore the barely-mapped depths of an ancient castle alone...
@Piper Clark
The Dust of Stars
Stamina: 5 Evasion: 8 Strength: 2 Wisdom: 9 Arcane Power: 6 Accuracy: 5
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