The stone stairs were cooler than the floor of the mausoleum as Lila descended, and noticeably rougher in texture once her feet touched down on the ancient stone. She eased herself down sideways at one point, avoiding a small pile of broken glass that had come from one of the overhead light fixtures when it had blown. A few other lights flickered erratically on the steps, and once she had reached the bottom, perhaps a hundred feet down, she saw more patches of darkness than areas that were lit in the tunnel ahead.
Certain that the ghost she had encountered above was an intelligent one, she continued down the tunnel, looking for signs of the ethereal being. She hadn’t mentioned intelligent haunts to the other two since they were so rare, but if it was willing to speak with her, then she might find what she was after more easily, and may even manage to get some questions answered about those nurses out in the maze.
The tunnel curved gently, then bent much more sharply the further she went, though it maintained a fairly consistent decline. Lila continued to step lightly around the darker spots for fear of getting glass in her unprotected feet, brushing the cool, and sometimes moist walls as she passed by.
By the time the tunnel came to an end at a doorway that led into a dimly lit chamber, Lila figured she’d made almost two complete circles, and was probably a couple of hundred feet deeper below ground. She moved up to the opening, pausing to look over the entrance for signs of any traps, though she hadn’t found anything thus far, and got the feeling the ghost hadn’t invited her down just to skewer her on some old spikes or fill her with poison darts. The ghost likely hadn’t been responsible for the nurses out in the maze either; there had been ample opportunity for them to have been called in to try to snatch her before she figured out the entrance to the hidden tunnel.
Looking into the chamber beyond, the gloom was deeper, lit only by a single bulb overhead, and it flickered rapidly. The room looked empty, though she did see some glittering specks on the ground, signs of broken glass, and some smaller pebbles and splinters of wood. Across the room, there was another doorway, this one covered by a barred door, not unlike the one to the mausoleum above.
A chill passed over her, and Lila’s eyes focused on the center of the room, where the ghostly form appeared again. It drifted toward the barred entrance, passing through it.
“This way…”
Lila’s ears perked up. That had definitely not been her voice, and for a moment, she wasn’t sure she’d actually heard it at all, so faint it had been. The ghostly form lingered, shifting ever so slightly in a way that made Lila think it had motioned her to follow before vanishing again.
Lila crept forward, carefully stepping on her tiptoes to traverse the room. Avoiding the glass, she found herself at the barred door, and put a hand on it, testing to see how firmly it was sealed. She gave it a quick push, then a pull, and it felt like the latch was still secure. Looking at the latch itself, the handle was broken off, leaving a jagged stump of metal. Taking the obvious route, not seeing any clear signs of traps, Lila’s hand reached through the bars and to the back of the latch and found a handle. Pushing down, the metal groaned in protest but moved, and the gate swung slightly inward, with a much louder squeak.
She pushed it all the way open, actually wincing at the loudness of the rusty hinges, but her path was now unbarred. This tunnel was not lit at all, though on the far end, maybe just thirty feet ahead, was another chamber that was filled with a much brighter white light, almost clinical in its tone.
Another cool breeze blew past her, and from the lit chamber, she heard the sound of chains dragging over stone. “Almost there…then we can talk…” said the voice again. This time Lila was certain it was a female’s voice.
Hesitating for a moment, the sound of chains making her wary, Lila considered her options. Maybe there was something else in the empty room behind her? Or she could always go back to the surface.
No, the only option that held her attention was moving forward. There was something in that room…something she wanted. Was that ghost guarding it, perhaps?
Only one way to find out.
Lila padded down the narrow tunnel, feeling the stone as she passed; it was rough, as in the previous tunnels, but dry, and even a little warmer. Coming to the end of the passage, she found herself at the entrance to a larger chamber; the barred door was already open, resting against the wall to her right. Several lights glowed from above and along the walls, though they weren’t normal bulbs, rather some kind of crystals that were set into the worked stone in small, carved sconces.
The floor to the chamber itself was sunken, about six feet lower than where Lila currently stood, and another sarcophagus dominated the center of the chamber, its size at least twice that of the one above. Several dark chains dangled from the ceiling above, and more were scattered across the floor around the sarcophagus.
She recalled some old bits of demonic lore, something about a type of demon that had control over chains, had them growing from its body, but then Lila spotted the text carved into the dark gray stone at one corner of the sarcophagus, along with a very distinct symbol, that of a black half-mask in the shape of the left side of a woman’s face, wrapped in a thorny coil of vines. She sucked in her breath, and the chains suddenly made sense.
“A devout worshipper of Yurisaya, weren’t you? High priestess, I’d wager.”
The ghostly shape appeared from the sarcophagus, phasing through the stone. Its form shifted and reformed, becoming a pale, semi-transparent human woman standing perhaps six and a half feet tall, wearing the dark, form-fitting outfit common with Yurisaya worshippers. The basic appearance of the outfit was similar to that of religious garb from other cultures, that of a nun, though much more body-hugging and designed to tempt rather than to discourage, leaving only her face uncovered, but everything else more or less visible beneath the near second-skin-like nature of the outfit; the six-inch stiletto heels did nothing to dissuade either. Yurisaya’s holy symbol, seeming to gleam in the light, was the same design as on the sarcophagus, rested in the cleft between the figure’s breasts, held on a small chain dangling from the collar around her neck. Dark hair spilled out from beneath the habit atop her head, framing her slender face and almond-shaped eyes.
The ghostly woman smiled, her lips full and noticeably of reddish tone even as a spirit, and bowed her head at Lila. “Perceptive, and quite lovely to behold, too. I’ve not seen a kerryn on Aclaysia in a long, long time. Especially not a naked one. I approve.”
“Yeah…well, that wasn’t exactly the plan, but you know, improvise… You’re rather…underdressed, aren’t you? Don’t Yurisaya’s clergy tend to wear more restrictive gear? Corsets, cuffs, gags, more extreme kinds of things?” Lila had briefly met the group of dark elves that worshipped Yurisaya in Alyssa’s club, and to a one, they wore some kind of restraints and heavy, boned corsets, and aside from the head priestess of that particular order, all of them had been gagged. They were perhaps a bit more zealous than most of the goddess’s worshippers these days, but not by much.
“Oh, I didn’t want to frighten you off; you’d be surprised at how many people are turned off by that kind of thing. Not locals, mind you, outsiders, and those not of the faith.” The ghost swept her arm in front of her and bowed low in a formal greeting. “But, where are my manners? I’m Sella Shaong, high priestess of Yurisaya, and overseer of this lovely hospital. Who might you be, kitten?”
“Lila Darius the Thirty-Fourth. Pleasure to meet you…though I’m sorry to say it’s a bit too late to shake hands.” Lila gave a quick nod of her head, keeping her eyes on the spirit. Lila also kept her place at the entrance to the chamber. Though she sensed what she was after in this room, she wasn’t taking any chances with the ghost, especially since it was using that same sultry voice the other priestess she knew tended to use; always on the prowl, those priestesses of Yurisaya. Devout followers of deities such as Yurisaya were very powerful on a spiritual level, so this ghost may have been more capable than others she had encountered before, especially if she had spellcasting ability in life.
“A pity to be sure; I’ve always wanted a kerryn in my domain.” Sella rose from her bow, sweeping her arms and turning in a full circle, returning to face Lila. “Though I’ll admit, it’s not as impressive as it was; it’s missing most of my favorite holy relics and adornments, to say nothing of my furniture. Don’t worry, I won’t bite; you can come closer.”
“Nah, I’m good,” Lila replied, smiling. “I know a few of your current-day sisters, and you all can be a little…grabby. No offense to your ways or anything, but I’m just not in the mood right now.” Not to mention, all those chains hanging around the chamber made her more than a little suspicious.
“Oh well, had to try,” Sella responded, her smile never slipping as her form floated up so that she could sit on the edge of the sarcophagus, crossing her long, shapely legs, resting her hands atop her knee. “So, miss Darius…what brings a naked kerryn to my hospital, hmm?”
Lila crossed her arms and leaned against the wall. “I was actually hoping you’d help me with that. See…I know there’s something in here…like something really valuable. And I kinda want it.”
“Oh, you do, do you? How amusing.” Sella replied, laughing as she tilted her head and looked over Lila with hungry eyes and a playful smile. “I might be willing to deal with you, though there is only so much you’d have to offer in return from what I’m seeing. Do you even know what I have inside my place of rest?”
Lila shrugged. “Not a clue, but I know it’s worth a lot to the right person, and I’ve got plenty of debt I’ve got to pay off.”
“Isn’t that always the case with treasure hunters?” Sella brought her hands in front of her, pressing her palms together as if preparing for prayer. “Shall I offer a prayer for guidance, Lila Darius? I’m sure the Dark Lady would gladly offer you a way out of your situation if a proper…offering was made.”
“And I’m sure that any such offering wouldn’t involve my body in any way whatsoever,” Lila said, laughing and shaking her head. “Then again, what else do I have, right?”
“I’m certain your charms go much further than just your body, dear Lila. Never sell yourself short. You seem to have quite a depth of knowledge, and that’s to be respected. A sharp mind paired with a delicious body can be a dangerous combination.”
“Delicious?”
Sella’s grin widened. “Oh, perhaps I misspoke…I find myself somewhat distracted by the naked kerryn standing in front of me.”
“Ah, of course,” Lila replied. Rolling her eyes, she stood straight and put her hands on the back of her neck, then flipped them through her hair to flair it out as she gave a quick twirl to show off her curves. With her back to Sella, Lila shook her rear, tail swaying back and forth. She turned her head, looking back at the ghost. “Like what you see?”
Sella’s ethereal form vanished and was suddenly right behind Lila, a lascivious smile on her face. “Immensely.”
Lila felt a chill on her backside and the distinct impression that Sella’s hands were cupping her ass. The same coolness was on her breasts a moment later, her nipples hardening. “Hey!”
As Lila wheeled around, covering her chest with her arms, Sella was gone, only to reappear atop the sarcophagus again, with the same wicked smile on her face. “It truly is a pity that I can’t properly enjoy those lovely assets of yours.”
“Is that just a thing with you all or something?” Lila hadn’t been kidding when she’d said the other priestesses of Yurisaya she had met had a tendency toward groping her.
“It’s a greeting of mutual respect,” Sella said. “We’d never do such a thing to someone we didn’t appreciate.”
Lila narrowed her eyes suspiciously. To her ears, she couldn’t tell if the ghost was being serious or trying to hide the fact that it had shamelessly groped her. Then again, the other priestesses had done such a thing as well, but they’d also been somewhat seriously trying to convert her at the time too… “Right…” Lila said at last.
“I do have a question for you if you’d permit me.”
“Sure, why not?”
Sella leaned forward, resting her elbow on her knee and then rested her chin in her hand. She looked almost innocent. “How exactly do you plan to get away from this place? And I don’t just mean with or without your prize or through that maze, I’m asking about with the two lovely friends you brought along with you.”
Lila stood a little straighter, the friendship-grope forgotten for the moment. “What do you mean? What about them?”
“Oh, yes, I suppose you wouldn’t know…I have grown so accustomed to my place here that I forgot that you can’t possibly know everything that I do about what goes on here. Your friends, Kori and Releana, I believe, yes? I’m afraid they’ve not had a very good experience at my hospital.”
Ears laying back, Lila took a step forward, as her arms came down, her hands curling into fists. “Just spit it out! What’s happened to them?” Her first thought was damage from a building, but then she thought about the nurses in the maze. Had they followed her in?
“I’m afraid they’ve been admitted as patients…and unfortunately it seems some terrible history has come up after your arrival. I can see your confusion…Lila, I’m not the only spirit here, though I’m certainly the most…benevolent. A certain doctor who usurped my position turned this hospital into something much darker than what I had originally intended. Oh, we had our ways with patients given my faith, of course, but we honestly did help people. My replacement…not so much.”
“So what you’re saying is that he turned this place into something terrible, and he’s still lingering here causing trouble? Are they hurt? Ghosts can’t hurt people, can’t even interact with the material world for the most part, so-”
“He’s no ghost, my dear. Not like what you’re thinking, anyway. Which one of you is the psychic?”
Cocking her head for a moment, Lila then shook it. “None of us are psychic. Why’d you ask that?”
Sella laughed, throwing her head back as she did. “Oh, this is lovely. You don’t even know? One of you is psychic, my pretty little kerryn; the spirits that are normally lingering around here have had an absolutely massive influx of energy over the last hour or so, and that has given them so much more power to influence the world around them. Why, they have managed to capture both of your friends, and are having their decidedly wicked way with them right now. Had those nurse constructs in the maze caught you, you’d be with them, enjoying Doctor Villegast’s ‘treatments’ alongside them.”
Lila stared at the ghostly form, her mind racing to sort through everything she’d just been told. Was it true? What reason did Sella have to lie to her? She’d been attacked and chased by those nurses, what other horrors lurked on the property? Then again, what reason did Lila have to trust the spirit? Maybe it was trying to harm her in some way? “This Villegast…what kind of treatments are we talking about?”
“The perverse kind,” Sella replied, raising her hands with a shrug. “I didn’t know until it was too late, but he was involved in some very dark things. Worship of Yurisaya may be frowned upon in some cultures, sure, but demon worship, that’s frowned on in all cultures, no?”
“Demon worship?!” True demons had not had a way into the material world in a few millennia. The links between the demon realms and the material plane had been severed after a long-fought war; there was no way to even communicate between them just by offering prayers or telepathic communication…unless… “No…you’re not serious…this place is…”
“Your wealth of knowledge continues to impress, my dear. Yes, my hospital had the unfortunate fate of being built atop a planar snarl. It’s such a tiny rift, no true demon could hope to wiggle through, but their influence, their dark energies, over time, did corrupt and change those here, even the land itself. And, in some cases, like in Villegast’s, those who have the knowledge and the willpower can tap into that power and shape it to their own purposes. Hence why this place became a living hell for so many unfortunate souls…souls that had a very specific use in mind.”
“Was he…trying to widen the hole? How could he be that stupid?!” Lila felt her nails digging into her palms. “If he managed to tear the hole open, then the whole galaxy would be at risk! It’d be like the Stygian Era all over again!”
Sella looked quite pleased with herself, raising her chin. “Oh yes, indeed, that would have been quite terrible. That’s why I stopped him before his plans could come to fruition and smoothed out that nasty snarl…though it cost me.” Sella held up her translucent hand and stared through it, her expression changing to a more melancholic one. “I’m rather ashamed that I fell victim to his manipulations…to my own vices. Perhaps it was that my senses were clouded by this place, the dark energies here, his charms, or maybe…maybe I was simply too overconfident in myself and didn’t realize I was in dire trouble until far too late. The patients, my sisters…we suffered for my failings, but at least they survived…mostly…and continued their good work for the next century or so until the hospital was finally closed down. Doomed from the start, I suppose…No great legacy for me, simply a forgotten shrine in the middle of a haunted ruin in a forgotten forest…”
Lila remained silent, carefully examining the ghostly form of Sella as she spoke. The way her voice wavered, the pained and saddened look on her face, just the way her presence had diminished as she related her history…it tugged at her. Was the ghost just putting on a show? She certainly could be; Yurisaya and her followers were well versed in the finer arts of manipulation, after all.
Still, Lila’s gut told her the spirit was being honest, about this anyway. “Sella…I…is there anything I can do? Not just for my friends, but…for you?”
Sella’s eyes finally regained focus as she looked toward Lila. For a moment her expression was blank, but then she managed a more cheerful look and a faint grin. “There could very well be, though I wouldn’t impose myself upon you. I can help you against Villegast’s phantom, but you won’t like my methods.”
“You’re probably right about that,” Lila said, blowing out her breath. “But, if it means I can get Kori and Releana out of here, then I’m willing to do whatever it takes, no matter how humiliating it might be.” It wasn’t like she hadn’t been riding a train of humiliation since her ‘rescue’ after that exploding shuttle incident anyway. Why jump off now before she got to the last stop?
“Then how about this…I aid you to rescue your friends, and then you take me with you when you leave this planet. What you seek lies inside here,” Sella said, patting the top of her sarcophagus with her hands, “but it cannot open unless I or another of Yurisaya’s followers wills it. Deliver the contents to the sisters you know; I’m sure they will reward you for your efforts.”
“Simple enough…but where’s the part I’m not going to like?”
Sella’s more playful grin returned. “What lies inside is my holy raiment, that of a high priestess of Yurisaya. As it is, my soul is bound to it, so where it goes, I go. However, to help your friends, we will need to become as one, dear Lila; I can dispel Villegast’s phantom, but only when I am close enough to both him and his newly found psychic battery. I’ll have to hide my presence until just the right time, though, so you’ll likely have to endure his treatments for a while. Though I’m certain you can manage; you’ll have some protection, after all.”
“Yep…I knew I wasn’t going to like this…” Lila covered her eyes with her hands, took a moment to gather herself before lowering them and returning her gaze to Sella. “What do we have to do? And what kind of protection are you talking about?”
“Step into my domain, my darling Lila, and you shall see!” Sella hopped off the sarcophagus and raised her arms, the chains above her and on the floor rattling, writhing like snakes. “I’ll be gentle, I promise.”
Ooo, I really like these characters. Looking forward to the ending!
Awesome! Glad that you’re enjoying them! Did you have a favorite so far?
It’s coming along; as it is right now, I’ve probably got 4-5 chapters left to finish before the story’s done. And that’s after the two upcoming chapters I’ve yet to post!
Very nice!
Looking forward to see what’s next… and I don’t look forward to the ending 🙂 just another part.
Kerryn is something like a cat/lion head on female body with tail?
Well, there’s still quite a few chapters left to go before the end; I’d say we’re about halfway right now.
A kerryn is more like your classic anime catgirl: they look similar to humans except that they have cat ears and tail, feline eyes, more pronounced canines, and in Lila’s case, claw-like finger and toe nails.