Lori steps into a room with a large pit at the center. It seems bottomless, and the longer he stares the more uneasy he feels. It almost made him puke. He scans his surroundings watching as the concert students around curiously cries to one another. It didn't seem to matter to Lori however, he had already decided that the imbecilic and TEMPORARY ally of his forgot the most crucial part of the advice that could have been given.

He ceases to dwell on the issue any further, going as far as to say, you cant teach a fork to be a spoon. Nipsy clung to his shoulder, her nimble feline form makes such a task simple. Lori wondered, Why is it that she stayed with me despite everyone else disappearing? Could it be the fact that we were touching? Concerning.

As he readies himself Azurae shoots forth slamming his shoulder into him, forcing him to the ground. “Hey, where is everyone!” Azurae shouts as he sniffs the air for a moment, “I cant catch their scent!”

“We were separated, apparently stepping through that veil took us to separate areas.”

“You damn lightning bastard, I knoww you’re behind this somehow!”

Lori’s face explodes as he is filled with shock, “You’re accusing me, your stupid friend forgot to tell us about this random placement in the dungeon yet, you blame me?!”

“Ah shut up, what are you even here for, you’re useless!”

 I’m useless! Leave me be, this partnership thing was clearly a mistake, I’ll get that ribbon without you.” 

Azurae’s eyes gloss over with intrigue as he responds, “Oh yea, is that a challenge?”

“Not quite,” He looks over his shoulder, “I’d win.”

Azurae’s wings shoot forth and he bursts forward in a disasterous speed bulldozing through the air. Lori does the same shooting twwo Lightning bolts beloww him to scate with. He zips through the dungeon leaping past students fighting werebats and direwolfs. As Lori avoids confrontation he is slammed in his back by Azurae, he falls into a wall while Azurae overtakes him, “That buffoon!” He takes off. Once again he zipps and dashes through each and every obstacle before overtaking Azurae once again, however this time he kicks bolts of lightning to him slowing down his pace. 

“Cut that out!” Azurae shouts as a bolt of lightning tickles the side of his face, just barley missing. Azurae attempts to slam into Lori again however Lori leaps over him forcing him into a wall. 

“I’m actually impressed,” Lori continues, “Someone like you can keep up, impressive.”

“I’m as fast as Thundahhh(Thunder).”

“What the f– thunder is noise, you tryna say lightning, lightning is faster–” He’s interrupted by Azurae’s hideous cackle. He thinks to himself, Screw this idiot, before shooting himself forward and disappearing from Azurae’s sight. He continues in a full sprint for some time before coming to a halt as some door. It’s features resemble a grand entrance to some kingdom or other world filled to the brim with riches so unique you could spend an eternity learning of them. Lori presses his hand against the door as Nipsy transfigures into her more humanoid form. 

“Seems to be some sort of puzzle, this should be simple for me.”

“Really, how long until it’s done?”

“Gie or take, about half an our approximately sir.”

Lori finds a seat utop a rock and rests for the trime being, “Take your time, it will open when it does.”

“Of course sir.”

He dozes off shortly after, and after some time Nipsy calls for him, “Sir, the first half of the door is complete, we just need to recite the words upon the door–”

She’s interrupted by a crash and yet, they know the cause of it. A heavy sigh leaves Lori as he turns to face the dragonborn. “How in God’s name did you find me?”

“Wasn’t too hard, you reek of cheap cologne.” 

Lori was taken aback, not by the insult rather, he presumably believed Azurae had lacked the ability to think therefore would have been too stupid to know what cologne is. He didn’t know weather to clap or kick him in the face. 

“Sir, the door.”

“Oh yes, of course Nipsy.”

“Let me do it!” Azurae pushes past him.

“Hey, dont mess anything up you idiot!”

Azurae and Lori both approach the door awaiting Nipsy’s command. She conjures a large hand of shadow to assist. The inscription from below reads, “This path is for those who can see the light while shrouded in darkness. The tunnel to the afterlife lies beyond this door, but to open me, you will need much more." There are three incantations that were like some sort of scribble, I removed the ones that didn’t make sense and we now have these that remain. She looks toward Lori and Azurae, “We need to say all three in unison while pushing the door.” 

“How convenient.” Lori mutters as Azurae Races to the door. 

“Lets go!” He shouts.

Azurae and Lori press their hands onto the door and begin reading alout the incantsation as the forcefully push upon the door. As their voices resonate through the chamber, the door starts to tremble, and a mysterious energy fills the room. It forced Lori to take a step back, his mind became fuzzy and images blurred. The door begins to beat like a heart and squirm. Blood leaks from the door making contact with their skin, glowing and dissipating almost instantly. The feeling was surreal. It felt horifyingly familiar.

The room rumbles then slowly, the massive door begins to open, revealing a dimly lit passageway.

Azurae is the first to enter, he runs head first into the dimly lit passage way unaware of what it might contain. Lori and Nipsy are quick to follow. They make it to the other side of the seemingly forever winding hallway and appear in a library with towering bookshelves sprawled about. A Labyrinth of some sort. The musty scent of damp parchment paper and years old leather mingle with the faint aroma of mold. Cobwwebs drape themselves over the bookshelves as if hiding it from the eyes of those not allowed to see. It’s delicate. 

The shelves were once grand and deserving of it’s praise however, now, its nothing more than a decaying memory collapsing under the knowledege it once held so high.  

“This must be some special room in the dungeon, Nipsy, lets see if we can find something.” Lori begins looking arond from book to book catching the name Frans. R Kottenfield on all of them. “Frans huh, he must be quite the author to fill out so many books.”

“Sir, I believe I found something.”

Creaks and pops ring in the distance as a robed feature continuously writhes its body holding a lantern with a blue flame inside. It’s decayed hand lifts it overhead as each step is accompanied by the knockling of bones. It approaches them and looks down upon them. Its eerie calmness sends shivers down the spines of even Azurae. Its eyes are dimly lit underneath its cloak but the three knew its eyes bore into them before turning and walking away. It moves slow yet it’s feet scuttles away, like sharp bones dancing across the stone floor. Azurae soon followers the creature barking for a fight, his small height causing the creature to seem that much taller. 

“That kid’s an idiot.” Lori spat.

“You’re telling me.” Nipsy laughs.

The two continue to walk around the library looking for anything that can give them a clue as to what this place is for. Lori randomly selects a book, reading the title aloud, "Botanical Gardens by Frans R. Kottonfield." He flips through the pages, quickly scanning the contents. He finds nothing of immediate use tossing the book to the side. “This library has inconsequential levels of knowledge that we can take, such knowledge could be beneficial for us and the future of Ethos. We can share such knowledge with the world if we find it.”

“Indeed sir, it would be truly momentous.” 

As the two look around they notice at the center of the library a beam of light breaking through the glass dome from up above. In the beam of the light is a large tomb on a pedestal along with a white rose. Lori marches toward it analyzing the surrounding area for a moment before lifting the plant, “I’ve never seen this before, what plant is this?”

“I too am unfamiliar sir, however, this book seem rather important.”

“Yes, it does.” Lori reaches for the book and his and his body grows warm, it feels right to take this book and almost natural. His mind begins to spiral, It’s his and he should be the one to hold it, he knows he needs it but he cant say why. He doesn’t know why. These thoughts cloud his mind and his conception of the future ceases; however, his finger find itself tracing the spine of the book. Its pristinge condition is a contrast from the rest fo the library. Its perfectly stitched cover, with golden embroidery its nothing short of immaculate. He opens the book and looks through the words he doesn’t quite yet they mean something to him. “Hey nipsy,” He begins, however his words are cut short by the screeching from across the Library. The quaking noise scratches the ears of Lori and Nipy inducing them with nothing but fear.