Count von Eldrick's Estate, Ask first.

[Count Ludovic von Eldrick]

((OoC: Please keep this in mind: I'm not creating another deity or religious system, Ludovic's just a complete nut job.))

The voice was all but strange. In fact, it was the very same voice that spoke to the Count regularly, however, this time, it was audible from the exterior of his mind. From the shadows emerged a draconic being, clad in armour with a black and red cape trailing behind it. It took its seat on the throne and with a groan. “Don’t look so surprised, Count, you’ve foreseen my presence many times before,” it said in response to Ludovic’s look of confusion. “Why have you summoned me?” The man stepped forward cautiously, his hands folded behind his back. His golden eyes darted about to ensure that he would not be ambushed. The dragon paused for a moment and looked at him. “Yes, I do suppose you’re wondering what I have to do with all of this.” “Naturally…” the nobleman grumbled. “Very well, I shall sate your curiosity.”

The large creature rose from his seat and moved toward Ludovic. He craned his neck so that he was face to face with the Hylian. “You say you are a god, and in this you are correct, but there is one crucial fact that you are missing. You are a god because of me. I am you and you are me, but we are different yet the same. You are the mortal flesh who lives and abides within your corporeal world and it is your task to carry out the tasks given you. I am the immortal soul that dwells with you and offers you advice, speaks concern, and deals with the matters of this world. I am the guide and the guardian, you are the vessel, and together we work as one.” Ludovic contemplated this, taking a step back to distance himself. “…you and I are one?”

The dragon sighed and withdrew. For a moment he stood still, but his body began to convulse as his limbs cracked out of their sockets and began the agonizing process of shortening. His scales withdrew into his flesh, revealing a sickly white tone and as his horns sank back into his skull strands of silver hair took their place. His pupilless golden eyes stared into Ludovic’s. “Yes, isn’t it quite evident?” The shape shifter circled around Ludovic for a moment, tilting his head every so often as if examining him. The two appeared to be exact replicas of one another with a few minor differences, one being that the Count’s eyes still had pupils and he was only in his trousers while the other man was fully armoured. “I once had another name, one fit for a god, but it was hasn’t been uttered in years.” Ludovic interrupted, “You mean to tell me, that…how long have you been around?” The man chuckled. “I have been around forever, but only as a spirit. I could not be completely formed until you came into existence; I am only one half of us after all.” There was a short silence before the Lunatic spoke up once more. “What of this name and why me?” “I or, if should like to be included as well, we once held the name of Übelgott, but as I mentioned, it has long been forgotten. As for your part, you held a great desire for power ever since you were a child and you have done well to reach the position you find yourself in today. You were the perfect candidate.”

Slightly swollen with pride, Ludovic stepped out in front of his doppelganger, halting its progress around him. He had always been convinced that he was destined for greatness, but this seemed too good to be true. “How do I know this is real then, hm? You say all of these marvelous things about me, but how can I be sure that you’re not lying through your teeth and that this isn’t really a figment of my macabre imagination? After all, you have said that I dreamt of you, and you often speak to me when no others can hear your voice. I need concrete evi—" Within a flash, Übelgott’s sword flew from its sheath, slid across Ludovic’s flesh, and found its home once more. The Lunatic gripped his side furiously as the stinging pain shot through him and cursed the spirit. “What the hell was that for?!” “There, that should be enough concrete evidence for you. It will still be there after you leave this place,” the armoured one said coolly as he rested his hand upon the hilt of his sword. “Now that you have been reassured that this real, on to the task at hand...”

[Count Ludovic von Eldrick]

“…and so here you are.” Übelgott concluded, placing a hand on Ludovic’s shoulder. “But my attempt to kill Aram failed, why are you so glad for that?” The spirit chuckled to himself and spoke up. “He’s insane—he doesn’t know his head from a hole in ground—and you count this as a disadvantage? On the contrary, my good man, it is all but one. With the queen in power and the King incapacitated, the claim to the throne is very much within your grasp.” “The Council—“ “Will have nothing to say about it if you play your cards right. Murder is always a great option, but suspicion is high. If only you could get the Queen mother out of the picture, then things may be even easier. She, as you may imagine, acts as Linnette’s guide and because of her great wisdom, she will not be fooled. However, if she goes, the wisdom goes with her.” “I could, but then what of the young Zelda? She’s bound to inherit the Triforce’s blessing eventually.” “Then you will have to get to her before that fateful moment.” Ludovic’s face fell into a sly smirk as his crooked mind formulated a plan. “I know just the thing…however, if it should fail, I have no qualms with bloodying my hands with the lives of the Royal Family, and if it should come down to it, the Council as well.” “Very good, but at least one murder is unavoidable: GET RID OF ZELDA THE ELDER!!!” Übelgott dug his fingers into the Hylian’s shoulder to emphasis his point, causing the Lunatic to grimace and jerk away.

“It shall be done in time…” Ludovic clenched his teeth and put a hand to his side for the motion had irritated the wound he had sustained earlier from the amoured man. Übelgott gave a similarly sly grin and turned away allowing his cape to billow ominously behind him. “I trust that it shall, My Chosen, I trust that it shall. You know where I am should you need me.” As he neared the enormous and macabre throne, Ludovic began to grow weak. Once Übelgott had seated himself upon it, the Lunatic was consumed with darkness once more and felt himself being moved by an invisible hand.

The Count’s eyes fluttered open to take in the sight of the oversized Grendel, who was preparing to pick him up from the floor of the balcony. The bodyguard had been alerted by the yell Ludovic had given and had rushed to his aid. The nobleman raised himself up on his hands and swatted at the brute’s arm to get him to back off. “I’m fine…” he grumbled as he rose to his feet. Taking his hand from his side, Ludovic observed the dried blood on his hand and the gash in his side. “Grendel, send for ointment and clean linen bandages to dress this wound on my side.” The large man paused for a moment and looked at his master with confusion. He saw no injury, but to prevent the Count from becoming enraged, he nevertheless retreated to fulfill his master’s wishes.

[Izuka Ravencaster]

Izuka struggled and kicked against the trio of ebon armored guards that held him by his collar and drug him through the house to the dining hall where Ludovic, Etrom, and a few other members of the household sat at supper. "Let me go you ruffians! I'll not be manhandled by the likes of you." Izuka was an old Wizzrobe, long exiled from the City in the Sky for his 'unethical' experiments as the sky peoples had labelled them. What did a few human lives mean in the quest for higher knowledge? Now he was wandering about looking for work as his finances had run out, and so he wound up at the house of one Ludovic von Eldrick where he had sensed a very negative energy radiate from over the past several days.

"Put a lid on it, old man!" The seeming leader of the three ordered, and Izuka gasped in offense. "Old man? I'll have you know that I am no human, sir!" He proclaimed indignantly. "Yeah right, and neither am I. I'm a Goron." The guards laughed amongst themselves as they stepped into the dining hall and saluted Ludovic "Your Highborn, we found this man snooping about the estate. He was in the conservatory, the library, and even the kitchen. The cook even said he stole three biscuits and a chicken leg."

He pushed Izuka to the floor who caught himself with magic, levitating above it. He righted himself, and the hunchbacked Wizzrobe stood up furious. "What would I want with chicken? I'm a Wizzrobe. That would be near cannibalism. I suggest you check your cook's stomach before you fling accusations around." The old wizard turned to Ludovic and made obeisance. "I was merely in search of the noble master of this house to offer him my service. I am Izuka Ravenccaster, a Wizzrobe from the City in the Sky." He suddenly disappeared and reappeared next to Ludovic's chair with a kind old smile. "And it would be an honor to lend my magical expertise to the noble house of the von Eldrick Family." Again he offered a bow while smirking inside his mind. Deception was one of his finest skills, and he put on for the count. However, if Izuka did make it into the count's employ, the sorceror's deceptive devices would serve him well

[Count Ludovic von Eldrick]

Dressed down in his poet shirt and black pants, Ludovic sat at the head of the table in one of the more elegant chairs, under the oil painting of a Queen knighting a man and between two black tapestries that bore his family’s seal. The Sheikah, Etrom, had positioned himself as far away from the Count as was possible and was apparently making small talk with one of the servants. The Lunatic shook his head as the boy smiled at the other being and then began to tear into his piece of bread.

As the guards entered from the door to his right, Ludovic’s face sank into a scowl. However, he couldn’t help but chuckle at the decrepit old creature they had managed to subdue. The Count listened to the report, releasing an exasperated sigh as he tapped his knife against the long wooden table. He ignored the old man beside him for the time being. “I thought I smelled a rat and I was beginning to wonder why some of my books were out of order…” he turned to the head of his guard with an unimpressed look, “I’m just a bit disappointed that he was able to set foot in my castle and wander as much as he did before you seized him, Mordred.” His words sounded more like a threat to the young man than a sort of chastisement. Had he and his two brothers Markov and Maleagant not been three of his best soldiers, Ludovic would have already disposed of them…not to mention his own parents had been close friends to their mother and father so it was only proper that they should serve under him. At least this was the first time the three had ever failed the Count. The dark haired soldier bowed his head in respect and took the shame as his siblings smirked to themselves. Their smirks, however, faded and they found themselves doing as Mordred had when Ludovic’s cold gaze fell upon them as well. “Our apologies, my liege,” Maleagant half-muttered as he placed his fist over his heart. “If something like this ever happens again, I shall not dismiss you without penalty.” Ludovic waved his hand to dismiss them and they departed with relief. He then locked eyes with the Shiekah to signal that he needed to leave as well. Etrom rolled his eyes before gathering the rest of his supper and retreating to his own room. He didn’t care much for the Count’s business meetings, but he was a tad aggravated that he was always told to ‘go away’ whenever company arrived.

The nobleman’s eyes shifted toward the Wizzrobe once the others had left. “I have a door, Wizzrobe. I suggest that you knock next time lest you catch me on a bad day and are run through with one of my wall decorations…” He cleared his throat and took a sip from his goblet before pushing it to the side to be refilled. As the old man appeared next to the Count, the lurking Grendle made a low growling noice that one was able to decipher as the word “Distance…” Ludovic raised one eyebrow ever so slightly and then turned his fact to completely take in his intruding guest. “That large snout of his probably enhances his brownnosing skills…” he mused to himself. The Hylian toyed with the silver knife and waited a moment before speaking again. “Prithee, old man, what makes you think that I require you or your magic?” It was a sound question; after all, Ludovic was quite skilled in the arcane. Thus this newcomer must prove his worth before the Count would even considered allowing him to…magically clean the stables…

((OoC: Hah. I’m such a jerk, but what else would you expect? XD))

[Izuka Ravencaster]

Izuka looked up at the towering man who had appeared next to Ludovic, and when the pair's eyes met, Izuka jumped slightly. He had never seen such a large human or whatever race the misfit brute was. Obeying the command for space, the Wizzrobe disappeared and flashed onto the top of the table. "You have to understand, my lord." Again he was gone, and materialized this time in the far corner of the room from which he called, "My powers are no mere conjurer's tricks." In another flash he was gone and realized at a safe distance that he felt Ludovic and Etrom would be happy with. "But they are the results of three centuries of training, instruction, and harnessing. I assure you that my abilities are far above most any humans you can think of save a few high ranking clergy and mages in the Arcane University."

The Count stared ahead with a frown as the Wizzrobe vanished and reappeared in multiple places. Irked by this annoying behavior, Ludovic shot a glare toward the old man. "Be STILL!!" The Lunatic snarled and jabbed the silver knife into the table as he summoned forth strands of shadows to hold Izuka. The dark energy quickly wrapped around its target's ankles to serve as a set of chains and restrain the magical creature from bouncing about the room even more. Ludovic took a deep breath and pressed his index finger to his temple. "Three hundred years and yet you use it as a mere parlor trick, appearing and disappearing as you chatter..." He sat back in his elaborate dining chair and scoffed. "I do not fear the clergy or the mages, I can handle them myself. You, however, you claim that your magic is 'no mere conjurer's tricks' yet that is all I see at the moment, Wizzrobe."

Izuka looked down at his feet as the fetters of darkness entangled them. He smirked a bit at the spell which was indeed powerful, but it was Hylian magic. The Wizzrobe mentally commanded the dark energy to harden, causing it to become rigid and brittle. The old creature was able to step out of the trap which shattered with the sound of breaking glass. The broken pieces of darkness fell to the floor and dissolved in black vapor. "My lord, your magic is far more powerful than any that would be necessary to restrain a normal human, but I doubt you have ever encountered a truly skilled wizzrobe." His form began to darken as with a shadow falling over it, and Izuka's features began to blur. The shadow shifted to a different posture, and the aged sorcerer slowly emerged from the dark as a blunette young man in a noble mage's clothing. "My powers can defy most men's wildest imaginations." He spoke with a refined tone rather than his rasping old voice.

"I'm not most men..." Ludovic growled. "And it is going to take more than just a transfiguration spell to win me over." The Hylian rose from his seat and stepped in front of the younger form of Izuka. Ludovic's pride bade him to summon a more powerful spell, perhaps even the likeness of his family's guardian, but common sense forbade him from doing so. "Stop toying around and prove that you have something I could use. Otherwise, you are just wasting my time..." Though the Count knew of the Wizzrobe race's skill in the arcane, he was quite reluctant to accept this specimen into his ranks. The nobleman locked eyes with Izuka long enough to convey that he was in no mood to fool around. "...sate my curiosity and show me what you are truly capable of." Roughly brushing past Izuka, Ludovic made his way outside to his practice grounds.

Izuka rolled his eyes. Perhaps the Count would be more difficult to convince than he thought, but the aged creature was not opposed to demonstrating his skills. The now young-looking Izuka teleported outside the mansion where he met Ludovic as the nobleman exited. "What took you so long, old man?" He taunted then quickly disappeared to avoid a blow from the silver-haired man. The Wizzrobe reappeared in the form of an old bloodhound in the middle of the courtyard, scratching his ears with his hind leg. He barked playfully at Ludovic.

[Count Ludovic von Eldrick]

"He's much too playful for his own good..." Ludovic commented to himself, preparing to deliver a backhand as the wizzrobe appeared before him. Izuka disappeared, however, before he could follow through with the blow and reappeared elsewhere. Ludovic crossed his arms and frowned at the canine-form. He wondered what all the man could morph into, a member of the Royal family or Council perhaps? The Count refraimed from smirking at his thoughts and approached the dog. Kneeling, he lifted one of its ears and let it flop back down. "Dog huh?" Ludovic rose and brushed his hands together. "I love dogs.They're loyal, obediant...never complain...much how I would expect my employess to be." He mentally comanded a small mound of earth to shoot up under Dog-zuka's foot. It was not enough force to truly hurt him, just enough to tip him over. It was a small token of revenge for having been referred to as an 'old man.'

Izuka frowned as much as his wrinkled canine face would allow him to at Ludovic messing with his ears. However, he was literally thrown for a loop when the earth moved under him. He flipped up in the air a bit and landed in a heap on the ground, whining. The Wizzrobe dissolved away and reappeared before the Count in his true form. "What would my lord have me to do?"

Ludovic chuckled. "What are the extent of your shapeshifting abilities, Izuka?" The madman smirked and stared down at the decrepit being before him. "Better yet, what barriers do you have with your magic? What is your specialty?" The Count tried to pry into the old man to gain as much information as he could. Izuka grinned at the question. "My prowess with animals is unlimited, but to transform into even mildly sapient beings is very, very difficult. I cannot take the shape of a Hylian or a Goron or even a Moblin for instance. The dark energies are my speciality, and that is how I was able to locate you, my lord. No form of the elder arts is too profane for me to dabble in."

Ludovic smirked at the mention of dark energy. "I see... Perhaps I could find use of you after all. But of course, that doesn't mean that I don't require a demonstration of some sort." "Oh-ho? What would that be, my lord?" He was intrigued at this, but somewhat doubtful of what to do. "Surprise me, Wizzrobe. I'm sure one of your age and talent has the ability to do that...perhaps your best dark spell...or summon...?"

[Izuka Ravencaster]

It was the night of the Winter Soltice; Izuka had convinced Ludovic to wait for a night and a day. Now the two dark ones teleported with Izuka's power to a dark alley in the slums of Hyrule where Izuka had kept vigilance for a few hours yesterday looking for just the right specimen. The old Wizzrobe motioned for Ludovic to follow him silently, and Izuka rose himself half an inch above the ground as he levitated for complete silence after the stealthy manner of the Wizzrobes to a small pile of wooden crates. There they found their prey, a small boy of thirteen years, orphaned and alone in the world.

Izuka looked up to the sky which was growing progressively darker as the earth passed between the sun and the moon. It was the first complete lunar eclipse on the Winter Soltice in centuries, and now the Wizzrobe was going to exploit the augmentation the eclipse provided to gain favor with Ludovic. As the Count watched, Izuka knelt down next to the child a ghosted a hand across the boy's forehead. For the spell to be properly cast, Izuka needed to slaughter the child while he was in the climax of a nightmare. With his old, wrinkled hand still on the boy's forehead, the sorcerer leaned down and began to sing sweetly into the child's ear with a voice that did not seem to belong to a Wizzrobe as much as a siren.

Hush child, Darkness will rise from the Deep and carry you down into...
Sleep child, Darkness will rise from the Deep and carry you down into...
Sleep child, Darkness will rise from the Deep and carry you down into...
Sleep child, Darkness will rise from the Deep and carry you down into Sleep.

Guileless son, I'll shape your belief,
And you'll always know that your father's a theif,
And you won't understand the cause of your grief,
But you'll always follow the voices beneath.

Guileless son, your spirit will hate her,
The flower who married your father the traitor,
And dreams will expose his wicked behavior,
For you are the proof of how he betrayed her.

Hush child, Darkness will rise from the Deep and carry you down into...
Sleep child, Darkness will rise from the Deep and carry you down into...
Sleep child, Darkness will rise from the Deep and carry you down into...
Sleep child, Darkness will rise from the Deep and carry you down into Sleep.

The song was too beautiful. It was evil and the child squirmed in his sleep under Izuka's reprobate hand and spell. The boy dreamed that he had a family for the first time in his life, but then his mother discovered that his father had taken a mistress and that the boy was not his mother's son. She grew cruel towards him and began to beat him. One night she and the boy's father got into an arguement. The boy's dream father killed his dream mother, and then turned his knife on the boy. Izuka sensed the climax and conjured a blade from the shadows, and as the dream knife slew the dream child, Izuka ended the boy's life in reality by driving the knife into his heart.

A few moments later Izuka returned to where Ludovic stood with a small heart, still beating and bloody in his hand. Leaving the siren's song behind, the sorcerer spoke with his usual raspy voice, "Our mischief is finished, my lord. If the spell cast correctly, look for one of the noble ladies who is currently with child to give stillbirth. Meanwhile, this organ will provide for the catalyst of many a wicked spell that my lord would cast. I will place a few more enchantments upon it and then deliver it up to you."

[Count Ludovic von Eldrick]

Ludovic wrinkled his nose in disgust at the slums as he took up his cloak to keep it from sweeping along the vermin and waste-ridden passage. He silently complained to himself and wondered how the Wizzrobe had managed to get him to come here, but even more so, how he had got him to wait. Of the things in the world the Count hated, waiting was one of them. However, he, as well as Übelgott, had to remind himself that patience was key and that sometimes one had to wait for the perfect opportunity arise. Naturally, the only thing the Lunatic was truly waiting for was a means to usurp the Royal Family, but still maintain the loyalty and love of the peasants. Not that he really cared much for them, but it would make things go much more smoothly in the long run if he had a large group who were convinced that he was working for the benefit of the kingdom rather than for his own selfish desires.

As Izuka silently stalked his prey and began to sing such a morbid lullaby, the nobleman cast his gaze to the moon for a moment and crossed his arms. Indeed the eclipse would provide those who favored the darker arts an increase in power, but it would also provide an abundance of the resource required by those who specialized in shadow magic. The old man’s words began to fade as another voice became clearer, but the song was still audible in the background, like a chilling soundtrack for the night. “A shame you weren’t able to have taken a better advantage of this night, Ludovic,” Ubelgott said nonchalantly. “The Guardian would have been at its peak on such an event…” “Yes, well…as you said, the time is not yet right. There is still much to be done.” “Oh ho! So you have decided to finally listen to me...” Ludovic put a hand to the side where the immortal being had slashed him with his blade and pressed his teeth together. “How could I ever doubt you? We are two parts of a whole after all…and this time, I shall ensure our victory...”

Grinning with approval at the sorcerer’s actions, it appeared that the old Wizzrobe would be a worthy associate. If anything, his magic was powerful and he was almost as malicious as the Count von Eldrick himself. Both were seen by the noble as quite an advantage—after all, he couldn’t afford to ‘hire’ one who was unwilling or incapable of doing foul deeds without remorse. As the child’s bloody heart beat weakly in Izuka’s hand, Ludovic nodded and gave a sly smile. “You truly are what you said you were, Izuka…and I am impressed,” the Count complimented the man, but then let his smile fade to a snarl. “However, do not try anything stupid, wizard, or I guarantee that you will not live to regret it.” His eyes lingered for a second more on the young organ. “I trust that you know the best charms to place upon it, and that you are capable of doing it in fair time. However, I should have you know that I want everything in order as soon as possible.” Inhaling deeply, he shifted his eyes to the dark red moon and then exhaled before looking back to Izuka. “When next the moon is filled with the blood of innocents and the shadows of chaos consume the land, I plan to harness its power and take what is mine…” Ludovic turned, beckoning Izuka to return with him back to the castle. "Come, let us find you some suitable lodging."

[Count Ludovic von Eldrick]

Ludovic lounged in one of the armchairs on the second story of his lavish home as he bit into an apple and scanned the pages of an old tome. Its front cover was faded and so the words on it were barely legible, but one could decipher that it was a book about potions, poisons, and other such elixirs. He turned the tattered, yellow pages, stopping every once in a while to examine something that had caught his interest. The Count frowned as he noticed that a few of the pages were dog-eared at the corner. Ludovic smoothed them back into their proper place as best he could, but was frustrated that the crease still remained.

“Damn it, Rhylzynar!” Muttering to himself, he slammed the book onto the table in front of him. He placed the tips of his fingers together thoughtfully as he remembered how the young man had been allowed access to his private library. The Count rested the tip of his pointed nose against his touching index fingers as his others dropped to rest on the opposing hand’s knuckles. “I wonder if he’s planning on repaying me anytime soon…” he thought, his already sharp gaze narrowing slightly as he stared into the hearth.

Shutting his eyes, Ludovic sighed heavily and threw his head back onto the headrest. As was customary, he had already provided the public with an ample supply of money this New Year as a show of charity and in order to gain their favour. However, he felt that things needed to be pushed more...another step should be taken and this step would not involve charity. But what would that be? With his newfound ally, Izuka, it seemed that the possibilities were limitless and with the family’s guardian by his side, he felt reassured that he would succeed. Ludovic lifted his head a moment to ponder Izuka’s presence. He nodded to himself with a grin as he realized that the one room that needed fortification from the Wizzrobe was already protected. Morrigan’s Keep, an ancient tomb and place of sacrifice for the von Eldrick family, had a special sort of enchantment on it which was both simple and powerful. Only those of the family bloodline would be able to enter it, unless of course an outsider was given an invitation from one whose veins pumped the unholy blood of the von Eldricks.

Had it not been for the creaking wooden door, Ludovic would not have noticed Etrom entering and then exiting the room. True to their nature, the Sheikah had been able to avoid detection and had managed to pass through the room while his guardian was deep in thought. Ludovic’s golden eyes fell on the door to the hallway that led to the teenager’s room. The lunatic stared at the spot for the longest time, hypnotized, perhaps amazed, by the boy’s stealth. No, that wasn’t it... The Count rose from his seat and moved towards the fireplace, but more specifically towards the suit of armour on its right side. He stared into shining silver helmet, searching for another pair of eyes. Instead he found darkness and a small highlight of light on the back of the inner part of the helm. “Hmm.” His gaze still on the helmet, Ludovic tilted his head almost thoughtfully as his hand reached out toward the suit’s midsection. The golden signet ring he wore on his right middle finger clinked against the metal of the golden hilt of the sword as he rested his palm on it.

“Itheik, itheik, zexenuma douta cha'sid. Hak svent jacion.” The guardian’s growling voice buzzed in his skull as it spoke in the ancient tongue, but it was not alone. A second voice chimed in as well as a third, which he recognized as Übelgott and his mother, respectively.

“Jaci geou vdri... svent jacion.”

“Wux geou svent vdri...Ludovic, you will kill sleep.”

Ludovic wrapped fingers around the handle of the sword and drew it. He lifted the Obsidian blade to his face and grinned sadistically.

[Count Ludovic von Eldrick]

Pressing a finger lightly against the black blade, Ludovic found it to be ideally sharp—as it should be, for he kept all his armaments, both for decoration and for combat, prepared for battle. He turned it over several times and examined the blade thoughtfully. It wasn’t Sanguinans, but it would suffice for now.
The Count looked blankly around the room before slowly moving towards the hallway.

His thoughts were practically nonexistent as he stepped around the furniture and placed his fingers on the door handle. He was thinking of nothing, but at the same time, it seemed that there was so much going on in his mind. His actions, if one may put a word to it, rested right on the lines of being instinctive and puppet like. Ludovic knew what he was doing and he was driving himself to do it, but at the same time, it felt as if he was being led to commit such deeds because the hand of an invisible being. It not only bade him to act, but it conducted his actions as well.

As the Count moved into the stretch of hallway that led to Etrom’s room, his presence was disguised thanks to the flameless candles that lined the walls. Like the Sheikah, he would take advantage of the darkness and use it to aid his own activities. He reached the door to the young man’s room, but he didn’t touch it. Instead, he waited outside until it had been a long enough time to allow the boy to slip into a deep slumber. Commanding the shadows that were so abundantly gathered at his feet, Ludovic stepped cautiously in front of the door and stretched out his hand. Slowly, the shadows slithered up the doorframe until they were level with the knob. A thin strand stretched into the crack of the door and then fanned out into several fingers. The shades worked together nimbly and had easily opened the door for their master. As the fingers faded, Ludovic gently pushed the door open to reveal Etrom lying on the bed in rest.

Considering that Etrom had not bothered to disrobe or crawl under the covers of the bed, one could discern that the young man was quite weary. Ludovic grinned as he considered this and again, the voices began repeating the same thing they had said previously. They grew louder and louder as the madman edged closer to the peaceful lad, and as he raised his sword to strike, another sound halted him. It was a woman’s voice. She was singing softly, but the words were strangely distorted. Ludovic froze and cast his eyes to the side, trying to make sense of the melody.

“…Hush child…” he made out the first few words and then as it grew stronger, he deciphered another line. “…always follow the voices beneath…always follow…always follow…always follow…the voices…”

Ludovic clenched his jaw as he realized that it was the song Izuka had sang earlier to that peasant boy. However, the noble knew that he was not under one of the Wizzrobe’s spells… His gaze cut around the room as the singer continued. She never finished the song and she left out much of what the old man sang, but what she spoke of was significant. “She’s in here…she’s in the room,” Ludovic thought to himself, turning on his heel as he searched for her. “I know she is; she sounds so close.” The possibility of the mysterious woman being present made a chill run down his spine.

“…a thief…wicked behavior. Father…follow the voices…the voices.” The woman’s voice called out to the Lunatic, beckoning him to follow her. Etrom moaned and furrowed his brows as he turned in the bed, seemingly affected by the song as well. The Count froze until the young man’s movement ceased. His pale golden eyes darted to Etrom’s face and from there moved up onto the wall. They traveled to the right and continued until they beheld a portrait of a dark-haired woman. “…wicked…father…” she repeated. The portrait glared back at Ludovic and it was all he could do to avert his gaze to the side. It was her. He should have known she would be back…

He was standing now in front of the floor length mirror and in the dim reflection, he made out his figure and that of another being. Ludovic looked to his right and left, then twisted to see behind, but saw no one else with him. His gaze returned to the mirror; the woman in the portrait stood sorrowfully beside him. Resentment was deeply set in her features as she turned to regard the Count. She placed a hand on his arm, trying to clutch it, but each time she grasped it, her slender fingers sank through cloth and flesh. She shut her red eyes and tilted her head back as she allowed herself to fall backward. Ludovic saw the bloody line that ran across her throat to show that it had been slashed open and he bit his lower lip in anger as she continued to fall. The woman was in a state of suspended animation and it seemed that an eternity would pass before she hit the ground. Ludovic clutched the sword as tightly as he could causing his knuckles to turn white. His fury increased with each passing second until he could harbor it no longer.

With a shout, he lashed out at the painting, swinging at it until it was marred with cuts and tears that ran its entire length. The frame began to splinter from the blows and the portrait loosened itself from the wall and crashed to the floor. As soon as it hit the cold slabs of the floor, the apparition of the woman in the mirror vanished as well. Breathing heavily, Ludovic let the sword drop to the ground and kneeled down next to the ruined painting.

“What in the name of Din are you doing?!” Etrom shouted. He had been awakened by his insane guardian’s shout and had witnessed the entire ordeal, but had dared not speak or interrupt. Though he was in a state of shock, he rose from the bed and took hold of his own weapon, Humboldt, just in case the Lunatic decided to turn on him.

“Go back to bed.” Ludovic grumbled as he pushed the tattered canvas away with the back of his hand. He retrieved a small yellowed letter before retreating to his own quarters in silence.

((OoC: MONSTER POSTTT!!!!))