The tapping sound must have alerted who was on the other side. Snapping them to attention from whatever they were doing. A quiet "Hm" sound was heard and the singing stopped. Now there was only silence, until a voice was heard. The same voice as the singer, it was calm and soft. Its owner had to be a young girl. Possibly midteens.

The one behind the door... Who might you be? Io? A pause came, as a very light sound came from the room, like someone getting up from a chair. No... A noble knight from the Old Path? An adventurous hunter of the Harvestmen? A Golden Boy seeking glory? From the sound of the footsteps, they were coming closer to the door, seemingly ignoring the sound at the window.

How did they know Urik was there?

Urik stood motionless outside the door, eyes wide in surprise at the girl suddenly addressing him. How did she know he was there? He took the utmost care to not alert her to his presence! He clenched his teeth in anger and frustration, before quickly calming himself. It simply must have been some kind of magic. He should have expected that.

His face hardening, he inches closer to the door... finally so close to a target. With a small breath, a massive cloud of pitch-black smoke suddenly billowed out of his mouth and into the room, almost immediately filling it until it was impossible to see further than an inch away from your face. Strangely, though, it was just as easy to breath as regular fresh air.

Slinking into the room with the speed and noiselessness of a mouse, he entered the room and closed the door.

"Make a peep and I slit your throat." He whispered, knife at the ready.

As long as she didn't attempt to speak, he'd continue.

"You're going to answer my questions when I ask. And depending on the answers, I'll leave you be."

There, before him, was a young girl. Her skin was pale, practically white, like someone who rarely went outside. Even her hair was the same, pale shade. Contrasting with her skin and hair though, she wore a black robe, speckled with a few drops of grey colored paint. In her lap sat a rune, Stone to be exact, which she held her hands close to. But strangest of all, was the blindfold she wore, covering her eyes. Yet, despite it, she was staring directly at Urik, as he stood before her. No sign of fear was in her body language or face.

I do not know you. A stranger from a strange land? One who uses threats She said, curiously observing her intruder somehow. Next to her was a canvas, displaying an unfinished painting of what looked like the gate outside. Don't be afraid... Be welcomed.

Urik wasn't able to get a very clear look at the girl just yet, the smoke occluding his vision. However he didn't sense any danger right away, so he quietly closed the door behind him, and with a wave of his hand dissipated the black smoke, revealing the room and girl clearly. Still pointing his knife at her, and keeping one hand on his scimitar, he stared at her with an unfeeling, but stern, gaze.

"The Ramshorn Slaughter. Do those words ring any bells?" He simply asked in his gruff voice, ignoring the girl's statements.

@hefewy
... The girl tilted her head, confused at his question. It was out of the blue and his stern attitude didn't exactly make Shen-Mu too willing to answer. But, she bowed her head, and with a sigh, she answered. ...An ancient story, yes. Men and women, killed over superstitions. A horror story told by beastkin and harvestmen alike. Clutching at her dress, she rubbed at her blindfold, she returned Urik's question with a question of her own.

What of you? she asked him, her quiet voice laced with odd speaking patterns. My mysterious guest. Sneaks in. Threatens me. Asks about an ancient slaughter. You frighten me...

Urik couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and smirk slightly at the girl's boldness, although his thick mustache hid most of it. He expected her to cower or panic, but she was being surprisingly cooperative. She must only be able to detect him, but not his weapons, he assumed.

At her answer, he silently stared at her. Her question however catches him off guard, causing him to tense up slightly before relaxing a bit, lowering his guard a tad. Raising a single eyebrow in amusement, he steps forward, approaching the girl with silent footsteps. He stares at her coldly, knife still brandished, and squats down on the floor to be at eye-level with her.

"You're either brave, or incredibly stupid. I'm askin' the questions here. Understand?" He whispers, leaning his face close to hers. "Now, do you know anyone related to the Harvestmen?"

The young girl tensed up a bit, finally showing some signs of fear. As she felt him get closer, through whatever means she was using to sense him, she clutched tighter at the rune in her lap.

She spoke up again, her voice a bit quieter and quicker. Is this a matter of the curse? She asked, You know so little... But you wish to know more. What have you to gain from coming here? From touching upon the slaughter? From confronting me? She hummed, gazing down despite her lack of sight, seemingly looking in the direction of his knife, I will talk... If you put away your weapon.

Urik raised his eyebrows at her statements, that she did indeed know about the legend.

"My reasons are my own. But alright, I'll play along."

With that statement, he twirls his knife around his fingers before sliding it back into its scabbard, the steel blade scraping along the leather sheath before ending in a "click". Hoping he seemed less threatening, he levels his gaze at the girl again.

"Now why don't you tell me what you know about the 'legend'?" He said, eager to learn any details he could.

@hefewy
Hm... So you comply. You have held your end of the bargin, I hold mine. She said, smiling slightly. You are aware of the curse? Every child of the Harvestmen who took part in the slaughter was said to be cursed. But there is another story. A story of a father. A father who loved his daughters so much that he created a world for them. A world that they couldn't leave. So that they would be with him forever. My father.

She said, clutching at the rune resting on her lap. I wish for you to go to the basement of this castle... And kill my father. To break the illusion of this place. To destroy this facade of a castle. End the curse of the slaughter at Ramshorn. He is in pain, wallowing in misery. Please... For my sake, my sisters, and his. For the people slaughtered at Ramshorn. He mustn't continue to live.

Urik focuses his white, glowing eyes on the girl, listening to her story closely. His expression doesn't change until she's done, furrowing his brow and looking upon her with a dark, almost haunted gaze.

"You don't know what you ask for, child." He grumbles, finding his goals suddenly in conflict with his morals.

A little girl was asking him... to kill his target for her? His heart sank at the request, the request shaking him.

"My goal was to kill the last of the Ramshorn Harvestmen. Your request changes nothing. However..."

He suddenly gets to his feet, rubbing his chin through his thick beard and resting a hand on the pommel of his scimitar. Staring down at her, he speaks up again.

"Daughters. There are more than you, then? Where are the others?"

@hefewy
You misunderstand. she said, Our goals allign. My father is the descendant of the Ramshorn Killers... In fear, he heard of a curse, that plagued the descendants of them. Their children and their children's children. The curse that is said to fall upon him, upon me, and my future children. she sighed, shaking her head. I wish to end his pain and insanity, you wish to avenge those killed her, we both wish to end this curse... Then our goals allign, do they not?

My sister, Io... She patrols these halls, attacking any who invade... She wishes to keep this place safe. For me. She despises her father. Yet she keeps this place alive. If she fights her and you have to fight... Don't kill her. She doesn't know what she is doing. Try to help her...

Urik continues to stroke his beard, listening to the girl's explanation. Nodding, he smirks slightly as all doubts leave his mind - This was the place he was looking for after all. With a nod, he looks off to the side casually.

"Indeed, I suppose our goals are one and the same, more of less..." He sighs. "But this sister of yours. I'm not here to save a pair of children."

He turns his back to the girl.

"If she is violent, I won't guarantee her safety. Hopefully she won't be too much of a nuisance, for both of your sakes."

Taking a step towards the door, he slowly draws his dagger from its scabbard, apparently beginning to leave without another word.

@hefewy
If you kill her then you'll have to deal with me. She said, clutching at her rune, a small bit of grey sand began to spill from it, indicating it as a stone rune. I trust you that you wouldn't want that.

With that, Shen-Mu was once again alone in her room, allowing Urik to go about his own business. The hallway empty as usual, no sign of this sister mentioned by the blind girl.

Down the wall to Urik's right there seemed to be more open space. A foyer or ballroom of some kind most likely. Down teh hall to the left was another room. Smaller, but definitely more open space than the rather cramped hallway.

Ignoring Shen-Mu's threat, Urik left the room and began to walk down the hallway. Under the assumption that the only other people here were the girl's father and sister, he allowed his guard to be dropped, abandoning his tactics of silently creeping through the building.

As he approached the end of the hall, leading to the foyer or ballroom, he stopped, and peered into the room from the corner, not wanting to risk being seen by anyone who could have possibly been inside.

@hefewy
The room was remarkably empty, although could be an easy hiding place for anyone small or skillful enough. Looked to be a music room of somesort: A piano in the center of the room, as well as a chair, violin, and music stand over in the corner. Desks littered with music sheets as well. Other than the music paraphernalia, nothing else was too notable about the room, looked like the rest of the castle; cold and abandoned, but somehow kept from falling into disrepair.

Urik looked upon the room carefully, studying each place someone could hide or spring an ambush from. He found nothing of note, however, outside of the instruments he found to be woefully gaudy and overly-designed. Turning his back to the room, he began to search for another. Of course, he patiently and carefully measured each step so that it fell silently, taking care to not make a sound.