Felicia stayed near the entrance as everyone scattered, too horrified to move. Pressing the back of her hand to her trembling lips, she felt as though she might hurl at the sight of the hanging skeletons, winced at the iron cabinets, peered sadly at the cells lining the back wall, and shuddered at the shelves. The others pressed forward-- even the young Veitaru. They were all so brave. Two of them weren't quite human, sure, but still-- brave.
"
B-be careful, Lev," she cautioned her friend. Friend? Could she call him that? Worrying about social cues seemed a far cry from anything that should be on her mind at this point, but she took some comfort in it. As long as nobody was paying her any attention, Felicia hoped to hang onto that feeling as she she slipped her flask out of her pocket and took a quick drink. No sooner had sharp liquid warmed her belly as she screwed the top back on when all of a sudden....
As Jaege collected his goods of choice from the shelves and Lev began his ascent, Noi's blind charge at the squirming hay pile with his flaming hammer would spark a sudden and unfortunate chain of events. Felicia could only watch as, all at once, a rather plump looking Like Like was sent flying-- smacked into the air by Noi's hammer along with several bunches of hay. The Like Like released a shrill cry of surprise as it flew, illuminated by bits of flaming hay before it all began to fall. The loud shriek awoke
something in the iron cabinet that Veitaru had been observing.
Long, bony brown fingers closed around the cabinet door from the inside. The slow, meticulous movement made it all the more startling when the door was suddenly flung open-- just as the Like Like smacked against the ground of the cell with another loud cry of distress. Several bits of fiery hay landed near the others. The shelves took to the flames easily as a Redead stepped out of the iron cabinet. A deafening shriek filled the burning room, paralyzing the young girl long enough take two deliberate steps in her direction. Shriveled brown skin clung to the creatures bones as it approached, hand outstretched to welcome her into a tight embrace of death. Deep within its dark, sunken eyes, two glowing red irises remained hungrily fixed on Veitaru while it chattered its teeth with anticipation.
Felicia cried out in alarm. Veitaru was dire straits. She had to do something!
Sword-- remember your sword! she urged herself, but just as her hand closed around the pommel and, filled with a sudden bout of bravery, she moved to lung towards the foul monster to protect the child, something strange and with an all too familiar shape to it wrapped around her torso. At first she thought someone might be grabbing her from behind, but as her feet left the ground, she quickly realized it wasn't from behind-- but
above.
She would've screamed. The air to do so had definitely filled her lungs quickly enough, but somewhere on its way out it got stuck-- or perhaps lost? The floor rapidly abandoned her and, on her way up, she passed Lev. Slack jawed, she looked to him with wide, pleading eyes before disappeared into the dark abyss above. Meanwhile, more shadows appeared on the floor below, followed by strange shushing sounds as three more Wallmaster descended. One, of which, was heading straight for Lev's face.