Of Monsters and Men- Tom Riddle x OC

13

After several steps, Animo paused at the door to her right. The iron paneling was dark and malevolent with solid elder trimming the border. She touched the series of script impressed into the metal. The outlines of the ancient lettering bubbled where heat had once seared.

Fauhrt Incint Ulsom

Where many fear most.

Animo placed her palm on the door and it swung open, revealing a swath of darkness. For a moment, nothing moved and even the air seemed to hold its breath. Then, Animo's vision went dark as her body tipped forward into the entryway, falling down into an infinite space below.

Wincing, Animo tried to focus her thoughts. Wind rushed past her face, bringing the smell of mildew and moss. I must find my brother. Her arms flailed in the air as she tried for a sense of balance. I must find Gellert. I—

"Quit your jabbering!"

Animo let out a cry as her body was jerked to a halt, her neck snapping back at a painful angle. Breathing heavily, she cracked open her eyes and nearly gave another shriek.

Standing a few meters in front of her was an exceptionally hairy creature with silver hair that hung in curtains from the backs of its arms. Bright yellow eyes peered between its bangs ad it adjusted its stance, spreading out bare feet that were gnarled with age.

"Are you—"

"A demiguise?" the beast snapped, not appearing at all impressed when it turned away. "Mostly. Though, I've got an eighth of Sphinx in me, if yous can't tell."

Animo stumbled to her feet, the parched tufts of grass beneath digging into her palms. "Sorry," she brushed a few pebbles from her robes. "Didn't mean to be rude."

"Don't matter whether you mean to, yous were," the demiguise grumbled in irritation, waving for her to follow him through the heather. "Yous not supposed ter be here anyways."

Grimacing, Animo glanced around at the empty prairie that stretched in all directions, waves of heather blowing in the wind among the desolate space. The air was silent and eerie. It seemed to be mourning people and places long forgotten. "Is this really—"

"The present?" the demiguise quirked an eyebrow. Or at least Animo thought so. She couldn't tell beneath all the hair. "Yes." He trodded over a bit of stick with a muffled curse. "More fruitless and abandoned every year." He pinned her down with an accusing glare. "Youse see, people want to relive the past or build their future, but the present?" the shaggy creature shook his head, causing several stray hairs to tumble to the ground. "No wizard wants to admit who theys truly are. Only what they have been or the hope of whats they could be."

Nearly tripping over a sharp chunk of boulder, Animo stopped, uncertain she could carry a conversation AND navigate herself through.. wherever they were.

"I need to find—"

The Demiguise interrupted again, baring a set of pointed teeth. "The fortress of Gellert Grindelwald, yes, I know. Now stop rushing me."

Stammering, Animo ran her fingers through her tangled locks, mussed by all her travel. Satisfied that she was obeying his command, the Demiguise turned his face towards the pale sun above them as it emitted a watery light. He raised his arms and the full length of his curtain of hair tumbled to the ground in silver sheets.

"Truien de Ouse fo maegi."

The sand beneath Animo tilted and she scrabbled for balance, shielding her eyes with the crook of her elbow as the dust began to spin upwards from the ground, graining speed with the Demiguise's continued mutterings.