Dusk Flowers

Castle

     Eliza stared up at the chapel. "Here? Like, in the chapel? We were so close last week, why didn't you say anything?"

     Uso, completely ignoring the question posed, stalked towards the building, stopping at th eshallow moat encircling the base. She lifted an arm. "Get down here Morrigan! There's somebody here for you to meet!"

     With a bit of shock, Eliza watched the raven drop from the roof like a small torpedo and land gently on Uso's outstretched forearm. The wound from before had already disappeared; Uso really did heal fast.

      Uso returned to Eliza, the bird on the arm hopping up to perch on her shoulder. "So Eliza, this is Morrigan. Morrigan is a friend of mine, a companion, if you will. She's enchanted. See, she's been around me so long that some of my power has transferred to her. Basically, she won't die of natural causes. She watches over the entrance to my realm, she's been alive for the last four hundred years or so."

      Eliza tried her hardest to address the bird without snickering. "Um, hello Morrigan, it's uh, really nice to meet you."

      In response, the bird blinked a single beady eye.

      Uso chuckled. "Aw, she likes you!" She strolled towards the short bride leading inside and pushed open the impressive double doors.

     Eliza had never actually been inside the chapel before. Straight pews of wicker chairs lined the marble floor, leading up to a low dais. Above the dais was a round, dark skylight. Hanging down around the circumference of the skylight were long, metal strings with reflective bits of metal stuck to them.

     In the middle of the aisle sat a massive grey wolf.

     Upon Uso's arrival, the animal perked up, wagging its tail like a pet.

     Uso rushed forward to embrace the wolf, the bird on her shoulder screeching, startled by the sudden movement. "Fenny!" She cried, "How's it hangin'?"

     Something clicked for Eliza. "Fenny, As in like, Fenrir?"

     "Oh yeah, I forgot that bit. He's enchanted too. He's been around me for a long time; He was my first friend, after all."

     Uso ran his fingers through his thick, grey coat. Eliza frowned. "No one sees him just sitting in here?"

     "Well, mostly he stays inside my realm. He only came out because I showed up."

     "So how do we get in? And speaking of pets, I really need to feed Willow."

     "Excuse me, Fenrir and Morrigan are not pets, they are friends." Uso replied sharply. "I'll get the cat myself later. We're here because I need to get you somewhere safe. My realm is virtually impenetrable by both humans and unholy."

     Sighing loudly, Eliza sat down in a wicker chair. The noise echoed off the round walls, sounding almost musical. At least she still had her luggage. Uso had left the bag by the doors.

     Above the doors was a platform jutting out from the wall. A small flight of stairs led up to it. A massive pipe organ squatted on the ledge. Uso, the raven still perched on her shoulder, hopped up the steps. "I'm gonna open the door now, so sit tight."

     Uso sat down at the low bench in front of the organ, cracking her knuckles. Bending low over the keys, she examined the organ closely before raising a hand to the instrument.

     Soft, eerie notes floated into the chapel, shivering and resonating. The echoes created by the round walls help Eliza captive. The melody was haunting, and it chilled her to the bones.