Wrong Summoning

Chapter 8: Soul Cairn

It was a long path, through the creepy dungeons, inhabited by the black hounds, vampires which had gone mad from their thirst, and, of course...

"A freaking SPIDER?" Danny exclaimed, holding a razor sharp end of the named animal's leg, which was nearing his head.

"I didn't know it was here!" Serana yelled, swinging her dagger.

She had to duck away from the hit of another of eight legs of the huge beast. How did it even see her?! It was their size, not counting the above mentioned legs. Serana needed to avoid being trapped in the web, with which the spider had fouled the room. It was sticky, and some already was on her clothes.

Danny made an effort and pushed the spider away, the strength was enough to launch it into the nearest wall. It seemed that the spider got entangled in its own web. It started wiggling, but it only made the situation worse. Serana used the opportunity. One hurl of another ice spike into belly, undefended by chitin, was enough to kill it. Phantom rose to his feet and dusted the padded armor.

"Nice pets," Danny commented. "You really should hire a maid."

"Sure, if you can find a candidate to work in this place, go ahead."

Phantom shrugged and got to the lever sticking from the ground. He pulled it and heard loud noise of desks hitting each other. To get further they had needed to access across the hole filled with spikes. Serana had told him that it was her father's idea during one of his...paranoidal moments. Safety measure.

"Wait...I just realized..." Danny said slowly. "I could fly us to the other side."

Serana facepalmed.

They kept going through the dark and wet corridors, cleaning their path from the annoying beasts and nutcases. They passed the kitchen, full of blood and remnants of those to whom it belonged, and Serana admitted that she didn't know about that part.

"What was that about 'knowing each corner of the castle'?" Danny asked, before being hit by a rusty pot. "Ouch!" he rubbed the back of his head.

Serana smirked, as the green glow in her palm disappeared. They finally exited in the garden. It looked to be abandoned for many centuries. Well, actually it had been abandoned for many centuries. Many dead trees were around, the rows of what used to be accurate garden beds behind the iron fences, full of weeds and other kinds of unneeded plants. In the center of the courtyard, surrounded from all sides by the stone walls, was sun clocks.

"What an irony," Danny mumbled. "A vampire using sun clocks."

Receiving no answer, he looked to the side, seeing Serana saddened look. "Hey, you alright?"

"You should have seen this place all the time ago," she mumbled. "It's amazing how beautiful the garden can be once tended by a caring owner."

Phantom smiled softly. "Don't worry, we will find your mother."

"Thanks," Serana smiled, before going to the center of the yard, to the sun clock. She pulled on a hood again, because the sun was showing that it was noon. She looked closely at it and raised her eyebrow.

"Weird. Some parts are missing," the vampire rubbed her chin.

Danny looked where she did. Indeed, each hour was symbolized by a disc with phases of the moon. Well, for some exceptions.

"Think that a secret entrance might be discovered?" He asked.

"I don't think. I know. Let's search around, they might be around."

The companions scattered around the yard, looking in every corner.

"Found one!" Danny called loudly from behind the vase.