Hell's Glitch (initial draft)

2:29 Castle Progression

The coffin slid open and Sam watched Tsurugi crawl out of it with a face drowned in tears. He followed her over to the two statues. Graken was stooped low to the ground.

"The witch, she did this," she said. "All of this was her fault."

Graken shook his head.

"No, child, you were right all along. That catastrophe was my fault just as much as it was Yuja's."

"But, how are you still here? Your body—it disappeared."

"I had always thought I evaded the Phoenix's curse. I saw none of the signs, until I suffered my first death preserving the souls of the kingdom. I expended too much of my own soul to power the spellcraftes and drained my body. My body became nothing more than ash and the ash was made into a statue and put into a coffin for ceremonial burial. Over time I gained consciousness, in a body completely made of stone, same as those I revived with my magick."

"They did all this for you after you died?"

"Yes, they loved me so, but I fear that those feelings might have faded in favor of resentment or amnesia. I thought I was saving them."

Tsurugi shook her head.

"No, Graken. You have locked them in an eternal stone prison. Their only escape is madness, or more mercifully, oblivion at the hands of adventurers like him."

"I know. I cast my crafte without a second thought, because I wanted to preserve those that I loved, but that is no excuse for the ruin I have caused. I will remain here until madness overtakes me. If there was a more punishing fate and you two knew of it, I would offer to suffer it."

"Do you teach magick?" Sam asked.

Graken looked at him skeptically.

"I would never teach anything I knew to new generations. It belongs with me in this crypt."

"Not all of it," Sam added. "Much of what you know could be put to good use, especially by someone who wants to do some good. Hint hint, yours truly."

"Even if I were so inclined, your magickal capabilities are lacking. You would be unable to learn anything from me with your magick knowledge so low."

"Oh well. It was worth a try. Cheer up, Graken. In many ways, you're a hero. You may have messed up, but that doesn't mean your mistake can't be fixed. Rugi has dedicated her life to fixing this, bit by bit, and while I'm here, I'll fix whatever I can, starting with that witch, Yuja. Is she still around?"

"I am unsure. My barrier fell some time ago."

"It fell when the Fire Bearers entered the fort," Tsurugi said. "And Sarem, it's Tsurugi, not Rugi."

"Well, that probably means that she's around here somewhere," Sam said ignoring Tsurugi. "If so, I'll have a talk with her. She may have something useful to say about the residents of the fort and how to free their souls."

Graken appeared to be deep in thought.

"Perhaps it was her then ..."

"What is it, ancestor?"

"The residents of the fortress buried my most prized possessions with me along with my most dangerous ones. The soul transfer scroll was buried inside of my coffin with me, only when I awoke, it was gone and the top to my coffin removed."

"Then she's as good as dead," Sam said. "Now, how do we get out of here?"

"There's a lever in one of the tunnels to the other tombs. Flipping it will unlock the door."