Outside the Mirage

#31: Honorfall

The waves hit the rocks violently, spraying the group with salt water. The tiny shack from which they all emerged looked as though it was built on that rock and would remain there for a thousand years. Besides the shack, however, no one could see anything that wasn't just wetted rocks, a large island of nothing.

"That's a convincing Wall of Cloaking," Jordan shouted over the ocean. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say we were at the wrong place."

"No, this is definitely it," Merlyn shouted. "My father would talk about Malstrom like an old lover. Plus, my grandfather loved grim looking places."

Forsythe looked around and sighed. "Thaddeus Merlyn was a hell of a spellcaster," he said to himself. "But so am I." He lifted his hands up and suddenly the air shimmered slightly. Forsythe's hands started to glow slightly and then there was a sound like thunder as the air seemed to burn away, revealing behind it a large fortress.

Vanessa stared at it in awe. It was unlike anything she had ever seen; there were about a dozen different dark stone towers coming out of a massive castle that spanned the entirety of the island. Just looking at it sent shivers down her spine.

"This is kind of a homecoming for you, isn't it?" Layfield asked Merlyn.

"I've never been here," Merlyn said. "I was hoping I'd never have to."

"Well we're here," Forsythe said. "Let's get going."

The six of them made their way up a narrow, rocky pathway. Forsythe went first, Jordan just behind him, Merlyn going next, Chilcott in fourth, Layfield behind her and Vanessa in the back. As they walked, the waves continued to hit them, but the water slid off the Persian silk rather than actually getting it wet.

"Will this place have defense mechanisms?" Chilcott asked Merlyn.

"We just passed them," Merlyn said. "My grandfather was arrogant, if nothing else."

"I don't know if anyone's been here to attack the place since Charles Brynden," Jordan said. "We're making history."

"Or we're just killing ourselves with extra steps," Chilcott muttered.

"You guys talking up there?" Vanessa shouted. "I don't really like being left out of things, guys!"

"Did you hear something?" Forsythe asked.

Finally, the group arrived at the entrance, two large black doors seemingly made of metal. Along the sides of the doors were statues of heads, each one distinct from the others.

"Those are the heads of Thaddeus's victims," Merlyn said. "The first ten people he killed on the right, and the ten people he murdered in the Night of Shade on the left."

"Creepy," Layfield said. "What's this metal?"

"It's Ghate," Merlyn said.

Everyone looked at him. "Ghate?" Vanessa said. "Like, the Ghate Lock?"

"Yeah," Merlyn said. "Just so. We should go inside."

Walking up to the door, Merlyn pushed it open. The massive hall the group found themselves in was dark but detailed. The ceiling sat what seemed like a mile above their heads, with a few unlit chandeliers hanging like silent wind chimes. On either side of the hall were large, black staircases, completely symmetrical. Along the walls were suits of armor, old paintings and a variety of animal heads. The most notable aspect of the whole room, however, was seen at the opposite end of the hall from the door; it was a strange, twisted throne, the color of charcoal and tar and appeared like someone had attempted to create a chair out of a barbed wire. Behind that chair was a massive stain glass picture, depicting a white-haired man with two brilliant blue eyes and a green eye in the middle of his forehead, standing above shadowy figures.