"Attention!" Near the main gate of Cainhurst Castle, a company of a half-dozen knights dutifully stood by their horses, heeding Lady Maria's call.
….
"Can I have your attention, please?!" The chatter and bustle just outside Byrgenwerth's main hall quickly died down, with the gathered scholars turning their attention to Professor Laurence, who stood just by the main carriage.
….
"In short order, this gate will open and we will depart. It is my hope that each of you are well-rested and well-prepared, for the road ahead of us is long and indeed, perilous; our destination, our ancestral homeland. Each of you is familiar with its history – what led to it being reduced to a shell of its former glory. We, as knights of Cainhurst, are a continuation of that glory and piece by piece, we have been reclaiming that which our ancestors have proven to be unworthy of." Pacing by her troops, she continued.
"And you, valiant knights, get to be part of our people's most defining moment since they first escaped their underground home all those centuries ago. Despite our best efforts, despite countless painstaking excursions, the blood of Queen Yharnam remains lost to us, just like the child that it spawned. If we are to find it anywhere, it will have to be in the forbidden land of Loran, where no Pthumerian would dare to venture. But you are not like them. You are knights of Cainhurst – you are the most disciplined and refined warriors in our people's long, proud history."
….
"The day that each of you have been awaiting has finally come. Today, we descend into the old labyrinths in search of the secrets that Yharnam's precursor civilization – the Pthumerians – left behind, following in the footsteps of countless scholars who came before us. Those of you gathered here know the truth that Master Willem uncovered oh so long ago - a truth that became the cornerstone of Pthumeru's society and culture. But alas, many of their secrets were lost along with them, secrets that the scholars of Byrgenwerth have been working tirelessly to rediscover." He continued.
"Which brings us to this mission we find ourselves embarking on today. We have long known of a settlement within the labyrinths known as Loran, but records of its existence remain scarce. What little we know points to a breakdown of social order and a widespread abandonment of the land, though the catalyst for these events remains unknown. As it is, none of our scholars have yet been able to travel there, in no small part due to such an excursion seeming far too perilous to undertake. If the Pthumerians themselves were afraid to venture there, then surely, we would have little hope of survival. But today, that all changes. This mission that you are joining me on is a historic one, which will take us where no scholar has gone before."
….
"But of course, I would be remiss if I did not mention those who will be accompanying us – the scholars of Byrgenwerth. I am aware that many here have doubts about their presence, but do not forget, they are embarking with us by the grace of Her Majesty, the Queen and she has deemed it our duty to protect them from harm. Some of you may believe such a task to be beneath you, but their coming with us does not in any way detract from the significance of this mission. We have our goal and Provost Willem's scholars have theirs; with any luck, this arrangement will benefit both of our parties."
….
"Yet as you all know; we will not be alone in this undertaking. As per our agreement with the Queen, our travels will be overseen by a company of what she assures to be her most capable knights. Now, I know this arrangement may seem far from ideal, but I prithee remember that this expedition is only possible due to the support of the Crown. They control any and all access to the labyrinths and without them, our research would come to a grinding halt. As such, Master Willem has asked me to pass on a message that you cooperate with our benefactors however possible. Most of what we find, we'll be able to keep, but there are certain items that Master Willem has agreed to grant our partners if we do come across them; if and when you do, you will be asked to surrender them. To some of you, such a prospect may seem unjust, but remember, the knowledge that we seek is worth more than any Earthly possession."
….
"Then, there is the matter of who, or rather what awaits us below. You've all heard the stories. Mad wanderers, mindless sentinels and creatures unlike anything known to man: these are just a few of the foes we will encounter in our travels. Remember your training. Never engage what you encounter alone; always fight together. If one of you is wounded, the rest of your company will step in to protect you and ensure you are taken to safety. But above all else, do not initiate conflict unless it is absolutely necessary. The creatures you will encounter are unpredictable and will be relentless in their undertaking to slay you. Unless you can be assured of victory, do not provoke them. I cannot stress that enough."
….
"Now, although we have put our physical safety in the hands of another party, that does not mean that our concerns end there. We have been provided enough food and supplies to reasonably last us two weeks of travel, but that is of course assuming that these supplies are managed responsibly. Rest assured that you and all of your fellow travelers will be fed and provided for – the only expectation is that you do not take more than is afforded to you. Failure to comply will result in your provisions being withheld in the instance of incident and every instance to follow until we can believe that you can be trusted. In order for this mission to be a success, we must remain undivided."
"But let's not dwell on the negative. If humanity ceased to take risks, there would be no discovery, no advancement. Instead, we would be trapped in a state of perpetual stagnation, letting their uncertainty and fear prevent them from taking the next necessary step even as it remains in plain view. And I invite you, dignified scholars of Byrgenwerth, to take that next step with me. Though I may be the one leading you down this uncertain path, understand that I do not know where it leads any more than you do, yet it is one that we must take all the same."
Laurence paused and allowed his listeners a brief reprieve before concluding.
"After all, one cannot open another's eyes without having their own be opened first."
….
"Yet do not let what I have said dissuade you. Do not allow fear to cloud your mind. You find yourselves here today for a reason, for Queen Annalise herself has deemed you worthy of embarking on this mission…and I agree with her. But you do not find yourselves standing here before me because I believe you to be worthy; no, you are here on your own volition. That alone exhibits courage and conviction, but also, faith – faith in me as your commander." She stopped her pacing then, fully turning towards the assembled knights.
"And I assure you that I do not intend to take this faith for granted. In accepting this responsibility, I have accepted the possibility of laying down my life and my honor in service to our Queen and our home. That acceptance is not one that is made lightly, but it is one we as knights must make, for there can be no glory in passivity."
With her address concluded, Maria finally climbed onto her snow-white colored horse and looked back down at her company.
"Now, ride with me, oh noble knights. For the honor of Cainhurst!"
Once her company had properly saddled up, they finally set out on the first stage of their journey, galloping across the extensive bridge that connected Cainhurst Castle to the rest of Yharnam. This took them through the sparsely populated Hemwick Charnel Lane, and after that, the city of Yharnam proper. By now, the sun was going down and the streets were mostly devoid of civilians, sans a few beggars or wanderers, which made their travels significantly easier.
Eventually, after making their way through the city's almost maze-like array of streets, the college's main building came into view, as well as a procession of carriages and a fairly sizable group of scholars, who quickly took notice of their approach and formed a procession for them. As this happened, one of them made his way to the front, whose identity Maria was able to ascertain far before she and her men came to a stop not far from him.
Motioning for her soldiers to stay on their horses, Maria quickly dropped down from hers and made her way over to the awaiting Professor Laurence, who bowed his head as she approached, his hands behind his back.
"Welcome to Byrgenwerth, Lady Maria. We've been awaiting you." He politely greeted her.
"Hello, professor. How lovely to see you again." She greeted him, coming to a stop just in front of him.
"Likewise, my lady." He wore that same inviting smile that Maria remembered from the banquet, which made it rather difficult to tell whether he was saying this for the sake of cordiality or because a part of him had genuinely been looking forward to seeing her again.
In Maria's case, it was a bit of both. She knew even before they had met that she would inevitably end up seeing him again, but after their initial meeting, she found that she was by no means opposed to the idea. Judging from their admittedly brief interaction, he seemed to be…pleasant company. Though, she supposed it helped that Laurence was rather handsome: an inviting smile, bright blue eyes and a height that was noticeable even in Cainhurst. But now wasn't the time for pleasantries.
"Are your scholars ready?" She decided not to waste any more time.
"Yes, they are." Was his reply.
"Good. Then we depart immediately." The professor nodded his understanding.
"Give me a moment." He said before turning to face his scholars. "Listen up! In case you didn't hear, we're leaving. Lady Maria and her company will lead us to where we need to go – all you need to do is get onto your assigned wagon and do so swiftly. There's no time to waste!"
Maria watched as the eight or so scholars that were there with Laurence listened to their leader's order, with three of them being particularly close to him. One she remembered was named Micolash, a rather frail looking man who she understood to be Laurence's second-in-command; additionally, there was a brown-haired woman – Caryll, supposedly – whom Adrian had for whatever reason deemed it necessary to warn her about. And the third…
"Wait." Maria placed a hand on Laurence's shoulder, forcing him to turn back to her in surprise and stopping his scholars in their tracks.
"What's the matter?" The professor asked her.
"Nothing…yet." Taking her hand off his shoulder, she walked past him and towards the unfamiliar figure, who calmly watched her approach.
"Who are you?" Maria demanded.
"Why, a scholar, of course. Gehrman is my name." He replied, lightly tipping his hat to her.
"Do you intend to follow us into the labyrinths?" "But of course, my lady. Why else would I be here?" Was the stranger's response to her questioning, which she found he gave rather calmly.
"I do not know. I did not expect to see someone like you here." This wasn't just because he hadn't been present at the banquet, nor was it because she hadn't been told he would be coming, but also because this 'Gehrman' was noticeably older than the rest of the scholars. Maria estimated that he could be no younger than sixty; what was someone of his age doing going on a mission like this?
"He is here on Master Willem's insistence, Lady Maria." It was Laurence who delivered this information, causing her to turn back to him. "Gehrman is a seasoned scholar; his accompanying us would greatly aid our research."
Maria looked back to the stranger, whose lips had curled up in a small smirk. "I see." She then observed the man for a few more moments as she tried to decide what to do with him.
"Very well. You may carry on." She turned to Laurence and said.
"Thank you." Maria noted a hint of relief in the professor's words just before he and his companion headed off to their assigned carriage, leaving her to watch them go. Though naturally, most of her attention was focused on this mysterious 'Gehrman'.
Even now, she wasn't sure what to make of the man. Him appearing seemingly out of the blue was suspect enough, but even without that, Maria sensed that he was hiding something – something that not even Laurence seemed to be aware of. But whoever, or whatever he was, she did not have the time to dwell on it. She had a job to do.
Returning back to her horse, Maria climbed back onto it's saddle and turned her steed around to observe both her men and the small procession of wagons they would be escorting.
"Now then, follow me! Our destination is not far."
…
As their procession steadily moved through the streets of Yharnam, Laurence found himself sitting in the leading carriage that Ludwig had shown him earlier. Opposite him were Micolash and Caryll, both of whom were silently eyeing Gehrman, who was seated just beside him.
"So, Laurence…I don't think you've introduced us to this new friend of yours either." Micolash eventually said.
"Come now, Master Micolash. I am a friend to you all." Laurence's colleague was very clearly shocked hearing this.
"You know who I am?" Gehrman smiled. "Master Willem was very thorough." He said.
"Master Willem? Is he why you're here with us?" Caryll asked.
"Yes. My apologies for all the secrecy, but to make a long story short, your headmaster has asked me to accompany you - to keep an eye on things, so to speak." Was Gehrman's explanation.
"And is there a reason we're only learning this now?" It was Micolash who questioned him this time.
"He thought it best that I don't draw too much attention to myself. In his own words, 'make it so they hardly even notice you're there'." This particular statement caught Laurence's attention.
"And who is 'they' in this instance? Us or our partners?" He finally spoke up, shifting Gehrman's attention to him.
"Both, but more so the latter." Laurence had suspected as such. His guess had been that he would act as a passive observer except in the case of an emergency, possibly so he didn't expose himself to the knights, whatever that would entail.
"Speaking of which, what can you tell me about this 'Lady Maria' character?" Gehrman suddenly asked him.
"Well, as you probably guessed, her and I are meant to share authority on this venture." Laurence explained as briefly as he could.
"That's not the only thing those two shared." Caryll suddenly interjected, her tone and the smirk she had on her face clearly conveying her teasing intent.
"What does that mean?" Gehrman asked, clearly confused.
"Nothing. It means nothing." Laurence quickly said before it went any further.
"Whatever you say, Laurence." Caryll was very clearly amused by the situation, as was Micolash. It had become exceedingly clear that they would never let him live his actions at the banquet down.
"Anyway, the knights of Cainhurst answer to her and she answers to Queen Annalise. In essence, she is Her Majesty's emissary." He proceeded to explain to Gehrman, who appeared rather intrigued.
"I see. Most interesting…" He seemed to say more to himself than anything else. Of course, there was no doubt far more to Maria than Laurence knew right now, things that could only come to light in time.
Eventually, their carriage came to a stop and soon after, he could hear Lady Maria call out to them.
"This is as far as the horses can take us! We will have to make the rest of the way on foot!" Not long after she said this, the door to their carriage was opened by one of the knights; a bright-haired man who bore the same ornate black and red garb he had seen before.
"Come along." He said, after which Laurence and the others exited the carriage.
Laurence recognized right away that they were on Yharnam's Great Bridge, which itself connected Central Yharnam to a district known as the Cathedral Ward, aptly labeled as such because this part of the city was home to perhaps its most recognizable landmark – the Grand Cathedral, which stood at the highest point of the city. From what he understood, it was originally constructed with the intention of serving as a center for the Christian faith, which remained prominent in the states that surrounded Yharnam.
Yet despite that, the Cathedral saw very little activity, nor did the monarchy seem all that committed to the faith. The few crosses and chapels one could find were there almost strictly for the sake of appearances, as in truth, no church or faith held dominion over Yharnam. If Laurence were to guess, the monarchy simply masqueraded as followers of the faith as a means of diplomatic survival, for if their true belief system came to light, they would almost certainly be branded as heretics and be wiped off the face of the Earth. Of course, such actions were only indicative of the inherent ignorance of the world beyond – an ignorance that has permeated from the first pagan deities of Sumer all the way to the organized churches of today. For all their faith, humanity had yet to unlock the secrets of the world.
Looking off to the side, he could see the rest of his scholars were all but finished exiting their carriages, which would allow for the next stage of the process to begin.
"Ludwig!" He called out. Just off to his right, the stablemaster dropped down from the coachman's seat and went up to him, leaving one of his workers behind to handle the reins.
"Need help distributing the supplies, professor?" He asked him.
"Yes. Come with me – the rest of you as well." Laurence then started making his way to the center of the procession, with Ludwig and the others in tow.
"Scholars of Byrgenwerth! Your attention, please!" All those gathered on the bridge turned their attention to him right away. "Though you are surely eager to conclude this initial phase of our journey, there is one more crucial step that we need to take. Each of you has been assigned a set of supplies to carry; I ask that you follow me to the wagon at the end of this caravel and collect them. Do so in an orderly fashion – let us not spend any more time on this than we have to."
From there, Laurence aided Ludwig and his men in unloading the various travelling bags that had been prepared. Within these pieces of luggage was food, water, medical supplies, pillows and blankets to use for sleeping and even a few tents, among various other tools they would need to survive in the labyrinths. Not one to place the burden solely on others, Laurence was given his own load to carry; it was by no means a huge bag, but it was nevertheless somewhat heavy, having been filled to its utmost capacity. But by splitting the weight amongst themselves like this, they could at least ensure that they could make their way through the labyrinths at a reasonable rate and hopefully not allow themselves to fall victim to fatigue.
Once everyone had received their provisions, Ludwig once again approached him. "Well, I've done all I could. I wish you all the best of luck." He said to them.
"Thank you, Ludwig." Said Laurence, sharing a smile with him as he placed a hand on the stablemaster's shoulder, a gesture that he returned in kind. As this happened, Lady Maria approached them, with her white horse in tow.
"We will have to get moving soon. I'm assuming that we are to leave our horses with you?" She said to Ludwig.
"That is correct. We'll take them back to our stables and house them until your return. I will see that they are treated well." The stablemaster replied.
"Very well." Maria held out the reins of her horse to him and upon accepting them, she turned in order to stroke the animal's neck and mane. "Be good, Siegward." She softly said, with the animal bringing its head closer to her as a response to the affection. Though she remained composed, it was clear that she parted from her steed with a heavy heart.
She would eventually allow Ludwig to lead Siegward away, after which he finger-whistled to get the attention of his men.
"Right then, you all know what you have to do! These horses need a place to stay while their masters are away and we're going to provide it! Remember, that these just aren't any horses, so handle them with great care!" In turn, several men came down from the carriages and moved to claim one of the horses from the knights, who dutifully handed over the reins. As Laurence watched this unfold, he turned to look at Lady Maria, who was still looking as Ludwig led her horse away.
"Worry not, my lady. They're in good hands." He assured her, causing her to turn towards him.
"I'm sure." She didn't sound entirely convinced, not that it really mattered.
"Oh, but never mind that. We must move on." Maria then said.
"Of course. Where do we go from here?" He asked her.
"Down this way." She pointed to a nearby staircase, which seemed to lead into a building right next to the bridge. "There's a path that will take us to a lift and beyond that, another bridge just past the aqueduct; that will take us where we need to go."
"The Tomb of Oedon." Laurence concluded for her.
"Indeed. And once we get there, the real journey begins."
Once everyone was ready, Maria and her knights escorted them down into the dimly lit and seemingly abandoned building below, which led to a wide-open area that took them to the lift she had mentioned before. It took several back-and-forth trips before everyone was brought down to the lower level, but once they did, they were able to make their way across the bridge. At this point in the day, the city had all but fallen silent, with the only discernible noise being the steady stream of water from the aqueduct below. But at the same time, one was unlikely to find anyone in this area of the city, even during the busiest hours of the day.
In time, they found themselves entering what could only be described as a graveyard. Tombstones littered the plot of land and at its center, a large ornate structure resembling an obelisk, which was built around a stone statue of a man wearing a cloak and a hood, whose identity was a mystery.
"So, this is the Tomb of Oedon." Laurence said, having never been to this location before.
"Yes. This was where the first Pthumerians descended below and from where the first Yharnamites emerged. There are many other tombs like it, but this one lies at the very center of the network of tunnels that have been carved out below." Maria explained as she approached the structure.
"Yes, yes, very interesting. But how do we get in?" Micolash impudently asked, which made Laurence give him a warning glare.
"Don't be hasty, professor. A seal has been placed on these tombs, one that we must first break if we wish to enter." Lady Maria turned back around and looked over to two of her men.
"Emil. Harold. It is time." Two knights broke away from the group and made their way past her towards the structure. Both of them were carrying a bag that was strung over their shoulder, from which he saw one of them take something out and place it down in front of the monument; after he stepped back, Laurence spotted an object that resembled a chalice, only with what seemed like a human skill carved into the stem instead of a usual bowl.
"Pay attention. This bit's important." Gehrman whispered from behind them.
The next thing that the two knights took out looked to be a handful of withered flowers and after that, a single vial containing a red liquid. The substance in question was of course blood, but it seemed to be of a special variety, for it seemed to be pulsing within its container, as if it were somehow alive.
As all this was happening, Laurence heard a quiet, yet discomforting noise coming from his right. Turning towards it, he found Caryll with her eyes shut, placing a hand to her temple as if she were contending with some sort of headache.
"What is it, Caryll? Are you alright?" He asked in a quiet voice, not wanting to draw any attention to her. Taking notice of him, she opened her eyes, took a deep breath and strengthened herself out.
"I'm fine, it's nothing." She must've known that her answer wasn't all that convincing, but there wasn't much Laurence could do at that moment besides taking her word for it. From the looks of things, the ritual was all but complete.
The knights placed the bundle of withered flowers within the chalice's "mouth" before handing the vial to Lady Maria, who herself approached the monument.
"In the name of the Old Lords, in the name of the true descendants of the Pthumerian line, may the path to the homeland be revealed once more!" Tipping the vial to the side, she let the blood flow out into the chalice's awaiting maw, pouring over the withered flowers as it dripped inside.
At first, nothing happened, but then suddenly, the flowers seemed to revive before their very eyes; after a while, they went into full bloom, revealing a blood-red center surrounded by pale-white petals. Yet almost as soon as it bloomed, the flower disappeared in a bright flash of light and a loud sound that resembled the ringing of a bell. That left only the chalice, with an eerie white mist pouring out of the skull's mouth and eyes.
"Was that it?" He heard Micolash say.
"Yes. It should be ready for use now." Maria replied. Admittedly, the ritual had been far simpler than Laurence expected, but even though it had concluded, he could not see a way for them to reach the labyrinths.
"So, what's next?" He asked Maria, who looked over in his direction.
"Come to me." She said after a brief pause. Slightly taken aback, Laurence looked back to Gehrman, who gave him an affirming nod, after which he decided to comply with the request.
"Now, all you have to do is simply kneel down and hold out your hand to the chalice; after that, wait a few moments and the process should be complete." She explained to him.
"Is it that simple?" "It is that simple." She confirmed.
Laurence then looked down at the chalice. With all the secrecy that surrounded the labyrinths, he would've thought that the process to access them would be a little more complicated than this. But perhaps this simplicity was the very cause for the secrecy. With the correct materials, he hypothesized that just about anyone could make use of them.
In any case, the professor set about following Lady Maria's instructions, kneeling down in front of the chalice and reaching for it, stopping just as his hand was about to touch it. Seconds ticked by and yet nothing happened, which made him wonder whether he was doing something wrong.
"Wait for it." He heard Maria say.
As Laurence continued to wait, he noticed an ethereal white light emerging from the ground around him and very soon, he found himself being enveloped in it. In an instant, he felt as if he was drifting into a deep sleep - being pulled into another plane of existence as whisperings in a language he couldn't even begin to comprehend erupted around him. The last thing he saw was his hand dematerializing right in front of his eyes, which happened so quickly that panic did not even have time to manifest.
And just like that, he was gone.
...
Laurence's consciousness returned just as suddenly as it had faded, leaving him disorientated as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. A simple glance confirmed that he was no longer in the Tomb of Oedon. Instead, he found himself in a wide corridor, with a thick layer of sand on the floor and roots growing over the walls. The air was thick and humid, accompanied by what seemed to be a steady wind, blowing sand across the floor and through the air.
Pulling up his hood in order to protect his face and eyes from the blowing sand, the professor attempted to rise to his feet, which resulted in him experiencing a sudden rush of vertigo. He stumbled over and leaned against a nearby pedestal in order to regain his composure. If he had to describe it, he felt much like one would when one was suddenly roused from sleep, leaving their body to slowly adjust to the change.
Except, he hadn't been sleeping, had he? Truth be told, he wasn't quite sure what had happened to him.
As some semblance of normalcy returned to him, Laurence heard something coming from behind him; that same ethereal sound he had heard back in the Tomb. Turning around, he found several rays of bright white light – just like the ones that had enveloped them in the Tomb of Oedon – had started rising from the ground. Only a second later, a figure appeared within this sphere of light and almost instantly rose to their full height. This was of course Lady Maria, who looked around the room before her eyes settled on him.
"So, you made it." She said.
"You sound disappointed." He noted.
"Not at all." For the next few seconds neither of them said anything, during which she seemed to take note of his predicament. "Feeling lightheaded?"
"Just a bit, but I should be right as rain soon enough." Laurence couldn't help but notice that she didn't seem affected by the same ailments and if she was, she was hiding them rather well. Still, her question suggested familiarity with this 'side-effect' of the process.
"What happened, exactly?" He asked her.
"We broke the labyrinth seal, or bypassed it, anyway. My ancestors left them in place to ensure that whatever or whoever still dwelled here could not escape; the ritual like the one you just witnessed was their way to ensure we could still return while keeping the seals in place."
"I see." That still left one question. "But if that's the case, how are we meant to leave?"
"Behind you." Laurence once again turned to find that the pedestal he had used to support his weight was actually a sort of altar, which was located at the base of a stone carving depicted several robed figures, each with a somewhat ghoulish expression. Somehow, it was also decorated with several burning candles.
"This altar serves as a link to the chalice we left in the Tomb of Oedon. So long as it's active, we may use this altar to transport us back above ground." Maria briefly explained as she came to stand beside him.
"And how long will that be?" "Fret not. As long as it isn't removed from its spot, we will be able to leave at any time." Laurence turned his gaze towards her, more than aware of why she chose to frame her answer this way.
"Good. Then we won't have to rush things." He replied. Silence once again settled over the sandy room, during which no one else was transported inside.
"Speaking of which, when can we expect the others to get here?" He had expected them to start turning up as they spoke, but so far, it was still just him and her.
"Oh, well, you see, the problem with this method is that it can only transport one person at a time. And while the process may've felt almost instantaneous for you, it…may take a minute or two for the process to conclude." She sounded none too pleased to reveal this, a feeling that Laurence immediately found he shared.
"Wonderful…" He groaned, which made Maria smile.
"Yes. I advise that you make yourself comfortable. We will be here for a while." She said to him.
"Don't worry. I think I have a way to pass the time." Laurence took off his knapsack and set it down on the ground beside him in order to lessen the load. After this was done, he dug into his personal satchel and took out his journal, as well as a pencil. Looking back up, he saw Lady Maria still standing by the altar, eyeing him with a curious look.
"Um…excuse me." She raised a brow at him.
"Excuse me?" Lady Maria sounded more confused than offended.
"I just want a good look at the altar and well…" He motioned to the side with his pencil. "I'm going to have to ask that you stand aside." She appeared rather surprised by this request, which momentarily made Laurence think that he stepped out of line.
"Oh. Of course, by all means." Maria eventually replied, stepping off to the side and motioning for him to come over. Nodding his thanks, Laurence approached the altar and started carefully looking it over in detail before turning his gaze down to his journal and preparing his pencil.
"Do you intend to take notes?" He heard Maria ask from off to the side, who had by now brandished what looked like a saber.
"Something of the sort. But they're…visual notes, so to speak." He replied.
"You mean to say you're going to draw it." She said after a brief silence, motioning to the altar with her weapon.
"Are you warning me against it?" Laurence said with something of a smirk on his face, meeting her eyes after looking at her weapon, which made her produce a smile of her own.
"Not at all. Have at it." Maria's attention turned to her weapon, which she started to clean with a piece of cloth, which allowed Laurence to turn his own attention back to the altar.
Putting the pencil to the page, the professor started drawing a rough outline of the carved image above the altar, which depicted what looked like a group of hooded figures looking up at the heavens. From what he understood, similar images could be found at the altars in other parts of the Labyrinths that Byrgenwerth's scholars had been allowed to visit in the past, but no one had yet to decipher who these carvings were meant to represent.
"Do you do this sort of thing often? Drawing, I mean." Maria suddenly asked him, breaking his focus.
"When I have the time." He said with a shrug. "It helps take my mind off things, though I can't really say I'm much good at it."
"I am in no position to make a judgement on that." Maria said as she continued to clean her weapon. Speaking of which, he noticed that the saber he had seen earlier was somehow connected to another smaller blade.
Well, this was certainly an interesting situation he was in, Laurence thought. Making small talk about his hobbies in an ancient ruin, with a knight, no less. Still, perhaps he should just turn his attention back to his drawing. Or maybe…
"Nor am I in a position to judge the quality of your weapon. Even so, it is of a rather…interesting make." He commented. Her weapon was the first thing that sprang to mind when thinking of a way to continue the conversation, which he decided to go along with.
"I did not design the weapon. I merely wield it." Was her reply, which seemed to suggest she recognized the peculiarity of her choice in arms.
"To great effect, I would presume." Laurence said as he continued his drawing, though this did not stop him from noticing Maria's head turn back towards him.
"You will see for yourself soon enough." He smiled to himself upon hearing this, but kept his attention on his sketch.
"Though, I see you've tried to come prepared yourself." He quickly realized that she was referring to the dagger that Gehrman had given him earlier that day, whose sheath was now attached to his belt.
"Oh, you mean this?" Laurence said as he took hold of the dagger's handle. "I was told it would be a good idea to bring something like it along."
"Perhaps. But I'm going to have to ask that you refrain from any heroics, for your own sake." There was a hint of warning in her voice, which he supposed was to be expected.
"By all means, my lady. I shall leave the heavy lifting to you."
With that, he finally turned his attention back to his sketch and likewise left Lady Maria to her own devices. He recognized that this was the calm before the storm; once everyone had joined them, they would set out and be confronted with the dangers that lurked within this ancient and all but forgotten land. Only time would tell whether they could weather this storm, but either way, they first had to face it.
...
Author's Notes: Well, so much for me sticking to a schedule.
I hope you'll forgive some of the sloppiness in this chapter; this is my first time writing a story with a full ensemble cast, so I'm just not used to keeping track of more than three characters in a story, much less having a few dozen of them sharing a scene together. Still, I think I'll get used to it the longer I spend with this story, so just consider this chapter and the handful that follow as an experiment of sorts.
All that said, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and will bear with me as I work on the next one. I'm unfortunately dealing with some personal stuff at the moment, but hopefully, everything will sort itself out in time.