For the dungeon coming up, I'm taking a hefty amount of inspiration from the dungeon, Haukke Manor, in Final Fantasy 14. That includes creatures and lore. While I've altered it slightly, the inspiration is heavily saturated with it. Consider this a disclaimer. Also, to all those who've left these glowing reviews, thank you so much. That's the coal that keeps the furnace burning. I hope I can continue to put out content worthy of such praise.
Chapter 14
Finn looked really tired. It took only a second to notice that he didn't have any of his armor on, his hat was missing, and his side was bleeding. The young man leaned against the doorway, "It's... kinda late, though. I had a really long day and-"
Phoebe, while she did feel a little pain for the hero, the feeling was lost in her caffeinated haze. "But, Finn," she whined, "I'm never gonna burn off all this energy doing things that can be done around the house."
Finn rolled his eye, and a small, tired smile graced his features, "I could think of a few things."
There was a pause between both of them. While Finn meant it seriously, Phoebe's face lit up with a blush. This indicated to Finn that, while he may not know what he said, he said something weird. "I meant that I would think of something with you," he deadpanned.
Yet another silence permeated the air. Crickets chirped, the wind blew, but Phoebe did not move. The caffeine in her system sped up her thoughts to a point where she couldn't even focus on them. So, she just grabbed Finn's wrist to drag him along, but let go when he yelped in pain. Phoebe looked to his other wrist and noticed the absence of the relic.
"Sorry 'bout that," she looked away awkwardly.
Finn waved the apology away. Burns were more akin to bumping into one another nowadays, so there was no need to blow it up. "Come on in and relax while I get ready," Finn stepped aside and motioned her in.
In the midst of all of her rapidly processed thoughts, Phoebe managed to grasp at some of them passing by. Finn's house is so cool. I wonder if he has a room full of swords. Where's his bedroom at? Does Jake have his own room?
Then, she landed on the subject of Finn himself. He wasn't as roundabout in his mannerisms as he used to be. It was almost weird how different things seemed to be. Yesterday, they were two ignorant kids, trying to figure out who they were. Now?
Well, she didn't even know.
It seemed as though they both grew into what they were supposed to be, but was this always the end game? Her, a queen and him, a hero? It drew her thoughts to the different paths they could have taken. Thoughts that had to wait, because Finn came back. The chainmail was missing, but he still wore the small bit of mysterious metal over his heart, he had his backpack and the relic on.
His hat was missing, but this was apparently her cue to grab him by the arm and drag him out the door before he could grab it. Finn groaned miserably and just went with it. "Do you even have a place for us to go?" he asked.
"Not really," Phoebe answered confidently, "I was hoping you had somewhere in mind."
"Not really," Finn echoed, "All I've had time to do today was work and save folks."
Finn sighed. This could be worse, he thought, I could've been dragged around by someone I don't like. It did little to console his fatigue-addled mind, and he began spacing out. Phoebe was still in one of her many dresses, he noticed, and they were in the woods now. As her dress snagged on the various vines and bunches of branches, she paid it little mind.
As they caught her in their wooden grip, she simply tore it free again. Each small rip from the dress dispersed into flame and disappeared in the night. Finn occasionally had to snuff out the flames while Phoebe wasn't looking. When some began burning higher branches, he found that the relic was made useful when he could simply use his hand. It was around this time Finn realized Phoebe was no longer holding onto his wrist, but his hand now.
His cheeks burned. His sleepiness momentarily disappeared. Jogged from his thoughts, he focused on Phoebe's voice. "So what happened today? Seems like a lot," she said.
"A lot. First, PB called me up to save some candy people, and I did that," he yawned, and slowly descended into a rant, "But, then there was this Ent who was bothering some Grassland peeps. I guess he didn't realize that their trees weren't Huorns? I dunno. Next thing I know, I turn around and some more Candy People were getting in trouble.
"I end up needing to save both them and the Banana Guards. Water Nymphs' river was running dry, panic over traveling Fire Elementals, Ice King being Ice King. Ugh, and on top of all of that I come back home to see the Treefort absolutely covered in glass ivy."
"Glass ivy?" Phoebe asked, "What's that?"
"It's like regular ivy, but it's made out of really shiny, really sharp crystal. It's usually clear, but the stuff around the Treefort was green. Weird."
"Sounds like a rough day," she replied.
Again, Phoebe's dress caught on the brush and vines, and again, she tore it without a second thought. Finn huffed and put out the fires with his hands, "I probably shouldn't complain, though. I dunno anymore. Whenever I try to vent to PB, she kinda shuts me down."
Phoebe hopped over a fallen tree, skip still in her step, "I notice that Bonnibel has a habit of that. She's really closed herself off to others' advice."
"Right?!" Finn threw his hands up, "It drives me up the wall when she cuts me off when I'm trying to improve safety in the kingdom."
Before either of them could take it any further, they came upon a clearing. The eerie light from the moon gave life to the barren circle. A single bench with a man sitting on it was placed near the other end of the clearing. Side by side, they stood. Silence permeated the air and it was thick like a gel.
They laid eyes on the elf. His hair gray and his face angular, he was dressed head to toe in some manner of tuxedo. He turned to them. Shivers ran up their spines, but neither knew if it was the night chill or the gaze of the man. "Hello, my children," the man said.
Slowly, they approached him. His voice seemed warm with a tinge of an accent, but his face remained stoic, "Are you lost, my children?"
Finn shook his head. "We're," he yawned widely, "adventurers in search of folks in need."
"I see," he replied, "Then, perhaps, you could be of some assistance to me."
It was at this particular moment that Phoebe decided that she would not only vault directly over Finn, but she would also use his shoulders for leverage. This ended with Phoebe in the man's face and with Finn on the ground. With a small "why me," Finn got up as Phoebe, with a wide smile, said, "We'll help you in any way we can!"
A small smile showed the lines on his face, "My name is Haurchefant. I was once the proud butler for House Báthory. My mistress is a kind, beautiful woman. But, one day, the estate was overgrown by glass ivy. It came during the night, and by morning, it was so thick that we were trapped.
"Days passed and food began to run low. They sent me out to get them food. It was dangerous, and I did not escape without injury."
Haurchefant raised his arm to show an empty sleeve. "I stay here to send them food. But, it has been many weeks. I fear for their lives. Are you skilled, my children?" he asked, "I would not live another day knowing I've sent you to your deaths."
Finn waved him off. Another yawn, "I can handle glass ivy. Where's this place?"
"Follow the trail north. Less than five minutes and you'll be upon it," Haurchefant's shimmering, red eyes hazed with some unspoken emotion, "Do be careful."
With a big thumbs up from Finn and wave from Phoebe, they took to the path. It didn't take too long for the small patches of ivy to begin to thicken and cover the other plant life. Soon, it crunched under their feet. The path opened up to an old, rusted iron gate. Beyond that, sat on the top of a small hill, was the estate.
It was a large, looming giant of a building made of stone and stained glass. Beautiful as it was, it was consumed by glass ivy. Even with the setting moon, the dying light cast the green color over the trees, the grass, and the approaching pair. Finn locked fingers and stretched his arms above his head, yawning. "You ready for this?" he asked.
"Yup," she replied, "Geez, we better get in and out. You look like you're ready to drop dead."
Finn hummed in response. They got closer to the gate. A single padlock and chain, both terribly rusted, bound the gate shut. Finn craned his head up and groaned. He simply took the lock in his hand.
The rust was thick enough and the lock felt brittle. With a rough yank, it broke in Finn's hand. Phoebe stifled a laugh, "If you're too tired to climb over, I could've just melted the bars."
An amused smile crossed his face and he shrugged, "Meh."
Phoebe covered her mouth with her hand as she giggled. Both of them were silent. When they came to the front doors of the estate, they found it sealed shut by the sharp ivy. Finn took his sword in his hand, reeled back, and brought the pommel smashing into the ivy. A fair bit of the it had been smashed away.
A few more hits and there was a sizable hole in the ivy. Backing away, he motioned for Phoebe. With a confident expression, she cracked her knuckles and burned a hole in the wood. "After you, good Sir Knight," she said with a titter.
Finn chuckled and shook his head, "Very well, milady."
That was nickname Phoebe hadn't heard in a long time. And she swore that, for a moment, she saw him smile at her like he did back then. But, he wasn't. She realized she was just staring goofily at his back. With an inward groan, she thought, I don't need this now.
As far as Finn was concerned, he was trying to make himself as not-there as possible. He had been tired enough to let that name slip. Maybe if I ignore it, it'll go away. To try and help take his mind off of it, he took in his surroundings like he had in a thousand places before. Not a detail was overlooked.
The room was lit up by a massive stained glass window above the entrance. Its colorfully patterned pane swirled and danced on the floor and against the ivy. The ivy was so reflective and colorful, it was disorienting. It nearly covered everything, from the shambled chairs and tables, to the cracked tile floors, to the ruined alabaster pillars lining the hall. The pillars themselves held up the second floor, which looked more like a balcony wrapped around the edge of the room.
Toward the end of the room were two stairways on opposite sides. Between them was a small, sturdy-looking wooden door on the back wall. Above it, on the second floor, was another door. It was a great deal larger and more intricate than the one below. "Think that's where they are?" Finn asked.
Before Phoebe could answer, screams and banging could be heard from behind the wooden door. Finn sprinted to it, "Come on!"
He kicked the door in, and behind it? Nothing. It was an empty stairwell that seemed to descend into nothing. The ivy crawling over every surface only added to the fright. "Okay," Finn placed a hand on Phoebe's shoulder, "We're doing this."
Yes, Finn. We're doing this.
