Descending down from the main floor of the castle to the dungeon proved itself to be quiet save for the echoes resulting from Cedric's steps. When he reached the end of the staircase, his shoes made contact with the cold, stone floor. Stepping into the dungeon made Cedric feel uneasy. The particular chill was familiar to the one roaming the space of Enchancia's dungeon and reminded him of the time he had been sentenced to a cell. Although it hadn't been long, the musty and chilled feel stuck with him in his memories.
The Rudistan dungeon was dark, lit mainly by torches hung on the stone, brick walls. Cedric soon realized the amount of stone there was in the space. It almost reminded him of his workshop, despite the slight difference in coloring and, obviously, shape. There was a short pathway forward with little to see but a small, barred window. The window was built on a long wall that extended to the right and out of Cedric's line of sight.
Seeing no one guarding the entrance of the dungeon, the sorcerer pressed on. Cedric stopped in his tracks at the end of the short path, peering around the corner and seeing a long line of cells. There did not seem to be a guard in the room from what he could so far see, giving him an uneasy feeling. Surely the dungeon wasn't left empty all of the time. There had to be castle guards ordered to be on the lookout for trouble, or at the very least checking up on the space
Hesitantly, Cedric walked down the pathway, consistently glancing at both sides of himself for any sign of Greylock's presence. He figured that soon enough, through the bars of many cells, he would find the other sorcerer. Many of the prisoners were asleep within their confines, although there were a handful of others who were still awake. Throughout Cedric's walking, there had been two separate individuals who made direct attempts to speak out to him, both of which he chose to ignore. He did not feel it necessary to deal with their comments or questions on the reasoning for his business inside the dungeon.
The dungeon in Rudistan proved itself to be larger than the one in Enchancia. As Cedric reached the end of the line of cells, having not seen the other sorcerer, he realized that there was a second corner. He peered around it momentarily to see that, as presumed, there were even more cells lining the similar path. Cedric focused his glance to the end of the walkway, not seeing a third corner. Figuring that this bunch was the rest of the cells, he proceeded onward.
A sketchy scene he failed to notice beforehand was now directly below him at his right. The tip of his shoe pressed against a castle guard laying asleep on the stone floor. Cedric jumped back and emitted a sudden loud noise of surprise, quickly covering his mouth. He stared down at the scene, wide-eyed, and noticed there was a glass flask resting loosely in the guard's hand. Beside his hand was a metal ring containing many keys of similar appearance. Most recognizable now was the cell door that was cracked open without a person inside.
The particular key for the door was kept in its lock, left by the person who had opened it, the other keys hanging on the connected ring. Cedric inhaled through his teeth at the scene. To him, the way the sleeping guard was resting beside the open cell with the keys off of his person made this seem like a bad case of bribery.
Cedric ultimately chose to ignore the situation and snuck past the guard, pulling the side of his robe up as he stepped over the stranger. The guard made a sudden snore noise, making Cedric freeze up at the sound. He looked behind himself and down at the man. The guard's head shifted to the side, but he did not wake. Cedric sighed in relief and quickly moved away, being sure to remain at a pace where he could still focus on the cell occupants.
Around halfway through the hallway, he still saw no signs of Greylock. He was also beginning to see more empty cells that did not contain prisoners. The number of cells he had passed without sight of the sorcerer made Cedric wonder if perhaps Greylock was not in the dungeon after all. Regardless, he did not stop his search.
As the Enchancian walked, he began to notice the light sound of his footsteps was not the only consistent noise in the space. It seemed for a bit as though they were in unison with his footsteps, but became more noticeable to him once the two noises were executed at different times. Cedric stopped for a moment and listened to the repetitive sound.
"What's that noise?" He asked himself, speaking quietly under his breath. He could tell that it was coming from somewhere up ahead on the left-hand side. Cedric gripped his family wand tighter before continuing, focusing closer now on the particular bounce-like noise. The cells he passed as he approached were either bare or silent.
The sound grew much more apparent the further Cedric walked, and soon it began to remain at the same noise level. It was not loud by any means, although with the dungeon being relatively quiet, it was much easier to pick up on. Cedric looked to his right to see another empty cell. On his left, not only did he find the source of the repetitive noise, but Greylock himself.
The Enchancian gasped at the sight of the sorcerer he had been looking for. Greylock was laying atop the cell's wooden board, the wood and its protruding corners chained to the longer, back wall. There was a pillow at one end, his arm wedged at an angle between his head and the pillow. Greylock had one foot flat on the opposite end of the board, his other leg crossed over it as he played with a stringed paddle ball held in his spare hand. Although he seemed focused on the game, he did not appear to be pleased.
Cedric shifted slightly after having watched the other man's behavior for a short-lived moment. His presence in front of the cell must not have been noticed. He felt his chest give one single stinging pulse from his increasing anxiety as he brought a loose fist up toward his mouth. Cedric made a small display of clearing his throat, quickly looking away but glancing back shortly after. Still, he was not noticed by the other man. He slumped slightly at his failed attempt, putting a finger up slightly as he decided to speak. "G-Greylock?" He tried, staring through the bars.
His voice seemed to have picked up the other sorcerer's attention, as he turned his head to the side at hearing his name called by a familiar voice. Greylock was taken by surprise at seeing Cedric standing there, his motions stopping while his arm froze. The strung ball attached to the wooden paddle swung gently as it hung down.
Quickly readjusting himself, Greylock sat up in the middle of the board while placing the toy down beside him. His eyes were wide with an open mouth. "What- I- Cedric?" He started, springing up from the board and quickly walking over to the bars.
Cedric was taken aback by his quick reaction and took a small step backward. "Yes, erm…. hello," He said in an attempt to better greet him. He hadn't the slightest idea of what to say to Greylock now. He only hoped for a reply he could work with.
Luckily, Greylock seemed to have a bundle of questions on his mind at the moment. "This is- well, I- I wasn't at all expecting… what are you doing here?" He tried, his question glaringly clear compared to all his other words.
"Well, I'm- I'm here to see you, as you can tell," Cedric began, unease glazing his composure. The look Greylock displayed felt as though it were egging him on to continue. He shifted in place a bit before adding, "M-My king and the rest of the royal family were invited here to see your kingdom. There's talk of trading discussions that will be happening tomorrow, as well."
"Oh, dear. Don't tell me you're getting the tour," Greylock groaned with an unamused expression.
Cedric noticed the behavior but did not find he was all too puzzled by it. "Um- yes, actually. It seemed quite long, and overall..,"
"Dreadful beyond comprehension?" Greylock finished, a mocking distaste in his voice. Cedric stopped himself from continuing after the reply and simply stood there. Greylock folded his arms and leaned with his right arm onto the bars. "When I was the royal sorcerer of this kingdom, King Magnus insisted I walk beside him for a great portion of his tours," He stated.
The 'was' from Greylock quickly confirmed Cedric's wonders about if Greylock was still the royal sorcerer or not. "He did?" The Enchancian questioned. The king hadn't seemed to be in need of a sorcerer during the tour they had been given. He did not understand why King Magnus would have required Greylock's recurring help. "What is it he needed you for?" He asked.
"Typically, he'd require a few small displays of magic throughout his gloating. His requirements of my magic were relatively spaced out, which meant I had to stay throughout the majority of each one." Greylock said. "Aside from the magic and good words he had me put in for him, I was just another trophy he got to show off." He scoffed before looking up at the other sorcerer. "You wouldn't believe how long King Magnus can yap on and on about himself," He added.
Cedric hummed in a similar distaste. "I believe I have a good idea of it," He said. He wasn't at all used to hearing Greylock annoyed like this, although he couldn't blame him when they were speaking of King Magnus.
Greylock also picked up on his tone and cleared his throat. "I apologize. I don't mean to speak in such resentful ways towards the king like this to you." He said.
"No, that's…it's alright," Cedric assured. "I did wish to speak to you about yourself and the king, actually. It's part of why I came down here," He stated.
"Is that so?"
"It is," Cedric confirmed. "Some of the recent happenings King Magnus has just explained have felt rather skewed." He said.
Greylock nodded at the observation. "Yes, I'm sure of it." He agreed.
"I suppose your reputation isn't what it once was," Cedric said. Of course it isn't, He thinks after speaking, although there were already a couple of factors that came to mind about how Greylock's reputation had changed in the castle.
"I should prefer for you not to know half of what goes on behind closed doors, but I suppose it's important to bring King Magnus' distasteful reputation to light," Greylock admitted. "He's an incredibly selfish man, and certainly not fit to rule this kingdom. Anyone who works in this castle knows it one way or another. But the people often think, 'Who are we to argue back with his way of ruling?'" He added.
"So no one stands up for what's right?" Cedric asked. He could believe it- he hardly stood up for himself when it came to King Roland's past of getting on him about every little thing. And in Enchancia's case, their kingdom favored the king. Cedric could readily admit that Roland was a far better king than King Magnus, despite King Roland's imperfections.
"Stand up like that In front of our king? Absolutely not," Greylock rejected. "Most of us would not do as much as voice our disagreements to him. It's well known that King Magnus could easily find a replacement for those who dare step too far out of line." He stated, letting out a sigh. Cedric gave a monotone hum during the silence before the other continued.
"After all I've done for this kingdom behind closed doors, I've still wound up in the dungeon." Greylock lamented. Although he turned his face to the side, his expression was an unmistakable frown as he lowered himself to the floor, sitting down with his legs crossed. For the sake of his own dignity, he chose not to meet Cedric's gaze. "I quite enjoyed the title I held, you know. 'Greylock the Grand' has a tasteful ring to it, but it appears it is no longer mine." He said, folding one hand atop the other in his lap. Admitting such a fate in words of his own to Cedric felt demeaning. A pathetic feeling settled with him as he went on. "If there was any title I couldn't have guessed I'd be labeled as, it would be 'Greylock the Traitor'."
"That's… what they're calling you now?" Cedric inquired with more hesitance. It was rare for him to see Greylock in such a vulnerable state as a whole, let alone with a vulnerable mind. There was a pause in speech, although Cedric took the silent moment to sink down onto his knees, getting back on the other man's level. He had not responded, prompting the Enchancian to speak. "Surely you aren't called that nearly as much as you think." He said.
"I should hope not," Greylock replied, "But King Magnus insists upon it!" He added.
Cedric put his wand away into his sleeve and crossed his arms. "Well, I'll have you know that throughout our visit today, I haven't heard one person address you as such. Not one. Even when King Magnus was going on about you, he hadn't." The Enchancian stated, examining the other's expression. It hadn't changed much, really- not that Cedric expected he would be cheerful.
Greylock did not respond with a sentence, although Cedric did happen to hear a quiet 'hm' come from the other man.
There was a moment of silence between the two. Greylock's gaze took up the floor as a suitable sight; he could hardly bare looking at his friend now. Cedric began to notice how Greylock avoided looking back at him and could feel a sense of shame coming from the other.
"I still think you're a grand sorcerer, you know," Cedric finally said, breaking the silence between them.
Greylock glanced up at the words, finally looking back at Cedric. Their eyes locked for a short-lived moment as Greylock opened his mouth partially, unsure of just how to respond. He hadn't heard any form of praise from anyone in some time, and it seemed to him that Cedric knew that. He certainly knew that feeling very well.
"Do you mean it?" Greylock asked.
"As much of an idiot as you are, yes," Cedric confirmed. "If-if that accounts for anything," He added in more of a mumble while looking away, hesitantly removing his hand from the bar. He wasn't one to be all that sentimental, although that was no secret. If anything, it seemed to make his comment even more meaningful.
"More than you know," Greylock said, repositioning himself onto his knees while quickly reaching his arm out. He grabbed hold of Cedric's retreating hand between the bars.
Cedric glanced down at his gloved hand being held. By instinct, he felt like pulling it away, although there was something inside of him thinking to allow the gesture. He knew that Greylock had been too long without anyone to lend him a hand (and, in this case, literally so). He tried to ignore the touch and looked back up at the other.
"Right, then…" Cedric continued, slight unease apparent in his voice. "I want to help make things right, Greylock, but you must be willing to…"
Whatever Cedric was saying now, Greylock had partially tuned out; he was instead focused intently on his hand gripping Cedric's. Feeling the simple touch of another person made him feel a sense of humanity that had otherwise been scarce for him while doing time.
And Cedric's hand felt so nice to hold…
The thought lingered for a moment before Greylock's eyes widened. "Wait a moment," He began suddenly, thinking back on his current situation, "What if you were to free me?"
"W-What?" Cedric stammered, pulling back slightly.
Greylock looked up at him after noticing the repulsion. "I-I mean, you will let me get out of here, right?" Greylock asked, hopefulness glazing his words despite his worry about Cedric's short response. "This dreaded dungeon is far too gloomy, and I desperately long for a chance to be set free." He added, focusing on the other.
Cedric quickly grew anxious at the request- and had Greylock even heard him? "Come now, Greylock, surely you know the dangers in that!" He chastised, "Do you have any idea how much trouble I could get in?"
"You got your freedom, Cedric. I only wish for mine, as well!" Greylock pleaded.
Cedric was baffled by the request- he did not understand how Greylock thought he could get away with breaking out of jail with his help. And the information the other sorcerer had given about his situation so far was certainly not enough to convince him to go through with such a plan.
"Why did you take part in Grimtrix's plan, Greylock?" Cedric suddenly asked.
Greylock was taken aback by the question. "A-Are you referring to-"
"The Order of the Wand, yes," Cedric confirmed. "I want you to tell me exactly why you joined it, and do not lie to me," He stated.
Greylock hesitated. He looked as though he were trying to come up with a response. Cedric took the short moment of silence into account and wondered if he was coming up with a lie. He scowled. "Don't you even think of it," Cedric warned.
Greylock glanced back at hearing the tone. He sighed at the other man's look of skepticism. "I have no wishes to be untruthful with you," Greylock claimed. "And first of all, I had nothing but good intentions for the kingdom, as difficult as they were to make in the first place." He said.
"I don't follow," Cedric said, folding his arms.
"Come now, surely you've seen the wrongs here, haven't you?" Greylock started.
Cedric stood in silence. For the most part, he couldn't quite say he had. Not on his own, that is. Rudistan was a bit further away from Enchancia than a few of the other kingdoms, which King Roland often used in the past as an excuse to avoid visiting. Not only that, but there was not much in Rudistan that Cedric had ever felt he would need to take a visit for.
"As much as King Magnus enjoys bragging about himself and his accomplishments, the kingdom isn't as smooth sailing as he'd like you to think," Greylock stated. "There are countless flaws- some of which he doesn't see, and others he simply refuses to fix." He added, folding his arms.
Greylock paused for a moment before sighing again. He looked at Cedric. "This kingdom deserves a new ruler. Someone who keeps others' interests in mind rather than all their own." He stated. His eyes changed a bit and his expression softened. "Of course, as I mentioned, no one dares challenge the king on his ways of ruling during any regular occasion- nor myself. But I couldn't refuse Grimtrix's plan, it felt too good to be true. I saw a chance to provide change for my kingdom, and… well, I took it." He continued, his eye contact growing faulty.
Cedric took into account Greylock's overall body language. He could certainly understand where he was coming from in terms of what his intentions had been. A part of him even felt as though he could relate his own experiences. Though in Greylock's case, his intentions were set on assuring the good of his kingdom, whereas Cedric had planned to take over his own kingdom in means to gain power and respect.
Greylock noticed the other man's change in expression and stepped closer. "I'm on your side, Cedric. I plead you set me free!"
"This is a terrible idea, Greylock, you should know that!" Cedric argued, folding his arms with his nose up toward the ceiling. "Really, the amount of trouble I could end up in is-"
"Enough of that! You could get in a heap of trouble for simply being down here!" Greylock shot back. "Do I really need to remind you of what you've already risked?" He asked.
Cedric looked back at him with a scowl. "I'm not an idiot, I know what I've done to get here!" He stated, his chest puffed as his arms fell at his sides. "You think they wouldn't notice your absence? That something would be off around here?" He questioned, leaning closer.
"Well, I..," Greylock confidently started but quickly came to a pause. He wasn't quite sure how to respond to the question. The moment a thought came to him, he gave a quick shake of his head and continued. "Y-you have your wand, don't you? If you have magic, I'm sure we can think of something!"
Cedric gave a false smile that was paired with a humored hum. "Yes, well, 'can't do much with magic if we don't have any bright ideas, now can we?" He asked, his voice deepening as his smile strained.
"Whatever ideas we think of, I'm sure you could do it," Greylock insisted. "Your ability with magic is strong, I've seen it!" He added.
Cedric's face changed to one of skepticism at the other man's statement. He stood up straight and turned to the side with a hand on his hip. "Of course I could do it," He stated, looking at the other man with a side-eye.
"So show me," Greylock encouraged. Cedric looked back at him with wide eyes at the response, leaving the other questioning the ways in which his comments were working.
"I… Oh, I don't know!" Cedric whined. He found this all overwhelming to decide. His free hand moved up toward his head. He sighed as the palm rested on his temple.
This is not what I had in mind! Cedric thought to himself. There's a mound of trouble that this could land the two of us in, and Greylock is completely undermining those risks! Although I suppose he was right in pointing out how far I've already come…
Cedric figured that if he were to go back now and leave Greylock to stay in the dungeon, he would have an unshakable feeling of guilt on his shoulders. He knew that Greylock was not truly evil- he was more of an annoying show-off at best.
Greylock felt a wave of discomfort at the silence that followed the other man's response. "Please, can't you do this for me?" He pleaded, wrapping one hand around a bar in front of him. "If you help me, I would be so grateful, a-and I promise I'll make it worth your while!" He tried, only hoping Cedric would be convinced to help him. He found himself paying attention to practically every gesture, expression, and behavioral change the other sorcerer made.
Cedric let his hands drop back to his side. He turned back to properly face Greylock, glancing at the hopeful man for a moment before rolling his eyes. "You're absolutely pathetic like this, I'll have you know..."
Greylock's heart sank at the comment. While taking note of Cedric's expression, his own quickly turned worrisome. He gulped. "I… I'm sure, but I'm doing all that I can-"
"-This has got to be the riskiest favor I've done for someone in a long time." Cedric continued, putting his hands on his hips.
The other sorcerer found himself frozen for a few seconds before he could entirely process the sudden transition. As soon as the realization hit, his expression quickly turned to one of relief as a smile came to him.
Cedric saw the way Greylock's face changed, and he too wore a faint smile. He put a finger out. "Wait here," He said, maintaining eye contact for a second more while quietly rushing off.
Greylock took a step back as the other man left. He looked down at his feet, then around at his surroundings within the confines of his cell. "...You got it," He replied, knowing his response probably went unheard. As Cedric went out of sight, Greylock moved back close to the bars. He grabbed them, pulling himself close and putting his face up close to the bars to see all he could. He watched intently as Cedric rushed away, soon leaving his sight once more. Greylock could only hope that his leg wasn't being pulled- what cruel irony that would be. It was entirely possible for the sorcerer to rush away and leave him alone in the dungeon. Greylock knew that, and the thought admittedly worried him.
His worries about this diminished as he heard a soft and quick clacking sound growing closer. Sure enough, Cedric returned to the other side of the bars, holding a bundle of keys pressed close together around a metal ring.
"I don't suppose you'd know which of these dozens of keys unlocks the door?" Cedric inquired, holding the metal ring up.
"They all have different engravings on them," Greylock informed. He reached his hand between the bars and pointed towards the flat metal around the cell's keyhole. "There should be a key with an engraving that matches the code on the cell." He explained.
Cedric leaned towards the keyhole and bent over to find the code. Squinting his eyes, he noticed a small printed code on the metal. He brought the ring of keys up toward his chest and stared down at them, flipping through each one until he found the matching code. He checked the code on the cell a second time to confirm they were the same.
"This is the one," Cedric told Greylock, holding up the particular key tight between his fingers while the other keys hung.
Greylock looked relieved at the match. "Oh, splendid!" He said, glad that the key did not take too much searching to find in the bundle.
"Right, then," Cedric started, putting the key up towards the lock. He hesitated, stopping himself. His arm fell slightly, Greylock's expression matching. He looked up at the other sorcerer in confusion.
"W-Why are you hesitating?" Greylock asked, growing anxious once more.
Cedric's eyes met with his. "How are we going to cover this up?" He questioned.
Greylock knew what he meant. He hummed, placing his arms behind himself as his gaze drifted away. "Well… perhaps we could create some sort of replica of myself, or clone- one that would look just like myself." He proposed. He looked back at Cedric to see how the man's eyes lit up at the idea. "You wouldn't happen to know any spells like that, would you?" He asked.
Cedric thought on the idea for a moment. "I… do, actually," He confirmed, remembering a particular spell he had experimented with in the past.
"Oh- Wonderful! Do that!" Greylock eagerly encouraged.
The Enchancian stopped and gave the other man an unpleased stare at the commanding comment, cocking an eyebrow up while folding his arms in distaste.
Greylock quickly caught on and gulped. "Please," He added with a sheepish smile.
"Much better," Cedric said. He went neutral once more. "The spell should work alright. I kept trying to clone Wormwood when I learned it. He wasn't exactly thrilled to be chased around the castle, but my king obtained a few… extra decorations that day." He added sheepishly.
"I would imagine not," Greylock said with a short laugh. "I presume you and your raven are still giving each other trouble?" He asked.
Cedric gave a hum of distaste in response. His brows furrowed slightly. "Not quite," He muttered. Greylock looked sympathetic after the response and would have inquired had Cedric not put his hand up to stop him. "I-I'll explain later if you're curious, but that doesn't matter right now," He stated.
Greylock let his hands fall back by his sides and nodded. "Yes, I suppose you're right," He agreed, instead offering the other a small smile. "Well, I promise not to put up a fuss while you cast the spell."
"I should hope not," Cedric replied with a smirk. "Now move back." He commanded with a wave of his hand. Greylock obliged as Cedric let the particular key rest within its lock, not yet opening it. He prepared his wand while Greylock sat down steadily on his knees. Cedric took a step back himself, pointing his wand at the other sorcerer. His hand shook slightly as he held it up; his worry had been rising the further he went along with Greylock's scandalous plan, and being on the brink of such risks still had him on edge. He saw as Greylock eventually shut his eyes, putting his arms partially out by his sides in invitation. It assured him that the other man was ready to be cast upon, but it also felt like a gentle 'Whenever you feel like casting that spell'.
Cedric gulped, adding his second hand to help steady the family wand. He took a big breath before letting it out, forcing himself to look forward as he nervously the spell.
"Doppler Duplicata!"
A string of magic reached over to the other man as the spell was cast. Greylock shut his eyes tighter as he felt a slight tingle from the spell hitting him. Cedric watched him, frozen in place, until a second form of the sorcerer protruded from his side. Cedric's eyes widened as he watched the copy of Greylock fully duplicate beside the man.
The tingling sensation wore off quickly enough to where Greylock allowed one of his eyes to open. He glanced beside him and gasped at seeing a full-fledged copy of himself right beside him. His eyes were wide as he moved to face the clone- the only difference between himself and his duplicate was that the clone had a deep cyan-colored robe rather than a deep blue one. Greylock blinked in surprise as the clone looked beside himself, locking eye contact with his double. The clone noticed his astonished expression and smirked.
"Like what you see?" He began.
Almost immediately, Greylock felt a wave of humor hit him at the comment. His wide eyes turned to a slight squint, leaning forward slightly and laughing at the comment. The clone winced slightly at the volume but kept a smile.
"Oh, that's me, alright- I would definitely say that!" Greylock commented, chuckling as he looked back up at his clone. "You're just like me- and not simply in terms of looks! You must be the result of some advanced sorcery," He beamed, leaning closer. "I… I can't believe this. Cedric, this spell is remarkable!" He added in awe, looking over at the Enchancian.
Cedric smiled bashfully at the compliments to his sorcery. Like Greylock, he was also taken aback by the spell's result, despite having already known what the spell would do. He was relieved that the spell appeared to have worked exactly how he'd hoped.
"Yes, I suppose it is, isn't it?" He replied, walking back close to the bars.
The clone looked from Greylock to Cedric before surveying his surroundings and looking back at his double. "It seems this is quite the mischievous situation," He commented.
Greylock had a look of unease, but let out a soft chuckle regardless. "I would say so," He agreed.
"Of course you would, I'm you!" The clone replied.
Cedric rolled his eyes at the response.
"How right you are!" Greylock agreed with a laugh. "Now, let's see..," He continued, folding his arms and putting a finger up towards his chin. "I think we ought to give you a different name than my own, or something similar." He stated.
Cedric sighed. He didn't see the point in naming Greylock's double when they were planning on leaving him in the cell; not to mention the fact that they were quite literally the same person. He held his tongue as Greylock perked up, although he could tell there was humor behind the man's expression.
"Oh- I know!" The sorcerer beamed, placing both his hands on his thighs and leaning closer toward the clone. The other leaned back slightly at the action but mustered a faux smile. His bottom eyelids raised as Greylock began laughing once more. He found himself deploring these perky sounds that he knew could come from his own mouth.
Greylock pointed his finger at his double. "How about we call you 'Greykey'?" He proposed just before his laughter picked up. The clone bit his cheek as he wore a less sincere-appearing smile. Cedric's face fell in a much more obvious manner. He didn't even try to mask his annoyance with the name.
"You can't be serious," Cedric grumbled.
Greylock looked up at him with a smile, his lip quivering as though he were keeping back another short fit of laughter. "Of course I am!" He said with a snicker. "You see, it's funny because of the... the play on our names, and the cell," He added. "Do you get it?"
"Yes, Greylock, I get it," Cedric answered, unamused.
"Lock and key, you see! It's fun; if I'm Grey-lock, he can be Grey-key, and-"
"I get it," Cedric snapped with a sharp tone.
Greykey was not amused with this name for himself. He felt as though a shorter name would be much more fitting to his cunning personality. Not only that, but he found Greylock's behavior and ways of having fun to be all too bubbly and innocent. He felt as though the man put shame upon fun when he could do so much more than poke at it gently.
"Wonderful! Then it's settled," Greylock beamed.
"Whenever you feel like wrapping things up," Cedric commented, arms folded while his fingers tapped impatiently at his arm.
Greylock looked up at the Enchancian at his words, noticing his impatient stance. "Oh! Right," He agreed, clearing his throat. Greylock stood up, brushing off his knees. "Well, as delightful as it has been speaking with... um, myself, I have some confines to get out of!" He stated, walking over towards the door which Cedric moved to unlock.
"Splendid! As soon as we get out of here, I'd like nothing more than to see that King Magnus is off the throne," The clone said, copying Greylock's previous movements and standing beside him.
Cedric and Greylock shot each other a look before the brunette put a hand partially out to stop his double.
"Oh, I-I'm terribly sorry. I meant that as in... I go out," Greylock gently clarified, intending to sound as kind as he could while having to explain the situation. "A-As for you, well, you'll be kept here for a... little while," He admitted.
Guilt welled up inside of him as he saw the clone's face fall. "Oh," He began, eyebrows furrowed with his hands clenching to fists by his sides. Greylock did not notice the fists, although he did see his unpleased expression. "I see," He spat, the situation all making sense to him now. He had a strong feeling the others had no intentions of coming back for him.
Greylock gulped, feeling nervous by the look and tone he was given. "That's not… going to be much trouble, will it?"
The clone's face was quick to change, quickly sporting an innocent smile once more. "No," He replied, masking his growing disdain. "No trouble at all," he assured with a dismissive wave of his hand.
The other felt a smile returning to his face, although this time around it felt more forced. He did his best to laugh heartedly before staring back at his friend.
"Greylock, I think we ought to be going now," Cedric advised in a sing-songy voice. He picked up on Greykey's language very well and felt it best to leave as soon as possible. The other sorcerer nodded.
Cedric quickly moved to twist the key, opening the cell. Greylock grabbed hold of the door, opening it far enough to get through before Cedric shut it behind him. The clone sat down on the floor in distaste.
Greylock looked down at the floor below, then around himself as he relished in the new point of view. He grinned as the feeling of being rescued settled in.
"Freedom at last," Greylock said with a single spin, wearing an unshakable smile. "Oh, I cannot thank you enough, Cedric!" He cried out, opening his arms while approaching him. Cedric's eyes widened as the other man wrapped him in a tight hug. Aside from all the hugs Princess Sofia would give him, he still was not quite used to being hugged or embraced. While he didn't entirely reciprocate the action itself, he brought a hand up to pat Greylock's shoulder.
"It's quite alright," Cedric replied. He had not expected to receive praise, though he welcomed it with open arms. He let his fall as the man pulled away.
Greylock smiled in a much more smug manner now. "Well, if this situation were a fairy tale, you'd be my knight in shining armor," He jested, giving the Enchancian a gentle nudge.
"Don't be ridiculous," Cedric chastised, despite not minding the praise.
Greylock laughed. "You should remember who you're talking to, Cardtrick," He mused, smirking for a short moment at Cedric's scowl toward the name. His expression went back neutral as he continued, "I do mean it in a way, I'll have you know. You truly are my hero," He praised, putting a hand gingerly on the other man's back.
"Yes, well, what are friends for?" Cedric replied. He wondered just how much Sofia's ways were rubbing off onto him after hearing his own response.
Greylock took the particular label into account. Although his exact feelings about Cedric had been complicated throughout his life, he still found himself beaming at the satisfactory reply. "Why, busting the other out of jail, I should think!" Greylock said, leaning forward slightly with a short laugh. During his reaction, his hand playfully smacked Cedric's upper back. The other sorcerer gasped at the unexpected reaction, his grip loosening enough to drop his family wand as he was pushed forward. Greylock put his other hand out as a precaution to catch his friend. Cedric managed to stop himself first, however, and shot the other man a scowl while he stood up straight.
Greylock gave him a sheepish smile in return. "Sorry about that! I suppose that sometimes I don't quite know my own strength," He said with a faint chuckle. Cedric's family wand went unnoticed by the two as it lay on the dungeon floor. It had been spotted only by the clone.
As much as Cedric wished to make a comment back at Greylock, he found the thought of finally leaving the gloomy dungeon to be much more appealing. "Right, then," He said, straightening his robe before gesturing toward the long hallway. "Shall we?" He proposed.
"Indeed we shall!" Greylock agreed, wrapping an arm around Cedric's back and resting his hand on the other man's shoulder while they began to walk. Greykey's eyes widened as the two looked to be leaving, and he reached out for the wand. Cedric cringed at Greylock's gesture and stopped, causing the clone to quickly retract his hand.
"And please, Greylock- a little less touching would be splendid," Cedric added with an eye roll, flicking the other sorcerer's hand off his shoulder.
Greylock quickly complied and put his hands behind him. "Oh, yes! Right, of course," He said as they walked away together. He had forgotten that Cedric was not one to enjoy many physical gestures. Coming back to Greylock now, he remembered how Cedric hadn't received many friendly gestures from any of their peers at Hexley Hall back in their school days. He supposed it was just a matter of preference.
The walk was generally quiet as the men ignored the other prisoners. They snuck past the sleeping guard, and Cedric began to wonder if there was some sort of magic use involved in his fate of slumber. Surely he would wake soon enough.
They turned a corner and started through another walkway of cells. Greylock eventually decided to inquire, "Where exactly are we going?"
Cedric made a drawn-out noise of unsureness, looking away from the other man. "I hadn't… thought of that," He admitted in a mumble. A moment of silence went by as he thought. Greylock too wondered about his question.
"Well, I can't quite think of where I would go from here," He said, taking a gander at the other man. Their eyes locked soon after as Cedric looked back at him. The brunette ran a hand through his hair before putting them back behind him. "Might I… stay with you in the meantime?" He asked, quickly looking forward after asking the question.
Cedric's eyes widened at the question. "Are… are you mad?" He asked, sporting a blush of embarrassment as he stared at the other sorcerer.
Greylock cleared his throat. "Perhaps," He admitted, choosing to look back at him. He quickly noticed the color in Cedric's cheeks, causing him to chuckle. "Oh my, you're not embarrassed by the thought of another man in your room, are you?" He teased with a smirk.
Cedric scoffed at the audacity behind Greylock's question. His hands balled into fists as his blush grew. "No!" He claimed with an attempted scowl. "You-You know far better than I how strict your kingdom is on those types of things," He added.
"What 'types of things'?" Greylock teased, keeping the look Cedric wished to wipe off his face. The Enchancian huffed at the ridiculous question.
"Oh, forget it,"
"No, no! You're quite right; Wouldn't want anyone getting any bright ideas, would you?"
"Wouldn't want anyone seeing I'm keeping a criminal." Cedric shot back. He narrowed his eyes at the man challenging him- so it was like that, was it?
Greylock hummed at the reply, looking forward once more. "I do understand," He told Cedric, noticing how they were approaching the next corner. "I'm only teasi-"
"Yes, you may stay, but only as long as I allow it!" Cedric stated, pointing a stern finger at Greylock. He was not about to have the other man challenging him so. Greylock paused at the reply while Cedric peered over the corner, rounding it as he saw the coast was clear. Greylock found himself simply watching Cedric with a slight look of awe.
"...You mean that?" He asked, touched.
The Enchancian heard the voice from behind him and turned around to look back at him. "Don't make me regret it," He warned, a faint smirk apparent before he turned back around, looking at the stairs ahead leading up.
A genuine smile rose to Greylock's face. "Certainly not," He said with a short chuckle."Thank you, Cedric." He continued, walking toward him.
While Greylock's troubles looked to be put on the back burner at the assurance of having somewhere to go, it seemed he and Cedric were left unaware of the trouble they had left behind at the other end of the dungeon.
Greykey had been watching as much as he could of the two leaving him behind in the cell. He'd quickly noticed the wand that had fallen from Cedric's grasp when it did, although he'd chosen to be generally hesitant with grabbing it lest the sorcerers realize it had fallen. He felt it better to keep his true motivations on the down-low around the sources of his creation. Now though, the others were gone, leaving the wand unattended. The clone grinned wickedly as he quickly reached his arm between the bars, grabbing the wand from off the floor and bringing it toward himself. He laughed mischievously at the powerful wand in his possession.
"Oh, what rotten luck," He commented, staring out at the empty space in front of him. He looked down at the wand with a smirk. "It's delightful," He said, allowing his arm to swing the wand around as if to test its feel.
"I don't believe the excuse of a name suggested for myself is going to suit me. I'd much prefer something short like their brains," The clone mused, all before taking a pause. He thought about the logistics of the insult and how insulting Greylock's intelligence would reflect back onto himself. He cleared his throat. "Like- like Bedsick's brain," He corrected with a singular nod. "And…. well, I quite like the idea of 'Garo'." He added to himself, testing his chosen name aloud. He looked back at the Enchancian's family wand as his wicked smirk returned.
"Those jesters haven't a clue about the powerful enemy they've just created for themselves," Garo continued, "I do feel like overthrowing a kingdom again- only this time, its success will be for my own benefit. And once I get my way with how this kingdom is to be ruled, I'll be coming for the both of them directly." He stated.
Garo stood up, taking a moment to brush himself off. He looked at the bars in front of him and scowled. Taking a few steps back, he held the wand towards the bars of his cell.
"Disappearo!"
