Callisto’s eyes drifted cautiously back towards Xevon as he spoke, the strange slightly scrunched appearance of his usually relaxed features still dominating. It was not necessarily the presence of others being witness to whatever these entangled feelings meant, it was the pressure that would come along with it.

As Xevon glided past him, Callisto sucked in a tight breath before traipsing after him down the hallway. Absently, his eyes focused on the black feathers protruding from the other man, letting the steady movement pull him down the hallway. As exciting as it was to have the chance to get these kids out of here, he did miss the relative peace and quiet.

Lily’s lips pressed into a thin line at the morbid statement, though it was likely a correct assumption considering her own memories and the nature of this place. She could guess that if you were to escape this..well cult, then you’d be served up on a platter to that creature without a moment of hesitation.

The title of bride was weighing on her mind, it seemed that Callisto and Xevon had not heard of this type of offering before, that she was a first. Why now and why her? That was haunting her. What made her so special?

“Bigger wings?” Lily glanced up at him with a small laugh. “I think they’re big enough as they are, so I hope not. You might be pulled off balance otherwise.” She pulled a smile to her lips, letting her own dagger fall into one of her hands. Keeping her grip tight.

At a small sound behind them, Lily glanced over her shoulders as they approached the bar room. She could see the pair of ghosts idly making their way towards them, they looked a little..conflicted. Certainly her guardian, but the pair of them looked a lot less chipper than before they had left the room.

She returned her attention to the double doors that lead to the bar and reached out her free hand to push it open. Slipping inside, she held it open with her back for Finn to pass through as well.

Lily peered into the kitchen from behind Finntello, grazing her eyes across the room before they landed on the liquid by the door. The smell hit her immediately, a tangy metallic scent, but it was stale. Dried looking, it was flaking a little up from the tiles. Her tongue pressed against her teeth and the roof of her mouth a couple times, she could taste it. With a shudder, her nose scrunched up, trying to slip her way past the mess to try and get in and out as quickly as possible. Strangely, the blood wasn’t as confronting to her as it clearly was to Finn.

“We’ll be quick.” She tried to reassure him as Xevon moved into the room beside her and began to explain where they would be able to find the ring.

Callisto was not far behind, almost phasing through Finn on his way into the kitchens. He did not give the bloodied floor a mere glance, instead he travelled deeper into the kitchens, past the counters. At the end of the walkway was a refrigerator. He paused before it, staring.

“It’s not on the counter anymore.” He stole a look over his shoulder towards where Xevon was. “She found it last time, but…it chased her into here.” Callisto’s eyes were cast in shame, he had once again not been around to help the poor woman as she tried to flee. Instead, he was moping around and avoiding the creature that ruled the realm.

Lily followed Callisto’s movements towards the fridge, it was a large walk-in variety. It appeared to be functioning, if the light frost on the window was enough of a clue. Cautiously, she looked towards Finn. Maybe this wasn’t his strong suit.

“I can go get it, if you want to wait here.” She dared to voice the offer, beginning to walk down the aisle towards the ghost. Maybe the stale smell of the fridge would remove the gross taste from her mouth.

Lily’s eyebrows bundled up together as she watched Finn look back out to the bar, a twinge of sympathy towards him arose. Why did she feel so comfortable with this gore and blood? It would be a normal reaction, one similar to Finn’s, yet she was plodding along right to where the trail led.

Callisto knew the woman’s name, it had been Alice and he knew what she looked like beyond those doors and did not want to bear witness to it again. A reminder of one of his countless failures as a guide and protector.

“I promise I’ll be quick.” Lily almost regretted offering, the smell that she was trying to escape was only stronger as she reached for the door. Carefully, she pushed down on the strong handle and heaved the door open. It took some effort to dislodge it, a small amount of white mist coming from within as she dipped inside. Callisto remained outside, watching the door bounce closed behind her. Not completely, resting on its locking mechanism instead.

Before her lay the mangled form of a woman, her face was still visible. In fact, it was all preserved. The cold had preserved her body, her chest had been torn open and the various organs had been thrown around the space. Evidence of the carnage plastered over the walls and shelves. One arm lay flat on the floor, the other was missing. Fixed onto her finger was a ring. Thick and completely mismatching the clothes the woman wore. It had to be that.

With a tight grimace, Lily leaned down to the woman. “I’m so sorry.” She whispered, the breath pooling into a cloud of mist in front of her. Ever so gently, the woman pried the ring free from its frosty home and palmed it. The metal was cold and singed her skin a little, but she kept a strong grip on it.

The moment she had settled the ring into her hand, a thunderous bang erupted from above them. Followed by a chorus of smaller clatterings and guttural braying. Her eyes rounded in fear. He was coming.

Lily twisted so quickly to try and bound back towards the door that her feet slipped on the metal floor. She fell with a sharp yelp. A dull pain radiated from her hip bone as she fell onto it, but she dragged herself upright.

Callisto spun to the door, his eyes bright with panic at the sound. He was heading for the door when Lily’s form burst back out from the fridge. Her eyes reflected his own panic as she raced out of the coolroom. “I have it, I have it.” She chanted, hastily making her way towards Finntello.

Lily’s free hand extended and was met with Finn’s larger one and within a second she was yanked close to him, almost squishing her nose on his chest as she felt her feet lift up from the floor. Good god, that was a strange feeling. She scrunched her eyes closed and shifted her free hand to grasp at Finn’s shirt tightly, balling the fabric in her first. Whilst her other hand clutched the dagger and ring, refusing to let either of them be sacrificed.

Callisto had shot after Lily as she pounded her way towards Finntello, he only paused beside Xevon and once his friend had begun his pursuit did he follow as well. A little upset that he couldn’t just jet propel himself with wings down the hallway. Currently, there was no point in changing shapes. It would take too long. Instead he fought to keep up with them despite his lack of weight, they were still pulling further ahead. It didn’t matter, as long as they got into a room. He could hear Xevon trying to keep their heads together.

From above, the banging only continued. He was angry. They were progressing more than was comfortable for the creature. The closer and closer they got to winning, the more furious the god became.

As the group headed past the stairs and towards the rooms behind, Callisto kept his eyes peeled. Due to his distance from them, he could still see up the staircase. At the top, the shrouded creature bellowed. Its skull head tilted backwards as it began its descent down the stairs, then its eyes landed on Callisto and he felt his body go cold. It was like a predator seeing easy prey, a sharp hawk-like gaze that made him falter in his steps.

The god began to move faster, gliding its way down the staircase. Reaching the bottom just as Callisto ripped past it, barrelling down the hallway after his group. His lips were drawn back, teeth bared in a nasty grimace as the heavy presence breathed down the back of his neck. They needed to hurry up. He did not dare call out in fear that the close proximity would not only cause Finn to freeze or even pause, but that it might make Xevon turn around and see him. Close to the claws of the creatures and send him into a feisty battle again. If he kept quiet, they would reach the rooms without a hitch. Well, maybe he would receive a nasty scratch or something akin to that, but they would be okay.

Lily’s ribs collapsed as they slid to the floor, the knock pushing all the air from her lungs with a sharp gasp. Her eyes scrunching closed briefly before she have the sense of mind to move the daggered hand away from them both. Upon opening them she was met with Finn’s frantic talking, his eyes blown wide.

She pushed herself up from the floor, leaning over him, balanced on her knees to look over him. He looked fine, just terrified. Slowly, she looked towards the door, eyes dancing over Xevon’s anxious form for a moment. A morbid curiosity made her want to walk to the door, but she was smart enough not to move from Finn’s side. He would just grab her and stop her.

Lily pushed the dagger and ring aside, not too far from them but out of the way. Using her other hand, she placed it on his chest gently. “It can’t get in here, Finn. We’re okay.” She tried to reassure him, but from the look on his face whatever she tried to say wasn’t going to accomplish much.

Callisto almost cried out in relief as he saw the bundle of people make their way into the room, messily, but they were in there. The door slammed shut behind them.

Then it dawned upon him. This creature would lurk outside. Waiting for them to leave. Sure, they could wait for Xevon to recover and then draw him away like before but…Callisto dared a look over his shoulder. The god was howling in rage, the lantern swinging from the staff with its rapid movements. He had seen it move quickly, he knew it could. It probably could have caught them all if it really tried, but evidently they were currently not worth the effort it would take.

Lily’s head jolted up from where it was observing Finntello at the sudden sound from outside, something had hit the ground. A thud, a scrape and then a snarl. The hand on Finn’s chest stilled, her eyes turned to Xevon.

Callisto ripped his claws into the floorboards and turned around sharply, his lips drawn back into a feral snarl. He sent himself hurtling towards the creature, his own broad head slamming into the solid mass of the god’s centre.