It had been a difficult trek, luckily only taking a little longer than a week to get to the ruins. Wulf was horseless, but was keen on starting out on his adventures. The road was as rumoured, overgrown and at many times nonexistent. But luckily, Wulf had enough training and sense to find his way up through the mountains toward the ruined castle. He had no real idea of why he had wanted to come out here, to find this strange abandoned place, but it seemed that exploring a ruin was only natural for someone seeking the path of a someday hero. 

Though, a hero might have a real sword. All Wulf had brought with him was himself and some supplies to survive on. That was how he deemed it best, that he must be thrust out upon his adventure with nothing and that if he were to be a heroic warrior, the Maker would give him a sign, or he would return home empty-handed and become a blacksmith like his father. That was a life he dreaded. The constant blazing heat of the fire, the clanging of the hammer on metals and the anvil. He would not be like that. Perhaps it was his father's strict discipline that had made him rebel as a younger teen, that had driven him to crave the trouble he always seemed to find himself in. It seemed that that discipline had rolled over to him now craving the way of honor and a noble life. Wulf had made the trek on foot because of that discipline that his father had beat into him during his rebellious years. Everything he chose to do now was based in it. 

Stepping into the castle ruins had an awe-inspiring effect. Wulf couldn't help but admire the beautiful architecture under the vast expanse of vines and overgrowth, even pulling some off to get a better look. His education had given him enough knowledge to appreciate this kind of thing. His mind glossed over the idea of some hidden treasure here, then passed the thought on for more logical ones. What could he find to do here? He glanced around, and found some stairs that looked to have held up well. The view from the top of this castle must be remarkable… 

Wulf started up the stairs, hoping to find even more beauty to behold at the top of wherever they may lead. 

Icarus had heard rumors of a castle far in the sky, nestled in the mountains north of Adeluna.  Normally, he dismissed such things, but the fact these rumors were based more in fact than simple myth indicated it was at least a real location, even if it stood as a dilapidated mess.  Over the course of a week, he had continued along the path as he departed the main roads, marching beyond the stone sentinels that had clearly marked the entrance unknown lifetimes ago.  Although he had set out with sufficient supplies, he'd chosen to take to hunting game in the area as best he could, managing the occasional goat and setting out that which he didn't consume for the mountain lions in the area.

By leaving readily accessible food for the predators which stalked the mountains, he ensured his own lack of interaction with them.  A filled belly frequently kept dangerous animals from straying too closely seeking more meat for their gullet.  His wolf remained in tow, subsisting off the better cuts of meat and aiding him in the hunt with wild rabbits that served less than goats did although it was a certain change from the usual palate that he would have otherwise grown weary of.  After some time, his wolf companion chose to go no further, despite his beckoning.  It seemed there was a preternatural sense that warned him away from there and at first, he barked at Icarus, as though trying to warn him as well.

"Hey…" Icarus began as he rubbed the large animal's head, scratching behind his ears the way he liked.  "Don't worry buddy, I'll be back when things are finished here.  Head back home and I'll see you there," he instructed.  The wolf knew what he meant by "home".

Truthfully, they didn't have a home but they did happen to have a location they always returned to.  The wolf, being fairly intelligent, understood his words and turned back down the mountain, beginning its long trek back to the cave they had been utilizing along the road to Bohar from Adeluna.  In all actuality, Icarus didn't suspect his exploration of this rumored castle would prove to be too time-consuming nor was it likely to be worthwhile.  It was predominantly a scouting mission and if things went well, he may consider converting portions of the area into his own personal haven.  

Long ago, in a world he could scarcely remember, he stood proudly as the leader of an order of elite warriors known as the Order of Eris.  His reign as their commander brought hope to thousands as they intervened on behalf of the common folk and rode to save the world once.  He couldn't remember it, unfortunately.  Only bits and pieces of a life once lost remained in his fractured mind.  Times of Dae Luin were gone, with memories of the people he knew, allies and enemies, were sometimes found to be mysteries to him.  All he could remember in exhaustive detail was his home of Nataki, of which there was no equal.

Venturing alone once more, Icarus came upon the valley nestled high in the mountain range.  In the distance, he could see the castle ruins lingering in the distance.  It took him some time, but eventually he came upon it, spotting another figure wandering into the castle itself.  He couldn't quite make them out, but based on form, it appeared to be a human male, most likely.  Icarus wouldn't draw his blade until he knew the stranger was a threat.  Even then, he'd probably provide them with the option of leaving rather than explicitly indicating he would not hesitate to kill them.  

These ruins were a marvel, in some respects.  The sheer amount of artistry incorporated in the design made it apparent this was meant to be a place of grandeur where the height of some ancient power was supposed to reside gloriously over their dominion.  It was created to bring a sense of wonder and majesty to all those that gazed upon it.  Ruined beyond total repair from time and disrepair as it was, it still held its own place amongst the wonders of the world.

"Hey you!" he called out as loudly as he could, hoping the stranger would hear.  Waiting only a few moments, Icarus decided to head in as well, hoping he could still catch up to the person and figure out what they were doing here.  As far as he knew, this was a place that had not borne witness to the touch of men in years.

Wulf had started part of the way into the stairs when something in the rubble caught his eyes. It was dark in this part of the structure, with only broken fragments of light fighting through loose stones and cracks in the walls to guide the way, but something glinted for a moment near him, and he whipped around to search for it. There was an area of the wall that was fallen apart, just enough that perhaps some rats or other small animals could get through and make it into the walls and travel through the infrastructure. He swore, though, that he saw something within the wall. Reaching into the rubble, he groped and felt through the dust and disheveled stone pieces. There was something in there. He pushed the dust away to get a better view of it, just as he heard something echo into the stairs. 

He was not alone, now. Someone had called to him from not too far off, and he was not sure what to do. He wanted what he had uncovered, that was for sure, especially considering he did not know what kind of man was approaching him. As the figure approached him, he reached into the gap and withdrew the object, finding that it was indeed what he had thought, though of much more exquisite quality than he had originally spied. It was a longsword, of ancient times, ornate and full of lustrous glimmering metal under a heavy coating of dust that now rained to the ground with a quantity of rocks and pebbles that it dragged with it from the gap in the wall. His mind was almost caught up in the sword too much to remember the approaching stranger. Out of defensive nature, he held the sword across himself as a block, for safety’s sake. Never knew when a stranger would prove to be hostile, and especially in a foreign ruin where he knew nobody, not even the landscape or layout of the infrastructure, that could be very dangerous. Given that Wulf’s adventure had just started, he wasn’t terribly keen on the idea of being smote down so early on. Perhaps after he had saved the world a few times, won the hearts of the people and the Maker, then he would be settle down in old age and welcome death. But not today, not exploring a ruined castle.  

He readied himself for the worst, and took a step into the more well-sunlit area of the stairs, coming upon his supposed attacker. Wulf realized this was not an attacker at all, and lowered his newfound sword. “Forgive me, friend, but I did not hear you until too late and you gave me quite a fright,” he laughed, trying to lighten the air. “How are you, and what brings you out to these ruins? My name is Wulf, I’m an adventurer of sorts. Anyway, pleased to make your acquaintance,” he beamed, extending his hand. He always tried to be friendly, always tried be polite, as of late at least. He did not have to remind himself nearly as much anymore to stop being a sneaking hooligan. Slowly, he was getting better at being a true gentleman. The ground trembled lightly beneath their feet, and Wulf ignored it as simply being the castle settling, until it rumbled again, this time more violently, as if something had made this grumbling roar and sent the noises scattering through the halls and ruined corridors. Wulf’s eyes grew wide, and he readied his weapon again. “I believe, given that kind of noise, that we are not the only ones who thought himself alone here. Care to investigate?” 

When Icarus first entered the ruins that had once been a castle, he heard the stranger's footsteps echoing off the staircase leading to a portion of the inner keep.  The castle was even larger than he first thought.  Upon crossing the threshold, it was like stepping into a whole new world.  A slight rumble from below alerted him to something out of the ordinary, a hint of mana following it that barely touched his senses.  Something from far below and far away was causing a great disturbance on the world around him and the other.

Running quickly, Icarus ascended the stairs that lead up to the inner keep to his left, hoping to catch up to the stranger quickly before they were caught unaware by what was going on around them.  Sure, Icarus was concerned with his own well-being, but if there were some sort of evil afoot he would have to face, he would rather not allow an innocent to be caught up in the fray that was likely to ensue.  Defending another individual would likely cause him to take additional risks he normally would not and the likelihood of it costing one or both of their lives was too high when taken into account.  

Sprinting to the top, he arrived to see another individual who seemed they had just come across something they wished to keep to themselves.  The boy seemed young and too kind in his features for him to have the experience Icarus felt was necessary to be here during a time such as this.  His polite manners were refreshing, though the situation was not quite ideal for such notions as a polite interaction for the pair.  Something powerful was happening far below them and his first concern was determining if the young man was even fit to deal with the strange happenings taking place.

"You're forgiven, did you feel that rumble?" he asked, weapons still sheathed as the man's sword remained low.  Icarus was a stranger to him, but he had chosen to keep only the lowest of guards in the event the man were to come under attack by him.  Given both of his weapons remained in their resting places, it was likely reassuring for the other man who seemed to have quite little experience in the exploration of such sites.  

Icarus judged, perhaps wrongly, that the boy's age, stance, and seeming surprise and attention that this was among his first few times setting out into the world to deal with such locations.  He supposed he could at least offer a hand for the time being, so long as he understood what happened around them.  He ignored answering his questions, mostly because there was an immediate threat in the area that Icarus could sense.  He would redress his own impolite manners later and give him a better explanation to hopefully build a rapport with him.  If they were to travel for very long in this place while unable to trust one another, the greatest threat would eventually become each other.

"Something is happening here.  Sorry, I'm Icarus," he said, avoiding taking the man's hand while he focused on their surroundings.  

Smelling the air, Icarus placed his hand on his katana at his left, likely causing a bit of alarm for the other man as he still stood facing him while his head glanced over his own shoulder.  The rattle of bone echoed up the stairs as the second mass vibration he felt resounded.  Almost vanishing from the quick display of speed, Icarus cleaved the first of the undead, separating its head from shoulders.  Trails of mana almost like puppet strings severed from the head and body, black flame consuming it as it fell to the ground.

"Steel yourself, there is more here than I do believe you've yet seen.  Just guard my back and I'll see you to the exit," he explained, drawing his longsword from his left as well now.  He couldn't believe the boy truly wanted to investigate the area alongside him.

Icarus' stance was uncommon, the katana drawn with a reverse grip to allow a fast draw and the longsword held normally as a large parrying blade.  It was something he had devised after years of practice, finding the strengths and weaknesses with other forms of fighting.  The cutting power of the katana was immense, but the blade was thin, fragile if struck incorrectly.  The longsword, on the other hand, was thicker, more capable of functioning as a weaponized shield of sorts.  

Taking a few steps back toward Wulf, Icarus awaited as the sound of bone on stone echoed from below the circular stairs that had brought them up here.  This first test would determine Wulf's mettle and whether Icarus would entrust him to continue forth if he so chose.  These undead creatures were likely the first of many to come.

Wulf’s eyes grew wide with both excitement and fear as Icarus slashed through the creature, it disintegrating into flames as it was destroyed. Undead monsters! How thrilling! Who would have thought that this would be a true adventure after all!

“That was impressive, Icarus! Well done!” Wulf was never one to take things too seriously, he could laugh in the face of any danger so long as something was the least bit comical. Nevertheless, he readied his newfound sword, finding it a bit lighter than the heavyweighted broadswords and longswords of his father’s crafting. Icarus had instructed him to watch his back, as the castle’s rumblings continued accompanied with scurrying noises and shufflings. Wulf took a step past Icarus, as nothing was clearly coming behind them and the noises were definitely coming from below. From the top of the stairs, he stepped down cautiously, as the noises became nearly deafening and three more of the undead monsters rounded the corner. Wulf stepped back, awaiting their attack, and braced himself as he prepared to strike. They were ghastly creatures of bone and decomposition, and as they neared, Wulf lunged forward, striking one at the shoulder and collarbone, slashing through it’s brittle body with some ease. He was surprised by this, then thought about it for a second and rationalized that bone would not have much strength to it without the sinew and tendon and muscle that had made it up to be a living being in the past. These were relatively fragile, compared with the strength and shield of a living breathing warrior.  As the creature collapsed, it disintegrated into the black flames as did the first one Icarus had killed.

Taking liberty now that he was overjoyed with his new weapon’s lightweight strength and maneuverability, Wulf slashed at the two approaching undead’s ankle joints would have been, severing their leg bones and sending them falling forward. He leapt onto one and smashed its skull against the ground, and kicked the others’ hard enough that it ricocheted off the wall and rolled until it also disintegrated. Wulf may not have been a seasoned fighter in a fair, honorable fight, but he had been in enough scuffs and struggles with authorities and his peers that he knew how to trip someone up enough to gain the upper hand, and if heads easily rolled then he would have quite an easy time with these. He grinned, and looked at Icarus with eyes full of zeal.

“Whoo! That was intense! Shall we see where these monsters are coming from?” Wulf practically leapt down the stairs, looking to see where the creatures were coming from, but he couldn’t tell. “Icarus… Where exactly do you think these things are being conjured up…”

Even as Wulf pressed forward, Icarus tried to pinpoint the disturbance, only being able to determine it came from somewhere far below, perhaps below even the castle itself.  The immediate threat before them was merely a precursor to what could perhaps be a far graver reality that would be insurmountable in the end.  As Wulf continued to work on the foes ahead of them, Icarus took a greater appreciation of the spiral staircase and the fact he was not alone in this endeavor.

Taking a few steps back, Icarus took off in a sprint.  On his third step, he took to the air, striking his boot against the wall as he ran quickly along the curve, swinging down at the skeletal warriors even as Wulf called out to him.  At the base of the stairs, Icarus descended from the wall, rolling as he landed on the ground and rising back to his feet.

"I'd wager directly below.  Seems pretty distant if you think about how the entire castle is shaking.  If you want to leave now, this is likely the last time I'll be able to guarantee your safety," he explained. 

Although he didn't want to dissuade the boy's curiosity, he also didn't want to give him any illusions toward the gravity of the situation.  Below them as well as all over the rest of the castle, there could be horrors the likes of which even he was unprepared for.  At this moment, they had only just descended from the first parapet on the exterior of the castle walls.  Inside, there was a small castle town just beyond.

It seemed as though the entire castle town came to life in the most horrid display possible.  Without fresh tinder or kindling, flames rose from the buildings, casting a hellish light and likening to the area.  Even as he whispered prayers to Gaea, the first of the shambling horde rose.  These were clad more in flesh than those they had previously faced, akin more to zombies than skeletal adversaries.  The bore no weapons, just the gaze of endless hunger for the flesh of men.

"Seems we've less time to decide than we thought," he said as the portcullis leading out of the castle slammed down, sealing them to their fate.