"A few." Erebus confessed to Helena, as he crept further into the falsely-illuminated passages. The illusions Erebus presented his charges helped them pick out features that he himself could see, by dint of his ability to see in perfect darkness. It was remarkable how versatile shadow illusions were, but then you'd expect they'd be srongest and most potent in the dark. Of course they would be.
"He apparently knew a magic shortcut from where we were in the laboratories of Rhakros. All the way back toward a field south of Etzos." Erebus shook his head. He'd thought it was dreamwalking that Llyr used to transport them, but then that was not possible anymore. Perhaps because of the way Emea reformed and put itself back together. Or any number of momentous cosmological events since then.
"He could construct and deconstruct matter, he was a shapeshifter, and a few other disciplines of magic were at his disposal." Erebus waved a hand. "He's been lost to the depths of Emea, I take it. He hasn't been heard from for many an arc, except for a brief reemergence in the Empire several arcs ago, but then quiet again." Erebus frowned at the serendipity of being here in the Empire, in the last place he'd been seen, in a dank underground space.
But then nostalgic reminiscing was scarcely a luxury he wanted to indulge at present. Fleaface eluded justice still, and Erebus wanted to know what his goal was in the Empire.
"I can see ghosts, if I wish to." Erebus assured Helena. "I'll warn you ahead of time if I spot any."
Ulric's assertion about ghostly relationships was all too correct. Even if Fleaface thought he could coerce a ghost into doing his bidding, even if he was given help from Sintra in order to make that happen, he'd be in over his head before long.
Egil perched on his shoulder, a chance vision glanced his attention at the corner of his eye. Erebus turned, and inspected a nearby wooden support, that was splintered and dry as it held up the passage they were in. In the splinter, a single crow's feather.
He held it up to his eyes, and not for the first time wished he stll had the benefit of Attunement magic. But then, even when he had it, he could not have attuned to this particular feather.
"I think I know this bird." Erebus grumbled. Then he pocketed the feather. "I doubt she's still here, however."
More as they went along, Erebus could sense a presence, a vigilance watching over them. His talent for telling when he was being watched was keen enough to pick up on that.
However even he was caught off guard, when at last they came upon a tall, ethereal figure glowing ice blue in the darkness, that appeare dto them all. On its brow, a silver circlet, and in its hand, a sharp sword of pure ephemera, glowing and appearing razor sharp.
Erebus held out his arms, to stop the other two from going forward.
The Raskalwisp fixed its stare upon Erebus, Ulric, and Helena. "Neither homesick spider-spawn, nor crow-laden trickster shall pass here by." The Raskalwisp intoned. "My charge is this gate. This gallery of memorial stones to the clans of Old Dynaash."
Erebus was at a loss, and looked to Ulric, then back at the Raskalwisp. "You are a wisp, but you don't serve Famula? Or do you?"
"I serve only her Imperial Highness." He muttered, through dessicated lips. "None shall pass here by."
Erebus's mouth twisted in consternation. But someone had passed by, or they wouldn't have come this far. He fronwed, trying to rack his brain for a convincing argument to let him forget his duty, or flex it enough to allow them passage.