Episode 82 - I Have a Mouth and I Scream a Lot

## Synopsis

Teb threw an old and tattered butterfly net at Integrity’s feet, demanding to trade it for the orb. Integrity asked why she should, and after a moment’s pause he swung the net back and forth at various bugs, claiming it was a magic net.

*“Can we talk about this later Teb? I really have to get out of here.”*

Teb stopped, and glared at Integrity. “*Stone. Now.”*

*“There’s a snake that wants to kill us, we have to go Teb.”*

Teb put his hand on his chest. *“Promise stone to Teb. Green stone to Teb.”*

*“I can find you something better?”*

*“No! Horned One, green stone only for Teb. Net for green stone for Teb. Teb will not hurt you, Horned One, if you take net and give green stone.”*

Integrity agreed to give him the orb for the net, as well as three gold to lead her out of the sewers. With the trade settled, Teb showed Integrity the way back. They crawled through the pipes and tunnels beneath the school, and eventually arrived at a small ladder leading to a maintenance room. Teb followed Integrity to her room, pestering her for the stone.

Meanwhile, Serinepth carried Winsler and dragged Phillip through the underground tunnels from the Polisherium. They followed pathways and stairs, past chasms, doors, and windows to nowhere. When Phillip stopped floating, they all stopped to rest.

Phillip turned to them both. *“Ok, so first of all, I apologise for-“*

Winsler cut him off. *“What the heck was that!”*

Phillip apologised, saying he was just curious what they were doing, and how nothing bad had happened when he followed them in Lightmere.

Serinepth asked Winsler what he was doing, and why he hadn't told them how dangerous it would be. He told Phillip and Serinepth that it was for a group project, though he didn’t know Tol could get killed for it. Neither seemed particularly convinced it was worth it, but dropped the subject. Serinepth checked if Phillip was ok, and apart from being covered in the liquid, he seemed ok.

Winsler explained that he and Kurt had been building a golem, and that he Tear was the final piece they needed. He also told them that Seltie given him the Tear during the golem party, and reluctantly mentioned the deal they had made.

Frustrated with her friend and the situation he had put her in, Serinepth made Winsler promise to ask them for help in the future. He agreed, and animated a small rock to help them scout the way out. Serinepth suggested they meet in her room the next day to discuss everything that had happened.

They eventually arrived at a large stone door, and opened it to reveal a hallway lined with gargoyles. They recognised this as the first floor of the Necromancy department. As soon as they entered, the five closest gargoyles turned to look at them.

Mira and Delnys arrived at her and Allena’s room. The pungent floral scent still filled the room, causing Delnys to recoil slightly. Despite the lockdown, Allena was not in the room.  They sat for a while, talking about the fires, what they had seen, and if the others were ok.

*“Where do you think Mr. Artisian went?”* Delnys asked.

*“I don’t know, maybe he just left because he didn’t want to be seen? But I don’t know where he would go, because he probably has a place in the Concourse too right? Maybe he went back there to keep with the lockdown, I hope at least.”*

*“Are you ok? What was with the fainting?”*

*“Um… it’s weird, I don’t want to weird you out…”*

*“I’d rather you tell me if it’s something serious, like I’m not going to judge you for having a dizzy spell or something.”*

Mira showed Delnys the tattoo on her left arm. *“So this tattoo is magic, and when it touches certain things, I get these visions from this lady, and the box was one of those things.”* Mira continued to ramble about Terassis until Delnys seemed definitely weirded out.

Mira brought out the *Sending Stone* linked to Artis, and tried to get a message to him. She got no answer. This made them even more concerned for him, but thought maybe he just didn’t have his stone with him.

They stayed up for the next few hours, trying to figure out why the fires were being started, and what Sheora had to do with it. Eventually when they went to sleep, Mira gave the bed to Delnys, and used a towel as her blanket.

Five gargoyles started at Serinepth, Winsler, and Phillip. The closest one to them asked, *“Now what’re you doing in the Necromancy Department this late?”*

Another gargoyle across the hall said, *“Now leave them be, they’re allowed to be in here after dark.”*

A third asked, *“Now you three aren’t associated with the other ones who were in here before are you?”*

More gargoyles joined in to ask what they were doing there, until Winsler finally questioned how they could talk.

*“We’ll they leave us in here to scream so that we scream and get it out of our systems, so then they can have the classes and we don’t scream during the classes.”*

*“You’ve never had to listen to years upon years of the same necromantic lectures have you? It’s agony.”*

Serinepth asked how the people before them got out, and was told that they had the keys, and that they always came to meet at night. On hearing this they discussed breaking down the front gate, and mending it afterwards. The gargoyles put a 3-1 bet on them doing this, with one abstention.

While they talked, they heard footsteps coming from the front gate, and whispered voices. Serinepth immediately turned everyone invisible as two door covered figures appeared in the hallway. The one leading was average height, and the other was much shorter. As they listened, they heard the shorter figure say, *“Was it really ok to leave Mr. Artisian tied up like that, he was just helping us?”*

The taller figure responded, *“He didn’t see our faces, and he was out against lockdown anyway, so if he tells anyone he’ll get in trouble too, and it’s not like we left him in a dire situation he’s just tied up in a storage cupboard he’ll find a way out right?”*

*“I guess but, he was just trying to help.”*

The pair stopped in front of a door, and entered one of the rooms in the Necromancy department. Serinepth easily recognised the taller figure by voice as Angelika Lindeman.