The blue bands of Nyx’s spell wrapped around the lean form of Rigel and pulled the blue heraldic courser bodily out of the sarcophagus. Behind Nyx Vashti and Gordon exchanged horrified glances, neither of them could imagine why Rigel had chosen to leap in there.

Dropped unceremoniously in the middle of the clear area of the floor Rigel stood shakily, snorted blood from its nostrils and shook dark liquid off all over the room and its companions.

“Oh, thank you very much.” Nyx snapped her teeth at Rigel, but didn’t actually make contact, it looked foul and drippy, and that mysterious blood was bound at the least taste awful, and at the worst be poisonous.  

“Argh, Rigel, why?” Gordon shook his golden coat violently, trying to get rid of any spatters that had landed on him and annoying his cat so much that Claude hissed furiously and leapt down to the floor where he stalked out of the room in disgust and sat in the corridor washing with his butt pointed towards the party of coursers, Gordon went to follow the feline, but stopped when he saw that Claude wasn’t going to run off down here. In fact, Gordon realised that he didn’t want to leave this room, it was warm and pleasant. Maybe he’d like to rest here?

What? No! Gordon snorted and pranced sideways, that wasn’t his thought! Who did it belong to? “You aren’t thinking about staying here, are you?” He asked the others. “There’s something very strange about this room.”

“Apart from the dripping tomb full of seemingly endless blood, you mean?” Vashti asked, turning their head toward the bard, they might have made some joke but Gordon looked spooked by the whole room.

“I’m serious, just try and walk out. Maybe it will happen to you too.” Gordon looked at the door. “When I tried to follow Claude I suddenly didn’t want to, but I do want to.” Gordon’s usual eloquence had dried up when it came to explaining this invasive magic but the frantic attempt to explain seemed to work as Vashti Tried to to leave the room, then appeared to think the better of it.

“I hate that.” The snowflake marked courser announced. “Nyx, Rigel, you two should try, you have some magic, maybe it won’t work on you.”

“I know a spell or two Vashti, but none of them are for protection, if the dungeon doesn’t want to let us out, or that doesn’t want to let us go, we’re here until we figure a way out.” Nyx indicated the dripping sarcophagus with a toss of her head, the noise was really starting to get on her nerves. Deciding she had nothing to lose by making the attempt she trotted toward the door and clipped herself on the wall. “Did that doorway move?” She demanded after staggering back. “I was heading right for it, and I swear it moved to stop me.” She glared at the seemingly inoffensive doorway.

“I have had enough of this.” Rigel sounded determined and strode across the floor to the tomb, leaving bloody hoofprints in its wake. As it had before it decided it was a good idea to jump in Rigel examined the sarcophagus. This time the call was muted, no longer did it suggest that it had some connection to Rigel’s summoner, now it merely offered endless mysteries and forbidden knowledge. “I think that you have nothing I want.” The bloodstained courser replied to the wordless siren song. “I do not think you have any of the things you offer. Therefore, I think that you will let us go.”

NEVER!

Rigel shook its head at the defiance that rattled its eyes in its skull and snorted once. “If you will not free us then you will be destroyed.” So saying the eldritch courser’s markings shifted and burst out of its hide, inky black and writhing, the tentacles that formed lashed at the tomb and sent the dark blood within flying all over the room.