Nathan moved to the steps of the moondial, cautiously making his way down the narrow staircase. While Serana quickly filed in behind and told both him and Escher. "I bet this runs under the courtyard and into the tower ruins. I never could a way over to that section of the castle." Escher smiled at them, excitedly regaling. "Well, at least we're getting closer. I'm actually enjoying this." At the bottom of the spiral stairs, Nathan tried to open a wooden door, but it wouldn't open. Taking a knee, he removed his lockpicks and started to work on it. While Serana shrugged out perplexed. "Just break it open. It's wood." Nathan kept working as he told her. "I could... but that would make a lot of noise. And the dining hall is close to here. So, unless you want Harkon storming out here. I'm doing it this way." Shifting her weight from foot to foot, she mumbled out. "Fair point. How long-" Before she could finish, there came soft clicks and Nathan pushed the door open with a grin. Giving him a bright smile, she slipped inside, uttering out in passing. "Nice." Putting his lockpicks away, Nathan got up and gestured for Escher to go in first.

Escher stroked his arm, chuckling a little as he followed her in. Closing the door behind him, Serana walked up a small set of stairs and blurted out. "Wait... this isn't right." Escher ran a hand over the little bookshelves, showing Nathan the dust that had been left to collect in the place. It was a dead end room. Serana pulled at the books on the selves and pushed them aside, mumbling aloud. "There has to be a secret way in. She wouldn't just make this for nothing." Escher shrugged, telling her bluntly. "She might not have known about this and if she did. She clearly put banned books in here so... she did something." Serana stopped to look at Escher, upon scolding softly. "No. You don't know my mother. She loved stuff like this. Puzzles and riddles. She would do something that my father wouldn't notice..." Standing still, Nathan observed the little space. His dad had always said that often things hidden in plan sight were the hardest things to find. Moving up the dead end, Nathan couldn't help wondering why the large wall was bare... but a banner was put over a low shelf. Yet, the other side had a tall shelf.

Reaching out to touch the dusty banner, he felt something usual behind it. Behind him, Serana told him flatly. "My father's old crest banner. Before he became a vampire. I didn't think she cared for it... but maybe she did. She did love him before he turned and for a time there after." Reaching behind the banner, Nathan informed her with a small smirk. "Something he wouldn't rip down?" She nodded and he gripped a chain behind the banner and gave it a tug. Instantly the dusty brick wall puffed dust and slowly rose to reveal a room beyond. Serana chuckled, jogging into the next room. Leaving Escher to lean on him and purr out. "Look at you. Quite the treasure hunter, aren't you?" Nathan kissed Escher's cheek, whispering back. "I've gotten better at noticing things." Escher winked at him, before walking away and saying over his shoulder. "Probably genetic. I hear your father had an eye for details." Stepping inside, Nathan pulled another chain to lower the wall to keep their progress hidden. Then taking in the room with his night vision, Nathan winced. It was a kitchen that was soaked in dried blood. There were even bits of human bones left in pots and on tables.

In the corner was a large pile of human remains from at least ten different people. Serana went to the fireplace, touching the cold ashes. Shaking her head, she told them with unease and disappointment. "Cold and dusty. Hasn't been lit in years. I've never even seen this part of the castle... Be careful. I don't know what might be around." Escher shivered, grumbling out a bit timidly. "Skeevers no doubt. All these bones just laying around... and the smell of blood. Fuck... even butchers aren't this messy." Nathan touched a pile of torn clothes, asking Serana gently. "Serana... are you sure your mom isn't... feral now? I mean, after centuries of hiding. Her food much have ran out, and judging by the state of things..." Serana tensed up, blurting out defensively. "My mother is not feral! And... And if she is... I'll deal with her. Alright?" Escher raised his hands in surrender, telling her firmly. "Look. We all got parental issues. You wanna deal with your mom. That's fine with me. I want no part in it." Nathan couldn't stop himself from chuckling out. "Even if she tries to kill you?" Escher flashed him a fanged grin, replying coolly. "Easy. I'll just let her chase me to her dear old daughter. So, SHE can deal with her. Right, Serana?"

Serana rolled her eyes, moving up another set of stairs. Heading up the steps after her, Nathan told her a bit sternly. "Hey, you shouldn't wonder off. You said we should stay together." She nodded, sarcastically blurting out. "Yes. And here you are. Let's keep moving." Nathan called her name and as she took another step into the larger room, the fireplaces ignited into roaring flames. Nathan hissed, covering his eyes as the bright light blinded him. Escher dashed up beside him, hissing for a fight. Yet, nothing happened. Instead, Serana moved along a long dining table laid out with fine silverware. Touching a few, she said aloud. "Fascinating. The fireplaces are enchanted to lit as people enter... and the plates are set out like..." Escher inched closer to get a look at the skeletons that sat in the chairs. Waving Nathan over, Escher showed him some of the broken necks and regaled thoughtfully. "Former owners of the castle... before Harkon invaded with his men. He slaughtered them before dinner and... made them his dinner apparently." Glancing around at the caves in walls and hallways, Nathan added grimly. "Explains why you couldn't get to this side of the castle... He caved it in to trap them."

Sighing, Escher moved around the table, muttering out. "Harkon's cruelty never ceases to amaze me. Cornering his prey and crushing all hope of escape... Thrilling." Nathan wondered around the dining hall for anything important, when he saw nothing, he moved up the steps and saw a hallway that hadn't been caved in and was covered in thick cobwebs. Moving to the railing, he called down to them. "Let's keep going. She's not here and there seems to be a spider ahead." Serana giggled, patting Escher as she asked him. "You wanna handle it? You did so well with the last one." Escher let out a humorless laugh, before gesturing forward and politely stating a bit smugly. "Ladies first." She gave him a fowl look, causing Nathan to roll his eyes and blurt out. "Fine. I'll do it. It's just a damn spider. How hard can it be?" Nathan cautiously walked into the spooky corridor, reaching out to pry the first set of thick webbing down. His eyes darted left and right for movement or shapes that were out of place. Nothing. Looking up at the ceiling, he huffed and turned around to say aloud. "Huh. I was wrong. You know... it is so hard to tell sometimes when people don't maintain- " Nathan stopped as a set of braziers came to life behind him. From the doorway, Serana and Escher gasped.

Exhaling heavily, Nathan uttered out in defeat. "Oh shit..." Escher dashed into the room just as something hit Nathan hard across the back, sending him flying into Escher's arms like a ragdoll. Escher fell to the ground with Nathan but chuckled out. "Just can't stop falling for me, can you?" Nathan groaned, stiffly getting up as he chuckled out. "Well, to be fair I never got the hang of walking in the first place." After a brief laugh, Nathan and Escher yelped, jumping in different directions as the Gargoyle charged in to slash at them. Serana fired spikes of ice from hands, the spikes impaling into its rocky flesh like it was thin leather! Whirling around on her, the Gargoyle snarled and sprang after her. Bounding off solid stone pillars, it chased her around the room. Serana ducked and dashed behind pillars, yelling out. "Little help?!" Sheathing his normal blade, Nathan reluctantly removed his sun sword and winced as the handle warmed his hand with a fiery hatred and the bright golden light shined throughout the room. The Gargoyle stopped chasing Serana, snarling at the sudden bright light. Bracing himself, Nathan raised a hand to beckon the Gargoyle to him as he whistled.

The Gargoyle bared its teeth, its ruby gem eyes glinting in the light. Stomping toward him, the Gargoyle raised a hand to reveal sharp claws. Acting fast, Nathan ducked the swing and sliced his blade across the Gargoyle's skin. The golden blade searing through the flesh and opening a fetal wound. Belting out a scream, the Gargoyle acted out in return, thrashing its wing out into Nathan. Taking the hit, Nathan was slammed up against a pillar. Pinning him there, the Gargoyle moved in to try headbutting his face, but Nathan let his legs buckle to dodge it. Causing the Gargoyle to dent the pillar as his large stony and ram like horned head collided with it. While it shook its head in its stunned state, Serana rushed up behind it and jumped onto its back like a cat. Placing her hands on either side of its temples, she shot spikes into its brain. The Gargoyle jerked, letting out a small whine before collapsing across the ground. Sheathing the sword to save his hand from the warm burn of the handle, Nathan told her with smile. "Thanks." She tipped her head to him, smirking out. "No problem. There is a door over this way." Escher tapped his rapier against his leg, shrugging out. "Glad you two can handle them. My rapier isn't enchanted... won't do much if we run into more."

Nathan rolled his eyes, commenting flatly. "Well, Let's hope that we don't. Although... I think fighting them has gotten easier..." Escher nudged him playfully, chuckling out. "Perks of being a Vampire, Sweetheart. Things that scared you as a mortal. Don't hold them same sway after a bit." Nathan raised an eyebrow, teasing out. "Except rats, apparently." Escher scoffed, blushing out lightly defensive. "Hey, you wouldn't be so keen to laugh if you had seen them nibble into your coffin to get a bite out of you. Little bastards don't care if you're dead or alive... They don't care. They just... eat you." Nathan draped an arm over his shoulders, leading him away to the door as he kissed his temple to calm him. Serana kicked open the door, busting it off the hinges before telling them excitedly. "Keep up, boys. And stay alert. Where you find one Gargoyle... there is usually more. My father has... a lot of them." Blushing, she added innocently. "I used to count them around the castle and always wondered why some were... missing. Makes sense if they got trapped here during the taking of the castle." Escher wrapped an arm around Nathan's waist, groaning out to himself. "Oh, that's just great... How many did he lose track of exactly?"

Serana didn't answer and Nathan pulled from Escher as he thought of something. Extending out a hand toward the Gargoyle, he shot a blue resurrection spell from his palm. The Gargoyle jerked, then growled as it stiffly got up. Some of the rocky pieces that had crumbled off, reformed and attached to it. Then shaking its body like a wet dog, it snorted and stomped toward him. Nathan put his hand on the nose of Gargoyle, giving it a small smile. The Gargoyle inhaled his scent, then exhaled and took no other breath. Escher stopped in the doorway and upon glancing back, chuckled out. "Making new friends?" Lowering his hand, he told Escher sweetly. "I've been working on a few of my spells. Figured that she could help us out." Escher blinked, asking curiously. "She? How can you tell?" Walking over to Escher, Nathan whispered in passing. "The females act quickly. They rush into a bloodthirsty fight. It's the males you've got to watch out for. They don't reveal themselves until you've stopped looking at them. They prefer the element of surprise because the females are so damn aggressive." Walking with him down the next hallway, Escher asked lightly. "Where did you pick that up?"

Blushing a little, Nathan told him openly. "The Mage College. They have these books on how certain creatures were made. Gargoyles are one of them. Made to be sentries. Yet, the females tended to be more like guards that killed those that approached, and the males tended to observe before killing prey. They say it was a weird side effect in their making. The males often have to surprise the females in order to mate with them or they'd be killed off kind of thing." Escher blinked, mumbling under his breath. "Huh... I didn't know they could breed." More braziers lit up as they made their way up more stairs and around a corner. Serana then skidded to a stop, turning slightly to say a little rattled now. "Wait... Nate? Did you say they could breed?" Nathan thought about what he'd said before honestly shrugging out. "Ya. Why?" Serana's face seemed to pale a bit more than normal. As it sank in, Nathan uttered out in gut wrenching disappointment. "Oh, fuck me..." Escher exhaled loudly, putting his hands on his hips as he blurted out. "So... What I'm gathering is that we are about to get our asses nailed by a century's worth of Gargoyles. Yes?"

Serana cleared her throat, saying a bit hopefully. "Possibly. What are the odds a male and female survived that cave it and fight so long ago? And even if they did... We'd be seeing a lot more of them around, right?" Nathan glanced at the Gargoyle behind him, answering a bit reluctantly. "That's not entirely true. Gargoyles are social creatures. They rarely go too far from a group and those that do... They are guarding the cluster. Gargoyles only have one baby at a time... So... We might be looking at twenty or so... Gargoyles do tend to kill off the old members to keep clusters strong. Odds are that we'll find an Alpha female and an Alpha male somewhere... if they survived. Or we could just be seeing a few stray females that have been sitting dormant for the last century or so." Escher chuckled out in a hopeful tone. "Let's hope it is the last bit, because the last thing I want is Gargoyles falling from the ceiling like bats!" Serana took a step back, saying a bit shakily. "Agreed." Just as she turned to head up the steps, a large figure burst from the shadows at her! Escher screamed, jumping back behind Nathan. The Gargoyle started to move toward Serana, until Nate's Gargoyle leapt into the air to attack it.

Serana dashed back over to huddle with Nathan and Escher, while the two Gargoyles slammed each other around into the stone floors and walls aggressively. Holding Nathan's arm tightly, she stammered out. "Just a thought... but maybe you and your gargoyle should go first." Nathan glanced between them, blurting out a little shocked. "What?! When did 'I' become the brave one in this group?!" Escher nudged him forward gently, teasing out. "Just now. We voted. Lead the way. Oh, fearless leader." Serana nodded in agreement. Shaking his head, Nathan said in disbelief. "Fearless? Oh boy, are you two in for a rude awakening..." To Be Continued...