Vennik summed up the two Lasskyrs quickly.  The older one knew what he was doing and would be true to his word, just like all the Palan Rangers he'd ever met.  The younger one seemed to be along for support and looked like he was approaching his maximum usefulness.  He didn't have the face of a killer and the way his eyes kept shifting around told Vennik that he hadn't expected any of the violence that had happened.  He decided that he'd let them engage the creature while he took care of Tremel.

Another long wailing howl sounded throughout the castle, this time farther off, higher.  Chon looked up.  "It's not coming towards us but it knows people are here.  Its hunting us.  From what I've seen of the castle so far, I'd say the top of the atrium is its lair."

"Then that's where my friend who needs to die will be heading.  He's after something in this castle but I don't know what and I don't care what."  Vennik noticed that the brothers shared a quick glance.  They knew something.  He pointed at the doorway on the other side of the room.  "That way up."  They all started walking.  Chon and Vennik side by side with their swords out, Roran following closely holding his dagger.

As they walked, Roran realized that he'd never seen his brother actually being a Palan Ranger.  He'd seen the armor and weapons but this was something different.  The bearing, the confidence, the use of their formal name.  There was also an implied equality and respect from the Rennon.  It was new and Roran was both impressed and unsettled.  There was a whole past relationship with his brother that seemed to be slipping away in front of his eyes.

Through the doors they saw the hallway leading back towards the grand staircase.  Vennik said softly, "I don't know anything about holongs.  What do they do?"

"They're one of the more interesting horrors the Voy Diurne created," said Chon.  "They shift from solid to ghostly and back at will.  For some reason they attach themselves to a lair and an important item.  Doesn't really matter what kind of thing it is, but it's usually magical."

Vennik shook his head.  "The Voy really made a mess of things here."  They got to the base of the stairs and started up.  "So how do we kill the thing if it won't stay solid?  What did you use back there?"

"It's called a wraith grappler.  A net with Arcanum crystals in it that forces ghostly things back into solid form.  Then you just stab it a lot.  Problem now is, I only had one.  It's not designed to be used twice but I'm going to try it."

"And if it doesn't work?"

Chon shrugged.  "At that point our best option is to run away quickly."

"Well, as soon as Tremel's dead that's exactly what I'm doing anyway.  You seem like nice lads but your fight isn't my fight."

Roran spoke up.  "What exactly is your fight?  Who is Tremel and what has he done?"

Vennik smiled.  "He owes me money."

"And you're going to kill him for it?" said Roran.

"He owes me a lot of money."

Chon kept his eyes upwards, looking for threats.  "You were right, sir.  Our fight isn't your fight."

After a few more floors they came to the top of the staircase.  It opened out onto a wide landing with a curved ceiling above.  High openings caught the last of the sunlight and bathed them all in red and gold.  Vaulted stone beams rose in half-arches towards the center and plant life hung from every available crevice.  The stone floors had all but disappeared under ages of dead leaves.

Roran noticed that the bird calls and scurrying of rodents had all died away and the area was eerily silent.  Chon held up a hand to pause them all.  He listened.  "I think the holong has scared away all the birds.  Not uncommon.  Natural things don't like unnatural things."  He stepped out towards the columns that formed the top of the atrium.  "We've got to be close," he whispered.

They spread out and moved forward.  Roran moved up into a break in the vines and looked out at the colonnaded top of the atrium.  It ran around in a circle about thirty paces across.  Columns were spaced out every two or three paces, running up under the arches.  From that base of support, another set of arches crisscrossed above the open space to create a single vaulted ceiling.

Vennik whispered to get their attention.  Roran and Chon saw him pointing upwards, through some vines.  "Stairs.  Probably lead to something on top of the roof."

The three of them gathered and looked up the dark, narrow passageway.  Chon took in a breath, got his sword ready in one hand and then bunched up the wraith grappler in the other.  He started up.  Roran stepped in front of Vennik and followed.  The Rennon took a look behind them and brought up the rear.

The passageway was too narrow for Vennik to walk anything but sideways.  The thinner Lasskyrs made it better but still had their shoulders brushing the walls.  The steps led up as if they were curving along the tops of the arches.  Roran was a little nervous as he counted the steps and realized that they were walking out over the atrium below.  It was hard to trust stone this ancient no matter how solid it felt.

A low mournful wailing echoed up from below.  It drew out longer and louder until it shook the stones with rage.

"Well, that thing's not happy..." muttered Vennik.

Chon nodded.  "We need to move fast.  It's not going to be a pleasant trip back down."

They neared the top.  A room opened up in front of them, well lit from openings that were still free of vines.  Roran followed as they stepped into it.  The room was ten paces across and had it's own vaulted ceiling held up by thin stone columns.  Rising up from the floor in the center of the room was a circular stonework that looked like a basin for water or perhaps a brazier for coals.  There were remains of wooden tables around the edges of the room, various pottery containers, and scattered iron tools.  Mounted between the columns were several metal rings that had broken glass in them, with ratty ropes hanging from them that looked like they could move and tilt the rings to any angle.

Vennik stepped in behind Roran.  "What in the seven saints is this place?" he whispered.

Roran looked around and started pointing things out.  "That in the middle is an Arcanum forge.  Those rings around the top of the room can focus sunlight or starlight.  Everything else would be tools and containers for crafting Arcanum crystals."  He looked back at them and smiled.  "It's a svarosmith workshop and it's magnificent."

Chon whispered to them, "It's also a holong lair and we don't have much time.  Do your thing."

Roran stepped further into the room, closed his eyes and held out both hands.  Vennik watched for a moment and then turned to Chon.  "What's his thing?"

Chon just shook his head with an unusually stern look in his eyes.

"Quiet," whispered an irritated Roran.  "It's close but not here in the room.  Wait, there's something--"

A loud, confident voice called out from behind a lopsided wooden screen on the other side of the room.  "Yes, but unfortunately someone has already found what you came for."  A well dressed Voy Diurne nobleman stepped out. He held up a gloved hand.  Resting in his palm was a fist sized multifaceted gemstone that suddenly caught the last bits of sunlight and cast tiny rainbow colors on the floor and ceiling.  "Looking for this?"