The holy light radiating from Ilvir's palms appeared to dim with each consecutive step through the dark corridor, the very air suffocating his magic. Even he found it a bit difficult to breathe, bare skin feeling considerably warm despite his only article of clothing being a loincloth. And a rather… unaccommodating one at that. Not that he was going to complain to his would-be superior, lest a spear be driven through his stomach.
Erviel was certainly a most puzzling figure, he had to admit. He so clearly appeared to utilize the Corruption, and was even coated in some solidified substance made of it, yet had saved him from becoming yet another mindless drone for a cult. Perhaps infighting was common between those who resided in the crypt? He wouldn't doubt the possibility.
Regardless, he realized he now owed yet another person a debt. First the dragon, and now this enigmatic creature of Corruptive origin who was clearly ruthless in more ways than he appeared. Truly a pitiable husk of who he once was, if his memory served him right.
Despite his qualms, he couldn't place what he felt was off about the cloaked entity...
Erviel hadn't spoken a word following the execution of the cult leader back in the obelisk chamber. The rose-dagger held tightly in one hand made Ilvir curious as to why he required such a weapon when he could freely morph his limbs into blades. Another contributing factor to his unease, alongside that purple glow beneath his cloak.
And yet beneath all his unease, he couldn't deny there was something about him that felt so familiar. It was such a strange feeling.
Shaking himself free from his pondering, Ilvir flexed his fingers to reignite his holy light; the gothic archways littering the seemingly endless corridor appearing to come to an end not much further ahead.
"Are we close?" Ilvir asked, the feel of Corruption in the air strengthening.
"We should be." Erviel mused, his steps filled with a quiet squeaking and click of his claws. "You'd better keep that light of yours close at hand. You lose that and you won't be able to see crap."
"I-I see… understood." He nodded hesitantly in return, flexing his fingers once more. "Though... if I may speak bluntly, why would you aid a Paladin like myself, and a dragon who repels the very substance you're made of? Are we not your enemies?"
"I see you as being useful. Nothing more to it." Erviel replied in a deadpan tone, pausing. "...The dragon, I mean. You're just bait."
"H-Huh?"
"Though, if you prove useful and somehow survive, that'll tell me all I need to know."
Ilvir sighed in resignation, knowing full well he wasn't exactly in a position to protest. He had to repay him, after all. And helping save the dragon would technically free him from having another debt to repay…
Proceeding through the remainder of the corridor and past the gothic archway serving as an entrance, the pair halted at the edge of what Ilvir could only assume to be some sort of… cliff? Glancing up to the 'ceiling' of the room they'd entered, all that met his vision was an endless black void. Beyond the cliff and far below them was an ocean of darkness he couldn't see past, 'waves' appearing to crash against the foot of the cliff.
"I… um… we didn't happen to be given false information, did we?" He turned to Erviel worriedly, whose lavender eyes were settled intently upon the black sea of shadow.
"We jump."
"W-What?!" Ilvir stammered, maroon eyes widening at the command. "How can we even survive such a drop?! What if we drown?!"
"'We?'" Erviel repeated dryly, claws clicking against the stone ground underfoot as he strutted to the edge of the cliff; turning back to face him. "Guess I overestimated you."
"H-Huh? Hey what are you-?!"
In an instant Ilvir found himself lifted off the ground and into the air over Erviel's head, claws against his skin sending shivers throughout his body. Already at the edge of the cliff, an exerted yell from his superior's maw served to send him careening into the black sky and into free-fall; the black ocean growing closer by the second as he descended with a panicked scream, arms and legs flailing madly.
Eyes clenching shut in resignation and heaving in a deep breath, the black-haired Paladin gave a mental prayer to the Goddess; scantily clad form falling into the dark waters with a splash, drops and small ripples all that remained.
Not entirely unexpected, the black sea was less akin to water and more akin to tar, given its viscous nature. In a blind panic he attempted to resurface, finding the instinctive motions futile as he was only dragged further into its depths. Running out of air due to the viscosity alone, he found himself swallowing mouthfuls of the black waters, and just as he feared he was to meet his end…
Ilvir coughed and sputtered, a muffled gurgling barely resembling a scream escaping his throat as his practically naked form met solid stone. Having landed on his back, he rolled over onto his stomach to vomit out a glob of thick goo; fearful breaths quick and raspy.
A splash from above, a thud a few inches beside him forced his maroon eyes up; glimpsing the cloaked form that was Erviel who was no worse for wear, aside from said cloak being soppy and wet.
Retching up the remainder of whatever he'd consumed alongside the black liquid, Ilvir hastily rose to his feet, shivering at the slickness of his body. Ignoring Erviel's obvious amusement at his predicament, his gaze rose far above them; the black sea far up in the air, defying gravity itself as it refused to fall.
"We came from… up there? H-How?"
"Not obvious enough?" Erviel scoffed, shaking his cloak free of any grime. "That black ocean was undoubtedly similar to the door leading to that library."
"I-If that's the case…" Ilvir rasped, hands grasping at his drenched hair as his eyes fell to examine their surroundings. "W-Where… where are we?"