It was strange, he thought, that as he went he could feel the taint in the magic growing stronger - the dissonant chorus of his magic was growing angrier and angrier. But at the same time that that was growing, he could also feel the lingering presence in this forest growing stronger - but it was like it was being pulled inwards, in the direction that the unknown figure was moving. He picked up the pace - and broke through a tree line to see a small stone structure, and a humanoid shape disappearing inside through one of the two doors he could see.
The structure looked like it had been there for years - moss had grown over the worn, weather beaten rocks. It was low, squat, and rectangular in shape, and at the four corners there were burning braziers - and the fires that were burning in those braziers were unnaturally hued - blued, not red or yellowish. The flickering flames cast strange shadows through the air as Nevin studied the building, waiting for Stare to catch up.
Stare’s beak halves slowly opened as she let out a silent gasp. Still caught within the throes of her heat sight, she was enchanted. They were a deep violet, almost black, not hot at all. At the edges they flickered black but a border of the natural, yellow heat of the building cast them in a strange, uncertain silhouette.
She breathed in slow and moved up beside Nevin. “... They are cold fires,” she whispered astounded. “Cold.”
Delighted she shifted out of the heat sight to grasp a proper glimpse at their natural shimmering blue flames. That others saw. Her heart leapt at the idea of them and she found herself excited, despite the situation. Despite the man they had followed here, now inside of the building. Carefully, she slid a hand around her dagger, her eyes still smiling though.
“What is the plan?” she asked, suddenly full of enthusiasm and life once more.
Nevin raised an eyebrow at the renewed vigor that she was displaying, then slowly shook his head. He frowned and focused on the doorways - trying to see if he could see inside. Cobalt - this wasn’t working. They needed to --
The blood mage staggered as he suddenly felt a powerful tug in the direction of the stone building. All at once he felt an overwhelming urge to be inside - that he had to be inside right then or else something absolutely terrible would happen. He grit his teeth and shot a look to Stare.
“I’m heading inside now. They’re - something is wrong in there. Something is being done in there and it is ...not painful but it is jarring, grating, screaming at me that it must be stopped.” He swallowed, his throat closed up, and then he shook his head sharply. Even now, he was slowly moving forward towards the building - his own feet fighting him as he tried not to move but at the same time had to move forward. He sent his friend a twisted smile. “I guess the plan is - kill all the damn things inside?”
