“…I could check? Perhaps you can disable the doors somehow.”

“Yes, please?”

Cara tried to keep the note of irritation out of her voice. He had lived here forever. She—

She wanted out. But she waited for her protector. Ser Dalius floated forwards, towards the door.

Did the sigils grow brighter as he approached? Cara hesitated. Ser Dalius was heading towards one of the points on the door. He reached out, to the glowing strands of magic. Cara saw his hand turn opaque, touch the magic—

The thunderous bang made her flinch. Ser Dalius went flying. She saw him flip head-over-heels backwards, and went blind as the entire ward flashed. She cried out.

“Dalius! Are you alright?”

She heard a voice as the spots in her vision faded.

“Ow!”

Cara looked up. She saw a figure zooming around the air, confused, checking himself, recoiling. He landed, shakily, and Cara ran towards him.

“Dalius!”

The [Knight] was blinking, gasping, touching at his chest. His hand. He was unharmed—in appearance at least. He looked at Cara.

“I—I’m fine. That hurt! I’ve never tried to touch the seals before. The magic—of course! I’m a ghost, but magic can still affect me. That’s how we slew specters…”

He rubbed at his hand, staring at his fingertips. Nothing had changed, but he seemed shaken. And alive.

His eyes turned to her with something like delight.

“I felt that!”

It wasn’t masochism. Much like her songs, it was a delight at experiencing something for the first time in ages. Cara exhaled. She eyed the magic and backed up another dozen paces.

“Well, I’m not touching that door.”

She’d been debating it, but she didn’t want to know what that effect would do to actual flesh and bone.

Ser Dalius nodded. He glanced at the doors, and then at the walls and Cara.

“I suppose…we should check out alternative options.”

“Yeah. What about the mice tunnels? Maybe…”

Maybe they could tunnel out of the tomb? Cara and Dalius walked over to the parts of the wall that had caved in. Ser Dalius pointed at the places where he’d resealed the intrusions.

“Let’s see. If we remove the rubble I placed here…hm. Dirt.”

A lot cascaded down. Cara stepped back, wary of being buried. Ser Dalius pulled at some stones packed into place, creating a shower of dirt, and a few squeaking shapes fled. He saw Cara retreat instantly.

“…Why don’t you stay back, Miss Cara? I’ll just…”

Cara retreated even further as the [Knight] shifted stone, hurling it aside without effort. He created a gap where she saw dirt, packed, and a single burrow. He reached into it, removed a mouse, and dashed it against the wall.

“Take that, intruder! I’ll hunt down your entire burrow if I must! No one will defile the sacred tomb!”

“Dalius.”