Up is down, down is up.

@Alduin or @Meldresi perhaps? Read Only if nobody replies, other tags for reference unless we could get a surprise visitor? -eyes- <3

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Nyra had started to hear things, see things, more and more. Often they were either disturbing in some manner - demons, or they were simply long-gone souls. The Harbinger had climbed the tallest spire and watched over the expanse of the Saints-home from the curved, broken balcony. In her peripherals, she saw a smoky figure with a creepy, crooked grin. As much as she wanted to stare it in the face, she held her pose and looked only forward. 
By now she was almost perfectly conditioned to the entities that shared their domain. Or so at least she and Alduin had come to believe.
"I miss Mother..." Nyra eventually said, glancing to where she felt and saw the dark presence. "She is a heavily scarred woman, white as snow, like me. But she is wise, and gave me a home. @Andraste, her name. I followed Alduin when he left...I wonder if...I wonder if she'd be as kind to me, now..." The Shieldmaiden wondered aloud. Her intense gaze continued to look out over the rotting town of Banesteppe as she waited to see if the demon would offer words for once. He seemed keen to listen and watch, so she didn't truly expect input. 

Nyra sighed heavily, studying the edges of the ledge she perched upon so queen-like. 

Go to her, then. The demon rumbled. Though it was truthfully all in her head and she was likely slowly descending into insanity, Nyra believed she saw this demon in particular, along with the others. 
The Harbinger scoffed at the words. "My loyalty, my home, is here." She growled in return, looking now to the smoky monster with the crooked, too-big smile. 
She watched his head tick from one side to the other, complete with old-wood creaking sounds like a cringe horror film. Then why do you think of going back?  He challenged with a purr. She knew why. The demon seemed to know why, too, for his grin grew somehow wider, as if with knowing. 

Sanatorium was her first home. Andraste, her first mom, her first alpha. Alduin, yes, she knew and woke up here with. But between these two paths, at this crossroads, was Nyra. Here, she had power. But in Sanatorium, she felt she had purpose. 

To any other wolf, it would almost definitely look like Nyra was talking to herself. As the Shieldmaiden growled with irritation and drew silent with a scowl, her demon friend only laughed, deep and cruel.
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@Nyra

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Her days had been divided between the Tree and exploring the castle. Its emptiness seeped into the slowly gathering group, as she saw little of the other wolves, only scented them.

With that in mind she halted when she heard a voice, half of a conversation floating through the limbo of the castle halls. She approached the speaker, her steps light as she closed in on the white wolf, speaking to no one, her expression slightly marred with concern. “Are you alright?” She speaks honey-sweet, down-soft, as if to a child woken by a nightmare.
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Nyra startles very slightly as Meldresi comes in, speaking down-soft and concerned.

The Shieldmaiden hums with a tired rumble, and shakes her head softly.
"There are spirits here. I'm just talking to one of them about my home before Banesteppe." She sighed, looking to the spot where her demon had been. 
It was gone. 
Of course it was. 
Shaking her head softly, Nyra turned to the witch.
"Sanatorium. They're a cult that follows the will of Death. The Divine Mother gave me and Alduin a home there, once. But Alduin left them, and I followed..." Nyra's face subconsciously shadowed with sadness and regret.
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The priestess settles besides Nyra, keeping her distance but remaining close enough to bring her support. Her eyes and ears remain dutifully on Nyra, save when the shield-maiden turns to the empty space to her side. Her head turns to follow her gaze; nothing on her face indicated that she saw anything.

When Nyra finished speaking, Meldresi waits for a moment, seemingly collecting her thoughts before she speaks. “Do you think of her as such? As your mother?” She looks earnestly at Nyra then.
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Nyra shrugged softly at the question asked. 
Andraste hadn't given birth to her, but...
"She took us in. Gave us a purpose, especially me. Though I'm a mercenary at heart, not really a spiritualist. But even so, I feel she gave me some kind of...direction, I suppose. And though I care for Alduin, I don't think I belong here with him." She slanted her ears slightly, looking out across the rotting town outside the castle.
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She keeps her gaze on Nyra as she speaks, even as the woman looks out to the crumbling town in the shadow of the Castle. She gives the woman a moment before she weighs in. “You can be many things besides a mercenary.” she says gently, almost chidingly. “It's clear to me that you want to leave in your heart of hearts. But what is stopping you?”
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Nyra hmmed softly in response to Meldresi's first statement. 
But to the second, her ears pricked again and she thought about the answer...

"Nothing, really." She realized, and it was clear then a burden had been lifted. 
"If you wanted to, I wouldn't mind a visit from you at Sanatorium. They are located in the depths of the desert." Nyra offered loosely. 
Perhaps Meldresi too would be like a mother figure in the future...

Maybe. 

With a nod of sincere thanks, Nyra eased to her paws and began to exit the tower. 
She would leave, and soon.
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A faint smile crossed her face. Satisfaction followed suit.

Her ears perked up at the invitation, but other than the brief shock, she gave little response. She only dipped her head in response and murmured faintly: “My pleasure,” as the warrior-woman left.

Alone on the tower, she looked out over the lands that Nyra was now choosing to leave. Her head tipped back and her eyes closed. The wind played on her fur. She sat there until, apparently too cold, she slipped back inside into the ravenous maw of the castle.
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