Utterly Mad

If Gulgatha had been quiet, it was even quieter within the foyer of the college. Ferret moved past the plinth and into the museum floor. Made her way up one row of empty or shattered cases and down the next until she reached a specific door. Inside the small dim room beyond it, Ferret rediscovered the stelle she had previously given only a cursory inspection before being surprised by a lonely ghostly woman. Her own age, if she had been alive. This had been her examination room. Dead or alive, this was where Lydia had performed her duties to the college day after day. She was gone now. Wasn't that what the notes had claimed? Gone. Again, she found herself staring at the blue glazed clay hand. This time though, she thought about it. "Volunteered to serve as the power source." Lydia gave up what was left of her existence to power the appendage. Perhaps she wasn't gone though. Perhaps Lydia was still with her. One of her fathers old sayings came to her. "Remember the dead always. In that way, they will live on forever." She realized she was crying again, and wondered what Lydia would think of the smoke no doubt drifting from her eyes. The thought only made her cry harder. Awhile later, she wiped her eyes and looked to the stelle. It was still the same piece of crudely worked stone as before. Bearing the images of men and elves and undead at conflict beneath the gaze of the Lords of Gulgatha. She was sure that's who they were now. The city had filled her with wonder at first. Now though, she could taste the bitter salt of the air which filled it and the foul rot of decay permeating the fog. She turned to leave this office and something caught her eye. A pair of spectacles resting on one of the rooms trio of tables. Such a small delicate item, but familiar. She had seen their facsimile resting upon Lydia's ghostly nose. She took them and dusted them off. Ferret would never need spectacles, but she decided she needed these. Carefully, she folded them away into her bag.