The third floor

Isamu just stared at him as though he were some kind of idiot. Though, isamu was the idiot really, for not understanding that Ehren was actually just joking. "There actually is a barrier. You wouldn't be able to enter the third floor on your own no matter how hard you tried. it is impossible."

"As far as paperwork goes, you won't have to do it too often, mostly just when an accident happens or something. if you have to diffuse a situation then you will have to write a report about it, same thing if there is an accident. It's nothing too laboring, just write down what happened, when, where, and who was involved and then you are done." he then turned and continued up the stairs.

Once they reached the second floor Isamu took the hall on the right and opened the door on the very end. Inside the door was a set of rickety old stairs. Each step creaked as Isamu stepped on them. At the top was another old door.

Isamu laid his hand on the door handle and twisted, as he did this ice appeared from his hands and leaked into the keyhole. After a few short moments there was a click and the ice dispersed into tiny water droplet. The droplets disappeared before hitting the floor. As Isamu opened the door a cold draft would hit the two of them. The room inside was black with absolutely no light. There was a window to the left but a curtain hung over it to keep the light out. "Stay behind me," Isamu told Ehren as he began walking through the darkness.

Ehren let out a slightly dishearten sigh this guy seemed more immovable than any object he had come across. Though he was happy about the paperwork not being too heavy as it was with his last jobs. Ehren did take in everything that happen as he followed the man up the stairs and into this seemingly magically dark room.

"Well I don't suppose you just take any old person up to this place? I must be special then?" Ehren said once more joking as he followed directly behind Isamu.

"We only bring guards up here to finish filing paperwork..." he informed Ehren as he opened the door to another room. Once they were both inside he closed the door and turned on a lit. The room was small with a desk, chair, and filing cabinets lining the wall. "Im not sure if you were told or not but... the guards here have tattoos..." Isamu rolled up the sleeve of his right arm and held it out for Ehren to see. On the bottom of Isamu's wrist was tattoo shaped like a bird's footprint. It was bumpy and red from his scratching.

"These tattoos Identify us as guards and also enable us to turn into our bird forms. However, if you can already turn into a bird then you will not need one," he stated as he rolled his sleeve back down.

"I don't really have a tattoo like that on my wrist. Though I have one on my back it's how I suppose how I received my powers." Ehren quickly pulled out his cellphone as he scrolled through his picture gallery to the picture on his back.
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"I got that awhile back it represents the blood eagle torture/execution method used by the Vikings. Though I guess it had a nice side effect. Is there something else I should wear to identify me as a guard?" Ehren looked at Isamu with a questioning look waiting for the stone of a man to answer.

Isamu stared at him silently for a moment before speaking again, "There will be no torturing of anyone else around here," he told him firmly. "If I see it then I will kill you." It would be hard to know if Isamu was joking on that last part or not, he somehow managed to keep a straight face.

The young man then walked over to a filing cabinet and opened one of the drawers. He skimmed over the labels on each file before pulling out a folder with Ehren's name on it. "All I really need from you now is a signature," he said as he pulled out a contract with very tiny lettering on it and handed it over.

While Isamu waited for Ehren to answer his tattoo was becoming unbearably itchy. He rolled up he sleeve and scratched at it again, becoming incredibly uncomfortable.

Ehren looked at him blankly only smirking lightly at the idea he would torture people. He wasn't after all working for the military anymore. The idea of himself being killed also didn't seem to phase him though he did not let it show as he straighten his own face out.

"I think I can manage a signature." Ehren joked as he pulled out an antique feather pen from within his coat. He pricked the end of the pen on his own finger waiting for the pen to draw enough blood from the small wound as he signed his name down in blood on the sheet of paper. He finished with an elegant cross of the T before handing it back over to Isamu.

The tiny pen was placed back into the folds of the coat as he looked over at Isamu.

Isamu took the paper from him and placed it back into the cabinet, then closed the drawer. He felt the need to warn Ehren about what the mansion was really all about, but if he did and lost another employee the Saiforro's would punish him. Besides, the more help he could get the better. It would take a lot of strength to bring the cruel owners of the mansion down. "Im not allowed to say much but, I feel like I have to warn you. If you stay the night here in the mansion you will never be able to leave. There is a curse on this building and until wrong has become right and revenge is served the curse will remain in place. Also, you are safe here, really. Only a natural death can kill you. I can't kill you, the Saiforro's can't, no one can... unless of course you catch some kind of disease from one of us. There a few other guards here. There is a kestrel, three swallows, the white eagle, and myself. I am usually in this form here but if not then I am in the form of a black eagle."

He shifted to his other foot and covered his mouth as he let out a cough that shook his entire body. Isamu placed his free hand on the wall to stable himself before standing straight and looking at Ehren again.

"Most of the residents here are pretty friendly. Just remember to use your manners and your best judgement to handle a situation."

Ehren looked at him a grin spreading across his face most would take as that of an insane man though to him it was that of calculated chaos he was always able to bring to the table, it pursed his lips at the thought of another battle something like those he served in. Though he wasn't ready to let onto all of this he quickly dismissed his facial features from his lips. In good time he thought this place would become quite the fun place to be apart of.

"I can take the form of a Peregrine Falcon. Though I don't tend to do much. So I guess the whole killing me was a joke then? Took you long enough to crack one." Ehren said laughing a bit as he stared as Isamu watching him as his body seemed racked with some sort of pain.

"I'll make sure I mind my manners though to be honest, I don't know if too many people will really take notice of me." Ehren finished with.

"Whether they notice you or not is fine. Sometimes the best thing a guard can do is keep to the shadows. Chances are if you stay hidden you will see more things that need to be stopped. People tend to hide things in front of authoritative figures." He then opened the door and pointed towards the direction that they had come from. "Head on downstairs now and enjoy the festival in the Celebrations Hall... or if you prefer, start work right now and keep an eye on everything. I have to stay up here for a bit to finish some work but if you need anything just find one of the other guards. I may not be back downstairs for a few days or so, who knows."

"Ok if you happen to need anything just let out a whistle. I'll come running ready to fight or whatever needs to be done." Ehren said with a wave of his hand while he walked out of the door taking down the stairs.

He planned to start work right away instead of enjoying anything it was better that way it seemed. Though he seemed to be trapped in a mansion or at least that was what it was going to turn out to be. He had no want or reason to leave the property with all the good information he just found out. At least this cleansing would be more justified then past ones that had taken place.

Tsukasa had left the Celebrations Hall. She needed a break from all of the cheeriness and happiness, the fluffy gowns and the bright lights... the chattering. It was all too, well, cheery. She made her way up to the base of the stairs and sat with her chin in her hand. She knew she couldn't continue up the stairs but this seemed like the most quiet place around to sit and think about the days events.

Her thoughts drifted to Aamu. The beautiful young woman had come to see Tarik and Tsu had entertained her for a short while and then excused herself. Even though Tsukasa acted like she didn't care what anyone thought she honestly did. The young woman absentmindedly picked at the scars on her face as she stared at the floor. "Damn those girls with porcelain faces," she muttered.

As she sat in silence for a few moments she heard footsteps approaching the door. When it opened she jumped up and whirled around to see who was coming out of the mysterious third floor.

Ehren did not seem the least bit surprised by the women that was sitting on the staircase. He was more intrigued then terrified of her as he had yet to meet any of the residents of the house, minus that of the head guard. In a matter of seconds though he looked the women quite thoroughly over as whether she would be a threat to him or not.

"I don't suppose you give that reaction to everyone that comes out of there do you?" Ehren said with a smile on his face.

Tsukasa narrowed her eyes at the new guard and quickly stood to her feet, "What do you mean?" she asked with an accusing tone. She didn't much care for people talking about her face, he may have not said anything directly about it but she guessed that's what he mean't when he was talking about other people's reactions. "Who are you anyway? What are you doing here and what do you wan't?"

Then a thought came to her.

"What the hell were you doing up on the third floor anyway? No one is allowed up there... I would be careful if I were you."

"No one is allowed? Well I was just up there. So I just ruined that theory of yours. I am Ehren Holt, the newest guard here. Well you're the one that gave me the ghastly reaction from leaving the third floor. For myself I am here to do my job." Ehren did all of this with a flourished over dramatic bow to the women.

He wasn't at all threaten by her he was more taken aback about how they were afraid of a floor of the house. That to him seemed more weird.

(Sorry I was gone so long, Balder. Some unexpected things popped up :( )

Tsukasa thought about what Ehren had said. He had just been up to the third floor!? She wanted to ask him what he had come across, yet she needed to keep her tough-girl disguise, and so, she kept her mouth shut. She didn't wan't to seem like a little kid, getting all excited over such a thing.

"Well... welcome to the mansion I guess. Im Tsukasa."

"Nice to meet you. I'm Ehren Holt, I am the new guard here. It is a pleasure to meet you. You seem tense though like you have a question you would like to ask?" His voice cheery all the same as he looked at the girl the compound bow was still in his hand.

Ehren took no real hard guy look he was more of a cheery guy some dark humor but overall a great guy to be around.

When Ehren asked her if she had any questions it took Tsukasa a few moments to answer him. She wasn't sure if she should actually ask him anything. But, it couldn't hurt, could it? "How did you get in there? What did you see Did anyone else go in there with you? if so, where are they?" She may have sounded like a nosy child, but Tsukasa was genuinely curious.

She had a feeling that someone had gone up there with Ehren, and a great deal of concern washed over her.