VII

The Lord of Murder shall perish, but in his death he shall spawn a score of mortal progeny. Chaos shall be sown in their passage. So sayeth the wise Alaundo.

The words rang through her head. She stood at the end of the walkway. More walkways stretched on into darkness. One turning led to a solid wall… and a door. She didn't know what lay beyond it. Sinking to her knees, she stared. Behind her, Sarevok waited in his cage. His laughter had finally ceased. Leaving him here was a death sentence. Mercy would have been to kill him. Justice and Revenge offered the same. Sarevok had taught her never to leave a foe behind her.

Pushing herself up with her palms, she walked forwards without looking back.

The door wouldn't budge. It was stuck fast. Panic spread from the pit of her stomach to her throat. She was free of the cage, but freedom was only as fleeting as her ability to stay free. She took a step back. There had to be another door. Cautiously, she made her way along the walkway. After some distance, it ended in another locked door. Aliana could have screamed. She tried the other end. It just… stopped. Darkness below her, around her.

She didn't want to, but she had to go back by the cages. Every second she delayed here meant a greater chance her captor would return.

…Unless this was part of his 'experiments'. No, she couldn't think like that. Test or not, she had to try. The alternative was to spend the rest of her days in that cage, however long that was. Now she was out, she never wanted to go back. Setting her chin, she drew in a deep breath and walked back.

"Lost, little sister?" Sarevok's voice was heavily laden with irony.

Answering would have meant acknowledging his taunt. Defiantly, she moved past the cages. It still hurt to walk, but it was a good pain. Protesting muscles meant at least they were working. The walkway branched into two here. Opposite directions. She turned left. Heart in her throat, she made her way along. That one ended in empty cages. This wasn't happening.

She tried the other end. A locked door. Hysteria crept into her. Had she thought it would really be so easy to escape? She had to try the doors again. Knowing she wasn't strong enough, and knowing she hadn't prepared the necessary spells, she had two choices. Blast them with her sire's essence, if she could manage to summon it again, or rest. Even if she did rest, she still lacked her spellbook.

There was a third option, but she didn't like to consider it.

Sarevok's eyes followed her. After a while, she slumped outside the first door. If she was going to rot in her, she would at least make sure Sarevok never got free. Their captor would focus everything on her, but it would 'unlock' her 'potential' faster or kill her. She forced herself up.

"So little sister, have you finally decided to finish it?"

She couldn't look away. His gaze mocked her. She hated him. She hated him more than anyone else… except herself. When she looked at him, the truth burned into her. She could lie as much as she wanted until she saw his face. The words spilled out of her, the denial, "I'm not you. I'm never you."

"Oh, but you are."

The rejoinder stung. Numbly she shook her head.

"Murder is written in your heart, into your very being. It is written across your face. But you are weak."

"I hate you!"

"Then finish it!" Gold flashed.

Stepping backwards, Aliana found herself sitting down. Disgust returned, along with the hint of self-satisfaction, as if he knew the answer all along. His eyes closed as he sank back. He was right. Tormented, she tried to gather her reeling thoughts. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, "It should have been you, or me, not her!"

"Heh," He rumbled. "That much we agree on."

Slowly she nodded.

"Though I would have killed her anyway."

"You bastard… To think I offered you a chance to live…"

"It was your spell, sister."

She turned away, then spun back, "Tamoko was wrong about you."

Sarevok didn't answer but fury lit his eyes.

"This will never be over," she vowed, "I won't ever forgive you."

"Then end it."

Reviled, she studied him. He wasn't afraid. Slowly, she shook her head, hating herself as never before. "No. We finish it when we are the last two left."

Now he studied her. "What do you propose? That we ally? Heh. What makes you think I'd agree to such a thing?"

She refused to answer.

"I will trust you, little sister. Heh."

"Swear it? That we won't…" She drew in a deep breath. Why was she even considering this?

"By our Father's throne."

"By our Father's throne," Trembling, she repeated, and whatever strength she had left ebbed away.