A/N: Less than a month. :)

Chapter Twenty-Six

The oppressive green haze of the Morytanian swamp was almost a relief to Sliske's eyes after all of the caves and rocks and snow he had been subjected to over the last few days. He wasn't entirely sure why he had returned to the six mounds of dirt that were now before him, because he certainly hadn't needed to. Perhaps he just wanted a suitably familiar and depressing location in which to stew irately about the fact that Enakhra had managed to out-guile him.

She should never have learned his secret. He should never have let her. He should have known that she was observant enough to notice even small reactions.

He should have gotten ahold of himself, damn it!

The knowledge that someone out there now had the power to manipulate him was like having needles driven into his feet and then walking on them. The fact that it was a someone who would gladly utilize that power was like a constant fear that those needles might suddenly catch fire.

The fact that said someone now also had the Staff of Armadyl, well… He didn't have an appropriately painful analogy for that.

He had to wonder if this blasted secret was actually worth the dominance that it had over him.

"There you are. You couldn't have come back to Senntisten and saved me from encountering Lucien by myself?"

Sliske turned to see Azzanadra walking through the stone arch toward him.

"What?" he asked flatly.

"Never mind," Azzanadra said. "I need to talk to you. I've got an idea."

Sliske arched one eyebrow. "You? An idea? Has the moon crashed into the sun?"

Azzanadra scowled. "Look, the Ritual is going to happen before the two weeks are up. I think our best bet is to make that as beneficial for us as we can."

"Obviously."

"We need to stop the Zamorakians from getting anywhere near the Ritual site," Azzanadra said, ignoring Sliske's barbed remark. "I have a couple of plans already, but I need you to do something."

Sliske said nothing, just stared coolly at the other Mahjarrat and waited for him to spit it out.

After a dramatic pause, he did.

A rather evil smile made its way slowly onto Sliske's face.

"It would be my pleasure," he said.

All of the Mahjarrat felt it — it was as though a long-unused light had just flared back into being in each of their minds.

Enakhra, realizing — as they all did — what it meant, quickly made her way to the planning room.

"Oh, good," Zamorak said as soon as she entered. "Exactly the face I wanted to see."

Enakhra struggled to keep a straight face at that comment. "What are your thoughts?"

He threw his hands into the air. "I have no idea. It doesn't make any sense to me. He said I'm stopping him from getting something. What does that even mean?"

"Excuse me?" Enakhra said, frowning. "I was talking about the fact that Kharshai is apparently back with the living. What are you talking about?"

Zamorak ceased his troubled pacing. "Ah. Well… Zemouregal just told me that I'm stopping him from getting something that he's wanted for centuries, and then he threatened to punch me. In the face."

Her eyes widened. "He said what?"

"Exactly!" Zamorak said, both hands falling forward until his palms faced the ceiling. "I don't suppose you know what that's about?"

She was quiet for a moment. "Centuries?" she finally asked. "He said centuries?"

"Yes," he said. "So?"

She didn't think she wanted to stay on this topic of conversation any longer than was necessary. It was making her feel very strange. "I think that we should contact Kharshai as soon as possible. I'm certain that the Zarosians will be doing the same."

His eyes narrowed. "You're right, of course. I think you should do it. You're very convincing. But first, I want you to answer my question. It's driving me nuts."

She scowled. "Fine. It's me."

"It's you?" he repeated. "What?"

She glared at him.

"Oh!" he said. "It's you!" He paused for a long moment. "Hang on, it's you? How…?"

She had no desire to finish the conversation, and quickly called up a teleport.

Enakhra was pleased to find that she had managed to beat the Zarosians to the punch. Kharshai wasn't alone, but the other person in the room was a rather insignificant-looking human, so she paid them no heed.

"Ah, Enakhra," Kharshai said pleasantly. "Hello."

"Kharshai," she returned. "It's been a while."

"Indeed," he said. "Now, shall we skip the pleasantries and get to why you're really here?"

She shrugged. "As you wish. Zaros has returned, and has issued Zamorak a challenge. In less than a fortnight, they will meet for battle. A rematch of the Second Age, you might say. If Zaros wins—"

"Then what?" Kharshai interrupted. "Under Zaros's reign, civilizations thrived. When Zamorak gained power, chaos erupted and Forinthry burned."

"Yes, but do you remember Zaros's reign?" she replied heatedly. "It may have looked nice from the outside, but he kept everyone on leashes! Even those who were high in his ranks were only there so he could keep an eye on them! Do you want that again?"

"Frankly," Kharshai said, "I would prefer to see neither of them win. This world is better off now than it was under either of them. This battle should not even happe—"

He was interrupted by the sudden arrival of Akthanakos.

"Hello, Akthanakos," Enakhra said, smirking. "Slower than ever, I see."

The newcomer turned to her, his expression falling. "Oh. Enakhra. What are you doing here?"

She was quite certain that he already knew.

"She is here for exactly the same reason that I am sure you are," Kharshai said. "You both wish to persuade me to join your side in the upcoming conflict. And in response to both of you, I say no. I will not join this senseless bloodbath. Now leave, before I force you to."

Enakhra scowled. "This is larger than you. Eventually, you'll be drawn in, and it'll be on your own head when you have no allies."

Kharshai pointed aggressively at the door, which was mostly an empty gesture since neither of them actually needed to use it. "Go!"

With one final glare, Enakhra left.

As disappointing as it was that she hadn't managed to gain his loyalty, at least she could console herself with the knowledge that the Zarosians hadn't either.

That was something.

A/N: That last section contains bits of dialogue from Koschei's Troubles, so obviously that's not mine. All rights go to JaGex there.

Anyway... Thoughts?