Disclaimer: I don't own LOK or POP. Elizabeth was a stock sue-type until she lost her grip on reality.

The chapters aren't laying so well in this story. This was a perfect break, so I published 6 and 7 at the same time to make up for their half-length.

As the platform spiraled upwards, Raziel sipped at the basin. Fighting that many sand creatures had not been easy, especially when the motion of the floor made him dizzy. He watched, amazed, as Eliza went from wearily leaning on her bow to standing straight and pain-free.

"How do you do that?" Raziel asked, amazed that a human would have such healing powers.

"I'm the companion NPC," Liz shrugged. "As long as I survive, the game doesn't care how much health I have."

"That would have been nice to know sooner," Raziel commented. The urge to smack Elizabeth upside the head was strong at times, but it would have been unwise to leave Eliza harmed, and pointless if she didn't remember the gesture. It was different than when Raziel killed her for pleasure.

The platform reached the top of its shaft, and the two took an elevator the remaining distance to the top.

"I haven't felt anything like this before," Raziel commented. "I don't like it."

"You'll be all right," Elizabeth assured him. "Get on top of the hourglass and insert the dagger."

But Raziel wasn't listening. Like an addict, he stepped into the column of sand. Once again, the sand showed him visions of Elizabeth holding the dagger, and he was not handing it to her.

"Raziel, hurry," Eliza said, resisting the urge to shake him awake.

"Why are you so impatient?" Raziel asked as he climbed to the top of the hourglass.

"Do it now," Elizabeth insisted desperately.

"Stop," the Gamester commanded. He summoned a mighty wind to whip the clouds of sand into a frenzy. Raziel dropped the dagger as he was blown off of the hourglass. The Gamester regarded the pair as they clung to a pillar together to resist the wind. "The game is not over, but if I get the dagger, you lose."

Understanding that this would not be good, Raziel lunged to retrieve the dagger. With a gesture, the Gamester manipulated the wind to drop them gently in the tombs at the base of the tower.

"Champion of free will," Elizabeth muttered. "You hesitated, just like you were supposed to."

"You were the one who was so insistent against shortcuts the last time," Raziel snapped, unceremoniously dumping Eliza on the floor. "What do you think would have happened?"

"We might've gotten to live happily ever after?" Elizabeth timidly suggested.

Raziel growled in frustration, knowing that no matter what he did, his fan girl would not take the hint and leave him alone.

At that moment, the tomb was plunged into darkness so complete that even Raziel's eyes could not pierce it. For a moment, the two listened to the sounds of sand creatures moving in the distance.

"Where is the way out of here?" Raziel asked.

"I don't know," Elizabeth said.

"If we're supposed to spend eternity here together, I'm killing you right now," Raziel growled.

Elizabeth was silent for a moment before saying, "It's a magic word: Cacolukia."

"What?" Raziel asked incredulously. He could hear the hurt in Elizabeth's tone, and was glad that perhaps she would finally give up on him.

"Cacolukia," Elizabeth repeated. "You've got to say it, too."

"Cacolukia," Raziel muttered unenthusiastically, not believing that such a ridiculous thing would work.

A sharp, hollow sound echoed through the silence of the tomb. "Raziel?" Eliza called.

The tomb was bathed in the warm glow of candlelight. The Gamester was standing there, having just clobbered Raziel over the back of the head with his staff.

"Let me into his dreams," Elizabeth begged.

The Gamester stared at Elizabeth. He was beginning to believe that the girl really was crazy. He had seen Raziel do his best to both hurt her and her feelings.

"Raziel's dreams are for him," the Gamester said, adopting Jafar's cruel tones. "You know what you've got to do."

Elizabeth stared rebelliously at the Gamester before relieving Raziel of his dagger and sword. She left Farrah's necklace behind and made her way back to the Tower of Dawn.