Fall Into Ecstasy

Chapter 12: The Ascent

We walked in single file with Basch taking up the lead and Kang the rear guard. The valley was thoroughly laced with pathways that lead up, down, and side to side. Finding the ones that would lead to the uppermost part of the valley was tedious and tiresome, and we often had to retrace our steps.

It was slow going too, trying to look out for Sigmund and his knights while keeping a low profile ourselves. We hadn't seen them yet, but they were somewhere in the valley and we couldn't risk alerting them. It was all too plausible that they would find Larsa before we ever got back, judging by the height of the valley, but that was a bridge to cross later.

Somewhere up there was a gate, but all I could make out was shadow and then black. Not even the meager light cast by the scattered sun crystals revealed the height of the valley. It left a sinking feeling in one's stomach. Who knew how far it went – it could take a day or more to reach the top.

My feet were sore from endless walking on hard, unyielding stone and I felt a weariness seeping out from my core all the way into my extremities. I was in no position to talk, considering that I was the only one of the three of us who'd gotten any sleep at all. It was troublesome though, having to strain twice as hard to keep up

Migelo had never seemed to require as much sleep as Vaan or I ever did, so perhaps it was a genetic quality in bangaas. That didn't explain Basch's endless endurance, but I'd long since given up figuring that one out. He was an anomaly of extraordinary qualities.

There was nothing for it, but to hold my head up and plod on with dignity. Even if my clothes were beginning to smell and my scalp itched from lack of washing. No one else complained and neither would I. You tended to get used to it after a while anyway.

I was, however, staking my claim on the first bath once we got out of here, "The very first thing I do," I began, "—when we get out, is take a bath. A long, hot bath full of soap—and bubbles, lots of foamy bubbles."

"You could take a bath now." Kang suggested idly, "A bit cool though."

"No," I contended lightly, "Only a hot one will do. Algae and moss make a poor shampoo."

"And a giant squid would make a poor companion I imagine." Basch added.

I glanced over the edge of the path, scowling at the water shrinking gradually as we climbed. "Yeah." I murmured and hugged the wall to our left a bit more closely.

The path we had taken was narrowing as it climbed, but it was climbing. It would be hours of monotonous walking before we came to a point where we could see precisely where the path led. The valley walls were drawing into a funnel hole high above and the path seemed to take a diagonal approach for the bottom lip of the funnel. From there on it was too far to tell just how it would continue, but it looked promising.

Except for the perpendicular sides of the funnel that we would have to navigate somehow…

There would have to be a way up though. Unless they had used some fashion of airship to go back and forth. Then we might have problems.

I crossed my fingers silently that it would not take this entire climb to find out that we could go no further.

"I shall revel in something warm and solid to fill my belly." Kang announced a while later.

The path ascended abruptly in front of us, to the point where we were grabbing onto vines to pull ourselves up. There was barely two feet of freeboard to walk on and a sudden drop should one slip off. You might survive if you didn't hit one of the many rising pedestals of stone, at least until the squid got to you.

"What of you, knight? What do you look forward to most?" The bangaa asked, grunting as he heaved himself up behind us.

Basch stopped, surveying the route ahead of us, and smiled faintly. "The sun." He replied and paused a moment before adding, "And the stars."

There was an all around murmur of agreement on that point and we continued in subdued silence. It set me thinking for a time, which was a happy diversion to the regular boredom of endless walking. To imagine that there was once a time when an entire civilization had resided down here in this cold, desolate place.

I shivered at thought. But then, a race dominated by blindness probably didn't hold the same values in things like the stars as other people did. Maybe they didn't feel the cold like we did either, though most reptilian creatures seemed opposed to it. Or it could be that this place had once been warm.

Something had to of drawn them here, but why had they died?

That was one of many questions yet to be answered. Who knows what might be waiting around the next bend or what caused the abominations that beckoned at the gates of the valley. The air grew cold and more forbidding with each step, drawing us closer to the evil that still dwelt somewhere in the mountain.

Rest stops became more frequent the higher up we got as the incline was getting steadily steeper and more difficult to traverse. The pace was slow, as mine were not the only sore feet in the group. One could only walk so far for such a length of time before feeling the effects and we'd covered a fare distance getting to the valley already.

The motion of setting one foot in front of the other became so automatic that even pain couldn't disrupt the sequence. It would go numb before long and you would forget about it, at least until you sat down for a while. As soon as you were back on your feet it was like walking on fire for the first dozen steps or so, but the cycle would repeat itself.

When we reached the bottom edge of the funnel – a point where the path widened considerably – we stopped for an extended break. What little food we had was split sparingly, as there was no knowing how much longer we'd be down here. The dragon root provided limited sustenance – enough to keep you alive, but little else. I hoped that it would not come to that, but judging by what lay ahead of us, I was worried.

Our path had taken a most unsettling turn. There had once been a staircase leading up into the mouth of the funnel, but it had collapsed long ago. The only way of continuing was to climb the vines up the valley sides, which would put us at an awkward angle because the wall was tilted twenty degrees beyond vertical at its steepest point.

Just looking at filled me with dread. It was going to require a great deal of arm strength – my only consolation was the fact that I shot a bow regularly and had acquired some, if not much, in the way of muscle. If not for that, I would certainly be doomed. I probably still was, but we couldn't just turn around.

The only way out, convoluted though it might be, was through that blasted hole in the cave ceiling.

Basch confirmed as much on his return from a brief excursion. There was no other way. "We'll have to climb." He said and sat down. "There are plenty of vines to grab onto and they're sturdy enough."

"Best that we take separate paths." Kang advised as he lifted his head. "Our combined weights would put a great strain on a single vine."

"I agree." Basch replied and commenced unbuckling his cape. "I will have to do away with Judge Gabranth as well it seems."

"Must be a frightful bit hot in there." The bangaa remarked.

Basch grunted something unintelligible as the thick, leathery fabric crumpled to the ground at his feet. Without further ado he began the tedious job of removing the rest of his armament. I fidgeted restlessly as I watched his hands working awkwardly at the buckle, from an impossible angle certainly, and finally I could stand it no longer.

"Let me help." I implored as I knelt in front of him and intercepted the buckle, acutely aware that he was watching me. At least I had something to distract me from his presence. It wasn't working very well.

My hands were surprisingly steady despite his rapt attention and the bracer came off easily. The material he wore underneath was of a thick texture, almost like rubber, and seemed to adhere to the skin. It protected against the rubbing of the metal, but it still seemed terribly uncomfortable in itself, not to mention form fitting.

"I don't know how you stand wearing this thing." I mentioned as I removed the shoulder guard. "It must be sweltering."

My gaze flickered briefly towards his and caught there for a moment as he blushed, "Practice and a lack of choice in the matter. I would trouble you not to inhale too deeply though, my lady."

"I'll keep that in mind." I replied. "I suppose this is one of those things that falls under 'The difficulties of serving Royalty'." I arched a single brow.

Basch snorted in amusement, "Indeed."

"Your secret is safe with me." I replied softly and continued on to other arm.

Kang sniffed the air to my left and wrinkled his snout distastefully, "That savors strongly of a complaint." He remarked with mock concern. "I'm shocked, sir Knight."

Basch made a reproving scowl, "Never. But the armor I would gladly do without. I propose you wear it for a day and then we shall see who is complaining."

The bangaa shook his head, his teeth showing in a bizarre grin, "Nay, I will pass. The smell is evidence enough and I would prefer to keep the company of my own sweat, if you don't mind."

"Not even for its benefits?" Basch pressed, "I would not wear it, were it not for the various enhancements it provides the wearer. Surely you can't turn that down?"

I grimaced in forced concentration as the last of the arm guards came free and I discarded it to the rapidly accumulating pile of armor. The overhead conversation continued obliviously.

"Very well." Kang sighed. "I shall have to pull my last trump card. I should not fit in so tiny a thing, as you well know, and there is a distressing lack of space for a tail to protrude."

Basch chuckled, "Take care with that, friend. Someday you may well find a package on your doorstep. Imagine what a title that would make – the first Bangaa Judge. You would do the name justice."

Kang snorted.

The breastplate was the last that would come off, at which point Basch's only remaining clothing would be the black long sleeved body suit that was a formidable armor in its own right, his boots, and side panel of armor along each thigh. I bit my lip, nudging his arm aside as I went to work on the aforementioned breastplate lacing.

"I can do that." Basch interjected calmly

"It's alright. I'll do it." I waved him off absently, my attention on the task at hand. It was undone in a heartbeat and with some provocation the armor opened, emitting a rusty whine from its hinges. Basch pulled his arm through and it was off. "There we go." I said and stood back.

It was a moment before I realized I was staring and hastily deposited the breastplate that was still dangling from my hands.

"It may not be fashionable, but it is more practical." He explained and buckled his sword at his waist.

"Oh I wouldn't say that…" I trailed off meaningfully and retrieved my staff from where I left it. I'd have to strap it to my back before continuing on.

"Here." Before I had even begun to do so, Basch intercepted the staff from my hands and secured it on my back. "How does that feel?" He gave it a sharp tug for good measure and nearly yanked me off my feet.

The force threw my balance off and I landed against his chest, frowning up at him. "I think you got it tight enough."

"I think so." Basch murmured and spun me around smoothly, like a dance. His mouth brushed against mine, lingering just long enough to get a reaction, and pulled away when he got it. He grinned wickedly, his hand tracing my jaw softly, but his eyes hardened as he spoke, "Whatever you do, don't fall."

"I'll try not to." I replied flatly and forced his head down to kiss him more thoroughly. He hesitated barely a second before returning the embrace with as much enthusiasm. For once there were no questions, no confusion. My mind had been made up a long time ago.

Someone eventually cleared their throat from nearby and I was bitterly reminded that this was not the time to be engaging in such behavior - still worth it though. We parted slowly and I rested my head against Basch's chest for a moment, sighing contentedly. "You have to finish what you start." I muttered offhandedly and felt the heat rising in my cheeks as well.

"Now that you've finished what he started, we might want to get moving." Kang suggested. "That's not an affront on your performance, mind you, but I felt that I should intervene before the next millennium begins."

I laughed and stepped back, schooling my face for business. The sore accumulating on the heel of my left foot was more than enough incentive to grimace seriously and it was not the least bit contrived. Time to scale walls above a mile drop into squid infested waters.

Basch gazed at me steadily, "Ready?"

"Ready." I affirmed with more courage than I felt. "You know me. Where you go, I'll follow."

It was a strange thing to say, but there was more truth in that statement than I ever realized until now. I had never wanted to be left behind. In a way, that's how this whole thing started for me. I wasn't a leader by any stretch of the imagination, but I would be the last to abandon the one who was. That it was Basch simply added incentive.

I was more concerned about Kang than I was myself as it applied to the climb, but that proved to be unfounded as Kang scrambled up the vines more deftly than either I or Basch. Not having to see how far you would fall probably helped. He never strayed too far ahead, acting as a sentinel for us as we climbed up after him. There were tree roots among the vines that offered a more secure hold when they were available and the going was relatively smooth at first.

The incline was at its sharpest where it met the lip of the vertical hole through the mountain though. It would become increasingly taxing the closer we got to it. I resisted the urge to quicken pace for fear that I would exhaust myself before the worst part was over and resting would no longer be an option.

Before I knew it I was hanging almost completely upside down, arms and legs looped around whatever I could find as I inched towards the lip of the edge where the hole began. On the plus side, I was not in a position to look down as frequently and it seemed to lessen my anxiety. Kang was waiting where the hole began, having found a ledge to perch on as we made our way to him. He told us there was a pathway that followed the curve of the hole in a corkscrew and that we would be able to follow with relative ease.

Except for a few close calls where a vine had suddenly given way, the climb was no as bad as I thought it would be. Grant it, those moments were nerve wracking enough. There were usually plenty of hand and foot holds, and as long as the strain could be spread equally among limbs, nothing got overly exhausted. I reached Kang before Basch and was lifted up effortlessly to stand next to the bangaa.

The path that Kang had spoken of was a good three feet wide, affording enough space to walk or stand without one's knees trembling. There were also notches cut into the wall for hand holds, in addition to the roots and vines growing along the sides. I could see small outcroppings of dragon root trees farther up.

Basch arrived at the edge without incident and Kang hefted him up with a little more effort than it had taken for me. Then we were all three safe and sound on the road to nowhere. Another round of monotonous walking lay ahead, but at least we were getting…somewhere.

Or that was the theory anyway. Taking council from ghosts that whisper in dreams was questionable at best.

We climbed for another five hours across stone and gravel, sweating, filthy, and tired. I wanted to lie down and sleep for a day and a half rather than take another step, but there was always another step to take. It got to the point where I was prying dragon root moss off the wall and popping the raw roots into my mouth.

They were like molten fireballs bouncing around in there at first, but the sensation quickly faded as you began to chew and it eventually left a soothing cool in your mouth. It revitalized and eased the pain of many aches.The others were soon doing the same.

I doubt we would have managed the remainder of the climb without it.

At long last, an end came into view. A solid steel dead end at first glance. Intricate weaves were carved along its circular frame and two figures, a Hume king and a Bangaa king, dominated each halve; the third gate.

Now to open it…

A two foot thick slab of stone bridged spanned the width of the vertical passage. At its center point it panned out into a five foot in diameter disk, directly beneath the gate.

I reached behind me and wrestled my staff free, tucking it under one arm as I stepped cautiously on the bridge. It felt solid and sturdy. I didn't think twice about crossing, but from the sharp intake of air behind me as I set food on the bridge, someone definitely had.

As before, the spell was already on the edge of my tongue before I even realized I was speaking. The dance was different, but similar to those before. A shuddering groan emanated from above as the gate retreated within the wall, spraying frigid air and stray pieces of debris down around me. I covered my head, wincing as a good sized rock bounced off my shoulder.

Then it stopped and I was able to look up. I blinked, rubbing my eyes momentarily, and gazed at the display in amazement. That was why it felt colder no doubt.

Ice sprawled in star like patterns across the floor and up the walls, as far as the eye could see. There were glowing lights dispersed throughout the cavern, reflecting frosty hues of color off the crystalline surfaces. Pillars spiraled upwards into jagged, broken edges, encased in frozen water.

I held my breath, stunned at the spectacle of beauty and death that seemed encompassed by the room. The cold that pervaded that place seemed to hold to the barrier of the gate, even as it was open, but I could feel the residue against my skin as I stood there. It would be very, very cold up there – the bitter, endless cold of death.

A fire spell tingled at my finger tips to counteract the temperature seeping through my exposed skin. I always brought more ethers than was necessary, but it appeared that I was going to need every one of them now. Nothing had quite prepared me for this and I certainly hadn't dressed for the occasion.

"It would have to be cold." Kang grumbled from the side. "The Gods have no mercy on my kind in this place it seems."

"Best get this over with quickly if we can." Basch replied. "Before we freeze to death."

It was a nice idea, but how does one go about finding a needle in a hay stack with numb fingers? There were two staircases opposite one another that led up into the cavern. I took the one to my right while Basch and Kang made their way up the left.

I reached the last step and halted, eyeing the mirror like surface of the floor warily. Like glass it spanned the entire floor, reflecting the ceiling almost flawlessly. My gaze drifted upwards and I swallowed hard. There were stalactites dangling from up there, honed to dagger like points that could easily penetrate a person's skull.

With a deep breath, I looked back down at my feet and made the first move across the surface of glass. The sole of my shoe immediately slipped. It was like water on ice with no semblance of traction at all.

The key was finding a rhythm of movement that would benefit from the slick surface. Without a strong purchase on the ice though, it was nearly impossible to move even to slide across it. You just kept slipping until you fell or held yourself still.

Walking was possible, but only in short, shuffling steps.

I glanced up to verify Kang and Basch's positions, and caught a whirlwind of scaled arms as the bangaa skidded across the ice, toenails scrapping as his legs pumped in search of a foothold. Straining as he was to stay on his feet, he over balance himself and started to fall backwards. In a last ditch effort to save himself, Kang spun around, using his tail to regain control and promptly leg whipped Basch behind the knees. Both went down in a flailing heap of grunting and curses.

If the circumstances weren't so dire I could have laughed at the scene. Truth be told I did grin, but I held my tongue until I reached the crash zone to offer my assistance.

"Well, it was almost a good save." I mentioned as the two of them stood shakily. "You should try dancing, Kang."

The bangaa sighed dejectedly. "I shall be entirely useless under these conditions. Forgive me."

I tilted my head, examining the rest of the cavern curiously. There were numerous pathways snaking up along the walls to empty in darkened passageways. All of them were covered in ice and impossible to climb.

"That looks to be the most promising route." Basch indicated straight ahead.

It was the main road probably, judging by the rows of pillars that flanked the neatly paved stones. An immense archway loomed ahead through which the road passed. Old lamps posts stood guard on either side of the arch doorway, their fires long extinguished.

That was the direction we headed. Everyone seemed to be adapting to poor footing. Our breath was puffs of pale clouds in the cool air and my toes began to tingle with encroaching numbness. The heat of my spells did not reach my feet as readily.

On the other side of the archway was a smaller rectangular room. This one contained more evidence of civilization than the one before. There were murals on the ceiling, though it was difficult to make them out through the crystallized ice. Five doorways were visible, all but one closed behind walls of thick ice. Two of them were at the top of staircases on either side of the room, another two on the ground level opposite one another, and the last one straight ahead – it was a double door gate, one half parted just enough for a large Bangaa to squeeze through.

"I'm surprised there aren't undead here." I mentioned quietly, not entirely convinced of that yet, but hopeful. If there were they would certainly appear now that I'd mentioned it.

Nothing happened.

"It might be that they are locked out from this place as well." Basch replied and pried a wooden torch from its holder on the wall. He held it out to me wordlessly and the tip erupted in flames.

There were still crystal lights providing visibility, but where there were narrow passages it was usually dark. One could never be too careful.

We all had drawn our weapons, our eyes on the alert, and we continued on. The next room was an immense circular chamber with an inner ring of pillars and another mural on the ceiling. There were old market stalls frozen solid along the outside of the chamber, some of them in pieces on the floor and others relatively unharmed.

"This must have been a market." I said and stepped up to one of the many stalls. There was nothing in them, probably they were long deserted by the time the ice came.

"A trader's market." Kang mused. "So close to the other city."

"If we are to assume that the bulk of the human city was outside and not within the mountain." Basch added. "Did your vision say whether the temple was inside?"

I shook my head, brooding as I gazed off to the left at what appeared to be a darkened corridor. As I got closer steps materialized, leading upwards. I stopped at the edge of it and could go no further without light.

"Look here." I said, "There's a staircase."

At first I didn't notice, but when I took a longer look I realized that the steps were neatly etched with symbols and not iced over. In fact, the entire passage seemed to seem to be free of it. Intrigued, I ascended the first stair and immediately felt a dense aura of magic.

I glanced back at the others and found that they had drifted beyond hearing distance. There was another doorway straight ahead from where we entered, which was where Kang and Basch were currently headed. It was the main road again, but not, I felt, what we were looking for.

I sighed and hollered back at them, "Hey! This way."

They turned abruptly and made for my position. I conjured a light and started up the stairs, embracing the magic energy that crackled in the air. I took my time, allowing the others to catch up. By the time they did I was already at the top of the staircase. It immediately widened out into a cavern, within which was a wooden building strongly resembling that of a temple.

But was it the right temple? It seemed too far away from the home city to be where Sedara was, but there was only one way to find out.

I lead onward, mounting the entrance steps onto the outer patio. Two statues bearing brass basins flanked the doorway, one of them bangaa and the other hume – both were dressed as clerics. The silver doors were sealed shut, but there was already a spell running through my mind.

It was a simple incantation and the doors swung open swiftly and silently.

"What is that?" Basch's voice carried from behind me.

Inside the temple were two sets of pillars, between each a large white crystal hung suspended in mid air. The one on the right gleamed brightly, but the one on the left was dead. They were remarkably similar to a transporter crystal.

"I wonder…"I thought out loud and approached the still lit crystal. "If this is what I think it is, it might take us directly to the temple in the human city."

"And the broken one would lead to the sealed chamber in the lower city." Basch finished. "Where I'd wager Jovan is held captive."

"Were it not but broken, we could look forward to a swifter return." Kang reflected regretfully. "Shall we?"

Basch regarded me skeptically, waiting for a verdict.

I shrugged, "Might as well. Something brought me here I think…"

"Then the portal it is." Basch conceded.

The three of us arranged ourselves evenly around the crystal. As soon as we touched our hands to its surface the floor dropped out from under me and the room warped rapidly out of focus. Gravity was clawed way along down my arm, as if to drag my body away from where my hand still touched the crystal. My stomach clenched and I couldn't breathe as the pressure crushed chest.

Then it was over. Upon landing I reeled dizzily and barely resisted hurling the contents of my stomach onto the floor. The nausea was very brief however and my mind quickly cleared.

I looked up to make sure that the others were with me and spotted both recovering.

A strange voiced cried out brokenly from behind me, accompanied by the tell tale grate of metal against stone and a feral grunt of exertion. I whirled around, staff at the ready to meet the assailant, and stopped short in bewilderment and alarm. Brown eyes, sunken deep into the sockets, bordered by crow's feet and liver marks, paused to regard me oddly. His already wrinkled brow furrowed further in confusion.

The massive broadsword he held above his head was overbalancing him and his frail arms could not bear its weight. I watched in fascination as the sword slowly descended behind him and dragged the poor man with it to the floor. He landed with a muffled thump and his sword clattered to the stone a few feet beyond his reach.

Basch and Kang had come to stand on either side of me as the spectacle unfolded. Everyone watched in pitying silence as the man attempted to drag himself to a sitting position. Every limb trembled wildly with the exertion, the skin on his face tightening in a painful grimace until finally his body was upright.

"Careful," Kang advised quietly, though there was little if any edge behind it, "He does still possess a zodiac stone."

The old man was all gray, from his wispy hair and unkempt beard to his skin and rags of clothing. The only sign of life within him seemed to be in his still vibrant eyes, though they sparkled with a hint of madness no doubt from many years of dwelling in this dark place.

I nibbled my lower lip, unsure of what to do, and lifted my attention long enough to notice the platform rising beyond the old man, upon which rested a long marble tomb. A hearth burned behind it, illuminating the golden inlays that graced the surface of the flawless white stone. There were red roses neatly bunched on the center of the tomb's lid.

"That would explain why he's still alive." Basch said after a moment, eyes softening slightly as he advanced a step to address the man. His sword was unsheathed, but he held it at his side. "Who are you?"

The old man lifted his head languidly to examine the figure before him and shivered. His shoulders huddled closer to his body and he let out a tremendous sigh, shaking his head. It appeared though that he was not going to answer the question and averted his defeated gaze to the floor on his right.

I knelt in front of him then and tentatively reached out for one gnarled and bony hand. He flinched at the gesture, but did not recoil and turned his head towards me. Something clicked and the dam broke with a hushed whisper.

"My doing… It was all…my doing!"

My breath caught in my throat, but before I could say anything he lurched forward, latching onto my shoulders tightly with both hands.

His eyes went wide and wiled as he spoke, "I killed them! All of them! My kingdom…my daughter…" He let go abruptly, hands falling into his lap, and with a strangled sob and he bowed his head in shame. "I doomed us all."

I glanced at the tomb, then to the staff, and back at the man. "Your daughter…" I murmured, thinking. "Do you mean…Sedara?"

The man nodded miserably.

I licked my lips and my fingers tightened about the wooden staff that throbbed in my hand, "I can bring her back."

His head jerked from me to the staff and a ripple of grim understanding passed over his face. He looked away, skin drawn tiredly over prominent cheekbones and a heavy brow. "So it is to be. She will not forgive me…"

At that the king, if that was truly who he was, would speak no more.

I nodded at Basch's silently inquiry and rose slowly to my feet, staff in hand. Its power pulsed against my skin as I approached the tomb, at first unsure of how to go about unlocking it. The magic acted of its own accord however – I was simply its instrument – and the lid of the tomb disintegrated along with the roes, revealing the person beneath.

Her skin was golden and her hair dark ringlets draped over the shoulders of her white robes. Her hands were arranged neatly over her chest, a zodiac stone clutched within them. She was indeed the woman of my visions. There was not a trace of decay on her body either.

Not knowing what else to do, I slid the staff gently in to her hands and stood back, waiting. It seemed to be enough for the staff began to glow, emitting sparks of golden light that absorbed into the lifeless body beneath it. Her eyes opened and she inhaled sharply, sitting up to examine the room and its occupants.

In one hand she held the staff and the other her stone. Her gaze halted on the old man still seated by Basch and she abruptly stood, hopping bare foot down from the tomb onto the stone floor. Her eyes moistened, but remained hard as she stared at the old man's back.

"Father." She hailed, "Where is Armond?"

Neither I nor Basch or Kang moved to interfere the exchange, but waited with interest for what would happen next.

The man glanced back at her sadly, "At the palace, or what's left of it." He muttered and looked away, "… all is not as you left it those many years ago."

Sedara faltered as her knuckles went white from clenching too hard, "What do you mean?"

"It was my doing. Mine and your brother's." He whispered.

"But the witch king—"

"We cursed you!" He interrupted sharply, bolting to his feet with unusual strength. "You and Jovan, both. Alas, with the stones at our disposal, our hatred destroyed our own people – the witch king was simply the instrument to set all in motion."

Sedara bowed her head, her hair concealing her face from view. "I see." She murmured. "Then…is he still sealed within the third temple?"

Her father nodded rigidly, his expression contorted viciously, "Your brother controls the undead, ever trying to release the monster. You must stop him first."

Sedara turned to me abruptly, "I am sorry for the trouble we have brought you." She said and her shoulders fell, "You will want to know the story behind this I am certain."

I crossed my arms, arching a single brow, "That would be nice, yeah."

The woman nodded, resigned, "It was a great and terrible sin that brought this upon us – both bangaa and hume alike, and though it may have been carried out by mortal hands, the true orchestrators of our doom were the Gods themselves."

"Why?" Kang demanded.

Sedara lifted her eyes to the bangaa and pain laced through her features, but she did not look away this time, blind though Kang was. She seemed to gaze through him, her voice was barely above a whisper as she answered.

"We sold our souls for eternity and murdered our children to keep it."

Author's Notes: I just want you all to know that this chapter brutalized me. So if you were wondering why it took my so long, it's in large part due to that and the fact that I just suck at updating this. I feel really terrible about that too because you guys have been great to me and deserve swifter updates. I didn't know what to do next and my plot was in shambles. I needed time to figure things out. I'm hoping that the next update will actually be faster, unlike this one. But I tend to be pretty hopeless as far as that's concerned. Forgive me.

Thanks to all of you who left me comments - you're the best. Your encouragement keeps me trudging onward when I'm feeling stuck or disheartened. I hope this chapter wasn't too boring, though I have my doubts.

Take care!