The next chapter of Dormin's Curse shall now begin.

I am thinking of replacing the older chapters with newer variants that have my current style of writing, but I'd like some feedback on that.

I own nothing but Azgarot, Lexus, the Colossi of Spirit and the ghost of Erageo.

Lexus was nowhere.

She stood upon a beach, the ocean before her stretching for eternity. At her back was a cliffside, too high and steep to climb. The sun shone at her from above. It felt like home.

Child...

A multitude of voices echoed from above. Their tone reverberated with a mixture of affection and pity, and all were one.

You struggle needlessly, young one. The order of the world desires my awakening.

"Who are you?" Lexus called, her voice echoing across the shoreline. The voices, neither male nor female, sang to her from the empty sky.

I am the god which resides within and watches over the land forgotten by history. My name is Origin, the Waking Mind.

Lexus narrowed her eyes, reaching for the Ancient Sword. But her hands grasped at air; the scabbard was empty.

It is all right, child. Your efforts are commendable, but it is time for you to return home. I can take you to your birthplace.

Lexus remembered her father, Eolly and the villagers. She then remembered the shattered bridge which used to link the two lands.

My wind will bring a new era to your people. All you need is but to ask, and I shall return you to your family.

The maiden was silent. The wind blew sand up into the air, and it formed into a figure. A boy stood before her, skin pale and hair white. His eyes were deep green and seemed endless, but empty as well. The boy extended a hand to her.

Take my hand, child. It is all right.

Lexus backed away from the image that Origin had conjured. Her mind reeled with possibilities. The Colossus God offered her a return home. She could see her family again.

Maybe -

Art thou done dreaming of nonsense?

Chapter 9

The Waking Mind

Azgarot's Ancient Revelations

Lexus awoke to a resounding smack and a sting on her cheek. She cried out, then another cry caught in her throat as her body was wracked with pain. The battle with Lupas rushed back to her; her sprained ankle, injured ribcage and cuts and bruises all over her body.

Azgarot knelt over her, Their frighteningly blue eyes piercing her to the core. Lexus lay still for a moment as the god examined her.

"Thou art not making this easy upon Us." Azgarot sighed. "Even thinking of a pact between Origin and thee is treason upon thine people, thine oath, and especially the contract that thou already shares with Us."

Lexus only partially heard the mortal god, instead using her time to sort through what she had just seen. After a moment, she began to look around; her pistol lay against the rubble of Lupas' idol, and the sword was stuck in-between a pillar and the idol of some tentacled monstrosity.

Azgarot noted her disinterest with a sigh, standing and crossing Their arms. "Maiden, pay attention. Thou hast suffered deeply from thine last battle; afore proceeding, thou must heal."

Lexus nodded, attempting to sit up but wincing in pain. Azgarot watched her for a moment, then sighed. They bent down, taking Lexus and hauling her into Their arms.

"Azgarot?" the warrior girl blinked as They carried her down one of the halls. Azgarot turned Their eyes on her.

"We said it aright, did We not? Thou must heal, lest the quest end incomplete. Thine injuries are no trivial matter against Colossi."

"Right...but where are you taking me?"

"During thine travels to find these cousins of Our captives, We have explored this forgotten monument. There exists a spring which possesses healing properties beyond this archway. That is our destination."

Lexus looked up at the god as They moved under a gateway, moving into an outdoor garden atop a hill which overlooked the Forgotten Realm. In the center of the garden, lined with large stones, was a natural spring.

"You're being awfully kind to me, Azgarot." Lexus chuckled. The god scoffed, promptly dropping her into the water.

"This is thrice We have stated Our goal, maiden. Without rapid recovery, thou hast no hope of defeating these spiritual giants. This spring shalt assist the process, and with thine current condition, carrying thee was the only option."

Lexus spat water out of her mouth, glaring at Azgarot from beneath the hair that had fallen into her eyes. "Alright, I get it!" she snapped.

Heavy footfalls drew her attention, and she looked away from the boy as Celosia entered the garden. His eyes shifted from Lexus to Azgarot.

Should I be concerned? Ten minutes have passed and neither of you has pulled their blade on the other.

"Insolent brute, cease thine chattering." Azgarot commanded. "What We do with Our warrior doth be none of thine concern."

The girl is my charge; Malus commands it. Much as I dislike the situation, everything she does is of my concern.

Azgarot diverted Their eyes from the boar colossus. "The boy was far better than thee. He was obedient, ignorant, and his blasted horse did not contradict Our every word."

With that, Azgarot turned and walked back into the Forgotten Temple. Celosia chuckled, moving towards the spring before slipping in and lying down at the shallow end.

Lexus was silent for a while after Azgarot left, thinking to herself. Should she discuss her vision of Origin with Them? Perhaps ask why she was chosen to carry this duty, instead of one of Wander's earlier descendants?

Celosia noted her musings, snorting and scattering ripples across the water.

Deep thought, unusual for you. Care to share?

"I have many questions for Azgarot, but I don't think he would be particularly agreeable in answering some of them." Lexus replied, leaning back. Her clothes stuck uncomfortably to her; deciding that Celosia wouldn't mind, she quickly removed her cloak and shirt.

The boar colossus took very little notice of her action.

I see. Well, you could try that trick from when we first arrived; whining at Them until They give in.

Lexus chuckled. "I would if I didn't think that he'd get royally pissed this time."

She felt the bandages on her side, surprised to find the pain numbing and slowly fading. The spring was miraculous. She laid her head back, looking at the sky, then slowly closed her eyes.

The warrior spit sand from his mouth as he crawled across the back of a serpent which slithered through the heavens. A large flap made of stone cartilage waved in the breeze as he drove his sword deep into the hide of his makeshift mount, prompting it to scream.

A tilt, then it rolled in the air. He grunted, gripping its fur tightly to avoid plummeting to the sands below.

"MAIDEN!"

Lexus jolted awake to find Azgarot standing over her, staring into her eyes. She blushed as she realized that she still had no shirt on, quickly covering up - she registered almost immediately that the pain in her body was gone.

"Oh, enough. We do not care for the physical attractions of mortals." Azgarot grunted, turning and walking across the garden towards the cliff. Lexus huffed as she pulled her shirt over her head, then she grabbed her cloak and made her way to the mortal god.

Azgarot looked out at the Forgotten Land, hands clasped behind Their back. Lexus glanced at Them, then out at the country which had been shunned by even the dark god beside her.

"...hey, Azgarot." she began. "What did you think of my ancestor? The Wanderer?"

The boy was silent for a moment, then They turned their neck slowly to face her. Lexus shifted uncomfortably under the gaze of Azgarot's ancient blue eyes.

"Doth thou have a reason for such inquiry?" They asked tersely. The warrior girl shrugged in response.

"Celosia appears to have a negative opinion of him." she responded, glancing back at the Colossus which slept in the water. "I was wondering if everyone who knew him disliked him that way. ...you know, from the Fertile Land, that is."

For the first time since she'd first spoken to Them, Azgarot chuckled. It was almost melodic; the female voices overlapped the male ones. They sat on a nearby rock, raising a hand to Their forehead.

"The boy..." They began. "Even among his own people, he was considered arrogant and careless. We did not know much of his journey before he entered Our presence, but near the end of his quest, others came to stop him. From their conversation, it was clear to Us that he cared little for the rules of human society."

"The wanderer was selfish, maiden. Stealing a holy relic, traversing forbidden ground and forming an unspeakable pact with" here, They chuckled again. "'Dormin the Deceiver'. All of these laws of nature, desecrated for the sole purpose of reviving his sacrificed love."

Lexus nodded, kneeling in the grass. Celosia had also spoken of a girl. "What happened to her?"

"The girl's breath was stopped due to foretellings of a cursed fate." Azgarot replied. "This was spoken directly from the boy's lips. The specifics escape Us, but his resolve was almost godly. For such a pitiful reason, to sacrifice his own will..."

"That's kind of hypocritical, isn't it?" Lexus interrupted. "I agree with what you say, but you were just as selfish. Tricking an innocent man into giving you his body, without any foreword of the sort."

Azgarot's eyes narrowed. "...Our concerns are Ours alone. The boy was warned that the cost for revival was mighty, yet he deafened himself to Our words. 'Lord Dormin', spoke he, 'I will do anything if you save her. Please.' And lo, We did."

Lexus sat back, her empty sheathe clicking. Azgarot sighed. "The boy, himself...weak-minded. Oblivious. He displayed a complete lack of both skill and willpower. We consider it a miracle that he survived the trial. Thine question was, 'What is thine opinion of the boy?' In short, We saw him as no more than a tool."

"We could have spoken anything; simply add 'for the maiden' and he would obey. In battle, a reminder of his love pushed him further into the abyss. Faith that the stories would lead her to salvation drove the warrior."

"So you felt nothing when he died for her?" Lexus demanded, on her feet. "Are you really so heartless that you would tear his hope down at the last minute, just when he believed in you the most?"

Azgarot also stood, Their eyes unblinking. "We repeat; the boy knew the cost. He rolled the dice, he played his hand, and he lost. We won. That is all."

They began to walk past Lexus, now fuming. "And it is the same with thou. Thou art a pawn, one piece on Our universal chessboard in a game against Origin. When the game is won, thou shalt be placed in the trash with thine ancestor-"

Lexus wheeled around, fist clenched, and delivered a punch to Azgarot with such force that the mortal Colossus was knocked off of Their feet. They hit the ground with a grunt as Lexus tried to shake the pain from her hand.

"I can't believe it! Elder Agekale, my father, Eolly, they were all right!" she shouted, rousing Celosia. "You're just using me for your personal gain, like you did with the warrior!"

She bent down, grabbing Azgarot by the collar and hauling Them close to her face. "I swear, Azgarot; when I have killed the last of the Colossi, you are next." she hissed, then shoved Them away and stormed towards the temple. Azgarot raised a hand to Their cheek, rubbing it as Celosia shook the drowsiness from his eyes and padded to the god.

"The warrior would have licked Our sandals, had We possessed them at the time. And that was for the life of one maiden." Azgarot murmured. "We art helping save her entire village this time, and We are treated thusly."

This girl is not like the wanderer, Dormin. Her spirit burns brighter than any human I've seen in centuries.

Azgarot lifted Their eyes to the boar Colossus.

Give me the clue. I shall relay it to the girl, and we will be away. You will have the solitude you desire, and deserve.

And that's another chapter. Apologies for not having a colossus chapter, but I need to do character development at some point.

It struck me that Azgarot and Lexus were getting a bit familiar; this should fix that.