Dahlia was an unstoppable force in the woods, despite the warnings of Alaric. Again, she barely needed the help of the others, but she found herself swarmed many times, and it was only with the help of Kormac, Leah, and occasionally Lyndon that they all made it through. Fighting through to the first key was worse than they expected, with at least a hundred undead coming upon them. When they finally had the area cleared, and they reached the key, Dahlia was hesitant to pick it up. They had barely survived, and Kormac's healing aura, while useful, was slow. However, she couldn't stop Lyndon from reaching for it, his eyes nearly glazed.
"This must be worth a fortune," he said, "A true relic." He picked it up, and the pedestal shuddered.
"Lyndon, what have you done?" Dahlia asked, readying her staff. Kormac and Leah looked nervously around for the onslaught, but it never came. In fact, the only thing that happened was the orb flashing in Lyndon's hands. He seemed surprised, and Kormac, angrily, knew what was happening. He was hearing the same voice he had heard. He was meant to be a part of this. Dahlia, having no idea but still worried he was going to steal it, yanked it from his hands. "We have a destiny to fulfill, you idiot."
"Yeah..." He watched the orb for a few more seconds, but recovered quickly. "As long as destiny brings us together," he said, looking Dahlia up and down with a coy smile, "And I have plenty of places for us to get together."
Dahlia rolled her eyes. Leah uncomfortably shifted back and forth. "We should leave this place and get to the next key. We still don't know what we're going to face, and I don't think it's safe here."
Gaining the next key was just as arduous, but they pressed on. Lyndon was surprisingly more useful after holding the orb, having the same experience as Kormac. He surpassed Leah quickly, and staved off the hoards as though it had been his entire life. When they reached the second key, Kormac yanked him aside under the pretense of keeping his thieving paws off of it.
"What did you hear when you picked up the first key?" Kormac growled.
"I heard money jingling in my ears, my friend. Surely once those keys are used and the temple is opened, I can scoop them up."
"That's not what I meant, and you know it."
Lyndon shifted his eyes nervously. "I heard echoes in the cave, that's all."
"What did she say to you?" Kormac finally pushed. Lyndon shoved him back as they felt the shudder of the second pedestal. Dahlia came over, shoving both globes into her pack.
"Why are you two fighting so much?" she asked, "You barely know each other."
"I know our paths are completely different," Kormac said, "I follow the Light, and he follows his disgusting urges."
"Disgusting?" Lyndon gasped, looking hurt, "My urges are for joy. How could that be disgusting?" He turned to Dahlia. "We should get these keys back. Destiny and whatnot."
"You're... right," Dahlia said, glancing to Leah. Leah shrugged and started to run out of the decrepit hole they were in. Dahlia followed close behind, her staff radiating with a mass of elements. Lyndon turned to Kormac.
"She told me exactly what I needed to do to accomplish my goals. None of which include my 'disgusting urges'. So keep your lectures to yourself."
Lyndon ran off, and Kormac could only stand for a few seconds in shock before bringing up the end of the group. He had a feeling deep in the wells of his faith that making it through together meant all of them. And he wasn't ready for it.