Amor Vincit Omnia

(Love Conquers All)

Part Two: The Fragile Heart

"In restless dreams I walked alone
Narrow streets of cobblestone
'Neath the halo of a street lamp
I turned my collar to the cold and damp
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of a neon light
That split the night
And touched the sound of silence."
- Simon and Garfunkel
"Sound of Silence"

My sincerest thanks to everyone who reviewed that last chapter, especially my anonymous reviewer who had such kind things to say (I wish I could have responded to you personally ... it's funny that you mentioned Count of Monte Cristo, because I had just been to see a theatre production of it the previous night!) Hope you all enjoy the next installment, though I warn you it's going to get a bit rough for a while ... bear with me, please. You might not like the direction it seems to be taking, but I promise it's not permanent! .

Chapter Fourteen: Potent Poison

The rest of the group reacted to the news of Saiya's agreement with Kulle in much the same way that she had anticipated they would. Kormac took it about as well as Baal had; though he did not yell at her, he did scold and fuss and make his discomfort with the situation very clear. Eirena was curious, and asked a lot of questions about how it had felt to be possessed. Lyndon expressed no opinions one way or the other.

Caesar was the only one who surprised her. He came to sit beside her while she ate, and asked if she would allow him to have a conversation with the ancient sorcerer. When she rather suspiciously asked him why, he admitted that he had always been very interested in Kulle's work with soulstones, but that he had never been able to find any manuscripts properly documenting his findings.

Seeing no harm in it but reluctant all the same, Saiya unhappily agreed, and spent the next half hour relaying messages back and forth between her friend and the spirit she was hosting. They seemed mostly innocuous and very technical: all about keystones and extractions and other things she didn't understand. She lost interest rather quickly and paid just enough attention to repeat Kulle's answers.

Baal returned towards the end of the discussion, and she tried to catch his eye, but he ignored her (purposefully, she thought) and went over to speak to Kormac. From the surreptitious glance that the Templar shot in her direction, she assumed they were talking about her. After a minute, Baal sat down to write a missive to Adria and Asheara, alerting them of the latest development.

They packed up and departed shortly afterwards, heading north on Kulle's instruction. Saiya tried to walk side by side with Baal, hoping to mend fences, but he kept maneuvering so that other people were placed in between them. This blatant rejection stung, but she remembered what Ghor had counseled about patience, and did not confront him directly. Eventually she fell in next to Lyndon, who was whistling a jaunty tune and slapping his hand on his thigh to keep time.

"What melody is that?" she asked, partly out of curiosity and partly to distract herself.

"It's called 'Sera'," he replied. "Do you know it? It's a classic tavern song in Khanduras."

Saiya shook her head. "I don't believe I do. How does it go?"

"Sera was never an agreeable girl," he sang.

"Her tongue tell tales of rebellion

But she was so fast

And quick with her bow

No one quite knew where she came from

Sera was never quite the quietest girl

Her attacks are loud and they're joyful

But she knew the ways of nobler men

She knew how to enrage them

She would always like to say,

Why change the past when you can own this day?

Today she will fight to keep her way

She's a rogue and a thief and she'll tempt your fate!

Sera was never quite the wealthiest girl

Some say she lives in a tavern

But she was so sharp

And quick with her bow

Arrows strike like a dragon

Sera was never quite the gentlest girl

Her eyes were sharp like a razor

But she knew the ways of commoner men

And she knew just how to use them

She would always like to say,

Why change the past when you can own this day?

Today she will fight to keep her way

She's a rogue and a thief and she'll tempt your fate!"

Lyndon had a fine voice, clear and warm, and Saiya applauded when he was finished. He stopped to execute a courtly bow, grinning at her.

"Your turn, darling."

"Oh no. I never sing in front of other people. Trust me, it's better that way."

"Nonsense. I refuse to believe a bird as lovely as you can't warble."

On the spur of the moment, Saiya decided to indulge him and started in on the first tune that came into her head.

"Alas, my love, you do me wrong

To cast me off discourteously-"

There was a harsh sound from behind her, as though someone had drawn in a breath and choked on it. Turning her head, she caught a flash of Baal's eyes burning into her own before he wrenched his gaze away. The melody died on her lips.

"That wasn't a bad effort," Lyndon said kindly. "I think you just started out in the wrong key. Too low. Tell you what, how about a duet? Do you know the Ballad of the Highwayman?"

Saiya did not, but that did not discourage Lyndon. The song in question turned out to be the tale of a bold bandit (seemingly a recurring character in Lyndon's favorite epics) who fell in love with an innkeeper's daughter. They were happy together, but it ended tragically when she died to save his life, and he died avenging her death.

After that, Ghor offered up a hauntingly beautiful dirge from her native land, and Eirena followed with a song that she used to sing with her sisters. It was in a style called a 'roundabout', where several parts were sung by different people at the same time, weaving together a complex melody. Everyone joined in except for Baal, who was uninterested, and Caesar, who insisted that if the others were to hear him sing, they would surely try to murder him to stop the cacophony.

They ate lunch on the go to save time, and arrived at their destination around midday: the bridge leading over a deep ravine to the aqueducts that supplied Caldeum's farmland with irrigation. The bridge was an ancient edifice, made of sandstone blocks imported from the desert and cunningly locked together to form a solid structure. The topmost blocks were cracked and crumbled with age, the pillars listing at crazy angles or missing altogether.

"Doesn't look like it's been maintained for a while," remarked Lyndon.

"The Emperor sends a crew of architects to survey it for damage every year," replied Baal. "Or, at least, he's supposed to. Well, I guess there's nothing for it. I'll go first."

Saiya watched in trepidation as her lover edged out onto the bridge, stepping carefully around the more dubious stones. When he had reached the middle with no difficulties, he motioned for the rest of the group to join him.

"One at a time!" he cautioned. "Just to be on the safe side."

Kormac began to go next, but Saiya pushed ahead of him, some impulse driving her to make haste. Less than halfway across, she understood why with a jolt of horror.

Baal was not alone. A shape was filling the air behind him, as yet nothing more than a slight shimmering in the air that hinted at something vast. The Hunter, eyes fixed on her, was completely unaware of it.

"Behind you!" she screamed, breaking into a sprint. Hearing the warning sharp in her tone, Baal vaulted forward a split second before the demon lunged for him, needle teeth snapping closed an inch behind his body. He landed on his feet with the grace of a cat and spun around, drawing both crossbows. Taking but a moment to aim, he unleashed a stream of arrows into his assailant. It was visible now: a great serpent with a human torso, the largest of its kind Saiya had ever seen. The scales of the snake half had a golden glow in the light, while its face was that of a proud warrior.

"Pathetic humans," it hissed, "you will go no further. I am Siuzogg, Lieutenant of Belial's great army, and I have come for your blood!"

"Nice of you to introduce yourself," Saiya grunted, coming to a halt by Baal's side. "I hope you won't be offended if we fail to show the same courtesy."

The demon attacked without warning, reaching for her with its long arms. She rolled under and past the attack, coming up on the other side already balanced for a kick. But she did not reckon on the tail, which lashed out with surprising speed and dexterity and struck her in the midriff, knocking her against a pillar and winding her. She struggled upright, bracing herself on the stonework.

Siuzogg had gone after Baal, who was busy dodging, firing off shots when he could. Kormac, the closest of the group, was still fifteen paces away. Saiya was about to aid the beleaguered Hunter when she was seized abruptly from the side and borne to the ground. Agony exploded in her shoulder. She cried out, reflexively striking at her opponent. Her bladed knuckles found flesh and cut deeply, a torrent of hot, foul blood gushing out as the serpent collapsed across her body. She had severed its jugular vein, but not before it buried its fangs in the thick muscle that ran from her neck to her clavicle.

Baal shouted her name, voice tight with desperation. The snake was thrashing now in the throes of death, its jaw clenching and unclenching, the teeth digging deeper with every spasm. Saiya stabbed at it repeatedly, sobbing against the pain.

"Kormac, help her!" the Hunter pleaded.

-The fangs, you stupid girl!- Kulle bellowed in her mind. -Get them out now! -

But the four-inch ivory daggers had pierced clean through the armor of her robe and were now stuck there, trapped by the mangled metal. The serpent was dead, at least, and Saiya let her head fall back against the stone, exhaustion coursing through her veins. The bridge was in chaos: Kormac trying to battle his way past two demons to reach her, Caesar and Eirena cornered by another pair, Ghor standing tall, framed against the sky as she wove a summoning spell. Lyndon fired off his heavy crossbow with one hand, slashing at his foes with a knife in the other. In the center of it all was Baal, his eyes afire with rage, fighting with the ferocity of ten.

Then Siuzogg raised his hands to the heavens and uttered a curse in the terrible language of the Burning Hells, and in a heartbeat black clouds formed low overhead, swirling ominously. Bolts of lightning lanced out of them, sending up sparks where they struck the bridge. One of them came within a foot of hitting Kormac; another would have killed Caesar and Eirena if the enchantress had not managed to cast a shield at the last second. Even Belial's minions were not safe, for the electric blasts were indiscriminate, targeting friend and foe alike.

There was no telling how long the onslaught would have lasted had it not been for Baal. With a running leap, the Hunter tackled the golden serpent and sent it tumbling backwards. He landed with his knees pinning the demon's arms and forced the barrel of his crossbow into its open mouth, holding down the trigger until the creature stopped moving.

Eirena's panicked scream shattered the calm of victory. "Run!" she exclaimed. "The bridge is collapsing!"

Indeed it was, the blocks in the center crumbling first, spreading outwards in a wave of destruction. As everyone began to run towards the aqueducts, Saiya renewed her efforts to free herself from the carcass that weighed her down, fear lending strength to her weakened limbs. Kormac was kneeling beside her, begging her to hurry, though his voice sounded distorted to her ears.

With a final hack, the snake's vertebrae parted and the body dropped away, leaving the head still attached like a grotesque medal of valor. The Templar scooped her up, somehow managing to be tender despite the urgency of the situation, and sprinted at full speed down the length of the bridge, which was sinking under their very feet. Ahead of them, most of the group had reached safety, save for Baal next to them, and Caesar and Lyndon, who were slowed by their wounds.

As soon as he set foot on solid ground, Kormac dropped to his knees, setting Saiya down on a patch of soft moss. The Hunter, half a pace behind, turned back to help their lagging companions. Caesar, wincing with every step, put on a burst of speed and made it just in time, but Lyndon was forced to jump as the last blocks broke free and tumbled down into the canyon. Caesar grabbed one of his hands and Baal caught hold of the other, and together they pulled the rogue up onto the cliff top, where he lay flat on his back, panting with exertion and adrenaline.

Baal hurried to where Saiya lay prone, too exhausted to even blink, and stroked the hair from her forehead with a trembling hand. When she didn't respond, he pressed his palm to her cheek and shook her lightly, horror dawning across his features.

"Saiya!" he cried. "Oh gods, this can't be happening. Saiya!"

Realizing that her stillness and fixed stare has misled him into thinking her slain, she mustered the energy to shift her gaze to him. His shoulders slumped in relief.

The others were crowding around by this time, wearing identical expressions of concern. Kormac looked close to tears. Caesar's face was grim. Even Lyndon had a furrowed brow, and his mustache drooped at the corners, following the line of his frown.

"Ghor?" implored Baal, turning to the sangoma. "What should we do? Is she badly hurt? Why won't she speak?"

"Let me examine her," Ghor replied, pushing forward. She peered into Saiya's eyes, felt her pulse, probed the area around the wound with firm but gentle fingers, and lastly dipped her finger in the young monk's blood and brought it to her tongue. She spat instantly.

"Poisoned," she announced. "I will do my best to save her, but you must all help me."

"Anything," Baal said. The others nodded in agreement.

"It will involve voodoo magic," Ghor cautioned, her gaze fixed on Kormac.

The big westerner averted his eyes. "If it's for Saiya, I'll do it."

"Just tell us what to do," Eirena added.

"First," said Ghor, "I must have poison to fight poison. I am not familiar with the local plants. What grows in this area?"

"There are three that I know of," said Baal. "One is the zaheratici. The second is a kind of algae, recognizable by its cluster of red buds, which look like berries and float on the surface of water. The third is a mushroom called lapdan ölum: Sudden Death."

"Bring me all three."

"I'll go," Caesar said. "What's that mushroom look like?"

"Blue cap," answered Baal. "And a long stem. They usually grow in clumps at the base of trees, in the shade."

"We'll find them faster if I help you look," grunted Kormac, getting laboriously to his feet. The two men hastened into the woods.

"Eirena, build a fire and heat water," the sangoma instructed.

"Yes, ma'am, right away!"

"Lyndon, we must have someone to keep guard, in case of further attacks."

"I'm on it."

"You haven't yet given me a task," Baal said quietly.

Ghor put a hand on his arm. "To you, rafiki, falls the most difficult task of all. These fangs must be removed from her flesh. It will be extremely painful for her."

"I understand." The Hunter's tone was bleak. He drew his belt knife from its sheath.

Up until now, Saiya had been languishing in a dazed, dreamlike state in which nothing felt real. The pain in her shoulder had dulled to a mild ache, and a pleasant tingling sensation was spreading through her entire body, carrying numbness with it. With the rational part of her mind, she understood that this was bad, that the venom was taking effect and killing off her nerves, but she could not bring herself to care. Kulle was babbling nonsensically in the background, scrabbling at the walls of her psyche like a rat in a cage. She pushed him away.

But then Baal bent low over her, whispering, "I'm so sorry, nuur il-'en,", and forced the knife into her wound. She forgot that she was dying, forgot that he was trying to help her, forgot that she loved him even, and – desperate to stop this anguish – struck wildly out with a hand still girded in razor-sharp knuckles.

Taken by surprise, Baal hissed as the blade lashed across his face. A thin line of red appeared across his left cheek, bead of blood forming. Ghor acted swiftly, catching Saiya's wrist and pinning her arm to the ground before she could cause any more damage, deftly removing the weapon.

"Are you alright?" she asked Baal.

"Yeah," he replied, though he sounded shaken. Placing his palm flat on Saiya's chest, he held her forcefully down, digging around with the tip of his knife in an effort to loosen the snake's fangs. Their curved shape, combined with the demon's deathlocked jaw and the tightness of Saiya's muscles, made them impossible to extricate without enlarging the wound. Saiya screamed until her throat was raw, tears streaming from the corners of her eyes, slamming the back of her head against the ground. Seeing her agony was bad enough; knowing that he was causing it was almost more than he could bear. The only thing that kept his hand steady was the overwhelming fear that if he did not finish this, he would lose her.

He couldn't allow that to happen.

Five excruciating minutes later, he was finally able to hook his fingers around the fangs and slide them free. Her shoulder armor came with it, wedged into the creature's open mouth. Ghor pressed a clean rag to the wound to staunch the welling blood. Baal spun and hurled the serpent's head into the canyon with as much vigor as he could.

"What now?" he asked Ghor, shocked at how fragile his voice sounded.

"I will draw out as much of the poison as I can," the sangoma answered. "I wish that I could have done this sooner, but it could not be helped."

Leaning down, she placed her lips over Saiya's mutilated flesh, sucking the tainted blood into her mouth and spitting it out to the side. She repeated this process for several minutes while Baal sat helplessly and stroked the young monk's forehead. Her skin had turned grayish and was clammy with sweat. Mercifully, she had lost consciousness at some point.

Eirena had a decent fire going, aided by some of Baal's blaze powder as tinder. They damped cloths in the steaming water and washed the wound. The Hunter had carefully removed Saiya's robe and covered up her bare skin with his cloak. There was nothing more to do now but wait.

The world was a blur of sounds and colors, dark shapes hiding behind the mist, faces forgotten. She wandered formless in a haze, weeping because she could not remember sadness, lost because she knew no home. Time was a living thing, breathing, great lungs expanding and a heart pumping blood. She lived moments, and lived them over again.

One question: is this death?

Heat – fire burning – blazing a trail in her veins until she was consumed, immolated, her body turning to ash. Nothing could survive such an inferno. Her very soul burned.

But miraculously, she was alive. The pain nourished her, wove itself into a blanket around her, protecting her from oblivion. As long as she had the pain, she was safe. She could not be destroyed.

Visions flashed before her. Mirages, or were they dreams? A pair of wings, blue-silver, ethereal. A man: tall, bearded, broad-shouldered, the very image of power and wisdom, bent with grief. A black-haired boy at the bottom of a well, fear and hatred filling his eyes. A little girl, playing by herself in the corner of a vast courtyard.

There was a voice in her head, filling every crook and crevice of it with sibilant whispers. The voice did not form words so much as ideas. Alone. Abandoned. Unwanted. Weak. Guilty. She cringed away from these poisonous notions, not wanting to recognize the truth: that she was all of these things.

Then light filled her world, and the cruel voice vanished. The pain went away as well, leaving only exhaustion in its wake. Weary beyond reckoning, Saiya slept at last. She dreamed of rain.

Baal sat listlessly on the edge of the ruined bridge, legs dangling down over the precipice, shoulders slumped, hands held loosely in his lap. He had never felt so drained in his life, though he supposed that was partially due to the large amount of blood that Ghor had siphoned from his veins to complete her potion. It was not the blood itself, the sangoma had explained, but the element of sacrifice that caused the voodoo magic to work. The more you were willing to give, the more potent the draught. She had forced him to stop only when it was becoming dangerous to his health; he would have spent every last drop in his body to guarantee Saiya's survival.

The monk was slumbering peacefully for the moment, wrapped in several layers of blankets. Ghor had been optimistic about her condition, predicting that she would wake sometime the next day, though not at full power. In fact, it could be some time before she was back to her normal strength, which was a major concern. Baal would have insisted on bringing her back to the Hidden Camp, where she could convalesce in safety, were it not for the damnable presence of Zoltun Kulle. He dared not leave her unattended with that murdering madman.

The vibration of footsteps behind him alerted him to someone's approach. He did not need to turn and look to know that it was Caesar; the scent of cinnamon clearly announced the other man's presence.

"What do you want, mage?" he asked, too tired to feign politeness.

"May I join you for a moment?" Caesar asked.

Baal shrugged.

"Saiya's going to be fine, you know," said the wizard, assuming a casual position with one knee raised and his weight propped on his hands. The wind teased his hair, stray locks flying about his face. He added, "Ghor is very good at what she does. The best."

Baal said nothing, but he did feel slightly reassured.

"At first, I didn't understand what Saiya saw in you," Caesar continued, gazing into the distance. "I didn't think you appreciated her properly. You always seemed so sullen and curt with her, and it pained me to see you stringing her along when she was obviously so devoted to you. I would have treated her like a princess, but she didn't want that. She wanted you."

"Is there a point to all this, or did you just come over here to insult me?" Baal growled.

"I'm not insulting you."

"Could've fooled me."

"I'm trying to tell you I was wrong."

"Well, you're not doing a very good job."

The pair of them sat side by side in silence for a few minutes before Caesar said, "I feel I owe you an apology, Baal. I judged you harshly when we first met, and I've allowed nothing that you've done since then to sway my opinion. That was wrong of me. I hope that it isn't too late to repair our relationship – we can at least be civil with each other, can't we? Perhaps one day we might even call each other 'friend'."

Baal regarded him somewhat incredulously. There was no insincerity in Caesar's expression.

"You'll never be my friend," he replied. "There's too much difference between us."

The mage nodded. His pride wouldn't permit him to show the hurt that Baal could sense teeming just under the surface. He got up without a word and began to walk away.

"We're more like brothers," Baal said. Caesar froze in place.

"Do you have any brothers?" the Hunter asked.

"No," Caesar said, his voice muffled. "I was an only child."

"I had two," said Baal. "The older one was a lot like you, actually. He used to torment me all the time. I hated him." There was a heavy silence. Then Baal mumbled, "He died to save my life."

"Don't expect me to do the same," Caesar said softly.

"I'd never forgive you if you did," Baal shot back. "Now go away, please. It's impossible to think with you around."

"That's just because you have no brain." There was a momentary pressure on his shoulder, a gloved hand resting there for just the briefest of instants before vanishing again. The footsteps moved away again, though the air still smelled of cinnamon.

For some reason, Baal couldn't stop smiling.

Saiya slowly opened her eyes, struggling to shake off the drowsiness that hung over her in a heavy shroud. Her brain immediately set about trying to gather as much information as it could to piece together what had happened. There was greenery all around her, and the sound of falling water in the background, so they were probably still in the Dahlgur Oasis. The position of the sun suggested late afternoon: the same day? It was impossible to tell. Most importantly, her shoulder was aching fiercely. Her robe had been removed, and the joint was neatly bandaged.

-I see you're finally awake, girl.-

"Kulle," she muttered, with a sort of resigned tolerance.

-I've been waiting for hours,- griped the sorcerer. -Do you know how dull it is to be stuck inside a motionless body, unable to engage even your host in conversation?-

"Can't say I do." A thought struck her, and she asked, "If I'm in pain, do you feel it?"

-Yes, in a way. It is difficult to explain. It doesn't hurt me the same way it does you, but it is not pleasant either. If it would not be too much trouble, would you try to avoid further injury?-

"I'll do my best. How long have I been out?"

-Most of a day. The others have been arguing about what should be done next. The demon hunter wants to take you to a safe place and go on without you, but the mage insists that they will not make it far without you – or rather, me. He is correct, and the rest of the group seems to agree with him.-

"No surprises there," Saiya grumbled. Of course Baal wanted to send her back to the Hidden Camp like some delicate maiden. Well, he could try!

As she tried to summon the strength to sit up, Kulle said, -While you were sleeping, to pass the time, I've been getting to know your companions with a bit of one-sided telepathy. The results have been quite interesting, I must say.-

"In other words, you've been reading everyone's minds. You know you're not supposed to do that."

-My dear child, I only promised not to read your mind. The others are fair game.- There was a slight pause, and then he said, slyly, -Wouldn't you like to know what they were thinking?-

"Not really," Saiya replied. "It's none of my business."

Kulle's chuckle grated on her consciousness. -Come now, I'm sure that's not true. Do you mean to tell me that you've never been curious how they really feel about you? Which ones love you, which ones would die for you … which ones cherish a secret animosity?-

A dark temptation flowered in Saiya's heart, but she pushed it away. She couldn't deny that she was curious, though she couldn't imagine any of her companions disliking her. She was fairly sure that Kulle was needling her, trying to get a reaction out of her, and she had no desire to play his petty emotional games. She ignored him.

-After all,- mused the sorcerer, -you never truly know someone until you've been party to their innermost thoughts. I'd wager that at this point I know your friends better than you do. Take the little enchantress, for instance. She's sitting over there, dainty as a flower, mending a tear in her clothes. What do you imagine she's thinking about?-

"Probably mending the tear in her clothes," Saiya said dryly.

-Ah. First blood goes to you. You are entirely correct: her mind is occupied with mundane matters. 'I'm almost out of thread. My leg itches. Did I put enough water in the rice?'-

Intrigued despite her best intentions, Saiya glanced over at Lyndon, who was sitting by the fire, eating dinner. "What about him?" she whispered, thinking that if anyone was a mystery, it was the rogue.

-'This rice is very crunchy',- Kulle quoted. Saiya bit her tongue to keep from laughing aloud. She had no desire to explain to the others what she found so amusing.

"What else?" she asked.

She could almost feel him smiling. -He thinks, 'Eirena is a lovely girl, but if she's to be proper wife material she had got to learn how to cook.' Now he is trying to picture her divested of her garments.-

Wife material! Saiya thought in alarm. She had no idea that Lyndon was so interested in the petite blond. Oh gods … Kormac would be devastated if she chooses Lyndon over him. I must see what I can do to dissuade her.

-The mage is my favorite,- Kulle continued. -Young Caesar. He's intelligent, that one, and oh so fascinating. Right now, he is thinking about his mother.-

"Really?" Saiya mumbled, her focus still stuck on the dilemma of Kormac's love life.

-Yes. He is trying to remember her face, and he cannot. This pains him. He thinks, 'If I were a better son, she would not have died.'-

-Stop!- Saiya cried out mentally, aghast at having inadvertently caught such a glimpse at Caesar's private thoughts. She felt as if she had violated something sacred. -No more! I said I don't want to hear it.-

-Not even if I could tell you about your Hunter?- Kulle inquired, his tone smooth insinuation.

Saiya snarled, -No, godsdamnit!-, but his next words caused her resolve to flutter and fail.

-Who is this Leah?-

-What are you talking about?- she demanded sharply.

-'Leah, Leah',- he said. -Everywhere I look. 'I wonder how Leah is doing.' 'Leah would not be treating me this way.' 'Did I make the wrong choice?'-

Her heart was pounding so loudly that she was surprised the whole camp couldn't hear it, and there was a lump of nausea growing in her stomach. She clarified, -These are Baal's thoughts?-

-Indeed.-

"I don't believe you," Saiya said aloud, though she kept her voice low. "You're lying."

-Believe what you will,- replied Kulle, -but unlike your so-called lover, I have no motivation to lie.-

He was silent after that, retreating back into the hidden depths of her psyche where she could not reach him, but the seed of doubt that he had planted took hold and began to sprout into an ugly certainty. The fact that clinched it in her mind was that Kulle would have had no other way of gaining the knowledge that he had passed on. He might have stumbled across Leah's name in the thoughts of one of her companions, but he could hardly have understood its significance. It was just a woman's name, nothing more. If he had said Asheara or Ghor, it would not have had the same effect on her.

The worst part was that she had always suspected some attraction between the two of them, but she had tried hard to dismiss it as a jealous delusion. Well, she thought bitterly, if he wanted Leah so badly, so be it. She would not stand in his way. But he was a fool if he thought he could have them both.

Just then, Caesar announced, "I'm going to have another try at that door. Give me a hand, Baal?"

"In a minute," said the Hunter. "I want to check on Saiya first."

At the sound of his voice – so natural, as if nothing had changed – a bitter lance of sadness passed through her heart, overtaking her anger for a moment. The two warred briefly, and sadness won out. At first, she had intended to confront him, force him to admit the truth, but she couldn't bring herself to do so. As he knelt beside her and pressed a kiss to her forehead, she pretended to be asleep.

Saiya did not get up that evening, preferring the sanctity of her bedroll and the defense of feigned slumber. She tried meditating, but the state of calm would not come to her. Baal checked on her twice more, and seemed once to be on the point of trying to rouse her, but Ghor said, "No, rafiki, you must let her sleep. It is how her body will heal."

By listening to the conversation, Saiya gathered that the door into the aqueducts was shut tight and would not open. Her companions had spent the entire day trying by various means to get inside, and the general consensus was that they would have to await guidance from Zoltun Kulle.

Eventually, they bade each other good night and retired to their respective bedrolls, with Baal taking the first watch. Saiya could not sleep; her shoulder was hurting, and her stomach was a knot of snakes, but she forced herself to lie still, not wanting to attract the Hunter's attention. She knew it was cowardly of her, but she couldn't help it.

The young monk slept badly, haunted by nightmares of Baal and Leah in each other's arms, and woke early, before the sun had risen. Eirena, who had the last guard duty, was the only one awake. She didn't notice as Saiya rose, dressed, and slipped out of camp, heading up the path towards the aqueducts. The cool morning air did a lot to rejuvenate her spirits, and she began to feel as though she would be alright after all.

The door was a massive affair of steel, ornately carved and twice as tall as Saiya. Carved out of the rock above it was the face of an old man whose stone eyes glared sternly at any who approached.

-That is Khan Dakab, - Kulle informed her. -He was Emperor of this land long ago. It was under his rule that Kehjistan became great. He built these aqueducts, and enabled Caldeum to grow from a mere military outpost to a capitol city worthy of its nation.-

"How do I open it?" Saiya asked, not currently interested in a history lesson.

-Do you see that text around the seal in the middle? It gives instructions in the Emperor's secret code, which only someone knowledgeable – like myself, of course – would understand. It reads, 'depress the locks in this order: five, one, four, two, three. Then slide the key in a full circle around the seal.'-

Saiya stared at the puzzle blankly. "I didn't get any of that. What locks?"

-Those buttons are the locks, I believe,- replied Kulle. -They are numbered. I will tell you which to press.-

When she had successfully followed his instructions, the seal shifted slightly, leaving a thin gap between it and the rest of the door. A little prong of metal rose up at the very top of the circle with a clicking sound.

"I take it that's the 'key'," Saiya said. Gripping it, she tugged it laboriously along its track and was rewarded when the entire mechanism twisted to part in the center, and both halves of the heavy door retracted. Beyond was a dank tunnel, the walls green with algae.

At that moment, there was an outcry from further down the hill. Eirena, voice raised in panic, wailed, "Wake up, everyone! Wake up! Saiya's gone!"

"What? When?" That was Baal, sounding alarmed and furious.

"I don't know! I turned around just now and her bedroll was empty."

"You should have been paying better attention! It was your watch! If something's happened to her, I swear to all the gods that I'll-"

"Enough, Brother," Kormac cut in. "We are all worried for Saiya, but assigning blame and making threats will not help us find her. I suggest that we split up into search teams. Eirena and I will go-"

"I'm up here!" Saiya yelled. All conversation from the camp ceased, and she could see several people break into a run, heading in her direction. Baal reached her first and skidded to a halt, glancing from her to the open door and back again.

"Are you alright?" he asked.

"Fine," she replied coolly. "I didn't mean to worry everyone. I just woke up early and thought that I'd give the door a try. As you can see, I solved the problem."

Baal narrowed his eyes. "How did you know about the door?"

"I overheard all of you talking about it last night."

"You were awake last night? Why didn't you say anything?"

She shrugged. "I was tired and wanted to rest."

"Saiya, I was really worried about you. I wish that you would have at least let me know you were okay."

Saiya looked away, avoiding his disappointed gaze. "Sorry."

"Oh, Schwesterchen, you got the door open!" Kormac exclaimed, stopping halfway up the hill to lean on his knees, panting. Caesar, right behind him, gave her an admiring grin.

"How'd you do it?" he called.

"Kulle told me," she replied, not missing Baal's scowl at the mention of the sorcerer's name.

"Well," the Hunter said, "now that we've gotten that over with, come back down to camp and let's get some breakfast going. The aqueducts will keep." He reached out to take Saiya's hand, but she ignored him, walking briskly down the hill to join the other two. Baal's hurt was sharp in the empty space behind her, and she felt a brief flash of guilt, but the recollection of his thoughts on Leah was all it took to banish any regret on her part. She make a point of taking Caesar's arm.

"What are you doing?" the mage whispered, giving her a baffled look.

"I'm still feel a little shaky," she said. "You don't mind if I lean on you, do you?"

"Of course not, but-"

"How long was I out?" she asked, interrupting him.

"Most of yesterday," he replied. "We were afraid for a while that you weren't going to make it."

"I'll have to thank Ghor. I assume she was the one who saved my life?"

Caesar exchanged an odd glance with Kormac, who was striding beside them. "She did, yes," the mage answered, "but Baal was equally responsible. The antidote to the snake's potion required a generous donation of blood, and he insisted on giving his. Ghor eventually had to stop him before he bled himself dry."

"Oh," was all that Saiya could think of to say. Yesterday morning, she would have been touched, amazed, incredibly grateful. Now she didn't know what to think. Her entire conception of Baal as a person had changed so radically in such a short time that she felt as though he was a total stranger. Was it possible, she wondered, that Kulle had made a mistake? That innocent thoughts had been interpreted in a terrible way? She glanced back over her shoulder to where Baal was trudging along in the rear. His eyes met hers, and she jerked her head around as though stung. He looked so troubled.

Back in camp, Ghor was consoling a sobbing Eirena, while Lyndon tended the fire. There was a moment of awkward silence. Then Baal went over to the enchantress and crouched down next to her, taking her hands.

"Eirena," he murmured, "Üzgünüm. Mene bax. Üzgünüm, Men size qisqirdi olmamalidir." *

Eirena sniffed loudly and replied, "Bu Baal, gözel var. Men basa düsürem."

He smiled and patted her cheek. "Yeah? We're good, then?"

"We're good," she confirmed, beaming back at him.

Ghor, meanwhile, had left her charge and come over where Saiya was standing. "I would like to have a look at your shoulder, if that is alright," she said.

"Of course," Saiya replied, sitting down cross-legged on her bedroll. "Thanks, by the way, for saving my life yesterday. I can't tell you how much I appreciate it."

"Think nothing of it, child," said the sangoma, waving a dismissive hand. With gentle fingers, she undid the clasps on Saiya's robe and slid it partially down so that her bandaged shoulder was exposed. As she worked away, she leaned close and whispered, "Is your guest behaving himself?"

For an instant, Saiya felt the urge to take Ghor into her confidence and tell her all about her conversation with Kulle the previous day: how he had manipulated her into hearing others' private thoughts, what he had revealed about Baal and how it had affected her feelings for him; but something held her back.

"Yes," she said. "He's behaving himself perfectly."

The witch doctor nodded. "Good. I am glad to hear it. Ah, your wound is looking better. It will take some time to heal, and there will certainly be scarring, but the joint itself has not been damaged. See for yourself."

Because of the difficult angle at which she had to turn her head, Saiya could see only part of the injury, but she could tell it was a nasty one. The flesh was torn in several places by deep, ragged punctures. The surrounding skin was red and irritated.

Her examination finished, Ghor smeared a sweet-smelling balm over the area and reapplied the bandage. Lyndon had started the meal by this time, and the savory aroma of fish and potatoes filled the camp.

There was not much talk while they ate, each of them wrapped in their own solitary thoughts. Baal was particularly quiet and morose, though Saiya noticed that each of their companions, even Caesar, seemed to make a special effort to cheer him up. Though no one said anything directly to her, Saiya felt as though they were silently judging her. She wondered if they would still take Baal's side if they knew the whole story.

Once breakfast was over, they packed up quickly and efficiently, not bothering to conceal the traces of their presence. The enemy already knew their whereabouts, as was evidenced by the ambush the previous day. There was almost certainly more danger in stone for them, as Caesar ominously remarked.

Before they entered the aqueducts, Baal insisted on a restock of all their supplies, since they would not have another chance after the aqueducts, when they would be in the Desolate Sands, where food was scarce and water nonexistent.

At long last, they were ready: flasks filled to the brim with fresh water and packs stuffed full of as many victuals as they could gather. As they stood in a group before the tunnel into the aqueducts, lighting torches and lanterns in preparation, Saiya shivered. A sense of foreboding was building in her chest, a premonition that something terrible awaited them. She reached out and clasped Kormac's hand, wordlessly seeking reassurance. He squeezed her arm.

"Alright," said Baal, taking the lead. "Let's go."

His favorite crossbow loaded and at the ready, he stepped over the threshold and into the dark passageway.

* Baal said to Eirena, "I'm sorry. Look at me. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have shouted at you."

Eirena answered, "It's okay, Baal. I understand."

Just as a reference, the song at the beginning is 'Sera is Never', which I borrowed from Dragon Age: Inquisition. Consider it a crossover, if you like! Also, if you're a fellow DA fan, I'd like to give a shout-out to my dear friend Chrissyleena, who has written a couple of lovely DA one-shots. You can find them on my favorites list. :)