Ulmir’s Domain. The Flying Lion Painted World. A Few Hours Before the End of The Tribulations.

Zedd approached the Priest silently then pointed his sword at him. He searched him then invited him to go find the flying lion together. He told him how he wanted to heal the creature in order to get it to speak. It was the way for them to leave. As Zedd was trying to get the Priest to trust his word, the world around had suddenly got blank.

They were standing in their initial spot again, only they didn’t know about it. The Priest observed the lion fly above while Black Eyes ambushed him and took his weapon. They were on a loop, doomed to repeat the same actions while time in the world outside slowly ticked away. Utar had gone back to his seat by the Champions’ Lounge and Ulmir’s champions were fighting to get out of the mansion.

Zedd was leading Javad toward the lion again. They had been repeating this cycle for so long without even realizing it. This time, as Zedd was about to punch the Priest and smash him against the sharp obsidian rocks, something caught his eye. A fox, white as snow, was standing on a rock a few paces away from them.

It was easy to recognize the animal for its color highly contrasted that of the world around them. Zedd gave up on attacking the Priest and went to investigate what he’d just seen. As he approached the animal, he realized that the fox was looking at him. It fixed him with its red eyes while its three tails bobbed from one side to the other. As Black Eyes got closer, the animal quickly turned around and dived at the ground.

A small hole instantly materialized below the fox and it disappeared into it. As he reached the place, Zedd couldn’t find any trace of the hole. The steep rock on which he was standing now only contained black shining obsidian. Javad caught up to Black Eyes then stood beside him.

“What did you do to the lion?” he asked. They were just speaking of how Zedd had injured the gigantic creature.

“What?” Zedd asked. He was disoriented. The sight of the white fox disturbed him greatly.

“You were about to answer a question,” Javad answered. He saw that Zedd was looking at an exact spot on the ground. He looked at it as well and saw some runes engraved on it. “What does that mean?”

“These are old runes from a forgotten language. Their presence here are extremely peculiar to say the least.” Zedd was still looking at the runes.

“Can you read them?” Javad asked. He could see the man with Black Eyes looking at the runes, but his facial expressions didn’t change. “

“Yes,” Zedd answered. He was frowning this time.

“Well, what does it say?” the Priest knelt beside the runes and inspected them. They looked like they had been carved into the rocks using some very sharp object.

“Look at the sky and remember,” Zedd answered.

“Huh?”

“It’s a message, it must mean something.” Zedd looked at the flying lion in the distance then at the sky. The beast was still sleeping, not minding the world around it. “We should move.”

He turned toward the Priest, grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him forward. Javad cast a dark look at Zedd but obeyed nonetheless. The man with Black Eyes took his weapon. Besides, there was no need for him to fight back. Even Utar feared the man, despite his shameless boasting, Javad always suspected the High Priest was lying.

“What do we need to remember?” Javad asked as both of them moved forward.

“Don’t ask questions now, Priest. Just move and keep your focus on those healing Miracles of yours.”

“Why don’t we finish that beast already? The both of us could easily bring down an injured sleeping lion.”

Zedd smacked the Priest with the back of his sword. The metal rang as it hit Javad in the head. The Priest scratched his head furiously before turning at Zedd, frustrated. “What did you do that fo – “

He didn’t have the chance to continue his outraged speech since the time loop activated again. Zedd ambushed the Priest and took his sword again. He led him through small, sharp obsidian rocks while explaining to him the situation with the lion.

Again, as he made to attack poor Javad, Zedd noticed something in the distance. It wasn’t the white fox this time. It was more like an after image, of something leaving the place. Zedd inspected the rock and found the runic message. As soon as he saw the engraving on the ground, Zedd invited the Priest to sit down.

“Weren’t we going to heal the lion?” Javad asked.

“There’s something we need to discuss, Priest. But I need you to do something for me. We obviously can’t leave this place easily. So I’ll need you to follow my instructions. Please tell me you will cooperate.”

Javad looked at Black Eyes, perplexed. Before he could ask anything, Zedd put his index to his lips.

“Find a way to ask questions without really asking them. This place is keeping us here. I think I know the reason behind it but I can’t tell you unless you don’t ask any questions.”

“But how am I – “

“Tut, tut, tut!” Zedd exclaimed, covering the Priest’s mouth with his hand in the process. “I said no questions.”

Javad nodded rapidly at Black Eyes who removed his hand carefully. He couldn’t risk the Priest asking any more questions. They both looked at each other in silence for about a minute. Neither could speak. Zedd’s mind was racing with possibilities and theories. Javad’s head hurt as he thought how to formulate his question best.

“Explain in words I can understand,” he finally said.

“It’s difficult to have a conversation between two strangers who know nothing about each other. This place is testing us, or playing with us. I very much prefer the latter. Painted Worlds aren’t known for being kind.”

“And wha-“ The Priest wasn’t allowed to speak further as Zedd jumped on him again.

“Look at the sky and describe what you see for me,” he said as he held the Priest on the ground. “It’s imperceptible, but if you spot it, then you’ll understand.”

Javad nodded and looked up. The sky above was clear, save for a few oddly shaped clouds. The sun shone bright in the blue sky. There was no lion to obstruct the view this time. “I see a clear sky, that’s all,” Javad finally said.

“Now try to remember the painting as you saw it first. Remember every detail then try picturing it here. See if you spot the difference this time around.”

Javad closed his eyes to concentrate better on the task at hand. He remembered the High Priest clutching it as he took it to the vault. He remembered the flying lion that covered the entire sky with its wings. He also remembered the volcano erupting, covering the ground around it with molten lava.

“The volcano should be erupting,” Javad said after he opened his eyes.

“Precisely,” Zedd answered after letting go of the Priest. “And I assume we’re trapped here because we ask too many questions.”

“I won’t ask it but you know what I mean Darkstar.”

Zedd picked up a rock from the ground then scribbled something in the runes he’d seen before. After he finished, he turned to look at Javad. “This here’s an experiment,” he said as he pointed at the runes. “For both our sakes, I hope it works.”

“Darkstar, please explain,” Javad asked.

“I thought you didn’t want to work with me. I thought you took me for a devil,” Zedd retorted with a twisted smile.

“What does this have to do with anything?” Javad retorted, frustrated. “One moment you say we’re trapped. And the next moment you’re bringing up this devil theory of yours. What gives?”

Zedd scribbled on the ground again then looked at the Priest. “You’ve just asked two questions. We should be resetting but it hasn’t triggered yet. Perhaps it really doesn’t have anything to do with questions.”

“You really have no idea on how to get out of here,” Javad said.

“You see, dear Priest,” Zedd said then got up. He threw the obsidian stone far away then started walking the opposite way. “I’m not the type to go around without a plan. I like control, and I love knowing what’s happening around me. The difference between you and me, dear Priest, is that my mind is open to all possibilities, whereas yours is limited to your world, your High Priest and your Lord Supreme.”

“Where’s this going Darkstar?” the Priest stood up then followed the man with Black Eyes. They were heading for the lion once more. Zedd looked up at the sky once more then kept walking forward. Javad had broken into a trot to follow Zedd who started walking faster.

“Hey Darkstar,” Javad yelled at the man who ignored him. “Where are we heading?”

Zedd turned around, looked up at the sky then at Javad. “Definitely not the questions,” he said as the Priest caught up to him. They were standing near a pond which emitted some strange gray smoke.

“What is it then?” the Priest was panting when he caught up to Black Eyes. “And since it’s not about the questions, what is IT?”

“Don’t you get a funny feeling about this place?” Zedd asked back. “Don’t you feel like you’ve been here before?”

“Now that you mention it, maybe I have.”

“That white fox was definitely on to something,” Zedd said as he paced around the pond.

“What white fox?” Javad asked. “There’s no living thing around.”

“White fox? Did I just say white fox?” Zedd ran at the pond and put his hand in the liquid it contained. He felt a slight tingling sensation then nothing. When he removed his hand, it was completely gone.

“What the flying devil is that?” Javad asked.

“Acid rain, by the looks of it,” Zedd answered. “Now may be the time for your Miracles, Priest.”

The Priest ran around the pond apprehensively. When he reached Black Eyes, he didn’t start chanting. He tried kicking him inside the acid pond instead. Zedd nimbly dodged then held the cowardly Priest by the arm. He flung him in the air, over the pond and onto a steep rock.

Javad landed on his back with a funny noise. As the Priest landed, all the air left his body. The Priest tried to say something, maybe groan in pain but the sound never left completely. Only a high pitched whinny was heard. Zedd snorted as he tried to stabilize the spreading acid. He took Javad’s sword and cut his forearm too.

“Priest,” Zedd yelled. “I do not wish to fight you at this moment. You are a blessing from heaven, literally. Don’t waste your second chance at life.”

“Second chance?” Javad stood up with difficulty, squinting around, trying to find his footing. “You’re my last, impossible chance. It’s because of you that I’m in this mess.”

“And if you follow my instructions, we’ll find a way out of this mess. Now hurry over here and give me back my arm!”

“I won’t do a thing unless you explain what’s happening here,” Javad said stubbornly. He was standing on the opposite bank of the pond, crossing his arms and looking at Black Eyes.

“From the déjà vu we’ve experienced,” Zedd answered. “I’d say we’re trapped in a time loop. I was privileged enough to experience it once. Not a pleasant experience I’m afraid.”

“How do we get out of here?” Javad asked.

“Time is unstable, dear Priest, unpredictable. It’s not like we can ask time why it’s trapped us in a loop. All we need to do is figure it out ourselves.” Zedd was wincing, panting.

He was losing blood with no healing items on him. He didn’t want to use any healing spell. It would certainly help stop the bleeding but spells were dangerous when time was involved. He couldn’t risk telling the Priest. Javad was a coward. He would use any opportunity to try and take Zedd down.

“And your way of figuring things out is by healing that lion?” Javad went on with his interrogation.

“You know what!” Zedd yelled, frustrated. “Forget it, stay here and find your way out. I’ll take my own path and see who gets out first. But I’m warning you, dear Priest. If I get out of here first, I’m destroying this Painted World.”

Zedd advanced towards the flying lion at full speed. The Priest went after him, fighting gravel and sharp obsidian stones. Gravity was indeed deadly. If Javad made one wrong move, he’d find himself sliding towards one of the dangerous, acid ponds. Zedd’s arm was bleeding profusely as he ran towards the flying lion who didn’t seem to mind them at all.

“Darkstar!” Javad shouted as he carefully navigated around two acid pools. “Come back here. I’ll help – “

Both men came to a complete stop. They felt their bodies being forcefully levitated. Zedd cursed as he saw the earth beneath him move backwards. His arm grew back and Javad’s sword left his belt. He was standing near an acid pool as the lion flapped its gigantic wings and flew away. Its hind leg was injured and bleeding heavily.