Nannade gasped for air. She had breached the water’s surface again. The Maiden’s smiling face welcomed her back.

“She no longer interferes, does she?”

“No.”

“Truly, she doesn’t. Not a sliver of her left alive in your mind.” The Maiden smiled.

Nannade again lacked the strength to stand in Her presence. “Can I be your sister now?” All she could think of was the babe. And Olly. Together they’d be a happier family than the statues.

“Not yet, sadly. You have to help me yet again.”

Nannade felt betrayed, but willing to forgive. “What is it?”

The Maiden helped Nannade stand back up. “The perfect seed can no longer be distilled from this weak land. But you have brought a happenstance of nature to me. Even from imperfect nature, a perfect seed has been brought up for me.” She brought Nannade closer to her, almost embracing her. “Bring me the strongest seed, and together we can bring about our own futures!”

“Who is it?”

“You know the one. The one that fears nothing and smites all of my men down with ease. The one they call Paladin.”

Nannade nodded. She walked on her own again, to the door out of the room.

The door fell shut behind her and she breathed. She felt a stirring within her and welcomed it. Her vision was close now. She just needed to bring Andronicus to Her.

She made her way back through the corridor towards the entrance hall. She found the door to the gallery open, blood splattered in many places. Up from the gallery she saw the fight in the entrance hall, already decided in favour of the attackers. Soldiers of the faith and mages of the university were battling the last female guards. A soldier had already left his pants somewhere else and like a mad beast was hunting for any guard still alive to receive him.

Amidst the battle she saw Olly’s dark curls. He was locked in a fight with a female cultist. She had torn her robe open to entice him. Nannade’s arrows made quick work of the whore. Olly turned around and saw Nannade. She pointed down the hallway further into the castle and called out to him that she’d meet him there.

Further down the corridor, she came to the gallery of the courtyard, below Olly was rushing beside her, then she came to the grand stair hall. She hurried down the elegantly curving stairs to embrace him. She kissed him deeply, but he struggled.

“I am sorry, Nannade, but we can’t, it’s wrong. I came to realize that!”

She smiled and shook her head. “No. I will make it right, then we can be together, I promise!”

“What is that supposed to mean? What will you make right?”

She had to let go of him. There was a time for everything. “I need to find Andronicus, where is he?”

“He stormed ahead with the priest and a few of his men.”

She hurried back up the stairs. There was a fourth door in the antechamber, she could guess where it led to. She could find him on that path.

Ser Andronicus and Father Syagricus had been cornered in the ballroom, even grander than the throne room. The two of them were surrounded by arcanists of the cult. They hurled their spells at the two, but Syagricus held them off with a gleaming shield in the air. Andronicus’ sword was alight with a silvery flame that bathed his armour and weapon in gold. Hisplate withstood the arcanists’ spells, as he chased them off with his blade.

Nannade managed to put arrows in one arcanist before they noticed her. Andronicus used the opportunity to strike another one down. The last few were confused by the new arrival. Nannade shot more arrows at them, but they shattered on unseen shields. An Invisible Fist put one out of commission, Ser Andronicus felled another one. The last tried to flee, but was felled by a judging lance of light cast forth by Syagricus.

The ballroom fell silent and the three allowed themselves to take a breather.

After a while, the Paladin took off his helmet and came towards Nannade. “Mighty well you did that, witch girl! It is good to see you sane and well-behaved amongst this utter chaos and complete loss of morality that my men have fallen to.”

“Thank you Ser, but this is not yet over. Only you can put an end to it. I found the foul demon.”

Andronicus smiled brightly. “Finally. We are at the threshold to victory! Lead me, girl!”

“It’s not far now.”

They arrived in the antechamber. Nannade stepped to the door to the throne room. “It’s in here. But you need to go alone. Only you can face this wickedness.”

Syagricus tried to protest, but before he could say anything, Andronicus interrupted him. “Don’t worry, old friend, no demon shall defeat me! This is a fight of the gods we each serve!”

Nannade opened the door for the Paladin and closed it again behind him. Then she took her spear and with a paper from her belt, made the shaft twist and knot around the door’s handles.

Father Syagricus became furious at the sight. “What are you doing, witch? What if he needs assistance?”

“He won’t need assistance. He’ll fulfil his purpose without anyone’s help perfectly. Now if you excuse me, there’s something I still have to do.”

She needed to make sure their meeting went as the Maiden had planned.