A few hours had passed since the massacre and we had long since begun our descent down what seemed like a very tall tower.

The knights were tense and rather frustrated by the fact that we had yet to come across a separate floor.

Fortunately for me, I had Eeol to converse with. Zorvan, Eeol and I had discussed many things, such as: what to expect from lower in the tower, supplies amongst other things.

I mainly served as an attentive ear.

“Thus we can conclude that the saepenar’s exist in few numbers.” Zorvan said matter of factly.

“Yes, it would be nightmarish to imagine hordes of those things,” Eeol concurred.

“Indeed. But I have my samples and your men have the experience, so not all is lost.” Zorvan said, his eyes focused on the jar in his hand. Inside it was the heart of one of the saepenars.

It was no secret that Zorvan was fascinated by the dark realm that was Nar' Agrun, but I was surprised when he initially declined to participate in this descent. I knew he was of the scholarly sort, but I always assumed his love for his work was worth the risks.

After a seemingly endless amount of stairs, a distant call ended the monotony.

“Eeol There’s a door here! A really big door.” Zoey yelled from below.

We descended further down the obsidian staircase and found Zoey and the others standing before a large obsidian door.

Eeol approached the door and placed his hand on its almost perfect surface, looking for a seam or anything that would indicate that the door was actually a door and not a wall.

Eeol found a seem among various symbols and markings. He placed his ear on the door's surface and heard absolutely nothing.

One thing about the tower we found ourselves in was that it was completely silent.

Eeol stepped away, flexed his shoulders, then in the blink of an eye-

Eeol had punched the door at a speed that I couldn’t see.

“Well, that didn’t work, hehe,” Eeol said with a chuckle. This somewhat lifted everyone's spirits as the overall mood was sombre.

Zoey walked up to the door, while casually swinging her hammer.

“Tsk! Why hold back at a time like this, Eeol?” She asked as she stretched her arms, flexing her well-toned muscles.

I walked up to Eeol, eager to help in any way.

“Umm… here.” I offered him a drink called Yolbrew. It is said to help warriors recover their stamina. In all honesty, it was just a beverage made from various fermented plants.

“Thanks,” Eeol said as he took a big swig at the urn I handed him.

He then handed the urn back to me and we watched as Zoey hit the door multiple times. Everyone leaned in closer but found no visible damage.

“Humph!” Zoey scoffed loudly.

“Wait! I think I see a scratch!” One knight said.

“Oh really? Let me see!”

“That tiny thing? I think it was already there before we arrived.”

“Really? I think eminence Eeol actually managed to damage the damned thing.

“No! That was definitely Zoey's doing."

The knights bickered among themselves.

I looked at Eeol, who was way taller than me as he leaned forward while squinting intently at the scratch.

“That was definitely here before we got here.” He said.

“You fools! Gaze in awe at the dark magics that drive these dark walls.” Zorvan yelled as he approached the door, jar in hand.

Silence once again befell the staircase as the withered grey man walked ever closer to the door.

We all heard a loud clicking noise, which was followed by a loud grinding noise. The almost invisible seam from before then split in two and the door slowly opened.

That was when I experienced the worst feeling in my life up to that point.

In an instant, we were surrounded by an extreme amount of darkness. So much so that I could not see my feet, let alone my comrades.

I choked under the sheer oppressive force that came from whatever was behind the door. It was so malicious, so concentrated, so dark that I fell to my knees even though nothing had touched me.

My mind became numb with panic and fear and I dreaded ever entering this cursed place.

Yes, Eeol and the others had managed to defeat the saepenar’s but what of the other creatures that awaited us in the realm that was Nar' Agrun. Not to mention the deafening noises that threatened to rob us of our ability to hear.

I then realised that the entire reason we were sent here, was based on the fact that there was a chance that we wouldn’t return. We were going to die and nothing we did was going to change that. It was at this moment I decided, if I was going to die, then I was going to do so with the honour equal or close to that of the brave knights I accompanied.

I felt a surge of joy knowing that I’d die with those that I’d grown to call my brothers and sisters and so I clenched my fists and forced myself to stand up.

I faced the torrent of malice and even though I could not see my comrades, I could feel them.

Eventually, my vision returned to me and I saw the most horrid sight. The knights who had been injured during the fight against the saepenar’s had collapsed and looked unconscious. All of the other squires were out cold as well.

Zorvan, Zoey and two other knights were among the few who got up.

I then saw Eeol, who had his gaze pointed towards the now open door.

I walked over to him, traced his line of sight and then saw a vista that have only been the creation of the nightmares of a trillion souls.

The open door revealed a balcony that led to two staircases, one to the left and one to the right, but this wasn’t what made me curse my vision.

It was the vista beyond it.

Eeol and I walked out onto the balcony and beheld what was the realm of Nar' Agrun.

To put it simply, it was an endless ocean of darkness. A darkness that stretched on for as far as the eye could see.

Thunder clapped its mighty hands somewhere in the black clouds that covered the sky and the screams of a trillion souls came from below. The only lights that illuminated this dark landscape were the endless flashes of lightning that littered the sky.

It was here we confirmed that we were indeed in a tower, an incredibly tall one. We also realised that we had reached the midpoint since we could see what we assumed was the ground several hundred meters below.

Due to the towers dark nature and sinister appearance, I fearfully dubbed it the Spire of Sin.

The others eventually joined us on the balcony and they too bore witness to the terrible sight that was the realm of darkness.

“My goodness.” Zoey gasped.

“Madness." One of the knights said.

“Fascinating,” Zorvan said.

It was then that I noticed that everyone’s eyes were glowing. Everyone from Eeol, Zoey, even Zorvan. Their eye’s all had a magnificent blue glow to them that seemingly pierced the darkness.

“Umm… everyone…” I droned and eventually realised the change they’d undergone.

“What the-“

“Could this be-

“A blessing from Eirini?”

They all gasped. I then noticed that Eeol had his gaze fixated on me.

“What is it, sir?” I asked. Ready to provide him with my fullest service.

“Your eyes…” He said, prompting everyone to turn around.

They all stared at me with curious faces.

“The goddess must have plans for you,” Eeol said as I rushed to one of the spires glassy walls.

My reflection showed that I too had also acquired a set of brilliant blue eyes, much to everyone’s surprise.

Eeol walked over to where our comrades slept. He closely examined their bodies and found that they were relatively ok.

“Listen up. Zoey and I will head down further into the tower.”

“Zorvan, let’s see what happens when that heart of yours is distanced from the door,” Eeol instructed and Zorvan did as he was told. He slowly ascended the stairs and the door slowly started closing.

Pleased with the results of his little test, Eeol walked towards the left set of stairs.

“Zoey and I will see what we can find. Until then, close the door and tend to the wounded.” Eeol said before descending further into the spire.

.

..

The others and I closed the door and watched as our unconscious brethren awoke.

“What happened?” One knight asked.

“His eminence Eeol has descended further into the tower. Unfortunately, you are not fit to progress any further.” Zorvan said coldly as he showed off his brand new eyes.

I on the other hand nervously awaited the return of Eeol.

“Dammit! Am I not worthy?” One of the knights cursed.

“Worthy of what? The goddesses blessing? Don’t make me laugh. Only the most devoted and most prestigious members of our order are fit to even speak her name and yet you want her blessing?” Zorvan asked. His gaze low and cold.

The knight growled as he stretched his tired limbs.

The last thing anyone wanted to do was fight, so no one did.

We all just sat there. In the darkness. Waiting.

.

..

We had been sitting on the obsidian staircase for what seemed like hours.

Tension and anxiety ran amok and the knights were becoming restless.

“Why did the squire have to receive the goddesses blessing?” The knight from before asked in a low yet threatening voice.

My body stiffened.

“Indeed. Come to think of it, he’s the one who truly doesn’t deserve it.” The knight continued.

“Not to mention, he’s very close to his eminence Eeol.” Another knight chimed in.

The first knight got up and approached me.

His metallic armour clattered loudly throughout the staircase.

“Well? What do you have to say for yourself?” He asked me and in all honesty, I didn’t know how to reply. After all, I was only here because Eeol asked me to come.

Not that I regretted my decision in the slightest.

“Sorry sir, I didn’t mean to take part in such an important event,” I said half-heartedly because I honesty enjoyed the fact that I shared something in common with Eeol and the others.

“Tsk.” The knight said before returning to his spot, where he took his seat on one of the many stairs.

Our wait continued.

.

..

Six days or so had passed since Eeol and Zoey left us.

Our rations were almost finished, save for the ones reserved for Eeol and Zoey that I kept in my bag.

Everyone was so frustrated and so tired that some of them were even considering leaving Nar' Agrun via the portal that was supposed to open on our seventh day. I was against this, but as a measly squire, my word meant nothing so I held my tongue every time someone flared out and threatened to return to what we concluded was the top floor, only to return due to severe tiredness and extreme hunger.

“That’s it! I’m leaving for good this time. I’m not going to starve to death in my own filth." A certain knight declared.

He was right. We had been practically sleeping next to our own excrements and waste as the tower didn’t offer much in terms of hospitality.

“Do what you will,” Zorvan said as he calmly sat on his step.

“I plan on doing so. I also plan on taking some food with me.” The knight said while hungrily staring at me.

“That, I will not allow,” Zorvan said as he glared at the man with his still glowing blue eyes.

The knight, at this point too hungry to care, walked up the stairs as his armour clanked loudly.

He had lost an incredible amount of weight, whereas Zorvan and I only lost a few grams. It would seem that Eirini’s blessing helped us in ways that were far more amazing than I’d originally thought.

Zorvan sighed before standing up as well.

“Wait up! I’m coming with you.” He said.

“What about the boy?” The knight asked.

“Mmm? Oh, nothing you and I can say will change his mind nor his purpose. He will await the return of Eeol, even if it means he dies here." Zorvan said and to be completely honest, he was right for the most part.

The two left men alone in the grand staircase. Some of the others had already begun their ascent a few days earlier, so I assumed they’d find each other at the top.

I then continued to sit. My food had long since finished, but my will was unshaken.

After a moment or two, I got up, took the heart Zorvan had kindly left where he sat and headed towards the door which opened as I approached.

I was going to have to find Eeol and accompany him back home.