“What do you mean, it’s gone?” Dallion asked.

As far as he was aware, guardian chambers and arenas were indestructible as long as the realm existed. The temples were the equivalent of just that. He could sort of understand that the temples of destroyed guardians—not that he was fully sure how that would happen—would vanish, but a temple of a living guardian to become destroyed… that wasn’t supposed to be possible.

“It’s not just buried somewhere beneath the ground or something?”

“No, it’s completely gone,” the dryad replied, stepping away from the tree. “It’s not buried, hidden, or transformed into something else. It’s gone.”

“How?”

“Magic doesn’t follow the standard rules. When the Star’s envoy came a few centuries ago, he didn’t agree with what guardians were left. So, we were given a choice: surrender our temples or face him. I chose one way, others chose the other. At this point, there’s no telling which was the right choice.”

Dallion felt his heart sink. If there were no temples, that means there was no way of leaving this place. As far as he was concerned, he might as well die here. Maybe that was the way out? If so, it was a matter of choice: remain in the realm or have the awakened powers sealed and return to the real world. Neither option was remotely appealing.

“There aren’t any temples?” Dallion found the strength to ask.

“I don’t know,” the dryad replied. “It’s said that there has to be at least one for the sword to hold. However, it was also claimed that guardians cannot be killed. Not permanently, at least. As you saw, we can. Nine guardians were made the offer. Seven chose to oppose him and they ended up being gone. Make of that what you will.”

“Is that why you’re hiding?” Euryale asked.

Unlike Dallion, she didn’t seem content with the explanation. There was no despair visible within her, just as there wasn’t any doubt.

“You’ve afraid that if someone defeats you, you’ll die?”

“After an infinity of immortality, I can’t risk it. If I’m gone, what’s left of the banished will soon follow. There’s far less of them every generation. Once every eight generations, there’s an increase for some reason, but it’s not enough. Each generation has less awakened, and the ones who are blessed don’t have anyone to train them how to use their powers. Without me, the city of towers will vanish in a generation.”

As he said that, a thought crossed Dallion’s mind. Moments later, it turned into a realization that swept away his desperation.

“You’re lying,” Dallion said. “I don’t know how you’re doing it, but you’re lying. You might have helped the kids with a few examples, but you didn’t make them fully awaken. Only a shrine can achieve that.”

The dryad frowned.

“Not a shrine,” he corrected. “I never said awakening alters didn’t exist. At least one remained, and I used it to help guide them along the path of awakening.”

“I want to see it.”

“You’re asking a lot.”

“I won’t like to slice up the forest to find it, but I will. And if for some reason I don’t, Eury will.” Dallion glanced at the gorgon. “Or do you think I’m bluffing?”

The silence indicated that the guardian didn’t want to risk it. Orbs of reluctance formed within the echo as he walked slowly through the grove. Eury and Dallion followed. The trees seemed to change as they did. It was a slightly eerie feeling, but even Dallion could tell that it was an illusion. Curious, he reached out to touch one of the nearby trees, just to make sure it was there. His hand was grabbed by Eury well before his fingers were close to the bark.

“Don’t,” the gorgon said. “That’s how it’ll activate the trap.”

“Trap?” Dallion pulled his hand back.

“Maze snare,” Eury explained. “It’s a maze made of illusion. They were used by the dryads back in their way. Those who don’t know the right path are ensnared in the maze. The illusion is buried in your mind and it takes months to fade away. Until then, you’re stuck experiencing things that aren’t there.”

“Nasty. How do you know about it?”

“There are still a few of them out there in the dryad ruins. I was part of a group that had to get some artifacts in one. It wasn’t a pleasant experience. Jiroh ridiculed me for years afterwards. Of course, she was the one who saved me. Having an air cushion between you and everything else can be quite useful, especially in situations such as these.”

The walking continued well into the night. However, despite the sky darkening, the light among the trees remained almost the same. In his mind, Dallion could picture the path they were taking. It was definitely a circular maze, though one that simultaneously had no and an infinite number of branches. At any point, Dallion could stop following the reluctant guide and walk in any direction. If he were to pass between two trees that he wasn’t supposed to, the maze was going to “ensnare him.”

The maze of nightmares, Dallion thought.

There was a time when he would have jumped at the opportunity to face such a challenge. After having gone through hundreds of mending labyrinths, his fascination with them had faded significantly.

“What will you do with the altar?” the guardian asked. “You can’t use it to level up, and the Moons won’t respond if you try to contact them through it.”

“I told you,” Dallion replied. “We’re trying to get back to the real world.”

The dryad didn’t add anything, but Dallion could see clusters of disbelief form within him like grapes. Dallion himself had doubts. The situation he found himself in was completely new. The only ray of hope came from Nil, who was adamant that there always was a way out of a realm without anyone losing their awakening powers.

After an hour of walking, the group reached a small clearing that definitely hadn’t been there before. The closest thing it reminded of was the arena of the altar itself. The echo made its way to the center of the clearing, where the familiar altar suddenly emerged, all covered in vines. Even in that state, it was still glowing in the seven lights of the Moons.

“Here you are,” the guardian said. “Now what?”

That was a good question. There was no guarantee that was the real altar and not another illusion meant to ensnare Dallon.

“I’ll check it out,” Dallion whispered to Eury. “If it doesn’t work and something happens to me…”

“It’ll work.” The gorgon remained as calm as ever, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Yes, it will, Dallion told himself. If awakening had taught him something, it was that fears had a way of growing within one’s awakening realm, to the point they affected the person in negative ways.

Reaching the altar, Dallion put his hand on the central crystal. The blue glow got brighter, but nothing else followed. That was a potentially good sign. Now, all he could hope was for it to work.

“Do your thing, Vermillion,” Dallion said. “Get me out of here.”

Green rectangles stacked up in front of Dallion. The only issue was that all of them were empty. The environment remained unchanged. Moments later, the rectangles faded away one by one, until they were gone.

This wasn’t what Dallion expected or hoped for. Concentrating, he tried again. The number of rectangles doubled, but the final result was the same. Dallion remained in the grove—and the realm at large—as if an invisible barrier were preventing him from making his escape.

Stop here, dear boy, Nil said before Dallion could try for a third time. If Vermillion hasn’t managed by now, he just can’t do it.

So, we’re stuck here? Dallion asked.

There’s always a way out, dear boy. All you have to do is remain focused, determined, and make use of what you have in the best possible fashion.

“One last time, Vermillion,” Dallion said. Yet again, green rectangles filled the air only to vanish moments later. Whatever was blocking the island snake was capable of maintaining the seal between realms. That was most unfortunate, to say the least.

Told you, Nil sighed. Do you have to challenge every suggestion I make? Escape a realm either happens or it doesn’t. it’s not something that needs practice or preparation.

Just great…

Still, look at the silver lining. What the experience has shown you is that you can establish a link to another realm. Maybe even your own.

“Eury,” Dallion said loudly. “I’m going to try something. Whatever happens, don’t freak out.”

Several clusters of snakes on the gorgon’s head stirred.

Ariel, get ready for an invasion. Dallion took a deep breath. Just in case.

Then he tried to establish a link to his own realm. Almost instantly, a hole opened in the ground. Weapons and equipment that Dallion had tried to summon days ago suddenly appeared all over him. And that was not all. Along with the shield and weapons, something else also shifted realms—something with a rather large wingspan.

Like a missile leaving a silo, Dark shot out of the hole, flying up into the sky. The dragon’s size had almost doubled since Dallion had seen it last. Losing his dragonlet’s chubbiness, the creature was a lot more athletic, covered entirely by a layer of dark sapphire scales. One could only guess what training harp had subjected him to, but it had had a clear result.

“Finally!” Dark said, making a series of loops in the air. “It was getting cramped in there.”

Dallion was just about to explain his relationship with the dragon, when he was suddenly slammed to the ground. Faster that his senses could perceive, the gorgon had made her way to him and was now standing over Dallion, filled with bloodlust.

“Stay down,” she said. “I’ll take care of this.”

“No!” Dallion grabbed Eury’s leg. “It’s alright.”

A small cluster of snakes turned his direction.

“I brought him here,” Dallion added. “I rescued him down south. He’s here to help.”

The gorgon didn’t seem entirely convinced, but she relaxed her posture.

“I found him when I was on my last trip out south. He’s a follower of the Green Moon as well. I’ve been teaching him how to fight for a while now.” Dallion took a deep breath. “I’ve been keeping him in my realm since before we entered Linatol.”

Upon saying that, he received exactly the reaction he thought he would. Eury didn’t shout, argue, or even complain. Keeping a few dozen eyes on the dragon, she turned around and quietly helped Dallion back up.

“I considered telling you,” he went on. “But it never was the right time.”

“I guess it’s the right time now.”

Amused by the entire situation, Dark gilded closer to the ground, flying less than a dozen feet above Eury and Dallion’s heads. Seeing his mentor in an uncomfortable situation was enough to brighten the creature’s day.

“Dark, can you get rid of the illusion maze?” Dallion shouted.

I can take care of that, Gleam said in her shardfly form. Releasing a trail of dust, she fluttered throughout the forest. On the surface, it seemed that the dust had no effect on the flora it touched. However, Dallion was confident that he wouldn’t have to walk along an invisible maze again to get out of the grove.

“The dryad’s gone,” Eury said. “The guardian must have ended his echo.”

“Might as well leave him. He’s not a threat. And besides, he can’t help us. The altar isn’t the way out.”

“And you’re sure that there is a way out?”

“Nil is convinced there is. We just need to find it.”

“And how will we do that?”

“We have to find the other guardian.” Dallion checked to make sure that all his gear was on him. “Remember, he told us that seven refused the mage’s deal. That means there’s one guardian left somewhere. Find him, and we find our way out.”

Or so Dallion hoped.