The evening sun could not be seen behind the full clouds as it descended into its sleep. It caused the sky to grow darker earlier than usual and already Gris could see torches and fancy lanterns being lit up ahead. The trip to the Holy Alter along the King's Road would take three hours even with the convoy rolling at a fast pace.

The Kingdom of Ardania came into view as Gris' carriage approached the Dip. It was a curvy end on the Road that trailed along one of the plains of hills in Hiilaan. At this point he could see the Wall of Hiivale that was a sight for sore eyes. Even with the sun hidden, it illuminated in a spectacular green hue as if it was radiating its own magic power. From his readings when he was younger, he had learned how that wall was built in the first century of Valeera in the days of Gilondale and Alalia Komali, the first Fairests. The wall was the original and over the centuries the kingdom grew and expanded around it.

Gris tried to soak in the scenery and how he could see farther into the kingdom to the thin strip of the Mideri Wall. Everything was so tiny that every lit home, torch, or lantern appeared as golden light rising from the earth. Towards the eastern part of the kingdom, he could see beyond the Hillside and the Old Forest where the beautiful mountains of the Dauntless stretched far as the eyes could see. And towards the western part, he could see the Ardanian River, some of the Farmlands, and a hazy view of the Aris Sea.

If the days he presently lived in were not drenched in cruel bloodshed, this spot would be perfect to build a house. But the area was a royal territory, meaning it belonged to the Crown. Perhaps if the gods favored him and gave him the throne one day, he would do something with this land.

People of Hiilaan cheered and sung songs of praises to the gods and honor to their Crown. The crowd grew larger, louder, and wilder as they approached the Hiivale and passed beneath it into Midlaan. Everyone was dressed in their finest attires or wearing masks and creative costumes of the god of their choosing. The royal band made up of fifty talented men and women and divided into three sections for the front of the parade, the middle, and the end of the parade joined the convoy and began to sound their instruments. Professional dancers and acrobatics also joined, and Gris spotted a man with seven colorful birds sitting on his head and shoulders.

Everywhere he saw teeth of people smiling and enjoying themselves, but he could not wind himself up to join in on the joy. There was nothing joyous about the Annual Fair Ceremony. At the end of all this fun, seven people were going to lose their lives for the atonement of millions. And who knew whether the gods were receiving these sacrifices. Ever since that Fairest king vanished in the late 700's no seer or priest or anyone had spoken to a god. To this day, no one knew what was going on in the Serene above. They all could be dead or replaced or had truly abandoned the realm of Valeera to consume itself.

The thoughts troubled him. It always did, especially around this holiday.

Maybe I was wrong about Mageia...

Gris gave an irritated sigh and wished this night was over, but time seemed to have slowed down. Probably to torture him. He saw Relana throwing gold and colorful jewelry into the crowds with her friend while Eron appeared content. No relaxed as he watched the crowds. Gris again realized he was alone. Limp would've been his plus two like in the past before he realized the cruel reality of the Ceremony and stopped attending five years ago. Limp would give his sly complaints and probably sleep the entire ride. He would do anything for a good laugh about now.

A screeching pig slipped through the noise and when he found the source he shivered. Within the crowd, an alter to Naphri in a silver dress was placed and a fat pig was being sliced open. He clung hold onto his seat, and noticed an adjoined road fully cleared by temple guards and soldiers, waiting shoulder to shoulder. His gaze trailed up the road that curved away and new it was leading to the Taefo sitting far at the edge of the Mideri Wall.

"Mageia," he said and pressed a hand to his heart. "I am so sorry."

Mageia had regained enough strength to light a tiny flame in her soul. She limped wearily about the room, head pounding and heart trying not to join it. With everyone's help except Rasni, they tried seeking multiple ways to escape the room. First, they tried the chimney. Sadon brought water from the privy and doused the fire. Don stripped to his undergarments which had Dana, Madeena, and Mageia blush for a minute, and with great ease, the teenager shimmied up the chimney.

He went as far as the connecting tunnels of other chimneys only to choke on thick smoke and returned seeing no ladder to reach the exit on the roof. While he cleaned off, Mageia and Sadon checked the window. The thick glass doors could open wide, but expectedly there was no way to climb down or up. Mageia knew she could possibly figure out the climb, but everyone else wouldn't be able to learn in such a short time. Dana thought about creating a rope from the sheets, but the way down was too far.

Nabea mentioned the slim exit through the relief-hole in the privy, but the thought of the disgusting grime and fecal matter discouraged them. Plus, Rasni and Sadon wouldn't be able to fit into the tunnel. Madeena suggested that Sadon can subdue a guard, and they can fight their way out, but it took a while for Mageia to explain how the Taefo was a maze within itself. It would take them to get lost or trapped and caught or worst killed.

"This is madness," Madeena said blond hair now a mess on her head. She then screamed at the top of her lungs. "I don't want to die."

"Hush, Madeena, or you'll send in a guard," Don said.

"Can you think of anything else, Mageia?" Dana said eye watering again.

Mageia sat on a bed feeling overly exhausted. She needed to eat, but her stomach would not be able to hold it down. She thought hard again praying for an idea to pop into her head.

"I can't think of anything else," she said.

"What if I try the chimney again?" Don said. "Maybe I can climb."

"No. I don't want you to get hurt or stuck," she said.

"Were you not the master of escapes and rescues?" Madeena scolded. "You are pathetic."

"Can you please just shut up," Mageia said to the annoying noblewoman.

"Look I think we all need to calm down and accept what's going to happen," Nabea said but by the sorrow in her eyes hinted that she didn't want to heed her own words.

"To hell with that!" Madeena said. "I do not deserve to die. How can those old religious lunatics decide who is worthy enough to die? Shouldn't the people decide?"

"Were you not the wife of a councilman?" Sadon said. "You could've been trying to influence change instead of sleeping in other men's beds."

"Fut you, you burnt piece of meat," the woman scorned.

Surprisingly Sadon laughed and shook his head. "Good one, you pathetic waste of breath. Make sure you tell that one to Dawnis. He might laugh and make you his play toy."

Don burst into a laugh and tears streamed down the woman's cold dead eyes and she charged away into the privy and slammed the door closed.

"Why don't we pray," Nabea said.

"I've prayed enough Nabea," Dana said dragging her feet to her bed. "I just want to sleep."

"How can you eat at a time like this?" Don said staring at Rasni who was devouring this fifth plate of food.

The fat man growled and glared up from his plate and spoke for the first time since they decided to find an escape.

"This is how I cope, you bloody rat," he said.

"Why do you and Madeena have to be the mean oddballs in this room?" Sadon said.

"I know. We should be bonding," Nabea said.

"Bonding?" Rasni said and gave a laugh that ended in a belch. "Death is just the beginning of a new life."

"So, you're content to die for everyone in Ardania and possibly the realm?" Dana said.

"No. Fut Ardania and Valeera. I'm dying for me, myself, and I," he said.

"That makes no sense," Don muttered.

"Okay. I'm guessing you had no family," Sadon said.

"I had family," he said gave a dark laugh. "When I enter the Serene a new man, I am going to piss on Ardania and Valeera and fill my belly with food beyond our imagination. I read once, that it's a terrible thing to kill an angry man. And we are angry. Are we not?"

Mageia cringed with unease about the mentality of this man and prayed Dawnis would store him in the darkest part of the Serene.

With no response, the fat man continued eating leaving them in an awkward silence.

"Who would like to pray with me?" Nabea said.

"I may as well," Dana said and Nabea went to the girl and took her hands.

Mageia sighed and hung her head in defeat. The bed beside her crinkled as Don sat beside her. He was so close. She could feel the heat of his body and smell the char from the chimney still etched into his skin.

"Do you have family?"

She glanced up into his big eyes dipped in a serenity she now craved. Even in a time like this the boy seemed extremely mellow with a voice hinting a bashful insecurity. If they were alone, she probably would've laid her head on his shoulder seeking to soak in some of his spirit.

"Yes. I know they are worried, especially Dean," she said remembering every moment they've spent with one another. How they'd feed on the other's energy to defy the Laws and help people.

"Who is that?"

Mageia sighed. "A very good friend. He was against the rescue in the first place, but he went along with it because he trusted me. He believed in me."

"Oh," Don said understanding her heartache.

"He's probably devastated," she said throat stinging with a surfacing cry.

Don took her hand, strangely warm, and squeezed it. "Die for him then."

"I don't think I can," she said hanging her head.

"Everyone is afraid of death, but it's only a door into a new life," Don said. "This will all be over soon, and we will live happily in the Serene."

"Do you really believe we will live happily ever after in the afterlife?"

He shrugged. "It's the only thing we can depend on. If not, we will find ourselves paranoid because we fear death. Do not fear death, Mageia."

"I'm not afraid to die," she said. "I'm afraid of what I'll lose, of those I leave behind."

"I try to remember the good things my family would cherish about me when I'm gone," he said. "It gives me peace to know that I was loved. Did your friend love you?"

"He did," she nodded. "He and my family loved me. A lot."

Don smiled. "Then think about that and die for them."

Mageia wiped an escaping tear and couldn't help but cling to his arm. "You are so kind," she said laying her head on his shoulder. Unbothered by this, he rested his head on hers and sniffled.

"Yeah, I try to be," he said, and they chuckled.

Footsteps arose beyond the door, and it burst open. Startled, Mageia and Don stood. Ser Conner entered with temple soldiers dressed in their finest. Two servants followed along holding bright green cloaks and thin emerald crowns.

"Holy ones, it is time," he said and as he spoke, they heard cheering and music rising from the window.

"Oh gods," Sadon muttered.

"Where's the blonde?" the knight bellowed as they gathered to take their cloaks.

"I'll get her," Nabea said. She knocked and went into the privy and gave a great cry. "Help!"

Mageia's heart skipped as Don ran to the rescue as well as the temple guards. Mageia tried to see what was going on and saw them cutting Madeena lose from a sheet connected to a ceiling beam.

"Oh, my goodness," Dana said and Mageia grabbed her and turned her away.

"Is she dead?" Sadon said eyes wide. "What does this mean?"

Ser Conner looked uncertain and disappointed and whispered something to a servant who sprinted away.

For an unknown amount of time, Don and Nabea tried reviving Madeena, breathing into her mouth and patting her chest.

Then the woman croaked for air and began to cry. "Child, taking your life is the worst thing you can do for your soul," Nabea said holding the trembling lady.

"Is she okay?" Ser Conner shouted.

"She is," a soldier said.

The knight looked relieved. "I cannot have a Sacred dying on my watch. Get her up and ready. It's time to meet the parade."

"I've never liked this holiday," Nabea said.

"I used too," Madeena sobbed.

Sadon grunted and rolled his eyes. "Of course, you did."

"Alright everyone. It's time to go," the knight said. "In respect of your brave sacrifice you will not be cuffed, but you will be monitored. Do anything stupid and you will be corrected."

"Brave sacrifice," Sadon said scolding the knight. "You as a knight should know that bravery only comes when you volunteer. Do we look like volunteers to you?"

When the knight had no response, the giant man shook his head and dismissed him with a scold. "Why didn't I leave this ignorant kingdom when I had the chance? Gods I'll never know."

In a straight line the Sacred Seven exited the room with heavy security and were led out of the Taefo to their individual caged carriages. Taefo workers, gathering onlookers, a priest, soldiers, and guards nodded, bowed, or saluted their hearts to them as they passed. Rasni spat at the ground towards a crowd, and they cringed in disgust.

Mageia gave a great inhale and exhale as she sat in her cage and absorbed what was happening. They were going to parade her down the King's Road like a sacrificial animal that had no mind or clue about what lied at the end of the line. The people that cheered around them as their convoy approached the main parade, made her sick to the core.

She gagged and leaned over to spit bile from her mouth. It soured her taste buds and only caused her gut to churn violently.

"Gods wake me up from this nightmare," she said. "Please!"

"This is a nightmare," Dean said freely walking the streets of Midlaan with Faebrin on his trail.

Nightfall had finally fallen, and they had three hours to go before the Sacred Sacrifice at midnight. The sky was darker than usual thanks to the threat of a storm and caused the fires blazing around him to shine brighter. He scolded at the festive people around him, too drunk or occupied to pay him and his birthmark any mind.

He and Faebrin had left the encampment earlier to scope the area around the Taefo, the Mideri Wall, and Hamino's Temple and its Dais to figure out a way to break Mageia free. His best friend did not deserve to die, especially like the one promised for tonight.

"Dean, this is not a good idea," Faebrin said.

"Maybe we can cause a distraction. A fire or something that would cause panic," he said. "Make everyone run through the parade."

"None of the soldiers will allow us anywhere near the carriages with or without a panic," Faebrin said.

"There has to be a way."

"Didn't the elders speak against this? We're supposed to be seeking information."

"Faebrin we have to help her," Dean said hearing his heart thudding wild in his ears.

All day, he couldn't stop thinking about Mageia, praying for Mageia, wishing Mageia was not in her predicament. At first, they were happy to hear the King's mercy upon her. At least, they could find a way to communicate with her within the Dungeons. Possibly figure out a way to break her out. But half-way through the day, they took an unauthorized visit to Trekon's bakery and found out Mageia's sentence was changed. Apparently, she tried to escape from the palace and got caught.

She got caught again! Dean almost broke his fists, punching a table and a wall. He was close to heading to the palace and burning it to the ground in his rage, if Trek hadn't given him warm rum to settle his nerves. He wanted to slice his sword across the King's chest and watch him bleed out.

And after he convinced the elder teens he had not gone insane, they discussed a plan to get their family out of Ardania as soon as possible. Lisa had mentioned a special group working in Strana called the Blesseds who helped slip people across the borders and even out of Ardanian territory. They were supposed to be following up on the information when Dean decided he wanted to see Mageia again.

"Dean. There is no way to help her," Faebrin said. It was true and he hated it. He felt the boy grab his arm and yank him to a stop. "There are Hiilaan security everywhere."

"I don't care. This has to be stopped," he said.

A woman squealed catching their attention. She burst into laughter at the men taunting her and ran off into the crowd with them on her trail. What made Dean cringe the most were the masks of Sakon and Danala they wore and the bright body paint on their half nude bodies.

"These people have lost it," Dean grumbled.

Faebrin came to stand in front of him and took him by the shoulders.

"Dean. We can't do anything," he said eyes red from crying.

"Fut that. She's my friend. I love her," Dean said.

"And I don't?" he said.

Dean felt anger swarm up into his chest. He shook off the boy and growled into his face.

"This is all your fault," he said.

"Mines?" Faebrin said with hurt.

"If you hadn't gone to the Taefo. We wouldn't have done the rescue. Geia would still be here instead of facing death."

For a minute Faebrin stood speechless, tears trailing his cheeks. He nodded to agree which only made Dean regret his words.

"Fae."

"No. You're right," he said wiping his face with his shirt.

"No," Dean said feeling triple guilty. "I'm sorry. It's not yer fault. Yuh did what was right. What we all would've done."

The boy didn't seem to care what came from Dean's mouth now. He shook his head and broke into a sob. Dean took the boy aside against a building and held him for a while as he cried.