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Sadly for Pelwar, he never did find the source of their curse. But with one more piece of the prophecy in Gauldryon’s possession, they returned the way they had come. Little did he realize by then, that the forces of shadow had begun to notice him. Almost killed in an assassination attempt within the Dwarven City of Riadan, he came face to face with shadow hunters. Dark Mages transformed into monsters from their bonds with demons. Wounded in the struggle, he had been forced to delay his journey back to the monastery.

But as luck would have it, a messenger from the Monastery of Fire found him the very next day. It seemed that after a great deal of discussion, the masters had deemed his investigation a worthwhile cause, and had restored his title as paladin. Still, Gauldryon was weary of coming back, but if he wished to learn more of the prophecy, there was no other place better besides that of Vanclar.

Having recovered enough to travel, he had taken his two new companions with him, and over the road, he had gained their friendship. But as ever at the back of his mind, all he could think about was the Harbinger, a being that would not only bring darkness, but would save them.

At the gates to the monastery, he was welcomed gingerly at first, and learned of High Master Yalnor’s passing. A respected leader who had the wisdom of many years, his death had left the monastery bereft of guidance. More importantly to him however, was the fact that the two appointed successors were tied from a vote, and neither were willing to concede their position.

Coming at an opportune moment when his vote mattered, Gauldryon knew whoever he chose would hopefully give him the means to decipher the prophecy. Unfortunately for him, his return visit was marred by the murder of several high-ranking masters. Thrown in prison on the suspicion of murder, he had believed then that his tale had ended. That he would die in the pitiless dark, when Glindol and Tileya arrived. Agents sent by the guardians to investigate the deaths, they had immediately found the culprit, a dark mage, disguised as an acolyte. Taking his own life before he could be questioned, Gauldryon was released, and after several days of study, he realized then that he needed to travel to Orkeylium. There he met with Khorasan, learned of a warrior that strode the battlefield covered in fire, and decided then that he had found him.

Chapter 4

Ghosts of the Past

At the sound of that familiar voice, Gregor felt his pulse quicken, and his heart began to race. Never in a thousand years had he ever expected to hear that voice again. And yet as he turned ever so slowly, he saw her hidden in an alcove.

Half crouched, ready to run at the first sign of trouble, Kira’s dirty face peered up at him out of the gloom. But whether it was time or the new scars he had collected, she did not recognize him. The breathless moment as he stared into those silver-colored eyes of hers, made him aware that he had said nothing to her.

But even as he opened his mouth to speak, he had no idea what to say. He wanted to explain that he had never intended to leave her behind. He wanted to beat himself bloody for ever thinking she was dead. But as the minutes stretched by, and fear began to show in her eyes, he said, “It’s me, Gregor.”

The brief flash of pain and recognition in her eyes was gone in an instant as she reeled back and babbled to herself. “Ghosts, ghosts. Ghosts cannot speak, cannot hurt.” She then turned, spun about on her heels, and ran. The bookshelves that surrounded her, had bulbs of floating white light, trestle tables stationed in between narrow gaps, and chairs covered in dust.

His heart lurching in his chest, he chased after her. But Kira, nimble as ever, darted over fallen bookshelves, swerved into tight nooks he could not reach, before she disappeared. His last glimpse of her, was her slim form rushing up a carpeted staircase that led up to the second floor. Its wooden balustrade, glistened with fine cobwebs, and was marked by crescent moons.

Hesitantly making his way up, Gregor could feel real fear for the first time. He was afraid he had scared her off, and yet at the same time, he sensed that she was still here, watching him. Padding across the red carpeted floor, he wanted to call out to her, tell her that he was real, and right here. But the more he thought about it, the more he was afraid that whatever he said would send her straight into the arms of those demons.

Coming to a stop on the landing, he remembered the dragon’s words to him. That she would not be the same, and in the end, he realized he could not force her to come to him.

Heading back down the stairs, he looked for a place to rest, and found a small anteroom with a statue of that same wrinkled old female he had seen on the temple's doorway. Her weathered cheeks eroded by age, she was decorated with flowers and had candles lit around her. It gave the room a warm soothing scent, and as he gazed up into those ancient eyes, he felt peace. He had found Kira, and he would find her again.

Taking a seat near the shrine, he rested his back against the stone, and went to sleep. But unlike before, his dreams were not filled with nightmares, but joyful memories. He remembered the first time Kira had eaten an apple pie, the first time she had smiled at him, and he remembered the first day he had taken her out into the wilds to hunt.

Tears coming unbidden to his eyes, he sensed movement close to him, and without opening his eyelids, he spoke, “I am sorry, girl. I did not mean to scare you. You just remind me of someone I lost many years ago.”

With no way to tell whether she was listening to him or not, he waited, until eventually she asked again in a hushed whisper, “you are human?”

His head nodded slowly in reply, he smiled, “yes, though I’ve not been called that in a long time. May I ask you a question?”

Hearing the shuffle of feet closeby, Gregor wondered for a moment if she had left, when she replied, “Okay, but I get to ask you a question first.” Unable to help but grin at the childlike tone in her voice, he nodded his head. “Ask.”

“How did you come to be here?”

Recalling his journey to Dragon’s Perch and into the Underworld, Gregor explained how he had met a white dragon named Zelnora. “She was a fearsome beast with great talons, a wicked forked tail, and piercing blue eyes that could see everything. She told me once that she could read the fates woven by mortals, and that of all of them, there were a few that sparked with life. These were the ones that had lived their lives truest to their cause.”

“And what did she see in yours?”

Not minding the added question at all, Gregor pondered his answer, for the dragon had foretold he would choose between that which is good and evil. He could also walk away from the path at any time and risk dooming the world. But it was the third piece of news that had terrified him. She had said he would need to make a sacrifice.

In that long-drawn-out silence that followed, he eventually replied with the truth. “She said I would one day make a choice, a choice that would have great repercussions.”

“That does not sound good.”

“No, it does not,” he agreed, and he slowly opened one eye. Seated across from him, Kira contemplated this bit of news with a somber expression, before she said, “Then you must choose to do what is right.”

Unable to help but be reminded of Lytan, he chuckled and bowed his head. “It is settled then, now for my question. How long have you been here?”

Her fingers held up as she counted, she shook her hair and huddled into herself. “I can’t remember. The snake people brought me to the temple, and gave me to Master Ryoul. He was good, I liked helping him in the kitchen. But then they said Ryoul was a bad lizard and killed him. I ran away and hid down here. No red eyes come down here. They say it’s cursed, but I’m not scared.”

His heart throbbing at the way she spoke, Gregor wanted to kill every monster down here for what they had done to her. She appeared whole and well, but her mind had somehow changed to that of a child. Whatever had happened to her, had broken her, and given him this girl instead.

Hands wringing by his side as he tried to think about what to do, he heard movement from behind one of the bookshelves. Kira’s frightened whimper caused rage to swell in his chest as he stood up. “Stay here, I will keep you safe.”

Greatsword unslung from his back, he stood there in front of the opening to the anteroom. Gazing from side to side at the vast underground library, he saw nothing but shadows, when again he heard the scrape of wood. Teeth gritted in a silent snarl, he wondered what game this demon was playing at. The gurgles that came from close by, revealed a slimy black ooze that spilled out from between the floorboards. Its moist wet skin glistened in the light, and it seemed to sense where he was, as it slithered towards him.

Not sure what in the blasted hells this creature was, he called out to Kira, “we should move.” But when he turned around, he saw that she was gone, vanished into the thin air.

With no idea how she had managed to slip past him, he again stared at the creature as it slowly made its way towards him. Its undulating black form sent a shiver down his spine, when he heard Kira call out to him, “This way.”

Not eager to find out what this creature could do, he fell back further into the room, and saw to his surprise that the statue had moved. The hatch that had been right beneath, was open, and showed nothing but darkness below. Weary of more surprises, he quickly descended the ladder, and discovered that he was in the sewers. Kira, who waited for him right below, waved at him to follow her.

Footsteps padding across the slick stone surface that smelled of rotten corpses, Gregor was beginning to think that they were lost. The sewers, divided evenly into three parts, had walkways to the left and right, and at the center, a hollow runoff where disgusting green sludge ran down. Again hearing gurgles echo across the tunnel's walls, Gregor hurried after her, and wondered where the young woman was leading them, when she stopped suddenly. The tunnel splitting off to the left and right of them, he could see the thick green sludge had become a burbling canal of water that flooded the center of the sewers. One misstep and they would tumble into the unending darkness.

Kira, much closer now, whispered, “there’s a boat on the other side of the water, but it’s guarded by red eyes. We could use the bridge, but they will see us coming.”

“Is there no other way across?”

Her silver head shaking from side to side, Gregor was surprised to find that Kira wasn’t afraid anymore. She seemed more comfortable now in the dark, more at home. A worrisome thought, but he had other things on his mind, such as how they would escape this place. Scanning the walls, nooks, and crannies for some other way that would help give them an advantage over these red eyes, he saw a fleshless corpse huddled by the wall on the opposing side. He could also see the frayed rope in its skeletal hands, as well as a backpack. Assuming of course that this was how the creature had gotten to the other side, Gregor wondered what had killed it, before he again heard the gurgles close behind him.