Ari backed behind Kaval as Maoz tried to inspect him. Maoz did not like him and would jump at any opportunity to have a reason to dislike him. Was it because of Kaval? If so, Ari could understand him just a little. Accusing him of being another person was nothing but unreasonable, however. He would know if he was. Memories would have come back. Ari put a hand over his chest and squeezed. Perhaps, it was the reason for why his heart was the way it was with Auovin. That thought alone sickened him. He would never hurt him. Never.

"Maoz, stay back there," Kaval warned.

"Why?"

"Because I can smell bad intentions when they spawn. You reek of them."

Maoz narrowed his eyes and obeyed for the moment.

"He is him, whether you want to acknowledge it or not. He has hell to pay for what he had done."

Kaval looked back at Ari and shook his head.

"Even if he is him, it does not matter. He does not remember. Harun would have never done those things either. You know this. Both of you know this."

"He is biased," Sai said, unmoved.

"Of course he is. He was in love with him for hundreds of years, after all," Maoz added.

Kaval grabbed Ari's wrist and started moving towards the stairs.

"You cannot say you did not bring him here to reclaim those lost memories. To see if it was really him or not," Sai said, inching closer.

"I did, but not so much anymore. Not when you are already accusing him of everything wrong that had happened to us. You are no better than those blood demons."

"Bring him to the labyrinth then. Let us all see if it is him or not. If he regains his lost memories then we may know what really happened but, until then, he is guilty," Maoz said.

"If he is not him, he could die," Sai murmured.

Maoz smiled and shrugged his shoulders. "Small price to pay."

Kaval shook his head no. He tightened his hold on Ari and kept his eyes trained on the two of them.

"Sai you cannot possibly agree with him. You have spent time with him. You must know his nature."

Sai stared at Ari for a moment before dropping his gaze and lingering elsewhere.

"Oh, not you too, Sai. Harun had that way about him, enrapturing everyone into thinking he was this beautiful, magnificent creature that reigned over both humans and demons. He had that charm about him and I am surprised you still fall victim to it even at his weakest."

"It has nothing to do with that," Sai said.

"It is because you like the boy," Maoz growled.

Ari wanted to run but to where? They knew this place better than him. He looked around aimlessly until Kaval had him tucked right back behind him. Kaval kept a steady pace towards the stairs as Sai and Maoz broke out into an argument. Just as Kaval took the first step, he stopped dead in his tracks.

A woman stood in the way with her arms to her sides. She tilted her head and smiled, causing a rush of chestnut curls to flip to the side of her. When she took a step closer towards them her gray eyes gleamed. Kaval took a step back out the stairwell as a result.

"Kaval, you are back." Her voice reminded Ari of a steady stream of water. She did not come with the malice Maoz greeted him with. Instead, she looked happy. Her smile dropped when she looked and saw Sai and Maoz arguing. She flicked her eyes back to Kaval as if assessing the situation. Finally, her eyes met Ari's. Her face softened but no more than that.

"And he is back as well. Why does it not surprise me that he would tag along with you?"

"Esi..."

"I have spent a thousand years here in this mountain awaiting your return because you said you would bring him back," she said almost as a whisper. "And you have... but not quite."

She caressed Kaval's cheek and slowly took her hands down his neck. Her brows furrowed. No words came from her lips. Instead, she kissed his cheek.

"That is all you have to say after everything?" Maoz interrupted. He pushed Sai out of his way and came between the woman and Kaval. Ari did not know what to think of any of this. He was confused but more fearful than anything. He wanted to leave. However, he did not want to jeopardize Kaval's safety. He was only just beginning to heal. He could not stand his own.

"Maoz."

"We were stuck here in this mountain for so long because of that thing over there." Maoz pointed at Ari. "He lied to us. He deceived us. Many of us are now sleep or dead because of him. Because he chose a blood demon over our own kind."

Ari's heart sank to his stomach. His ears were ringing and his heart pounded. He felt sick. There were some things Ari thought was a little odd about himself such as his dislike for the rain and large bodies of water. Ari looked at his hands. Or how easy it was to kill a human --as if he did it plenty of times-- and the apathy he showed afterward. Maybe it was the insatiable thirst for blood he had growing day by day. None of it sat well with him, but it was making sense even when he did not want it to.

"If that was so then the blood demons would welcome him with open arms but that did not seem to be the case at all. Something happened back then that none of us know of but him," Kaval said.

"That is why I say we should drop him down in the labyrinth."

"No, Maoz," Sai hissed.

"And why not?"

"Why must you insist that we drop him down in that godforsaken thing? You know what happened to the others when we tried that. Do not think to try again with him."

Maoz cut his eyes away from Sai and looked at the woman. "Esita, you agree with me. It is the fastest way. Time is not on our side."

Esita pressed her thumb to her lips in contemplation. She kneaded her brows but said nothing.

What is wrong with all of you? You know what he has done and still, you hesitate. You see him as this god, this-this thing to be feared, but look at him now. He is weak. Why must you still fear him?"

"He is not like us," Sai mumbled.

"He is different," Esita chimed in. She tightened her robe and lowered her eyes.

"Then this will prove to be a simple feat." Maoz slammed his palm in the center of the floor. It shook and rumbled, causing Ari to lose his balance. Kaval balanced him onto his arm and held him close as the floor separated.

"Maoz! Sai and Esita are on here as well!" Kaval shouted.

Maoz ignored him and pressed his other palm against the ground causing the runes marked on the walls to glow. Even the ones etched onto Sai's skin glowed. Kaval sank to the floor in pain, but Maoz continued to chant.

"You have no power here, Kaval. Not any longer."

"You are hurting him!" Ari said.

"Silence. Judgment shall reign down upon you soon enough," Maoz said.

"Ish tal re. Ish tal re, gae mash ta meyutal," Maoz stopped and held his hand up towards Kaval. "Sleep."

Kaval fell the rest of the way to the ground. He did not stir no matter how much Ari shook him. He heard Maoz chanting again. It was louder and more pronounced this time which sent fear coursing through him. When he looked for Sai and Esita, a black hand came from the abyss beneath them grabbing Esita from the edge she stood on and dragged her down into its depths.

The hand came again scratching and clawing its way back to the surface. Ari tried to grab Kaval and back him closer to the wall, but he was heavy. He barely was able to move him an inch. The clawing grew closer and it was not long before he felt its presence behind him.

"Ish tal re, mash ta meyutal. Gaem dey tu whunyl deb slumda," Sai chanted breathlessly. The hand stopped but a screeching noise echoed through the darkness. Stones were crumbling and claws scratched the stones. Things were climbing and Ari did not want to be around to find out what. However, he could not leave Kaval.

"Ari, go. The thing down below had heard our voices. It will not answer to both of our commands at once."

Ari narrowed his eyes and stared at Kaval. Enough was enough. He had to stop running from every little thing that frightened him. If he was the man they said he was then he should show no fear. He would not rely on anyone else's strength anymore. He had to reclaim what was once his even if it meant remembering things best left forgotten.

"Take him and go. I will be fine on my own and I will find the woman for you. This is all my fault, after all."

"... Ari... "

"If I had started this... I must be the one to put an end to it."

"Ish tal re!" Maoz shouted. Chains rattled and snapped. One hand came from the darkness followed by another.

"Go, Sai. Hurry." Ari did not look to see if Sai had gone with Kaval. He kept very still as hot breath blew on him.

"Daeva."

Ari looked up and saw a pair of molten red eyes gazing back at him. Its eyes reminded him of Ylanan's. Its horns were large, touching the ceiling of the room and its body grotesque like something molting dead, rotting flesh. If Ari did not feel and smell its breath on his face, he would have thought he was in a terrible nightmare. One of its disembodied hands pointed to the abyss from whence it came.

It grew closer causing Ari to move his head away and squeeze his eyes shut.

"To get what you want... you must... give in return... lose to gain, gain to lose," it rasped. Its accent mirrored Auovin's well which made Ari more confused than ever. It was heavy and thick but flowed freely, reminding him of a stream or the wind. The fear that once threatened to swallow Ari whole was draining from him in droves. He recognized this beast but then again he did not. It drove Ari insane with the feeling of almost reaching something that seemed to grow farther away each time he tried.

"A game, a game."

"The labyrinth," Ari murmured as he looked it in its eyes. When Ari moved his foot dozens of pair of eyes lit up the darkness surrounding them. Ari held his breath and steeled himself. He did not want to go down there. Its hand pointed down into the abyss and motioned him forward.

Ari turned to Maoz and saw his paling face. He laid on the ground and stared in both horror and awe. It went without saying that the creature's appearance was not supposed to happen. Soon Ari's gaze landed back on the beast.

"Your name... what is it?" Ari said.

The beast smiled and moved closer to Ari. Rows and rows of jagged teeth stared him in the face but it did not faze Ari in the slightest.

"A name begets a name," the beast breathed. Its breath blew across Ari's face again, causing Ari to scrunch his nose.

Again, the beast pointed to the darkness below.

"A name is truth. Truth is found there."

Ari took a cautious step toward the darkness and paused.

"If you cannot give me your name then tell me who you are. What purpose do you serve?"

"A keeper of secrets, of lies, and deceit. And what lies and secrets do you keep," it said before disappearing back into the abyss. Ari bit down on his lip and took another hesitant step forward until it was like his feet had minds of their own. At that moment, his body was not his own but some other and the thought of that alone frightened him. He balled his hands into fists and continued his trek down into the depths below, ignoring the watchful pairs of eyes from above.

–---------------------------------------------------------------------

😏

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️