Chapter 92 – Unsettling Revelations (5)

They walked on the seemingly endless white sands, with their only light being the glow of Lord Aulorn’s sword. Both enforcers were on edge – their gaze scoured their surroundings, and they constantly glanced up to the inverted lake.

“Such a place should be impossible.” Cait’s voice was but a whisper, yet it echoed throughout the darkness. “How far does it stretch?”

Midhir shrugged. “We didn’t come across an edge, or a wall.” In fact, they hadn’t come across pretty much anything else other than the serpentine creature and the altar. A part of him couldn’t help but wonder if this place even had an end, or if it stretched beneath the world forever.

They walked for about half an hour before finally arriving at the altar. The symbols etched into the chalk rocks surrounding the altar were shining bright blue, and the altar itself was glowing ever so slightly.

“How is the veil’s state here?” Lord Aulorn asked after circling the structure.

Cait narrowed her eyes. “I can’t see anything. It’s either extremely healthy, or…” her voice faded as her gaze lingered on the altar. “Or we are already on the other side of it.”

Midhir stepped closer to the altar. “We aren’t on the other side of the veil.” He could say that for certain. His gaze met Cait’s. “Is it possible that your ability to see is being suppressed here?” Knowing how the Crimson Witch was able to converse with him without Alistair and the others noticing, he couldn’t help but wonder if she was somehow preventing Cait from using her sight as well.

“We don’t know what beyond the veil looks like.” Lord Aulorn scowled. “Though I hesitate to believe this is it, we can’t discount the possibility.”

Cait shook her head. “No, Midhir is right. I was mistaken.” She hesitated for a split second. “It’s not only the veil I can’t see – my sight is completely normal. Something is preventing me from seeing properly.” She shot Midhir a meaningful glance.

Lord Aulorn nodded. “Understood.” He circled the chalk structure once more before turning to Midhir. “Can you end the resonance you cast here?” He pointed at the altar. “We need the barrier to fall before we can start our own work. If you can’t… we’ll need to break it.”

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The mere thought of trying to harm the altar made Midhir’s heart skip a beat. “I can!” He quickly stepped forward. If they attacked the altar, surely the Crimson Witch would appear again. And as difficult as it was to believe, he couldn’t help but think that she was way beyond Lord Aulorn and Cait – they would stand no chance against her wrath.

“Give it a try.” The enforcer took a step back and struck the ground with his sword. He was ready to cast a protective resonance – or perhaps even an offensive one.

Midhir nodded as he approached the altar. He could feel the thread connecting them – it was still bound to his will, but not for much longer. Placing his hands on the smooth chalk surface, he closed his eyes, and reached out with his mind to the resonance covering the whole of Bareon.

He could sense the thread he needed to pull to unravel it all. He reached for it, and with a simple thought, ended the resonance.

Power rushed through him, using him as a conduit to return to the altar. He shivered under the pressure of so much power, yet it only lasted a few short moments – less than a handful of heartbeats. The glow on the structure faded, and soon their only light was Lord Aulorn’s sword once again.

He lifted his hands from the altar’s surface with a sigh of relief.

That relief only lasted a split second as he found himself looking at a gigantic, multicoloured eye so far away. A gigantic shape moved in the distance, causing his head to hurt as his mind tried and failed to fully comprehend what he was looking at.

His heart raced, and his chest tightened as his gaze locked with that of the Old One’s.

Why was he here again? His mind raced as panic rose from within. Had the barrier been protecting him from the Old God’s influence as well? No, that couldn’t be. Was it unhappy with him undoing the resonance? But why would it care? He had so many questions, yet the being before him wouldn’t answer any.

“What do you want from me?” He shouted at the top of his lungs. A part of him longed for an answer, while the other feared it. “Let me go back!”

The unblinking eye seemed unbothered and unconcerned by his voice. It did, however, seem to care that he was here.

An image flashed before his eyes, searing itself into his mind. A monument – tainted by blood, amidst a vast, dark forest. Silhouettes were gathered around it, many of them were smoky black shapes, while one of them was a dark, disturbing red.

The image shifted, now he was looking at ash-covered fields. Reality was ripped apart before him, and things poured out of the tear. A cold, bone-chilling breeze blew the ash away, revealing the blood-soaked earth, and weapons littering it.

The images faded, though he knew he’d never forget them. “Is that what’s going to happen?” He asked with a tight jaw. “Or is that what you want to happen?”

There was no answer. The unblinking eye simply watched. Did it not understand? Or did it not bother to reply?

“Tell me!” He shouted, “I don’t understand!” He couldn’t let any of what he saw happen – the silhouette in red, it had to mean something. He knew that monument – it was where all this began.

Bloom…

The booming voice sent his consciousness back.