Chapter LXXXIX: Spectre

As they made their way through the gilded corridors, Krista passed the time by telling them the tale of the Ruins of Alzadaal. Jinxie scarcely paid attention.

The area was breathtaking, she had to admit. Sretching out as far as she could see were corridors and rooms that looked as if they had been hand-crafted from the floor up. Each piece of intricate metalwork was uniquely shaped and fitted into an incomprehensibly vast pattern, each room another link within it. The walls of the outer chambers were the most impressive part - panes of glass stretching from floor to ceiling, letting occupants see outside into the undersea world which had claimed the Ruins of Alzadaal centuries before.

From what she heard Krista saying, the ruins had been the subject of intense scrutiny in recent years. Excavation teams would regularly travel down to try and salvage what they could of the ancient Imperial treasures, and encounters with archaic monsters set as guardians were not uncommon. The upper levels of the ruins were clear, but down in the depths there were still menaces to contend with. Fortunately, the path they were to take led them nowhere near the more hazardous areas.

"And that's why the Qiqirn are allowed to explore the area," the Bard was saying, concluding some story Jinxie had only half-heard. She rubbed her nose where a slight bruise discolored the skin. "At least, that's how I heard it."

"Issy," Speed tugged on the Puppetmaster's sleeve, his voice a failed attempt at whispering, "that cat is talking."

"Walahra give me patience," the raven-haired woman muttered.

"We are nearly there," Vaala said from in front of them. The Ninja skirted the halls lightly, remaining ahead of the rest of the group. "There is another portal up ahead."

Jinxie took stock of her companions once again. Vaala was a black ops operative for the Imperial military. Sefadin was a Captain of Salaheem's Sentinels. Krista could use the spellsong, and Isset had Shoki, in addition to her own well-developed fighting skills. When Speed's head was clear, he had strength which Jinxie had seen sever the head off a Hydra.

And she stood among them, powerless. She began to feel upset just thinking about it. These people were willing to risk their lives for her son, and she would not even be honest with them. As far as she knew, no one was aware her powers had disappeared as the price for Kkel Solaar's life. They might be counting on her arcane strength to see them through the inevitable oonfrontations to come, and when they needed it, it would not be there. Their lives were being put in danger under false pretenses. But what other choice did she have? If they knew the truth, there's no way they would have let her come along.

She would not let that happen, she resolved. It would be the same as abandoning Drake, and that was not an option.

The loss of her powers stung ever more sharply, and not for the first time she knew she would do anything to get them back.

Sharply, she turned. She heard no voice nor footfall, but the feeling of a presence behind her was inescapable. The pressure of spiritual energy struck her like a thunderclap. A gasp escaped her lips as her eyes fell upon the source of it, staring right back at her.


The Chamber of Passage jolted into view as Kkel returned once more from an Imperial staging point. Stumbling forward, he found his legs in no condition to support him. He just barely managed to put up a hand and brace himself against the cold stone walls so as not to fall. The sword in his grasp fell with a clatter, and for several moments he let it lay where it was. When he finally was able to kneel down to pick it back up, he felt like he might never stand again.

"Walahra," he gasped, "I'm almost too tired to breathe." He might have worried about saying this around his men, except that he was the only one of them to make it back. A fact that did not go unnoticed by those monitoring his progress.

"You're alone," the familiar voice of Aht Urghan's Grand Vizier was devoid of concern, as usual. "Have the others fallen?"

Kkel shot an icy glare at him. "They stayed at the outpost," he forced the words out. He wanted to explain further, but it was taking everything he had to just stay conscious at this point. The dangers of abusing the Runic Portal had been explained to him, but he never anticipated the sheer level of exhaustion. He'd never felt so bone-weary in his life.

Razfahd stood waiting at the end of the hall, watching the Sunserpent. He said nothing else, only watched the General slowly gather the strength to once more make it to his feet. Arms hanging limply, Kkel raised his eyes to meet those of the Grand Vizier. Gradually, he gathered his breath enough to speak again.

"We all made it out. Pixel is helping them recover enough to make the trip back." Even speaking made him want to collapse and sleep for a week. He left it at that, concentrating on keeping his lungs working.

"Mm," his imperious eye looked over the haggard General. "And you left . . . simply to see if you could?"

Had Kkel the strength to bare his teeth, he would have, but Razfahd's assessment was not far from the truth. He used the Runic Portal ahead of his men to test whether or not another jump would kill them outright.

The hours had been full with skirmishes. The elite cadre of soldiers the Sunserpent borrowed from his fellow Generals burned through the early daylight hours with daring attacks against the Undead Swarm's most well-protected strongholds. Only a dozen in number, they used hit-and-run tactics to infuriate their foes and confuse them as to their size and strength. Their assaults had left a swath of destruction across Lamian territory from Periqia to Ilrusi Atoll, causing a general uproar throughout the entire Arrapago Reef. As soon as real confrontation became imminent, they pulled back and retreated to the nearest Imperial stronghold. Thus far, the scheme had worked flawlessly. With only ten soldiers, Pixel, and himself, Kkel Solaar had convinced the Undead Swarm all of Arrapago was enduring a full-scale attack.

With reinforcements rushing to bolster their defenses and their hordes rushing through the swamps, searching for the phantom Imperial army, the path to Medusa herself was quickly opening up. Kkel's gambit was paying off, and Jinxie would be able to recover her child. That was assuming, of course, that he survived using the portal again.

They had gone three times through the radiant blue light which ushered them from one point of the Empire to another before they started feeling it. At first they dismissed it as the fatigue natural from sustaining such an effort. Constant haranguing of enemy forces, striking with such force and precision, maintaining mobility enough to flee at a moment's notice; any of this would wear out even the most conditioned soldiers. After five times through the portal, they knew it was more than that. They began having trouble breathing, and some began to feel faint. Two of the small battalion were powerful magic users, but found themselves unable to conjure up the dimmest spark for several minutes.

At present, they had gone back and forth through the Chamber of Passage eleven times, and Kkel swore that his heart had stopped for a moment after the last one. His powerful blue magic felt as far away as the moon. Only one thing kept him going.

"I owe her my life," he breathed slowly. "And I will repay that debt in full if I have to."

Razfahd gave no outward reaction to the declaration. Instead, he turned to the Tarutaru soldier whose job it was to oversee the Chamber of Passage and muttered some hushed instructions to him. Snapping a salute to the Grand Vizier, the diminutive trooper hurried out of the room. Once he was gone, the dark-haired Imperial gave a powerful sigh, collapsing unceremoniously into a chair backed up against the wall.

"It seems good people are still paying for my actions, Sunserpent," he addressed Kkel, but directed his words to the open air. Composing himself, he returned his sharp gaze to the Elvaan. "Your men won't be joining you for some time. Reports from our scouts tell us all of Arrapago is in an uproar. You can rest a moment."

"If we stop now, they'll know it was a ruse." He wanted to say more, but found the words caught in his throat.

The Grand Vizier's stoic visage returned. "Jinxie knew the risks, Sunserpent, and she would not want you to die for her." He carefully pyramided his fingers, looking down at them contemplatively. "She is a powerful mage and a brave woman. I am certain there is nothing out there she can't handle."


The manner of steed the man rode she had no name for. It looked like a horse - a creature she had seen in fantasy storybooks as a child - but to call the beast a horse would be calling a grand palace a hovel. It stood twice as high as Jinxie herself, and its head alone was as large as her whole body. A coat of gray hair with a sheen like burnished metal covered the animal, and mane richer than the most exquisite fur was draped down across its thick, powerful neck. Two burning red eyes stared towards her as it bucked its head impatiently, snorting flames and baring a mouth full of thick, pointed teeth. Stretching down from its imposing visage, two curled red horns reached out menacingly. Eight hooves beat against the metal ground, four legs of taut sinew and muscle on each side, but where they stamped there was no ring of iron-like hoof against metal. Only a plume of dark flame burst up from the ground on each movement of its powerful limbs.

Seated atop it, impossibly using this fantastic creature as a mount, was a man covered head to toe in armor. Shoulder plates the size of a human head surmounted a gloriously crafted breastplate inlaid with gold. Mammoth silver gauntlets which grasped the beast's reins stretched up to joint guards which had been forged into nefarious-looking blades. Gilt cuisses matched the heavy steel boots in the stirrups of the incredible horse. Every inch of him was sheathed in armor of gold and silver, right up to a helmet which concealed his face entirely. Instead, it appeared akin to a death's head, and like the horse, it was surmounted by two curled and dangerous horns. From behind the faceplate, though she could not see his eyes, Jinxie felt the power of the man's stare. One hand held the horse in place, the other grasped the shaft of a spear bigger than any man, hooked blade on the end gleaming with wicked intent.

What struck her even more than his appearance was the overwhelming power radiating from his being. The rider was at the end of a long hallway, far behind where Jinxie stood now, but the oppressive weight of his essence nearly crushed her. The waves of sheer malevolence emanating towards her froze her in place. She gaped, unable to move as the rider lowered the blade of his tremendous spear, leveling the weapon towards Jinxie's head. The horse beat its hooves impatiently, flames of darkness rising below it. Locked in position, she could only watch as the rider steadied himself for a charge.

"Hey, boss lady, what's up?"

Startled, Jinxie spun around to find Sefadin's confused face behind her. Gasping, she turned back, only to see an empty hall behind her.

Groping fruitlessly for words, she looked at the Paladin, shock still on her face. He returned a quizzical gaze, taking a step back away from her.

"You shouldn't straggle behind, ma'am," he told her. "We almost went on without you."

"There was . . . " she started to talk, but his expression told her everything. He saw no dark rider, felt no presence. She no longer did, either. Only the long, empty expanse of the Ruins of Alzadaal greeted her eyes when she stared down the hallway. "Nothing," she said finally. "I just got turned around. Sorry to worry you."

"Are you alright?" He put a hand on her shoulder, concern in his voice. "I hate to look into those eyes and see an ounce of pain."

She brushed him away gently, collecting herself. "I'll be fine. Thank you, Sefadin."

"Just doing my job, ma'am," the Captain inclined his head briefly. "Let's catch up to the others, Vaala says we're almost there."

When they reached the rest of the group, Vaala was standing before a platform glowing with the same soft glow of the Runic Portals back in Whitegate. "Through here," she told them. "The ruins are connected by a series of portals like these. This one will take us where we need to go."

True to her word, moments later the cadre appeared within an expansive and ornate chamber, at the end of which was a hallway that took them back to the surface. After a brief word with the Imperial guards stationed at the exit, they took their first steps into the Caedarva Mire.

"Welcome to the jungle," Sefadin proclaimed, outstretching his arms with a flare.

"It's a swamp," Krista said, blinking. "Jungles are different."

The Captain slapped his palm into his own face. "Alright, first thing when we get back, we're going over your lessons in being dramatic."

"Yes, sir," she sighed, kicking a clump of soggy ground.

"Half a day's march will take us to the Arrapago Reef," Vaala told them. "From there we will - "

She stopped. They all did.

From somewhere deep in the mire, far off in the insect-laden swamps and bogs, through the muddy marshes and endless muck, a howl had broken the air.

It was deep, like some great horn bellowing, but rough and guttural as well. The gray skies above suddenly became alive with motion as flocks of birds took wing, fleeing from their nests in the howl's wake. For a long moment it persisted, and then slowly faded away, leaving a trailing echo to crawl its way through Caedarva Mire. Not one of Jinxie's group said a word at first, only exchanging glances as they listened to the wail die down.

"What was that?" Isset finally whispered, and Shoki visibly trembled.

"It sounded huge," Krista was gripping her flute tightly in both hands, her eyes darting back to the entrance into Alzadaal they had just emerged from.

"That," Vaala's voice was quiet, and the Ninja had perhaps unconsciously crouched down slightly, "means we need to be very fast, and very careful."

"What is it, Vaala?" Jinxie could not afford cryptic answers. She had to know what was in the swamp, perhaps even lying in wait for them.

"There's a Khimaira out here," she replied, and in a blur a pair of katana appeared in her hands. "And if we want to see Arrapago alive we must avoid it at all costs."

The proclamation sank in to each of them as she spoke, and a crushing silence overtook them. Jinxie was not even sure what a Khimaira was, but even Speed looked spooked at the thought of it. All the Imperials were given pause at the idea of its presence in the Mire.

As for herself, she had frozen for a different reason.

The moment Vaala had told her what the source of the howl was, she had felt the presence of the dark rider wash over her once again.

Chapter LXXXVIII: Departures and Arrivals

First light had not yet breached the horizon when Kkel Solaar struck.

Like a sudden monsoon, his attack breached the Lamiae defenses at Ilrusi Atoll. In a landscape dominated by half-submerged islands, little more than clumps of mud emerging from the shallows, he seemed to be everywhere at once. The sound of swords clashing against Lamian spears echoed through the fog which blanketed the area. From their makeshift bases, formed from the remains of half-a-hundred shipwrecks, the Undead Swarm rallied to meet their attackers. The reef which crowned the top of the Arrapago Islands became a nest of activity in moments as the Sunserpent made his presence known.

An explosion shook the early morning skies, sending wooden planks careening through the air as the mast of a long-beached trireme toppled like a redwood falling to the ground. The bones of the crew still aboard the vessel were splintered by the force, sinking into the mud as they hit the ground, unusable by the Lamiae which commanded them. Orders were hissed violently in the tongue of the snakewomen, and the rattle of their foot soldier's remains marked them spreading out to search for their foes, hidden deep in the dense fog surrounding the reef. They retreated almost instantly as fire flew from the haze, streaking towards their ranks and leaving the rotting wood of their sunken fortresses in flames.

The confusion was short-lived. A Merrow sorceress emerged from the depths, holding a staff aloft which blazed with intense heat. A wave of flames crashed through the morning fog like a living thing, eating it alive as it roared with great fury through the obscuring mists. Within moments, the fire had devoured enough to clear the air, and the undead charged forward to face their bold assailants head on.

Nothing was there to greet them. Not so much as a ripple creased the water to mark that anything was there. The Undead Swarm stood amongst the flaming husks of the ships which dotted the reef, indecision gripping the Lamiae which pulled their strings. Of the attackers there was no sign, not even a clue as to what direction they may have come from or gone. Angry voices hissed back and forth, and ultimately search parties broke in all directions to sweep the reef and find their hidden foes.

In the time it took for them to make that decision, the Sunserpent and his men were already back in Aht Urghan.


"Through the power of the Astral Wind, the soldiers of the Empire may come and go as they please."

True to his word, Captain Sefadin did look more impressive in armor. As the first vestiges of sunlight crept over the rooftops of Whitegate's Commoners Ward, the polished chain mail links beneath his surcoat glittered brightly. Heavy gauntlets and leggings gripped his limbs, and a scabbard hung from his side, the hilt of his sword never far from his grasp. Save for the grin on his face, the sandy-haired mercenary was unrecognizable from the man Jinxie had met the night before. In his silver armor, blade at his side and shield at the ready, he appeared far more the guardian she had been promised. At the moment, his gaze was locked intently on the massive iron doors which held behind them the Chamber of Passage.

"I'm not sure how it works, or why it can only take you to certain locations, but it's the most important strategic advantage we have." He appeared to be talking as much to himself as the others. "The ability to assault the enemy strongholds and return our soldiers back to their home sweet homes in an instant. I've even started writing a song about it." He cleared his throat, and then in a bold voice, declared "Take me to your heart, feel me in your bones, just one more night and I'm coming off this long and winding road." Pausing, he then gave a nod. "That's all I've got. You should finish the rest."

"Me?" Krista looked startled when her Captain's attention suddenly fell on her.

"Of course! I can't do everything for you, Private. Now finish that song."

She blinked repeatedly, and then began patting herself down. Gone was the heavy cloak and robes she had been wearing the night before. The Mithra was now suited in pants and boots with a simple cape around her shoulders and an open blue jacket with a shirt far too revealing for Jinxie's taste. She was definitely prepared to be mucking about in a swamp rather than performing in a city, and the belt at her waist held a dagger in addition to her flute. "I know a brought a quill and paper," she muttered, searching herself without much luck.

"We'll have to work on this," Sefadin chided, then looked back at the Chamber of Passage. "You never know when the urge to rock is going to strike, Private, you have to be ready. Where was I?" He paused briefly, and then looked towards Jinxie. "Right, using the portal inside. No one has ever attempted what General Solaar is doing today."

"Why is that?"

"Well, using the Hall multiple times is like trying to check out some baller concerts one after the other. You get to the first and it's awesome, and you hear some sweet tunes. Then by the time you get to the second, it's like, "hey man, this is cool, I'm still working a good buzz, let's enjoy it." But then you hit up the third and you're all like "damn, I should've quit drinking like an hour ago, this isn't even my jam, you know?"

Jinxie stared at him. Slowly, she nodded, and Sefadin smiled. "Sweet, I knew you'd get it."

"Using the Hall multiple times exacts a strenuous toll on the user." They turned to find Vaala standing before one of the tall columns lining the broad avenue. As daylight crept across the street, it chased away the shadows concealing her. Jinxie gave a start at her voice, not even realizing the Ninja had joined them until she spoke.

"That's what I said," Sefadin replied, then focused on the apparent newcomer. "So," he gave a low whistle. "they're bringing in the black ops for this one, are they?"

Vaala did not respond. Instead, she took a knee before Jinxie briefly, and then raised her head to await further instruction. Swathed all in black, there was no way of knowing where or how many weapons she had concealed on her person. The mask which hid her face from the bridge of her nose down gave away no expression, and her slim gray eyes never changed.

"The General faces the distinct risk of exhausting himself and his troops," she advised. "To act as we are doing currently goes against all the safeguards normally put in place for use of the Hall."

"Now those military guys, they can go in as much as they want," Sefadin folded his arms as he spoke, brow creasing in thought. "Mercs like us are allowed a few passes a week if we get hired for a mission. Part of it is so we don't stress the magic of the Astral Candesence, but another part is for our own protection."

"Will he be alright?" Jinxie had seen Kkel and Pixel off in the early hours before dawn, and neither had shown any concern for themselves. Pixel had assured the Red Mage she would be seeing the both of them again soon. "They have Pixel, and Gjallarhorn, and Kkel himself . . . "

"It is possible General Solaar's constitution will allow him to use the portals, and the Bard's spellsong will help the others endure as well," Vaala's words were matter-of-fact, "but they will wear out eventually."

"So," Sefadin interjected, his voice far more reassuring, "we'll just have to be done with our part before that can happen."


Bones crunched beneath Imperial boots as the soldiers beneath Kkel Solaar beat a hasty retreat from the Leujaoam Sanctum. The fallen undead at their feet were too battered to respond to the commands of their Lamian masters, torn apart by the powerful magic unleashed by the Sunserpent. From every cavern, the sounds of battle echoed throughout the subterranean lair of the beastmen. Centuries-old crystal formations which grew from the cold granite shook as Kkel's lightning barrage filled the corridors with combat.

Beneath the sound of steel against steel, an undercurrent of something entirely different ran through. A fast-paced March, performed at double the regular tempo, laced itself into the din of battle. It played almost constantly, only audible in between the shouted snarls of Lamian guards and the battle cries of Imperial soldiers. While the rest of the action ricocheted back and forth through the vast series of caverns, the song stayed stationary, its melody reaching out to those whom would hear it. Frequently, a patrol of the undead or even one of their masters would come in search of it. The area around the musician was littered with their remains.

Pixel finished weaving her spellsong for the twelfth time since they entered the underground Lamian domain, and lowered Gjallarhorn from her lips. Kkel nodded to her, and she fell back into the tunnels from which they came. Within moments, the absence of the music became a noticeable void in the rest of the cacophony around them. As soon as it was noted amongst the Imperial soldiers, they fell back from their position, obeying the signal to retreat.

"Are you alright?" Kkel asked with concern when one of his borrowed soldiers came back with a cut across his brow, blood mingling with the sweat which covered his face.

"I'm fine General, I'm fine," he gasped, lurching forward as he struggled to keep his sword in hand, "let's get to the next one."

Kkel clapped him on the back and sent him down towards their escape route. Both he and Pixel shared a look of concern as the last of their brigade made for the extraction point. The strain in their own eyes showed clearly.

The sound of a distant, angry chorus of hissing grew rapidly closer, and the pair followed after their soldiers as serpentine shadows appeared on the cavern walls.


The sun was breaking fully free of the horizon line when Isset arrived, a heavy pack slung over her shoulders. Shoki skittered faithfully by her side and, trailing distantly behind them, a forlorn-looking Speed followed them in.

"What a drag . . . " he complained, dragging his feet as they approached the others. "You shouldn't be able to get up this early, man, there should be like, a law, man."

"Speed!" Sefadin exclaimed. "What's up my man?" The Captain greeted him with a handshake so brief it appeared more like they simply clapped their hands together. "I didn't see you at the show last night."

"I was gonna go, but some major buzzkill made me stay home and get ready for this."

"I'm right here, Speed," Isset reminded him.

"You two know each other?" Jinxie asked, watching them share their greeting.

"Yes ma'am," Sefadin confirmed. "Speed and I met at last year's Crew Fest."

"Crew Fest?" She cocked an eyebrow curiously.

"Ma'am, Crew Fest is a gathering of all the biggest bands, or "crews" in the Empire for an all-day performance, ma'am." Krista received a look of approval from Sefadin as she explained. "It's a treat for Bards and those who just appreciate good music and a good time."

"Word," Sefadin nodded.

"Which word?" Speed scratched his head, confused.

"Doesn't matter, are we all here?"

Jinxie appraised her gathering. Isset and Speed had been with her almost since she had arrived in Aht Urghan, and certainly through all her greatest trials. The Puppetmaster was a true friend, and had proven herself one many times since their meeting outside the palace. Speed was not reliable by any means, but she would have been lying if she said his antics were not at least amusing, and when his head was clear he was the most formidable warrior she had ever come across. She was happy to count the two of them amongst her companions for this latest ordeal. The reminder of their presence, however, also served as one of Xaerus's absence.

Sefadin and Krista she remained unsure of. The Hume certainly looked the part of the Paladin, bedecked in shield and armor, but his disposition was troubling to say the least. And while his trainee certainly displayed an eagerness to perform, she was a greenhorn at best, completely untrained and unprepared for what they could be marching into. She reminded herself that he was a Captain of Salaheem's Sentinels, a higher rank than even Isset held, so he must have proven his mettle in some way or another. It was nothing she had seen with her own eyes, and thus her skepticism remained. They were a colorful pair, but Jinxie would have given much to have Kkel and Pixel by her side instead.

Then there was Vaala. The woman had barely moved and rarely spoken since revealing her presence. None of the others knew anything about her, and that worried Jinxie immensely. She knew the Imperial Palace had been infiltrated up to the very highest levels, who was to say Chiz and his allies had not left agents behind? She watched the Ninja watching all of them, and felt the fear of uncertainty creeping up her belly. She did not want to be uncertain of anything in this endeavor. Her son's life was at stake, there could be no risk of failure.

The thought of Drake in the hands of the beastmen tore through her again, like a wound reopening. She almost doubled over as the still-fresh pain of loss struck her, compounded with the absence of her power. She had surrendered her magic to rescue Kkel Solaar, and it was all for nothing in the end. That which she had been striving to save was taken from her.

She had no recourse, she knew. Whatever misgivings she had, this was the team she had to work with. They had to succeed, and that was all there was to it.

"Miss Jinxie," she turned, almost giving a start as an Imperial soldier appeared at the iron gates which marked the Chamber of Passage, "we're ready for you."


"The scouts are all reporting in. The Undead Horde is on high alert." Razfahd had donned his imperious black armor again, and gestured towards the pedestal before him. Jinxie was amazed to see that images of the Empire appeared on its surface, so real they looked like sculptures made from light. "Garrisons from all over their usual stations in Arrapago and Caedarva are being drawn towards the areas Kkel is assaulting. We will have no greater opportunity to get your unit past enemy lines."

"Alright, let's go get this witch," Sefadin was growing excited. "We'll drop right into Arrapago Reef and take Medusa down today."

"No," the Grand Vizier snapped, "don't be a fool. The Lamian fortress where she dwells is still crawling with snakes. No, you're going in through the ruins."

"Safe," Vaala remarked. "We often use the ruins to approach locations undetected."

Razfahd nodded. "Your window of opportunity is small, so make the most of it. The ruins will bring you as far as Caedarva Mire. Once there, it is up to you to find your way to the Lamian Queen and recover Jinxie's son."

"But that could take days!" Isset sputtered. "How long do you expect General Solaar to hold out?"

Razfahd managed to contain his sneer. "He will be given time to rest, mercenary. The other Serpent Generals are already lining up to take his place so he can recover. Truth be told, our offices are flooded with requests from volunteers wanting to help out the famous Jinxie in any way they can. We will not falter on our end of the operation. Make sure you uphold yours."

"I can guide us through the Mire," Vaala offered. "It will take us more than a day, but not by much. By dawn's breaking tomorrow we shall be near our goal."

"We're ready," Sefadin stated, indicated himself and Krista. The Bard nodded in affirmation.

"So are we," Isset clasped Jinxie's shoulders, looking at her compassionately. "Just say the word, Jinxie. Let's go make them pay for what they did."

She gave her friends, old and new, another look. After only a moment's pause, the Red Mage straightened the brim of her hat, affixed atop her mass of blond locks, and gave them a fierce nod. "Thank you," she managed to find some of her old strength in her voice. "but enough talking. Let's get going."

Isset smiled widely as they all clapped a salute in her direction. At Razfahd's order, they were allowed into the Chamber itself, which was little more than a single hall. Six portals through which soldiers returned to the city from missions abroad were separated by a broad walkway, and situated three on each side. At the end was a staircase, leading straight up to the central portal which would take them to their destination. It flared to life, pulsing waves of blue light towards the low ceiling.

Sefadin was first, ascending the stairs and turning as the light engulfed him. Before he even had time to grin at them, he vanished in a flash. Isset followed after him, both she and Shoki becoming points of brilliant light before blinking away entirely. Then Krista disappeared after them, and then Speed. Vaala gave a short bow to Razfahd and Jinxie before she stepped into the portal, leaving only Jinxie herself behind.

"Jinxie," she was surprised when Razfahd called out to her as she began walking up the stone steps, "I want you to know that I am sorry."

She gazed at him. She had not the energy left to hate this man. "I know, Razfahd," she told the Imperial. "I know."

"Good luck, Bastokan," he wished her sincerely, and then he was gone as her whole world became blue.

"Grand Vizier, sir?" The Tarutaru at the entry to the hall spoke, and Razfahd cast an eye down on him.

"Yes, Sharin-Garin?"

"Sir, I, er, I wasn't notified of any further rotations of Imperial soldiers to relieve General Solaar. Should I prepare the Chamber for . . . ?"

"That will not be necessary," Razfahd interrupted, clasping his hands behind his back. "Kkel Solaar will not be relieved. He knows our soldiers are stretched too thin at the moment. He is prepared to keep this up for as long as he has to."

"But, what you said to the others . . . "

"I said what was required to keep them moving," the Grand Vizier explained, "and to make sure Jinxie's son returns to her safely. I said . . . only what General Solaar and I agreed would be said when the question was raised."

He stared for a long time at the portal in front of him, hoping the Empire would not lose more than it already had by the time this was all over.


Jinxie arrived in the Undersea Ruins of Alzadaal and found the others waiting for her. Like them, she marveled at the expanse of the ruins, which went on endlessly in all directions. She gaped at the windows, revealing aquatic life she had never even dreamed of swimming past them. She admired the intricate work of the ruins, of which every inch from ceiling to floor had been delicately crafted from the finest metals. As Vaala led them through into the deeper parts of the massive underwater complex, it became clear that the astonishing place had an endless supply of surprises and marvels.

With the amazing location surrounding her and the task at hand, it was easy for Jinxie to forget the face she had seen in the moment of her transport from Aht Urghan to the Ruins of Alzadaal.

A masked face, hidden behind a horned white helmet, and mounted on a terrible steed. A knight, waiting for her in the space between worlds.

Watching her.