Five

            Zen’dik stared in horror at the corpses that lay there, far off in the distance.  Lia stared as well.  “Oh, not again,” she whispered so quietly that Zen’dik couldn’t hear her. 

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            Days passed.  Zen’dik and Lia had been unable to revive Brandis, and they had to run from the militia, which was not completely gone and would never stop looking for them.  Lia and Zen’dik resolved to get back to the tower as quickly as possible, so that they would be able to return to the caves and lift Zen’dik’s curse.

            Lia’s tower was located within the town of Highcrest, a large city where many such towers were located.  Zen’dik and his wizard companion passed by many of these towers as they walked towards the spot where hers would surely be.

            Many places where towers used to be, towers of powerful wizards, were now just blackened patches of grass.  The majestic residencies of the great mages had fallen, some of them, to the ever-increasing darkness that plagued the world.

            Lia’s tower was a peaceful little place, sitting on a hilltop with many trees growing around it.  It glowed with arcane power, and from inside the effects of what had happened with the orc more than a year ago could still be seen.  Many of the windows were shattered, and there was an axe stuck in the side of the tower.

            Lia and Zen’dik walked towards the entrance to the tower, finding that the door was, of course, locked by an arcane seal.  Lia closed her eyes and spoke a few words of power, causing the lock to spring open.  The wizard and the tiefling walked into the tower.

            A portal stood open, the one that Lia had opened last time the group had visited the caves.  It still worked, amazingly, considering that it had also been over a year since it had last been used.  Lia stepped forward and tested the portal by putting her staff through and then bringing it back out.

            The tip of the staff was green.

            “It’s safe,” she said, then strode through the portal, motioning for Zen’dik to do the same.

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                A Zedonian guard stood watch, looking for the tiefling, the wizard, and the mercenary who should have returned days ago.  It had been a year in the outside world, indeed, which was what worried the Elder most of all.  The open portal had stood there for days, or a year in the outside world, which was an incredibly long time for an unused portal to stay remaining open.

            The portal pulsated briefly, then sputtered as two figures walked through.  The guard held out its swords, walking towards the portal cautiously as if whatever had come out was hostile.  Instead, it was Lia and Zen’dik.  The Zedonian walked over to the two with a quizzical expression.  “Where is the warrior?” he asked.

            “He’s…” Lia began, though she never finished.  Zen’dik interrupted her.

            “Dead,” he said grimly. 

            The Zedonian bowed stiffly, which looked strange to Zen’dik considering its quadruped posture.  Zen’dik nodded slightly and walked into the smaller cavern, where the Elder sat on the ground, looking out into the inky darkness.

            When Zen’dik entered, light flooded the chamber instantly.  The Elder gave a start, seeing him back at last.  “Greetings, Cursed One,” he said.  “Have you found the weapon?”

            Zen’dik nodded.  “But it was not where you said that it would be.”

            The Elder gave Zen’dik a strange look.  “Are you entirely sure?”  His voice was filled with doubt.

            “Yes,” Zen’dik said.  “I had to chase that weapon all the way to one of the outer towns.  And my friend died helping me get it.”

            “Ah, a shame,” the Elder replied.  “Waste of life.  Well, you’re going to have to face your kin now, you know that.  It will probably be hard for you in more ways than one.”

            Zen’dik inclined his head slightly.  “I doubt it,” he said.  “All humanity has left my sister, and though she may be powerful, I will not hesitate to kill her.  She deserves it.”

            “You tell yourself that,” the wise Elder said, pointing a finger at Zen’dik, “But when it actually happens… you cannot know that you will react as you had predicted that you would.”

            Zen’dik once again inclined his head, and this time he turned around.  The Elder shook his oddly shaped head as the tiefling strode out of the cavern.