20 Garus

"So what do we do now?"

"I do not know."

Running his right hand along the ice of the cave walls Koel simply shook his head.

"This world was constructed to obscure and stop my ascent, to imprison me forever."

Staring into the frozen fire Lyrea quietly sat as she watched Koel continue his measured pacing.

"Who could design such a world?"

With a sigh Koel sat opposite Lyrea as she gazed into the fire.

"Do you recall the story I told you long ago. The story of the foolish man."

A subtle vibe caused the cave they were in to shake as Koel's words rang out, reminding Lyrea of the vast rage that Koel buried deep within, an anger that so badly wanted to be released.

"I think of it often."

"One of that fools betrayers was not the smartest of men but the most cunning. For he planned the betrayal, the war that consumed worlds, he craved knowledge and power above all else. I suspect it is his world we are in now."

"Surely he will reveal himself eventually? He must have a plan."

Koel laughed, a deep hollow chuckle, one full of self-blame and hindsight, "No. He was never one to sacrifice himself for something greater."

"You must have trusted him once."

"Unfortunately."

"What will you do when you find him?"

Lyrea shrank, not from the cold or the faint fire light but the pure savagery that overflowed from Koel's frame, such ill intent was impossible for the living to bare. Slowly Koel formed his words, each one like iron that cracked the ice around.

"I would grant him the knowledge he so strongly sought. And then rip it away, leaving nothing but an itch that cannot be scratched, a terrifying hole where he would know that everything he ever wanted was there, but is now forever out of reach."

"Why do you not call his name?"

"I will say it once, for the word is disgusting and taints the air with his touch."

"Garus."

With a crack the ice cave around Lyrea and Koel burst into fragments that rained down around them, showering them in the piercing cold and dark as the small flame burst apart.

With a deathly wail Koel collapsed to the icy ground as his bones creaked and warped, bending out of shape as more of the cave began to fall.

"KOEL!"

Scrabbling over the remains of warmth Lyrea clutched at Koel's skeletal form as it continued to warp and retract, reshaping itself as he howled in pain.

"What do I do? How do I stop this?!"

Unable to even vocalize Koel shuddered in Lyrea's grasp before retracting once more, grinding and shifting until all that was left of Koel was an amulet.

Aged and pitted, with marks of wear and tear from the many years were revealed as Lyrea now cradled a necklace made of Koel in her arms, one with a stern skeletal head dangling helplessly on the end.

Not paying to the revealing landscape around Lyrea knelt lost and confused, what was she to do now? What could she do on her own?

With a final crack the last of the ice cave was no more, revealing an icy tundra all around, bleak and empty with no warmth to savor, just an unending landscape of cold and bitter winds.

"How the mighty have fallen."

Mockingly a voice descended around Lyrea, stirring the cold to drive into her skin, stripping it of the last of its warmth.

"I thought he would never mention my name. After all the work that fool of a man did to lay a path in this world I so heavily designed it was still reduced to naught."

"Reveal yourself."

Clutching Koel's remains deep into her chest Lyrea whirled around, scanning for any threats, unable to hide the fear in her voice.

"I already have."

Looming through the wind shrouded surroundings was the darkened figure of a man, hidden in obscurity as he watched Lyrea from a distance.

"I have been here all along and you are holding what is rightfully mine."

Slipping the necklace over her head Lyrea felt a small sense of heat return to her body, the heat of Koel's unnatural rage as the necklace shook and rattled at this cloaked form.

"I will not hand him over."

Withdrawing backwards the looming figure snorted, "Fine. Then walk as you please in this cold covered waste, lets see how far you get before I strip it from your corpse. You will find no safety in my world."

Standing alone and bracing herself against the cold winds Lyrea began to move, sliding one barefoot after the next, her only destination was forward.