64

Therko nods.

"For the Apostolic Mound, my people, and everyone Keimia has hurt," the Painted Guardian says, turning the clay pot over in his hand. "The Apostolic Mound is gone, but Keimia will destroy other wonders unless we stop her."

As the days pass, the trees shrink and then vanish, the forest dwindling into hilly scrubland. Then even the scrubs disappear as you traverse a broken and mountainous landscape dotted with smoking mud pools and burning fissures. Volcanoes fume on the horizon. Riotously colored flying lizards circle on thermals.

But the skies above are clear and blue, tinged now with silver from the False Icon. The mountain seems to have grown larger or brighter or both.

Soon jagged black cliffs force you to climb. Alexius proves invaluable, keeping everyone's spirits buoyed during the exhausting climb with promises of "snake-man" treasure to be found just over the next peak.

One evening, as you recover from an exhausting climb, Control returns from a scouting expedition and says, "There are humans nearby."

When Therko reaches for his ax, Control shakes her head. "They're all dead."

Next