Vivien K. Wilk

It was difficult to spot in this darkness where the floor was too hot to enter. Sometimes narrow, glowing red lines showed where the lava was slowly advancing, but it couldn't be sure that these were the only places where the hot rock had flowed down the mountain. Gray and black clouds hung low over the mountain range. Ashe kept raining down on the land while lightning flashed. They meandered through the clouds, immediately followed by loud rumble. The air shimmered with heat. Nobody should have dared to put a foot in front of the door. And yet a single figure moved through the devastated country.

The woman had left hours ago. She had been fighting tirelessly through the country ever since. At the beginning she had seen animals that had fled in panic from destruction, but she was quickly completely alone. The wet wipes that she had wrapped around her mouth and arm, to protect her, were hardly damp. Nevertheless, they still stopped her from inhaling the hot ashes or getting them on her skin. She had pulled her hood deep into her face. A few dark spots on her clothing showed that the heat had already attacked the fabric. But she went on undeterred.

It was another half a day before she could finally start climbing the crater. The volcano raged above her and kept emitting hot embers. She had to hurry to find shelter when a large wave of rubble came down the mountain. Pressed close to the rock, she closed her eyes for a moment. She allowed herself to grab her water bottle and drink from it. She didn't have much water anymore. She gently shook the bottle back and forth, listening to the rippling water. She had known that it might be a path of no return, but this was beginning to appear certain. Her gaze wandered up the stone path that led to the top of the mountain. Resolutely she pushed the cloth back over her face and stepped out of the cover. If death was near, she would receive him with open arms. As long as she would get to the crater. She had a job and she would do it.

The night was well advanced when she climbed the last few meters. At least that's what she assumed. Under these clouds there was no difference between day and night. Her bottle was now empty and her eyes burned from the constant heat. But she had arrived. As she stepped closer to the crater, she saw a glowing red sea. The lava continued to crumble and hiss. The heat just off the edge took her breath away. At the last moment she could catch herself when she staggered backwards and almost fell down the slope. Her fingers ached from the heat of the stones, but she got back on her feet.

"It's really not a place for a human."

A female voice sounded in her vicinity. Immediately she looked around. It wasn't long before she saw a figure sitting on a rock on the edge. It was a woman with shoulder-length, dark orange hair. Her tall, slender build stood out against the sky in the light of the lava. She had pulled one leg up and stretched the other out for support, while placing one arm loosely on her leg. Her brown-red leather armor seemed unburned. The heat didn't seem to bother her at all. Her gaze was calm on the traveler, scrutinizing, almost penetrating.

Despite the heat, a shiver ran down the other woman's back. Her hands trembled as she raised it to her cloth and pulled it down. The face that emerged from it looked more like that of a child than an adult woman. Maybe she was fifteen, sixteen at most. The sight seemed to surprise the orange-haired woman.

"Oh child, are you already longing for your end to come here? What a sad and pitiful sight."

"Forgive Mistress, but you're wrong."

The girl's voice was harsh from the drought. She had to clear her throat and noticed how her counterpart grimaced. The traveler instantly dropped to her knees and bowed her head.

"Please listen to me," she said hastily, "I came here to speak to you."

Her words followed silence. Even the hissing and crackling of the volcano seemed to take a back seat. She starrd on the floor, not dareing to look up and upset her counterpart. She had to hope that her words had aroused interest. Although her knees started to burn, she crouched and listened. Did she hear footsteps? She wasn't sure, but before she could think about it, she heard a hiss behind her. Her blood seemed to freeze again. Something big was slowly sliding over the rock, right behind her. It came closer, accompanied by the sound that a snake made when it sensed the smells with its surroundings. Then it was next to her and a big black snake head slid into her field of vision. Fine glowing orange lines ran like cracks across her scales. Like the lava that had flowed down the mountain. The animal had black eyes, who were difficult to distinguish from the body, but the dark red split tongue could be seen in every detail.

The further the snake moved, the more the girl's throat contracted. The body slowly began to wriggle around her, but she still hold her position. Eyes closed, she waited.

"You know who I am?"

The woman's voice was suddenly right in front of her. At the same time, fingers slid under her chin and forced the girl to raise her head. Red eyes caught hers. She answered the question with a slow nod.

"What is your name?"

"Zenya."

"Zenya ... a nice name. Then tell me Zenya, why am I wrong?"

"I'm not here to die. I'm here to deliver a message to you."

The woman straightened immediately. Her eyes grew suspicious. Only now Zenya noticed that the snake was half around her, half around the woman. When she straightened up so suddenly, the creature hissed restlessly.

"From whom?"

Her question sounded cold and threatening. But Zenya tried to stay calm. Her lungs were burning from the heat around her. So she reached under her coat and slowly pulled out a sword that she had hidden under her cloak until now. She immediately put it on the floor in front of her. The handle was adorned with a large owl that spread its wings over the parrier bars. When the woman's eyes fell on the sword, her posture changed instantly. She gestured to the snake to go and then sighed annoyed.

"Say that right away, you stupid thing. Hard to believe that my sister send a child."

"I was the only one around who could hear her call," replied Zenya, relieved, "Forgive me for disturbing Lady Helya."

Helya made a derogatory gesture with her hand.

"What can I say about that? It wasn't your choice. Well, what does my sister want?"

"She asks for your presence at her court. She's already trying to reach you differently, but ..."

"I know."

Helya looked over the crater. With a small sigh, she turned back to the girl in front of her.

"Get up. You serve my sister, not me."

Zenya looked uncertain, but slowly got up. She had to grit her teeth to endure the pain from her knees. Fortunately, she was able to lean on her sword. As she stood, Helya came up to her.

"Let us hope that your services are worthwhile for you."

"This is not that .."

"Not what you serve her for. Of course. You don't know how many times I've heard that."

Zenya's expression suddenly became defiant.

"I serve my goddess because she will destroy the Lichs. And I will be her tool in doing so."

Helya cocked her head to the side before laughing softly.

"I like you Zenya."

Before the girl could reply, Helya grabbed her arm. Out of nowhere, wind began to tear her clothes and the dust was blown up from the floor. Zenya staggered back coughing and when the dust settled, she was no longer at the crater. Green trees and bushes surrounded her as far as she could see. The world started to spin and the next moment it overturned. Everything went black.

 

Helya paused as she climbed the last steps to the palace. Her gaze wandered into the distance and across the vast country at the foot of the mountains. There was always snow so high up. In the pale light that enveloped the whole country in a gray tone, it sometimes looked more like ashes. She could see guards pacing up and down on the battlements. Her sister surely already knew that she was here. Nobody approached the palace without her knowing.

She turned to the large front gate. The wings were already swinging open as she walked towards it. With slow steps she crossed the inner courtyard beyond. At the edges of the path, torches lit up the surroundings and led them directly to the palace entrance hall. Inside, she was expected by a figure wrapped in a gray linen dress. It hid much of the being's red skin. Black horns emerged from long white hair. She was standing at the beginning of the carpet that led to the audience room. As always, the entrance hall was an interplay of elegance and minimalism. Her sister didn't give much about pomp. She let the curved ceilings and stone reliefs of the white stone speak for themselves.

"Ileda, I hope you haven't been standing here long," Helya greeted the demon with a chuckle.

"Not long Mylady," she replied without making a face, "It is an honor to welcome you here again."

"Are you mad at me?"

Helya eyed her curiously, but also a little amused. She had rarely seen Ileda so cool about her. Had anything happened in their presence? She could see the demon taking a deep breath.

"No mother. I'm just ..."

"She is dissatisfied. With you."

The male voice put a smile on Helya's face and she turned in the direction it had come from. A tall, blond man had stepped through a side door. He was of strong stature, which stood out well despite his dark brown leather armor. As always, he wore his broadsword on his back. The most striking thing about him, however, were the three scars that parralel pulled from his right cheek to his chin. Since they last saw each other, his beard had grown a bit.

"Artos, darling, are you here too?"

He came up to her with an amused smile.

"Who do you think Bèl ordered here, when she couldn't reach you? I thought you didn't want to be traveling long."

"I know. I ..." Helya shrugged, "Something has come up."

"We didn't know where you were for almost seven months," Ileda said.

Helya turned back to her. Her child's almost insolent words began to stir up her anger. What she did and what she didn't did was up to her.

"Thank you Ileda," Artos interrupted her thoughts, "I'll take care of everything. Go back to your siblings."

Ileda and Helya stared at each other for a moment, but then the demon bowed her head.

"Of course father."

With the words, she turned and left the entrance hall through a door on the other side.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Helya hissed angrily, "You let her get away with it?"

"She was worried. And I don't know that showing this is a demon's ability."

Artos stepped closer and took her hand.

"Forgive her. I know that's not your strong point, but it's been a tough month for all of us."

Helya looked at his hand irritably before looking at him. He had rarely been so gentle and understanding. The fact that he tried to reconcile her made her anger go away.

"I guess that means something really happened and Bél didn't call me on a whim."

"Let's discuss it together."

Helya had no choice but to shrug and follow him. Artos led them through the side door and then through one of the palace gardens. The animals that usually roamed here could not be found. Everything seemed even quieter and lifeless than it always was. They reached a terrace from which one could see far across the country. At its edge, the rock apparently fell into the bottomless. Clouds prevented any view of a possible floor.

A round table with two chairs had been set up on the terrace. A gray stone throne stood between these two chairs. Red pillows and white fur had been laid out so that you could sit comfortably. On all of these pillows, the tall figure of her sister drowned. Her white hair had been pinned up around her gray, jagged crown. Ice-blue eyes and a pointed nose gave her face a cool expression. She was wearing a long red dress that only flashed from time to time under her wide black coat. With one hand on her lap and one on the armrest, she looked at her brother-in-law and her sister.

"What stopped you this time?" She asked straightforwardly, "Your moods would be easier to endure if you continued to respond to my calls."

"It's nice to see you too,sister," replied Helya, "I'm here or am I not."

"After putting one of my clerics at risk for this. I don't have them like Pelirion or your husband. Maybe you can understand my displeasure."

Helya swallowed her reply. Of course, she could have said that Artos could have sent a paladin or cleric, but she was actually aware that his presence here was more based on his good will than on the fact that Bèl could ask him for such things. He didn't belong here like Bèl and she did. Once again, it raised the question of what had happened. She was now certain that it must had been something serious and for a moment she felt almost regret that she had ignored her sister's direct calls. But she was not her servant, nor one of her children. She was her own master and did what she thought was right.

"Why did you want to see me?" She asked after sitting down.

"I need your help."

Helya paused in surprise. Bèl promptly asked for her help? If they had something in common, it was that they were proud and showed no weakness in front of anyone. Admitting so openly that she couldn't control something made Helya restless. Bèl took a deep breath, as if their words had taken some effort.

"Someone entered my realm and stole an immense number of souls. Not summoned, stolen."

"But that's impossible. The only ones who might be able to do that are the other gods and ... they would never dare."

Helya looked at her husband, who nodded slowly.

"After Bèl shared this knowledge with me, I had to swear not to tell anyone. But I went home and tried to find out if any of it leaked out. None of my relatives heard about it. I swear it here, on their behalf. "

"None of you are stupid enough to irritate me like this," replied Bèl, "I don't know who it could have been. But it happened, that is already too much. I have to find out what happened. We can't risk that this incident shakes the balance. You have to help me sister. I need your demons, I need your followers and I need your power. "

"You have it," replied Helya seriously, "Where should we start?"