Liz had already made her way to the altar and was busily examining the artifact as we approached. The artifact was on a small, raised platform and held up by a stand. From where I was stood it looked as if it was just a simple gemstone, even if it was the size of a grapefruit. The only defining characteristic I noticed was that it was a pure black colour. Liz was carefully looking it over, and the platform it was held on.

“Why are you examining the stand?” I asked a little confused at what she was doing.

She looked back over her shoulder surprised at my question. “I told you I wanted to study it as we found it didn’t I? I wasn’t sure if there was anything to do with the location or the shrine that aided the artifacts connection the gods.”

“Well, is there?”

“I don’t know.”

“What, do you mean you need more time to study it?”

“No, it isn’t that… The artifact, it’s dead. I can only sense the slightest trace of energy coming from it. There’s no way for me tell if the arrangement here works with the artifact while it’s in this state.”

“Are you sure that is the real deal?”

“Yes… I’m almost certain. I’ve sensed this energy before. That explains how they did it, hmm hmm.”

“What?”

“Your relic, it has a similar energy signature coming from it. I think they were able to take the power without removing the artifacts from their shrines and arousing suspicion. I think they siphoned it into the relics.”

My jaw almost dropped. “The relics really hold divine power?”

“Yes, I believe so. Those relics must just be an artificial container that they use for the summoning process… Yes, that’s why they are able to destroy them every time that they wish to get rid of the hero bound to it. They simply destroy one and draw the power back into another container and then they can summon again.”

“But you said my relics energy was only similar?”

“Yes, your power comes from a different deity than the one this shrine used to house.”

“I see… Hold on, does that mean you could work out which god is the source of my powers?”

She paused as if thinking for a moment. “Possibly.”

“What do we do now?”

“Well, we wanted to retrieve the artifact, didn’t we?”

“Yes, that’s what we came here for. We wanted to have evidence of what the high king has done. Once word gets out about this, how he’s defiled the shrines and abused the gods’ powers. I doubt even the elves will follow him anymore.” Serin said as she looked on at the artifact.

“He’s done more than abused their powers.” Liz replied.

“What do you mean?”

“I think they’re dead… Their power seems to have been drawn in from the divine realm through the connection to the artifact and split into hundreds of fragments within the many relics. I don’t believe there is any way to restore them. That must have been what the demon was trying to tell you before she died.”

Silence fell on the group as we tried to make sense of what Liz had just told us.

“We just need to take the thing and get out here, don’t we? We probably shouldn’t just be standing around waiting to get caught.” Altria said breaking the silence.

“You’re right, there’s no point in us thinking about all of this now.” Answered Liz.

“What are we waiting for then?” Altria asked striding towards the altar.

“Hold on!” Liz said putting her hand out to stop Altria.

“What?”

“Just let me…”

Liz was still inspecting the altar. Holding her hands over the little plinth as if she was trying to sense something.

“What is it?” Asked Altria.

“Nothing… I was just making sure.”

Liz slowly reached forward towards the artifact, stopping just short of it, and hesitating for a moment. She shook her head, then tensing up picked up the item. She held it in her hand for moment. When nothing happened, she relaxed and stood up. The she turned back to the rest of the group with a smile on her face.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” She said moving towards the exit.

“Right, let’s go.” Serin said waving the rest of us out.

We all left the room one after another, headed down the corridor and then out into the open air. The square in front of the main building was still completely deserted. We needed to leave while it stayed that way.

“Out the way we came in?” Asked Altria.

“Yes… Can you lead the way with Celine?” Serin said in reply.

“I can, come on Celine were up.”

Celine joined Altria at the head of the group and the pair went on just a short way ahead of the rest of us.

“Come on, we should hurry out of here.” Serin as she followed them.

Aetherin and I jogged alongside Serin, while Enna, Beth and Liz followed closely behind us. We weren’t taking up much of a formation. As far as we knew the way ahead was clear, but we still had our scouts at the front. The whole party was hurrying towards the rear of the compound. 

We had passed the last of the buildings and the treeline was in sight when Celine suddenly came to a halt. “Something is coming!” She shouted throwing her arms out either side of her.

The rest of the party slowed as we reached her and Altria, stopping just behind the pair. I looked towards the treeline wondering what was going on. I couldn’t see anything that would warrant her bringing us all to a stop like that. All I could make out was the edge of the small wood up ahead.

“What do you want to do, turn back and make a run for the stairs?” Altria said, her voice wavering.

“I don’t think we have time. Whatever that is, it’s going to follow us.” Serin said as she drew her sword.

“What’s going on?” I asked, still unable to see the approaching threat.

She turned to me surprised. “You can’t sense that?”

“No…”

I looked back towards the treeline as all the girls prepared for battle. Everyone seemed tense, Altria had an arrow notched ready to shoot her gaze trained straight ahead.

“Celine, you fall back, you shouldn’t be on the front row!” Serin shouted.

Celine did as she asked slowly backing away towards me.

Serin turned to Aetherin. “Take the front with me?” She asked.

She nodded. “Yes.” Then stepped forward.

“Thanks…” Serin turned back to the others. “Liz back us up… Beth take the second row with Theo.”

“Will do!” Liz shouted back.

Beth stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with me, as Serin and Aetherin walked up to Altria.

“You should cover us from range too.” Serin said to Altria as she stood alongside her.

She nodded and fell back.

As I stared straight ahead of me, I started to notice something for the first time since everyone had begun to panic. It wasn’t as if I could sense something approach, but the hairs on the back of my neck were standing on edge and the voice at the back of my mind was telling me I should turn away and run.

I drew my blade and stood firm. As I did the air at the edge of the wood seemed to blur my vision, I thought it was my eyes at first, but blinking and rubbing them didn’t change what I saw. Then the blurred space seemed to twist in on itself. I could still make out the trees behind, but the space in between twisted, then it bunched up and finally it split. There was a dark void inside, but somewhere inside that void was fire.

There was a boom, and a roar that was approaching quickly. The next thing I knew, there was something crashing into my side, and I was thrown off my feet. I glanced to my side as I fell, Beth had jumped into me with all her might and grabbed me around the waist. Before we hit the ground, a wall of fire shot across the ground where we had been standing only a moment before.

The sudden light was almost blinding, and the heat was almost unbearable. Even though we had avoided the flames, my clothes grew hot, it felt as if I might still burst into flames. Then we hit the floor and rolled. I lost sight of the others until we came to a halt. The wall of fire disappeared as I sat up and desperately tried to spot the rest of the girls.

Beth let out a gasp of relief. “That was close!”

“Master, you’re okay!” Celine said from behind me.

“Yeah, thanks to Beth… But the others.”

Serin and Aetherin had dodged the attack, they had split either side of the opening through space. I looked over to where Liz had been stood, it was a charred and smoking mess. I panicked, until I saw her and Enna getting to their feet at the far side of the scorch mark.

Everyone had managed to avoid the attack, but whatever was inside that void was extremely powerful. I looked at the opening and the fiery glow from within was closer now. As I watched on, I began to make out the thing it belonged to.