The Holy Knight

Chapter 7 : The Sacrifice

"What do we do?" Tanek asked. "Maybe the Divine?"
"The Divine won't do anything for her." Ptolemy snorted. "We can't heal her."
Tanek slowly put her against the ground. He backed away from her slowly. Yakshit slithered around and took a gander at the trio. He too noticed Coty lying on the ground, his worry now heightened.
"Yakshit! What should we do?" Tanek said knowing there was no answer.
As their eyes were averted from Coty, she rose from the ground. Her skin now a shining pale lined with black veins. Tanek and Ptolemy kept their distance, but knew there was no other way.
"Tanek, run." Ptolemy said raising a long thin blade from his dirty satchel.
Tanek reluctantly turned and headed for the Pyramid. He couldn't tell where he was going but there was only one direction he could go. Forward.
He ducked under trees and hopped over bushes until he was completely lost within a land of fresh vegetation. The smell was vibrant and startled Tanek's nostrils. He was used to smelling dirt and stained blood thus far. Similar to thinking you know what cold "smells like" since it was the top of mountains. All cold and sometimes during the day seeing some snowflakes glistening from the sunlight. But here Tanek was, smelling strange plants, running from whatever took over Coty and wishing things were different.
It were only moments before Tanek could see Yakshit moving above the clouds, searching almost. Then a black beam of energy shot into the sky, blinding the skies and surrounding area. The only thing that Tanek could see at this point was the giant beam of energy. He couldn't see more than two inches in front of him. The ground felt weightless as he tried to grasp to his senses. It lasted for only a couple of minutes before the sky went back to it's gray hue, but this time cloudless.
Tanek heard a shriek loud enough to break the sound barrier and then Yakshit disappeared. He was nowhere to be found, and Tanek could finally see again. He felt his boots against the ground with weight and his body was no longer floating in an endless space. He was a bit dizzy but didn't take long to remember to follow the trail into the Pyramid. Though he couldn't really see a trail anymore, but he figured he was heading in the right direction.
There was another chilling shriek in the distance, still louder than anything he's ever heard before. But it was paired with flapping sounds. A giant bird? He thought. A shadow covered the sun in the shape of a giant bird, but it was none.
Ceolburh. The name resonated in his mind like a metronome. Each second passing he repeated the name. Like a curse imprinted in his brain from the bridge outside of the First Flame.
Tanek quickly ran directly towards the pyramid, jumping through tree branches and bushes. He disregarded all signs and trails along the way until he reached a wall.

Ptolemy sat up from the charred ground. Around him was a ring of fire and he was trapped in the center. The trees around him burned to the ground as steam lifted into the air. He didn't remember what happened, but Coty wasn't around. There was a body lying in a fetal position, unrecognizable and unflinching.
"Yakshit!" Ptolemy called to the skies, but no one responded. He could hear a loud blood curling shriek in the distance paired with flapping sounds. Ptolemy already knew. His body ached, but he mustered the strength to turn around. In the sky, Ceolburh.
The majestic beast soared above the clouds seemingly in space. Her scales were a dulled green with a blue tint sparkling a yellow-ish color when directly hit with sun.
Behind Ptolemy the ground bubbled as if the dirt turned into a steamy mud. The floor he stood on began to sink. As the fire burned around him, the floor thrust itself 20 feet deep with pitch black walls surrounding him where the fire used to be.
A pale white woman stood in front of him. Her body made of liquid, almost milky in color, but her eyes were pitch black.
"What did you do to him?" The Pale Woman asked. "What did you do to Eero?"
Ptolemy nodded his head, accepting of his current fate, "What would you do?"
"Answer me!" She screeched. The sky suddenly darkened as the hole shook.
Both Ptolemy and the Pale Woman looked to the top of the hole to see Ceolburh had landed.

Tanek landed safely on the other side of the wall. The tile he stood upon was of pure gold. Statues held fires that seemed to burn indefinitely considering the barren path. It led on a fair distance until even reaching the base of the Pyramid.
He looked at the sky once again, but Yakshit was still gone. Tanek was starting to feel uneasy, first Coty then Yakshit and now he has no idea what's going on with Ptolemy.
"Lost, Son?" An elderly man asked.
Tanek looked around before realizing there was an old man right next to him, "Something like that."
"A strange presence is revealed about you. You are the Immortal One, no?" The Elderly Man wondered. "I've only felt this once before, and it was a long time ago. Heh. Long time indeed."
"What's your name?" Tanek asked. "Familiarity parades yourself."
"Eero. Eero, The Great Artist, or so I was." He said.
Tanek realized that Ptolemy just mentioned Eero the night prior. Had Ptolemy met him just recently? No real answer now.
"What happened?" Tanek asked. "Why did you stop?"
"After the Illusory Era had ended, so did all of the beauty of the mountains. Many sane folk became mad, their past selves lost within the Terror. Such a strange presence can only come from a Divine." Eero explained.
"The Divine are righteous." Tanek said. "What purpose would be to create an evil source as the Terror?"
Eero shook his head, "I haven't a clue. All I know is the Miran Mountains are crafted by Terror and reforged by the Divine. Something strange about it, yes."
"I know you've made an arm for my friend." Tanek said. "Ptolemy."
Eero smiled, "That I did. A strange mechanism built from Divine tools. Though they've since been lost."
"How long ago?"
"Too long."
Eero stood up, looking down at Tanek. He rested his hand on Tanek's shoulder and said, "Listen, Son. You have great power residing within you. I can see your internal struggle. Your eyes tell all. The Divine did not choose you, Tanek. The Divine crafted you." Eero then walked past Tanek.
"Wait the Divine crafted me? I didn't tell you my name, how do you kn-" Tanek looked behind to no one. Eero was gone, but a shiver went down Tanek's spine.
I wonder. If the Divine put me here or truly crafted me like Eero said. Are all Immortal Ones crafted or born? Tanek thought.
He glanced back at the Pyramid in the distance. As he walked closer and closer and the more he walked, a world seemingly built around him. People faded into existence as well as buildings and chatter. Small shacks selling fish and various meats, large blacksmith shops with smoke leaving the chimneys, an enormous crowd of people surrounding a Priest atop a carriage, the world was becoming lively again.
Tanek couldn't help but smile. People, sane folk, talking and laughing. Children running around with rosy cheeks and pearly white smiles.
He entered the crowd and softly pushed through people until he was dead center. A hooded child stood in front of Tanek. "Reo!"
The world suddenly froze in place, Tanek included. The hooded child stepped closer to Tanek and smiled. He opened his palm and a large blade materialized from the surrounding air. His arms winded back and slashed at Tanek but before the blade could reach his flesh, the world crumbled as did the hooded child.
Tanek was left on his knees in the center of an abandoned city at the base of the Pyramid. Skeletal remains of families left behind.
"You saw it too?" Eero asked. "The city's Memory Fragment?"
Tanek nodded without words.
"I know you understand your destiny, Tanek. I know that you will save the Miran Mountains and bring peace to the Underworld." Eero let out a deep sigh, "There are many things that will never truly make sense, Tanek."
"The rules of reality shift alongside the Mountains." Tanek said. "I know this to be true."
"Oh?"
Tanek stood from his knees, "I lived in the Underworld, a small town. Adalie."
Eero nodded but said nothing. Instead he walked forward towards the Stairs of the Pyramid. Tanek soon followed close. The stairs were long and tall, but there was only one way forward.
"Ceolburh was once an Immortal One back in time's past. Though she traversed through the Divine Realm and solidified herself to a God." Eero said. "That's what the Ancient Texts told me."
"Ancient Texts?" Tanek asked. "There are documentation of all realities?"
"You say 'realities' as if we are not living the same one. All of the past has founded the present and will soon morph the future." Eero consoled. "Though I believe you are correct, Tanek."
Tanek snorted, "I doubt I am, Eero. For I only have been born again not long. Maybe two or three days have passed since I awoke by the Shrine."
"And yet your memory is back. Something an Immortal One should not have." Eero chuckled, "Maybe you are more than you might be led to believe, Tanek."
Tanek looked away from Eero nearly disturbed by his words. Tanek didn't want to believe a lot of things much like his past life but being something more? His doubts began to surface.
Once they reached the top of the stairs they took a small break. At the top it was just like its own mountain top, very spacious and never-ending it seemed.
Tanek glanced down below the stairs, "Do you ever miss painting?"
Eero smirked, "Some days."
"When I save the world, would you go back?" Tanek looked to the clouds, this time searching for a sign.
"I think once you've saved the world, or what's left of it, I might not even be alive. Though it may only be days away I am old and at any moment may crash. My life extracts a heavy toll. One of which yours would eventually lead to."
"Huh?" Tanek gasped.
"Just an old man rambling." Eero sighed. "Come, let us see where this leads us."
They stood tall together, ready and aware. Tanek let out a breath releasing all of his doubts. The Ancient Texts would help in his journey for sure, but if not then he would be left at a stalemate. Yakshit still nowhere to be found would give Tanek no further leads for the Second Fire.
As they looked among the courtyard the Ancient Library that held the Ancient Texts lie beneath the peak as if holding it.
"If the Library holds the top of the Pyramid, does that mean that once the Library falls so does the mountain tops?" Tanek asked in a theoretical tone.
"What makes you say that?" Eero scoffed.
"Maybe since the Library holds history, once history falls so does all that we know above the Underworld. Hence why the Library is holding the peak." Tanek further explained though he had no idea what he was saying.
As they walked Eero lagged further and further behind Tanek before fading away. Before Tanek could realize he was already at the foot of the door of the Library. It was a dirty door covered with scratches and scars. There were beastly markings and etched in words cursing the Ancient Texts and the Divine. Tanek felt all of the negative comments were justified, but none of them mattered to him for they could be ages old.
He pressed his palm against the door and focused his energy into the door shining into small crevices. The pattern revealed itself to be a prophecy. There was a man and a woman at what seemed to be the Shrine and of course Yakshit surrounding that mountain peak. At some point the man and woman's faces were covered by a blackness but the man prevailed but was wounded badly.
Is this the fate of the Immortal One? This shows no signs of the Flames or of the Divine. How old was this prophecy conceived? Tanek thought as the door slowly opened revealing a large chamber of pages. A chandelier was hoisted dozens of feet from the ground shimmering a greenish light. Torches were lit up at about 6 feet tall, one placed around the circular room about 5 feet apart. There were multiple floors with thousands of books in each of them. None of the books were named, but all equally important to the rest.
"What is it that you seek, Immortal One." The Librarian asked.
"You know me?" Tanek sternly asked as his eyes searched the room for this Librarian.
There was a soft chuckle, "Who doesn't?"
"Then you should know why I'm here." Tanek said, running his fingers along the closest dusty bookshelf.
The Librarian walked around and in front of Tanek, "I do. Though you won't find much help among these books."
"Show me." Tanek demanded. "There has to be something, anything about where the Second Flame might be."
The Librarian rubbed his long rugged beard, pondering, "Hm. You don't need to read the Ancient Texts for that, but you should read this." He waved his hand, moving the bookshelves around and pulling a glowing red book from the very top of a large shelf.
The book landed in Tanek's hands and burned in the title "Divination". "What's this?"
"Read it." The Librarian motioned him.
Tanek took himself to a small desk and opened the book.

Hours have passed. Days even. Time seemed to be inaccurate when Tanek's eyes were glued to the book he was given. As he neared the end of the book a thunderstorm formed around the Pyramid. Thunder slowly thrashed and crashed upon the mountain top getting closer and closer to striking the Pyramid.
"What did you read?" The Librarian panicked, "What did you change?"
Tanek shook his head, confused and dazed, "What do you mean? What's going on?"
"The skies have changed." The Librarian walked to the door and drew on a shape with chalk.
"You mean the weather?" Tanek stood up and placed the book in his pouch. "What's happened?"
As Tanek turned to the Librarian standing behind the door it was burst open with an electrical force. The Librarian and Tanek were tethered to the ground as the room filled with smoke. The books were alight and now the entire Library was burning bright.
"This is all your fault!" The Librarian screamed through the thick smoke. Not much longer before a blood curling scream was let out from his direction and everything went silent. A person was entering the Library, a female.
A large force of wind pulled the smoke from the Library and pulled Tanek as well as the corpse of the Librarian. They were pulled into the damp courtyard outside of the Pyramid. Tanek saw the Librarian and a gaping hole in his chest.
Tanek jumped to his feet and turned to the mysterious woman. It was a pale white woman made of a solid yet milky white liquid.
"Oh Tanek, there you are." She giggled. "I've been looking for you."
Tanek flinched but drew his blade with haste, "Who are you?"
The woman scoffed, "You don't recognize me? Tanek, it's me Coty!"
There was a deep and sudden silence within the air that cascaded over the landscape. The woman claiming to be Coty stepped towards Tanek leaving white footprints on the floor.
"You're not Her." Tanek mumbled to himself almost keeping himself from believing the truth. "You killed a Librarian for no reason."
"You killed a Priest." She responded. "An innocent, scared, God-loving Priest. You killed him in self-defense or out of bloodlust?"
Tanek gripped his sword with strength, "I am no killer. I have no evil flowing in my blood."
"No evil? What such a thing is evil? A concept manipulated by law. You know that. Are the Mountains truly corrupt? Or are they finally living to their true selves?" The woman said confidently and without resolve.
"You're wrong." Tanek retorted.
"Says who? The Divine? Are the Divine deserving of our faith in them when they failed the people? Look around us, Tanek. Where is everyone? The only ones still around are afraid of the Divine and running from the Terror." She stopped moving nearly a dozen feet from Tanek. Her voice now much relaxed almost reassuring.
"There are far worse fates than letting the world get thrust into a natural state. That I know. But I will not throw away my destiny. That is the rule of my existence." Tanek let out a deep sigh. He fixed his posture upright, no longer ready to strike.
"There are no rules! This world doesn't abide by anything, constantly changing and making new realities! You know that." She said.
Tanek nodded in agreement. He turned his eye to the horizon, spotting Yakshit in the distance. Yakshit let out a terrifying hiss before thrusting himself at the Pyramid, his large teeth sinkinng into the structure and ripping the peak apart.
Tanek fell to the ground among the rumbling. He took a closer look at Yakshit who now bore a large scar covering the left side of his face, over his eye.
"Won't you stay dead?" The woman claiming to be Coty yelled towards the serpent.
Yakshit pulled back and then lunged at her, taking the milky woman into his jaws.
Tanek felt the Pyramid shift and shake. The structure beneath him swaying side to side, crumbling beneath the pressure.
Flashes of a blinding white light could be seen within Yakshit's jaws. They got brighter and brighter with each flash until Tanek could no longer see. No longer feel. No longer think.