Hero's Journey

Chapter 82

"Yes, that is me. I am Iglesias." He smiles. "It is good to see you both. I only wish that the conditions are different."

"I don't understand, the last time we saw you, you were at the other side of the chasm and about to try and free the prisoners kept at other Shadowlander footholds." Kagon exclaims, voicing Delia's own thoughts.

"My team and I did." Iglesias' smile twists into something more sad and grim. "It went well for awhile. However, when the Shadowlanders found out about our rebellion, they brought over more of them." He pauses, eyes downcast. "I had no idea just how big their numbers were. They slaughtered many good people and left the rest scattered and disjointed. They were easily able to capture myself, Xelin, and some others."

"Is Xelin alright?" Delia blurts, remembering the speedy man that was around her age.

Iglesias shakes his head. "No. Unfortunately, he among a couple others were killed as soon as we were brought over."

"Wait, brought over? How did you get here before us?" Kagon asks, eyes wide in disbelief.

"As Delia and I suspected the last time we saw each other, the Shadowlanders found a way to cross over the chasm. I don't recall much about the crossing, but I do remember that the Shadowlanders were somehow able to walk over Gahenna as if the open air were cobble."

"What?!" Kagon exclaims."How?"

Iglesias shakes his head, looking confused and upset over the matter.

For the first time, the other man speaks up. "We have no idea how they managed it. Only the highest of priests know the details of how it is done, but I and others have begun to believe that Gahenna somehow gave them the power to."

"And who are you?" Delia asks, trying and failing to keep the suspicion out of her voice.

The man slides back his hood and takes off his mask. The face of a Shadowlander lies underneath, leaving Delia reeling in shock.

He either doesn't register her reaction or simply doesn't care. "I am Qin of the Shadowlanders, enemy of the Temple and Gahenna." He asserts with a voice like butter, but as intimidating as a sharp knife. "If you are a friend of Iglesias', then consider me your friend as well. If you are the opposite..." He does not finish his sentence, instead letting it hang in the and sink like a heavy weight in water onto their shoulders.

"Good to meet you." Delia says, forcing a smile.

Kagon's eyes blaze with hate, but he keeps his mouth shut, jaw clenched tight.

"Anyway, please continue, Iglesias." Delia says in attempt to cut through some of the tension in the air.

"As I said, when those of us that were captured were brought over, some were sacrificed to the pit before Qin and his compatriots saved us. At the time, his group was relatively small, but mighty. The remainder of us instantly joined their cause." Iglesias explains.

"Thanks to our teamwork with Iglesias and his people, we have grown much in both size and fortitude." Qin says.

A smile once again finds its way to Iglesias' face. "We helped to bring the rebellion to the Shadowlands. We heard of your friend, Kipdale, from our inside resources within the Temple and from that gleaned that he was traveling with the two of you, a pirate, and the Secondary Sacrifice. I am sorry about him, by the way." Iglesias says.

At the mention of Maude, Delia doesn't find herself mad about how he shoved her to the ground to get away, nor sad either. She feels upset that another life was lost, but Delia is guilty to know that she won't miss him.

"I am sorry about your man as well." Delia responds, remembering the man who had lost his life trying to save Kip.

At the thought of Kip, Delia's eyes burn with fresh tears. Thankfully, she is able to keep them at bay.

"Thank you." Qin answers instead. "He was a great Shadowlander."

The group is silent for a moment before Iglesias continues. "We found out that the Temple's warriors planned to ambush all of you at the Sacred Fountain and made a plan of rescue."

"And how did the Temple know we were going to be at the fountain?" Kagon asks.

"Everyone that comes into the city is first drawn to the Sacred Fountain." Qin answers.

Shivers trace their way up Delia's back like cold fingers. His words explain the magnetic feeling she had when she first saw the Sacred Fountain.

"Alright, now that we have had that straightened out. What is our next course of action?" Kagon questions.

"I'm glad that you asked that." Qin smirks. "Because we will be needing both of your assistance if we are going to pull off the plan that I have set."

Delia can't even begin to try and decipher what exactly he means by that. "What exactly is that plan?" She asks, looking at the Shadowlander with narrowed eyes.

"It's more of a theory then a plan." Iglesias says. "However, it should work."

"Should?" Delia asks, unsure if she trusts whatever theory they might have.

"Well, our group has been suspecting for a long time that Gahenna's power has been weakening at an alarming rate, which is why the Shadowlanders have been sacrificing people from across Gahenna. However, the people they are sacrificing are not enough to sate her hunger, that's why they set out to find two people that were worthy to be their Primary and Secondary sacrifices." Iglesias explains.

"Now that your friend, Maude, has died, they no longer have him as a Secondary sacrifice. Kipdale is their last chance to restore Gahenna's power. We believe that if we are able to remove the Shadow Stain  from him, that Gahenna's last tendrils of power will collapse. We're hoping that the chasm taken up by Gahenna's entity will cease to be her. The chasm will be just that, a chasm." Iglesias finishes.

"And this is all theory?" Kagon asks.

"Yes." Qin answers, eyes like twin razor blades.

Kagon grins. "Sounds good to me!"

Delia can't help but smile back, but her's is more bittersweet.

It might just be a theory, but it's all we have. Kip, we're coming for you, so don't you dare lose hope just yet.