The swift footsteps rang out through the deserted stone corridors, creating a precise cadence. Suddenly, a loud noise pierced the air, followed by a painful sizzle. In a hurried stumble, Suri limped towards the inner castle courtyard.
Overhead, a massive translucent dome hung, casting the courtyard in a mysterious, murky blue hue. At its center stood a petrified, colossal tree, its bare branches reaching towards the sky. The girl touched the pale, rough surface of the bark, feeling the lifeless cold penetrate her fingertips and sending a shiver down her spine.
Suri flinched but pressed her hand tighter against the trunk. [Shug,] she mentally called out to the Heart. [I know you hear me! Open the passage!]
The biting wind struck her face. The air grew colder; her numb hand tingled. Even so, the Heart kept silent.
"No. I must do everything right," Suri reproached herself once again for her lack of haste. Pulling a short dagger from her belt, she ran the narrow blade across her palm. Sharp pain spread through her hand, and warm, thick liquid seeped through her clenched fingers.
With a slap, Suri pressed her palm against the tree. If the map didn't deceive, then the trials should conclude in the underground sanctuary.
"Why isn't it working? What am I doing wrong?" Thoughts raced through Suri's mind.
The crimson nectar streamed down the bark, leaving dark stains behind. The sight of her own blood made the girl feel sick. However, the fact that Shug remained unresponsive heightened her distress.
"Even your blood doesn't work," Imber remarked, appearing before her. His chest rose and fell with heavy, uneven breaths. "The Heart doesn't care anymore."
"How much time have I wasted?" Suri frowned in frustration, pressing her hand tighter. Imber's hand lay nearby, stained with fresh blood.
"This won't work, and you know it," he said. His voice sounded calmer than usual. "You can't help her this way."
"I have to try," Suri replied. "If it doesn't work here, I'll go to the entrance and try again."
Imber's hand clenched into a fist, and he struck the hardened trunk. An angry roar escaped his lips.
Breathing heavily, Imber exclaimed, "Try the weapon." His amber gaze descended to the girl's wrist, where several layers of fabric concealed a bracelet.
Blood drained from Suri's face, and her breath caught. "How did he know?" Her thoughts raced in disarray.
"Did you really think a piece of fabric could hide something like that?" Imber whispered, checking the courtyard with a sidelong glance. Making sure they were alone, he continued, "The Heart is too famished to release its prey. We can't saved her without extreme measures. Infuse the weapon with blood, and force it to submit."
"He's not joking," Suri thought. "He doesn't just believe it will work; he knows for sure. How? Unless he saw it with his own eyes."
"Come on!" Imber exclaimed, breaking through her last hesitations.
Rolling up her sleeve, Suri uncovered the pieces of fabric on her wrist. She hesitated, nervously glancing around.
"No one will come. Success was unlikely from the start," Imber's voice cut through her numbness.
Taking a deep breath, as if bracing herself for something dreadful, she finally removed the last piece of fabric. A silvery wooden twig coiled around her hand, pressing thorns against her skin but not puncturing it.
Imber tensed, instinctively recoiling as if the bracelet might strike at him. He gripped the hilt of the blade but refrained from unsheathing it.
Hastily pressing her bloodied hand against the bracelet, Suri shielded it from the warrior's gaze. The sensation was unpleasant, but nothing more. Time slipped away, along with the chances of saving Cassia.
Suri closed her eyes, tuning into her own sensations. Deep within her, a pulsating mass emerged, spreading warmth throughout her body, accompanied by a familiar feeling. The pulsation intensified, and along with it, the pressure grew. She shrugged, trying to ease the discomfort, and at that moment, the previously elusive feeling took shape: suppression.
The bracelet heated up and loosened its grip, its thorns merging with the stem.
Suri extended her hand, once again touching the rough surface of the colossal tree, imagining its roots bending to create a passage. A crackling and creaking filled the air. Through closed lids, she discerned how light gave way to shadow - the lifeless tree came to life.
Imber exhaled, and then, with a muffled, strained cough, interrupted Suri's concentration. Concerned, she opened her eyes. The warrior looked worse than usual. He bent in half, sweat drenched his entire body, and his lips had turned blue. Wiping the blood from his lips with the back of his hand, Imber answered the unspoken question, "It's hard to endure the suppression in my condition." His light brown eyes burned with intensity against his pallid face. "Go."
Pausing for a moment, Suri stepped onto the stone staircase, its end disappearing into darkness. She couldn't help Imber, but she could clear the way for Cassia.
"Keep a clear head and observe," were Imber's parting words. "Return alive. May the Heart be merciful."
***
The descent was behind her, and Suri entered the sanctuary of the Heart. It was an entirely new place for her. Everything she had seen before vanished into nothingness, as if it belonged to another life. Shug could no longer maintain the illusion, and the chamber revealed its true form.
The girl retrieved a yellow crystal from her hip pouch and took a few steps forward, checking her direction. The dry ground beneath her feet crunched. Pale roots, like disturbed worms, consumed the ceiling and walls wherever the eye turned. On the other side, black voids were visible - exits from the trials path, blocked by wooden knots. The roots held victims beneath the ground, deep within the sanctuary.
Slapping herself on the cheeks, Suri shook off heavy thoughts and moved towards the central passage – the conclusion of the blood mage's path. She tapped one of the largest knots blocking the way, and it felt like an empty shell. Placing her palm on the smooth surface, she envisioned the knot unraveling, opening the path. The knot started to move, cracks spreading across its surface, and white crumbs showered to the ground.
"Cass," Suri whispered. Her voice lingered into the depths of the dark passage, and after a moment, the dreadful silence returned. Fear seeped into her bones, paralyzing her vocal cords. Suri could no longer force herself to break the dead calm.
"This girl wouldn't give up so easily!" she reassured herself. "And I can't stand here and do nothing!"
Not all the roots responded to the command, but it was enough for Suri to squeeze through the narrow passage, snagging her clothes on the sharp shoots.
Silence pressed on her consciousness, and the light from the yellow crystal cast darkness a pitiful dozen steps away. Barely enough distance to react to the appearance of the needle and shield against its strike.
"The creature already knows there's new prey in town," Suri thought, her lips contorting into a pitiful semblance of a smile. She drew her dagger and walked with a soft stride, covering another dozen steps along the trials path. The putrid smell made her head spin, but Suri tried to ignore it, focusing on her hearing.
She felt her way along the path, pausing after each step. Who knew how much time had passed when she reached a branch; the roots collapsed, revealing an opening to another path.
Suri froze, contemplating which way to go. Throughout this time, she heard nothing. Taking a breath, she exhaled a short "Cass," praying that the girl was closer then the needle. She pushed away the ominous feeling squeezing her chest.
Ahead, swift footfalls created echoes in the darkness. Someone was approaching, and judging by the sound, it was a person. Suri raised the crystal higher, attempting to increase the illuminated area. It didn't help much, but she persisted in her efforts.
A young neophyte stepped out of the shadows. His frenzied gaze was stained with blood from a torn eyebrow. In his right hand, he clutched a shattered blade, and with the other, he pressed against his bloody side.
When Suri attempted to ask a question, the warrior shook his head. Horror flickered in his eyes, and he abruptly turned, checking for any motions behind. Facing Suri, he gestured with a hunter's sign and looked at her.
The girl pointed in the direction she had come. Without asking anything further, the neophyte grabbed her hand and pulled in that direction. He squeezed her hand so tightly that tears welled up in her eyes. She hissed and withdrew her hand. Stepping back, Suri whispered, "Cassia," with pursed lips. The neophyte's gaze was vacant; the name meant nothing to him. He grabbed her hand again, twisting and pushing her towards the exit.
"I can't leave now," Suri finally couldn't hold back.
"Everyone is dead," the young man whispered and shoved Suri. She collided with the wall, the sharp thorn tearing her tunic and scratching her skin. She slumped to the ground, shooting an angry look at the warrior.
The neophyte tossed the blade to his other hand and tried to grab the mage. However, Suri evaded, skillfully avoiding contact. Her combat training had not been in vain. The warrior frowned and stepped back. A blue spark blossomed in his right leg - he was preparing to use his ability. The expression on his face indicated that he wouldn't please anyone. He was willing to do anything to survive, even engaging in a direct confrontation with a blood mage.
He bent his knees, preparing to strike. A cutting sound, so close that it raised the hairs on their bodies, halted him. The cry of the young needle didn't disorient the victim but remained an effective means of intimidation. Silence returned to the tunnel, thick and tense. Behind the wall, clicks echoed, and the stench became unbearable. The noise turned into a rumble and clatter, which cut off at some imperceptible moment. The needle had found its prey. The wall trembled and creaked from the force of the blow, showering fine crumbs. The powerful creature's body slammed into the only obstacle between it and its victims. Nothing would stop it.
The warrior jerked towards Suri, but she dodged again, retreating deeper into the passage. From the darkness leaped a flexible figure, directing a familiar dagger at the neophyte. Brown eyes pierced into the warrior. The guest didn't utter a word but radiated a bloodthirsty intention. A new blow crashed into the wall. Groaning, several roots cracked, creating a breach. The sharp, dark claw broke through, eager to plunge into warm, soft flesh. Intoxicated by the scent of blood, the needle stormed the tunnel wall.
Despite his wounds, the neophyte managed to evade. Casting an assessing glance at the blood mage and Cassia, he turned and ran towards the exit.
Suri turned to Cassia, but the girl pressed a slender finger to her lips. Then she gestured in the opposite direction of the tunnel.
Cassia moved much slower than the escaping young warrior. Suri adjusted her pace to match Cassia's method of movement. Behind them, a rumble reverberated—the creature had broken through to the path. Cassia leaned her back against the wall and ensured the mage followed suit.
Suri's heart pounded forcefully; she feared the needle might hear its beating. The heavy moments of silence stretched on, becoming unbearable for her. She even longed to hear the needle's cry. The creature didn't make her wait long. The clatter and rumble shifted into a sharp screech.
The beast started to move, identifying its target and rushing towards it with vigor. Suri didn't know which way the needle went until she heard the neophyte's battle cry, followed by a prolonged moan. Cassia stepped away from the wall and moved deeper into the passage. They paused at a junction. For a while, Cassia stood still, closing her eyes. Rubbing her temples, as if experiencing a severe headache, she indicated a new route.
They stopped at a crossroads where the traps of one trial path ended, and the next one began. Cassia wasn't wounded, but after using her empathy, she was on the brink of exhaustion. Yet, her ability proved more useful than ever. Sensing the approach of danger, she avoided collisions with the needle.
Looking into Suri's eyes, Cassia heard her silent question. "It's safe now," she whispered and added, "Quiet."
There were too many questions to pick only one.
"Hunters?" Cassia finally uttered.
Suri turned away, lowering her head. No one interfered with the trials, even if they went off course.
Cassia acted unusually quietly, and it's catching Suri's attention. When she looked up, the girl turned away. But anyone could see what had captured her interest. She was curious about the Thorn, and, like Imber, she didn't seem surprised.
Suri smirked. "Seems like I hoped in vain to hide anything from these people."
"Can we make it to the entrance of the trials path?" Suri dared to ask. They needed to escape from the beast, and she would deal with the rest later.
"After the hunt, the needle is passive for a while, but in narrow corridors, we won't have an advantage. Moreover, my strength is dwindling, and my reaction time is slowing down. If not the needle, then the Heart's suppression will take away my breath." Cassia's thoughts scattered, and she struggled to articulate them.
The girl's countenance had lost its former mischievous shine. Cassia had long exhausted her strength and was burning through her last reserves. If this continued, she would follow in her brother's footsteps.
"Survivors?" Suri asked a new question.
Cassia nodded, but when Suri's face brightened, she bitterly said, "They won't help. Unless they cut our tendons."
"The longer we wait, the faster your strength drains. I can see that you're burning your core," Suri whispered. Her concerned gaze focused on the girl's temple, looking at something that no one else could see or feel.
Squeezing the mage's hand, Cassia tried to read her thoughts, but as before, without permission, it was impossible.
"Do you see my... power?" Cassia asked.
"Yes," Suri replied. "And I know where the source of the needle's power is and its greatest weakness."
Cassia's eyes widened. Such an ability could change the current balance of power in Azur. And who knows if other blood mages and hunters would approve. No wonder Suri kept it hidden. She only revealed it for one reason - she needed Cassia to trust her judgment.
"This ability..." The girl didn't finish, but nodded at the bracelet. Suri shrugged, avoiding a direct answer. "The Thorn will open an exit for us."
"Are you suggesting we kill the beast?" Cassia asked, weighing the other possible options. With the onset of evening, the needle's hunt wouldn't end.
"For how long will it remain passive?" Suri countered with a question. "Can you deliver one precise strike?"
Cassia listened to herself. Internal exhaustion affected the efficiency of her skills, but she was confident that she could endure a brief encounter with a young needle. And if things turned for the worse, she would at least hold the beast, allowing the mage to escape. Cassia bit her lip, contemplating and looking at her companion. She hadn't expected such thoughts from herself.
"Time is short, and there will be only one attempt," Cassia agreed, gripping the hilt of the dagger.