Book Two Chapter Seventy: Reinforce Seal Path

Book Two Chapter Seventy: Reinforce Seal Path

The dagger slammed home into the pharaohs chest. Qube had expected there to be some sort of resistance, but instead the dagger slid through the gold-painted flesh easily. She felt sick. She had no time to think about what shed just done, though. She had to concentrate.

The blade required sacrifice.

Qube brought up her hand and sliced her palm along the edge of the blade, cutting deep. The crown slid down her arm and touched her wrist.

Magic flared.

There was power beyond their world. Something shed witnessed before, if only in glimpses. She felt like the numbers she sometimes saw were a way of her mind trying to comprehend that power. Shed seen it when the Chosen One had interacted with the Save Point while shed been touching him. In the Air Temple, where shed used the information the Temple had hidden in the feathers to elevate the lion into both griffin and bird.

She didnt understand what it was. Not in any solid way. Not yet. Perhaps shed looked into the realm of the Devs, set foot in the threshold between her world and theirs and borrowed just a slice of their power.

However, even though she couldnt comprehend it, she knew it was there. She knew she could use it to fix things, to see more, to go beyond her own limits. Perhaps her ability to access this space, even just a little, was part of what made her [Heal] so special, and what caused people to react so strongly to it.

She didnt know how to easily invoke that realm. But the Temple artefacts and the Save Points were her best bets.

So she would use the tools of the Temples to prove her worthiness.

The dagger cut deeper into her hand, a sensation like lightning sparking down her arm. She could sense the numbers; they were there but insubstantial, like spots after she stared at the suns for too long. She couldnt access them.

She pushed the dagger harder. The pharaoh was still, his unmoving mask gazing at her, expressionless as always.

He wasnt bleeding. Neither was she.

He was already dead. But why wasnt she bleeding?

He was undead, so he shouldnt bleed. But she should be bleeding. Was she also undead? No, then she wouldnt be able to use healing spells. Her heart was racing as her mind refused to function. All she could see was the dagger sticking out of his chest, the dagger shed thrust into him, the tool she had killed him with. Re-killed. Un-killed?

Desperate now, she grabbed the pharaohs slack hand with her own cut one, and pressed them both against the dagger. She rested her forehead against his mask, and stared into his painted eyes.

She had to fix this. She had to fix him. She had to find the peaceful option, and save them all!

[Revive], she whispered, and the balance of the world shifted.

Connected through the dagger, crown, and cut, she saw equations flare around the pharaoh as she once again stepped into a world beyond her own, and felt the power of change course through her.

But whereas the lion had been connected to two trees, both of equal size and beauty, the pharaoh had only one fully formed branch. The second path was a blackened stump.

There was nowhere she could take him. Nothing new she could give him. There were no missing pieces in the dagger, nothing beyond the veil but death.

She could see where hed been unanchored by first [The Bards Ballad] and then her [Revive], his connections to both paths corrupted. The strict flow of the pharaohs self, for lack of a better way to describe it, had been loosened, and even now she could see him slowly spilling out from both paths and falling through the cracks to something beneath. But she couldnt see any way to elevate him beyond the fate of a tyrant, or death.

She grabbed at the shape of the pharaoh and tried to pull him up to a midway point, like she had with the lion, but there just wasnt enough information to create another option. There weren't enough numbers, or mana, or Dev power, or whatever it was she was using. It was all too set in stone.

This was what defeat looked like. She couldnt do it. She couldnt solve the final Temple puzzle, and find some way to make sure everyone was happy. Both of these paths were

Again. Shed nearly fallen for the same trap again.

Trembling with excitement, she reached out to where the pharaohs connections to his two paths were at their weakest. Where her ability, however it worked, had damaged his rigid adherence to his own ways and, if theyd had the luxury of time, might have eventually allowed him to be something else.

Qube now felt fully present.

I freed him from his pain, she said softly. I erased his connections to vengeance and death, and used [Revive] to bring him back from the realm of the undead. I have given him a new beginning. Perhaps hes returned to who he was before he became pharaoh. Or who he could have been, had his path not taken such a dark turn.

Yeaaah, the Chosen One said slowly, lets go with that. Its kinda accurate. I think.

Unheeding of the conversation involving him, the pharaoh, still crouched low to the ground, shuffled out of the tomb and into the scales room, where a portal had appeared. The pharaoh ignored everyone and everything in the room and shuffled to a corner where he stood, facing away from everyone, patiently waiting for them to follow.

The Chosen One followed him.

So why green-lover? he asked the pharaoh.

You soft lot always love green things like grass and leaves, the pharaoh said with a husky laugh.

So Akela, are they the leader of the desert folk? the Chosen One asked the pharaoh.

She is the wise leader of the SandBrights, her mind polished to diamond by the coarse passage of a thousand sandstorms, the pharaoh replied with a sneer.

So shes your leader? the Chosen One asked, nodding to himself.

The desert suns have no time for such obvious questions, the pharaoh said, his sneer deepening. Come, lets find some shade. He shuffled off to another corner.

The Chosen One turned and looked at Qube.

Well, he said, miming dusting off his hands. Mystery solved! He started towards the tombs treasures then paused. Oh yeah, you got any theories about how you managed to do any of this? he asked the half-elf.

Of course! Qube said with desperate cheerfulness. Um, just give me a minute!

Sure thing! the Chosen One said, clapping her on the back and causing her to stagger slightly. Go hang out with Goldilocks over there while you think of one!

As the Chosen One started poring over all the items in the tomb, Qube timidly approached the pharaoh, who had stopped in another corner and crouched on the ground.

Um, she said, not quite knowing how to start. Sorry about stabbing you, she offered. The pharaoh looked down at his chest, and seemed surprised to see a daggers hilt sticking out of it.

That doesnt look right, he said, puzzled.

Should I just take care of that for you? Qube hesitantly reached for the dagger.

We dont have time for games, the pharaoh brushed her off before she could de-dagger him, and crab-walked over to another corner.

What about your quest for vengeance?

Qube jumped as Sewer Bard asked the question from right behind her. The pharaoh stopped mid-shuffle, and looked at the Bard.

If you can reinforce the seal, and end any possibility of vengeance, then we shall owe you a great debt. And the SandBright people honour their debts, he said, before continuing his shuffle.

I like him better now, Sexy Screamy Spider Lady said, watching the once-ruler crab-walk away. Much more agreeable. Good job, my sweetling. She patted Qube on the back.

Qube put her head in her hands.