Page 66 of Return of the Darkness
“Do I need to put them back on?” she asked. When Soren met her eye, Nyzaia relaxed at the bright green within them. “Farid will watch you.” Nyzaia muttered before returning her attention to the others. Farid stepped closer to Soren.
“Are you coming in or not?” Keres bellowed from the doorway.
“Is anyone else’s god an impatient ass?” Nyzaia mumbled, striding first into the temple. No one knew what awaited them within, or if they would ever be leaving.
The temple was far brighter than the decimated equivalent Nyzaia was last in. Looking up, she saw four panes of glass forming a point at the top and frowned. The sun suddenly rose above them, despite it nearly setting when they had stepped in. Nyzaia edged around the room, unsure whether to sit at the table or stand in front of the large coffins lining the room’s perimeter.
“Please, sit,” Nerida said, choosing to begin the discussion. Nyzaia pulled out one of the four chairs directly under the Keresbanner, which boasted the sigil of three flames dancing across two swords. Soren and Farid stood behind. Elisara sat on Nyzaia’s right, with Larelle opposite, and Sadira on her left. Caellum stood behind his wife and held her shoulders. Each stood in their rightful places beneath their banners, their eyes fixed on the six, pale, stone caskets wrapped in dark onyx chains. Each god perched upon one, with Vala and Nerida on one side, and Garridon and Keres on the other. Between the pairs, two more coffins lay. One was closed, but absent of a chain, while the other lay open and empty.
“Our bodies,” Nerida said, gesturing to the coffin beneath her. She watched them with intense blue eyes, as though seeing into their souls. “And our mother,” she concluded, placing her hand on the closed coffin beside her.
“So, it really is a prison?” Elisara asked, her eyes moving from the heavy chains to Vala, the white-haired goddess. She nodded. “And Sonos is truly missing—taken?”
Nyzaia looked at the empty coffin as Nerida lowered her eyes, her shoulders drooping momentarily.
“What of Sitara?” Larelle wrapped her arms around her body, her eyes red-rimmed as she glanced back at the temple entrance, where Zarya had been left with Alvan, Helena, and Vigor. Only Soren, Farid, and Vlad had come in with them—Farid for his power, Vlad for his status as commander, and Soren because, well, Nyzaia did not think Larelle would trust her outside with her child. Added guards would have helped, but it seemed whatever power had pulled the rulers and their confidants through had left the guards on the Unsanctioned Isle. Nyzaia wondered if that was intentional as she watched the gods.
“She is limited in her power and existence while she wanders the skies, but she is not bound to this land like we are.” Nerida held the chain on her coffin to signify the difference in what had bound them.
“Who did this?” Larelle asked.
“Who do you think?” Keres scoffed, assessing his sword.
“Caligh,” Nyzaia said, glaring at her god. “And some ‘others’ you don’t want us to know about.”
“What others?” Caellum asked, but the gods shared a look, unwilling to answer.
“But why?” Sadira asked beside him. Soren shifted behind Nyzaia, prompting her to look up. She watched Garridon.
“Caligh’s history is a long and complicated one,” said Garridon. “All you need to know is he bound us here to stop us intervening after he took our father which placed an imbalance on the world, cursing anyone from speaking of what could aid in retrieving the God of Dusk.”
“Allwe need to know?” Nyzaia asked. “We need to know far more if you want our help. I assume that is why we are here—to find your father and free you so you can save the world?” Nyzaia’s hate for these gods grew with every passing second. ”But how?”
“That’s partly what Sitara told me,” Elisara whispered, the exhaustion evident in her eyes, despite the absence of her shadows.
“And Osiris is a person from one of the lands cursed not to speak of it,” Larelle added. “Is this so Caligh can continue conquering more lands?”
“It is so he can have complete and utter control over everyone,” Keres said, not meeting the eyes of those in the room. “And if he has you, he can create far worse creatures than those he has already; he can build even more of an army, ensuring everyone lives in fear and chaos.” The other three gods exchanged a look, though what it was for, she did not know.
“Your land exists only because it is bound to ours. Destroy that link, and it will free all memories and offer complete clarity. It will crumble the sea border that hides you away, allowing for the next threads of fate to unravel,” said Vala.
Finally, they had shared something concrete. Severing the link would resolve most of their issues and allow them to refocus on Caligh and Sonos, provided the rulers agreed to find him.
“Will it break the curse on other lands and allow them to speakfreely?” asked Elisara.
“Yes, assuming the Prince of Xyliar follows his path correctly,” said Keres.
“Xyliar?” Larelle asked. “I saw that name on one map hidden in the church. Who is the prince?”
Vala ignored the question. “This destiny was laid out for you all long ago. Do not question it, but trust you are all here for a reason. You must sever the link between the Isle of Gods and Novisia.”
“What will happen when it is severed?” Nyzaia asked. Keres glanced behind her at Farid.
“You must leave immediately and return to Novisia,” Keres said. Nyzaia opened her mouth to probe further, but Caellum cut her off.
“How?” he asked. Keres finally lifted his gaze from his sword to where the other three gods stared at Elisara.
“With you,” Vala said, her eyes dull as she looked upon her descendant, whose own light had long since faded.
