"Felix. Are we set?" Harn asked. His Spirit was flat to Felix's senses, and the man seemed calm as a cucumber.
"Yeah. Get everyone set," Felix said with a nod. "It's show time."
Harn led them along a path that skirted east, deeper into the forest. Felix thought he would recognized the area, but while some of the trees were familiar, the land had been warped and reshaped by the Archon's forces. Hillocks of dirt and stone contrasted with trees knocked down by the errant strike of something far larger, ice on the trunk evidence of a Reforged's weapon. It was decidedly unnerving, like seeing an old, familiar playground overturned by construction equipment.
Not that I'd call what we did out here 'fun,' Felix sent to Pit, still nestled in his Spirit. Sense memories of a small tenku attacking smaller lizards and insects twitched through their bond. That's true. It's your home more than mine. How's it feel, coming back?
Sad. I miss her.
Felix new who he meant even without the image that came along with Pit's thoughts, of a much larger tenku nuzzling her small pup. His mother. Felix sent warmth and comfort along their bond, wishing he could do more. Pit just went a bit more silent, as if thinking.
All Felix could do was leave him to it.
It was largely silent, save for the thunder of the distant river, though Felix sensed a number of beasts and monsters in their dens. None were higher leveled than 20 or 23, and all of them were scared. Felix thought they were scared of the Reforged and their strange reservoirs, but they soon realized it was the intense Spiritual pressure in the air.
Archon, Felix almost snarled. It felt the same as when the Shelled Aurochs stampeded or when the horde of avian monsters had fled the Foglands. He's here.
The others could feel it too, and Kylar had broken out into a heavy sweat. Felix was beginning to regret allowing him to come when the word came.
Around a twist of land smaller than a ridge but bigger than a hillock, Felix saw the waterfall. Or what was left of it. The land around the cliff and lake had been dug up and stripped bare, with more of those large, stone-lined reservoirs along the shore. The cliff itself was blasted apart and cut into, so much so that the waterfall itself was diverted off to the side, pounding into what was once dry land. An elaborate and oversized wooden scaffold was secured to its side, climbing the open cliff in wide steps not meant for Human tread. What was worse, the cavern that laid beyond the waterfall was exposed, ripped open along with everything else until Felix could clearly see the entrance to the Temple itself, even in the dark of night.
But are the protections still there? he wondered. Have they accessed the Temple?
He flared his Manasight and fought back a hiss of pain. The entire place reeked of the Archon's power and Profane Sigaldry, his magic just as twisted as his script. It smelled of metal and violence, tasted like isolation and servitude. It burned at him, until he cut off the Skill. He had seen enough.
He pulled back, behind the shadow of the rise.
"They've torn it apart. The Temple is wide open and its defenses are gone. I thinkI think the Archon has cracked it open," Felix explained.
"Twin's teeth," Alister swore as he peered over the rise. "They've denuded the whole area, even worse than down river. And it's crawling with those monkeys and bugs, and...I count twenty Reforged. Atar, can you make out what that sigaldry is doing?"
"With time, maybe. Profane Sigaldry burns to read, and its unrelentingly twisted." Atar spat to the side. "It tastes like destruction and madness."
"It tastes...?" Kylar muttered to himself. Felix doubted anyone else heard him.
"So, what? We lost?" Evie said with a scowl. "That's not fair. We just got here."
"Is the Quest still active?" Harn asked.
Felix toggled it open.
The Door Of The Lidless Eye!
Seek out the Temple you once took refuge within, Ascendant. Dire secrets dwell within, waiting the Inheritor. It is your duty to prevent the darkness from escaping into the light. Do not tarry, for the Archon is close, and the darkness closer.
"It is. Hasn't changed," he said.
"Then we're in the clear. Either the big metal idiot just got in there, or he hasn't been able to figure out the door thing." Harn rolled his shoulders, unsheathing his axes with the same easy motion. "Either way, it means the plan ain't changed, yeah?"
After a moment, Felix nodded. The plan would still be good. I just hope it works.
A'zek growled, a low rumble. "We'll make them pay for damaging such a place. Such history." Wyvora gripped her spear in mute agreement.
"Are we ready?" he asked.
"Aye."
"Yes."
"Mhm."
"Y-yes."
To battle, Felix. To battle!
A chirrup from his Spirit and they were all in agreement. As one, they split up into separate teams, each one moving forward with determination. Felix ducked low, moving ahead of the rest; he and Pit were moving solo again, and not only because he bore the key to the Door of the Lidless Eye.
He had a feeling, a strong one, that the Archon would ignore his friends. He checked Inheritor's Will in its scabbard, unsheathing the blade for several inches before letting it slide back.
No turning back now.
"They're moving," Tyrk said. "Toward the open cliff face."
"Then we follow," Ifre replied.
"Into that?" Isyk said, his nerves obvious. "Those monsters will kill us as soon as look at us."
"We go to secure the Temple, as we've been charged," Ifre said, her voice iron. "Or did you think this journey would be without risk?"
"N-no, Captain, I just"
"You are afraid," she stated. Isyk jerked back as if struck. "And that is acceptable. Let fear Temper you, strengthen you, but remember you are beyond it. Above it."
The man's tightened his grip on his spear, until his knuckled whitened. He nodded, once, with purpose.
"Very good. Now," Isyk said as she padded through the forest, spear at the ready. "Now we go, as the Raven wills."
"As the Raven wills," they both said in low tones.
The darkness rose up and enveloped them all, until only moonshadow and bobbing ferns could be seen. And then those stilled, too.