“There is little that can prepare you, physically or mentally,†Kasrjin responded almost immediately. “It is a place without laws. All laws. It means that you may see rain fall towards the ceiling. Those who have died may yet live within. Time may flows backwards. Solid stone may melt beneath your feet. Erase all perceptions and assumptions you possess about our world and how it should work. It was a place constructed for absolute freedom. There is little difference between that and absolute anarchy.â€
The Xaela began to stride up the narrow mountain path. There would be a cave leading into Mourn, and within would be Ehs Daih. And within Ehs Daih would be their destination. “My...mm, predecessor had some knowledge of this place. He was Tsenkhai,†Kasrjin continued to explain. He could not properly explain his relationship with Tsuven, given that he didn’t precisely know the specifics himself, but given where they were going and the risks they were taking, providing a thorough explanation could not hurt.
Kasrjin’s hand trembled somewhat with trepidation, but also with an odd kind of fear. It felt like a fear from a memory not his own.
“The place my people worshipped--a temple of sorts--works in a similar lawless fashion for all but those capable of using the Correspondence. I have been told that it is easy to be driven mad. The first of the Tsenkhai’s trials at a young age are to determine whether or not they are capable of weathering such chaos to an adequate degree.â€
“We do not know who--or what--constructed our temple, nor what the temple’s actual purpose was. If my predecessor was correct,†Kasrjin winced to himself as his headache throbbed again. “Then it stands to reason that this place was built by the same peoples. Though for what, I cannot say.â€
The mountain path was steep, but they managed to reach the opening of a large, deep cave without any harassment. That there were no dragonkin around on their sacred mountain only furthered Kasrjin’s suspicions that they had been sent here to die...or worse.
Before entering the large cave, Kasrjin withdrew a small length of wood--barely the size of his forearm--and a flint from one of his belt satchels, lighting the torch before holding it before Roen. “My night vision is adequate, but you may require this,†he said. “Once we enter Ehs Daih, it is very likely that it will separate us. When we are inside, nothing will work how you believe it should. You will...see things, hear things. Everything you perceive is real.†Kasrjin held Roen’s gauntleted hand in his and pressed his index finger hard on her palm, as if to drive the point home. “Everything. That is what it means to be a lawless place: there are no tricks and no illusions. That is why it is dangerous.â€
The paladin closed her fingers around his hand before he was able to release hers. “What are you expecting me to do once we get to this place, exactly? What is our purpose?â€
“It will reveal itself to you,†Kasrjin said. “It will--or should--know what you are seeking. What you want. Even if you yourself do not know what that is.â€
She stared at him for a moment longer, before releasing her hold. Her eyes narrowed slowly as if in contemplation. “I am only here to help you. I do not seek anything for myself. If this will separate us… why do you need me here?â€
“I have only ever accepted what aid you wish to give,†the Xaela responded honestly. “This is a threshold you need not cross, if you do not wish to. You are free to turn back now, as you have always been, should you wish to do so.â€
Roen blinked. She took a step back from him, her brow deeply furrowed. Her grey eyes darted this way and that, before her hand closed into a fist and she straightened. “I have come this far.†Her jaw was set and she lifted her chin. “I will cross the threshold with you. Perhaps… it will reveal to me how I can help you.â€
They continued into the cave in silence. What would he see? The colours of the Correspondence might guide him...but they might not. The chittering of dragonkin could be heard echoing through the cavern, but the path before them was desolate, empty.
And then, a dead end. The darkness of the cave stretched out before them, leading to nothing but jagged walls surrounding them on all sides.
Kasrjin could feel it. The aether seeping out, the colours flashing in the corners of his vision. This is where the pulse came from, when he first felt it in Coerthas during the blizzard.
Instinctively, he withdrew the runestone that Tsanai had given him--the colours on its carved surface had faded long ago--and pressed it against the stone wall of the cave, causing the wall to shimmer like water. It rippled, sending waves throughout the surface. And it screamed. An instantaneous howl of pain and agony in a voice whose gender could not be identified, as if someone or something felt the rippling of the stone in their flesh and bones. Bending, creasing, cracking. And then, it ceased.
The Xaela turned to glance at the paladin behind him, his hand still pressed against the wall. “All shall be well if you believe it to be so,†he said solemnly, holding his other hand out to her, as if waiting for her to grasp it. He felt her grip in his, and with an expression of grim determination, they pushed their way past into the rippling stone wall.
The Xaela began to stride up the narrow mountain path. There would be a cave leading into Mourn, and within would be Ehs Daih. And within Ehs Daih would be their destination. “My...mm, predecessor had some knowledge of this place. He was Tsenkhai,†Kasrjin continued to explain. He could not properly explain his relationship with Tsuven, given that he didn’t precisely know the specifics himself, but given where they were going and the risks they were taking, providing a thorough explanation could not hurt.
Kasrjin’s hand trembled somewhat with trepidation, but also with an odd kind of fear. It felt like a fear from a memory not his own.
“The place my people worshipped--a temple of sorts--works in a similar lawless fashion for all but those capable of using the Correspondence. I have been told that it is easy to be driven mad. The first of the Tsenkhai’s trials at a young age are to determine whether or not they are capable of weathering such chaos to an adequate degree.â€
“We do not know who--or what--constructed our temple, nor what the temple’s actual purpose was. If my predecessor was correct,†Kasrjin winced to himself as his headache throbbed again. “Then it stands to reason that this place was built by the same peoples. Though for what, I cannot say.â€
The mountain path was steep, but they managed to reach the opening of a large, deep cave without any harassment. That there were no dragonkin around on their sacred mountain only furthered Kasrjin’s suspicions that they had been sent here to die...or worse.
Before entering the large cave, Kasrjin withdrew a small length of wood--barely the size of his forearm--and a flint from one of his belt satchels, lighting the torch before holding it before Roen. “My night vision is adequate, but you may require this,†he said. “Once we enter Ehs Daih, it is very likely that it will separate us. When we are inside, nothing will work how you believe it should. You will...see things, hear things. Everything you perceive is real.†Kasrjin held Roen’s gauntleted hand in his and pressed his index finger hard on her palm, as if to drive the point home. “Everything. That is what it means to be a lawless place: there are no tricks and no illusions. That is why it is dangerous.â€
The paladin closed her fingers around his hand before he was able to release hers. “What are you expecting me to do once we get to this place, exactly? What is our purpose?â€
“It will reveal itself to you,†Kasrjin said. “It will--or should--know what you are seeking. What you want. Even if you yourself do not know what that is.â€
She stared at him for a moment longer, before releasing her hold. Her eyes narrowed slowly as if in contemplation. “I am only here to help you. I do not seek anything for myself. If this will separate us… why do you need me here?â€
“I have only ever accepted what aid you wish to give,†the Xaela responded honestly. “This is a threshold you need not cross, if you do not wish to. You are free to turn back now, as you have always been, should you wish to do so.â€
Roen blinked. She took a step back from him, her brow deeply furrowed. Her grey eyes darted this way and that, before her hand closed into a fist and she straightened. “I have come this far.†Her jaw was set and she lifted her chin. “I will cross the threshold with you. Perhaps… it will reveal to me how I can help you.â€
They continued into the cave in silence. What would he see? The colours of the Correspondence might guide him...but they might not. The chittering of dragonkin could be heard echoing through the cavern, but the path before them was desolate, empty.
And then, a dead end. The darkness of the cave stretched out before them, leading to nothing but jagged walls surrounding them on all sides.
Kasrjin could feel it. The aether seeping out, the colours flashing in the corners of his vision. This is where the pulse came from, when he first felt it in Coerthas during the blizzard.
Instinctively, he withdrew the runestone that Tsanai had given him--the colours on its carved surface had faded long ago--and pressed it against the stone wall of the cave, causing the wall to shimmer like water. It rippled, sending waves throughout the surface. And it screamed. An instantaneous howl of pain and agony in a voice whose gender could not be identified, as if someone or something felt the rippling of the stone in their flesh and bones. Bending, creasing, cracking. And then, it ceased.
The Xaela turned to glance at the paladin behind him, his hand still pressed against the wall. “All shall be well if you believe it to be so,†he said solemnly, holding his other hand out to her, as if waiting for her to grasp it. He felt her grip in his, and with an expression of grim determination, they pushed their way past into the rippling stone wall.
